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Summary Inverell Forum 1999

By Lindsay Johnson 

The Inverell Forum for 1999 has been and gone and those of us who were lucky enough to be able to attend are chafing at the bit to get out and put into practice all we have leant. 

Robert Balgarnie's organisational flare and Dennis Stephenson's Compering ability made for a well-run event yet again.

 My desire to get out now and accomplish things is matched only by my eagerness to see who will be speaking at next year's forum.

 It was the equivalent of a $200 a ticket business motivation session, only better.  Everyone who is anyone in the patriotic and freedom movement in Australia was there.  Ray Platt from the Strategy was there. Tony Pitt debating the preferential voting system and Joe Bryant of Trojan horse fame.  Joe made the point among others that millions of dollars are spent on sex education in schools, but not a cent on teaching about our own constitution.  Politicians would not get away with a fraction of their rot if we had informed young populous who were intimately conversant with the rules under which this country was supposed to run.

John Wilson discussed the refusal of his request for a jury trial after throwing paint at a judge.  John openly calls the Judges "liars, criminals and traitors" for the treatment they have given him right up to the High Court in relation to a case between himself and a bank over variable interest rates.  He is a truly inspiring man, who needs supporters in the court in Sydney on 16th April, 1999.

 Len Clampet told us why he doesn't have to pay speeding fines and why his clients don't pay any income tax.  His talk was entertaining and wide ranging from how to educate your local bank staff that you don't have to wait 5 days to clear a cheque, to the invalidity of the Constitution as a result of the letters patent for the Governors General dying with Queen Victoria in 1902.

 The Constitution and the republic were dealt with in a very erudite fashion by Dr Nigel Greenwood, which was very timely with the referendum set down for this November.

 Dennis Zammit gave an amusing address about his campaign against the Gatton local government council.  Dennis is a very intelligent, well organised activist who told us in a dry understated way how he is having wonderful success bringing this renegade council to its knees using the Judicial Review.  Like Ken McFadzen last year in another sphere, Dennis is turning their own overwhelming, stupid system of law, which was designed to control us, against themselves.  They just can not handle it.  Many of us can not wait to put his methods into action in our own areas.

 Bevan O'Regan was there and spoke of satellite technology identifying timber and native vegetation clearing without a permit.  One farmer has been fined $300,000.

 The Australian's "letter writer of the year", Antonia Feitz, was there as an enthusiastic observer.

 Scott Balson gave an after dinner speech on his book "Murder by Media, Death of Democracy in Australia", drawing attention to the way in which Dymocks had withdrawn his book from sale after it had been on their book shelves for three weeks.  He also spoke of the apparent collaboration of the press during the various election campaigns to sink both Pauline Hanson and her One Nation Party.

 Both David Thompson and Jeremy Lee gave their appraisals of the current political situation both here and around the world, including the threat of the millennium bug.  Many of us are eagerly awaiting the tapes of the speeches which were every bit as thorough and veracious as any speech these men have given.

 David McNivan gave a serious talk in an amusing manner on the firearm situation in Australia.  David is the face from Gympie that the television stations still use after several years, when they want to raise hysteria about "redneck, gun toting nutters".  It was good to see the thinking man behind the opposition's shallow image.

 Dr Ziema McDonnell and Heidi Adams gave health talks with a leaning towards alternative medicine.  These were very well received as is usual at the Inverell Forum.  There seems to be a real thirst for knowledge on this subject in the whole community.

 Brian Mc Dermott about his recently formed Trade Exchange that is a form of barter which will become a saviour for our people when, not if, the world economic system comes crashing down within the next year. (if the experts at this forum are correct)

 After dinner on Saturday night, presentations were made to Jeremy and his sister Nancy Lee for their years of service.  It was entertaining to watch this humble man squirm with self consciousness at the reminiscences of mishaps and the heart felt thanks expressed by others to Jeremy for their introduction to the freedom movement and truth.  Many of these people like Ray Smyth of Christians Speaking Out and Grant Bird and Jeanine McRae of Union of Farmers have expressed themselves as amateurs when compared with Jeremy and have recalled in past Inverell Forums the change to their lives which resulted from listening to their first Jeremy Lee talk. We all have much for which to be thankful to Jeremy and Nancy, but it should be made clear, this ceremony was not their official discharge from duty!

 Many other experts in various fields were present to ask probing questions of the speakers and to luxuriate in the stimulating debate and the feeling of being among kindred spirits.

 This forum is one of the few places in Australia where anyone can discuss any topic without rancour or censorship, but can expect to have the rough corners knocked off any idea or belief by some of the best informed political minds in Australia.

 Last but not least was the relaxing day of informal discussions and the chance to meet people we have only heard of by reputation.  This was at Rene Rumings's spacious, shady garden on the Monday after the forum.

 I do not know about you, but I get just enough intellectual stimulation to tide me over until the next years Inverell Forum.

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