Australian Politics

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.

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."

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.

Quiggin with some interesting thoughts on cost of living.

Research Paper by Jonathan Bartholomaeus, Peter Strelan (Open Access)

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]

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:

• Contact Mark Dreyfus or your local MP today to express your support for David.

• Create and share a social media post or a short video using the hashtag #SpeakUp4McBride to spread the word.

• Donate to support David’s legal appeal to help get him out of jail: https://chuffed.org/project/davidmcbride

• Hang the provided poster in a high-visibility location, take a photo, and share it online to encourage others to join the movement.

• 👍 Like, 💬 comment, and ↪️ share this message!

#FreeMcBride. #Justice4Afghanistan.

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.

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.

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.

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/

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.

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

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

'The health of our planet hangs in the balance while those entrusted with legislative power prioritise short-term political gain over the well-being of future generations.'

[...] Disruption is a tool.

But now, disruption is a crime. We’re not climate activists; we’re criminals.

(Article is soft-paywalled, archived link if you need it)