margo's smh page 1

[Oquist, Ben (Sen B. Brown)]

Wednesday, 24 November 1999

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Dear Editor

Margo Kingston gets it wrong on so many counts in her article alleging
voters interested in minority rights have nowhere else to go except the
Democrats (SMH 24/11/99).

She asserts that the ALP has dumped its opposition to the "Government's bill
to legislate out of existence the High Court's decision in the Teoh case".
They in fact introduced the legislation back in 1995.

She asserts that the ALP opposed 'terminology' to have the Senate's register
of pecuniary interests include gay and lesbian couples. The ALP in fact
supported amendments passed unanimously that include any 'bona fide domestic
relationship'.

And not all minorities are in the Democrats favour.  Yesterday in the
Senate, the Democrats (with the ALP) did not support a Greens motion backing
self-determination for West Papua.

In avoiding the Democrats' GST, environment and industrial relations
sell-outs (all of which the ALP and Greens opposed), Ms Kingston whips up
the spectre of One Nation - a party with little current profile.  She fails
to declare that she has an interest. She has a book to sell.

Ben Oquist

----------------------------------------------
You can now receive Greens Senator 
Bob Brown's media releases by e-mail.
Go to www.greens.org.au 
and sign up to the 
'Greens-Media' opt in e-mail list.
----------------------------------------------
Ben Oquist
Greens Senator Bob Brown
Parliament House, Canberra 2600
Australia
+61 2 62773170 ph
+61 2 62773185 fx
www.greens.org.au/bobbrown
---------------------------------------------