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WHAT A NATION!

Watching the machinations of a furious, deeply flawed US Administration's reaction to Chinese expertise would be pure comedy, farce even, if it were not so damaging and divisive. As an Australian citizen, recently returned to this country after 50 years abroad, I am terrified to my core that America will take us into a totally unnecessary, foolhardy war with China. Whereas this huge neighbour and trading partner of ours, our best customer and best supplier, can bring talent and technology at the highest level to our doorstep and at a fair price. Sandra Harris Ramini, former editor of Business Life...

"Fascist" Politics?

Deeply conservative, non-inclusive, anti-democratic attitudes have been embedded in both American and Australian societies since the beginnings of their colonisation. That disposition is not new, but it has arguably shaped how both of our societies have evolved over several centuries, and why neither of them are as inclusive, progressive, socially just as most other western societies have sought to be. Nobody is inclined towards a particular reactionary view for the sake of it: it mirrors anxieties, but when we write about these political trends, nobody is analysing our societies on those deeper levels, nobody is asking how as societies...

The Voice: my perspective

I read with interest the article by Abul Rizvi. I feel his deductions are correct, but I feel the reason the conservatives are against the Voice is far more sinister. I have noticed that in Australian politics in recent years, there is far more impact of foreign powerbrokers in our politics. I was horrified when the Labor party supported Aukus, including buying badly designed US nuclear submarines. At any time 30% of these subs are out of service for repairs. One would think that after all the other disastrous military purchasing decisions over the years that the government...

Missing the Point

Allan Patience provides an analysis of the behaviour of the majority of our politicians as well as of the debate on the upcoming referendum that would resonate with many Australians. But he fails to ask the question: Why is this so? We pride ourselves on having a well-functioning liberal representative democracy, so either this is not true, or then a liberal representative democracy in not all it is hyped up to be. The politicians we get are a reflection of the political system and that applies to the Teals as well, so how would Mr. Patience like...

Why we need an Earth System Treaty

In the midst of high inflation, growing homelessness and worsening food insecurity, it's difficult to find the time and the mental space to think about the mega threats addressed by the Earth System Treaty. However, the mega threats have grown out of the same inefficient, inequitable economic and political systems that are causing high inflation and a wide range of other security issues (e.g. insecurity relating to food, water, finances and nation states to name a few). Could Pearls and Irritations commission a Q&A, or something similar, on why we need an Earth System Treaty and how the...

Forest policy missing in action

Like Peter Sainsbury, I am deeply frustrated by the distinct lack of action to protect our forests and prevent bushfires (Environment: Sleepwalking into our fiery future 27/8/23). While governments continue to support logging of beautiful native forests and archaic hazard reduction burn practices, the situation will only worsen. Not one of ten key recommendations from the 2020 bushfire royal commission has been implemented. Yet, solutions exist. Ceasing native forest logging in Australia would be sufficient for us to achieve our 2030 emissions reductions targets. Following the latest fire science and using drone technology to...

Its simple mathematics

Mike Scrafton is right. Our government is failing to address the climate crisis adequately because of its obsession with growth (The intergenerational report a climate fairy tale, 26/8). The unholy link between the crisis and growth is evident from mathematics, my former discipline. It is found in the long-established equation, I = PAT, which describes an environmental impact (I) as the product of three factors (P, A and T). Heres how it applies to CO2 emissions from Australias energy industry. I is the level of emissions, P our population, A (affluence) our per-capita use of energy, and T...

Avoiding scandalous commitments of "Forceposture"

Australian people must be encouraged to discuss and debate our Force Posture agreement with the U.S., because it contains deep, far reaching, irreversible dangers and commitments, and the risk of nuclear war. The U.S. Policy, as promulgated in the U.S. Congress, is for War with China once we have weakened Russia; the contrived war in Ukraine is the U.S. process of weakening Russia. The U.S. makes no secret of their intention to war with China, in about two to four years time; Australia will be obliged to increase the size of our military forces to comply with commitments...

If the Democrats had principles

It's the Same Old, Same Old. If a principled newer party wins enough votes to worry an unprincipled Old Party and bucks the status quo, the good-ole party calls the real democrats traitors or trolls. Not really as simple as that, though, is it, Bob? In the US, the undemocratic first-past-the-post electoral system denies smaller players a chance. Green v, progressive voters sign up to only vote for Greens and progressive independents. Otherwise, they don't sign up or vote at all. Hard for the ALP to grasp this but we're different in Australia.

Myanmar: No basis for armed Western intervention

The military government of Mynamar is not a very competent one but that is not a reason to overthrow it. I could point to many richer countries with incompetent governments. When I visited Myanmar people freely complained about how little development there was but nobody was asking for violence. The so-called democratic opposition... many different groups, armies, militias and individuals [with] .....substantial battlefield successes seems to be even worse than Tatmadaw. Teachers being killed for working for the government, singers murdered for for the same reason. The reason for the lack of news about Myanmar in the Western...

Concentrate on the people, not the Opposition

Anthony Albanese should concentrate on what his supporters want, not try to outwit or outmaneuver the opposition.

Their minds are not clear the late Evan Whitton

Evan would be loving the burgeoning success of Pearls and Irritations. Congratulations Quentin and John!

Australians be aware

I have been for some time reading Pearls & irritations and alarmed at what I read - how unaware my fellow Australians are, and even more alarmed at where our Politicians are leading us . Like many Labor voters (not members of the Labor party) I am alarmed at the performance of the Albanese govt. A govt given a large majority large enough to make real difference early in its term of Govt during it's honeymoon period. An opportunity missed because it was to timid protecting its position as a govt. I am concerned that the many damning...

Aukus suffers badly from the democratic deficit

Marcus Stroms article ties in with a key issue I have just raised with the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. Two years ago Marise Payne and Peter Dutton met their French counterparts, and then assured us that the French submarines were going swimmingly, yet within days the Aukus Treaty was announced. JSCOT have just informed me that the only part of the Aukus Treaty which has had detailed parliamentary committee review is the ENNPIA, which covers transfer of nuclear material. That is a seriously concerning democratic deficit unworthy of the Albanese government.

The Language of War

With due respect for the Australian men and women who have been killed in war and are honoured on Anzac Day, I would like to send out a warning about the loose language of the current war mongering which has taken over sane debate in Australia. Its the obfuscation in the language used that upsets me. Does the industrial military complex think the Australian public is too stupid to see through the pompous language of fear-mongering? So that we dont realise theyre setting us on a path which would only increase the risk of death for our sons and...

Devastating reef reality

Although it was sobering reading, I thank Imogen Zethoven for outlining the Great Barrier Reefs devastating reality. While most Australian politicians and media focus on the latest UNESCO ruling, both climate and water pollution are ever increasing, worsening the Reefs plight. Australians need to face up to the fact that the iconic reef is in danger, grave danger. As a parent, I grieve for the life that we are so senselessly losing. I doubt my two young children shall ever experience the majestic colours and rich marine life within a healthy reef, and wonder when successive Australian Governments'...

The PRC suffers from homelessness too

The author writes, '...this article is not about homelessness but about how, in a changing world, countries choose their method of achieving prosperity'. The PRC is currently suffering from homelessness, making it hard to grasp the point of this article. The following Wikipedia article is a good starting point: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_in_China. The term is of course hard to define, leaving stories like this: (https://www.quora.com/If-China-is-communist-why-are-there-so-many-homeless-people) open to doubt: young people sleeping rough hunting jobs may not be strictly homeless. The poverty reduction campaign proclaimed a success prior to COVID took many visibly homeless off the street, and so...

Let us not forget Julian Assange

Stuart Rees is to be thanked for highlighting the suppression of debate and the control of information that the ALP administration seems to insist on. Just like the dark ages of Terry Sheahen and Graham Richardson. As Albanese is from the minor faction of the ALP, it would seem that the intent is to demonstrate unity by allowing the right wing to run the show and let us forget what is good for the country. It is obvious that subservience to the US is part of the ALP Right policy regardless of where this will take us. ...

Mythical Nazification of Ukraine

Chris Hermann (Letters, Aug 3) is disturbed that I referred in my article on Crimea (3 August) to Russian propaganda banging on about mythical Nazis in Kyiv. It seems I must spell out that I was referring to Russian claims about neo-Nazis permeating/influencing the government in Kyiv, not claiming that they dont exist in Ukraine, as in most countries. But his claim that Nazis have amassed a great deal of power in Kiev/Kyiv has not only not been established beyond reasonable doubt, it is utter hogwash. He may not believe me but he could listen to an actual...

Richard Marles' repeated use of "seamless"

So many risks with AUKUS: The Australian public has been given no proper explanation of the strategic rationale behind the AUKUS deal. There is the enormous financial cost, the great uncertainty of its success, and the fact that it will distract and divert money from us adequately addressing global heating. The agreement ties us to a country that is becoming divided, dysfunctional and politically unstable. Defence Minister Richard Marles has repeatedly used the word seamless to describe the degree of closeness required in our relationship with the US for the AUKUS deal to be successful. I...

'No' supporters not all white supremacists

While in agreement with the substance of Allan Patiences powerful denunciation of the morality or lack thereof in the No case against the Voice, his final argument is unconvincing. Patience makes a forceful statement of the moral imperatives propelling the Yes case indigenous marginalisation, the frontier wars history, the stolen generations, and the still-unclosed Gap in life outcomes for our First Nations peoples. Responsibility for these lies squarely in the hands of our colonial forbears and ourselves. The No argument, led by Peter Dutton, has sought, as Patience explains, to undermine the referendum for the short-term political...

Pearls and Irritations articles are a STANDOUT

Pearls and Irritations articles are a standout and bring uniquely unparalleled journalistic information to the public domain. P&I has contributed immensely to presenting independent and honest journalism otherwise dominated by some malign MSM. May I wish P&I great success in bringing educative and pragmatic insight and knowledge to the mainstream population.

There is nothing "mythical" about Nazis in Ukraine

P&I deservedly prides itself on publishing diverse, non-mainstream viewpoints while encouraging civil debate. However, I found Jon Richardson's article A twentieth century Terra Nullius: Crimea, Canards and Confabulations quite disturbing to read. In his apparent zeal to demonstrate that Russia does not have a valid claim over Crimea, Richardson refers to mythical Nazis in Kyiv. His denial of the existence of this detestable ideology in Ukraine appears to extend to his previous contribution. It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that Nazis not only exist in Ukraine, but have amassed a great deal of power in Kiev/Kyiv. Even the...

Wen Wei Po: A reply to Jonathan Leung

He is quite right saying Wen Wei Po is not an anti-Beijing newspaper. So I too was most surprised to discover it was the source of the phoney New York Times June 12 article about machine guns in Tiananmen Square mowing down protestors. The only explanation I can find for this egregious aberration says that at the time the energy of the protestors had triggered even strong pro-Beijing elements to go honest and admit previous regime mistakes (like the Cultural Revolution) had discredited the government to the point where they too were allowed to hope something better would emerge...

An Earth Systems Treaty

We all need to become planetary citizens.

The tragedy of Palestine

I, of course, endorse Jafar Ramini's thoughtful article written with great sorrow and passion. Occupied Palestine is, of course, the 51st state of America with all the support and benefits available to other US states, So we will not get any positive reaction to the mayhem currently facing the israeli government: it is a great pity though that this supposedly liberated and free thinking Government in Australia continues to support and recognise the rogue state called israel and refusing to honour an election promise to recognise the State of Palestine. We, like America, pander to the Jewish lobby in our...

Miscarriages of justice

In the late 1970s I was unwittingly involved in the wrongful conviction of Charles Splatt for a murder in Port Adelaide. I was a public servant and a police sergeant asked me for advice about a crucial forensic matter of which I had some knowledge, but not much. With great reluctance I provided the sergeant with a formula that appeared applicable, but told him that I would not use the formula myself, and if called I would tell the court I was not an expert in the matter. It turned out that Mr Splatts subsequent conviction hinged in part on...

Not just Robodebt

It is not just wrongful decisions by DHS and DSS which have had a major impact on peoples lives, but also cruelly poor administration by what is now Home Affairs.

Nuclear subs deal sunk

If war in the Ukraine has taught us something it is that drones, missiles and intelligence are the future weapons of choice. Submarines, whether conventional or nuclear powered are not in the mix and thinking we might rely on six submarines or Abrams tanks, for that matter, to defend Australia is risable. The nuclear option is surely untenable, surely. That leaves us with drones and missiles based in Australia controlled from Australia as our best hope of surviving. But best we use discussion to bargain our way out of war.

WHOSE FAULT IS IT

In his article Mr Austen, makes no reference to where responsibility falls. It is the Minns Labour government who won the May Election? or is it the fault / failure of the former LNP government? I would suggest that it is the former LNP government, who under Gladys B. wrecked the Sydney suburban rail system by wholesale changes to time-tables. The Bankstown / Liverpool/Campbelltown line. Express services on the Bankstown line were significantly reduced. Trains no longer used the Bankstown line to Liverpool and Campbelltown. The LNP governments unsuitable ordering trains from Spain - and more!!

Six hundred years of reform?

Catholics are missing the point when talking about the failure of the Catholic Church. If it has failed and is irrelevant - get rid of it.

Confusing the evidence

Chris Bonnor argues that It is always important that public debate on schools reflect what we know rather than what wed like to believe. Its a great shame that Bonnor undermined his otherwise excellent article by the use of an example which was not relevant to his thesis. As a former school executive, I have no doubt that Ross Fox gilds the lily when claiming credit for improvements in educational outcomes in Canberra-Goulburn Catholic systemic schools result from the Catalyst program, and exaggerates the contribution of systemic schools in providing for students with behavioural and educational difficulties, perhaps...

Julian Cribb and Saul Griffith must be heard

Inventor and climate activist, Saul Griffith, in his recent Quarterly Essay The Wires that Bind, describing the urgency of essential action, wrote: Real climate action in Australia and globally, must happen at the level where citizens interact with their local infrastructure and invest in their homes, businesses and communities. We need a new social contract such that every Australian can join the game. Cribbs 2023 book How to Fix a Broken Planet brings together in a short and highly readable volume, his conclusions about the survivability of the human species. It offers the reader a sensible and practical path...

There is a plan for human survival

Recently Professor Cribb asserted that nobody has a Plan for Human Survival. This is not a true statement. PLAN E, introduced in this journal last year, is a concept for an emergency response to the hyperthreat of climate and ecological crisis. Professor Cribb has previously argued that PLAN E does not address his list of 10 mega threats. In fact, PLAN E does account for these and more. The hyperthreat encapsulates all forms of climate and environmental problems (threats 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 on his list). The overall Grand Strategy takes an entangled security...

Retired US Admiral confirms Australian subservience

Many thanks to Margaret Reynolds for such a forthright criticism of Australian subservience to the US in matters of foreign policy and defence. That the United States takes this subservience for granted and has the capacity to compel subservience if ever it was questioned has been made clear in the comments of an (unnamed) retired US Admiral to the editor of the Australia Pacific Defence Reporter, Kym Bergmann. Kym quotes the Admiral's words in his most recent 20-minute podcast, which should be listened to in full. It is a chilling account of our subservience, and adds to the thrust of...

Ordering women into silence

Thank you, Jack Waterford, for publicising your contempt and rejection of the police and justice system in the ACT when it comes to protecting the privacy and dignity of women rape survivors. Of course, it's not just in the ACT that this happens but, in the male-dominated legal system generally. All the right words are used to suggest that everything is being done to help the victim but very little action is taken to prevent the perpetrator from verbally violating his victim over and over again in and outside of the court. In this, he uses his legal accomplices...

Wen Wei Po NOT an anti Beijing newspaper

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Gregory Clark's article and would like to circulate it to my friends. Unfortunately, his assertion that Wen Wei Po was a weak Hong Kong newspaper known at the time for extreme anti-Beijing positions. Everyone in Hong Kong knows that, while it is not exactly a top selling daily, it's always been a diehard pro-Beijing paper. Like all newspapers at the time, without independent verification of the various stories bandied around, the Wen Wei Po just parroted the Tiananmen Massare stories. After all, there were a few fake eyewitness accounts doing the rounds at the time....

Relations with China

Kevin Rudd has tackled the issues well in his book The Avoidable War, while fully cognisant of defects on both sides of the US China divide. He proposes the need for agreed guardrails to minimise escalation of incidents, while accepting strategic competition. China talks of its redlines. We need Australian institutions which are involved in collective security discussions which include not just military but economic aspects and representation which includes China. The democratic deficit is clearly on show, after the gross deception of the Australian public, by DFAT and Defence, in September 2021 after the Paris 2+2 meeting, a deception...

An Answer to Neoliberalism

In answer to Alan Patience's Anticipating a Post-Capitalist World, one of the obvious solutions is to do away with 'workers' and 'bosses' by forming as many work places as possible into cooperatives. In this way workers become the owners and elect the 'bosses' thus forming a truly democratic workplace. Corbyn was going to encourage that in the UK had he got in. It could only be sponsored from a labour-socialist party which unfortunately Australia has no longer got. Maybe the Greens will get powerful enough to subsidise/encourage a big push to cooperatives. Its one of the few hopes we have.

This is leadership: Germany bids farewell to Angela Merkel

At a press conference, a female Journalist asked Merkel : We notice that you're wearing the same suit, dont you have any other? She replied: I am a government employee and not a model

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