Australia: Let's be alert about campaigns that alarm us
Friend | 31.05.2007 12:20 | Analysis | Repression | Terror War | World
NOTICED anything suspicious lately? Just in time for the upcoming federal election, Help Protect Australian from Terrorism ads are reappearing on television screens and bus stops in cities all over Australia.
NOTICED anything suspicious lately?
These anti-terrorism advertisements like the Be Alert, But Not Alarmed ads before them help to foster a culture of national insecurity. They ask Australians to take part in protecting the nation: to keep an eye on our neighbours and report suspicious behaviour to the hotline.
What the ads don't do is tell us which politicians to watch out for and what counts as suspicious, or give any practical advice about what to do in an emergency or how to prevent illegal and degrading wars and crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Howard government? Or how to stop the political scapegoating of numerous innocent people isolated in Australian prisons?
The war criminal Howard government has gotten into hot water before over the timing of these ads. The $6.1million campaign was first launched while the war criminal government was in caretaker mode before the 2004 federal election. Mark Latham's opposition cried foul over the ads being run during the election campaign, arguing that they were designed to scare people into voting for the Howard Government rather than provide information to the public.
As a result, the ads were tagged as "Authorised by the Australian Federal Police" in an attempt to distinguish them from the Liberal Party's election campaign advertising.
The ads appeared again in July, 2005, after the false flag bombings on the London Underground. The renewed campaign ran over two weeks and was reported to have cost a further $2.2 million. This time, with no election looming, the ads were "Authorised by the Australian Government", a clear message that it was the incumbents who were responsible for the nation's security.
And now these anti-terrorism ads, with their map of Australia made up of "pieces of information" about terrorism, are back. It's been a quiet arrival there have been no big announcements or speeches, no fanfare and little media coverage. War criminal attorney-general Philip Ruddock announced a $19.2 million boost to the Howard government's national security hotline in February, but made no mention of funds for a renewed advertising campaign.
And while previous campaigns can be linked to specific false flag events September 11, the Bali bombings and the London bombings the only trigger event for this round of ads seems to be the forthcoming federal election.
Reminding the electorate of the ever-present threat of terrorism is, in theory, a fearmonger boost for Howard's re-election chances. Keeping voters suspicious, if not alarmed, is intended to help us remember that while it's easy for Kevin Rudd's "fresh-thinking team" to make promises, the real challenge of government is keeping the nation safe from terrorism.
Even though John Howard and Kevin Rudd don't oppose the root cause of terrorism, which is illegal and degrading wars of aggression against foreign nation states and crimes against humanity. These crimes have been perpetrated by the Howard government in Iraq and Afghanistan and Rudd's Labor watches on and does not oppose these war crimes acting as co conspirators to this very sad fact of political posturing and manipulation.
The politics of fearmongering
It might be nice to make friendly noises about climate change and workplace laws, the ads murmur, but the party best able to safeguard Australia's citizens and prosperity against terrorism, is the party that some terrified old people and racist nationalists may think deserves your vote because that terrifies people the best.
Especially if other means have been used to create racism and xenophobia and people 'think' they're being attacked or might be attacked at any moment or in the future.
Illegal and degrading wars and crimes against humanity are now seen as the Howard Coalition of the killing's strong points and the ads work to keep that covered up by giving the people the very opposite impression? That the Coalition of the killing and the alleged opposition are fighting terrorism? And for their very own survival, mind you? After they've been attacked by terrorists? And have chosen to firmly place that in our minds, close enough to the surface to be a factor on polling day?
The reappearance of anti-terrorism advertising, in the middle of an election year, is part of a growing tendency for incumbent governments to exploit taxpayer-funded advertising budgets to shore up their re-election chances.
Commonwealth spending on advertising has escalated in the past two decades under governments from both sides of politics. According to the Senate Report into Government Advertising and Accountability, tabled in December last year, spending has climbed steadily although the lack of transparency in reporting expenditure makes it difficult to obtain accurate numbers.
In the year before the 2004 election, the Howard government spent about $143 million on "public information" campaigns, such as Strengthening Medicare. These campaigns were ostensibly designed to communicate vital information to the public; however, the ads were heavy on emotional rhetoric, and light on substance.
In a pre-election climate, they served as a reminder that the incumbent government was busy, making decisions and implementing changes in the best interests of Australians.
Lecturer in media and communications at the University of Melbourne Sally Young has described Government advertising as "one of the greatest perks of incumbency".
In modern politics, mass media advertising is considered a crucial factor in deciding election results particularly by the parties themselves. The financial and bureaucratic resources of government puts the incumbent at a distinct advantage.
So with a federal election looming at the end of this year, expect to see your television screens, newspaper pages and train stations dotted with government advertising.
These reminders about terrorism, explanations of changes to WorkChoices or superannuation reforms and reminders to be a "smart traveller" function as an early form of campaigning for the incumbent government and they're being funded with taxpayer dollars.
Stephanie Younane is a researcher in media and communications at the University of Melbourne. She is studying political rhetoric in federal election campaigns.
http://tinyurl.com/2cyj4s
And Friend is a researcher on Indymedia and communications at the University of Hard Knocks. He is studying political scapegoating in the world.
In other developments:
It has been revealed the Federal Government will spend more than $100 million on the 18 advertising campaigns it is currently running.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145306_comment.php#145312
Lib/Lab might 'lose support' amid opinion poll slump
Nobody is playing down its big lead over the Lib/Lab war criminal government in the latest Indypoll.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145569_comment.php#145577
Nobody scores 20pc lead: poll
"On all the future challenges, illegal and degrading wars, crimes against humanity, torture, kidnapping, political scapegoating, draconian laws, nuclear issues, climate change, housing, education, health, skills, no work choices, ensuring our future, environment sustainability by using renewable energy, the government is really looking backwards rather than looking forwards for Australia's future," he said.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145569.php
Ad campaign aims to attract all voters
The message from the $0 cent campaign will also be reinforced through a campaign in 1,700 social justice centres, as part of Boycott the Vote week and pass it on.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145500.php
Poll shows 'mood for change'
A vote for Nobody is a Vote for Everybody. Boycott the election because Nobody represents you! Adam Ant!
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145276.php
Related:
The importance of being alert
HELP PROTECT AUSTRALIA FROM A FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN BASED ON FALSE FEARS AND AT YOUR EXPENSE!
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/02/138881.php
Australians have become a victim of terrorism
The John Howard government's terrorist antics have been the most dangerous acts of aggression on sovereign nations for 200 years. Why wouldn't people fear some form of retaliation or false flag terrorist act now? What you do is what you get! So why do it? Why take the risk? Then tell us about the risks because of what you do? Who should be scared? John Howard should be scared at the next election. We should be scared that he was elected last time and that the mass media power help reinforce that fear by propping up a war criminal and his governments terrorist antics.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/03/142131.php
How much taxpayer's money for John Howard's scapegoat show trial?
All that money should then be deducted out of the Liberal parties pension funds not taxpayers money. They won't need a pension once they're thrown in jail for their criminal acts.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/03/141654.php
Document says 15 Million Australians planning terrorist attacks
A leaked Australian intelligence document says Australian politicians are facing a greater threat from terrorists than at any time since the September 11 false flag operations by the US neocons in the US in 2001.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/02/141003.php
Xenophobic rocket launcher, so why was it reported really?
Police say they are unsure if the claims, published in a 'Sunday newspaper', are true and they are now being investigated. [So why was it reported today by howard's 'abc' and the 'Melbourne age'?
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/50226
Community probe reports of AFP training with CIA and M15
"We can determine that there have been other reports about the illegal and degrading wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the complicity of the AFP in the Bali bombing in 2002, and now the fire sale of Australian military hardware, including a rocket launcher found on a tip. After the rocket launchers that went missing from the Australia War Force just recently and that's part of the inquiries that we are making," They said.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/57781
hoWARd's connections with the abc in Australia and abroad
[So you have to have a story behind it to make up for the distance between false flag opps in Indonesia all the way across to Iraq and Afghanistan that's a huge leap to cover without a terror tale to hook into? What about the Icon of the Terror movement G W Bush? At least we know he's guilty! Osama bin Laden hasn't been found guilty of anything, yo!] And Indonesia has been blowing up bombs in their own country just to move people out of villages for years!]
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/57430
Australia: Anti-Muslim “terror plot” unravels
Without waiting for any evidence, Prime Minister John Howard and his ministers immediately claimed that the arrests provided disturbing new proof that “home-grown” terrorists were preparing attacks in Australia. Howard told parliament: “If they have broken the law or been involved in terrorism, well they deserve everything they get.”
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/57319
Sydney Daily Telegraph (Murdoch owned) skirt the anti terror censorship laws with deliberately false yet cunning stories?
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/47186
Australian media seizes upon Muslim cleric’s comments to whip up xenophobia
There is now an inescapable necessity for all those opposed to militarism and war, and committed to the defence of democratic rights, to develop an independent political opposition to the xenophobic campaign being directed against Muslims. No faction of the media or political establishment has any opposition to the drive to militarise society under the banner of “Australian values”, and all are complicit in the cultivation of anti-Muslim communalism.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/45493
Homegrown war criminal's 'a serious problem in Australia'
Jump, scream, run and hide the muswims are coming to get you! Everywhere I turn there is another terrorist. I opened the sugar bowl this morning and there was a terrorist cockroach just waiting to get me, after stealing my sugar mind you. So we must be very alert and very alarmed. How else would a war criminal get re-elected after a holocaust and what looks like a third interest rate rise this year? Mostly, Howard's goals can only be attained, amongst other things, if he pushes race hate buttons and whilst you continue to live in fear.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/44930
Attorney General Ruddock is Oddball over anti-terrorist laws! Attorney
Attorney General Ruddock attacks different laws.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/17746
hoWARd, ruddock, ellison, keelty and news ltd plotted chaos
Now they go on in the article to describe themselves as intelligence officials? But I'm sorry to say that any group of people who ask another group of people to believe what they believe based on no evidence is amongst the most unintelligent and lost group of people the world has ever known.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8663
Houses raided over 'possible' political attack plans?
"Furthermore, nothing is reasonable about a raid on people's homes because for an alleged possibility. For those sorts of enquiries one should approach a 'soothsayer' and if you get the all clear only then should they approach people via the front door with the appropriate warrant to search one's home. A warrant based on concrete evidence that has been filtered by a juge or magistrate of the court to see whether the material is frivolous or vexatious."
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8659
hoWARd, will keep chilling you!
All this nonsense to hide the fact that the Bali bombing was not State Sanctioned Terror when it clearly was in relation to the explosive used in the second Bali bomb blast in 2002 which was clearly military hardware.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/9465
What the ads don't do is tell us which politicians to watch out for and what counts as suspicious, or give any practical advice about what to do in an emergency or how to prevent illegal and degrading wars and crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Howard government? Or how to stop the political scapegoating of numerous innocent people isolated in Australian prisons?
The war criminal Howard government has gotten into hot water before over the timing of these ads. The $6.1million campaign was first launched while the war criminal government was in caretaker mode before the 2004 federal election. Mark Latham's opposition cried foul over the ads being run during the election campaign, arguing that they were designed to scare people into voting for the Howard Government rather than provide information to the public.
As a result, the ads were tagged as "Authorised by the Australian Federal Police" in an attempt to distinguish them from the Liberal Party's election campaign advertising.
The ads appeared again in July, 2005, after the false flag bombings on the London Underground. The renewed campaign ran over two weeks and was reported to have cost a further $2.2 million. This time, with no election looming, the ads were "Authorised by the Australian Government", a clear message that it was the incumbents who were responsible for the nation's security.
And now these anti-terrorism ads, with their map of Australia made up of "pieces of information" about terrorism, are back. It's been a quiet arrival there have been no big announcements or speeches, no fanfare and little media coverage. War criminal attorney-general Philip Ruddock announced a $19.2 million boost to the Howard government's national security hotline in February, but made no mention of funds for a renewed advertising campaign.
And while previous campaigns can be linked to specific false flag events September 11, the Bali bombings and the London bombings the only trigger event for this round of ads seems to be the forthcoming federal election.
Reminding the electorate of the ever-present threat of terrorism is, in theory, a fearmonger boost for Howard's re-election chances. Keeping voters suspicious, if not alarmed, is intended to help us remember that while it's easy for Kevin Rudd's "fresh-thinking team" to make promises, the real challenge of government is keeping the nation safe from terrorism.
Even though John Howard and Kevin Rudd don't oppose the root cause of terrorism, which is illegal and degrading wars of aggression against foreign nation states and crimes against humanity. These crimes have been perpetrated by the Howard government in Iraq and Afghanistan and Rudd's Labor watches on and does not oppose these war crimes acting as co conspirators to this very sad fact of political posturing and manipulation.
The politics of fearmongering
It might be nice to make friendly noises about climate change and workplace laws, the ads murmur, but the party best able to safeguard Australia's citizens and prosperity against terrorism, is the party that some terrified old people and racist nationalists may think deserves your vote because that terrifies people the best.
Especially if other means have been used to create racism and xenophobia and people 'think' they're being attacked or might be attacked at any moment or in the future.
Illegal and degrading wars and crimes against humanity are now seen as the Howard Coalition of the killing's strong points and the ads work to keep that covered up by giving the people the very opposite impression? That the Coalition of the killing and the alleged opposition are fighting terrorism? And for their very own survival, mind you? After they've been attacked by terrorists? And have chosen to firmly place that in our minds, close enough to the surface to be a factor on polling day?
The reappearance of anti-terrorism advertising, in the middle of an election year, is part of a growing tendency for incumbent governments to exploit taxpayer-funded advertising budgets to shore up their re-election chances.
Commonwealth spending on advertising has escalated in the past two decades under governments from both sides of politics. According to the Senate Report into Government Advertising and Accountability, tabled in December last year, spending has climbed steadily although the lack of transparency in reporting expenditure makes it difficult to obtain accurate numbers.
In the year before the 2004 election, the Howard government spent about $143 million on "public information" campaigns, such as Strengthening Medicare. These campaigns were ostensibly designed to communicate vital information to the public; however, the ads were heavy on emotional rhetoric, and light on substance.
In a pre-election climate, they served as a reminder that the incumbent government was busy, making decisions and implementing changes in the best interests of Australians.
Lecturer in media and communications at the University of Melbourne Sally Young has described Government advertising as "one of the greatest perks of incumbency".
In modern politics, mass media advertising is considered a crucial factor in deciding election results particularly by the parties themselves. The financial and bureaucratic resources of government puts the incumbent at a distinct advantage.
So with a federal election looming at the end of this year, expect to see your television screens, newspaper pages and train stations dotted with government advertising.
These reminders about terrorism, explanations of changes to WorkChoices or superannuation reforms and reminders to be a "smart traveller" function as an early form of campaigning for the incumbent government and they're being funded with taxpayer dollars.
Stephanie Younane is a researcher in media and communications at the University of Melbourne. She is studying political rhetoric in federal election campaigns.
http://tinyurl.com/2cyj4s And Friend is a researcher on Indymedia and communications at the University of Hard Knocks. He is studying political scapegoating in the world.
In other developments:
It has been revealed the Federal Government will spend more than $100 million on the 18 advertising campaigns it is currently running.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145306_comment.php#145312 Lib/Lab might 'lose support' amid opinion poll slump
Nobody is playing down its big lead over the Lib/Lab war criminal government in the latest Indypoll.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145569_comment.php#145577 Nobody scores 20pc lead: poll
"On all the future challenges, illegal and degrading wars, crimes against humanity, torture, kidnapping, political scapegoating, draconian laws, nuclear issues, climate change, housing, education, health, skills, no work choices, ensuring our future, environment sustainability by using renewable energy, the government is really looking backwards rather than looking forwards for Australia's future," he said.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145569.php Ad campaign aims to attract all voters
The message from the $0 cent campaign will also be reinforced through a campaign in 1,700 social justice centres, as part of Boycott the Vote week and pass it on.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145500.php Poll shows 'mood for change'
A vote for Nobody is a Vote for Everybody. Boycott the election because Nobody represents you! Adam Ant!
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/145276.php Related:
The importance of being alert
HELP PROTECT AUSTRALIA FROM A FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN BASED ON FALSE FEARS AND AT YOUR EXPENSE!
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/02/138881.php Australians have become a victim of terrorism
The John Howard government's terrorist antics have been the most dangerous acts of aggression on sovereign nations for 200 years. Why wouldn't people fear some form of retaliation or false flag terrorist act now? What you do is what you get! So why do it? Why take the risk? Then tell us about the risks because of what you do? Who should be scared? John Howard should be scared at the next election. We should be scared that he was elected last time and that the mass media power help reinforce that fear by propping up a war criminal and his governments terrorist antics.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/03/142131.php How much taxpayer's money for John Howard's scapegoat show trial?
All that money should then be deducted out of the Liberal parties pension funds not taxpayers money. They won't need a pension once they're thrown in jail for their criminal acts.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/03/141654.php Document says 15 Million Australians planning terrorist attacks
A leaked Australian intelligence document says Australian politicians are facing a greater threat from terrorists than at any time since the September 11 false flag operations by the US neocons in the US in 2001.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/02/141003.php Xenophobic rocket launcher, so why was it reported really?
Police say they are unsure if the claims, published in a 'Sunday newspaper', are true and they are now being investigated. [So why was it reported today by howard's 'abc' and the 'Melbourne age'?
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/50226 Community probe reports of AFP training with CIA and M15
"We can determine that there have been other reports about the illegal and degrading wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the complicity of the AFP in the Bali bombing in 2002, and now the fire sale of Australian military hardware, including a rocket launcher found on a tip. After the rocket launchers that went missing from the Australia War Force just recently and that's part of the inquiries that we are making," They said.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/57781 hoWARd's connections with the abc in Australia and abroad
[So you have to have a story behind it to make up for the distance between false flag opps in Indonesia all the way across to Iraq and Afghanistan that's a huge leap to cover without a terror tale to hook into? What about the Icon of the Terror movement G W Bush? At least we know he's guilty! Osama bin Laden hasn't been found guilty of anything, yo!] And Indonesia has been blowing up bombs in their own country just to move people out of villages for years!]
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/57430 Australia: Anti-Muslim “terror plot” unravels
Without waiting for any evidence, Prime Minister John Howard and his ministers immediately claimed that the arrests provided disturbing new proof that “home-grown” terrorists were preparing attacks in Australia. Howard told parliament: “If they have broken the law or been involved in terrorism, well they deserve everything they get.”
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/57319 Sydney Daily Telegraph (Murdoch owned) skirt the anti terror censorship laws with deliberately false yet cunning stories?
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/47186 Australian media seizes upon Muslim cleric’s comments to whip up xenophobia
There is now an inescapable necessity for all those opposed to militarism and war, and committed to the defence of democratic rights, to develop an independent political opposition to the xenophobic campaign being directed against Muslims. No faction of the media or political establishment has any opposition to the drive to militarise society under the banner of “Australian values”, and all are complicit in the cultivation of anti-Muslim communalism.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/45493 Homegrown war criminal's 'a serious problem in Australia'
Jump, scream, run and hide the muswims are coming to get you! Everywhere I turn there is another terrorist. I opened the sugar bowl this morning and there was a terrorist cockroach just waiting to get me, after stealing my sugar mind you. So we must be very alert and very alarmed. How else would a war criminal get re-elected after a holocaust and what looks like a third interest rate rise this year? Mostly, Howard's goals can only be attained, amongst other things, if he pushes race hate buttons and whilst you continue to live in fear.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/44930 Attorney General Ruddock is Oddball over anti-terrorist laws! Attorney
Attorney General Ruddock attacks different laws.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/17746 hoWARd, ruddock, ellison, keelty and news ltd plotted chaos
Now they go on in the article to describe themselves as intelligence officials? But I'm sorry to say that any group of people who ask another group of people to believe what they believe based on no evidence is amongst the most unintelligent and lost group of people the world has ever known.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8663 Houses raided over 'possible' political attack plans?
"Furthermore, nothing is reasonable about a raid on people's homes because for an alleged possibility. For those sorts of enquiries one should approach a 'soothsayer' and if you get the all clear only then should they approach people via the front door with the appropriate warrant to search one's home. A warrant based on concrete evidence that has been filtered by a juge or magistrate of the court to see whether the material is frivolous or vexatious."
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8659 hoWARd, will keep chilling you!
All this nonsense to hide the fact that the Bali bombing was not State Sanctioned Terror when it clearly was in relation to the explosive used in the second Bali bomb blast in 2002 which was clearly military hardware.
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/9465
Friend
Additions
Creative Liberty
12.06.2007 05:18
While I appreciate the ethos and aims of this site, I don't think it's ok for my work to be amended and then posted on this site without my knowledge or permission! I'm more than happy for my piece to be put up here, but I don't think it's right for you to add lines, phrases and whole paragraphs to my piece, making it factually inaccurate and completely changing the tone of the piece.
If you are able to put my piece up in its original format, without these 'creative' additions, that would be great. Otherwise, please take it down.
If you are able to put my piece up in its original format, without these 'creative' additions, that would be great. Otherwise, please take it down.
Stephanie Younane
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