Tag Archives: Human Rights

The Week that Was – November 8 to November 14

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The possibility of tax reform is still floating around, with the Opposition calling the proposed changes are an attack on the poor, while the Greens would like the parliamentary library to do research into the GST. There have also been suggestions that the government would get more revenue by re-implementing a Carbon Tax than they would a rise in the GST. Meanwhile there are concerns about the uptake of health insurance, after it was reported that the number of people taking out private health insurance has fallen. Health Minister Sussan Ley wants to know if this is an affordability issue, and if so, what factors are affecting that and whether those factors are fair.

The Christmas Island Detention Centre was the scene of rioting earlier this week after a refugee died escaping the centre. The main issues appear to be related to access to services, such as medication. It was finally brought under control after armed police were flown in from Australia, with five detainees injured and allegations that the police used tear gas and rubber bullets to subdue the riots. Peter Dutton has told the public that the riot was started by a group of hardened criminals – believed to be mostly New Zealanders awaiting deportation after spending more that twelve months in prison – seven of whom were brought to Perth following the riots. If that doesn’t already cause problems for the government, then the 110 countries, including Russia, Iran and North Korea, that registered concern about Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers at a UN Human Rights Council meeting probably did.

Malcolm Turnbull has gone on his first international trip as PM this week, starting with a casual trip to Indonesia to meet President Joko Widodo and repair the relationship marred by spying scandals, executions and, well, let’s be honest, Tony Abbott. Turnbull then headed to Germany to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel and is due in Turkey for the G20 this week. While in Germany, the Paris Terror attacks occurred, and despite being on the other side of the world, Turnbull was ably to speak in a measured and reassuring fashion without one mention of “Team Australia” or “death cult”, which shows that in some ways, Turnbull as PM was always going to be the most sensible move our country ever made – even if it was only made by the party. It is believe that Turnbull will still attend the G20 – although it may become a G19, as French President François Hollande is expected to stay in France and help his nation heal.

Finally this week, the government is believed to be rethinking the lease of the Darwin Harbour to a Chinese company, the man alleged to have supplied the gun in the Parramatta shooting was arrested, one of Julie Bishop’s staffers is being scrutinised after it was revealed that he was at a plotter’s meeting with Turnbull, Wyatt Roy and other Liberal figures instrumental in the spill and the unemployment rate is down, which is good news for the Turnbull government.

Tweets of the Week

And this one from the Mayor of Paris – it reads “Thank you to Clover Moore [Sydney Lord Mayor] and the residents of Sydney for their brotherly support”

Things I’ve Been Looking at Online

Annabel Crabb on the concept of Kitchen Cabinet and why she wont stab ScoMo with a fork – SMH

Labor looking for TV personalities to run in a federal seat at the next election – The Age

Same-sex couples and legal rights are still an issue – SMH

The Week That Was – July 27 to August 2

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Again this week, international investigators attempted to get to the MH17 crash site, and finally arrived by the end of the week. The AFP and the Dutch police are both there to secure the site, with no ADF, because it is a humanitarian mission. Julie Bishop remained in Kiev meeting with Ukrainian politicians and the Red Cross as part of the response to MH17. Both she and Angus Houston have been in Ukraine while waiting for the international investigators to get close to the crash zone and have shared the OSCE’s frustration when the missions failed. There are now new sanctions on Russia from the US and the EU. At the moment the Australian Government is not imposing sanctions (Our main focus is to “bring them home”) but the government could revoke Russia’s G20 invite if they so choose.

There’s been a suggested change to welfare again, this time suggesting the expansion of the “work-for-the-dole” plan to all those on welfare under 50. Those on welfare could do between 15-25 hours of work depending on their age and must apply for 40 jobs per month. The opposition has labelled it cruel, and businesses are not impressed, because it means that they have to trawl through thousands of applications and possibly write back to all of them so there is evidence that the applicant, should they be on welfare, did apply but was rejected.

Onto the Asylum Seekers that are now no longer floating out near Christmas Island, but were sent to Curtin Detention Centre via the Cocos Islands. The Indian High Commission stated that they would not be repatriating anyone against their will, while lawyers have argued that technically, because they’re here, Indian officials shouldn’t be talking to the refugees, Australian officials should. Scott Morrison has been saying that because the Indian refugee camps are “safe” those who have come to Australia are economic migrants, not refugees. But in the last day or so, it appears that because the asylum seekers refused to talk to the Indian officials, they have all been secretly flown to Nauru. The government blames the lawyers, saying that they instructed the refugees to say nothing, which the lawyers deny – they haven’t been able to talk to the asylum seekers at all. The lawyers are now thinking about launching a second case, while Tony Abbott is telling asylum seekers “they’ll never stay” and that “If we stop the boats, we stop the deaths”. The government has had to apologise this week to former cricketers Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath after asking them to sign bats, which were then given to the Indian officials who were going to talk with the asylum seekers.

There has also been an Inquiry into Children in Detention this week. The results are quite shocking: there are large numbers of children  with mental illness, and the government asked the people doing the survey to remove that statistic from the report. Other children have had their medication confiscated, the medical centre on Nauru frequently runs out of supplies and because there are no child protection laws or protection services in Nauru, the children are in strife.

The Government is also planning to change national security laws in an aim to deter people from travelling to the Middle East to fight with ISIS. It reverses the onus of proof – meaning that instead of the police proving that you did something wrong, you have to prove that you did nothing wrong. This essentially restricts people’s human rights, as it presumes guilt over innocence, instead of the other way around (It is a human and civil right that a person be treated as innocent until proven guilty – usually in a court of law).

The ABC has got a promise tracker going – you might be surprised by the results

Finally this week, Peter Slipper has been found guilty of dishonesty regarding Cabcharge vouchers, the CSIRO is helping with the African Ebola outbreak and Wikileaks is telling people what a suppression order won’t let them find out from mainstream media regarding an RBA corruption scandal.

Tweet of the Week

Things I’ve been Reading/Watching/Listening to etc

Julia Gillard appeared to launch Greg Combet’s new book…mentioning ABC News NSW anchor Juanita Phillips at the end:

So a Guardian Australia staffer applied for 40 jobs in nine minutes – Guardian Australia

Behind the Baden-Clay trial – ABC Backstory

The Week That Was – June 29 to July 5

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This week has primarily focused on the two Asylum Seeker boats out near Christmas Island. We know they exist, that on of them is possibly from India, that the Detention Centre on Christmas Island is preparing for new people and that they are the first boats in quite a long time. Since then, nothing has been heard from the government who have said it’s an “on-water operation” that they won’t comment on just yet, and we don’t even know if the boats have made it ashore or if the asylum seekers are even alive.

There are concerns that the refugees are being assessed on the boats they arrived on. The UNHCR is concerned as well, reminding Australia that it is illegal to return people to a place where they fear for their safety under international law. However, Scott Morrison appears to be trying to find a way around that and he could use his ministerial powers to intervene in cases.

There are also more suggestions of streamlining welfare payments again. It’s suggested that people with “non-permanent” disabilities could be taken off the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and onto New Start – which is considerably less money. Also, I’d like to know what a “non-permanent disability” is. The Opposition is angry, especially Anthony Albanese, who was raised by his single mother with the DSP as most of her income.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released an interim report, saying that they had heard shocking stories and that the number of complaints was so high, they would need two more years and another $100 million to continue their investigations. They are investigating at least 70 institutions and say that adults have failed children. The government in considering the request for more time and money. The Royal Commission is also annoyed at the Vatican, because they asked for all the documents pertaining to paedophile priests in Australia and they’ve only received two. And speaking of the Catholic Church, despite Cardinal Pell telling the Commission that the church will stop using the “Ellis Defence” (the defence that says that the Church is not a legal entity that can be sued) in sexual abuse cases, they are still using it.

The NDIS is still facing problems a year after its launch, with many people facing bureaucratic battles. It appears that very few people are aware of their rights under the scheme and are in fact losing out on some of the things they had before. There is also questions over what should be funded and whether or nor iPads are worth funding – despite the fact that some are actually being used to help with communication.

This week also saw the new senators being shown the ropes in Canberra, in what is affectionately called “Senate Kindy”. It appears that Palmer United Party Senator Jacqui Lambie wants to become PM eventually and that the only thing that David Leyonhjelm learnt at Senate Kindy was not to go to wineries in ComCars.

Speaking of David Leyonhjelm, he may just help get the Paid Parental Leave Scheme through the Senate, however he wants to see a deregulation of childcare, such that there are cheaper options for families. Sussan Ley, the Assistant Education Minister, says that while she thinks it could be a good, it isn’t on the cards – something the Opposition and childcare associations are happy about, saying that people want quality and safety when it comes to taking care of their kids.

Finally, the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) saga continues, with the CEO apologising for messing up and telling people that they are opening up an investigation. However, there are still concerns because the investigation will be internal and only after that investigation will anyone external be brought in, and even the CBA will choose who the external person is. The Financial Planning Association does support a Royal Commission, unless the CBA sorts everything out, especially its compensation.

Also this week, a 17-year-old Western Sydney teenager is reportedly in the Middle East, presumably to fight in Syria or Iraq, Julie Bishop travelled to Myanmar on a trip that focused on trade and education, there are plans to ban Australians from bringing back souvenirs from ‘canned hunting’ trips and be aware of a scam in which you are called by someone saying they are from the ATO, recite your tax details and tell you have overdue taxes – somehow some people’s tax details have been sold on the black market.

Tweet of the Week

What I’ve been Reading/Watching/Listening etc

The UN now recognises same-sex marriage – Gaystar News

Tony Abbott in trouble for saying Australia was ‘unsettled’ before colonisation – SBS Online

The Week that Was – February 16 to February 22

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A lot happened this week.

This week the report into Indonesian border incursions was released, revealing that the navy has breached Indonesian waters six times, all, they say, were inadvertent because incorrect calculations were made regarding the location of the water border. Some have been asking how that’s possible given all the GPS technology that would’ve told them there was a problem. Indonesia did bring up Operation Sovereign Borders with the Americans, but it seems no one really asked about that chat because John Kerry didn’t bring it up in public.

Speaking of bringing up issues, the Chinese brought up the treatment of asylum seekers in scheduled talks with Australian officials. Usually the Australians are the ones being concerned about the human rights issues in China, and they did bring it up, but never have the Chinese lectured Australia on treating people humanely. Australian officials said they explained everything to the Chinese and that once explained, everything was ok.

Tony Abbott spent last weekend in areas of drought in western Queensland and north-western New South Wales and it seemed as if he brought rain with him as a gift. And while it sounds a tad mean, it’s hard to not laugh when you’re talking about drought relief when it is raining, and quite heavily at that. Farmers have made it clear that they don’t just want help because there is a drought, they want long-term support.

Still with the Prime Minister, he’s saying that he wants his government to be “the best friend Medicare has ever had”, despite people flagging changes to the system. They’re suggesting $6 co-payments when you visit the doctor. However, some have been asking why we can’t just raise the Medicare levy, given that’s how we already pay for Medicare anyway. Which is a valid point, as is the suggestion that maybe decreasing or removing rebates for some of the expensive elective surgeries that people have.

Moving on, Craig Thompson was found guilty of fraud and theft for using his union credit card to pay for things that he shouldn’t be using that card for. A few of the charges were thrown out, but he was still found guilty of most of them. Now he is waiting to be sentenced. Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek have both made it clear that no one is above the law and that they are pleased that the law has caught up with him.

Speaking of Labor, the former government’s confidential cabinet files could be unsealed for the Royal Commission being held to look at the “pink batts” scheme – an insulation scheme carried out during which four workers were electrocuted. There’s a bit of fuss about that, because they are released 30 years later (e.g. 1983 cabinet files were released at the end of last year, 2013). Never have they been released while the following government is in power.

This week, an 75-year-old Australian missionary was arrested in Pyongyang for handing out religious leaflets. He apparently left some in a Buddhist temple while on a tour, and has reportedly admitted that tourism was not the only reason for his visit. He could face time in prison or a labour camp, and because Australia has no diplomatic presence in North Korea, the Swedish Embassy is representing our interests there.

The G20 had the Finance ministers’ meeting in Sydney this weekend, and while they aren’t finished yet nothing major has occurred. Joe Hockey has been talking with lots of people, and he wants “measurable” results from these meetings, which are often criticised as talk-fests. He’s also said a couple of times that government spending needs to be sustainable, which is fair enough.

Finally, we get to the big newsmaker this week – the chaos on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, where there is an Immigration Detention Centre. It began when a few asylum seekers either escaped or at least attempted to after being told they would not be settled in Australia. It soon turned into what appeared to be a riot, in which one Iranian asylum seeker was killed and many others were injured, and at least three were transferred to Australia for medical treatment, one believed to have a gunshot wound. Journalists were not allowed in, but the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre released a call they received from one of the detainees inside.

Right now there’s a bit of a blame game going on, with Manus Island residents blaming the security staff, both Australian and Papua New Guinean. The security staff says that they were provoked by the asylum seekers saying nasty things about PNG. While the Papuan Prime Minister says that it was the Australian security staff, not the locals. There will be an inquiry, but it will take a while.

Tweet of the Week

What I’ve Been Reading/Watching/Listening etc

Correspondents Report – an ABC Radio program which, as their website says: “the ABC’s overseas reporters give their interpretation and analysis of the week’s major events.”

The Week That Was – January 26 to February 1

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So, this week began with controversy. The guy who runs one of Australia’s pro-monarchy groups thinks that a referendum on Indigenous recognition could lead to “violence in the streets” against those who do not support it. He’s been criticised for his comments because, really, I don’t think Australians would be that stupid as to get violent just because people don’t agree on a topic. If we were, there wouldn’t be many of us left, and no-one would want to be a politician.

The ABC and Fairfax revealed that there is corruption and criminality in the CFMEU (the construction union) and at some of Australia’s major building sites. Tony Abbott says he isn’t surprised, and says that if the Labor Party is serious about tackling corruption they will “stay out of the way”. Abbott used to be the minister that oversaw this kind of stuff, and there was a Royal Commission. He wants another now, but the unions don’t. They don’t see why the government can’t leave the investigating to the Australian Federal Police.

Tony Abbott had a go at the ABC too, not for the story they broke about the CFMEU and construction industry, though. You see, the Prime Minister seems to think that the ABC is “on everyone’s side but Australia’s”. Labor thinks that the government should leave the ABC alone. And in what seems like the worst timing possible, the next day Malcolm Turnbull announced an efficiency review into the ABC and SBS (which is partially taxpayer-funded). Turnbull appeared on the ABC and explained what the review was going to be about. You can see that here.

There has also been a bit of a change in the stories about how the asylum seekers got burnt. They’re still blaming the Australian Navy, but one now says that they were sprayed in the eyes with pepper spray and as he couldn’t see, he walked into the engine, burning his hands. Another says that asylum seekers were thrown onto the engine when they confronted the sailors. Meanwhile, Scott Morrison appeared in front of a Senate Committee, and answered some questions on Operation Sovereign Borders. He didn’t answer some of them because the people smugglers would have found out. But why any other nation would broadcast Australian Senate Committee sittings confounds me, given other nations don’t really seem to care about Australian politics, unless the leader changes,.

Also this week, Peter Cosgrove was named the next Governor-General of Australia. He still has to be approved by Parliament and the Queen, but most people seem pleased and Labor appears to like him.

Tweets of the Week

The ABC News and Current Affairs staff got a bit cheeky after the PM said they weren’t patriotic.

What I’ve been Reading/Watching/Listening

Opinion on the Coalition vs. ABC – Guardian Australia

Tracey Spicer at TEDxSouthBankWomen

Jonathan Holmes on Scott Morrison and the ABC – Sydney Morning Herald

Faux Pas of the Week

Julie Bishop is usually intelligent, but someone must not have checked that she knew what electorate she was in, because she kept calling Griffith (Kevin Rudd’s old seat, currently in a by-election campaign) “Griffin”. Oops. (it starts at about 0:35)

The Week that Was – January 19 to January 25

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Tasmania and South Australia both have elections this year, and both are being held on the 15th of March. The Griffith by-election will be held on the 8th of February. So the beginning of this year will be quite busy.

The Australian Navy’s been a bit naughty lately, what with their unauthorised travels into Indonesian waters, and it seems like they may be in more hot water. There are accusations that the Navy forced asylum seekers to put their hands on a hot engine for long enough that they were burnt. The ABC story can be found here. The ABC then got told off for breaking the story by the Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison, who said people should stop sledging the Australian Navy and that there was no investigation being carried out by Indonesian Police. But they are:

Tony Abbott, on the other hand, has been in Davos, Switzerland in his capacity as head of the G20. His line to the media was “Australia is under new management, and open for business” and then got asked about Syria, and once again said that the Syrian Civil War was “baddies versus baddies” and then added that “the only way [either side] can be goodies is if they lay down their arms”. Hate to break it to you, Mr Abbott, but the Syrian Civil War is way more complicated than that.

He also made a speech in which he explained that Australia is in financial trouble because the Labor government spent beyond its means. He also thinks free trade and small government is good for the economy and that taxes should be fair and low. I may not fully understand finance and economics, but last time I checked, the Labor government got us out of the GFC. Labor is unimpressed and thinks Tony Abbott should stop being an opposition leader and shouldn’t have brought up domestic politics at an international conference.

Also in Europe, you may vaguely remember the raid on the lawyer representing East Timor in a dispute over spying in the Hague. Well, East Timor has now taken Australia to court over the raid, asking for the confiscated stuff back. They finished presenting in court and are now awaiting the judges to come back with a verdict on that.

Finally, we had the Australian of the Year announcements on January 25.

Australian of the Year: Adam Goodes

Young Australian of the Year: Jacqueline Freney

Senior Australian of the Year: Fred Chaney

Local Hero: Tim Conolan

Congratulations to them.

Tweet of the Week

Hamish Macdonald has been covering the Ukrainian riots for ABC (the American one). It must be very cold.

https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/427044132927078400

What I’ve Been Reading/Watching/Listening etc

An interesting look at “net neutrality” in the USA – YouTube

Peter Greste (Al Jazeera Journalist) is still in prison in Egypt without charge… His parents have spoken with the media – ABC News Online. He’s also written a letter – Al Jazeera

The Week That Was – March 17 to March 23

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What a week.

Let’s see…Bob Carr went to the USA….and who could forget that leadership spill?

I’ve decided that this week’s leadership spill was “The leadership spill that made a nation roll their eyes”. I think it fits. I rolled my eyes. Quite a number of times. It’s starting to get a little bit boring really. The Labor leadership has always been a touchy subject, it has been since it all started back in 2010. It may highlight the fact that there are some within the Labor Party who have issues with Julia’s leadership, but it also shakes people’s faith in the stability of the government. With the resignations of Chris Bowen, Martin Ferguson, Kim Carr & Joel Fitzgibbon, Gillard has to re-shuffle her front bench. Again. This time the transition is not going to be as smooth. Oh well.

Meanwhile Bob Carr, former NSW Premier and current Foreign Minister has been in the US to talk with John Kerry and to talk at the UN. He’s been quite busy, at least from what has been on Twitter….

At the UN:

In Washington with John Kerry:

And few awkward candid snaps that made me laugh:

And I think this has to be the funniest press conference I’ve ever seen. (You have to skip to 16:50)

Quotes of the Week

“Wow. I don’t know whether you want to take that one first” – John Kerry, reacting to a question asked by an Australian journalist regarding Bob Carr’s allegiance to Julia Gillard.

“This is a difficult day for the Australian Labor Party, it is a difficult day for is a Australian government, but I take my word seriously. I have given that word. I gave it solemnly in that room after the last ballot and I will adhere to that word today. I therefore suggest to all and sundry across the party and the Government that we unite in ensuring that Tony Abbott does not simply walk into the Lodge as if it is his own personal property.We are a government with a proud record. Health and education, the economy, it is a record upon which we should robustly stand. But I’m not prepared to dishonour my word which I gave solemnly. I will, therefore, adhere to that word as I have said before and excuse me I’m going to Caucus.” – Kevin Rudd telling the media that he won’t be challenging Julia Gillard.

“I will be campaigning with every member of my team including Kevin Rudd” – Julia Gillard on the unity of the party in the lead-up to the election.

Faux Pas of the Week

Overshadowed by the spill, Thursday was actually meant to be about an apology for the forced adoption policies. Tony Abbott used the term “birth mothers”, which upset the audience, I’m not entirely sure why. Whoever wrote his speech didn’t do their research to see what word would be appropriate in the situation. I don’t know what it is, but Tony upset people.

What made it worse was that he got sucked into the crazy of the leadership spill. Imagine if he hadn’t and just focused on the apology. It would have been a great moment for him and he would have seemed like the sanest person that day.

Tweet of the Week

Yes, those spidey senses are helpful Adam Harvey.