The world doesn’t see an “indispensable nation” in America, only one that is ‘dysfunctional at home and pursuing naked self-interest abroad’ Nicholas Burns, the US ambassador to China, and his State Department colleague Jose Fernandez think the United States has created a successful playbook to help other countries resist China’s economic coercion. So say two representatives Continue reading »
politics
The stories we witnessed on a five-minute scroll on X this morning include Julian Assange, Pope Francis, author Ilan Pappé, the Tent Massacre in Gaza and the IDF leaked footage of October 7. Julian Assange and John Shipton, who has celebrated his 80th Birthday ‘Family photo shows Julian Assange lying low in Melbourne’ | @smh Continue reading »
Legendary student agitator, Oz-era editor, Hawke-era Parliamentarian, union official, music industry executive and all-purpose provocateur, Pete Steedman died aged 82 on 10 July 2024 after a long battle with cancer. This is one of a number of speeches given at a memorial celebration of his life at the Melbourne Trades Hall on 7 September 2024. Continue reading »
Asia posturing. At least the Americans discern no contradiction in Australian strategic policy, but the government continues to contort its messaging. At least the Americans call it as it is. Over the past few weeks, Washington’s language has again revealed the raw power equation in US-Australia relations. And it has overwritten the government’s consistently careful Continue reading »
Republished from DECLASSIFIED AUSTRALIA, September 03, 2024 FOI document releases show that behind the press releases and statements of concern, lie the facts of the Australian Government’s knowing support for some of the gravest human rights crimes of the century. Israel continues to use its fleet of F35-I Adir fighter-bomber aircraft, with Australian parts and Continue reading »
We took a five-minute scroll through X this morning and this is what we saw in relation to issues impacting the world today, in Gaza…. Great Britain’s 1 million person protest for Palestine – the largest protest in their history One of the biggest protests in the history of Great Britain 1 MILLION people pic.twitter.com/H3XVPNi6xc Continue reading »
The Labor Government’s handling of possible questions about sexuality and gender identity in the 2026 has been a debacle. It is also the latest in a series. Is this just part of Labor’s slide towards timidity, or is Labor also acting in bad faith towards the LGBTQI+ community? Continue reading »
This week I was practising my argument about a feeling that Albanese Labor has by now left it too late to retrieve its position before the next federal election is due. This was after it was revealed that the economy is on life support and that Labor’s best argument about being a superior economic manager Continue reading »
Organisational management, especially when it comes to large entities, has little to recommend it. Arrange the schedules. Pamper sponsors and behave simperingly. Ensure a diet of pills to null the embarrassment. Mind the assets and fret over the brand. Sigh over ledgers and order spreadsheets. When it comes to the classical music industry, all of Continue reading »