Dear Margo, I love your book, what I've read of it so far. As a 17 year old I'm trying my best to understand as much as I can about Australia's democracy so that I can make informed choices about my future. Unfortunately, I've begun to feel lately that there is so little I can do to make people listen to me and to make a difference in the political arena - hell I can't even vote yet!!

But your book has at least made me aware and I've realised that if I can spread that awareness then I can do a little to help make changes. Awareness is like knowledge, it's very powerful. Anyway, I'd like to say thankyou for writing your book and for spreading the awareness that this country needs!

Excellent points Stephen!

However, you should also point out to older voters (in particular) that in general self funded retirees did FAR better with higher interest rates; just ask anyone who has been trying to live off of their interest income the last few years with 'lower' interest rates. [I've quoted the 'lower' as, has been pointed out elsewhere, our rates are NOT low currently compared to the US, Canada, and a number of other Western democracies.]

The simplistic high/low interest rate arguments are just that; simplistic.

14 September 2004 Press Release RESURRECTING RURAL AND REGIONAL AUSTRALIA Leigh Belbeck, spokesperson from Bindaree Beef confirmed today that the next in the series of important rural policy meetings to be held in rural and regional Australia will be held in Gunnedah on Friday, 24 September 2004.

FELLOW EDITORS: I PUBLISHED THE GENTLEMAN'S SMALLER PIECE (HE MUST HAVE READ THE WORD LIMIT AFTER SUBMITTING HIS FIRST ONE AND DECIDED TO NOT GIVE US AN EXCUSE TO IGNORE HIM). HIS BASIC POINT - THAT THE GUN OWNERS SAW HOWARD'S COLOURS FIRST - EVEN BEFORE THE WATERSIDE WORKERS - WHILE THE LEFT APPLAUDED WITHOUT IRONY - I UTTERLY AGREE WITH, INCIDENTALLY. Excellent book, which encapsulated everything we Law Abiding Gun Owners felt when Howard branded us all potential murderers, in 1996 after Port Arthur and then again in 2002, after Monash Murders.After Port Arthur Massacre, much was written and discussed about the effect of the Richmond Report, into Mental Health, as well as the influence of the sadistic and violent videos Martin Bryant watched. Or was the problem one of poor Policing in that M.B. had been previously asociated with two other deaths? But then the Media got heavily into 'Gun Control'. Suddenly Howard, against expert advice and against the wishes of the State Police Mi

Margo, I must thank you for your book Not Happy John. It has restored my faith in humanity that there are at least a few people around who are able to stand up and be counted on these intensely worrying issues.

In the past I was a fairly conservative person who tended to be a swinging voter depending on current issues. However, while John Howard holds the reigns I can no longer in good conscience vote for this evil man or his party. (if he doesn't have altsheimer's he must be evil.... how else could he not remember dates, times, conversations etc of such importance)

In what seems another life time I was married to a Journalist who left Journalism because of the Murdoch takeover so your comments struck a chord with me there as well.

Please please keep going.... there are a huge number of people who agree with you but just dont have the voice or the means to get their opinions heard.

I marched in the anti Iraq war march, which was a first in my life, even though i wa

Whilst I am a conservative voter by nature, I too have been alarmed at the deterioration of the level of debate on issues in Australia in recent years. I have enjoyed reading your articles in the SMH over the years, although not always agreeing with you.

My daughters gave me your book for my birthday and I started reading it last night. What a revelation! I have only read the first few chapters but you have articulated that which I have been saying for some time. Vigorous debate in a democratic society is a healthy thing - it's what sets us apart. I think that this idea that you are either with me or against me is unhealthy for any democracy.

Sadly, I think that Howard when he finally goes - and I suspect it won't be this time - he will leave Australia a more polarised, insensitive and selfish society than he found. Not a great legacy by any measure.

I also realised when I read your bio that we were at Uni together!

All the best
Geoff Neilsen

Great to see Howard's Dictatorship exposed. Those of us who owned Guns and were treated like Criminals by Howard in May 1996 saw this coming first. We rallied in major cities and drew crowds that hadn't been seen since the anti-Vietnam marches of the late 60s. Take heed that Bush referred to Howard as the 'Man of Steel'. He may well have used the Russian translation, 'Stalin'!

Thanks to Robin Rothfield, the convenor of www.defeathoward.com, for bringing this brilliant article by Richard Woolcott to our attention.

Check out the front page of Brisbane City Life. Thanks to NHJ!er Gayle (seat of Dickson) for this. Also NHJ events have been added to the Sydney what's on page.

Gayle will advertise any NHJ event in City Life for free, in any city (I'm not sure exactly which cities it's in). In her words

The what's on pages are some of our busiest and the text down the middle (actual events) gets much better results. Any events, please let me know or tell people to submit them. It costs nothing and if it makes one extra person come along, it's worth it.

So contact her with your events.

Gayle is a successful, professional woman - a swinging voter - who has decided it is time to be heard. For the seat of Dickson she has created website, including Labour.

I've notified the national secretariats of all four parties, and sent personal notifications to all MHRs and Senators belonging to those parties.

If anyone else has a similar quixotic urge and would like more detail, contact me via the website.

John Bear

I have been writing to my local candidates in the election asking them to support the introduction of legislation, in the first term of the new parliament, to establish a Commission to review government business and reporting directly to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate in parliament. I want candidates to make a public commitment to it.

The Commission would be something similar to ICAC in NSW and have power to subpeona documents, members of parliament, advisers, public servants, defence and intelligence personnel. It would investgate complaints, matters referred to it by parliament or standing committes and do its own independent audits and investigations of processes as well. It would have as part of its charter an enforceable ministerial code of conduct. It would have public hearings and publicly release its recommendations. Recommendations could include recommendations that a minister resign, further investigation by Federal Police and civil and criminal

Dear Margo, I was loaned your book by my sister with the recommendation that it was a must to read this book. It took me 24 hours to read as I found it compelling reading. Like many Australians I was complacent about our rights and lifestyle. Reading your book opened my eyes.

Less than half-way through I was thinking we must set up an internet news services and that individuals should set up their own websites outlining their thoughts. If everyone got involved it would be impossible to silence. When I reached the end of your book (less than half an hour ago) I felt energised that people had already started on working towards improving our democracy.

Congratulations to everyone involved in making this possible. I feel new hope for our world and future when people of goodwill work together to improve everyone's future. Despite being a Labor voter all my life, my first preference in this election will go to The Greens.

As a mature age uni student in my seco

Here is Alison Broinowski's review of Andrew Wilkie's Axis of Deceit and Not Happy, John!, published in the latest Australian Book Review magazine. Thanks for permission to publish it here, Alison.
A Cancer in Our Polity
by Alison Broinowski
Governments lie, as veteran US journalist I.F. Stone used to remind us. Worse than that, some of them now defy with impunity the clearly stated wishes of the majority, and international agreements, too. We seem to have entered an era in which the meaning of democracy is being alarmingly redefined. Let us hope it is merely a passing phase.
Majorities in the Anglo-alliance countries now believe that our governments misled us and that the war in Iraq was not justified. This year, for the first time ever, former diplomats and former military commanders in all three countries have signed statements deploring their governments

I recently have had the pleasure of reading the publication, 'Not Happy, John!'.

I note, however, that there is a typographical error on page 151 of the paperback edition.

The second sentence on that page reads as follows:

'Giurgola did his best to honour the original intent by designing broad, sweeping lawns so that people could use to walk right across the top of their elected representatives.'

I presume that the 20th word of that sentence should have read 'them'.

Yours faithfully,
Paul Marx.

NHJ!(HA): Well spotted Paul, but wouldn't it flow better if we just cut the fifteenth word, 'so'?

I have managed to contact NHJer in Melbourne but I was thinking of working alone if necessary. I was wondering if there is any letter drop election material available ? Is there a cost ? How can one access this material ?