Richard Marles meets with US, UK counterparts to discuss AUKUS deal progress
ABC News (Australia)
Sep 27, 2024
The UK will train hundreds of Australians to operate nuclear powered submarines as part of a new bilateral treaty, to try to keep the $368 billion AUKUS security pact on track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcvld5jNzP4
‘Utterly untrue’: Keating berates Marles over AUKUS defence
Hans van Leeuwen and Matthew Cranston - Sep 27, 2024
London | Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has slapped down former prime minister Paul Keating and other senior Labor critics of the AUKUS defence pact, as the government looks to rein in the controversy before it threatens to sap public support.
Standing beside the American and British defence secretaries at a press conference in London, Mr Marles said AUKUS was now rolling inexorably forward, and had the strong backing of the Australian public.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also weighed in: he rejected one of Mr Keating’s central claims, telling journalists that AUKUS would not compromise Australia’s ability to make sovereign defence and security decisions in its own national interest.
Mr Keating ridiculed these comments, saying Australia would only remain in charge of its own security until the prime minister and defence minister took a call from the US president, seeking to mobilise Australia’s submarines.
“Wherein, both would click their heels in alacrity and agreement. The rest of us would read about it in some self-serving media statement afterwards,” Mr Keating said in a statement.
The $368 billion plan to bring nuclear-powered submarines to Australia has come under increasing fire from Labor grandees, including Mr Keating and former foreign ministers Bob Carr and Gareth Evans. They have argued it will be too expensive and potentially undeliverable and will yoke Australia into military and geopolitical dependency on the US.
The debate has not frayed the bipartisan support for AUKUS in Canberra, but could spur concern among observers in Britain and the US about the solidity of Australia’s commitment.
Britain is keen for an AUKUS fillip to its manufacturing jobs and exports, while the US sees the tripartite pact as shoring up its military posture against China. The three defence ministers were holding an AUKUS summit in London, which included the announcement of an Australia-UK treaty to ensure the submarine program stays on track.
Mr Austin tackled Mr Keating’s earlier criticism head-on. “We are creating capability. And we are committed to making sure that Australia has what it needs to have, going forward. And [Australia] will make its own sovereign decisions about what it will do in the future. We fully expect that,” he said.
Mr Marles said Mr Keating was “perfectly entitled to the view that he holds”, but argued that the logic behind AUKUS matched that of the former prime minister when he committed to the Collins-class submarine program in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“As a nation that is positioned where we are – which is ocean-going, which is so connected to the world for our sea lines of communication – we have to have a top-of-the-line, first-rate, long-range submarine capability. And the only way we achieve that is through a nuclear-powered submarine capability,” Mr Marles said.
“So to be able to have the same capability in the future that in Mr Keating’s time that he was planning for with the Collins-class submarines, we must walk down this path.”
Mr Keating rejected that argument on Friday as “utterly untrue”, saying the Collins-class were defensive submarines, designed to keep an enemy away from Australia and never designed to operate as far as China. “This is an argument unbecoming of any defence minister,” he said.
Despite Mr Keating’s comments, Mr Marles said there had been demonstrable support for AUKUS from the Labor Party’s own conference last year, and also from the Coalition and the Australian public.
“There is support for AUKUS in Australia,” he said. “That is where the public debate stands,” he said. “There will, of course, be other voices – this happens in a democracy, and that is important. But this is a program that enjoys bipartisan support in Australia. And it is happening.”
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/deputy-pm-slaps-down-keating-over-aukus-doubts-20240927-p5kdw8
Keating, Marles exchange fire over pact to buy US submarines
David Crowe and Rob Harris - September 27, 2024
1/2
Former prime minister Paul Keating has berated the Labor government for claiming the AUKUS alliance will follow a similar path to his defence policy from three decades ago, escalating his attacks by calling the defence pact an act of “sublimation” to America.
Keating accused Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles of misleading Australians over the plan to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, arguing the outcome would sacrifice Australian sovereignty.
His blistering comments about “flogging a dead seahorse” came after Marles met his United States and United Kingdom counterparts in London on Thursday and recommitted to the plan to buy several US submarines before building a new fleet of AUKUS submarines.
“The fact is, the Albanese government, through this program and the ambitious basing of American military forces on Australian soil is doing nothing other than abrogating Australia’s sovereign right to command its own continent and its military forces,” Keating said.
Marles launched a passionate defence of the strategy by vowing there was no turning back on the $368 billion nuclear submarines deal, speaking alongside UK Defence Secretary John Healey and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin at Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich on Thursday.
“We have to have a top-of-the-line, first-rate, long-range submarine capability,” Marles said, drawing a parallel between the current plan and the Keating government’s decision to build the Collins-class submarine in the 1990s.
“So to be able to have the same capability in the future that in Mr Keating’s time he was planning for with the Collins-class submarines, we must walk down this path.”
Marles argued that Australia had to commit to nuclear-powered submarines to continue the approach taken with the Collins-class diesel-powered vessels in the past, while he acknowledged the big leap in technical capability with the future fleet.
“It is not lost on us the significance of the step that we are taking,” Marles said. “But this is utterly essential for Australia’s future and the strategic imperative of that remains unchanged, irrespective of what Mr Keating says.
“We are really comfortable and confident about the way in which that argument is being received. There will, of course, be other voices, which happens in a democracy, and that is important, but this is a program which enjoys bipartisan support in Australia, and it is happening.”
Keating took issue with that argument and said Labor members were against AUKUS.
“Richard Marles says ‘there has been demonstrable support for AUKUS within the Labor Party’. This may be true at some factionally, highly managed national conference – like the last one – but it is utterly untrue of the Labor Party’s membership at large – which he knows,” Keating said in a statement after the Greenwich meeting.
“The membership abhors AUKUS and everything that smacks of national sublimation. It does not expect these policies from a Labor government.”
(continued)
2/2
In a personal attack on the defence ministers, Keating said Marles had relied on Austin “propping him up” to make a false claim that AUKUS would not compromise Australian sovereignty, a claim also made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“But this would only be true until the prime minister and Marles got their phone call from the [US] president, seeking to mobilise Australian military assets – wherein, both would click their heels in alacrity and agreement,” Keating said.
Several diplomatic sources, speaking on background to discuss sensitive security issues, have told this masthead the US has grown frustrated at the Albanese government’s refusal to publicly rebut Keating, Evans and former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr, another critic of the pact.
In his statement, Keating cited recent comments from former Labor foreign minister Gareth Evans, a key member of the Hawke and Keating governments, that it “defies credibility” to expect the US to sell the Virginia-class submarines without an understanding that Australia would use them to help the US in the region, including in any conflict over Taiwan.
As well as making a broader argument against the defence strategy, Keating argued the Collins submarines were 3,400 tonnes each and designed for the defence of Australia, while the Virginia submarines were 10,000 tonnes and designed for attack against Chinese vessels.
The meeting on Thursday in London represented the first time defence ministers from the three AUKUS nations had met outside the US since the pact was launched in September 2021.
The US will sell two second-hand nuclear-powered Virginia-class boats to Australia in the early 2030s, with a third arriving towards the end of that decade. The UK and Australia are working on their own joint submarine project, known as SSN-AUKUS, with the custom-built nuclear-powered fleet to enter service in the late 2030s in the UK and early 2040s in Australia.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/it-is-happening-marles-launches-defence-of-aukus-amid-keating-criticism-20240927-p5kdwe.html
https://x.com/TroyBramston/status/1839530520239038870
China’s Newest Nuclear Submarine Sank, Setting Back Its Military Modernization
Pierside accident came as Beijing attempts to expand its navy
Michael R. Gordon - Sept. 26, 2024
1/2
WASHINGTON - China’s newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank in the spring, a major setback for one of the country’s priority weapons programs, U.S. officials said.
The episode, which Chinese authorities scrambled to cover up and hasn’t previously been disclosed, occurred at a shipyard near Wuhan in late May or early June.
It comes as China has been pushing to expand its navy, including its fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
The Pentagon has cast China as its principal long-term “pacing challenge,” and U.S. officials say that Beijing has been using political and military pressure to try to coerce Taiwan, a separately governed island that Beijing claims as part of its territory.
China says its goal in building a world-class military is to deter aggression and safeguard its overseas interests. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. doesn’t know if the sub was carrying nuclear fuel at the time it sank, but experts outside the U.S. government said that was likely.
Undersea technology has long been an area of U.S. advantage, but China has been pushing hard to narrow the gap.
China has been moving to diversify the production of nuclear-powered submarines. Production has been centered in the northeastern city of Huludao, but China is now moving to manufacture nuclear-powered attack submarines at the Wuchang Shipyard near Wuhan.
Beijing had 48 diesel-powered attack subs and six nuclear-powered attack subs at the end of 2022, according to a Pentagon report issued last year on China’s military power,
That report said that China’s aim in developing new attack submarines, surface ships and naval aircraft is to counter efforts by the U.S. and its partners to come to Taiwan’s aid during a conflict and to achieve “maritime superiority” within the first island chain, a string of territory from the Japanese archipelago through Taiwan and the Philippines to the South China Sea.
The Zhou-class vessel that sank is the first of a new class of Chinese nuclear-powered subs and features a distinctive X-shaped stern, which is designed to make the vessel more maneuverable.
The sub was built by China State Shipbuilding Corp., a state-owned company, and was observed alongside a pier on the Yangtze River in late May when it was undergoing its final equipping before going to sea.
After the sinking, large floating cranes arrived in early June to salvage the sub from the river bed, according to satellite photos of the site.
“The sinking of a new nuclear sub that was produced at a new yard will slow China’s plans to grow its nuclear submarine fleet,” said Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank, and a retired U.S. Navy nuclear submarine officer. “This is significant.”
Neither the People’s Liberation Army, as the Chinese military is known, nor local authorities, have acknowledged the episode.
“It’s not surprising that the PLA Navy would try to conceal the fact that their new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank pierside,” said a senior U.S. defense official. “In addition to the obvious questions about training standards and equipment quality, the incident raises deeper questions about the PLA’s internal accountability and oversight of China’s defense industry, which has long been plagued by corruption.”
(continued)
2/2
The first public indication that something was amiss at the shipyard near Wuhan came in the summer when Thomas Shugart, a former U.S. submarine officer and an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, wrote a series of social-media posts noting the unusual activity of the floating cranes, which was captured by commercial satellite imagery.
Shugart surmised that there might have been an incident that involved a new type of submarine, but he didn’t know at the time that it was nuclear-powered.
“Can you imagine a U.S. nuclear submarine sinking in San Diego and the government hushes it up and doesn’t tell anybody about it? I mean, Holy Cow!” Shugart said in an interview this week with The Wall Street Journal.
While the submarine was salvaged, it will likely take many months before it can be put to sea.
“The whole boat would be full of water,” Shugart said. “You’d have to clean out all the electronics. The electric motors may need to be replaced. It would be a lot of work.”
American officials haven’t detected any indication that Chinese officials have sampled the water or nearby environment for radiation. It is possible Chinese personnel were killed or injured when the sub sank, but U.S. officials say they don’t know if there were casualties.
Shugart said that the risk of a nuclear leak was likely to be low as the sub hadn’t ventured out to sea and its reactors were probably not operating at a high power level.
The U.S. has suffered similar setbacks, which proved costly. In 1969, the nuclear-powered USS Guitarro was moored at a shipyard in California when it sank following a series of mistakes by construction workers. It wasn’t officially commissioned until 32 months after its sinking.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/the-wall-street-journal/chinas-newest-nuclear-submarine-sank-setting-back-its-military-modernisation/news-story/0379a2e8f885a8661a22767f22d4a807
https://www.wsj.com/world/china/chinas-newest-nuclear-submarine-sank-setting-back-its-military-modernization-785b4d37
https://archive.vn/DisSN
https://x.com/tshugart3/status/1813321391384473902
https://x.com/tshugart3/status/1817535883337236868
Penny Wong delivers deadline for UN on Palestine
JOE KELLY and SARAH ISON - September 27, 2024
12/
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has declared a timeline should be set for the international declaration of a Palestinian state and is pushing the UN Security Council to play a more significant role in advancing a two-state solution to break the “endless cycle of violence” gripping the Middle East.
In comments that were blasted as reflecting an “anti-Israel” slant and being “divorced from reality”, Senator Wong told the UN General Assembly in New York overnight that recognition of a Palestinian state was no longer the “destination of a peace process” but should be imposed by the international community to build “momentum towards peace”.
Speaking 10 days before the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks in which Hamas massacred 1200 Israelis and as the region totters on the brink of a broader conflict triggered by hostilities across the Israel-Lebanon border, Senator Wong said: “The world cannot wait. Australia wants to engage on new ways to build momentum, including the role of the UN Security Council in setting a pathway for two states, with a clear timeline for the international declaration of Palestinian statehood. The world cannot keep hoping the parties will do this themselves; we cannot allow any party to obstruct the prospect of peace.”
Hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a pivotal speech to UN delegates, Senator Wong said Australia was ready to play its part in helping the Palestinian Authority reform and declared “Israel must stop establishing settlements, which are illegal under international law and a major obstacle to peace”.
“We believe it is in Israel’s own interest that the Netanyahu government respond to the demands of the international community,” the Foreign Minister said.
Despite the urgings of the US, Australia, Canada, the EU, Germany, Saudi Arabia and other nations for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and terror group Hezbollah, Mr Netanyahu said on Friday Israel would “continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force”.
“We will not stop until we reach all our goals – chief among them the return of the residents of the north securely to their homes,” the Israeli Prime Minister said.
Anthony Albanese called on Mr Netanyahu to listen to the international community. “We are very concerned, and the world is concerned, about the escalation that is continuing here and the consequences for it,” the Prime Minister said.
Senator Wong said in New York a two-state solution was “the opposite of what Hamas wants”, stressing that any future Palestinian state “must not be in a position to threaten Israel’s security”.
“There can be no role for terrorists,” she said. “And it will need a reformed Palestinian Authority. Right now, the suffering across the region must end. Hostages must be released. Aid must flow.”
Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, said Senator Wong’s call for a timeline for Palestinian statehood reflected an “anti-Israel” stance that rewarded terrorism.
“Recognising a Palestinian state prior to a settlement negotiated between the two parties will do nothing to advance peace but, in fact, will do precisely the opposite,” Mr Rubenstein said.
“The predominant obstacle to peace has been Palestinian intransigence and refusal to negotiate in good faith.
“Conferring upon the Palestinians the recognition they crave without requiring them to alter their rejectionist stance will only encourage further intransigence. It will also serve as a demonstration that terrorism is the way to advance the Palestinian cause.”
(continued)
2/2
Former Labor minister and co-convener of Labor Friends of Israel Australia, Mike Kelly, said “none of the preconditions existed” for a Palestinian state to be recognised in the near term.
“This has to be part of a peace process, and at the present time, none of the preconditions really exist for that step to be taken,” Dr Kelly said.
He urged the government to “start putting pressure where it belongs”, including against Iran, Hamas and other actors seeking the end of the state of Israel.
On Senator Wong’s calls for a time frame on Palestinian statehood, Dr Kelly said it was important to “make sure that we’re focused on the quality of the outcome, not a date”.
In a stern message to Israel after it ramped up its attacks on Hezbollah, with the death toll rising from the Israeli strikes to more than 700 since the start of the week, Senator Wong declared that “war has rules”.
“Every country in this room must abide by them,” the Foreign Minister said. “Even when confronting terrorists. Even when defending borders.”
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Senator Wong’s position would only provide the “wrong incentives” for Hamas and other terror groups. “Setting an arbitrary timeline rather than agreeing preconditions to be met will only incentivise Hamas terrorists or corrupt leaders to run down the clock, rather than negotiate on critical enablers of peace like security guarantees, agreed borders and rights of return,” Senator Birmingham said.
Amid concern at the prospect of a ground incursion into Lebanon following Mr Netanyahu’s rejection of a US led-push for a temporary ceasefire with Hezbollah, Senator Wong said: “Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza. Just as in Gaza, Australia calls for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin criticised Labor’s latest language on the conflict, including ramping up calls for a Palestinian state. “This is a dangerous and ill-conceived endeavour by our government that will bring even greater chaos to a chaotic region,” Mr Ryvchin said.
“What exactly does the government intend to recognise as a sovereign and independent state? A terror enclave atop a labyrinth of tunnels where over 100 Israelis are held hostage? Or the West Bank which has no democratic institutions and where the inept and corrupt Palestinian Authority only holds off Hamas and other terror factions because of Israeli counter-terrorism operations?”
Mr Ryvchin warned that if Australia helped to “create a failed state of Palestine it will embolden rogue actors and terror groups around the world and demonstrate that October 7-level barbarism is the ticket to political victory”.
Senator Wong also pushed for reform of the UN system so it could better uphold “standards and rules” across the world and “the sovereignty of all nations”.
“These rules always matter – never more so than in times of conflict – when they help guide us out of darkness, back toward light,” she told the General Assembly. “We convene this week with so much of the human family enshrouded in darkness.”
She said the type of world Australia wanted was further from reach because too many countries were not abiding by the rules-based system. “The world’s peoples are counting on all of us here to rededicate ourselves to international humanitarian law, and the rest of the rules we have agreed to preserve international peace and security,’ she said.
She said the world was enduring more conflict now than at any time since World War II.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/penny-wong-delivers-deadline-for-un-on-palestine/news-story/3a21686c7555dd87fcb04886c649f642
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w52qmefENvc
>>21036247 (pb)
>>21289176 (pb)
Protesters in Melbourne wave Hezbollah flags, Tony Burke warns of visa cancellations
JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS, JAMES DOWLING and MOHAMMED ALFARES - 29 September 2024
1/2
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has warned he will consider cancelling the visas of anyone who incites “discord” in Australia, as protesters in Sydney and Melbourne waved Hezbollah flags and carried framed pictures of dead terrorist chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Pictures and video from the thousands-strong protests for Gaza and Lebanon in Melbourne showed more than a dozen masked and unmasked men walking together through the Melbourne CBD streets commemorating Nasrallah, whose death was confirmed by the Israeli Defence Forces and the Iran-backed militant group on Saturday in a massive air strike on Beirut.
The group of mostly young men were filmed chanting “labayka ya Nasrallah” in Arabic, which translates to ‘at your service, Nasrallah’ or ‘here I am, Nasrallah’. The slogan expresses the willingness to dedicate the life of the individual and the community to defend the leader of the group, who is typically both a religious and political figure that must be obeyed, even to the point of death.
Many of the protesters were seen wearing Hezbollah emblems while waving the terror groups’ flag, which translates to ‘Hezbollah will be victorious’. Some were carrying frames of Nasrallah that reads, ‘we belong to Allah and to him we shall return.’
Other chants heard include ‘no more USA, no more Israel, no more Saudi Arabia’.
In Sydney, both adults and children carried posters of the late Hezbollah leader. A couple of others were seen holding and wearing Hezbollah flags. One woman held a poster showing assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Nasrallah under the words “A nation led by martyrs will triumph”.
It was the biggest Gaza solidarity rally in Sydney in months, with up to 2000 people in attendance, following air strikes in Beirut overnight. The protests have been running weekly since late 2023.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said “any indication of support for a terrorist organisation is unequivocally condemned”.
“It draws the immediate attention of our security agencies. There is a higher level of scrutiny if anyone is on a visa. I have made clear from day one, that I will consider refusing and cancelling visas for anyone who seeks to incite discord in Australia,” he said.
Islamic community leaders said those supporting Hezbollah were a small minority.
“They are definitely a minority. An absolute, tiny minority. From my own experience, my knowledge of the community, there is no support of Hezbollah, no love of Hezbollah, right now, this is all about support for the Lebanese people,” Islamic Council of Victoria’s president, Adel Salman, said.
He said the community’s focus was on the escalating violence - primarily in Gaza, but also the escalation in violence between Israel and Lebanon. “And we have to be careful we don’t reduce the battle to one between Hezbollah and Israel, effectively this is an attack on Lebanon that is a sovereign country … and people are outraged,” he said.
“It’s not about supporting Hezbollah in any way, shape or form, this is about supporting the Lebanese people, this is about concern for the deaths of Lebanese civilians and the destruction of Lebanon.”
(continued)
2/2
Another Muslim community leader, who didn’t want to be named, said this handful of people were likely “taking advantage of the opportunity” given the timing of the rally. “I think the way I would interpret it is they are leveraging off this platform. These protests have been ongoing for 50 weeks.”
Separately, the Masjid Arrahman mosque in Kingsgrove, which has 10,000 followers on Facebook, announced a service for “for the souls of the righteous martyrs, the master of resistance, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (may God be pleased with him), and the souls of the martyrs who ascended with him, and the martyrs of Lebanon, Palestine, and our Islamic world.”
Opposition home affairs spokesperson James Paterson called the alleged conduct by the protesters a contravention of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.
The entirety of both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognised by the federal government as terrorist organisations, and in certain circumstances the public display of the groups’ insignias is a breach of section 80.2 of the commonwealth criminal code.
“Today’s shocking scenes on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne are the direct result of the weakness shown by the Albanese government over the past 12 months. The law is clear. Incitement to violence based on religion is a crime,“ Senator Paterson said.
“Publicly displaying a symbol of a listed terrorist organisation is a crime. But the failure to enforce the law since 7 October has emboldened extremists in our community to parade their hate and terrify the Jewish community.
“Only clear direction to enforce the law from the top will fix the extremism crisis in our country.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said laws, that clearly define Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation and make it unlawful to support it, “must be enforced”.
“It is unacceptable for Australians to publicly profess admiration for a terrorist leader who led the slaughter of civilians in Syria, including the brutalisation and starvation of Palestinians and heaped pain on his own people by waging wars on Israel despite the absence of any territorial disputes between Lebanon and Israel,” he said.
“Our authorities must closely monitor and investigate terrorist sympathisers in our society before evil words again become evil deeds.”
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young attended the solidarity rally in Adelaide today, while Senator Mehreen Faruqi spoke at the protest in Sydney.
“Once again, the Greens are willing to stoop to any level to win votes, including endorsing a rally supporting Hezbollah, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia,” Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said.
“The Greens are the third largest political party in Australia, and it should send a shiver down the spine of every Australian that they are openly endorsing a rally openly supporting Hezbollah.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/protesters-in-melbourne-wave-hezbollah-flags/news-story/ecda6a1fb87b37a3a22730b09acb8796
https://x.com/DrewPavlou/status/1840246154745000358
Thousands gather in city centres in show of solidarity for Gaza and Lebanon, amid increased violence in Middle East
abc.net.au - 29 September 2024
1/2
Thousands have collectively rallied in cities and towns around Australia, calling for a ceasefire to conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon.
The protests were organised as part of a "National Day of Action for Gaza" by pro-Palestine groups around the country.
It comes following continued Israeli strikes into Lebanon over the past week which killed much of Hezbollah's senior leadership, including leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah has been firing rockets into northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, where authorities say more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the current Israeli offensive.
That war began after Hamas fighters attacked southern Israeli settlements on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's recent bombardment on Lebanon has killed around 1,200 Lebanese and displaced around half a million, according to the Lebanese government.
Thousands crowded outside Sydney Town Hall on Sunday, waving flags and chanting in support for both the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Lebanon.
Some carried signs with photos of Nasrallah, with many mourning the death of the longtime militia leader.
This Sunday saw one of the strongest turnouts in recent months, with members of the Sydney Lebanese community joining the rally in protest of recent Israeli air strikes on the capital, Beirut.
A line of police held peaceful attendees back to avoid overcrowding the city square, causing demonstrators to spill out on one of Sydney's busiest streets.
Nasser Mashni is the president of the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network, which helped coordinate the protests across the country.
He said the community had felt a "continued hurt" over the past few days after an escalation of violence in the region.
"We're not sure why our children, our women, our men don't matter, why the government won't speak up in our favour and demand that Israel stops," Mr Mashni said.
"It's past time for diplomatic levers to be pulled."
Protester Liz Ralph said she was "just horrified" by the events in Gaza and Lebanon, and felt powerless to help.
"I feel like there's not a lot that I can do from Australia, but I can show up to a protest like this and show some solidarity," Ms Ralph said.
Hezbollah flags appear in Sydney and Melbourne
While the majority of protesters across Australia brought Lebanese and Palestinian flags to the protests, flags representing Hezbollah were also seen at the rallies.
The yellow flag depicts a green arm reaching up towards an assault rifle.
Their appearance was sharply criticised by Shadow Minister for Home Affairs James Paterson in a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he said authorities should clamp down on those displaying the flag.
Hezbollah, along with Hamas, is considered a terrorist organisation by the governments of Australia, the US and the UK along with the EU.
Under the criminal code, the public display of prohibited terrorist organisation symbols is an offence in some circumstances, including if the display is likely to offend, humiliate or insult "a member of a group of persons distinguished by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion or national or social origin".
The penalty under the legislation is 12 months of imprisonment.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the flag's appearance would draw the "immediate attention" of security agencies.
"Any indication of support for a terrorist organisation is unequivocally condemned," Mr Burke said.
"There is a higher level of scrutiny if anyone is on a visa. I have made clear from day one, that I will consider refusing and cancelling visas for anyone who seeks to incite discord in Australia."
Islamic Council of Victoria president Adel Salman said anyone waving Hezbollah flags were "a minority" and did not represent the majority of protesters.
"I'm not surprised that people would come out with various flags, whether it be Hezbollah or other flags, but I think that's a distraction," Mr Salman said.
"I think the vast majority of the Muslim community in Victoria and around Australia are supporting Lebanese people."
Former Labor senator shows support at Perth rally
About 300 people gathered in Perth's city centre as part of the national day of action, calling on Australia to do more to end the violence in Gaza.
Chants of "free free Palestine" echoed around Perth's Forrest Place from the small but enthusiastic crowd, with many displaying banners and Palestinian flags.
A host of groups were represented by banners within the crowd, including Students for Palestine, Jews for a Free Palestine, Academics for Palestine, as well as various climate action groups.
(continued)
2/2
The crowd called for Australia to condemn Israel's role in the violence in Gaza, and to cut ties with the Israeli government.
There were also calls for Australia to follow other nations in formally recognising the State of Palestine.
WA senator Fatima Payman, who quit the Labor party in July over her stance on Gaza, also attended the rally.
Hobart demonstrators line CBD road in protest
In Hobart, a crowd of roughly 200 people made their voices heard along a busy stretch of road in the CBD, to mark the day of action.
Tasmanian Palestine Advocacy Network (TPAN) co-president Nadia Refaei said it was gratifying to see the size of the crowd.
"We've been turning out every week to demand a ceasefire and free Palestine, and it's especially important I think for all of us to be out here today because of the escalation in Lebanon as well," Ms Refaei said.
"We're aware that it's nearly a year in and everyone's feeling really tired and emotionally exhausted, so it's hard to predict how the momentum is going to carry itself. But really pleased with the turnout."
Her words were echoed by TPAN public officer Caitlin Shaheen, who said it was about more than one day.
"We exist not just on Saturday or Sunday when we turn up here," Ms Shaheen said.
"The people here, and the testament to the community, is that they live this every single day and they've lived it with us for 12 months."
Further protests in Canberra, Adelaide and along NSW coast
Around 300 protesters gathered in Canberra's Garema Place before a march through the city as part of the National Day of Action for Gaza.
Speakers included the ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury and members of the local Palestinian community.
The group called for a ceasefire, sanctions on Israel by the Australian government and more coverage in the media of the issue.
Hundreds of protesters also joined together on the steps of South Australia's parliament in Adelaide.
Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young spoke at the protest and demanded the Australian government end the two-way arms trade with Israel.
She called on the government to sanction the Israeli war cabinet and recognise a Palestinian state.
"For over 12 months Australians have been watching in horror at the unnecessary suffering and the brutality that has unfolded on innocent people, including children, in Gaza," Senator Hanson-Young said.
"Australia needs to step up, speak up and do more. Hand-wringing and words are not enough anymore. Use the power the Australian government has."
Protests also took place on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, where dozens gathered at Port Macquarie's Town Green.
Protester Mahan Khan practices Islam but said it should not matter whether someone is religious or not to support Palestine and Lebanon.
"I don't think you have to be Muslim to care about what's happening in Gaza, you just have to be human," Ms Khan said.
"It's atrocious, the children, having a son of my own I couldn't imagine losing him the way parents in Gaza and Lebanon are losing their children."
Coalition sticks to UN resolution on Hezbollah
Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie said the Coalition would not support calls for an immediate ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel until Hezbollah was removed from the border region, consistent with the United Nations resolution on the matter.
But she accused Senator Wong of using her address to the United Nations, where she warned nations not to allow Lebanon to become "the next Gaza", as an opportunity to play domestic politics.
"We either uphold international law or we don't … we can't pick and choose which bits we want depending on what's happening in Western Sydney," Senator McKenzie said.
"She is trashing our decades-long bipartisan approach to a negotiated two-state solution in the Middle East.
"We need to maintain a responsible and respectful position in this. We shouldn't be changing just because domestic politics changes here at home."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-29/thousand-gather-rallies-solidarity-palestine-lebanon-australia/104409276
https://x.com/SenPaterson/status/1840242618476966145
Thousands rally in major cities across Australia against Israeli aggression
ABC News (Australia)
Sep 29, 2024
Thousands of people have gathered in major cities across Australia to protest Israeli attacks on Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. ABC reporter Brianna Parkins says many in the ‘passionate’ Sydney rally are concerned about the safety of family members living in Lebanon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heCMVQ0zE_I
Police investigate potential crimes after Hezbollah flag appears at Gaza and Lebanon ceasefire rally in Melbourne
abc.net.au - 30 September 2024
1/2
Federal police expect to investigate at least six reports of crime involving prohibited symbols and chants, after Hezbollah flags were waved at a Melbourne rally calling for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.
Thousands of people rallied at cities and towns across Australia on Sunday as part of a national day of protest organised by pro-Palestinian groups around the country.
While the majority of protesters brought Lebanese and Palestinian flags to the demonstrations, some flags representing the militant group Hezbollah were also seen in Melbourne. The yellow flag shows an arm reaching up towards an assault rifle.
Hezbollah, along with Hamas, is considered a terrorist organisation by the governments of Australia, along with the US, UK and EU.
A small number of protesters also held photos of Hassan Nasrallah, reflecting the death of the longtime militia leader in an Israeli attack.
Under Australian laws, the public display of prohibited terrorist organisation symbols is an offence in some circumstances, including if the display is likely to offend, humiliate or insult "a member of a group of persons distinguished by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion or national or social origin".
The penalty under the legislation is 12 months of imprisonment.
AFP to request footage of protests from media organisations
On Monday afternoon, an Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesperson said the agency expected to receive "crucial information" from Victoria Police about "at least six" reports of crime.
"The AFP will also be writing to major news outlets asking for the production of video footage of protests over the weekend and protests that occur in coming days," they said.
Federal police also urged members of the public to report anyone who had incited violence, or worn "prohibited symbols while calling for the destruction of any group or individuals".
"The AFP has no tolerance for individuals who break the law and will use its extensive capability and networks to take action," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also noted the "mere public display" of a prohibited symbol on its own did not meet the threshold of a Commonwealth offence.
"The Criminal Code set outs very specific elements that must be met in order to charge an individual with a terrorism offence," they said.
Albanese urges focus on cohesion in wake of 'worrying signs'
Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the government condemned "any indication" of support for a terrorist organisation such as Hezbollah.
"It not only threatens national security, but fuels fear and division in our communities," she said.
"All of us — including every political leader — must stand together to reject terrorism and extremism."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted the "worrying signs" over the weekend and said his government did not want to see "radical ideologies and conflict" in Australia.
"Our multiculturalism and social cohesion cannot be taken for granted, and it's important that we continue to stress that that is the case as we go forward as well," he said.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the use of the Hezbollah flag during the rallies must "surely" constitute an offence under Commonwealth laws prohibiting hate symbols, which have been in place since the start of the year.
He urged the government to act, a day after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he would consider refusing and cancelling visas for anyone who sought "to incite discord in Australia".
Mr Dutton said it was "completely unacceptable" if no action was taken against people who were glorifying terror groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
"They have no place in our country. We are the greatest country in the world and we shouldn't be afraid to defend and protect it," he said.
"If Tony Burke continues to talk a big game, that's one thing, but he needs to follow through with it."
(continued)
2/2
Hezbollah a threat to Jewish communities 'around the world', community group says
Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levin said it was "highly disturbing" to see the Hezbollah flag appear on Melbourne's streets.
"Hezbollah is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Australia and the reason they are is because they have perpetrated numerous … murders of Jewish people not just in Israel but around the world," Ms Levin said.
"The most deadly being an attack on a Jewish centre in Argentina that killed 85 people."
This year Argentina's top court accused Hezbollah operatives of carrying out the 1994 attack in Buenos Aires at the behest of Iran, a charge Iran has denied.
"We know that they [Hezbollah] are a threat to Jewish communities all around the world," Ms Levin said.
"To see them celebrated and their leader martyred — or celebrated as a martyr — on the streets of Melbourne is highly alarming for our community."
Hezbollah flags 'not welcome' at future protests, peak body says
Islamic Council of Victoria president Adel Salman said he condemned the use of the Hezbollah flag at yesterday's protests.
"[The protests] are purely about supporting Palestinians," he said.
"I have to stress it was a minority, an absolute minority of people, flying those flags. These Hezbollah protests are not welcome."
Mr Salman said he feared the use of the flag could smear the broader pro-Palestinian campaign.
"I'm hoping most people will realise this was not a protest in support of Hezbollah in any way, shape or form, and that the protesters were not there to express any support for Hezbollah," he said. "That has to be made very clear."
In response to Mr Burke's threats of visa cancellations, Mr Salman said he supported the need for due process.
"The protest organisers have made it very clear, the message has been delivered, these things are not welcome at any protest. If they do [bring Hezbollah flags] they will be dealt with on the day and they'll be told to move on and take down those flags."
Australian Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni, who helped coordinate the protests, said only a "very small minority" of those present carried Hezbollah flags.
"What I continue to be uplifted by is the resilience of the movement for justice for Palestinians and now Lebanese," he told ABC Radio Melbourne on Monday.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-30/hezbollah-flag-melbourne-gaza-lebanon-rally-afp-police/104412306
https://x.com/SenatorWong/status/1840545937300840603
AFP says waving Hezbollah flag at protest not enough for arrest
Roy Ward and Cassandra Morgan - September 30, 2024
The Australian Federal Police has said the display of terrorist symbols was not enough for an arrest after protesters gatecrashed a pro-Palestine rally waving Hezbollah flags and holding up photos of the terror group’s slain leader.
The Sunday rally formed part of a national day of action for Gaza, with thousands of people also taking to the streets in Sydney and other cities around the world in renewed opposition to Israel’s bombing campaign.
A small group with Hezbollah flags — some holding what appeared to be framed photographs of the terror group’s slain leader Hassan Nasrallah — joined the event at the State Library in Melbourne’s CBD as speeches ended and people began to march.
Victoria Police said the public display of terrorist symbols was a Commonwealth offence and that there were no arrests from the protest, which drew an estimated 600 people.
“Appropriate referrals will be made to Australian Federal Police as the lead agency concerning prohibited symbols,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
However, an Australian Federal Police spokesman on Monday morning said: “The mere public display of a prohibited symbol on its own does not meet the threshold of a Commonwealth offence.”
To be considered an offence, the prohibited symbol had to be displayed in circumstances where the conduct involved spreading ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, inciting others to intimidate or offend a person, or advocating or inciting others to offend, the spokesman said.
“The AFP is aware that protest activity and physical demonstrations can be used to amplify the messaging of extremist groups,” the spokesman said.
“The criminal code sets out very specific elements that must be met in order to charge an individual with a terrorism offence.”
Police did not have the power to take down prohibited symbols themselves but could direct a person to remove them. Failing to comply with police amounted to a criminal offence, the spokesman said.
Organisers of the Melbourne rally told AAP the group was not affiliated with those running the demonstration.
Nasrallah was killed by an Israeli air strike on Friday, amid escalating tensions in the region.
Victoria’s Opposition Leader John Pesutto issued a statement on Sunday night calling for action on the Hezbollah protesters, saying his coalition would continue to stand against antisemitism.
“Victorians will be deeply disturbed by displays of support for listed terrorist organisation, Hezbollah, across Melbourne and Sydney,” Pesutto said.
“Publicly displaying the symbols of a listed terrorist organisation is a crime, as is inciting violence on the basis of religious belief. Neither must ever be tolerated in Victoria.
“The Allan Labor government, along with Victoria Police and the commonwealth government have a responsibility to ensure the safety and freedom of all Victorians who are entitled to go about their lives free from fear and persecution.”
Rallies in solidarity with Gaza have been held weekly in Melbourne for much of the past year.
“You stand with Lebanon, you stand with Palestine,” Omar Hassan, from Victorian Socialists, told fellow protesters.
“I want to say that it is a dark day for the people of the Middle East, and it’s a dark day here in Melbourne … but there are reasons to be cheerful and optimistic and hopeful.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke threatened to consider cancelling visas for people supporting such groups.
“Any indication of support for a terrorist organisation is unequivocally condemned,” Burke said in a statement on Sunday.
“It draws the immediate attention of our security agencies.
“There is a higher level of scrutiny if anyone is on a visa.
“I have made clear from day one, that I will consider refusing and cancelling visas for anyone who seeks to incite discord in Australia.”
Some attendees stood under umbrellas with the colours of the Palestinian flag and the protest slogan “free Palestine from the river to the sea” around the edge.
Darebin protester Margaret, who did not wish for her full name to be used, said she had attended many of the protests and was glad to come out despite the rain.
“I would have never imagined we’d still be doing this, but we have to, that’s all we can do,” she said.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/hezbollah-protesters-in-melbourne-may-face-police-visa-scrutiny-20240929-p5kefr.html
AFP investigating Hezbollah flag displays at Sunday protests
Paul Sakkal, Olivia Ireland and Marta Pascual Juanola - September 30, 2024
1/2
Federal police are investigating whether protesters at a pro-Palestinian rally broke new anti-terror laws for glorifying slain terror chief Hassan Nasrallah and displaying Hezbollah flags after a political firestorm erupted over the limits of free speech at local demonstrations.
Australian Federal Police confirmed on Monday afternoon it was expecting Victoria Police to pass on details of at least six alleged crimes after protesters in Melbourne on Sunday chanted about a historic massacre of Jews while holding up a significant number of the flags of Hezbollah, which Australia has designated as a terrorist organisation since 2003. The AFP also said it would be asking major news outlets for video of protests over the weekend to assist the investigations.
Earlier on Monday, the federal police released a statement suggesting display of terrorist insignia did not necessarily break the law if other criteria, such as inciting violence, were not met. However, later in the day the AFP released another statement saying they would be investigating “at least six reports of crime from Victoria Police”.
The Hezbollah flag was brandished by protesters in both Melbourne and Sydney.
It has been a federal offence since January this year to display the symbol of a terrorist organisation in public, after new laws were passed to crack down on the display of Nazi swastikas, ISIS flags and other symbols and flags of prohibited organisations. The AFP has not charged anyone under the laws, but charges have been laid against two people by state police since the introduction of the laws.
Earlier, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton united in calling for extremism to be expunged from local protests.
Immigration and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Sunday he would “consider refusing and cancelling visas for anyone who seeks to incite discord in Australia”.
Burke condemned “any indication of support for a terrorist organisation” and said it would draw the “immediate attention of our security agencies”.
The escalation of Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon prompted protesters across Australia on Sunday to call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict. Lebanon’s health ministry has said more than 1000 people have been killed and another 6000 wounded in the past two weeks. Israel has said it is acting to secure its north from Hezbollah’s rocket fire.
A small group of protesters who went to the pro-Palestinian rally in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon could be heard chanting the words, “Oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return”, in Arabic, according to a translation by this masthead.
The chants refer to the killing of Jewish tribes in the Khaybar, an ancient oasis in present-day Saudi Arabia, by forces led by the prophet, Muhammad, in 628 AD. The slogan has been used at pro-Palestinian protests around the world for years and Jewish groups consider it to be antisemitic.
(continued)
2/2
On Monday morning, a spokeswoman for AFP said “the mere public display of a prohibited symbol on its own does not meet the threshold of a Commonwealth offence”.
She said the symbol had to be displayed in a situation where it was spreading hate, intimidating people, inciting crime or targeting people based on their race, nationality or religion.
Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said Labor ministers needed to make clear to police that they should enforce the laws.
“It is frankly not good enough for police to wave the white flag less than 24 hours after these incidents occurred and say laying charges is all too hard. They could not have even conducted a preliminary investigation let alone any interviews to determine whether all elements of the offence have been met,” he said.
“We will only know the law is deficient once it is tested, but if no charges are ever laid that will never happen.”
Albanese said on Monday that Australia did not want radical ideologies or conflict. “Our multiculturalism and social cohesion cannot be taken for granted, and it’s important that we continue to stress that that is the case as we go forward as well,” he said.
Dutton on Monday condemned the protesters for inciting fear and violence against the Jewish community by glorifying Nasrallah.
“There is an absolute outrage in relation to the glorification of a terrorist leader, which surely must be against the Australian law. And if it’s not, the parliament should be recalled to pass a law that prohibits that from happening,” he told 4BC’s Breakfast.
“I find it completely unacceptable that the government wouldn’t be arresting people already, or cancelling visas of people who are glorifying Hezbollah and Hamas and others. They have no place in our country.”
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, told Sky News he didn’t see “how any Jewish person could feel safe in Sydney or Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday,” as he condemned the protests.
Melbourne rally organiser Omar Hassan said a mass protest movement was always bound to have a diversity of positions but the presence of a small number of Hezbollah symbols at a rally should not detract attention from Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
“I think the media focus on this small group of protesters is a distraction from the war crimes that Israel is committing in Lebanon, and it’s a deliberate distraction by supporters of Israel and the Liberal Party,” said Hassan, a member of the Victorian Socialists political party.
When asked about the chants, Hassan said protest organisers disavowed any messaging that framed the conflict in Palestine as a religious struggle between Jews and Muslims.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday condemned any support for Hezbollah.
Allan added that Victoria’s strengthened anti-vilification laws were complex, but the government would investigate whether more needed to be done regarding certain flags. Victoria has already outlawed Nazi symbols and the Nazi salute.
Last week, Albanese joined world leaders including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanual Macron to call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire in Israel’s conflict against Hezbollah.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-demands-law-changes-to-cancel-visas-over-hezbollah-protests-20240930-p5keic.html
Hezbollah flags at protests shape as test of new hate-symbol laws
Tom Crowley - 1 October 2024
1/2
Federal police are investigating a Melbourne protest where Hezbollah flags were displayed in what shapes as an early test of hate-symbol laws passed late last year.
It comes as Immigration Minister Tony Burke told the ABC on Tuesday he had asked police to make him aware of any non-citizens caught up in investigations so he could cancel their visas, saying visitors would fail their character test if they were "inciting discord".
"We don't know whether they are actually on visas … [but] we do have a higher standard if you're on a visa," he said.
"The normal principles that might be there where people will have arguments about freedom of speech — when you're a guest in someone's country, you're there as a guest."
AFP Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the investigations were to determine whether the flags displayed at the protest, which called for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, violated laws prohibiting the display of hate symbols.
Those laws were passed in January primarily in response to the display of Nazi symbols, but they also cover the symbols of listed terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah.
Deputy Commissioner Barrett said the law laid out several conditions which would need to be met to secure a conviction, and these had not been tested in court.
"[It's] not just merely the display of the symbol; there are a number of elements that need to go alongside the display," she said.
"It's got to be done in circumstances in which a reasonable person would consider that the conduct either advocates inciting others to use violence or use force [or] could incite others to humiliate or intimidate based on religion …
"The context around the conduct is extremely important … If they're holding the flag, what are they saying? What are they chanting? What are they wearing? What sort of physical behaviour are they demonstrating?"
She added the AFP had been in contact with NSW Police over protests in Sydney but had not commenced any of its own investigations over that protest.
"Legislation is available to our state and territory colleagues as well, so it is the case that NSW Police can commence their own investigations."
NSW Police said it had seized two flags allegedly displaying Hezbollah's symbol. The ABC has verified at least one flag with a Hezbollah symbol on it, and some protesters also held photos of Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader killed in Israeli strikes last week.
The protests have drawn criticism from Jewish community groups, with Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levin saying it was "highly disturbing" to see the flag of an organisation that had "perpetrated numerous … murders of Jewish people not just in Israel but around the world".
Islamic Council of Victoria president Adel Salman condemned the use of the flag, which he said was held "an absolute minority of people". He said the protests were "purely about supporting Palestinians".
"These Hezbollah protests are not welcome," he said.
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw told Nine radio on Tuesday the AFP was "taking action and we'll use the full force of the law as it applies to these offences …"
"My view is it's un-Australian, it's against the law and it's not in accordance with our values," he said.
"So the fact that we have met the threshold of publicly displaying prohibited terrorist organisation symbols, we'll be taking action."
Dutton and Burke trade barbs over government response
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said it was the federal government's job to direct police how to enforce the laws.
"The direction ultimately is taken from the prime minister and the minister, and if the minister is saying to the [AFP] commissioner we don't want to see arrests, or we're just happy if you enforce – you know, keep the peace but not enforce the law, that needs to be made publicly known."
There is no suggestion any minister has directed the AFP not to enforce any law. And while the AFP can lay charges, convictions are a matter for courts.
Mr Burke said the laws were "the strongest statement on hate speech that the parliament has ever taken" but would "have to be tested before the courts".
Mr Dutton said parliament should be recalled if stronger laws were needed, which Mr Burke branded a political ploy.
"With Peter Dutton it is always about the Middle East and never about middle Australia … If you wanted to recall the parliament, you'd do it on the cost of living," he said.
"These are laws that Peter Dutton supported when they were passed a year ago."
(continued)
2/2
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus told the ABC the government had "faith in our police forces to enforce the law".
"In a democracy like ours, it is entirely inappropriate to suggest the Australian Federal Police should be arresting people at the direction of politicians," he said.
"Any person who shows support for terrorist organisations, including by displaying symbols used by terrorist organisations, are of active interest to ASIO."
Mr Dutton also said Mr Burke should already have cancelled some visas.
"He keeps talking about it but he doesn't do it, and that's why people continue to act out," he said.
Mr Burke declined to say whether waving a Hezbollah flag would be grounds for cancellation of a visa, saying he did not want to risk appearing to have pre-judged any individual's case in the event a cancellation was challenged in court.
"[But] I've got very strong views against hate speech and hate symbols, and I don't want the anger and hatred from around the world being imported into Australia," he said.
Mr Burke added he was "surprised" by the focus on visa holders.
"We've had protests like this before and [authorities] haven't come back with anyone on visas," he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there was "no place for mourning a terrorist leader and we're very concerned about some of the terrorist symbols".
"It's completely unacceptable … Hezbollah and other terrorist organisations [like] Hamas, they do nothing to advance the interests of the people they purport to represent, and that is why it's completely unacceptable.
"That's why Tony Burke has taken the action that he has, that's why the AFP and the authorities will investigate," he said.
Dutton says Islamic community not facing terrorist threat
The federal government appointed Aftab Malik as its Islamophobia envoy on Monday, more than two months after it appointed Gillian Seagal as an anti-Semitism envoy.
Mr Burke said "finding the right person [had] taken a while" but both positions were "particularly important" to combating religious-based discrimination because there were not currently legal protections against religiously motivated hate speech as there were for race.
The government introduced laws to parliament in September which would outlaw speech that incited violence on the basis of religion, among other characteristics.
"If you go to the person most likely to be targeted for abuse in Australia right now, it's an Islamic woman wearing a hijab. I don't want that to be the case," Mr Burke said.
Mr Dutton said he was "happy for there to be an envoy" but that he did not believe Islamophobia was a comparable threat to anti-Semitism.
"What we're seeing in our country at the moment is not levels of Islamophobia that are where the anti-Semitism is at," he said.
"The schools with armed guards are not the Muslim schools, they're the Jewish schools … The threat of a terrorist attack and people being discriminated against at the moment are against the Jewish community and not against people within the Islamic community."
The Islamophobia Register of Australia and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry track reported incidents of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, respectively, using different methodologies.
Each group published a preliminary report focused on the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attack last year and reported that incidents of hatred had spiked significantly.
"We always need to remember, while it hasn't happened here in Australia, the Christchurch massacre was conducted by an Australian," Mr Burke said.
"Islamophobia can lead to forms of terrorism and violent extremism that are absolutely horrific."
In August, intelligence chief Mike Burgess upgraded the national terrorism threat level from possible to probable and emphasised there was no one category of threat, also warning politicians against statements likely to inflame domestic tension.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-01/hezbollah-flags-to-test-new-hate-symbol-laws/104416418
‘Ask that question again’: Dutton rebukes ABC reporter for Hezbollah question
Nick Bonyhady - October 1, 2024
Peter Dutton has accused the national broadcaster of failing to understand why the Lebanese militant group, Hezbollah, is listed by Australia as a terrorist organisation in a terse press conference where the opposition leader rebuked an ABC reporter for her questions.
Melbourne and Sydney protesters at weekend rallies held Hezbollah flags and portraits of its assassinated leader, Hassan Nasrallah, prompting Dutton to demand prosecutions of those displaying terrorist symbols.
At the press conference, ABC reporter Anushri Sood put to Dutton that some groups considered the laws hypocritical because, she said, Israel’s actions had resulted in 45,000 deaths and its flag was still allowed.
Dutton responded: “Israel is a democracy. It’s not run by a terrorist organisation. Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation. They’re a listed terrorist organisation. And if people are in favour of a terrorist organisation, they should declare it, and authorities should deal with them.”
In a question only partly audible, Sood then appeared to ask why Hezbollah was listed as a terrorist organisation. Dutton asked Sood which organisation she was from. The ABC, Sood replied.
“You asked about the listing of the organisation. I just didn’t understand that question, is this a question from Canberra [federal politics reporters]?” Dutton said. Sood said it was not.
The opposition leader repeatedly cut off the young reporter to tell her to repeat the question in its original form.
“No, you asked the question about the listings … just ask that question again,” he said, brusquely.
Sood said her question was: “If you could just explain what determines something is a terrorist organisation?”
Dutton then slammed the ABC, saying the broadcaster appeared not to support parliament’s bipartisan decision to list Hezbollah as a terrorist group.
“Now, if the ABC doesn’t support that, they should be very clear about it, because I think that’s quite a departure,” Dutton said.
Sood interjected to say that was not her claim, but Dutton continued.
“You asked me why our country has listed Hezbollah – they’re a terrorist organisation that organises terrorist attacks,” he said. “If that is not clear to the ABC, then I think the ABC is in greater trouble than even I first imagined.”
Sood said that had not been her question. Australia listed Hezbollah’s armed wing as a terrorist organisation in 2003 and the entire organisation in 2021.
Australia’s terror listing for Hezbollah notes that the organisation “traditionally represents the Lebanese Shia community, the country’s largest religious sect, and maintains a social welfare network that encompasses education and health services”.
Sood declined to comment.
In a statement released Tuesday evening, an ABC spokesman said: “Questions at a press conference today were not a piece of reporting nor a position being taken by the ABC. Hezbollah is listed as a terrorist organisation by the Australian Government and the ABC recognises that in its coverage.”
Israeli airstrikes have eliminated several Hezbollah commanders but also killed about 1000 civilians and forced 1 million to flee their homes, according to the Lebanese government.
Hezbollah had continued to fire rockets as far as 150 kilometres into Israeli territory.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ask-that-question-again-dutton-rebukes-abc-reporter-for-hezbollah-question-20241001-p5keyy.html
Aftab Malik appointed as Islamophobia special envoy
RHIANNON DOWN - 30 September 2024
The newly appointed special envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, has vowed to advocate against hate directed at Muslim community and anti-Semitism, amid concerns the conflict in the Middle East is undermining social cohesion in Australia.
Mr Malik, an internationally recognised Muslim scholar and public servant, said Islamophobia and anti-Semitism could often be found “lurking” together, stressing that “no form of hatred is more important than another”.
His appointment comes two months after Anthony Albanese unveiled former lawyer and business leader Jillian Segal as the nation’s special envoy on anti-Semitism in July, when he said a counterpart to address Islamophobia would be announced “shortly”.
As the escalation of attacks over the Israel-Lebanon border threatens to engulf the region in a wider conflict, Mr Malik said the fight against hate was “more important today than it’s ever been”.
“Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are not mutually exclusive. Where there is one, you most likely will find the other, lurking,” Mr Malik said.
“I don’t intend to use this role to advocate that one form of hatred is more important than another: both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are unacceptable.”
Mr Malik, who spent almost a decade in the NSW Premier’s Department promoting social cohesion and countering hate and extremism, said he would work closely with Ms Segal on how to bring their communities together.
“As such, I look forward to engaging with my counterpart, Jillian Segal, to share insights and exchange ideas on how we can fortify social cohesion, and bring our communities together on a common ground, rooted in dignity for all,” he said.
The appointment of Mr Malik comes as tensions within the community over the Middle East conflict deepen after anti-Israel protests erupted on Sunday, where demonstrators were seen brandishing portraits of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Mr Malik has also been recognised by the UN Alliance of Civilisations as a global expert on Muslim affairs, and has been an outspoken critic of Islamic extremism.
“Each of us can play a part in making sure that violence and hatred have no place in our communities,” he said.
“We can do this by valuing and strengthening the bonds between us, and by calling out discrimination and being allies to those who experience it.”
Immigration and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Mr Malik’s appointment will bolster the government’s $90m investment in initiatives to address the impacts of the Israel-Hamas war on Australian communities.
“Bigotry is always wrong,” Mr Burke said.
“You should be able to live safely and freely in Australia, regardless of who you are or what you believe.”
When Mr Malik steps into the role on October 14, his focus will be to engage with the Muslim community, religious discrimination experts and all levels of government to ascertain pathways to combat Islamophobia.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/aftab-malik-appointed-as-islamophobia-special-envoy/news-story/141ac3f0ae0fb212950a9232bd7da9a1
‘Let us stop gagging … and killing each other’: Assange breaks his silence
Rob Harris - October 1, 2024
1/2
Strasbourg: Julian Assange says he is only free because he pleaded guilty to being a journalist and admits his personal transition from years confined in a maximum security prison to freedom has been a “profound and a surreal shift” with which he is still struggling.
The 53-year-old WikiLeaks founder, released in June after five years in a British prison after plea deal with the US government, said it was important to remember he was not free because the legal system worked, but only because he chose it over “an unrealisable justice”.
“I am free today after years of incarceration because I pleaded guilty to journalism; pleaded guilty to seeking information from sources; I pleaded guilty to obtaining information from a source and I pleaded guilty to inform the public,” Assange said, in his first public comments since his release from prison.
Speaking at the Council of Europe legal affairs and human rights committee in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday, Assange stressed the US “insisted” on him agreeing not to file a case at the European Court of Human Rights against it in return for the plea deal.
Wearing a navy-blue suit and a maroon tie, Assange coughed regularly through his 45-minute address to the council, occasionally stumbling over his words. He admitted he found it difficult to talk about his lengthy experience behind bars.
“The experience of isolation for years in a small cell is difficult to convey,” he said. “It strips away one’s sense of self, leaving only the raw essence of existence. I am yet not fully equipped to speak about what I have endured, the relentless struggle to stay alive, both physically and mentally.”
“Isolation has taken its toll, which I am trying to unwind and expressing myself in this setting is a challenge.”
The Australian citizen was released after he was convicted of obtaining and publishing US military secrets in the deal with US Justice Department prosecutors that concluded a drawn-out legal saga. A judge sentenced him to the five years he had already spent behind bars in a high-security UK prison while fighting extradition to the US.
Before his time in prison, he had spent seven years in self-imposed exile in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he claimed asylum on the grounds of political persecution, and fought extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations.
He returned to Australia in late June. At the time his wife, Stella, said he needed time to recuperate before speaking publicly.
(continued)
2/2
Assange was critical of the regimes in Russia and China for targeting journalists in those countries and around the world who tried to expose repression, and pledged solidarity to murdered journalists in Ukraine and Gaza.
He said he had no regrets about his decision to publish hundreds of thousands of war logs and diplomatic cables that included details of US military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan, including a video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack by American forces in Baghdad that killed 11 people, including two Reuters journalists.
“The visual reality of modern warfare shocked the world,” Assange said.
“But we also used interest in this video to direct people to the classified policies for when the US military could deploy lethal force in Iraq … and how many civilians could be killed before gaining higher approval.
“In fact, 40 years of my potential 175-year sentence was for obtaining and releasing those policies,” he said, referring to the total penalty that could have applied if he had been extradited to and convicted in the US.
“Let us stop gagging, torturing and killing each other for a change. Get these fundamentals right, and other political, economic and scientific processes will have space to pay, will have space to take care of the rest.”
Assange remains a highly contentious figure globally. His supporters hail him as a figurehead of free speech and investigative journalism who has been persecuted for exposing information. His detractors see him as a reckless blogger whose decision to publish highly sensitive documents put lives at risk and seriously compromised American security.
Assange was invited to Strasbourg to provide evidence to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The committee recently published a report on his detention, saying he qualified as a political prisoner, and issued a draft resolution expressing deep concern at his harsh treatment.
His testimony was interrupted several times by lengthy applause by the representatives of the council, which brings together the 46 signatory states of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Assange was fiercely critical of former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who he described as one of the “wolves in a MAGA hat”, referring to Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement. He said he read Pompeo’s memoirs where the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency had “bragged” about how he pressured the US attorney-general to bring an extradition case against him.
“My wife and my infant son were also targeted, a CIA asset was permanently assigned to track my wife, and instructions were given to obtain DNA from my six-month-old son’s nappy,” he said.
“The CIA’s targeting of myself, my family and my associates through aggressive, extrajudicial and extraterritorial means provides a rare insight into how powerful intelligence organisations engage in transnational repression. Such repressions are not unique.”
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/let-us-stop-gagging-and-killing-each-other-assange-breaks-his-silence-20241001-p5kf0r.html
Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, speaks in his first appearance since his release from prison
Henry Zwartz and Mazoe Ford - 1 October 2024
1/2
Julian Assange is back on European soil. When last here, he was behind bars.
On Tuesday, he gave evidence about his years of incarceration in a high-security UK prison, after the United States charged him under the Espionage Act.
It's his first public appearance since being released from prison and returning to Australia.
In an at times scathing address, he criticised the United States and its allies in their handling of his case.
"I am not here today because the system worked, I am free today after years of incarceration because I pleaded guilty to journalism," Assange told Europe's leading human rights organisation, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) at Strasbourg, France, which is investigating his detention and conviction.
The appearance of the WikiLeaks founder at PACE was a tightly controlled affair, international media faced extensive restrictions, and Assange did not give interviews.
Assange told the ABC ahead of the hearing he was "pleased to be here."
'Isolation has taken its toll'
Flanked by his wife, Stella, and the WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, Mr Assange said legal protections "only existed on paper."
"I eventually chose freedom over unrealisable justice after being detained for years…. With no effective remedy," he said.
"Justice for me is now precluded because the US government insisted … that I cannot file in the European Court of Human Rights or a Freedom of Information request."
Speaking of his 5 years in a UK prison, Assange said it was a "relentless struggle to stay alive, physically and mentally."
"It strips away one's sense of self," he said.
"Isolation has taken its toll.
"The transition from years of confinement in a max-security prison to being here before the reps of 46 nations is a profound and surreal shift."
The emotional address included some light moments too, with Assange thanking his wife for looking after his children while he was in prison.
The packed auditorium broke into laughter when he went on to describe how he is getting used to having a mother-in-law.
In his address, Assange focused heavily on the theme of freedom of speech.
"Freedom of expression and all that comes with it is at a dark crossroads," he said.
"The criminalisation of news gathering activities is a threat to investigative journalism everywhere.
"I was convicted, by a foreign power, for asking for, receiving and publishing truthful information, about that power while I was in Europe.
"Journalists should not be prosecuted for doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime, it is a pillar of a free and informed society."
Handling of Assange case blasted
Assange is giving evidence after a PACE report into his case recently concluded he was a political prisoner.
That report called for Britain to hold an inquiry into whether he had been exposed to "inhumane treatment."
"While some of WikiLeaks' disclosures, especially those released in un-redacted form, could have posed a threat to the personal safety of informers, intelligence sources, and secret service personnel, despite the significant lapse of time, no evidence has emerged to suggest that anyone has been harmed as a result of them," PACE noted.
PACE said it considered the charges brought against Assange by the United States under the Espionage Act to be "disproportionate" and "severe."
"For their part, the UK authorities failed to effectively protect Assange's freedom of expression and right to liberty, exposing him to lengthy detention in a high-security prison despite the political nature of the most severe charges against him," PACE said.
"His detention far exceeded the reasonable length acceptable for extradition."
(continued)
2/2
Living as a free man after 14-year ordeal
In June this year, in the US Pacific territory courtroom in Saipan, District Judge Ramona Manglona sentenced Assange to five years and two months, the time he had already spent in prison in the United Kingdom fighting extradition to the United States, and said he was free to leave.
"With this pronouncement, it appears that you will be able to walk out of this courtroom a free man," Judge Manglona said.
Assange's guilty plea enabled him to come home to Australia in June this year, after spending 14 years away from his home country.
At the time, his wife Stella said he needed to adjust to normal life.
"Julian needs time to recover, to get used to freedom," she said.
For seven of those years, he had been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London, dodging a US extradition order. Ecuador does not have an extradition treaty with the US.
Assange's stay in the Ecuadorian embassy was dramatically cut short in 2019 when UK police entered the embassy and detained him, placing him in the country's high-security Belmarsh prison. He would be detained in Belmarsh for five years.
WikiLeaks and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
Julian Assange had been convicted under the US Espionage Act and faced extradition to the US. His plea of guilty to one count under the Espionage Act ensured his freedom.
Assange had been a fugitive since his organisation, WikiLeaks, published classified US military footage that showed the killing of Iraqi civilians and two Reuters journalists by US forces.
The April 2010 publication of the video, relating to an incident in 2007, sparked condemnation of the US military's handling of internal investigations, and led headlines across the world in publications like The New York Times and The Guardian.
A voice on the video transmission released by WikiLeaks urged the pilots to "light'em all up" before the group of individuals, which included two journalists, were fired at by a helicopter gunship.
The video showed a van arriving at the scene to pick up the wounded, before it too, was fired at by the US helicopter.
WikiLeaks went on to release a series of further explosive leaks which caused significant embarrassment to the US and its allies.
WikiLeaks published hundreds of thousands of documents leaked by former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. That year, Chelsea Manning would be arrested by the US military over the leaks.
The documents related to the war in Afghanistan and revealed how the US military had killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents. Further documents from the Iraq war also revealed that as many as 66,000 civilians had been killed and that prisoners of war had been tortured by Iraqi forces.
Among that tranche of leaks were more than 250,000 messages sent by US diplomats which revealed that the US wanted to collect "biographic and biometric" information, which included things like DNA samples, iris scans and fingerprints, of key officials at the United Nations.
As global controversy grew of WikiLeaks' handling of leaking classified documents, major mastheads which had initially published WikiLeaks material began to distance themselves from the organisation, citing concern over checking source material and reducing harm to people potentially exposed in the massive tranches of documents.
The controversy spread further when, in 2010, Swedish prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Assange on two separate sexual assault allegations, which Assange said were "without basis."
The charges would later be dropped in 2019, but the arrest warrant set off a series of events which would see Assange seek asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he would live for seven years.
Impact on the 2016 US election
The next significant release came in 2016, with the publication by WikiLeaks of thousands of hacked emails from the account of Hillary Clinton's campaign boss John Podesta, in the run-up to the US presidential election that year.
In the leaked emails, Mr Podesta called Mrs Clinton's election rival Bernie Sanders a "doofus", for criticising the Paris climate change agreement.
At the time, a furious Hillary Clinton campaign team blamed the leaked DNC emails on Russia, claiming election interference. Clinton went on to lose the election to Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, PACE will debate and vote on a draft resolution following on from Tuesday's evidence.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-01/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-speaks-for-first-time-at-pace/104419388
Police move to ban October 7 anniversary protests over Hezbollah flags
Natassia Chrysanthos and Paul Sakkal - October 1, 2024
1/2
Federal authorities have vowed action against people flying outlawed Hezbollah and Hamas flags at protests this weekend to mark the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, as NSW Police started court action to stop the demonstrations going ahead in Sydney.
Politicians, police and community leaders have clashed over the lines between free speech and illegal action, as Australia’s Muslim community seeks to protest against the escalation of war in the Middle East, while others condemn the glorification of slain Hezbollah spiritual leader Hassan Nasrallah and the display of the symbols associated with listed terrorist organisations.
Australian Federal Police boss Reece Kershaw told 2GB’s Ray Hadley on Tuesday that the Hezbollah flag waving at last weekend’s protests in Sydney and Melbourne had been “un-Australian” and against the law, and that officers would take action against demonstrators if they did the same at protests planned for next weekend.
NSW Police then late on Tuesday applied to the Supreme Court to stop two protests planned for Sydney on Sunday and Monday. They said they had negotiated with organisers but were not satisfied the events could take place safely.
“The NSW Police Force recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly; however, the first priority for the NSW Police Force is the safety of the participants and the wider community,” a statement said.
But a clash over the limits of political speech will reignite as a handful of mosques this week hold vigils for Nasrallah, and civilians killed in strikes, while activists in both Sydney and Melbourne seek to escalate protests as Israel begins a ground incursion into Lebanon.
Organisers had promised mass attendance at rallies on Sunday, a day before October 7, when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will attend vigils to mark the day Hamas militants killed 1200 people and took another 250 hostage in southern Israel last year.
“If they are flying those flags, in particular the Hezbollah and Hamas flags, action will be taken,” Kershaw said.
Australian Muslim leaders have defended their community’s right to protest and hold vigils, saying political and media focus on a few people waving flags deflected from a year of atrocities.
Dutton, however, said it was “completely unacceptable that a mosque, or any other place of gathering, or of worship, is there to praise the work of a terrorist”.
“I don’t discriminate against anybody on any basis, but I cannot accept that it is in meeting with Australian values,” Dutton said. “The prime minister should be on the phone to the leaders within the mosque, with the Imams, with leaders in the Islamic community, to make sure that this doesn’t take place.”
(continued)
2/2
Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir said his community was infuriated by politicians’ hypocrisy. “This is the kind of country Peter Dutton wants Australia to be: where the government takes away all the freedom that democracy allows us,” he said.
“As long as there are no laws being broken, people should be able to do whatever they want to do. We do not support any breaking of laws or terrorist acts or breach of social cohesion.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said it was “deeply disturbing” to have pro-Hezbollah gatherings in Australia.
“This goes to the heart of public safety and national security, and it requires a strong police response.”
Kershaw agreed the vigils were concerning. “But it’s one thing that I know, that we can work with those communities to educate and say it’s not appropriate, and you may be committing offences, and that’s what we do,” he said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Dutton ignored security agency advice to lower the temperature of public debate.
“He wants to throw more kerosene on the fire and get people angrier,” he said on ABC Radio National.
Both Burke and Albanese said the federal government did not mourn Nasrallah, but Burke said there “are people who have nothing to do with terrorism, who were alive a week ago and are dead now. And we certainly, certainly, mourn them”.
Nationals leader David Littleproud urged Muslim leaders to disavow the vigils, in comments that add to tension between the Coalition and Muslim Australians who live mostly in outer suburban seats where Labor is under pressure over its stance on the war.
“This is not only a moment of truth for the prime minister, it’s also a moment of truth for the Islamic faith leaders in this country,” Littleproud said.
The Shia Muslim Council of Australia urged focus to return to the Middle East, where it said 41,000 people had been killed by Israel since last October. “It is in this context that the Muslim community is attending protests and holding mourning ceremonies,” it said.
“The calls from some politicians for mourning ceremonies not to be held for the victims of Israeli aggression are unreasonable. This is overreach and political expression and genuine concern for human welfare is being stymied.”
Melbourne rally organiser Omar Hassan said tens of thousands would likely show up in major city mass demonstrations on Sunday.
Hassan said those who showed support for Hezbollah did not have violent intent, noting that Hezbollah was a major political party involved in a governing coalition in Lebanon, not just a militia. Australia listed Hezbollah’s armed wing as a terrorist organisation in 2003 and the entire organisation in 2021.
Victoria Police has been contacted for comment.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/police-promise-action-at-weekend-s-anniversary-protests-if-flags-are-flown-20241001-p5ketw.html
Teenager Sarah Mouhanna charged for displaying ‘prohibited terrorist symbol’
ELLIE DUDLEY - 2 October 2024
A Sydney teenager has been charged with displaying a terrorist organisation’s symbol at protests on Sunday commemorating slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Sarah Mouhanna, 19, was on Wednesday afternoon charged with “cause public display of prohibited terrorists organisation symbol” after she presented to Kogarah Police Station following a public appeal.
She was granted strict conditional bail, and will face the Downing Centre local court on October 23.
Ms Mouhanna is understood to be the first person to have been formally charged by police following huge rallies across Sydney and Melbourne on the weekend.
Thousands of protestors gathered in the city CBDs to commemorate Nasrallah, whose death was confirmed by the Israeli Defence Forces and the Iran-backed militant group on Saturday in a massive air strike on Beirut.
The protestors, who were mostly young men, were filmed in Melbourne waving Hezbollah flags, wearing the group’s emblem and chanting “labayka ya Nasrallah” in Arabic, which translates to ‘at your service, Nasrallah’ or ‘here I am, Nasrallah’.
Other chants heard include ‘no more USA, no more Israel, no more Saudi Arabia’.
In Sydney, both adults and children carried posters of the late Hezbollah leader. A couple of others were seen holding and wearing Hezbollah flags. One woman held a poster showing assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Nasrallah under the words “A nation led by martyrs will triumph”.
It was the biggest Gaza solidarity rally in Sydney in months, with up to 2000 people in attendance, following air strikes in Beirut on Saturday night.
The protests have been running weekly since late 2023.
Victoria Police have referred all cases from the Melbourne protests to the AFP.
Politicians have widely condemned the Hezbollah flags and insignia that appeared in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday.
Palestine Action Group, which runs the weekly protests, said media attention on the “presence of some Hezbollah flags at the rally” was a “distraction” and a “hypocritical and racist scare campaign”.
“This scaremongering about some flags is designed to distract from Israel’s crimes and to intimidate Israel’s critics into silence,” it said.
Adam Lippmann, an Australian Jew of Iraqi descent, earlier this week described the fear he felt at being “exposed and targeted” in a 150-person strong “sea of zealous, terrorist supporters” at a Gaza and Lebanon solidarity rally in Sydney, with one man allegedly calling him a “Zionist faggot” and another throwing his phone on to the tram tracks.
He told The Australian he took a photo of a masked man carrying a framed image of Nasrallah,
“When I took a photo of this guy, he … spotted that I took a photo.
“He came up to me and he just said ‘We all know who you are. You’re a f..king Zionist faggot. You’re a f..king Zionist, get the f..k out of here.
“He spotted me from a distance and picked this fight of anti-Semitic, homophobic abuse.”
Another younger man, about 25, then approached him, grabbed his phone and threw it on to the tram tracks, damaging it.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/teenager-sarah-mouhanna-charged-for-displaying-prohibited-terrorist-symbol/news-story/7aae2df26ff76a1776d3db3d22725713
Jewish group launches campaign against Greens ahead of Queensland election
MACKENZIE SCOTT - 2 October 2024
A grassroots Queensland Jewish group has accused the Greens of stoking anti-Semitism and hatred in the wake of the October 7 attacks in Israel, launching a billboard and letterbox campaign against the minor party in key seats ahead of the state election.
The Australian can reveal the Queensland Jewish Collective has registered as a third party for the October 26 election, and has already raised more than $20,000 in community donations to fund 12,000 pamphlets and erect billboards in Brisbane electorates targeted by the Greens.
A first wave of advertisements compares the Greens protesting dams in the 1980s to today’s pro-Palestine movement, accusing the party of abandoning its core environmental message to support terror, indoctrinate children to hate, and undermine Australian values.
This week, the QJC will launch another series of billboards in partnership with the Australian Hindu Association and local Iranian community to take a stand for marginalised groups.
“They no longer stand for all minorities,” reads one of the QJC flyers. “They support our persecutors and terrorisers here and overseas. We’re putting them last.”
The collective is attempting to unseat Queensland’s first elected Greens MP, Michael Berkman, from the inner-west electorate of Maiwar, which he won in 2017, and is also targeting Moggill, held by the LNP’s Christian Rowan on a margin of 3.59 per cent, to blunt the Greens after it collected the overlapping federal seat of Ryan in the 2022 Brisbane “Greenslide”.
At the last Queensland election in 2020, the Greens held Mr Berkman’s seat and won a second, South Brisbane, after the LNP preferenced Amy MacMahon above Labor’s former deputy premier Jackie Trad.
One of the QJC’s three organisers Hava Mendelle said Queensland had become increasingly unsafe for Jewish Australians since October 7, and that danger had been exacerbated by Greens politicians appearing at pro-Palestine rallies.
“I’ve been living here for 25 years, and (being Jewish) was never something that I had to fear, because I knew that my government was behind me,” Ms Mendelle said.
“The rhetoric that has been coming out of the Greens, not just candidates, but the members, has been so one-sided with no nuance … it’s actually making Jews scared.
“Over the last 12 months, it has been so pro-hate and divisive that we couldn’t just sit here and not do anything.”
Ms Mendelle declined to appear in photographs for The Australian because of fears about her safety and that of her children.
She and non-Jewish organiser Joshu Turier have each voted for the Greens in the past but no longer feel they can.
“Many Jews in Brisbane actually vote for the Greens because we care about the environment, we care about social justice,” she said.
“But the Greens are not that party anymore.”
Mr Turier said he believed anti-Semitism had “absolutely corrupted” the Greens.
“If someone can show me another reason why there’s this obsessive focus on demonising Israeli actions, then I’m happy to consider it, but nobody’s been able to,” he said.
One of the figures in the new advertisement campaign, Hesam Orouji, said he moved to Australia eight years ago to live in a secular society for greater security. The Iran Novin Party member said he had to take a stand after being re-traumatised by people yelling anti-Semitic chants and carrying terrorist flags.
“I don’t know why they support this politics, which is against the Australian values and against humanity,” Mr Orouji said.
“I’m not in Iran anymore, but I can see same things happening here.”
Greens strategists say four suburban Labor-held seats could fall to the Greens: Cooper, McConnel, Greenslopes and Miller. The LNP seats of Clayfield and Moggill are also possible targets.
A Queensland Greens spokesman said the party “stands with Jewish people across the world who do not want to watch a genocide unfold, who want to see the hostages returned and want a ceasefire” and opposed anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and all forms of racism.
“Criticising the war crimes of the far-right extremist government of Israel is not anti-Semitic.”
On Wednesday, federal Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather emailed party members, accusing the QJC of being a front for right-wing lobby group Advance Australia, a charge the organisation denies, and asking for donations to fund its own counter-billboards.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/jewish-group-launches-campaign-against-greens-ahead-of-queensland-election/news-story/c740c931abad63777f0bf88edaab0817
https://www.qldjewishcollective.org/
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange blames British legal system, banks and oil giants for detention during speech in Strasbourg
JACQUELIN MAGNAY - 1 October 2024
1/2
Julian Assange has blamed 14 years of his detention on a compliant British legal establishment in hock to keeping important British-American interests intact, such as arms manufacturer BAE, various banks, and oil companies such as BP and Shell.
Assange spoke for the first time since arriving at a plea deal with the US, addressing the Council of Europe parliamentarians in Strasbourg on Tuesday that it “was good to be among friends” and thanking “all the people who understood my liberation was their own liberation”.
He said he had expected “harassment and legal processes” when he solicited, obtained and then published US information back in 2010 and 2011 but he had been prepared to fight for that to reveal US war crimes.
Assange on Tuesday said at that time he believed his basic rights would have been protected under European law and in the US no publisher had been prosecuted for publishing information, domestically or internationally.
“My naivety was believing in the law,’’ he said during a 45-minute address to the parliamentarians, adding that “when push comes to shove, the laws are reinterpreted for public expediency’’.
He said he had angered one of the constitutional powers of the US – the intelligence sector.
“It was powerful enough to push for a reinterpretation of the US constitution … and yes, perhaps ultimately if I had gotten to Supreme Court of the US, and I was still alive, I might have won, depending on the make-up of the US judges in the system.
“In the meantime, I had lost 14 years, the house arrest, the embassy siege, the incarnation in Belmarsh … It is an important lesson that when a major power wants to reinterpret the law … it doesn’t care too much about what is legal, that’s something for a much later date; and in the meantime there is a deterrent effect, a retribution effect.”
(continued)
2/2
Assange, 54, said it had been a surreal shift from prison isolation to Australian life and he admitted to still adjusting to life as a husband and father. He even made a joke about his mother-in-law.
The WikiLeaks founder, who admitted to finding some aspects of modern life “spooky” – such as the quietness of electric cars, and automated airport checking and machines to make grocery purchases – said he was trying to understand artificial intelligence and how it has been used to co-join assassinations and warfare.
He also criticised mainstream media outlets, saying he would revisit his selection of newspapers he had partnered with to help publish the Iraq and Afghanistan war logs.
He said under the plea deal with the US, he was unable to initiate any legal action or even request Freedom of Information documents in relation to his case.
He was clearly still angered by the steps taken by the CIA director Mike Pompeo, which he blamed for his time as a remand prisoner in a British jail for five years before coming to a plea deal arrangement earlier this year.
He said all of the judges involved in his various legal battles in Britain “showed deference to the US” and “engaged in astonishing intellectual backflips to allow the US to have its way on my extradition”.
He claimed the selection of British judges from a narrow section of British society resulted in a group of people benefiting for long periods of time in keeping good relationships with the US.
“The UK establishment is made up of people (who have) benefited for long periods of time … all judges don’t need to be told, they understand what is good for that cohort and good is keeping good relationships with the US,’’ he said, ticking off “BAE, the largest weapon manufacturer, BP, Shell, and some major banks”.
Assange’s wife, Stella, said her husband had made an exceptional effort to go to France to speak. “Everyone can tell he is exhausted,’’ she said.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-blames-british-legal-system-banks-and-oil-giants-for-detention-during-speech-in-strasbourg/news-story/2662c0d4aaf5e6a6c1853c2f9c0ceda4
Victoria Police get extra resources for anniversary protests as Allan rejects calls for new laws
Cameron Houston - October 2, 2024
1/2
Victoria Police will deploy more officers over the weekend and be given extra resources throughout October, as political leaders urged against timing pro-Palestinian vigils and protests with Monday’s anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan on Wednesday asked pro-Palestinian protesters not to demonstrate around the anniversary of the attacks saying it would be divisive.
But Allan rejected calls from the state opposition calling for the introduction of a permit scheme similar to NSW, which could prevent such protests from being organised.
Police in NSW have taken court action to prevent pro-Palestine rallies from going ahead in Sydney this weekend, arguing their applications for protest permits should be rejected on public safety grounds.
Free Palestine Melbourne will hold a rally outside the State Library of Victoria on Sunday, October 6, to protest against “the ongoing Israeli occupation, genocide and crimes against humanity being committed against the Palestinian people for over 76 years”.
The protest marks almost one year since Hamas launched the October 7 attacks, which saw 1200 people killed in Israel and sparking the war in Gaza, where more than 40,000 people have been killed.
A second activist group, Free Palestine Coalition Naarm, will hold a vigil and a silent procession for Gaza on the evening of Monday, October 7.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said stopping the protests was not an option:“If a protest is lawful, we do not have the power to deny it from occurring.”
More officers will be deployed over the weekend, but police are not expecting a repeat of violent scenes outside an arms expo in Melbourne last month.
The anniversary and protests come amid a widening of the Middle East conflict, with Israel attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran launching missile strikes at Israel.
That has also sparked fresh debate about limits on protest after some attendees at rallies last weekend brandished flags and photographs supporting proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah.
A senior Victorian police officer with knowledge of preparations, but who was not authorised to speak publicly, said previous pro-Palestine rallies had been “well-behaved and usually very peaceful”.
He said the force would still be ready for any troublemakers.
“You’d expect a small, hardcore group might try to use the anniversary as an opportunity to stir up trouble. But we’ll be ready and we’re continuing to monitor the situation, and there probably will be extra resources diverted over the weekend,” the officer said.
The Age has been told officers received text messages on Wednesday advising them they would be on “stand-by” over the weekend.
A senior government source, speaking anonymously to discuss confidential matters, said extra police resources would also be available throughout October – a period with several significant holy days in the Jewish calendar. Rosh Hashanah runs from October 2 to 4, and Yom Kippur across October 11 and 12.
State Opposition Leader John Pesutto said the Allan government should consider stronger move-on laws and a NSW-style permit system.
“We live in a democracy that rests on vital principles like freedom of speech and the right to protest peacefully,” he said.
“Consideration should be given to a NSW-style permit system which protects free speech, but gives Victoria Police reasonable powers to stop potentially violent protests, or expressions of support for listed terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah or Hamas.”
(continued)
2/2
Allan on Wednesday afternoon said people should not be protesting on October 7.
“This is a very traumatic anniversary for all those involved in the conflict,” she said.
“Whilst everyone has a right to protest peacefully, groups should reconsider the need to protest next week in respect to the grief it will cause Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Palestinian and Lebanese communities.”
On Wednesday morning, Albanese told ABC Radio it was important for people to “express themselves peacefully”, but said October 7 represented the largest number of “murders of Jewish people since the Holocaust” and there should not be any protests on this date.
“We need to promote social cohesion in our multicultural nation,” he said.
“It would be seen, I think, as incredibly provocative, it would not advance any cause. It would cause a great deal of distress,” he said.
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton backed the decision by NSW Police and said he hoped Victoria would follow suit.
“That is not an anniversary that should be celebrated and people shouldn’t be triumphant,” he said.
A Free Palestine spokesperson, whose group organises the city’s largest rallies held every Sunday, said there was no planned protest action on October 7 in Melbourne only the usual weekly protest the day before.
“As the escalation of the genocide in Gaza enters its second year and the occupation of Palestine nears its 77th, we call on community to attend the rally in numbers to send a clear message to the Australian government and world that we have not forgotten Palestine and never will,” they said in a statement.
“As we have for the last 12 months, we will continue to call on the Australian government to take immediate action against the Israeli government by imposing boycotts, divestments and sanctions.”
Free Palestine Melbourne organiser Omar Hassan said Sunday’s rally would be “significant and symbolic”.
“Having a mass demonstration on October 6 to commemorate the over 41,000 people killed in one year and thousands more displaced, is absolutely appropriate,” he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
Free Palestine Coalition Naarm said its October 7 vigil would “involve a silent procession led by grieving families, representing silenced calls for a permanent ceasefire and a just solution that is yet to be achieved one year after Israel declared its war on this day”.
Zionist Federation Australia president Jeremy Leibler said it was “sickening that protesters are attempting to hijack a day of unspeakable tragedy”.
“On October 7, the Jewish community will be solemnly mourning the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust,” he said.
Philip Zajac, president of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, backed calls for a permit system for protests.
Jillian Segal, Australia’s special envoy to combat antisemitism, told the ABC there should not be large protests on October 7, which she described as “a very, very sad day for the Australian Jewish community” and “a day of infamy”.
“Next Monday is a very sombre day,” she said, asking that “the Jewish community be allowed to mourn on that day”.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/police-unable-to-stop-melbourne-pro-palestine-protests-amid-pm-s-october-7-warning-20240928-p5ke77.html
Damn your ban: October 7 rally organisers to ignore court orders
NOAH YIM and ALEXI DEMETRIADI - 3 October 2024
1/2
Sydney pro-Palestine protest organisation Josh Lees says a court order will not deter demonstrations on Sunday and Monday, the day before and of the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks.
NSW Police has put in a court bid to stop the demonstrations. The Coalition has called on the Victorian Police to do the same.
The NSW Supreme Court on Thursday will hear the state police’s argument to stop the two events – and to deem both as “unauthorised” – which would be contested in the same court by the organisers, the Palestinian Action Group.
Mr Lees said he and fellow protest organisers were asking people not to bring Hezbollah flags “because they could be deemed illegal” but they would otherwise “defend people’s right to hold pieces of cloth”.
“We’ll be going ahead with our protests on Sunday, the 6th of October, regardless of what happens in the court,” Mr Lees told ABC RN. “We are determined that we’ve been protesting for 51 consecutive weeks now. We’re certainly not going to stop now, especially as Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues, and now they are starting an invasion of Lebanon.”
He said the group was also planning a candlelight vigil at Town Hall on Monday.
“It’s a chance for Palestinian and Lebanese people to come and grieve for the thousands of people who have died and for their loved ones,” he said. “We have many people who have lost family.”
He said “people are welcome to grieve for whoever they want” when asked whether they would be grieving for victims of the October 7 attacks.
When pressed further, Mr Lees asked the interviewer whether they were asking the same of Jewish groups that planned to hold vigils on the same day.
“I wonder if you are putting the same question to those organising memorials for the Israeli victims of October 7th, are you demanding that they mourn the 42,000 dead Palestinians?” He asked.
Mr Lees also said he was urging protest-goers not to bring Hezbollah flags.
“We are asking people not to bring those flags because they could be deemed illegal and because we don’t want people to face arrest or legal troubles,” he said.
“I personally would not fly that flag. I don’t politically agree with Hezbollah, but we defend people’s right to hold pieces of cloth.”
He said that the controversy around waving the terrorist flags was not “at all reasonable”.
“There’s no discussion of banning the Israeli flag, whereas that is a state that’s actually carried out far greater acts of terrorism and is right now starting another war on Lebanon, the fourth invasion of Lebanon in Israel’s history,” he said. “So we should have some perspective when we’re talking about Hezbollah and flags about what’s really going on.”
(continued)
2/2
Palestinian Action Group vows to continue rallies
The group has held Sydney CBD pro-Palestine rallies on 51 consecutive Sundays, all of which have been authorised and peaceful, and it believes it will win the last-minute court case.
Mr Lees on Wednesday said the candlelight vigil would be “small”, claiming it never needed police authorisation in any case.
It comes as Commissioner Webb on Thursday filed an urgent application at the court after the NSW Police Force said it could “not be satisfied” both events could “proceed safely”.
On Wednesday, police charged 19-year-old Sarah Mouhanna for allegedly displaying a terrorist organisation’s symbol at Sunday’s protest commemorating slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The police have no specific power to stop a public assembly, but under NSW legislation such an assembly is either “authorised” or “unauthorised”, with the formalisation of a “form 1” giving any organiser the green light.
Police have increased powers if a public assembly is unauthorised, including stronger “move-on” powers if people obstruct persons or traffic, which comes with a fine.
A continued failure to comply with a direction could also lead to an arrest.
Political leaders have been at pains to ensure that scenes at the Sydney Opera House last October are not repeated, where a group chanted “f..k …” and “where are … the Jews”, and burned Israeli flags.
It’s understood a large police presence will be in the Sydney CBD on Monday, the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 atrocities.
Jewish leaders have said they had no issue with any protest activity at the weekend but any event or protest on Monday was “beyond the pale” as the community mourned on the anniversary of the attacks.
“For the past 51 weeks, anti-Israel activists … have brought racial hatred, tension and, in some cases, support for terrorism back to society,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said, noting that Israel’s military response did not began on or immediately after October 7. “We’ve never objected to the right of free protests in this country.
“But every right has its limits. To hold an anti-Israel protest on the first anniversary of October 7, one of the greatest atrocities of modern history, is beyond the pale.
“I appeal to these protesters to show a shred of dignity and leave this date alone.”
Anthony Albanese backed the police’s “absolutely reasonable position”, saying the PAG’s event on the one-year anniversary would be “incredibly provocative”.
“There certainly shouldn’t be any protests on October 7 because it would be seen as incredibly provocative,” the Prime Minister said, adding anything that “looks like it’s a celebration of (October 7)” would cause disharmony. It would not advance any cause. It would cause a great deal of distress.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns supported the police commissioner and ban, saying he feared a “difficult weekend for Sydney” – a “show of leadership” that garnered support from Peter Dutton.
“Our No 1 concern is peace and safety on our streets,” Mr Minns said. “Police believe there was a high prospect of conflict, something we couldn’t abide or stand by under the circumstances.”
He revealed it became clear it would be impossible to stop protesters from waving Hezbollah flags or symbols, potentially a criminal offence.
“The organisers don’t believe they can fully control all of the attendees (of about 300 people),” he said.
“Police believe it’ll be far greater in number than that, and the organisers aren’t prepared for the scale or volume of that protest activity. (The) police have made a decision that it’s not possible to put in (safety) provisions, given the circumstances.”
Civil liberty groups attacked the move, as did the NSW Labor Friends of Palestine, a group dominated by the party’s Ferguson Left.
NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Lydia Shelley said a “blanket ban” on protests was “anti-democratic”.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/damn-your-ban-october-7-rally-organisers-to-ignore-court-orders/news-story/812bcac45df86a8f7e0e2e13f59d355d
Pro-Palestinian events in Sydney's CBD to go ahead after police withdraw NSW Supreme Court application
Jamie McKinnell - 3 October 2024
1/2
NSW Police have reached an 11th-hour agreement with the organisers of pro-Palestinian events in Sydney's CBD after negotiations continued in the background of a Supreme Court hearing.
Thousands are expected to rally through the city this weekend to mark the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Gaza conflict, but organisers had also put in paperwork to NSW Police seeking to hold a vigil on Monday.
At a hearing before Justice Jeremy Kirk on Thursday afternoon, organisers withdrew their application to police for Monday's vigil to be an authorised event.
Outside court, organiser Amal Naser said they were never required to put in paperwork for a static vigil and the event would still go ahead.
During the course of proceedings, the Palestine Action Group conceded plans to hold a vigil on Monday night.
The Palestine Action Group also sought to amend their plans for Sunday, which was initially intended to begin at Town Hall, and suggested it could instead begin at Hyde Park before a march.
But the sticking point appeared to be that the new proposed march route would bring participants close to The Great Synagogue on their way back to Hyde Park, with police expressing concerns it would be "provocative".
Barrister Arjun Chhabra, representing the organisers, was making submissions towards the end of the hearing when news of a breakthrough reached the courtroom.
Lachlan Gyles SC, for the NSW Police commissioner, said the parties had managed to "resolve the proceedings" and sought orders that each party pay their own costs.
Justice Kirk said the commissioner, defendants and groups associated with the defendants had engaged in good faith through 51 weeks of protest activity in "difficult times".
That process sought to "manage the balance on the one hand, of a right to peaceful assembly with, on the other hand, legitimate concerns about public safety," the judge said.
"It is to the credit of the parties that they have done so, and the resolution of this dispute today is a further manifestation of what appears to me on the evidence available to be good faith on both sides."
Outside court, Ms Naser said police chose to withdraw their application to prohibit the protest.
Another organiser, Josh Lees, said Sunday's rally would proceed along the same route the group had used many times before and denied it came into close proximity to the synagogue.
"What happened today was that the police and the government, under political pressure, tried to ban our protest effectively, or try to make it very hard for us to protest. We've resisted that."
(continued)
2/2
Demonstrations likely to be 'one of the biggest' protests, organisers say
Earlier, Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna told the court a new proposed route would involve participants coming within "very close proximity" to The Great Synagogue as they re-entered Hyde Park after marching.
He said this would be "provocative".
Within the protest group recently there has been a "significant number" of the Lebanese community, the assistant commissioner said.
"The ongoing issues overseas do have an effect here. We do see crowds rise when things happen in that overseas environment."
Assistant Commissioner McKenna said the police force understood the right to public assembly, but had a broader community concern to consider.
"Often it only takes one or two people to say the wrong thing and it could be a tinderbox, it could be something quite significant that we have to deal with."
He also spoke of "a different undertone" at recent rallies and said it wouldn't take much to place community members and police in "a very precarious situation" which was "completely avoidable".
Under cross-examination, the witness wasn't able to confirm or reject that it was NSW Police who came up with the alternative route as part of their negotiations with organisers.
He conceded the curtailing of police powers, including the power to issue move on directions, was a concern.
"It would give police more ability to intervene for public safety, if required."
Mr Lees gave evidence of marshals who've sought to "de-escalate" any tensions at their rallies if participants come across people who disagree with their cause.
He agreed under cross-examination that the planned rally had received substantial publicity and was asked whether that, in addition to the topical nature of events, meant his group had never had to estimate what size crowd to expect for such a situation.
"No, I don't think that's true," Mr Lees replied.
"We've been dealing with a whole series of very emotional and devastating moments for the last year."
Mr Lees agreed it would likely be "one of the biggest" protests they've had in the last few months and the numbers may exceed their expectation.
He told the court organisers have urged attendees, via social media, not to bring any prohibited or illegal flags.
Safety flagged by NSW Police as reason for concern
The judicial process began on Tuesday night, when NSW Police confirmed it was applying to the Supreme Court to prohibit two events, both planned for the long weekend, organised by the Palestine Action Group.
Those events are a demonstration on Sunday, October 6 and a candlelight vigil on October 7.
In a statement, NSW Police said the reasoning for the decision was based around safety concerns.
Palestine Action Group has previously held 51 consecutive weeks of demonstrations in Sydney with limited police intervention.
In his submissions Mr Gyles said the right to public assembly was an important democratic right for all Australians.
But it had to be balanced against the equally important right of all citizens not to have their safety put at risk by a breach of the peace, he said.
Sunday's planned rally created "objective and reasonably held concerns about the public order and safety" which meant police should retain the policing powers that would come with a court prohibition order concerning the event, Mr Gyles said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-03/sydney-candlelight-pro-palestinian-vigil-october-7/104426544
Sall Grover appeals landmark transgender discrimination win
JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS - 3 October 2024
Sall Grover is challenging a controversial Federal Court ruling that “sex is changeable” after a judge found excluding a transgender woman from the women’s-only social media app Giggle for Girls amounted to indirect discrimination.
In August, transgender woman Roxanne Tickle won a landmark case against Giggle for Girls when Justice Robert Bromwich found Ms Grover had indirectly, but not directly, discriminated against Ms Tickle when she removed her from the app because she did not look sufficiently female. Ms Grover was ordered to pay the Ms Tickle $10,000, as well as her legal costs.
In his ruling, Justice Bromwich found that “sex is changeable” and non-binary, saying the “concept of sex has broadened over the 30 years since the SDA”.
In a statement on Thursday, Giggle for Girls and Ms Grover said they would argue the court “misinterpreted the legal definition of ‘sex’ under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), expanding it beyond biological realities, which could undermine protections meant for women and girls.”
The “appeal challenges a declaratory judgment that wrongfully finds our actions constituted ‘unlawful indirect discrimination’ based on gender identity”, the statement said.
Indirect discrimination is the imposition of a condition, requirement or practice that is likely to disadvantage a person relative to another person who has a different gender identity.
Ms Grover will also argue the app serves as a special measure, which is “aimed at fostering equality between men and women”. Under the Sex Discrimination Act, special measures are actions that promote equality for disadvantaged groups.
“By providing a dedicated space for women, we are not just protecting their rights but championing the values of fairness and safety for all,” the statement said.
“The recent ruling of Justice Bromwich in the Federal Court of Australia … misinterprets the fundamental rights of women and girls, and the principles of single-sex spaces essential for their safety and dignity.”
Ms Tickle underwent gender-affirming surgery in 2019 and is now designated as female on her Queensland birth certificate.
She was accepted into the app in February 2021 after an analysis of a “selfie” by Giggle’s third-party artificial intelligence tool but later blocked when Ms Grover surveyed the image herself.
Ms Tickle said she was “very disappointed” that Ms Grover had “decided to appeal the judge’s ruling that she discriminated against me because I’m a trans woman”.
“Post-gender transition should be the most joyous years of my life. I had my new life ahead of me, and now I am being dragged back to court for who knows how long. All because of a very small group of people who are committed to making the lives of people they’ve never met very difficult,” Ms Tickle said.
“Trans and gender diverse people exist. Our legal system recognises this. Society at large recognises this. I shouldn’t have to spend years of my life in court to either prove I exist or to have my existing legal rights upheld.”
The statement from Giggle for Girls said “this is not an act of unkindness or bigotry; rather, it is a stand for fairness, honesty and truth, acknowledging the unique experiences and challenges faced by women and girls.”
There were mixed reactions to the Justice Bromwich’s judgment, handed down in August.
Some legal experts said the ruling made it “clear cut that you cannot have spaces designated as women-only, where what you mean is cisgender women-only”. Others said discrimination law no longer offered women the protection it was once legislated to guarantee.
In response to the appeal, Equality Australia said: “Every woman should be able to participate in public life on equal terms and feel part of a society that treats them with respect.”
Experienced silk Stuart Wood AM KC has been brought onto the Giggle team, alongside Bridie Nolan, Anca Costin and Katherine Deves.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/sall-grover-appeals-landmark-transgender-discrimination-win/news-story/8268abfb20ea13ad02d01ef643a978be
Iran’s ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi praises Hassan Nasrallah as ‘remarkable leader’
MOHAMMAD ALFARES - October 03, 2024
The Iranian ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi has remembered slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “remarkable leader” and a “prominent standard-bearer”, despite his decades-long reign of terror in the Middle East.
In a social media post on Sunday, the day Nasrallah was killed, Mr Sadeghi said the “blessed martyr”, who was a designated terrorist around the world had a dignified path to heaven and described his leadership as an ongoing struggle against “the vile entity of the Zionist regime”.
“Following the martyrdom of Sayyed (sir) Hassan Nasrallah, the honourable Secretary-General of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Islamic Resistance Front and the Muslim world have lost a great personality, a prominent standard-bearer, and a remarkable leader,” Mr Sadeghi wrote. “However, his path in the struggle against the oppression and occupation of the criminal Zionist regime will continue to have many followers.
“Undoubtedly, the path of this blessed martyr in the struggle against the tyrants and oppressors of the time will endure and bear fruit, and the vile entity of the Zionist regime will not remain triumphant or complacent from this crime.
“Martyrdom is the dignified path of such great men, and nothing else can be expected from them,” he said.
A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has condemned the comments of the Iranian top diplomat, while the Coalition called for him to be expelled.
Ms Wong’s office said Australia had maintained a diplomatic relationship with Iran “continuously since 1968” and that this was not an endorsement of the nation’s regime but because it was in Australia’s national interest to do so.
“In all of that time, it has never been an endorsement of the regime, it is a channel to protect Australia’s interests and to communicate the views of Australia and our close partners,” the spokesperson said.
Despite this, Senator Wong hit back against Mr Sadeghi’s comments.
“The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have made clear that the government condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah,“ the spokesperson said.
“We condemn the Ambassador’s comments.“
The comments led to a rebuke from the opposition’s foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham, who called on the top Iranian diplomat to be expelled.
“The Iranian ambassador may enjoy diplomatic privileges but he is still a guest in our country and it’s time for the invitation to be withdrawn,” Mr Birmingham said.
“All previous ‘talkings to’ by the Albanese government have been woefully ineffective.”
Mr Birmingham said Australia should not tolerate a foreign ambassador “spreading hate speech” and demanded Ms Wong “show leadership”.
“We should not tolerate a foreign ambassador spreading hate speech and celebrating terrorists on our shores.”
Mr Birmingham said all previous conversations by Labor have been “woefully ineffective” as Mr Sadeghi was summoned by the Australian government in August for anti-Semitic social media posts, in which he described Israel as a Zionist plague.
“The time for Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong to show leadership by declaring the Iranian ambassador persona non grata is now,” he said.
The top diplomat in Australia has previously come under intense scrutiny after he called Israel a “genocidal regime” and called for the “wiping out” of the “Zionist plague” by 2027. He later denied the remarks were anti-Semitic and described the government’s backlash as “unpleasant and unfair reactions.”
The Australian has approached the ambassador and the embassy in Canberra for comment.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/irans-ambassador-to-australia-ahmad-sadeghi-praises-hassan-nasrallah-as-remarkable-leader/news-story/cf9238aaa831ae2dfce421522300348b
https://x.com/ahmad87051/status/1840070484895117432
Peter Dutton calls for Iranian ambassador to be expelled after tweet praising slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah
Jake Evans - 4 October 2024
1/2
Iran's ambassador to Australia should be expelled from the country over his comments praising Hezbollah's slain leader, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says.
Mr Dutton this morning called for Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi's expulsion following his comments on social media labelling assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah a martyr and "unparalleled leader".
He made the remarks late last month, the day Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike.
Mr Dutton said Mr Sadeghi should not remain in Australia.
"I think the comments from the Iranian ambassador are completely and utterly at odds with what is in our country's best interests and the prime minister and the foreign minister should show the strength of character and expel him from our country," Mr Dutton said.
The ABC understands the Iranian ambassador has been called into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade over the social media post.
It is understood Mr Sadeghi was spoken to by government officials today, and reminded of his obligation to respect Australian law and to stay out of domestic affairs.
The ABC has contacted Foreign Minister Penny Wong for comment.
Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the ambassador's remarks but declined to say he should be expelled.
"The government condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah. We condemn the ambassador's comments," Mr Albanese said.
"We have maintained a relationship with Iran since 1968 which is continuous. Not because we agree with the regime but because it is in Australia's national interest.
"It has never been an endorsement of the regime, but a channel to protect Australia's interests and to communicate our views and the views of our allies, like-minded countries."
But Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham said Australia should also take steps to ensure Iran's leadership was limited in their ability to "promote hatred" within Australia.
"We have seen multiple instances now, including just in the last week, of Iran's ambassador to Australia engaging in hate speech, undertaking statements that, were they to be said by an individual speaking at a rally in Australia, or a preacher in a place of worship, may well actually instigate legal proceedings against them," Senator Birmingham said.
"Whilst [diplomatic immunity] may prevent him from being charged, it does warrant the case and necessitate why we believe he should be withdrawn from that diplomatic right within Australia."
(continued)
2/2
Former Iranian political prisoner says Sadeghi should be expelled
Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was imprisoned by Iran for two years on claims of espionage without public evidence, said Mr Sadeghi has lost his right to remain in Australia.
"I don't support the severing of diplomatic ties between Australia and Iran, but I do think that this current ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi … who has been making a series of inflammatory statements and hate speech on social media, he has no place in Australia, I think he's lost that right," Dr Moore-Gilbert told the ABC.
Dr Moore-Gilbert said she agreed that it was important for the government to maintain a diplomatic channel to Iran, but she said that did not have to be mutually exclusive from Mr Sadeghi's expulsion.
"It is important to retain relations with Iran, because we currently have Australian citizens imprisoned in Iran that we negotiate over, we also have the issue of needing Iranian agreement to deport any nefarious actors which might be operating in Australian society at the behest of that regime for example," Dr Moore-Gilbert said.
"I'm sure whoever [would] replace Sadeghi is not necessarily going to be a more savoury character, but expelling him sends a very strong signal to the Iranian regime that we will not tolerate hate speech in Australia on Australian territory, including from diplomats.
"We probably would see some retaliatory action, but that is not a reason not to do it."
She noted Mr Sadeghi has already been warned once, when he was called in by the Department of Foreing Affairs in August over a separate social media post agitating for the violent removal of Israelis from "the holy lands of Palestine".
Shortly after that dressing down, Iran called in Australia's ambassador to complain about a social media post supporting Wear It Purple Day.
Professor Donald Rothwell, an international law professor at the Australian National University, noted to the ABC's Afternoon Briefing that Australia had never expelled a diplomat at the ambassador level — or any diplomat over social media posts — and said doing so would result in a breakdown in diplomatic relations between Australia and Iran.
Mr Dutton's expulsion call comes as the United States and Israel consider a military response to Iran launching hundreds of missiles into Israel.
He said the government must act far more strongly as conflict escalates in the Middle East, also calling for the government to move against planned pro-Palestinian protests on Sunday ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hamas' terror attack on Israel.
"The PM has to start showing some strength of leadership and some character here and standing up for our values and what is right, and it would start with a condemnation of the October 7 celebration, of the 1,200 deaths which is being proposed," he said.
"Israel wasn't firing rockets in defence on the 6th of October."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-04/peter-dutton-calls-for-iranian-ambassador-to-be-expelled-/104432518
Iran’s ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi given dressing down over inflammatory posts about Hassan Nasrallah
The ambassador praised the slain leader of terrorist organisation Hezbollah as an ‘outstanding standard-bearer’.
Josh Martin - 4 October 2024
7NEWS can reveal Iran’s Ambassador to Australia has been hauled in by the government for a dressing down over inflammatory comments praising the slain leader of terrorist organisation, Hezbollah, but Anthony Albanese is refusing to expel the diplomat. Tehran’s top diplomat, Ahmad Sadeghi, was called into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra on Friday over his social media posts on X, where he called dead terrorist leader, Hassan Nasrallah, an “outstanding standard-bearer”, “unparalleled leader”, and a “blessed martyr”.
7NEWS understands the meeting with senior foreign affairs officials was blunt, with the ambassador reminded of his obligations to respect Australian law and stay out of our domestic politics.
Sadeghi has also labelled Israel a “criminal Zionist state”, comments that have enraged Opposition leader Peter Dutton, who has called for his immediate expulsion from Australia.
“I think the comments by the Iranian ambassador are completely and utterly at odds with what is in our country’s best interest,” Dutton said at a press conference on the Queensland election campaign trail.
“The prime minister and foreign minister should show strength of character and expel him from our country.”
Albanese has condemned the comments but will not go as far as Dutton is asking, as the government wants to keep diplomatic channels open with Tehran during this period of conflict in the Middle East.
“The govt condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah, and we condemn the Ambassador’s comments,” the prime minister said.
“Australia has maintained a diplomatic relationship with Iran since 1968 that has been continuous not because we agree with the regime, but because it is in Australia’s national interest.”
Albanese claims to have taken the toughest stance on Iran of any government in Australia’s history.
Australia has sanctioned senior officials including Iran’s defence minister, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, and the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Qods Force, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani.
Others sanctioned include Iranian business people and companies that have contributed to the development of Iran’s missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs.
https://7news.com.au/news/irans-ambassador-to-australia-ahmad-sadeghi-given-dressing-down-over-inflammatory-posts-about-hassan-nasrallah-c-16280928
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edqn1WOBPYQ
Revealed: Iranian Arashi Rahbari behind pro-Hezbollah rally calls Australia ‘a tyrannical terrorist regime’
MOHAMMAD ALFARES - October 03, 2024
1/2
A pro-Hezbollah activist who led a march through Melbourne last weekend waving the terrorist group’s flag and chanting pro-Hamas and pro-Houthi slogans can be identified as an Iranian national who believes Australia is a pathetic “tyrannical terrorist regime”.
The Australian has confirmed Arashi Rahbari was one of the leaders of the provocative pro-Hezbollah rally staged to mourn the loss of slain terrorist Hassan Nasrallah.
Mr Rahbari, who lives in Melbourne and is an Iranian national, was spotted on Sunday wearing a shirt with Hezbollah’s paraphernalia while waving the terrorist flag, strapped to another Iranian flag. The emergence of an Iranian national as a local pro-Hezbollah leader underlines the challenge facing Australia in dealing with the fallout from the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel and the war that has since erupted.
As Mr Rahbari was identified, the Australian Federal Police’s Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command Centre established Operation Ardvarna to look into the prohibited display of symbols in public spaces by nine individuals in Melbourne at the weekend rally.
The probe comes as one of the Hezbollah flag-bearing activists revealed by The Australian as Yousif Tiba declared he was “not scared of police” while celebrating the terror group as a “resistance organisation”.
Mr Rahbari attended the violent Land Forces protest in September and was filmed by The Australian chanting “Hamas, Houthis, Hezbollah, Mashallah” and “Labayka ya Khomeini”, meaning “I’m at your service, Khomeini” or “Here I am, Khomeini”. He was wearing a white cap with a picture of a Hamas terrorist and a white shirt of the former supreme leader of Iran, Ruhollah Khomeini.
In a conversation with The Australian at the Land Forces protest, Mr Rahbari identified himself as an Iranian national but declined an interview.
Khomeini was the architect of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was founded on his vision of governance rooted in Shia Islam, known as “Velayat-e Faqih” (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist). After the revolution, he became Iran’s supreme leader, the highest political and religious authority, and held this position until his death in 1989. He was not a listed terrorist in Australia.
In an image Mr Rahbari shared on social media featuring a protest where several men were holding a yellow Hezbollah flag, Mr Rahbari called Australia a “pathetic tyrannical terrorist regime”. Another caption he wrote states: “I will not bow down to Australian terrorist regime! Get fd mate!! Mashallah Hezbollah labaik ya Nasrallah.”
It’s unclear whether Mr Rahbari is a visa-holder or an Australian citizen.
The department of Home Affairs would not disclose any information on individual residents, citing privacy reasons.
(continued)
2/2
Mr Rahbari’s face was plastered on the front page of The Australian on Monday in a striking image of him leading the pro-Hezbollah rally in Melbourne.
The Australian has attempted to contact him for comment on Thursday, while the AFP, Victoria Police and the Department of Home Affairs and Trade declined to confirm whether they were aware of his actions.
DFAT said they requested state police to check the visa status of anyone they arrested or charged and inform them if anyone was a visa holder.
“If police raise concerns about visa holders, we will then consider cancellations,” a DFAT spokesperson said.
Mr Tiba, a 30-year-old Shia Muslim creative arts student at Griffith University, paraded through Melbourne streets at the pro-Hezbollah rally alongside Mr Rahbari at the weekend.
He told The Australian exclusively that “Hezbollah as a resistance group against Israel has my support”.
The Iranian ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, also remembered slain Hezbollah leader Nasrallah as a “remarkable leader” and a “prominent standard-bearer”, despite his decades-long reign of terror in the Middle East.
Mr Sadeghi said the “blessed martyr”, who was a designated terrorist around the world, had a dignified path to heaven and described his leadership as an ongoing struggle against “the vile entity of the Zionist regime”.
“Following the martyrdom of Sayyed (sir) Hassan Nasrallah, the honourable secretary-general of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Islamic Resistance Front and the Muslim world have lost a great personality, a prominent standard-bearer, and a remarkable leader,” Mr Sadeghi wrote. “However, his path in the struggle against the oppression and occupation of the criminal Zionist regime will continue to have many followers.
“Undoubtedly, the path of this blessed martyr in the struggle against the tyrants and oppressors of the time will endure and bear fruit, and the vile entity of the Zionist regime will not remain triumphant or complacent from this crime.”
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned the comments but resisted calls to expel the top Iranian diplomat, despite pressure from the opposition.
Senator Wong said Australia had maintained a diplomatic relationship with Iran “continuously since 1968”; this was not an endorsement of the nation’s regime but because it was in Australia’s national interest to do so.
“In all of that time, it has never been an endorsement of the regime, it is a channel to protect Australia’s interests and to communicate the views of Australia and our close partners,” her spokesperson said.
Despite this, Senator Wong’s office hit back against Mr Sadeghi’s comments.
“The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have made clear that the government condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah,“ she said. “We condemn the ambassador’s comments.“
The comments led to a rebuke from the opposition’s foreign affairs spokesman, Simon Birmingham, who called on the top Iranian diplomat to be expelled.
“The Iranian ambassador may enjoy diplomatic privileges but he is still a guest in our country and it’s time for the invitation to be withdrawn,” he said.
“All previous ‘talkings to’ by the Albanese government have been woefully ineffective. The time for nice chats is over and the time for Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong to show leadership by declaring the Iranian ambassador persona non grata is now.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/revealed-iranian-arashi-rahbari-behind-prohezbollah-rally-calls-australia-a-tyrannical-terrorist-regime/news-story/f244b8766964071499f804fa597ef5f6
NSW Police abandon bid to stop October 6 protest in Sydney despite ‘tinder box’ warning
JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS and ALEXI DEMETRIADI - October 03, 2024
1/2
Police have dropped a bid to stop a rally in Sydney’s CBD on Sunday – the eve of the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel – after the route of the march was changed, while a pro-Palestinian candlelight vigil on October 7 will also go ahead.
It followed three hours of hearings in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday, and backroom discussions between the Commissioner of NSW Police and pro-Palestine protest organiser Palestine Action Group about the route of the march.
After initiating the proceedings in the Supreme Court to put an end to the planned protest ending at Hyde Park, NSW police indicated they did not object to a new path, submitted late in the day by PAG, that would avoid the Great Synagogue between Elizabeth and Castlereagh streets by an extra block.
PAG said they expected 5000 people to attend Sunday’s protest but police estimate numbers closer to 15,000 given escalating tensions in Lebanon. The group has held protests each week for 51 weeks.
NSW police had also attempted to obtain a prohibition order for a public assembly on October 7, but earlier in the day PAG withdrew a court order for that event, saying they never needed police permission to hold a vigil and notified authorities only “in good faith”.
Outside court, PAG organisers said they still intended to hold the candlelight vigil on October 7, potentially at Town Hall, in which they expect 200 people but said “the bigger the better” because it meant “more people are coming to mourn the lives of Palestinians”.
“The main protest we’re building is the October 6 protest … The vigil on Monday was only ever intended to be a small candlelight vigil as a milestone, we don’t need a Form 1 for that,” organiser Josh Lees said outside court. A Form 1 is the paperwork required to hold an authorised public assembly.
Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said police “felt a different undertone within the protest group” at the weekend amid a large “uptake” of the Lebanese community to the protests, with 4500 in attendance compared with about 500 in previous weeks.
“It is described to me by the police on the ground as a more aggressive feeling at the moment and we’re very concerned by it,” he said.
“Not the least was last weekend when we were dealing with a number of people carrying prohibited articles and flags and I know when the police had to interject at times there, it became quite aggressive to the point that a number of officers were surrounded by young men and … OC spray had to be sprayed.”
He also said the protection afforded to the protesters who had a Form 1, meaning their protest was authorised, would leave police “with less control and reduced ability to intervene” such as utilising move-on directions or threatening charges.
McKenna told the court 10 people were warned by police at the Sunday’s protest about the display of Hezbollah flags.
(continued)
2/2
Outside court, another PAG organiser, Amal Naser, called Mr McKenna’s comments about the Lebanese community and Hezbollah articles and flags “racist dog-whistling”.
“He made it in specific reference to the Lebanese community,” Mr Naser said. “It’s obvious racism and it’s obvious targeting at Lebanese community members who are rightfully mourning the loss of their family members and the invasion of their family.
“We’ve had no issues for 51 weeks. This is clear coming from political pressure from the top – from the Prime Minister and from the Premier. And all they’ve done is drag us through the courts for a week, waste public resources … but they’ve promoted our protest.”
Earlier, Mr McKenna told the court it would be “provocative” for pro-Palestine protesters to walk a protest route past the Great Synagogue, particularly on a Jewish holiday, and make it “very difficult for police to ensure public safety” to put the two groups in such proximity.
He said it could “only take one or two people to say the wrong thing and it could be a tinder box, it could be something quite significant we have to deal with.”
PAG’s barrister, Arjun Chhabra, claimed the police had suggested the route through Hyde Park, rather than Town Hall, and then took issue with it in court. He also said shutting down the protest on October 6 would “undermine” freedoms based on a few bad actors.
“At its highest, the evidence goes to 10 individuals out of 4500; my maths may be shaky but that’s some 0.2 per cent. To rely on 0.2 per cent, to deny 99.8 per cent … of legally compliant individuals … will undermine those zealously guarded rights of freedom.”
Earlier on Thursday, NSW Premier Chris Minns said it was reasonable for police to be “highly sceptical that (it) would be a candlelight vigil in the middle of the CBD for 200 people on a Monday evening”, saying there was likely to be thousands of people in attendance.
“That’s not out of pure conjecture or a hypothesis; 12 months ago on the streets of Sydney, a protest or a vigil that was meant to take place in Town Hall ended up all the way down at the Opera House and on the front pages of newspapers right around the world. No, we don’t want a repeat of that, neither do NSW police … And it’s reasonable for the government and the police to try and stop those scenes from being repeated.”
Prominent Lebanese Muslim community leader Jamal Rifi said he believed that while an element of “professional disrupters” had hijacked parts of Sunday’s protest, for a lot of the community the rally was a way to “overcome their helplessness” about what was happening in Lebanon.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/nsw-police-abandon-bid-to-stop-october-6-protest-in-sydney-despite-tinder-box-warning/news-story/6c066038ab4819b8176df31de5a4ef31
Anthony Albanese and NSW Police at odds as October 7 ‘outrage’ rally gets green light
ALEXI DEMETRIADI - 4 October 2024
1/2
Anthony Albanese and NSW Police have become divided over whether an “outrage” rally orchestrated by extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir should be allowed to go ahead on the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks.
The state’s police force confirmed on Friday it had green-lit the rally in southwest Sydney, confirming officers were working with the organiser and saying the force “respected the right” of peaceful and lawful assembly.
This came in spite of the Prime Minister publicly condemning Hizb ut-Tahrir and criticising pro-Palestine protests planned to coincide with the anniversary of the horrific terror event.
The prospect of Hizb ut-Tahrir’s rally comes after a protracted negotiation and court process between police and the Palestine Action Group, who will host a separate Sydney CBD rally on Sunday and forge ahead with an unauthorised vigil on Monday.
Although Hizb ut-Tahrir are not banned in Australia, unlike in the United Kingdom, the organisation has been heavily criticised for promoting extremism and celebrating Hamas’ October 7 attacks.
On Friday, Mr Albanese “condemned” Hizb ut-Tahrir, saying Monday should be a “solemn day” to recognise the anniversary’s “horrors”, believing any rally with their involvement should be cancelled.
“I have no time (for) and condemn that organisation… (the rally) won’t be sanctioned,” he said.
“I believe very strongly that those planning any events on October 7 should recognise that that is not the time…”
NSW Police assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said there appeared to be “goodwill” from the organisers and he hoped there’d be no issues, but that if people arrived with the “wrong intentions” and committed any offence police would take “appropriate action”.
“I wouldn’t speak for the prime minister, I’ll speak for myself as a police leader… I’m apolitical and (the police) are there for public safety,” he said.
On Thursday, a Hizb ut-Tahrir front, Stand for Palestine, advertised its “rally for Palestine and Lebanon”, taking place outside Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque on Monday.
The rally would send a “defiant message”, the group said, who are also suggesting it’s endorsed by about 40 Islamic organisations, including the Lebanese Muslim Association and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, two of Australia’s largest and most influential.
Sheiks and community leaders will address the rally, and there’ll also be a form of Islamic prayer for people killed.
The Muslim Vote, a new political group aiming to topple Labor and which is now co-ordinating pro-Palestine independent Ziad Basyouny’s campaign, are also listed as rally partners.
It’s convener, Sheikh Wesam Cherkawi, is billed to speak at the event alongside Amer al-Wahwah, a regular Hizb ut-Tahrir speaker and administrator of its Stand for Palestine WhatsApp group.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said while he and police knew of the rally he had not been aware of Hizb ut-Tahrir’s involvement, standing firm in his belief of its “inappropriateness”.
“To hold a rally on the day when people were massacred is grossly insensitive, in my opinion,” he said, adding of most concern remained the CBD rallies due to their proximity to “sensitive areas”.
(continued)
2/2
Hizb ut-Tahrir are registered as a terror organisation in the United Kingdom and Germany, but the Albanese government has resisted calls to follow suit. In May, some of its activists infiltrated the University of Sydney’s pro-Palestine encampment.
The group’s Australian arm has formally partnered with the rally — Stand for Palestine have made efforts to claim the two groups are not linked — which was first advertised by Mohammad Al-Wahwah, another administrator of the Stand for Palestine WhatsApp group and a relative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia founder Ismail Al-Wahwah.
Stand for Palestine’s Telegram group is administered by a Tunisian Hizb ut-Tahrir activist.
Hizb ut-Tahrir organised the now-infamous Lakemba rally the day after Hamas’ attacks, where fireworks were set off and Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun – a frequent speaker at the group’s events – said he was “elated”, telling a crowd that October 7 was a “day of courage”. He later claimed his words were taken out of context.
Hamas killed about 1200 people and took 250 taken hostage on October 7, which also included rape and beheadings. The attack sparked an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that has since killed about 42,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run Gazan health officials.
When asked about the sheik’s involvement, given his comments last year, Mr Minns said hate speech would not be tolerated.
“We cannot allow a situation where hate or anti-Semitism creeps into public discourse,” he said.
“If there's any (criminality) breaches in protests, in public sermons, in speeches over this weekend, it will be met with very strict laws in relation to hate speech.”
But Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the government had “emboldened” extremist organisations and October 7’s rallies.
“This event is deliberately provocative, deeply offensive and should not go ahead,” the senator said.
Road closures are in place for the rally, which was also promoted by Faraz Nomani, another Hizb ut-Tahrir and Stand for Palestine activist.
Jewish leaders have said that they don’t oppose protests, but urged activists to hold rallies around, not on, October 7.
Mr Minns warned of a “high prospect of conflict” across the next 72 hours, backing the police’s move to oppose the October 6 and 7 rallies planned by the PAG.
The premier said the PAG’s assertion that Monday’s vigil had been approved were untrue and if it turned into a rally it would be met with an “overwhelming police response”
The PAG abandoned attempts to “authorise” Monday’s event, meaning that while the vigil could proceed, those attending would not have protection from offences such as trespassing.
The premier, who met faith and Lebanese leaders this week, hit out at the PAG’s organisers, accusing them of not representing the communities on behalf of whom they are protesting.
But the PAG’s organisers have criticised the response from the premier and police, saying people had a “right to mourn”.
Prominent Lebanese Muslim community leader Jamal Rifi said his community backed the calls for safety and harmony, urging protesters to avoid Hezbollah flags, but that legal demonstrations allowed people to “overcome their helplessness” about what was happening in Lebanon.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/hizb-uttahrir-to-host-october-7-outrage-rally-in-sydney/news-story/0b917feef2a252006620d8d6cdbf5f35
>>20988386 (pb)
Court rules against X Corp over Australian child abuse safety notice issued to Twitter
BLAIR JACKSON - 5 October 2024
The Federal Court has ruled X Corp has to comply with an Australian child sexual abuse transparency notice issued to the social media giant while it was still called Twitter.
The Australian eSafety commissioner took the matter to the Federal Court after X Corp challenged a $610,500 fine in September 2023.
The fine stemmed from an infringement notice issued by eSafety because X Corp had not provided information about how it was meeting the basic online safety expectations in relation to child sexual exploitation and abuse material and activity on Twitter.
But X Corp argued the notice did not apply because the company did not exist when the notice was issued. The notice was given to Twitter in February 2023, and X Corp came into being in March 2023.
In a 30-second hearing at the Federal Court in Melbourne on Friday, Justice Michael Wheelahan dismissed the proceeding and order X Corp to pay eSafety’s legal costs.
The court has published its reasons online.
This case is separate from the court matter concerning a video of a stabbing in a Sydney church. X Corp argued against an eSafety take-down notice concerning that video, and the commission withdrew the legal case in June.
X and eSafety have several ongoing disputes in both the Federal Court and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
After Elon Musk acquired Twitter Inc, it was merged with X Corp.
In his decision, Justice Wheelahan says in the digital era where childrens’ access to the internet is ubiquitous, the Online Safety Act is an important piece of Commonwealth legislation.
The Online Safety Act notice was provided to Twitter 21 days before it merged with X and ceased to exist.
That notice required explanation of how the company had complied with specified applicable basic online safety expectations from January 2022 to January 2023.
The commission argued the report it received back was absent of various responses, incomplete, or inaccurate.
“In some areas, data is not available or is impacted by other limitations, however Twitter welcomes follow up and engagement that may help elucidate approaches or commitments to safety and service in ways meaningful to the Commission and users in Australia,” an executive wrote back to the eSafety Commission.
Follow up questions were sent to the social media company, but the company replied saying it wanted an extension, and also saying Twitter “has ceased to exist as a legal entity”.
The Commission granted two extensions.
A proceeding X Corp response referred to an attached “final submissions from X Corp. (successor in interest to Twitter, Inc.)”.
But a month later eSafety issued the infringement notice; an itemised fine for various claimed contraventions of the Online Safety Act, totalling $610,500.
Justice Wheelahan assessed the structure of Delaware laws - where Twitter was incorporated - and Nevada laws - where X is registered - in making his decision.
He also found X Corp had breached the terms of the original notice’s reporting deadline.
Secondly, the court found the eSafety infringement notice had failed to identify a “place” where the infringements occurred.
X Corp argued that invalidated the notice, but Justice Wheelahan said the mistake “must be discerned as the result of a process of statutory construction”, and ruled against X Corp in the “place” aspect.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/court-rules-against-x-corp-over-australian-child-abuse-safety-notice-issued-to-twitter/news-story/11e41d0f804f13dee10def088b1634f5
https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2024/2024fca1159
>>21188830 (pb)
‘It empowers others’: Former Australian under-19s captain speaks out on abuse allegation
Daniel Brettig - October 4, 2024
1/2
A former juniors Australian captain who is suing Cricket Australia over a historical allegation of sexual abuse says he has come forward “to call out both those who take advantage of the vulnerable and the organisations who protect them”.
Dean Reynolds led Australia on the 1985 under-19s tour to India and Sri Lanka, where he has alleged he was sexually touched by the coach Bob Bitmead. He filed a statement of claim in the Queensland Supreme Court in July that seeks damages of more than $4 million from CA.
Bitmead has previously denied the allegation. CA has lodged its defence, denying all of Reynolds’ claims.
CA’s defence denies that Bitmead abused Reynolds and then says: “The claim is excessive and has no proper regard to the evidence; and, any injury resulting from the subject incident (which is denied) has resolved.” CA’s defence also argues that “the nature and extent of any duty of care owed by the defendant (CA), or by Bitmead, which is not admitted, is a question of law to be determined by trial”.
The case is set down for mediation on November 14.
Now 57, Reynolds was interviewed as part of a 2022 investigation of the tour by the ABC, an episode that led him to reconsider his own experiences in 1985 and afterwards.
“I am sharing my story now because I seek closure and feel it is important to demonstrate bravery in speaking out against authority figures who have acted wrongly,” Reynolds told this masthead.
“I know I am not the first or the last, but it’s important to call out both those who take advantage of the vulnerable and the organisations who protect them, either directly or by choosing to look the other way.”
A CA spokesperson declined to comment as the matter is before the courts.
Reynolds was one of Australian cricket’s best and brightest. He was captured in a picture with his father, the Queensland Sheffield Shield stalwart Raymond Reynolds, in November 1985. Dean’s steely eye, Australian Cricket Board shirt and Symonds Super Tusker bat all look destined for Test matches in the future.
This was, after all, a time when Australian cricket was crying out for new talent. The retirements of Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh were followed by bans imposed on 16 players for choosing to play in apartheid South Africa that summer.
Reynolds appeared to be near the front of the queue of aspiring young players.
In his statement of claim, Reynolds has alleged that after falling ill during a match in Mumbai, he was confined to his hotel room, administered with drugs by team doctor Malcolm McKenzie that left him in “a groggy and semi-conscious state”, and then sexually abused by Bitmead.
McKenzie died in 1998.
After the tour, Reynolds can remember discussing problems from the tour with its manager, Jack Bennett, once their return flight landed in Sydney.
Reynolds made a formal complaint to Bennett about Bitmead, but was never contacted for follow-up by the then Australian Cricket Board.
“Under Australian law, sporting bodies can bear vicarious liability for the conduct of their officials, including coaches and doctors,” Reynolds’ lawyer, Travis Schultz, told this masthead.
“They owe a duty of care to their players, and in Dean’s case, it is alleged that this extended to undertaking appropriate background checks and ensuring proper supervision.”
In its defence, CA has argued that by the “then prevailing community standards”, there was nothing more that could have been done to protect Reynolds.
“There was no act, step or precaution, whether by means of a reasonable system of supervision, inspection and monitoring of the children on tour, which would have protected and avoided the risk of harm alleged of sexual abuse as alleged in paragraph 7 of the Statement of Claim (which are not admitted), or risk of harm of that nature or type in such a way or such a time, to have avoided the harm allegedly occasioned to the Plaintiff.”
Bitmead did not coach at elite junior level again, and resigned as senior coach of the Richmond cricket club during the following season.
(continued)
2/2
In the years since, Reynolds has battled alcohol problems and recurring bouts of major depression. These issues have contributed to struggles in holding down jobs and the failure of relationships.
His son, Cody, is a promising young fast bowler, and in 2023 represented Australia at under-19s level on a tour of England before serving as a reserve for this year’s World Cup.
“That tour would ultimately change the course of my life,” Dean Reynolds said of the 1985 tour. “The events that occurred not only shattered my hopes for an international cricket career, but also had devastating consequences for me as a person – consequences I still struggle to manage and live with today.
“The people who – in the absence of my parents – were entrusted to take care of me as a vulnerable 17-year-old on tour, did the unthinkable and irrevocably changed my path.
“What happened has affected me greatly over the years, and confronting these experiences has been overwhelming at times. My focus now is on improving as a parent and restoring my mental and physical wellbeing. I just want to lead a straightforward, wholesome life, with integrity.”
The image of Reynolds with his father, Ray, at the Gabba was taken in the week Dean was to debut for Queensland against Western Australia in a Sheffield Shield match. A couple of days before the game, he became ill with glandular fever and missed the next 12 months of cricket.
Reynolds appeared sporadically for Queensland development sides in later years. In August 1989, for Queensland Colts against an Australian Cricket Academy team featuring Michael Bevan and Brendon Julian, he carved 90 from 101 balls with a couple of sixes. But the drive had gone.
“I should have been on top of the world, yet, despite these successes, the tour left me increasingly disillusioned with the sport I once loved,” Reynolds said. “By the age of 21, I made the tough decision to step away from professional cricket entirely.
“The loss of my passion for cricket marked a turning point. I transitioned into other fields, pursuing careers in hospitality and later as a flight attendant. While I found new paths, the sense of loss and unfulfilled potential has remained with me over the years.
“Seeing my former teammates go on to achieve successful careers in cricket, some as coaches and directors, has been a mix of pride and sorrow. While I am genuinely happy for them, it serves as a constant reminder of the opportunities lost, the demons I still face and the career that might have been.”
As one contemporary said of Reynolds: “Dean was a good player. No one really understood why he just disappeared. What a shame.”
If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline (13 11 14), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800).
https://www.1800respect.org.au/
https://www.lifeline.org.au/
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
https://www.kidshelpline.com.au/
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/it-empowers-others-former-australian-under-19s-captain-speaks-out-on-abuse-allegation-20240911-p5k9oi.html
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/336/cricket-australia-community/blog/396/australian-under-19-team-1985-tour-to-sri-lanka
Thousands gather at pro-Palestine demonstrations around the country as October 7 anniversary approaches
abc.net.au - 6 October 2024
1/3
Thousands of Pro-Palestine demonstrators have taken to the streets in cities across Australia on the eve of the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, repeating calls for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.
The protests come as the war in Middle East intensifies and concerns continue to grow over a wider conflict in the region.
The Gaza conflict began after Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israeli settlements on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
The Gazan Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have since been killed during the Israeli offensive that followed the attack.
In Lebanon, more than 1,900 people have been killed and over 9,000 wounded in almost a year of cross-border fighting, with most of the deaths occurring during the past two weeks, according to Lebanese government statistics.
Thousands rally in Melbourne
Demonstrators on Sunday gathered at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne's CBD, waving flags and joining together in chants.
At the start of the rally, protesters laid thousands of small paper kites in front of the library.
They said each one represented the life of a child killed in Gaza during the war.
"We just want to show that enough is enough, and also just to mourn the dead like we are," youth worker Lucas Li, who organised the kite display, said.
"These were children. They were playful. They were bright, they were curious.
"We want people to understand that this child in Gaza is just like a child anywhere else in the world."
Educator and political analyst Noura Mansour from the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network spoke to the crowd.
She said it had been "a difficult 12 months" for Palestinian communities.
"We now watch the Israeli violence spill over to the entire region as it targets our brothers and sisters and families in Lebanon," she said.
After hearing speeches, protesters made their way through Melbourne's CBD to Flinders Street Station, with organisers leading chants through megaphones as police officers monitored the crowd.
Victoria Police said four arrests were made during the protests in the city among about 7,000 attendees.
"There were no major issues of note reported to police, however, four people were arrested for public order-related matters," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
"Overall, police were pleased with the behaviour of attendees.
"There were no displays of prohibited symbols at today's protest."
On Sunday morning, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said Victoria Police were well-prepared to react to any incidents at the scheduled protests.
"There is a right to peacefully protest but with that right comes a responsibility to do so respectfully and understand what the grief and trauma is being experienced by others in our community," Ms Allan said.
"It should be a day of understanding. We need to pause and see that conflict in the Middle East should not bring conflict to the streets of Melbourne or Victoria."
(continued)
2/3
Protesters gather in Sydney
In Sydney, demonstrators gathered at Hyde Park before marching through the city.
Josh Lees from Palestine Action Group Sydney said protesters were taking a stand against the "ongoing genocide" in Gaza.
Israel has strenuously denied allegations of genocide.
Mr Lees said the demonstrations being held today were more crucial than ever.
"This war on Lebanon that Israel is beginning, now they're threatening a regional war with Iran potentially too, so there's more reason than ever we need to get out and protest," he said.
It comes after attempts this week by NSW Police to block the protests through the Supreme Court.
Mr Lees was critical of the government, saying the authorities were interfering with the public's democratic right to protest.
"We've also seen despicable efforts from the authorities here today to try and stop us protesting, which I think is going to make even more people come out today in defiance of that," Mr Lees said.
"We don't need to prove anything to them, we've proved ourselves for 51 weeks now."
Rowena Kassir joined the protest at Sydney's Hyde Park.
Ms Kassir, who has family in southern Lebanon, said many of her family members had been forced to evacuate further north in the country as a result of military strikes by Israel.
"This morning, we just heard that the main road to Beirut airport is now gone, the main road between Syria and Lebanon is gone. Where are they meant to go?" she said.
She said her community felt a lack of support from the Australian government and local MPs.
"Our voices are not being heard, especially by the Australian government, and until something is done, this won't end," she said.
Flag, signage warning sees one arrested
Ahead of Sunday's rallies, authorities warned attendees against carrying the flag of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is a designated terrorist organisation in Australia, or images of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in late September.
Both had been seen at rallies last week.
On Sunday, NSW police officers were seen checking green and yellow flags in the crowd, with signs around the park warning against the display of potentially illegal symbols.
The ABC spoke to one man holding a yellow and green flag that appeared to show a masked man holding a weapon in a design that echoed the Hezbollah flag.
The flag carried the wording "the boys in green and gold will win".
The man holding the flag said the flag was in support of an Australian sports team.
NSW Police arrested a 56-year-old man in Sydney and another had been spoken to by police in relation to the signs they were carrying.
Police said the arrested man was carrying an Israeli flag with a swastika in the middle of it instead of the Star of David.
He was charged with "knowingly display by public act Nazi symbol without reasonable excuse" and was bailed to appear in court later in the month.
(continued)
3/3
Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said overall police were pleased with behaviour from the estimated crowd of 10,000.
One man, holding a card with the symbol of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is a proscribed terrorist group in the United States but not in Australia, was ordered to remove the sign by police.
The public display of prohibited terrorist organisation symbols is an offence in some circumstances under Australian laws, including if the display is likely to offend, humiliate or insult "a member of a group of persons distinguished by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion or national or social origin".
Adelaide protesters gather at parliament house
About 200 pro-Palestine demonstrators also gathered outside South Australian Parliament House in Adelaide.
In the presence of police, protesters held banners and flags as they marched across North Terrace.
Jewish pro-Palestinian demonstrator Raphael Duffy said it was "appalling" that Australia continued to support Israel "politically".
"This kind of barbarity that Israel continues shouldn't be normalised, we can't just stay home and pretend that this is the new normal for society now," Mr Duffy said.
"I'd like to see Australia break that political support.
"We're going to continue showing up until Palestine is free."
Meanwhile, a handful of demonstrators supporting Israel set up photos at Rundle Mall in Adelaide's CBD of people they said were war hostages.
Several Israel supporters gathered at Rundle Mall in Adelaide CBD with flags, pleading for the return of hostages.
Pro-Israel demonstrator Ronald Wisznia said supporters, who he said were majority Christians that supported the Jewish community, wanted to see the war end.
"We are here to demonstrate unity against terror. Hamas is a terror organisation who invaded Israel and killed innocent civilians," Mr Wisznia said.
Memorial held by Melbourne's Jewish community
Across the CBD in Melbourne's Southbank, hundreds from Melbourne's Jewish community also gathered on Sunday as part of a memorial to mark the anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
Some held pictures of loved ones in the crowd, while others wrote names of people captured in the October 7 attack on a large dog tag.
The rally was also attended by some members of the Iranian community, who waved pre-Revolution Iranian flags alongside Israeli flags.
As the event concluded, those in attendance were asked by organisers to put away their Israeli flags as they left, and directed on the safest route out of the area.
Cecilia Moskow attended the rally and said increased tensions meant she no longer felt safe when travelling alone in the city.
"It saddens me that outside our schools we need full-time security, outside our synagogues we need security," she said.
"We're Australians and we want to be part of Australia."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-06/middle-east-war-pro-palestinian-rallies-sydney-melbourne/104438078
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/hezbollah-themed-flag-not-an-offence-police-arrest-man-for-displaying-swastika-20241006-p5kg7o.html
https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/crime/propalestine-protester-in-custody-after-swastika-flag-stunt/news-story/3292270c43879524f00a09eb873ca154
Australia starts evacuating nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus
Miguel Pereira and Yiannis Kourtoglou - October 6, 2024
LARNACA, Cyprus Oct 5 (Reuters) - Australia started evacuating its nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus on Saturday, in the first large-scale operation to get citizens out of the country amid an Israeli onslaught on Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Some 229 people arrived on the east Mediterranean island, which lies a 40 minute flight time from Beirut, on a commercial airline chartered by Australia. A second flight is scheduled later in the day.
More evacuation flights could be expected based on demand, Australian and Cypriot officials said.
At Cyprus's Larnaca airport, civilians of all ages transferred from the aircraft into a terminal and then escorted onto waiting coaches. Children helped themselves to red apples and water provided by Australian military staff.
"They are exhausted, exceptionally happy to be here but heartbroken because they left family behind," said Fiona McKergow, the Australian High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Cyprus.
More and more countries are using close hubs like Cyprus to assist in evacuations from Lebanon. Israel has sharply escalated attacks on Hezbollah in recent weeks, with a barrage of airstrikes and a ground operation in the south of the country, after nearly a year of lower-level cross-border conflict waged in parallel with Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
In the past week, Cyprus assisted evacuations by China, Greece, Portugal and Slovakia. Britain and the United States have also moved personnel to Cyprus to assist in military evacuations, if necessary.
Cyprus had been used to evacuate close to 60,000 people from Lebanon in the last serious escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
Some of those evacuated on Saturday said they did not think they would ever return to Lebanon.
"Never, ever. I was traumatised, my kids were traumatised. Its not a safe country, I wont be back," said Dana Hameh, 34.
She added: "I feel very sad leaving my country but I'm very happy to start a new life in Sydney. Life goes on. I wish the best for everyone."
https://www.reuters.com/world/australia-starts-evacuating-nationals-lebanon-via-cyprus-2024-10-05/
Darwin Port increases 'friendly cooperation' with China in new deal
Andrew Greene - 6 October 2024
The Chinese-controlled Port of Darwin has signed a "friendly cooperation" agreement with Shenzhen Port in southern China, a city that controversially entered a "strategic partnership" with the Northern Territory capital five years ago.
Representatives from both ports last month conducted a signing ceremony in China's Guandong Province to establish the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which aims to increase trade links between both strategic maritime gateways.
Details of the "friendly port relationship" do not appear to have been announced locally in Australia, but according to official Chinese statements both parties will soon carry out "all-round in-depth exchanges and cooperation".
In a brief statement, Darwin Port CEO Peter Dummett confirmed to the ABC that he had travelled to China to sign the agreement with Shenzen representatives on September 23.
"Darwin Port and Shenzhen Port have entered into a friendly non-binding MOU in order to establish a closer relationship between both ports and to further understand potential business opportunities for trade and development."
"The MOU was signed by Darwin Port CEO Peter Dummett and Ms Cai Zheng from Shenzhen Port," Mr Dummett said.
Chinese officials have hailed the deal with Australia's "gateway to Asia" by highlighting the maritime voyage between Port of Darwin to the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area takes only 7 days.
The Port of Shenzhen, situated on the Guandong coastline, is considered one of the busiest and fastest-growing in the world and is home to dozens of shipping companies and over 100 international container routes.
In 2015 the CLP Northern Territory government signed a $506 million deal with Chinese-owned Landbridge Group to lease Darwin Port for 99 years, sparking security concerns at the highest levels of Australia's defence department and in the United States.
Last year, the Albanese government announced it would not cancel the controversial lease after a review by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet found there was "a robust regulatory system in place to manage risks to critical infrastructure".
Former Labor NT chief minister Michael Gunner completed a "strategic partnership" agreement between Darwin and Shenzhen after a Global Smart City Forum held in the Chinese city in May 2019.
Both the federal government and Northern Territory government are yet to respond to requests for comment about the recent "friendly cooperation agreement" struck between Darwin Port and Shenzhen Port.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-06/port-of-darwin-signs-cooperation-agreement-with-shenzhen/104437204
Former Marist College student preparing to sue over alleged canings and other corporal punishments in 1970s
Elizabeth Byrne - 1 October 2024
A former Canberra Marist College student is preparing to sue over the canings and other corporal punishments he allegedly received as a young student in the early 1970s.
The case against the Trustees of the Marist Brothers has been lodged with the ACT Supreme Court.
In his statement of claim, the now 67-year-old described extraordinary incidents including being repeatedly struck on the hand with a metal ruler, caned on his hands until the cane broke, and caned on the back of the legs.
He also alleged one teacher instructed him to hold out his hand while the teacher stood on the edge of a podium, raised the cane above his head and leapt off with all his weight to strike the student's hand.
The man, who was first enrolled at the school as a 12-year-old and attended from 1970 to 1972, is being represented by Shine Lawyers.
His statement of claim also alleges a sexual assault after a school play at the Canberra Theatre when he said he was left alone in a room with a man he did not know.
In their submissions, the Trustees of the Marist Brothers questioned that allegation, saying there was no record of the school holding a production at the Canberra Theatre at the time.
The man's lawyers have not mentioned any figures but said they were claiming negligence, saying the operators of the school owed the boy a duty of care to avoid the risks of harm.
The claim suggests those running the school should have had a system for students to report misconduct, should have removed abusive teachers and staff from the school, and put a mandatory reporting system in place as well as ensuring students were not put in a position where they would be assaulted or be in fear of assault.
Lawyers for the man said those operating the school failed to enact any of the steps when, as a student of the school, the boy was in a "position of vulnerability".
"The position of the abusive teachers was one of almost complete authority over the Plaintiff in the circumstances and whose duties included the care, control and supervision of the Plaintiff," submissions to the court said.
The statement of claim argued those who were running the school were vicariously liable given the alleged abuse occurred in the course of the abusive teacher's employment.
The 67-year-old is also claiming exemplary damages, saying the conduct of the school "fell so far short of acceptable standards" it represented a "disregard for the Plaintiff's rights and a violation of his personal and bodily integrity".
One of the issues in the case is that the man was not able to name many of the teachers, although he did name someone called Brother Kevin.
In their submissions, the Trustees of the Marist Brothers said brother Kevin Herlihy did work at the school in the early 70s, but had since died.
"[The] allegations against unnamed individuals … [do] not enable a proper, fair and specific response," the trustees said.
Their submissions also denied the allegations spelled out in the man's court documents were unlawful at the time, and suggested even if they were, the school would be able to rely on a defence of lawful chastisement.
The trustees said they did not believe the man was entitled to any damages or costs.
It is an unusual case because of its focus on corporal punishment. There are at least two similar cases targeting corporal punishment in NSW, but they are yet to be resolved.
A civil trial in the case will begin later this month.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-01/former-marist-college-student-alleged-corporal-punishment/104415194
Australian bishop pleads ‘not guilty’ to abuse charges
THE PILLAR - October 1, 2024
1/2
Bishop Christopher Saunders appeared in Australian court Monday to enter a plea of not guilty to 28 criminal charges, including allegations of sexual assault and indecent dealings with a minor.
The former bishop of the Diocese of Broome stands accused of a long slate of alleged crimes of grooming and abusing young Aboriginal men over a period of eight years, beginning in 2008. Saunders, 74, confirmed to the court that he understood the charges and entered a plea of not guilty on all counts.
He is due back in court for the next hearing in the case in January, having last appeared in June as his lawyer argued against a petition to change the bishop’s bail conditions.
The bishop also faces several separate firearms charges, including illegal possession of a weapon. He did not enter a plea on those charges during the Sept. 30 hearing.
Saunders was arrested in February of this year, following a January police raid on his former residence in the Diocese of Broome, carried out by Child Abuse Squad detectives.
The bishop led the Diocese of Broome in Western Australia until 2021, when he resigned citing “ill health” amid allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming against young Aboriginal men.
The bishop’s resignation followed a decision to step back from governance of the diocese in 2020, after accusations surfaced that he had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of Church funds on gifts for vulnerable young men, including cash, phones, alcohol, and travel.
The police investigation which led to the raid and the bishop’s arrest came after Church authorities handed over a 200-page investigation conducted into Saunders alleged misconduct, ordered by the Vatican in 2022, after a separate police investigation had been closed the previous year due to lack of evidence.
In a statement at the time of Saunders’ arrest, Australian bishops’ conference president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth said that “It is right and proper, and indeed necessary, that all allegations be thoroughly investigated,” and promised that the Church would “cooperate fully with police and take every necessary step to avoid any actions which may compromise the integrity and autonomy of the police investigation.”
Saunders now faces 28 criminal charges related to alleged sexual abuse, including two counts of rape and 14 counts of unlawful and indecent assault related to alleged victimization of young Aboriginal men in towns throughout the diocese between 2008 and 2016.
In April, Saunders’ former secretary told The Pillar that she had been ordered by the bishop to make “hush money” payments to the bishop’s alleged victims during her time working for him.
“There was a list of names on the wall in the secretary's office with victims, potential victims, and their bank account details,” Cherrille Quilty told The Pillar. “It was so urgent that I pay them. It wasn't for odd jobs, I can tell you that now. It was hush money. One of the first victims that came forward was the one that I paid most frequently and it was to shut him up.”
“You didn't dare ask why [Saunders] was paying them. Didn't dare,” Quilty said. “He wasn't the sort of person you would ever cross or ask him anything.”
(continued)
2/2
Leaked portions of the report produced by the Church’s investigation, which triggered the renewed police action against the bishop last year, identified a pattern of behavior by Saunders consistent with grooming dozens of young men over a period of decades.
According to media reports on the leaked text, one man told Vatican-commissioned investigators that Saunders had employed him to do gardening work at his residence and offered him the use of his shower afterwards. According to the alleged victim, the bishop then climbed into the shower with him.
“I was scared. He was a big fella and I was just a teenager at the time,” he told investigators, and that the bishop subsequently started showering him with gifts of cash, phones, cigarettes and alcohol.
Another man testified that Saunders threw so-called “bunga bunga parties,” to which only male guests were invited and at which he saw the bishop ask attendees to strip, and kiss and grope young guests.
“The bishop has been variously described by witnesses as … a sexual predator that seeks to prey upon vulnerable Aboriginal men and boys,” the report said.
“That independent report has been provided to the Holy See, with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith continuing the investigation,” the bishops’ conference said in September 2023, while promising continued cooperation with police.
However, the Australian bishops’ conference has faced questions about its public statements related to Saunders, and the extent to which Vatican restrictions on the bishop have been observed.
The Australian bishops’ conference previously said in public statements that the Church investigation concerned “alleged canonical crimes, as defined by Vos estis lux mundi, and alleged breaches of the Church’s Integrity in Ministry protocols,” and was overseen by Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane but carried out by independent investigators.
But statements issued by conference in September 2023, and carried by the official Vatican media portal, also stated that the accusations against Bishop Saunders did not concern minors and that the investigation did not identify any alleged or potential victims under the age of 18, even while Saunders has now been criminally charged with multiple sexual offenses against a person under 18 — the canonical age under which a person is considered a minor in sexual abuse cases.
It is unclear whether the Australian criminal investigation, which according to police was triggered by the Vos estis file, discovered new allegations unknown to Church authorities, or if they drew different conclusions from the same evidence.
Following his resignation and the opening of the Vos estis investigation, Saunders was ordered by the Vatican to reside outside the diocese, a directive he ignored, continuing to live in a Church owned house in Broome and to exercise considerable influence over diocesan affairs.
As of December 2023, Saunders was still listed as the “responsible person” for nine Catholic charities in his former diocese, several of which are affiliated with local parishes.
Saunders has insisted he is innocent of the alleged misconduct. The next court hearing is set for January 2025.
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/australian-bishop-pleads-not-guilty
https://qresear.ch/?q=Christopher+Saunders
Hezbollah expresses support for Australian protesters on the anniversary of October 7 Hamas attacks
The Iran-backed terrorist organisation Hezbollah has praised protesters in Australia following rallies on the eve of the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Oscar Godsell - October 7, 2024
Hezbollah has applauded Australian protesters following large demonstrations across the country on the eve of the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Despite criticism from political leaders, thousands of people rallied in multiple capital cities on Sunday with further events to take place on Monday evening.
Authorities arrested four people in Melbourne for “public order related matters” and a man in Sydney was arrested and charged for the display of a swastika.
The controversial protesters have since been praised by the Iran-backed terrorist organisation Hezbollah.
Hezbollah’s news website Al-Ahed News posted pictures of the rallies in Australia to its account on the social media platform Telegram.
“From Australia to the world: Stop the 'Israeli' aggression on Lebanon,” Hezbollah declared in the post.
The caption was accompanied by images of protest marches in Sydney and Melbourne depicting people waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags.
Many protesters voiced outspoken support for Hezbollah while some have also displayed signs depicting elements of banned terrorist symbols.
Previous protests in September saw at least six individuals investigated for the display of banned terror symbols – including the Hezbollah flag.
While the flag has been banned under counter-terrorism laws, at least one person displayed a modified Hezbollah banner, featuring Ned Kelly, on Sunday.
Another man in Sydney was arrested and charged for displaying a placard bearing a swastika which said, “Stop Nazi Israel”.
Hezbollah has made several more posts to recognise pro-Palestine rallies around the world, including in the United States, India and Indonesia.
“Protesters in Los Angeles flood the streets urging a ceasefire to the 'Israeli' aggression on Lebanon and Gaza,” one post said.
Another read: “Indonesia protesters condemn the 'Israeli' barbaric aggression on Lebanon.”
Hezbollah has repeatedly encouraged its supporters to fight against “Israeli enemy forces” in the “name of Allah the most beneficent”.
In response to the ongoing situation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a statement on Monday honouring the victims of October 7.
“We unequivocally condemn all prejudice and hatred. There is no place in Australia for discrimination against people of any faith,” Mr Albanese said.
“October 7 is a day that carries terrible pain. Over 1,200 innocent Israelis died: the largest loss of Jewish life on any single day since the Holocaust.
“We unequivocally condemn Hamas’ actions on that day.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also issued a statement on the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks.
“Together today, we pay our respects to the memories of the 1,200 innocent people murdered on October 7,” Mr Dutton said.
“Israel was at the epicentre of Hamas’s evil on October 7 last year, but the shockwaves of the terrorist attack resonated around the world.”
https://www.skynews.com.au/world-news/global-affairs/hezbollah-expresses-support-for-australian-protesters-on-the-anniversary-of-october-7-hamas-attacks/news-story/ea8588f10cc94f428d787d9251742136
https://t.me/s/Eng_ahed/62608
https://x.com/AlboMP/status/1843014648486064360
https://x.com/PeterDutton_MP/status/1843042481417630006
Labor powerless amid pro-Palestine tide as Muslim Vote predicts ‘horse has bolted’
ALEXI DEMETRIADI - 7 October 2024
1/2
Labor operatives are concerned the ALP may be heading towards election defeat given the anger over Palestine, as leaders behind the Muslim vote movements said politics would “never be the same again”.
It comes as hundreds of protesters chanted “f..k you Albo (and) Tony Burke” at Sunday’s Sydney rally, and The Muslim Vote and Muslim Votes Matter told The Australian that Labor should be prepared for a “long-lasting” political shift.
“The horse has bolted … things (politics) will never be the same again,” Sheik Wesam Charkawi, The Muslim Vote’s convener, said.
About 10,000 people descended onto the Sydney CBD in pro-Palestine rallies replicated across state capitals, ahead of more protests planned for the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Monday.
Hezbollah praised the protests, posting pictures from the rallies on its Telegram channel with the caption: “From Australia to the world.”
Labor figures, present at Sydney’s rally, said the palpable anger was striking, with many now believing that the party was heading for federal election defeat next year, such was the visceral vexation with the government’s stance and handling of the conflict.
The Muslim Vote is supporting candidates in “key electorates” it hopes to topple Labor, particularly in Mr Burke’s Western Sydney seat of Watson, where the organisation is co-ordinating independent Ziad Basyouny’s campaign.
Sheik Charkawi said there had been “emphatic” support for Mr Basyouny’s candidacy, saying it provided an opportunity to “challenge” Labor, who had “let down” the community.
He claimed that the days of Labor attempting to “buy” votes or lean on “relationships” were over, revealing announcements would be made in the “near future” on other target seats.
“This is a long-term vision,” he said. “Whether now or in subsequent elections, change will happen. A new trajectory is being traversed.”
Sheik Charkawi wouldn’t be drawn into commenting on the community “counter movements” to The Muslim Vote, saying people were entitled to their own views and that it was important that respect was “maintained”, but that there was “outrage” with Mr Burke and federal Education Minister Jason Clare.
When Hezbollah flags and pictures of its slain leader, Hassan Nasrallah, were displayed at rallies last week, Mr Burke was quick to condemn, promising action.
Sheik Charkawi pointed to the Home Affairs Minister’s quick condemnation and firm stance, even threatening some with the prospect of deportation – a stance he said was missing in support of the community.
“He took a firm stand and condemned the action,” he said.
“However, the community has not seen such a stance for Palestinians, Arabs, Lebanese or Muslims. This point is not about the issue of symbols or flags but about the firm stance. There is no illusion about what the community is seeing.”
(continued)
2/2
Flipping Watson and Blaxland will remain difficult for Mr Basyouny and The Muslim Vote, where Mr Burke and Mr Clare both enjoy about 15 per cent margins, but where Muslim voters make up about 35 per cent and 27 per cent of the electorate respectively.
The community is not homogeneous and elements of it, particularly in Watson, remain supportive of Mr Burke and Labor.
A Friends of Burke network co-ordinated by prominent Lebanese Muslim community leader Jamal Rifi will campaign for the two ministers to keep their pro-Palestine voices “in the corridors of power”.
At its September launch, Dr Rifi said Mr Burke had worked his whole life for the “Palestinian cause” and that although the community’s heart was “bleeding” voters need to vote with a clear head.
“We work hard for what we believe in, and we believe that Mr Burke has done a great deal for our area, community and Palestine – and he will continue to do so,” Dr Rifi said.
Separately, Muslim Votes Matter will wait until nominations are closed to endorse candidates, but previously told The Australian it would have no trouble preferencing independents or Greens above Labor.
The organisation had a stall at Sydney’s rally, and its national spokesman, Naser Alziyadat, said the movement was now “well-established” in five states, with “hundreds” of volunteers from different faiths and “thousands” more supporting the campaign online.
“There is a broader shift in political engagement beyond just the Muslim community,” he said, adding it predated October 7 and would be “long-lasting”.
On Saturday, The Australian revealed how British independent MPs who toppled UK Labour at July’s general election predicted a “permanent political shift”, something echoed by Dr Alziyadat.
“The change has been gradual and collective, and when it is gradual, it will be long-lasting,” he said.
Muslim Votes Matter ranks each candidate’s “political stances, plans and promises”, and Dr Alziyadat said that amid rising frustration with the two major parties and current polling, independents and minor parties could be king or queen after the next federal poll.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/labor-powerless-amid-propalestine-tide-as-muslim-vote-predicts-horse-has-bolted/news-story/35935fe0cdd82348e1a38cd2f0b30e59
Iran Summons Australian Envoy over Canberra’s ‘Biased’ Stances
tasnimnews.com - October, 07, 2024
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran summoned the Australian Ambassador to Tehran in protest at his government’s unjustified and biased positions on the regional situation.
Following the repeated biased positions of the Australian government, which are deemed to be contrary to the principles of international law regarding the recent regional developments, Ian McConville, the Australian ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Director General for Asia and Oceania of the ministry.
The Iranian official expressed strong objection to the unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government regarding regional developments and the adventurism of the Zionist regime in escalating regional tensions -including the assassination of the political bureau chief of the Hamas movement in Tehran, the secretary general of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and IRGC General Nilforoushan who was a senior Iranian military advisor in Beirut.
Mohammadi condemned Australia’s double standards concerning regional developments and its silence regarding the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against Gaza and Lebanon, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.
He referred to the inherent right of Iran to legitimate self-defense in response to the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, as well as the attacks on Iranian nationals and interests.
Mohammadi described the missile operations by the armed forces of Iran as a lawful and responsible action, essential for safeguarding the national security of the Iranian people and the stability of the region.
The Iranian diplomat reiterated the urgent need for an immediate cessation of the genocide in Gaza and the aggressions of the occupying Zionist regime against Lebanon. He also called for responsible action from Australia and other Western countries supporting Israel.
He emphasized that unilateral and biased approaches to regional developments, coupled with a self-serving interpretation of international rules and norms, do not contribute to de-escalation in the region, but rather embolden the aggressor.
For his part, McConville outlined the Australian government’s efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, stating that he would convey Iran’s official protest to Canberra.
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2024/10/07/3173081/iran-summons-australian-envoy-over-canberra-s-biased-stances
Government 'makes no apology' for its views on Iran missile strikes after Australian ambassador summoned
Maani Truu - 7 October 2024
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) says it "makes no apology" for Australia's comments on Iran's "reckless" missile strikes on Israel, after the Australian ambassador was summoned for a meeting with the Iranian government.
Iranian news agency Tasnim on Monday, local time, reported that ambassador Ian McConville was called in by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs over what it described as the "unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government".
In response, a DFAT spokesperson said in a statement that "Australia makes no apology for the views it has expressed about Iran's actions or the actions of its Ambassador to Australia".
The spokesperson also condemned Iran's strikes on Israel, describing them as "reckless" and "a dangerous escalation" that "increased the risks of a wider regional war".
It is the second time in just over a month Mr McConville has been summoned by the Iranian government.
In September the ambassador was called in over an Instagram post on the embassy's official page marking "Wear It Purple Day", which celebrates LGBTQ+ young people.
Iranian ambassador called into DFAT last week
The meeting came just days after Iran's ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, was called into DFAT over comments praising Hezbollah's assassinated leader.
Mr Sadeghi described Hassan Nasrallah, the former Hezbollah leader, as a martyr and an "unparalleled leader" in a post on social media.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the post but resisted Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's calls for the ambassador to be kicked out of the country.
Mr Dutton argued that Mr Sadeghi's statements were "completely and utterly at odds with what is in our country's best interests" and urged the government to expel him from Australia.
The prime minister said Australia had maintained a continuous relationship with Iran since 1986 "not because we agree with the regime but because it is in Australia's national interest".
"It has never been an endorsement of the regime, but a channel to protect Australia's interests and to communicate our views and the views of our allies, like-minded countries," he said.
The Iranian ambassador was also called into the foreign department in August, that time for a tweet that called for removing Israelis from the "holy lands of Palestine … no later than 2027".
At the time, Mr Albanese described the ambassador's remarks as "abhorrent".
Earlier this month Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles towards Israel, following the killing of members of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard, and senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
On Monday, a DFAT spokesperson said the government "continues to call on all parties to exercise restraint and de-escalate".
"The destructive cycle of violence in the region must stop," they said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-07/australian-ambassador-summoned-by-iran/104439588
U.S. Marines, families of fallen honored by Tiwi Island, Larrakia people in historic Pukumani ceremony
Gunnery Sgt. Kassie McDole, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin - 09.30.2024
1/2
U.S. Marines and the families of three fallen Marines joined the Tiwi Island and Larrakia people in two significant ceremonies on Sept. 26 and 27. The events commemorated the lives of three U.S. Marines who died in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island, Tiwi Islands, Australia, on Aug. 27, 2023.
The crash occurred on lands belonging to the Tiwi Island’s Mantiyupwi Clan, and the Tiwi Island Land Council guided both the environmental and cultural protocols following the incident. The Tiwi people, respecting their traditions, referred to the fallen Marines as having "gone to sleep" instead of using their names. They honored “Big Brother” (Maj. Tobin Lewis), “Little Sister” (Capt. Eleanor LeBeau), and “Little Brother” (Cpl. Spencer Collart) through a spiritual walk, a healing ceremony, and a historic Pukumani ceremony.
On Sept. 24, a spiritual walk, including smoking ceremonies, took place at several locations, including Robertson Barracks, Defence Establishment Berrimah, Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, and Larrakeyah Defence Precinct. These ceremonies prepared the way for the final Pukumani ceremony. This ritual, unique to Tiwi Island culture, honors those who have passed and helps guide their spirits on their next journey.
On Sept. 26, U.S. Marines, families of the fallen, and members of the Australian Defence Force gathered to witness the Tiwi Island people, supported by the Larrakia people, lead a healing ceremony, marking the end of the one-year and one-month mourning period.
During the ceremony, the Tiwi Island people formally adopted the U.S. Marine Corps and the three fallen Marines, along with their families, into the Tiwi Island community—an unprecedented honor that granted them Tiwi names, including “Pandanus.” This adoption symbolized the deep bond between the Tiwi people and the U.S. Marine Corps, extending recognition to future Marine rotations under this name.
“The Tiwi people have a long-standing connection with both the Australian and U.S. militaries,” said Leslie Tungatalum, the Tiwi Land Council Chair. “This adoption shows our deep respect for the Marines and their families and strengthens the ties between us.”
On Sept. 27, U.S. Marines, families of the fallen, and ADF members traveled to Pickertaramoor, Melville Island—the crash site—for the Pukumani ceremony. The Tiwi people invited the Marines and families to join this sacred event, marking the rare occasion when non-Tiwi participants have been invited to participate.
“When they come, they can do their grieving on their own, and then we do it together as one,” said Jennifer Ullungura Clancy, the Chair of the Tiwi Island’s Mantiyupwi Aboriginal Corporation. “We are family, they are family. No matter what nationality you come from, we are still one.”
(continued)
2/2
At the crash site, the Tiwi erected Pukumani poles, representing the eight Tiwi clans, alongside three additional poles for the fallen Marines. The poles, handcrafted by Tiwi artists, stand as memorials to the fallen. The Tiwi led the ceremony, which included smoking rituals, traditional songs, and dances to guide the spirits of the deceased on their journey.
“We feel incredibly honored to be included in such an important cultural event,” said Erika Olson, Chargée d'affaires for the United States in Australia. “This ceremony is a testament to the strong bond that has formed between the Marines, the Tiwi people, and our Australian allies.”
The Pukumani ceremony reflected the mutual respect and cultural understanding shared between the U.S. Marines and the Tiwi community. By participating in this sacred event, the Marines and families of the fallen, symbolized their commitment to honoring the fallen while deepening their connection with the Tiwi people.
“This event holds deep significance for the Tiwi community,” Tungatalum said. “By inviting the Marines to join the ceremony, we recognize their loss as part of our own.”
The ceremonies followed a year of mourning, during which Tiwi and U.S. military members participated in initial healing ceremonies shortly after the accident. This week’s healing and Pukumani rituals marked the final chapter in the journey of “Big Brother, Little Sister, and Little Brother,” ensuring their spirits would rest peacefully.
“We’re a very close-knit family, and clearly, the Tiwi people are about family too, so that’s what really draws us to them, and we feel one with them,” said Bart Collart, U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Spencer Collart’s father. “Our Marine Corps family has been wonderful as well, and it’s just an honor to be here.”
Throughout the ceremony, the Tiwi people continued to honor the U.S. Marines and their families as part of their own community. By granting them Tiwi names and adopting them into their culture, they solidified a lasting relationship that will continue to impact future Marine Rotational Force-Darwin rotations.
“Wuta nguriyrngawa mantawi kapi awuta American” (Our prayers are with the American people).
The U.S. Marines’ participation in these ceremonies emphasized their respect for local customs and highlighted the importance of building strong partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. The ceremonies also demonstrated the Marines’ ongoing commitment to honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/482040/us-marines-families-fallen-honored-tiwi-island-larrakia-people-historic-pukumani-ceremony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKuJhVb5MwQ
‘Professional protester’: Chris Minns hits out at serial activist as costs pass $5m
STEPHEN RICE - 8 October 2024
Police could soon have the power to reject protests that stretch over months, as a clearly frustrated NSW Premier Chris Minns decried the more than $5m spent on controlling pro-Palestine rallies and attacked the leader of the protest movement as a “professional demonstrator”.
The move came after hundreds of police were deployed at rallies and vigils in Sydney on Sunday and Monday on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel.
The protests were largely peaceful after police issued strong warnings not to bring the flag of the Hezbollah terrorist group, but two men were arrested for displaying swastikas superimposed on the Israeli flag.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is considering cancelling the visa of US-based academic Khaled Beydoun in the aftermath of the protests, after the Arizona State University law professor declared at Monday’s Hizb ut-Tahrir-associated rally in Sydney’s southwest that the October 7 terrorist attacks were “a good day” for Palestinian people.
“Today is not a day that is full of mourning, today is a day that marks celebration,” Mr Beydoun said.
Late on Monday evening, Mr Burke announced that “as soon as I heard about these comments I asked my department to conduct a visa check”.
Mr Minns backed the visa review as “completely appropriate”, while contemplating changes to the way such events are approved and revealing the $5.4m bill for policing the protests to date.
“The cost is huge … so I’m going to have a review into the resourcing that police put into these marches, and it’s my view that police should be able to deny a request for a march due to stretched police resourcing,” he said.
Police were burnt out and tired, he added, and other important work had had to be sidelined.
“I think taxpayers should be in a position to say we would prefer that money spent on roadside breath testing, domestic violence investigations, knife crimes, rather than the huge resources that’s going into the city and the community.”
“Our resources are being stretched; it costs millions of dollars to police and marshal these protests and it’s completely reasonable for the police to take that into consideration when Form 1 applications are lodged with the courts,” Mr Minns said.
“Ultimately, this is a huge drain on the public purse”.
The Premier hit out at Josh Lees, a leading member of the Palestine Action Group who has lodged weekly applications for the past year to march in Sydney since the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel, agreeing with the description of the activist as a “professional protester”.
Mr Lees writes for Red Flag, the outlet of Socialist Alternative, which declares itself “Australia’s largest Marxist group”, and regularly calls for the overthrow of capitalism.
He was also a leader of the Lockdown to Zero movement, demanding that the then- Berejiklian government maintain strict Covid-19 lockdowns and branding the loosening of restrictions as “an offensive against the working class” by “the rich and powerful”.
Mr Lees has also been spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, organising protests at the 2011 ALP National Conference against then-prime minister Julia Gillard’s asylum-seeker policies.
The former University of Sydney tutor was arrested during the “Occupy Sydney” movement that camped outside the Reserve Bank in Martin Place in 2011, clashing with police during a Hyde Park rally and at the Martin Place encampment.
After police broke up the protest, Mr Lees claimed police brutality. “I woke to see about 200 riot police surrounding our protest camp … physically removing people, using painful wrist-locks, and occasionally throwing punches, one of which left a protester in front of me bleeding”, he said. Charges against Mr Lees and other protesters were later dropped.
Mr Minns emphasised he was not seeking changes that would affect union protests or industrial disputes, but police should be in a position to deny repeat applications for marches through Sydney if they didn’t have the resources to deal with it.
“If you were putting on a rock concert on the weekend, you would have to pay NSW police to keep the public safe – this all comes from NSW taxpayers’ back pockets.”
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman called on Mr Minns to immediately implement a user-pays system for serial protesters, with a general rule against authorisation if organisers of repeat protests failed to meet the costs.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/professional-protester-chris-minns-hits-out-at-serial-activist-as-costs-pass-5m/news-story/0988faa286c60a3e8e03184ba9958a3b
Jacob Hersant: First man charged after Victoria banned Nazi salute found guilty
LIAM BEATTY - 8 October 2024
The first man charged after Victoria banned public Nazi salutes has been found guilty after a court tossed out his argument the law was constitutionally invalid.
Jacob Hersant, 25, was charged with performing the banned gesture in October last year just days after the state outlawed the public demonstration.
The young father had attended the County Court for an unrelated criminal matter on October 27, throwing his arm up in front of media and saying: “Australia for the white man, heil Hitler.”
The footage, which was played in court, showed Hersant raising his right arm at about a 90-degree angle before quickly pulling it down.
“Oh, nearly did it, it’s illegal now isn’t it,” he said.
On Tuesday, Hersant returned before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court supported by his mother where magistrate Brett Sonnet found him guilty of the salute.
The court was told Hersant’s lawyer, Tim Smart, had disputed that his client actually performed a Nazi salute and raised a secondary argument that the law was invalid.
He argued the law infringed the implied right for free political communication.
Both arguments were struck down by Mr Sonnet who found Hersant intentionally performed the salute and the purpose of the law, to protect minority groups, did not manifestly outweigh the impact on political communication.
“In short the act captured plainly demonstrates the gesture so clearly resembling a Nazi salute,” he said.
“As a result your client has been found guilty.”
Mr Sonnet only read out a brief summary of his 184 page judgement, which he said would be published online later this week.
Hersant will return to court on Wednesday for a plea hearing and faces a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment and a $23,000 fine.
Outside of court, Hersant was unrepentant, saying people can be offended by his actions but he has a “right to express myself politically”.
“I don’t feel shame for giving a political salute because those are my beliefs,” he said.
“I do give the Nazi salute and I am a Nazi.”
Hersant told media he was not worried about the prospect of jail, saying if he had to “suffer” for his cause he was willing.
But he also flagged he may appeal the ruling.
I continue to be a national socialist, I’ll continue to give the salute but hopefully police officers don’t see it,” he said.
Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich, who campaigned for criminal penalties for the Nazi salute, hailed the judgement as a “historic and thundering day for justice and decency”.
This verdict is a blow to the solar plexus of a resurgent and dangerous neo-Nazi movement in Australia,” he said.
“The Magistrate’s Court has sent the unmistakable message that the Nazi salute must never return to our streets, and this decision means that no one in this state should have to live in fear of seeing this expression of absolute inhumanity.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/jacob-hersant-first-man-charged-after-victoria-banned-nazi-salute-found-guilty/news-story/2b15205bca50045e7f0d0102c4569021
https://qresear.ch/?q=Jacob+Hersant
First person found guilty of Nazi salute as court upholds Victoria’s new ban
Erin Pearson - October 8, 2024
The first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute has been found guilty after a magistrate rejected his argument that the case was constitutionally invalid.
Magistrate Brett Sonnet shot down 25-year-old Jacob Hersant’s bid for immunity after he was captured on news cameras performing a version of the Nazi salute outside the County Court just days after legislation banning the act took effect.
“Australia for the white man, heil Hitler, heil Hitler,” Hersant was captured saying after the act.
Outside court, an unrepentant Hersant vowed to continue performing the Nazi salute, and told the media he was prepared to go to jail to further his political views.
Hersant said he felt no regret or shame for performing the salute in public, and revealed he performed the gesture at home every day. He also flagged the possibility of an appeal against his conviction.
“I don’t feel shame for giving a political salute, no. Those are my beliefs. I am a national socialist, I will remain a national socialist,” Hersant said.
“I’ll still continue to give the salute … hopefully police officers won’t see it.”
Hersant was the first Victorian charged with performing a Nazi salute, six days after it was outlawed in October 2023, in a test case for the new legislation.
Hersant fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where Sonnet found he had performed the act with the requisite intention.
During the hearing, the Nazi salute was compared to hailing a taxi or raising a hand in a classroom by lawyers.
Defence lawyer Timothy Smartt has argued the offence was constitutionally invalid as the Nazi salute was a legitimate form of political expression.
Sonnet found Hersant performed the Nazi gesture or an act that resembled it, intentionally, and altered the gesture in an attempt to avoid a criminal charge.
Sonnet said the legislation banning the act was legally valid and designed to protect minority groups from harm.
He said the salute was intertwined with Nazi ideology and its banning was compatible with the constitution.
Others in court included lawyers for police and the Victorian attorney-general’s office.
Hersant, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, sat in the front row of the courtroom on Tuesday next to his mother.
Other men have since been charged with the same offence, including neo-Nazi Nathan Bull, who is accused of performing the Nazi salute at Carlton’s Cinema Nova on March 9.
During a hearing for Bull last month, the court heard the future of his prosecution would likely ride on the magistrate’s decision in Hersant’s case.
In June, a NSW magistrate convicted three Croatian soccer fans who made a Nazi salute during the 2022 Australia Cup final.
Magistrate Joy Boulos found beyond reasonable doubt that the three men had “deliberately and intentionally” performed the Nazi salute in rejecting their arguments the hand gesture was a symbol of Croatian national pride.
The men were each fined $500 and convicted after being found guilty of one count of publicly displaying a Nazi symbol without reasonable excuse.
Premier Jacinta Allan, speaking from a school in Mount Waverley as Sonnet’s judgment was handed down, said Hersant’s conviction demonstrated that her government and the entire parliament had taken “very, very strong action” to outlaw the Nazi salute.
“It should be prosecuted. It has been. We have the powers and tools here in Victoria to stamp out that hateful behaviour,” Allan said.
Dvir Abramovich, the chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the magistrate’s decision was a “historic and thundering day for justice and decency”.
“I am moved beyond words and filled with a profound sense of relief. Today, Victoria shines a little brighter,” Abramovich said.
“This is not just a legal victory – it is a moral triumph that belongs to every individual who has suffered under the weight of oppression, and it belongs to every person who has ever felt threatened and targeted by this vile display of hate.”
In Victoria, the offence carries maximum penalties of more than $23,000 or 12 months’ jail, or both, for anyone who intentionally displays or performs a Nazi symbol or gesture in public.
Hersant is yet to be sentenced and will return to court on Wednesday.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/nazi-salute-ban-upheld-after-court-fight-20241008-p5kgk2.html
>>21136400 (pb)
Former Labor Senator Fatima Payman announces 'Australia's Voice' party ahead of upcoming federal election
Independent Senator Fatima Payman has announced her new political party, Australia's Voice, just months after she left the federal Labor Party over her pro-Palestine stance.
Oscar Godsell - October 9, 2024
Former Labor Senator Fatima Payman has officially announced the formation of her new political party, “Australia’s Voice”.
The announcement has come just months after Ms Payman’s controversial departure from the Labor Party over her pro-Palestine position regarding the Middle East conflict.
Launching the party from Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday, Ms Payman articulated her vision of creating a platform for “disenfranchised” Australians.
“It is with great humility and deep responsibility that I announce the formation of Australia's Voice, a new political party for the disenfranchised,” she told reporters.
“We can no longer sit by while our voices are drowned out by the same old politics. It's time to stand up, to rise together and to take control of our future.”
Despite the passionate rhetoric, the 29-year-old Senator did not unveil any specific policies and declared the party's platform would “come in time”.
When pressed about her party's ideological stance, Ms Payman insisted, “This is a party for all Australians”.
“It’s not going to be an easy task… but we need to capture everyone’s concerns and make sure that they’ve got a voice here in Canberra,” she said.
It was not clear how she would be able to simultaneously represent the concerns of conflicting groups such as Jewish and Muslim organisations or coal and climate lobbies.
When pressed further about specific policy positions, Ms Payman replied: “It's a party that's based on what Australians want and what I've been hearing from Australians.”
“They are fed up with the major parties playing politics and being afraid of making any form of progressive reform.”
While she has not revealed the policy reforms she would focus on, she said she would drag Labor and the Liberals “kicking and screaming” to achieve them.
“If we need to drag the two major parties kicking and screaming to do what needs to be done, we will do it,” Ms Payman said.
Ms Payman also revealed she has received expressions of interest from Labor candidates and members of the National Party who were eager to join Australia’s Voice.
Political strategist Glenn Druery, Ms Payman’s Chief of Staff, has indicated the party will target several lower house seats at the upcoming federal election.
He described the potential for the party to attract a diverse voter base, aiming to engage more than just the traditional teal independent electorate.
Ms Payman has previously come under scrutiny amid speculation she was seeking to establish a Muslim-based political party.
However, she has since distanced herself from the rumours and confirmed candidate selection would be based on “merit and value alignment”.
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/former-labor-senator-fatima-payman-announces-australias-voice-party-ahead-of-the-upcoming-federal-election/news-story/66dcb615acc206f29f1af5aa62e69272
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7oRV8gI96Q
Indigenous leaders slam ‘disrespectful’ Fatima Payman’s choice of party name, Australia’s Voice
PAIGE TAYLOR and NOAH YIM - 9 October 2024
1/2
Furious Indigenous leaders have slammed Fatima Payman for claiming and rebadging the voice for her own political brand, as the former Labor senator refused to outline policies or reveal candidates.
Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday that she would lead a breakaway political party named Australia’s Voice has angered some of Australia’s most distinguished Indigenous figures, who are in solemn reflection over the defeat of the voice referendum a year ago on Monday.
Uluru Dialogue co-chair Megan Davis, a Cobble Cobble woman and constitutional expert who worked on the voice process for 12 years, described Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday as “curious timing given it’s the anniversary of the referendum and many of our people are still grieving”.
Four months since she crossed the floor to vote for Palestinian statehood, the West Australian senator launched the Australia’s Voice party in Canberra where she saying her policy platforms would “come with time”. In a later interview on ABC, she described Palestinian recognition as overdue.
Indigenous entrepreneur Sean Gordon, who joined fellow political conservatives in supporting the Indigenous voice through the Uphold & Recognise collective, said he saw the name of the new party as part of persistent and wrong-headed efforts to link the Indigenous rights movement with pro-Palestinian activism.
“The use of the term ‘voice’ by Fatima Payman for her new political party is a further attempt by the pro-Palestinian movement to leverage of the back of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Gordon said.
“This is no different to the pro-Palestinian movement who drowned out our voices on Australia Day early this year.
“The only day that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to advocate our issues which are broadcasted locally, nationally and internationally.
“I’m not surprised by the lack of respect shown by Fatima Payman toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by using the term ‘voice’, this is no different to the NSW Minerals Council who also used the term ‘voice for mining’ for their 2024 campaign, which was a play on the Voice Referendum Campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples recognition.”
Edward Synot, a Wemba Wemba man and senior member of the Uluru Dialogue, said the name of the new party “ smacks of political opportunism”.
Mr Synot said his group – the custodians of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its call for an Indigenous voice – were not consulted about the new party or its name.
Senator Payman refused to apologise on Wednesday over criticism that her new party’s name invoked the landmark call by Indigenous Australians for a constitutionally enshrined advisory body.
Senator Payman pledged to sit between the Greens and Labor and build a movement for “all Australians”.
(continued)
2/2
Speaking to ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, Senator Payman said: “This is not just the voice referendum per se, this is Australia’s Voice and that encompasses all the communities.
“I think it is important to see that Australia’s Voice as a political party will be prioritising and looking into Indigenous issues as much as it will be for all Australians.”
Questioned further, Senator Payman said she had held private conversations with Indigenous elders about the name but declined to give details. “People will have objections, that is just the nature of the political landscape and political world we live in,” she said.
“At the end of the day it comes down to the intentions and what this party stands for. I don’t see why I should apologise.”
At her press conference on Wednesday, she said: “So many of you have told me with emotions in your hearts, we need something different. We need a voice … And so it is with great humility and deep responsibility that I announce the formation of Australia’s Voice. A new political party for the disenfranchised, the unheard and those yearning for real change.”
Nova Peris, a former Labor senator and the first Indigenous Australian to win an Olympic gold medal, said she was appalled by the party name and that Senator Payman chose to launch it so close to the anniversary of the defeat of the voice referendum and the aftermath of the Hamas massacre on October 7.
“So many of our mob are grieving, so many Jewish Australians are mourning, and she chooses today to launch this totally insensitive party name,” Ms Peris said.
“It is breathtakingly disrespectful, and a complete misappropriation of yet another aspect of my people’s story and emblems. The Australian Labor Party gave Ms Payman a voice. This rogue senator has misappropriated that privilege in a self-entitled manner.”
Ms Peris said Senator Payman had also hijacked her people’s flag by wearing a lapel pin with the Aboriginal flag paired with the Palestinian flag.
“It speaks volumes about her priorities and those of her party,” Ms Peris said.
“This is not a party that respects either Australia or Indigenous Australians. Where is the Torres Strait Islander Flag? Where is our national flag? Why is the Palestinian flag there in preference to those flags?
“Given the proximity to the anniversary of the October 7 massacre and the crowds of purportedly ‘pro-Palestine’ protesters openly expressing support for Hamas and Hezbollah in recent days and weeks, this symbolism and timing should be of great concern to all Australians, particularly the government and police given that Hamas and Hezbollah are listed terrorist organisations.
“All of these elements suggest that ‘Australia’s Voice’ is the opposite of what this party is about.
“It is not a voice of, or for, Australians. Certainly not Indigenous Australians, Jewish Australians, or any Australians with moral clarity.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/indigenous-leaders-slam-disrespectful-fatima-paymans-choice-of-party-name-australias-voice/news-story/75ca094104c64b311986e28f6367c0b1
https://www.instagram.com/senatorfatimapayman/p/CzK8EIxPuxg/
Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant to be jailed for Nazi salute but length of sentence still to be determined
Leanne Wong - 9 October 2024
The first person found guilty of performing the Nazi salute in Victoria will be sentenced to jail.
Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant was found guilty on Tuesday of performing the gesture last year, after a magistrate rejected his argument the laws were constitutionally invalid.
The 25-year-old was the first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute in October 2023, just six days after new legislation banning the gesture came into effect.
This morning, Magistrate Brett Sonnet found the only "appropriate sentencing order" was a term of imprisonment, but said he was not yet in a position to determine the length of the sentence.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of $24,000 or 12 months' jail.
Hersant walked from court today after the magistrate allowed him to remain in the community until sentencing in four weeks' time.
Outside the court, Hersant told reporters he had no regrets about the conviction.
His associates, including prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell, made anti-Semitic comments as they left.
During today's hearing, Prosecutor Daniel Gurvich KC argued Hersant's prospects of rehabilitation were "poor to non-existent", and said his performance of the Nazi salute was "calculated to achieve maximum impact".
"Public expression of Nazi symbols are an assault against human dignity and representative of hatred and prejudice that have no place in Victoria," Mr Gurvich said.
But Hersant's defence lawyer Timothy Smartt argued his client was a "supportive partner" and "fantastic father" to his two-year-old son.
He told the court Hersant enjoyed writing poetry — even taking part in a recent poetry competition.
Mr Smartt denied the poetry involved far-right themes, after being asked by the magistrate.
"So in a sense your client is a modern-day version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," Magistrate Sonnet said.
Lawyers for Hersant seek fine instead of jail
Mr Smartt acknowledged Hersant's views were "seriously concerning" but argued he was better than his "worst deeds".
"He's not the first young person to have extreme political views and he's not the last," Mr Smartt said.
He requested the court impose a $1,500 fine.
But during today's hearing, Magistrate Sonnet said "powerful" mitigating factors for Hersant's sentence were missing, citing his lack of remorse, his absence of guilty plea and his criminal history.
On Tuesday, after being found guilty, Hersant told reporters he would continue to perform the Nazi salute – just not in front of police.
Hersant was outside the County Court last year, having just been sentenced for another offence, when he raised his arm and made a salute in front of journalists.
He quickly lowered his arm and said: "Oh, nearly did it, it's illegal now isn't it?"
As he walked away, Hersant called out: "Australia for the white man, heil Hitler."
On Tuesday after finding Hersant guilty, Magistrate Sonnet said Hersant knowingly performed the salute, which he described as "an inherently political act" intertwined with Nazi ideology.
The magistrate said laws were necessary to protect vulnerable minority communities.
In a summary read out to the court, the magistrate said he rejected arguments from Hersant's lawyers that the laws were in breach of the constitution.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-09/jacob-hersant-nazi-salute-sentence/104448256
Chinese trade restrictions on Australian lobsters to be lifted before Chinese New Year
Stephen Dziedzic - 10 October 2024
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he has secured a promise from China's Premier Li Qiang to lift a ban on Australian rock lobsters by the end of the year.
The news will be welcomed by the rock lobster industry, which has struggled since being locked out of the lucrative market, and which had been growing increasingly frustrated by the delay to restoring the trade.
Mr Albanese met with Premier Li today on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Laos, and emerged saying China's second most senior leader had agreed on a "timetable" to let lobsters back by the end of this year, in time for Chinese New Year in early 2025.
"This will be welcomed by the people engaged in the live lobster industry in places like Geraldton and South Australia and Tasmania and so many parts of particularly regional Australia," he said.
Australian rock lobster exports to China were worth some $700 million a year before Beijing locked them out as part of a broader campaign of economic punishment against Australia in 2020 and 2021, when the bilateral relationship hit its nadir.
China has already removed tariffs and barriers on a host of other Australian products – including wine, coal and barley – leaving lobsters as the last major industry that remained frozen out of the massive market.
Mr Albanese told journalists in Vientiane that Premier Li's promise had once again vindicated the government's approach to China.
"With our patient, calibrated and deliberate approach, we've restored Australian trade with our largest export market, and today we discussed restarting exports of Australian live rock lobsters," Albanese said in Laos.
Industry relieved, with biggest customer set to return
Lobster fisher Clint Moss from Lancelin, north of Perth, said it was a relief to hear the industry's biggest customer may be back buying crayfish within the next few months.
"If the big guys have got together and signed on the dotted line, I'm more than happy with that," he told the ABC.
"We could start building business plans and futures for our families and other fishermen as well.
"Chinese New Year was always a fantastic time for us … in the past when the stars align we have really big catches and really high prices, so that could be unbelievably good news for a lot of fishers, that's for sure."
Mr Moss said when the market was closed, beach prices went from $73 to $15 per kilo for lobster, and about 50 boats had left the WA fishing fleet, unable to remain in the industry with a long period of depressed prices.
"I'm very relieved, I've been sitting on massive debt for a long time … I've been fingernails holding on, hoping."
China banned the lobsters on the grounds they detected heavy metals contamination – an allegation the government and the industry have always denied.
Andrew Ferguson, managing director of lobster retailer and exporter Ferguson Australia, told the ABC that Mr Albanese's announcement was a bittersweet moment.
"It's been terribly difficult, the last four years, I can tell you," he said.
"While I'm excited and very pleased to hear this, for the industry's sake, we certainly can't lose sight of what happened over the last four years, and be prepared."
Before the ban, the business exported around 95 per cent of their products to China, and have since had to find other domestic and international markets for Southern Rock Lobster.
"One thing is for sure I'm not going to be going back into this blindly, I'll be hanging on to all the good work we've done in our diversification," Mr Ferguson said.
But despite the industry's best efforts, replacement markets could not compare to the demand and prices from Chinese customers.
Mr Ferguson also said the industry would have to do "a lot of work" to regain its market share, and predicted China wouldn't be as lucrative for fishers as it was before.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-10/china-to-lift-trade-restrictions-on-australian-lobsters/104457368
>>21049488 (pb)
Beaumaris Primary School sexual abuse survivor reaches record $8 million settlement with Victorian government
Russell Jackson - 10 October 2024
A survivor of "shocking" sexual abuse at a Melbourne primary school has received what his lawyer has called "the biggest publicly known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia" in an extraordinary $8 million settlement with the Victorian Education Department.
The man, who was sexually abused by notorious paedophile Darrell Ray, was among a generation of students who suffered abuse in the 1960s and 70s at Beaumaris Primary School in bayside Melbourne.
The man's lawyer, Michael Magazanik of Rightside Legal, said his client had been fighting for justice for most of his adult life and settled the claim a week before it was set to reach Victoria's Supreme Court.
"He's been on this path for decades, first pushing for a criminal prosecution for lots of Ray's victims, and then his own fight for proper compensation," Mr Magazanik said.
"Of course, it's been a rocky road for him and life hasn't been easy because he's been dealing with entrenched damage.
"Now he's got what he deserves and we're proud to have fought for him.
"It's the biggest publicly-known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia.
"It represents the shocking damage the abuse did and the cost of starting to repair my client's life, starting to put him back in the position he might have been in had the school kept him safe."
Speaking to ABC Investigations, the man said he hoped his legal victory would inspire survivors who have lost faith in the justice system.
"I'd strongly recommend that victims of sexual abuse get themselves a lawyer and not go down the National Redress path," the man said.
"That's the main thing I'd want to get across to other survivors.
"Trust your lawyer and get what you deserve, not what the government wants to give you.
"For me, personally, an apology was never going to give me any closure. I was offered twice and said no.
"Other people might get closure from an apology, but I won't. And the money does not give me closure either — I will never get closure.
"I wouldn't still be here were it not for finding my faith. And that's not for everyone either. But I had to become a Christian to even have a remote chance of surviving and finding a better way of life."
'A bunch of adults in charge turned a blind eye'
Mr Magazanik said the abuse epidemic at Beaumaris Primary was a "shocking and monumental failure" and a microcosm of an education system that repeatedly failed to protect children.
"It only happened because a bunch of adults in charge turned a blind eye and the price tag for that blindness is enormous and growing," Mr Magazanik said.
The man's abuser, Darrell Ray, died in November 2023 while awaiting trial on 26 charges of indecent assault upon a male, which followed a lengthy investigation by Victoria Police.
In 2001, Ray pleaded guilty to 27 counts of indecently assaulting 18 male students at Beaumaris Primary School and the Tucker Road Primary School in Moorabbin between 1967 and 1976 and was sentenced to 44 months in prison with a minimum term of 17 months.
The rampant sexual abuse perpetrated by Ray and three other former Beaumaris Primary teachers gained greater attention in 2021 when former AFL star Rod Owen told the ABC his story of abuse by Ray at Beaumaris and in St Kilda's Little League team.
In 2023, Ray and three other paedophile teachers were the focus of the Victorian government's Board of Inquiry into sexual abuse of schoolchildren at Beaumaris Primary and 23 other government schools.
It revealed decades of glaring failures and a "culture that prioritised the reputation of the education system over the safety of children".
In June, responding to the findings of the Beaumaris inquiry, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen announced a $48 million "truth-telling" process and acknowledged the state's "serious and systematic" failure to protect children in government schools.
"We failed to keep these children safe," Ms Allan said at the announcement.
"We failed to listen when they spoke out. We failed to act to ensure that it did not happen again."
"What should have been a happy place became a place of horror for these victim-survivors."
The government's truth-telling process, which will include the first systematic review of the Victorian Education Department's failings, will be open to survivors of sexual abuse at all government schools and is expected to conclude in 2026.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-10/victorian-government-to-pay-record-sum-to-sexual-abuse-survivor/104448654
https://qresear.ch/?q=Darrell+Ray
https://qresear.ch/?q=Beaumaris
ASIO chief Mike Burgess tells social media summit of 'disturbing resurgence' in youth terror cases
abc.net.au - 11 October 2024
1/2
In a sobering warning about the impact of social media on ideological radicalisation among children, ASIO's director-general has expressed concern that artificial intelligence will "accelerate the acceleration" of extremism.
At a summit examining the harmful effects of online platforms on young people, Mike Burgess spoke in broad terms about the ways in which social media and digital technologies were fuelling threats to national security.
But Mr Burgess was emphatic that the problem was an especially pressing one for policymakers focused on education and child safety, pointing out that "all" of the nation's most recent terror cases "were allegedly perpetrated by young people", including one as young as 14.
"The internet was a factor in every single one of these incidents, albeit to different degrees and in different ways," he said.
Mr Burgess said that, during a COVID peak, teenagers "represented around 50 per cent" of ASIO's counter-terrorism caseload — a figure that declined before a more recent "disturbing resurgence".
"Around 20 per cent of our priority counter-terrorism cases involve minors," he said.
"In one generation, we have allowed our children full access to alleyways, content and people that they would not be able to access in the physical world."
Mr Burgess said that ASIO involvement in a case of youthful extremism was "usually" a sign that it was "too late" for other forms of intervention.
"As a nation, we need to reflect on why some teenagers are hanging Nazi flags and portraits of the Christchurch killer on their bedroom walls, and why others are sharing beheading videos in the schoolyard and, more concerningly, why there are young Australians willing to kill in the name of their beliefs," he said.
While the ASIO chief expressed reluctance to become involved in social media policymaking, and wanted to keep his remarks within "ASIO's lane — the national security implications", he said the agency was working with its security partners on a paper on the subject of terrorism and young people.
"Any proposal to regulate social media must, of course, balance free speech, free choice and [the] free market, and we need more research," he said.
"[But] no form of technology, no corner of the internet, should be above the rule of law. Social media cannot be without a social licence."
(continued)
2/2
Mr Burgess singled out artificial intelligence as a technology of growing concern, saying that while there was currently a "chasm" between the reality and "what's being claimed by tech-evangelists", AI would increasingly become a weapon in the hands of terrorists and foreign powers intent on espionage.
"If the internet is the world's greatest incubator of extremism and social media is the world's greatest accelerator, AI will augment the incubation and accelerate the acceleration," Mr Burgess said.
"We're already aware of extremists experimenting with AI, and it's likely they will try to use it to improve their recruitment campaigns, including through social media.
"A company capable of building such powerful social media algorithms should also be capable of harnessing AI to better identify, moderate and remove extreme material, especially when it is being fed to children."
'Violent misogynist propaganda' among alarming material
Friday's summit was organised by the SA and NSW governments amid moves to impose age restrictions on social media use.
Mr Burgess said that among the various kinds of extremist content being accessed by children were expressions of "violent misogynist ideology", including "incel material".
"Incels have committed terrorist acts overseas," he said.
"If a user spends just 10 minutes looking at incel material, the algorithm starts recommending more and more violent misogynist propaganda, including posts glorifying incel terrorists."
In another example, Mr Burgess said it took only "two clicks" to go between a page advocating a "hard-line religious interpretation" and a Telegram network that was "explicitly pro-ISIL, containing propaganda videos [and] messages of support for Australian terrorists".
At an address to the National Press Club in April, Mr Burgess revealed security authorities were aware of Australians communicating with extremists overseas "and discussing how to provoke a race war".
On Friday, Mr Burgess repeated that concern, telling the summit that technological changes since the "height" of the threat from Islamic State and al-Qaeda meant it was not necessarily the case that individuals were most likely to be "radicalised in person".
"Now, individuals can be self-radicalised, and the process can take days and weeks rather than months and years," he said.
"They share content from the internet on social media, and use social media as a gateway to dark parts of the internet — places like a Telegram chat room known as 'Terrorgram'.
"Nationalist and racist violent extremists — including Australians — are using Terrorgram to communicate with offshore extremists and each other."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-11/asio-chief-warns-about-social-media-role-radicalisation-children/104461708
Notables
are not endorsements
#36 - Part 1
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 1
>>21265625 Albanese’s electorate office ‘unblocked’ as protester numbers dwindle - Pro-Palestine encampment protesters have “unblocked” Anthony Albanese’s electorate office, their dwindling numbers moving away from its entrance after discussions with the Australian Federal Police. Activists had blocked access for about five months, triggering safety concerns that forced closure of the Marrickville office, which had also been vandalised, including with red inverted triangles, the symbol used by terror group Hamas to signify targets it intended to attack. On Sunday, almost all the graffiti and placards had been removed and only a much smaller group of activists remained, slightly further from the office and not restricting access. The Australian understands NSW police have not issued any move-on directions to the protesters. Mr Albanese has previously criticised damage and protests at MPs’ electorate offices, and how they blocked constituents. His own office was tagged with Hamas’ red inverted triangles and shut for months, while Bill Shorten’s Moonee Ponds office has been vandalised and Macnamara MP Josh Burns’s was graffitied with the message “Zionism is fascism”.
>>21289111 Labor targets Israeli settlers for travel bans, financial sanctions - The Albanese government has slapped financial sanctions and travel bans on seven Israeli settlers and a Jewish youth group linked to beatings and sexual assault of Palestinians in the West Bank. Penny Wong announced the sanctions on Thursday morning, declaring settler violence was inflaming tensions within the country and undermining the prospect of a two-state solution. “The individuals sanctioned today have been involved in violent attacks on Palestinians,” the Foreign Minister said. “This includes beatings, sexual assault and torture of Palestinians resulting in serious injury and in some cases, death.” The following individuals will be banned from travelling to Australia and have any Australian assets frozen: Yinon Levi, Zvi Bar Yousef, Neria Ben Pazi, Elisha Yered, David Chai Chasdai, Einan Tanjil, and Meir Ettinger. The government also sanctioned Hilltop Youth, a religious youth group dedicated to establishing settler outposts throughout the West Bank. Senator Wong said: “We call on Israel to hold perpetrators of settler violence to account and to cease its ongoing settlement activity, which only inflames tensions and further undermines stability and prospects for a two-state solution.”
>>21289176 Video: AFP crackdown on activists wearing terrorist symbols at pro-Palestine rallies - Disturbing images of activists and children wearing clothing items emblazoned with terrorist insignia at pro-Palestine rallies across the country have been referred by Victoria Police to the Australian Federal Police. The Australian has obtained evidence of children wearing Hamas-style logos at a Melbourne protest led by prominent activist and restaurateur Hash Tayeh, who is being investigated for inciting hatred after declaring all Zionists were terrorists. Victoria Police said it had referred the images of terrorist symbols being worn in public rallies to the AFP. “Appropriate referrals have been made to AFP. We are unable to provide specific comments on every clothing item,” a police spokesperson said. The Australian understands printing business Free Palestine Printing was responsible for selling merchandise with Hamas emblems. One design appeared to feature a Hamas member wearing the terror group’s associated headband, while boycott-Israel stickers, signs reading “Zionism is Terrorism” and a colouring book for children with maps of Israel replaced with Palestine were also on display. They appear to be sold exclusively at rallies. It is illegal to purchase, display or distribute terrorist symbols under Australian law, with offenders facing up to one year in prison.
#36 - Part 2
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 2
>>21296615 Australia, Canada and NZ call for an immediate ceasefire to end catastrophic human suffering in Gaza - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has joined with his counterparts from Canada and New Zealand to urge Israel to implement an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, saying they remain committed to a two-state solution as the “only realistic solution” to a lasting peace in the region. As international frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to grow, the three leaders implored him to allow extra aid into the area, where about 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering. “The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue,” Albanese said in a joint statement with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxton and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas for the atrocities of October 7 and ongoing acts of terror. Hamas must lay down its arms and release all hostages. We see no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza. An immediate ceasefire is needed desperately. Civilians must be protected, and a sustained increase in the flow of assistance throughout Gaza is needed to address the humanitarian situation.” It is the third time the three leaders have come together to urge Israel to halt its operations in Gaza. In a statement released in February, the group of leaders warned Israel against launching a ground operation in Gaza. This followed the group’s first contribution in December in which they said they supported “urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire” and backed Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law.
>>21296698 Daniel Andrews doesn’t support Palestinian statehood at the moment, calls out ‘evil’ anti-Semitism - A lead organiser of Labor Friends of Palestine claims former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is “out of step” over a declaration he made at a Melbourne synagogue that he currently does not support Palestinian statehood. ALP member Peter Moss pointed to six motions relating to the war in Gaza that passed at the Victorian State Labor Conference in May to demonstrate how Mr Andrews was not representing the overwhelming view of the party. “He’s out on an extreme limb with these comments,” Mr Moss told The Australian. “It’s inconsistent with Labor values. Broadly we’re a party that stands up for certain values, respect for international law. “(Recognition) is the minimum that Australia could do. It’s party policy, it’s overwhelmingly supported by members and I don’t think Daniel Andrews in any way represents the views of any significant part of the Labor Party.” The former premier used the Melbourne launch of the Labor Friends of Israel at the Beth Israel synagogue in St Kilda on Thursday night to stress the importance of pushing back against “twisted logic” that brought legitimacy to terrorism. “I do not at this time support a recognition of a Palestinian state. That is not to say that recognition of a Palestinian state is something that should never occur,” Mr Andrews told the congregation. “But at this time, I do not believe that is a productive step forward. You can only have peace if you have a partner in this … there is an actively hostile opponent.”
>>21303501 NSW Labor call for Palestinian statehood as party gears for an early election - The NSW Labor conference has formally called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to recognise Palestine as a sovereign and independent state “as a priority” amid the party appearing to gear itself toward a possible early election. It comes at the conclusion of the first day of its state conference at Sydney’s Town Hall, which had been on alert for activist disruption but ended amid party unity on Palestinian statehood. In a passionate almost five-minute long speech, NSW Minister Jihad Dib made the case to formally call on the Prime Minister to recognise Palestine “as a priority” after Mr Albanese himself earlier on Saturday told delegates Labor could “bring people together”. The conference has been dominated - outside and in - by Palestine, although amid heightened security and concerted efforts at party unity, it had not kicked off as previously feared. A pro-Palestine rally assembled outside while Mr Albanese gave his address - where a single delegate unfurled a Palestine flag from the upstairs gallery – before marching through the city.
#36 - Part 3
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 3
>>21322183 Australians told to leave Lebanon immediately as Dutton flies to Israel - The federal government has advised Australians not to travel to Lebanon and warned those in the country should “leave immediately” while commercial flights are still available as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton left on an official visit to Israel. Australia, along with the United States, UK, France and Germany have issued warnings to their citizens travelling in the region as tensions escalate between terrorist group Hezbollah and Israel over a rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that struck a soccer field killing 12 children and teens. Flights in and out of Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, Lebanon’s only airport, were cancelled and delayed on Monday. The airport has been targeted in the country’s civil war, and previous fighting with Israel, including in the last war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. “We continue to advise that Australians do not travel to Lebanon due to the volatile security situation and the risk of the security situation deteriorating further,” advice on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website Smartraveller said. Dutton left Australia on Monday for a four-day trip to Israel where he will meet with members of the Israeli government and people affected by the October 7 attack. “The connections between Australia and Israel are deep and abiding,” Dutton said in a statement. “Today, Australia and Israel have a strong bilateral relationship traversing trade, agriculture, technology, security and more. It’s a relationship which will only grow stronger built around our devotion to democracy in a world where our values and way of life faces old and new threats.”
>>21332328 Video: ‘Pro-Palestinian’ Officeworks staffer refuses to laminate Jewish newspaper for kippah-wearing man - Extraordinary footage of a ‘pro-Palestinian’ Officeworks staff member refusing to laminate a Jewish newspaper has emerged, with the Jewish customer taking Officeworks to an anti-discrimination tribunal over the confrontation. The footage has landed the Wesfarmers-owned nationwide office supply store in a Victorian tribunal, with the Jewish man - who has asked to remain anonymous due to fears of retribution - telling The Australian he is now seriously considering moving his family to Israel because of the ordeal. The video, filmed in a store on March 4, shows the man at a counter at the Elsternwick store presenting a copy of the Australian Jewish News, requesting for it to be laminated before an Officeworks staff member, who identified herself as a department manager, refuses him service because of her “pro-Palestinian” stance. “I’m pro-Palestine, and we have the right to deny jobs … it is an Officeworks position,” she said. A spokesperson for Officeworks told The Australian: “We want everyone to have an enjoyable shopping experience with us - whether it be shopping in store or online. We are disappointed that this did not occur with one of our customers at our Elsternwick store in March 2024. “We can confirm that we have taken this matter extremely seriously, and since the matter occurred, have investigated internally and taken the appropriate action to ensure this doesn’t take place again. In this particular incident, our policies were incorrectly applied and in accordance with our Officeworks’ policies, the laminating should have taken place.”
>>21332364 Video: Australians in Lebanon warned to leave immediately as tensions escalate between Israel and Hezbollah - The federal government is ramping up warnings to Australians in Lebanon, pleading with them to leave the country right now as the risk of a regional conflagration grows. On Wednesday night Foreign Minister Penny Wong issued a video message urging people in Lebanon to get out following the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in the country and the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. "My message to Australian citizens and residents in Lebanon is: now is the time to leave. If you are in Australia and thinking of travelling to Lebanon - do not," the foreign minister said. "Some commercial flights are still operating. If you can leave, you should." The government expects Beirut airport will be shut down if a broader conflict breaks out, cutting the main route out of the country. If that happens the government may be able to use ferries to get people out of Lebanon by taking them to Cyprus, as it did when it evacuated more than 5,000 Australians during the 2006 Lebanon War. But officials are emphasising that there is no guarantee that they'll be able to pull off such a major rescue operation, particularly if a large-scale war breaks out.
#36 - Part 4
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 4
>>21338755 Video: 'No guarantee': Albanese's fresh warning to Australians in Lebanon as conflict fears grow - The federal government has renewed calls for Australians to leave Lebanon as soon as possible after an Israeli strike killed Hezbollah's top commander Fuad Shukr. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned on Thursday that conflict in the Middle East could escalate after the death of Shakur and the reported assassination of Ismail Haniyeh - the political leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas - in Iran. About 15,000 Australians live in Lebanon, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade estimates, and Albanese warned it may become impossible for them to leave if commercial flights out of Lebanon's capital, Beirut, are halted. "Given the numbers of people who are there, there's no guarantee … people will be able to come home through other means if that airport is shut," Albanese told reporters in Sydney. His warning echoed an earlier statement from Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who on Wednesday night said "now is the time" for Australians in Lebanon to leave.
>>21338817 New visa to give Palestinians permanent home in Australia - Palestinian refugees will be able to call Australia home rather than being forced to return in a major Albanese government move to deal with the Gaza crisis as the opposition hardens its support for Israel and warns of risks posed by refugees. Senior federal government sources, who asked to remain anonymous as the policy was being finalised, revealed a new special visa pathway would be created for Palestinians in a move set to re-energise the political feud over Labor’s handling of the conflict. It follows months of lobbying by advocates who say those fleeing Gaza have struggled to put food on the table because the temporary visitor visas they were granted prevent them from working or accessing Medicare. Labor is working on the details of the humanitarian push as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton affirmed the Coalition’s support for Israel in a meeting with its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under pressure from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand to end the war. Dutton’s trip widened the gulf in attitudes over the war between the Coalition and Labor, which recently called in the Israeli ambassador to warn of the consequences of a war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
>>21354042 Video: ASIO lifts terror threat level to 'probable' amid heightened tensions over war in Gaza - Australia's official terror alert level has been raised to "probable" amid heightened community tensions over the war in Gaza. Security authorities believe the chances of a violent extremist act are now more likely than when authorities lowered the alert level to "possible" in November 2022. ASIO's director-general Mike Burgess said Australia's security environment had become more volatile and unpredictable. "More Australians are being radicalised and being radicalised more quickly," Mr Burgess said. "More Australians are willing to use violence to advance their cause. Politically motivated violence now joins espionage and foreign interference as our principal security concerns." He also noted the conflict in Gaza was not the "cause" for raising the terror level, though it had been a "significant driver". Mr Burgess said, however, raising the threat level did not mean ASIO had intelligence about plans of a current attack or expectations of an imminent attack.
>>21360177 Iran ambassador’s ‘abhorrent’ comments ‘have no place’, Anthony Albanese says - Anthony Albanese has condemned “antisemitic comments” posted on social media by Iran’s ambassador to Australia. Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Israel is a “genocidal regime” and that he looked forward to the “Zionist plague” getting wiped out of the “holy lands of Palestine”. Speaking to media in Sydney on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said Mr Sadeghi’s comments were “abhorrent” and “have no place”. “We have called in the Iranian Ambassador to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as is the protocol when something like this happens,” he said. “I make it clear - there’s no place for the sort of comments that were made on social media by the Iranian Ambassador. They’re abhorrent, and they are hateful, they are antisemitic, and they have no place.” Foreign Minister Penny Wong also earlier took aim at the ambassador, calling his words “repugnant”. “Those comments are inflammatory, and they are repugnant,” Ms Wong said. “They are inconsistent with Australia’s values.” She added that DFAT only maintained “a diplomatic relationship with Iran because we seek to further Australia’s interests.”
#36 - Part 5
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 5
>>21360182 Video: 'Repugnant': Penny Wong slams Iran Ambassador to Australia after tweet calling to wipe out the 'Zionist plague' - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has blasted the Iranian Ambassador to Australia's calls on social media supporting Hamas' bid to wipe Israel out of Palestine. In a post on X, Iran Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi referred to Israel as a “Zionist plague” that should be wiped out of Palestine by Hamas, adding he was “looking forward to such a heavenly and divine promise”. The inflammatory post came after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "revenge" against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. He declared that Israel had provided grounds for "harsh punishment". Israel has not claimed responsibility for the assassination. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong faced questions about the ambassador's remarks on Monday while in Washington, DC. Speaking to the media ahead of the Australia United States Ministerial Consultation, Ms Wong said the comments did not align with Australian values. "Those comments are inflammatory, and they are repugnant,” Ms Wong said. “They are inconsistent with Australia's values." Ms Wong confirmed her department had addressed the issue with the ambassador. “More broadly, we maintain a diplomatic relationship with Iran because we seek to further Australia's interests," she said.
>>21360243 Video: ASIO 'stretched' as it faces terror threat that is more complex than a decade ago - The head of ASIO has conceded his organisation is "stretched" as it grapples with a growing number of unpredictable and complex violent extremist threats that have forced the country's official terror alert level to be lifted for the first time in a decade. On Monday the federal government announced Australia's national terrorism alert level was being lifted from "possible" to "probable". It was last elevated to "probable" in 2014 following the global emergence of the Islamic State organisation. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said the most likely terrorist attack in 2024 would involve the threat of a "lone actor", usually a young male who has been radicalised quickly online over a "diversity of grievances and personal narratives". Speaking to the ABC's 7.30 program, Mr Burgess said several factors had changed over the past year, prompting a reassessment of the November 2022 ruling to lower the country's official alert level from "probable" to "possible" where it had sat for eight years. "Today … it's completely different to when it was raised in 2014. More people are being radicalised more quickly, more people think violence is permissible from a range of grievances and ideologies, not just what we saw when we raised it in 2014," he said. Asked on the 7.30 program whether ASIO needed more funding, Mr Burgess said: "We are stretched but you'd appreciate if I needed more, I'd ask that in private to government. "My job as director of security is to make sure I have the laws and the resources to do our job. We're stretched is probably all I'd want to say publicly."
>>21385788 Penny Wong condemns Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich comment that starving Palestinians may be justified - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned comments by a senior Israeli minister after he suggested it "might be just and moral" to starve Palestinians in Gaza until hostages held by Hamas are returned. Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made the statement at a conference in support of Jewish settlements on Monday, saying the country had no choice but to send humanitarian aid to Gaza. "It's not possible in today's global reality to manage a war — no one will allow us to starve two million people, even though that might be just and moral until they return the hostages," he said in a speech. In a post to social media platform X on Saturday, Ms Wong said Australia joins international partners, including the UK, Germany and France, in condemning Mr Smotrich's comments. "The deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime," she wrote. "There is no justification for it, ever. "An immediate ceasefire in Gaza has never been more urgent, to protect civilians, see hostages released, and enable aid to flow. "We repeat our call on all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire."
#36 - Part 6
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 6
>>21404209 ‘Not a problem’: Spy boss says Hamas sympathy not a visa dealbreaker - The nation’s top spy says Palestinians who have expressed rhetorical support for listed terror group Hamas will not necessarily be blocked from entering Australia, as the federal government prepares to announce a new visa pathway to help those fleeing the war in Gaza. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess also urged politicians to moderate their language, warning that inflammatory rhetoric could encourage aggrieved individuals to turn to violence. Burgess, who last week raised the national terror threat level from “possible” to “probable”, said that providing financial support or material aid to Hamas may be a problem for Palestinians undergoing security checks as part of their visa application process. It is a different matter if people are expressing support for Hamas because they “want their homeland”, he said. “If it’s just rhetorical support, and they don’t have an ideology or support for a violent extremism ideology, then that’s not a problem,” Burgess told ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday. “If they have a support for that ideology, then that will be a problem.”
>>21404242 ‘Inviting radicalism’: ASIO, Coalition split over visas for Hamas supporters - A rare disagreement has erupted between the nation’s top spy and the Coalition over whether Hamas supporters should be allowed in Australia, as Palestinian advocates grow impatient with delays in establishing a permanent visa scheme for people fleeing the war in Gaza. Coalition MPs wrote to new Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Tuesday urging him to ensure no known supporters of Hamas, a listed terrorist organisation, were permitted to enter Australia. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said on Sunday that anyone who had advocated violence would be ruled out and providing financial support or material aid to Hamas might be a problem for Palestinians undergoing security checks as part of their visa application process, but “just rhetorical support” for the group would not. In a letter to Burke signed by most members of the Coalition party room, opposition MPs said: “We implore you to provide the policy direction to the Department of Home Affairs to ensure that no visa is issued to a person found to support any terrorist organisation, including Hamas, and that those who are presently in Australia and who are known to have links to, or support Hamas, are urgently considered for visa cancellation.”
>>21409565 ‘ASIO’s not conducting checks’: Dutton says nobody from Gaza should come to Australia - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called for a stop to migration from Gaza, saying the arrival of people from a war zone to Australia was putting national security at risk, in comments that escalate the Coalition’s attack on Labor as it prepares to unveil a visa scheme for Palestinians. Muslim groups immediately condemned Dutton’s stance as discriminatory, saying they were once again being made political scapegoats while asking where people who had fled the war-torn enclave were supposed to go if they could not stay in Australia. The Coalition has piled pressure on Labor over what it argues are weak security checks for arrivals from Gaza, and its MPs have been alarmed by ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess’s assurances that rhetorical support for Hamas – a listed terrorist group – would not necessarily preclude people from coming into the country. Seventy Coalition MPs wrote to new Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Tuesday, urging him to ensure no known Hamas supporters would be allowed into Australia, as he prepares new avenues to permanent residency for about 1300 Palestinians currently on temporary visas. But Dutton on Wednesday morning went much further, saying: “I don’t think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment. It’s not prudent to do so and I think it puts our national security at risk. “I just think that every Australian would be shocked to think that the government’s bringing in people from a war zone, and that ASIO’s not conducting checks and searches on these people,” he said on Sky News.
#36 - Part 7
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 7
>>21415045 Video: Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young interrupts Nationals leader David Littleproud interview in Parliament corridor - Tensions usually reserved for the floor of the House and Senate have spilled out into the corridors as the domestic political contest over the Israel-Hamas war intensifies. While addressing the media at a doorstop on Thursday morning, Nationals leader David Littleproud was interrupted by Greens environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young who took issue with the Coalition’s stance on the conflict. “Why don’t you say something about the children being slaughtered?” Senator Hanson-Young said as she walked past interrupting Mr Littleproud’s media conference as he took questions from reporters. After Peter Dutton called for a blanket ban on arrivals from Gaza, arguing some may harbour sympathies for Hamas, Labor, the Greens and Muslim groups have hit back against the move which would prevent refugees from fleeing the war torn enclave. Speaking to the media earlier, Senator Hanson-Young accused the Opposition Leader of heading the “nasty party”. “It’s Trumpian, it’s despicable and it needs to be called out,” she said.
>>21415057 Video: ‘Stop being racist’: Row erupts in parliament over Dutton’s stance on Gaza visas - A fiery racism row erupted in federal parliament after independent MP Zali Steggall told Peter Dutton to “stop being racist” and dividing the country when the opposition leader continued to accuse Labor of making the country less safe by admitting migrants from Gaza. Dutton dismissed Steggall as a “Green with extreme views”, but hours later he was hammered in question time by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who gave his strongest rebuke yet of Dutton by accusing him of “20 years of form” in making divisive remarks about Lebanese and African migrants to Australia. On Thursday morning, Dutton claimed the issuing of visas from a war zone was “an egregious breach of what is in our country’s best interests”. “This is not against people of a particular religious belief. This is not against people of a particular political persuasion. This is about keeping our country safe, and Anthony Albanese has failed the Australian public,” he said in parliament, after bringing a motion to discuss the issue. Steggall rose afterwards to say Dutton’s commentary was “extremely concerning” and whipped up fear, in an emotional speech in which she shared the story of a Palestinian man from her electorate. Labor MPs, including Tanya Plibersek, arrived to sit next to her in the chamber during the speech. “These are families that you are seeking to paint that somehow they are all terrorists, that they should all be mistrusted and they are not worthy of humanitarian aid,” Steggall said. As Dutton interjected, she yelled out: “Stop being racist.” Dutton called for Steggall to withdraw the “offensive and unparliamentary remark”, which she did.
>>21439406 Steggall brands Dutton a ‘bully’ over Gaza racism row - Independent MP Zali Steggall has accused Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of bullying her amid reports he is seeking legal advice after she told him in parliament to “stop being racist”. But she has shifted her language to focus on his policy of banning Palestinian refugees from the country. Speaking to the ABC’s Radio National on Monday, Steggall said she did not regret her remarks, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declined to echo in an interview as the debate threatened to swamp a second week of parliament. Steggall, who made the racism comment during a tense session of question time last week, said it had been hard to keep her cool during the exchange. “But no, I don’t [regret my comments] because I think this needs to be called out,” she said. When asked about reports that Dutton was seeking legal advice, Steggall said it was “part of the playbook”. Dutton lost a defamation case in 2022 against refugee advocate Shane Bazzi over a tweet about medical transfers for people detained in Nauru. “I would view [reports he is seeking legal advice] as a true and tried part of the playbook of Mr Dutton, of bullying and intimidating people from calling out his policy and behaviour,” Steggall said.
#36 - Part 8
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 8
>>21446901 Fast lane out of Gaza: Australia among most generous for visas in world - Australia is one of the most generous nations in the developed world in accepting Palestinians from Gaza, new figures suggest, fuelling criticism of the Albanese government’s use of tourist visas for those fleeing the war zone. International data compiled by the opposition indicates Australia’s nearly 3000 approved visas for Gazans since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel far exceed the numbers accepted by the nation’s Five Eyes allies and like-minded countries such as France. Belgium is a rare outlier, approving 2506 Palestinian refugees since January and 3249 last year, while Greece and Turkey are also dealing with large numbers of Palestinian asylum seekers. As the government considers offering permanent visas to up to 1500 Gazans already in the country, opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said Australia was unique in its willingness to offer fast-tracked visas to thousands from the conflict zone. “The Albanese government must urgently explain why Australia appears to have accepted more people from Gaza than almost any other country in the developed world,” Senator Paterson said. “Our closest allies and friends - including Five Eyes members the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand – are all taking a much more cautious approach and have accepted only a fraction of the intake we have.” He said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke needed to suspend plans to issue fresh visas to Gazans until he could assure Australians that “proper checks have been done”.
>>21459197 Iranian embassy defiant in wake of DFAT ‘polite chat’ - The Iranian embassy has defended its ambassador who posted about a “Zionist plague”, denying it was anti-Semitic and describing the Albanese government’s response as “conversations we had on how to manage the current conditions” in the Middle East rather than a dressing-down. When Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi posted his controversial tweet, hoping for the “Zionist plague” to be “wiped out” by 2027, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government had summoned him to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) “as a protocol”. In the post, which remains on his X platform, Mr Sadeghi called Israel a “genocidal regime” and said he looked forward to the only Jewish state being “wiped out of the holy lands of Palestine”. He also called the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel an act of resistance “in fighting the criminal Zionist enemy”. In the wake of the controversy following the August 3 post, Mr Sadeghi’s office claimed the call for Israel’s destruction had nothing to do with anti-Semitism or violence, saying it had copped “unjust” backlash. Mr Sadeghi declined multiple requests for an interview, but his embassy released a statement to The Australian this week, in which it vehemently rejected claims the content of his social media post was anti-Semitic, saying it was “not aimed at Jews around the world”. The foreign diplomat’s remarks on Israel triggered widespread outrage from both the Labor government and the Coalition, but the defiant embassy insists they were “unpleasant and unfair reactions”. The Australian asked the embassy whether Mr Sadeghi’s conversation with the DFAT was of disciplinary nature. A spokesperson for the ambassador said they were “in the vein of a range of bilateral, regional, and international subject matters”.
>>21459264 Jewish groups demand extremist influencer Candace Owens’ visa be cancelled - Jewish groups are demanding the government bar extremist US provocateur Candace Owens from holding a speaking tour across Australia because of her conspiracy-tinged attacks on Jews and trans people. Owens rose to prominence as a Donald Trump-aligned influencer and has claimed that Israel was founded by a “cult”, “secret Jewish gangs” operate in Hollywood and minimised Nazi atrocities. She told her 18 million online followers she is selling tickets to “electrifying evenings” in Australia in November. After questions from this masthead, the government said it could block her entry to Australia. Owens, who recently said Trump was too moderate, has also made claims about a range of minority groups including trans people who she falsely said suffered “clinical insanity” and suggested could be responsible for a rise in mass shootings. “There is no place in Australia for Candace Owens and her vile, divisive, and dangerous conspiracy theories,” wrote Zionist Federation of Australia leaders Jeremy Leibler and Alon Cassuto in a letter to Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Tony Burke seen by this masthead. “Your government has rightfully expressed concern about the increasing embrace of extreme ideologies by Australians. Extremism, racism, bigotry, and antisemitism are unacceptable in any form, regardless of whether they originate from the far left or right.”
#36 - Part 9
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 9
>>21473290 Home Affairs rejects three-quarters of Palestinian visa applications amid political furore - The Home Affairs Department rejected three out of four visa applications by Palestinians in the week the Coalition ramped up its political attack on Labor for letting people from war-torn Gaza come to Australia. The latest figures show 13 visas were granted and 39 rejected between August 12 and 19, demonstrating that federal agencies continue to knock back the majority of applicants with Palestinian documents. The data also shows no visas were cancelled over the seven days, suggesting the federal government has not changed its security approach despite Coalition demands. Children have made up 30 per cent of the 2935 visas now issued to people with Palestinian documents since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. Former deputy immigration secretary Abul Rizvi said neither political party had owned up to their mistakes as the issue dominated parliamentary question time all week. The Coalition has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of compromising national security while Labor has painted Opposition Leader Peter Dutton as divisive and distracted from Australians’ cost-of-living concerns. Rizvi said the federal government had erred in issuing visitor visas to the majority of Palestinians rather than launching a humanitarian visa program as was typically done to assist people fleeing conflicts. “It was a bad way of doing it and I hope both parties learn that’s not how you do humanitarian assistance,” he said.
>>21499994 Muslim Votes Matter targets hung parliament in federal election push - Australian advocacy group Muslim Votes Matter (MVM) is prepared to back the Greens and teals over Labor in the next federal election, aiming to hold both the government and the Liberals accountable for what it calls a “failed” response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. MVM will launch a national campaign in Melbourne on Sunday, featuring high-profile speakers and drawing strategic insights from a UK expert who played a pivotal role in a similar movement during the recent British elections. Rather than fielding its own candidates, the group plans to back those whose values align with its priorities. The campaign’s agenda will include discussions on conditions of the war in Gaza, the recent successes of Muslim candidates in the UK, and the potential impact of a hung parliament on Australian policies. The Israel-Gaza conflict has been spruiked as a catalyst to launch the national campaign, which will operate on the ground in every state except for Darwin and Hobart. MVM national representative Ghaith Krayem told The Australian the campaign will not support any political party en masse, but instead, it will make recommendations to the community on how they should vote in each electorate across the country. “Our aim is to hold all those politicians who had an opportunity to speak up and do something to prevent the unfolding genocide to account,” Mr Krayem said.
>>21516429 ‘A bit of a scare’: New Muslim group to pressure Labor in a dozen Victorian seats - Nail Aykan is sick of politicians getting photo opportunities at a Turkish restaurant or speaking to one kebab shop owner and thinking they can rely on Muslim people for their votes. “It’s just your campaign propaganda. It’s window dressing. We want substance.” It’s why Aykan organised the Muslim Voices of Calwell group to engage with candidates in the electorate in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. And it’s why he will argue the merits of a hung parliament at the campaign launch of another group - Muslim Votes Matter – at Broadmeadows Town Hall. The group is looking closely at 12 federal seats in Victoria at the next election, which is due by May: Calwell, Wills, Bruce, Scullin, Holt, Lalor, Gorton, Gellibrand, Fraser, Isaacs, Cooper and Hawke. All of them are held by Labor. “With enough momentum we need to give every candidate a bit of a scare to say, ‘Do not take us for granted’,” Aykan said. Labor has been trying to contain anger over the war in Gaza in key electorates that have thousands of Muslim voters. At the 2021 census, such voters constituted about 24 per cent of people in Calwell and 10 per cent in the at-risk seat of Wills. “The unfortunate consequence … for the Labor Party is that most of our community resides in seats held by the Labor Party, so most of our advocacy work is going to be against Labor,” Muslim Votes Matter national representative Ghaith Krayem said. Krayem said the new group would not field candidates and was independent. But he said it would devise how-to-vote cards for a smaller list of target seats, with rankings more focused on the policies of parties than the individual views of candidates.
#36 - Part 10
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 10
>>21530642 ASIO boss Mike Burgess says his comments over Gaza visas were 'distorted', sparking political storm - Head of ASIO Mike Burgess says his comments on the vetting process for people fleeing Gaza were misrepresented, as a political storm raged over the issue of visas being offered to people trying to leave the war zone. "I've watched with interest over the last couple of weeks how people have chosen to distort what I said," the ASIO director-general told 7.30. "I said that if you support a Palestinian homeland that may not discount you [from entering Australia] because that by itself is not a problem. "But I also said if you have a violent extremist ideology, or you provide material or financial support to a terrorist organisation, that will be a problem." In an interview on Insiders last month, Mr Burgess said that if Palestinians fleeing the conflict expressed "just rhetorical support [for Hamas], and they don't have an ideology or support for a violent extremism ideology, then that's not a problem". He said support for Hamas ideology "will be a problem". Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie told Sky News he disagreed with Mr Burgess. "I think anyone who supports Hamas should not be allowed into Australia. It's as simple as that … I've got a lot of respect for Mike Burgess and he's a pretty straight shooter, but on this question I disagree," Mr Hastie said.
>>21530676 Tehran summons Australian ambassador over 'norm-breaking' Instagram post, Iranian media reports - Iran summoned Australia's ambassador in Tehran over the publication of an Instagram post the government deemed "norm-breaking", Iran's semi-official ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday, a day after state media said the post had "promoted homosexuality". The post on the embassy's official Instagram account celebrated "Wear It Purple Day" and expressed dedication to creating "a supporting environment where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, can feel proud to be themselves". "Let's keep championing diversity and inclusion for a brighter, more inclusive future," it said. ILNA quoted Australia's ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, as saying the post was not intended to insult the Iranian people and their values, and that the Islamic Republic was not mentioned in it. Iran's Mehr news agency, another semi-official government news agency headquartered in Tehran, quoted the director of the Regional Department at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as having "strongly condemned the action of the Australian embassy in posting such content that was against the accepted norms". "The content published by the Australian embassy is insulting and contrary to Iranian and Islamic tradition, customs and culture," the Iranian diplomat was quoted as saying, also suggesting that posting such content was violating international law.
>>21541915 Video: MPs say ‘no place in parliament’ for candidate who celebrated October 7 attacks - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to refuse to direct preferences to any election candidate who celebrated the October 7 attacks after a doctor running against Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was exposed for sharing social media posts glorifying the Hamas-led massacre. As teal MPs declared there was no place in parliament for someone such as western Sydney GP Ziad Basyouny, who is running for the western Sydney seat of Watson, Burke said that he condemned the October 7 attacks and anyone who celebrated the killing of an estimated 1200 people in Israel. This masthead revealed on Thursday that Basyouny shared a Facebook post five days after October 7 that portrayed the attacks as a dream come true and appeared to glorify Hamas’ use of paragliders to breach the Israel-Gaza border and launch its massacre. Basyouny broke his silence on the matter on Thursday afternoon to say that his sharing of the post should not be seen as an endorsement of violence against innocent people. “As a doctor, as a Muslim, as a human, killing civilians is never right,” he said. Basyouny, whose candidacy was officially endorsed just days ago by the newly formed The Muslim Vote organisation, declined to comment further. In a subsequent post on social media, Basyouny said: “I support the inherent right of Palestinians to defend their land, but I do not support the attacks on civilians … Palestinian resistance pre-dates Hamas, their struggle has been ongoing for decades and I support the freedom of the Palestinians.”
#36 - Part 11
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 11
>>21541961 Brisbane City Council critic faces pro-Palestine anger - Brisbane City Council’s deputy mayor Krista Adams has been forced to close her office amid fears of a snap protest from a pro-Palestinian group in the wake of a dispute over a “racist and offensive” newsletter distributed by a Greens member. The newsletter, which was released on Tuesday by Greens councillor Trina Massey and costing ratepayers $20,000, includes a story on “the ongoing Nakba (catastrophe)” that outlines “methods used to carry out ethnic cleansing, widespread massacres, systematic rape, and other terror-inducing tactics”. Ms Adams revealed on Wednesday that she had written to the council’s acting CEO asking for an investigation over possible breaches of community guidelines. She said the six-page newsletter risked fuelling division and directly conflicted with recent advice from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which last month implored politicians to temper their language in relation to the Middle East. It is understood the council passed a motion on Friday demanding Ms Massey pay back the $20,000 used to print and distribute the newsletter. The decision to close Ms Adams’ Holland Park Ward office follows advice from Queensland police that the Justice for Palestine group was planning a protest on Friday. “I stand by my decision to call out the Greens councillor for spreading hate and division in her ratepayer-funded newsletter,” Ms Adams said. She said Ms Massey had thumbed her nose at Australia’s security chief, who just weeks ago raised concerns about a rise in politically motivated violence. “Councillor Massey has once again demonstrated the Greens don’t care about local residents and are only interested in pushing their extreme ideological agenda,” Ms Adams said.
>>21556644 Holocaust survivor speaks out against Candace Owens Australian tour - The oldest living survivor of sick experiments conducted at Nazi death camp Auschwitz has called on the Australian government to block a controversial US commentator from entering the country. Candace Owens’ plans for a November tour have drawn vigorous backlash due to extreme views she has expressed, including conspiracy theories about Jewish people and the minimisation of Nazi Germany’s atrocities. Jewish groups and opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan have demanded Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke deny Ms Owens a visa on character grounds, accusing her of spreading “hateful messages”. Now 100-year-old Annetta Able has added her voice to the outcry, saying comments made by Ms Owens were “deeply offensive” and “a dangerous distortion of historical truth that I witnessed with my own eyes”. Ms Able and her identical twin Stephanie Heller were exposed to “horrific experiments” devised by Josef Mengele, dubbed the Angel of Death, while being held at Auschwitz. That included genetic testing procedures which left them seriously ill. The Melbourne-based Holocaust survivor said she felt compelled to speak after being made aware of Ms Owens labelling accounts of Mengele’s deadly work “bizarre propaganda”. “I still bear the physical and emotional scars of Mengele’s cruelty,” the great great grandmother said. “The pain, fear, and trauma I experienced were very real and to hear someone deny these atrocities is a fresh wound to my heart and an insult to the memory of those who perished. “I urge the Australian government to deny Candace Owens a visa.”
>>21561832 Radical protesters unite under the anti-Israel banner to oppose major military conference - Hard-left radical groups opposed to Israel and wars generally are planning a mass protest in Melbourne on Wednesday but face a so-called “ring of steel’’ formed by 1200 Victoria Police. The most extreme anti-Israel groups are planning to join the protest, creating another layer of uncertainty for police, which fear thousands will gather in central Melbourne for the Land Forces 2024 conference. Victoria Police has been gathering intelligence on the planned protests, with radical groups war-gaming how to respond to a large presence of police brought in from across the state. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said there would be low tolerance for any protests that affected people going about their daily lives. “Victorians coming into the city to go to work, to go to those important medical appointments, for other activities that they have planned to do so over the rest of this week in the CBD, they should do that, and they should be allowed to continue to undertake those activities unimpeded,’’ she said. Police are expecting as many as 25,000 protesters to be in Melbourne for the defence conference. The large number of people, many radical members of protest groups, have sparked concerns about any ensuing riots.
#36 - Part 12
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 12
>>21589729 Calls to outlaw Hamas symbol after Jewish-owned business targeted - The marking of a Jewish-owned small business with a symbol used by Hamas militants to identify targets to kill has prompted calls for police to use counter-terrorism laws to stamp out its use within Australia’s pro-Palestinian movement. Twice in two months, wine seller Tim Cohen found an inverted red triangle on the wall of his Brunswick East shop in Melbourne’s inner north. The first time, the symbol was accompanied by a threatening message warning people not to buy from his store. The second time, last Sunday, it reappeared without any words. Cohen, a 53-year-old retailer with a readily identifiable Jewish surname, informed Victoria Police, the local council and his state MP about the initial episode. He said his Jewish heritage was the only reason he could think of to explain why his store would be targeted by anti-Israel activists. “It really stunned me,” he said. “I haven’t been outspoken, and I am no Netanyahu cheerleader. “The October 7 attack and conflict that has come out of that has clearly woken up people’s dislike for Jews.” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton urged police to investigate the use of the Hamas symbol, which recently has been co-opted by the broader pro-Palestine movement into protest signs, social media content and messaging.
>>21589782 British Muslim Vote guides Australian stablemates amid challenging electoral map - On the back of its success at the British election, the masterminds behind the shock election of four “Gaza independents” are advising and guiding their Australian stablemates through a more challenging electoral map ahead of the next federal election. The move comes as Muslim Votes Matter, one of two major organisations in Australia, launched its national campaign ahead of the election, and after one movement-backed candidate scrambled to contain fallout from Facebook posts he made appearing to celebrate Hamas’s October 7 atrocities in Israel. The Muslim Vote UK masterminded the election of four Gaza independents – the group dislikes the label – in the Labour Party’s heartlands in the British election in July, with another campaign-backed candidate coming within 500 votes of ousting the now Health Secretary, Wes Streeting. The group’s national co-ordinator, Abubakr Nanabawa, told The Australian that the success would be harder to replicate in Australia’s preferential system, but that the community’s political mobilisation would be permanent. “It’s a very different electoral system,” he said. “But the main advice has been to go local, understand what’s happening on the ground.” Another leader, Wajid Akhter, provided a video message to the MVM’s national launch. Its national representative, Ghaith Krayem, previously told The Australian it would aim for a hung parliament, and could back Greens or teal candidates over Labor.
>>21621214 Australia abstains on controversial UN Israel vote drafted by Palestinian Authority - Penny Wong says the government is “disappointed” it could not support a controversial UN motion drafted by the Palestinian Authority demanding an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank, after Australian negotiators were unable to soften the resolution. Australia was one of 43 countries that abstained from casting a vote on the non-binding motion, which was carried by 124 votes to 14 in the UN General Assembly on Thursday morning. Jewish groups are outraged the government refused to join with the US and Israel to reject the resolution, while its failure to support the motion will anger pro-Palestine supporters on Labor’s left flank. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia had wanted to amend the resolution to more accurately reflect a recent International Court of Justice opinion that Israel’s occupation of Gaza and West Bank was illegal. “We worked very hard in New York with others, including the Palestinian delegation, to seek amendments that would enable us to support it, as we did the recognition vote and the ceasefire vote, where the text enabled Australia to support it,” she told The ABC. “We were disappointed that the amendments that we and many others supported were not accepted. For that reason, we abstained.” The UK, Canada and Germany also abstained, while Australia’s closest Pacific partners including Papua New Guinea and Fiji opposed the resolution. New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia and France supported the motion, along with most of Asia and the developing world.
#36 - Part 13
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 13
>>21648207 Video: Australians in Lebanon warned it is 'beyond' government's capacity to help everyone evacuate as tensions in region escalate - Australians living in Lebanon have been warned that the government may not be able to assist everyone seeking a swift exit from the region as tensions escalate in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Thousands have fled southern Lebanon after Israel launched hundreds of air strikes, resulting in 492 deaths - the deadliest day of the cross-border conflict since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, according to Lebanon's health ministry. On Tuesday morning, Foreign Minister Penny Wong reinforced her warnings, urging Australians in the region to leave while commercial flights remain available. "The numbers of Australians in Lebanon are beyond the capacity of the government to provide assistance to all," Senator Wong said. "We again say to any Australian who is in Lebanon, what we've been saying for months, you should return home while commercial options are still available if they are." Almost half of the scheduled flights from Beirut’s international airport were cancelled on Tuesday. At last estimate the government believed there were at least 15,000 Australians in Lebanon, but the real figure could be as high as 30,000 as many regular visitors don't notify the Australian government.
>>21648212 Australia to push UN General Assembly for stronger protections for aid workers following death of Zomi Frankcom - Australia will push for tougher protection for aid workers following the death of Melbourne woman Zomi Frankcom, who died in Gaza after an Israeli air strike in Gaza. At the time she was working with World Central Kitchen and delivering food to the besieged neighbourhood of Deir al-Balah, and died alongside six international and Palestinian colleagues. Israel has since claimed the attack was a “grave mistake” and a result of “misidentification”. Currently in New York attending the United Nation General Assembly High Level Week, Foreign Minister Penny Wong will call for a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel. The declaration will be drafted with humanitarian organisations, who she will meet on Monday New York time, cross regional ministers and the UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Following negotiations, the global initiative will be drafted to reaffirm existing humanitarian law, and include actionable steps to better protect aid workers in conflict zones. All General Assembly members, which includes Israel, will be invited to pledge their support. While more aid workers were killed in 2023 than any other year, with 280 killed and more wounded and kidnapped, the sobering figures are set to increase in 2024. Ms Wong said this was evidence “signifies that the rules and norms that protect humanitarian personnel” were at risk, which would set a dangerous precedent for current and future conflicts. “You can’t protect civilians if you don’t protect the aid workers who are delivering the food, water and medicine they need to survive,” she said.
>>21653809 Penny Wong: ‘Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza’ - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has decried the Israeli air strikes for killing Lebanese women and children, warning that the world cannot allow Lebanon to become the next Gaza. The Israeli military said it killed a top Hezbollah commander as part of a two-day barrage that has left more than 560 people dead and prompted thousands of people in southern Lebanon to seek refuge in the north of the country. In a significant strengthening of her previous language, Wong said: “Civilians are being killed by Israeli strikes and it is women and children who are paying the highest price. “The global community is clear, this destructive cycle must stop. All parties must show restraint and de-escalate … Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza.” Wong, who is representing Australia at a gathering of global leaders in New York, said that the escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Islamic militant group Hezbollah made the case for “an immediate ceasefire in Gaza even more urgent”. “Hostages must be released and aid must flow,” she said. At least 41,467 people have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas, according to the Gazan health ministry, while Israel reports 1200 people killed in the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023.
#36 - Part 14
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 14
>>21672827 Penny Wong delivers deadline for UN on Palestine - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has declared a timeline should be set for the international declaration of a Palestinian state and is pushing the UN Security Council to play a more significant role in advancing a two-state solution to break the “endless cycle of violence” gripping the Middle East. In comments that were blasted as reflecting an “anti-Israel” slant and being “divorced from reality”, Senator Wong told the UN General Assembly in New York overnight that recognition of a Palestinian state was no longer the “destination of a peace process” but should be imposed by the international community to build “momentum towards peace”. Speaking 10 days before the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks in which Hamas massacred 1200 Israelis and as the region totters on the brink of a broader conflict triggered by hostilities across the Israel-Lebanon border, Senator Wong said: “The world cannot wait. Australia wants to engage on new ways to build momentum, including the role of the UN Security Council in setting a pathway for two states, with a clear timeline for the international declaration of Palestinian statehood. The world cannot keep hoping the parties will do this themselves; we cannot allow any party to obstruct the prospect of peace.” Hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a pivotal speech to UN delegates, Senator Wong said Australia was ready to play its part in helping the Palestinian Authority reform and declared “Israel must stop establishing settlements, which are illegal under international law and a major obstacle to peace”. “We believe it is in Israel’s own interest that the Netanyahu government respond to the demands of the international community,” the Foreign Minister said.
>>21677496 Protesters in Melbourne wave Hezbollah flags, Tony Burke warns of visa cancellations - Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has warned he will consider cancelling the visas of anyone who incites “discord” in Australia, as protesters in Sydney and Melbourne waved Hezbollah flags and carried framed pictures of dead terrorist chief Hassan Nasrallah. Pictures and video from the thousands-strong protests for Gaza and Lebanon in Melbourne showed more than a dozen masked and unmasked men walking together through the Melbourne CBD streets commemorating Nasrallah, whose death was confirmed by the Israeli Defence Forces and the Iran-backed militant group on Saturday in a massive air strike on Beirut. The group of mostly young men were filmed chanting “labayka ya Nasrallah” in Arabic, which translates to ‘at your service, Nasrallah’ or ‘here I am, Nasrallah’. The slogan expresses the willingness to dedicate the life of the individual and the community to defend the leader of the group, who is typically both a religious and political figure that must be obeyed, even to the point of death. Many of the protesters were seen wearing Hezbollah emblems while waving the terror groups’ flag, which translates to ‘Hezbollah will be victorious’. Some were carrying frames of Nasrallah that reads, ‘we belong to Allah and to him we shall return.’
>>21677518 Thousands gather in city centres in show of solidarity for Gaza and Lebanon, amid increased violence in Middle East - Thousands have collectively rallied in cities and towns around Australia, calling for a ceasefire to conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon. The protests were organised as part of a "National Day of Action for Gaza" by pro-Palestine groups around the country. It comes following continued Israeli strikes into Lebanon over the past week which killed much of Hezbollah's senior leadership, including leader Hassan Nasrallah. While the majority of protesters across Australia brought Lebanese and Palestinian flags to the protests, flags representing Hezbollah were also seen at the rallies. The yellow flag depicts a green arm reaching up towards an assault rifle. Their appearance was sharply criticised by Shadow Minister for Home Affairs James Paterson in a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he said authorities should clamp down on those displaying the flag. Hezbollah, along with Hamas, is considered a terrorist organisation by the governments of Australia, the US and the UK along with the EU.
>>21677530 Video: Thousands rally in major cities across Australia against Israeli aggression - Thousands of people have gathered in major cities across Australia to protest Israeli attacks on Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. ABC reporter Brianna Parkins says many in the ‘passionate’ Sydney rally are concerned about the safety of family members living in Lebanon.
#36 - Part 15
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 15
>>21682607 Video: Police investigate potential crimes after Hezbollah flag appears at Gaza and Lebanon ceasefire rally in Melbourne - Federal police expect to investigate at least six reports of crime involving prohibited symbols and chants, after Hezbollah flags were waved at a Melbourne rally calling for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. Thousands of people rallied at cities and towns across Australia on Sunday as part of a national day of protest organised by pro-Palestinian groups around the country. While the majority of protesters brought Lebanese and Palestinian flags to the demonstrations, some flags representing the militant group Hezbollah were also seen in Melbourne. The yellow flag shows an arm reaching up towards an assault rifle. Hezbollah, along with Hamas, is considered a terrorist organisation by the governments of Australia, along with the US, UK and EU. A small number of protesters also held photos of Hassan Nasrallah, reflecting the death of the longtime militia leader in an Israeli attack. Under Australian laws, the public display of prohibited terrorist organisation symbols is an offence in some circumstances, including if the display is likely to offend, humiliate or insult "a member of a group of persons distinguished by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion or national or social origin". The penalty under the legislation is 12 months of imprisonment.
>>21682618 AFP says waving Hezbollah flag at protest not enough for arrest - The Australian Federal Police has said the display of terrorist symbols was not enough for an arrest after protesters gatecrashed a pro-Palestine rally waving Hezbollah flags and holding up photos of the terror group’s slain leader. The Sunday rally formed part of a national day of action for Gaza, with thousands of people also taking to the streets in Sydney and other cities around the world in renewed opposition to Israel’s bombing campaign. A small group with Hezbollah flags - some holding what appeared to be framed photographs of the terror group’s slain leader Hassan Nasrallah - joined the event at the State Library in Melbourne’s CBD as speeches ended and people began to march. Victoria Police said the public display of terrorist symbols was a Commonwealth offence and that there were no arrests from the protest, which drew an estimated 600 people. “Appropriate referrals will be made to Australian Federal Police as the lead agency concerning prohibited symbols,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said. However, an Australian Federal Police spokesman on Monday morning said: “The mere public display of a prohibited symbol on its own does not meet the threshold of a Commonwealth offence.” To be considered an offence, the prohibited symbol had to be displayed in circumstances where the conduct involved spreading ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, inciting others to intimidate or offend a person, or advocating or inciting others to offend, the spokesman said.
>>21682628 AFP investigating Hezbollah flag displays at Sunday protests - Federal police are investigating whether protesters at a pro-Palestinian rally broke new anti-terror laws for glorifying slain terror chief Hassan Nasrallah and displaying Hezbollah flags after a political firestorm erupted over the limits of free speech at local demonstrations. Australian Federal Police confirmed on Monday afternoon it was expecting Victoria Police to pass on details of at least six alleged crimes after protesters in Melbourne on Sunday chanted about a historic massacre of Jews while holding up a significant number of the flags of Hezbollah, which Australia has designated as a terrorist organisation since 2003. The AFP also said it would be asking major news outlets for video of protests over the weekend to assist the investigations. Earlier on Monday, the federal police released a statement suggesting display of terrorist insignia did not necessarily break the law if other criteria, such as inciting violence, were not met. However, later in the day the AFP released another statement saying they would be investigating “at least six reports of crime from Victoria Police”. The Hezbollah flag was brandished by protesters in both Melbourne and Sydney. It has been a federal offence since January this year to display the symbol of a terrorist organisation in public, after new laws were passed to crack down on the display of Nazi swastikas, ISIS flags and other symbols and flags of prohibited organisations. The AFP has not charged anyone under the laws, but charges have been laid against two people by state police since the introduction of the laws.
#36 - Part 16
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 16
>>21687958 Hezbollah flags at protests shape as test of new hate-symbol laws - Federal police are investigating a Melbourne protest where Hezbollah flags were displayed in what shapes as an early test of hate-symbol laws passed late last year. It comes as Immigration Minister Tony Burke told the ABC on Tuesday he had asked police to make him aware of any non-citizens caught up in investigations so he could cancel their visas, saying visitors would fail their character test if they were "inciting discord". "We don't know whether they are actually on visas … [but] we do have a higher standard if you're on a visa," he said. "The normal principles that might be there where people will have arguments about freedom of speech - when you're a guest in someone's country, you're there as a guest." AFP Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the investigations were to determine whether the flags displayed at the protest, which called for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, violated laws prohibiting the display of hate symbols. Those laws were passed in January primarily in response to the display of Nazi symbols, but they also cover the symbols of listed terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah. Deputy Commissioner Barrett said the law laid out several conditions which would need to be met to secure a conviction, and these had not been tested in court. "[It's] not just merely the display of the symbol; there are a number of elements that need to go alongside the display," she said. "It's got to be done in circumstances in which a reasonable person would consider that the conduct either advocates inciting others to use violence or use force [or] could incite others to humiliate or intimidate based on religion … "The context around the conduct is extremely important … If they're holding the flag, what are they saying? What are they chanting? What are they wearing? What sort of physical behaviour are they demonstrating?"
>>21687970 Video: ‘Ask that question again’: Dutton rebukes ABC reporter for Hezbollah question - Peter Dutton has accused the national broadcaster of failing to understand why the Lebanese militant group, Hezbollah, is listed by Australia as a terrorist organisation in a terse press conference where the opposition leader rebuked an ABC reporter for her questions. Melbourne and Sydney protesters at weekend rallies held Hezbollah flags and portraits of its assassinated leader, Hassan Nasrallah, prompting Dutton to demand prosecutions of those displaying terrorist symbols. At the press conference, ABC reporter Anushri Sood put to Dutton that some groups considered the laws hypocritical because, she said, Israel’s actions had resulted in 45,000 deaths and its flag was still allowed. Dutton responded: “Israel is a democracy. It’s not run by a terrorist organisation. Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation. They’re a listed terrorist organisation. And if people are in favour of a terrorist organisation, they should declare it, and authorities should deal with them.” In a question only partly audible, Sood then appeared to ask why Hezbollah was listed as a terrorist organisation. Dutton asked Sood which organisation she was from. The ABC, Sood replied. “You asked about the listing of the organisation. I just didn’t understand that question, is this a question from Canberra [federal politics reporters]?” Dutton said. Sood said it was not. Sood said her question was: “If you could just explain what determines something is a terrorist organisation?” Dutton then slammed the ABC, saying the broadcaster appeared not to support parliament’s bipartisan decision to list Hezbollah as a terrorist group. “Now, if the ABC doesn’t support that, they should be very clear about it, because I think that’s quite a departure,” Dutton said. Sood interjected to say that was not her claim, but Dutton continued. “You asked me why our country has listed Hezbollah - they’re a terrorist organisation that organises terrorist attacks,” he said. “If that is not clear to the ABC, then I think the ABC is in greater trouble than even I first imagined.”
#36 - Part 17
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 17
>>21695224 Police move to ban October 7 anniversary protests over Hezbollah flags - Federal authorities have vowed action against people flying outlawed Hezbollah and Hamas flags at protests this weekend to mark the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, as NSW Police started court action to stop the demonstrations going ahead in Sydney. Politicians, police and community leaders have clashed over the lines between free speech and illegal action, as Australia’s Muslim community seeks to protest against the escalation of war in the Middle East, while others condemn the glorification of slain Hezbollah spiritual leader Hassan Nasrallah and the display of the symbols associated with listed terrorist organisations. Australian Federal Police boss Reece Kershaw told 2GB’s Ray Hadley on Tuesday that the Hezbollah flag waving at last weekend’s protests in Sydney and Melbourne had been “un-Australian” and against the law, and that officers would take action against demonstrators if they did the same at protests planned for next weekend. NSW Police then late on Tuesday applied to the Supreme Court to stop two protests planned for Sydney on Sunday and Monday. They said they had negotiated with organisers but were not satisfied the events could take place safely. Organisers had promised mass attendance at rallies on Sunday, a day before October 7, when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will attend vigils to mark the day Hamas militants killed 1200 people and took another 250 hostage in southern Israel last year. “If they are flying those flags, in particular the Hezbollah and Hamas flags, action will be taken,” Kershaw said.
>>21695254 Teenager Sarah Mouhanna charged for displaying ‘prohibited terrorist symbol’ - A Sydney teenager has been charged with displaying a terrorist organisation’s symbol at protests on Sunday commemorating slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Sarah Mouhanna, 19, was on Wednesday afternoon charged with “cause public display of prohibited terrorists organisation symbol” after she presented to Kogarah Police Station following a public appeal. She was granted strict conditional bail, and will face the Downing Centre local court on October 23. Ms Mouhanna is understood to be the first person to have been formally charged by police following huge rallies across Sydney and Melbourne on the weekend. Thousands of protestors gathered in the city CBDs to commemorate Nasrallah, whose death was confirmed by the Israeli Defence Forces and the Iran-backed militant group on Saturday in a massive air strike on Beirut. The protestors, who were mostly young men, were filmed in Melbourne waving Hezbollah flags, wearing the group’s emblem and chanting “labayka ya Nasrallah” in Arabic, which translates to ‘at your service, Nasrallah’ or ‘here I am, Nasrallah’. Other chants heard include ‘no more USA, no more Israel, no more Saudi Arabia’. In Sydney, both adults and children carried posters of the late Hezbollah leader. A couple of others were seen holding and wearing Hezbollah flags. One woman held a poster showing assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Nasrallah under the words “A nation led by martyrs will triumph”.
#36 - Part 18
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 18
>>21695284 Jewish group launches campaign against Greens ahead of Queensland election - A grassroots Queensland Jewish group has accused the Greens of stoking anti-Semitism and hatred in the wake of the October 7 attacks in Israel, launching a billboard and letterbox campaign against the minor party in key seats ahead of the state election. The Australian can reveal the Queensland Jewish Collective has registered as a third party for the October 26 election, and has already raised more than $20,000 in community donations to fund 12,000 pamphlets and erect billboards in Brisbane electorates targeted by the Greens. A first wave of advertisements compares the Greens protesting dams in the 1980s to today’s pro-Palestine movement, accusing the party of abandoning its core environmental message to support terror, indoctrinate children to hate, and undermine Australian values. This week, the QJC will launch another series of billboards in partnership with the Australian Hindu Association and local Iranian community to take a stand for marginalised groups. “They no longer stand for all minorities,” reads one of the QJC flyers. “They support our persecutors and terrorisers here and overseas. We’re putting them last.” One of the QJC’s three organisers Hava Mendelle said Queensland had become increasingly unsafe for Jewish Australians since October 7, and that danger had been exacerbated by Greens politicians appearing at pro-Palestine rallies. “I’ve been living here for 25 years, and (being Jewish) was never something that I had to fear, because I knew that my government was behind me,” Ms Mendelle said. “The rhetoric that has been coming out of the Greens, not just candidates, but the members, has been so one-sided with no nuance … it’s actually making Jews scared. Over the last 12 months, it has been so pro-hate and divisive that we couldn’t just sit here and not do anything.”
>>21700762 Victoria Police get extra resources for anniversary protests as Allan rejects calls for new laws - Victoria Police will deploy more officers over the weekend and be given extra resources throughout October, as political leaders urged against timing pro-Palestinian vigils and protests with Monday’s anniversary of the October 7 attacks. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan on Wednesday asked pro-Palestinian protesters not to demonstrate around the anniversary of the attacks saying it would be divisive. But Allan rejected calls from the state opposition calling for the introduction of a permit scheme similar to NSW, which could prevent such protests from being organised. Police in NSW have taken court action to prevent pro-Palestine rallies from going ahead in Sydney this weekend, arguing their applications for protest permits should be rejected on public safety grounds. Free Palestine Melbourne will hold a rally outside the State Library of Victoria on Sunday, October 6, to protest against “the ongoing Israeli occupation, genocide and crimes against humanity being committed against the Palestinian people for over 76 years”. The protest marks almost one year since Hamas launched the October 7 attacks, which saw 1200 people killed in Israel and sparking the war in Gaza, where more than 40,000 people have been killed.
>>21700810 Damn your ban: October 7 rally organisers to ignore court orders - Sydney pro-Palestine protest organisation Josh Lees says a court order will not deter demonstrations on Sunday and Monday, the day before and of the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks. NSW Police has put in a court bid to stop the demonstrations. The Coalition has called on the Victorian Police to do the same. The NSW Supreme Court on Thursday will hear the state police’s argument to stop the two events - and to deem both as “unauthorised” – which would be contested in the same court by the organisers, the Palestinian Action Group. Mr Lees said he and fellow protest organisers were asking people not to bring Hezbollah flags “because they could be deemed illegal” but they would otherwise “defend people’s right to hold pieces of cloth”. “We’ll be going ahead with our protests on Sunday, the 6th of October, regardless of what happens in the court,” Mr Lees told ABC RN. “We are determined that we’ve been protesting for 51 consecutive weeks now. We’re certainly not going to stop now, especially as Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues, and now they are starting an invasion of Lebanon.” He said the group was also planning a candlelight vigil at Town Hall on Monday. “It’s a chance for Palestinian and Lebanese people to come and grieve for the thousands of people who have died and for their loved ones,” he said.
#36 - Part 19
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 19
>>21700824 Pro-Palestinian events in Sydney's CBD to go ahead after police withdraw NSW Supreme Court application - NSW Police have reached an 11th-hour agreement with the organisers of pro-Palestinian events in Sydney's CBD after negotiations continued in the background of a Supreme Court hearing. Thousands are expected to rally through the city this weekend to mark the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Gaza conflict, but organisers had also put in paperwork to NSW Police seeking to hold a vigil on Monday. At a hearing before Justice Jeremy Kirk on Thursday afternoon, organisers withdrew their application to police for Monday's vigil to be an authorised event. The Palestine Action Group also sought to amend their plans for Sunday, which was initially intended to begin at Town Hall, and suggested it could instead begin at Hyde Park before a march. But the sticking point appeared to be that the new proposed march route would bring participants close to The Great Synagogue on their way back to Hyde Park, with police expressing concerns it would be "provocative". Outside court, organiser Amal Naser said police chose to withdraw their application to prohibit the protest. Another organiser, Josh Lees, said Sunday's rally would proceed along the same route the group had used many times before and denied it came into close proximity to the synagogue. "What happened today was that the police and the government, under political pressure, tried to ban our protest effectively, or try to make it very hard for us to protest. We've resisted that."
>>21706936 Iran’s ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi praises Hassan Nasrallah as ‘remarkable leader’ - The Iranian ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi has remembered slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “remarkable leader” and a “prominent standard-bearer”, despite his decades-long reign of terror in the Middle East. In a social media post on Sunday, the day Nasrallah was killed, Mr Sadeghi said the “blessed martyr”, who was a designated terrorist around the world had a dignified path to heaven and described his leadership as an ongoing struggle against “the vile entity of the Zionist regime”. “Following the martyrdom of Sayyed (sir) Hassan Nasrallah, the honourable Secretary-General of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Islamic Resistance Front and the Muslim world have lost a great personality, a prominent standard-bearer, and a remarkable leader,” Mr Sadeghi wrote. “However, his path in the struggle against the oppression and occupation of the criminal Zionist regime will continue to have many followers. “Undoubtedly, the path of this blessed martyr in the struggle against the tyrants and oppressors of the time will endure and bear fruit, and the vile entity of the Zionist regime will not remain triumphant or complacent from this crime. “Martyrdom is the dignified path of such great men, and nothing else can be expected from them,” he said. A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has condemned the comments of the Iranian top diplomat, while the Coalition called for him to be expelled. Ms Wong’s office said Australia had maintained a diplomatic relationship with Iran “continuously since 1968” and that this was not an endorsement of the nation’s regime but because it was in Australia’s national interest to do so. “In all of that time, it has never been an endorsement of the regime, it is a channel to protect Australia’s interests and to communicate the views of Australia and our close partners,” the spokesperson said. Despite this, Senator Wong hit back against Mr Sadeghi’s comments. “The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have made clear that the government condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah,“ the spokesperson said. “We condemn the Ambassador’s comments.“
#36 - Part 20
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 20
>>21706984 Peter Dutton calls for Iranian ambassador to be expelled after tweet praising slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah - Iran's ambassador to Australia should be expelled from the country over his comments praising Hezbollah's slain leader, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says. Mr Dutton this morning called for Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi's expulsion following his comments on social media labelling assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah a martyr and "unparalleled leader". He made the remarks late last month, the day Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike. Mr Dutton said Mr Sadeghi should not remain in Australia. "I think the comments from the Iranian ambassador are completely and utterly at odds with what is in our country's best interests and the prime minister and the foreign minister should show the strength of character and expel him from our country," Mr Dutton said. The ABC understands the Iranian ambassador has been called into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade over the social media post. It is understood Mr Sadeghi was spoken to by government officials today, and reminded of his obligation to respect Australian law and to stay out of domestic affairs.
>>21707039 Video: Iran’s ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi given dressing down over inflammatory posts about Hassan Nasrallah - 7NEWS can reveal Iran’s Ambassador to Australia has been hauled in by the government for a dressing down over inflammatory comments praising the slain leader of terrorist organisation, Hezbollah, but Anthony Albanese is refusing to expel the diplomat. Tehran’s top diplomat, Ahmad Sadeghi, was called into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra on Friday over his social media posts on X, where he called dead terrorist leader, Hassan Nasrallah, an “outstanding standard-bearer”, “unparalleled leader”, and a “blessed martyr”. 7NEWS understands the meeting with senior foreign affairs officials was blunt, with the ambassador reminded of his obligations to respect Australian law and stay out of our domestic politics. Sadeghi has also labelled Israel a “criminal Zionist state”, comments that have enraged Opposition leader Peter Dutton, who has called for his immediate expulsion from Australia. “I think the comments by the Iranian ambassador are completely and utterly at odds with what is in our country’s best interest,” Dutton said at a press conference on the Queensland election campaign trail. “The prime minister and foreign minister should show strength of character and expel him from our country.” Albanese has condemned the comments but will not go as far as Dutton is asking, as the government wants to keep diplomatic channels open with Tehran during this period of conflict in the Middle East.
>>21710722 Video: Revealed - Iranian Arashi Rahbari behind pro-Hezbollah rally calls Australia ‘a tyrannical terrorist regime’ - A pro-Hezbollah activist who led a march through Melbourne last weekend waving the terrorist group’s flag and chanting pro-Hamas and pro-Houthi slogans can be identified as an Iranian national who believes Australia is a pathetic “tyrannical terrorist regime”. The Australian has confirmed Arashi Rahbari was one of the leaders of the provocative pro-Hezbollah rally staged to mourn the loss of slain terrorist Hassan Nasrallah. Mr Rahbari, who lives in Melbourne and is an Iranian national, was spotted on Sunday wearing a shirt with Hezbollah’s paraphernalia while waving the terrorist flag, strapped to another Iranian flag. The emergence of an Iranian national as a local pro-Hezbollah leader underlines the challenge facing Australia in dealing with the fallout from the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel and the war that has since erupted. As Mr Rahbari was identified, the Australian Federal Police’s Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command Centre established Operation Ardvarna to look into the prohibited display of symbols in public spaces by nine individuals in Melbourne at the weekend rally.
#36 - Part 21
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 21
>>21710776 NSW Police abandon bid to stop October 6 protest in Sydney despite ‘tinder box’ warning - Police have dropped a bid to stop a rally in Sydney’s CBD on Sunday - the eve of the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel – after the route of the march was changed, while a pro-Palestinian candlelight vigil on October 7 will also go ahead. It followed three hours of hearings in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday, and backroom discussions between the Commissioner of NSW Police and pro-Palestine protest organiser Palestine Action Group about the route of the march. After initiating the proceedings in the Supreme Court to put an end to the planned protest ending at Hyde Park, NSW police indicated they did not object to a new path, submitted late in the day by PAG, that would avoid the Great Synagogue between Elizabeth and Castlereagh streets by an extra block. PAG said they expected 5000 people to attend Sunday’s protest but police estimate numbers closer to 15,000 given escalating tensions in Lebanon. The group has held protests each week for 51 weeks.
>>21710825 Anthony Albanese and NSW Police at odds as October 7 ‘outrage’ rally gets green light - Anthony Albanese and NSW Police have become divided over whether an “outrage” rally orchestrated by extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir should be allowed to go ahead on the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks. The state’s police force confirmed on Friday it had green-lit the rally in southwest Sydney, confirming officers were working with the organiser and saying the force “respected the right” of peaceful and lawful assembly. This came in spite of the Prime Minister publicly condemning Hizb ut-Tahrir and criticising pro-Palestine protests planned to coincide with the anniversary of the horrific terror event. The prospect of Hizb ut-Tahrir’s rally comes after a protracted negotiation and court process between police and the Palestine Action Group, who will host a separate Sydney CBD rally on Sunday and forge ahead with an unauthorised vigil on Monday. Although Hizb ut-Tahrir are not banned in Australia, unlike in the United Kingdom, the organisation has been heavily criticised for promoting extremism and celebrating Hamas’ October 7 attacks. On Friday, Mr Albanese “condemned” Hizb ut-Tahrir, saying Monday should be a “solemn day” to recognise the anniversary’s “horrors”, believing any rally with their involvement should be cancelled.
#36 - Part 22
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 22
>>21718353 Thousands gather at pro-Palestine demonstrations around the country as October 7 anniversary approaches - Thousands of Pro-Palestine demonstrators have taken to the streets in cities across Australia on the eve of the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, repeating calls for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. The protests come as the war in Middle East intensifies and concerns continue to grow over a wider conflict in the region. Demonstrators on Sunday gathered at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne's CBD, waving flags and joining together in chants. At the start of the rally, protesters laid thousands of small paper kites in front of the library. They said each one represented the life of a child killed in Gaza during the war. "We just want to show that enough is enough, and also just to mourn the dead like we are," youth worker Lucas Li, who organised the kite display, said. "These were children. They were playful. They were bright, they were curious. We want people to understand that this child in Gaza is just like a child anywhere else in the world." In Sydney, demonstrators gathered at Hyde Park before marching through the city. Josh Lees from Palestine Action Group Sydney said protesters were taking a stand against the "ongoing genocide" in Gaza. Israel has strenuously denied allegations of genocide. Mr Lees said the demonstrations being held today were more crucial than ever. "This war on Lebanon that Israel is beginning, now they're threatening a regional war with Iran potentially too, so there's more reason than ever we need to get out and protest," he said.
>>21718392 Video: Australia starts evacuating nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus - Australia started evacuating its nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus on Saturday, in the first large-scale operation to get citizens out of the country amid an Israeli onslaught on Iran-backed Hezbollah. Some 229 people arrived on the east Mediterranean island, which lies a 40 minute flight time from Beirut, on a commercial airline chartered by Australia. A second flight is scheduled later in the day. More evacuation flights could be expected based on demand, Australian and Cypriot officials said. At Cyprus's Larnaca airport, civilians of all ages transferred from the aircraft into a terminal and then escorted onto waiting coaches. Children helped themselves to red apples and water provided by Australian military staff. "They are exhausted, exceptionally happy to be here but heartbroken because they left family behind," said Fiona McKergow, the Australian High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Cyprus. Some of those evacuated on Saturday said they did not think they would ever return to Lebanon. "Never, ever. I was traumatised, my kids were traumatised. Its not a safe country, I wont be back," said Dana Hameh, 34. She added: "I feel very sad leaving my country but I'm very happy to start a new life in Sydney. Life goes on. I wish the best for everyone."
>>21723584 Hezbollah expresses support for Australian protesters on the anniversary of October 7 Hamas attacks - Hezbollah has applauded Australian protesters following large demonstrations across the country on the eve of the October 7 Hamas attacks. Despite criticism from political leaders, thousands of people rallied in multiple capital cities on Sunday with further events to take place on Monday evening. Authorities arrested four people in Melbourne for “public order related matters” and a man in Sydney was arrested and charged for the display of a swastika. The controversial protesters have since been praised by the Iran-backed terrorist organisation Hezbollah. Hezbollah’s news website Al-Ahed News posted pictures of the rallies in Australia to its account on the social media platform Telegram. “From Australia to the world: Stop the 'Israeli' aggression on Lebanon,” Hezbollah declared in the post. The caption was accompanied by images of protest marches in Sydney and Melbourne depicting people waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags. Many protesters voiced outspoken support for Hezbollah while some have also displayed signs depicting elements of banned terrorist symbols. Previous protests in September saw at least six individuals investigated for the display of banned terror symbols - including the Hezbollah flag. While the flag has been banned under counter-terrorism laws, at least one person displayed a modified Hezbollah banner, featuring Ned Kelly, on Sunday. Another man in Sydney was arrested and charged for displaying a placard bearing a swastika which said, “Stop Nazi Israel”.
#36 - Part 23
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 23
>>21723594 Labor powerless amid pro-Palestine tide as Muslim Vote predicts ‘horse has bolted’ - Labor operatives are concerned the ALP may be heading towards election defeat given the anger over Palestine, as leaders behind the Muslim vote movements said politics would “never be the same again”. It comes as hundreds of protesters chanted “f..k you Albo (and) Tony Burke” at Sunday’s Sydney rally, and The Muslim Vote and Muslim Votes Matter told The Australian that Labor should be prepared for a “long-lasting” political shift. “The horse has bolted … things (politics) will never be the same again,” Sheik Wesam Charkawi, The Muslim Vote’s convener, said. About 10,000 people descended onto the Sydney CBD in pro-Palestine rallies replicated across state capitals, ahead of more protests planned for the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Monday. Hezbollah praised the protests, posting pictures from the rallies on its Telegram channel with the caption: “From Australia to the world.” Labor figures, present at Sydney’s rally, said the palpable anger was striking, with many now believing that the party was heading for federal election defeat next year, such was the visceral vexation with the government’s stance and handling of the conflict. The Muslim Vote is supporting candidates in “key electorates” it hopes to topple Labor, particularly in Mr Burke’s Western Sydney seat of Watson, where the organisation is co-ordinating independent Ziad Basyouny’s campaign. Sheik Charkawi said there had been “emphatic” support for Mr Basyouny’s candidacy, saying it provided an opportunity to “challenge” Labor, who had “let down” the community.
>>21723603 Iran Summons Australian Envoy over Canberra’s ‘Biased’ Stances - "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran summoned the Australian Ambassador to Tehran in protest at his government’s unjustified and biased positions on the regional situation. Following the repeated biased positions of the Australian government, which are deemed to be contrary to the principles of international law regarding the recent regional developments, Ian McConville, the Australian ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Director General for Asia and Oceania of the ministry. The Iranian official expressed strong objection to the unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government regarding regional developments and the adventurism of the Zionist regime in escalating regional tensions -including the assassination of the political bureau chief of the Hamas movement in Tehran, the secretary general of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and IRGC General Nilforoushan who was a senior Iranian military advisor in Beirut. Mohammadi condemned Australia’s double standards concerning regional developments and its silence regarding the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against Gaza and Lebanon, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported. He referred to the inherent right of Iran to legitimate self-defense in response to the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, as well as the attacks on Iranian nationals and interests. Mohammadi described the missile operations by the armed forces of Iran as a lawful and responsible action, essential for safeguarding the national security of the Iranian people and the stability of the region." - tasnimnews.com
>>21723608 Government 'makes no apology' for its views on Iran missile strikes after Australian ambassador summoned - The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) says it "makes no apology" for Australia's comments on Iran's "reckless" missile strikes on Israel, after the Australian ambassador was summoned for a meeting with the Iranian government. Iranian news agency Tasnim on Monday, local time, reported that ambassador Ian McConville was called in by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs over what it described as the "unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government". In response, a DFAT spokesperson said in a statement that "Australia makes no apology for the views it has expressed about Iran's actions or the actions of its Ambassador to Australia". The spokesperson also condemned Iran's strikes on Israel, describing them as "reckless" and "a dangerous escalation" that "increased the risks of a wider regional war". It is the second time in just over a month Mr McConville has been summoned by the Iranian government. In September the ambassador was called in over an Instagram post on the embassy's official page marking "Wear It Purple Day", which celebrates LGBTQ+ young people.
#36 - Part 24
Israel / Hamas Conflict - The Australian Perspective - Part 24
>>21729793 ‘Professional protester’: Chris Minns hits out at serial activist as costs pass $5m - Police could soon have the power to reject protests that stretch over months, as a clearly frustrated NSW Premier Chris Minns decried the more than $5m spent on controlling pro-Palestine rallies and attacked the leader of the protest movement as a “professional demonstrator”. The move came after hundreds of police were deployed at rallies and vigils in Sydney on Sunday and Monday on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel. The protests were largely peaceful after police issued strong warnings not to bring the flag of the Hezbollah terrorist group, but two men were arrested for displaying swastikas superimposed on the Israeli flag. The Premier hit out at Josh Lees, a leading member of the Palestine Action Group who has lodged weekly applications for the past year to march in Sydney since the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel, agreeing with the description of the activist as a “professional protester”. Mr Lees writes for Red Flag, the outlet of Socialist Alternative, which declares itself “Australia’s largest Marxist group”, and regularly calls for the overthrow of capitalism. He was also a leader of the Lockdown to Zero movement, demanding that the then- Berejiklian government maintain strict Covid-19 lockdowns and branding the loosening of restrictions as “an offensive against the working class” by “the rich and powerful”. Mr Lees has also been spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, organising protests at the 2011 ALP National Conference against then-prime minister Julia Gillard’s asylum-seeker policies. The former University of Sydney tutor was arrested during the “Occupy Sydney” movement that camped outside the Reserve Bank in Martin Place in 2011, clashing with police during a Hyde Park rally and at the Martin Place encampment.
#36 - Part 25
Australian Politics and Society - Part 1
>>21252406 Australians warned to expect lingering issues after worldwide IT outage recovery - Australians have been warned to expect “teething issues” following a worldwide cyber crash which brought down computer systems and grounded planes across the country. The outage struck just after 3pm (AEST) on Friday and hampered banking services, airport check-ins and supermarkets across the world, and forced laptops to shut down. Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil said while the country was now in the “recovery phase” of responding to the issue, the outage was a “serious incident” for the Australian economy. O’Neil said while most technical issues were resolved on Friday night, Australians would still notice some “teething issues” at places like supermarkets and airports on Saturday. “Shelves are fully stocked. We don’t have any food shortages … but some of the tellers and some of the checkouts may not be open in all the supermarkets around the country,” she said. “We’ve seen our major airlines are back online, but there might be internal technical difficulties, for example, with baggage handler systems communicating with the front of the terminal.”
>>21252868 Australia urged to prepare for second Trump presidency - Australia should prepare for a second Donald Trump administration as it will put the nation in good stead regardless of who wins the US election, an expert says. Donald Trump on Friday accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination for the third time, while senior Democrats urge Joe Biden to step down from his re-election bid for the presidential race in November. The best thing Australia could do in anticipation of the election result is to prepare for a Trump administration, the United States Studies Centre's research director Jared Mondschein said. "I don't say that because I think Trump is a sure-fire win," he told AAP. "The very steps you would take to address an incoming Trump administration would put you in a great position with a Democratic administration as well."
>>21265537 Video: Australia preparing for a post-Biden world - Australia is getting ready to work with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris after US President Joe Biden revealed he was withdrawing from the race. The 81-year-old has nominated his vice president to replace him in the November contest against second-time presidential hopeful Mr Trump, and will remain in his role until his term officially ends in January. To ensure Australia's interests are well served in the US, former Washington-based US ambassador Arthur Sinodinos has urged the government to respond carefully. "It's not about whether we like a particular candidate or a particular president - these relationships transcend countries, transcend personalities, they transcend parties," he told ABC radio. The prime minister described Ms Harris as a "good friend of Australia" while noting that the outcome of the Democratic convention in August is a matter for the US.
>>21265571 Video: ‘Great friend of Australia’: PM praises outgoing US President Joe Biden - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to the service of outgoing US President Joe Biden, declaring him a “great friend of Australia” who championed the historic AUKUS partnership, fought against Russian aggression and campaigned for climate change action. The 81-year-old announced that he would withdraw from the US presidential race in a letter he posted to social media before later endorsing vice president Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s candidate. The US president should be praised for his role in stabilising the American economy following the global pandemic and international conflicts, Mr Albanese said. “In President Biden (there is a) legacy of support for the international rule of law, support for international human rights, support for the people of Ukraine in their struggle against aggression from Russia with its illegal and immoral invasion,” he said. “But also President Biden has presided over the recovery of the United States’ economy after the long legacy that Covid has left. He’s presided over an economy that’s seen jobs grow, wages increase and the transition proceed as the world moves toward net-zero. President Biden has been a great friend of Australia and I look forward to meeting him at the G20 and APEC summits that will be held later this year.”
#36 - Part 26
Australian Politics and Society - Part 2
>>21281231 Video‘False gods’: preaching against our democracy - Radical preachers and extremist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir have attacked Australia’s democracy and The Muslim Vote campaign, calling it a “shirk” and an insult to Allah, at sermons in southwest Sydney, the geographical heart of a community-led Muslim political movement. Abu Ousayd, also known as Wissam Haddad, and Hizb ut-Tahrir’s Australian branch took to pulpits in Sydney’s Canterbury-Bankstown area on Friday to call Muslims in parliament “apostates” and order their followers to boycott elections. They also criticised the Muslim Vote’s leadership for its historical deradicalisation efforts and current political participation, with Mr Ousayd signalling he wanted an alternative route to power where Muslims could make sharia the dominant form of law in Australia. “The system is always going to fail if it is not Allah’s,” Mr Ousayd said. “We want to get to a position where Muslims have power (so that) we can implement more of the (way) in sharia.”
>>21281263 Paris Olympics 2024: Nine’s Olympic staff attacked in Paris during attempted robbery; police investigate alleged gang rape - Two members of Nine’s Olympics broadcast team have escaped serious injury after they were attacked during an attempted robbery on the outskirts of Paris on Monday. The pair were walking to their accommodation in the municipality of Le Bourget, north-east of Paris, when a group of people attempted to snatch one of their backpacks late on Monday afternoon, Paris time. The tech workers were allegedly assaulted in the scuffle that ensued but managed to pull themselves to safety. The alleged attack has been reported to the police. Nine, owner of this masthead, has about 200 staff in Paris working on its Olympic Games coverage across television, radio and publishing. The incident, which was confirmed by two sources familiar with the assault who asked not to be named, is the second violent attack against Australians in 48 hours after a woman was allegedly gang-raped in a popular Parisian nightlife district in the early hours of Sunday morning, Paris time. News of the alleged sexual assault prompted security advisers for the Australian Olympic Committee to reiterate their advice to athletes against travelling alone and wearing their Olympic uniforms while out in Paris.
>>21281339 Video: Major Labor backflip as ASIO chief Mike Burgess is reinstated as a permanent member of the National Security Committee less than two years after his removal - Australian spy chief Mike Burgess has been reinstated as a permanent member of the National Security Committee after initially being removed just six months into the Albanese government’s first term. Sky News can reveal Labor has backflipped on its decision for the ASIO Director-General to only consult on national security matters on a case-by case-basis, restoring his permanent position. It’s understood this change was made only recently and comes amid an explosion in espionage and foreign interference in Australia. The Albanese government was roundly criticized for initially diluting Mr Burgess’ contribution to the grouping, which makes decisions on the most urgent and highest risk national security matters, although it never publicly confirmed the change after it was revealed by Sky News host Sharri Markson. A heavily redacted freedom of information request, obtained by Sky News, shows the change happened as early as January of last year.
#36 - Part 27
Australian Politics and Society - Part 3
>>21289210 No terror listing for Hizb ut-Tahrir - The Albanese government is not considering listing Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organisation despite the extremist group having praised Hamas for the October 7 attack and revelations its leaders are calling for sharia law to be introduced across Australia. Radical preachers and Hizb ut-Tahrir attacked Australia’s democracy and The Muslim Vote campaign at sermons in southwest Sydney last week, where they told attendees “we want to get to a position where Muslims have power” so that sharia law could be implemented. The Australian revealed Abu Ousayd told a congregation “prime ministers are false gods … (and we should) not join and not vote”, while prominent Hizb ut-Tahrir member Wassim Doureihi said democracy could “not be an option” for the Muslim community. The comments follow the group expressing support for Hamas and openly backing the killing of ex-Muslims. A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said the government would await advice from security agencies and did not commit to listing Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terror organisation. “Our intelligence and security agencies are constantly monitoring all threats to safety in our country and if they make a recommendation about listing a group or taking any other kind of action our government will take advice on those recommendations,” the spokesman said. Despite not moving to list the group as a terror organisation, the government spokesman said Hizb ut-Tahrir represented “fringe views” that did not reflect those of the wider Muslim community.
>>21289280 Trump or Harris, the US-Australian relationship will be strong, says visiting governor - The US state of Indiana’s Republican governor, Eric Holcomb, says the Australia-US business relationship will “stand the test of time” regardless of which party wins power in the November election. Mr Holcomb is visiting Australia to pitch Indiana to governments and businesses. “I think that we all should have a high level of confidence that, regardless of any election outcome, the American-Australian relationship is going to be strong,” he told The Australian at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre. “And Indiana has a role in helping that along the way – by businesses investing here, and Australian businesses investing in America and in Indiana. “And so part of my role is government to government, business to business, and people to people - those cultural exchanges, those strengthen that relationship along the way.”
>>21308666 Video: Anthony Albanese moves Clare O'Neil, Andrew Giles and promotes Malarndirri McCarthy in cabinet reshuffle - Clare O'Neil and Andrew Giles have been dumped from the home affairs and immigration portfolios but escaped exile as the prime minister seeks to refresh his frontbench. After months of speculation the pair would be shifted following the release of more than 150 immigration detainees after a High Court ruling in November, Anthony Albanese used a trio of cabinet resignations as cover to shuffle the deck. But he stressed it shouldn't be construed as a failure on their part and rejected suggestions the reshuffle was linked to criticism over the government's handling of the saga. "What Clare O'Neill and Andrew Giles have had to do is to repair the damage which has been done," the prime minister said. Ms O'Neil will move into the role of housing minister, where the government continues to face pressure from the Greens, while Mr Giles will remain in the outer ministry and take on the skills and training portfolio. Tony Burke will step into the home affairs role and also take on the role of immigration minister, elevating the portfolio to cabinet. Mr Burke previously served as immigration minister in 2013 under the Rudd government.
#36 - Part 28
Australian Politics and Society - Part 4
>>21308692 Police arrest man after a Nazi demonstration in Melbourne - A 24-year-old man has been arrested after a “grossly offensive” Nazi demonstration in Melbourne on Saturday, where it’s alleged he performed an outlawed Hitler salute in front of the public. Around 30 people from the National Socialist Network (NSN) paraded from Melbourne’s Federal Square to Flinders Street Station, dressed in all black with a large “mass deportation now” banner. Victoria Police will investigate the actions of the man after he allegedly performed the Nazi salute at the steps of Flinders Street Station during an unplanned protest on Saturday. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the group quickly dispersed as officers responded. “A 24-year-old North Melbourne man was arrested at the scene and was interviewed for grossly offensive public conduct,” the spokesperson said. He was released with intent to summons and will appear in court at a later stage. Eight other males were also spoken to by police at the scene for offensive behaviour in a public place. They were released with intent to summons. Officers seized the banner, as well as a flag.
>>21308833 Video - Paris Olympics 2024:Opening ceremony organisers face backlash over ‘Last Supper’ drag show- The organisers of the Paris Olympics are facing a backlash from Christian groups after a drag queen parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper featured in Saturday morning’s opening ceremony. They recreated the famous biblical scene of Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles sharing a last meal before crucifixion, but with a group of drag queens, a transgender model and a near-naked singer made up as the Greek god of wine Dionysus. It was set to music by lesbian activist DJ Barbara Butch. The controversy went viral online within minutes, with Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of social media site X, saying the performance was “extremely disrespectful to Christians”. Organisers had worked with the International Olympic Committee on the topics they wanted to reflect in the show – including promoting LGBT and women’s rights. Wendy Francis, national director of politics for the Australian Christian Lobby, said the Games had “disgracefully besmirched” the last supper with “sexualised men pretending to be women parodying it”. “Christians participating in the Games must feel absolutely betrayed by this crude display, ridiculing the greatest event in history - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper,” she said.
>>21308864 Video - Paris Olympics 2024:‘Mockery of Christianity’: Outrage over France’s Olympics opening ceremony Last Supper- The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics has been labelled a “mockery” and condemned by the Christian community after drag queens and dancers appeared in a section that resembled The Last Supper. The scene included French actor Philippe Katerine, who was painted blue and wearing little more than a bunch of flowers. The scene quickly went viral, with social media users around the world unleashing over the decision to insult Christians around the world. Australia’s former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack accused the ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, of undermining Australian Christians who sacrificed their life to defend France. “The Olympics opening ceremony ‘artistic’ director who felt the need to mock The Last Supper & thereby Christianity should be reminded of the great sacrifice of Christian soldiers, including tens upon tens of 1000s of Australians buried in (French) soil who died to save that country,” Mr McCormack said on social media.
>>21308877 Q Post #4467 - Symbolism will be their downfall. They are fighting to regain control. You stand in their way. You awake is their greatest fear. Q - https://qanon.pub/#4467
>>21308877 'Q Post #3931 - …The credibility of our institutions [Constitutional Law that governs our Great Land [Our Republic]], and our ability to regain the trust and faith of the American people, all depends on our ability to restore [EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW] by prosecuting those responsible [Blind-Justice]. Treasonous acts [sedition] against the Republic [the 'People'] of the United States [START - LEAD-IN]. Infiltration [rogue] at the highest levels of our gov, media, corps, etc. Planned & coordinated [D/ F]. This is not about politics. Something far more sinister [evil] has been allowed to flourish through all parts of our society. It has been protected and safeguarded. It has been camouflaged to appear as trusted. It has been projected [normalized] by stars. [CLAS 1-99] One must only look to see. [Symbolism will be their downfall] - This is not another [4] year election. "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." You are not alone. We stand together. Q - https://''qanon.pub/#3931
#36 - Part 29
Australian Politics and Society - Part 5
>>21314105 Video: PM calls for Barnaby Joyce to be sacked over 'bullet' comment at wind farm protest rally - Anthony Albanese has called for Barnaby Joyce to be sacked from the shadow frontbench after insinuating voters should use their ballot papers as bullets to "say goodbye" to the prime minister and other senior Labor figures. The Nationals' frontbencher told protesters attending an anti-wind farm rally to "get ready to load that magazine" and vote out the prime minister, federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen and local MP Stephen Jones. "The bullet you have is this little piece of paper, it goes in the magazine called the voting box and it's coming up," he said. "Get ready to load that magazine. Go, goodbye Chris. Goodbye, Stephen. Goodbye, Albo," he said. Mr Albanese said the gun analogy, which was made just two weeks after an assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump and amid concerns about increasing harassment and violent acts targeting MPs, was "completely unacceptable". The prime minister said he was concerned the language could incite violent behaviour.
>>21314238 Paris Olympics organisers apologise for opening ceremony’s ‘Last Supper’ scene - The organisers of the Paris Olympics issued a brief apology on Sunday after coming under heavy criticism from religious groups and conservative politicians for including a bawdy scene in Friday night’s Opening Ceremony that resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper.” The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of France had decried it as a “mockery.” “There was never an intention to show disrespect to a religious group,” a Paris 2024 spokeswoman said. “If people have taken any offence, we are, of course, really sorry.” The tableau in question, on the Debilly Footbridge across the Seine, involved a group of dancers and drag queens arrayed along one side of a banquets table, including DJ Barbara Butch - described by organisers as an “LGBT icon.” The scene continued with a mostly naked figure, painted blue and portrayed by performer Philippe Katerine, singing a raunchy song in character as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. Thomas Jolly, the creative director behind the extravaganza, stood by his vision for Friday’s lavish festivities, which drew NBC’s highest television ratings since London 2012. He had been given a free hand by Paris 2024 to create an unprecedented public spectacle as athletes paraded down the Seine on boats. His other vignettes for the ceremony included a cabaret performance by Lady Gaga, a tableau of decapitated Marie-Antoinettes set to heavy metal music, and the closing solo by Celine Dion on the Eiffel Tower. “The idea was not to be subversive - I wanted to send a message of love, of inclusion,” Jolly said. “We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that.”
>>21314271 Video: Paris Olympics organisers apologise for opening ceremony's Last Supper parody - Paris 2024 organisers have apologised to Catholics and Christian groups angered by a kitsch tableau in the Olympic Games opening ceremony that parodied Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper painting. The segment, which resembled the biblical scene of Jesus Christ and his apostles sharing a last meal before his crucifixion, featured drag queens and a singer made up as the Greek god of wine, Dionysus. This drew dismay from the Catholic church and the religious right in US. The creative director of the opening ceremony, Thomas Jolly, said: 'I did not intend to be subversive or to mock or shock … In France we can believe or not believe, in France we have a lot of rights and I wanted to convey those values throughout the ceremony.' - Guardian Sport
>>21314281 Q Post #4461 - Only when evil is forced into the light can we defeat it. Only when they can no longer operate in the [shadows] can people see the truth for themselves. Only when people see the truth [for themselves] will people understand the true nature of their deception. Seeing is Believing. Sometimes you can't tell the public the truth. YOU MUST SHOW THEM. ONLY THEN WILL PEOPLE FIND THE WILL TO CHANGE. It had to be this way. This is not another 4-year election. GOD WINS. Q - https://qanon.pub/#4461
#36 - Part 30
Australian Politics and Society - Part 6
>>21326161 Video: Federal government responds to disability royal commission, disability advocates 'devastated' - The federal government has revealed its response to the landmark disability royal commission, but not committed to a number of the most contentious recommendations, including phasing out special schools, group homes and segregated employment. In responding to 172 of the recommendations it has primary or shared responsibility for, the Commonwealth has not committed to introducing a disability rights act or creating a federal disability department. Wednesday's initial response to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, which cost almost $600 million, came 10 months after the final report was released, and four months after the commissioners' recommended response deadline. The Commonwealth said it would continue to work closely with state and territory governments, as well as people with disability, to implement the reforms. Marayke Jonkers, president of People with Disability Australia, said the response did not fully address the majority of the recommendations. "Today us and our members are devastated, disappointed and completely caught off guard," she told reporters in Brisbane. El Gibbs, Disability Advocacy Network Australia's Director, Policy and Advocacy, said while there were "some good things" in the initial response, overall she was "just not seeing the scale of response that we needed". "Governments have had [more than] nine months to respond and we needed to see far more detail and commitment to stopping this terrible scourge of harm against disabled people," she told the ABC.
>>21326176 Afghanistan medal decision before election, says Deputy Prime Minister - Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has confirmed a decision will be made about stripping medals from Australian Defence Force personnel, before the next election. The Ministry for Defence confirmed that a decision regarding those accused of conducting war crimes in Afghanistan would be made ‘before the election’ and ‘soon’, earlier this week. The date of the next Federal Election has not been confirmed, but is expected before May next year. The discussion follows the release findings from the 2020 Brereton inquiry, which investigated alleged war crimes committed by Australian Defence Force during the War in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016. Former Chief of the Australian Defence Force Angus Campbell had also reportedly written to current and former ADF members notifying that honours for distinguished and conspicuous service on warlike operations could be withdrawn. “I will be making the decision before the election, I can tell you that. I'll be making that decision soon,” Deputy PM Marles said during an interview with Sky News on July 28.
>>21344294 NT police commissioner delivers apology to First Nations people at Garma and pledges to 'eliminate racism' - The Northern Territory's police commissioner has delivered an apology to First Nations people for pain the NT Police Force has caused since it was founded in 1870. Speaking at a Yolngu ceremony area at the Garma Festival on Saturday afternoon, Commissioner Michael Murphy said: "I am deeply sorry to all Aboriginal Territorians for the past harms and the injustices caused by members of the Northern Territory Police." Commissioner Murphy said although the NT Police Force had aimed to work effectively with Aboriginal people over its 154 years of policing, "we acknowledge …we have made mistakes". He addressed the harms caused by police during Australia's colonial era, saying officers often "saw themselves as duty bound to protect settlers and their property when Aboriginal people resisted their incursions". "I know that I can't change or undo the past, but as police commissioner alongside our police officers, we can commit to not repeating the mistakes and injustices of the past," he said.
#36 - Part 31
Australian Politics and Society - Part 7
>>21354106 Video: PM discards commitment to set up Makarrata body despite millions in funding - The federal government does not intend to create a national commission to lead "truth-telling" about First Nations history, departing from its pre-election promise to do so. A Makarrata commission, named after a Yolngu word for coming together after a struggle, is the "culmination" of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Its intended purpose is to oversee both truth-telling and treaty-making between governments and First Nations. But despite an election night promise to enact the statement in "full", and budget funding to establish a Makarrata commission, the government's enthusiasm for a commission had cooled by the time of the failed Voice referendum and its status has been unclear. On Saturday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appeared to drop the commitment to the commission by denying it had ever been made. "That's not what we have proposed," he told the ABC's Insiders program during an interview at the Garma Festival. "What we've proposed is Makarrata just being the idea of coming together." But a standalone Makarrata commission was part of Labor's costed policy platform prior to the federal election, and in its first budget the Albanese government allocated $5.8 million to its establishment. That funding was meant "to commence work on establishing an independent Makarrata commission to oversee processes for agreement making and truth-telling".
>>21354122 ‘Lost in translation’: Minister Malarndirri McCarthy denies PM ditched Makarrata vow - Newly minted Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy does not believe Anthony Albanese ditched his election promise to implement a Makarrata Commision and says ideals behind the Uluru statement are still guiding the federal government. In a 2017 election promise, the Prime Minister pledged that his government would implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, which included a promise for a formal process for agreement-making and truth-telling. But at the Garma Festival this weekend, Mr Albanese appeared to back away from that commitment, saying that was not what his government was proposing, leading to one of his closest Indigenous allies accusing him of breaking a clear election promise. Uluru Dialogue co-chair Pat Anderson on Sunday night condemned the Prime Minister’s comments as confusing. She also criticised Mr Albanese’s repeated comments on Sunday that his past references to “Makarrata” were in relation to the Yolngu word for “coming together”, and not the truth-telling body outlined in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. “Is he rolling back on the Labor election commitment to the Makarrata commission?” Ms Anderson said. “We understand that a constitutional voice didn’t get up, but the Australian people didn’t vote on truth or treaty. Makarrata is not a vague vibe or a series of casual conversations. The Makarrata called for in the Uluru Statement is a bricks-and-mortar body and it was a clear election promise.”
>>21354217 Leading internet expert Robert Epstein believes Google meddles in Australian politics - Leading American behavioural psychologist Dr Robert Epstein says he has “no doubt” Google is manipulating Australia’s elections by subtly biasing search engine results to encourage support for the tech giant’s favoured – usually left-wing – political parties The Harvard educated Dr Epstein, speaking to Liberal Senator Alex Antic on his podcast ‘Based’, urged all nations to set up “monitoring systems” so governments could track how tech giants were seeking to surreptitiously influence public opinion. “Australia has no monitoring system, the European Union has no monitoring system; if anyone at Google in Australia has any political interests in Australia … I have no doubt, absolutely no doubt, that they are manipulating your elections,” he told Senator Antic in comments to be uploaded Tuesday. In 2018 the Wall Street Journal published leaked emails among Google staff, revealing them discussing how to discreetly turn voters against then president Donald Trump’s 2017 travel ban on nationals from certain Muslim countries from coming to the US. “Unless you have a monitoring system in place, you don’t actually know what’s happening, you don’t know how they might be indoctrinating your children, you don’t know how they might be undermining your democracy,” Dr Epstein added.
#36 - Part 32
Australian Politics and Society - Part 8
>>21354236 Court approves puberty blockers for child, 12, despite father not being consulted - A Victorian court has granted permission for a 12-year-old child to be prescribed treatment to block the onset of puberty, despite a hospital raising concerns that the father had not been consulted, and pointing to “ongoing uncertainty” about approvals for the treatment of children with gender dysphoria. Judge Melinda Richards last week ruled that the mother’s consent alone is enough to allow the hospital to prescribe puberty blockers to the biologically male child, who first presented as a girl aged seven when she told her mother she was “no longer her son, she was her daughter”. The court heard that the father had not had contact with the child since she was a baby, and had not been given the opportunity to provide his views on the administration of treatment. “The question at the heart of the hospital’s application is whether (the mother’s) consent to stage 1 treatment for her daughter is proper consent, in circumstances where (the child’s) father is absent and his views are not known,” the judgment reads. “For the reasons that follow, I have concluded that it is.” The child has chosen to go by a feminine name, presents as a girl, wears girls’ clothing and shows a preference for female colours. At the age of eight, the child attended the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital and was diagnosed with “gender incongruence of adolescence and gender dysphoria in adolescents”. The child’s mother is supportive of the child taking puberty blockers, but the hospital raised concerns with the Victorian Supreme Court over whether they could do so without the father’s consent.
>>21360221 Travel alert for Australians visiting United Kingdom amid ongoing riots after Southport stabbing attack - Australians have been urged to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to the United Kingdom due to potential violence stemming from ongoing protests and rioting. Violence broke out in cities across the nation over the past week following a stabbing attack at a Southport dance class which left three girls dead and more injured. Three children aged six, seven and nine were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop taking place during England's summer school holidays. At least six other children and two adults were hospitalised following the incident. A 17-year-old boy has since been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. Online misinformation in the wake of the attack claimed the suspect was Muslim and an asylum seeker, setting off a string of suspected far-right groups launching attacks on immigrant communities. The latest update to the Australian federal government's Smart Traveller website advised visitors to "avoid areas where protests are occurring due to the potential for disruption and violence". "Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent, and can evolve into riots," the website said. Australians travelling in the UK should "avoid all protests", "monitor the media for the latest information" and "follow instructions of local authorities" to stay safe.
>>21360344 Tom Pritchard, World War II veteran and Australia's last Rat of Tobruk, dies aged 102 - Tom Pritchard, Australia's last Rat of Tobruk, has died aged 102. The World War II veteran was the last direct link with the 14,000 Australian servicemen who held the Libyan port of Tobruk against the German Africa Corps in 1941 during the Siege of Tobruk, a vital battle for the Allied forces. He died on Saturday, just shy of his 103rd birthday. Born in Victoria in 1921, Pritchard enlisted in the army in 1940 despite lying about his age, and was assigned to the 2/5th Field Ambulance, which was eventually attached to the 18th Infantry Brigade. He served as an ambulance attendant during the eight-month-long Siege of Tobruk, which is regarded as a stand-out battle for Australia's soldiers. The efforts of the Australian soldiers holding down the Tobruk harbour during the Siege of Tobruk was pivotal to the Allied victory in North Africa. "The important part of the siege was that if you didn't hold that harbour at Tobruk, you couldn't control the Mediterranean or Middle East," said secretary of the Rats of Tobruk Association Lachlan Gaylard. "So really, it was the linchpin for that whole conflict, down to 14,000 Australians," he said. "It is extraordinary." The association said they were extremely grateful "to have had Tommy for so long", in a post on Facebook confirming his death. "Tommy was a stalwart member of our association and a most humble veteran," they wrote. "We mourn his loss and the last direct linkage with some 14,000 Australian servicemen who served in Tobruk. We should always remember that those men in Tobruk gave us their today for our tomorrow."
#36 - Part 33
Australian Politics and Society - Part 9
>>21360391 ‘This country is better than that’: Caroline Kennedy on Trump shooting - Caroline Kennedy, the only remaining child of assassinated Democratic president John F. Kennedy, says she was “horrified” by the recent attempt on Donald Trump’s life, as she made a personal plea for politicians and their supporters around the world to tone down the violent rhetoric. In a wide-ranging interview with The Australian Financial Review in Washington on Monday (Tuesday AEST), Ms Kennedy, who is the US ambassador to Australia, said she was ashamed there were still Americans prepared to resort to extreme violence because of political differences. “With all the tragedies that our family has been through, I think this country is better than that,” she said of the assassination attempt on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, “and we need to do more to never let that happen again, and to stop encouraging any kind of violence.” “Like so many people, I was horrified. I’m so glad that he’s OK.”
>>21360397 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 - https://qanon.pub/#703
>>21372270 Pacific Marines, U.S. Ambassador Commemorate 82nd Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal - Pacific Marines with Marine Rotational Force Darwin, as well as the U.S. Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu, hosted the 82nd Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony of the Battle of Guadalcanal at the American War Memorial, Aug. 7, 2024. “Today, as we gather to honor the 82nd anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, we pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of those who fought bravely in this crucial campaign,” reflected U.S. Marine Corps Col. Brian Mulvihill, commanding officer, Marine Rotational Force Darwin. “Their legacy continues to inspire our commitment to peace and collaboration in the Pacific. We are privileged to stand alongside our Allies and friends to remember and celebrate their enduring heroism.” The U.S. and its Allies commemorate the Battle of Guadalcanal annually, honoring the bravery and sacrifices of those who served, and highlighting the enduring legacy of their victory. This year’s event began with a sunrise ceremony at the American Memorial in Honiara which included keynote speakers, a wreath laying, and a moment of silence for the fallen. “This commemoration is a powerful reminder of the deep bonds between the people of the United States and the Solomon Islands,” said Ann Marie Yastishock, U.S. Ambassador to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Republic of Vanuatu. “The Battle of Guadalcanal represents not only a turning point in World War II but also the strength of our enduring partnership.”
>>21385660 Australia set to sign a new defence pact with Indonesia by end of the month - Australia is poised to sign a new upgraded defence pact with Indonesia by the end of this month as the federal government prepares to welcome the incoming Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Canberra. The government has framed it as the most strategically significant bilateral agreement with Indonesia since at least 2006, when the two countries reset security ties by signing the Lombok Treaty. Australia and Indonesia confirmed in February they would upgrade their 2012 defence pact to a new binding agreement, with Defence Minister Richard Marles aiming to complete "lightning-fast" negotiations within three months. The negotiations haven't gone quite that quickly, but the ABC has been told that discussions are now in their final phase and that Mr Marles is planning to travel to Indonesia near the end of this month to sign the agreement with Mr Prabowo. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also confirmed yesterday that Mr Prabowo - who is continuing to serve as defence minister ahead of being sworn in this October - will make a separate visit to Canberra in the coming two weeks. "I will welcome the Indonesian defence minister in the next fortnight, who is coming to Canberra, and he'll have meetings with my cabinet," he said. "In a matter of weeks, I will attend his inauguration. And the cooperation that we have with Indonesia is very strong indeed." One Australian government source told the ABC that both countries were now "very close" to finalising the upgraded agreement, but the signing ceremony would likely be held in Indonesia rather in Australia.
#36 - Part 34
Australian Politics and Society - Part 10
>>21385938 Video: Battle of Guadalcanal: 82nd Anniversary of Operation Watchtower - Multinational servicemembers, veterans, leaders of Solomon Islands’ government, members of the diplomatic community, and civilians, attend the 82nd Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal Ceremony at the Guadalcanal American Memorial in Honiara, Solomon Islands, Aug. 7, 2024. The ceremony commemorated the 82nd anniversary of the battle, and served to honor the fallen and strengthen the U.S. relationship with the Solomon Islands and other Pacific allies and partners. The historic battle was codenamed Operation Watchtower and was the first major offensive and decisive victory for the allied forces in the Pacific theater.
>>21390233 Video: ASIO boss Mike Burgess warns friendly nations among countries interfering in Australian communities - Australia's domestic spy chief says people would be shocked to learn the identity of the countries his agency has caught actively interfering in diaspora communities. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said friendly nations were among the "three to four" nations detected actively working within Australian communities. It prompted him to warn that he'll name them if the threat poses a significant risk to Australians. "I can think of at least three or four that we have actually actively found involved in foreign interference in Australian diaspora communities," he told the ABC's Insiders program. "Some of them would surprise you, some of them are also our friends." Last month, the federal government unveiled plans to introduce several new measures to fight the growing threat of foreign interference. The plans included making the Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce, which was established in 2020, permanent and expanded to include agencies such as the Australian Taxation Office.
>>21415073 Video: DFAT confirm London stabbing victim was 11-year-old Australian girl - The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed an 11-year-old child stabbed in Leicester Square in London on Monday is an Australian. The ABC understands the family is from New South Wales. London's Metropolitan Police said the girl was seriously injured though her injuries are not life-threatening, and she has since been discharged from hospital. A 32-year-old man, Ioan Pintaru, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with the attempted murder. Prosecutor David Burns said the girl and her mother, who were tourists, were in the Leicester Square area just before the incident, which he said was a "random attack on a child". "The defendant has approached the 11-year-old girl, placed her into a headlock and he has then stabbed her eight times to the body," Burns said. Pintaru was not asked to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody ahead of his next court hearing at the Old Bailey on September 10. Police do not believe the stabbing was terror-related.
>>21415079 ‘I just ran toward the guy’: Security guard who saved 11-year-old Australian speaks out - A security guard has recounted the moment he leapt into action when he saw an 11-year-old Australian girl allegedly being stabbed in London’s tourist district. The child was visiting Leicester Square with her mother when she was allegedly grabbed by a man, placed in a headlock, and stabbed eight times in her face, neck and torso at about 11.30am (8.30pm AEST) on Monday. The girl is understood to be from NSW, the ABC reported. Abdullah, who was working as a security guard for the TWG Tea store, recounted his heroic action in an address to the Pakistani High Commission in London for a celebration of Pakistan’s Independence Day on Tuesday. “I was on my duty. It was half past 11. I heard a scream and I looked and there was a guy that was stabbing a kid that was 11 years old. I didn’t think anything, I just ran toward the guy, I jumped on him, grabbed his hand in which he was carrying a knife,” he said as the audience broke out into applause. “The second [the knife] fell on the floor … I kicked the knife away from him. In the meantime a couple more guys came … we held him on the floor for four to five minutes, I shouted around ‘please call the police, call the ambulance services’.” Abdullah said he was inspired by the actions of the Pakistani military he’d seen as a child in his home country and called on his community to be courageous in the face of adversity.
#36 - Part 35
Australian Politics and Society - Part 11
>>21422082 Anti-Semitism festers in Victoria, says envoy Jillian Segal - Australia’s inaugural anti-Semitism envoy, Jillian Segal, has revealed Victoria is our worst state for anti-Semitism and that since the October 7 attacks there have been more than 800 anti-Semitic incidents recorded. In her first public address since Anthony Albanese appointed her to the role last month, Ms Segal told the audience at the Fight Against anti-Semitism event at the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation that anti-Semitism is the greatest fight the Jewish community has faced through the centuries. She said that from October 2023 to July, there had been more than 800 anti-Semitic incidents in Victoria compared to 200 recorded incidents in the previous 12 months. “The golden age has come to an end, and this is our reality. We will rise to the occasion,” Ms Segal said. “I do not want to promise that there is one silver bullet, but I think there are a series of things that will happen here in Australia and around the rest of the world … but that is going to be a struggle.” Ms Segal said difficult times, such as during Covid and times of economic challenges, had triggered resentment and caused people to blame others for life’s unfairness. “Anti-Semitism, as we know, erodes everything that’s good in society. It poses a threat not just to us as a Jewish community, but to the whole of society,” she said.
>>21428274 Women’s rights rally sparks pro-trans counter protest in Melbourne - One woman has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer and several members of a pro-trans counter rally have thrown eggs and water balloons at speakers at a women’s rights demonstration in Melbourne on Saturday. Activist organisation Women’s Action Group planned a ‘Women Will Speak’ event to take place at Victoria’s state parliament on the weekend, which was met with a pro-trans protest. A police barricade was formed to separate the Women’s Action Group event and the pro-trans demonstration organised by Trans Queer Solidarity. A large police presence, included mounted officers, was stationed at Spring St and Bourke St. Details of the Women’s Action Group were shared online, and in response a ‘Trans Liberation’ rally was scheduled to take place at the same location. The group was formed in 2019 and the organisation state their motivation is to fight against “the ongoing erosion of women’s rights in Victoria and in all of Australia”. “Humans cannot change sex. Men can never be women,” a speaker said at the Women’s Action Group event told the crowd on Saturday. “It is our inherent right to exercise freedom of expression … and policy and legislation must reflect reality not ideology.” Most of the speeches were barely audible as members of the Trans Liberation gathering blared loud music, banged drums and shouted cries such as “f*ck off fascist”.
>>21428353 'Deeply concerned': Gallipoli fire threatens ANZAC war graves - Wildfires that threatened the graves of Australian soldiers at ANZAC Cove in Gallipoli, Turkey, have been brought under control, though the threat remains. Dry, hot, and windy weather conditions sparked a series of fires that quickly spread across the Gallipoli Peninsula, affecting several commemorative and operational sites. It has not yet been confirmed whether Australian war graves and memorials have been damaged. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which maintains graves and memorials to the dead from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and India among many others, said staff had evacuated from the peninsula and were safe. The CWGC cares for more than 30 cemeteries on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The CWGC thanked those fighting to keep local people and villages safe, and to limit damage to commemorative sites of all nations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Gallipoli was "sacred ground to both of our countries" while speaking at a press conference yesterday. "Our thoughts today are also with our friends in Türkiye. We understand there are efforts underway to control fires that are burning on the Gallipoli Peninsula," Albanese said. "So our thoughts today are with those who continue to care for those cemeteries, and welcome thousands of Australians who visit ANZAC headstones each year, as they endure these difficult times. "Gallipoli is, of course, sacred ground to both of our countries."
#36 - Part 36
Australian Politics and Society - Part 12
>>21432042 ‘National disgrace’: Victoria Cross winner Samuel Pearse’s body languishing in Russian morgue - The lifeless body of one of Australia’s most highly decorated war heroes is wasting away in a plastic storage crate in a remote morgue in the Russian city of Archangel. Private Samuel Pearse is one of Australia’s 101 Victoria Cross winners and was recognised posthumously after being killed in the little-known Anzac volunteer campaign against the Bolsheviks in 1919 where he fought under the British flag. He was originally buried where he died in the town of Obozersky but his grave was later lost and his body moved. It was found only six years ago in a scrapyard after an exhaustive search effort involving a Russian military archaeologist and an Australian military historian. Pearse had served previously at Gallipoli and on the Western Front where he sustained an injury to his toe, with the body found in Russia having the same toe injury and also wearing the same slouch hat in which the fallen soldier was buried. In what’s been labelled a national disgrace, Private Pearse now finds himself in a literal and metaphorical no man’s land, with neither the British nor Australian governments prepared to claim and repatriate his body. A major campaign is now being launched to pressure the Australian government into repatriating Pearse, who has relatives in Adelaide who can prove the remains are his. The campaign is being supported by the RSL and led by Adelaide historian Damien Wright, whose new book Australia’s Lost Heroes: Anzacs in the Russia Civil War 1919 unearths the story of Pearse and other fallen Anzac soldiers from this largely forgotten military campaign. Wright travelled to Russia with Pearse’s grandson and worked with the Russian military archaeologist Alexey Suhanovsky to find and identify Pearse, the evidence overwhelmingly indicating the body is indeed his.
>>21446910 Australia and Indonesia finalise upgraded defence agreement during incoming president's visit - Australia and Indonesia have finalised negotiations on an upgraded defence agreement which the federal government is hailing as the "most significant" pact the two countries have ever signed. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement after sitting down with Indonesia's Defence Minister and incoming president Prabowo Subianto in Canberra. The new agreement is expected to facilitate more ambitious joint military exercises between the two countries, and will be signed by Mr Prabowo and Defence Minister Richard Marles in Jakarta later this month. Mr Albanese said the "treaty-level" agreement would "bolster our strong defence cooperation by deepening dialogue, strengthening interoperability and enhancing practical arrangements". "It will be a vital plank for our two countries to support each other's security, which is vital to both countries, but also to the stability of the region that we share," he said. Mr Marles called the agreement "profoundly historic" and the "most significant agreement that our two countries have ever made". "What this agreement will do is provide for much greater interoperability between our defence forces," he said. "It will provide for much more exercises between our defence forces, it will see us working together in the global commons to support the rules-based order and, importantly, it will allow us to operate from each other's countries."
>>21453375 Australian Bushmaster reportedly destroyed during Ukrainian incursion into Russia - Ukrainian forces are believed to have used Australian-supplied Bushmasters as part of their recent surprise incursion into Russia, with evidence emerging of at least one of the armoured vehicles apparently destroyed inside the western border region of Kursk. Just days after British-supplied tanks were reported to have crossed over the Russian border, video has been broadcast on Ukrainian television showing the wreckage of a Victorian-made Bushmaster on the side of a road. Moscow declared a state of emergency after Ukraine's daring military incursion launched on August 6, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says was aimed at creating a buffer zone to prevent further Russian attacks across the border. Retired Australian Army General Mick Ryan says he's confirmed that Australian-supplied Bushmasters took part in the Ukrainian operation, which has forced more than 100,000 locals to flee. "The Australian Bushmasters serve with one of the brigades that has apparently taken part in at least the initial phases, probably follow up phases of the Ukrainian operation in Kursk," he told the ABC's Afternoon Briefing program. "These are excellent vehicles. There's a reason why the Ukrainians like them and use them because they protect their soldiers. They've lost at least one, potentially two or three so far in this operation, it would be nice to see some replacements on their way."
#36 - Part 37
Australian Politics and Society - Part 13
>>21446927 Video:‘Happy to comfort babies born alive after abortion’, midwife tells inquiry- An Australian midwife has spoken publicly for the first time about her experiences of babies being born alive following abortions and, in some cases, surviving for up to five hours before dying after gasping for air and fighting to stay alive. Louise Adsett, a clinical midwife who has worked in maternity and birthing units for about 14 years, told a parliamentary hearing in Queensland that some babies born alive after an abortion were never held by their parents but instead placed in witches hats, taken out of the room and left to die. Ms Adsett, who works at a public hospital south of Brisbane, was providing evidence to a Queensland parliamentary inquiry into the Termination of Pregnancy (Live Births) Amendment Bill 2024 introduced by Robbie Katter aimed at enshrining legislated protections for babies born as a result of a termination of pregnancy procedure. In an emotional statement to the hearing, Ms Adsett said some midwives were distressed because they were “unable to provide any medical care for the baby” but were “limited to providing comfort care only, which is merely wrapping and holding the baby”. “To give you a first example, a mother made a decision to abort a baby at 21-plus weeks’ gestation. The process began in the morning with misoprostol given throughout the day. The process took all day, and the baby was only delivered during the early hours of a night shift where skeleton staff was on duty,” Ms Adsett told the inquiry. “This baby moved vigorously, gasped for breath and had a palpable heart rate to make it clear this baby was alive. It was over 400 grams, but the baby was a good weight. “The parents of this baby did not desire to see or hold this baby. Midwives and doctors were left holding this little life while they continued to provide cares for other women who were birthing and welcoming their babies into the world. “This baby boy fought for his life for five hours before taking his final breath. This is not an uncommon occurrence.” Ms Adsett told the inquiry that she was a “conscientious objector when it comes to providing care for women aborting their babies”, but said she was “happy to make myself available to hold a baby who was born alive after an abortion”. “These babies deserve better. They deserve to have the same rights that all of us human beings have,” she said.
>>21446941 Video:QLD midwife lifts the lid on newborns left to die- "Today at the public inquiry in the Queensland parliament into the Termination of Pregnancy (Live Births) Amendment Bill 2024 introduced by MP Robbie Katter, a courageous midwife, Lou Adsett gave harrowing oral evidence of her experience of babies born alive and left to die at her hospital. There is evidence of increasing numbers of live births following abortion at both pre- and post-viable gestations in Queensland. In 2018, the year before abortion up to birth was legalised in Queensland, there were 28 babies born alive and left to die and in 2022 this had grown to 49 babies in this plight. In fact, between 2019 and 2022 there were 179 babies born alive in Queensland hospitals and left to die without a legal right to care. The Bill does not seek to prevent an abortion from happening. It merely provides a right to equal protection for all babies born alive in Queensland, irrespective of the circumstances of their birth. This means that if a live birth occurs after an abortion, the baby would be provided with either life-saving treatment or palliative care, whichever is the most appropriate given the clinical circumstances. We are fighting for birth equality: the simple notion that every child born in Australia deserves an equal right to medical care and the protection of the law. Please share this video so that all Australians may know the truth and sign the birth equality petition to join Lou in calling out this horror." - Dr Joanna Howe, Aug 19, 2024 - https://www.drjoannahowe.com/
#36 - Part 38
Australian Politics and Society - Part 14
>>21459189 Australia to build cruise missiles with Norway's Kongsberg - Australia said it would jointly manufacture long-range Naval Strike Missiles and Joint Strike Missiles with Norway's Kongsberg Defence in the city of Newcastle on Australia's eastern coast, the only site outside of Norway. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the Australian government will contribute A$850 million ($574 million) to establish a manufacturing facility with Kongsberg at the Newcastle Airport precinct later this year, with production to start in 2027. The anti-ship cruise missiles would be used by the Australian Defence Force and also exported by the U.S. security ally, he said. It will be one of only two facilities in the world capable of producing the missiles, and the only site outside Kongsberg, Norway. Australia has said it will establish guided weapons manufacturing under a defence overhaul to boost the Australian Defence Force's long-range precision strike ability, amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific. There is huge global demand and constraints on the supply chain around the world. So not only is it cost-competitive to build them here, it will actually deliver the missiles faster than if we were relying on a production line overseas," Conroy said at a press conference in Newcastle. "There is huge export opportunities for these missiles as well."
>>21466382 Ukraine urges against repeat of Taipan helicopter farce - A decorated Ukrainian commander has pleaded with the Albanese government to donate the army’s soon-to-be retired M1A1 Abrams tanks to his country’s fight against Russia, saying they could play a “crucial role” in turning the tide against Vladimir Putin’s forces. Major Andrii Berezovskyi urged the government to avoid a repeat of its decision to junk 45 military helicopters rather than provide them to Kyiv, as new footage emerged online revealing Australian Bushmaster vehicles were used by Ukraine in its retaliatory invasion of Russia. The 28-year-old veteran of some of the bloodiest battles of the war said the US-made tanks were far superior to those operated by Russia. “They are more manoeuvrable and have new technologies for protection against antitank missile systems, which provides better protection for both personnel and the equipment itself,” Major Berezovskyi told The Australian. He lamented the Albanese government’s 2023 refusal to donate the army’s MRH-90 Taipan helicopters as “not wise and not acceptable”. “If Australia had made a positive decision for us regarding those helicopters, they would have been extremely valuable and would have greatly assisted us in conducting medevacs for wounded soldiers,” Major Berezovskyi said. “I would like to emphasise for the Australian government that today Ukraine is fighting for democracy and freedom, not only for Ukraine but for the rest of the civilised world.” Major Berezovskyi, who is in Australia to raise money for Ukraine’s war effort, lauded the Bushmaster protected vehicles provided by Australia under successive aid packages as “great and powerful support”.
>>21466485 Transgender woman Roxanne Tickle wins novel gender discrimination case - A transgender woman has won a landmark ruling against a women’s-only social media app after a judge found her exclusion from the app amounted to indirect discrimination, in what lawyers say could have widespread implications for the workplace. Transgender woman Roxanne Tickle sued Giggle for Girls and its owner Sall Grover for excluding her from the app, claiming unlawful discrimination under the Sex Discrimination Act. In his ruling on Friday, Federal Court Justice Robert Bromwich found that “sex is changeable” and non-binary, saying the “concept of sex has broadened over the 30 years since the SDA”. He found that Ms Grover had indirectly, but not directly, discriminated against Ms Tickle when she removed her from the app because she did not look sufficiently female, and ordered her to pay the applicant $10,000, as well as her legal costs. Monash University Faculty of Law professor Paula Gerber welcomed the judgment, saying it was now “clear cut that you cannot have spaces designated as women-only, where what you mean is cisgender women-only”. Ms Tickle underwent gender-affirming surgery in 2019 and is now designated as female on her Queensland birth certificate. She was accepted into the app in February 2021 after an analysis of a “selfie” by Giggle’s third-party artificial intelligence tool but later blocked when Ms Grover surveyed the image herself. Lawyers disappointed by the polarising judgment said discrimination law no longer offered women the protection it was once legislated to guarantee. “It’s clear now that discrimination laws intended to protect women are now preventing them from having safe spaces to meet,” Feminist Legal Clinic principal solicitor Anna Kerr said.
#36 - Part 39
Australian Politics and Society - Part 15
>>21473238 The Facebook problem that only hurts Australians - Rampant celebrity cryptocurrency scam ads are as Australian as Tim Tams, koalas or the Great Barrier Reef, according to American Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who says the tech giant’s lack of focus on Australia has let scams run wild on its platform compared with other markets. Local public figures, including Andrew Forrest, Dick Smith and Waleed Aly, have had their likenesses falsely used to promote cryptocurrency scams, an issue the consumer watchdog estimates has cost Australians more than $13 million in 2024 so far and has made an undetermined amount of profit for Facebook. Social media scams are a global issue but one that is acute in Australia, according to Haugen. Haugen formerly served as a senior product manager at Facebook before quitting in May 2021 to become a whistleblower, leaking tens of thousands of internal documents that exposed how much Facebook knew about the harm it was causing, including knowingly promoting misinformation and hate speech, and pro-eating-disorder content to teenage girls. Haugen is now focused on improving transparency and accountability for social media platforms, including in Australia, where she’s spent an extended visit meeting local parliamentarians, policy groups including Reset Australia, and regulators such as the eSafety Commissioner. She has also taken up a role as a fellow at the Australian National University’s Tech Policy Design Centre. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview in Melbourne, Haugen said that during her time working at Facebook, the company’s safety teams had largely turned a blind eye to the Australian market. “In the United States, we don’t have a problem with celebrity scam ads the way you do,” she said. “I was shocked when I came here and saw the extent of it.”
>>21473450 US Air Force stealth bombers deploy to Amberley in Queensland - The skies of southeast Queensland have seen some distinctly alien shapes flying around over the past few days, with the deployment of three US Air Force Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit stealth bombers to RAAF Base Amberley. The distinctive ‘flying wing’-shaped B-2 is designed to penetrate enemy air defence networks to attack targets of high value and is one of the stealthiest aircraft ever to fly. The US Air Force operates just 20 B-2s from Whiteman AFB in Missouri, and these aircraft are frequently deployed in small groups across the world as Bomber Task Force (BTF) deployments. The last time the B-2s deployed to Australia was in 2022, when they participated in a number of exercises. BTF deployments typically last two to three weeks, while other deployment destinations include Fairford in the UK, the remote Diego Garcia atoll in the Indian Ocean, and Guam in the western Pacific. The AUKUS agreement between Australia, the UK and US, and the development and expansion of RAAF bases in the north to accommodate US Air Force bombers means these deployments will likely become more frequent. RAAF Tindal near Katherine in the Northern Territory is building a new ramp which is capable of accommodating up to six B-2 or B-52 bombers, as well as support aircraft including aerial tankers. Two of the three B-2s arrived at Amberley on Friday night (16 August) using the callsigns ‘Clone 11’ and ‘Clone 13’, with the third joining them on Saturday night as ‘Clone 12’. The aircraft were supported by US Air Force KC-135 aerial tankers.
>>21473553 Video: Three B-2 Bombers Land in Australia for First Rotation There in Two Years - Three B-2 stealth bombers landed at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley this weekend to begin a Bomber Task Force deployment - showcasing U.S. presence in the region and conducting exercises with allied nations. The bombers were accompanied by two KC-135R tankers from the Illinois National Guard. The last time B-2s were in Australia was in the summer of 2022. More recently, the stealth bomber deployed to the Indo-Pacific earlier this summer, landing in Guam for the first time in five years. Neither Air Force Global Strike Command nor Pacific Air Forces announced how long the trio of B-2s will stay in Australia, but Bomber Task Forces typically last two to three weeks, with training events with allies in the area to practice interoperability and secondary deployments to other locations to gain experience operating from airfields unaccustomed to supporting a bomber presence. The B-2 deployment is just the latest display of U.S. airpower in the region. Last week, Air Force F-22 stealth fighters deployed to Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines, making a similar show-of-force in the region. All three countries have long-simmering disputes with China over boundaries in the South China Sea
#36 - Part 40
Australian Politics and Society - Part 16
>>21473648 Video: Stealth Bombers at RAAF Base Amberley - 131st Bomb Wing along with 509th Bomb Wing detachment from Whiteman Air Force Base are at Royal Australian Air Force base Amberley for Bomber Task Force Pacific deployment. The BTF is apart of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces Enhanced Air Cooperation between RAAF and USAF, we'll bring you more from the deployment to Amberley but here is some on base action from the week. - Aviation Photography Digest
>>21478220 CLP wins decisive victory in 2024 NT election, as Greens close in on first NT seat - After eight years in the political wilderness, the Country Liberal Party (CLP) has been delivered to government with a resounding landslide victory in the Northern Territory election. By the end of Saturday night's count, the ABC had predicted the CLP winning 15 seats across the jurisdiction, including electorates that had been Territory Labor strongholds for decades in Darwin's northern suburbs. It marks a huge turnaround in the CLP's fortunes, after they were decimated to just two seats in an electoral wipe-out in 2016. Since then, the party has been steadily rebuilt under the leadership of Lia Finocchiaro, a born-and-bred territory woman and former lawyer who will become the NT's 14th chief minister. The CLP ran hard on a campaign promising to stamp out crime and "restore the territory lifestyle" after a long period of high crime rates and a flatlining economy under Labor, with the party amassing more than $11 billion in debt. Voters have delivered substantial victories to the CLP in seats across the Darwin city, suburbs and rural area, as well as Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine and the Barkly in the territory outback. On Saturday night, Ms Finocchiaro described the win as "an honour and a privilege". "We've heard loud and clear that territorians want change, and the work starts [today] to deliver that," she said. The election has also seen a fierce rejection of Labor and its former cabinet, including the loss of its outgoing chief minister Eva Lawler, in her Palmerston seat of Drysdale. Other key predicted Labor losses include the party's former police minister Brent Potter, environment minister Kate Worden and education and mining minister Mark Monaghan.
>>21478255 Northern Territory election: Country Liberals promise crime crackdown after historic win - Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro has emphatically declared law and order is her “number one priority”, as the CLP becomes the first Coalition equivalent to oust a Labor government since 2018. “It’s amazing to now have the opportunity to do something different for the Territory,” Ms Finocchiaro, 39, told The Australian following an overwhelming election win. “We know Labor have been in power for a very long time, and this is a new chapter for the Territory. We really are focused on making sure we deliver on all of our commitments, because they are what Territorians have been talking to us about. Ms Finocchiaro said her first priority to address youth crime in places such as Alice Springs would be “backing in our police” and holding parents responsible. “It starts with backing in our police, passing laws that meet our community’s expectations, it also then is about getting kids to school,” Ms Finocchiaro told The Australian. “This is something we are very focused on, giving every single Territory child a better future and so we will hold parents accountable. “We will put in place measures to get kids to school, we want healthy kids, healthy families, living healthy lives,” she said. “That’s that’s the work we’ve got to do now, and it starts with law reform in the first week of parliament.” She said she would bring back truancy officers to keep students in school. “If parents and families can’t, then we will,” she said. “We don’t think it’s an option to let kids not have access to education, and we’ll do everything we can to protect their right to have an education. “Territorians have spoken loud and clear that Labor has ignored them for too long and we take this responsibility very seriously, and we will not let Territorians down,” she said.
#36 - Part 41
Australian Politics and Society - Part 17
>>21478287 Northern Territory elections: Lia Finocchiaro and the Country Liberals inherit a wicked problem after defeating Labor - "The Northern Territory government’s most high-profile challenge is crime but behind the scenes the deeper crisis is debt. Lia Finocchiaro is poised to inherit a wicked problem decades in the making. Her ability to address the crime and social dysfunction in Alice Springs and beyond is severely impaired by the fact the territory of 233,000 people is a financial basket case. It is beyond a commonwealth bail out. The NT has a net debt $10.82bn. By contrast there is sheer panic in Tasmania over a $3.5bn debt on an island of 541,000 people. Keep in mind, Tasmania does not have the social problems that the NT has. Its residents are in relative good health. Tasmania has also got 12 senators advocating for its interests in the federal parliament, thanks to a requirement in the constitution that gives every state 12 senators regardless of population and size. The top end has just two senators. And the hard work facing Ms Finocchiaro is unique Australia-wide because 30.8 per cent of NT residents are Indigenous. Central Australia is a global diabetes capital. NT hospitals are overwhelmed with diabetes admissions and required amputations on younger and younger Indigenous people. In the northwest corner of the NT in Arnhem Land, men die – on average – aged 54. All manner of chronic and preventable illnesses hit the top end’s Indigenous residents at shocking rates. In responding to violence, alcohol-fuelled chaos and family dysfunction in Alice Springs earlier this year, Anthony Albanese called these “complex problems”. These are also expensive problems." - Paige Taylor - theaustralian.com.au
>>21483139 New NT chief minister Lia Finocchiaro lays down the law - Lia Finocchiaro, the first political leader to topple a Labor government in six years, immediately marshalled crime-fighting resources to deal with the Top End’s law and order crisis as she predicted her party’s victory could be a template for conservative oppositions across the nation. The gravity of the crisis in Alice Springs that helped end eight years of Labor rule in the Northern Territory was evident after polls closed on Saturday, when police were called to deal with what one described as “one of the worst nights of carnage”. Roaming vandals damaged more than 60 cars, smashed hundreds of windows and attacked at least eight businesses in the small Central Australian town. On Sunday, more violence spilled on to the streets after a football match where people fought with weapons, including a hatchet, a baseball bat and sticks Ms Finocchiaro on Sunday met with police commissioner Michael Murphy and the head of the Department of Chief Minister Ken Davies during which she and Mr Murphy had “a lengthy discussion about my expectations on law and order”. “Community safety is the No 1 focus for my government and we talked in great detail as to how we can take a whole of government approach to deliver on that,” Ms Finocchiaro told The Australian. The Country Liberal Party will form majority government after a resounding victory, leaving Labor with just four or five seats. Eight years ago, the CLP was reduced to two seats but on Saturday it won 48 per cent of the primary vote. Labor won 30 per cent.
>>21483169 Video: Alice Springs’ ‘weekend of carnage’ in Northern Territory election aftermath - The change in Territory government did nothing to stop rogue youths in Alice Springs leaving locals fearing for their lives, with dozens of vehicles smashed, businesses ransacked and Aboriginal Police Liaison Officers outnumbered when weapons were brandished during a dispute at a community footy game over the weekend. Chief minister elect Lia Finocchiaro has vowed to tackle the issues of youth crime and ‘reset the agenda’ for law and order after meeting with the NT police commissioner on Sunday. The Australian has obtained dozens of photographs and video footage of the weekend carnage in the red centre, where roaming youth vandals damaged more than 60 cars, with many of the vehicles dedicated to helping improve the lives of young Indigenous Australians. On Sunday afternoon Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers were outnumbered when violence spilled on to the streets after a football match where people wielded weapons, including a hatchet, a baseball bat and sticks. One witness who called police said they were “terrified” and that police were “unprepared” and nowhere to be seen. “There were people with hatchets, a bright blue baseball bat, massive sticks, a female pulled a garden mattock out of her car and hid it under her long dress and walked towards the entry and it was on. It is just madness, absolute f.cking chaos” they said.
#36 - Part 42
Australian Politics and Society - Part 18
>>21483198 Australia to take command of international taskforce protecting Red Sea shipping lanes - A Royal Australian Navy captain will soon assume command of an international effort to protect shipping lanes in the Red Sea, but the Albanese government will not deploy any additional military resources for the mission. On Friday, Australia will confirm it is assuming command of Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153) for the first time, just weeks after Defence initially denied an ABC report foreshadowing the move. From October, several Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel already stationed in the Middle East under the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) will be reassigned to the CTF 153, which is also based in Bahrain. CTF 153 is one of five taskforces that make up CMF and is currently dedicated to protecting commercial vessels from Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea and around the Gulf of Aden. Last year the Albanese government faced intense criticism for not responding to an international request from the US for warships to be deployed to protect maritime trading lanes in the Middle East. At present, Australia maintains a contribution of up to 16 personnel to the CMF, which was bolstered in December last year in response to the escalating Houthi attacks on shipping and maritime traffic in the Red Sea. During their six-month mission, ADF personnel will direct CTF 153 operations utilising warships and other military assets provided by various nations, which are currently commanded by Italy's armed forces.
>>21483228 New Australian Signals Directorate boss appointed - Abigail Bradshaw is the new Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), promoted from the deputy’s role to replace Rachel Noble, who has left the top job after almost five years. Ms Bradshaw has served as Deputy Director-General of ASD and Head of ASD’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) since March 2020. The ACSC is the Australian Government’s technical authority on cyber security. It provides an avenue for organisations large and small to partner with the government and adopt a security framework to protect their information technology and operational technology systems, applications and data from cyber threats. Anthony Albanese announced the appointment on Monday (26 August), saying the changeover will take effect on 6 September this year. “I congratulate Abigail Bradshaw on her appointment as Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate,” the Prime Minister said. “Ms Bradshaw brings with her a wealth of experience in cyber security, intelligence and Australia’s national security, including roles in the Royal Australian Navy, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Department of Home Affairs and Department of Immigration and Border Protection,” Mr Albanese said. “At a time of increasingly complex geostrategic challenges, Ms Bradshaw’s expertise in both cyber and national security matters will be critically important in leading ASD to continue protecting our nation.” Mr Albanese said Ms Bradshaw has played a pivotal role in developing partnerships between government and industries domestically and internationally. She has led ASD’s response to nationally significant cyber security incidents and has spearheaded the government’s cyber security partnership with industry, forging critical partnerships that underpin Australia’s national resilience.
>>21483247 Candace Owens defies calls to cancel Australian tour - Far-right US commentator Candace Owens is on a collision course with Immigration Minister Tony Burke, vowing to push on with her Australian tour in defiance of calls to reject her visa application. Burke last week indicated he would block Owens’ expected visa application, telling this masthead: “Tickets to these events are selling for $100. I hope she has a good refunds policy.” Owens has not yet applied for a visa. Burke’s comments came after this masthead reported that Jewish groups and the federal Coalition oppose her travel to Australia because of her conspiracy-tinged attacks on Jews, Muslims and trans people. Speaking on Sydney radio station 2GB on Monday, the far-right influencer - who thinks Trump has become too moderate – said she was excited to travel to Australia for her November tour, VIP tickets for which are selling at $1500. “It’s kind of incredible to think people could be so fearful of just speech and conversation,” she said. “I was quite surprised to see that: they were like ‘don’t give her a visa, she’s a bad person’. But I promise you it is not going to harm you to hear different ideas.” Owens, who has 18 million followers on her social platforms, has previously made mendacious claims that Israel was founded by a “cult”, spread misinformation about “secret Jewish gangs” operating in Hollywood, and minimised Nazi atrocities.
#36 - Part 43
Australian Politics and Society - Part 19
>>21483267 Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to personally review visa of far-right commentator Candace Owens - Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has committed to personally reviewing the visa application of far-right, anti-Semitic speaker Candice Owens, who is scheduled to come to Australia in November for a speaking tour. Tickets for her Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane shows, Candace Owens Live, are currently selling at $95 for reserved seating and extend to $1500 for a pre-show VIP dinner with Owens herself. A fifth show is slated for Adelaide on November 22, with VIP Meet and Greet tickets costing $295. Mr Burke, who has discretionary ministerial powers to block or refuse a visa, said it appeared Owens had yet to make an application three months out from the shows. “Tickets to these events are selling for $100. I hope she has a good refunds policy,” Mr Burke said. “There hasn’t been an application for a visa but if there is the brief will come to me personally. “My opposition to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia has always been on the record. I have clear legal powers to knock back a visa to anyone who would incite discord.” His strong stance has been welcomed by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim. “At a time of unprecedented strains on the cohesiveness of Australian society, which is very largely the outcome of ignorant and malicious comment on social media, the last thing we need to be importing into our country is yet another so-called celebrity who has made racist and bigoted comments about Jews and other vulnerable groups,” he said. Mr Wertheim said Owens’ publicly-held views means she should fail the character test under the Migration Act, and preclude her from a visitor’s visa.
>>21492994 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post - 27 August 2024 - Never forgotten - Last year's incident involving the deaths of Cpl. Spencer Collart, Capt. Eleanor LeBeau, and Maj. Tobin Lewis is still fresh in our hearts and minds. We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the Marines who died in the MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island, north of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, on August 27, 2023. The MRF-D MAGTF is planning a private memorial service for the families of the fallen Marines in coordination with the Tiwi Land Council and Traditional Owners to be held on Melville Island next month. This event will be closed to media and the public. This truly puts into perspective what it means to be part of not only a great community, but also how strong the bond is between the U.S. and our Australian Allies. The Marines and Sailors are very appreciative of all of the support we have received along the way. We continue to extend our gratitude and condolences to the families, friends, and service members that were affected by this event.
>>21507196 PM backflips on census sexuality question, under fire for trans exclusion - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under attack for excluding trans and gender-diverse people from the next census count, despite a government backflip to allow gay, lesbian and bisexual people to be included. An internal Labor revolt forced Albanese to on Friday reverse his government’s decision to block new questions in the survey so it could avoid a divisive debate. But he opened another fraught dispute for minority groups when he maintained the call to exclude planned questions about trans and intersex Australians. The Greens will seek to wedge Labor’s progressive MPs on the issue and accused Albanese of trying to “split the queer community down the middle”, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton seized on the disunity in the Labor ranks and said, “the wheels are falling off the government”. Albanese set off a new round of political attack on Friday when he backtracked from the government’s unpopular stance and said there would be one new question on sexual orientation in the 2026 census if testing by the Australian Bureau of Statistics was successful. “They’re going to test for a new question, one question about sexuality, sexual preference,” Albanese said. He did not commit to resume testing for other planned questions on gender and sex characteristics. The government scrapped plans for new LGBT questions just a week ago, and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Treasurer Jim Chalmers then said it would have triggered a divisive culture war. That prompted six Labor MPs, including Assistant Health Minister Ged Kearney, to break ranks and tell Albanese to reverse the decision.
#36 - Part 44
Australian Politics and Society - Part 20
>>21519950 Maersk vessel takes out tall ship and hits museum while entering Fremantle - Australia’s largest sail-training tall ship was badly damaged this morning as it was struck by the 8,814 teu Maersk Shekou. The boxship also hit the Western Australian Maritime Museum while entering the inner harbour of Fremantle port this morning. The 1986-built STS Leeuwin II tall ship was dismasted in the accident, with two of its crew injured. The hull of the 55 m long sailing vessel remains intact. An investigation into the accident is set to get underway.
>>21520925 Children to be asked pronouns at libraries under new taxpayer-funded guidelines - Children as young as five will be asked if they identify as a she, he or they as part of new taxpayer funded guidelines rolled out to public libraries across the state. Library staff are being told to ask children what their preferred pronouns are, avoid “gendered-language” and to offer pronoun badges, pins or lanyards for patrons in a new government funded ‘Rainbow Toolkit’. Staff at public libraries across Victoria have been given new guidelines on how to be LGBTQIA+ friendly, including adding books on gender diversity to their collections, promoting drag story time events and not assuming the gender or sexuality of children, teenagers and adults. The ‘Rainbow Toolkit’ was launched by the state government on Friday to celebrate LGBTQIA+ awareness day. One section, labelled ‘Non-Gendered Interactions’, proposes that staff ask primary school aged children what their pronouns are. “It is also important to recognise that, especially for young people, gender identity and sexuality can shift or evolve over time,” it reads. “Even if you are familiar with a child, teenager, parent or other individual, leave room for them to express a change in their identity. “Checking in casually about their pronouns (‘Do you still prefer he/him pronouns?’; ‘Do you still go by Sam, or is there something else you’d like me to use?’) can let a young person in particular know that you are safe, accepting and flexible and that, by extension, so is the library.”
>>21536076 Video: NDIS Minister and former Labor leader Bill Shorten announces his retirement - Former Labor leader Bill Shorten is retiring from politics. The announcement was made at a press conference in Canberra on Thursday morning by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “My friend Bill Shorten has decided that he will not be contesting the next election,” he said. “It’s a big decision for him … Bill and I have had a number of conversations over this, about this, over a period of time. “It’s a credit to Bill that this news will come as a surprise, because at no point over the past two years would an observer of Australian politics think that Bill Shorten was taking it easy or slowing down.” Albanese has asked Shorten to stay in cabinet until he leaves in February to continue his work overhauling the NDIS. Shorten was first elected as the member for the Victorian seat of Maribyrnong in 2007 and led the Labor Party between 2013 and 2019. However he stepped down after the party was defeated by the Coalition in 2019 and was replaced by Albanese. When Labor won government in 2022, Shorten became NDIS minister has focused on reforming the scheme that he championed and helped create when he was a parliamentary secretary and then a junior minister in the Gillard and Rudd Labor governments.
>>21551347 Pope Francis delivers medical supplies in visit to remote jungle town - Pope Francis flew deep into the jungle of the Southwestern Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea on Sunday to visit Catholics living in one of the most remote areas of the world and deliver medical supplies and other aid. Travelling 1,000 km (620 miles) in a C-130 cargo aircraft provided by the Royal Australian Air Force, Francis arrived with a small entourage in Vanimo, a township of some 12,000 people in the northwestern corner of PNG's main island, with no running water and scarce electricity. The 87-year-old pope brought hundreds of kilograms of items to help support the local population, said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. They included various medicines and clothing, as well said toys and musical instruments for school children, Bruni said. The pope is visiting the nation of 600 islands as part of his ambitious 12-day, four-country tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, the longest of his 11-year-old papacy. He came to Vanimo at the invitation of local missionaries with the Catholic Institute of the Incarnate Word. They, like Francis, the first pope from the Americas, are from Argentina.
#36 - Part 45
Australian Politics and Society - Part 21
>>21551364 Video: Jim Chalmers confirms census will include questions on sexual orientation and gender - Questions on both sexual orientation and gender will feature in Australia's next census, as the federal government seeks to repair the fallout from earlier efforts to abandon questions about LGBTIQ+ identity. Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed on the ABC's Insiders that the next census will include a new topic, which will canvass sexual orientation and gender, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics to determine the questions. "LGBTIQ+ Australians matter, they have been heard and they will count in the 2026 census," he said. The government has faced backlash from the LGBTQI+ community and the Labor caucus after it quietly confirmed it would not include the questions in the next census, despite it forming part of Labor's national platform. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reversed that and said one question on sexuality would be included. But now Mr Chalmers, who oversees the census, has confirmed a whole new topic would be added, which would allow for multiple questions to be canvassed. "We had good intentions and we listened to the community and we worked with the ABS and we said that we would find the best way through and I believe that we have," he told the ABC. "The government's role here is the topics. The ABS does the questions. They will continue to work in a professional and diligent and sensitive way with the community to make sure we get this right. I'm confident that we will."
>>21556683 Video: Inside the ASIO exhibition no one is invited to, except for former ASIO officers - Mike Burgess wants Australia's secret intelligence agency to take a few steps out of the shadows. For him, that means more communication with the outside world. He invited 7.30 into the usually hidden parts of ASIO HQ as they prepared for an important milestone. - ABC News In-depth
>>21558954 Food Standards in Australia and New Zealand are being changed so real food can be replaced with fake “food” - here’s what you can do - "The global mafia is trying to replace our real food with a fake gene-edited variety, without even telling us it is doing so. It wants to change regulations so that natural food and genetically modified (“GM”) laboratory food are legally regarded as the same thing! This is not some “conspiracy theory,” but a very real proposal currently being pushed through by corporate-controlled authorities. It is happening in Australia and New Zealand - longstanding colonies of the dark enslaving empire which are often used as testbeds for new forms of oppression. But you can be sure that, if they get away with it, this will then be rolled out everywhere." - expose-news.com
>>21561766 Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide: ADF brass, governments and bureaucrats fatally failed our Diggers - A landmark Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has proposed a new agency to transition former defence personnel into civilian life, sounded the alarm on the high rates of military sexual violence and backed a more ambitious processing time for veterans’ entitlements claims. After a three-year inquiry, the royal commission concluded that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs was not, in its current form, capable of delivering optimal wellbeing support to the veteran community or of addressing the risks of suicide. It found successive governments, the Australian Defence Force, the Defence Department and DVA had all failed to provide adequate support to those who had served their country, with veterans telling the royal commission they felt betrayed. Containing seven volumes and making 122 recommendations, the royal commission report noted that 1677 serving and former serving defence personnel had died by suicide between 1997 and 2021 – more than 20-times the number killed in active duty over the same period. Receiving the report on Monday, the government pledged to respond “shortly”, with Defence Minister Richard Marles saying it would do so “with complete thoroughness because those who wear our nation’s uniform deserve nothing less”. Mr Marles dedicated the final report to David Finney, a Royal Australian Navy petty officer whose 2019 suicide and treatment by Defence prompted his mother, Julie-Ann, to spearhead the campaign for a royal commission, with the Morrison government establishing the inquiry in July 2021.
#36 - Part 46
Australian Politics and Society - Part 22
>>21561794 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese proposes to legislate minimum age for social media use during current term of parliament - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to legislate a minimum age for social media use in a bid to “keep children safe” from the many dangers online. Mr Albanese made the announcement on Monday night, publishing a short message to his official social media channels. He revealed Labor was intent on putting forward the changes during this term of parliament. “We’ll legislate a minimum age for social media to keep children safe,” he wrote on X. “Parents tell me they’re worried about what age their kids should be on social media. “We’ll introduce legislation in this term of Parliament to enforce a minimum age for social media and other digital platforms. “It's about supporting parents and keeping kids safe.” It comes after Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced a similar initiative the same day. The South Australian government has also been pushing for a ban in recent days, pointing to various studies suggesting excessive use of social media can be harmful.
>>21561819 Video: Social media ban for children to be introduced this year, but age limit undetermined - Children aged up to 16 could be banned from social media, as the federal government promises legislation to impose a minimum age to use platforms like Facebook and Instagram by the end of this year. But the cut-off age won't be revealed until the government's trial of age verification technology is completed. It follows changes proposed by the South Australian government earlier this week, which would force social media companies to ban children 13 years old or younger or face fines. The push to ban children from using social media is now the formal policy of both major parties, after the Coalition said in June it would seek a bipartisan deal to do so. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was looking at the age range between 14 and 16, but he personally preferred a "higher limit". "What we're looking at is how you deliver it," Mr Albanese told ABC News Breakfast. "We know that it's not simple and it's not easy. Otherwise, governments would have responded before." The prime minister said a ban should be coordinated at a national level. "We want to make sure there's a national response rather than eight different states responses," Mr Albanese said. He said social media was taking children away from real-life experiences with friends and family.
>>21569718 Police pelted with poo, deploy stun grenades as Melbourne protests turn ugly - Police have fired rubber bullets at protesters and deployed stun grenades into crowds during ugly clashes in Melbourne outside a major weapons expo. City roads were locked down, tram routes disrupted and police forced to escort delegates into the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre on day one of the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition, a three-day conference which bills itself as Australia’s largest defence industry exhibition. Police officers were pelted with horse poo, rocks, eggs and rotten tomatoes, fires were lit in bins on the streets and anti-war protesters doused with pepper spray and tear gas. The Age reporters witnessed at least eight arrests, including one woman for allegedly spitting at police. Victoria Police are yet to confirm the number of arrests. Demonstrators began gathering outside the convention centre about 6am on Wednesday while others met in small groups around the CBD and marched towards the site from all sides. Drums were banged, protesters chanted “free, free Palestine”, and some waved Palestinian flags as the sun rose over Melbourne’s CBD. Hundreds later surrounded the entry to the convention centre, chanting “show me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like” and “land forces you can’t hide. You’re supporting genocide.” Those attempting to enter the international defence military expo were met with screams of “shame”. Anti-war activists say they are protesting against the Gaza war, and standing against the death and destruction brought by weapons of war. Hundreds of regional and interstate police officers were called in to bolster security ahead of a protest expected to be Victoria’s largest since the World Economic Forum protests in 2000.
#36 - Part 47
Australian Politics and Society - Part 23
>>21569755 Video: Police sprayed with acid by ‘anti-war protesters’ in Melbourne - More than 30 people have been charged after police were sprayed with acid by “anti-war protesters” in heated scenes outside a Melbourne weapons expo. As thousands gathered in the city CBD on Wednesday morning, a major street was blocked off, riot police were called in and journalists were harassed live on camera. Protesters clashed with police outside the exhibition, throwing horse manure and rocks, while officers made arrests and swung batons in efforts to subdue tensions. Chief Commissioner Patton said police were attacked by the protesters. He said 24 officers had been treated for a range of injuries including sprains, strains, irritants and substances thrown at them requiring decontamination. Police horses were also targeted. “I do say targeted because I’m told a number were punched,” he said. “The protesters did try and distract the horses, and there was some officers have said they actually had feces thrown at them. “This is the type of disgusting behavior that we saw today from a group who are intent on confronting us at this stage.” “Some police have been spat at by protesters, whilst other officers have been sprayed with a liquid irritant, some of which has been identified as acid,” Victoria Police said.
>>21569779 Video: Violent turn by pro-Palestinian movement using acid and projectiles a strategic mistake - "The use of acid, projectiles and the targeting of police horses by anti-war protesters is a disgusting low among a group of demonstrators who have lost their moral compass. Victoria Police was right to fight back, sending the clearest possible message to pro-Palestinian and anti-war protesters that it won’t idly stand by and accept such criminal behaviour. Anti-riot officers hit back with a series of deafening blasts and front-foot policing designed to contain violent extremism. For the first time since the pandemic unrest, police pulled out the rubber bullets, batons, teargas and stun grenades to put protesters back in their collective box. They deserved what they got. By going so hard, police are flagging to protesters that violence against officers and their horses will not be tolerated, regardless of the cause. While the Land Forces 24 conference was the purported target of the protesters, the 2000 or so people who marched were united under the banner of supporting Gaza. However, the strategy, fuelled by hard core socialists, relied heavily on violent resistance. This was a mistake. Throwing acid, tearing down security walls, hurling stones and horse manure at police and their horses triggered the firmest anti-riot response in years. The decision to adopt violent protest tactics was a sharp shift from the past 11 months, when most of the public pro-Palestine rallies have erred on the side of peace. Wednesday’s rally changes this dynamic." - John Ferguson, Associate Editor - theaustralian.com.au
>>21569783 King Charles and Queen Camilla’s three day royal visit to Sydney and Canberra - King Charles will have a distinctly short and focused visit to Australia next month in recognition of his ongoing battle with cancer. In a sharp contrast to the weeks-long royal tours and popular walk about of previous visits, this longed for trip by Charles is confined to engagements in Sydney and Canberra over three days and factors in extra rest periods. One of the last engagements is for Charles to learn about the groundbreaking cancer research led by Australians of the Year, Professor Georgina Long and Professor Richard Scolyer. Courtiers have been at pains to ensure the royal trip, starting on the evening of Friday October 18, will not fatigue the King who has had to modify his exacting and long working hours while undergoing cancer treatment. Earlier pre-cancer plans for an extensive tour including all states of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific were ripped up when his health deteriorated at the beginning of the year. He last visited Australia in 2018 for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, but this is Charles’ first visit here since becoming King two years ago. After their arrival the King will rest for a day before being involved in a Sydney engagement on the Sunday. Then on Monday they will be welcomed to Parliament House by Prime Minister Albanese at a reception for politicians, community leaders and those who have excelled in the fields of health, arts, culture and sport.
#36 - Part 48
Australian Politics and Society - Part 24
>>21569791 Parents celebrate restricting children’s access to a habit akin to ‘kiddie cocaine’ - As a Generation X father, Michael Murray is happy a government is proposing laws that “are on our side” in many parents’ fight to keep their children safe from the harmful effects of social media. Age requirements keeping young people off apps are very welcome for parents such as Murray, who finished school before the communication revolution began. Many in his demographic say they struggle to contain the influence of social media, the heavy use of which has been linked in research to poor mental health among young people. “We’ve dealt with so many little spot fires that have popped up here and there [through behaviour on social apps], so when I hear of a law that at the bare minimum limits social media use, it’s fantastic,” Murray says. “My daughter, Zoe, may have a different view.” He is right. Zoe, 13, believes being able to talk to friends on apps such as Snapchat and TikTok makes social media a positive addition to young people’s lives. “I mostly use it to message my friends,” she says. “Mainly since the start of COVID, we didn’t really have the option to meet one another, so it mainly started then. “I feel like it’s pretty cool because I can see what people are up to.” However, Zoe is aware of a downside: it is easy to get bullied on social media. But parents on platforms used by older generations, such as Facebook and Instagram, may not understand how young people use newer apps, she says.
>>21572228 Video: Facebook admits to scraping every Australian adult user's public photos and posts to train AI, with no opt-out option - Facebook is scraping the public data of all Australian adults on the platform, it has acknowledged in an inquiry. Facebook has admitted that it scrapes the public photos, posts and other data of Australian adult users to train its AI models and provides no opt-out option, even though it allows people in the European Union to refuse consent. Meta's global privacy director Melinda Claybaugh was pressed at an inquiry as to whether the social media giant was hoovering up the data of all Australians in order to build its generative artificial intelligence tools, and initially rejected that claim. Labor senator Tony Sheldon asked whether Meta had used Australian posts from as far back as 2007 to feed its AI products, to which Ms Claybaugh responded "we have not done that". But that was quickly challenged by Greens senator David Shoebridge. Shoebridge: "The truth of the matter is that unless you have consciously set those posts to private since 2007, Meta has just decided that you will scrape all of the photos and all of the texts from every public post on Instagram or Facebook since 2007, unless there was a conscious decision to set them on private. That's the reality, isn't it? - Claybaugh: "Correct." Ms Claybaugh added that accounts of people under 18 were not scraped, but when asked by Senator Sheldon whether public photos of his own children on his account would be scraped, Ms Claybaugh acknowledged they would.
>>21575721 Guns, sandwiches and a 60-tonne tank: Inside the Land Forces expo - Even as anti-war protesters battled with police outside the Melbourne Convention Centre on Wednesday, a sense of cool, corporate calm prevailed on the other side of Victoria Police’s ring of steel. Inside the vast building, after negotiating layers of security checks, military officials, lobbyists and weapons makers had gathered for one of the world’s biggest defence exhibitions. The three-day event, staged with support of the Australian Defence Force and the state government, and a decent dollop of corporate sponsorship topped-up by ticket sales, is closed to the public. Land Forces is billed as a chance to bring much of the defence world together, from the US military to manufacturers in the Czech Republic, to show off its latest technology. When The Age visited on Wednesday, there were exhibits boasting new tech like quantum sensors, or geared to humanitarian aims: bringing clean water (and portable loos) to war zones, or developing armour for dogs at the front line. But throughout, guns, drones, armoured vehicles and missiles were on display, some of them from companies like Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, targeted by protesters for their direct ties to the Israeli Defence Forces and the war in Gaza. The biggest pieces of matériel were at the back of the expo hall. If you build up enough speed in a 60-tonne tank, you can jump a trench or a stream, said Bernie Maus, who commands Abrams tanks for the ADF. “It’s just not much fun if you’re inside it.”
#36 - Part 49
Australian Politics and Society - Part 25
>>21575731 Military is happy to buy arms off Israel, says Chief of Army - Israel’s top arms companies have defied protesters and rising international criticism over the war in Gaza to spruik cutting-edge capabilities at the Land Forces expo in Melbourne, as Australia’s Chief of Army declared he had no problem buying weapons from the Jewish state. As pro-Palestine protests turned violent outside the biennial weapons fair, Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer IAI said it was ready to provide the ADF with “whatever they need” at a “competitive price” to deal with advanced threats. Another Israeli company, Rafael, said its air defence systems offered “amazing interception rates”, pointing to the country’s almost complete success in taking out more than 300 Iranian drones and missiles in April. Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart said he saw no obstacle to the service purchasing more Israeli equipment if it could protect Australian personnel. “We’ve certainly purchased a range of (Israeli) equipment over the years,” he told The Australian. “What we want to do is ensure we’ve got the best possible equipment we can possibly get our hands on to ensure that our people have the best chance of fulfilling their mission … and coming home to their families.” The West’s biggest weapons companies, including the US’s Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman, and Britain’s BAE Systems, are among hundreds of exhibitors at the three-day Land Forces expo.
>>21575759 ‘National shame’: Richard Marles strips medals from Afghanistan war commanders - Defence Minister Richard Marles has stripped distinguished service medals from commanding officers who held senior roles during the war in Afghanistan, taking up the key remaining recommendation of the Brereton inquiry into alleged war crimes by Australian troops. Marles’ long-awaited move, which comes just days after the release of the final royal commission report into veteran suicide, has infuriated veterans groups who say the officers involved are being unfairly punished for others’ alleged wrongdoing. The decision does not affect those accused of war crimes themselves, such as Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith. A Federal Court judge, applying the civil standard of the balance of probabilities, found that Roberts-Smith was complicit in the murder of four unarmed civilians in Afghanistan during a defamation case against this masthead last year. He has not been charged with any crime and maintains his innocence. A government source said the Brereton report did not deal with bravery medals such as the Victoria Cross, and that Marles’ response was limited to responding to that inquiry. The honours issue has been sitting on Marles’ desk since May 2023, when then-Defence Force chief Angus Campbell wrote to a small group of Afghan veterans to inform them he had recommended the minister terminate their awards for distinguished and conspicuous service on warlike operations. The government has declined to identify the names of the officers who have been stripped of their medals, and has not revealed exactly how many people received letters from Marles informing them of his decision. Government sources who were not authorised to speak publicly said that up to nine people had been stripped of their awards and fewer than 15 people received letters from Marles. This suggests Marles rejected Campbell’s recommendation for a handful of officers, allowing them to retain their honours. Most are understood to have left the Defence Force.
>>21575904 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Chargé d’Affaires Erika Olson joined Chief of @AustralianArmy Lieutenant Stuart and @USARPAC General Flynn in Melbourne to remember the 2,977 lives lost - including the lives of 10 Australians — on September 11, 2001.
>>21575909 General Charles A. Flynn Tweet: Lest we forget… Honored to join LTGEN Stuart, CdA Erika Olson, GEN Rainey and LtGen Turner at the 9/11 memorial service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia. “We will remember them” with our @AustralianArmy allies. #ArmyinthePacific #AlliesandPartners
>>21575913 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Today, we remember the 2,977 lives lost - including 10 Australians - on September 11, 2001. To honor them, our embassy community gathered for a moment of reflection.
#36 - Part 50
Australian Politics and Society - Part 26
>>21582732 Peter Dutton goes into battle for Diggers - Peter Dutton has accused the government of throwing lower-ranked officers “under the bus” amid an escalating political brawl over Labor’s decision to shield senior commanders from the fallout from the Brereton war crimes inquiry. Richard Marles stripped distinguished service medals from up to nine mid-ranking officers this week for dozens of war crimes by troops under their command in Afghanistan, while allowing top commanders, including former defence chief Angus Campbell, to keep their leadership awards. Amid a growing backlash, the Opposition Leader suggested the penalty should have extended to the top of the chain of command. “Why is it OK to throw lower-ranked Diggers under the bus, but those who are higher up the chain avoid any scrutiny?” the former defence minister told the Today Show. “And the Chief of the Army, the Chief of the Defence Force and people in between those ranks … why is there no accountability there? I think that’s why the average Digger is asking a lot of questions.” The Defence Minister hit back, accusing Mr Dutton of failing to hold any commanders to account for the crimes identified in the Brereton report, which the Coalition received 18 months before Labor was returned to office. “When he was the defence minister, he actively suspended making a decision in relation to command accountability,” Mr Marles said. “Difficult decisions require leadership. That’s what I’ve done as the Minister for Defence so that we can close out the Brereton report.” Mr Marles said the government had followed to the report’s findings “to the letter”.
>>21582936 Elon Musk calls Australian government ‘fascists’ over move to regulate online misinformation - Elon Musk has called the Australian government “fascists” over new legislation aimed at tackling deliberate lies spread on social media. Social media companies could be fined up to 5% of their annual turnover under the commonwealth’s proposed laws. Musk, the US billionaire who owns the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, responded to a post about Australia’s measures with one word. “Fascists,” he wrote. But the federal minister Bill Shorten said Musk was inconsistent on free speech. “When it’s in his commercial interests, he is the champion of free speech; when he doesn’t like it, he’s going to shut it all down,” he said on Channel Nine’s breakfast show on Friday. The assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, said Musk’s comment was “crackpot stuff”. Jones told ABC TV that the government’s new bill on misinformation and disinformation was a matter of “sovereignty”. “Whether it’s the Australian government or any other government around the world, we assert our right to pass laws which will keep Australians safe – safe from scammers, safe from criminals,” he said. “For the life of me, I can’t see how Elon Musk or anyone else, in the name of free speech, thinks it is OK to have social media platforms publishing scam content, which is robbing Australians of billions of dollars every year. Publishing deepfake material, publishing child pornography. Livestreaming murder scenes. I mean, is this what he thinks free speech is all about?”
>>21582990 Video: Australia threatens fines for social media giants enabling misinformation - Australia said it will fine internet platforms up to 5% of their global revenue for failing to prevent the spread of misinformation online, joining a worldwide push to rein in borderless tech giants but angering free speech advocates. The government said it would make tech platforms set codes of conduct governing how they stop dangerous falsehoods spreading, to be approved by a regulator. The regulator would set its own standard if a platform failed to do so, then fine companies for non-compliance. The legislation, to be introduced in parliament on Thursday, targets false content that hurts election integrity or public health, calls for denouncing a group or injuring a person, or risks disrupting key infrastructure or emergency services. The bill is part of a wide-ranging regulatory crackdown by Australia, where leaders have complained that foreign-domiciled tech platforms are overriding the country's sovereignty, and comes ahead of a federal election due within a year. Already Facebook owner Meta has said it may block professional news content if it is forced to pay royalties, while X, formerly Twitter, has removed most content moderation since being bought by billionaire Elon Musk in 2022. "Misinformation and disinformation pose a serious threat to the safety and wellbeing of Australians, as well as to our democracy, society and economy," said Communications Minister Michelle Rowland in a statement. "Doing nothing and allowing this problem to fester is not an option."
#36 - Part 51
Australian Politics and Society - Part 27
>>21589813 Australian PM hits back at Musk after 'fascists' quip - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hit back at Elon Musk on Saturday after the tech mogul called his government "fascists" for proposing laws that would fine social media giants for spreading misinformation. Australia introduced a "combating misinformation" bill earlier this week, which includes sweeping powers to fine tech giants up to five percent of their annual turnover for breaching online safety obligations. "Fascists," Musk posted Thursday on his social media platform X. But Albanese fired back at Musk on Saturday, saying social media "has a social responsibility". "If Mr Musk doesn't understand that, that says more about him than it does about my government," he told reporters Saturday. The exchange between Musk and Australian officials is the latest in a long-running spat with the Australian government over social media regulation. Australia's government is exploring a raft of new measures that would see social media companies take greater accountability for the content on their platforms - including a ban for those under 16 years old. The country's online watchdog took Musk's company to court earlier this year, alleging it had failed to remove "extremely violent" videos that showed a Sydney preacher being stabbed. But it abruptly dropped its attempt to force a global takedown order on X after Musk scored a legal victory in a preliminary hearing, a move he celebrated as a free speech triumph.
>>21600882 Breaking News:Donald Trump survives another apparent assassination attempt- Donald Trump was the target of a second apparent assassination attempt Sunday when Secret Service agents opened fire on a gunman at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where the former president was golfing just a few holes away. Trump was unhurt, and the gunman fled but was arrested shortly later. At least one agent, who was one or two holes ahead of Trump on the course, fired after spotting the man pointing a rifle through a fence, law-enforcement officials said. A witness saw the man dart out of bushes and take off in a black Nissan, which helped sheriff’s deputies track and stop him while he was headed down I-95. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said that Trump, who was between the fifth and sixth holes on the course, was one or two holes behind at least one secret service agent who was in advance of the golf party. The ex-president was about 400 yards away (365m) from the gunman, Bradshaw added, when the secret service engaged the suspect after spotting the rifle. The man, whom law-enforcement officials identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was detained and is facing criminal charges. Investigators said they didn’t know if the gunman himself fired a shot during the encounter. Authorities found an AK-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks and a GoPro portable camera - suggesting the gunman wanted to film himself - in the bushes where he was hiding, Bradshaw said. “With a rifle and a scope like that, that’s not a long distance,” he said. The FBI said it was investigating the incident as an assassination attempt. “I AM SAFE AND WELL!” Trump said in a fundraising campaign email sent shortly after the incident. He added “Nothing will slow me down. I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!” The West Palm Beach shooting comes two months after a 20-year-old gunman tried to kill Trump during a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire from a rooftop about 400 feet away from where Trump spoke, killing a spectator, injuring two others and wounding the former president in the ear. Secret Service agents shot back, killing Crooks. The agency has been under intense scrutiny since then, as multiple investigations examine how it failed to prevent that assassination attempt.
#36 - Part 52
Australian Politics and Society - Part 28
>>21600900 What are the political implications of this second foiled plot to kill Donald Trump? - "For a short time after Thomas Crooks attempted to kill Trump at Butler, Pennsylvania rally in July some Democrats tempered their rhetoric about Trump, but not for long. The Democrat party convention in Chicago made clear in stark terms the former president was the greatest danger to US governance in the country’s history. Vice President Harris, who has routinely cast Trump as an existential threat to US democracy who would be a dictator, said in a public statement after the attempted attack that she was “glad” Trump was safe. Are those two positions congruent? Some might think she couldn’t believe both at once. The second murder attempt will also fuel conspiracy theories among Republicans about supposed orchestrated attempts to remove Trump from the race, one that he has a better chance of winning according to polls than in both 2016 and 2020, when, as it turned out, polls had significantly understated the Republican’s support. Questions are already being asked about how Routh knew about Trump’s whereabouts, given the Republican candidate doesn’t have a public schedule, and was on his own property. For all his bravado after the event, the 78-year-old Trump himself must fear for his life in coming months. Where there is a will there’s a way, and the former president has insisted on doing outdoor rallies despite advice not to. He does not have the same level of security as the president or vice president. For instance, if Harris had been paying golf the entire golf course would have been secured with hundreds of secret service agents. Trump has a handful of security around him at all times. The second attempt on Trump’s life within nine weeks, breaking the history books, points to the profound hatred for the former president among a small segment of US society. For all the forecasts the July attempt on his life would secure Trump’s victory in November, coverage of the assassination dropped to almost zero weeks later. It’s probable this attempt will be almost forgotten in a fortnight too." - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au
>>21600939 The blasts, the battle and at last an apology. Now it’s time for action - As the Australian army’s highest-ranking officer was scrambling to workshop his response to accusations that Diggers’ brains have been exposed to avoidable trauma, the ex-special forces operator who has been the issue’s biggest agitator was meeting US defence officials in Washington. Former lieutenant colonel Paul Scanlan wasn’t in the American capital on official Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance business. Nor was he a formal envoy of the Australian military he served for 27 years, including on multiple overseas deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor. His military background helped get him through the back door of Pentagon bodies such as the US Defence Health Agency, but Scanlan’s mission was decidedly personal. A tall, striking veteran with a booming laugh and boundless energy, he believes the Australian Defence Force and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs have badly mismanaged the brain trauma caused by exposure to repeated blasts in training and battle, including in soldiers he served with. These blasts cause pressure waves that compress and, experts claim, damage brain tissue in soldiers, including those who have never seen action. “The US interim guidance, as of 2022, is 4 PSI [pounds per square inch] per single exposure. Australia doesn’t have any guidance,” Scanlan says. “We’re also missing the cumulative blast exposure. You could be doing say 10 to 20 of these at three PSI, 20, 30, 60 PSI a day. And we don’t know what that long-term cumulative exposure is.” Rather than lobby for change from afar - as many veterans and their families have done to drive the landmark devastating royal commission findings into veterans’ suicide last week - Scanlan has worked on getting inside the tent.
#36 - Part 53
Australian Politics and Society - Part 29
>>21607471 Video:Daniel Andrews car crash: Review concludes police investigation was ‘deeply flawed’, ‘unfounded’ and ‘contrary to the available evidence’- A bombshell review of the Daniel and Catherine Andrews car crash has found Victoria Police engaged in “an overt cover-up to avoid implicating a political figure in a life-threatening” incident. The explosive 36-page assessment by a former police assistant commissioner asserts that the Andrews’ family SUV was “travelling at speed” and on the wrong side of the road when it struck teenage cyclist Ryan Meuleman in a Blairgowrie side street on January 7, 2013. The former premier and his wife have always insisted that they came to a “complete stop” and “turned right from a stationary position” just “moments” before being “T-boned” by the bike. But the expert review, conducted by the state’s former Assistant Commissioner for Traffic and Operations Dr Raymond Shuey, concludes the police investigation which supported the Andrews’ version of events was “deeply flawed”, “unfounded” and “contrary to the available evidence”. “The version as provided by Catherine and Daniel Andrews is considered improbable and implausible,” Dr Shuey asserts. “The truth is still outstanding. It is most probable that the vehicle undertook a sweep turn at speed, cutting the corner and still on the incorrect side of the roadway in Ridley St, 27 metres from Melbourne Rd when the collision occurred.” “The propagation of a lie” and “a striking deception”, the report finds, began when the driver’s name was recorded as “Catherine Louise Kesik” – Mrs Andrews’ maiden name – in a Traffic Incident System report submitted by police in the hours after the crash. “This is contrary to the name of Andrews as recorded by police as contemporaneous notes on the form 502, the investigation notes, TAC reports, statements and all other recordings provided,” it says. “Kesik then becomes the name under which the crash is indexed and retrievable. This irregularity would be a ‘standout’ for supervisors, insurance, legal reviewers … “It is my opinion that this deception is part of a course of conduct and a component of an overt cover-up to avoid implicating a political figure in a life-threatening crash. Failure by supervisors and reviewers to identify this or seek explanation is inexcusable.”
>>21607487 Video:‘Daniel Andrews in various press statements reconstructed versions clearly intended to place fault on the cyclist’’- Daniel Andrews has always insisted in his evidence that Ryan Meuleman’s bike struck his family’s Ford Territory “at speed”. “He absolutely T-boned the car, hit it at such force he was literally inside the car,” the former premier once declared of the 2013 Blairgowrie crash. But a review of his statements to police reveals that Mr Andrews admitted, in his own words, that he actually had no way of knowing that was the case. “The first I saw of him was when he smashed into the windscreen on the driver’s side,” he said in his sworn statement to police. It’s a contradiction former assistant commissioner Dr Raymond Shuey hammers home in his review of the crash. “Both statements cannot be true,” he asserts. “Daniel Andrews in various press statements reconstructed versions clearly intended to place fault on the cyclist.” Instead, Dr Shuey paints a very different picture of the likely cause of the near-fatal collision - a speeding car that cut the corner of Melbourne Road, smashing into Ryan on the wrong side of Ridley St – just 1.5m from the far edge of the right hand side of the roadway – 27 metres up from the intersection. “It was definitely not a low-speed vehicle impact,” the 36-page review asserts. “It was definitely not a high-speed bike impact against a slow speed vehicle - otherwise the flip motion of the cyclist would have been in a different and opposite direction to his actual trajectory. “If the vehicle was travelling from a stationary start in Melbourne Road (as stated by Catherine and Daniel Andrews), 27 metres prior to impact, it would not have reached the resultant speed to cause the damage and injuries. “Low speed impacts propel pedestrians and cyclists forward of impact. This impact was so severe, it flipped the cyclist … onto the bonnet, propulsion over the roof line and then sideways onto the roadway.”
#36 - Part 54
Australian Politics and Society - Part 30
>>21607498 Daniel Andrews car crash:‘Appalling conspiracy theories’: Andrews blasts former cop’s crash claims- Former premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine have issued a rare joint statement post-politics to blast a report by a former police officer that cast doubt on their version of a 2013 car accident that injured a teenager. The report was compiled by former police assistant commissioner Dr Raymond Shuey, shortly before his death, in his capacity as an expert witness for a court case brought by Ryan Meuleman, who was hit by the couple’s car when riding his bike. Meuleman is suing his former lawyers over the handling of his original claim for compensation after the crash. Previous investigations by Victoria Police and the state’s integrity watchdog have cleared Daniel and Catherine Andrews over the accident and its handling. In their statement, the couple took aim at the Herald Sun, which first published the report’s findings on Tuesday, describing the article as “conspiracy theories dressed up as journalism”. Andrews’ wife, Catherine, was driving a taxpayer-funded 4WD when the then 15-year-old cyclist was hit. Andrews, who was opposition leader at the time, was also in the car, along with the couple’s three children. Shuey’s report, seen by The Age, alleges authorities engaged in an “overt cover-up to avoid implicating a political figure in a life-threatening crash”. In response, the couple said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon: “This so-called report was commissioned by lawyers on behalf of their clients who are seeking money through the courts by suing their former lawyers. “We are not a party to this legal action. We did nothing wrong. This matter has already been comprehensively and independently investigated and closed by Victoria Police and integrity agencies. “We will not dignify these appalling conspiracy theories by commenting further at this time.” Meuleman, who in 2022 secured an $80,000 compensation payout from the Transport Accident Commission, is suing his former law firm, Slater & Gordon. He alleges the firm did not conduct a thorough enough investigation into the January 7 2013 crash and that the firm should have fought for a larger payout.
>>21614315 Ukraine fury as Australia offloads military gear on ‘eBay for weapons’ - Decommissioned Australian military equipment keenly sought by Ukraine to help its fight against invading Russian forces is being sold for recreational use on eBay-style auction websites, angering the Ukrainian diaspora and sparking calls for an overhaul of Defence Force disposal policies. The federal government has rebuffed repeated entreaties to send hundreds of Chinese-made surveillance drones to Ukraine that were grounded because of security concerns but work perfectly and have played a crucial role in saving Ukrainian soldiers’ lives. The Ukrainian-Australian community was bitterly disappointed earlier this year when the government opted to dismantle and bury its grounded fleet of MRH-90 Taipan helicopters rather than take up a formal request to donate them to the Ukrainian army. The Pickles Auctions firm has monthly online auctions of decommissioned military equipment, with the next sell-off slated for early October. In recent months, the firm’s Facebook page has invited “off-road enthusiasts” to bid on decommissioned army long-range patrol vehicles, troop carriers and Land Rovers, saying “there’s a vehicle to suit every adventure”. One of the long-range patrol vehicles - used by Special Air Services soldiers in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars – reportedly sold for $113,000 last year. Kateryna Argyrou, co-chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, said it was “short-sighted and baffling” to see retired Australian Defence Force (ADF) cargo trucks, troop carriers and inflatable boats for sale online when they could be put to use on the battlefield.
#36 - Part 55
Australian Politics and Society - Part 31
>>21629166 Anthony Albanese won’t meet Donald Trump during his visit to the US for the Quad summit - Anthony Albanese has brushed off suggestions he should seek a meeting with Donald Trump as the Prime Minister touched down in Philadelphia ahead of meetings with the leaders of India, the US and Japan to co-ordinate how to push back against Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific. After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to the former president’s Florida home of Mar-a-Lago in July to meet the Republican presidential candidate, and ahead of a scheduled meeting between India’s Narendra Modi and Mr Trump next week, Mr Albanese declined to use the former president’s name at a brief press conference on Thursday (Friday AEST). “I’m meeting the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and I’ll be meeting President Biden and meeting Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida and Prime Minister Modi. That’s the purpose of my visit here,” he said. He said he would raise with Mr Modi the issue of India’s spying in Australia. The talks are to take place during the weekend’s Quad leaders’ summit in the US in what will be Mr Albanese’s first meeting with his Indian counterpart since revelations that ASIO had expelled an Indian “nest of spies”. “That will no doubt be something that is raised,” Mr Albanese said, describing Australia’s relationship with India as “a very strong one”. “What I do is I raise issues privately. That’s how we deal with things diplomatically. I will continue to do so.”
>>21632672 Anthony Albanese has become the first foreign leader invited to Joe Biden’s private home ahead of a Quad leaders summit - Anthony Albanese has expressed his concern over the series of attempts on Donald Trump’s life after a wide ranging meeting with Joe Biden at his private home in Delaware, a day ahead of the next Quad leaders summit, which also includes Japan and India. The Prime Minister, speaking at a press conference in Philadelphia on Friday night (Saturday AEST), said he was “very concerned about any disruption to democratic processes” when asked about the recent spate of assassination attempts on the Republican presidential candidate. “Democracy is something we can’t take for granted. We need to cherish it. We need to nurture it. And there’s no place for violence in democratic processes, whether it be extreme examples of assassination attempts, obviously, but other forms of violence as well,” he told reporters. Mr Albanese, who yesterday dismissed suggestions he should have sought a meeting with Mr Trump, became the first foreign leader to visit Joe Biden’s private residence in Delaware on Friday, where the President was accompanied by his national security Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy. “It was a very warm and engaging discussion. It was a discussion between allies and a discussion between friends, which is what Australia is with our friends here in the United States,” Mr Albanese said after the 90 minute discussion, which took place on the eve of this year’s Quad summit to take place on Saturday (Sunday AEST).
>>21632721 Joe Biden hosts Anthony Albanese at his home ahead of Quad meeting - The US president has hosted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at his personal home, in what could be the last official one-on-one meeting between the leaders. Joe Biden welcomed Mr Albanese to his property in Wilmington, Delaware, ahead of an annual gathering of the Quad - a grouping that also includes India and Japan. "My understanding is it was the first time that a foreign leader has met him at his home," the prime minister said afterwards in the nearby city of Philadelphia. "And so I feel that it was a great honour for that." The president has invited Quad leaders to visit his hometown four months before his term in the White House comes to an end. Asked about the concerns around Mr Biden's age and capacity to do the job that saw him withdraw from this year's election, Mr Albanese argued the president was "fit and totally on top of his brief". "I regard him as a friend and, importantly, someone who I can learn from," he said. The pair swapped gifts, as is traditional on such visits, with Mr Albanese giving the president an official Royal Australian Air Force flight jacket with a "Joe Biden" name patch. The prime minister received a framed artwork depicting Delaware landmarks, made with wood sourced from the state.
#36 - Part 56
Australian Politics and Society - Part 32
>>21632742 Video: Australian Federal Police raids 'dismantle' crime syndicate, see alleged creator of app for criminal underworld arrested and charged - A series of Tuesday morning raids conducted by the Australian Federal Police has seen dozens of people charged with illicit drug trafficking, conspiracy, destruction of records and supporting a criminal organisation and firearm charges. At the top of the list is a 32-year-old Sydney man Jay Je Yoon Jung, charged over allegedly creating and administering "Ghost", an encrypted messaging platform the AFP says has been specifically designed for use by the criminal underworld. The Narwee man is the first Australian-based person accused of creating an app of this kind. It is alleged he launched it nine years ago when he was 23 years of age. The AFP alleges he collected millions of dollars from his enterprise. Commander Paula Hudson is head of Operation Kraken and spoke exclusively to 7.30 about the AFP's ability to infiltrate the Ghost app in March this year, which gave them access to 125,000 messages sent by users. "We will be alleging that this platform is solely being used for criminality and serious organised crime, drug trafficking, drug importation, tobacco trafficking, firearms trafficking, money laundering," Commander Hudson told 7.30. "Threatening to murder, threatening to harm, standover tactics and criminals seeking to do damage to people." Those messages were further detailed on Wednesday by AFP Assistant Commissioner Kirsty Schofield, who said the AFP were able to stop all threats made to life. "On one occasion we could see over the platform an image of a person who had a firearm to their head," Assistant Commissioner Schofield said. "We had an hour in which to respond to that threat and pass that information to our state and territory partners to mitigate that threat." AFP officers seized 205kg of illicit drugs, 25 weapons and $1.2 million of cash during the raids. On Tuesday 700 AFP members were mobilised to execute search warrants across four states.
>>21642606 Peter Dutton vows to scrap First Nations ambassador position if elected - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has promised to scrap the role of First Nations people's ambassador, a new position created under the Albanese government, if the Coalition is elected at the next election. Justin Mohamed, a Gooreng Gooreng man, was appointed to the position in April last year to lead the government's efforts in "implementing a First Nations approach to foreign policy". Announcing the first-of-its-kind appointment, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the new position ensured Australia would have dedicated Indigenous representation in international engagements for the first time. In an interview with 2GB Radio on Monday, Mr Dutton said the position would be "abolished on day one" of a Coalition government. "That money will be spent to help Australians who are struggling at the moment," he said. The comments came after The Daily Telegraph reported that the government had spent more than $145,000 on Mr Mohamed's travel expenses in the past financial year. The story was based on documents detailing the cost of Mr Mohamed's travel between April last year and June, released under Freedom of Information earlier this month. "I'm not going to tolerate a situation where we are wasting taxpayer money," Mr Dutton said. "Nobody can point to what it has achieved. It's the only position of its nature in the world, and it was all about talking to the Voice [to Parliament] and the Makarrata Commission and truth-telling."
#36 - Part 57
Australian Politics and Society - Part 33
>>21642659, >>21648303 Women to be induced from 28 weeks instead of getting abortions under proposed SA law changes - People who want to terminate their pregnancy after 28 weeks could be required to instead deliver their baby alive under proposed changes to laws in South Australia that decriminalised abortion three years ago. Liberal MP Ben Hood will introduce a bill in the SA upper house on Wednesday so that people pregnant for more than 27 weeks and six days would be induced instead of getting an abortion. Under SA legislation passed in 2021, a pregnant person can get a late-term abortion after 22 weeks and six days if medically appropriate and with the approval of two doctors. "What my amendments hope to do, is balance the choice of the mother with the rights of the child," Mr Hood said. "This importantly balances and does not impinge upon the rights of a mother to choose a termination. "When that child is born alive it will receive neonatal care - and then, if it is the choice of the mother - that baby will be put up for adoption." Mr Hood said the "unintended consequences" of the current legislation were 45 babies being aborted after 22 weeks and six days over an 18-month period. The South Australian Abortion Reporting Committee reported eight late-term terminations in 2022 and 37 in 2023 because of a risk to the physical or mental health of the pregnant person. The reports do not make clear how many of those were beyond 28 weeks.
>>21648220 Melbourne woman arrested in Turkey is human rights activist, not terrorist, says local councillor - A Melbourne woman arrested in Turkey over alleged connections to a Kurdish nationalist group has been described as a “human rights activist, not a terrorist” by a local councillor and friend in Australia. Turkish media reported Cigdem Aslan, who also goes by Lenna Aslan, was arrested by the country’s National Intelligence Organisation and police at Istanbul Airport last week before she could return to Australia. The 51-year-old was reportedly detained on suspicion of conducting activities for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, also known as the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organisation in Turkey and Australia. Merri-bek councillor Sue Bolton, who has known Aslan for more than a decade, said the mother of two was an active member of the Melbourne Kurdish community and passionate about ending discrimination against and oppression of Kurds. “She’s a good friend of mine,” Bolton, who is from the Socialist Alliance, said. “She is a salt-of-the-earth humanitarian. She is a human rights activist. She is not a terrorist.” Bolton said she was deeply worried about Aslan, an experienced nurse who she said had serious health issues. Turkish media said Aslan co-chaired a Kurdish organisation linked to the PKK and alleged she had participated in Australian protests against Turkish raids on Kurdish forces in Iraq. Turkish pro-government newspaper The Daily Sabah also reported Aslan had Australian-based links to the PKK. The newspaper alleged she had been tracked by Turkish intelligence “for a long time” and had been in contact with “high-level members of the terror group”. Bolton said she did not believe this was true. She said Aslan’s friends and the Australian Kurdish community were lobbying politicians to help bring her home.
#36 - Part 58
Australian Politics and Society - Part 34
>>21655824 "Where we go one, we go all":Dentons chief Doug Stipanicev denies QAnon town hall reference- The local chief of the world’s largest law firm once ended an all-staff town hall with a slogan associated with the far-right QAnon movement, a leaked video has revealed, amid allegations he sent anti-vax and anti-Semitic material to a former partner at the firm. In the video, stood-aside Dentons Australasia CEO and Australian chair Doug Stipanicev is seen telling employees to “maintain that rage” that came following the Covid-19 pandemic to increase the firm’s size and client contact. He then says a motto that is used by extremist conspiracy group QAnon - “where we go one, we go all” - and tells employees it is time for afternoon tea. It is not clear whether Mr Stipanicev was aware of QAnon’s use of the slogan. Mr Stipanicev told The Australian it was not his intention for the slogan to refer to QAnon, but rather related to a 1996 film in which teenage boys and their captain learn about life and loyalty sailing a boat through a deadly storm. “The slogan was in a sailing movie called White Squall,” Mr Stipanicev told The Australian. “I thought it was apt for a law firm - we work as a team and succeed together - and is meant to foster collaboration and team effort and belonging.” The motto may have been used to encourage employees of the firm to continue to grow and develop following the pandemic. The Australian understands Mr Stipanicev’s address to the all-staff meeting occurred around June 2022, just after many Covid-19 restrictions had eased. “We set out at the beginning of Covid to be stronger on the other side. We are stronger on the other side. We are significantly stronger on the other side,” Mr Stipanicev said in a video snippet of the address, obtained by this masthead. “We have our focus now on scale, connect and innovate. We propose to maintain that rage to continue to increase the size of this firm, increase our client contact, increase our people. We will do it together. Where we go one, we go all.” A former Dentons employee, who was in the room at the time, said “several employees” understood the slogan was associated with QAnon.
>>21660526 Back to Camelot:Caroline Kennedy set to leave Australia in months- Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador to Australia, is planning to wrap up her Canberra posting within months regardless of whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris wins November’s presidential election. Kennedy, the daughter of late president John F. Kennedy, arrived in Australia in July 2022 with much fanfare owing to her status as a member of America’s most storied political dynasty. The widespread expectation in diplomatic circles is that Kennedy will end her high-profile posting by the time of the presidential inauguration on January 20, in line with American diplomatic conventions. She was definitive about her plans in an April interview with a Perth FM radio station that went under the radar at the time. “I’ll be finished up next January,” Kennedy told Nova 93.7 when asked whether she had a set term in Australia. Asked whether she would consider a diplomatic posting somewhere else, Kennedy said: “It couldn’t get better than this.” She is close to President Joe Biden and told this masthead in an extended interview last year that she lobbied him to send her to Australia. When Kennedy was appointed, Australia’s former US ambassador, Joe Hockey, said: “It says so much about the strong relationship between the US and Australia that President Biden is sending someone from Democratic Party royalty to represent him in Australia.”
#36 - Part 59
Australian Politics and Society - Part 35
>>21660654 Fallen US Marines honoured -US marines killed in Tiwi Islands Osprey crash honoured at emotional healing ceremony in Darwin- Three US marines killed in a Northern Territory military aircraft crash last year have been honoured at a Tiwi and Larrakia healing ceremony in Darwin, where their families were formally adopted by Tiwi leaders. In August last year, an MV-22B Osprey carrying 23 US marines crashed on Melville Island, one of the two Tiwi Islands north of Darwin, during routine training for Exercise Predator's Run. Captain Eleanor LeBeau, 29, Corporal Spencer Collart, 21, and Major Tobin Lewis, 37, were killed in the crash. More than a year later, on Thursday, the US marines and their families were honoured in a series of ceremonies in Darwin attended by hundreds of people. The families, and members of the US Marine Rotational Force - Darwin, were welcomed with a Larrakia smoking ceremony, and adopted by Tiwi leaders, on whose homelands the crash occurred. Tiwi-Mantiyupwi leader Jennifer Ullungura Clancy said the crash had left the Tiwi people grieving for the loss of life on their country. "The day it happened, it was very hard for my people to move on, to be happy the next day," she said. "We can do [ceremony] and grieve our own way, to let go." Ms Ullungura said it was important for the American families to be adopted by Tiwi people. "When they come, they can do their grieving on their own, and then we do it together as one," she said. "Now we are family. Like we told them, we are family."
>>21723645 Marine Rotational Force-Darwin Video:U.S. Marines, families of fallen honored by Tiwi Island, Larrakia people in historic Pukumani ceremony- U.S. Marines and the families of three fallen Marines joined the Tiwi Island and Larrakia people in two significant ceremonies on Sept. 26 and 27. The events commemorated the lives of three U.S. Marines who died in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island, Tiwi Islands, Australia, on Aug. 27, 2023. The crash occurred on lands belonging to the Tiwi Island’s Mantiyupwi Clan, and the Tiwi Island Land Council guided both the environmental and cultural protocols following the incident. The Tiwi people, respecting their traditions, referred to the fallen Marines as having "gone to sleep" instead of using their names. They honored “Big Brother” (Maj. Tobin Lewis), “Little Sister” (Capt. Eleanor LeBeau), and “Little Brother” (Cpl. Spencer Collart) through a spiritual walk, a healing ceremony, and a historic Pukumani ceremony. On Sept. 24, a spiritual walk, including smoking ceremonies, took place at several locations, including Robertson Barracks, Defence Establishment Berrimah, Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, and Larrakeyah Defence Precinct. These ceremonies prepared the way for the final Pukumani ceremony. This ritual, unique to Tiwi Island culture, honors those who have passed and helps guide their spirits on their next journey. On Sept. 26, U.S. Marines, families of the fallen, and members of the Australian Defence Force gathered to witness the Tiwi Island people, supported by the Larrakia people, lead a healing ceremony, marking the end of the one-year and one-month mourning period. During the ceremony, the Tiwi Island people formally adopted the U.S. Marine Corps and the three fallen Marines, along with their families, into the Tiwi Island community - an unprecedented honor that granted them Tiwi names, including “Pandanus.” This adoption symbolized the deep bond between the Tiwi people and the U.S. Marine Corps, extending recognition to future Marine rotations under this name. “The Tiwi people have a long-standing connection with both the Australian and U.S. militaries,” said Leslie Tungatalum, the Tiwi Land Council Chair. “This adoption shows our deep respect for the Marines and their families and strengthens the ties between us.” On Sept. 27, U.S. Marines, families of the fallen, and ADF members traveled to Pickertaramoor, Melville Island - the crash site - for the Pukumani ceremony. The Tiwi people invited the Marines and families to join this sacred event, marking the rare occasion when non-Tiwi participants have been invited to participate. At the crash site, the Tiwi erected Pukumani poles, representing the eight Tiwi clans, alongside three additional poles for the fallen Marines. The poles, handcrafted by Tiwi artists, stand as memorials to the fallen. The Tiwi led the ceremony, which included smoking rituals, traditional songs, and dances to guide the spirits of the deceased on their journey. “Wuta nguriyrngawa mantawi kapi awuta American” (Our prayers are with the American people).
#36 - Part 60
Australian Politics and Society - Part 36
>>21687977 Aftab Malik appointed as Islamophobia special envoy - The newly appointed special envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, has vowed to advocate against hate directed at Muslim community and anti-Semitism, amid concerns the conflict in the Middle East is undermining social cohesion in Australia. Mr Malik, an internationally recognised Muslim scholar and public servant, said Islamophobia and anti-Semitism could often be found “lurking” together, stressing that “no form of hatred is more important than another”. His appointment comes two months after Anthony Albanese unveiled former lawyer and business leader Jillian Segal as the nation’s special envoy on anti-Semitism in July, when he said a counterpart to address Islamophobia would be announced “shortly”. As the escalation of attacks over the Israel-Lebanon border threatens to engulf the region in a wider conflict, Mr Malik said the fight against hate was “more important today than it’s ever been”. “Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are not mutually exclusive. Where there is one, you most likely will find the other, lurking,” Mr Malik said. “I don’t intend to use this role to advocate that one form of hatred is more important than another: both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are unacceptable.” Mr Malik, who spent almost a decade in the NSW Premier’s Department promoting social cohesion and countering hate and extremism, said he would work closely with Ms Segal on how to bring their communities together. “As such, I look forward to engaging with my counterpart, Jillian Segal, to share insights and exchange ideas on how we can fortify social cohesion, and bring our communities together on a common ground, rooted in dignity for all,” he said.
>>21700837 Sall Grover appeals landmark transgender discrimination win - Sall Grover is challenging a controversial Federal Court ruling that “sex is changeable” after a judge found excluding a transgender woman from the women’s-only social media app Giggle for Girls amounted to indirect discrimination. In August, transgender woman Roxanne Tickle won a landmark case against Giggle for Girls when Justice Robert Bromwich found Ms Grover had indirectly, but not directly, discriminated against Ms Tickle when she removed her from the app because she did not look sufficiently female. Ms Grover was ordered to pay the Ms Tickle $10,000, as well as her legal costs. In his ruling, Justice Bromwich found that “sex is changeable” and non-binary, saying the “concept of sex has broadened over the 30 years since the SDA”. In a statement on Thursday, Giggle for Girls and Ms Grover said they would argue the court “misinterpreted the legal definition of ‘sex’ under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), expanding it beyond biological realities, which could undermine protections meant for women and girls.” The “appeal challenges a declaratory judgment that wrongfully finds our actions constituted ‘unlawful indirect discrimination’ based on gender identity”, the statement said. Indirect discrimination is the imposition of a condition, requirement or practice that is likely to disadvantage a person relative to another person who has a different gender identity. Ms Grover will also argue the app serves as a special measure, which is “aimed at fostering equality between men and women”. Under the Sex Discrimination Act, special measures are actions that promote equality for disadvantaged groups. “By providing a dedicated space for women, we are not just protecting their rights but championing the values of fairness and safety for all,” the statement said. “The recent ruling of Justice Bromwich in the Federal Court of Australia … misinterprets the fundamental rights of women and girls, and the principles of single-sex spaces essential for their safety and dignity.”
>>21710884 Court rules against X Corp over Australian child abuse safety notice issued to Twitter - The Federal Court has ruled X Corp has to comply with an Australian child sexual abuse transparency notice issued to the social media giant while it was still called Twitter. The Australian eSafety commissioner took the matter to the Federal Court after X Corp challenged a $610,500 fine in September 2023. The fine stemmed from an infringement notice issued by eSafety because X Corp had not provided information about how it was meeting the basic online safety expectations in relation to child sexual exploitation and abuse material and activity on Twitter. But X Corp argued the notice did not apply because the company did not exist when the notice was issued. The notice was given to Twitter in February 2023, and X Corp came into being in March 2023. In a 30-second hearing at the Federal Court in Melbourne on Friday, Justice Michael Wheelahan dismissed the proceeding and order X Corp to pay eSafety’s legal costs.
#36 - Part 61
Australian Politics and Society - Part 37
>>21729841 Video: Jacob Hersant: First man charged after Victoria banned Nazi salute found guilty - The first man charged after Victoria banned public Nazi salutes has been found guilty after a court tossed out his argument the law was constitutionally invalid. Jacob Hersant, 25, was charged with performing the banned gesture in October last year just days after the state outlawed the public demonstration. The young father had attended the County Court for an unrelated criminal matter on October 27, throwing his arm up in front of media and saying: “Australia for the white man, heil Hitler.” The footage, which was played in court, showed Hersant raising his right arm at about a 90-degree angle before quickly pulling it down. “Oh, nearly did it, it’s illegal now isn’t it,” he said. On Tuesday, Hersant returned before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court supported by his mother where magistrate Brett Sonnet found him guilty of the salute. Outside of court, Hersant was unrepentant, saying people can be offended by his actions but he has a “right to express myself politically”. “I don’t feel shame for giving a political salute because those are my beliefs,” he said. “I do give the Nazi salute and I am a Nazi.” Hersant told media he was not worried about the prospect of jail, saying if he had to “suffer” for his cause he was willing. But he also flagged he may appeal the ruling. “I continue to be a national socialist, I’ll continue to give the salute but hopefully police officers don’t see it,” he said.
>>21729862 Video: First person found guilty of Nazi salute as court upholds Victoria’s new ban - The first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute has been found guilty after a magistrate rejected his argument that the case was constitutionally invalid. Magistrate Brett Sonnet shot down 25-year-old Jacob Hersant’s bid for immunity after he was captured on news cameras performing a version of the Nazi salute outside the County Court just days after legislation banning the act took effect. “Australia for the white man, heil Hitler, heil Hitler,” Hersant was captured saying after the act. Outside court, an unrepentant Hersant vowed to continue performing the Nazi salute, and told the media he was prepared to go to jail to further his political views. Hersant said he felt no regret or shame for performing the salute in public, and revealed he performed the gesture at home every day. He also flagged the possibility of an appeal against his conviction. Other men have since been charged with the same offence, including neo-Nazi Nathan Bull, who is accused of performing the Nazi salute at Carlton’s Cinema Nova on March 9. During a hearing for Bull last month, the court heard the future of his prosecution would likely ride on the magistrate’s decision in Hersant’s case. In June, a NSW magistrate convicted three Croatian soccer fans who made a Nazi salute during the 2022 Australia Cup final. Magistrate Joy Boulos found beyond reasonable doubt that the three men had “deliberately and intentionally” performed the Nazi salute in rejecting their arguments the hand gesture was a symbol of Croatian national pride. The men were each fined $500 and convicted after being found guilty of one count of publicly displaying a Nazi symbol without reasonable excuse.
>>21734013 Former Labor Senator Fatima Payman announces 'Australia's Voice' party ahead of upcoming federal election - Former Labor Senator Fatima Payman has officially announced the formation of her new political party, “Australia’s Voice”. The announcement has come just months after Ms Payman’s controversial departure from the Labor Party over her pro-Palestine position regarding the Middle East conflict. Launching the party from Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday, Ms Payman articulated her vision of creating a platform for “disenfranchised” Australians. “It is with great humility and deep responsibility that I announce the formation of Australia's Voice, a new political party for the disenfranchised,” she told reporters. “We can no longer sit by while our voices are drowned out by the same old politics. It's time to stand up, to rise together and to take control of our future.” Despite the passionate rhetoric, the 29-year-old Senator did not unveil any specific policies and declared the party's platform would “come in time”. When pressed about her party's ideological stance, Ms Payman insisted, “This is a party for all Australians”. “It’s not going to be an easy task… but we need to capture everyone’s concerns and make sure that they’ve got a voice here in Canberra,” she said. It was not clear how she would be able to simultaneously represent the concerns of conflicting groups such as Jewish and Muslim organisations or coal and climate lobbies.
#36 - Part 62
Australian Politics and Society - Part 38
>>21734026 Indigenous leaders slam ‘disrespectful’ Fatima Payman’s choice of party name, Australia’s Voice - Furious Indigenous leaders have slammed Fatima Payman for claiming and rebadging the voice for her own political brand, as the former Labor senator refused to outline policies or reveal candidates. Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday that she would lead a breakaway political party named Australia’s Voice has angered some of Australia’s most distinguished Indigenous figures, who are in solemn reflection over the defeat of the voice referendum a year ago on Monday. Uluru Dialogue co-chair Megan Davis, a Cobble Cobble woman and constitutional expert who worked on the voice process for 12 years, described Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday as “curious timing given it’s the anniversary of the referendum and many of our people are still grieving”. Four months since she crossed the floor to vote for Palestinian statehood, the West Australian senator launched the Australia’s Voice party in Canberra where she saying her policy platforms would “come with time”. In a later interview on ABC, she described Palestinian recognition as overdue. Indigenous entrepreneur Sean Gordon, who joined fellow political conservatives in supporting the Indigenous voice through the Uphold & Recognise collective, said he saw the name of the new party as part of persistent and wrong-headed efforts to link the Indigenous rights movement with pro-Palestinian activism. “The use of the term ‘voice’ by Fatima Payman for her new political party is a further attempt by the pro-Palestinian movement to leverage of the back of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Gordon said. “This is no different to the pro-Palestinian movement who drowned out our voices on Australia Day early this year.”
>>21734044 Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant to be jailed for Nazi salute but length of sentence still to be determined - The first person found guilty of performing the Nazi salute in Victoria will be sentenced to jail. Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant was found guilty on Tuesday of performing the gesture last year, after a magistrate rejected his argument the laws were constitutionally invalid. The 25-year-old was the first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute in October 2023, just six days after new legislation banning the gesture came into effect. This morning, Magistrate Brett Sonnet found the only "appropriate sentencing order" was a term of imprisonment, but said he was not yet in a position to determine the length of the sentence. The offence carries a maximum penalty of $24,000 or 12 months' jail. Hersant walked from court today after the magistrate allowed him to remain in the community until sentencing in four weeks' time. Outside the court, Hersant told reporters he had no regrets about the conviction. His associates, including prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell, made anti-Semitic comments as they left. During today's hearing, Prosecutor Daniel Gurvich KC argued Hersant's prospects of rehabilitation were "poor to non-existent", and said his performance of the Nazi salute was "calculated to achieve maximum impact". "Public expression of Nazi symbols are an assault against human dignity and representative of hatred and prejudice that have no place in Victoria," Mr Gurvich said.
#36 - Part 63
Australian Politics and Society - Part 39
>>21746614 ASIO chief Mike Burgess tells social media summit of 'disturbing resurgence' in youth terror cases - In a sobering warning about the impact of social media on ideological radicalisation among children, ASIO's director-general has expressed concern that artificial intelligence will "accelerate the acceleration" of extremism. At a summit examining the harmful effects of online platforms on young people, Mike Burgess spoke in broad terms about the ways in which social media and digital technologies were fuelling threats to national security. But Mr Burgess was emphatic that the problem was an especially pressing one for policymakers focused on education and child safety, pointing out that "all" of the nation's most recent terror cases "were allegedly perpetrated by young people", including one as young as 14. "The internet was a factor in every single one of these incidents, albeit to different degrees and in different ways," he said. Mr Burgess said that, during a COVID peak, teenagers "represented around 50 per cent" of ASIO's counter-terrorism caseload - a figure that declined before a more recent "disturbing resurgence". "Around 20 per cent of our priority counter-terrorism cases involve minors," he said. "In one generation, we have allowed our children full access to alleyways, content and people that they would not be able to access in the physical world." Mr Burgess said that ASIO involvement in a case of youthful extremism was "usually" a sign that it was "too late" for other forms of intervention. "As a nation, we need to reflect on why some teenagers are hanging Nazi flags and portraits of the Christchurch killer on their bedroom walls, and why others are sharing beheading videos in the schoolyard and, more concerningly, why there are young Australians willing to kill in the name of their beliefs," he said.
#36 - Part 64
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide
>>21478327 Payments for COVID vaccine injuries are ending. Patients want that changed - Patients, academics and an independent MP are calling for the federal government to extend and expand compensation for people who experienced severe reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine, amid concerns the scheme was poorly managed and unfairly narrow in scope. Since opening in December 2021, the COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme has received 4426 claims and paid $29.8 million to 378 claimants. There were 663 claims still being assessed this week, ahead of the scheme’s closure next month. Last year, the Sun-Herald reported thousands of people were experiencing long delays to receive the outcomes of claims for compensation after being diagnosed with conditions recognised by the scheme. Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine compensation scheme covers losses or expenses of $1000 or more from injury resulting in hospitalisation or death from a list of 11 specific severe reactions to a COVID-19 vaccine. While many people experienced flu-like symptoms after COVID-19 vaccination, the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s safety reports show severe reactions were extremely rare. Of the more than 68 million doses administered in Australia by November 2023, only 9300 were “associated” with hospital admission, which does not guarantee the vaccine caused the admission. The incidents were overwhelmingly following patients’ initial doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. A new report by UNSW’s Centre for Social Impact reviewed more than 700 rare adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines recorded in peer-reviewed medical journals, claiming there was a “gross misalignment between the very limited approved range of serious adverse events included in the Australian compensation scheme, and the medical evidence”. University of Western Australia medico-legal academic Associate Professor Marco Rizzi said the closed list of reactions in Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine claim scheme was too inflexible. Internationally, he said, some schemes were based on a causal inquiry, where physicians established a link between vaccination and the injury. Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine injury scheme will stop accepting claims on September 30.
#36 - Part 65
Julian Assange: Indictment, Extradition and Plea Deal - Part 1
>>21252770 High cost of Kevin Rudd’s company for return of Julian Assange - Taxpayers forked out more than $100,000 to return Julian Assange home, with the bill blowing out by nearly 30 per cent because Australia’s ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd accompanied the convicted criminal on his flight into Canberra. Documents provided to the Senate reveal the charter flight from Britain to Australia, via a court hearing in a US territory in an island in the Western Pacific, cost a total of $781,480. This was paid for by the Wau Holland Foundation, but taxpayers were left to fund additional travel costs from Assange being accompanied by Mr Rudd and Australia’s high commissioner to Britain, Stephen Smith. Mr Rudd’s “additional commercial travel costs” were $29,268 while Mr Smith’s were $17,807. Travel costs amounted to $55,403 for other officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Liberal senator Dave Sharma said Assange’s flight home “must be one of the most expensive staged photo ops ever undertaken”.
>>21273998 Julian Assange's wife Stella posts first family photo since husband's release - Julian Assange's wife Stella has shared the first photo of the WikiLeaks founder and their children all together since his release from a British prison in June. Ms Assange posted the photo on Instagram with her, her husband and their two children Gabriel, 7, and Max, 5, posing on the beach together. It is unclear when and where the photograph was taken. Last month, she told media how her husband planned to spend his early days once he was back with his family "Julian plans to swim in the ocean every day, he plans to sleep in a real bed, he plans to taste real food and he plans to enjoy his freedom," she said. Earlier this month, Ms Assange shared a photo of her and her husband on Instagram with the caption, "Free! #AssangeFree". On June 26, Assange pleaded guilty to the United States charge of Conspiracy to Obtain and Disclose National Defense Information. The charge was dealt with in Saipan in the US territory of the Northern Mariana Islands, where he was sentenced to 62 months in prison, but was allowed to return to Australia a free man due to time previously served. Assange had spent five years in the UK's Belmarsh prison fighting moves to extradite him to the US in relation to the WikiLeaks publications.
>>21344337 Julian Assange’s father John Shipton headlines rally on Victoria parliament’s steps in solidarity with Gaza - The father of Julian Assange has headlined a major rally on the steps of Victoria’s parliament in support of Gaza, as activists call for thousands of prisoners taken during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict to be released. John Shipton was one of the key speakers at the International Day of Solidarity with Gaza and Prisoners rally in Melbourne on Saturday – marking the first time he had spoken on the conflict since his son’s release. Mr Shipton has been a long-time supporter of ending the conflict, telling a crowd in February the offences committed against children in the war “cannot be forgiven”. On Saturday, he warned the next job “might be a bit harder” as he thanked a large crowd of supporters for fighting for his son’s release from custody. Julian Assange returned to Australia earlier this year after pleading guilty to conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified information. He was sentenced to 62 months in jail which was declared as time already served. The organisers of Saturday’s rally have repeatedly called for the release of Gazan prisoners taken by Israel during the conflict, which erupted following attacks by the Islamist terrorist group Hamas on October 7, 2023.
#36 - Part 66
Julian Assange: Indictment, Extradition and Plea Deal - Part 2
>>21360307 Inside Julian Assange's first days of freedom Down Under - The family of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has detailed his first days of freedom living a mostly anonymous life in the Australian bush - raising their two sons, swimming in the ocean and listening to the laughter of kookaburras. But wife Stella Assange and brother Gabriel Shipton warned in a letter to supporters that he won't be making public appearances and is taking a break from activism, after 12 years locked up in a London prison and the city's Ecuadorian embassy. 'It has been more than one month since Julian finally arrived back in Australia,' Ms Assange wrote in a blog post, published on Tuesday. 'He's still adjusting. Julian is recuperating and experiencing the wild and breathtaking Australian natural environment,' she said. 'The things that he longed for from his cell in Belmarsh prison that seemed unattainable are now a reality: swimming in the ocean, trekking through the wilderness and travelling around Australia.' Ms Assange described how he had been spending time with his two sons, Gabriel and Max and were 'finally' able to be together as a family. '(It) brings us overwhelming joy. Time is what has been robbed from us, especially from Julian, and now we are enjoying it as much as we can.' Assange said she and Julian were 'overwhelmed' by the community support which brought about his freedom. However Mr Shipton warned that Mr Assange's incarceration had been traumatic and deeply affecting, and that they and their team would be stepping back from activism and Wikileaks work while he recovers. 'As a family we're also realistic that ahead lies a challenging period of adjustment after what has been a deeply traumatising experience, ' he wrote, adding, 'It might be a while before he feels ready to speak publicly.'
>>21366125 Townsville City Council rejects proposal to build Julian Assange statue - Townsville City Council have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to build a statue to honour Julian Assange, with one elected representative alleging the activist had damaged Australia’s diplomatic relationships and “put lives at risk”. Deputy Mayor Paul Jacob presented the council with an e-petition signed by 156 people calling for a statue of the controversial Townsville-born figure to be placed prominently in the city to “recognise the valuable contribution to providing truth to the world”. Mr Jacob said the petition was established by Alison Mason of Balgal Beach to recognise Mr Assange’s “valuable contribution to provide truth to the world”. “We the undersigned request that the council give consideration to providing a site on The Strand looking towards Magnetic Island and helping with site works to position a crowd-funded statue of Julian Assange on the Strand.” Councillor Andrew Robinson said he was strongly opposed. “Whilst being a truth seeker, the reckless way in which he has presented that information has put individuals’ lives at risk,” he said. “He has certainly undone a number of years’ worth of diplomacy and diplomatic relationships that Australia has with other nations, and to be honest, has been tried as for espionage.” Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney went further, arguing that the petition should be rejected outright. “I can think of a thousand people in our community who are hardworking and deserve a statue on The Strand other than Julian Assange,” she said. The motion to accept the petition but take no further action was passed.
>>21569805 Family photo shows Julian Assange lying low in Melbourne - Julian Assange’s supporters have launched an energetic campaign for US President Joe Biden to grant the WikiLeaks founder a pardon before leaving office next year, as new photos emerge of Assange’s life as a free man in Australia. Assange has been secluded from public view since his dramatic return to Australia in late June, after he pleaded guilty to one count of violating the US Espionage Act in exchange for his immediate release from detention in a high-security London prison. Assange’s brother, Gabriel Shipton, who led the push to free Assange, will travel to the United States later this month to meet American politicians and civil society groups in a bid to create momentum for Biden to pardon Assange before his tenure ends on January 20. Shipton’s trip will happen around the same time that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travels to the US to meet Biden and fellow Quad leaders Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. In the new photos of Assange, provided to this masthead, the WikiLeaks founder can be seen celebrating his father John Shipton’s 80th birthday this week in suburban Melbourne and posing in front of a campervan his father used to campaign for his release.
#36 - Part 67
Julian Assange: Indictment, Extradition and Plea Deal - Part 3
>>21589875 Sun, sea and surf for Julian Assange and family in new Australian life - After years in London’s grim Belmarsh prison, Julian Assange is roaming the forests of southeast Australia, swimming in the ocean and learning to parent the sons who once knew their father only as a prisoner. His wife, the Swedish-Spanish lawyer Stella Assange, recently returned to London for a week, leaving the WikiLeaks co-founder alone to look after their children, Gabriel, seven, and Max, five. “So he was solo parenting for a week,” Assange’s younger half-brother, the film-maker Gabriel Shipton, told The Times. “Everyone survived. So I think he had the kids in a good routine after a few days.” The family are believed to be living in a secret location on the New South Wales coast, far south of Sydney. It is a region of lush dairy farms, towering forests and often empty beaches, known for fizzing waves and white sands. Assange has not spoken publicly about his new life as a free man in his native Australia since he was released from Belmarsh prison in late June. He departed from Stansted airport aboard a luxury Bombardier business jet for Sydney, via Saipan, an American territory in the Pacific where he stopped briefly to plead guilty to violating US espionage laws - a penalty Washington required under his release deal. Shipton is spearheading a campaign to persuade the US to pardon Assange, which would also have the benefit of lifting proceeds of crime strictures that are likely to prevent Assange from earning an income from talking and writing about his past activities with WikiLeaks. Later this month Shipton will travel again from Australia to Washington - his seventh visit this year — to continue lobbying for a presidential pardon for his half-brother.
>>21653886 Assange to give first public address since prison release - Controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange plans to break his post-prison silence in an address to the Council of Europe next week, his organisation said Wednesday. WikiLeaks said the 53-year-old would travel from his native Australia to Strasbourg on October 1 to testify before a parliamentary legal committee investigating his case. Assange was released from a British prison in June, after serving time for publishing hundreds of thousands of confidential US government documents from 2010. The trove included searingly frank US State Department descriptions of foreign leaders, accounts of extrajudicial killings and intelligence gathering against allies. Assange spent most of the last 14 years holed up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London while trying to avoid arrest or locked up at Belmarsh Prison. WikiLeaks said that “on October 1, Julian Assange will arrive in Strasbourg to give evidence before the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights”. The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly is scheduled to debate a report about his case on October 2. The Council of Europe is an international organisation that brings together the 46 signatory states of the European Convention on Human Rights. Assange supporters have long called for him to receive a full US presidential pardon. President Joe Biden, who is likely to issue a slew of pardons before leaving office next January, has previously described Assange as a “terrorist”.
>>21687984 ‘Let us stop gagging … and killing each other’: Assange breaks his silence - Julian Assange says he is only free because he pleaded guilty to being a journalist and admits his personal transition from years confined in a maximum security prison to freedom has been a “profound and a surreal shift” with which he is still struggling. The 53-year-old WikiLeaks founder, released in June after five years in a British prison after plea deal with the US government, said it was important to remember he was not free because the legal system worked, but only because he chose it over “an unrealisable justice”. “I am free today after years of incarceration because I pleaded guilty to journalism; pleaded guilty to seeking information from sources; I pleaded guilty to obtaining information from a source and I pleaded guilty to inform the public,” Assange said, in his first public comments since his release from prison. Speaking at the Council of Europe legal affairs and human rights committee in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday, Assange stressed the US “insisted” on him agreeing not to file a case at the European Court of Human Rights against it in return for the plea deal. Wearing a navy-blue suit and a maroon tie, Assange coughed regularly through his 45-minute address to the council, occasionally stumbling over his words. He admitted he found it difficult to talk about his lengthy experience behind bars.
#36 - Part 68
Julian Assange: Indictment, Extradition and Plea Deal - Part 4
>>21687992 Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, speaks in his first appearance since his release from prison - Julian Assange is back on European soil. When last here, he was behind bars. On Tuesday, he gave evidence about his years of incarceration in a high-security UK prison, after the United States charged him under the Espionage Act. It's his first public appearance since being released from prison and returning to Australia. In an at times scathing address, he criticised the United States and its allies in their handling of his case. "I am not here today because the system worked, I am free today after years of incarceration because I pleaded guilty to journalism," Assange told Europe's leading human rights organisation, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) at Strasbourg, France, which is investigating his detention and conviction. The appearance of the WikiLeaks founder at PACE was a tightly controlled affair, international media faced extensive restrictions, and Assange did not give interviews. Assange told the ABC ahead of the hearing he was "pleased to be here." Flanked by his wife, Stella, and the WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, Mr Assange said legal protections "only existed on paper." "I eventually chose freedom over unrealisable justice after being detained for years…. With no effective remedy," he said. "Justice for me is now precluded because the US government insisted … that I cannot file in the European Court of Human Rights or a Freedom of Information request." Speaking of his 5 years in a UK prison, Assange said it was a "relentless struggle to stay alive, physically and mentally." "It strips away one's sense of self," he said. "Isolation has taken its toll. The transition from years of confinement in a max-security prison to being here before the reps of 46 nations is a profound and surreal shift." The emotional address included some light moments too, with Assange thanking his wife for looking after his children while he was in prison. The packed auditorium broke into laughter when he went on to describe how he is getting used to having a mother-in-law.
>>21695329 Video: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange blames British legal system, banks and oil giants for detention during speech in Strasbourg - Julian Assange has blamed 14 years of his detention on a compliant British legal establishment in hock to keeping important British-American interests intact, such as arms manufacturer BAE, various banks, and oil companies such as BP and Shell. Assange spoke for the first time since arriving at a plea deal with the US, addressing the Council of Europe parliamentarians in Strasbourg on Tuesday that it “was good to be among friends” and thanking “all the people who understood my liberation was their own liberation”. He said he had expected “harassment and legal processes” when he solicited, obtained and then published US information back in 2010 and 2011 but he had been prepared to fight for that to reveal US war crimes. Assange on Tuesday said at that time he believed his basic rights would have been protected under European law and in the US no publisher had been prosecuted for publishing information, domestically or internationally. “My naivety was believing in the law,’’ he said during a 45-minute address to the parliamentarians, adding that “when push comes to shove, the laws are reinterpreted for public expediency’’. He said he had angered one of the constitutional powers of the US - the intelligence sector. “It was powerful enough to push for a reinterpretation of the US constitution … and yes, perhaps ultimately if I had gotten to Supreme Court of the US, and I was still alive, I might have won, depending on the make-up of the US judges in the system. “In the meantime, I had lost 14 years, the house arrest, the embassy siege, the incarnation in Belmarsh … It is an important lesson that when a major power wants to reinterpret the law … it doesn’t care too much about what is legal, that’s something for a much later date; and in the meantime there is a deterrent effect, a retribution effect.”
#36 - Part 69
Brittany Higgins Rape Allegations and Bruce Lehrmann Defamation Trial - Part 1
>>21281320 ‘Harassment’: Brittany Higgins’ defence revealed - Brittany Higgins has doubled down on her attack on former defence minister Linda Reynolds, alleging her former boss “engaged in a campaign of harassment” against her, including providing confidential information to the media, newly released court documents reveal. Ms Higgins’ amended defence to Senator Reynolds’ defamation claim, filed in the West Australian Supreme Court, amplifies her allegations that she was the victim of an attempted cover-up, stating she felt under pressure not to make a complaint “in the interests of the Liberal Party” in the lead up to an election. In his judgment in the Lehrmann defamation case this year, judge Michael Lee found, on the balance of probabilities, that Bruce Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins, but expressly rejected her claims that Senator Reynolds was involved in a cover-up of the assault. Mr Lehrmann has lodged an appeal. Senator Reynolds is now suing Ms Higgins over a series of social media posts she says defamed her.
>>21338861 Reynolds v Higgins: Trial begins in Linda Reynolds’ pursuit of vindication - Huddled around a table in a luxury hotel in Sydney’s inner suburbs, former political staffer Brittany Higgins, now-husband David Sharaz and Network Ten journalist Lisa Wilkinson met to strategise the delivery of a bombshell interview that would spark a cultural reckoning. It was January 27, 2021, and Higgins was preparing to detail her alleged raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the parliamentary office of Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds and the political cover-up that followed. The tell-all interview on The Project would be broadcast to more than half-a-million people, triggering a political storm that culminated in multiple inquiries, a cultural overhaul, lucrative book deals and a $2.4 million compensation pay out. Over the next five weeks, Reynolds’ legal team will take to the WA Supreme Court to argue that it marked the beginning of a campaign to get what she claims Higgins set out to: the destruction of Reynolds’ reputation. Reynolds made good on her threat to sue Higgins for defamation over several social media posts accusing her of harassment on July 31, 2023, claiming they damaged her reputation, brought her into public hatred and caused her distress and embarrassment. The former defence minister is expected to spend several days in the witness box outlining the impact of the publications on her reputation and physical health before her high-profile colleagues take the stand, including former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, WA senator Michaelia Cash and Tasmanian senator Wendy Askew. Higgins, who recently revealed she and Sharaz were expecting their first child, will spend up to one week providing evidence.
>>21339036 ‘Brittany Higgins fairytale needed a villain’: Linda Reynolds fights cover-up allegations - Linda Reynolds has used a trove of photographs and text messages to allege Brittany Higgins and her husband David Sharaz deliberately created a plan to falsely portray the Coalition minister as the “villain” who led a cover-up of Ms Higgins’ alleged Parliament House rape. The first day of the senator’s defamation trial against Ms Higgins saw her lawyer Martin Bennett tender multiple photographs showing Ms Higgins smiling and laughing while out on the campaign trail across Perth just months after she was allegedly raped by then-colleague Bruce Lehrmann. Mr Bennett said the evidence showed how Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz had used falsehoods and lies to create a narrative that Senator Reynolds had led a political cover-up of Ms Higgins’ alleged rape. “Every fairytale needs a villain, and in 2020 or 2021, Ms Higgins and her then-partner and now husband, Mr Sharaz, cast Senator Reynolds in that role for their fictional story of a cover-up of the rape,” Mr Bennett said. “The fact she had been raped was traumatic and terrible but it needed something more to attract the attention, to attract media interest, to attract the promotion of Ms Higgins, so she made it a political sex scandal. That’s the fiction that needed a villain and she cast Linda Reynolds in that role.”
#36 - Part 70
Brittany Higgins Rape Allegations and Bruce Lehrmann Defamation Trial - Part 2
>>21339073 Linda Reynolds v Brittany Higgins: Judge won’t be swayed by sideshows - "It took only minutes after Linda Reynolds’ lawyer, Martin Bennett, produced the memorable line that “every fairytale needs a villain” before the cesspit of social media chewed it up and spat out a revised version. No matter that Bennett had spent most of the morning detailing Reynolds’ actual case: that Brittany Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz had concocted a “fictional story of a cover-up” by Reynolds of the young woman’s rape allegations. No matter that Bennett reaffirmed Reynolds had never questioned the veracity of Higgins’ account of being raped - indeed, had urged that it be immediately reported to police. That would have spoiled the narrative. Instead, “Reynolds’ lawyer believes that rape is a fairytale!” lit up the twittersphere. Climate 200 founder and teals campaigner Simon Holmes a Court posted that “every day Linda Reynolds pursues Brittany Higgins is another day we’re reminded about her government’s hostility towards victims of sexual assault”. The bid by some of Higgins’ supporters to reframe the case as forcing a rape victim to prove her rape will be a recurring theme through the next five weeks of the trial. But inside the courtroom, Higgins’ lawyers are confined to a more difficult task: substantiating her claims that Reynolds not only failed to support her after she revealed the assault, but actively attempted to cover it up “in the interests of the Liberal Party”. Justice Paul Tottle must decide whether Reynolds was defamed, not whether Higgins was raped. He won’t be distracted by spurious attempts - inside the court or out - to stray from that task." - Stephen Rice - theaustralian.com.au
>>21354159 ‘This is aggravation’: Reynolds’ lawyer threatens to add fresh post to Higgins’ defamation rap sheet - Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds’ lawyer has accused Brittany Higgins of aggravating conduct after she published the cover of a book entitled ‘How many more women? how the law silences women’ alongside the words “Pertinent reading” as the former defence minister entered the witness box for their defamation trial. Reynolds lawyer Martin Bennett had concluded quizzing the former defence minister on her life and career when he revealed Higgins had posted the image on her Instagram story while his client was on the stand. Bennett told the court he intended to amend the statement of claim in Reynolds’ defamation action against Higgins to include the post, arguing its timing and the imputations amounted to aggravation. Reynolds ended her first day of sworn testimony poring over her recollection of a meeting with Higgins in her parliamentary office on April 1, 2019, just over one week after she and colleague Bruce Lehrmann breached security by entering after hours while intoxicated and leaving the suite unlocked.
>>21360269 New Brittany Higgins social media posts prompt defamation trial warning from Linda Reynolds's lawyer - The high-profile defamation trial against Brittany Higgins has taken another twist, with Senator Linda Reynolds's lawyer declaring new social media posts published yesterday were part of a co-ordinated plan to mislead the public into thinking the Senator was trying silence survivors of sexual assault. Lawyer Martin Bennett said the posts, which included an Instagram story from Ms Higgins, had been deliberately timed to coincide with the start of Senator Reynolds's evidence yesterday. In one post, Ms Higgins recommends as "pertinent reading" a book relating to "how the law silences women" and another post is by an advocate for sexual assault survivors, Saxon Mullens, who is fundraising for Ms Higgins' legal costs. Mr Bennett said it was part of a "coordinated plan" to "mischaracterise these proceedings" as an attempt by Senator Reynolds to silence sexual assault survivors, to "mislead the public" about the true nature of the proceedings. Senator Reynolds is suing Ms Higgins, her former staffer, for alleged defamation over social media posts made in 2023 which the Senator says falsely claimed she mishandled Ms Higgins' allegation she was raped in Parliament House in 2019. Mr Bennett has applied for a subpoena to obtain copies of communications between Ms Higgins and Ms Mullens, who was instrumental in changing consent laws in New South Wales.
#36 - Part 71
Brittany Higgins Rape Allegations and Bruce Lehrmann Defamation Trial - Part 3
>>21366136 Video: Linda Reynolds shares anger over Brittany Higgins's pre-production tapes for Channel 10's The Project interview - Liberal MP Linda Reynolds has told the West Australian Supreme Court of the moment she realised the extent of what she claims was a "pre-planned" and "pre-meditated" attack to inflict maximum damage on her by Brittany Higgins and her now husband David Sharaz. But the former defence minister said she never doubted Ms Higgins's allegation she was raped in Senator Reynolds' then-ministerial suite at Parliament House in Canberra in 2019. Senator Reynolds' lawyer Martin Bennett questioned her in court today about the moment she first heard details about the five-hour pre-interview for The Project involving Ms Higgins, Mr Sharaz and others. Senator Reynolds said she learned about it during the criminal trial of Bruce Lehrmann, who had been accused of raping Ms Higgins. Senator Reynolds said the pre-interview, during which the strategy to make public Ms Higgins rape allegations was discussed, made her realise how much thought had gone into the attack against her. "It became clear how premeditated this plan was," Senator Reynolds said. "I had no idea just how well prepared this plan was. They had a package for the media, they had a package for the Me Too movement, they had a package for disaffected Liberals. "It was pre-planned, it was pre-meditated, it was personal against me. "I was angry, I was hurt, and as I said I felt like a fool."
>>21372143 ‘He was stitching me up’: Reynolds lashes attorney-general on the stand over Higgins settlement - Liberal senator Linda Reynolds has accused Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus of “stitching her up” during the settlement of former staffer Brittany Higgins’ compensation claim, while defending her decision to leak confidential legal letters to the media. During cross-examination in the WA Supreme Court on Thursday, Higgins’ lawyer Rachael Young, SC, grilled the former defence minister about her decision to forward three legally sensitive letters to The Australian’s Janet Albrechtsen in December 2022. The emails came six months after Reynolds had been named a defendant in Higgins’ compensation claim over the mishandling of her alleged rape by colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the senator’s parliamentary suite in 2019. The senator took issue with the Commonwealth’s plan to conduct her defence, forwarding Albrechtsen an email laying bare her concerns about the settlement’s handling - including that she was being muzzled. The contents of those email were later republished in an article by The Australian. Young put to Reynolds that she had sent the emails from her personal address to avoid them becoming public - a claim the senator denied. And Higgins’ solicitor submitted that Reynolds leaked the letters to Albrechtsen about effectively being muzzled and her dissatisfaction with the process to ensure favourable coverage, a claim she again rejected. “Did I want Ms Albrechtsen to know I had not had the ability to defend claims? Yes, I was incredibly angry because I could see the attorney-general of this country was stitching me up on allegations I had not seen and believed had expired,” Reynolds told the court. “I had no expectation of how she would write it, I just provided evidence of corruption, and she could report that as she saw fit.”
>>21385847 ‘I carry the guilt’: Reynolds breaks down over airing Kitching warning of political firestorm - WA Liberal senator Linda Reynolds has broken down on the witness stand, describing her guilt over telling Labor senators that late Victorian senator Kimberley Kitching warned her the party intended to “rain hell” on her over Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape, and doubling down on claims the saga led to Kitching’s death. On Tuesday, the former defence minister told the Western Australian Supreme Court Kitching’s decision to hand an anonymous letter about the alleged rape over to the Australian Federal Police, and not her party, had left Kitching ostracised by her colleagues. And she made national headlines when she made the extraordinary claim the saga led to Kitching’s death of a heart attack on March 10, 2022, at the age of 52. Reynolds left the court in tears on Friday after telling Higgins’ barrister Rachael Young, SC, that her remarks reflected her guilt at revealing to other politicians that Kitching had tipped her off to the impending political firestorm in 2021, rather than reflected a desire to have her claims aired in the press. “It displays my guilt. If I hadn’t revealed it was her… that’s what led to her being ostracised. I had kept it in confidence, even after everything. It was my guilt. I shouldn’t have weakened and told anyone. Everyone can see how angry she was with me. She was losing weight. But I carry the guilt of telling the senators and … her being bullied to death.”
#36 - Part 72
Brittany Higgins Rape Allegations and Bruce Lehrmann Defamation Trial - Part 4
>>21396390 Brittany Higgins' defamation trial hears evidence of sharp decline in Senator Linda Reynolds' health - Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds's partner has testified her cardiologist thought she could die after she collapsed in the senate following intense pressure over her handling of Brittany Higgins' rape allegation. Robert Reid gave evidence in the Western Australian Supreme Court on Monday during the defamation trial brought by the Senator against her former staffer Ms Higgins over a series of social media posts. Mr Reid told the court of the significant deterioration in his partner's health after the 2019 rape allegation was made public, in an article by journalist Samantha Maiden and in Ms Higgins' interview with Channel 10's The Project on February 15, 2021. Mr Reid recalled receiving a message to come to parliament on March 23, 2021 after Senator Reynolds had collapsed and gone back to her ministerial suite. He said when he saw her, "she looked white, she looked almost dishevelled, it was very painful". On medical advice, they drove to a nearby hospital to have her heart checked, given she had a pre-existing heart condition. "Linda was still crying," Mr Reid said. They saw a cardiologist. "He said 'we might lose her'", Mr Reid said, breaking down in tears. "He said 'this is very serious'." The doctor though, did not admit Senator Reynolds and instead advised sending her home and monitoring her closely.
>>21404272 ‘Utterly false’: Scott Morrison rubbishes Brittany Higgins cover-up claims in explosive testimony - Former prime minister Scott Morrison has vigorously defended West Australian senator Linda Reynolds’ handling of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation, rubbishing claims of a political cover-up and saying it was parliamentary process that had failed the former staffer. Giving evidence in Reynolds’ defamation case against Higgins on Tuesday via videolink from Sydney, Morrison pored over what unfolded in the days after Higgins’ tell-all interview with The Project on February 15, 2021, including what he described as “aggressive” and “co-ordinated” questioning in federal parliament and by the media. Morrison revealed the broadcast was the first he knew of the alleged rape in Reynolds’ ministerial suite and conceded he was disappointed the then-defence minister had kept him in the dark. But he said he understood Reynolds’ predicament in attempting to balance her obligations to the government while maintaining the promise of confidence she had given Higgins. Morrison told Higgins’ lawyer, Rachael Young, SC, that the need to ensure workplace safety at parliament was what had motivated him to order an inquiry, not the growing media attention.
>>21415080 Linda Reynolds’ friend describes senator’s ‘state of distress’ after Coalition’s 2022 election defeat - One of Linda Reynolds’ closest friends has described how the senator broke down after she learned she had failed to secure any shadow ministry roles in the wake of the Coalition’s 2022 election defeat. Denita Wawn, chief executive of Canberra-based Master Builders Australia, told the West Australian Supreme Court on Thursday about Senator Reynolds’ “heightened state of distress” during a weekend away shortly after the 2022 election. Ms Wawn said the senator’s state that weekend was the worst she’d seen since Senator Reynolds was hospitalised soon after Brittany Higgins went public with her allegation that she had been raped by Bruce Lehrmann inside Senator Reynolds’ Parliament House office. Ms Wawn has been friends with Senator Reynolds for more than 20 years and is contact with her at least once a week. She said the only time she had only seen Senator Reynolds in a worse state than during that 2022 getaway was in 2021, soon after Ms Higgins first appeared on The Project. Ms Wawn said she and her friends were incredibly concerned with the senator’s wellbeing in the aftermath of that program, telling the court she was worried that the senator could die. Senator Reynolds was hospitalised for weeks after the 2021 revelations after the stress of the situation exacerbated a pre-existing heart condition. “She was a mess, I think is the best way to described her both physically and mentally,” Ms Wawn said.
#36 - Part 73
Brittany Higgins Rape Allegations and Bruce Lehrmann Defamation Trial - Part 5
>>21422113 Secret medical reports fuel doubts for key witness appearance in Reynolds, Higgins row - The exchange of top-secret medical reports has fuelled doubts about whether the woman who served as Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds’ chief of staff at the time Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped in Reynolds’ office will take the stand in the pair’s defamation row. Former chief of staff Fiona Brown had been due to give sworn testimony in the West Australian Supreme Court on what unfolded in the days after Higgins’ alleged rape by Bruce Lehrmann in the former defence minister’s office after a night out on March 23, 2019. But on Friday, Brown’s barrister Dominique Hogan-Doran, SC, handed over two top-secret medical certificates and a report to a handful of lawyers and Justice Paul Tottle. The substance of the documents is protected by strict confidentiality orders, but the parties have already alluded to using testimony Brown gave in a separate court matter.
>>21439437 Brittany Higgins won’t give evidence in Linda Reynolds’ defamation trial - Brittany Higgins has pulled out of giving evidence in the defamation action brought against her by Liberal senator Linda Reynolds in a bombshell that could mark an early end to the proceedings. Ms Higgins’ barrister Rachael Young SC made the shock announcement in the WA Supreme Court on Monday afternoon, indicating Ms Higgins was suffering from poor health, and saying she does not believe she needs to call Ms Higgins to mount a winning defence. “We don’t think we need to call Ms Higgins to satisfy Your Honour to be successful in these proceedings,” Ms Young said. The former Liberal staffer had been scheduled to spend a week in the witness box from August 26, and was due to fly to Perth from her home in France. Ms Young submitted three medical reports containing details of the conditions that she argued backed up why Ms Higgins would no longer give testimony. The exact medical reasons for the withdrawal were not specified in open court, and Ms Young applied for an order to protect the details of the reports from being published. Ms Higgins is pregnant, and has also battled issues with her physical and mental health since she went public with her allegation in 2021 that she was raped inside Senator Reynolds’ parliamentary office. She was also been hospitalised in Perth earlier this year amid a court-ordered mediation session aimed at resolving the defamation matter. Senator Reynolds’ defamation matter is now due to conclude much earlier than anticipated, and could be finished by the beginning of next week.
>>21453311 ‘She’s drafting a plan for you’: Maiden gives evidence on breaking Higgins’ story - The recording of an interview between Brittany Higgins and the journalist who would break the story about her alleged rape in former defence minister Linda Reynolds’ office has laid bare how the young political staffer felt it had rendered her “toxic”. Journalist Samantha Maiden was played portions of the hour-long interview with Higgins after being called to give evidence in Reynolds’ defamation case against the former staffer. Flanked by three lawyers, Maiden told the court she recalled hosting Higgins at her home for an interview over dinner on January 21, 2021, where Higgins would detail an incident she said had made her a “problem” for her then-boss. In the recording, the former staffer told Maiden she felt like Reynolds “hated her” and branded a meeting they had alongside chief of staff Fiona Brown in April 2019 a “box ticking” exercise. That would be the sole meeting the trio had regarding a security breach, during which Higgins claims she was raped by colleague Bruce Lehrmann in Reynolds’ ministerial suite after a night out on March 23, 2019. Higgins’ partner and former press gallery journalist David Sharaz first approached Maiden about the story in January 2021, penning a text message about a “Me Too incident” the Liberal Party had “covered up”. “I am letting this be [Higgins’] decision, but she’s drafting a plan for you. She wants to do it in an election year,” Sharaz wrote. Maiden confirmed Higgins later sent a document referred to as “The Dossier”, but rejected that it went by that name at the time and said that was something that “entered the media lexicon” afterwards. The article would be published on news.com.au on February 15, 2021, with Maiden telling the court the timing was dictated by Higgins’ desire to have the story drop during a parliamentary sitting week.
#36 - Part 74
Brittany Higgins Rape Allegations and Bruce Lehrmann Defamation Trial - Part 6
>>21459208 David Sharaz told journalist Samantha Maiden a Morrison government payout would make Brittany Higgins look ‘bought off’ - David Sharaz told a senior journalist that his now wife Brittany Higgins would not feel comfortable accepting a payout from the Morrison government as it would make her look “bought off”, as the scale of Mr Sharaz’s involvement in taking Ms Higgins’ rape allegations public was laid bare. Hundreds of messages between Mr Sharaz and news.com.au political editor Samantha Maiden were released by the Western Australian Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon, after they were tendered as evidence in Linda Reynolds’ defamation action against Ms Higgins. The almost 10,000 words exchanged between the pair shed new light on the role of Mr Sharaz in bringing Ms Higgins’ plight to public attention. Among the cache was a message from Mr Sharaz in January 2021 before Ms Maiden broke the story – in which he described the Morrison government as being in “panic bribery mode”, and a February 2021 message soon after Ms Maiden’s story was published in which he said “there is ZERO chance she can accept a government payout without looking bought off”. Ms Higgins would later accept a $2.445m settlement payment from the Albanese Labor government in December 2022, and Senator Reynolds who has accused Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus of freezing her out of that compensation process – has referred the matter to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Also in February 2021, a week after Maiden was the first to reveal Ms Higgins’ story, Mr Sharaz told the reporter that both he and Ms Higgins were “regretting all of this” because “the government seems to have gotten away with it all, and we’re both unemployed”. Mr Sharaz texted Maiden on February 19: “I can see why PMO hate us. It all looks planned haha”.
>>21459213 Psychiatrist’s ‘vastly different reports’ on Brittany Higgins - A psychiatrist prepared “vastly” different reports about the impact of the government’s handling of Brittany Higgins’ rape claim, just months before she secured a $2.445m commonwealth payout linked to that handling, a court has heard. As it emerged that Linda Reynolds had launched another court action against Ms Higgins – this time over the trust fund the former political staffer established to administer that commonwealth settlement – the Western Australian Supreme Court on Thursday was told that psychiatrist Dr Julio Clavijo prepared two reports on Ms Higgins in early 2022. Martin Bennett, the lawyer representing Linda Reynolds in both her defamation action against Ms Higgins and her action against Ms Higgins’ trust, has made an application to have Dr Clavijo give evidence on Wednesday of next week after receiving documents overnight. Those documents, Mr Bennett said, showed that Dr Clavijo produced two significantly different reports about the causes of the mental harm suffered by Ms Higgins. The first of those reports, Mr Bennett said, “would disclose no cause of action against Senator Reynolds” over her handling of Ms Higgins’ rape claim. However, only the subsequent report was used in Ms Higgins’ settlement claim against the commonwealth. Mr Bennett said the first of the reports was handed to Ms Higgins’ lawyers on January 31, 2022, and the second was given to them on February 9. Both reports were marked with the same date of January 5, 2022. “The purpose of asking Dr Clavijo to come is to simply ask him to explain why there are two reports signed by him in his capacity as an expert witness, acknowledging the code of conduct for expert witnesses, both dated the same day … It’s just hard to find a sensible explanation,” Mr Bennett said. Mr Bennett said questions needed to be answered as to why the psychiatric reports exist in such “significantly and materially different terms”.
#36 - Part 75
Brittany Higgins Rape Allegations and Bruce Lehrmann Defamation Trial - Part 7
>>21520912 Brittany Higgins's lawyer delivers rebuke of senator Linda Reynolds testimony in defamation trial - Senator Linda Reynolds was an unreliable witness who failed to answer questions and whose "gratuitous" and "self-serving" testimony was more like advocacy, court defamation proceedings against her former staffer Brittany Higgins have been told. The defamation case, which has been heard over the past month in the WA Supreme Court, revolves around a handful of social media posts made by Ms Higgins last year that Senator Reynolds took offence to. The posts were made four years after the young woman was raped in Senator Reynolds's parliamentary office by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann. While he has always denied raping Ms Higgins, he was found to have done so in civil proceedings in the federal court earlier this year. In a blistering final submission, Ms Higgins's lawyer Rachael Young SC told the court Senator Reynolds did not always believe her former staffer had been raped, contrary to what she had repeatedly claimed. Senator Reynolds expressed ambivalence about the alleged rape to News Corp journalist Samantha Maiden, directly disavowed it in an interview with Channel 7's Spotlight last year, and her lawyer Martin Bennett also cast doubt in his opening address, Ms Young said. This included Mr Bennett's assertion that "the imagination of young people" meant the rape could have happened anywhere in the Senator's office, so she was not to know it happened on her couch, and his description of Ms Higgins "seeking a villain in her fairytale story of political cover-up".
>>21525883 Higgins, Reynolds’ lawyers in tug-of-war over ‘conspiracy’ claim amid shock Credlin connection - Liberal senator Linda Reynolds’ lawyer has accused Brittany Higgins of concocting a plan to weaponise her alleged rape in an “unprovoked attack underpinned by visceral hatred”, while revealing Sky News anchor Peta Credlin finessed one of her powerful public addresses. Higgins’ barrister, Rachael Young, SC, used the final hour of her closing address on Tuesday to savage the conspiracy arm of Reynolds’ Supreme Court defamation claim over several social media posts from July 2023. Young told the court the Reynolds’ evidence had failed to support her claim Higgins and the ex-staffer’s now-husband David Sharaz had devised a malicious plan to attack her by handpicking journalists, curating the timing of the bombshell story and aiding her political opponents. She downplayed the relevance of a five-hour recording before Higgins’ tell-all interview with The Project in 2021 in which Sharaz told journalist Lisa Wilkinson the former staffer’s motivation was for Reynolds to lose her job. Heard in its entirety, Young, said the audio showed Higgins’ real desire was for cultural change and that had been evidenced by her continued advocacy for reform and to support victims of sexual assault.
>>21530690 Reynolds’ lawyer throws spotlight on Higgins, Sharaz texts amid political furore - Liberal senator Linda Reynolds’ lawyer has accused Brittany Higgins of mocking the fact the attack she launched by weaponising her alleged rape had culminated in the former defence minister’s hospitalisation. Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett used the final day of his closing address on Wednesday to take the WA Supreme Court through a series of text messages between Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz in February 2021. After several days of intense questioning over Higgins’ allegation she had been raped by a colleague in Reynolds’ ministerial office following a night out on March 23, 2019, Reynolds had a public breakdown in the senate. The message thread tendered as evidence in Reynolds’ defamation claim against Higgins over several social media posts showed Sharaz laughing at reports the then-defence minister had delayed her return to work after being hospitalised with a cardiac condition. “Wow,” Higgins said. “She’s done. You don’t take three weeks and come back,” Sharaz replied. The court was later shown a second thread from March 28, 2021, which appeared to show Sharaz and Higgins responding to the impact the political fallout was having on Reynolds and then Prime Minister Scott Morrison. “Suck shit Linda, you awful human,” Sharaz wrote.
#36 - Part 76
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 1
>>21252828 AUKUS: Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility Welcomes ASC Personnel - Twenty-eight ASC Pty Ltd [formerly known as the Australian Submarine Corporation] personnel began training at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as part of the Australia, United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS) enhanced trilateral security partnership this week. The ASC employees will be trained and certified on various aspects of submarine maintenance to support the AUKUS Pillar 1 program that is supporting Australia’s acquisition of sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. “After months of preparation, we are excited to welcome the Australian maintainers into our shipyard family. The intensive training process they will undergo over the next few years will lay the groundwork for them to ultimately lead and execute their own maintenance operations,” said Capt. Ryan McCrillis, commanding officer of PHNSY & IMF.
>>21273950 AUKUS to withstand winds of political change: navy chiefs - The US Navy's highest-ranking officer has reaffirmed her nation's commitment to AUKUS, regardless of who wins the White House. As she visited the HMAS Stirling naval base alongside her Australian and UK counterparts for the first time, Admiral Lisa Franchetti said the US would be there for its partners when it matters, where it matters. As part of the AUKUS plan, US and UK nuclear submarines will rotate through HMAS Stirling, located on Garden Island south of Perth, before the site houses Australia's own nuclear submarine fleet. But growing expectations of a second Donald Trump presidency and delays in the US submarine supply chain have fuelled concerns that Australia's military partners may not follow through on their commitment. But Admiral Franchetti hosed down those concerns. "Regardless of who is in our political parties and whatever is happening in that space, it's allies and partners that are always our priority," she told reporters on Tuesday. "I am committed to delivering our part of AUKUS and really working with my teammates every day to make sure that … we meet those key milestones to deliver AUKUS for our nations today, tomorrow and far into the future. I know that all of our partners know that we are going to be there for them when it matters, where it matters, and that's what we deliver every single day."
>>21273969 Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy downplays Rockingham residents' concerns of AUKUS nuclear waste storage - The Albanese government has sought to dispel community concerns surrounding a planned radioactive waste management site off Perth's coast for AUKUS nuclear submarines. It comes as the chiefs of navy of the three AUKUS countries - the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia - met for the first time at the HMAS Stirling naval base on Garden Island, 50 kilometres south of the Perth CBD and about five kilometres off the coast of Rockingham, where the submarines will dock and be serviced. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the nuclear safety watchdog, has issued a licence to the Australian Submarine Agency to prepare a site on HMAS Stirling for a low-level radiation waste management and maintenance site, to be known as the "Controlled Industrial Facility". It will be a workshop for servicing and repairing the nuclear submarines and will temporarily store the waste. Some Rockingham residents have expressed alarm at the prospect of a radiation site just off the coast. Among the submissions to ARPANSA on the facility, concerns were expressed about residents' safety and the potential for radiation leaks. But federal Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has sought to ease those fears, saying there was no risk to the community. "This is akin to what occurs in 100 other sites around the country, anywhere that has a hospital that deals with medical imagery that involves radioactive isotopes has exactly the same level of waste," Mr Conroy said. "This is completely safe, and has been approved by the regulatory authorities."
#36 - Part 77
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 2
>>21281355 Australia confident Trump will back AUKUS sub deal after talks with his camp - Australia Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday Canberra is confident a re-elected Donald Trump will back the AUKUS security alliance and associated nuclear submarine sales after talks with his camp. The possibility of a Trump victory in the November presidential election has U.S. allies around the world scrambling to divine and prepare for his diplomatic agenda, including his take on the A$368 billion ($243 billion) AUKUS deal to help Australia acquire nuclear powered submarines and deter China in the Pacific. The deal includes the sale of three to five U.S. nuclear-powered Virginia Class submarines in the 2030s, a time when the U.S. fleet will shrink to a historic low. Some fear Trump's America First stance could hew to voices in Congress who want the submarines reserved for the U.S. navy instead. But conversations with the Trump camp had given Australia confidence he would honour the deal should he win the presidency again, Marles said in an interview on Sky News. "Every engagement we've had with the Trump camp in the normal process of speaking with people on both sides of politics in America, there is support for what is playing out in relation to AUKUS," he said. "We do have a sense of confidence, irrespective of what occurs in November of this year, we can firstly look forward to the alliance being as strong as ever and secondly that the equities that we have in that alliance, AUKUS front and center, will be maintained"
>>21289243 Video: UK First Sea Lord on AUKUS, Royal Navy in Asia Pacific and CSG deployments - Interview with the UK Royal Navy's most senior sailor, First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key, on AUKUS, OPVs in Asia Pacific and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) deployments to the Indo Pacific. Recorded in July 2024 at the Indian-Ocean Defence and Security (IODS) conference held in Perth, Australia. Includes the importance of AUKUS for the Royal Navy and progress made to date on AUKUS Pillar 1.
>>21303420 Federal government signs $2.2 billion deal to extend life of Collins submarines into the 2030s - The federal government has signed a $2.2 billion, four-year deal with the national submarine builder ASC to ensure the navy's existing Collins submarines are still functioning into the 2030s. The contract is part of a broader $4 to $5 billion spend on ensuring the serviceability of the Collins submarines, after half of the fleet was found to have significant corrosion damage earlier this year. HMAS Sheehan, HMAS Farncomb and HMAS Rankin have all been ruled out of action for the rest of 2024, meaning the navy has only three submarines at its disposal. Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said on Saturday the "sustainment contract" with ASC, formerly Australian Submarine Corporation, represented an investment to "maintain our sovereign capability". Mr Conroy said the contract would enable 700 new jobs in Osborne, South Australia, 400 in Henderson in Western Australia, and would help to grow the workforce needed for the planned AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines. Australia is hoping to continue operating the Collins Class submarines well into the 2030s, when they're gradually replaced by second-hand nuclear-powered Virginia class boats purchased from the US under the AUKUS partnership.
>>21326219 First Royal Australian Navy Sailors Graduate From Basic Enlisted Submarine School - In a first for the AUKUS trilateral enhanced security partnership, a group of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) enlisted sailors has graduated from the United States Navy's Basic Enlisted Submarine School (BESS). The sailors all graduated with distinction with one of them being named the Honor Graduate for scoring a 100% in the class. The graduation marks a significant milestone in the development of a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) fleet for Australia under the AUKUS Pillar 1 Optimal Pathway. “It’s another exciting step to see our Royal Australian Navy sailors graduate from this unique and challenging training. I am incredibly proud of their exceptional dedication and effort to reach this significant milestone,” said Chief of the Royal Australian Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond. “I’d like to thank our long-standing partners and friends in the U.S. Navy for providing the training to assist the Royal Australian Navy to operate, maintain and support Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine capability.”
#36 - Part 78
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 3
>>21348313 Powerful Republicans back AUKUS under Trump - Australia’s sovereignty of nuclear-powered submarines will be guaranteed under the AUKUS defence pact if Donald Trump wins back the White House at the November election, two top Republican senators said. Ranking members of the powerful US Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees Jim Risch and Marco Rubio said Australia would still have control of the submarines by the early 2030s even if America’s own production targets were not met. The US Navy submarine building program is substantially stretched, prompting concerns about shipbuilding delays and budget cutbacks. It has also raised concerns about whether the US would seek to keep control of vessels sold to Australia and determine where they are positioned to cover any shortfalls in its own fleet. “The sovereignty issue has been resolved. Australia is going to have submarines to use as submarines, the US has got submarines to use as submarines, and the sovereignty over the submarine is not an issue,” Senator Risch told The Australian Financial Review. The comments come as the US secretary of defence and the secretary of state are set this week to meet with their Australian counterparts for annual talks in Annapolis. The ministers are expected to question delays over the US relaxing defence export controls to foster defence trade under the AUKUS pact between the US, Australia and Britain. Senator Risch, a top Republican whose endorsement of Trump before the Iowa caucus in January helped him regain control of the Republican Party, said he did not think Trump would renege on the AUKUS arrangements, most of which have now passed Congress as law. “I don’t think that’s going to be an issue whichever administration it will be,” Senator Risch said. “I’d be careful until when the election is over before you start writing stories about who’s going to do what.”
>>21372114 Australia makes undisclosed 'political commitments' in new AUKUS deal on transfer of naval nuclear technology - Undisclosed "political commitments" have been made between the Albanese government and its AUKUS partners in a new agreement for the transfer of naval nuclear technology to Australia, which critics warn is likely to also allow radioactive waste to be dumped here. The White House confirmed Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States had reached another significant "AUKUS milestone" that set up further trilateral cooperation that would be essential for this country to build, operate and maintain nuclear-powered submarines. Under the AUKUS "optimal pathway" unveiled in San Diego last year, Australia will spend up to $368 billion over the next three decades to first purchase second-hand Virginia-class submarines and then develop a new SSN-AUKUS fleet using British technology. In a letter to the Australian House of Representatives speaker and the president of the Senate, US President Joe Biden urged Congress to give the revamped AUKUS agreement "favourable consideration". Mr Biden's letter explains that the new agreement would permit the continued communication and exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPI), including certain Restricted Data (RD), only previously shared between the US and UK. "[It] would also expand on the cooperation between the governments by enabling the transfer of naval nuclear propulsion plants of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, including component parts and spare parts thereof, and other related equipment," the letter reads. "I have determined that Australia and the United Kingdom, by participating with the United States pursuant to international arrangements, are making substantial and material contributions to our mutual defence and security."
>>21379709 Video: Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating attacks senior members of Albanese government over AUKUS agreement and foreign policy - Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating has taken aim at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles, accusing them of abandoning traditional party values. Speaking to 7.30 in an interview about the AUKUS agreement, Mr Keating accused the government of being a "sellout" on its defence policy, while defending Chinese interests in Taiwan. "In defence and foreign policy, this is not a Labor government," Mr Keating said. "This is a party which has adopted the defence and foreign policies of the Morrison Liberal government. This is a sellout." The former Labor leader had been asked about the AUKUS agreement between the US, UK and Australia, which he has been a constant critic of since its announcement. Mr Keating then called it "the worst deal in all history".
#36 - Part 79
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 4
>>21379731 Aukus pact will turn Australia into ‘51st state’ of the US, Paul Keating says - Australia’s participation in the Aukus defence pact risks handing military control of the country to Washington and becoming the “51st state of the United States”, according to former prime minister Paul Keating. Speaking on ABC’s 7.30 on Thursday night, Keating argued that Australia had made itself a target for aggression by joining the military alliance with the US and the UK in implicit opposition to China’s growing power in the Asia Pacific region. Australia had no quarrel with China, Keating said, and concerns about China’s designs on Taiwan were not justified because the island was “Chinese real estate”. “Taiwan is not a vital Australian interest,” he said, adding that the American attitude to Taiwan was like China deciding that Tasmania needed help to secede from Australia. “What Aukus is about in the American mind is turning [Australia into suckers], locking us up for 40 years with American bases all around … not Australian bases,” he said. “So Aukus is really about, in American terms, the military control of Australia. I mean, what’s happened … is likely to turn Australia into the 51st state of the United States.”
>>21379780 Anthony Albanese brushes off criticism by former Labor PM Paul Keating - Paul Keating has taken another swipe at the Albanese Labor government’s national security policies, saying it should be “celebrating the rise” of China instead of turning Australia into “a US protectorate”. The former prime minister started his brutal assessment of Labor’s defence policy in an interview on ABC’s 7.30 on Thursday, where he said the government’s embrace of the AUKUS nuclear submarines deal was “likely to turn Australia into the 51st state of the United States”. “This is a party which has adopted the defence and foreign policies of the Morrison Liberal government. This is a sellout,” Mr Keating said. But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was unperturbed by the views of the 80-year-old Mr Keating, who was voted out of office 28 years ago. “Paul was a great prime minister - that ended in 1996,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Perth on Friday. “Paul has his views. They’re well known. The world has changed between 1996 and 2024. My government is doing what we need to do today, and everyone will get a go here.” Mr Keating, who has been vocal in his criticism of the tripartite deal between Australia, the UK and US since it was announced in 2021 when Scott Morrison was prime minister, took another shot at Mr Albanese late on Friday. Mr Keating said Mr Albanese had put Australia on a path to becoming a “US protectorate” in Asia when the nation should be “celebrating the rise of China”. “The fact is, the Albanese government is returning to the Anglosphere to garner Australia’s security,” Mr Keating said in a statement. “In effect, the Albanese government is doing the very thing that all my life, I had trenchantly opposed, and in the post-War years, Labor had opposed. And that is, finding our security from Asia rather than our security in Asia.”
>>21385621 Defence Minister Richard Marles insists AUKUS milestone won't force Australia to accept foreign nuclear waste - The defence minister insists Thursday's milestone agreement on AUKUS does not oblige Australia to take nuclear waste from the United States or the United Kingdom. Australia and the US made significant progress on Thursday towards acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement, in a deal that included undisclosed "political commitments" to Australia's partner nations, the US and the UK. Critics of the nuclear submarine plan claimed that the deal would eventually oblige Australia to take high-level radioactive waste from the US and UK. Defence Minister Richard Marles insisted on Friday morning that was not the case. "Nuclear waste won't end up in Australia, other than the waste that is generated by Australia," Mr Marles said. "That is the agreement that we reached with the UK and the US back in March of last year, and so all this is doing is providing for the legal underpinning of that." Mr Marles said there would be "no circumstance" where Australia takes waste from any other country.
#36 - Part 80
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 5
>>21396367 US, UK could pull out of AUKUS with year’s notice - The US or the UK could pull out of the AUKUS submarine deal with just a year’s notice if either nation decides the pact weakens their own nuclear submarine programs, new documents reveal. An updated AUKUS agreement and a political “understanding” between the countries, tabled in parliament on Monday, establish a 50-year legal framework for the transfer of nuclear materials and equipment to Australia. The understanding says the US and UK “should not unreasonably withhold” nuclear information or equipment from Australia. But it includes an escape clause for either country if they decide the AUKUS deal adversely affects their ability to “meet their respective military requirements and to not degrade their respective naval nuclear propulsion programs”. “A government may discontinue its participation in this understanding earlier and, in such case, should provide one year’s written notice to the other governments of its intent to do so,” the understanding says. Under the new agreement, the terms for the transfer of nuclear material and equipment will be “mutually decided in writing” at a later point in time. The documents also reveal Australia will indemnify the US and UK “against any liability, loss, costs, damage, or injury” arising from nuclear risks connected to the $368bn program. The agreement - which expires in 2075 - confirms Australia will be responsible for all management, storage and disposal of spent fuel and nuclear waste, including radioactive materials from maintenance of US and UK submarines in Australia.
>>21422049 Australia, New Zealand vow joint response to cyber threats under ANZUS - Australia and New Zealand have moved to modernise the nations’ defence alliance, declaring a major cyber strike on either country would be treated as an armed attack under the ANZUS Treaty, requiring a joint response “to meet the common danger”. In annual leaders’ talks on Friday, Anthony Albanese and New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon also pledged to purchase the same military hardware whenever possible, opening the prospect that Wellington could buy Australian-built general purpose frigates. Amid growing concerns over the threat of crippling cyber strikes, the leaders confirmed such attacks would trigger the nations’ treaty obligations under ANZUS. “Warfare has changed and cyber warfare is a large part,” Mr Luxon said. “We are making sure (the alliance) is modern and reflective of the environment we operate in.” The change will ensure New Zealand - which has no other formal allies - has access to the Australian Signals Directorate’s world-leading offensive and defensive cyber capabilities if its networks suffer a major attack.
>>21422173 NT bases key for US: Deterrence starts at the Top (End) - Australia has become “the central base of operations” for America’s military to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, the chair of the US House of Representatives’ powerful foreign affairs committee has declared. Republican congressman Michael McCaul told The Weekend Australian a recently announced boost to US bomber deployments to Australia’s Top End bases would enable America to project power across the region to prevent future wars. Mr McCaul also hailed an AUKUS breakthrough on Friday allowing licence-free technology transfers. He declared the partnership vital to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping that an invasion of Taiwan was a “not a good idea”. He said the security pact would survive a Trump presidency, arguing that the AUKUS concept predated the Biden administration and had “very, very strong bipartisan support”. Speaking in Sydney after a 10-day visit, Mr McCaul said Australia’s geography offered key advantages to the US as it sought to deter Chinese aggression. “It is the central base of operations in the Indo-Pacific to counter the threat,” he said. “If you really look at the concentric circles emanating from Darwin - that is the base of operations, and the rotating (US) forces there are providing the projection of power and force that we’re seeing in the region.”
#36 - Part 81
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 6
>>21466649 Video: USS Hawaii (SSN 776) joins USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) in First-ever Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine Maintenance Availability in Australia - In a historic first, Australian personnel will work alongside with their U.S. counterparts to conduct maintenance on USS Hawaii (SSN 776) in Australia as part of a Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. The STMP marks a significant step forward in the Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) Pillar 1 program, which is paving the way for Australia to acquire a sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability. Over the coming weeks, submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) will execute several maintenance activities aboard Hawaii. This is the first time Australians have participated in a U.S. submarine maintenance period in Australia. More than 30 Australian personnel who participated in a knowledge exchange period that began in January 2024 aboard Emory S. Land will execute the majority of planned maintenance work with U.S. support and oversight. The Emory S. Land crew will execute planned and emergent maintenance activities including the removal and reinstallation of an antenna located in Hawaii’s sail, divers visually inspecting the underwater towed array and torpedo tube muzzles, and simulating the removal and installation of a trim pump, to include full rigging and preparations. “This is an important moment for the Royal Australian Navy,” said Rear Adm. Matthew Buckley, the Australian Submarine Agency’s Head of Submarine Capability. “For the first time, we have Australians who were trained and certified aboard Emory S. Land using their skills on a U.S. SSN in Australian waters.”
>>21507255 Submarine chiefs sketch out scale of AUKUS challenge, but say we are on target - The head of the US Navy’s nuclear propulsion program says it will be “challenging” for America to meet its production targets to provide Australia with between three and five nuclear-powered Virginia class submarines, but that “we are on the path to achieve this.” Admiral William Houston, the former US submarine forces commander, provided an assurance on Friday that the US was hiring 40,000 workers and investing more than $10bn in its submarine industrial base to ensure it was in a position to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines from 2032. “We are fully committed to the sale and transfer of the submarines we have discussed to Australia,” he said. “Of course, it’s conditions based - that you are ready to maintain them, which you are well on track to do, and to meet the safety and stewardship requirements.” Admiral Houston was speaking alongside Australian Submarine Agency director-general, Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, and Royal Navy second sea lord, Vice Admiral Martin Connell, at HMAS Stirling near Perth. The submarine chiefs appeared together to mark the first time that a Virginia class submarine, the USS Hawaii, had received maintenance work outside of a US territory - a key milestone in Australia achieving an enduring nuclear-powered submarine capability. More than 30 Australian Navy personnel, embedded since January on the USS Emory S. Land, a submarine tender, have been working alongside US counterparts to provide the maintenance work. Vice Admiral Mead said this was an “unprecedented” development that would help ensure, from 2027, that the nation was ready to accommodate a rotational presence at HMAS Stirling of one UK and up to four US nuclear-powered submarines and - beyond that - Australia’s own future fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
>>21520904 PM dodges China question, spruiks ‘jobs for subs’ - Anthony Albanese has dodged a question about the purpose of AUKUS while spruiking a new “jobs for subs” initiative in Western Australia. Speaking to reporters from HMAS Stirling, an island naval base just off Perth, the Prime Minister was asked on Monday if the trilateral defence pact was designed to fight a third world war, possibly against China, or prevent one. “AUKUS is designed to serve Australia’s national interest, working with the United States and the United Kingdom, which is, of course, our traditional allies,” he said. “This is about our own national interest.” Earlier, the federal government unveiled its Nuclear-Powered Submarine Graduate, Apprenticeship and Traineeship Initiative. The program aims to help shipbuilder ASC Pty Ltd recruit 200 entry-level workers over the next two years to build up the workforce needed to maintain the AUKUS fleet. The jobs will be mostly based in Western Australia, where up to five nuclear-powered submarines are to be docked at HMAS Stirling. The roles will be wide ranging, offering opportunities in fabrication, machining, engineering, project management, supply chain and operations qualifications.
#36 - Part 82
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 7
>>21520908 Video: Entry-level workers set to support AUKUS submarines - Graduates, apprentices and trainees will be recruited to maintain Australia's future nuclear-powered submarine fleet in an attempt to shore up the necessary workforce. The federal government's initiative will allow submarine builder ASC Pty Ltd to hire about 200 entry-level workers over the next two years. As part of Australia's trilateral agreement with the US and UK - known as AUKUS - up to five nuclear-powered submarines will have a presence at the HMAS Stirling naval base just south of Perth from as early as 2027. The new roles will help sustain and maintain the fleet. "We want to keep Australians safe," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. "That's why WA will play a key role in building AUKUS. This will help promote peace and deterrence in the region and support local jobs." The new jobs will span fabrication, machining, engineering, project management, supply chain and operations, and most will be based in WA. About $8 billion will be spent on wharf upgrades, training facilities and supporting infrastructure at the WA naval base. The government has also committed to funding more than 4000 Commonwealth-supported places in science, technology, engineering and mathematics bachelor degrees across 16 universities to nurture the future submarine workforce. Across the nation, the submarine program is expected to create about 20,000 jobs over the next three decades.
>>21525998 US navy boss Tom Mancinelli says Australia will retain sovereignty over nuclear subs - The US Acting Under-Secretary of the Navy, Tom Mancinelli, has said the Indo-Pacific is America’s “priority theatre” and that the US is “here to stay” on a trip to Western Australia in support of the AUKUS security partnership. Mr Mancinelli told The Australian that US national defence strategy had assessed the People’s Republic of China as being its long-term “pacing challenge” and the US Navy was “laser focused” on the Pacific region. Mr Mancinelli said that the US would “benefit tremendously” from the AUKUS security partnership, including “what it means for American force posture, for what it means for our own defence industrial base”. He said maintenance work being conducted at HMAS Stirling near Perth on the USS Hawaii – a Virginia-class submarine – was the “hallmark event of AUKUS for 2024”. America was looking towards achieving a “steady drumbeat of US sailors and attack submarines coming here to HMAS Stirling,” he said. “I believe the goal we set for ourselves is two per year, beginning in 2025, to make sure that the sailors of the Australian navy team here at HMAS Stirling are improving their skills and know-how to the point where the Submarine Rotational Force-West is a reality by the end of 2027.” SRF-West is aimed at accommodating a rotational presence at HMAS Stirling from 2027 of one British and up to four US nuclear-powered submarines and - beyond that - Australia’s own future fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
>>21556604 White House pushes for AUKUS to move to ‘pillar two’ weapons focus - The US is pushing for the AUKUS partnership to launch some world-leading new military technology projects before Joe Biden’s presidency ends, amid signs of growing impatience with the initiative. The US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, revealed in an interview at the White House that he wanted to see “two or three signature projects launched and under way by the time the administration finishes” on January 20. While he expressed satisfaction with progress on so-called pillar one of AUKUS, the submarine program, his timeline for pillar two’s cutting-edge tech scheme puts new pressure on the three countries’ military and scientific agencies to deliver in the next five months. It is three years ago this month that the leaders of the US, UK and Australia announced the joint technology initiative. In the meantime, China has extended its advantage in critical technologies, according to a report last week by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
#36 - Part 83
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 8
>>21607503 Gareth Evans: Why AUKUS is not in Australia’s interests - a response by Labor’s elders - "Paul Keating, Bob Carr and I seem to have jangled a few security establishment nerves with our critique of the AUKUS submarine deal as having profound negative implications for Australia’s security and sovereignty. Our former colleagues and advisers, Kim Beazley, Paul Dibb, Mike Pezzullo and the US Studies Centre’s Peter Dean, were in full war-cry mode in The Weekend Australian. They have now been joined by the Australian National University’s John Blaxland, currently seconded to the Australian embassy in Washington. Our critique much of which has either been misrepresented or ignored in these responses – has five basic elements. One, there is zero certainty of the timely delivery of the eight AUKUS boats. Both the US and UK have explicit opt-out rights. Even in the wholly unlikely event that everything falls smoothly into place, we will be waiting 40 years for the last boat to arrive, posing real capability gap issues. Two, even acknowledging the superior capability of nuclear-propelled submarines, making large assumptions about their continued detectability advantages, and accepting for the sake of argument the utility of “deterrence at a distance”, how useful will this eight-boat fleet actually be for Australia’s defence? When, given usual operating constraints, only two of them will be deployable across our vast maritime environment at any one time. Third, even assuming the eye-watering cost of these boats is fiscally manageable, it will make much harder the acquisition of other capabilities - in particular, state-of-the-art missiles, aircraft and drones – arguably even more important than submarines for any kind of self-reliant capacity in meeting an invasion threat, were one ever to arise. Four, the price now being demanded by the US for giving us access to its nuclear propulsion technology - achieving what is now described as fleet “interchangeability”, not just “interoperability” – has become indefensibly high. The conversion of Stirling into a major base for a US Indian Ocean fleet will mean Perth now joining Pine Gap and the North West Cape, and probably the B-52 base Tindal, as a potential nuclear target. It is hard to conceive of Australia ever being a target of any kind of Chinese military attack, short of our being sucked into fighting alongside the US in a war not of our making, and manifestly not in our national interest. But that prospect is now very real, given the abdication of Australian sovereign agency inherent in the AUKUS decision as it has evolved. Five, the purchase price we are now paying, for all its exorbitance, will never be enough to guarantee the absolute protective insurance that supporters of AUKUS think they are buying. ANZUS, it cannot be said too often, does not bind the US to defend Australia, even in the event of existential attack. We can rely on military support if the US sees it in its own national interest to offer it, but not otherwise." - Gareth Evans was Australia’s foreign minister from 1988-96 - theaustralian.com.au
>>21607516 China says AUKUS is ‘driven by Cold War thinking’. Here are 3 reasons it is so threatened by the pact - Ever since AUKUS’ public announcement three years ago, China has been staunchly opposed to the partnership. Beijing has blasted AUKUS diplomatically and mounted a concerted campaign to challenge its legality. China has said AUKUS is “driven by Cold War thinking,” “fuelling military confrontation,” and creating “additional nuclear proliferation risks”. The aim of AUKUS is for the Australian navy to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States also collaborating on other advanced military technologies. As AUKUS sceptics have argued, it’s entirely possible Australia will never get its planned nuclear-powered attack submarines. Any number of factors — from the mercurial whims of a future US president to American shipbuilding constraints — could see the partnership fall over. However, if the plan succeeds, even in a modified form, it’ll pose a serious military challenge to China. As Kevin Rudd, the former Australian prime minister and current ambassador to the US, said in recent days, it’s probably already complicating China’s future geopolitical calculations. Here are three reasons why China finds the pact so threatening.
#36 - Part 84
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 9
>>21621205 AUKUS open to military technology co-operation with key allies - Former prime minister Scott Morrison has welcomed the potential inclusion of allies Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea to AUKUS Pillar II to share military technology, but experts are warning that broadening the defence alliance could undermine its relevance. Mr Morrison, who negotiated the establishment of the tripartite pact with the US and Britain when he was prime minister, said it was a “good and welcome move, so long as AUKUS remains a highest common denominator partnership and harmonising and collaborating among founding AUKUS jurisdictions retains priority”. Anthony Albanese, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said “AUKUS partners and Japan are exploring opportunities to improve interoperability of their maritime autonomous systems as an initial area of co-operation” in a development revealed in The Australian on Tuesday evening. “Recognising these countries’ close bilateral defence partnerships with each member of AUKUS, we are consulting with Canada, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea to identify possibilities for collaboration on advanced capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II,” the leaders said in a statement. Strategic Analysis Australia director Peter Jennings said, however, it was best for AUKUS to remain exclusive to Australia, Britain and the US to keep its “relevance and force”. “I think the most effective way to kill AUKUS would be to broaden it out too widely,” he said. “With maybe the odd exception if there’s technology that’s worth thinking about.”
>>21660461 New AUKUS treaty with UK to keep $368bn nuclear-powered submarine program on track - Australia and the United Kingdom are to negotiate a separate bilateral treaty “at pace and with high priority” to keep the $368bn AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine program on target. The new treaty, which will be negotiated in confidence, is supplementary to the broader 2021 trilateral AUKUS deal between the UK, Australia and the United States. Ministers believe having a new strategic and operational bilateral framework between just Australia and the United Kingdom will help the two countries focus on the core elements of the submarine, and will accelerate the design, build and delivery of SSN-AUKUS. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles met UK Defence Secretary John Healey, and the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in central London on Thursday. Mr Marles was expected to discuss the skilling up of local workers for submarine manufacture with his AUKUS partners. Last year it was announced SSN-AUKUS would be based on the United Kingdom’s next-generation design, using nuclear power technology from the United States and other new technologies from all three nations. The timetable has been for Australia and the UK to begin building SSN-AUKUS in local shipyards “within this decade” and that SSN-AUKUS will be the submarines used by the UK at the end of the 2030s and Australia will use them by early 2040s.
>>21666169 Video: Richard Marles meets with US, UK counterparts to discuss AUKUS deal progress - The UK will train hundreds of Australians to operate nuclear powered submarines as part of a new bilateral treaty, to try to keep the $368 billion AUKUS security pact on track. - ABC News (Australia)
#36 - Part 85
AUKUS Security Pact and Nuclear Submarine Program - Part 10
>>21666281 ‘Utterly untrue’: Keating berates Marles over AUKUS defence - Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has slapped down former prime minister Paul Keating and other senior Labor critics of the AUKUS defence pact, as the government looks to rein in the controversy before it threatens to sap public support. Standing beside the American and British defence secretaries at a press conference in London, Mr Marles said AUKUS was now rolling inexorably forward, and had the strong backing of the Australian public. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also weighed in: he rejected one of Mr Keating’s central claims, telling journalists that AUKUS would not compromise Australia’s ability to make sovereign defence and security decisions in its own national interest. Mr Keating ridiculed these comments, saying Australia would only remain in charge of its own security until the prime minister and defence minister took a call from the US president, seeking to mobilise Australia’s submarines. “Wherein, both would click their heels in alacrity and agreement. The rest of us would read about it in some self-serving media statement afterwards,” Mr Keating said in a statement. The $368 billion plan to bring nuclear-powered submarines to Australia has come under increasing fire from Labor grandees, including Mr Keating and former foreign ministers Bob Carr and Gareth Evans. They have argued it will be too expensive and potentially undeliverable and will yoke Australia into military and geopolitical dependency on the US. The debate has not frayed the bipartisan support for AUKUS in Canberra, but could spur concern among observers in Britain and the US about the solidity of Australia’s commitment.
>>21666329 Keating, Marles exchange fire over pact to buy US submarines - Former prime minister Paul Keating has berated the Labor government for claiming the AUKUS alliance will follow a similar path to his defence policy from three decades ago, escalating his attacks by calling the defence pact an act of “sublimation” to America. Keating accused Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles of misleading Australians over the plan to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, arguing the outcome would sacrifice Australian sovereignty. His blistering comments about “flogging a dead seahorse” came after Marles met his United States and United Kingdom counterparts in London on Thursday and recommitted to the plan to buy several US submarines before building a new fleet of AUKUS submarines. “The fact is, the Albanese government, through this program and the ambitious basing of American military forces on Australian soil is doing nothing other than abrogating Australia’s sovereign right to command its own continent and its military forces,” Keating said. Marles launched a passionate defence of the strategy by vowing there was no turning back on the $368 billion nuclear submarines deal, speaking alongside UK Defence Secretary John Healey and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin at Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich on Thursday. “We have to have a top-of-the-line, first-rate, long-range submarine capability,” Marles said, drawing a parallel between the current plan and the Keating government’s decision to build the Collins-class submarine in the 1990s. “So to be able to have the same capability in the future that in Mr Keating’s time he was planning for with the Collins-class submarines, we must walk down this path.”
#36 - Part 86
Australia / China Tensions - Page 1
>>21258031 Alarm over espionage, organised crime risk posed by Chinese cameras - Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of cameras manufactured by companies linked to grave human rights abuses by the Chinese government are monitoring public spaces all over Australia, and potentially providing backdoor access to footage to other bad actors. The cameras, manufactured by Chinese Communist Party-linked companies Hikvision and Dahua, were removed last year from government departments amid spyware concerns, but they remain prolific in countless other public settings. Leading global security expert Conor Healy, who visited Australia last week, said concerns regarding the capacity for the cameras to enable covert access to an array of bad actors, including pedophiles and organised criminal networks, were at least as worrying as the companies’ links to Chinese human rights abuses. “Claims of thousands or tens of thousands of Dahua and Hikvision surveillance devices in Australia are serious underestimations,” said Mr Healy, director of government research at US-based independent security and surveillance industry research group IPVM. “The true number is at least hundreds of thousands, if not millions, given their significant market share in Australia. Australians can easily see this for themselves by walking a block of any city street, and that is without considering the numerous other brands these devices masquerade as.”
>>21281383 Navy chief Vice Admiral Mark Hammond say AUKUS doesn’t mean war with China over Taiwan is inevitable - The AUKUS agreement will not automatically drag Australia into a war to defend Taiwan, the ADF’s navy boss has declared. Chief of navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond spoke on stage with his counterparts US Admiral Lisa Franchetti and UK Admiral Sir Ben Key — at day one of the Indian Ocean Conference on Wednesday. The three admirals represent each nation in the trilateral AUKUS agreement that will see rotations of nuclear-powered submarines visit Australia from 2027. Australia will acquire the vessels in the 2030s. The agreement is largely seen as an effort to deter and contain an increasingly belligerent China, whose leadership has a long-held goal of annexing Taiwan. When asked if AUKUS meant Australia would inevitably be “dragged” into a conflict over the island-nation, Admiral Hammond replied sharply: “No.” “Any participation by Australian Defence Force in any conflict, anywhere on the planet is a sovereign decision of the Australian Government, so no,” he continued.
>>21296756 Video: US military, seeking strategic advantages, builds up Australia's northern bases amid China tensions - The U.S. military is building infrastructure in northern Australia to help it project power into the South China Sea if a crisis with China erupts, a Reuters review of documents and interviews with U.S. and Australian defence officials show. Closer to the Philippines than Australia's east coast capital, Canberra, Darwin has long been a garrison town for the Australian Defence Force and a U.S. Marine Rotational Force that spends six months of each year there. A few hundred kilometres to the south, RAAF Base Tindal is home to key elements of Australia's airpower, and was a temporary base for U.S. jets in recent exercises. As northern Australia re-emerges as a strategically vital Indo-Pacific location amid rising tensions with China, the United States has quietly begun constructing hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of facilities there to support B-52 bombers, F-22 stealth fighters, and refuelling and transport aircraft - all part of a larger effort to distribute U.S. forces around the region and make them less vulnerable. "When you look at the positioning of northern Australia, particularly Darwin, in relation to the region … it's always good to have multiple options in where you would want to put your forces in any type of crisis," said Colonel Brian Mulvihill, commanding officer of the U.S. Marine Rotational Force.
#36 - Part 87
Australia / China Tensions - Page 2
>>21314074 Quad meets in Japan as Beijing pressures politicians not to attend Taiwan summit - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced at the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting that Australia will contribute $18 million for a Canberra-based "Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre" for countries in the Indo-Pacific region which are rolling out new cable networks. It comes as politicians from at least six countries say Chinese diplomats are pressuring them not to attend a China-focused summit in Taiwan, in what they describe as efforts to isolate the self-governed island. Representatives from Bolivia, Colombia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and one other Asian country that declined to be named say they are getting texts, calls and urgent requests for meetings that would conflict with their plans to travel to Taipei, the island's capital. The IPAC summit in Taiwan begins on Monday and is being held by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, or IPAC, a group of hundreds of politicians from 35 countries concerned about how democracies approach Beijing. The summit was held as Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets her US, Japanese and Indian counterparts in Tokyo for the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting. All four nations say the grouping is focused on building a "positive" agenda for the region, but the Quad has also devoted considerable time and effort to pushing back against China's growing financial and strategic clout in Asia.
>>21332391 Norther Territory base upgrades will ‘help protect’ US B-52s in a conflict - The US’s top air force commander in the Pacific says upgrades to Australia’s Tindal air base to accommodate B-52 bombers will give American forces the flexibility they need in a future conflict. General Kevin Schneider, the Commander of the US’s Pacific Air Forces, said he was pleased with the pace of jointly funded base upgrades at Tindal and Darwin to support joint air operations, including a new runway and hangar for US strategic bombers. He said the remoteness of the Australian bases, which are beyond the range of most Chinese missiles, offered the US the ability to protect its forces should war break out. “Defence of the force is always something that is top of mind,” General Schneider said at the RAAF-hosted Exercise Pitch Black in the Northern Territory. “So in all of our planning, all of our considerations for how we would respond, defence of our forces and the risk to our forces is something that we continue to consider.” He said the distance of the bases from potential conflict areas would give US forces the time they needed to move into and out of harm’s way. While Australia’s Top End bases are unprotected by air and missile defence systems, General Schneider hinted the US would step in to protect the facilities with its own defensive batteries in the event of a conflict.
>>21332444 United States Air Force commander General Kevin Schneider on regional tension - A senior US military commander says the “heavy handed” activities of Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang has forced like-minded nations across the globe to unite, maintaining large scale military activities across Northern Australia is sending a strong, collective message to the region’s troublemakers. The comments come amid heightened military activity across the Northern Territory, where multinational exercises across air, land and maritime domains are being conducted. In the skies, Exercise Pitch Black 2024 is the largest in its 43-year history, with more than 140 aircraft across 20 nations testing their air combat skills, air-to-air refuelling methods, and air reconnaissance practices. On the ground, Exercise Predators Run - an annually held land warfighting activity – has also delivered the largest instalment in its history, with thousands of troops from Australia, United Kingdom, United States and The Philippines using the width and breadth of the Top End to improve its ‘near-peer’ fighting ability. Speaking to media at RAAF Base Darwin on Tuesday, United States Air Force commander General Kevin Schneider said the mammoth training exercises underway in Darwin and beyond were part of a broader effort to “build relationships” across the Indo-Pacific in the face of aggressive posturing from the north. “(There are) like-minded partners who continue to see the security situation in the same light that we do, as governments in Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang are heavy handed in their activities and conduct,” he said. “Things that we would describe as illegal, aggressive and deceptive.”
#36 - Part 88
Australia / China Tensions - Page 3
>>21366092 U.S.-Australia talks focus on China's 'coercive behaviour' - The United States and Australia kicked off high-level talks on Tuesday that will focus on China's "coercive behaviour", as well as the AUKUS nuclear submarine project and mounting tensions in the Middle East, officials said. The annual Australia-U.S. AUSMIN talks, taking place in Annapolis, Maryland, include the top defense and diplomatic officials from both nations. "We're working together today to tackle shared security challenges, from coercive behaviour by the PRC (People's Republic of China), to Russia's war of choice against Ukraine, to the turmoil in the Middle East," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. "And I know that (this) year's AUSMIN will deliver results for both of our peoples." The U.S. and China are at odds on a range of issues including U.S. support for Taiwan, as well as Chinese military activity in the South China Sea, over most of which China claims control including the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, where U.S. ally the Philippines has maritime claims.
>>21366107 US to increase force projection from Australia in face of 'coercive' China - Australia will begin co-manufacturing guided weapons with the US next year to boost supply for allies in the Indo Pacific and increase a US military presence in the country, including bomber aircraft, the two nations said after annual defence talks. Australia and the United States are already working to upgrade air bases in northern and western Australia, which are closer to potential flashpoints with China in the South China Sea than Australia's capital of Canberra. After annual AUSMIN talks in Annapolis, Maryland, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said there would be an increase in the presence of rotational U.S. forces in Australia. "This will mean more maritime patrol aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft operating from bases across northern Australia. It will also mean more frequent rotational bomber deployments," he said. In opening remarks Austin said the two allies faced shared security challenges including "coercive behaviour" by China. A joint statement released after the AUSMIN talks expressed concern over Chinese military activity around Taiwan, and China's excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea. They "noted grave concern about China's dangerous and escalatory behavior toward Philippine vessels lawfully operating within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone".
>>21366116 Deepened US-Australia security cooperation ‘risks exacerbating confrontation’ - "The US and Australia are expected to hold the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN), with the participation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, in Annapolis, Maryland on Tuesday. Observers warned further military cooperation between the US and Australia would expand US hegemony in the region and exacerbate geopolitical confrontation. Ahead of AUSMIN, Austin met Marles at the Pentagon to discuss the historic military-to-military progress between the two nations, the US defense department said on Monday local time. Austin hailed the achievement in their defense industrial cooperation and expanding efforts with their allies and partners. Australia is involved in the US strategy to contain China in the Indo-Pacific region and the US has long been hoping that Australia will fully commit to the US strategy, Yu Lei, a professor at Shandong University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. From what we have seen so far, the Australian government has shown prudence and political wisdom in dealing with its relations with China, demonstrating a relatively flexible posture, said Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University. He warned that Australia should realize that being used by the US and serving its Indo-Pacific strategy will only exacerbate geopolitical confrontation, rather than benefit its own security." - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn
#36 - Part 89
Australia / China Tensions - Page 4
>>21385715 Canada and Australia, eyeing China, signal more military cooperation - Canada and Australia, expressing alarm at China's claims over the disputed waters of the South China Sea, on Thursday said they would increase their military and defense industry cooperation. Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair said security in the Indo-Pacific region was being challenged "in a number of significant and difficult ways" and accused Beijing of trying to reshape the international system to advance its own interests. Blair, speaking after Vancouver talks with Australian counterpart Richard Marles, said the two nations needed to work more closely together to maintain order in the Indo-Pacific. "We have agreed to pursue closer collaboration by enhancing the interoperability of our armed forces and by deepening our operational cooperation," he told reporters. The two said they were concerned about what they called Beijing's excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea as well as Chinese military activity around Taiwan. The Philippines' armed forces and their counterparts from Canada, United States, and Australia this week held joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea. "Our cooperation is based on seeking to deter. We are absolutely about working with each other so that we can avoid conflict," said Marles, referring to his talks with Blair.
>>21404174 Nancy Pelosi rebukes former Australian PM Paul Keating over ‘stupid statement’ on Taiwan - A war of words has broken out between the former Australian prime minister Paul Keating and the former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi over Taiwan, after the prominent Democrat accused Keating of making a “stupid statement” about the territory. Keating was quick to hit back on Tuesday, suggesting Pelosi had “very nearly” sparked a military confrontation between the US and China over her “indulgent” 2022 visit to Taiwan. The dispute began after the national broadcaster published an excerpt of an upcoming interview with Pelosi in which she rebuked Keating for describing Taiwan as “Chinese real estate”. “That’s ridiculous. It is not Chinese real estate and he should know that,” Pelosi told the ABC’s 7.30 program. “Taiwan is Taiwan and it is the people of Taiwan who have a democracy there. I think that that was a stupid statement.” In the interview, to be broadcast in full on Tuesday evening, Pelosi added: “I’ve no idea about Keating, but I think that it was a stupid statement to make, and I don’t know what his connection is to China that he would say such a thing. “But it is really not in the security interest of the Asia-Pacific region for people to talk that way.”
>>21409544 Video: Nancy Pelosi takes aim at Paul Keating over his 'ridiculous' statement on Taiwan, speaks out on the dangers of Donald Trump - Former US speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi has slammed former Australian prime minister Paul Keating's controversial remarks about Taiwan as "ridiculous". Speaking to 7.30 last week Mr Keating described Taiwan as "Chinese real estate" and called for Australia to back away from what he deemed a dangerous alliance with the US, especially when it came to the AUKUS agreement. "You don't want to get my description of him for saying that," Ms Pelosi told 7.30 in an exclusive interview. "That's ridiculous. It is not Chinese real estate, and he should know that Taiwan is Taiwan, and it's the people of Taiwan who have a democracy there." Ms Pelosi said that Mr Keating's comments went against the interests of the region. "I think that was a stupid statement," Ms Pelosi told 7.30. "I don't know what his connection is to China that he would say such a thing, but it is really not in the in the security interest of the Asia Pacific region for people to talk that way. "It may be something he believes, but I think he's wrong." Since entering congress in 1987 Ms Pelosi has been outspoken on human rights issues related to China, as well as on the issue of Taiwanese independence. She led a high-profile Congressional delegation to Taipei in 2022. "We have a history of support for Taiwan for decades in the congress, it's bipartisan, Democrats and Republicans … and it has been very strong in support of the democracy in Taiwan."
#36 - Part 90
Australia / China Tensions - Page 5
>>21439410 Liberals seek to regain lost Chinese voters at next election - The Coalition will target Chinese voters in key inner city seats with messages of their frugal economic management, tough stance on crime and support for entrepreneurship in the hopes of winning back the diaspora that swung against the party at nearly double the rate of the national average in 2022. The Australian can reveal the opposition intends to pour “significant effort and resources” into winning back hundreds of thousands of voters in Chinese communities, with Liberal MPs in key seats describing the “huge opportunity” the cohort presents for the party at the next election. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton - who has personally attended half a dozen engagements with Chinese communities this year — said traditional Liberal Party values were “resonating” with multicultural Australia because of the cost-of-living crisis and poorly-managed migration system, among other failings of the government. “My message to communities across Australia, and to Chinese Australians and to other multicultural communities, is that there is a better way,” he told The Australian. “Australians are fast realising that they just can’t afford another three years of the Albanese government,” Mr Dutton said. The Liberal Party suffered swings of nearly 7 per cent across the 15 seats with the highest proportion of people with Chinese ancestry at the last election, compared to its national average of just 3.7 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis. But numerous Liberal sources said that, without Scott Morrison as leader and a reduction in the “clunky language” on China exercised under his government, they were optimistic the party would win back a significant portion of Chinese voters.
>>21459246 Liberals talked of banning Chinese super app - now MPs flock to it - Liberal MPs are flocking back to Chinese social media service WeChat, reversing a Morrison-era boycott over national security concerns to win back diaspora voters who turned against the party and cost it seats at the last election. The party’s full court press to woo the constituency includes recruiting candidates and staffers of Chinese heritage, along with a plan to push more MPs to open accounts on the ubiquitous platform despite accusations it is a Communist Party tool. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been working with local Chinese media on the app that spans everything from messaging to payments. Melbourne MPs Michael Sukkar and Keith Wolahan are gaining hundreds of thousands of views on videos posted to their own accounts. The Liberals are considering setting up an official party account alongside individual MPs who are establishing accounts. Senior party sources familiar with the matter said they viewed winning back Chinese-Australians as equally important to retaking the six seats it lost to teal independents. “We pissed off a lot of the Chinese community in 2022 [under Scott Morrison] and Dutton instinctively knows we can and must improve on last time,” a top Liberal source said. Dutton has notably softened his rhetoric on China since the past election, describing himself as “pro-China” in the lead-up to a June visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, stressing his desire for peace in the Indo-Pacific and effusively praising the Chinese diaspora. However, the Liberals responded with harsh criticism when Chinese officials clumsily inserted themselves between reporter Cheng Lei and cameras during Li’s visit, highlighting the difficulty in maintaining a more dovish stance.
>>21483208 Australia looks to sideline China in ‘far-reaching’ Pacific policing deal - Australian officials are confident of locking in regional support this week for an ambitious Pacific-wide policing pact they hope will help stymie Beijing’s energetic efforts to gain a security foothold in the region. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel on Tuesday to the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, with the Pacific Policing Initiative set to be one of the key agenda items alongside tackling climate change and the recent unrest in New Caledonia. The initiative, to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, would see a regional training centre established in Brisbane, centres of law enforcement excellence set up across the Pacific and the formation of new multinational police units that could rapidly deploy across the region when trouble arises. Pacific police chiefs have compared the initiative to bodies such as EUROPOL (the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation) and AMERIPOL (the Police Community of the Americas) that combat crime beyond national borders. Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni will seek official endorsement from fellow leaders for the initiative at the forum and request that Pacific police chiefs develop an implementation plan to drive it forward.
#36 - Part 91
Australia / China Tensions - Page 6
>>21494416 ‘Godsend’: Australia wins support for policing pact to counter China - Nuku’alofa, Tonga: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has scored a significant diplomatic victory, locking in support from Pacific leaders for a far-ranging $400 million policing pact designed to counter China’s growing security presence in the region. The quicker-than-expected show of support for the Pacific Policing Initiative came despite pushback from some Pacific leaders, who said the pact was “cryptic” and risked entangling the Pacific in the superpower rivalry between China and Western nations led by the United States. Albanese and three fellow leaders announced on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga on Tuesday that the policing agreement had been endorsed by forum leaders. While stressing the initiative will be “Pacific-led”, Australia will be the main funder for the initiative, spending $400 million over five years on the pact and setting up a new co-ordination hub at Australian Federal Police facilities in Brisbane. The initiative will also see four regional training centres established across the Pacific, beginning with Papua New Guinea, and the creation of a new multinational standing police unit ready to respond to natural disasters or other crises. Progress on the policing pact has rankled Beijing, with the state-owned Global Times newspaper quoting an expert saying the agreement “not only violates general principles in international relations, but also infringes on [Pacific nations’] sovereignty to independently choose co-operation partners”.
>>21494421 Anthony Albanese tries his hand at soft-touch diplomacy at Pacific Islands Forum - Anthony Albanese has sealed a major agreement with Pacific Island nations to create region-wide police response force, in a blow to China’s ambitions to expand its security support for the region. Australian taxpayers will foot the bill for the “Pacific-led” initiative, paying $400m over the next five years to stand up a multi-country Pacific Police Support Group and establish new police training centres across the region. At least four police training centres will be opened in Pacific countries under the new law and order partnership, starting with Papua New Guinea, while a new co-ordination hub will be established in Brisbane to prepare Pacific police force members for regional deployments. Forum members will contribute members to the standing police response force, which will be deployed to respond to civil unrest, natural disasters and major regional events. “This policing initiative continues a long history of Pacific police forces working together to strengthen regional peace and security, and to support each other in times of need,” Mr Albanese said. “The security of the Pacific is the shared responsibility of the Pacific region and this initiative benefits each of our nations.” Mr Albanese won the support of regional counterparts for the initiative despite a warning by Vanuatu - one of China’s closest partner’s in the region. “We need to make sure this (initiative) is framed to fit our purposes and not developed to suit the geo-strategic interests and geo-strategic denial security postures of our big partners,” Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Charlot Salwai said.
>>21500024 Anthony Albanese caught on camera joking about Pacific Policing Initiative with top US official Kurt Campbell - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has bridled at questions from journalists about a private conversation where he joked with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell about splitting the cost of the Pacific Policing Initiative announced yesterday in Tonga. Last night Radio New Zealand journalist Lydia Lewis filmed Mr Albanese and the top US official discussing the ambitious plan, which could reshape the way policing is conducted across the region. In the video, Mr Albanese calls the announcement a "cracker" and said the initiative would make "such a difference" in the Pacific. Mr Campbell called the plan "fantastic." He also suggested that the US had been contemplating a similar initiative until Australia's ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd asked them not to. "I talked with Kevin about it and so you know, we were going to do something like that and he asked us not to so we did not," he said. "We've given you the lane, so take the lane!" After that Mr Albanese joked that the US could wear some of the cost of the initiative. "We can go halfsies on the cost if you like," he laughed. "Only cost you a bit." Mr Albanese brushed off the exchange when he was asked about it this morning, saying there were no plans for the US to help cover the initiative's $400 million dollar price tag.
#36 - Part 92
Australia / China Tensions - Page 7
>>21509573 China responds furiously as Pacific Islands leaders reject bid to cut Taiwan from bloc meetings - China's ambassador to the Pacific has responded furiously after the region's leaders rejected a push from Solomon Islands to stop Taiwan participating in its top diplomatic gathering. Pacific leaders have also formally endorsed a major new policing pact championed by Australia, as well as signing off on the terms for a high-level mission to the troubled Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Solomon Islands had been pressing other Pacific nations to strip Taiwan of its status as a "development partner" for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), with its foreign minister Peter Shanel saying this week that Taiwan was "not a sovereign country" and PIF should "follow international law". But reopening a debate over Taiwan - which still maintains three diplomatic allies in the Pacific - risks opening a new fissure in the forum, and the final communique issued by leaders makes it clear the organisation will stick with a 1992 agreement which maintains the status quo. But China's ambassador to the Pacific nations, Qian Bo, said the final communique "must be a mistake". "The situation is obvious, among the 18 members of the PIF, 15 countries have diplomatic relations with China and 15 countries have categorically stated they stand by the One China principle," he told reporters after the meeting. "So this is a surprising mistake made by someone, I'm not sure [who] but I think it must be corrected!" The ambassador suggested that he was also blindsided by the reference to Taiwan and China in the final communique. "Surprisingly we also learned there is language concerning [Taiwan and China] … this should not be the final communique, there must be a correction on the text," he said. "We have already talked to the secretariat and to the [secretary-general] and other delegations where we have received wide understanding and support."
>>21510024 Pacific Islands Forum communique taken down after Chinese envoy calls Taiwan reference ‘unacceptable’ - A summit of Pacific leaders has ended in drama after China’s regional envoy demanded the scrapping of language about Taiwan, with the communique later republished without the offending paragraph. The Pacific Islands Forum (Pif) summit in Tonga this week brought together Australia, New Zealand and 16 Pacific island countries or territories, only three of which still have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China is not a member of the regional grouping, but - like the US and numerous other major countries – attends some of the Pif events as a “dialogue partner”. For more than 30 years, Taiwan has been afforded the lesser status of “development partner”, a situation that irks Beijing, which claims the self-governed democracy as its territory. Solomon Islands, which has fostered increasingly warm ties with Beijing since switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan in 2019, had raised concerns in the lead-up to this week’s summit about Taiwan’s status. But the final communique published on the Pif website on Friday rebuffed any push for change and stood by existing arrangements. “Leaders reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China,” it said. China’s special envoy for the Pacific, Qian Bo, called for changes to the communique. He reiterated Beijing’s position that China should be seen as the representative “on behalf of the whole China, including Taiwan and the mainland”, Nikkei Asia reported. The Guardian has seen and verified a copy of the final communique that appeared on the Pif website earlier on Friday. It included a line reaffirming the decades-long arrangements regarding Taiwan. But as of Friday evening local time, this communique was no longer easily accessible on the website. The communique was republished on the Pif website on Saturday morning local time, but with paragraph 66 about Taiwan no longer included. A paragraph about Solomon Islands being the host of next year’s Pif was moved up to become the new paragraph 66.
#36 - Part 93
Australia / China Tensions - Page 8
>>21510053 China condemns support for Taiwan at Pacific leaders' forum - China's special envoy for the Pacific, Qian Bo, on Friday slammed a joint communique by Pacific Islands Forum leaders that affirmed support for Taiwan's participation in PIF events, calling the reference to the self-governing island a "mistake" that should be "corrected." The joint communique states that PIF leaders "reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China," a reference to when Taiwan became a PIF "development partner." Qian's remarks came on the final day of the 53rd PIF leaders' meeting in Tonga, following a closing news conference by PIF Secretary-General Baron Waqa and the leaders of Tonga, the Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands, who are the current, preceding and next chairs of the PIF. The Chinese envoy communicated his displeasure to Waqa immediately after the news conference in a contentious exchange that highlights how tensions over Taiwan, and China's role in the region, have simmered beneath the surface of the meeting and in the increasingly contested region. China has been pushing to strip Taiwan of its position as a PIF development partner and thwart its attendance at next year's meeting in the Solomon Islands, which has been accused of acting as a proxy for Beijing's efforts. With pledges of aid, Beijing has been making appeals to Taiwan's diplomatic partners in the region, with Kiribati and the Solomon Islands recognizing China in 2019 and Nauru switching its ties earlier this year. The Solomon Islands' Agovaka called into question Taiwan's participation with PIF but denied his country was acting as a proxy for China. "We are not working on behalf of China. As I said, this is about sovereignty. China is a sovereign state, Solomon Islands is a sovereign state, our friends from Taiwan are not a sovereign state," he told Nikkei on Friday. Three PIF members - Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and Palau - have diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
>>21512355 Video: China wins a ‘correction’ against Taiwan after Pacific summit - A reference to Taiwan’s ongoing role as a Pacific Islands Forum partner has been stripped from the final communique issued for the body’s meeting in Tonga this week after a backlash by China. The communique from the PIF leaders’ meeting was reissued by the forum’s secretariat without explanation after China’s envoy demanded a correction. The earlier version issued on Friday after the departure of regional including Anthony Albanese affirmed Taiwan’s status as a PIF development partner since 1992. But the reference was erased from a subsequent version published on Saturday after China’s ambassador to the Pacific nations, Qian Bo, told journalists there “must be a mistake”. The Chinese envoy said there was language in the statement that should “not be the final communique”, declaring: “There must be a correction on the text.” Taiwan later accused China of “an arbitrary intervention” and “unreasonable actions” but said the communique did not undermine Taiwan’s status with the PIF. The Lowy Institute’s Pacific Islands Program director, Mihai Sora, said after the change was revealed that it looked like China had got its way, and “more surprises” could be expected when pro-China Solomon Islands hosted the next ’ meeting. “This example of how China wields its increasing influence makes it crystal clear that it has interests in the Pacific beyond providing ‘development assistance’,” said Mr Sora, a former Australian diplomat whose postings included Solomon Islands. “Namely, China wants to eradicate all diplomatic support from Taiwan in the region, even through direct interference in the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting,” he said. “Given Qian Bo’s apparent outrage at the original text, perhaps he expected different language. It looks like he got his way on the day, but at what cost to the integrity of the Forum, and to regional unity? “I’m sure we can expect more surprises the next time Forum leaders meet in 2025, when Honiara will be host,” he said.
#36 - Part 94
Australia / China Tensions - Page 9
>>21516451 China, Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships in South China Sea - The Philippines and China exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway. The collision near the Sabina Shoal was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Portions of the waterway, where $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually, are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, as well as fish stocks. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 found China's sweeping claims had no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela showed videos of Saturday's confrontation at a press conference, saying China Coast Guard vessel 5205 "directly and intentionally rammed the Philippine vessel" without provocation. The ramming damaged the 97-metre (320-foot) Teresa Magbanua, one of the Philippines' largest coast guard cutters, but no personnel were injured, Tarriela said. Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China's coast guard, said in a statement a Philippine ship, "illegally stranded" at the shoal, had lifted anchor and "deliberately rammed" a Chinese vessel. He called on the Philippines to withdraw immediately or bear the consequences. "The Chinese coast guard will take the measures required to resolutely thwart all acts of provocation, nuisance and infringement and resolutely safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," Liu said. Tarriela said Manila would not withdraw its ship "despite the harassment, the bullying activities and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard".
>>21516458 Australia joins US to condemn China’s aggressive Coast Guard tactics - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticised dangerous actions in the contested South China Sea after the Chinese Coast Guard rammed a Philippines vessel, sparking counterclaims from China that the smaller nation was at fault. It follows a backflip by the Pacific Islands Forum, a bloc of 18 countries including Australia, to remove a reference to Taiwan from an official communique after Chinese complaints, showing the superpower’s growing influence in the region. Saturday’s ramming incident was the fifth confrontation between China and the Philippines in a month as China asserts its claim over most of the crucial trade route, including sections claimed by nations including Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Philippines Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela displayed footage of a Chinese ship that “directly and intentionally rammed the Philippine vessel” without provocation, and revealed damage to the 97-metre Philippines ship. Nobody was injured in the incident. Australia, the UK and US criticised China’s behaviour. “We need nations in the South China Sea to recognise the international law of the sea requires safe navigation there,” Albanese said at a press conference on Sunday. “I’ll get a full briefing about it but there shouldn’t be dangerous activity because it comes at great risk.” Albanese’s call for restraint comes days after he secured a $400 million deal at the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) to fund policing in Pacific nations where China and the US are competing for influence. A communiqué released at the end of last week’s forum included a segment on “Relations with Taiwan/Republic of China”, sparking the ire of Chinese officials who claim the democratic island as Chinese territory. After China expressed its discontent, the document was removed from a website on Friday and a new document was posted on Saturday with the references to Taiwan removed. Asked about the change, Albanese was more muted, saying the communique expressed what leaders had agreed at the Tongan conference.
#36 - Part 95
Australia / China Tensions - Page 10
>>21520879 Video: 'We'll remove it' - Pacific caves to China's demand to exclude Taiwan from leaders communique - The Pacific Islands Forum has submitted to China's demand to remove the mention of Taiwan from the final communique of the leaders' summit that concluded in Tonga this week. Kiribati wants to see consequences for whoever is behind the Taiwan communique bungle, after Beijing's special envoy to the region cried foul at the inclusion of Taipei in the outcomes document. On Friday, China's Ambassador to the Pacific, Qian Bo, was furious after the PIF Secretariat released the final communique which included a section in which Pacific leaders "reaffirmed" their relations with Taiwan. Qian told journalists that affirming reference to Taiwan "must be a mistake" and "must be corrected", and soon after the document was taken down from the PIF website. The moment Qian asks the PIF past chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown to remove the Taiwan reference has been caught on camera by RNZ Pacific. "We'll remove it, I'll talk to you about it later," Brown can be heard saying to Beijing's top diplomat. Qian's outburst has since been reported widely with some Pacific political commentators suggesting it demonstrates how Beijing throws its weight to exert its influence the region. The Forum Secretariat has "re-issued" a new version of the communique, which according to a PIF spokesperson is "correct version of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Communique". This new version has removed the following section: "Relations with Taiwan/Republic of China: 66. Leaders reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China."
>>21520889 Video: Chinese experts criticize Philippines for endangering ships and violating humanitarian principles after Philippine vessel deliberately collides with CCG ship at Xianbin Jiao - "At 08:02 on Saturday, the Philippine ship 9701 weighed anchor and continued its provocations at China's Xianbin Jiao (also known as Xianbin Reef) in the South China Sea. In response, the Chinese coast guard ship 5205 lawfully issued verbal warnings and conducted monitoring and control measures, according to the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday. At 12:06, the Philippine ship deliberately rammed into the Chinese ship 5205 in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, causing a collision for which the Philippines bears full responsibility, CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun said. China once again urges the Philippines to face reality, abandon illusions, and immediately withdraw their illegal ship, as this is the only correct path forward. The Philippines should not misinterpret the situation, provoke conflicts, or escalate tensions, otherwise, the consequences will be solely borne by the Philippine side, the spokesperson warned. The CCG reiterated China's indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao, or Nansha Islands, including Xianbin Jiao, and their adjacent waters. China will take necessary measures to resolutely thwart any provocative acts of infringement and firmly defend the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the spokesperson said." - Zhang Yuying - globaltimes.cn
#36 - Part 96
Australia / China Tensions - Page 11
>>21525977 Concerns raised over Australians doing research on ethnic minorities in China - In Xinjiang, Uyghurs and other minority groups live in a police state. More than a million men, women and children have been taken from their families and held by the Chinese government in re-education camps; there are allegations of forced sterilisation, forced labour and genocide. Despite this context, Australian researchers have, over the past decade, collaborated with Chinese colleagues on several studies of tissue and DNA taken from Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang. There are now questions about whether the test subjects truly gave informed consent for their DNA and blood to be taken. “We don’t have any rights to say yes or no to anything,” said Adam Turan, a Uyghur who left the region in 2011. His family remains there. Consent is an important pillar of human research. Research subjects must freely give it, and Australian collaborators must assure themselves Australian ethical standards have been met - including in cases where the study was done overseas. In July, an Australian-Chinese study testing the DNA of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang to help build a forensic database was pulled from the scientific record after it emerged police may have been involved in collecting the samples. This masthead can also reveal another Australian team worked on ways of measuring ethnic identity at a boarding school program for Uyghurs. Turan said children were often forcibly removed to such schools, which exist to stamp out Uyghur culture. “I would think [collecting DNA] would be a red line for anyone who has read any news in the last seven or eight years - but clearly it’s not,” said Monash University’s Dr Kevin Carrico, who studies the ethics of research in China. “I am baffled by how researchers could find themselves working in this context. It’s genuinely beyond comprehension.”
>>21547121 US national security adviser reveals new plan for Australia to help curb Chinese dominance - The United States intends to confront China’s dominance of the world’s key ingredients for cutting-edge technology by creating a major new network of democratic powers, including Australia, according to a top American official. The US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, revealed in an interview inside the White House that the scheme was a top priority and that he hoped to set it up before the next administration took power in January. “It’s a big piece of business, it’s vital, and it’s unfinished,” he said. Even amid intensifying military and political rivalry between Washington and Beijing, technology was the most intense realm of contestation: “The technology competition between the US and China remains probably the place of greatest sustained and strategic friction,” the top adviser said. The potential members of such a new democratic supply network are the world’s seven leading industrial democracies - the G7 nations of the US, Germany, Japan, the UK, France, Italy and Canada – plus South Korea and Australia, according to US sources. This group collectively accounts for about 48 per cent of the global economy by value. Of these nations, only Australia and Canada are major sources of raw critical minerals, indispensable for high-performance computer chips and feeding into civilian products like mobile phones, fibre optic cables, lithium batteries and solar panels but also military essentials such as radar, missile targeting, night vision goggles, turbines and solid-state lasers. The intention was to “ensure that China cannot simply dump and drive alternatives out of business” in its drive to control the global supply of critical minerals, Sullivan said.
#36 - Part 97
Australia / China Tensions - Page 12
>>21575846 Australia sends expert teams to Fiji as Chinese state-backed hackers attack Pacific Islands Forum - The Australian government sent expert teams to Fiji this year to help the Pacific's top regional body after its networks were infiltrated by Chinese state-backed hackers, the ABC has learned. The cyber attack on the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat, which is based in Suva, was first detected in February this year, although the hackers likely gained access well before that. It comes as China continues to press its interests in the Pacific, and as competition between China and the West throughout the region continues to intensify. Beijing has also been building up policing ties in the region, holding its third annual meeting with Pacific police representatives in Fuzhou yesterday. The ABC has been told that the PIF cyber breach detected in February was "extensive" and that the group behind the hack was intent on gathering information about the Secretariat and its operations. The hackers also wanted to gather information on the Secretariat's communications with PIF member nations. The Australian government sent one of its roving teams of cyber specialists - which draw on both government and private sector expertise — to Fiji, to help the Secretariat deal with the problem. Over time those teams have helped PIF expel the hackers and remediate its computer networks. The ABC has also been told that analysis by the Australian Cyber Security Centre found that the attack was the work of a group of hackers backed by the Chinese government. Australia has publicly attributed multiple cyber-attacks to Chinese state-backed groups before, including to hackers linked to China's Ministry of State Security (MSS).
>>21575862 First parliamentary delegation in five years about to visit China - A bipartisan parliamentary delegation is to visit China in October, the first such trip since Beijing denied visas to former Coalition government MPs Andrew Hastie and James Paterson in 2019 for failing to “repent” for their views on the rising super power. The Australian can reveal the China trip has been approved by the offices of Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton, but the participants are still to be confirmed. President of the Senate, Labor’s Sue Lines, is under consideration to lead the delegation, but the West Australian senator’s office was not able to confirm she would do so late on Wednesday. The Australian has learned fellow federal politicians in WA, whose economy is hugely reliant on China, have been lobbying for a spot on the trip, as have other MPs in seats with high proportions of Chinese-heritage Australians. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade declined to comment on the trip, redirecting The Australian to federal parliament’s International and Parliamentary Relations Office, which did not reply by late Wednesday. Sources familiar with the China trip, which like nearly everything involving Canberra’s relationship with Beijing is highly sensitive, said it would include a stop in neighbouring Mongolia. All participants will be issued burner phones, standard on parliamentary trips to China and a rising number of overseas destinations. China’s ambassador in Australia, Xiao Qian, has raised a potential parliamentary visit for more than a year, as his embassy has become frustrated with the frequency of trips by Australian federal politicians to Taiwan. Chinese Premier Li Qiang raised the prospect in a meeting in Canberra in June with Senator Lines and Speaker of the House, Milton Dick, a Labor MP from Queensland. A spokesman at the Chinese embassy in Canberra on Wednesday declined to comment about the trip.
#36 - Part 98
Australia / China Tensions - Page 13
>>21582746 Chinese Communist Party propaganda boss on a secret mission to Australia - A top official from the Chinese Communist Party’s central propaganda department has made a discreet trip to Australia that reveals both Beijing’s improved diplomatic ties with Canberra but also the extreme sensitivity surrounding the “stabilised” relationship. The Australian can reveal Mo Gaoyi, the deputy director of the Communist Party’s publicity department, is currently in Australia and on Wednesday met in Canberra with Assistant Minister for Foreign Relations Tim Watts. Sources familiar with the itinerary of Mr Mo, who also oversees Beijing’s State Council Information Office, said he had since travelled to Sydney where he was due to have private meetings with Chinese journalists and a select group of Australian academics. The Chinese embassy in Canberra declined to comment on the extremely rare trip, the first by a Deputy Director of the Communist Party’s Central Committee publicity department since 2014. Sources familiar with his meeting with Mr Watts told The Australian it covered areas of co-operation in the bilateral relationship, such as trade, and arts and cultural exchanges, along with more prickly subjects, including consular matters, cyber attacks, foreign interference and access for Australian journalists to China. Mr Mo’s visit to Canberra and Sydney - which was at the request of Beijing and has been overseen by the Chinese embassy – is a further sign of the improvement in diplomatic relations between Canberra and Beijing. However, the extreme secrecy around the trip again reveals the sensitive nature of Australia’s relationship with China despite a two-year “stabilisation” process.
>>21593708 US military build-up in Australia hailed as major win for security - Australia is being transformed into a pivotal American military base the likes of which we have not seen since World War II. This historic change has occurred so progressively over the past decade that few Australians have stopped to consider the big picture significance of this moment for Australia’s future security in the face of a rising China. If Chinese President Xi Jinping wants to see the self-harm he has inflicted from his country’s hegemonic behaviour in the Indo-Pacific he needs to look no further than this new and powerful military marriage of convenience between Australia and the US. As a direct result of Xi’s actions, Washington now sees Australia as its last regional bastion in any future conflict with China. This is a pivotal and historic change from the Cold War when the US saw Australia as only a bit player in its larger battle with the Soviet Union. This has severely complicated China’s calculations about its long-term ability to project power far beyond its shores, and is likely to give it pause when considering military adventurism in the region, including against the likely flashpoints of Taiwan and the Philippines. As a result of China’s rise, the US is now moving fast to position its military here on a scale not seen since US general Douglas MacArthur plotted from Brisbane in 1942 to repel the Japanese advance in the Pacific. This ever-increasing rotational presence of US forces - from marines, to nuclear bombers to warships and soon nuclear submarines and much more – has not just been welcomed by both sides of politics in Canberra and in Washington, it is being turbocharged.
#36 - Part 99
Australia / China Tensions - Page 14
>>21593741 Beijing ‘is suppressing ethnic Chinese in Australia’: Taiwan - Taiwan’s Foreign Minister has accused China of suppressing Australia’s ethnic Chinese population, saying Beijing gave up on its trade sanctions against Canberra only because they failed. Lin Chia-lung also said Taiwan did not fear the slow improvement in Australia’s relationship with China because it was not a “zero sum game”. He said Australia’s recent experience as a victim of Chinese trade sanctions worth $20bn required other countries in the region to join forces to push back against any future bullyboy trade tactics by China. In strongly worded comments in an interview in Taipei, Mr Lin said Beijing’s aggressive behaviour extended to China’s attempts to control or “suppress” the behaviour and the public attitude of the Chinese population in Australia. “Recently we also see that Chinese have a long-armed jurisdiction over some citizens in Australia, they suppress people overseas,” Mr Lin told The Australian. Intelligence agencies believe China has actively sought to influence and pressure ethnic Chinese in Australia, especially students, to promote the interests and views of Beijing and suppress criticism of the Chinese Communist Party. Mr Lin said all countries in the Indo-Pacific were increasingly vulnerable to China’s economic coercion. “I know that Chinese policies for Australia caused some detrimental effects on the Australian economy but eventually China stepped back because what China did to Australia is not beneficial to anybody,” he said.
>>21600988 Video: Ex-pilot facing extradition makes final bid for freedom - A lengthy submission by a former pilot seeking to halt his extradition to the US to face trial over allegations he unlawfully trained Chinese military personnel will be considered by the attorney-general. Ex-fighter pilot Daniel Duggan has spent 22 months behind bars and was ruled eligible for extradition by a magistrate in May. Mark Dreyfus holds the final say on whether the 56-year-old will be extradited over his alleged crimes. The 89-page submission was given to the attorney-general in late August after months of research, background and expert opinion, Duggan's wife Saffrine said. "It is the most detailed examination into the allegations against Dan and it revealed glaring errors in process and fact in the US case," she said in a statement on Monday. Ms Duggan described the case as "vague, embarrassing and oppressive", saying it had omitted key pieces of evidence such as her husband's flight logbook. While someone could only be extradited for conduct which was a crime in both countries, Ms Duggan said her husband was accused of actions that were only illegal in the US but were "tenuously" linked to legislation enacted in 2018. "In other words, this was legislated nine months after the US indictment, and six years after Dan's alleged offences. It is retrospective," she said. Duggan was arrested in Australia in October 2022 at the behest of the US after being accused of breaching arms-trafficking laws by providing military training to Chinese pilots in South Africa between 2010 and 2012.
>>21614220 Video: Chinese military video appears to show 'dangerous' intercept of Australian aircraft over South China Sea - The People's Liberation Army has released video of a 2022 incident that appears to show a Chinese J-16 fighter intercepting an "enemy" Australian P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft while it was conducting a routine patrol in international airspace. During the encounter over the South China Sea, the PLA aircraft flew closely alongside the RAAF plane firing flares, before cutting in front of it and releasing "chaff" into its flight path, which included aluminium fragments that were sucked into the P-8's engine. More than two years after the "dangerous" intercept, the Chinese military broadcast the video of the events as part of a PLA documentary in which the J-16 pilot described "facing a strong enemy, a tough opponent" and not being "afraid". According to the PLA propaganda film shown on Chinese state television in recent days, a "flashing infrared bomb" was also fired towards the Australian aircraft, although the ABC has been unable to verify this claim. Australia's defence department said it was aware of the "unverified" video that purported to show the 2022 incident and emphasised that it had undertaken maritime surveillance activities in the region for decades "in accordance with international law".
#36 - Part 100
==Australia / China Tensions - Page 15
>>21614266 Video: ‘Draw your sword’: China releases video of PLA jet harassing RAAF plane - Nationalistic Chinese have mocked an Australian air force pilot and claimed Beijing had cowed the Albanese government after China’s national broadcaster released rare footage of what appeared to be the People’s Liberation Army Air Force harassing an RAAF plane in a tense encounter over the South China Sea. The Albanese government has been muted in its initial response to the apparent addition of the encounter between an Australian P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft and a Chinese fighter jet in a recently released documentary run on China’s flagship broadcaster CCTV. Previously neither the Chinese or Australian governments had released footage of the encounter, which took place in 2022, weeks after Anthony Albanese became prime minister. The footage featured in the second episode of a six part documentary made by China’s national broadcaster to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party’s army, the PLA, in 2027. In publicity for the show, CCTV said it had been created to “educate and inspire” Chinese soldiers to follow “Xi Jinping’s Thought on Strengthening the Army”. China’s leader has made achieving a “world-class army”, a key priority during his 12 years in power. Australia was not named in the show, but widespread reports on China’s internet said the footage was of the infamous 2022 encounter that Defence Minister Richard Marles described as “very dangerous” in some of his first comments after being sworn into his portfolio. Beijing has told Canberra to keep away from water and air near China, as it tries to push back on military operations by American allies in its near neighbourhood. The documentary gave a public airing to what is often kept behind closed doors. “You must draw your sword when you meet the enemy,” the Chinese pilot in the encounter said in the documentary.
>>21638248 Video: Biden caught saying China is ‘testing us’ in hot mic moment with Albanese - US President Joe Biden has been caught in another hot mic moment, this time warning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other Indo-Pacific leaders that he believes China’s aggression is a deliberate strategy to test the region at a challenging time for Beijing. Biden’s candid comments were caught at a summit of the Quad alliance on Saturday (Sunday AEST), which he convened at his former high school in Delaware to put his personal mark on a group he hopes will endure well after his presidency ends in January. The White House has long been careful not to frame the Quad – which is made up of the US, Australia, Japan and India – primarily as a vehicle for Washington to thwart Beijing’s ambitions. However, this notion was undermined when a camera feed picked up the president beginning the discussion by focusing on China and declaring that its recent assertiveness was a “change in tactic, not a change in strategy”. “China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region, and it’s true in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South China, South Asia and the Taiwan Straits,” Biden told Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. “We believe [Chinese President] Xi Jinping is looking to focus on domestic economic challenges and minimise the turbulence in China’s diplomatic relationships, and he’s also looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China’s interest.” The remarks were made after journalists were forced to leave the room once the leaders had given their formal remarks. And while it’s not the first time Biden has been caught on a hot mic, the comments are nonetheless likely to raise eyebrows in China, which has been at odds with the US over everything from trade to spy balloons.
#36 - Part 101
Australia / China Tensions - Page 16
>>21642550 Quad leaders meet; group ‘incites bloc confrontation’ - "At the Quad leaders' summit US President Joe Biden hosted in his Delaware hometown over the weekend, the four-nation group - which consists of the US, Japan, India and Australia - agreed to expand security cooperation, including joint coast guard mission, with China on mind. The agenda of the meeting and its joint statement, which referred to East and South China Seas, exposed Quad's nature of bloc confrontation, analysts said on Sunday, criticizing the four-nation partnership for its detrimental role of fomenting confrontation and inciting geopolitical tensions in Asia Pacific. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan insisted earlier Saturday during a briefing with reporters that "China is not the focus of the Quad," CNN reported, but the issue (of China) featured throughout the day. The joint statement, released on the White House's website, did not directly name China, but it did mention "East and South China Seas," meanwhile, Biden was caught on a hot mic telling the other leaders that an "aggressive China is testing us," CNN reported. Anchored by shared values, the Quad leaders seek to uphold the international order based on the rule of law and they are "seriously concerned" about the situation in East and South China Seas, according to a joint statement after the summit." - Zhang Han and Guo Yuandan - globaltimes.cn
>>21642580 Taiwan in bid for UN membership after success for Palestine - Taiwan has urged Penny Wong to throw Australia’s support behind the self-governed territory’s bid for UN membership after the Albanese government backed Palestine’s admission to the global body. Taiwan’s top diplomat in Australia, Douglas Hsu, said Palestine’s recently upgraded UN status underscored the injustice of Taiwan’s exclusion from the organisation at China’s behest. “We found it very interesting and we found it very unreasonable, because Taiwan is a leading democracy,” he told The Australian. “Taiwan is an important economy in the world. We play a very important role in global supply chains. However, we are not even granted the status of being included in the United Nations.” As the Foreign Minister departed for New York to attend the UN General Assembly’s annual high-level session, Mr Hsu said: “We are asking like-minded countries to address this issue.” Taiwan’s request follows the Senate’s repudiation last month of Beijing’s interpretation of a 1971 UN resolution recognising the People’s Republic of China as “the only legitimate representative of China to the UN”. It passed a bipartisan motion declaring UN Resolution 2758 “does not establish the People’s Republic of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan and does not determine the future status of Taiwan in the UN, nor Taiwanese participation in UN agencies or international organisations”.
#36 - Part 102
Australia / China Tensions - Page 17
>>21642629 Labor elders now just weak-kneed ‘appeasers’ on AUKUS - "Paul Keating and Gareth Evans in their attacks on AUKUS demonstrate they have learned nothing from history. One lesson is that to keep the peace it’s necessary to maintain a balance between major powers and their allies. That was the key to peace in Europe for nearly a century after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. It’s the key to peace in the Indo-Pacific region today. We have to maintain a balance of power with an aggressive China. Both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 of AUKUS will help to do that. If we don’t, China will dominate the region, reducing neighbouring countries to the traditional status of mere tributes to China. The South China Sea would be turned into a Chinese lake, giving China complete command of sea and air traffic through that vital waterway. And Taiwan would of course be incorporated into the People’s Republic of China. To stop this, there is a coalition of nations that balances the power of China and deters Chinese adventurism. That coalition is led by the US and its allies. It’s also includes countries such India and, for that matter, Indonesia, which while cautious not to become allies of any nation nevertheless want a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. This seems to me to be a straightforward proposition for anyone who is concerned about Australia’s security. But the likes of Keating and Evans seem to think a policy of appeasement will work. If deterrence and power balances are one of the lessons of history, then another is that appeasement does not work. In the 1930s it failed and it is not going to work today. Using language such as de-escalation when the Russians are pouring missiles and bombs into Ukraine, the Iranians through their surrogates are firing thousands of rockets and missiles into Israel, and the Chinese are threatening and harassing allies such as The Philippines is the language of weakness and fear. They need to understand that unless this behaviour stops they run the risk themselves of escalating to the point of war with the West. If we stick with the appeasement strategy - the one favoured by Keating and Evans - that is the strategy that leads to war." - Alexander Downer, foreign affairs minister from 1996-2007, and high commissioner to the UK from 2014-18 - theaustralian.com.au
>>21648253 Defending nation’s sovereignty is not ‘appeasement’ - a response to Alexander Downer - "Could the Alexander Downer who accuses me and Paul Keating of appeasement possibly be the same Alexander Downer who recently wrote in this newspaper that if he had a vote in the US presidential election it would be for Donald Trump? That same Donald Trump whose willingness to accommodate Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine makes Chamberlain’s behaviour in Munich in 1938 seem almost Churchillian. And could this Downer, who now tells us the West is facing “an existential threat from the alliance of Russia, Iran and China”, possibly be the same Downer whose enthusiastic embrace of George W. Bush’s fanciful “axis of evil” (Iran, Iraq and North Korea) led us to blindly follow the US in its invasion of Iraq in 2003, with consequences resonating catastrophically ever since? I would normally ignore being offensively lectured to and misrepresented by a former foreign minister whose only memorable achievement in nearly 12 years in that office was longevity, but his latest contribution is so wrongheaded and at odds with Australia’s national interests as to demand a response. It is not appeasement to demand that those who beat the drums of war justify their fearmongering with more than rhetoric. And it is not appeasement to believe that Australia’s national interests - as for others in our region trying to navigate a course between the US and China – lie in maintaining close and mutually beneficial relations with both the neighbourhood giants, not becoming either’s patsy, and working diplomatically to encourage détente between them. While China’s behaviour certainly justifies push-back, much of it is no more than what we can and should expect of a rapidly, economically rising, hugely trade-dependent regional superpower, which is wanting to claim its own strategic space, and to generally reassert some of its historical greatness after more than a century of wounded national pride. It is not unreasonable to think much of China’s assertiveness would be significantly moderated were the US to step back from demanding recognition of America’s continued primacy, with Washington now seeing just about every arena as a zero-sum struggle for dominance." - Gareth Evans, Australia’s foreign minister from 1988-96 and president of the International Crisis Group from 2000-09 - theaustralian.com.au
#36 - Part 103
Australia / China Tensions - Page 18
>>21660354 Jim Chalmers takes economic charm offensive to China - Jim Chalmers has warned that further deterioration in China’s slowing economy would wreak havoc on Australia, with a drop of one percentage point in Chinese GDP growth projected to inflict about $6bn in lost domestic output. Amid global concerns over the rapid slowdown in China and as President Xi Jinping met his top comrades to discuss their enormous economic challenges, the Treasurer arrived in Beijing on Thursday to meet National Development and Reform Commission chair Zheng Shanjie, who oversees China’s five-year economic plans and the country’s foreign investment regime. Dr Chalmers, who late on Thursday co-chaired with Mr Zheng the first meeting of the Australia-China Strategic Economic Dialogue since 2017, said there were “consequences for us” if the Communist nation’s economic slowdown and structural challenges worsened. Writing for The Australian to mark the first visit to Beijing by a treasurer in seven years, Dr Chalmers said Australia’s resilience and prosperity were closely connected to China’s economy and the global economy, which is “why we monitor the Chinese economy so closely”. Hours before Dr Chalmers met his Chinese counterparts, China’s politburo - led by Mr Xi – pledged a new stimulus package to implement better “the driving role of government investment”.
>>21660373 China-Australia relations see more high-level exchanges, conducive to avoid amplifying difference: experts - "China-Australia relations have seen positive progress with more recent high-level exchanges, and observers noted that strengthened communication between the two sides can effectively avoid amplifying differences. The two countries' top diplomats met on Tuesday, meanwhile the fourth China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue is scheduled to be held in Beijing. According to Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told Wong that both sides should continue to build a more mature, stable, and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership. Both sides should properly handle the issues in bilateral exchanges and not define China-Australia relations from the perspective of differences, Wang said, hoping Australia joins hands with China to ensure that bilateral relations go on the right track and achieve more results. Wong said Australia is ready to work with China to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, engage in constructive communication on issues of differences, and promote the stable development of bilateral relations. The Australian side's adherence to the one-China policy has not changed, Wong said." - Xu Keyue - globaltimes.cn
#36 - Part 104
Australia / China Tensions - Page 19
>>21660409 Morrison pushes for stronger Quad to counter aggressive China - Scott Morrison has warned Quad leaders to not allow their “focus and agenda to become diluted and distracted” in a new era of globalised strategic rivalry pitting western powers against aggressive and coercive autocracies led by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Following criticism about the substance of the Quad leaders’ dialogue meeting in Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware last weekend, Mr Morrison said the pact between Japan, Australia, the US and India must be maintained and strengthened as a key pillar in deterring the “arc of autocracy”. Speaking at the Yomiuri International Economic Security Symposium in Tokyo on Thursday, the former prime minister launched a defence of his former government’s “strident position” towards Xi Jinping’s People’s Republic of China. “We can peacefully coexist, but only with the right safeguards in place. We must do so with our eyes wide open and with the good sense to put a sufficient deterrent in place to counterbalance the growing power and influence of autocracies,” Mr Morrison said. “The objective of such a deterrent is simple, to ensure that when President Xi (Jinping) wakes up every morning and thinks about Taiwan, he concludes ‘not today’.” Ahead of Jim Chalmers meeting with Chinese counterparts in Beijing on Thursday, marking the first visit to the Communist nation by an Australian treasurer in seven years, Mr Morrison explained why he had pushed-back against the PRC. “I believed this was necessary to counter the PRC’s deliberate strategy to test Australia’s will and to split us off from our allies and partners. I believed that pretending to share values and interests with an autocracy seeking to bully and coerce us, while they undermined the very rules and norms that afforded us our freedom, got us where we are today. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.”
>>21666439 Pierside accident: -China’s Newest Nuclear Submarine Sank, Setting Back Its Military Modernization- China’s newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank in the spring, a major setback for one of the country’s priority weapons programs, U.S. officials said. The episode, which Chinese authorities scrambled to cover up and hasn’t previously been disclosed, occurred at a shipyard near Wuhan in late May or early June. It comes as China has been pushing to expand its navy, including its fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. The Pentagon has cast China as its principal long-term “pacing challenge,” and U.S. officials say that Beijing has been using political and military pressure to try to coerce Taiwan, a separately governed island that Beijing claims as part of its territory. China says its goal in building a world-class military is to deter aggression and safeguard its overseas interests. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. doesn’t know if the sub was carrying nuclear fuel at the time it sank, but experts outside the U.S. government said that was likely. The Zhou-class vessel that sank is the first of a new class of Chinese nuclear-powered subs and features a distinctive X-shaped stern, which is designed to make the vessel more maneuverable. The sub was built by China State Shipbuilding Corp., a state-owned company, and was observed alongside a pier on the Yangtze River in late May when it was undergoing its final equipping before going to sea. After the sinking, large floating cranes arrived in early June to salvage the sub from the river bed, according to satellite photos of the site.
#36 - Part 105
Australia / China Tensions - Page 20
>>21718402 Darwin Port increases 'friendly cooperation' with China in new deal - The Chinese-controlled Port of Darwin has signed a "friendly cooperation" agreement with Shenzhen Port in southern China, a city that controversially entered a "strategic partnership" with the Northern Territory capital five years ago. Representatives from both ports last month conducted a signing ceremony in China's Guandong Province to establish the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which aims to increase trade links between both strategic maritime gateways. Details of the "friendly port relationship" do not appear to have been announced locally in Australia, but according to official Chinese statements both parties will soon carry out "all-round in-depth exchanges and cooperation". In a brief statement, Darwin Port CEO Peter Dummett confirmed to the ABC that he had travelled to China to sign the agreement with Shenzen representatives on September 23. "Darwin Port and Shenzhen Port have entered into a friendly non-binding MOU in order to establish a closer relationship between both ports and to further understand potential business opportunities for trade and development." In 2015 the CLP Northern Territory government signed a $506 million deal with Chinese-owned Landbridge Group to lease Darwin Port for 99 years, sparking security concerns at the highest levels of Australia's defence department and in the United States. Last year, the Albanese government announced it would not cancel the controversial lease after a review by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet found there was "a robust regulatory system in place to manage risks to critical infrastructure". Both the federal government and Northern Territory government are yet to respond to requests for comment about the recent "friendly cooperation agreement" struck between Darwin Port and Shenzhen Port.
>>21739533 Chinese trade restrictions on Australian lobsters to be lifted before Chinese New Year - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he has secured a promise from China's Premier Li Qiang to lift a ban on Australian rock lobsters by the end of the year. The news will be welcomed by the rock lobster industry, which has struggled since being locked out of the lucrative market, and which had been growing increasingly frustrated by the delay to restoring the trade. Mr Albanese met with Premier Li today on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Laos, and emerged saying China's second most senior leader had agreed on a "timetable" to let lobsters back by the end of this year, in time for Chinese New Year in early 2025. "This will be welcomed by the people engaged in the live lobster industry in places like Geraldton and South Australia and Tasmania and so many parts of particularly regional Australia," he said. Australian rock lobster exports to China were worth some $700 million a year before Beijing locked them out as part of a broader campaign of economic punishment against Australia in 2020 and 2021, when the bilateral relationship hit its nadir. China has already removed tariffs and barriers on a host of other Australian products – including wine, coal and barley – leaving lobsters as the last major industry that remained frozen out of the massive market. Mr Albanese told journalists in Vientiane that Premier Li's promise had once again vindicated the government's approach to China. "With our patient, calibrated and deliberate approach, we've restored Australian trade with our largest export market, and today we discussed restarting exports of Australian live rock lobsters," Albanese said in Laos.
#36 - Part 106
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 1
>>21258061 Satanic Temple set to return to Memphis-area school with 'Before School Satan Club' - The Satanic Temple has plans to come back to the Memphis area. After hosting its “After School Satan Club” at Cordova-based Chimneyrock Elementary on Jan. 10, the Salem, Massachusetts-based nonprofit is poised to host a “Before School Satan Club” in the coming weeks. The pending dates are March 20, April 17, and May 15, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., the group said in a social media post. The plan is to offer science projects, community service projects, puzzles and games, nature activities, arts and crafts, and snacks. A flyer posted on Twitter says “Hey Kids! Let’s have fun at the Before School Satan Club!” When the group started promoting the “After School Satan Club,” it used the line, “Hey Kids, Let’s have fun at the After School Satan Club.” Not long after The Satanic Temple started promoting the original After School Satan Club, interim superintendent Toni Williams, board chair and reverend Althea Greene, and board member Mauricio Calvo passionately denounced the group, while flanked by pastors of local churches. “As a superintendent, I am duty bound to uphold our board policy, state laws, and the constitution,” Williams said at the time. “But let’s not be fooled. Let’s not be fooled by what we’ve seen in the past 24 hours, which is an agenda, initiated to make sure that we cancel all faith-based organizations that partner with our district.” Added board chair Althea Greene: “You see the faith-based community standing here,” she said. “We're going to stand up and we're going to be vocal. Satan has no room in this district.”
>>21258069 Satanic group leads invocation at Ottawa County board meeting amid lobby uproar - Protest and support chants erupted in the lobby steps away from the Ottawa County board podium, where a leader of a West Michigan satanic group led the commissioners in prayer before a meeting Tuesday night. Standing tall with a smile in the middle of a small room with every seat filled, a man identifying himself as Luis Cypher with the Satanic Temple of West Michigan greeted residents and commissioners before delivering the opening invocation. "That must be destroyed by truth, should never be spared. It's demise. It is done. Hail Satan. Thank you very much, we wish everyone a wonderful evening tonight," Cypher said while raising his hand with his index finger and pinky extended in the air. What appeared to be over 100 individuals flocked to the lobby ahead of the meeting, signs were waved reading "One Nation Under God" as well as chants of "Hail Satan!" and "We Love Satan!" The allowance of a Satanic Temple, described on their website among other things as a "leading beacon of light in the battle of abortion access," sparked an uproar at the Tuesday night meeting. Ottawa County residents took advantage of the public comment period to advocate toward beliefs of God, shaming the Satanic temple. "Tonight you all had failed miserably in your primary responsibility. You have out of the respect for a flawed custom of men allowed worship not only to a false ideal of man's creation but to the greatest enemy of the all good God who allowed you to fill these positions," one resident said at the podium while holding a cross.
>>21258072 Video: Commissioner disagrees with policy allowing Satanist to give opening prayer - Ottawa County Commissioner Doug Zylstra disagrees with a policy change allowing an ordained minister of Satan to give opening prayer during a board meeting Tuesday. Luis Cypher, head of the Satanic Temple of West Michigan, delivered the opening invocation while over a hundred attended, many pushing back against his troubling remarks. On Tuesday, people choosing to worship Satan, and those worshiping Jesus came face to face. A protest erupting ahead of Tuesday's meeting. “That which can be destroyed by truth should never be spared its demise. It is done, hail Satan," Cypher said. Many attending Tuesday's meeting held signs, sang and prayed while disagreeing with the choice to let Cypher speak. Followers of Christ held flags with "One Nation under God" while others like Joseph Amorasos prayed for change. “For the lord has truly risen, hallelujah, let us pray," Amorasos said. Every chair in the meeting room was filled, while overflow in the hallway sang Amazing Grace. One woman even held a sign with "My Jesus mercy" while Cypher gave his remarks.
#36 - Part 107
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 2
>>21258080 Satanic Temple invocation forces Ottawa County to reckon with the meaning of religious freedom - It was an odd night in Ottawa County. The planned invocation from the Satanic Temple of West Michigan, scheduled several months after a lawsuit led the board to develop new policies for accepting invocation requests, drew hundreds to the Fillmore Complex on Tuesday. The Satanic Temple of West Michigan announced in March they'd been scheduled to give the meeting’s prayer April 23. The meeting drew one of the largest crowds the board has seen since Ottawa Impact commissioners took office in January 2023. Hundreds gathered in the lobby and in front of the Fillmore Complex. Many stood in small groups to pray, sing hymns and hold signs opposed to the TST. Attendees in the lobby continued to sing through the start of the meeting, including during the invocation. Cypher, minister of Satan and lifelong resident of Ottawa County, gave an invocation which, including an introductory statement, lasted about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. He started by offering a “loving embrace” to residents. “Let us stand now, unbound and unfettered by arcane doctrines born of fearful minds in darkened times. Let us embrace the Luciferian impulse to eat of the tree of knowledge and dissipate our blissful and comforting delusions of old,” Cypher said. Commissioners Gretchen Cosby and Kendra Wenzel prayed to themselves during the invocation. Prior to the meeting, Commissioner Rebekah Curran handed out heart-shaped cookies with “John 3:16” stickers on the packaging. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." When the meeting moved to public comment, Curran was the first speaker. She offered a prayer from the lectern. “I feel like it's a really important moment in time to not only show the love of Christ, but show the power of Christ,” Curran said. “I just pray that everyone will feel the manifest presence of God in this room and in this building today.”
>>21258091 Q Post #3967 - These people are pure evil. This is not about politics. You are ready. Q - https://qanon.pub/#3967
>>21258091 Q Post #4545 - Humanity is good, but, when we let our guard down we allow darkness to infiltrate and destroy. Like past battles fought, we now face our greatest battle at present, a battle to save our Republic, our way of life, and what we decide (each of us) now will decide our future. Will we be a free nation under God? Or will we cede our freedom, rights and liberty to the enemy? If America falls so does the world. If America falls darkness will soon follow. Only when we stand together, only when we are united, can we defeat this highly entrenched dark enemy. This is not about politics. This is about preserving our way of life and protecting the generations that follow. We are living in Biblical times. Children of light vs children of darkness. United against the Invisible Enemy of all humanity. Q - https://qanon.pub/#4545
>>21274018 Australian Federal Police charge man for allegedly trafficking Indonesian girl to Sydney to work in brothels - A man has been charged with recruiting a teenager from Indonesia to work in Sydney brothels as part of what authorities say is an international sex trafficking ring. Australian Federal Police (AFP) claim to have removed at least seven potential victims from sexual exploitation following a 20-month investigation into the alleged syndicate operating between Australia and Indonesia. A 43-year-old Arncliffe man has been charged with one count of trafficking children and is accused of facilitating the transportation of a 17-year-old girl from Indonesia to Sydney to engage in sex work. Authorities also allege he was the "principal" in the criminal operation. AFP officers have been working with Indonesian authorities since December 2022 after receiving intelligence about a trafficking ring forcing young women into sexual servitude in Sydney brothels. Officers searched several properties in Sydney's south-west in March this year, where they allegedly found several foreign nationals who were identified as potential victims of human trafficking. AFP Commander Kate Ferry said she was "confident we have disrupted the criminal syndicate". "This result is a testament to our resolve and the resolve of the Australian Federal Police to stop the exploitation of vulnerable women being trafficked into Australia for sexual exploitation," Commander Ferry said. "We understand it can be incredibly difficult for vulnerable victims to come forward, and we want to assure them that there is help and protection available."
#36 - Part 108
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 3
>>21274077 Video:The children for sale - and the Australians who exploit them- Anna dreams of becoming an astronaut when she grows up. “I want to go to the moon,” the 12-year-old murmured as she stared down at her interlaced hands inside a children’s rescue shelter three hours north-west of the Philippines’ capital, Manila. The moon is worlds away from the province of Bulacan, where Anna and her two younger cousins - aged 11 and 8 - were sexually abused by their parents and two uncles. Their offenders arranged for Western foreigners to purchase live-stream viewings of the crimes and watch from thousands of kilometres away for their sick sexual gratification. Shamefully, Australian predators are major contributors to the dark and disturbing trade. The children were told the acts were needed to pay for food, clothes and school. International law enforcement alerted local authorities to the abuse and the three cousins were sent to the People’s Recovery, Empowerment and Development Assistance Foundation (Preda), where they have spent more than two years trying to heal from a type of pain no child should ever understand, let alone feel. The phones used to record the abuse were traced to their parents, who are detained awaiting trial and their uncles, who fled and are at large. The Philippines is the global epicentre of the live-stream child sexual abuse trade, according to the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund. According to the 2022 Disrupting Harm Study conducted by UNICEF, ECPAT International and Interpol, 20 per cent of internet-using Filipino children aged 12 to 17 were subjected to online abuse and exploitation, representing an estimated 2 million children. Statistics show Australia is among the leading countries feeding the demand. Rescue organisations say the issue has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic began, when high internet usage combined with lockdowns created a thriving environment for online exploitation. Behind each statistic is an innocent child who, in the majority of cases, has been abused by those they trusted the most, selling their bodies to Australians and other foreigners for as little as $20 per act of abuse.
>>21332280 National Gallery of Australia acquires painting by controversial artist Paul Gauguin for almost $10 million - Paul Gauguin was a violent paedophile. The blue roof, or Farm at Le Pouldu, by Paul Gauguin has been purchased by the National Gallery of Australia for $9.8 million, becoming the first painting by the artist in an Australian public collection. Gauguin is one of the world's most famous artists, but has a controversial legacy due to accusations of sexual predation of girls while in French Polynesia.
>>21348278 Brett Sutton - Australian coach of olympic triathlon medallist was child sex offender - An Australian who coached the women’s triathlon silver medallist is the second known child sex offender to be accredited for the Paris Olympics. The presence of the Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who was jailed for raping a 12-year-old British girl, caused a storm of protests when he competed last weekend. Now The Sunday Times can reveal that on Wednesday Brett Sutton, 65, who had been given accreditation by China, attended the triathlon to watch his athlete, Switzerland’s Julie Derron, take silver ahead of Team GB’s Beth Potter. Sutton even gave an interview to Swiss television close to the finish line on Pont Alexandre III in which his official Olympic accreditation lanyard could be seen hanging from his neck. Sutton pleaded guilty in 1999 to five counts of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old Australian girl, a talented swimmer he had been coaching. He was sentenced to two years in prison the year before the Sydney Olympics, but the sentence was suspended for three years. The judge, Robert Hall, said that Sutton had interfered with the girl in a “gross and disgraceful way” and “abused his role to an inexcusable degree”, but he took into account that, as the national triathlon coach, Sutton was preparing a number of athletes for the Games. “A large number of leading athletes will suffer disadvantage from your absence from the scene,” Hall said. Sutton has been at the Olympics despite being banned from coaching by several federations.
#36 - Part 109
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 4
>>21354276 Australian sex offender has left the Games, IOC looking into the issue - A convicted sex offender who coached women’s triathlon silver medallist Julie Derron of Switzerland has left the Paris 2024 Games and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Sunday it was looking into the matter. Australian Brett Sutton appeared on an interview with Swiss TV channel RTS commenting on Derron's performance after Wednesday's triathlon. He was wearing an Olympic accreditation and was also seen wearing a red jacket with the Chinese flag and Olympic rings on it. The Chinese Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In 1999, Sutton pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old Australian swimmer he had been coaching and was sentenced to two years in prison. The sentence was suspended for three years. "I understand that this person is no longer here at the Games, they have left the Games," IOC spokesperson Mark Adams told a press conference on Sunday. "It is an issue for the Chinese Olympic Committee and the national federation will need to get involved," he added, referring to reports that Sutton had been accredited by the Chinese Committee. "Looking forward I can tell you we will obviously look into this issue." "Coaches are not accredited by us but by the National Olympic Committees, and approved by the IOC," a World Triathlon spokesperson said on Sunday.
>>21386017 Video:How 'unassuming' crocodile expert Adam Britton shocked a community- Every month, Merinda Sharp cuts flowers and visits her neighbours' neglected rural home. "I put them on the gate, in memory of the torture and the horrific life that those animals went through," she says. On the outskirts of Darwin, hidden within a tight-knit outback community of dusty and isolated sprawling properties, where dogs are trained to scare off visitors, this one remained quiet and overlooked for years. Then one of the nation's worst cases of bestiality exposed the sinister events that had been taking place for almost a decade, sending shock waves through the neighbourhood and fracturing it with disbelief. Adam Britton, celebrated as a world-renowned crocodile expert and zoologist, was arrested and remanded in custody in 2022, last year pleading guilty to 60 charges of bestiality, animal cruelty and possessing child abuse material. In a shipping container he called his "torture room", Britton filmed himself abusing, raping and killing dozens of dogs and puppies. In some instances, he would drive to a secluded location to brutally murder his victims "for his own sadistic sexual pleasure", court documents state. Between 2020 and 2022, Britton sourced 42 dogs for free from online classifieds giant Gumtree, promising their previous owners he would give them a "good home". Britton killed at least 39 of them before his arrest. The details of Britton's crimes are so graphic, the ABC has chosen not to publish them in full.
>>21386104 Adam Britton:TV croc expert who filmed dog abuse, killings jailed for ten years- A prominent crocodile expert who appeared on ABC will spend the next six years behind bars after admitting to the “sadistic” torture and sexual abuse of more than 42 dogs. Adam Robert Corden Britton, 51, was sentenced before Darwin Supreme Court on Thursday to 10 years and five months behind bars with a non-parole period of six years. Britton, who worked as a croc expert with David Attenborough on the BBC as well as National Geographic, was also sentenced for the possession of child abuse material. It comes two years after Britton’s arrest and almost a year after he was found guilty, but was slammed as “pathetically weak” by Animal Justice Party MLC Emma Hurst. “These were horrific acts of animal cruelty. There is a well-researched link between violence towards animals and violence towards people,” Ms Hurst said in a statement. “This man is a danger to other animals and the community. I am relieved to hear his sentence includes time behind bars … but it is not long enough.” According to the facts, Britton would refer to the cruelty as “ZooSadism” and posted to Telegram groups such as “New Wicked Kennel”, which had 15 users. In an online chat, Britton referred to his “torture room” and what implements he would use, including a bread knife, before adding that: “I can’t stop myself hurting dogs. “I am going to get another dog to kill tomorrow. I plan to hurt it, a lot. I am ridiculously excited about it,” he said.
#36 - Part 110
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 5
>>21386175 Adam Britton:NT crocodile expert sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for bestiality and animal cruelty crimes- Adam Britton, a once-celebrated zoologist, remained expressionless as he was sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison, with a non-parole period of six years, for the rape, torture and murder of dozens of dogs. His sentence was backdated to his arrest in April 2022. Britton has been on remand at the Darwin Correctional Centre since his arrest, and has faced multiple delays to sentencing since pleading guilty to 60 charges of bestiality, animal cruelty and possessing child abuse material last year. On Thursday afternoon, in front of a packed gallery in the Northern Territory Supreme Court, as Chief Justice Michael Grant detailed what he described as Britton's "grotesque" and "unspeakable" crimes against animals, the distress in the courtroom was palpable. Like at previous court appearances, Justice Grant warned that the details had the potential to cause "nervous shock or some other adverse psychological reactions" and excused court officers. While Adam Britton marketed himself as an acclaimed crocodile expert and researcher, appearing in National Geographic and in documentaries alongside David Attenborough, he concealed a disturbing double life systematically torturing animals for years. Britton sourced 42 dogs from online classifieds giant Gumtree between 2020 and 2022, promising dog owners - who were often reluctantly giving their pets away due to travel or work commitments — that he would give them a "good home". He then filmed himself raping and killing them in a shipping container he called his "torture room" on his rural property on the outskirts of Darwin. On the free messenger service Telegram, Britton discussed his kill count and uploaded videos of his murders under the pseudonyms 'Monster' and 'Cerberus'. Justice Grant said Britton's communications with other users on Telegram incited violence, and said it was "manifestly clear" that he derived "perverse pleasure and excitement from the suffering of these animals". "Your conduct on each of those occasions involved a degree of depravity and reprehensibility which falls entirely outside any ordinary human conception and comprehension," Justice Grant said.
>>21386240 Adam Britton:British croc expert jailed for sexual abuse of dogs- A renowned British crocodile expert has been jailed for 10 years and five months in Australia, after admitting to sexually abusing dozens of dogs, in a case which horrified the nation. Adam Britton, a leading zoologist who has worked on BBC and National Geographic productions, pleaded guilty to 56 charges relating to bestiality and animal cruelty. The Northern Territory (NT) Supreme Court heard the 53-year-old filmed himself torturing the animals until almost all died, and then shared the videos online under pseudonyms. His abuse went unnoticed for years, until a clue was found in one of his videos. Britton was arrested in April 2022 after a search of his rural Darwin property, which also uncovered child abuse material on his laptop. Much of the detail of Britton's crimes are too graphic to publish, and so "grotesque" Chief Justice Michael Grant warned the courtroom they could cause "nervous shock". As the facts of the case were read aloud, some members of the public rushed outside. Others watching from the gallery cried and mouthed insults at Britton. He at times hung his head and reached for tissues. Born in West Yorkshire, Britton grew up in the UK before moving to Australia more than 20 years ago to work with crocodiles. With a PhD in zoology, he had built a global reputation for his expertise, even hosting Sir David Attenborough while the veteran broadcaster filmed part of the Life in Cold Blood docuseries on his property. Locals have told media he seemed like a quiet but passionate defender of animals. But he was harbouring a "sadistic sexual interest" in them, court documents say. In reality, he was abusing the animals in a shipping container on his property that had been fitted out with recording equipment - which he called his "torture room" - before sharing footage of his crimes online using aliases. He was only caught after uploading a clip in which he tortured at least eight dogs - all except one were puppies - which was passed on to NT police in an anonymous tip-off. Britton usually went to great lengths to avoid identifying himself or his location in his videos, but in this one a bright orange City of Darwin dog leash could be seen in the background. Within weeks, in April 2022, police swooped on his property and arrested Britton, who has been remanded in custody ever since.
#36 - Part 111
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 6
>>21396446 ‘He could’ve been stopped’: State pays $34m compensation to survivors of paedophile teacher - Survivors of a paedophile teacher who was moved around Victorian schools for decades received up to $34 million compensation from the state government - the highest payout linked to a state school offender. Vincent Henry Reynolds was jailed in 2019 after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 38 children over three decades at state primary schools across north and central Victoria. The 83-year-old is serving a 12-year sentence and will be eligible for parole after spending nine years behind bars. The $34 million in compensation paid to his victims is the most the department has paid out in relation to a single perpetrator. But one man, abused by Reynolds as a schoolboy and who did not wish to be named, told The Age that the damage could not be measured in monetary terms. “It’s lives lost, education abandoned, health and happiness destroyed,” the survivor said. “He could have been stopped, and we could have been spared. It’s heartbreaking.” Rightside Legal partner Grace Wilson said mismanagement by education authorities over the years had allowed Reynolds to wreak havoc on many lives. “The mismanagement beggars belief. The cost to the state of repeatedly putting a sex offender back into the classroom is big, but the cost to the victims is much, much bigger,” Wilson said. The lawyer said the compensation helped many victims put their lives back together, but only to an extent. “Nothing can restore the childhood innocence they were robbed of.”
>>21409571 Notorious pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale admits more child sex abuse - Convicted pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale has admitted more historical child sexual abuse in Victoria. Appearing in Bendigo Magistrates Court via video link from Port Phillip Prison, as he lay in his prison bed and propped up by three pillows, the frail 90-year-old pleaded guilty to eight additional sexual assault charges against children. He was facing 62 child sexual assault charges but 56 were withdrawn. The former Catholic priest, who had been too unwell to appear before his committal hearing previously, admitted six counts of indecently assaulting young males and two counts of buggery of two children who were aged under 14. The crimes were committed in the regional Victorian towns of Inglewood, Ballarat, Apollo Bay, Horsham and Mortlake between 1973 and 1981. "Are you guilty or not guilty, Mr Ridsdale," Magistrate Megan Aumair asked the accused on Wednesday. "I'm guilty," Ridsdale replied. Ridsdale is serving a maximum of 40 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to sexually abusing at least 72 children during the 1970s and '80s while working as a Catholic priest at multiple schools and churches across Victoria. He had a fall in November 2022 and was bed-ridden, suffering chronic pain, muscle wasting and weak limbs and was recommended to be placed into palliative care in 2023. If he serves out his current maximum sentence, Ridsdale will be at least 100 years old.
>>21415088 Geelong man from secretive church pleads guilty to raping multiple boys - A member of a secretive and ultra-conservative Pentecostal church has pleaded guilty to raping and persistently sexually abusing multiple children in the Geelong area. Todd Hubers, 38, also known as Todd Hubers Van Assenraad, from East Geelong, was charged in January 2023 with a string of child abuse charges relating to nine boys, including the sexual penetration of two children who were aged under 12 years old. On Thursday, Hubers, a software engineer, stood for the County Court via video link from remand at Ravenhall Correctional Centre and uttered the word “guilty” after each of the 16 charges. The court heard that between 2016 and 2023 Hubers sexually penetrated and touched boys aged 16 and two boys aged under 12, multiple times, and performed indecent acts in front of other children. The court heard the crimes took place at various locations around the Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula areas including at public swimming pools and on one occasion inside play equipment. Hubers is a member of the controversial Geelong Revival Centre (GRC), where sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he taught religion and music within the assembly. The Age has previously spoken to more than a dozen former GRC members who raised serious allegations about a range of incidents stemming from their years inside the church. These include alleged incidents of sexual abuse not being reported to police, claims of brutal physical punishments on children, pressure on members not to seek medical treatment for serious illnesses in the belief that prayer would be sufficient, and the forced separation of families if a member decides to leave the church.
#36 - Part 112
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 7
>>21415105 Identities of abusers should be listed on church websites, WA child sexual abuse inquiry finds - The names of known child abusers should be published prominently on church websites and the WA government should create a centrally accessible list of all known perpetrators, an inquiry into institutional child sexual abuse has urged. The Community Development and Justice Standing Committee handed down its final report on Thursday after examining the support available to survivors of institutional child abuse. It found the Catholic Church and other religious entities had prioritised their own institutional and financial wellbeing over the needs of those that had been abused by their members. "Institutions that maintain an unholy wall of silence can only be doing so as a strategy to limit their financial liability rather than providing just outcomes for victim/survivors," the committee said in its report. "Transparency would be a game changer." The committee singled out the Christian Brothers, accusing them of moral failure by trying to hide information on the abuse of children under their care to protect their financial viability. It claimed they refused to attend the inquiry - despite every effort made to accommodate them - giving reasons "that did not bear scrutiny". "It is the conspiracy of secrecy and institutional denial around abuse that not only adds to the trauma suffered by those who were abused but also obstructs their path to justice," committee member Christine Tonkin told state parliament on Thursday.
>>21489976 Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed sentenced to 17 years in jail for sexual abuse of hundreds of victims - A sex predator who pretended to be a teenage YouTube star to blackmail hundreds of children into performing sexual acts has been sentenced to 17 years in jail. In handing down her sentence in the District Court of WA on Tuesday, Judge Amanda Burrows said the volume of offences was of such magnitude there was "no comparable case … I can find in Australia". Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, 29, targeted children in Australia and overseas by pretending to be a 15-year-old social media influencer with a large following. He would approach children online in that guise, sending them pictures of the online star and initially asking innocuous questions to gain their trust. The court heard that then escalated to sexually explicit "fantasies" he asked them to approve of, while also asking them for pictures of themselves he could "rate". He threatened to send screenshots of their responses to friends and family unless they performed increasingly extreme sexual acts – including those involving family pets and other young siblings or children in the home. In sentencing, Judge Burrows said those offences were "of a degrading, humiliating nature [and] the conduct involving a family pet was particularly abhorrent". The court heard Rasheed would set a "countdown" timer, threatening to distribute the responses and further images he had made of them if they didn't comply with his demands. Judge Burrows said Rasheed's offending was aggravated by the fact he abused a number of the victims with groups of other adults, inviting other paedophiles to watch live streams while he directed children to perform the distressing acts.
>>21492766 Video: AFP to take on cyberscam kingpins fleecing Australians of billions - The Australian Federal Police is taking on cyber scam syndicates netting billions of dollars a year from unsuspecting Australians in a new global operation using the same sophisticated tactics that have helped bring down some of the nation’s most-wanted offshore criminals. Operation Firestorm will focus on disrupting online criminal networks operating out of Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe that fleeced Australians out of $2.74bn last year, and restraining the assets of syndicate crime bosses, The Australian has been told. It will also seek to disrupt human trafficking networks that The Australian revealed in an investigation in May had already tricked tens of thousands of workers into forced criminality in cyber slave factories operating across Southeast Asia. The global initiative is being welcomed by enforcement agencies across Southeast Asia, where increasingly sophisticated, Chinese-run criminal networks are generating more revenue than the regional drug trade. The operation will be run out of the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Co-ordination Centre (JPC3) in Sydney, which brings together law enforcement and key industry partners including Austrac and the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission in the fight against cybercrime. It will involve extensive co-operation and intelligence sharing with partners worldwide to reach criminals fleecing Australians.
#36 - Part 113
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 8
>>21494425 ‘Leader of the Pack’: Inmate allegedly led child sex abuse ring from prison - A woman who called herself “leader of The Pack” was allegedly directing a child abuse ring from inside a NSW prison, police say. Jessica Isabelle Rose, 31, a transgender woman formerly known as Dean Angus Bell, allegedly directed a group of inmates who called themselves “The Pack” to share letters detailing the sexual abuse of children and plans to abuse more children in the future. The group allegedly wrote accounts based on real-life experiences of abusing children, as well as assaults they planned to commit after release - with murder allegedly mentioned in one of the stories. The group allegedly passed the stories between them at Junee Correctional Centre. Police became aware of the alleged child abuse ring in April as part of Strike Force Edits, which was established to uncover the distribution of child abuse material in NSW prisons. Sex crimes detectives identified the group of inmates as part of their investigation and arrested Rose at Junee Correctional Centre on Tuesday. The size of “The Pack” will form part of investigations, but police believe a significant number of inmates could be involved, due to the amount of child abuse material allegedly being created. The priority for police was to arrest the alleged leader and disperse the group, with more arrests expected in the near future. Rose was taken to Wagga Wagga police station and charged with eight counts of producing child abuse material, eight counts of disseminating the material, and knowingly directing a criminal group. Bail was not applied for and was formally refused. She will next face court on October 23.
>>21494429 Former Sydney swimming coach Dick Caine revealed as serial paedophile - Former elite swimming coach Dick Caine has been revealed as a serial paedophile after a judge found he had sexually abused six underage students, and lifted an order concealing his identity to the applause of his victims. Caine, who was head coach at the Carss Park swimming pool in Sydney’s south for decades, pleaded not guilty to 39 charges against girls aged 10 to 16 across the 1970s and 1980s. The 78-year-old did not appear for a single day of his lengthy judge-alone special hearing in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court after he was previously deemed unfit to face a criminal trial due to health reasons. The court heard that Caine was in palliative care in hospital. Delivering his long-awaited judgment, Judge Paul McGuire found “on the limited evidence available, the accused committed the offence charged” on all 39 counts against all six victims, some of whom attended court and welcomed the outcome as “closure”. Caine’s offending includes multiple counts of indecent assault of a child and unlawful carnal knowledge of a pupil, a form of sexual assault. McGuire found Caine had a tendency to have a particular state of mind, being a sexual interest in prepubescent and pubescent females, and to act on that in a particular way, including touching their breasts, forcing oral sex, digital penetration and sexual intercourse with girls for whom he was a swimming coach. “I find that none of the complainants consented to any of the sexual contact, and that the accused knew that none of them consented,” the judge said. Caine’s offending occurred in the pool sauna, gym, female toilets, his office, home and car. The court heard his victims had “genuine” hopes of competing in the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games. But after the coach’s abuse, one victim had disposed of her collection of sporting memorabilia and trophies. Another victim had received annual Christmas cards from Caine, and found them “to be a reminder of the accused’s previous threat for her to keep quiet”.
#36 - Part 114
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 9
>>21507224 NSW Liberal MP Rory Amon charged with child sex offences; quits party, parliament - NSW Liberal MP Rory Amon has quit his party and his seat after he was charged by police with historic child sex offences, allegations he says he will deny in court. Mr Amon, the representative for the state electorate of Pittwater appeared before Magistrate Lisa Stapleton at Manly Local Court on Friday afternoon. The charges relate to an alleged sexual assault in Mona Vale in July 2017, in which Mr Amon allegedly assaulted a teenage boy who was known to him. Mr Amon was charged with five counts of sexual intercourse with a person over 10 and under 14 years, two charges of indecent assault of a person under 16 years, one charge of commit act of indecency with a person under 16 years and two charges of attempting sexual intercourse child with a child over 10 under 14. “Following extensive inquiries, a 35-year-old man was arrested at Manly Police Station about 6am today,” a NSW Police spokesperson said. “In March 2023, Strike Force NOORAL was established to investigate the incident.” The taskforce investigation began the same month Mr Amon was elected to parliament, he is the opposition assistant youth spokesperson. All ten alleged incidents took place between June 1 and late July in Mona Vale. The teenage boy, according to court documents, was 13 years old at the time of Mr Amon’s alleged sexual offences. Born Roderick Gilmore Amon, he joined the Northern Beaches Council in September 2017, meaning the alleged assault predates his political career by two months. Prior to local politics he worked as a family law solicitor with a specialty in domestic and family violence.
>>21520935 Daycare paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith pleads guilty to sexually abusing dozens of children in Brisbane and Italy - A former Queensland childcare worker has pleaded guilty to raping, sexually abusing and exploiting dozens of girls under his care. Ashley Paul Griffith was arraigned on more than 300 charges in the District Court in Brisbane today. The offences against around 60 children happened between 2003 and 2022 at early learning centres in Brisbane and Italy. Several victims and their families were in court, with some parents crying as the names of their children were read out. The parents of one of the young victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, described the "horrific" moment they were told their daughter had been sexually abused. They said they thought police were contacting them about another incident at the daycare centre. Instead, they were asked to identify their child from a photo. "We see people going in [to the daycare centre now], and I [think], this happened to my child in that room," the child's mother said. "It’s a room of horrors." The child's father said it was "hard to believe" how someone could "get away with something like that for so long". The couple said they decided to tell their daughter about what happened to her, but she's still very young and doesn't entirely understand. "As she grows up, we'll deal with that as it comes but it’s going to be something we deal with through our lives now," the child’s father said. "It was good that [he pleaded guilty] and we can move onto the next step now."
>>21521002 Video: Brisbane childcare rapist unseen for years in 'broken' system - The parents of one of dozens of young girls raped by a childcare worker say the system is broken and they can't fathom how he got away with prolific offending over years in a "room full of horrors". Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, today pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court to more than 300 child sex offences including 28 charges of rape, as well as ongoing sexual abuse and making child exploitation material. Griffith committed the crimes at childcare centres in multiple Brisbane suburbs over a span of more than 19 years. The parents of one of the victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, spoke outside court after Griffith spent more than two hours entering his pleas to each individual charge. "We certainly feel there's something broken in the system," the victim's father said. "How someone like that could get away with that for so long, it's hard to believe it's being run as effectively as it could be". The victim's mother said she wanted to stand outside the childcare centre where her daughter was attacked in order to warn other parents. "It happened to my child in that room. It's a room full of horrors," she said. The mother said her complaint about Griffith's behaviour in 2018 was not acted upon and she accused the centre of being run "as a business, not as a place that was looking after children".
#36 - Part 115
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 10
>>21525868 ‘Never free this predator’: parents’ plea on pedophile childcare worker Ashley Paul Griffith after pleading guilty to 306 child abuse charges - The parents of a little girl preyed upon by Australia’s worst alleged pedophile have been joined by a leading abuse advocate in calling for the former childcare worker to never be released after he pleaded guilty to more than 300 child abuse charges. Ashley Paul Griffith appeared in Brisbane’s District Court on Monday before a courtroom packed with families of young girls he abused over 15 years as he moved between Queensland, NSW and Italy. Griffith accepted 28 counts of rape against at least 12 children, 190 counts of unlawfully and indecently dealing with a child and 67 counts of making child exploitation material. He also pleaded guilty to 15 counts of maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child, four counts of producing child abuse material outside of Australia, one count of distributing child abuse material outside of Australia, one count of using a carriage service for child pornography material and one count of possessing child exploitation material. A man and woman whose daughter was allegedly abused by Griffith said life in prison was not long enough for the man who had been so prolific in his abuse. “It’s a little bit disappointing that life is probably not as long as we’d like, especially if there’s any kind of parole element to that,” said the father, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his child.
>>21530701 Queensland Police asked to reinvestigate failed complaints about pedophile Ashley Paul Griffith - The Queensland Police Minister has demanded a new internal investigation into officers’ handling of complaints about a childcare worker’s behaviour with young girls before he was unmasked as Australia’s worst pedophile. After Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, pleaded guilty to more than 300 charges of child exploitation on Monday, Labor government minister Mark Ryan ordered Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski to conduct another review of how two complaints made to officers in 2021 and ’22 were handled. An internal review was previously completed by police, which found the matters were appropriately investigated and the claims could not be substantiated. Mr Ryan said it was important nothing else could be learned. “The level of trauma he has inflicted upon so many is almost beyond comprehension,” Mr Ryan said. “Notwithstanding this matter having been previously reviewed, I have asked the commissioner if this matter could be examined again. If any improvements or learnings can be identified, then it is my expectation they should be implemented as soon as possible.” A former co-worker of Griffith, Yolanda Borucki, 60, alerted police in August 2021 to an incident involving the man and a child. However, investigators said there was insufficient evidence to lay charges. Within weeks, he returned to the centre before moving on to two other facilities in neighbouring northside suburbs in early 2022. A separate investigation was undertaken by Queensland Police in April 2022, but no details are known. In that time, he assaulted several other young girls before his arrest that August.
>>21547193 ‘He got me when I was young’: The brave evidence of Dick Caine’s victims - One of Sydney swimming coach Dick Caine’s victims was just 10 when she was first sexually abused by the man her parents had considered the “ants pants”. More than four decades later, when news of Caine’s arrest broke in 2022, the woman cried as she told her husband: “He got me when I was young.” Caine’s identity was covered by a non-publication order as six complainants gave evidence during his judge-alone special hearing from June to August in Downing Centre District Court. That veil of secrecy was lifted last week after Judge Paul McGuire found, on the limited evidence available, Caine had committed 39 offences of child sexual abuse in the 1970s and 1980s. Caine, 78, was deemed unfit to face a traditional trial due to health reasons. His lawyers in 2022 said he had terminal cancer, that he would probably not make Christmas 2023, and now claim he is in palliative care. His victims are outraged Caine did not front up to a single day of proceedings and is not in custody. This is what they told Caine’s hearing, according to the judge’s 132-page summary of evidence published after the verdicts.
#36 - Part 116
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 11
>>21551369 Adam Britton:NT crocodile expert’s depraved childhood interest in animals- A one-time prominent crocodile expert outed as a depraved torturer and killer of dogs had only ever been sexually attracted to animals, court documents reveal. Adam Robert Corden Britton had sexually abused, brutalised and killed at least 39 dogs in less than two years before he was finally tracked down by authorities in April 2022. The former senior research associate at Charles Darwin University sourced these animals from sites including Gumtree, promising them a “good home” He regularly filmed himself carrying out acts a judge described as being of “sheer deviancy and brutality”, and uploaded them to bestiality sharing platforms under the pseudonyms ‘Monster’ and “Cerberus’. Britton, 53, was sentenced to 10 years and five months, with a non-parole period of six years, on August 10 after pleading guilty to 56 offences. In beginning his sentence remarks, Chief Justice Michael Grant warned they would include “graphic descriptions of what can only be described as grotesque depravity and cruelty towards animals”. He believed some of the facts he had to read to the court had the potential to “cause nervous shock” or other physiological reactions. Much of the detail included in the judgment are too grotesque and disturbing to report.
>>21551377 Adam Britton's lifelong lie:Crocodile expert who raped and tortured pet dogs was NEVER attracted to humans despite his 16-year marriage- A depraved zoologist who was jailed for a decade for filming the rape and torture of pet dogs was never attracted to humans, despite his 16-year marriage, and fantasised about animals from the age of six. Adam Robert Corden Britton, 53, was this month sentenced to 10 years and five months behind bars, with a non-parole period of six years, backdated to his April 2022 arrest. UK-born Britton, who moved to Darwin to pursue his zoology career, pleaded guilty to 63 charges of animal abuse, bestiality, and possession of child exploitation material. He sourced the dogs from Gumtree Australia over a two-year period for the sole purpose of torturing them to death on camera, but would tell the former owners their pets were enjoying their new home. The dogs were usually already dead by the time updates were given to their old owners. Most were horrifically abused and slowly murdered within a few days. On Thursday, sentencing remarks by NT Chief Justice Michael Grant were released by the Northern Territory Supreme Court. The 42-page document, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, gives a horrifying insight into Britton's privileged childhood which was marred with depraved sexual fantasies - such as sneaking into paddocks at the age of ten to hug horses and eat their hair. The judge said Britton's had an 'unusual' interest in animals from the age of six, when he would watch videos of animals defecating and urinating and fantasised about being immersed in cow faeces. The sentencing remarks also outlined Britton's lifelong struggle with the socio-sexual disorder, paraphelia and zoosadism. Britton was never attracted to humans and struggled to have proper relationships with women when he was a university student in Hong Kong and the UK. He had two female partners, but they were not sexual relationships.
>>21551386 SUPREME COURT OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY - R v ADAM BRITTON - Sentencing Remarks -The choice to know will ultimately be yours.- https://supremecourt.nt.gov.au/_resources/documents/sentencing-remarks/html?url=https://supremecourt.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/rtf_file/0010/1439632/Britton_08082024_22212255_sen_net.rtf
#36 - Part 117
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 12
>>21556741 Ashley Griffith arrest: Don’t admit liability, church managers told as police traced sex abuse victims - Uniting Church managers were told by their internal insurance expert that they were not to admit any liability as police investigated the nation’s worst case of child abuse in daycare, involving the rape and sexual abuse of at least 91 girls in Queensland, NSW and Italy by childcare worker Ashley Paul Griffith. A raft of new documents leaked to The Australian also raise more serious questions about how authorities handled a complaint against Griffith after he appeared to have been seen kissing a sleeping girl at a Brisbane childcare centre 10 months before his arrest. A local station’s police sergeant was initially assigned to the complaint, and a specialist child protection squad had still not contacted a church manager four days later to take up the investigation, it can now be revealed. After being cleared by police and the church over the complaint, Griffith went on to rape at least one more girl and sexually abused three others before his arrest in an unrelated investigation. He pleaded guilty in the District Court in Brisbane last Monday to 307 charges. Queensland police maintain an internal review cleared officers over their handling of the complaint and of another later one against Griffith, but there are calls for a broad independent inquiry into how he was able to abuse girls for almost two full decades.
>>21561874 Child rapist Ashley Griffith’s evil act after redundancy notice - The nation’s worst pedophile, Ashley Paul Griffith, singled out and raped a little girl at a Uniting Church daycare centre in Brisbane in the weeks after he was told he was being made redundant and four months after a complaint about him “kissing” a girl at the same centre was dismissed, court records indicate. His devastating abuse of the girl, a new victim he is not known to have previously assaulted, on his way out of the daycare centre can be revealed as calls grow for an independent and public inquiry into how he was able to abuse children for almost two full decades. On Monday, March 14, 2022, the church’s early learning operations manager Yolanda Borucki informed Griffith his position had been made redundant, according to a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Nine days later, on March 23, 2022, Griffith submitted a letter of resignation from the centre, and on March 31 he emailed families announcing he had resigned. In this same period, he struck a new victim. Among the hundreds of shocking charges Griffith pleaded guilty to in Brisbane’s District Court last week, five related to the rape, abuse and recording of a girl between March 23 and April 1, 2022. The charges are listed as occurring in the same suburb as the Uniting Church childcare centre. He then went on to abuse at least three more girls at other Brisbane daycare centres before his arrest in an unrelated investigation, according to the charges he pleaded guilty to. It can also be revealed one of the most senior leaders of the Uniting Church in Queensland took just 43 minutes to approve Griffith’s redundancy, after he was earlier cleared of kissing a sleeping girl at the same centre. Reverend Heather den Houting was then the general secretary of the church and had been involved in managing a report from a co-worker that Griffith was seen on top of a little girl during nap time and that his “mouth was moving along her mouth” in October 2021. Both police and an internal church investigation found he had no case to answer in November 2021.
#36 - Part 118
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 13
>>21575883 Western Bulldogs set to face second legal claim over historical sexual abuse - The Western Bulldogs are facing a second potentially devastating legal action over alleged abuse by a convicted pedophile who volunteered at the club. The alleged victim, now 51, claims he was abused by child predator Graeme Hobbs in 1987 after meeting him at Whitten Oval. Hobbs’ first victim, Adam Kneale, was awarded $5.9 million in November 2023, after the club stalwart had admitted abusing him, was jailed and the Bulldogs were found negligent in protecting him from harm. The landmark judgement was hailed as an “earthquake” in Australia’s legal system, with the sum dwarfing previous compensation payouts to abuse survivors. It was also the first successful claim against an AFL club. Kneale was aged 11 when the “jack of all trades” Hobbs first raped him at the ground in 1984. The Western Bulldogs have challenged the negligence verdict in the Kneale case, with the hearing scheduled to start in the Court of Appeal on Friday. But a second alleged victim - a schoolmate of Kneale – has now claimed in Supreme Court documents he too was befriended and abused by Hobbs at the club and off-site. He alleged Hobbs twice took him, when he was 14, from the club to an Essendon house where he was abused. On one occasion, he alleged he was forced to watch Hobbs rape Kneale, while another time he claimed he was asked to strip naked and Hobbs tried to rape him. Hobbs, who is now dead, was a club volunteer, fundraiser and under 19s training staff member. Rightside Legal partner Michael Magazanik, who represents Kneale and the alleged second victim, said both abuse survivors were committed to holding the club to account. “Both of my clients have lived with their shocking consequences of their abuse for decades,’’ Mr Magazanik said. “It has caused mental illness, torment and suffering. Hobbs and his pedophile friends were convicted and jailed but that doesn’t give their victims their lives back. “That’s why both my clients want justice from the Western Bulldogs and it’s why the jury (in the first case), six Victorians chosen at random, thought justice was required.’’
>>21582871 Video: Uniting Church set cops on Ashley Griffith abuse informer - The Uniting Church accused a whistleblowing manager of damaging its reputation and future profitability for going to the media about Australia’s worst pedophile, Ashley Paul Griffith, before pursuing a complaint against her with police. A leaked “show cause” notice sent to the church’s early learning operations manager, Yolanda Borucki, accuses her of likely causing “significant reputational damage” and “significant damage to ongoing profitability” for emailing confidential and sensitive information to a journalist at Nine Network’s A Current Affair. Eleven days after the notice, acting on a complaint from the church, police raided Ms Borucki’s home on Brisbane’s bayside, seized her phones and devices and charged her with computer hacking for allegedly using a restricted computer without the church’s consent. Ms Borucki, 60, was charged despite still being employed by the church when she allegedly accessed the information, and having possession of her work phone, computer and car and the ability to log into her emails. The grandmother allegedly used her work email and a work device to forward the material. Queensland police were declining to answer questions about past complaints against Griffith when Ms Borucki appeared on the national television program in August last year. She revealed that in October 2021 a co-worker at a Uniting Church childcare centre in Brisbane reported stumbling across Griffith leaning over a sleeping girl in an outdoor fort, “basically kissing her”. Police and the church cleared Griffith and dismissed the complaint. Griffith went on to rape another little girl from the same centre in his final week there after being told his position was being made redundant, court records indicate. Subsequently, he abused three more girls at other centres before his arrest in an unrelated police investigation in August 2022. The Uniting Church has said it is “deeply saddened and sorry that harm was done at one of our facilities”.
#36 - Part 119
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 14
>>21589845 Western Bulldogs fight multimillion-dollar payout to child sex abuse survivor, claim jury was ‘misled’ - The Western Bulldogs claim a jury that awarded a “startling” $5.9m to child sex abuse survivor Adam Kneale, assaulted for years at Whitten Oval by a club volunteer and pedophile, was “misled”. The footy club has demanded a jury verdict finding it was negligent for abuse committed by star fundraising volunteer Graeme ‘Chops’ Hobbs be thrown out, or the multimillion-dollar compensation payout to the predator’s victim be slashed. The pedophile, now dead, was jailed after admitting to abusing Mr Kneale for six years from the age of 11. During his civil trial in October 2023, Mr Kneale gave evidence he was sexually assaulted at the Bulldogs’ home-ground more than 40 times. The appeal fight is set to be closely watched by a second alleged victim who has launched fresh legal action against the club, also for abuse at the hands of Hobbs at Whitten Oval in the 1980s. In the Court of Appeal on Friday, the Bulldogs’ high profile barrister Bret Walker SC labelled the award - the highest amount handed to an abuse survivor in Australia - as “genuinely startling”. “It speaks for itself as to its excessiveness,” said the lawyer, who charges north of $25,000 a day. The Bulldogs were ordered by the jury to pay Mr Kneale $3.25m for pain and suffering alone, with Court of Appeal judge Justice David Beach stating he was “not aware” of any other cases where general damages were assessed at more than $1m. Barrister Sam Hay KC, for Mr Kneale, conceded “the award is high” but that it could be “indicative of the way the general public views the nature of this abuse”.
>>21648351 Victims warned WA’s worst serial sex predator could be released - Victims of WA’s worst serial sex predator Dennis John McKenna are reeling after being told the child abuser could be released from prison in two months. Department of Justice letters have been sent to a number of men preyed upon by McKenna, while they boarded as students at St Andrew’s Hostel in Katanning some time between 1975 and 1990. “I am writing to offer you the opportunity to discuss any concerns or queries you may have about future contact with an offender,” the letter reads. “The Prisoners Review Board is required to consider Mr McKenna for possible release on parole. I would like to speak with you regarding your thoughts on this matter. The offender’s date of parole eligibility is 17 November, 2024.” Those notified of the parole date can now make a written submission to the department’s Victim offender Mediation Unit. Since 1991, McKenna has been handed jail sentences on three occasions after police investigations highlighted more victims from his reign of terror as the hostel’s warden. When combined, McKenna was sentenced to 22 years behind bars for 65 offences against 29 boys. The most recent punishment came in 2013, when the now 79-year-old was convicted of a further 34 child sex crime offences. His systemic abuse at the Katanning facility, used to accommodate the children of farming families attending the town’s high school, resulted in a 2012 inquiry and report titled St Andrew’s Hostel: How the System and Society Failed our Children. But those who survived McKenna’s molestation never want to see him free again. “He’s a rapist, he’s a paedophile, and there’s no way he should be let out,” survivor Michael Hilder told Radio 6PR.
#36 - Part 120
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 15
>>21653844 Convicted pedophile, Olympic swim coach Dick Caine dead at 78 -Convicted pedophile Dick Caine, the former Sydney swimming coach found to have raped six students under his care, has died in hospital following a terminal cancer diagnosis. Caine, 78, was spared jail and deemed unfit to appear physically in court due to his poor health following his arrest in June 2022. His ongoing trial was kept under wraps by a gag order, prompted by fears among Caine’s legal representation he would attempt suicide if the details of the trial were widely reported. The order was lifted upon his conviction. He was found to have sexually abused six girls aged 10 to 16 in the 1970s through to the 1980s during his career as an Olympic and world champion swim coach at Carss Park swimming pool in Sydney’s south. All 39 charges brought against Caine were proven in a hearing before Judge Paul McGuire at the Downing Centre District Court between June and August this year. Caine’s next hearing remains listed for December 6, though a District Court representative said they anticipated the matter would be relisted in the wake of his death. His six victims were due to provide victim impact statements. He died on Wednesday morning, having reportedly survived past a prior prognosis anticipating he would be dead in the months following his 2022 arrest. In court, his wife Jennifer alleged he had lung and throat cancer for which he was in palliative care with “maybe six months” to live. Caine also suffered from dementia, with his defence arguing further public scrutiny placed him at risk of stroke and heart attack. He was released on bail following charges. In Caine’s judge-only trial, he was found to have raped his victims in the pool’s sauna, office and bathrooms, also sexually assaulting his victims at a hotel, in his car and at his home.
>>21711060 ‘It empowers others’: Former Australian under-19s captain speaks out on abuse allegation - A former juniors Australian captain who is suing Cricket Australia over a historical allegation of sexual abuse says he has come forward “to call out both those who take advantage of the vulnerable and the organisations who protect them”. Dean Reynolds led Australia on the 1985 under-19s tour to India and Sri Lanka, where he has alleged he was sexually touched by the coach Bob Bitmead. He filed a statement of claim in the Queensland Supreme Court in July that seeks damages of more than $4 million from CA. Bitmead has previously denied the allegation. CA has lodged its defence, denying all of Reynolds’ claims. CA’s defence denies that Bitmead abused Reynolds and then says: “The claim is excessive and has no proper regard to the evidence; and, any injury resulting from the subject incident (which is denied) has resolved.” CA’s defence also argues that “the nature and extent of any duty of care owed by the defendant (CA), or by Bitmead, which is not admitted, is a question of law to be determined by trial”. The case is set down for mediation on November 14. Now 57, Reynolds was interviewed as part of a 2022 investigation of the tour by the ABC, an episode that led him to reconsider his own experiences in 1985 and afterwards. “I am sharing my story now because I seek closure and feel it is important to demonstrate bravery in speaking out against authority figures who have acted wrongly,” Reynolds told this masthead. “I know I am not the first or the last, but it’s important to call out both those who take advantage of the vulnerable and the organisations who protect them, either directly or by choosing to look the other way.”
#36 - Part 121
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 16
>>21718411 Former Marist College student preparing to sue over alleged canings and other corporal punishments in 1970s - A former Canberra Marist College student is preparing to sue over the canings and other corporal punishments he allegedly received as a young student in the early 1970s. The case against the Trustees of the Marist Brothers has been lodged with the ACT Supreme Court. In his statement of claim, the now 67-year-old described extraordinary incidents including being repeatedly struck on the hand with a metal ruler, caned on his hands until the cane broke, and caned on the back of the legs. He also alleged one teacher instructed him to hold out his hand while the teacher stood on the edge of a podium, raised the cane above his head and leapt off with all his weight to strike the student's hand. The man, who was first enrolled at the school as a 12-year-old and attended from 1970 to 1972, is being represented by Shine Lawyers. His statement of claim also alleges a sexual assault after a school play at the Canberra Theatre when he said he was left alone in a room with a man he did not know. In their submissions, the Trustees of the Marist Brothers questioned that allegation, saying there was no record of the school holding a production at the Canberra Theatre at the time. The man's lawyers have not mentioned any figures but said they were claiming negligence, saying the operators of the school owed the boy a duty of care to avoid the risks of harm. The claim suggests those running the school should have had a system for students to report misconduct, should have removed abusive teachers and staff from the school, and put a mandatory reporting system in place as well as ensuring students were not put in a position where they would be assaulted or be in fear of assault.
>>21718431 Australian Bishop Christopher Saunders pleads ‘not guilty’ to abuse charges - Bishop Christopher Saunders appeared in Australian court Monday to enter a plea of not guilty to 28 criminal charges, including allegations of sexual assault and indecent dealings with a minor. The former bishop of the Diocese of Broome stands accused of a long slate of alleged crimes of grooming and abusing young Aboriginal men over a period of eight years, beginning in 2008. Saunders, 74, confirmed to the court that he understood the charges and entered a plea of not guilty on all counts. He is due back in court for the next hearing in the case in January, having last appeared in June as his lawyer argued against a petition to change the bishop’s bail conditions. The bishop also faces several separate firearms charges, including illegal possession of a weapon. He did not enter a plea on those charges during the Sept. 30 hearing. Saunders was arrested in February of this year, following a January police raid on his former residence in the Diocese of Broome, carried out by Child Abuse Squad detectives. The bishop led the Diocese of Broome in Western Australia until 2021, when he resigned citing “ill health” amid allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming against young Aboriginal men. The bishop’s resignation followed a decision to step back from governance of the diocese in 2020, after accusations surfaced that he had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of Church funds on gifts for vulnerable young men, including cash, phones, alcohol, and travel. The police investigation which led to the raid and the bishop’s arrest came after Church authorities handed over a 200-page investigation conducted into Saunders alleged misconduct, ordered by the Vatican in 2022, after a separate police investigation had been closed the previous year due to lack of evidence. In a statement at the time of Saunders’ arrest, Australian bishops’ conference president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth said that “It is right and proper, and indeed necessary, that all allegations be thoroughly investigated,” and promised that the Church would “cooperate fully with police and take every necessary step to avoid any actions which may compromise the integrity and autonomy of the police investigation.” Saunders now faces 28 criminal charges related to alleged sexual abuse, including two counts of rape and 14 counts of unlawful and indecent assault related to alleged victimization of young Aboriginal men in towns throughout the diocese between 2008 and 2016.
#36 - Part 122
Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 17
>>21739558 Beaumaris Primary School sexual abuse survivor reaches record $8 million settlement with Victorian government - A survivor of "shocking" sexual abuse at a Melbourne primary school has received what his lawyer has called "the biggest publicly known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia" in an extraordinary $8 million settlement with the Victorian Education Department. The man, who was sexually abused by notorious paedophile Darrell Ray, was among a generation of students who suffered abuse in the 1960s and 70s at Beaumaris Primary School in bayside Melbourne. The man's lawyer, Michael Magazanik of Rightside Legal, said his client had been fighting for justice for most of his adult life and settled the claim a week before it was set to reach Victoria's Supreme Court. "He's been on this path for decades, first pushing for a criminal prosecution for lots of Ray's victims, and then his own fight for proper compensation," Mr Magazanik said. "Of course, it's been a rocky road for him and life hasn't been easy because he's been dealing with entrenched damage. Now he's got what he deserves and we're proud to have fought for him. It's the biggest publicly-known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia. It represents the shocking damage the abuse did and the cost of starting to repair my client's life, starting to put him back in the position he might have been in had the school kept him safe." Speaking to ABC Investigations, the man said he hoped his legal victory would inspire survivors who have lost faith in the justice system. "I'd strongly recommend that victims of sexual abuse get themselves a lawyer and not go down the National Redress path," the man said. "That's the main thing I'd want to get across to other survivors. Trust your lawyer and get what you deserve, not what the government wants to give you. For me, personally, an apology was never going to give me any closure. I was offered twice and said no. Other people might get closure from an apology, but I won't. And the money does not give me closure either - I will never get closure. I wouldn't still be here were it not for finding my faith. And that's not for everyone either. But I had to become a Christian to even have a remote chance of surviving and finding a better way of life."
>>21739573 Video: British YouTuber and rapper Yung Filly extradited to Perth to face allegations of rape - He is accused of assaulting a woman in a hotel room on September 28th 2024. In 2021 Yung Filly was also accused of meeting and texting 17 year old girls when he was 26 and recently he was also seen biting women outside clubs (Allegedly). UPDATE: Yung Filly has been granted bail of $122,000, with conditions that require him to stay in Western Australia until his court appearance in December. He must also report to the police three times a week.
Filling #37…..