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27 August 2010
Greetings members and friends,
It would be good to be able to say Australia has now turned a page and, post
election, was "moving forward", as one of the main parties inanely framed
their election campaign. Instead, at this point, Australia is standing
still. One way or another the result, that will ultimately be determined by
completing the vote count in several cliff hanger seats, will bring in a
hung Parliament - for the first time since 1940 or so.
That being so the country has endured a week of three "independents"
throwing down their demands on both the Government and the challenging
Opposition for a litany of information, briefings and undertakings for all
kinds of reform to Parliament. It has to be said that the weight of opinion,
both public, according to several polls, and that of many of the leading
commentators, (by what has been written and discussed), is that the sooner
the country heads back to the polls the better.
That is especially so since the "three amigos", as the three country
independents have been dubbed, a day after the election seemed to
immediately form the "Independents Party" at least for the purpose of
leveraging what they want before casting their lot with one or other
contender to get one Party or another to an elusive 76 seats out of 150. The
view seems to be forming as well that if there is a second election soon,
perhaps one or two or all of the “independents' might find themselves voted
out of office. The fact is they all come from conservative electorates. The
incumbent socialist Labor Party garnered less than 25% in each "independent"
seat. It is reported as perturbing to electors in their respective
electorates then to see that these independents are seriously considering
aligning with the Left leaning "progressive", socialist Labor Party. It is
thought many of the policy positions of the independents that they have now
exposed to wider public view, including those who elected them, would not
sit well with many of those those who did elect them and a second election
may solve the problem of who gets a majority of members with the
independents removal by their electors.
Anyway, this will play out over the next few weeks but any government formed
out of the current line up will be tenuous and certainly not stable due to
the particular stances and personalities of these "king makers". There is no
prospect any government formed would go for a full three year term. Three
weeks may be a stretch.
This week Australia suffered it's 21st death in Afghanistan with warnings of
more deaths to come. Both sides of politics again expressed resolve to stay
the course.
There is of course much more that could be reviewed but there are many news
services we can all have recourse to.
For those attending the Feast at Port Stephens this year arrangements are
being finalized. The venue has new management and it all looks good. Next
week I will send out a program to those known to be coming to the Feast
including service times, the time for opening night get together with finger
food and drinks, catered lunches on the Holy Days and catered dinner on the
evening of the Last Great Day. The menus all look fresh and tasty. I am
sure you will also find the sermon material to be presented fresh and
interesting.
A further three weekly DVDs were posted this week along with a sermon for
the Feast of Trumpets that falls on 9 September. A DVD for Atonement plus
some Feast sermons to members unable to attend the Feast will be sent out in
about two weeks.
The GTA TV program last Sunday, featuring the sermon offer of "The Third Day
in Heaven " (tape or CD) and Heaven on Earth booklet has brought 51
responses with 11 new contacts. All together we posted out 60 program
packages including some offers from previous weeks.
Thanks is due to all those who continue to keep this work viable, in the
public eye and with our material available through our TV telecasts.
Enjoy this coming Sabbath.
Murray Allatt
Sydney
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