The terms of privatisation included an anti-competitive restriction on the development of a commercial-scale container terminal at Newcastle, primarily to boost the sale price of Port Botany. Everyone in Australia, and indeed beyond, has a stake in the successful transformation of Newcastle and the coal rich Hunter region of NSW. Why? Because in case you Continue reading »
politics
A predisposition to secrecy still handicaps integrity in Australian government. The many who feel that the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) made a very serious error of judgment in deciding not to pursue a reference from the Robodebt Royal Commission will feel somewhat relieved that the NACC Inspector, Gail Furness, SC, will be holding an inquiry Continue reading »
Historically ignorant strategists urge people to their deaths to sustain the illusion of American primacy. But the problem of dealing with a belligerent, crumbling, supremacist USA is the true geopolitical challenge of the age. Michael Pezzulo’s warcry, “The challenge of Communist China”, is a dangerous pose to straddle world history and a sign the USA’s Continue reading »
Australian citizen Yang Hengjun’s death sentence for espionage in China has complicated the improvement of China–Australia relations. The case highlights concerns about China’s legal system, particularly regarding national security cases where the judiciary lacks transparency and independence. Despite international condemnation, China continues to issue numerous death sentences. The case also underscores the growing mistrust and Continue reading »
The manipulation of truth and the acceptance of self-fabricated narratives can have devastating consequences, akin to the fate of Narcissus in Greek mythology, who, entranced by his own reflection, was consumed by self-love to the point of destruction. Similarly, the propagation and strategic use of misinformation as a political tool has serious consequences. In February Continue reading »
A majority of Australians want a ceasefire in Gaza, but the Australian Parliament seems more preoccupied with political brinkmanship than recognition of this tragedy. The first parliamentary debate occurred immediately after the Hamas attack on Israel when this atrocity was immediately condemned recognising the human impact of this act of terrorism. Yet for the last Continue reading »
Pauline Hanson, a Queensland based attention-seeking racist bigot has started picking on Robert Irwin, a young boy also from Queensland who lost his famous Father when he was young. Ms Hanson started bullying Mr Irwin by stealing his likeness to... Read More ›
Today I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michael Barker, editor of the Fremantle Shipping News, to chat about technology and the human condition. We went deep!
Imagine if you are a UK Guardian reader and wanting to assess the options for an almost certain victory by Labour in the upcoming general election. Your understanding of the challenges facing the next government will be conditioned by what you have been reading in that newspaper. Unfortunately, there have been a stream of articles…