What the Prime Minister wrote to me...SIGH!
May 6th 2008 06:41
In August last year, I wrote to our now incumbent PM, Mr. Rudd, asking him some pertinent questions. He (his staff) wrote back one week later and today I am posting our correspondance, for one this reason; I wrote again, in February '08, asking him to do something about the outrageous, unnecessary and anti-democratic laws passed by the last Federal administration, under the usual excuse of 'fighting terror' in Australia.
I am still awaiting a response to my last letter, months later. Yes, I know, "they" are busy, however, if you think the PM actually looks at and responds to mail from 'his people' then you are naive. The PM has lots of staff to do this sort of thing, and I feel they have had long enough to reply.
So, here are my letters and I ask you what you think of them, and what you would have said, or think should have been be asked?
------MY INITIAL CORRESPONDANCE---------
Sent: Monday, 23 July 2007 2:38 AM
To: Rudd, Kevin (MP)
Subject: bill of rights
Dear Mr. Rudd,
hopefully your office staff will hand you this note....
I want the next Federal Government of Australia to have enshrined, in the Constitution, a Bill of Rights for all citizens of this country.
The fact that we do not have one, even after the Whitlam, Hawke and Keating years, and all the Liberals, is an utter disgrace and seems more of a hangover attitude from colonial rule times, than what is expected of a proud democratic nation today.
This inaction also indicates to the voters that politicians in our country hold their electors in contempt!
I draw your attention to the following extract, taken from this site address:
( Really Long Link )
QUOTE:
The majority of Australians want a Bill of Rights and they want a say about whether it belongs in the Constitution
In 1991-1992 the Research School of Social Sciences at ANU conducted a national survey of 1522 Australians and asked them about their attitude to rights. The report Rights in Australia 1991-1992 found that 70.6% of Australians want a Bill of Rights (7.4% were against and 21.8% were undecided). The Survey also found that 85.9% supported a referendum to determine whether a Bill of Rights should be put in the Constitution. The majority of Australians (57.8%) also believe that a Bill of Rights would strengthen our national identity.
UNQUOTE
Mr. Rudd,
I have been a Labor supporter, fairly consistently, over my whole voting life. In fact, I personally knew (politician's name deleted), as I was a friend of his family from the early seventies, a most dramatic period of our political history. As an amusing side note, I am the brother of (name deleted) mentioned in (name deleted); (name deleted) recollection was of me meeting the newly appointed Governor General Kerr, who was plastered drunk, and when I was introduced to him, (at the dinner party in his honour at (name deleted) ) Kerr retorted, "Whose little brother or sister is this?" Well, in fairness, I had long hair at the time, and Kerr was nearly falling over drunk, but I remember thinking at the time, is this man wearing a big white wig?
Anyway, all I ask, is that you to give the aforementioned quoted 'rights' matter serious consideration.
Howard will NEVER speak of a Bill of Rights for the common man, because he has already taken away most of what little we had, and wishes to create an even bigger 'big brother' state mentality. This leaves the area totally to Labor! Any attempt by Howard to try and kid voters he would bring in rights (say, as an election counter defence) would never be believed. And, Australians know we went into the Middle East war because of oil, but, we also want to see that our country and its citizens are well protected. So military spending is seen as a good idea (and no one trusts the Indonesians!).
But, what is not tolerated, is waste! The massive over-budget costs and break downs in military spending under Howard, and there are many examples, like the submarines debacle, makes everyone fume. Why and how did all that happen? I met a man recently, now retired, who knew exactly why the subs didn't work. Much of the components were left outside in the weather, and so rusted or deteriorated, but, as no one wanted to take the blame, they were fitted to the sub as if all ok! Lower down management hid the problems from upper management for fear they would get fired. When the first sub was launched, the Americans rang us up from Hawaii to say they could hear it over there!
However, what is happening with this unfortunate Haneef fellow is a glaring example of how these new 'terror' laws can, and are, being used politically and in defiance of what most people understand as democracy!
This case will only help highlight the need for a Bill of Rights. The public wants its rights and protections. What we get from the Liberals is the total antithesis of this fact.
The abuse of rights by government authorities and instruments is not fiction and it is getting worse, as corrupted elements within, take full advantage of avoiding scrutiny, brought about by the absence of independent 'checks and balances' that also have the necessary power to do the job properly.
RIGHTS, Mr.Rudd....could easily be a huge election campaign spring board that Howard, and his ilk, would find unassailable!
Think on this; if in 1991-92, 70.6% of Australians wanted a Bill of Rights, imagine just how many more do now, after all the draconian laws the Liberals have passed?
Respectfully,
(FOG)
-----REPLY FROM RUDD'S OFFICE------
Dear (FOG)
Thank you for your email message regarding an Australian Bill of Rights.
Federal Labor is committed to improving the protections of important rights and freedoms.
Labor has twice sought to entrench important freedoms into our constitution by a referendum. Unfortunately, both of these failed
Because the passage of referenda are so difficult, Labor believes we must now look beyond the traditional model of a Bill of Rights which is incorporated into our Constitution, to what we can realistically achieve.
Federal Labor believes it is important that any system of human rights:
Protects the rights and liberties of individuals
Goes through an extensive process of community consultation
Maintains the supremacy of the Parliament, as the voice of the people
Strikes the correct balance between:
the rights of the individual;
the community need for security from crime and terrorism;
personal and community safety; and
protection of children’s rights to be children, free from public indecency or obscenity.
That's why Labor in government will begin an extensive process of community consultation to determine what Australians think about which rights should be protected and what is the best means of protecting them.
In protecting our human rights we must learn from the experience of other nations. Labor has ruled out a US-Style Bill of Rights because we are concerned about an unchangeable document that can frustrate worthwhile reform, such as US government attempts at gun control impeded by the right to bear arms.
Our human rights and traditional freedoms are the property of all Australians. Labor will work with the community to deliver better human rights protection for us all.
Kind Regards
Kevin Rudd
Federal Labor Leader
Member for Griffith
www.Kevin07.com.au
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- --
Then, in February this year, I wrote again asking about what the Federal Government intends to do about the bizarre and outrageous laws, introduced by the previous government, regarding the 'fight against terror'.
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- --
-------MY SECOND LETTER TO PM---------
Dear Prime Minister,
congratulations on winning the election!
Your win was sorely needed, if we are to steer our wonderful nation back onto a course of truth and justice for all.
I also write to you about certain worries I have, as do many other Australians, (particularly on the website I am a member of ), regarding the changes in federal law regarding citizen rights, many of these coming under the now almost ubiquitous excuse of 'anti-terror laws'.
It has become increasingly obvious to me, and I expect many Australians, that the laws enacted by the previous administration serve no good purpose, the pre-existing laws were enough power to do the job. The new laws seemed more about removing the rights of the populace while increasing the intrusions of police and other agencies into ordinary people's lives.
I also site the fact that much accountability has been removed from these arms of government, thus opening up the distinct possibility of abuse of power and victimisation, persecution of suspects, fabrication, verbal and trawling for evidence.
These issues, thanks to ex-Fed. Att. Gen. Ruddock, have cast Australian society back to a darker time, where the rights of an individual were not well considered, nor protected.
I implore you to bring this matter, in general, to the cabinet table. I am not suggesting we trust terrorist nations or groups, I certainly understand the need for certain elements of government to remain secret, yet even this area needs independent government scrutiny.
The unjustifiable gulf of changes to law enacted by the Liberal Government are totally that, unjustifiable!
We need a return to the great system of law we inherited from the British; in order to protect our way of life, our democratic systems and governments and to show a clear and definite line between our way of life, and those whom we criticise for their totalitarian attitudes. At the moment, technically there is barely any difference.
My father, mother, uncles and grandfathers all fought in WW1 and WW2, please let them not have fought in vain!
Let not our system be corrupted by subversive elements preoccupied with fighting for economic control, instead of fighting for human rights.
Cheers
(FOG)
--------------PM's RESPONSE...SO FAR!!--------------------
Contact your Prime Minister
---------------------------
Thank you for your message to the Prime Minister.
Below is a copy of your comments to the Prime Minister for your records.
If you have supplied a postal address, a reply may be sent to you via Australia Post. Your message may also be forwarded to other Federal Ministers for their consideration.
This is an automatically generated email. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored. If you have any
problems with this service please contact the Web Administrator through the site feedback service at www.pm.gov.au/feedback/
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ------
Don't you love the 'personal' touch our newly elected PM uses...he could at least create an auto reply that seems a bit like a human has been near one's letter, just a good PR move I would have thought....something like, "sorry, so busy fixing nation, back to you soon..." WHATEVER!!!
So, about the issues I have raised, what do you think about them? Should I have been more specific? Should I have raised other concerns? I have since tried asking other questions pertinent to public interest, through the "get up" site, but my faith in that "get up" advocacy site has waned slightly, ever since I saw my attack questions regarding the banking industry were not even posted on the site, let alone considered for inclusion in the 2020 bun fight!
SO...WADDYYAHTHINK ALREADY???
P.S. Sorry about the deletions of names in my letter to the PM, I still wish to cling onto what tiny part of privacy we all have left!
Fearless Leader!...??????
So, here are my letters and I ask you what you think of them, and what you would have said, or think should have been be asked?
------MY INITIAL CORRESPONDANCE---------
Sent: Monday, 23 July 2007 2:38 AM
To: Rudd, Kevin (MP)
Subject: bill of rights
Dear Mr. Rudd,
hopefully your office staff will hand you this note....
I want the next Federal Government of Australia to have enshrined, in the Constitution, a Bill of Rights for all citizens of this country.
The fact that we do not have one, even after the Whitlam, Hawke and Keating years, and all the Liberals, is an utter disgrace and seems more of a hangover attitude from colonial rule times, than what is expected of a proud democratic nation today.
I draw your attention to the following extract, taken from this site address:
( Really Long Link )
QUOTE:
The majority of Australians want a Bill of Rights and they want a say about whether it belongs in the Constitution
In 1991-1992 the Research School of Social Sciences at ANU conducted a national survey of 1522 Australians and asked them about their attitude to rights. The report Rights in Australia 1991-1992 found that 70.6% of Australians want a Bill of Rights (7.4% were against and 21.8% were undecided). The Survey also found that 85.9% supported a referendum to determine whether a Bill of Rights should be put in the Constitution. The majority of Australians (57.8%) also believe that a Bill of Rights would strengthen our national identity.
UNQUOTE
Mr. Rudd,
I have been a Labor supporter, fairly consistently, over my whole voting life. In fact, I personally knew (politician's name deleted), as I was a friend of his family from the early seventies, a most dramatic period of our political history. As an amusing side note, I am the brother of (name deleted) mentioned in (name deleted); (name deleted) recollection was of me meeting the newly appointed Governor General Kerr, who was plastered drunk, and when I was introduced to him, (at the dinner party in his honour at (name deleted) ) Kerr retorted, "Whose little brother or sister is this?" Well, in fairness, I had long hair at the time, and Kerr was nearly falling over drunk, but I remember thinking at the time, is this man wearing a big white wig?
Anyway, all I ask, is that you to give the aforementioned quoted 'rights' matter serious consideration.
Howard will NEVER speak of a Bill of Rights for the common man, because he has already taken away most of what little we had, and wishes to create an even bigger 'big brother' state mentality. This leaves the area totally to Labor! Any attempt by Howard to try and kid voters he would bring in rights (say, as an election counter defence) would never be believed. And, Australians know we went into the Middle East war because of oil, but, we also want to see that our country and its citizens are well protected. So military spending is seen as a good idea (and no one trusts the Indonesians!).
But, what is not tolerated, is waste! The massive over-budget costs and break downs in military spending under Howard, and there are many examples, like the submarines debacle, makes everyone fume. Why and how did all that happen? I met a man recently, now retired, who knew exactly why the subs didn't work. Much of the components were left outside in the weather, and so rusted or deteriorated, but, as no one wanted to take the blame, they were fitted to the sub as if all ok! Lower down management hid the problems from upper management for fear they would get fired. When the first sub was launched, the Americans rang us up from Hawaii to say they could hear it over there!
However, what is happening with this unfortunate Haneef fellow is a glaring example of how these new 'terror' laws can, and are, being used politically and in defiance of what most people understand as democracy!
This case will only help highlight the need for a Bill of Rights. The public wants its rights and protections. What we get from the Liberals is the total antithesis of this fact.
The abuse of rights by government authorities and instruments is not fiction and it is getting worse, as corrupted elements within, take full advantage of avoiding scrutiny, brought about by the absence of independent 'checks and balances' that also have the necessary power to do the job properly.
RIGHTS, Mr.Rudd....could easily be a huge election campaign spring board that Howard, and his ilk, would find unassailable!
Think on this; if in 1991-92, 70.6% of Australians wanted a Bill of Rights, imagine just how many more do now, after all the draconian laws the Liberals have passed?
Respectfully,
(FOG)
-----REPLY FROM RUDD'S OFFICE------
Dear (FOG)
Thank you for your email message regarding an Australian Bill of Rights.
Federal Labor is committed to improving the protections of important rights and freedoms.
Labor has twice sought to entrench important freedoms into our constitution by a referendum. Unfortunately, both of these failed
Because the passage of referenda are so difficult, Labor believes we must now look beyond the traditional model of a Bill of Rights which is incorporated into our Constitution, to what we can realistically achieve.
Federal Labor believes it is important that any system of human rights:
Protects the rights and liberties of individuals
Goes through an extensive process of community consultation
Maintains the supremacy of the Parliament, as the voice of the people
Strikes the correct balance between:
the rights of the individual;
the community need for security from crime and terrorism;
personal and community safety; and
protection of children’s rights to be children, free from public indecency or obscenity.
That's why Labor in government will begin an extensive process of community consultation to determine what Australians think about which rights should be protected and what is the best means of protecting them.
In protecting our human rights we must learn from the experience of other nations. Labor has ruled out a US-Style Bill of Rights because we are concerned about an unchangeable document that can frustrate worthwhile reform, such as US government attempts at gun control impeded by the right to bear arms.
Our human rights and traditional freedoms are the property of all Australians. Labor will work with the community to deliver better human rights protection for us all.
Kind Regards
Kevin Rudd
Federal Labor Leader
Member for Griffith
www.Kevin07.com.au
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- --
Then, in February this year, I wrote again asking about what the Federal Government intends to do about the bizarre and outrageous laws, introduced by the previous government, regarding the 'fight against terror'.
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- --
-------MY SECOND LETTER TO PM---------
Dear Prime Minister,
congratulations on winning the election!
Your win was sorely needed, if we are to steer our wonderful nation back onto a course of truth and justice for all.
I also write to you about certain worries I have, as do many other Australians, (particularly on the website I am a member of ), regarding the changes in federal law regarding citizen rights, many of these coming under the now almost ubiquitous excuse of 'anti-terror laws'.
It has become increasingly obvious to me, and I expect many Australians, that the laws enacted by the previous administration serve no good purpose, the pre-existing laws were enough power to do the job. The new laws seemed more about removing the rights of the populace while increasing the intrusions of police and other agencies into ordinary people's lives.
I also site the fact that much accountability has been removed from these arms of government, thus opening up the distinct possibility of abuse of power and victimisation, persecution of suspects, fabrication, verbal and trawling for evidence.
These issues, thanks to ex-Fed. Att. Gen. Ruddock, have cast Australian society back to a darker time, where the rights of an individual were not well considered, nor protected.
I implore you to bring this matter, in general, to the cabinet table. I am not suggesting we trust terrorist nations or groups, I certainly understand the need for certain elements of government to remain secret, yet even this area needs independent government scrutiny.
The unjustifiable gulf of changes to law enacted by the Liberal Government are totally that, unjustifiable!
We need a return to the great system of law we inherited from the British; in order to protect our way of life, our democratic systems and governments and to show a clear and definite line between our way of life, and those whom we criticise for their totalitarian attitudes. At the moment, technically there is barely any difference.
My father, mother, uncles and grandfathers all fought in WW1 and WW2, please let them not have fought in vain!
Let not our system be corrupted by subversive elements preoccupied with fighting for economic control, instead of fighting for human rights.
Cheers
(FOG)
--------------PM's RESPONSE...SO FAR!!--------------------
Contact your Prime Minister
---------------------------
Thank you for your message to the Prime Minister.
Below is a copy of your comments to the Prime Minister for your records.
If you have supplied a postal address, a reply may be sent to you via Australia Post. Your message may also be forwarded to other Federal Ministers for their consideration.
This is an automatically generated email. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored. If you have any
problems with this service please contact the Web Administrator through the site feedback service at www.pm.gov.au/feedback/
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ------
Don't you love the 'personal' touch our newly elected PM uses...he could at least create an auto reply that seems a bit like a human has been near one's letter, just a good PR move I would have thought....something like, "sorry, so busy fixing nation, back to you soon..." WHATEVER!!!
So, about the issues I have raised, what do you think about them? Should I have been more specific? Should I have raised other concerns? I have since tried asking other questions pertinent to public interest, through the "get up" site, but my faith in that "get up" advocacy site has waned slightly, ever since I saw my attack questions regarding the banking industry were not even posted on the site, let alone considered for inclusion in the 2020 bun fight!
SO...WADDYYAHTHINK ALREADY???
P.S. Sorry about the deletions of names in my letter to the PM, I still wish to cling onto what tiny part of privacy we all have left!
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Comment by tlcorbin
Raven
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
Trouble is...the allegedly "free press" has to decide to publish it...but...at least a few people see it here, albeit less than 150 in my case!!!
cheers
fog
Comment by Louie
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
somehow I do not think my blog appears above the 'wave line' in that great orbellian internet ocean!
cheers
fog
Comment by Geoff Egan
Noise Fanatic
I have also written to Kevvy, and while it was a stock standard response it was at least personally signed, while I know from conservative friends who have wrote to Howard that was all very impersonal
Immediate Edit: OK I just skimmed the 2020 Summit Paper I forgot I had saved on my desktop and discovered that a Republic was a key goal while a Bill of Rights was heavily discussed and the descision wasn't made between Consitutional or Legal enshrinement of these rights.
Comment by Damo
or
Bull of Rights?
It depend on who drafts them and what they want deemed as rights.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
you are...drum roll..RIGHT!
However, whatever the diluted form it (may) takes, compared to the USA Rights, it is at least better than what we have now...hopefully..in this 'best of all possible' worlds.
cheers
fog
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
yes, successive Federal Governments, no matter which 'flavour', have been tardy in addressing the Bill of Rights issue, as you can see by the response I got.
I guess I am a lowly non-entity that the government feels it can ignore, unlike your good self and your mates...with personalised responses...indeed!
Once, moons ago, I was mixing it with the political turkeys in our little swamp....and guess what, I bet London to a brick, they have not changed one jot, although the rhetoric has been made much more PC and touchy feely.
cheers
fog
Comment by Damo
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
A few years back - 6yo daughter got a hand written and signed letter back from the then PM Howard.
Perhaps if you simply asked Hollywood Kevin Rudd for a autographed photograph you might have a better response.
Seriously though - I like Raven's idea - amazing what the weight of the public forum can do.
Cheers
MNG
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
fancy seeing you around the 'Orble backlots'!! hehe!
I just cannot get my head around your six year old daughter wanting a photo of Howard, unless you were making her a dart board for her at the time?
cheers
fog
P.S. How is your family going..Mrs MNG?
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
She actually wrote a letter to him (unbeknown to me) asking about his family and telling him about hers.
Believe it or not - he actually sent back a personal missive to her - which she keeps under her pillow (well perhaps not under her pillow).
As for the backlots . . . it's good to keep company with the backstreet boys
Despite a small scare prior to our month long deparute Stateside - Mrs MNG is firing on all just about all four cyclinders (we're working on increasing the engine capacity shortly).
Cheers champion
MNG
Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang
The First Wonderful Peter Yang's Variety Blog
The New Wonderful Peter Yang's variety blog
Power Ranger Online
TV Online
Solar Energy Pannel
Stay healthy and loose weight
I even got a scary idea, there might be a chance, there will be a british vs Australia war, after the current queen pass away, unless we become a republic. (Hopefully, I am just been paranoy.)
What we need is to form an Republic of Australia, wioth the Prime Minister rename as President and replacing the queen as the head of our state.
Cheers
Oh yes and by the way.
GOD SAVE AUSTRALIA
Cheers
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
glad to hear the old 'hotrod' is firing on all cylinders again!
cheers from the 'wrong side of the Orble tracks'!!
fog
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
great to hear from you!
Actually, the Queen, and Prince Charles both know we are to become a republic, in fact, each has remarked they expected it before now.
The Monarchy has long since lost any power whatsoever, all it retains is the right to open British Parliament and rubber stamp a few other things.
As far as Britain and Australia going to war, well, I cannot see that ever happening personally, there just is not any reason for it.
There are nations much closer to home who would readily go to war with us, should push come to shove however, and it is those nations we need to be rady for and self protect against their expansion programmes.
God bless us and save us, an old phrase used with some humour in the past!
cheers my fellow Aussie, and keep on smiling, someone has to!!
fog
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
yes, I think the law changes were way over the top, and for completely different reasons than the excuses stated.
All you have to do is study some of the analysis of the 911 attacks to see we are being led down a dangerous path, by those we thought to trust!
cheers
fog
Comment by samaritan
Samaritan's Stories
Samaritan
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
glad to hear our Fearless Leader and his minions are answering someone's queries!
Maybe it has something to do with the content of my correspondance that has caused my response from the PM to be 'lost in the mail'?
I suspect so.
The problem with government is, once elected, they are loath to rock the boat with the security and policing services.
The trouble we have, as a supposed democratic and free community, are the laws passed by Howard and Ruddock, which are the very antithesis of our hard won ideals.
By Labor's inaction to address these glaringly draconian attacks on our rights and freedoms, they tacitly support them.
Welcome to the New World Order....a global entity of many political colours!
cheers
fog