Federal government responds to disability royal commission, disability advocates 'devastated'

Evan Young, Nas Campanella and Claudia Long - 31 July 2024

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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.

"Our government is absolutely committed to the vision set out in the disability royal commission and to enabling policy and delivering services that realises the vision of an Australian community where people with disability are free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation," Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth told reporters in Sydney.

Ms Rishworth said the government had accepted in principle the vast majority of recommendations and "no-one could accuse our government of not taking this seriously".

All governments will remain accountable through six monthly reports on implementation progress, as well as an annual update to national cabinet, she added.

"We agree with many of the recommendations and we've got to think about a few more of the issues that are raised there," NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said.

Most of the 13 recommendations accepted without a caveat were small legislative suggestions or work already underway, such as updating Australia's Disability Strategy.

Recommendations accepted in principle include those to strengthen the Disability Discrimination Act, and improve access to information and interpreters, including Auslan.

The government has pledged $369 million towards this initial response, $227.6 million of which is for an employment program already announced in the May federal budget and also includes $12 million to amend the Migration Health Requirement and $20 million for "grassroots efforts to improve community attitudes around disability".

The controversial recommendation to phase out special schools was listed as "noted" by the Commonwealth, and said the states would continue to be responsible for such decisions.

It also said recommendations on guardianship laws, ending non-therapeutic sterilisation, supported decision-making and the justice system were the responsibility of, or better looked after by, the states and territories.

Recommendations to phase out segregated employment by 2034 and group homes within 15 years were listed as needing further consideration, as was the co-design of a new complaints mechanism and a new scheme allowing employees with disability to be paid at least half the minimum wage.

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Response an 'insult', advocates 'devastated'

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John — who fought to establish the commission after entering parliament as the first openly-disabled federal politician — said the initial response was "an insult to the disability community".

"We had hoped that through sharing our stories … that our government would listen and take action. They've failed to do so," he told the ABC.

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.

Children and Young People with Disability Australia CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore said the lack of a firm commitment on inclusive education was "a failure of leadership" and a "betrayal" of young people with disability.

"We owe it to the next generation of students with disability to act swiftly and decisively in phasing out segregated education," she said in a statement.

"States and territories must step up, but they need support from the federal level to make inclusive education a reality."

Ross Joyce, CEO of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, said it appeared as though many recommendations had been "kicked further down the road".

"The whole sector is disappointed … we thought there would be a whole lot more coming through," he told the ABC.

'Harrowing evidence'

The nearly four-and-a-half-year royal commission made 222 recommendations in total calling for sweeping changes across all parts of society.

Some 10,000 people shared what the commission's final report said was "harrowing evidence" about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation that occurred in the community, in homes and in places where people with disability access services.

That included instances of sexual assaults of people with disability by carers, children being removed from their mothers immediately after birth, forced sterilisation and workers being paid $2.50 an hour for manual labour.

When the final report was made public last year, commissioners recommended governments respond by the end of March 2024.

Federal, state and territory governments missed that deadline and pushed their responses back to "mid-year" due to the "scale and complexity of reform recommended, and the importance of consulting widely".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-31/government-responds-to-disability-royal-commission/104141938

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLMKTNMYSK4

https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers/australian-government-response-to-the-disability-royal-commission

https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-australian-government-response-to-the-disability-royal-commission/australian-government-response-factsheets

Afghanistan medal decision before election, says Deputy Prime Minister

Robert Dougherty - 30 JULY 2024

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.

“Just to be clear, this is a decision not in relation to the person (Ben Roberts-Smith) that you mentioned, but in relation to those who had command authority.

“That is a process that I've wanted to go through thoroughly to make sure that we get the answers to this right.

“It is one that has been on my desk and we've been going through in an enormous amount of detail, but it won't be long before we are able to make those decisions and certainly, they'll be made before the election.”

Earlier this month, the Australian Government reportedly unveiled compensation plans for families of victims unlawfully killed or abused by Australian special forces in Afghanistan. A newly established Afghanistan Inquiry Compensation Advocate will assess claims referred by the Chief of Defence Force, but final decisions rest with the CDF.

The Deputy PM also encouraged patience as another inquiry continues into the 2023 Lindeman Island MRH-90 Taipan crash, in which four Australian Army aircrew were lost, on 28 July 2023.

The crash, in which an Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan helicopter impacted waters near Lindeman Island during a night-time training activity as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023, recently passed its first anniversary this month.

“This is a significant day. It's a very difficult day for the families of Captain Lyon, Lieutenant Nugent, Warrant Officer Laycock and Corporal Naggs,” according to the Deputy PM.

“These four Australians, who had given great service to our country wearing our nation's uniform, lost their lives a year ago. I know that this is a really difficult day for their families, for the 6th Aviation Regiment, of which they were a part.

“And it's a reminder that the work that our men and women who wear our uniform do is dangerous, even when they're engaging in exercises and their service, and indeed, their sacrifice is as meaningful as that of anyone who has worn our nation's uniform.

“The inquiry in relation to this proceeds, it needs to take the time that it takes because we need to find out what happened here and we need to learn the lessons.

“It's really important that those lessons are learnt for future safety. And we don't do that off the back of speculation, we do it off the back of facts and this is just going to take the time that it takes. But obviously we work with the families to let them know how the investigations are proceeding and they will continue to go on until we get the answers behind this terrible tragedy.”

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/land/14478-afghanistan-medal-decision-before-election-says-deputy-prime-minister

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FIRST ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY SAILORS GRADUATE FROM BASIC ENLISTED SUBMARINE SCHOOL

Lauren Laughlin - 30 July 2024

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GROTON, Conn. - 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.”

Incorporating Royal Australian Navy enlisted personnel into the U.S. Navy’s submarine training pipeline is essential to developing Australian crews ahead of Australia’s acquisition of sovereign Virginia-class submarines that will be sold to Australia by 2030. Enlisted personnel make up the bulk of a Virginia-class submarine crew, which is typically comprised of 15 officers and 117 enlisted sailors. Royal Australian Navy sailors are also enrolled in the UK Royal Navy’s nuclear training pipeline, with the first officers graduating from the UK Royal Navy’s Officers Nuclear Operators Course earlier this month. All work by Australian personnel in the U.S. and UK will remain consistent with Australia’s domestic and international legal obligations, including its non-proliferation obligations and commitments.

“For the last two months, these sailors have trained diligently alongside their American counterparts to acquire the capability to safely operate SSNs,” said Naval Submarine School Commanding Officer Capt. Matthew Fanning. “They will continue to hone their skills in rate-specific training prior to reporting to a Virginia-class submarine as part of the crew to put their training into execution alongside U.S. submariners.”

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The BESS graduation comes just months after the first three Royal Australian Navy officers completed their training at the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Officer Basic Course in April 2024 and reported to Virginia-class submarines based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Nearly 100 Royal Australian Navy officers and enlisted personnel will enter the submarine and U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion training pipelines this year.

“Our sailors are the backbone of our Navy. Their training success demonstrates the exceptional skillset and knowledge of our people,” said Warrant Officer of the Royal Australian Navy Andrew Bertoncin, the service’s senior non-commissioned representative. “I’m proud of what our sailors have achieved and look forward to seeing them continue to master their craft onboard a Virginia-class submarine.”

At BESS, the Royal Australian Navy sailors joined their American counterparts for a rigorous eight-week course where they developed the skills and competence needed to operate nuclear-powered attack submarines. Sailors studied the construction and operation of nuclear-powered submarines and gained hands-on experience through intensive simulations.

“We are extremely proud of what these sailors have accomplished as the first Royal Australian Navy enlisted sailors to graduate from one of the U.S. Navy’s most demanding training courses,” said Vice Adm. Jonathan Mead, Director General of the Australian Submarine Agency. “Their success in this training is another positive step forward as we work with our U.S. and UK partners to progress along the AUKUS Pillar 1 Optimal Pathway and toward our shared goal of a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”

“These sailors are the foundation of Australia’s future SSN crews,” said the U.S. Navy’s AUKUS Integration and Acquisition Program Manager Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck. “They are trailblazers leading the broader effort to strengthen the interoperability and capabilities of the AUKUS nations. Their graduation is a major step toward realizing the strategic goals of AUKUS as well as deepening the ties among our nations.”

AUKUS is a strategic partnership that will promote a safe, free, and open Indo-Pacific, enhance national security, and uplift the three industrial bases. AUKUS Pillar 1 will deliver a conventionally armed SSN capability to the Royal Australian Navy by the early 2030s. The Department of the Navy’s AUKUS Integration and Acquisition Program Office is the U.S. lead responsible for executing the trilateral partnership to deliver conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines to the Royal Australian Navy at the earliest possible date while setting the highest nuclear stewardship standards and continuing to maintain the highest standards of non-proliferation.

https://www.usff.navy.mil/Press-Room/News-Stories/Article/3855084/first-royal-australian-navy-sailors-graduate-from-basic-enlisted-submarine-scho/

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8556612/first-aukus-basic-enlisted-submarine-school-graduation

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‘Pro-Palestinian’ Officeworks staffer refuses to laminate Jewish newspaper for kippah-wearing man

LIAM MENDES - 1 August 2024

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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.

“[Being pro-Palestine] is my position, but we have the right to deny jobs.

“I am not comfortable proceeding with it,” she said.

The staff member, who was wearing a rainbow Officeworks lanyard, then said she was not comfortable with the article that was being laminated.

“I’ve looked at the photo, I’ve looked at the headline,” she said.

The Jewish man then pointed out the store was “in a Jewish community’’. The staff member then said the customer could wait for another staff member who would feel comfortable.

“For political reasons I’m not comfortable,” she said. When the staff member realised the customer was recording she asked him to leave and said she was calling the police.

The customer, who has since launched legal action in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, told The Australian on Thursday morning he felt he was being discriminated against “in the most crazy way’’.

“I’m just just simply asking to have a photo of us going to Israel in the Jewish News, a mainstream newspaper in our local community, to be laminated, and I’m being told that my business is being refused because I’m Jewish or Zionist or wearing a kippah in public,” he said.

“It’s beyond me, inside I’m trying to keep my calm but inside, I’m shaking because someone’s coming for me,” he said.

He said he was still in shock in the months since the incident.

“It makes you wonder, are Jews safe, are we in an environment where we’ll be protected?” he asked.

“To not even be able to go about your normal business, it makes me feel like all the stories we’ve heard about in the 1940s this is happening to me,” he said.

He said Officeworks had thanked him for the feedback for the experience in their store, and offered a $100 gift card. It was that reaction from the retailer that prompted him to commence legal action.

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According to a statement of claim obtained by The Australian, the man is seeking compensation, that staff undergo anti-Semitism training and a declaration that Officeworks have contravened the Equal Opportunity Act.

The man said the experience has “definitely” left him considering moving to Israel.

“It is a matter of not if, but when, but how long will we be able to continue to go about our lives here before we just can’t do live in this beautiful country that we all love,” he said.

Dr Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the incident should be condemned by politicians.

“Treating Jewish people differently because of who they are is discrimination plain and simple,” Mr Abramovich said.

“Officeworks Elsternwick might as well have posted a sign in the store saying, ‘No service for Jews, Zionists or supporters of Israel’.

“ Just because someone is pro-Palestine does not give them a license to ignore equal opportunity laws,” he said.

“Imagine the public outrage if a member of the LGBTQI community, or an indigenous Australian or a disabled person were turned away,” he said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin told The Australian the matter was “disturbing” and that the behaviour could not become normalised in society.

“It is profoundly disturbing that a young Australian was conditioned to view a visibly Jewish man as her enemy and felt entitled to engage in plainly discriminatory conduct on the basis of being ‘pro-Palestine’,” Mr Ryvchin said after receiving a phone call from Officeworks management.

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.

“Additionally, we have provided ongoing training and education to our team members so that they are aware of the legal requirements in respect of discrimination and of Officeworks’ policies and procedures.”

Officeworks also confirmed the staff member involved was still employed and had undergone discrimination training and had undergone “education through the Melbourne Holocaust Museum”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/propalestinian-officeworks-staffer-refuses-to-laminate-jewish-newspaper-for-kippahwearing-man/news-story/a6c4d8653091fb9df87e40fab1450ac5

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Australians in Lebanon warned to leave immediately as tensions escalate between Israel and Hezbollah

Stephen Dziedzic, Stephanie Dalzell and Nabil Al-Nashar - 1 August 2024

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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.

Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts told the ABC's Afternoon Briefing that it could now be harder to get Australians out than it was in 2006, when the Howard government used flights, buses and ferries to evacuate people.

"Since the 2006 evacuation we've seen that terrible, terrible explosion at the Beirut port which has affected port capacity there," he said.

"We've also seen a deterioration in the security situation of adjoining countries to Lebanon. So the context we're operating in … [and] the plans we've made … are far more complex today than they were in the past.

"Don't push your luck. Don't wait and see how this turns out. The time to leave is now."

Concern Australians are ignoring advice to leave

The government estimates at least 15,000 Australians remain in the country, but the real figure could be as high as 20,000 or even 30,000.

It's difficult to pinpoint the figure because many Australians in the country live there permanently or visit very regularly, and often don't notify the Australian government.

The foreign minister has also written to key Lebanese Australian community organisations asking them to help the government get the message out.

The complex make-up of the Lebanese community in Australia – which includes Shia and Sunni Muslims, as well as Maronite Christians – also means the government has to work harder to get the message out to everyone.

An Australian official told the ABC on Wednesday night that many Australians in Lebanon appeared to be disregarding the travel advice, and the government was deliberately ramping up travel warnings and messaging to convince them to leave.

The government has been advising people not to travel to Lebanon ever since the October 7 attacks in Israel last year, but at least some Australians have not followed that advice and have continued to fly into Beirut.

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Sydney community leader Samier Dandan said the reasons why Australians were staying in Lebanon are varied.

"My dad is currently over there, he went for a small visit and had a medical episode and he's permanently there at the moment because of his health conditions," he told the ABC.

"The only way possible to bring him back is for one of the family members to travel there because he needs to be looked after while in flight."

Jameel Karaki, a Lebanese-Australian from southern Lebanon, said he was very concerned about his family.

"I'm unable to sleep at night sometimes. When I call my family sometimes I wonder if I'll be able to call them again, if they are gonna pick up the phone or answer me."

He said some people had elderly parents in Lebanon, and were either travelling to be with them, or did not want to return to Australia without them.

"No-one would like to live in a warzone," he said.

"You would weigh your risks and even if it means sometimes risking your life, you take this decision and book your ticket."

'Listen to the warnings'

Australian Lebanese Association president Raymond Najar urged Australians in the region to return home as soon as possible.

"Of course, the big issue is going to be the fact that are they going to be able to get a flight to go home? Are their booked flights still in order?

"I would be concerned for a lot of my friends that are over there that they wouldn't be able to leave when they have planned to leave. The alternatives they have are limited."

Mr Najar also called on the Australian government to urge Israel not to target Beirut airport if the conflict escalates.

"I have already appealed to one of the ministers about the fact that the Australian government needs to take a message across through its ally in America that the Beirut airport is a no-go zone, and make sure that the airport can stay functional."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also been urging Australians to leave Lebanon, and warning people not to travel to the country.

"There is a risk that the Beirut airport might not be open for commercial flights and given the numbers of people that are there, there is no guarantee that we can just guarantee that people will be able to come home through other means if that airport is shut," he said in Sydney on Thursday.

"We say to people, listen to the warnings which are there and please, over recent months we have seen people continue to go and travel to the region and we have made very clear our warnings about that."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-01/australians-in-lebanon-told-to-leave/104169220

https://x.com/SenatorWong/status/1818626571370217718

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Norther Territory base upgrades will ‘help protect’ US B-52s in a conflict

BEN PACKHAM - July 30, 2024

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.

“I think the fact this is a long-standing alliance … and the fact we have been shoulder-to-shoulder in conflict, in combat, numerous times throughout the years, speaks volumes to the commitment we have (shown) and will continue to show,” he said.

The US has invested heavily in infrastructure works at the RAAF’s Darwin and Tindal bases, including new fuel storage facilities, and a new runway and hanger at Tindal.

General Schneider said the US had spent about $625m on the upgrades, in addition to investments by Australia.

He said the US was looking for more opportunities to involve the RAAF in its B-52 training exercises, but noted that the use of Top End bases to operate strategic bombers was not the same as basing the aircraft here.

“The US is not going to operate unilaterally out of Australia,” he said. “We do everything hand in hand.”

General Schneider’s comments came as Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited the demilitarised zone on the South Korean border with North Korea, condemning Pyongyang’s “provocative and reckless conduct” towards its neighbour.

A day earlier, Senator Wong and her US, Japanese and Indian counterparts condemned Beijing’s aggression in the South China Sea, including its “dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels”.

“Longstanding rules are being bent and twisted or broken,” she said after a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue meeting.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/norther-territory-base-upgrades-will-help-protect-us-b52s-in-a-conflict/news-story/6af35518e3f85b72537d4b4953456061

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United States Air Force commander General Kevin Schneider on regional tension

Senior US commander General Kevin Schneider says aggressive activities from the north are behind the strong military presence in Northern Australia and the wider region.

Harry Brill - August 1, 2024

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.”

As well as Indo-Pacific members “feeling the pinch” of northern powers, General Schneider said the region’s situation had commanded the attention of European stakeholders, whose forces were also now training in the Top End.

“I’ve had the opportunity to interact with some of the European partners, whether it was Germany, Italy, France and Spain, who recognise that what goes on in places like Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang – and the efforts that undermine peace and stability – affects Europe as well.”

Making their Pitch Black debuts this month was the Spanish Air and Space Force, the Italian Navy and the Italian Air Force, adding to the strong European presence of Germans, British and French.

Despite significant differences in language, technology, tactics and procedure, General Schneider said he was impressed with how the 20 nations had integrated.

“We do not have to show up with fifth generation fighters to be a part of this,” he said.

“I applaud first time participant nations like the Philippines, who brought their FA-50s, and they are immediately integrating with their capability into the package and showing what they can do.”

While General Schneider hailed the West’s aeronautic advancements, he maintained threats from ground – such as surface-to-air missile defence – would pose a major challenge in a contested environment.

“For every move there’s a counter move, as we build capability among our Western forces, potential adversaries will look to exploit that and find a weakness and build something that’s faster, longer and more multispectral.”

Since arriving in Australia, General Schneider has also turned his attention to military infrastructure, having visited facilities at both RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Darwin.

General Schneider said he expected the US would work “hand-in-hand” with the Australian government in delivering improved military infrastructure, with the US Department of Defense having committed at least $760m to RAAF Base Darwin alone.

“I recognise this is Australia not the United States,” he said.

“Anything that gets executed must be done with co-ordination at the highest levels of both our governments, whether we’re responding to any crisis or contingency in the region.”

https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/united-states-air-force-commander-general-kevin-schneider-on-regional-tension/news-story/0fefb3ec0676b5ae76c4c3e7d2cc1076

NT police commissioner delivers apology to First Nations people at Garma and pledges to 'eliminate racism'

Samantha Dick - 3 August 2024

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.

Marking the force's "commitment to truth-telling", Commissioner Murphy said NT police were pursuing an active cold case investigation into the disappearance of Tuckiar Wirrpanda, an Aboriginal man from Woodah Island suspected of being killed by police officers in the 1930s.

He also highlighted the ongoing intergenerational trauma caused by the "cruel" practice of child removals during the Stolen Generations era, as well as police enforcement of the NT Intervention.

"This history and more recent events highlight two things," Commissioner Murphy said.

"One, police are routinely tasked with enforcing policies, laws and regulations — both federal and here in the Northern Territory — that are often influenced by media coverage of crime, victims and community safety, regardless of the data, evidence and expert advice.

"And at times, police officers have abused their powers or fall[en] short in their duty of care towards Aboriginal offenders, witnesses and … victims of crime."

Commissioner Murphy said he would use his position to "make every effort to eliminate racism in the Northern Territory Police".

His apology follows a long-running coronial inquest into the 2019 death of Kumanjayi Walker, who was fatally shot by former NT police constable Zachary Rolfe during an attempted arrest in the remote community of Yuendumu.

Mr Rolfe was acquitted of all charges in relation to Mr Walker's death.

The inquest uncovered a series of racist awards shared within NT police's elite policing unit, as well as evidence of racist language used in private text messages among officers.

The coroner heard Commissioner Murphy was made aware of the racist awards months before they were made public, but was too "busy" to order an investigation at the time.

The revelations prompted a joint review into racism within the force, and added further tension to the strained relationship between police and First Nations Territorians, who are the most incarcerated population in Australia.

NT police to launch 'anti-racism strategy'

NT police's new direction will involve the development of an "anti-racism strategy", led by Leanne Liddle, a Central Arrernte woman and former director of the NT's Aboriginal Justice Agreement.

Speaking to the ABC on Saturday morning, Ms Liddle said she aimed to improve the way police interacted with Indigenous communities by confronting prejudices towards Aboriginal people and by providing the skills to "defuse situations in an appropriate way".

"That, in turn, will stop the rate of Aboriginal people coming into contact with police, which then leads them into the justice system," she said.

Part of Ms Liddle's new role with NT Police includes working to boost the proportion of Aboriginal employees within the force to 30 per cent, as well as introducing First Nations language speakers in triple-0 call centres.

Ms Liddle, a lawyer and former police officer, said the culture within NT Police "isn't going to change overnight".

"It's going to take time, so people need to be patient."

Commissioner Murphy earlier said he expected some resistance from within the force, saying "accepting change is always difficult".

"I understand the culture of the police force and it's incredibly hard to challenge that culture and change it," he said.

"As the commissioner, it's important work to undertake."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-03/nt-police-commissioner-apologises-at-garma-festival/104179438

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>>21289111

Julian Assange’s father John Shipton headlines rally on Victoria parliament’s steps in solidarity with Gaza

Blake Antrobus - August 3, 2024

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.

Hundreds of hostages were taken during the attacks and thousands of Israelis were killed.

Israel then launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip which has since killed nearly 39,500 Palestinians, according to the latest reports from the local health ministry.

The Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association estimates there are 9700 Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel as of July 5.

Of these, 3380 are administrative detainees being held without a trial and 250 are children.

A recent report from the United Nation’s human rights office has found some of these prisoners may have been tortured – including being subjected to waterboarding, being held in cages and stripped naked for prolonged periods of time.

The rallies also follow outrage over allegations a Jewish customer was denied service by an Officeworks employee who said he was “pro-Palestine”.

The incident, which occurred in March, was only recently revealed in a video.

In response, Officeworks managing director Sarah Hunter said: “Disciplinary measures were implemented, including a final warning, additional training and relocation to a different store.”

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/julian-assanges-father-john-shipton-headlines-rally-on-victoria-parliaments-steps-in-solidarity-with-gaza/news-story/1b36ecec30a4638cff52abf7314df4cd

>>21281263

Coach of triathlon medallist was child sex offender

Australian Brett Sutton, who abused a 13-year-old girl, watches his Swiss charge take silver days after child rapist Steven van de Velde played volleyball for Netherlands

Matt Lawton - August 03 2024

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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.

A spokesman for Sutton, while declining to provide a comment on his presence here in Paris, said that he had served a three-year sanction imposed by the International Triathlon Union and Triathlon Australia. But a spokesman for Australia’s National Olympic Committee said that Sutton was “banned for life from swimming in Australia following his sexual offences conviction”. Since 2021 he has also been banned for life by USA Triathlon.

Soon after his conviction, Les McDonald, then the president of the International Triathlon Union (now World Triathlon), said that anyone coached by Sutton should not be allowed to compete internationally. But triathlon has allowed Sutton to rebuild his coaching career.

His marriage collapsed after his conviction and he moved to Switzerland, where for more than 20 years he has had a family-run professional coaching business based in the ski resort of St Moritz.

According to the company website it costs $999 (about £780) a month to be coached by Sutton. But he delivers success, claiming to have masterminded the careers of “many of the sport’s icons over the past 35 years”. These include Nicola Spirig, the Swiss Olympic gold medallist in London, and the Swiss five-times Ironman world champion Daniela Ryf. He has also coached some top British triathletes. He was described on Chinese television as China’s national triathlon coach.

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This comes despite the graphic details that emerged at Sutton’s case in 1999 in which the court heard a string of allegations, including that he had forced the girl to give him oral sex. The incidents happened in the late 1980s, but it was not until the victim was an adult, and married, that she found the courage to go to the police.

Sutton was convicted after the woman worked with the police to record secretly a phone conversation in which Sutton made a series of admissions.

While he pleaded guilty to five offences, he declined to give any evidence. This meant the victim never had to endure cross-examination but, according to a report in The Observer in 2002, it also allowed Sutton’s lawyer, in his plea for mitigation, to make assertions that could never be challenged in court.

In 2002 he told The Observer that he no longer coached children under 16. “It’s the age of consent,” he said. “My lawyer told me. That way, no one can say I am a paedophile.”

According to World Triathlon, he is in Paris as an accredited coach for China. This was confirmed by his spokesman, who said he attended the Games in Tokyo in 2020, Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and London in 2012 as an accredited member of the Swiss team.

“It’s like a dirty, open secret in the sport,” one prominent member of the triathlon community said. “Lots of people know about it but nobody says anything. It’s shameful.”

A spokesman for the Swiss national Olympic committee said: “Brett Sutton does not work for Swiss Olympic, and he does not have any function for our organisation in Paris. Swiss athletes decide for themselves who they work with as personal coaches.”

The IOC, as in the case of Van der Velde, said it was not a matter for them but the national Olympic committee that has accredited Sutton. China did not respond to two requests for comment.

A spokesperson for World Triathlon claimed not to be aware of Sutton’s past. “We do not comment on media reports,” they said when pointed to past reports of Sutton’s conviction.

The IOC added that Sutton had now left the Games, as his athletes had finished competing.

https://www.thetimes.com/sport/olympics/article/triathlon-coach-sex-offender-brett-sutton-olympics-paris-exclusive-jlvkhtqfr

>>21252868

>>21273950

Powerful Republicans back AUKUS under Trump

Matthew Cranston - Aug 4, 2024

Washington | 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.

“If you have them, they’re yours, if we have ours, they’re ours!”

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.”

Under the AUKUS plan, Australia is meant to receive the first of at least three Virginia-class submarines from the United States in 2032 to avoid a capability gap while the first British-designed submarines are being built in Adelaide.

However, transfer of the American submarines hinges on production in the US increasing to an average of 2.33 boats a year. Shipbuilding is languishing at 1.2 to 1.3 boats annually because of industrial bottlenecks and other problems.

‘If we can’t trust Australia, who can we trust?’

Senator Risch described that as a “short term” issue and that, “If you’re talking medium to long term, it is not an issue.”

“We are doing what we need to do in conjunction with the Aussies, to ensure that we can produce the number of submarines we need to produce.”

Senator Rubio said some of the shipbuilding projects are behind schedule because of labour disruptions and other problems.

“But I don’t think that in any way undermines the commitment that we have, particularly given our shared concerns about the threats in the Indo-Pacific from an increasingly aggressive China,” Senator Rubio told the Financial Review in a separate interview.

A key focus on AUSMIN discussions on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) will be implementing the new export controls to allow the US to share and trade closely guarded defence technology with Australia. In April, the Biden administration delayed relaxing the strictly controlled regulations by 120 days.

Senator Risch, who vented his frustration over the delays in a report released last week, said he had held many discussions with Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell to try to resolve the issue.

“Kevin and I have worked together on this a lot. And I have told him that I am incredibly impatient with the [Biden] administration – that they act as if we are dealing with maybe not an adversary, but a neutral party.”

“But Australia is a long, long time, reliable partner on national security issues. We’re both part of the Five Eyes [intelligence alliance]. We have a history that goes way back. If we can’t trust Australia, who can we trust?”

“I wish we were getting to it quicker, but it’s a difference in opinion as to what the level of certainty needs to be. And I have a different view of that than the administration.”

https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/powerful-republicans-back-aukus-under-trump-20240804-p5jz87

ASIO lifts terror threat level to 'probable' amid heightened tensions over war in Gaza

Andrew Greene and Jake Evans - 5 August 2024

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.

But he said agencies had disrupted eight incidents in just the last four months that involved alleged terrorism or were investigated as potential acts of terrorism.

Those cases included risks of knife attacks or attacks with improvised weapons and involved young people who had been radicalised — the youngest 14, and the oldest 21.

PM says Australians must 'lower temperature' of debate

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the raised level had been driven by increases in youth radicalisation, online radicalisation and the rise of "new mixed ideologies".

"I want to reassure Australians probable does not mean inevitable, and it does not mean it is intelligence about an imminent threat or danger," Mr Albanese said.

"[But] when the temperature of the security environment is rising, we must lower the temperature of debate."

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called on Australians to watch out for terror threats.

"We do live in a precarious time," he said.

Mr Albanese said Australians must be able to resolve their differences peacefully and debate political issues like the conflict in Gaza peacefully.

"No-one is suggesting people should have conformity to particular views, but the way people express things is important," he said.

"It is not normal to have people in occupations for months outside electorate offices, where the work of those electorate offices is to assist people."

Asked if he agreed if the temperature should be brought down, Mr Dutton said he did.

But the opposition leader reiterated his criticism of Mr Albanese's response to pro-Palestinian protests outside the Sydney Opera House last October and the ongoing encampments on university campuses.

"I think the proper response is required from the leader of our country to show strength, not weakness.

He said anti-Semitism was "occurring on a common basis in our country" at an "unprecedented" level.

Mr Dutton said leaders should be clear that we "adhere to a strong set of values … the rule of law" and "respectful debate".

The official terror alert level was last raised to "probable" in 2014 with the emergence of the Islamic State terrorist group.

Threats now on multiple fronts

Justin Bassi, executive director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said ASIO's decision was unsurprising in the context of current "global instability", saying threats were now coming from multiple sources.

"When the terror threat level was raised in 2014 … we really were up against Islamist terrorism as the key national security threat. Fast forward 10 years to 2024, we are seeing a multitude of threats …

"[That] is why it is so difficult for ASIO, that it is not just a single issue. There [is] a multitude of issues, which makes the job of the security agency more complex."

Mr Bassi said technology was helping radicalisation to spread faster.

"There is no doubt that technology is playing an amplifying role," he said.

"These are not new issues, politically motivated violence is not new, but [there is now] a range of issues happening at once … [and they are pushed] by people who are overseas."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-05/asio-lifts-terror-threat-level-to-probable/104141650

https://www.asio.gov.au/national-terrorism-threat-level-2024

https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/national-threat-level/current-national-terrorism-threat-level

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAsTJ_yjRpk

PM discards commitment to set up Makarrata body despite millions in funding

Tom Crowley - 4 August 2024

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."

Funding allocated to Makarrata establishment

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".

The PM confirmed that intention in a radio interview in the Torres Strait in August 2022, saying a Makarrata commission would "of course" feed into a truth-telling process.

And in an interview on Insiders at Garma in August 2023, he said the funding was "about establishing a structure [for the commission], which will happen".

But in downplaying the need for a commission on Sunday, Mr Albanese insisted he had not changed his position.

"Makarrata [is] a Yolngu word that simply means coming together after a struggle," he said.

"I'm somewhat perplexed at why people see that as being complex."

He added truth-telling meant "engaging with land councils … engaging with Native Title tribunals … [and] engaging with First Nations".

"Now that might take forms as it evolves … I don't pre-empt it. What it means is listening to and respecting First Nations people and then responding."

Makarrata more than 'fuzzy language'

Dean Parkin, who was heavily involved in the Uluru Statement and the referendum campaign, said the statement was "very clear" about the need for a commission.

"That was the election night commitment, it was to the full implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and [it] is very, very clear on that point," he said.

"The first element of the commitment has been carried through, the prime minister has been true to his word on that, and we would say that the remainder of the Uluru Statement from the Heart is outstanding, and it does involve a commission."

Katie Kiss, the newly appointed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice commissioner, told the ABC a Makarrata commission was "necessary".

"Makarrata is about coming together, but also about the rules of engagement and how we work in partnership to achieve the practical outcomes that people keep saying they want to achieve," she said.

"I think while it's all nice and fuzzy language about coming together, it needs to be much more than that."

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has ruled out pursuing truth-telling in any form.

"Under a government I lead, there will be no Makarrata and there will be no revisiting of truth-telling," he said on Friday.

"We're not spending money on Makarrata, but we are spending money and making sure it's spent wisely on the practical outcomes in schools, in health services, and in housing."

On Sunday, he accused Mr Albanese of "talking out of both sides of his mouth."

"What's the money in the budget for? What is his position?

"The prime minister is treating people like he did with the Voice, starving them of detail."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-04/pm-discards-commitment-to-set-up-makarrata-body/104181696

>>21354106

‘Lost in translation’: Minister Malarndirri McCarthy denies PM ditched Makarrata vow

PAIGE TAYLOR - 5 August 2024

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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.

Despite a number of Indigenous leaders backing his push to ­refocus ­Aboriginal policy on economic development, the Prime Minister now faces fresh divisions with pro-voice campaigners over his decision to dump the Makarrata process.

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.”

However speaking on ABC Breakfast on Monday, minister McCarthy said the Prime Minister was referring to members of the opposition not showing up to the festival.

“The Uluru people had opened that invitation to the Opposition Leader and to my opposition shadow (minister) Senator Nampijinpa Price, so there was an opportunity for everyone to come together,” she said.

“I know that’s what the Prime Minister was referring to, but in the midst of all the cacophony yesterday, it seemed to have got lost.”

“I would caution everyone to just calm down, that this has been a significant weekend. We are not moving away from our commitment to the Uluru Statement from the Heart in terms of our love and our support for all of those who gathered there in 2017.”

Ms Anderson’s comments came after Mr Albanese, speaking at the Garma Festival in ­Arnhem Land, on Saturday set out a vision for Indigenous affairs rooted in his Future Made in Australia and climate change agendas. Ben Wyatt, a former West Australian treasurer and now board member of Rio Tinto and Woodside Energy, has worked with Yawaru leader Peter Yu on the proposal for a comprehensive economic development policy taken up by Labor.

Mr Wyatt, a Yamat man, told The Australian the development of a national Indigenous economic empowerment policy framework “has long been a missing opportunity in Australia”, and economic participation would now be a more significant part of “Aboriginal empowerment”.

“Corporate Australia, particularly the mining industry, has long been intricately engaged with Indigenous communities on a shared approach to development,” Mr Wyatt said. “What has been missing is comprehensive support that only governments can bring to the table; fiscal measures, capacity building, and institutional assistance to help make this happen. And, with innovation in social policy likely to be contentious in light of the referendum result, economic participation should be a non-contentious area of policy space and will, therefore, become a much more significant leg of the Aboriginal empowerment platform.”

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Mr Albanese on Sunday publicly backed away from a Makarrata commission, which he fully endorsed on election night 2022.

“With regard to Makarrata, a Yolngu word – that simply means a coming together after struggle. I’m somewhat perplexed at why people see that as being complex,” he said on ABC’s Insiders.

Asked by host David Speers what he meant, he named processes that were already under way. “What it means is that this is happening,” the Prime Minister said.

“This is a coming together of people through engagement. The forums that are held, different bodies, including the body led by Pat Turner, made up of the Coalition of Peaks. It means engaging with land councils. It means engaging with native title holders … engaging with First Nations people right around the country.”

Peter Dutton, criticised for not attending Garma as many Liberal leaders have in the past, had committed to scrapping a Makarrata commission in a future Liberal government. The Opposition Leader accused Mr Albanese of “talking out of both sides of his mouth”. “He goes up to Garma and tells people there’s going to be a whole panacea and a whole rollout of new policy. (Then) he comes to Canberra, or comes to WA and tells people there’s nothing to see,” he said in Perth. “Why has taxpayers’ money already been spent on establishing a Makarrata commission? What will it do? Who will be appointed to it?

“The Prime Minister, again, is treating people as he did through the course of the voice by starving them of the detail they need to get a better understanding of what he’s proposing.” Mr Dutton said he did not attend this year’s Garma Festival because “it is not going to deliver the practical outcomes”. “Look at the Prime Minister’s track record. He’s had two years to try and provide practical solutions and outcomes for Indigenous communities, and the indicators under the closing of the gap are indicators they’ve gone backwards,” he said.

On a discussion panel at Garma, Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin made it clear the Uluru Statement asked for a Makarrata body, not Makarrata as a broad concept. “The existing commitment made … on election night was implementation of the full Uluru Statement,” he said. “There is a distinction that has emerged that I think we need to take a look at, which is commitment to Makarrata versus commitment to a Makarrata commission.”

Addressing the Garma Festival – set up by the late land rights icon Yunupingu – over the weekend, Mr Albanese talked up plans to create a point of contact between companies receiving Future Made in Australia subsidies and leaders of Indigenous communities. He said the Future Made in Australia agenda and renewables rollout would be used to lift living standards for Indigenous Australians.

The National Native Title Council is a supporter of the economic development approach, and NNTC chair Kado Muir said energy and renewables infrastructure would be “a cornerstone of economic empowerment”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/indigenous/anthony-albaneses-makarrata-retreat-a-broken-promise-pat-anderson/news-story/63ed2091681b1863063ee331775c3235

>>21338861

‘This is aggravation’: Reynolds’ lawyer threatens to add fresh post to Higgins’ defamation rap sheet

Jesinta Burton - August 5, 2024

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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.

What transpired during that meeting and in the months that followed now underpins Higgins’ claim that her former boss mishandled what was actually a sexual assault — and now her truth defence.

Higgins later revealed she spent that meeting sitting just metres from the couch on which she was allegedly raped by Lehrmann, a claim Lehrmann has long denied.

Reynolds told the court she recalled being frustrated and angry because she had not been advised of the security breach until several days after it occurred.

Despite being told Higgins had been discovered by security guards in a state of undress, Reynolds claimed there was no allegation of sexual assault yet urged Higgins to go to the Australian Federal Police and seek counselling over what she described as “hazy” memories.

“We talked about the security incident, and she was embarrassed and mortified. I told her her job was safe, but to learn from the incident and that it couldn’t happen again,” Reynolds told the court.

“I told her that if she wanted to go to the AFP, make a complaint or get somebody to help her remember things further, that Fiona and I would be there for her… and she thanked me.

“I think she was grateful she was keeping her job, but she deserved a second chance.”

Reynolds also defended herself against criticism about the eight days that lapsed between the alleged rape and her first formal meeting with Higgins, with her diary showing she was interstate for six of them.

The testimony came after Higgins’ lawyer cast doubt over the impact of the three social media posts publications Reynolds had spent the past year pursuing damages for, telling the court her reputation was already ‘baked in’.

Higgins’ counsel Rachael Young SC told the court any damages Higgins should have to pay should consider Reynolds’ public standing when the posts were published, two years after the tell-all interview that saw the former minister in the firing line over her handling of the alleged rape.

The lawyer told the court any potential payout should be moderated by the fact such criticism was “part and parcel” of being a politician, and implied any damages would not be “worth the candle” of a five-week defamation trial.

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Young began opening submissions with an attack on Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett, who had characterised Higgins’ experience as “a fairytale that needed a villain.”

“The plaintiff, a senator, seeks to restore her reputation by laying the blame at the feet of one of her most junior staffers,” she told the court.

“Ms Higgins’ truth about the rape is uncontested by Senator Reynolds. This matter has never been a fairytale and describing it as one is misplaced, harassing and traumatising and seeks to trivialise the experience of Ms Higgins and other victims of sexual assault.”

Reynolds claims Higgins’ posts implied the senator had engaged in misconduct, provided inadequate support and wanted to silence victims of sexual assault, damaging her reputation and causing her embarrassment and even excaserbati an existing heart condition.

Higgins has fiercely defended the action, claiming her posts were substantially true because Reynolds did mishandle her rape complaint and used the media to pursue a campaign against her.

In supporting that defence, Young honed in on the former defence minister’s conduct in the days after Higgins’ alleged rape on the couch of Reynolds’ parliamentary suite on March 23, 2019.

Young said the notion the senator had no suspicion of criminal activity before her sole meeting with Higgins just metres from the couch on April 1, 2019 did not pass muster when reviewing the evidence, which showed she knew Higgins was intoxicated, found in a state of undress, and that Lehrmann had allegedly been on top of her.

She also downplayed the relevance of text messages and images showing Higgins socialising and attending campaign events for Reynolds ahead of the May 2019 federal election, unearthing evidence showing the former staffer was distressed and processing the sexual assault.

The court was shown text messages in which Higgins was confiding in an ex-boyfriend about her frustrations with the senator and the lack of support she received.

“I was literally assaulted in [her] office, collectively took four days off and got jack shit in terms of help” one text read.

In claiming the truth defence, Young said Reynolds’ labelling of Higgins as a “lying cow” following her tell-all interview with The Project, and leaks to the media with details of Higgins’ $2.4 million compensation payout, undermined the rape allegation and were evidence of harassment.

And she asked the court to consider the “palpable” power imbalance between the then-24-year-old alleged rape victim and the former defence minister, in assessing Reynolds’ claims that Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz engaged in a sustained campaign to harass Reynolds via the media.

Several high-profile witnesses will be called to give evidence in the weeks to come, including former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, former foreign affairs minister Marise Payne, Senator Wendy Askew and journalist Samantha Maiden.

Higgins, who recently revealed she and Sharaz were expecting their first child, will spend up to one week on the stand.

Outside court Reynolds took a swipe at Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, saying she was looking forward to having the opportunity to tell the truth and was “very glad” he did not have any reach in the WA Supreme Court.

The pair have been at odds over the government’s handling of Higgins’ $2.4 million compensation claim, with Reynolds lodging a complaint with the anti-corruption watchdog about the settlement deal, and using observations from Federal Court Justice Michael Lee’s judgment that there was no cover-up, as justification to call for Dreyfus to admit he got it wrong.

Dreyfus insists the compensation claim was handled to the “letter of the law”.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/wa-senator-s-reputation-already-baked-in-when-higgins-took-to-socials-court-told-20240805-p5jzk8.html

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/the-15-photos-linda-reynolds-is-using-against-brittany-higgins/image-gallery/fb93580bbcfc9a7c5df8da4748fe2ae4

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/live/article-13708615/Linda-Reynolds-v-Brittany-Higgins-defamation-trial-LIVE-blog.html