Welcome To Q Research AUSTRALIA

In anticipation of FISA DECLAS and SPYGATE revelations, a new thread for research and discussion of Australia's role in The Great Awakening.

Previous thread

>>14385792 Q Research AUSTRALIA #18

Q's Posts made on Q Research AUSTRALIA threads

Wednesday 11.20.19

>>7358352 ————————————–——– These people are stupid.

>>7358338 ————————————–——– All assets [F + D] being deployed.

>>7358318 ————————————–——– What happens when the PUBLIC discovers the TRUTH [magnitude] re: [D] party corruption?

Tuesday 11.19.19

>>7357790 ————————————–——– FISA goes both ways.

Saturday 11.16.2019

>>7356270 ————————————–——– There is no escaping God.

>>7356265 ————————————–——– The Harvest [crop] has been prepared and soon will be delivered to the public for consumption.

Friday 11.15.2019

>>7356017 ————————————–——– "Whistle Blower Traps" [Mar 4 2018] 'Trap' keyword select provided…..

Thursday 03.28.2019

>>5945210 ————————————–——– Sometimes our 'sniffer' picks and pulls w/o applying credit file

>>5945074 ————————————–——– We LOVE you!

>>5944970 ————————————–——– USA v. LifeLog?

>>5944908 ————————————–——– It is an embarrassment to our Nation!

>>5944859 ————————————–——– 'Knowingly'

Q's Posts referencing Australia

https://qanon.pub/?q=AUS

https://qanon.pub/?q=australia

https://qanon.pub/?q=koala

https://qanon.pub/?q=HouseOfCards

https://qanon.pub/?q=boomerang

https://qanon.pub/?q=45HarisonHarold

https://qanon.pub/?q=RAT%20BAIT

https://qanon.pub/?q=VERY%20important

Q's Posts referencing Australian citizens

Malcolm Turnbull (X/AUS)

Former Prime Minister of Australia

https://qanon.pub/?q=X%2FAUS

https://qanon.pub/?q=call%20details

https://qanon.pub/?q=Threat%20to%20AUS

Alexander Downer

Former Australian Liberal Party politician and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom

https://qanon.pub/?q=Downer

Cardinal George Pell

Australian Cardinal of the Catholic Church and former Prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy

https://qanon.pub/?q=Pell

https://qanon.pub/?q=cardinal-george-pell

https://qanon.pub/?q=pecking

Julian Assange

Australian activist, founder, editor and publisher of WikiLeaks

https://qanon.pub/?q=assange

https://qanon.pub/?q=JA

https://qanon.pub/?q=Under%20protection

https://qanon.pub/?q=WL

https://qanon.pub/?q=wikileaks

https://qanon.pub/?q=server

https://qanon.pub/?q=Seth

https://qanon.pub/?q=SR

Virginia Roberts Giuffre

American-Australian survivor of the sex trafficking ring operated by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

https://qanon.pub/#4568

https://qanon.pub/#4728

https://qanon.pub/#1054

https://qanon.pub/?q=chandler

https://qanon.pub/?q=epstein

https://qanon.pub/?q=island

https://qanon.pub/#1001

https://qanon.pub/#1861

https://qanon.pub/#4578

https://qanon.pub/#3497

https://qanon.pub/#4727

https://qanon.pub/?q=wexner

https://qanon.pub/#4576

https://qanon.pub/#4577

https://qanon.pub/?q=maxwell

https://qanon.pub/#4569

https://qanon.pub/?q=spacey

https://qanon.pub/#4570

https://qanon.pub/?q=normalize

https://qanon.pub/?q=Prince%20Andrew

https://qanon.pub/#4579

https://qanon.pub/#4907

https://qanon.pub/#4911

https://qanon.pub/#4921

https://qanon.pub/?q=Dearest%20Virginia

Q's Posts referencing The Five Eyes intelligence alliance (FVEY)

An anglophone intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States

https://qanon.pub/?q=FVEY

https://qanon.pub/?q=Five%20Eyes

https://qanon.pub/?q=Interesting%2C

https://qanon.pub/?q=RAT%20BAIT

"Does AUS stand w/ the US or only select divisions within the US?"

Q

Nov 25 2018

https://qanon.pub/#2501

Notables

are not endorsements

#18 - Part 1

Australian Politics and Society - Part 1

>>14385947 Video: Peter Dutton warns the Taliban: The world is watching Afghanistan

>>14386058 Video: Afghanistan rescue flight carrying Australians lands in UAE, with more Kabul evacuation missions planned

>>14389239 Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority must rewrite draft curriculum: Alan Tudge - "draft diminishes Australia’s western, liberal, and democratic values"

>>14395372 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Tweet: Here Comes the Boom! #USMC High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems with 3d Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division fire rockets during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 on Shoalwater Bay Training Area, #Australia.

>>14395401 Department of Defence Tweet: #YourADF & @USMC & sailors of @MrfDarwin will enter a fictitious contested area of operations under a combined command throughout August. Exercise Koolendong is the most integrated, realistic, high-end activity conducted in MRF-D’s 10-year history.

>>14395405 Soldiers and marines prepare for training: Exercise Koolendong 2021 - Captain Carla Armenti - defence.gov.au

>>14395486 Peter Dutton suggests some Afghans who worked with Australia have 'shifted allegiances', gone on to work for the Taliban and al-Qaeda

>>14395498 Former Prime Minister John Howard: Donald Trump cannot escape blame for Afghanistan crisis

>>14404893 ABC Media Watch Tweet: Video - ABC's satanic slip-up. What was going on here?

>>14404893 ABC Media Watch Tweet: Video - It appears the footage came from this Noosa Temple of Satan livestream (8.00 mark) - Everyone Welcome to our Satanic Black Mass at Noosa - 30 October 2020

>>14404893 ABC Media Watch Tweet: They've been in the media recently: Devil in the detail as satanists’ fight with Education Dept hits Supreme Court

>>14404893 Q Post #1432 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

>>14404893 Q Post #1432 - ''"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

– 1 Cor 13:4-13''

>>14411454 Shocking new TV investigation shows why Australia should be on red alert for the next neo-Nazi mass slaughter

>>14412582 Video: Unmasking an international neo-Nazi group’s Australian recruiter, Matthew Golos

>>14412603 From kickboxing to Adolf Hitler: the neo-Nazi plan to recruit angry young men - An unprecedented look inside Australia’s radical fringe and their deep links to violent international groups

>>14414104 Australia in the US Tweet: Ambassador @A_Sinodinos & Embassy Defence personnel visited @LockheedMartin's Huntsville, Alabama facility yesterday. They had productive discussions on space & Lockheed's plans to support Australia’s sovereign guided weapons establishment. #USwithAus

>>14414434 Video: MAJOR INVESTIGATION: Targeting Australia’s largest neo-Nazi group - 60 Minutes Australia

>>14421203 More than 300 people evacuated from Kabul airport on four RAAF flights

>>14434031 Shameful Afghanistan retreat has shaken my faith in America - Alexander Downer - afr.com

>>14434058 Rogue crossbencher Craig Kelly to run with Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party at the next election

>>14434139 Video: ADF supports Afghanistan evacuees - Department of Defence Australia

#18 - Part 2

Australian Politics and Society - Part 2

>>14442992 Video: How Murdoch’s Fox News allowed Trump's propaganda to destabilise democracy - Four Corners / ABC News In-depth

>>14442999 The ABC’s big lie and the madness of Four Corners - James Madden and Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>14443100 Lin Wood Telegram Post: Keep a close eye on events in Australia. The enemy plans to bring those events to a city near you in the foreseeable future. But while you should keep alert and look around at events in other parts of the world, STAY FOCUSED on demanding and obtaining full forensic audits of the 2020 election in every state!!!

>>14443331 RAAF flights ferry another 650 out of Afghanistan in mass Kabul airlift as Taliban's 'red line' for withdrawal approaches

>>14448979 Video: ‘Satan works in mysterious ways’: Newscast on Australian TV interrupted by devil-worshipping ceremony - rt.com

>>14448979 Video: The push to have Satanism taught in Brisbane state schools - 7NEWS

>>14452283 Police powers to hack and disrupt dark web pass Parliament

>>14452329 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: Australian Soldiers and U.S. Marines train together. #Soldiers with the Australian #Army showed U.S. #Marines with Marine Rotational Force Darwin how to use the Australian Service Light Armored Vehicle and the F88 Austeyr Assault Rifle during Exercise Koolendong 21. Training with the Australian Defence Force enhances our abilities to work together and demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-Australian alliance.

>>14452344 Dear Aussie Anons: Take some time out this Saturday, August 28, 2021. We need you! Help us pray to God and Jesus for justice and liberty! For courage and honesty! For God, family, and country, Aussie Patriots!

>>14452362 Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation Tweet: Only 21% of parents think there is a likelihood that online child sexual exploitation can happen to their child. Please help us raise this number and increase awareness of online child sexual exploitation. #ChildProtection

>>14461788 Barack Obama recruited Malcolm Turnbull to persuade Donald Trump to respect traditional alliances and adhere to international agreements during a secret meeting in Sydney after he left the White House

>>14461993 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: U.S. Marines and Australian Army forces hosted leaders from Forces Command to observe units training during Exercise Koolendong. Exercise Koolendong validates MRF-D’s and the ADF’s ability to conduct expeditionary command and control operations, demonstrating the shared commitment to being ready to respond to a crisis or contingency in the Indo-Pacific region.

>>14462339 Extremists hunt cops online as anti-lockdown violence surges - conspiracy theorist Karen Brewer posts thinly veiled death threats against a NSW minister

>>14471808 Australia's Afghanistan evacuation mission ends amid Kabul airport suicide bombing - At least 60 people including 13 US troops killed in two bomb blasts orchestrated by Islamic State offshoot ISIS-K

>>14471822 Video: Prime Minister Scott Morrison mourns deaths of 'American and Afghan friends' in Kabul airport attack

>>14478728 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: U.S. Marine Corps - 26 August 2021 - Statement from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David H. Berger: "It is with extremely heavy hearts that we learned several Marines and other service members were killed and wounded in the Kabul attacks today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families as they are notified of this devastating loss."

>>14484206 Department of Defence Tweet: #HMASWarramunga has departed Fleet Base West and is en route to participate in #ExMalabar alongside key regional partners India, Japan and the United States.

>>14484210 The Royal Australian Navy will join key regional partners India, Japan and the United States for Exercise MALABAR 2021

>>14490267 Video: New Zealand needs to ‘lift’ in Five Eyes: Joe Hockey - Sky News Australia

>>14490534 US Embassy Canberra Tweet: #ExerciseMalibar: The (United States) and (Australia) join India and Japan for a joint naval exercise in the Philippine Sea. Malabar 2021 brings together the four #IndoPacific navies to strengthen their skills in maritime operations, fostering regional security and stability.

#18 - Part 3

Australian Politics and Society - Part 3

>>14490537 Australia, India, Japan, U.S. Kick Off Exercise Malabar 2021 - U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

>>14490548 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: U.S.-Australian Integration - During Exercise Koolendong 21 the #Australian #Army integrated with Marine Rotational Force Darwin's #Marine Air Ground Task Force.

>>14495902 Conspiracy theorist Karen Brewer among 19 arrested in failed bid to overthrow Government - Scott Palmer - newshub.co.nz

>>14496037 To land of the free, we’re a weirdly authoritarian mob - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>14496084 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Tweet: Spoke this evening with @MarisePayne to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and determine ways we can continue to work together to support those in need. We deeply appreciate Australia’s support during this challenging period.

>>14496084 Foreign Minister Marise Payne Tweet: We continue to coordinate closely with our allies & partners on Afghanistan. We are focussed on next steps, which I discussed with @SecBlinken today. We continue to call on the Taliban to allow safe freedom of movement for those wishing to leave Afghanistan at this time.

>>14496109 U.S. Marine Corps Facebook Post: Bring the Rain - a simulated enemy target is about to meet its end in a unique demonstration of expeditionary, precision-strike operations by the United States Marine Corps and Australian Defence Force together.

>>14496113 MRF-D BRINGS THE HIRAIN TO EXERCISE LOOBYE - Capt. Thomas deVries, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin

>>14501858 Australia and US pay tribute to 70 years of ‘mateship’ - Australia and the US have celebrated the anniversary of their ‘unbreakable alliance’ during the most ‘challenging environment in decades’

>>14501878 U.S. Department of State Tweet: Video - .@POTUS Biden on the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty, highlighting the U.S.-Australia relationship: An enduring partnership to “strengthen the fabric of peace.”

>>14501879 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Tweet: Today marks 70 years since the signing of the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty. We’re proud to celebrate this significant milestone and keystone of our relationship with Australia, which represents an enduring force for stability in the wider region.

>>14501898 United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Tweet: Today we celebrate 70 years of #ANZUS and the U.S.-Australian #UnbreakableAlliance. Together, the United States and Australia are committed to the Alliance’s next 70 years and beyond.

>>14501898 Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the 70th Anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty - AUG. 31, 2021

>>14501919 US Embassy Canberra Tweet: Our #ANZUS partnership is as essential today as it was 70 years ago, for the security and prosperity of both our countries, the #IndoPacific region, and the world.

>>14501931 US Embassy Canberra Tweet: Chargé d’Affaires Goldman joined Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP and Defense Min. @PeterDutton_MP today in a wreath laying ceremony to mark 70th anniversary of #ANZUS, and honor those men and women who have served our two nations, and fought for our ongoing freedom and prosperity

>>14501946 Defence Minister Peter Dutton Tweet: Today we mark the 70th anniversary of Australia’s most important strategic and military partnership, the US Alliance. This is a partnership based on our shared values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and the right of all people and all nations to choose their own destiny.

>>14501956 Foreign Minister Marise Payne Tweet: Today, the 70th anniversary of the #ANZUSTreaty, is a reminder that, as we continue to face new & emerging (global) challenges, our two nations do not stand alone. There are no greater allies & friends than Australia & the United States.

>>14502104 Video: Capability put to the test in Exercise Malabar - Department of Defence Australia

>>14502114 Video: United States Marines & ADF join forces in Exercise Koolendong 2021 - Department of Defence Australia

>>14507606 Victoria to be the first state to ban public display of Nazi symbols

#18 - Part 4

Australian Politics and Society - Part 4

>>14507713 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Tweet: Happy 70th anniversary of the ANZUS treaty #ANZUS #70years #mateship #australia #newzealand #unitedstates #alliesandpartners #FreeandopenIndoPacific

>>14507733 Video: Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: U.S. Marine Corps and Defence Australia, stronger than ever - Australia and the U.S. have put on a spectacular display of their military might to mark the 10th anniversary of the Marine Rototional Force in Darwin. The unique partnership training our soldiers to be ready to respond to any crisis in the Pacfic region.

>>14509726 Video: Who set the Terror Police on friendlyjordies? - friendlyjordies

>>14513448 Australia in the US Tweet: Video: Yesterday @nypd officers incl. Det. Patrick McGee (who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during 9/11) placed the (Flag of Australia) found at Ground Zero on public display at our Consulate-General in NYC. The (Flag of Australia) was found in the rubble of the north tower of the World Trade Centre.

>>14517606 III MEF Marines Tweet: Marines with @MrfDarwin and @AustralianArmy Soldiers conducted an air raid rehearsal during Exercise Koolendong.

>>14517617 U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Tweet: @PacificMarines with Company B., 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), @MRFDarwin conduct exercise #Koolendong in Australia, demonstrating a shared commitment for a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific

>>14517697 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: Touch and Go - U.S. Marine Corps with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin conducted aircraft carrier qualifications on Her Majesty's Australian Ship Canberra off the coast of Darwin, NT, Australia, Aug. 14, 2021

>>14517702 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post - Can’t you hear the thunder? Australian Army soldiers with 1st Armoured Regiment - Australian Army conducted a live fire range using weapons mounted to and part of their Australian Service Light Armored Vehicles during Exercise Koolendong 2021 at Bradshaw Field Training Area, NT, Australia

>>14526161 Fox News wants external inquiry into ABC’s Four Corners’ two-part series Fox and the Big Lie - Sophie Elsworth - theaustralian.com.au

>>14529131 Five Eyes invitation may come with costs - South Korea will have greater access to classified intelligence from the US but Chinese backlash seems inevitable

>>14529186 US alliance gives Australia prestige in Asia: Some argue that a close relationship with the United States limits our capacity to engage in our region. From experience, the opposite is true - Alexander Downer - afr.com

>>14533959 Free trade deal with India on the agenda as Payne, Dutton take Indo-Pacific trip

>>14534007 U.S. Department of Defense - Anniversary Marks 70 Years of Australia, New Zealand, U.S. Treaty

>>14534027 Japan Ministry of Defense/Self-Defense Forces Tweet: From August 23, #JMSDF @USNavy @IndianNavy & @Australian_Navy are conducting #Malabar2021 in the waters and airspace of Guam and Philippine Sea. Collaboration of (Japan, United States of America, India and Australia), who share fundamental values, is essential for upholding and reinforcing #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific.

>>14534035 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: Join us on September 10 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Robertson Barracks as 1st Brigade - Australian Army hosts a free display of military equipment and personnel at the parade field…Stay until the end for a late-afternoon ceremony where the leaders of MRF-D and 1st Brigade will give their thanks to the Darwin community and commemorate 10 years of Marines in Darwin.

>>14538995 Peter Dutton’s US missile memo: share your know-how - “pool our know-how and resources” to develop new long-range strike weapons, offensive cyber and unmanned capabilities – including autonomous and “swarming” drones

>>14551779 Indonesian troops may regularly join training on Australian soil as defence ties deepen

>>14551785 France could access Australian military sites as countries look to boost ties

>>14551798 Display of Nazi symbols will attract jail time under NSW Labor draft law

>>14551801 Peterborough woman Teresa Van Lieshout arrested over fake Australian Federal Police badges, allegedly ordered as part of preparations to overthrow the government

#18 - Part 5

Australian Politics and Society - Part 5

>>14554461 Terrorists failed in their bid to crush us and our way of life - Scott Morrison, September 11 2021 - theaustralian.com.au

>>14557146 Scott Morrison set for first one-on-one with Joe Biden to talk China

>>14557296 Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Tweet: For 70 years, the U.S.-Australia alliance has been vital to Indo-Pacific prosperity. Today, SecAF Kendall met w/ @CAF_Australia Air Marshal Hupfeld to discuss deepening the robust & wide-ranging relationship between the Department of the Air Force & @AusAirForce. #OneTeamOneFight

>>14557688 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: September 11, 2021, marks 20 years since the attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. These attacks shook the American people and many others around the world, and continue to serve as a day unforgotten by history.

>>14563305 Australia and India vow to strengthen military ties during first meeting of defence and foreign ministers

>>14563849 Narendra Modi Tweet: Was happy to meet Ministers @MarisePayne and @PeterDutton_MP. The 1st Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue between India and Australia was very productive. I thank my friend @ScottMorrisonMP for his focus on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between our nations.

>>14569170 Terror threats on rise following Afghanistan, coronavirus shutdowns: Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews

>>14569284 S. Korea, Australia vow to boost defense cooperation during ministerial talks

>>14569286 South Korean President Moon Jae-in emphasizes strategic communication with Australia over global issues

>>14569297 Foreign Minister Marise Payne Tweet: As Australia & Korea mark 60 years of diplomatic relations, @PeterDutton_MP & I met with (South Korean) President Moon @moonriver365 to reflect on our rich history & discuss our cooperation to support regional security & #COVID19 recovery under a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

>>14576884 Defence Minister Peter Dutton and Foreign Minister Marise Payne's South Korea talks boost military ties

>>14576908 Scott Morrison to meet with US President Joe Biden in Quad meeting next week, September 14, 2021

>>14576998 Foreign Minister Marise Payne Tweet: The (Australia - South Korea) relationship was forged during the Korean War, when 17,000 Australians defended freedom on the Korean Peninsula. 340 made the ultimate sacrifice. Today, @PeterDutton_MP & I visited Australia’s Roll of Honour at the War Memorial of Korea to pay our respects to the fallen.

>>14577003 Defence Minister Peter Dutton Tweet: @MarisePayne & I laid wreaths at the War Memorial of Korea to remember the 340 Australians who lost their lives during the conflict. I thank the ROK for their commitment to help us recover & identify the remains of the Australian service personnel who remain unaccounted for.

>>14584745 Cyber new battleground as pandemic increases reliance on web: Australian Cyber Security Centre

>>14585927 Ministers granted border exemptions to attend urgent, top-secret meeting in Canberra

>>14586056 Biden to announce joint deal with U.K. and Australia on advanced defense-tech sharing - source says there is a nuclear-defense infrastructure to the three-way pact known as AUUKUS

>>14586170 Australia, US and UK to form AUKUS under a new nuclear defence pact

>>14592776 Video: US, UK, Australian leaders establish AUKUS partnership - Sky News Australia

>>14592826 Not in our waters: Ardern says no to visits from Australia’s new nuclear subs

#18 - Part 6

Australian Politics and Society - Part 6

>>14592862 Beijing views Australia’s US pact as a military threat: analysts

>>14592946 Minnesota Supreme Court overturns murder conviction of former police officer Mohamed Noor, in shooting death of Australian woman Justine Damond

>>14592993 Is Nancy Pelosi pulling General Mark Milley’s strings? - Miranda Devine - nypost.com

>>14593058 AUKUS another hostile signal to China, worsens Asia-Pacific security - Nuke sub deal could make Australia 'potential target in nuclear war' - Yang Sheng - globaltimes.cn

>>14593064 AUKUS to bring ‘nuclear-powered submarine fever’ across globe: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14593101 Defence Minister Peter Dutton Tweets: It was an absolute pleasure to have met face-to-face with @SecDef at the Pentagon to discuss the Alliance, ANZUS, Australia-US defence cooperation & #AUKUS – an enhanced trilateral security partnership with the United States & United Kingdom.

>>14593108 United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Tweet: Video: It was my pleasure to welcome my Australian counterpart @PeterDutton_MP to the Pentagon today. The 70-year U.S. and Australia #UnbreakableAlliance is as strong as ever, and I'm greatly looking forward to #AUSMIN at the @StateDept tomorrow.

>>14593120 Foreign Minister Marise Payne Tweet: Ahead of the 31st #AUSMIN2021, United States' Secretary of @StateDept @SecBlinken and I discussed the significance of #ANZUS70 & renewed our commitment to supporting an open, inclusive & resilient #IndoPacific region. There are no greater friends than (Australia and the United States).

>>14593120 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Tweet: Foreign Minister @MarisePayne and I discussed our shared commitment to ensuring the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and discussed tomorrow’s Australia–U.S. Ministerial Consultations. #AUSMIN

>>14595363 Australia’s nuclear sub deal ‘gravely undermines regional peace’ says China

>>14600225 ‘Stab in the back’: French foreign affairs minister Jean-Yves Le Drian hits out at Aukus alliance with fears it threatens Indo-Pacific partnerships

>>14600341 Australian PM says he made clear to France possibility of scrapping submarine deal

>>14600380 China responds angrily to Australia-US joint statement a day after AUKUS submarine deal was announced

>>14600631 Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III Announces Increased Air Operations, Force Deployments to Australia

>>14600665 Video: Defence Minister Peter Dutton delivers a blunt warning over the prospect of conflict with China

>>14605002 Aukus: France recalls ambassadors in the US and Australia for consultations amid security pact row

>>14605060 OPINION: Morrison’s China ‘strategy’ makes us less, not more, secure - Kevin Rudd, Former Australian prime minister - smh.com.au

>>14605373 Marines rewarded for role in fighting December 2020 Puckapunyal Primary School fire - Master Sergeant John “Ricky” Farrell IV and Gunnery Sergeant Ryan Accornero awarded the US Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal

>>14605389 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: 17 September 2021 - On #POWMIARecognitionDay, we honor the memory of Americans who were prisoners of war, and those missing in action who have yet to return home. Thank you to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency for their continuing efforts…You are not forgotten. Semper Fidelis #Marines #USMC #HonorThem #UntilTheyAreHome

>>14606882 Recalled French ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault accuses Australia of ‘treason in the making’

#18 - Part 7

Australian Politics and Society - Part 7

>>14606888 Australia ‘regrets’ French ambassador recall but makes no apology for new subs deal

>>14612439 'Operation Hookless' - How Australia's nuclear-powered submarine defence pact was kept under the radar

>>14614162 Australia 'upfront, open and honest' with France about submarine concerns, Peter Dutton says

>>14614522 General Paul M. Nakasone Tweet: Yesterday, I had the honor of welcoming Australia’s Minister for Defence, @PeterDutton_MP. Strategic partnerships and alliances are a key element to our mutual success.

>>14621067 North Korea says Australia’s submarine deal could trigger ‘nuclear arms race’

>>14621075 PM heads to US for Quad leaders' summit

>>14627546 Defence Minister Peter Dutton Tweets: Over two decades ago, Australia stood with our close friends and allies, the United States, as they suffered their most devastating terrorist attack when almost 3,000 innocent lives were taken. On behalf of all Australians, I paid respect at the September 11 Memorial to those lives cut tragically short in the name of terror, including the brave first responders who risked their lives to save others. We also honoured the ten Australian lives lost on that day. We will never forget.

>>14627675 Construction tender awarded for $270m fuel storage facility at Darwin's East Arm to support US defence operations

>>14627685 Britain’s nuclear submarines to use Australia as base for Indo-Pacific presence

>>14627710 Philippines supports Australia nuclear sub pact to counter China

>>14627743 Australia PM says no opportunity for meeting with French president in New York

>>14635183 ‘Chance of significant aftershocks’: Victoria hit by magnitude 5.9 earthquake, warnings of more to come

>>14635212 Video: US has ‘no closer ally than Australia’, Biden says after Aukus pact

>>14635254 President Biden Tweet: It was great to meet with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison today in New York. Our nations have stood together for over 70 years — and we’re committed to working together to secure a free and open Indo-Pacific region and tackle the shared challenges we face.

>>14635254 Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweet: Today I met US President Joe Biden in New York to mark 70 years of our ANZUS alliance and reaffirm our AUKUS partnership announced last week with the UK. We’re committed to working together to secure a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific and tackle shared challenges.

>>14635259 Kevin Rudd sides with the French over ‘foreign policy debacle’

>>14635290 Prime Minister Scott Morrison launches US Congressional charm offensive to land subs pact

>>14637932 Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton working with the US and UK on options for nuclear submarines to operate in Australia six to eight years earlier than expected

>>14637994 ‘Absolutely disgusting’: protesters debase Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance in the worst civil rebellion at the national memorial since the Vietnam War

>>14641764 Scott Morrison meets Democratic majority Congressional speaker, Nancy Pelosi in Washington

#18 - Part 8

Australian Politics and Society - Part 8

>>14641767 Nancy Pelosi Tweet: Today, I was honored to welcome @ScottMorrisonMP, Prime Minister of Australia, to the United States Capitol ahead of a bipartisan leadership meeting.

>>14641767 Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweet: Thank you for the warm welcome, @SpeakerPelosi. Great to be able to discuss our new #AUKUS partnership and progressing that forward across all levels of government.

>>14641885 Overseas Christmas trips to spread joy - Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan believes the international border will be open by Christmas at the latest, urges Australians to get vaccinated to trigger the threshold necessary to resume flights overseas

>>14649123 Scott Morrison, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi and Yoshihide Suga gather for their first in-person Quad meeting

>>14649132 Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweet: Great to meet with my good friend and a great friend of Australia, Indian PM @narendramodi, during my visit to the US. A wide-ranging and productive discussion ahead of the first in-person Quad meeting as we look to further deepen the partnership between our two countries.

>>14649132 Narendra Modi Tweet: It is always wonderful to interact with my good friend, PM @ScottMorrisonMP. We had wide-ranging deliberations on strengthening cooperation in the fields of commerce, trade, energy and more.

>>14649261 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: Shoot for the Stars - U.S. Marine Corps with Alpha Battery, 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Platoon fire a FIM-92 Stinger missile at a drone during a live-fire training event at Bradshaw Field Training Area, NT, Australia. The range marked the first time Stinger missiles have been fired in Australia and consisted of Marines and Australian Army soldiers utilizing their respective missile systems to take down notional enemy surveillance drones.

>>14657185 Quad leaders press for free Indo-Pacific, with wary eye on China

>>14657225 Scott Morrison touts new global security alliances during UN meeting

>>14657414 Detained Australian Sean Turnell appears in Myanmar court on official secrets charges

>>14657564 Morrison wins over Biden’s White House, erasing doubts over Trump ties

>>14662393 President Biden Tweet: It was an honor to host the Prime Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan this afternoon for the first-ever in-person Quad Leaders Summit. We share a common vision for the future, and we’re coming together to meet the key challenges of the 21st century.

>>14662393 Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweet: Excellent discussions at our first in-person Quad leaders’ meeting in the US. Honoured to meet with PM @sugawitter, PM @narendramodi & @POTUS on our shared vision of a free, open & resilient Indo-Pacific region & responding to the challenges we face in a complex & changing world.

>>14663996 Scott Morrison issues threat to premiers to open borders by Christmas

>>14664726 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: Rocket Man - During Exercise Koolendong, U.S. Marine Corps Marines with MRF-D conducted emergency fires missions with the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System at Bradshaw Field Training Area, NT, Australia.

>>14670595 OPINION: Morrison is making an enemy of China – and Labor is helping him - Paul Keating - smh.com.au

>>14670606 OPINION: Paul Keating is wrong, AUKUS doesn’t turn Australia’s back on Asia - Marise Payne - smh.com.au

>>14670619 Opinion: Christopher Pyne - What the AUKUS pact means for Australia cannot be underestimated - adelaidenow.com.au

>>14684564 CNN denies Australians access to its Facebook pages, cites defamation risk

>>14684618 Turnbull accuses Morrison of damaging Australia’s national security with submarine deal

#18 - Part 9

Australian Politics and Society - Part 9

>>14684715 OPINION: A relic of a bygone age? I might be, but I’m not a defeatist - Paul Keating - smh.com.au

>>14684779 China's foreign minister says AUKUS deal is a danger to regional stability

>>14684852 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: A Match to Remember - On Sep. 11, 2021, U.S. Marine Corps Marines with MRF-D participated in an annual rugby match against the Stray Cats, a local team in Darwin, Australia. The annual match was established after the first game played between the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Stray Cats on Sept. 11, 2001, right before the terrorist attacks, and has become a commemorative match for MRF-D since 2013.

>>14685250 Video: AUSSIES BRINGING THE THUNDER DOWNUNDER - WE ARE NO LONGER AFRAID - PATRIOTS FIGHT BACK - SonOfEnos

>>14687514 Victoria Police try to BAN media from filming their violent conduct - rebelnews.com

>>14687515 Video: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES - LT COL (RTD) RICCARDO BOSI - Monarchy Australia TV

>>14687516 Video: Riccardo Bosi Full Interview with Carnage House Productions - Carnage House Productions

>>14691561 AUKUS pact no threat to Indo-Pacific stability, U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, Sung Kim says

>>14691650 Peter Dutton tells Malcolm Turnbull, Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating to ‘move on’

>>14697903 NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns over ICAC ‘breach of trust’ probe

>>14697914 Video: Berejiklian resigns as New South Wales premier - Sky News Australia

>>14698159 WA Premier Mark McGowan accuses eastern states of failing to appreciate China at WA event

>>14698167 ASIO director-general Mike Burgess backs Hamas terror listing

>>14702246 Australian Ministry of Defence letter shows no deception of French on submarine deal

>>14710089 PDF: Australia told French submarine firm it didn’t have green light to proceed hours before deal cancelled

>>14715759 Vatican drops its oar into Aussie bid for nuclear submarines - raises concerns about AUKUS, Australia’s defence collaboration with the US and Britain

>>14715775 Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss fires broadside at China and supports Australia in keynote party speech

>>14716396 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post: Video - This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Australia New Zealand United States Security Treaty and the 10th Anniversary of Marine Rotational Force - Darwin, in Darwin, NT, Australia. The United States and Australia fought together in every conflict since World War I and continue to be trusted allies the Indo-Pacific region.

>>14730909 Video: Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy calls for Daniel Andrews to resign amid IBAC investigation into his conduct around a controversial firefighters union deal

>>14730973 British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace ‘confident’ Australian nuclear sub to be made in Britain

#18 - Part 10

Australian Politics and Society - Part 10

>>14731069 PDF: Win for Bernard Collaery derails former attorney-general Christian Porter’s attempt to cover up Timor-Leste bugging - Supreme Court of the ACT overturns secrecy orders demanded by Porter

>>14733561 Victorian IBAC threatening a political firestorm - Operation Richmond - Investigation into the relationship between the Andrews government and the United Firefighters Union

>>14738022 New Australian space radar project to monitor threats to military and commercial satellites

>>14744427 Video: SNEAK PEEK: All The President's Venom - 60 Minutes Australia - What happens when a President goes rogue? SUNDAY on #60Mins, inside Trump's final days in office that had his Generals sweating bullets. But could being a bad loser now make Trump a big winner?

>>14744625 French ambassador criticises 'childish' Australia before return to Canberra, says trust issues go beyond scrapped submarine deal

>>14757758 Marking 10 years in Darwin, top US diplomat signals bigger US marine deployments in Top End

>>14757835 Huawei waves goodbye: Why the Chinese tech giant is pulling out of Australia

>>14757971 Crowds of 10,000 at Melbourne Cup carnival, live music to return as ‘vaccinated economy’ trial kicks off

>>14758151 Video: Scott Morrison thanks Australians for ‘phenomenal’ jab uptake, as NSW opens new chapter

>>14760150 Hekmatullah, the rogue Afghan army soldier who murdered three Australians in 2012, walked free in Qatar after Afghanistan fell to Taliban - Australian officials have no firm idea of his whereabouts

>>14763819 Victorian Labor MP Luke Donnellan quits after explosive IBAC claims during inquiry into allegations of Labor Party branch stacking

>>14770288 Video: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews denies wrongdoing as IBAC investigates branch stacking in Labor Party

>>14770308 Video: Victoria's IBAC hears allegations of branch stacking in state Labor Party - 7.30/ABC News (Australia)

>>14776923 US Virginia-class submarines ‘best choice for nuclear fleet’: Richard Spencer, former US Navy secretary

>>14776926 All the way with USA the smart move for Australia - Richard V. Spencer - theaustralian.com.au

>>14777024 Australian Space Agency signs deal with NASA to be part of future Moon mission

>>14777078 Video: Virtual Self-Defense Forces Day 2021 - Embassy of Japan in Australia / Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo

>>14778782 Video: Marking 10 years of US Marines in the NT - ABC Darwin

#18 - Part 11

Australian Government Sexual Assault Allegations

>>14612675 Alexander Matters, 20-year-old Labor staffer for federal Labor MP David Smith fired after rape charges

>>14782495 Bruce Lehrmann: Ex-Liberal staffer accused of Brittany Higgins rape appears before court

#18 - Part 12

George Papadopoulos Tweets, Alexander Downer and SPYGATE Revelations

>>14600691 George Papadopoulos Tweet: When you connect the dots: Joseph Mifsud, Alexander Downer, US embassy London, Gina Haspel, Jim Comey, Perkins Coie, Steele, Clinton campaign and a politicized FBI under Comey willing to launch a scandalous and baseless investigation, it’s clear a conspiracy case is emerging

>>14648951 George Papadopoulos Tweet: (Stefan Halper and Alexander Downer picture)

>>14691668 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Australia is our warning

#18 - Part 13

Australian and Regional Resignations

>>14482027 Pope Francis accepts resignation of Australian Bishop investigated for sexual abuse, Christopher Alan Saunders

>>14606833 Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston steps down from board as court date looms

>>14614068 Christian Porter resigns from Scott Morrison's ministry after revealing he accepted an anonymous donation to help cover his personal legal fees

>>14697903 NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns over ICAC ‘breach of trust’ probe

>>14697914 Video: Berejiklian resigns as New South Wales premier - Sky News Australia

>>14763819 Victorian Labor MP Luke Donnellan quits after explosive IBAC claims during inquiry into allegations of Labor Party branch stacking

#18 - Part 14

Malka Leifer Extradition and Prosecution

>>14569132 First of three accusers gives evidence against Malka Leifer

>>14569136 Malka Leifer excused from attending court so she can observe the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur

>>14584509 Malka Leifer’s second accuser giving evidence in sex abuse case

>>14592935 Cleaner Mario Toledo saw Malka Leifer at school with girls on Sundays, court hears

>>14600391 Closed court to continue as third Malka Leifer accuser gives evidence

>>14621097 Witness reluctant to make Leifer statement - Ex-school counsellor did not want to make a statement against former principal because she thought she could be pursued for money

>>14641923 Former Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer committed to stand trial over child sex abuse charges

>>14698011 Malka Leifer case: Dozens more charges approved by Israel’s Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar - Australian legal officials sought the minister’s approval to add another 20 counts of sexual abuse to Leifer’s indictment after the additional incidents came to light

#18 - Part 15

Julian Assange Indictment and Extradition

>>14684581 Australia reveals it raised case of Julian Assange with US, amid ‘kidnap plot’ claim

>>14697983 PDF: Julian Assange supporters write to Scott Morrison over reported CIA plot to kidnap or kill WikiLeaks founder

#18 - Part 16

Cardinal George Pell and Vatican Financial Scandal Allegations

>>14648895 Cardinal Pell says he 'never really approved' of Benedict XVI's decision to resign

>>14657285 Catholics should debate issues, not debase each other, Cardinal George Pell said at “The Church Up Close” seminar

>>14657313 Video: VII Edition - The Church Up Close - September 23 - santacrocevideo

#18 - Part 17

Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry and Ben Roberts-Smith Defamation Trial

>>14404558 SAS soldiers who faced the sack after extraordinary press conference accusing them of war crimes will FINALLY keep their jobs - and at least one is already back in Kabul saving Aussies from the Taliban

>>14461837 Defence Minister Peter Dutton apologises to any special forces troops wrongly accused of war crimes in Afghanistan

>>14490409 ‘Insensitive insult’: Fury over move to disband Aussie SAS unit, 2 Squadron

>>14490463 As Australia’s war crimes investigations drag on, misinformation is catching up - Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters - theage.com.au

>>14555183 SAS survives to fight another day as Defence Minister Peter Dutton blocks move to merge selection courses for Perth-based SASR and Sydney-based 2nd Commando Regiment from next year

>>14698105 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial should be moved out of Sydney, lawyer says - Long delays and postponements mean former SAS soldier may not receive a fair trial, says his barrister

>>14716165 He’s Australia’s Most Decorated Soldier. Did He Also Kill Helpless Afghans? - Ben Roberts-Smith is suing three newspapers that accused him of unlawful killings in Afghanistan. But much more than the reputation of one soldier is at stake

#18 - Part 18

Australia / China Tensions - Part 1

>>14433434 (2020) Gladys Berejiklian’s lover Daryl Maguire urged her to meet with criminals as China security fears emerge

>>14433434 MP George Christensen slams Annastacia Palaszczuk over leasing of Keswick Island to China company

>>14433434 (2020) New information from ‘Chairman Dan’s’ meetings with China

>>14452221 US-led campaign targets Wuhan Institute of Virology with 'vague, misleading, mysterious' rumors - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>14461827 Revealing four-step US misinformation campaign against China on virus origins tracing - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>14477305 Wuhan lab leak plausible, Biden probe into Covid-19 origins finds - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14483713 Chinese countermeasures surely await Australia in case of "forced labor" import ban - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14490430 China launches live-fire drills as Australia joins The Quad allies for Malabar war games

>>14496025 How Hackers Hammered Australia After China Ties Turned Sour

>>14502065 China’s coercion is a bigger threat than another 9/11: Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Arthur Sinodinos

>>14507595 China on agenda in Payne, Dutton talks with US counterparts

>>14523513 Morrison leading Australia into a dead end on China: Former prime minister Paul Keating

>>14523526 Australia needs to heed rational voices and maintain independent foreign policy to fully realize strategic autonomy - Ning Tuanhui - globaltimes.cn

>>14526196 No retreat in face of China threat: Josh Frydenberg

>>14533934 Former Liberal candidate, Di Sanh 'Sunny' Duong will contest foreign interference charges

>>14533972 Australia seeks competition with China - Finding alternative markets is unrealistic: experts - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>14539056 Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's war-cry of decoupling from China economically unwise, strategically erratic - Chen Hong - globaltimes.cn

>>14539063 China won't buckle to so-called 'economic coercion' by Australia: Foreign Ministry - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14539068 Transcript: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on September 7, 2021

>>14539073 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: The root cause of the problems in China-Australia relations lies with the Australian side. Australia has reaped huge benefit from its cooperation with China and China has never undermined Australia's sovereignty. The label of “economic coercion” can never be pinned onto China.

>>14551745 Chinese government lobbies Australian MPs to back its bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal

>>14557146 Scott Morrison set for first one-on-one with Joe Biden to talk China

>>14557263 Peter Dutton accuses China of aggression and is called 'extremely dangerous and irresponsible' by the Chinese Foreign Ministry

>>14557267 Transcript: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 10, 2021

>>14557270 Video: The Australian side is really “bellicose and coercive” - SpokespersonCHN

>>14557275 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: We hope #Australian politicians will stop sensationalizing the so-called China threat theory and seeing China as the “imagined enemy”, or else the stone they are lifting will end up falling on their feet.

>>14563563 China slams Australia's 'China threat' rhetoric - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14563605 Chinese academic Chen Hong accuses Australian government of not being transparent over visa cancellation

>>14576935 Exclusive: Chinese academic Chen Hong slams visa cancellation by Australia - Xu Keyue and Wang Panpan - globaltimes.cn

>>14579786 Revealed: US failed to act on Covid-19 intelligence, says Chinese defector Wei Jingsheng - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

#18 - Part 19

Australia / China Tensions - Part 2

>>14584669 Quad summit will see limited concrete outcomes as US, Japan, India, Australia are 'four ward mates with different illnesses': experts - Yang Sheng and Fan Anqi - globaltimes.cn

>>14584711 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Regional cooperation framework should not target a third party and damage its interests, Chinese FM spokesperson Zhao Lijian said after the #US announced to host a #Quad leaders' summit with Australia, India and Japan next week.

>>14592862 Beijing views Australia’s US pact as a military threat: analysts

>>14593058 AUKUS another hostile signal to China, worsens Asia-Pacific security - Nuke sub deal could make Australia 'potential target in nuclear war' - Yang Sheng - globaltimes.cn

>>14593064 AUKUS to bring ‘nuclear-powered submarine fever’ across globe: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14595363 Australia’s nuclear sub deal ‘gravely undermines regional peace’ says China

>>14595380 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 16, 2021

>>14600380 China responds angrily to Australia-US joint statement a day after AUKUS submarine deal was announced

>>14600381 Chinese Embassy Spokesperson's Remarks on AUSMIN Joint Statement - 2021/09/17 - "We firmly oppose and reject the unfounded accusations and erroneous remarks against China on issues related to the South China Sea, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other China-related issues"

>>14600665 Video: Defence Minister Peter Dutton delivers a blunt warning over the prospect of conflict with China

>>14604149 GT Voice: Naïve Australia foots the bill for US gambit - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14604213 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: China strongly deplores and rejects the fact that the #US and #Australia colluded with each other to smear #China, meddle in its internal affairs and sow discord among regional countries, said Chinese FM spokesperson Zhao Lijian on the AUSMIN joint statement.

>>14604368 China trade pitch follows Australia’s AUKUS nuclear submarines deal - China formally applies to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

>>14605060 OPINION: Morrison’s China ‘strategy’ makes us less, not more, secure - Kevin Rudd, Former Australian prime minister - smh.com.au

>>14606257 Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo backs probe into what US knew of Wuhan Covid-19 lab leak - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14612337 Australia submarine pact targets China’s undersea weakness

>>14621067 North Korea says Australia’s submarine deal could trigger ‘nuclear arms race’

>>14621087 AUKUS gives Canberra special treatment, a psychological blow for Japan, India as Quad members - Yang Xiyu - globaltimes.cn

>>14635234 AUKUS deal to continue causing repercussions in transatlantic ties: EU to avoid being too close to US on core interests of China, Russia: expert - Yang Sheng - globaltimes.cn

>>14642036, >>14642039 Video: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 22, 2021

>>14647744 Beijing barks as Australia, Japan, Canada support Taiwan CPTPP bid

>>14647766 Lijian Zhao Tweet: #Australian troops brutally killed prisoners of war & civilians by shooting or throat-slitting in #Afghanistan. Truth has come to light, but justice is yet to be upheld. Those who committed war crimes remain at large. Afghan lives matter. Australia owes the world an explanation.

>>14647775 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 23, 2021

>>14649168 Quad ‘incapable of inflicting substantial harm to China’: Members to become US ‘cannon fodder’ to contain Beijing - Zhang Hui and Yan Yuzhu - globaltimes.cn

>>14649184 Quad mechanism turning into 'sinister gang of Indo-Pacific': Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14649193 Malaysia to seek China’s views on AUKUS as ASEAN countries fear nuclear proliferation, arms race - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>14657185 Quad leaders press for free Indo-Pacific, with wary eye on China

>>14657204 Video: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 24, 2021

>>14664241 1st Quad summit tacitly targets China but US 'can't coordinate members' differences, doomed to fail' - Liu Xin - globaltimes.cn

>>14677821 SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: What Really Happened in Wuhan (Full documentary) - Sky News Australia

#18 - Part 20

Australia / China Tensions - Part 3

>>14680443 Five Eyes nations set intelligence trap on Wuhan - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14684779 China's foreign minister says AUKUS deal is a danger to regional stability

>>14684783 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on September 28, 2021

>>14698159 WA Premier Mark McGowan accuses eastern states of failing to appreciate China at WA event

>>14716235 Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warns his country is preparing for war with China, asks Australia for help

>>14731101 Tony Abbott in Taiwan to build support among ‘like-minded countries’

>>14731122 Taiwan’s Tsai turns to masters for help out of fear of catastrophic consequences: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14737680 Former prime minister Tony Abbott arrives in Taiwan as the island democracy works with partners to defend itself from a campaign of military intimidation by China

>>14737694 China turns to stranded Australian coal to combat power crunch - releasing Australian coal from bonded storage despite a nearly year-long unofficial import ban on the fuel

>>14737878 Canberra’s provocative actions over Taiwan may render irreparable damage to China-Australia relations - Chen Hong - globaltimes.cn

>>14738120 Tony Abbott, in Taipei, says it’s time to end Taiwan’s isolation

>>14744516 Video: ‘The only drums we beat are for freedom’: Tony Abbott delivers sweeping critique of China in Taiwan address

>>14744543 Why solidarity with Taiwan is so important for a better world - Tony Abbott - theaustralian.com.au

>>14744564 U.S. troops have been deployed in Taiwan for at least a year

>>14744723 Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu Tweet: Good mate @HonTonyAbbott knows I have a kangaroo in my heart. JW

>>14748834 US’ revelation of troops in Taiwan will only hasten cross-Straits war: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>14750441 Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Commonwealth of Australia - Chinese Embassy Spokesperson's Remarks, 2021/10/09 - "Tony Abbott is a failed and pitiful politician. His recent despicable and insane performance in Taiwan fully exposed his hideous anti-China features. This will only further discredit him."

>>14757835 Huawei waves goodbye: Why the Chinese tech giant is pulling out of Australia

>>14763754 Abbott an 'Australian Pompeo' used by Taiwan secessionists - Lin Lan - globaltimes.cn

>>14766086 Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman lashes out at former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott over Taiwan

>>14766100 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on October 11, 2021

>>14770219 Taiwan asks Australia to support its bid to join the CPTPP pan-Pacific trade pact

>>14770507 My message to Taiwan: get ready to fight - Tony Abbott - theaustralian.com.au

>>14770522 Abbott’s real message to Taiwan: fight for yourself and do not expect substantial protection from the US and its allies - Hu Xijin - globaltimes.cn

#18 - Part 21

Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1

>>14395525 AstraZeneca to change vaccine brand name to Vaxzevria in Australia, in line with name already in use in Europe and the UK

>>14404403 Sydney imposes nightly curfew as Australia battles Delta outbreak

>>14404481 Health Minister Greg Hunt’s family involvement in graphene and vaccines

>>14411862 Sydney police crack down on planned anti-lockdown protest, August 21, 2021

>>14412079 COVID-19 is accelerating the rise of conspiracy and sovereign citizen movements in Australia

>>14413607 Video: Police overwhelm modest Sydney anti-lockdown protest

>>14413620 Video: Anti-lockdown protesters clash with police in Melbourne

>>14422510 Australia's PM Morrison defends lockdown strategy until majority vaccinated

>>14433814 US gives Australia a cold shoulder on vaccines - Health Department confirms Australia has neither bought or received any shots from the US

>>14433953 Australia PM says pandemic focus must shift to reopening

>>14437099 Video: Scott Morrison persists with national reopening plan - 9 News Australia

>>14437099 Video: Scott Morrison challenges state leaders over ending COVID-19 lockdowns - SBS News

>>14437099 Video: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says COVID lockdowns can't last forever | 7NEWS

>>14443157 Scott Morrison’s blast for slow states as vaccine rates lag

>>14452019 Australia pandemic panel, the Doherty Institute backs reopening targets despite Sydney outbreak

>>14461699 Sydney hospitals erect emergency tents as COVID-19 cases hit record

>>14461797 Race on for new Wuhan inquiry - Scientists tasked by World Health Organisation to probe origins of Covid-19 pandemic call for urgent start to inquiry’s second phase, lest crucial evidence be lost

>>14477262 Rebel WA splits from national cabinet four-stage reopening plan amid health system fears - Premier Mark McGowan declares he will not “deliberately infect our citizens”

>>14477305 Wuhan lab leak plausible, Biden probe into Covid-19 origins finds - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14483209 Australia logs record 1,126 COVID-19 cases, driven by New South Wales - epicentre of the Delta-fuelled outbreak

>>14483313 Video: Police on hunt for suspects after COVID-19 testing clinic set on fire in Sydney's west

>>14486968 Video: Special investigation into the origins of COVID-19 to premiere on Sky News Australia - Sky News Australia

>>14490294 A weary Australia plans reopening as COVID-19 death toll hits 1,000

>>14490309 US Republicans push for Wuhan report evidence - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14490378 ‘What Really Happened in Wuhan’: Donald Trump among the insiders interviewed in new COVID-19 investigation

>>14495885 Half a million Pfizer doses from Singapore secured to help Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout

>>14496037 To land of the free, we’re a weirdly authoritarian mob - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>14501959 Coronavirus: Shadow puppet-mistress pulling protest strings - Karen Brewer – 'a delusional conspiracy theorist hiding out on a farm in New Zealand' - Stephen Rice - theaustralian.com.au

>>14501972 Australia aims to 'live with virus' instead of eliminating it

>>14513048 Australian PM flags quicker reopening after COVID-19 vaccine swap with Britain

#18 - Part 22

Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 2

>>14513060 Morrison to travel to US for Quad talks after ‘warm conversation’ with Biden

>>14516333 Covid-19: US suspicious of Wuhan lab for years - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14516341 What really happened in Wuhan: how China covered up the crisis - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14523559 Interstate travel back for Christmas, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says

>>14526132 Fauci led push for research at Wuhan Institute of Virology - Sharri Markson and Liam Mendes - theaustralian.com.au

>>14529102 Sydney COVID-19 cases seen topping 2,000 a day as Australia ramps up vaccinations

>>14534232 Covid-19: Anti-vax doctor, Anaesthetist Paul Oosterhuis loses fight to practice medicine

>>14538978 Details of vaccine passport trial revealed amid plan to get Sydneysiders back into pubs

>>14551723 Australia's daily COVID-19 cases near 2,000 as Delta gains ground

>>14563275 Australia buys additional 1 million doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine

>>14569107 Australia's NSW state says coronavirus vaccination pace slows

>>14569170 Terror threats on rise following Afghanistan, coronavirus shutdowns: Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews

>>14592921 Australia COVID-19 cases rise but vaccination surge gives hope

>>14612578 Moderna confirms plans to bring Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing to Australia

>>14614122 Three vaccine jabs will soon become the norm, says Dr Fauci

>>14616878 Donald Trump blames Anthony Fauci for staying silent over Wuhan laboratory funding - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14621022 Sydney COVID-19 cases fall as curbs ease in virus hotspots

>>14621196 Video: Construction workers protest outside Melbourne CFMEU office - 9 News Australia

>>14621199 Construction industry to be shut down for two weeks after clashes at CFMEU head office

>>14621237 How I scored Covid scoop with Donald Trump - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14627653 ‘Dead bodies at Wuhan lab’: Donald Trump’s explosive revelation - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au

>>14641885 Overseas Christmas trips to spread joy - Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan believes the international border will be open by Christmas at the latest, urges Australians to get vaccinated to trigger the threshold necessary to resume flights overseas

>>14648886 Australia hits vaccine milestone as Melbourne cases hover near record levels

>>14664090 Video: Anthony Fauci to face the critics as documentary hits screens - National Geographic

>>14670385 Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown to end sooner for the vaccinated

>>14677513 Summer to herald the end of coronavirus lockdown calamity

>>14684555 Australia's federal govt to cut COVID-19 income support

>>14684632 Video: Australia's COVID response is 'off the rails': Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - Sky News Australia

>>14691549 Daniel Andrews insists Melbourne’s lockdown is working despite a ‘significant’ jump in new Covid-19 cases

>>14697941 Australia to ease international border restrictions from November

#18 - Part 23

Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 3

>>14704494 Australia reports 2,355 new COVID-19 cases as vaccination push continues

>>14709981 Australia's Delta outbreak spreads to Tasmania and South Australia

>>14712070 Melbourne passes Buenos Aires' world record for time spent in COVID-19 lockdown - 245 days - longest cumulative lockdown for any city in the world

>>14724299 Video: ‘Save Australia’ protest erupts in New York - Aussie flags were flying in New York City overnight where demonstrators chanted “Save Australia” in an anti vaccine mandate march.

>>14730945 Australia reports easing in new COVID-19 infections as vaccinations rise

>>14737842 Sydney to exit COVID-19 lockdown next week after vaccination rate hits 70%

>>14757625 Australia braces for more COVID-19 infections as country moves towards re-opening

>>14757971 Crowds of 10,000 at Melbourne Cup carnival, live music to return as ‘vaccinated economy’ trial kicks off

>>14758151 Video: Scott Morrison thanks Australians for ‘phenomenal’ jab uptake, as NSW opens new chapter

>>14760127 Freedom: no turning back to stay-at-home orders, Josh Frydenberg vows

>>14763614 'Freedom Day': Sydney reopens as Australia looks to live with COVID-19

>>14776846 COVID-19 curbs in Sydney could ease early amid surge in vaccinations

>>14782462 Victorian Covid-19 lockdown on track to end next week

#18 - Part 24

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

>>14386072 Prince Andrew is 'person of interest' in Epstein investigation - US prosecutors probing Ghislaine Maxwell's activities want to quiz Duke over friendship with paedophile billionaire

>>14404614 PDF: Prosecutors Ask Judge to Withhold the Names of Ghislaine Maxwell’s ‘Uncharged Co-Conspirators’ from Her

>>14472074 PDF: Ghislaine Maxwell used a cart of legal documents to barricade herself inside a video conference room in prison, prosecutors have alleged

>>14478140 PDF: ‘Firm trial date’ set for Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex crimes case - November 29, 2021

>>14496009 Prince Andrew’s Gilded Cage Closes in as Department of Justice Reiterates Desire to Speak to Disgraced Royal

>>14517184 PDF: Feds ordered to reveal names of Ghislaine Maxwell’s alleged co-conspirators

>>14545016 Prince Andrew has avoided NY sex accuser’s attempts to serve him legal papers

>>14554611 PDF: Prince Served: Lawsuit Accusing Andrew of Sexually Abusing Jeffrey Epstein Victim Reaches Embattled Royal

>>14557583 Video: Prince Andrew served lawsuit for alleged assault - 9 News Australia

>>14563656 SERVE RETURNED - Prince Andrew’s lawyers ‘claim Virginia Roberts sex assault papers NOT properly served and he’ll get case thrown out’

>>14563683 David Boies: The pit bull lawyer ruthlessly pursuing Prince Andrew

>>14569195 Prince Andrew’s lawyers snub hearing into sex assault claim filed against him in New York

>>14569204 Video: Brave Australian supermodel Bridget Malcolm exposes the dark side of Victoria's Secret - "behind the scenes, 'devils' were at work" - 60 Minutes Australia

>>14576927 Prince Andrew hires Armie Hammer’s lawyer to contest ‘baseless, non-viable’ US lawsuit

>>14584624 British judge 'could force Prince Andrew to testify in UK over US sex assault lawsuit'

>>14593039 Prince Andrew Suffers Setback in Bid to Avoid Epstein Accuser’s Lawsuit - British High Court will serve papers on the Prince if necessary

>>14604686 PDF: Sex-assault accuser blasts Prince Andrew, demands he stop hiding ‘behind palace walls’

>>14614226 Ball in Andrew’s court after copping a serve in sex case

>>14627887 PDF: Prince Andrew is served sexual assault lawsuit in United States

>>14641981 Defiant Prince Andrew to Stop Hiding and Fight Virginia Giuffre’s Claims

>>14657668 PDF: Britain's Prince Andrew accepts U.S. service of Virginia Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit

>>14670712 Hide, fight, settle? The choices for an embattled prince - Prince Andrew must pick a strategy in his battle with Virginia Giuffre, who claims he sexually abused her when she was 17. What are his options?

>>14677565 EXCLUSIVE: Shukri Walker - Witness who 'saw Prince Andrew dancing with sex slave victim' will testify in court

>>14684689 PDF: Prince Andrew has October deadline to respond to Epstein accuser suit

>>14698140 PDF: Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate Agrees to Disclose Confidential Deal Requested by Prince Andrew, Court Docs Say

>>14737982 PDF: Prince Andrew can review 2009 Jeffrey Epstein settlement

>>14748965 The man Prince Andrew fears - He’s an 80-year-old US lawyer with the Queen’s favourite son in his sights. Who is David Boies and why is he so feared?

>>14763733 Video: Prince Andrew: London’s Met Police drop investigation into allegations of sex abuse

>>14782647 PDF: Ghislaine Maxwell wins fight to keep jury questionnaire under seal to avoid tainting jury pool ahead of her November 29 trial for sex-trafficking underage girls for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein

>>14782660 PDF: Ghislaine Maxwell Wants Closed Jury Selection in Sex-Trafficking Trial

#18 - Part 25

Child Exploitation, Pedophilia, Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking Investigations - Part 1

>>14386067 Father Anthony Caruana’s abuse of NSW school children destroyed lives and tore families apart, court told

>>14412752 Crackdown on slavery after ‘evil and pernicious crime’ soars - Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews says the government has intensified efforts to detect and prosecute those who keep people trapped in slave-like conditions

>>14412760 Eight years a slave: Melbourne couple Kumuthini and Kandasamy Kannan’s shocking secret - A woman is kept as a slave for eight years by a couple in a suburban Melbourne home. How could this happen?

>>14443431 Millionaire Businessman Ron Brierley ‘scrubbed out’ after being caught with child abuse images

>>14482024 Pope Francis replaces Australian Bishop Christopher Alan Saunders in alleged misconduct probe

>>14482027 Pope Francis accepts resignation of Australian Bishop investigated for sexual abuse, Christopher Alan Saunders

>>14482035 HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE - Resignations and Appointments, 28.08.2021 - Resignation of bishop of Broome, Australia, and appointment of apostolic administrator sede vacante

>>14482035 Statement: Diocese of Broome - RESIGNATION OF BISHOP SAUNDERS - 28th August 2021

>>14482045 Q Post #2894 - Many more to come? Dark to LIGHT. Q

>>14495997 Questions cloud resignation of Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders

>>14496003 Phillip James Scott - 'Pathetic' child abuser jailed in Tasmania

>>14507674 Suncorp Stadium partners with AFP to help solve child sex abuse crimes - Big screens at Suncorp Stadium to be used to promote an Australian first cold-case campaign

>>14507679 Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation - Stop child abuse - Trace An Object - We need your help in the fight against online child sexual exploitation - The smallest clue can often help solve a case - Can you help us recognise these objects?

>>14513194 RAAF Sergeant Jacob Donald Walsh abandons bid for bail, on child abuse charges, thanks to Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team

>>14513211 Brisbane man charged after allegedly uploading child sex abuse images to Instagram

>>14523376 How Australian police tracked Alladin Lanim, one of world’s most wanted paedophiles, to Borneo

>>14529254 Police call on community to help as online child abuse grows, “becoming more violent and more sadistic” as predators take advantage of young people’s online habits

>>14529254 Closing The Net - A podcast series that explores the world of the Australian Centre To Counter Child Exploitation - men and women policing the ‘borderless crime’ of online child sexual exploitation, their commitment to preventing abuse, and their dedication to seeking justice for the victims

>>14530937 Video: Closing The Net, Season 2 - Official Podcast Trailer - Australian Centre To Counter Child Exploitation

>>14533979 Covid-19 lockdown ‘hiding sexual predators’, says Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw

#18 - Part 26

Child Exploitation, Pedophilia, Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking Investigations - Part 2

>>14538984 Notorious HIV-positive pedophile Jadd Brooker charged with 142 more child sex crimes

>>14541832 Victorian bill allowing families to publicly identify dead sexual assault survivors passes Upper House

>>14551809 Sydney man charged over alleged importation of childlike sex dolls - Authorities note a 653 per cent increase in the number of these products seized in the past two years

>>14551836 Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation Tweet: Join the fight to #StopChildAbuse. Do you recognise this rug? We specifically want to trace its location. Review all of the objects and submit a clue at accce.gov.au/trace

>>14557219 AFP warn parents about children falling victim to ‘capping’ - perverts force children as young as eight to perform live-streamed sexual acts

>>14584537 NSW pedophile priest Anthony Caruana believed own 'lies'

>>14584551 Tasmanian government sued over alleged abuse at Launceston General Hospital's paediatric centre - Two women claim they were sexually abused by pedophile nurse, James Geoffrey Griffin

>>14600499 SA pedophile Geoffrey William Moyle unmasked as infamous online child abuse criminal ‘Waka’ and finally jailed - Global law enforcement bodies have hunted this man for two decades

>>14600527 Author of Misery: How SA’s elite detectives led a global effort to bring down Geoffrey William Moyle, aka ‘Waka’

>>14607022 The Children in the Pictures, a harrowing must-see - Stephen Romei, Film Critic - theaustralian.com.au

>>14607022 ''"This is the most disturbing film I have seen, in any genre. We do see, recreated from evidence, what people ask for when they log on to paedophilia forums. “Make her scream.” The girl being abused was three. It is incomprehensible but it is happening."''

>>14607041 Video: THE CHILDREN IN THE PICTURES - Official Trailer - The Children in the Pictures takes us inside Task Force Argos – a world-renowned police investigative team dedicated to protecting children from online sexual abuse. From infiltrating global criminal networks to rescuing endangered children all over the world, the Argos team shine a light on the dark reality of online child sexual abuse and the fight we all face in stopping it.

>>14607028 Q Post #1735 - There is nothing more precious than our children. Evil has no boundaries…The choice to know will ultimately be yours…These people are SICK! To those who are courageous enough to speak out - we stand with you! You are not alone in this fight. God bless. Q

>>14614258 Survivors of child sexual abuse at Australia's only monastic town — New Norcia, WA — call for their damages claims to be fast-tracked fearing they will die waiting for an outcome

>>14614333 Senior Rugby Australia executive facing child abuse charges

>>14614341 Video: Operation Arkstone: Sydney man arrested for soliciting child abuse material

>>14621125 Male nurse ‘sedated, raped’ girl: further allegations against James Geoffrey Griffin at Launceston General Hospital

>>14621222 Jareth Thomas Harries-Markham: Babysitter charged with 194 child sex offences after advertising services online

>>14657618 Bid by Catholic church to stop child sexual abuse case rejected by NSW supreme court - Church tried to stop a woman from suing, despite its own records showing it knew Father Clarence Anderson was a paedophile

>>14670749 Jon Seccull - Former White Ribbon ambassador guilty of multiple rapes unmasked

#18 - Part 27

Child Exploitation, Pedophilia, Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking Investigations - Part 3

>>14691637 Inside Argos, the police task force that has rescued thousands of children from their abusers

>>14698073 Paedophile who abused girlfriend's daughter jailed after responding to undercover officer's incest advert

>>14702449 Hillsong founder Brian Houston returns to Australia to face concealing sex abuse charge

>>14716293 Geelong College to pay $2.7 million over historical child sex abuse committed by woodworking department volunteer Bert Palframan

>>14724615 Hillsong founder Brian Houston to plead not guilty to concealing sexual abuse charge - Police allege megachurch founder was aware of information relating to the abuse of a young man in the 1970s by his late father

>>14738097 Video: Phillip Cooper - Victorian man who preyed on Filipino kids jailed

>>14750163 Andrew Rule: Depraved ogres lurking beneath the internet’s sparkly surface - Commercial child abuse is metastasising like cancer via the internet and involves evil beyond belief. But this crack team of specialist investigators are saving thousands of children - Task Force Argos

>>14776995 Month-old babies among Philippines' modern slavery victims as lockdown fuels exploitation pandemic - Lucy Watson - itv.com

>>14782479 Disgraced New Zealand businessman Ron Brierley sentenced to 14 months' jail for possession of child pornography

#18 - Part 28

Qanon / Conspiracy Theory Hit Pieces, Australia and Worldwide

>>14412079 COVID-19 is accelerating the rise of conspiracy and sovereign citizen movements in Australia - Eric Tlozek - abc.net.au

>>14422559 Cop who killed US Capitol rioter cleared - Brian Niemietz - thewest.com.au

>>14433988 Why QAnon followers are like opioid addicts, and why that matters - Sophia Moskalenko and Mia Bloom - nbcnews.com

>>14442992 Video: How Murdoch’s Fox News allowed Trump's propaganda to destabilise democracy - Four Corners / ABC News In-depth

>>14443440 Australian data reveals thousands of Covid QAnon conspiracies spreading online - Perry Duffin - dailytelegraph.com.au

>>14490556 Downward dog to anti-vax: Trendy yoga is starting to stretch the truth - Rosie Kinchen - theaustralian.com.au

>>14490562 Video: "It's been a slow death": Loved ones describe cutting ties with parents, siblings over QAnon conspiracy theories - cbsnews.com / 60 Minutes+

>>14492518 Video: Fox and the Big Lie: Trump returns to campaign trail amid 'stolen election' lawsuits - Four Corners / ABC News In-depth

>>14495902 Conspiracy theorist Karen Brewer among 19 arrested in failed bid to overthrow Government - Scott Palmer - newshub.co.nz

>>14501959 Coronavirus: Shadow puppet-mistress pulling protest strings - Karen Brewer – ' a delusional conspiracy theorist hiding out on a farm in New Zealand' - Stephen Rice - theaustralian.com.au

>>14517112 Jacob Chansley, 'QAnon Shaman' Capitol rioter pleads guilty - Mark Hosenball - thewest.com.au

>>14523729 Cullen Hoback Tweet: Anyone who still doubts Ron Watkins controlled Q hasn’t been following his Telegram. His range of topics, approach and knowledge base just reinforce that conclusion.

>>14523734 Shayan Sardarizadeh Tweet: Still cannot believe he let Q die. He had an army of millions around the world ready to do whatever he asked of them. The amount of power and influence he had amassed as Q he will never be able to achieve as just Ron Watkins, unless he's got other ideas still…

>>14526161 Fox News wants external inquiry into ABC’s Four Corners’ two-part series Fox and the Big Lie - Sophie Elsworth - theaustralian.com.au

>>14551767 ‘New World Order’: Conspiracy theorists unite as Australian health chief uses term at press conference - Dr Kerry Chant appeared to use the phrase innocently, referring to the post-Covid world we live in - Sam Hancock - independent.co.uk

>>14614385 The moment QAnon took the person I love most - Ashitha Nagesh - bbc.com

>>14648896 Video: The roots of QAnon run deeper than you think, tapping into centuries-old conspiracy theories with echoes of anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic bigotry.

>>14763660 Donald Trump will never be president again, says renowned pollster Frank Luntz - Latika Bourke - theage.com.au

PREVIOUSLY COLLECTED NOTABLES

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THREAD ARCHIVES

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CURRENT DOUGH

https://controlc.com/af3978f7

Australia's Sydney to welcome overseas arrivals without quarantine

Renju Jose and Colin Packham - October 15, 2021

SYDNEY, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The Australian city of Sydney will allow the entry of fully vaccinated travellers from overseas from Nov. 1 without the need for quarantine, authorities said on Friday, although the easing of strict entry controls will initially benefit only citizens.

The decision comes as New South Wales state, of which Sydney is capital, is expected to reach an 80% first-vaccination dose rate on Saturday, well ahead of the rest of Australia, which will enable it to bring forward the entry of overseas arrivals by several weeks.

"We need to rejoin the world. We can't live here in a hermit kingdom. We've got to open up," New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said.

Australia closed its borders in March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing entry almost exclusively only to citizens and permanent residents, who have to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine at their expense.

As well as ditching plans for home quarantine, which had been expected to replace hotel stays, Perrottet said New South Wales would welcome all overseas arrivals.

But he was quickly overruled by Prime Minister Scott Morrison who said the government would stick with plans to first open the border to citizens and permanent residents.

"This is about Australian residents and citizens first," Morrison told reporters in Sydney.

"The (federal) government has made no decision to allow other visa holders … to come into Australia under these arrangements," he said.

New South Wales will allow 210 unvaccinated people to enter the state each week, Perrottet said, but they would have to enter hotel quarantine upon arrival.

ECONOMIC REVIVAL

Australians have been unable to travel internationally for more than 18 months without a government waiver, and thousands of citizens and permanent residents in other countries have been unable to return after Canberra imposed a strict cap on arrivals to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Many of these are now expected to return via Sydney, even though some COVID-19 free states in Australia have closed their borders to New South Wales.

Qantas Airways said it would bring forward the restart of international flights from Sydney to London and Los Angeles by two weeks to Nov. 1 and would consider bringing forward the resumption of flights from some other places that had been expected in December.

Major airlines like Singapore Airlines, Emirates and United Airlines have continued to fly to Sydney throughout the pandemic but due to strict passenger caps, most of their revenue has been from cargo. The announcement should allow them to begin selling more seats on those flights and possibly adding more services.

New South Wales, meanwhile, reported 399 COVID-19 cases on Friday, well down from the state's pandemic high of 1,599 in early September.

Neighbouring Victoria state, where vaccination rates are lower, reported 2,179 new locally acquired cases, down from a record 2,297 a day earlier.

The capital Canberra on Friday exited a more than two-month lockdown, allowing cafes, pubs and gyms to reopen with strict social distancing rules.

Australia's overall coronavirus numbers are relatively low, with some 139,000 cases and 1,506 deaths.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/covid-19-infections-linger-near-record-levels-australias-victoria-2021-10-14/

AUKUS needed to counter Xi Jinping’s aggression: Condoleezza Rice

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - OCTOBER 15, 2021

1/2

Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has warned that Chinese Premier Xi Jinping has “outsized ambitions’’ but will have been unnerved by the strengthening of Australia’s ties in the region, with the Quad alliance and the AUKUS submarine deal.

In a forthright discussion on Friday morning at a London conservative think tank with the Policy Exchange chairman and Australia’s longest serving foreign minister Alexander Downer, Ms Rice said AUKUS was a natural coming together of Australia, the US and UK to counter China’s aggression.

She added that while Mr Xi wanted to be one China’s great leaders “right there after Mao,” authoritarian leaders were prone to “big mistakes” because there was no one alongside them to counter bad decisions.

“Sometimes authoritarians make really bad policy,” she said. “And when there‘s only one person in Xi Jinping, who really matters, they have a single point of failure, and they make big mistakes”.

Ms Rice, who served under then US President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2009, pointed out the way China dealt with Australia in recent times would prove to be a bad mistake. “It had to cause a backlash and I don’t really know what they thought they were doing,” she said.

She pointed to Beijing’s aggression on the border with India as another misstep. “Who decides to stir up trouble on the Sino-Indian border that‘s been quiet for 40 years?” she said. “But the Chinese decided to do that. And you can go on and on and on.”

Ms Rice warned China might “double down’’ on its strategy of aggressive nationalism, but said the west was getting into a better position to resist.

She said China had been “unnerved” by the alliances in the region: the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the United States as well as the strengthening of the Australia, UK and US co-operation.

“I welcome the AUKUS because, first of all it‘s it’s a terrific grouping of three. Now I love the idea of the Quad, I think that the Chinese don’t particularly: they were actually unnerved by the notion of Australia, India, Japan and the United States. I think they will be equally unnerved by Australia, Great Britain and the United States, because you bring real weight, militarily, technologically in terms of intelligence and the UK is really quite a powerhouse in those areas, whether it’s military, technology or intelligence.

“And so, those assets are now brought into the Indo-Pacific, with an alliance and it‘s also of course, an alliance of values, not just of interest. I think it has the potential to really shape the Indo-Pacific, along with Japan and Korea and India in ways that make it difficult for China to reach some of its ambitions. I’m hoping that it really doesn’t just find footing, but that it reaches its full potential, which I think is significant.”

(continued)

>>14789393

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Mr Downer said AUKUS showed that Great Britain decided it was going to play a more global role.

“But there‘s another way of looking at this and that is that Chinese foreign policy has been so unsuccessful, that it has led these traditional allies to rally together in ways that we haven’t seen for quite some time,’’ he said.

Ms Rice said about Mr Xi: “I think that this is a leader who has outsizes ambitions, personally, to the point that he has also torn up the script about collective leadership, torn up the script about term limits, which used to be two terms and an age limit. Somebody who, at home, now has all children thinking the thoughts of Xi Jinping and who seems to want to see himself in the Pantheon as one of the great Chinese leaders right there after (Chairman) Mao. And if that is the case, then we‘re also dealing with not just national ambitions but leadership ambitions that I think could be actually quite, quite complicated.’’

Both Ms Rice and Mr Downer agreed that China would take a nuanced approach to Taiwan, by destabilising the country through cyber warfare and social media discord.

Ms Rice said there was currently enough ambiguity in the minds of the Chinese about the US response that she wouldn’t expect an amphibious landing against Taiwan.

She said: “For one thing we have trained over the last 20 years or so, the Taiwanese Armed Forces, who can‘t defeat the Chinese but they can exact a price. And so to the degree that we keep arming them and keep training them, I think we’re contributing to the deterrent factor.’’

But she predicted China would mirror Putin’s strategy in Eastern Ukraine by using paramilitary forces and acts of sabotage like cutting underwater cables and destabilising the Taiwanese government by strengthening pro-Beijing forces within the country.

“There was a fistfight in the Taiwanese parliament a few weeks ago and wondered to myself did that really happen between the people of Taiwan or was that something that was provoked from the outside?’’ she said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/aukus-needed-to-counter-xi-jinpings-aggression-condoleezza-rice/news-story/5f48578bb20f13fbd387f0778e8395ba

Australia PM Morrison says he will attend U.N. climate summit

Renju Jose and Colin Packham - October 15, 2021

SYDNEY, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday he would attend the U.N. COP26 climate summit in Glasgow as his conservative government faces global pressure to take further action to cut carbon emissions.

Morrison had said he was unsure whether he would travel to the summit on Oct. 31-Nov. 12 because of the situation with COVID-19, but those concerns are easing as Sydney ends its quarantine requirements on Nov. 1.

World leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden are scheduled to attend the meeting in Scotland.

"I confirmed my attendance at the Glasgow summit which I'm looking forward to attending," Morrison told a media conference in Sydney.

"The government will be finalising its position to take to the summit. We're working through those issues."

While many countries have pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Australia - one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases on a per capita basis - has declined to firm up its targets.

Morrison has said Australia wanted to achieve net zero "as soon as possible and preferably by 2050" and it expects to beat its pledge to cut carbon emissions by 26% to 28% from 2005 levels by 2030.

Morrison is engaged in negotiations with the junior partner in his coalition government, the rural-based National party, about strengthening climate targets.

The National party, which is concerned about the impact of carbon targets on farming and coal mining, will meet on Sunday to discuss Morrison's plan.

Morrison must face a general election by May 2022 and he needs to appease moderates in his Liberal Party pressing for climate action, while at the same time retaining support of the National party.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-pm-morrison-says-he-will-attend-un-climate-summit-2021-10-15/

Row at Oxford over lecture invite to Cardinal Pell

Madoc Cairns - 14 OCTOBER 2021

The University of Oxford’s Catholic student society has invited Cardinal George Pell to give its prestigious annual lecture, attracting both praise and criticism from within Oxford’s Catholic community.

Cardinal Pell, formerly Archbishop of Sydney and Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy from 2014 to 2019, will be giving the Newman Society’s annual Thomas More lecture, which is this year entitled “The Suffering Church in a Post-Christian Society”.

Pell, born in 1941 in the Australian city of Ballarat, is popular amongst many conservative-minded Catholics for his uncompromising defence of traditional Church teachings.

Some, however, regard him as having polarised opinion within the church and more widely, especially during the years of the clerical sex abuse crisis that has rocked the Church in Australia. Defenders of Pell paint him as a pioneer of safeguarding practices.

In 2017, the cardinal was charged with sexual assault offences against children in his native Victoria.

Although one set of charges was dropped in 2018, Pell was convicted on on five counts of child sexual abuse and, in 2019, sentenced to six years in prison.

In August 2019 Victoria’s Court of Appeal struck down a legal challenge by Pell but a final appeal, to the High Court of Australia in April 2020, was successful. Pell’s convictions were quashed by a panel of judges who concluded the prosecution had failed to establish the truth of their charges beyond “reasonable doubt”.

Pell’s conviction and later acquittal made global headlines, and prompted fierce invective from the Cardinal’s detractors and defenders.

A longtime theological opponent of Pell, Jesuit priest Frank Brennan, declared the prosecution a politically motivated “show trial”. In contrast, the Australian Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests stated after Pell’s acquittal: “We believe that this ruling will make others lose their faith in the criminal justice system.”

Pell’s Oxford lecture will take place November 13, in the university’s Examination Schools. After the lecture, a five-course formal dinner will be held in honour of the cardinal at the Catholic chaplaincy.

The cardinal, who graduated with a DPhil from Oxford in 1971, has been a patron of the Newman Society since 2009, when he inaugurated the current iteration of the Thomas More lecture at the Divinity School of the Bodleian Library.

His return to Oxford has sparked criticism from some local Catholics, however, with one graduate of the university appealing to other Catholics to protest.

Dr Katharine Perry, who received a DPhil in theology this year, was a resident of the Catholic chaplaincy between 2017 and 2019.

Speaking to The Tablet, she described the Newman Society’s decision as “shockingly insensitive”.

She pointed to the 2017 finding by Australia's royal commission into child sexual abuse: “Cardinal Pell was not only conscious of child sexual abuse by clergy, but he also considered measures of avoiding situations which might provoke gossip about it.” Perry said she was “stunned” by the society’s choice of lecturer.

In a statement, the Newman Society said that it shares “the pain of those protesting”, as well as the goal of ending the “scourge of sexual abuse” within the Church.

This goal, however, derives from a principle, justice, that impels the fair treatment of the innocent ,just as it does the punishment of the guilty, the society added.

Pell has been exonerated of those accusations that were brought to court, the society emphasised. As for any allegations that have not been brought to court, Pell’s reception by Pope Francis in October 2020 indicates that he remains in good standing across the rest of the Church.

The decision to invite Pell to give the lecture was therefore made following the lead set by juridical and ecclesiastical authorities.

https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/14618/row-at-oxford-over-lecture-invite-to-cardinal-pell

Judge refuses to move Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case across state borders

Tammy Mills - October 15, 2021

A Federal Court judge has resisted moving a high-profile defamation case involving war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith from NSW to South Australia.

The running of the trial, involving witnesses from five different states and territories, as well as Afghanistan, has faced significant hurdles caused by border closures and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service soldier, is suing The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald in the Federal Court for defamation over stories published in 2018 that alleged he was involved in unlawful killings during missions in Afghanistan.

The 42-year-old has denied all wrongdoing and told the court earlier this year he had only killed Taliban insurgents in the heat of battle.

The news outlets are defending the claims and relying on a defence of truth. Four Afghan witnesses have given evidence in the trial, including one who said he saw a “big soldier” kick his uncle, Ali Jan, off a cliff before shots were heard.

The defamation trial was adjourned in August because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Sydney.

On Friday, one of Mr Roberts-Smith’s barristers applied for the trial to be moved to South Australia in the hope there would be less of a chance of interruptions there, as well as less restrictive travel requirements for witnesses.

But Justice Anthony Besanko was not persuaded that he should relocate the case, and he resisted setting a date for the trial to resume.

“It seems to me the circumstances are too uncertain for me to do that,” Justice Besanko said.

Justice Besanko said he wanted the option to resume the trial from January 17, depending on the situation with the pandemic and the parties involved in the case.

The court heard there were 10 barristers and a “battalion of solicitors” involved in the proceedings.

Courts in NSW have indicated they intend to slowly reopen this month. While NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has said NSW borders would reopen from November 1, there is uncertainty over the borders in other states.

The defamation trial was still to hear from nine witnesses in Western Australia, seven in Queensland, more than six in NSW, two from Victoria and another from the ACT, the court heard on Friday.

There was particular concern over whether witnesses from Western Australia, some of whom were special forces soldiers, would be able to return home if they travelled interstate to give evidence because of the hard border closure there.

The newspapers’ lawyer, Nicholas Owens, SC, said it seemed “very unlikely” that Western Australia would treat South Australia any differently than NSW if the trial was moved.

Mr Roberts-Smith’s barrister, Arthur Moses, SC, said WA police had confirmed that witnesses who were active military personnel could still return to their home state from NSW, considered an “extreme risk jurisdiction”, if they were required to be on duty, as long as they self-quarantined for two weeks when they returned.

But Mr Owens said his advice was that defence personnel could rely on that exemption only if they were travelling on defence business.

Mr Moses said witnesses for Mr Roberts-Smith were “prepared to come from WA and will do what is required to come to court to give evidence”.

“These are special forces soldiers, some of them. Self-quarantine is not a hardship, your honour … they can come to court and self-quarantine for 14 days,” Mr Moses said.

A further case management hearing will take place on December 3.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/judge-refuses-to-move-ben-roberts-smith-defamation-case-across-state-borders-20211015-p5908b.html

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Have you ever seen such a collection of Dicks

Covid fortress to reopen for returning families

YONI BASHAN - OCTOBER 15, 2021

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Australians and their families will be free to travel in and out of the country without isolating from November 1 after NSW became the first state to dismantle its quarantine program – allowing passenger caps to be lifted – for individuals fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

But international students will have to wait several more weeks, while a timeline for the return of tourists remains unclear after Scott Morrison rejected a move from new NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to immediately lift all travel restrictions.

Mr Morrison said Australians stranded abroad would be prioritised. Under the national road map, international students and skilled migrants will be next to be allowed into the country.

But government sources expect it could be weeks after the nation passes the 80 per cent vaccination rate in November, with the deciding factor likely to be how many returning Australians are still ­trying to get flights and whether there is an unforeseen spike in Covid cases.

International airlines have ­already begun releasing thousands of seats after the NSW ­announcement, with Qantas fast-tracking the resumption of international services to London and Los Angeles.

Announcing that those flights would begin on November 1, the airline’s chief executive, Alan Joyce, said the NSW government’s decision was “a massive step towards life as we knew it”.

Earlier, Mr Perrottet said hotel quarantine requirements were a tremendous drain on the state’s ­resources, and continuing these arrangements in an environment of widespread vaccination coverage would be inefficient.

“There is no reason why we should take health staff or police staff or other public servants away from their frontline duties for them to monitor people in quarantine who have exactly the same vaccination status as 90 per cent of people in NSW,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We need to rejoin the world. We can‘t live here in our hermit kingdom.”

Under the plan, travellers would have to demonstrate they had tested negative to the coronavirus before boarding an international flight to Sydney.

Throughout the pandemic, states have set limits on the number of people able to use hotel quarantine services, a factor that dictated the number of passengers able to board flights.

The commonwealth, however, has been responsible for regulating movements at the border.

The arrival of unvaccinated travellers, who would still need to quarantine, will remain restricted to 210 each week.

The move to resume international flights came as Victoria flagged lifting restrictions that have barred vaccinated adults in NSW from travelling to the state. The change would take effect from Tuesday, with individuals travelling to Victoria required to test negative before and after arriving.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley also flagged a ­likelihood that international ­travellers arriving in Sydney would later be eligible to enter the state.

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Officials in NSW had hoped the lifting of arrival caps and quarantine rules would allow the ­immediate return of all travellers, not just Australians and their families. “There is no delineation between Australian citizens and other citizens of countries around the world,” state Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said. “The focal point here is a delineation between vaccination status: so vaccinated and unvaccinated.

“We know from November our vaccination rates will be incredibly high across the city and across the state. And we want to be able to say to the world that we treat everybody equally, and if you are fully vaccinated you can engage in this wonderful state.”

This hope, however, was quickly dashed by the Prime Minister, who said it was a decision for the commonwealth who would arrive in the country.

“It is for the commonwealth to decide when the border opens up at an international level and we will do that,” Mr Morrison said.

“In the first instance it will be for Australian residents and their families. We will see how that goes … and then we’ll move to the other priorities, which I’ve already set out as being skilled migration, as well as students to Australia. We are not rushing into this.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan said NSW’s decision to bring forward its reopening to vaccinated international arrivals was likely to extend Western Australia’s hard border with the state.

Mr McGowan said it was ­possible that NSW’s decision to end quarantine for vaccinated international arrivals could increase the spread of the virus in that state.

“I understand why they (NSW) would because you may well be just as safe overseas as you are in Sydney,” he said.

“But it may mean there is greater spread of the virus in NSW. That will obviously mean that we would keep our current border arrangement with NSW, which is currently at extreme risk, in place for as long as necessary. It is unfortunate for myself, my parents and my brother live in NSW and I can’t see them, but it’s necessary to protect our state and keep us in the very good condition we are in.”

As of Friday the national vaccination coverage level was 66.3 per cent.

The borders are likely to be opened to tourists after skilled ­migrants and students, possibly in December, ­although federal officials said a precise timeline was undecided.

The Tourism and Transport Forum estimates that once the industry resumes it will see a gradual return to 60 per cent of pre-Covid spending, which had been about $10bn prior to the pandemic. The forum’s chief executive, Margy Osmond, said that she applauded Mr Perrottet’s announcement, which would send an important message to other premiers, but a staged approach was preferable for reviving the sector.

“We’d love everything to be opened, but we really need those university students and workers back to rebuild the industry to cope with the demand,” Ms Osmond said.

She added that travellers arriving in Australia would, for the moment, have fewer attractions to enjoy.

“It’s a holiday of a lifetime, and they want to see lots of things, and that includes the Great Barrier Reef and the Barossa,” she said. “So other borders need to be reopened to grow that capacity.”

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKeller said the announcement from NSW ­underscored the importance of reopening state and territory borders across the country.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/covid-fortress-to-reopen-for-returning-families/news-story/c1f61c843aa933dc9b19b3893e35d3e4

Australia urged to draw ‘lines in the snow’ against China’s flouting of Antarctic Treaty consensus

MATTHEW DENHOLM - OCTOBER 15, 2021

Australia has vowed to “assert our authority” in Antarctica amid claims Chinese obstructionism is undermining the treaty system that protects the world’s last wilderness and keeps it free from militarisation.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley said Australia would “not countenance” any undermining of the Antarctic Treaty System, amid signs of a fracturing of the consensus that has underpinned it since 1961. Ms Ley told The Weekend Australian Antarctic nations that sought to move away from consensus decision making would need to be “brought back into the fold”.

“Australia will always assert our authority within the Antarctic Treaty System and we won’t ever take a step back from that,” she said. “That is where our strength lies. Not on my watch or this government’s watch will we see or countenance any undermining of the strong, principled treaty system that underpins everything that every country does – and should do into the future – in ­Antarctica.

“The next 60 years won’t be like the last. And we need to be vigilant and we need to be proactive within the treaty system. We need to play to our strengths, which are considerable.”

Antarctic experts accuse China and Russia of undermining consensus on Antarctic management by repeatedly blocking key measures such as marine parks, krill and toothfish catch limits, and the black-listing of illegal fishing vessels.

Australian Antarctic Division director from 1998 to 2009, and author of the 2014 Australian Antarctic 20-year strategic plan, Tony Press, said Chinese delegations had even been “personally insulting” to other delegations at recent Antarctic forums.

Dr Press said Australia – as a treaty founder and instigator of the Madrid Protocol banning mining in Antarctica until at least 2048 – should make a “line in the snow” against China’s erosion of consensus.

“Whole of government co-­ordination needs to be ramped up because the issues are now ­becoming about the integrity of the Antarctic Treaty System as a whole,” Dr Press said.

China was taking an “incredibly legalistic approach to just about every single piece of text” in an apparent determination to “hold the line” on any measure that might set a precedent ­in ­restricting fishing rights.

“That practice is contrary to the traditions of the treaty system and in fact at some stage in the ­future might provoke a formal dispute.” He called for consideration of an Antarctic ministerial board, including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and formation of a united approach to Beijing with like-minded Antarctic ­nations.

“Countries like Australia, the UK, the original 12 (treaty) signatories should be saying ‘this ­behaviour is not acceptable’,” Dr Press said. “We should be going at very high levels to Beijing singularly and collectively to draw lines in the snow on this and stop this.

“Because essentially … it changes the norms and modes of the treaty system, which has ­always been based on consensus – the glue that keeps the treaty system together.”

While the current flashpoints were Australian-backed plans for marine protected areas, and krill fishing, there was a danger of it “spilling over” into other treaty areas, potentially including the future of mining post-2048.

The treaty was not just about protecting penguins and krill. “The treaty bans military activities,” he said. “That means that we don’t have to have half of our navy belting around the Southern Ocean. That’s incredibly strategically important for Australia.”

Ms Ley said she had escalated diplomacy by speaking directly to other Antarctic nation environment ministers, and that the government was focused on Antarctic issues at the highest levels. She would not give up on Australia’s proposal for an East Antarctic marine park, while conceding it was likely to be blocked – potentially by China – at a summit in Hobart next week. “I’m not prepared to take my foot off the pedal in pushing for this,” she said.

Under the treaty, Antarctic ­nations put their claims to the region to one side and agree to peaceful, scientific pursuits. Australia has a dormant claim to 42 per cent of the continent.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/australia-urged-to-draw-lines-in-the-snow-against-chinas-flouting-of-antarctic-treaty-consensus/news-story/e976fd11919c6273a6cd3c0aa5b4cdd9

‘Cult’ leader’s widow accused of grooming girls for sexual abuse

Harriet Alexander - October 11, 2021

The leader of a personal development group described by police as a “cult” groomed young girls to be sexually abused by her late husband and gave them antiseptic lollies after ushering them into private sessions with him, a senate committee has been told.

Jan Hamilton operated Kenja Communications with her husband, Ken Dyers, until he died by suicide in 2007 when new allegations of sexual abuse were raised against him, and has run the group by herself ever since.

Dyers was accused during his lifetime of sexually abusing seven young girls during “processing sessions” that were supposed to clear the girls of negative energy. A police strike force formed to investigate some allegations in 2005 formed the position that Kenja fitted the profile of a cult.

Earlier this year, former banking executive Michelle Ring told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that she had also been raped by Dyers during private processing sessions that occurred over a period of seven years when she was a teenager, but lied in court to protect him when charges were brought against him in 1996.

Ms Ring told a senate committee on Monday afternoon that many adults who are still active in Kenja knew about and witnessed her abuse, including Ms Hamilton who also groomed and emotionally abused her as well. The group, which describes itself as a spiritual and communications training centre, is based in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. It also runs sporting competitions and musicals.

Ms Ring’s submission to the committee was protected by parliamentary privilege.

“[Ms Hamilton] drove me in her white VW to Ken,” Ms Ring said.

“She sent me into the room and ushered me out when he was done, or held me there until the next girl arrived to join us. She gave me antiseptic lollies after each session with Ken so I wouldn’t get infections in my mouth from his abuse. There are many who have the same story.”

When Ms Hamilton unsuccessfully sued the NSW Police for persecuting Dyers and driving him to take his life, the NSW Supreme Court heard in 2019 that other adult members of Kenja witnessed the sexual abuse of children.

Police tendered a statement by Alison DeCamp in which she claimed that a woman known as Person 3 – not Ms Hamilton – had been in the room while he sexually abused her as a 12-year-old child.

“I told him that it hurt when he touched me and that this was wrong,” Ms DeCamp said in her police statement. “I said there had to be another way to solve my problems. He started talking to Person 3, ignoring me and talking about me in the third person. He said that my natural sexual responses were abnormal.”

Ms Ring has tried to make a claim against Kenja under the National Redress Scheme, which was set up following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, for survivors to access counselling, an apology and a payment from the institution that was responsible for the abuse. She was unable to do so because Kenja has refused to join the scheme.

She raised Ms Hamilton in her submission to a senate committee into the implementation of the National Redress Scheme because she said the complicity of the adults who remain active in Kenja is a point of vulnerability that could be leveraged to encourage the group to join the scheme.

Other groups have only joined the scheme when the government has threatened to withdraw their charitable status for taxation purposes, but Kenja is not a registered charity.

“The adults of Kenja knew what was going on and have never been investigated, just like Jan Hamilton has never been investigated because responsibility of care wasn’t an issue like it is now,” Ms Ring told the committee.

“I do think there is some vulnerability there because one of the ways that Jan manages to stay within that organisation is with the support of her very dedicated followers … [but] the way that it’s set up from a finance perspective doesn’t make them vulnerable.”

Kenja said in a statement that Ms Ring’s statement was “false and malicious” and an abuse of parliamentary process.

“All Ms Ring’s statements are completely denied. They are baseless and degrading. Furthermore, the allegation that other adults were aware of the alleged abuse is similarly baseless. This is a terrible smear on people’s good character.”

Lifeline: 131 114

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service: 1800RESPECT or 1800 737 732

https://www.1800respect.org.au/

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

https://www.smh.com.au/national/cult-leader-s-widow-accused-of-grooming-girls-for-sexual-abuse-20211011-p58z1p.html

‘Extreme urgency’: Tony Abbott calls for nuclear submarine stop gap

ADAM CREIGHTON - OCTOBER 16, 2021

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has urged the government to obtain retiring British or American nuclear powered-submarines as soon as possible, reflecting concern the new AUKUS security pact struck between Australia, the US and UK won’t deliver new submarines fast enough to counter Chinese aggression.

In remarks in Washington, Mr Abbott, fresh from delivering a provocatively scathing assessment of Chinese foreign policy in Taiwan last week, said Australia needed “new subs now, not in 10 or 20 years time … The sooner we have a much more substantial sovereign capability the better for everyone”.

“One of the things I hope our government is exploring as an extreme urgency would be the possibility of taking over retiring British or American nuclear subs, if needs be with a composite crew … running them as part training part operational boats, if need be based in Guam,” he added.

The new AUKUS security pact announced last month will see Australia obtain at least eight nuclear-powered submarines after the government tore up a $90bn earlier agreement to acquire conventionally powered from France.

“I can understand the French being a little bit miffed, it is a blow to their pride, I am very confident that he fundamental goodwill between French an Australian people will be unscathed by this,” Mr Abbott said, noting 46,000 Australians had died defending France in World War I.

“The deal with the French had many exit ramps, that was part of the contract, so we haven’t broken the contract, we have simply chosen to take an exit ramp,” he added.

The AUKUS agreement, kept under wraps for months by the three government, envisages an 18 month period for the government to contract for construction of nuclear submarines, to be built at least in part in Australia, from British or American manufacturers.

The UK has suggested sending a few nuclear submarines to be based in Australia, while Defence Minister Peter Dutton has previously raised the idea of “leasing” nuclear subs, in the interim.

Speaking in an online forum hosted by Project2049, a US non-profit dedicated to promoting US interests in the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Abbott also urged Japan to become a member of the ‘five eyes’ group of nations, which includes Australia, the US and New Zealand.

“Certainly I’d like to see Japan effectively in the 5 eyes because Japan would bring enormous insight and capability to it,” he said, also revealing his inclination as prime minister in 2013 to award the submarine contract, which ultimately went to France, to Japan because it had “skin in the game unlike European nations”.

“Japan’s subs are in a region which would be traversed by both Chinese and Russian nuclear submarines,” Mr Abbott said.

“And I was confident Japan would not put its submariners to sea in boats that weren’t more than capable of taking on any potential adversary,” he added.

Mr Abbot’s remarks in Washington continue what’s become a global campaign of the former prime minister to build support for Taiwan, a democratic Chinese island nation of 24 million, which is increasingly fearful of losing sovereign to Beijing as the communist nation seeks to assert greater control in the Asia-Pacific region.

“I want the people of Taiwan to know that they are not nearly as isolated as Beijing would like them to feel,” he said in Taiwan.

“While Taiwan is a 10-hour flight from Australia it is a like-minded society. It is a free and liberal society, which has evolved magnificently in last few decades … a living breathing refutation of the idea there’s some totalitarian gene in Chinese DNA,” Mr Abbott said on Friday.

Mr Abbott also said that “no self-respecting Australian government should support China’s application to join the Transpacific Partnership, while some $20bn of our trade is being capriciously disrupted for political purposes”.

Taiwan, the US and the UK should be admitted, though, he said. “It is most unfortunate that domestic politics in the US ultimately prevented the US from being part of that which was its original conception,” Mr Abbott said, referring to former President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the nascent trading bloc in 2017.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/extreme-urgency-tony-abbott-calls-for-nuclear-submarine-stop-gap/news-story/e9f138ac289b99fe6829f10555ef0660

Ian Maxwell: ‘Court of public opinion has already convicted my sister Ghislaine, but she is innocent’

In exclusive interview, the socialite’s brother tells how his family are fighting her corner while she awaits trial on trafficking charges

Robert Mendick - 15 October 2021

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Ian Maxwell thumps the arm of his chair. “It makes me damn angry,” he says, in reference to his sister’s plight.

Ghislaine Maxwell has already been incarcerated for 471 days, held in isolation in a tiny jail cell in Brooklyn, awaiting trial on sexual abuse and trafficking charges for alleged crimes committed between 20 and 27 years ago. She has already spent far longer in jail than Jeffrey Epstein, the billionaire financier and her former boyfriend.

Mr Maxwell, the big brother of the Maxwell clan, cannot really believe his family is still in the news. Almost never out of it since his father, Robert, was declared 50 years ago by an official report of the Department of Trade and Industry to be unfit to run a publicly listed company.

“This is Succession in spades,” he says, in reference to the award winning drama series about a media mogul and his family.

‘A family that sticks together’

On November 5 1991, Robert fell overboard to his death from his yacht Lady Ghislaine, as the pension theft scandal engulfed him. “Bob Maxwell died 30 years ago and in the same month, Ghislaine is facing her moment of truth,” says Mr Maxwell. “This family has been somehow – the father mostly and now the children – in the news since 1971.”

He reels off the events that have shaped their lives, from his father’s demise to his own fraud trial with younger brother Kevin (they were both acquitted in 1996) and, just as the family is getting on with their lives, then “bang”, he says, his sister is charged.

Mr Maxwell, in his 60s and practically deaf save for the assistance of sophisticated hearing aids, is defiant, running from London the campaign to ensure Ms Maxwell gets a fair hearing in the New York courts.

“This is a family that sticks together,” he says. “Ghislaine has people who love her; people who trust her. This is a family that has been knocked down, gets up, gets knocked down again and then gets up. We are a family that fights for each other and this is a big fight we are in. We are hopeful justice will prevail as it must.”

This week, just over a month before the criminal trial starts, Ms Maxwell and her legal team, finally and officially, were given the names of the women who have accused her of recruiting them as teenage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse them. The charges relate to alleged offences committed between 1994 and 2004.

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Fighting the claims

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the woman who has accused the Duke of York of sexual assault and rape, is not among the complainants in the Maxwell trial. She has separately, in civil proceedings, accused Epstein and Ms Maxwell of trafficking her to London and forcing her to have sex with the Queen’s son. Ms Maxwell settled a defamation claim brought by Ms Giuffre in 2017 after she had accused her of lying and now Ms Giuffre is suing the Duke.

Prince Andrew has always denied the allegation.

At the same time that the legal team has learned the names of the accusers, the Metropolitan Police said it had re-examined Ms Giuffre’s claims and was not opening a full-blown investigation.

“It’s an extraordinary situation,” says Mr Maxwell. “Neither the UK police nor, it would seem, the US authorities are using the allegations of Virginia Giuffre. They didn’t use them as far as I know in the arrest and prosecution of Epstein in 2008 and didn’t use it again in 2019 [when Epstein was arrested a second time].

They are not using Giuffre’s testimony in the prosecution of Ghislaine.

“If her claims are strong and true, and there is back-up evidence to support them, why aren’t they using them? In my opinion, it speaks volumes as to credibility.”

Mr Maxwell cannot believe that Ms Giuffre would make up her claims: “The key thing about it, it seems to me, is she [Ms Giuffre] is at the centre of the whole allegation against Prince Andrew and the defamation case against Ghislaine. So I cannot believe anyone would be so evil as to tell lies about what may have happened that has resulted in my sister being in prison for nearly 500 days and has ruined the life of Prince Andrew. It is just too evil a thought.

“I cannot imagine someone would tell such lies. It is too unconscionable. What I think seems evident is that she was deeply confused. She seems to me to be a very, very confused lady.”

But he is in no doubt of the seriousness of her claims: “Prince Andrew has effectively been cancelled as a result of these allegations.”

‘My sister is not some socialite flibberty gibbet’

The deep, deep worry for Team Maxwell is that in the court of public opinion, Ms Maxwell is already convicted. They are trying to turn the tanker around in the face of a high-profile FBI press conference, broadcast around the world, when she was arrested at her secluded farmhouse – or secret hideout, depending on how it is spun – in New Hampshire in July 2020.

Mr Maxwell insists his sister is wholly innocent, and that while she was close to Epstein for a number of years, they lived in separate homes and their lives “compartmentalised” so that she was unaware, and certainly not involved, in his predatory sexual behaviour, in which he abused scores of young women and teenage girls.

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When Epstein was first arrested in 2008 (he was subsequently jailed after a controversial plea bargain, serving just 388 days in prison), Mr Maxwell says his sister’s name “was never mentioned in all the police reports made against him”.

He adds: “Her name is not mentioned in the grand jury. The police officer who gathered these statements, Joe Recarey, who has since sadly died, but his testimony is alive and he was asked these questions. Did he name her? No. Did her name feature in the grand jury? No.

“But here we are six weeks from trial, and it just seems to me that some focus on some of the truths in this case need to occur. This needs investigating because it hasn’t been given any real aeration. It hasn’t. All this has been in the public domain, but it’s not the narrative. The narrative is all women must be believed. Epstein was a monster, but Epstein is now dead.

“So Ghislaine is the monster and she’s a woman makes her doubly a monster. And she’s the daughter of Bob Maxwell makes her trebly a monster.”

Mr Maxwell recalls meeting Epstein only once, at a dinner in Florida, where they lived, in about June 1996. Both he and Kevin had flown to the US shortly after being acquitted of fraud following an eight-month trial at the Old Bailey.

“By then, it was my sense their relationship was moving on. They didn’t live together. They never lived together. She had her place and he had his place. She didn’t have a key to his door.”

Mr Maxwell makes it clear he had “absolutely” no idea of her having any of the sexual proclivities of which she is accused: “Ghislaine is painted as some socialite flibberty gibbet. But it is impossible to have been a child of Bob Maxwell and Elisabeth Maxwell and be a flibberty gibbet. Ghislaine is friends of presidents. She went to Oxford.”

Countdown to the trial

With six weeks to trial, Ms Maxwell continues to languish in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. Bail, despite an offer of nearly $30 million surety, has been denied three times.

It is an abuse of her human rights, says her brother, who insists that should she be found guilty, Ms Maxwell will campaign for improved rights for those held in custody in the US while awaiting trial. She is on constant suicide watch, a hangover from the failure of prison guards to prevent Epstein killing himself in jail while awaiting trial in August 2019.

“There is an obvious abuse of human rights,” says Mr Maxwell.

“The right to the presumption of innocence, the right really to due process, including the ability to defend yourself properly.”

The prosecution case will last somewhere between two to four weeks before Ms Maxwell, if she agrees, will take the witness stand, her chance to make her case to a jury that she hopes will be uninfected by all the terrible publicity that has preceded the trial.

In Britain, strict laws prevent cases being played out before a trial begins. The US, with its politicised court processes, is very different.

Ms Maxwell may, or may not, walk free. But inevitably, she will spend her 60th birthday, which falls on Christmas Day, in prison. The big question is, where will she be for her 61st and beyond?

The jury is out on that one.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/10/15/ian-maxwell-court-public-opinion-has-already-convicted-sister/

https://www.realghislaine.com/media

https://433da961-4072-4f62-a692-d989a9f700d0.filesusr.com/ugd/ba2454_7189fcb821ed4515a5c1b29288e6b0c8.pdf

Australia considers world-first laws to stop China attack

World-first powers are being considered as the government ramps up the fight against cyber attacks that threaten national security.

Ellen Whinnett - October 16, 2021

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People who refuse to allow cyber spooks access to their business computers would be jailed under new laws being rushed into parliament to toughen up the nation’s cyber defences.

Legislation is being fast-tracked to give the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) the power to take over the computer systems of any critical infrastructure business which is unable or unwilling to defend itself against a crippling cyber attack.

The move is in direct response to fears Australia’s critical infrastructure is dangerously vulnerable to an attack from China, other rogue states, or criminal ransomware gangs.

The new “government assistance’’ powers would authorise the Australian Federal Police to force entry into a business and arrest individuals if they did not agree to let the cyber spooks into their computer systems.

Two-year jail terms and fines of $26,640 would be levelled against individuals who failed to respond to an ASD order on how to respond to the cyber attack. Corporations would face fines of up to $133,200.

And while the penalties could be levelled against company CEOs, jail terms and fines could also be handed out to employees whose job is to manage cyber attacks, such as chief information and security officers.

The extraordinary new “last resort’’ powers, thought to be the toughest suite of powers for a Government cyber agency anywhere in the world, are being introduced as Australia comes under sustained cyber attack from malicious state actors, and from criminal gangs extorting ransom payments.

High-level briefings in Canberra have warned that China’s Ministry of State Security in particular posed a real threat to Australia’s critical infrastructure.

Multiple sources told News Corp it was likely Beijing’s hackers had already infiltrated some critical infrastructure systems and planted malware which could be used in the future to bring Australia’s critical infrastructure to its knees.

One scenario discussed is the possibility China could launch a crippling cyber attack on Australia to take us out of the game ahead of any potential move against Taiwan.

The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 will bring 11 sectors – communications, financial services and markets, data storage or processing, defence industry, higher education and research, energy, food and grocery, health care and medical, space technology, transport, water and sewerage – under the remit of the new powers, alongside the industries already deemed vital to Australia’s national security – electricity, gas, water and ports.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Liberal Senator James Paterson, said urgency was required because Australia’s critical infrastructure faced a cyber attack every 32 minutes.

“Given how interconnected our digital systems are, it’s not difficult to imagine the society-wide consequences if our financial system was shut down or if our food supply chains were disrupted,’’ Sen Paterson said.

“Our security agencies need the appropriate tools to mitigate these serious risks.’’

The committee has just completed an inquiry into the legislation, which recommended splitting the bill to rush the new government assistance powers into parliament.

Sen. Paterson said most companies willingly co-operated with the Australian Signals Directorate when they suffered a cyber attack.

“But we heard during our inquiry an example of at least one systemically-important business that failed to co-operate in a timely way, and there may be others who never reported they were under attack,’’ he said.

“In the event of a crisis we must have last-resort powers to keep critical infrastructure up and running if they are unwilling or unable to do so themselves.’’

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Sen. Paterson said independent experts had told the committee it was likely there was “already a dormant presence of foreign state actors on at least some of our critical infrastructure networks.’’

“They advised the committee that these vulnerabilities could be activated as a prelude to a regional crisis to hamper Australia’s ability to project power to defend our allies, interests and values,’’ he said.

Sen. Paterson said criminal ransomware gangs were an ongoing threat but were less likely to cause a major national crisis by launching a comprehensive attack on a number of critical assets at once.

“Only a sophisticated state actor has the resources and the incentive to launch such an attack.’’

China, Russian, North Korea and Iran have all been named internationally as the major threats to western democracies.

“China is not the only state actor who operates in this space but for Australia they are easily the largest and most sophisticated threat,’’ Sen. Paterson said.

The committee has recommended the legislation be split into two, with the first tranche to be introduced this sitting fortnight. This bill would bring the 11 new sectors under the critical assets legislation, require companies to report any cyber attacks, and allow the ASD to step in as a last resort.

The second half of the bill, which requires companies to upgrade their cyber security, would be referred off for further consultations after strong opposition from business which fears it could prove too costly.

Director of think tank ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre, Fergus Hanson, said the powers contained within the bill were “a big deal’’.

“It gives the Government the ability to send people into an organisation and demand, under pain of a sizeable penalty, that they must run a piece of software or do a certain thing to protect their systems,’’ he said.

“In practise, I don’t think it means you’re going to be seeing ASD ordering major technology companies around about what they should and shouldn’t be doing with their very complicated systems.

“I don’t think it’s going to move the dial on companies like Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure, they’re already going to have superior cyber security capabilities.

“But for sectors that haven’t really thought about cyber security but are really vulnerable to cyber risks and will be increasingly vulnerable, I think it’s really useful.

“Australia will be in the vanguard of a small group of countries that are really at the forefront of creating these sorts of powers for critical infrastructure.’’

Mr Hanson said he believed cyber criminals such as ransomware gangs were the most urgent threat to Australia’s critical infrastructure network, but said “several states are certainly burrowing into critical infrastructure systems around the world and laying in wait basically to deploy and exploit if needed.’’

“I think it’s almost certain, that’s happened all around the world, not just in Australia but everywhere.’’

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said a range of malicious cyber actors were intent on doing harm to critical infrastructure and Australia’s way of life.

“We must give our agencies the powers and authorities they need to keep us safe, and to support and protect the shared national resources we’re all connected to and rely on – like power grids, transport links, and secure e-commerce networks,’’ she said.

Labor has indicated it supports the splitting of the Bill, with a spokeswoman for Opposition Home Affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally noting the last resort powers were “required and urgent.’’

It will make a final decision on whether to support the legislation once it sees the amended legislation.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/online/australia-considers-worldfirst-laws-to-stop-china-attack/news-story/27d13df314ba8e5c9737c887125dd8e7

NSW hits 80 per cent double vaccination target against COVID-19

abc.net.au - 16 October 2021

NSW has become the first state with 80 per cent of its eligible adult population fully inoculated against COVID-19.

Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the milestone on Facebook, saying restrictions will ease further on Monday.

Mr Perrottet said it had been a long wait but it felt good to be "breaking this news".

He also thanked healthcare professionals and the residents of NSW.

"A huge thanks to all the nurses and the vaccination hub staff at NSW Health, the GPs, the pharmacists and every person in our state who rolled up their sleeve to get us here," he said.

Under the government's COVID-19 roadmap, more freedoms would be allowed on the Monday after the state hit its target.

It now means from Monday, October 18, the rules around 80 per cent will take effect which allow for freedoms including more visitors to people's houses, an increase to people gathering outdoors and outdoor ticketed events.

Mr Perrottet advised people to go to NSW Health and Service NSW to keep up to date with the changes.

From Monday, masks will no longer have to be worn in offices, community sports can resume and nightclubs can reopen.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison congratulated the Premier on social media, writing "Well done NSW" in response to the announcement.

"A tremendous achievement! Let's keep going," Mr Morrison said.

"Help keep you, your family and your community safe by getting vaccinated today."

As at October 15, 91.9 per cent of those 16 and over had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Other social media users had mixed reactions to the Premier's announcement.

While some were excited by the news others were concerned about the restrictions on the unvaccinated.

One user wrote that the community had been segregated and he wouldn't be celebrating until he could see family and friends regardless of their vaccination status.

Another wrote: "Any chance of letting the unvaxxed out to play a bit earlier?"

The delay of travel to the regions, promised at 80 per cent, was also an issue for social media users with some calling for it to be reinstated.

The government suspended travel due to the low vaccination rates in some parts of regional NSW.

Earlier on Saturday, the number of double-vaccinated people allowed at upcoming racing events was increased to 10,000.

It means the next four Spring Racing Carnival meetings, which includes Melbourne Cup Race Day, will be able to operate at this capacity.

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson made the announcement at the Everest race, the first big event for NSW out of lockdown and the first with the 10,000 crowd limit.

He said Saturday's race was setting the benchmark on how to operate safely.

"There's no doubt we're coming out of a very dark time through the pandemic and lockdown, and to be able to be on course today with 10,000 people, we are setting the benchmark," Mr Anderson said.

"We are setting the platform on how to operate safely, on how to get people out and about, how to get them socialising not only on an economic perspective but a mental health perspective."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-16/nsw-hits-80-per-cent-double-covid-19-vaccination/100545168

>>14798254

Horse race marks Sydney's emergence from long COVID-19 lockdown

Lidia Kelly - October 16, 2021

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Thousands of Sydney residents flocked to a prominent horse race on Saturday, as Australia's biggest city emerges from a strict COVID-19 lockdown and the nation begins to live with the coronavirus through extensive vaccination.

Up to 10,000 fully vaccinated spectators can now attend races such as The Everest in Sydney, Australia's richest turf horse race, and the country's most famous, Melbourne Cup Day, on Nov. 2.

New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, reached its target of 80% of people fully vaccinated on Saturday, well ahead of the rest of Australia.

"80% in NSW! Been a long wait but we've done it," New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Twitter.

The state reported 319 new coronavirus cases, all of the Delta variant, and two deaths on Saturday. Many restrictions were eased in New South Wales on Monday, when it reached 70% double vaccinations.

Neighbouring Victoria, where the capital Melbourne has been in lockdown for weeks, reported 1,993 new cases and seven deaths, including the state's youngest victim, a 15-year-old girl.

Victoria is expected to reach 70% double vaccination before Oct. 26 and ease its restrictions more slowly than New South Wales has, drawing criticism from the federal government on Saturday.

"It is really sad that Victorians are being held back," said Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

Australia is set to gradually lift its 18-month ban on international travel from next month for some states when 80% of people aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated. As of Friday, 67.2% of Australians were fully inoculated, and 84.4% had received at least one shot.

The country closed its international borders in March 2020, since then allowing only a limited number of people to leave or citizens and permanent residents abroad to return, requiring them to quarantine for two weeks.

Australia's overall coronavirus numbers are low compared to many other developed countries, with just over 140,000 cases and 1,513 deaths.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/horse-race-marks-sydneys-emergence-long-covid-19-lockdown-2021-10-16/

https://twitter.com/Dom_Perrottet/status/1449241653928075264

https://twitter.com/Dom_Perrottet/status/1449241656029450246

>>14798254

Melbourne to ease world's longest COVID-19 lockdowns as vaccinations rise

Lidia Kelly - October 17, 2021

MELBOURNE, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Melbourne, which has spent more time under COVID-19 lockdowns than any other city in the world, is set to lift its stay-at-home orders this week, officials said on Sunday.

By Friday, when some curbs will be lifted, the Australian city of 5 million people will have been under six lockdowns totalling 262 days, or nearly nine months, since March 2020.

Australian and other media say this is the longest in the world, exceeding a 234-day lockdown in Buenos Aires.

While coronavirus cases keep rising in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, the state's double-vaccination rate is set to reach 70% this week, allowing for the ease in restrictions.

"Today is a great day," said Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews in announcing the lockdown. "Today is a day when Victorians can be proud of what they have achieved."

When hospitality venues and some businesses reopen, their capacity will remain heavily restricted. More easing, including the reopening of many retailers, will come once 80% of eligible Victorians are fully vaccinated - estimated by Nov. 5 at the latest.

On Sunday, Victoria recorded 1,838 new coronavirus cases and seven deaths. Neighbouring New South Wales, which emerged last week from a 100-day lockdown, reported 301 cases and 10 deaths. Eighty percent of the state's people have been fully vaccinated.

Australia, once a champion of a COVID-zero strategy of managing the pandemic, has been moving towards living with the virus through extensive vaccinations, as the Delta variant has proven too transmissible to suppress.

The new strategy makes lockdowns highly unlikely once 80% of the population is fully vaccinated. As of the weekend, around 68% of eligible Australians have been fully inoculated.

Australia's health officials said on Sunday that quarantine-free travel from New Zealand's South Island, where there is no outbreak, will resume on Wednesday. The government is also in discussions with Singapore about reopening travel between the two countries for the fully vaccinated.

Despite the rise in cases in recent months, Australia's coronavirus numbers are low compared to many other developed countries, with just over 143,000 cases and 1,530 deaths.

Neighbouring New Zealand, which is also learning to live with COVID-19 by accelerating inoculations, reported 51 new cases on Sunday, 47 of them in the largest city Auckland, which has been in a lockdown since mid-August.

On Saturday, New Zealand vaccinated more than 2.5% of its people as part of a government-led mass vaccination drive.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/melbourne-ease-worlds-longest-covid-19-lockdowns-vaccinations-rise-2021-10-17/

>>14798254

Australia secures two new “breakthrough” Covid treatments

BLAKE ANTROBUS - OCTOBER 17, 2021

More than half-a-million additional doses of Covid-19 treatments have been secured for Australians, with the first 5000 expected to arrive by the end of the month.

The Federal Government on Sunday announced it had secured 500,000 treatment courses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 oral antiviral drug, which will be used in combination with the protease inhibitor drug ritonavir.

Another 15,000 doses of the Covid-19 antibody-based therapy Ronapreve were also secured.

Early studies have shown the drug Ronapreve reduced the risk of hospitalisation and death by up to 70 per cent in positive Covid cases.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the initial shipment of 5000 doses was expected to be ready by the end of the month.

The supply will be held in the National Medical Stockpile.

Clinical trials are still being undertaken on the Pfizer antiviral drug but Mr Hunt said it is expected to help to reduce the severity or onset of illness in adults who contract or are exposed to Covid-19.

He said it is expected to be available over the course of 2022, subject to final clinical trials and approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administrator (TGA).

“This oral antiviral treatment is taken every 12 hours for five days and is designed to block an enzyme the virus needs in order to multiply early in its life cycle,” Mr Hunt said.

“Co-administration with a low dose of ritonavir is expected to help slow the metabolism of the treatment in order for it to remain active in the body for longer periods of time at higher concentrations to combat the virus.”

He said it was expected to be targeted for use in unvaccinated people who are at risk of developing severe disease.

Australia has also secured an advanced purchase agreement for 300,000 courses of the oral Covid-19 treatment Molnupiravir – expected to be supplied in 2022 subject to TGA approval.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/australia-secures-two-new-breakthrough-covid-treatments/news-story/f4e78b5f27bac653d25ffb30760130fd

Prince Andrew says sex abuse claims invalid over secret Epstein ‘royalty’ deal

Victoria Ward - October 17, 2021

London: Prince Andrew will argue that a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against him is invalid because his accuser struck a secret deal with Jeffrey Epstein referencing “royalty”.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre settled with the convicted sex offender in 2009 for undisclosed damages after lodging a criminal complaint accusing The Duke of York of sexual exploitation and abuse.

The confidential agreement they signed in Florida, in which she allegedly promised not to take further action against the financier or his associates, has since remained sealed.

But after Giuffre sued Andrew for undisclosed damages, claiming she was forced to have sex with him three times when she was 17, the document has become of significant interest to his legal team. His US-based lawyer, Andrew Brettler, told a pre-trial hearing last month he believed it released the Duke and others from “any and all potential liability”.

It was last week released to Andrew’s legal team on the orders of a judge.

The reference to royalty is likely to be seized upon by his legal team as they argue that it nullifies Giuffre’s claim. No other member of the royal family has been implicated in the scandal or is thought to have come into contact with Giuffre, allowing them to insist it could only apply to Prince Andrew.

The reference appears to accord with Giuffre’s original complaint against Epstein, filed under the pseudonym Jane Doe in Florida, which stated: “In addition to being continually exploited to satisfy the defendant’s every sexual whim, Plaintiff was also required to be sexually exploited by defendant’s adult male peers, including royalty, politicians, academicians, businessmen and/or other professional and personal acquaintances.”

The ensuing settlement was used by Alan Dershowitz, Epstein’s former lawyer, to get an abuse claim that Giuffre made against him struck out in August. He urged the judge in his own case, Loretta Preska, to unseal the document, warning that he was “compelled not to sit back silently” knowing its contents. “The issue before the court is a matter of professional ethics and the interests of justice,” he said.

Dershowitz told said: “I cannot imagine how the case against the Prince will not be dismissed based on the dismissal of the case against me.”

However, David Boies, Giuffre’s lawyer, has said the royal reference is “irrelevant” to the case. He originally urged a judge not to disclose the document to Andrew, but later said he should be allowed to review it.

Andrew has until October 29 to respond to the civil suit, with a remote hearing scheduled for November 3.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/prince-andrew-says-sex-abuse-claims-invalid-over-secret-epstein-royalty-deal-20211017-p590mk.html

>>14798254

Some Sydney school students return as more COVID-19 curbs eased

Renju Jose and Shashwat Awasthi - OCTOBER 18, 2021

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Thousands of children returned to school in Sydney on Monday, putting an end to months of home learning as Australia’s largest city eased more COVID-19 curbs, thanks to rising rates of vaccinations.

Masks are no longer mandatory in offices and larger groups are to be allowed in homes and outdoors after the state of New South Wales, home to Sydney, hit a double-dose inoculation rate of 80% at the weekend among those older than 16.

The latest in a series of planned relaxations is part of a shift in strategy by Australia’s largest cities towards living with the virus, though officials have warned it will bring more COVID-19 cases.

“This is not over,” state premier Dominic Perrottet said on Monday, urging people to stick to the remaining health rules. “There is a long journey to go.”

Shops, gyms and pubs can allow more vaccinated users while nightclubs can re-open to serve drinks to seated patrons, and limits on the number of guests at weddings have been dropped. But all must follow social distancing measures.

Monday’s return to the classroom has been staggered, as the youngest and eldest - those in kindergarten, year 1 and year 12 go back - with all the rest scheduled for next week.

New South Wales’s 265 new cases were the lowest single-day rise in 10 weeks, far off September’s high of 1,599.

The neighbouring state of Victoria reported 1,903 new cases, up from 1,838 the previous day. Its capital, Melbourne, is on track to begin exiting its lockdown on Friday, as full vaccination levels near 70%.

The city has spent about nine months under strict stay-home orders since March 2020, the world’s longest such stint, say Australian media.

BORDER RE-OPENING

Authorities in northeastern Queensland, which is free of COVID-19, said quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated residents from Sydney and Melbourne would begin from Dec. 17, when the state’s full vaccination rate is expected to top 80%.

“That is good news for families to be reunited for Christmas,” said the state’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The two cities have been hotspots of Australia’s virus outbreak.

Fully vaccinated individuals can travel to Queensland when the level of inoculations stands at 70%, but must quarantine at home for two weeks.

As states begin to ease curbs, the federal government said it would roll out its vaccination passport for international travel from Tuesday, a crucial step in its plan to let citizens travel abroad from next month.

Last week, authorities said vaccinated international travellers, initially only citizens and permanent residents, would be allowed to enter Sydney from Nov. 1 here free of quarantine..

With a tally of 145,000 infections and 1,543 deaths, Australia’s exposure to the coronavirus has been relatively low.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/some-sydney-school-students-return-as-more-covid-19-curbs-eased-idUSKBN2H70K8

Malcolm Turnbull on Murdoch, lies and the climate crisis: ‘The same forces that enabled Trump are at work in Australia’

Systematic partisan lying and misinformation from the media, both mainstream and social, has done enormous damage to liberal democracies, the former PM writes

Malcolm Turnbull - 18 Oct 2021

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The United States has suffered the largest number of Covid-19 deaths: about 600,000 at the time of writing. The same political and media players who deny the reality of global warming also denied and politicised the Covid-19 virus.

To his credit, Donald Trump poured billions into Operation Warp Speed, which assisted the development of vaccines in a timeframe that matched the program’s ambitious title. But he also downplayed the gravity of Covid-19, then peddled quack therapies and mocked cities that mandated social distancing and mask wearing.

Trump’s catastrophic management of the pandemic resulted in election defeat in November 2020. It says a lot about the insanity of America’s political discourse that the then presidential nominee Joe Biden had to say, again and again: “Mask wearing is not a political statement.”

From our relative safety and sanity, Australians looked to America with increasing horror. If the Covid-19 disaster was not enough, the callous police murder of George Floyd on 25 May 2020 ignited a wave of outraged protest against racism in the US and around the world. And then events took another sinister turn.

Anticipating defeat, Trump had been busy claiming the election would be rigged by the Democrats. He predicted widespread voter fraud, setting himself up for an “I wuz robbed” case if the result went against him. He had done the same in 2016.

As it happened, Biden won convincingly. Trump and the Republican party launched more than 60 legal challenges to the result. Their failure did not stop the misinformation campaign.

Relentlessly, Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News and the rest of the rightwing media claque claimed Biden had stolen the election. A protest march was scheduled in Washington for 6 January 2021, the day Congress was scheduled to formally count the electoral college votes and confirm Biden’s win. The protest was expressly designed to pressure Congress, and especially the then vice-president, Mike Pence, to overthrow the decision of the people and declare Trump re-elected.

They assembled in their thousands. Trump wound them up with a typically inflammatory address, culminating in a call to march on the Capitol. The mob proceeded to besiege and break into the home of US democracy. They surged through the corridors, threatening to hang Pence and the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. Several security guards were killed, as was one of the insurgents. Luckily, none of the legislators were found by the mob, although several appeared to have encouraged them in the lead-up to the assault.

It was nothing less than an attempted coup, promoted and encouraged by the president himself and his media allies like Murdoch who, through Fox News, has probably done more damage to US democracy than any other individual.

(continued)

>>14806352

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Vladimir Putin’s disinformation campaigns have sought to exacerbate divisions in western democracies and undermine popular trust in their institutions. By creating and exploiting a market for crazy conspiracy theories untethered from the facts, let alone science, Murdoch has done Putin’s work – better than any Russian intelligence agency could ever imagine possible.

That is why I supported the former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s call for a royal commission into the Murdoch media, which does not operate like a conventional news organisation but rather like a political party, pushing its own agendas, running vendettas against its critics and covering up for its friends.

In April I reinforced these points in an interview with CNN’s Brian Stelter, as I had to the Australian Senate’s inquiry into media diversity. Of all the endorsements, none was more significant than that of James Clapper, the former US director of national intelligence, who said Fox News was “a megaphone for conspiracies and falsehoods”.

We have to face the uncomfortable fact that the systematic partisan lying and misinformation from the media, both mainstream and social – what Clapper calls the “truth deficit” – has done enormous damage to liberal democracies, and none more so than the US itself. Thanks to this relentless diet of lies, a quarter of all Americans and 56% of Republicans believe Trump is the true president today.

Biden is leading a more traditional and rational administration. The friends and allies Trump had outraged around the world are breathing a sigh of relief. The US has rejoined the Paris agreement on climate change and Biden is seeking to lead the world with deeper, faster cuts to emissions.

But the same forces that amplified and enabled Trump are still at work in the US and here in Australia. In April the Murdoch press bullied the New South Wales government into reversing its decision to appoint me chairman of a committee to advise on the transition to a net zero emission economy. My “crime” was to not support the continued, unconstrained expansion of open-cut coalmining in the Hunter Valley. In the crazed, rightwing media echo chamber so influential with many Liberal and National party members, the primary qualification to advise on net zero emissions is, apparently, unqualified support for coalmining.

As though we hadn’t had enough demonstration of the Murdochs’ vendetta tactics, right on cue on 2 May Sky News Australia broadcast a “documentary” designed to disparage me and Rudd as being, in effect, political twins separated at birth. As a job, I am told it gave hatchets a bad name. But the message was clear to anyone inclined to hold Murdoch to account: step out of line and you will be next.

And while politicians are accountable, the Murdochs are not. Their abuse of power has been so shameful that James Murdoch has resigned from the company. His brother, Lachlan, however, is thoroughly in charge and apparently more rightwing than his father. Yet he has chosen to move back to Australia with his family, fleeing the hatreds and divisions of America that he and his father have done so much to exacerbate.

(continued)

>>14806354

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As bushfires raged in the summer of 2019-20 I hoped that this red-raw reality of global warming would end the crazy, politicised climate wars in Australia. Well, it didn’t. The onset of the pandemic served to distract everyone, although the irony of following the virus science while ignoring the climate science seems to have been lost on too many members of the Australian government.

Australia is more out of step with its friends and allies than it has ever been. All of our closest friends – the US, the UK, the EU, Japan and New Zealand – are now committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

On 18 May the International Energy Agency released a new report on how the world can, and must, reach net zero.For the first time this expert agency, always regarded as sympathetic to the oil and gas sectors, demanded that investment in new oil, gas and coal projects cease and that we make a rapid shift to renewables and storage. They described how this would enable us to have more, and cheaper, electricity.

To coincide with this report (of which the Australian government had full prior notice), Scott Morrison chose to announce that his government would invest $600m to build a new gas-fired power station in the Hunter Valley. The energy sector, the regulators, the NSW government and other experts were united in saying the power station was not needed – $600m wasted. To the rest of the world, increasingly puzzled by Australia’s fossil-fuel fetish, it must have looked like a calculated “fuck you” to the global consensus demanding climate action.

To those concerned about the lack of leadership on climate, Morrison says his five predecessors all lost their job, one way or another, because of climate policy. He is determined not to let the right wing of the Coalition do to him what it did to me. Before June he would point to the instability in the National party and warn how a shift on climate could trigger a party room revolt, led by Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan and others, to overthrow Michael McCormack. That has now happened, and Joyce made his case for change on the basis of McCormack not doing more to oppose Morrison’s edging towards a net zero commitment.

So Morrison is determined not to lead on climate; he wants business and other governments to take the lead and for events to take their course so that the transition to zero emissions happens without any discernible action from the Australian government at all. In the meantime he will continue to use support for coal as a totemic issue to rally working-class voters in mining areas.

Scott is long on tactics and very short on strategy. With climate, he underlines my biggest concern about his government: that it will be successful at winning elections but do little in office. And with Barnaby back as deputy prime minister, he has another excuse to do nothing.

This is an edited extract from the new foreword to A Bigger Picture by Malcolm Turnbull (Hardie Grant Books, available now in paperback)

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/18/malcolm-turnbull-on-murdoch-lies-and-the-climate-crisis-the-same-forces-that-enabled-trump-are-at-work-in-australia

Let’s all fill the Japan bread instead kek

maybe a dingo started your bushfire

maybe a dingo started your brushfire

hmmm²

fukn cern

еснооооо

HIV-positive pedophile Jadd William Brooker is Australia’s worst child-sex predator after admitting to 189 charges

This HIV-positive pedophile has made history by confessing to 189 vile crimes. One victim took his own life, and prosecutors are expected to seek a “life without parole” order.

Sean Fewster - October 18, 2021

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HIV-positive pedophile Jadd William Brooker will plead guilty to 138 more crimes against children – making him the worst child-sex offender in Australian history.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, Brooker’s counsel said their client wanted to confess to all but four of a horrifying list of perverted and predatory offences.

With that indication, Brooker has admitted a total of 189 offences – a case far larger than any other sex crime previously heard by this country’s courts.

Tim Clarke, for Brooker, told the court he was ready to finalise the case.

“This was next listed for court in November, but I’ve asked it be called on for pleas,” he said.

“My client would like Your Honour to record guilty pleas to all counts except for four.

“It’s proposed that if the court takes those pleas, and we have spoken to prosecution about this, a copy of the information will be sent to my client so that he can sign it, rather than all charges being read out.”

It will fall to the District Court to sentence the former logistics manager for crimes committed, both in person and online, against children and teenagers around the world.

Prosecutors are expected to argue Brooker is unwilling to or incapable of controlling his sexual instincts, and seek to have him detained indefinitely.

If that application succeeds, he would – thanks to legal reform brought about by an Advertiser campaign – spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole.

That would place Brooker in the same class of sex criminal as predatory kidnapper Colin Charles Humphreys and murderous rapist Mark Errin Rust.

Brooker’s only chance of release would be convincing two mental health experts he had rehabilitated and no longer posed a risk to children.

His penalty would therefore outstrip even that of another infamous SA pedophile – Ruecha Tokputza, known as “the child collector”.

In 2019, Tokputza was jailed for 40 years with a non-parole period of 28 years after pleading guilty to 51 charges.

Both Tokputza and Brooker were brought down by SA’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, a partnership between SA Police and Australian Federal Police.

(continued)

>>14806450

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JADD WILLIAM BROOKER’S CHARGES

Communicate To Make Child Amenable To Sexual Activity (Basic Offence) x 107

Adult, Maintain Unlawful Sexual Relationship With Child x 3

Persistent Sexual Exploitation Of A Child x 2

Disseminate Child Exploitation Material (Aggravated Offence) x 36

Disseminate Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 21

Obtain Access To Child Exploitation Material (Aggravated Offence) x 8

Obtain Access To Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 6

Produce Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 2

Possess Child Exploitation Material (Aggravated Offence) x 4

Possess Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 4

– Source: District and Magistrates Court registries

Brooker, 39, of Glenelg East, was arrested last year – the number and severity of the charges against him has been steadily increasing ever since.

On Monday, Mr Clarke told the court he was still seeking negotiations on the four remaining counts with prosecutors.

Those counts relate to alleged online offending – the age of the children involved remains in dispute, which determines how severe an eventual penalty would be.

Brooker’s arrest was sparked by an online conversation with barista Michael Drennan, in which Brooker expressed his intention to infect adults and children with HIV.

Drennan was subsequently jailed for two years – Brooker, meanwhile, filmed himself acting on his intent.

His actions were so vile, a detective gave sworn evidence they were “the worst and most degrading” he had investigated in his 14-year career.

One of Brooker’s victims took his own life after learning his abuser was HIV-positive, while others continue to be tested to see if they have contracted the virus.

After his arrest, Brooker was caught red-handed asking family members to delete his computer data and cloud storage – information that exposed a large pedophile ring.

Former SA Labor political adviser Benjamin John Waters is awaiting sentence for his role in that ring, while several other men have been charged and are before the courts.

On Monday, prosecutors agreed with Mr Clarke’s proposal to record guilty pleas but Magistrate Simon Smart did not.

He said he was not prepared to accept the proposal without written and signed guilty pleas, or all charges being read out in court.

Mr Clarke insisted the court record show his client’s pleas had been indicated – early guilty pleas attract a sentencing discount.

Mr Smart remanded Brooker in custody to face court again in November.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-sa/hivpositive-pedophile-jadd-william-brooker-is-australias-worst-childsex-predator-after-admitting-to-189-charges/news-story/8c7f6734e170d4a411e1fe7a98758be0

>>14789400

Journalist’s Ben Roberts-Smith report should remain secret, say lawyers

Tammy Mills - October 18, 2021

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A director of Seven West Media deployed a Walkley-award winning journalist to look into war crime allegations against the company’s employee, former special forces soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, in a secret report later dubbed the “McWilliam project”.

Lawyers for Mr Roberts-Smith in his defamation case against The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, now say journalist Ross Coulthart’s report for Seven commercial director Bruce McWilliam and chairman Kerry Stokes should not be released to the newspapers, arguing it is protected by legal professional privilege, which keeps communication between lawyers and clients confidential.

The inner workings of how Seven responded to the allegations against Mr Roberts-Smith, who held a senior executive position at the company, is part of the broader defamation case in which Mr Roberts-Smith is suing the Nine-owned publications over a series of stories that allege he committed murders while on deployment to Afghanistan.

Mr Roberts-Smith, who has stepped aside from his position as general-manager at Seven in Queensland while he fights the case, denies all wrongdoing. The Age and Herald are relying on a defence of truth.

While the defamation trial is on hold until at least January, the latest stoush in the Federal Court on Monday centres on access to documents, specifically a report and a series of emails by Coulthart, a freelance journalist who at the time had been hired by public relations company Cato & Clive.

Mr McWilliam said in an affidavit that after media articles began to be published in 2017 about Mr Roberts-Smith, he asked Coulthart, an investigative reporter who had previously worked for the organisation, to look into the allegations and prepare a report for him and Seven boss Kerry Stokes.

Nine wants access to Coulthart’s report, which the barrister acting for Nine, Nicholas Owens, SC, called the “McWilliam project”. Nine also wants access to subsequent emails Coulthart sent to Mr McWilliam, Mr Stokes and Mr Roberts-Smith’s lawyers containing media statements he drafted for the war veteran as part of a public relations response to the allegations.

Mr Roberts-Smith is resisting releasing the documents on the basis that they are covered by legal professional privilege.

In his affidavit, Mr McWilliam said a report setting out the allegations and Mr Roberts-Smith’s responses would assist the former solider’s lawyers, Mark O’Brien and Arthur Moses, in advising him ahead of being questioned in a war crimes inquiry and a soon-to-come defamation suit.

The fact that Seven were, at that time, footing the war veteran’s legal bills was also a consideration.

“I wanted to ensure that any decision by SWM [Seven West Media] to continue to support the applicant [Mr Roberts-Smith] was a considered one,” Mr McWilliam said.

Mr Owens said the purpose of the report was a commercial one, not a legal one.

“There’s just been a series of very serious allegations made, and Seven West Media wants to make sure that it’s spending its money wisely, presumably,” Mr Owens said.

(continued)

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Mr Moses told the court on Monday the blanket assertion that the report was a “McWilliam project” was misconceived.

“The document would not have come into existence, but for the purpose of enabling the applicant to obtain advice in relation to the inquiry and the defamation proceedings, in order to protect his reputation, and his interests,” Mr Moses said.

“The fact that that had the benefit of protecting the interests of Seven West Media is a secondary purpose and subsidiary to that.”

Mr Roberts-Smith said in an affidavit that Mr McWilliam suggested he speak to Coulthart as a “good starting point” to prepare for a separate inquiry into the war crimes allegations being conducted by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force.

In another affidavit, Coulthart said he was also told the purpose of the report, which he completed in June 2018, was to assist Mr Roberts-Smith’s legal team. The journalist said the subsequent draft media statements he helped to craft were also sent to lawyers so they could provide legal advice before any publication.

But Mr Owens argued even if legal protection over the communications could be established, Coulthart waived that privilege in his dealings with staff from The Age and Herald.

In August 2018, Coulthart texted journalist Nick McKenzie, who co-wrote the war-crimes stories with Chris Masters, that “numerous witnesses” had told him his stories were wrong.

“Why should I, as a journalist, tell you anything when your focus is so blatantly and belligerently and unfriendly and focused on a wacky conspiracy theory about who I am supposedly working for?” Mr Coulthart’s text, detailed in one of the affidavits connected to Nine’s legal team, read.

Mr Owens argued the dominant purpose at this point was, “not the preparation of this document for legal advice”, but “back-channelling” designed to influence reporting.

Justice Wendy Abraham is expected to make a ruling on the application next Wednesday.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/journalist-s-ben-roberts-smith-report-should-remain-secret-say-lawyers-20211018-p590t6.html

>>14798254

Australia's COVID-19 cases remain subdued as vaccinations rise

Renju Jose and Shashwat Awasthi - OCTOBER 19, 2021

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s COVID-19 cases remained subdued on Tuesday as its largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, gradually move towards normality amid a surge in vaccinations, after being rocked by a third wave of infections from the Delta variant.

Sydney and the national capital Canberra exited a months-long lockdown last week after racing through its inoculation targets while Melbourne is on track to lift its strict stay-home orders later this week as double-dose rates in the adult population pass 70%, 80% and 90%.

Authorities in Queensland, which on Monday became the first COVID-free state to outline its reopening plans, urged the state’s 5 million residents to get vaccinated ahead of opening its state borders a week before Christmas - when its double-dose vaccination rate is expected to reach 80%.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the opening of borders should act as an “incentive” for residents to get inoculated. Queensland has so far only fully vaccinated 57% of its population above 16, well below the national average of 68%.

Some states and territories have mandated inoculation of frontline workers with offenders facing up to A$5,000 ($3,718) fine in the remote Northern Territory.

Michael Gunner, the territory’s chief minister, on Monday blasted Texas Senator Ted Cruz who labelled the territory’s vaccine mandate as “Covid tyranny”.

“We don’t need your lectures, thanks mate. You know nothing about us. And if you stand against a life-saving vaccine, then you sure as hell don’t stand with Australia,” Gunner said in a tweet.

Texas has seen nearly 70,000 deaths from the virus, compared with just 1,558 in Australia and none in the remote Northern Territory.

A total of 1,749 new cases were reported in Victoria, the majority in Melbourne, down from 1,903 on Monday. Daily infections in New South Wales, home to Sydney, rose slightly to 273, still well down from its pandemic high in early September.

($1 = 1.3448 Australian dollars)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/australias-covid-19-cases-remain-subdued-as-vaccinations-rise-idUSKBN2H82FI

>>14812510

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner fires back at US Senator Ted Cruz over social media post

Stuart Marsh - Oct 18, 2021

The Northern Territory's Chief Minister Michael Gunner has fired back at Texas Senator Ted Cruz for labelling the territory's vaccination policy as "disgraceful and sad".

A week ago Mr Gunner announced a sweeping vaccine mandate that would require a mandatory jab for most hospitality workers, bankers, receptionists, hairdressers, barbers, beauty therapists and more.

A video of Mr Gunner announcing the policy became the subject of intense interest by far-right American politicians on social media, who used it as an example of "COVID tyranny".

Mr Cruz shared the video of Mr Gunner, saying while he loves "the Aussies", "the COVID tyranny of their current government is disgraceful and sad".

Mr Gunner responded to Mr Cruz's tweet, saying "we don't need your lectures, thanks mate".

"Nearly 70,000 Texans have tragically died from COVID. There have been zero deaths in the Territory. Did you know that?" Mr Gunner said.

"We've done whatever it takes to protect the Territory. That's kept us safe and free. We have been in lock down for just eight days in 18 months. Our businesses and school are all open. Did you know that?

"We don't need your lectures, thanks mate. You know nothing about is. And if you stand against a life-saving vaccine, then you sure as hell don't stand with Australia."

Senator Cruz has been an infamous proponent of scrapping vaccine mandates, arguing any policy to make the jab compulsory "ignores medical data".

In his most recent statement, Senator Cruz criticised US President Biden after he ordered the US Labor Department to impose a COVID vaccine mandate on businesses with over 100 employees.

"While I support the vaccine and have received it, Americans have the right to exercise personal choice when it comes to their health," Mr Cruz said.

"Getting the vaccine is a decision to be made in consultation with one's doctor, not forced on Americans by the government.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/nt-chief-minister-michael-gunner-fires-back-at-us-senator-ted-cruz-over-twitter/12d0cba6-89c0-4134-9de7-04efd32a6764

https://twitter.com/fanniebay/status/1449945099383705601

https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1448345783409983492

Australia among the worst for online sexual harm to children

Caitlin Fitzsimmons - October 19, 2021

Two out of three people in Australia and New Zealand report experiencing online sexual harm before they turned 18, a higher rate than most regions around the world.

The findings are based on a survey of 5000 18 to 20-year-olds who had regular access to the internet as children as well as other sources such as the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, the Australian Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Federal Police, and the eSafety office. The survey was in WeProtect Global Alliance’s Global Threat Assessment 2021 report.

Chloe Setter, head of policy at WeProtect, which has 200 members including governments, companies and civil society organisations, said the fact there were 60,000 daily reports of online abuse to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States gave a “shocking sense of the scale”.

“The COVID pandemic is certainly something that we believe is behind some of the spikes that we’ve seen,” Ms Setter said. “It’s been a perfect storm of conditions with more young people online than ever before and more apps and platforms available.”

Australia’s eSafety office has previously reported that reports of child sexual abuse materials discovered online was 90 per cent higher in 2020 than 2019. The WeProtect report reveals that it soared 129 per cent in the March-September period last year, coinciding with COVID-19 lockdowns across the country.

The eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who also sits on the board of WeProtect, said she was concerned about the past few months when schools were closed in most of NSW and Victoria and children were “online all hours of the day”.

“Parents who are working full time can’t be looking over our shoulders every minute,” she said. “If we don’t have the right kinds of parental controls on, the risks definitely increase the more time they spend online.”

The WeProtect survey found 67 per cent of 18-20 year-olds in Australia and New Zealand experienced online sexual harm as children, compared with 71 per cent in North America and 65 per cent in Europe. This was 10-20 percentage points higher than anywhere in Asia, Africa, Russia or Latin America.

Online sexual harm included being sent sexually explicit content from an adult, being asked to keep part of their sexually explicit relationship with an adult a secret, having sexually explicit images of them shared without consent by adults or peers, and being asked by adults or peers to do something sexually explicit that made them uncomfortable.

The age this starts happening is falling - 18-year-old respondents said this first happened to them at age 12, compared with age 13 for respondents who are now 20.

Girls were more likely to be targets than boys, while LGBTI youth and disabled young people were also at higher risk.

The report highlights the rise in sexual material generated by children themselves, sometimes through coercion or in exchange for payment. The Internet Watch Foundation reported a 77 per cent increase in child self-generated sexual abuse material from 2019 to 2020.

Ms Inman Grant said the threat had increased because children were no longer posting to public social media forums where their parents could see them, but using encrypted private messaging services on smartphones in their bedrooms or bathrooms.

“We’re seeing children as young as six or seven engaging in that kind of sexualised behaviour, and it can be sexual acts with inanimate objects, with animals or with siblings,” she said. “You can’t always tell if there’s someone forcing them, or it’s something that they saw by accessing porn, pornography, and emulating those acts.”

Ms Setter said the challenge for law enforcement was to deal with this while not criminalising young people who may be consensually exploring sexuality and relationships with their peers.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-among-the-worst-for-online-sexual-harm-to-children-20211018-p590xt.html

>>14600499 (pb)

>>14600527 (pb)

Federal prosecutors launch appeal against Geoffrey William Moyle’s ‘manifestly inadequate’ sentence for starting global child abuse

The Adelaide pedophile who started the global, online exploitation of children must be resentenced so a new standard is set for punishing sex offenders, a court has heard.

Sean Fewster - October 19, 2021

Three more years in jail is a manifestly inadequate punishment for the Adelaide man who played a central role in creating the global online child abuse trade, a court has heard.

Federal prosecutors have renewed their push to have Geoffrey William Moyle, aka “Waka”, imprisoned for more than 14 years by filing appeal papers.

They want the Court of Appeal to replace his nine-year sentence, which leaves him eligible for parole in 2024, with one of the harshest penalties ever imposed in Australia.

The bid is expected to face staunch opposition in court as it goes against existing national legal precedent.

Courts around the country have, over the previous decade, repeatedly ruled a 10-year head sentence is appropriate for the abuse of children overseas.

A foreign aid worker, Moyle, 47, of Westbourne Park, filmed himself abusing child sex slaves in overseas brothels.

He was among the first criminals to share such material online – under his alias “Waka” – with other perverts, who called him the man who “wrote the Bible on child abuse”.

“Waka” was the target of a 20-year international manhunt that ended in 2019, when Moyle was unmasked and arrested by SA’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team.

Detectives matched a watch, a pair of shoes and a growth on “Waka’s” thigh to Moyle’s possessions and physical characteristics.

After paying one of his victims $84,000 compensation, Moyle was jailed for more than nine years, with a 4 ½-year non-parole period backdated to his arrest.

In sentencing, District Court Judge Paul Cuthberston said prosecutors had called for Waka to be jailed for 14 years, but noted such sentences had been overturned on appeal interstate.

“It seems to me that there is a good argument that the penalties as set down in the respective courts of appeal may be too low,” he said.

”As a judge of the District Court, I don’t think it is appropriate for me to change a sentencing regime that has been imposed by three different courts of appeal throughout Australia.”

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-sa/federal-prosecutors-launch-appeal-against-geoffrey-william-moyles-manifestly-inadequate-sentence-for-starting-global-child-abuse/news-story/050365fb5e8e07fa9e180dd8e2164c37

Prosecutors Oppose Ghislaine Maxwell’s Bid to Let Her Attorneys Screen Potential Jurors in Secret

ADAM KLASFELD - Oct 18th, 2021

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A little more than a month before the anticipated start date of a sex trafficking trial, federal prosecutors told a judge on Monday that Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers should not be allowed to screen potential jurors in private grilling sessions.

“The Government respectfully submits that the well-established practice in this District should be followed; that is, the Court should ask most questions in open court and ask sensitive questions, such as those that relate to sexual abuse and media exposure, at sidebar,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe wrote in a five-page letter.

The letter comes a little less than a week after Maxwell’s request for extraordinary secrecy surrounding the grand jury process. Maxwell’s legal team—without objection from prosecutors—wanted to keep a proposed jury questionnaire and proposed joint voir dire under seal, citing the extensive pre-trial publicity as justification.

“A tsunami of reporting in every conceivable form – newspapers, magazines, books, television, radio, video streaming services, podcasts, social media platforms – has broadcast this case locally, nationally, and globally,” Maxwell’s lawyer Bobbi Sternheim wrote in an Oct. 12 memo. “Without a doubt, and without any credible evidentiary basis, Ms. Maxwell has been tried, convicted, and condemned in the court of public opinion.”

Maxwell’s lawyers separately requested an “individual sequestered voir dire” and “limited attorney-conducted voir dire.” Sternheim swiftly responded to the prosecution’s opposition, floating the same argument for a change of procedure. The Monday filing produces the latest Google searches associated with the case: more than 4.7 million hits for Maxwell and 26.2 million for Jeffrey Epstein.

“This is an extraordinary case involving sensitive issues,” the filing states. “We urge the Court to exercise its supervisory powers and discretion and grant the defense request for individual sequestered voir dire and very limited counsel-conducted voir dire.”

For prosecutors, these requests were a bridge too far.

“None of the defendant’s arguments warrant departing from the well-settled practice in this District of Court-led voir dire,” prosecutors wrote on Monday. “The Court is well-equipped to thoroughly question prospective jurors and to appropriately filter questions prepared by the parties.”

During most jury trials in the Southern District of New York, the court routinely releases jury questionnaires and questions potential candidates in open court. Federal judges occasionally grant requests for anonymous juries in cases involving organized crime or terrorism, and in these cases, jurors are typically identified by a number and aspects of their questioning are released to the public. There has been no request for an anonymous jury to date in Maxwell’s case.

(continued)

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With trial slated to begin Nov. 29, Maxwell’s lawyers assert that the sex trafficking allegations may require soliciting sensitive information from the jurors, but prosecutors say that typical courtroom procedures already account for such issues.

“Of course, under the typical practice in the District, prospective jurors would not be asked to describe their experiences with sexual assault or the details of pretrial publicity in front of the rest of the venire,” prosecutors wrote. “That questioning would happen at sidebar, in an ‘individual, sequestered’ setting. But not every prospective juror may need additional questions on those topics, and other topics can safely be discussed in the group setting. Accordingly, it is more efficient to conduct voir dire following the usual practice in this District.”

Maxwell’s superseding indictment accuses her of sex trafficking and grooming minors as young as 14 years old for Epstein’s predation from 1994 to 2004. Prosecutors also allege that she participated in the abuse.

“Having developed a rapport with a victim, Maxwell would try to normalize sexual abuse for a minor victim by , among other things , discussing sexual topics, undressing in front of the victim, being present when a minor victim was undressed , and/or being present for sex acts involving the minor victim and Epstein,” the superseding indictment states.

Prosecutors claim the abuse occurred in Epstein’s New York mansion, Palm Beach estate, and Santa Fe ranch, as well as Maxwell’s personal residence in London. Though the indictment focuses on girls labeled as “Minor Victim,” Epstein’s estate recently paid out almost $125 million to roughly 150 people from a fund designed to compensate victims.

Read the prosecution’s motion below:

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/prosecutors-oppose-ghislaine-maxwells-bid-to-let-her-attorneys-screen-potential-jurors-in-secret/

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17318376/united-states-v-maxwell/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612.355.0.pdf

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on October 18, 2021

Hubei Media Group: On October 15, Russian foreign ministry released information on Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov's meeting with UK Ambassador to Moscow. Ryabkov said that the trilateral security partnership of Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS) won't facilitate the resolution of the tasks of strengthening the international security and stability, and will create difficulties in the sphere of arms control. Russia hopes that the AUKUS participants can strictly adhere to their obligations of nuclear non-proliferation. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: China agrees with the views expressed by the Russian side on AUKUS.

As China has stressed many times, the establishment of this trilateral security partnership and their nuclear submarine cooperation have a series of seriously negative impacts: First, the three countries, drawing lines along ideology, have built a new military bloc which will heighten geopolitical tensions. Second, it will encourage regional countries to accelerate the development of military capabilities, and even seek to break the nuclear threshold, thus leading to arms race and increasing the risk of military conflicts. Third, the nuclear submarine cooperation poses serious nuclear proliferation risks and violates the spirit of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

I want to stress that this cooperation would be the first time that a nuclear weapon state transfer nuclear submarine to a non-nuclear weapon state. That means the US and the UK will export to Australia highly enriched uranium with purity of 90% or more, but the current safeguards mechanism of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot verify whether Australia will use the highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons. Therefore, what these three countries are doing runs counter to the purposes and goals of NPT and gravely undermine the international non-proliferation system. The US, on the one hand, sanctions and suppresses some countries with the excuse of developing nuclear technologies, and flagrantly transfers weapon-grade nuclear materials to non-nuclear states on the other. This is typical double-standards. It will create far-reaching, negative impact on the political and diplomatic settlement of regional nuclear hotspots.

For years, the US, the UK and Australia have been calling themselves leaders of international non-proliferation efforts and defenders of the international non-proliferation system. But what the three countries did have proven that they actually engage in proliferation and undermine the international non-proliferation system.

China believes that all regional mechanisms should follow the trend of peace and development, enhance mutual trust and cooperation among regional countries rather than target any third party or harm their interests. We urge the three countries to listen to the appeals of the international community, abandon the outdated Cold War, zero-sum mentality and narrow-minded geopolitical perception, reverse the wrong decision, faithfully fulfill their international non-proliferation obligations and do more that benefits regional peace and stability.

http://ph.china-embassy.org/eng/fyrth/t1915130.htm

Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweets

Delighted to welcome Defence Minister @PeterDutton_MP to my residence last evening! His leadership is essential for (Japan) and (Australia) to achieve a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

https://twitter.com/YamagamiShingo/status/1450243796730404867

—

Pleased to talk with Minister for Home Affairs @karenandrewsmp. I hope (Japan) and (Australia) continue to develop cooperation on various issues including cyber security and counter-terrorism.

https://twitter.com/YamagamiShingo/status/1450357354457796615

Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Tweet

Two Forces, One Fight

“For the first time, Combined Task Force GINAN integrated over 2,000 U.S. and Australian troops from both MRF-D and Australian Army’s 1st Brigade at Exercise Koolendong 2021”.

(U.S. Marine Corps graphic by Cpl. Jacob Foster)

https://twitter.com/MrfDarwin/status/1450046498746552320

>>14798254

70 per cent of Australians 16 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, reaching national milestone

Jake Evans - 20 October 2021

Seventy per cent of Australians aged 16 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, a national milestone in the government's plan to reopen the country.

While vaccination rates differ between states, causing a staggered move to ease restrictions, the national rate has now reached the major target set by the government to begin moving out of the pandemic.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the milestone was a testament to Australians.

"I can officially confirm that Australia has now passed the 70 per cent double-dosed vaccination rate for the 16-plus population," Mr Hunt said.

"To be precise, 70.007 per cent of Australians.

"It's a memorable number, but it's memorable above all else because it represents the movement at a national level to phase B of our national roadmap."

Under the national roadmap, the move to phase B happens when the national average, as well as the average in a particular state or territory, has reached 70 per cent.

Lockdowns become less likely, restrictions are eased for fully vaccinated residents, international traveller caps are raised, and international students and other temporary visa holders are able to enter Australia.

It also marks the beginning of preparations to administer vaccine booster shots.

Details of that program are expected later this month, but Mr Hunt suggested boosters would first be rolled out in aged care homes.

"We have the supply, we have the mechanism. The last part is the medical advice and the medical approval," he said.

'Patchiness' between states

Mr Hunt also celebrated the outstanding vaccination rate in Canberra, which is now one of the most vaccinated cities in the world.

"I think it's important to acknowledge what has happened here in the ACT," he said.

"The ACT is at 98.1 per cent first vaccinations. It is one of the most highly vaccinated societies in the world."

But Mr Hunt noted there was some "patchiness" between states, particularly among children aged 12 to 15, for whom vaccines have only recently become available.

While NSW and the ACT have surpassed 80 per cent double dose rates for the eligible population, Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory are not expected to reach their 70 per cent milestones until mid-November, and 80 per cent a month after that.

Nationally, 85.5 per cent of the population has received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-20/national-double-dose-full-vaccination-rate-reaches-70-per-cent/100552790

SA public servant Ian Schapel took advantage of children's poverty to exploit them sexually, court hears

Claire Campbell - 19 October 2021

A retired senior public servant of 45 years preyed on the economic disadvantage of young children in the Philippines, forcing them to perform sex acts for him online — or starve — an Adelaide court has heard.

Ian Ralph Schapel – who was a senior HR manager with the South Australian Department of Premier and Cabinet — has pleaded guilty to 50 offences, including 41 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child outside of Australia, using a carriage service to access child exploitation material and possessing child exploitation material.

The 67-year-old engaged in 74 occasions of sexual activity with at least 13 children in the Philippines over platforms including Skype and WhatsApp.

The female victims were aged between three and nine years old.

Schapel also had more than 52,000 images and videos of child exploitation material in his possession.

Commonwealth prosecutor Krista Breckweg said Schapel took advantage of families in the Philippines and paid a "paltry" amount of $30 on average for a live recording.

"He preyed on the economic vulnerability of the facilitators and the children, acknowledging that the communication was usually initiated by the adult women who contacted him asking for money to buy food or medicine," Ms Breckweg told the court.

"The chat logs that accompanied established that the offender was directing the facilitators as to what he wanted the children do.

"The offender chose the Philippines where he could easily and readily access young girls for sex given their dire economic circumstances and the absence of efficient law enforcement aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse."

She said if the facilitator – or parent – of the child victim did not meet his requests, he would threaten them including saying "you starve now".

Schapel's loneliness connected with hoarding

The District Court heard Schapel's offending escalated when he retired from the public service in 2017.

He would take at least one overseas holiday every year.

Schapel's lawyer Chris Kummerow said his client viewed his arrest in February last year as "a wake-up call".

"At the time of the offences, Mr Schapel did not consider the moral question of his offending," Mr Kummerow told the court.

"These conversations were a form of escape for Mr Schapel; this interaction was essentially not in the real world, it was somewhat of a fantasy world for him, it didn't seem real to him at the time given his quite isolated and insular nature.

"He has come to realise that these are not victimless offences and that he has directly caused harm to these children.

"He feels an incredible sense of remorse, pain and regret for that."

(continued)

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Mr Kummerow said Schapel – who has been diagnosed with a hoarding disorder — was lonely and isolated and found a community online where he was free from judgement.

"There was a disconnect between who Mr Schapel was at work – confident, engaged, knowledgeable – he was the go-to man, to who he was at home – he was lonely, insecure, afraid of social contact," Mr Kummerow told the court.

"The hoarding disorder essentially means that he collects these images like he collects various other legal non-pornographic collections over the course of his adult life."

Mr Kummerow said Schapel accepted he would go to prison but was "keen and eager" to one day be released as a "productive member of the community".

He said Schapel wanted to use his time inside to get treatment.

The court heard Schapel had to be moved in prison for his safety following a number of incidents.

Police wanted to seize house

Mr Kummerow also said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) had wanted to seize Schapel's Mitchell Park house on the basis that "it was an instrument of the offending".

"Their rationale – and to my knowledge, this has never been tested in Australia – is that it provides power and internet connection to facilitate the offences," Mr Kummerow said.

"Noting that a number of these offences occurred while he was overseas, clearly it doesn't require the house for the offences to be committed."

He said a deed of settlement in the Supreme Court had since allowed Schapel to pay half the value of his house — $165,000 — to the AFP but keep his house.

Commissioner for Victims' Rights Bronwyn Killmier said Schapel's offending was "a violation of human rights" in a community impact statement that was read to the court.

"He was not a bystander but rather an active participant and manipulator," she wrote.

"While the offender may be thousands of miles away, they are responsible for the abuse and exploitation of children for their own gratification.

"Victims and facilitators are often in countries of high levels of poverty, unemployment and job instability so the cost for offenders is relatively low.

"Thus the cycle of abuse is perpetrated by economic imbalances and results in lifelong damage for the children victims."

The court heard Schapel had no prior criminal history.

Judge Paul Cuthbertson will sentence Schapel in February.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-19/public-servant-sexually-exploited-children-overseas-court-hears/100550242

>>14812759

Ghislaine Maxwell Asks Judge Not to Let Prosecutors Mention ‘Victims,’ ‘Minor Victims’ or Alleged ‘Rape’ by Jeffrey Epstein

ADAM KLASFELD - Oct 19th, 2021

Accused sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell wants to prevent prosecutors from mentioning some of the words most associated with her case in front of a jury, including “victims,” “minor victims” or allegations of “rape” by Jeffrey Epstein.

The request became public in a filing late on Monday evening, previewing more than a dozen motions Maxwell’s legal team plans to file attempting to exclude or suppress evidence and testimony.

In the lead-up to a U.S. criminal trial, lawyers typically file so-called motions in limine to prevent one of the parties from eliciting testimony or introducing evidence believed to be inflammatory, prejudicial or irrelevant. Maxwell’s lawyer Jeffrey S. Pagliuca previewed 13 such motions in a three-page notice, showing the broad outlines of their requests.

The details of the defense team’s requests or their legal reasoning have not been made public by press time—but the titles of the motions are eye-opening.

“Motion to Preclude Testimony About Any Alleged ‘Rape’ by Jeffrey Epstein,” the 11th on the list reads.

“Motion to Preclude Reference to the Accusers as ‘Victims’ or ‘Minor Victims,'” the 12th is named.

The phrase “minor victim” appears no fewer than 20 times in Maxwell’s 24-page superseding indictment, which focuses on four such alleged victims. Those four hardly comprise the suspected universe of Epstein accusers. The late pedophile’s estate recently paid out almost $125 million to roughly 150 people from a fund designed to compensate victims.

With trial slated to begin on Nov. 29, Maxwell’s attorneys want to keep prosecutors from uttering the phrase to a jury. They also proposed a secretive process of screening potential jurors through questioning by defense counsel outside the view and earshot of the press and public. In the past, they have claimed that such measures are justified by the intense media coverage their client’s case has attracted.

“A tsunami of reporting in every conceivable form – newspapers, magazines, books, television, radio, video streaming services, podcasts, social media platforms – has broadcast this case locally, nationally, and globally,” Maxwell’s other attorney Bobbi Sternheim wrote in an Oct. 12 memo. “Without a doubt, and without any credible evidentiary basis, Ms. Maxwell has been tried, convicted, and condemned in the court of public opinion.”

Among her many motions to exclude evidence, Maxwell wants to bar admission of evidence related to the third of four accusers. She also asked to exclude “evidence of alleged flight,” a government exhibit she claimed to be an “unauthenticated hearsay document from suspect sources,” and items seized during a search of 358 El Brillo Way on Oct. 20, 2005.

That is the address of Epstein’s Palm Beach, Fla. home, which was searched before his controversial plea deal years later that included a provision purportedly shielding his alleged co-conspirators.

U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan, who is presiding over Maxwell’s trial, previously ruled that Epstein’s 2008 plea deal does not shield Maxwell from prosecution.

Maxwell’s defense also asked the judge to exclude evidence that Maxwell allegedly made false statements under oath in her litigation with Virginia Giuffre, one of her most outspoken accusers. Giuffre’s lawsuit, which stated that Maxwell made her Epstein’s “sex slave,” was settled on confidential terms before an open-records battle unsealed much of the court’s docket.

Prosecutors claim that Maxwell perjured herself during two sworn depositions in that case, and those allegations will be heard separately from the sex trafficking and other claims going before a jury in November.

Read Maxwell’s notice below:

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/ghislaine-maxwell-asks-judge-not-to-let-prosecutors-mention-victims-minor-victims-or-alleged-rape-by-jeffrey-epstein/

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17318376/united-states-v-maxwell/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612.357.0.pdf

>>14818568

Greg Hunt chokes back tears as he reveals death threats to family

Rob Harris - October 20, 2021

Health Minister Greg Hunt has choked back tears while recalling violent threats made against him and his young family as the Australian Federal Police reviews the security arrangements of federal MPs following the stabbing murder of their British counterpart.

Mr Hunt, first elected 20 years ago, said the violent threats against MPs, including Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner at the weekend, must be “clearly, absolutely, unequivocally” condemned.

Mr Gunner’s family had to leave their Darwin home after his personal address was disclosed in front of a large contingent of anti-vaccine protesters at the weekend.

Mr Hunt told reporters in Canberra he had never spoken about details of the threats received.

“There was a period where, yeah, the lives of my children were threatened quite openly some years ago, and that it was a matter of great concern. But we have very fine federal police in this country,” an emotional Mr Hunt said.

“To those that think violence or the threat of violence is acceptable in any way, shape or form, it is not. As a country, we have to, I think, relearn the value of respect.

“And I don’t mean holding … parliamentarians up on any pedestal. We’re not better than anybody, but they’re not worse than anybody.

“They are overwhelmingly public servants that seek to serve the nation, and there will be differing views and different approaches. But this notion of national tolerance and mutual respect is something I believe in … we follow the advice of the police at a state and federal level based on threat assessments, but it’s that culture of mutual respect, which is critical.”

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews met AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw on Tuesday after half a dozen Coalition members raised concerns about the safety of their colleagues and staff members in their weekly party room meeting.

She told Parliament on Tuesday evening that members should not let the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess at a public meeting with voters deter them from important work in their communities.

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said he had received “a number of death threats” during his five years in Parliament and had an AFP security detail at times as a minister.

“Obviously that comes with what comes out of my mouth sometimes … but we live in a free country and I should be able to say what I want, within reason,” the Nationals MP said.

“But obviously, I trust the AFP in making determinations of whether I need protection or not. I think Australia is a very mature country. They understand the political process. Some of them aren’t as engaged in the political process as we’d like, but I think broadly we’re a safe country.”

Opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said she was personally thankful for the effort the AFP makes to protect federal MPs of all political persuasions and said she had received threats in recent months.

“When my children were younger it was quite stressful. I had situations as NSW premier where I had police in my house with their guns drawn, clearing rooms to ensure an intruder wasn’t there, with my children upstairs. This is part of the job, unfortunately.”

She took aim at several Coalition MPs who she accused of giving a “wink and a nod” to ideologically motivated groups, saying it was in the national interest that they were called out and rejected by everyone from Prime Minister Scott Morrison down.

“We all have a role to play in saying Australian democracy is worth preserving. It’s better than this. If there are things that Labor can do to assist the government, in making a more secure environment, then I’m happy to do that,” she said.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/greg-hunt-chokes-back-tears-as-he-reveals-death-threats-to-family-20211020-p591l0.html

ASIO warns foreign attackers may try to insert malicious code in critical infrastructure to exploit later

Anthony Galloway - October 20, 2021

The nation’s counter-espionage agency has warned Australia’s adversaries may try to infect its telecommunications and energy grids with malicious code to launch damaging cyber attacks years down the track, as the government readies to pass laws to better protect critical infrastructure.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess said foreign attackers could be preparing to “sabotage” the country’s critical infrastructure.

“I remain concerned about the potential for Australia’s adversaries to pre-position malicious code in critical infrastructure, particularly in areas such as telecommunications and energy,” Mr Burgess said in ASIO’s annual report tabled in Federal Parliament on Tuesday. “Such cyber-enabled activities could be used to damage critical networks in the future.”

He said the attacks would “undermine Australia’s sovereignty, democratic institutions, economy and national security capabilities”, while also warning espionage and foreign interference attempts by multiple countries remained “unacceptably high”.

“These attempts occur on a daily basis. They are sophisticated and wide-ranging. They are enabled and accelerated by technology,” he said. “And they take place in every state and territory, targeting all levels of government, as well as industry and academia.”

The government will on Wednesday introduce amendments to its contentious critical infrastructure bill in line with the recommendations of a bipartisan inquiry to pass some changes immediately while continuing to consult industry on more controversial proposals.

The bill, which would require operators of critical infrastructure to report cyber attacks within 72 hours of being hacked, is now expected to be passed within days. As a last resort, the government would also be able to declare an emergency, which would give the cyber spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate, the power to plug into the company’s network to defend against the attack.

Business groups and unions were scathing of the government’s consultation with industry and stakeholders during the security and intelligence committee’s inquiry into the proposal, resulting in the recommendation to split the bill.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last year revealed a wave of sophisticated cyber attacks on all levels of government, industry and critical infrastructure including hospitals, local councils and state-owned utilities.

The new laws will redefine what is deemed critical infrastructure, with universities, finance and banking, health and the food and grocery sectors, communications, defence industry, energy and transport added to the list.

Other proposals, such as new “positive security obligations” for businesses – which would include developing risk management plans – will be put in a separate bill after further consultations with industry and stakeholders.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said recent cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, both in Australia and overseas, made the changes “critically important”.

She said the laws would “secure the essential infrastructure and services all Australian’s rely on – everything from electricity and water, to healthcare and groceries”.

“They will bring our response to cyber threats more into line with the government’s response to threats in the physical world,” she said. “This legislation is about helping businesses focus on what they do best – delivering goods and services and supporting their customers.”

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed last week that global tech giants had stepped up their opposition to the laws, warning the bill would allow authorities to forcibly access their networks without due process.

The industry bodies representing some of the world’s biggest technology companies, including Google, Microsoft, Intel, Twitter, eBay, Amazon and Adobe, said the laws would create an “unworkable set of obligations and set a troubling global precedent”.

The government has been frustrated by a lack of co-operation during and after a cyber attack from some companies operating critical infrastructure.

The parliamentary inquiry into the proposed laws heard a major Australian company the subject of an attack refused to comply with the ASD for weeks. Transport and logistics giant Toll Group later conceded it may have been the company that failed to adequately engage with the ASD.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/asio-warns-foreign-attackers-may-try-to-insert-malicious-code-in-critical-infrastructure-to-exploit-later-20211019-p591cq.html

ASIO ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21

https://www.asio.gov.au/asio-report-parliament.html

https://www.asio.gov.au/sites/default/files/Annual%20Report%202020-21%20WEB.pdf

Department of Defence Tweet

The 2021 @MrfDarwin has departed from the NT!

This marks the end of the 10th rotation of @USMC and Sailors through Australia’s Top End.

The #Marines will return to the Northern Territory in 2022.

bit. ly/3G1lOEE

https://twitter.com/DeptDefence/status/1450635465246269443

—

US Marines depart Australia's top end

news.defence.gov.au - 20 October 2021

The 2021 Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) has departed from the Northern Territory, bringing to a close the tenth rotation of U.S. Marines through Australia’s Top End.

This year’s rotation coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Australia, New Zealand, and United States (ANZUS) treaty and was made special by visits from the Prime Minister of Australia, Chief of the Defence Force, and U.S. Consul General.

The history of the Australia-U.S. relationship is one that predates World War I, tracing back to the days of the Great White Fleet in 1908, a deployment of US Atlantic Fleet to the Pacific.

Commander Headquarters Northern Command Colonel Marcus Constable said “Our Alliance with the United States is our most important defence relationship.”

“The Alliance is the cornerstone of Australian security and together we are committed to ensuring a secure, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific.

“MRF-D is a reflection of the close cooperation between the ADF, United States Marine Corps and the Northern Territory Government.”

This year, approximately 2,200 U.S. Marines and Sailors conducted a comprehensive range of training activities, including humanitarian assistance, security operations and high-end, live-fire exercises.

Combined exercises such as Crocodile Response, Southern Jackaroo, Loobye, and Koolendong demonstrated military interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and ADF, as well as with regional partners.

The focus remains on strengthening bilateral military capabilities and preparing for crisis and contingency response to help maintain stability and security in the region.

“MRF-D is a highly capable force, prepared to operate with our Australian partners,” noted U.S. Marine Colonel David Banning, MRF-D commanding officer.

“Being able to continue MRF-D rotations while making the necessary adjustments to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to the alliance relationship and the discipline of our forces.”

The Marines will return to the Northern Territory in 2022, as part of the 25-year commitment established by the U.S Force Posture Initiatives.

“We look forward to next year’s MRF-D rotation, and the opportunity to continue to deepen our ties with our Australian partners and engage with regional partners in the Indo-Pacific,” said Colonel Banning.

United States Force Posture Initiatives also include an expanded program of Enhanced Air Cooperation between the Royal Australian Air Force and United States Air Force. These initiatives are tangible demonstrations of the strength of the Australia-US Alliance and our deep engagement within the Indo-Pacific region.

More information is available at https://www.defence.gov.au/Initiatives/USFPI/

https://news.defence.gov.au/media/media-releases/us-marines-depart-australias-top-end

Australia calls out China’s bad behaviour at the WTO

WILL GLASGOW - OCTOBER 21, 2021

The Australian government has denounced China as a threat to the global trading system in a scorching statement to the World Trade Organisation.

An explosive two-page statement by the Morrison government called out the Xi government’s brutal campaign of trade coercion on exports previously worth more than $20 billion a year.

The statement directly accused China’s government of linking the sweeping campaign of trade strikes to its displeasure with Australian government policy.

“WTO rules do not permit a member – however large – to impose conditions such as these on trade with another member,” the Australian government said in a statement submitted to the body responsible for governing the rules of international trade.

“The implications of China’s actions go beyond their impact on Australian exporters – they raise the risk and uncertainty of the China market for the global business community,” the statement said.

“China has assured members of its commitment to the rules-based order; but from our viewpoint there is a growing gap between China’s rhetoric and its actions,” the statement said.

The Australian statement – part of a regular review process by the WTO into the trade practices of its members – marks a notable escalation by the Morrison government.

It was published on Twitter by Australia’s WTO ambassador George Mina and was retweeted by former trade minister Simon Birmingham, now the Finance Minister and a key member of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s leadership team.

Canberra has sought to internationalise its push back of Beijing’s attempt to use its giant market to punish the governments of trading partners for perceived misbehaviour.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has used the coercive trade tactic with increased frequency, including on Canada, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Lithuania.

The strikes on Australia have hardened the Morrison government’s China policy and contributed to a profound souring of public sentiment towards Australia’s biggest trading market.

Most of the lost trade has been redirected to other markets, while China has continued to buy Australian iron ore and liquefied natural gas at record levels – and record prices – undermining the macroeconomic impact of Beijing’s trade attack.

The new statement outlines the victims of the Xi government’s trade coercion with detail unprecedented in an Australian government statement.

“Over the past 18 months, China has increasingly implemented trade disruptive measures targeting a wide range of Australian products,” the statement said.

“These included increased and arbitrary border testing and inspections; unwarranted delays in listed and re-listing export establishments, issuing import license and other restrictions, and the imposition of unjustified anti-dumping and countervailing duties.”

The Australian government statement said the Xi government’s measures had severely limited Australia’s trade with China of barley, coal, copper ores and concentrates, hay, logs, rock lobsters, sugar and wine.

Other products were hindered or disrupted, the Australian government said, including beef, citrus fruit, grains and table grapes.

China also limited Australia’s market access for dairy, infant formula and meat, according to the Australian government statement.

The blunt statement was released as China seeks to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a giant trading block that the Turnbull government was instrumental in creating.

To join, China needs the support of all CPTPP members, including at least three countries it has used its trade coercion tactics on in recent years: Japan, Canada and Australia.

Trade Minister Dan Tehan has said Australia will only support China’s entry if it can demonstrate it has a history of following the rules of the trade agreements it signs up to, including its thoroughly tattered free-trade agreement with Australia and its membership of the WTO.

“Australia urges China to fully align its trade policies with its WTO obligations, for the benefit of all,” the Australian government said in its statement.

“We look forward to reviewing China’s answers to our questions carefully.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/australia-calls-out-chinas-bad-behaviour-at-the-wto/news-story/2ccf3b8b68434fa07e5927da1d07987f

https://twitter.com/AusWTO/status/1450752226482339840

>>14798254

Victoria records 2,232 new local COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths as lockdown exit nears

abc.net.au - 21 October 2021

1/2

Victoria has recorded 2,232 new local cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths, as metropolitan Melbourne and Mildura prepare to leave lockdown tonight.

There are now 22,889 active cases of the virus in Victoria, and 187 people have died during the current Delta outbreak.

The new cases mark the second-highest daily tally in Victoria since the pandemic began and were identified from 79,544 test results received yesterday.

Victoria has passed the 70 per cent full-vaccination milestone that will officially trigger the end of Melbourne's COVID-19 lockdown at 11:59pm tonight.

The state has also passed the milestone of 90 per cent of people aged 16+ receiving at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Deputy Premier James Merlino said Mildura would also exit lockdown at 11:59pm tonight with the rest of the state, a day earlier than expected.

But he said the restriction on travelling between Melbourne and regional areas would remain in place, as planned, until the 80 per cent double goal was reached.He described the state's vaccination rates as "truly phenomenal".

"To be on track to be one of the most highly vaccinated jurisdictions in the world is a feather in the cap of every single Victorian," he said.

Mr Merlino said the government would have more to say about what might happen when 90 per cent of the eligible population are double dosed closer to that milestone.

"We've made a promise, a contract, with the people of Victoria: Victorians get vaccinated, we'll get out of this lockdown and we'll ease restrictions," he said.

He said the state was "tracking well ahead" of reaching the 80 per cent goal by November 5, as initially projected.

The 12 people who died were a man in his 40s, two men and two women in their 60s, one man and one woman in their 70s, three women and a man in their 80s and a woman in her 90s.

There are 779 people in hospital with COVID-19, 141 people in intensive care and 96 on a ventilator.

Excitement, hard work ahead of midnight reopening

Across metropolitan Melbourne and Mildura, there is a flurry of activity as hospitality businesses and hairdressers get ready to move out of lockdown tomorrow.

Nick Justice from the Paringa Estate winery in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula said the excitement was mounting.

"We're super pumped, we're excited about re-opening this weekend," he said.

"It's been a really lonely time out here on the estate and to have people come back and have a glass of wine amongst the vines is really exciting for us."

He said there had been a big response from customers since the announcement about the end of lockdown was made, with non-stop phone calls and hundreds of emails.

"Almost everyone is ready to get out of Melbourne and come and visit rural, more regional areas that are still located in metropolitan Melbourne," Mr Justice said.

Unlike some pubs and other hospitality businesses who were planning to reopen at midnight, the winery plans to open gradually, with cellar doors open this weekend, outdoor dining resuming next week and fine dining indoors still two weeks away.

Mr Justice said he wanted to take some time to return to normal so there would be a smooth reopening and less pressure on staff.

The owner of Soak Bar + Beauty in South Yarra, Carlie Lansdown, has also been hard at work.

"We are restocking everything, cleaning everything," she said.

"I haven't really stepped foot much in the salon in the past three months so it has needed a full head-to-toe makeover, so fully excited, getting on our hands and knees scrubbing floors.

"We are ready to roll."

But she said density limits posed challenges.

"The most difficult part of this whole situation is that five limit in our space and we've got over 500 bookings sitting there and only five people allowed in the space," she said.

(continued)

>>14825507

2/2

Half a million Victorians urged to come forward for second dose

Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie encouraged Victorians to take a moment to enjoy their "hard-earned freedoms" as lockdown restrictions lifted in Melbourne and Mildura.

He said about a third of the new cases were in the south-east of Melbourne, with the largest share in the local government area of Casey.

Professor Cowie said in response to its outbreak, vaccination rates in Mildura had risen "astronomically".

He said 65 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the regional city had been fully vaccinated, which meant it was closing in on the state average.

He said about 500,000 second doses would bring the state to its 80 per cent double vaccination goal.

"That means there are about half a million Victorians out there who have had their first dose and are due for their second dose in the next fortnight or so," Professor Cowie said.

"If you haven't already, please, book in that second jab, lock in that double-dose protection for yourself and do your bit to protect yourself, your family and your community, and to help us finish this job."

Booster program advice 'urgently needed'

Professor Cowie said his state's health team was in "daily communication" with Commonwealth colleagues about approving a program for booster shots for healthcare workers and the aged care sector.

"From my own, personal perspective, the evidence is clear that we see waning immunity … particularly six months and beyond after the initial vaccine course is completed," he said.

"I think booster vaccinations will be really important to some of our sensitive settings. I'm thinking about healthcare workers, I'm thinking about aged care workers and residents.

"I would strongly endorse such an approach and I would really welcome that national guidance coming out as quickly as possible, because it's an important issue that's playing out right now and we urgently need that guidance and national consensus.

"I am sure Victoria would be very, very happy to be an active partner in making that happen as quickly as possible."

Pressure is mounting for an urgent plan to roll out booster doses to healthcare workers, but ATAGI is yet to outline its advice on the issue.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has this week said she expected that advice would be released by ATAGI "very, very shortly" and her state was also poised to immediately begin a booster program rollout.

Leaders laud state reaching key goal

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed this morning that both Victoria and Tasmania now had 70 per cent of their 16+ population fully vaccinated.

"I officially confirm, just got the figures, Victoria has reached 70.51 per cent double-dose vaccination rate right across the state. And good on Tasmania as well, because they have hit 70.6 per cent," he told Channel Seven.

On Twitter, Premier Daniel Andrews congratulated Victorians for their vaccination efforts, saying he was "so proud".

"Because of everything Victorians have done, tomorrow we can start getting back to the things we love," he said.

Under Victoria's new rules, fully vaccinated people will be allowed much greater freedoms. But people who are not double-dosed will be barred from most hospitality venues and events.

COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar has confirmed the double-dose rule also applies to staff at those venues.

He said Melbourne's citywide curfew would be in place from 9:00pm on Thursday until restrictions lifted at 11:59pm, the "witching hour" when people would be able to enjoy their new freedoms.

Staff at hospitality venues will still be allowed to go into work after the curfew kicks in at 9:00pm to get their venues ready, but patrons will need to wait until 11:59pm to leave home to get into venues.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it was a day of celebration, but he again insisted that Victoria could re-open faster.

"There is a difference with restrictions having been eased in New South Wales and Victoria and my only point was a factual one which is I hope that Victorians can enjoy the same freedoms as those in New South Wales," he told ABC Radio National.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-21/victoria-reaches-covid-vaccination-70-per-cent-goal/100555616

>>14789393

British defence chief General Sir Nicholas Carter says AUKUS security pact 'not designed to be exclusive'

Andrew Greene - 21 October 2021

The UK's departing Chief of the Defence Staff has signalled the new trilateral AUKUS security pact with the United States and Australia could be expanded to include other allies such as Japan.

In a wide-ranging discussion at a Washington-based think tank, General Sir Nicholas Carter has reflected on the formation of the new military group which will work to develop a nuclear submarine fleet for Australia.

General Carter has told the Center for a New American Security he believes there are still some "question marks" about information sharing between the AUKUS partners.

"I think like all these things we're going to see how it goes – I mean I think there are some question marks about how we share information and those sorts of things," he said.

"I hope this could act as a catalyst for us all to be a bit more open-minded about how we share information with allies and partners because that would be helpful."

Asked whether countries like Japan feel excluded by the new partnership, General Carter suggested the nation could eventually join, along with remaining Five Eyes partners Canada and New Zealand.

"AUKUS is not designed to be in any way exclusive," General Carter told an online audience.

"It's a first step in terms of industrial development between like-minded partners and I absolutely know that the architects of it reckon that if it could be made more inclusive, if there were opportunities there, then that's the direction of travel it would go."

"The same applies to Five Eyes (the intelligence sharing alliance of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States) and also to other like-minded countries".

Government and diplomatic sources have played down the British general's comments, telling the ABC there are no plans for AUKUS to include any other nations.

During his appearance, the retiring Defence Chief also talked up the United Kingdom's growing military deployments to the Indo-Pacific.

General Carter said the presence of the Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group in the region was "not going to happen every year", but said the UK intends to have two warships operating continuously and have a "littoral strike group from time to time" there.

At the end of November, General Carter will be succeeded as Chief of the Defence Staff by Sir Antony Radakin, a naval officer who was involved in the early discussions that led to the AUKUS agreement.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-21/british-defence-chief-flags-more-potential-aukus-allies/100555416

>>14789393

‘We feel the heat’: Malaysia cool on Australian submarines

Chris Barrett - October 21, 2021

Singapore: Australia’s attempts to ease south-east Asian anxiety about its submarine ambitions continue to fall short, with Malaysia deeply concerned despite acknowledging the difference between nuclear power and nuclear arms.

The Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam have welcomed the AUKUS pact between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as Australia’s plans to enhance its military capability with varying degrees of enthusiasm. But Indonesia and Malaysia are fearful its acquisition of nuclear-propelled submarines will ramp up tension and trigger an arms build-up in the region.

It is a view not disputed by Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who on Wednesday said the prospect of other countries seeking to follow Australia and develop their own nuclear-powered submarines “cannot be excluded”.

The Morrison government has sought to address consternation in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur by sending Vice Admiral David Johnston, the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, to the region for talks but two of Australia’s most important neighbours are unconvinced.

“Marise Payne, the Foreign Minister, spoke to me twice on the phone. Immediately after the announcement [last month] and also last week after they sent their Vice Admiral to brief us on what the submarine [plan] is all about,” Malaysia Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah told the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia on Wednesday during a visit to Jakarta.

“She tried her level best and her team tried their level best to impress upon us that it is a nuclear-propelled submarine but not a nuclear-armed submarine. We take it at face value that’s what it is because it is still a work in progress. But we were very clear about sending our message of concern to Canberra.”

Saifuddin said nuclear power was “not something that will make Malaysians and I believe many ASEAN people comfortable”.

“We know the difference between nuclear arms and using nuclear for scientific purposes,” he said. “But when I talk to my friends they always remind me ‘it is a submarine’. Whether it is nuclear-propelled and not nuclear armed, it is a submarine. What do you use a submarine for?“

He said some ASEAN member nations would raise the issue with Australia, a dialogue partner of the regional bloc, when leaders convened for a three-day virtual summit next week.

“During the next ASEAN [leaders meeting] there is the ASEAN-Australia summit. I believe some member states want to raise the issue with Australia during the summit,” he said.

“I don’t think it is useful to evaluate whether we are satisfied with [Australia’s] explanation. The issue is still there.“

Saifuddin was speaking a day after Australia and Malaysia celebrated 50 years of the Five Power Defence Arrangements, which also includes the UK, Singapore and New Zealand, with a flyover in Singapore.

He said Malaysia didn’t want to have to choose sides in the geopolitical rivalry between the US and China.

“We feel the heat but we want to maintain our neutrality,” he said.

Malaysia has faced increasing incursions into its airspace and waters by China, and as recently as a fortnight ago it summoned Beijing’s ambassador to lodge its latest protest.

Even so, Saifuddin said Malaysia’s relations had improved with China, its top trading partner and investor, “despite what happened in the South China Sea”.

Grossi, the head of the IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, said Australia’s pursuit of a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines as a non-nuclear armed nation needed to be closely monitored.

“We have to have specific agreements to make sure that whatever they receive technology-wise or material-wise, is under safeguards,” he said.

“There has to be a specific arrangement with the IAEA… which has never been done before and it’s a very, very demanding process.”

https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/we-feel-the-heat-malaysia-cool-on-australian-submarines-20211020-p591o6.html

Malka Leifer’s lawyers consider seeking report on fitness for trial, court told

Adam Cooper - October 21, 2021

Lawyers for Malka Leifer are considering seeking a report on whether the former school principal is fit to stand trial on child abuse charges.

Ms Leifer has pleaded not guilty to at least 70 charges, including rape, and was last month committed to stand trial on allegations she abused three of her students between 2004 and 2008. Ms Leifer was principal of the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick at the time.

Her trial is set to be held next year.

Ms Leifer, 55, appeared before a County Court directions hearing on Thursday. Judicial Registrar Matthew Phillips asked defence counsel Ian Hill, QC, if he planned to seek a report about his client’s fitness to stand trial.

“It’s still a course that we’re considering,” Mr Hill said.

Mr Hill said he would have an answer on whether his team would seek a report about Ms Leifer by the time the case returned to court in early 2022.

It was estimated that the trial would run for three or four weeks. Judicial Registrar Phillips said he wanted to get the case moving and allocate it to a judge given the accused woman had been in custody for some time.

He ordered prosecutors to file an outline of how they would argue the case, and a response from the defence team, by early next year.

Another directions hearing was set down for March 16.

Ms Leifer, who wore a blue top and white head covering, raised her hand to confirm she could hear but did not speak during the short hearing. She held a hand on her chin throughout and was remanded in custody.

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

https://1800respect.org.au/

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/malka-leifer-s-lawyers-consider-seeking-report-on-fitness-for-trial-court-told-20211021-p591wz.html

>>14812973

Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet

Delighted to welcome Minister for Foreign Affairs @MarisePayne to my residence. Thanks to her contribution, (Japan and Australia) cooperation has been and will grow from strength to strength!

https://twitter.com/YamagamiShingo/status/1450950025022828546

>>14794959

I call for his Execution.

Former Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed unarmed Australian woman Justine Damond sentenced to 57 months in jail

ABC/AP - 22 October 2021

1/2

The former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot and killed Australian woman Justine Damond after she called 911 to report a possible rape behind her home has been sentenced to 57 months in prison.

Mohamed Noor has been re-sentenced to almost five years in jail on the charge of manslaughter in the second degree and culpable negligence causing unreasonable harm.

The new sentence came after his murder conviction was overturned by the Minnesota Supreme Court last month.

Judge Kathryn Quaintance, who also presided at Noor's initial trial, granted the prosecutors' request to impose the maximum sentence called for by state sentencing guidelines on Noor's manslaughter conviction, 57 months.

In doing so, she brushed aside the defence's request for 41 months, which is the low end of the range.

"Mr Noor, I am not surprised that you have been a model prisoner," Judge Quaintance said. "However, I do not know any authority that would make that grounds for reducing your sentence."

She cited Noor "shooting across the nose of your partner" and endangering others the night of the shooting to hand down the stiffest sentence she could.

With time already served, he’ll spend a further two years and three months behind bars.

Noor was initially convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the 2017 fatal shooting of Ms Damond, a 40-year-old dual US-Australian citizen and yoga teacher who was engaged to be married.

With his conviction and sentence for murder thrown out, he could be out on supervised release within months.

The overturned murder conviction

Last month Noor's murder conviction and sentence were tossed out with the court saying the third-degree murder statute didn't fit the case.

Noor testified at his 2019 trial that he and his partner were driving slowly in an alley when a loud bang on their police SUV made him fear for their lives.

He said he saw a woman appear at the partner's driver's side window and raise her right arm before he fired a shot from the passenger seat to stop what he thought was a threat.

He was then sentenced to 12 1/2 years on the murder count and had been serving most of his time at an out-of-state facility.

Experts say the new ruling could mean Derek Chauvin's third-degree murder conviction earlier this year in George Floyd's 2020 death could also come under review.

(continued)

>>14831650

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Justine's family criticises the reversal

During Thursday's hearing, Ms Damond's parents, John Ruszczyk and Maryan Heffernan, asked the judge to impose the longest sentence possible.

In a statement read by prosecutors, they called Ms Damond's death "utterly gratuitous" and said that the Minnesota Supreme Court's overturning of a "poorly written law" didn't change the jury's belief that Noor committed murder.

"Our sorry is forever, our lives will always endure an emptiness," they said.

The victim's fiancé, Don Damond, gave his statement via Zoom.

He started by praising prosecutors for their "sound application of the law" and criticising the state Supreme Court for its reversal, which he said "does not diminish the truth that was uncovered during the trial."

"The truth is Justine should be alive. No amount of justification, embellishment, cover-up, dishonesty or politics will ever change that truth," Mr Damond said.

But Don Damond also spoke directly to Noor, saying he forgave him and had no doubt Justine also would have forgiven him "for your inability in managing your emotions that night."

Noor, wearing a suit and tie and donning a face mask, appeared impassive as the victim's loved ones' statements were read.

At his original sentencing in 2019, he got emotional as he expressed regret for what he had done and apologised to Ms Damond's family.

Outrage after the killing

Ms Damond's death angered citizens in the US and Australia, and led to the resignation of the Minneapolis police chief at the time.

It also led the department to change its policy on body cameras; Noor and his partner didn't have theirs activated when they were investigating Ms Damond's 911 call.

Noor, who is Somali American, was believed to be the first Minnesota officer convicted of murder for an on-duty shooting.

Activists who had long called for officers to be held accountable for the deadly use of force applauded the murder conviction but lamented that it came in a case in which the officer is black and his victim was white.

Some questioned whether the case was treated the same as police shootings involving black victims.

Days after Noor's conviction, the city of Minneapolis agreed to pay $US20 million ($26 million) to Ms Damond's family, believed at the time to be the largest settlement stemming from police violence in Minnesota.

It was surpassed earlier this year when Minneapolis agreed to a $US27 million ($36 million) settlement in George Floyd's death just as Derek Chauvin was going on trial.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-22/justine-damond-mohamed-noor-resentencing/100558828

Schools risk our next-gen security: Alan Tudge

MAX MADDISON - OCTOBER 21, 2021

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The next generation of Australians will be unwilling to defend their country in a military crisis, because schools are feeding students a negative view of its history and undermining confidence in liberal democracy, the Education Minister will warn in a major speech on Friday.

Alan Tudge will push for more far-reaching changes to the draft national curriculum in a speech to the Centre for independent ­Studies, including its treatment of history, which he warns could ­entrench ideological misgivings, such as referring to “our most sacred day, Anzac Day, as a contested idea”.

While Mr Tudge says a revised version of the draft curriculum ­includes a stronger focus on ­phonics and the introduction of multiplication timetables in year three rather than year four, he ­expresses deep concern that ­children are still fed “negative views of our country, our history and our people”.

“With education standards in decline in Australia over the last 20 years, we cannot have our curriculum stand still. It must aim higher. It must lift standards so we are on a path to where we used to be two decades ago,” he says.

He also warns that the draft curriculum has “weakened Christianity, despite it being the single most important influence on our modern development.”

Mr Tudge says Western liberal culture should be just as fiercely defended in schools as Indigenous culture and heritage.

“These are matters core to who we are as a nation. We should expect our young people leaving school to have an understanding of our liberal democracy and how it is that we are one of the wealthiest, most free, most tolerant and most egalitarian countries in all of human history, which millions have immigrated to,” he says.

“If they don’t learn this, they won’t defend it as previous generations did.”

Mr Tudge says it is fundamental that school-leavers have an understanding of “how extraordinarily lucky” they are given the rise of authoritarianism, communism and Islamic fundamentalism across the globe as well as the emergence of more assertive China on the international stage.

“There has not been a more important time to teach children the origins, values and singular greatness of liberal democracy since the 1940s,” he says.

Geoffrey Blainey — described by Mr Tudge as the nation’s “greatest living historian” — said on Thursday the “fashion” of most schools over the preceding three decades had been to teach a history curriculum that “denigrates Australia and its history and present way of life”.

“In my view, the condemnation of this country has gone too far. There is plenty to criticise here, as in every country on earth. But Australia on the whole is a success,” Professor Blainey said.

“It is one of the world’s conspicuous success stories in modern times. That’s why so many millions want to come and live here in a normal year.”

(continued)

>>14831893

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John Howard also threw his weight behind a more robust teaching of liberal democracy. The former prime minister said that improving students’ understanding of the history and philosophy behind Australia’s system of government was fundamental to preserving “freedoms that we enjoy”.

“Any curriculum which does not emphasise such things is highly deficient,” Mr Howard said.

In his speech Mr Tudge says the revised draft curriculum has “gone from an F to perhaps a C” but ­students “deserve an A-plus”.

“I am told that there is a ­stronger, clearer focus on phonics,” he says. “I am told that times tables will continue to be introduced in year 3, rather than delayed to year 4 and that nonsensical concepts like “mathematising” have been removed. I am informed that year 2 kids will no longer be asked to identify statues that are racist! How that ever got into the draft, I do not know. According to the April draft, kids can’t apparently learn the times tables at year 2, but can assess statues and deem them racist.”

Speaking in parliament on Thursday, Mr Tudge said: “I am not satisfied with the current draft (curriculum) which has been presented because some of those core things which underpin our democracy are not there.”

Mr Tudge demanded last August that the board of the nation’s schooling authority substantially rewrite its draft national curriculum, after accusations it put “ideology over evidence” and would ultimately harm student outcomes. Among the most scathing criticism was from the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, which called for any ongoing review of the curriculum to be halted, saying the draft had children learning open-ended maths problems before the basics.

Mr Tudge has come under intense criticism in recent months from teachers and progressives for his objection to making slavery, imperialism and colonisation large aspects of the draft history curriculum, and for saying children should not learn Anzac Day is a “contested idea”.

Critics of the Education Minister have said his insistence that children are taught a more positive view of western civilisation is contradictory with his campaign to broaden protections for freedom of speech at universities.

In his address, Mr Tudge cites Lowy Institute polling showing that 40 per cent of 18 to 29-year-olds believe that non-democratic government may be preferable or that it does not matter what kind of government system is in place. “That is a catastrophe,” he says. “Ultimately, students should leave school with a love of country and a sense of optimism and hope that we live in the greatest country on earth and that the future is bright …

“Our Western political institutions are not always perfect but think of what they have given us: ‘one-person one-vote’ democratic government, equality before the law, freedom of association and speech, universal education, strong human rights, incredible wealth. These are very precious, and very rare institutions – rare still in the world today and particularly rare throughout human history. We cannot take that for granted.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/schools-risk-our-nextgen-security-alan-tudge/news-story/6ab4e405177c01086fb5c1a6f0c82cab

>Infiltration not invasion.

>>14831893

Revised draft curriculum gets C, must try harder

ALAN TUDGE - OCTOBER 21, 2021

I have previously made it clear I am disappointed by the draft national curriculum published by the independent Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. It does not increase standards, it has a negative view of our history and it is a ridiculously long and unwieldy document at 3500 pages. Put simply, I would not support it.

There were many areas in the draft where learning was delayed, not progressed. Learning the times tables was pushed back to year 4 from year 3. In other countries it starts in year 2. There are 20 concerns in maths alone. The peak mathematics association expressed alarm at the draft and asked them to start again.

Evidence-based content, such as phonics, was minimised.

The biggest problem, though, was in the draft history curriculum. It gave the impression nothing bad happened before 1788 and almost nothing good has happened since. It downplayed our Western heritage. It omitted significant figures in our history such as Menzies, Howard and Whitlam. It almost erased Christianity from our past, despite it being the single most important influence on our modern development, according to our greatest living historian, Geoffrey Blainey. It introduced ridiculous concepts such as asking year 2 students – seven-year-olds – to ask whether statues could be deemed racist.

I have been crystal clear in my views to ACARA that significant rework was required. ACARA has taken this feedback seriously, along with thousands of pieces of public feedback.

This week I was briefed on some of these updates, but I am yet to see a full updated version of the curriculum. My initial view is that the revised draft curriculum has gone from an F to a C, but our students deserve an A+.

I am told there is a stronger, clearer focus on phonics. I am told maths concepts will remain being taught where they are today and not be delayed. I am told that nonsensical concepts like “mathematising” have been removed.

This is proof the public exposure made a difference. But I remain concerned the updated curriculum does not lift standards. With our education standards in decline the past 20 years, we cannot have our curriculum stand still. It must aim higher.

I remain particularly concerned when it comes to the history curriculum. These are matters core to who we are as a nation. We should expect young Australians leaving school to understand how our nation is one of the most free, wealthy, tolerant and egalitarian societies in all of human history, and a magnet for millions of migrants.

Our Western political institutions are not always perfect but think of what they have given us: democratic government; equality before the law freedom of association and speech; universal education; strong human rights.

These are very precious and very rare institutions. If students don’t learn this, they won’t defend it as previous generations did. Lowy Institute polling shows 40 per cent of young Australians say that non-democratic government may be preferable or that it does not matter what kind of government system we have. That is a catastrophe.

Just as Indigenous Australians (and other Australians) celebrate and fiercely defend Indigenous culture and heritage, we should all celebrate and fiercely defend our Western liberal culture. Students should leave school with a love of country and a sense of optimism and hope that we live in the greatest country on earth.

ACARA’s April draft certainly did not meet this standard. I was deeply disappointed in its ideological misgivings about our nation. Based on my briefing this week, there have been some improvements. Year 2 students are no longer asked to assess whether historical statues are racist. It recognises our democracy is based on our Christian and Western origins, with a reference to the importance of the values of patriotism and freedom. These are positive changes, but there is still a way to go.

The influence of authoritarianism and communism is growing in the world, particularly with the rise of an assertive China. Fundamentalist Islam remains a dominant force in many countries, as we are seeing in Afghanistan. There has not been a more important time since the 1940s to teach children the origins, values and singular greatness of liberal democracy.

This is an edited extract of a speech to be given by Education Minister Alan Tudge to the Centre for Independent Studies on Friday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/revised-draft-curriculum-gets-c-must-try-harder/news-story/7e2254fa5eefc29b3c9db4a22e96f290

>>14798254

Melbourne reopens as world's most locked-down city eases pandemic restrictions

Sonali Paul and Melanie Burton - OCTOBER 22, 2021

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Melbourne residents flocked to the city’s pubs, restaurants and hair salons in the early hours of Friday after the world’s most locked-down city emerged from its latest spate of restrictions designed to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Australia’s second-largest city has so far endured 262 days, or nearly nine months, of restrictions during six separate lockdowns since March 2020, representing the longest cumulative lockdown for any city in the world.

Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, last year went through 234 straight days of lockdown.

In Melbourne, people were seen cheering and clapping from their balconies, while cars honked horns continuously at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday when lockdown restrictions in place since early August ended.

Many venues, including food outlets and even haircutters, opened at the unusual hour for the occasion.

Josh Mihan, owner of The Bearded Man barber shop in Melbourne, told Reuters he is nearly booked out for the next month and he is encouraging customers to make appointments for Christmas.

“We all love cutting hair and being on the floor is such a lovely feeling, being around people,” he said. “I have urged our customer base, make sure you have booked in your Christmas cut.”

Similar jubilant scenes were seen in the country's largest city here, Sydney, almost two weeks ago, when authorities started easing restrictions as COVID-19 vaccination rates rose.

Just over 70% of adults in Australia are now fully vaccinated and many residents are planning to fly overseas again as international border restrictions start to ease from November here.

From Nov. 1, fully vaccinated international travellers arriving in Sydney and Melbourne will no longer need to quarantine. Other cities have flagged similar plans as vaccination rates rise.

Qantas Airways Ltd said on Friday that it would speed up plans to restart flights to many destinations and upsize some planes amid “massive demand”.

Qantas said it would launch a new route from Sydney to Delhi in early December and bring forward plans for flights to Singapore, Fiji, Johannesburg, Bangkok and Phuket.

“This is a wonderful day - Australia is ready for take-off,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said shortly after the Qantas announcement.

A quarantine-free travel bubble between Australia and Singapore could operate from next month, Morrison said, if an agreement is reached as expected.

A LONG LOCKDOWN

Even with Delta outbreaks across Australia’s southeast from late June, coronavirus numbers are still far lower than those of many comparable nations, with some 152,000 cases and 1,590 deaths.

And with a once-stuttering vaccine rollout gaining momentum, authorities no longer plan to rely on extended lockdowns to suppress the virus.

It has been an arduous period, especially for those in Melbourne running a business.

“We’ve been open for a year, and this is our fourth lockdown. It’s been very difficult,” said David Boyle, the head chef at the up-market Farmer’s Daughters restaurant in Melbourne.

Under more relaxed rules, restaurants and cafes can reopen with up to 20 people indoors and 50 outdoors - all of whom must be vaccinated - while 10 guests can gather at homes. Masks will remain mandatory.

The reopening will be a boost for Australia’s A$2 trillion ($1.5 trillion) economy after recent lockdowns pushed it to the brink of a second recession in as many years.

At Melbourne’s once bustling Journal Cafe, waitress Sullivan Kovacs said business was still modest on Friday and that customer numbers would increase once office workers and trades people returned to the city en masse.

“A lot of the traffic comes from people working in the city, and a lot of the tradies haven’t gone back to work yet,” Kovacs said.

($1 = 1.3259 Australian dollars)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/melbourne-reopens-as-worlds-most-locked-down-city-eases-pandemic-restrictions-idUSKBN2HB2PC

>>14789393

Controversy over AUKUS pact overhyped, says UK armed forces minister

Rozanna Latiff - October 21, 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Britain's armed forces minister James Heappey on Thursday said there has been an "overhyping" of controversy over a new trilateral security pact between Australia, the United States and Britain.

The alliance, known as AUKUS, will see Australia acquiring technology to deploy nuclear-powered submarines and is widely seen as a response to Chinese militarisation in the region, particularly in the strategically important South China Sea.

The plan has divided Southeast Asian countries, with Indonesia and Malaysia warning that it could lead to an arms race among rival superpowers. The Philippines, a U.S. defence ally, has backed the pact.

China has said the AUKUS plan risks severely damaging regional peace and stability. The alliance has also sparked a row with France, after Australia backed out of a submarine deal with Paris in favour of AUKUS.

Heappey said AUKUS was not intended to challenge others, saying Australia had simply made a decision to join a long-standing technology-sharing partnership between Britain and the United States.

"There has been a lot of, sort of overhyping of AUKUS," he told reporters at a Kuala Lumpur event celebrating the 50th anniversary of a five-way defence pact between Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia.

"It doesn't in any way reflect any sort of reduction in our friendship with our great colleagues and allies in Paris. It doesn't in any way represent a challenge in your part of the world."

At the same event, Australian defence minister, Peter Dutton, said AUKUS would not change the country's security strategy going forward, but will allow it to ensure it remains a reliable partner in the region.

"We're not somebody who interferes with the operations of other nations. We are a country which is forthright, and we love providing peace in our region, and that's at the centre of our friendship here," he said.

Speaking in Jakarta during a visit this week to Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, Derek Chollet, Counselor of the U.S. State Department, said AUKUS did not undermine the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In a teleconference on Thursday, he said AUKUS was not a threat to peace and more U.S. engagement in the region was positive, because a free and open Indo-Pacific was critical to security and prosperity.

He also said Australia "does not, and will not use nuclear weapons", which is why the trilateral alliance works.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/controversy-over-aukus-subs-pact-overhyped-says-uk-defence-minister-2021-10-21/

Wuhan clan: the price I paid for my lab leak exposé

Sharri Markson - 23 October 2021

On 12 March last year, I texted a trusted source connected to Australia’s foreign intelligence agency. ‘What do you think about the theory that the virus came from a virology lab in China? Does that have credibility? I know it’s officially a conspiracy theory but China is not exactly a picture of transparency so I thought it’s possible.’

He replied to say he knew someone ‘very involved in the observation of that lab and its activities’ and it was a definite possibility the virus leaked from the facility. It was a surprising response because, at the time, this view contradicted every utterance by scientists and world leaders, who insisted the virus had a natural origin. Most media outlets dismissed the lab-leak theory as a conspiracy.

A month after this exchange, I confirmed and reported on a global scoop for my paper in Australia, that the Five Eyes intelligence network of the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were seriously examining the possibility of a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The story went global. For the following year, as I developed new sources around the world and unravelled the complexities of the Chinese Communist party’s suppression of the theory, I wrote a book on the topic and my reporting made me a target of the CCP.

There have been many personal attacks by the CCP newspaper Global Times, the English-language propaganda newspaper China Daily and the China Global Television Network, which have repeatedly tried to smear and discredit me. The Global Times called me a ‘bugler for American lies on China’. Another piece accused me of ‘fabricating anti-China rumours’ in order to ‘slander China’. China Daily said I had ‘helped to poison the international community’s rhetoric’. After the Australian foreign minister Marise Payne called for an investigation into the origins of Covid-19 in April last year, Chinese authorities claimed my stories were sanctioned by, or even commissioned by, the Australian government.

Perhaps most bizarrely, China Daily created a video about me, which it tweeted to its 4.2 million followers. The clip incorrectly claimed I was a ‘social butterfly in the right-wing circle’ who had ‘made big money and big fame’. China Daily reporters Xu Pan Yiru and Meng Zhe said: ‘If you think about the Wuhan lab-leak theory, you would probably think the US media played a major role in promoting the conspiracy. But as we look closer at the origin of Covid-19, we find actually it is an Australian journalist who has pushed the conspiracy.’

There have been hacking and malware attempts as well. My Wikipedia page is subject to constant trolling from IP addresses registered in China. The night after my first Wuhan scoop, I received anti-Semitic death threats that also targeted my family.

It wasn’t until I spoke with officials who had led intelligence agencies that I properly understood the motivation behind such a concerted campaign against me in the Chinese media. The former US secretary of state and CIA director Mike Pompeo told me that the CCP was desperate to control the narrative about how the virus began and to deflect any attention from the Wuhan lab.

‘The CCP disseminate information through their media outlets, the Global Times, China Daily, and all the organisations, the propaganda arms that you know. Their diplomats around the world share this with their international counterparts, all with the central message being driven from Beijing,’ he said. ‘It’s something that they have professionalised, they are very good at it, and this was an example of their capacity to flood the zone with a storyline and have that storyline become the narrative in the western media as well.’

His comments were supported by Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6. He told me that China was leading a ‘bloody outrageous global disinformation operation… You can bet your bottom dollar that the ministry of state security has been in control of the narrative from day one’.

‘This is what the CCP have spent decades since Tiananmen preparing for,’ says Matt Turpin, the White House’s former Director for China on the staff of the National Security Council. ‘They’ve got the influence and the media and propaganda apparatus to be able to control the story.’

As someone who became fodder for the Chinese propaganda machine, I certainly discovered this to be the case. But what I found most remarkable in the past 18 months was the number of western scientists, government officials and tech giants who willingly accepted the CCP line. In doing so, they not only helped push China’s narrative, but shamefully aided and abetted the CCP’s vituperative attacks on people like me who dared question that narrative.

https://www.spectator.com.au/2021/10/wuhan-clan/

>>14812759

Judge denies Ghislaine Maxwell's request for private juror screening

JAMES HILL - October 22, 2021

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A federal judge on Thursday denied requests from Ghislaine Maxwell, the accused accomplice of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to have prospective jurors for her criminal trial questioned privately - outside the view of the public and the press - and to keep a jury questionnaire under seal.

Maxwell's attorneys had argued that the extraordinary measures were necessary to effectively screen for potential bias and for exposure to a "tsunami" of publicity about the high-profile sex-trafficking case.

"This case amplifies the likelihood that jurors will be more apprehensive and constrained to respond openly and honestly in open court within earshot of other jurors, members of the public, and the media," Maxwell attorney Bobbi Sternheim wrote in a court filing last week.

The proposal from Maxwell's defense team, which federal prosecutors opposed, would have been a departure from typical procedure in the Manhattan federal court where her trial is scheduled. In most instances, a judge conducts screenings of groups of prospective jurors in open court after consulting with prosecutors and defense counsel about the questions to be posed.

In a court filing last week, prosecutors contended that Maxwell had presented "no persuasive reason" to depart from the "well-established practice."

"The Court should ask most questions in open court and ask sensitive questions, such as those that relate to sexual abuse and media exposure, at sidebar," wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe.

But Maxwell's lawyers argued those conventional procedures are "inadequate" to ferret out potential bias and prejudice because of the sensitive nature of the charges and the "intense negative media coverage" about Maxwell and Epstein "in every conceivable form."

"The negative publicity has been so pervasive, vitriolic, and extreme that Ms. Maxwell has been demonized in the press," Sternheim wrote.

Private and individual questioning "would encourage potential jurors to answer questions more completely and honestly because the jurors would not be influenced by (or influence) the answers given by fellow jurors or fear embarrassment in giving an honest response," Sternheim added.

U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan, who's overseeing Maxwell's trial, also denied a request to allow Maxwell's lawyers and prosecutors to question each potential juror individually for up to three minutes after the court concludes its inquiries.

The initial jury pool for the case is estimated to include about 600 people, who will fill out jury questionnaires in early November, Nathan said. She expects to reduce the pool to about 50 to 60 people before she questions each prospective juror in person. The final panel will consist of 12 jurors and six alternates.

(continued)

>>14832220

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Late Wednesday, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and a coalition of 17 media organizations registered objections to Maxwell's proposed secrecy surrounding the jury selection process, known as "voir dire."

"Voir dire is a critical stage of criminal proceedings, and the public interest in favor of access to voir dire is correspondingly weighty," RCFP attorney Katie Townsend wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan, who's overseeing Maxwell's case.

The media coalition, which includes ABC News, argued that a proposed jury questionnaire that was filed under seal last week by Maxwell's attorneys - without government objection - should be made part of the public record. Maxwell's lawyers contended the documents should remain sealed "to avoid media coverage that may prejudice the jury selection process."

"Giving jurors the opportunity to view the questionnaire before they come to court to fill it out is like a take-home exam, and they can fill out all the answers and do all the research and decide what answers they want to put on those papers," Sternheim said during the hearing Thursday. "I think there's an opportunity for people motivated to want to sit on this jury for a variety of reasons."

But Nathan ruled that Maxwell's generalized concerns about media coverage were not sufficient to overcome the public's First Amendment right of access to court proceedings, including the jury selection process.

"The parties' sole rationale for sealing the submission is to avoid, at a general level, media coverage that may prejudice the jury selection process," Nathan said. "But jurors are sworn to give true and complete answers to the questionnaire and voir dire."

"If a juror is being dishonest, we will smoke that out," the judge added.

Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges that she "assisted, facilitated and contributed" to Epstein's abuse of four minor girls from 1994 to 2004. Prosecutors allege Maxwell befriended the young girls and helped to put them at ease, knowing that they would eventually be sexually abused by Epstein.

Maxwell's lawyers have argued in court filings that federal prosecutors pursued charges against her as a "substitute" for Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Jury selection is set to begin in Maxwell's case on Nov. 15, with the trial scheduled to open two weeks later.

https://abc7chicago.com/ghislaine-maxwells-attorneys-to-seek-private-screenings-of-potenti/11150736/

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17318376/united-states-v-maxwell/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612.362.0.pdf

PM announces $146 million strategy to combat child sexual abuse across Australia

9News Staff - Oct 21, 2021

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced an imminent 10-year national strategy for the prevention of child sexual abuse.

The announcement, given in Parliament, came a day ahead of the anniversary of the national apology to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.

The Commonwealth has set aside $146 million for the first four years of the national plan, which will include extra law enforcement measures and support for victims and survivors.

The details of the plan will be unveiled next week, during National Children's Week.

"Our national apologies have always been days of reckoning," Mr Morrison said.

"Those days of reckoning have become importantly part of our national story.

"The apologies reflect our acknowledgement of our failures as a people. As a liberal, democratic people we are not afraid of our history."

Mr Morrison also announced that the Blue Knot Foundation, Australian Childhood Foundation, and Healing Foundation, would partner to build the $22.5 million National Centre for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, as recommended by the Royal Commission.

"The voices of victims and survivors will absolutely shape their work," he said.

A further $80 million will be set aside to improve the redress scheme that issues payments to survivors.

The government has already implemented some extra measures, including advance payments of $10,000 to survivors who are older, or terminally ill.

In total, as of last month, 6200 payments had been made, constituting almost $535 million.

The average payment has been $85,000.

"Our apology didn't and cannot undo our national failures," Mr Morrison said.

"Nor can an apology return a lost childhood, or repair the damage.

"But it can be a marker on a path of healing."

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the measures in the national strategy enjoyed bi-partisan support, and welcomed the next step on building the National Centre.

He noted that the latter was the fulfillment of a promise made "three years ago".

And he urged the government to act quickly.

"The clock is ticking relentlessly," he said.

Lifeline: 131 114

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service: 1800RESPECT or 1800 737 732

https://www.1800respect.org.au/

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

https://www.9news.com.au/national/national-strategy-for-preventing-child-sexual-abuse-to-be-unveiled-prime-minister-scott-morrison/5592c0d4-d041-48be-9116-185cfaf591fc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jKoT_WNcEE

SA man James David Ryan Sharp jailed for possessing child-like sex doll

The first person in Australia arrested for importing a child-like sex doll will only have to serve half of his jail term behind bars.

Mitch Mott - October 22, 2021

The first person arrested in Australia for possessing a child-like sex doll has been jailed for three years.

James David Ryan Sharp, 32, became the first person in the nation to be charged with importing a child-like sex doll when he was arrested in January 2020.

He was arrested at his home in a small country town near the South Australia and Victorian border where police discovered 9021 images and 128 videos of child exploitation material.

They also found a disturbing collection of non-explicit photos of local children from his area.

Sharp is the first person to be sentenced in South Australia for importing a child-like sex doll – although Auxiliary District Court Judge Gordon Barrett did not specify the proportion of his total sentence was for the charge of possessing the sex doll.

On Friday, Judge Barrett sentenced Sharp to three years in prison, but ordered he be released on a recognisance order after serving 18 months.

Judge Barrett said the material was far from a victimless crime

“Every film, every image, every disk depicts a child being abused.” he said.

“Every one of the children depicted in the materials which you possessed was abused and your being in possession of them and taking access to them provides the market for the abuse of children.”

Described as an “unremarkable” man crippled by shyness, Sharp was subject to death threats and was forced to move from the country town near Naracoorte he called home.

He pleaded guilty to five charges relating to the importation of the doll and the child exploitation material.

Commonwealth prosecutor Alice Bitmead told the court that among the voluminous collection of child exploitation material were “hyper-realistic digital images” of abuse against children as young as three.

“A large proportion of the material depicts female children being physically restrained with rope, collars, chains, blindfolds and duct tape while being sexually abused,” Judge Barrett said.

“This material is at the higher end of seriousness for offending of this type.”

Nick Healy, for Sharp, told the court during sentencing submissions his client had accepted that he was going to be sent to prison for his crimes.

“My client suffers from social anxiety disorder which is shown through extreme shyness and difficulty articulating his thoughts,” he said.

Mr Healy said Sharp had an “unremarkable” childhood and still had the support of his family who hoped he would get treatment.

Auxiliary Judge Gordon Barrett heard Sharp told a psychologist he had thought he ordered an adult-size sex doll, but when the child model came he decided to try and buy clothes for it.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/mount-gambier/james-david-ryan-sharp-imported-a-childlike-sex-doll-and-hoarded-photos-of-local-kids-on-his-computer/news-story/8046fb2e51e0990f2d3bc4b340fd4083

>>14794959

When is his ticket to Gitmo being issued. Little prick.

>>14691637 (pb)

>>14607041 (pb)

Inside Argos, the police task force that has rescued thousands of children from their abusers | 7.30

ABC News (Australia)

Oct 1, 2021

Last year authorities received more than 20 million reports flagging online child sexual exploitation across the world. In Australia a team of experts is sifting through the horrific footage, searching for clues that will help them track down predators and ultimately rescue children from their abusers. Their work is now the subject of an upcoming documentary, The Children in the Pictures.

Ella Archibald-Binge and Alex McDonald report - and a warning, this story contains distressing content.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AOcVLmqsX0

https://qanon.pub/#1735

>>14789393

British nuclear sub’s visit may be Astute ad

BEN PACKHAM and PAUL GARVEY - OCTOBER 22, 2021

Britain will press its case to build Australia’s promised nuclear-powered submarines during an upcoming visit by a British ­nuclear boat to Perth.

The Astute-class submarine has been sailing in a task group with British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth on its maiden voyage through the Indo-Pacific.

Defence sources in Canberra and Western Australia have confirmed the fast attack boat is scheduled to visit Perth naval base HMAS Stirling – the home of Australia’s Collins-class submarines – in coming weeks.

The British will use the visit to showcase the Astute’s capabilities to the Royal Australian Navy, with Australian sailors and officers expected to go to sea on the UK nuclear boat.

The submarine could also engage in exercises with an Australian Collins-class submarine, after taking on a Japanese Soryu-class sub in underwater drills last month.

HMS Artful, the third of the Astute-class, was initially sailing with the carrier strike group, but another submarine, either HMS Astute or HMS Ambush, was more recently spotted with the group.

The scheduled visit comes just weeks after British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he believed the UK would build Australia’s nuclear-powered subs. “We are in a strong position to help the Australians achieve that capability so I am very confident that British engineering, British skills, Australian nous, will deliver a very good submarine,” Mr Wallace said this month.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also suggested Australia’s new submarines would be British-made, and AUKUS would create “hundreds” of highly skilled jobs across the UK and reinforce Britain’s place “at the leading edge of science and technology”.

A Defence taskforce has commenced an 18-month study to determine which submarine Australia will get, and how the navy and Australian industry can deliver on the government’s aspirations. Many in the government believe the US’s Virginia-class design would be a better option for Australia than the British Astute.

But it’s unclear whether the US would allow Australia direct access to its nuclear submarine technology, even under the AUKUS technology partnership struck in September between the three English-speaking allies.

The two US shipyards producing Virginia-class boats have no spare capacity to build submarines for Australia, although Australian defence sources have speculated we could invest in a third US production line.

The Virginia-class design would need few changes for Australian use, but defence analysts suggest the Astute’s combat system and weapons would need to be switched for American alternatives, significantly raising costs.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings said Britain was working hard to position itself in the unofficial competition to build Australia’s next-generation subs.

“If they had one in the region, getting it out here would be an obvious thing to do to promote British industry,” Mr Jennings said.

“Knowing the Brits, they won’t miss an opportunity to get out there and do some marketing.”

Australia regularly hosts US nuclear-powered submarines but it has been more than a decade since a UK nuclear boat visited.

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency will oversee the visit, and is responsible for contingency arrangements in the unlikely event of a nuclear accident.

Scott Morrison has described the AUKUS partnership as “the single largest step we have been able to take to advance our defence capabilities in this country”.

He has said the submarines will be built in Adelaide, but many strategists believe it would be better to purchase the boats from an overseas production line.

Australia’s HMAS Canberra and HMAS Anzac joined HMS Queen Elizabeth’s carrier strike group earlier this month during Exercise Bersama Gold 21.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/british-nuclear-subs-visit-may-be-astute-ad/news-story/49696e29561a9dbb812f167c76c87f9e

>>14789393

China renews attack on AUKUS, says the three countries are pursuing 'the rule of the jungle'

abc.net.au - 23 October 2021

China's Foreign Ministry ha again lashed out at the trilateral security partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia (AUKUS), saying the pact poses nuclear proliferation risks and is a threat to regional stability.

Mr Wang made the statement at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday in response to the three countries' assurances the day before that the AUKUS pact is only for Australia's development of submarine power and will not undermine ASEAN centrality, nor pose threat to regional peace.

"I've noticed that in the face of doubts and objections from the regional countries and the international community, the United States, Britain and Australia had to defend their trilateral security partnership," he said.

"Their explanation is just a pale and weak response to the concerns of the regional countries and the international community," Mr Wang said.

Mr Wang added that the security partnership was a "reminder" the three countries are pursuing "the rules of the jungle, where the weak are meant to be killed by the strong."

He then raised concerns about nuclear proliferation and accused the US, UK and Australia of violating the purpose of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying that the countries "are representatives of rule-breaking".

"The above-mentioned cooperation between the three countries is bound to undermine the building of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia," he said.

Derek Chollet, Counsellor of the US State Department, had said in a teleconference on Wednesday that more US engagement in the region was a positive, because a "free and open Indo-Pacific is critical to security and prosperity".

He said, "Australia does not and will not use nuclear weapons", which he said was the reason the trilateral alliance works.

Mr Wang urged the three countries to reverse the "wrong decisions", discard the zero-sum mentality, stop forming cliques, faithfully fulfil their nuclear non-proliferation obligations, and do more to contribute to regional peace and stability.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-23/china-aukus-pact-nuclear-proliferation-regional-stability/100562476

>>14838617

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on October 22, 2021

Hubei Media Group: It is reported that US, British and Australian officials made remarks on the AUKUS trilateral security partnership on October 21. They said that Australia joined AUKUS only to develop its own nuclear submarine capability and it does not, and will not use nuclear weapons. They said that AUKUS did not undermine the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and it was not a threat to regional peace. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: I noted that the US, the UK and Australia had to justify themselves in the face of the suspicion and opposition of regional countries and the international community over their trilateral security partnership. However, their feeble argument cannot address the concerns of regional countries and the wider international community.

This Anglo-Saxon "clique" created by the three countries is a typical military bloc that smacks of obsolete Cold War zero-sum mentality. It is a reflection of the three countries' obsession with force, an extension of the US and the UK's nuclear deterrence policy, and a product of the US philosophy of "position of strength". The trilateral security partnership between the US, the UK and Australia is a stark reminder that the rules the three countries believe in are still the rules of the jungle where might is right.

The US and the UK export nuclear submarines to Australia out of geopolitical and economic considerations. They did so in violation of the object and purpose of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), creating risks of the proliferation of nuclear materials and technology. Their moves have a huge impact on the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. This fully shows that the three countries are typical rules-breakers.

The nuclear submarine cooperation between the US, the UK and Australia involves transferring weapons-grade uranium of over 90 percent fissile purity to Australia, which constitutes a grave nuclear proliferation risk and violates the object and purpose of the NPT. Besides, the US will also export Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to Australia. The threat posed by such moves to regional peace and security is self-evident. The three countries couldn't just deny this and explain the threat away. The trilateral cooperation is also bound to undermine efforts to build a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) in Southeast Asia. Where is their respect for ASEAN centrality?

We once again urge the three countries to redress the mistake, abandon Cold War zero-sum mentality and stop putting together small cliques. They should uphold the international nuclear non-proliferation system and safeguard regional and world peace, stability and development, rather than the opposite.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/t1916229.shtml

>>14838617

The threat posed by AUKUS to regional peace & security couldn’t be explained away …

SpokespersonCHN发言人办公室

Oct 23, 2021

The threat posed by AUKUS to regional peace & security couldn’t be explained away by the three countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC0ohq_aQRE

>>14789393

Hypocritical double standards in US, UK and Australia’s statements crystal clear: Global Times editorial

Global Times - Oct 23, 2021

A US State Department spokesperson issued a statement on Thursday, claiming the US "remains seriously concerned at the continued erosion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including political participation, in Hong Kong." It points a finger at the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for disqualifying certain district councilors according to law. On the same day, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne issued similar statements on Twitter. The spokesperson of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the HKSAR condemned on Friday the US' blatant and clumsy intervention in HKSAR affairs and China's domestic affairs.

This is a joint action against Hong Kong since the US, the UK and Australia formed the new clique - AUKUS. Everyone on Earth knows that the US is the head of the gang, while the UK and Australia are merely two yes-men.

The US has focused its attention on Hong Kong, tossing out statements on Hong Kong affairs every few days ranging from the Legislative Council to "diplomacy" and administrative agencies. This has become routine. The US is utilizing the statements, which cost nothing, to pave the way for future attempts to contain China with Hong Kong as an excuse, in public opinion. It also encourages anti-China rioters, which have almost come to a dead end, preventing them from falling into total despair. The US government issued an announcement on Thursday to allow Hong Kong residents in the US, who can extend their date of mandatory departure from the US, to apply for work permits. This is a move to offer a safe haven for anti-China rioters in exile.

The US and other Western countries' statements are often covered under so-called democracy and human rights. They claim to protect the rights and interests of people in Hong Kong. Yet their rhetoric is highly deceptive. They are actually talking about the same thing over and over again.

They say they stand with Hong Kong people, but they are in reality standing with the criminals who have been sentenced by the Hong Kong judicial system, bomb-making rioters, secessionists and political conspirators. Worse, they are now blatantly playing the role to save rioters in the city. They are not concerned about the rights and freedom of Hong Kong people. What they really intend to do is disrupt the city's rule of law, undermine its stability, and see Hong Kong in disorder.

Seeing the consequences their actions have brought to the city, their hypocrisy and ill-intensions behind the statements are crystal clear.

If the US and the West really care about the people of Hong Kong, they should truly safeguard Hong Kong's status as a bridge between the East and West, and as the Pearl of the Orient. The US should immediately lift all sanctions against Hong Kong, let the people of Hong Kong interact with the people of the world, and create conditions for them to realize their well-being.

If the US and the West really care about the people of Hong Kong, they should pay attention to whether their right to live in safety can be guaranteed. During the riots, Hong Kong's airport was paralyzed, the MTR was destroyed, shops were smashed and innocent citizens were injured. If the US had even a little care and love for Hong Kong, it would feel distressed about such a situation. However, such a Hong Kong was called a "beautiful sight to behold" by US politicians. Their true intention was obvious.

It is Hong Kong citizens who have endured a painful price in the riots. Given the profound lesson, they now cherish the restoration of Hong Kong's security, stability and economic restoration after the implementation of the national security law. Facts have proved, the better Hong Kong, which has integrated into the entire country's development, is built, the fewer political leverages the US and the West will have in Hong Kong. Their statements and sanctions can no longer intimidate anyone. Foreign forces which have been interfering in Hong Kong affairs are swallowing the bitterness of failure. Hong Kong patriotic forces are becoming more confident. The trend of Hong Kong heading toward prosperity thanks to the good governance is unstoppable.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202110/1237067.shtml

https://twitter.com/MarisePayne/status/1451294795905712130

Average age of China Virus death is 82.

Average age of Auz death is 81.

STATISTICALLY :

You will live LONGER if you GET the China Virus

>>14820622

Australia asks why Hong Kong considers lobsters national security risk

Kirsty Needham - October 22, 2021

SYDNEY, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Australia said it is seeking answers from China on why its lobster exports have been blocked, after a top Hong Kong customs official said Beijing had imposed trade restrictions and lobster smuggling was a national security matter.

Almost all of Australia's exports of the live seafood, prized at Chinese banquets for its red colour, went to mainland China until diplomatic tensions in 2020 saw a series of unofficial trade hurdles imposed by Beijing on Australian produce.

Exports of lobsters to Hong Kong then soared - Hong Kong and Australia have a separate free trade deal - with some of the live seafood finding its way to mainland cities.

Hong Kong's new Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Louise Ho, told local media on Thursday that a new crackdown on the smuggling of Australian lobsters from Hong Kong to mainland China was an "important part of protecting national security".

"On the surface, it is a simple matter of smuggling lobsters, but these activities undermine our country's trade restrictions against Australia," Ho said, according to local media outlet RTHK.

The comments come as China's trade practices are being reviewed by the World Trade Organisation, with Australia stating China's actions are inconsistent with WTO rules.

Australia's ambassador to the WTO said in a statement on Thursday that China had "implemented trade disruptive measures" which had ended Australia's exports of a dozen commodities, including lobster.

Australia lobster exports to China, previously worth $527 million a year, had been "significantly impacted following the General Administration of Customs China (GACC) notification on 5 November 2020 they would be subjected to enhanced inspection", a spokesperson for Australia's Minister for Trade Dan Tehan said in an emailed statement on Friday.

"The Australian Government continues to seek further information from GACC on this matter."

Asked to respond to the Hong Kong official Ho's comment, he said: "The trade in Australian rock lobster to Hong Kong fully complies with importing country requirements".

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-asks-why-hong-kong-considers-lobsters-national-security-risk-2021-10-22/

>>14798254

Australia's Melbourne enjoys weekend of eased COVID curbs after long lockdown

Lidia Kelly - October 23, 2021

MELBOURNE, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Melbourne, Australia's second-biggest city, began its first weekend out of the world's longest string of COVID-19 lockdowns with spontaneous street parties, live music and packed pubs, bars and restaurants.

Home to about five million people, Melbourne endured 262 days, or nearly nine months, of restrictions during six lockdowns since March 2020, longer than the 234-day continuous lockdown in Buenos Aires.

Despite rain on Saturday morning, people queued for barbers and breakfast restaurants, all of which are open only to the fully vaccinated.

Late on Friday, people broke into a spontaneous street party in Melbourne's southeast and many rejoiced with their first drink in months in a pub with friends, social media footage showed.

Although the Delta outbreak continues to spread, with 1,750 new cases and nine deaths reported on Saturday in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, the ease in restrictions came the state's full-vaccination rate reached 70%.

While most retail outlets remained closed, authorities said further easing will come once 80% of Victorians are fully inoculated, estimated by next weekend.

"Let's not slack off, let's increase the pace as we get to the 80% milestone - but also the 90% vaccination milestone," Jeroen Weimar, Victoria's COVID-19 response commander, said on Saturday.

While small but violent anti-vaccinations protests have taken place in Melbourne and other cities this year, Australians overwhelmingly support vaccinations, with polls showing the percentage decisively opposed in single digits.

Nearly 72% of adults in Australia are now fully vaccinated and nearly 87% have received one shot. According to a national strategy, lockdowns will be unlikely once 80% of Australians are fully inoculated.

Sydney, Australia's largest city, celebrated its reopening two weeks ago, after reaching the vaccination threshold of 70%. On Saturday, New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, recorded 332 COVID-19 cases and two deaths.

Weekend newspapers were filled with travel advertising for the coming months, as international border restrictions start to ease from November. Flag carrier Qantas Airways Ltd is speeding up plans to restart flights to many destinations and upsize some planes amid "massive demand".

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australias-melbourne-enjoys-weekend-eased-covid-curbs-after-long-lockdown-2021-10-23/

>>14798254

Australia looks to roll out COVID-19 booster shots soon as curbs ease

Renju Jose - OCTOBER 25, 2021

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian officials plan to roll out COVID-19 booster shots soon to prevent a resurgence of cases, as residents in the two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne begin to enjoy more freedoms after months-long curbs.

Australia has ditched its COVID-zero strategy in favour of suppressing the coronavirus, after largely stamping out infections for most of this year, and is now aiming to live with the virus through higher vaccinations.

Officials are gradually shifting their focus to booster shots as double-dose vaccinations levels in Australia’s adult population nears 75%. Almost 87% of people above 16 have received their first dose since the national rollout began in February.

“We think what is going to happen is that a booster shot will be made available from six months from your second dose,” Lieutenant General John Frewen, head of the vaccination taskforce, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Monday.

Advice from the country’s immunisation advisory group on booster shots “is imminent”, he said, adding health workers, and staff and residents in aged care and disability centres would be offered the doses in the initial phase.

Amid a surge in vaccinations, Victoria on Monday logged its lowest rise in daily infections in nearly three weeks at 1,461, while cases dipped for the fourth straight day in neighbouring New South Wales (NSW) to 294.

Officials in Victoria are looking to ease more restrictions on gatherings and movement on Friday, just a week after Melbourne, the state capital, exited its sixth lockdown during the pandemic. Sydney lifted its lockdown two weeks ago.

Double-dose vaccination rates in Victoria’s adult population will top 80% by then - a level where masks will not be mandatory outdoors and people free to travel throughout the state.

That rate neared 85% in NSW, home to Sydney, with the state tipped to hit 90% next week. The next set of restrictions will be eased on Dec. 1, when the lockdown rules will lift for the unvaccinated, according to the state’s reopening plan.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/australia-looks-to-roll-out-covid-19-booster-shots-soon-as-curbs-ease-idUSKBN2HE0MF

Edward Snowden says Julian Assange ‘wont bend’ as the Australian faces a US extradition court appeal

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - OCTOBER 25, 2021

One former British spy has claimed another spy, the ex-MI-6 agent and author of the Trump dossier, Christopher Steele, has enjoyed special First Amendment rights in the United States, saying it was “something denied to Julian Assange’’.

This comes as the former CIA computer analyst Edward Snowden who fled to Moscow after leaked highly classified documents, said of the US legal pursuit of Assange: “what we are witnessing is a murder’’.

Snowden was one of several activists, academics, politicians and Assange supporters, speaking via video link to a two and a half-hour “Belmarsh Tribunal”, a peoples’ court held in at Convocation Hall, Westminster, about the predicament facing Assange, and named after his current high security prison abode.

It was held just days before the Royal Courts of Justice in London will hear a US government appeal on Wednesday and Thursday seeking to extradite Assange to the United States to face espionage charges for releasing hundreds of thousands of classified US documents in 2010 and 2011.

Supporters also embarked on a march through central London to highlight that Assange was still being held in Belmarsh prison.

Snowden said “Everywhere we look, from Afghanistan to economics, from pandemic to pervasive surveillance, the obvious has been made unspeakable.’’

He said that speaking up would make people criminals like Assange because he was charged for “the transgression of choosing the wrong side”.

Snowden said that Assange “didn’t bend”, warning he will die before he does.

Annie Machon, who worked for the British domestic intelligence agency MI5 before going on the run in 1997 with her then partner David Shayler, because he wanted to expose wrongdoings in the spy agency, told the Belmarsh tribunal that Assange was being “persecuted’’ for trying to protect whistleblowers.

She said Assange was also not being accorded the same respect as more mainstream journalists.

Machon said that Steele, who created the 35 page dirty dossier on Donald Trump’s visit to Russia, later discredited, has been accorded US rights.

“He (Steele) has been accorded US rights, even though he is a UK citizen and resident in UK he can have first amendment rights under US law, yet this is specially denied to Assange if he is extradited to the US,’’ she said, adding “it is disgusting”.

Steele was granted the First Amendment rights when three Russians sued him for defamation.

Assange’s partner Stella Moris said of the US action: “This is just a naked political persecution” and highlighted a recent report of how the CIA had discussed kidnapping and even killing Assange when he was in the Ecuador embassy in London. “Julian is holding back a tide of authoritarianism, and if we win this, we can push back,” said Moris. “If he loses this, we all lose.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/edward-snowden-says-julian-assange-wont-bend-as-the-australian-faces-a-us-extradition-court-appeal/news-story/0a9002329408934f39de2373f80e1d9f

https://qanon.pub/?q=snowden

>>14832365

Can't stand to look at this Pedo, Let alone listen to the prick.

AFP is looking to be 'more aggressive' with new cyber offensive arm

The AFP is in talks with the Five Eyes alliance about how it can implement a new cyber offensive operation.

Campbell Kwan - October 25, 2021

The Australian Federal Police is conducting an internal review to implement a new cyber offensive arm, AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw said at Senate Estimates on Monday morning.

"At the moment, we're actually going through an internal review of how we can be more aggressive in cyber, and it may mean a mini restructure internally for us to really have what we would call a cyber offensive operation of the AFP, which would actually conduct disruption operations on these individuals," he said

Kershaw said this process has included talking with the Five Eyes alliance about the growth of cyberthreats. Kershaw is currently the chair of Five Eyes' law enforcement group.

Throughout his testimony at Senate Estimates, Kershaw explained that the powers given to the AFP through the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021, which passed earlier this year, would allow its cyber offensive capabilities to increase across various fronts, from countering child abuse, to spam, to terrorism.

"So [spam is] something we're looking forward to using those new powers to, you know, it is my personal pet hate. I get multiple ones a day," Kershaw said.

Through the new laws, the AFP and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) will gain the ability to apply for three new warrants to deal with online crime.

The first of the warrants is a data disruption one, which gives cops the ability to "disrupt data" by modifying, copying, adding, or deleting it. The second is a network activity warrant that would allow the AFP and ACIC to collect intelligence from devices or networks that are used, or likely to be used, by those subject to the warrant. The last warrant is an account takeover warrant that will allow the agencies to take control of an online account for the purposes of gathering information for an investigation.

"This is the next frontier of crime, and the AFP and our partners will work with governments and global law enforcement networks to ensure the long arm of the AFP reaches criminals no matter where they are in the world," Kershaw said in his opening statement at Senate Estimates.

"Our investigators are already strategising how they will use the new powers in active investigations to identify, target, and disrupt offenders – including those relating to terrorism, large drug importations, and distribution of child abuse material."

The Attorney-General's department is currently working on authorising the warrants application process, with AFP Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney saying that this process would be resolved in the coming weeks.

In the AFP's annual report released last week, the law enforcement agency said the past year has seen it expand cyber operational capacity and build technical capabilities as part of an $90 million investment by the Australian Government across four years. This includes the ransomware action plan's new Orcus taskforce and an AFP-led multi-agency taskforce called Dolos for targeting fraud that used compromised business emails.

The AFP added that it carried out 163 disruption activities and charged eight offenders with 21 offences in relation to cybercrime during 2020-21.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/afp-is-looking-to-be-more-aggressive-with-new-cyber-offense-arm/

https://www.afp.gov.au/sites/default/files/PDF/Reports/AFPAnnualReport20-21.pdf

>>14852955

Terrorist recruiters are grooming vulnerable children to carry out violent attacks

BEN PACKHAM - OCTOBER 25, 2021

Terrorist groups are grooming children, including those with learning difficulties and developmental conditions, to carry out violent attacks.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the alarming new trend had emerged under the cover of the pandemic, and urged parents to find out who their children were engaging with online.’

“Children as young as 13 years old - not even old enough to get their learners’ driver’s licence - are planning and negotiating with others online to carry out catastrophic terror attacks,” Mr Kershaw told Senate estimates.

“Some of these youth feel isolated or do not feel like they belong, and so they retreat to the online world, looking to connect with someone, including (religiously-motivated violent extremist) and (ideologically-motivated violent extremist) individuals.

“Research on how vulnerable children – including those with learning difficulties or developmental conditions – are being recruited is underway now.”

He said the AFP was dedicated to preventing vulnerable people from becoming radicalised, but parents also needed to play a role.

“We need parents and carers to understand who their children are communicating with online. I implore parents to call the AFP if they are worried their child is being targeted by individuals with extremist views,” Mr Kershaw said.

“Early intervention can divert children from this path. Where possible, we want to keep youth out of the criminal justice system.”

He said the terrorism threat level remained at probable but “there have been some significant shifts in the diversity and complexity” of the problem during the pandemic.

“The threat of terrorism has not dissipated. In fact, the pandemic, extended lockdowns and more time spent online, has in some cases, made it easier for extremists to recruit,” he said.

“Across the world, including in Australia, we have individuals who are now pre-loaded with extremist ideology, and the end of restrictions on movement will make it harder for law enforcement.”

Religiously-motivated violent extremism remained the biggest threat accounting for 85 per cent of investigations.

Ideologically-motivated terrorism accounted for 15 per cent of terrorist threats, he said.

Mr Kershaw said ideologically-motivated extremist groups, also known as right-wing terror groups, were “extremely interconnected”.

“Their views are diverse and include support for nationalist, white-supremacy and neo-Nazism.

The Commissioner said the AFP was braced for an increase in Islamist terrorism following the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

He said Australian Islamist extremists were predominantly followers of the ISIL ideology, although some were followers of al-Qaeda.

“We expect that ISIL will transform and re-establish transnational links to increase their ability to direct or influence terrorism in other parts of the globe,” he said.

Mr Kershaw said the other significant terrorist threat in Australia related to the release of convicted terrorist offenders.

“Eighteen terrorist offenders are scheduled for release from prison before 2026, and 54 are due for release by 2060,” he said.

“Since February 2019, the AFP has applied for and obtained more control orders than in the 15 years prior.

“Seven individuals have been arrested and charged for breaching the conditions of their control orders since July 2020 – that is 70 per cent of individuals on control orders.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/terrorist-recruiters-are-grooming-vulnerable-children-to-carry-out-violent-attacks/news-story/1569874c0473f2564389fd77bb8ea404

Telstra seals $US1.6b deal to buy Digicel with a helping hand from Canberra

Zoe Samios and Anthony Galloway - October 25, 2021

1/2

Taxpayers will provide $1.9 billion to help Telstra buy South Pacific telco operator Digicel from Irish billionaire Denis O’Brien, under an agreement that will ensure it is kept out of Chinese hands and boost Australia’s footprint in the region.

Telstra will own 100 per cent of the new entity as part of the $US1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) deal, which is expected to be completed within six months. The sale follows almost a year of discussions between the telco giant and the federal government about the asset, which was subject to interest from Chinese telco operators.

While Telstra called it a “commercially attractive asset”, there is concern among some in the government and industry that the threat of the asset falling into Chinese hands was hyped up to drive a sale to an Australian company with the help of the government.

Industry and government sources confirmed that a Chinese company was never close to buying Digicel’s Pacific assets. But senior figures within the Australian government believed Chinese companies such as China Mobile may have been interested and they assessed it was important to help Telstra purchase the asset for strategic reasons.

William Stoltz, a senior adviser at the Australian National University’s National Security College, said it remained “somewhat opaque” exactly how real the possibility of a Chinese bid for Digicel ever was. But he said the government’s move showed that Australia “wasn’t going to take any chances”.

Dr Stolz said Mr O’Brien was selling Digicel because it had become a “bit of a stranded asset”, but in the tension between economic and security considerations Australia is “going to have to make more decisions like this where security wins out because we’re in an era of ideological contest for the future of our region”.

“The development needs of the Pacific island countries demand wealthier states invest in bolstering their infrastructure and modernising their economies so they can be more prosperous and stable,” he said.

Both Telstra and the government don’t believe they will have to rip up the 4G infrastructure placed by Chinese company Huawei, with the technology not as vulnerable to penetration as the next-generation 5G networks.

Telstra chief executive Andy Penn said Digicel was a commercially attractive asset the move was an “important milestone in the company’s relationship with the Australian government”.

“The Board unanimously believes the transaction is in the best interests of shareholders and it is on this basis that Telstra has agreed to proceed with the acquisition,” he said.

Telstra will contribute $US270 million of equity to the $US1.6 billion purchase price and the Australian Government, through Export Finance Australia, is providing the remaining $US1.33 billion through a combination of debt facilities and equity finance. A further $US250 million will be paid subject to business performance over the next three years.

In a joint statement, Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Trade Minister Dan Tehan and Pacific Minister Zed Seselja said Digicel Pacific has been a successful and growing telecommunications provider in the Pacific for the past 15 years.

“Telstra’s acquisition sends an important signal about the company’s potential and about wider business confidence in the future of the Pacific region,” they said.

“Digicel Pacific has been a successful and growing telecommunications provider in the Pacific for the past 15 years. ”

"EFA is providing financing that enables Telstra to take this commercial opportunity and will bring valuable experience in managing financial and other risks."

(continued)

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Liberal senator James Paterson, chair of the federal parliament’s security and intelligence committee, said it was a “very exciting development for the Pacific and for Australia” and it would come with “no strings attached”.

“Digital communications are the key to development and prosperity, particularly in the developing world,” he said.“It’s a tribute to Australia’s commitment to the Pacific. It’s consistent with our long-standing policy of the Pacific Step Up, and it demonstrates that once again, Australia is a partner of choice whether that comes to aid and development, or more recently, the vaccine roll out and now the development of critical infrastructure.

"One of the key things about this agreement is that it demonstrates that Australia does so for the benefit of our friends and family in the Pacific, and unlike some other operators in the Pacific, we do so without any strings attached.

Asked whether the deal was about countering China, Senator Paterson said “this isn’t about any one other country”.

There has been growing concern from national security experts about China-backed firms funding and buying strategically sensitive assets in the Pacific, including a proposed Chinese fishing facility in Papua New Guinea and Digicel’s assets.

While Australia has long been the dominant provider of foreign aid in the region, Beijing has led the way in providing cheap loans to bankroll infrastructure projects. China was responsible for 37 per cent of all donor loans to the Pacific between 2011 and 2017, funding projects with a total value of about $US1.7 billion.

Telstra was approached by the federal government late last year about the prospect of an acquisition, amid reports there was interest from Chinese buyers. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed an initial offer was made in July, whereby Telstra would contribute between $200 and $300 million for the assets.

Telstra’s existing international division holds a large subsea cable network that has licences in Asia, Europe and the US. The value in this division comes from the facilitation of data traffic for the company’s major clients including Google, Facebook and Microsoft.

Digicel operates in six markets in the South Pacific including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga and Nauru. In the year ending March 31, it reported $US450 million in revenue and adjusted earnings [before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation] of approximately US$ 222 million. Digicel will have no operational responsibility as part of the deal, but the brand will remain in the six markets.

Mr O’Brien will join the board of directors for the newly formed company, which was a request made by Telstra earlier this year.

”I am very pleased that today’s agreement with Telstra, our very near neighbour in the Pacific, will further enhance DPL’s infrastructure, data and call termination links with one of the largest and most reliable networks in Australia,” Mr O’Brien said. “I thank all of our colleagues in the South Pacific and beyond who have made today possible, and I remain committed to ensuring a successful transition in my ongoing role as a director of the newly formed holding company for DPL.”

Investment bank Barrenjoey advised Telstra on the deal while Macquarie Capital advised the government. Former Treasurer Joe Hockey’s firm Bondi Partners was engaged by Digicel to help sell its Pacific assets.

Telstra shares closed up 2 per cent at $3.81.

https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/telstra-seals-us1-6b-deal-to-buy-digicel-20211025-p592sj.html

QAnon faithful gather in Vegas on their mission to save the world from Satan

WILL PAVIA - OCTOBER 24, 2021

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In the cool of a Las Vegas morning a former speechwriter for Donald Trump smoked a cigarette by the entrance to a glass hotel, chatting with a man in a cowboy hat who became famous for riding a horse from New Mexico to the White House.

Meanwhile, a sheriff-turned-media personality was finishing his breakfast inside, and various Republican politicians and candidates were expected.

It was just another stop on the conservative speaking circuit — with one important difference: the Patriot Double Down convention over the weekend had been organised by followers of the conspiracy theory QAnon, who believe that the world is in the grip of an epochal battle pitting Trump against a global cabal of Democrats and Satan-worshipping elites guilty of horrific crimes against children.

The line-up featured speakers who believe that a heroic government insider, or a group of insiders, known as “Q” has exposed a war between Trump and the Devil worshippers through cryptic messages posted in an online chatroom.

John Sabal, 31, the conference organiser, felt that some in the movement were strangely embarrassed to talk openly. Not so the Patriot Double Down.

“We are loud and proud,” he said. “The information that we have been given is going to change the world.”

A star speaker was Ron Watkins, the administrator of the internet message board where many of Q’s messages appeared. Watkins, who is widely suspected of being “Q” (he has denied it), is now running for Congress in Arizona.

Another speaker, Alan Fountain, said he planned to talk about “the paedophile, blackmail and bribery system”. A global cabal had been enslaving humanity, he explained, in an interview with the British YouTuber Nicholas Veniamin.

“Their whole goal is to feed off the energy of humans. We are basically their sustenance and this has been covered up and hidden for hundreds of years, so this movement is vital to liberating humanity.”

Fountain called the conference “the largest gathering of patriots that are the great awakening movement and also traditional politicians”.

Chroniclers of QAnon trace its origins to a gnomic remark by Trump in 2017. Standing in the state dining room of the White House, surrounded by senior military officials who had gathered there for dinner, the president addressed reporters.

“You guys know what this represents?” he said. “Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.”

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>>14852986

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In The Storm Is Upon Us, the QAnon-watcher Mike Rothschild describes how this was met, a few weeks later, with an anonymous post on 4chan: a messageboard filled with pornography, neo-Nazi agitation and people claiming to be government whistleblowers.

The message said: “Hillary Clinton will be arrested between 7.45 AM-8.30 AM EST on Monday — the morning on [sic] October 30, 2017”. This was followed by posts predicting riots, the deployment of the military and a reference to Trump’s “calm before the storm” comment.

As these posts gained traction, a community of interpreters calling themselves “Anons” sprang up to decode them and offer elaborations, including a variation of the “blood libel” that spurred attacks on Jews during the Middle Ages, alleging that Satan-worshipping elites were murdering children and drinking their blood. Trump, with his wealth and scant political ties, had been brought in by the military to clean house: there would be mass arrests and a purge of the “deep state”.

Trump himself preferred not to contradict the idea that he was saving the world. “Is that such a bad thing?” he said, when asked to disavow it. His ideas were energising an element of the Republican base: last year, two political candidates who had dabbled in Q-adjacent ideas were elected to congress.

Q believers took up Trump’s cry that last year’s election had been stolen and stormed the US Capitol on January 6 to try and stop the certification of the results.

As Washington was locked down after the insurrection, QAnon followers believed that the huge military presence for Joe Biden’s inauguration signalled the promised military purge. The Democrats would be arrested and Trump would return in glory to the White House.

When it did not happen, there was outrage and disbelief among Anons, many of whom had fallen out with their families. They had also been kicked off Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Sabal, a prominent voice in the movement, said he and his girlfriend, Amy, decided to organise a conference in Texas to gather together the Anons and revive their spirits.

Travis View, 38, host of the podcast QAnon Anonymous, said he was startled by the scale of the Texas event, following previous low-key meet-ups involving a few dozen people — “but this was $US500 a head, lasted three days and had spectacular production values”. The Las Vegas event was its sequel.

Finishing his cigarette, Couy Griffin, the country-crossing horseman and leader of Cowboys for Trump, said the conference would feature “speakers who have different ideas and different opinions. And that’s the way we should be as Americans.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/qanon-faithful-gather-in-vegas-on-their-mission-to-save-the-world-from-satan/news-story/4e1ad042b7f41327dc218768ab271183

>>14852961

Love this Guy. You and your family stay safe out there. And Thank You for your service

Australia adopts target of net zero emissions by 2050 but won't legislate goal

Colin Packham - October 26, 2021

CANBERRA, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Australia, long under fire as one of world's top producers of coal and gas, said it will target net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but added it will not legislate the goal and instead rely on consumers and companies to drive emission reductions.

The adoption of the target will ease international criticism after Australia earlier refused to join countries in pledging to meet the target ahead of the United Nations COP26 climate conference in Glasgow from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia, one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases on a per capita basis, will achieve the target largely through technology development, with the government investing A$20 billion ($15 billion).

The investment will reduce the costs of technologies such as clean hydrogen and increase their use, he said.

Morrison has been in a political bind over climate change. He needs the support of rural votes who oppose the reducing emissions as he heads into an election that must take place by May, but much of the wider Australian population wants to see more action.

A widely watched poll on Monday showed Morrison is on course to lose to the centre-left Labor party.

On Tuesday, Morrison, sought to downplay any threat to domestic industries and jobs as a result of reducing emissions.

"Australians want action on climate change. They’re taking action on climate change, but they also want to protect their jobs and their livelihoods. They also want to keep the costs of living down,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“I also want to protect the Australian way of life, especially in rural and regional areas. The Australian way of life is unique.”

Morrison also said Australia will not strengthen its 2030 target of reducing emissions by 26-28% from 2005 levels but added the country looks like it will reduce emissions by 30-35%.

Critics said Morrison's plan was too weak and does not prepare the Australian economy for a rapidly evolving world.

“Unless the government sets the wheels in motion to cut our emissions in half by 2030, it is making climate change worse and turning its back on the opportunities," said Kelly O’Shanassy, chief executive officer of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

"Australia cannot keep relying on coal and gas exports because these industries are on the way out and if those workers are not helped with the transition, they will be left high and dry."

Morrison struggled to gain backing for the net zero target from his coalition government's junior partner, the National Party, which has a regional power base reliant on agriculture and mining.

However, the party said on Sunday it would support a net zero target. According to the Australian Financial Review, the deal includes an agreement for increased spending on regional infrastructure and tax benefits for income derived from carbon farming.

($1 = 1.3398 Australian dollars)

https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/australia-unveil-2050-net-zero-target-ahead-un-climate-summit-2021-10-26/

>>14852889

‘Very clearly a target’: Julian Assange’s fiancée Stella Moris fears CIA will kill her

Latika Bourke - October 26, 2021

London: Julian Assange’s partner and mother of his two sons says she feared the CIA was also plotting to kill her.

Last month, an explosive report published by Yahoo news claimed that the CIA discussed plots to kill or kidnap the Australian who at the time was in hiding at the Ecuadorian embassy in London’s Knightsbridge. Assange had sought asylum there to avoid being extradited to Sweden to face possible sexual assault charges.

The dramatic plots were never followed through. Donald Trump’s last secretary of state and former CIA director Mike Pompeo subsequently said the report was “fiction” and that “we never conducted planning to violate US law”.

“Whoever those 30 people who allegedly spoke with one of these reporters - they should all be prosecuted for speaking about classified activity inside the Central Intelligence Agency,” he said.

“Maybe they didn’t, maybe [the journalist] made it up.”

Stella Moris, who formed a romantic relationship with Assange while working on his legal defence when he was hiding in the embassy, said she also felt targeted.

“It felt like we were prey and because I was the person who was closest to Julian, I felt that I was very clearly a target,” she told a press briefing in London.

“I felt that maybe they might beat me up or try to kill me or something to get to Julian because they were desperate to drive him out of the embassy and into Belmarsh prison.”

The CIA plot was reportedly a response to fears that Assange was planning an escape of his own, possibly to Russia.

Although the CIA has a history of involvement in drone strikes against terrorism leaders in the Middle East, the US intelligence agency has backed away from organising the assassinations of public figures since the 1970s after revelations of those activities were publicised.

Asked by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age if Assange would feel safer living in a country like Russia compared to his native Australia or Britain where their two children were born, Moris said “no” but said that both governments needed to guarantee their safety and her family’s “right to exist”.

Assange has spent more than two years in British jails since the Ecuadorians revoked his asylum and invited British police to arrest him. Assange was imprisoned for skipping bail and has stayed behind bars for the duration of his extradition hearing and appeal.

The US has charged Assange under the Espionage Act. It lost its extradition bid after a British judge ruled Assange might suicide if sent to the US to face charges.

The US has won the right to appeal key evidence provided by the expert whose testimony was central to convincing the judge that Assange could take his own life.

Moris was speaking ahead of a two-day hearing in the High Court scheduled to begin on Wednesday and likened Assange’s case to that of journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was dismembered inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

“The US was plotting to kill an Australian journalist, an Australian national, and Australian winner of the Walkley Award,” she said.

“Australia has to do something, the government has to do something to save his life.

“We were all outraged and denounced what happened to Jamal Khashoggi - that can’t depend on which country kills,” she said.

Moris saw Assange in person on Saturday and said she was taken aback by how thin he appeared.

“He was looking very unwell,” she said.

If you or anyone you know needs support call Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/very-clearly-a-target-julian-assange-s-fianc-e-stella-moris-fears-cia-will-kill-her-20211025-p5932c.html

>>14852889

‘You can’t pretend it didn’t happen’: Labor MP calls on government to press US on alleged Assange plot

Rob Harris - October 26, 2021

Labor MP Julian Hill says the United States government must answer a “credible allegation” that its spy agency planned to kidnap or even kill Julian Assange while he evaded possible charges in Ecuador’s embassy in London.

He said the Australian government must challenge its closest security ally after a media report last month claimed the Central Intelligence Agency raised the prospect of capturing the WikiLeaks founder because it feared the Australian was plotting an escape of his own.

The report, published by Yahoo News, relied on interviews with 30 former US officials and said three detailed an alleged plot to kill Assange.

Mr Hill, who is a prominent figure in the 23-member bipartisan Bring Julian Assange Home parliamentary group, said the claims should not be treated like “the James Bond premiere”.

“This is real life. This is a credible allegation, not by some fringe nutty conspiracy website,” Mr Hill told an online “Politics in the Pub” event hosted by veteran journalist Mary Kostakidis earlier this month.

“This is an allegation that has sources behind it, that the intelligence agency of our biggest ally and security partner was seriously drawing up plans to murder one of our own citizens in an extraterritorial killing.

“It sounds kind of mad when you say it … but this is ridiculous, you can’t pretend it didn’t happen. It requires a formal discussion with the US government.”

Assange, who has been detained in London’s Belmarsh Prison since Ecuador revoked his asylum in April 2019, is trying to avoid extradition to the US to face charges over the hacking and publication of classified documents on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and diplomatic cables a decade ago. His next legal hearing is set for later this month.

Assange’s lawyers have repeatedly argued the US attempt to extradite him is politically motivated.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne most recently raised Assange’s case with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during her visit to Washington DC last month as part of the annual Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) talks.

She conveyed the federal government’s expectations that Assange was “entitled to due process, humane and fair treatment, access to proper medical and other care and access to his legal team”, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

However, her face-to-face meeting with Mr Blinken was 11 days before the original story was published.

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has refused to either confirm or deny the specific allegations, but said last month Yahoo News’ sources “didn’t know what we were doing”. Former US president Donald Trump denied he ever considered having Assange assassinated, telling the news website: “It’s totally false.”

Mr Hill was a part of a cross-party delegation of Australian MPs who met the US embassy’s Charge d’Affaires, Michael Goldman, in March, arguing the Australian citizen should be allowed to return home.

Mr Hill said it “wasn’t hard” to get an appointment at the US embassy.

“If I can do it, as an opposition backbencher, I’m sure the Foreign Minister can get in there to convey the view and ask the important question. It’s not acceptable,” he said.

Mr Hill attempted to formalise the Australian Labor Party’s position on Assange at its virtual national conference earlier this year. A motion that Labor believes “it is now time for this long-drawn-out case against Julian Assange to be brought to an end” was passed.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/you-can-t-pretend-it-didn-t-happen-labor-mp-calls-on-government-to-press-us-on-alleged-assange-plot-20211025-p5931c.html

AUKUS is the most significant step of our time, says Dutton

Tom McIlroy - Oct 26, 2021

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AUKUS – the nation’s landmark new defence pact with the United States and United Kingdom – has been christened a “forever partnership” and the biggest strategic shift in Australia’s defence in decades.

Kept top secret during more than 18 months of the most sensitive negotiations, news of the shock deal for Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines immediately reset the agenda in Canberra, Washington, Westminster, and in capitals around the world.

But for Defence Minister Peter Dutton, the plan is about a lot more than just a fleet of subs.

“Certainly it is the most significant step taken by the Australian government in defence policy in our lifetime,” he told The Australian Financial Review in an extensive interview at Parliament House.

“There’s now a road that Australia’s embarked on, with our two closest partners, and there’s no turning back.”

For Dutton, elevated to the job less than six months before the deal was finalised in September, AUKUS is about opportunity and investment in Australian capability, strengthening the country’s established and emerging Indo-Pacific alliances, and about pushing back against China.

Adelaide-made fleet

“There’s no denying that many Australians are concerned by what they’re seeing from the Communist Party of China at the moment. And they want to know that Australia is well-prepared for any eventuality,” he said.

“Our objective, our burning desire, is to see peace maintained in our region and we want there to be a deterrence against China and any other country who might have bad intent over the coming decades. And it’s a strong message for them as well.”

The submarines are only one part of AUKUS, which will also include major technology acquisitions, shore visits, refuelling and restocking co-operation and development of emerging technologies including quantum computing, artificial intelligence and undersea drones.

Australia will also acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles for air warfare destroyers and extend the lives of the six Collins class submarines to avoid a capability gap created by the now infamous move to axe a $90 billion contract with French company Naval Group.

The Morrison government has promised to build at least eight submarines in Adelaide, with construction to start later this decade on the first boat – expected to enter service in the second half of the 2030s.

The cost is yet to be determined but will exceed the planned price of the dumped future submarine program with French company Naval Group, which had been set to build 12 conventionally powered boats.

‘Universal acceptance’

An evaluation expected to run for at least 18 months will consider whether to base the Australian submarine on the US Virginia class or the UK Astute class. Defence sources have already indicated the Virginia could be the likely choice.

The front half of the submarine will be built in Australia while the rear half, including the reactor, will be built overseas. On the sensitive issue of Australian content, the Defence Department has told local industry players about 40 per cent of the submarine will be locally made.

Dutton says the defence sector and the public at large are excited about AUKUS, recognising the need for the Defence Force to maintain the best available technology in case of unplanned events.

“There has been a universal acceptance of the plan, the logic, and the vision of AUKUS. And the determination now is to deliver on the substance of the agreement.”

Diesel-powered submarines need to resurface more regularly to take in oxygen, expel exhaust and recharge their batteries, limiting their ability to stay in open waters for long periods.

Nuclear submarines are built for endurance and can run almost indefinitely, making them a key tool for the future of Australia’s defence as China builds its military might.

Dutton agrees defence spending is likely on track to hit 2.5 per cent of GDP a year by the end of the decade, some $50 billion in today’s dollars, dwarfing the existing allocation and rivalling Cold War levels.

“I think in all likelihood that will be the reality, but certainly it will be north of 2 per cent,” he said.

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Strengthening Quad ties

He said better detail about the costs would be explained in Senate estimates hearings and the mid-year budget update in December.

“But there’s a compelling argument that has been accepted by the government, that we need to invest more in acquisition, as well as recruitment and retention of our people.

“As I’ve said before, and many others have said as well, peace doesn’t come for free.”

Asked if rather than strengthening defences, nuclear technology could spark a conflict with China, Dutton says Australia’s plans are much more limited than Beijing’s.

China accounts for at least 42 per cent of all military spending across Asia, according to data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“Importantly, it has also given rise to a deeper relationship with Japan and with India, our key partners through the Quad,” Dutton explains.

“That complements what we’re doing through AUKUS. It’s very important [to keep] nations like Japan and India deeply engaged, at the same time as we’re strengthened our relationship with our partners in US and the UK.”

The Prime Minister was eager to continue the AUKUS sales pitch to Coalition MPs in Canberra last week, telling a closed-door meeting the deal with US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was a major win for Australia, and the government itself.

AUKUS, he said, would see Australia move forward bigger and bolder in a contested world, all while gaining “access to technology for nuclear submarines that no country other than UK has acquired”.

“Plenty have asked for it but only Australia and the UK have been able to secure it. The last time that happened was in 1958,” Morrison said to a round of sustained applause.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has offered bipartisan support to the pact, provided no civilian nuclear industry is established in Australia and no nuclear weapons acquired – all conditions the government insists are in place.

Labor has highlighted the likely need for Australia’s ageing Collins class submarines to stay operating until as late as 2050, something that could be necessary now the French deal has been scrapped.

Mending relationship with France

Dutton said he hoped strained diplomatic relations with Paris would be calmed soon.

“I understand fully the French reaction. Australia would be upset if we missed out on a contract of that scale but the focus now needs to be on how we continue to work together in the Indo-Pacific.

“The French have significant equity in the region and our strategic interests align. Therefore, it’s important for us to mend the relationship and to recalibrate and continue to work together.

“It’s not just the French who have stepped up their presence and their engagement in the Indo-Pacific. NATO has taken a very significant interest. The Germans have just had a frigate in the region. The Brits, and many others, now have very significant interest in making sure that peace prevails.”

Back in Canberra after extensive travel overseas, Dutton says finalising the AUKUS agreement has strengthened his personal ties with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and UK counterpart Ben Wallace.

The relationships will be critical.

“I am very grateful for the depth of friendship with both Lloyd Austin and Ben Wallace. I was speaking to Ben on the phone, by secure call, and he’s excited about AUKUS.

“He said there’s a real buzz within the UK system about working with Australia.

“It makes the conversation easy when there’s that level of trust. It means you can cut straight to the issues at hand and there’s no question about the genuine engagement and the sincerity of the commitment,” he said.

https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/aukus-is-the-most-significant-step-of-our-time-says-dutton-20211020-p591hf

New Zealand could join AUKUS security pact to boost cyber technologies

Anthony Galloway - October 26, 2021

New Zealand has opened the door to joining the AUKUS defence pact with Australia, Britain and the United States while maintaining its ban on nuclear-powered submarines.

The country’s top diplomat in Canberra said her nation could join the agreement to collaborate on the development of emerging cyber technologies including artificial intelligence quantum computing.

New Zealand’s high commissioner to Australia, Dame Annette King, said AUKUS in no way changed the security and intelligence ties her country had with Australia, the US and Britain.

While New Zealand would never be involved in the development of nuclear-powered submarines, Dame Annette said it welcomed the US and Britain’s increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We have reiterated our collective objective to deliver peace and stability in our region and the preservation of an international rules-based system,” she told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in a wide-ranging interview ahead of her country hosting the APEC summit’s leaders’ meeting next month.

Britain’s departing Chief of the Defence Staff, Nicholas Carter, last week suggested the trilateral security pact could be expanded to include other allies such as Japan, New Zealand and Canada.

Asked whether New Zealand would like to join AUKUS to collaborate on other technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, she said: “It’s been made clear to us that other countries are going to be welcome to be involved in other parts of the architecture”.

“And cyber is one area that we’d certainly be interested in, but there’s no detail yet – so we will be looking for detail.”

When the AUKUS agreement was announced last month, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that any nuclear-powered submarines Australia acquired under the initiative would not be allowed into her country’s territorial waters.

New Zealand is hosting the APEC summit’s leaders’ meeting next month, where the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will be top of the agenda.

The country, which has been hosting APEC meetings for months, has already secured agreements among members to slash tariffs on vaccines, protective masks, syringes and soap, and create an “express lane” so vaccines are no longer tied up in customs for days.

New Zealand has been focused on revitalising APEC after a damaging economic spat between China and the United States derailed the summit in 2018, with leaders from 21 nations around the Pacific Rim failing to agree on a united message.

Dame Annette said APEC was still an important global body because it brought together the “major powers of the world along with the minions like ourselves”.

“So I think that it does have a very important role to play in bringing people together to sit down and talk about the issues,” she said.

She also reiterated her country’s opposition to having to repatriate a suspected member of the Islamic State terrorist group who grew up in Australia.

New Zealand reluctantly agreed to take Suhayra Aden after Australia cancelled her citizenship under its anti-terrorism laws. Ms Ardern said in February that Australia had “abdicated its responsibilities” by stripping her citizenship.

“I can’t comment on her, other than to say it’s publicly known that she has been [repatriated] with her children to New Zealand,” Dame Annette said. “Our Prime Minister has reiterated on a number of occasions that the stripping of her citizenship by Australia – we don’t agree with.”

Dame Annette said the two countries have now agreed to work together if there are any similar issues in the future.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-zealand-could-join-aukus-security-pact-to-boost-cyber-technologies-20211025-p592tr.html

Child sexual abuse in Tasmanian institutions inquiry hears about 'culture of cover-up'

Loretta Lohberger - 26 October 2021

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The problem of child sexual abuse in Tasmanian public institutions is much greater than isolated incidents of predators gaining access to children, those gathered at the first day of a new inquiry have heard.

Speaking at the opening of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings in Hobart on Tuesday, counsel assisting the inquiry, Maree Norton, said the work of the commission would have four main focus areas; public schools, hospitals, youth detention, and out-of-home care.

"While each case study will have its own issues, we anticipate that certain themes and lines of inquiry will transcend individual institutions," Ms Norton said.

She continued that the "information available to the commission invites the conclusion that child sexual abuse within Tasmanian government institutions has consisted of more than just isolated incidents of predators gaining access to children within an otherwise safe system".

"Rather, we are concerned that such abuse may have been … made possible by structural weaknesses by how these institutions understand and respond to child sexual abuse."

Ms Norton said that, "at worst there may have been an active culture of cover up or minimisation to protect reputations and institutional interests".

Commission president Marcia Neave said the commission would largely focus on current responses to child sexual abuse, and provide an "honest assessment" of the Tasmanian government's responses.

Ms Neave said the commission would aim to ensure perpetrators were held accountable wherever possible.

She said the commission had so far obtained 21,000 documents.

Government schools

Education Department documents associated with a civil court case show two teachers who were the subject of numerous complaints, and who were later convicted of child sexual abuse, were moved from school to school.

Ms Norton said the commission would look at whether complaints were referred to police and whether children and their advocates were listened to.

Public hospitals

The focus will be on the Launceston General Hospital where paediatric nurse James Geoffrey Griffin worked for 19 years.

He was charged in 2019 with child offences.

Ms Norton said complaints were made against him as far back as the early 2000s "and periodically thereafter".

She also said the commission had received allegations of "similar patterns of abuse" at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

How the complaints were handled, and whether there was a deliberate cover up of abuse will be examined.

(continued)

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Ashley Youth Detention Centre

Ms Norton said the commission was aware of allegations of abuse involving multiple alleged perpetrators dating from the 1970s to the present, as well as allegations abuse has been covered up and documents have been destroyed.

She said the commission would also look at allegations of older detainees abusing younger detainees.

The state government has plans to close Ashley within three years, but Ms Norton said it was important to investigate the allegations and potential cultural problems to stop it from happening, either at Ashley while it is still operating, or at the centre that replaces it.

"Many reviews over many years have identified many concerns about the safety of children detained there," she said.

Ms Norton said one of the reasons it stayed open could be its location in a rural area where it is a major employer.

Out-of-home care

Ms Norton said information already gathered by the commission suggested "children can be at risk from foster carers, Child Safety Services workers, from grooming and other exploitative behaviour from adults outside the system who take advantage of the vulnerability of children inside the system, and also they can be at risk from other children inside the system".

The commission will also look at:

• How the state government deals with civil claims of child sexual abuse

• The processes that led to the standing down of 20 state service employees at various times in the past two years who were subject to child sexual abuse allegations

• A lack of action or slow progress on implementing some of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommendations

• Whether the state's integrity system is equipped to identify, investigate and address issues of child sexual abuse

Ms Norton said it was not the commission's intention to duplicate previous work that had been done.

"We expect that one of the themes … must be why have past reviews and reports not been able to solve the problems they have identified," she said.

"Are there cultural and structural reasons why these problems persist, to what extent have Tasmania's size and demographics affected past responses."

Public hearings are expected to be held in February and March in Hobart and Launceston, where the commission will hear from witnesses and victim-survivors who want to will be able to share their experiences.

Ms Norton said the commission's final report — due in August — would provide the government with a "blueprint" for protecting children and it would then be up to the government to make the changes necessary.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-26/tas-commission-of-inquiry-culture-of-over-up/100569084

War with China is a ‘question for the Chinese’: Peter Dutton

Sky News Australia

Oct 25, 2021

Defence Minister Peter Dutton says the potential for a war with China is a “question for the Chinese”.

“China’s been very clear about their intent with regard to Taiwan,” Mr Dutton told Sky News Australia.

“Equally, the United States has been clear about their intention toward Taiwan.

“Nobody wants to see conflict, but that really is a question for the Chinese.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8NIhqEFNJ8

>>14859530

Dutton’s prospect of war with China rhetoric inexplicable

Yu Ning - Oct 25, 2021

In an interview published by Sky News Australia on Sunday, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton was questioned over the prospect of war with China. Dutton said the potential for war with China is a "question for the Chinese as to whether, such as in Hong Kong, they decide to do something with regard to Taiwan. If that's the case, what's the Americans' response?" He emphasized having an alliance with the US which has been in place for 70 years, Australia needs "to be realistic about that." "We're also a small population of 25 million, and we need to make sure we have the best friends in the world, and we do," Dutton noted.

Dutton, first of all, has called white black. The current cross-Straits tensions are caused by the US constantly provoking China's redline on the Taiwan question and inciting secessionist forces on the Taiwan island to confront the Chinese mainland.

Although he didn't put it bluntly, Dutton was actually saying Australia will follow the US in flaring up the Taiwan question. It's jaw-dropping that Dutton's so-called "realistic" decision is to bring the 25 million Australians into great uncertainties, including the risks of a military conflict.

Some senseless Australian politicians have been talking about a potential military conflict with China and pushing Australia to make war preparations. Hyping the possibility of war is easy for a reckless politician, and may help score some cheap political points. But does it make any sense?

When asked what role US allies in Asia Pacific can play if a war breaks out over Taiwan between China and the US, Scott Ritter, a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, told the Global Times in a recent interview that currently there is no role that Australia can play. Australia doesn't have a military capable of winning a war with China and its economy couldn't survive a war with China. "They've got six submarines, they can put four of them into the water and China will sink all four in a week," Ritter said.

The Morrison government has gone beyond words, but made real war preparations: As a non-nuclear state, it has taken steps to pursue nuclear-powered submarines through a new trilateral enhanced security partnership with the US and UK. It is also moving to produce its own guided missiles. All are worrying signs that deserve vigilance.

"It's inexplicable that Australia blindly ties itself to the US so tightly. It reflects the country's immaturity and lack of wisdom to deal with complicated situations in the global geopolitical arena. Australia needs to grow up," Chen Hong, a professor and director of the Australian Studies Centre of East China Normal University, told the Global Times.

Dutton called allies such as the US "the best friends." But a genuine best friend won't instigate Australia to confront the latter's biggest trading partner and its top export destination, nor will a true best friend attempt to weaponize Australia, encouraging it to become cannon fodder in a military conflict with China. More ridiculously, US exports to China of wine, cotton, timber and wood have increased over the past year amid a strained China-Australia relationship. Australia's loss has turned out to be the gain of its best friend.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202110/1237277.shtml

Platinum Jubilee 'will be marred by Prince Andrew court case': Key moments in Duke's New York hearing over claims by Virginia Roberts will take place just DAYS before celebrations for Queen's 70th anniversary, judge rules

REBECCA ENGLISH - 26 October 2021

The Queen's platinum jubilee is set to be dogged by her son Andrew's court drama, it emerged last night.

Documents lodged in the US show the civil case of rape and sexual assault being brought against him by a Jeffrey Epstein victim is to go ahead as quickly as possible.

Judge Lewis Kaplan has ruled, with the agreement of both parties, that all disclosures and depositions should be completed before July next year.

This means that key moments in the case will be heard in the run-up to the official national celebrations to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne.

The commemorations will last throughout the year and will see senior royals – except Andrew – travel around the country and overseas.

Judge Kaplan intends to draw a line under any amendments to the New York proceedings by December 15.

All disclosures relating to expert witnesses should be made by June 13 with the disclosure process complete a month later.

One US legal expert described the scheduling order as 'brisk'.

Andrew, who was a close friend of financier and convicted paedophile Epstein, has always denied Virginia Giuffre's claims that she was trafficked by her abuser to have sex with him on three occasions when she was 17.

Although the prince and his legal team were shocked when she suddenly lodged a civil claim against him in April, they now intend to use it to try to prove his innocence once and for all. He has not been charged with any crime.

They have until this Friday to respond to the claims in her lawsuit, with a further hearing at a court in Manhattan due to be held next week.

Earlier this month the Metropolitan Police said it was taking no action over Ms Giuffre's claims.

The case has proved ruinous for the duke's image.

In a Newsnight interview with the BBC's Emily Maitlis in November 2019, Andrew denied claims that he slept with Ms Giuffre on three separate occasions and said: 'I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened.

'I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.'

The duke also said he has no memory of a well-known photograph of him with his arm around Ms Giuffre's waist and has questioned whether it was his own hand in the image.

The fallout from the interview saw the royal criticised for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein's victims and a lack of remorse over his friendship with disgraced financier.

Epstein killed himself while in custody.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10130395/Queens-platinum-jubilee-dogged-Prince-Andrew-drama-Virginia-Giuffre-case-heard.html

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60119368/giuffre-v-prince-andrew/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.564713/gov.uscourts.nysd.564713.27.0.pdf

>>14798254

Australia to lift outbound travel ban for vaccinated residents from next week

Renju Jose - October 27, 2021

SYDNEY, Oct 27 (Reuters) - All fully-vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents will be able to leave the country without a special exemption from Nov. 1, authorities said on Wednesday, as Australia eases coronavirus restrictions amid a rise in vaccination rates.

Australians have been unable to travel abroad for more than 18 months without a government waiver, while thousands of fully-vaccinated residents living abroad have been unable to return due to a cap on arrivals to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Many of these are now expected to return after Sydney and Melbourne ended quarantine rules for inoculated travelers from Nov. 1. Other cities, mostly virus-free, are expected to ease their border rules once they reach higher vaccination rates.

"The national plan is working … (it) is about opening Australia up and that is because the vaccination rates are climbing so high," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Seven News on Wednesday.

Australia's drug regulator, meanwhile, provisionally approved a booster dose of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for people aged over 18, as first-dose vaccination levels in people over 16 neared 90%.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the rollout is expected to begin by Nov. 8 once the government receives advice from the country's vaccination technical advisory group.

The decision to lift the travel ban from next week comes after Singapore on Tuesday said it would allow quarantine-free entry to travellers vaccinated against COVID-19 from Australia from Nov. 8.

A third wave of infections fuelled by the Delta variant forced lockdowns in Australia's biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, and both have been gradually easing restrictions after racing through their vaccination targets.

Even with the Delta outbreaks, Australia has fared better than many comparable countries, with around 164,000 cases and 1,669 deaths. Victoria state reported 1,534 new cases on Wednesday, up from 1,510 a day earlier, while those in New South Wales rose to 304 from 282.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-drugs-regulator-approves-booster-doses-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-2021-10-26/

>>14798254

‘Draconian’: Government introduces new pandemic laws into Parliament

Sumeyya Ilanbey - October 26, 2021

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People found guilty of “intentionally and recklessly” breaching public health orders would face two years in jail or a $90,000 fine, the premier will get sweeping powers to declare pandemics and the public’s right to privacy will be enshrined in law under pandemic legislation introduced by the Andrews government.

The opposition labelled the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Pandemic Management) Bill 2021, which was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, “draconian”, while civil liberty groups welcomed stronger safeguards on QR code check-in data.

The new pandemic-specific laws, which will replace state-of-emergency powers when they expire on December 15, curtail the chief health officer’s powers, giving the premier authority to declare a pandemic and the health minister the role of making public health orders.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the new legislation, which was informed by similar laws in other states and overseas, would provide a greater degree of transparency, accountability and oversight.

“Ultimately [the bill goes further than], the NSW model, New Zealand model and even beyond that, with the scrutiny of acts and regulations committee having a role, there’s an independent advisory panel, there’s tailoring of advice, it all goes a step further than the robust framework right now,” Mr Andrews said.

“It’s been a robust process, but we’re in a different phase now, we’re into opening up, living with the pandemic, living with the virus, therefore a broader set of considerations beyond just public health because we’re vaccinated at such high levels.”

The premier will need to table a report in both houses of the Victorian Parliament setting out the reasons for declaring a pandemic, while the health minister and chief health officer will need to make their advice public.

A pandemic can be initially declared for four weeks and renewed in three-month intervals thereafter until the disease no longer presents a risk to the community.

An independent committee would scrutinise key decisions, but their advice and objections will not be binding. If a person failed to comply with a health order and knew – or ought to have known – it would lead to a “serious risk” to the health of others, they would face a jail sentence of two years or a $90,000 fine, while businesses could be fined $455,000.

The legislation gives provision for the government to enforce public health orders to certain types of people, and take into account “their characteristics, attributes or circumstances”. Opposition Leader Matthew Guy argued the legislation would enable the government to discriminate against certain groups of people and shadow attorney-general Tim Smith described it as “terrifying”.

However, Health Minister Martin Foley blasted the duo for “mischief-making”, and said the public health orders would be based on clinical grounds.

He said it would give the government the authority, for example, to lock down a specific suburb, mandate vaccines to access large swaths of public life and impose density quotients or caps on events at which there are large numbers of unvaccinated young children.

“[Race, religion, sexuality, gender] can’t be considered because the principles of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act don’t allow it to happen – it’s about public health and wellbeing, not your status of race or religion or gender,” Mr Foley said.

“If anyone is suggesting that, they need to go back and do legislation interpretation 101. What it does reflect is some of the conspiratorial nonsense peddled by the opposition as they head increasingly to the margins of civic debate. Their contributions are increasingly hysterical and not informed by evidence.”

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Mr Guy labelled the new bill, which is expected to pass the lower house where the government has a majority on Wednesday, as an “incredible attack on democracy”, and called for greater parliamentary oversight.

He accused the Premier of “usurping” the Parliament and cabinet process, and giving himself the authority to “rule by decree for months on end”.

“This bill is the most extreme of its kind we’ve seen in Australia,” Mr Guy said. “While a pandemic requires different approaches, it doesn’t require a law as extreme as this.”

Earlier this month, Mr Guy said public health orders should be “ticked off by a minister or the Premier”, but on Tuesday said the legislation went beyond giving elected officials the power to make decisions.

“That part of the discussion is but, what, 1 per cent of the government’s proposal. No one talked about imposing the ability of the Premier to shut down a protest or individuals on the basis of their characteristics,” Mr Guy said.

“No one ever talked about the Premier having such extensive powers as proposed by this bill … behind [this bill] the government have thrown a whole lot of other measures, which are completely and utterly draconian.”

The Andrews government needs the votes of three independent MPs in the Legislative Council to pass legislation. It has already secured the votes of Fiona Patten, Andy Meddick and Samantha Ratnam – who they have been consulting with since March – all but guaranteeing the safe passage of the bill.

However, Liberty Victoria president Julia Kretzenbacher said she did not support the bill being rushed through Parliament, and insisted that the new laws must be “carefully” scrutinised by MPs and the public.

“Liberty Victoria is pleased that there will be protection of people’s personal and private data collected for public health reasons. We have always opposed that data being made easily available for policing or other reasons beyond public health,” Ms Kretzenbacher said.

“It is good to see that there will be additional scrutiny of government decisions. Giving decision-making powers to the Premier and Health Minister will increase accountability, because, ultimately, Victorians will be able to express their approval or disapproval of those decisions at the ballot box.”

Justice Party MP Stuart Grimley said apart from Ms Patten, Mr Meddick and Dr Ratnam, none of crossbench parliamentarians had yet seen the legislation.

“Everything we’ve found out is through the media and that’s a disgrace because we all represent people,” Mr Grimley said.

“I’m really disappointed in this and it’s completely unnecessary. Members of Parliament still haven’t even been given the courtesy of a phone call and that’s really not good enough.”

The debate on the legislation came as Victoria recorded 1510 coronavirus cases, and the deaths of four people on Tuesday. Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he believed Victoria had passed the present peak, but warned cases would begin rising again as people moved around freely.

“It will go up again. We’re opening up and there will be greater transmission, but that real protection … is higher and higher vaccination coverage,” Professor Sutton said.

“And that is especially protecting our numbers in ICU, which is pretty stable, and the same for hospitalisations sitting around the 800 mark, it hasn’t moved significantly for a week or two. That’s positive to reflect on.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/draconian-government-introduces-new-pandemic-laws-into-parliament-20211026-p593ci.html

https://www.scribd.com/document/534970373/Bill-Summary

>>14852889

High hopes ahead of latest Assange hearing

Fraser Barton - OCTOBER 27 2021

The British judiciary is preparing to make a potential final decision on the US extradition of Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and the whistleblower's father is hopeful.

John Shipton is in London where the High Court on Wednesday will begin a two-day hearing to consider an appeal lodged by American authorities.

"I imagine that they'll support the decision of non extradition," he told AAP of the High Court hearing.

Mr Shipton said the bench will comprise the most powerful judges across England and Wales, adding that their ruling will be "unappealable".

The US wants Assange on their soil to face charges of violating the Espionage Act and publishing secret American documents through WikiLeaks.

In May 2019, the government charged him with 17 counts of trying to hack a Pentagon computer and offences under the Espionage Act, that carry penalties of 175 years in prison.

Mr Shipton wants his son returned to Australia with the support of Canberra.

"Bring him to Australia and say 'look, you're free here, there will be no more, we will resist the persecution'," he said.

Mr Shipton said the US is relying in part on falsified claims in its case against his son and Assange's lawyer Jennifer Robinson added it was time the prosecution ended.

"We say there is a principled reason that this extradition should not happen, this is an unprecedented prosecution," she told ABC Radio.

"He is in difficult prison conditions which are only going to get worse if he is extradited to the US and his life is at risk.

"It is enough. It has been over a decade and this case ought to be brought to an end."

The US extradition was rejected in January by a British judge due to the risk of depressed Assange taking his own life if placed in an American prison.

But in August, Assange lost a High Court battle to prevent the US government expanding the grounds for its appeal.

The 50-year-old remains in a London prison pending the court outcome.

His mental health continues to deteriorate along with his prolonged detention, Mr Shipton said.

The father-and-son have had only occasional 10-minute capped phone calls in recent times and throughout the height of COVID-19 restrictions in the UK, Assange was not allowed any physical contact with his own young children.

Ahead of Wednesday's hearing, Amnesty International called on the US to drop its charges against Assange, plus pushing for his immediate release from prison.

Amnesty's call was backed by a petition of more than 120,000 Australian signatures and a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"These are people who are urging governments like Australia to prioritise the rights of a free press, and protect journalism around the world," Amnesty said in a statement.

"It is paramount that if Assange wishes, he be provided safe passage so he and his family can reunite safely in Australia."

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

https://www.cowraguardian.com.au/story/7485903/high-hopes-ahead-of-latest-assange-hearing/?cs=9676

THE HEART OF THE GOOD LIFE

George Cardinal Pell - 10 . 26 . 21

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Can the achievements of the modern West survive the eclipse of Christianity? A recent book argues that they cannot.

Faith’s Place: Democracy in a Religious World, edited by Bryan Turner and Damien Freeman, considers the fate and fortunes of democracy in an increasingly secular society. The book features essays from Turner and Freeman as well as pieces from a number of other contributors. They focus on the Anglosphere, where communism and Nazism never made major gains and where Christian morals often continued to influence public life even after religious practice had ceased. Today, however, those Christian morals are no longer as influential as they once were. The question before us is how universal human rights, universal suffrage, and welfare for the poor will survive in a society that no longer believes that every person is a child of God.

Turner’s principal thesis is that “the forces that are changing and eroding citizenship and democracy are the same forces that are changing and undermining religion.” This is true in the Anglosphere, and Christians should respond by resisting polarization, practicing courtesy in debate, and recognizing that Christian communities are an important foundation for democracy.

The Catholic Church today, with some historical irony, often finds itself defending democracy, free speech, and the separation of church and state. Yet it is entirely consonant with the Church’s broad traditions to defend truth as the basis of legitimate discussion and to defend debate as a pathway to discovering particular truths of natural law, human flourishing, and the common good. When there is no truth, only “my” truth and “your” truth, the temptation is to solve problems through the exercise of power and the appeal to identity and tribe. A democracy, in which citizens are able to organize civically, politically, and legally to defend their rights, is the best setting for the defense of religious freedom.

The book also examines the secular incomprehension of religion. Australian James Franklin outlines the growing ignorance of traditional religion in Australia. Franklin describes it at its worst as an “unteachable incomprehension.” In Australia, unlike the United States, political rhetoric rarely mentions, let alone appeals to, the deity.

I suspect the root cause is not lack of understanding, but disdain. It is something like the Italian attitude toward cricket: Italians generally don’t understand cricket, but they don’t want to; they refuse to waste time on such a quixotic, complicated game.

In Australia, our silence about God in public debates has made this ignorance worse, while not mitigating the hostility. When we attempt to find common ground by using natural law arguments, God is not mentioned. This is a mistake—not simply because many citizens are still theists, but because God, not just religion, should remain in the public square.

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Freeman has an interesting section on Michael J. Sandel’s idea of the “encumbered self”—i.e., the self as somehow shaped or constrained by the community to which it belongs. According to Sandel, “religion is not an expression of autonomy but rather of conviction unrelated to choice.” Sandel introduced this concept to argue for religious freedom as freedom of conscience, not freedom of choice. This was his response to the two competing approaches to religious freedom on the U.S. Supreme Court: the freedom to choose a belief and the freedom to obey, i.e. to perform a religious activity when “bound by duties derived from sources other than themselves.” Strangely, Sandel claims that beliefs are not a matter of choice, because they are not governed by the will. In his view, a person has no control over his beliefs, because we cannot change what we believe to be true.

It is true that we are unable to deny that two plus two equals four. But religion is not based on mathematical truths, and faith questions and answers—does God exist? does God love us? is suffering redemptive?—always involve choice as well as the use of reason.

Religions impose necessary duties, but we must still accept, reject, or ignore these duties. Even in traditional societies, one can choose to be more or less religious. We can also choose to “sin”—e.g. deny what we believe to be true—to gain our freedom or retain our prosperity. An autonomous person is no less autonomous because he accepts the truths of physics or public health or our ecological responsibilities to the future. But he is able to deny even these truths in bad faith, or for self-interest. An autonomous person can believe he is bound by religious truths, as autonomy need not mean inventing one’s own truths or values.

This book is useful because it wrestles with the consequences of the decline of Christianity outside the Church—the hearts and minds of the recently lapsed and the long-term pagans, atheists, or agnostics. This game is now on, most visibly with the woke activists, cancel culture, and perhaps more dangerously with radical individualism. Claims to personal autonomy, the assertion that “I am the source of all valid claims about what I should and should not do,” damage the common good.

I believe that both democracy and religious freedom are at the heart of the good life. Philosophical discussion is indispensable for their survival, but democracy and religious freedom can only be defended by determined citizens who recognize the issues and have the political will to act. Christians everywhere in the West, with fellow religious believers, should be organizing now to prevent future encroachments on our freedom.

George Cardinal Pell is prefect emeritus of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy.

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2021/10/the-heart-of-the-good-life

https://qanon.pub/?q=Pell

https://qanon.pub/?q=pecking

https://qanon.pub/?q=cardinal-george-pell

The Passion of the Christ actor Jim Caviezel tells QAnon conference to send their enemies ‘back to hell where they belong’

Jim Caviezel evokes Braveheart in speech to QAnon conference

Bevan Hurley - 27 October 2021

The Passion of the Christ actor Jim Caviezel delivered a bizarre speech to a QAnon conference, repeating word-for-word Mel Gibson’s famous battle cry from Braveheart.

Mr Caviezel was speaking at the For God & Country: Patriot Double Down convention held in Las Vegas, where he claimed there was an ongoing religious war between Satan and liberal values.

He mimicked the fiery speech given by Mr Gibson’s character William Wallace before a battle with the English in his 1995 film Braveheart, including the famous line “you can take our lives, but you can never take our freedom”.

The 53-year-old went on share familiar QAnon themes about child sex trafficking and religion.

“We must fight for that authentic freedom and live my friends. By God, we must live and with the Holy Spirit as your shield and Christ as your sword may you join Saint Michael and all the other angels in defending God and sending Lucifer and his henchmen straight back to hell where they belong,” he told the audience.

He ended the speech to thunderous applause with the QAnon motif that the “storm is upon us”.

The storm is commonly referred to in QAnon folklore as the judgement day when Donald Trump orders the arrest of a cabal of celebrities, “deep state” officials, and Democratic politicians who they believe are running a trans-national child sex-trafficking ring.

The speech had been viewed 1.5 million times in a clip posted to the Patriot Takes Twitter account on Tuesday.

Some commented that it illustrated a intersection between religious extremism and QAnon.

“It’s an example of a large-scale ‘spiritual warfare’ delusion that predates QAnon by decades and is believed by millions more,” wrote Matthew Sheffield.

Mr Caviezel played Jesus Christ in the 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mr Gibson, and also appeared in the TV drama Person of Interest.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/passion-of-the-christ-qanon-actor-b1945653.html

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1452462581088673805

https://twitter.com/mattsheffield/status/1452786848980340740

Sydney man’s descent into QAnon and how he got out

Jitarth Jadeja, 33, was sucked into a dangerous world that almost destroyed his life. Here’s how he escaped.

Nina Young - October 27, 2021

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It was during a tough time in his life that Sydney man Jitarth Jadeja was sucked into the world of QAnon – a world that it took him 18 months to find his way back out of again.

If you have lasted this long without hearing about QAnon, you are a very lucky person.

QAnon as a movement has spread throughout the world.

So what, or who, is QAnon?

It’s a long and complex story but the basics are that in late 2017, a user posted to the internet forum 4Chan calling themselves ‘Q Clearance Patriot’. The user claimed to have high-level government access known as ‘Q Clearance’ which is a term used to describe someone with security clearance required to access Top Secret Restricted Data, and National Security Information in the United States.

The user made claims that Hillary Clinton was about to be arrested, something which of course, never transpired. Despite the prophecy not being fulfilled, QAnon (or Q as they are sometimes known) continued to post cryptic messages on 4Chan and then on other forums as well.

The posts were always vague and easily twistable to suit any agenda, but they became more outlandish over time. The central message was that the US (and the world) was under the control of a global cabal of evil figures, who sacrifice children in satanic rituals and operate global sex trafficking rings.

Donald Trump, Q said, was the only one who could save us, and Q assured their followers that Trump was already in control behind the scenes and that any day we’d see the mass arrests of powerful people who were behind the evil scheme.

It sounds so out there that it would be easy to assume that no one would believe it. But QAnon’s popularity has grown steadily since those initial internet posts in 2017.

Research published in March by Public Religion Research Institute found: “A nontrivial 15 per cent of Americans agree with the sweeping QAnon allegation that ‘the government, media, and financial worlds in the US are controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping paedophiles who run a global child sex trafficking operation.’”

While it is unclear just how many followers QAnon has around the world, it is evident on Facebook and other social media platforms that Q has well and truly infiltrated and influenced Australians as well.

Jitarth Jadeja, a 33-year-old from Sydney, was one of them. He told the I Swear I Never podcast that he had become disillusioned after Trump’s surprise election victory.

“When Trump won, my world essentially just went out the window; I was so shocked,” he said. “Because I just couldn’t understand how everyone could have been so wrong.”

Jitarth was also dealing with a recent ADHD diagnosis and the combination of the shock of the diagnosis, and the shock of Trump’s victory left him questioning if anything he really believed to be true was right.

“My motto, I guess, or my overriding idea was that I don’t know what is true or not,” Jitarth said. “Therefore, I will not immediately discount anything, no matter what it is.

“And I will try and piece together the truth from that. Because it seems clear to me that either people who I assumed knew what was going on, either don’t know or won’t say,” he said.

“So that was my idea. And that’s why I entertained conspiracy theories.”

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Jitarth no longer trusted the mainstream media, so he turned to alternative media. He was a frequent viewer of Alex Jones and his show Info Wars on YouTube. He liked the idea of exploring new ideas with an open mind. It was on that channel that he first heard about QAnon and it piqued his interest.

“The thing that really hooked me in was that the whole thing about what makes you different and what made you different initially was that it wasn’t a conspiracy necessarily about the bad guys,” he said. “Every other conspiracy that I had found, whether it was aliens, or more people or whatever, it was always about you know, the Illuminati, It was always about the bad people.

“And I never found almost any mention of, say, an organised response … I kept asking myself where are the good guys in this? I don’t understand if enough people know about this – is there not anyone who’s doing anything about this? And then Q comes along and Q’s message was, ‘the good guys have already won’. The good guys are in control. Trump is in control. You’re just watching a movie. This is his proof. I’m connected to Trump. And that really spoke to me. “

Jitarth found himself sucked into the world of QAnon, losing all his friends in the process and indoctrinating his father into believing as well, something that he regrets to this day.

His beliefs grew more and more extreme the further he went into the online communities.

“The combination of my belief was that there was a race of interdimensional blue bipedal aliens called Blue avians who were behind Q and military intelligence in order to save us from the reptilians who [were] their opponent who were behind the Cabal,” he said, before adding sheepishly, “That was, that was crazy. It was more of a question of what didn’t I believe.”

It was a combination of logic and research that eventually helped Jitarth to see the light and realise that he’d been sold a lot of lies. He left Q behind in 2019 after being a firm believer for close to 18 months.

Jitarth is now a moderator on the QAnon Casualties subreddit, where he and others support the families and friends of current QAnon believers.

“Go there if you really want to see the true reality for a lot of QAnon followers, because there is some really heart-wrenching terrible awful stuff in there and those people are paying a real price and their families are being torn apart,” he said.

You can hear Jitarth’s full story on the I Swear I Never podcast now.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/sydney-mans-descent-into-qanon-and-how-he-got-out/news-story/e96a83e23c06f30894f22c54d359bb56

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/brainwashing-i-was-a-qanon-believer/id1485347114?i=1000539771629

>>14789400

Ben Roberts-Smith seeks top-secret evidence of ‘key witnesses’ in defamation trial

HEATH PARKES-HUPTON - OCTOBER 27, 2021

The army is fighting a request from Ben Roberts-Smith’s lawyers to reveal what 12 Special Forces members told a top-secret inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.

The Federal Court has been told the Victoria Cross recipient has asked for transcripts – if they exist – of “key witnesses” who were on the same missions during which newspaper articles allege he committed, or was complicit in, six murders.

Arthur Moses SC, acting for Mr Roberts-Smith, said the confidential accounts witnesses were suspected of giving to the Brereton Inquiry were crucial to the credibility of the evidence they were expected to give in a defamation trial before the court.

Australian Defence Force Inspector-General James Gaynor has claimed public interest immunity over the interviews, saying their release could negate attempts to break a “culture of silence” within Special Forces ranks and impact on the ability to hold similar inquiries in the future.

Kristine Stern SC, appearing for General Gaynor and the ADF, would not confirm or deny in open court whether the soldiers did testify in the inquiry or whether the transcripts sought existed at all.

Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Mr Roberts-Smith is suing former Fairfax newspapers and journalists over reports he committed atrocities while deployed in the Middle East and allegations of violence against women.

His lawyers have issued a subpoena seeking documents related to current and former members of the Special Forces who they suspect gave evidence in the landmark inquiry.

They are looking for evidence linked to “certain identified events” that are the subject of the trial and for which the newspapers have filed a defence of truth, the court was told on Wednesday.

The court was told those events, between 2006 and 2012, centred on allegations of Mr Roberts-Smith shooting unarmed civilians and directing other soldiers to kill innocent Afghans.

All of the 12 witnesses identified, including Federal MP Andrew Hastie, are expected to be called by the publications during the defamation trial, Mr Moses told the court.

Some of the published allegations “don’t come from the investigative skills of the journalists”, Mr Moses claimed, but were sourced from “other mechanisms” and what they believed was contained in the Brereton report.

It would be critical for the court to know if the witnesses had given any prior inconsistent accounts of what happened on the missions in question and the incidents that Mr Roberts-Smith denied, he said.

“This is a credit case in the field of battle of events dating back as far as 2006,” Mr Moses said.

Ms Stern said granting the subpoena would savage the trust and confidence in the Defence Force, which has worked to shed a “code of silence” adopted by members of the Special Forces.

“Because this claim relates to transcripts of evidence in relation to precisely the cohort of persons where the code of silence was identified as a significant problem,” she said.

“Efforts to break down the culture of silence … would be undermined.”

That toxic culture not only made it difficult to find the truth but was also considered to be a “contributing factor” to the conduct being investigated by the inquiry, Ms Stern said.

She said it would be inappropriate to disclose the evidence, as the IGADF “took very careful and elaborate steps to maintain the confidentiality of the inquiry”.

However, Mr Moses said they could not be given an “absolute guarantee” that another affected party wouldn’t seek the information via subpoena.

Nor could they be seen as whistleblowers, he said, because it was unknown whether the people identified had been compelled to give evidence before the inquiry.

The hearing before Justice Wendy Abraham is set to continue in a closed court.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/ben-robertssmith-seeks-topsecret-evidence-of-key-witnesses-in-defamation-trial/news-story/f053619f4a2f6d6037e821cf9d119e95

>>14859580

Prince Andrew Says Epstein Deal Releases Him From Assault Claim

Patricia Hurtado - 27 October 2021

Prince Andrew says a confidential 2009 settlement in a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre against disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein “releases” the British royal from the sexual-assault claims she made in a separate complaint against the prince in August.

Giuffre claims Prince Andrew sexually abused her after Epstein, a disgraced financier who died in a New York jail in 2019, “lent” her out to powerful men. She alleges the abuse occurred at Epstein’s home in New York, his private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite awaiting trial on charges she helped Epstein traffic underage girls for sex. The prince has denied the allegations.

The settlement Giuffre reached with Epstein remains under seal. In a letter Tuesday to the federal judge in Manhattan, Prince Andrew’s lawyer, Andrew Brettler, said he believes the 2009 agreement “releases Prince Andrew and others from any and all liability.” At a hearing last month, Brettler argued the accord “absolves” the prince.

Giuffre lawyer David Boies said last month said she’d share the Epstein settlement agreement but insisted it would be “irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew.”

The settlement has also been raised in her lawsuit against Alan Dershowitz, an emeritus Harvard Law School professor. She says she was forced to have sex with friends and acquaintances of Epstein, including Dershowitz. She sued him for defamation in 2019, after he repeatedly denied her claims and called her a liar. Dershowitz counter-sued her for defamation and infliction of emotional distress.

Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 in what authorities later ruled a suicide. He’d been awaiting trial in his own federal sex trafficking case in New York.

The cases are Giuffre v. Prince Andrew, 21-cv-06702, and Giuffre v. Dershowitz, 19-cv-3377, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-26/prince-andrew-says-epstein-deal-releases-him-from-assault-claim

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60119368/giuffre-v-prince-andrew/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/14945220/giuffre-v-dershowitz/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.564713/gov.uscourts.nysd.564713.28.0.pdf

Agencies ‘hunting every night’ with offensive cyber capabilities

Denham Sadler - 27 October 2021

Australia’s spy agency is “going hunting” for ransomware gangs “every night”, according to Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo, who has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to an offensive cyber capability.

At the same Senate Estimates hearing, it was revealed that the federal government’s new Ransomware Action Plan contains no new funding, and its mandatory notification scheme legislation won’t be seen in Parliament this year.

Addressing a Senate Estimates hearing on Monday, Mr Pezzullo said that the Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) offensive cyber capabilities are in use “every night”.

“We’re going hunting. We’re using offensive capabilities and once certain administrative things are in place you’ll see the AFP very actively going after covert IT infrastructure,” Mr Pezzullo told the hearing.

“[ASD] Director-General Rachel Noble, under the technical assistance powers that are available to her under the ISA Act, they’re hunting. They’re hunting every night, I can assure you.”

The comments came three months after home affairs minister Karen Andrews announced that “time’s up” for ransomware gangs, with the creation of a new AFP-led taskforce to tackle the issue.

At the Estimates hearing this week, Mr Pezzullo revealed that this taskforce is yet to get off the ground due to administrative delays with the new Identify and Disrupt powers, which were passed into law in August.

But he did confirm that the ASD is already utilising its offensive cyber capabilities, which were first confirmed by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2016.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute International Cyber Policy Centre director Fergus Hanson said Australia’s offensive cyber capability is well known, but more is needed to combat cyber risks.

“It’s one part of the response, but in the scheme of things it’s not going to solve this problem unfortunately. The effects are only temporary so it’s not a huge deterrent. But it’s a good option to have,” Mr Hanson told InnovationAus.

Mr Pezzullo also confirmed that the federal government’s recent Ransomware Action Plan does not contain any new funding, with the cash already announced in last year’s Cyber Security Strategy.

The Coalition recently announced that it would introduce a mandatory ransomware notification reporting scheme, similar to the existing data breach notification scheme. It also plans to introduce tougher penalties for ransomware criminals.

Mr Pezzullo said the department’s policy work on this piece of legislation was expected to be completed this year, meaning it’s unlikely to hit Parliament until at least February next year.

The Opposition criticised these revelations as evidence that the government’s ransomware posturing is “all announcement, no action”.

“This looks like yet another announcement that won’t be delivered this term,” shadow assistant minister for cybersecurity Tim Watts said.

“The government has been dithering for nine months while the issue escalated into a crisis. Today, ransomware is a billion dollar a year cost to the nation which threatens jobs and investments.

“The Morrison government should stop announcing and start acting to protect Australians from the scourge of ransomware.”

Labor has introduced a bill to Parliament which would implement a mandatory ransomware notification scheme, but this is yet to be debated in the house.

https://www.innovationaus.com/agencies-hunting-every-night-with-offensive-cyber-capabilities/

>Happy hunting!

Department of Defence Tweet

Congratulations! #YourADF has recognised two @USMC officers for their commitment to combined training between the @MRFDarwin and Australian forces.

bit. ly/3Gmd5Np

#Marines #StrongerTogether #USFPI #AusArmy

https://twitter.com/DeptDefence/status/1452892781811224580

—

Marines rewarded for training commitment

Captain Carla Armenti - 21 October 2021

The ADF has recognised two United States Marine Corps (USMC) officers for their commitment to combined training between the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) and Australian forces.

On October 11, Commander of the 1st Division, Major General Justin “Jake” Ellwood, presented both Commanding Officer MRF-D Colonel David M Banning and operations officer Lieutenant Colonel Amy Roznowski with Gold ADF Commendations.

The award is a gold oval badge stamped with the ADF crest, and it is a presentation rarely made to personnel from others forces.

Chief of Staff of the Australian Army’s 1st Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Webbe, read Colonel Banning's citation to the audience made up of colleagues, highlighting his exceptional leadership of the MRF-D throughout 2020 and 2021, and his relentless pursuit of enhancing ADF-USMC bilateral interoperability.