More Australians have died at the hands of police, lawfully or unlawfully, in 10 years, than from terrorist attacks in Australia in the past 20 years.
Source: The threat of terrorism in Australia is a scam that costs us dearly
Category: Australia
I know some people hanker for the days when we had a predominately British outlook but they’ve gone. We will always have strong bonds but we’ve grown up. Some people just don’t recognise it. What we need in a leader is someone who recognises the inevitability of change and welcomes managing it. We need someone who recognises as Menzies did that we are not a reactionary people looking to the past, to turn back the clock. We need a leader who sees us as a people with the courageous DNA of migrants, which is always looking to the future to make things better. That’s the leader we’ve got.
Source: Liberal or Labor, you’re probably sitting comfortably in the ‘Sensible Centre’
Abrupt halt to screening interviews from US officials throws refugee swap programme into doubt
Source: US officials walk out of Australia-run Nauru detention centre | World news | The Guardian
Abbott is not a consistent conservative. He would have us believe that he stands for small government, less regulation, and more freedom for the individual and markets to operate. Yet, his solution to the climate challenge, which he accepted with his Paris commitments, is totally non-market – no carbon price, no renewables, mandated coal-fired power. Voters are left to struggle with now alarming increases in power costs, and serious losses in investment, technology exports, and job opportunities.
Source: Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, Bill Shorten stand for nothing but winning
The “politics is broken” narrative tends to universalise the failure of conservative politics, instead of reaching further into the inherent weaknesses of liberal democracy. The Anglo-European democratic tradition proclaims the glory of rights and freedoms, while systematically denying rights and freedoms to women, to First Peoples, to people of colour, to people with disabilities, to LGBTQI people — in other words, to the majority of the population.
Diversity in the Australian community is flourishing, according to fresh Census data.
Source: Census 2016: Five ways Australia is getting more diverse | SBS News
Despite improvements to their content over time, secondary school history textbooks still imply that Australians are white. Textbook depictions of Australianness are not only relevant to experiences of national belonging or exclusion. Research has shown that students who aren’t represented in textbooks perform worse academically. My PhD research analysed portrayals of Australianness in secondary school history textbooks from 1950 to 2010.
Source: History textbooks still imply that Australians are white | NITV
Is life getting better in Australia? Not on some important measures, according to the latest Wellbeing Index.
Source: We’re richer, but sicker and less equal, according to the Lateral Economics Index of Wellbeing
Top three on the Rich List each worth more than $10 billion for the first time
Source: Financial Review Rich List 2017 top 20 worth $100 billion
The budget pushed low-income earners’ marginal tax rate up towards 100 per cent.
Source: Federal budget 2017: Meet the real high taxpayers. They’re not high earners
My family is Muslim, but you’d never know that by looking at them. And that seems to be a problem.
Source: The uncomfortable truth about Australian ‘diversity’
Australia has recently been subject to a debate over proposed changes to Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. The changes were seen by conservatives to be necessary as there was some evidence to suggest that the Courts found that sometimes, some of their rank were found guilty of harassing, offending or insulting others based…
Source: Discrimination for being a white male – seriously? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Even experts who disliked Labor’s proposals the first time round are shifting their ground.
Source: Housing: Malcolm Turnbull increasingly isolated over capital gains tax
About 20,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in northern New South Wales as flooding continues to hit the area
Source: Flooding hits north-east Australia – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian
Despite decades of Tory propaganda and Labor’s neoliberal complicity, we consistently hate privatisation, value tax justice and are committed to fair pay
Donald Trump is so behind the times I am surprised that Pauline Hanson hasn’t called him a piss-poor copycat. The Donald pretends his immigration laws aren’t targeting Muslims. Our politicians have no such hesitation with many of them openly calling for a total ban on Muslim immigration. Due to amendments to the Migration Act in…
Source: We already live in Trump’s vision – » The Australian Independent Media Network
For 200 years we’ve been stuck, somewhere, between the colonists and colonised.
Source: There Have Been Chinese Australians Since 1818, But Have We Ever (Truly) Belonged
“Endless bouts of introspection and navel gazing are unhealthy,” John Howard declared 21 years ago. “Mostly they arise out of attempts to rewrite our past or reposition our history by people with axes to grind who aren’t all that interested in the truth.”
Source: Australia has retreated into a ‘delusionary mental bubble of self-interest’
Federal health minister – under fire over travel expenses claims – obtained finance prior to trip but it was not for a specific apartment, spokesman says
Source: Sussan Ley secured property finance months before apartment purchase | Australia news | The Guardian
Sussan Ley stands aside pending travel expenses investigation
Police were out in force in Melbourne’s CBD tonight to curb New Year’s Eve trouble and show safety in numbers after the thwarted Christmas Day terror attacks.
Source: Police move in to prevent New Year’s Eve strife in Melbourne
Former prime minister Bob Hawke believes he has the recipe to fix the nation – think big, get better candidates, abolish state governments
Source: Bob Hawke says abolish state governments and think big to fix the nation
Boxing Day is the most important day on the Australian cricket calendar.
Source: The pioneering Aboriginal team that took cricket by storm
Truth is, the alarming levels of distrust, cynicism, betrayal and disappointment are products of home-grown forces.
Warning: you are now entering a politically incorrect zone. Australia is in the middle of an honest discussion, fuelled by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton. Previously, Australia’s immigration policy has been based on a complex, rather muddled process where immigrants from all over the world joined the so-called “most successful and harmonious multicultural nation in the world”.
Source: Letting Catholic priests into Australia was a mistake | The Monthly
Deng Adut saw tragedy and suffering at an age when most young Australians are learning to read. The Sydney lawyer has now been named NSW Australian of the Year.
On October 31, the Future Fund released its latest Portfolio update. As at 30 September 2016 the balances (and returns over the last twelve months) were: Future Fund A$124.650bn (5.8%) Medical Research Fund $4.532bn (3.5%) DisabilityCare Australia Fund A$6.134bn (2.8%) Education Investment Fund A$3.739bn (2.6%) Building Australia Fund A$3.722bn (2.6%) Of this more than $142…
Source: Why aren’t we using our Future Fund? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
As the royal commission continues its investigation, the question that emerges is whether the church sees itself as a separate realm answerable only to Rome
An Australian syndicate’s claim that its $386 million offer for the Kidman cattle empire is superior is questioned by rival bidder Hancock Prospecting, led by Gina Rinehart.
Thousands of people take part in Walk Together rallies across Australia, which have this year gone international, in a gesture to welcome refugees and immigrants.
It’s OK, Liberal Party. You finally don’t need to keep pretending that everything’s cool.
Source: Finally, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull don’t have to pretend to be friends any more
Malcolm Turnbull has shown, albeit reluctantly, that he will take on his predecessor publicly, if he must.
Source: Malcolm Turnbull chooses the truth defence, even if it means war with Tony Abbott
In memory of Desmond John “Des” Ball AO (20 May 1947 – 12 October 2016) When George H W Bush first publicly coined the phrase New World Order, a term previously proscribed to conspiracy buffs, it came as both a declaration of unilateral power, and a brash ultimatum to anyone who didn’t like the way…
The strike by Polish women hints at what could be accomplished if women more frequently banded together to hit governments and business where it really hurts.
Source: The power that Australian women could wield if we conducted a national strike
Australia forced to take part in conciliation at the Hague over maritime border in relation to area that contains an estimated $40bn worth of oil and gas
Source: Australia fails in attempt to block Timor-Leste maritime boundary case | World news | The Guardian
Migrants climb the socioeconomic ladder in their new home, but they are quick to kick the ladder away so no one can follow after, says Tariq Ali.
Source: ‘There is no solidarity’: Tariq Ali on why migrants turn on each other – Crikey
In early April last year, 23-year-old Thomas Sewell headed along to a Reclaim Australia rally in Melbourne. It was one of 16 rallies attended by thousands of people across the country.
Source: The rise of the far right in Australia – Hack – triple j
Friday September 23 2016 Murdoch Media. Where the truth goes to die. What part have newspapers played in the demise of our democracy? There was a time in my life when to miss reading The Age daily would bring on symptoms of withdrawal. Newspapers have been part of my daily life for as long as…
John Haly discusses Australia’s population “Ponzi scheme” and the factors that influence inequality and per capita wealth.
Source: Population Ponzi scheme
When Malcolm’s away, Tony comes out to play.
Source: We Need To Talk About All The Ways Tony Abbott Is Giving Malcolm Turnbull The Shits
Timor-Leste’s leaders are at odds over progressing with plans for a huge oil and gas project despite the uncertain outcome of talks in The Hague over maritime boundaries.
Source: Timor-Leste backing oil development before Hague ruling | The Saturday Paper
Even when the event runs smoothly, significant numbers of Indigenous Australians are left out of the process. The resulting data gap helps reinforce those in health, education, and employment, writes Kaitlyn Krahe. Yesterday, many Australians attempted to take part in the largest collection of statistical information conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Census ofMore
Source: The Other Problem With The Census: The People It Doesn’t Count – New Matilda
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was appointed by prime minister Bob Hawke on August 10 1987 to investigate the high rate of Indigenous deaths in custody. At the time there was 1 Indigenous death in custody every 11 days. The commission reviewed 99 deaths between 1980 and 1989, factoring in the cause, likely reason and underlying social factors.
Source: Infographics: Indigenous incarceration in Australia at a glance | NITV
Friday 29 July 2016 1 The phenomenon that is Donald Trump and the vote against Brexit tells us that there is a worldwide dissatisfaction with the concept of historical party politics and democracy as we know it. The mass violent attacks in countries not so different to Australia lend themselves to the conclusion that there…
Source: Day to Day Politics: In case you didn’t know. – » The Australian Independent Media Network
By Dr George Venturini* Conclusions? This much is certain: no all purpose definition of Fascism is possible. Mussolini’s was born republican and anti-clerical, hired by land-owners and industrialists, for the repression of workers; soon turned monarchist, and corporatist. Fascism found a good bed to lay down with the Fascist Popes: Pius XI and Pius XII…
The facets of Australian fascism: the Abbott …(49)
Source: The facets of Australian fascism: the Abbott Government experiment (Part 50) – »
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