Dear Hasbeen,

You wrote: "In the past a station supported a whole tribe, supplied them with all the beef they could eat, support with housing materials, along with traditional style hunting & gathering access to the whole property.

In return a couple of the men would have almost propper jobs, a few more would work 40% of a real job, when work was required, & more would work at roundup time, or in floods etc. It was a kind of halfway house that suited all most everyone. The stock men in particular were very proud of their much valued ability.

Award wages destroyed all this. Only a very few were required full time, & those did not like having to live away from the tribe, who were now no longer supported & had moved to missions.

This is one of Katter's main problems, he only sees the obvious, with out much insight, or often understanding. Yes a really genuine bloke, but a bit hair brained, & at times goes off half cocked."

Katter also supported Aboriginal land rights. The system you described above was paternalistic with the station owner sitting on land taken from Aborigines in the first place and taking the profit from that land with the Aborigines given the 'privilege' of working for low wages and subsisting on the land. It was an exploitative system.

When Aborigines got together to buy a station in the York Peninsula that was up for sale the Bjelke-Petersen government blocked the sale. Obviously it wouldn't do to have the Aborigines run a station and take the profit from it themselves.

Katter in this case knew exactly what the situation was.

He was neither hair-brained nor hare-brained.

So, Messrs Katter & Palmer wish to throw their respective hats in the ring as a potential PM ? Why not, they'd probably not do any worse or better than anyone else for that matter ?
It doesn't matter really. We, here in Australia are heading down the same road as the United States and the United Kingdom, we're plunging towards ultimate destruction !

I'm so disillusioned with my country I've never been so close to putting a .38 Spec in my mouth...!

Dear o sung wu.,

I don't think that we fully realise just how
lucky we are in this country and how many,
people around the globe would gladly
trade places with any one of us.

Bombs are not falling over our heads, and
although we criticise things - we really should
count our blessings.

I've always admired you for your logic, reasoning,
and integrity. You're an inspiration.
So, please - don't be disheartened. We need your
optimism - especially on this Forum. I've come
to depend on it and always read your posts - which
I can't say I do for everybody.

Dear David F.,

I've read up on Katter's stand for Aboriginal Rights
and he certainly took a firm stand on their behalf
at a time when it wasn't the popular thing to do.
He did it because he believed it was right.
Got to admire him for that. A rare politician indeed.

Lexi, yes i suppose we are luckier than most.

However, the signs that Australia is going down the tube are everywhere. We need major reform, but where is the sign of leadership? I look at our pollies, academics, journalists, and view most as a joke.

Outside academia, virtually everyone i ask around Albury Wodonga is very worried indeed.

Dear Chris,

No wonder people are concerned when so many
talk down our economy. However the International
Monetary Fund and others paint a totally different
picture. The following link may help cheer you up:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/poilitical-news/australian-economy-leads-the-world-20120418-1x6ac.html

BTW: I attended a library conference a few years back in
Albury-Wodonga organised by ALIA (Australian Library and
Information Association). I was just a novice starting
out in the profession. It was the best conference I've
ever attended (so professionally handled - and the New Years'
Eve Ball was to die for - like a scene out of the Arabian Nights -
awesome). I also loved the area and could easily live there.