Pearls and Irritations

One to 50,000

While the deaths of 50,000 Gazans as well as the maltreatment of many of those captured by the Israeli army can’t rouse him to action, I note that Anthony Albanese (and Peter Dutton btw) have come out all guns blazing over the reported death of one Australian in Russia.

Tackle the root causes of climate policy blindness

The climate crisis is real, and near. We need governments with integrity and courage to tackle the root causes of the problems we face

Could the election results give some indication?

Recently I've been wondering if the forthcoming election might give an indicative answer to just how large or small the influential Jewish lobby (AIJAC and the like) is within the Jewish community itself.

Our Dogs Do Not Deserve to be so badly Disparaged

There are better more apt negative descriptions to be used ( eg scum) without harming the image and reputations of our so precious beautiful 4 legged friends.

Risk of Nuclear Power Generation

With Nuclear policy, one fact that has not been considered is the need for cooling.

ABC bias? Not so simple

Truth in democracy

We don’t live in a democracy we live in a capitalist society. The greatest threat to our so-called democracy is our political system.

How come so much influence?

How does a smal religious group exercise so much control over so many secular governments?

Out with the aged

The government certainly seems to think that the aged do not matter.

Which party is the more competent economic manager?

Why does the myth persist when the evidence is so clear over the last 30 years?

Not only racists oppose high immigration

There is a often a reflex reaction by people of progressive views against those who oppose our current high immigration levels.

The Tour Down Under

I wrote to various government officials regarding the above tour, but did not receive a response.

Social cohesion

We need to promote the positive and call out the dog-whistling which will inevitably ramp up during the election campaign.

Commercial in-confidence? Not with taxpayers’ money

The truth is that commercial in-confidence should never apply to taxpayers' money.

Things need to change around here

Let's start improving our schools and hospitals, let's get on with providing housing for the young and dignified care for the aged, let's get the the potholes in our roads filled.

Weasel words on behalf of Penny Wong

It was fine, and effective, to boycott South Africa on account of its apartheid regime.

Bishop Browning’s values

The world would be a better place if we took more notice of people like Bishop Browning.

Gaza ‘Moratorium’

I suggest using the anti-Vietnam protests of the 1960s and early 70s as a model (yes, I was there!).

Stand up, Australia!

Given the instability (see how polite I am?) in the US, now is the time to cut the apron strings and learn to stand on our own two feet.

LA and Gaza

We mourn the huge loss of life in Gaza, and are thankful that the loss of life in LA so far is about one five thousandth of that in Gaza.

The ABC’s reporting on Syria dumbs us down

When we are being dumbed down by our ABC, it means our politicians and public servants are, as well. It does not bode well for Australia.

Helen McCue speaks for many

How can we live happily in Australia knowing that so many people in Gaza are being killed, bereaved, maimed, starved and left to suffer their pain?

Be more like Norway

All Australian MPs should be obliged to spend three months in Norway learning how to run a country.

Fly on the wall at the Dreyfus-Netanyahu meet-up

Greg Barns and fellow P&I contributors raise serious questions about this trip.

Participating willingly in genocide

It is difficult, if not impossible, to morally defend the political cowardice displayed by Australian politicians and their inherent racism.

ASPI is a think tank? Are you serious?

War per se is not actually required, just dog-whistling at an ear piercing level.

As always, one law for the rich and one for the poor

How many royal commissions into deaths in custody do we need to see that the poorest of our poor are disproportionately incarcerated?

US has infinite capacity to incite trouble

It seems that the capacity of the US to incite trouble anywhere in the world has no limitations.

Think tanks and political parties

Peter Varghese evidently sees ASPI as a “think tank”.

Excellent essay by Joe Lauria

For Trump to try to continue to play Cold War games with and in Ukraine would be cruel folly.