Behind the façade of sound economic management and social reform lies a mean, cruel and dishonest austerity budget. The pre-election centrepieces are DisabilityCare Australia (the national disability insurance scheme – NDIS) and the so-called Better Schools – National Plan for School Improvement (Gonski education reforms). It is touted as a budget for jobs, stronger growth, a smarter nation and a fairer society. Its main victims are the unemployed, single parents, asylum seekers, the poor and homeless, the chronically ill, families, public servants and the environment. more ...
Editorial – Robbing Peter to pay Paul
The ratings agencies are thrilled. The stockmarket is satisfied. The financial institutions and Big End of town have no complaints. Even the Murdoch media had kind words to say about Labor’s 2013-14 Budget. Little attempt has been made to make mileage out of the failure to reach a budget surplus. Even the Coalition found it hard to disagree with its contents. All of that should ring alarm bells. A quick look beyond the two “big ticket” items – NDIS and Gonski – explains why. more ...
Tragic asylum seeker farce – Australia excises itself
Last week in a bizarre move the Gillard government excised the whole of the Australian mainland from its own immigration requirements, in order to deter asylum seekers from seeking refuge here. more ...
Defence White Paper (Part 2)
The White Paper states,“China’s continued rise as a global power, the increasing economic and strategic weight of East Asia and the emergence over time of India as a global power are key trends influencing the Indian Ocean’s development as an area of increasing strategic significance. In aggregate, these trends are shaping the emergence of the Indo-Pacific as a single strategic arc.” more ...
FMLN continues on the path of progress in El Salvador
Damian Alegria is a deputy in the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of El Salvador. He is a member of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), which is the main left-wing organisation in the country and currently the biggest party in the parliament. The FMLN was formed from the union of the Communist Party and several other left groupings that fought a long civil war against the regime dominated by pro-US elites. The war ended with the Chapultepec Peace Accords of 1992 and since then, the FMLN has been building its grass-roots presence and influence at the various levels of government in the country. FMLN candidate Mauricio Funes was elected president of El Salvador in 2009 and campaigning is already underway for the election of 2014 when FMLN member Sánchez Cerén will be the candidate. more ...
Entrapment – The Australian conundrum – Disrespect to sovereignty (Part 2)
The next put-down on Australia’s right to determine how it handles its economic responsibilities came from Admiral Locklear, head of the US Pacific Command and Richard Armitage, who publicly launched a tirade of offensive statements: “It threatens the country’s credibility as an ally”, “Australia is freeloading on the American taxpayer”, “Australia defence spending has fallen below what the US expects”, “Australia’s defence budget is inadequate”, and so on. more ...
Culture & life – Female, black and vulnerable
Keith Sulzer, commander of the Cleveland Police force in the US city of that name became highly indignant when a surprising number of critics emerged after three young women who had been kidnapped and held prisoner for ten years in a house in the poor part of Cleveland were finally rescued. more ...
Pete's Corner
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