Sam Roggeveen’s basic storyline in The Echidna Strategy – that the China threat is grossly exaggerated, and that Australia should not, and need not, rely on America for our security protection – is causing predictable conniptions in our securitat, commentariat and political class. But his argument is compelling. It can be challenged and refined and contested in parts, but we ignore it at our peril.
Source: A compelling voice for rethinking Australia’s national security – Pearls and Irritations
An Australian academic has lit the fuse of diplomatic fury by publicly criticising Indonesia’s brutal response to the Papuan independence movement, a sensitive topic for governments of both countries. Duncan Graham reports from Indonesia on the silent war to our north.
Source: The Silent War – Australia and Indonesia mum on Papuan human right abuses – Michael West
Mainstream media is lobbying to keep Australia’s largest coal plant, Eraring, open for ‘reliability’. Origin wants it closed. What’s the scam?
Source: Old coal clunkers the problem, not the AEMO solution – Michael West
Murdoch Media still keeps telling the West that this is all a hoax
Campaigners also argue that “Big Oil CEOs and politicians like Ron DeSantis must be held accountable for knowingly fueling the climate crisis that heats our oceans and strengthens deadly storms.”
Source: Florida-Bound Biden Faces Calls to Declare Climate Emergency After Hurricane Idalia
They Stood Down and Stood By until Trump called them to Act Out
Biggs, an Army veteran and former Infowars correspondent, was sentenced to 17 years for seditious conspiracy. Rehl was sentenced to 15 years.
Source: Proud Boys Joe Biggs, Zachary Rehl Sentenced For Jan. 6 Plot | HuffPost Latest News
As invading Mexico becomes a mainstream Republican Party position, a group of Democratic lawmakers introduced a measure on Thursday that would bar a U.S. president from unilaterally taking military action against the country.
Source: As Republicans Thirst for War With Mexico, Democrats Push for Vote on It
A MUST-READ Fact -Checked answers to all the NO questions raised can be found here
Pamphlets written by politicians and published by the AEC have put the official case for a yes and no vote. They were not independently factchecked before publication, so Guardian Australia has added notes to the full essays to help you make better sense of them
The yes pamphlet – annotated and fact checked Voice referendum date announced as 14 October
Check out our voice explainer and the latest voice poll results Lorena Allam, Josh Butler, Nick Evershed and Andy Ball Thu 20 Jul 2023 11.19 AEST Last modified on Wed 30 Aug 2023 15.04 AEST Annotated view Full pamphlet
Dutton, Abbott and Howard advocate “Keep things as they are”
The growing number of First Nations suicides is an indication of a country that has turned its back on the unfortunate and those in need, writes Gerry Georgatos.
Source: Australia’s shame: First Nations suicides a growing problem
There was a time when Mark Latham and Mark Dreyfus were vying to be leaders of the ALP and Latham won, imagine that!
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (PHON) is delivering yet another episode in what has been one of Australia’s longest-running soap operas.
Mark Latham has quit One Nation, alleging the party attempted to misuse more than $270,000 from the New South Wales Electoral Commission Fund.
The controversial MP was joined by colleague Rod Roberts as he left the party on Tuesday, a week on from a fight over the NSW branch with federal leader Pauline Hanson.
Senator Roberts, ex-cop and real estate agent, is Deputy President of the NSW Legislative Council as well as controlling a few committees, so he gets listened to.
According to SBS News:
‘Allegations One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s office improperly funnelled money into its federal coffers will be reviewed by the Electoral Commission.’
Mark knew exactly what hand grenade he was throwing and where he was throwing it.
Actually, it was more of a precise drone strike.
Source: Plot thickens in One Nation soap opera as Mark Latham takes a bow
It was the LNP “the better money managers” that spent a decade reducing investment in the public grants programs
A major independent study released today examines the economic returns generated by research grants made under the funding body’s National Competitive Grants Program. It finds every dollar invested in Australian research under the program generates $3.32 in economic returns for the country.
Source: Three-fold return on investment shows value of research – » The Australian Independent Media Network
John Howard opened the flood gates
Moderate Liberal Party members in Victoria will move this week for what they hope is a decisive blow against the party’s infiltration by an ultra-conservative religious network. Andrew Gardiner reports.
63% of Australian Chinese feel anguish add to that the number of Southeast East Asians who feel the same and without a leg up that white Australians have. It’s why they place a far greater importance on education. There is still a Melbourne Club attitude to who the “Real Australians” are and they haven’t been here for 65,000 years.
New survey results from the Australia-China Relations Institute at UTS find that 91% of Chinese-Australians are concerned by the Australian English-language media’s tendency to engage in speculation about war with China, because they believe such speculation could become a self-fulfilling prophecy; and about six in ten (63%) respondents reported feelings of emotional and mental anguish in response to the media’s “biased reporting” on PRC related issues.
John Howard voted against what 143 Nations voted for and shamed this nation
The 13th of September 2007 was an important day in the history of Australian diplomacy although few people have heard of it.
The 13th of September 2007 was an important day in the history of Australian diplomacy although few people have heard of it. That was the occasion when veteran Aboriginal activist Les Malezer addressed the U.N’s General Assembly as the Chair of the Global Indigenous Caucus and introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People.
It was, he declared, a momentous and historic occasion for both the Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations. ‘It was a tool for peace and justice, based on mutual recognition and mutual respect.’ The Declaration passed with the support of 143 nations. Eleven nations abstained while Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States voted against it, a decision reversed by the incoming Rudd government in April 2009.
Source: The Rights of Indigenous People – Pearls and Irritations
The biggest blunder in recent history and who do we apologise to and for what? It remains unclear today why we didn’t tell America to fuck off back then.
The Vietnam War tormented and tore the societies who saw fit to participate in it. It defined a generation culturally and politically in terms creative and fractious. And it showed up the rulers to be ignorant rather than bright; blundering fools rather than sages secure in their preaching. Five decades on, the political classes in the United States and Australia are still seeking to find reasons for intervening in a country they scant understood, with a fanatic’s persuasion, and ideologue’s conviction, a moralist’s certainty. Old errors die hard.
Source: Whitewashing Down Under: The Vietnam War Fifty Years On – » The Australian Independent Media Network
It seems a case of Putin poking the bear given America has ignored Cuba’s efforts all these years at ending the 65 year trade war. Russia’s presence in Cuba hardly seems an economic boon given Russia’s economic limitations. Putin is sending his troops into the Ukraine on horses.
In this context, the new Russian policies in Cuba must be viewed with considerable skepticism. The possible contributions of the Russian Federation do not appear likely to rise to the level of Cuban needs, at least in what concerns its economy. Besides, it raises the possibility that Russian initiatives will translate into the adoption of a racket-ridden state capitalism on the island, with a qualitative increase in corruption and social crisis.
Source: The New Russian Presence in Cuba | The Smirking Chimp
Suddenly, publicly, it’s all about the “whitelash”: the backlash by the largely British-descended settler class (aging, usually non-urban, often poorly educated) against the increasing recognition that Indigenous culture is a defining force in the way we think about Australia.
Source: “This is… – The Fiberal Party of Australia – Lies & Misdemeanours | Facebook
The City of Sydney and City of Melbourne have been relying heavily on cheap Chinese and Turkish carbon offsets to get to net zero. Does it make sense to pay foreign governments for projects which they would operate regardless? Callum Foote investigates.
Source: The Price of Green: City of Sydney pays Chinese, Turks to get net zero – Michael West
Jews, and Catholics, have in the past seen themselves locked out of politics Christianity or Protestantism was then simply accepted by those that governed us. Religion and Politics were regarded as impolite and ill-mannered if spoken about in public. Gough and “It’s Time changed that and we all wore our politics on our sleeves.
It became strikingly obvious with the coming of Bob Santa Maria’s DLP in the 50s and with Scott Morrison when and how he won preselection for the seat of Cook that Religion and Politics weren’t as separate as advocated. Howard reintroduced monied religious cults into politics.
It has been traditional for journalists and public figures to respect the individual political candidate’s religion as private. America shows us the danger of creeping Christian Nationalism erupting into prominence, and we can’t wave that away as a distant threat. Voters need to know what our candidates’ Christianity means for our future.
Source: We can’t ignore politicians’ Christianity any longer – » The Australian Independent Media Network
What will it take to get any government to recognise and take substantive action on climate change and biodiversity loss?
I remember when begging was illegal and the police would come and move you on, charge you, or take you away. It seems that begging is now the norm in the UK and being on Welfare is a crime. Robocop certainly indicated that to be the case in Australia
Ordinary U.K. citizens have been propagandised out of the belief that the state should in any way regulate economic activity for the greater good.
One of the what-ifs that the Albanese government should be asking itself is; what would it mean if America invaded Mexico in 2025? If the leading Republican presidential candidates are to be taken at their word this is not a foolish question. Could anything have a greater impact on the foundations of Australia’s foreign and strategic policies?
Source: Republicans push for Mexican-American war: Don’t rule it out – Pearls and Irritations
A Rabbi advocated that the children of Palestinians need to be killed and the statistics show he was listened to.
Last year, 2022, was the deadliest year for Palestinian children in the West Bank in 15 years, and 2023 is on track to meet or exceed 2022 levels. Israeli forces had killed at least 34 Palestinian children in the West Bank as of August 22. Human Rights Watch investigated four fatal shootings of Palestinian children by Israeli forces between November 2022 and March 2023. Kill
Source: Palestinian West Bank: Spike in Israeli Killings of Palestinian Children
The British historian Simon Schama recently told The Observer that Israel’s 1948 declaration of independence “promised equal rights to all religious and ethnic groups.” He also stated that Israel faces “disintegration of the political and social compact” over the current government’s decision to alter the judicial system and expand Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories.
Conspiracy to dismantle The Great American Experiment- Democracy. Trump’s Fascist State
With a nearly 1,000-page “Project 2025” handbook and an “army” of Americans, the idea is to have the civic infrastructure in place on Day One to commandeer, reshape and do away with what Republicans deride as the “deep state” bureaucracy, in part by firing as many as 50,000 federal workers.
“We need to flood the zone with conservatives,” said Paul Dans, director of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project and a former Trump administration official who speaks with historical flourish about the undertaking.
I’m sure the boogeyman white supremacists exist somewhere in America. I have just never met him. Never seen one. Never met one in my life, right? Maybe I will meet a — maybe I will meet a unicorn sooner. And maybe those exist too.
Meanwhile, the LNP has spent most of this century fighting against Multiculturalism
In an increasingly globalised world where opportunity invites immigration, multiculturalism plays a significant role in facilitating deeper connections and embracing cultural diversity.
Source: A multicultural environment benefits all – Pearls and Irritations
THE HOST of ABC TV’s Kitchen Cabinet, Annabel Crabb, took to Twitter/X at the weekend to denounce what she perceives as an ‘orgy of outrage’ from users at the appearance of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on her show.
Source: Turning politicians into celebrities won’t excuse their crimes
Source: National Times – The Murdochs sell stories. But what of those they… | Facebook
Capitalist Banking vs Muslim Banking. Sharing and not sharing the risk and moral responsibilities
Why, for example, is a lawyer for the U.S. Virgin Islands accusing JPMorgan Chase of transferring more than $1.1 million in payments from convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to “girls or women” for years after bank executives said they had dropped Epstein as a client? If so, where was his suspicious activity reports? Answer: banks apply the federal law discriminately.
And it’s not over yet!
Wildfires in Hawaii have killed over 100 people, and hundreds remain missing. From draining historic wetlands to failing to invest in safe energy infrastructure, the capitalist thirst for profits above all else helped create the disaster.
Source: Capitalist Greed Fueled the Catastrophic Hawaii Wildfires
Alp wants us to be more of a Military Industrial Complex, Now!
Source: National Times – What do we want? War! When do we want it?… | Facebook
Meanwhile, Russia is aligning itself with world-friendly nations via BRICS, a significantly different concept.
New security-state documents show Wellington aligning its military with the “rules-based international order” while preparing Kiwis for war with key trading partner China, writes Mick Hall.
The 15th BRICS Summit, held in Johannesburg, has made some momentous decisions which will greatly effect the global geo-political order.
The Summit’s most momentous decision was the admission of six new nations to BRICS. The Bloc added Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and UAE while leaving the door upon to further expansion.
‘We have consensus on the first phase of this expansion process and other phases will follow,’ Ramaphosa said at a media briefing.
The new members admitted include three of the world’s biggest oil producers: Saudi Arabia the UAE and Iran. This would appear to expand the influence of China and Russia in the Middle East. Recently China was able to bring to the table longstanding enemies, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Now they have both have been brought into BRICS.
The new candidates will be formally admitted 1st January 2024.
Together, the 11 countries have a population of some 3.7 billion, almost half the global populace.
Source: Resistance to Western geo-political order: building brick by BRICS – Pearls and Irritations
He added that in Georgia, “it’s a ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ situation.” While It’s best for all of the defendants to collectively stick together with none of them flipping, individually, it’s better for each person to cooperate. And “usually, the ones who cooperate first get the best deal.”
It’s only Politics no matter what you do or have done.
That’s Trump’s vision Laws aren’t there for him and never have been
This is not how elected officials should govern with a tit-for-tat against those who hold a person accountable. It’s mind-blowing that a man facing 91 charges, indicted four times, and impeached twice is calling the shots for the Republican party. Fucking amazing.
Source: Trump To GOP On Biden: ‘IMPEACH The BUM. THEY DID IT TO US!’ | Crooks and Liars
The unplumbed depths of Peter Dutton cynical politics should be a matter of deep concern to genuine political conservatives across Australia. Whoever those people are (at present they appear to be in hiding), it’s time they distanced themselves from what the Liberal Party is becoming under Dutton’s leadership.
What should a genuinely conservative political party be like in the context of contemporary Australia?
IPA would make that the BIG 5 advisors. Add News Corp and you will find the BIG 6. Or were they LNP Lobbyists friends with benefits?
Australia’s original Big 4 ‘whistleblower’ George Rozvany called for the bust up of PwC, EY, KPMG and Deloitte in these pages eight years ago. These “unregulated private partnerships” have cost Australia dearly.
Source: George Rozvany: living in the shadows of the Big 4 and the art of sudden reappearance – Michael West
If you want to retreat to the comfy 1950s and never change anything, that is your prerogative but you can’t pick and choose to take the technical and lifestyle benefits of the 21st century while decrying the same lifestyle and technology. In short – you can’t have it both ways. Do your research and vote accordingly but if you vote no because you don’t understand – that’s a cop out and a sad indicator of your intelligence.
Source: If you don’t understand – do the research – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The Independent Australia ranking on economic management (IAREM) for 2023 shows Norway leading the world while Australia’s climb up the global ladder has begun. Alan Austin reports.
In order, the best-performed economies in 2023, with IAREM scores achieved, were:
1. Norway 39.96
2. United Arab Emirates 39.88
3. Singapore 35.60
4. Switzerland 35.02
5. Denmark 30.00
6. Iceland 29.60
7. Luxembourg 29.29
8. Ireland 28.60
9. Cyprus 26.95
10. Israel 26.56
Source: IAREM 2023: Norway’s ‘mixed’ economy leads as Australia plays catch up
When an increasing number of Nations say sorry and give their Indigenous populations a voice Australia’s LNP stands out and says Nope to the Voice
The monarch of the Netherlands asks for ‘forgiveness’ for his nation’s colonial past, saying he felt a ‘moral duty to act’.
Source: Dutch King Willem-Alexander apologises for colonial-era slavery | Slavery News | Al Jazeera
The saga began when Israel’s extremist Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has a long rap sheet of convictions for racist incitement, said the quiet part out loud. In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 News on Wednesday, Ben-Gvir was asked a question about the deteriorating security situation in the Palestinian West Bank by journalist Mohammad Magadli, an Israeli of Palestinian heritage. Haaretz reports that Ben-Gvir replied, “my right, the right of my wife and my children to move around Judea and Samaria is more important than freedom of movement for the Arabs.
Police kill them in custody here in Australia.
A racist white man killed three black people in a racially motivated attack then killed himself in Jacksonville, Florida.
Source: Racist White Man Fatally Shoots Three Black People at Florida Store
In Australia, where the spirit of roguish exploitation remains strong, companies such as the national carrier Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank are rolling in cash. Supermarket outlets such as Coles have also announced huge returns. To them can be added such energy companies as AGL. While households are counting the dollars and cents for the weekly shopping and the fortnightly rental, corporate entities of a certain heft are thriving.
Source: The Profiteering Motive – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Will the government finally act on money-laundering laws promised 17 years ago, or once again be thwarted by lobbyists for lawyers, accountants and property developers? With Madagascar, China and Haiti, Australia is a global laggard. Callum Foote reports.
Source: Action on money-laundering, property price relief, or plus ça change? – Michael West
olddogthoughts 
You must be logged in to post a comment.