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Racism, fascism and neo-Nazis in Australia
#1
[Image: 3238012055_ec1f113f41.jpg]
In denial over a deep vein of hate
Nick O’Malley and Matt Wade
The Sydney Morning Herald
February 6, 2010
The Indian media lambasted Australia as a nation of racists after attacks on their students - and they may be right. Nick O’Malley and Matt Wade report.
For almost a decade Kevin Dunn has gathered the most comprehensive data on racism in Australia. Each year since 2001 he has surveyed 12,000 people across the nation, digging into their psyches to tease out details not only of the racist attitudes they may hold, but the racism they feel they suffer…
Among other things, Dunn was “stunned” to discover that, “as a group, Indians in Australia perceived themselves to be victims of racism as much as the Aboriginal community” — which is “as bad as racism gets” in this country, according to the Professor.
And he certainly has a point.
But while this perception may or may not be correct, it certainly suggests very strong feelings on the part of Indians in Australia. Leaving aside the apparent wave of assaults upon Indian students in particular (and especially in Melbourne), O’Malley and Wade proceed to make reference to the existence of “nationalist” Australian Facebook pages — such as ‘Speak English or Piss Off’ and ‘F— Off We’re Full’ — as evidence of a more generalised, non-Indian-specific, racial hostility.
Speak English or Piss Off Because We’re Full of F—ing Racists… Or Something
‘Speak English or Piss Off’ has 58,673 fans, and is “For those who STRONGLY BELIEVE that the AUSTRALIAN way of life (culture, language, clothing, etc) should be embraced by all who set foot on her soil and choose to live here.” On November 23, 2009, the group had 23,448 fans.
The slogan ‘F— Off We’re Full’ has been circulating for some years now, but it gained added notoriety on Australia Day 2009, when several hundred yoof ran around Manly in Sydney: three in particular were photographed and had their img splashed across the media. A later phone call to a local Sydney radio station by one of the girls (see : Australia Day Corso racist displays: Sharon realises she’s busted, rings 2GB, Hoyden About Town, January 30, 2009) revealed a less-than-coherent rationale for the action: “Um, because we … we didn’t actually meant it, in … in a racist way at all? Yes, it was racist, and stuff, but it was for the peop – it – it – I don’t know how explain it. It wasn’t against anyone in partic – especially in Australia.”
While xenophobic sentiment has been a mainstay of Australian culture for most if not all of its history, the Facebook group ‘F— Off We’re Full’ has gone up and down like a yo-yo over the last year or so, in response either to some form of hacking by critics or as Facebook responds to media criticism it cultivates racism (in explicit contradiction with its TOS). Established in the wake of incidents such as the above it remains, more or less, under the control of Darrin Hodges, currently the chief spokesperson for the ‘Australian Protectionist Party’ (and, it should be noted, formerly an avowed anti-Semite and Fascist admirer).
Racism and the far right
[Image: 800returnofright.jpg]
Along with its chief rival the ‘Australia First Party’ (under the leadership of fascist veteran Dr James Saleam), the APP has recently declared its having reached a membership of over 500, thus entitling the party to formally register with the AEC and thus obtain access to the various privileges other registered parties receive. AF, however, is further along the road to registration, having formally submitted its application, which is currently being processed by the Commission.
All things being equal, both parties are likely to be in a position to participate in the upcoming Federal election under their respective party banners and, in the less likely event their candidates receive 4% or more of first-preference votes, government funding.
With the registration of AF and APP, the far right in Australia will have turned a new page, one which follows upon the decline and eventual dissolution of previous formations such as ‘Australians Against Further Immigration’ (AAFI), the ‘Confederate Action Party’ (CAP), ‘National Action’ (NA), ‘One Nation Party’ (ONP), and several other, tinier, and even more obscure fascist groupuscules. Thus, while Pauline Hanson remains a nostalgic figure for many — in her last tilt at Parliament in 2009 in the State seat of Beaudesert, Hanson received 5,998 votes or 21.25%, placing third behind the ALP and Liberal National candidates — as a figure capable of uniting the disparate forces which comprise White nationalism, she is a spent force; at the same time, while one permutation on the ‘One Nation Party’ brand is still formally registered, many appear to have lost their passion for politics, while some others have gravitated to either AF or APP.
The far right network also includes openly neo-Nazi organisations and networks such as ‘Blood & Honour’, the ‘Southern Cross Hammerskins’, ‘Volksfront’ and fascist yoof organisations such as ‘Nationalist Alternative’ and the handful of teenyboppers associated with the ‘national anarchists’.
The links between the memberships of the more openly fascist and neo-Nazi groups and parties such as AF and APP are many and various: that said, both groups (but APP especially — and probably more genuinely) have made conscious efforts to shed neo-Nazi imagery, and to disavow any such link (see, for example, Martin Fletcher’s re-modelling of his ‘Down Under Newslinks’ website). In AF’s case, this can assume some fairly comical forms. Generally speaking, the ‘white nationalist’ milieu comprises perhaps several thousand individuals, adopts a variety of attitudes towards economic and cultural questions, is often volatile (with some internal disputes, very occasionally, assuming violent and even murderous form), and is still to establish a viable street presence.
See also : Pride & Prejudice : Mark White investigates the rise of Australia’s far right… (November 8, 2009) | Dreaming of An Aryan Jeannie : Australia First, Australian Protectionist Parties (July 10, 2009) | White With Fear : Flagging A New Hate (June 11, 2009).
Australia First
AF is the leading fascist party in Australia. It’s led by a man with criminal convictions for fraud and for organising a shotgun assault upon the home of an opponent; invokes the Australian nativist tradition, and consciously models itself upon the German NPD. The Idealistic Faces Of “Australianism” (November 28, 2009) provides a profile of eleven leading men in the organisation; other supporters of AF have also gained notoriety. Disgraced neo-Nazi Nicole Hanley, for example, helped to organise AF’s last conference in September 2009, one proudly hosted by the Petersham RSL. Another neo-Nazi, Welf Herfurth, has a long history of involvement in the far right, both in Australia and Germany, and serves to provide another bridge between the German (and European) and Australian far right in terms of ideology, organisation, propaganda and even materials.
Most recently, Hanley has enthusiastically taken up the cause of the perennially beleaguered Australian cockie. On the world’s leading white supremacist forum Stormfront (’Report from Farmers Rally in Canberra 2 Feb’, February 2, 2010), ‘BlueEyedBlonde’ joyfully recounts the presence of multi-millionaire shock jock Alan Jones at a rally in Canberra last week. (Besides providing an outlet for the endless complaints of several hundred local racists, SF is regularly used by Saleam/’radnat’ to broadcast his views and to attack his rivals on the far right; the administrator of its Australasian-based sub-forum is Perth plasterer Paul Innes/’Steelcap Boot’). In the universe of Australian nationalism, the Australian farmer eternally returns — despite, or perhaps even because, of the fact that Australian society is so massively urbanised.
Australia Daze
January 26 — the day on which Australia celebrates its Goodness / the commencement of the genocidal assault upon its indigenous peoples — was marked by the usual proliferation of Australian flags (and mimicry of the American tradition of placing a flag on every available surface). AF held a tiny protest outside the Caringbah offices of Scott Morrison, the Shadow Minister for Immigration & Citizenship. According to AF (Eureka!, No.211, January 29, 2010):
The kerbside protest, complete with picket signs and National, Eureka and Federation flags, attracted shouts of approval from motorists on the packed Kingsway. Both the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian gave the protest one-paragraph mentions in their reports of Australia Day in Sutherland Shire. Small mercies: probably at least 100,000 readers saw those small snippets. Members adjourned and met up with others for a BBQ and drinks. A large Australia First party banner draped over a fence on Princes Highway, Kirrawee, attracted further comment from enthusiastic passers-by.
Elsewhere, the online antics of AF have come to the attention of the rural press:
Refugee supporters receive hate mail
The Daily Advertiser
February 3, 2010
SUPPORTERS of Wagga’s African refugee community have become the target of “hate-filled” mail and phone calls from individuals claiming to represent the right-wing Australia First Party.
A fervent advocate of the region’s African migrant community, David Fletcher this week was shocked when a piece of unsolicited mail, purporting to be from the party, was delivered to his Forest Hill home.
Mr Fletcher, who has submitted several letters to The Daily Advertiser weighing into the debate surrounding an anonymous blog recently created by a Riverina Australia First Party supporter, said he was outraged by the contents of the letter…
Note that ‘AFP denies ‘hate-mail’ involvement’, The Daily Advertiser, February 5, 2010.
In drawing attention to the presence of black-skinned refugees in the Riverina, AF are hoping to revive an older tradition of racist antagonism, as well as draw attention to the use of non-White “contract labour” in rural industries. Ironically, AF also complains (Eureka!, No.210, January 24, 2010) that: “All those who favour contract labour and refugee privilege are lining up behind the local town political-economic mafias who prevail in many Australian regional towns. These little dictators take locals for granted and operate policies to their disadvantage.”
The irony here lies in the fact that party leader Saleam is himself the child of non-White migrants; further, “In a very working-class town, he was one of the spoilt rich kids” (see : Dr James Saleam & ‘The Audacity of Hate’, September 26, 2009).
Beyond this, AF is also attempting to capitalise upon the apparent spread of ill-feeling towards Indian students, boasting that ‘Australia First Grabs National And International Headlines In The Overseas Student Debate’ (Eureka!, No.212, February 1, 2010):
The Indian national magazine Outlook has interviewed Australia First in connection with its report “Do You Speak Australian?” This item dealt with so-called ‘racist’ harassment of Indian students in Australia.
As police are aware, the assaults and robberies directed at Indian students largely come from members of certain migrant groups – not Australians. If this is ‘racism’, then it is a different version of it!
But the issues are very complex and run very deep.
Has a member of your family not been able to get into a university or technical college?
Has a foreign student taken a job you or a family member might have had?
Why should foreign students get an education here, then “migrate”, displacing us from the careers and positions we should hold?
Of course Indian students and Indian contract labour have both been in the spotlight of late.
Truckies report that Indian contract labour is now employed by the big transport companies.
Building workers report the same on construction sites.
Standover rackets operate both in the student and contract labour industries and Indian criminals have murdered Indian nationals.
It is hot and getting hotter.
Australia First puts Australians first.
AF then republish a segment of the article, noting that “the comments of Australia First have been widely broadcast”, and objecting to the description of the party as belonging to the “extreme right wing”.
The article itself makes some interesting claims, including that Victoria is “crime-prone”, and that “33 Indians died in violent attacks between 2004 and 2009″ (of whom “six died in 2009″) citing Federation of Indian Students of Australia spokesperson Gautam Gupta.
See also : Editor persists with claims of Australian racism, Amanda Hodge, The Australian, February 4, 2010.
  • Benjamin CassAlso noteworthy is the appearance of Benjamin Cass, “who has worked with Indian students planning to come to Australia to study” according to Outlook. Cass is the former Melbourne University Student Union (MUSU) President (2000) who established ‘Victorian Student Housing’ with convicted criminal and fellow former MUSU President Darren Ray (2002) (see : A lesson in economics, June 16, 2007). Their company was the subject of complaints from the Tenants’ Union, the Indian students to whom they offered housing, and collapsed after being fined by the courts for failure to maintain rental properties in a fit state. In February 2008, Cass’ former business partner Ray was convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to 20 months in jail.
    Ross ‘The Skull’ May
    As a further, curious aside: ‘Exhibiting artist Peter Milne, who also teaches in UQ’s School of Journalism and Communication, has created a new series that blends Queensland historical fact and fiction. In Dreams of The Skull, Dr Milne investigates the role of the far right in Queensland politics, presented as “fictional history” through the possible dreams of neo-Nazi Ross May, a.k.a. “The Skull”’; ‘The Skull’ has been serving as Saleam’s sidekick for the last 30 years, recently being spotted at a fascist gathering in September 2009.
    http://slackbastard.anarchobase.com/?p=13582

"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx

"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.

“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
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#2
Magda, it's a shame the issue of immigration has been linked to the far right movement because I think it's a deadly serious issue in Australia.

Our current level of immigration, about 350,000 per year, is the highest rate in our history and is also the highest per capita in the west. It's not a race issue but an issue of pure numbers. Unfortunately anyone who has spoken out about it in the past has been branded by the media as racist. People like Pauline Hansen have harmed the cause for those who want Australia to have a diverse but sustainable population.

The population of Sydney grows by 2000 per week. According to a recent study, Sydney has the second highest rental rates in the world after Vancouver. All except for those with healthy property portfolios can see how unaffordable housing is becoming, especially for younger Australians. How can it be healthy for a society or an economy when people have to pay up to 50% of their after tax earnings in rents or mortgage payments?

Then there's the constant water shortages, higher energy costs, overstretched health and transport systems, higher crime rates and violence due to overcrowding and decreasing food production capacity due to soil infertility and salinity. And there's no jobs either.

The bigger Australia plan outlined by Rudd has bipartisan support of all the major political parties despite the fact that all recent surveys show that 70-80% of Australians can see their standard of living rapidly sliding and want immigration reduced immediately. Up to now, the Government's immigration program has been taboo in mainstream political discourse, much like our unswerving support for that disgusting regime in Israel.

A new political party, called the 23 million party, is currently being established with this years Federal election in mind, and has the support of high profile Australians like Dick Smith, Ian Kiernan, Bob Carr and John Williamson.

It's the last hope for a political system which has failed all but the wealthy elites.
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#3
I agree Mark. What is good for the 'economy' is often lethal for society. Housing policy here is just insane. Most people I know have had to leave Sydney because they cannot afford to live here including people who own their homes. If our military and multinationals were not in other people's countries busy wrecking them there would be much more reason for people to stay put as most people are pretty happy where they are born except for that. But we are there so they are here. But to change policy is bad for business and other political arrangements. Having a large never ending pool of cheap and flexible labor to call upon is just what employers want and their needs are catered to. These are all policies embraced by both main parties, as they both serve the TNCs and owning class very well, and no sign of change yet. The right wing want to stop the immigrants as a knee jerk reaction because the lumpen feel threatened economically and because of various racial hygiene or supremacist attitudes but this changes nothing else in the equation and will just perpetuate social dislocation. They have a love of the military and hierarchical and authoritarian institutions and solutions none of which is healthy for society as a whole. More equitable distribution of society's wealth, no military adventurism, more democracy at all levels of decision making. The average environmental footprint of an Australian is huge. Most 3rd world people don't make a fraction of the environmental impact that we do. And within states it is the wealthy who consume most of everything and have the greatest impact on the environment. When migrants come here they tend to adopt our patterns of consumption when it is we who have to consume less. We have the means to do so with out a reduction in living standards but there is no real political will to implement that. Eg zero emission vehicles are available right now and any car can be converted now but they're insisting on foisting the hybrids on us first and subsidizing the multinational car companies instead of the car owner and small business mechanics/engineers to convert existing vehicles. Just one example but there are plenty more which just require a change in policy to make a real impact.
For me it is less to do with the head count of how many live here (or there) than it is about levels of consumption (everywhere) Global population looks like its leveling out soon anyway. If Bill Gates had practiced what he preaches, that is not had his 3 children instead of insisting others not have theirs, especially the numerous brown people who don't buy his software, he would have done more for population control and environmental degradation than all the sterilisations in a small African state.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx

"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.

“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
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#4
It's going to be interesting to see how the 23 million party goes in the election.

They'll get no support from the MSM. Just the opposite actually. However, I think the electorate might be starting to see through the spin and realise their living standards are at stake. If the party stands in all six states for the Senate, I think they might hold the balance of power after the election. Of course, that won't mean a thing because the main parties both support mass immigration.

It will really highlight the failure of representative democracy. We elect a tiny cohort to act on our behalf, then they act in the interests of their financial backers, and to hell with the wishes of the electorate. Bangladesh here we come. The current political system is corrupt beyond repair, and the mainstream media is chief facilitator of that corruption in my view.

We need a new political system. Democracy via referendum, as in Switzerland, but I don't think Australia will see it in my lifetime. The MSM is too entrenched, so our children's future is fucked.
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#5
It will be interesting but they'll have to offer more systemic than just an immigration policy. Looking at the type of businessmen involved I don't think that likely. And then, as you note, even if they hold the balance of power the two parties are as one on immigration so it wont even matter. A new system is needed. Referendums are good. More grassroots participation at every level. Yeah, not in our lifetimes but worth fighting for. They're having a debate in the UK on voting issues but I don't think that will be a happy ending there either.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx

"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.

“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Reply
#6
Magda Hassan Wrote:It will be interesting but they'll have to offer more systemic than just an immigration policy. Looking at the type of businessmen involved I don't think that likely.

I don't agree on that one, Magda.

Single issue candidates have had suucess in the past, especially in the Senate. It's the most important issue facing Australia today, imo.

It will be like a defacto referendum on immigration. Of course, the Government would never permit a real referendum on immigration because they know their present policy would be slaughtered. The new party be smeared by the MSM but I still think they will steamroll their opponents.

I don't have a problem with any of the high profile people supporting the new party. I guess only Dick Smith could be considered a businessman in the strict sense, and his philanthropic activities are well known.

By contrast, the businesspeople supporting mass immigration include Gerry "I can't find cheap labor for my horse stud" Harvey, Frank "the missing millions were used for charitable purposes in Israel" Lowy and Heather "we have massive skills shortages but the business sector doesn't want to fund any training" Rideout.

I know which of these two groups cares more about Australia's future.
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#7
Quote:By contrast, the businesspeople supporting mass immigration include Gerry "I can't find cheap labor for my horse stud" Harvey, Frank "the missing millions were used for charitable purposes in Israel" Lowy and Heather "we have massive skills shortages but the business sector doesn't want to fund any training" Rideout.
Oh, ain't that the truth!
Hey Mark what do you thing about sortition as a solution to politics as usual?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sortition
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx

"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.

“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Reply
#8
Question to all those reading this upside-down. What are the nationalities trying and what the nationalities being admitted there over the last years?
"Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who writes the laws. - Mayer Rothschild
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass
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#9
It changes over the years but migrants from the UK come in the greatest numbers every year. Always have. New Zealand probably are next in numbers. Then the rest of Europe in various numbers. Australia has since the 1960's accepted overseas students. Initially under the Colombo plan which was part of our foreign aid to under developed countries. The idea was that once they were trained they would return to their country and teach others there.. Many stayed here because they got jobs or married Australians. Now we have many students from over seas because you have to pay to go to uni here now and they'll take any one with a pulse and a big wallet. Overseas students make up probably at least 1/3 of all student places here. They are seen as an integral part of the economy and much is laid out for them. Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Phillipines, India and Sri Lanka are represented in great numbers. We have a number of refugees coming from Afghanistan and Iraq, Sri Lanka and Somalia.

It's only the brown skinned ones that the right wing have any trouble with. They're fine with white migrants.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx

"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.

“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Reply
#10
As Magda says, British migrants are the greatest in number, but its still a pretty diverse mix.

Where I live, Lakemba in SW Sydney, I've noticed a growing number of sub-saharan Africans. There's also a lot Indians, Pakistanis, Lebanese and others from the ME, SE Asians and Pacific Islanders. But very few British. The more diverse the better, imo.
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