Category Archives: Rights

A Bill to enable use of foreign troops or foreign police in Australian “emergencies”

Bevan Ramsden is a long-time peace and community activist, and a member of the National Coordinating Committee of IPAN, the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network. Here, he writes about the the plan to increase militarisation of policing in Australia, and especially, the attempt to allow foreign police and troops to be used (Pearls and Irritations 1 October 2020). This would set the ground for major intervention by the United Sates into Australian affairs.

Continue reading A Bill to enable use of foreign troops or foreign police in Australian “emergencies”

Prominent media and human rights groups line up with Washington to black out Julian Assange extradition case

Julian Assange’s extradition hearing continued last week, and a lot of time was devoted to argument over his mental health. The judge made clear, a decision is not going to be made before the United States Presidential election in November. Big media, press freedom groups, and some prominent ‘human rights’ organisations continue to fall in line with Donald Trump, and have mostly gone silent on the case. Author and member of the Glasgow University Media Group, Alan Macleod, writes about this (Orinoco Tribune 25 September 2020).

Continue reading Prominent media and human rights groups line up with Washington to black out Julian Assange extradition case

Big movement for economic and social justice is taking off

By Joe Montero

The new fast-growing national movement to hit Australia, Living Incomes For Everyone, was launched on Tuesday 21 July.Thousands watch online during the event or after. It is on Facebook and has been included below.

Thousands join Living Incomes For Everyone online launch
Video from Living Incomes for Everyone

Continue reading Big movement for economic and social justice is taking off

The high rise lockdown in Victoria and the lesson this provides

By Jim Hayes

No doubt about it. Victoria’s state government has done more to combat Covid-19 than any other around Australia. This is not to say that it has all been perfect. Nevertheless, what it has done has not been able to prevent Melbourne being the epicentre of what could be the start of a second wave outbreak. Continue reading The high rise lockdown in Victoria and the lesson this provides

We need to consign the term ‘dole’ and its nasty derivatives to pre-Covid history

Cassandra Goldie, the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) wrote the following opinion piece (The Guardian 2 July 2020), about the need to champion a new way of looking at unemployment and the way in which those out of work are regarded. In the post Covid-19 reality, the past must be left behind to deal appropriately with the economic reality the nation faces.

Continue reading We need to consign the term ‘dole’ and its nasty derivatives to pre-Covid history

The prosecution of witness K and Bernard Collaery and covering up wrongdoing and corruption

Contributed

On 26 June, ACT Supreme Court justice David Mossop ruled for the Morrison government’s intention to keep evidence over the prosecution of Witness K and his lawyer Bernard Collaery, and thereby block their chances of a fair trial. Continue reading The prosecution of witness K and Bernard Collaery and covering up wrongdoing and corruption

Morrison Government plans to set up task force to target Australians under guise of protecting national interests

By Jim Hayes

When the Scott Morrison government claims it is working on a plan to protect democracy, counter disinformation and promote transparency, it’s time to get worried. These are not exactly this government’s style. Continue reading Morrison Government plans to set up task force to target Australians under guise of protecting national interests