AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION POLICIES

INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION POLICY

The policies listed in this document are basic briefs only:

Our main Policy Document covers all of the following subjects:

ü      Taxation

ü      Aged Care and Disability

ü      Defence

ü      Family Law and Child Support

ü      Population and Social Cohesion

ü      Manufacturing and Industry

ü      Veterans Affairs

ü      Community Based Referendum

ü      Education

ü      Law and Order, Crime and Punishment

A.I.F  does not want to return Australia to the past, as our critics have said.   Our objective is to take our nation and its people into the 21^st century with the same human values that our people and our nation have been known for,  taking the new technology with us into the future generations, yet  still retaining our unique culture, nationality and sovereignty.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS:

A.I.F  believes that the destructive legislation imposed by Mr Reith, must be withdrawn and the Australian Industrial Relations Commission must have all its powers restored, so that there can be fair and just settlements of all disputes, in the swiftest time possible.

HEALTH:

The States have primary responsibility for the provision of health services; however, decisions by the Federal Government and allocation of tied grants to the States and Territories have a direct impact on how these monies are spent.

The four major divisions of health are:

1.      Medical Education

2.      Medical Research

3.      Preventative Medicine

4.      Curative Medicine

The Medicare levy is to be maintained.   Taxpayers taking out full private health cover will be exempt from the Medicare levy.   Private health cover will be encouraged.  It will be fully tax deductible- less the amount saved by not paying the Medicare levy.  There will be no monopoly on the provision of health insurance.  The current Community Pharmacy Agreement between the Commonwealth and the Pharmacy Guild must be retained.

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION supports the return of control of the Public Hospitals to their own hospital boards, effectively returning control to the local communities, who take pride and interest in “their hospital”.   Reintroduction of lotteries to specifically fund hospitals as was originally done will be seriously considered.

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION supports the reduction in management positions in hospitals and a return to the emphasis on patient care, as the primary function of hospitals.   The re-establishment of the training of Registered Nurses in teaching hospitals, ensure that health care trainees, in receipt of bursaries / grants, fulfil their obligations with a compulsory term of public health input on completion of their full training.  (Eg. residencies registrar-ship.)

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION FULLY SUPPORTS:

Ø      Home and Community Care.

Ø      Rural Hospital & Health Care.

Ø      Patient’s access to Alternative and Complimentary Health Care.

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION  supports the free access to Medical and Health Services as required.

SMALL BUSINESS:

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION  acknowledges the severe impact the GST has had on small business and will do all that is necessary to simplify, re-evaluate and negate the severe burden placed on small business by this obnoxious tax.  (Refer to Democrats, Liberal & Labor involvement).   At a future date, A.I.F  would be willing to take the tax situation in Australia back to the people via referendum for a more fair and equitable tax system for all Australians.  There are a number of alternative systems available that are much fairer than the one now in use.

 AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION believes that laws and procedures affecting small business should be structured to encourage new business, to support existing business, to facilitate small business expansion, to ensure fair competition and to provide as much protection as practical from the unscrupulous. 

Finance:   (small business)  AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION will initiate a truly National Publicly-Owned Bank, for the purpose of providing small Australian businesses and primary producers with low interest loans, under favourable repayment plans, and also  low interest overdraft facilities.  

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION also recognises the frustration small business and sole traders have in dealing with government departments, in dealing with compliancy, licensing and regulatory requirements.   AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION intends to short-circuit the systems, so that parties may have a direct access to the department concerned.  (Ie. cut red tape).

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION would abolish the National Competition Policy; it is viewed as a flawed policy.   The policy is presently being encouraged through gross misuse of incentive funds given to state and local governments.  It is not in the interest of small business and their local and regional communities because it inhibits a buy local philosophy.

COUNTRY RURAL AND REGIONAL:

Australia’s country and regional communities are key contributors to the national economy and play a vital role in the prosperity of this nation.  Rural Australia is the source of national self-sufficiency.  Australia can sustain itself in terms of minerals, energy, and most other natural resources, but it is rural Australia that makes these resources available to the nation.

Policies of unilateral tariff reductions and deregulation of financial systems are ideologically motivated.  Tragically, the ideology driving these policies is seriously flawed.  Our competitors have continued to protect their industries and their National Sovereignty, while Australia has exposed itself to deregulation, free trade, globalisation and economic rationalism. 

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION recognises the need for value adding of Australian produce, thereby reducing our dependency on imported manufactured goods.  Tariffs must be re-introduced where these areas are being utilised and new development is taking place.

1.      If a country has an agricultural base from which to feed the people, industrial infrastructure, a skilled manufacturing base, oil and mineral resources and a healthy, united and educated population, it has the essentials to become self-sufficient.  If that country is barren of opportunity for its young, unable to care for its aged, dependent on goods and finance from foreigners and unemployment among its workforce is rife; the problem is Political Ineptitude and Economic Mismanagement.

       The key to ensuring the prosperity of the bush and indeed the entire country is to do as much 

     ‘value adding’ of Australia produce as possible in Australia,   thereby reducing our dependence

      on imported manufactured goods.  This is the best way to create employment opportunities in

      the bush and the city and improve our balance of trade figures and standard of living. 

      Australia has a very clear   choice-we either make and buy Australian goods, which means

      Australian jobs or buy cheaper subsidised products and continue losing jobs.

2.      AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION  will establish a national Bank, (‘The Bank of Australia’), to provide long term, low interest funding.  The bank will provide low cost finance for the consolidation of existing business and industry debt, allow further expansion of new ventures and provide essential funding for debt reconstruction for the Australian primary producer and small business.  The inability to access government assistance, due to excessively restrictive criteria, has caused loss of equity and viability with existing debt burdens.  The Nation has a choice, - to continue to lose farmers and small business, or provide suitable funding.  Unless a debt reconstruction plan is adopted, Australia will continue to lose the family farm.

3.      Australia cannot afford to continue importing at current levels.  AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION believes that Australia must shift the emphasis in the rural industry, from being a raw commodity producer, to becoming a value-added manufacturing economy.  We need to start manufacturing and making these imports ourselves.   Our balance of trade figures tell us that now – so do our unemployment figures.   AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION believes that Australia manufacturing industry will always suffer from a degree of diseconomy of scale and will require some form of protection from externalities created by an “uneven playing field.”  (Ie. some form of tariff protection).

4.      AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION would introduce a simple labelling system of three categories to allow consumers to purchase Australian-made products with confidence:

· 100 % Australian owned and made – (denoted pictorially by a green light in a traffic signal).

· 100 % Foreign owned and made – (denoted by a red light in a traffic signal).

·  A combination of the above – (denoted by an amber light in a traffic signal).

5.      AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION will broaden the eligibility criteria of”exceptional circumstances” assistance.  Too many people in need have been excluded from assistance in the past, due to eligibility criteria, which has been too narrow.

6.      AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION will continue to support the rural disaster fund and will review the level of support provided to rural people and communities.  In particular, AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION will provide low interest loans at reasonable rates, following natural disasters.   AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION is committed to the provision of adequate water resources.  AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION opposes the privatisation of water.  AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION supports the right of the farmer to use (without government control of charges) water collected in on-farm storage.      

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION supports the establishment of a Ministry of Water, the  establishment of a Federal Ministry on interior infrastructure and Regional Australia and the abolition of the cap by the Murray Darling Ministerial Council and replacing it with a flexible management system in tune with the varying conditions of the river system and the environment.

7.      AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION will adopt a stronger negotiating role to achieve outcomes more beneficial to Australian exporters. AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION believes that current multilateral agreements have not necessarily served in our interests.  We believe we have become a “soft touch” and must adopt a stronger position in all trade negotiations.   AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION is acutely aware of the damage that has been done to the dairy industry by deregulation and will do all in its power to investigate and put in place regulations to give the dairy farmer a fair and equitable farm-gate price for their produce. 

8.      AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION recognises that many of our trading partners implement barriers with a variety of names, which in effect are tariffs.  AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION will protect our primary and manufacturing industries and impose tariffs where necessary and with consultation and the approval of industry. –

Ø      At least equivalent to those trading partners in respect of reciprocal trade provided this is not detrimental to other Australian industry.

Ø      At sufficient levels to protect unfair competition for subsidised, sub-standard or predatory priced imports.

Ø      At sufficient levels to preclude competing imports from countries that provide no reciprocal export opportunities.

Ø      To further prevent “dumping” on Australian markets. AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION  also has comprehensive policy on the following subjects relating to Country-Rural and Regional matters:

Foreign Ownership – Finance – Land Tenure – Water – Environment – The Beef industry – Forestry – Grain – Quarantine – Research and Development – Country Population Growth – Rural Apprenticeships – Genetically Modified Grains & Produce – Sheep & Wool – The Pork industry – Horticulture and small crops etc.

TAXATION:

FOREIGN AID:

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION will reduce the amount of foreign economic aid spent each year and will direct it to helping Australia’s own problems at home.   AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION believes that most of our foreign aid should be paid in goods in kind (eg. Wheat, blankets food, etc.)  Thereby helping our industries and primary producers.  AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION believes that the majority of foreign aid at the present time never arrives to the people or projects that it was intended for.

IMMIGRATION:

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION has a comprehensive Immigration Policy and the main principles are:

1.        A population policy must underwrite an immigration policy (i.e. what population can Australia support without affecting the standard of living?)

2.        The Government’s responsibility surely is to protect its people’s welfare, security, environment, economy and standard of living.  Our Government’s responsibility to migrants should not be greater than its responsibility to current and future generations of Australians.  AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION believes it is the Australian government’s responsibility to pass onto future generations of Australians a country to be cherished, enjoyed and free from the problems of over-population and ever growing massive foreign debt.

3.        Australians are the caretakers of the world’s oldest, driest, least fertile, inhabited landmass.  In the face of environmental degradation in Australia, we should be proceeding slowly with population growth, because growth will only exacerbate current environmental problems.   The next generation has the right to inherit a country in better environmental condition than the preceding era.

4.        Opposition to mass immigration should not be misinterpreted as being an anti-migrant      

       Philosophy.   AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION'S disagreement is with government policy.

5.        Freedom of speech should be extended to all discussions on immigration and        multicultural policies and the cry of ‘racism’ should not be used to silence debate or to promote violence against those who wish to debate the issues.

6.        Australians, like other peoples of the world, have the right to maintain their unique identity and culture.   It is never immoral to want to retain one’s own independence and identity.   Those who say it is, simply refuse to realise the existence and importance of Australian culture to our people.

7.        Our migrant intake should be non-discriminatory on condition that the numbers do not significantly alter the ethnic and cultural make up of the country,   nor our country infrastructure to cope with increased numbers.

8.        English is the official language of Australia and government policy will encourage widespread use of English within all communities and in all the institutions of the land. 

9.        Compassion must be extended to genuine refugees, but temporary refuge need   not extend to  

        long-term permanent settlement in Australia.

10.    The government institutionalised, publicly funded policy of Multiculturalism is not  in the best

        interest of migrants or Australia and should be abolished.

11.    No person other than an Australian citizen, or permanent resident of the   Australian

        community has an inalienable right to enter Australia.

12.    Any person entering Australia for a period in excess of 6 months, must pass  both health and  

        character screening.

You have just read an introduction to AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION policies.  

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENTS FEDERATION has a vision for Australia as a proud, independent, self-sustaining, Sovereign Nation.

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