Comments
Australian government has abandoned Julian Assange
Decline of play and increase in children's mental disorders
I have recently read a US psychology article about the greatly increased numbers of young people who are assessed as depressed, testing covering the last 50 to 70 years! In brief the article relates how the increases in depression are not about external circumstances or threats but about the degree to which subjects feel they have control over their lives. There has also been a shift over time in the sort of goals young people have for their lives from goals formulated by self to imposed goals, like material wealth and achievements that will be approved of socially. The author puts forward the hypothesis that there is a causal link between the increased "extrinsic" goal setting and a decrease in opportunities for free play (where children work out problems for themselves in an unstructured situation) since they have coincided. I have certainly noticed in Australia, an increase in parental supervision of children's out of school time with organised activities and organised sports or after school care. A year or so ago I saw a television documentary where they were able to show that neural brain networks were differently organised in children who played freely, unsupervised by adults and children whose out of school time was more organised and adult-directed. This brings me to the conclusion that the free play issue is also an issue of space- space in which to play. There must be a wealth of research about this as the implications are profound. It looks as though in the US and in Australia (as i think we have the same problems) we are sabotaging the well being of our children and that they will take their troubles into adult life.
Here is a quote from the article:
"The standard measure of sense of control is a questionnaire developed by Julien Rotter in the late 1950s called the Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. The questionnaire consists of 23 pairs of statements. One statement in each pair represents belief in an Internal locus of control (control by the person) and the other represents belief in an External locus of control (control by circumstances outside of the person). The person taking the test must decide which statement in each pair is more true. One pair, for example, is the following:
(a) I have found that what is going to happen will happen.
(b) Trusting to fate has never turned out as well for me as making a decision to take a definite course of action.
In this case, choice (a) represents an External locus of control and (b) represents an Internal locus of control.Many studies over the years have shown that people who score toward the Internal end of Rotter's scale fare better in life than do those who score toward the External end.[2] They are more likely to get good jobs that they enjoy, take care of their health, and play active roles in their communities—and they are less likely to become anxious or depressed.
In a research study published a few years ago, Twenge and her colleagues analyzed the results of many previous studies that used Rotter's Scale with young people from 1960 through 2002.[3] They found that over this period average scores shifted dramatically—for children aged 9 to 14 as well as for college students—away from the Internal toward the External end of the scale. In fact, the shift was so great that the average young person in 2002 was more External than were 80% of young people in the 1960s. The rise in Externality on Rotter's scale over the 42-year period showed the same linear trend as did the rise in depression and anxiety."
Below is the link to the article
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/freedom-learn/201001/the-decline-play-and-rise-in-childrens-mental-disorders?fbclid=IwAR3pQq5pm786v9OkbumddLhF1uCRpcL2KnzUQzK9JE0Iyqjlboqe9okSUPE"
Miscarriage of Justice: Why Assange’s Belmarsh Sentence is Wrong
By Nina Cross at 12st Century Wire
Judge Taylor gave Assange effectively a year in Belmarsh Category A prison for skipping bail in 2012. Assange was required to prove he had good reason to skip bail:
Under s. 6(3) of the Bail Act 1976, it is for the defendant to prove that he had a reasonable cause for failing to surrender.
Taylor dismissed Assange’s mitigating reasons for jumping bail, citing the previous judges’ rejection. This is a collective dismissal of what has been a very public aggression towards Assange by the US government and its allies. Examples of threats to Assange, which appeared in his statement, are seen here, here, here and here. The question we must ask in the case of Assange is what type of mitigating proof (threats of assassination, torture and abuse aside) would have stood up in Taylor’s court? Had Assange had a note from Mike Pompeo threatening capital punishment or a life sentence without parole in a high security prison for exposing US war crimes, signed prior to June 2012, would that have got Assange into a B Category prison for 6 months instead?
Taylor dismissed Assange’s fear of persecution by the US, sentencing him to 50 weeks in Belmarsh prison, where his condition, already identified as deteriorating, has worsened to the extent he is now in the prison health ward. Her reason was that Assange had a choice:
“Whilst you may have had fears as to what may happen to you, nonetheless you had a choice…”
This may be technically true. An individual chased by their attacker may have the choice of hiding, if they can, to avoid being attacked; if their attacker hangs around they can choose to come out and risk being hurt or stay out of sight. This ‘choice’ has been presented as an illusion of freedom, and in turn, an illusion of due process.
This reality of the ‘choice’ facing Assange has been summed up by Melzer in a response to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s denial of UK abuse on Twitter:
Australian parliament silent on 17 Assange espionage charges
The following is from Australian government, Labor opposition silent on espionage charges against Assange (28/5/19) by Oscar Grenfell | World Socialist Web Site:
By their silence, the Liberal-National government and Labor are signalling their support for the US-led persecution of Assange, over his role in the exposure of US war crimes, mass surveillance and diplomatic conspiracies around the world.
The political establishment is making clear that nothing will be done to prevent Assange's extradition from Britain to the US, where he would face a show-trial that would establish a precedent for the suppression of freedom of the press and free speech.
…
The refusal to defend Assange on the part of the official parties is in line with their collaboration in the US-led vendetta against him since 2010.
Successive Labor and Coalition governments have refused to exercise their legal discretion and diplomatic powers to protect Assange. Instead they have joined in the chorus of denunciations and aided the US intelligence agencies in their efforts to destroy WikiLeaks.
…
The refusal to defend Assange on the part of the official parties is in line with their collaboration in the US-led vendetta against him since 2010.
Successive Labor and Coalition governments have refused to exercise their legal discretion and diplomatic powers to protect Assange. Instead they have joined in the chorus of denunciations and aided the US intelligence agencies in their efforts to destroy WikiLeaks.
…
Labor and Coalition MPs made mealy-mouthed statements that they would provide him with unspecified consular assistance, committing them to nothing. With the assistance of the Greens, the unions and the pseudo-left, they buried the issue of Assange's plight throughout the official federal election campaign that began just hours after his detention by British police.
Now, senior political figures are voicing concerns that the government's abandonment of Assange may provoke widespread opposition from workers, students and young people, who rightly view him as a heroic figure who is being attacked for revealing the truth.
On Friday, former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr told the Guardian that the additional charges against Assange “change the game” and could “test the patience” of US allies, including Australia. He noted that the length of the maximum sentence against Assange made the charges against him almost as severe as those which attract capital punishment.
Carr issued a warning to the Coalition government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison that its Foreign Minister Marise Payne “needs to protect herself from the charge that she's failed in her duty to protect the life of an Australian citizen.”
Carr stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would likely provide Payne with “talking points” for discussions with her US, British and Swedish counterparts. Sweden has revived a sexual misconduct investigation into Assange, aimed at blackening his name and creating an alternate route for his extradition to the US.
“Not to do so would leave the minister exposed to withering criticism that they did not take all appropriate action that might have made a difference, mainly before the British court makes a decision,” he warned.
(The article goes on to goes on to point out Bob Carr's previous role as an effective agent for the U.S. government within the Australian Labor Party and questions the motives for his apparent support for Julian Assange. Whilst Bob Carr's previous record of support for the U.S. should not be overlooked, I think that it would be more helpful to Julian Assange to take Bob Carr's words at face value. We should ask Bob Carr to raise his voice more loudly for Julian Assange including on his own blog. A search "Julian Assange site:bobcarrblog.wordpress.com" found nothing!)
IPAN Peace meeting Weds 29 May 2019 Trades Hall
Independent and Peaceful Australia Network(IPAN)
REMINDER: NEXT MEETING OF IPAN-Victoria
A speaker and discussion on the current situation in Syria, Iran and the Middle East - all welcome.
Wednesday 29 May
6pm
Level 4
Trades Hall
corner Lygon and Victoria streets
cream building at the back
Call 0417456001 if you can't find the building.
Agenda
1. Elections and US-Australia military alliance
2. IPAN National Conference in Darwin 2 - 4 August (new flyer below and attached)
- Joint military exercises in Queensland
3. Organising 4 July Forum in Melbourne. Richard Tanter and Fiona McCandless confirmed speakers to date.
4. Speaker and discussion on the situation in Syria and Iran - half an hour for speaker and discussion (or longer if time allows).
Also attached IPAN's most recent Media Release on Iran - US Fire on Iran Could Burn us all
5. Other business
National IPAN Conference in Darwin 2-4 August 2019
"Australia at the Crossroads: time for an independent foreign policy"
Australia First Movement news
Keeping the citizen informed:- Autumn 2019
Mass immigration past use-by date for Australian Workers!
Real unemployment is at 18.5% according to Roy Morgan polling. Participation rate for men is at 65.7%, whereas in the late 1960’s it was at 96%, indicating 30% of men are now out of the workforce, and with over 5% underemployment, a 1/3rd. of men now don’t have a job!
Interest rates (cash rate) are at an all time low of 1.5% and are forecast likely to drop. This is proof the economy is in a very bad state. Having high migration at this point is madness and an attack upon the working people of Australia.
When Countries are hit by economic crisis’s some workers go to other countries looking for jobs. This shows the lie that migration stimulates economies. All the richest countries have small increases in population. In some African countries they have a 4% annual increase in population which causes their economies to head towards collapse.
The stagnation of wage growth can be attributed to excessive migration policies. Employers are not having to pay good wages for good workers.
The banks have recklessly made loans until our level of debt to the retail banks is around 180% of GDP, strangling the economy. If there was any good times it is coming to an end.
The concept of a rapidly growing population being a bad thing for the workers was first outlined by Thomas Malthus in 1798. Then it was reiterated by Karl Marx 150 years later. More recently historians looking at the effects of the Bubonic plague in 1347 where population was reduced by around 50%, saw that rather than society collapsing, the peasants could demand higher wages - much to the disgust of the then ruling class.
Population growth by migration has more of an effect upon the working class. White collar workers have mechanisms that exclude migrants from taking their jobs such as professional associations doing all they can to not recognise migrants qualifications. The other thing is just not employing migrants.
More often than not migrants and refugees are conflated. Both sides of the political spectrum mix both up for their own purposes, so as at times people don’t know the difference.
It is concerning about the number of refugees in the world today but there is little criticism of the politicians sending our defence forces around the world to engage in conflicts creating more of them. The resultant psychological effects on our service personnel of course never rates a mention!
Another cause of refugees is the IMF imposing free market policies on third world countries. There has been data around for 20 years that these actions destroy economies and even worse they lead to a fall into civil war.
Looking at countries on a GDP/capita basis, the 18 top countries have small populations of under 8 million. On comparing the 2 largest countries, India and China, the one with the smaller population growth, China, has nearly 5 times the wealth.
One of the most compelling arguments for curtailing migration is the onset of automation of work, now and in the future. Predictions that in the future automation will take up to 50% of the jobs seem a bit over the top, but with current unemployment, under employment and the working poor, it seems an absurdity and foolish to push high migration.
Skills shortage is also a stated reason for migration, yet it hasn’t been a problem for the last 200 years. One of the strongest reasons to limit migration are environmental concerns which whilst not in the scope of this discussion, are acknowledged as essential to ensure for future generations.
Migration is an attack upon the working people of Australia.
Migration is now well past use by date for Australia - It all must end!
AUSTRALIA FIRST PARTY
www.australiafirsparty.net [email protected] National Contact Line 02 8587 0014
If you don't fight - you lose: Join the Australia First Movement
AFP Political Theory - Economics: National Self-Sufficiency with Steady State economic objectives, under free enterprise community directions, and with Job Guarantee Programme.
Britain and France the aggressors at the outset of World War 2?
On 13 May Paul Craig Roberts published The Lies About World War II in which he put new and controversial views about the Second World War argued by British Historian, David Irving in his books Hitler's War and Churchill’s War: The Struggle for Power.
Paul Craig Roberts and David Irving correctly agree with Hitler's denunciation of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles where Germany was dismembered and made to pay ruinous reparations to the countries of the victorious Entente. However, he goes on to argue that Britain, France, and their allies, and not Nazi Germany were the aggressors when Nazi Germany invaded Poland on 1 Septemper 1939.
Superficially, many of Paul Craig Roberts' arguments seem correct. The Polish government's refusal to negotiate with Nazi Germany over its territorial claims for regions of Poland, including Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland) inhabited by millions of Germans, seems to make Nazi Germany's subsequent war against Poland seem somewhat justified. For their part, by guaranteeing military support to "the Polish military dictatorship" against Germany's claims, Britain and France are also held to be to blame for the outbreak of war.
Paul Craig Roberts' rightly denounces subsequent war crimes of the western powers during the war, including the deliberate killing of more than 305,000 Germans by the aerial bombardment of cities. He also accuses US President Roosevelt (FDR) of unconscionable conduct towards Britain, including financial extortion, in its time of vulnerability. I am not in a position to confirm or refute such allegations. Nonetheless, it still seems to me that humanity still had a vital stake in Britain's and America's war against Nazi Germany. As I will be posting to Paul Craig Roberts:
Whilst I think you are the single most insightful and informative of all bloggers of which I have become aware in recent years, I think your recent article about the Second World War is way off the mark and I intend to show you how in the near future.
For all of Churchill's glaring faults, humanity is clearly indebted to Churchill's Britain for refusing to make peace with the Third Reich after France surrendered in June 1940. Humanity is also indebted to FDR for backing Britain, even if he had to do so clandestinely prior to 1942.
Contrary to what is said by many who now rightly defend Russia against the war plans of the US, I believe the Soviet Union would have been defeated without support from Britain and the US. I believe the Red Army would have lost largely thanks to Stalin's purge of the best Red Army officers in 1938. [1]
Had he won, Hitler would have ethnically cleansed Eastern Europe and Russia in order to create lebensraum for the German "master race." The Third Reich would have had access to all the natural resources of Russia and the other Soviet republics. The world would have been ruled for decades by Nazi Germany, Japan and the notorious 'isolationist' President Charles Lindbergh's United States.
The real secret of the Second World War is that those who contributed the most to the defeat of Japan and the Third Reich were betrayed by Churchill and FDR's successor, Truman, most notably in Greece and Korea (in both these countries former collaborators were rearmed by the British or American 'liberators' and turned on resistance fighters).
Another hidden secret of the Second World War was that it was needlessly prolonged. One of many examples is the reconquest of Italy by Germany in September 1943 after the Italians had liberated themselves from Mussolini on 25 July 1943. Even though America and Britain had air superiority, they allowed Nazi Germany forces to reconquer almost all of Italy. Nicola Bellomo, one of the very few Italian generals who tried to resist the German invasion was subsequently tried and executed on 11 September 1945 for the "war crime" that two British prisoners were killed trying to escape from a prisoner-of-war camp that he was in command of at the time.
Had Britain and the US both made, and remained at, peace with Nazi Germay after 1940, history since 1945 would have been even more terrible than it was.
Footnotes
[1] Two other reasons why the Nazi invasion might have succeeded are: 1. The Red Army was needlessly surprised on the morning of 22 June 1941, because Stalin ignored warnings of Nazi Germany's invasion plans from Britain, the US and even from his own agent, Richard Sorge, in the German Tokyo embassy; and 2. After the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact in August 1938, Stalin supplied Nazi Germany with vast quantities of the raw materiels necessary for the Wehrmacht to prepare for its invasion of the Soviet Union as well as to continue to wage war against the western European democracies and Britain.
Senator Richard di Natale has spoken up for Julian Assange
Thank you Matthew,
The above article has received a positive response on Twitter. As a consequence, I was shown a press release of 12 April 2019 from Greens Senator Richard Di Natale, "Use the 'special relationship' to stop Assange extradition". It has been republished here. Further information about Richard di Natale and other candidates who support Julian Assange will be posted here.
Hopefully, we will hear more from Senator Richard di Natale in support of Julian Assange over the remaining few days of the election campaign. Hopefully, other candidates will be inspired by the above article to also "Stand up for Julian Assange".
Assange letter
Rationale will be fees they will pay, I think
Rationale of elderly import?
Infrastructure in art?
Assange case exposes the double standard practiced by US
overpopulation chaos
Thank you for revealing this unconscionable cruelty to brumbies
Direct message may get through
Australia First Party
Sally Pepper
Footage is shocking
Property industry have game sewn up
Property mob say majors won't slow pop growth no matter what
Bizarre claim that Assange is a Mossad agent by "Veterans Today"
I had thought that "Veterans Today" was a credible alternate news service, in part, because some of its staff, including Gordon Duff and Jim W. Dean have, on a number of occasions been interviewed on the Iranian PressTV (See Appendix below). "Veterans Today" appears to be outspoken against current U.S. government wars and proxy wars.
However, for some time, I have noticed that "Veterans Today" has been hostile to Julian Assange(!?) and even John Pilger! Examples include:
The Assange War on Ecuador: Is Assange an Agent of the Deep State? (14/4/2019) by Gordon Duff, NEO- Assange and Russia’s Dance with the Devil (8/10/2016) by Jim W. Dean, Pilger and Assange, Theatre of the Absurd (redux) (20/11/2014) by Gordon Duff.
Having looked at these articles, I see few examples to support the sweeping allegations made against Julian Assange and John Pilger, including that Julian Assange is a Mossad agent. There are no citations.
So, in this regard, "Veterans Today" seems little better than the corporate newsmedia.
Appendix: Examples of PressTV articles with videos featuring Gordon Duff, Senior Editor of "Veterans Today"
(Includes 2:33 minute video that I was unable to embed in this comment.)
Ivanka Trump may succeed Nikki Haley as US ambassador to UN: Pundit
Ivanka Trump might be nominated as the successor to outgoing United States ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, according to American political pundit Gordon Duff.
…
Israel wants allied Syrian forces out of Arab country: Political commentator
(Includes 1:24 minute video that I was unable to embed in this comment.)
Margo Kingston's nofibs.com.au "citizen journal" censors again?!
Just now, I attempted (at 1:51pm on Thursday 11 Apr 2019) to post, beneath an article about the announcement of the commencement of the federal election campaign, some excerpts from the above article, with a link back to this page. In spite of my post being obviously relevant to the content of the article, it has vanished. I subsequently posted to Twitter about this apparent censorship:
I am still waiting to see what I posted about "Policies that should be put to voters at the forthcoming Australian Federal elections" at /taxonomy/term/9835 to appear on https://nofibs.com.au/ausvotes-2019-day-1-election-date-called-for-may-18-qldaah-qldpol/ - not the first time I have had such problems with this purported "Citizen Journalism"
Margo Kingston @margokingston1 59m
The indispensable @Qldaah has begun his @NoFibs #ausvotes19 blog - Day 1 to date up now, he will add to it till this day is over.
The article, to which I attempted to make the above post, is #Ausvotes 2019 Day 1 – Election date called for May 18: @qldaah #qldpol (11/4/19) | No Fibs. The No Fibs web site is run by Margo Kingston
Maybe others could try to post to 'nofibs' about policies on this page with a link back to here. If you do, please keep your own copy and post it here. A (less politically incorrect) example could be:
"Does anyone else here think that the old Commonwealth Service should be re-established? See: /2019_FederalElectionPolicies#commonwealthEmploymentService
If Feb numbers continue there will be 1.8m new migrants in 2019
Palestine university biodiverse project
Protest Friday 4pm Victorian State Library for Julian Assange
A protest has been called for tomorrow outside the Victorian State Library to demand that the Australian Government act now to bring Julian Assange back to Australia. Bring yourself, friends, placards and any literature you may have to inform members of the public of why they need to act to help prevent the deportation to the United States, of Julian Assange, who is not even a United States citizen and has never been there!
Bring yourself, friends, placards and any literature you may have, to inform members of the public why they need to act now to help Julian Assange.
Another protest is to be called soon in Sydney.
What are our kids being told at school ?
Re dingoes and feral cats and repetition in research
Dingoes and feral cats
Extradition of Assange would be violation of international law
From UN Special Rapporteur: US extradition of Assange would be violation of international law (6/4/2019) | WSWS:
Following WikiLeaks’ warning yesterday that Julian Assange faced imminent eviction from Ecuador’s London embassy, widespread opposition has emerged to the illegal plans to terminate his political asylum.
Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, issued a statement calling upon the Ecuadorian government of President Lenín Moreno to "abstain from expelling Mr. Assange … or from otherwise ceasing or suspending his political asylum."
Melzer warned that if Assange was removed from the embassy, he was "likely to be arrested by British authorities and extradited to the United States," adding, "Such a response could expose him to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights, including his freedom of expression, his right to a fair trial and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
…
28 April Frankston Music Festival Green Fieldz & others
Frankston Beach Association is sponsoring the Peninsula Folk Club’s performance at the Frankston Music Festival on Sunday 28th April. FBA would love to see you at their event. Book online here
Details:
Fantastic performances by Green Fieldz, Harmonics, Just for Fun plus much more
Sunday 28th April
1 pm Life Saving Club
1 Long Island Drive Frankston
Cost $10 Please book online here.
While you are there, take in the exhibition of Marine life photographer Freddie Leong’s spectacular work.
Freddie is well known for his artistic and dramatic underwater images from Port Phillip Bay and many other locations. Some of his work is held by the National Library of Australia. It is well worth the visit to see Freddie’s amazing images. See more of his images here.
(For more information on FBA’s event contact Eva Welch [email protected] 0407 323282)
Australia population estimates for 2050 and 2082
Doesn't know, doesn't care.....
IPAN-Victoria Meeting TOMORROW Wed 27 March 6pm Trades Hall
Steve Bracks/Sheila Newman/Jon Faine population forum -removed
Faine's science ignorance typical of his class.
comment overlooked, sorry
Jon Faine says Putin started the war in Syria
Dick Smith on populaton on 60 Minutes Sunday 24 March 2019
US state the biggest terrorist
The United States (and not the Syrian Arab Army) defeated ISIS?
I posted this comment in respose to Syrian War Report – March 21, 2019: ISIS Influence Is Still Strong In US-controlled Part Of Syria (21/3/19) | South Front. At the memoment it has been 'marked as spam' and not published. In my past experience, other posts in which I have included links have also been marked as spam. Hopefully this will be shortly fixed by the South Front administrators.
This is yet another article which fails to reconcile the different explanations of ISIS and the illegal United States' intervention in Syria.
For most of the Syrian conflict since March 2011, it seemed to me that ISIS/Al Quaeda/Al Nusra Front/Syrian 'Democratic' Front (SDF)/... were allies [1] of the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia against the popular elected President of Syria (Syria's press conference the United Nations doesn't want you to see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnFQd4wBXnk). This criminal war, mostly done by proxies of the U.S. has cost (by one outdated estimate) the lives of 400,000 Syrians, including 80,000 Syrian soldiers.
Now we find that the U.S. is, in fact, (illegally) in Syria to fight against the same terrorists they I thought they had previously supported!?
So, is the United States now is a force for GOOD in Syria? So, why aren't they cooperating with the Syrian government (and Russia, Iran and Hezbollah) against the terrorists? Any reporting of the Syrian conflict which fails to at least acknowledge these apparent contradictions is deficient in my view.
Footnote[s]
[1] Part of the cover story for Western support of those terrorists was that, as bad as they were, they were not as brutal as the 'regime' of President Bashar al-Assad, so clearly Syrians would be better off if Western aid to ISIS resulted in their victory.
Sacred cow immigration cannot be discussed
IPAN meeting 27 March Trades Hall (Oz Peace Network)
IQ2 Immigration debate 26 March Sydney Town Hall
Australian attitudes to immigration: A love-hate relationship
If you're thinking of going to that event, note there is a discount offer at the end of this article.
The article argues that different surveys come up with different results. But the only one suggesting majority support for current immigration is the Scanlon Foundation "mapping social cohesion" survey, which carefully avoids reference to the quantity of immigration, making it hard for people to answer against the question without seeming to hate all immigrants.
Australian attitudes to immigration: A love-hate relationship | The New Daily
thenewdaily.com.au
Sat March 23 General Meeting Royal Park Protection Group
How school-based local action can affect state & national levels
Local grass-roots action alone cannot fix our environment
The author, a schoolteacher, writes:
“as an adult who has tried to stop over-population, over-development and habitat destruction in this city and this country, I know that the government and the press are entirely capable of ignoring indignation on the steps of parliament from multiple residents' action groups.”
From this he argues that today's march in the city was a waste of time:
“Our schools should not be marching in the city. ”
Instead, they should be marching to their local councils to demand that they act:
“marching, if we are going to march, to our respective local councils, with carefully thought out lists of demands.”
He argues that all the problems that today's student marchers wanted our state and federal governments to fix, could, instead, be fixed by local governments, schools, teachers and local communities.
Whilst, of course, we cannot hope to fix the environment without action by individuals, grass roots action and local councils, no amount of work on this front can hope to overcome the effects of state and federal governments acting to serve the interests of corporations against the interests of ordinary people and the environment. In particular, how can just local governments and local grassroots action hope to counteract the effects of high immigration encouraged by our state governments and our federal government?
Furthermore, how can only such local grass-roots action hope to stop our Federal Government from siding with the U.S. Empire against the people of Venezuela, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen and the even worse environmental destruction, not to mention human suffering, that that has caused?
Those, who harm our environment, can be held to account at elections …
Whilst we still live in a formal democracy, can vote and even stand for office, I think it is still possible to hold to account at election time those politicians who have served us so poorly. If done effectively, a good many, who had previously voted for them will be looking for other candidates to vote for.
Of all other candidates other candidates seeking our vote, they must be must be asked what they plan to do for the environment if they win office. In this way the profile of such candidates could be raised to the point where they should gain, at the very least, a good first preference vote. With effective grass-roots political campaigning we should even be able to hope to get such candidates elected to parliament.
… and replaced with elected members who serve us and look after the environment
The profile of such standing members of parliament would certainly make the local grass-roots action advocated above more effective. From this we can hope to move forward to them being able to form governments that properly represent us.
If this seems overly ambitious, this has already happened on at least two past occasions in Australia : the Federal Labor Government of Gough Whitlam from 1972 until 1975 and the South Australian State Labor Governemnt of Don Dunstan from 1970 until 1979.
If it has already happened in Australia, why can't we hope again to get such governments elected to power, but, next time, make sure that they remain in office?
But, again, I don't see how we can hope to achieve this though just grass-roots action at the local level.
Not to mention the 5G elephant in the room
The Pink Elephant in the Room
RSPCA incompetence again
I agree
Good response
Bunyip Fires and RSPCA
Good luck fighting the next election on wages, Bill Shorten
Chelsea Manning jailed for refusing to testify against Assange
From RT : US army whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been taken into custody for contempt of court after refusing to testify in front of a grand jury in what’s believed to be the case against WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange.
Manning received a subpoena from the US District Court in January.
She appeared before a grand jury on Wednesday and invoked her First, Fourth and Sixth Amendment rights. She said the questions pertained to her 2010 disclosures of the American military’s misconduct, and she had answered those extensively during her 2013 court-martial.
Temp housing for horses offered to RSPCA - no response yet
Why are these professional War Peddlers still around?
Julian Assange issued with new Australian passport
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was granted a new passport by his native Australia, marking what could be the clearing of a significant hurdle in his quest to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and return home.
After lengthy discussions over whether Assange was subject to an arrest warrant for a “serious foreign offence,” Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed: “Mr Assange does have an Australian passport.”
Confirmation was given at a Senate hearing on Thursday that Assange’s 2018 application for a new passport had been accepted. The WikiLeaks chief received his Australian passport in September 2018, news of which has only now been reported.
Assange had been without a passport after his previous one expired a few years ago. The new passport issued to him makes it possible for him to return to Australia if he were ever able to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy without UK prosecution.
Assange has been there since he sought asylum in 2012, after Swedish authorities requested his extradition as a suspect in a rape case.
He was granted Ecuadorian citizenship in December 2017 in a bid to protect him from being extradited to the US, where he fears he would face secret charges for publishing US government cables and thousands of classified documents relating to activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2017, Swedish prosecutors announced that they had closed the rape investigation.
Original source of this post is https://www.rt.com/news/452159-assange-australia-passport-granted/
US Senator Rubio shows serious psychopathy typical of deep state
‘Sick & twisted’: US Senator Rubio tweets picture of Gaddafi’s murder as a threat to Maduro
US Senator Marco Rubio has posted a picture of the brutal murder of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in a less-than-subtle threat to Venezuela’s Maduro. Twitter blasted Rubio as a manic warmonger… who has extremely poor taste.
It is remarkable to watch the sociopathy of the US administration unfold publicly, as if the political actors have injuries to their frontal lobes and no longer sense danger or that people are watching. What is this dementia that seems to afflict John Bolton, Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo, and now, like mad cow disease, wannabe president Marco Rubio? Hilary had it too because she was the one who cackled in triumph as Gaddafi was killed in the most horrible way.
When Mike Pompeo addressed threats to the Venezuelan Army, you can see him fatly snuggling against himself in his suit with delight, eyes shining, at the idea of all the harm he might do. John Bolton, whose hair and moustache make him look like a cartoon character made out of a toilet brush, with his scrawled "5000 troops to Columbia" and "All options are on the table," seems to be the straight-man of the murderous alliance, making insane threats as if he were handing down detentions at school.
And Trump: "You can choose to accept President Guaido's generous offer of amnesty to live your life in peace with your families and your countrymen or you can choose the second path, continuing to support Maduro. If you choose this path, you will find no safe harbour, no easy exit, and no way out. You will lose everything."
And then, like icing on a cow pat, Virgin Blue's owner, Richard Branson, strutting round amongst the poverty and drug barons on the border of Columbia (itself a fine product of US intervention), promoting his "Live Aid concert". He said he talked several times to Juan Guaido - but he didn't talk to Maduro! What motivated him? The desire of a little man to be a part of the US big boys' psychopathic game? All he inspired in me was disgust and indignation - to be so rich and to be so stupid, and to be willing to do such harm, seemingly just to grandstand.
Avoid hitting wildlife on the roads
Tulsi Gabbard now claims that Bashar is murdering his own people
From a recent tweet by Tim Anderson:
The way of all candidates? @TulsiGabbard flip-flops on #Syria, acquiescing under pressure to repeat the fake mantra, "Bashar al Assad is a brutal dictator who has used chemical weapons". Shame Tulsi, shame.
General Meeting Royal Park Protection Group Saturday March 23, 2
The next General Meeting of Royal Park Protection Group will be held on Saturday March 23rd. We are delighted to have Jim Szonyi, Park Ranger to speak to us. The Junior Ranger program is a great favorite with children either through school programs or holiday events. Jim will share details of this program as well as the many other activities that rangers undertake in Royal Park. Do come along. Catch up on park news and enjoy afternoon tea afterwards. Date: Saturday March 23rd, Time: 2pm,
Where: Walmsley House* - 161 Gatehouse Street, Parkville. *Just down from the corner of Gatehouse St and Royal Parade at first entrance to Native Garden
Bad reporting or purposefully confusing?
Prudent move
Bank culture change - whistle the wind
New citizens should plant trees
Excellent characterisation
Hate these sweeping claims about economic immigration
ABC claims higher immigration = more jobs (no data given)
ABC claims higher immigration = more jobs?
Yesterday morning on RN Breakfast Fran Kelly repeatedly claimed, during an interview (can’t remember with whom) that a reduction in immigration would result in reduction of new jobs (this is in response to Morrison’s claim to be creating million or more new jobs).
This morning (Wed 30 January), ABC economic reporter Jane Norman made exactly the same claim in an interview on ABC News radio at about 6:25 am.
The claim is that higher immigration = more jobs.
I would have thought it is more complicated than this? For example there is the matter of absolute increase in total number employed (which may well occur if total population is increased) and relative changes in rate of unemployment? What about effects on wages? Basic laws of supply and demand for labour?
Media Benjamin repeats her demonstration in Washington
https://twitter.com/mediabenjamin/status/1090342662236971008
It is telling to see that people in the audience either ignore her or photograph her, as if convinced that the people on the podium have legitimacy, yet they do not. And also, as if to hold up a mobile phone and record an incident somehow deals with it.
Australian foreign policy is dictated from Washington to fools
Code Pink Media Benjamin calls US out on Venezuela
This took place at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC
https://twitter.com/mediabenjamin/status/1090305218334654464
Australia vis a vis Venezuela
Growth porn - regional Australia
Collision with "safety barrier"
Environmental Impact Statements
Australians do not want any more migrants: ANU poll
Some new political hope but population inertia can overwhelm
Breaking news
Facebook screened this article as political advertising
Thought I would let readers know that, when I tried to 'boost' this article on facebook (a form of advertising) it was knocked back because they thought it was political advertising. Yet it is just a discussion! So this is another example of why it is a very bad thing to rely on facebook for anything important. Actually I did get it through initially when I boosted it to Australia, but I cancelled that one and made my catchment the United States. Obviously this site is not advertising, but it does publish opinions.
Don't forget the US caliphate project that nearly was ...
and Donald Trump tweeted ....
Trump administration plans to pull U.S. troops from Syria immedi
By Missy Ryan
December 19 at 9:11 AM
The Trump administration has decided to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria, a defense official said on Wednesday.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that has not yet been announced, said the decision would include the entire force of more than 2,000 U.S. service members. It was made on Tuesday, the official said.
President Trump has long promised to conclude the campaign against the Islamic State and has questioned the value of costly and dangerous military missions overseas.
The decision comes as tensions increase with NATO ally Turkey, which has promised to launch a military offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces, which are partnered with the United States against the Islamic State, in U.S.-controlled territory in Syria.
The withdrawal is expected to occur as quickly as possible, the official said.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on Wednesday that U.S. troops would be withdrawn from northeast Syria.
What does Permaculture look like?
Yellow Jacket Manifesto
Climate Change
Question media on blazing rainforests - could be wrong
John, thanks for your comment. We have to be very careful to get details from people close to what is happening with regard to the fires, not believe the corporate and state press. They are hopeless reporters on fires and forests.
I have heard from someone affected that the rainforest belt stopped the bushfires, at least those along the Kings Bore track in Kaloola National Park, where there is a big belt of rainforest. He is a bushwalker and environmentalist with local government knowledge, who was informed by a fire fighter.
That is what you would expect and I would also expect to be misinformed by the corporate press, who all want to clear land by pretending rainforests are flammable like the rest. I heard what you heard, that the rainforest was burning, and that was really alarming, but I would need much better info than we get from the state or corporate press.
Maybe some other readers can give us more info.
There were of course many other fires. One was in the Tinninburra State Forest, which is full of [highly flammable] pines, not natural forest. Apparently it has also has a high rate of housing inside, leaving it both cleared, flammable and at risk of loss of infrastructure and human life - which are not big risks in rainforests.
There is another factor that must be considered with regard to disaster reporting. From the 1980s insurance companies have been predicting higher and higher financial and human costs from natural disasters. Not because they expected more natural disasters, but because humans were now building in high risk areas and populating them very densely. An example of this in Australia was the Brisbane Floods, where the PM and the Lord Mayor had allowed and encourage building on floodplains. This is widespread practice by our dollar crazy elites.
With regard to climate change and rates of natural disasters, independent of settlement patterns, I think that science has to show caution. Time will reveal the role of climate change.
Obviously if we build in high risk areas, on coasts and in river beds, if we clear rainforest barriers to fire, if we plant forests of pine with no barriers of rainforest, if we clear the land and increase the Albedo effect, and build heat islands everywhere, there will be local climate change to add to the effects of global climate change.
I agree with you that we don't have much time, but permaculture is a way of surviving as we go down. The Yellow Jacket manifesto would also be a good basis for encouraging localisation.
Legislative Council numbers
SAP Win
Sustainable Australia Clifford Hayes Vic election win confirmed
We did it!
Today the Victorian Electoral Commission confirmed that our Southern Metropolitan Upper House candidate Clifford Hayes was elected to the Victorian Parliament.
Read The Age article here.
Clifford and I enjoyed a quiet celebration today in Brighton...
I offered my personal congratulations and thanks to Clifford, who first stood for the party as a Senate candidate in the 2013 federal election. Five years later he's proud to be our first elected Member of Parliament!
You may wish to leave a message of congratulations here on Facebook.
It was a huge team effort. Thank you to everyone involved - including our National and Victorian committees, 27 Victorian candidates and many members and volunteers! There have also been many people right across Australia that have helped (and stuck by) us over the years on this challenging journey. I hope this gives you great satisfaction and new hope.
Next stop is the NSW State election in March...
We now need our NSW members and supporters to help us to double up! If you live in NSW, stay tuned for information on how you can get involved.
Onward and upward!
Kind regards
William
William Bourke
Sustainable Australia Party
Time!
France or Australia
Tim Anderson's facebook page
Statement from University staff in support of Tim Anderson
Crispin Hull: HImmigration arguments the wrong way around
Crispin Hull has written a perceptive article about too high immigration and the Scanlon Foundation's immigration propaganda:
A SURVEY on immigration published this week seems to fly in the face of all other indications showing that more Australians are objecting to high immigration.
This week’s survey reports that 52 per cent of respondents think Australia’s immigration intake is about right or too low. That seems to run counter to other polls and broader political concern that immigration is too high, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying that he had heard “loud and clear” that “Australians in our biggest cities are concerned about population. Read more/
Dr. Tim Anderson's Facebook page blank?!
Support Prof Tim Anderson on facebook here
Tim says that "Expressions of support, under this post in my facebook comments section, are welcome. I will try to have them published. Reject political #Censorship. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdk-ejNiWkhvtN8xVn3ZZTZNLThn9XiLXnbOI0oQ6LR8XPErA/viewform
IPAN meeting Thursday 4 July Vic Trades Hall meeting room 1