http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/wayne-swan-knows-nothing-about-me-or-our-democracy-20120304-1ub09.html?rand=1330867374328

All Australians have an inherent right to be treated equally under the law regardless of our race or means or where we live. We are one nation, with a diverse and rich background.

The heritage of all Australians, rich or poor, and that of our leaders, elected or not, is something we all must respect. It's the mark of an intellectual pygmy not to recognise that and to play the man, not the ball.

To classify people by their means, race, class or gender is not a substitute for robust discussion about ideas or solutions to pressing national problems. John F. Kennedy once said words to the effect that ''governments may come and go but ideas go on for ever''.
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Yet Treasurer Wayne Swan has done just that. His attack on industry leaders who have led not by their words but by their courage and willingness to take action - to preserve the nation's standard of living, to protect workers and families, to expand our international trade, to reach out to our future in Asia and the world - is disappointing. As an elected national leader, the Treasurer needs to examine who he is, who he really represents, and what is in the best interest of all Australians.

In his essay in The Monthly attacking so-called ''billionaire activists'', including me, the Treasurer suggested he is fighting for workers' rights and to represent the workers in all areas of national government and policy. But as a member of Parliament and our Treasurer, he should not just be concerned with the rights of workers but the rights and needs of all Australians.

The Labor Party has lost respect for the rights and needs of individual Australians. So it is not surprising to see the Labor Treasurer singling out our national business leaders for attack. It is common ALP practice to attack others rather than to examine the shortcomings of Labor policy or Labor leaders.

It would be far better for the Treasurer to face the truth that he personally doesn't know how the economy works, that he is just a puppet of the faceless men who give directions on what to do and say. In last week's leadership ballot between the two robots, we saw the robot with the least respect of the Australian people being re-elected to lead the ALP - a clear demonstration that there is no leadership in the Labor Party and that it has contempt for the views and wishes of the people.

That the Treasurer takes instructions from the faceless people and/or his department, rather than reflecting the will of the people, is not democracy as I know it. Democracy means respecting the rights of all. It means respecting the verdict of all members of society and respecting the results of public polls and the will of the people.

The Treasurer attacks me as being anti-democratic but he hardly knows me, or who I am. Other than a five-minute encounter at breakfast one morning, he has never met me.

I would say that, with his limited ideas, he could not make an impression on a cushion.

If the Treasurer knew me, he would know that I stand ready to protect the precious democracy we value in this country. If he knew me, he would know that my family has a strong commitment to this country. That our family members served and died in the First World War and four of them served in the Second World War. They served in the Middle East and elsewhere to protect the democracy we know. Members of my family still suffer from their service in Vietnam, and my nephew served in the Australian Air Force at INTERFET headquarters in East Timor.

If the Treasurer knew me, he would know that I am a director of the John F. Kennedy library in the United States and one of the main benefactors of the Profile in Courage Awards that recognise outstanding government service and leadership. If he knew me, he would know that I am a member of the presidents' council of the Club of Madrid - a club that includes 57 former presidents, prime ministers and heads of state and which was set up for the purpose of creating good governance and democracy around the world. If he knew me, he would know that I sponsored the last conference of the Club of Madrid in New York, along with Microsoft and Google. That conference dealt with the Arab Spring and a shared society.

I truly believe in democracy and accepting the people's will. We have in this country respect for freedom of speech, the right of association, the right to vote, the equality of men and women and tolerance - tolerance towards all those who are different from ourselves, who come from different countries or races and have different means and wealth but are the fabric of the society that we all love.

We need to always respect the right of the public to know. The free press stands as the last sentry at the gate of freedom, protecting the public's right to know and the freedoms we all enjoy. What is far more important than how much money you have or any position you hold is the content of your character.

We need in our country more love and forgiveness and the spirit of reconciliation.

I forgive the Treasurer for his mistakes and I remind him that a mistake doesn't become an error until one refuses to correct it. Australians, however, will not forgive the Labor Party for destroying the wealth of this country and robbing our children of their opportunities.

Wayne's picking on the Morbidly Obese Billionaire Ultra Conservative Miners Club...oh dear we all feel so sorry for them.
Chuck them some more pies.

Maqqa wrote on Mar 5^th, 2012 at 7:29am:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/wayne-swan-knows-nothing-about-me-or-our-democracy-20120304-1ub09.html?rand=1330867374328 All Australians have an inherent right to be treated equally under the law regardless of our race or means or where we live. We are one nation, with a diverse and rich background. The heritage of all Australians, rich or poor, and that of our leaders, elected or not, is something we all must respect. It's the mark of an intellectual pygmy not to recognise that and to play the man, not the ball.

So you now are saying maqqa that ALL Aslyum Seekers are treated equally and from now on you won't attacked our leaders but have a go at their policies.

bomen_guy wrote on Mar 5^th, 2012 at 7:53am:

Maqqa wrote on Mar 5th, 2012 at 7:29am: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/wayne-swan-knows-nothing-about-me-or-our-democracy-20120304-1ub09.html?rand=1330867374328 All Australians have an inherent right to be treated equally under the law regardless of our race or means or where we live. We are one nation, with a diverse and rich background. The heritage of all Australians, rich or poor, and that of our leaders, elected or not, is something we all must respect. It's the mark of an intellectual pygmy not to recognise that and to play the man, not the ball. So you now are saying maqqa that ALL Aslyum Seekers are treated equally and from now on you won't attacked our leaders but have a go at their policies.

Absolutely

BTW - you are not classified as asylum seekers until you meet the UN criterias

Until then you are an ILLEGAL alien trying to cross borders without permission

So you now are saying maqqa that ALL Aslyum Seekers are treated equally and from now on you won't attacked our leaders but have a go at their policies.



Er dopey the so called asylum seekers aren't Australian until they are naturalized.

Best you remove your IQ quote as most times you post it shows your IQ is getting lower and lower.

You will be a Greens voter soon.

bomen_guy wrote on Mar 5^th, 2012 at 7:53am:

Maqqa wrote on Mar 5th, 2012 at 7:29am: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/wayne-swan-knows-nothing-about-me-or-our-democracy-20120304-1ub09.html?rand=1330867374328 All Australians have an inherent right to be treated equally under the law regardless of our race or means or where we live. We are one nation, with a diverse and rich background. The heritage of all Australians, rich or poor, and that of our leaders, elected or not, is something we all must respect. It's the mark of an intellectual pygmy not to recognise that and to play the man, not the ball. So you now are saying maqqa that ALL Aslyum Seekers are treated equally and from now on you won't attacked our leaders but have a go at their policies.

I think you will find all asylum seekers are treated over and above the likes of ye and me...


free everything for ever????..

even I as a pensioner has to pay something for my prescriptions...if I was an asylum seeker it would be nothing.

we even pay for their smokes too dont we???

but I am not complaining you understand I wouldnt dare!!!!!

Maqqa wrote on Mar 5^th, 2012 at 8:03am:

bomen_guy wrote on Mar 5th, 2012 at 7:53am: Maqqa wrote on Mar 5th, 2012 at 7:29am: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/wayne-swan-knows-nothing-about-me-or-our-democracy-20120304-1ub09.html?rand=1330867374328 All Australians have an inherent right to be treated equally under the law regardless of our race or means or where we live. We are one nation, with a diverse and rich background. The heritage of all Australians, rich or poor, and that of our leaders, elected or not, is something we all must respect. It's the mark of an intellectual pygmy not to recognise that and to play the man, not the ball. So you now are saying maqqa that ALL Aslyum Seekers are treated equally and from now on you won't attacked our leaders but have a go at their policies. Absolutely BTW - you are not classified as asylum seekers until you meet the UN criterias Until then you are an ILLEGAL alien trying to cross borders without permission

The vast majority of those asylum seekers meet the UN definition..if they dont they are deported.
Wait until we leave Afghanistan if your wetting your pants now about the amount of asylum seekers we are now dealing with. And remember you can thank Howard, Bush and Blair for the invasions that have created this asylum seeker issue.
Look up the stats pre the Iraq/Afghanistan invasions if you doubt who is really to blame for your asylum seeker anxiety.

Maqqa wrote on Mar 5^th, 2012 at 7:29am:

The heritage of all Australians, rich or poor, and that of our leaders, elected or not, is something we all must respect. It's the mark of an intellectual pygmy not to recognise that and to play the man, not the ball

And yet here you are Clive, playing the man.
Too stupid to even realise your hypocrisy ;D

Dsmithy70 wrote on Mar 5^th, 2012 at 8:27am:

Maqqa wrote on Mar 5th, 2012 at 7:29am: The heritage of all Australians, rich or poor, and that of our leaders, elected or not, is something we all must respect. It's the mark of an intellectual pygmy not to recognise that and to play the man, not the ball And yet here you are Clive, playing the man. Too stupid to even realise your hypocrisy ;D

Clive would never do that...throw him another pie  ;D

http://media.fakeposters.com/results/2012/03/04/70szgv4vad.jpg

Maqqa wrote on Mar 5^th, 2012 at 8:03am:

Absolutely BTW - you are not classified as asylum seekers until you meet the UN criterias Until then you are an ILLEGAL alien trying to cross borders without permission

Try again clapping boy. They enter the country and request asylum at which point they are asylum seekers. They are investigated and if their claim checks out they are given refuge in this country - at which point they become refugees. At no point are they illegal anything.

You'd think that after years of crapping on about this rubbish you righties would at least be able to get your facts straight. I guess anything more complicated than "STOP THE BOATS" is just beyond you.

Me want pies

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/10/12/clive-palmer-diet.jpg

Me want pies

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/3742508-3x2-940x627.jpg

Me want pies

http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2010/03/20/1225843/258632-dtsplash-packer.jpg

me want pies

http://images.watoday.com.au/2011/02/21/2195503/73828_widenative-408x264.jpg

I can agree with Palmer in some aspects of his diatribe.....As most Australians want the mining tax to spread the benefits around for all Australian's it would be democratic for those who exploit the nations minerals to accept the will of the people without bitching about it.....The minerals belong to all Australians not just the few billionaires who are gouging out our country for their own benefit and little return to the Australian people.....Using part of this wealth for the prosperity of the nation is a good idea and supported by the majority Clive so practice what you preach and stop standing in the way of democracy fat so!!!

>:( >:( >:(