Well said VK3AUU. And it’s a shame that when people say what they really think instead of trotting out the tired old PC line the anti-free speech brigade come out with that boring “you’re a racist” slur. Like you, rehctub, I’ll associate with any sensible-minded non-native english speaker & non-white (& disassociate from any non-sensible white person) & I do - going out with a black south African female from Durban tonight to meet up with an Egyptian Muslim for dinner - I couldn’t care less whether people believe it or not. Such a notion is too much for their limited brain power to cope with.

To me the person is way more important than the colour. But to the anti free-speech fascists, any criticism by a white westerner of a PRACTICE or BELIEF which involves large numbers of a non-white people means you’re automatically racist. If only these slur-mongers travelled the world & saw the racism & intolerance that really goes on – eg rife in India, Africa, Asia, Middle East – where the faintest shade of colour difference among people of the same colour or faintest difference in religious belief can mean you don’t associate with that person full stop, or even that you repress them.

The person of colour (& white) & non-western religious belief (& Christian) has never experienced a fairer system than in the west as it stands today - of that I am totally convinced, & we all may never experience it again. What we have achieved in the west in the modern era vis a vis human rights is fragile & is certainly no guarantee to last. Not only is the western system unprecedentedly fair, it bends over backwards to be fair and still the cries of “bend further, white racist, bend until you break” are heard.

Don’t believe me, slur-mongers – travel the world (not as a fly-by-night tourist) & see for yourself. You will be purged of your parochial experiences & thoughts forever.

Get it right KGB (how appropriate). Vacuous did not write that garbage he just peddled it.

Enjoy your very late dinner with the friends that you people always seem to produce to insulate yourself from any suggestion of racism.

Pathetic.

Dear Kevin

That was a moving speech. Now for the hard stuff.

Instead of $31 bn in tax cuts, use the money to set up a future fund to compensate indigenous people for their dispossession, for the stolen generations, and to improve Aboriginal health, education and housing. Recognise prior ownership through a treaty.

Future tax cuts could go into the fund.

Cut the $ 60 bn in middle class and business welfare that is presently in the tax system (called tax expenditures) to help further capitalise the fund. I'm sure big business would agree, as would all those well off superannuants and future superannuants.

Another thing. It was no accident that the day after the euphoria of the apology Labor began talking about wage restraint.

Labor's strategy is becoming clearer. It will use social policy as a cover for and distraction from attacks on living standards.

And finally to those worried about the racists, relax. To get bothered by these spawn of cockroaches is to be trapped in game. As the reaction to the apology shows, these posters are a small antiquated group with no political future who like a spoiled child left alone for a few minutes are crying for attention. They don't have the nous politically to organise now that their hero JWH is irrelevant, like them.

That means they are not a threat and their words have no resonance politically or physically. They are political refugees in their own land. Ah, sweet irony.

Well said VK3AUU, at last some real figures to back up what most hard working tax payers think.
I remember back in the early 80's when we earned about $7.00 per hour and one coloured guy used to say every Monday morning, "well guys, I've just paid my house paymant for the week". Sadly, this was after working just (1) hour!
Indiginous welfare and hand-outs is a joke, will always be a joke and now we have placed ourselves in a position of 'backing-down' we can look forward to a long life of continued, (un-accountable) hand outs!
Thank's Mr Rudd!
I hope those of you who voted this guy in are prepared for a bumpy ride as this, along with the KYOTO agreement is just the tip of the ice berg. Brace yourselves!
Perhaps when you start to loose your houses through high interest rates, while at the same time contributing to this debarcle you may change your view.

rehctub

Let me know the minute you get word that the sky's about to fall in will you? I heard about signing Kyoto, but I'm waiting for news about the disaster that followed its signing. Have I missed it? Or is it still coming?

Any chance we could get together a big class action in advance of this disaster - a kind of anticipatory class action, just in case there are any repercussions?

By the way, what government was in power when you went to school? On the evidence of your own writing and thinking, I reckon you could sue them and the education system for dereliction of duty.

Dear Frank Gol
As with most forums we are getting off track, but given the tone of your reply to my mention of the kyoto agreement, the real issue is one of keeping our economy driving and this will quite simply be un-achievable as we will certainly become anti-competetive given that the big three refuse to sign, they being the USA, China and India. That is my fear and one that I feel is shared by many.
You see I am a person who believes that we are all equal and should therefore be entitled to equal rights (and hand-outs) regardless of our colour, race or financial statis. We should also all be on a level playing field.
We have enjoyed an econnomy like nothing seen in my working life and I am warey of anything or anyone who puts that at risk.
And as for your dig at my education level, it is normally the better educated who target the less educated like myself and I can only assume that this is driven by the knoledge that people like me, who work hard with thier hands usually pay more tax in any one year than the brainy ones of yesteryear earn. You see, times have changed and it is the (un-educated) who get the big bucks now not the lawyers, doctors or accountants. Must suck given the years of studdy put in to a career that earns what amounts to sweet #$@*all in comparison.
Yea I just wish now that I did do my home work, but hey, lifes pretty good at the top!