| AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE |
 |
 |
 |
|
The F.R.E.E AUSTRALIA PARTY would like to express its gratitude to members of the press that came along to the freedom of association protest ride on November 28 despite the heavy rain. The polite manner in which the media conducted itself as it allowed time for reasons and answers to be given to questions while doing interviews was greatly appreciated, causing those protesting to feel as though their voice was being heard. The F.R.E.E AUSTRALIA PARTY appreciates the opportunity to relay its policies to the people of Adelaide and beyond when this occurs, as well as the positive human interaction that occurs between members of the media and protesters. You guys don’t get paid enough! One of our biggest battles, besides reversing these anti-association laws, is to win back the hearts and minds of people that have been led to believe untruths about those who may live or ride with motorcycling communities. The Attorney General, Michael Atkinson, recently said of the F.R.E.E AUSTRALIA PARTY that is was just a “front” for “bikies” as though that combination of words was meant to relay a negative message to those listening to him about us. While it is certainly true that as a party we represent the motor cycling community; and that our membership does in fact have some members who ride motorcycles, of whom some may or not be in actual clubs... we don’t see that as an issue to membership with our party, any more than Labor questions which union movement one of their members may be in. The use of the word “front” when describing the F.R.E.E AUSTRALIA PARTY is to ascribe certain questionable actions to those who sit on the executive committee, people our Attorney General has never met. The F.R.E.E AUSTRALIA PARTY has always said that it does not condone crime, any more than it does not condone the draconian measure of penalising the innocent; as occurred during the protest ride with the forced closure of hotels on their path. Those who sit as members on the executive committee of the F.R.E.E AUSTRALIA PARTY are principled individuals who are sacrificing their time and money to not only represent those oppressed by heavy handed governance, but to provide to the people of South Australia an alternative political party for its consideration at the March 2010 elections. The statement that the Attorney General has made that we are just a “front” is offensive in the context he seeks to relay, and nothing more than a crude attempt to smear the party in the lead up to the elections. We have, since our registration on March 13, developed a number of policy directives and manifesto which clearly lays out where we are coming from; all of which are available on our website at www.freeaustralia.org for people to view and to decide themselves as to whether we are a “front”. It is time for our Attorney General to be held accountable for the untruths he speaks, and for him to be held accountable for the damage he visits upon people who are simply giving voice to valid concerns of the general public.
Written by Craig Hendry
|