/qresearch/ - Q Research

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CURRENT DOUGH

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Spies suspect 500 incidents of foreign meddling in Australian politics, society

Peter Hartcher - May 24, 2021

Australian intelligence has identified about 500 recent incidents of covert foreign agents interfering in domestic politics and society, but the nation’s chief spy insists that “at least 99.9 per cent” of the diaspora communities here are uninvolved.

The previous head of domestic spy agency ASIO, Duncan Lewis, had said in 2017 that the agency was being overwhelmed by foreign interference and espionage and in 2018 that it was happening at unprecedented levels.

But the number of instances has not been known publicly until now. ASIO’s last public update said that it had dealt with more than 30 cases in 2020. Only a handful were publicly visible.

In an interview for the new book Red Zone, by this correspondent, a senior intelligence officer said there were about 500 known or suspected cases of foreign interference and espionage in Australia in late 2020.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasised the qualifiers “known or suspected”. Not all suspected cases were verified, and it was possible that there were undetected cases.

Several countries are behind such activity but officials have said that the Chinese Communist Party is by far the most active in trying to influence Australian politicians and political processes covertly.

The current head of ASIO, Mike Burgess, said covert agents of foreign powers made up just a tiny minority of diaspora communities.

“It is important to understand that ASIO works with – not against – diaspora communities as we seek to help and protect them,” he said in an interview for the book.

“I am always at pains to distinguish between diaspora communities on the one hand and the foreign governments and their intelligence services that are conducting foreign interference on the other.

“I would venture that at least 99.9 per cent of the diaspora community are fine. In fact, it is the diaspora communities that are often the victims of interference. I am an immigrant myself [from England, with his family when aged seven]. I understand that fondness for the country of your birth does not mean you are disloyal to Australia, and it certainly does not mean you are a security threat.”

The Turnbull government toughened laws against both espionage and interference in 2018 with full support from the Labor opposition, and the Morrison government allocated funding for a joint ASIO-Australian Federal Police taskforce to enforce the laws.

When asked for an assessment of ASIO’s progress against foreign interference and espionage, Mr Burgess said the agency had a list and they were working to shorten it.

“We’re shrinking that list through those activities – visa cancellations or interviews, that disrupts and reduces harm. In February 2020 I gave a speech where I warned any nation conducting espionage and foreign interference in this country that ASIO and its partners will hunt you down and deal with your activities.

“Obviously, I cannot go into details but I can confirm that we have made impressive progress. Of course, that does not mean the threats have ended. Foreign intelligence services will still try to steal our secrets and undermine our sovereignty, and they are likely to respond to our successes by using more sophisticated tradecraft and technology in the future.”

The federal budget this month allocated funds for a 15 per cent increase in ASIO staff numbers, up by 279 people to 2152. Its total budget last year was $520 million. The government projected a total, 10-year increase for ASIO of $1.3 billion including some for artificial intelligence. The AFP was allocated money for another 290 staff.

Australia’s new foreign interference and espionage laws were denounced by Beijing, with the Chinese government demanding they be repealed. Of the 14 demands made by China’s government in November as a precondition of improving relations, the repeal of these laws is number three.

Number one on the list calls for China’s foreign investment to be unrestricted. Number two is a reversal of the Huawei ban.

Mr Lewis said in 2018 that foreign interference and espionage were a “real and potential existential threat to Australian security and sovereignty”. Mr Burgess told the author that the new laws had exerted “a chilling effect” on foreign governments and their agents.

The head of the ANU’s National Security College, Rory Medcalf, said the estimate of 500 known or suspected cases of foreign interference and espionage did not mean there were 500 active efforts to influence or turn senior decision-makers.

“But it’s part of a wide spectrum of activity ranging from low-level community interference right through to efforts to disrupt the system at a high level,” he said.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/spies-suspect-500-incidents-of-foreign-meddling-in-australian-politics-society-20210523-p57uey.html

Threat of major cyber attack on critical infrastructure real, national security boss warns

Nour Haydar - 24 May 2021

One of Australia's top national security figures has warned the threat of a cyber attack on Australia's critical infrastructure is "immediate", "realistic" and "credible", and could take down the nation's electricity network.

Home Affairs Department secretary Mike Pezzullo believes the threat posed by sophisticated criminals and hackers acting for other nations is "deeply concerning".

"Of all the things that keep me awake at night, and there are quite a number, that is the most pressing, immediate concern," he told Senate estimates.

"COVID has been dreadful, COVID has been terrible given the deaths, imagine trying to do COVID without electricity.

"It's as immediate, it is as realistic, and it is as credible a threat as that."

In response to increased cyber attacks, the federal government has proposed new legislation aimed at better protecting assets in critical sectors including water, health, energy and transport.

The new laws would impose greater cybersecurity obligations on operators responsible for the infrastructure in those sectors.

Earlier this year, federal parliament and Channel Nine were the targets of an unsuccessful cyber attack which caused a crippling IT disruption for many staff.

Western Australia's parliament was also the subject of an attack in March.

Mr Pezzullo's comments also come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison publicly urged Australian organisations, including governments and businesses, to protect themselves after saying many were currently being targeted by a sophisticated foreign "state-based" hacker.

Federal government agencies believed China was the nation behind ongoing cyber attacks on institutions including hospitals and state-owned utilities.

Australia's cyber authorities are currently working to establish what has caused a crippling IT disruption at federal parliament that has left many of the building's occupants without access to email across the weekend.

Mr Pezzullo said without the additional measures, which are currently being considered by parliament's powerful Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Australia faced a "perilous" road.

"We've laid information before the parliamentary committee that potentially state actors could take advantage of these vulnerabilities," he said.

Mr Pezzullo said the increased interconnectedness of software and machinery used by operators could expose businesses to sabotage and ransomware.

"We're seeing this with hospital systems, we're seeing it with vaccine data, we're seeing it with healthcare providers, typically the criminals will chase opportunity in the knowledge that it's likely to achieve a benefit," he warned.

"Cyber criminals tend to be very business savvy so they will chase opportunity and typically the more critical a system, the more critical a data set, the more the criminal opportunity there might be.

"It makes good business sense to have common platforms and connected systems so your plant operators can remotely dial in to see how machinery is performing, but it increases what cybersecurity experts call the attack surface.

"That's before you get to state actors, and also there is a combination effect of state actors operating with criminal actors effectively acting as proxies."

Pezzullo defends 'drums of war' comments

Under questioning from Greens senator Nick Mckim, Mr Pezzullo defended a speech he made in which he warned the "drums of war" were beating.

He said the comments, which formed part of an Anzac Day message to staff, were not a warning of imminent danger.

"The point of my message to my staff was neither to advocate nor of course to glorify war, but to lament for peace," he said.

"It's a lament for peace and an acknowledgement of the significant price that has been paid by many generations for the freedoms that we have.

"It's clearly on its face not a statement of policy, that is a matter for ministers to outline, nor I would contend is it an assessment or a warning of imminent danger."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-24/cyber-attack-threat-critical-infrastructure-mike-pezzullo/100160894

Parliament hit by brute force 'attack'

Marion Rae - 24 May 2021

Federal parliament has suffered a brute force attack, two years after cyber espionage by a sophisticated state actor thought to be China.

President of the Senate Scott Ryan told an estimates hearing on Monday the "malicious activity" lasted just under 24 hours.

He said it was unsuccessful and Department of Parliamentary Services networks were not compromised.

"I'm not going to get into a backdoor discussion of attribution," Senator Ryan said.

"What I can say about the attack is the following: On March 26, 2021, the DPS was the subject of malicious cyber activity."

"A malicious actor sought to access the DPS network accounts from MobileIron devices," he said, naming the commercial software used to manage the security and management of DPS-issued mobile devices.

He said "unsophisticated brute force tradecraft" was used.

The attempted hack sparked an outage for department-issued mobile phones and tablets from March 27 to April 5 as accounts were locked down.

Those controls were successful in blocking the malicious actor but also impacted legitimate users, Senator Ryan said.

"DPS has been and will remain an attractive target for malicious cyber activity, which is increasing in frequency and sophistication," he said.

The federal government had previously stopped short of describing the March incident at Parliament House as an "attack".

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess told a hearing last month he was not concerned by the latest outage.

A "sophisticated state actor" was detected in February 2019 conducting malicious activity within the networks of federal parliament and major Australian political parties.

https://thewest.com.au/politics/parliament-hit-by-brute-force-attack-c-2917772

United States Consulate General in Melbourne Tweet

Thanks to the Uyghur Association of Victoria for hosting us over the weekend. We’re proud to stand by our Uyghur friends and speak out for those arbitrarily detained in Xinxiang Province. - CG Mike Kleine

https://twitter.com/usconsulatemelb/status/1396667316931158020

Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post

May 21 2021

Holding Down the Fort

Do you know where the U.S. embassy is located in Australia?

U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, perform embassy reinforcement drills with Marines role playing as notional potential enemy combatants at Kangaroo Flats Training Area, NT, Australia, May 18, 2021. An embassy reinforcement involves evacuating civilians in the case of a threat to an area of importance, establishing vehicle checkpoints and enemy control points in order to search for potential combatants entering these areas. This training allows #Marines with MRF-D to prepare methods of response to any crisis or contingency within the #IndoPacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Cpl. Colton K. Garrett and Cpl. Lydia Gordon)

https://www.facebook.com/MRFDarwin/posts/4130893973666538

War Is Declared After Priory of Sion Fails To Respond

Benjamin Fulford 5/24/21

War has been declared against the Priory of Satan after they refused to agree to a campaign to save the planet, White Dragon Society sources say. However, a decision has been made to decline the Gnostic Illuminati’s offer to hit Lake Geneva, Nato Headquarters, and Jerusalem with 4th generation hydrogen nuclear weapons that don’t cause long-term radioactive pollution. Instead, Special Forces will be making pinpoint attacks to eliminate key individuals and institutions involved in the ongoing fake pandemic and related war crimes.

MI6 sources say an underground base in Switzerland has already been attacked and taken out of commission. This attack led to an emergency meeting being held at the Vatican, according to P3 Freemason sources. The meeting was called by the Rockefeller Foundation and meeting attendance revealed exactly who they still control. The answer is the World Bank, the IMF, the African Union (but not individual African states), Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Furthermore, the attack forced the Satanic World Economic Forum to cancel a special annual meeting it had planned for Singapore in August.

https://www.weforum.org/press/2021/05/media-advisory-special-annual-meeting

An emergency meeting held at the Vatican has also alerted the P3 to the fact that Pope Francis has been killed and replaced by an actor wearing a rubber mask who is openly calling for every single human being on earth to be killed with vaccinations. https://www.bitchute.com/video/4KzcvUhGHFSS/

Nobel Prize-winning virologist Dr. Luc Montagnier said last week “there is no hope and no possible treatment for those who have already been vaccinated,” after seeing the ingredients of the Covid gene treatments being used. What is happening basically is that the Khazarian Mafia is trying to murder its hostage slave peoples rather than give up power.

P3 Freemason sources say “the Vatican secret service knows everything, revenge is on, starting with…

Sauce: https://benjaminfulford.net/2021/05/24/war-is-declared-after-priory-of-sion-fails-to-respond/

>>13608307 (pb)

Latest research by ‘bat woman’ shows novel coronavirus closer to pangolins, 'unlikely from Wuhan lab'

Leng Shumei - May 25, 2021

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Latest research again indicates that it was unlikely the novel coronavirus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), experts said, amid US media's recent hyping of the lab leak theory ahead of the World Health Assembly (WHA).

Researchers from the WIV and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, including Shi Zhengli, who has been dubbed China's "Bat Woman" for her years of research and achievements with bats and viruses, published a report on Friday on BioRxiv that further refutes the hyped theory that the virus came from the laboratory.

The research shows that none of the known viruses of the bat SARSr-CoV-2 lineage or its novel variant use the human ACE2 as efficiently as SARSr-CoV-2 from pangolins or some of the SARSr-CoV-1 lineage viruses.

"These results suggested the SARSr-CoVs discovered in bats now may be just the tip of the iceberg. These viruses may have experienced selection or recombination events in the animal hosts and rendered viral adaption to a new host and then spread to the new species before they jumped to humans," researchers said in the report.

Bats and pangolins are recognized as the most probable reservoir hosts that harbor viruses which are very similar to SARS-CoV-2.

Based on the Friday report, it is safe to say that bats are probable ancestors of the coronavirus that led to SARS in 2003 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and coronavirus strains discovered in pangolins are closer to the novel coronavirus in humans, Yang Zhanqiu, a virologist from the Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Tuesday, noting that the report still did not explain how the virus transferred and adapted from bats to humans via pangolins.

But the results were enough to demonstrate that it is unlikely that the coronavirus leading to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic leaked from the WIV, where Shi and her team kept virus samples from bats, a Beijing-based immunology expert told the Global Times on Tuesday on condition of anonymity.

"When we say a virus is from a lab, we are indicating that either the virus, or a highly similar virus, is leaked from a lab, or a virus is manufactured by man in a lab. But the two possibilities have both been refuted so far by scientific research," Zhuang Shilihe, a Guangzhou-based expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The most likely process is that the coronavirus from bats had mutated in nature for decades before it successfully infected humans and led to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, Zhuang said.

(continued)

>>13748272

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US politicians and media outlets have been pursuing the lab leak theory as the origin of COVID-19, despite scientists from the WHO-China joint study team concluding, in a full report after their field study in Wuhan, that a lab leak is extremely unlikely.

Hours before the WHA began on Monday, the Wall Street Journal ran a story, citing an undisclosed US intelligence report, indicating that three researchers from the WIV became sick in November 2019 with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses.

Yuan Zhiming, director of the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory of the WIV, refuted the report, calling the story "an outright lie that came from nowhere."

The Global Times found that the claims of three WIV researchers getting sick had been spread by Australian media as early as March by Australian journalist Sharri Markson, an active disseminator of conspiracy theories and lies that smear China.

In early May, Markson released a so-called exclusive report in The Australian newspaper quoting a Chinese book that is openly on sale as a "leaked" exclusive document smearing China over the origins of COVID-19, twisting the book's contents to support her own conspiracy theory that China was engaged in weaponizing the novel coronavirus several years before the pandemic.

In May 2020, Markson revealed that a Five Eyes intelligence report claimed the novel coronavirus may have come from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. However, another Australian media outlet, The Age, soon pointed out that the so-called exclusive report was suspected of being provided by the US Embassy in Australia.

Chinese experts had reiterated that tracing the origins of the coronavirus is a scientific task and the aim of the work is to prevent future disasters rather than to assign responsibility.

Many international scientists have shown support for their Chinese counterparts over the issue, but recently some have left Chinese scientists feeling "betrayed" as they seem to be changing their tone.

The US' top epidemiologist Anthony Fauci said at a Poynter event earlier this month that he was not convinced the virus developed naturally, saying we should continue to investigate what went on in China, the New York Post reported on Sunday. However, last May, the US scientist said in an article in the National Geographic that there was "no scientific evidence the coronavirus was made in a Chinese lab."

Fauci's modification of his remarks sparked more speculation about the Biden administration's future moves of politicizing the virus origins.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202105/1224394.shtml

>>13748272

Mike Pompeo Tweet

The CCP was actively engaged in viral research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Every piece of evidence points to a leak from this laboratory.

The CCP has done everything to cover up and deflect blame, even blaming the U.S. Prove it.

They must be held accountable.

https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1396898406614904843

>>13718126 (pb)

>>13718277 (pb)

Transcript - Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 24, 2021

AFP: According to Australia, Chinese-born Australian academic Yang Jun will go on trial on espionage charges on Thursday. Can you confirm it? Do you have any detail on this case?

Zhao Lijian: China has made clear on many occasions its position on the individual case of the relevant Australian citizen. China is a country under the rule of law. China's judicial organs handle cases in accordance with law and fully protect the lawful rights and interests of relevant personnel. As for the specific situation you mentioned, I have no information to offer you at present.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/t1878214.shtml

Masks, social restrictions return to Australia’s Melbourne after fresh outbreak

Renju Jose - May 25, 2021

Australia’s second largest city Melbourne reinstated COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday as authorities scrambled to find the missing link in a fresh outbreak, prompting New Zealand to pause a “travel bubble” with the state of Victoria.

Amid worries the cluster, which has grown to nine cases in two days, could spark a major outbreak, Victoria imposed social restrictions and made face masks mandatory in hotels, restaurants, and other indoor venues from 6 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Tuesday until June 4.

The latest outbreak ends Victoria's run of zero cases for nearly three months and saw New Zealand suspend quarantine-free travel with the state and the neighbouring state of South Australia impose travel restrictions.

Australia has avoided the high COVID-19 numbers seen in many developed countries by closing its international borders in the early stages of the pandemic and with lockdowns. It has reported just over 30,000 cases and 910 deaths.

Thousands of people in Melbourne have been ordered to self isolate and undergo COVID-19 tests with health alerts issued for several sites, including one of the largest shopping centres in the country.

One of the cases had a high viral load while he visited some venues prompting authorities to warn Melbourne's five million residents to brace for more positive cases in the next few days.

Authorities urged Victorians to get vaccinated.

"There are right now millions of Victorians that are eligible to be vaccinated. They shouldn't wait for tomorrow, they shouldn't wait for next week. They should move now and get vaccinated," James Merlino, Victoria state's acting premier, told reporters in Melbourne.

Victoria was the hardest-hit state during a second wave late last year, accounting for about 70% of total cases and 90% of deaths in Australia. The state, the country's second most populous, only controlled the outbreak after one of the world's longest and strictest lockdowns.

Five new locally acquired cases were reported in Victoria on Tuesday, a day after four infections were recorded in Melbourne.

All cases belong to one extended family across different households and could be traced back to the variant found in an overseas traveller who returned to Melbourne early this month after completing quarantine in the city of Adelaide.

Authorities, however, said they could not yet find how the latest cases contracted the virus from the overseas traveller.

New Zealand's COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the 'travel bubble' with Victoria has been suspended for three days from Tuesday evening.

"New Zealand officials have assessed that the most cautious option is to pause the travel bubble with Victoria as there are still several unknowns with the outbreak," Hipkins said.

Melbourne's fresh outbreak comes as Australian authorities try to ramp up a sluggish national vaccination drive with health experts worried many people were delaying getting inoculated because of the country's success in effectively eliminating the virus.

https://www.reuters.com/world/australia-reinstates-covid-19-curbs-melbourne-after-fresh-outbreak-2021-05-25/

Ben Roberts-Smith wiped laptop days after being told to retain documents, court told

Georgina Mitchell - May 25, 2021

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Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith wiped the contents of his laptop five days after he was told by lawyers in a defamation case to retain certain information and documents, a court has heard.

Mr Roberts-Smith, 42, is suing The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times over a series of stories published in 2018, which he says are defamatory because they portray him as someone who “broke the moral and legal rules of military engagement” and committed murder.

A trial, due to begin in Sydney on June 7, is expected to last six to eight weeks.

On Tuesday, the newspapers’ barrister Lyndelle Barnett told the Federal Court her clients have asked for a series of USB sticks retrieved from Mr Roberts-Smith’s former home in June 2020 to be produced to the court. However, they were told the contents of the USBs had been “condensed” onto Mr Roberts-Smith’s laptop in August or September last year and the USBs were then discarded.

“We then sought the laptop, with a view to it being inspected by an expert, and were told on Friday night that the applicant has wiped the hard drive of that laptop very recently, on the 17th of April,” Ms Barnett said. “Nonetheless, we still press for production of that laptop.”

Ms Barnett said the newspapers plan for an independent expert to examine the laptop to see if anything is recoverable, and to examine any metadata on the laptop so it might be seen how it was wiped.

“That did occur five days after we wrote to the applicant requiring him to retain documents associated with the USBs, so we are concerned about the hard drive having been wiped in those circumstances. It is something we wish to explore,” Ms Barnett said.

“We don’t accept it was appropriate for the applicant to wipe his hard drive after being asked to retain it, but that will be a matter for trial.”

Mr Roberts-Smith’s barrister Bruce McClintock, SC, said he is happy to provide the laptop, adding “there’s nothing sinister in what occurred”.

“My client was in the course of buying a new computer and trading in the old one, and that’s the reason for these events,” Mr McClintock said. “The five USBs, or whatever number they were, were in fact condensed into one USB.”

He said this USB remains with his instructing solicitors because, “I believe there are national security issues.”

(continued)

>>13748711

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Mr McClintock asked for the newspapers to produce interview recordings with relatives of Ali Jan, an Afghan man who was allegedly kicked off a cliff and shot dead by Australian soldiers in September 2012 in the village of Darwan.

The barrister said his understanding is some interview excerpts were published, while others were “destroyed”, which he finds hard to accept and is a matter he will take further.

“This is a significant issue about destruction of documents by the respondents,” Mr McClintock said.

“As I understand it, one of the recordings is of the supposed Ali Jan’s wife. I fail to see how anyone could have ever thought that wouldn’t be relevant.”

Ms Barnett said the recordings were made, and deleted, some months prior to the stories in the defamation case being published. She said the interviews were filmed on an iPhone with recordings starting and stopping, which meant there were short clips which contained nothing relevant.

“Those were the kinds of videos that were deleted,” Ms Barnett said. “We reject entirely the idea that there’s anything nefarious about these documents, the ones that were deleted, being deleted.”

Ms Barnett said none of the interviews were with the Afghan witnesses who will give evidence in court that they witnessed the circumstances of Ali Jan’s death.

Mr Roberts-Smith is arguing in the defamation case that the newspapers wrongly suggested he disgraced his country and the Australian Army through his conduct in overseas deployments with the SAS.

The stories published in 2018 also portray him as a “hypocrite” who “abused a woman”, Mr Roberts-Smith says, by detailing allegations that he punched a woman with whom he was having an affair.

In a defence, the newspapers have argued the articles do not convey the defamatory imputations pleaded by Mr Roberts-Smith and he is not identifiable in some of them.

However, if the Federal Court finds the articles did identify and defame him, the outlets have pleaded a defence of truth or contextual truth to all the claims, including alleging Mr Roberts-Smith was involved in unlawful killings in Afghanistan.

In a judgment published on Tuesday, Justice Anthony Besanko said he will allow Mr Roberts-Smith to give evidence in the trial first, before the newspapers present their case.

Justice Besanko outlined the anticipated evidence of three witnesses in the case, including Mr Roberts-Smith’s ex-wife Emma. She is expected to say the former soldier concealed evidence, including by burying USBs in the backyard of a home, and took steps to communicate covertly with witnesses.

The case will return to court for further pre-trial directions on June 2.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/ben-roberts-smith-wiped-laptop-days-after-being-told-to-retain-documents-court-told-20210525-p57uxa.html

Embassy in Kabul packs up as troops prepare to leave

AMANDA HODGE and BEN PACKHAM - MAY 25, 2021

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Australia is packing up its embassy in Kabul less than six weeks after the government announced it would pull its last 80 troops from Afghanistan and promised a “new chapter” in the bilateral ­relationship.

Following a report in The Australian on Tuesday morning, Scott Morrison confirmed Australia’s embassy in Afghanistan will close on May 28 following the government announcement it would pull its last troops from the country.

Mr Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia would revert to the pre-2006 model of diplomats visiting Afghanistan from a residence in another part of the region. But the government expected a permanent bricks-and-mortar presence would be established in Kabul “once circumstances permit”.

“This form of diplomatic representation is common practice around the world. It does not alter our commitment to Afghanistan or its people,” the statement said.

“The departure of the international forces and hence Australian forces from Afghanistan over the next few months brings with it an increasingly uncertain security environment where the government has been advised that security arrangements could not be provided to support our ongoing diplomatic presence.”

Mr Morrison and Senator Payne said Australia remained committed to an ongoing bilateral relationship with Afghanistan and supporting the stability and development of the nation.

“Australia is proud to have worked over the past 20 years to assist Afghanistan in protecting itself from exploitation as a base for terrorist groups, to address inequality, and to contribute to improvements in the rights and livelihoods of women and girls,” the statement read.

Private security companies have been notified that their contracts are to end next month, and most Australian diplomats to be out of leased buildings inside the capital’s ­fortified diplomatic zone in the next fortnight.

The US embassy is understood to be finalising plans to expand its Kabul compound, with an eye to accommodating allied diplomatic missions, even as it too reduces in-country diplomatic staff.

This month, Senator Payne met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul to reaffirm Australia’s continued “support for the people of Afghanistan”, and its commitment to a “new chapter” in the bilateral relationship in the wake of the military withdrawal.

“We will continue our close friendship, and support our shared aspiration of peace, stability and prosperity,” Senator Payne said in a statement.

(continued)

>>13748743

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Ahmad Shuja Jamal, Afghan director general for international affairs at the National Security Council, said security conversations were “ongoing” between the government and all foreign ­embassies in Kabul, and that ­“bilaterally or through allies such as NATO, Afghanistan is addressing any concerns from our allied embassies”.

Mr Jamal would not comment on the Australian embassy plans.

“Afghanistan is serious about ensuring the security of diplomatic missions in Afghanistan,” Mr Jamal said.

“The Afghan government wants to maintain all our diplomatic relationships.

“Unlike the Taliban, we are not a pariah ­government and have diplomatic arrangements with governments from Australia to Bangladesh and beyond and we would like to maintain these friendly relations.”

Australia had little option but to end its military involvement in Afghanistan after US President Joe Biden announced last month he would pull the last 2500 American troops from the country by September 11, drawing America’s involvement in the long-running conflict to a close.

A US Defence Department report released last week found a 37 per cent surge in attacks on ­Afghan security forces by the ­Taliban in the first quarter of this year, and warned that large-scale attacks on provincial capitals should be expected.

Australia only re-established an embassy in Afghanistan inside the US compound in 2006, and opened its own independent embassy five years later. But the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan in recent years has made it one of Australia’s most expensive overseas missions.

Mahmoud Saikal – a former Afghan deputy foreign minister, UN ambassador and the first resident Afghan ambassador to Australia – said that withdrawing the embassy or moving it into the US compound would represent a “setback in bilateral relations”.

“We see Australia as a more neutral country with its own vision for the region, so to operate from within the US embassy compound would be to operate in the shadow of the US,” Professor Saikal said.

He lobbied hard for Australia to open its Kabul embassy.

“Despite some mistakes, a lot of good things have happened in Afghanistan in the last 20 years and the Australian taxpayer has been part of that,” Professor Saikal said.

“It’s important to keep an eye on these gains.”

Uncertainty over the embassy’s future has only compounded the fears of 12 locally engaged embassy staff, and 45 Afghan interpreters for the Australian Defence Force and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who are seeking relocation to Australia with their families.

Faheem, an ADF interpreter in Oruzgan and Helmand provinces from 2014 to 2019, said he received approval last year to come to Australia with his wife and four children.

But the process had ground to a halt.

“Nobody is answering our emails now,” said Faheem, who is living in hiding because of Taliban death threats.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/embassy-in-kabul-packs-up-as-troops-prepare-to-leave/news-story/50647c7715d7098b9fa683ee78f13e6f

‘A matter of time’: New Zealand’s foreign minister warns China ‘storm’ could be coming

In an interview with the Guardian, Nanaia Mahuta says exporters must diversify to protect themselves from a potential cooling of ties with Beijing

Tess McClure - 25 May 2021

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New Zealand could find itself at the heart of a “storm” of anger from China, foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta has warned, saying exporters needed to diversify to ensure they could survive deteriorating relations with Beijing.

Mahuta’s comments come as the New Zealand government faces increasing pressure to take a firmer stance on human rights violations and crackdowns by China, putting the spotlight on the potential repercussions for countries who provoke Beijing’s ire.

Neighbouring Australia is in a deepening trade war with China, which Mahuta likened to being at the centre of a storm – one which could easily engulf New Zealand.

“We cannot ignore, obviously, what’s happening in Australia with their relationship with China. And if they are close to an eye of the storm or in the eye of the storm, we’ve got to legitimately ask ourselves – it may only be a matter of time before the storm gets closer to us,” she told the Guardian.

It was one of the minister’s more frank discussions of the vulnerability of New Zealand’s trade dependency on China – and a clear directive to local exporters that they should be seeking to redistribute some of those eggs to baskets elsewhere.

“The signal I’m sending to exporters is that they need to think about diversification in this context – Covid-19, broadening relationships across our region, and the buffering aspects of if something significant happened with China. Would they be able to withstand the impact?” she asked. China accounts for more than $33bn of New Zealand’s total trade, and nearly 30% of exports.

New Zealand is attempting to walk a difficult tightrope with China: maintaining a strong trade relationship, while still carving out space to criticise violations of human rights or international law. Over the past year, that position has become increasingly difficult to maintain.

The country is under pressure to take a stronger moral stance on human rights issues in and around China. Human rights groups have described mass human rights abuses in Xinjiang, including the incarceration of more than a million people in internment and re-education camps, forced labour, mass sterilisation of women, and restrictions on religion, culture and language, as cultural genocide.

The crackdown on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong is ongoing: an operation rounding up of dozens of pro-democracy politicians and activists in March means many key voices of dissent are now in custody or prison. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand’s differences with China were becoming “harder to reconcile”.

New Zealand has issued statements expressing “grave concerns” about China’s actions in both Xinjiang and Hong Kong, but those statements have tended to be softer than those of its longstanding allies in the Five Eyes network, Britain, the US, Canada and Australia.

New Zealand, along with Australia, welcomed coordinated sanctions announced by the UK, US, the EU and Canada over Uyghur abuses, but did not institute sanctions of their own. In May, New Zealand shied away from using the word “genocide” in a motion on Xinjiang debated and unanimously adopted by parliament – opting instead to use more general, watered-down language of “human rights abuses”. Mahuta says New Zealand “didn’t go to the degree of naming it is genocide because of the international legal threshold around that”.

At the time, trade minister Damien O’Connor said that using the language of genocide would hurt New Zealand’s trade relationship. “Clearly the Chinese government wouldn’t like something like that … I have no doubt it would have some impact [on trade]. That’s hardly rocket science,” O’Connor said.

The opposition leader, Judith Collins, also said New Zealand’s trade relationship with China was the “elephant in the room” in the discussion. “At the moment, clearly we are [beholden to China] in terms of trade,” she told Stuff.

(continued)

Right-wing terror threat still on the rise

Matt Coughlan - 25 May 2021

Australia's right-wing terrorism threat has continued to rise with almost half of domestic spy counter-terrorism investigations now dedicated to ideological extremists.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Tuesday terror threats were complex and challenging.

"Our investigations in ideologically motivated violent extremism, such as racists and nationalists, are approaching 50 per cent of our counter-terrorism onshore caseload," he said.

"This reflects a growing international trend as well as ASIO's decision to allocate more resources to the threat."

He said the increase was concerning and challenging but needed to be viewed in context.

"Religiously motivated violent extremism remains, in the short term, our most serious terrorist threat."

Mr Burgess said battle-hardened foreign fighters could return to the country, while 14 Australians convicted of terrorism offences were due to end prison terms over the next five years.

"Right now ASIO is aware of multiple religiously motivated violent extremists who want to kill Australians. Groups such as ISIL continue to urge attacks," he said.

The threat of a terrorism attack remains probable, with Mr Burgess telling a hearing last month an incident was likely within the next year.

He also warned foreign spies and extremists were using encrypted messages along with other technology to evade authorities.

The ASIO boss said recent increased government investment would allow ASIO to connect more dots in combating espionage and terrorism.

"Given the volume and complexity of data, we are not searching for a needle in a haystack, we are searching for a needle in a hayfield," the director-general said.

Mr Burgess backed an Australian Federal Police push to criminalise possessing swastikas and terrorist manifestos.

"There is a link between hate speech and hate crime including acts of terrorism," he said.

"There's a link between possession of violent or extremist insignia and acts of terrorism."

Mr Burgess said threats to lives in Australia would always be a priority which was "hard to walk away from" with the terror threat level at probable.

"At the same time though, espionage and foreign interference is unacceptably high and we do think will supplant terrorism as this country's principle security concern," he said.

https://thewest.com.au/politics/right-wing-terror-threat-still-on-the-rise-c-2928441

19 alleged incidents of misconduct involving federal MPs, staff reported to AFP

Katina Curtis and Anthony Galloway - May 25, 2021

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Police have received reports about 19 incidents of possible misconduct involving federal MPs and their staff since former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins came forward in February to allege she was raped by a colleague in Parliament House.

The criminal investigation into Ms Higgins’ allegation is reaching its final stages with police preparing a brief for prosecutors. It comes as cabinet prepares to consider an independent mechanism to deal with serious complaints within parliamentary workplaces.

Australian Federal Police commissioner Reece Kershaw told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday that police had received 40 reports relating to the 19 alleged incidents of misconduct involving federal politicians and their staff. Mr Kershaw confirmed some of the reports related to alleged sexual assaults and said 12 had been identified as “sensitive investigations”. The AFP defines a sensitive investigation as one that involves an elected member, journalist or prominent person, could impact the operation of government and Parliament, or may be of “significant interest” to the Australian community.

The AFP later confirmed it had referred 15 of the matters to state and territory police for further investigation.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will take recommendations from his department’s deputy secretary, Stephanie Foster, on how to improve workplace conditions for political staffers at Parliament House to a cabinet meeting later on Tuesday.

The review of complaints handling was called after Ms Higgins went public with an allegation she was raped by a colleague in a ministerial office in March 2019.

Ms Foster has recommended an independent and confidential complaints mechanism be set up and that there be face-to-face education for managers and staff to understand their workplace obligations and how to respond to serious incidents.

She spoke to staffers, politicians and experts in the field for her report, which was finished late on Monday night. She also spoke with organisations such as sporting codes and mining companies which had already tackled similar issues.

“Her proposals and recommendations seek to ensure that processes are independent, provide empowerment to victims and provide timely, effective and ongoing support,” Mr Morrison said.

He noted work to establish a new complaints mechanism was “more detailed and complex and will require consultation across the Parliament”.

Mr Morrison briefed coalition MPs on Ms Foster’s report on Tuesday morning.

The union representing parliamentary staff called for the government to release Ms Foster’s report and consult employees about its recommendations, but said mandatory training was welcome if long overdue.

Community and Public Sector Union national secretary Melissa Donnelly said this would not be “the last step in making Parliament House a safer place”.

Ms Foster told a Senate estimates hearing she had sought to focus on things that could be done immediately or in the very short term.

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Mr Kershaw earlier said a criminal investigation into Ms Higgins’ allegations was reaching its final stages, with a brief of evidence to be handed to the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions in the coming weeks.

Appearing before a Senate estimates hearing, the police boss was also forced to clarify a statement he gave to a parliamentary hearing in March in which he insisted he did not order the head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Philip Gaetjens, to halt his inquiry into the handling of the complaint.

Mr Kershaw said he told Mr Gaetjens it was “strongly advisable” that he pause his inquiry but that he did not direct him to do so – which appeared to contradict Mr Gaetjens’ comments in March to a separate inquiry.

“Mr Gaetjens called me after my testimony given there was seemingly misunderstanding about different interpretations of our evidence. This is not unusual or surprising in the circumstances, and if he had not called me, I would have made the call,” Mr Kershaw said on Tuesday.

Mr Gaetjens, appearing in a separate estimates hearing at the same time, said he had not told Mr Kershaw to issue a clarifying statement in March, saying it was not his place to do so.

He also revealed he had not made a formal note of the phone conversation for governmental records, describing it as a “process phone call”.

Mr Gaetjens resumed his inquiry into who in the Prime Minister’s office knew what about Ms Higgins’ allegation and when on May 11, after receiving an all-clear from Mr Kershaw. He expects to be finished in “weeks, not days” but couldn’t say whether his work would become public.

“In my view, I have interviewed all relevant people,” he said.

However, he refused to tell the committee how many people he had interviewed or whether any had taken legal representation on the basis it might breach their privacy.

Senior Labor senators Katy Gallagher and Penny Wong said this did not follow the usual protocol for public servants appearing before committees.

“There are 60 people working in the Prime Minister’s office,” Senator Gallagher said. “How can you indicating how many interviews you’ve done for this inquiry constitute personal information or a privacy breach? It’s just unbelievable.”

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

https://www.1800respect.org.au

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/police-investigation-into-alleged-parliament-rape-close-to-going-to-prosecutors-20210525-p57uwp.html

Priest charged with indecent assault wanted to change ‘feeling towards young boys’, court told

Laura Chung - May 24, 2021

A Catholic priest charged with indecently assaulting 12 boys in a NSW Southern Highlands boarding school in the 1980s allegedly wrote if he could change something about himself it would be “this feeling I have towards young boys”, a court has heard.

Father Anthony William Peter Caruana, 79, allegedly assaulted the boys when he was a dormitory manager, rugby coach and band teacher at Chevalier College, in Burradoo, between 1982 and 1988.

He has pleaded not guilty to 29 charges, including four counts of homosexual intercourse with a student and several counts of indecent assault of a person aged under 16.

In her opening statement at the Sydney Downing Centre on Monday, crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay outlined the allegations and told the jury what they could expect to hear from the 12 complainants over the course of the eight-week trial.

Among the allegations is the indecent assault of a student who took part in an extracurricular school activity in 1984.

Ms Keay told the jury the complainant would tell them that on one occasion after practice, Father Caruana allegedly rubbed his erection against the boy’s buttocks.

During the incident, Father Caruana allegedly said words to the effect of “God will love you if you let me teach you” and told the student he would be expelled if he told anyone what had occurred, Ms Keay expects the complainant will say.

In a separate incident, Ms Keay said another former student will recall that on one night in Father Caruana’s office, the priest allegedly pulled his erect penis from his pants, grabbed hold of the student’s head and forced his penis into the student’s mouth.

After the alleged incident, the student was given a lolly and told to return to his room.

“It is the Crown’s case that there is evidence that establishes the accused had a sexual interest in boys between 11 and 15 years [of age] in the 1980s and had a tendency to act in accordance with that sexual interest,” Ms Keay said.

The court was also told there was a questionnaire which had been located in church records by police that had been completed in 1989, the year the complaints were made, “which is in the accused’s handwriting”, she said.

When the questionnaire asked: “what do you like least about yourself”, Father Caruana allegedly responded with,“my sexual problem.”

In response to the question: “do you or did you feel there might be something wrong with you” he allegedly wrote: “Yes and now for the last 30 years, my sexual problems.”

When asked if he could change something about himself, he responded, “this feeling I have towards young boys.”

Following the 1989 complaints, Father Caruana was moved from a “teaching role to an archiving role in Sydney” and did not teach again, Ms Keay said.

The Crown is also expected to hear from a former manager in the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who allegedly wrote a file note in 1993 that “Tony acknowledges he is a paedophile and there is little likelihood of change,” Ms Keay said.

She added while the man couldn’t remember writing the note, he will likely tell the jury “he wouldn’t have written it if that wasn’t said to him”.

Defence barrister Bernard Brassil told the jury it was vital they gave his client a “fair trial” and urged them to be patient.

“That imperatively means that you must not decide anything at this point in time,” he said. “Listen with open ears and open minds what it is the defence says about this trial … We all know the sound that liars make when they give untruthful stories and sometimes intelligent questioning reveals more.”

Detectives launched Strike Force Caber in 2018 to investigate reports of sexual and indecent assaults and arrested Father Caruana at a home in Kensington in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in April 2019.

The trial continues.

National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line: 1800 737 732. Crisis support can be found at Lifeline: (13 11 14 and lifeline.org.au), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467 and suicidecallbackservice.org.au) and beyondblue (1300 22 4636 and beyondblue.org.au).

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/priest-charged-with-indecent-assault-wanted-to-change-feeling-towards-young-boys-court-told-20210524-p57ukx.html

Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Facebook Post

24 May 2021

Color Guard, Post!

U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force - Darwin provided a color guard to carry the national colors and Marine Corps colors for the Battle of The Coral Sea Commemorative Service in Darwin, NT, Australia, May 8, 2021. Known as "the battle that saved Australia," the Battle of The Coral Sea was a historic demonstration of interoperability between U.S. and Australian militaries during World War II and its strategic importance is commemorated annually. The 2021 rotation provides the U.S. Marine Corps and Australian Defence Force with an exceptional opportunity to develop relationships, learn about each other’s cultures, strengthen partnership, and increase shared military capabilities.

(U.S. Marine Corps photos and photo illustration by Cpl. Lydia Gordon)

https://www.facebook.com/MRFDarwin/posts/4140744202681515

US eyes Top End military build-up to combat China threat

BEN PACKHAM - MAY 26, 2021

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The US wants to store munitions and defence equipment in Australia’s Top End under a bilateral force posture review to better prepare the ANZUS allies for growing strategic threats from China.

In an interview, acting US ­ambassador Mike Goldman said it “just makes sense to forward deploy” US war stocks in Australia, given US bases in Guam and elsewhere in the region were within reach of Chinese missiles.

The US charge d’affaires also expressed support for a more “ambitious” redevelopment of the Lombrum naval base in Papua New Guinea, subject to negotiations with PNG and Australia.

Mr Goldman said geostrategic tensions required a more “innovative defence partnership” between Australia and the US, including co-production of precision-guided weapons on Australian soil.

He said a bilateral force posture review working group, established following last year’s AUSMIN talks, had met for the first time ­earlier this month to discuss “a wide range of contingencies”.

Mr Goldman said it was too early to provide details on any new initiatives, but said pre-positioning US weapons in Australia offered strategic advantages.

“A lot of that just makes perfect intuitive sense, particularly when we talk about how we are going to project force in any sort of contingency,” he told The Australian.

He stressed that “any change in US force posture in Australia would be in full consultation with the Australian government”.

Mr Goldman’s comments follow the US government’s announcement last year of a $15m contract to build an earth-covered weapons magazine and munitions conveyor at RAAF Base Tindal, south of Darwin, as well as upgraded fuel storages.

The base’s runway is also being extended to 3.3km to accept larger aircraft, which could potentially include B-52 bombers.

As the US reviews its broader Indo-Pacific military footprint, Mr Goldman said the Lombrum deep-water naval base on Manus Island – which is currently a small facility for Australian-donated patrol boats – was one the US hoped could be developed further.

“I think we would like to make it as ambitious as possible in co-operation with Australia and Papua New Guinea,” he said of the base, which has progressed slowly since it was announced as a joint PNG-Australian-US facility at APEC in 2018. Australia, which is leading the negotiations, has been unable to resolve political difficulties surrounding the base, including a backlash by local landowners.

Mr Goldman indicated talks were already under way on manufacturing US-designed missiles in Australia, which Scott Morrison has thrown his support behind under a $1bn plan for a new sovereign guided-weapons enterprise.

“We are in a new geostrategic context now that requires a different set of platforms and a different force posture,” he said.

“These things aren’t instantaneous but our militaries and strategic thinkers are engaged in discussions about how best to confront these new challenges ­together. So I think we will see new, innovative ways that we are enhancing our partnership.”

(continued)

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Mr Goldman said the “unbreakable” ANZUS alliance, which has its 70th anniversary in September, would outlast current tensions with China over Taiwan, declaring it was “much stronger and more comprehensive than any one contingency”.

“We are not going to dictate countries’ self-interest here. Every country will have to make its own determination (on Taiwan),” he said.

Mr Goldman also lashed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “bellicose” disregard for the inter­national rules-based order, reiterating US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s assurances that the US would not leave Australia “alone on the pitch” to face China’s “economic blackmail”.

He said unlike Donald Trump, President Joe Biden would not make Australia wait for years for a new US ambassador. The appointment would be “if not in the very first tranche, then in the first wave” of ambassadorial announcements, and would be a political operator of a similar stature to Kim Beazley, Joe Hockey or Arthur Sinodinos.

“We don’t have a name yet; in fact, there have not been any political appointees named for any ­bilateral ambassadorships,” he said. “What that suggests strongly is they are … ­vetting candidates with extreme thoroughness and precision.”

Mr Goldman said Mr Biden wanted to visit Australia for the September 1 anniversary of ANZUS, but “the big variable is how Covid goes in the US”.

“If Covid allows domestically and internationally, it would be something that we would really like to see,” he said.

Mr Goldman – a career diplomat who has lived three times in Taipei – said the US Taiwan strategy was not solely a military approach, but one of “compre­hensive deterrence”.

He said the West’s difficult relationship with China was more challenging than the Cold War with Russia because it needed to work with Beijing on key issues such as cutting carbon emissions.

Mr Goldman said the US was leading by example on climate change, and expected “real concrete ambition” from Australia to get its emissions down. Australia has sought to focus on a technology-led climate change policy, and is yet to give ground on setting fresh emissions targets.

Mr Goldman said the US was determined to work with its partners on fighting Covid across the world, and rejected suggestions that China was leading the West in its vaccine diplomacy efforts.

“(Beijing) over-promised in the very beginning but there has been a lack of transparency in the quality of data that has been presented on its vaccines, and there has been a significant under-delivery of vaccines compared to the quantities promised,” he said.

“Whereas if you look at our efforts, I think the US and Australia share a view that vaccines should be aggressively distributed to the places that are most in need.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/us-eyes-top-end-military-buildup-to-combat-china-threat/news-story/1f75ea2038aba861fa9c553bfc6c6228

>>13748782

Transcript - Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 25, 2021

Bloomberg: New Zealand's foreign affairs minister said that exporters from the country should be preparing for any potential deterioration in the trade relationship with China by diversifying into other markets. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on these remarks?

Zhao Lijian: China and New Zealand are each other's important cooperation partners. The considerable progress in China-New Zealand relations is achieved on the premise that the two sides have long been committed to mutual respect, mutual trust and win-win results. We hope New Zealand can carry forward the spirit of "striving to be the first" and the principle of mutual respect and equal treatment, work with China toward the same direction, make the pie of cooperation bigger, rise above external distractions, and jointly advance China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/t1878445.shtml

>>13748272

>>13748275

Backstage manipulators: Western press’ guide to creating anti-China rumors on hot issues, or out of nothing

Bai Yunyi - May 25, 2021

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As some Western media spread more rumors about China, their formula of creating such misinformation becomes clearer.

The latest report from the Wall Street Journal on Sunday revealed an "undisclosed US intelligence report" indicating that several researchers in the lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick in November 2019 displaying symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and other common seasonal illnesses, implying the possibility of the so-called virus "lab leak theory."

Yuan Zhiming, director of the institute's Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, told the Global Times on Monday that the report is an outright lie that came from nowhere.

In fact, China's National Health Commission had publicly clarified the matter at a press conference as early as March 31: The institute has reviewed samples collected from patients in Wuhan with influenza symptoms from January 2019 to January 2020 and found that four of them (three adults and one elderly patient) were positive for SARS-CoV-2, but none of them were workers at the Institute. The three positives were revealed in January 2020, not "November 2019" as the WSJ claimed. But most of the Western media continued to turn a blind eye to such a clarification.

US politicians and media outlets have again been pursuing the lab leak theory as the origin of COVID-19, despite scientists from the WHO-China joint study team concluding in a full report that a lab leak is extremely unlikely.

Behind this highly conspiratorial report by the Wall Street Journal, more clues and characters working in collusion emerged to piece together how such COVID-19-related rumors were produced and disseminated.

The production line of concocting such anti-China rumors has become clear: Taking an unidentified source of information, labeling it as a "top secret intelligence document" to create "mystical credibility," and then using a distorted and exaggerated interpretation in the report to attack China.

Right-wing conservatives in the US are hyping and amplifying these unscientific conspiracy theories. This directly led many American scientists who originally opposed the conspiracy theory, such as top epidemiologist Anthony Fauci, to betray science under political pressure and turn to calling for an "investigation" of Chinese laboratories in searching for the virus' origins.

'Celebrity journalist'

The Global Times found the rumor that three researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology contracted the disease in November 2019 had been circulated in the Australian media more than two months ago.

On March 21, Australian journalist Sharri Markson published a widely circulated "exclusive report" in The Australian, citing a chief researcher at the US State Department named David Asher as a source, claiming that the novel coronavirus disease may be a "biological weapon" developed by China and that vaccine is the "antidote" being developed.

This is not the first time that Markson has made a "scoop" about the plot "Novel coronavirus [disease] leaked from Wuhan Institute of Virology lab."

(continued)

>>13756806

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On May 7, Markson published another article in The Australian claiming that the Chinese government had discussed "the possibility of using the SARS virus as a biochemical weapon" as early as 2015, and thus drew the inference that COVID-19 may come from laboratory leak.

Sky News reported that Markson assessed "chilling" details from a "document produced by Chinese military scientists." However, the document is in fact a widely available book.

This book entitled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons, published in 2015, speculates that SARS may not be of natural origins but may be a man-made disease. Due to its radical views, this book has not been accepted by China's mainstream scientific community, nor has it been widely circulated in China. The book actually concludes that SARS may be a weapon for the United States to attack China, but this point is deliberately downplayed by Markson.

According to Fox News, in May 2020, Markson had already concocted fake news in another right-wing Australian tabloid, The Daily Telegraph. She claimed that she had exclusive access to a 15-page "China dossier" showing "China deliberately covered up evidence of the virus [COVID-19] early on in a pure case of negligence."

In the report, Markson depicted the source in a vague, misleading, and mysterious way, saying it was compiled by the so-called "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance. But the so-called dossier was verified by several news outlets as just a research report based on publicly available information, including news reports.

However, Markson dismissed the mainstream media's criticism of her work on the origin of the virus and claimed to have been savaged by the left-wing Australian media.

Several facts prove that Markson has a clear "formula" for fabricating anti-China rumors: first, find or create a piece of information out of nothing, second, package it into "top-secret intelligence documents" to create a sense of mystery and credibility, and third, interpret and distort it wildly to slander China … now a rumor that is easy to be welcomed by Western anti-China forces is born.

'China observer' and 'cybersecurity specialist'

Sharri Markson has two close partners; Robert Potter, a so-called "network security specialist" and Christopher Balding, "a China observer." Both of them appeared regularly on Markson's show, accepting her interviews, endorsing the so-called "intelligence" documents, becoming the "exclusive sources" of her reports.

For example, in the above-mentioned conspiracy "China has discussed the weaponization of SARS since 2015," Potter said in Markson's interview that the document was authentic.

In another rumor, "China purged a database about the coronavirus [disease] from the Wuhan lab," he and Balding became "informed persons," saying that there were "reliable sources" who told them hackers were able to get into the institution's systems and found that there were major differences between the data stored in the institution and the data reported by China to the WHO.

From May to September 2020, Potter and Balding tirelessly told the same story in the media, including The Australian, Sky News Australia, and The Sun in the UK, to spread the rumor. But they failed to provide any evidence about "data obtained from the database," so even Western media themselves were reluctant to hype this topic anymore.

(continued)

>>13756809

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Another rumor about China is the work of Markson and Potter. In December 2020, Markson, again on Sky News Australia, hyped that "a leaked list of 1.9 million members of the Chinese Communist Party in Shanghai showed that many of them were working in foreign consulates in China and large multinational companies such as Boeing, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca," while Potter stood by this fake news and analyzed the "Chinese infiltration" revealed in the list.

The purpose of this rumor is very obvious. On the one hand, it is used to publicize the theory of the "China threat" and "Chinese infiltration." On the other hand, it also implied that China could have possibly stolen COVID-19 vaccine technology from the West.

The list was later dismissed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China. Some people on the list reached by the Global Times also proved that the list was completely forged. Hyping that "CPC members are found in consulates and multinational companies" also exposed their ignorance of China, as the number of CPC members in China has exceeded 90 million. However, this rumor was still heavily quoted and further hyped by the British and American media.

Balding, another black hand, often spread conspiracy theories about China with Potter, but he has become quieter lately after holding American feet to the fire while attempting to spread more rumors about China.

In August and September 2020, before the US elections, a rumor about "Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, having business with China" went viral on the internet, which came from a 64-page so-called "intelligence" document. The document appeared to be the work of a fake "intelligence firm" called Typhoon Investigations. And the author of the document is a self-identified Swiss security analyst named Martin Aspen, an identity found to be a fabrication, according to an in-depth analysis by technical experts.

According to a report by NBC, Aspen's profile picture was created with an artificial intelligence face generator, and the intelligence firm that Aspen lists as his previous employer said that no one by that name had ever worked for the company.

Later, the media found that the original poster of the document was Christopher Balding. In the beginning, Balding denied that he had fabricated the document, saying it was just a report he was "handed."

Balding later admitted that he wrote some of the document, Aspen is "an entirely fictional individual," and the document was commissioned by Apple Daily, a Hong Kong-based tabloid led by separatist Jimmy Lai who is now serving prison terms.

The release of fake news about then-presidential candidate Joe Biden by balding was seen to be disturbing presidential elections and had crossed the "red line" of Western political rules.

Since then, Balding has appeared less frequently in right-wing Western media, though he is still active on Twitter churning out conspiracy theories about China.

Notably, Markson was invited to appear on the media program created by Steve Bannon, who used to advise former US president Donald Trump, several times to re-disseminate almost all of the above conspiracy theories about China and COVID-19. Perhaps, in this outbreak, the "chain" behind the creation of China-related rumors runs even longer than what meets the eye.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202105/1224464.shtml

Chef Pete Evans another traveller down the dark road of misinformation

JACK THE INSIDER (Peter Hoysted) - MAY 26, 2021

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The company of celebrity chef, Pete Evans has been hit with almost $80,000 fines for alleged false advertising of wellness products.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration fined Evans’ company for alleged false advertising of therapeutic goods, including the Bio-Charger lamp, hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers and two medicines.

The TGA also issued a directions notice to the company and its sole Director, Evans, for removal of alleged non-compliant advertising.

Therapeutic goods, including medical devices and medicines, must be entered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods before they can be legally advertised in Australia.

A quick peek into Evans’ website reveals the products that drew the wrath of the TGA have been removed. There is no sign of the Bio Charger lamp that in April 2020, Evans claimed had recipes that could cure “the Wuhan coronavirus.”

At the time, the manufacturers of the Bio Charger distanced themselves from Evans’ claims, stressing it was “not a medical device” and “not intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of diseases or any other conditions.”

You can still buy some wellness pills made from sustainably sourced red marine algae, turmeric and organic agaricus bisporus (mushroom powder) of which no medical or health claims are made and bench top water filters that start at $869. Gotta get rid of that fluoride somehow.

I keep a fairly close eye on Evans, not from a consumer advocate point of view but because his claims are invariably weird and often inadvertently funny.

His latest obsession is the old, tortured conspiracy of chemtrails where condensation trails that appear from planes flying at high altitude are not condensation at all, but biological or chemical agents designed to… Well, you know, we’re all being crop dusted by the deep state for some reason.

Evans, who said in his podcast he was able to trace air traffic in his part of the world (you guessed it, Byron Bay and its environs), made the fanciful claim that there were more aircraft in the skies during a pandemic when international borders were closed and the states themselves closed their borders.

Get a new conspiracy theory, Pete. This one’s got very old.

Is Evans a harmless idiot or a dangerous influencer?

What we have seen is that in the space of a few years, Evans has gone from promoting various diets – paleo, more recently keto, not of themselves harmful when consumed by adults — to reposting neo-Nazi memes. That is a big shift in thought and belief, a quick fire veer to the fringes but it is actually commonplace among many people in the wellness industry.

We saw it last week when a beautician on the Gold Coast declared (with a massive publicity free kick from the media) she was banning customers from her shop who had been vaccinated for Covid-19.

She’s not the first and she won’t be the last. There was a massage business that did the same in NSW’s Northern Rivers and several weeks ago, a NDIS service provider emailed her clients (some with intellectual disabilities) telling them she would no longer offer her services if they have been vaccinated for Covid-19.

In all three cases, the rationale was more or less the same. Each business spouted nonsense about viral shedding. None of the Covid-19 vaccines in use around the world are “live viral” vaccines. Viral shedding is bunk, a lie put about by anti-vaxxers.

(continued)

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The businesses also claimed their public liability insurance would not cover them for viral outbreaks. It’s hard to know where to begin with this. There is no conceivable instance where a business could be subject to legal action for a viral outbreak and given viral shedding is an anti-vax fantasy, an outbreak could only come from either a) community infection or, b) a quarantine break-out where any legally claimable act of negligence would be directed elsewhere if it exists at all.

The other claim made by the massage business and the beautician is that the Covid-19 vaccines could render the vaccinated, women especially, infertile.

There is no basis for any of this but what is interesting is the consistency of messaging. They are singing from the same song sheet.

Who is the composer? Well, most of it comes from what the Centre for Digital Hate described as the Anti-Vax Dirty Dozen. A statistical analysis of social media posts reveals just 12 people disseminate two-thirds of the misinformation around Covid-19 vaccination. Most are grifters flogging their own cures and treatments for Covid-19 as well as a long list of other illnesses.

The target audience for the viral spread of misinformation is broadly speaking, the wellness community both in Australia and overseas.

I’ve come across yoga instructors who’ve been pressured out of the business because they could not be persuaded to engage in QAnon conspiracies and “scamdemic” tropes.

I interviewed a Vancouver-based Brazilian jiu jitsu instructor, Steven Kesting, considered one of the most highly skilled practitioners of the grappling martial art and a well-worn pathway to UFC fighting.

Kesting is also a qualified microbiologist. He was dismayed that many in the instruction of mixed martial arts in North America had fallen into a similar mindset to that adopted by Evans – Covid-19 was fake, wearing masks was a sign of servitude to the deep state and receiving a vaccination was more about deep state surveillance than controlling a global pandemic.

He took on the spread of misinformation with his own social media campaign. As a result, his business suffered. He received death threats. To his considerable credit he remained unwavering, asking but not telling people to be properly informed on the science of the pandemic.

One might think it odd that many of those in the wellness industry are now active spruikers for all manner of conspiracy theories, but people who obsess about diet, exercise and healthy living are predisposed to adopt conspiracy theories. They reject science and often see scientific reason as the enemy, or a direct competitor to the wares they are hawking. They carry not just a healthy scepticism of government but an outright distrust. So, when it comes to what should be a Himalayan leap of logic that say, claims the deep state is poisoning our minds and bodies by chemtrails, for the wellness folk, it is little more than a quick step to the right.

And that is why this group has been successfully targeted by people like the anti-vax Dirty Dozen. It’s not just anti-vax falsehoods, it’s the messaging from QAnon cultism, anti-lockdown hysterics, sovcits, and drooling deep state paranoids.

The wellness industry is a gaping, salivating maw gobbling it all up.

Evans, who had almost 1.5 million Facebook followers and a quarter million followers on Instagram before he was deplatformed for repeatedly spreading misinformation, is just another traveller along that dark road.

Peter Hoysted is Jack the Insider: a highly placed, dedicated servant of the nation with close ties to leading figures in politics, business and the union movement.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/chef-pete-evans-another-traveller-down-the-dark-road-of-misinformation/news-story/4bc1abb9415a88668658f3c9c94b4906

Ghislaine Maxwell seeks to dismiss new indictment, cites prosecutors' overreach

Jonathan Stempel - May 26, 2021

Ghislaine Maxwell has urged a U.S. judge to throw out the criminal case alleging she procured four teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse, accusing prosecutors of overreaching in an effort to "get" her.

In a filing made public on Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, Maxwell's lawyers said prosecutors waited too long to add the fourth accuser's allegations to an amended indictment filed in March, despite knowing of them for more than a decade.

They also said some charges were covered by Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors, which Maxwell has unsuccessfully argued also immunized "potential" co-conspirators like herself.

The new indictment "demonstrates just how far the government is willing to go to 'get' Ms. Maxwell and disingenuously blame her for the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein," Maxwell's lawyers said.

In a response filed on Tuesday night, the office of U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in Manhattan said Maxwell could not relitigate the scope of the non-prosecution agreement, and said the new indictment reflected evidence it did not have earlier.

"The defendant's argument that the government acted in bad faithto the extent she is making such an argumentis based on no evidence whatsoever, and for good reason: it is not true," prosecutors said.

Epstein, a financier, killed himself in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and other charges in an eight-count indictment related to Epstein's alleged abuse of three girls from 1994 to 1997, and a fourth girl from 2001 to 2004.

Prosecutors said Maxwell groomed and paid the fourth girl who, starting at age 14, gave Epstein nude massages and engaged in sex acts with him, and recruited others for erotic massages.

U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan previously denied Maxwell's request to dismiss an earlier version of the indictment, and will consider the latest dismissal request.

The 59-year-old Maxwell has been jailed in Brooklyn since her arrest last July. Nathan has denied bail three times, saying Maxwell was a flight risk.

A trial on six of the eight charges is slated to begin in November. The two perjury charges would be tried separately.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ghislaine-maxwell-seeks-dismiss-new-indictment-cites-prosecutors-overreach-2021-05-25/

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17318376/united-states-v-maxwell/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612.293.0.pdf

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612/gov.uscourts.nysd.539612.295.0.pdf

Carping about Port of Darwin sends anti-investment message

Landbridge’s CEO says he’s never seen an international company that’s ticked all the regulatory boxes treated so badly. It sends the message Australia doesn’t want foreign investment.

Mike Hughes - May 26, 2021

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Having spent most of my career working for multinationals investing in different parts of the world, most of it for an American company in south-east Asia, I have not seen a company as badly treated as Landbridge Group in Australia. For a country so heavily dependent on foreign investment, that is a worrying sign.

In 2015, Landbridge submitted to a year-long process to bid for the lease of Darwin Port. The Northern Territory government had made it clear from the outset that no conditional bids would be accepted; bidders would need to have any and all required sign-offs from Canberra in place. Landbridge engaged with the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) over many months, met with the Department of Defence, and provided full information on our company to all who asked.

In October 2015 we were announced as the winning bidder. Shortly afterward at a conference in Darwin the owner of Landbridge was welcomed in person by senior government ministers, including the current treasurer, as a significant new foreign investor.

Unfortunately, in the months and years since, sideline critics have continued to carp about the lease. That is despite a Senate inquiry in which senior officials from Defence and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) both clearly said they had no issue with Landbridge.

In almost six years I have yet to hear a single concern about Landbridge operating the Port that has merit. Landbridge manages commercial wharves. To suggest that we could control the entry of foreign naval vessels into Australian waters is risible. So is the suggestion that we would block Australian or US naval vessels entering Darwin.

The lease is simply a contractual right that comes with clear obligations to allow fair and equal access to the Port’s facilities. If we do not, we breach the contract and lose the lease. And in any kind of wartime situation the Australian government can simply step in and assume control of the port.

Much is made of the fact that Darwin has a significant naval and defence presence. But the Australian Naval presence is at the Coonawarra base, which is in Darwin Harbour but has nothing to do with Landbridge and Darwin Port operations.

The Department of Defence conducted a full review of Landbridge’s lease over the Port in 2015. It is a 99-year lease, so it would be safe to assume the Department anticipated there could be periodic tensions in the bilateral relationship with China and factored that in.

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Then there are concerns about Chinese laws that require companies to follow directions in China’s national interest.

Such laws, even if implemented, would have no effect on Landbridge’s physical port assets, especially when they are subject to licence conditions and managed day to day by an Australian workforce. What exactly would China be trying to persuade Landbridge to encourage its Australian workforce to do?

The irony here is that the undermining of Landbridge is in no one’s interest. Defence officials pointed out to me in 2015 that the best thing for Australia’s defence would be for Darwin to grow and for Darwin Harbour’s infrastructure to develop. For the Territory government, the sniping is a barrier to the growth of the port and its economy.

While the lease was signed by the Country Liberal Party (CLP) both sides of Territory politics have supported Landbridge.

The NT government has regularly confirmed that Landbridge has met its commitments under the lease. Landbridge has extensively engaged with, and invested in, the local community; we sponsor the Clontarf and Stars Foundations which make a real difference to indigenous youth development in the Territory. We also have sponsored the Darwin International Film Festival and many other local community events.

The government has the right to review its defence position at any time. At no point has any official government entity formally expressed any concern about Landbridge operating Darwin Port to Landbridge. In any normal situation it would be unacceptable for the government to sit silently while parties take swipes at a foreign investor that has met all legal and regulatory requirements and with which they have raised no concerns.

Australia relies on foreign investment but seems to have lost sight of the fact that foreign investors have a choice. Having observed the last five years of treatment meted out to Landbridge, other prospective investors might consider putting their money elsewhere.

Mike Hughes has been vice-president of China-owned Landbridge in Australia since 2014.

https://www.afr.com/companies/infrastructure/carping-about-port-of-darwin-sends-anti-investment-message-20210524-p57uqy

Victoria Australia Lockdown Again

Coupla people tested positive to the fake test.

Well, they all do but why the positive result now?

And why the lockdown?

What don’t they want us to see or know?

Oooooo.

I love a good government conspiracy.

Maybe the economy is showing healthy signs.

Better nip that right in the bud.

Ron Watkins Is Done With Q and Has Moved On to Aliens

Lucas Ropek - May 27, 2021

Ron Watkins, conspiracy-peddler extraordinaire, has found his next gig: leaking “disclosures” about extraterrestrials, Julian Assange-style.

Yes, do yourself a favour and check out “AlienLeaks,” a new website Watkins just launched that he claims will be a destination for secret “never before seen” documents and disclosures regarding extraterrestrials. In an insult to Assange and actual whistleblowers everywhere, Watkins further stated that the site was “heavily” inspired by WikiLeaks.

In case you don’t know, Watkins, also known by his Telegram handle “CodeMonkeyZ,” is basically a professional conspiracy theorist. He lives in the Philippines, where he apparently spends his days promulgating the crap-pop conspiracy fodder of our day. Until recently, Watkins was neck-deep in the QAnon movement — some have even ventured to argue that he is the “Q,” of legend. He and his father, Jim Watkins, were the primary subjects of HBO’s recent docu-series Q: Into the Storm, which examined the QAnon phenomenon and the Watkins’ ties to it. Ron was formerly the site administrator for 8chan, an image board where the conspiratorial-minded were known to gather (the elder Watkins created and ran the site). Both have largely been credited with helping to spread the QAnon conspiracy theory widely across the internet.

But as of recently, Q’s star is waning. Aliens are the new thing.

“AlienLeaks will be focused on collecting, curating, and publishing leaked documents regarding extraterrestrial technology, biology, and communications,” Watkins’ new website hilariously claims in a “press release.” “If you are a scientist, researcher, in communication with aliens, or otherwise have access to original — never before seen — documents regarding alien technology, biology, or communications, please consider reading the AlienLeaks Submit Documents with Tor page for further information regarding the process for submitting documents to AlienLeaks,” it continues shamelessly.

On Telegram, Watkins let his audience know what the situation is: “The government is currently gearing up for some kind of soft alien disclosure. They will only reveal the tip of the iceberg.”

The timing of this whole project is appropriate since the government is, indeed, gearing up for a disclosure of some kind — or at least claims it is. As required by a stipulation in the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, the U.S. intelligence community is required to deliver an unclassified report about what it knows about UFOs to Congressional intelligence and armed services committees sometime next month. Knowing America’s spooks and their reputation for saying little except carefully curated and calculating bullshit, we may not actually be in for much. But you never know.

Indeed, in a head-spinning reversal, America’s national security state has gone from a decades-long dismissive eye-roll re: UFOs to saying that, uh, yeah, they’re probably real! What appear to be officially sanctioned disclosures by U.S. Navy and Air Force personnel about sightings in the line of duty keep popping up on 60 Minutes, in the New York Times, and in pretty much any other large, prestige news organisation that will have them — suggesting that the military establishment, for whatever reason, wants the American public to know that they suddenly take UFOs very seriously. It’s all very weird and surely leaves the average person wondering what kind of bizarro world we’ve all just slipped into.

I doubt we will get any satisfaction by visiting “AlienLeaks” — unless, of course, you consider laughter the balm for life’s mysteries. In that case, I’m sure it’ll be great.

https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2021/05/ron-watkins-is-done-with-q-and-has-moved-on-to-aliens/

https://alienleaks.org/

Alan Dershowitz Suing Netflix Over Jeffrey Epstein Series

The law professor takes issue with how 'Filthy Rich' presented a rape accusation against him.

ERIQ GARDNER - MAY 26, 2021

Alan Dershowitz isn’t done on the libel front. The Harvard law professor has now filed a new suit against Netflix over Filthy Rich, the docuseries that examines convicted and deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

That series premiered on the streaming platform on May 27, 2020. Dershowitz, who was friendly with Epstein and once represented him, gave interviews for the series. On camera, he defended Epstein’s 2008 plea bargain and continued to deny having raped Virginia Roberts Giuffre as part of Epstein’s sexual trafficking of minors.

Dershowitz continues to be in court with Giuffre over her allegations, and now he’s expanded the battle to preserve his reputation to include Netflix as well as Filthy Rich producers Leroy & Morton Productions and Radical Media over “a deliberately one-sided narrative.”

The suit takes issue with the presentation of the Dershowitz/Giuffre elements in Filthy Rich as “he said/she said.”

“It wasn’t a ‘he said/she said’ situation, however, given Professor Dershowitz’s totality of the evidence establishing he never had sex with Giuffre,” states the complaint. “To have presented that evidence in Filthy Rich, as had been promised, would have undercut the credibility of Brad Edwards, Sigrid McCawley and Giuffre — the very people whose interviewed comments Filthy Rich depended upon.”

Dershowitz brings a libel claim as well as contract and fraudulent inducement causes of action based on the agreement for an interview. He says that producers promised not to disparage him.

The suit, coming a day after Dershowitz convinced a federal judge to greenlight a separate libel case over CNN coverage of his work defending Donald Trump, is the latest in the attorney’s campaign over what he perceives to be misleading.

Here, for example, he attacks non-chronological editing choices that he believes lent credibility to Giuffre’s accusations. Also, in what seems to be an effort to avoid fair report privilege, he alleges that there were portions of Filthy Rich that presented allegations “anew” and outside the context of any report of litigation. He also faults producers for not including exculpatory materials he provided.

A Netflix spokesperson responds, “Mr. Dershowitz’s lawsuit is without merit, and we will vigorously defend our partners and the series.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/alan-dershowitz-netflix-epstein-series-1234959456/

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20791390/dersh-v-netflix.pdf

>>13748272

Coronavirus lab leak theory not ruled out by Australia

Andrew Tillett - May 27, 2021

Australian officials continue to believe that the coronavirus emerged naturally but they do not discount the possibility of a laboratory leak, after US President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to re-examine how the pandemic originated.

Mr Biden has set a three-month deadline after US intelligence agencies were divided over whether the virus originated from human contact with an infected animal or was the product of an accident at Wuhan’s Institute of Virology in China.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said she welcomed Mr Biden’s announcement and noted the “contested” views among the US agencies, one of which believed the lab leak was the most plausible source.

“We’ve been consistent about the need to identify the origins to ensure a pandemic doesn’t happen again and to ensure we are all better prepared,” Senator Payne told the ABC.

“We will continue to work with our international partners, including the United States, with whom we share concerns on this.”

Government sources said Australian intelligence agencies believed the virus crossed over from animals to humans naturally, although the possibility of a lab accident could not be ruled out.

A senior source said Mr Biden’s announcement was significant because earlier attempts to raise the lab leak theory got caught up in “anti-Trump politics” after the former US administration pushed that line of thought.

“People floating this as a possibility previously were dismissed as conspiracy theorists and now we’ve got no less than the President of the US and a Democrat addressing it as a genuine possibility,” the source said.

“Until it can be proved it was natural origin, then we’ve got to keep our mind open it could have been a lab accident. Natural origin has its nose ahead but can’t say much more than that.”

The source said the idea the virus had been created as a “bioweapon”, a theory given publicity by elements of News Corporation, was doubtful. Instead, scientists could have been conducting research on treating and preventing coronaviruses, only to have it escape accidentally. “It’s much more likely it was completely innocent.”

World Health Organisation investigators said in February that the lab leak theory was “extremely unlikely”, but there has been criticism that China’s lack of transparency hampered the inquiry.

In recent weeks, scientists have also spoken out that a lab accident remained plausible and should be investigated, and there have been media reports based on US intelligence that several researchers at the Wuhan institute were sick with coronavirus-like symptoms in November 2019.

‘Roaring back into fashion’

Richard McGregor, a China expert at the Lowy Institute, said the lab leak theory had “come roaring back into fashion”.

“Everything about the COVID-19 origin story is sensitive for the Chinese, whether it came through the wet markets or the lab nearby, they do not want to take responsibility for it or be landed with responsibility for it,” he said.

“This is becoming an issue for China of sovereignty and standing up to the West, and once that happens the science gets sidelined.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday critics were obsessed with “spreading lab leak theories and other conspiracy theories and disinformation”.

“For some people in the US, what they say is ‘facts’, but what is really on their mind is political manipulation,” a spokesman said.

“Every time when the issue of pandemic is brought up, they smear and attack China, while totally ignoring the doubts over the origin-tracing work and failure of pandemic response in the US.”

Senator Payne’s early call for an independent investigation into the outbreak of the pandemic had angered Beijing and triggered trade sanctions against more than $20 billion of Australian exports.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/lab-leak-theory-not-ruled-out-by-australia-20210527-p57vlv

>>13764361

Transcript - Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 26, 2021

The Paper: Recently, several US officials claimed that China's investigation on virus origin-tracing lacked transparency, and called for a comprehensive and experts-led investigation on the origin of the coronavirus. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: Origin-tracing of the virus is a scientific issue. The purpose is to improve human's understanding of the virus and better guard against infectious diseases in the future.

After the outbreak of the pandemic, China took the lead to support the WHO in conducting researches on origin-tracing on a global scale. From January 14 to February 10 this year, the WHO international expert team carried out an in-depth study in Wuhan together with the Chinese experts for one month or so. Experts on both sides jointly made field trips, analyzed a large number of statistics, issued an authoritative study report, and reached many significant conclusions. This joint study actively promoted the origin-tracing globally.

Some people in the US talk about "facts", when what is really on their mind is political manipulation. Every time when the issue of pandemic is brought up, they smear and attack China, while totally ignoring the doubts over the origin-tracing work and failure of pandemic response in the US. They are obsessed with spreading "lab leak theory" and other conspiracy theories and disinformation. What they did is total disrespectful of the spirit of science and research results of the WHO expert team, and undermines global anti-epidemic efforts and solidarity.

I want to stress again that, according to the clues, reports and researches, the COVID-19 pandemic was spotted in various places around the world early in the second half of 2019. China takes the origin-tracing work seriously with a responsible attitude, and has made positive contributions that are widely recognized. If the US side truly demands a completely transparent investigation, it should follow China's lead to invite the WHO experts to the US, open Fort Detrick and bio-labs overseas to the rest of the world, and disclose the detailed data and information on the unexplained outbreaks of respiratory disease in northern Virginia in July, 2019 and the EVALI outbreak in Wisconsin. We urge the US and other relevant countries to cooperate with the WHO in a scientific, open and transparent manner.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/t1878751.shtml

China’s trial of Yang Hengjun begins with Australia’s ambassador denied access

Sarah Zheng and Linda Lew - 27 May, 2021

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Australian diplomats were denied access to the closed-door trial of Chinese-born Australian writer Yang Hengjun on espionage charges in Beijing on Thursday, in a high-profile case that looks set to put further strain on relations between the two countries.

There was tight security around Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court on Thursday morning as Australia’s ambassador to China, Graham Fletcher, was prevented from watching the proceedings, with the Covid-19 pandemic given as the reason.

“This is deeply regrettable and concerning and unsatisfactory,” he told reporters outside the court, adding that the Chinese foreign ministry had also said it would not be able to access the trial because the case involved national security.

“We’ve had long-standing concerns about this case, including the lack of transparency, and therefore have concluded that it is an instance of arbitrary detention.”

Fletcher said that Yang’s condition was “fine”, and that the Australian government had been informed about the trial date late last week.

He said that consular officials had access to Yang last month, and would continue to provide support to him and his family. He denied that the case would affect China-Australia relations.

If found guilty – which is likely given China’s 99.9 per cent conviction rate – Yang, who has been in detention for more than two years, faces between three years and life in prison.

Australia’s government has pushed for its officials to be allowed access to the trial but without success. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said last week that Canberra had raised its concerns over the treatment of Yang and the “lack of procedural fairness in how his case has been managed”, including depriving him of access to his family and allowing only limited access to legal representation, and the lack of evidence for the espionage charge.

Payne said on Australian radio on Thursday that Yang’s treatment had been “difficult” and that she hoped for a fair process for the writer.

“I very much hope that we have a transparent and open process,” Payne told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio programme AM. “We’re not interfering in China’s legal system; the concerns we have raised are legitimate ones. But we do expect those basic international standards of justice to be met.

“We have not seen any explanation or evidence for the charges that have been brought against him.”

(continued)

>>13764374

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A letter written by Yang to his supporters in March was released by Australian media on Wednesday. In it, Yang said the criminal charges were brought against him to “take revenge on me for my writings”, but that he had come to accept it.

“I will face suffering and torture with resilience,” the letter said. “Please explain to the people inside China what I did, and the significance of my writing to people in China.”

Tensions between the two countries have been running high since Canberra called for an independent inquiry into the origins of Covid-19 and Beijing responded with punitive sanctions against Australian imports.

Chinese-Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who worked for state-run broadcaster CGTN in Beijing, has been detained in China since August on national security charges, and the last two accredited reporters for Australian media in mainland China fled the country over fears for their safety.

Yang, an influential blogger who has previously written articles calling for democratic reforms in China, was detained in January 2019 at Guangzhou airport in the south of China while travelling with his wife and child. He was later transferred to a facility in Beijing, where it is alleged he was subjected to torture and interrogated hundreds of times.

The 56-year-old former Chinese diplomat and naturalised Australian citizen was first detained in China in 2011 but was released amid international pressure ahead of then Australian prime minister Julia Gillard’s visit to Beijing.

Yang’s lawyers said he faced a lengthy pre-trial conference on Monday that went on for more than three hours. His wife, Yuan Ruijuan, who is an Australian permanent resident, told Australian broadcaster ABC that officials had prevented his lawyers from sharing information about the case with her as it involved national security, and that it was “very hard to judge” whether the trial would last more than a day.

Feng Chongyi, a Sydney-based academic and close friend of Yang’s, said the writer wrote in a message to his family that he would “never confess to something I haven’t done”.

“I am innocent and will fight to the end,” he said.

Foreign diplomats and journalists were also prevented from attending the trials in March of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, both of whom were detained in December 2018, soon after the detention in Canada of Chinese businesswoman Meng Wanzhou. The verdicts in the trials have yet to be made public.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3134994/chinas-trial-yang-hengjun-begins-australias-ambassador-denied

>>13764374

Sarah Zheng 鄭雅儒 Tweets

police check the credentials of the Australian ambassador to China Graham Fletcher before he seeks to enter the Beijing court where Chinese Australian writer Yang Hengjun will be tried in closed court today

https://twitter.com/_szheng/status/1397716386735001602

—

Fletcher denied access to the trial, told it’s because of Covid-19 but the foreign ministry earlier told them it’s because the case involves national security. He says this is “deeply regrettable and concerning and unsatisfactory.”

https://twitter.com/_szheng/status/1397726289990021123

Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 Tweet

China government official

The smear campaign against #Xinjiang is based on nothing but lies.

https://twitter.com/zlj517/status/1397416220891226112

Hi.

Alleged Chinese agent of foreign interference Huifeng 'Haha' Liu wins reprieve in court fight to stay in Australia

Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop and Echo Hui - 26 May 2021

Australia's domestic spy agency ASIO is reconsidering its assessment that a Liberal Party donor with ties to prominent federal government MPs threatened national security by engaging in acts of foreign interference for the Chinese government.

Melbourne-based businessman Huifeng 'Haha' Liu has won the reprieve in the Federal Court, where he is fighting ASIO and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to allow him to stay in Australia.

Mr Liu, 52, is challenging a deportation order issued by the minister last September and an ASIO security assessment which alleged he engaged in "acts of foreign interference" on behalf of Beijing.

An ABC investigation this year revealed the Chinese national developed ties with federal Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar and Liberal MP Gladys Liu (no relation) over several years while running a public security agency that had an agreement with Beijing.

Mr Liu was the president of the Australian Emergency Assistance Association Incorporated (AEAAI), an official consular assistance agency of China's Melbourne consulate which doubled as a popular Chinese-Australian neighbourhood watch organisation.

The AEAAI agreed to take instructions from the consulate while acting as a middleman in police incidents, accidents and legal cases involving Chinese citizens deemed to require consular assistance.

Federal Court judge Wendy Abraham today cancelled a one-day hearing planned for tomorrow, adjourning the case and allowing ASIO to use a new affidavit filed by Mr Liu to conduct another security assessment.

While ASIO is yet to decide whether it stands by its original assessment, Mr Liu has declared the development "a great victory", posting on WeChat that the agency contacted his solicitor before the hearing.

"After reading my appeal in writing, the lawyer of ASIO took the initiative to contact my lawyer and said that they decided to reconsider their original decision," he wrote.

According to Mr Liu's court application, ASIO last year found he "had engaged, and was at risk of engaging, in activities which constituted 'acts of foreign interference'".

ASIO also concluded he lied in interviews with the agency about his relationships with and activities on behalf of unnamed Chinese government officials, Mr Liu's application said.

Mr Liu's solicitor, William Wang, told the ABC he believed ASIO's August 2020 assessment was the result of a smear campaign.

"We've always believed in the full innocence of Mr Liu and also the fact that there's been an informant potentially that's essentially given misleading and false representations to ASIO which resulted in the initial decision," he said.

"That is a part of our case, but I will not be giving any specifics to that at this stage."

Mr Wang said he was prohibited from revealing new evidence submitted to the court in Mr Liu's latest affidavit.

"We are now given the opportunity to submit further material, to be given the opportunity to speak with ASIO again, to be interviewed in a setting that is not within the confines of the court, for Mr Liu to have his lawyers present when interviewed if required," he said.

"For us, this is as close to a win as we can get without having to go through the litigation process of a full day's hearing that was going to happen tomorrow.

"We're also able to do a number of things, for example, by suggesting who ASIO could potentially be interviewing or getting their information from."

The adjournment of the Federal Court case delays and potentially closes a rare window for the public into Australia's opaque strategy to counter alleged Chinese government interference by cancelling visas.

The details of ASIO's allegations against Mr Liu have not been revealed publicly, nor have they been tested in court.

Mr Liu, a former soldier in the Chinese army, is accusing the agency of denying him a fair process and failing to demonstrate how his actions constituted "acts of foreign interference" under Australian law.

Justice Abraham has ordered ASIO to advise within a month when it will provide the new security assessment.

The AEAAI previously told the ABC its formal agreement with China's Melbourne consulate lapsed last July and it was not aware of any evidence of wrongdoing.

The Home Affairs department and ASIO declined to comment because the matter is before the court.

The ABC also contacted Immigration Minister Alex Hawke for comment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-26/asio-reconsiders-huifeng-liu-s-national-security-risk-status/100168336

Ben Fulford Part 2

P3 Freemason sources say “the Vatican secret service knows everything, revenge is on, starting with Italy first.”The P3 says the Covidiot “vaccine” murder campaign has been orchestrated from Israel and Switzerland.

Special forces in the U.S. will be raiding the Rockefeller Foundation Headquarters located at 420 Fifth Avenue in New York, according to Pentagon sources.All other Rockefeller Foundation branches will also be raided. In addition, all members of the Rockefeller family will be hunted down, the sources say.

The British Secret Service is also on the case. This is how a senior MI6 source described the situation:

“We took out [George] Bush [Sr.] to get at [Benjamin] Netanyahu to blow up the Khazarian Mafia –the root cause of world terrorism. Hit the source and end it. All of the world’s military know this. It just happened. MI6 will find and kill all concerned, you know how we work as does everyone.”

A senior European Royal described the situation as:

“It will all come right but there is a lot to deal with. The Nuremberg protocols should deal with this lot in one fell swoop,”

https://humansarefree.com/2021/05/who-trials-crimes-against-humanity.html

“All the world’s militaries have shoot to kill legal warrant but if we end up in legals we have to show proof that the shoot to kill, was to protect. Anyone involved in the so-called pandemic is sentenced to death. The worldwide warrant has been signed by a senior European royal. Good riddance to bad rubbish.”

MI6 sources say a secret war has been raging ever since:

“The DVD Dachau was found to have killed – in law murdered – Adnan Sakli at BIS Basel. It was possibly the most critical case in geopolitics. All Watergate affairs are worse for the cover-up than the original crime. In this case, the cover-up involved events like 9.11 and Fukushima.”

At this point, we would like to send a message to General Michael Flynn. General Flynn has been talking to Christian groups about having faith. What he needs to understand is that while it is a good thing to turn the other cheek, if they then hit the other cheek, you have run out of cheeks to turn and it is time to take action. Any action needs to be decisive and final.

That is why we are asking Patriotic U.S. forces to take over the AT&T telecommunications infrastructure in order to put an end to the fake corporate news, including the fake Biden presidency.

One of the key battles is going to be the takedown of the high-tech firms located mainly in or near Palo Alto, California. Here you will find Google and Facebook. It has just been discovered that Facebook Covid vaccine fact-checkers are funded by the vaccine companies, according to CIA sources. In other words, Facebook, run by David Rockefeller’s Grandson Mark Zuckerberg, is complicit in mass murder. His female clone is now playing the role of spokesperson Jen Psaki for the fake Biden presidency.

Google has also been actively censoring pandemic truth and is thus a designated transnational genocidal organization. All Google employees involved in vaccine and pandemic censorship need to be executed.

Another place that needs to be raided is the underground base and communications hub around CNN Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

Until these nests of criminals are dealt with, censorship and lies will continue to dominate most Western screens and corporate media outlets.

Sauce: benjaminfulford.net

Ben Fulford Part 3

We can also confirm that uber vaccine pusher Bill Gates has been executed for war crimes. Microsoft as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are now in the hands of White Hats. This can be confirmed by the stories about the divorce between Melinda Watson (of the Watson IBM family) and Bill Gates. A campaign to ruin Bill Gates’s reputation by associating him with Jeff Epstein and other salacious stuff is further confirmation this source is telling the truth. If Gates was alive, you can sure he would be using his army of lawyers and PR agents to fight this.

https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/how-bill-gates-carefully-curated-tech-savior-image-unraveled

We also know that the Dutch Royal Family members have been executed. Here is what the Senior European Royal had to say about their Dutch relatives:

The Dutch were heavily Satanic, the last Queen, Beatrix, was a terror. Bloodthirsty Satanic cult.”

Other people who have been, or will soon be removed include Justin Castro in Canada, Henry Kissinger, Heizo Takenaka, David Rockefeller Jr., and many others.

If you saw the Oscar awards ceremony this year you would have noticed that almost none of the usual celebrities were there. This is a good sign the purge there has been very thorough.

We are also hearing that a purge of the U.S. military, the CIA, and the FBI is continuing. CIA sources tell us that former CIA boss John Brennan’s military tribunal starts this week.

We also note thatIsrael has been forced to retreat from its massacre of Palestinians.Apparently several different countries, including Russia (FSB sources confirmed that Russian citizens were ordered to evacuate parts of Israel last week) told them to cease and desist or else Tel Aviv would be obliterated.

Angry Israeli citizens also demonstrated in front of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s house last week. Mossad sources, for their part, insist the Netanyahu who recently appeared in public was a “clone.”

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/anti-netanyahu-protesters-to-gather-blame-pm-for-gaza-escalation-668825

The Satanists in Israel, however, remain dangerous, cornered rats and it may be necessary to evacuate all Jews and Palestinians from Israel before wiping out the entire nest there.

Despite continued resistance, there can be no doubt the good guys are winning. This can be confirmed by a sudden winding down of the fake pandemic in England, Germany, and the U.S.

In the UK members of a committee that advises the British government on pandemic response admitted last week a “totalitarian,” and “unethical” Covid-19 response used fear to manipulate people’s behavior.

British Scientists Say That "Totalitarian" and "Unethical" COVID-19 Response Used Fear to Control People's Behavior - Big League Politics

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/british-scientists-say-that-totalitarian-and-unethical-covid-19-response-used-fear-to-control-peoples-behavior/

This was followed by a public announcement the overall death rate in the UK was at its lowest level since such statistics started being collected 20 years ago. Furthermore, the percentage of deaths attributed to Covid-19 was only 2.4% of the total in April, less than a quarter of the March level. https://sputniknews.com/uk/202105211082950788-death-rate-in-england-at-20-year-low-as-covid-19-pandemic-dwindles/

In Germany as well, large parts of the country relaxed more pandemic restrictions Friday as reported numbers there also dropped sharply. This came despite efforts by Angela Hitler to keep restrictions in place. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-05-21/germany-lifts-more-restrictions-merkel-urges-caution

In the U.S. too we are starting to see headlines like:

“Hope Rises as U.S. Virus Cases Fall Sharply.”

https://www.gulftoday.ae/opinion/2021/05/23/hope-rises-as-us-virus-cases-drop-sharply

Similar drops are being reported in other countries as well. This is a sign the roundup and execution of vaccine and pandemic pushers are starting to take effect.

We also note the Chinese have decided to stop supporting the Rockefeller’s fake Biden administration. The following from Reuters was evidence of this:

“U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has so far been unable to speak with China’s top general despite multiple attempts to set up talks, U.S. defense officials said on Friday.” https://www.reuters.com/world/china/pentagon-chief-unable-talk-chinese-military-leaders-despite-repeated-attempts-2021-05-21/

“We do not talk to him because he has no influence over the U.S. military,” explained an Asian Secret Society source. “We continue to have friendly relations with the real U.S. military at the highest level,” the source added. At this level, the U.S. and Chinese military forces are fighting against a common satanic enemy.

Source: https://benjaminfulford.net/

Eight reasons I think Covid escaped from the lab

PETER JENNINGS - MAY 28, 2021

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US President Joe Biden’s statement two days ago on the investigation into the origins of Covid-19 shows the US intelligence community is making progress towards uncovering whether the virus was released because of a laboratory accident or from human contact with an infected animal.

Biden tells us his intelligence agencies agree these are the two likely scenarios, with one agency leaning towards the lab accident, two towards the pangolin-bites-man theory, while the others “do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be more likely than the other”.

It’s no small thing to get all 18 US intelligence agencies agreeing that the laboratory accident scenario was a likely cause of the pandemic. The agencies clearly have made progress since their first statement, Intelligence Community Statement on Origins of Covid-19, released in April last year, which found the virus “was not man-made or genetically modified”. They could do no more than promise to “rigorously examine emerging information” about the origins of Covid-19.

Biden has given his intelligence system 90 days to “bring us closer to a definitive conclusion”. I’ll speculate here that the administration thinks a conclusion can be made. Why set up the intelligence agencies to fail?

The President also said the further inquiry would include asking “specific questions for China”. It is astonishing that it has taken 15 months before a US administration decided to put Beijing on the spot with some direct questions. In effect, Xi Jinping is on 90 days’ notice for his regime to put aside the bluster and make its own case about the two likely scenarios.

I’m with the courageous US intelligence agency that is leaning towards the laboratory accident scenario. Here are my reasons for this view.

First, we know China has long had an interest in developing biological and chemical weapons. The US State Department made that assessment public years ago.

Second, we know Chinese military personnel and scientists have written studies on how to fight wars with biological agents. The Australian’s Sharri Markson has reported extensively on this. It’s true there is a huge volume of Chinese military writing that does not necessarily represent Chinese Communist Party policy, but it’s significant that specialists inside Chinese military science are writing on this subject.

Third, we know the Wuhan Institute of Virology is designed to be a secure bio-research facility and before 2019 was working on coronaviruses, including on so-called gain-of-function research on how to make viruses more virulent.

The much-discredited Joint World Health Organisation-China Study into the origin of the pandemic said the strain of coronavirus closest in genetic makeup (in fact, 96.2 per cent identical) to the Covid-19 virus was “detected in bat anal swabs (that) have been sequenced at the Wuhan Institute of Virology”.

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Fourth, we know serious concerns existed about security at the institute. In late 2017 the US embassy in Beijing flagged these worries in a cable reporting there was “a serious shortage of appropriately trained technicians and investigators needed to safely operate this high-containment laboratory”. The embassy was so worried it wanted Washington to help China improve the laboratory’s biosecurity. The proposal was never acted on.

Fifth, we know the Wuhan institute was presenting itself as a civilian institution, but a US intelligence judgment reported by Donald Trump’s secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, in January was that “the WIV has engaged in classified research, including laboratory animal experiments, on behalf of the Chinese military since at least 2017”.

Six, a point highlighted in the WHO-China Study, the WIV-linked Chinese Centre for Disease Control laboratory moved on December 2, 2019, to a new location near the Huanan wet market. The study dryly states, “Such moves can be disruptive for the operations of any laboratory.”

The seventh point is that it seems at least three workers at the WIV fell ill with Covid-19-like symptoms some time before the first publicly known cases emerged in December 2019. This was mentioned by Pompeo in January and is being bolstered, according to The New York Times, with corroborating information from non-US sources.

Finally, there is the remarkable CCP cover-up of the whole issue: the fatuous claims that Covid-19 was planted by US military personnel visiting Wuhan, or arrived on frozen salmon; the refusal to hand over samples of the original virus as opposed to the genomic sequence; the refusal to grant access to the WIV until the tightly stage-managed WHO-China Study visit on February 3; the over-the-top attempts to prevent international access to research the virus; and the hysterical denunciation of Scott Morrison’s request for a credible international examination.

It is almost as though Xi has something to hide.

Put these elements together and it becomes clear that China was working on coronaviruses, was interested in biological weapons, had thought about how to fight with them and had sufficiently shoddy processes to make the laboratory accident scenario a real possibility.

Something else we should be clear about is that once the virus was released, the CCP instantly weaponised its use. It allowed international flights out of Wuhan for weeks while countries dithered about closing borders.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Marise Payne on January 30 last year, “Given the current situation, the epidemic is generally preventable, controllable and curable.” This was at precisely the time China was stripping stocks of medical equipment and protective gear from Australia and other democracies.

Again to speculate: I suspect Biden has a clear sense about what his intelligence review will find. We are getting closer to uncovering the reality of what happened in Wuhan. The truth could force a rethink about how the democratic world deals with Xi’s China, and domestically Xi’s legitimacy as the people’s hero in the struggle against Covid-19 will take a significant blow.

Peter Jennings is executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and a former deputy secretary for strategy in the Department of Defence.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/eight-reasons-i-think-covid-escaped-from-the-lab/news-story/f8f279fc6cc2bcd5cff6f69a39da5928

Has NZ chosen China trade over mateship with us?

MARK WATSON - MAY 28, 2021

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New Zealand and Australia are close neighbours. Not physically (Auckland is more than 2000km from Sydney) but culturally, historically and via the extensive family and business relationships that stretch across the Tasman Sea and back again.

More than 600,000 New Zealanders live in Australia, 60,000 Australians in New Zealand; and, until the pandemic, citizens of both countries enjoyed almost unrestricted access to live and work on either side of the ditch.

The Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement was signed in 1983, creating a free trade zone with zero tariffs for goods and services originating in Australia or New Zealand, harmonisation of trans-Tasman food standards, mutual recognition of goods and occupations, and a protocol to liberalise two-way investment.

Then add into the mix a history of shared military commitments from Gallipoli and through the major conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries, together with our membership of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.

In short, leaving rugby aside for the moment (please!), Australia and New Zealand have enjoyed the closest of bilateral relationships for more than a century. On Saturday Scott Morrison will travel to New Zealand for the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders Meeting.

In announcing Morrison’s visit, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, described the relationship with Australia as New Zealand’s “closest and most important”. But that historically tight relationship has been under serious strain lately and the reason can be summed up in one word: China.

While Australia remains in China’s diplomatic doghouse, suffering through a deterioration in trade relations with its largest export market, New Zealand’s trade relationship with China goes from strength to strength. China is New Zealand’s largest goods market, largest source of international students, second largest source of tourists (behind Australia) and a significant foreign investor. And in January the two countries signed an upgraded free trade agreement. When tourism numbers have crashed because of pandemic restrictions, the $10 billion of agricultural exports that New Zealand sends to China annually takes on even greater significance.

But the buoyancy in the NZ-China relationship has coincided with a dip in the trans-Tasman partnership. New Zealand’s current issues with Australia (and its other Five Eyes partners) rests not with New Zealand’s trade success but with a growing perception that New Zealand has gained China’s approbation at the expense of its commitment to the shared values of its Five Eyes alliance partners in Australia, the US, Britain and Canada.

New Zealand opted not to join its Five Eyes partners in openly criticising China’s actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta recently signalled that NZ considered such matters to be “out of the remit of the Five Eyes”. Instead, New Zealand would respect China’s “particular customs, traditions and values”.

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This statement came on top of an earlier suggestion from New Zealand Trade Minister Damien O’Connor that if only Australia would follow New Zealand’s approach and show China’s government “respect” and exercise “a little more diplomacy”, Australia too would be rewarded by China as New Zealand had been. Although he quickly walked back those comments, they will not be forgotten soon in Canberra and, rightly or wrongly, the message received on this side of the Tasman was that our Anzac partner had chosen profit over partnership and commercial convenience with China over diplomatic support for Australia in its hour of need.

Not surprisingly, New Zealand’s public instruction of Australia in how to “get along” with China was greeted with scarcely concealed joy in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin praised New Zealand’s “positive attitude in attaching importance to and working to develop China-New Zealand ties”. And when China’s Global Times stepped up its attacks on the Five Eyes partnership as an “axis of white supremacy”, suggesting racism, colonialism and anti-China sentiment lay at the heart of the alliance, it specifically exempted New Zealand from the criticism – a logical non sequitur, perhaps, but highlighting China’s desire to reward the New Zealand government for its less confrontational approach.

Even when Ardern sought to rebalance the rhetoric coming out of Wellington somewhat by noting there were “some things on which China and New Zealand do not, cannot and will not agree” and that the differences between the two countries’ “interests and values” were becoming “harder to reconcile”, Global Times ran an article under the headline “New Zealand stands to gain from Australia’s loss in China”, touting New Zealand’s ability to fill gaps created by China’s energetic rejection of Australian exports. The article concluded that the benefits reaped by New Zealand under enhanced trade arrangements “should teach Australia and other Western economies a lesson”.

And that lesson is simple: criticise China and suffer trade and diplomatic pain; keep quiet about China’s human rights abuses in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, or its regional expansionism, and be rewarded with tasty trade deals.

New Zealand appears to have taken the lesson on board and has been rewarded with a giant panda stamp on its homework.

So when the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand sit down together for bilateral talks in coming days, it won’t be just tourism and travel bubbles that are being discussed. The first item on the agenda should be how to ensure that Australia and New Zealand don’t forget the hard lessons learned together at Gallipoli and in the 106 years since.

Mark Watson is a former diplomat, most recently serving in Washington, and is strategic adviser on national security for Bondi Partners, a US-Australia consultant group.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/has-nz-chosen-china-trade-over-mateship-with-us/news-story/9fb79cf983dbfe5691d7c9b99bd2d412

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>>13764382

Closed-door trial of Yang Jun’s espionage case ‘a common practice,’ Canberra urged not to interfere: FM

Xu Keyue - May 27, 2021

The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that a Beijing court on Thursday heard the case of Chinese-Australian Yang Jun, or Yang Hengjun, who is charged with espionage, and the court will give its verdict at a later date.

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of the ministry, said at a press conference on Thursday that as state secrets are involved, the trial is not heard in public or attended by spectators according to law, which is also a common practice in many countries.

The Second Branch of the People's Procuratorate of the Beijing Municipality initiated the prosecution against Yang, a Chinese-born Australian writer, to the Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court on October 7.

China is firmly opposed to Australia's gross unjustifiable interference in its handling of the case and its judicial sovereignty, Zhao stressed. He noted that China has lodged solemn representations to Australia.

According to Chinese law, cases related to state secrets are not heard in public and no one is allowed to attend, as is the practice of counterparts in many countries, which is legal and reasonable, Zhao said.

The relevant Chinese departments are handling the case strictly in line with laws, fully ensuring and protecting Yang's legal rights, and fully respecting and implementing the relevant Australian personnel's right to visit and receive consular notification, Zhao said.

Under Chinese law, individuals convicted of espionage can be sentenced to between three years and life in prison, depending on severity of the cases.

Zhao's remarks came after Graham Fletcher, Australia's Ambassador to China, said earlier Thursday that he had been denied entry to the Beijing court.

Australian media outlet the Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday quoted Fletcher as saying that "Unfortunately, we have just been denied entry to the court. The reason given was because of the pandemic situation, but the [Chinese] Foreign Ministry has also told us it is because it is a national security case. Therefore, we are not permitted to attend it."

"This is deeply regrettable and concerning and unsatisfactory," said Fletcher, accusing the case of "lack of transparency" and "an instance of arbitrary detention."

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne in a statement on Friday made a similar complaint. The Chinese embassy in Australia responded by calling Payne's statement "deplorable."

Refuting the Australian politicians' claims, Yu Lei, chief research fellow at the research center for Pacific island countries of Liaocheng University in East China's Shandong Province, told the Global Times on Thursday that Yang's case falls within the scope of domestic law, and foreign countries have no right to interfere in the case.

Their remarks violated the basic principles of international law on sovereign state relations and have interfered in China's judicial sovereignty, Yu noted.

"If the Canberra really believes in procedural justice, please first give due legal process and conduct a fair trial for Australian aboriginal victims of the genocide," Yu said.

China-Australia relations have been on the decline for about two years, which resulted from Australia's politicization of economic and cultural relations with China, said Yu. "This has nothing to do with Yang's case," Yu said.

Amnesty International, a UK-based international non-governmental organization focused on so-called human rights, claimed on Wednesday that Yang's espionage charge is "totally baseless" and "politically motivated" as Yang had written articles critical of the Chinese government.

Yu pointed out such NGOs are often influenced by their donors and they are merely serving as "public stunt" for some Western power under the guise of so-called human rights.

"In terms of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo issues, its righteous voice is hardly heard," Yu said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202105/1224715.shtml

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Transcript - Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 27, 2021

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Reuters: This morning, a Beijing court barred Australia's ambassador from attending the trial of the Australian citizen Yang Jun. Can the foreign ministry clarify why this was the case?

Zhao Lijian: After examination in accordance with law, the Second Branch of Beijing People's Procuratorate initiated a public prosecution to the Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court on October 7, 2020 regarding the case of the Australian citizen Yang Jun who is suspected of espionage. Pursuant to law, Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court held a trial on May 27. Currently, the case is under trial and the court will pronounce judgement when the case is closed. China's judicial authorities handle this case in strict accordance with law, fully protect Yang Jun's litigious rights, and fully respect and ensure the Australian side's consular rights, including visits and notifications.

Chinese law stipulates that the cases involving national secrets shall not be tried in an open court or sit in by anyone. This is a common practice in many countries. It is reasonable and legitimate that the Australian citizen Yang Jun's case is not heard in an open court and no one is allowed to sit in, because it involves national secrets. China firmly opposes Australia's unjustifiable obstruction in China's handling of the case in accordance with law, and its gross interference in China's judicial sovereignty. China has lodged its solemn representation to the Australian side.

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Bloomberg: I have three questions. One way for the virus controversy over its origins to be cleared that would be for China to provide all of the data about the coronavirus that scientists around the world want. I'm not speaking about the US here, but scientists around the world. Will China consider this option? If not, why not? Second question, Kurt Campbell, the White House top official for Asia, said the US is entering a period of intense competition with China. He said that "the period that was broadly described as engagement has come to an end … the dominant paradigm is going to be competition." Does the foreign ministry have a comment on Kurt Campbell's comments? Finally, I'm hoping you can clear some confusion about the trial of the Australian writer Yang Jun in Beijing. On the one hand, the court has told Australia's Ambassador Graham Fletcher that he wasn't allowed in because of COVID measures. At the same time, he apparently said that the foreign ministry told him that the trial was closed for national security issue. I wonder if you could clear the confusion here.

Zhao Lijian: I will first respond to Yang Jun's case. We have made clear explanation to the Australian side that the case is about national security and involves national secrets. As I said just now, China firmly opposes Australia's unjustifiable obstruction in China's handling of the case in accordance with law and gross interference in China's judicial sovereignty. China has lodged its solemn representation to the Australian side.

On your first question, as we repeatedly stated, from January 14 to February 10 this year, China responded to the request of the international experts on the joint mission in an open, transparent and cooperative manner by arranging field visits to different biosafety laboratories, including Wuhan Institute of Virology, and holding in-depth, candid and science-based discussions between international experts and experts from relevant laboratories. The experts learned in detail of lab management, work specification and latest progress on virus research. It is fair to say that they went to every place they asked to see.

China has set a good example for the global origin-tracing effort. Now the question is whether the US has the confidence and willingness to invite international experts to Fort Detrick, as well as its more than 200 bio-labs all over the world. We hope that the US will follow China's example, and cooperate with WHO in origin-tracing study with a science-based attitude so as to respond to the concerns of the international community.

On your second question, China and the US are two major countries that share broad-based common interests in upholding world peace and stability and promoting world economic recovery and development. The two sides stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. It is only natural that China and the US experience some competition in their relationship, which is the case in any major-country relations. However, using "competition" define or dominate China-US ties is a total mistake that will only lead to confrontation and conflict. Even if there is competition, it should be a sound one that helps to reinforce each other and pursue common progress, rather than a vicious competition to beat each other. China firmly rejects US moves to exclude and contain China in the name of competition.

The US should follow the trend of the times, abandon the obsolete cold war and zero-sum game mentality, and view China in a objective and reasonable light. It should adopt a positive China policy, and work with China to enhance dialogue, manage differences and focus on cooperation, so as to move forward the bilateral relations along the track of sound and steady development.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/t1879105.shtml

Malka Leifer’s lawyers want medical records of one of her accusers

Adam Cooper - May 28, 2021

Lawyers for accused paedophile Malka Leifer want the medical reports of one of the former school principal’s alleged victims that were used in a previous civil trial.

Ms Leifer is in custody having been extradited earlier this year from Israel, charged with abusing three of her then students when she was principal of the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick between 2004 and 2008.

Ahead of a major hearing in September that will determine whether the 54-year-old faces a criminal trial, one of Ms Leifer’s lawyers told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday her legal team sought the medical records of one of the alleged victims, Dassi Erlich, which were used in a civil trial in 2015.

Ms Erlich and her sisters, Elly Sapper and Nicole Meyer, allege they were abused by Ms Leifer when they were girls.

Ms Leifer, who was not present in Friday’s hearing, denies the allegations against her. She faces 74 charges comprising 11 counts of rape, 47 of indecent assault, three of sexual penetration of a child and 13 of committing an indecent act with a child.

Lucinda Thies, for Ms Leifer, said her team sought Ms Erlich’s medical reports that were tendered in the civil trial given they were relied upon at the time by the complainant.

But lawyers for Ms Erlich and a law firm which acted for her in the civil trial opposed the release of the medical records as they were confidential communications.

Adrian Strauch, for Ms Erlich, said: “This sounds like and is a fishing expedition looking for … information about the alleged victim. The forensic purpose has not been identified today to even get off the ground.”

Paul Kounnas, representing Mazzeo Lawyers, said it would be improper to release the medical records as they were confidential reports.

Prosecutor Angela Ellis said she was “in the dark” about the contents of the medical records.

Ms Erlich, Ms Sapper and Ms Meyer were last year granted a court order allowing them to publicly identify as victims of sexual assault. They all watched Friday’s online hearing.

Ms Thies moved to have the sisters excluded from the virtual hearing to prevent “any suggestion of collusion or contamination”, but magistrate Johanna Metcalf said they didn’t have enough time on Friday’s link.

The magistrate asked the lawyers to file written submissions about the medical records and ordered the case return to court on July 15.

Ms Leifer remains in custody and has not applied for bail.

Charge sheets allege she committed offences in Elsternwick, Elwood, Frankston and Emerald and the regional towns of Blampied and Rawson.

Ms Leifer left Australia for Israel in 2008 when allegations against her emerged. She was charged in 2012 and extradition hearings began in 2014.

The legal fight to have her return to Australia lasted six years and included more than 70 court hearings in Israel.

Ten witnesses, including the three sisters, are to be called at the five-day committal hearing scheduled to start on September 13.

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

https://www.1800respect.org.au

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/malka-leifer-s-lawyers-want-medical-records-of-one-of-her-accusers-20210528-p57w0y.html

>>13773137

Litzman to be prosecuted for intervention in Malka Leifer extradition

Litzman will be investigated for two cases: Keeping a food establishment open against Health Ministry codes, and intervening with Malka Leifer's extradition.

JERUSALEM POST STAFF, YONAH JEREMY BOB - MAY 27, 2021

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit on Thursday said Construction and Housing Minister Ya’acov Litzman should be tried for breach of public trust and allegedly interfering with court proceedings.

But a final decision on whether the United Torah Judaism MK will be put on trial will also depend on the result of a pre-indictment hearing that is available to public officials.

Litzman is suspected of having used his influence, when he was health minister, to prioritize the interests of private individuals over the needs of the general public. He served as health minister from 2015-17 and from 2019-20.

Litzman allegedly prolonged the delay in the extradition to Australia of accused pedophile Malka Leifer and is said to have tried to prevent the closure of a food establishment that he visited.

He is suspected of pressuring the Jerusalem district psychiatrist at the time into falsely stating that Leifer was mentally unfit to be extradited to Australia to stand trial. She was eventually deported in January to Melbourne, where she faces 74 separate charges of child sexual abuse.

In the second case, Litzman is suspected of helping the food establishment Beit Israel to remain in operation despite a Health Ministry order that it should close.

A bribery charge originally included in the indictment was dropped.

“In these two cases, Litzman took advantage of his political and ministerial power to advance the interests of private individuals,” Mandelblit said in statement.

Litzman’s office responded that it “believed fully that he is innocent and welcomed the decision to drop the bribery charge.”

“Litzman’s door is always open, and he will continue to serve as a trusted servant to Israeli citizens,” it said.

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/a-g-utj-party-leader-litzman-to-be-prosecuted-669391

>>13700239 (pb)

American support for Australia is a mirage

Bruce Haigh - May 27, 2021

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After the American defeat by the Japanese in the Philippines during the start of World War II, it needed a base from which to regroup, resupply and take the fight back through the Pacific. Australia was a bread bowl, training camp and aircraft carrier. Its north was intersected with airfields used by American bombers and fighters in attacks against Japanese bases and shipping on and around Papua New Guinea, the Solomons and other nearby islands.

Australia was fearful of attack by the Japanese after their rapid advance through Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The Americans arrived as the Japanese were advancing over Papua New Guinea toward Port Moresby. The Australian Army had been conducting a successful fighting retreat in order to shorten their supply line, extend that of the Japanese and organize a major offensive. Douglas MacArthur, the arrogant American general in command, sacked a number of Australian generals and ordered the retreat to stop.

Instead of being angry with MacArthur, the average Australian thought he was a hero. The myth was born that America had saved Australia, whereas America came to Australia purely for self-interest. Australians were impressed with American largesse and technology. Many bought into the American "dream." This was the point at which America could do no wrong. The ANZUS Treaty came into being at the time of the Cold War and hostilities in Korea. America was seen by Australians as the protector against Russian and Chinese expansionism.

Australia was also seduced by American consumerism, Hollywood, Nashville and Detroit. A common language facilitated the absorption of American culture. Military, academic and business exchanges grew. However, it was largely a one-way street, although that went mostly unnoticed in Australia given the sycophantic nature of the relationship. Australians were in awe of American power and wealth.

They undertook no foreign policy initiatives without first checking with the Americans. The exception being the recognition of China by the Whitlam government in 1972, which many junior diplomats welcomed with pride and pleasure. Australia bought into the American line on the civil war in Vietnam, much to its subsequent but unacknowledged regret. That did not stop the "provincial" Prime Minister, John Howard, from buying into the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as a favor to the equally limited George Bush.

Australia bought military hardware from the Americans, under pressure, to increase US force structure in the region. We bought the F-111 which took forever to iron out the cracks, pun intended, the single screw FFG's, the next to useless Abrams tanks, the F35 flying lemon and to boost the alliance Australia has ordered 12 submarines from the French which it does not need.

(continued)

>>13773154

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America has a highly sophisticated spy base, Pine Gap, in the Northern Territory, but from which Australia is excluded from sharing sensitive information. They have access to Tyndall Air Force Base from which B52, in theory, could bomb submarine pens in Sanya and they have established a military base in Darwin for 10,000 American marines. None of this offers any advantage for Australia, although the Americans have convinced the conservative governing establishment that it does. They believe that no matter what, Australian interests are best served by remaining in lock step with America interests. The Australian governing party lacks emotional intelligence and courage. They are "provincial" politicians, who know and understand very little of the wider world. To illustrate the point the governing party does not believe in climate change, at least insofar as believing in the efficacy of fossil fuels.

As products of the Howard-era Prime Ministers, Abbott, Turnbull and most recently Morrison, all have demonstrated blind faith in the American alliance. They have placed a great deal of trust in the word of Americans. Morrison has possibly been the most naive and gullible. He took Trump at his word, a big mistake. Trump fired up Morrison over China and convinced him that not only did the COVID-19 virus originate in Wuhan, but he should unilaterally make a demand that an international investigation take place. Morrison took Australia way out in front with an unsustainable and undiplomatic demand, the US and Trump stood in the background and grinned.

Australia refused to back down and apologize, so China imposed sanctions on a range of Australian imports in order to obtain a change of attitude on the part of Australia. The loss of income has not been felt because of unprecedented levels of borrowing by Australia to meet the economic challenges of COVID-19. And Australia has allowed itself to be lulled into a false sense of security by words of reassurance from US Secretary of State Blinken, who guaranteed that America had Australia's back. It does not and it never did. America acts purely in self-interest. Australia because of its long love affair with the US and its inferiority complex is in denial. Australia seems blind to the fact that the US has stepped in to supply China with many of the goods denied through trade sanctions.

China does not seem to understand the extent of the incompetence and naivety of the Australian leadership. Thinking people and intellectuals in Australia are appalled at Morrison and his government. However tough Chinese sanctions and harsh words have only given Morrison the domestic ammunition he needs to bolster his claims that China is aggressively expansionist and seeks to dominate the region.

The author is a retired diplomat and political commentator. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202105/1224677.shtml

https://brucehaigh.com.au

Pedophile priest citizenship appeal fails

Greta Stonehouse - MAY 28 2021

Convicted pedophile and former Catholic priest Finian Egan has failed a Federal Court appeal to retain his Australian citizenship.

The 86-year-old's back-and-forth citizenship battle began while serving time in prison for sexual assault against minors.

The Irish-born man was charged in 2012 with eight counts of historical sexual offences between 1961 and 1987, against three girls aged between 10 and 17.

He was found guilty by jury in the NSW District Court and sentenced to a maximum term of eight years, with a non-parole period of four years from December 2013.

Peter Dutton was immigration and border protection minister when he made an application to revoke Egan's citizenship in 2016, but from jail the elderly man sought a successful review to set aside this decision.

Following his release on parole in December 2017, Mr Dutton appealed and aired his views with Ray Hadley on Radio 2GB, saying Egan was a "horrible individual" and "not a worthy member of our society," according to court documents.

After another tribunal weighed in favour of Mr Dutton, Egan relied upon this interview as indication he would likely be deported to Ireland if his citizenship was revoked.

His latest Federal Court appeal was based on four grounds, including that he had renounced his Irish citizenship earlier in the process.

But the Federal Court found he would be granted an ex-citizen visa in Australia, which would not necessarily be cancelled.

"The Tribunal's findings are clear that there was no remaining uncertainty about the applicant's Irish citizenship or any risk of de facto statelessness."

In 2018, he was dismissed by the Catholic Church from the clerical state and stripped of his priesthood after the Diocese of Broken Bay presented its case to Rome.

Justices John Nicholas, Angus Stewart and Wendy Abraham dismissed Egan's appeal and ordered him to pay costs.

https://thewest.com.au/news/crime/pedophile-priest-citizenship-appeal-fails-c-2956567

Chinese military says Australia’s Taiwan comments ‘provocative’

Michael Smith - May 28, 2021

China’s Defence Ministry has accused Australia of “inciting confrontation” by talking up the threat of war over Taiwan in the strongest response from Beijing so far to comments from Morrison government officials about the prospect of a military confrontation.

“We express strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the recent provocative actions on Taiwan-related issues by Australia,” said Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of National Defence.

“Recently, the Australian side has taken a series of provocative actions, and some people have even incited confrontation and exaggerated the threat of war on Taiwan-related issues. Such actions are incredibly irresponsible.”

Colonel Tan made the remarks at a regular press conference on Thursday when asked to comment on remarks by some Australian government officials. The comments were published on the Ministry of Defence’s website on Friday.

He said Taiwan was an integral part of China and it was important that the international community adhered to the “One China” policy, which does not recognise Taiwan as a separate country.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said in April that conflict between China and Taiwan could not be discounted, while Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo warned that the “drums of war are beating”.

The Chinese government has not responded directly to the comments in the past although state media has accused Australia of having a “pathological obsession” with war against China.

Colonel Tan did not name Mr Dutton or Mr Pezzullo but praised comments by former prime minister Kevin Rudd and former Liberal Party leader John Hewson that it was not in Australia’s interests to talk up the prospect of war.

He reiterated earlier comments from China’s Foreign Ministry blaming Australia for the current difficulties in the bilateral relationship.

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has said the self-governed island territory was preparing for war. Any conflict could involve Australia if the United States became involved, although there are no signs a conflict is imminent.

https://www.afr.com/world/asia/chinese-military-says-australia-s-taiwan-comments-provocative-20210528-p57w3n

—

China slams Australia for its provocative actions on Taiwan-related issues

''Wang Xinjuan, China Military Online - 2021-05-27

BEIJING, May 27 - "We express strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the recent provocative actions on Taiwan-related issues by Australia," said a Chinese defense spokesperson at a regular press conference on Thursday.

Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), made the remarks when asked to comment on the speeches speculating about war over Taiwan by some Australian politicians.

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an integral part of China. Adherence to the one-China principle is the common consensus of the international community. Recently, the Australian side has taken a series of provocative actions, and some people have even incited confrontation and exaggerated the threat of war on Taiwan-related issues. Such actions are incredibly irresponsible, Tan said.

Currently, China-Australia relations are faced with serious difficulties, and the responsibility lies squarely with the Australian side. We hope the Australian side will not go further down the wrong path and can do more things conducive to the development of relations between the two countries and the two militaries, Tan added.

http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2021-05/27/content_10040607.htm

Alexander Downer Tweet

Debstar @DbBourke

Treasonous @AlexanderDowner is now famous for all the wrong reasons. Bring on #Nuremberg2 trials for #CrimesAgainstHumanity Clips From Peters/Papadopolous Interview - Dynamite Against Deep State Cabal And "Five Eyes"

https://twitter.com/DbBourke/status/1397804072728596481

Clips From Peters/Papadopolous Interview - Dynamite Against Deep State Cabal And "Five Eyes"

https://rumble.com/vhmxj7-clips-from-peterspapadopolous-interview-dynamite-against-deep-state-cabal-a.html

—

Alexander Downer @AlexanderDowner

Replying to @DbBourke

Two possibilities here. One, I’m a secret lefty trying to destroy the Democratic world or two Papa is a wing nut!

https://twitter.com/AlexanderDowner/status/1397934743853883402

Former Australian PM Kevin Rudd Speaks at China Trade Forum

DANIEL Y. TENG - May 28, 2021

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has addressed a trade forum organised by a Chinese propaganda body and state-run media outlet, aimed at encouraging “regional exchange and cooperation” surrounding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The appearance comes despite current Australian ministers being frozen out of diplomatic contact with their Chinese counterparts since 2020 amid an ongoing economic coercion campaign being waged by Beijing against Australia.

Rudd delivered his message via video saying free trade played an important role in China’s economic development but he noted that due to political factors, “protectionism” was becoming more prominent, according to state-run media outlet China Daily.

“It is hoped that China will continue to adhere to free trade, reform and opening up, and multilateralism, which will benefit the development of China, the region, and the world,” he said.

The RCEP Media and Think Tank Forum was attended by 300 individuals including members of the press, think tanks, embassy officials, and business representatives from the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

The conference was also dedicated to encouraging free trade around China’s southernmost province Hainan. It was organised by the China Daily newspaper, the Publicity Department of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, and the China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute.

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) heavyweight Jiang Jianguo, the deputy director of the Publicity Department—previously known as the Propaganda Department—addressed the meeting calling for deeper cooperation between regional neighbours.

The RCEP was minted in November last year and is the world’s largest trade agreement covering 15 nations, and 30 percent of the world population and gross domestic product. Australia joined RCEP with an eye on further opening the South East Asia market.

RCEP does not completely open free trade across the region, instead, it establishes a baseline of norms and rules for customs control and access to certain markets.

Further, the agreement gives countries dispute resolution mechanisms against other nations, a service the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been unable to provide since 2019.

The WTO’s dispute resolution mechanism—the appellate body—has been unable to resolve disputes since the former U.S. administration refused to appoint new members to the body because of problems such as judicial overreach, slow decision-making, and consistent rulings against U.S. tariffs designed to protect American businesses. The European Union has only recently recognised these issues as well.

Rudd’s appearance comes despite Australian trade ministers being unable to establish contact or meet with their Chinese counterparts.

Over the past year, Beijing has launched a year-long economic coercion campaign against Australia targeting numerous exports to China including coal, beef, wine, barley, lobster, timber, lamb, and cotton industries. The actions came in response to calls for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Australia has launched an action at the WTO to have tariffs worth around 80 percent removed from barley exports after allegations of “dumping” against Australian businesses.

Beijing, meanwhile, entered the RCEP reluctantly and due to fears of increasing international isolation, according to Yang Wei, an Epoch Times China affairs commentator. He noted RCEP was unlikely to open up any new opportunities for China.

“The political situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea is tense. The signing of the RCEP may be a temporary respite for the CCP’s senior leaders, but it cannot actually solve the regime’s problems at home and abroad,” he wrote in an op-ed.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/former-australian-pm-kevin-rudd-speaks-at-china-trade-forum_3834399.html

https://twitter.com/geoff_p_wade/status/1398050107832999942

>>13773348

Google Translation

RCEP Regional Development Media Think Tank Forum was held in Haikou

China Daily - 2021-05-23

China Daily, Haikou, May 23. On the morning of May 23, 2021, the RCEP Regional Development Media Think Tank Forum opened in Haikou, Hainan. The forum is co-sponsored by the Propaganda Department of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, China Daily, China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute, and Free Trade Port Research Institute with Chinese Characteristics. Demonstrate the good momentum of the development of China's free trade zone and the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port, and promote the exchange and cooperation of RCEP regional media think tanks.

Jiang Jianguo, Deputy Minister of the Central Propaganda Department, Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and President of the Asia Society of America, Xiao Yingzi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda of the Provincial Party Committee, Zhou Shuchun, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, President and Editor-in-Chief of China Daily, China (Hainan) Reform and Development Chi Fulin, Dean of the Institute and Dean of the Institute of Free Trade Ports with Chinese Characteristics, Thai Ambassador to China Atayu Xisam, Minister and Deputy Ambassador of the Indonesian Embassy in China Dino, and people from China, South Korea, Singapore, More than 300 people including mainstream media, high-end think tanks, embassy officials and business representatives from the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries participated in the forum online and offline to focus on the theme of "RCEP and Asian Economic Development" Share opinions, exchange ideas, and offer suggestions for promoting regional exchanges and cooperation.

…..

Kevin Rudd pointed out in his special video speech that when he came to Hainan in 2019, he had an in-depth understanding of the Hainan Free Trade Zone's construction plan. Free trade is conducive to economic development and world peace, and is conducive to the well-being of the people. Free trade has played an important role in China's economic development. The rise and continued development of Asia's economy require free trade to play a greater role. Due to some political factors, the harmfulness of trade protectionism has become more and more prominent. Free trade requires domestic political protection and international political coordination. It is hoped that China will continue to adhere to free trade, reform and opening up, and multilateralism, which will benefit China’s development, regional development, and world development.

https://cn.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202105/23/WS60aa04d1a3101e7ce9751161.html

Ron Brierley told police child abuse images in his possession were ‘perfectly OK’

Georgina Mitchell - May 28, 2021

Corporate titan Ron Brierley had more than 10,000 images of child abuse material in his possession when he was arrested at Sydney Airport in 2019, telling police he thought they were “perfectly OK” and he looked at them for recreation, court documents reveal.

Brierley, 84, had been on his way to Fiji when Australian Border Force officers stopped him on December 17. He unlocked his laptop, and the officers observed material that amounted to child abuse material.

A total of 11,765 child images were found on his laptop and two USBs, some of which were duplicates. Brierley also had two sexually explicit written stories, detailing the abuse of children, and an almost two-hour video of six young girls in their swimmers.

According to agreed facts, tendered to Downing Centre District Court on Friday, Brierley was taken to a private room by police and informed officers had located “a number of images and videos”.

“I reckon they’re all, they’re perfectly okay,” Brierley responded.

He said the images were freely available on the internet, and he downloaded them because they “looked interesting”. Brierley said he looked at the images for “recreation” and he had most recently looked at them the night before.

He denied looking at the images for a sexual purpose. Asked if the photos were sexually suggestive, Brierley responded: “Depends what you mean by sexually suggestive”.

Brierley admitted to reading the written stories, which detailed the abuse of a 9-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl. He said he had received them from the United States and hadn’t been sent any for a long time.

Later that day, police raided his home in the affluent Sydney suburb of Point Piper and seized one laptop and 12 USBs, which contained a combined total of 35,030 child abuse images, some of which were duplicates. The youngest of the children appeared to be about four years old.

It is not known how long Brierley possessed the images, how he organised them, or how frequently he accessed them.

“He appears to have duplicated folders and images across multiple devices. The full extent of the duplication is not known,” the agreed facts state.

Brierley – who made his name as a corporate raider in New Zealand and Australia in the 1980s – pleaded guilty in April to three counts of possessing child abuse material. The charge has a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

The former board member of the Sydney Cricket Ground trust was knighted in 1988 in his native New Zealand for his contribution to business and the community.

However, after he pleaded guilty, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern indicated she would begin a process to strip Brierley of his knighthood.

In a statement earlier this month, Ardern said Brierley was written to on April 6, giving him 30 days to respond, and responded tendering his resignation as a Knight Bachelor.

Brierley, who is a dual Australian and New Zealand citizen, has no criminal history in either jurisdiction.

He will face a sentencing hearing on August 20.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/ron-brierley-told-police-child-abuse-images-in-his-possession-were-perfectly-okay-20210528-p57w6e.html

Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet

Honoured to meet with Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP at Parliament House earlier today.

https://twitter.com/YamagamiShingo/status/1398123179567054849

Anthony Fauci backed virus experiments ‘despite pandemic risk’

SHARRI MARKSON - MAY 28, 2021

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America’s top medical adviser for the coronavirus, Anthony Fauci, argued that the benefits of experimenting on contagious viruses – manipulating and heightening their infectious potency – was worth the risk of a laboratory accident sparking a pandemic.

In previously unreported remarks, Dr Fauci supported the contentious gain-of-­function experiments that some now fear might have led to an escape from a Wuhan laboratory causing the Covid-19 pandemic, calling them “important work”.

An investigation by The Weekend Australian has also confirmed Dr Fauci, the director of the Nat­ional Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, did not alert senior White House officials before lifting the ban on gain-of-function research in 2017.

Writing in the American Society for Microbiology in October 2012, Dr Fauci acknowledged the controversial scientific research could spark a pandemic.

“In an unlikely but conceivable turn of events, what if that scientist becomes infected with the virus, which leads to an outbreak and ultimately triggers a pandemic?” he wrote. “Many ask reasonable questions: given the possibility of such a scenario – however remote – should the initial experiments have been performed and/or published in the first place, and what were the processes involved in this decision?

“Scientists working in this field might say – as indeed I have said – that the benefits of such experiments and the resulting knowledge outweigh the risks.

“It is more likely that a pandemic would occur in nature, and the need to stay ahead of such a threat is a primary reason for performing an experiment that might appear to be risky.”

In the paper, Dr Fauci also writes: “Within the research community, many have expressed concern that important research progress could come to a halt just because of the fear that someone, somewhere, might attempt to replicate these experiments sloppily. This is a valid concern.”

Dr Fauci has led the US response to the outbreak but is now facing serious questions about his role in funding the radical experiments being conducted inside the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

A forthcoming book, What ­Really Happened in Wuhan, documents increasing concerns that a leak from the Wuhan lab – and not natural spread via an animal in a wet market – could have sparked the Covid-19 crisis that has up-ended every nation in the world and killed 3.4 million people.

Dr Fauci on May 11 reversed his position on whether Covid-19 had leaked from the WIV, and said he was now “not convinced” the virus had developed naturally and authorities needed to find out “exactly what happened”.

Gain-of-function experiments – often with bat-derived coronaviruses – centre on manipulating, splicing and recombining viruses potentially into strands of highly infectious and little understood diseases.

This type of research carries such a risk of causing a pandemic that the Obama administration paused funding for gain-of-­function experiments in 22 fields in 2014, including those involving SARS, influenza and MERS.

US President Joe Biden this week ordered a fresh US intelligence inquiry into whether the virus had originated at the laboratory, while WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said his team’s inquiry into the origins did not sufficiently examine an accidental laboratory leak.

(continued)

>>13779177

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The NIH has come under significant criticism in recent weeks over funding WIV research relating to change-of-function, which Dr Fauci denies. Earlier this month, he told a US Senate hearing that the NIH “has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the WIV”.

Yet papers published as late as last year in American peer-­reviewed academic journals that include WIV researchers – including its prominent virologist Shi Zhengli – disclose that work on coronaviruses had been funded by at least three NIH grants.

At the time of Dr Fauci’s paper, there was a voluntary ban on gain-of-function research related to highly infectious influenza ­viruses. He asked what would happen if the experiments were conducted by a lab not subject to adequate safety regulations.

“Putting aside the specter of bioterrorism for the moment, consider this hypothetical scenario: an important gain-of-function experiment involving a virus with serious pandemic potential is performed in a well-regulated, world-class laboratory by experienced investigators, but the information from the experiment is then used by another scientist who does not have the same training and facilities and is not subject to the same regulations,” he wrote.

Dr Fauci wrote that virologists needed to respect “that there are genuine and legitimate concerns about this type of research, both domestically and globally.”

“We cannot expect those who have these concerns to simply take us, the scientific community, at our word that the benefits of this work outweigh the risks, nor can we ignore their calls for greater transparency, their concerns about conflicts of interest, and their efforts to engage in a dialogue about whether these experiments should have been performed in the first place,” Dr Fauci wrote.

“Those of us in the scientific community who believe in the merits of this work have the responsibility to address these concerns thoughtfully and respectfully.”

Dr Fauci added: “Granted, the time it takes to engage in such a dialog could potentially delay or even immobilize the conduct of certain important experiments and the publication of valuable information that could move the field forward for the good of public health,”

“If we want to continue this important work, we collectively need to do a better job of articulating the scientific rationale for such experiments well before they are performed and provide discussion about the potential risk to public health, however remote,” he wrote.

In December 2017, the National Institute of Health, of which the NIAID is a part, announced it would resume funding the gain-of-function research.

Multiple Trump administration officials told The Weekend Australian Dr Fauci had not raised the issue of restarting the research funding with senior figures in the White House.

“It kind of just got rammed through,” one official said.

“I think there’s truth in the narrative that the (National Security Council) staff, the president, the White House chief-of-staff, those people were in the dark that he was switching back on the research.”

The Weekend Australian has also confirmed that neither Mike Pompeo, the then director of the Central Intelligence Agency, nor National Security Council member Matthew Pottinger, was briefed.

The experiments are also opposed by prominent scientists, including the Cambridge Working Group of 200 researchers which issued a public warning in 2014.

“Accident risks with newly created “potential pandemic pathogens” raise grave new concerns,” the group’s letter read. “Laboratory creation of highly transmissible, novel strains of dangerous viruses, especially but not limited to influenza, poses substantially increased risks.

“An accidental infection in such a setting could trigger outbreaks that would be difficult or impossible to control. Historically, new strains of influenza, once they establish transmission in the human population, have infected a quarter or more of the world’s population within two years.”

And Steven Salzberg, of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in 2015 said the benefits of gain-of-function research were “minimal at best” and they could “far more safely be obtained through other avenues of research”.

“I am very concerned that the continuing gain-of-function research on influenza viruses, and more recently on other viruses, presents extremely serious risks to the public health,” he wrote.

Dr Fauci did not respond to queries.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/anthony-fauci-backed-virus-experiments-despite-pandemic-risk/news-story/3c604681cfcbfeda88bac25e372a1b8a

>>13779177

Enough of Fauci’s lies!: Devine

Miranda Devine - May 26, 2021

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Dr. Anthony Fauci was absolutely adamant that the National Institutes of Health has never funded dangerous research on bat viruses in the Chinese lab suspected of being the source of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was questioned by Republican Sen. Rand Paul two weeks ago.

“Senator Paul, with all due respect, you are entirely and completely incorrect that the NIH has not ever and does not now fund ‘gain of function’ research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” Fauci said in the fiery Senate hearing on May 11.

He couldn’t have been more certain.

Until he wasn’t certain a few hours later.

That very afternoon, Fauci admitted to “a very minor collaboration as part of a subcontract of a grant we had a collaboration with some Chinese scientists,” during an appearance at Poynter.org’s “festival of fact checking.”

It’s like being a little bit pregnant. The NIH either funded so-called gain-of-function research to juice up bat coronaviruses in China, or it didn’t. Turns out it did. And it did it by exploiting a loophole in an Obama-administration ban on the Frankenstein research put in place in 2014.

Fauci’s defensive answer at the Poynter event this month was in response to a mild-enough question about the coronavirus: “Are you still confident that it developed naturally.”

Rattled by the morning’s confrontation with Sen. Paul, Fauci for the first time admitted he was not at all confident the virus had ­developed naturally and maybe, just maybe, it could have come from a lab leak. But he still tried to have the last word against Paul.

“I think the real unfortunate aspect of what Senator Paul did is he was conflating research in a collaborative way with Chinese scientists which was, you’d almost have to say if we did not do that we would almost be irresponsible because SARS-CoV-1 [the coronavirus responsible for the 2003 Asian SARS outbreak] clearly originated in China and we were lucky to escape a major pandemic so we really had to learn a lot more about the viruses that were there, about whether or not people were getting infected by viruses, so in a very minor collaboration as part of a subcontract of a grant, we had a collaboration with some Chinese scientists. He conflated that … therefore we were involved in creating the virus which is the most ridiculous majestic leap I’ve ever heard of.”

Methinks he doth protest too much.

Paul, a medical doctor, did not allow Fauci to slide away as usual from a direct answer to the crucial question: did American taxpayers fund dangerous research to “juice up” bat viruses in the Wuhan Institute?

He answered no. But the correct answer is yes.

The NIH gave $3.7 million in funding to a New York-based nonprofit, EcoHealth Alliance, run by British-born Dr. Peter Daszak, who then, with the approval of the NIH, gave nearly $600,000 of that money to help fund the gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute, and co-authored scientific papers with the scientist who conducted the lab’s research, China’s so-called batwoman, Shi Zhengli.

(continued)

>>13779414

2/2

Daszak has been one of the most vocal opponents of the “lab leak” theory and has asserted that the virus probably emerged spontaneously from the wild.

Clearly he is conflicted on the question of the origins of the pandemic. Yet he was chosen by the World Health Organization as the only representative from America to take part in its fake investigation of the Wuhan lab overseen by Beijing in February.

No surprise Daszak and his WHO team comprehensively ruled out a leak from the Wuhan lab, and farcically suggested the virus might have been imported into China via frozen food such as Australian beef.

Daszak also was instrumental in shaping the early media narrative on the origins of the pandemic. In February 2020, he drafted an influential letter from 26 scientists published in The Lancet dismissing the lab-leak hypothesis as a “conspiracy theory” and insisting the virus emerged naturally. E-mails released under Freedom of Information laws revealed that he was the originator of the letter.

Did the gain-of-function research partly funded by the NIH result in a lab leak in Wuhan that caused the COVID-19 outbreak?

We don’t yet know for sure, but increasingly, this lab-leak theory is regarded by scientists and intelligence agencies around the world as the most likely cause of the pandemic. Yet until recently the theory was dismissed by the scientific establishment and most of the media as “debunked” and a “conspiracy theory.”

Fauci was the most influential debunker of the ­theory since the start of the pandemic.

He trashed the lab-leak theory about the origins of COVID-19 using all the authority of his office as the lead infectious-disease expert in the country, the director for 37 years of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, chief medical adviser to the president, and the founding expert on then-President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force.

“If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and what’s out there now, [the scientific evidence] is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated,” Fauci said last May.

“Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species.

Fauci has changed his mind about almost everything else, from masks to herd immunity to opposing Trump’s ban on flights from China in January 2020.

But on this, potentially the most consequential of all of Facui’s errors, he had to be dragged kicking and screaming by Paul to a final acknowledgment of the ­obvious.

He’s done enough damage. Time to resign.

https://nypost.com/2021/05/26/enough-of-faucis-lies-devine/

Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison to build bridges over China

BEN PACKHAM - MAY 28, 2021

China will loom large during talks between Scott Morrison and ­Jacinda Ardern when the leaders meet in Queenstown on Sunday.

The pair are keen to push past recent divisions over the Asian superpower during Mr Morrison’s two-day trip to New Zealand, with Ms Ardern recently delivering a speech criticising Beijing’s human rights record.

But differences remain, with New Zealand still keen to stand apart from Australia and other Five Eyes countries in its messaging on China.

Mr Morrison is also prepared to absorb Ms Ardern’s now-routine criticism of Australia for ­deporting Kiwi-born criminals, described by Peter Dutton as “taking the trash out”.

“It plays well for her, and frankly it plays well for us,” one senior government source said.

Robert Ayson, a professor of strategic studies at Victoria University of Wellington, said it was “very clear there are differences” between the prime ministers on key issues.

“Neither prime minister needs to say anything for people to know that is the case,” he said. “Their role now is to find a form of words to allow for those differences to be there but not allow them to get in the way of the fact that this is a very strong and close relationship with lots of common views on similar issues.”

Trans-Tasman relations crashed earlier this year when New Zealand Trade Minister Damien O’Connor declared Australia should “show respect” and be more “cautious with wording” towards China.

He later admitted the comments were “unhelpful”, but the rift widened when New Zealand declared its reluctance to join in statements by Five Eyes nations criticising China. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said other multilateral avenues might be a better to make such statements, rather than expanding the Five Eyes’ remit.

However, Australian officials’ fears that New Zealand was “wobbly” on China were eased by Ms Ardern’s speech earlier this month about the difficulties posed by China’s profoundly different history, worldview and political and legal system.

“We need to acknowledge that there are some things on which China and New Zealand do not, cannot, and will not agree,” Ms Ardern said. “This need not derail our relationship, it is simply a ­reality.”

Senior Australian government sources said the speech represented a welcome repositioning of New Zealand’s stance on China.

“The Five Eyes stuff was a little unsettling. But Ardern made it clear we are not fundamentally moving in different directions,” one source said.

Australian Institute of International Affairs president Allan Gyngell said the deportation issue was a long-running irritant in the relationship, but the countries were far apart in their positions on China.

He said both leaders would make an effort to present a united front.

“There’s never going to be a love fest between the two leaders,” Professor Gyngell said.

“They are very different people with different political views and personalities, but they each understand the importance of the relationship and will try to manage it carefully.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/leaders-to-build-bridges-over-china/news-story/52ca6cc76cbb5953e415facd188ab783

Australia’s Holy See ambassador under fire for saying she wants to change ‘narrative’ away from George Pell

Abuse survivors say Chiara Porro should be working to avoid a repeat of the child abuse scandal exposed by the royal commission

Christopher Knaus - 29 May 2021

The new ambassador to the Holy See told a Catholic publication that her aim was to change the Vatican’s “narrative” about Australia away from the child abuse royal commission and cardinal George Pell – comments that have infuriated abuse survivors.

In an interview with Catholic Health Australia in September, the newly appointed ambassador Chiara Porro spoke of a recent audience with the Pope, during which she raised the work local Catholic groups were doing on health and education.

She then said: “You know whenever people [in the Vatican] think of Australia they think immediately about cardinal Pell and the royal commission.

“So my aim here is to change that narrative.”

The comments, which have since forced a clarification from the foreign affairs minister, angered abuse survivors, who say Australia’s ambassador, as a representative of all Australians, should be raising the royal commission as often as possible to help avoid a repeat of the horrific child abuse scandal it exposed.

“Our embassy isn’t flying Australia’s flag, it’s flying the Vatican’s flag,” one survivor, who requested anonymity, said.

“The frustration is that the ambassador isn’t just sitting on the fence, but actively working to … change the narrative, to divert the attention away from the negative things that happened in the church.

“It’s so annoying to watch because the ambassador’s job is to try to fix the problems identified by the royal commission.”

The foreign affairs minister Marise Payne has since distanced the government from the ambassador’s comments.

In response to questions on notice from Labor senator Kimberley Kitching, Payne said the ambassador’s words did not reflect the position of the Australian government.

Payne said that neither she nor her department had told Porro that, upon arriving at the Vatican, her aim should be to “change that narrative” away from cardinal Pell and the royal commission.

Pell left a senior position at the Vatican in 2017 to face charges that he sexually molested two 13-year-old choir boys in the sacristy of the Melbourne cathedral in 1996. He was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to six years in prison, but the conviction was thrown out by Australia’s high court in April last year, which unanimously found there was reasonable doubt in the testimony of his lone accuser.

Porro, a career diplomat and practicing Catholic, was appointed ambassador last year, around the time of her half-hour meeting with Pope Francis.

She also told Catholic Health Australia that she had sought the Pope’s views on “how to engage youth, when there is such a crisis of confidence in the Catholic church, particularly in Australia” and how to go about “regaining trust and re-establishing those links”.

In the same interview, Porro acknowledged it was not her role to represent the views of the Catholic church in Australia.

She said her role was to represent “the Australian government” and “all Australians”.

“I’m here to be able to provide that bridge to the Holy See. There’s lots of erroneous reporting [about the Vatican], so where I can try to explain certain things I will.”

The department of foreign affairs and trade was approached for a further clarification of Porro’s comments.

A spokeswoman said the ambassador had not intended to detract from the importance of the royal commission, or suggest that the Australian government wanted to help the church engage Australian youth.

“Rather, she was emphasising that Australia has a broad relationship with the Holy See and that her responsibilities are to put forward the interests of Australia across the breadth of that relationship,” the spokeswoman said.

Australia has had resident ambassadors to the Holy See since 2008.

Porro is the fourth to hold the position, after former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer, barrister John McCarthy, and diplomat Melissa Hitchman.

Prior to 2008, the role was typically handled by Australia’s ambassador to Ireland.

Survivors say the department should discipline the ambassador by removing her from the post.

“The ambassador should have been pulled into line and told you are not there to work for the church, you are there to work for Australia and the thousands of Australian children abused in the church,” the survivor said.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/29/australias-holy-see-ambassador-under-fire-for-saying-she-wants-to-change-narrative-away-from-george-pell

https://www.aph.gov.au/api/qon/downloadquestions/Question-ParliamentNumber46-QuestionNumber3546

Don't take on China alone, says ex-Australia PM Kevin Rudd

Karishma Vaswani - 29 May 2021

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Countries should unite against China's growing economic and geopolitical coercion or risk being singled out and punished by Beijing, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has told the BBC.

Mr Rudd said governments in the West should not be afraid to challenge China on issues such as human rights.

Around the world, countries are navigating a new geopolitical order framed by the rising dominance of China.

"If you are going to have a disagreement with Beijing, as many governments around the world are now doing, it's far better to arrive at that position conjointly with other countries rather than unilaterally, because it makes it easier for China to exert bilateral leverage against you," Mr Rudd told the BBC's Talking Business Asia programme.

His comments come as relations between Australia and China have deteriorated to their worst point in decades. The relationship has soured following a series of economic and diplomatic blows dealt by each side.

Australia has scrapped agreements tied to China's massive infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative. It also banned Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei from building the country's 5G network.

But it was really Australia's call for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic that set off a new storm between the two sides.

China retaliated by placing sanctions on Australian imports - including wine, beef, lobster and barley - and has hinted more may come.

Beijing has also suspended key economic dialogues with Canberra, which effectively means there is no high-level contact to smooth things out.

A new battleground

Mr Rudd, who led Australia twice between 2007 and 2013, has criticised the current government's approach to China, saying that it has been counterproductive at times.

"The conservative government's response to the Chinese has from time to time been measured - but other times, frankly, has been rhetorical and shrill," said Mr Rudd, who is now president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.

The former Labor party prime minister believes it could risk the fortunes of a key Australian export to China: iron ore.

"They [the Chinese leadership] will see Australia as an unreliable supplier of iron ore long term, because of the geopolitical conclusions that Beijing will make in relation to… the conservative government in Canberra.

"That long-term supply may be put at risk because of geopolitical factors."

A fifth of Australia's exports go to China, an economic relationship that has only grown in importance in the last few decades.

(continued)

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Taking on China

Increasingly countries - especially those ideologically allied with the US - are speaking out against China. In many ways, they followed the lead of the US.

Under former President Donald Trump, America launched a bitter trade war with China, imposing tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods.

That sparked a tit-for-tat battle over trade with China, and changed the tone of relations between the two countries.

China had hoped that under President Joe Biden things might be different, but that hasn't been the case.

While trade negotiations are ongoing, this week Kurt Campbell, the American deputy assistant to President Biden on national security issues, said the US was effectively done with the period of engagement with China.

In the past many countries, including Australia and the US, had a different approach to China. As China grew richer, there was also a sense it would grow more free.

Engagement and dialogue were the ways the global community tried to navigate China, but there appears to be growing consensus that is not working.

Mr Rudd said navigating China means picking your battles.

"China won't like it," he said, referencing growing concerns directed at China's treatment of its Uyghur population in Xinjiang, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan.

"But the fact that China doesn't like something doesn't necessarily mean the rest of us shouldn't do it.

"That is not to say that you go and pick a fight with China every day of the week," he added.

Mr Rudd, who speaks fluent Mandarin, dismissed criticisms that he was perhaps naïve or optimistic about China when he was in office.

He said he raised a number of concerns with the Chinese government on human rights.

"I've had many, many disagreements with China on human rights in the past," he told the BBC.

"On my first visit to Beijing as prime minister, I delivered an address at Peking University in Chinese criticising China's human rights performance."

However, he said the manner in which he conducted the relationship with China was diplomatic.

"It was hardline, but we also managed to preserve the overall balance of the relationship."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-57264249

>>13764374

Payne labels Yang’s trial a case of arbitrary detention

Eryk Bagshaw - May 28, 2021

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has labelled jailed Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun’s trial a case of arbitrary detention, escalating Australia’s response to Beijing as he awaits a verdict on charges of espionage.

Australia’s ambassador to China Graham Fletcher was on Thursday denied entry to the Beijing courthouse where Yang was being held in a closed-door trial, a move Australia claimed was a breach of China’s treaty obligations.

Fletcher said on Thursday the embassy believed Yang was being held under arbitrary detention, where a person is charged without due process or evidence, but the statement from Payne elevates the allegation to an official government position.

“Given our enduring concerns about this case, including the lack of detail as to the charges and the investigation made available to Dr Yang and to Australia, we consider this to be an instance of arbitrary detention of an Australian citizen,” Payne said on Friday.

It is the first time Australia has named China in an arbitrary detention case since diplomatic relations between the trading partners started to sour. In February, Australia signed a declaration against the use of arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations with 55 international partners, but did not name China.

Yang’s treatment has been linked to deepening diplomatic animosity between China and Australia after two years of public hostility over national security, human rights and trade.

The writer had spent a decade in Australia pushing for democratic reforms in China and criticising economic policy and corruption within the Chinese Communist Party after earlier working for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. He was visiting China after working in business and academia in the US when he was detained in 2019.

The one-day trial ended on Thursday with the court deferring its verdict and sentence. The 56-year-old now faces months waiting for either outcome, more than two years after he was forced from a plane into detention by Chinese authorities.

The Chinese criminal justice system has a 99 per cent conviction rate. Yang faces a sentence ranging from 3 years in jail to death under the national security charges.

In his final message to his family and supporters released on Wednesday, Yang said that if the “worst comes to the worst, please explain to the people inside China what I did, and the significance of my writing to people in China”.

Payne said since Yang’s detention in January 2019, the government has repeated the importance of procedural fairness, basic standards of justice and international legal obligations. She confirmed embassy staff had visited Yang on Friday.

“Following today’s trial, we renew our calls for China to uphold these principles,” she said. “These are well-accepted principles of legal process. Seeking their observation does not amount to interference in the Chinese legal system.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday night said China firmly opposed Australia’s “unjustifiable obstruction” in China’s handling of the case and its gross interference in China’s judicial sovereignty.

“Chinese law stipulates that the cases involving national secrets shall not be tried in an open court or sat in by anyone,” he said.

“Currently, the case is under trial and the court will pronounce judgement when the case is closed.”

https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/payne-labels-yang-s-trial-a-case-of-arbitrary-detention-20210528-p57w82.html

U.S. says looking at Quad meeting in fall focused on infrastructure

David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina - May 27, 2021

The United States is looking to convene an in-person fall summit of leaders of the Quad countries - Australia, India and Japan - with a focus on infrastructure in the face of the challenge from China, President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific policy coordinator said on Wednesday.

Kurt Campbell said other countries were welcome to work with the Quad, which held a first virtual summit in March and pledged to work closely on COVID-19 vaccines, climate and security.

"We want to look this fall to convene an in-person Quad and the hope will be to make a similar kind of engagement on infrastructure more generally," Campbell told an online event hosted by Stanford University.

"And I do want to underscore … this is not a fancy club. If there are other countries that believe that they'd like to engage and work with us, the door will be open as we go forward," Campbell said.

The March Quad summit was carefully choreographed to counter China's growing influence and Biden and his fellow leaders pledged to work to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of challenges from Beijing.

They also agreed to hold an in-person summit this year. A White House official said it had yet to be decided where or exactly when the summit would be held.

Campbell said there was now a new set of strategic parameters when it came to China and "a period that had been broadly described as engagement has come to an end."

"The dominant paradigm is going to be competition. Our goal is to make that a stable, peaceful competition that brings out the best in us," he said, while cautioning: "There will likely be periods ahead, in which there will be moments of concern."

Campbell said the "operating system" the United States had helped build in Asia remained intact but was "under substantial strain" in the face of China's rise.

"It's going to need to be reinvigorated in a number of ways, not just by the United States, but other countries that use the operating system and that means Japan, that means South Korea, Australia, countries in Europe that want to do more in Asia and across the board."

Campbell said it was important for the United States to have a "positive economic vision of what it wants to contribute, what it wants to engage on in Asia."

"We can do everything right in Asia, but without an economic strategy, it's hard to be successful. That's what Asians are looking for as we go forward … we're ambitious about the Quad."

Biden, who is pushing for big infrastructure spending at home, said in March he had suggested to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that democratic countries should have an infrastructure plan to rival China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Belt and Road is a multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure scheme launched in 2013 by China's President Xi Jinping involving projects from East Asia to Europe and seen as a means of significantly expanding Beijing's economic and political influence.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-says-looking-quad-meeting-fall-focused-infrastructure-2021-05-26/

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews Tweet

#ransomware is a significant cyber threat to Australia and was a key topic of discussion in my recent meeting with US AG Merrick Garland. I'll continue to work with the US and other international partners to ensure the internet is secure for Australian citizens and businesses.

https://twitter.com/karenandrewsmp/status/1397799254899322881

—

United States Department of Justice

Readout of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Call with Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews

May 28, 2021

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland met virtually with Karen Andrews, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs. In this inaugural meeting, the Attorney General and Home Affairs Minister reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening our bilateral cooperation on countering common threats, including those posed by terrorism and cybercrime. The two leaders also discussed their intention to work to promote infrastructure security and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. They look forward to further in-depth discussions on these and other issues central to the protection of the citizens of both our countries.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/readout-attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-s-call-australia-s-minister-home-affairs-karen

Before Dan Andrews slipped and suffered serious injury, he was one Australia's most prominent politicians. But he's only been seen TWICE since… and it's fuelling sinister conspiracies about what REALLY happened

SAM MCPHEE - 30 May 2021

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Wild conspiracy theories have emerged about how Dan Andrews suffered his serious back injury that saw him temporarily step down as Victorian Premier.

Before the state Labor leader slipped down stairs at his holiday house on the Mornington Peninsula on March 9, breaking several ribs and suffering a badly damaged spine, he was one of the most prominent politicians in not just Victoria, but Australia.

The 48-year-old's profile had grown exponentially after spending 112 days through Victoria's lockdown doing a daily press briefing, which were broadcast live across the nation, amid the longest and harshest restrictions in the world as the state battled a second-wave Covid outbreak that killed more than 800.

But in the two months since handing over the reins to Acting Premier James Merlino, there have been just two social media posts since his fall - and it's that lack of communication with the electorate that's fuelling a number of false conspiracy theories about how he really suffered his injuries.

The first post showed him stepping out of bed during his stay in hospital, while the second showed him at home with his teenage daughter Grace on April 18th.

And that's it. All other media announcements have been on Twitter with text posts or through Mr Merlino.

But filling the void are the conspiracy theories that suggest his fall wasn't an accident, but something more nefarious - with some even claiming the image showing his recovery has been doctored.

'I heard you had your head bashed in by people after what you did to the people of Victoria. That is why you hired Photoshop artists to put your head on somebody else's body,' one person claimed on Andrews' last Instagram photo.

'This is also the reason we have not seen your actual face since the incident. We have not seen your actual hospital photos. And we haven't heard you speak. Because you got your head bashed in.'

Conspiracy theorists falsely allege a number of alternative causes to his injuries, one which claims the Belt and Road Deal his government signed with China - which has since been disbanded - angered Victorian businesses and led to someone acting out against him.

(continued)

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Others claim Andrews' handing of the hotel quarantine to a private security company, which ended in a disastrous outbreak and prolonged lockdown in the second half of 2020, saw him become a target.

Other conspiracists even falsely claim Andrews was attacked at the party held by a prominent Australian businessman.

'Start telling the truth as to why you were pushed when… you were at the party,' one person replied to Andrews' Instagram post.

'How's that Belt and Road Deal, Dan? Selling us out to the commies. Who pushed you down those stairs?' another wrote.

There are several comments suggesting the image of Mr Andrews and his daughter is Photoshopped, claiming the black and white filter hides 'inconsistencies' like bruises.

However, in reality, Andrews' suffered serious injures that require months of painstaking recovery. He suffered at least five broken ribs and an acute compression fracture of the T7 vertebra in his spine.

Since being released from hospital on March 15, he has been recovering at home.

'I landed flat on my back and hit the steps hard directly below the shoulder blades fracturing at least five ribs and sustaining an acute compression fracture of the T7 vertebra,' he said in a statement following the incident.

'I narrowly avoided permanent damage to my spinal cord.

'These are serious injuries that require me to wear a brace throughout each day except when sleeping.

'My doctors also want me to get rest and undertake a comprehensive program of physiotherapy.

'That's why I will take a leave of absence from my duties for at least six weeks.

'It's important that I take this rest and recovery seriously.'

Later he revealed that a trauma specialist told his wife that he should purchase a Lotto ticket he was so lucky to avoid a life-altering injury.

'I'm not sure about the Tattslotto ticket but I'm certain that with rest, continued high quality care and the support of family, friends, colleagues and the Victorian community, I'll be back doing the job I love as soon as possible,' Andrews said.

Deputy Premier James Merlino provided an update on his condition last week saying he was planning to return to work in June.

'He's up and about, so I'm really pleased with his progress. There's still quite a way to go but he's doing very well,' he told reporters.

'We're on track for a June return, that'll obviously be subject to doctor's advice.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Victorian Premier's staffers for comment.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMWqMleLLum/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNy5Xj-rsiD/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9631549/Wild-conspiracy-theories-emerge-Victorian-Premier-Dan-Andrews-pushed-stairs-bashed.html

Victim of notorious paedophile to sue Brisbane school for $30 million

Cloe Read - May 29, 2021

A victim of notorious paedophile Kevin Lynch who abused more than 130 children at a Brisbane school is raising funds to sue the institution for about $30 million.

David Welsh said he was sexually abused by Lynch when he was 15 years old in 1985 while he attended Brisbane Grammar School in Spring Hill.

The Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in 2017 examined allegations of abuse at Brisbane Grammar School and St Paul’s School in Bald Hills, hearing evidence that school counsellor Lynch had sexually abused a “large number of students” during his employment at the school from 1973 to 1988.

A number of former students gave evidence at the public hearing, detailing the devastating effect the abuse had on them.

About 130 victims have so far settled with Brisbane Grammar for compensation.

But Mr Walsh said he believed damages should be determined by a judge, not the school.

“I want to create as much transparency on this process and everything that happens because when these deals are done at mediation, the victims all have to sign a confidentiality agreement so there’s no transparency,” he said.

“This guy must be one of the worst paedophiles in Australia’s history.

“I will be suing…it’ll be round about $30 million we’ll be suing them for.”

Mr Welsh said he was significantly impacted by the abuse when he was in Year 11, later losing his million-dollar job.

His life spiralled downward and he was diagnosed with chronic depression, a generalised anxiety disorder, PTSD and an alcohol abuse disorder that left him incapable of working.

“In 2001 I was working as a derivatives trader for Goldman Sachs in London and I earnt a million Aussie dollars that year,” he said.

“I quit Goldman Sachs that year because of issues with depression and anxiety and all of these conditions I was suffering from because of what happened with me and Kevin Lynch.

“I’ve gone from there in 2001 to living with my parents currently on a disability pension.”

Representing Mr Welsh, JML Rose lawyer James Lavercombe said victims were forced to sign up to a no win, no fee structure that preferred the interests of solicitors over the clients.

“There’s a real risk the lawyers who represent their clients then turn on their victims and say hey, you better accept this offer because I’m owed all this money… its going to have to come out of these offers,” he said.

“It all goes to settle and the lawyers take a little bit of their cream off the top and it never actually goes to court… everything gets swept under the carpet.”

Mr Lavercombe is urging other victims and witnesses in the Royal Commission to come forward for the case, as the findings from the commission are not admissible in court proceedings.

An online fundraiser has so far raised $13,000 of its $1 million goal.

A Brisbane Grammar spokesman declined to comment, saying the matter was subject to legal proceedings.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-david-sue-brisbane-grammar-school?member=11271507

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/victim-of-notorious-paedophile-to-sue-brisbane-school-for-30-million-20210529-p57was.html

Former Wesley College student demands justice over ‘tag-team attack’

Cameron Houston - May 30, 2021

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Former Wesley College student David Kay has been burdened with a terrible secret for decades after he was sexually assaulted by two teachers in the 1970s in what he describes as a “tag-team attack”.

Mr Kay was first abused by former outdoor activity teacher John McMillan as an 11-year-old at the Glen Waverley campus, before the school’s long-serving counsellor, Stewart Heywood, preyed on him again at the Prahran campus.

Now 58, Mr Kay has decided to speak publicly about the ordeal that “tarnished almost every aspect of my life”.

He wants Wesley College to be held to account and says he was inspired to speak out publicly by “kick-arse, young women” such as 2021 Australian of the Year and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame.

“I was sexually assaulted at school, on school grounds, during school hours, by two school teachers. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that they are responsible. But I’m still having to deal with [the school’s] obstructive legal tactics,” Mr Kay said.

He was not the only victim of McMillan and Heywood.

Last week, The Age revealed that another former Wesley student had received a record settlement of $3 million after being repeatedly abused by McMillan and then, after seeking support and guidance from Heywood, assaulted again for three more years.

Lawyers acting for Wesley College had only agreed to the landmark settlement in that case on the third day of a Supreme Court trial in March, despite being aware both McMillan and Heywood were sexual predators.

It was the largest payment for institutional child abuse in Victorian history, which prompted Wesley College president Marianne Stillwell to concede that “as an institution, we failed this student” in a statement released by the school.

Other victims of McMillan and Heywood have come forward in the past week, and Mr Kay is currently pursuing Wesley College for further compensation, after receiving a modest ex-gratia payment in 2005.

A father of four, Mr Kay accuses the college and its lawyers of deliberately frustrating his attempts for a fair settlement.

“Right from the start, they have put up whatever legal obstacles they could in front of me. The royal commission reached a conclusion that people should be able pursue a fresh claim if they had previously settled for a small amount. But Wesley’s first tactic was to attempt to deny me that right,” he said.

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Mr Kay has urged the prestigious school, which includes former prime ministers Sir Robert Menzies and Harold Holt among its notable alumni, to help identify other victims and offer support.

“Obviously, there were at least two paedophiles roaming the halls of the school in the 1970s. I suspect there might have been more and there would have been other victims, possibly dozens. They need to reach out to potential victims and make a public statement that acknowledges what happened and condemns Heywood and McMillan,” Mr Kay said.

His lawyer, Michael Magazanik from Rightside Legal, confirmed that other victims had recently come forward.

“In the past week, I’ve been contacted by other Wesley survivors, who were also abused by McMillan and Heywood, and by other teachers. In some cases, those survivors received small compensation because they were told they had no other choice. But the law has changed, and they now have fresh options,” Mr Magazanik said.

He said the current administration should avoid a “pitched legal battle in every case” if it was genuinely concerned about the welfare of victims.

Ms Stillwell said Wesley Cllege supported the right of any person who had suffered child abuse to fully pursue their legal options.

She said the college would seek to engage with Mr Kay as part of the legal process in a timely and respectful manner.

“The college acknowledges that it failed this student [Mr Kay], and expresses its deepest apologies for those failings,” Ms Stillwell said in a statement.

In 2004, Mr Kay reported McMillan and Heywood to police, after suffering a breakdown. Within days of being interviewed by police, Heywood took his own life near a school camp owned by Wesley College near Healesville.

The Wesley College community magazine paid tribute at the time, when it described Heywood as an “outstanding servant”.

McMillan initially denied the allegations of sexual assault made by Mr Kay. But when a second victim came forward more than a decade later, McMillan eventually pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of Mr Kay and another student from progressive Kew school Preshil. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2016.

Mr Kay was unperturbed by the relatively lenient sentence.

“There were a lot of people complaining about the sentence he got but I didn’t really care. I was pleased that he was held accountable and it wasn’t so much that I wanted him punished.

“I’d like the school to now be accountable, too,” he said.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

https://www.lifeline.org.au

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The Filipino mothers selling their children for online sexual abuse

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Tech companies report more than 1.29 million images and videos of child abuse materials produced in the country in 2020 – triple the number in 2019

NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS - MAY 30, 2021

First of four parts. Trigger warning: This article contains depictions of child sexual abuse.

1/4

The coronavirus pandemic forced Carmen Lirio*, 31, to close down in March 2020 a snack stand she was running in front of a school in the town of Baliwag in Bulacan, a province just outside the country’s capital.

She has five children. Unless she found another way to earn money, the entire family would have to rely on her husband’s meager salary as barangay tanod or village watchman.

This was the quandary that led Carmen to sell her children online for sexual exploitation. She was arrested in January 2021 over allegations that she had streamed live shows of her 8-year-old daughter and sent naked clips and photos of her 11-year-old son to paying customers abroad.

“[My husband] earns P1,600 ($32) monthly. My baby still needs infant milk formula,” Carmen told the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) as she attempted to explain how she could do such things to her own children.

PCIJ met Carmen in January at the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) inside the police headquarters in Camp Crame, where she was detained. She agreed to be interviewed.

Carmen said she started out doing live shows on the internet and sending her photos to customers in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. She did not finish elementary school, but her English was enough for the necessary communication.

“I wrote in my profile that I was looking for help to buy food. They told me they’d take care of it,” she said.

One day, a frequent customer seemed uninterested during a call. She got worried. “I asked the foreigner if he wanted a solo show. He said no. He wasn’t talking much. I thought to myself, maybe he wanted a child and he just didn’t want to say it,” she recalled.