Politics
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High Court Judges and not just Dyson Heydon
A High Court judge colluded in the dismissal of a Prime Minister. The separation of powers was put aside. My confidence in our institutions took a battering. Continue reading »
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An open letter to the Prime Minister from ABC friends and supporters
Your recent statement “ There have been no cuts to the ABC “ sadly reminds us of Tony Abbott’s similar bold election promise in 2013, yet this was followed by major cutbacks in his first Budget as Prime Minister. Continue reading »
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Knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Universities are not, and must never be, walled citadels – protected enclaves sheltering from the societies that surround and nurture them. Continue reading »
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The inevitability of fundamental change in the world and what China wants
“The coronavirus pandemic will change the world order forever. When the Covid-19 pandemic is over, institutions in many countries will look as if they have failed. It is not a question of whether this judgment is correct from an objective point of view. The reality is that after the coronavirus, the world will never be Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 28 June 2020
Stories from the USA, Britain and Australia about the links between Black Lives Matter, climate change and inequality. Investment in renewable energy continues to climb but it remains woefully inadequate to head off a climate catastrophe. Abandoned oil and gas wells spew out methane but Themeda Green brings happiness. Continue reading »
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Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
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Proposed University Funding is Policy Ideological Vandalism
Minister Tehan’s targeted university funding proposal is part of an ongoing government plan to destroy the ‘hotbeds of left-wing ideological fervour’ seen as centred in arts and social science faculties. Continue reading »
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What is to be done about the Chinese in Oz?
During the last Federal elections, our political leaders went on WeChat, to impress the PRC émigrés. They seemed not to care about the feelings of the huayi Aussies who have mostly come here since 1951. Continue reading »
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Worried about(Chinese) agents of foreign influence? Just look at who owns Australia’s biggest companies
The attention being given to possible covert influence being exercised by China in Australia shouldn’t distract us from recognising that very overt foreign influence now occurs through investment. Continue reading »
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Searches, Seizures and Sanctions in Australia’s Immigration Detention Camps
A disturbing and distressing new development has occurred in the Commonwealth’s policies with respect to immigration detention. Pursuant to an amendment to the Migration Act (Cth), non-citizens who have committed criminal offences in Australia are now subject, under s.501, to mandatory cancellations of their visas. Continue reading »
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Dyson Heydon bites the dust
Former High Court of Australia judge, Dyson Heydon, was chosen by ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott to run a royal commission to put “the boot into the unions”, Bill Shorten and Julia Gillard. The whole exercise was a disaster. Continue reading »
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Government fails to value the humanities, ignoring the realities
The Government’s decision to more than double the cost of most humanities degrees is ignorant, cowardly and even malicious. A government that feels a need to constrain critical thinking must give us great cause for concern. Continue reading »
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Confronting anti-Asian racism shows Australia’s commitment to democratic values.
The question of whether there has been an increase in anti-Asian racism has become a political football between Australia and China. Claims that China’s warnings are politically motivated and that COVID-19 related racism is on the rise are not mutually exclusive but denials of growing anti-Asian racism in Australia go against the personal experience of Continue reading »
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A rose coloured view of the dangers of Pine Gap
Fifty years ago this month Pine Gap, the American military base in the centre of Australia, commenced operations. With no public fanfare, this anniversary might have passed by unnoticed if former National Security Agency electronic intelligence analyst at the base, David Rosenberg, hadn’t drawn it to attention. Continue reading »
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Morrison throws the switch to vaudeville
Fresh from his redemption after The Great Bush-fire Debacle, Scott Morrison is reverting to type. In a farcical press conference he stated that Australia’s institutions and businesses were being targeted by a sophisticated state-based cyber actor. Continue reading »
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Hacking humanities is a disaster
The decision last week to more than double the cost of humanities degrees, as announced by Dan Tehan, the Minister for Education, is a sign of the times and, as such, is appalling. Continue reading »
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Australian history and the empire of the mind
Black Lives Matter has shone the spotlight on colonial-era crimes across the world. But Prime Minister Scott Morrison has reignited the history wars with his spurious claim that “there was no slavery in Australia”. Continue reading »
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An Indigenous inspired paradigm for the War Memorial
The debate over the purpose of the Australian War Memorial needs to be revisited with a view to recognising the Indigenous people who mounted heroic resistance to a ruthless invader from 1788. Continue reading »
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That’s not an Accord – now, this is an Accord!
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, on the back of some successful Covid19 crisis leadership, recently proposed that employer groups and the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) sit down together to negotiate a new Industrial Relations (IR) framework for the post Covid19 labour market under the guidance of IR Minister Christian Porter. Continue reading »
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Save Australia’s Dairy Industry
When John Dahlsen tells us we need to pay more for milk and our dairy industry needs urgent government intervention we should sit up and pay attention. Continue reading »
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Death of the critical friend in South Australia
Organisations advocating on behalf of those who otherwise have little say in the decisions which effect their lives can be seen as critical friends of government. They appear to be a threatened species – and we should be alarmed. Continue reading »
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Law can’t hide hypocrisy, lying and double dealing
Forty years ago, Justice Anthony Mason, later Chief Justice of the High Court, made it clear that mere embarrassment — or the avoidance of being found to be a hypocrite — is not enough to justify the protection of the courts when the government is involved. Continue reading »
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Dan Tehan, BA (Hons): Biting the educational hand that fed him
Someone recently observed that Education Minister Dan Tehan is “as dumb as Peter Dutton”. Tehan’s latest foray into higher education policy certainly puts him in the same class as Dutton as a hoary wielder of a sledgehammer when it comes to making public policy. Continue reading »
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Chinese Australians’ take on anti-Chinese racism in Australia. Part 3 of a series on racism.
In the age of weaponised racism, Chinese Australians have taken on the moral duty of telling Australia stories well. Continue reading »
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Row erupts over the New Zealand Government’s Covid crisis mistake.
The internationally acclaimed excellent performance by the New Zealand Government against the Carona virus has been marred by a mistake. It may damage the Government’s credibility as an election approaches. Continue reading »
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The Unpresident and the Unredeemed Promise
Resolution can come in only one of two ways. Trump’s boast that he can do whatever he wants will have to be imposed by state violence. Or there will be a transformative wave of change. Continue reading »
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Coming Crises in Sustainability and Health will challenge the PM in his Leadership of the National Cabinet
Mr Morrison has created a National Cabinet to drive a “singular agenda” to create jobs. If it functions successfully as it has done over Covid, it will be a masterstroke of governance allowing state leaders from both major parties to interact for the common good without the damaging rancour shown in Parliament and the media. Continue reading »
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Who will the Government listen to this time?
Because the Morrison Government listened to its health advisers Australia got through the coronavirus crisis with relative speed. Economic recovery will also depend on who the Government listens to. Continue reading »
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Bloody Vics!
Déjà vu all over again. In the dim, dark ages before I even arrived in Canberra, I was writing stories about the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party – its bullying exclusion, its factional resistance to change, its impotent failure to rise from opposition to offer its disillusioned supporters even a sniff of electoral Continue reading »
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History Hits the Headlines.Our Troubled Past
History haunts many countries at the moment. This is especially true of the United States. But Australia , New Zealand, Britain, France and Belgium are being forced to once again face up to their legacy of colonial brutality and attendant racism. Continue reading »