Category: Australia’s pride

Australia condemns brazen US blockade of Cuba in UNGA vote – Pearls and Irritations

Red marker over Cuba island.

Australia should be proud of its vote in the General Assembly in November last year to condemn the ongoing US blockade of Cuba.

Source: Australia condemns brazen US blockade of Cuba in UNGA vote – Pearls and Irritations

26 January echoes with ‘torment’ of First Nation peoples’ ‘powerlessness’ – Pearls and Irritations

It was a wonderful night in Melbourne’s Town Hall!

An Indigenous Nation is a Multicultural Inclusive Nation. Anti- Multiculturalism is anti-Australian and merely a White Colony intruding on Indigenous lands. Be and reflect what you are Australia your not a White Nation and never have been.

The wisdom of the saints for us as individuals also pertains to us as a nation. Wisdom is that, every day, we should ask ourselves this question: “Am I becoming a more loving person?”. Changing the date of Australia Day and embracing the referendum are opportunities to be a more loving nation. The heart has its own wisdom.

Source: 26 January echoes with ‘torment’ of First Nation peoples’ ‘powerlessness’ – Pearls and Irritations

Australia Is a Subimperial Enforcer of the US-led Order

The foreign affairs establishment describes Australia as a “middle power” in the “rules-based global order.” They’re wrong — Australia should be understood as a subordinate beneficiary of US imperialism.

Source: Australia Is a Subimperial Enforcer of the US-led Order

Australians will miss a once in a century opportunity if we shirk a referendum on an Indigenous Voice – » The Australian Independent Media Network

It is possible. So this is not just the “time to listen to the Voice and act”. It is the time to tell the powers-that-be what sort of Australia we want. We all have a lot to lose if we shirk this referendum and politicians and dissenters should be held to account if they intercede to prevent the emergence of a constitutionally enshrined Voice.

Australians will miss a once in a century opportunity if we shirk a referendum on an Indigenous Voice – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Qantas Smiles: shareholders and executives grin, customers and staff grit their teeth – Michael West

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce

How does Qantas get away with it?

Apart from pushing its faux neo-liberal creed of free markets, Qantas has always been a sacred cow. Our politicians and business leaders recline in comfort in their Qantas lounges, with Rupert Murdoch’s Sky News on their TV screens, enjoying their frequent fliers.

Yet the Spirit of Australia has vanished, replaced by an avaricious corporate monster preying on taxpayers at every turn. Old codgers such as this writer will recall better times. Once the staff were proud to work there.

Source: Qantas Smiles: shareholders and executives grin, customers and staff grit their teeth – Michael West

AEC alarmed at ‘dangerous’ voter fraud claims spreading before Australian election | Australian election 2022 | The Guardian

The Australian Electoral Commission and Facebook have voiced alarm at a bubbling campaign from minor party candidates raising baseless claims about election fraud or ballots being altered, warning of “dangerous” voter integrity misinformation being imported from the United States.

Source: AEC alarmed at ‘dangerous’ voter fraud claims spreading before Australian election | Australian election 2022 | The Guardian

Even if Albanese wins the election, oligarchs will still run Australia | The Shot

Why we need a Labor Government

Fearful of a war with the all-powerful Murdochs, Albanese may yet embrace some kind of Faustian pact: go easy on me and I’ll eschew a judicial media probe. The lessons of recent history should dissuade him: in 2007, the Murdochs warmed to Kevin Rudd, who’d played nice with them, only to turn on him at an early opportunity. What’s the moral of that story? Simple: they’ll come for Albanese whether or not he plays nice. If Albanese launches a judicial inquiry into the media oligarchs, their bilious front page lies about him will be seen for what they are: sour grapes. That’s in his best interests. Imagine a battle of ideas, on a playing field that doesn’t tilt too egregiously towards the top end of town. Given clear air, progressive policies sell themselves. And that is in everyone’s best interests.

Source: Even if Albanese wins the election, oligarchs will still run Australia | The Shot

In Australia there are more statues of animals than women

Morrison says “Not in his Australia”

Across the nation, less than four per cent of public statues are of women. It’s time to fully recognise the legacy of Rockhampton’s Annie Wheeler, writes Dr Benjamin T Jones. MOST AUSTRALIAN cities have a number of statues in prominent places. These tend to honour politicians, philanthropists and other people who have made a positive contribution to their community. To have a statue erected in your honour is a rare achievement but there is one glaring problem — across the nation, less than four per cent of public statues are of women. This is a pretty damning statistic in a country that prides itself on egalitarianism and a fair go.

Source: In Australia there are more statues of animals than women

Myanmar’s Russian backing is unleashing hell on its own people

Border mark: Just across the border from north-west Thailand, Burmese civilians and resistance fighters have been left to fend for themselves.

Morrison’s ambition is to join the Industrial Military Complex not just a consumer but a producer for the purpose business and profit. The 20  Bushmasters are weapons to boast about, election propaganda. They might get to Ukraine in 3-7 weeks if sent 3 at a time. Our 70k tons of coal well that promise seems to have totally faded into the background like so many of Morrison’s announced “gunnas”.

Our two-faced duplicitous Morrison is currently supporting Putin by washing, laundering, and disguising the the assistance he’s giving  to Russia through his grand FTA with India. They continue to trade with Putin, and don’t sanction or vote against him in any way. On the other hand, Scott Morrison and Dutton is very vocal about China’s doing the same, abstaining to vote against Russia at the UN. Even if silent Morrison’s current choice to trade with India is to trade with Putin.

However, 14 months after generals seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government, they have elevated their offensive to a new, frightening scale.

Source: Myanmar’s Russian backing is unleashing hell on its own people

Migrants Are Increasingly Crossing the English Channel—and Dying Along the Way | Washington Monthly

Migrants' Boat

Howard,Abbott, and Morrison’s legacy lowered the bar on how refugees and asylum seekers should be treated globally. They inspired Trump’s wall and Australia has never been seen in the same light ever since. It’s certainly not the place of a “fair go”. Abbott was still promoting his inhumane policies in the UK even recently while in the guise of a ” unpaid trade advisor”. These national leaders raised the bar on Australia’s shame, and lowered the one on our our pride, and international image in the worst of all possible ways.

At the end of September, nearly 700 migrants and refugees were rescued from an overloaded 50-foot boat limping in off the coast of Lampedusa. And just three weeks ago, 75 people drowned in those blinding turquoise waters. As long as wars continue to displace people and repressive governments deny them basic rights like freedom of thought, protection from torture, and an education, they will continue to risk everything for a chance at a better life.

Source: Migrants Are Increasingly Crossing the English Channel—and Dying Along the Way | Washington Monthly

Nationhood and the ‘Pure’ Race (part 1) – » The Australian Independent Media Network

The Immigration Restriction Act (1901). This Act came to be known as the ‘White Australia Policy’. Literature is examined that contends that this policy confirmed the racist ideology based on white supremacy and was used to deny citizenship to the Aboriginal people.

Source: Nationhood and the ‘Pure’ Race (part 1) – » The Australian Independent Media Network

The Nouveau Poor – gender pay gap, super inequality stretched in pandemic – Michael West Media

nouveau poor

Sixty one. That’s the additional number of days women currently have to work in a financial year to earn as much as their male counterparts. And when it comes to superannuation, the gender gap gets worse, writes Harry Chemay.

Source: The Nouveau Poor – gender pay gap, super inequality stretched in pandemic – Michael West Media

This is how the world really sees Morrison’s Australia

Suddenly, I heard an Australian accent. On the screen I saw General Angus Campbell standing alongside a map of Australia with a line crossed through it, like a no-smoking sign, broadcasting the menacing messages of Operation Sovereign Borders. I cringed: while I was enjoying unconditional hospitality in my host’s country, an advertisement paid for by my tax dollars warned Sadikalar that he would never be welcome in mine. It was illustrative of a tendency of our government, particularly since the Coalition’s 2013 victory, to both figuratively and literally broadcast images of Australia to the world that diminish our standing.

Source: This is how the world really sees Morrison’s Australia

“Our national identity has become defined by our participation in wars” – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Anzac Day’s evolution as a national obsession has been cleverly manipulated by politicians, companies, organizations and clubs all trading on the lucrative Anzac brand.

In recent years Prime Ministers of both persuasions have seen political gain in the Anzac legend.

Prime Ministers from Hawke to Howard and beyond have seen political gain in promoting the Anzac myth. An exception was Keating, who rejected the obsession with Gallipoli and turned his attention to Kokoda.

With the heavy pall of the Brereton report’s disturbing revelations of gross misconduct by our elite force in Afghanistan, commemorations should return to quiet reflection; not the noisy spectacles with jingoistic overtones at a time when serious soul searching, beyond the easy clichés, is needed.

Source: “Our national identity has become defined by our participation in wars” – » The Australian Independent Media Network

“No-One Can Tell Me To Stop Celebrating The Anniversary Of Captain Cook’s 334 Not Out Against The Advancing Japanese Troops At Gallipoli” | The Shovel

OPINION: There’s been a fair bit of talk about moving the date of Australia Day recently. But these people don’t have any idea what they’re messing with. 26th January is sacred. Mark my words, it ‘aint moving. Do all the complaining you want. But buggered if you’ll stop me celebrating Cooko’s triple century against a full-strength Japanese attack on a deteriorating Gallipoli wicket in ‘44-‘45. It was the making of this country. Bob Hawke gave the nation a day off to celebrate. And yet here we are, trying to mess with it.

“No-One Can Tell Me To Stop Celebrating The Anniversary Of Captain Cook’s 334 Not Out Against The Advancing Japanese Troops At Gallipoli” | The Shovel

Climate change: Just 2 per cent of Britain’s power now comes from coal. In Australia, it’s more like 75 per cent

 

Coal-fired power plants are being phased out across the United Kingdom.

London: Renewable energy has overtaken fossil fuels to become Britain’s largest source of electricity in a historic shift that could signal the “beginning of the end” for coal across Europe.

National Grid data released on New Year’s Day revealed coal represented just 2.1 per cent of Britain’s overall electricity output in 2019.

By comparison, black and brown coal fuelled 74 per cent of Australia’s energy mix in 2018.

Climate change: Just 2 per cent of Britain’s power now comes from coal. In Australia, it’s more like 75 per cent