Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Readers Write: You tell us your views and your comments

By Readers Write - posted Tuesday, 16 November 2004


After last month’s election we asked readers: With effective control of the House of Representatives and the Senate for the first time in a generation, the Federal Government has an opportunity to make significant and far reaching changes. If you were John Howard what would you do?

Some readers have given the matter some serious thought, and others some not-so-serious thought. 

Helena Stace would simply, “Be transparent and a world leader in the humane and compassionate management of refugees”.

Advertisement

Geoff Muirden of the Australian Civil Liberties Union would, “Abolish the abominable racial and religious vilification laws, which have been opposed by most civil libertarians as an unwarranted restriction on freedom of discussion and the mechanism for enforcing political correctness in a draconian way …”

He goes on to explain why: “The two faced nature of the application of these laws, often being used selectively against Christians and failing to “correct” attacks on the white race, is a good reason in itself for abolishing these iniquitous laws as soon as possible. They should never have been created in the first place.”

Bob Downey has worked out a comprehensive ten-point plan that starts by scrapping all election promises, all free trade agreements and membership of the Coalition of the Willing along with all overseas operations. He would review all treaties and repeal where necessary.

Getting down to business, Bob would have a survey of essential resources “especially water conservation and supply, natural gas as an alternative to electricity generation by fossil fuels, and oil supplies”, a Royal Commission on the intelligence leading up to the Bali bombing, a Bill of Rights and a Republic. 

Further down the track, he’d consider a “ six month National Renewal programme which would utilise the strength of all 20-year-old Australians in national programmes to do with natural regeneration and defence of the country”.

(Then he’d have lunch…)

Advertisement

Rosemary de Meyrick has been thinking about those international treaties too.

“If I were John Howard I would … review all the International Treaties we have hooked ourselves up to over the years. They are often totalitarian in nature, and very often subvert our sovereignty, and take precedence over State laws … We are still legally bound by those treaties, and if Labor gets in again as one day it surely will, back we go to the socialist song again.”

Like Bob, reader Michele Stephens, cleverly disguised as John Howard, made up a ten point plan (probably after dinner):

  1. Leave Kirribilli House and move into The Lodge 8 1/2 years late.
  2. Send Senator Amanda Vanstone to the health farm on Ashmore Reef.
  3. Replace Alexander Downer with someone competent.
  4. Give Phillip Ruddock three years' supply of Happy Pills.
  5. Make an appointment for Ian McFarlane with Neville Wran's throat specialist.
  6. Report Tony Abbott to the Criminal Justice Commission and ICAC.
  7. Enrol Helen Coonan at the Film, Television & Radio School of
    Australia.
  8. Buy Mark Vaile a dairy farm and tell him not to come back until he
    has made a profit.
  9. Sign Peter Costello on as a volunteer for St Vincent de Paul so he
    knows how the other half lives.
  10. Make Brendan Nelson re-sit the HSC at Walgett High School.

Ouch!

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. All

Article edited by Margaret-Ann Williams.
If you'd like to be a volunteer editor too, click here.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Reader Write is compilation of short contributions and Letters to the Editor on On Line Opinion's feature topic.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Readers Write
Article Tools
Comment Comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy