My thought for the day
I find the most objectionable feature of conservative attitudes is its propensity to reject well-substantiated new knowledge, science in other words because it dislikes some of the consequences that may flow from it. (John Lord )
Former Prime Minister was found to have given “untrue” evidence under oath at the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme which means he can now add perjurer to his long list of crimes.
If ever there was an instance of such a hideous failing in government policy and its cowardly implementation by the public service, Australia’s cruel, inept and vicious Robodebt program would have to be one of them.
Source: The Robodebt Rogues Gallery – » The Australian Independent Media Network
When Scott Morrison gets around to disputing the Robodebt Royal Commission’s findings about his crucial role in the scandal – the disaster, the obscenity, the potential crime – remember this: The commission’s findings fit Mr Morrison’s modus operandi.
Source: The ‘horror story’ of Robodebt ‘monster’ one of cascading failures
and Morrison’s response same as Brian Huston’s denial denial denial
Climate change poses major threats to the health of all people globally. Australia has been slow to recognise this. In an assessment of the health-related content of 58 nations’ plans to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, Australia scored zero.
Source: Australia scores zero for taking action to protect our health from climate change
Centrist and right-wing economists continue to advocate for laying off workers and engineering a recession to address inflation. But why not set commodity price controls instead?
Source: Deconstructed: Price Controls, an Inflation Solution That Doesn’t Screw Workers
Are we about to see another massive campaign of highly targeted lies — amplified by foreign, malicious actors — designed to put Donald Trump back in the White House and Republicans in charge of Congress?
Source: How Trump, Putin and the GOP Plan To Rig the 2024 Election | The Smirking Chimp
The Reserve Bank is blaming our soaring inflation on wage pressure, whereas economists argue the real reason is excess corporate profits. Dr Evan Jones reports.
Source: Reserve Bank ignorant to truth behind Australia’s inflation
A new report confirms that Big Business in Australia is totally dominated by foreign owners, particularly the fossil fuels export sector now whining, make that ‘always whining’, about modest tweaks to curb their profiteering. What’s the scam?
Source: Business Council of Australia … or Business Council of Foreign Multinationals? – Michael West
the ACT, Section 81 where you can’t extradite somebody for their political opinions, and that is grouped together with other forms, alongside other forms of discrimination like race and nationality. But then they go on to point out that Julian’s opinion against torture is universal. It’s what they call a jus cogens prohibition. It means that every court in the world is not only against torture, not only regards it as a crime, but it is the responsibility of that court to listen to reports of torture and do whatever they can to prevent it from happening again. So it’s very powerful, Section 81. They should have recognized it. It says there, that exposing crime, including state crime, is a protected political act.
The PwC scandal in Australia is just the tip of one Iceberg,
It shows the reach of state-level fossil fuel lobbyists into almost every aspect of American life, spanning local governments, large corporations, cultural institutions such as museums and film festivals, and advocacy groups, grouping together clients with starkly contradictory aims.
Source: More Than 1,500 US Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Serve as “Double Agents” – Mother Jones
Scam
China it seems, is nowhere near as isolated or feared by the “international community” as Western mainstream media would have us believe.
Source: The West’s “international community” consists of only 10 countries – Pearls and Irritations
This season’s hellish heat simply has to move us into action; the power of the sun can help.
Source: Opinion | The Hottest Days in 125,000 Years—So Far | Common Dreams
Such vague, equivocating and context-free reporting on violent incidents is always a sign that we are in the presence of propaganda.
The relationship of the Jewish-dominated Israeli state to the Muslim and Christian Palestinians of the occupied Palestinian West Bank and the Gaza Strip has been characterized in many ways. Israeli sources depict the Palestinians as irrationally violent, as inveterate “terrorists,” and characterize Israeli military operations in these territories as counter-terrorism. This is the frame almost universally adopted by European and American “news” broadcasts about the violence. Indeed, to listen to most of these reports, the Palestinians are besieging the Israelis rather than the other way around, and the Israeli actions are defensive or a matter of “clashes” between “two sides.”
Source: Jenin and Sharpeville: Systemic Colonial Violence in Apartheid Israel and South Africa
However, according to Reuters, Australian Home Minister Clare O’Neil on Thursday called Donald Trump Jr. a “big baby” and added that poor ticket sales were the reason that he called off his visit,
Source: Australian Minister Tells Why ‘Big Baby’ Don Jr Cancelled Tour | Crooks and Liars
As We Celebrate Independence, the US Stifles Freedoms Around the Globe The U.S. has been a major force of violent repression globally that stamps out people’s hopes for freedom and justice.
Source: As We Celebrate Independence, the US Stifles Freedoms Around the Globe – scheerpost.com
The Great American Experiment has been “corrupted” from the top down
“I think that what we are seeing is just how hellbent the Supreme Court is on ensuring that the U.S. assumes the form that the Republican Party wants it to assume.”
Rupert Murdoch has been trying to force the government to privatise the ABC for years, which has failed, but he has done the next best thing by having his propagandists on various ABC shows on a daily basis which has had the effect of turning the ABC into a megaphone for Murdoch’s lies.
Will Trump be found guilty without consequences? If only he was in NSW.
The conclusion of the NSW ICAC determined former Premier Gladys Berejiklian had engaged in serious corruption, yet she has escaped criminal charges. Anthony Klan reports.
Source: Berejiklian escapes prosecution despite ICAC corruption verdict
the point remains. For Dutton to suggest that secretly people agree with him but they’re not prepared to say so publicly for fear of upsetting the “elites” is the sort of nonsense that we’re used to hearing from One Nation senators. Oh, and apparently Linda Burney is an elite, according to Dutton.
…, sometime after the Voice referendum, we’ll have someone put their hand up for the Liberal leadership…
Source: What The Government Is Doing Should TERRIFY You! – » The Australian Independent Media Network
So if you want to evaluate Peter Dutton and his values, look at his parliamentary career. The clangers are many, the apologies few. I suspect that he has fond memories of the feedback he received when he walked out on Kevin Rudd’s Apology.
Source: The No crowd – honest doubts, or simple racism? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Jews fled to Mexico post WW2
In fealty to US foreign policy, Mexico has long refused to recognize Palestinian statehood. Last week, that finally changed, with AMLO’s government officially acknowledging Palestinian statehood and establishing a full embassy in Mexico City.
While Netanyahu’s disturbing but honest language is likely to invite yet more Israeli violence and Palestinian resistance, it should also bring about greater clarity by shelving, once and for all, the fraudulent discourse of “security”, “stability” and the moribund “peace process”.
Source: Netanyahu’s Remarks should Prompt a major Paradigm Shift in Occupied Palestine
This week’s Israeli incursion into Jenin showed the violence of occupation and blatant disregard for Palestinian rights. At least 133 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the start of this year alone.
Source: Palestinian Resistance Will Not Be Snuffed Out by Israel
Criticism of U.S. policies on Cuba from within the United States is usually brushed aside due in large measure to the low priority Washington officials assign to Cuban affairs.
Source: UN Forcefully Hits at US Blockade of Cuba and Prison in Guantanamo – scheerpost.com
The United States has fallen 10 spots in the last three years in the Global Peace Index, driven by a high degree of militarization and a rising homicide rate. Julia Conley Jul 05, 2023 3
Source: Iceland Named Most Peaceful Country—Again—as US Ranking Steadily Declines
Bwahahahaha, the „we love USA“ crowd tweeted the wrong flag originally (Liberia).
Is there an explanation as to why right wing parties are so incompetent so often?
Source: GOP Sends Out 4th Of July Tweet With Flag Of Liberia | Crooks and Liars
#TheVoice means so much to First Nations. They cannot control legislative powers of Parliament or the administrative powers of the Executive, but they may make representations which Parliament may consider, just like the Executive may consider and those representations will enlighten our federal system of government and help close the gap. #VoteYesAustralia
Source: The reasons why for you to vote Yes – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Just when you thought the Liberals might be running out of new ways to demean women, along comes Opposition Leader Peter Dutton with his “defence” of disgraced former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Source: Dutton’s defence of Berejiklian oozes Liberal contempt for women
Indonesia’s president will leave Australia today after a three-day visit talking up a new economic partnership. But, as Zacharias Szumer writes, the media seems to have missed the backstory.
Source: Did someone say labour exploitation? Key question missed in Jokowi’s EV battery deal – Michael West
A climate scientist has warned of a “death sentence” as the world registered its hottest day in recorded history.
Source: ‘Death sentence’: World registers hottest day on record
Until the world outlaws wars, removes the myths of glory and manhood attached to the killing of those deemed worthy of death, the murders in our names will continue. Let’s not kid ourselves, there is money in death and destruction. Lots and lots of money, lots of spin and justification. The manufacturing of stereotypes takes just a few keystrokes.
Source: Executions – Human Rights forsworn and Wars fought – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Why hasn’t the devastation of almost an entire people been called out for what it is?
Where’s the outrage of what is happening in Jenin, Palestinian Territory? One of Australia’s foremost newspapers had an article today on whether it’s best to drink soy, almond or oat milk. Really? Who could have imagined that in 2023 Israel is allowed to get away with settler-colonialism as they imprison millions of people and subjugate them in such dire conditions while Australia frets about which ‘milk’ to put in their coffee.
Source: Silence and the horror of Jenin – Pearls and Irritations
The explanation behind these decisions to gut programs that prove to make a far more equitable society remains the same then as today: white society does not want to live in a country where a Black person receives something and they don’t.
Source: Affirmative Action and the Myth of Color-Blindness – CounterPunch.org
Peter Dutton’s “We know what to do for Indigenous Australians just because they don’t, isn’t our fault” is very Trumpist
America’s problem is not as described by Trump and his White Christian Nationalism — that the nation is losing its whiteness or dominant religion, that too many foreigners are crossing its borders, that men are competing in women’s sports or teachers are not celebrating the nation’s history.
America’s problem is that too many Americans — including its lawmakers — are failing to understand what patriotism requires.
Source: True Patriotism Is the Opposite of Trump’s White Christian Nationalism | The Smirking Chimp
To Peter Dutton and the nay sayers
when I meet with the Voice for the first time, I will say: “bring me your ideas on how to stop our people from taking their own lives, bring me your ideas on how to help our kids go to school and thrive, bring me your ideas on how we make sure our mob live strong and healthy lives, how we ensure more people have jobs, how we support families better.” and I will LISTEN
The question Dutton won’t answer is who is better placed to recommend effective action to improve the lives of indigenous communities than a group of people representing the communities? If he has a different answer to recognition, a ‘Voice to Parliament’ and treaty, perhaps he could tell the rest of us how it would work. Because the Coalition’s famed ‘interventions’ in recent history certainly haven’t.
With the release of NSW ICAC’s findings on Gladys Berejiklian, an editorial in The Australian has condemned the Commission and made a bold stand for corruption, writes David McIlveen.
In 1967 even Harold Holt said Yes would improve our standing in the eyes of the rest of the world. However, while that removed the racial references in our Constitution it didn’t go far enough. hidden from plain sight the racist possibilities still remained. Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders remained more migrants than fully-fledged Australians simply because of their race.
Yet the Voice would give Aboriginal people a say where they still have little. A leg up for them does not mean a leg down for others. What better way, indeed, for a nation to come together than to deal with its greatest unfinished business. And what a blunder it would be to deny indigenous Australians a fair go.”Aboriginal Australians may at last be given a say in their own affairs
Source: Yes, the… – The Fiberal Party of Australia – Lies & Misdemeanours | Facebook
Punitive’: Reynolds accuses attorney-general of prejudice over Lehrmann inquiry (By Angus Thompson, The Age)
Source: National Times – ‘Punitive’: Reynolds accuses attorney-general of… | Facebook
‘Weaponise’ is the word de jour in America. Aside from the crude partisan employment of the term by Trump and other American politicians, it has subtly found its way into mainstream publications. Such loaded terms corrupt analysis by imposing implicit judgements that obviate the need for serious thought. Once condemned for weaponising, it cannot then be conceded that the target of the accusation can have legitimate reasons for their actions.
Source: Oh the weaponising: another symptom of decline – Pearls and Irritations
The war industry, not Putin, is our most dangerous enemy.
this proxy war in Ukraine is designed to serve U.S. interests. It enriches the weapons manufacturers, weakens the Russian military and isolates Russia from Europe. What happens to Ukraine is irrelevant.
In Australia, they’re putting interest rates up while giving massive tax breaks to the earning $180k ++ What’s the scam?
The media are really going overboard in telling us the days of the free market are over with Biden’s new economic policies. President Biden has quite explicitly implemented policies intended to reshape the direction of the economy, pushing clean energy and more domestic production of advanced semiconductors and other products. He also has reinvigorated anti-trust policy, which was largely shelved by his predecessors. But the idea that the policies of the last four decades were somehow a matter of just leaving things to the market is a grotesque lie that no person remotely familiar with economic policy should be repeating.
It sounds much better to tell the public, the vast majority who are losers from these policies, that “the market creates both winners and losers,” as opposed to saying, “we’re implementing polices to transfer money from you to us.”
But why do people who oppose these policies go along with the hoax? There apparently is a big market for this sort of pretending in major media outlets, but it would be nice if we could get more reality-based policy discussions.
Now that the court has obliterated the guardrail on what it can consider, there are no limits to what this least democratic branch of government — and its extremist majority — might do.
Source: The Supreme Court’s Worst New Ruling You Never Heard Of | The Smirking Chimp
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