Free Republic

SUPPORTERS of David Hicks should remember he is an admitted terrorist supporter who fought against his countrymen, Treasurer Peter Costello says. Mr Costello's comments came as Hicks' lawyers said their client will attempt to live a normal existence on his return to Australia and release from jail. Hicks, who spent five years in a US military prison after he was captured in Afghanistan in late 2001, pleaded guilty to a charge of giving material support to terrorism last week. Under a plea deal negotiated between Hicks' lawyers and the US military commission, he will be returned to Australia from Guantanamo...

PETER Costello emerged pale-faced and bleeding from the ears yesterday after nearing the sound barrier in an FA/A-18 Hornet fighter test flight he described as "the ride of a lifetime". Travelling at speeds of more than 850km/h over Williamtown in NSW, the Treasurer was strapped into an anti-gravity suit to protect against potential flight side effects such as blackouts during turns and manoeuvres. It was a case of, "Does my bomb look big in this?" as Mr Costello expressed pre-flight jitters that he was too fat to fit into a cockpit that had been personalised by painting his squadron-assigned nickname...

Treasurer Peter Costello has defended Pope Benedict XVI over his controversial comments on Islam, saying the violent reaction was about the stifling of free speech. In an address to a Christian gathering in which he attacked the efforts of Islamic extremists to force their views on nations, Mr Costello urged his audience to read the Pope's speech and wonder at the violent reaction. It's the second time in recent months the treasurer has opened up on the subject of Islamic extremism, earlier calling on those who would introduce sharia law to Australia to look for another country in which to...

FEDERAL Treasurer Peter Costello has warned Australians to brace themselves for a war on terror that could exceed the previous 50 years of the cold war. Mr Costello told a Liberal Party conference in Melbourne today that Australians must "steel ourselves" and be clear about their values as they prepare for a long war on terror. "The cold war lasted over 50 years," he said. "The war on terror could last a lot longer." Mr Costello said a free society must be prepared to defend itself against the threat of terrorism. "There are, unfortunately, terrorists who would rather see Australia...

Some Howard supporters say Mr Costello should resign Australian politics has been rocked by a leadership feud between Prime Minister John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello. On Monday the two men publicly contradicted each other over an alleged pledge by Mr Howard to hand over power. The former allies faced each other at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, for the first time since the row erupted. Mr Howard and Mr Costello have dominated Australian politics, and the Liberal Party, for the past decade. The treasurer has made no secret of his desire to lead the country, but until now...

THE crisis in the Liberal leadership deepened today, with Prime Minister John Howard accusing Treasurer Peter Costello of arrogance and hubris. Mr Howard also questioned his deputy's account of a deal to hand over power. Backbenchers began weighing into the row, with two MPs calling on Mr Costello to quit as treasurer and deputy Liberal leader. Former Liberal leader John Hewson also savaged Mr Costello's apparent attempt to destabilise Mr Howard's leadership, accusing the prime minister-in-waiting of immaturity and arrogance. Mr Costello yesterday said Mr Howard had not kept a promise – made at a December 1994 meeting – that...

AUSTRALIA would always owe a war debt to its friend the US, which had been a great power for good, Treasurer Peter Costello said today. Mr Costello was asked today if he agreed with Prime Minister John Howard that it was important for American power and influence to continue and prevail. The Treasurer said America historically had represented the best and the worst, contrasting the nation building efforts of America's pilgrim fathers with those who traded slaves. "I think you've always had this duality running through the United States," Mr Costello told ABC Radio. "(It is) a great aspirational power,...

ORDINARY taxpayers will enjoy $37 billion in tax cuts over the next four years but businesses will also benefit as Treasurer Peter Costello seeks to regain control of the tax debate. Tax thresholds will be lifted while the top two marginal tax rates will be sliced in a move Mr Costello said will reward hard work and make the Australian tax system more internationally competitive. Australians have had several years of smaller tax cuts, but at $37 billion – including an initial tax break of more than $6 billion starting from July 1 – tonight's Budget announcements are the biggest...

TREASURER Peter Costello has dubbed today "debt-free day" as the commonwealth bankcard finally comes into the black. Mr Costello says Australia will be debt free as the Government finally wipes a debt of $96 billion it inherited when it came into office in 1996. The Treasurer said the Government had made $46.1 billion from asset sales since 1996, with all of those proceeds going towards retiring debt. Mr Costello said this was having a direct benefit to taxpayers. "With the retirement of all government net debt next year we are forecasting net interest payments of $300 million," he said. "This...

THERE was little sign of triumphalism at last night's Coalition celebration of 10 years in power but there were many grand words of praise for John Howard and the party faithful. While a number of speakers recited the achievements of the Howard-Costello Government, the Prime Minister was quick to remind his colleagues of the danger of losing sight of the Australian people. "The golden rule of Australian politics is not to get too full of yourself, to understand that you are there to serve the Australian people, not to tell them how good you are," he told a packed Great...

TREASURER Peter Costello has stepped up his attack on extremist Muslims, accusing some migrants of seeing the pledge of allegiance as a formality. But the Opposition said if any jihadists had migrated to Australia, it was the Government's fault for not enforcing immigration laws. The Australian Democrats have also accused Mr Costello of taking cheap shots at easy targets. Mr Costello last week attacked "mushy multiculturalism" and likened abiding by Australian laws and values in the host country to removing shoes when entering a mosque -- a sign of respect. Muslim leaders accused him of promoting Islamophobia and said the...

Prime Minister John Howard has refused Muslim calls to censure Treasurer Peter Costello over comments he made about Islamic extremists. And Mr Costello has challenged Muslim leaders to pledge their allegiance to Australia before they criticise him over his comments about citizenship. Muslim leaders have called for Mr Howard to censure Mr Costello over his speech last night to the Sydney Institute in which he said anyone who believed Islamic sharia law could co-exist with Australian law should move to a country where they felt more comfortable. Islamic Friendship Association president Keysar Trad said Mr Costello had unfairly singled out...

TREASURER Peter Costello is promoting division and Islamophobia in remarks about Muslims and should be censured, a Muslim community leader said. Keysar Trad, president of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, said today he genuinely hoped Prime Minister John Howard would censure Mr Costello. Mr Costello delivered a speech yesterday in which he said if people wanted to live under Islamic sharia law, they should move to another country. "There is one law we are all expected to abide by," the Treasurer said. "It is the law enacted by the parliament under the Australian constitution. "If you can't accept that,...

PETER Costello last night condemned "mushy multiculturalism" and told Muslims who could not tolerate others to leave Australia. The Treasurer said the citizenship pledge of loyalty and respect for law should be a "big flashing warning sign" for those Muslims. Mr Costello departed from economic matters to address Muslim protests following the publication of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed. He said those offended "must recognise this does not justify violence against newspapers, or countries that allow newspapers to publish them". His comment reinforced the stand of Prime Minister John Howard, who this week criticised Muslims who were "utterly antagonistic to...