Tag: Political Interference

The Lobby Part1: Friends of Israel- BUSTED

Top public servant apologises for ‘significant’ error in Australia’s offshore immigration processing | Australian immigration and asylum | The Guardian

Michael Pezzullo during Senate estimates

When the LNP were Government Pezzullo was very much “Minister Dutton’s Spokesperson on Immigration” One Might well ask if he remained so after the May election and why Clair O’Neill asked “7 times” if all legal requirements had been fulfilled. It seems the Opposition was fully informed of the delay to do so and didn’t seem to need to be informed

The home affairs secretary, Michael Pezzullo, on Monday revealed that the department was aware as far back as January 2021 that the designation allowing offshore processing at Nauru would need to be renewed, but failed to alert the home affairs minister, Claire O’Neil. This was despite O’Neil asking on “at least seven” occasions if legal requirements for Operation Sovereign Borders were in place.

The evidence to Senate estimates blunts the Coalition’s attack on Labor over the issue as it also seeks to weaponise the abolition of temporary protection visas (TPVs) against the Albanese government. The Coalition has said the government’s failure to renew the designation of Nauru when it lapsed in October shows Labor is soft on borders.

The home affairs department’s lapse meant Nauru was not approved for immigration processing for four months

Source: Top public servant apologises for ‘significant’ error in Australia’s offshore immigration processing | Australian immigration and asylum | The Guardian

The Other 9/11: secrecy fight over Australian spies helping CIA overthrow Chile’s President – Michael West Media

Chile coup 1973

On the eve of it’s 48th anniversary, documents just declassified by the Australian National Archives show the extent to which the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) worked closely with the CIA in the lead-up to the Coup-d’état in Chile in September 1973. Story by Peter Kornbluh and Clinton Fernandes. The Australian Government’s obsession with secrecy has a long history. As The New York Times wrote two years ago, “no other developed democracy holds as tight to its secrets.” Just how deep this culture of secrecy goes, is being tested by Professor Clinton Fernandes who has been petitioning for the release of intelligence records on clandestine activity in Chile at the behest of the CIA to overthrow Salvador Allende. In short, 50 years ago, the documents show that the Australian Government set up an intelligence station in Santiago at the behest of the CIA, spied on Allende and conducted covert operations, and then played a role as a liaison between the CIA and Pinochet.

Source: The Other 9/11: secrecy fight over Australian spies helping CIA overthrow Chile’s President – Michael West Media

Calls grow in Germany to Expel US Ambassador who Aims to Empower Hard Right

 

Berlin (AFP) – A member of the German government on Tuesday accused the new US ambassador in Berlin of meddling in domestic politics and aggravating already tense ties, as left-wing parties called for the staunch ally of Donald Trump to be expelled.

Richard Grenell took up his Berlin posting on May 8 and immediately irked Germany when he tweeted the same day that German companies should stop doing business with Iran as Trump quit the nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic.

He stoked further outrage last weekend with reported comments to right-wing news website Breitbart of his ambition to “empower other conservatives throughout Europe, other leaders.”

 

via Calls grow in Germany to Expel US Ambassador who Aims to Empower Hard Right