This week saw more information about Australian Defence Force personnel heading to the Middle East. 600 Australian troops will be stationed in the United Arab Emirates, and could be there for quite some time. It’s mainly air force and some tactical staff that we’re sending for this round’s “coalition of the willing”, along with the UAE, Bahrain, France, the UK and Saudi Arabia and it’s unclear when they’ll return. It will cost the country half a billion dollars and there are concerns this coalition could play into Islamic State (aka ISIS/ISIL) hands. Tony Abbott is still calling Islamic State a “death cult”, while Greens Leader Christine Milne is suggesting that we are once again blindly following the US into battle. Other concerns include the absence of an exit strategy, and the fact that the US is calling this a ‘war’ while Australia is not.
Late in the week, it was announced that raids had been carried out across Sydney and Brisbane, after a terrorist plot was uncovered in which people were to be abducted off the street and executed by a group with links to ISIS. 15 people were arrested and two were charged with terror offences, with all but one no longer in custody. The government hasn’t been entirely clear on whether or not this plot was the reason for last week’s rise in the terror threat level, but were are being told to keep calm and carry on. Tony Abbott also told people that all they needed for a terrorist attack of this kind is a knife, an iPhone and a victim – probably wasn’t the best idea to give a how-to guide. There has also been suggestion that Parliament House, along with other tourist destinations, while the US uses Australia’s raids as an example of why they have to go deal with ISIS.
There are also new terror laws being tabled to allow police more powers. These amendments to national security laws want to change the wording so that authorities can act when they “reasonably suspect” something will happen as opposed to them only acting when it is reasonably believed that something will occur. Entire nations could become no-go zones, punishable by 10 years in prison, and people suspected of going to fight can have 21-day suspensions of their passports.
The Muslim community is a bit concerned though, because in the last decade or two, whenever Muslim extremists start planning anything and get caught for it, the rest of the well-behaved, law-abiding members of the Muslim community are the ones that cop all of the abuse, racism and xenophobia from the rest of us. It also doesn’t help when people like Cory Bernardi tweet things like this:
https://twitter.com/corybernardi/status/512381674881949696
Tony Abbott finally made true on his promise about spending a week in Arnhem Land, even if he though he might have had to leave early. He was invited by clan leaders, and was planning to talk with them about issues they have, such as land rights, housing and recognition. They have said they don’t just want the PM to listen and have some photo opportunities, they want action. Unemployment is high, and clan leaders want constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians. However, while the PM promised to lay out a timeline soon, the referendum may not take place until 2017. Also, it’s been proved that the government can be based in a remote area for a week and not fall apart.
This week also saw Scott Morrison talk about the success of Operation Sovereign Borders one year in. The government turned back 12 boats of asylum seekers, most in the vessel they were intercepted with, except for four groups of asylum seekers, who were sent back in orange lifeboats. Tanya Plibersek has criticised the government for gloating about it.
Finally this week, Julia Gillard and Bill Shorten were mentioned at the Trade Union Royal Commission, Australia is increasing aid funding for fighting Ebola and the Russians were at the G20 Finance Ministers’ Meeting.
Tweet of the Week
Now we know who was running the spoof Mia Freedman account:
https://twitter.com/mckinnon_a/status/512115740069994497
Things I’ve been Reading/Watching/Listening etc
The power of words and censoring them – ABC The Drum
Why men still run newsrooms – The Conversation
Victorian men charged with gay sex crimes will be exonerated – ABC News
Kara L 