Welcome To Q Research AUSTRALIA

A new thread for research and discussion of Australia's role in The Great Awakening.

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>>16695125 Q Research AUSTRALIA #25

Q's Posts made on Q Research AUSTRALIA threads

Wednesday 11.20.2019

>>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 11.19.2019

>>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=6572656

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

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

https://qanon.pub/?q=remain%20in%20the%20light

https://qanon.pub/?q=news.com.au

Q's Posts referencing Australian citizens

Malcolm Turnbull (X/AUS)

Former Prime Minister of Australia, 2015 to 2018

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 former Australian 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=crowdstrike

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

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

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

https://qalerts.app/?q=snowden

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

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/#3147

https://qanon.pub/#4578

https://qanon.pub/#3432

https://qanon.pub/#3497

https://qanon.pub/#4727

https://qanon.pub/#4797

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=Welcome%20aboard.

https://qanon.pub/#2659

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

#25 - Part 1

Australian Politics and Society - Part 1

>>16701903 Statement by President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Mourning Former Prime Minister Abe

>>16701923 Australian landmarks to be bathed in red and white for slain Shinzo Abe

>>16701942 Albanese pays tribute to 'true friend to Australia' Shinzo Abe - Sky News Australia

>>16701988 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: We are devastated to learn of the passing of former Prime Minster ABE Shinzo. Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely tragic time. Deeply moved by all kind and thoughtful messages received on his passing from so many friends of (Japan).

>>16701988 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Grateful for the heartfelt kindness & sympathies of the people of Canberra. We have received so many warm messages on the passing of former Prime Minister ABE.

>>16702124 Anthony Albanese says New Zealanders might be allowed to vote in Australian elections, after meeting Jacinda Ardern

>>16705177 Australian law enforcer suspected of being mafia informant - One of Australia’s top law enforcers under investigation amid suspicions he was allegedly secretly working with the mafia and may have compromised some of our biggest crime cases

>>16705199 David Eastman’s lawyers claim AFP ignored mafia links to Colin Winchester murder - The lawyers who represented David Eastman – the man wrongly convicted of top cop Colin Winchester’s murder have hit out at the AFP and their handling of claims it was a mafia hit

>>16716387 Australian Federal Police - Statement on the historic assassination of Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester: The AFP has not reopened previously closed files into the Winchester assassination. There is no evidence to suggest Italian organised crime was responsible for the death of one of our own, Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester. Our thoughts are always with the Winchester family.

>>16716514 Hi-tech arms may be more important than subs, Defence Minister Richard Marles says - Defence Minister says hi-tech arms and expertise may be more important than the nuclear submarines that headline the AUKUS pact

>>16716521 Exercise Koolendong 2022: Australian Defence Force and US Marines hold warfighting exercise across the Top End - July 2022

>>16716533 US Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers arrive at Royal Australian Air Forcebase Amberley, Queensland as part of the US / Australian Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) initiative

>>16716555 Thousands of Australian companies folded last financial year as collapse nightmare worsens

>>16729627 Scott Morrison says Covid-19 and national cabinet hurt his election chances in first post-poll speech

>>16736715 Pacific leaders to declare 'climate emergency' in Pacific Islands Forum statement, praise Australia's move to lift emissions reduction target

>>16742180 U.S. Space Force - Space Tacticians Course incorporates FVEY members to enhance global space operations - Space Delta 5’s 55th Combat Training Squadron (55 CTS) hosts 8-day course for students and instructors from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, U.K. and U.S

>>16742221 Carving a Home in the Community: Marine Rotational Force-Darwin and the Northern Territory - MRF-D calls the Northern Territory home and has for over ten years now - MRF-D 22 is working to build on the strong foundation in the local community

>>16742274 Exercise Koolendong 2022: Marines, Australians hone logistics skills they’ll need to deploy from Down Under

>>16742295 Exercise Koolendong 2022: Joint military exercise pits soldiers against fictional enemy, harsh terrain, unseasonable cold

>>16755888 ScoMo speaks of ‘God’s plan’ for him, anxiety in Margaret Court church sermon - Scott Morrison says God has a plan for him, characterised anxiety as “Satan’s plan” and called for people to put their faith in Christ over governments - “We trust in Him. We don’t trust in governments. We don’t trust in United Nations, thank goodness,” Mr Morrison said

#25 - Part 2

Australian Politics and Society - Part 2

>>16755912 Video: ‘Don’t trust in governments’: Scott Morrison delivers Pentecostal church sermon - “Do you believe that if you lose an election that God still loves you and has a plan for you?” I do. Because I still believe in miracles,” he said to applause from churchgoers

>>16756266 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: To train under the Southern Cross is a unique honor for MRF-D 22, since over half the MAGTF joined from the Blue Diamond. General Vandegrift led the newly formed 1st Marine Division into battle 80 years ago under this star formation. Alongside our Australian allies, our joint partners, and other coalition support, the Blue Diamond proved to be “no better friend, and no worse enemy” in ferocious campaigns such as Guadalcanal. We honor those heroic Marines and Sailors, and our teammates, through the symbols in our crests and the never-ending effort to perfect our warfighting craft.

>>16761730 American MV-22 Ospreys move to Australian ship for RIMPAC exercise - Two U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft are embarked on Australian amphibious ship HMAS Canberra for the duration of the 2022 Rim of the Pacific exercise, advancing efforts to integrate the two nations’ amphibious forces for operations in the southwest Pacific

>>16767649 Video: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews apologises after IBAC investigation finds 'extensive misconduct' by Labor MPs

>>16767717 Video: Operation Watts report: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews apologises, but Opposition Leader Matthew Guy claims Labor not fit to govern

>>16767732 Daniel Andrews’ secret rort testimony to IBAC revealed

>>16767839 Video: New US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy to arrive on Friday

>>16767868 Caroline Kennedy ‘honoured’ to carry on JFK’s Australian legacy

>>16767873 Video: An Introduction Message from Ambassador Caroline Kennedy - U.S. Embassy Australia

>>16767868 Q Post #703 - “Rest in peace Mr. President (JFK), through your wisdom and strength, since your tragic death, Patriots have planned, installed, and by the grace of God, activated, the beam of LIGHT. We will forever remember your sacrifice. May you look down from above and continue to guide us as we ring the bell of FREEDOM and destroy those who wish to sacrifice our children, our way of life, and our world. We, the PEOPLE.” Prayer said every single day in the OO. JFK - Secret Socities. Where we go one, we go all. Q

>>16773173 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ‘astonished’ by Scott Morrison’s anti-government comments

>>16773179 Anthony Albanese slams former prime minister’s sermon where he pedalled ‘conspiracy theories’ about the United Nations - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shot down “astonishing” claims made by the nation’s former leader in a church sermon

>>16779821 Caroline Kennedy plans to uphold 'family legacy' in her role as US ambassador to Australia

>>16779828 Video: US Ambassador Kennedy arrives in Australia - Sky News Australia

>>16779837 Video: 'The US-Australia partnership is really my focus': Caroline Kennedy - Sky News Australia

>>16779908 AUKUS needs to be game changer: former Four-Star Admiral Michael Rogers

>>16779929 National Press Club of Australia - Admiral Michael Rogers - FORMER U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY CHIEF - 'Russia and China: geopolitics and the new global cyber challenge' - 22 July 2022

>>16779960 Video: IN FULL: Former US National Security Agency Chief addresses threats from China and Russia - ABC News (Australia)

>>16779960 https://qalerts.app/?q=Adm+R&sortasc=1 - https://qalerts.app/?q=rogers&sortasc=1 - https://qalerts.app/?q=NSA&sortasc=1

>>16787552 AUKUS ‘much more than subs’: ex-US security chief Mike Rogers - AUKUS agreement could transform Australian hi-tech and defence technology but nuclear-powered submarines may take longer than expected to produce

#25 - Part 3

Australian Politics and Society - Part 3

>>16787593 Fleet of nuclear submarines will be sent by Britain to Australia as a warning to China - The dramatic decision could see UK subs based in Australia until 2040, operating within striking distance of China

>>16790862 How Reserve Bank chief Philip Lowe MISLED Australia: Nation's top banker made a series of blunders and vowed to keep mortgage payments low - while enjoying his own very luxurious lifestyle

>>16802131 Myanmar junta puts four democracy activists to death in first executions in decades - Among those executed was former hip-hop artist and ousted MP Phyo Zeya Thaw, who undertook AusAid political advisers' course and met then-prime minister Julia Gillard in 2012

>>16802186 Foreign Minister Penny Wong injured in surfing accident - Senator Wong photographed at Labor cabinet meeting on Monday with her arm in a sling - Her office later confirmed she had injured her arm while surfing while she was on holidays

>>16802261 Video: Caroline Kennedy sworn in as US ambassador, confirms she will travel to Solomon Islands

>>16802271 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: It's official! This morning Ambassador Caroline Kennedy met with Governor General David Hurley in Canberra to present her credentials as the United States Ambassador to Australia! Welcome Ambassador Kennedy! #USwithAUS

>>16802278 Exclusive: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy to visit Solomons, where fathers fought and U.S. now vies with China

>>16840439 Richard Marles on the attack in revival of Australian Defence Force - Defence Minister Richard Marles wants to substantially increase the lethality and strategic strike power of the Australian Defence Force within the next five to seven years

>>16840452 US Strategic Command Tweet: #ICYMI: Earlier this week @usairforce B-2 Spirits from @Whiteman_AFB conducted a training mission with @AusAirForce F-35A Lightning IIs. #FriendsPartnersAllies #FreeandOpenIndoPacific #strongertogether

>>16840465 US Strategic Command Tweet: The @AusAirForce recently teamed up with @Whiteman_AFB & the @131stBombWing during a B-2 hot-pit refueling in Amberley, Australia. Hot-pit refueling cuts down on the aircraft's turn around time to take off for another mission, increasing its readiness. #FriendsPartnersAllies

>>16840470 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Exercise Koolendong 22 enhanced MRF-D and the Australian Defence Force’s ability to conduct combined and joint operations, demonstrating the shared commitment to being ready to respond to a crisis or contingency in the Indo-Pacific region.

>>16840898 MS Health push for nurses to hand out abortion pills - Nurses and midwives would prescribe medical abortion pills under a push by the company that imports the drug known as RU486

>>16840949 ‘Ignorant, racist’: Pauline Hanson blasted for Senate storm out - Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe condemns Pauline Hanson for her decision to flee the chamber during Acknowledgement of Country

>>16840983 Anthony Albanese meets with US ambassador Caroline Kennedy in Canberra - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has held a “historic meeting” with a new “close friend” to Australia

>>16840983 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: A historic #USwithAUS moment today in Canberra - the first official meeting between Ambassador Kennedy and @AlboMP! The United States and Australia are the closest of allies & global partners working for peace and stability in this region and beyond.

>>16840999 Video: Prime Minister meets US Ambassador to Australia - Sky News Australia

>>16841051 How Cambodian despot Hun Sen maps out control of Australia - Cambodian despot Hun Sen has divided Australia into seven zones, each controlled from Phnom Penh by a high-ranking military officer or official in the regime, in which Cambodian-Australians are rewarded for allegiance to the dictator or singled out for punishment as traitors

>>16841066 ‘Time to get brutally tough, we’re going to hell fast’: Donald Trump - Donald Trump has attacked the “thugs and hacks” trying to destroy him politically in a long, dark address in Washington, urging a federal government takeover of law and order to combat rising crime if Republicans take control of congress in November - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>16841074 Video: ‘Going to hell’: Trump says America is ‘unsafe’ - Former US president Donald Trump says the United States is “going to hell very fast” as the nation is an “unsafe place” - Sky News Australia

>>16841273 Defence Australia Tweet: #YourADF with @MrfDarwin are conducting the annual bilateral warfighting Exercise Koolendong to strengthen the Australia-US relationship

#25 - Part 4

Australian Politics and Society - Part 4

>>16841313 Atheist Senate president Sue Lines wants Lord’s Prayer ‘gone’ - New Senate president Sue Lines says she would like to see the longstanding tradition of reading the Lord’s Prayer at the start of each sitting day “gone”, as she prepares to put her mark on the chamber by warning senators she’ll be tougher on those who demean their colleagues

>>16931166 Labor rules out push to end reading of Lord’s Prayer in Senate - Labor’s Senate leadership team says the reading of the Lord’s Prayer at the start of each sitting day should continue, contradicting their colleague and the chamber’s new president, Sue Lines, who declared she’d like it “gone”

>>16931188 Rainbow light plans for Shrine of Remembrance draw criticism - A planned rainbow illumination of the Shrine, to honour gay and queer military members, has been criticised as “a gay billboard”

>>16931205 PDF: Watchdog finds Premier ‘immersed’ in ‘red shirts’ - Victoria’s ombudsman has concluded Daniel Andrews was “involved and immersed” in the “red shirts” election campaign, but found no evidence he was aware of the $388,000 rort that funded Labor’s army

>>16931212 Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass releases report on Labor Party's 'red shirts rorts', won't refer case to IBAC

>>16931225 School history ‘teaching national shame to our children’, a new Centre for Independent Studies report claims - British analyst Joanna Williams has charged into Australia’s culture wars, blaming a black-armband view of history for the rise in identity politics among young Australians

>>16931225 PDF: Teaching National Shame: History and citizenship in the school curriculum - Joanna Williams, Centre for Independent Studies - July 28, 2022

>>16931266 Monkeypox declared disease of ‘national significance’ in Australia

>>16931272 Graphite miner Syrah lands loan with Biden administration - Melbourne-based mining company Syrah Resources has secured a $US102 million ($146 million) loan from the United States government to expand production of graphite, one of the key ingredients needed to make electric car batteries

>>16931316 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: This evening Ambassador Kennedy laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial to pay her respects to the Australian and United States' service members who have fought and died for freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and around the world. Lest we forget

>>16931322 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: This week Ambassador Kennedy met with and expressed her thanks to Australian Coastwatchers who helped rescue her father, President John F. Kennedy, and his patrol torpedo boat crew who were stranded in the Pacific during the Second World War.

>>16931322 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: “I owe personal gratitude to an (Australian) Coastwatcher & two Solomon Islander scouts who saved my father’s life. These men represent the best of their generation and are an amazing example of the bonds of the #USwithAUS alliance" Ambassador Kennedy said

>>16931326 Ambassador Caroline Kennedy’s Meeting with Australian Coastwatchers at the Australian War Memorial - U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Australia - July 28, 2022

>>16936324 ‘We are seeking a momentous change’: Albanese reveals Voice referendum question - Australians will be asked if they support an alteration to the Constitution to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to parliament

>>16936337 Calls to review transgender treatment for kids after British Tavistock Clinic is closed - Australian gender clinics are under fresh scrutiny and face calls for an independent review of their prescription of puberty blockers to teenagers

>>16936347 Australian Federal Police to share coding of AN0M app used in Operation Ironside arrests

>>16936422 Western Australia Police Force: Five Eyes Conference - Western Australia Police Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have co-hosted law enforcement representatives from the “Five Eyes” nations of the United States of America (USA), Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia

>>16936440 Warfighting exercise strengthens US partnership - More than 2200 personnel from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and US Armed Forces recently conducted Exercise Koolendong 2022, a combined arms littoral combat scenario across northern Australia

>>16937456 Video: Shrine of Remembrance ditches rainbow light plan after receiving threats, abuse - Managers at the Shrine of Remembrance have cancelled plans to illuminate the landmark in rainbow colours after staff received threats and abuse ahead of an exhibition celebrating the service of LGBTQ veterans

>>16940874 US Strategic Command Tweet: #RIMPAC2022 = 26 nations, 38 surface ships, 4 submarines, 9 national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft & more than 25,000 personnel. (1) shared purpose. Ensure the safety of sea lanes & the security of the world's interconnected oceans.

#25 - Part 5

Australian Politics and Society - Part 5

>>16944074 Video: Independent MP Monique Ryan tells Liberal MPs to ‘put their masks on’ while asking about Covid in parliament

>>16944084 Video: Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe labels Queen ‘coloniser’ in parliamentary oath

>>16944097 Victorian crossbench MP Fiona Patten launches bid to compel religious hospitals to provide abortions - The Reason Party leader will introduce a bill into state parliament that would remove the right of hospitals that receive any taxpayer funding to refuse to offer reproductive health services and voluntary assisted dying due to "corporate conscientious objection"

>>16944105 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Ambassador Kennedy met today with Solomon Islands High Commissioner Robert Sisilo to thank the Solomon Islands government for hosting the U.S. delegation for the upcoming 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal. The U.S. is committed to our partnership with Solomon Islands.

>>16944234 U.S. Air Force Tweet: .@Whiteman_AFB Airmen are bringing the (B-2) Spirit every day while on a Bomber Task Force deployment at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, Australia. Our Airmen are conducting training & missions alongside Allies in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. @PACAF

>>16948498 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: (r/t 9 News Darwin) Video: Exercise Koolendong has come to an end after three weeks of war games. It's part of a push to build stronger defence relationships between Australia and the U-S.

>>16954710 Urgent review of Australia’s defence ordered as security threats grow - Defence Minister Richard Marles will call in two external experts to conduct the snap review while the government considers pivotal decisions on nuclear submarines, a fleet of guided-missile destroyers and plans to build a bigger army

>>16954803 Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address Australia - The Australian National University (ANU) community and Australians will have the rare opportunity to hear from His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, in a sold-out address, Wednesday 3 August

>>16954805 Zelensky hails Australia's support for Ukraine - “I am very thankful to Anthony Albanese government who made significant systematic support to our country, which includes full-scale military and humanitarian assistance, sanctions against Russia…..and even the coal for Ukrainian energy”

>>16954809 ‘You can’t just sympathise’: Zelensky calls on more support to fight tyranny - “A lot of Australians are helping us a lot and render humanitarian assistance – please don’t forget about it, please continue.”

>>16954818 Video: Special Address by President Zelenskyy - Hear directly from His Excellency President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, in this special virtual event - ANU TV

>>16954824 Video: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answers questions from Australian students - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is addressing students and faculty at the Australian National University in Canberra. In the event, opened by former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, President Zelenskyy will answer questions posed by university students - ABC News (Australia)

>>16954891 U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Tweet: #USINDOPACOM Commander Adm. John C. Aquilino visits @AusAirForce in Amberly, (Australia). #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific #FriendsPartnersAllies

>>16954894 U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander, Admiral John C. Aquilino, Visits Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley

>>17068815 An0m: lawyers challenge encrypted messaging app used by AFP in global crime sting - A year after app’s unveiling questions have been raised about legal grounds on which messages intercepted and warrants used

>>17068852 Russian billionaire Alexander Abramov sues Foreign Minister Penny Wong over ‘reputation harm’

>>17068857 Penny Wong walks out on Russia’s Sergey Lavrov - Penny Wong has walked out of the East Asia Summit during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s address to the regional foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh, in protest at Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine

>>17069077 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Video: KOOLENDONG 22. #MRFD #usmc #armystrong #usaf #ADF #Lethality #JointForce #FreeandOpenIndoPacific U.S. Marine Corps video by Corporal Emeline Molla.

>>17381367 ‘I will continue killing foreigners’: soldier who shot dead unarmed Australians treated as ‘returning hero’ by Taliban - Hekmatullah, who killed three Australian soldiers, is living in a heavily protected luxury Kabul home after being freed from prison

>>17381386 ‘Do you want your children dead?’: widow stands up to Cambodia evil - Bou Rachana can still hear the threat against the life of her children hanging in the air – a threat made openly on Australian soil by ­visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen

#25 - Part 6

Australian Politics and Society - Part 6

>>17381843 Richard Marles says Australian submarines will plug capability gap - Ageing fleet of Collins class submarines will undergo life-of-type extensions, capability gap will be filled with submarines built in Australia

>>17385370 NSW has officially banned public displays of Nazi swastika - Cultural and religious groups are celebrating as an Aussie state confirms groundbreaking laws surrounding displays of a deeply hateful symbol

>>17385506 ‘The best is yet to come’: Trump releases new campaign style video - Donald Trump has released a campaign ad-style video on his Truth Social platform only hours after the FBI raided his Florida home where he vows to his supporters to “not give up” and the “best is yet to come”. - Sky News Australia

>>17396729 Australian academic Sean Turnell detained in Myanmar pleads not guilty in closed court

>>17396744 AUKUS is not the threat to the Asia-Pacific region: US Indo-Pacific Commander John Aquilino

>>17396764 Whistleblower lawsuit alleges financial misconduct and dubious expenditures inside Hillsong Church

>>17405795 Video: Nuclear Powered Submarine Task Force - The first major initiative under AUKUS is Australia’s acquisition of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines. Defence has established a Nuclear Powered Submarine Taskforce led by VADM Jonathan Mead AO, which is working with the UK and US to identify the optimal path to deliver these submarines. - Defence Australia

>>17405885 Bill Shorten slams Scott Morrison’s 'sick government' as he compares former PM to Donald Trump amid Cabinet scandal

>>17405903 Video: Scott Morrison's secret portfolios a 'sinister' move, former PM Malcolm Turnbull says - Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says he is "astonished" the Governor-General was willing to go along with Scott Morrison's secretive appointment to multiple portfolios within his own cabinet - ABC News (Australia)

>>17405928 Former PM Scott Morrison was ‘sedated’ at night for his insomnia throughout pandemic - A new revelation about Scott Morrison has emerged amid the raging controversy about his secret moves as prime minister

>>17406093 Blue Diamond 6 Honors 1st Marine Division Roots with a Trip to Guadalcanal and Australia - Major General Benjamin Watson, Commanding General of the First Marine Division, visited the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) following a trip to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on August 10.

>>17406134 Red Ex: Australia Edition | 1st Marine Division, Travel to Darwin | Exercise Koolendong 2022 - U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (3/5), 1st Marine Division, travel to Darwin, NT, Australia, in support of exercise Koolendong 22, July 22, 2022 - Defense Flash News

>>17410333 Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he took the “unconventional” move to assume responsibility in several portfolios due to the “unprecedented times” brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic

>>17410340 Peter Dutton says he will not call for Scott Morrison to resign after revelations the former prime minister had sworn himself into five additional portfolios during the pandemic

>>17410350 Scott Morrison warned Donald Trump off Vladimir Putin G7 invitation - Scott Morrison raised concerns with Donald Trump about Vladimir Putin being potentially invited to rejoin the G7, urging the former US president to reject the idea almost two years before Russia invaded Ukraine

>>17417576 Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he feared alarming his cabinet colleagues and the broader public by disclosing he had assumed co-control of powers across five senior ministries, as he sought to explain why he had kept his extra appointments secret

>>17417651 ‘I acted in good faith’, says Scott Morrison - Scott Morrison, former Prime Minister of Australia - theaustralian.com.au

>>17422759 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Ambassador Kennedy met today with Quad partners (Australian) Deputy Secretaries Dewar and Hayhurst, (Japanese) Ambassador Yamagami, & (Indian) High Commissioner Vohra to discuss opportunities for increased collaboration in the Indo-Pacific. We look forward to the Quad Leaders' Summit in (Australia) next year.

>>17426570 Super-rich members of Cambodia’s corrupt Hun Sen regime are buying their way into Australia through $5m “Golden Visa” schemes that guarantee permanent residency and offer a path to citizenship, according to local Cambodian-Australian leaders

>>17426633 MRF-D 22 and the International Football Connection - Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 is focused on readiness, lethality, and regional support to Allies and partners, but they are also taking chances to learn and develop cultural experience through a time-tested activity: football.

#25 - Part 7

Australian Politics and Society - Part 7

>>17426646 Video: MRF-D 22 Australian Football Team Participates in the Footy 9's - U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force- Darwin (MRF-D) 22 participate in the Australian Football International (AFI) World 9's tournament in Darwin, NT, Australia, Aug. 13, 2022

>>17430706 Scott Morrison's appointment valid but inconsistent with convention, solicitor-general finds - The nation's second law officer has found former prime minister Scott Morrison was validly appointed to the resources portfolio but not notifying ministers, parliament or the public "fundamentally undermined" the principles of responsible government

>>17430746 Peter Dutton's ban on 'woke' defence events overturned - A controversial ban on defence staff holding special events celebrating diversity and cultural causes such as LGBT+ morning teas has been overturned by new Defence minister Richard Marles

>>17430753 Bolton tells Canberra to build more alliances and let Japan into AUKUS - Australia needs to move beyond AUKUS and the Quad and create more ambitious military, political and economic links across the region to address the strategic threat posed by China, says Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton

>>17435343 Lachlan Murdoch Sues Australian News Site After It Urged Him to Do So - The news outlet Crikey challenged the younger Murdoch in an open letter, saying it wanted to make the dispute a test case for Australia’s strict defamation laws

>>17435343 Trump is a confirmed unhinged traitor. And Murdoch is his unindicted co-conspirator - New evidence to the January 6 committee shows just how treacherous Donald Trump was, but will it prise loose his grip on the Republicans? - Bernard Keane - crikey.com.au

>>17439923 Exercise Predator’s Run: Marines train for littoral combat in scorching Australian Outback - There is plenty of sun but little shade in the sparse Outback of Australia’s Northern Territory, where U.S. Marines and sailors are honing amphibious warfare skills with troops from Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia

>>17444648 Prime Minister appoints former High Court justice Virginia Bell to lead inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret ministries - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has laid out the terms of an inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret self-appointment to administer several ministries throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

>>17444661 Richard Marles: Military celebrated end of Dutton’s war on ‘wokeness’ - Defence Minister Richard Marles says the nation’s top military leaders breathed a sigh of relief when he overturned his predecessor Peter Dutton’s controversial ban on LGBT morning teas and other inclusive events

>>17444693 Australia secures approval for Black Hawk acquisition - A multi-billion-dollar proposal to procure the multi-mission helicopters for the Australian Army has been greenlit by the US State Department

>>17449678 Video: Shaquille O'Neal joins PM as Anthony Albanese says 'world is watching' Voice to Parliament debate - The Prime Minister has enlisted the support of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal in calling for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians and a Voice to Parliament

>>17449685 ‘We need to be a porcupine’: Marles says Australia must project lethal force - Australia must turn itself into a “porcupine” island fortified with enough lethal weaponry to deter an attack from a hostile rival, Defence Minister Richard Marles has warned in a stark illustration of the dangerous strategic environment the nation faces

#25 - Part 8

Cardinal George Pell - Sexual Abuse and Vatican Financial Scandal Allegations

>>16702093 Pope Francis hopes the recent sale of a luxury London building is the last Vatican financial scandal - Pope praises Australian Cardinal George Pell who pushed for transparency

>>16729328 Father of former choirboy sues Catholic Church, George Pell - The father of a former choirboy who prosecutors had alleged was sexually abused by George Pell in Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral has launched civil action in an attempt to sue the cardinal and the Catholic Church

>>16729332 Father of former choirboy launches civil action against Cardinal George Pell and Catholic Church

>>16729343 Father of former choirboy files civil claim against Cardinal George Pell and Catholic church - Civil claim brought against Pell and Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne by man alleging he suffered psychological injury

>>16729382 Video: Former choirboy's father launches civil action against George Pell and Catholic Church - 9news.com.au

>>16729390 Video: Former choirboy’s father launches civil action against George Pell - 9 News Australia

>>16729394 Video: Cardinal George Pell And The Catholic Church Sued In Civil Case - The Project

>>16729421 Q Post #2590 - [Cardinal Pell] - Dark to LIGHT. Q

>>16729421 Q Post #2594 - >He was the vatican treasurer I'm sure that carries some weight - #3 in the pecking order. Define 'pecking' [animals]. Q

>>16729421 Q Post #2894 - Many more to come? Dark to LIGHT. Q

>>16737166 George Pell not ‘fit and proper’ to be archbishop or priest, lawsuit claims - Documents filed in August last year allege Pell was “prepared to use opportunities afforded to him to act upon his sexual proclivities towards boys under 16 years of age”

>>16773283 Church cleans up its act after financial scandals - The Vatican has made sweeping changes to the way it manages its vast wealth after a mishandled investment in a Chelsea property lost millions and led to the prosecution of Italian cardinal Angelo Becciu

>>16773332 Cardinal George Pell reflects on celebrating (and not celebrating) the Mass - "His widely-publicized (and unjust) imprisonment threw a wrench into his consistent celebration of Mass."

>>16940754 Law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth abruptly severs ties with the Catholic Church after 60 years, but won’t say why - Partner Richard Leder played a key role in developing the legal framework around the compensation scheme known as the Melbourne Response, which was introduced by former archbishop of Melbourne George Pell in 1996

>>17068777 Catholic Church to rely on 'Ellis defence' in civil damages claim involving Cardinal George Pell

>>17068780 Catholic Church says family members not included in victim laws - Lawyers acting for the Catholic Church have argued that legislation passed to close a legal loophole that helped the church avoid liability for sex abuse victims does not apply to the father of a former choirboy whom prosecutors had alleged was sexually abused by George Pell

>>17068782 Church says choirboy's father cannot sue - The Catholic Church has argued a deceased choirboy's father should not be permitted to sue the clergy because he is not the direct victim of Cardinal George Pell's alleged sexual abuse

>>17435369 Judge’s ruling paves way for choirboy’s father to sue church and Pell - A Victorian court has ruled the father of a former choirboy who prosecutors had alleged was sexually abused by George Pell can pursue civil action against both the cardinal and the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, in a judgment that could pave the way for other families to sue the church

>>17444656 Families of clergy abuse victims' new legal precedent paves way for litigation - A Supreme Court ruling in relation to a lawsuit levelled against the Catholic Church has been heralded as a potential new precedent for loved ones of alleged victims of clergy abuse - The court this week ruled the Catholic Church could not use a legal argument pertaining to the so-called Ellis defence - The defence was named for choirboy John Ellis and prevented abuse survivors from suing unincorporated organisations such as the church - The ruling came after a lawsuit levelled at the Church and Cardinal George Pell by a father of one of Pell's accusers, who has since died of a drug overdose

#25 - Part 9

Malka Leifer Extradition and Prosecution

>>16940806 Australian Jewish principal Malka Leifer's sexual abuse trial to begin - Malka Leifer, former principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish girls' school in Melbourne, is being charged with 74 counts of sexual abuse of students

>>16940806 Manny Waks Facebook Post: The Malka Leifer trial will finally commence on Monday 1 August at the County Court of Victoria in Australia…..We look forward to finally seeing some semblance of justice prevail and stand with the courageous Nicole, Dassi and Elly.

>>16944062 Malka Leifer's trial date is pushed back - The trial of former Melbourne principal Malka Leifer has been postponed to August 22 - Pre-trial arguments before Judge Gamble continue

>>17381391 Israeli Ex-minister Gets Probation for Assisting Malka Leifer in Australia Sex Abuse Case - Former Health Minister Litzman pled guilty to pressuring ministry employees to alter psychiatric evaluations, in a bid to help Leifer avoid extradition to Australia. He resigned from parliament to avoid a harsher sentence

>>17381397 Litzman gets minor fine, no jail for shielding alleged pedophile Leifer from justice - Lenient sentence comes as part of plea deal; ex-health minister has admitted to unsuccessfully working to undermine extradition of accused sexual predator Malka Leifer to Australia

>>17381398 Malka Leifer case: Court endorses suspended sentence for Litzman - Former minister and United Torah Judaism MK Ya’acov Litzman's sentence will be eight-months in prison and an NIS 3,000 fine

#25 - Part 10

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

>>16755924 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial begins hearing closing submissions after 100 days of testimony

>>16755934 ‘Reviled as a murderer’: Roberts-Smith closes case against Nine with fiery speech - His lawyers accusing Nine newspapers of a “sustained campaign” to falsely smear the Victoria Cross recipient as a war criminal, bully and domestic abuser with unfounded articles and a contorted court case

>>16761512 One key question in Roberts-Smith defamation ‘trial of the century’ - "How could a group of illiterate Afghan villagers, and an elite SAS soldier, all recount the same harrowing details of an alleged war crime murder if it never happened?"

>>16761530 Afghan villagers and soldiers told the truth about Ben Roberts-Smith, defamation trial told - The only plausible explanation why three illiterate Afghan villagers and two former elite soldiers all implicated Ben Roberts-Smith in the alleged murder of an Afghan prisoner was that all were telling the truth, the Federal Court has heard in the final days of the war veteran’s defamation case

>>16767613 Ben Roberts-Smith prepared to 'lie under oath', judge told in defamation trial

>>16767627 Ben Roberts-Smith told a “deliberate lie” to conceal his involvement in the alleged execution of an unarmed prisoner in Afghanistan, the war veteran’s defamation case has been told

>>16773197 Witness in Ben Roberts-Smith trial threatened with 'bullet in his head', judge hears

>>16779737 Ben Roberts-Smith legal counsel says witnesses who gave evidence against the war veteran are liars

>>16779745 Media outlets ‘haven’t proven murder’, Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case told

>>16787498 As the Roberts-Smith case nears its end, barrister returns to where he began: ‘Someone is lying.’

>>16802161 Roberts-Smith alleged kick due to 'laugh' - Highly trained and experienced war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith allegedly lost control and kicked an unarmed Afghan man off a cliff because he laughed at him

>>16802176 ‘Bigger knolls at Bondi’: Ben Roberts-Smith barrister rejects cliff kick claim - War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith did not kick a handcuffed Afghan prisoner off a cliff and there was no cliff at the site of the alleged incident, his barrister has told his Federal Court defamation case

>>16840379 Defence force documents disprove allegation Ben Roberts-Smith killed teenager in Afghanistan, defamation trial hears - Former soldier’s lawyer says defence documents show teenager was released unharmed but newspapers say they are not accurate

>>16840826 ‘Most heinous acts of criminality’: Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial ends - Four years after it began, the defamation trial of Ben Roberts-Smith has finally closed, with a judge now left to decide the verdict

>>16937440 Ben Roberts-Smith’s fate in the hands of one man - Whatever judge Anthony Besanko's final ruling, expected to be handed down in six to 12 months’ time, the case will endure as a legal landmark for decades to come

#25 - Part 11

Julian Assange Indictment and Extradition

>>16702074 'Stop hiding behind the legal excuse': Australia can act to free Julian Assange, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says

>>16736572 Prominent Australians have rallied in Sydney for Julian Assange - Actor Michael Caton was among the speakers at a rally outside the Sydney Opera House, calling for the government to intervene in the Wikileaks founder's impending extradition to the US

>>16761498 Mexican president's plea to Joe Biden over Julian Assange as he renews asylum offer - Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he delivered a letter to the US president in which he backed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange

>>16773219 Assange's wife welcomes Mexico offer - Stella Assange has expressed her gratitude to Mexico's president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador after he repeated an offer of asylum for the WikiLeaks founder

>>16780026 Former US spy chief questioned over Julian Assange's future - When asked about calls for the Australian government to intervene in the case of Julian Assange, former US National Security Agency head Admiral Michael Rogers said nations shouldn't feel "constrained" to act in their best interests

>>16931180 Advocates for Assange gather in Canberra, July 28 2022 - Supporters of Julian Assange will rally outside Parliament House to call on the prime minister to seek the Wikileak founder's release

>>16931184 Doctor’s grim diagnosis for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange - The jailed WikiLeaks founder has been given a bleak outlook after undergoing extensive medical examinations inside a UK prison

>>16940772 ‘Just get me out of here’: Assange dad’s desperate bid to bring his ‘Wizard’ home - Peter FitzSimons - smh.com.au

>>16944058 James Packer’s $250,000 gift to free Julian Assange - “Of course I support Julian Assange. What has happened to him is outrageous…..A lot of fine people who I am privileged to know are working around the clock for his freedom. I will continue to support him. Whatever it takes.”

>>16954868 Video: 'He's not well': Julian Assange's family 'living in fear' he won't survive extradition process

>>17068744 Calls to end Assange 'slow-motion' murder - Julian Assange's family is pleading for the government's help to end the "slow-motion murder" of the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder

>>17068805 Assange family barred from taking book about WikiLeaks founder into Australia’s parliament - Family planned to distribute book, deemed ‘protest material’ by security, to MPs and media as they urged government to intervene in proposed extradition

>>17386569 Video: Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder's case endangers press freedom, his wife tells DW - Stella Assange, wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, has accused the US of targeting a foreign journalist for exposing war crimes. She told DW that Assange's life depends on his extradition order being dropped.

>>17398813 Assange lawyers sue CIA for allegedly spying on Wikileaks founder and his visitors in London

>>17410307 PDF: Julian Assange's lawyers, journalists sue the CIA for allegedly spying on them - A group of journalists and lawyers are suing the CIA and its former director Mike Pompeo, claiming the intelligence agency spied on them when they visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at Ecuador's embassy in London

>>17418550 Assange's case shows hypocritical US, British 'press freedom': Spokesperson - Xinhua - english.scio.gov.cn

>>17418578 Video: China: Claims of CIA spying on lawyers for Assange again reflect US hypocrisy on human rights - ShanghaiEye

>>17426565 Video: Exclusive interview with Stella Assange - Ben Timberley spoke to Stella Assange at the Peterloo Celebration in Manchester - Not the Andrew Marr Show

>>17447650 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange files latest appeal in bid to stop extradition to United States - Julian Assange's legal team has filed an appeal to Britain's High Court in an effort to thwart his extradition to the United States to face espionage charges

>>17447650 Julian Assange Files his Perfected Grounds of Appeal - Don't Extradite Assange Campaign - 26th August 2022

#25 - Part 12

Australia / China Tensions - Part 1

>>16701998 ‘The first step to better ties with Beijing’, says Penny Wong after meeting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi

>>16702019 China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi warns Penny Wong: Don’t smear China over Ukraine

>>16702054 Video: China highly appreciates remarks of PM Manasseh Sogavare on China. - SpokespersonCHN

>>16702054 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 8, 2022

>>16702135 NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption witness Clifton Wong found dead in office after giving evidence - 6 July 2022

>>16704930 Australia the ‘root cause’ of breakdown with China, Wang Yi told Penny Wong

>>16704933 China, Australia agree to smooth bilateral ties - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the China-Australia relationship is facing both challenges and opportunities, and its healthy development suits the common interests of both peoples and helps safeguard the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region - Xinhua - english.news.cn

>>16704947 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China - Wang Yi Meets with Foreign Minister Huang Yingxian [Penny Wong] of Australia

>>16704959 Penny Wong, Wang Yi meeting in Bali was no ‘reset’ - Will Glasgow - theaustralian.com.au

>>16704959 Will Glasgow Tweet: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi made the front of today’s China Daily

>>16704978 Exclusive: Pacific Islands Forum crisis as Kiribati withdraws - Barbara Dreaver - 1news.co.nz

>>16704978 Video: Pacific Islands Forum crisis as Kiribati withdraws - 1News New Zealand

>>16707476 Solomon Islands blocks Australian aid workers from entering the country as it opens its doors to Chinese advisers and praises Beijing as a “worthy partner” in supporting its development

>>16716406 China winning entropic warfare in Pacific Islands - We’ve seen Chinese entropic warfare in various stages in Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. And the contagion seems to be spreading in the Pacific - Cleo Paskal - sundayguardianlive.com

>>16716449 Changing hostility toward China first step for Australia to improve ties - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16716474 Video: China crushes rare protest from people demanding their life savings back - Chinese officials have reacted with force after over 1000 people marched in a rare protest against alleged government corruption - news.com.au

>>16716497 Video: China crushes mass protest by bank depositors demanding their life savings back - Nectar Gan, CNN

>>16716550 China's Foreign Minister blames Morrison government for poor relations, tells Penny Wong to 'treat us as a partner, not a threat'

>>16721729 China maintains demands despite Prime Minister’s rebuff - China has maintained it is ready to thaw diplomatic tensions despite Anthony Albanese cold shouldering Beijing after it released a list of demands

>>16721729 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 11, 2022

#25 - Part 13

Australia / China Tensions - Part 2

>>16721760 China influenced Kiribati exit from Pacific Islands Forum, MP claims - Opposition leader Tessie Lambourne calls withdrawal from PIF an ‘extreme move’ and claims the reasons offered by Kiribati’s president, Taneti Maamau, were just excuses

>>16721780 Video: China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Pacific Islands countries. - SpokespersonCHN

>>16721780 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 11, 2022

>>16721824 Stealth bombers fly into Brisbane in US show of force to region - "Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Kousgaard, US Air Force 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander, said the visit was more than just about training. It was also about sending a message."

>>16721828 Video: Two USAF B-2A Spirit Stealth Bombers Arrive into RAAF Base Amberley to support PCAF training efforts - ePixel Images

>>16721848 Marles warns Australia, US must step up to avoid ‘catastrophic failure’ in Indo-Pacific

>>16729011 Anthony Albanese hugs Solomon Islands PM and preaches positivity at Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji

>>16729023 US hasn’t given Pacific the support it deserved, Vice President Kamala Harris tells Pacific Islands Forum

>>16729043 U.S. to open new embassies, boost aid in Pacific as China’s sway grows - Michael E. Miller - washingtonpost.com

>>16729051 Video: US VP Kamala Harris speaks at Pacific Islands Leaders Forum | 13/07/2022 - fijivillage

>>16729061 Beijing says ‘anti-China forces’ manipulating Anthony Albanese, responsible for PM’s dismissal of a four point list given to Australia by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

>>16729074 China-Australia ties cannot be eased on top of ‘minefields’: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16729087 Australia to hype ‘China influence’ at regional forum to assert its ‘patriarch’ role against PICs’ interest - Zhang Han - globaltimes.cn

>>16729095 Marles' comments at odds with moving forward China-Australia relations - Lu Xue - globaltimes.cn

>>16729115 Pacific Minister Pat Conroy says Australia is open to partnering on Chinese projects

>>16729133 Defence Department silent on latest Chinese military encounter with Australian warship sailing through international waters claimed by Beijing

>>16729144 TikTok admits Australian data can be accessed in China, prompting warnings app may be compromised

>>16729514 Solomon Islands PM rules out China military base and says Australia is ‘security partner of choice’ - In his first interview since the security deal with Beijing, Manasseh Sogavare says he would only call on China if there was a ‘gap’ that Australia could not fill

>>16729572 Fears grow of possible miscalculation involving Australian military in contested South China Sea

>>16729589 GT Voice: Can real improvements be made in China-Australia trade? - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

#25 - Part 14

Australia / China Tensions - Part 3

>>16736843 Scott Morrison accuses Xi Jinping of steering China down a more autocratic path in speech at Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul

>>16736872 The ball is in Australia's court when it comes to mending relations with China - Global Times

>>16737054 Peter Dutton questions Labor’s commitment to AUKUS - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he fears Labor might be crab walking away from parts of the AUKUS security pact as he rejects Defence Minister Richard Marles’ declaration that climate change is the greatest threat to the Pacific

>>16743853 Xi Jinping visits China's Xinjiang region amid criticism of mass detention - Chinese leader Xi Jinping has visited China's Xinjiang region, where his government is widely accused of oppressing predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities

>>16749428 Dutton: We can't talk while China amasses nukes - Peter Dutton says the government must hold China to account over human rights abuses and call for it to wind back its rapid military expansion if bilateral relations continue to thaw

>>16749434 Video: Dutton backs China talks on proviso Beijing takes 'concrete actions' - Sky News Australia

>>16755986 Liberal warriors don’t want a China reset: The raucous opponents of the Albanese government resetting the relationship are playing a dangerous game with Australia’s foreign policy and ambitions for a peaceful, prosperous and stable region - Craig Emerson - afr.com

>>16755990 Craig Emerson Wikipedia - Craig Anthony Emerson (born 15 November 1954) is an Australian economist and former Australian Labor Party politician. He served as the Australian House of Representatives Member for the Division of Rankin in Queensland from 1998 until 2013.

>>16755998 OPINION - Australia can safely improve its relations with China. Here’s how - Bob Carr, the longest-serving premier of NSW and a former foreign minister of Australia - smh.com.au

>>16756024 Richard Marles as bad as ‘extremely anti-China’ Peter Dutton claims Beijing

>>16756027 Willing to be a US plug-in? Canberra plays a very dangerous game: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16756108 Calls to ban social media app TikTok over concerns it is harvesting data used by Beijing

>>16756147 TikTok’s ‘alarming’, ‘excessive’ data collection revealed - Viral video-app TikTok collects “excessive” amounts of data, according to new analysis of its source code, raising alarm about the volume of information and its security following an admission that staff in China can access the data of millions of Australian users

>>16756168 PDF: IT'S THEIR WORD AGAINST THEIR SOURCE CODE - TIKTOK REPORT - Internet 2.0

>>16756225 Video: TikTok users warned the platform is harvesting personal data - A new technical analysis by Australian company Internet 2.0, has found the Chinese-owned company requests almost complete access to the contents of a phone while the app is in use - abc.net.au

>>16761553 Video: Former Sydney councillor Vincenzo Badalati tells ICAC inquiry a Chinese developer paid for his escort in China and secretly filmed him with the woman to "blackmail" him

>>16761573 Australia urged to reshape approach to China, act to improve bilateral ties: FM - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16761573 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 18, 2022

>>16767745 Video: Bribes, blackmail, lies and escorts: Former Sydney councillor Vincenzo Badalati confesses at ICAC inquiry

#25 - Part 15

Australia / China Tensions - Part 4

>>16767765 Beijing praises Penny Wong, indicates Australian coal ban to end

>>16767770 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 19, 2022

>>16773023 Beijing launches major strike in attempt to sink AUKUS pact - New 32-page report titled “A Dangerous Conspiracy” claims Australia’s agreement to get nuclear-powered submarines may be a furtive attempt to develop nuclear weapons

>>16773027 Beijing warns AUKUS submarine project sets a 'dangerous precedent' and threatens non-proliferation

>>16773036 AUKUS sub deal could involve transferring tons of weapons-grade nuke material: Chinese report - Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan - globaltimes.cn

>>16773042 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 20, 2022

>>16773050 CACDA Successfully Held the Press Conference about the Research Report on the Nuclear Proliferation Risk of AUKUS Collaboration on Nuclear-powered Submarines - China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, 2022-07-20

>>16773057 PDF: A Dangerous Conspiracy: The Nuclear Proliferation Risk of the Nuclear-powered Submarines Collaboration in the Context of AUKUS. - China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy - July 2022

>>16773146 Ukraine making China rethink when, not if, on Taiwan invasion: Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns

>>16773162 GT Investigates: Australia urged to take practical action in easing tensions with China as coal, wine and oat grass companies look to mend frayed ties - Coal, wine, oat grass exporters aspire to sell to huge Chinese market: experts - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>16780110 China needs to ‘pay a price’ if it doesn’t change: Former National Security Agency chief Michael Rogers

>>16780173 US probes Chinese telecom giant Huawei over potential capture of American military information

>>16780196 China campaigns against AUKUS as Indonesian President Joko Widodo prepares to visit Beijing

>>16780305 Buzzes from rumormonger ASPI over Xinjiang can’t drown out the truth - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16780335 PDF: China’s information operations are silencing and influencing global audiences on Xinjiang - Albert Zhang and Tilla Hoja, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) - July 2022

>>16802278 Exclusive: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy to visit Solomons, where fathers fought and U.S. now vies with China

>>16802289 New United States ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy signals new developments on AUKUS as she plans Solomons trip

>>16802359 Opinion: Australia’s early resolve has given us the diplomatic upper hand - Canberra’s decision to draw a line with Beijing sooner rather than later has paved the way for a stabilisation of relations - Justin Bassi, Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute - afr.com

>>16802404 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley calls Indonesia a 'key partner' on stopover in Asia-Pacific defence tour - "The message is the Chinese military, in the air and at sea, have become significantly more and noticeably more aggressive in this particular region"

>>16802445 Australian journalist Cheng Lei faces longer stay in Beijing jail as verdict is delayed

#25 - Part 16

Australia / China Tensions - Part 5

>>16802540 Nonsense to say 'Australia needs nuclear submarines to defend itself': Australian scholar Professor David Goodman, director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16840480 A fool’s errand: US attempting to sow discord in Asia-Pacific region - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16840493 China calls for concrete actions after Australian PM’s remarks about ‘sanctions’ - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16840493 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 25, 2022

>>16840503 Video: Australia needs to work with China to create enabling conditions for improving bilateral relations. - SpokespersonCHN

>>16840523 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: China's growth has been an inherent part of globalization, which certainly has a positive impact on most people's standard of living around the world, an Australian sociologist has said.

>>16841051 How Cambodian despot Hun Sen maps out control of Australia - Cambodian despot Hun Sen has divided Australia into seven zones, each controlled from Phnom Penh by a high-ranking military officer or official in the regime, in which Cambodian-Australians are rewarded for allegiance to the dictator or singled out for punishment as traitors

>>16841115 China wants to ‘bully and dominate’ the Indo-Pacific: top US general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley

>>16841137 China to raise concerns over AUKUS submarine deal at United Nations nuclear non-proliferation treaty meeting

>>16841197 Trade Minister Don Farrell to launch new attempt to meet with China - Trade Minister Don Farrell has received a friendly letter from China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao that could be the beginning of the end of Beijing’s trade crusade against Australia

>>16841230 ASPI’s ‘no compromise policy’ mirrors evil intentions to disrupt China-Australia ties - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16931297 Di Sanh "Sunny" Duong: Alleged Chinese spy who donated to Liberal politician Alan Tudge faces court, the first person to be charged under the then Turnbull government’s 2018 foreign interference legislation

>>16931301 CSIRO boss advocates science ties to Beijing - CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall says Australia should forge deeper scientific ties with China in a bid to solve global challenges, including climate change and future pandemics

>>16931309 US General warns China has developed highly capable ‘world-class’ military - The US’ highest-ranking military officer, General Mark Milley, has described China’s proliferation of military strength as “very, very concerning” to the Pacific as well as globally

>>16936365 Indonesia criticises submarine loophole in nuclear non-proliferation treaty that underpins AUKUS deal

>>16936378 AUKUS ‘pivotal’ against China, says Scott Morrison - Scott Morrison says Australia’s AUKUS security pact with the US and Britain and the advancement of the Quad had delivered the most profound shift in the strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific since China started “turning atolls into airports in the South China Sea”

>>16936386 UK admiral seeks to quell AUKUS concerns - Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has moved to quell concerns about the sharing of nuclear technology with Australia, as Canberra looks to procure a new fleet of submarines fuelled by atomic energy

>>16936404 Exclusive: China-Solomon Islands police training enhances friendship, law-enforcement capacity after Chinatown losses: The joint fight - Shan Jie and Zhao Juecheng - globaltimes.cn

>>16940747 UN treaty hitch to AUKUS nuclear submarines project - A group of US experts has warned Joe Biden that providing sub­marines powered by highly enriched uranium to Australia will undermine the UN’s nuclear non-proliferation treaty, setting a “dangerous precedent”

>>16940832 ‘Unprecedented, foolish, dangerous’: Keating attacks Pelosi’s planned trip to Taiwan - Former prime minister Paul Keating has accused US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of inflaming tensions with Beijing and risking a military conflict by planning to visit Taiwan next month

#25 - Part 17

Australia / China Tensions - Part 6

>>16940847 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 29, 2022

>>16944125 Australia urged to intervene as China tries to buy a strategic Solomon Islands port - A Chinese state-owned company is negotiating to buy a deep-water port and World War II airstrip in Solomon Islands, as new documents detail how money from Beijing has helped keep the Pacific nation's controversial leader, Manasseh Sogavare in power

>>16944143 Video: Pacific Capture: How Chinese money is buying the Solomons - Four Corners / ABC Australia

>>16944162 Video: Watch what happened when Four Corners tried filming a Chinese business in Solomon Islands - China’s presence is everywhere in Solomon Islands, but not everyone was happy when Four Corners arrived to film it - abc.net.au

>>16944185 AUKUS members sink Chinese complaints over nuclear submarines - Australia, the US and UK have hit back at China’s attacks on the AUKUS pact, saying it will be impossible for Australia to convert uranium fuelling the planned fleet of nuclear-powered submarines into weapons without ruining the boats

>>16944211 Australian Government Department of Defence - Readout of AUKUS Joint Steering Group Meetings between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, 31 July 2022

>>16944211 PDF: Cooperation under the AUKUS partnership - Working paper submitted by Australia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America

>>16944261 (Google translation) - The Chinese Embassy in Australia held a reception for the 95th anniversary of the founding of the army, 2022-07-29

>>16944283 Xi Jinping has launched a ‘new Cold War’: Kevin Andrews - Xi Jinping’s Chinese Communist Party is waging a “new Cold War”, which the world must call out and resist, former defence minister Kevin Andrews has warned in a blunt address in Taiwan

>>16944283 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) Tweet: What a triumvirate! Minister Wu was pleased to maintain the momentum of the Ketagalan Forum by exchanging ideas on #Taiwan's role in building a more free & open #IndoPacific with @cpyne & @kevinandrewsmp. The visit of #Australia's ex-defense ministers is greatly appreciated.

>>16944304 Video: How Chinese money is buying Solomon Islands - China has its eye on a tiny Pacific nation that could have big geopolitical ramifications: Solomon Islands. Four Corners travels to the Solomons – one of the first international film crews to enter the country since borders reopened – to investigate the kind of influence Chinese money is buying: from a sports stadium and timber plantation, to deep-water ports and a political slush fund. With a new security pact signed between the two countries, regional powers like Australia and the United States are worried this could be the start of a new Chinese military presence in the region. - ABC News In-depth

>>16948432 Australian Government doubles down on AUKUS plan to acquire nuclear powered submarines from either the United States or Britain - Assistant trade minister Tim Ayres tells international nuclear non-proliferation conference that Australia is committed to the treaty, and the procurement of such submarines will not violate its obligations

>>16948446 ‘Very serious interest’: Indonesia wants AUKUS submarines monitored by UN watchdog - Indonesia wants Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-propelled submarines to be monitored tightly by the United Nations watchdog, saying it is taking “a very serious interest” because its waters will be passed by such vessels

>>16948453 China slams US and Britain of ‘double standards’ with AUKUS submarine deal - Senior Chinese diplomat Zhang Jun levelled scathing criticisms of the AUKUS security pact at the beginning of a month-long conference in New York that will review the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

>>16948507 Exercise “Super Garuda Shield”: Indonesian-led war games ‘send strong signal’ to China - Australian defence forces join thousands of troops from Indonesia, the US, Singapore and Japan for two weeks of “unprecedented” joint military exercises including combined paratrooper drops and amphibious landings on an island near the southern edge of the South China Sea

>>16954697 Video: Donald Trump rips into 'crazy' Nancy Pelosi - Former US president Donald Trump has criticised Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, labelling her "crazy" and accusing the House Speaker of "always causing trouble" - Sky News Australia

>>16954723 AUKUS trio urged to comply with nuclear treaty - Wang Qingyun - chinadaily.com.cn

>>16954723 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying’s Regular Press Conference on August 2, 2022

>>16954731 Chinese firm denies Australian media reports of acquisition deal in Solomon Islands - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>16954750 (Google translation) - Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands Answers Questions

#25 - Part 18

Australia / China Tensions - Part 7

>>16954766 Chinese police to give ‘management and leadership’ training to Solomon Islands officers - Senior police boss also did not rule out having Chinese police officers embedded within the force, after signing of controversial security deal

>>17068759 Anthony Albanese’s reaction to Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan trip was dead pan — but what he didn’t say spoke volumes

>>17068768 ‘Risk of miscalculation’: Wong calls for calm as China begins live-fire drills near Taiwan

>>17068770 Top U.S. diplomat to arrive in Pacific amid battle for influence with China - Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel to Samoa on Thursday on a multi-leg trip to Pacific Island countries intended to demonstrate re-engagement by the United States with a region in which China has been extending its influence

>>17068773 ADF to up the ante in Indonesia - Australia’s new army chief, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart says he will increase military exchanges and expand bilateral defence exercises with Indonesia as the Asia-Pacific region confronts a heightened risk of conflict

>>17068866 Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong tight-lipped in response to China's missile exercise near Taiwan - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have refused to wade into a war of words after China responded to Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei by carrying out a missile exercise in Taiwanese waters

>>17068880 Penny Wong fumes as Beijing missiles rattle region - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned Beijing after it launched an unprecedented volley of ballistic missiles over Taiwan and into Japanese waters, in a brazen display of China’s rising military might that has rattled the Indo-Pacific region

>>17068935 Video: Marles accuses China of breaching UN rules with Taiwan exercises - Defence Minister Richard Marles has urged an end to Chinese live-fire military operations that have encircled Taiwan in a strong statement that accuses Beijing of breaching United Nations rules requiring countries to ensure peace and security in international waters

>>17068962 Defence expert Paul Dibb says Australia faces 'probability of high-intensity conflict' in the region - ''"China is an aggressive, autocratic communist power. According to Xi Jinping, the time is now on the side of the People's Republic of China to revenge the century of humiliation in the 19th century, and to take over as the leading power in our region from the United States."''

>>17069001 ‘Nuclear war at home’: Protesters say SA subs deal is putting us in the firing line - The No Nuclear Subs Alliance has protested against South Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program

>>17069131 US, Australian militaries join forces to retaliate China’s Pacific rise - Australia will join the “kill chain” of United States’ air and missile defence capabilities in a move that could cut our militaries’ reaction times from 30 minutes to less than four

>>17381195 Statement: Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs - Cross-Strait tensions - "Australia is deeply concerned about the launch of ballistic missiles by China into waters around Taiwan's coastline."

>>17381198 Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Commonwealth of Australia - Chinese Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on the Statement by Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs on Situation across the Taiwan Strait

>>17381216 U.S. Department of State Media Note - U.S.-Australia-Japan Trilateral Strategic Dialogue - Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa met in Phnom Penh on the margins of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

>>17381217 Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Commonwealth of Australia - Chinese Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on the Joint Statement Made by the US, Australia and Japan Related to the Situation in the Taiwan Strait

>>17381234 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Video:Ambassador Kennedy and @DeputySecState Sherman are traveling to Solomon Islands to honor all those who fought and died for freedom 80 years ago, and to recommit to working with Allies and partners to chart a peaceful and secure future together.

>>17381238 The Untold story of how Morrison took on China - On April 20, 2020, then prime minister Scott Morrison told the national security committee of cabinet that Australia’s democratic system was being “infiltrated” by Beijing and that the government must become more strident in its language about China to signal its resistance.

>>17381245 China erupts over Wong’s ‘finger-pointing’ over blasts at Taiwan

>>17381248 Opposition Defence Spokesman Andrew Hastie warns of ‘bleak outlook’ as China claims it’s the victim of provocation

>>17381255 Pacific Islands solidarity is a Biden priority, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman tells Solomon Islands

#25 - Part 19

Australia / China Tensions - Part 8

>>17381258 U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman Tweet: Pleased to meet with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and cabinet members about U.S.-Solomon Islands cooperation to mitigate COVID-19, reduce poverty, enhance resilience, promote economic growth, and open the embassy in Honiara.

>>17381263 U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman Tweet: Humbled to recognize the lives lost in the Battle of Guadalcanal on this 80th anniversary. Alongside our gracious hosts, friends, and allies, we reflect on how those we once fought against can become the closest of allies.

>>17381263 Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Remarks on the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal - Honiara, Solomon Islands, August 7 2022

>>17381267 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: At a ceremony in Honiara today, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy paid tribute to the significant bravery and assistance of the Solomon Islander scouts and Coastwatchers during World War II. (1/3)

>>17381267 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: “Because of the selfless service and sacrifice of the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers, the Allies were able to hold Guadalcanal.And because of Guadalcanal, the Allies achieved victory in the Pacific.” - Ambassador Kennedy

>>17381267 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: "I look forward to returning to Solomon Islands with my children and showing them this part of our family history… and telling them about the partnership we’ve shared with Solomon Islanders in years since the war."

>>17381267 TRANSCRIPT: Ambassador Caroline Kennedy’s Remarks at the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers Memorial - Honiara, Solomon Islands, August 7 2022

>>17381274 Penny Wong urges calm after China criticises her response to aggression in Taiwan Strait

>>17381276 Peter Dutton urges Albanese Government to acquire military 'deterrent' as he warns of conflict amid China-Taiwan tensions

>>17381277 ‘Calm down’: WA Premier Mark McGowan has weighed in on Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and issued a stern warning to China

>>17381293 Myanmar envoy becomes 4th ambassador to die in China in less than a year - Myanmar's ambassador to China died suddenly in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, according to an obituary in Myanmar state media and diplomatic sources in Beijing. The obituary for Ambassador U Myo Thant Pe by Myanmar's foreign ministry in a state newspaper did not specify his cause of death.

>>17381298 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare did not attend a weekend dawn service for a key World War Two battle organised by the United States, with local media reporting it as a "snub"

>>17381300 Solomons leader in US memorial 'snub' - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was due to give a speech at a memorial service for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal that was attended by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and ministers and officials from Japan, Australia and New Zealand on Sunday, but he did not appear

>>17381326 PM SNUBS US - PRIME MINISTER Manasseh Sogavare appears to have snubbed the delegations of the United States of America and other allies by being absent from the dawn service commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Landing of the Marines on Guadalcanal

>>17381331 Man in custody after Bloody Ridge stabbing - A young man is in police custody after stabbing a Japanese military personnel attending a commemoration service of the Battle of Guadalcanal at Bloody Ridge

>>17381336 POLICE INVESTIGATE BLOODY RIDGE INCIDENT - The Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) has launched an investigation into an incident, which occurred at the commemoration ceremony of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle on Guadalcanal at Bloody Ridge on Monday 8 August

>>17381341 The Battle of Guadalcanal - EIGHTY years ago today (August 7th 2022), thousands of U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal and on the islands of Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo. According to visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, it was the first major Allied land offensive in the Pacific theatre, and a proving ground for the United States Marine Corps’ new methods of amphibious warfare.

>>17381344 Caroline Kennedy meets children of Solomon Islanders who saved JFK’s life - New US ambassador to Australia was in Honiara to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal

>>17381350 Guadalcanal troops remembered, New Zealand Defence Minister in talks with US and Solomons

>>17381353 Ambassador Kennedy thanked Solomon Scouts who saved her father - The selfless service and sacrifice of the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers were acknowledged during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal

#25 - Part 20

Australia / China Tensions - Part 9

>>17381356 Video: Solomon Islands commemorates Battle of Guadalcanal 80th anniversary - ABC News (Australia)

>>17381363 Sherman visits South Pacific to 'sabotage' region's growing ties with China - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>17381401 Wong calls for restraint as China extends military drills around Taiwan by sending fighter aircraft to simulate air-to-ship strikes

>>17381658 United States, Australia will 'watch very carefully' as China-Solomons pact takes shape, says US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman

>>17381717 Video: US Deputy Secretary of State says China's response to Pelosi's Taiwan trip 'disproportionate' - ABC News (Australia)

>>17381728 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's absence at commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal a ‘disgrace’: Opposition Leader Matthew Wale

>>17381741 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's government wants to delay election due to 2023 Pacific Games

>>17381778 Video: Pacific Marines Tweet: #Guadalcanal #Commemoration #G80 - @USMC Lt. Gen. Steven R. Rudder, commander, @PacificMarines, provides remarks at the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal commemoration ceremony at the Guadalcanal American Memorial in the #SolomonIslands.

>>17381794 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: “The bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps.” -General Alexander Vandegrift

>>17381794 U.S. Marine Corps Facebook Post: Yesterday, Aug. 7, marked the 80th anniversary of the beginning of America’s first amphibious invasion of WWII – the Battle of Guadalcanal. #Marines landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands, with the objective of capturing a key Japanese chokepoint. Major battles by land, air, and sea, led to Japanese retreat and Allied control over crucial airfields. Victory during Guadalcanal allowed the Allied Forces to seize the strategic initiative in the Pacific theater. #USMCHistory #SemperFi

>>17381805 China escalates attack on Penny Wong, as Beijing tries to rewrite Australia’s ‘One China’ policy

>>17381816 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on August 8, 2022

>>17381831 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: Chinese FM Spokesperson: We urge the Australian side to abide by the one-China principle, refrain from echoing or assisting certain countries’ misguided strategy of using the Taiwan question to contain China, and avoid creating new obstacles for China-Australia ties.

>>17381849 Sugarcoating can't legitimize AUKUS sub deal - Zhang Yunbi - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17381855 Li Song, China's ambassador for disarmament affairs reiterates opposition to AUKUS nuclear sub pact - Minlu Zhang - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17381875 Australia’s first spy mission over the Pacific under the AUKUS pact takes place - Australia has flown its first spy mission over the Pacific under the AUKUS pact with its US and UK allies as Russia demands more details

>>17381886 20 Percent Of The USAF’s B-2 Force Is Deployed ‘Down Under’ - The B-2 deployment to Australia comes as the USAF ramps up its presence in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing tensions with China.

>>17381920 US SENDS FIFTH B-2 TO AMBERLEY AMID CHINA TENSION - A fifth US Air Force B-2 bomber has flown to Base Amberley to train with RAAF F-35s amid tension between China and Taiwan - It likely amounts to the biggest ever deployment of the US’s most important military jet to Australia, with the country’s active fleet only numbering 20

>>17385052 mhar4 Tweet: Video - Musician Roger Waters: "They're not encircling Taiwan, Taiwan is part of China, and that's been absolutely accepted by the whole of the international community since 1948, and if you don't know that, you're not reading enough. Go and read about it." This is where we are.

>>17385057 Video: Roger Waters Uncut. The full interview with Michael Smerconish recorded in Philadelphia, PA at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia on August 4th, 2022. www.Smerconish.com - Michael Smerconish

#25 - Part 21

Australia / China Tensions - Part 10

>>17385071 mhar4 Tweet: Chinese FM Wang Yi on Taiwan: "The "Taiwan independence" forces' attempt to seek independence by soliciting U.S. support is nothing but a fantasy, which is doomed to be a dead end, and it will only tighten the noose around their necks."

>>17385088 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China - Wang Yi Elaborates on China's Position on the Taiwan Question at a Press Conference for Chinese and Foreign Media - 2022-08-06

>>17385676 Taiwan urges world to follow Penny Wong’s stance on China - Taiwan named Australia as a model for other countries to follow as the imperilled liberal democracy called for international support to help it withstand a campaign of extraordinary Chinese military intimidation

>>17385701 Liberals pressure Dutton to ease up on China hard line - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is under pressure to adopt a more nuanced approach in the ­Coalition’s attacks on Beijing, with new analysis revealing massive swings against the Liberal Party in seats with high numbers of Chinese-Australian voters

>>17385712 Peter Dutton won’t waver on China - Peter Dutton says standing up for Australia’s national interest is “not a condemnation of people of Chinese heritage” and declared he would not back down from attacking the hostile actions of Xi Jinping’s Chinese Communist Party

>>17385732 China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian warns Beijing will use any means necessary for Taiwan 'reunification'

>>17385756 We’ll take Taiwan: Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian pledges no retreat

>>17385784 China plans re-education ‘once Taiwan is united’ - Taiwan’s 23 million people face a campaign of re-education if the self-governed island is taken over by China, with China’s top diplomat to Australia saying Beijing was set to use “any means necessary” to achieve reunification

>>17385808 Chinese ambassador to Australia condemns US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan - Beijing’s top diplomat in Canberra has broken his silence on a controversial move by the US that infuriated Beijing

>>17385832 Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, issues startling warning about Taiwan and makes farcical claim - Speaking in Canberra, the Chinese ambassador to Australia made a particularly striking claim about the people of Taiwan - “I believe that the majority of the people in Taiwan believe they’re Chinese. They believe Taiwan is part of China and Taiwan is a province of China. They are for reunion.”

>>17385896 China's Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian has been blasted after insisting the basic rights of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been detained in a Beijing prison for almost two years, were "well protected"

>>17386111 China plans to turn Taiwan into Hong Kong, says it will use force as a last resort - China’s state council has proposed imposing Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” policy on Taiwan and said it would not renounce the use of force to take the island

>>17386118 China releases white paper on Taiwan question, reunification in new era - Xinhua - english.www.gov.cn

>>17386119 Full text: The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era - The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and The State Council Information Office - The People’s Republic of China

>>17386131 Video: IN FULL: Chinese Ambassador Xiao Qian delivers address to Australia's National Press Club - Aug 10, 2022 - ABC News (Australia)

>>17386135 Video: Journalists question Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian - Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian says the relationship between the two countries has been "difficult" in recent times, but adds a change of government has provided an "opportunity to reset" relations - Aug 10, 2022 - ABC News (Australia)

>>17386345 Beijing’s charmless offensive loses hearts in free world - China can portray itself as strong and commanding at home but its propaganda falls apart in the West where doublespeak and absurdities are quickly exposed - Kevin Yam - theaustralian.com.au

>>17386406 Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Adelaide - Remarks by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Consulate General in Adelaide on Pelosi’s Visit to China’s Taiwan Region - 2022-08-09

>>17386426 Chinese Ambassador calls for Canberra's independent foreign policy 'free from third party interference' - Fan Anqi - globaltimes.cn

>>17386439 Australia’s review of Defense Force shows military ambitions, concern over US’ decline - Lu Xue - globaltimes.cn

#25 - Part 22

Australia / China Tensions - Part 11

>>17386488 Australian Strategic Policy Institute just a tool of China hawks in Australia - Chen Weihua - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17386524 Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, Solomon Islands hold 1st drill amid China tension

>>17386534 Australia to Support Pacific Games 2023 With SBD$100M - The Australian Government will donate more than $A16.5 million, or nearly $SBD100 million, for the Pacific Games

>>17396721 Some frank advice for Beijing’s new envoy - A covid cover-up, an imprisoned friend, a vindictive campaign of coercion against Australia and, now, missiles flying over my apartment — here’s why I’ve changed my mind on China - Will Glasgow - theaustralian.com.au

>>17405824 The Covid-19 tsunami and the day Scott Morrison shut the door to China - China’s under-reporting of surging Covid-19 cases and mortality rates in early 2020 helped fuel Scott Morrison’s decision to close the international border, despite the former prime minister’s deep concerns over the economic and political fallout

>>17405852 Plagued: Covid-19 tsunami is just offshore - In the second extract from the book Plagued, the arrival of a mystery disease forces our leaders to make almost unthinkable decisions

>>17405959 New vaccine facility set for Monash uni - Moderna's vaccine production facility will be based at Monash University under a 10-year deal inked with both state and federal governments

>>17406149 All China’s sabre-rattling has done is rally support for Taiwan - The provocative response to the Pelosi visit is just another demonstration of how counterproductive is Xi Jinping’s wolf-warrior ‘diplomacy’ - Alexander Downer - afr.com

>>17410214 Stephen Dziedzic Tweets: More Solomon Islands-PRC police co-operation. China's Police Liaison Team has donated an advanced communication system which will allow the RSIPF to securely share information with Interpol member countries - China's Ambassador to Solomon Islands attended the handover ceremony late last week

>>17410224 Royal Solomon Islands Police Force: PRC I-24/7 Interpol Communication System handed over to RSIPF - The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Interpol office in Honiara will be boosted after the official handing over of I-24/7 Communication System from China Police Liaison Team (CPLT) on 12 August 2022

>>17410262 Right to vote being snatched from Solomon Islanders by PRC-backed PM - Sogavare has introduced a Bill to postpone elections. Reaction on the ground is seething. Likely Sogavare and his backers in Beijing don’t mind violence so they can activate the China security deal - Cleo Paskal - sundayguardianlive.com

>>17410363 Sogavare staging a coup with Chinese characteristics - ''"The more proxies China can gather to its fold the stronger it will get, and the more damage it will do in the region. Currently, it’s Solomon Islanders who are on the front line."'' - Cleo Paskal and Anthony Bergin - theaustralian.com.au

>>17410399 Kiribati court grants David Lambourne bail, slams attempts to deport High Court justice back to Australia - Australian David Lambourne has been granted bail after the High Court judge was placed in immigration detention following a failed deportation attempt by the Kiribati government

>>17410403 Video: Attempts to deport Kiribati High Court Justice to Australia lead to airport stand-off - Australian David Lambourne was ordered on to a Fiji airways flight departing the capital, but the plane ultimately left without him - ABC News (Australia)

>>17410410 China link alleged in judge’s Kiribati deportation saga - Judge David Lambourne, an Australian jurist who served on the Kiribati High Court says an attempt to deport him from the Pacific country was linked to China’s growing influence in the region

>>17414386 Germany plays down Asian involvement as air force sends 13 planes to Australia for Pitch Black exercises - Germany is sending 13 military aircraft to joint exercises in Australia, the air force's largest peacetime deployment, underlining Berlin's increased focus on the Indo-Pacific, amid rising tensions in the region

>>17417315 1st MAW Marines Tweet: A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 arrives at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 10, 2022

>>17417351 US Strategic Command Tweet: #BomberTaskForce missions with our @AusAirForce Allies demonstrate our combined ability to fly & operate #AnywhereAnytime in support of a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific

>>17417545 Beijing uses every chance to normalise aggressive activity - Dave Sharma, former Australian ambassador to Israel - theaustralian.com.au

>>17417833 Solomon Islands moving ahead with contentious plan to build Huawei mobile phone towers with $100 million loan from Beijing, despite an internal report warning the project may not stack up financially

#25 - Part 23

Australia / China Tensions - Part 12

>>17417901 Kangaroo in space hops to a Chinese box office hit - A kangaroo space comedy has become a surprise box office hit in China, as viewers in the world’s biggest movie market enjoy a break from nationalistic war films and saturation coverage of Chinese military drills around Taiwan - Two weeks after being released, marsupial science-fiction movie Moon Man is already China’s second-biggest hit of 2022, having already grossed almost $500m

>>17418550 Assange's case shows hypocritical US, British 'press freedom': Spokesperson - Xinhua - english.scio.gov.cn

>>17418578 Video: China: Claims of CIA spying on lawyers for Assange again reflect US hypocrisy on human rights - ShanghaiEye

>>17418594 US, Australia lead joint drills to flex muscles, upend regional stability amid tensions in Taiwan Straits - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>17422675 Chinese embassy in Solomons encourages bilateral biz deals, dismisses ‘debt trap’ as West’s ‘narrative trap’ - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17426578 National security review of Darwin Port to remain secret, but Defence releases 'talking points' - A national security review of a Chinese-owned company's lease of Darwin Port will remain secret, after the Defence Department refused a Freedom of Information request for its findings

>>17426584 The Solomon Islands government has hauled in Australia's High Commissioner to complain after the ABC's Four Corners program aired an episode exploring how China has been rapidly building commercial and security ties with the Pacific Island nation

>>17426603 TikTok's in-app browser can monitor your keystrokes, including passwords and credit cards, security researcher Felix Krause says - The Java Script code embedded by TikTok allows the company to monitor all keystrokes — the equivalent of a keylogger — as well as every tap on the screen, and text inputs including passwords and credit card information

>>17430779 South China sea patrols to continue as RAAF declares China's air defences are 'not impenetrable' - Australia's new Air Force Chief, Air Marshal Robert Chipman has declared surveillance missions will continue in the South China Sea despite a "recent spate of unsafe incidences" in the contested international airspace claimed by Beijing

>>17430787 Senior US official says Washington would consider supplying B-21 bombers to Australia - US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has indicated that the United States would consider providing Australia with B-21 Raider long-range bombers, if Canberra requested them

>>17430805 Australians’ twisting perception an evil consequence of anti-China propaganda - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17435387 Australia should spend big on defence to counter China, John Bolton says - Australia should counter the rise of China more forcefully by significantly increasing defence spending and pursuing new security partnerships with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton says

>>17435401 Solomon Islands denies Australian High Commissioner summoned over Four Corners reporting - The Solomon Islands government has denied Australia's High Commissioner was "summoned" over a report by the ABC's Four Corners program about the extent of Chinese influence and control in the Pacific nation, instead calling the meeting a "neighbourly discussion"

>>17435417 Why this Chinese-Australian feels unsafe after speaking out about China's treatment of Uyghurs - Vicky Xu says human rights activists and critics of the Chinese government in Australia are being harassed and intimidated

>>17439886 Solomon Islands threatens to ban foreign journalists entry into country over 'demeaning' coverage - The Solomon Islands Government has seemingly confirmed it will block some foreign journalists from entering the country, declaring that reporters who are "demeaning" or engage in "racial profiling" by attacking its ties with China will be banned

>>17439891 Solomons PM's use of China funds queried - The Solomon Islands prime minister's office distributed Chinese government money to 39 out of 50 members of parliament twice last year, prompting criticism the payments were politically motivated

>>17439892 US, Australia discuss possibility of B-21 bomber deal, 'posing serious threats to China' - Liu Xuanzun - globaltimes.cn

>>17439898 Video: Hope to hear more fair and just voices like Roger Waters - SpokespersonCHN

>>17444704 The scandal of US coercion in Huawei case stands exposed - Chen Weihua - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17444743 Kiribati’s Court of Appeal said government’s latest bid to deport Australian-born High Court Justice David Lambourne on national security grounds was ‘far-fetched’

>>17449708 Australian media hype ‘ban’ on journalists entering Solomon Islands to maliciously sabotage cooperation with China - Liu Xin - globaltimes.cn

#25 - Part 24

Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide

>>16705037 South Australian businesses urged to consider masks, work-from-home mandates: Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier

>>16705051 Labor MPs and experts urge action over Victoria’s high COVID death rate

>>16721686 Victorian government rejects chief health officer’s mask mandate recommendation

>>16721712 PM Anthony Albanese rolls up sleeve for fourth Covid-19 vaccine

>>16729137 World Health Organisation calls on countries to bring back mask rules as Covid ‘runs free’ - Australia has seen a significant jump in cases and hospitalisations as new Omicron variants emerge

>>16729627 Scott Morrison says Covid-19 and national cabinet hurt his election chances in first post-poll speech

>>16736936 Labor states, unions turn on Anthony Albanese over new Covid crisis - Anthony Albanese will convene an emergency meeting of national cabinet on Monday as his government is accused by state ALP leaders and union bosses of delivering mixed messages on the Covid-19 pandemic and withdrawing support measures at the worst possible time

>>16743863 Video: COVID-19 support payments reinstated following national cabinet meeting - COVID-19 support payments will be reinstated to ensure Australians who catch the virus and cannot work are financially protected - 9 News Australia

>>16755948 Former student of Mount Gambier Tenison College claims historic sexual abuse at hands of Marist Brother Gerard McNamara - The Marist Brothers are accused of knowing the now-convicted paedophile was a risk to children

>>16761459 Victorian government asks school students to wear masks in class as state's COVID-19 cases spike

>>16761484 Fresh COVID warning ahead of virus spike - Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly has issued a fresh warning about the increase in COVID-19 cases across the country, urging eligible Australians to get a third or fourth COVID vaccine, ahead of the predicted peak of the third Omicron wave

>>16767607 Australians urged to work from home as winter Omicron wave swamps hospitals

>>16802091 Australia's COVID-19 cases and death rates currently among world's highest per capita - Latest figures show more than 12,625 Australians have died with COVID, and more than 5,000 are in hospital with the virus, including 159 in intensive care

>>16944074 Video: Independent MP Monique Ryan tells Liberal MPs to ‘put their masks on’ while asking about Covid in parliament

>>17381932 Worst of Covid over, experts say - Australia has now seen the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic and ­future waves of infections are likely to be smaller with less severe disease, top infectious disease modellers say - Evidence is emerging globally and in Australia that the widespread combination of vaccines and natural infection is likely to lessen the impact of future waves, as cases and hospitalisations from the Omicron BA.5 outbreak drop across the nation

>>17396734 COVID-19 lab-leak theory debunked by Australian professor Eddie Holmes who has been dubbed 'the virus hunter' - "Professor Holmes said the lab-leak theory had been ruled out by science, he did not expect that to stop the conspiracy theories. "We will never stop hearing from people like Donald Trump about this," he said."

>>17405824 Plagued: The Covid-19 tsunami and the day Scott Morrison shut the door to China - China’s under-reporting of surging Covid-19 cases and mortality rates in early 2020 helped fuel Scott Morrison’s decision to close the international border, despite the former prime minister’s deep concerns over the economic and political fallout

>>17405852 Plagued: Covid-19 tsunami is just offshore - In the second extract from the book Plagued, the arrival of a mystery disease forces our leaders to make almost unthinkable decisions

>>17410340 Peter Dutton refuses to back calls for former PM Scott Morrison to resign - Peter Dutton says he will not call for Scott Morrison to resign after revelations the former prime minister had sworn himself into five additional portfolios during the pandemic

>>17417862 Long lockdowns a ‘failure of policy’, says WHO envoy on COVID - Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on COVID-19 says lockdowns were an effective way for governments to buy time to prepare their health systems at the start of the pandemic, but should not have become a default response to outbreaks

>>17444683 Major COVID-19 lockdown class action to go ahead in Victoria - The Victorian government has failed in its bid to have a major COVID-19 class action thrown out of court - The class action, brought on behalf of retail, hospitality, beauty, and fitness businesses, claims the government’s mishandling of Victoria’s hotel quarantine program led to the state’s second lengthy lockdown in 2020, devastating businesses and resulting in widespread job losses

#25 - Part 25

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

>>16702157 PDF: Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys appeal her federal conviction and sentence for carrying out a yearslong scheme with her longtime confidante Jeffrey Epstein to groom and sexually abuse underage girls

>>16702190 RealGhislaine Tweet: Ghislaine Maxwell appeals conviction, 20-year sentence in Epstein case

>>16702222 Ghislaine Maxwell appeals conviction, 20-year sentence for helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls over more than a decade

>>16761686 PDF: Alan Dershowitz’s Accuser Virginia Giuffre Reveals When Trial Might Begin — and She Intends to Testify

>>16840408 Ghislaine Maxwell is moved to low-security federal prison in Florida - where she can take part in an inmate talent show, continue teaching fellow inmates yoga or learn a trade like baking, plumbing or cosmetology

>>16840426 United States Federal Bureau of Prisons - Find an Inmate website - Ghislaine Maxwell Register Number: 02879-509

>>16840426 Federal Correctional Institution, Tallahassee (FCI Tallahassee) website

>>16840426 PDF: INMATE INFORMATION HANDBOOK - FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION - TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

>>16840426 PDF: Federal Detention Center - Tallahassee, Florida - Admission & Orientation Booklet

>>16840426 PDF: FCI TALLAHASSEE COMMISSARY LIST

>>17435472 PDF: Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial lawyers sue her family over unpaid legal bills - Socialite's former attorneys claim her family conspired to hide her wealth and owe hundreds of thousands of dollars

>>17449718 ‘Let Me Finish!’: Alan Dershowitz Snaps When Confronted Over Massage At Jeffrey Epstein’s House - Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz snapped during an interview with The Hill when confronted about a massage he received at Jeffrey Epstein’s house

>>17449726 Video: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alan Dershowitz Discusses Cancel Culture, Jeffrey Epstein, Defending Trump - Alan Dershowitz answers Ryan Grim, Emily Jashinsky, and Robby Soave's questions about his defense of Jeffrey Epstein - The Hill

#25 - Part 26

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

>>16705076 Paedophile schoolteacher David Harkess the third sex offender identified among Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) elite junior cricket coaches of the 1970s

>>16716510 Catholic Church considers appeal while facing huge sex-abuse hit - The Catholic Church is confronting a potentially huge hit to its ­finances, with several new sex abuse claimants emerging after a $1.9m damages payout to a former altar boy in the archdiocese of Melbourne

>>16721901 Video: Disgraced TV star Robert Hughes confronted in UK - A Current Affair crime editor Simon Bouda tracked and confronted Robert Hughes in the UK after the disgraced Hey Dad! star and paedophile was released on parole - 9 News Australia

>>16729148 Exclusive: Robert Hughes confronted following prison release - Simon Bouda - 9now.nine.com.au

>>16729155 Video: Exclusive: Robert Hughes confronted following prison release - A Current Affair

>>16779797 Former Scout leader Roderick Corrie set to ‘die in jail’ after abusing boys for decades - A former Scouts leader who sexually abused multiple boys over decades is now expected to die behind bars after a second group of abused boys came forward

>>16790586 Shocking inside story of how three high schools were a 'breeding ground for paedophiles' and a 'hotbed' for underage sex - as Chris Dawson's murder trial exposes Sydney's dirtiest secret

>>16840385 Former Nudgee College principal Stephen McLaughlin attended school celebration despite allegations of child sexual abuse

>>16840400 Former WA police officer jailed for sexually abusing a child more than 40 years ago

>>16936426 Human trafficking and modern slavery cases have increased by a third in the past year and are at a record high, with exit trafficking and child trafficking offences doubling as the nation’s borders reopen: Australian Federal Police Commander Hilda Sirec

>>16936426 Reporting human trafficking - Assist the AFP in combating this global problem - Use our online form to report information regarding human trafficking for the purposes of sexual and/or labour exploitation, organ harvesting, forced marriage and slavery or call 131 AFP (131 237) - https://forms.afp.gov.au/online_forms/human_trafficking_form - In case of an emergency, call 000

>>16954858 Former public servant Ian Ralph Schapel jailed for abusing children from the Philippines online - The female victims were aged between three and nine - Commonwealth prosecutor Krista Breckweg tells the court that he would threaten facilitators or parents of his victims that if they did not meet his requests they would starve.

>>17381373 Alleged Instagram predator Cameron Robert Bowen facing life sentence for sexually abusing LGBT youth he never met - Accused Instagram child sex predator faces a life sentence in a case poised to rewrite Australian laws

>>17381379 Former governor-general Peter Hollingworth faces judgment day over sex abuse crisis - The Anglican investigative body Kooyoora is inching closer to deciding whether Dr Hollingworth, 87, should be stripped of holy orders – defrocked – after several complaints about his conduct while archbishop of Brisbane in the late 1980s and 90s and his comments as governor-general

>>17396749 Christian Brothers case raises ‘fundamental flaw’ in historical abuse redress - A man who was repeatedly raped at a Christian Brothers school in the 1970s says his bid for compensation was almost thwarted by lawyers for the religious order, who incorrectly claimed two key witnesses in the case were dead

>>17396758 Former Nudgee College student met paedophile Dennis Douglas on grounds of the exclusive Brisbane school - A paedophile old boy was able to spend time with a highly vulnerable foster child on the grounds of Brisbane's St Joseph's Nudgee College in 1992, contradicting claims the man was banned from the school at the time

>>17405980 Pool staff warned about swim teacher’s alleged sexually touching of young girls - Kyle Daniels, a former swimming instructor who allegedly sexually touched his underage students was told to “change his behaviour”, a court has heard

>>17406011 Victorian government denies child raped inside prison - The Victorian government is denying that a man was abused as a boy inside a prison in the state’s far northeast in the 1970s despite court records confirming the crime happened

>>17406026 Ex-Catholic brother Frank Terrence Keating faces 18 abuse charges in Brisbane Magistrates Court

>>17414392 Swim teacher Kyle Daniels allegedly ‘acted on’ sexual interest in young girls - A young girl asked to change her swimming lessons after her teacher allegedly “touched her in a way she didn’t like”, NSW District Court has been told

#25 - Part 27

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

>>17417197 Former NRL star Brett Finch pleads guilty to sharing child abuse material after he detailed a series of acts he wished to perform on teenage boys in conversations with strangers on an online messaging platform

>>17417219 How Ashley Alum's arrest helped NT police catch some of the state's worst child sexual offenders - When police executed a search warrant at a man’s home in Tennant Creek following a tip-off from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), they had no idea what they would uncover

>>17417752 Ashley Youth Detention Centre guards forced child to perform sexual acts to get his medication, inquiry hears - A former child detainee at Tasmania's youth detention centre has told the Commission of Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings he was made to perform sexual acts on guards in exchange for his medication - Another witness at the inquiry, criminologist Robert White, said he would want to "raze Ashley to the ground" tomorrow — and that another expert had told him it was "the worst institution" they had ever seen

>>17418661 Operation Arkstone: How tiny device hid ‘unthinkable’ child abuse material - It was a tiny device in plain sight in a toy-filled bedroom. But it contained what police have called “horrendous, unthinkable material”

>>17418866 Inside Operation Arkstone: How Australia’s largest online child abuse investigation began - Teachers, childcare workers and coaches were among the men arrested in Australia’s largest online child abuse probe - How a USB stick and phone unlocked the twisted web of exploitation

>>17418968 Inside Operation Arkstone: How paedophile Grant Harden held ‘sex party sleepovers’ - Parents of a boy preyed on by a paedophile – who had “sex party sleepovers” and shared the child abuse material online – have spoken of the moment they realised the man they trusted was a “monster”

>>17419017 Inside Operation Arkstone: Bid to save victims of Australia’s online child abuse ring - It was the Aussie accent which rocked the battle-hardened cop - How authorities rescued 56 children and 11 animals while investigating the country’s largest online child abuse ring

>>17422699 Child inmate at Ashley Youth Detention Centre ruined by incarceration experience, mother tells inquiry - The mother of a detainee at Ashley Youth Detention Centre has told Tasmania's Commission of Inquiry she feared for her son's life while he was incarcerated, but her son would be "punished" every time she raised concerns

>>17422794 Sexual assaults are at an all-time high. Why talking to your child about abuse is so important - Sexual abuse isn't always about physical touch - What can parents do better? - How to start the conversation - What can be signs of sexual abuse? - What if you suspect something?

>>17426623 Female detainee tells of abuse, torment, while at Tasmania's Ashley youth prison - Stealing a bag of chips would land Erin in Tasmania's Ashley youth prison, a place where she would be sexually abused, punished if she complained and taught that it was better just to shut up and accept it

>>17430810 Ashley youth detainee alleges bribes offered if 'nice things' said about Tasmanian prison at abuse inquiry - A former detainee of Tasmania's youth detention centre has told the commission of inquiry into child sexual abuse he was bribed by the current centre manager to say nice things about the facility

>>17430830 Another victim of former elite junior cricket coach Ian Harold King tells court of lasting impact of his abuse - A Canberra man abused by notorious paedophile Ian Harold King has told the ACT Supreme Court the former elite junior cricket coach "stole" his soul

>>17430836 ‘Extremely large’ amount of material in ex-Moriah College teacher’s child exploitation case - Police are analysing an “extremely large” volume of digital material, totalling 1.3 terabytes, in the case of Moriah College’s former head of English who is charged with child exploitation offences, Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court has heard

>>17430846 Meta won’t be allowed to betray child safety - Tech companies have a moral – and soon a legal – responsibility to protect children from online abuse - Priti Patel, UK Home Secretary - telegraph.co.uk

>>17435361 ‘Sickened’: Dad describes initial response to daughter’s sex abuse claim - A father has described hearing for the first time his daughter’s claim she was sexually touched by her swimming teacher Kyle Daniels

#25 - Part 28

Qanon / Conspiracy Theory Hit Pieces, Australia and Worldwide

>>16773179 Anthony Albanese slams former prime minister’s sermon where he pedalled ‘conspiracy theories’ about the United Nations - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shot down “astonishing” claims made by the nation’s former leader in a church sermon

>>16787671 PRGuy Tweet: TRAITOR Donald Trump “betrayed his oath” and tried to “destroy democratic institutions”, the Jan 6 Committee has heard. Trump allegedly froze when his supporters attacked America, despite pleas from his own staff and family to call off his hoards of rabid traitors.

>>16787671 PRGuy Tweet: Donald Trump's legacy is a divided and weakened US. Ironically, people who genuinely believed themselves to be patriots, have brought their country to its knees, making way for the rise of China and Russia. Russia hand-picked and groomed Trump for years to destabilise the US.

>>16787671 Q Post #1822 - Psychological Projection. Define Conspiracy….Fake News ‘KNOWINGLY FALSE’ narrative pushes. 1. POTUS colluded w/ Russia to win the 2016 Presidential election - 2. POTUS is puppet to PUTIN…This movement challenges their ‘forced’ narrative. This movement challenges people to not simply trust what is being reported. Research for yourself. Think for yourself. Trust yourself….Attacks will only intensify. Logical thinking. Ask yourself a simple question – WHY????

>>16794222 Donald Trump hits back at congressional committee - “It’s a made-up story, total fiction,” he said in a speech that once again described the 2020 election as “rigged and stolen”, after earlier teasing “we may have to do it again”

>>16840530 OPINION: Trump 2.0 poses a grave risk to the US, and Australia - "When Australia looks to America for help, there may be none forthcoming. That’s what America First is all about….Trump would be prepared to sell out Australia’s interests in a heartbeat." - Peter Hartcher - smh.com.au

>>16840534 Q Post #1867 - They are in full blown panic mode. Enjoy the show. Each FAKE NEWS article written or attack is a badge of honor - military grade. Q

>>16931247 Jan. 6 hearings may wound Donald Trump but his self-delusion will do him in - "Trump’s political influence is waning. Certainly, the House select committee’s investigations have exposed the 45th POTUS’s desperation to cling to power. But it is small beans compared to his own delusions. Trump can’t let the Big Lie go while everyone else, including the Republican Party, is desperate to move on." - Jack The Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au

>>16936448 Fans still love him but Trump hasn’t a hope in 2024 - "Incriminated by his own family and closest advisers, Trump behaved atrociously on that fateful day, turning a blind eye to violent protests intent on overturning the election result and tarnishing what had been a successful presidency." - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>17386628 Video: ‘No Dumb Questions’: What is QAnon? - Anya Van Wagtendonk, who covers misinformation for Grid, said that at its heart, QAnon is “an umbrella conspiracy theory” built on the idea that “an elite cabal of sex traffickers and Satan worshippers is in control of the world, and needs to be taken down by force.” - Anya van Wagtendonk and Tom Nagorski - grid.news

>>17386677 Has Ron Watkins, who many believe is behind QAnon, moved to Australia? One of the world's most influential conspiracy theorists has been spotted in Australia and some believe he may be planning on staying - Cam Wilson - crikey.com.au

>>17386696 Conspiracy theorist suspected to be behind QAnon movement that believes Satan-worshipping, cannibalistic child molesters are controlling the world moves to Australia - Jesse Hyland and Janon Fisher - dailymail.co.uk

>>17396724 Donald Trump is not fit for office: John Howard - "John Howard has described ­Donald Trump’s behaviour as “appalling” and “atrocious” for not accepting the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election and seeking to overturn the result, and declared him utterly “unfit” to return to the White House." Troy Bramston - theaustralian.com.au

>>17396734 COVID-19 lab-leak theory debunked by Australian professor Eddie Holmes who has been dubbed 'the virus hunter' - "Professor Holmes said the lab-leak theory had been ruled out by science, he did not expect that to stop the conspiracy theories. "We will never stop hearing from people like Donald Trump about this," he said."

>>17435343 Trump is a confirmed unhinged traitor. And Murdoch is his unindicted co-conspirator - New evidence to the January 6 committee shows just how treacherous Donald Trump was, but will it prise loose his grip on the Republicans? - Bernard Keane - crikey.com.au

PREVIOUSLY COLLECTED NOTABLES

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CURRENT DOUGH

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John Bolton urges the US and others to 'consider Taiwan an independent country'

Nick Baker and Tom Switzer - 28 August 2022

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Amid the latest spike in tensions between China and Taiwan, Donald Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton has a characteristically blunt message.

"We ought to be clear to China that we consider Taiwan an independent country … I think the doctrine of strategic ambiguity [towards Taiwan] has served its purpose," he told ABC RN's Between The Lines during a visit to Australia.

"[The US] should exchange full diplomatic recognition, embassies, the whole nine yards, and so should other countries."

Bolton served in top positions for multiple Republican presidents, including as US Ambassador to the United Nations under George W Bush and 17 months with Donald Trump before a well-publicised falling-out.

He's a conservative China hawk and has been outspoken about China's rise in the past.

"It's not Taiwan that's provoking this crisis. It's the determination in China to subjugate Taiwan," he said.

Tense times

China, or the People's Republic of China (PRC), considers Taiwan, or the Republic of China (ROC), to be a breakaway province and has vowed to "unify" the island with the mainland.

Australia's stance is that Taiwan is not a sovereign state and it does not regard the authorities in Taiwan as having the status of a national government. Meanwhile, China is Australia's largest trading partner.

But Bolton advocated a very different approach to Taiwan.

"The fact is, on Taiwan, the people have decided they want to be an independent country. And in terms of their identification over the last 30 years, they see themselves as Taiwanese. They do not see themselves as Chinese."

He said the Taiwanese "don't want a 'one country, two systems' approach [with China]. They want a separate, democratic government — which they have".

"People can say, 'oh, come on, they're all Chinese'. Well, those same people would have to say, 'you people in Australia shouldn't be independent. You're really British'."

Conventional wisdom in the US is that its interests are best served by maintaining a status quo that balances de facto autonomy with formal ambiguity of status for Taiwan.

Tensions between China and Taiwan have recently increased, with a visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, followed by subsequent Chinese military drills around the island.

"I think Pelosi was right to go," Bolton said.

Echoing comments he has previously made about China's rise, he said "there's no doubt we need increases in the [US] defence budget".

"This is still part of the hangover from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, when the 'peace dividend' was declared. The US and many other countries dramatically cut their militaries."

Trump 2024?

In a wide-ranging interview with ABC RN's Between The Lines, Bolton also unpacked the current state of US politics and warned against a return to power for his former boss.

Trump and Bolton fell out in 2019 after significant disagreements, including on North Korea, and Bolton is now a harsh critic of the 45th president.

He said he was "actually fairly optimistic that Trump's support was declining" until the recent FBI search of the former president's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Bolton claimed this "has caused a resurgence in his support".

"Before the subpoena, I believed Trump would not actually run for the nomination, he would talk about it incessantly … but he wouldn't actually run. He fears losing and being called a loser for Trump is the single worst thing," he said.

"But there's been a kind of tribal reaction to the Biden Justice Department going after Trump … I think Trump gathers support when he becomes the target of the Biden administration, or of the left in America. People rally around him."

Bolton said in his view, "[Trump's] real support within the Republican Party … his actual base, is maybe 15 to 20 per cent of the party".

And his message to Republican colleagues who say they will support Trump come hell or high water: "If you want to lose, be my guest".

"During the course of [Trump's] incumbency, he cost us the House of Representatives. He cost us the Senate. He cost us the White House. He cost us in state and local elections."

Bolton said for the upcoming November midterm elections "if [they're] about Donald Trump, Republicans will not do as well as they should".

Looking beyond to the next US presidential election, he said: "My super PAC [political action committee]'s polling shows within the Republican Party … [people] want to see a new face in 2024".

(continued)

>>17453741

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'A very dangerous thing'

Since falling out with Trump and publicly criticising him in interviews and a book, Bolton has received some cheers from the progressive side of US politics, who he has fiercely clashed with for decades.

"There's plenty of irony in it. But it shows one of the distorting factors that Trump has had in American politics — people lining up and saying 'are you with Trump or against Trump?'" he said.

"And I think that's a very dangerous thing to happen."

"In politics, you pursue philosophy and policies. You can agree with a person on this policy, but disagree [with them] on another," Bolton said.

"But if it's simply a loyalty test to a person as opposed to a philosophy, that's potentially very dangerous."

Ukraine is 'a race against exhaustion'

Bolton said of the current status of the war in Ukraine: "Both sides may be nearing exhaustion, in terms of casualties".

"The Russians have suffered casualties beyond comprehension in the West. I think it just shows their calculus about the value for human life is not what ours is," he said.

And he said while the Ukrainians "have been very silent about their total casualties, I don't think we should take that to mean they've been light — I think they've been very heavy".

"[So] we're in a race against exhaustion in a certain sense here. The most likely outcome, though, is that the war will simply continue because there's no diplomatic advantage, certainly for the Ukraine side, to bring it to a halt."

He said the West needs to keep the pressure on Russia, or even ramp it up.

"We need to make clear that the sanctions against Russia as a whole will remain in place and perhaps even increase until their troops are off Ukrainian soil."

A divided America

Despite the problems gripping America, Bolton said this is not the most divided the US has ever been. He swats down a comparison with the leadup to the country's civil war.

"I don't think the situation in America is even remotely close to what happened before the civil war, when the Union broke up," he said.

"It's just an exaggeration that really contributes to the problem and doesn't help find ways to solve it."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-28/john-bolton-on-taiwan-china-donald-trump/101377348

—

Geopolitics with John Bolton. Australia's economic outlook.

ABC Radio National - 26 Aug 2022

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/betweenthelines/geopolitics-john-bolton-australia-s-economic-outlook-/14030220

More firepower on Australian Defence Force shopping list

BEN PACKHAM - AUGUST 26, 2022

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Australia is looking to push ahead with the expansion of its F-35 stealth fighter fleet and is considering buying US B-21 bombers to give the nation a new long-range strike capability, in a strategic review framed around the regional fallout from a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

The Albanese government is also yet to lock in the former Morrison government’s decision to buy US Black Hawk helicopters, and could overturn the decision in favour of a next-generation ­rotary capability.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the RAAF’s F-35As had proven themselves “indispensable”, and the government’s Defence Strategic Review would decide whether to lift Australia’s joint strike fighter order from 72 to 100 aircraft.

“The question about our fighter capability will form part of the strategic review that we are undertaking,” he said en route to the Northern Territory for the air force’s biggest drill, Exercise Pitch Black.

“Having a fifth-generation fighter capability is critically important – they can just do things the Super Hornets can’t. It is an utterly essential component to our air force and the potency of our defence force.”

Days after a senior American defence chief confirmed the US would consider selling its in-­development B-21 bomber to Australia, Mr Marles said the stealth aircraft were also being examined to give the ADF the ability to hold adversaries at bay over long distances.

The capability would be examined as the review considered the wider purpose of the Defence Force, and what it needed to do, Mr Marles said.

The review, being undertaken by former defence minister Stephen Smith and former ADF chief Angus Houston, is running against a backdrop of Chinese aggression towards Taiwan that will form the central scenario for the force posture plans developed under the ­process. A conflict over Taiwan is being examined by the reviewers as the most likely potential flashpoint for a war between China, with the review looking at how Australia can defend its interests and be taken seriously as a military power.

Mr Marles’ trip to Darwin comes ahead of an official trip to the UK, Germany and France to meet his ministerial counterparts, and inspect Britain’s frigate and submarine building operations.

The US State Department on Thursday approved the sale of 40 Black Hawks to Australia for $2.8bn, to replace the ADF’s trouble-prone MRH-90 Taipans as the army’s workhorse helicopter.

But the decision comes as the US Army considers replacing its own Black Hawks with a yet-to-be-designed rotary aircraft, developed specifically for Indo-Pacific operations, that will be faster and have a longer better range.

Mr Marles said that former ­defence minister Peter Dutton’s announcement last December that Australia would buy new Black Hawks was a “pretty fuzzy commitment”.

He said the tried and tested utility helicopter was “clearly” under consideration, but the purchase was not a done deal.

“A process is under way that is evaluating that capability in terms of what we have now and what we need in the future. I’m not going to pre-empt it now,” Mr Marles said.

(continued)

>>17453756

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At Pitch Black, Mr Marles met Australian and international participants and inspected Australian F-35s, German Eurofighters, US F15Es, and French Rafales.

This year’s exercise includes 2500 personnel from 17 countries including Australia, and features realistic combat simulations in one of the biggest air training ­spaces in the world. Germany, Japan, and South Korea are participating in the ­exercise for the first time.

Australia has 50 F-35As and is due to receive its full compliment next year before it can exercise its right to buy a further 28.

“It has taken a long time to come to fruition, but now that it is in significant numbers – most of them are in play – they are just indispensable,” Mr Marles.

When asked during a visit to Canberra this week whether the US would consider selling B-21s to Australia, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said his country “would be willing to talk to Australia about anything that there was an interest in from the Australian perspective that we could help them with”.

The ADF has not had a long-range aerial-strike capability since the retirement of the F111s in 2010.

Strategists believe Australia needs the B-21 to provide greater deterrence against potential adversaries such as China, particularly given the looming capability gap following the retirement of the Collins-class submarines from the mid-2030s.

The Defence Strategic Review is expected to release its final ­report in February, coinciding with the ­release of a report that will identify which nuclear submarine Australia will acquire, and whether an interim submarine capability will be required.

After weeks of tensions ­between China and the West over Taiwan, Mr Marles said Australia would not be deterred by Beijing’s heightened military posture in the region, and would continue to ­exercise its rights to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

“Australia’s national interest lies in protecting the global rules based order,” he said. “That includes in the South China Seas, that includes around Taiwan.

“Most of our trade goes through the South China Sea. And whatever the level of activity is from China it is critically important for Australia’s national interests that we continue to assert those rules. It is not an esoteric question for us.”

Mr Marles confirmed his ­department was re-examining whether to overturn the lease of the Port of Darwin to Chinese company Landbridge, after a ­Coalition review that Labor had not seen.

“We want to understand what risk is given rise to by virtue of the current set of circumstances and on the basis of that will then make our decision,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/more-firepower-on-australian-defence-force-shopping-list/news-story/e1b800f971dca451e01ca2e46cb1e67c

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US Coast Guard cutter is denied port call in Solomon Islands

DAVID RISING - August 27, 2022

BANGKOK (AP) — A U.S. coast guard cutter conducting patrols as part of an international mission to prevent illegal fishing was recently unable to get clearance for a scheduled port call in Solomon Islands, an incident that comes amid growing concerns of Chinese influence on the Pacific nation.

The cutter Oliver Henry was taking part in Operation Island Chief monitoring fishing activities in the Pacific, which ended Friday, when it sought to make a scheduled stop at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, to refuel and re-provision, the Coast Guard office in Honolulu said.

There was no response from the Solomon Islands’ government for diplomatic clearance for the vessel to stop there, however, so the Oliver Henry diverted to Papua New Guinea, the Coast Guard said.

When the stop in Solomon Islands had been scheduled wasn’t disclosed, but the Coast Guard said the Oliver Henry had arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Tuesday “following a patrol in parts of the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands.”

Britain’s Royal Navy did not comment directly on reports that the HMS Spey, also taking part in Operation Island Chief, was also denied a port call in Solomon Islands.

“Ships’ programs are under constant review, and it is routine practice for them to change,” the Royal Navy said in an emailed statement.

“For reasons of operational security we do not discuss details. The Royal Navy looks forward to visiting the Solomon Islands at a later date.”

During Operation Island Chief, the U.S., Australia, Britain and New Zealand provided support through aerial and surface surveillance for Pacific island nations participating in the operation, including Solomon Islands.

China has been assertively trying to expand its presence and influence in the Pacific, and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare alarmed some neighbors, the U.S. and others after he signed a new security pact with China.

The pact has raised fears of a Chinese naval base being established within 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) of Australia’s northeast coast. A Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands would put it not only on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand but also in close proximity to Guam, the U.S. territory that hosts major military bases.

Both the Solomon Islands and China have denied their pact will lead to a Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific.

Sogavare also raised eyebrows earlier in August when he skipped a memorial service marking the anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, a key battle in World War II in which American and other allied forces wrested control of the islands from Imperial Japan.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, whose father was wounded during the Guadalcanal campaign and who attended the memorial, said Sogavare “missed an important opportunity” by failing to attend.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn met with Sogavare in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday but it was not clear whether she raised the issue of the Coast Guard’s refused port call.

The Tennessee Republican said in a statement on her website that her visit to the Solomon Islands as well as Fiji and Papua New Guinea “was an important step in showcasing America’s commitment to the region and expanding our strategic relationships.”

The Coast Guard, in the statement from Honolulu, said it respects the sovereignty of its foreign partners and looks forward to future engagement with Solomon Islands.

Coast Guard Lt. Kristin Kam told the Stars and Stripes newspaper that the U.S. State Department had been in touch with the Solomon Islands government following the refusal of the port call and that they “expect all future clearances will be provided to U.S. ships.”

https://apnews.com/article/papua-new-guinea-us-coast-guard-solomon-islands-government-and-politics-b3aae9a2d5bede96034a5c7dac44772b

>>17458335

Solomon Islands denies port call for Guam-based US Coast Guard cutter

WYATT OLSON, STARS AND STRIPES - August 26, 2022

The Solomon Islands recently denied entry to a U.S. Coast Guard cutter for a scheduled port call, further raising concerns that the Oceania nation is severing U.S. ties in favor of China.

The USCG cutter Oliver Henry, which is homebased in Guam, was scheduled for a routine logistics port call on Guadalcanal, Lt. Kristin Kam, a spokeswoman for the 14th Coast Guard District in Honolulu, said in an email Thursday.

“The Government of the Solomon Islands did not respond to the U.S. Government’s request for diplomatic clearance for the vessel to refuel and provision in Honiara,” Kam said. “Accordingly, CGC Oliver Henry diverted to Papua New Guinea to refuel and provision.”

The Oliver Henry arrived on Tuesday in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, for a port visit, according to a Coast Guard news release that day. The visit followed the cutter’s patrol in “parts of the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea Exclusive Economic Zones,” the release said.

The Coast Guard declined to disclose the date the cutter had intended to make the Guadalcanal port call, citing operational security concerns.

“The U.S. Department of State is in contact with the Government of the Solomon Islands and expect all future clearances will be provided to U.S. ships,” Kam said.

SeaWaves magazine tweeted Aug. 24 that the Oliver Henry and the British patrol vessel HMS Spey were denied entry into the Solomons.

The islands were the setting for a major Allied campaign during World War II, beginning when U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942.

In the decades since the war ended, American focus has drifted from the island nation. The U.S. closed its embassy in Honiara in 1993.

In 2019, Solomon Islands switched its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing, following a years-long pressure campaign by China to do so.

In March, a leaked draft security agreement between the two nations seemed to authorize China to port warships and provide police assistance to the Solomons.

Officials of both countries have denied that China will establish a military base there.

Nevertheless, U.S. and Australian officials have reacted with alarm over the prospect of China displacing their longtime leadership roles in the region.

Most recently, Sen. Martha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, stopped Wednesday in the Solomons and Papua New Guinea en route to Taiwan, where she arrived Thursday.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy traveled to the Solomons earlier this month to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Guadalcanal.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare failed to show for the event, even though he was slated to speak, with some local media outlets calling it a “snub.”

Sherman and Sogavare met later that day, where the deputy secretary underscored U.S. concerns about the security pact with China, Reuters reported on Aug. 7.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-08-25/solomon-islands-coast-guard-cutter-china-7106824.html

China on alert as US warships pass through Taiwan Strait

DIDI TANG, THE TIMES - AUGUST 29, 2022

Chinese troops were put on high alert on Sunday as two United States navy cruisers armed with guided missiles sailed through the Taiwan Strait.

The USS Antietam and the USS Chancellorsville conducted a “routine Taiwan Strait transit” through the waters, where “freedoms of navigation and oversight apply in accordance with international law”, the US 7th fleet said.

Eight Chinese warships and 23 Chinese military planes, up from five naval vessels and 21 aircraft the day before, were seen in the area as the US navy ships were due to pass through the strait, Taiwan’s defence ministry said.

It is the first passage through the strait by US warships since Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan triggered an angry response from Beijing, resulting in large-scale military exercises in effect blockading the self-governed island this month.

Shi Yi, a spokesman for the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), said the Chinese military would be monitoring and guarding the two Ticonderoga-class cruisers and had forces on standby “ready to thwart any provocation”.

In the past few weeks PLA ships and aircraft have been regularly crossing over the median line of the strait, which was previously considered an unofficial border separating the mainland and the island, after Ms Pelosi became the highest-ranking American politician to visit Taipei for 25 years.

The Chinese government, which wants to reunify Taiwan with its territory, lambasted the Speaker of the House of Representatives for interfering in China’s internal politics and encouraging those seeking independence for the island, which the US has vowed to defend in the event of an invasion by China.

China has since sanctioned Ms Pelosi, suspended high-level talks with the US and sent dozens of warships, military jets and drones to the strait and nearby waters. It has also fired ballistic missiles into the sea east of Taiwan.

Washington has accused Beijing of attempting to change the status quo in the strait after China declared in June its “sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction” over one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

The US has promised to continue sending military ships to defend freedom of navigation and its navy published photographs of the two cruisers, armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, torpedoes and antiship missiles, on their latest transit.

Hu Xijin, a Chinese commentator, denounced the “new provocation” but argued that the operation was not a deterrent to China. “The US attempts to assure Taiwan’s authorities and regional allies that it would not retreat under military pressure from the mainland,” Mr Hu said, adding: “US warships have made nearly 100 trips through the strait since 2012 … but the effect of this kind of performance is diminishing.

“The Taiwan issue is a long-time struggle between China and the US and the only language the US understands and is willing to respect is strength.”

Undeterred by Chinese threats, three more US political delegations have landed on the island since Ms Pelosi’s trip. The most recent was by Marsha Blackburn, a Republican senator, who arrived in Taiwan on Thursday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/china-on-alert-as-us-warships-pass-through-taiwan-strait/news-story/9fefc7a27509ec66fe772f75327b3f64

>>17453741

Taiwan welcomes jaw-jaw sparked by John Bolton for strategic clarity to deter Xi Jinping’s China

WILL GLASGOW - AUGUST 27, 2022

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Taiwan has welcomed the debate about treating the liberal democracy as an independent country and indicated it is time to move to strategic clarity to deter a military attack ordered by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Friday praised ­Donald Trump’s ­former national security adviser John Bolton, who this week advocated for what would be a momentous change during a visit to Australia.

“John Bolton is a very good friend of mine and his support for Taiwan is always unwavering … that kind of support is always highly appreciated,” Mr Wu told The Weekend Australian in Taipei.

President Tsai Ing-wen’s most senior envoy said the debate about ending Washington’s more than 40-year-old policy of strategic ambiguity was a “challenging one” and he emphasised Taiwan did not want to meddle in America’s domestic policy debate.

But he indicated there would be increasing co-ordination between the US and Taiwan over security and defence policy.

“I can tell you very frankly that the communication or engagement between the two governments has already been very close. And as far as I can see, it (will) only (get) closer,” Mr Wu said.

Mr Bolton had been a longtime advocate for ending strategic ambiguity, arguing the policy – which makes it unclear whether the US would get involved in a Chinese attack on Taiwan – had “served its purpose”.

Japan’s influential former prime minister Shinzo Abe was the most prominent advocate for the US making it military commitment to Taiwan clear. Mr Abe – whose assassination in July rattled many Taiwanese – also led a policy change in Tokyo to formally recognise that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency”.

A senior Taiwanese government official acknowledged there were “pros and cons” to strategic clarity, but said Taipei “welcomed the debate”. Many in Canberra, Washington and beyond worry the shift could provoke a catastrophic military response from Beijing.

The Taiwanese official said those concerns understated the deterioration of Taiwan’s security environment.

“We are dealing with this authoritarian government that has this expansionist ambition … It’s time to think about how to stop them,” the ­official said.

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo – who has indicated he wants to run as the Republican presidential candidate in 2024 – is scheduled to visit Taiwan in late September to give a speech at an event organised by The Liberty Times, a newspaper supportive of Ms Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party.

During his first visit to Taiwan, Mr Pompeo in a speech given in Taipei in March called for the US to formally recognise Taiwan as a sovereign nation separate from the People’s Republic of China.

“The United States government should immediately take necessary and long overdue steps to do the right and obvious thing which is to offer the Republic of China (Taiwan) America’s diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country,” he said, using Taiwan’s formal name.

(continued)

>>17458364

2/2

Beijing years ago singled out Mr Pompeo as its most hated figure in the Trump administration after he gave a speech in July 2020 calling on the Chinese people to change the direction of the Communist Party.

His visit would be the most high profile since House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s historic trip at the start of August, which Beijing responded to with an unprecedented display of military force. The People’s Liberation Army practised blockade drills around Taiwan and blasted 11 ballistic missiles over and around the island.

On Friday, Republican senator Marsha Blackburn met with Ms Tsai in Taipei, continuing a stream of US congressional visits. Her trip closely followed a bipartisan delegation led by Democrat senator Ed Markey.

The Tsai government on Thursday signed off on a 14 per cent surge in defence spending in 2023. It was Taipei’s latest ­response to the PLA’s surging ­activity, which since Ms Pelosi’s visit has seen more than 320 Chinese warplanes cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

Mr Wu on Friday said Taiwan’s defence was its own ­responsibility: “If we are not ­determined to defend ourselves, we don’t have any right to ask others to help Taiwan.”

He again thanked the Australian government for condemning Beijing’s recent military aggression and said shared experiences of Chinese coercion had brought the two democracies closer together.

“Ever since China banned [it], we have been serving Australian red wine in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

“We think it’s a show of solidarity and we think it’s an important gesture to show to the Australians that we care about the situation they are in.”

“We will continue to look for ways that Taiwan and Australia can engage in more areas of co-operation: in trade, in people-to-people ties, in tourism … and security matters, a very important one,” Mr Wu said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/taipei-welcomes-jawjaw-sparked-by-john-bolton-for-strategic-clarity/news-story/371267d1789db3d8021e025ccb6b1389

>>17458364

Mike Pompeo Tweet

The Chinese Communist Party has stolen identities from our kids and trade secrets from our businesses. They are committing genocide against their own people and are arming themselves for war. We need to wake up and take this threat seriously.

https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1563961614621106176

Australia seeks 'closest possible relationship' with Papua New Guinea - FM

Kirsty Needham - August 29, 2022

SYDNEY, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Australia wants the closest possible relationship with Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Monday, marking the new Labor government's first visit to its northern neighbour amid competition with China for influence.

Prime Minister James Marape was returned to the role in August after Papua New Guinea's national election, and will meet with Wong on Monday.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has previously turned down a Chinese offer to redevelop a naval base. Canberra is funding Telstra's acquisition of PNG's biggest mobile provider, Digicel, to counter a growing Chinese influence in the Pacific islands.

PNG and China agreed to deepen cooperation in energy, fisheries, communications and health during a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in June, according to a Chinese statement released during the visit.

Papua New Guinea won independence from Australia in 1975 under a Labor government, and Wong said in Port Moresby on Monday the two countries had traded together for thousands of years and should continue to have the "closest possible relationship".

"Our futures are tied together," she added.

"Our traditional partners have always been Australia when it comes to trade, economics, security and we will continue to do so … to make sure we have a safe region," PNG's new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko, said at a livestreamed news conference.

Also on Monday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in an address to the National Press Club in Canberra he would host a visit by Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and East Timor President Jose Ramos Horta "in the coming period", without providing dates.

The Solomon Islands has had a tense relationship with the Australia and the United States since striking a security pact with China in May.

A United States Coast Guard vessel was recently unable to make a routine port call because the Solomon Islands government did not respond to a request for it to refuel and provision.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-seeks-closest-possible-relationship-with-papua-new-guinea-fm-2022-08-29/

>>17458412

Penny Wong needs to deal Beijing out of PNG

JEFFREY WALL and ANTHONY BERGIN - AUGUST 29, 2022

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China sees Papua New Guinea as more strategically important than Solomon Islands. That’s why it’s good news that on Monday Foreign Minister Penny Wong will make her first official visit to PNG, our closest and most important regional neighbour. Wong’s visit is an opportunity to reset our relationship with the newly re-elected James Marape government.

It’s also a smart move that Anthony Albanese has invited Marape to the Prime Minister’s X111 rugby league match to take on PNG’s national side in Brisbane next month. PNG is the only country in the world where rugby league is the official national sport.

There are five issues Wong might consider raising with PNG’s new government. The first is China’s interest in the strategically important port of Daru, the closest reasonably inhabited community to northern Australia.

We shouldn’t be surprised if by the end of this year the multimillion-dollar proposed Chinese fishing and port facility on Daru is pushed up Beijing’s regional agenda.

Australia needs to be watching closely what China might be planning for PNG’s southern coast. We should be lifting our infrastructure funding and services on Daru and in the adjoining Western Province. We should give the people of Daru, upwards of 15,000, the same level of basic services that are enjoyed by Australian citizens on Thursday Island and other residents of the Torres Strait.

The second matter Wong should raise concerns over is an area close to Daru that’s arguably of greater risk to our national security. The Ihu-Kikori special economic zone in Gulf Province has already secured a $37m “grant” from China. That’s unusual given that China has shifted completely from grant aid to tied project support and loan funding.

China has achieved quite cheaply a strategic advantage on our northern border, and in an undeveloped PNG province that has enormous untapped gas, and probably oil, resources. In a recent interview on 60 Minutes, Marape admitted he had no knowledge of the Chinese plans for Gulf Province. Australia needs to consider a comprehensive counter proposal given the proximity of Ihu-Kikori to northern Australia.

The third issue the Foreign Minister might discuss is one Marape himself highlighted post-election and that’s electoral reform. The whole process of the recent PNG elections eroded public confidence in parliament and democracy: out-of-date rolls, suspicious counting practices and attacks on counting centres. And there was violence, including murders.

Australia should grab the opportunity to offer PNG assistance from federal and state electoral bodies for detailed reform. That will help ease community unrest and secure a measure of political stability at a time when the country faces massive fiscal challenges before the next election in 2027.

(continued)

>>17458415

2/2

Marape has a big enough majority to be bold when it comes to cleaning up the electoral processes. Australia can offer him expert help in doing so. It’s something the Chinese dictatorship would never be able to match.

The fourth issue relates to the acquisition of Digicel, the largest telecommunications operator in PNG. The $2bn funding by Telstra and the Australian government to buy Digicel is our largest individual investment in our closest neighbour. Telstra needs to upgrade services and focus on meeting the unique needs of a vast and diverse nation. Wong should encourage Telstra to look at enhanced community engagement, a downward revision of charges and seek the support of Marape’s government in doing so.

Finally, there’s the issue of the Conflict Islands that lie in the Milne Bay Province of PNG, less than 1000km from Cairns. An Australian, Ian Gowrie-Smith, purchased the 21 atolls in 2003. He’s now saying he’ll sell the islands to China if he can’t get the price he wants from Australia. The Albanese government’s position isn’t unreasonable: it’s a private transaction, under relevant PNG law and we can’t be on the hook for every island in the Pacific.

But at the same time, we don’t want China buying the islands. They’re situated near one of Australia’s main shipping routes, the Jomard Passage. Perhaps Wong could suggest the Australian and PNG governments encourage a group such as the Nature Conservancy to buy the islands. That would be a sustainable solution for environmental management with no negative security implications. Maybe Australia could offer Nature Conservancy a long-term government loan for this purpose. Whatever Wong does in reshaping our relationship with PNG needs to be firmly focused on Australia’s national interests and the future stability and economic progress of PNG. The two objectives aren’t incompatible.

Jeffrey Wall has had a four-decade association with PNG, including as an adviser to several prime ministers. Anthony Bergin is a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/penny-wong-needs-to-deal-beijing-out-of-png/news-story/926c1a388a336188190b4de1f7ece9d4

Australian defence minister to visit France, Germany, Britain to boost ties

Sam McKeith - August 28, 2022

SYDNEY, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Australia's defence minister on Sunday said he aims to deepen defence ties with France, Germany and Britain during visits to the European partners this week, saying war in Ukraine has increased the importance of cooperation with likeminded nations.

The trip, from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, will be Richard Marles' first since centre-left Labor won a general election in May.

The government said the France stop would help "restore and renew" their bilateral relationship, calling France one of Australia's "oldest and most capable partners".

Australia in June reached a 555 million euro ($553 million) settlement with French military shipyard Naval Group over its scrapping of a multi-billion dollar submarine deal last year.

Canberra hoped the settlement would help repair a rift after the previous government ditched the deal in favour of building nuclear-powered submarines with the United States and Britain under a new alliance dubbed AUKUS.

This week's trip will also see Marles participate in a roundtable with German defence industry representatives, while in Britain he will visit shipyards, the government said.

"Our relationship with the United Kingdom is both historic and mutually beneficial, and is reflected through our continued commitment to AUKUS," Marles said.

"My visit to Europe comes at a time when the war in Ukraine has shown the importance of increasing cooperation with likeminded partners, both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific."

In June, Marles visited Japan to promote defence cooperation to counterbalance China's growing military influence in Asia.

Also on Sunday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would travel this week to nearby Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Timor-Leste.

Australia has moved to bolster relations in the Pacific amid growing Chinese influence, including a security pact between China and Solomon Islands in April.

Wong said she would meet PNG counterpart Justin Tkatchenko, recently re-elected Prime Minister James Marape and members of PNG's new cabinet.

From PNG, Wong will travel on Wednesday to Timor-Leste and meet officials including President Jose Ramos-Horta, Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak and Foreign Minister Adaljiza Magno.

She said she planned to discuss issues such as Australian support for Timor-Leste's economic development and its bids to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and World Trade Organization.

"Australia is committed to working together with both Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste in the interests of a stable, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific," Wong said.

($1 = 1.0039 euros)

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australian-defence-minister-visit-france-germany-britain-boost-ties-2022-08-28/

Deputy Commanders of USINDOPACOM and MARFORPAC Reinforce U.S-Australian Alliance

Capt. Joseph DiPietro - 08.27.2022

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. – Lieutenant General Stephen Sklenka, Deputy Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), and Brigadier General Joseph Clearfield, Deputy Commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) visited the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) and the Australian 1st Brigade on August 25 to reinforce the strength and importance of the U.S.-Australian alliance.

“We can talk all day long about trade deals and policy deals, but what says a heck of a lot more is who is by your side when you are in a fight,” said General Sklenka, who serves as second-in-command of the largest U.S. combatant command. “Australia is always on our side when that time comes, and we will always remember that.”

General Sklenka visited MRF-D following a tour of the Indo-Pacific, which included a visit to Canberra to meet with senior Australian Defence Force (ADF) officials, and a trip to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the U.S.-Australian victory on the critical Pacific island. His engagements with MRF-D also included a visit with the ADF’s 1st Brigade, MRF-D’s primary partner, to bolster defense ties and interoperability opportunities.

“MRF-D started as a bi-lateral initiative, and it has grown in quantity and quality over the years,” explained General Sklenka to a group of Marines and Sailors with the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). “Just look at PITCH BLACK, which is now up to 15 international Allies and partners, and you see the growth in our Indo-Pacific team.”

Joining the USINDOPACOM leader was MARFORPAC deputy commander, General Clearfield, who helps lead all Marine Corps activity across the massive Pacific theater. General Clearfield spoke to MRF-D about the importance of the Australian-based MAGTF and the relationship with our Allies.

“The MRF-D MAGTF is at the forefront and the cutting edge of force design and future Marine Corps organization,” said General Clearfield, a former Pacific Marine Expeditionary Unit commander. “It’s not lost on anyone at MARFORPAC or higher how much MRF-D is doing in the region and the tremendous opportunities the Australians provide to enhance training and interchangeability.”

During a tour with the MRF-D logistics combat element, General Clearfield emphasized the importance of interchangeability over interoperability when possible. He highlighted MRF-D 22’s effort to utilize Australian supply systems to integrate with U.S. procedures in addition to warfighting integration of the two Allied forces.

The pair of senior Indo-Pacific leaders also spent time with Brigadier Nick Foxall, the commanding officer for the ADF’s 1st Brigade and leader of the Australian unit most tightly paired with MRF-D 22. The leaders shared their future visions of littoral combat and Brigadier Foxall offered significant praise for the MRF-D team.

“Colonel Steele and his Marines have been tremendous guests and even better teammates since arriving here in Darwin,” offered Brigadier Foxall during the gathering. “MRF-D is really woven into the fabric of the Northern Territory and we couldn’t ask for better partners and friends.”

General Sklenka and General Clearfield join a long list of senior military leaders to visit MRF-D this year, including both the commanders of USINDOPACOM and MARFORPAC. Admiral Aquilino, General Rudder, and numerous other U.S. and international leaders visited with MRF-D in 2022, just one of a few ways Indo-Pacific Allies and partners recognized the importance of the mission here in Darwin.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428223/deputy-commanders-usindopacom-and-marforpac-reinforce-us-australian-alliance

Exercise Predators Run 2022: Finding common ground

Major Megan McDermott - 29 August 2022

When 102 Battery, 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, received a call for fire on a target of opportunity, it was not only Australian soldiers who ran to man the gun.

The Darwin-based artillery unit is participating in 1st Brigade’s annual warfighter exercise, Predators Run, with embedded gunners from the Malaysian Armed Forces’ (MAF) 3rd Artillery Division.

It has also continued to provide general support to 1st Brigade Headquarters, which is coordinating multiple combined battle groups, including soldiers from the Philippine Army and US Marine Corps (Marine Rotational Force – Darwin).

Aside from the obvious differences in language and uniform, the Australian and Malaysian gunners operate in a similar way.

MAF 3rd Artillery Division Battery Commander Major Fahmi A. Razak said his team had been looking forward to sharing knowledge during two weeks in the tropical training ground, south-east of Humpty Doo.

“We’ve come here to learn and integrate with the Australian artillery,” Major Fahmi said.

“I’ve found working with them is just the same – our platforms, movements and battle rhythms are very similar, but there are differences in rank, as in who performs which jobs, and also some differences in processes,” he said.

During their time at Mount Bundey fighting against a fictional enemy, the Malaysian gunners have rotated through various soldier specialties, including the gun detachment positions and joint fires operators, and working with the command post.

Major Fahmi said both regiments operate the Howitzer, but while 102 Battery had transitioned to using digital communications, his regiment had more experience working with analogue processes.

Australian Army Command Post officer Lieutenant Toby Exton said this provided an excellent training opportunity for both forces.

“One of the significant threats against the artillery is an attack onto our communications network, be that from electronic warfare or network systems failure,” Lieutenant Exton said.

“So it is good to observe the Malaysians’ expertise in the degraded environment, as they’re used to operating against these threats and, with our transition to digital communications, it’s crucial to retain expertise using these means.”

Before deploying into the field, the Malaysian gunners spent a week at Robertson Barracks, getting to know their Australian counterparts and learning about life on the gun line in the Australian outback.

“We conducted a Command Post Exercise – a dry rehearsal of how it works out here at Mount Bundey,” Lieutenant Exton said.

“The Malaysian gunners stepped in and adopted the roles that we would normally have for Australian gunners, and then we swapped positions. This was a good chance to see the parallels of gun duties with our partners.”

The gunners ended their week in barracks with social activities to remove the formal structures and build trust before moving into the field.

“Having this time to rehearse and get to know each other prior to coming out was a necessary safety step to ensure everyone was on the same page,” Lieutenant Exton said.

“This is particularly important around heavy weapons systems where safety procedures are crucial.”

The exercise wraps up with a live-fire manoeuvre on September 5.

https://news.defence.gov.au/capability/finding-common-ground

United States Strategic Command Tweet

#ICYMI: This year over 100 aircraft from and 2500 personnel from (Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. and the U.K.) will take part in the @AusAirForce hosted multilateral exercise #PitchBlack22.

https://twitter.com/US_STRATCOM/status/1563554275438931972

—

Royal Australian Air Force Tweet

All the flying nations have now arrived & an extra warm welcome goes to our Pitch Black 1st-timers from Germany, Japan & the Republic of Korea.

Can't wait to fly with old friends & new on #PitchBlack22!

#AusAirForce

@JASDF_PAO @Team_Luftwaffe @ROK_MND

It's time to kick things off!

Want to find out more?

Follow #PitchBlack22

Click through to www.airforce.gov.au/PB22

https://twitter.com/AusAirForce/status/1562217485276815367

https://www.airforce.gov.au/exercises/pitch-black-2022

>>17463297

MRF-D 22 and 1st MAW Participates in the Pitch Black Open Day

Video by Cpl. Cedar Barnes - 08.27.2022

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268, Aviation Combat Element, Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22, and a C-130 with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), participate in a static display to be toured by the public as part of exercise Pitch Black 22 Open Day at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Darwin, NT, Australia, Aug. 27, 2022. Marines with MRF-D 22 and 1st MAW participated in the Pitch Black 22 public static display that showcased aircraft to the local Darwin community and allowed the public to engage with the rotational force. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Cedar Barnes)

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/855638/mrf-d-22-and-1st-maw-participates-pitch-black-open-day

Sustaining our liberal ideals the best hope in dark times

GEORGE PELL - AUGUST 27, 2022

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Some would claim that it is not surprising that I, as a grumpy old male entering into his ninth decade of life, would echo the words of Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, that “the time is out of joint”.

Are my origins, in the ancient provincial mists of Ballarat, sufficient to explain away my suspicion, with Hamlet, that “something is rotten in the state”? Am I blinded by sentimental nostalgia for a simpler, vanished past? After all, I was born during World War II and now we have no world war, only the naked Russian aggression in distant Ukraine and clumsy but disturbing Chinese belligerence as it attempts to re-establish the Middle Kingdom as the world’s No.1 power.

I don’t think Australian life is rotten at the core but times are changing, and not always for the better.

The inevitable royal commission of the future into Victoria could find a situation parallel to that of Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s Queensland in the 1970s and ’80s, and too many Australians were content with the over-reaction of bossy nanny states during the Covid-19 crisis, when the churches were closed before the casino (at least in Victoria). Many in the Catholic leadership were too docile.

But the times are changing and many are uneasy, especially the social conservatives, regularly assailed by the woke activists even in sport.

Some leaders in big business have buckled or enthusiastically embraced anti-Christian meas­ures. Corrs, the lawyers, recently dumped the Melbourne Archdiocese as a client without consultation and after being retained for more than 60 years.

It was under a federal Liberal government that official forms replaced the terms mother and father with “birth persons”. I had spoken with a succession of Labor leaders about the importance of maintaining a situation where pro-life and pro-family candidates could still be endorsed (unlike the Democrats in the US), but I have been surprised by the exuberance of so many woke activists in the Coalition parties.

I did not anticipate such a rapid collapse. I am tempted to claim that the only conservative blow struck by the last federal government was to reduce substantially the numbers of students doing poisonous arts courses, although they did protect the maths curriculum against the woke nonsense.

Parliaments are dominated by a tertiary-educated meritocracy, increasingly secular where the two major parties do not differ too much, at least on non-economic measures. This is the context for the taming of the social conservatives, exemplified in the NSW parliament where the main parties are led by two good men, believing, practising Catholics, and produced the most draconian euthanasia legislation in Australia.

Despite all this, I am not predicting religious collapse, complete disaster in the next decade or so. In the post-Christian vacuum that is developing, the esteem for freedom, the linchpin of the liberalism project from which society and the church have received substantial benefits, is also under sustained assault. The renamed climate change movement has many of the characteristics of a low level, not too demanding, pseudo-religion. When religious belief is lost or deconstructed the survivors like to embrace some grand narrative and seem to need something to fear. Almost unconsciously they seek to appease the higher powers (of nature in this case) with the sacrificial offering of fossil fuels, of coal and oil.

Unfortunately for them most modern economics will continue to need coal and oil. Democratic majorities in Australia and throughout the First World will not consent to regular electrical blackouts, power failures at the height of summer or winter. And of course our foes and allies in the Third World need coal and oil for their industrial and modernising programs, just as we did in the past and continue to do so. They are sensible and clear-headed on this point and would be bemused by Western virtue signalling. In 2021, 1893 new coal-fired power stations were being constructed around the world, 446 in India, 1171 in China, and none in virtuous Australia, which also abstains from developing nuclear power stations.

(continued)

>>17463555

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There is no one obligatory Catholic position on climate change because we are a religion, teaching faith and morals, and do not impose any scientific straitjacket. My main concerns are elsewhere; with the Catholic Church and the rise of a belligerent China.

The 2021 census in Australia showed a spectacular rise in the number of those who declared they subscribed to no religion, now numbering 38.9 per cent; an equally spectacular drop in the numbers of the Uniting and Anglican churches, with losses of 22 per cent and 20 per cent respectively; and the substantial, unprecedented decline by 4 per cent of Catholic Church membership in five years. All this slippage followed significant Christian losses in the previous five years.

All of those who love Christ and the church are dismayed by these losses, but differ, sometimes acrimoniously, on how they should be addressed. We have a clear division between those who believe that we are the servants and defenders of the Apostolic Tradition, with no power to change substantially the doctrines that come to us from Christ and the apostles through scripture and the Catholic magisterium. Opposed to them is an older cohort, who give the last word to modernity, who believe we are masters of the Apostolic Tradition and can amend it, for example to bless homosexual unions and to create women priests. The recent Catholic Plenary Council has come and gone and was largely irrelevant to the preaching of the gospel and the threat of decline.

The tribal power politics of the advancing cancel culture is threatening to overthrow the foundations of liberalism, which has allowed the churches to survive in Australia even as the Judaeo-Christian legal foundations on life, marriage, family and sexuality were undermined.

In the new politics of gender and race, white males and especially old white males represent the worst of the past, of the detested racism, colonialism, sexism and patriarch. The issues in dispute could scarcely be more basic. Reason, freedom, truth, risk banishment, while notions of divine law, immutable natural law have a quaint antiquated ring about them, and are seen as expressions of a failed mythology.

Some writers recognise liberalism’s debts to Christianity. Most do not. My suspicion is that the links are even more profound and any Western society that is based on the premise of equality before the law for all people and ascribes a common dignity to each person, citizen or foreigner, productive or dependent, young and healthy or old and dependent – such a society can continue only when sustained by Christian ideals of universal love, often expressed as human rights, derived from a creator God.

One does not need to be a Christian for this as a post-Christian instinct or sympathy can suffice, but this too is declining, savagely dismissed in our universities. In a hostile post-Christian Australia, sustaining the liberalism ideal may be as difficult as planting democracy in Iraq or Afghanistan.

I do not believe the battle is over, that the field has been lost. Recently a senior public figure told me the only option now for Christians in Australia is to head for the catacombs and that the rot could be stopped only by a few martyrdoms. I hope and believe that this is a misreading of the situation, excessively pessimistic. But the situation is on the turn and mighty tides are running against many, but not all Christian teachings.

(continued)

>>17463562

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Most Australians still believe “everyone has a right to a fair go”. Just as certainly if the situation is not to worsen, not only Christians but all those who value our Western way of life need to “have a go”, which is the second bedrock of the Australian consensus, the common sense of our ancestors that gave us our decency and prosperity.

War is a real possibility in the next decade, more probably over Taiwan, but not necessarily. One of the vitally important tasks of the Albanese government is to increase our capacity to defend ourselves, inflict damage on any aggressor in the short term and for the next 20 or 40 years. We hope and work for peace, but if the worst was to happen, or even big trouble occurred, largely fought out to the north, present high levels of rhetoric would then be of absolutely no use. Deeds are needed, not words.

China regards us as a weak link in the American alliance because of our trade dependency with them and because of our military weakness. A power vacuum and an unprotected and frivolous society are temptations for dictators, especially if they are wanting to distract their citizens from local problems such as poverty and inequality, oppression and discontent, 35 or 40 million surplus males and the prospect of over 200 million fewer people in the workforce in 2050.

China will refocus the Australian national conversation, however the situation develops, and I am not just talking about increased taxes for defence spending or the introduction of national service.

Australia might be forced to decide whether we love our nation sufficiently to be prepared to defend it; whether we believe in freedom and democracy enough to resist a powerful dictator. Almost inevitably Australia will be forced to draw on the strengths of its Western civilisation in the centuries of dialogue or struggle that will accompany the rebirth of the Middle Kingdom, a once mighty civilisation, as old as Greece and older than the Roman Empire; but very different from our way of life, and presently oppressive towards its citizens.

Another significant factor is that Christianity, mainly Protestantism, is spreading in China as it spread in the hostile pagan Roman Empire. Already China probably has 60 million to 90 million Christians and is one of the largest Christian countries in the world.

Every society, to avoid going backwards, needs social conservatives from across the spectrum to transmit to the young what is worthwhile from the past. Children need adults who will bring stability, set down boundaries so that love and respect can flourish and where the concepts of duty, honour and compassion are exemplified. Youngsters need to be shown that there are moral truths, of right and wrong, which we do not invent, just as there are truths of maths, physics, ecology and public health.

The culture wars continue and, while our losses are considerable, the field has not been lost. The many victims of the chaos will be increasingly open to our message.

This is an edited extract of Cardinal George Pell’s recent address to Campion College.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/sustaining-our-liberal-ideals-the-best-hope-in-dark-times/news-story/95b038ce182a8360e6672e618813edfd

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

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

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

Student of Sydney swim teacher Kyle Daniels thought alleged touching was normal in breaststroke

A girl who was allegedly sexually touched by her swim coach during a lesson has told a court she thought it was “what a teacher does”.

Lauren Ferri - August 29, 2022

A young girl who was allegedly sexually touched by her swim teacher has told a court she thought it was just a normal part of her lessons.

The girl was one of nine alleged victims of former swimming teacher Kyle Daniels, who is standing trial over 21 charges relating to sexually touching his students at Mosman Swim Centre on Sydney’s north shore between 2018 and 2019.

He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual intercourse with a child aged under 10, eight counts of sexual touching of a child and eight counts of indecent assault, including two considered alternative charges.

Mr Daniels is accused of touching the girls – who were under 10 years of age at the time – both on top and underneath their swimming costumes.

The now 23-year-old had been working part-time as an instructor while attending university.

On Monday, the court was told the girl’s parents went to police following initial media reports about Mr Daniels.

The girl did not tell anyone about being allegedly touched because she was “too shy” but finally told her mother following reports in the media about his arrest.

In March 2019, the girl’s parents decided to raise the issue with their daughters, with the court previously told their mother brought it up while on a drive to McDonald’s.

“Girls, I’ve got something I want to talk to you about, you know it’s not appropriate for anyone to touch you on your private parts,” the mother told her daughters, the court was told.

The girl said to her mother: “Mum, do you know my swimming teacher touches me there.”

When her mother questioned her more, she said the teacher allegedly “pushes her along” by touching her there while doing breaststroke.

The girl’s evidence was played to the court on Monday. She said she didn’t want her mother to tell anyone because she “didn’t think it was important”.

“I didn’t think there was anything to worry about because I thought it was just like what a swimming teacher does, even though it had never happened before at previous swimming schools,” the girl told the court.

When the girl found out her mother had told her dad, she said she was annoyed.

She told the court her teacher had put one hand on her bladder and the other on her private parts.

“I thought it was how you got taught to do breaststroke even though it wasn’t how it happened at my previous school,” the girl said.

Mr Daniels was arrested on March 12, 2019, and taken to Manly police station.

Following his arrest, police appealed for further information from parents associated with the swim school and received complaints from other alleged victims.

The trial before Judge Kara Shead continues.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/student-of-sydney-swim-teacher-kyle-daniels-thought-alleged-touching-was-normal-in-breaststroke/news-story/c7c7777b1185692d165b384be0bd8279

Swim coach Paul Douglas Frost preyed on young students’ ‘trust and vulnerability’, court told

Miklos Bolza - August 29, 2022

GRAPHIC WARNING: This story contains details that may be disturbing for some readers.

A Sydney swimming coach allegedly preyed on the vulnerability of his young students through grooming and indecent sexual acts in the 1990s and 2000s, a jury has heard.

Paul Douglas Frost, 46, is accused of sexually abusing 11 children over 13 years while working as a coach at a swim school in Sydney’s southwest.

On Monday, Crown prosecutor Darren Robinson said the Sylvania man groomed his victims by building trust, and that he normalised sexual behaviour such as masturbation by frequently bringing it up in discussions with his young pupils.

“The accused preyed on their youth, their trust, their vulnerability,” Mr Robinson said in opening submissions to the District Court jury.

Frost would routinely masturbate and perform oral sex on his students in the swim centre’s male change room and storage room, dragged his hand over his pupil’s bodies as they swam, and encouraged them to swim naked in the facility’s baby pool, Mr Robinson said.

The swim coach has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The alleged victims include 10 boys and one girl. Frost is accused of performing oral sex on the children and enticing them to do the same to him.

Mr Robinson explained in his opening that a trainee swim coach attending the school noticed Frost sitting with a student on his lap while massaging the boy’s shoulders. “Paul is a bit strange in the way he acts around the kids,” she wrote in a diary entry for that day.

Frost allegedly told one of his male students, who he had kissed on the lips, that he loved him.

“The accused told the complainant, ‘Next time I see you, I’m going to f— you’,” Mr Robinson told the jury.

He was also claimed to have spoken openly about his student’s genitalia.

Mr Robinson said the swim coach treated those who went along with his desires favourably, giving them free lollies and allowing them access to the facility’s gym equipment. He was cold and ignored those who rejected his advances, the court heard.

On one occasion, Frost allegedly lured a boy to feel a swimsuit he was wearing saying it was the same worn by Australian swimming superstar Ian Thorpe.

When the boy touched his leg, Frost allegedly said, “That was nearly there, a little bit higher.”

Students are expected to give evidence that they complied with Frost’s instructions because he was their coach and they felt pressured into going along with what he wanted.

The hearing in front of Judge Michael King continues.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/swim-coach-preyed-on-young-students-trust-and-vulnerability-court-told-20220829-p5bdmi.html

Pedophile tradie Bryan Michael Grange appeals 30-year jail sentence over child sexual abuse

A tradie who was jailed after inflicting “depraved” sexual abuse on a newborn and preschool-aged children is appealing his sentence.

Lauren Ferri - August 29, 2022

WARNING: Confronting

A tradie who was jailed for 30 years after he sexually abused an eight-week-old baby and two girls under five is appealing his sentence in the state’s highest court, claiming it is “manifestly excessive”.

Bryan Michael Grange was jailed in 2021 after stomach-churning details of the abuse he inflicted on three children between 2014 and 2018 were laid bare in the NSW District Court.

He pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences under both state law, concerning his abuse of the girls, and Commonwealth law, regarding the possession of abuse material.

Judge Kara Shead sentenced Grange to 30 years behind bars for child sexual abuse and an additional 4½ years for possessing child abuse material and lashed his actions as “shocking and depraved in the extreme”.

Grange has since lodged an appeal against his sentence in the Court of Criminal Appeal and appeared before Justice Robert Beech-Jones, Justice Geoffrey Bellew and Justice Desmond Fagan on Monday.

Barrister Sue Kluss represented Grange in the hearing, telling the court his sentence had been “manifestly excessive in all the circumstances”.

“The assessment of objective criminality was above what was appropriate in the circumstances,” Ms Kluss said.

She told the court her client had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and claims there had been “considerable overlap” in the charges of producing child abuse material and sexual abuse.

“These children were not physically injured, the perception they would have psychological injury given their ages is quite speculative,” Ms Kluss said.

“The ultimate submission is that this level of sentence is just too high.”

A Crown prosecutor opposed the appeal, saying Grange’s breach of trust was “egregious”, with the offending occurring in his own home.

Representing the Commonwealth DPP, Krista Breckweg, told the court it should be taken into account Grange had admitted to being sexually attracted to children.

“In particular the sexual paedophilia,” Ms Breckweg said.

“The sentence imposed appropriately reflects the totality, given this was very serious offending.”

During his sentence in 2021, the court was told one of Grange’s victim was an eight-week-old baby who he opportunistically abused while the infant’s mother and Grange’s wife smoked a cigarette outside.

He later told a psychiatrist: “I had Viagra that morning. It was a pretty f*cked up time. I have no excuse for it.”

Judge Shead told the court “all right-minded members of the community would be disgusted and disturbed” as she described the infant’s rape.

Another victim was a toddler, aged one or two when she was abused by Grange as he accompanied her in a public toilet, while a third girl was repeatedly molested by Grange over a number of years when she was aged between infancy and five years old.

The court was told Grange filmed one of the girls and incited her to expose herself to the camera, as he said: “You are getting good at it.”

He made numerous videos depicting himself molesting the girls as well as filming their genitalia from carefully crafted camera angles.

Many details of the abuse are too graphic to publish.

Grange amassed more than 30,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse, storing the sickening material across seven devices.

Hundreds of his videos and images were classified as the very worst kind, including videos of children who were restrained, forced into bestiality and subject to highly degrading sexual acts.

Grange used his own name and credit card details to sign up to a subscription website where he spent $7156 on child abuse material.

The appeal judgment has been reserved.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/pedophile-tradie-bryan-michael-grange-appeals-30year-jail-sentence-over-child-sexual-abuse/news-story/b4f8426a85dd96a4a1b1d0988b4145af

Haileybury College facing legal action from estate of woman whose son suffered sexual abuse

The elite private school faces legal action from the estate of a woman whose son suffered sexual abuse in the 1960s.

Susie O'Brien - August 28, 2022

An elite private school faces legal action from the estate of a woman whose son suffered sexual abuse in the 1960s.

Child sex abuse victims’ campaigner Michael Advocate is in the County Court after ­negotiations with Haileybury College broke down, seeking to recover up to $1m in damages for nervous shock to the victim’s deceased mother.

The family has asked that they not be identified.

The woman’s son attended Haileybury in the late 1960s and settled a claim with the school in 2019, believed to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The man claimed injury, loss and damage after a teacher hit him on the bare bottom and legs in front of the class with a fibreglass cane.

He also claimed that on a school camp in 1967 he was stripped naked and 10 boys plus the same teacher lay on him and hit him repeatedly on the stomach. He said he had a torch stuck down his throat on cadet camp, and had his head forced down a hole used as a toilet, which led to a nervous breakdown.

The estate of the man’s mother, who died in May 2020, is now pursuing the claim of nervous shock on the mother’s behalf.

“It was a huge burden and tremendous shock that her only child was sexually ­assaulted and abused, causing irreparable damage to him throughout his life,” Mr Advocate said.

Before her death the woman told Mr Advocate: “I didn’t make big sacrifices to pay substantial college fees over many years for my son to then be sexually abused, ­molested and alienated.”

It comes as the Supreme Court has ruled that the father of a former choirboy who was ­alleged to have been sexually abused by George Pell can pursue civil action against the cardinal and the church.

Legal experts say the case will allow other similar claims from family members of sexual abuse survivors to come to court.

“Child sex abuse of a student can also cause major personal injuries to the parents and family of the victim, that’s been obvious for decades” Mr Advocate said.

“We now have a precedent that a member of the family has rights, and this puts to bed the question of whether it’s possible to sue.

“We hope this will also pressure other colleges to refund fees out of good faith.”

The impending action comes as new benchmarks are being set for historical childhood sexual abuse cases, including a payout of $2.7m to a student from Geelong College.

Michael Advocate – a pseudonym – is a survivor of child sexual abuse himself and the founder of advocacy group Victim Justice.

Haileybury College declined to comment.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/victoria-education/haileybury-college-facing-legal-action-from-estate-of-woman-whose-son-suffered-sexual-abuse/news-story/0bd5043f6ab067d6e91f734a64c4edc6

Victorian Ombudsman set to consider reopening red shirts investigation

Shannon Deery - August 29, 2022

Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass is set to be asked to formally consider reopening an investigation into the Andrews government’s infamous red shirts elections rort.

It comes after the Herald Sun last week revealed a police whistleblower involved in the initial investigation made a formal statement claiming police command purposely thwarted the probe.

The explosive 29-page statement to the Independent Broadbased anti-Corruption Commission claimed police work was actively interfered with and obstructed by senior police.

Leader of the opposition in the upper house David Davis will this week seek to force a parliamentary referral of the matter to Ms Glass.

It will call on her to assess the material and, if appropriate, reopen an investigation into the matter.

The scheme saw almost $388,000 in taxpayers’ money spent on part-paying electorate staff to campaign for the 2014 election.

Former Minister Adem Somyurek successfully had the matter referred to Ms Glass earlier this year after securing the deciding vote of then Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela.

Ms Vaghela, who sensationally crossed the floor to vote to have the matter reinvestigated, subsequently resigned from the ALP.

Ms Glass ruled in July there was no new evidence of criminality or corruption to warrant further action.

“It is time to end this debate,” she wrote in her report.

“I cannot, of course, rule out that further evidence may yet come to light, but with the passage of time and difficulty in proof I am not prepared to spend further public resources on these matters.”

The police whistleblower, a veteran of 33 years, was directly involved in the 2018 investigation, arrest of suspects and subsequent interviews.

“For some strange reason the Labor MPs in this investigation were not arrested,” they said.

The whistleblower also claimed detectives were refused permission by police command from obtaining the phone records and other computer data relating to Labor MPs.

“The refusal by Police Command to allow the Fraud Squad investigators to search thoroughly and gather all of the available evidence, in order to do their job fairly, properly and without fear or favour is very unusual and suspicious.

“I believe that the police investigation and the decision on whether to charge the Labor MPs were intentionally delayed until after the election in November 2018 for political reasons. It is indicative that there probably was political interference in the criminal investigation.”

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has defended Victoria Police against the claims, saying he was not aware of any interference in the investigation.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victorian-ombudsman-set-to-consider-reopening-red-shirts-investigation/news-story/f915290b40dee62d55dd6d82a957aad3

Inquiry into far-right extremism in Victoria makes 12 recommendations to counter spread

abc.net.au - 30 August 2022

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The findings of a six-month inquiry into the re-emergence of far-right extremism in Victoria have been released, highlighting issues such as decreasing public trust in mainstream media and government and young people engaging with extremism.

Chaired by Northern Metropolitan member Fiona Patten, a committee investigated the spread of far-right extremism in Victoria since 2015, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and possible preventative measures to stop radicalisation.

"This report, its findings and recommendations are not the complete answer to the problems caused by extremism nor all the answers to combating it," Ms Patten said.

"They should be seen as a starting point. More work is required to understand extremism and further ways to prevent it."

The committee made 46 findings and 12 recommendations, based off submissions from dozens of interest groups and stakeholders around the state.

The government has six months to respond in writing to the recommendations.

Youth increasingly engaged with extremist ideology

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) told the inquiry that Australia had seen an increase in the number of young people engaged with extremism.

In 2021, minors made up 15 per cent of new counter-terrorism investigations, up from 2 to 3 per cent in previous years.

On average, minors comprised more than half of ASIO's highest priority investigations per week.

Soo-Lin Quek from the Centre for Multicultural Youth told the inquiry that young people were at greater risk of radicalisation when forced to deal with social isolation, family breakdowns or mental health issues.

"What the research has told us is those young people have little real or deep knowledge of the religious or political doctrines that they are supporting," Ms Quek said.

"They get drawn into them because a lot of young people … are highly disengaged."

The committee recommended consistent resourcing of youth supports and programs in response.

It also called for further support grassroots, community-led initiatives to promote social cohesion, citing the success of Believe in Bendigo as an example of such a program.

Social media and distrust of traditional media are key factors

The committee found a decreased public trust in mainstream media and government, leading to the rise of social media as a major source of information.

It estimated more than one-third of Australians get their news from Facebook alone.

The report cited the increased use of social media apps such as Telegram to share information and "potentially dangerous content".

The use of overtly vulgar memes and jokes — called 'sh*tposting' by the report — was also found to be used by extremist organisations to create environments conducive to recruitment.

A review of critical literacy skills taught in Victorian schools to identify misinformation was suggested by the report.

(continued)

>>17463842

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COVID restrictions may have caused further divides

The report stated that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic provided an incubator for far-right extremism in Victoria.

Social isolation, economic insecurity and inequality were listed as risk factors that played a part in increasing susceptibility to extremist narratives and were all exacerbated by the pandemic.

However it found that while a small number of far-right extremist groups and individuals attended protests against the Victorian Government's COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates in 2021, extremist ideology was not the primary motivating factor for the majority of those attending.

The committee recommended that in future public health emergencies, "the Victorian Government build on its outreach and communication efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that there is an emphasis on public information that is in plain language, timely, accessible and easy to interpret".

While the focus of the inquiry was on far-right extremism in particular, the committee acknowledged that all forms of violent extremism were a risk to society and did not rule out future investigations of other forms of extremism.

The ASIO submission to the inquiry noted that left wing extremism is not currently prominent in Australia, although overseas groups that attract individuals to the ideology do exist.

Other recommendations in the report include suggestions that the government further amend gun laws to crack down on members of extremist groups and introduce a national cross-jurisdiction database for registered firearms.

Praise for 'watershed report' from anti-hate campaigner

Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission Dvir Abramovich applauded the findings of the report and said it should spur the government into action.

"This watershed report is a timely wakeup call that far right-extremism in Victoria is a problem from hell that we can't run or hide from and that this is a whole-of-society challenge," Dr Abramovich said.

"The bottom line is that we can’t rest easy while these homegrown domestic terrorists in waiting, ticking time bombs, are on a recruitment drive of young disaffected white men and women."

Dr Abramovich said the government should take action in advocating to the Commonwealth to reclassify far-right extremists.

"We do not need to wait for a Christchurch like massacre in Melbourne to designate these movements, as the report recommends, as terrorist organisations," he said.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-30/victoria-far-right-extremism-inquiry/101387574

>>17463297

Australian air base opens gates for a closer look at Pitch Black military hardware

SETH ROBSON, STARS AND STRIPES - August 30, 2022

DARWIN, Australia — A display of military hardware from the multinational force taking part in the biennial Pitch Black exercise in northern Australia drew scores of locals and troops for a closer look.

Thousands packed Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin over the weekend to inspect an inventory of military equipment a small nation would envy. Aircraft like an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor and an Indian air force Sukoi SU-30MKI Flanker fighter jet shared the stage with mundane equipment like armored vehicles and cargo trucks.

Marine 1st Lt. Kevin Nguyen, 24, of Ashburn, Va., said he thought the Marines’ own Osprey was the coolest aircraft on the ramp, although he found the Australian version of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter equally impressive.

“I think they are taking a little bit of the focus away from the trucks,” said Nguyen, commander of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin motor transport platoon.

The event was organized as part of the biennial Pitch Black drills involving 2,500 airmen, over 100 aircraft and 17 nations underway in Australia’s Northern Territory until Sept. 8.

The open house at RAAF Darwin put on display much of the equipment at work for the six-month rotational force and the participants of Pitch Black.

Cattle grazier David Pattemore, 63, queued up on Saturday to peer inside the Osprey, said the Air Force and Marine presence is welcome in the Northern Territory.

“Unfortunately, the world’s not a beautiful place all over,” he said before bringing up China’s rapid military buildup and “aggressive” efforts to gain influence in the region.

Hardware available for inspection included armored vehicles, bomb-defusing robots, border-patrol boats and fighter aircraft from the U.S. Air Force and European allies: F-16 Fighting Falcons, Eurofighter Typhoons and Australia’s new, stealthy F-35A Lighting II.

Vintage planes such as a World War II-era P-51 Mustang fighter stood nearby.

In addition to the Falcon and the Osprey, the U.S. brought an Air Force F-15 Eagle and a Marine KC-130J aerial refueler. The Marines brought along some tactical vehicles, too.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Hernandez, 22, of Oceanside, Calif., was helping locals check out a logistics vehicle replenishment system.

People were eager for selfies in the big green truck, said Hernandez, who has been in Australia with the rotational force for six months.

The worst part of the deployment has been the heat, he said; the best part is the “beer and parties.”

Another Marine, Cpl. Armando Valtierra, 21, of Los Angeles, showed off an all-wheel-drive, 7-ton truck that moves personnel, ammo, hazardous materials and fuel.

The Marines have been impressed by Australian army trucks during their time Down Under, Valtierra said.

“We like to look at their trucks and they look at ours,” he said. “I like the ‘G Wagon,’ which is a kind of dune buggy they use for off road.”

Nguyen, the transport platoon leader, said Marines attended another military expo in Darwin in July.

“It’s great for the community and great for the Marines,” he said.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-08-30/pitch-black-exercise-darwin-australia-7152189.html

>>17463297

Exercise Pitch Black 2022 | Mindil Beach flypast

Royal Australian Air Force

Aug 26, 2022

Wasn't the #PitchBlack22 Mindil Beach flypast a beauty? Our Head of Air Shows, Air Commodore Micka Gray and his team sure did a sterling job pulling it together. Hope you enjoyed it Darwin, and thank you for your continued support for #PitchBlack22 and all the other #YourADF activities held in the Top End this year.

Not only was it a great flying display, but also a great display of what Pitch Black is all about - multinational partner forces working together to strengthen our relationships, interoperability and understanding. Thank you so much to all the international exercise participants who helped make the flypast such a success:

Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (French Air and Space Force)

대한민국 공군 (Republic of Korea Air Force)

Indian Air Force

Kōkū Jieitai (航空自衛隊 Japan Air Self-Defense Force)

Luftwaffe (German Air Force)

The Republic of Singapore Air Force

Royal Air Force

TNI Angkatan Udara (Indonesian Air Force)

United States Air Force

U.S. Marine Corps

Don’t forget you can join us for the #PitchBlack22 Open Day at RAAF Base Darwin Saturday 27 August from 9am – 4pm! For open day details, or to refresh Mindil Beach flypast details head to http://spr.ly/6185M1dpR

#AusAirForce #AvGeek #PlaneSpotter #MilitaryAviation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iINtgJF2fc

https://www.airforce.gov.au/exercises/pitch-black-2022/events

>>17463297

Exercise Pitch Black 2022 | RAAF Base Darwin open day

Royal Australian Air Force

Aug 28, 2022

The local community turned up in their thousands to the #PitchBlack22 open day at RAAF Base Darwin to see the participating forces on display.

Everyone from little kids through to kids-at-heart had the opportunity to get up close to military aircraft and vehicles, and talk to Pitch Black people about how the exercise is helping us work together, better.

Larger aircraft such as the French Air and Space Force CASA 235 and Royal Air Force KC-30 Voyager Multi-Role Tanker Transport were open for members of the public.

The military working dogs were a crowd favourite as they demonstrated their obedience, ability to maintain air base security, and work to the commands of their handlers to detain intruders if required.

For more info on Pitch Black 22 is available at www.airforce.gov.au/PB22

#AusAirForce #AvGeek #PlaneSpotter #MilitaryAviation #MilitaryAircraft #Pilot #PilotLife #MilitaryLife #FighterJet #FighterPilot #RAAF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_vhyaVTfvM

https://www.airforce.gov.au/exercises/pitch-black-2022

Apple, Facebook, Microsoft forced to come clean on child abuse material

Jordan Baker - August 30, 2022

Australian authorities have served Apple, Microsoft and the owner of Facebook and Instagram with world-first legal orders to come clean on what - if anything - they are doing to detect and report child sex abuse material or face fines of more than half a million dollars a day.

Apple made the fewest reports of child exploitation of any tech giant last year, with just 160 instances reported to a US database last year despite many of its 2 billion users having access to FaceTime, and the live-streaming of abuse having proliferated since the pandemic.

Late on Monday notices were also issued to Snap and Omegle under the new laws, which empower Australia’s eSafety Commissioner to compel organisations to explain the steps they are taking to combat online child exploitation and abuse.

Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said there was little to suggest companies that knew their platforms were weaponised by abusers were doing much to stop it. “No one has yet put the companies’ feet to the fire, saying, ‘what are you doing?’” she said.

“I don’t think we know the true scale and scope of the problem. We can’t know the scale of child exploitation until we know what the platforms are doing to detect abuse. We can’t be an effective regulator if we’re constantly trying to regulate with blind spots.”

The existing data is self-reported to the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. Last year, Apple reported 160 instances. Omegle, which connects people for “random chats” with strangers, reported 46,924.

Microsoft, which owns Skype - believed to be used widely in the live-streaming of abuse – reported 78,603 cases. Instagram, owned by Meta – which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp - reported 3.4 million instances. LEGO System reported 37 and Microsoft Xbox reported 170.

Australia’s move will be watched internationally. There has been bitter debate, especially in the United States, over whether child security should trump privacy. Apple has previously elected not to search for abuse images to protect its users’ privacy.

Decisions over which companies received the first tranche of notices were based on considerations such as the number of complaints to e-Safety, the company’s reach, and how much information is already public. More orders are likely to be issued.

Inman Grant said some in the sector had an attitude that if they were not aware of the problem, they were not responsible for it, even though some organisations had technology that could track and pull down dangerous material.

Each company will be asked different questions to elicit information that is not publicly available. “We’ve got a range of questions for Meta and WhatsApp, in terms of where they’re scanning, what they’re scanning, how they’re scanning,” Inman Grant said.

The responses will also be examined on a case-by-case basis. If the companies are found to be non-compliant after 28 days, they can be fined $550,000 a day.

“In my experience, having worked in the industry [at Microsoft for 17 years], companies are moved by anything that challenges their revenue, anything that harms their reputation, and any significant regulatory threats,” Inman Grant said.

The internet has led to a booming online child exploitation industry, involving both shared and live images. “For the past 15 years there’s been a trade in livestreaming child exploitation material,” Inman Grant said.

“With lockdowns around the globe, what we started to see was the Philippines at the epicentre of pay-per-view child abuse material. Now we have so many video conferencing platforms that can facilitate that sexual abuse material.”

NSW Police Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty, the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad Commander, said officers “welcomed any opportunity to help identify, target and prosecute persons involved in the abuse of children”.

Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the reporting from the companies would “help inform future government decisions around what needs to be done to protect Australians online, and improve transparency to the public”.

Apple faced a significant backlash from privacy advocates last year when it flagged a new feature, CSAM, that would scan iCloud photo libraries against known child sexual abuse material (photos that have been validated by at least two agencies).

The company’s website no longer makes reference to the CSAM technology. It has added a new feature, involving an intervention if users search for child exploitation material on its search tools. The interventions explain “that interest in this topic is harmful and problematic, and provide resources from partners to get help with this issue”.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/apple-facebook-microsoft-forced-to-come-clean-on-child-abuse-material-20220829-p5bdjg.html

Chinese hackers pose as Australian News Corp sites in cyber espionage scam

Matthew Knott - August 30, 2022

Australian government agencies, news outlets and manufacturing companies have been targeted by a sophisticated year-long espionage campaign in which Chinese government-aligned hackers pose as media employees to implant malicious software on the victims’ computers.

Under the phishing scam, which began last year and continues to today, the hackers send out emails in which they claim to be employees from fictional outlets such as “Australian Morning News” or real publications such as The Australian and the Herald Sun.

Recipients are then directed to fake news aggregation sites that can implant a harmful code on their devices and allow the hackers to harvest technical information about the victims.

A prolific China-based entity known as TA423 or Red Ladon that has been operating since 2013 is behind the scheme, according to a new report by PWC and US cybersecurity company Proofpoint.

The hackers have targeted an array of defence contractors, manufacturers, universities, government agencies and legal firms across the Asia-Pacific.

“This is a government espionage group located in China, sponsored by the Chinese government,” Sherrod DeGrippo, Proofpoint’s senior director of threat research and detection, said.

“Much of the targeting is towards organisations located in Australia that have something to do with the military, military contractors or South China Sea operations.”

The latest phishing campaign has also targeted heavy industry manufacturers which conduct maintenance of fleets of wind turbines in the South China Sea.

“In this particular case, what they’re looking for is access to intellectual property and information that can be used for espionage,” DeGrippo said.

“Further down the road, they are likely looking for things that can provide the Chinese government an advantage economically and militarily in the South China Sea.”

While other countries such as North Korea use cyberattacks opportunistically to make money, she said China was focused on gathering strategic information that could help them in the long term.

“Gathering this information is intended to catapult them ahead of the game,” she said.

“China is really able to have the run of the place right now in terms of what they can focus on and not get distracted.”

The phishing email headlines carry a variety of subjects including “Sick Leave,” “User Research,” and “Request Cooperation”.

The latest annual report by the federal government’s Cyber Security Industry Advisory Committee, released last week, found that Australia is an increasingly attractive target for malicious actors and cybercriminals.

“Australia is now literally under constant cyberattack,” advisory committee chair Andy Penn, the former chief executive of Telstra, said.

“In our increasingly interconnected and inter-dependent society, no one is truly safe, and no one can afford to drop their guard.”

There was a 15 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of ransomware cybercrime reports to the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

DeGrippo said Proofpoint had been able to intercept attempted attacks on its clients, but the fact the campaign had continued for over 13 months showed that the hackers had successfully infiltrated some users’ devices and gained access to useful data.

The federal government last year called out China’s ministry of state security for exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange software to affect thousands of computers and networks worldwide, including in Australia.

The Chinese embassy in Canberra said at the time that China “always firmly opposes cyber-attacks and cyber theft in all forms” and called the accusations “groundless”.

A News Corp Australia spokesman declined to comment on whether the company was aware hackers had been posing as employees from its publications.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/chinese-hackers-pose-as-australian-news-corp-sites-in-cyber-espionage-scam-20220830-p5bduz.html

>>17458335

US ships ‘not welcome’ as Solomons cosies up to Beijing

BEN PACKHAM - AUGUST 30, 2022

Solomon Islands has imposed a temporary ban on naval visits by US ships, amid heightened tensions between the countries over the Pacific Island nation’s security pact with China.

The US was informed of the moratorium on Monday – a week after the Solomons government refused diplomatic clearance for the US Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry to dock in Honiara to refuel and take on provisions.

The Oliver Henry, which was participating in a ­regional crackdown on illegal fishing with the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency, was forced to ­divert to Papua New Guinea to refuel and replenish its supplies on August 23.

Solomon Islands’ government subsequently allowed a US Navy humanitarian ship to dock in ­Honiara for a two-week community health mission, before ­informing US officials of the moratorium.

“On August 29, the US received formal notification from the government of Solomon Islands regarding a moratorium on all naval visits, pending updates in protocol procedures,” the US ­embassy in Canberra said on Tuesday.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration was “dis­appointed” at the moratorium but expected future clearances would be provided to US ships.

“Clearly we’ve seen the Chinese try to bully and coerce ­nations throughout the Indo-­Pacific to do their bidding and to serve what they believe their selfish national security interests are rather than the broader interests of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Mr Kirby said.

He clarified his comments, saying he was not referring specifically to the Solomons incident but to China’s actions more generally.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in August that the Biden administration was watching carefully to see how his controversial security agreement with Beijing was implemented.

Ms Sherman also declared she “felt sorry” for Mr Sogavare, after the Prime Minister snubbed a commemorative service she ­attended in the country to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal.

She said he would “have to answer to his own citizens about why he made the choice that he did”.

Senior US officials warned Mr Sogavare in April that his security agreement with China risked destabilising the region and the US would “respond accordingly” if it led to a de facto Chinese military presence in the country.

Mr Sogavare, who insists he would not allow a Chinese base in the country, responded furiously to the US warning, suggesting his country had been “threatened with invasion”.

He said he deplored the “lack of trust”, saying his country had been ­treated by critics of the pact like “kindergarten students walking around with Colt .45s in our hands”.

Under the its security deal with China, Honiara can ­“request China to send police, armed police, (and) military personnel” to the country, and “carry out logistic replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in, Solomon Islands”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/us-ships-not-welcome-as-solomons-cosies-up-to-beijing/news-story/3eb7c7dc8b066027568c77115353a644

>>17458335

Solomon Islands Blocks All Naval Port Visits After U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Denied Entry

Benjamin Felton - August 30, 2022

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Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare has announced a temporary moratorium on visits by foreign naval vessels after turning away a U.S Coast Guard Cutter last week.

Speaking at a ceremony welcoming hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) to Honiara, Sogavare said that bureaucratic issues were behind the denial of diplomatic clearance to USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC-1140).

“Unfortunately, by the time the approval was communicated on the evening of 20th August 2022, the Ship’s captain had decided to leave our waters.” Sogavare said in statement.

The port call was routine, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby during a press conference Tuesday. Oliver Henry planned to stop at Solomon Island to refuel and resupply, but after the U.S. did not receive diplomatic clearance in time, the ship diverted to Papua New Guinea.

“We’re disappointed in this decision,” Kirby said during the briefing. “While the lack of diplomatic clearance for the Oliver Henry was regrettable, however, the United States is pleased that the U.S. Navy ship Mercy – it’s a hospital ship – received diplomatic clearance and was able to take port in Solomon Islands on the 29th.”

While Solomon Islands took time to review its diplomatic clearance process, foreign partners had been asked to postpone upcoming naval visits until further notice, he said.

“To this end we have requested our partners to give us time to review and put in place our new processes before sending further requests for military vessels to enter the country,” Sogavare said. “Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all. We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier.”

In a Tuesday statement, Solomon Islands government said that the new rules would apply to all visiting naval vessels.

“The government has asked all partner countries with plans to conduct naval visits or patrols to put them on hold until a revised national mechanism is in place,” according to a government statement. “These will universally apply to all visiting naval vessels.”

U.S. hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) has been exempted from the moratorium and is expected to remain in Solomon Islands for several weeks as part of Pacific Partnership 2022.

(continued)

>>17465759

2/2

In May, Solomon Islands signed a secretive security agreement with China. While the details of the deal haven’t been made public, a leaked draft suggested that People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels would be permitted to make logistics stops in Solomon Islands, raising concerns that Beijing may be planning to establish a permanent overseas presence.

Since the deal was signed, Sogavare has been accused of consolidating power along Chinese lines. Last month the state-owned broadcaster, SBIC, was brought under the direct editorial control of the government, while Sogavare has gone so far as to suggest banning foreign journalists from the country.

Beijing has also deepened security cooperation with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSPIF), which Chinese police have begun to train.

The U.S Embassy in Canberra told USNI News in a statement that it was “disappointed” that Solomon Islands had turned away USCGC Oliver Henry.

“On Aug. 23, the Government of Solomon Islands failed to provide diplomatic clearance to a U.S. Coast Guard ship for refuelling and provision in Honiara,” according to the statement. “The United States is disappointed that the U.S. Coast Guard ship was not able to make this planned stop in Honiara.”

The U.S Embassy also confirmed that the U.S Government had been officially notified of Solomon Islands’ decision to impose a moratorium on August 29th.

“On Aug. 29, the United States received formal notification from the Government of Solomon Islands regarding a moratorium on all naval visits, pending updates in protocol procedures,” according to the statement. “The U.S. Navy Ship Mercy received diplomatic clearance prior to the moratorium being implemented. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Before being denied permission to dock in Honiara, USCGC Oliver Henry participated in Operation Island Chief alongside a USCG HC-130J. Operation Island Chief is one of four operations conducted annually by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) which focuses on countering Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

A spokesperson for U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia / Sector Guam confirmed to USNI News that, as part of Operation Island Chief, Oliver Henry had been conducting patrols within Solomon Islands’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

As a result of being denied access to Solomon Islands, Oliver Henry diverted to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) to refuel and restock, arriving on Aug. 23. The Office of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare did not respond to questions from USNI News as of this posting.

https://news.usni.org/2022/08/30/solomon-islands-blocks-all-naval-port-visits-after-u-s-coast-guard-cutter-denied-entry

>>17458335

>>17465759

Solomon Islands Government Statement

PM SOGAVARE CLARIFIES MISINFORMATION ON US COAST GUARD VESSEL

August 30, 2022

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has clarified some misinformation currently carried on international media about the visit by the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry and HMAS Spey.

Speaking at a ceremony to welcome the visiting United States Hospital Ship USNS Mercy in Honiara this evening, Sogavare said there had been a delay in the granting of approval for entry into the country to the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry due primarily to the appropriate information not sent to the Office of Prime Minister on time.

The Prime Minister’s Office sought and received the required information on 20th August 2022. Approval was granted for the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry to enter the country and participate in the FFA operation Island Chief event on 20th August 2022.

“Unfortunately, by the time the approval was communicated on the evening of 20th August 2022, the Ship’s captain had decided to leave our waters,” Sogavare said.

In relation to the HMAS Spey, the approval process to enter Solomon Islands was aborted when the Prime Minister’s Office received notification from the British High Commission in Honiara, that they were no longer seeking approval for HMAS Spey to enter the country.

The delay in these approvals demonstrate the need for the government to review and refine its approval requirements and procedures for visiting military vessels to Solomon Islands.

“To this end we have requested our partners to give us time to review and put in place our new processes before sending further requests for military vessels to enter the country. Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all. We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier,” Sogavare said.

The government has asked all partner countries with plans to conduct naval visits or patrols to put them on hold until a revised national mechanism is in place. These will universally apply to all visiting naval vessels.

Solomon Islands have had unfortunate experiences of foreign naval vessels entering the country’s waters during the course of the year without diplomatic clearance granted, hence would like to avoid such incidents from reoccurring.

Solomon Islands would like to see partnership is in place to build national capacity to police our Exclusive Economic Zones. Once the process and procedures are in place suspension of naval vessel visits will be lifted.

The Government have communicated its position to all countries requesting to send in naval ships into Solomon Islands waters.

Meanwhile, the Government and people of Solomon Islands welcomed the visit of United States Hospital Ship USNS Mercy now in Honiara.

The United States Medical team in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services will be carrying out a number of health programmes in the Capital and in some provinces over the next few days.

https://solomons.gov.sb/pm-sogavare-clarifies-misinformation-on-us-coast-guard-vessel/

Woman who kept ‘sex slaves’ weeps in court as she appeals conviction

A woman found guilty of forcing two women from Thailand into sex slavery has wept in court as she appealed her conviction.

Duncan Murray - August 31, 2022

A woman who forced two Thai women into sex slavery sobbed in court as lawyers discussed her “good character” during an appeal to have her conviction overturned on Wednesday.

Rungnapha Kanbut also wept when the court heard a disabled relative had experienced significant hardship without her.

Ms Kanbut was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2019 after being found guilty of intentionally possessing a slave, exercising powers of ownership over a slave and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

She appeared in NSW Supreme Court from prison via videolink and used a translator to appeal for her conviction to be quashed or, failing that, her sentence to be reduced.

The now roughly 60-year-old was found to have subjected two women to severe mistreatment and prison-like conditions after they moved from Thailand to Australia between 2004 and 2005.

When the women arrived in Sydney, Ms Kanbut confiscated their passports and told them they would each need to pay off a $45,000 debt, a jury was told during the initial trial.

The women were frequently forced to work up to 12 hours a day at multiple brothels, with almost all of their earnings going towards the “debts”.

Naked photos were also taken of the women and used to exert extra control by threatening to release them on the internet, a court heard during the trial.

Ms Kanbut’s lawyer, David Barrow, told a panel of judges a relative had been diagnosed with autism shortly before she went to prison and had suffered from bullying and isolation.

He told the court the relative remained “entirely reliant” on her.

“This is a vulnerable individual,” Mr Barrow said.

Mr Barrow also told the court that testimonies as to her character were missing from the trial and if included, may have impacted the jury’s opinion of her.

Submissions by a number of people who knew Ms Kanbut in the time following her crimes were said by her lawyer to express “shock” at the alleged crimes.

One of the witnesses was quoted as describing her as a “kind and generous woman”.

“Had this material been available, it would have painted a very different picture of the accused,” Mr Barrow said.

At the time of sentencing, Judge Nanette Williams said Ms Kanbut was “not without compassion” for the women but had effectively kept them in a prison with no bars.

“Those who choose to involve themselves in slavery reap significant financial benefits at the great cost of those enslaved,” she said at the time.

One of Ms Kanbut’s victims said she was spat on and bruised by some of her customers, but was told to “put up with it until the time was up and kick the customer out”.

Ms Kanbut’s second victim reported being forced to service up to 10 clients a day.

“I will have to live with the scars of these experiences for the rest of my life,” she said.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/woman-who-kept-sex-slaves-weeps-in-court-as-she-appeals-conviction/news-story/968a5c1e018d553d115cd1aaec9711df

COVID-19 isolation period shortened to five days

Jake Evans - 31 August 2022

People who test positive for COVID-19 will only be required to isolate for five days except in vulnerable settings following a meeting of national cabinet.

Workers in high-risk settings such as disability and aged care, and people still displaying symptoms would be required to keep to the seven-day isolation period.

"We want people to stay home. We want people to act responsibly," Mr Albanese said.

The reduced isolation requirement will come into effect from September 9.

Support payments for people required to isolate will also be reduced from the same date, and requirements to wear masks on domestic flights will be dropped.

The current pandemic leave payment of $750 is scheduled to end on September 30, but the Prime Minister said conversations on whether to extend that payment were continuing.

The ABC understands the reduced payment will amount to about $540.

Mr Albanese said he and state and territory leaders believed the relaxed rules were a "proportionate response at this point in the pandemic".

"We had a discussion about people looking after each other, people looking after their own health and being responsible for that … there aren't mandated requirements for the flu or a range of other illnesses," he said.

"What we want to do is to make sure that government responds to the changed circumstances, the COVID likely is going to be around for a considerable period of time."

The Health Services Union this week called for mandatory isolation to be scrapped for people who did not have symptoms.

But the Australian Medical Association has expressed concern, and its president Steve Robson says reduced isolation could in fact worsen workforce shortages

"We know there is significant potential for transmission, and it may be that the changes they have made will make work attendance worse, we will have to see from here," Professor Robson said.

"Almost a third of people on day six and seven after they contract COVID are still potentially infectious.

"Allowing people who perhaps have no symptoms but could still infect others into the workplace may not achieve what the government is hoping to achieve."

The United States maintains a five-day isolation requirement for positive cases, while the United Kingdom has scrapped mandatory isolation.

Workforce shortages discussed on eve of jobs summit

Mr Albanese said ongoing labour shortages were a key topic for national cabinet, ahead of tomorrow's highly anticipated jobs summit.

He said state and territory leaders agreed to develop a new skills agreement to come into effect in 2024, which would identify and coordinate priority skills needs.

More than 100 delegates from business, unions, academia and advocacy groups will meet in Canberra tomorrow for a two-day summit focused on improving productivity and wages.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-31/covid-isolation-requirements-shortened-to-five-days/101389766

No snub: Marles makes belated trip to UK but can’t say when London post will be filled

Latika Bourke - August 31, 2022

Glasgow: Defence Minister Richard Marles has refused to say if the federal government will appoint a High Commissioner to the UK by the end of the year, even though the countries are in critical negotiations over the acquisition of nuclear submarines under the AUKUS agreement.

Marles will on Wednesday, UK time, visit BAE’s shipyards in Barrow, in England’s north, where the nuclear-powered Astute-class submarines are made, amid growing expectations Australia’s first nuclear submarines will be bought “off-the-shelf” from either Britain or the US, but most likely from the Americans.

On Tuesday he visited BAE’s shipyards in Govan, Glasgow, where he urged the company to get “back on track” with the program to supply Australia’s new Hunter class of frigates.

Marles, also the deputy prime minister, is on the first official visit to the United Kingdom by any minister from the new government after the May election and Australia has not had a High Commissioner in the UK since April, when former attorney-general George Brandis’ term expired. The Coalition did not extend his term ahead of the election.

The vacancy is being looked after temporarily by career diplomat Lynette Wood who is fluent in Japanese and widely regarded as a frontrunner to be sent to Tokyo.

The government has appointed bureaucrats as ambassadors to several countries since its election but left the London post vacant. Asked if Australia would have a High Commissioner in place in London by the end of the year, Marles would only guarantee that one would be sent “in due course”.

The new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has made global diplomacy central to restoring Australia’s reputation abroad, with ministers bombarding the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the United States with official visits. However, Britain has been left off the itinerary, until now, and the Labor has moved to build public support to cut ties with the monarchy with the appointment of the inaugural minister for a republic, Matt Thistlethwaite.

Marles, who represented the prime minister at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda, said the relatively late visit was “certainly not” a snub. “We’re here now,” he said.

Marles pointed to the Tory leadership contest, triggered last month, as one of the reasons the government had kept away.

“There’s a process that Britain is going through as we speak,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in an interview after dining with his UK defence counterpart Ben Wallace.

“We see the relationship with Britain as being very central to our national interest and our world view. We have will have a very intense and ongoing agenda with Britain; Britain is our oldest relationship,” he said.

Marles’ Europe visit began in Germany on Monday and will end in France on Thursday as part of the new government’s ongoing efforts to mend relations with the country, after Scott Morrison reneged on a $90 billion submarine contract to sign the AUKUS agreement.

Marles said Germany had agreed for the first time to send German troops to take part in war games alongside Australia and its allies next year.

Germany’s air force is currently taking part in exercises in Darwin and has sent its frigate to the region as well, but next year’s plan to take part in Operation Talisman Sabre will be the first time troops have taken part in war games alongside Australia and its allies.

Marles welcomed Germany’s “remarkable shift” in foreign policy which had taken place in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said this week that Germany would invest in new relationships to diversify away from China, having outlined his country’s attempts to de-link its gas supply from Russia.

Marles said both Australia and Germany had learned a vital lesson “that economic interdependence doesn’t guarantee peace”.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/no-snub-marles-makes-belated-trip-to-uk-but-can-t-say-when-london-post-will-be-filled-20220831-p5be43.html

>>17469881

Australians to train on UK nuclear submarines under landmark pact

Matthew Knott and Latika Bourke - August 31, 2022

Australian naval officers will be allowed to train inside Britain’s nuclear-powered submarines for the first time to ensure they are prepared for the eventual arrival of the highly prized technology under the AUKUS pact.

Defence Minister Richard Marles is set to announce the landmark agreement at a press conference with UK Secretary of State Ben Wallace in the English port town of Barrow-in-Furness on Thursday.

“The idea of Australian crew working with either British or American crews to get experience on British or American vessels in the shorter term is what we are seeking to do,” Defence Minister Marles said in an interview with the London Times.

“Having the opportunity for Australian submariners to gain experience on the submarines of either the United States or the United Kingdom is going to be absolutely fundamental.”

Marles is making his first visit to the UK since Labor’s May election victory.

Defence contractor BAE Systems is currently constructing a fleet of nuclear-powered Astute-class submarines for the UK Navy at its shipbuilding yards at Barrow-in-Furness, as well as a fleet of Dreadnought-class ballistic-missile submarines.

The US Congress is also considering a bill that would allow Australian submariners to join their American counterparts for training and operations on the US Navy’s nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines.

Under the legislation, at least two Australian submarine officers would be selected each year to train with the US Navy and study at the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion School.

Marles is expected to stress that the UK training announcement does not indicate Australia is leaning one way or the other as it decides whether to acquire nuclear submarines from the US or UK.

Despite the critical submarine negotiations, in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Marles declined to say whether the government would appoint a high commissioner to the UK by the end of the year.

Previous high commissioner George Brandis stepped down in April.

“We see the relationship with Britain as being very central to our national interest and our world view,” Marles said. “We have … will have a very intense and ongoing agenda with Britain; Britain is our oldest relationship.”

Marles said the government was speaking to the UK and the US about possible options to speed up the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines.

“I mean, the former government left us with, really, a situation of not having a prospective boat in the water until the 2040s,” he told the ABC.

“This is a long way into the future and we are trying to examine, with both the United Kingdom and the United States, about whether there is any way in which we can get that date brought forward, and to the extent that there is any capability gap that arises as a result of whenever that date is, ways in which we can fill that capability.”

Marles declined to say whether Solomon Islands had issued Australia with a moratorium on naval visits to the Pacific nation as it had with the US.

“I’ve seen the reports,” he said. “Ultimately, that is a matter for Solomon Islands.”

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-to-train-on-uk-nuclear-submarines-under-landmark-pact-20220831-p5be8p.html

>>17458412

Australian FM visits PNG nominally for cooperation to conceal veiled aim to sow discord through 'China debt trap' narrative, coercion

Xu Keyue - Aug 30, 2022

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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed Canberra's wish to have the "closest possible relationship" with Papua New Guinea (PNG) as she started her first visit to the South Pacific island nation on Monday after the new Labor government took office. Observers pointed out that while Wong's trip is nominally to enhance cooperation with PNG, it actually aims to drive a wedge between China and PNG, woo the island nation to the US-led camp containing China, and allow it to remain as a "big brother" in the region.

Wong touched down in Port Moresby on Monday, marking Labor's first trip to the country since claiming government back in May, Australian media outlet Sky News reported on Tuesday.

The foreign minister stressed the "importance" of Australia's relationship with PNG and providing ongoing infrastructure support to the neighboring nation amid concerns over its ties with China, according to the report.

Since December 2020, when China signed a $200 million fisheries deal with PNG, which is aimed at helping PNG to maximize its commercial fishing capacity in the area, cooperation between PNG and China has grown deeper. This deal was just one of the Chinese overseas investments in developing countries under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In recent years, trade and investment cooperation between China and some Pacific island countries like PNG that have already signed up for the BRI has been strengthening on the basis of mutual benefits.:

Also, PNG and China agreed to deepen cooperation in energy, fisheries, communications and health during a visit by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in June, according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

But the series of cooperation agreements between China and Pacific island nations based on mutual trust and equality have struck a nerve with Canberra especially after China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, another island nation in the Pacific, earlier this year.

Wong claimed that Australian aid in the Pacific comes with "no strings attached," the Guardian reported, noting this remark was "in a veiled reference to China's expanding power in the region."

The Guardian report claimed that "China is striking a range of deals in the Pacific and, in some cases, is offering large loans for infrastructure," in an apparent attempt to hype the fabricated "China debt trap" theory.

(continued)

>>17469909

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Wong's remarks highlight Australia's anxiety and awkwardness in the face of the need for economic development in Pacific island countries, Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Australia and the US-led Western world want to sow discord between China and the island nations with the groundless and malicious "China debt trap" narrative and "China threat theory," as they try to drive nations into the US-led anti-China camp under the so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy, said Chen.

They fabricated the "China debt trap" theory, and attempted to use the Australian aid nominally with "no strings attached" to lure the island nations to jump into their "political trap," observers pointed out.

China has a long history of cooperation with the South Pacific region and has never imposed any political or other conditions. On the contrary, the US, Australia and their allies have always been ideologically driven, imposing Western systems and models on the South Pacific region by coercion, Chen noted. Although Papua New Guinea won independence from Australia in 1975, Australia never gave up its outdated mentality of colonialism and tried to remain as a "big brother" in the region, the observer noted.

According to media reports, Wong is set to take a similar message to Timor-Leste when she flies there on Wednesday.

In June, President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta warned his nation will seek Chinese support if Australia and Woodside Energy - an Australian petroleum exploration and production company - fail to back a gas pipeline between the resource-rich Timor Sea and his country's southern shore, rather than Darwin, Australia, the Guardian reported.

Michael Leach, a professor in politics and international relations at Swinburne University of Technology and founder of the Timor-Leste Studies Association, was quoted by the Guardian as saying that "…China certainly provides smaller nations in our region with negotiating power and leverage with traditional partners they didn't previously have."

Chen predicted that this issue would be a major topic during Wong's visit to Timor-Leste as Australia worries that if Timor-Leste looks to Chinese investment to secure the island nation's "national strategic goal" of piping gas, not only the Australian petroleum company would suffer a loss in business benefits but also China would get closer with the island nation, which Australia is reluctant to see.

Chen warned the possible coercion by Canberra during Wong's trip over the issue.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1274247.shtml

Malcolm Turnbull almost sacked Alexander Downer for sparking FBI inquiry

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - AUGUST 31, 2022

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Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was so incensed that Alexander Downer, Australia’s top diplomat in London, had “blundered” into the US embassy, “blurting out political gossip of the most intense political sensitivity”, and sparking the FBI inquiry into Russian meddling in the US ­election, that he considered sacking him.

Mr Turnbull had only found out that Mr Downer had unilaterally informed the US embassy in London of a meeting he had with presidential nominee Donald Trump’s adviser George Papadopoulos when the FBI then sought to interview Downer, the Australian high commissioner to the UK, in early August 2016.

The explosive circumstances surrounding one of the most intriguing diplomatic faux pas in recent times has been revealed in a book by investigative journalist Richard Kerbaj, The Secret History of The Five Eyes.

Mr Turnbull told Kerbaj: “What he did would have got any other ambassador sacked, It was reckless and self-indulgent and put the Australian government in a very awkward position.”

But when asked why Mr Downer wasn’t relieved of his position, Mr Turnbull said: “Alexander was a good friend of mine and the foreign minister, Julie Bishop.

“He is our longest-serving foreign minister, a former leader of the Liberal Party. And at the time we learned of his foolish behaviour we had every interest in keeping it confidential.”

Mr Downer had initiated a meeting at the Kensington Wine Rooms in London with Mr Papadopoulos in early May 2016 after the adviser had publicly castigated British prime minister David Cameron for making negative remarks about Mr Trump.

In the hour-long meeting with Mr Downer, Mr Papadopoulos claimed the Russian government had material on Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump’s main rival in the Democratic camp.

“It sounded bad, but my attitude at the time was who would know whether this was even true,” Mr Downer says in the book, confirming he had sent a report of the discussion in a cable to Canberra.

But when Mr Trump had been confirmed as the Republican Party’s nominee some six weeks later in July, he very soon encouraged Russia to hack into the email accounts of Ms Clinton, prompting Mr Downer to head straight for the US embassy headquarters in central London.

(continued)

>>17475424

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Mr Downer met US deputy ambassador Elizabeth Dibble on July 28 and within hours a missive arrived at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, with details of the Papadopoulos remarks.

Kerbaj says Peter Strzok, deputy director of the organisation’s counterintelligence division, was immediately intrigued by the timing of the meeting that had taken place between Mr Downer and Mr Papadopoulos.

“The fact it had been in May 2016 suggested that Trump’s adviser had been aware of Russia’s planned election interference one month before the issue had become publicly known,’’ he wrote.

Mr Turnbull, meanwhile, considered Mr Downer’s “act without any authority” in giving the information to Washington was reckless. “Downer’s information, which he had reported to Canberra and our Washington Embassy in May, should only have been passed on to the Americans via the most discreet intelligence community channels,” Mr Turnbull says in the book.

“Blundering into the American Embassy in London, blurting out political gossip of the most intense political sensitivity was the worst possible way to do it.”

Mr Turnbull added: “The first we knew about it was when the FBI arrived in London and asked to interview him.

“At that point, he did have the common sense to tell Canberra what had happened. In the circumstances we could hardly refuse to allow him to speak to the FBI but great care was taken to ensure that his evidence would be kept confidential.”

Mr Turnbull said Mr Downer’s actions had brought into “question the discipline and professionalism of our foreign service” and had given Mr Trump “every reason to believe” the FBI investigation “was instigated by the Australian government”.

Kerbaj writes how Mr Turnbull was forced to intervene to preserve Australia’s relationship with the Trump administration.

“We had to explain that Downer had acted on his own, without authority,” Mr Turnbull says.

Kerbaj suggests that there is no way to properly determine the extent to which Mr Downer’s tip-off to the FBI influenced Mr Trump’s impression of Australia.

But he documented how six months later, in January 2017, Mr Trump initially opposed an immigration deal struck between Barack Obama and Mr Turnbull.

Mr Trump even told Mr Turnbull that a phone call earlier that day with Russian President Vladimir Putin had been “more pleasant” than the one with the Australian prime minister.

The Secret History of The Five Eyes is published today in Britain and released in Australia on October 5

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/malcolm-turnbull-almost-sacked-alexander-downer-for-sparking-fbi-inquiry/news-story/6b79d5317f9bff033e33e09225f03ef4

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

https://qanon.pub/?q=remain%20in%20the%20light

>>17469889

AUKUS allies sign off on nuclear subs training for Australians

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

In a deepening of Australian-British military ties under the AUKUS arrangement, Royal Australian Navy submariners will begin training on the nuclear propelled British submarine, the Astute class HMS Anson, having been cleared to access some of Britain’s top secret nuclear military secrets.

The Australian has also learned there are discussions to include the United States in the training mix, with a possible future submarine being staffed by a mix of Australian, British and American navy personnel.

Politicians and defence staff in the three countries are looking at an extensive three-way collaboration under AUKUS, not just confined to developing Australia’s submarines to replace the Collins class, but in upskilling Australia’s crews to deal with a nuclear submarine.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, in Barrow-in-Furness to watch the commissioning of the HMS Anson, Britain’s latest Astute class submarine, said on Thursday that “significant’ numbers of Royal Australian Navy personnel would be now trained by the Royal Navy.

He added that “significant numbers” of boat builders would also be trained up to deliver the Royal Australian Navy frigate program, as well as those required for future submarine building skills.

“We are growing a crew of submariners for our future, we need to be doing this with a significant number,’’ Mr Marles said, adding that the training being announced was “a really important statement of principle’’.

The UK and US have already welcomed Royal Australian Navy personnel on specialised nuclear training courses, with more to follow next year before the Australian submariners will go to sea.

HMS Anson, which is 97m long, will be armed with up to 38 Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedoe, and Block V Tomahawk land attack missiles, and able to tackle targets at a range of up to 1,500 kilometres.

Outgoing British prime minister Boris Johnson, who was at the commissioning of the submarine, said: “From the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea, our submarine service is protecting the UK and our allies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the deployment of Australian submariners alongside our British crews epitomises the strength of the AUKUS partnership.”

Mr Marles said around 80 Australian workers were currently in Govan, Scotland, helping work on the Type 26 frigate program who will then return to Adelaide to use their skills in building the Australian version of the frigate, the Hunter class.

“It is important to build a critical mass (of experts) who will go back to Adelaide and use their skills in building the Hunter class,’’ he said.

“We need to be doing a version of that in respect of the submarines as well and it needs to end up being a significant number (of people) at the end of the day. We are able to have not just a transfer of technology in respect of the hardware, but a transfer of skills in respect of the people.’’

British defence secretary Ben Wallace remarked that Australia’s future nuclear powered submarine, under the AUKUS agreement was “not an either, or type question” between the British or American designs but stressed it could be a collaborative program between three nations.

He said Australia’s submarine “may look like something none of us have in our stocks” with the latest post-Astute class submarine designs fully shared among Australia, Britain and the United States.

Mr Wallace said:“The question is how do we get to 2035 and 2040 in our deliveries (of building submarines) which we all need? We need to be truly collaborative as we can be, we might have a bit of all three of us on it, and in the meantime we’ve helped contribute to building a skills base and a workforce and an operating navy to deliver that.”

Mr Marles also revealed that the Australian government was “actively considering’’ whether to provide military training assistance to help train Ukrainian fighters as well as providing 60 Bushmaster vehicles.

The British government has headed a European coalition of trainers for Ukrainians, including Denmark, Sweden, Canada and The Netherlands and Mr Wallace said ‘we would like Australia to join us… it could make a difference”.

Mr Wallace also said that Britain was planning future joint activities with France in the Pacific, with patrols or joint deployments.

“It is absolutely key to send a message into the Pacific that is there is the US voice, but also the European voice. Britain and France, when we are together, we are quite formidable allies.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/aukus-allies-sign-off-on-nuclear-subs-training-for-australians/news-story/de8cff476e16ea67d5f72c00a899cf02

>>17469889

US admiral issues blunt warning on building Australian submarines in overstretched shipyards

Andrew Greene - 1 September 2022

A senior US Navy official has warned helping Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines could be too big a burden for America's already overstretched shipyards.

During an online forum, the US program executive officer for strategic submarines was questioned on America's shipbuilding workforce and the implications of the AUKUS partnership with Australia.

Rear Admiral Scott Pappano said the ambitious plan could hamper his nation's own nuclear submarine program, as well as the United Kingdom's, in comments made to the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

"If you are asking my opinion, if we were going to add additional submarine construction to our industrial base, that would be detrimental to us right now," Admiral Pappano said.

The rear admiral added that significant investment would be needed to provide "additional capacity, capability to go do that"

"I won't speak for the UK, but I think that exists for both the US and the UK where we're looking right now," he said.

The Defence Department is currently conducting an 18-month study on the best option for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarine capability, with a report due to hand down official recommendations in March.

Earlier this year former defence minister, now Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton claimed he was confident Australia could secure two American-built Virginia-class nuclear submarines by 2030.

Mr Dutton insisted that if the Coalition had remained in office, it could have been "in a position to make an announcement around July-August" on acquiring US-built nuclear submarines.

Private reservations

US naval figures have long held private reservations about allowing Australia to join an American production line for nuclear-powered submarines, but Admiral Pappano's comments are the strongest public intervention so far.

In his appearance at the Mitchell Institute, Admiral Pappano predicted America's submarine production in the financial year 2025 was expected to be five times what it was two years ago.

The increased workload includes doubling the construction of the newest Virginia-class submarines to two boats a year, and introducing a new version of the Virginia-class known as Block V, which allows for more Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Later this decade, production of the next generation Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, or SSBNs, is also scheduled to come into effect.

Admiral Pappano said the US Navy was working with local shipbuilders to receive the Columbia-class boats six months earlier than planned, cutting the delivery schedule from 84 to 78 months.

UK says submarines a 'collaborative program'

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace remarked that Australia's future nuclear-powered submarines, under the AUKUS agreement was "not an either, or type question" between British or American designs, but could be a collaborative program between the three nations.

He said Australia's submarine "may look like something none of us have in our stocks", with the latest post-Astute class submarine designs fully shared among Australia, Britain and the US.

"The question is how do we get to 2035 and 2040 in our deliveries (of building submarines) which we all need?" Mr Wallace said.

"We need to be truly collaborative as we can be, we might have a bit of all three of us on it, and in the meantime we've helped contribute to building a skills base and a workforce and an operating navy to deliver that."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-01/us-admiral-issues-blunt-warning-on-building-aus-subs/101394250

UN human-rights agency issues report on Xinjiang over China’s protest

CHUN HAN WONG and JAMES T. AREDDY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

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The United Nations human-rights agency on Wednesday alleged “serious human-rights violations” in the Chinese region of Xinjiang that often targeted ethnic Uyghurs and other members of Islamic groups, in a report that broadly supports critical findings by Western governments, human-rights groups and media.

The findings were contained in a long-awaited report by the U.N. agency that quoted what it described as former detainees of internment camps in Xinjiang with “credible” accounts of torture and other forms of inhuman treatment between 2017 and 2019, including some instances of sexual violence. The UN body said detainees had no form of redress.

The UN agency said what it termed arbitrary detentions in Xinjiang stemmed from a system of antiterrorism laws in China “that is deeply problematic from the perspective of international human-rights norms and standards.” It also alleged people are detained for religious practices.

It said the extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”

The report cited descriptions of possible forced labor associated with the camps, including labor and employment schemes for the purported purposes of poverty alleviation and the prevention of “extremism.”

The UN body urged Chinese authorities to take “prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty” in Xinjiang and to undertake “a full review of the legal framework governing national security, counterterrorism and minority rights,” as well comply with international conventions on forced labor.

The findings largely support allegations in recent years from Western governments, human-rights groups and media organizations that have triggered widespread condemnation of Beijing and support for the Uyghur cause.

The US has alleged genocide in Xinjiang—the 48-page U.N. report doesn’t contain the word—and sanctioned Chinese officials it blames for the alleged human rights abuses. The US has also banned imports of most products produced in Xinijang, such as cotton.

The U.N. report contained an annex published by China’s Permanent Mission to the U.N. that said China firmly opposed the release of the report and said it was based on disinformation by anti-China forces. China argues that it has undertaken vocational training efforts in Xinjiang to diffuse risks of terrorism and to alleviate poverty, and that critics ignore improvements in living standards delivered by the government.

The report was delivered hours before the end of a four-year term by the agency’s high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, and emerged despite strong objection by Beijing.

Since taking office in September 2018, Ms Bachelet, the former president of Chile, has led an effort by the UN rights agency to assess claims of rampant abuses in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, where researchers have documented a withering Communist Party campaign to forcibly assimilate ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.

Ms Bachelet’s office pledged to issue its findings in a report, which became the subject of contention as US officials and rights watchdogs accused the UN of delaying its release, while Beijing lobbied against its publication.

Human-rights groups applauded the report’s release, expressing hope it will generate a strong response from UN member states and international corporations.

“The High Commissioner’s damning findings explain why the Chinese government fought tooth and nail to prevent the publication of her Xinjiang report, which lays bare China’s sweeping rights abuses,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement after the report’s release.

“This is a game-changer for the international response to the Uyghur crisis,” Uyghur Human Rights Project Executive Director Omer Kanat said in a statement.

Among those held in Xinjiang is Uyghur intellectual Ilham Tohti who in 2014 was jailed for life on charges of separatism; on Wednesday, his U.S.-based daughter Jewher Ilham said she welcomed the UN report but that it brings her “little comfort” because she believes her father was jailed on charges he didn’t deserve and that she has had no contact with him for nine years.

Ms Bachelet said in September 2021 that her office was “finalizing” its assessment of alleged rights violations in Xinjiang. The U.N. rights agency continued working on the report as it arranged a China visit for Ms Bachelet, who traveled to Xinjiang and the southern city of Guangzhou in late May—the first China visit by a UN high commissioner for human rights since 2005.

(continued)

>>17475500

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In accordance with standard practice, whereby the UN rights agency provides copies of country-specific reports to the government in question before publication, Ms Bachelet’s office shared its Xinjiang assessment with the Chinese government to seek comment. Last week, she told reporters that she has received “substantial input” from Beijing that her office must “carefully review.”

Xinjiang, a swath of desert and mountains abutting Central Asia, is home to roughly 14 million Turkic-speaking Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. Rights activists and scholars estimate that Chinese authorities in the region have funnelled more than a million people through internment camps, while implementing political indoctrination, forced labor, family separations, strict birth controls and restrictions on religious practices that target Uyghur and other Muslim communities.

The US State Department and lawmakers in Canada, the UK, and France have argued that China’s actions in Xinjiang amount to a form of genocide. An independent, UK.-based panel of lawyers, academics and activists came to the same conclusion in December following a yearlong investigation.

Agricultural and industrial supply chains involving Xinjiang are under new scrutiny because the region is a major producer of cotton, tomatoes and chemicals used in high-technology applications like solar cells. Concerns about Xinjiang were a basis for the Biden administration and some other Western governments to diplomatically boycott this year’s winter Olympics in Beijing.

Beijing has denied committing rights violations in Xinjiang, calling genocide allegations “the lie of the century.”

“We firmly oppose the release of a so-called Xinjiang-related report,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters on Wednesday ahead of the report’s publication. “The report is a pure stunt orchestrated by the U.S. and a handful of other Western countries.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has said that the party’s policies in Xinjiang are “completely correct” and that they helped restore stability to a region once racked by ethnic violence and deadly attacks against symbols of Beijing’s authority. He visited the region in July.

Critical findings of China from the UN contrast with Beijing’s growing rhetorical and financial support for the world body, which Mr Xi has said better represents world opinion than organizations like the Group of Seven that it says are controlled by Washington.

The report didn’t estimate how many people were held in Xinjiang but referred to a separate 2018 UN agency estimate that detainees numbered in the tens of thousands to over a million. It said Beijing responded to those estimates at the time by saying detainees, which it says are undergoing “re-education,” come and go so total figures aren’t available.

Ms Bachelet had pledged to release the report before her four-year term as high commissioner expired. The former Chilean president, who turns 71 in September, made the commitment while announcing that she wouldn’t seek a second term, citing personal reasons, amid criticism from Western officials and activists that her China visit had played into Beijing’s narratives about its rights record.

The UN has yet to announce Ms. Bachelet’s successor.

In July, Beijing said nearly 1,000 nongovernmental organizations in China and elsewhere signed a letter urging Ms Bachelet not to release the Xinjiang report, saying its publication would be used as “an excuse to interfere in China’s internal affairs,” while undermining the U.N. rights agency’s reputation.

Ms Bachelet said last week that she also received a letter signed by about 40 or so countries urging her not to issue the report. “I have been under tremendous pressure, to publish or not to publish, but I will not publish or withhold publication due to any such pressure. I can assure you of that,” Ms Bachelet told reporters. “Our work is guided by human-rights methodology and the facts on the ground, and objective legal analysis.”

The assessment issued by Ms Bachelet’s office came on the heels of a separate set of findings from a UN Special rapporteur on contemporary slavery, who wrote a report—dated July—saying that he found it “reasonable to conclude” that forced labor was taking place in Xinjiang.

The rapporteur, legal scholar Tomoya Obokata, cited an independent assessment of information that included academic research, victims’ testimonies and government accounts. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected Mr Obokata’s claims and accused him of trying to “malignly smear and denigrate China”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/bombshell-un-xinjiang-report-lists-litany-of-rights-abuses/news-story/755df26a730a9378a61a2a5ab9b67e87

>>17475500

UN Human Rights Office issues assessment of human rights concerns in Xinjiang, China

31 August 2022

GENEVA (31 August 2022) – The UN Human Rights Office today issued an assessment of human rights concerns in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The assessment was initiated following serious allegations of human rights violations against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim communities brought to the attention of the UN Human Rights Office and UN human rights mechanisms since late 2017, particularly in the context of the Chinese Government’s policies and measures to combat terrorism and “extremism”.

The assessment is based on a rigorous review of documentary material currently available to the Office, with its credibility assessed in accordance with standard human rights methodology. Particular attention was given to the Government’s own laws, policies, data and statements. The Office also requested information and engaged in dialogue and technical exchanges with China throughout the process.

The information was assessed against applicable international human rights law, and builds on the work of a number of UN human rights mechanisms.

The UN Human Rights Office stands ready to support China in addressing the issues and recommendations articulated in the assessment.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/08/un-human-rights-office-issues-assessment-human-rights-concerns-xinjiang

https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ohchr-assessment-human-rights-concerns-xinjiang-uyghur-autonomous-region

https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/countries/2022-08-31/22-08-31-final-assesment.pdf

>>17475500

United Nations report on Xinjiang backs fears felt by Australia's Uyghur community

Joshua Boscaini and Erin Handley - 1 September 2022

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Adelaide woman Marhaba Salay feels a sharp pain in her chest when she speaks of her beloved older sister, Mayila Yakufu.

Ms Yakufu, 45, a single mother of three teenagers, is one of more than 1 million Uyghur Muslims the UN says have been detained in China's "re-education" facilities in Xinjiang.

"I have so much pain in my heart and I am mentally suffering a lot," Ms Salay told the ABC.

Ms Salay said her sister sent money to her and her parents in Australia back in 2013 to help them buy a house — a transaction she said the Chinese government was using as evidence of "financing terrorism".

While Ms Salay and her parents are Australian citizens, her sister is not.

"I lost hope," Ms Salay said.

"She was innocent, and what she has done is just send money to us to help us to buy a house in Australia, but it became her crime."

Ms Salay said the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs had confirmed her sister was facing terrorism charges. Ms Salay found out from relatives in Xinjiang that her sister was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

More than three years of her sentence remain.

"My sister's case is just one of the millions of living examples of the crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese communist regime," Ms Salay said.

Outgoing United Nations human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet has released a report detailing serious allegations of human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China's Xinjiang region.

The report concluded there were "patterns of torture" in what China calls "vocational education and training centres".

Former detainees told the human rights office they were subjected to beatings, rape, and solitary confinement and were forcibly administered injections or pills without informed consent.

Some, mostly female, former detainees told the office they were raped by guards and were subjected to sexual humiliation and forced nudity.

Other former detainees said lights were switched on in dormitories or cells during the night, depriving them of sleep.

They reported not being allowed to speak their native language or practise their religion and were instead forced to "sing patriotic song after patriotic song every day, as loud as possible and until it hurts, until our faces become red and our veins appeared on our face", one interviewee said.

Uyghurs hope the report triggers 'tangible action'

The report concluded China's arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and other minorities, and the deprivation of fundamental human rights might constitute "crimes against humanity".

Ramila Chanisheff, president of the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association, told the ABC the report's release had been a long time coming and she hoped "tangible action" would be taken.

But Ms Chanisheff said she was disappointed to learn the evidence collected and detailed in the report was not defined as genocide.

"It just hasn't taken it to that next step, but it is something that we can work with and is another [piece of] credible evidence on top of mountains of evidence that have come out in the last years," she said.

"We just hope something will come out of it."

She said the Uyghur diaspora had been living with anxiety ever since revelations emerged in 2017 that Chinese authorities were detaining Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.

"They've lost connections and communication with their family members," she said.

"Anxiety is always there, and of course it will renew that anxiety with the release of the report.

"Every member … in Australia have got a close family member and/or relatives, extended family members who have disappeared so all of us are worried [about] what is happening to these people."

Ms Chanisheff's sentiments were echoed by Ms Salay.

"Now the report has finally come out, but my sister is still in the prison," she said.

"Millions of Uyghurs are still suffering.

"I hope that it doesn't remain on the paper, [but] rather actions are taken to the stop the genocide.

"If that report doesn't change anything in the future, what's the benefit? What's the point?"

(continued)

>>17475542

2/2

China labels report a 'farce'

Justine Nolan, director of the Australian Human Rights Institute at the University of New South Wales, told the ABC the allegations in the report were in the category of the most significant and serious human rights violations.

Professor Nolan said that to action change, there needed to be international support within the UN Human Rights Council to push for an investigation.

"It makes the evidence really hard to deny," she said.

"There's just no plausible deniability of what's going on in the region."

She said while the report itself did not give rise to specific legal actions, the International Criminal Court could investigate allegations of crimes against humanity against a specific individual, or a state could launch action against China in the International Court of Justice.

"What this report does is it gives you the evidence to substantiate one of those potential actions," she said.

"This is in the category of the most significant and serious human rights violations that exist … It's basically acknowledging that there's a systematic approach to really doing away with a certain part of a population."

Human Rights Watch has called for the report to be formally presented to the Human Rights Council "as a matter of priority" so states can discuss its findings and take steps to implement its recommendations.

China has called the UN report a "farce" and accused it of being plotted by "Western and anti-China forces".

Liu Yuyin, the spokesperson for China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said the report smeared and slandered China and interfered in its internal affairs.

"The so-called 'assessment', based on presumption of guilt, uses disinformation and lies fabricated by anti-China forces as its main sources, deliberately ignores authoritative information and objective materials provided by the Chinese government," Mr Liu said.

Mr Liu defended China's human rights record in Xinjiang and said the region enjoyed social stability, economic development, cultural prosperity and religious harmony.

"People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are living a fulfilling life in peace," she said.

"It is the best human rights practice and the greatest human rights achievement."

The ABC has contacted Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-01/united-nations-xinjiang-report-confirms-uyghur-community-pain/101394760

>>17475500

China slams UN Xinjiang report as 'manufactured' by the US

AFP News Agency

Sep 1, 2022

China slams a United Nations report into human rights abuses of its Muslim Uyghur in the Xinjiang region as a "political tool" being used against Beijing. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claims the report was "manufactured by the US and some other Western forces". The report said torture allegations were credible and cited possible crimes against humanity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uLyhXqLeYs

>>17465759

Solomon Islands’ docking rights suspension angers US congress

ADAM CREIGHTON - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Solomon Islands’ suspension of docking rights for US and allied navy ships has angered members of Congress and raised questions about US plans to build a promised embassy on the small Pacific Island, which has come under growing influence from Beijing.

Democrat Congressman Joe Courtney, co-chairman of the Friends of Australia Caucus in Congress, said the small Pacific Island nation, which signed a security pact with Beijing that Canberra and Washington fear could foreshadow a Chinese troop presence, had “every right” to revise its policies, but the move was “perplexing”.

“Solomon Islands’ tacit denial of a benign Coast Guard vessel on mission to protect legal fishing in the region smacks of foreign influence by the People’s Republic of China,” he told The Australian, referring to the surprise rejection of an application by the Oliver Henry to visit Solomon Islands last week.

“Should the Solomon Islands’ policy review — aimed at better policing its exclusive economic zone — take on a PRC flavour, we could see further challenges to pillars of maritime law”.

The US and Australia are vying with Beijing for influence in the small island of around 700,000 people, strategically located around 3,000 kilometres to the northeast of Australia.

Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, also a co-chairman of the Friends of Australia group, urged the AUKUS partners to “prioritise reversing the current disastrous trend in the Solomons before it’s too late”. “A foreign aggressor seems bent on conquering the islands from within without even firing a shot,” he told The Australian.

The state department, which in February announced plans for an embassy in Honiara to help counter growing Chinese influence, stopped short of condemning Honiara in a statement on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), expressing only “disappointment” with prime minister Manasseh Sogavare’s moratorium.

The Chinese government, which has used loans and other development assistance to draw developing nations into its orbit, has repeatedly claimed ownership to the South China Sea, contrary to international law.

Michael Walsh, a researcher in Australia studies at Georgetown University, said the Solomons’ move would elicit “calls on the Biden administration to do more to disrupt and subvert the security partnerships being constructed by the Xi Jing Ping administration”.

“It will be interesting to see whether the moratorium will decrease support for the establishment of an embassy in the Solomon Islands among Congress, or inspires more engagement in the Pacific,” Mr Walsh told The Australian.

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill last month to establish embassies in Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu, currently served by the US ambassadors in Fiji in Papua New Guinea.

One of the sponsors, Republican Senator Marcia Blackburn, who visited the islands last month and urged the White House to expedite establishment of a new embassy in Honiara, said the Solomon Islands’ move was “extremely concerning” via her spokesman.

“Refuelling stops are part of the longstanding relationship between Washington and Honiara …. The United States, along with our British and Australian partners, must aggressively assert and increase our footprint in the region to fend off China’s growing influence,” her spokesman told The Australian.

The fallout in the Pacific comes amid a tense standoff between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan, after a series of high-level visits to the island by US Congressional leaders in August, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, that enraged Beijing and prompted a round of provocative Chinese military drills.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/solomon-islands-docking-rights-suspension-angers-us-congress/news-story/f9dafd721052dd07e9bb2a9c7418bd1a

>>17465759

Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare accepts US medical ship while banning other vessels

BEN PACKHAM - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has hosted an official welcome for a US navy hospital ship just days after his government refused diplomatic clearance for a US Coast Guard vessel to dock in Honiara.

Mr Sogavare thanked the USNS Mercy for visiting the country, where it is conducting free medical consultations, saying it would be “wonderful to make this visit an annual event”.

The ship arrived in Honiara on August 29 – the same day the Sogavare government declared a moratorium on foreign naval visits, and six days after it turned away the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry.

The ban has angered US Congress members, with Democrat Congressman Joe Courtney declaring it “smacks of foreign influence by the People’s Republic of China”.

Mr Sogavare asked at the official welcome for USNS Mercy whether the ship could return in November and December next year, when the country hosts the Pacific Games with financial support from China.

He said such a visit would provide support to all of the Pacific nations competing in the games.

“Such a visit at that time will also provide immense relief to the Ministry of Health and Medical services who will assume the primary responsibility of looking after the health of almost 5000 athletes and officials from 24 sporting nations in the Pacific over the two weeks of the 2023 Pacific Games,” Mr Sogavare said.

In a statement this week, the Prime Minister's office clarified what it described as “misinformation” over the aborted visit by the US Coast Guard ship, which was conducting operations against illegal fishing in the region

The statement said the government’s refusal to provide clearance for the ship was “due primarily to the appropriate information not sent to the Office of Prime Minister on time”.

“Unfortunately, by the time the approval was communicated on the evening of 20th August 2022, the ship’s captain had decided to leave our waters,” Mr Sogavare said.

Another planned visit, by British offshore patrol vessel HMS Spey, was also aborted after its approval was delayed.

The statement said the government needed “to review and refine its approval requirements and procedures for visiting military vessels to Solomon Islands”.

“To this end we have requested our partners to give us time to review and put in place our new processes before sending further requests for military vessels to enter the country,” Mr Sogavare said.

“Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all. We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/solomon-islands-pm-manasseh-sogavare-accepts-us-medical-ship-while-banning-other-vessels/news-story/65f2d09eade9f64d5de5e4fbffc8641f

>>17475500

After disappearing Uighurs, Beijing tries to vanish UN report

WILL GLASGOW - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

Beijing has tried to “disappear” a damning United Nations report into human rights abuses in Xinjiang, which has triggered international condemnation of brutal policies overseen by China’s leader Xi Jinping.

The silencing comes after Beijing failed to stop the report’s lead author Michelle Bachelet, the former President of Chile, from releasing the UN’s 48-page documentation of systematic violations of Uighur and other minorities in China’s west.

Beijing’s internationally facing mouthpieces have denounced the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“This so-called assessment is orchestrated and produced by the US and some Western forces and is completely illegal, null and void,” fumed China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

“It is a patchwork of disinformation that serves as a political tool for the US and some Western forces to strategically use Xinjiang to contain China.”

China’s English-language state media, the China Daily and Global Times, each carried a single new story, repeating Chinese foreign ministry spokesman’s comments.

But there has been almost no coverage by Beijing’s Chinese language media. A search by The Australian on Baidu – the biggest search engine for China’s censored internet – turned up a single mention of the report.

The top results for a search on Xinjiang were stories about 34 new Covid cases and tech park development. A search on the United Nations produced news stories on human rights abuses in America and China’s good work in Africa.

Underlining the extreme sensitivity of the UN’s criticism, the only mention of the published report came in a search of Ms Bachelet’s name in Chinese. The single mention was a social media post by a junior international relations academic at Hubei’s Central China Normal University, who wrote that the two-time Chilean president – and long time human rights champion – had been manipulated by “Western countries with bad intentions”.

Ms Bachelet, whose dramatic four-year term in the UN’s top human rights post ended this week, 13 minutes before she released the report, visited China for six days in May.

That trip included a meeting with President Xi over video, which was widely promoted in China.

China’s leader told Ms Bachelet about his theory of human rights.

“Deviating from reality and copying wholesale the institutional model of other countries will not only fit badly with the local conditions, but also bring disastrous consequences,” Mr Xi said.

The tour that Ms Bachelet and her team later took to Xinjiang was highly constrictive, with every minute supervised.

Courtney Fung, a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute, said China had gone to great lengths to manage Ms Bachelet’s UN report: downgrading the scope of her visit to China, curating opportunities for Ms Bachelet to endorse the Chinese government’s human rights narratives, and delaying the report by a year before trying to suppress it.

“China has turned out to be a formidable player in this regard, indicating its sensitivities to escalation in criticism or international pressure on human rights conditions in Xinjiang,” said Ms Fung, an expert on China in the UN at Macquarie University.

The report was released during a politically sensitive time for Beijing. In less than seven weeks, Mr Xi is scheduled to get an unprecedented third, five-year term as leader at a Communist Party conclave.

An international chorus has called on Beijing to follow Ms Bachelet’s recommendations, which include releasing all people arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang, clarifying the whereabouts of family members reported missing and co-operating with the UN’s International Labour Organisation to make sure there is no forced labour.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the report authoritatively described China‘s “appalling treatment” of ethnic and religious minority groups.

“This report deepens and reaffirms our grave concern regarding the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity that PRC (People’s Republic of China) government authorities are perpetrating against Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang,” Mr Blinken said.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the European Union, the United States, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Taiwan also called on China to address the concerns raised in the report.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/after-disappearing-uighurs-beijing-tries-to-vanish-un-report/news-story/a29ae4879d050ca614c1a2c529b95e88

>>17475500

Penny Wong urges Beijing to act on UN’s damning Xinjiang report

WILL GLASGOW - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for Beijing to address the damning findings in an authoritative UN investigation into China’s widespread human rights atrocities in Xinjiang.

The UN report – informed by years of research and first-hand testimonies by Uighurs and other minorities – found serious human rights violations had been committed in China’s far west, including torture, rape and other violations that may constitute “crimes against humanity”.

Senator Wong said the Albanese government was “deeply concerned” about the findings in the report, which amounted to one of the sharpest international rebukes of Beijing since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

“Australia expects all countries to adhere to their international human rights obligations, and we join with others in the international community in calling on the Chinese government to address the concerns raised in this report,” Senator Wong said.

Experts cited in the UN report estimate more than a million ­Uighurs and other minorities have passed through internment camps in Xinjiang since 2017.

Chinese President Xi Jinping defended his approach as “completely correct”, while a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the UN had behaved as an “accomplice of the US and the West”.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the Albanese government should consider using Australia’s new Magnitsky-style legislation to impose “targeted sanctions” on senior Chinese officials involved in the documented abuses.

“The Coalition would give bipartisan support to any appropriately targeted sanctions, including any reflective of sanctions already applied by the European Union, Canada, US or UK,” Senator Birmingham said.

He also called for Beijing to end its “intimidation and reprisals” against Uighur and other minorities in Australia and elsewhere who have advocated for their family members in Xinjiang.

One of those in Australia’s harassed Uighur community is Adam Turan, whose 79-year-old father was tortured in a detention camp in Xinjiang. His father died just weeks after he was released in 2018.

Mr Turan, who lives in Adelaide, said he was disappointed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet did not call Beijing’s atrocities a “genocide” in her report.

“People, including my father, and my brothers and sister, they all were detained only based on their ethnicity,” Mr Turan told The Australian. “There’s no due process, there’s no trial … I don’t know what else to call it,” he said.

Ms Bachelet was condemned by Uighur activists and human rights groups for delaying her report, which was released 13 minutes before her four-year term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights came to an end on Wednesday evening.

China went to extreme lengths to try to stop its publication, enlisting countries to lobby on its behalf and warning Ms Bachelet to not be influenced by “anti-China forces”.

Australia’s former ambassador to the UN, Gary Quinlan, said much of the criticism of Ms Bachelet failed to understand the realities of international politics.

“She’s produced what is clearly a pretty forceful report. She’s put a premium on its credibility,” Mr Quinlan said.

The UN report cited research by Canberra’s Australian Strategic Policy Institute on China’s detention network in Xinjiang. Beijing was so enraged with ASPI’s influential research that it accused it of “spreading untrue reports” and “peddling lies” in the list of 14 grievances Chinese diplomats gave Canberra in 2020.

China’s diplomats in Geneva continued those attacks in a rambling, propaganda-laden 131-page document published after the UN report. They cited the Australian affiliate of the LaRouche movement – a fringe conspiracy group – in China’s attempt to smear ASPI’s groundbreaking research on Xinjiang’s detention network.

“They’re on the wrong side of history,” said Vicky Xu, the lead researcher on an ASPI report on forced labour in Xinjiang.

“When they don’t have reason on their side, I guess the only people left to corroborate with the propaganda department in Beijing are conspiracy theorists,” she said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/beijing-urged-to-act-on-xinjiang-report/news-story/1b27fe3668d64ece79fbc06d6b649d2e

Gathering of cardinals ‘silent’ on fate of fellow prelate Joseph Zen

TESS LIVINGSTONE - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

A senior German cardinal has slammed Pope Francis and this week’s consistory of cardinals at the Vatican for remaining silent about the plight of Hong Kong cardinal Joseph Zen.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and editor of former pope Benedict XVI’s collective works, said Cardinal Zen was facing an “unfair trial’’ in Hong Kong under Chinese law.

But the consistory, on Monday and Tuesday this week, had produced “no document of solidarity, no prayer initiative for him’’, he said. The issue had not been raised at the consistory, Cardinal Mueller said, “not by the Dean, Cardinal Re, nor by the Secretary of State, Parolin, nor by the Pope’’.

Cardinal Mueller said the fear of intervening on behalf of Cardinal Zen was connected with the Vatican’s secret pact with China on the appointment of bishops.

The underground church in China, he said, “is currently persecuted in many areas and is faced with patriotic bishops who are more obedient to the atheistic state of Beijing than to the Pope’’. But he said he would not like to see the silence of the Vatican and the consistory “as indicative of this senior cardinal being consecrated, sacrificed on the altar of reason of state, in order to defend and advance the diplomatic agreement with Beijing. I see this risk and I feel pain”.

Cardinal Zen faces a five-day trial in a fortnight under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, charged with failing to properly register a relief fund set up in 2019 to assist pro-democracy, anti-government protests in 2019.

“I hope he will not be abandoned, Cardinal Mueller said.

“The extraordinary consistory would have been an opportunity to declare full solidarity with Zen on behalf of all the Cardinals of the College. The truth in the face of persecution should always be emphasised.’’

Asked why cardinals at the consistory did not come together to speak out in support of Cardinal Zen, Cardinal Mueller said they had not had an opportunity.

“It is as if we were being treated like first semester students, as if we needed to be indoctrinated, but I don’t want to make controversy,’’ he said.

That matches what another cardinal told The Australian.

Participants were divided into small groups to discuss the Vatican’s new Apostolic Constitution, already in force, with one spokesman from each group reporting back to the whole.

Individual cardinals had minimal opportunity to address the gathering. “It wasn’t really a consistory, just a two-day meeting,’’ the other cardinal said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/gathering-of-cardinals-silent-on-fate-of-fellow-prelate-joseph-zen/news-story/621d42a770222c97dec8f7a1abb39132

>>17458412

PNG flags scaling up of Manus Island naval base

BEN PACKHAM - AUGUST 31, 2022

Papua New Guinea has flagged expansion of the joint Manus Island naval base under a renewed Australia-PNG security partnership, and warned Solomon Islands to “really think carefully” about putting its China relationship ahead of its ties with Australia and the US.

PNG’s new Foreign Minister, Justin Tkatchenko, said the country’s Marape government was prepared for a Chinese backlash over a renegotiated security pact with Australia, but Beijing needed to realise its relationship with PNG was purely economic.

Mr Tkatchenko said PNG’s primary security relationships were with Australia, the US and New Zealand, and the country’s Prime Minister, James Marape, had made clear “we are not dealing with China at a military, defence or security level”.

The Lombrum Naval Base is already being upgraded under a $175m Australian government contract to accommodate PNG’s Guardian-class patrol boats.

Mr Tkatchenko said if the base were expanded further, “it would bring long-term security to that area and the region”, and “be economically good for the people of Manus”.

“I‘m sure China will be very interested to hear what’s going on there, and will probably not be happy,” he said. “But it’s our sovereignty. It’s in our region. And Australia, New Zealand and America have always been a part of PNG’s security issues and supporting our defence force. They are strategic partners.”

He said China was “a big economic partner”, buying PNG’s gas and other resources, but “that‘s where it stops”.

“With Australia, they are not only an economic partner, with trade and other things, they’re also a key ally in defence and security in the region,” he said.

His comments will be widely welcomed by the Albanese government and are in stark contrast to those of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who recently signed a security deal with Beijing and this week slapped a temporary moratorium on visits by US navy ships.

Mr Tkatchenko, a former Australian citizen who was sworn into his position less than a month ago, said Mr Sogavare was exercising his sovereign rights but should remember “decisions today affect decisions in the ­future and relationships in the ­future”.

“I think for Solomon Islands, they need to really think carefully. I can’t judge them and I don’t know the background of … why they won’t allow the US to fuel up there,” he said. “It just seems that it’s unnecessary and these small things might end up to be big things later on.”

Mr Tkatchenko met Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Port Moresby on Tuesday, discussing how the Australia-PNG security agreement could be renewed “seeing as how the situation has changed in the region in the last few years”. His comments follow those of Defence Minister Richard Marles, who said the deep­water Manus port was a “huge strategic asset”, and Australia’s defence ties with PNG were “one of the most significant military relationships that we have”.

Mr Marles, who spoke to Mr Marape in recent days about stepping up the nations’ defence partnership, said the Lombrum Naval Base would be at the core of an ­expanded Australia-PNG defence relationship.

The Sogavare government imposed a temporary ban on naval visits by US ships this week, refusing diplomatic clearance for a US Coast Guard cutter to dock in Honiara to refuel and take on provisions. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration was dis­appointed at the moratorium but expected future clearances would be provided to US ships.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/png-flags-scaling-up-of-manus-island-naval-base/news-story/3baedebd368297c481be460520e00f5b

Analysis: Unpredictable Solomon Islands fuels U.S. concern as China's influence grows

Kirsty Needham - September 2, 2022

SYDNEY, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Months after the Solomon Islands struck a security pact with China, its leader has repeatedly appeared to snub the United States, heightening Washington's concern but not deterring it from trying to keep the Pacific nation out of Beijing's orbit.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's unpredictable diplomacy will make it hard for the United States to make up lost ground with the pivotal island nation as China seeks to expand its security presence, former diplomats and other analysts say.

As part of a push to boost engagement and counter China's growing influence, the administration of President Joe Biden plans to open an embassy for the first time in three decades in the Solomon Islands, an archipelago that switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019 and in April sealed the security agreement with China.

Washington has since faced a series of rebuffs from Sogavare, who continues to keep dialogue open on U.S. aid.

Last month he skipped a planned appearance with a senior U.S. official at a World War Two commemoration. His government did not respond to a U.S. Coast Guard vessel's request to refuel, a move Washington called "regrettable". Sogavare then announced he was barring all foreign navy ships from port - while he was welcoming a U.S. Navy hospital ship on a humanitarian mission. read more

China's state-owned Global Times newspaper said in an editorial that the prime minister was "counteracting" against Washington.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment. A spokesperson for Senator Marsha Blackburn, who last week visited Sogavare, said it was "extremely concerning that Solomon Islands are blocking military vessels from their waters".

Sogavare has a history of erratic behaviour, which contributed to him previously losing office as prime minister, said Australian National University Pacific expert Graeme Smith.

Michael Green, a former senior U.S. national security official, said the halt to navy visits is a "net loss" for the United States, which had access before the deal with China, but it does not mean "the game is over".

"We also don't know whether Prime Minister Sogavare is paralysed with indecision given the tough geopolitics - or in the pocket of Beijing - or both," said Green, who heads the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. "Either way, the U.S. and Australia have to keep at engagement and prove we are trusted partners."

Sogavare's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

'PRESSURED FROM ALL SIDES'

Sogavare is pushing back against pro-democracy messaging from Washington to avoid being a pawn in a superpower contest, said Mihai Sora, an Australian former diplomat in the Solomon Islands. "Particularly to Sogavare, it is antagonising."

His abrupt absence from the 80th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Guadalcanal played into China's goals of keeping U.S. influence at bay, said Sora, a research fellow at Australia's Lowy Institute think tank.

"Of all the Pacific islands leaders, Sogavare is the one that is most accommodating to China's strategic intent," he said.

Washington had little engagement with the Solomon Islands before Honiara sealed the pact with China and has a lot of diplomatic ground to make up, Sora said.

Catherine Egbert-Gray, who frequently met Sogavare when she was U.S. ambassador to the Solomon Islands, said China's assertive diplomacy only reinforces the U.S. decision to increase development assistance and reopen its embassy in Honiara.

Around the time Sogavare recognised Beijing, "he appeared confident he could maintain good and strong relations with all diplomatic partners," she said. "I hope he remains committed to this goal and does not allow unsavoury influences to break down long-held friendships to the long-term detriment of the nation."

James Batley, who from 2004 to 2006 led the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, an international security response to violent clashes there, said Honiara's foreign navy moratorium likely also applies to Chinese vessels.

"It is a way of buying them breathing space," he said. "I do think they feel pressured from all sides".

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/unpredictable-solomon-islands-fuels-us-concern-chinas-influence-grows-2022-09-02/

>>17481731

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare fast-tracks bill to amend constitution and delay elections

Stephen Dziedzic and Annika Burgess - 2 September 2022

The Solomon Islands opposition has accused Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of trying to "bulldoze" his contentious bill to delay next year's elections through parliament.

Mr Sogavare wants to amend the country's constitution to extend parliament until after it hosts the Pacific Games in November 2023, arguing that Solomon Islands cannot afford to hold both major events in the same year.

But the move has angered the opposition, which says the move is profoundly anti-democratic and risks stoking fresh instability in the Pacific Island country.

Now Mr Sogavare has announced the constitutional amendment will be debated in parliament next week, effectively allowing him to dodge a parliamentary committee hearing where opposition MPs and civil society groups could weigh in on the bill.

Opposition Leader Matthew Wale responded angrily to the manoeuvre, calling it an "abuse of process".

"Obviously the Prime Minister is not interested in parliamentary practice or good governance, but he wants to shortcut the process," he said.

"It sets a bad precedent for the future. No prime minister or government should see it necessary to shortcut or undermine parliamentary process, especially on a matter of gravity."

Prominent opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Jr also criticised the move, calling it "a massive blow to participatory democracy in our nation" and a "sad day for democracy".

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office rejected Mr Wale's comments, saying the bill had been "on notice" for four weeks during which the the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) could have reviewed it.

"It is the BLC that has NOT carried out its mandate and now trying to blame the Government, because the Government has exposed the failure of the BLC," the statement said.

"It is a sad day indeed for our democracy when a Parliamentary Standing Committee such as the BLC is not functioning."

'We are very suspicious'

National elections are held every four years, and parliament is due to be dissolved in May 2023.

Ruth Liloqula, the chief executive of Transparency Solomon Islands, said the Prime Minister had dropped a "bombshell" on the people of Solomon Islands.

"This is something that they do not want to see happen," she said.

Ms Liloqula said while the move was not illegal, the Pacific Games was not a valid reason to amend the constitution.

"We are very suspicious about the moves that he's making and also all the reasons that he's given," she said.

"The provision that they're using in the constitution is not meant for a games event. It is meant for a matter of life and death and for unforeseen crisis beyond our control."

Ms Liloqula is calling on the country's development partners to step in and help fund the elections so they can take place at the same time as the Pacific Games.

The Australian government has been watching the debate closely but has been wary of wading into the fray, partly because it does not want to anger Mr Sogavare or be accused of meddling in Solomon Islands' domestic politics.

The Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, has repeatedly stressed that the timing of the election is an internal question for Solomon Islands.

But he has also stressed the importance of the bill going through the democratic checks and balances, telling the ABC last month: "We obviously make the point that there's a long way to go in this process and it's important that the proposed change goes through the Solomon Islands Parliamentary process."

The government has not yet commented on Mr Sogavare's most recent announcement.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-02/solomon-islands-election-delay-bid-manasseh-sogavare/101401662

>>17458335

U.S. Coast Guard Arrives for Planned Port Visit in Cairns, Australia

Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia / Sector Guam - Sept. 1, 2022

CAIRNS, Australia - The Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) crew arrived in Cairns on Aug. 31, for engagements with Australian Defence and Home Affairs partners and local representatives.

"A cutter arrival to Australia is another first, not only for U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia but also our fast response cutter fleet and is a reminder of our Service's commitment to our partners and our enduring presence in the region," said Capt. Nick Simmons, commander U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. "The ship driver in me was envious when Lt. Hofschneider reported 'OH transiting southbound along Inner Great Barrier Reef Passage enroute to Cairns. No issues or concerns.' Not the kind of thing many Coast Guard members have ever written or said."

Before arrival in port, Oliver Henry's crew operated at sea with aerial support from the Australian Border Forces in the Torres Strait. While in port, the two nations will continue to build on the relationship forged at sea. Upon arrival, the crew was greeted by representatives from the Royal Australian Navy HMAS Cairns and the U.S. embassy. They were also guests of the Cairns Regional Council.

“It is an honor for Oliver Henry and her crew to visit and host our Australian friends,” said Lt. Freddy Hofschneider, Oliver Henry's commanding officer. “The U.S. and Australia have been standing side-by-side for more than 100 years. This is more than a partnership, it is mateship. The U.S. Coast Guard looks forward to more opportunities to with the Australian Border Force, Royal Australian Navy, and other Australian partners to advance the rule of law at sea.”

During their stop in Cairns, members of Oliver Henry anticipate engagements with local officials and the community while also experiencing local culture.

The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting a routine deployment in Oceania as part of Operation Blue Pacific, working alongside Allies, building maritime domain awareness, and sharing best practices with partner nation navies and coast guards. Op Blue Pacific is an overarching multi-mission U.S. Coast Guard endeavor promoting security, safety, sovereignty, and economic prosperity in Oceania while strengthening relationships with our regional partners.

The Oliver Henry is the 40th Sentinel-class fast response cutter. The ship was commissioned along with its sister ships, Myrtle Hazard and Frederick Hatch, in Guam in July 2021. In the time since, the crew has participated in several search and rescue cases, completed a counternarcotics patrol off Guam with the Japan Coast Guard, and conducted sovereignty and fisheries patrols in the Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam area of responsibility.

https://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/3147606/us-coast-guard-arrives-for-planned-port-visit-in-cairns-australia/

>>17475424

UK tried to use our ban on Huawei as leverage

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Britain tried to use Australia’s unilateral decision to exclude Huawei from its next generation 5G network as a prime reason for why it should be able to make up its own mind about security risks and use the Chinese company.

In top-level meetings between the US and Britain, the Americans pointed out that the risk of using Huawei would undermine the entire security network of all Five Eyes partners: the intelligence network of Australia, Britain, the US, Canada and New Zealand.

Talks between the White House and the British cabinet became so heated over the issue that they erupted into a slanging match, a new book has revealed.

Top spies referred to Australia’s decision as to why Britain should be able to do the same and not come under pressure from other Five Eyes countries.

At the time, Britain didn’t want to drop Huawei from its networks, believing it could manage the risk and use Huawei, which was a much cheaper option than European competitors.

The Secret History of The Five Eyes by Richard Kerbaj has examined the negotiations around the back-pedalling of the British to finally ban Huawei.

ASIO chief Mike Burgess, who had been head of Australia’s signals directorate, told Kerbaj Australia had been “pursuing the defence of our national interest” when it banned Huawei.

“Australia recognised this problem early because we recognised that mature 5G would be about much more than faster phones for your kids to watch cat videos on,” Mr Burgess said.

“We knew that mature 5G would be like a nervous system for the economy – it would enable and connect critical functions in a way that made it a critical function, too. We also understood threats faced by our region where we’d seen China change over the last 10 years.”

But in May 2019, Britain was still intending on using Huawei for its 5G network.

Kerbaj writes: “Within minutes of the White House delegation’s arrival at the Cabinet Office in May 2019, (head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran) Martin and other senior British officials, including the deputy national security Adviser Madeleine Alessandri, were effectively shouted at by one of their guests for around five hours. That guest was Matthew Pottinger, a former US Marines intelligence officer parachuted into the White House in early 2017 to become the National Security Council’s senior director for Asia. He was known for his distrust of China’s authoritarian regime.”

Martin recalled of those meetings: “The problem was: on our side we didn’t think Huawei’s limited involvement in UK 5G was the most important thing in a much wider strategic challenge. Whereas the US were only interested in that part of the problem, for reasons we couldn’t fathom.”

He added: “The whole thing about Britain breaking the Five Eyes unity was ridiculous, because Australia had made its own decision on Huawei unilaterally”.

In 2018 Australia had told the Five Eyes partners that there were technical problems with Huawei’s kit after the then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull assessed there was no way to counter the Chinese risk.

“It was obvious that they [Huawei] had both a legal and a political obligation to comply with the wishes of the Chinese Communist Party,” Turnbull said in the book, which has been released in the UK, and will be available in Australia from October 5.

“We were identifying a loaded gun, not a smoking one.” He added: ‘The old techniques of restricting high-risk vendors to the edge of the network and away from the core was no longer viable. I had raised this issue with the Americans, including President Trump, from 2017. The provider of a nation’s 5G network, or much of it, had considerable capability for disruption, interference and espionage.”

In January 2020, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson approved Huawei to build the 5G network, excluding it from any access to military and nuclear sites and national infrastructure.

But US president Donald Trump then forced Britain’s hand, introducing sanctions in May 2020 that banned Huawei from using semiconductors reliant on US technology.

Mr Johnson was forced finally to ban Huawei because Britain’s spies couldn’t guarantee the security of Huawei products.

Martin says in the book: “In reality, anyone can have a go at hacking anything. We in the UK, thanks to the US sanctions, are now entirely dependent on Nokia and Ericsson. For sure, we trust their boards of directors. But are we seriously saying that just because they’re not Chinese, they can’t be hacked? By neighbouring Russia, for example? Or China?

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/uk-tried-to-use-our-ban-on-huawei-as-leverage/news-story/f7abf61884694dd3f1dcff953b5fecc8

>>17469889

AUKUS nuclear powered submarines to be built in Australia

Nuclear-powered submarines are set to be built in Australia as the AUKUS alliance demands we pull our weight in military manufacturing.

Charles Miranda - September 2, 2022

Nuclear-powered submarines will be built locally, as Australia moves to shore up its defences ahead of any potential global conflict.

News Corp Australia has learned allies the United States and UK are counting on Australia to boost sovereign manufacturing capability, so they have more industrial bases to call upon.

High-level AUKUS security pact discussions, held this week in the UK, have concluded the likelihood of increased Allied use of our military bases, ports and air fields.

But critically it has been made clear Australia needed to rapidly increase its capability for maintenance and manufacture of their military hardware as well as our own.

The push for Australia to join their war kit production lines and global supply chain includes nuclear-powered submarines, at some point in the future.

On his trip to the UK, Defence Minister Richard Marles agreed, with the commitment welcomed by defence contractors, notably in South Australia whose skilled work force was decimated after the cancelling of the French submarine build contract last year.

Mr Marles told News Corp the previous government was good at spruiking defence industry but never articulated the strategic rationale for why.

“It is critical, fundamentally defence industry plays a really important part in Australia being taken seriously in the world and when we are developing IP in the defence space in this country and working with other countries to provide capability, we are right there in the heart of their interests and that’s a huge impact on building Australia’s strategic (security),” he said.

After meeting with US and UK counterparts, Mr Marles said the 2040 date for Australia’s first nuclear-powered submarine had to be brought forward.

“When we’re talking about the next generation of submarines, what’s really clear is that Australia is going to need to play its part in increasing the industrial base of the three countries,” he said.

“In other words we will need to develop the capacity to build a nuclear-powered submarine in Australia, we’re going to have to add to the combined industrial capacity of the three countries if we want to see a timely supply of the class of submarines in the future.”

He said Australia could also in future contribute to the supply chain of the UK and Canada for its new frigate, which were commensurate with Australia’s Hunter class warship currently being developed.

“We will see supply chains be more global, is really the point I’m making. But we definitely need to develop increased industrial capacity in Australia to add to the net capability of the three AUKUS countries.”

Tim Stoddard, mechanical engineer and Queensland state manager for Headland Machinery which had a contract in the previous submarine project, said the cancellation of the French designed submarine set sovereign capability in Australia back at least five years.

He said even if the first AUKUS submarines had to be purchased overseas for expediency, it was essential manufacturing assembly and sustainment be here.

“My message on behalf of Australian manufacturing is to really support the Australia industry content contribute to any defence program in terms of enabling local businesses a chance to be part of the program for local jobs and economies … and strategic and security interests,” he said.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/aukus-nuclear-powered-submarines-to-be-built-in-australia/news-story/5568d7ea887a330e383e014fc36d3511

>>17463297

Australia training preps F-35 pilots for long-range battles that could end in dogfight

SETH ROBSON, STARS AND STRIPES - September 2, 2022

RAAF TINDAL, Australia – Precision-guided missiles mean today’s fighter pilots can engage targets long before they’re close enough to see.

During Pitch Black drills in Australia’s Northern Territory, U.S. and Australian pilots are honing the skills they need to carry out long-range missile strikes. The 21-day exercise involving 17 nations and hundreds of airmen ends Thursday.

But they’re also using the opportunity to sharpen their ship-to-ship air combat abilities, otherwise known as dogfighting.

That means performing in real life the kind of aerobatic maneuvers filmed for “Top Gun: Maverick,” now playing at the theater on Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal.

Training for dogfights means the aircraft are relatively close, Capt. Brandon Howard, an F-35B Lightning II pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, told Stars and Stripes on a dusty road near Tindal’s runway Thursday.

“Any air-to-air engagement in the modern arena runs the risk of collapsing down into a visual engagement,” said Howard, who has been flying from Tindall for the past month.

Australia’s F-35As can fly 1.6 times the speed of sound and pull 9 Gs in a turn, which makes the pilot feel like they weigh nine times their normal weight, according to David, a 28-year-old RAAF flight lieutenant from Brisbane, Australia.

Australian F-35A pilots are only authorized to provide first names to the media, he said by phone Friday from RAAF Darwin.

“The F-35A has a long-range stealth game plan but we still train dogfighting,” he said. “That’s some of my favorite training.”

The stealth jets carry only four missiles, but their cockpits have much larger display screens in the cockpit than older fighters, giving their pilots a wider view and allow them to pinpoint their adversaries more easily, David said.

“Yesterday we flew a mission where the Australians were flying with (South) Korean F-16s,” he said. “The F-35s would stay at the back and allocate targets to the F-16s.”

The Marine Corps deployed 12 F-35Bs – capable of short landings and vertical takeoffs – to Pitch Black from Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 242 and 121, both based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.

They spent two weeks training with Australian F-35As from the Tindal-based No. 75 Squadron ahead of Pitch Black, Howard said.

The Australian jets are operating out of RAAF Darwin during the exercise, he said.

It’s the first time Howard, whose been flying F-35Bs for four years, has been to Australia.

Since he reported to MCAS Iwakuni in 2020, he has mostly trained in Japan, sometimes with F-35As from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at Misawa Air Base in northeast Japan, he said.

There’s more space to fly in Australia than there is in Japan, Howard said.

“It’s nice to be able to take off and make a left or right turn and be in the (training) airspace,” he said. “In Japan, there is more civilian air traffic and we have to transit to airspace where we train.”

The F-35Bs can operate from amphibious ships with shorter decks than conventional aircraft carriers, unlike the Australians’ F-35As, which can operate only from conventional airfields.

However, the Australian jets can go farther and faster and “pull more Gs” when they turn, Howard said.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-09-02/australia-pitch-black-f35-dogfights-7186528.html

Darwin nightclub bouncer Hayden Summers found guilty of causing serious harm to US marine

Felicity James - 2 September 2022

A Darwin security guard has been found guilty of unlawfully causing serious harm to a US marine by striking him outside a nightclub.

The jury took just over four hours to reach a unanimous verdict in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

Hayden Summers, 34, had pleaded not guilty to one charge of unlawfully causing serious harm, along with an alternative charge of negligently causing serious harm, relying on arguments of self-defence.

The incident happened in the early hours of April 11 last year after US marine Glen Thomason was ejected from Monsoons nightclub in the city's bar district.

During the trial, the court heard Mr Thomason's injuries led to him spending a "significant amount of time" in hospital and then rehabilitation after having part of his skull removed.

The jury members examined CCTV footage of the interaction between the two men, which had no recorded audio.

They also heard evidence from nearby witnesses about what was said.

"Unusually in this case we have most of the witnesses — who were bouncers — who were sober," Justice Jenny Blokland said in her summing-up of the case for the jury on Thursday afternoon.

"I have to tell you that's very unusual in a Darwin case emanating from Mitchell Street."

During her summary of the evidence, Justice Blokland said "clearly Mr Thomason was disgruntled at his rejection" and he had not been told why he was removed from the nightclub.

According to some witnesses, Mr Thomason was heard saying, "I could kill you, I'm a marine," or words to that effect, she said.

Mr Summers gave evidence that Mr Thomason's hand gestures were threatening, while the Crown argued he was just trying to explain how he had been "manhandled" by another security guard.

Justice Blokland told the jury it was unclear if it was the strike to Mr Thomason's head or hitting the road that knocked him unconscious and caused the injuries, and by what degree.

Jury members were asked to consider if there was a reasonable possibility Mr Summers had acted in self-defence.

Justice Blokland reminded the jury of arguments from Crown prosecutor Ian Rowbottom that the strike to the side of Mr Thomason's head was not a reasonable response.

He argued Mr Summers failed to explore options other than "knocking someone out", including moving backwards, asking colleagues for help or just pushing Mr Thomason away.

Mr Rowbottom described evidence about threatening gestures as "a lie" that did not match the CCTV footage and he told the jury Mr Thomason "did not deserve a blow like that", Justice Blokland said.

The jury was reminded of Mr Summers's evidence that he was "an experienced crowd controller" who had worked for 15 years in the industry and was the head of security at Monsoons nightclub.

Mr Summers gave evidence that he was trying to de-escalate the situation and had told Mr Thomason to "calm down".

Justice Blokland said his evidence was that the strength of his hit was about "a six out of 10" and he did not mean to hurt Mr Thomason.

His evidence was that he feared Mr Thomason was about to punch him because of his hand gestures and a "death stare", Justice Blokland said.

Mr Summer's barrister Peter Maley had argued: "The slap was not unreasonable, it's not as though he used a knife or a kick in the head."

Outside court, Mr Summers's father said he was "disappointed" with the verdict.

A sentencing hearing will begin on September 8.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-02/darwin-bouncer-guilty-of-us-marine-serious-harm-nt-trial/101400804

‘Severely jeopardises peace’: US angers China with billion dollar arms sale to Taiwan

Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina - September 3, 2022

Washington: The US State Department has approved a potential $US1.1 billion ($1.61 billion) sale of military equipment to Taiwan, including 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles, with China threatening to take countermeasures.

The Pentagon announced the package on Saturday AEST after China’s aggressive military drills around Taiwan following a visit to the island last month by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to travel to Taipei in years.

News of the potential sale came as it was also announced that US President Joe Biden would host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a September 28-29 gathering in Washington in the latest US effort to step up ties with the region increasingly courted by China.

An administration official said the White House had invited 12 Pacific Islands countries, including the Solomon Islands, which in April struck a security pact with China, heightening Washington’s concern about Beijing’s growing influence.

The military equipment includes Sidewinder missiles, which can be used for air-to-air and surface-attack missions, at a cost of some $85.6 million, Harpoon anti-ship missiles at an estimated $355 million cost and support for Taiwan’s surveillance radar program for an estimated $665.4 million, the Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency said.

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in a statement the possible arms sale “severely jeopardises China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

“China will resolutely take legitimate and necessary counter-measures in light of the development of the situation,” he said.

Biden’s administration said the package has been under consideration for some time and was developed in consultation with Taiwan and US lawmakers.

“As the PRC continues to increase pressure on Taiwan – including through heightened military air and maritime presence around Taiwan – and engages in attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, we’re providing Taiwan with what it needs to maintain its self-defense capabilities,” Laura Rosenberger, White House senior director for China and Taiwan, said in a statement.

It was reported last month that the Biden administration was planning new equipment for Taiwan but that the equipment would sustain Taiwan’s current military systems and fulfil existing orders, not offer new capabilities, despite the heightened tensions that followed Pelosi’s visit.

The Pentagon said the equipment and support announced would not alter the basic military balance in the region. US officials said they did not reflect any change in policy toward Taiwan.

“These proposed sales are routine cases to support Taiwan’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” a US Department of State spokesperson said, requesting anonymity.

Taiwan’s defence ministry expressed its thanks, adding that China’s recent “provocative” activities represented a serious threat and the arms sale would help it face China’s military pressure.

“At the same time, it also demonstrates that it will help our country strengthen its overall defence capabilities and jointly maintain the security and peace of the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region,” the ministry said in a statement.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, said his organisation opposed what he termed a “limited approach” to arms sales to Taiwan.

“As the (China’s) People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently demonstrated in its mock blockade, the island faces a range of threats that require a range of capabilities. To deny the island the ability to mount a full defence will, over time, create new gaps in Taiwan’s defences that the PLA can exploit,” Hammond-Chambers said in a statement.

The order reflects continued US support for Taiwan as Taipei faces pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and has never ruled out using force to bring the democratically ruled island under its control.

The sales must be reviewed by Congress, but both Democratic and Republican congressional aides said they do not expect opposition. There have been at least two other visits to Taiwan by members of Congress from both parties since Pelosi’s visit, as well as by governors of U.S. states, all condemned by Beijing.

Taipei says that as the People’s Republic of China has never ruled the island, it has no right to claim it.

https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/severely-jeopardises-peace-us-angers-china-with-billion-dollar-arms-sale-to-taiwan-20220903-p5bf4j.html

>>17481731

Beijing-backed autocracy in our backyard with ‘Cuba in the Pacific

DAVE SHARMA - SEPTEMBER 3, 2022

1/2

Those who saw the images of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare greeting Anthony Albanese with a warm hug in Suva several weeks back could be forgiven for thinking Australia’s challenges with our Solomon Islands relationship were behind us.

It was only a few months prior, in April, that Sogavare had signed a five-year security agreement with China, paving the way for potential deployment of police and military forces from Beijing to the Pacific island state.

This agreement was met with consternation and alarm in Canberra and other Western capitals.

It was seen, correctly, as a further attempt by China to push its strategic interests in the southwest Pacific and establish security and military infrastructure beyond its Second Island Chain. And a move that would, unhelpfully, introduce the dynamics of great-power contest into this politically fragile region.

Senator Penny Wong, now Foreign Minister, declared the signing of this pact “the worst Australian foreign policy blunder in the Pacific since the end of World War II”. At the time, Albanese linked the pact with Australia’s climate change policies, claiming we had been relegated to the “naughty corner” in the Pacific because of inadequate emissions reductions.

So with Albanese now having got off to a warm start with Sogavare, and the government having increased Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target to 43 per cent, is Solomon Islands less of a worry for Australia? Far from it.

This week the Solomon Islands government declared all US Navy vessels will be prohibited from entering its ports, pending new approval procedures being put in place. This follows earlier incidents of US Coast Guard vessel the Oliver Henry and Royal Navy vessel HMS Spey being prevented from making routine port calls in Solomon Islands because the government did not respond to standard diplomatic clearance requests.

Last month, Sogavare’s government sought to push back elections due in mid-2023. A bill tabled in parliament seeks to amend the constitution and extend the term of the parliament and government by a year.

Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications company banned from bidding for 5G contracts in Australia and a number of Western nations, has been awarded a contract to build 161 mobile phone towers across Solomon Islands. This is to be financed with a $100m loan from the Export Import Bank of China, in a deal being criticised for not stacking up economically and posing a substantial financial risk to Solomon Islands.

Meanwhile the Solomon Islands’ publicly funded national broadcaster, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, has been ordered to engage in self-censorship, only broadcasting content that portrays the nation’s government in a positive light.

And foreign journalists have been told they may be denied entry to Solomon Islands if they criticise its ties to China.

Extending the term of the Prime Minister. Postponing elections. Censoring the media. Switching security partners. Debt diplomacy.

All this is redolent of an autocratic leader during the time of the Cold War. But this is happening now. And not in Africa or the Middle East, but in Australia’s own neighbourhood.

Solomon Islands is on a deeply concerning trajectory under Sogavare.

(continued)

>>17487779

2/2

Australia and our allies have effectively operated a Monroe Doctrine in the southwest Pacific. We have ensured the region remains firmly within the Western security orbit, and deterred intervention and meddling by foreign powers.

China’s growing ambitions are now challenging this, and we must get to grips with the scale of the challenge. It’s not simply a matter of turning up at meetings, giving hugs and making the right noises on climate change. Australia needs a strategy to check these moves and provide alternatives.

When Huawei was planning to build the undersea cable to Papua New Guinea, the Coalition government stepped in and financed the Coral Sea Cable project, keeping this critical infrastructure in sovereign hands.

When Digicel Pacific, one of the major telecommunications providers in the Pacific, looked like it might be bought out by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the Coalition government supported Telstra to buy it instead.

We established the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, providing an alternative financing vehicle to China’s state-owned banks.

What is the Albanese government proposing to keep Solomon Islands in our camp?

Any such strategy must be more than just development and infrastructure. It also needs to be about institutions and governance.

The prospective establishment of a client-state autocracy in our neighbourhood – a Cuba in the Pacific – demands urgent action.

The Australian government should start by speaking out against these recent moves to curtail press freedom and postpone elections, topics on which it has been conspicuously silent.

It should also energise the Pacific Islands Forum – which is committed to upholding democracy through the Biketawa Declaration – to become involved.

This is what the future of strategic competition in our region looks like. Australia needs to step up our game. Patting ourselves on the back about higher emissions reduction targets and declaring “job done” will not cut it.

Dave Sharma is the former Liberal MP for Wentworth and ambassador to Israel from 2013-2017.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/beijingbacked-autocracy-in-our-backyard-with-cuba-in-the-pacific/news-story/85382be1f9b1038e058c0769e02a5230

>>17458432

MRF-D 22 Ground Combat Element Integrates into 1st Brigade to Enhance Combined Littoral Lethality

Capt. Joseph DiPietro - 08.27.2022

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. – The Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 ground combat element (GCE), led by 3d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment (3/7), participated in exercise PREDATOR’S RUN, integrating into the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) 1st Brigade to enhance combined and littoral capabilities in a simulated combat environment from August 20-27.

“Our primary objective is to enhance combined arms integration with our Australian allies,” said GCE commander Lieutenant Colonel Tyler Holt, while preparing to lead his Marines and Sailors into the exercise. “PREDATOR’S RUN provides us that opportunity and our Marines and Sailors are excited to build even more proficiency with 1st Brigade.”

PREDATOR’S RUN offered a unique training opportunity to MRF-D in many ways. The exercise simulated a littoral combat scenario, similar to 1st Marine Division’s STEEL KNIGHT, where training areas represented key terrain in an archipelagic environment. PREDATOR’S RUN is an early step in 1st Brigade’s ongoing integration into littoral combat, a skillset the Marine Corps is excited to help with.

“Combined arms fighting is tough work, but incredibly rewarding, and training with MRF-D allows us to increase our capabilities,” said ADF Major Anthony Purdy, the operations officer for the Australian 1st Brigade, while briefing 1st Marine Division Commanding General, Major General Benjamin Watson during his recent visit. “This exercise represents a shift back to warfighting for us after a lot of support to domestic operations, so it is a great opportunity and we’re lucky to have our Marine teammates at our side.”

Another unique aspect for the MRF-D infantry was the chance to train alongside main battle tanks. The ADF supported PREDATOR’S RUN with elements of the 1st Armoured Regiment, including M1A1 Abrams, the tank Marines used to suppress and destroy enemy positions in the historic battle of Fallujah and across the Middle East in operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.

“It was an exciting and interesting experience to train alongside the Australians during PREDATOR’S RUN, especially their tanks,” offered Sergeant Anfernee Richardson, a squad leader with 3/7 who stepped up as a platoon sergeant for the exercise. “The Australians brought their weapon systems to the fight, and we brought ours, and it was great to integrate those into the same team to increase our effectiveness and lethality.”

In addition to the Australians, PREDATOR’S RUN offered MRF-D the chance to train alongside Philippine and Malaysian soldiers, further increasing the international interaction of the deployment. Both the Philippines and Malaysia are supporting exercise PITCH BLACK alongside the MRF-D aviation combat element, but MRF-D greatly enjoyed getting into the details of combined maneuver alongside our regional allies and partners.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428289/mrf-d-22-ground-combat-element-integrates-into-1st-brigade-enhance-combined-littoral-lethality

>>17458335

>>17481780

‘It’s an honour’: US Coast Guard ship makes historic stopover

Fresh from Torres Strait operations a US Coast Guard cutter arrived in Cairns after being turned away from the Solomon Islands amid a new ban on warship visits. How Cairns welcomed the ship and crew.

Peter Carruthers - September 3, 2022

FRESH from operations in the Torres Strait the US Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry has arrived in Cairns after being turned away from Honiara amid a Solomon Islands ban on warship visits.

The Sentinel-class fast response cutter can be seen in social media images steaming through the Cairns seaway before tying up at the HMAS Cairns naval base alongside HMAS Leeuwin last Thursday.

The arrival follows the joint US Navy and Australian Border Force training operation in the Torres Strait dubbed Exercise Fortune Guard.

US Coast Guard Micronesia and Guam sector commander captain Nick Simmons said it was the first time a Coast Guard vessel of its kind had visited Australia.

“(The) cutter arrival to Australia is another first, not only for US Coast Guard Forces Micronesia but also our fast response cutter fleet and is a reminder of our service’s commitment to our partners and our enduring presence in the region,” Capt Simmons said.

Oliver Henry’s commanding officer Lt. Freddy Hofschneider described what it meant to arrive on Australian shores.

“It’s an honour for Oliver Henry and her crew to visit and host our Australian friends,” he said.

The ship was met at HMAS Cairns by US embassy officials before a delegation from the ship visited chambers of the Cairns Regional Council hosted by Mayor Bob Manning and Deputy Mayor Terry James.

“I think we will see more naval ships from the US and New Zealand in the future,” Mayor Manning said.

On August 31 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare formally banned foreign navy vessels from the country’s waters until further notice.

“A review on processes and procedures to permit naval vessels is current. This means no naval vessels will be permitted to enter the country,” a spokesman for Mr Sogavare said.

“It applies to all countries in the world intending to make naval visits to Solomon Islands.”

It’s understood the cutter Oliver Henry was caught up in the lockout and denied access to the country’s capital Honiara last week.

The Australian High Commission in Honiara was advised of the review on August 29, and received formal notification on August 31.

The US Coast Guard is conducting a routine deployment in Oceania as part of Operation Blue Pacific.

An Australian Department of Defence spokesman said the ship was in Cairns to take on provisions, water and fuel before departing port on Monday.

https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/its-an-honour-us-coast-guard-ship-makes-historic-stopover/news-story/3e2b866bb0e848b221a0107cd046bd24

Chris Bowen Tweet

The Biden Administration and Albanese Government are working closely together on climate policy.

Always great to compare notes with the President’s Special Envoy on Climate, @JohnKerry @ClimateEnvoy

https://twitter.com/Bowenchris/status/1565834358245969920

—

Q Post #4196

May 10 2020 00:07:52 (EST)

THE SHADOW PRESIDENCY.

THE SHADOW GOVERNMENT.

Why did [Hussein] shadow POTUS re: [F] trips?

Why did [Kerry] shadow POTUS re: Iran?

Why did [Kerry] shadow POTUS re: [CLAS 1-99]?

Why did [McMaster] target and remove loyal intel operatives inside WH?

Why did [McMaster] prevent declas-disclose to Congress?

Why did [Coats] prevent declas-disclose to Congress?

Why did [Bolton] prevent decals-disclose to Congress?

Why did [Ryan] prevent subpoena power of (R) Congress?

Why did [Rosenstein] work to entrap and install blockade [SC]?

Why did [Rosenstein] install [Mueller] knowing zero evidence of Russia collusion?

Why did [Mueller] attempt to retake FBI DIR position?

Why did [Mueller][Rosenstein] drag out SC investigation if known no Russia collusion pre + start?

Why did select members of [NSC][Vindman] actively leak to MSM?

Why did select members of [NSC][Vindman] orchestrate fake whistleblower report w/ [Schiff][Atkinson][CLAS 1-9] to sabotage and initiate impeachment?

Why did [Pelosi] rush impeachment investigation?

Why did [Pelosi] then hold impeachment article(s) until Jan 15?

Why did [Schiff] push false 'Russia evidence' narrative post closed door interviews [no evidence of collusion]?

Why did [Schiff] coordinate w/ WH NSC [through proxy] to arrange for Ukraine whistleblower?

Why did [Schiff] actively leak knowingly false statements during-post classified sessions to MSM?

Why did [Schiff] illegally surveil [phone] members of WH legal team, media, and Congress?

What Pentagon officials [CLAS 1-99 _subject] tendered resignation within a 2 week period?

Why did [Omarosa Manigault Newman] attempt to entrap POTUS through secret and illegal recordings?

Why did [Soros] finance anti-POTUS events and organizations across US?

Why did [CLAS 1-99] organize and push propaganda [smear] campaign through use of MSM & Hollywood?

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99] x 49

INSURGENCY.

IRREGULAR WARFARE.

THE GREATEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN HISTORY.

What are they trying to prevent?

Who are they trying to protect?

Q

https://qanon.pub/#4196

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

PLA, the People’s Liberation Army of China, Peace-Loving Army.

SpokespersonCHN发言人办公室

Sep 3, 2022

PLA, the People’s Liberation Army of China. Peace-Loving Army, for the Chinese people and people of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnyuaf3n9Fs

>>17487990

1989: Tiananmen Square protests

CNN

Oct 7, 2010

Student protests in Tiananmen Square ended when Chinese troops fired on crowds, killing hundreds and wounding thousands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNEW1Uh0lz0

>>17487990

Archive: Chinese troops fire on protesters in Tiananmen Square - BBC News

BBC News

Jun 5, 2014

First broadcast 4 June 1989. Chinese troops opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Saturday evening. The collection of students and labourers had been occupying the site for several weeks.

Despite the outbreak of "unremitting gunfire", the protesters refused to leave. The BBC's Kate Adie reports from the scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMKvxJ-Js3A

>>17487990

Tiananmen Square: Watch The 1989 Report On The Crackdown

Sky News

Jun 4, 2014

It's 25 years since protests in Tiananmen Square, China, were brought to a bloody end by soldiers who killed hundreds of unarmed civilians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE7EkTRS96M

Federal police fear hike in child forced marriage cases as overseas travel restrictions lift

Carla Hildebrandt - 4 September 2022

Kubra* was just 11 years old when she became engaged to her older cousin.

The Sydney girl tried to convince her family the relationship was "toxic", but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

At 16, she went on what was supposed to be an overseas holiday to visit family. Instead, she was handed an invitation to her wedding, which was organised without her consent.

"I refused to marry him but my fiance's family threatened to harm me and took away my passport," Kubra said.

"I was incredibly stressed and depressed because of the whole situation."

She reluctantly went through with the marriage, but managed to end it when she got back home, by agreeing to pay her in-laws $30,000.

Kubra's story is one of many serious cases of forced marriage reported to authorities, who fear a spike this year, as overseas travel picks up.

Police and government agencies are researching how to tackle the complex issue, which statistics show, is most prevalent in NSW and Victoria.

In the past year, there have been more than 80 reports from across the country to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), with almost half of them involving children under 18.

Ms Argy works at youth organisation Taldumande, which provides accommodation for teenagers who are being pressured to marry against their will.

"There is financial gain. Money is exchanged, properties perhaps, and girls are literally being sold off," Ms Argy said.

"They can be groomed from a very young age, as young as six or seven."

Forced marriage became a criminal offence in Australia in 2013.

Despite this, there has not been a single conviction.

The murder of Ruqia Haidari, 21, who was allegedly sold by her mother to a man for $15,000 in 2019, only to be murdered months later, sent shock waves across the nation.

Mohammad Ali Halimi killed the Victorian woman with a kitchen knife in their Perth home in January 2020, where she moved after marrying him.

In August last year, he was sentenced to 19 years behind bars.

Ms Haidari's mother, Sakina Muhammad Jan has pleaded not guilty to coercing her daughter into the forced marriage, with the matter currently before the courts.

Commander Hilda Sirec, from the AFP, leads a team that investigates child trafficking.

She said the unit struggled to prosecute offenders, with many victims not wanting to speak out against their families, who are often the perpetrators.

Commander Sirec is concerned cases will surge as COVID-19 border restrictions ease across the world.

"We're seeing more significant reports coming from places like NSW and Victoria," Commander Sirec said.

She said most reports came from "closer knit" communities, where arranged marriage was more common.

But University of Technology Anti-Slavery Australia director Jennifer Burn made it clear the two terms were not the same thing.

"An arranged marriage in Australia, is where both parties consent to the marriage," Ms Burn said.

"A forced marriage is where one or both parties don't have the chance to form full and free consent to the marriage because they've been coerced or threatened."

Ms Burn said the aim was to tackle the issue, before it reached a "crisis point".

"Many of those who force marriages onto others may genuinely want what's best for their children and come to later regret their actions when they see the consequences on their child's happiness," she said.

Authorities and community organisations are working together to tackle the complex issue by raising awareness within at-risk groups, in order to prevent the crime from happening in the first place.

*Not her real name

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-04/nsw-forced-marriage-police-fear-spike-as-travel-resumes-/101317834

—

If you, or someone you know, is at risk of a forced marriage please see:

My Blue Sky - Australia’s dedicated forced marriage portal providing information, support and legal advice to people in or at risk of forced marriages

https://mybluesky.org.au/

or contact the Australian Federal Police on 131 237 or email NOSSC-Client-Liaison@afp.gov.au (National Operations State Service Centre)

Australian Federal Police - Human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices (including forced marriage) information report form

https://forms.afp.gov.au/online_forms/human_trafficking_form

>>17494440

Fears of rising cases of forced marriages in Australia with dozens of cases each year

ABC News (Australia)

Sep 3, 2022

Authorities fear the number of cases of forced marriage will rise in Australia with underage girls as young as eleven being forced into marriage.

One organisation plans to educate vulnerable girls in Sydney before they fall victim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ7xN4umZJI

Primary school children filming and uploading sexualised content in worrying new trend

Erin Pearson - September 4, 2022

1/2

An increasing number of primary school-aged children are creating and uploading their own sexually explicit material to the internet, prompting fears from child abuse investigators that they are putting themselves at risk of serious harm.

Investigators say they have discovered Australian children as young as 6 making their own content, with growing concerns that popular influencer-promoted websites such as OnlyFans are normalising making pornography for cash.

Detective Acting Inspector Carla McIntyre, the officer in charge of the Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team, said police were now having tough conversations with parents after knocking on doors thinking they’re preventing children from harm, only to find the child was authoring their own exploitation material.

“We’ve gone through the door with a search warrant and then identified actually there is no adult involved in this, it’s actually just the child,” McIntyre said.

She said young people were increasingly being influenced by those online who promote sexualised behaviour on popular platforms in the belief that this was normal, safe behaviour. One girl was aged 6, McIntyre said, and others were 7 and 8.

Her team, which is made up of both Victorian and federal police, had found no one had coerced or forced the children into making the content. Instead, the children believed it was normal behaviour.

“Then you think, what else have they been exposed to? This is something we can have an impact on, by having conversations with our kids. Kids can do this and they are doing this.”

In the 2021-22 financial year, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 36,000 reports of child sexual exploitation, each containing images and videos of children being sexually assaulted or exploited. During the same period, federal authorities charged 221 offenders with 1746 child exploitation related offences.

Last week, the eSafety Commissioner issued legal notices to some of the biggest tech companies in the world – including Apple, Meta and Microsoft – requiring them to disclose what measures they’re taking to tackle the proliferation of child sexual exploitation material on their platforms and services.

Jordan Foster, clinical child psychologist and managing director of cyber safety educators ySafe, said young people being desensitised to sexualised imagery and groomed to post online was a new phenomenon and generating serious concerns among experts.

She said social media users who post pornographic images or videos of themselves on the internet, were being celebrated, with content creators portraying it as an easy way to make money.

“What that does is create a sense that adult content and sexual imagery is something to aspire to,” Foster said. “It’s getting into the phones and bedrooms of young teenagers, who just see this very positive and very exciting lifestyle and that creates vulnerability as they start to think that’s an option for them.

“They’re innocent and naive and that’s where we’d like them to be. But they’re not aware of the implications.”

(continued)

>>17494489

2/2

Late last month police were forced to shut down a meet and greet with 23-year-old TikTok and OnlyFans star Anna Paul because so many people turned up. Paul has 5.2 million TikTok followers but is also Australia’s number one creator on OnlyFans, a subscription-based service which allows users to post their own sexually explicit content.

Paul was promoting her new activewear line when thousands of young people flooded into the city.

“We were told the last time police saw a huge crowd like this was for a Justin Bieber concert,” Paul told her followers.

Foster said parents she had spoken to had no idea why Paul was so renowned. “That lack of awareness from parents makes kids vulnerable,” she said. “Talk to your kids.”

In states including Victoria and Queensland, specialist victim identification teams work within police forces to help identify and locate children depicted in explicit material posted online. Undercover officers and tech experts search for clues to help to find out where an at-risk or abused child was being held.

Speaking ahead of National Child Protection Week which begins on September 4, Sergeant Simon Fogarty – who oversees Victoria’s victim identification team – said his office had seen a string of recent successes in helping rescue children from harm.

What authorities were fast learning though was that while some online activities such as livestreaming might start out as a bit of fun for children, that online fun could quickly escalate into serious offending.

“We’re not dealing with a stereotypical victim, someone walking around the streets at nighttime being beaten up and assaulted, we’re dealing with children in the privacy of their own homes being exposed to material and being accessed by people from all over the world,” he said.

“There is a perception with child abuse material that it’s this sort of soft porn focus, glossy with a bit of a bra strap off the shoulder, it’s not. It can be the most violent, degradation and torture that you can truly imagine.”

https://www.theage.com.au/national/primary-school-children-filming-and-uploading-sexualised-content-in-worrying-new-trend-20220826-p5bd15.html

—

Want to help victim identification teams locate at-risk or abused children? Images of objects such as blankets and toys found in abuse material can be found here at:

https://www.accce.gov.au/what-we-do/trace-an-object

Have you seen inappropriate behaviour towards children online? Report it here at:

https://www.accce.gov.au/report

>>17426603 (pb)

Home Affairs to review data harvesting by TikTok and WeChat

Anthony Galloway - September 4, 2022

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has ordered her department to investigate the harvesting of data by social media giant TikTok amid growing concern that staff in China can access the personal information of Australians.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age, O’Neil confirmed she had asked the Department of Home Affairs to come back with a briefing by next year on a range of options to tackle social media companies with questionable data collection practices.

O’Neil also revealed she is looking at the “next phase” of work to combat foreign interference in Australia, in a sign that overseas influence operations from countries such as China have not let off.

The review -which will also include input from the Australian Cyber Security Centre, which sits within Defence - will look at TikTok, WeChat and other social media companies.

“It’s not just about TikTok,” she said. “We’ve got this basic problem here where we’ve got technology companies that are based in countries with a more authoritarian approach to the private sector, and this is a relatively new problem,”

“The fact that we’ve got millions of Australians accessing an app where the usage of their data is questionable is very much a modern security challenge for the country and no country in the world has found the easy solution for managing this.”

O’Neil, who is also the cyber security minister, said the review would look at a range of options but confirmed the government was not considering banning the popular video-sharing app.

“We are getting a brief about options for it, but there’s not a silver bullet here and it’s an issue we’re just going to have to continue to work through,” she said.

TikTok last year hit 1 billion monthly active users across the world, about 7 million of which are in Australia.

For years TikTok had responded to privacy concerns by promising that information gathered about users in countries such as Australia was not sent back to China where its parent company, ByteDance, is based. But last month it was leaked that the app had been sharing US user data .

O’Neil conceded that it was concerning that Australians “know their data is not being protected” by some companies but “they’re still used by millions of people”.

She said the government needed to better inform Australians about how their data was being used and why they should care about it.

“They might know something about the fact that the data usage is a bit unclear, but it doesn’t stop them from using the app,” she said. “We probably need to have a bit more of a discussion with people about why it is something they would be worried about.

“TikTok is not the beginning and end of this. [It’s about] very dominant technology companies and the role they are playing in our lives.”

Fergus Ryan, a senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute who was among the first researchers in the world to begin raising concerns about the risks of TikTok three years ago, said it was positive to see the new government taking the issue seriously.

Ryan said it was important the government recognise risks are not just limited to the fact that TikTok user data can be and is being accessed in Beijing.

“Risks also extend to the very real possibility that the Chinese Communist Party will use its leverage over TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to manipulate political discourse on the app,” he said.

“We’ve already seen that take place on WeChat, another PRC-based social media app, when they first censored and then de-platformed then-prime minister Scott Morrison.

“But it could also occur in a less direct way. Chinese information operations take place on all social media apps. There is no reason to think that they would not also be taking place on TikTok.”

Ryan said it would also be worth countries banding together to take collective action through groups such as the Quad and the Five Eyes intelligence sharing partnership.

US President Joe Biden is considering placing restrictions on TikTok, according to multiple American media outlets.

In 2018, Australia passed landmark foreign interference laws which made it a criminal offence to influence a political or government process in a way that is covert or involves deception.

O’Neil said that the government would look at the “next phase of work” that was needed to combat foreign interference in Australia.

“I think the foreign interference subject is very crucial,” she said. “And it’s getting more and more important, as tensions are rising around the world.”

https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/federal/home-affairs-to-review-data-harvesting-by-tiktok-and-wechat-20220902-p5bf18.html

Ukraine’s pitch to Australia: Use our army as your guinea pig

Matthew Knott - September 5, 2022

1/2

Ukraine has launched a bold bid for its army to be used as a “guinea pig” for cutting-edge Australian military technology as it seeks to gain a crucial battlefield advantage over Vladimir Putin’s Russian forces.

With the war raging past its sixth month, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, is lobbying the Albanese government to send a fleet of 30 newly built protected mobility vehicles, known as Hawkeis, to the war zone.

The patrol vehicles – which owe their name to late prime minister Bob Hawke – have been designed and manufactured specially for the Australian Defence Force at defence contractor Thales’ facility in Bendigo, Victoria.

After experiencing technical problems during the construction phase, the four-wheel drive vehicles are not expected to reach full operational capability until next year.

Although they are untested on the battlefield, Myroshnychenko said a fleet of Hawkeis would make a valuable contribution to the war effort on top of the 60 Bushmaster troop carriers Australia has already committed to Ukraine.

“The Hawkeis are really impressive: they’re smaller, they’re faster, they’re nimble and they’re brand new,” Myroshnychenko told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age following a recent visit to the Thales manufacturing plant.

“They’re still in testing mode and are now being introduced into the Australian Defence Force.

“In my mind, we could make use of 30 of those to test them in the battlefield, see how they perform and we’ll provide invaluable feedback to the Australian defence forces for you to improve those vehicles.”

Myroshnychenko said he would present his proposal at an upcoming meeting with Defence Minister Richard Marles, describing the idea as a “win-win” for both countries.

“They help us [in the war] and we help you make them more adaptable to a wartime environment,” he said.

Marles declined to comment as the government and Defence Department await details of the proposal.

Myroshnychenko said he would also request Australia send another 30 Bushmasters to Ukraine on top of the 60 vehicles the government has already committed to provide.

In July, the government announced it would provide an additional $100 million in military assistance to Ukraine, taking Australia’s total contribution to the war effort to $385 million.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month thanked Australia for its “significant support”, but urged the government to provide more assistance as the war continues.

“It’s a struggle of tyranny against democracy, so you can’t stand aside if you support common principles with Ukraine,” he said in an address to the Australian National University.

(continued)

>>17499234

2/2

The Australian government is spending $1.3 billion on a fleet of 1100 Hawkeis to replace most of the army’s fleet of blast-protected Land Rovers. The last of the vehicles rolled off the production line at Bendigo last month.

The vehicles, which can carry up to six soldiers, have removable armour and optional mounts for weapons including automatic grenade launchers.

Importantly, they are light enough to be transported by helicopter, allowing them to be airlifted directly onto the battlefield.

Defence Force chief Angus Campbell has described the Hawkei as a “very versatile vehicle, at the leading edge globally of this kind of capability”. But the rollout of the technology was marred by technical difficulties and delays.

The Defence Department identified problems with the Hawkei’s braking system in 2020 and announced it would stop accepting vehicles from Thales while the issues were investigated.

Then-defence minister Peter Dutton announced in July last year that the braking problem had been resolved, allowing operating restrictions to be lifted and full-scale production to recommence.

In a brutal report released last year, the Australian National Audit Office found Defence had not demonstrated the Hawkei acquisition provided value for taxpayers’ money.

The government could have saved hundreds of millions of dollars by sticking with a previous United States contract for new light vehicles, the office found.

The vehicles are named after Acanthophis hawkei, a species of death adder named in honour of former prime minister Bob Hawke.

A Thales spokeswoman declined to comment on Myroshnychenko’s proposal, saying any decision on exporting the vehicles overseas would be a matter for the government.

Myroshnychenko said he was also urging Australia to “adopt” a particular region of Ukraine and focus its reconstruction assistance on that area.

He called for Australia and New Zealand to concentrate their support on the port city of Mykolaiv. Other countries such as Portugal, the United Kingdom and Greece have already adopted other regions in Ukraine.

“There will be a lot that you can do with the ports, shipyards and grain storage facilities but also regular infrastructure like schools and hospitals which have been destroyed in large numbers,” he said.

“This is the basic stuff you need to allow people to return to the cities. I want a piece of something left for Australia because it would be a shame if everyone else is involved and you’re not.”

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ukraine-s-pitch-to-australia-use-our-army-as-your-guinea-pig-20220904-p5bf7l.html

Hostage diplomacy in Xi’s China

Two years after she was detained, Australian journalist Cheng Lei is still in prison in Beijing with no family contact.

WILL GLASGOW - September 5, 2022

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The Chinese delegation was in high spirits. Glasses were clinking at a celebratory dinner in Canberra. They had flown from Beijing to toast a new consular agreement with Australia.

It outlined the rights for future Australians detained in China – people such as Cheng Lei, the television journalist, who was thrown into a Beijing prison cell two years ago without charge. She still hasn’t been sentenced.

The Agreement on Consular Relations between Australia and the People’s Republic of China came into force in 2000. Back then, Jiang Zemin was China’s president, charming Australia’s prime minister, John Howard, with Shakespeare recitations. The consular agreement was a product of those optimistic times.

“We all sat around a table at a restaurant in Civic in Canberra toasting each other,” says Ian Kemish, who was then running Australia’s consular service. “There was a spirit of engagement in the air.”

At the close of the first decade of the Xi Jinping era, senior Australian diplomats don’t talk that way about China any more. The consular agreement is in tatters, along with the 2015 China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which Beijing shredded with its no-holds-barred campaign of economic coercion against Canberra in 2020.

Australia’s China ambassador, Graham Fletcher – the foremost China expert in the Australian government – was frank in his address outside the Beijing court where Cheng, a University of Queensland graduate, was tried in secrecy on March 31.

‘See the difference’

“Our consular agreement says we ought to be able to attend trials of any kind,” Fletcher said after he was denied access to the barely three-hour-long closed trial.

Kemish, who was in charge of the agreement’s early implementation, agrees with his former Foreign Affairs colleague: “I’m with Graham … It’s certainly a breach of the spirit.”

Beijing used the same secretive tactics for the one-day, closed trial of fellow Australian Yang Hengjun, who was snatched in China’s south on January 19, 2019. Fletcher was denied entry to his one-day closed hearing in May 2021.

Yang had been trying to visit a sick family member. The Australian government knew the writer – known as the “democracy peddler” to his huge Chinese-language readership – was in huge trouble when it discovered 10 agents from his old employer had detained him at Guangzhou’s international airport. Before becoming an Australian citizen, Yang was a member of China’s secret service. This time, his political connections didn’t save him.

Cheng’s situation is more puzzling. She was an anchor on CGTN, China’s English-language state broadcaster. She even coined the network’s official slogan, “See the difference”.

Two years ago Fletcher’s team in Beijing learned she was missing from Nick Coyle, Cheng’s long-time partner. He had visited her apartment with Cheng’s close friend, Haze Fan, a Chinese national and Bloomberg journalist. They found Cheng’s computer and passport were gone. Months later, Fan also “disappeared”.

It wasn’t until August 27, 2020, almost a fortnight after the Australian journalist was taken into the shadowy Chinese prison network for torturous interrogation sessions, that Fletcher’s team in Beijing was able to speak to her over video.

By then it was clear this had not been a mix-up. There was no confusion about Cheng’s Australian citizenship – indeed, there were fears it had made her a target.

Months earlier, the Morrison government had enraged Beijing by calling for an inquiry into the origins of Covid. Ambassador Fletcher was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing for what may be the most epic dressing down in the nearly 50-year history of Australia’s official relations with the People’s Republic.

Then in June, Australian security agents searched the homes of four Chinese state media journalists in Sydney in relation to a foreign interference case. All four returned to China.

Chinese state media only revealed their experience after foreign minister Marise Payne went public with the dreadful news: “Ms Cheng Lei has been detained in China.”

That was on August 31, 2020. Cheng is now in her third year in a Beijing prison.

(continued)

>>17499268

2/3

Quiet release plan

It would be hard to overstate the damage Beijing has inflicted with its abuse of Yang and Cheng.

The Lowy Institute’s authoritative poll recently found only 12 per cent of Australians now trust China to act responsibly in the world. That’s a precipitous 40-point fall since 2018.

On the first anniversary of Cheng’s detention, The Australian revealed the television anchor’s Beijing colleagues found out she had “disappeared” when someone on the CGTN breaking news desk saw a report in international media.

Days earlier, management had made them sign a strange legal document, called a nondisclosure undertaking. Many quit in disgust.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr spoke for many Australians when he recently called Yang and Cheng “hostages”.

Carr also canvassed publicly some of the scenarios the Albanese government is privately discussing about how Canberra might get them out.

He suggested Trade Minister Don Farrell make a trip to Shanghai. There, Farrell could tell his Chinese counterpart that Canberra would review the anti-dumping actions that had upset Beijing and make it clear Australia would not block China’s entry into the sweeping CPTPP trade pact.

In return, Carr outlined in The Sydney Morning Herald, Beijing could lift the bans it had imposed on $20bn a year of Australian exports: barley, beef, copper, cotton, lobsters, timber, wine and coal.

Then the Australian cabinet minister could bring up the hostages, much as the Morrison government did to secure the release of Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert from the dungeons of Iran.

“Saying his farewells, Farrell can hand over a letter from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to President Xi Jinping proposing we follow this ‘win-win’ on trade with the quiet release of the two Australian hostages, Dr Yang Hengjun and Cheng Lei,” Carr advised.

It is far from clear whether such a scheme would work, but these are the conversations that now take place in Australia about Xi’s China, which, like Iran, North Korea and Russia, is an unapologetic practitioner of hostage diplomacy.

“China’s narrative about being a benign and positive contributor to the international order is seriously undercut by behaviour like this,” says Kemish, who has written a book, The Consul, on Australians in trouble overseas.

Beijing started acting much more assertively in 2008. China’s leaders saw the US’s power as diminished after the global financial crisis, emboldening their behaviour.

Rio Tinto’s then Shanghai-based executive, Stern Hu, was the first Australian taken hostage by this increasingly confident China back in 2009. Secret police detained Hu weeks after the Anglo-Australian miner backflipped on a $19.5bn offer by Chinese state giant Chinalco to increase its stake in the strategically important iron ore supplier.

Beijing felt it had been tricked.

Hu spent nine years in prison in China. Many thought his punishment was a message to Canberra. He was released in 2018 and has never spoken about his ordeal.

China’s hostage-taking has become more brazen in the Xi era, which since 2016 has been characterised by a surging belief in the superiority of Beijing’s Leninist model.

It has made China an increasingly perilous place to visit for citizens of the growing number of countries in Beijing’s bad books.

For 1020 days, two Canadians – Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig – were the most high-profile hostages in Xi’s China. They were thrown into the brutal Chinese disciplinary system in December 2018, an undisguised response to the arrest in Canada days earlier of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

Kemish’s book reveals just how different Beijing’s approach was less than 20 years ago when Australia’s high commissioner in Nepal launched an extraordinary operation to rescue a group of Australian mountaineers.

Using Nepalese defence assets – a Russian-built Mi-17 helicopter – the Australian government was able to rescue the mountaineers trapped in Tibet, in China’s far west, on the slopes of the world’s sixth-highest peak. That daring mission was only possible because of the consular agreement.

Beijing, then in the early, cautious years of Hu Jintao’s time as China’s leader, was keen to be helpful.

“The Chinese foreign minister rang the Australian acting foreign minister, Mark Vaile, to give him the good news that, yes, it could go ahead,” Kemish recalls. “Can you imagine that happening now?”

(continued)

>>17499273

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‘Please come home’

It is now a much more fraught time to be Australian in China.

After more than 1300 days in prison – including torture sessions during his pre-trial interrogation – Yang, 57, still has not been given a sentence. His day before a Beijing court was in May last year, 16 months ago. Friends worry about his declining health. Three and a half years after his imprisonment, he has never been allowed to speak to his wife or children.

Cheng, 47, has now spent more than 700 days in prison. Not once has she been allowed to speak to her two children, who are both in Melbourne. They write letters to their mum to be read by Australian diplomats at monthly consular visits, which are all done over video.

“Dear Mum, I started year 7 today and think about you every day,” reads one letter. “I wish you were here.”

Another, first reported by The Daily Telegraph, asked her to come home: “Not a single day goes by without me missing the best mum in the whole world … I will be strong, just like you taught me, please come home soon.”

Cheng teaches English to her cellmates, which she says helps give her purpose. She reads books sent by her partner, Nick Coyle, who was the head of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce. Coyle – who Cheng calls “my knight in shining flip-flops” – has since left the job and Beijing so he can freely advocate for her case.

The blue-chip members of the China-focused business lobby he used to run – including ANZ, KPMG, CBA, Telstra, Woodside and King & Wood Mallesons – have had to explain to their current staff and future hires what her horrendous experience might mean for them.

A month before Cheng was put in prison, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued new travel advice warning Australians may face “arbitrary detention” in China. Australian expats in China grumbled at the time. Many have since left the country.

Cheng’s eyesight is worsening. Dozens of friends and colleagues The Australian has spoken to speak of her toughness. But everyone has their limits.

‘Don’t worry about that’

Beijing’s appalling treatment of these two Australians continues as the Albanese government pursues the difficult work of stabilising relations with China.

Penny Wong’s second statement as Australia’s Foreign Minister marked the first anniversary of Yang’s closed trial. By her fifth week in the job, Wong was overseeing the passing on of birthday messages from Cheng’s children to their mum.

Canberra is united in its advocacy. Shadow foreign minister Simon Birmingham says reports of Cheng’s deteriorating health are deeply troubling.

“As trade minister, I was interviewed by Cheng Lei and found her to be nothing but a business journalist interested in trade and business affairs who asked challenging questions of me in the same way I would expect of any other insightful journalist,” Birmingham says.

He says her treatment raises questions about “the application of both the letter and spirit” of Australia and China’s agreement on consular relations.

When Cheng was put in prison, Birmingham was Australia’s trade minister, having his repeated requests to speak to his Chinese counterpart denied. Now it is Trade Minister Farrell, a fellow South Australian, who is having his meeting requests rejected.

China’s ambassador in Australia, Xiao Qian, recently told Canberra’s National Press Club the 50th anniversary of Australia’s recognition of China this December could contribute to an improvement in the poisoned bilateral relationship.

In the same address, Xi’s top Australian envoy said Cheng’s and Yang’s rights were being protected under Chinese law. He blamed Covid for a two-month cessation of consular access earlier in the year and dismissed concerns about their treatment.

“Their basic rights are protected, so don’t worry about that,” Xiao said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/from-banquets-to-cheng-lei-how-australians-became-hostage-to-xis-china/news-story/dfafbbb6d031541dd8ecc94e76d7805c

>>17458335

>>17465759

Solomon Islands says Australia, New Zealand exempt from navy ship moratorium despite China security pact

Reuters/ABC - 5 September 2022

Navy vessels from Australia and New Zealand will be exempt from a temporary ban on foreign ships entering the ports of the Solomon Islands, the Pacific Island nation's Prime Minister has told his own parliament.

Foreign military vessels responding to a request for assistance from the Solomon Islands government would also be exempt, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said on Monday.

The Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China in April, which a leaked draft said allows the Chinese navy to replenish in Honiara.

It prompted concern from Australia, New Zealand and the United States about China's growing influence.

Last week, Mr Sogavare announced a moratorium on foreign navy vessels entering port following incidents in which a US coast guard vessel and a British navy vessel on patrol for illegal fishing were unable to refuel in Honiara.

Questioned by opposition members of parliament about the moratorium, Mr Sogavare said military vessels deployed under the auspices of the Solomon Islands International Assistance Force (SIIAF) — a treaty under which Australia, New Zealand and Fiji work with Solomon Islands police — would be exempt.

The US, which plans to open an embassy in Honiara, said it was informed on August 29 of a moratorium on all foreign navy vessels.

A month earlier, the US pledged to boost aid and increase illegal fishing surveillance in the Pacific in an attempt to counter China's growing presence.

The cabinet had decided to impose the moratorium on military vessels as it reviewed "the benefits and risks to Solomon Islands of any visits by any military vessels", Mr Sogavare said, though adding the moratorium was "not targeting the United States of America".

He said Australia, New Zealand, the US and Britain had become involved in the illegal fishing patrols and his office needed to know more about the vessels arriving.

The Forum Fisheries Agency, which is based in Honiara and represents Pacific Island nations with rich tuna stocks, would need to notify his office about which naval vessels are taking part in surveillance patrols to gain an exemption, he said.

"We don't know who the hell is coming," he said.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeremiah Manele said a report on the matter was expected at the end of next week.

Tensions are high in Solomon Islands as changes to the constitution to delay a general election are expected to pass parliament this week.

Australia advised in a travel warning on Saturday of the risk of civil unrest as the parliament considers "significant legislation".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/solomon-islands-says-australia-nz-exempt-from-navy-ship-ban/101407122

Tiny Tuvalu to 'stand firm' with Taiwan as Pacific competition hots up

Ben Blanchard - September 5, 2022

TAIPEI, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The leader of the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu pledged on a trip to Taiwan on Monday to "stand firm" on a commitment to lasting ties, drawing Taiwan's thanks at a time of growing competition as China expands its influence in the region.

Tuvalu, with a population of about 10,000, is one of only 14 countries to retain full diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and one of four in the Pacific where Beijing and Washington are tussling for influence.

Speaking at a welcome ceremony in Taipei hosted by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano said "decent and common values" have always been an added strength to their bond after 43 years of relations.

"Through tumultuous times of geostrategic agendas, we continue to stand firm in our commitment to remain a lasting and loyal ally of the Republic of China," Natano said, referring to Taiwan by its official name.

"I recognise the cornerstones of our diplomatic ties, involving two nations founded on the principles of democracy, trust, human rights and freedom of the individual."

Natano is on first trip to Taiwan since being elected in 2019.

Tsai praised their strong friendships, and thanked Tuvalu for speaking up for Taiwan on the world stage and support for its international participation.

"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Tuvalu for its invaluable friendship," she said.

Taiwan lost two Pacific allies to Beijing in 2019: the Solomon Islands and Kiribati. Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands have, like Tuvalu, stuck with Taipei.

The Solomon Islands has become a focal point in the escalating competition between China and the United States in the strategically important region, and has had a tense relationship with the United States and its allies since striking a security pact with China this year.

U.S. President Joe Biden will host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a Sept. 28-29 gathering in Washington, the latest U.S. effort to step up ties with the region.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tiny-tuvalu-stand-firm-with-taiwan-pacific-competition-hots-up-2022-09-05/

Biden to host Pacific Island leaders as China courts region

Michael Martina - September 3, 2022

WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a Sept. 28-29 gathering in Washington, the White House said on Friday, the latest U.S. effort to step up ties with the region increasingly courted by China.

The summit will reflect the United States' "broadening and deepening cooperation on key issues such as climate change, pandemic response, economic recovery, maritime security, environmental protection, and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said in a statement.

An administration official told Reuters the White House had invited 12 Pacific Islands countries, including the Solomon Islands, which in April struck a security pact with China, heightening Washington's concern about Beijing's growing influence.

The Solomon Islands, which switched its ties to Beijing from Chinese-claimed Taiwan in 2019, is a focal point in the escalating competition between China and the United States in the strategically vital region.

The Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji were also invited, as well as the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu, which Taiwan counts among its 14 diplomatic allies.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano arrived in Taipei on Saturday for a week-long trip and will sign an agreement reaffirming diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said.

Natano, whose country this month marks 43 years of ties with Taiwan, will meet President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday.

The White House did not provide details on which countries had confirmed attendance for the summit, which had been signaled as a priority by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman during a trip to the region in August.

During that trip, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare skipped a planned appearance with Sherman at a World War Two commemoration, and later that month his government did not respond to a U.S. Coast Guard vessel's request to refuel.

The United States has stepped up engagement with Pacific Islands countries under Biden, sending several senior official delegations and announcing plans to open embassies in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tonga.

https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-host-pacific-island-leaders-september-2022-09-02/

>>17405885 (pb)

Speaker rules against referring Scott Morrison to privileges committee over claims he misled parliament

Jake Evans - 5 September 2022

The Speaker of the House of Representatives has refused to refer former prime minister Scott Morrison to the house privileges committee.

Greens leader Adam Bandt moved for the Speaker to refer Mr Morrison for inquiry by the committee for misleading parliament over his secret self-appointment to jointly administer several portfolios.

But Speaker Milton Dick said there was no precedent for him to make the referral.

"On the information available to me it does not seem that a prima facie case has been made out in terms of the detail that speakers have always required," Mr Dick said.

"It then follows that I did not refer the matter ... nevertheless I understand the concern of the member and other members."

Mr Dick said the house could still vote to have the matter referred.

Mr Morrison is facing an inquiry by former High Court justice Virginia Bell over several power grabs throughout the pandemic that were kept secret from much of his own cabinet.

The privileges committee is a bipartisan authority appointed to inquire and report on complaints of contempt or breach of privilege, including misleading parliament.

Sky News has reported in an interview with Mr Morrison set to air this evening that criticisms of his self-appointments were a "slur" against him, and that he acted only as a safeguard against incapacitation from COVID-19.

"I think someone’s just got to break the circuit here," Mr Morrison told Sky.

"I could respond to this claim, this accusation, this slur, I don’t wish to do that, I’m not bitter, I’m thankful, I’m grateful."

Mr Morrison has admitted the only time he used the powers he gave himself was unrelated to COVID-19, when he overruled one of his ministers to block a petroleum exploration licence.

Mr Dick said to establish that contempt has been committed, it would need to be shown that a definite action or omission in fact had been misleading, that Mr Morrison knew at the time it was incorrect, and that the misleading had been deliberate.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/speaker-rules-against-referring-scott-morrison-to-committee/101405986

Real-life Squid Game horror spills over into Australia

STEPHEN RICE - SEPTEMBER 5, 2022

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The wealthy family of the sadistic overlord behind South Korea’s real-life Squid Game – now living in Australia – is expected to face legal action from survivors after an official inquiry revealed that 657 inmates were killed in the house of horrors.

The landmark report by the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission found the inmates died at a sinister facility known as the Brothers Home in the port city of Busan, where thousands of people kidnapped off the streets fought against each other to survive.

Brutal punishments – played out as “games” by over­seers – ­included savage beatings and being made to hang upside down for hours.

Many have drawn parallels with Squid Game, the smash-hit Netflix series in which homeless and out-of-luck South Koreans are plucked from the street to risk their lives by competing in a series of deadly contests. The Australian-based family, of the now-dead camp dictator, Park In-keun, is fighting ­demands to return to South Korea to face questioning about the source of its wealth, ­including ownership of a $15m golf driving range and sports complex in Sydney.

The Brothers Home facility was set up in the 1960s but in the years before the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the country’s military dictators ramped up efforts to “cleanse the streets of vagrants”.

As the secret prison became a money-making machine from government subsidies, people with families and jobs found drunk or without proper identi­fication were also rounded up.

In its report issued last week, the four-year-long commission of inquiry found that police randomly seized people off the streets regardless of whether they had easily identifiable homes or families, and even allowed camp guards, who toured the city in trucks, to do the kidnapping themselves.

The report revealed boss Park – a former soldier and boxer – embezzled the wages of thousands of inmates who were forced into slave labour.

The inquiry commission’s chair, Jung Geun Sik, said its findings could be used as evidence for survivors if they pursued lawsuits for damages against the government or any remaining Brothers Home stakeholders, who likely include Park’s family.

The story of Park’s escape to Australia was first unearthed by journalist Mary Ann Jolley, whose Al Jazeera documentary revealed the family’s rise to riches and power in suburban Sydney.

Park ruled the Brothers Home with an iron fist, forming “platoons” in which ­inmates were forced to compete against and abuse other inmates to survive.

Punishments included “the motor vehicle game”, where the torturer would yell “left indicator” and then hit them in the eye until it was bruised and red; and the “Hiroshima game”, where victims were forced to hang upside down for long periods from the rails of their bunk beds.

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Park surrounded himself with loyal family members.

Brother-in-law Lim Young-soon was a director of the home.

All claimed that they were ­devout Christians.

At the pinnacle of the Brothers Home was a church where Park and others allegedly held “people’s trials” at which those who had tried to escape were savagely beaten in front of thousands of ­inmates.

Park was arrested in 1987 and charged with illegal confinement but ­acquitted.

Two years later, he was making a new life in Australia with his family, establishing its own church in Sydney; in 1995, he bought a golf driving range and sports complex in the outer western suburb of Milperra for $1.9m.

Park was again charged in 2014 with embezzling money from one of the family’s social welfare centres in South Korea but died two years later.

Survivors want Lim Young-soon to answer questions in South Korea over the atrocities.

“When we started to delve into the documents from the original 1987 investigation into the home and talk to survivors, it became clear that Lim Young-soon had played a critical role at the home as both a director and pastor,” said Jolley.

Lim Young-soon told Al Jazeera no one had been abused at the Brothers Home and denied he was ever a director of the home, despite being listed on official documents and minutes from ­numerous board meetings listing him as attending as a director.

Lim Young-soon did not ­respond to requests by The ­Australian.

Park In-keun’s youngest daughter, Park Jee-hee, and her husband, Alex Min Kyung-woo, who own the Milperra golf driving range and sports complex, also did not respond to requests.

The family’s assets are in ­survivors’ sights, especially the 8ha sports complex, which includes a gym, tennis and squash courts.

Held under the family company, Job’s Town, the property – listed for sale in 2020 for $15m – brings them a rental ­income of more than $400,000 a year.

The commission plans to release more reports as its investi­gation continues.

Meanwhile, Netflix is developing a reality competition program based on Squid Game, featuring 456 players competing for a large cash prize.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/reallife-squid-game-horror-spills-over-into-australia/news-story/a3361df0d6b6b79847ff966b42923026

Asset-shedding child abuser John Wayne Millwood declares bankruptcy, ‘stacks’ creditors, gets pension, avoids compo to victim-survivor

MATTHEW DENHOLM - SEPTEMBER 4, 2022

A previously wealthy sex offender who divested millions in assets, avoiding a record damages payout to his victim, is receiving a taxpayer-funded pension while “stacking” bankruptcy creditors with family and associates.

John Wayne Millwood, a 76-year-old Tasmanian former colonial art-collector who in 2016 pleaded guilty to abusing a young boy over five years in the 1980s, causing lifelong harm, declared himself bankrupt in July.

In December 2021, a judge ordered Millwood, also a former pathology practice manager, to pay his victim, known in court as ZAB, $5.3m in civil damages – a ­record payout for Australia.

On the day the civil claim was lodged – December 7, 2016 – Millwood began to divest his fortune, estimated by ZAB and his legal team at $8m, via the sale or gifting of assets to family and friends.

Bankruptcy documents obtained by The Australian show Millwood – described by his trial judge as lacking any remorse and by a parole board as “narcissistic” – now claims to have just $1843 to his name.

His super fund, estimated to have been worth millions, is listed as having a zero balance, while he lists as his only income $25,678 a year in “government benefits/­pensions”. Adding further insult to ZAB, Millwood claims as creditors two companies ultimately owned by his daughter, Sarah Kate Millwood, who benefited from Millwood’s earlier share and property divestments.

Millwood has listed as other creditors two long-time associates – lawyer Darrell Grey and a company, Findex Group, in which Millwood’s accountant, Ken Davey, is partner.

A creditors’ report shows Mr Davey referred Millwood to SV Partners, which is now acting as Trustee in Bankruptcy.

Documents show Mr Davey’s Findex Hobart address is the same as that listed as the registered office for the two companies ultimately owned by Sarah Millwood and listed as creditors.

ZAB is “outraged” at his abuser receiving taxpayer-funded benefits, after his divestments, and fearful that despite his compensation constituting 99pc of Millwood’s debts, other creditors linked to Millwood can outvote him.

“It is completely outrageous – what a bloody joke,” said ZAB. “If someone emptied their super of millions in order to receive government welfare, we would call it social security fraud. If someone divested millions in property to avoid a liability to the ATO, we would call it tax avoidance.

“It is outrageous that Millwood has done exactly this to avoid paying a child abuse survivor damages awarded by the courts.

“He will not get away with it. It would make a laughing-stock of our entire system.

“Taxpayers will likely share my outrage. Here is a convicted paedophile, now bankrupt, continuing … his previous lifestyle, while collecting taxpayer-funded welfare.”

Millwood, his daughter Sarah and Mr Davey did not return messages. The Australian does not suggest Ms Millwood has acted improperly.

Lawyers for Ms Millwood have, in correspondence with ZAB’s lawyers, said she “denies that she in any way facilitated her father’s alleged divestment of his assets”.

“Accordingly, Ms Millwood denies that any assets she holds could be recovered by a trustee in bankruptcy,” her lawyer advised ZAB in May.

Mr Grey said Millwood had failed to pay one of his legal bills, listed at the value of $5500, and he was therefore a genuine creditor.

He refused to answer further questions.

ZAB said he feared that despite his payout dwarfing the debts to other creditors, he may be unable to influence the bankruptcy process and any vital asset clawback.

“I am advised that in creditor meetings, votes are on creditors by numbers basis,” he said. “I control 99pc of the debt but I am advised that I would have to make an application to the Federal Court seeking to stop ‘creditors by numbers’ outvoting me.

“It is difficult to escape the conclusion that Millwood has stacked the creditors … What kind of person goes to these lengths to avoid paying damages to child abuse ­victims? What kind of people are happy to assist?”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/assetshedding-child-abuser-john-wayne-millwood-declares-bankruptcy-stacks-creditors-gets-pension-avoids-compo-to-victimsurvivor/news-story/85dc50d793f52116fb893e8dc6e95b18

Three children rescued, 45 people facing child exploitation charges after WA police operation

Jessica Warriner - 5 September 2022

Three alleged child sexual abuse victims have been identified and rescued following an operation involving West Australian and federal police.

Over the course of seven days, officers executed around 61 search warrants across the state as part of the joint WA Police Operation Palomar and Australian Federal Police Operation Tamworth.

Forty-five people were charged in WA with a total of 149 offences and police say more than 35,000 images and videos were seized.

WA Police Detective Superintendent Gordon Fairman said exploitation material was direct evidence of children being abused, and identifying and rescuing the children was the highest priority for officers.

"People who manufacture, distribute or possess child exploitation material may believe they are anonymous, hiding behind a computer," he said.

"Let me tell you they are not. We can identify them, we can locate them and we can prosecute them."

WA Police confirmed the child exploitation material possession charges laid against former City of Stirling councillor Keith Sargent and another former Stirling employee were linked to the operation.

In 2021, the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 33,000 reports of child exploitation, double the number of reports from 2019.

AFP Detective Superintendent Graeme Marshall said the figures showed the scale of the problem.

"We need everyone in the community — parents, teachers, carers — to be alert," he said.

"The AFP, together with our state, Commonwealth and international partners remain committed to identifying, arresting and prosecuting those who seek to exploit and harm our community's most vulnerable — our children."

Concern over online predators

WA Police Inspector Hamish McKenzie said the operation, carried out in the lead-up to National Child Protection Week, was the largest of its type ever conducted in Australia.

He said authorities had seen an increasing connection between possession of child exploitation material and sexual offending against children.

"One in 10 offenders that we find in possession of child exploitation material are physically offending against children, whether it be their own children or somebody else's," he said.

"It reinforces what we in the law enforcement community have been saying for some time, that this is not a passive crime type, but is intrinsically linked to child sexual offending."

Both Inspector McKenzie and Detective Superintendent Marshall raised serious concerns about predators online, saying the three children removed from harm were teenagers "unknown" to the alleged offenders.

'Sextortion' warning for parents

One 22-year-old man charged as part of the operation allegedly paid a teenage girl to record herself performing sexually explicit acts and send him the videos, and had targeted her through social media.

"The case demonstrates how predators are targeting children through online activities, and effectively invading their bedrooms," Detective Superintendent Marshall said.

He also said instances of "sextortion" were on the rise, and urged parents and children to be aware of risks online.

"We are seeing more children groomed then blackmailed to produce more extreme child abuse material, with the fear that if they don't comply, the images will be shared with their family and friends," he said.

"You will not be shamed by coming forward and telling police what is happening to you."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/police-charge-45-people-with-child-exploitation-offences/101405688

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11180133/Paedophile-ring-Western-Australia-smashed-three-kids-rescued-45-alleged-offenders-charged.html

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/national-child-protection-week-%E2%80%93-45-people-charged-following-joint

>>17481731

>>17481753

Honiara reacts angrily after Australia offers to help fund Solomon Islands election amid moves to postpone the poll

Stephen Dziedzic - 6 September 2022

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The Solomon Islands government has slammed an Australian offer to fund national elections next year, calling it an "assault" on its democracy and an attempt at foreign interference.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong earlier on Tuesday confirmed that Australia made an offer to help fund elections in Solomon Islands next year as the country's parliament debated a deeply controversial bill to defer the national poll until 2024.

The Solomon Islands opposition has accused Manasseh Sogavare's government of undermining democracy and trying to "bulldoze" through a constitutional amendment that would delay the election until after the Pacific Games in late 2023.

Mr Sogavare brought the bill forward for parliamentary debate this week and it could pass as early as Thursday, despite protests from the opposition and civil society groups.

The government argued it could not afford to hold both the Games and the election in the same year.

Last month, some opposition MPs appealed for Australia to step forward and offer to provide financial assistance to allow the poll to be held on schedule.

On Tuesday morning, Senator Wong confirmed the federal government had made a formal offer to help Solomon Islands hold the election next year, although she did not lay out the scope of that offer.

"We have made an offer of assistance, and it's a matter for Solomon Islands as to whether they respond and how they wish to respond," she told RN Breakfast.

But late on Tuesday, the Solomon Islands government issued an angry statement calling the offer "inappropriate" and scolding the Foreign Minister for making it public while MPs are debating the bill to delay the poll.

"The timing of the public media announcement by the Australian government is in effect a strategy to influence how Members of Parliament will vote on this Bill during the second reading on Thursday 8th September 2022," the statement says.

"This is an assault on our parliamentary democracy and is a direct interference by a foreign government into our domestic affairs.

"The Solomon Islands government has conveyed to the Australian government its concern on the conduct of bilateral relations via the media through the Australian High Commission Office in Honiara."

Earlier, Penny Wong denied that the government's offer was a direct response to the Solomon Islands opposition's appeal for an intervention, stressing that Australia already had a track record of backing recent elections in the Pacific Island country.

"No, this is because Australia has always historically supported democracy in Solomon Islands," she said.

"We have previously offered support and we are offering support again."

Opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Jr slammed Mr Sogavare's response, saying it proved the Prime Minister's real ambition was simply to hold on to power in Solomon Islands.

"The attack by Sogavare on what is a generous offer by Australia is unfortunate and extremely unhelpful. It has exposed Sogavare and his government's … selfish agenda to hold on to power," he told the ABC.

"We do not agree that Australia's offer amounts to foreign influence. When Australia gave $17 million for the Pacific Games it was heartily welcomed with smiles. But when an offer is made to support timely elections, it is seen differently.

"This simply highlights the schizophrenic nature of Sogavare's relationship with Australia. He will take what he feels is good for him and will brand an offer to help uphold our own constitution as foreign influence."

Australia has offered logistical and financial assistance for several recent elections, including the most recent contest in 2019.

The government has contributed $700,000 through the Australian Electoral Commission, as well as $5 million channelled through a United Nations initiative designed to strengthen electoral processes through to 2024.

But this offer makes it clear that Australia is willing to make a larger contribution over and above that to help Solomon Islands hold elections next year.

"If the election remains in 2023, we will support Solomon Islands to ensure it can successfully occur," a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

Still, the Foreign Minister and Australian diplomats are treading carefully.

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'A sad moment indeed'

The election deferral is politically charged in Solomon Islands and some of Mr Sogavare's supporters have already taken to social media in the country accusing Australia of meddling in domestic politics.

The opposition says the Prime Minister remains intent on rushing the constitutional amendment through as quickly as possible, and are angry they won't get a chance to scrutinise the bill in the Bills and Legislation Committee.

The MP chairing the committee, John Maneniaru, lashed the process in parliament this morning, accusing the government of trashing democratic conventions.

"I am very disheartened, very disappointed indeed, by the fact the Prime Minister and [his party] have seen it fit [and] decided to hijack my Bills and Legislation Committee mandate and parliamentary responsibility," he said.

"This for me is a sad moment indeed … for our democracy. A fresh and new history has been pencilled down into our parliamentary democracy, [a] history that a deliberate decision was made to bulldoze into our parliamentary democracy process for the first time."

Tess Newton Cain from the Griffith Asia Institute's Pacific Hub said the furious response showed how "sensitive and delicate" the subject was in Solomon Islands.

"It's now becoming something of a flashpoint in the relationship between Solomon Islands and Australia," she said.

Dr Newton Cain said it was reasonable for Australia to make the offer to fund the 2023 elections, despite the risk of it stirring controversy.

"It was something of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation", she said.

"Making the offer probably wasn't a miscalculation but publicising it before the Sogavare government had made their own response … is obviously something that has really got up Mr Sogavare's nose."

"Having said that, as we've seen previously from Prime Minister Sogavare, he is very adept at taking each and every announcement and spinning it to suit his own narrative, and I think there's a bit of that going on now."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-06/solomon-islands-election-funding-penny-wong/101410316

>>17444743 (pb)

Kiribati suspends all Court of Appeal judges after row over attempts to deport High Court justice David Lambourne to Australia

Stephen Dziedzic - 6 September 2022

Kiribati's government has dramatically escalated its campaign against the judiciary, suspending the country's three remaining senior judges after they blocked the deportation of High Court justice and Australian citizen David Lambourne.

The decision effectively leaves Kiribati without any functioning high-level courts, deepening its legal and constitutional crisis.

The office of Kiribati President Taneti Maamau responded furiously when the Kiribati Court of Appeal — which is staffed by three retired New Zealand judges — blocked its move to deport Mr Lambourne, labelling the government's actions unconstitutional.

The Kiribati government had previously tried — unsuccessfully — to force Mr Lambourne onto a plane and out of the country, resulting in an extraordinary stand-off on the airport tarmac.

Last month, the Court of Appeal quashed the deportation order and ordered the government to reinstate him.

It also dismissed Kiribati's argument that Mr Lambourne was a security risk, calling it "far-fetched", and directed that he be issued a new visa to allow him to stay in the country.

But now Mr Maamau has moved to immediately suspend the three Court of Appeal justices who made that ruling — Paul Heath, Peter Blanchard and Rodney Hansen.

All three men are retired senior New Zealand judges and distinguished jurists. They have been referred to a tribunal set up by Kiribati's government to determine whether they should stay in office, although how this will tribunal will function and who will sit on it is not yet clear.

While Mr Lambourne still remains in Kiribati, he has not yet been issued a new visa permitting him to stay in the country, despite the orders issued by the Court of Appeal.

President warned court to 'self-correct'

The dispute has its roots in a longstanding disagreement over tenure, but has stoked broader concerns about the rule of law and independence of the judiciary in Kiribati.

The government claimed Mr Lambourne breached the constitution by "demanding to be paid as a judge for life", saying that he was only ever appointed to a three-year term.

But Mr Lambourne said he suspects he is being targeted because he is married to Kiribati's Opposition Leader, Tessie Lambourne.

In a submission to the Court of Appeals last month, lawyers representing the Attorney-General warned that Taneti Maamau might suspend the court if it did not "self-correct".

After the court issued its judgement, Mr Maamau's office issued another angry screed, saying it was "gravely concerned by the continuing attack on the rule of law by a few judges, who refuse to honour the constitution, laws and customs by issuing autocratic mandates".

"The government of Kiribati will continue to stress that it is vital that judicial integrity underpin judicial independence, so the rule of law does not become a vehicle for autocratic judicial tyranny that robs our good and honest people of their sovereignty," it said.

Kiribati's chief justice, New Zealand judge William Hastings, was also suspended in June this year after the government accused him of "misconduct".

Legal groups in Australia — as well as a UN Special Rapporteur — have repeatedly criticised Kiribati's actions, saying the government has made a series of moves to undermine judicial independence and interfere with judges' security of tenure.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/kiribati-suspends-court-of-appeal-judges/101407060

MP once raided as part of ASIO investigation defends ‘honorary’ role in China-linked association

Shaoquett Moselmane has defended his position as “honorary chairman” of an association linked with China’s foreign influence arm.

James O'Doherty - September 5, 2022

A Labor MP whose home was raided in an ASIO investigation into foreign interference has defended his role as honorary chairman of an association academics say is involved with the Chinese Communist Party.

Despite the 2020 raid, upper house MP Shaoquett Moselmane still serves as honorary chairman of the Australian Shanghainese Association, which has been identified by academics as being part of the United Front Work Department.

The United Front Work Department is “an agency of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee that has a leading role in efforts to influence and co-opt members of Chinese diaspora communities”, said Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Alex Joske.

Mr Moselmane still promotes his honorary chairmanship on his website, including a photo of a certificate conferring the title under the “awards and acknowledgments” section.

Mr Joske said it was “concerning” that Mr Moselmane was still associated with the organisation.

“I think it’s surprising that Shaoquett Moselmane hasn’t left the organisation,” he said.

“I think state governments and the federal government should really be working to better educate politicians on what these sorts of organisations are.”

In a statement to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Moselmane defended his honorary position, describing it as “like being a patron”.

“I have had no contact with the organisation,” he said.

“Many parliamentarians … accept appointments as patrons.”

Mr Moselmane’s home was raided as part of an ASIO investigation into concerns the Chinese government was working to influence the office of a sitting MP.

At the time, he insisted he was not a suspect in the investigation.

Mr Moselmane was suspended from the Labor Party at the time but was welcomed back into the fold months later after he provided then-leader Jodi McKay with a document confirming he was not a suspect in any federal police investigation. No charges were ever laid.

Earlier in 2020, Mr Moselmane resigned as assistant president of parliament’s upper house after coming under fire for repeatedly praising China’s response to the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Moselmane had praised Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “unswerving leadership”.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/mp-once-raided-as-part-of-asio-investigation-defends-honorary-role-in-chinalinked-association/news-story/e45675ec727c7d5fee8d2fdf49fe7843