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Motormouth MP Makes Small-Minded Speech

Maiden speech raises eyebrows
January 22, 2007 5:21 PM
By Goya Bennett

THE only Liberal MP in the west has described stem-cell and anti-vilification laws as ‘’evil'’.

In his maiden speech to Parliament, Western Metropolitan upper house MP Bernie Finn said the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission should stop trying to ‘’inflict its warped view of the world on the rest of us'’.

Read the rest of this entry… »

Mr Finn said political correctness was ‘’a cancer'’ that had caused police morale to plummet.

He said Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon, a former member of the NSW police force, was ‘’not fit'’ for the job.

‘’Since the appointment … of an obscure officer with little operational experience, from arguably the most corrupt police force in this nation, public perception of our police and the morale of membership has nosedived.

‘’Christine Nixon should go, and she should go now.'’
Mr Finn said Parliament would do its duty to the community by ensuring major drug dealers ‘’no longer walk this earth'’.

Quoting his political hero, former US president Ronald Reagan, Mr Finn said the Government’s first duty was to protect people, not run their lives.

He said it was the Government’s responsibility to protect ‘’children before they are born'’ but not to suppress freedom through equal opportunity legislation.

He said the Equal Opportunity Commission was a ‘’tool for the forced implementation of politically correct social engineering'’.

Mr Finn labelled the Racial and Religious Vilification Act as ‘’evil'’.

He also claimed that the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibility was legislation that former Soviet dictator ‘’[Joseph] Stalin would be proud of'’.

He proposed a parliamentary royal commission to investigate the ‘’billions'’ spent by the Aboriginal bureaucracy.

As the west’s sole Liberal Party representative, Mr Finn said he would put the needs of the west ahead of the needs of Labor Party hacks.

Martin Pakula, who is one of three Labor representatives for the Western Metropolitan region, said Mr Finn’s views would horrify most voters.

‘’It’s pretty obvious to me that Bernie’s attitudes, his nature and aspirations don’t coincide with those of many people in the inner west.

‘’His derisory comments about Aboriginal reconciliation, his comments about stem-cell research … many voters in the west would be horrified to know that someone expressing those sorts of views is representing them.

‘’He represents the views of a small subset of the Liberal Party - extreme, ultra-conservatism.

‘’Those values don’t sit very comfortably with the values of many people in the western suburbs.'’

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News brief · 23 January 2007

Reclaiming the BDO

I have many fond memories of my various Big Days Out: sooky Goths stomping around in the heat as their make-up melts in the lead up to Nine Inch Nails; disgusting sauce-covered Dagwood Dogs and loads of Hare Krishna nosh falling off pitifully inadequate environmentally-friendly plates; Frenzal Rhomb’s gleeful destruction of comedy effigies of politicians; singing The Darkness’ I Believe In A Thing Called Love with Andrew G in a brief moment of televisual infamy; and, of course, the music.

You’ll note that not one of those happy reminiscences included “Being given a spray by brick-headed tools insisting I ‘kiss the flag!’ or face the consequences.”

Read the whole thing on Clem Bastow’s Age Blog.

News brief · 23 January 2007

Flag not banned says Big Day Out

From a press release on the Big Day Out website:

Clarification on the Flag Issue

The Big Day Out would like to offer the following to clarify its position on “flag banning” at the Sydney show.

Contrary to the reports in the media, it was never our intention to disrespect the symbolism of the Australian or any other flag.

We are not banning the Australian flag but are simply discouraging its use for anti-social purposes at the Big Day Out.

We state unequivocally that flags will not be banned at any Australian Big Day Out show in the foreseeable future.

In recent times, there has been an increased incidence of flags brandished aggressively and this has led to increased tension. Our only intention in discouraging this activity at the Big Day Out is to ensure that our patrons are not subjected to this aggressive behaviour.

With all this in mind and the aim to create a happy, peaceful MUSICAL event, organisers would like to request that fans please leave their flags at home.

The Big Day Out is not an Australia Day event, but a music festival showcasing music artists from around the world and aspires to unify people through music.

Unfortunately the media reports yesterday were not quoted accurately and we must thank the participating media for wasting everybody’s time including the Prime Minister John Howard, Premier Morris Iemma, NSW RSL President Don Rowe, Keysar Trad (a confidant of the Mufti Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly) and Burt Lane of the Australian National Flag Association…

News brief · 22 January 2007

Big Day Out to ban Aussie flag capes

From the SMH:

Ban Big Day Out, not flag: Robb

Organisers should cancel the Australia Day eve Big Day Out concert in Sydney rather than ban the flag at Thursday’s event, parliamentary secretary for immigration Andrew Robb says.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma and the RSL also condemned the decision to ban the flag, describing it as “outrageous” and “unbelievable”.

A newspaper reported that organisers of the Big Day Out at Homebush had decided they would confiscate any flag or bandana featuring the national symbol at the gates.

Event organiser Ken West was quoted as saying fans’ behaviour last year in the wake of the Cronulla riots and the recent ethnic violence at the Australian Open tennis tournament had forced his hand.

“The Australian flag was being used as gang colours. It was racism disguised as patriotism and I’m not going to tolerate it,” Mr West said.

Read the rest of this entry… »

BDO organisers issued a statement this morning saying the flag was not banned, but they said they did not want concert-goers taking it into the event.

“We are not banning the Australian flag but are simply discouraging its use for anti-social purposes at the Big Day Out,” the statement said.

The issue has prompted a chorus of disapproval from top politicians, including Prime Minister John Howard, and the RSL.

Mr Robb said the flag was not the problem and should not be banned.

“If they have got a security problem, they need to deal with that, not with the flag. The flag is a symbol of unity,” he told the Nine Network.

“To compare the flag to a gang colour I think is just outrageous, and totally unacceptable.”

He said the flag ban needed to be overturned.

“It is critical as soon as possible that the organisers remove this condition or otherwise I think the concert should be cancelled,” he said.

RSL national president Bill Crews said he would back the concert being cancelled if the flag ban continued.

“We’d certainly support that approach if they don’t want to change their mind on the banning of the flag,” he told Nine.

“This is an incredible decision that I hope organisers will quickly change. It’s an unbelievable thing that you ban Australia’s national symbol at any event in Australia.”

NSW Premier Morris Iemma said the organisers should allow the Australian flag.

“Our flag ought not to be used to be making political points like this. It is a still an outrageous decision and one that needs to be reversed and reversed immediately,” Mr Iemma told Macquarie Radio.

“The flag is a symbol of national unity and pride.”

BDO organisers said while they intended no disrespect to the flag, the Sydney concert was not an Australia Day event and there was no need for the flag to be waved there.

“Our only intention in discouraging this activity at the Big Day Out is to ensure that our patrons are not subjected to this aggressive behaviour,” they said.

“With all this in mind and the aim to create a happy, peaceful MUSICAL event, organisers would like to request that fans please leave their flags at home.”

The event tours six cities in Australia and New Zealand but the ban will only affect Sydney, where the festival has been shifted to the day before its usual Australia Day date to avoid nationalistic overtones.

AAP

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News brief · 22 January 2007

Playing with Fire

Wondering where you can catch John Howard’s video address to Catch The Fire Ministries?

Just flick over to our mates at the (virulently anti-Semitic, Holocaust-denying) Australian League of Rights. They have all the details:

AUSTRALIA DAY: UNITED IN PRAYER MEETING

:Pastor Danny Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries notified us of the following:-
“Seventeen different branches of the Christian Church will take part in this meeting expressing both contemporary and traditional expressions of the life of the Church in praying for Australia”.

For those who can’t get there, you can join with fellow Christians in prayer just where you are. Distance is not a deterrent.

When: Friday 10.30am to 12.30pm, 26th January 2007. Where: Festival Hall, 300 Dudley Street, Melbourne.

Tip of the Ushanka to Jeff Sparrow at Leftwrites who has more on this.

Fight dem back · 20 January 2007 · Discussion

National Vanguard activist arrested on rape charges

Earlier this month The Australian reported that Australia First’s Cronulla candidate John Moffat had posted a number of racist rants on the website of the U.S.-based neo-Nazi org National Vanguard.

National Vanguard is a splinter group of the National Alliance, which fell apart after it’s leader carked it. A power vacuum was created as numerous members attempted to get their hands on NA’s finances. NA was infamous as one of America’s most violent white supremacist groups, and it’s members were responsible for assaults, arsons, bank robberies and murders.

You’d think that Australia First would want to publically disassociate itself from such a group. (They didn’t.)

Shortly after The Australian’s expose, it emerged that the founder of NV had been arrested on child porn charges.

You’d think that Australia First would want to publically disassociate itself from such a group. (They didn’t.)

Now it has emerged that the leader of NV’s Boston cell was arrested on statuatory rape charges late last year after he allegedly ‘lured a minor into prostitution.’

Will Australia First publically disassociate itself from National Vanguard in light of this?

More on One People’s Project, wider implications discussed on Stratfor.

(The former leader of the World Knights of the KKK and more recently a member of the National Socialist Movement, Gordon Young, has been arrested on similar charges relating to a separate incident in Maryland. We wonder what Carl Thompson, the leader of the local cell [of one] will say?)

Fight dem back · 20 January 2007 · Discussion

Police asleep at the wheel on anti-Jew crimes?

From the AJN:

Jews, MPs blast police
Jason Frenkel and Melissa Singer

STATE oppositions have launched a scathing attack on the New South Wales and Victorian Governments over the failure of police to prosecute perpetrators of antisemitic attacks.

As investigations into separate assaults on Orthodox Jewish students continue in both states, Jewish leaders said there was growing community concern over the spate of unresolved crime which had been “swept under the carpet”.

Aside from the jailing last year of two white supremacists who vandalised the Perth Hebrew Congregation in 2004, senior Jewish officials cannot recall a single prosecution over an anti-Israel or antisemitic attack in Australia since 1991.

Read the rest of this entry… »

“We are reaching a point where one really has to question the competence of our police authorities given their poor record of dealing with a number of criminal attacks against Jewish targets,” said one senior Jewish official, who declined to be named.

The criticism came as Melbourne detectives continued their probe into an alleged attack on two ultra-Orthodox teenagers assaulted outside Melbourne’s Jam Factory last week.

Sydney police are also investigating an incident that resulted in an Israeli-born Yeshiva Centre student being hospitalised with a brain haemorrhage last week.

But NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam said police efforts to investigate anti-Jewish crime were being hindered by a disgraceful lack of police resources.

“I’m aware that these attacks are on-going, whether it’s attacks on synagogues, or attacks on people on the street, intimidation of people on the street … I’m not aware of anyone being charged and jailed for them,” Debnam told the AJN this week.

“I think it’s a real disgrace over that period of time, that the resources aren’t going to catching these thugs and criminals.

“When there’s internationally stressful times we’ve seen a number of outrageous attacks. I keep saying: show me the arrests. They aren’t there, and yet the attacks are ongoing.”

There have been six cases of physical assault in the Jewish community in Melbourne alone during the past 12 months.

But police this week said they were close to pressing charges in at least one high-profile attack – the alleged assault on Menachem Vorchheimer last October (see story, News 3).

A series of attacks on shuls in Sydney and Melbourne last year remains unresolved.

They include an attack on Coogee Synagogue in which Torah scrolls were damaged and the curtain to the Holy Ark stolen, two attacks in three weeks on Parramatta Synagogue during Israel’s war against Hezbollah, and vandalism and graffiti on two Progressive shuls in Melbourne.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) president Grahame Leonard said the roof body was reviewing its approach to responding to antisemitic violence.

“There is a concern, particularly in smaller states, that these matters are swept under the carpet,” he said.
Federal Labor MP Michael Danby said he was concerned at the lack of prosecutions.

“It’s disappointing that there hasn’t been a single arrest in an anti-Jewish incident in NSW since 1991,” Danby said.

“It’s disturbing and I hope the new minister sees the pattern of unresolved anti-Jewish violence in Sydney and is able to force some action.”

NSW Police Minister John Watkins did not return calls from the AJN this week.

The head of Jewish community security in Sydney, Kevin Rothschild, said police shouldn’t be blamed for the lack of prosecutions in NSW.

“We would love to have had an arrest and a prosecution – especially a prosecution – for the crimes that have been committed, but as a community we need to understand that there needs to be forensic evidence, or proof otherwise of the incidents occurring, in order for a prosecution to take place,” Rothschild said. “And often with the incidents that have occurred, there has been nothing to follow up on.”

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News brief · 20 January 2007

Hatred hypocrisy

From The Age:

Lesson of loathing
January 20, 2007

The Government is inconsistent and hypocritical in its responses to religious extremists, offering support to radical Christians and vilifying Muslims, writes Irfan Yusuf.

LATE last year, I shared a podium at the NSW Parliament House with a radical cleric for the first time. That religious leader refused outright to condemn a terrorist organisation responsible for more suicide bombings than any terror outfit on earth. The cleric called on his religious group to take over politics in Australia. He also asked his congregation to pray for the houses of worship of other faiths to be pulled down.

But far from being condemned or threatened with prosecution, The Age reported yesterday that this cleric and his group are to receive a special video message from the Prime Minister. When this cleric faced a court hearing over religious vilification, he received a letter of support from the Treasurer.

Read the rest of this entry… »

The Herald Sun reported yesterday that acting Attorney-General Kevin Andrews expressed concern “about a pattern of behaviour among outspoken Islamic leaders”. Perhaps he should also be concerned about a pattern of support his colleagues are showing to fringe Christian extremists. He might also ask the Prime Minister about the growing influence of Christian extremism in the membership of the NSW branch of the Liberal Party.

It seems that in the allegedly conservative world of federal Coalition politics, different rules of integration and tolerance apply to different religious groups. A firebrand preacher such as Feiz Muhammad must face the full force of tabloid columnists and even more tabloid politicians.

Meanwhile, Danny Nalliah can stand up in an Australian Parliament and call for the Christian right to take over Australian government and politics. When called upon to specifically condemn the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, he can prevaricate and make excuses. And he can publish newsletters calling on his followers to pray for Hindu and Buddhist temples to be torn down. Politicians can support his organisation despite its links to anti-Semitic groups such as the League of Rights.

Recently, I asked my best mate from school about Nalliah. He is a practising Anglican and is heavily involved in organising church music in the Sydney diocese.

“Everyone knows that Danny Nalliah is a fruitloop. He doesn’t represent mainstream Christianity,” my friend replied.

My friend isn’t alone in this view. Prominent Christian leaders (including an Anglican minister) appeared as witnesses in support of the Islamic Council of Victoria’s action against Nalliah and his colleague.

Personally, I found the case troubling. I am not a huge fan of legislation that criminalises certain types of speech. But if such legislation is to be introduced, applied or strengthened, it should be done so across the board. Imams who use insulting language towards Jews should be prosecuted, as should shock-jocks who use hate-filled words to instigate race riots at Sydney beaches.

Further, when politicians go on the attack against extremism and non-integration, they should be consistent. The Prime Minister cannot condemn Muslim non-integration while remaining silent on religious congregations (such as the Exclusive Brethren) accused of actively undermining court orders and covering up allegations of sexual assault on minors.

Last year, the Prime Minister refused calls to allow radical imams to attend a national conference of imams organised by the Australian Multicultural Foundation. He said that his Government wouldn’t deal with extremists.

Yet successive ministers (including the Prime Minister) continue to have dealings with Christian pastors and groups known for spreading venom against Muslims. Indeed, even in dealings with Muslims promoting radical forms of Islam, the Federal Government is showing inconsistency.

In recent weeks, the Foreign Minister has spoken out against funding of an Adelaide mosque by Saudi interests. Alexander Downer specifically expressed concern about Saudi-style Wahhabi Islam.

These concerns were also reflected in a British Channel Four program titled Undercover Mosque. That program exposed the steady flow of guidance and funds from the Saudi religious establishment to mosques and preachers in the United Kingdom. British Muslim scholar

Tim Winter told the program that “what the Saudis are doing in the ghettos of British Islam could one day prove fatal to the community”.

I share both the minister’s and Winter’s concerns. In 2005, I spoke on ABC’s Lateline show about one particular Saudi financier of religious institutions and activities in Australia.

Yet this didn’t stop the Prime Minister from inviting such individuals to his Muslim leaders’ summit in Canberra. And if a report on September 10, 2005, in The Sydney Morning Herald is to be believed, even our Attorney-General Philip Ruddock is happy to lunch at a Saudi financier’s home.

The Channel Four program also showed Sydney Sheikh Feiz Muhammad preaching hatred towards Jews and called for children to be taught jihad. Yet Muhammad is just one of numerous young Australians offered financial and moral support to study in Saudi religious institutions.

When it comes to combating religious extremism, the Government is sending out mixed signals. When not dealing with Christian ministers preaching hatred, Coalition MPs defend them and even provide letters of support in vilification cases brought against these groups.

The Government’s position will have credibility only if it is applied across the board.

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News brief · 20 January 2007

Howard in hate row

From the Herald Sun:

PM moves to defuse hate row
Gerard McManus and Michael Harvey
January 19, 2007

THE text of a Prime Minster’s message that sparked a religious storm has been released in a bid to calm the row.

Prime Minister John Howard inadvertantly sparked the storm when he taped a goodwill message for a fundamentalist Christian group accused of inciting anti-Islamic hatred.

Islamic leaders condemned Mr Howard for appearing in the DVD message for Catch the Fire ministries.

Read the rest of this entry… »

The controversial movement has sponsored a major multi-denomination gathering in Melbourne on Australia Day.

The PM’s office has just released text of the Australia Day message which reads;

“Hello there.

“I am delighted to send my good wishes to everyone attending the 2007 United Prayer meeting. Today is, of course, Australia Day.

“It’s a time when we celebrate the freedom and privileges we enjoy as citizens of a great, prosperous and peaceful nation – so blessed with an abundance of natural beauty.

“It’s also a time to reaffirm our commitment to shared values and our abiding loyalty to our nation, Australia. Christianity has been an enormous force for good and has done more than anything else to shape the lives, not only of millions of Australians, but the character of our nation.

“I congratulate Catch the Fire Ministries for bringing Christians from many denominations together for this celebration and I wish you all at very happy Australia Day.

“Your prayers for our nation are deeply appreciated.'’

But the PM’s decision to back the event has been described as “dangerous”.

Muslim community leaders said Mr Howard risked legitimising hateful anti-Islamic views.

“It sends quite a dangerous message to mainstream Australia that extremist views and hate speech is normal and justified,” said former president of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Yasser Soliman.

The outcry comes as Federal Police launched an investigation into inflammatory comments by Sydney’s Sheik Feiz Mohammed, which included a description of Jews as pigs and calls for children to die as “martyrs of faith”.

The hateful comments appeared in DVDs of Sheik Feiz’s lectures, being sold in Australia and the UK.

Acting Attorney-General Kevin Andrews said the Government was concerned about a pattern of behaviour among outspoken Islamic leaders.
Mr Andrews described the comments as reprehensible and offensive.

Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd called the sheik’s rant obscene and demanded action.

“As I see it, Sheik Mohammed’s comments add up to an incitement to terrorism,” Mr Rudd said.

Catch the Fire has been at the centre of accusations two of its pastors exposed Muslims to hatred and ridicule.

Friday’s Christian rally at Festival Hall is expected to attract up to 5000 people of various denominations.

Mr Howard is being promoted in flyers as delivering a keynote message which will be “personally directed to Catch the Fire ministries”.

The rally will also say prayers against terrorism, for divine protection for Australia’s armed forces and for the Government, according to organisers.

Pastor Danny Nalliah, one of two Catch the Fire ministers charged with breaking state vilification laws in 2002, last night refused to release the PM’s message.

“I am not at liberty to say what the Prime Minister says in the message,” Pastor Nalliah said.

“We asked him to speak on Australian values.

“This is a really big breakthrough to have all Christian denominations working together.

“This has been my heart and passion.”

Last month the Victorian Court of Appeal threw out the charges brought in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal which had sought to jail Pastor Nalliah and Daniel Scot for allegedly inciting hatred, contempt, revulsion and ridicule of Muslims.

The pair have endured a long-running legal case, which has cost them about $150,000, but pledged to go to jail rather than retract their views.

Mr Soliman, a member of the PM’s Muslim Community Reference Group, said Mr Howard should think twice about addressing the group.

“It is a dangerous thing for a senior politician to do,” he said.

“I can’t stop the Prime Minister addressing who he wants to, but he should be very cautious, especially with groups which have a history of toxic-hate speech.”

Islamic Council of Victoria board member Waleed Aly described Catch the Fire as “spectacularly ignorant”, claiming its members were in alliance with the far-Right League of Rights.

“If the PM wants to associate with these people, it’s not a good look,” Mr Aly said.

Other leading politicians who have addressed Catch the Fire ministries include Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile and Treasurer Peter Costello.

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News brief · 20 January 2007

Antisemitic sheik under investigation

From news.com.au:

Police probe sheik’s DVDs

By Luke McIlveen, staff and wires

FEDERAL police are investigating whether an Australian Islamic leader has incited violence in a series of DVDs in which he calls on youngsters to give up their lives in jihad, and calling Jews pigs.

Sheik Feiz Mohammed’s comments in the DVDs called Death Series have brought widespread condemnation from politicians and community groups.

The Australian Federal Police said it was looking into the DVDs and whether the sheik’s comments breached sedition laws and incited violence.

If they did, the AFP would launch a full investigation and he could face charges.

Read the rest of this entry… »

News brief · 19 January 2007

Motormouth MP Makes Small-Minded Speech

Reclaiming the BDO

Flag not banned says Big Day Out

Big Day Out to ban Aussie flag capes

Playing with Fire

National Vanguard activist arrested on rape charges

Police asleep at the wheel on anti-Jew crimes?

Hatred hypocrisy

Howard in hate row

Antisemitic sheik under investigation

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