6 ms·
In regards to parent commenters [0] link, this is the story that got a journalist's home raided by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) because she received leak
by BLKNSLVR 6y ago
In regards to parent commenters [0] link, this is the story that got a journalist's home raided by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) because she received leaked information (that turned out to be 100% correct) that the Department for Home Affairs was planning to allow the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) to spy on Australian citizens.
Directly quoting from the linked article:
ASD powers have been a source of controversy for the government, after the AFP raided News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst’s home in June 2019 over a news report suggesting the home affairs department was seeking power for ASD to spy on Australians. Dutton had claimed the story was nonsense despite publicly confirming its substance.
The straight-up lying by one of Australia's highest ranked politicians bodes poorly, and goes hand-in-hand with Federal Police raiding a journalists home. Yet this seems to be the Government that the Australian people want.
- ehnto 6y agoWhat the Australian government does well is control information and controversy. The government is a quiet achiever in that regard. Australians have been comfortable for a while, and are generally disengaged from politics. Most Australians I know are more aware of American politics than their own.
- BLKNSLVR 6y agoAmerican politics that they're happy to mock, whilst the broth they're wallowing in is rapidly coming to the same temperature.
- squiggleblaz 6y agoYes but it's much harder to find out about Australian politics because we all spend our time as a minority on an American web and our media just aren't doing (can't do?) a great job.
- nickcox 6y agoAnd also because journalists could go to prison for reporting on it.
- thisrod 6y agoWhich Australian media do you follow? I'd say that Crikey covers politics as well as the best newspapers do overseas, and most countries dream of having a TV show like 4 Corners. The media is certainly getting smaller—everywhere, not just in Australia—and important things aren't getting reported. The answer to that is pretty boring, though: pay your subscription fees already.
- rbg246 6y agoIf I may add: theguardian.com/au michaelwest.com.au theconversation.com themonthly.com.au All do decent analysis of policy and economics and holding government to account.
- autisticcurio 6y agoThere are some things just never discussed. Do Australians sign a contract when they are born agreeing to the laws imposed on them, or do they sign a contract when they reach 18 years of age agreeing to the laws of the land or is Australia like every other patch of land on this planet bar the Polar regions, which dictates its laws and penalties just like every other dictatorship thats existed past and present? I'm surprised so called democracy's even claim the moral high ground considering many dont teach the laws of the land at school. Democracy is a criminal compromise voted for by idiots, run the security services! The financial system is the best control system no one can buy!
- rbg246 6y agoAs they say ignorance is not an excuse, politicians are just a reflection of the people who voted for them. But it sure beats authoritarianism, at least there is a chance of making it work!
- 6y ago
- jmkd 6y agoSorry but I just loved this turn of phrase and how well it sits with the issue. Thanks.
- fastball 6y agoOver here in the UK, brits are doing the same.
- pjc50 6y agoAmerican politics is a horrifyingly successful reality TV show. It provides the entertainment and conflict people crave, with the intellectual standards of professional wrestling. Unfortunately real administration is boring - and should be boring. We want to avoid crises.
- ehnto 6y agoI hadn't thought about it that way before but I think you're right. American politics is very dramatic. High tensions, big consequences, subterfuge, conspiracy. It's got it all.
- b0tch7 6y ago> Most Australians I know are more aware of American politics than their own Gosh this is so true. My sister and I are Americans living in Australia, she recently posted celebrating Kamala being named Biden's VP and got 20+ negative/derogatory DMs from aussie men in her network. I can't believe they care so much. Meanwhile, you rarely read much about Australian politics in social media besides satire (Batoota Advocate, etc).
- ssss11 6y agoHow do you draw the conclusion that the Australian people want this behaviour? As far as I can tell none us want this but once elected the politicians fail to action what the people want. Over and over again...
- sthnblllII 6y agoI think his point was that if you’re unwilling to stop something, that is politically equivalent to wanting it.
- ssss11 6y agoI’d genuinely like to know how everday citizens get their government to do the rght thing. It seems everywhere around the world they just do what benefits themselves. people protest, and get hit with rubber bullets, but nothing seems to change.
- Foxheart 6y agoI've been wondering the same thing lately. The solution isn't with protesting in the street, even if you can topple the government, you just get more tyranny from the next crowd.
- sthnblllII 6y agoUnlike the Ron Popiel rotisserie oven, politics isn’t “set and forget”. There’s no magic system where, once established, good honest people can ignore politics and have effective government.
- eru 6y agoI would suggest to vote with your feet. Pick a government you like and move there, instead of trying to change the government in the place you happen to be born in. Voting with your feet also changes where you pay taxes. (Unless you are American, then you need to jump through some extra hoops to make sure your mother country doesn't get your money any more.)
- sthnblllII 6y ago> this seems to be the Government that the Australian people want. I can assure you it’s not. The problem with Republics is that “one man one vote” does not translate into the majority getting what it wants. The loudest and most well organized political forces will get their way, even ones small in number or popular support. State security services have a long history of involvement in politics and media in the Anglo-sphere.
- smcl 6y agoAustralia is not (yet?) a Republic
- eru 6y agoThat was probably the least useful thing to criticise in the comment you replied to. I know, I know, pedantry is fun. But I don't think the Queen makes much of a difference to Australia's problems one way or another.
- tankenmate 6y agoTrue, and the recently revealed correspondence from Sir John Kerr to Buckingham Palace confirms that quite often the Crown is only obliquely involved for fear of politicising the head of state.
- opinologo 6y agoIndeed she did make a difference in 1975 when her representative fired no other than the Prime Minister. Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional_crisis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitution...
- eru 6y agoYes, every once in a while. Hence my qualification with 'much of a difference'.
- Qwertious 6y ago>The straight-up lying by one of Australia's highest ranked politicians bodes poorly, and goes hand-in-hand with Federal Police raiding a journalists home. As an aside, this is par for the course on our current government. They don't have policy, just lies and fearmongering.