To assume that anyone who is an enemy of the Government  - i.e. opposes their policies- must also be an enemy of Australia is a very dangerous way of thinking. It is in fact an argument for a one party state.

icy froth wrote

"Who cares what the journos name is?

The article is balanced view looking at both sides of the argument without the venom and spite I've seen in other articles."

.Peter Westmore is national president of the National Civic Council. and IMO the (phantom) national correspondent

who in their mission statement (about us) concede that



The National Civic Council (NCC) is an organisation which seeks to shape public

policy on cultural, family, social, political, economic and international issues of concern to Australia

I wondered how an organization that seeks to shape policy and advertises same could be considered a "balanced"

source of factual content???

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@lakeland27 wrote:

Abbott confessed he was sick of the NCC criticising unwelcome social and political trends from the sidelines. He wanted to change society by working from within. This meant sharing the fears and concerns of the "common herd". It was crucial to "make the compromises that life requires, be wrong, get blood on one's hands - but at least be in it".

For "vigorous, self-starting people" such as himself, the real issue was to secure a direct parliamentary presence. NCC people needed to "coalesce around leading individuals in the major parties".

 

But which of the major parties was the more suitable?

 

Labor's previous 30 years of hostility to Santamaria weighed against it but Abbott wrote, "our roots and the origins of our political culture are there". But if the ALP was not "dominated" by Santamaria-style ideas, it would succumb to "the grip of the Left or of soulless pragmatists". This was intolerable.

 

However, the Liberal Party was just as problematic. It was "without soul, direction or inspiring leadership", while its members were divided between "surviving trendies and the more or less simple-minded advocates of the free market".

 

The Liberal Party's mixture of "hand-wringing indecision or inappropriate economic Ramboism and perhaps their lack of political professionalism" struck Abbott as a fatal combination.

The choice on offer was bleak. "To join either existing party involves holding one's nose," he wrote.

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The choice on offer was bleak. "To join either existing party involves holding one's nose"

I'd like to reword that quote to suit the quandary the Australian voter finds him/herself in at election time if I may, Lakey.

The choice on offer IS bleak. "To VOTE for either existing party involves holding one's nose,"

Associated organisations:

• The Australian Family Association (www.family.org.au), with a particular focus on all forms of public policy affecting the family, and
• The Thomas More Centre, focusing on bio-ethical issues and formation of young people

the tyke link... praise the lord.....onya Tonzer

http://tmc.org.au/

• deepen the knowledge and strengthen the practice of Catholic youth in their faith;
• study political, economic, cultural, bioethical and social issues in accordance with Church teaching ;
• assemble and train young Catholic leaders to defend the faith and to challenge the prevailing philosophies of utilitarianism, subjectivism, materialism, libertarianism and nihilism, which threaten it.
• presently this is largely achieved through our training program, Young Political Activist Training (see www.ypat.org.au) and out publications, the ‘Thomas More Centre Bulletin’ and ‘iFaith’.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Family_Association

Beliefs

According to its stated objectives, the AFA aims "to cultivate within society an appreciation that the integrity and wellbeing of the family is essential to the stability, morale, security and prosperity of the Australian nation".

It defines a family as being "composed of father, mother and children". It also lobbies on issues related to its central purpose, such as the definition of marriage, abortion, media standards and classification, cloning, pornography and illicit drug use.

balanced ???? remind me never to get on a see saw with you Icyfroth

Balance this

Controversy and criticism

The organisation has been criticised for protesting against films they have not even viewed.[1]

At an anti same-sex marriage rally the AFA co-organised, guest speakers stated gay marriage should be "laughed at and ridiculed" and incorrectly associated gay marriage with paedophilia.

Mental health psychologist Paul Martin said such comments would be psychologically damaging to young gay people,

stating "the last thing they need to hear are these kinds of offensive comments from people who purport to represent 'family values'."[2]

Predictable responses. I guess balance is a bit skewed for the one-eyed

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@icyfroth wrote:

Predictable responses. I guess balance is a bit skewed for the one-eyed

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It always will be in this Country while people who think the values of the West are the only ones acceptable in Australia exist....

that attitiude makes all else and everyone else (including Indigenous Australians) other than what they are, undesirable in Australia.

What is undesirable is that kind of thinking.

Sad that some don't even see what and who is missing.....................or don't want to ?

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@***super_nova*** wrote:

I am not gloating; I am worried and I am deeply ashamed of what is happening to this country in only 3 months of this government.  Australia was considered to be fair and tolerant country, but it is now seen as nasty and arrogant. 

When in opposition the LNP took any opportunity to talk Australia down in every respect.  Now in power they get on destroying every important international relationship. 

Just because my concerns about the LNP are proving more than  justified does not mean I am happy about it.

  

 

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Do your feelings of shame extend to this sort of language from the left, Nova?:

"SO Joy Burch, the Education minister of the ACT, publishes a tweet describing her federal counterpart Christopher Pyne as a c**t - and gets away with it."

tsk tsk and from the Education minister of ACT, too.

further:

"We all make mistakes. But imagine if the roles were reversed. Imagine if Pyne had used the most obscene word in the English language, describing an intimate portion of the female anatomy, in reference to Burch.

He would be crucified. Twitter would be ablaze! The destroy-the-jointers would be apoplectic. The entire Abbott government would be implicated.

“If I had done that, before my head hit the pillow [Thursday night] I would have resigned or been sacked,” Pyne says.

“If it was me saying such a thing, the howls from the left would be cacophonous.”

But there has been barely a peep against Burch, who also happens to be the ACT’s Minister for Women. Moving right along. No double standards here.

That’s the Left for you, hysterical overreaction when it suits them, benign tolerance when it doesn’t.

If you’re on their side, anything goes. If you’re a conservative, a minefield of ‘isms lie in wait - sooner or later you will be accused of sexism, racism, elitism, homophobia and misogyny.

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