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Public Interests Before Corporate Interests

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24.01.2022 This week we’re discussing the concept of N.O.W no other way. If you listen to those in power, to those who make the rules, you will hear them say over and over again that ‘there is no other way’. There is no other way to prosperity in the 21st century than to deregulate, privatise, corporatise and, now to a lesser extent due to COVID-19, to globalise. No other way. And whilst we all wait for a vaccine or treatment for the virus, they are busy organising. Organising for the...ir brave new world. Tax cuts for the rich. Incentives for corporates to invest. Deregulating industrial relations. A concerted attack on industry-based superannuation funds. Deregulation of environmental protections, workers compensation and the list goes on. These are the five things they are telling us that need to be done and there is no other way. But there is a dark horse in all of this and that is PIBCI. ‘Public Interests Before Corporate Interests’. We don’t have the power that the rulers have but what we do have are ideas which put the interests of the many before the few. That’s what we’re about. Our policies revolve around a universal basic income (UBI) for all Australians which can very easily be funded by the introduction of a few simple tax reforms. A 1% stockmarket turnover tax. A 1% financial transaction tax. Our mineral resources to be used for the good of all Australians, not just a select few. We are also deeply committed and concerned about public education, public health and aged care. These are areas that could be funded by our tax reforms. We also want to see the economy expanded in this country so that seeding money be provided through industry-based superannuation funds for the creation of collectives and cooperatives. We are only 25 million people living on a resource-rich country, yet 700,000 children live in poverty. Now is the time to show there is another way. Join PIBCI today. Thanks for watching. PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052 0439 395 489 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur3-ussKie8&feature=youtu.be

23.01.2022 PIBCI is in the process of sending out a new letter to Members within the next 2 to 3 weeks. We need 500 $1.10 stamps to help with the mail-out. If you can help, please send $1.10 stamps to: PIBCI PO Box 20 PARKVILLE VIC 3052... Thank you - PIBCI Executive

21.01.2022 One thing Australians believe about their country is that it is a classless society. Contrary to this belief, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp relief the contemporary class lines which run right through the nation. These class lines are delineated by people’s access to disposable income, for in a capitalist society like Australia disposable income determines what options you are able to pursue. It is the modern determinant of class. Australia, despite being a reso...urce-rich country, has over 700,00 children living in poverty and 1 in 3 people living wholly on social security benefits to survive. These meagre payments leave little disposable income over once basic needs are met and we have witnessed how the Commonwealth was forced to lift the rate of payment of some of these benefits at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis as more Australians became unemployed. This is one class of people in contemporary Australia. Then we have another group comprising around 50-55% of Australians, which can be called the ‘working class’. Once their ever-increasing costs of living are met, they too have little disposable income left over. This group has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis as they are often employed in jobs and services which have shut down to avoid the spread of the virus. The Commonwealth has needed to introduce the Jobkeeper payment to keep these workers afloat and to avoid major dislocation. The third group has done exceptionally well in contemporary Australia. They would have been traditionally defined as ‘middle class’ and they have disposable income at the end of the week. They make up around 8% of the population and have benefited from policies which have enabled them to invest in housing (negative gearing) and buy stocks and shares (franking credits). The last group is the 1%. They own the means of production, distribution, exchange and communication. They are an exceptionally powerful group in society. They dominate the parliamentary agenda. They own over 40% of the wealth in Australia. Therefore, when you think about class in the COVID-19 era, think about these four groups. Think about disposable income. The corona pandemic has revealed how economically fragile most Australians are. This is not the kind of society we want. Visit the Public Interests Before Corporate Interests (PIBCI) website, download the application form and join us. Let’s have a real impact on the debate in this country. Thanks for watching and see you next week. PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052 0439 395 489 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0VF5wBzwVg

18.01.2022 This week we find Joe busy with his winter garden harvest and we pick up some tips on how to prepare a chemical-free Spring garden. Now is the time to get it ready! In these difficult times, growing food is a productive way to spend Corona lockdown. It gets you out into the sunshine and you can enjoy the fruits of your labour with family and friends. You don't need a lot of space. Now is the time to start thinking about Spring planting. It’s a good way to cope with all the is...sues associated with the pandemic, to blow away the COVID-19 cobwebs. It’s an important time to do things that are not virtual. It’s the little things we can do which make life bearable. Stay safe ‘til next week. [email protected] 0439 395 489 PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QloIsaaPplw&feature=youtu.be

16.01.2022 A fire is raging. COVID-19 has done what activists over many decades have not been able to do. It has exposed, en masse, the fault lines of our capitalist society. We are currently experiencing all the negative consequences of the Thatcherism/Reaganism programme. A casualised workforce with no legal protections is a major one. Look at what this has wrought in the aged-care sector.... We have a lot of problems on our hands at the moment, alongside the corona pandemic. Our climate crisis, for one. This has not gone away. There is more to talk about than Thatcherism and Reaganism, despite the Treasurer’s recent fawning. Now is the time for major change. As the corona crisis rolls on, we may see more and more Australians finding themselves in difficult circumstances, perhaps changing their minds about franking credits, negative gearing, private ownership of this country’s resources, the destruction of the public health, education and housing sector. Thatcherism and Reaganism are not the way forward for this country. Once again, we ask you to consider joining Public Interests Before Corporate Interests (PIBCI). If we want change, we can do nothing individually. We need to become involved together for reform, for radical change. Put the interests of the many before the interests of the few. It’s time to take practical action. You can download an application form from our website. You can leave a message on 0439 395 489. You can also always write to us at PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052. Remember, your future is in your hands. Ultimate political authority in a democratic society rests in the hands of the people. Keep safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4INC6wukzI&feature=youtu.be

15.01.2022 Most Australians know little about their constitution. It’s the framework which guides the legislation that can be passed by federal parliament. The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted a number of issues with the constitution. One issue is that there are no human rights provisions within it. Provisions such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. These are not included in the constitution. This makes the Australian state the sovereign entity when it comes to legislation. No...t the people. This gives both state and federal governments extraordinary powers. We have witnessed these powers being employed during the last few months. Think of the closure of state and territory borders, the restriction of the movement of people. The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted how useless the constitution is for the people of Australia during this time. It is an interesting document and well worth looking at. Take care until next week. PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052 0439 395 489 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQIZGDgzHmg&feature=youtu.be

12.01.2022 Although times are desperate during this COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not the end of the world. There are deep issues we can learn from. The pandemic has raised three exceptionally important issues which highlight significant fault lines in our society. The first issue we need to learn from is that we were not prepared for what was about to happen, even though we have been told for the last 20 years, since the SARS virus, to do just that. For example, we didn’t have enough Persona...l Protective Equipment (PPE) and lacked a manufacturing base to produce it, relying on overseas imports instead. This is a consequence of the Australian economy being of the globalised, corporatised kind. The second lesson we need to learn is that a capitalist system is ill-prepared for such national and global emergencies. People’s welfare in this country is directly linked to the wage system and when the shutdown began we were not able to cope, economically speaking. What is lacking is a Universal Basic Income (UBI) that is independent of the wage system, cushioning us in times of crisis. Instead, we have had to rely on an incomplete, disjointed social security system. We could fund a UBI if our abundant mineral resources were not in the hands of a private few. It is a ridiculous situation. If there is one thing we should be debating in this country, this is it. We should be nationalising our resources and putting the profits into a wealth fund, just like Norway. The third lesson is witnessing just how much power governments can wield in periods of emergency. We are talking about reserve powers which can be employed to suspend people’s rights and liberties. But we are not talking about the wearing of face masks. We agree the order to wear face masks is legitimate. However, it is just one example which highlights the extraordinary powers governments have in times of emergency without the need to get the OK from parliament. We would like to see these powers restricted to times of emergency and enshrined in the constitution as so. These three issues are relevant to everybody in Australia. Take care of yourself. PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052 0439 395 489 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REqk7-x3tbw&feature=youtu.be

09.01.2022 AUSTRALIA'S FORWARD DEFENCE PANDEMIC STRATEGY Government's role is not to get out of the way of business but to look after the needs all the people they represent. Australia's response to the COVID-19 crisis has been hamstrung by the balancing act between business and community needs governments have had to deal with. Increasing population growth, rapid urbanisation, climate change, industrial farming practices both on the land and in the ocean have dramatically increase the...Continue reading

06.01.2022 This week we’ll keep exploring the corona pandemic and look at what we are calling ‘The ‘COVID-19 family’. This family can be divided into 5 groups. Some are more important than others, some are quite miniscule, some are quite large. We’ll try and find a rational explanation for what’s happening. Group One: ‘It’s a hoax’. Denial is a powerful aspect of the human condition. Group Two: the 1+1=3 brigade. Looking for scapegoats, looking for reasons. 5G. A world government plot. ...The Chinese. The Russians. Group Three: Religious fanatics. Old as the hills. Nothing new here. Plague as god’s punishment. Group Four: The young and restless. The biggest victims of the pandemic. Major sacrifices made. Group Five: The silent majority. Accepting of the science. Facing an economic catastrophe. We’ll also answer the often-asked question: what is so different about COVID-19? How is it different to influenza and other diseases and viruses? Obviously, we need a response to the pandemic that doesn’t involve a prolonged shutdown of society. We’ll take a look around the world and see how other countries have responded and what the consequences have been. Perhaps there are some lessons for Australia in them. Look after yourselves. Until next week.. PO BOX 20, Parkville VIC 3052 [email protected] 0439 395 489 www.pibci .net https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q4-UGCwvm4&feature=youtu.be

05.01.2022 THE HUMAN COVID-19 FAMILY The range of options in Australia about the COVID-19 crisis should not be cause for concern or alarm. In a crisis people respond in different ways. The rise and rise of social media as an instrument of communication and dissemination of ideas and information within the community, has given people with ideas that don't conform to mainstream scientific opinion a platform to find people with similar opinions. Opinions within the Australian community ab...Continue reading

04.01.2022 This week, amidst the COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria, we are looking forward. Up until now, we have been in the throes of a reactive response to the pandemic. What is needed is some forward thinking and in this presentation we will put forward a ‘forward defence pandemic strategy’. We propose this because pandemics are likely to increase in a world of ever-increasing population growth, urbanisation, environmental destruction and industrial farming practises. These issues make ...us more susceptible to viruses crossing the animal-human barrier. When formulating any kind of pandemic strategy, we need to look at both the economic and health consequences and plan for them. On the health front, we believe there should be a national pandemic response team who can plan for future pandemics. What we have witnessed in Australia with COVID-19 is a piecemeal approach carried out by the various states and territories which has caused untold suffering, both economically and health wise. Secondly, we need a pandemic reserve, just like the SES, who can spring into action in an outbreak emergency. They would also be responsible for disseminating information to the community to educate them on how they can best prepare and respond to a pandemic. What about the economic factors? A Universal Basic Income (UBI) for every Australian is a must. The end of the Jobkeeper and Jobseeker supplementary payments will be catastrophic for both individuals and small businesses. A UBI ensures that whatever disaster occurs, people will have enough resources to survive. How do we fund all these measures? We propose a 2% pandemic levy paid by all taxpayers, a 1% stockmarket turnover tax and a 1% turnover tax on all the companies and corporations whose turnover is greater than $2 million per year. These measures would raise hundreds of billions of dollars annually. We would have more than enough money to fund our pandemic strategy. Every idea starts somewhere. How fast and wide they spread is dependent on how many people take them up. We encourage you to have a look at the Public Interests Before Corporate Interests (PIBCI) website and think about joining us. We are on the cusp of reaching 550 members which is the number needed to form a federal political party. Think about it. See you next week. Spring is here. PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052 0439 395 489 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKLBWeL-uO8&feature=youtu.be

04.01.2022 Everybody’s mind is on pandemics at the moment so this week we will talk about a pandemic that has been around for about 40 years. We call it the ‘public outsourcing pandemic’. What we have seen in Australia and around the world during the past four decades is the wholesale fire sale of public assets to the private and corporate sector. These are assets that were formerly run by the government on behalf of the public and include essential services and infrastructure like elec...tricity, gas, telecommunications, banks, airlines and ports, to name a few. What was the benefit? The COVID-19 pandemic and the disastrous consequences of private security in hotel quarantine, private contact tracing and private aged care has revealed what a shemozzle it is. It is a clear example of outsourcing 101. So what can we do? We have two contemporary tribes in Australia today: the ‘gonna’ tribe (I’m gonna do this and I’m gonna do that) and the ‘somebody should do something about that’ tribe. Whilst we remain stuck in cynicism and hopelessness within these tribes, whilst we continue to complain to one another or mumble in our beards, change won’t come. Democracy is about getting involved with the day-to-day decision-making of our communities and country. If you want change you need to work for it. If you’re concerned about issues like outsourcing, casualisation, creating collectives and cooperatives, introducing a Universal Basic Income, signing treaties with this country’s first nation peoples, having more humane policies towards refugees, you need to make that first step and consider becoming involved in Public Interests Before Corporate Interests (PIBCI). We encourage you. Look at our policies on our website and download an application form today. The quicker we reach 550 members who are on the electoral role, the sooner we can register as a federal political party and start to talk about new ideas for the health and wealth of all Australians. Thanks for watching. PIBCI Contact details: [email protected] PO BOX 20, Parkville, 3052 0439 395 489 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvhcNb8ZyEY&feature=youtu.be