Alpha1Nine

Alpha1Nine, 14 hours ago to auspol

#TheConversation #auspol Is it time for Australia to reassess its position on France’s role in New Caledonia? Read more…https://theconversation.com/is-it-time-for-australia-to-reassess-its-position-on-frances-role-in-new-caledonia-230396

Alpha1Nine, 2 days ago to auspol

#GinaRinehart #ArtNews #auspol #Colbert

Colbert speaking on Gina Rinehart painting

Alpha1Nine, 4 days ago to auspol

Crossbenchers and Bridget Archer call for David McBride to be pardoned.

A group of 29 federal crossbenchers and Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer have written a letter to the Albanese government calling for it to request a full #pardon for jailed military lawyer #DavidMcBride.

On Tuesday, McBride was sentenced to prison for five years and eight months for taking classified defence documents about the war in Afghanistan from his former employer, the Australian defence force, and leaking them to ABC journalists.

The documents formed the basis for the ABC investigative series, The Afghan Files, which revealed #warcrimes committed by Australian soldiers. McBride will serve at least two years and three months in a Canberra jail as part of his non-parole period.

The letter, sent on Thursday, urges the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, to advise the governor-general to grant McBride a full pardon to “end this injustice”.

“In 2020, prime minister, you told media outlet Crikey, in relation to the Collaery prosecution, ‘the idea that there should be a prosecution of a whistleblower, for what’s a shameful part of Australia’s history, is simply wrong’. It is equally shameful that the first person imprisoned in relation to Australia’s war crimes in Afghanistan is not a war criminal but the source of the Afghan Files reporting, journalism that was undeniably in the public interest.”

The letter also calls for the prosecution of former tax employee, #RichardBoyle, to end. Boyle spoke out internally, then to an independent watchdog and then to the media in 2018 about the Australian Taxation Office’s aggressive pursuit of tax debts from small businesses, which he said was destroying lives and causing unnecessary trauma to help the agency meet revenue goals.

Boyle is awaiting an appeal decision about whether he can use federal #whistleblower protection laws to gain immunity from his charges.

The group is also calling for Labor to commit to overhauling #whistleblowing laws this term, including work to establish a whistleblower #protection commission by next year. #auspol

Alpha1Nine, 4 days ago to auspol

Remember when #JohnHoward was forced by public opinion to finally help out Timor-Leste…

#auspol

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/16/dfat-accused-of-attempting-to-censor-official-history-of-military-operations-in-timor-leste

Alpha1Nine, 5 days ago to auspol

The newish portrait of Chuck Windsor. Discuss. #auspol #KingCharles

Alpha1Nine, 10 days ago to climate

#Trump #oil #ClimateCrisis #USPol #auspol #BeauOfTheFifthColumn

https://youtu.be/EcW4xUnNzrc?si=rbz6VQaR-PU-80kP

Alpha1Nine, 11 days ago to auspol

#NSW arts minister says #SydneyCouncil is ‘importing US #culturewar’ with #bookban.

NSW’s arts minister, John Graham, says a Sydney council has sent a “terrible message” by voting to ban same-sex parenting books, importing a “US culture war into our country”.

In case you missed it: Cumberland city council voted to place a blanket ban on same-sex parenting books from local libraries. Labor councillor Mohamad Hussein voted in favour of the motion, which passed six to five.

Speaking to ABC RN earlier this morning, Graham said he had not spoken to the councillors directly but understood there would likely be another vote next Wednesday.

“That’s a good thing. I think it’s a chance for the council to reconsider.”

He said the council’s decision to ban same-sex parenting books is in breach of guidelines that apply to public libraries across NSW, stating they should be “an unbiased source of information and ideas”. Abiding by this is a condition for funding, Graham said.

The minister said he has read the book which sparked the ban – which is a “simple story [showing] that families come in all shapes and sizes”.

“It’s a terrible message to send, to have this councillor importing this US culture war into our country and playing it out on the shelves of the local library. I think the community expectations are clear – the local councillors should be coming around to pick up their bin, not telling them what to read.”

#auspol #RWNJCouncil

Alpha1Nine, 15 days ago to auspol

#auspol ‘A complete 180’: how a trial treatment in Sydney for heroin addiction is changing lives Read more…https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/05/a-complete-180-how-a-trial-treatment-in-sydney-for-heroin-addiction-is-changing-lives

Alpha1Nine, 17 days ago to auspol

#auspol please remember to give Scott Morrison his proper title when posting about him:

Disgraced former Prime Minister

Alpha1Nine, 17 days ago to random

Our town #cemetery lights up some nights as local historians lead groups through to some of the notable or historic #graves

Alpha1Nine, 20 days ago to auspol

#auspol Australia’s best photos of the month – April 2024 Read more…https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2024/apr/30/australias-best-photos-of-the-month-april-2024

Alpha1Nine, 24 days ago to random

#introduction I’m 64, male, a disability pensioner. I’m recovering, very slowly, from spinal surgery that was required after I suddenly became paralysed from the waist down.

A former: union rep; Work For The Dole Supervisor; website creator; Project Jonah Brisbane member (I brake for whales 🥸)

I live in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria with my wife & a few alpacas.