From the news on: Australian and other politics [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on poliics, bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Content shown in green (which may be only part of a news story) is about what is generally considered “good news”, but personal history may still make such events triggering. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/.  

On Australian politics: 

• “No matter how serious the issue, nuance becomes a thought crime for the Coalition’s court jesters”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/21/no-matter-how-serious-the-issue-nuance-becomes-a-thought-for-the-coalitions-court-jesters  
  

• “Paul Bongiorno: No one emerges a winner from a very grubby, politicised referendum”   https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2023/10/17/paul-bongiorno-no-winners-voice/   “If anyone needed convincing, the weekend’s almost clean sweep rejection of the Voice referendum is further proof that the withholding of bipartisan support is a guaranteed death blow. ... Former Howard government treasurer Peter Costello once told me there would never be a republic in this country unless a Liberal Prime Minister put it up.   ... You know there is a deep sense of embarrassment about Saturday’s result when the main architects of the failed opportunity at national reconciliation, the federal Coalition, are now hellbent on blaming Albanese for the stunning rejection of Indigenous Australians. ... A statement from Indigenous Australians who supported the Voice thanked Albanese rather than blaming him, and said they are in mourning and hurt.   They will talk now “not of recognition and reconciliation” but “only of justice and the rights of people in our own country”.”     

• Amathiac CEOs are counter-productively going to insist on destroying work conditions that best suit many people    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/oct/16/wfh-work-from-home-returning-to-office-australia   
  

• “Stress levels in Australian workplaces among the highest as we battle constant interruptions and irritating colleagues”   https://theconversation.com/stress-levels-in-australian-workplaces-among-the-highest-as-we-battle-constant-interruptions-and-irritating-colleagues-215433   “In Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report, the US and Canada region along with East Asia tied for the highest level of stress at 52%, and Australia and New Zealand had the second-highest rate at 47%. ... an analysis of 382,000 employee exit interviews found reports of employee burnout have almost doubled in the past year.   The return to the office appears to be a contributing factor with 52% of employees preferring flexible/hybrid work to minimise mental health concerns.”    

• “Almost nine in 10 Australians support plan to outlaw lies in political advertising, poll shows”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/18/almost-nine-in-ten-australians-support-plan-to-outlaw-lies-in-political-advertising-poll-shows   

• “Australia cannot be ‘passive bystanders’ in a war between US and China, [Defence Minister] says”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/18/australia-cannot-be-passive-bystanders-in-a-war-between-us-and-china-richard-marles-says   “Defence minister says consequences of a conflict over Taiwan are ‘so grave’ and says status of island must be ‘arrived at peacefully’”   

• “Uber delivers a staggering pay ‘admission’”   https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/work/2023/10/19/uber-pay-award-rate/   “Uber argued prices for it customers would go up by 60 per cent for rideshare and a staggering 85 per cent for delivery fees, in its response to proposed amendments to the Fair Work Act that would give the Fair Work Commission (FWC) the power to set minimum pay standards and conditions for Uber drivers and other gig platform workers”    which seems like a contradiction of one or more of the following:   Articles 6 (1), 7, and 8 (see here) of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (i) (ii) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Article 11 (1) (a - c) of the CEDAW,   and   Article 27 (1) of the CRPD   

• “Many Aussies left behind as banks race to ditch cash transactions”   https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2023/10/20/cash-bank-closures-australia/  

 

On other political matters: 

• “European Journalism on the Docket Thanks to Bogus Lawsuits”   https://freedomhouse.org/article/european-journalism-docket-thanks-bogus-lawsuits    which is contrary to Article 19 of the ICCPR    

• “Russian sources disappeared after _____ declassified ex-spy’s evidence, UK court told”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/17/russian-sources-disappeared-after-trump-declassified-ex-spys-evidence-uk-court-told    

• “The world is moving away from a rules-based order and towards power politics ... Our new geoeconomic order pirouettes to a different melody than the rules-based era of globalisation ... Power politics through economic means is the order of the day”   https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/australia-must-play-geoeconomics-game-or-risk-being-side-lined    

 

From my links for activism post to aid any activism you decide to do:

• on MISGOVERNANCE, MAL-/MIS-/NON-FEASANCE, MISCONDUCT, CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring)
  
  
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties)
  
• noting particularly Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter, the 1928 Pact of Paris used in post-WW2 trials, the "laws" of war and IHL and Article 20 of the ICCPR on WAR / CONFLICT 
  
  
• on DEMOCRACY, SOVEREIGNTY / SELF-DETERMINATION, AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects)

Don't forget to check whether your nation has ratified any relevant conventions/treaties/etc. 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;
  

 

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.