Australian Politics
- theklaxon.com.au NACC Inspector will "investigate" over Robodebt
The National Anti-Corruption Commission Inspector has announced she will investigate the regulator’s refusal to investigate the Robodebt Six.
> The National Anti-Corruption Commission Inspector has announced she has launched a formal investigation into the regulator’s refusal to investigate six public officials referred by the Royal Commission into Robodebt.
For anyone missing the significance, the Inspector announced "looking into" complaints about the NACC decision months ago, but this is the first time the word "investigation" has been used.
> The distinction is important because once a formal “investigation” is commenced the NACC Inspector has additional powers, including the power to obtain documents.
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Go Annabel.
www.abc.net.au Everybody goes bananas, then nothing happens: The flawed truth about the latest negative gearing outrageNews that Treasury was looking at modelling changes to negative gearing was treated as a scandal. But when it comes to Australia's housing affordability problem, wouldn't the real scandal be if Treasury officials WEREN'T examining every possible pullable lever?
The history of taxation is not only interesting but vital knowledge.
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‘Not exactly what was agreed’: Inside the Greens’ RBA demands
Further context on the Green's RBA demands.
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Sub to Schwartz media if you've got the dosh btw. One of the few Aussie media orgs that still does real maintstream journalism.pirate their articles on auspol. See comment, Israel is a colonial state engaged in genocide current run by a maniac wanted to stand trial for crimes against humanity. Don't give money to orgs that do propaganda for them. - independentaustralia.net Mining industry launches brazen attack on Government
The mining industry launched a war of words on the Federal Government, an absurd move considering its minuscule contribution to the economy.
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Property investors fear forced sales under negative gearing changes | SMH
- Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/national/property-investors-fear-forced-sales-under-negative-gearing-changes-20240925-p5kdju.html
- archive.is snapshot: https://archive.is/y99nH
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The corporate media wasting no time on the fear campaign...
- www.abc.net.au Greens demand hostile takeover of RBA in exchange for passing board reforms in likely death knell to treasurer's bill
The demand that the treasurer intervene to cut rates unless governor Michele Bullock does so herself effectively sinks Jim Chalmers's chances of passing his reforms.
This seems pretty wtf.
What sort of precedent do they want to set? Whether or not you embrace neoliberal ideology political interference with monetary policy has not typically gone well, no matter what or whom you want to blame for that.
Am I missing something, or are they just going off the rails here?
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NACC redacts from FOI docs name of deputy leader who chose not to investigate robodebt
theklaxon.com.au GUESS WHO? The $600,000 question at the heart of RobodebtThe National Anti-Corruption Commission has scrubbed from official freedom of information documents the name of its deputy leader who made the “decision” to not investigate over Robodebt.
Title edited down from first paragraph
Original title: "GUESS WHO? The $600,000 question at the heart of Robodebt"
- www.abc.net.au In a void of detail, two reports attempt to spell the challenge for Peter Dutton to go nuclear
Two reports that suggest nuclear power would push up power bills by hundreds of dollars and leave as much as half of Australia's energy demands unmet are being used by the government to tighten the screws on the Coalition over its nuclear proposal.
- www.rossgittins.com The best thing our pollies have done in decades is also the worst
With the coming departure from politics of Bill Shorten, it’s time to talk about his former bouncing baby, and now obese adult, the National...
Governments can’t wave around the cash and create out of thin air a “market” that has any of the self-controlling properties described in economics textbooks.
- overland.org.au Ten things workers need to know about the CFMEU - Overland literary journal
“Defend the unions, defend the CFMEU. Demand your union stand in solidarity with the CFMEU. Join the workers’ campaign to defend their union.” Ten things workers need to know about the CFMEU — with words by Sarah Missen and illustrations by Sam Wallman.
- www.theguardian.com Shorten furious over robodebt department head’s attempt to position herself as ‘scapegoat’
Kathryn Campbell defends her role in unlawful scheme and rejects claim she came up with program with former prime minister Scott Morrison
- michaelwest.com.au Just 'Rubbish & Rates', or is the Israel war lobby interfering in Australia's local elections? - Michael West
Is it really just about 'rubbish and rates' or are pro-Israel campaigners plotting against the Greens in Sydney's looming council elections?
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Senator delivers 'BRAINROT' speech in parliament: "Skibidi!"
Video
Click to view this content.
Source: 6 News.
SBS: Senator labels the government 'capaholics': Fatima Payman's Gen Alpha speech decoded - Includes graphic below and edited video with some 'translation'.
Graphic from article above
- www.abc.net.au 'Unnecessary' Ipswich by-election could cost ratepayers up to $550,000
Ipswich City Council votes to hold an optional by-election to fill a vacancy left by former Councillor David Cullen, in a move described by the city's mayor as an "unnecessary expense".
Calling an election or referendum a waste of money is to be against democracy. Why do the media never challenge this
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The company they keep: where MPs invest
Interesting to read the potential conflicts of interest section.
- www.abc.net.au David Pocock creates AI deepfakes of Albanese and Dutton as warning ahead of election
Showing how easy it is to make deepfakes of politicians using artificial intelligence, independent senator David Pocock creates AI videos of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
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Shorten not renewed for next season of NDIS
theshovel.com.au Shorten Not Renewed for Next Season of NDIS — The ShovelBill Shorten will not be returning for an extra season of NDIS, after the current season received mixed reviews and was plagued by budget cuts.
> > > Bill Shorten will not be returning for an extra season of NDIS, after the current season received mixed reviews and was plagued by budget cuts. > >
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The latest Coalition scare campaign about Labor may scare itself more than voters
www.abc.net.au Dutton has a maths problem that a scare campaign can't solveThe Coalition scare campaign says the next election will deliver a Labor minority government — propped up by an unholy alliance of Greens and teal independents — and that it will be chaos. But does that stack up?
You need to only look at the modern crossbench, and the teals in particular, to see the prospect of a 2010 repeat is unlikely.
These modern independents aren't former Nationals blokes who have turned their back on their party.
They're modern women who couldn't see themselves in the party that once took their seats for granted.
"While the 2022 election might be heralded as a ‘breakthrough’ for the independents, the conditions for their election have been building over several decade," the Australian Election Study noted in 2022.
"Many of these changes are associated with voters being ‘less rusted on’ to the major political parties and becoming more independently minded in their political choices."
That's the problem with scare campaigns like the Coalition's. When you threaten voters with a minority government, that would require crossbench negotiations, some in the seats you're trying to win might be left thinking: "Oh, that sounds more preferable than you."
- www.abc.net.au 'People have chosen to distort what I said': ASIO boss Mike Burgess on Gaza visas
Head of ASIO Mike Burgess says his comments on the vetting process for people fleeing Gaza were misrepresented in the political storm over the issue of visas being offered to people trying to leave the war zone.
Where the fuck are we politically when asio is telling the right they're being too xenophobic and hardline?
Fucking asio man, the org that pushed for the "we can hold you and you can't even tell a lawyer it happened" laws.
- johnquiggin.com Australians should be angry about Coles’ latest billion-dollar profit. But don’t blame the cost of living
The latest massive $1.1bn profit reported by Coles will doubtless produce a new round of hand-wringing about the “cost of living”. Governments will produce initiatives aimed at capping or…
Quiggin with some interesting thoughts on cost of living.
- theconversation.com It wasn’t just race and politics that motivated Voice to Parliament ‘no’ voters. Here’s what we found when we dug deeper
In surveying people both before and after the poll, we found the most decisive factors in determining the way people voted weren’t gender, politics, age or income.
- www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au Global Monitor Confirms Civil Liberties Continue to Wane Under Albanese
Five years after the CIVICUS global rights monitor downgraded Australia from an open society to a civic space that has narrowed, it’s revealed no improvements under federal Labor.
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CFMEU Rallies Upcoming in Many Cities:
The CFMEU are hosting rallies in various cities this Tuesday and are encouraging the community to join them. Despite any critiques we have of the union leadership, it is important to show solidarity in protesting the dictatorial union-busting administration laws, which were covered well in a post made here this week and which have a serious chilling effect on other unions and workers altogether as we fight for better conditions. Among other things, it's noteworthy that the CFMEU have been one of the few unions to strike in solidarity with Palestine encampment protestors at ANU.
> "We encourage all members of the community to join us. CFMEU members deserve control over their Union, just like any other worker. Together, we stand strong to defend the future of our families and our union. ✊"
CHECK YOUR OWN CITY, the following are just some examples I've been able to find out so far, and more are being added as I've typed:
- Adelaide: Tuesday 27 August. 12pm at Parliament House [fb annoucement]
- Brisbane: Tuesday 27 August. 11am at Queens Garden Park [fb announcement]
- Cairns: Tuesday 27th August, 11am at Cairns esplanade across from the RSL [fb announcement]
- Canberra: Tuesday 27th August, 11am Woden Town Square. [fb announcement]
- Melbourne: Tuesday 27 August. 11am at the
State Library [fb announcement]@ the Trades Hall - Perth: Tuesday 27 August, 11am at Forrest Chase [fb annoucement]
- Sydney: Tuesday 27 August. 11am at NSW Parliament House [fb announcement]
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100 days too long! Free McBride.
Today, the 22nd of August 2024, marks 100 days since army lawyer David McBride was imprisoned in Canberra for exposing war crimes committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan.
David stood up for truth and integrity, yet now he endures death threats and solitary confinement, while those responsible remain free.
This is not how we should treat our whistleblowers in Australia! ⚖️
Demand justice! 📢 Take Action:
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Contact Mark Dreyfus or your local MP today to express your support for David.
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Create and share a social media post or a short video using the hashtag #SpeakUp4McBride to spread the word.
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Donate to support David’s legal appeal to help get him out of jail: https://chuffed.org/project/davidmcbride
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Hang the provided poster in a high-visibility location, take a photo, and share it online to encourage others to join the movement.
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👍 Like, 💬 comment, and ↪️ share this message!
#FreeMcBride. #Justice4Afghanistan.
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- michaelwest.com.au Why did NACC decline to pursue the Robodebt scandal? Conflict of interests revealed. - Michael West
Documents reveal NACC Commissioner Brereton had a conflict of interest and recused himself from proceedings related to Robodebt. Or did he?
> The decision by the National Anti-Corruption Commission not to investigate the six public servants over the Robodebt scandal appears to have been “infected by the bias of Commissioner Justice Paul Brereton and, if so, should now be disregarded”, says Stephen Charles AO KC, a former judge at the Victorian Court of Appeal and a former board member of the Centre of Public Integrity.
- www.redblacknotes.com A bill to kill a union: What is actually in the government’s CFMEU legislation
The Albanese Labor government has done a deal with the Liberals to pass legislation aimed at destroying the CFMEU. Make no mistake, the government’s CFMEU Act is a plan to kill a union. The stronge…
- theconversation.com Gareth Evans: AUKUS is terrible for Australian national interests – but we’re probably stuck with it
Australia’s no-holds-barred embrace of AUKUS is more likely than not to prove one of the worst defence and foreign policy decisions our country has made.
Powerful closing quote: Australia’s no-holds-barred embrace of AUKUS is more likely than not to prove one of the worst defence and foreign policy decisions our country has made, not only putting at profound risk our sovereign independence, but generating more risk than reward for the very national security it promises to protect.
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This will go down as one of the largest and most expensive military fuck ups in Australian history. Spending half a trillion dollars on maybe getting some subs that we might be able to operate independently, that could in theory be used for some useful things. Meanwhile pissing off half of APAC and painting a target on us.
All from the government that said we were so strapped for cash we needed to get some centerlink users to neck themselves. Cool and Good.
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Wealth inequality is growing rapidly and the tax system is making it worse
Inequality in Australia is growing and is driven by the rapid accumulation of wealth by the very wealthy.
The wealth of Australia’s richest 200 people nearly tripled over the last two decades. In 2020-21, capital gains exceeded all other types of income combined. Tax reform is needed to address this problem.
#inequality #australia
https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/wealth-and-inequality-in-australia/
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Media companies need gaming ads, government minister argues
www.abc.net.au Media companies need gaming ads, government minister arguesThe federal government will crack down on gambling ads during kids' TV, but frontbencher Bill Shorten says a total ban would punish struggling media companies.
> > > In short: > > > > * Bill Shorten all but confirms to Q+A the federal government will reject calls from some in his party for a total ban on gambling advertising. > > > * Ads during kids' TV will be targeted but Mr Shorten says media companies need gambling [ad] revenue in a battle with social media giants. > > > > > > What's next? > > > > * Cabinet is expected to sign off on legislation regulating gambling advertising on traditional and social media this week. > >
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Related coverage:
- SBS: Former PMs, premiers and sportspeople demand Labor go all-in on gambling reform
- The Conversation: The gambling industry is pulling out all the stops to prevent an ad ban, but the evidence is against it
- The Conversation: Does free-to-air TV really need gambling ads to survive?
- [Satire] The Shovel: New hotline to help television networks addicted to gambling revenue
- www.sbs.com.au AUKUS revamped: Australia to indemnify US and UK against 'any liability' from nuclear risks
Documents tabled in parliament on Monday have also revealed the United States or United Kingdom could walk away from the AUKUS deal with Australia with a year's notice.
> > > Key Points > > > > * The three countries party to the AUKUS deal signed a new agreement in Washington last week. > * Documents tabled in parliament on Monday revealed several key elements of the revamped agreement. > * Australia will indemnify the US and UK from any 'liability' arising from nuclear risks related to the program. > >
- www.theguardian.com Aukus pact will turn Australia into ‘51st state’ of the US, Paul Keating says
Former prime minister argues Australia has made itself a target by aligning with American ‘aggression’ towards China
A choice remark: “We’re now defending the fact that we’re in Aukus.
“If we weren’t in Aukus, we wouldn’t need to defend it. If we didn’t have an aggressive ally like the United States – aggressive to others in the region – there’d be nobody attacking Australia. We are better left alone than we are being ‘protected’ by an aggressive power like the United States.
“Australia is capable of defending itself.
“There’s no way another state can invade a country like Australia with an armada of ships without it all failing. I mean, Australia is quite capable of defending itself. We don’t need to be basically a pair of shoes hanging out of the Americans’ backside.”
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USyd students vote en masse to cut ties with Israel
Linked is the USyd magazine article published by their Student’s Representative Council.
The article says 'over 500 students', although other sources such as Green Left estimate over 700, with even News Corp publications (The Australian, Sky News, etc.) claiming almost 800 students.
One part which isn't mentioned in those articles: Witnesses at the meeting told me there was some attempt to finish up the meeting before the second motion could be declared, which was counted with a chorus of "Let us stay!". Apparently the meeting was only scheduled for an hour and delayed by a filibuster from a S4P speaker.
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As Labor inches closer to electoral reform , a 'consensus' approach looks far from certain
www.abc.net.au As Labor inches closer to electoral reform, a 'consensus' approach looks far from certainThe federal government is close to finalising its plan for broad changes to election laws, including spending limits, donation limits and truth standards for political ads.
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PM Denies he’s under thumb of gambling industry, saying his reforms still have 4–1 chance of working
theshovel.com.au PM Denies He’s Under Thumb of Gambling Industry, Saying His Reforms Still Have 4–1 Chance of Working — The Shovel“I totally reject that we’re in bed with big betting companies like Sportsbet, who right now are offering great odds, multi-leg bets, quick payouts and exciting in-app features, visit the website for details"
> > > Anthony ‘Each Way’ Albanese has angrily responded to claims he has been captured by the gambling industry, pointing out that the likelihood of his watered-down gambling reforms working is still paying $4, or an enticing $12 when placed in a multi with Labor winning the next election. > >
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Whistling in the dark
> But while the Albanese government soaked up the plaudits for engineering Assange’s long overdue return, several of the signs on display that evening hinted that not everything was well on the home front. “Assange, McBride, Boyle”, offered one. Another particularly well-worn sign had the demand: “Fix the PID Act”. The WikiLeaks publisher may be free, but the Public Interest Disclosure Act – the whistleblower protection law for federal public servants in Australia – remains broken, as recent high-profile cases demonstrate all too well.