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File: 79844a5ed2ade13⋯.jpg (180.82 KB, 1200x600, 2:1, OZ_Q_PAIN.jpg)

305fdc  No.17453586 [Last 50 Posts]

Welcome To Q Research AUSTRALIA

A new thread for research and discussion of Australia's role in The Great Awakening.

Previous thread

>>16695125 Q Research AUSTRALIA #25

Q's Posts made on Q Research AUSTRALIA threads

Wednesday 11.20.2019

>>7358352 ————————————–——– These people are stupid.

>>7358338 ————————————–——– All assets [F + D] being deployed.

>>7358318 ————————————–——– What happens when the PUBLIC discovers the TRUTH [magnitude] re: [D] party corruption?

Tuesday 11.19.2019

>>7357790 ————————————–——– FISA goes both ways.

Saturday 11.16.2019

>>7356270 ————————————–——– There is no escaping God.

>>7356265 ————————————–——– The Harvest [crop] has been prepared and soon will be delivered to the public for consumption.

Friday 11.15.2019

>>7356017 ————————————–——– "Whistle Blower Traps" [Mar 4 2018] 'Trap' keyword select provided.....

Thursday 03.28.2019

>>5945210 ————————————–——– Sometimes our 'sniffer' picks and pulls w/o applying credit file

>>5945074 ————————————–——– We LOVE you!

>>5944970 ————————————–——– USA v. LifeLog?

>>5944908 ————————————–——– It is an embarrassment to our Nation!

>>5944859 ————————————–——– 'Knowingly'

Q's Posts referencing Australia

https://qanon.pub/?q=AUS

https://qanon.pub/?q=australia

https://qanon.pub/?q=koala

https://qanon.pub/?q=HouseOfCards

https://qanon.pub/?q=boomerang

https://qanon.pub/?q=45HarisonHarold

https://qanon.pub/?q=6572656

https://qanon.pub/?q=RAT%20BAIT

https://qanon.pub/?q=VERY%20important

https://qanon.pub/?q=remain%20in%20the%20light

https://qanon.pub/?q=news.com.au

Q's Posts referencing Australian citizens

Malcolm Turnbull (X/AUS)

Former Prime Minister of Australia, 2015 to 2018

https://qanon.pub/?q=X%2FAUS

https://qanon.pub/?q=call%20details

https://qanon.pub/?q=Threat%20to%20AUS

Alexander Downer

Former Australian Liberal Party politician and former Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom

https://qanon.pub/?q=Downer

Cardinal George Pell

Australian Cardinal of the Catholic Church and former Prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy

https://qanon.pub/?q=Pell

https://qanon.pub/?q=cardinal-george-pell

https://qanon.pub/?q=pecking

Julian Assange

Australian activist, founder, editor and publisher of WikiLeaks

https://qanon.pub/?q=assange

https://qanon.pub/?q=JA

https://qanon.pub/?q=Under%20protection

https://qanon.pub/?q=WL

https://qanon.pub/?q=wikileaks

https://qanon.pub/?q=crowdstrike

https://qanon.pub/?q=server

https://qanon.pub/?q=Seth

https://qanon.pub/?q=SR

https://qalerts.app/?q=snowden

https://qanon.pub/?q=roadmap

Virginia Roberts Giuffre

American-Australian survivor of the sex trafficking ring operated by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

https://qanon.pub/#4568

https://qanon.pub/#4728

https://qanon.pub/#1054

https://qanon.pub/?q=chandler

https://qanon.pub/?q=epstein

https://qanon.pub/?q=island

https://qanon.pub/#1001

https://qanon.pub/#1861

https://qanon.pub/#3147

https://qanon.pub/#4578

https://qanon.pub/#3432

https://qanon.pub/#3497

https://qanon.pub/#4727

https://qanon.pub/#4797

https://qanon.pub/?q=wexner

https://qanon.pub/#4576

https://qanon.pub/#4577

https://qanon.pub/?q=maxwell

https://qanon.pub/#4569

https://qanon.pub/?q=spacey

https://qanon.pub/#4570

https://qanon.pub/?q=normalize

https://qanon.pub/?q=Prince%20Andrew

https://qanon.pub/#4579

https://qanon.pub/#4907

https://qanon.pub/#4911

https://qanon.pub/#4921

https://qanon.pub/?q=Welcome%20aboard.

https://qanon.pub/#2659

https://qanon.pub/?q=Dearest%20Virginia

Q's Posts referencing The Five Eyes intelligence alliance (FVEY)

An anglophone intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States

https://qanon.pub/?q=FVEY

https://qanon.pub/?q=Five%20Eyes

https://qanon.pub/?q=Interesting%2C

https://qanon.pub/?q=RAT%20BAIT

"Does AUS stand w/ the US or only select divisions within the US?"

Q

Nov 25 2018

https://qanon.pub/#2501

____________________________
Disclaimer: this post and the subject matter and contents thereof - text, media, or otherwise - do not necessarily reflect the views of the 8kun administration.

305fdc  No.17453592

Notables

are not endorsements

#25 - Part 1

Australian Politics and Society - Part 1

>>16701903 Statement by President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Mourning Former Prime Minister Abe

>>16701923 Australian landmarks to be bathed in red and white for slain Shinzo Abe

>>16701942 Albanese pays tribute to 'true friend to Australia' Shinzo Abe - Sky News Australia

>>16701988 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: We are devastated to learn of the passing of former Prime Minster ABE Shinzo. Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely tragic time. Deeply moved by all kind and thoughtful messages received on his passing from so many friends of (Japan).

>>16701988 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Grateful for the heartfelt kindness & sympathies of the people of Canberra. We have received so many warm messages on the passing of former Prime Minister ABE.

>>16702124 Anthony Albanese says New Zealanders might be allowed to vote in Australian elections, after meeting Jacinda Ardern

>>16705177 Australian law enforcer suspected of being mafia informant - One of Australia’s top law enforcers under investigation amid suspicions he was allegedly secretly working with the mafia and may have compromised some of our biggest crime cases

>>16705199 David Eastman’s lawyers claim AFP ignored mafia links to Colin Winchester murder - The lawyers who represented David Eastman – the man wrongly convicted of top cop Colin Winchester’s murder have hit out at the AFP and their handling of claims it was a mafia hit

>>16716387 Australian Federal Police - Statement on the historic assassination of Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester: The AFP has not reopened previously closed files into the Winchester assassination. There is no evidence to suggest Italian organised crime was responsible for the death of one of our own, Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester. Our thoughts are always with the Winchester family.

>>16716514 Hi-tech arms may be more important than subs, Defence Minister Richard Marles says - Defence Minister says hi-tech arms and expertise may be more important than the nuclear submarines that headline the AUKUS pact

>>16716521 Exercise Koolendong 2022: Australian Defence Force and US Marines hold warfighting exercise across the Top End - July 2022

>>16716533 US Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers arrive at Royal Australian Air Forcebase Amberley, Queensland as part of the US / Australian Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) initiative

>>16716555 Thousands of Australian companies folded last financial year as collapse nightmare worsens

>>16729627 Scott Morrison says Covid-19 and national cabinet hurt his election chances in first post-poll speech

>>16736715 Pacific leaders to declare 'climate emergency' in Pacific Islands Forum statement, praise Australia's move to lift emissions reduction target

>>16742180 U.S. Space Force - Space Tacticians Course incorporates FVEY members to enhance global space operations - Space Delta 5’s 55th Combat Training Squadron (55 CTS) hosts 8-day course for students and instructors from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, U.K. and U.S

>>16742221 Carving a Home in the Community: Marine Rotational Force-Darwin and the Northern Territory - MRF-D calls the Northern Territory home and has for over ten years now - MRF-D 22 is working to build on the strong foundation in the local community

>>16742274 Exercise Koolendong 2022: Marines, Australians hone logistics skills they’ll need to deploy from Down Under

>>16742295 Exercise Koolendong 2022: Joint military exercise pits soldiers against fictional enemy, harsh terrain, unseasonable cold

>>16755888 ScoMo speaks of ‘God’s plan’ for him, anxiety in Margaret Court church sermon - Scott Morrison says God has a plan for him, characterised anxiety as “Satan’s plan” and called for people to put their faith in Christ over governments - “We trust in Him. We don’t trust in governments. We don’t trust in United Nations, thank goodness,” Mr Morrison said

Disclaimer: this post and the subject matter and contents thereof - text, media, or otherwise - do not necessarily reflect the views of the 8kun administration.

305fdc  No.17453593

#25 - Part 2

Australian Politics and Society - Part 2

>>16755912 Video: ‘Don’t trust in governments’: Scott Morrison delivers Pentecostal church sermon - “Do you believe that if you lose an election that God still loves you and has a plan for you?” I do. Because I still believe in miracles,” he said to applause from churchgoers

>>16756266 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: To train under the Southern Cross is a unique honor for MRF-D 22, since over half the MAGTF joined from the Blue Diamond. General Vandegrift led the newly formed 1st Marine Division into battle 80 years ago under this star formation. Alongside our Australian allies, our joint partners, and other coalition support, the Blue Diamond proved to be “no better friend, and no worse enemy” in ferocious campaigns such as Guadalcanal. We honor those heroic Marines and Sailors, and our teammates, through the symbols in our crests and the never-ending effort to perfect our warfighting craft.

>>16761730 American MV-22 Ospreys move to Australian ship for RIMPAC exercise - Two U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft are embarked on Australian amphibious ship HMAS Canberra for the duration of the 2022 Rim of the Pacific exercise, advancing efforts to integrate the two nations’ amphibious forces for operations in the southwest Pacific

>>16767649 Video: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews apologises after IBAC investigation finds 'extensive misconduct' by Labor MPs

>>16767717 Video: Operation Watts report: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews apologises, but Opposition Leader Matthew Guy claims Labor not fit to govern

>>16767732 Daniel Andrews’ secret rort testimony to IBAC revealed

>>16767839 Video: New US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy to arrive on Friday

>>16767868 Caroline Kennedy ‘honoured’ to carry on JFK’s Australian legacy

>>16767873 Video: An Introduction Message from Ambassador Caroline Kennedy - U.S. Embassy Australia

>>16767868 Q Post #703 - “Rest in peace Mr. President (JFK), through your wisdom and strength, since your tragic death, Patriots have planned, installed, and by the grace of God, activated, the beam of LIGHT. We will forever remember your sacrifice. May you look down from above and continue to guide us as we ring the bell of FREEDOM and destroy those who wish to sacrifice our children, our way of life, and our world. We, the PEOPLE.” Prayer said every single day in the OO. JFK - Secret Socities. Where we go one, we go all. Q

>>16773173 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ‘astonished’ by Scott Morrison’s anti-government comments

>>16773179 Anthony Albanese slams former prime minister’s sermon where he pedalled ‘conspiracy theories’ about the United Nations - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shot down “astonishing” claims made by the nation’s former leader in a church sermon

>>16779821 Caroline Kennedy plans to uphold 'family legacy' in her role as US ambassador to Australia

>>16779828 Video: US Ambassador Kennedy arrives in Australia - Sky News Australia

>>16779837 Video: 'The US-Australia partnership is really my focus': Caroline Kennedy - Sky News Australia

>>16779908 AUKUS needs to be game changer: former Four-Star Admiral Michael Rogers

>>16779929 National Press Club of Australia - Admiral Michael Rogers - FORMER U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY CHIEF - 'Russia and China: geopolitics and the new global cyber challenge' - 22 July 2022

>>16779960 Video: IN FULL: Former US National Security Agency Chief addresses threats from China and Russia - ABC News (Australia)

>>16779960 https://qalerts.app/?q=Adm+R&sortasc=1 - https://qalerts.app/?q=rogers&sortasc=1 - https://qalerts.app/?q=NSA&sortasc=1

>>16787552 AUKUS ‘much more than subs’: ex-US security chief Mike Rogers - AUKUS agreement could transform Australian hi-tech and defence technology but nuclear-powered submarines may take longer than expected to produce

Disclaimer: this post and the subject matter and contents thereof - text, media, or otherwise - do not necessarily reflect the views of the 8kun administration.

305fdc  No.17453595

#25 - Part 3

Australian Politics and Society - Part 3

>>16787593 Fleet of nuclear submarines will be sent by Britain to Australia as a warning to China - The dramatic decision could see UK subs based in Australia until 2040, operating within striking distance of China

>>16790862 How Reserve Bank chief Philip Lowe MISLED Australia: Nation's top banker made a series of blunders and vowed to keep mortgage payments low - while enjoying his own very luxurious lifestyle

>>16802131 Myanmar junta puts four democracy activists to death in first executions in decades - Among those executed was former hip-hop artist and ousted MP Phyo Zeya Thaw, who undertook AusAid political advisers' course and met then-prime minister Julia Gillard in 2012

>>16802186 Foreign Minister Penny Wong injured in surfing accident - Senator Wong photographed at Labor cabinet meeting on Monday with her arm in a sling - Her office later confirmed she had injured her arm while surfing while she was on holidays

>>16802261 Video: Caroline Kennedy sworn in as US ambassador, confirms she will travel to Solomon Islands

>>16802271 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: It's official! This morning Ambassador Caroline Kennedy met with Governor General David Hurley in Canberra to present her credentials as the United States Ambassador to Australia! Welcome Ambassador Kennedy! #USwithAUS

>>16802278 Exclusive: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy to visit Solomons, where fathers fought and U.S. now vies with China

>>16840439 Richard Marles on the attack in revival of Australian Defence Force - Defence Minister Richard Marles wants to substantially increase the lethality and strategic strike power of the Australian Defence Force within the next five to seven years

>>16840452 US Strategic Command Tweet: #ICYMI: Earlier this week @usairforce B-2 Spirits from @Whiteman_AFB conducted a training mission with @AusAirForce F-35A Lightning IIs. #FriendsPartnersAllies #FreeandOpenIndoPacific #strongertogether

>>16840465 US Strategic Command Tweet: The @AusAirForce recently teamed up with @Whiteman_AFB & the @131stBombWing during a B-2 hot-pit refueling in Amberley, Australia. Hot-pit refueling cuts down on the aircraft's turn around time to take off for another mission, increasing its readiness. #FriendsPartnersAllies

>>16840470 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Exercise Koolendong 22 enhanced MRF-D and the Australian Defence Force’s ability to conduct combined and joint operations, demonstrating the shared commitment to being ready to respond to a crisis or contingency in the Indo-Pacific region.

>>16840898 MS Health push for nurses to hand out abortion pills - Nurses and midwives would prescribe medical abortion pills under a push by the company that imports the drug known as RU486

>>16840949 ‘Ignorant, racist’: Pauline Hanson blasted for Senate storm out - Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe condemns Pauline Hanson for her decision to flee the chamber during Acknowledgement of Country

>>16840983 Anthony Albanese meets with US ambassador Caroline Kennedy in Canberra - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has held a “historic meeting” with a new “close friend” to Australia

>>16840983 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: A historic #USwithAUS moment today in Canberra - the first official meeting between Ambassador Kennedy and @AlboMP! The United States and Australia are the closest of allies & global partners working for peace and stability in this region and beyond.

>>16840999 Video: Prime Minister meets US Ambassador to Australia - Sky News Australia

>>16841051 How Cambodian despot Hun Sen maps out control of Australia - Cambodian despot Hun Sen has divided Australia into seven zones, each controlled from Phnom Penh by a high-ranking military officer or official in the regime, in which Cambodian-Australians are rewarded for allegiance to the dictator or singled out for punishment as traitors

>>16841066 ‘Time to get brutally tough, we’re going to hell fast’: Donald Trump - Donald Trump has attacked the “thugs and hacks” trying to destroy him politically in a long, dark address in Washington, urging a federal government takeover of law and order to combat rising crime if Republicans take control of congress in November - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>16841074 Video: ‘Going to hell’: Trump says America is ‘unsafe’ - Former US president Donald Trump says the United States is “going to hell very fast” as the nation is an “unsafe place” - Sky News Australia

>>16841273 Defence Australia Tweet: #YourADF with @MrfDarwin are conducting the annual bilateral warfighting Exercise Koolendong to strengthen the Australia-US relationship

Disclaimer: this post and the subject matter and contents thereof - text, media, or otherwise - do not necessarily reflect the views of the 8kun administration.

305fdc  No.17453599

#25 - Part 4

Australian Politics and Society - Part 4

>>16841313 Atheist Senate president Sue Lines wants Lord’s Prayer ‘gone’ - New Senate president Sue Lines says she would like to see the longstanding tradition of reading the Lord’s Prayer at the start of each sitting day “gone”, as she prepares to put her mark on the chamber by warning senators she’ll be tougher on those who demean their colleagues

>>16931166 Labor rules out push to end reading of Lord’s Prayer in Senate - Labor’s Senate leadership team says the reading of the Lord’s Prayer at the start of each sitting day should continue, contradicting their colleague and the chamber’s new president, Sue Lines, who declared she’d like it “gone”

>>16931188 Rainbow light plans for Shrine of Remembrance draw criticism - A planned rainbow illumination of the Shrine, to honour gay and queer military members, has been criticised as “a gay billboard”

>>16931205 PDF: Watchdog finds Premier ‘immersed’ in ‘red shirts’ - Victoria’s ombudsman has concluded Daniel Andrews was “involved and immersed” in the “red shirts” election campaign, but found no evidence he was aware of the $388,000 rort that funded Labor’s army

>>16931212 Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass releases report on Labor Party's 'red shirts rorts', won't refer case to IBAC

>>16931225 School history ‘teaching national shame to our children’, a new Centre for Independent Studies report claims - British analyst Joanna Williams has charged into Australia’s culture wars, blaming a black-armband view of history for the rise in identity politics among young Australians

>>16931225 PDF: Teaching National Shame: History and citizenship in the school curriculum - Joanna Williams, Centre for Independent Studies - July 28, 2022

>>16931266 Monkeypox declared disease of ‘national significance’ in Australia

>>16931272 Graphite miner Syrah lands loan with Biden administration - Melbourne-based mining company Syrah Resources has secured a $US102 million ($146 million) loan from the United States government to expand production of graphite, one of the key ingredients needed to make electric car batteries

>>16931316 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: This evening Ambassador Kennedy laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial to pay her respects to the Australian and United States' service members who have fought and died for freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and around the world. Lest we forget

>>16931322 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: This week Ambassador Kennedy met with and expressed her thanks to Australian Coastwatchers who helped rescue her father, President John F. Kennedy, and his patrol torpedo boat crew who were stranded in the Pacific during the Second World War.

>>16931322 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: “I owe personal gratitude to an (Australian) Coastwatcher & two Solomon Islander scouts who saved my father’s life. These men represent the best of their generation and are an amazing example of the bonds of the #USwithAUS alliance" Ambassador Kennedy said

>>16931326 Ambassador Caroline Kennedy’s Meeting with Australian Coastwatchers at the Australian War Memorial - U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Australia - July 28, 2022

>>16936324 ‘We are seeking a momentous change’: Albanese reveals Voice referendum question - Australians will be asked if they support an alteration to the Constitution to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to parliament

>>16936337 Calls to review transgender treatment for kids after British Tavistock Clinic is closed - Australian gender clinics are under fresh scrutiny and face calls for an independent review of their prescription of puberty blockers to teenagers

>>16936347 Australian Federal Police to share coding of AN0M app used in Operation Ironside arrests

>>16936422 Western Australia Police Force: Five Eyes Conference - Western Australia Police Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have co-hosted law enforcement representatives from the “Five Eyes” nations of the United States of America (USA), Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia

>>16936440 Warfighting exercise strengthens US partnership - More than 2200 personnel from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and US Armed Forces recently conducted Exercise Koolendong 2022, a combined arms littoral combat scenario across northern Australia

>>16937456 Video: Shrine of Remembrance ditches rainbow light plan after receiving threats, abuse - Managers at the Shrine of Remembrance have cancelled plans to illuminate the landmark in rainbow colours after staff received threats and abuse ahead of an exhibition celebrating the service of LGBTQ veterans

>>16940874 US Strategic Command Tweet: #RIMPAC2022 = 26 nations, 38 surface ships, 4 submarines, 9 national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft & more than 25,000 personnel. (1) shared purpose. Ensure the safety of sea lanes & the security of the world's interconnected oceans.

Disclaimer: this post and the subject matter and contents thereof - text, media, or otherwise - do not necessarily reflect the views of the 8kun administration.

305fdc  No.17453606

#25 - Part 5

Australian Politics and Society - Part 5

>>16944074 Video: Independent MP Monique Ryan tells Liberal MPs to ‘put their masks on’ while asking about Covid in parliament

>>16944084 Video: Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe labels Queen ‘coloniser’ in parliamentary oath

>>16944097 Victorian crossbench MP Fiona Patten launches bid to compel religious hospitals to provide abortions - The Reason Party leader will introduce a bill into state parliament that would remove the right of hospitals that receive any taxpayer funding to refuse to offer reproductive health services and voluntary assisted dying due to "corporate conscientious objection"

>>16944105 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Ambassador Kennedy met today with Solomon Islands High Commissioner Robert Sisilo to thank the Solomon Islands government for hosting the U.S. delegation for the upcoming 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal. The U.S. is committed to our partnership with Solomon Islands.

>>16944234 U.S. Air Force Tweet: .@Whiteman_AFB Airmen are bringing the (B-2) Spirit every day while on a Bomber Task Force deployment at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, Australia. Our Airmen are conducting training & missions alongside Allies in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. @PACAF

>>16948498 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: (r/t 9 News Darwin) Video: Exercise Koolendong has come to an end after three weeks of war games. It's part of a push to build stronger defence relationships between Australia and the U-S.

>>16954710 Urgent review of Australia’s defence ordered as security threats grow - Defence Minister Richard Marles will call in two external experts to conduct the snap review while the government considers pivotal decisions on nuclear submarines, a fleet of guided-missile destroyers and plans to build a bigger army

>>16954803 Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address Australia - The Australian National University (ANU) community and Australians will have the rare opportunity to hear from His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, in a sold-out address, Wednesday 3 August

>>16954805 Zelensky hails Australia's support for Ukraine - “I am very thankful to Anthony Albanese government who made significant systematic support to our country, which includes full-scale military and humanitarian assistance, sanctions against Russia.....and even the coal for Ukrainian energy”

>>16954809 ‘You can’t just sympathise’: Zelensky calls on more support to fight tyranny - “A lot of Australians are helping us a lot and render humanitarian assistance – please don’t forget about it, please continue.”

>>16954818 Video: Special Address by President Zelenskyy - Hear directly from His Excellency President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, in this special virtual event - ANU TV

>>16954824 Video: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answers questions from Australian students - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is addressing students and faculty at the Australian National University in Canberra. In the event, opened by former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, President Zelenskyy will answer questions posed by university students - ABC News (Australia)

>>16954891 U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Tweet: #USINDOPACOM Commander Adm. John C. Aquilino visits @AusAirForce in Amberly, (Australia). #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific #FriendsPartnersAllies

>>16954894 U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander, Admiral John C. Aquilino, Visits Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley

>>17068815 An0m: lawyers challenge encrypted messaging app used by AFP in global crime sting - A year after app’s unveiling questions have been raised about legal grounds on which messages intercepted and warrants used

>>17068852 Russian billionaire Alexander Abramov sues Foreign Minister Penny Wong over ‘reputation harm’

>>17068857 Penny Wong walks out on Russia’s Sergey Lavrov - Penny Wong has walked out of the East Asia Summit during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s address to the regional foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh, in protest at Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine

>>17069077 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Video: KOOLENDONG 22. #MRFD #usmc #armystrong #usaf #ADF #Lethality #JointForce #FreeandOpenIndoPacific U.S. Marine Corps video by Corporal Emeline Molla.

>>17381367 ‘I will continue killing foreigners’: soldier who shot dead unarmed Australians treated as ‘returning hero’ by Taliban - Hekmatullah, who killed three Australian soldiers, is living in a heavily protected luxury Kabul home after being freed from prison

>>17381386 ‘Do you want your children dead?’: widow stands up to Cambodia evil - Bou Rachana can still hear the threat against the life of her children hanging in the air – a threat made openly on Australian soil by ­visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen

Disclaimer: this post and the subject matter and contents thereof - text, media, or otherwise - do not necessarily reflect the views of the 8kun administration.

305fdc  No.17453611

#25 - Part 6

Australian Politics and Society - Part 6

>>17381843 Richard Marles says Australian submarines will plug capability gap - Ageing fleet of Collins class submarines will undergo life-of-type extensions, capability gap will be filled with submarines built in Australia

>>17385370 NSW has officially banned public displays of Nazi swastika - Cultural and religious groups are celebrating as an Aussie state confirms groundbreaking laws surrounding displays of a deeply hateful symbol

>>17385506 ‘The best is yet to come’: Trump releases new campaign style video - Donald Trump has released a campaign ad-style video on his Truth Social platform only hours after the FBI raided his Florida home where he vows to his supporters to “not give up” and the “best is yet to come”. - Sky News Australia

>>17396729 Australian academic Sean Turnell detained in Myanmar pleads not guilty in closed court

>>17396744 AUKUS is not the threat to the Asia-Pacific region: US Indo-Pacific Commander John Aquilino

>>17396764 Whistleblower lawsuit alleges financial misconduct and dubious expenditures inside Hillsong Church

>>17405795 Video: Nuclear Powered Submarine Task Force - The first major initiative under AUKUS is Australia’s acquisition of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines. Defence has established a Nuclear Powered Submarine Taskforce led by VADM Jonathan Mead AO, which is working with the UK and US to identify the optimal path to deliver these submarines. - Defence Australia

>>17405885 Bill Shorten slams Scott Morrison’s 'sick government' as he compares former PM to Donald Trump amid Cabinet scandal

>>17405903 Video: Scott Morrison's secret portfolios a 'sinister' move, former PM Malcolm Turnbull says - Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says he is "astonished" the Governor-General was willing to go along with Scott Morrison's secretive appointment to multiple portfolios within his own cabinet - ABC News (Australia)

>>17405928 Former PM Scott Morrison was ‘sedated’ at night for his insomnia throughout pandemic - A new revelation about Scott Morrison has emerged amid the raging controversy about his secret moves as prime minister

>>17406093 Blue Diamond 6 Honors 1st Marine Division Roots with a Trip to Guadalcanal and Australia - Major General Benjamin Watson, Commanding General of the First Marine Division, visited the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) following a trip to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on August 10.

>>17406134 Red Ex: Australia Edition | 1st Marine Division, Travel to Darwin | Exercise Koolendong 2022 - U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (3/5), 1st Marine Division, travel to Darwin, NT, Australia, in support of exercise Koolendong 22, July 22, 2022 - Defense Flash News

>>17410333 Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he took the “unconventional” move to assume responsibility in several portfolios due to the “unprecedented times” brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic

>>17410340 Peter Dutton says he will not call for Scott Morrison to resign after revelations the former prime minister had sworn himself into five additional portfolios during the pandemic

>>17410350 Scott Morrison warned Donald Trump off Vladimir Putin G7 invitation - Scott Morrison raised concerns with Donald Trump about Vladimir Putin being potentially invited to rejoin the G7, urging the former US president to reject the idea almost two years before Russia invaded Ukraine

>>17417576 Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he feared alarming his cabinet colleagues and the broader public by disclosing he had assumed co-control of powers across five senior ministries, as he sought to explain why he had kept his extra appointments secret

>>17417651 ‘I acted in good faith’, says Scott Morrison - Scott Morrison, former Prime Minister of Australia - theaustralian.com.au

>>17422759 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Ambassador Kennedy met today with Quad partners (Australian) Deputy Secretaries Dewar and Hayhurst, (Japanese) Ambassador Yamagami, & (Indian) High Commissioner Vohra to discuss opportunities for increased collaboration in the Indo-Pacific. We look forward to the Quad Leaders' Summit in (Australia) next year.

>>17426570 Super-rich members of Cambodia’s corrupt Hun Sen regime are buying their way into Australia through $5m “Golden Visa” schemes that guarantee permanent residency and offer a path to citizenship, according to local Cambodian-Australian leaders

>>17426633 MRF-D 22 and the International Football Connection - Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 is focused on readiness, lethality, and regional support to Allies and partners, but they are also taking chances to learn and develop cultural experience through a time-tested activity: football.

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305fdc  No.17453615

#25 - Part 7

Australian Politics and Society - Part 7

>>17426646 Video: MRF-D 22 Australian Football Team Participates in the Footy 9's - U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force- Darwin (MRF-D) 22 participate in the Australian Football International (AFI) World 9's tournament in Darwin, NT, Australia, Aug. 13, 2022

>>17430706 Scott Morrison's appointment valid but inconsistent with convention, solicitor-general finds - The nation's second law officer has found former prime minister Scott Morrison was validly appointed to the resources portfolio but not notifying ministers, parliament or the public "fundamentally undermined" the principles of responsible government

>>17430746 Peter Dutton's ban on 'woke' defence events overturned - A controversial ban on defence staff holding special events celebrating diversity and cultural causes such as LGBT+ morning teas has been overturned by new Defence minister Richard Marles

>>17430753 Bolton tells Canberra to build more alliances and let Japan into AUKUS - Australia needs to move beyond AUKUS and the Quad and create more ambitious military, political and economic links across the region to address the strategic threat posed by China, says Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton

>>17435343 Lachlan Murdoch Sues Australian News Site After It Urged Him to Do So - The news outlet Crikey challenged the younger Murdoch in an open letter, saying it wanted to make the dispute a test case for Australia’s strict defamation laws

>>17435343 Trump is a confirmed unhinged traitor. And Murdoch is his unindicted co-conspirator - New evidence to the January 6 committee shows just how treacherous Donald Trump was, but will it prise loose his grip on the Republicans? - Bernard Keane - crikey.com.au

>>17439923 Exercise Predator’s Run: Marines train for littoral combat in scorching Australian Outback - There is plenty of sun but little shade in the sparse Outback of Australia’s Northern Territory, where U.S. Marines and sailors are honing amphibious warfare skills with troops from Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia

>>17444648 Prime Minister appoints former High Court justice Virginia Bell to lead inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret ministries - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has laid out the terms of an inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret self-appointment to administer several ministries throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

>>17444661 Richard Marles: Military celebrated end of Dutton’s war on ‘wokeness’ - Defence Minister Richard Marles says the nation’s top military leaders breathed a sigh of relief when he overturned his predecessor Peter Dutton’s controversial ban on LGBT morning teas and other inclusive events

>>17444693 Australia secures approval for Black Hawk acquisition - A multi-billion-dollar proposal to procure the multi-mission helicopters for the Australian Army has been greenlit by the US State Department

>>17449678 Video: Shaquille O'Neal joins PM as Anthony Albanese says 'world is watching' Voice to Parliament debate - The Prime Minister has enlisted the support of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal in calling for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians and a Voice to Parliament

>>17449685 ‘We need to be a porcupine’: Marles says Australia must project lethal force - Australia must turn itself into a “porcupine” island fortified with enough lethal weaponry to deter an attack from a hostile rival, Defence Minister Richard Marles has warned in a stark illustration of the dangerous strategic environment the nation faces

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305fdc  No.17453616

#25 - Part 8

Cardinal George Pell - Sexual Abuse and Vatican Financial Scandal Allegations

>>16702093 Pope Francis hopes the recent sale of a luxury London building is the last Vatican financial scandal - Pope praises Australian Cardinal George Pell who pushed for transparency

>>16729328 Father of former choirboy sues Catholic Church, George Pell - The father of a former choirboy who prosecutors had alleged was sexually abused by George Pell in Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral has launched civil action in an attempt to sue the cardinal and the Catholic Church

>>16729332 Father of former choirboy launches civil action against Cardinal George Pell and Catholic Church

>>16729343 Father of former choirboy files civil claim against Cardinal George Pell and Catholic church - Civil claim brought against Pell and Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne by man alleging he suffered psychological injury

>>16729382 Video: Former choirboy's father launches civil action against George Pell and Catholic Church - 9news.com.au

>>16729390 Video: Former choirboy’s father launches civil action against George Pell - 9 News Australia

>>16729394 Video: Cardinal George Pell And The Catholic Church Sued In Civil Case - The Project

>>16729421 Q Post #2590 - [Cardinal Pell] - Dark to LIGHT. Q

>>16729421 Q Post #2594 - >He was the vatican treasurer I'm sure that carries some weight - #3 in the pecking order. Define 'pecking' [animals]. Q

>>16729421 Q Post #2894 - Many more to come? Dark to LIGHT. Q

>>16737166 George Pell not ‘fit and proper’ to be archbishop or priest, lawsuit claims - Documents filed in August last year allege Pell was “prepared to use opportunities afforded to him to act upon his sexual proclivities towards boys under 16 years of age”

>>16773283 Church cleans up its act after financial scandals - The Vatican has made sweeping changes to the way it manages its vast wealth after a mishandled investment in a Chelsea property lost millions and led to the prosecution of Italian cardinal Angelo Becciu

>>16773332 Cardinal George Pell reflects on celebrating (and not celebrating) the Mass - "His widely-publicized (and unjust) imprisonment threw a wrench into his consistent celebration of Mass."

>>16940754 Law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth abruptly severs ties with the Catholic Church after 60 years, but won’t say why - Partner Richard Leder played a key role in developing the legal framework around the compensation scheme known as the Melbourne Response, which was introduced by former archbishop of Melbourne George Pell in 1996

>>17068777 Catholic Church to rely on 'Ellis defence' in civil damages claim involving Cardinal George Pell

>>17068780 Catholic Church says family members not included in victim laws - Lawyers acting for the Catholic Church have argued that legislation passed to close a legal loophole that helped the church avoid liability for sex abuse victims does not apply to the father of a former choirboy whom prosecutors had alleged was sexually abused by George Pell

>>17068782 Church says choirboy's father cannot sue - The Catholic Church has argued a deceased choirboy's father should not be permitted to sue the clergy because he is not the direct victim of Cardinal George Pell's alleged sexual abuse

>>17435369 Judge’s ruling paves way for choirboy’s father to sue church and Pell - A Victorian court has ruled the father of a former choirboy who prosecutors had alleged was sexually abused by George Pell can pursue civil action against both the cardinal and the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, in a judgment that could pave the way for other families to sue the church

>>17444656 Families of clergy abuse victims' new legal precedent paves way for litigation - A Supreme Court ruling in relation to a lawsuit levelled against the Catholic Church has been heralded as a potential new precedent for loved ones of alleged victims of clergy abuse - The court this week ruled the Catholic Church could not use a legal argument pertaining to the so-called Ellis defence - The defence was named for choirboy John Ellis and prevented abuse survivors from suing unincorporated organisations such as the church - The ruling came after a lawsuit levelled at the Church and Cardinal George Pell by a father of one of Pell's accusers, who has since died of a drug overdose

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305fdc  No.17453618

#25 - Part 9

Malka Leifer Extradition and Prosecution

>>16940806 Australian Jewish principal Malka Leifer's sexual abuse trial to begin - Malka Leifer, former principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish girls' school in Melbourne, is being charged with 74 counts of sexual abuse of students

>>16940806 Manny Waks Facebook Post: The Malka Leifer trial will finally commence on Monday 1 August at the County Court of Victoria in Australia.....We look forward to finally seeing some semblance of justice prevail and stand with the courageous Nicole, Dassi and Elly.

>>16944062 Malka Leifer's trial date is pushed back - The trial of former Melbourne principal Malka Leifer has been postponed to August 22 - Pre-trial arguments before Judge Gamble continue

>>17381391 Israeli Ex-minister Gets Probation for Assisting Malka Leifer in Australia Sex Abuse Case - Former Health Minister Litzman pled guilty to pressuring ministry employees to alter psychiatric evaluations, in a bid to help Leifer avoid extradition to Australia. He resigned from parliament to avoid a harsher sentence

>>17381397 Litzman gets minor fine, no jail for shielding alleged pedophile Leifer from justice - Lenient sentence comes as part of plea deal; ex-health minister has admitted to unsuccessfully working to undermine extradition of accused sexual predator Malka Leifer to Australia

>>17381398 Malka Leifer case: Court endorses suspended sentence for Litzman - Former minister and United Torah Judaism MK Ya’acov Litzman's sentence will be eight-months in prison and an NIS 3,000 fine

#25 - Part 10

Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry and Ben Roberts-Smith Defamation Trial

>>16755924 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial begins hearing closing submissions after 100 days of testimony

>>16755934 ‘Reviled as a murderer’: Roberts-Smith closes case against Nine with fiery speech - His lawyers accusing Nine newspapers of a “sustained campaign” to falsely smear the Victoria Cross recipient as a war criminal, bully and domestic abuser with unfounded articles and a contorted court case

>>16761512 One key question in Roberts-Smith defamation ‘trial of the century’ - "How could a group of illiterate Afghan villagers, and an elite SAS soldier, all recount the same harrowing details of an alleged war crime murder if it never happened?"

>>16761530 Afghan villagers and soldiers told the truth about Ben Roberts-Smith, defamation trial told - The only plausible explanation why three illiterate Afghan villagers and two former elite soldiers all implicated Ben Roberts-Smith in the alleged murder of an Afghan prisoner was that all were telling the truth, the Federal Court has heard in the final days of the war veteran’s defamation case

>>16767613 Ben Roberts-Smith prepared to 'lie under oath', judge told in defamation trial

>>16767627 Ben Roberts-Smith told a “deliberate lie” to conceal his involvement in the alleged execution of an unarmed prisoner in Afghanistan, the war veteran’s defamation case has been told

>>16773197 Witness in Ben Roberts-Smith trial threatened with 'bullet in his head', judge hears

>>16779737 Ben Roberts-Smith legal counsel says witnesses who gave evidence against the war veteran are liars

>>16779745 Media outlets ‘haven’t proven murder’, Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case told

>>16787498 As the Roberts-Smith case nears its end, barrister returns to where he began: ‘Someone is lying.’

>>16802161 Roberts-Smith alleged kick due to 'laugh' - Highly trained and experienced war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith allegedly lost control and kicked an unarmed Afghan man off a cliff because he laughed at him

>>16802176 ‘Bigger knolls at Bondi’: Ben Roberts-Smith barrister rejects cliff kick claim - War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith did not kick a handcuffed Afghan prisoner off a cliff and there was no cliff at the site of the alleged incident, his barrister has told his Federal Court defamation case

>>16840379 Defence force documents disprove allegation Ben Roberts-Smith killed teenager in Afghanistan, defamation trial hears - Former soldier’s lawyer says defence documents show teenager was released unharmed but newspapers say they are not accurate

>>16840826 ‘Most heinous acts of criminality’: Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial ends - Four years after it began, the defamation trial of Ben Roberts-Smith has finally closed, with a judge now left to decide the verdict

>>16937440 Ben Roberts-Smith’s fate in the hands of one man - Whatever judge Anthony Besanko's final ruling, expected to be handed down in six to 12 months’ time, the case will endure as a legal landmark for decades to come

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305fdc  No.17453620

#25 - Part 11

Julian Assange Indictment and Extradition

>>16702074 'Stop hiding behind the legal excuse': Australia can act to free Julian Assange, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says

>>16736572 Prominent Australians have rallied in Sydney for Julian Assange - Actor Michael Caton was among the speakers at a rally outside the Sydney Opera House, calling for the government to intervene in the Wikileaks founder's impending extradition to the US

>>16761498 Mexican president's plea to Joe Biden over Julian Assange as he renews asylum offer - Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he delivered a letter to the US president in which he backed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange

>>16773219 Assange's wife welcomes Mexico offer - Stella Assange has expressed her gratitude to Mexico's president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador after he repeated an offer of asylum for the WikiLeaks founder

>>16780026 Former US spy chief questioned over Julian Assange's future - When asked about calls for the Australian government to intervene in the case of Julian Assange, former US National Security Agency head Admiral Michael Rogers said nations shouldn't feel "constrained" to act in their best interests

>>16931180 Advocates for Assange gather in Canberra, July 28 2022 - Supporters of Julian Assange will rally outside Parliament House to call on the prime minister to seek the Wikileak founder's release

>>16931184 Doctor’s grim diagnosis for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange - The jailed WikiLeaks founder has been given a bleak outlook after undergoing extensive medical examinations inside a UK prison

>>16940772 ‘Just get me out of here’: Assange dad’s desperate bid to bring his ‘Wizard’ home - Peter FitzSimons - smh.com.au

>>16944058 James Packer’s $250,000 gift to free Julian Assange - “Of course I support Julian Assange. What has happened to him is outrageous.....A lot of fine people who I am privileged to know are working around the clock for his freedom. I will continue to support him. Whatever it takes.”

>>16954868 Video: 'He's not well': Julian Assange's family 'living in fear' he won't survive extradition process

>>17068744 Calls to end Assange 'slow-motion' murder - Julian Assange's family is pleading for the government's help to end the "slow-motion murder" of the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder

>>17068805 Assange family barred from taking book about WikiLeaks founder into Australia’s parliament - Family planned to distribute book, deemed ‘protest material’ by security, to MPs and media as they urged government to intervene in proposed extradition

>>17386569 Video: Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder's case endangers press freedom, his wife tells DW - Stella Assange, wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, has accused the US of targeting a foreign journalist for exposing war crimes. She told DW that Assange's life depends on his extradition order being dropped.

>>17398813 Assange lawyers sue CIA for allegedly spying on Wikileaks founder and his visitors in London

>>17410307 PDF: Julian Assange's lawyers, journalists sue the CIA for allegedly spying on them - A group of journalists and lawyers are suing the CIA and its former director Mike Pompeo, claiming the intelligence agency spied on them when they visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at Ecuador's embassy in London

>>17418550 Assange's case shows hypocritical US, British 'press freedom': Spokesperson - Xinhua - english.scio.gov.cn

>>17418578 Video: China: Claims of CIA spying on lawyers for Assange again reflect US hypocrisy on human rights - ShanghaiEye

>>17426565 Video: Exclusive interview with Stella Assange - Ben Timberley spoke to Stella Assange at the Peterloo Celebration in Manchester - Not the Andrew Marr Show

>>17447650 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange files latest appeal in bid to stop extradition to United States - Julian Assange's legal team has filed an appeal to Britain's High Court in an effort to thwart his extradition to the United States to face espionage charges

>>17447650 Julian Assange Files his Perfected Grounds of Appeal - Don't Extradite Assange Campaign - 26th August 2022

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305fdc  No.17453622

#25 - Part 12

Australia / China Tensions - Part 1

>>16701998 ‘The first step to better ties with Beijing’, says Penny Wong after meeting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi

>>16702019 China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi warns Penny Wong: Don’t smear China over Ukraine

>>16702054 Video: China highly appreciates remarks of PM Manasseh Sogavare on China. - SpokespersonCHN

>>16702054 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 8, 2022

>>16702135 NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption witness Clifton Wong found dead in office after giving evidence - 6 July 2022

>>16704930 Australia the ‘root cause’ of breakdown with China, Wang Yi told Penny Wong

>>16704933 China, Australia agree to smooth bilateral ties - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the China-Australia relationship is facing both challenges and opportunities, and its healthy development suits the common interests of both peoples and helps safeguard the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region - Xinhua - english.news.cn

>>16704947 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China - Wang Yi Meets with Foreign Minister Huang Yingxian [Penny Wong] of Australia

>>16704959 Penny Wong, Wang Yi meeting in Bali was no ‘reset’ - Will Glasgow - theaustralian.com.au

>>16704959 Will Glasgow Tweet: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi made the front of today’s China Daily

>>16704978 Exclusive: Pacific Islands Forum crisis as Kiribati withdraws - Barbara Dreaver - 1news.co.nz

>>16704978 Video: Pacific Islands Forum crisis as Kiribati withdraws - 1News New Zealand

>>16707476 Solomon Islands blocks Australian aid workers from entering the country as it opens its doors to Chinese advisers and praises Beijing as a “worthy partner” in supporting its development

>>16716406 China winning entropic warfare in Pacific Islands - We’ve seen Chinese entropic warfare in various stages in Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. And the contagion seems to be spreading in the Pacific - Cleo Paskal - sundayguardianlive.com

>>16716449 Changing hostility toward China first step for Australia to improve ties - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16716474 Video: China crushes rare protest from people demanding their life savings back - Chinese officials have reacted with force after over 1000 people marched in a rare protest against alleged government corruption - news.com.au

>>16716497 Video: China crushes mass protest by bank depositors demanding their life savings back - Nectar Gan, CNN

>>16716550 China's Foreign Minister blames Morrison government for poor relations, tells Penny Wong to 'treat us as a partner, not a threat'

>>16721729 China maintains demands despite Prime Minister’s rebuff - China has maintained it is ready to thaw diplomatic tensions despite Anthony Albanese cold shouldering Beijing after it released a list of demands

>>16721729 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 11, 2022

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305fdc  No.17453623

#25 - Part 13

Australia / China Tensions - Part 2

>>16721760 China influenced Kiribati exit from Pacific Islands Forum, MP claims - Opposition leader Tessie Lambourne calls withdrawal from PIF an ‘extreme move’ and claims the reasons offered by Kiribati’s president, Taneti Maamau, were just excuses

>>16721780 Video: China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Pacific Islands countries. - SpokespersonCHN

>>16721780 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 11, 2022

>>16721824 Stealth bombers fly into Brisbane in US show of force to region - "Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Kousgaard, US Air Force 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander, said the visit was more than just about training. It was also about sending a message."

>>16721828 Video: Two USAF B-2A Spirit Stealth Bombers Arrive into RAAF Base Amberley to support PCAF training efforts - ePixel Images

>>16721848 Marles warns Australia, US must step up to avoid ‘catastrophic failure’ in Indo-Pacific

>>16729011 Anthony Albanese hugs Solomon Islands PM and preaches positivity at Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji

>>16729023 US hasn’t given Pacific the support it deserved, Vice President Kamala Harris tells Pacific Islands Forum

>>16729043 U.S. to open new embassies, boost aid in Pacific as China’s sway grows - Michael E. Miller - washingtonpost.com

>>16729051 Video: US VP Kamala Harris speaks at Pacific Islands Leaders Forum | 13/07/2022 - fijivillage

>>16729061 Beijing says ‘anti-China forces’ manipulating Anthony Albanese, responsible for PM’s dismissal of a four point list given to Australia by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

>>16729074 China-Australia ties cannot be eased on top of ‘minefields’: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16729087 Australia to hype ‘China influence’ at regional forum to assert its ‘patriarch’ role against PICs’ interest - Zhang Han - globaltimes.cn

>>16729095 Marles' comments at odds with moving forward China-Australia relations - Lu Xue - globaltimes.cn

>>16729115 Pacific Minister Pat Conroy says Australia is open to partnering on Chinese projects

>>16729133 Defence Department silent on latest Chinese military encounter with Australian warship sailing through international waters claimed by Beijing

>>16729144 TikTok admits Australian data can be accessed in China, prompting warnings app may be compromised

>>16729514 Solomon Islands PM rules out China military base and says Australia is ‘security partner of choice’ - In his first interview since the security deal with Beijing, Manasseh Sogavare says he would only call on China if there was a ‘gap’ that Australia could not fill

>>16729572 Fears grow of possible miscalculation involving Australian military in contested South China Sea

>>16729589 GT Voice: Can real improvements be made in China-Australia trade? - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

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305fdc  No.17453626

#25 - Part 14

Australia / China Tensions - Part 3

>>16736843 Scott Morrison accuses Xi Jinping of steering China down a more autocratic path in speech at Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul

>>16736872 The ball is in Australia's court when it comes to mending relations with China - Global Times

>>16737054 Peter Dutton questions Labor’s commitment to AUKUS - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he fears Labor might be crab walking away from parts of the AUKUS security pact as he rejects Defence Minister Richard Marles’ declaration that climate change is the greatest threat to the Pacific

>>16743853 Xi Jinping visits China's Xinjiang region amid criticism of mass detention - Chinese leader Xi Jinping has visited China's Xinjiang region, where his government is widely accused of oppressing predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities

>>16749428 Dutton: We can't talk while China amasses nukes - Peter Dutton says the government must hold China to account over human rights abuses and call for it to wind back its rapid military expansion if bilateral relations continue to thaw

>>16749434 Video: Dutton backs China talks on proviso Beijing takes 'concrete actions' - Sky News Australia

>>16755986 Liberal warriors don’t want a China reset: The raucous opponents of the Albanese government resetting the relationship are playing a dangerous game with Australia’s foreign policy and ambitions for a peaceful, prosperous and stable region - Craig Emerson - afr.com

>>16755990 Craig Emerson Wikipedia - Craig Anthony Emerson (born 15 November 1954) is an Australian economist and former Australian Labor Party politician. He served as the Australian House of Representatives Member for the Division of Rankin in Queensland from 1998 until 2013.

>>16755998 OPINION - Australia can safely improve its relations with China. Here’s how - Bob Carr, the longest-serving premier of NSW and a former foreign minister of Australia - smh.com.au

>>16756024 Richard Marles as bad as ‘extremely anti-China’ Peter Dutton claims Beijing

>>16756027 Willing to be a US plug-in? Canberra plays a very dangerous game: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16756108 Calls to ban social media app TikTok over concerns it is harvesting data used by Beijing

>>16756147 TikTok’s ‘alarming’, ‘excessive’ data collection revealed - Viral video-app TikTok collects “excessive” amounts of data, according to new analysis of its source code, raising alarm about the volume of information and its security following an admission that staff in China can access the data of millions of Australian users

>>16756168 PDF: IT'S THEIR WORD AGAINST THEIR SOURCE CODE - TIKTOK REPORT - Internet 2.0

>>16756225 Video: TikTok users warned the platform is harvesting personal data - A new technical analysis by Australian company Internet 2.0, has found the Chinese-owned company requests almost complete access to the contents of a phone while the app is in use - abc.net.au

>>16761553 Video: Former Sydney councillor Vincenzo Badalati tells ICAC inquiry a Chinese developer paid for his escort in China and secretly filmed him with the woman to "blackmail" him

>>16761573 Australia urged to reshape approach to China, act to improve bilateral ties: FM - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16761573 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 18, 2022

>>16767745 Video: Bribes, blackmail, lies and escorts: Former Sydney councillor Vincenzo Badalati confesses at ICAC inquiry

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305fdc  No.17453631

#25 - Part 15

Australia / China Tensions - Part 4

>>16767765 Beijing praises Penny Wong, indicates Australian coal ban to end

>>16767770 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 19, 2022

>>16773023 Beijing launches major strike in attempt to sink AUKUS pact - New 32-page report titled “A Dangerous Conspiracy” claims Australia’s agreement to get nuclear-powered submarines may be a furtive attempt to develop nuclear weapons

>>16773027 Beijing warns AUKUS submarine project sets a 'dangerous precedent' and threatens non-proliferation

>>16773036 AUKUS sub deal could involve transferring tons of weapons-grade nuke material: Chinese report - Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan - globaltimes.cn

>>16773042 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 20, 2022

>>16773050 CACDA Successfully Held the Press Conference about the Research Report on the Nuclear Proliferation Risk of AUKUS Collaboration on Nuclear-powered Submarines - China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, 2022-07-20

>>16773057 PDF: A Dangerous Conspiracy: The Nuclear Proliferation Risk of the Nuclear-powered Submarines Collaboration in the Context of AUKUS. - China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy - July 2022

>>16773146 Ukraine making China rethink when, not if, on Taiwan invasion: Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns

>>16773162 GT Investigates: Australia urged to take practical action in easing tensions with China as coal, wine and oat grass companies look to mend frayed ties - Coal, wine, oat grass exporters aspire to sell to huge Chinese market: experts - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>16780110 China needs to ‘pay a price’ if it doesn’t change: Former National Security Agency chief Michael Rogers

>>16780173 US probes Chinese telecom giant Huawei over potential capture of American military information

>>16780196 China campaigns against AUKUS as Indonesian President Joko Widodo prepares to visit Beijing

>>16780305 Buzzes from rumormonger ASPI over Xinjiang can’t drown out the truth - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16780335 PDF: China’s information operations are silencing and influencing global audiences on Xinjiang - Albert Zhang and Tilla Hoja, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) - July 2022

>>16802278 Exclusive: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy to visit Solomons, where fathers fought and U.S. now vies with China

>>16802289 New United States ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy signals new developments on AUKUS as she plans Solomons trip

>>16802359 Opinion: Australia’s early resolve has given us the diplomatic upper hand - Canberra’s decision to draw a line with Beijing sooner rather than later has paved the way for a stabilisation of relations - Justin Bassi, Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute - afr.com

>>16802404 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley calls Indonesia a 'key partner' on stopover in Asia-Pacific defence tour - "The message is the Chinese military, in the air and at sea, have become significantly more and noticeably more aggressive in this particular region"

>>16802445 Australian journalist Cheng Lei faces longer stay in Beijing jail as verdict is delayed

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305fdc  No.17453633

#25 - Part 16

Australia / China Tensions - Part 5

>>16802540 Nonsense to say 'Australia needs nuclear submarines to defend itself': Australian scholar Professor David Goodman, director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16840480 A fool’s errand: US attempting to sow discord in Asia-Pacific region - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16840493 China calls for concrete actions after Australian PM’s remarks about ‘sanctions’ - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16840493 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 25, 2022

>>16840503 Video: Australia needs to work with China to create enabling conditions for improving bilateral relations. - SpokespersonCHN

>>16840523 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: China's growth has been an inherent part of globalization, which certainly has a positive impact on most people's standard of living around the world, an Australian sociologist has said.

>>16841051 How Cambodian despot Hun Sen maps out control of Australia - Cambodian despot Hun Sen has divided Australia into seven zones, each controlled from Phnom Penh by a high-ranking military officer or official in the regime, in which Cambodian-Australians are rewarded for allegiance to the dictator or singled out for punishment as traitors

>>16841115 China wants to ‘bully and dominate’ the Indo-Pacific: top US general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley

>>16841137 China to raise concerns over AUKUS submarine deal at United Nations nuclear non-proliferation treaty meeting

>>16841197 Trade Minister Don Farrell to launch new attempt to meet with China - Trade Minister Don Farrell has received a friendly letter from China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao that could be the beginning of the end of Beijing’s trade crusade against Australia

>>16841230 ASPI’s ‘no compromise policy’ mirrors evil intentions to disrupt China-Australia ties - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>16931297 Di Sanh "Sunny" Duong: Alleged Chinese spy who donated to Liberal politician Alan Tudge faces court, the first person to be charged under the then Turnbull government’s 2018 foreign interference legislation

>>16931301 CSIRO boss advocates science ties to Beijing - CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall says Australia should forge deeper scientific ties with China in a bid to solve global challenges, including climate change and future pandemics

>>16931309 US General warns China has developed highly capable ‘world-class’ military - The US’ highest-ranking military officer, General Mark Milley, has described China’s proliferation of military strength as “very, very concerning” to the Pacific as well as globally

>>16936365 Indonesia criticises submarine loophole in nuclear non-proliferation treaty that underpins AUKUS deal

>>16936378 AUKUS ‘pivotal’ against China, says Scott Morrison - Scott Morrison says Australia’s AUKUS security pact with the US and Britain and the advancement of the Quad had delivered the most profound shift in the strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific since China started “turning atolls into airports in the South China Sea”

>>16936386 UK admiral seeks to quell AUKUS concerns - Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has moved to quell concerns about the sharing of nuclear technology with Australia, as Canberra looks to procure a new fleet of submarines fuelled by atomic energy

>>16936404 Exclusive: China-Solomon Islands police training enhances friendship, law-enforcement capacity after Chinatown losses: The joint fight - Shan Jie and Zhao Juecheng - globaltimes.cn

>>16940747 UN treaty hitch to AUKUS nuclear submarines project - A group of US experts has warned Joe Biden that providing sub­marines powered by highly enriched uranium to Australia will undermine the UN’s nuclear non-proliferation treaty, setting a “dangerous precedent”

>>16940832 ‘Unprecedented, foolish, dangerous’: Keating attacks Pelosi’s planned trip to Taiwan - Former prime minister Paul Keating has accused US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of inflaming tensions with Beijing and risking a military conflict by planning to visit Taiwan next month

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305fdc  No.17453635

#25 - Part 17

Australia / China Tensions - Part 6

>>16940847 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on July 29, 2022

>>16944125 Australia urged to intervene as China tries to buy a strategic Solomon Islands port - A Chinese state-owned company is negotiating to buy a deep-water port and World War II airstrip in Solomon Islands, as new documents detail how money from Beijing has helped keep the Pacific nation's controversial leader, Manasseh Sogavare in power

>>16944143 Video: Pacific Capture: How Chinese money is buying the Solomons - Four Corners / ABC Australia

>>16944162 Video: Watch what happened when Four Corners tried filming a Chinese business in Solomon Islands - China’s presence is everywhere in Solomon Islands, but not everyone was happy when Four Corners arrived to film it - abc.net.au

>>16944185 AUKUS members sink Chinese complaints over nuclear submarines - Australia, the US and UK have hit back at China’s attacks on the AUKUS pact, saying it will be impossible for Australia to convert uranium fuelling the planned fleet of nuclear-powered submarines into weapons without ruining the boats

>>16944211 Australian Government Department of Defence - Readout of AUKUS Joint Steering Group Meetings between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, 31 July 2022

>>16944211 PDF: Cooperation under the AUKUS partnership - Working paper submitted by Australia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America

>>16944261 (Google translation) - The Chinese Embassy in Australia held a reception for the 95th anniversary of the founding of the army, 2022-07-29

>>16944283 Xi Jinping has launched a ‘new Cold War’: Kevin Andrews - Xi Jinping’s Chinese Communist Party is waging a “new Cold War”, which the world must call out and resist, former defence minister Kevin Andrews has warned in a blunt address in Taiwan

>>16944283 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) Tweet: What a triumvirate! Minister Wu was pleased to maintain the momentum of the Ketagalan Forum by exchanging ideas on #Taiwan's role in building a more free & open #IndoPacific with @cpyne & @kevinandrewsmp. The visit of #Australia's ex-defense ministers is greatly appreciated.

>>16944304 Video: How Chinese money is buying Solomon Islands - China has its eye on a tiny Pacific nation that could have big geopolitical ramifications: Solomon Islands. Four Corners travels to the Solomons – one of the first international film crews to enter the country since borders reopened – to investigate the kind of influence Chinese money is buying: from a sports stadium and timber plantation, to deep-water ports and a political slush fund. With a new security pact signed between the two countries, regional powers like Australia and the United States are worried this could be the start of a new Chinese military presence in the region. - ABC News In-depth

>>16948432 Australian Government doubles down on AUKUS plan to acquire nuclear powered submarines from either the United States or Britain - Assistant trade minister Tim Ayres tells international nuclear non-proliferation conference that Australia is committed to the treaty, and the procurement of such submarines will not violate its obligations

>>16948446 ‘Very serious interest’: Indonesia wants AUKUS submarines monitored by UN watchdog - Indonesia wants Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-propelled submarines to be monitored tightly by the United Nations watchdog, saying it is taking “a very serious interest” because its waters will be passed by such vessels

>>16948453 China slams US and Britain of ‘double standards’ with AUKUS submarine deal - Senior Chinese diplomat Zhang Jun levelled scathing criticisms of the AUKUS security pact at the beginning of a month-long conference in New York that will review the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

>>16948507 Exercise “Super Garuda Shield”: Indonesian-led war games ‘send strong signal’ to China - Australian defence forces join thousands of troops from Indonesia, the US, Singapore and Japan for two weeks of “unprecedented” joint military exercises including combined paratrooper drops and amphibious landings on an island near the southern edge of the South China Sea

>>16954697 Video: Donald Trump rips into 'crazy' Nancy Pelosi - Former US president Donald Trump has criticised Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, labelling her "crazy" and accusing the House Speaker of "always causing trouble" - Sky News Australia

>>16954723 AUKUS trio urged to comply with nuclear treaty - Wang Qingyun - chinadaily.com.cn

>>16954723 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying’s Regular Press Conference on August 2, 2022

>>16954731 Chinese firm denies Australian media reports of acquisition deal in Solomon Islands - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>16954750 (Google translation) - Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands Answers Questions

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305fdc  No.17453637

#25 - Part 18

Australia / China Tensions - Part 7

>>16954766 Chinese police to give ‘management and leadership’ training to Solomon Islands officers - Senior police boss also did not rule out having Chinese police officers embedded within the force, after signing of controversial security deal

>>17068759 Anthony Albanese’s reaction to Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan trip was dead pan — but what he didn’t say spoke volumes

>>17068768 ‘Risk of miscalculation’: Wong calls for calm as China begins live-fire drills near Taiwan

>>17068770 Top U.S. diplomat to arrive in Pacific amid battle for influence with China - Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel to Samoa on Thursday on a multi-leg trip to Pacific Island countries intended to demonstrate re-engagement by the United States with a region in which China has been extending its influence

>>17068773 ADF to up the ante in Indonesia - Australia’s new army chief, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart says he will increase military exchanges and expand bilateral defence exercises with Indonesia as the Asia-Pacific region confronts a heightened risk of conflict

>>17068866 Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong tight-lipped in response to China's missile exercise near Taiwan - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have refused to wade into a war of words after China responded to Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei by carrying out a missile exercise in Taiwanese waters

>>17068880 Penny Wong fumes as Beijing missiles rattle region - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned Beijing after it launched an unprecedented volley of ballistic missiles over Taiwan and into Japanese waters, in a brazen display of China’s rising military might that has rattled the Indo-Pacific region

>>17068935 Video: Marles accuses China of breaching UN rules with Taiwan exercises - Defence Minister Richard Marles has urged an end to Chinese live-fire military operations that have encircled Taiwan in a strong statement that accuses Beijing of breaching United Nations rules requiring countries to ensure peace and security in international waters

>>17068962 Defence expert Paul Dibb says Australia faces 'probability of high-intensity conflict' in the region - "China is an aggressive, autocratic communist power. According to Xi Jinping, the time is now on the side of the People's Republic of China to revenge the century of humiliation in the 19th century, and to take over as the leading power in our region from the United States."

>>17069001 ‘Nuclear war at home’: Protesters say SA subs deal is putting us in the firing line - The No Nuclear Subs Alliance has protested against South Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program

>>17069131 US, Australian militaries join forces to retaliate China’s Pacific rise - Australia will join the “kill chain” of United States’ air and missile defence capabilities in a move that could cut our militaries’ reaction times from 30 minutes to less than four

>>17381195 Statement: Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs - Cross-Strait tensions - "Australia is deeply concerned about the launch of ballistic missiles by China into waters around Taiwan's coastline."

>>17381198 Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Commonwealth of Australia - Chinese Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on the Statement by Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs on Situation across the Taiwan Strait

>>17381216 U.S. Department of State Media Note - U.S.-Australia-Japan Trilateral Strategic Dialogue - Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa met in Phnom Penh on the margins of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

>>17381217 Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Commonwealth of Australia - Chinese Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on the Joint Statement Made by the US, Australia and Japan Related to the Situation in the Taiwan Strait

>>17381234 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Video:Ambassador Kennedy and @DeputySecState Sherman are traveling to Solomon Islands to honor all those who fought and died for freedom 80 years ago, and to recommit to working with Allies and partners to chart a peaceful and secure future together.

>>17381238 The Untold story of how Morrison took on China - On April 20, 2020, then prime minister Scott Morrison told the national security committee of cabinet that Australia’s democratic system was being “infiltrated” by Beijing and that the government must become more strident in its language about China to signal its resistance.

>>17381245 China erupts over Wong’s ‘finger-pointing’ over blasts at Taiwan

>>17381248 Opposition Defence Spokesman Andrew Hastie warns of ‘bleak outlook’ as China claims it’s the victim of provocation

>>17381255 Pacific Islands solidarity is a Biden priority, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman tells Solomon Islands

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305fdc  No.17453642

#25 - Part 19

Australia / China Tensions - Part 8

>>17381258 U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman Tweet: Pleased to meet with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and cabinet members about U.S.-Solomon Islands cooperation to mitigate COVID-19, reduce poverty, enhance resilience, promote economic growth, and open the embassy in Honiara.

>>17381263 U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman Tweet: Humbled to recognize the lives lost in the Battle of Guadalcanal on this 80th anniversary. Alongside our gracious hosts, friends, and allies, we reflect on how those we once fought against can become the closest of allies.

>>17381263 Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Remarks on the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal - Honiara, Solomon Islands, August 7 2022

>>17381267 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: At a ceremony in Honiara today, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy paid tribute to the significant bravery and assistance of the Solomon Islander scouts and Coastwatchers during World War II. (1/3)

>>17381267 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: “Because of the selfless service and sacrifice of the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers, the Allies were able to hold Guadalcanal.And because of Guadalcanal, the Allies achieved victory in the Pacific.” - Ambassador Kennedy

>>17381267 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: "I look forward to returning to Solomon Islands with my children and showing them this part of our family history… and telling them about the partnership we’ve shared with Solomon Islanders in years since the war."

>>17381267 TRANSCRIPT: Ambassador Caroline Kennedy’s Remarks at the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers Memorial - Honiara, Solomon Islands, August 7 2022

>>17381274 Penny Wong urges calm after China criticises her response to aggression in Taiwan Strait

>>17381276 Peter Dutton urges Albanese Government to acquire military 'deterrent' as he warns of conflict amid China-Taiwan tensions

>>17381277 ‘Calm down’: WA Premier Mark McGowan has weighed in on Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and issued a stern warning to China

>>17381293 Myanmar envoy becomes 4th ambassador to die in China in less than a year - Myanmar's ambassador to China died suddenly in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, according to an obituary in Myanmar state media and diplomatic sources in Beijing. The obituary for Ambassador U Myo Thant Pe by Myanmar's foreign ministry in a state newspaper did not specify his cause of death.

>>17381298 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare did not attend a weekend dawn service for a key World War Two battle organised by the United States, with local media reporting it as a "snub"

>>17381300 Solomons leader in US memorial 'snub' - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was due to give a speech at a memorial service for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal that was attended by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and ministers and officials from Japan, Australia and New Zealand on Sunday, but he did not appear

>>17381326 PM SNUBS US - PRIME MINISTER Manasseh Sogavare appears to have snubbed the delegations of the United States of America and other allies by being absent from the dawn service commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Landing of the Marines on Guadalcanal

>>17381331 Man in custody after Bloody Ridge stabbing - A young man is in police custody after stabbing a Japanese military personnel attending a commemoration service of the Battle of Guadalcanal at Bloody Ridge

>>17381336 POLICE INVESTIGATE BLOODY RIDGE INCIDENT - The Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) has launched an investigation into an incident, which occurred at the commemoration ceremony of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle on Guadalcanal at Bloody Ridge on Monday 8 August

>>17381341 The Battle of Guadalcanal - EIGHTY years ago today (August 7th 2022), thousands of U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal and on the islands of Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo. According to visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, it was the first major Allied land offensive in the Pacific theatre, and a proving ground for the United States Marine Corps’ new methods of amphibious warfare.

>>17381344 Caroline Kennedy meets children of Solomon Islanders who saved JFK’s life - New US ambassador to Australia was in Honiara to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal

>>17381350 Guadalcanal troops remembered, New Zealand Defence Minister in talks with US and Solomons

>>17381353 Ambassador Kennedy thanked Solomon Scouts who saved her father - The selfless service and sacrifice of the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers were acknowledged during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal

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305fdc  No.17453644

#25 - Part 20

Australia / China Tensions - Part 9

>>17381356 Video: Solomon Islands commemorates Battle of Guadalcanal 80th anniversary - ABC News (Australia)

>>17381363 Sherman visits South Pacific to 'sabotage' region's growing ties with China - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>17381401 Wong calls for restraint as China extends military drills around Taiwan by sending fighter aircraft to simulate air-to-ship strikes

>>17381658 United States, Australia will 'watch very carefully' as China-Solomons pact takes shape, says US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman

>>17381717 Video: US Deputy Secretary of State says China's response to Pelosi's Taiwan trip 'disproportionate' - ABC News (Australia)

>>17381728 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's absence at commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal a ‘disgrace’: Opposition Leader Matthew Wale

>>17381741 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's government wants to delay election due to 2023 Pacific Games

>>17381778 Video: Pacific Marines Tweet: #Guadalcanal #Commemoration #G80 - @USMC Lt. Gen. Steven R. Rudder, commander, @PacificMarines, provides remarks at the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal commemoration ceremony at the Guadalcanal American Memorial in the #SolomonIslands.

>>17381794 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: “The bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps.” -General Alexander Vandegrift

>>17381794 U.S. Marine Corps Facebook Post: Yesterday, Aug. 7, marked the 80th anniversary of the beginning of America’s first amphibious invasion of WWII – the Battle of Guadalcanal. #Marines landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands, with the objective of capturing a key Japanese chokepoint. Major battles by land, air, and sea, led to Japanese retreat and Allied control over crucial airfields. Victory during Guadalcanal allowed the Allied Forces to seize the strategic initiative in the Pacific theater. #USMCHistory #SemperFi

>>17381805 China escalates attack on Penny Wong, as Beijing tries to rewrite Australia’s ‘One China’ policy

>>17381816 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on August 8, 2022

>>17381831 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: Chinese FM Spokesperson: We urge the Australian side to abide by the one-China principle, refrain from echoing or assisting certain countries’ misguided strategy of using the Taiwan question to contain China, and avoid creating new obstacles for China-Australia ties.

>>17381849 Sugarcoating can't legitimize AUKUS sub deal - Zhang Yunbi - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17381855 Li Song, China's ambassador for disarmament affairs reiterates opposition to AUKUS nuclear sub pact - Minlu Zhang - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17381875 Australia’s first spy mission over the Pacific under the AUKUS pact takes place - Australia has flown its first spy mission over the Pacific under the AUKUS pact with its US and UK allies as Russia demands more details

>>17381886 20 Percent Of The USAF’s B-2 Force Is Deployed ‘Down Under’ - The B-2 deployment to Australia comes as the USAF ramps up its presence in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing tensions with China.

>>17381920 US SENDS FIFTH B-2 TO AMBERLEY AMID CHINA TENSION - A fifth US Air Force B-2 bomber has flown to Base Amberley to train with RAAF F-35s amid tension between China and Taiwan - It likely amounts to the biggest ever deployment of the US’s most important military jet to Australia, with the country’s active fleet only numbering 20

>>17385052 mhar4 Tweet: Video - Musician Roger Waters: "They're not encircling Taiwan, Taiwan is part of China, and that's been absolutely accepted by the whole of the international community since 1948, and if you don't know that, you're not reading enough. Go and read about it." This is where we are.

>>17385057 Video: Roger Waters Uncut. The full interview with Michael Smerconish recorded in Philadelphia, PA at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia on August 4th, 2022. www.Smerconish.com - Michael Smerconish

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305fdc  No.17453646

#25 - Part 21

Australia / China Tensions - Part 10

>>17385071 mhar4 Tweet: Chinese FM Wang Yi on Taiwan: "The "Taiwan independence" forces' attempt to seek independence by soliciting U.S. support is nothing but a fantasy, which is doomed to be a dead end, and it will only tighten the noose around their necks."

>>17385088 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China - Wang Yi Elaborates on China's Position on the Taiwan Question at a Press Conference for Chinese and Foreign Media - 2022-08-06

>>17385676 Taiwan urges world to follow Penny Wong’s stance on China - Taiwan named Australia as a model for other countries to follow as the imperilled liberal democracy called for international support to help it withstand a campaign of extraordinary Chinese military intimidation

>>17385701 Liberals pressure Dutton to ease up on China hard line - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is under pressure to adopt a more nuanced approach in the ­Coalition’s attacks on Beijing, with new analysis revealing massive swings against the Liberal Party in seats with high numbers of Chinese-Australian voters

>>17385712 Peter Dutton won’t waver on China - Peter Dutton says standing up for Australia’s national interest is “not a condemnation of people of Chinese heritage” and declared he would not back down from attacking the hostile actions of Xi Jinping’s Chinese Communist Party

>>17385732 China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian warns Beijing will use any means necessary for Taiwan 'reunification'

>>17385756 We’ll take Taiwan: Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian pledges no retreat

>>17385784 China plans re-education ‘once Taiwan is united’ - Taiwan’s 23 million people face a campaign of re-education if the self-governed island is taken over by China, with China’s top diplomat to Australia saying Beijing was set to use “any means necessary” to achieve reunification

>>17385808 Chinese ambassador to Australia condemns US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan - Beijing’s top diplomat in Canberra has broken his silence on a controversial move by the US that infuriated Beijing

>>17385832 Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, issues startling warning about Taiwan and makes farcical claim - Speaking in Canberra, the Chinese ambassador to Australia made a particularly striking claim about the people of Taiwan - “I believe that the majority of the people in Taiwan believe they’re Chinese. They believe Taiwan is part of China and Taiwan is a province of China. They are for reunion.”

>>17385896 China's Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian has been blasted after insisting the basic rights of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been detained in a Beijing prison for almost two years, were "well protected"

>>17386111 China plans to turn Taiwan into Hong Kong, says it will use force as a last resort - China’s state council has proposed imposing Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” policy on Taiwan and said it would not renounce the use of force to take the island

>>17386118 China releases white paper on Taiwan question, reunification in new era - Xinhua - english.www.gov.cn

>>17386119 Full text: The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era - The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and The State Council Information Office - The People’s Republic of China

>>17386131 Video: IN FULL: Chinese Ambassador Xiao Qian delivers address to Australia's National Press Club - Aug 10, 2022 - ABC News (Australia)

>>17386135 Video: Journalists question Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian - Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian says the relationship between the two countries has been "difficult" in recent times, but adds a change of government has provided an "opportunity to reset" relations - Aug 10, 2022 - ABC News (Australia)

>>17386345 Beijing’s charmless offensive loses hearts in free world - China can portray itself as strong and commanding at home but its propaganda falls apart in the West where doublespeak and absurdities are quickly exposed - Kevin Yam - theaustralian.com.au

>>17386406 Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Adelaide - Remarks by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Consulate General in Adelaide on Pelosi’s Visit to China’s Taiwan Region - 2022-08-09

>>17386426 Chinese Ambassador calls for Canberra's independent foreign policy 'free from third party interference' - Fan Anqi - globaltimes.cn

>>17386439 Australia’s review of Defense Force shows military ambitions, concern over US’ decline - Lu Xue - globaltimes.cn

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305fdc  No.17453647

#25 - Part 22

Australia / China Tensions - Part 11

>>17386488 Australian Strategic Policy Institute just a tool of China hawks in Australia - Chen Weihua - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17386524 Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, Solomon Islands hold 1st drill amid China tension

>>17386534 Australia to Support Pacific Games 2023 With SBD$100M - The Australian Government will donate more than $A16.5 million, or nearly $SBD100 million, for the Pacific Games

>>17396721 Some frank advice for Beijing’s new envoy - A covid cover-up, an imprisoned friend, a vindictive campaign of coercion against Australia and, now, missiles flying over my apartment — here’s why I’ve changed my mind on China - Will Glasgow - theaustralian.com.au

>>17405824 The Covid-19 tsunami and the day Scott Morrison shut the door to China - China’s under-reporting of surging Covid-19 cases and mortality rates in early 2020 helped fuel Scott Morrison’s decision to close the international border, despite the former prime minister’s deep concerns over the economic and political fallout

>>17405852 Plagued: Covid-19 tsunami is just offshore - In the second extract from the book Plagued, the arrival of a mystery disease forces our leaders to make almost unthinkable decisions

>>17405959 New vaccine facility set for Monash uni - Moderna's vaccine production facility will be based at Monash University under a 10-year deal inked with both state and federal governments

>>17406149 All China’s sabre-rattling has done is rally support for Taiwan - The provocative response to the Pelosi visit is just another demonstration of how counterproductive is Xi Jinping’s wolf-warrior ‘diplomacy’ - Alexander Downer - afr.com

>>17410214 Stephen Dziedzic Tweets: More Solomon Islands-PRC police co-operation. China's Police Liaison Team has donated an advanced communication system which will allow the RSIPF to securely share information with Interpol member countries - China's Ambassador to Solomon Islands attended the handover ceremony late last week

>>17410224 Royal Solomon Islands Police Force: PRC I-24/7 Interpol Communication System handed over to RSIPF - The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Interpol office in Honiara will be boosted after the official handing over of I-24/7 Communication System from China Police Liaison Team (CPLT) on 12 August 2022

>>17410262 Right to vote being snatched from Solomon Islanders by PRC-backed PM - Sogavare has introduced a Bill to postpone elections. Reaction on the ground is seething. Likely Sogavare and his backers in Beijing don’t mind violence so they can activate the China security deal - Cleo Paskal - sundayguardianlive.com

>>17410363 Sogavare staging a coup with Chinese characteristics - "The more proxies China can gather to its fold the stronger it will get, and the more damage it will do in the region. Currently, it’s Solomon Islanders who are on the front line." - Cleo Paskal and Anthony Bergin - theaustralian.com.au

>>17410399 Kiribati court grants David Lambourne bail, slams attempts to deport High Court justice back to Australia - Australian David Lambourne has been granted bail after the High Court judge was placed in immigration detention following a failed deportation attempt by the Kiribati government

>>17410403 Video: Attempts to deport Kiribati High Court Justice to Australia lead to airport stand-off - Australian David Lambourne was ordered on to a Fiji airways flight departing the capital, but the plane ultimately left without him - ABC News (Australia)

>>17410410 China link alleged in judge’s Kiribati deportation saga - Judge David Lambourne, an Australian jurist who served on the Kiribati High Court says an attempt to deport him from the Pacific country was linked to China’s growing influence in the region

>>17414386 Germany plays down Asian involvement as air force sends 13 planes to Australia for Pitch Black exercises - Germany is sending 13 military aircraft to joint exercises in Australia, the air force's largest peacetime deployment, underlining Berlin's increased focus on the Indo-Pacific, amid rising tensions in the region

>>17417315 1st MAW Marines Tweet: A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 arrives at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 10, 2022

>>17417351 US Strategic Command Tweet: #BomberTaskForce missions with our @AusAirForce Allies demonstrate our combined ability to fly & operate #AnywhereAnytime in support of a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific

>>17417545 Beijing uses every chance to normalise aggressive activity - Dave Sharma, former Australian ambassador to Israel - theaustralian.com.au

>>17417833 Solomon Islands moving ahead with contentious plan to build Huawei mobile phone towers with $100 million loan from Beijing, despite an internal report warning the project may not stack up financially

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305fdc  No.17453650

#25 - Part 23

Australia / China Tensions - Part 12

>>17417901 Kangaroo in space hops to a Chinese box office hit - A kangaroo space comedy has become a surprise box office hit in China, as viewers in the world’s biggest movie market enjoy a break from nationalistic war films and saturation coverage of Chinese military drills around Taiwan - Two weeks after being released, marsupial science-fiction movie Moon Man is already China’s second-biggest hit of 2022, having already grossed almost $500m

>>17418550 Assange's case shows hypocritical US, British 'press freedom': Spokesperson - Xinhua - english.scio.gov.cn

>>17418578 Video: China: Claims of CIA spying on lawyers for Assange again reflect US hypocrisy on human rights - ShanghaiEye

>>17418594 US, Australia lead joint drills to flex muscles, upend regional stability amid tensions in Taiwan Straits - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>17422675 Chinese embassy in Solomons encourages bilateral biz deals, dismisses ‘debt trap’ as West’s ‘narrative trap’ - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17426578 National security review of Darwin Port to remain secret, but Defence releases 'talking points' - A national security review of a Chinese-owned company's lease of Darwin Port will remain secret, after the Defence Department refused a Freedom of Information request for its findings

>>17426584 The Solomon Islands government has hauled in Australia's High Commissioner to complain after the ABC's Four Corners program aired an episode exploring how China has been rapidly building commercial and security ties with the Pacific Island nation

>>17426603 TikTok's in-app browser can monitor your keystrokes, including passwords and credit cards, security researcher Felix Krause says - The Java Script code embedded by TikTok allows the company to monitor all keystrokes — the equivalent of a keylogger — as well as every tap on the screen, and text inputs including passwords and credit card information

>>17430779 South China sea patrols to continue as RAAF declares China's air defences are 'not impenetrable' - Australia's new Air Force Chief, Air Marshal Robert Chipman has declared surveillance missions will continue in the South China Sea despite a "recent spate of unsafe incidences" in the contested international airspace claimed by Beijing

>>17430787 Senior US official says Washington would consider supplying B-21 bombers to Australia - US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has indicated that the United States would consider providing Australia with B-21 Raider long-range bombers, if Canberra requested them

>>17430805 Australians’ twisting perception an evil consequence of anti-China propaganda - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17435387 Australia should spend big on defence to counter China, John Bolton says - Australia should counter the rise of China more forcefully by significantly increasing defence spending and pursuing new security partnerships with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton says

>>17435401 Solomon Islands denies Australian High Commissioner summoned over Four Corners reporting - The Solomon Islands government has denied Australia's High Commissioner was "summoned" over a report by the ABC's Four Corners program about the extent of Chinese influence and control in the Pacific nation, instead calling the meeting a "neighbourly discussion"

>>17435417 Why this Chinese-Australian feels unsafe after speaking out about China's treatment of Uyghurs - Vicky Xu says human rights activists and critics of the Chinese government in Australia are being harassed and intimidated

>>17439886 Solomon Islands threatens to ban foreign journalists entry into country over 'demeaning' coverage - The Solomon Islands Government has seemingly confirmed it will block some foreign journalists from entering the country, declaring that reporters who are "demeaning" or engage in "racial profiling" by attacking its ties with China will be banned

>>17439891 Solomons PM's use of China funds queried - The Solomon Islands prime minister's office distributed Chinese government money to 39 out of 50 members of parliament twice last year, prompting criticism the payments were politically motivated

>>17439892 US, Australia discuss possibility of B-21 bomber deal, 'posing serious threats to China' - Liu Xuanzun - globaltimes.cn

>>17439898 Video: Hope to hear more fair and just voices like Roger Waters - SpokespersonCHN

>>17444704 The scandal of US coercion in Huawei case stands exposed - Chen Weihua - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17444743 Kiribati’s Court of Appeal said government’s latest bid to deport Australian-born High Court Justice David Lambourne on national security grounds was ‘far-fetched’

>>17449708 Australian media hype ‘ban’ on journalists entering Solomon Islands to maliciously sabotage cooperation with China - Liu Xin - globaltimes.cn

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305fdc  No.17453652

#25 - Part 24

Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide

>>16705037 South Australian businesses urged to consider masks, work-from-home mandates: Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier

>>16705051 Labor MPs and experts urge action over Victoria’s high COVID death rate

>>16721686 Victorian government rejects chief health officer’s mask mandate recommendation

>>16721712 PM Anthony Albanese rolls up sleeve for fourth Covid-19 vaccine

>>16729137 World Health Organisation calls on countries to bring back mask rules as Covid ‘runs free’ - Australia has seen a significant jump in cases and hospitalisations as new Omicron variants emerge

>>16729627 Scott Morrison says Covid-19 and national cabinet hurt his election chances in first post-poll speech

>>16736936 Labor states, unions turn on Anthony Albanese over new Covid crisis - Anthony Albanese will convene an emergency meeting of national cabinet on Monday as his government is accused by state ALP leaders and union bosses of delivering mixed messages on the Covid-19 pandemic and withdrawing support measures at the worst possible time

>>16743863 Video: COVID-19 support payments reinstated following national cabinet meeting - COVID-19 support payments will be reinstated to ensure Australians who catch the virus and cannot work are financially protected - 9 News Australia

>>16755948 Former student of Mount Gambier Tenison College claims historic sexual abuse at hands of Marist Brother Gerard McNamara - The Marist Brothers are accused of knowing the now-convicted paedophile was a risk to children

>>16761459 Victorian government asks school students to wear masks in class as state's COVID-19 cases spike

>>16761484 Fresh COVID warning ahead of virus spike - Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly has issued a fresh warning about the increase in COVID-19 cases across the country, urging eligible Australians to get a third or fourth COVID vaccine, ahead of the predicted peak of the third Omicron wave

>>16767607 Australians urged to work from home as winter Omicron wave swamps hospitals

>>16802091 Australia's COVID-19 cases and death rates currently among world's highest per capita - Latest figures show more than 12,625 Australians have died with COVID, and more than 5,000 are in hospital with the virus, including 159 in intensive care

>>16944074 Video: Independent MP Monique Ryan tells Liberal MPs to ‘put their masks on’ while asking about Covid in parliament

>>17381932 Worst of Covid over, experts say - Australia has now seen the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic and ­future waves of infections are likely to be smaller with less severe disease, top infectious disease modellers say - Evidence is emerging globally and in Australia that the widespread combination of vaccines and natural infection is likely to lessen the impact of future waves, as cases and hospitalisations from the Omicron BA.5 outbreak drop across the nation

>>17396734 COVID-19 lab-leak theory debunked by Australian professor Eddie Holmes who has been dubbed 'the virus hunter' - "Professor Holmes said the lab-leak theory had been ruled out by science, he did not expect that to stop the conspiracy theories. "We will never stop hearing from people like Donald Trump about this," he said."

>>17405824 Plagued: The Covid-19 tsunami and the day Scott Morrison shut the door to China - China’s under-reporting of surging Covid-19 cases and mortality rates in early 2020 helped fuel Scott Morrison’s decision to close the international border, despite the former prime minister’s deep concerns over the economic and political fallout

>>17405852 Plagued: Covid-19 tsunami is just offshore - In the second extract from the book Plagued, the arrival of a mystery disease forces our leaders to make almost unthinkable decisions

>>17410340 Peter Dutton refuses to back calls for former PM Scott Morrison to resign - Peter Dutton says he will not call for Scott Morrison to resign after revelations the former prime minister had sworn himself into five additional portfolios during the pandemic

>>17417862 Long lockdowns a ‘failure of policy’, says WHO envoy on COVID - Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on COVID-19 says lockdowns were an effective way for governments to buy time to prepare their health systems at the start of the pandemic, but should not have become a default response to outbreaks

>>17444683 Major COVID-19 lockdown class action to go ahead in Victoria - The Victorian government has failed in its bid to have a major COVID-19 class action thrown out of court - The class action, brought on behalf of retail, hospitality, beauty, and fitness businesses, claims the government’s mishandling of Victoria’s hotel quarantine program led to the state’s second lengthy lockdown in 2020, devastating businesses and resulting in widespread job losses

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305fdc  No.17453655

#25 - Part 25

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

>>16702157 PDF: Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys appeal her federal conviction and sentence for carrying out a yearslong scheme with her longtime confidante Jeffrey Epstein to groom and sexually abuse underage girls

>>16702190 RealGhislaine Tweet: Ghislaine Maxwell appeals conviction, 20-year sentence in Epstein case

>>16702222 Ghislaine Maxwell appeals conviction, 20-year sentence for helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls over more than a decade

>>16761686 PDF: Alan Dershowitz’s Accuser Virginia Giuffre Reveals When Trial Might Begin — and She Intends to Testify

>>16840408 Ghislaine Maxwell is moved to low-security federal prison in Florida - where she can take part in an inmate talent show, continue teaching fellow inmates yoga or learn a trade like baking, plumbing or cosmetology

>>16840426 United States Federal Bureau of Prisons - Find an Inmate website - Ghislaine Maxwell Register Number: 02879-509

>>16840426 Federal Correctional Institution, Tallahassee (FCI Tallahassee) website

>>16840426 PDF: INMATE INFORMATION HANDBOOK - FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION - TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

>>16840426 PDF: Federal Detention Center - Tallahassee, Florida - Admission & Orientation Booklet

>>16840426 PDF: FCI TALLAHASSEE COMMISSARY LIST

>>17435472 PDF: Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial lawyers sue her family over unpaid legal bills - Socialite's former attorneys claim her family conspired to hide her wealth and owe hundreds of thousands of dollars

>>17449718 ‘Let Me Finish!’: Alan Dershowitz Snaps When Confronted Over Massage At Jeffrey Epstein’s House - Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz snapped during an interview with The Hill when confronted about a massage he received at Jeffrey Epstein’s house

>>17449726 Video: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alan Dershowitz Discusses Cancel Culture, Jeffrey Epstein, Defending Trump - Alan Dershowitz answers Ryan Grim, Emily Jashinsky, and Robby Soave's questions about his defense of Jeffrey Epstein - The Hill

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305fdc  No.17453657

#25 - Part 26

Child Exploitation, Pedophilia, Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking Investigations - Part 1

>>16705076 Paedophile schoolteacher David Harkess the third sex offender identified among Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) elite junior cricket coaches of the 1970s

>>16716510 Catholic Church considers appeal while facing huge sex-abuse hit - The Catholic Church is confronting a potentially huge hit to its ­finances, with several new sex abuse claimants emerging after a $1.9m damages payout to a former altar boy in the archdiocese of Melbourne

>>16721901 Video: Disgraced TV star Robert Hughes confronted in UK - A Current Affair crime editor Simon Bouda tracked and confronted Robert Hughes in the UK after the disgraced Hey Dad! star and paedophile was released on parole - 9 News Australia

>>16729148 Exclusive: Robert Hughes confronted following prison release - Simon Bouda - 9now.nine.com.au

>>16729155 Video: Exclusive: Robert Hughes confronted following prison release - A Current Affair

>>16779797 Former Scout leader Roderick Corrie set to ‘die in jail’ after abusing boys for decades - A former Scouts leader who sexually abused multiple boys over decades is now expected to die behind bars after a second group of abused boys came forward

>>16790586 Shocking inside story of how three high schools were a 'breeding ground for paedophiles' and a 'hotbed' for underage sex - as Chris Dawson's murder trial exposes Sydney's dirtiest secret

>>16840385 Former Nudgee College principal Stephen McLaughlin attended school celebration despite allegations of child sexual abuse

>>16840400 Former WA police officer jailed for sexually abusing a child more than 40 years ago

>>16936426 Human trafficking and modern slavery cases have increased by a third in the past year and are at a record high, with exit trafficking and child trafficking offences doubling as the nation’s borders reopen: Australian Federal Police Commander Hilda Sirec

>>16936426 Reporting human trafficking - Assist the AFP in combating this global problem - Use our online form to report information regarding human trafficking for the purposes of sexual and/or labour exploitation, organ harvesting, forced marriage and slavery or call 131 AFP (131 237) - https://forms.afp.gov.au/online_forms/human_trafficking_form - In case of an emergency, call 000

>>16954858 Former public servant Ian Ralph Schapel jailed for abusing children from the Philippines online - The female victims were aged between three and nine - Commonwealth prosecutor Krista Breckweg tells the court that he would threaten facilitators or parents of his victims that if they did not meet his requests they would starve.

>>17381373 Alleged Instagram predator Cameron Robert Bowen facing life sentence for sexually abusing LGBT youth he never met - Accused Instagram child sex predator faces a life sentence in a case poised to rewrite Australian laws

>>17381379 Former governor-general Peter Hollingworth faces judgment day over sex abuse crisis - The Anglican investigative body Kooyoora is inching closer to deciding whether Dr Hollingworth, 87, should be stripped of holy orders – defrocked – after several complaints about his conduct while archbishop of Brisbane in the late 1980s and 90s and his comments as governor-general

>>17396749 Christian Brothers case raises ‘fundamental flaw’ in historical abuse redress - A man who was repeatedly raped at a Christian Brothers school in the 1970s says his bid for compensation was almost thwarted by lawyers for the religious order, who incorrectly claimed two key witnesses in the case were dead

>>17396758 Former Nudgee College student met paedophile Dennis Douglas on grounds of the exclusive Brisbane school - A paedophile old boy was able to spend time with a highly vulnerable foster child on the grounds of Brisbane's St Joseph's Nudgee College in 1992, contradicting claims the man was banned from the school at the time

>>17405980 Pool staff warned about swim teacher’s alleged sexually touching of young girls - Kyle Daniels, a former swimming instructor who allegedly sexually touched his underage students was told to “change his behaviour”, a court has heard

>>17406011 Victorian government denies child raped inside prison - The Victorian government is denying that a man was abused as a boy inside a prison in the state’s far northeast in the 1970s despite court records confirming the crime happened

>>17406026 Ex-Catholic brother Frank Terrence Keating faces 18 abuse charges in Brisbane Magistrates Court

>>17414392 Swim teacher Kyle Daniels allegedly ‘acted on’ sexual interest in young girls - A young girl asked to change her swimming lessons after her teacher allegedly “touched her in a way she didn’t like”, NSW District Court has been told

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305fdc  No.17453658

#25 - Part 27

Child Exploitation, Pedophilia, Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking Investigations - Part 2

>>17417197 Former NRL star Brett Finch pleads guilty to sharing child abuse material after he detailed a series of acts he wished to perform on teenage boys in conversations with strangers on an online messaging platform

>>17417219 How Ashley Alum's arrest helped NT police catch some of the state's worst child sexual offenders - When police executed a search warrant at a man’s home in Tennant Creek following a tip-off from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), they had no idea what they would uncover

>>17417752 Ashley Youth Detention Centre guards forced child to perform sexual acts to get his medication, inquiry hears - A former child detainee at Tasmania's youth detention centre has told the Commission of Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings he was made to perform sexual acts on guards in exchange for his medication - Another witness at the inquiry, criminologist Robert White, said he would want to "raze Ashley to the ground" tomorrow — and that another expert had told him it was "the worst institution" they had ever seen

>>17418661 Operation Arkstone: How tiny device hid ‘unthinkable’ child abuse material - It was a tiny device in plain sight in a toy-filled bedroom. But it contained what police have called “horrendous, unthinkable material”

>>17418866 Inside Operation Arkstone: How Australia’s largest online child abuse investigation began - Teachers, childcare workers and coaches were among the men arrested in Australia’s largest online child abuse probe - How a USB stick and phone unlocked the twisted web of exploitation

>>17418968 Inside Operation Arkstone: How paedophile Grant Harden held ‘sex party sleepovers’ - Parents of a boy preyed on by a paedophile – who had “sex party sleepovers” and shared the child abuse material online – have spoken of the moment they realised the man they trusted was a “monster”

>>17419017 Inside Operation Arkstone: Bid to save victims of Australia’s online child abuse ring - It was the Aussie accent which rocked the battle-hardened cop - How authorities rescued 56 children and 11 animals while investigating the country’s largest online child abuse ring

>>17422699 Child inmate at Ashley Youth Detention Centre ruined by incarceration experience, mother tells inquiry - The mother of a detainee at Ashley Youth Detention Centre has told Tasmania's Commission of Inquiry she feared for her son's life while he was incarcerated, but her son would be "punished" every time she raised concerns

>>17422794 Sexual assaults are at an all-time high. Why talking to your child about abuse is so important - Sexual abuse isn't always about physical touch - What can parents do better? - How to start the conversation - What can be signs of sexual abuse? - What if you suspect something?

>>17426623 Female detainee tells of abuse, torment, while at Tasmania's Ashley youth prison - Stealing a bag of chips would land Erin in Tasmania's Ashley youth prison, a place where she would be sexually abused, punished if she complained and taught that it was better just to shut up and accept it

>>17430810 Ashley youth detainee alleges bribes offered if 'nice things' said about Tasmanian prison at abuse inquiry - A former detainee of Tasmania's youth detention centre has told the commission of inquiry into child sexual abuse he was bribed by the current centre manager to say nice things about the facility

>>17430830 Another victim of former elite junior cricket coach Ian Harold King tells court of lasting impact of his abuse - A Canberra man abused by notorious paedophile Ian Harold King has told the ACT Supreme Court the former elite junior cricket coach "stole" his soul

>>17430836 ‘Extremely large’ amount of material in ex-Moriah College teacher’s child exploitation case - Police are analysing an “extremely large” volume of digital material, totalling 1.3 terabytes, in the case of Moriah College’s former head of English who is charged with child exploitation offences, Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court has heard

>>17430846 Meta won’t be allowed to betray child safety - Tech companies have a moral – and soon a legal – responsibility to protect children from online abuse - Priti Patel, UK Home Secretary - telegraph.co.uk

>>17435361 ‘Sickened’: Dad describes initial response to daughter’s sex abuse claim - A father has described hearing for the first time his daughter’s claim she was sexually touched by her swimming teacher Kyle Daniels

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305fdc  No.17453663

#25 - Part 28

Qanon / Conspiracy Theory Hit Pieces, Australia and Worldwide

>>16773179 Anthony Albanese slams former prime minister’s sermon where he pedalled ‘conspiracy theories’ about the United Nations - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shot down “astonishing” claims made by the nation’s former leader in a church sermon

>>16787671 PRGuy Tweet: TRAITOR Donald Trump “betrayed his oath” and tried to “destroy democratic institutions”, the Jan 6 Committee has heard. Trump allegedly froze when his supporters attacked America, despite pleas from his own staff and family to call off his hoards of rabid traitors.

>>16787671 PRGuy Tweet: Donald Trump's legacy is a divided and weakened US. Ironically, people who genuinely believed themselves to be patriots, have brought their country to its knees, making way for the rise of China and Russia. Russia hand-picked and groomed Trump for years to destabilise the US.

>>16787671 Q Post #1822 - Psychological Projection. Define Conspiracy....Fake News ‘KNOWINGLY FALSE’ narrative pushes. 1. POTUS colluded w/ Russia to win the 2016 Presidential election - 2. POTUS is puppet to PUTIN...This movement challenges their ‘forced’ narrative. This movement challenges people to not simply trust what is being reported. Research for yourself. Think for yourself. Trust yourself....Attacks will only intensify. Logical thinking. Ask yourself a simple question – WHY????

>>16794222 Donald Trump hits back at congressional committee - “It’s a made-up story, total fiction,” he said in a speech that once again described the 2020 election as “rigged and stolen”, after earlier teasing “we may have to do it again”

>>16840530 OPINION: Trump 2.0 poses a grave risk to the US, and Australia - "When Australia looks to America for help, there may be none forthcoming. That’s what America First is all about....Trump would be prepared to sell out Australia’s interests in a heartbeat." - Peter Hartcher - smh.com.au

>>16840534 Q Post #1867 - They are in full blown panic mode. Enjoy the show. Each FAKE NEWS article written or attack is a badge of honor - military grade. Q

>>16931247 Jan. 6 hearings may wound Donald Trump but his self-delusion will do him in - "Trump’s political influence is waning. Certainly, the House select committee’s investigations have exposed the 45th POTUS’s desperation to cling to power. But it is small beans compared to his own delusions. Trump can’t let the Big Lie go while everyone else, including the Republican Party, is desperate to move on." - Jack The Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au

>>16936448 Fans still love him but Trump hasn’t a hope in 2024 - "Incriminated by his own family and closest advisers, Trump behaved atrociously on that fateful day, turning a blind eye to violent protests intent on overturning the election result and tarnishing what had been a successful presidency." - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>17386628 Video: ‘No Dumb Questions’: What is QAnon? - Anya Van Wagtendonk, who covers misinformation for Grid, said that at its heart, QAnon is “an umbrella conspiracy theory” built on the idea that “an elite cabal of sex traffickers and Satan worshippers is in control of the world, and needs to be taken down by force.” - Anya van Wagtendonk and Tom Nagorski - grid.news

>>17386677 Has Ron Watkins, who many believe is behind QAnon, moved to Australia? One of the world's most influential conspiracy theorists has been spotted in Australia and some believe he may be planning on staying - Cam Wilson - crikey.com.au

>>17386696 Conspiracy theorist suspected to be behind QAnon movement that believes Satan-worshipping, cannibalistic child molesters are controlling the world moves to Australia - Jesse Hyland and Janon Fisher - dailymail.co.uk

>>17396724 Donald Trump is not fit for office: John Howard - "John Howard has described ­Donald Trump’s behaviour as “appalling” and “atrocious” for not accepting the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election and seeking to overturn the result, and declared him utterly “unfit” to return to the White House." Troy Bramston - theaustralian.com.au

>>17396734 COVID-19 lab-leak theory debunked by Australian professor Eddie Holmes who has been dubbed 'the virus hunter' - "Professor Holmes said the lab-leak theory had been ruled out by science, he did not expect that to stop the conspiracy theories. "We will never stop hearing from people like Donald Trump about this," he said."

>>17435343 Trump is a confirmed unhinged traitor. And Murdoch is his unindicted co-conspirator - New evidence to the January 6 committee shows just how treacherous Donald Trump was, but will it prise loose his grip on the Republicans? - Bernard Keane - crikey.com.au

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305fdc  No.17453671

File: be56f4ab657c907⋯.jpg (70.28 KB, 400x400, 1:1, OZ_Pepe.jpg)

File: 49c9e47c7fb3569⋯.jpg (232.75 KB, 841x514, 841:514, Q_479.jpg)

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File: a6f1a731b3eccc9⋯.jpg (136.57 KB, 842x302, 421:151, Q_910.jpg)

PREVIOUSLY COLLECTED NOTABLES

Q Research AUSTRALIA #25 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/767a7ba2

Q Research AUSTRALIA #24 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/8aa647c3

Q Research AUSTRALIA #23 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/d8746531

Q Research AUSTRALIA #22 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/0c91380d

Q Research AUSTRALIA #21 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/d1699b6f

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Q Research AUSTRALIA #18 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/2ea866f7

Q Research AUSTRALIA #17 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/1df91700

Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/805b4829

Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/f975dc35

Q Research AUSTRALIA #14 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/62cdd4fd

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Q Research AUSTRALIA #12 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/558b72b8

Q Research AUSTRALIA #11 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/c17ab97f

Q Research AUSTRALIA #10 ————————————–——– https://controlc.com/bb780c9d

Q Research AUSTRALIA #9 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/6a61bec5

Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/7ee89fce

Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/239e467c

Q Research AUSTRALIA #6 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/c4932ea1

Q Research AUSTRALIA #5 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/5941506b

Q Research AUSTRALIA #4 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/acf74c16

Q Research AUSTRALIA #3 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/2021ac89

Q Research AUSTRALIA #2 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/b8855384

Q Research AUSTRALIA #1 ————————————––——– https://controlc.com/1e0dcd6e

THREAD ARCHIVES

Q Research AUSTRALIA #25 ————————————–——– https://archive.ph/VP1vz

Q Research AUSTRALIA #24 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/uytYA

Q Research AUSTRALIA #23 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/R5AIe

Q Research AUSTRALIA #22 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/vwtO9

Q Research AUSTRALIA #21 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/Si585

Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/Q7NNa

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Q Research AUSTRALIA #18 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/oV4MT

Q Research AUSTRALIA #17 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/NtfuF

Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/PFwgE

Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/5hP7I

Q Research AUSTRALIA #14 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/A85E8

Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/rdbq6

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Q Research AUSTRALIA #11 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/VoY1C

Q Research AUSTRALIA #10 ————————————–——– https://archive.vn/lmbJh

Q Research AUSTRALIA #9 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/gOsSc

Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/xYtqT

Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/YT76p

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Q Research AUSTRALIA #5 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/vlHWs

Q Research AUSTRALIA #4 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/B0Z4l

Q Research AUSTRALIA #3 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/xznbY

Q Research AUSTRALIA #2 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/hlJ0W

Q Research AUSTRALIA #1 ————————————––——– https://archive.vn/vJ8oH

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305fdc  No.17453679

File: fc03f2897a3cf42⋯.jpg (3.11 MB, 2800x2000, 7:5, Chairman_of_the_Joint_Chie….jpg)

CURRENT DOUGH

https://controlc.com/f577a4f4

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305fdc  No.17453741

File: f83898a8acf62f2⋯.jpg (1.69 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, John_Bolton_had_some_harsh….jpg)

File: 27ca8dd38374d93⋯.jpg (910.6 KB, 2048x1365, 2048:1365, US_House_of_Representative….jpg)

John Bolton urges the US and others to 'consider Taiwan an independent country'

Nick Baker and Tom Switzer - 28 August 2022

1/2

Amid the latest spike in tensions between China and Taiwan, Donald Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton has a characteristically blunt message.

"We ought to be clear to China that we consider Taiwan an independent country … I think the doctrine of strategic ambiguity [towards Taiwan] has served its purpose," he told ABC RN's Between The Lines during a visit to Australia.

"[The US] should exchange full diplomatic recognition, embassies, the whole nine yards, and so should other countries."

Bolton served in top positions for multiple Republican presidents, including as US Ambassador to the United Nations under George W Bush and 17 months with Donald Trump before a well-publicised falling-out.

He's a conservative China hawk and has been outspoken about China's rise in the past.

"It's not Taiwan that's provoking this crisis. It's the determination in China to subjugate Taiwan," he said.

Tense times

China, or the People's Republic of China (PRC), considers Taiwan, or the Republic of China (ROC), to be a breakaway province and has vowed to "unify" the island with the mainland.

Australia's stance is that Taiwan is not a sovereign state and it does not regard the authorities in Taiwan as having the status of a national government. Meanwhile, China is Australia's largest trading partner.

But Bolton advocated a very different approach to Taiwan.

"The fact is, on Taiwan, the people have decided they want to be an independent country. And in terms of their identification over the last 30 years, they see themselves as Taiwanese. They do not see themselves as Chinese."

He said the Taiwanese "don't want a 'one country, two systems' approach [with China]. They want a separate, democratic government — which they have".

"People can say, 'oh, come on, they're all Chinese'. Well, those same people would have to say, 'you people in Australia shouldn't be independent. You're really British'."

Conventional wisdom in the US is that its interests are best served by maintaining a status quo that balances de facto autonomy with formal ambiguity of status for Taiwan.

Tensions between China and Taiwan have recently increased, with a visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, followed by subsequent Chinese military drills around the island.

"I think Pelosi was right to go," Bolton said.

Echoing comments he has previously made about China's rise, he said "there's no doubt we need increases in the [US] defence budget".

"This is still part of the hangover from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, when the 'peace dividend' was declared. The US and many other countries dramatically cut their militaries."

Trump 2024?

In a wide-ranging interview with ABC RN's Between The Lines, Bolton also unpacked the current state of US politics and warned against a return to power for his former boss.

Trump and Bolton fell out in 2019 after significant disagreements, including on North Korea, and Bolton is now a harsh critic of the 45th president.

He said he was "actually fairly optimistic that Trump's support was declining" until the recent FBI search of the former president's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Bolton claimed this "has caused a resurgence in his support".

"Before the subpoena, I believed Trump would not actually run for the nomination, he would talk about it incessantly … but he wouldn't actually run. He fears losing and being called a loser for Trump is the single worst thing," he said.

"But there's been a kind of tribal reaction to the Biden Justice Department going after Trump … I think Trump gathers support when he becomes the target of the Biden administration, or of the left in America. People rally around him."

Bolton said in his view, "[Trump's] real support within the Republican Party … his actual base, is maybe 15 to 20 per cent of the party".

And his message to Republican colleagues who say they will support Trump come hell or high water: "If you want to lose, be my guest".

"During the course of [Trump's] incumbency, he cost us the House of Representatives. He cost us the Senate. He cost us the White House. He cost us in state and local elections."

Bolton said for the upcoming November midterm elections "if [they're] about Donald Trump, Republicans will not do as well as they should".

Looking beyond to the next US presidential election, he said: "My super PAC [political action committee]'s polling shows within the Republican Party … [people] want to see a new face in 2024".

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17453745

File: 452e795fdabd87d⋯.jpg (2.19 MB, 3500x2333, 3500:2333, John_Bolton_stands_next_to….jpg)

File: 28a5b5b95455d76⋯.jpg (682.81 KB, 2016x1512, 4:3, John_Bolton_R_with_intervi….jpg)

>>17453741

2/2

'A very dangerous thing'

Since falling out with Trump and publicly criticising him in interviews and a book, Bolton has received some cheers from the progressive side of US politics, who he has fiercely clashed with for decades.

"There's plenty of irony in it. But it shows one of the distorting factors that Trump has had in American politics — people lining up and saying 'are you with Trump or against Trump?'" he said.

"And I think that's a very dangerous thing to happen."

"In politics, you pursue philosophy and policies. You can agree with a person on this policy, but disagree [with them] on another," Bolton said.

"But if it's simply a loyalty test to a person as opposed to a philosophy, that's potentially very dangerous."

Ukraine is 'a race against exhaustion'

Bolton said of the current status of the war in Ukraine: "Both sides may be nearing exhaustion, in terms of casualties".

"The Russians have suffered casualties beyond comprehension in the West. I think it just shows their calculus about the value for human life is not what ours is," he said.

And he said while the Ukrainians "have been very silent about their total casualties, I don't think we should take that to mean they've been light — I think they've been very heavy".

"[So] we're in a race against exhaustion in a certain sense here. The most likely outcome, though, is that the war will simply continue because there's no diplomatic advantage, certainly for the Ukraine side, to bring it to a halt."

He said the West needs to keep the pressure on Russia, or even ramp it up.

"We need to make clear that the sanctions against Russia as a whole will remain in place and perhaps even increase until their troops are off Ukrainian soil."

A divided America

Despite the problems gripping America, Bolton said this is not the most divided the US has ever been. He swats down a comparison with the leadup to the country's civil war.

"I don't think the situation in America is even remotely close to what happened before the civil war, when the Union broke up," he said.

"It's just an exaggeration that really contributes to the problem and doesn't help find ways to solve it."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-28/john-bolton-on-taiwan-china-donald-trump/101377348

Geopolitics with John Bolton. Australia's economic outlook.

ABC Radio National - 26 Aug 2022

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/betweenthelines/geopolitics-john-bolton-australia-s-economic-outlook-/14030220

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305fdc  No.17453756

File: ffd5f6759fdf265⋯.jpg (207.79 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Royal_Australian_Air_Force….jpg)

More firepower on Australian Defence Force shopping list

BEN PACKHAM - AUGUST 26, 2022

1/2

Australia is looking to push ahead with the expansion of its F-35 stealth fighter fleet and is considering buying US B-21 bombers to give the nation a new long-range strike capability, in a strategic review framed around the regional fallout from a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

The Albanese government is also yet to lock in the former Morrison government’s decision to buy US Black Hawk helicopters, and could overturn the decision in favour of a next-generation ­rotary capability.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the RAAF’s F-35As had proven themselves “indispensable”, and the government’s Defence Strategic Review would decide whether to lift Australia’s joint strike fighter order from 72 to 100 aircraft.

“The question about our fighter capability will form part of the strategic review that we are undertaking,” he said en route to the Northern Territory for the air force’s biggest drill, Exercise Pitch Black.

“Having a fifth-generation fighter capability is critically important – they can just do things the Super Hornets can’t. It is an utterly essential component to our air force and the potency of our defence force.”

Days after a senior American defence chief confirmed the US would consider selling its in-­development B-21 bomber to Australia, Mr Marles said the stealth aircraft were also being examined to give the ADF the ability to hold adversaries at bay over long distances.

The capability would be examined as the review considered the wider purpose of the Defence Force, and what it needed to do, Mr Marles said.

The review, being undertaken by former defence minister Stephen Smith and former ADF chief Angus Houston, is running against a backdrop of Chinese aggression towards Taiwan that will form the central scenario for the force posture plans developed under the ­process. A conflict over Taiwan is being examined by the reviewers as the most likely potential flashpoint for a war between China, with the review looking at how Australia can defend its interests and be taken seriously as a military power.

Mr Marles’ trip to Darwin comes ahead of an official trip to the UK, Germany and France to meet his ministerial counterparts, and inspect Britain’s frigate and submarine building operations.

The US State Department on Thursday approved the sale of 40 Black Hawks to Australia for $2.8bn, to replace the ADF’s trouble-prone MRH-90 Taipans as the army’s workhorse helicopter.

But the decision comes as the US Army considers replacing its own Black Hawks with a yet-to-be-designed rotary aircraft, developed specifically for Indo-Pacific operations, that will be faster and have a longer better range.

Mr Marles said that former ­defence minister Peter Dutton’s announcement last December that Australia would buy new Black Hawks was a “pretty fuzzy commitment”.

He said the tried and tested utility helicopter was “clearly” under consideration, but the purchase was not a done deal.

“A process is under way that is evaluating that capability in terms of what we have now and what we need in the future. I’m not going to pre-empt it now,” Mr Marles said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17453764

File: 0ed586c2f57ba1a⋯.jpg (134.74 KB, 1000x714, 500:357, Payments_for_Joint_Strike_….jpg)

>>17453756

2/2

At Pitch Black, Mr Marles met Australian and international participants and inspected Australian F-35s, German Eurofighters, US F15Es, and French Rafales.

This year’s exercise includes 2500 personnel from 17 countries including Australia, and features realistic combat simulations in one of the biggest air training ­spaces in the world. Germany, Japan, and South Korea are participating in the ­exercise for the first time.

Australia has 50 F-35As and is due to receive its full compliment next year before it can exercise its right to buy a further 28.

“It has taken a long time to come to fruition, but now that it is in significant numbers – most of them are in play – they are just indispensable,” Mr Marles.

When asked during a visit to Canberra this week whether the US would consider selling B-21s to Australia, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said his country “would be willing to talk to Australia about anything that there was an interest in from the Australian perspective that we could help them with”.

The ADF has not had a long-range aerial-strike capability since the retirement of the F111s in 2010.

Strategists believe Australia needs the B-21 to provide greater deterrence against potential adversaries such as China, particularly given the looming capability gap following the retirement of the Collins-class submarines from the mid-2030s.

The Defence Strategic Review is expected to release its final ­report in February, coinciding with the ­release of a report that will identify which nuclear submarine Australia will acquire, and whether an interim submarine capability will be required.

After weeks of tensions ­between China and the West over Taiwan, Mr Marles said Australia would not be deterred by Beijing’s heightened military posture in the region, and would continue to ­exercise its rights to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

“Australia’s national interest lies in protecting the global rules based order,” he said. “That includes in the South China Seas, that includes around Taiwan.

“Most of our trade goes through the South China Sea. And whatever the level of activity is from China it is critically important for Australia’s national interests that we continue to assert those rules. It is not an esoteric question for us.”

Mr Marles confirmed his ­department was re-examining whether to overturn the lease of the Port of Darwin to Chinese company Landbridge, after a ­Coalition review that Labor had not seen.

“We want to understand what risk is given rise to by virtue of the current set of circumstances and on the basis of that will then make our decision,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/more-firepower-on-australian-defence-force-shopping-list/news-story/e1b800f971dca451e01ca2e46cb1e67c

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d2c9c6  No.17457821

File: 847c5026038d21d⋯.png (418.62 KB, 1920x968, 240:121, Screenshot_2022_08_29_at_0….png)

>>17453764

F-15E Strike Eagles

Buy several for what a single B-21 would cost

Can defend itself quite well

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d30e24  No.17458263

File: 41be9d3bb531897⋯.png (568.34 KB, 763x628, 763:628, ClipboardImage.png)

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d30e24  No.17458275

File: 15820b032372e75⋯.png (706.55 KB, 648x628, 162:157, ClipboardImage.png)

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d30e24  No.17458305

File: 11778aca56fcd2e⋯.png (396.3 KB, 1014x637, 78:49, ClipboardImage.png)

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305fdc  No.17458311

File: ffe9f6c092a644e⋯.png (221.99 KB, 784x502, 392:251, GLOBAL_REPORT_ALL_CHILD_AB….png)

File: c04d76a15f3e578⋯.png (171.28 KB, 1231x386, 1231:386, GLOBAL_REPORT_ALL_CHILD_AB….png)

File: 5937926251cefbb⋯.jpg (359.97 KB, 1143x750, 381:250, GLOBAL_REPORT_ALL_CHILD_AB….jpg)

File: 4e1b4f10e4a623d⋯.jpg (576.69 KB, 878x910, 439:455, GLOBAL_REPORT_ALL_CHILD_AB….jpg)

ANONS, REMEMBER:

GLOBAL REPORT ALL CHILD ABUSE MATERIAL!

ZERO TOLERANCE!

https://qanon.pub/?q=child

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305fdc  No.17458335

File: c3f16f54c893b60⋯.jpg (92.48 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

US Coast Guard cutter is denied port call in Solomon Islands

DAVID RISING - August 27, 2022

BANGKOK (AP) — A U.S. coast guard cutter conducting patrols as part of an international mission to prevent illegal fishing was recently unable to get clearance for a scheduled port call in Solomon Islands, an incident that comes amid growing concerns of Chinese influence on the Pacific nation.

The cutter Oliver Henry was taking part in Operation Island Chief monitoring fishing activities in the Pacific, which ended Friday, when it sought to make a scheduled stop at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, to refuel and re-provision, the Coast Guard office in Honolulu said.

There was no response from the Solomon Islands’ government for diplomatic clearance for the vessel to stop there, however, so the Oliver Henry diverted to Papua New Guinea, the Coast Guard said.

When the stop in Solomon Islands had been scheduled wasn’t disclosed, but the Coast Guard said the Oliver Henry had arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Tuesday “following a patrol in parts of the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands.”

Britain’s Royal Navy did not comment directly on reports that the HMS Spey, also taking part in Operation Island Chief, was also denied a port call in Solomon Islands.

“Ships’ programs are under constant review, and it is routine practice for them to change,” the Royal Navy said in an emailed statement.

“For reasons of operational security we do not discuss details. The Royal Navy looks forward to visiting the Solomon Islands at a later date.”

During Operation Island Chief, the U.S., Australia, Britain and New Zealand provided support through aerial and surface surveillance for Pacific island nations participating in the operation, including Solomon Islands.

China has been assertively trying to expand its presence and influence in the Pacific, and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare alarmed some neighbors, the U.S. and others after he signed a new security pact with China.

The pact has raised fears of a Chinese naval base being established within 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) of Australia’s northeast coast. A Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands would put it not only on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand but also in close proximity to Guam, the U.S. territory that hosts major military bases.

Both the Solomon Islands and China have denied their pact will lead to a Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific.

Sogavare also raised eyebrows earlier in August when he skipped a memorial service marking the anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, a key battle in World War II in which American and other allied forces wrested control of the islands from Imperial Japan.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, whose father was wounded during the Guadalcanal campaign and who attended the memorial, said Sogavare “missed an important opportunity” by failing to attend.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn met with Sogavare in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday but it was not clear whether she raised the issue of the Coast Guard’s refused port call.

The Tennessee Republican said in a statement on her website that her visit to the Solomon Islands as well as Fiji and Papua New Guinea “was an important step in showcasing America’s commitment to the region and expanding our strategic relationships.”

The Coast Guard, in the statement from Honolulu, said it respects the sovereignty of its foreign partners and looks forward to future engagement with Solomon Islands.

Coast Guard Lt. Kristin Kam told the Stars and Stripes newspaper that the U.S. State Department had been in touch with the Solomon Islands government following the refusal of the port call and that they “expect all future clearances will be provided to U.S. ships.”

https://apnews.com/article/papua-new-guinea-us-coast-guard-solomon-islands-government-and-politics-b3aae9a2d5bede96034a5c7dac44772b

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305fdc  No.17458344

File: 7cd292fc566a67b⋯.jpg (104.69 KB, The_U_S_Coast_Guard_fast_r….jpg)

>>17458335

Solomon Islands denies port call for Guam-based US Coast Guard cutter

WYATT OLSON, STARS AND STRIPES - August 26, 2022

The Solomon Islands recently denied entry to a U.S. Coast Guard cutter for a scheduled port call, further raising concerns that the Oceania nation is severing U.S. ties in favor of China.

The USCG cutter Oliver Henry, which is homebased in Guam, was scheduled for a routine logistics port call on Guadalcanal, Lt. Kristin Kam, a spokeswoman for the 14th Coast Guard District in Honolulu, said in an email Thursday.

“The Government of the Solomon Islands did not respond to the U.S. Government’s request for diplomatic clearance for the vessel to refuel and provision in Honiara,” Kam said. “Accordingly, CGC Oliver Henry diverted to Papua New Guinea to refuel and provision.”

The Oliver Henry arrived on Tuesday in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, for a port visit, according to a Coast Guard news release that day. The visit followed the cutter’s patrol in “parts of the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea Exclusive Economic Zones,” the release said.

The Coast Guard declined to disclose the date the cutter had intended to make the Guadalcanal port call, citing operational security concerns.

“The U.S. Department of State is in contact with the Government of the Solomon Islands and expect all future clearances will be provided to U.S. ships,” Kam said.

SeaWaves magazine tweeted Aug. 24 that the Oliver Henry and the British patrol vessel HMS Spey were denied entry into the Solomons.

The islands were the setting for a major Allied campaign during World War II, beginning when U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942.

In the decades since the war ended, American focus has drifted from the island nation. The U.S. closed its embassy in Honiara in 1993.

In 2019, Solomon Islands switched its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing, following a years-long pressure campaign by China to do so.

In March, a leaked draft security agreement between the two nations seemed to authorize China to port warships and provide police assistance to the Solomons.

Officials of both countries have denied that China will establish a military base there.

Nevertheless, U.S. and Australian officials have reacted with alarm over the prospect of China displacing their longtime leadership roles in the region.

Most recently, Sen. Martha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, stopped Wednesday in the Solomons and Papua New Guinea en route to Taiwan, where she arrived Thursday.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy traveled to the Solomons earlier this month to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Guadalcanal.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare failed to show for the event, even though he was slated to speak, with some local media outlets calling it a “snub.”

Sherman and Sogavare met later that day, where the deputy secretary underscored U.S. concerns about the security pact with China, Reuters reported on Aug. 7.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-08-25/solomon-islands-coast-guard-cutter-china-7106824.html

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305fdc  No.17458352

File: 8e4809d7c9a9c6e⋯.jpg (199.43 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_two_US_navy_cruisers_s….jpg)

File: 3309db2ec0e3cbc⋯.jpg (203.07 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_USS_Chancellorsville_t….jpg)

China on alert as US warships pass through Taiwan Strait

DIDI TANG, THE TIMES - AUGUST 29, 2022

Chinese troops were put on high alert on Sunday as two United States navy cruisers armed with guided missiles sailed through the Taiwan Strait.

The USS Antietam and the USS Chancellorsville conducted a “routine Taiwan Strait transit” through the waters, where “freedoms of navigation and oversight apply in accordance with international law”, the US 7th fleet said.

Eight Chinese warships and 23 Chinese military planes, up from five naval vessels and 21 aircraft the day before, were seen in the area as the US navy ships were due to pass through the strait, Taiwan’s defence ministry said.

It is the first passage through the strait by US warships since Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan triggered an angry response from Beijing, resulting in large-scale military exercises in effect blockading the self-governed island this month.

Shi Yi, a spokesman for the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), said the Chinese military would be monitoring and guarding the two Ticonderoga-class cruisers and had forces on standby “ready to thwart any provocation”.

In the past few weeks PLA ships and aircraft have been regularly crossing over the median line of the strait, which was previously considered an unofficial border separating the mainland and the island, after Ms Pelosi became the highest-ranking American politician to visit Taipei for 25 years.

The Chinese government, which wants to reunify Taiwan with its territory, lambasted the Speaker of the House of Representatives for interfering in China’s internal politics and encouraging those seeking independence for the island, which the US has vowed to defend in the event of an invasion by China.

China has since sanctioned Ms Pelosi, suspended high-level talks with the US and sent dozens of warships, military jets and drones to the strait and nearby waters. It has also fired ballistic missiles into the sea east of Taiwan.

Washington has accused Beijing of attempting to change the status quo in the strait after China declared in June its “sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction” over one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

The US has promised to continue sending military ships to defend freedom of navigation and its navy published photographs of the two cruisers, armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, torpedoes and antiship missiles, on their latest transit.

Hu Xijin, a Chinese commentator, denounced the “new provocation” but argued that the operation was not a deterrent to China. “The US attempts to assure Taiwan’s authorities and regional allies that it would not retreat under military pressure from the mainland,” Mr Hu said, adding: “US warships have made nearly 100 trips through the strait since 2012 … but the effect of this kind of performance is diminishing.

“The Taiwan issue is a long-time struggle between China and the US and the only language the US understands and is willing to respect is strength.”

Undeterred by Chinese threats, three more US political delegations have landed on the island since Ms Pelosi’s trip. The most recent was by Marsha Blackburn, a Republican senator, who arrived in Taiwan on Thursday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/china-on-alert-as-us-warships-pass-through-taiwan-strait/news-story/9fefc7a27509ec66fe772f75327b3f64

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305fdc  No.17458364

File: cb2a6a729e25843⋯.jpg (100.65 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, US_senator_Marsha_Blackbur….jpg)

>>17453741

Taiwan welcomes jaw-jaw sparked by John Bolton for strategic clarity to deter Xi Jinping’s China

WILL GLASGOW - AUGUST 27, 2022

1/2

Taiwan has welcomed the debate about treating the liberal democracy as an independent country and indicated it is time to move to strategic clarity to deter a military attack ordered by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Friday praised ­Donald Trump’s ­former national security adviser John Bolton, who this week advocated for what would be a momentous change during a visit to Australia.

“John Bolton is a very good friend of mine and his support for Taiwan is always unwavering … that kind of support is always highly appreciated,” Mr Wu told The Weekend Australian in Taipei.

President Tsai Ing-wen’s most senior envoy said the debate about ending Washington’s more than 40-year-old policy of strategic ambiguity was a “challenging one” and he emphasised Taiwan did not want to meddle in America’s domestic policy debate.

But he indicated there would be increasing co-ordination between the US and Taiwan over security and defence policy.

“I can tell you very frankly that the communication or engagement between the two governments has already been very close. And as far as I can see, it (will) only (get) closer,” Mr Wu said.

Mr Bolton had been a longtime advocate for ending strategic ambiguity, arguing the policy – which makes it unclear whether the US would get involved in a Chinese attack on Taiwan – had “served its purpose”.

Japan’s influential former prime minister Shinzo Abe was the most prominent advocate for the US making it military commitment to Taiwan clear. Mr Abe – whose assassination in July rattled many Taiwanese – also led a policy change in Tokyo to formally recognise that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency”.

A senior Taiwanese government official acknowledged there were “pros and cons” to strategic clarity, but said Taipei “welcomed the debate”. Many in Canberra, Washington and beyond worry the shift could provoke a catastrophic military response from Beijing.

The Taiwanese official said those concerns understated the deterioration of Taiwan’s security environment.

“We are dealing with this authoritarian government that has this expansionist ambition … It’s time to think about how to stop them,” the ­official said.

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo – who has indicated he wants to run as the Republican presidential candidate in 2024 – is scheduled to visit Taiwan in late September to give a speech at an event organised by The Liberty Times, a newspaper supportive of Ms Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party.

During his first visit to Taiwan, Mr Pompeo in a speech given in Taipei in March called for the US to formally recognise Taiwan as a sovereign nation separate from the People’s Republic of China.

“The United States government should immediately take necessary and long overdue steps to do the right and obvious thing which is to offer the Republic of China (Taiwan) America’s diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country,” he said, using Taiwan’s formal name.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17458367

File: 050702bd0d3b2ba⋯.jpg (408.94 KB, 1843x1209, 1843:1209, President_Tsai_Ing_wen_bes….jpg)

>>17458364

2/2

Beijing years ago singled out Mr Pompeo as its most hated figure in the Trump administration after he gave a speech in July 2020 calling on the Chinese people to change the direction of the Communist Party.

His visit would be the most high profile since House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s historic trip at the start of August, which Beijing responded to with an unprecedented display of military force. The People’s Liberation Army practised blockade drills around Taiwan and blasted 11 ballistic missiles over and around the island.

On Friday, Republican senator Marsha Blackburn met with Ms Tsai in Taipei, continuing a stream of US congressional visits. Her trip closely followed a bipartisan delegation led by Democrat senator Ed Markey.

The Tsai government on Thursday signed off on a 14 per cent surge in defence spending in 2023. It was Taipei’s latest ­response to the PLA’s surging ­activity, which since Ms Pelosi’s visit has seen more than 320 Chinese warplanes cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

Mr Wu on Friday said Taiwan’s defence was its own ­responsibility: “If we are not ­determined to defend ourselves, we don’t have any right to ask others to help Taiwan.”

He again thanked the Australian government for condemning Beijing’s recent military aggression and said shared experiences of Chinese coercion had brought the two democracies closer together.

“Ever since China banned [it], we have been serving Australian red wine in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

“We think it’s a show of solidarity and we think it’s an important gesture to show to the Australians that we care about the situation they are in.”

“We will continue to look for ways that Taiwan and Australia can engage in more areas of co-operation: in trade, in people-to-people ties, in tourism … and security matters, a very important one,” Mr Wu said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/taipei-welcomes-jawjaw-sparked-by-john-bolton-for-strategic-clarity/news-story/371267d1789db3d8021e025ccb6b1389

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305fdc  No.17458377

File: b298f3b70bd1efa⋯.jpg (219.35 KB, 825x443, 825:443, Mike_Pompeo_15.jpg)

>>17458364

Mike Pompeo Tweet

The Chinese Communist Party has stolen identities from our kids and trade secrets from our businesses. They are committing genocide against their own people and are arming themselves for war. We need to wake up and take this threat seriously.

https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1563961614621106176

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305fdc  No.17458412

File: d22f403a470a237⋯.jpg (98.05 KB, 1200x818, 600:409, Australia_s_Foreign_Minist….jpg)

Australia seeks 'closest possible relationship' with Papua New Guinea - FM

Kirsty Needham - August 29, 2022

SYDNEY, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Australia wants the closest possible relationship with Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Monday, marking the new Labor government's first visit to its northern neighbour amid competition with China for influence.

Prime Minister James Marape was returned to the role in August after Papua New Guinea's national election, and will meet with Wong on Monday.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has previously turned down a Chinese offer to redevelop a naval base. Canberra is funding Telstra's acquisition of PNG's biggest mobile provider, Digicel, to counter a growing Chinese influence in the Pacific islands.

PNG and China agreed to deepen cooperation in energy, fisheries, communications and health during a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in June, according to a Chinese statement released during the visit.

Papua New Guinea won independence from Australia in 1975 under a Labor government, and Wong said in Port Moresby on Monday the two countries had traded together for thousands of years and should continue to have the "closest possible relationship".

"Our futures are tied together," she added.

"Our traditional partners have always been Australia when it comes to trade, economics, security and we will continue to do so … to make sure we have a safe region," PNG's new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko, said at a livestreamed news conference.

Also on Monday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in an address to the National Press Club in Canberra he would host a visit by Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and East Timor President Jose Ramos Horta "in the coming period", without providing dates.

The Solomon Islands has had a tense relationship with the Australia and the United States since striking a security pact with China in May.

A United States Coast Guard vessel was recently unable to make a routine port call because the Solomon Islands government did not respond to a request for it to refuel and provision.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-seeks-closest-possible-relationship-with-papua-new-guinea-fm-2022-08-29/

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305fdc  No.17458415

File: 749b489d27a7e85⋯.jpg (72.62 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Penny_Wong_will_make_her_f….jpg)

File: 3f7c977b30c98d8⋯.jpg (96.86 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, James_Marape_speaks_in_par….jpg)

File: 03593a33176906b⋯.jpg (124.51 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Papua_New_Guinea_officials….jpg)

>>17458412

Penny Wong needs to deal Beijing out of PNG

JEFFREY WALL and ANTHONY BERGIN - AUGUST 29, 2022

1/2

China sees Papua New Guinea as more strategically important than Solomon Islands. That’s why it’s good news that on Monday Foreign Minister Penny Wong will make her first official visit to PNG, our closest and most important regional neighbour. Wong’s visit is an opportunity to reset our relationship with the newly re-elected James Marape government.

It’s also a smart move that Anthony Albanese has invited Marape to the Prime Minister’s X111 rugby league match to take on PNG’s national side in Brisbane next month. PNG is the only country in the world where rugby league is the official national sport.

There are five issues Wong might consider raising with PNG’s new government. The first is China’s interest in the strategically important port of Daru, the closest reasonably inhabited community to northern Australia.

We shouldn’t be surprised if by the end of this year the multimillion-dollar proposed Chinese fishing and port facility on Daru is pushed up Beijing’s regional agenda.

Australia needs to be watching closely what China might be planning for PNG’s southern coast. We should be lifting our infrastructure funding and services on Daru and in the adjoining Western Province. We should give the people of Daru, upwards of 15,000, the same level of basic services that are enjoyed by Australian citizens on Thursday Island and other residents of the Torres Strait.

The second matter Wong should raise concerns over is an area close to Daru that’s arguably of greater risk to our national security. The Ihu-Kikori special economic zone in Gulf Province has already secured a $37m “grant” from China. That’s unusual given that China has shifted completely from grant aid to tied project support and loan funding.

China has achieved quite cheaply a strategic advantage on our northern border, and in an undeveloped PNG province that has enormous untapped gas, and probably oil, resources. In a recent interview on 60 Minutes, Marape admitted he had no knowledge of the Chinese plans for Gulf Province. Australia needs to consider a comprehensive counter proposal given the proximity of Ihu-Kikori to northern Australia.

The third issue the Foreign Minister might discuss is one Marape himself highlighted post-election and that’s electoral reform. The whole process of the recent PNG elections eroded public confidence in parliament and democracy: out-of-date rolls, suspicious counting practices and attacks on counting centres. And there was violence, including murders.

Australia should grab the opportunity to offer PNG assistance from federal and state electoral bodies for detailed reform. That will help ease community unrest and secure a measure of political stability at a time when the country faces massive fiscal challenges before the next election in 2027.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17458418

File: f88bee7e0a0e9bb⋯.jpg (225.86 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Digicel_operates_across_Oc….jpg)

File: 0623cbc6e8c4bd7⋯.jpg (142.02 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Beijing_may_be_offered_21_….jpg)

>>17458415

2/2

Marape has a big enough majority to be bold when it comes to cleaning up the electoral processes. Australia can offer him expert help in doing so. It’s something the Chinese dictatorship would never be able to match.

The fourth issue relates to the acquisition of Digicel, the largest telecommunications operator in PNG. The $2bn funding by Telstra and the Australian government to buy Digicel is our largest individual investment in our closest neighbour. Telstra needs to upgrade services and focus on meeting the unique needs of a vast and diverse nation. Wong should encourage Telstra to look at enhanced community engagement, a downward revision of charges and seek the support of Marape’s government in doing so.

Finally, there’s the issue of the Conflict Islands that lie in the Milne Bay Province of PNG, less than 1000km from Cairns. An Australian, Ian Gowrie-Smith, purchased the 21 atolls in 2003. He’s now saying he’ll sell the islands to China if he can’t get the price he wants from Australia. The Albanese government’s position isn’t unreasonable: it’s a private transaction, under relevant PNG law and we can’t be on the hook for every island in the Pacific.

But at the same time, we don’t want China buying the islands. They’re situated near one of Australia’s main shipping routes, the Jomard Passage. Perhaps Wong could suggest the Australian and PNG governments encourage a group such as the Nature Conservancy to buy the islands. That would be a sustainable solution for environmental management with no negative security implications. Maybe Australia could offer Nature Conservancy a long-term government loan for this purpose. Whatever Wong does in reshaping our relationship with PNG needs to be firmly focused on Australia’s national interests and the future stability and economic progress of PNG. The two objectives aren’t incompatible.

Jeffrey Wall has had a four-decade association with PNG, including as an adviser to several prime ministers. Anthony Bergin is a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/penny-wong-needs-to-deal-beijing-out-of-png/news-story/926c1a388a336188190b4de1f7ece9d4

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305fdc  No.17458422

File: 389983b99ff725d⋯.jpg (134.88 KB, 1200x801, 400:267, Australian_Defence_Ministe….jpg)

Australian defence minister to visit France, Germany, Britain to boost ties

Sam McKeith - August 28, 2022

SYDNEY, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Australia's defence minister on Sunday said he aims to deepen defence ties with France, Germany and Britain during visits to the European partners this week, saying war in Ukraine has increased the importance of cooperation with likeminded nations.

The trip, from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, will be Richard Marles' first since centre-left Labor won a general election in May.

The government said the France stop would help "restore and renew" their bilateral relationship, calling France one of Australia's "oldest and most capable partners".

Australia in June reached a 555 million euro ($553 million) settlement with French military shipyard Naval Group over its scrapping of a multi-billion dollar submarine deal last year.

Canberra hoped the settlement would help repair a rift after the previous government ditched the deal in favour of building nuclear-powered submarines with the United States and Britain under a new alliance dubbed AUKUS.

This week's trip will also see Marles participate in a roundtable with German defence industry representatives, while in Britain he will visit shipyards, the government said.

"Our relationship with the United Kingdom is both historic and mutually beneficial, and is reflected through our continued commitment to AUKUS," Marles said.

"My visit to Europe comes at a time when the war in Ukraine has shown the importance of increasing cooperation with likeminded partners, both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific."

In June, Marles visited Japan to promote defence cooperation to counterbalance China's growing military influence in Asia.

Also on Sunday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would travel this week to nearby Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Timor-Leste.

Australia has moved to bolster relations in the Pacific amid growing Chinese influence, including a security pact between China and Solomon Islands in April.

Wong said she would meet PNG counterpart Justin Tkatchenko, recently re-elected Prime Minister James Marape and members of PNG's new cabinet.

From PNG, Wong will travel on Wednesday to Timor-Leste and meet officials including President Jose Ramos-Horta, Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak and Foreign Minister Adaljiza Magno.

She said she planned to discuss issues such as Australian support for Timor-Leste's economic development and its bids to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and World Trade Organization.

"Australia is committed to working together with both Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste in the interests of a stable, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific," Wong said.

($1 = 1.0039 euros)

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australian-defence-minister-visit-france-germany-britain-boost-ties-2022-08-28/

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305fdc  No.17458426

File: 149e5b70200342b⋯.jpg (175.35 KB, 1000x943, 1000:943, U_S_Marine_Corps_Lt_Gen_St….jpg)

Deputy Commanders of USINDOPACOM and MARFORPAC Reinforce U.S-Australian Alliance

Capt. Joseph DiPietro - 08.27.2022

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. – Lieutenant General Stephen Sklenka, Deputy Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), and Brigadier General Joseph Clearfield, Deputy Commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) visited the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) and the Australian 1st Brigade on August 25 to reinforce the strength and importance of the U.S.-Australian alliance.

“We can talk all day long about trade deals and policy deals, but what says a heck of a lot more is who is by your side when you are in a fight,” said General Sklenka, who serves as second-in-command of the largest U.S. combatant command. “Australia is always on our side when that time comes, and we will always remember that.”

General Sklenka visited MRF-D following a tour of the Indo-Pacific, which included a visit to Canberra to meet with senior Australian Defence Force (ADF) officials, and a trip to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the U.S.-Australian victory on the critical Pacific island. His engagements with MRF-D also included a visit with the ADF’s 1st Brigade, MRF-D’s primary partner, to bolster defense ties and interoperability opportunities.

“MRF-D started as a bi-lateral initiative, and it has grown in quantity and quality over the years,” explained General Sklenka to a group of Marines and Sailors with the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). “Just look at PITCH BLACK, which is now up to 15 international Allies and partners, and you see the growth in our Indo-Pacific team.”

Joining the USINDOPACOM leader was MARFORPAC deputy commander, General Clearfield, who helps lead all Marine Corps activity across the massive Pacific theater. General Clearfield spoke to MRF-D about the importance of the Australian-based MAGTF and the relationship with our Allies.

“The MRF-D MAGTF is at the forefront and the cutting edge of force design and future Marine Corps organization,” said General Clearfield, a former Pacific Marine Expeditionary Unit commander. “It’s not lost on anyone at MARFORPAC or higher how much MRF-D is doing in the region and the tremendous opportunities the Australians provide to enhance training and interchangeability.”

During a tour with the MRF-D logistics combat element, General Clearfield emphasized the importance of interchangeability over interoperability when possible. He highlighted MRF-D 22’s effort to utilize Australian supply systems to integrate with U.S. procedures in addition to warfighting integration of the two Allied forces.

The pair of senior Indo-Pacific leaders also spent time with Brigadier Nick Foxall, the commanding officer for the ADF’s 1st Brigade and leader of the Australian unit most tightly paired with MRF-D 22. The leaders shared their future visions of littoral combat and Brigadier Foxall offered significant praise for the MRF-D team.

“Colonel Steele and his Marines have been tremendous guests and even better teammates since arriving here in Darwin,” offered Brigadier Foxall during the gathering. “MRF-D is really woven into the fabric of the Northern Territory and we couldn’t ask for better partners and friends.”

General Sklenka and General Clearfield join a long list of senior military leaders to visit MRF-D this year, including both the commanders of USINDOPACOM and MARFORPAC. Admiral Aquilino, General Rudder, and numerous other U.S. and international leaders visited with MRF-D in 2022, just one of a few ways Indo-Pacific Allies and partners recognized the importance of the mission here in Darwin.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428223/deputy-commanders-usindopacom-and-marforpac-reinforce-us-australian-alliance

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305fdc  No.17458432

File: 0d8d904d9737e93⋯.jpg (173.75 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, From_left_Malaysian_Armed_….jpg)

File: 26143747f933b54⋯.jpg (317.72 KB, 1200x801, 400:267, Australian_Army_and_Malays….jpg)

Exercise Predators Run 2022: Finding common ground

Major Megan McDermott - 29 August 2022

When 102 Battery, 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, received a call for fire on a target of opportunity, it was not only Australian soldiers who ran to man the gun.

The Darwin-based artillery unit is participating in 1st Brigade’s annual warfighter exercise, Predators Run, with embedded gunners from the Malaysian Armed Forces’ (MAF) 3rd Artillery Division.

It has also continued to provide general support to 1st Brigade Headquarters, which is coordinating multiple combined battle groups, including soldiers from the Philippine Army and US Marine Corps (Marine Rotational Force – Darwin).

Aside from the obvious differences in language and uniform, the Australian and Malaysian gunners operate in a similar way.

MAF 3rd Artillery Division Battery Commander Major Fahmi A. Razak said his team had been looking forward to sharing knowledge during two weeks in the tropical training ground, south-east of Humpty Doo.

“We’ve come here to learn and integrate with the Australian artillery,” Major Fahmi said.

“I’ve found working with them is just the same – our platforms, movements and battle rhythms are very similar, but there are differences in rank, as in who performs which jobs, and also some differences in processes,” he said.

During their time at Mount Bundey fighting against a fictional enemy, the Malaysian gunners have rotated through various soldier specialties, including the gun detachment positions and joint fires operators, and working with the command post.

Major Fahmi said both regiments operate the Howitzer, but while 102 Battery had transitioned to using digital communications, his regiment had more experience working with analogue processes.

Australian Army Command Post officer Lieutenant Toby Exton said this provided an excellent training opportunity for both forces.

“One of the significant threats against the artillery is an attack onto our communications network, be that from electronic warfare or network systems failure,” Lieutenant Exton said.

“So it is good to observe the Malaysians’ expertise in the degraded environment, as they’re used to operating against these threats and, with our transition to digital communications, it’s crucial to retain expertise using these means.”

Before deploying into the field, the Malaysian gunners spent a week at Robertson Barracks, getting to know their Australian counterparts and learning about life on the gun line in the Australian outback.

“We conducted a Command Post Exercise – a dry rehearsal of how it works out here at Mount Bundey,” Lieutenant Exton said.

“The Malaysian gunners stepped in and adopted the roles that we would normally have for Australian gunners, and then we swapped positions. This was a good chance to see the parallels of gun duties with our partners.”

The gunners ended their week in barracks with social activities to remove the formal structures and build trust before moving into the field.

“Having this time to rehearse and get to know each other prior to coming out was a necessary safety step to ensure everyone was on the same page,” Lieutenant Exton said.

“This is particularly important around heavy weapons systems where safety procedures are crucial.”

The exercise wraps up with a live-fire manoeuvre on September 5.

https://news.defence.gov.au/capability/finding-common-ground

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d2c9c6  No.17461804

General Research #21401 >>17460449

Millionaire agribusiness leader Tom Strachan among three dead in horror Queensland light plane crash

A leader in Queensland’s agriculture industry and his 20-year-old son are among three people who died in a plane crash on Monday.

Benedict Brook and Alex Blair August 30, 2022

incidents

Girl, 7, crushed to death by massive statue

Girl, 7, crushed to death by massive statue

Boy’s arm severed ‘subway surfing’

Boy’s arm severed ‘subway surfing’

Kids left ‘dangling’ in rollercoaster horror

Kids left ‘dangling’ in rollercoaster horror

A millionaire agribusiness leader and his son were killed along with the pilot in a light plane crash in Queensland on Monday.

The aeroplane crashed in a remote area near Lowood located about an hour west of Brisbane.

Paramedics reportedly struggled to get to the scene and were forced to travel to the accident site on foot.

The Courier Mail reported the Cessna aircraft ran into hazardous weather and dropped from 2000ft to 500ft before crashing near Fernvale at 10am on Monday.

The paper has confirmed that the victims included Tom Strachan, 49, and his 20-year-old son Noah. The experienced pilot Gary Liehm also died.

Mr Strachan was a farmer and leader in the agribusiness industry.

He founded mining, construction and agricultural labour hire firm AWX in 2000. In 2016 he and a group of investors sold the business for a reported $25 million, reported the AFR.

In 2014, he was estimated to have a wealth of $47m.

In 2015, year he bought the renowned Lighthouse cattle station in Roma for $14m which he said was a “lifetime goal”.

“It was about returning to a space, industry, that provides me purpose and belonging at an individual, spiritual and holistic level.”

Mr Strachan was working with Packhorse, an investment firm specialising in agriculture and particularly the beef supply chain.

Mr Strachan is listed as “executive director and chief storyteller” of the firm.

“Tom just took on the world; he was so successful and always made time for everyone,” a friend of Mr Strachan told the Courier Mail on Monday night.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Noah was an analyst at Benstead Holdaway, a Brisbane real estate and investment company. He studied at QUT and attended Brisbane Grammar School.

The pilot Mr Liehm was chief executive of Executive Helicopters and had flown for SeaWorld and the Queensland emergency authorities.

The plane left Mr Strachan’s Roma property in western Queensland on Monday morning at around 7.20am, before stopping in Dalby at approximately 9am.

The plane then took off again fifteen minutes later, losing contact with air traffic support a short time later near Ipswich around 10am.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has said it has commenced an investigation into the tragedy.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/three-dead-in-horror-queensland-light-plane-crash/news-story/2ea71de40001976ea83e94be866aa646

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305fdc  No.17463297

File: 9cef10864c6aef1⋯.jpg (418.33 KB, 825x1151, 825:1151, USSC_5.jpg)

File: 871e1bc9d9e36ca⋯.jpg (448.8 KB, 825x1573, 75:143, RAAF_1.jpg)

File: 170cce1beba89ef⋯.mp4 (8.05 MB, 640x1080, 16:27, nbL1n6Hk0D07P06_1.mp4)

United States Strategic Command Tweet

#ICYMI: This year over 100 aircraft from and 2500 personnel from (Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. and the U.K.) will take part in the @AusAirForce hosted multilateral exercise #PitchBlack22.

https://twitter.com/US_STRATCOM/status/1563554275438931972

Royal Australian Air Force Tweet

All the flying nations have now arrived & an extra warm welcome goes to our Pitch Black 1st-timers from Germany, Japan & the Republic of Korea.

Can't wait to fly with old friends & new on #PitchBlack22!

#AusAirForce

@JASDF_PAO @Team_Luftwaffe @ROK_MND

It's time to kick things off!

Want to find out more?

Follow #PitchBlack22

Click through to www.airforce.gov.au/PB22

https://twitter.com/AusAirForce/status/1562217485276815367

https://www.airforce.gov.au/exercises/pitch-black-2022

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305fdc  No.17463412

File: 7ae52adba4b9fe3⋯.mp4 (15.96 MB, 960x540, 16:9, MRF_D_22_and_1st_MAW_Parti….mp4)

>>17463297

MRF-D 22 and 1st MAW Participates in the Pitch Black Open Day

Video by Cpl. Cedar Barnes - 08.27.2022

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268, Aviation Combat Element, Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22, and a C-130 with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), participate in a static display to be toured by the public as part of exercise Pitch Black 22 Open Day at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Darwin, NT, Australia, Aug. 27, 2022. Marines with MRF-D 22 and 1st MAW participated in the Pitch Black 22 public static display that showcased aircraft to the local Darwin community and allowed the public to engage with the rotational force. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Cedar Barnes)

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/855638/mrf-d-22-and-1st-maw-participates-pitch-black-open-day

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305fdc  No.17463555

File: c8e3384021b8da7⋯.jpg (165.91 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Pope_Francis_left_with_Car….jpg)

Sustaining our liberal ideals the best hope in dark times

GEORGE PELL - AUGUST 27, 2022

1/3

Some would claim that it is not surprising that I, as a grumpy old male entering into his ninth decade of life, would echo the words of Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, that “the time is out of joint”.

Are my origins, in the ancient provincial mists of Ballarat, sufficient to explain away my suspicion, with Hamlet, that “something is rotten in the state”? Am I blinded by sentimental nostalgia for a simpler, vanished past? After all, I was born during World War II and now we have no world war, only the naked Russian aggression in distant Ukraine and clumsy but disturbing Chinese belligerence as it attempts to re-establish the Middle Kingdom as the world’s No.1 power.

I don’t think Australian life is rotten at the core but times are changing, and not always for the better.

The inevitable royal commission of the future into Victoria could find a situation parallel to that of Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s Queensland in the 1970s and ’80s, and too many Australians were content with the over-reaction of bossy nanny states during the Covid-19 crisis, when the churches were closed before the casino (at least in Victoria). Many in the Catholic leadership were too docile.

But the times are changing and many are uneasy, especially the social conservatives, regularly assailed by the woke activists even in sport.

Some leaders in big business have buckled or enthusiastically embraced anti-Christian meas­ures. Corrs, the lawyers, recently dumped the Melbourne Archdiocese as a client without consultation and after being retained for more than 60 years.

It was under a federal Liberal government that official forms replaced the terms mother and father with “birth persons”. I had spoken with a succession of Labor leaders about the importance of maintaining a situation where pro-life and pro-family candidates could still be endorsed (unlike the Democrats in the US), but I have been surprised by the exuberance of so many woke activists in the Coalition parties.

I did not anticipate such a rapid collapse. I am tempted to claim that the only conservative blow struck by the last federal government was to reduce substantially the numbers of students doing poisonous arts courses, although they did protect the maths curriculum against the woke nonsense.

Parliaments are dominated by a tertiary-educated meritocracy, increasingly secular where the two major parties do not differ too much, at least on non-economic measures. This is the context for the taming of the social conservatives, exemplified in the NSW parliament where the main parties are led by two good men, believing, practising Catholics, and produced the most draconian euthanasia legislation in Australia.

Despite all this, I am not predicting religious collapse, complete disaster in the next decade or so. In the post-Christian vacuum that is developing, the esteem for freedom, the linchpin of the liberalism project from which society and the church have received substantial benefits, is also under sustained assault. The renamed climate change movement has many of the characteristics of a low level, not too demanding, pseudo-religion. When religious belief is lost or deconstructed the survivors like to embrace some grand narrative and seem to need something to fear. Almost unconsciously they seek to appease the higher powers (of nature in this case) with the sacrificial offering of fossil fuels, of coal and oil.

Unfortunately for them most modern economics will continue to need coal and oil. Democratic majorities in Australia and throughout the First World will not consent to regular electrical blackouts, power failures at the height of summer or winter. And of course our foes and allies in the Third World need coal and oil for their industrial and modernising programs, just as we did in the past and continue to do so. They are sensible and clear-headed on this point and would be bemused by Western virtue signalling. In 2021, 1893 new coal-fired power stations were being constructed around the world, 446 in India, 1171 in China, and none in virtuous Australia, which also abstains from developing nuclear power stations.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17463562

File: 2f683b553d8818d⋯.jpg (212.6 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Youngsters_need_to_be_show….jpg)

File: 313909c6fbd9653⋯.jpg (56.65 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, The_Chinese_national_flag_….jpg)

>>17463555

2/3

There is no one obligatory Catholic position on climate change because we are a religion, teaching faith and morals, and do not impose any scientific straitjacket. My main concerns are elsewhere; with the Catholic Church and the rise of a belligerent China.

The 2021 census in Australia showed a spectacular rise in the number of those who declared they subscribed to no religion, now numbering 38.9 per cent; an equally spectacular drop in the numbers of the Uniting and Anglican churches, with losses of 22 per cent and 20 per cent respectively; and the substantial, unprecedented decline by 4 per cent of Catholic Church membership in five years. All this slippage followed significant Christian losses in the previous five years.

All of those who love Christ and the church are dismayed by these losses, but differ, sometimes acrimoniously, on how they should be addressed. We have a clear division between those who believe that we are the servants and defenders of the Apostolic Tradition, with no power to change substantially the doctrines that come to us from Christ and the apostles through scripture and the Catholic magisterium. Opposed to them is an older cohort, who give the last word to modernity, who believe we are masters of the Apostolic Tradition and can amend it, for example to bless homosexual unions and to create women priests. The recent Catholic Plenary Council has come and gone and was largely irrelevant to the preaching of the gospel and the threat of decline.

The tribal power politics of the advancing cancel culture is threatening to overthrow the foundations of liberalism, which has allowed the churches to survive in Australia even as the Judaeo-Christian legal foundations on life, marriage, family and sexuality were undermined.

In the new politics of gender and race, white males and especially old white males represent the worst of the past, of the detested racism, colonialism, sexism and patriarch. The issues in dispute could scarcely be more basic. Reason, freedom, truth, risk banishment, while notions of divine law, immutable natural law have a quaint antiquated ring about them, and are seen as expressions of a failed mythology.

Some writers recognise liberalism’s debts to Christianity. Most do not. My suspicion is that the links are even more profound and any Western society that is based on the premise of equality before the law for all people and ascribes a common dignity to each person, citizen or foreigner, productive or dependent, young and healthy or old and dependent – such a society can continue only when sustained by Christian ideals of universal love, often expressed as human rights, derived from a creator God.

One does not need to be a Christian for this as a post-Christian instinct or sympathy can suffice, but this too is declining, savagely dismissed in our universities. In a hostile post-Christian Australia, sustaining the liberalism ideal may be as difficult as planting democracy in Iraq or Afghanistan.

I do not believe the battle is over, that the field has been lost. Recently a senior public figure told me the only option now for Christians in Australia is to head for the catacombs and that the rot could be stopped only by a few martyrdoms. I hope and believe that this is a misreading of the situation, excessively pessimistic. But the situation is on the turn and mighty tides are running against many, but not all Christian teachings.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17463567

File: 5c28be7aed15129⋯.jpg (352.42 KB, 852x496, 213:124, Q_2590.jpg)

File: c6ad8342828bf77⋯.jpg (186.64 KB, 852x455, 852:455, Q_2594.jpg)

File: 1d68db16bbd941e⋯.jpg (545.06 KB, 847x876, 847:876, Q_2894.jpg)

>>17463562

3/3

Most Australians still believe “everyone has a right to a fair go”. Just as certainly if the situation is not to worsen, not only Christians but all those who value our Western way of life need to “have a go”, which is the second bedrock of the Australian consensus, the common sense of our ancestors that gave us our decency and prosperity.

War is a real possibility in the next decade, more probably over Taiwan, but not necessarily. One of the vitally important tasks of the Albanese government is to increase our capacity to defend ourselves, inflict damage on any aggressor in the short term and for the next 20 or 40 years. We hope and work for peace, but if the worst was to happen, or even big trouble occurred, largely fought out to the north, present high levels of rhetoric would then be of absolutely no use. Deeds are needed, not words.

China regards us as a weak link in the American alliance because of our trade dependency with them and because of our military weakness. A power vacuum and an unprotected and frivolous society are temptations for dictators, especially if they are wanting to distract their citizens from local problems such as poverty and inequality, oppression and discontent, 35 or 40 million surplus males and the prospect of over 200 million fewer people in the workforce in 2050.

China will refocus the Australian national conversation, however the situation develops, and I am not just talking about increased taxes for defence spending or the introduction of national service.

Australia might be forced to decide whether we love our nation sufficiently to be prepared to defend it; whether we believe in freedom and democracy enough to resist a powerful dictator. Almost inevitably Australia will be forced to draw on the strengths of its Western civilisation in the centuries of dialogue or struggle that will accompany the rebirth of the Middle Kingdom, a once mighty civilisation, as old as Greece and older than the Roman Empire; but very different from our way of life, and presently oppressive towards its citizens.

Another significant factor is that Christianity, mainly Protestantism, is spreading in China as it spread in the hostile pagan Roman Empire. Already China probably has 60 million to 90 million Christians and is one of the largest Christian countries in the world.

Every society, to avoid going backwards, needs social conservatives from across the spectrum to transmit to the young what is worthwhile from the past. Children need adults who will bring stability, set down boundaries so that love and respect can flourish and where the concepts of duty, honour and compassion are exemplified. Youngsters need to be shown that there are moral truths, of right and wrong, which we do not invent, just as there are truths of maths, physics, ecology and public health.

The culture wars continue and, while our losses are considerable, the field has not been lost. The many victims of the chaos will be increasingly open to our message.

This is an edited extract of Cardinal George Pell’s recent address to Campion College.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/sustaining-our-liberal-ideals-the-best-hope-in-dark-times/news-story/95b038ce182a8360e6672e618813edfd

https://qanon.pub/?q=Pell

https://qanon.pub/?q=pecking

https://qanon.pub/?q=cardinal-george-pell

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305fdc  No.17463649

File: 7783c76b2542d9b⋯.jpg (118.86 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Kyle_Daniels_is_accused_of….jpg)

File: 71a7e11e210c9ec⋯.jpg (64.01 KB, 1280x718, 640:359, Mr_Daniels_was_arrested_in….jpg)

Student of Sydney swim teacher Kyle Daniels thought alleged touching was normal in breaststroke

A girl who was allegedly sexually touched by her swim coach during a lesson has told a court she thought it was “what a teacher does”.

Lauren Ferri - August 29, 2022

A young girl who was allegedly sexually touched by her swim teacher has told a court she thought it was just a normal part of her lessons.

The girl was one of nine alleged victims of former swimming teacher Kyle Daniels, who is standing trial over 21 charges relating to sexually touching his students at Mosman Swim Centre on Sydney’s north shore between 2018 and 2019.

He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual intercourse with a child aged under 10, eight counts of sexual touching of a child and eight counts of indecent assault, including two considered alternative charges.

Mr Daniels is accused of touching the girls – who were under 10 years of age at the time – both on top and underneath their swimming costumes.

The now 23-year-old had been working part-time as an instructor while attending university.

On Monday, the court was told the girl’s parents went to police following initial media reports about Mr Daniels.

The girl did not tell anyone about being allegedly touched because she was “too shy” but finally told her mother following reports in the media about his arrest.

In March 2019, the girl’s parents decided to raise the issue with their daughters, with the court previously told their mother brought it up while on a drive to McDonald’s.

“Girls, I’ve got something I want to talk to you about, you know it’s not appropriate for anyone to touch you on your private parts,” the mother told her daughters, the court was told.

The girl said to her mother: “Mum, do you know my swimming teacher touches me there.”

When her mother questioned her more, she said the teacher allegedly “pushes her along” by touching her there while doing breaststroke.

The girl’s evidence was played to the court on Monday. She said she didn’t want her mother to tell anyone because she “didn’t think it was important”.

“I didn’t think there was anything to worry about because I thought it was just like what a swimming teacher does, even though it had never happened before at previous swimming schools,” the girl told the court.

When the girl found out her mother had told her dad, she said she was annoyed.

She told the court her teacher had put one hand on her bladder and the other on her private parts.

“I thought it was how you got taught to do breaststroke even though it wasn’t how it happened at my previous school,” the girl said.

Mr Daniels was arrested on March 12, 2019, and taken to Manly police station.

Following his arrest, police appealed for further information from parents associated with the swim school and received complaints from other alleged victims.

The trial before Judge Kara Shead continues.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/student-of-sydney-swim-teacher-kyle-daniels-thought-alleged-touching-was-normal-in-breaststroke/news-story/c7c7777b1185692d165b384be0bd8279

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305fdc  No.17463654

File: 65c6f5d6ad02afa⋯.jpg (130.32 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Paul_Frost_leaves_the_Down….jpg)

Swim coach Paul Douglas Frost preyed on young students’ ‘trust and vulnerability’, court told

Miklos Bolza - August 29, 2022

GRAPHIC WARNING: This story contains details that may be disturbing for some readers.

A Sydney swimming coach allegedly preyed on the vulnerability of his young students through grooming and indecent sexual acts in the 1990s and 2000s, a jury has heard.

Paul Douglas Frost, 46, is accused of sexually abusing 11 children over 13 years while working as a coach at a swim school in Sydney’s southwest.

On Monday, Crown prosecutor Darren Robinson said the Sylvania man groomed his victims by building trust, and that he normalised sexual behaviour such as masturbation by frequently bringing it up in discussions with his young pupils.

“The accused preyed on their youth, their trust, their vulnerability,” Mr Robinson said in opening submissions to the District Court jury.

Frost would routinely masturbate and perform oral sex on his students in the swim centre’s male change room and storage room, dragged his hand over his pupil’s bodies as they swam, and encouraged them to swim naked in the facility’s baby pool, Mr Robinson said.

The swim coach has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The alleged victims include 10 boys and one girl. Frost is accused of performing oral sex on the children and enticing them to do the same to him.

Mr Robinson explained in his opening that a trainee swim coach attending the school noticed Frost sitting with a student on his lap while massaging the boy’s shoulders. “Paul is a bit strange in the way he acts around the kids,” she wrote in a diary entry for that day.

Frost allegedly told one of his male students, who he had kissed on the lips, that he loved him.

“The accused told the complainant, ‘Next time I see you, I’m going to f— you’,” Mr Robinson told the jury.

He was also claimed to have spoken openly about his student’s genitalia.

Mr Robinson said the swim coach treated those who went along with his desires favourably, giving them free lollies and allowing them access to the facility’s gym equipment. He was cold and ignored those who rejected his advances, the court heard.

On one occasion, Frost allegedly lured a boy to feel a swimsuit he was wearing saying it was the same worn by Australian swimming superstar Ian Thorpe.

When the boy touched his leg, Frost allegedly said, “That was nearly there, a little bit higher.”

Students are expected to give evidence that they complied with Frost’s instructions because he was their coach and they felt pressured into going along with what he wanted.

The hearing in front of Judge Michael King continues.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/swim-coach-preyed-on-young-students-trust-and-vulnerability-court-told-20220829-p5bdmi.html

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305fdc  No.17463670

File: ef59cdb9216068c⋯.jpg (143.54 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Marayong_man_Bryan_Grange_….jpg)

File: d58ef32e1dada39⋯.jpg (143.62 KB, 1280x719, 1280:719, Grange_had_tens_of_thousan….jpg)

Pedophile tradie Bryan Michael Grange appeals 30-year jail sentence over child sexual abuse

A tradie who was jailed after inflicting “depraved” sexual abuse on a newborn and preschool-aged children is appealing his sentence.

Lauren Ferri - August 29, 2022

WARNING: Confronting

A tradie who was jailed for 30 years after he sexually abused an eight-week-old baby and two girls under five is appealing his sentence in the state’s highest court, claiming it is “manifestly excessive”.

Bryan Michael Grange was jailed in 2021 after stomach-churning details of the abuse he inflicted on three children between 2014 and 2018 were laid bare in the NSW District Court.

He pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences under both state law, concerning his abuse of the girls, and Commonwealth law, regarding the possession of abuse material.

Judge Kara Shead sentenced Grange to 30 years behind bars for child sexual abuse and an additional 4½ years for possessing child abuse material and lashed his actions as “shocking and depraved in the extreme”.

Grange has since lodged an appeal against his sentence in the Court of Criminal Appeal and appeared before Justice Robert Beech-Jones, Justice Geoffrey Bellew and Justice Desmond Fagan on Monday.

Barrister Sue Kluss represented Grange in the hearing, telling the court his sentence had been “manifestly excessive in all the circumstances”.

“The assessment of objective criminality was above what was appropriate in the circumstances,” Ms Kluss said.

She told the court her client had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and claims there had been “considerable overlap” in the charges of producing child abuse material and sexual abuse.

“These children were not physically injured, the perception they would have psychological injury given their ages is quite speculative,” Ms Kluss said.

“The ultimate submission is that this level of sentence is just too high.”

A Crown prosecutor opposed the appeal, saying Grange’s breach of trust was “egregious”, with the offending occurring in his own home.

Representing the Commonwealth DPP, Krista Breckweg, told the court it should be taken into account Grange had admitted to being sexually attracted to children.

“In particular the sexual paedophilia,” Ms Breckweg said.

“The sentence imposed appropriately reflects the totality, given this was very serious offending.”

During his sentence in 2021, the court was told one of Grange’s victim was an eight-week-old baby who he opportunistically abused while the infant’s mother and Grange’s wife smoked a cigarette outside.

He later told a psychiatrist: “I had Viagra that morning. It was a pretty f*cked up time. I have no excuse for it.”

Judge Shead told the court “all right-minded members of the community would be disgusted and disturbed” as she described the infant’s rape.

Another victim was a toddler, aged one or two when she was abused by Grange as he accompanied her in a public toilet, while a third girl was repeatedly molested by Grange over a number of years when she was aged between infancy and five years old.

The court was told Grange filmed one of the girls and incited her to expose herself to the camera, as he said: “You are getting good at it.”

He made numerous videos depicting himself molesting the girls as well as filming their genitalia from carefully crafted camera angles.

Many details of the abuse are too graphic to publish.

Grange amassed more than 30,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse, storing the sickening material across seven devices.

Hundreds of his videos and images were classified as the very worst kind, including videos of children who were restrained, forced into bestiality and subject to highly degrading sexual acts.

Grange used his own name and credit card details to sign up to a subscription website where he spent $7156 on child abuse material.

The appeal judgment has been reserved.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/pedophile-tradie-bryan-michael-grange-appeals-30year-jail-sentence-over-child-sexual-abuse/news-story/b4f8426a85dd96a4a1b1d0988b4145af

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305fdc  No.17463684

File: 94298a0a8557028⋯.jpg (201.68 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Haileybury_College_faces_l….jpg)

Haileybury College facing legal action from estate of woman whose son suffered sexual abuse

The elite private school faces legal action from the estate of a woman whose son suffered sexual abuse in the 1960s.

Susie O'Brien - August 28, 2022

An elite private school faces legal action from the estate of a woman whose son suffered sexual abuse in the 1960s.

Child sex abuse victims’ campaigner Michael Advocate is in the County Court after ­negotiations with Haileybury College broke down, seeking to recover up to $1m in damages for nervous shock to the victim’s deceased mother.

The family has asked that they not be identified.

The woman’s son attended Haileybury in the late 1960s and settled a claim with the school in 2019, believed to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The man claimed injury, loss and damage after a teacher hit him on the bare bottom and legs in front of the class with a fibreglass cane.

He also claimed that on a school camp in 1967 he was stripped naked and 10 boys plus the same teacher lay on him and hit him repeatedly on the stomach. He said he had a torch stuck down his throat on cadet camp, and had his head forced down a hole used as a toilet, which led to a nervous breakdown.

The estate of the man’s mother, who died in May 2020, is now pursuing the claim of nervous shock on the mother’s behalf.

“It was a huge burden and tremendous shock that her only child was sexually ­assaulted and abused, causing irreparable damage to him throughout his life,” Mr Advocate said.

Before her death the woman told Mr Advocate: “I didn’t make big sacrifices to pay substantial college fees over many years for my son to then be sexually abused, ­molested and alienated.”

It comes as the Supreme Court has ruled that the father of a former choirboy who was ­alleged to have been sexually abused by George Pell can pursue civil action against the cardinal and the church.

Legal experts say the case will allow other similar claims from family members of sexual abuse survivors to come to court.

“Child sex abuse of a student can also cause major personal injuries to the parents and family of the victim, that’s been obvious for decades” Mr Advocate said.

“We now have a precedent that a member of the family has rights, and this puts to bed the question of whether it’s possible to sue.

“We hope this will also pressure other colleges to refund fees out of good faith.”

The impending action comes as new benchmarks are being set for historical childhood sexual abuse cases, including a payout of $2.7m to a student from Geelong College.

Michael Advocate – a pseudonym – is a survivor of child sexual abuse himself and the founder of advocacy group Victim Justice.

Haileybury College declined to comment.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/victoria-education/haileybury-college-facing-legal-action-from-estate-of-woman-whose-son-suffered-sexual-abuse/news-story/0bd5043f6ab067d6e91f734a64c4edc6

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305fdc  No.17463696

File: 9ec5c52e2eb8a13⋯.jpg (114.28 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_Labor_rort_saw_almost_….jpg)

File: 701d2e4fcc4063f⋯.jpg (117.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Victorian_Ombudsman_Debora….jpg)

Victorian Ombudsman set to consider reopening red shirts investigation

Shannon Deery - August 29, 2022

Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass is set to be asked to formally consider reopening an investigation into the Andrews government’s infamous red shirts elections rort.

It comes after the Herald Sun last week revealed a police whistleblower involved in the initial investigation made a formal statement claiming police command purposely thwarted the probe.

The explosive 29-page statement to the Independent Broadbased anti-Corruption Commission claimed police work was actively interfered with and obstructed by senior police.

Leader of the opposition in the upper house David Davis will this week seek to force a parliamentary referral of the matter to Ms Glass.

It will call on her to assess the material and, if appropriate, reopen an investigation into the matter.

The scheme saw almost $388,000 in taxpayers’ money spent on part-paying electorate staff to campaign for the 2014 election.

Former Minister Adem Somyurek successfully had the matter referred to Ms Glass earlier this year after securing the deciding vote of then Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela.

Ms Vaghela, who sensationally crossed the floor to vote to have the matter reinvestigated, subsequently resigned from the ALP.

Ms Glass ruled in July there was no new evidence of criminality or corruption to warrant further action.

“It is time to end this debate,” she wrote in her report.

“I cannot, of course, rule out that further evidence may yet come to light, but with the passage of time and difficulty in proof I am not prepared to spend further public resources on these matters.”

The police whistleblower, a veteran of 33 years, was directly involved in the 2018 investigation, arrest of suspects and subsequent interviews.

“For some strange reason the Labor MPs in this investigation were not arrested,” they said.

The whistleblower also claimed detectives were refused permission by police command from obtaining the phone records and other computer data relating to Labor MPs.

“The refusal by Police Command to allow the Fraud Squad investigators to search thoroughly and gather all of the available evidence, in order to do their job fairly, properly and without fear or favour is very unusual and suspicious.

“I believe that the police investigation and the decision on whether to charge the Labor MPs were intentionally delayed until after the election in November 2018 for political reasons. It is indicative that there probably was political interference in the criminal investigation.”

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has defended Victoria Police against the claims, saying he was not aware of any interference in the investigation.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victorian-ombudsman-set-to-consider-reopening-red-shirts-investigation/news-story/f915290b40dee62d55dd6d82a957aad3

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305fdc  No.17463842

File: a986146d8097938⋯.jpg (79.73 KB, 600x450, 4:3, An_inquiry_found_far_right….jpg)

File: f48444e0968865e⋯.jpg (2.8 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, The_committee_said_it_woul….jpg)

Inquiry into far-right extremism in Victoria makes 12 recommendations to counter spread

abc.net.au - 30 August 2022

1/2

The findings of a six-month inquiry into the re-emergence of far-right extremism in Victoria have been released, highlighting issues such as decreasing public trust in mainstream media and government and young people engaging with extremism.

Chaired by Northern Metropolitan member Fiona Patten, a committee investigated the spread of far-right extremism in Victoria since 2015, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and possible preventative measures to stop radicalisation.

"This report, its findings and recommendations are not the complete answer to the problems caused by extremism nor all the answers to combating it," Ms Patten said.

"They should be seen as a starting point. More work is required to understand extremism and further ways to prevent it."

The committee made 46 findings and 12 recommendations, based off submissions from dozens of interest groups and stakeholders around the state.

The government has six months to respond in writing to the recommendations.

Youth increasingly engaged with extremist ideology

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) told the inquiry that Australia had seen an increase in the number of young people engaged with extremism.

In 2021, minors made up 15 per cent of new counter-terrorism investigations, up from 2 to 3 per cent in previous years.

On average, minors comprised more than half of ASIO's highest priority investigations per week.

Soo-Lin Quek from the Centre for Multicultural Youth told the inquiry that young people were at greater risk of radicalisation when forced to deal with social isolation, family breakdowns or mental health issues.

"What the research has told us is those young people have little real or deep knowledge of the religious or political doctrines that they are supporting," Ms Quek said.

"They get drawn into them because a lot of young people … are highly disengaged."

The committee recommended consistent resourcing of youth supports and programs in response.

It also called for further support grassroots, community-led initiatives to promote social cohesion, citing the success of Believe in Bendigo as an example of such a program.

Social media and distrust of traditional media are key factors

The committee found a decreased public trust in mainstream media and government, leading to the rise of social media as a major source of information.

It estimated more than one-third of Australians get their news from Facebook alone.

The report cited the increased use of social media apps such as Telegram to share information and "potentially dangerous content".

The use of overtly vulgar memes and jokes — called 'sh*tposting' by the report — was also found to be used by extremist organisations to create environments conducive to recruitment.

A review of critical literacy skills taught in Victorian schools to identify misinformation was suggested by the report.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17463848

File: 9efb4da40a9db28⋯.jpg (1.54 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Dvir_Abramovich_has_called….jpg)

>>17463842

2/2

COVID restrictions may have caused further divides

The report stated that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic provided an incubator for far-right extremism in Victoria.

Social isolation, economic insecurity and inequality were listed as risk factors that played a part in increasing susceptibility to extremist narratives and were all exacerbated by the pandemic.

However it found that while a small number of far-right extremist groups and individuals attended protests against the Victorian Government's COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates in 2021, extremist ideology was not the primary motivating factor for the majority of those attending.

The committee recommended that in future public health emergencies, "the Victorian Government build on its outreach and communication efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that there is an emphasis on public information that is in plain language, timely, accessible and easy to interpret".

While the focus of the inquiry was on far-right extremism in particular, the committee acknowledged that all forms of violent extremism were a risk to society and did not rule out future investigations of other forms of extremism.

The ASIO submission to the inquiry noted that left wing extremism is not currently prominent in Australia, although overseas groups that attract individuals to the ideology do exist.

Other recommendations in the report include suggestions that the government further amend gun laws to crack down on members of extremist groups and introduce a national cross-jurisdiction database for registered firearms.

Praise for 'watershed report' from anti-hate campaigner

Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission Dvir Abramovich applauded the findings of the report and said it should spur the government into action.

"This watershed report is a timely wakeup call that far right-extremism in Victoria is a problem from hell that we can't run or hide from and that this is a whole-of-society challenge," Dr Abramovich said.

"The bottom line is that we can’t rest easy while these homegrown domestic terrorists in waiting, ticking time bombs, are on a recruitment drive of young disaffected white men and women."

Dr Abramovich said the government should take action in advocating to the Commonwealth to reclassify far-right extremists.

"We do not need to wait for a Christchurch like massacre in Melbourne to designate these movements, as the report recommends, as terrorist organisations," he said.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-30/victoria-far-right-extremism-inquiry/101387574

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305fdc  No.17463856

File: a131cbcf7adb299⋯.jpg (96.63 KB, 910x568, 455:284, People_line_up_to_see_insi….jpg)

File: 53076329326d387⋯.jpg (141.62 KB, 910x568, 455:284, Lance_Cpl_Jordan_Hernandez….jpg)

File: 92a825a52a36146⋯.jpg (91.83 KB, 910x568, 455:284, People_including_U_S_Marin….jpg)

>>17463297

Australian air base opens gates for a closer look at Pitch Black military hardware

SETH ROBSON, STARS AND STRIPES - August 30, 2022

DARWIN, Australia — A display of military hardware from the multinational force taking part in the biennial Pitch Black exercise in northern Australia drew scores of locals and troops for a closer look.

Thousands packed Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin over the weekend to inspect an inventory of military equipment a small nation would envy. Aircraft like an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor and an Indian air force Sukoi SU-30MKI Flanker fighter jet shared the stage with mundane equipment like armored vehicles and cargo trucks.

Marine 1st Lt. Kevin Nguyen, 24, of Ashburn, Va., said he thought the Marines’ own Osprey was the coolest aircraft on the ramp, although he found the Australian version of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter equally impressive.

“I think they are taking a little bit of the focus away from the trucks,” said Nguyen, commander of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin motor transport platoon.

The event was organized as part of the biennial Pitch Black drills involving 2,500 airmen, over 100 aircraft and 17 nations underway in Australia’s Northern Territory until Sept. 8.

The open house at RAAF Darwin put on display much of the equipment at work for the six-month rotational force and the participants of Pitch Black.

Cattle grazier David Pattemore, 63, queued up on Saturday to peer inside the Osprey, said the Air Force and Marine presence is welcome in the Northern Territory.

“Unfortunately, the world’s not a beautiful place all over,” he said before bringing up China’s rapid military buildup and “aggressive” efforts to gain influence in the region.

Hardware available for inspection included armored vehicles, bomb-defusing robots, border-patrol boats and fighter aircraft from the U.S. Air Force and European allies: F-16 Fighting Falcons, Eurofighter Typhoons and Australia’s new, stealthy F-35A Lighting II.

Vintage planes such as a World War II-era P-51 Mustang fighter stood nearby.

In addition to the Falcon and the Osprey, the U.S. brought an Air Force F-15 Eagle and a Marine KC-130J aerial refueler. The Marines brought along some tactical vehicles, too.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Hernandez, 22, of Oceanside, Calif., was helping locals check out a logistics vehicle replenishment system.

People were eager for selfies in the big green truck, said Hernandez, who has been in Australia with the rotational force for six months.

The worst part of the deployment has been the heat, he said; the best part is the “beer and parties.”

Another Marine, Cpl. Armando Valtierra, 21, of Los Angeles, showed off an all-wheel-drive, 7-ton truck that moves personnel, ammo, hazardous materials and fuel.

The Marines have been impressed by Australian army trucks during their time Down Under, Valtierra said.

“We like to look at their trucks and they look at ours,” he said. “I like the ‘G Wagon,’ which is a kind of dune buggy they use for off road.”

Nguyen, the transport platoon leader, said Marines attended another military expo in Darwin in July.

“It’s great for the community and great for the Marines,” he said.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-08-30/pitch-black-exercise-darwin-australia-7152189.html

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305fdc  No.17463891

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17463297

Exercise Pitch Black 2022 | Mindil Beach flypast

Royal Australian Air Force

Aug 26, 2022

Wasn't the #PitchBlack22 Mindil Beach flypast a beauty? Our Head of Air Shows, Air Commodore Micka Gray and his team sure did a sterling job pulling it together. Hope you enjoyed it Darwin, and thank you for your continued support for #PitchBlack22 and all the other #YourADF activities held in the Top End this year.

Not only was it a great flying display, but also a great display of what Pitch Black is all about - multinational partner forces working together to strengthen our relationships, interoperability and understanding. Thank you so much to all the international exercise participants who helped make the flypast such a success:

Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (French Air and Space Force)

대한민국 공군 (Republic of Korea Air Force)

Indian Air Force

Kōkū Jieitai (航空自衛隊 Japan Air Self-Defense Force)

Luftwaffe (German Air Force)

The Republic of Singapore Air Force

Royal Air Force

TNI Angkatan Udara (Indonesian Air Force)

United States Air Force

U.S. Marine Corps

Don’t forget you can join us for the #PitchBlack22 Open Day at RAAF Base Darwin Saturday 27 August from 9am – 4pm! For open day details, or to refresh Mindil Beach flypast details head to http://spr.ly/6185M1dpR

#AusAirForce #AvGeek #PlaneSpotter #MilitaryAviation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iINtgJF2fc

https://www.airforce.gov.au/exercises/pitch-black-2022/events

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305fdc  No.17463892

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17463297

Exercise Pitch Black 2022 | RAAF Base Darwin open day

Royal Australian Air Force

Aug 28, 2022

The local community turned up in their thousands to the #PitchBlack22 open day at RAAF Base Darwin to see the participating forces on display.

Everyone from little kids through to kids-at-heart had the opportunity to get up close to military aircraft and vehicles, and talk to Pitch Black people about how the exercise is helping us work together, better.

Larger aircraft such as the French Air and Space Force CASA 235 and Royal Air Force KC-30 Voyager Multi-Role Tanker Transport were open for members of the public.

The military working dogs were a crowd favourite as they demonstrated their obedience, ability to maintain air base security, and work to the commands of their handlers to detain intruders if required.

For more info on Pitch Black 22 is available at www.airforce.gov.au/PB22

#AusAirForce #AvGeek #PlaneSpotter #MilitaryAviation #MilitaryAircraft #Pilot #PilotLife #MilitaryLife #FighterJet #FighterPilot #RAAF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_vhyaVTfvM

https://www.airforce.gov.au/exercises/pitch-black-2022

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305fdc  No.17463909

File: c04a20873730248⋯.jpg (131.04 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Australian_authorities_hav….jpg)

File: a2c540d6fc5cc78⋯.jpg (356.24 KB, 1046x769, 1046:769, What_companies_are_telling….jpg)

File: 26b4d9faf104895⋯.jpg (118.85 KB, 620x930, 2:3, Federal_eSafety_commission….jpg)

Apple, Facebook, Microsoft forced to come clean on child abuse material

Jordan Baker - August 30, 2022

Australian authorities have served Apple, Microsoft and the owner of Facebook and Instagram with world-first legal orders to come clean on what - if anything - they are doing to detect and report child sex abuse material or face fines of more than half a million dollars a day.

Apple made the fewest reports of child exploitation of any tech giant last year, with just 160 instances reported to a US database last year despite many of its 2 billion users having access to FaceTime, and the live-streaming of abuse having proliferated since the pandemic.

Late on Monday notices were also issued to Snap and Omegle under the new laws, which empower Australia’s eSafety Commissioner to compel organisations to explain the steps they are taking to combat online child exploitation and abuse.

Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said there was little to suggest companies that knew their platforms were weaponised by abusers were doing much to stop it. “No one has yet put the companies’ feet to the fire, saying, ‘what are you doing?’” she said.

“I don’t think we know the true scale and scope of the problem. We can’t know the scale of child exploitation until we know what the platforms are doing to detect abuse. We can’t be an effective regulator if we’re constantly trying to regulate with blind spots.”

The existing data is self-reported to the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. Last year, Apple reported 160 instances. Omegle, which connects people for “random chats” with strangers, reported 46,924.

Microsoft, which owns Skype - believed to be used widely in the live-streaming of abuse – reported 78,603 cases. Instagram, owned by Meta – which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp - reported 3.4 million instances. LEGO System reported 37 and Microsoft Xbox reported 170.

Australia’s move will be watched internationally. There has been bitter debate, especially in the United States, over whether child security should trump privacy. Apple has previously elected not to search for abuse images to protect its users’ privacy.

Decisions over which companies received the first tranche of notices were based on considerations such as the number of complaints to e-Safety, the company’s reach, and how much information is already public. More orders are likely to be issued.

Inman Grant said some in the sector had an attitude that if they were not aware of the problem, they were not responsible for it, even though some organisations had technology that could track and pull down dangerous material.

Each company will be asked different questions to elicit information that is not publicly available. “We’ve got a range of questions for Meta and WhatsApp, in terms of where they’re scanning, what they’re scanning, how they’re scanning,” Inman Grant said.

The responses will also be examined on a case-by-case basis. If the companies are found to be non-compliant after 28 days, they can be fined $550,000 a day.

“In my experience, having worked in the industry [at Microsoft for 17 years], companies are moved by anything that challenges their revenue, anything that harms their reputation, and any significant regulatory threats,” Inman Grant said.

The internet has led to a booming online child exploitation industry, involving both shared and live images. “For the past 15 years there’s been a trade in livestreaming child exploitation material,” Inman Grant said.

“With lockdowns around the globe, what we started to see was the Philippines at the epicentre of pay-per-view child abuse material. Now we have so many video conferencing platforms that can facilitate that sexual abuse material.”

NSW Police Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty, the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad Commander, said officers “welcomed any opportunity to help identify, target and prosecute persons involved in the abuse of children”.

Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the reporting from the companies would “help inform future government decisions around what needs to be done to protect Australians online, and improve transparency to the public”.

Apple faced a significant backlash from privacy advocates last year when it flagged a new feature, CSAM, that would scan iCloud photo libraries against known child sexual abuse material (photos that have been validated by at least two agencies).

The company’s website no longer makes reference to the CSAM technology. It has added a new feature, involving an intervention if users search for child exploitation material on its search tools. The interventions explain “that interest in this topic is harmful and problematic, and provide resources from partners to get help with this issue”.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/apple-facebook-microsoft-forced-to-come-clean-on-child-abuse-material-20220829-p5bdjg.html

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305fdc  No.17463963

File: 3ae79318d489382⋯.jpg (127.41 KB, 1504x723, 1504:723, A_phishing_scam_has_hacker….jpg)

File: 7000e2dfbfb11db⋯.jpg (136.24 KB, 1920x1080, 16:9, Victims_of_the_phishing_at….jpg)

File: 6716310544e5f54⋯.jpg (1.51 MB, 4961x3307, 4961:3307, Cyber_security_expert_Sher….jpg)

Chinese hackers pose as Australian News Corp sites in cyber espionage scam

Matthew Knott - August 30, 2022

Australian government agencies, news outlets and manufacturing companies have been targeted by a sophisticated year-long espionage campaign in which Chinese government-aligned hackers pose as media employees to implant malicious software on the victims’ computers.

Under the phishing scam, which began last year and continues to today, the hackers send out emails in which they claim to be employees from fictional outlets such as “Australian Morning News” or real publications such as The Australian and the Herald Sun.

Recipients are then directed to fake news aggregation sites that can implant a harmful code on their devices and allow the hackers to harvest technical information about the victims.

A prolific China-based entity known as TA423 or Red Ladon that has been operating since 2013 is behind the scheme, according to a new report by PWC and US cybersecurity company Proofpoint.

The hackers have targeted an array of defence contractors, manufacturers, universities, government agencies and legal firms across the Asia-Pacific.

“This is a government espionage group located in China, sponsored by the Chinese government,” Sherrod DeGrippo, Proofpoint’s senior director of threat research and detection, said.

“Much of the targeting is towards organisations located in Australia that have something to do with the military, military contractors or South China Sea operations.”

The latest phishing campaign has also targeted heavy industry manufacturers which conduct maintenance of fleets of wind turbines in the South China Sea.

“In this particular case, what they’re looking for is access to intellectual property and information that can be used for espionage,” DeGrippo said.

“Further down the road, they are likely looking for things that can provide the Chinese government an advantage economically and militarily in the South China Sea.”

While other countries such as North Korea use cyberattacks opportunistically to make money, she said China was focused on gathering strategic information that could help them in the long term.

“Gathering this information is intended to catapult them ahead of the game,” she said.

“China is really able to have the run of the place right now in terms of what they can focus on and not get distracted.”

The phishing email headlines carry a variety of subjects including “Sick Leave,” “User Research,” and “Request Cooperation”.

The latest annual report by the federal government’s Cyber Security Industry Advisory Committee, released last week, found that Australia is an increasingly attractive target for malicious actors and cybercriminals.

“Australia is now literally under constant cyberattack,” advisory committee chair Andy Penn, the former chief executive of Telstra, said.

“In our increasingly interconnected and inter-dependent society, no one is truly safe, and no one can afford to drop their guard.”

There was a 15 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of ransomware cybercrime reports to the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

DeGrippo said Proofpoint had been able to intercept attempted attacks on its clients, but the fact the campaign had continued for over 13 months showed that the hackers had successfully infiltrated some users’ devices and gained access to useful data.

The federal government last year called out China’s ministry of state security for exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange software to affect thousands of computers and networks worldwide, including in Australia.

The Chinese embassy in Canberra said at the time that China “always firmly opposes cyber-attacks and cyber theft in all forms” and called the accusations “groundless”.

A News Corp Australia spokesman declined to comment on whether the company was aware hackers had been posing as employees from its publications.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/chinese-hackers-pose-as-australian-news-corp-sites-in-cyber-espionage-scam-20220830-p5bduz.html

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305fdc  No.17465731

File: 5886bbf4d46cfd3⋯.jpg (103.33 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, US_National_Security_Counc….jpg)

>>17458335

US ships ‘not welcome’ as Solomons cosies up to Beijing

BEN PACKHAM - AUGUST 30, 2022

Solomon Islands has imposed a temporary ban on naval visits by US ships, amid heightened tensions between the countries over the Pacific Island nation’s security pact with China.

The US was informed of the moratorium on Monday – a week after the Solomons government refused diplomatic clearance for the US Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry to dock in Honiara to refuel and take on provisions.

The Oliver Henry, which was participating in a ­regional crackdown on illegal fishing with the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency, was forced to ­divert to Papua New Guinea to refuel and replenish its supplies on August 23.

Solomon Islands’ government subsequently allowed a US Navy humanitarian ship to dock in ­Honiara for a two-week community health mission, before ­informing US officials of the moratorium.

“On August 29, the US received formal notification from the government of Solomon Islands regarding a moratorium on all naval visits, pending updates in protocol procedures,” the US ­embassy in Canberra said on Tuesday.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration was “dis­appointed” at the moratorium but expected future clearances would be provided to US ships.

“Clearly we’ve seen the Chinese try to bully and coerce ­nations throughout the Indo-­Pacific to do their bidding and to serve what they believe their selfish national security interests are rather than the broader interests of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Mr Kirby said.

He clarified his comments, saying he was not referring specifically to the Solomons incident but to China’s actions more generally.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in August that the Biden administration was watching carefully to see how his controversial security agreement with Beijing was implemented.

Ms Sherman also declared she “felt sorry” for Mr Sogavare, after the Prime Minister snubbed a commemorative service she ­attended in the country to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal.

She said he would “have to answer to his own citizens about why he made the choice that he did”.

Senior US officials warned Mr Sogavare in April that his security agreement with China risked destabilising the region and the US would “respond accordingly” if it led to a de facto Chinese military presence in the country.

Mr Sogavare, who insists he would not allow a Chinese base in the country, responded furiously to the US warning, suggesting his country had been “threatened with invasion”.

He said he deplored the “lack of trust”, saying his country had been ­treated by critics of the pact like “kindergarten students walking around with Colt .45s in our hands”.

Under the its security deal with China, Honiara can ­“request China to send police, armed police, (and) military personnel” to the country, and “carry out logistic replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in, Solomon Islands”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/us-ships-not-welcome-as-solomons-cosies-up-to-beijing/news-story/3eb7c7dc8b066027568c77115353a644

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305fdc  No.17465759

File: 533f34cb5b8023f⋯.jpg (1.89 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Sentinel_class_fast_respon….jpg)

>>17458335

Solomon Islands Blocks All Naval Port Visits After U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Denied Entry

Benjamin Felton - August 30, 2022

1/2

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare has announced a temporary moratorium on visits by foreign naval vessels after turning away a U.S Coast Guard Cutter last week.

Speaking at a ceremony welcoming hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) to Honiara, Sogavare said that bureaucratic issues were behind the denial of diplomatic clearance to USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC-1140).

“Unfortunately, by the time the approval was communicated on the evening of 20th August 2022, the Ship’s captain had decided to leave our waters.” Sogavare said in statement.

The port call was routine, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby during a press conference Tuesday. Oliver Henry planned to stop at Solomon Island to refuel and resupply, but after the U.S. did not receive diplomatic clearance in time, the ship diverted to Papua New Guinea.

“We’re disappointed in this decision,” Kirby said during the briefing. “While the lack of diplomatic clearance for the Oliver Henry was regrettable, however, the United States is pleased that the U.S. Navy ship Mercy – it’s a hospital ship – received diplomatic clearance and was able to take port in Solomon Islands on the 29th.”

While Solomon Islands took time to review its diplomatic clearance process, foreign partners had been asked to postpone upcoming naval visits until further notice, he said.

“To this end we have requested our partners to give us time to review and put in place our new processes before sending further requests for military vessels to enter the country,” Sogavare said. “Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all. We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier.”

In a Tuesday statement, Solomon Islands government said that the new rules would apply to all visiting naval vessels.

“The government has asked all partner countries with plans to conduct naval visits or patrols to put them on hold until a revised national mechanism is in place,” according to a government statement. “These will universally apply to all visiting naval vessels.”

U.S. hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) has been exempted from the moratorium and is expected to remain in Solomon Islands for several weeks as part of Pacific Partnership 2022.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17465781

File: faf951264a716f7⋯.jpg (2.9 MB, 5369x3435, 5369:3435, USNS_Mercy_T_AH_19_arrives….jpg)

>>17465759

2/2

In May, Solomon Islands signed a secretive security agreement with China. While the details of the deal haven’t been made public, a leaked draft suggested that People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels would be permitted to make logistics stops in Solomon Islands, raising concerns that Beijing may be planning to establish a permanent overseas presence.

Since the deal was signed, Sogavare has been accused of consolidating power along Chinese lines. Last month the state-owned broadcaster, SBIC, was brought under the direct editorial control of the government, while Sogavare has gone so far as to suggest banning foreign journalists from the country.

Beijing has also deepened security cooperation with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSPIF), which Chinese police have begun to train.

The U.S Embassy in Canberra told USNI News in a statement that it was “disappointed” that Solomon Islands had turned away USCGC Oliver Henry.

“On Aug. 23, the Government of Solomon Islands failed to provide diplomatic clearance to a U.S. Coast Guard ship for refuelling and provision in Honiara,” according to the statement. “The United States is disappointed that the U.S. Coast Guard ship was not able to make this planned stop in Honiara.”

The U.S Embassy also confirmed that the U.S Government had been officially notified of Solomon Islands’ decision to impose a moratorium on August 29th.

“On Aug. 29, the United States received formal notification from the Government of Solomon Islands regarding a moratorium on all naval visits, pending updates in protocol procedures,” according to the statement. “The U.S. Navy Ship Mercy received diplomatic clearance prior to the moratorium being implemented. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Before being denied permission to dock in Honiara, USCGC Oliver Henry participated in Operation Island Chief alongside a USCG HC-130J. Operation Island Chief is one of four operations conducted annually by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) which focuses on countering Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

A spokesperson for U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia / Sector Guam confirmed to USNI News that, as part of Operation Island Chief, Oliver Henry had been conducting patrols within Solomon Islands’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

As a result of being denied access to Solomon Islands, Oliver Henry diverted to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) to refuel and restock, arriving on Aug. 23. The Office of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare did not respond to questions from USNI News as of this posting.

https://news.usni.org/2022/08/30/solomon-islands-blocks-all-naval-port-visits-after-u-s-coast-guard-cutter-denied-entry

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305fdc  No.17465808

File: 439f48d6c93aaaa⋯.jpg (80.49 KB, 768x512, 3:2, US_Coast_Guard_Cutter_Oliv….jpg)

File: dc85d8da163b7c0⋯.jpg (40.43 KB, 768x403, 768:403, HMAS_Spey.jpg)

>>17458335

>>17465759

Solomon Islands Government Statement

PM SOGAVARE CLARIFIES MISINFORMATION ON US COAST GUARD VESSEL

August 30, 2022

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has clarified some misinformation currently carried on international media about the visit by the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry and HMAS Spey.

Speaking at a ceremony to welcome the visiting United States Hospital Ship USNS Mercy in Honiara this evening, Sogavare said there had been a delay in the granting of approval for entry into the country to the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry due primarily to the appropriate information not sent to the Office of Prime Minister on time.

The Prime Minister’s Office sought and received the required information on 20th August 2022. Approval was granted for the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry to enter the country and participate in the FFA operation Island Chief event on 20th August 2022.

“Unfortunately, by the time the approval was communicated on the evening of 20th August 2022, the Ship’s captain had decided to leave our waters,” Sogavare said.

In relation to the HMAS Spey, the approval process to enter Solomon Islands was aborted when the Prime Minister’s Office received notification from the British High Commission in Honiara, that they were no longer seeking approval for HMAS Spey to enter the country.

The delay in these approvals demonstrate the need for the government to review and refine its approval requirements and procedures for visiting military vessels to Solomon Islands.

“To this end we have requested our partners to give us time to review and put in place our new processes before sending further requests for military vessels to enter the country. Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all. We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier,” Sogavare said.

The government has asked all partner countries with plans to conduct naval visits or patrols to put them on hold until a revised national mechanism is in place. These will universally apply to all visiting naval vessels.

Solomon Islands have had unfortunate experiences of foreign naval vessels entering the country’s waters during the course of the year without diplomatic clearance granted, hence would like to avoid such incidents from reoccurring.

Solomon Islands would like to see partnership is in place to build national capacity to police our Exclusive Economic Zones. Once the process and procedures are in place suspension of naval vessel visits will be lifted.

The Government have communicated its position to all countries requesting to send in naval ships into Solomon Islands waters.

Meanwhile, the Government and people of Solomon Islands welcomed the visit of United States Hospital Ship USNS Mercy now in Honiara.

The United States Medical team in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services will be carrying out a number of health programmes in the Capital and in some provinces over the next few days.

https://solomons.gov.sb/pm-sogavare-clarifies-misinformation-on-us-coast-guard-vessel/

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305fdc  No.17469867

File: 2c64eed4851c6f9⋯.jpg (95.25 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Rungnapha_Kanbut_was_found….jpg)

File: 2d5f77b90f8a348⋯.jpg (109.25 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_women_not_pictured_wer….jpg)

Woman who kept ‘sex slaves’ weeps in court as she appeals conviction

A woman found guilty of forcing two women from Thailand into sex slavery has wept in court as she appealed her conviction.

Duncan Murray - August 31, 2022

A woman who forced two Thai women into sex slavery sobbed in court as lawyers discussed her “good character” during an appeal to have her conviction overturned on Wednesday.

Rungnapha Kanbut also wept when the court heard a disabled relative had experienced significant hardship without her.

Ms Kanbut was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2019 after being found guilty of intentionally possessing a slave, exercising powers of ownership over a slave and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

She appeared in NSW Supreme Court from prison via videolink and used a translator to appeal for her conviction to be quashed or, failing that, her sentence to be reduced.

The now roughly 60-year-old was found to have subjected two women to severe mistreatment and prison-like conditions after they moved from Thailand to Australia between 2004 and 2005.

When the women arrived in Sydney, Ms Kanbut confiscated their passports and told them they would each need to pay off a $45,000 debt, a jury was told during the initial trial.

The women were frequently forced to work up to 12 hours a day at multiple brothels, with almost all of their earnings going towards the “debts”.

Naked photos were also taken of the women and used to exert extra control by threatening to release them on the internet, a court heard during the trial.

Ms Kanbut’s lawyer, David Barrow, told a panel of judges a relative had been diagnosed with autism shortly before she went to prison and had suffered from bullying and isolation.

He told the court the relative remained “entirely reliant” on her.

“This is a vulnerable individual,” Mr Barrow said.

Mr Barrow also told the court that testimonies as to her character were missing from the trial and if included, may have impacted the jury’s opinion of her.

Submissions by a number of people who knew Ms Kanbut in the time following her crimes were said by her lawyer to express “shock” at the alleged crimes.

One of the witnesses was quoted as describing her as a “kind and generous woman”.

“Had this material been available, it would have painted a very different picture of the accused,” Mr Barrow said.

At the time of sentencing, Judge Nanette Williams said Ms Kanbut was “not without compassion” for the women but had effectively kept them in a prison with no bars.

“Those who choose to involve themselves in slavery reap significant financial benefits at the great cost of those enslaved,” she said at the time.

One of Ms Kanbut’s victims said she was spat on and bruised by some of her customers, but was told to “put up with it until the time was up and kick the customer out”.

Ms Kanbut’s second victim reported being forced to service up to 10 clients a day.

“I will have to live with the scars of these experiences for the rest of my life,” she said.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/woman-who-kept-sex-slaves-weeps-in-court-as-she-appeals-conviction/news-story/968a5c1e018d553d115cd1aaec9711df

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305fdc  No.17469878

File: 77041fbd8fc0432⋯.mp4 (12.09 MB, 640x360, 16:9, National_cabinet_agrees_to….mp4)

COVID-19 isolation period shortened to five days

Jake Evans - 31 August 2022

People who test positive for COVID-19 will only be required to isolate for five days except in vulnerable settings following a meeting of national cabinet.

Workers in high-risk settings such as disability and aged care, and people still displaying symptoms would be required to keep to the seven-day isolation period.

"We want people to stay home. We want people to act responsibly," Mr Albanese said.

The reduced isolation requirement will come into effect from September 9.

Support payments for people required to isolate will also be reduced from the same date, and requirements to wear masks on domestic flights will be dropped.

The current pandemic leave payment of $750 is scheduled to end on September 30, but the Prime Minister said conversations on whether to extend that payment were continuing.

The ABC understands the reduced payment will amount to about $540.

Mr Albanese said he and state and territory leaders believed the relaxed rules were a "proportionate response at this point in the pandemic".

"We had a discussion about people looking after each other, people looking after their own health and being responsible for that … there aren't mandated requirements for the flu or a range of other illnesses," he said.

"What we want to do is to make sure that government responds to the changed circumstances, the COVID likely is going to be around for a considerable period of time."

The Health Services Union this week called for mandatory isolation to be scrapped for people who did not have symptoms.

But the Australian Medical Association has expressed concern, and its president Steve Robson says reduced isolation could in fact worsen workforce shortages

"We know there is significant potential for transmission, and it may be that the changes they have made will make work attendance worse, we will have to see from here," Professor Robson said.

"Almost a third of people on day six and seven after they contract COVID are still potentially infectious.

"Allowing people who perhaps have no symptoms but could still infect others into the workplace may not achieve what the government is hoping to achieve."

The United States maintains a five-day isolation requirement for positive cases, while the United Kingdom has scrapped mandatory isolation.

Workforce shortages discussed on eve of jobs summit

Mr Albanese said ongoing labour shortages were a key topic for national cabinet, ahead of tomorrow's highly anticipated jobs summit.

He said state and territory leaders agreed to develop a new skills agreement to come into effect in 2024, which would identify and coordinate priority skills needs.

More than 100 delegates from business, unions, academia and advocacy groups will meet in Canberra tomorrow for a two-day summit focused on improving productivity and wages.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-31/covid-isolation-requirements-shortened-to-five-days/101389766

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305fdc  No.17469881

File: 0f1d46952232576⋯.jpg (857.84 KB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Defence_Minister_Richard_M….jpg)

No snub: Marles makes belated trip to UK but can’t say when London post will be filled

Latika Bourke - August 31, 2022

Glasgow: Defence Minister Richard Marles has refused to say if the federal government will appoint a High Commissioner to the UK by the end of the year, even though the countries are in critical negotiations over the acquisition of nuclear submarines under the AUKUS agreement.

Marles will on Wednesday, UK time, visit BAE’s shipyards in Barrow, in England’s north, where the nuclear-powered Astute-class submarines are made, amid growing expectations Australia’s first nuclear submarines will be bought “off-the-shelf” from either Britain or the US, but most likely from the Americans.

On Tuesday he visited BAE’s shipyards in Govan, Glasgow, where he urged the company to get “back on track” with the program to supply Australia’s new Hunter class of frigates.

Marles, also the deputy prime minister, is on the first official visit to the United Kingdom by any minister from the new government after the May election and Australia has not had a High Commissioner in the UK since April, when former attorney-general George Brandis’ term expired. The Coalition did not extend his term ahead of the election.

The vacancy is being looked after temporarily by career diplomat Lynette Wood who is fluent in Japanese and widely regarded as a frontrunner to be sent to Tokyo.

The government has appointed bureaucrats as ambassadors to several countries since its election but left the London post vacant. Asked if Australia would have a High Commissioner in place in London by the end of the year, Marles would only guarantee that one would be sent “in due course”.

The new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has made global diplomacy central to restoring Australia’s reputation abroad, with ministers bombarding the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the United States with official visits. However, Britain has been left off the itinerary, until now, and the Labor has moved to build public support to cut ties with the monarchy with the appointment of the inaugural minister for a republic, Matt Thistlethwaite.

Marles, who represented the prime minister at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda, said the relatively late visit was “certainly not” a snub. “We’re here now,” he said.

Marles pointed to the Tory leadership contest, triggered last month, as one of the reasons the government had kept away.

“There’s a process that Britain is going through as we speak,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in an interview after dining with his UK defence counterpart Ben Wallace.

“We see the relationship with Britain as being very central to our national interest and our world view. We have will have a very intense and ongoing agenda with Britain; Britain is our oldest relationship,” he said.

Marles’ Europe visit began in Germany on Monday and will end in France on Thursday as part of the new government’s ongoing efforts to mend relations with the country, after Scott Morrison reneged on a $90 billion submarine contract to sign the AUKUS agreement.

Marles said Germany had agreed for the first time to send German troops to take part in war games alongside Australia and its allies next year.

Germany’s air force is currently taking part in exercises in Darwin and has sent its frigate to the region as well, but next year’s plan to take part in Operation Talisman Sabre will be the first time troops have taken part in war games alongside Australia and its allies.

Marles welcomed Germany’s “remarkable shift” in foreign policy which had taken place in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said this week that Germany would invest in new relationships to diversify away from China, having outlined his country’s attempts to de-link its gas supply from Russia.

Marles said both Australia and Germany had learned a vital lesson “that economic interdependence doesn’t guarantee peace”.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/no-snub-marles-makes-belated-trip-to-uk-but-can-t-say-when-london-post-will-be-filled-20220831-p5be43.html

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305fdc  No.17469889

File: 13d9e6036825513⋯.jpg (6.46 MB, 5332x3555, 5332:3555, A_British_Astute_class_nuc….jpg)

>>17469881

Australians to train on UK nuclear submarines under landmark pact

Matthew Knott and Latika Bourke - August 31, 2022

Australian naval officers will be allowed to train inside Britain’s nuclear-powered submarines for the first time to ensure they are prepared for the eventual arrival of the highly prized technology under the AUKUS pact.

Defence Minister Richard Marles is set to announce the landmark agreement at a press conference with UK Secretary of State Ben Wallace in the English port town of Barrow-in-Furness on Thursday.

“The idea of Australian crew working with either British or American crews to get experience on British or American vessels in the shorter term is what we are seeking to do,” Defence Minister Marles said in an interview with the London Times.

“Having the opportunity for Australian submariners to gain experience on the submarines of either the United States or the United Kingdom is going to be absolutely fundamental.”

Marles is making his first visit to the UK since Labor’s May election victory.

Defence contractor BAE Systems is currently constructing a fleet of nuclear-powered Astute-class submarines for the UK Navy at its shipbuilding yards at Barrow-in-Furness, as well as a fleet of Dreadnought-class ballistic-missile submarines.

The US Congress is also considering a bill that would allow Australian submariners to join their American counterparts for training and operations on the US Navy’s nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines.

Under the legislation, at least two Australian submarine officers would be selected each year to train with the US Navy and study at the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion School.

Marles is expected to stress that the UK training announcement does not indicate Australia is leaning one way or the other as it decides whether to acquire nuclear submarines from the US or UK.

Despite the critical submarine negotiations, in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Marles declined to say whether the government would appoint a high commissioner to the UK by the end of the year.

Previous high commissioner George Brandis stepped down in April.

“We see the relationship with Britain as being very central to our national interest and our world view,” Marles said. “We have … will have a very intense and ongoing agenda with Britain; Britain is our oldest relationship.”

Marles said the government was speaking to the UK and the US about possible options to speed up the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines.

“I mean, the former government left us with, really, a situation of not having a prospective boat in the water until the 2040s,” he told the ABC.

“This is a long way into the future and we are trying to examine, with both the United Kingdom and the United States, about whether there is any way in which we can get that date brought forward, and to the extent that there is any capability gap that arises as a result of whenever that date is, ways in which we can fill that capability.”

Marles declined to say whether Solomon Islands had issued Australia with a moratorium on naval visits to the Pacific nation as it had with the US.

“I’ve seen the reports,” he said. “Ultimately, that is a matter for Solomon Islands.”

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-to-train-on-uk-nuclear-submarines-under-landmark-pact-20220831-p5be8p.html

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305fdc  No.17469909

File: dae4ce2b7b0aa96⋯.jpg (280.92 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, View_of_Port_Moresby_the_c….jpg)

>>17458412

Australian FM visits PNG nominally for cooperation to conceal veiled aim to sow discord through 'China debt trap' narrative, coercion

Xu Keyue - Aug 30, 2022

1/2

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed Canberra's wish to have the "closest possible relationship" with Papua New Guinea (PNG) as she started her first visit to the South Pacific island nation on Monday after the new Labor government took office. Observers pointed out that while Wong's trip is nominally to enhance cooperation with PNG, it actually aims to drive a wedge between China and PNG, woo the island nation to the US-led camp containing China, and allow it to remain as a "big brother" in the region.

Wong touched down in Port Moresby on Monday, marking Labor's first trip to the country since claiming government back in May, Australian media outlet Sky News reported on Tuesday.

The foreign minister stressed the "importance" of Australia's relationship with PNG and providing ongoing infrastructure support to the neighboring nation amid concerns over its ties with China, according to the report.

Since December 2020, when China signed a $200 million fisheries deal with PNG, which is aimed at helping PNG to maximize its commercial fishing capacity in the area, cooperation between PNG and China has grown deeper. This deal was just one of the Chinese overseas investments in developing countries under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In recent years, trade and investment cooperation between China and some Pacific island countries like PNG that have already signed up for the BRI has been strengthening on the basis of mutual benefits.:

Also, PNG and China agreed to deepen cooperation in energy, fisheries, communications and health during a visit by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in June, according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

But the series of cooperation agreements between China and Pacific island nations based on mutual trust and equality have struck a nerve with Canberra especially after China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, another island nation in the Pacific, earlier this year.

Wong claimed that Australian aid in the Pacific comes with "no strings attached," the Guardian reported, noting this remark was "in a veiled reference to China's expanding power in the region."

The Guardian report claimed that "China is striking a range of deals in the Pacific and, in some cases, is offering large loans for infrastructure," in an apparent attempt to hype the fabricated "China debt trap" theory.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17469913

File: 690e6a5ab2cfe27⋯.jpg (184.81 KB, 899x564, 899:564, Visiting_Chinese_State_Cou….jpg)

>>17469909

2/2

Wong's remarks highlight Australia's anxiety and awkwardness in the face of the need for economic development in Pacific island countries, Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Australia and the US-led Western world want to sow discord between China and the island nations with the groundless and malicious "China debt trap" narrative and "China threat theory," as they try to drive nations into the US-led anti-China camp under the so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy, said Chen.

They fabricated the "China debt trap" theory, and attempted to use the Australian aid nominally with "no strings attached" to lure the island nations to jump into their "political trap," observers pointed out.

China has a long history of cooperation with the South Pacific region and has never imposed any political or other conditions. On the contrary, the US, Australia and their allies have always been ideologically driven, imposing Western systems and models on the South Pacific region by coercion, Chen noted. Although Papua New Guinea won independence from Australia in 1975, Australia never gave up its outdated mentality of colonialism and tried to remain as a "big brother" in the region, the observer noted.

According to media reports, Wong is set to take a similar message to Timor-Leste when she flies there on Wednesday.

In June, President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta warned his nation will seek Chinese support if Australia and Woodside Energy - an Australian petroleum exploration and production company - fail to back a gas pipeline between the resource-rich Timor Sea and his country's southern shore, rather than Darwin, Australia, the Guardian reported.

Michael Leach, a professor in politics and international relations at Swinburne University of Technology and founder of the Timor-Leste Studies Association, was quoted by the Guardian as saying that "…China certainly provides smaller nations in our region with negotiating power and leverage with traditional partners they didn't previously have."

Chen predicted that this issue would be a major topic during Wong's visit to Timor-Leste as Australia worries that if Timor-Leste looks to Chinese investment to secure the island nation's "national strategic goal" of piping gas, not only the Australian petroleum company would suffer a loss in business benefits but also China would get closer with the island nation, which Australia is reluctant to see.

Chen warned the possible coercion by Canberra during Wong's trip over the issue.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1274247.shtml

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305fdc  No.17475424

File: 30321b5d8e6e05f⋯.jpg (225.43 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Alexander_Downer_with_then….jpg)

Malcolm Turnbull almost sacked Alexander Downer for sparking FBI inquiry

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - AUGUST 31, 2022

1/2

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was so incensed that Alexander Downer, Australia’s top diplomat in London, had “blundered” into the US embassy, “blurting out political gossip of the most intense political sensitivity”, and sparking the FBI inquiry into Russian meddling in the US ­election, that he considered sacking him.

Mr Turnbull had only found out that Mr Downer had unilaterally informed the US embassy in London of a meeting he had with presidential nominee Donald Trump’s adviser George Papadopoulos when the FBI then sought to interview Downer, the Australian high commissioner to the UK, in early August 2016.

The explosive circumstances surrounding one of the most intriguing diplomatic faux pas in recent times has been revealed in a book by investigative journalist Richard Kerbaj, The Secret History of The Five Eyes.

Mr Turnbull told Kerbaj: “What he did would have got any other ambassador sacked, It was reckless and self-indulgent and put the Australian government in a very awkward position.”

But when asked why Mr Downer wasn’t relieved of his position, Mr Turnbull said: “Alexander was a good friend of mine and the foreign minister, Julie Bishop.

“He is our longest-serving foreign minister, a former leader of the Liberal Party. And at the time we learned of his foolish behaviour we had every interest in keeping it confidential.”

Mr Downer had initiated a meeting at the Kensington Wine Rooms in London with Mr Papadopoulos in early May 2016 after the adviser had publicly castigated British prime minister David Cameron for making negative remarks about Mr Trump.

In the hour-long meeting with Mr Downer, Mr Papadopoulos claimed the Russian government had material on Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump’s main rival in the Democratic camp.

“It sounded bad, but my attitude at the time was who would know whether this was even true,” Mr Downer says in the book, confirming he had sent a report of the discussion in a cable to Canberra.

But when Mr Trump had been confirmed as the Republican Party’s nominee some six weeks later in July, he very soon encouraged Russia to hack into the email accounts of Ms Clinton, prompting Mr Downer to head straight for the US embassy headquarters in central London.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17475426

File: c6e84c12ec016f9⋯.jpg (734.94 KB, 1667x2560, 1667:2560, The_Secret_History_of_the_….jpg)

File: a43abf07f1fa64e⋯.jpg (1.3 MB, 852x1725, 284:575, Q_1939.jpg)

File: cc208ed0ce77eb1⋯.jpg (546.77 KB, 852x967, 852:967, Q_2433.jpg)

>>17475424

2/2

Mr Downer met US deputy ambassador Elizabeth Dibble on July 28 and within hours a missive arrived at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, with details of the Papadopoulos remarks.

Kerbaj says Peter Strzok, deputy director of the organisation’s counterintelligence division, was immediately intrigued by the timing of the meeting that had taken place between Mr Downer and Mr Papadopoulos.

“The fact it had been in May 2016 suggested that Trump’s adviser had been aware of Russia’s planned election interference one month before the issue had become publicly known,’’ he wrote.

Mr Turnbull, meanwhile, considered Mr Downer’s “act without any authority” in giving the information to Washington was reckless. “Downer’s information, which he had reported to Canberra and our Washington Embassy in May, should only have been passed on to the Americans via the most discreet intelligence community channels,” Mr Turnbull says in the book.

“Blundering into the American Embassy in London, blurting out political gossip of the most intense political sensitivity was the worst possible way to do it.”

Mr Turnbull added: “The first we knew about it was when the FBI arrived in London and asked to interview him.

“At that point, he did have the common sense to tell Canberra what had happened. In the circumstances we could hardly refuse to allow him to speak to the FBI but great care was taken to ensure that his evidence would be kept confidential.”

Mr Turnbull said Mr Downer’s actions had brought into “question the discipline and professionalism of our foreign service” and had given Mr Trump “every reason to believe” the FBI investigation “was instigated by the Australian government”.

Kerbaj writes how Mr Turnbull was forced to intervene to preserve Australia’s relationship with the Trump administration.

“We had to explain that Downer had acted on his own, without authority,” Mr Turnbull says.

Kerbaj suggests that there is no way to properly determine the extent to which Mr Downer’s tip-off to the FBI influenced Mr Trump’s impression of Australia.

But he documented how six months later, in January 2017, Mr Trump initially opposed an immigration deal struck between Barack Obama and Mr Turnbull.

Mr Trump even told Mr Turnbull that a phone call earlier that day with Russian President Vladimir Putin had been “more pleasant” than the one with the Australian prime minister.

The Secret History of The Five Eyes is published today in Britain and released in Australia on October 5

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/malcolm-turnbull-almost-sacked-alexander-downer-for-sparking-fbi-inquiry/news-story/6b79d5317f9bff033e33e09225f03ef4

https://qanon.pub/?q=Downer

https://qanon.pub/?q=remain%20in%20the%20light

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305fdc  No.17475475

File: 13e271a1cf695b1⋯.jpg (267.48 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Royal_Australian_Navy_subm….jpg)

>>17469889

AUKUS allies sign off on nuclear subs training for Australians

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

In a deepening of Australian-British military ties under the AUKUS arrangement, Royal Australian Navy submariners will begin training on the nuclear propelled British submarine, the Astute class HMS Anson, having been cleared to access some of Britain’s top secret nuclear military secrets.

The Australian has also learned there are discussions to include the United States in the training mix, with a possible future submarine being staffed by a mix of Australian, British and American navy personnel.

Politicians and defence staff in the three countries are looking at an extensive three-way collaboration under AUKUS, not just confined to developing Australia’s submarines to replace the Collins class, but in upskilling Australia’s crews to deal with a nuclear submarine.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, in Barrow-in-Furness to watch the commissioning of the HMS Anson, Britain’s latest Astute class submarine, said on Thursday that “significant’ numbers of Royal Australian Navy personnel would be now trained by the Royal Navy.

He added that “significant numbers” of boat builders would also be trained up to deliver the Royal Australian Navy frigate program, as well as those required for future submarine building skills.

“We are growing a crew of submariners for our future, we need to be doing this with a significant number,’’ Mr Marles said, adding that the training being announced was “a really important statement of principle’’.

The UK and US have already welcomed Royal Australian Navy personnel on specialised nuclear training courses, with more to follow next year before the Australian submariners will go to sea.

HMS Anson, which is 97m long, will be armed with up to 38 Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedoe, and Block V Tomahawk land attack missiles, and able to tackle targets at a range of up to 1,500 kilometres.

Outgoing British prime minister Boris Johnson, who was at the commissioning of the submarine, said: “From the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea, our submarine service is protecting the UK and our allies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the deployment of Australian submariners alongside our British crews epitomises the strength of the AUKUS partnership.”

Mr Marles said around 80 Australian workers were currently in Govan, Scotland, helping work on the Type 26 frigate program who will then return to Adelaide to use their skills in building the Australian version of the frigate, the Hunter class.

“It is important to build a critical mass (of experts) who will go back to Adelaide and use their skills in building the Hunter class,’’ he said.

“We need to be doing a version of that in respect of the submarines as well and it needs to end up being a significant number (of people) at the end of the day. We are able to have not just a transfer of technology in respect of the hardware, but a transfer of skills in respect of the people.’’

British defence secretary Ben Wallace remarked that Australia’s future nuclear powered submarine, under the AUKUS agreement was “not an either, or type question” between the British or American designs but stressed it could be a collaborative program between three nations.

He said Australia’s submarine “may look like something none of us have in our stocks” with the latest post-Astute class submarine designs fully shared among Australia, Britain and the United States.

Mr Wallace said:“The question is how do we get to 2035 and 2040 in our deliveries (of building submarines) which we all need? We need to be truly collaborative as we can be, we might have a bit of all three of us on it, and in the meantime we’ve helped contribute to building a skills base and a workforce and an operating navy to deliver that.”

Mr Marles also revealed that the Australian government was “actively considering’’ whether to provide military training assistance to help train Ukrainian fighters as well as providing 60 Bushmaster vehicles.

The British government has headed a European coalition of trainers for Ukrainians, including Denmark, Sweden, Canada and The Netherlands and Mr Wallace said ‘we would like Australia to join us… it could make a difference”.

Mr Wallace also said that Britain was planning future joint activities with France in the Pacific, with patrols or joint deployments.

“It is absolutely key to send a message into the Pacific that is there is the US voice, but also the European voice. Britain and France, when we are together, we are quite formidable allies.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/aukus-allies-sign-off-on-nuclear-subs-training-for-australians/news-story/de8cff476e16ea67d5f72c00a899cf02

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305fdc  No.17475487

File: c801898c620f218⋯.mp4 (8.97 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, US_submarine_program_direc….mp4)

>>17469889

US admiral issues blunt warning on building Australian submarines in overstretched shipyards

Andrew Greene - 1 September 2022

A senior US Navy official has warned helping Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines could be too big a burden for America's already overstretched shipyards.

During an online forum, the US program executive officer for strategic submarines was questioned on America's shipbuilding workforce and the implications of the AUKUS partnership with Australia.

Rear Admiral Scott Pappano said the ambitious plan could hamper his nation's own nuclear submarine program, as well as the United Kingdom's, in comments made to the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

"If you are asking my opinion, if we were going to add additional submarine construction to our industrial base, that would be detrimental to us right now," Admiral Pappano said.

The rear admiral added that significant investment would be needed to provide "additional capacity, capability to go do that"

"I won't speak for the UK, but I think that exists for both the US and the UK where we're looking right now," he said.

The Defence Department is currently conducting an 18-month study on the best option for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarine capability, with a report due to hand down official recommendations in March.

Earlier this year former defence minister, now Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton claimed he was confident Australia could secure two American-built Virginia-class nuclear submarines by 2030.

Mr Dutton insisted that if the Coalition had remained in office, it could have been "in a position to make an announcement around July-August" on acquiring US-built nuclear submarines.

Private reservations

US naval figures have long held private reservations about allowing Australia to join an American production line for nuclear-powered submarines, but Admiral Pappano's comments are the strongest public intervention so far.

In his appearance at the Mitchell Institute, Admiral Pappano predicted America's submarine production in the financial year 2025 was expected to be five times what it was two years ago.

The increased workload includes doubling the construction of the newest Virginia-class submarines to two boats a year, and introducing a new version of the Virginia-class known as Block V, which allows for more Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Later this decade, production of the next generation Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, or SSBNs, is also scheduled to come into effect.

Admiral Pappano said the US Navy was working with local shipbuilders to receive the Columbia-class boats six months earlier than planned, cutting the delivery schedule from 84 to 78 months.

UK says submarines a 'collaborative program'

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace remarked that Australia's future nuclear-powered submarines, under the AUKUS agreement was "not an either, or type question" between British or American designs, but could be a collaborative program between the three nations.

He said Australia's submarine "may look like something none of us have in our stocks", with the latest post-Astute class submarine designs fully shared among Australia, Britain and the US.

"The question is how do we get to 2035 and 2040 in our deliveries (of building submarines) which we all need?" Mr Wallace said.

"We need to be truly collaborative as we can be, we might have a bit of all three of us on it, and in the meantime we've helped contribute to building a skills base and a workforce and an operating navy to deliver that."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-01/us-admiral-issues-blunt-warning-on-building-aus-subs/101394250

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305fdc  No.17475500

File: af147428eac8de0⋯.jpg (148.79 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Michelle_Bachelet_insists_….jpg)

File: 22bc1277a976896⋯.jpg (237.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_report_was_released_ju….jpg)

UN human-rights agency issues report on Xinjiang over China’s protest

CHUN HAN WONG and JAMES T. AREDDY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

1/2

The United Nations human-rights agency on Wednesday alleged “serious human-rights violations” in the Chinese region of Xinjiang that often targeted ethnic Uyghurs and other members of Islamic groups, in a report that broadly supports critical findings by Western governments, human-rights groups and media.

The findings were contained in a long-awaited report by the U.N. agency that quoted what it described as former detainees of internment camps in Xinjiang with “credible” accounts of torture and other forms of inhuman treatment between 2017 and 2019, including some instances of sexual violence. The UN body said detainees had no form of redress.

The UN agency said what it termed arbitrary detentions in Xinjiang stemmed from a system of antiterrorism laws in China “that is deeply problematic from the perspective of international human-rights norms and standards.” It also alleged people are detained for religious practices.

It said the extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”

The report cited descriptions of possible forced labor associated with the camps, including labor and employment schemes for the purported purposes of poverty alleviation and the prevention of “extremism.”

The UN body urged Chinese authorities to take “prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty” in Xinjiang and to undertake “a full review of the legal framework governing national security, counterterrorism and minority rights,” as well comply with international conventions on forced labor.

The findings largely support allegations in recent years from Western governments, human-rights groups and media organizations that have triggered widespread condemnation of Beijing and support for the Uyghur cause.

The US has alleged genocide in Xinjiang—the 48-page U.N. report doesn’t contain the word—and sanctioned Chinese officials it blames for the alleged human rights abuses. The US has also banned imports of most products produced in Xinijang, such as cotton.

The U.N. report contained an annex published by China’s Permanent Mission to the U.N. that said China firmly opposed the release of the report and said it was based on disinformation by anti-China forces. China argues that it has undertaken vocational training efforts in Xinjiang to diffuse risks of terrorism and to alleviate poverty, and that critics ignore improvements in living standards delivered by the government.

The report was delivered hours before the end of a four-year term by the agency’s high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, and emerged despite strong objection by Beijing.

Since taking office in September 2018, Ms Bachelet, the former president of Chile, has led an effort by the UN rights agency to assess claims of rampant abuses in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, where researchers have documented a withering Communist Party campaign to forcibly assimilate ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.

Ms Bachelet’s office pledged to issue its findings in a report, which became the subject of contention as US officials and rights watchdogs accused the UN of delaying its release, while Beijing lobbied against its publication.

Human-rights groups applauded the report’s release, expressing hope it will generate a strong response from UN member states and international corporations.

“The High Commissioner’s damning findings explain why the Chinese government fought tooth and nail to prevent the publication of her Xinjiang report, which lays bare China’s sweeping rights abuses,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement after the report’s release.

“This is a game-changer for the international response to the Uyghur crisis,” Uyghur Human Rights Project Executive Director Omer Kanat said in a statement.

Among those held in Xinjiang is Uyghur intellectual Ilham Tohti who in 2014 was jailed for life on charges of separatism; on Wednesday, his U.S.-based daughter Jewher Ilham said she welcomed the UN report but that it brings her “little comfort” because she believes her father was jailed on charges he didn’t deserve and that she has had no contact with him for nine years.

Ms Bachelet said in September 2021 that her office was “finalizing” its assessment of alleged rights violations in Xinjiang. The U.N. rights agency continued working on the report as it arranged a China visit for Ms Bachelet, who traveled to Xinjiang and the southern city of Guangzhou in late May—the first China visit by a UN high commissioner for human rights since 2005.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17475504

File: 6527a5553b2f27e⋯.jpg (97.72 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, China_s_permanent_represen….jpg)

>>17475500

2/2

In accordance with standard practice, whereby the UN rights agency provides copies of country-specific reports to the government in question before publication, Ms Bachelet’s office shared its Xinjiang assessment with the Chinese government to seek comment. Last week, she told reporters that she has received “substantial input” from Beijing that her office must “carefully review.”

Xinjiang, a swath of desert and mountains abutting Central Asia, is home to roughly 14 million Turkic-speaking Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. Rights activists and scholars estimate that Chinese authorities in the region have funnelled more than a million people through internment camps, while implementing political indoctrination, forced labor, family separations, strict birth controls and restrictions on religious practices that target Uyghur and other Muslim communities.

The US State Department and lawmakers in Canada, the UK, and France have argued that China’s actions in Xinjiang amount to a form of genocide. An independent, UK.-based panel of lawyers, academics and activists came to the same conclusion in December following a yearlong investigation.

Agricultural and industrial supply chains involving Xinjiang are under new scrutiny because the region is a major producer of cotton, tomatoes and chemicals used in high-technology applications like solar cells. Concerns about Xinjiang were a basis for the Biden administration and some other Western governments to diplomatically boycott this year’s winter Olympics in Beijing.

Beijing has denied committing rights violations in Xinjiang, calling genocide allegations “the lie of the century.”

“We firmly oppose the release of a so-called Xinjiang-related report,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters on Wednesday ahead of the report’s publication. “The report is a pure stunt orchestrated by the U.S. and a handful of other Western countries.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has said that the party’s policies in Xinjiang are “completely correct” and that they helped restore stability to a region once racked by ethnic violence and deadly attacks against symbols of Beijing’s authority. He visited the region in July.

Critical findings of China from the UN contrast with Beijing’s growing rhetorical and financial support for the world body, which Mr Xi has said better represents world opinion than organizations like the Group of Seven that it says are controlled by Washington.

The report didn’t estimate how many people were held in Xinjiang but referred to a separate 2018 UN agency estimate that detainees numbered in the tens of thousands to over a million. It said Beijing responded to those estimates at the time by saying detainees, which it says are undergoing “re-education,” come and go so total figures aren’t available.

Ms Bachelet had pledged to release the report before her four-year term as high commissioner expired. The former Chilean president, who turns 71 in September, made the commitment while announcing that she wouldn’t seek a second term, citing personal reasons, amid criticism from Western officials and activists that her China visit had played into Beijing’s narratives about its rights record.

The UN has yet to announce Ms. Bachelet’s successor.

In July, Beijing said nearly 1,000 nongovernmental organizations in China and elsewhere signed a letter urging Ms Bachelet not to release the Xinjiang report, saying its publication would be used as “an excuse to interfere in China’s internal affairs,” while undermining the U.N. rights agency’s reputation.

Ms Bachelet said last week that she also received a letter signed by about 40 or so countries urging her not to issue the report. “I have been under tremendous pressure, to publish or not to publish, but I will not publish or withhold publication due to any such pressure. I can assure you of that,” Ms Bachelet told reporters. “Our work is guided by human-rights methodology and the facts on the ground, and objective legal analysis.”

The assessment issued by Ms Bachelet’s office came on the heels of a separate set of findings from a UN Special rapporteur on contemporary slavery, who wrote a report—dated July—saying that he found it “reasonable to conclude” that forced labor was taking place in Xinjiang.

The rapporteur, legal scholar Tomoya Obokata, cited an independent assessment of information that included academic research, victims’ testimonies and government accounts. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected Mr Obokata’s claims and accused him of trying to “malignly smear and denigrate China”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/bombshell-un-xinjiang-report-lists-litany-of-rights-abuses/news-story/755df26a730a9378a61a2a5ab9b67e87

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305fdc  No.17475525

File: 968ab4111aa9ab6⋯.jpg (131.99 KB, 1240x413, 1240:413, UN_Human_Rights_Office_iss….jpg)

File: af3a41061d0b6b2⋯.jpg (123.46 KB, 1240x1755, 248:351, 0001.jpg)

File: d4be335d3b8df48⋯.pdf (4.44 MB, 22_08_31_final_assesment.pdf)

>>17475500

UN Human Rights Office issues assessment of human rights concerns in Xinjiang, China

31 August 2022

GENEVA (31 August 2022) – The UN Human Rights Office today issued an assessment of human rights concerns in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The assessment was initiated following serious allegations of human rights violations against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim communities brought to the attention of the UN Human Rights Office and UN human rights mechanisms since late 2017, particularly in the context of the Chinese Government’s policies and measures to combat terrorism and “extremism”.

The assessment is based on a rigorous review of documentary material currently available to the Office, with its credibility assessed in accordance with standard human rights methodology. Particular attention was given to the Government’s own laws, policies, data and statements. The Office also requested information and engaged in dialogue and technical exchanges with China throughout the process.

The information was assessed against applicable international human rights law, and builds on the work of a number of UN human rights mechanisms.

The UN Human Rights Office stands ready to support China in addressing the issues and recommendations articulated in the assessment.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/08/un-human-rights-office-issues-assessment-human-rights-concerns-xinjiang

https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ohchr-assessment-human-rights-concerns-xinjiang-uyghur-autonomous-region

https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/countries/2022-08-31/22-08-31-final-assesment.pdf

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305fdc  No.17475542

File: 1028d5aae97c7f8⋯.jpg (74.74 KB, 450x800, 9:16, Marhaba_Salay_says_she_has….jpg)

File: 639f850456e727e⋯.jpg (86.85 KB, 540x720, 3:4, Mayila_Yakufu_sent_money_t….jpg)

File: 2de994ffe15f497⋯.jpg (2.85 MB, 3543x2362, 3:2, Michelle_Bachelet_released….jpg)

>>17475500

United Nations report on Xinjiang backs fears felt by Australia's Uyghur community

Joshua Boscaini and Erin Handley - 1 September 2022

1/2

Adelaide woman Marhaba Salay feels a sharp pain in her chest when she speaks of her beloved older sister, Mayila Yakufu.

Ms Yakufu, 45, a single mother of three teenagers, is one of more than 1 million Uyghur Muslims the UN says have been detained in China's "re-education" facilities in Xinjiang.

"I have so much pain in my heart and I am mentally suffering a lot," Ms Salay told the ABC.

Ms Salay said her sister sent money to her and her parents in Australia back in 2013 to help them buy a house — a transaction she said the Chinese government was using as evidence of "financing terrorism".

While Ms Salay and her parents are Australian citizens, her sister is not.

"I lost hope," Ms Salay said.

"She was innocent, and what she has done is just send money to us to help us to buy a house in Australia, but it became her crime."

Ms Salay said the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs had confirmed her sister was facing terrorism charges. Ms Salay found out from relatives in Xinjiang that her sister was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

More than three years of her sentence remain.

"My sister's case is just one of the millions of living examples of the crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese communist regime," Ms Salay said.

Outgoing United Nations human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet has released a report detailing serious allegations of human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China's Xinjiang region.

The report concluded there were "patterns of torture" in what China calls "vocational education and training centres".

Former detainees told the human rights office they were subjected to beatings, rape, and solitary confinement and were forcibly administered injections or pills without informed consent.

Some, mostly female, former detainees told the office they were raped by guards and were subjected to sexual humiliation and forced nudity.

Other former detainees said lights were switched on in dormitories or cells during the night, depriving them of sleep.

They reported not being allowed to speak their native language or practise their religion and were instead forced to "sing patriotic song after patriotic song every day, as loud as possible and until it hurts, until our faces become red and our veins appeared on our face", one interviewee said.

Uyghurs hope the report triggers 'tangible action'

The report concluded China's arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and other minorities, and the deprivation of fundamental human rights might constitute "crimes against humanity".

Ramila Chanisheff, president of the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association, told the ABC the report's release had been a long time coming and she hoped "tangible action" would be taken.

But Ms Chanisheff said she was disappointed to learn the evidence collected and detailed in the report was not defined as genocide.

"It just hasn't taken it to that next step, but it is something that we can work with and is another [piece of] credible evidence on top of mountains of evidence that have come out in the last years," she said.

"We just hope something will come out of it."

She said the Uyghur diaspora had been living with anxiety ever since revelations emerged in 2017 that Chinese authorities were detaining Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.

"They've lost connections and communication with their family members," she said.

"Anxiety is always there, and of course it will renew that anxiety with the release of the report.

"Every member … in Australia have got a close family member and/or relatives, extended family members who have disappeared so all of us are worried [about] what is happening to these people."

Ms Chanisheff's sentiments were echoed by Ms Salay.

"Now the report has finally come out, but my sister is still in the prison," she said.

"Millions of Uyghurs are still suffering.

"I hope that it doesn't remain on the paper, [but] rather actions are taken to the stop the genocide.

"If that report doesn't change anything in the future, what's the benefit? What's the point?"

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17475548

File: 2647580e7cdc56a⋯.jpg (121.73 KB, 533x800, 533:800, Ramila_Chanisheff_says_the….jpg)

File: b6c64c587bf6e93⋯.jpg (393.57 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, China_says_the_report_smea….jpg)

>>17475542

2/2

China labels report a 'farce'

Justine Nolan, director of the Australian Human Rights Institute at the University of New South Wales, told the ABC the allegations in the report were in the category of the most significant and serious human rights violations.

Professor Nolan said that to action change, there needed to be international support within the UN Human Rights Council to push for an investigation.

"It makes the evidence really hard to deny," she said.

"There's just no plausible deniability of what's going on in the region."

She said while the report itself did not give rise to specific legal actions, the International Criminal Court could investigate allegations of crimes against humanity against a specific individual, or a state could launch action against China in the International Court of Justice.

"What this report does is it gives you the evidence to substantiate one of those potential actions," she said.

"This is in the category of the most significant and serious human rights violations that exist … It's basically acknowledging that there's a systematic approach to really doing away with a certain part of a population."

Human Rights Watch has called for the report to be formally presented to the Human Rights Council "as a matter of priority" so states can discuss its findings and take steps to implement its recommendations.

China has called the UN report a "farce" and accused it of being plotted by "Western and anti-China forces".

Liu Yuyin, the spokesperson for China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said the report smeared and slandered China and interfered in its internal affairs.

"The so-called 'assessment', based on presumption of guilt, uses disinformation and lies fabricated by anti-China forces as its main sources, deliberately ignores authoritative information and objective materials provided by the Chinese government," Mr Liu said.

Mr Liu defended China's human rights record in Xinjiang and said the region enjoyed social stability, economic development, cultural prosperity and religious harmony.

"People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are living a fulfilling life in peace," she said.

"It is the best human rights practice and the greatest human rights achievement."

The ABC has contacted Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-01/united-nations-xinjiang-report-confirms-uyghur-community-pain/101394760

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305fdc  No.17475558

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17475500

China slams UN Xinjiang report as 'manufactured' by the US

AFP News Agency

Sep 1, 2022

China slams a United Nations report into human rights abuses of its Muslim Uyghur in the Xinjiang region as a "political tool" being used against Beijing. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claims the report was "manufactured by the US and some other Western forces". The report said torture allegations were credible and cited possible crimes against humanity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uLyhXqLeYs

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305fdc  No.17475580

File: fdfb283fa2b82a5⋯.jpg (181.9 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Ships_anchor_near_the_Honi….jpg)

>>17465759

Solomon Islands’ docking rights suspension angers US congress

ADAM CREIGHTON - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Solomon Islands’ suspension of docking rights for US and allied navy ships has angered members of Congress and raised questions about US plans to build a promised embassy on the small Pacific Island, which has come under growing influence from Beijing.

Democrat Congressman Joe Courtney, co-chairman of the Friends of Australia Caucus in Congress, said the small Pacific Island nation, which signed a security pact with Beijing that Canberra and Washington fear could foreshadow a Chinese troop presence, had “every right” to revise its policies, but the move was “perplexing”.

“Solomon Islands’ tacit denial of a benign Coast Guard vessel on mission to protect legal fishing in the region smacks of foreign influence by the People’s Republic of China,” he told The Australian, referring to the surprise rejection of an application by the Oliver Henry to visit Solomon Islands last week.

“Should the Solomon Islands’ policy review — aimed at better policing its exclusive economic zone — take on a PRC flavour, we could see further challenges to pillars of maritime law”.

The US and Australia are vying with Beijing for influence in the small island of around 700,000 people, strategically located around 3,000 kilometres to the northeast of Australia.

Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, also a co-chairman of the Friends of Australia group, urged the AUKUS partners to “prioritise reversing the current disastrous trend in the Solomons before it’s too late”. “A foreign aggressor seems bent on conquering the islands from within without even firing a shot,” he told The Australian.

The state department, which in February announced plans for an embassy in Honiara to help counter growing Chinese influence, stopped short of condemning Honiara in a statement on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), expressing only “disappointment” with prime minister Manasseh Sogavare’s moratorium.

The Chinese government, which has used loans and other development assistance to draw developing nations into its orbit, has repeatedly claimed ownership to the South China Sea, contrary to international law.

Michael Walsh, a researcher in Australia studies at Georgetown University, said the Solomons’ move would elicit “calls on the Biden administration to do more to disrupt and subvert the security partnerships being constructed by the Xi Jing Ping administration”.

“It will be interesting to see whether the moratorium will decrease support for the establishment of an embassy in the Solomon Islands among Congress, or inspires more engagement in the Pacific,” Mr Walsh told The Australian.

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill last month to establish embassies in Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu, currently served by the US ambassadors in Fiji in Papua New Guinea.

One of the sponsors, Republican Senator Marcia Blackburn, who visited the islands last month and urged the White House to expedite establishment of a new embassy in Honiara, said the Solomon Islands’ move was “extremely concerning” via her spokesman.

“Refuelling stops are part of the longstanding relationship between Washington and Honiara …. The United States, along with our British and Australian partners, must aggressively assert and increase our footprint in the region to fend off China’s growing influence,” her spokesman told The Australian.

The fallout in the Pacific comes amid a tense standoff between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan, after a series of high-level visits to the island by US Congressional leaders in August, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, that enraged Beijing and prompted a round of provocative Chinese military drills.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/solomon-islands-docking-rights-suspension-angers-us-congress/news-story/f9dafd721052dd07e9bb2a9c7418bd1a

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305fdc  No.17475586

File: 85542e722b55da4⋯.jpg (103.44 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_US_navy_s_medical_ship….jpg)

File: 068d5db4c5dded4⋯.jpg (116.98 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

>>17465759

Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare accepts US medical ship while banning other vessels

BEN PACKHAM - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has hosted an official welcome for a US navy hospital ship just days after his government refused diplomatic clearance for a US Coast Guard vessel to dock in Honiara.

Mr Sogavare thanked the USNS Mercy for visiting the country, where it is conducting free medical consultations, saying it would be “wonderful to make this visit an annual event”.

The ship arrived in Honiara on August 29 – the same day the Sogavare government declared a moratorium on foreign naval visits, and six days after it turned away the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry.

The ban has angered US Congress members, with Democrat Congressman Joe Courtney declaring it “smacks of foreign influence by the People’s Republic of China”.

Mr Sogavare asked at the official welcome for USNS Mercy whether the ship could return in November and December next year, when the country hosts the Pacific Games with financial support from China.

He said such a visit would provide support to all of the Pacific nations competing in the games.

“Such a visit at that time will also provide immense relief to the Ministry of Health and Medical services who will assume the primary responsibility of looking after the health of almost 5000 athletes and officials from 24 sporting nations in the Pacific over the two weeks of the 2023 Pacific Games,” Mr Sogavare said.

In a statement this week, the Prime Minister's office clarified what it described as “misinformation” over the aborted visit by the US Coast Guard ship, which was conducting operations against illegal fishing in the region

The statement said the government’s refusal to provide clearance for the ship was “due primarily to the appropriate information not sent to the Office of Prime Minister on time”.

“Unfortunately, by the time the approval was communicated on the evening of 20th August 2022, the ship’s captain had decided to leave our waters,” Mr Sogavare said.

Another planned visit, by British offshore patrol vessel HMS Spey, was also aborted after its approval was delayed.

The statement said the government needed “to review and refine its approval requirements and procedures for visiting military vessels to Solomon Islands”.

“To this end we have requested our partners to give us time to review and put in place our new processes before sending further requests for military vessels to enter the country,” Mr Sogavare said.

“Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all. We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/solomon-islands-pm-manasseh-sogavare-accepts-us-medical-ship-while-banning-other-vessels/news-story/65f2d09eade9f64d5de5e4fbffc8641f

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305fdc  No.17481676

File: e0870a505ad121b⋯.jpg (147.36 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Outgoing_United_Nations_Hi….jpg)

File: 484a035cc765693⋯.jpg (188.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Members_of_the_Uighur_comm….jpg)

File: a05135db2d37383⋯.jpg (102.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, US_Secretary_of_State_Anto….jpg)

>>17475500

After disappearing Uighurs, Beijing tries to vanish UN report

WILL GLASGOW - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

Beijing has tried to “disappear” a damning United Nations report into human rights abuses in Xinjiang, which has triggered international condemnation of brutal policies overseen by China’s leader Xi Jinping.

The silencing comes after Beijing failed to stop the report’s lead author Michelle Bachelet, the former President of Chile, from releasing the UN’s 48-page documentation of systematic violations of Uighur and other minorities in China’s west.

Beijing’s internationally facing mouthpieces have denounced the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“This so-called assessment is orchestrated and produced by the US and some Western forces and is completely illegal, null and void,” fumed China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

“It is a patchwork of disinformation that serves as a political tool for the US and some Western forces to strategically use Xinjiang to contain China.”

China’s English-language state media, the China Daily and Global Times, each carried a single new story, repeating Chinese foreign ministry spokesman’s comments.

But there has been almost no coverage by Beijing’s Chinese language media. A search by The Australian on Baidu – the biggest search engine for China’s censored internet – turned up a single mention of the report.

The top results for a search on Xinjiang were stories about 34 new Covid cases and tech park development. A search on the United Nations produced news stories on human rights abuses in America and China’s good work in Africa.

Underlining the extreme sensitivity of the UN’s criticism, the only mention of the published report came in a search of Ms Bachelet’s name in Chinese. The single mention was a social media post by a junior international relations academic at Hubei’s Central China Normal University, who wrote that the two-time Chilean president – and long time human rights champion – had been manipulated by “Western countries with bad intentions”.

Ms Bachelet, whose dramatic four-year term in the UN’s top human rights post ended this week, 13 minutes before she released the report, visited China for six days in May.

That trip included a meeting with President Xi over video, which was widely promoted in China.

China’s leader told Ms Bachelet about his theory of human rights.

“Deviating from reality and copying wholesale the institutional model of other countries will not only fit badly with the local conditions, but also bring disastrous consequences,” Mr Xi said.

The tour that Ms Bachelet and her team later took to Xinjiang was highly constrictive, with every minute supervised.

Courtney Fung, a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute, said China had gone to great lengths to manage Ms Bachelet’s UN report: downgrading the scope of her visit to China, curating opportunities for Ms Bachelet to endorse the Chinese government’s human rights narratives, and delaying the report by a year before trying to suppress it.

“China has turned out to be a formidable player in this regard, indicating its sensitivities to escalation in criticism or international pressure on human rights conditions in Xinjiang,” said Ms Fung, an expert on China in the UN at Macquarie University.

The report was released during a politically sensitive time for Beijing. In less than seven weeks, Mr Xi is scheduled to get an unprecedented third, five-year term as leader at a Communist Party conclave.

An international chorus has called on Beijing to follow Ms Bachelet’s recommendations, which include releasing all people arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang, clarifying the whereabouts of family members reported missing and co-operating with the UN’s International Labour Organisation to make sure there is no forced labour.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the report authoritatively described China‘s “appalling treatment” of ethnic and religious minority groups.

“This report deepens and reaffirms our grave concern regarding the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity that PRC (People’s Republic of China) government authorities are perpetrating against Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang,” Mr Blinken said.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the European Union, the United States, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Taiwan also called on China to address the concerns raised in the report.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/after-disappearing-uighurs-beijing-tries-to-vanish-un-report/news-story/a29ae4879d050ca614c1a2c529b95e88

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305fdc  No.17481688

File: 25455ab49e0f979⋯.jpg (136.74 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_facility_believed_to_be_….jpg)

>>17475500

Penny Wong urges Beijing to act on UN’s damning Xinjiang report

WILL GLASGOW - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for Beijing to address the damning findings in an authoritative UN investigation into China’s widespread human rights atrocities in Xinjiang.

The UN report – informed by years of research and first-hand testimonies by Uighurs and other minorities – found serious human rights violations had been committed in China’s far west, including torture, rape and other violations that may constitute “crimes against humanity”.

Senator Wong said the Albanese government was “deeply concerned” about the findings in the report, which amounted to one of the sharpest international rebukes of Beijing since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

“Australia expects all countries to adhere to their international human rights obligations, and we join with others in the international community in calling on the Chinese government to address the concerns raised in this report,” Senator Wong said.

Experts cited in the UN report estimate more than a million ­Uighurs and other minorities have passed through internment camps in Xinjiang since 2017.

Chinese President Xi Jinping defended his approach as “completely correct”, while a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the UN had behaved as an “accomplice of the US and the West”.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the Albanese government should consider using Australia’s new Magnitsky-style legislation to impose “targeted sanctions” on senior Chinese officials involved in the documented abuses.

“The Coalition would give bipartisan support to any appropriately targeted sanctions, including any reflective of sanctions already applied by the European Union, Canada, US or UK,” Senator Birmingham said.

He also called for Beijing to end its “intimidation and reprisals” against Uighur and other minorities in Australia and elsewhere who have advocated for their family members in Xinjiang.

One of those in Australia’s harassed Uighur community is Adam Turan, whose 79-year-old father was tortured in a detention camp in Xinjiang. His father died just weeks after he was released in 2018.

Mr Turan, who lives in Adelaide, said he was disappointed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet did not call Beijing’s atrocities a “genocide” in her report.

“People, including my father, and my brothers and sister, they all were detained only based on their ethnicity,” Mr Turan told The Australian. “There’s no due process, there’s no trial … I don’t know what else to call it,” he said.

Ms Bachelet was condemned by Uighur activists and human rights groups for delaying her report, which was released 13 minutes before her four-year term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights came to an end on Wednesday evening.

China went to extreme lengths to try to stop its publication, enlisting countries to lobby on its behalf and warning Ms Bachelet to not be influenced by “anti-China forces”.

Australia’s former ambassador to the UN, Gary Quinlan, said much of the criticism of Ms Bachelet failed to understand the realities of international politics.

“She’s produced what is clearly a pretty forceful report. She’s put a premium on its credibility,” Mr Quinlan said.

The UN report cited research by Canberra’s Australian Strategic Policy Institute on China’s detention network in Xinjiang. Beijing was so enraged with ASPI’s influential research that it accused it of “spreading untrue reports” and “peddling lies” in the list of 14 grievances Chinese diplomats gave Canberra in 2020.

China’s diplomats in Geneva continued those attacks in a rambling, propaganda-laden 131-page document published after the UN report. They cited the Australian affiliate of the LaRouche movement – a fringe conspiracy group – in China’s attempt to smear ASPI’s groundbreaking research on Xinjiang’s detention network.

“They’re on the wrong side of history,” said Vicky Xu, the lead researcher on an ASPI report on forced labour in Xinjiang.

“When they don’t have reason on their side, I guess the only people left to corroborate with the propaganda department in Beijing are conspiracy theorists,” she said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/beijing-urged-to-act-on-xinjiang-report/news-story/1b27fe3668d64ece79fbc06d6b649d2e

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305fdc  No.17481704

File: 635fc983ffece08⋯.jpg (93.44 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_arrest_of_90_year_old_….jpg)

File: 13e9200eac733f4⋯.jpg (106.73 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Gerhard_Mueller_says_the_f….jpg)

Gathering of cardinals ‘silent’ on fate of fellow prelate Joseph Zen

TESS LIVINGSTONE - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

A senior German cardinal has slammed Pope Francis and this week’s consistory of cardinals at the Vatican for remaining silent about the plight of Hong Kong cardinal Joseph Zen.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and editor of former pope Benedict XVI’s collective works, said Cardinal Zen was facing an “unfair trial’’ in Hong Kong under Chinese law.

But the consistory, on Monday and Tuesday this week, had produced “no document of solidarity, no prayer initiative for him’’, he said. The issue had not been raised at the consistory, Cardinal Mueller said, “not by the Dean, Cardinal Re, nor by the Secretary of State, Parolin, nor by the Pope’’.

Cardinal Mueller said the fear of intervening on behalf of Cardinal Zen was connected with the Vatican’s secret pact with China on the appointment of bishops.

The underground church in China, he said, “is currently persecuted in many areas and is faced with patriotic bishops who are more obedient to the atheistic state of Beijing than to the Pope’’. But he said he would not like to see the silence of the Vatican and the consistory “as indicative of this senior cardinal being consecrated, sacrificed on the altar of reason of state, in order to defend and advance the diplomatic agreement with Beijing. I see this risk and I feel pain”.

Cardinal Zen faces a five-day trial in a fortnight under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, charged with failing to properly register a relief fund set up in 2019 to assist pro-democracy, anti-government protests in 2019.

“I hope he will not be abandoned, Cardinal Mueller said.

“The extraordinary consistory would have been an opportunity to declare full solidarity with Zen on behalf of all the Cardinals of the College. The truth in the face of persecution should always be emphasised.’’

Asked why cardinals at the consistory did not come together to speak out in support of Cardinal Zen, Cardinal Mueller said they had not had an opportunity.

“It is as if we were being treated like first semester students, as if we needed to be indoctrinated, but I don’t want to make controversy,’’ he said.

That matches what another cardinal told The Australian.

Participants were divided into small groups to discuss the Vatican’s new Apostolic Constitution, already in force, with one spokesman from each group reporting back to the whole.

Individual cardinals had minimal opportunity to address the gathering. “It wasn’t really a consistory, just a two-day meeting,’’ the other cardinal said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/gathering-of-cardinals-silent-on-fate-of-fellow-prelate-joseph-zen/news-story/621d42a770222c97dec8f7a1abb39132

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305fdc  No.17481719

File: 2c5eb25e2b38a52⋯.jpg (110.84 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, PNG_Foreign_Minister_Justi….jpg)

File: 24fb27a602458f1⋯.jpg (146.92 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Penny_Wong_meets_Papua_NEw….jpg)

>>17458412

PNG flags scaling up of Manus Island naval base

BEN PACKHAM - AUGUST 31, 2022

Papua New Guinea has flagged expansion of the joint Manus Island naval base under a renewed Australia-PNG security partnership, and warned Solomon Islands to “really think carefully” about putting its China relationship ahead of its ties with Australia and the US.

PNG’s new Foreign Minister, Justin Tkatchenko, said the country’s Marape government was prepared for a Chinese backlash over a renegotiated security pact with Australia, but Beijing needed to realise its relationship with PNG was purely economic.

Mr Tkatchenko said PNG’s primary security relationships were with Australia, the US and New Zealand, and the country’s Prime Minister, James Marape, had made clear “we are not dealing with China at a military, defence or security level”.

The Lombrum Naval Base is already being upgraded under a $175m Australian government contract to accommodate PNG’s Guardian-class patrol boats.

Mr Tkatchenko said if the base were expanded further, “it would bring long-term security to that area and the region”, and “be economically good for the people of Manus”.

“I‘m sure China will be very interested to hear what’s going on there, and will probably not be happy,” he said. “But it’s our sovereignty. It’s in our region. And Australia, New Zealand and America have always been a part of PNG’s security issues and supporting our defence force. They are strategic partners.”

He said China was “a big economic partner”, buying PNG’s gas and other resources, but “that‘s where it stops”.

“With Australia, they are not only an economic partner, with trade and other things, they’re also a key ally in defence and security in the region,” he said.

His comments will be widely welcomed by the Albanese government and are in stark contrast to those of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who recently signed a security deal with Beijing and this week slapped a temporary moratorium on visits by US navy ships.

Mr Tkatchenko, a former Australian citizen who was sworn into his position less than a month ago, said Mr Sogavare was exercising his sovereign rights but should remember “decisions today affect decisions in the ­future and relationships in the ­future”.

“I think for Solomon Islands, they need to really think carefully. I can’t judge them and I don’t know the background of … why they won’t allow the US to fuel up there,” he said. “It just seems that it’s unnecessary and these small things might end up to be big things later on.”

Mr Tkatchenko met Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Port Moresby on Tuesday, discussing how the Australia-PNG security agreement could be renewed “seeing as how the situation has changed in the region in the last few years”. His comments follow those of Defence Minister Richard Marles, who said the deep­water Manus port was a “huge strategic asset”, and Australia’s defence ties with PNG were “one of the most significant military relationships that we have”.

Mr Marles, who spoke to Mr Marape in recent days about stepping up the nations’ defence partnership, said the Lombrum Naval Base would be at the core of an ­expanded Australia-PNG defence relationship.

The Sogavare government imposed a temporary ban on naval visits by US ships this week, refusing diplomatic clearance for a US Coast Guard cutter to dock in Honiara to refuel and take on provisions. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration was dis­appointed at the moratorium but expected future clearances would be provided to US ships.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/png-flags-scaling-up-of-manus-island-naval-base/news-story/3baedebd368297c481be460520e00f5b

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305fdc  No.17481731

File: f2964069b5b13f6⋯.jpg (90.53 KB, 960x640, 3:2, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

File: efb8299f9ebe274⋯.jpg (94.69 KB, 960x640, 3:2, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

Analysis: Unpredictable Solomon Islands fuels U.S. concern as China's influence grows

Kirsty Needham - September 2, 2022

SYDNEY, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Months after the Solomon Islands struck a security pact with China, its leader has repeatedly appeared to snub the United States, heightening Washington's concern but not deterring it from trying to keep the Pacific nation out of Beijing's orbit.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's unpredictable diplomacy will make it hard for the United States to make up lost ground with the pivotal island nation as China seeks to expand its security presence, former diplomats and other analysts say.

As part of a push to boost engagement and counter China's growing influence, the administration of President Joe Biden plans to open an embassy for the first time in three decades in the Solomon Islands, an archipelago that switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019 and in April sealed the security agreement with China.

Washington has since faced a series of rebuffs from Sogavare, who continues to keep dialogue open on U.S. aid.

Last month he skipped a planned appearance with a senior U.S. official at a World War Two commemoration. His government did not respond to a U.S. Coast Guard vessel's request to refuel, a move Washington called "regrettable". Sogavare then announced he was barring all foreign navy ships from port - while he was welcoming a U.S. Navy hospital ship on a humanitarian mission. read more

China's state-owned Global Times newspaper said in an editorial that the prime minister was "counteracting" against Washington.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment. A spokesperson for Senator Marsha Blackburn, who last week visited Sogavare, said it was "extremely concerning that Solomon Islands are blocking military vessels from their waters".

Sogavare has a history of erratic behaviour, which contributed to him previously losing office as prime minister, said Australian National University Pacific expert Graeme Smith.

Michael Green, a former senior U.S. national security official, said the halt to navy visits is a "net loss" for the United States, which had access before the deal with China, but it does not mean "the game is over".

"We also don't know whether Prime Minister Sogavare is paralysed with indecision given the tough geopolitics - or in the pocket of Beijing - or both," said Green, who heads the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. "Either way, the U.S. and Australia have to keep at engagement and prove we are trusted partners."

Sogavare's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

'PRESSURED FROM ALL SIDES'

Sogavare is pushing back against pro-democracy messaging from Washington to avoid being a pawn in a superpower contest, said Mihai Sora, an Australian former diplomat in the Solomon Islands. "Particularly to Sogavare, it is antagonising."

His abrupt absence from the 80th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Guadalcanal played into China's goals of keeping U.S. influence at bay, said Sora, a research fellow at Australia's Lowy Institute think tank.

"Of all the Pacific islands leaders, Sogavare is the one that is most accommodating to China's strategic intent," he said.

Washington had little engagement with the Solomon Islands before Honiara sealed the pact with China and has a lot of diplomatic ground to make up, Sora said.

Catherine Egbert-Gray, who frequently met Sogavare when she was U.S. ambassador to the Solomon Islands, said China's assertive diplomacy only reinforces the U.S. decision to increase development assistance and reopen its embassy in Honiara.

Around the time Sogavare recognised Beijing, "he appeared confident he could maintain good and strong relations with all diplomatic partners," she said. "I hope he remains committed to this goal and does not allow unsavoury influences to break down long-held friendships to the long-term detriment of the nation."

James Batley, who from 2004 to 2006 led the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, an international security response to violent clashes there, said Honiara's foreign navy moratorium likely also applies to Chinese vessels.

"It is a way of buying them breathing space," he said. "I do think they feel pressured from all sides".

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/unpredictable-solomon-islands-fuels-us-concern-chinas-influence-grows-2022-09-02/

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305fdc  No.17481753

File: d96475f6bcd85cd⋯.jpg (950.46 KB, 2445x1630, 3:2, The_Prime_Minister_is_movi….jpg)

>>17481731

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare fast-tracks bill to amend constitution and delay elections

Stephen Dziedzic and Annika Burgess - 2 September 2022

The Solomon Islands opposition has accused Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of trying to "bulldoze" his contentious bill to delay next year's elections through parliament.

Mr Sogavare wants to amend the country's constitution to extend parliament until after it hosts the Pacific Games in November 2023, arguing that Solomon Islands cannot afford to hold both major events in the same year.

But the move has angered the opposition, which says the move is profoundly anti-democratic and risks stoking fresh instability in the Pacific Island country.

Now Mr Sogavare has announced the constitutional amendment will be debated in parliament next week, effectively allowing him to dodge a parliamentary committee hearing where opposition MPs and civil society groups could weigh in on the bill.

Opposition Leader Matthew Wale responded angrily to the manoeuvre, calling it an "abuse of process".

"Obviously the Prime Minister is not interested in parliamentary practice or good governance, but he wants to shortcut the process," he said.

"It sets a bad precedent for the future. No prime minister or government should see it necessary to shortcut or undermine parliamentary process, especially on a matter of gravity."

Prominent opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Jr also criticised the move, calling it "a massive blow to participatory democracy in our nation" and a "sad day for democracy".

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office rejected Mr Wale's comments, saying the bill had been "on notice" for four weeks during which the the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) could have reviewed it.

"It is the BLC that has NOT carried out its mandate and now trying to blame the Government, because the Government has exposed the failure of the BLC," the statement said.

"It is a sad day indeed for our democracy when a Parliamentary Standing Committee such as the BLC is not functioning."

'We are very suspicious'

National elections are held every four years, and parliament is due to be dissolved in May 2023.

Ruth Liloqula, the chief executive of Transparency Solomon Islands, said the Prime Minister had dropped a "bombshell" on the people of Solomon Islands.

"This is something that they do not want to see happen," she said.

Ms Liloqula said while the move was not illegal, the Pacific Games was not a valid reason to amend the constitution.

"We are very suspicious about the moves that he's making and also all the reasons that he's given," she said.

"The provision that they're using in the constitution is not meant for a games event. It is meant for a matter of life and death and for unforeseen crisis beyond our control."

Ms Liloqula is calling on the country's development partners to step in and help fund the elections so they can take place at the same time as the Pacific Games.

The Australian government has been watching the debate closely but has been wary of wading into the fray, partly because it does not want to anger Mr Sogavare or be accused of meddling in Solomon Islands' domestic politics.

The Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, has repeatedly stressed that the timing of the election is an internal question for Solomon Islands.

But he has also stressed the importance of the bill going through the democratic checks and balances, telling the ABC last month: "We obviously make the point that there's a long way to go in this process and it's important that the proposed change goes through the Solomon Islands Parliamentary process."

The government has not yet commented on Mr Sogavare's most recent announcement.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-02/solomon-islands-election-delay-bid-manasseh-sogavare/101401662

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305fdc  No.17481780

File: bab8f000a4d24d0⋯.jpg (405.4 KB, 1620x1080, 3:2, U_S_Coast_Guard_Arrives_fo….jpg)

>>17458335

U.S. Coast Guard Arrives for Planned Port Visit in Cairns, Australia

Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia / Sector Guam - Sept. 1, 2022

CAIRNS, Australia - The Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) crew arrived in Cairns on Aug. 31, for engagements with Australian Defence and Home Affairs partners and local representatives.

"A cutter arrival to Australia is another first, not only for U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia but also our fast response cutter fleet and is a reminder of our Service's commitment to our partners and our enduring presence in the region," said Capt. Nick Simmons, commander U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. "The ship driver in me was envious when Lt. Hofschneider reported 'OH transiting southbound along Inner Great Barrier Reef Passage enroute to Cairns. No issues or concerns.' Not the kind of thing many Coast Guard members have ever written or said."

Before arrival in port, Oliver Henry's crew operated at sea with aerial support from the Australian Border Forces in the Torres Strait. While in port, the two nations will continue to build on the relationship forged at sea. Upon arrival, the crew was greeted by representatives from the Royal Australian Navy HMAS Cairns and the U.S. embassy. They were also guests of the Cairns Regional Council.

“It is an honor for Oliver Henry and her crew to visit and host our Australian friends,” said Lt. Freddy Hofschneider, Oliver Henry's commanding officer. “The U.S. and Australia have been standing side-by-side for more than 100 years. This is more than a partnership, it is mateship. The U.S. Coast Guard looks forward to more opportunities to with the Australian Border Force, Royal Australian Navy, and other Australian partners to advance the rule of law at sea.”

During their stop in Cairns, members of Oliver Henry anticipate engagements with local officials and the community while also experiencing local culture.

The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting a routine deployment in Oceania as part of Operation Blue Pacific, working alongside Allies, building maritime domain awareness, and sharing best practices with partner nation navies and coast guards. Op Blue Pacific is an overarching multi-mission U.S. Coast Guard endeavor promoting security, safety, sovereignty, and economic prosperity in Oceania while strengthening relationships with our regional partners.

The Oliver Henry is the 40th Sentinel-class fast response cutter. The ship was commissioned along with its sister ships, Myrtle Hazard and Frederick Hatch, in Guam in July 2021. In the time since, the crew has participated in several search and rescue cases, completed a counternarcotics patrol off Guam with the Japan Coast Guard, and conducted sovereignty and fisheries patrols in the Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam area of responsibility.

https://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/3147606/us-coast-guard-arrives-for-planned-port-visit-in-cairns-australia/

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305fdc  No.17481803

File: ab3f0922dd1ac4e⋯.jpg (69.8 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, ASIO_chief_Mike_Burgess.jpg)

>>17475424

UK tried to use our ban on Huawei as leverage

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Britain tried to use Australia’s unilateral decision to exclude Huawei from its next generation 5G network as a prime reason for why it should be able to make up its own mind about security risks and use the Chinese company.

In top-level meetings between the US and Britain, the Americans pointed out that the risk of using Huawei would undermine the entire security network of all Five Eyes partners: the intelligence network of Australia, Britain, the US, Canada and New Zealand.

Talks between the White House and the British cabinet became so heated over the issue that they erupted into a slanging match, a new book has revealed.

Top spies referred to Australia’s decision as to why Britain should be able to do the same and not come under pressure from other Five Eyes countries.

At the time, Britain didn’t want to drop Huawei from its networks, believing it could manage the risk and use Huawei, which was a much cheaper option than European competitors.

The Secret History of The Five Eyes by Richard Kerbaj has examined the negotiations around the back-pedalling of the British to finally ban Huawei.

ASIO chief Mike Burgess, who had been head of Australia’s signals directorate, told Kerbaj Australia had been “pursuing the defence of our national interest” when it banned Huawei.

“Australia recognised this problem early because we recognised that mature 5G would be about much more than faster phones for your kids to watch cat videos on,” Mr Burgess said.

“We knew that mature 5G would be like a nervous system for the economy – it would enable and connect critical functions in a way that made it a critical function, too. We also understood threats faced by our region where we’d seen China change over the last 10 years.”

But in May 2019, Britain was still intending on using Huawei for its 5G network.

Kerbaj writes: “Within minutes of the White House delegation’s arrival at the Cabinet Office in May 2019, (head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran) Martin and other senior British officials, including the deputy national security Adviser Madeleine Alessandri, were effectively shouted at by one of their guests for around five hours. That guest was Matthew Pottinger, a former US Marines intelligence officer parachuted into the White House in early 2017 to become the National Security Council’s senior director for Asia. He was known for his distrust of China’s authoritarian regime.”

Martin recalled of those meetings: “The problem was: on our side we didn’t think Huawei’s limited involvement in UK 5G was the most important thing in a much wider strategic challenge. Whereas the US were only interested in that part of the problem, for reasons we couldn’t fathom.”

He added: “The whole thing about Britain breaking the Five Eyes unity was ridiculous, because Australia had made its own decision on Huawei unilaterally”.

In 2018 Australia had told the Five Eyes partners that there were technical problems with Huawei’s kit after the then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull assessed there was no way to counter the Chinese risk.

“It was obvious that they [Huawei] had both a legal and a political obligation to comply with the wishes of the Chinese Communist Party,” Turnbull said in the book, which has been released in the UK, and will be available in Australia from October 5.

“We were identifying a loaded gun, not a smoking one.” He added: ‘The old techniques of restricting high-risk vendors to the edge of the network and away from the core was no longer viable. I had raised this issue with the Americans, including President Trump, from 2017. The provider of a nation’s 5G network, or much of it, had considerable capability for disruption, interference and espionage.”

In January 2020, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson approved Huawei to build the 5G network, excluding it from any access to military and nuclear sites and national infrastructure.

But US president Donald Trump then forced Britain’s hand, introducing sanctions in May 2020 that banned Huawei from using semiconductors reliant on US technology.

Mr Johnson was forced finally to ban Huawei because Britain’s spies couldn’t guarantee the security of Huawei products.

Martin says in the book: “In reality, anyone can have a go at hacking anything. We in the UK, thanks to the US sanctions, are now entirely dependent on Nokia and Ericsson. For sure, we trust their boards of directors. But are we seriously saying that just because they’re not Chinese, they can’t be hacked? By neighbouring Russia, for example? Or China?

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/uk-tried-to-use-our-ban-on-huawei-as-leverage/news-story/f7abf61884694dd3f1dcff953b5fecc8

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305fdc  No.17481833

File: 194e9d829a11a18⋯.jpg (160.39 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Richard_Marles_tours_BAE_S….jpg)

File: 163f1e05ae27351⋯.jpg (181.51 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, The_commissioning_of_subma….jpg)

File: 70fe52fc9bf9e5b⋯.jpg (327.59 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Astute_class_nuclear_power….jpg)

File: 41c073cd7e341a0⋯.jpg (175.06 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, BAE_Systems_apprentices_wh….jpg)

>>17469889

AUKUS nuclear powered submarines to be built in Australia

Nuclear-powered submarines are set to be built in Australia as the AUKUS alliance demands we pull our weight in military manufacturing.

Charles Miranda - September 2, 2022

Nuclear-powered submarines will be built locally, as Australia moves to shore up its defences ahead of any potential global conflict.

News Corp Australia has learned allies the United States and UK are counting on Australia to boost sovereign manufacturing capability, so they have more industrial bases to call upon.

High-level AUKUS security pact discussions, held this week in the UK, have concluded the likelihood of increased Allied use of our military bases, ports and air fields.

But critically it has been made clear Australia needed to rapidly increase its capability for maintenance and manufacture of their military hardware as well as our own.

The push for Australia to join their war kit production lines and global supply chain includes nuclear-powered submarines, at some point in the future.

On his trip to the UK, Defence Minister Richard Marles agreed, with the commitment welcomed by defence contractors, notably in South Australia whose skilled work force was decimated after the cancelling of the French submarine build contract last year.

Mr Marles told News Corp the previous government was good at spruiking defence industry but never articulated the strategic rationale for why.

“It is critical, fundamentally defence industry plays a really important part in Australia being taken seriously in the world and when we are developing IP in the defence space in this country and working with other countries to provide capability, we are right there in the heart of their interests and that’s a huge impact on building Australia’s strategic (security),” he said.

After meeting with US and UK counterparts, Mr Marles said the 2040 date for Australia’s first nuclear-powered submarine had to be brought forward.

“When we’re talking about the next generation of submarines, what’s really clear is that Australia is going to need to play its part in increasing the industrial base of the three countries,” he said.

“In other words we will need to develop the capacity to build a nuclear-powered submarine in Australia, we’re going to have to add to the combined industrial capacity of the three countries if we want to see a timely supply of the class of submarines in the future.”

He said Australia could also in future contribute to the supply chain of the UK and Canada for its new frigate, which were commensurate with Australia’s Hunter class warship currently being developed.

“We will see supply chains be more global, is really the point I’m making. But we definitely need to develop increased industrial capacity in Australia to add to the net capability of the three AUKUS countries.”

Tim Stoddard, mechanical engineer and Queensland state manager for Headland Machinery which had a contract in the previous submarine project, said the cancellation of the French designed submarine set sovereign capability in Australia back at least five years.

He said even if the first AUKUS submarines had to be purchased overseas for expediency, it was essential manufacturing assembly and sustainment be here.

“My message on behalf of Australian manufacturing is to really support the Australia industry content contribute to any defence program in terms of enabling local businesses a chance to be part of the program for local jobs and economies … and strategic and security interests,” he said.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/aukus-nuclear-powered-submarines-to-be-built-in-australia/news-story/5568d7ea887a330e383e014fc36d3511

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305fdc  No.17481876

File: 222f37c834d7b82⋯.jpg (31.15 KB, 910x568, 455:284, A_Marine_Corps_F_35B_Light….jpg)

File: f2ba92696b4a7cf⋯.jpg (85.76 KB, 910x568, 455:284, F_35B_Lightning_II_stealth….jpg)

File: cc5fd201d666bb0⋯.jpg (157.72 KB, 910x568, 455:284, Capt_Brandon_Howard_an_F_3….jpg)

>>17463297

Australia training preps F-35 pilots for long-range battles that could end in dogfight

SETH ROBSON, STARS AND STRIPES - September 2, 2022

RAAF TINDAL, Australia – Precision-guided missiles mean today’s fighter pilots can engage targets long before they’re close enough to see.

During Pitch Black drills in Australia’s Northern Territory, U.S. and Australian pilots are honing the skills they need to carry out long-range missile strikes. The 21-day exercise involving 17 nations and hundreds of airmen ends Thursday.

But they’re also using the opportunity to sharpen their ship-to-ship air combat abilities, otherwise known as dogfighting.

That means performing in real life the kind of aerobatic maneuvers filmed for “Top Gun: Maverick,” now playing at the theater on Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal.

Training for dogfights means the aircraft are relatively close, Capt. Brandon Howard, an F-35B Lightning II pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, told Stars and Stripes on a dusty road near Tindal’s runway Thursday.

“Any air-to-air engagement in the modern arena runs the risk of collapsing down into a visual engagement,” said Howard, who has been flying from Tindall for the past month.

Australia’s F-35As can fly 1.6 times the speed of sound and pull 9 Gs in a turn, which makes the pilot feel like they weigh nine times their normal weight, according to David, a 28-year-old RAAF flight lieutenant from Brisbane, Australia.

Australian F-35A pilots are only authorized to provide first names to the media, he said by phone Friday from RAAF Darwin.

“The F-35A has a long-range stealth game plan but we still train dogfighting,” he said. “That’s some of my favorite training.”

The stealth jets carry only four missiles, but their cockpits have much larger display screens in the cockpit than older fighters, giving their pilots a wider view and allow them to pinpoint their adversaries more easily, David said.

“Yesterday we flew a mission where the Australians were flying with (South) Korean F-16s,” he said. “The F-35s would stay at the back and allocate targets to the F-16s.”

The Marine Corps deployed 12 F-35Bs – capable of short landings and vertical takeoffs – to Pitch Black from Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 242 and 121, both based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.

They spent two weeks training with Australian F-35As from the Tindal-based No. 75 Squadron ahead of Pitch Black, Howard said.

The Australian jets are operating out of RAAF Darwin during the exercise, he said.

It’s the first time Howard, whose been flying F-35Bs for four years, has been to Australia.

Since he reported to MCAS Iwakuni in 2020, he has mostly trained in Japan, sometimes with F-35As from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at Misawa Air Base in northeast Japan, he said.

There’s more space to fly in Australia than there is in Japan, Howard said.

“It’s nice to be able to take off and make a left or right turn and be in the (training) airspace,” he said. “In Japan, there is more civilian air traffic and we have to transit to airspace where we train.”

The F-35Bs can operate from amphibious ships with shorter decks than conventional aircraft carriers, unlike the Australians’ F-35As, which can operate only from conventional airfields.

However, the Australian jets can go farther and faster and “pull more Gs” when they turn, Howard said.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-09-02/australia-pitch-black-f35-dogfights-7186528.html

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305fdc  No.17481941

File: 5533f769b316ff0⋯.mp4 (2.25 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, The_incident_happened_near….mp4)

File: 7cae75b944cf239⋯.jpg (1.87 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Hayden_Summers_previously_….jpg)

File: 7e8dd753e93dd38⋯.jpg (1.54 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Hayden_Summers_was_working….jpg)

File: 8f18f62f1a68de9⋯.jpg (1.56 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, The_trial_ran_for_five_day….jpg)

File: 1fa8bcbd00b3491⋯.jpg (2.04 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Peter_Maley_argued_the_str….jpg)

Darwin nightclub bouncer Hayden Summers found guilty of causing serious harm to US marine

Felicity James - 2 September 2022

A Darwin security guard has been found guilty of unlawfully causing serious harm to a US marine by striking him outside a nightclub.

The jury took just over four hours to reach a unanimous verdict in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

Hayden Summers, 34, had pleaded not guilty to one charge of unlawfully causing serious harm, along with an alternative charge of negligently causing serious harm, relying on arguments of self-defence.

The incident happened in the early hours of April 11 last year after US marine Glen Thomason was ejected from Monsoons nightclub in the city's bar district.

During the trial, the court heard Mr Thomason's injuries led to him spending a "significant amount of time" in hospital and then rehabilitation after having part of his skull removed.

The jury members examined CCTV footage of the interaction between the two men, which had no recorded audio.

They also heard evidence from nearby witnesses about what was said.

"Unusually in this case we have most of the witnesses — who were bouncers — who were sober," Justice Jenny Blokland said in her summing-up of the case for the jury on Thursday afternoon.

"I have to tell you that's very unusual in a Darwin case emanating from Mitchell Street."

During her summary of the evidence, Justice Blokland said "clearly Mr Thomason was disgruntled at his rejection" and he had not been told why he was removed from the nightclub.

According to some witnesses, Mr Thomason was heard saying, "I could kill you, I'm a marine," or words to that effect, she said.

Mr Summers gave evidence that Mr Thomason's hand gestures were threatening, while the Crown argued he was just trying to explain how he had been "manhandled" by another security guard.

Justice Blokland told the jury it was unclear if it was the strike to Mr Thomason's head or hitting the road that knocked him unconscious and caused the injuries, and by what degree.

Jury members were asked to consider if there was a reasonable possibility Mr Summers had acted in self-defence.

Justice Blokland reminded the jury of arguments from Crown prosecutor Ian Rowbottom that the strike to the side of Mr Thomason's head was not a reasonable response.

He argued Mr Summers failed to explore options other than "knocking someone out", including moving backwards, asking colleagues for help or just pushing Mr Thomason away.

Mr Rowbottom described evidence about threatening gestures as "a lie" that did not match the CCTV footage and he told the jury Mr Thomason "did not deserve a blow like that", Justice Blokland said.

The jury was reminded of Mr Summers's evidence that he was "an experienced crowd controller" who had worked for 15 years in the industry and was the head of security at Monsoons nightclub.

Mr Summers gave evidence that he was trying to de-escalate the situation and had told Mr Thomason to "calm down".

Justice Blokland said his evidence was that the strength of his hit was about "a six out of 10" and he did not mean to hurt Mr Thomason.

His evidence was that he feared Mr Thomason was about to punch him because of his hand gestures and a "death stare", Justice Blokland said.

Mr Summer's barrister Peter Maley had argued: "The slap was not unreasonable, it's not as though he used a knife or a kick in the head."

Outside court, Mr Summers's father said he was "disappointed" with the verdict.

A sentencing hearing will begin on September 8.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-02/darwin-bouncer-guilty-of-us-marine-serious-harm-nt-trial/101400804

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305fdc  No.17487755

File: 40004012634ba95⋯.jpg (430.41 KB, 2582x1507, 2582:1507, The_potential_deal_include….jpg)

‘Severely jeopardises peace’: US angers China with billion dollar arms sale to Taiwan

Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina - September 3, 2022

Washington: The US State Department has approved a potential $US1.1 billion ($1.61 billion) sale of military equipment to Taiwan, including 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles, with China threatening to take countermeasures.

The Pentagon announced the package on Saturday AEST after China’s aggressive military drills around Taiwan following a visit to the island last month by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to travel to Taipei in years.

News of the potential sale came as it was also announced that US President Joe Biden would host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a September 28-29 gathering in Washington in the latest US effort to step up ties with the region increasingly courted by China.

An administration official said the White House had invited 12 Pacific Islands countries, including the Solomon Islands, which in April struck a security pact with China, heightening Washington’s concern about Beijing’s growing influence.

The military equipment includes Sidewinder missiles, which can be used for air-to-air and surface-attack missions, at a cost of some $85.6 million, Harpoon anti-ship missiles at an estimated $355 million cost and support for Taiwan’s surveillance radar program for an estimated $665.4 million, the Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency said.

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in a statement the possible arms sale “severely jeopardises China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

“China will resolutely take legitimate and necessary counter-measures in light of the development of the situation,” he said.

Biden’s administration said the package has been under consideration for some time and was developed in consultation with Taiwan and US lawmakers.

“As the PRC continues to increase pressure on Taiwan – including through heightened military air and maritime presence around Taiwan – and engages in attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, we’re providing Taiwan with what it needs to maintain its self-defense capabilities,” Laura Rosenberger, White House senior director for China and Taiwan, said in a statement.

It was reported last month that the Biden administration was planning new equipment for Taiwan but that the equipment would sustain Taiwan’s current military systems and fulfil existing orders, not offer new capabilities, despite the heightened tensions that followed Pelosi’s visit.

The Pentagon said the equipment and support announced would not alter the basic military balance in the region. US officials said they did not reflect any change in policy toward Taiwan.

“These proposed sales are routine cases to support Taiwan’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” a US Department of State spokesperson said, requesting anonymity.

Taiwan’s defence ministry expressed its thanks, adding that China’s recent “provocative” activities represented a serious threat and the arms sale would help it face China’s military pressure.

“At the same time, it also demonstrates that it will help our country strengthen its overall defence capabilities and jointly maintain the security and peace of the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region,” the ministry said in a statement.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, said his organisation opposed what he termed a “limited approach” to arms sales to Taiwan.

“As the (China’s) People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently demonstrated in its mock blockade, the island faces a range of threats that require a range of capabilities. To deny the island the ability to mount a full defence will, over time, create new gaps in Taiwan’s defences that the PLA can exploit,” Hammond-Chambers said in a statement.

The order reflects continued US support for Taiwan as Taipei faces pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and has never ruled out using force to bring the democratically ruled island under its control.

The sales must be reviewed by Congress, but both Democratic and Republican congressional aides said they do not expect opposition. There have been at least two other visits to Taiwan by members of Congress from both parties since Pelosi’s visit, as well as by governors of U.S. states, all condemned by Beijing.

Taipei says that as the People’s Republic of China has never ruled the island, it has no right to claim it.

https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/severely-jeopardises-peace-us-angers-china-with-billion-dollar-arms-sale-to-taiwan-20220903-p5bf4j.html

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305fdc  No.17487779

File: 2d269fd977213a3⋯.jpg (141.36 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_Prime_Minister….jpg)

>>17481731

Beijing-backed autocracy in our backyard with ‘Cuba in the Pacific

DAVE SHARMA - SEPTEMBER 3, 2022

1/2

Those who saw the images of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare greeting Anthony Albanese with a warm hug in Suva several weeks back could be forgiven for thinking Australia’s challenges with our Solomon Islands relationship were behind us.

It was only a few months prior, in April, that Sogavare had signed a five-year security agreement with China, paving the way for potential deployment of police and military forces from Beijing to the Pacific island state.

This agreement was met with consternation and alarm in Canberra and other Western capitals.

It was seen, correctly, as a further attempt by China to push its strategic interests in the southwest Pacific and establish security and military infrastructure beyond its Second Island Chain. And a move that would, unhelpfully, introduce the dynamics of great-power contest into this politically fragile region.

Senator Penny Wong, now Foreign Minister, declared the signing of this pact “the worst Australian foreign policy blunder in the Pacific since the end of World War II”. At the time, Albanese linked the pact with Australia’s climate change policies, claiming we had been relegated to the “naughty corner” in the Pacific because of inadequate emissions reductions.

So with Albanese now having got off to a warm start with Sogavare, and the government having increased Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target to 43 per cent, is Solomon Islands less of a worry for Australia? Far from it.

This week the Solomon Islands government declared all US Navy vessels will be prohibited from entering its ports, pending new approval procedures being put in place. This follows earlier incidents of US Coast Guard vessel the Oliver Henry and Royal Navy vessel HMS Spey being prevented from making routine port calls in Solomon Islands because the government did not respond to standard diplomatic clearance requests.

Last month, Sogavare’s government sought to push back elections due in mid-2023. A bill tabled in parliament seeks to amend the constitution and extend the term of the parliament and government by a year.

Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications company banned from bidding for 5G contracts in Australia and a number of Western nations, has been awarded a contract to build 161 mobile phone towers across Solomon Islands. This is to be financed with a $100m loan from the Export Import Bank of China, in a deal being criticised for not stacking up economically and posing a substantial financial risk to Solomon Islands.

Meanwhile the Solomon Islands’ publicly funded national broadcaster, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, has been ordered to engage in self-censorship, only broadcasting content that portrays the nation’s government in a positive light.

And foreign journalists have been told they may be denied entry to Solomon Islands if they criticise its ties to China.

Extending the term of the Prime Minister. Postponing elections. Censoring the media. Switching security partners. Debt diplomacy.

All this is redolent of an autocratic leader during the time of the Cold War. But this is happening now. And not in Africa or the Middle East, but in Australia’s own neighbourhood.

Solomon Islands is on a deeply concerning trajectory under Sogavare.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17487781

File: c47302154a190b4⋯.jpg (310.95 KB, 1280x853, 1280:853, Pacific_island_leaders_mee….jpg)

>>17487779

2/2

Australia and our allies have effectively operated a Monroe Doctrine in the southwest Pacific. We have ensured the region remains firmly within the Western security orbit, and deterred intervention and meddling by foreign powers.

China’s growing ambitions are now challenging this, and we must get to grips with the scale of the challenge. It’s not simply a matter of turning up at meetings, giving hugs and making the right noises on climate change. Australia needs a strategy to check these moves and provide alternatives.

When Huawei was planning to build the undersea cable to Papua New Guinea, the Coalition government stepped in and financed the Coral Sea Cable project, keeping this critical infrastructure in sovereign hands.

When Digicel Pacific, one of the major telecommunications providers in the Pacific, looked like it might be bought out by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the Coalition government supported Telstra to buy it instead.

We established the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, providing an alternative financing vehicle to China’s state-owned banks.

What is the Albanese government proposing to keep Solomon Islands in our camp?

Any such strategy must be more than just development and infrastructure. It also needs to be about institutions and governance.

The prospective establishment of a client-state autocracy in our neighbourhood – a Cuba in the Pacific – demands urgent action.

The Australian government should start by speaking out against these recent moves to curtail press freedom and postpone elections, topics on which it has been conspicuously silent.

It should also energise the Pacific Islands Forum – which is committed to upholding democracy through the Biketawa Declaration – to become involved.

This is what the future of strategic competition in our region looks like. Australia needs to step up our game. Patting ourselves on the back about higher emissions reduction targets and declaring “job done” will not cut it.

Dave Sharma is the former Liberal MP for Wentworth and ambassador to Israel from 2013-2017.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/beijingbacked-autocracy-in-our-backyard-with-cuba-in-the-pacific/news-story/85382be1f9b1038e058c0769e02a5230

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305fdc  No.17487810

File: 6051518623b683d⋯.jpg (238.88 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

File: f47727924fd9afb⋯.jpg (135.66 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_3d_Battal….jpg)

File: 9469aba38be9c5e⋯.jpg (99.9 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marine_Corps_1st_Lt_Ch….jpg)

File: 16eb89eefdd79aa⋯.jpg (147.59 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marine_Corps_Lance_Cpl….jpg)

File: 18e98c2a465f1a0⋯.jpg (167.57 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

>>17458432

MRF-D 22 Ground Combat Element Integrates into 1st Brigade to Enhance Combined Littoral Lethality

Capt. Joseph DiPietro - 08.27.2022

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. – The Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 ground combat element (GCE), led by 3d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment (3/7), participated in exercise PREDATOR’S RUN, integrating into the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) 1st Brigade to enhance combined and littoral capabilities in a simulated combat environment from August 20-27.

“Our primary objective is to enhance combined arms integration with our Australian allies,” said GCE commander Lieutenant Colonel Tyler Holt, while preparing to lead his Marines and Sailors into the exercise. “PREDATOR’S RUN provides us that opportunity and our Marines and Sailors are excited to build even more proficiency with 1st Brigade.”

PREDATOR’S RUN offered a unique training opportunity to MRF-D in many ways. The exercise simulated a littoral combat scenario, similar to 1st Marine Division’s STEEL KNIGHT, where training areas represented key terrain in an archipelagic environment. PREDATOR’S RUN is an early step in 1st Brigade’s ongoing integration into littoral combat, a skillset the Marine Corps is excited to help with.

“Combined arms fighting is tough work, but incredibly rewarding, and training with MRF-D allows us to increase our capabilities,” said ADF Major Anthony Purdy, the operations officer for the Australian 1st Brigade, while briefing 1st Marine Division Commanding General, Major General Benjamin Watson during his recent visit. “This exercise represents a shift back to warfighting for us after a lot of support to domestic operations, so it is a great opportunity and we’re lucky to have our Marine teammates at our side.”

Another unique aspect for the MRF-D infantry was the chance to train alongside main battle tanks. The ADF supported PREDATOR’S RUN with elements of the 1st Armoured Regiment, including M1A1 Abrams, the tank Marines used to suppress and destroy enemy positions in the historic battle of Fallujah and across the Middle East in operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.

“It was an exciting and interesting experience to train alongside the Australians during PREDATOR’S RUN, especially their tanks,” offered Sergeant Anfernee Richardson, a squad leader with 3/7 who stepped up as a platoon sergeant for the exercise. “The Australians brought their weapon systems to the fight, and we brought ours, and it was great to integrate those into the same team to increase our effectiveness and lethality.”

In addition to the Australians, PREDATOR’S RUN offered MRF-D the chance to train alongside Philippine and Malaysian soldiers, further increasing the international interaction of the deployment. Both the Philippines and Malaysia are supporting exercise PITCH BLACK alongside the MRF-D aviation combat element, but MRF-D greatly enjoyed getting into the details of combined maneuver alongside our regional allies and partners.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428289/mrf-d-22-ground-combat-element-integrates-into-1st-brigade-enhance-combined-littoral-lethality

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305fdc  No.17487831

File: 0c1d2753bc62aff⋯.jpg (158.77 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_Sentinel_class_fast_re….jpg)

File: 2ea8d58a52385b6⋯.jpg (164.1 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_Guam_based_Coast_Guard….jpg)

File: c826be9e77ea4b1⋯.jpg (139.85 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Crew_members_from_the_US_C….jpg)

File: 64339e467627f9e⋯.jpg (149 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_Coast_Guard_Cutter_Oli….jpg)

>>17458335

>>17481780

‘It’s an honour’: US Coast Guard ship makes historic stopover

Fresh from Torres Strait operations a US Coast Guard cutter arrived in Cairns after being turned away from the Solomon Islands amid a new ban on warship visits. How Cairns welcomed the ship and crew.

Peter Carruthers - September 3, 2022

FRESH from operations in the Torres Strait the US Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry has arrived in Cairns after being turned away from Honiara amid a Solomon Islands ban on warship visits.

The Sentinel-class fast response cutter can be seen in social media images steaming through the Cairns seaway before tying up at the HMAS Cairns naval base alongside HMAS Leeuwin last Thursday.

The arrival follows the joint US Navy and Australian Border Force training operation in the Torres Strait dubbed Exercise Fortune Guard.

US Coast Guard Micronesia and Guam sector commander captain Nick Simmons said it was the first time a Coast Guard vessel of its kind had visited Australia.

“(The) cutter arrival to Australia is another first, not only for US Coast Guard Forces Micronesia but also our fast response cutter fleet and is a reminder of our service’s commitment to our partners and our enduring presence in the region,” Capt Simmons said.

Oliver Henry’s commanding officer Lt. Freddy Hofschneider described what it meant to arrive on Australian shores.

“It’s an honour for Oliver Henry and her crew to visit and host our Australian friends,” he said.

The ship was met at HMAS Cairns by US embassy officials before a delegation from the ship visited chambers of the Cairns Regional Council hosted by Mayor Bob Manning and Deputy Mayor Terry James.

“I think we will see more naval ships from the US and New Zealand in the future,” Mayor Manning said.

On August 31 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare formally banned foreign navy vessels from the country’s waters until further notice.

“A review on processes and procedures to permit naval vessels is current. This means no naval vessels will be permitted to enter the country,” a spokesman for Mr Sogavare said.

“It applies to all countries in the world intending to make naval visits to Solomon Islands.”

It’s understood the cutter Oliver Henry was caught up in the lockout and denied access to the country’s capital Honiara last week.

The Australian High Commission in Honiara was advised of the review on August 29, and received formal notification on August 31.

The US Coast Guard is conducting a routine deployment in Oceania as part of Operation Blue Pacific.

An Australian Department of Defence spokesman said the ship was in Cairns to take on provisions, water and fuel before departing port on Monday.

https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/its-an-honour-us-coast-guard-ship-makes-historic-stopover/news-story/3e2b866bb0e848b221a0107cd046bd24

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305fdc  No.17487954

File: 7e10db71e4690af⋯.jpg (590.42 KB, 825x1061, 825:1061, CB_4.jpg)

File: f127ee82e101fbd⋯.jpg (264.96 KB, 1493x1080, 1493:1080, Fbr2DBfaMAAsnYv.jpg)

File: f2daa3b8ecf4332⋯.jpg (1.27 MB, 852x1767, 284:589, Q_4196.jpg)

Chris Bowen Tweet

The Biden Administration and Albanese Government are working closely together on climate policy.

Always great to compare notes with the President’s Special Envoy on Climate, @JohnKerry @ClimateEnvoy

https://twitter.com/Bowenchris/status/1565834358245969920

Q Post #4196

May 10 2020 00:07:52 (EST)

THE SHADOW PRESIDENCY.

THE SHADOW GOVERNMENT.

Why did [Hussein] shadow POTUS re: [F] trips?

Why did [Kerry] shadow POTUS re: Iran?

Why did [Kerry] shadow POTUS re: [CLAS 1-99]?

Why did [McMaster] target and remove loyal intel operatives inside WH?

Why did [McMaster] prevent declas-disclose to Congress?

Why did [Coats] prevent declas-disclose to Congress?

Why did [Bolton] prevent decals-disclose to Congress?

Why did [Ryan] prevent subpoena power of (R) Congress?

Why did [Rosenstein] work to entrap and install blockade [SC]?

Why did [Rosenstein] install [Mueller] knowing zero evidence of Russia collusion?

Why did [Mueller] attempt to retake FBI DIR position?

Why did [Mueller][Rosenstein] drag out SC investigation if known no Russia collusion pre + start?

Why did select members of [NSC][Vindman] actively leak to MSM?

Why did select members of [NSC][Vindman] orchestrate fake whistleblower report w/ [Schiff][Atkinson][CLAS 1-9] to sabotage and initiate impeachment?

Why did [Pelosi] rush impeachment investigation?

Why did [Pelosi] then hold impeachment article(s) until Jan 15?

Why did [Schiff] push false 'Russia evidence' narrative post closed door interviews [no evidence of collusion]?

Why did [Schiff] coordinate w/ WH NSC [through proxy] to arrange for Ukraine whistleblower?

Why did [Schiff] actively leak knowingly false statements during-post classified sessions to MSM?

Why did [Schiff] illegally surveil [phone] members of WH legal team, media, and Congress?

What Pentagon officials [CLAS 1-99 _subject] tendered resignation within a 2 week period?

Why did [Omarosa Manigault Newman] attempt to entrap POTUS through secret and illegal recordings?

Why did [Soros] finance anti-POTUS events and organizations across US?

Why did [CLAS 1-99] organize and push propaganda [smear] campaign through use of MSM & Hollywood?

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99][F]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99]

[CLAS 1-99] x 49

INSURGENCY.

IRREGULAR WARFARE.

THE GREATEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN HISTORY.

What are they trying to prevent?

Who are they trying to protect?

Q

https://qanon.pub/#4196

https://qanon.pub/?q=kerry

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305fdc  No.17487990

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

PLA, the People’s Liberation Army of China, Peace-Loving Army.

SpokespersonCHN发言人办公室

Sep 3, 2022

PLA, the People’s Liberation Army of China. Peace-Loving Army, for the Chinese people and people of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnyuaf3n9Fs

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305fdc  No.17488001

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17487990

1989: Tiananmen Square protests

CNN

Oct 7, 2010

Student protests in Tiananmen Square ended when Chinese troops fired on crowds, killing hundreds and wounding thousands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNEW1Uh0lz0

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305fdc  No.17488005

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17487990

Archive: Chinese troops fire on protesters in Tiananmen Square - BBC News

BBC News

Jun 5, 2014

First broadcast 4 June 1989. Chinese troops opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Saturday evening. The collection of students and labourers had been occupying the site for several weeks.

Despite the outbreak of "unremitting gunfire", the protesters refused to leave. The BBC's Kate Adie reports from the scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMKvxJ-Js3A

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305fdc  No.17488011

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17487990

Tiananmen Square: Watch The 1989 Report On The Crackdown

Sky News

Jun 4, 2014

It's 25 years since protests in Tiananmen Square, China, were brought to a bloody end by soldiers who killed hundreds of unarmed civilians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE7EkTRS96M

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305fdc  No.17494440

File: f7996a859f287d7⋯.jpg (54.28 KB, 513x741, 9:13, Ruqia_Haidari_was_murdered….jpg)

File: db3355c380c48ae⋯.jpg (201.63 KB, 1568x1045, 1568:1045, AFP_Child_Protection_Opera….jpg)

File: d3594bc0758aebc⋯.jpg (139.69 KB, 1001x707, 143:101, Forced_marriage_reports_si….jpg)

File: 987a41f2ecc3ab6⋯.jpg (163.7 KB, 1920x1080, 16:9, Taldumande_case_manager_El….jpg)

File: cdb0c876baa4ed4⋯.jpg (1.96 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Anti_Slavery_Australia_dir….jpg)

Federal police fear hike in child forced marriage cases as overseas travel restrictions lift

Carla Hildebrandt - 4 September 2022

Kubra* was just 11 years old when she became engaged to her older cousin.

The Sydney girl tried to convince her family the relationship was "toxic", but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

At 16, she went on what was supposed to be an overseas holiday to visit family. Instead, she was handed an invitation to her wedding, which was organised without her consent.

"I refused to marry him but my fiance's family threatened to harm me and took away my passport," Kubra said.

"I was incredibly stressed and depressed because of the whole situation."

She reluctantly went through with the marriage, but managed to end it when she got back home, by agreeing to pay her in-laws $30,000.

Kubra's story is one of many serious cases of forced marriage reported to authorities, who fear a spike this year, as overseas travel picks up.

Police and government agencies are researching how to tackle the complex issue, which statistics show, is most prevalent in NSW and Victoria.

In the past year, there have been more than 80 reports from across the country to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), with almost half of them involving children under 18.

Ms Argy works at youth organisation Taldumande, which provides accommodation for teenagers who are being pressured to marry against their will.

"There is financial gain. Money is exchanged, properties perhaps, and girls are literally being sold off," Ms Argy said.

"They can be groomed from a very young age, as young as six or seven."

Forced marriage became a criminal offence in Australia in 2013.

Despite this, there has not been a single conviction.

The murder of Ruqia Haidari, 21, who was allegedly sold by her mother to a man for $15,000 in 2019, only to be murdered months later, sent shock waves across the nation.

Mohammad Ali Halimi killed the Victorian woman with a kitchen knife in their Perth home in January 2020, where she moved after marrying him.

In August last year, he was sentenced to 19 years behind bars.

Ms Haidari's mother, Sakina Muhammad Jan has pleaded not guilty to coercing her daughter into the forced marriage, with the matter currently before the courts.

Commander Hilda Sirec, from the AFP, leads a team that investigates child trafficking.

She said the unit struggled to prosecute offenders, with many victims not wanting to speak out against their families, who are often the perpetrators.

Commander Sirec is concerned cases will surge as COVID-19 border restrictions ease across the world.

"We're seeing more significant reports coming from places like NSW and Victoria," Commander Sirec said.

She said most reports came from "closer knit" communities, where arranged marriage was more common.

But University of Technology Anti-Slavery Australia director Jennifer Burn made it clear the two terms were not the same thing.

"An arranged marriage in Australia, is where both parties consent to the marriage," Ms Burn said.

"A forced marriage is where one or both parties don't have the chance to form full and free consent to the marriage because they've been coerced or threatened."

Ms Burn said the aim was to tackle the issue, before it reached a "crisis point".

"Many of those who force marriages onto others may genuinely want what's best for their children and come to later regret their actions when they see the consequences on their child's happiness," she said.

Authorities and community organisations are working together to tackle the complex issue by raising awareness within at-risk groups, in order to prevent the crime from happening in the first place.

*Not her real name

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-04/nsw-forced-marriage-police-fear-spike-as-travel-resumes-/101317834

If you, or someone you know, is at risk of a forced marriage please see:

My Blue Sky - Australia’s dedicated forced marriage portal providing information, support and legal advice to people in or at risk of forced marriages

https://mybluesky.org.au/

or contact the Australian Federal Police on 131 237 or email NOSSC-Client-Liaison@afp.gov.au (National Operations State Service Centre)

Australian Federal Police - Human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices (including forced marriage) information report form

https://forms.afp.gov.au/online_forms/human_trafficking_form

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305fdc  No.17494447

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17494440

Fears of rising cases of forced marriages in Australia with dozens of cases each year

ABC News (Australia)

Sep 3, 2022

Authorities fear the number of cases of forced marriage will rise in Australia with underage girls as young as eleven being forced into marriage.

One organisation plans to educate vulnerable girls in Sydney before they fall victim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ7xN4umZJI

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305fdc  No.17494489

File: 0c8cff1bab6278c⋯.jpg (4.64 MB, 8256x5504, 3:2, Senior_JACET_officers_Simo….jpg)

File: 6591596817603ec⋯.jpg (644.51 KB, 3864x2576, 3:2, Young_people_are_increasin….jpg)

File: 1396f8298e88c24⋯.jpg (6.91 MB, 7839x5226, 3:2, Members_of_VIT_team_respon….jpg)

Primary school children filming and uploading sexualised content in worrying new trend

Erin Pearson - September 4, 2022

1/2

An increasing number of primary school-aged children are creating and uploading their own sexually explicit material to the internet, prompting fears from child abuse investigators that they are putting themselves at risk of serious harm.

Investigators say they have discovered Australian children as young as 6 making their own content, with growing concerns that popular influencer-promoted websites such as OnlyFans are normalising making pornography for cash.

Detective Acting Inspector Carla McIntyre, the officer in charge of the Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team, said police were now having tough conversations with parents after knocking on doors thinking they’re preventing children from harm, only to find the child was authoring their own exploitation material.

“We’ve gone through the door with a search warrant and then identified actually there is no adult involved in this, it’s actually just the child,” McIntyre said.

She said young people were increasingly being influenced by those online who promote sexualised behaviour on popular platforms in the belief that this was normal, safe behaviour. One girl was aged 6, McIntyre said, and others were 7 and 8.

Her team, which is made up of both Victorian and federal police, had found no one had coerced or forced the children into making the content. Instead, the children believed it was normal behaviour.

“Then you think, what else have they been exposed to? This is something we can have an impact on, by having conversations with our kids. Kids can do this and they are doing this.”

In the 2021-22 financial year, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 36,000 reports of child sexual exploitation, each containing images and videos of children being sexually assaulted or exploited. During the same period, federal authorities charged 221 offenders with 1746 child exploitation related offences.

Last week, the eSafety Commissioner issued legal notices to some of the biggest tech companies in the world – including Apple, Meta and Microsoft – requiring them to disclose what measures they’re taking to tackle the proliferation of child sexual exploitation material on their platforms and services.

Jordan Foster, clinical child psychologist and managing director of cyber safety educators ySafe, said young people being desensitised to sexualised imagery and groomed to post online was a new phenomenon and generating serious concerns among experts.

She said social media users who post pornographic images or videos of themselves on the internet, were being celebrated, with content creators portraying it as an easy way to make money.

“What that does is create a sense that adult content and sexual imagery is something to aspire to,” Foster said. “It’s getting into the phones and bedrooms of young teenagers, who just see this very positive and very exciting lifestyle and that creates vulnerability as they start to think that’s an option for them.

“They’re innocent and naive and that’s where we’d like them to be. But they’re not aware of the implications.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17494494

File: 988e3827c16be92⋯.jpg (693.05 KB, 3864x2576, 3:2, Experts_are_urging_parents….jpg)

File: 69079882742908d⋯.jpg (546.3 KB, 1046x829, 1046:829, Tips_for_adults_and_childr….jpg)

>>17494489

2/2

Late last month police were forced to shut down a meet and greet with 23-year-old TikTok and OnlyFans star Anna Paul because so many people turned up. Paul has 5.2 million TikTok followers but is also Australia’s number one creator on OnlyFans, a subscription-based service which allows users to post their own sexually explicit content.

Paul was promoting her new activewear line when thousands of young people flooded into the city.

“We were told the last time police saw a huge crowd like this was for a Justin Bieber concert,” Paul told her followers.

Foster said parents she had spoken to had no idea why Paul was so renowned. “That lack of awareness from parents makes kids vulnerable,” she said. “Talk to your kids.”

In states including Victoria and Queensland, specialist victim identification teams work within police forces to help identify and locate children depicted in explicit material posted online. Undercover officers and tech experts search for clues to help to find out where an at-risk or abused child was being held.

Speaking ahead of National Child Protection Week which begins on September 4, Sergeant Simon Fogarty – who oversees Victoria’s victim identification team – said his office had seen a string of recent successes in helping rescue children from harm.

What authorities were fast learning though was that while some online activities such as livestreaming might start out as a bit of fun for children, that online fun could quickly escalate into serious offending.

“We’re not dealing with a stereotypical victim, someone walking around the streets at nighttime being beaten up and assaulted, we’re dealing with children in the privacy of their own homes being exposed to material and being accessed by people from all over the world,” he said.

“There is a perception with child abuse material that it’s this sort of soft porn focus, glossy with a bit of a bra strap off the shoulder, it’s not. It can be the most violent, degradation and torture that you can truly imagine.”

https://www.theage.com.au/national/primary-school-children-filming-and-uploading-sexualised-content-in-worrying-new-trend-20220826-p5bd15.html

Want to help victim identification teams locate at-risk or abused children? Images of objects such as blankets and toys found in abuse material can be found here at:

https://www.accce.gov.au/what-we-do/trace-an-object

Have you seen inappropriate behaviour towards children online? Report it here at:

https://www.accce.gov.au/report

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305fdc  No.17494507

File: 187f9c7980cf09b⋯.jpg (124.88 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Home_Affairs_Minister_Clar….jpg)

>>17426603 (pb)

Home Affairs to review data harvesting by TikTok and WeChat

Anthony Galloway - September 4, 2022

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has ordered her department to investigate the harvesting of data by social media giant TikTok amid growing concern that staff in China can access the personal information of Australians.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age, O’Neil confirmed she had asked the Department of Home Affairs to come back with a briefing by next year on a range of options to tackle social media companies with questionable data collection practices.

O’Neil also revealed she is looking at the “next phase” of work to combat foreign interference in Australia, in a sign that overseas influence operations from countries such as China have not let off.

The review -which will also include input from the Australian Cyber Security Centre, which sits within Defence - will look at TikTok, WeChat and other social media companies.

“It’s not just about TikTok,” she said. “We’ve got this basic problem here where we’ve got technology companies that are based in countries with a more authoritarian approach to the private sector, and this is a relatively new problem,”

“The fact that we’ve got millions of Australians accessing an app where the usage of their data is questionable is very much a modern security challenge for the country and no country in the world has found the easy solution for managing this.”

O’Neil, who is also the cyber security minister, said the review would look at a range of options but confirmed the government was not considering banning the popular video-sharing app.

“We are getting a brief about options for it, but there’s not a silver bullet here and it’s an issue we’re just going to have to continue to work through,” she said.

TikTok last year hit 1 billion monthly active users across the world, about 7 million of which are in Australia.

For years TikTok had responded to privacy concerns by promising that information gathered about users in countries such as Australia was not sent back to China where its parent company, ByteDance, is based. But last month it was leaked that the app had been sharing US user data .

O’Neil conceded that it was concerning that Australians “know their data is not being protected” by some companies but “they’re still used by millions of people”.

She said the government needed to better inform Australians about how their data was being used and why they should care about it.

“They might know something about the fact that the data usage is a bit unclear, but it doesn’t stop them from using the app,” she said. “We probably need to have a bit more of a discussion with people about why it is something they would be worried about.

“TikTok is not the beginning and end of this. [It’s about] very dominant technology companies and the role they are playing in our lives.”

Fergus Ryan, a senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute who was among the first researchers in the world to begin raising concerns about the risks of TikTok three years ago, said it was positive to see the new government taking the issue seriously.

Ryan said it was important the government recognise risks are not just limited to the fact that TikTok user data can be and is being accessed in Beijing.

“Risks also extend to the very real possibility that the Chinese Communist Party will use its leverage over TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to manipulate political discourse on the app,” he said.

“We’ve already seen that take place on WeChat, another PRC-based social media app, when they first censored and then de-platformed then-prime minister Scott Morrison.

“But it could also occur in a less direct way. Chinese information operations take place on all social media apps. There is no reason to think that they would not also be taking place on TikTok.”

Ryan said it would also be worth countries banding together to take collective action through groups such as the Quad and the Five Eyes intelligence sharing partnership.

US President Joe Biden is considering placing restrictions on TikTok, according to multiple American media outlets.

In 2018, Australia passed landmark foreign interference laws which made it a criminal offence to influence a political or government process in a way that is covert or involves deception.

O’Neil said that the government would look at the “next phase of work” that was needed to combat foreign interference in Australia.

“I think the foreign interference subject is very crucial,” she said. “And it’s getting more and more important, as tensions are rising around the world.”

https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/federal/home-affairs-to-review-data-harvesting-by-tiktok-and-wechat-20220902-p5bf18.html

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305fdc  No.17499234

File: 6da843e41136311⋯.jpg (141.77 KB, 1024x674, 512:337, Ukrainian_ambassador_to_Au….jpg)

File: a4f052cc166bbec⋯.jpg (359.43 KB, 1041x709, 1041:709, What_Ukraine_wants_from_Au….jpg)

File: 294249a51dc9b46⋯.jpg (217.97 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, The_Hawkei_protected_mobil….jpg)

Ukraine’s pitch to Australia: Use our army as your guinea pig

Matthew Knott - September 5, 2022

1/2

Ukraine has launched a bold bid for its army to be used as a “guinea pig” for cutting-edge Australian military technology as it seeks to gain a crucial battlefield advantage over Vladimir Putin’s Russian forces.

With the war raging past its sixth month, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, is lobbying the Albanese government to send a fleet of 30 newly built protected mobility vehicles, known as Hawkeis, to the war zone.

The patrol vehicles – which owe their name to late prime minister Bob Hawke – have been designed and manufactured specially for the Australian Defence Force at defence contractor Thales’ facility in Bendigo, Victoria.

After experiencing technical problems during the construction phase, the four-wheel drive vehicles are not expected to reach full operational capability until next year.

Although they are untested on the battlefield, Myroshnychenko said a fleet of Hawkeis would make a valuable contribution to the war effort on top of the 60 Bushmaster troop carriers Australia has already committed to Ukraine.

“The Hawkeis are really impressive: they’re smaller, they’re faster, they’re nimble and they’re brand new,” Myroshnychenko told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age following a recent visit to the Thales manufacturing plant.

“They’re still in testing mode and are now being introduced into the Australian Defence Force.

“In my mind, we could make use of 30 of those to test them in the battlefield, see how they perform and we’ll provide invaluable feedback to the Australian defence forces for you to improve those vehicles.”

Myroshnychenko said he would present his proposal at an upcoming meeting with Defence Minister Richard Marles, describing the idea as a “win-win” for both countries.

“They help us [in the war] and we help you make them more adaptable to a wartime environment,” he said.

Marles declined to comment as the government and Defence Department await details of the proposal.

Myroshnychenko said he would also request Australia send another 30 Bushmasters to Ukraine on top of the 60 vehicles the government has already committed to provide.

In July, the government announced it would provide an additional $100 million in military assistance to Ukraine, taking Australia’s total contribution to the war effort to $385 million.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month thanked Australia for its “significant support”, but urged the government to provide more assistance as the war continues.

“It’s a struggle of tyranny against democracy, so you can’t stand aside if you support common principles with Ukraine,” he said in an address to the Australian National University.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17499247

File: 0822f243ed1632e⋯.jpg (227.43 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, The_Hawkei_has_significant….jpg)

File: f80dc1e3dc45e60⋯.jpg (93.64 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Ukrainian_President_Volody….jpg)

File: 38fd4710b6d32c9⋯.jpg (247.71 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, The_vehicles_are_named_aft….jpg)

>>17499234

2/2

The Australian government is spending $1.3 billion on a fleet of 1100 Hawkeis to replace most of the army’s fleet of blast-protected Land Rovers. The last of the vehicles rolled off the production line at Bendigo last month.

The vehicles, which can carry up to six soldiers, have removable armour and optional mounts for weapons including automatic grenade launchers.

Importantly, they are light enough to be transported by helicopter, allowing them to be airlifted directly onto the battlefield.

Defence Force chief Angus Campbell has described the Hawkei as a “very versatile vehicle, at the leading edge globally of this kind of capability”. But the rollout of the technology was marred by technical difficulties and delays.

The Defence Department identified problems with the Hawkei’s braking system in 2020 and announced it would stop accepting vehicles from Thales while the issues were investigated.

Then-defence minister Peter Dutton announced in July last year that the braking problem had been resolved, allowing operating restrictions to be lifted and full-scale production to recommence.

In a brutal report released last year, the Australian National Audit Office found Defence had not demonstrated the Hawkei acquisition provided value for taxpayers’ money.

The government could have saved hundreds of millions of dollars by sticking with a previous United States contract for new light vehicles, the office found.

The vehicles are named after Acanthophis hawkei, a species of death adder named in honour of former prime minister Bob Hawke.

A Thales spokeswoman declined to comment on Myroshnychenko’s proposal, saying any decision on exporting the vehicles overseas would be a matter for the government.

Myroshnychenko said he was also urging Australia to “adopt” a particular region of Ukraine and focus its reconstruction assistance on that area.

He called for Australia and New Zealand to concentrate their support on the port city of Mykolaiv. Other countries such as Portugal, the United Kingdom and Greece have already adopted other regions in Ukraine.

“There will be a lot that you can do with the ports, shipyards and grain storage facilities but also regular infrastructure like schools and hospitals which have been destroyed in large numbers,” he said.

“This is the basic stuff you need to allow people to return to the cities. I want a piece of something left for Australia because it would be a shame if everyone else is involved and you’re not.”

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ukraine-s-pitch-to-australia-use-our-army-as-your-guinea-pig-20220904-p5bf7l.html

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305fdc  No.17499268

File: 8a78d6b4d8d8466⋯.jpg (269.89 KB, 2048x1536, 4:3, Australian_journalist_Chen….jpg)

File: 830e7827f7d6244⋯.jpg (142.33 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Australian_Ambassador_to_C….jpg)

Hostage diplomacy in Xi’s China

Two years after she was detained, Australian journalist Cheng Lei is still in prison in Beijing with no family contact.

WILL GLASGOW - September 5, 2022

1/3

The Chinese delegation was in high spirits. Glasses were clinking at a celebratory dinner in Canberra. They had flown from Beijing to toast a new consular agreement with Australia.

It outlined the rights for future Australians detained in China – people such as Cheng Lei, the television journalist, who was thrown into a Beijing prison cell two years ago without charge. She still hasn’t been sentenced.

The Agreement on Consular Relations between Australia and the People’s Republic of China came into force in 2000. Back then, Jiang Zemin was China’s president, charming Australia’s prime minister, John Howard, with Shakespeare recitations. The consular agreement was a product of those optimistic times.

“We all sat around a table at a restaurant in Civic in Canberra toasting each other,” says Ian Kemish, who was then running Australia’s consular service. “There was a spirit of engagement in the air.”

At the close of the first decade of the Xi Jinping era, senior Australian diplomats don’t talk that way about China any more. The consular agreement is in tatters, along with the 2015 China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which Beijing shredded with its no-holds-barred campaign of economic coercion against Canberra in 2020.

Australia’s China ambassador, Graham Fletcher – the foremost China expert in the Australian government – was frank in his address outside the Beijing court where Cheng, a University of Queensland graduate, was tried in secrecy on March 31.

‘See the difference’

“Our consular agreement says we ought to be able to attend trials of any kind,” Fletcher said after he was denied access to the barely three-hour-long closed trial.

Kemish, who was in charge of the agreement’s early implementation, agrees with his former Foreign Affairs colleague: “I’m with Graham … It’s certainly a breach of the spirit.”

Beijing used the same secretive tactics for the one-day, closed trial of fellow Australian Yang Hengjun, who was snatched in China’s south on January 19, 2019. Fletcher was denied entry to his one-day closed hearing in May 2021.

Yang had been trying to visit a sick family member. The Australian government knew the writer – known as the “democracy peddler” to his huge Chinese-language readership – was in huge trouble when it discovered 10 agents from his old employer had detained him at Guangzhou’s international airport. Before becoming an Australian citizen, Yang was a member of China’s secret service. This time, his political connections didn’t save him.

Cheng’s situation is more puzzling. She was an anchor on CGTN, China’s English-language state broadcaster. She even coined the network’s official slogan, “See the difference”.

Two years ago Fletcher’s team in Beijing learned she was missing from Nick Coyle, Cheng’s long-time partner. He had visited her apartment with Cheng’s close friend, Haze Fan, a Chinese national and Bloomberg journalist. They found Cheng’s computer and passport were gone. Months later, Fan also “disappeared”.

It wasn’t until August 27, 2020, almost a fortnight after the Australian journalist was taken into the shadowy Chinese prison network for torturous interrogation sessions, that Fletcher’s team in Beijing was able to speak to her over video.

By then it was clear this had not been a mix-up. There was no confusion about Cheng’s Australian citizenship – indeed, there were fears it had made her a target.

Months earlier, the Morrison government had enraged Beijing by calling for an inquiry into the origins of Covid. Ambassador Fletcher was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing for what may be the most epic dressing down in the nearly 50-year history of Australia’s official relations with the People’s Republic.

Then in June, Australian security agents searched the homes of four Chinese state media journalists in Sydney in relation to a foreign interference case. All four returned to China.

Chinese state media only revealed their experience after foreign minister Marise Payne went public with the dreadful news: “Ms Cheng Lei has been detained in China.”

That was on August 31, 2020. Cheng is now in her third year in a Beijing prison.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17499273

File: 37600ad2a2deb0c⋯.jpg (86 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Former_foreign_minister_Bo….jpg)

File: 09cc797fb2a4291⋯.jpg (71.89 KB, 1024x769, 1024:769, Cheng_Lei_with_her_childre….jpg)

>>17499268

2/3

Quiet release plan

It would be hard to overstate the damage Beijing has inflicted with its abuse of Yang and Cheng.

The Lowy Institute’s authoritative poll recently found only 12 per cent of Australians now trust China to act responsibly in the world. That’s a precipitous 40-point fall since 2018.

On the first anniversary of Cheng’s detention, The Australian revealed the television anchor’s Beijing colleagues found out she had “disappeared” when someone on the CGTN breaking news desk saw a report in international media.

Days earlier, management had made them sign a strange legal document, called a nondisclosure undertaking. Many quit in disgust.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr spoke for many Australians when he recently called Yang and Cheng “hostages”.

Carr also canvassed publicly some of the scenarios the Albanese government is privately discussing about how Canberra might get them out.

He suggested Trade Minister Don Farrell make a trip to Shanghai. There, Farrell could tell his Chinese counterpart that Canberra would review the anti-dumping actions that had upset Beijing and make it clear Australia would not block China’s entry into the sweeping CPTPP trade pact.

In return, Carr outlined in The Sydney Morning Herald, Beijing could lift the bans it had imposed on $20bn a year of Australian exports: barley, beef, copper, cotton, lobsters, timber, wine and coal.

Then the Australian cabinet minister could bring up the hostages, much as the Morrison government did to secure the release of Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert from the dungeons of Iran.

“Saying his farewells, Farrell can hand over a letter from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to President Xi Jinping proposing we follow this ‘win-win’ on trade with the quiet release of the two Australian hostages, Dr Yang Hengjun and Cheng Lei,” Carr advised.

It is far from clear whether such a scheme would work, but these are the conversations that now take place in Australia about Xi’s China, which, like Iran, North Korea and Russia, is an unapologetic practitioner of hostage diplomacy.

“China’s narrative about being a benign and positive contributor to the international order is seriously undercut by behaviour like this,” says Kemish, who has written a book, The Consul, on Australians in trouble overseas.

Beijing started acting much more assertively in 2008. China’s leaders saw the US’s power as diminished after the global financial crisis, emboldening their behaviour.

Rio Tinto’s then Shanghai-based executive, Stern Hu, was the first Australian taken hostage by this increasingly confident China back in 2009. Secret police detained Hu weeks after the Anglo-Australian miner backflipped on a $19.5bn offer by Chinese state giant Chinalco to increase its stake in the strategically important iron ore supplier.

Beijing felt it had been tricked.

Hu spent nine years in prison in China. Many thought his punishment was a message to Canberra. He was released in 2018 and has never spoken about his ordeal.

China’s hostage-taking has become more brazen in the Xi era, which since 2016 has been characterised by a surging belief in the superiority of Beijing’s Leninist model.

It has made China an increasingly perilous place to visit for citizens of the growing number of countries in Beijing’s bad books.

For 1020 days, two Canadians – Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig – were the most high-profile hostages in Xi’s China. They were thrown into the brutal Chinese disciplinary system in December 2018, an undisguised response to the arrest in Canada days earlier of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

Kemish’s book reveals just how different Beijing’s approach was less than 20 years ago when Australia’s high commissioner in Nepal launched an extraordinary operation to rescue a group of Australian mountaineers.

Using Nepalese defence assets – a Russian-built Mi-17 helicopter – the Australian government was able to rescue the mountaineers trapped in Tibet, in China’s far west, on the slopes of the world’s sixth-highest peak. That daring mission was only possible because of the consular agreement.

Beijing, then in the early, cautious years of Hu Jintao’s time as China’s leader, was keen to be helpful.

“The Chinese foreign minister rang the Australian acting foreign minister, Mark Vaile, to give him the good news that, yes, it could go ahead,” Kemish recalls. “Can you imagine that happening now?”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17499275

File: 97a9410f61cda53⋯.jpg (61 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, China_s_Ambassador_to_Aust….jpg)

>>17499273

3/3

‘Please come home’

It is now a much more fraught time to be Australian in China.

After more than 1300 days in prison – including torture sessions during his pre-trial interrogation – Yang, 57, still has not been given a sentence. His day before a Beijing court was in May last year, 16 months ago. Friends worry about his declining health. Three and a half years after his imprisonment, he has never been allowed to speak to his wife or children.

Cheng, 47, has now spent more than 700 days in prison. Not once has she been allowed to speak to her two children, who are both in Melbourne. They write letters to their mum to be read by Australian diplomats at monthly consular visits, which are all done over video.

“Dear Mum, I started year 7 today and think about you every day,” reads one letter. “I wish you were here.”

Another, first reported by The Daily Telegraph, asked her to come home: “Not a single day goes by without me missing the best mum in the whole world … I will be strong, just like you taught me, please come home soon.”

Cheng teaches English to her cellmates, which she says helps give her purpose. She reads books sent by her partner, Nick Coyle, who was the head of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce. Coyle – who Cheng calls “my knight in shining flip-flops” – has since left the job and Beijing so he can freely advocate for her case.

The blue-chip members of the China-focused business lobby he used to run – including ANZ, KPMG, CBA, Telstra, Woodside and King & Wood Mallesons – have had to explain to their current staff and future hires what her horrendous experience might mean for them.

A month before Cheng was put in prison, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued new travel advice warning Australians may face “arbitrary detention” in China. Australian expats in China grumbled at the time. Many have since left the country.

Cheng’s eyesight is worsening. Dozens of friends and colleagues The Australian has spoken to speak of her toughness. But everyone has their limits.

‘Don’t worry about that’

Beijing’s appalling treatment of these two Australians continues as the Albanese government pursues the difficult work of stabilising relations with China.

Penny Wong’s second statement as Australia’s Foreign Minister marked the first anniversary of Yang’s closed trial. By her fifth week in the job, Wong was overseeing the passing on of birthday messages from Cheng’s children to their mum.

Canberra is united in its advocacy. Shadow foreign minister Simon Birmingham says reports of Cheng’s deteriorating health are deeply troubling.

“As trade minister, I was interviewed by Cheng Lei and found her to be nothing but a business journalist interested in trade and business affairs who asked challenging questions of me in the same way I would expect of any other insightful journalist,” Birmingham says.

He says her treatment raises questions about “the application of both the letter and spirit” of Australia and China’s agreement on consular relations.

When Cheng was put in prison, Birmingham was Australia’s trade minister, having his repeated requests to speak to his Chinese counterpart denied. Now it is Trade Minister Farrell, a fellow South Australian, who is having his meeting requests rejected.

China’s ambassador in Australia, Xiao Qian, recently told Canberra’s National Press Club the 50th anniversary of Australia’s recognition of China this December could contribute to an improvement in the poisoned bilateral relationship.

In the same address, Xi’s top Australian envoy said Cheng’s and Yang’s rights were being protected under Chinese law. He blamed Covid for a two-month cessation of consular access earlier in the year and dismissed concerns about their treatment.

“Their basic rights are protected, so don’t worry about that,” Xiao said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/from-banquets-to-cheng-lei-how-australians-became-hostage-to-xis-china/news-story/dfafbbb6d031541dd8ecc94e76d7805c

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305fdc  No.17499288

File: 22d90ca65ebc33c⋯.jpg (232.01 KB, 1280x960, 4:3, The_Solomon_Islands_last_w….jpg)

File: 0524f5d8e8caf26⋯.jpg (1.81 MB, 3571x2381, 3571:2381, Mr_Sogavare_told_parliamen….jpg)

File: c2912f4ecb92d0e⋯.jpg (2.24 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Chinese_Foreign_Minister_W….jpg)

>>17458335

>>17465759

Solomon Islands says Australia, New Zealand exempt from navy ship moratorium despite China security pact

Reuters/ABC - 5 September 2022

Navy vessels from Australia and New Zealand will be exempt from a temporary ban on foreign ships entering the ports of the Solomon Islands, the Pacific Island nation's Prime Minister has told his own parliament.

Foreign military vessels responding to a request for assistance from the Solomon Islands government would also be exempt, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said on Monday.

The Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China in April, which a leaked draft said allows the Chinese navy to replenish in Honiara.

It prompted concern from Australia, New Zealand and the United States about China's growing influence.

Last week, Mr Sogavare announced a moratorium on foreign navy vessels entering port following incidents in which a US coast guard vessel and a British navy vessel on patrol for illegal fishing were unable to refuel in Honiara.

Questioned by opposition members of parliament about the moratorium, Mr Sogavare said military vessels deployed under the auspices of the Solomon Islands International Assistance Force (SIIAF) — a treaty under which Australia, New Zealand and Fiji work with Solomon Islands police — would be exempt.

The US, which plans to open an embassy in Honiara, said it was informed on August 29 of a moratorium on all foreign navy vessels.

A month earlier, the US pledged to boost aid and increase illegal fishing surveillance in the Pacific in an attempt to counter China's growing presence.

The cabinet had decided to impose the moratorium on military vessels as it reviewed "the benefits and risks to Solomon Islands of any visits by any military vessels", Mr Sogavare said, though adding the moratorium was "not targeting the United States of America".

He said Australia, New Zealand, the US and Britain had become involved in the illegal fishing patrols and his office needed to know more about the vessels arriving.

The Forum Fisheries Agency, which is based in Honiara and represents Pacific Island nations with rich tuna stocks, would need to notify his office about which naval vessels are taking part in surveillance patrols to gain an exemption, he said.

"We don't know who the hell is coming," he said.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeremiah Manele said a report on the matter was expected at the end of next week.

Tensions are high in Solomon Islands as changes to the constitution to delay a general election are expected to pass parliament this week.

Australia advised in a travel warning on Saturday of the risk of civil unrest as the parliament considers "significant legislation".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/solomon-islands-says-australia-nz-exempt-from-navy-ship-ban/101407122

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305fdc  No.17499296

File: 10893cb00c086a0⋯.jpg (119.35 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, Tuvalu_s_Prime_Minister_Ka….jpg)

Tiny Tuvalu to 'stand firm' with Taiwan as Pacific competition hots up

Ben Blanchard - September 5, 2022

TAIPEI, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The leader of the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu pledged on a trip to Taiwan on Monday to "stand firm" on a commitment to lasting ties, drawing Taiwan's thanks at a time of growing competition as China expands its influence in the region.

Tuvalu, with a population of about 10,000, is one of only 14 countries to retain full diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and one of four in the Pacific where Beijing and Washington are tussling for influence.

Speaking at a welcome ceremony in Taipei hosted by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano said "decent and common values" have always been an added strength to their bond after 43 years of relations.

"Through tumultuous times of geostrategic agendas, we continue to stand firm in our commitment to remain a lasting and loyal ally of the Republic of China," Natano said, referring to Taiwan by its official name.

"I recognise the cornerstones of our diplomatic ties, involving two nations founded on the principles of democracy, trust, human rights and freedom of the individual."

Natano is on first trip to Taiwan since being elected in 2019.

Tsai praised their strong friendships, and thanked Tuvalu for speaking up for Taiwan on the world stage and support for its international participation.

"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Tuvalu for its invaluable friendship," she said.

Taiwan lost two Pacific allies to Beijing in 2019: the Solomon Islands and Kiribati. Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands have, like Tuvalu, stuck with Taipei.

The Solomon Islands has become a focal point in the escalating competition between China and the United States in the strategically important region, and has had a tense relationship with the United States and its allies since striking a security pact with China this year.

U.S. President Joe Biden will host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a Sept. 28-29 gathering in Washington, the latest U.S. effort to step up ties with the region.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tiny-tuvalu-stand-firm-with-taiwan-pacific-competition-hots-up-2022-09-05/

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305fdc  No.17499305

File: d1e4db5ea1699b2⋯.jpg (153.28 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, U_S_President_Joe_Biden_wa….jpg)

Biden to host Pacific Island leaders as China courts region

Michael Martina - September 3, 2022

WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a Sept. 28-29 gathering in Washington, the White House said on Friday, the latest U.S. effort to step up ties with the region increasingly courted by China.

The summit will reflect the United States' "broadening and deepening cooperation on key issues such as climate change, pandemic response, economic recovery, maritime security, environmental protection, and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said in a statement.

An administration official told Reuters the White House had invited 12 Pacific Islands countries, including the Solomon Islands, which in April struck a security pact with China, heightening Washington's concern about Beijing's growing influence.

The Solomon Islands, which switched its ties to Beijing from Chinese-claimed Taiwan in 2019, is a focal point in the escalating competition between China and the United States in the strategically vital region.

The Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji were also invited, as well as the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu, which Taiwan counts among its 14 diplomatic allies.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano arrived in Taipei on Saturday for a week-long trip and will sign an agreement reaffirming diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said.

Natano, whose country this month marks 43 years of ties with Taiwan, will meet President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday.

The White House did not provide details on which countries had confirmed attendance for the summit, which had been signaled as a priority by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman during a trip to the region in August.

During that trip, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare skipped a planned appearance with Sherman at a World War Two commemoration, and later that month his government did not respond to a U.S. Coast Guard vessel's request to refuel.

The United States has stepped up engagement with Pacific Islands countries under Biden, sending several senior official delegations and announcing plans to open embassies in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tonga.

https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-host-pacific-island-leaders-september-2022-09-02/

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305fdc  No.17499314

File: 89e81fd18b37e3b⋯.jpg (114.87 KB, 1339x892, 1339:892, Scott_Morrison_faces_an_in….jpg)

>>17405885 (pb)

Speaker rules against referring Scott Morrison to privileges committee over claims he misled parliament

Jake Evans - 5 September 2022

The Speaker of the House of Representatives has refused to refer former prime minister Scott Morrison to the house privileges committee.

Greens leader Adam Bandt moved for the Speaker to refer Mr Morrison for inquiry by the committee for misleading parliament over his secret self-appointment to jointly administer several portfolios.

But Speaker Milton Dick said there was no precedent for him to make the referral.

"On the information available to me it does not seem that a prima facie case has been made out in terms of the detail that speakers have always required," Mr Dick said.

"It then follows that I did not refer the matter ... nevertheless I understand the concern of the member and other members."

Mr Dick said the house could still vote to have the matter referred.

Mr Morrison is facing an inquiry by former High Court justice Virginia Bell over several power grabs throughout the pandemic that were kept secret from much of his own cabinet.

The privileges committee is a bipartisan authority appointed to inquire and report on complaints of contempt or breach of privilege, including misleading parliament.

Sky News has reported in an interview with Mr Morrison set to air this evening that criticisms of his self-appointments were a "slur" against him, and that he acted only as a safeguard against incapacitation from COVID-19.

"I think someone’s just got to break the circuit here," Mr Morrison told Sky.

"I could respond to this claim, this accusation, this slur, I don’t wish to do that, I’m not bitter, I’m thankful, I’m grateful."

Mr Morrison has admitted the only time he used the powers he gave himself was unrelated to COVID-19, when he overruled one of his ministers to block a petroleum exploration licence.

Mr Dick said to establish that contempt has been committed, it would need to be shown that a definite action or omission in fact had been misleading, that Mr Morrison knew at the time it was incorrect, and that the misleading had been deliberate.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/speaker-rules-against-referring-scott-morrison-to-committee/101405986

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305fdc  No.17499342

File: 23bbe7446fc7b24⋯.jpg (120.4 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Alex_Min_Kyung_woo_s_8ha_s….jpg)

File: 9e4c537c9e950ce⋯.jpg (154.24 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, South_Korea_s_real_life_Sq….jpg)

File: 15ff5fb51188152⋯.jpg (58.39 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Park_In_keun_the_ruthless_….jpg)

Real-life Squid Game horror spills over into Australia

STEPHEN RICE - SEPTEMBER 5, 2022

1/2

The wealthy family of the sadistic overlord behind South Korea’s real-life Squid Game – now living in Australia – is expected to face legal action from survivors after an official inquiry revealed that 657 inmates were killed in the house of horrors.

The landmark report by the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission found the inmates died at a sinister facility known as the Brothers Home in the port city of Busan, where thousands of people kidnapped off the streets fought against each other to survive.

Brutal punishments – played out as “games” by over­seers – ­included savage beatings and being made to hang upside down for hours.

Many have drawn parallels with Squid Game, the smash-hit Netflix series in which homeless and out-of-luck South Koreans are plucked from the street to risk their lives by competing in a series of deadly contests. The Australian-based family, of the now-dead camp dictator, Park In-keun, is fighting ­demands to return to South Korea to face questioning about the source of its wealth, ­including ownership of a $15m golf driving range and sports complex in Sydney.

The Brothers Home facility was set up in the 1960s but in the years before the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the country’s military dictators ramped up efforts to “cleanse the streets of vagrants”.

As the secret prison became a money-making machine from government subsidies, people with families and jobs found drunk or without proper identi­fication were also rounded up.

In its report issued last week, the four-year-long commission of inquiry found that police randomly seized people off the streets regardless of whether they had easily identifiable homes or families, and even allowed camp guards, who toured the city in trucks, to do the kidnapping themselves.

The report revealed boss Park – a former soldier and boxer – embezzled the wages of thousands of inmates who were forced into slave labour.

The inquiry commission’s chair, Jung Geun Sik, said its findings could be used as evidence for survivors if they pursued lawsuits for damages against the government or any remaining Brothers Home stakeholders, who likely include Park’s family.

The story of Park’s escape to Australia was first unearthed by journalist Mary Ann Jolley, whose Al Jazeera documentary revealed the family’s rise to riches and power in suburban Sydney.

Park ruled the Brothers Home with an iron fist, forming “platoons” in which ­inmates were forced to compete against and abuse other inmates to survive.

Punishments included “the motor vehicle game”, where the torturer would yell “left indicator” and then hit them in the eye until it was bruised and red; and the “Hiroshima game”, where victims were forced to hang upside down for long periods from the rails of their bunk beds.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17499343

File: 01d8a5cee481f2b⋯.jpg (94.62 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Inmates_of_the_Brothers_Ho….jpg)

File: 247654e465aa68a⋯.jpg (108.78 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Alex_Min_Kyung_woo_left_an….jpg)

>>17499342

2/2

Park surrounded himself with loyal family members.

Brother-in-law Lim Young-soon was a director of the home.

All claimed that they were ­devout Christians.

At the pinnacle of the Brothers Home was a church where Park and others allegedly held “people’s trials” at which those who had tried to escape were savagely beaten in front of thousands of ­inmates.

Park was arrested in 1987 and charged with illegal confinement but ­acquitted.

Two years later, he was making a new life in Australia with his family, establishing its own church in Sydney; in 1995, he bought a golf driving range and sports complex in the outer western suburb of Milperra for $1.9m.

Park was again charged in 2014 with embezzling money from one of the family’s social welfare centres in South Korea but died two years later.

Survivors want Lim Young-soon to answer questions in South Korea over the atrocities.

“When we started to delve into the documents from the original 1987 investigation into the home and talk to survivors, it became clear that Lim Young-soon had played a critical role at the home as both a director and pastor,” said Jolley.

Lim Young-soon told Al Jazeera no one had been abused at the Brothers Home and denied he was ever a director of the home, despite being listed on official documents and minutes from ­numerous board meetings listing him as attending as a director.

Lim Young-soon did not ­respond to requests by The ­Australian.

Park In-keun’s youngest daughter, Park Jee-hee, and her husband, Alex Min Kyung-woo, who own the Milperra golf driving range and sports complex, also did not respond to requests.

The family’s assets are in ­survivors’ sights, especially the 8ha sports complex, which includes a gym, tennis and squash courts.

Held under the family company, Job’s Town, the property – listed for sale in 2020 for $15m – brings them a rental ­income of more than $400,000 a year.

The commission plans to release more reports as its investi­gation continues.

Meanwhile, Netflix is developing a reality competition program based on Squid Game, featuring 456 players competing for a large cash prize.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/reallife-squid-game-horror-spills-over-into-australia/news-story/a3361df0d6b6b79847ff966b42923026

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305fdc  No.17499352

File: ee713ca35930f52⋯.jpg (102.19 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Convicted_child_sex_offend….jpg)

File: 21787ffcf73ee07⋯.jpg (159.25 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, John_Wayne_Millwood_after_….jpg)

Asset-shedding child abuser John Wayne Millwood declares bankruptcy, ‘stacks’ creditors, gets pension, avoids compo to victim-survivor

MATTHEW DENHOLM - SEPTEMBER 4, 2022

A previously wealthy sex offender who divested millions in assets, avoiding a record damages payout to his victim, is receiving a taxpayer-funded pension while “stacking” bankruptcy creditors with family and associates.

John Wayne Millwood, a 76-year-old Tasmanian former colonial art-collector who in 2016 pleaded guilty to abusing a young boy over five years in the 1980s, causing lifelong harm, declared himself bankrupt in July.

In December 2021, a judge ordered Millwood, also a former pathology practice manager, to pay his victim, known in court as ZAB, $5.3m in civil damages – a ­record payout for Australia.

On the day the civil claim was lodged – December 7, 2016 – Millwood began to divest his fortune, estimated by ZAB and his legal team at $8m, via the sale or gifting of assets to family and friends.

Bankruptcy documents obtained by The Australian show Millwood – described by his trial judge as lacking any remorse and by a parole board as “narcissistic” – now claims to have just $1843 to his name.

His super fund, estimated to have been worth millions, is listed as having a zero balance, while he lists as his only income $25,678 a year in “government benefits/­pensions”. Adding further insult to ZAB, Millwood claims as creditors two companies ultimately owned by his daughter, Sarah Kate Millwood, who benefited from Millwood’s earlier share and property divestments.

Millwood has listed as other creditors two long-time associates – lawyer Darrell Grey and a company, Findex Group, in which Millwood’s accountant, Ken Davey, is partner.

A creditors’ report shows Mr Davey referred Millwood to SV Partners, which is now acting as Trustee in Bankruptcy.

Documents show Mr Davey’s Findex Hobart address is the same as that listed as the registered office for the two companies ultimately owned by Sarah Millwood and listed as creditors.

ZAB is “outraged” at his abuser receiving taxpayer-funded benefits, after his divestments, and fearful that despite his compensation constituting 99pc of Millwood’s debts, other creditors linked to Millwood can outvote him.

“It is completely outrageous – what a bloody joke,” said ZAB. “If someone emptied their super of millions in order to receive government welfare, we would call it social security fraud. If someone divested millions in property to avoid a liability to the ATO, we would call it tax avoidance.

“It is outrageous that Millwood has done exactly this to avoid paying a child abuse survivor damages awarded by the courts.

“He will not get away with it. It would make a laughing-stock of our entire system.

“Taxpayers will likely share my outrage. Here is a convicted paedophile, now bankrupt, continuing … his previous lifestyle, while collecting taxpayer-funded welfare.”

Millwood, his daughter Sarah and Mr Davey did not return messages. The Australian does not suggest Ms Millwood has acted improperly.

Lawyers for Ms Millwood have, in correspondence with ZAB’s lawyers, said she “denies that she in any way facilitated her father’s alleged divestment of his assets”.

“Accordingly, Ms Millwood denies that any assets she holds could be recovered by a trustee in bankruptcy,” her lawyer advised ZAB in May.

Mr Grey said Millwood had failed to pay one of his legal bills, listed at the value of $5500, and he was therefore a genuine creditor.

He refused to answer further questions.

ZAB said he feared that despite his payout dwarfing the debts to other creditors, he may be unable to influence the bankruptcy process and any vital asset clawback.

“I am advised that in creditor meetings, votes are on creditors by numbers basis,” he said. “I control 99pc of the debt but I am advised that I would have to make an application to the Federal Court seeking to stop ‘creditors by numbers’ outvoting me.

“It is difficult to escape the conclusion that Millwood has stacked the creditors … What kind of person goes to these lengths to avoid paying damages to child abuse ­victims? What kind of people are happy to assist?”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/assetshedding-child-abuser-john-wayne-millwood-declares-bankruptcy-stacks-creditors-gets-pension-avoids-compo-to-victimsurvivor/news-story/85dc50d793f52116fb893e8dc6e95b18

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305fdc  No.17499393

File: 4bbe8a12d8ddada⋯.mp4 (9.88 MB, 960x540, 16:9, _Paedophile_ring_smashed_a….mp4)

File: 42959f7d7da54d5⋯.jpg (1.32 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Lockridge_1.jpg)

File: 5aa63fe1e23f2dc⋯.jpg (995.91 KB, 4032x3024, 4:3, MADDINGTON_3.jpg)

File: 5279385284598a5⋯.jpg (1.39 MB, 3024x4032, 3:4, Maddington.jpg)

File: d787d8831b553cc⋯.jpg (1.21 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Nollamara_Warrant_2_1.jpg)

Three children rescued, 45 people facing child exploitation charges after WA police operation

Jessica Warriner - 5 September 2022

Three alleged child sexual abuse victims have been identified and rescued following an operation involving West Australian and federal police.

Over the course of seven days, officers executed around 61 search warrants across the state as part of the joint WA Police Operation Palomar and Australian Federal Police Operation Tamworth.

Forty-five people were charged in WA with a total of 149 offences and police say more than 35,000 images and videos were seized.

WA Police Detective Superintendent Gordon Fairman said exploitation material was direct evidence of children being abused, and identifying and rescuing the children was the highest priority for officers.

"People who manufacture, distribute or possess child exploitation material may believe they are anonymous, hiding behind a computer," he said.

"Let me tell you they are not. We can identify them, we can locate them and we can prosecute them."

WA Police confirmed the child exploitation material possession charges laid against former City of Stirling councillor Keith Sargent and another former Stirling employee were linked to the operation.

In 2021, the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 33,000 reports of child exploitation, double the number of reports from 2019.

AFP Detective Superintendent Graeme Marshall said the figures showed the scale of the problem.

"We need everyone in the community — parents, teachers, carers — to be alert," he said.

"The AFP, together with our state, Commonwealth and international partners remain committed to identifying, arresting and prosecuting those who seek to exploit and harm our community's most vulnerable — our children."

Concern over online predators

WA Police Inspector Hamish McKenzie said the operation, carried out in the lead-up to National Child Protection Week, was the largest of its type ever conducted in Australia.

He said authorities had seen an increasing connection between possession of child exploitation material and sexual offending against children.

"One in 10 offenders that we find in possession of child exploitation material are physically offending against children, whether it be their own children or somebody else's," he said.

"It reinforces what we in the law enforcement community have been saying for some time, that this is not a passive crime type, but is intrinsically linked to child sexual offending."

Both Inspector McKenzie and Detective Superintendent Marshall raised serious concerns about predators online, saying the three children removed from harm were teenagers "unknown" to the alleged offenders.

'Sextortion' warning for parents

One 22-year-old man charged as part of the operation allegedly paid a teenage girl to record herself performing sexually explicit acts and send him the videos, and had targeted her through social media.

"The case demonstrates how predators are targeting children through online activities, and effectively invading their bedrooms," Detective Superintendent Marshall said.

He also said instances of "sextortion" were on the rise, and urged parents and children to be aware of risks online.

"We are seeing more children groomed then blackmailed to produce more extreme child abuse material, with the fear that if they don't comply, the images will be shared with their family and friends," he said.

"You will not be shamed by coming forward and telling police what is happening to you."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/police-charge-45-people-with-child-exploitation-offences/101405688

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11180133/Paedophile-ring-Western-Australia-smashed-three-kids-rescued-45-alleged-offenders-charged.html

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/national-child-protection-week-%E2%80%93-45-people-charged-following-joint

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305fdc  No.17504291

File: a3b7b8c4cd7905e⋯.jpg (1.89 MB, 5000x3332, 1250:833, Prime_Minister_Manasseh_So….jpg)

>>17481731

>>17481753

Honiara reacts angrily after Australia offers to help fund Solomon Islands election amid moves to postpone the poll

Stephen Dziedzic - 6 September 2022

1/2

The Solomon Islands government has slammed an Australian offer to fund national elections next year, calling it an "assault" on its democracy and an attempt at foreign interference.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong earlier on Tuesday confirmed that Australia made an offer to help fund elections in Solomon Islands next year as the country's parliament debated a deeply controversial bill to defer the national poll until 2024.

The Solomon Islands opposition has accused Manasseh Sogavare's government of undermining democracy and trying to "bulldoze" through a constitutional amendment that would delay the election until after the Pacific Games in late 2023.

Mr Sogavare brought the bill forward for parliamentary debate this week and it could pass as early as Thursday, despite protests from the opposition and civil society groups.

The government argued it could not afford to hold both the Games and the election in the same year.

Last month, some opposition MPs appealed for Australia to step forward and offer to provide financial assistance to allow the poll to be held on schedule.

On Tuesday morning, Senator Wong confirmed the federal government had made a formal offer to help Solomon Islands hold the election next year, although she did not lay out the scope of that offer.

"We have made an offer of assistance, and it's a matter for Solomon Islands as to whether they respond and how they wish to respond," she told RN Breakfast.

But late on Tuesday, the Solomon Islands government issued an angry statement calling the offer "inappropriate" and scolding the Foreign Minister for making it public while MPs are debating the bill to delay the poll.

"The timing of the public media announcement by the Australian government is in effect a strategy to influence how Members of Parliament will vote on this Bill during the second reading on Thursday 8th September 2022," the statement says.

"This is an assault on our parliamentary democracy and is a direct interference by a foreign government into our domestic affairs.

"The Solomon Islands government has conveyed to the Australian government its concern on the conduct of bilateral relations via the media through the Australian High Commission Office in Honiara."

Earlier, Penny Wong denied that the government's offer was a direct response to the Solomon Islands opposition's appeal for an intervention, stressing that Australia already had a track record of backing recent elections in the Pacific Island country.

"No, this is because Australia has always historically supported democracy in Solomon Islands," she said.

"We have previously offered support and we are offering support again."

Opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Jr slammed Mr Sogavare's response, saying it proved the Prime Minister's real ambition was simply to hold on to power in Solomon Islands.

"The attack by Sogavare on what is a generous offer by Australia is unfortunate and extremely unhelpful. It has exposed Sogavare and his government's … selfish agenda to hold on to power," he told the ABC.

"We do not agree that Australia's offer amounts to foreign influence. When Australia gave $17 million for the Pacific Games it was heartily welcomed with smiles. But when an offer is made to support timely elections, it is seen differently.

"This simply highlights the schizophrenic nature of Sogavare's relationship with Australia. He will take what he feels is good for him and will brand an offer to help uphold our own constitution as foreign influence."

Australia has offered logistical and financial assistance for several recent elections, including the most recent contest in 2019.

The government has contributed $700,000 through the Australian Electoral Commission, as well as $5 million channelled through a United Nations initiative designed to strengthen electoral processes through to 2024.

But this offer makes it clear that Australia is willing to make a larger contribution over and above that to help Solomon Islands hold elections next year.

"If the election remains in 2023, we will support Solomon Islands to ensure it can successfully occur," a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

Still, the Foreign Minister and Australian diplomats are treading carefully.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17504295

File: 65f584aceab8d66⋯.jpg (3.01 MB, 5000x3334, 2500:1667, Senator_Wong_says_the_fund….jpg)

>>17504291

2/2

'A sad moment indeed'

The election deferral is politically charged in Solomon Islands and some of Mr Sogavare's supporters have already taken to social media in the country accusing Australia of meddling in domestic politics.

The opposition says the Prime Minister remains intent on rushing the constitutional amendment through as quickly as possible, and are angry they won't get a chance to scrutinise the bill in the Bills and Legislation Committee.

The MP chairing the committee, John Maneniaru, lashed the process in parliament this morning, accusing the government of trashing democratic conventions.

"I am very disheartened, very disappointed indeed, by the fact the Prime Minister and [his party] have seen it fit [and] decided to hijack my Bills and Legislation Committee mandate and parliamentary responsibility," he said.

"This for me is a sad moment indeed … for our democracy. A fresh and new history has been pencilled down into our parliamentary democracy, [a] history that a deliberate decision was made to bulldoze into our parliamentary democracy process for the first time."

Tess Newton Cain from the Griffith Asia Institute's Pacific Hub said the furious response showed how "sensitive and delicate" the subject was in Solomon Islands.

"It's now becoming something of a flashpoint in the relationship between Solomon Islands and Australia," she said.

Dr Newton Cain said it was reasonable for Australia to make the offer to fund the 2023 elections, despite the risk of it stirring controversy.

"It was something of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation", she said.

"Making the offer probably wasn't a miscalculation but publicising it before the Sogavare government had made their own response … is obviously something that has really got up Mr Sogavare's nose."

"Having said that, as we've seen previously from Prime Minister Sogavare, he is very adept at taking each and every announcement and spinning it to suit his own narrative, and I think there's a bit of that going on now."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-06/solomon-islands-election-funding-penny-wong/101410316

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305fdc  No.17504297

File: 95e5f2741860b23⋯.jpg (315.43 KB, 2000x1142, 1000:571, President_Taneti_Maamau_ha….jpg)

File: 352dad371b2896f⋯.jpg (242.41 KB, 1280x958, 640:479, David_Lambourne_left_with_….jpg)

>>17444743 (pb)

Kiribati suspends all Court of Appeal judges after row over attempts to deport High Court justice David Lambourne to Australia

Stephen Dziedzic - 6 September 2022

Kiribati's government has dramatically escalated its campaign against the judiciary, suspending the country's three remaining senior judges after they blocked the deportation of High Court justice and Australian citizen David Lambourne.

The decision effectively leaves Kiribati without any functioning high-level courts, deepening its legal and constitutional crisis.

The office of Kiribati President Taneti Maamau responded furiously when the Kiribati Court of Appeal — which is staffed by three retired New Zealand judges — blocked its move to deport Mr Lambourne, labelling the government's actions unconstitutional.

The Kiribati government had previously tried — unsuccessfully — to force Mr Lambourne onto a plane and out of the country, resulting in an extraordinary stand-off on the airport tarmac.

Last month, the Court of Appeal quashed the deportation order and ordered the government to reinstate him.

It also dismissed Kiribati's argument that Mr Lambourne was a security risk, calling it "far-fetched", and directed that he be issued a new visa to allow him to stay in the country.

But now Mr Maamau has moved to immediately suspend the three Court of Appeal justices who made that ruling — Paul Heath, Peter Blanchard and Rodney Hansen.

All three men are retired senior New Zealand judges and distinguished jurists. They have been referred to a tribunal set up by Kiribati's government to determine whether they should stay in office, although how this will tribunal will function and who will sit on it is not yet clear.

While Mr Lambourne still remains in Kiribati, he has not yet been issued a new visa permitting him to stay in the country, despite the orders issued by the Court of Appeal.

President warned court to 'self-correct'

The dispute has its roots in a longstanding disagreement over tenure, but has stoked broader concerns about the rule of law and independence of the judiciary in Kiribati.

The government claimed Mr Lambourne breached the constitution by "demanding to be paid as a judge for life", saying that he was only ever appointed to a three-year term.

But Mr Lambourne said he suspects he is being targeted because he is married to Kiribati's Opposition Leader, Tessie Lambourne.

In a submission to the Court of Appeals last month, lawyers representing the Attorney-General warned that Taneti Maamau might suspend the court if it did not "self-correct".

After the court issued its judgement, Mr Maamau's office issued another angry screed, saying it was "gravely concerned by the continuing attack on the rule of law by a few judges, who refuse to honour the constitution, laws and customs by issuing autocratic mandates".

"The government of Kiribati will continue to stress that it is vital that judicial integrity underpin judicial independence, so the rule of law does not become a vehicle for autocratic judicial tyranny that robs our good and honest people of their sovereignty," it said.

Kiribati's chief justice, New Zealand judge William Hastings, was also suspended in June this year after the government accused him of "misconduct".

Legal groups in Australia — as well as a UN Special Rapporteur — have repeatedly criticised Kiribati's actions, saying the government has made a series of moves to undermine judicial independence and interfere with judges' security of tenure.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/kiribati-suspends-court-of-appeal-judges/101407060

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305fdc  No.17504301

File: 9f0ca2bd0d7d4ae⋯.jpg (91.97 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, NSW_Labor_MP_Shaoquett_Mos….jpg)

File: 7b9902be7e9da1e⋯.jpg (87.93 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Mr_Moselmane_was_suspended….jpg)

File: cf3b7a691fd272f⋯.jpg (99.71 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Awards_linking_Labor_MP_Sh….jpg)

MP once raided as part of ASIO investigation defends ‘honorary’ role in China-linked association

Shaoquett Moselmane has defended his position as “honorary chairman” of an association linked with China’s foreign influence arm.

James O'Doherty - September 5, 2022

A Labor MP whose home was raided in an ASIO investigation into foreign interference has defended his role as honorary chairman of an association academics say is involved with the Chinese Communist Party.

Despite the 2020 raid, upper house MP Shaoquett Moselmane still serves as honorary chairman of the Australian Shanghainese Association, which has been identified by academics as being part of the United Front Work Department.

The United Front Work Department is “an agency of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee that has a leading role in efforts to influence and co-opt members of Chinese diaspora communities”, said Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Alex Joske.

Mr Moselmane still promotes his honorary chairmanship on his website, including a photo of a certificate conferring the title under the “awards and acknowledgments” section.

Mr Joske said it was “concerning” that Mr Moselmane was still associated with the organisation.

“I think it’s surprising that Shaoquett Moselmane hasn’t left the organisation,” he said.

“I think state governments and the federal government should really be working to better educate politicians on what these sorts of organisations are.”

In a statement to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Moselmane defended his honorary position, describing it as “like being a patron”.

“I have had no contact with the organisation,” he said.

“Many parliamentarians … accept appointments as patrons.”

Mr Moselmane’s home was raided as part of an ASIO investigation into concerns the Chinese government was working to influence the office of a sitting MP.

At the time, he insisted he was not a suspect in the investigation.

Mr Moselmane was suspended from the Labor Party at the time but was welcomed back into the fold months later after he provided then-leader Jodi McKay with a document confirming he was not a suspect in any federal police investigation. No charges were ever laid.

Earlier in 2020, Mr Moselmane resigned as assistant president of parliament’s upper house after coming under fire for repeatedly praising China’s response to the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Moselmane had praised Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “unswerving leadership”.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/mp-once-raided-as-part-of-asio-investigation-defends-honorary-role-in-chinalinked-association/news-story/e45675ec727c7d5fee8d2fdf49fe7843

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305fdc  No.17504306

File: e477dd76b4d945b⋯.jpg (74.19 KB, 992x558, 16:9, East_Timor_President_Jose_….jpg)

East Timorese leader flies to Australia for critical talks

East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta is scheduled to arrive in Australia for a state visit as negotiations over lucrative gas resources reach a critical stage for his impoverished nation

ROD McGUIRK - September 6, 2022

1/2

CANBERRA, Australia – East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta is scheduled to arrive in Australia on Tuesday for a state visit as negotiations over lucrative gas resources reach a critical stage for his impoverished nation.

The East Timorese are gaining confidence that they can break a 20-year deadlock with the new Australian government over the development of Greater Sunrise, an estimated $50 billion in gas that lies beneath the seabed that separates the two countries.

Australia wants the gas to be piped to an existing liquefied natural gas export hub at its northern city of Darwin. East Timor expects more economic benefit for the half-island nation of 1.5 million people if Greater Sunrise energy is piped to the East Timorese south coast.

Australia and East Timor currently share revenue from the Bayu-Undan gas field in the Timor Sea that has been piped to Darwin since 2006. But that field is expected to run dry this year.

Without further oil and gas revenue, East Timor’s $19 billion sovereign wealth fund could be spent within a decade, according to La’o Hamutuk, an East Timorese research institute.

Ramos-Horta, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 with East Timorese Bishop Carlos Belo for their efforts to end conflict in their homeland, has suggested approaching new potential partners including China to finance an East Timor LNG plant.

Ramos-Horta has also suggested the Japanese, South Koreans and Indonesians as potential partners.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Ramos-Horta’s visit that ends Sunday as an opportunity to deepen the two countries' relationship, as well as to explore avenues for strengthened cooperation both bilaterally and in the region.

“Australia is committed to supporting Timor-Leste’s economic development,” Albanese said in a statement, using East Timor’s Portuguese name.

Michael Leach, an East Timor expert at Melbourne’s Swinburne University, described East Timorese talk of international partners as an effort to leverage Australia to agree to an East Timorese gas hub.

“The big blocking point is whether it goes to Darwin or the south coast of Timor,” Leach said on Tuesday.

“What’s going to happen is anyone’s guess,” Leach added.

A joint venture partner in Greater Sunrise, Australian company Woodside Energy, has raised technical concerns about piping the gas to East Timor. While the gas field is much closer to East Timor than to the Australian coast, the route to Darwin is through much shallower water.

The other partners are East Timorese state-owned company Timor Gap, which holds a 56% stake, and Japanese company Osaka Gas, which holds 34%.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17504309

File: 60fec8644cdf2a7⋯.jpg (312.98 KB, 1747x1164, 1747:1164, China_and_Timor_Leste_made….jpg)

>>17504306

2/2

Woodside said its current focus was on finalizing a production sharing contract for Greater Sunrise.

“Woodside remains committed to the development of Greater Sunrise provided there is fiscal and regulatory certainty necessary for a commercially viable development to proceed,” the company said in a statement.

“We understand and respect Timor-Leste’s desire to process Sunrise gas in Timor-Leste, however, any development plan will need to be assessed against the criteria established” in a maritime boundary treaty signed between Australia and East Timor in 2018.

Under the treaty, East Timor would receive 80% of the Greater Sunrise revenue if the gas is piped to Darwin and 70% if it is piped to an East Timorese plant.

The treaty also gives Australia power to veto any partner that East Timor might choose.

During a visit to the East Timorese capital Dili last week, Foreign Minister Penny Wong warned the nation against going into “unsustainable debt” to the Chinese in building a new gas hub.

Saul Kavonic, an energy analyst for Swiss-based investment bank Credit Suisse, said the industry’s view was that an East Timorese LNG plant was not commercially viable.

Kavonic said East Timor was “bluffing” by suggesting China could become involved because the Chinese lacked LNG expertise.

Trusting the Chinese to develop the technology would be a “very big bet,” Kavonic said.

“Timor would essentially be betting its entire economy on a project being built by a company, for example from China, who has no experience in doing this and that would be an exceptionally risky proposition for them,” Kavonic told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Greater Sunrise has been a source of friction between the neighbors since 2002 when East Timor became independent of Indonesia.

A treaty signed in 2006 was canceled when East Timor accused an Australian spy agency of bugging government offices in Dili in 2004 to give Australian negotiators an unfair advantage.

Australia’s new government, elected in May, pleased East Timor in July by dropping the 4-year-old prosecution of lawyer Bernard Collaery who was accused of attempting to prove the spying.

Oil and gas revenue accounts for 90% of East Timorese government spending.

The U.N. estimates that nearly half of East Timor’s population lives below the extreme poverty line of $1.90 a day and half of children younger than 5 suffer physical and mental stunting as a result of malnutrition.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/east-timorese-leader-flies-australia-critical-talks-89384534

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305fdc  No.17504317

File: 520f8f76ab73406⋯.jpg (2.46 MB, 3648x2766, 608:461, Jed_Danahay_was_killed_whi….jpg)

File: 4e9c3281d3319ff⋯.jpg (1.33 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Vasyl_Myroshnychenko_says_….jpg)

File: 12ca85af94a4194⋯.jpg (58.66 KB, 579x380, 579:380, Mr_Danahay_has_been_hailed….jpg)

File: 9bd14a31345f005⋯.jpg (3.7 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Russian_and_Ukrainian_troo….jpg)

>>17499234

Tributes flow for Queensland medic Jed Danahay killed in Ukraine, hailed a hero by ambassador to Australia

David Chen - 6 September 2022

An Australian man killed during fighting in eastern Ukraine has been hailed as a hero by Ukraine's ambassador to Australia.

Jed William Danahay, 27, from Nanango in southern Queensland was killed in the town of Izyum on August 24 while working as a combat medic.

A family spokesperson said at the time of his death, Mr Danahay was driving a medical vehicle which was targeted by Russian forces.

"Jed lived his life trying to help other people. In his short time on this earth, Jed did more things than most of us will ever do in a lifetime," the spokesperson said.

"He dog-sledded in the Arctic Circle under the northern lights, he journeyed through Europe and saw North America … Jed had friends across the globe and will be sorely missed."

Unit's backbone

His family said Mr Danahay's comrades in Ukraine described him as the backbone of their unit, a hero and someone with whom they could all trust their lives.

"Jed died doing what he believed in, helping people who needed it," the family spokesperson said.

"He was at his heart an optimist and always believed that things should be better."

Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, called Mr Danahay a hero for his service to Ukraine.

"I would like to commend Jed for his courage, his bravery for not sitting there, complacent, watching this war unfold in Europe," he said.

"He was there, he wanted to get involved. He wanted to help Ukraine and his work, his service for Ukraine, for Europe and for the world will never be forgotten."

Mr Myroshnychenko says Mr Danahay is the second Australian he is aware of to be killed in Ukraine, after Tasmanian man Michael O'Neill perished there earlier this year.

"My Facebook every day is an obituary … every day I read about people getting killed and it's very tragic," he said.

He said he was thankful for Mr Danahay's service and offered his condolences to the man's family.

Heroic sacrifice

"He made the biggest sacrifice any man can make is his life and you must be really proud of your son … he's a hero in Ukraine," Mr Myroshnychenko said.

Mr Danahay is survived by his mother, father and two older brothers.

"We would appreciate during this hard time if the media respected our privacy and if anyone wants to help, we encourage them to support the Ukrainian people," the family spokesperson said.

Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) say consular assistance is being provided to Mr Danahay's family.

DFAT's travel advice for Ukraine remains at "do not travel" and the Department says its ability to provide consular assistance is extremely limited.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-06/australian-killed-fighting-in-ukraine-jed-danahay/101408902

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305fdc  No.17504328

File: ecb3647f95df66b⋯.jpg (123.12 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Former_swimming_teacher_Ky….jpg)

File: 8fb8419d08e017f⋯.jpg (64.81 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, The_mother_of_one_alleged_….jpg)

File: c6672caffce0969⋯.jpg (24.58 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, The_court_heard_the_girl_h….jpg)

>>17463649

Mum sobs in court over alleged abuse of her daughter during swimming lessons

A mother has broken down in court over a children’s cartoon which helped uncover her daughter’s alleged abuse.

Duncan Murray - September 6, 2022

A mother has broken down in court over her daughter’s alleged abuse at the hands of former Sydney swimming teacher Kyle Daniels.

Mr Daniels is standing trial on charges of inappropriately touching nine girls at the Mosman Swim Centre between 2018 and 2019. The alleged victims were under 10 years of age at the time.

On Tuesday, the court heard from one of the alleged victim’s mothers, who broke down as she relived the moment her daughter told her she had been touched by her swimming teacher.

The woman sobbed as the court was played a video of the cartoon Pantosaurus, designed to educate children about inappropriate touching.

Her daughter had revealed her alleged abuse after being shown the video in the days following Mr Daniels’ arrest.

Pantosaurus is a two-minute musical video which originates in the UK, where the word pants is used to mean underwear.

It includes the lyrics, “What’s in your pants belongs only to you. Your pants cover up your private parts. Your private parts belong only to you. If someone asks to see, just tell them ‘no’.”

Judge Kara Shead adjourned the trial while the mother composed herself.

The woman sobbed again as she recounted her daughter telling her for the first time of the alleged abuse.

“To my recollection, she said her swimming teacher would … he used to touch and hold her there – and she placed her hands on her hips near her groin,” the mother said.

“I was a bit shocked. She continued to explain what he did and she moved her hands closer, further down her groin.

“She explained that he used to put his hands inside her costume.”

The woman asked her daughter why she hadn’t told her earlier what had happened and she replied something to the effect that she had tried on one occasion.

“What was worse was the fact that she had tried to tell me what had happened,” the woman sobbed.

Prior to talking to police, the woman recalled her daughter asking her, “How do you say no to a teacher?”

“And I said, ‘You just say no’.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17504329

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17504328

2/2

Mr Daniels has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual intercourse with a child aged under 10, eight counts of sexual touching of a child and eight counts of indecent assault, including two considered alternative charges.

Earlier in the day, the court heard the girl’s prerecorded testimony which stated Mr Daniels had touched her inappropriately in every one of their eight lessons together.

The mother later gave evidence that Mr Daniels had only taught the girl for three lessons.

The girl was placed in a level of class which had Mr Daniels as the teacher.

Both the girl and her mother believed the girl should have been placed in a higher level and the girl said it “felt like” her teacher was holding her back from advancing to a different class.

The swim school later clarified the girl had not achieved the requirements to move to a higher level.

The girl told police that in one lesson, “every time” she did freestyle and breaststroke and swam past Mr Daniels, he touched her inappropriately, the court was told. She added that he never did it while she was swimming backstroke.

The trial continues.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/mum-sobs-in-court-over-alleged-abuse-of-her-daughter-during-swimming-lessons/news-story/bcd34911e83130e4dd64d7e51d720434

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lL07JOGU5o

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305fdc  No.17504360

File: 930e05244114a69⋯.mp4 (15.74 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Police_raids_target_child_….mp4)

>>17499393

Sextortion: How WA predators are ‘invading kids’ bedrooms’

Emma Young - September 5, 2022

Police have described how predators are grooming West Australian children across numerous online platforms following an operation of unprecedented scale in Australia that led to the rescue of three children from ongoing abuse, the identification of 14 more at risk and the arrest of 45 people thus far.

After a seven-day child exploitation material blitz across Perth and regional WA, officers on Monday described the processes by which offenders operated, using multiple identities across platforms including Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook to befriend both boys and girls and convince them to share images of themselves – often innocent images at first.

This would progress to sexualised images, that were then used to blackmail the children into self-producing extreme video content under threat of the images being sent to their parents and friends – a sophisticated and swift repertoire “sextortion” that amounted to “invading their bedrooms”.

“These children are now safe. These are children whose abuse would have gone undetected, if not for the hard work and dedication of those involved in this operation,” WA Police sex crimes division Inspector Hamish McKenzie said of the rescue.

They said the children, all teenagers, were abused by people unknown to them, and that the alleged offenders’ “access has been removed”.

Police have contacted the Department of Communities about 14 more children they believe are living in situations where there are “concerns for their ongoing safety” and follow up is under way.

Following the months-long investigation by WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force, over the past week police have searched 61 premises in Perth and regional WA, charged 45 people with 149 offences and seized more than 244 devices containing at least 35,000 images and videos of child abuse in an operation of unprecedented scale in Australia.

They expect this number will reach the millions by the time the investigation is complete and there “very well” could be more offenders charged. Police are not yet aware of any networks or any relationships between any two persons charged, but that will form part of the investigation.

Police said their analysis had shown one in 10 offenders in possession of exploitation material had been directly involved in abusing children.

Exploitation material was thus not pornography, but direct evidence.

“For anyone thinking themselves anonymous when they decide to access this material, let me tell you that you are not,” Inspector McKenzie said.

“As soon as you click that link, or download that material, you’re leaving a trail, and law enforcement will follow that trail … if you’re on the clear web, on the dark web. Whether you’re taking active steps to try to avoid detection or not.”

The maximum sentence for possession of such material is seven years and for production and distribution, 10 years.

“If you are arrested for this crime type, it is likely that you will be imprisoned,” Inspector McKenzie said.

“Once you are released from prison, you will be registered as a child sex offender and go on the sex offender registry for up to 15 years. You will be prevented from employment in a significant number of occupations. And if you have young children of your own, it is highly likely that you will not be able to see them again unsupervised. So let me say to anybody who is considering accessing this material: is that a price you’re willing to pay?”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17504363

File: 85c48e550dc7f71⋯.jpg (215.93 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Police_raid_one_of_the_Per….jpg)

File: 03f22b530f72386⋯.jpg (139.59 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Police_with_evidence_seize….jpg)

File: 7ddba8504cc79e3⋯.jpg (158.95 KB, 1023x683, 1023:683, Children_are_being_groomed….jpg)

>>17504360

2/2

Federal Detective Superintendent Graeme Marshall said the charges included accessing, possessing and transmitting child abuse material, indecently dealing with a child, and engaging in sexual activity with a child using a carriage service.

Many of the tip-offs came through the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where many tech companies report the sharing of images, or chats, relating to abuse of children.

Images seized are run through a program and previously known images and videos separated from new ones. The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation has victim identification specialists and WA Police has recently employed its own. The timeline between this report and local action on the ground can be virtually instantaneous depending on the level of risk to the child, police say.

The offenders charged are “from all walks of life”, from students to a councillor in local government and others in “high positions of authority”. Some have one mobile phone, some have “a number of sophisticated devices”.

All were shocked when police came to their home, Detective Superintendent Marshall said.

“They never expected to be caught. They believe that sitting at home in front of their computer, they are anonymous. I can just say that anybody who has access this material … at one point in time, there’s going to be a knock on your door,” he said.

“You’re not going to know if it’s a neighbour coming to say hello or the police coming to arrest you.”

Despite these efforts, abuse reports continue to rise.

The number of reports doubled in Australia from 2019 to 2021, with the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation receiving 33,000 in 2021.

One man charged this week is accused of sexually grooming multiple teenage girls online.

Police will allege the 22-year-old paid one to record herself performing sexually explicit acts and send him the videos.

The man targeted the girls through social media. Police said Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat were commonly used but any online gaming or messaging platform allowing people to converse online were a risk.

“We’re seeing more children groomed and then blackmailed to produce more extreme child abuse material, with the fear that if they don’t comply, the images will be shared with their families and friends,” Detective Superintendent Marshall said.

He said there was a growing trend of particularly boys being “sextorted” in this manner for financial gain, often by perpetrators based offshore.

“A child can be groomed in a matter of minutes, as some grooming operations are quite sophisticated,” Detective Superintendent Marshall said.

“It’s important that children have digital literacy.

“To children who have been sextorted, you should not be afraid to come forward. Police are here to support you and to help you. And you will not be shamed.”

Research has found only 52 per cent of parents in Australia talk to their children about online safety.

Parents seeking information about educating children can visit Think U Know.

https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/three-children-rescued-in-wa-child-abuse-blitz-20220905-p5bffh.html

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305fdc  No.17504368

File: 3786942e5b257f3⋯.jpg (98.52 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Rear_Admiral_Michael_Day_c….jpg)

File: 62145af986af6f1⋯.jpg (126.3 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Lt_Freddy_Hofschneider_com….jpg)

File: 7a17b0bad986c56⋯.jpg (165.37 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_crew_in_the_mess_of_th….jpg)

File: ab78950dce842f1⋯.jpg (145.52 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_crew_of_the_US_Coast_G….jpg)

File: 3ad791fcc670665⋯.jpg (141.22 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, HMAS_Cairns_Commanding_off….jpg)

>>17487831

US Coast Guard: Cairns visit a success with Australia’s important allies

Officers have given a rare behind-the-scenes look onboard the first US Coast Guard vessel of its kind to dock at Cairns. Why it’s here and the intriguing thing crew love most about the city.

Alison Paterson and Kayla McLean - September 6, 2022

COMMANDING officers of the first US Coast Guard vessel to ever visit Australia have provided a rare behind-the-scenes look on board the Oliver Henry.

The vessel, docked at Cairns, is fresh from a joint US Navy and Australian Border Force training operation in the Torres Strait dubbed Exercise Fortune Guard.

The vessel has made headlines for being turned away from Honiara amid a Solomon Islands ban on warship visits.

United States Commander of the Fourteenth Coast Guard District, Rear Admiral Michael Day said the visit to HMAS Cairns, part of Operation Pacific Blue, had involved the Oliver Henry working side-by-side with their Australian colleagues.

He said it was important to work with their allies, building maritime domain awareness, and sharing best practices with partner nation navies and coast guards.

“This new fast response cutter allows us to work with our Australian partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” RA Day said.

“Australia is of paramount importance to the US, a key ally, a key partner, we could not do what we do in the region without Australia and we hope to come here again.”

The Oliver Henry is the first Fast Response Cutter to fly the Australian ensign while they conducted a routine deployment in Oceania as part of Operation Blue Pacific.

“Operation Blue Pacific is an overarching multi-mission to endeavour promoting security, safety, sovereignty, and economic prosperity in Oceania while strengthening relationships with our regional partners,” he said.

Oliver Henry’s Commanding Officer Lt. Freddy Hofschneider, said the crew enjoyed working with Australian Border Force in FNQ on missions including preventing illegal fishing.

“We did some work with the Australian Border Force in the Torres Strait,” he said.

“This included a joint patrol with their (de Havilland Canada) Dash 8 aircraft in the air and we supplied surface support.”

On the lighter side, Lt Hofschneider said the 26-strong crew had been delighted with Cairns’ excellent facilities and natural attractions, especially the food.

“The crew really like Australian bacon, it's a lot tastier than what we get back home,” he said.

HMAS Commander Alfonso Santos said the robust Australian and US relationship meant he was delighted to welcome the USCGC Oliver Henry to Cairns.

“Our relationship with the US is very strong and goes back almost 100 years now and we have seen US ships here on a regular basis throughout the years,” he said.

“Having the Coast Guard vessel present here for the first time is momentous.

“We are very happy to have them here and I think we will see a lot more of these vessels here in the future.”

https://www.cairnspost.com.au/sport/us-coast-guard-cairns-visit-a-success-with-australias-important-allies/news-story/595672e96b6a5d721c5fa63f8b74f6e5

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305fdc  No.17508672

File: 2e0dbff0feab23e⋯.jpg (1.09 MB, 4165x2776, 4165:2776, China_s_ambassador_to_Aust….jpg)

File: 59fcfa580bcc744⋯.jpg (268.93 KB, 1221x1305, 407:435, Australian_journalist_Chen….jpg)

File: 65f584aceab8d66⋯.jpg (3.01 MB, 5000x3334, 2500:1667, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

>>17475500

>>17499268

Taiwanese independence advocates will be 'punished', says Chinese ambassador

Sarah Ferguson and James Elton - 7 September 2022

China's ambassador to Australia has warned that Taiwanese people advocating full independence from the mainland will be "punished" according to Chinese law, speaking in an interview with the ABC's 7.30 program.

Ambassador Xiao Qian was pressed on whether Taiwanese people would be "re-educated" in the event of reunification with the mainland, as has been publicly suggested by China's ambassador in Paris.

Mr Xiao said they would be obliged to learn about China but rejected the idea the education would be "forced".

"This is a question of obligation … not a question of force," he said.

But Mr Xiao said for a "handful" of "secessionists" who were "stubborn" in their pursuit of Taiwanese independence, it was "not a question of re-education" — instead, they would be "punished according to law".

Ambassador 'trying' for access for Cheng Lei's children

The ambassador was pressed on the circumstances of the detention of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who was formally arrested in China in February last year.

Asked why it was that Ms Cheng had not been able to speak with her children for two years, Mr Xiao first responded by saying Australian consular officials had good access to Ms Cheng.

But when questioned on why access could not be facilitated for her children, Mr Xiao said he did have personal "sympathy" for her family facing "such a difficult situation".

Mr Xiao said while he could not interfere with the legal proceedings afoot in China, he was "trying" as ambassador to facilitate "much easier access" for Cheng Lei's relatives on a "humanitarian" basis.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday renewed his government's call for Cheng to have access to her children.

"Cheng Lei should have access to her family," Mr Albanese told reporters.

"Australia continues to make representation and we have a very strong view about her treatment, and we'll continue to make representation.

"There's been no transparency in any of these processes at all and the Chinese government needs to do better."

'Nothing true in it'

A landmark report from the United Nations' commissioner on human rights found China had perpetuated serious violations of human rights within detention centres in the country's Xinjiang region, targeted at Uyghurs and other minority Muslim communities.

The allegations include torture, use of force in interrogations and cruel or degrading treatment.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the allegations in the report were "harrowing".

She praised the "strength and determination" of members of the Uyghur ethnic community in Australia and worldwide in bringing stories of their mistreatment to light.

The ambassador dismissed the document as a product of "manipulation and confusion".

"There is nothing true in it," he said.

When pressed on whether the report stirred feelings of "shame or revulsion", the ambassador said "no" and called the report an "absolute fabrication".

An Albanese meeting must be 'constructive'

The ambassador said "no preconditions" should be set for a meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and China's President Xi Jinping.

"I would love to see a top-level meeting between the two countries," the ambassador said.

But he said the groundwork needed to be done to ensure the meeting would be productive.

"We have to make sure it will be a constructive one, instead of a destructive one."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-06/taiwanese-independence-advocates-will-be-punished-chinese-ambass/101412008

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305fdc  No.17508675

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17508672

Taiwanese independence advocates will be ‘punished’, says Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian | 7.30

ABC News (Australia)

Sep 6, 2022

China's ambassador to Australia has warned that Taiwanese people advocating full independence from the mainland will be "punished" according to Chinese law, speaking in an interview with the ABC's 7.30 program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkV79gpnOvw

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305fdc  No.17508711

File: b930ef734c7f92b⋯.jpg (418.61 KB, 825x975, 11:13, M4_2.jpg)

File: 6592724ce016ee2⋯.mp4 (9.17 MB, 640x360, 16:9, oitNOfc40J1bjYG6.mp4)

>>17508672

>>17508675

mhar4 述而不作 Tweet

(China's) ambassador to (Australia) Xiao Qian on @abc730 on the "re-education" of the Taiwanese people and "punishment" of Taiwan's political leadership.

In the context of the C20th and C21st history of Taiwan, he is describing the complete destruction of Taiwanese society.

https://twitter.com/mhar4/status/1567123197065326594

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305fdc  No.17508737

File: dcc37407bd9b063⋯.jpg (1.68 MB, 5000x3314, 2500:1657, Timor_Leste_President_Jos_….jpg)

File: 958a35bdac71f01⋯.jpg (2.92 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Jos_Ramos_Horta_says_Timor….jpg)

File: f69dffa38c3e782⋯.jpg (1.76 MB, 5000x2978, 2500:1489, There_are_hopes_a_Woodside….jpg)

>>17504306

President José Ramos-Horta says there will be no Chinese military base in Timor-Leste

John Lyons - 7 September 2022

1/2

Timor-Leste's President José Ramos-Horta has definitively ruled out any Chinese military bases in his country.

When asked by 7.30 whether he would allow any such base, Mr Ramos-Horta said he would not allow the establishment of a base by any "hostile power" or country that is "perceived to be potentially hostile".

The declaration will come as a relief to Australia's defence, foreign policy and intelligence communities who were alarmed when Solomon Islands signed a security agreement with China in March.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said at the time that Australia remained his country's security partner of choice and that the agreement did not include any military facility.

But what caused great concern in Canberra was when he said that he would call on Beijing for security personnel if there was a "gap" that his country needed to fill.

"If there is any gap, we will not allow our country to go down the drain. If there is a gap, we will call on support from China," Mr Sogavare said.

Mr Ramos-Horta, speaking before leaving Dili to visit Australia this week, said Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, was strategically more important than Solomon Islands.

"Timor-Leste is very strategic," he said.

"When you look at the map, far more strategic than Solomon Islands. We are a one-hour flight to Darwin, one hour to Indonesia, three hours to Singapore, in a very vital strategic waterway."

Asked would he allow a Chinese military base in his country, he replied: "We have a responsibility to our neighbours, to Australia, to Indonesia, to other South-East Asian countries not to allow Timor-Leste to be a base for any hostile power or power that is perceived by our neighbours to be potentially hostile.

"A prosperous, stable Timor-Leste is in Australia's best interests because Timor-Leste should sit in the geography of Australia's greater strategic interests."

Push for gas project

Mr Ramos-Horta called on Australia and Australian energy giant Woodside to "extend the hand of friendship" and agree that gas from a deposit in the Timor Sea should be sent to Timor-Leste rather than Australia for processing.

Currently Woodside and Timor-Leste are negotiating over the future of the "Greater Sunrise" oil and gas deposits between the two countries.

Woodside has suggested that if the gas is processed in Timor-Leste then the project may not be viable.

Timor-Leste says it should benefit from the additional jobs and profits that can come with processing.

While Woodside and Timor-Leste have an agreement about how royalties for the deposits will be divided, Timor-Leste is unlikely to be able to pay for the multi-million-dollar investment required to build a processing facility.

While his statement that he would not allow any Chinese base in his country will reassure Australian foreign affairs policymakers who are nervous about growing Chinese influence in the region, Mr Ramos-Horta's comments about other options if Woodside walks away from Greater Sunrise will cause concern in Canberra.

He said: "We will work with Indonesia, we will work with South Korea or with China, if necessary."

That sentiment was supported by the man leading Timor-Leste's negotiations with Woodside, Florentino Ferreira — president of the country's National Authority of Petroleum and Minerals.

"If Woodside decide to leave the project, it is entirely up to them," he said. "And I think we should be ready for whatever scenarios eventuate … without Woodside we have to find some other partners to work together."

While China's increased presence in the Indo-Pacific has made Australia realise that it needs to work harder to shore up support in the region, it appears to have also given many countries a sense that when it comes to Australia they have a greater leverage than previously — whether they will use it or not.

Mr Ferreira reflected Timor-Leste's growing confidence — not just because of China's interest, but also because of the increasingly strong world energy market.

"I think Timor-Leste is in a stronger position not merely because of China," he said.

"Timor-Leste is in a stronger position because of the energy demand in the region and worldwide. Currently, we are seeing high demand for energy due to the Ukraine and Russia war and I think Timor-Leste could become a player in the region and provide solutions."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17508740

File: a570b1d1cdd5eba⋯.jpg (1.66 MB, 5000x3369, 5000:3369, Jos_Ramos_Horta_says_a_pro….jpg)

File: 6da4bafe8502359⋯.jpg (351.91 KB, 1747x1164, 1747:1164, Jos_Ramos_Horta_meeting_wi….jpg)

File: 31ccaeada28d9ba⋯.jpg (536.78 KB, 1887x1157, 1887:1157, Jos_Ramos_Horta_was_previo….jpg)

>>17508737

2/2

While negotiations over Greater Sunrise have been going on at a low level for some years, Timor-Leste is now saying that it wants an agreement by the end of this year.

"We need to have Greater Sunrise operational, commercially, within the next seven, eight years, maximum. So we have to make a decision by the end of this year," Mr Ramos-Horta said.

Part of the urgency on Dili's part is that its petroleum fund is running out of money. This is the fund from previous oil and gas deals which pays the lion's share of the country's expenditure. The fund has fallen to about $18 billion, while Timor-Leste is drawing an estimated $1.8 billion a year from the fund.

Asked would Timor-Leste run out of money if Greater Sunrise did not go ahead, Mr Ramos-Horta told the ABC: "Well, not immediately. But within 10 years we could run out of money. It could be catastrophic."

Hundreds of Chinese workers employed to build port

In Timor-Leste, China maintains a presence at both an infrastructure level and a small projects level.

The Tibar deepwater port has been built by a Chinese construction company, China Harbour. The overall project is managed by the French firm Bollore, which contracted construction to China Harbour.

According to Bollore, 400 Chinese workers have worked on the project, along with 600 workers from Timor-Leste and other countries.

The ABC spoke to one worker from Sri Lanka who said he had worked on China Harbour projects in Doha, Colombo (in Sri Lanka) and Timor-Leste.

While in Dili, the ABC also came across a large crowd. Hundreds of people had gathered around the Chinese ambassador to Timor-Leste, Xiao Jianguo, for the opening of a new soccer field donated by Beijing.

Dr Xiao told the ABC that the project marked the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

When asked should Australians be concerned about the growing influence of China in the region, he said: "I have no idea whether Australia is concerned about the influence from China."

Asked about China's statements that it would not militarise the South China Sea before doing so, Dr Xiao said: "Today I'm the ambassador to Timor-Leste so I prefer to [be] talking about the bilateral relations and how to consolidate our existing cooperation."

Bumpy relationship

The history of negotiations between Australia and Timor-Leste over the Timor Sea has not always been a smooth one.

Famously, Australian intelligence was revealed as having bugged the office of East Timorese negotiators in 2004.

Officers from the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) used a ship that was moored about 500 metres from the cabinet office to pick up audio from listening devices which had been hidden in the office.

It was clear from Mr Ramos-Horta's comments to the ABC that there is still some residual resentment over the affair, but that he did not regard the new Albanese government as responsible.

"Spying on North Korea or Russia and China is normal," he said. "That's what countries do. But spying on one of the poorest countries in the world, we'd just come out of a tragic conflict … spying on us to get even greater advantage, it was shocking to me. And I was very disappointed with the government of John Howard and Alexander Downer."

Clinton Fernandes, a professor of international and political studies at the University of New South Wales, said the incident was highly regrettable.

"Timor is not our enemy. They have never committed aggression against us. And so they present no threat," he said.

"They are in fact an innocent victim. And we happen to act like a predator."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-07/jose-ramos-horta-says-no-chinese-military-base-in-timor-leste/101411898

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305fdc  No.17508746

File: a083a64737a1b0b⋯.jpg (115.13 KB, 1240x744, 5:3, Jose_Ramos_Horta_and_Antho….jpg)

>>17504306

>>17508737

Australia hails ‘new chapter’ in Timor-Leste relationship as leaders sign defence pact

Albanese government looks forward to military cooperation as Jose Ramos-Horta calls for help to develop Greater Sunrise gas fields

Christopher Knaus - 7 Sep 2022

Australia has signed a new defence agreement with Timor-Leste, one of its closest neighbours in the Indo-Pacific, allowing increased military cooperation, particularly in the waters between the two nations.

The deal was announced as the Timor-Leste president, Jose Ramos-Horta, prepared to address the National Press Club on Wednesday, where he called on Australia to do more to help Timor-Leste’s economy develop.

The new defence cooperation agreement (DCA) sets out the protections afforded to military personnel while they are in each other’s territory, making it easier to conduct joint exercises and training, particularly in the Timor Sea.

It will also allow greater cooperation on humanitarian assistance missions.

The Australian defence minister, Richard Marles, said the agreement heralded a “significant step forward in our partnership” and a “new chapter in Australia’s close relationship with Timor-Leste”.

“We are neighbours with a shared maritime domain, namely the Timor Sea,” he said.

“I look forward to seeing how the DCA will help enable joint maritime patrols between Australia and Timor-Leste.”

Experts told the Guardian the deal was “significant” and an “affirmation of close security cooperation” in the context of rising tensions in the region.

It was signed after Ramos-Horta told the Guardian last month that Timor-Leste could seek out Chinese financial support if Australia and Woodside Energy fail to back a gas pipeline between the resource-rich Timor Sea and his country’s southern shore, rather than Darwin.

Ramos-Horta said on Wednesday developing the Greater Sunrise fields was one of the great challenges facing his country.

“We need much more support from Australia in terms of helping Timor-Leste thinking about new economic opportunities and challenges,” he said. “We hope that Australia will provide us with some opportunities to help exploit these opportunities.”

He praised the looming membership of his nation with Asean and warned of rising tensions in the region.

“We see incredible tensions over Taiwan. And, of course, not to discard North Korea,” he said. “But Timor-Leste remains an oasis of tranquillity.”

The Swinburne University of Technology professor Michael Leach, an expert on Timor-Leste, said the defence agreement signed on Wednesday was “a significant upgrade in the bilateral defence relationship”.

“In the context of recent tensions in the region, it’s an affirmation of close security cooperation, including around the shared maritime boundary,” he said.

“This agreement will be celebrated in Canberra, and observers will be watching to see if other announcements follow in relation to downstream oil and gas processing in the Greater Sunrise field, which is a central preoccupation of the Timorese government.”

The relationship between the close neighbours has been under strain in recent years due to the previous Australian government’s pursuit of the lawyer Bernard Collaery and former intelligence officer Witness K.

The pair were considered heroes in Timor-Leste for their role in exposing Australia’s spy operation during negotiations over the Timor Sea resources in 2004.

The recent decision of the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, to end the prosecution of Collaery was welcomed by Ramos-Horta.

“I am pleased that wisdom and fairness have prevailed,” he told the Guardian at the time.

Collaery was in the room for Ramos-Horta’s NPC address on Wednesday.

Timor-Leste’s executive power lies principally with its prime minister, currently Taur Matan Ruak, and its cabinet, but Ramos-Horta holds significant influence as a popularly-elected president with veto powers.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/07/australia-hails-new-chapter-in-timor-leste-relationship-as-leaders-sign-defence-pact

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305fdc  No.17508757

File: 9cee75bb6678ff4⋯.jpg (108.52 KB, 1024x767, 1024:767, Mostafa_Baluch_has_joined_….jpg)

File: 3d96edaae315e23⋯.jpg (109.73 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, The_ANOM_app_used_by_polic….jpg)

File: eebee7c355a3e45⋯.jpg (54.87 KB, 1023x767, 1023:767, Ashley_Rake_will_also_test….jpg)

File: dc758b97bb98bfe⋯.jpg (135.43 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, George_Chambour_during_a_p….jpg)

Operation Ironside: Alleged drug kingpin joins court battle over police sting

An alleged drug kingpin has joined a legal challenge which could result in evidence gathered during a police operation being ruled inadmissible.

Steve Zemek - September 7, 2022

One of Australia’s most notorious alleged drug kingpins, Mostafa Baluch, has joined a landmark legal challenge to the Trojan horse ANOM police sting.

A coalition of alleged drug dealers and smugglers arrested in the high-profile Operation Ironside has banded together to mount a test of the admissibility of the app used by police to smash alleged organised crime networks.

The group is being represented by prominent barrister Bret Walker SC, considered one of the country’s top silks and who has previously represented the likes of George Pell.

Members of the group were arrested as part of Operation Ironside – a joint operation between the Australian Federal Police and FBI – and are each accused of smuggling illegal drugs into Australia or distributing them.

In 2021, police revealed the ANOM devices, which were thought to be encrypted, had in fact been distributed by police who were monitoring the messages, which resulted in hundreds of raids across the country.

Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court heard on Wednesday that over 50 defendants, including Mr Baluch, were now involved in the watershed legal challenge.

The former owner of Cervo restaurant was allegedly a driving force behind an attempt to import an estimated 900kg of cocaine into Australia, worth an estimated $270m.

He has been accused by police of using the ANOM app to conduct alleged drug transactions.

But the group is questioning whether the messages had been legally intercepted.

If material collected during the sting is ruled inadmissible, it could have major ramifications for the 300-plus people charged as part of Operation Ironside.

Some of the defendants were arrested solely on messages allegedly sent on the ANOM device and if that evidence is thrown out, it could prove fatal to any prosecution.

The AFP has said that under the umbrella of Operation Ironside, 383 people have been charged with 2341 offences.

As well, over six tonnes of drugs, 147 firearms and $55.5m in cash have been seized under 778 search warrants.

Police also said the operation had led to them intervening in several underworld killings before they could occur.

The defence is trying to establish whether the messages were obtained under the Telecommunications Act or the Surveillance Devices Act, which is central to the messages being inadmissable.

They are waiting on an expert report, to be provided by the crown prosecution.

The court heard on Wednesday that eight expert witnesses were being sought by the defence and the crown prosecution had consented to seven of them appearing.

Others involved in the test case include Ashley Rake, allegedly involved in the supply of methamphetamine and cocaine, and Roselands man George Chambour, who is alleged to have been involved in the trafficking of a commercial quantity of methamphetamine throughout NSW.

Many of the lawyers are waiting for appointed technology experts to be given access to the app’s source code.

Magistrate Robert Williams set a timetable for the defence to be given the expert report.

The difficulty now is setting a date for the hearing, which is expected to take one to two days, in the Local Court next year because of the availability of lawyers and barristers.

Prominent barristers Phillip Boulten, Avni Djemal and Murugan Thangaraj have also been tapped to appear for clients. Given their limited availability and packed calendar, finding a suitable date could prove challenging.

The matter will return to court in October.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/alleged-drug-kingpin-joins-court-battle-over-police-sting/news-story/908583321e92bfbef1270c5fadb074d1

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305fdc  No.17508776

File: 6f00d0cba42c3bb⋯.jpg (111.54 KB, 1280x719, 1280:719, Alleged_drug_kingpins_Most….jpg)

File: 34ae396a4e9870d⋯.jpg (110.95 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Police_seized_sports_cars_….jpg)

File: c26be6b887873fc⋯.jpg (209.42 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Along_with_luxury_watches.jpg)

File: 224f3f05f9b179b⋯.jpg (67.45 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australian_Federal_Police_….jpg)

>>17508757

Baluch joins AN0M challenge as lawyers consider fighting search warrants

More than 50 alleged AN0M criminals are pushing toward a landmark legal challenge they hope could derail the police case against them - now one of the most infamous accused men has joined the legal bid

Perry Duffin and Steve Zemek - September 7, 2022

Accused AN0M drug criminals could try to have police warrants, used to raid their palatial homes, sports cars and safes, declared invalid in a daring legal strategy they hope could derail multiple police prosecutions.

It comes as one of Australia’s most notorious alleged drug kingpins, Mostafa Baluch, joins the landmark legal challenge to have allegedly incriminating AN0M messages thrown out of court.

More than 380 Australians were charged, drug syndicates unravelled and murder plots unearthed when the Australian Federal Police revealed an encrypted app, AN0M, was actually an invention of international law enforcement.

Police swept through sprawling and incognito properties across NSW in mid-2021, seizing designer watches, jewels, sports cars and, allegedly, evidence of criminal activity.

Now more than 50 of the alleged criminals have launched a joint legal challenge that - they hope - will result in the courts prohibiting police from using the AN0M messages in evidence.

The Daily Telegraph understands that, if that challenge is successful, AN0M lawyers expect more than a dozen prosecutions will fail because the messages are the only evidence against their clients.

It can also be revealed that, if the AN0M messages are invalid, numerous police warrants would likely face their own legal challenges as a result.

Lawyers for the accused AN0M criminals, it’s understood, would argue warrants obtained on the back of improperly intercepted messages should also be declared void.

It’s unknown how many of the AFP’s 778 warrants, if any, relied on the messages intercepted in AN0M or how many police cases would be impacted.

The Downing Centre Local Court, on Wednesday, heard the numerous lawyers involved in challenging the AN0M messages were unlikely to all be available in February 2023, the first date available for the challenge.

The court heard that Baluch was now among the more than 50 accused men jointly forming the challenge against the admissibility of the AN0M messages.

The former owner of Cervo restaurant was allegedly a driving force behind an attempt to import an estimated 900 kilograms of cocaine into Australia, worth an estimated $270m.

He has been accused by police of using the ANOM app to conduct alleged drug transactions.

The group is being represented by prominent barrister Bret Walker SC, considered one of the country’s top silks who has previously represented the likes of George Pell.

The defence is trying to establish whether the messages were obtained under the Telecommunications Act or the Surveillance Devices Act, which is central to the messages being inadmissable.

If the lawyers are unable to match their schedules then the legal challenge may not be heard until well into 2023.

Meanwhile dozens and dozens of accused men will remain behind bars in remand centres across Sydney and NSW.

Those in custody did not apply for bail on Wednesday.

The court, on Wednesday, heard the next step in the case is for police to hand over an expert report about the way the messages were obtained from AN0M.

Lawyers for the AN0M accused are also waiting on their own experts to access and analyse the AN0M source code after a South Australian court granted them access in recent weeks.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-nsw/baluch-joins-an0m-challenge-as-lawyers-consider-fighting-search-warrants/news-story/e4600386a609ddee2b63ce2ab10addbd

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305fdc  No.17508793

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17499393

>>17504360

New online child safety animations to help educate community

Australian Federal Police - 7 September 2022

1/2

Animations released this week by the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) aim to give the Australian community a better understanding of online child sexual exploitation.

The short animations, being released in National Child Protection Week, were developed to address the need for more educational resources on this complex crime type, which is often not spoken about.

Market research has shown that only 52% of parents openly talk to their children about online safety and 38% of people aged 8-17 admitted to talking to strangers online.

These animations aim to increase awareness and understanding around online safety for children and the ACCCE is encouraging the Australian community to start talking about online child safety from an early age.

The first animation titled ‘What is the ACCCE’ explains the purpose of the AFP-led ACCCE, how it functions and how it collaborates across government and non-government organisations to combat online child sexual exploitation.

The second animation ‘What is Online Child Sexual Exploitation’ explains the nature and severity of the issue, as well as providing explanations of different forms of online child sexual exploitation including online grooming and sexual extortion.

The final animation ‘How to report Online Child Sexual Exploitation’ outlines the process for reporting online crimes against children, and explains the role of law enforcement and other agencies involved in combating the abuse of children in the online space.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17508799

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17508793

2/2

Commander ACCCE and Human Exploitation Hilda Sirec said the animation series aims to raise awareness and prevent online child sexual exploitation from happening to families.

“ACCCE research has shown 21 percent of parents and carers think online child sexual exploitation is too repulsive and sickening to think about,” Commander Sirec said. “Child protection is everyone’s responsibility."

“Combatting this crime starts with awareness. We’re asking the Australian community to watch these short animations and to start educating themselves.”

“Online child sexual exploitation is a serious issue, and unfortunately many parents and carers don’t know how to explain the severity of the crime to their children, or where to turn for advice and support."

“These animations are each about three minutes long, and aim to support families, so they can actively engage in a conversation with their children. The series answers calls from the public to clarify where to make a report and who investigates different aspects of online crimes.”

Commander Sirec said often children thought they were talking to a new friend online, when it could be a man or women of any age grooming them to gain their trust.

“While talking to a ’friend’ online may seem innocent at first, a child can be groomed in a matter of minutes,” she said.

“Grooming often leads to more severe types of exploitation such as sexual extortion where we’re seeing concerning trends.”

Last year the ACCCE received more than 33,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation and each report can contain hundreds or thousands of images and videos.

The animations are available to view on the ACCCE website.

https://www.accce.gov.au/resources/parents-carers/animation-resources

If you or someone you know are impacted by online child sexual exploitation there are support services available at accce.gov.au/support.

https://www.accce.gov.au/help-and-support/who-can-help

Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.

http://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/new-online-child-safety-animations-help-educate-community

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gyv4YZfwQ0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_f0BTlnAYk

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903ab6  No.17513286

File: ab31373d3ad3b2a⋯.jpg (105.06 KB, 500x671, 500:671, 6smdiq.jpg)

Mark Latham accuses NSW Labor MP Anna Watson of getting drunk at parliament bar and trying to drive home

A war of words has erupted between two NSW MPs, afte

One Nation MP Mark Latham on Tuesday used parliamentary privilege to make the accusations against Labor's Anna Watson during a budget estimates hearing this morning.

"[She was] as drunk as anyone I've ever seen in my long time working in a parliament house," Mr Latham told a budget estimates hearing.

"Screaming into her phone 'you're too effing good for him, you're too effing good for him'."

While Mr Latham did not specify a date, Ms Watson issued a statement hours later and claimed she had, in fact, been drinking with the One Nation leader on the night of August 27, 2020.r one accused the other of getting "paralytically drunk" in the parliament bar, before trying to drive home.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-06/nsw-mark-latham-accuses-anna-watson-of-trying-to-drink-drive/101409214

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305fdc  No.17513783

File: 21971324fd318af⋯.jpg (2.21 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Penny_Wong_says_the_fundin….jpg)

File: 05ba7eede6250b2⋯.jpg (907.82 KB, 2445x1630, 3:2, Manasseh_Sogavare_said_Aus….jpg)

File: 5cbe7fb13710b4a⋯.jpg (300.66 KB, 1800x1200, 3:2, Simon_Birmingham_says_the_….jpg)

>>17504291

Coalition accuses government of mishandling Solomon Islands election funding offer

Stephen Dziedzic - 7 September 2022

Foreign Minister Penny Wong is trying to douse political controversy over Australia's offer to fund elections in Solomon Islands after its Prime Minister accused the federal government of foreign interference.

Manasseh Sogavare issued a biting statement late on Tuesday saying Australia's offer to fund elections next year was designed to convince Solomon Islands MPs not to vote for a controversial bill to push the national poll back until 2024, calling it an "assault" on the country's democracy.

Opposition MPs in Solomon Islands have backed Australia's offer and say Mr Sogavare's furious response exposes the fact that his real aim is to hold onto power.

But the Coalition has accused the government of bungling its handling of the matter and grilled the Foreign Minister on the subject in Senate Question Time.

Senator Wong did not mention Mr Sogavare directly but denied the allegation of foreign interference.

"Support for an election which is held when the Solomon Islands parliament and government determined that election can be, is an offer respectful of the sovereignty of Solomon Islands," she told the Senate.

She also stressed that the government's financial assistance was not contingent on the election being held on schedule next year.

Mr Sogavare maintains he needs to delay the election until after the Pacific Games in late 2023 because his country does not have the financial resources to hold two major events in the same year.

The Solomons opposition scoffs at that explanation and accuses the Prime Minister of trying to erode democratic norms.

Senator Wong said Australia's offer to help would stand even if the poll was pushed back.

"Australia has always taken the view that democracy, democratic processes and democracy matters. I would reiterate the standing offer the Australian government has to support Solomon Islands' next election, whether held in 2023 or 2024," she said.

"Obviously, as I've made clear publicly, the timing of the election is entirely a matter for the government and the parliament of Solomon Islands," she said.

The Solomon Islands parliament is due to formally debate the constitutional amendment to delay elections when it sits on Thursday.

Mr Sogavare's government has control of the chamber and most observers expect the parliament to pass it rapidly.

Penny Wong says government made election funding offer more than once

The often mercurial Prime Minister Sogavare said Australia's decision to tell the media about the funding offer in the middle of the Solomon's parliamentary debate proved it was intent on shaping the outcome.

But Senator Wong suggested the government only made the information public because it fielded questions from journalists.

"This government does seek to transparently answer questions which are made by journalists," she told the senate.

"We did so in relation to an offer which is consistent with the practice of past and this government to support democracy."

The foreign minister did not confirm that the government first made the formal offer to Solomon Islands only last week, saying only that the offer had been "reiterated on more than one occasion, including by Minister Conroy as well as by officials".

And the opposition is maintaining its attack on the government over the issue, with Senator Birmingham accusing the Foreign Minister of "ducking and weaving important questions".

"It appears the Albanese government has blundered this offer and made a difficult situation worse through its poor public handling of the matter," he said in a statement.

"Given the many pre-election statements by Labor, it is now remarkable that they are refusing to be transparent in the circumstances leading to an outcome that has resulted in a Pacific region partner issuing an extraordinary rebuke to the Albanese government."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-07/coalition-says-labor-mishandled-solomon-islands-election-offer/101416408

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305fdc  No.17513790

File: 0524f5d8e8caf26⋯.jpg (1.81 MB, 3571x2381, 3571:2381, Prime_Minister_Manasseh_So….jpg)

File: 65f584aceab8d66⋯.jpg (3.01 MB, 5000x3334, 2500:1667, Penny_Wong_has_been_critic….jpg)

>>17513783

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare mocks Australia with warning to prepare for 'big cost' to fund Solomon Islands election

Stephen Dziedzic, Annika Burgess and Jordan Fennell - 8 September 2022

1/2

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has mocked Australia while declaring he will take up the government's offer to help fund the next national election – but only after his country's parliament has voted to delay the national poll until 2024.

Mr Sogavare today repeated his attack on Australia's offer to fund elections scheduled for next year, telling parliament he still saw it as "an attempt to directly interfere in our domestic affairs".

The offer came in the middle of an acrimonious parliamentary debate over the delay, with the opposition accusing Mr Sogavare of searching for excuses to hold onto power.

The Prime Minister told parliament he would accept Australia's offer, but his government remained determined to delay the poll until after the Pacific Games in November next year.

"If this bill is passed then we look forward to Australia's offer to assist us in funding the pre-requisite electoral reforms and the conduct of the national elections," Mr Sogavare declared.

"They've offered now, so you get ready, brother, to fund the costs. It's a big cost, Mr Speaker, the Electoral Commission needs a lot of money.

"So you offer, you must prepare to give the money that you said you want to offer us, Mr Speaker!"

Foreign Minister Penny Wong yesterday denied that Australia was trying to interfere in Solomon Islands politics by offering to help fund the elections, stressing that the assistance would be available for a poll in either 2023 or 2024.

Mr Sogavare maintains he needs to delay the election until after the Pacific Games in late 2023 because his country does not have the financial resources to hold two major events in the same year.

Solomon Islands Opposition Leader Mathew Wale accused Mr Sogavare of "scheming" to stay in power and deceive voters.

"This bill comes at the cost of the voters' right to exercise their votes at the general election in 2023," he said.

"There is no popular electoral mandate for this bill. That's the fundamental problem with this bill. This alone should have given [the government] pause."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17513792

File: 641a0a141412dd1⋯.jpg (1.93 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Honiara_resident_Millicent….jpg)

>>17513790

2/2

Locals fear erosion of democracy

The debate had been called with less than a week's notice, with the Prime Minister dodging a parliamentary committee hearing where opposition MPs and civil society groups could weigh in on the bill.

Security was increased and businesses were shuttered in the capital Honiara on Thursday with fears the debate could stoke fresh instability in the Pacific Islands country.

Elections in Solomon Islands are meant to be held every four years and parliament is due to dissolve in just six months.

But with Mr Sogavare holding the majority of support in parliament, the bill is likely to pass on Thursday and delay the election by seven months.

Solomon Islands resident Millicent Barty, who considers herself a social activist, is concerned by the lack of public consultation and dialogue.

She is discouraged by the state of democracy in the country, saying it has become "messy" and people are confused.

"We see that the bond between people and their representatives has over time just been breaking down," she said.

"I feel that people don't believe that participation is worth the effort. Or that their vote actually mattered or matters.

"It's come to a point where a majority will just say, you know, 'why bother?'"

She was also "shocked" that the Pacific Games would take priority over the national election.

"It will only run for two weeks and it's prioritised above our democratic rights," she said.

Solomon Islands Business Magazine publisher Robert Iroga said Solomon Islanders have been opposed to the idea to extend parliament since it was first announced.

"The Solomons Christian Association is basically opposed to an extension, then we have the Chamber of Commerce where 70 per cent don't support any extensions," he said.

"And based on what is coming out of social media, [there] is basically widespread opposition to the proposed amendments."

Mr Iroga welcomed Australia's offer to fund the elections and did not see it as interference.

Ms Barty agreed that support was needed and thought that the language used by the government in response to Australia was "a bit far-fetched".

"In cases where we need to defend democracy and uphold the principles of democracy, I actually feel we need international support," she said.

The bill continues Solomon Islands' run of making news headlines for its political moves.

It comes after the country controversially signed a security pact with China earlier this year and ordered the national broadcaster SIBC not to report content criticising the government.

Mr Iroga has been following Mr Sogavare's career since the 1990s and said he has definitely recognised a shift.

"I think a lot of people would link him to the kind of leaders he associates himself with now," he said.

"I have noticed Sogavare has really changed in the last few years as leader, and he's been very strong with the anti-sentiments on the Western governments like Australia."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-08/solomon-islands-election-delay-debate-australia-funds/101417646

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305fdc  No.17513800

File: 069b62482801fbb⋯.jpg (108.37 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, Mexican_President_Andres_M….jpg)

Mexico invites relatives of Assange, Guevara to Independence Day

Raul Cortes Fernandez and Sarah Morland - September 8, 2022

MEXICO CITY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday he had invited relatives of Julian Assange and Che Guevara to attend the country's independence day celebrations next week.

Leftist Lopez Obrador said the former presidents of Bolivia and Uruguay, Evo Morales and Jose "Pepe" Mujica, had also been invited, along with relatives of Nelson Mandela, U.S. civil rights leader Martin Luther King and U.S. labor activist Cesar Chavez.

Sharing a list of names during a regular news conference, Lopez Obrador said the guest list had yet to be confirmed. However, he noted Morales, to whom Mexico granted asylum when he was forced out of office in 2019, had said he would attend.

Lopez Obrador has sought to carve out a leading role for Mexico on Latin America's left, condemning the U.S. economic embargo of communist Cuba, and showing solidarity with the governments of Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela.

The late Argentine revolutionary Guevara is an iconic figure for many on the Latin American left.

Lopez Obrador has also offered asylum to Wikileaks founder Assange, who faces possible extradition from Britain to the United States, where is wanted for publishing classified documents.

The annual celebrations are often referred to colloquially as El Grito (The Cry) because the president traditionally re-enacts a 1810 call to arms from the balcony of the National Palace on the eve of Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16.

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-invites-relatives-assange-chavez-guevara-independence-day-2022-09-07/

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305fdc  No.17513816

File: 0708b2bf9fcede9⋯.jpg (96.72 KB, 768x1025, 768:1025, James_Griffin.jpg)

File: 100cfbcdd851989⋯.jpg (68.67 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, James_Bellinger.jpg)

File: 6e2d10fb360c7b4⋯.jpg (108.06 KB, 800x600, 4:3, An_HR_manager_at_Launcesto….jpg)

Tasmanian hospital manager denies abuse cover-up

Ethan James - September 8 2022

Internal reviews by a Tasmanian hospital into a pedophile nurse were misleading and an allegation of historical abuse known to management was omitted and not escalated, an inquiry has been told.

James Geoffrey Griffin died by suicide in October 2019 after being charged with multiple child sexual abuse offences.

An inquiry into child sexual abuse has been told of "catastrophic failures" in Launceston General Hospital's handling of complaints against Griffin, who worked on the children's ward for almost two decades.

Hospital human resources manager, James Bellinger, was in November 2019 called by a police officer who told him about an abuse disclosure made years earlier against Griffin by Kylie Pearn.

Ms Pearn, who worked alongside Griffin, has told the inquiry she disclosed to hospital human resources in 2011 she had been abused by Griffin as a child.

She said she was told nothing could be done without a conviction.

Mr Bellinger told the inquiry he didn't reference Ms Pearn's disclosure in briefings to the government department responsible for the hospital as part of investigations into Griffin following his death.

Mr Bellinger also didn't reference the disclosure in a subsequent internal review, or in information provided to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation or the state's Integrity Commission.

He denied deliberately covering up information.

"My involvement may not have been adequate. Cover up implies there was an intent," he said on Thursday.

"It may not have been exhaustive enough but there was not an intent to bury it. I accept more should have been done."

He agreed the information he escalated to the department about Griffin was misleading.

The inquiry has previously been told Mr Bellinger may been at the meeting with Ms Pearn in 2011. He claims to have no recollection of the meeting.

A former boss of the hospital earlier told the inquiry he didn't launch an investigation into a historical child sexual abuse claim because he believed the matter was "too old".

Stephen Ayre, head of the facility from 2004 to 2008, said he handled a complaint in 2005 made by Ben Felton, who alleged he was sexually assaulted by a nurse known as "George" in 1989.

Dr Ayre said he formed the view Mr Felton had been assaulted but said he didn't consider launching a fresh investigation into the matter.

"I had the information there was no police information that we were able to use. There was no other information that was able to be found," he told the inquiry.

"It would be the verbal recollections et cetera of people from 1989 essentially."

Dr Ayre conceded he didn't know whether the hospital had completed an investigation in 1989 as there was "no documentation he could access".

Counsel assisting the inquiry, Elizabeth Bennett SC, asked Dr Ayre whether he considered the claim to be too old.

"That would have been my assessment at the time," he replied.

Mr Felton previously said he was abused by a nurse at the hospital as a 13-year-old and reported the matter to hospital officials at the time but never heard anything back.

He said he went back to the hospital for answers in 2003.

Lifeline 13 11 14

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7894087/tas-hospital-manager-denies-abuse-cover-up/

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305fdc  No.17513834

File: 83ff2f6ab282658⋯.jpg (72.54 KB, 1392x927, 464:309, Mr_Ryan_said_he_encouraged….jpg)

File: 27af5fa8e203f5d⋯.jpg (2.09 MB, 3380x2159, 3380:2159, Patrick_Ryan_was_manager_a….jpg)

Former Ashley Youth Detention Centre boss Patrick Ryan 'found out about allegations against staff member during hearings'

Loretta Lohberge - 7 September 2022

1/2

A former manager of Tasmania's Ashley Youth Detention Centre says he was not told of an allegation against a member of the management team.

Patrick Ryan, who has appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in Tasmanian Government Institutions, was the centre manager from 2017 until 2021.

Mr Ryan told the commission he encouraged all staff to "get out of their offices" and have contact with the young people detained at the centre.

He said he first became aware of a historical allegation against management team member Lester* during the commission of inquiry's hearings.

"If I was aware of those at the time, I wouldn't have encouraged Lester's contact with young people, there would've needed to be some intervention," Mr Ryan said.

"It is something I should have known, something I should have been advised of."

The commission has heard the allegation was made in 2020.

Mr Ryan was asked about the attempted sexual assault of Henry* with a water bottle by two other boys – an incident the commission previously heard evidence about.

According to Mr Ryan's report, Henry's underpants remained on, but a subsequent report, made by someone who viewed CCTV footage of the incident, said:

"An inmate starts pulling the victim's pants down and another inmate goes to help, the victim's bare buttocks can be seen briefly."

Mr Ryan told the commission on Wednesday he considered the incident a "sexualised incident" rather than a sexual assault, and that there were "different opinions" about whether or not it should be categorised as a sexual assault.

"Is it fair to say that you took the interpretation that minimised the seriousness of the conduct?" counsel assisting the commission Elizabeth Bennett SC asked.

"No, no, I didn't, I don't agree with that. The incident was reported and was taken seriously," Mr Ryan said.

"Sitting here with the benefit of hindsight, was there a better way of explaining that? Yes, but … I was sending this [report] to my director who I'd spoken with, who I'd met with, who I'd shown the footage to."

'Aspects' of therapy, but no wholistic therapeutic approach

Mr Ryan came to the position at Ashley after about 30 years as a police officer, telling the commission his formal qualification was a graduate certificate in police studies.

He told the commission he applied for the job at Ashley because he wanted to gain broader experience as part of his plan to be promoted to the rank of inspector in Tasmania Police.

He said it was never suggested to him that the appointment of someone with a policing background was connected with a hope that there would be a shift towards tighter discipline at Ashley.

Mr Ryan told the commission the move towards a therapeutic approach was a theme of the position description and his job interview.

He said he did some research about what a therapeutic approach involved – including reading literature on it and a government media release.

"I was working closely with the change manager who was, I suppose, looking and mapping out what a therapeutic approach would look like," he said.

Mr Ryan told the commission the change manager was employed at the same time as him and worked at the centre for 18 months.

Ms Bennett asked Mr Ryan: "What was the therapeutic model you were working to?"

He said: "There wasn't a therapeutic model rolled out while I was there".

"There were elements of work being done therapeutically but it hadn't been captured by a process."

Mr Ryan said when he started in the position, he was not told about any cultural issues among the centre's staff, but after working there for a while, "I could sense that not everyone was happy".

"Did you understand that it was a functional and-well operating detention centre at the time you started?" Ms Bennet asked.

"No," Mr Ryan replied.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17513835

File: b2f711cc71cd2c1⋯.jpg (2.74 MB, 4000x2358, 2000:1179, Elizabeth_Bennett_SC_addre….jpg)

>>17513834

2/2

Questions over isolation practices

Mr Ryan was questioned over policies in place at Ashley during his tenure, relating to the isolation of detainees.

The commission heard that when detainees were isolated in their rooms, there were legislated time-frames and paperwork requirements.

"I had to review incidents of isolation, which I did. Often there were forms that were incomplete, for example, the signature wasn't on it or it wasn't attached to the file, so I would need to review those and ensure everything was in order," Mr Ryan said.

Mr Ryan said there was also a program called the blue program that was used while he was centre manager.

Under that program, Mr Ryan told the commission, the detainee put on blue status would be sent to their bedroom and the door "would normally be locked".

He did not agree that it was the same as isolation – which can only be done for a set period of time and requires certain paperwork and is defined as locking a detainee in a room separate from others and from the normal routine of the centre.

"I think what you're saying is that, because this was a program, like the teaching program or the health or whatever, it does not come within the definition of isolation, that's what you're saying?" Commission president Marcia Neave asked.

"Yeah, that's correct," Mr Ryan said.

"I took advice and had discussion and that's the position I reached."

Closure time frame 'very tight'

Head of Youth Justice Reform in the Communities Department Chris Simcock – who has been in the job for three weeks – told the commission there was still much work to do before the state government's deadline of 2024 to close Ashley would be met.

"Some colleagues [within the public service] have suggested that it might not be possible to achieve that," Mr Simcock said.

"I think it will be very tight and I think it also depends on what the final design for the detention centre or centres is."

The government's plan is for two smaller youth detention centres to replace Ashley – one in the north and one in the south of the state.

"I am not convinced that that's necessarily the best approach because I'm really conscious that I don't think we should – and I certainly don't want to – replicate two Ashleys, which we could do," Mr Simcock said.

"There's a very large gap around Australia about what happens to young people once they leave detention."

He said he had asked Noetic Group – the company engaged to provide a design brief for the new centres – to also consider options for young people leaving detention.

Mr Simcock said he did not agree with calls to close the centre immediately.

"I think the immediate closure of Ashley has the potential to damage the reforms that we're doing," he said.

Mr Simcock told the commission that staffing levels at the centre had recently increased to enable the return of normal operations at the centre, including schooling. But he said more workers were needed "as soon as possible".

The commission heard six youth detention centre workers from Alice Springs were moving to Tasmania to take up positions at Ashley and other positions would soon be advertised.

*Names have been changed.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-07/former-ashley-boss-patrick-ryan-fronts-commission-of-inquiry/101412908

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305fdc  No.17513847

File: 6f4c5bdbfaddffa⋯.mp4 (15.83 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Claims_of_abuse_exposed_at….mp4)

>>17513834

VIDEO: Claims of abuse exposed at Tasmania's Ashley Youth Detention Centre

Will Murray - 8 September 2022

Former boss Patrick Ryan first became aware of historical allegation against a management team member during commission of inquiry's hearings.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-08/claims-of-abuse-exposed-at-tasmania-youth-detention-centre/14047384

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305fdc  No.17513866

File: 3d6012bc25a2e39⋯.jpg (61.21 KB, 910x568, 455:284, A_Royal_Australian_Air_For….jpg)

US military’s footprint is expanding in northern Australia to meet a rising China

SETH ROBSON, STARS AND STRIPES - September 8, 2022

1/2

DARWIN, Australia — Red dust rises in Australia’s Northern Territory as tractors churn the earth to build facilities for U.S. forces deployed to bolster a longtime ally threatened by China’s rapid military buildup.

Major construction, funded by the U.S. and Australian governments, is underway in the northern port of Darwin, at Larrakeyah Defence Precinct and at Royal Australian Air Force Bases Darwin and Tindal for facilities that will be used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

The facilities will support U.S. and Australian forces training to defend chains of small islands that would likely be an arena for any future conflict with China, according to former Australian assistant defense secretary Ross Babbage.

The allies are learning to conduct dispersed operations and deploy anti-ship missiles to island chains in the Western Pacific “to make it extremely difficult and dangerous for Chinese operations in a crisis,” including a conflict over Taiwan, he said by phone Wednesday.

Australians are alarmed at Chinese efforts to gain influence among their South Pacific neighbors following a security pact, signed in April, with the Solomon Islands that many fear could lead to the establishment of a Chinese military base.

East of Darwin’s central business district, 400 workers are building 11 massive tanks that will be able to store 80 million gallons of fuel, according to Crowley, a Florida-based fuel provider working under contract with the Defense Logistics Agency, according to the company’s website.

“Construction on all 11 tanks has commenced,” the Northern Territory’s government said in a statement Sept. 1. “The facility will be the largest of its kind in the Territory.”

The $181 million project, to be completed by September 2023, will provide U.S. defense operations in the region with military-grade fuel, the statement said.

Larrakeyah projects

On the west side of Darwin, at Larrakeyah Defence Precinct, work is underway on a $317 million upgrade of facilities and a new 820-foot-long wharf and fuel farm, according to the Australian Defence Department’s website.

The new facilities, due to be complete in 2023, will support surface warships, submarines, mine hunters and hydrographic ships, the website states.

The base has been home to 100 U.S. Marines, deployed there the past six months as part of a 2,200-strong rotational force that has been training in the Northern Territory during the southern hemisphere’s cooler months since 2012. The bulk of the force is at Robertson Barracks, an Australian army post about 12 miles to the east.

The Marines at Larrakeyah make up the rotational force’s command element and live on base in modern, multistory apartments, each with its own bathroom and balcony.

The base displays old military equipment, including guns used to defend Darwin from Japanese air raids in World War II. The installation, which dates to 1932, was damaged in the bombing.

The Marines work out in a well-equipped fitness center and on a grassy playing field nearby. They eat at the Australian navy dining facility beneath a large portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. They can enjoy an after-work beverage at a bar upstairs decorated with Vietnam War-era souvenirs.

The Marines are planning a rugby game against the Stray Cats, a local civilian team, on Sept. 11. The fixture commemorates a match between members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed from Camp Pendleton, Calif., and local players that happened on the same date in 2001, shortly before the attack on the Twin Towers.

The Marines share Larrakeyah with 600 Australian sailors assigned to naval base HMAS Coonawarra. Larrakeyah is home to 11 Armidale-class patrol boats. Sailors there can haul the 171-foot-long vessels out of the water and into a massive shed for maintenance.

“They patrol an area from Christmas Island to Ashmore Reef (in the Indian Ocean) and the Timor Strait,” a spokesman for the Australian Defence Department in the Northern Territory, Todd Fitzgerald, said during a base tour. “They’re looking for anything that shouldn’t be there like illegal fishing, human traffickers and drug shipments.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17513868

File: 52d2fb0dd8aa2d9⋯.jpg (1010.61 KB, 5655x3729, 1885:1243, 1st_Battalion_1st_Marines_….jpg)

>>17513866

2/2

Pier improvements

The Australians are adding larger, 262-foot-long offshore patrol vessels to their fleet with the first one to be launched later this year, he said.

The new wharf at Larrakeyah will allow Australia’s 755-foot-long landing helicopter dock ships the HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide, to make port calls, Fitzgerald said.

Similar-sized U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships will also be able to dock at the new pier, he said, meaning visiting U.S. Marines can disembark there, rather than at Darwin’s civilian wharf where commercial berths must be booked in advance.

The base is on the opposite side of town to Fort Hill Wharf, where the U.S. Navy’s dock landing ship USS Ashland made a port call in May. The wharf and other port facilities in Darwin are leased by Landbridge, the Australian subsidiary of a privately owned Chinese company that is reported to have links to China’s army.

Larrakeyah is also home to Australia’s North-West Mobile Force, a unit made up of indigenous troops who conduct long-range reconnaissance and surveillance missions, Fitzgerald said.

The force keeps tabs on almost three quarters of a million square miles in northern Australia by visiting remote communities and airstrips to collect information, he said.

“When the Marines go into an area these guys will give them a low down on what’s in there,” he said.

Members of the unit can talk to people in remote communities in their own language and introduce Marines who might work near them, Fitzgerald said.

“If you have someone from North Force who says they are with them (the Marines) it can avoid a lot of potential problems,” he said.

Air base upgrades

Australian air bases in the Northern Territory frequently used by visiting U.S. aircraft are also being improved.

At RAAF Darwin, for example, $88.65 million worth of projects to build fuel tanks, expand the airfield and erect maintenance facilities are due for completion next year.

U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagles from the Okinawa-based 67th Fighter Squadron flew out of RAAF Darwin during the Pitch Black drills, a three-week exercise involving 2,500 personnel, more than 100 aircraft and 17 nations that ended Thursday.

A $496 million project at RAAF Tindal, a 200-miles drive south of Darwin, will upgrade the airfield, increase aviation fuel storage, re-invest in ageing base engineering services and provide additional accommodation for airmen, according to the Australian Defence Department’s website.

A concurrent $294 million project at the base will upgrade power, water and sewerage, the website states.

Heavy equipment was at work on Sept. 1 building new ramp space capable of accommodating American B-52 bombers at Tindal. U.S. stealth fighters including Marine Corps F-36B Lightning IIs deployed from Iwakuni, Japan, and Air Force F-22 Raptors from Hawaii were taking off and landing near the worksite that day.

The Australian government will likely announce more initiatives in the northern Australia before the year is over, Babbage said.

“There is a lot of space and scope for doing innovative things and big things,” he said.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-09-08/australia-military-construction-projects-china-7251762.html

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305fdc  No.17515448

File: 18815bc6b0e68b5⋯.jpg (680.19 KB, 852x1936, 213:484, Q_100.jpg)

Q Post #100

Nov 5 2017 18:41:11 (EST)

Who is the Queen of England?

How long in power?

With power comes corruption.

What happened to Diana?

What did she find out?

Why was she running?

Who did she entrust to help her flee?

What was the cover?

Why is this relevant?

Why now?

Old.

Connection.

News.

Bad actor.

London Mayor.

Background?

Affiliation?

Connection to Queen?

British MI6 agents dead.

When?

How?

What was reported?

What really happened?

Why is this relevant?

Wealth.

Corruption.

Secret society.

Evil.

Germany.

Merkel.

Migrants.

Why are migrants important?

Assets.

What are assets?

Define assets?

Why are migrants so important?

What are assets?

Why are migrants so important?

What are assets?

Why are migrants so important?

Operations.

Satan.

Who follows?

What political leaders worship Satan?

What does an upside down cross represent?

Who wears openly?

Why?

Who is she connected to?

Why is this relevant?

Spirit cooking.

What does Spirit Cooking represent?

Cult.

What is a cult?

Who is worshipped?

Why is this relevant?

Snow White

Godfather III

Speed.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#100

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000000  No.17517472

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17515448

Public holiday announced for September 22 to honour Queen

Sky News Australia

Sep 11, 2022

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced there will be a one-off public holiday to honour the Queen’s death on Thursday September 22.

Mr Albanese said there will be a memorial service on the day in the Great Hall at Parliament House.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovTDfY5ODYk

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d2c9c6  No.17519208

Solomon Islands Exempts Australia, NZ From US Navy Ship Ban

September 6, 2022

By Kirsty Needham (Reuters) – Navy vessels from Australia and New Zealand will be exempt from a temporary ban on foreign ships entering the ports of the Solomon Islands, the Pacific island nation’s prime minister told parliament on Monday.

Foreign military vessels responding to a request for assistance from the Solomon Islands government would also be exempt, Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare said.

The Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China in April, which a leaked draft said allows the Chinese navy to replenish in Honiara, prompting concern from the United States, Australia and New Zealand about China’s growing influence.

Also read: Solomon Islands Blocks All US Navy Ships

Last week, Sogavare announced a moratorium on foreign navy vessels entering port following incidents in which a U.S. coast guard vessel and a British navy vessel on patrol for illegal fishing were unable to refuel in Honiara. Read full story

Questioned by opposition members of parliament about the moratorium, Sogavare said military vessels deployed under the auspices of the Solomon Islands International Assistance Force (SIIAF), a treaty under which Australia, New Zealand and Fiji work with the Solomon Islands police, would be exempt.

“Military vessels deployed under SIIAF are therefore exempted during the period of the moratorium,” he said.

The United States, which plans to open an embassy in Honiara, said it was informed on Aug. 29 of a moratorium on all foreign navy vessels. Read full story

A month earlier, the United States pledged to boost aid and increase illegal fishing surveillance in the Pacific in an attempt to counter China’s growing presence.

The cabinet had decided to impose the moratorium on military vessels as it reviewed “the benefits and risks to Solomon Islands of any visits by any military vessels,” Sogavare said, though adding the moratorium was not aimed at the United States.

“We are not targeting the United States of America,” he said.

The United States, Australia, New Zealand and Britain had become involved in the illegal fishing patrols and his office needed to know more about the vessels arriving, he said.

The Forum Fisheries Agency, which is based in Honiara and represents Pacific Island nations with rich tuna stocks, would need to notify his office about which naval vessels are taking part in surveillance patrols to gain an exemption, he said.

“We don’t know who the hell is coming,” he added.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeremiah Manele said a report on the matter was expected at the end of next week.

Tensions are high in Solomon Islands as changes to the constitution to delay a general election are expected to pass parliament this week.

Australia advised in a travel warning on Saturday of the risk of civil unrest as the parliament considers “significant legislation.”

https://gcaptain.com/solomon-islands-exempts-australia-nz-from-us-navy-ship-ban/

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000000  No.17519348

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

Americans mark 21st anniversary of September 11, 2001 terror attacks

7NEWS Australia

Sep 12, 2022

For the 21st time, Americans have marked the anniversary of their country's deadliest terror attacks - September 11, 2001.

Emotions were still raw as many joined ceremonies across the US.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0yyyPwQvO8

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000000  No.17520790

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17515448

'Andrew, you're a sick man': police drag heckler from crowd during Queen's procession

Guardian News

Sep 13, 2022

King Charles III and his siblings followed the Queen's coffin through Edinburgh during a procession towards St Giles' Cathedral.

A man was heard shouting: 'Andrew, you're a sick old man' at Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, before police detained him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niKzVnaoK5s

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000000  No.17520795

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17515448

>>17520790

Man in Aussie football shirt dragged to ground after three-word Prince Andrew slur

As the crowd watched on in sombre silence as the Queen’s coffin passed by, one man’s harsh words rang out across the mourning throng.

Hayley Taylor - 13 September 2022

A man wearing an Australian football shirt was dragged off and arrested after heckling Prince Andrew while he walked behind his late mother’s coffin at the procession in Edinburgh on Monday.

The heckler, clad in a Melbourne City FC shirt and perched near the very front of the crowd, repeatedly yelled “Andrew, you’re a sick old man”, before being arrested by police.

The crowd was quiet as the late Queen’s casket passed by, until the man’s words rang loudly through the procession.

Video shows members of the public appearing to push the man to the ground before he was pulled away by police.

“Disgusting,” the man yelled out as police dragged him further away from the crowd

“Oi, I’ve done nothing wrong,” he is heard telling police.

The heckler known as Rory, according to Scotland’s Holyrood Daily, later told the local outlet: “Powerful men shouldn’t be able to commit sexual crimes and get away with it”.

It said a Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that “a 22-year old man was arrested in connection with a breach of the peace on the Royal Mile around 2.50pm on Monday, 12 September 2022”.

The sledge appeared to reference the allegation by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a victim of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, that she had been forced to perform sex acts with Andrew when she was a minor.

The royal denied the claims, saying a photograph of the two together was fake.

Prince Andrew settled a sexual abuse lawsuit in the US earlier this year, after a case was brought against him by Giuffre.

As the Queen’s coffin procession was underway on Monday, Prince Andrew was walked behind in a morning suit while his siblings King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Edward were wearing military uniforms.

Andrew was stripped of his right to wear military uniform over the scandal, but will be granted an exception for the final vigil as a “special mark of respect” - the same exception not granted to Prince Harry.

Prince Andrew and his siblings continued to walk seemingly undisturbed by the heckler’s calls, as the crowd reportedly began to chant “God save the King” and make noise that drowned out the heckler’s calls.

The heckler was the second person to be arrested for breaching the peace. A 22-year-old woman was reportedly charged for holding up an anti-monarchy placard outside St Giles’ Cathedral.\

https://7news.com.au/news/prince-andrew/watch-man-in-aussie-football-shirt-dragged-to-ground-after-three-word-prince-andrew-slur-c-8216920

https://twitter.com/janderson_news/status/1569328330847191041

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXr1qZHCFx4

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305fdc  No.17526478

File: 23493d6abbd7e85⋯.jpg (69.71 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, New_Navy_chief_Mark_Hammon….jpg)

File: e727e4a9f5f14d2⋯.jpg (177.98 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_Chinese_intelligence_shi….jpg)

Exercise Kakadu 2022: Royal Australian Navy chief Mark Hammond ‘ready for spy ships’

BEN PACKHAM - SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Australia’s new Chief of Navy says he is prepared for “uninvited” Chinese spy ships at the country’s flagship naval war games, Exercise Kakadu, as Beijing ramps up its surveillance of Western allies’ capabilities ahead of a potential Taiwan conflict.

The exercise begins off the Northern Territory on Monday, with ships and aircraft from 22 ­nations expected to draw the ­attention of Chinese intelligence-gathering vessels, which have shadowed Australian-hosted ­exercises in recent years.

“The exercise will happen in international waters outside our territorial seas, and it’s not unusual to see ships from many different nations in that environment,” Vice-Admiral Mark Hammond said. “We prepare accordingly, and will scale and manage the exercise accordingly, as we have in the past.”

Amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, Vice-­Admiral Hammond also highlighted what he described as “odd” behaviour by Chinese warships in the international waterway that Beijing claims as its own.

“Routinely, whenever we have a ship up there, there’s a PLA-Navy vessel within sight, quite often following us around – that’s unusual behaviour. I don’t know another navy that does that,” he said.

“It’s a departure from what we would call normal maritime ­behaviour, but it hasn’t stopped us from conducting our operations.”

Two US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait in Aug­ust for the first time since US house Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, drawing an angry ­response from Beijing.

Vice-Admiral Hammond said he was prepared to do the same if he was directed to do so by the ­government.

“We have certainly done that in the last couple of years. I think the question would be around government appetite to continue to do it,” he said.

A multinational flotilla of at least 15 surface ships, an Australian submarine, and more than 30 aircraft will participate in Exercise Kakadu over 15 days, conducting high-end warfare drills and maritime constabulary operations.

Two Chinese spy ships lurked in international waters off Queensland during last year’s ­Exercise Talisman Sabre – Australia’s largest bilateral war-games with the US.

A hi-tech Chinese intelligence ship was also monitored off Western Australia in May during the federal election campaign, which Peter Dutton labelled an “aggressive act”.

Amid a classified study by the RAN’s Vice-Admiral Jonathan Mead on how Australia would ­acquire nuclear submarines, Vice-Admiral Hammond brushed off what he described as “speculation” that Australia would have little chance of securing the boats off the US production line.

The US Navy’s Strategic Submarines Program executive officer, Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, said recently America’s shipbuilding workforce was flat out building submarines for its own needs and had no spare capacity to build extra subs for Australia.

“There’s been a lot of commentary ever since the announcement about a year ago. I would listen to whatever the US President and their authorised spokespeople say on this, because I think there’s going to be lots of different opinions in lots of different pockets,” Vice-Admiral Hammond said.

He said Vice-Admiral Mead was “doing a lot of work with US counterparts at a higher rank level” than Rear Admiral Pappano.

The biennial Exercise Kakadu was cancelled in 2020 because of Covid-19, but in 2018 – before the dramatic falling out between China and Australia – a PLA Navy frigate was invited to attend the war games.

Vice-Admiral Hammond declined to speculate on the remote prospect that China would ever again be asked to join the exercise.

“Participation in exercises like that is a political decision,” he said.

“At the end of the day, we are where we are. And I am yet to see an Australian ship invited to a PLA Navy exercise.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/royal-australian-navy-chief-mark-hammond-ready-for-spy-ships/news-story/6524846d20bba635515fbb5041cf6a41

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305fdc  No.17526484

File: c9a9d0ebfed36ed⋯.jpg (5.06 MB, 4868x3165, 4868:3165, Peter_Renshaw_said_he_did_….jpg)

File: 3a7247669aad03c⋯.jpg (4.97 MB, 4876x3331, 4876:3331, Zoe_Duncan_s_sister_Amanda….jpg)

>>17513816

Launceston General Hospital head accused of 'lack of insight' into pain he was causing in denying 11yo's alleged rape

Loretta Lohberger - 9 September 2022

1/2

The head of medical services at the Launceston General Hospital has been accused of showing "an astonishing lack of insight into the pain" he was causing when he said he did not believe the alleged rape of an 11-year-old patient occurred.

Peter Renshaw, who has been in the role since 1989, was giving evidence on Thursday to the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.

He was asked about the LGH's response to a complaint made by Zoe Duncan in May 2001.

The commission heard Ms Duncan, who had been admitted to the hospital's emergency department, made initial disclosures about a doctor at the LGH, known as Dr Tim*, eventually alleging he raped her.

Dr Renshaw told the commission he did not believe a rape had occurred.

Counsel assisting the commission, Elizabeth Bennett SC, said the commission previously heard evidence that Child Safety Services — on the balance of probabilities — held the view that "a rape did occur".

"It might be open to this commission to find that you are demonstrating an astonishing lack of insight into the pain that you are causing members of [Ms Duncan's] family here today," Ms Bennett said.

Dr Renshaw said he had "no intention of giving any grief or pain", but was "trying to testify to the truth as I understand it".

The commission heard Dr Renshaw only spoke to Ms Duncan once — before the rape allegation was made — and did not make any forensic inquiries after the allegation was made.

Ms Bennett said: "Do you accept that it is open to the commission to find that you are not in a position to give a helpful assessment of whether a rape occurred?"

"I'm sure it is open to the commission to find that," Dr Renshaw said.

He said he was not aware of the child safety evidence until the commission hearing.

"My knowledge of the hospital, of the emergency department and so on, that still makes this an unlikely thing … if child protection has said there is a rape, then there has been a rape."

Ms Duncan's parents, Craig and Anne Duncan, previously gave evidence to the commission.

The Duncans told the inquiry in June that it seemed as though the hospital and department had been interested in protecting their own reputation, and it was unclear whether "key players" were protecting reputations, incompetent, dealing with a poor system of reporting, or worse.

After battling anxiety and severe chronic fatigue, Zoe Duncan died in 2017 from epilepsy complications. She had refused to return to the LGH.

Her parents and sister Amanda Duncan were at the hearing on Thursday.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17526489

File: 9c6f2dca0b3bd76⋯.jpg (1.84 MB, 3600x2492, 900:623, Mr_Bellinger_agreed_he_sho….jpg)

>>17526484

2/2

Complaints against nurse James Griffin

Kylee Pearn told the Launceston General Hospital in 2011 that she had been sexually abused when she was a child by nurse James Geoffrey Griffin years earlier.

She told the commission previously that she met with management, who told her "there was nothing they could do without a conviction".

The commission on Thursday heard human resources (HR) manager James Bellinger did not include the allegation, after he became aware of it in 2019, in reports to the department secretary, an internal investigation the hospital did, or in a response to the Tasmanian Integrity Commissioner who had asked for information, and that Dr Renshaw did not include in documents provided to the department secretary.

Mr Bellinger accepted Ms Pearn had made her disclosure in 2011 and that the HR department had not acted. He said he became aware of Ms Pearn's allegation in 2019, and it was also alleged that HR had failed.

Griffin was charged with offences relating to Kylee Pearn, and others, in 2019.

He was bailed and died by suicide that year before he could be tried.

Ms Bennett put it to Mr Bellinger that: "When the Integrity Commissioner's request came and you were to carry out a further review as part of that request, you knew that you would be investigating the failures of at least your colleagues."

"Yes," Mr Bellinger said. He also agreed he should have asked for an independent or external person to carry out the investigation because it could have been a conflict for HR to be investigating itself.

Ms Bennett read from a hospital report:

"In conclusion, the THS — and that's the hospital — has reviewed all available records and determined that all matters that were raised with the agency were addressed in a manner that was reasonable in the circumstances that existed at that time.

"The decisions made over the past 15 years were without the benefit of the information that now exists as a result of the police investigation [into Griffin] and the management actions cannot be judged with this in mind."

Dr Renshaw was asked about what he did after he found out the hospital had knowledge of Griffin's offending before 2019.

He said he heard about it by way of a "rumour" and it was difficult to act on rumours.

"A paedophile had continued working on a children's ward for a number of years because … the systems and processes at Launceston General Hospital broke down. Do you accept that?" Ms Bennett asked.

"Yes," Dr Renshaw said.

Dr Renshaw will continue giving evidence on Friday.

Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks will also return to give further evidence.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-08/launceston-hospital-head-fronts-commission-of-inquiry/101417162

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305fdc  No.17526492

File: 9068bab673fd908⋯.jpg (35.97 KB, 465x677, 465:677, James_Geoffrey_Griffin_pic….jpg)

File: 0bf894f2b036ca7⋯.jpg (118.93 KB, 862x485, 862:485, Peter_Renshaw_was_asked_ab….jpg)

>>17513816

Hospital head unaware of any 'marked changes' to systems after paedophile nurse's offending

Loretta Lohberger - 9 September 2022

1/3

The head of medical services at the Launceston General Hospital is "not aware of any marked changes" to systems and processes at the hospital after it became aware of the extent of paedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin's offending, a commission of inquiry has heard.

Peter Renshaw, giving evidence on Friday during a hearing of the Tasmanian Commission of Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in Government Institutions, was asked about what he knew about certain allegations against Griffin.

He was also asked what steps he took to respond to what counsel assisting the commission Elizabeth Bennett SC described as "substantial system failures at the hospital" that had been "unmasked" by the Griffin case.

"My responsibility was: report to AHPRA [Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency], standing down Mr Griffin and the liaison with the police," Dr Renshaw said.

'Not certain' of changes

"I was proactive in what I did, but I am just one of the executives; there were six or seven other executives – we couldn't possibly be all doing every aspect of what you're asking."

He said he was "not certain that there have been any marked changes" to systems and processes at the LGH in response to information about Griffin's offending.

"How can you be sure that it is safe in light of that observation?" Ms Bennett asked him.

"As I'm not aware of any formal action items and what they would be intended to achieve, I really can't answer that," he said.

Griffin was charged in 2019 with offences relating to several people. He was bailed and took his own life that year before he could be tried.

It subsequently emerged that he had continued to work in the LGH children's ward for years after the first complaint against him was made to the hospital.

Dr Renshaw told the commission he found out about a police investigation into Griffin on July 31, 2019.

Questions of leadership

Commissioner Robert Benjamin asked Dr Renshaw: "Would you believe it's open for us to find, at best, that the leadership at that time was dysfunctional as it had no clear focus on providing care for children and protect them from sexual abuse?"

Dr Renshaw replied: "I would not agree with that. In my view this was an unprecedented situation that … nobody had had any experience in.

"Probably what could be criticised, not being dysfunctional, but being not resilient or not flexible enough to try and work out better ways of ensuring the safety of the children in the hospital."

Commissioner Benjamin questioned his question:

"Could you really say that you had no experience? Because we have evidence before us of what happened to Mr Felton in 1989, what happened to Zoe Duncan in 2001, and what happened with Mr Griffin between 2000 and 2019.

"Do you still adhere to your evidence that it's not open for us to find that the leadership was dysfunctional following the death of Mr Griffin?"

Dr Renshaw replied: "It would be presumptuous of me to say it is not within your purview to do so, and, certainly, it is open for you to find that."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17526500

File: ec7b70636295a0e⋯.jpg (99.58 KB, 651x704, 651:704, Zoe_Duncan_died_from_epile….jpg)

File: 7db5bfe176bbe77⋯.jpg (2.72 MB, 3992x2242, 1996:1121, The_review_will_comprise_e….jpg)

>>17526492

2/3

'That is not a lie'

Dr Renshaw denied that he lied to Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks in a briefing note.

The commission heard that Tasmania Police told Dr Renshaw on July 31, 2019, that it was investigating the sexual abuse by Griffin of a child under the age of 12 who had been a patient at the LGH.

The commission heard that police also informed Dr Renshaw on that day that the investigation included child exploitation material that included photographs, some of which may have been taken inside the LGH.

A briefing note to Ms Morgan-Wicks dated November 5, 2019, which Dr Renshaw told the commission he was involved in the drafting of, included the sentence:

"Tasmania Police advised that there was no evidence to suggest that any criminal activity had taken place within, or connected to, the LGH."

Ms Bennett asked Dr Renshaw if that was a lie.

"That is not a lie," Dr Renshaw said.

He told the commission, "It should have been worded better" and that "the 'or connected ' is an error'."

The commission heard the file note also contained no mention of Kylee Pearn's 2011 disclosure that Griffin had sexually abused her when she was a child, years earlier.

Dr Renshaw told the commission he became aware of Ms Pearn's disclosure in 2019, before November 5.

"If the Pearn disclosure is not there, it should have been," he said.

Dr Renshaw told the commission that when he became aware of Ms Pearn's disclosure he took no steps in response to it and did not equip anyone senior to him to take any steps.

"Do you regret that?" Ms Bennett asked.

"Yes," he said.

'Misleading' note

During her evidence on Friday, Ms Morgan-Wicks said she felt the briefing note was "misleading" and "designed to reassure me that there was nothing to see here in terms of the LGH".

"I'm absolutely horrified, to be honest, that I haven't received the information at that date and I question myself what I could have done better to try and find out that information."

Ms Morgan-Wicks said she "didn't understand" the response of those working in the hospital who were told about Ms Pearn's disclosure by a police officer in 2019.

She said that should have triggered an immediate review of why no action had been taken at the time Ms Pearn made the disclosure, almost a decade earlier, as well as what support needed to be provided to Ms Pearn.

Ms Morgan-Wicks, however, did tell the commission she did have enough information from the November 5 briefing note to take further action herself.

"I will accept that at that point I could've undertaken an additional investigation."

Ms Morgan-Wicks said that in October 2020, following the release of a podcast and media reporting about Griffin, she started an internal and then an independent investigation.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17526502

File: 100cfbcdd851989⋯.jpg (68.67 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, James_Bellinger.jpg)

File: e640875f89fb1cb⋯.jpg (2.79 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, The_commission_of_inquiry_….jpg)

>>17526500

3/3

Apology to Integrity Commission

Ms Morgan-Wicks told the commission she and the Integrity Commission had been "misled" by information prepared by a human resources manager.

The Integrity Commission had asked for an investigation and information from the hospital, in relation to allegations against Griffin.

While Ms Morgan-Wicks signed the response to the Integrity Commission, she said the information she provided came from human resources manager James Bellinger, who had a conflict because he had been involved in an earlier review.

The letter that went back to the Integrity Commission said:

"In conclusion, the THS [Tasmania Health Service] has reviewed all available records and determined that all matters that were raised with the agency were addressed in a manner that was reasonable in the circumstances that existed at that time.

"The decisions made over the past 15 years were without the benefit of the information that now exists as a result of the police investigation [into Griffin] and the management actions cannot be judged with this in mind."

On Friday, Ms Morgan-Wicks said she "wrote to the Integrity Commission to apologise for not including [Ms Pearn's disclosure] as it was known to officers of mine but not to myself at the time I signed the letter".

Ms Morgan-Wicks told the commission she had made changes to the way complaints and Integrity Commission requests are dealt with – they all now go through her office, rather than being handled by the relevant hospitals.

She said she was working to bring about change, including cultural change within the health service, to put child safety at the forefront.

"This is the very start for us, but we are absolutely determined to get this right."

Ms Morgan-Wicks said 17 per cent of the health workforce was registered with Working With Vulnerable People, but "that will be extended to 100 per cent".

Apology to Duncan family

In evidence he gave the commission on Thursday, Dr Renshaw was accused of showing an "astonishing lack of insight" into the pain he was causing the family of Zoe Duncan by speculating on a rape allegation she made against an LGH doctor, saying he did not believe it had happened.

Ms Duncan was 11 years old, and a patient at the LGH, when the alleged rape occurred.

Dr Renshaw on both days told the commission he was not aware of Child Safety Services' view that Ms Duncan had been assaulted.

"My evidence to that point was on the assumption of what I knew in 2003 or whatever," he told the commission on Friday.

"I regret not knowing that information and I know the suggestion caused additional grief to the Duncan family and for that, I apologise. I should have known about the re-evaluation of the case."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-09/lgh-head-unaware-of-any-marked-changes-to-failed-systems/101423420

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305fdc  No.17526505

File: b8893de8a470266⋯.jpg (56.24 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Medical_services_director_….jpg)

>>17513816

Tasmanian hospital 'omitted' nurse abuse claims

Ethan James - September 8, 2022

A hospital in Tasmania failed to escalate allegations and "rumours" of abuse during investigations into a pedophile nurse who had worked on the children's ward for almost two decades, an inquiry has been told.

James Geoffrey Griffin died by suicide in October 2019 after being charged with multiple child sexual abuse offences.

An inquiry into child sexual abuse has been told of "catastrophic failures" in Launceston General Hospital's handling of complaints and concerns about Griffin.

Director of medical services, Peter Renshaw, conceded the hospital was misleading in a briefing sent to the relevant government department head after Griffin's death.

The November 2019 briefing said the hospital had not received any complaints from patients or families about Griffin that would warrant a code of conduct investigation or notifications to regulators or police.

During questioning on Thursday, Dr Renshaw said he was at the time aware of an allegation Griffin had abused a 12-year-old former patient outside the hospital.

He also said he believed a "corridor rumour" relating to a hospital staffer being abused by Griffin as a child.

When asked if that level of information should have been included in the briefing, Dr Renshaw said he understood the department was taking the lead on investigations.

"At the time the hospital was rife with rumour," he said.

"It was just one of those situations where the amount of information was pretty much overwhelming."

Hospital human resources manager, James Bellinger, denied there had been a cover-up attempt.

Mr Bellinger was in October 2019 made aware of an abuse disclosure made to the hospital in 2011 against Griffin by Kylee Pearn.

Ms Pearn, who worked alongside Griffin, disclosed to hospital human resources in 2011 she had been abused by Griffin as a child.

Mr Bellinger said Ms Pearn's disclosure wasn't included in the briefing, or in a subsequent internal review, or in information provided to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation or state Integrity Commission.

"My involvement may not have been adequate. Cover-up implies there was an intent," he said.

"There was not an intent to bury it. I accept more should have been done."

The inquiry has previously been told Mr Bellinger may have been at the meeting with Ms Pearn in 2011. He claims to have no recollection of the meeting.

The inquiry was read an email Mr Bellinger sent to a former colleague the night before he gave evidence at an earlier June hearing that signed off with "we fly as one".

Dr Renshaw, who has been at the hospital for decades, was also asked about the alleged rape of an 11-year-old girl by a male doctor in 2001.

He said it was "unlikely" to have occurred because of the hospital layout.

Stephen Ayre, chief of the hospital from 2004 to 2008, indicated he didn't launch an investigation into a historical child sexual abuse claim because he believed the matter was "too old".

Dr Ayre handled a complaint in 2005 made by Ben Felton, who alleged he was sexually assaulted by a practitioner in 1989.

"I had the information there was no police information that we were able to use. There was no other information that was able to be found," he said.

"It would be the verbal recollections et cetera of people from 1989 essentially."

Lifeline 13 11 14

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

https://www.perthnow.com.au/politics/law-and-order/tas-inquiry-to-hear-from-hospital-heads-c-8162884

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305fdc  No.17526507

File: d3e8921bf998316⋯.jpg (43 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Health_Department_secretar….jpg)

>>17513816

'No change' at Tasmanian hospital since abuse

Ethan James - 9 September 2022

A senior director at a Tasmanian hospital where a pedophile nurse worked for almost two decades has told an inquiry he is not certain systems and processes have markedly changed since the offending came to light.

A commission of inquiry has been told there were "catastrophic failures" by the Launceston General Hospital in responding to complaints and red flags about former pediatric nurse James Geoffrey Griffin.

Griffin took his own life in October 2019 after being charged with multiple child sexual offences.

Peter Renshaw, who has been executive director of medical services at the hospital since 1989, was asked by counsel assisting, Elizabeth Bennett SC, if processes had changed since Griffin's offending became known.

"I'm not certain that there have been any marked changes," he replied.

Dr Renshaw was asked how he could be sure the hospital was safe and replied, "I can't really answer that".

"Did the hospital learn anything from the experience of having Griffin operating on a children's ward for 18 years? Where do we find those learnings reflected?," Ms Bennett asked.

"I can't answer that question. I don't know where. I certainly know the experience has been a great teacher. There will be leanings that we get from the commission that we will be able to use," Dr Renshaw replied.

The inquiry was called by the state government in late 2020 after whistleblowers and survivors told their story through a podcast and the media.

Dr Renshaw conceded it was an error that a briefing from the hospital to the health department boss in November 2019 didn't reference a historical abuse allegation against Griffin that he knew about.

Dr Renshaw said he was told in October 2019 by police that a colleague of Griffin, Kylee Pearn, told hospital human resources in 2011 that Griffin had abused her as a child.

The inquiry was told Dr Renshaw was told by police in July 2019 they were investigating allegations Griffin abused a child under 12 who had been a patient at the hospital.

He was also told child exploitation material found in Griffin's possession may have been taken at the hospital.

The briefing said police had advised there was no evidence to suggest any criminal activity had taken place within, or connected to, the hospital.

Department of Health secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks, who received the briefing, said she was horrified to learn she was misled.

"I feel (it was) designed to reassure me that there was nothing to see here in terms of the (hospital)," she said.

Dr Renshaw agreed it was open to the commission to find there had been a failure of leadership at the hospital following Griffin's death.

"This was an absolutely unprecedented situation. We muddled through but it was not ideal," he said.

"Probably what we could be criticised (for) was not being dysfunctional, but being not resilient or not flexible enough to try and work out better ways of ensuring the safety of children in the hospital as a result of this experience."

The inquiry, which will hand down a final report in May, will hold its final two days of hearings next week.

https://thewest.com.au/politics/law-and-order/abuse-revelations-muddled-tas-hospital-c-8180228

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305fdc  No.17526513

File: fd5bd56a877d14f⋯.jpg (92.62 KB, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

File: 1d604ee4c94f685⋯.jpg (299.93 KB, A_U_S_Marine_with_Marine_R….jpg)

File: bdac0b9ac562161⋯.jpg (288.35 KB, A_U_S_Marine_with_Marine_R….jpg)

File: 9cde2bf223ec0f7⋯.jpg (140.53 KB, U_S_Marines_from_Marine_Ro….jpg)

MRF-D Trains in Every Clime and Place

Staff Sgt. Antonio De La Fuente - 09.07.2022

DARWIN, Australia- Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 participated in Australian led courses that will enhance their ability to conduct operations in every clime and place.

“I believe in my soul that Marines are different. Our identity is firmly rooted in our warrior ethos. This is the force that will always adapt and overcome no matter what the circumstances are. We fight and win in any clime and place,” stated the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) General David H. Berger in his 2019 CMC Planning Guidance.

To accomplish this, the Marines and Sailors took part in the Bushcraft Survival Course, Culture Camp, and Jungle Warfare Training across Australia.

It started moving 50 miles from Darwin. The Territory Wildlife Park in Berry Springs, Northern Territory (NT) holds a six-day course offering a set of skills to learn survival and sustainment.

“The training helped me realize that that I can use my issued military gear and the environment,” said Sergeant Oren De La Rosa, landing support specialist, Logistics Combat Element. “The skills learned [in bushcraft survival] made field operations easier. I used one of the methods during exercise Predator’s Run.”

The skills included building shelters with Marine Corps issued gear and the environment, making fires with pieces of flint and steel, preparing food with what’s available in nature, and conducting celestial navigation.

“It was a memorable experience using the Southern Cross to navigate through the environment,” added 1st Sergeant Louis Cardenas, the company first sergeant, Combat Logistics Company B. “Knowing that it holds a special place in the history of the Marine Corps and Australia.”

Culture Camp offered unique insights into hunting, including cultural and ceremonial aspects. Located in Bradshaw Field Training Area, about 450 miles from Darwin, the camp provided the Marines and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to learn traditional skills from Australian traditional owners.

Marines with the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) detachment took part in the culture camp in July. The detachment conducted surface area clearance and assistance in the reduction of any explosive hazards in the area, on top of learning the skills of hunting and about the culture of Timber Creek communities.

“Blessed by the waters,” stated Sergeant Peter Hornbeck, EOD technician, when talking about his experience in culture camp. “The locals blessed us in the waters called ‘Croc Alley’, where we did the majority of our fishing. It was their way of welcoming us into their culture. We had the opportunity to go fishing deep inside the quarry and do a bit of hand and spinning rod fishing.”

As for Jungle Warfare Training, the Marines traveled to Tully, Queensland to learn at the Combat Training Centre-Jungle Training Wing Tully. 3d Battalion, 7th Marines’ India Company, 2nd platoon, travelled over 1,000 miles from Darwin to learn a different sets of skills.

The three-week training tested the Marines and the ADF in austere environments. During the training, the Marines and ADF worked from squad level patrols through thick vegetation, to platoon level route reconnaissance and camp clearances. Towards the end, the Marines served as the advanced guard, denying anti-armor ambushes to allow Australian light-armored vehicles to conduct reconnaissance on a beach landing site.

“Learning to move through the thick vegetation was challenging,” commented 1st Lieutenant Max Schlinker, India Co. 2d platoon commander. “It reduced our ability to maneuver through the terrain, especially at night. We identified the need to adapt our formations to maintain close control. And we conducted fire and movement more often than fire and maneuver”.

“We got to work with the B Squadron, 2/14 Light Horse Regiment throughout the training and that allowed us to get to know them very well. We established a good working relationship,” he added.

MRF-D continues to explore more ways to work alongside Australia and other regional allies and partners. The unique training increases readiness and the ability to respond to any crisis or contingency within the Indo-Pacific region.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/428876/mrf-d-trains-every-clime-and-place

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305fdc  No.17526520

File: b58d4dc8243f815⋯.jpg (4.39 MB, 5352x3561, 1784:1187, An_image_of_Britain_s_Quee….jpg)

File: 72720c50711eae8⋯.jpg (107.65 KB, 960x640, 3:2, Australian_Prime_Minister_….jpg)

>>17515448

King Charles proclaimed monarch of Australia, New Zealand

Sam McKeith - September 11, 2022

SYDNEY, Sept 11 (Reuters) - King Charles was officially proclaimed head of state of both Australia and New Zealand at ceremonies on Sunday in the nations' capitals.

In New Zealand, the proclamation of Charles as monarch, taking over from Queen Elizabeth who died on Thursday aged 96, took place in the parliament in Wellington.

Speaking from parliament's steps, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the event acknowledged the queen's son, "His Majesty King Charles III as our sovereign".

Ardern told a crowd that in the wake of the queen's death, New Zealand had entered a time of change.

"King Charles … has consistently demonstrated his deep care for our nation," she said. "This relationship is deeply valued by our people. I have no doubt it will deepen."

In Australia, Governor General David Hurley, the British monarch's representative in Australia, proclaimed King Charles as head of state at Parliament House in Canberra. The proclamation was marked by a 21-gun salute.

The British monarch is the head of state in Australia as well as New Zealand, among 14 realms outside the United Kingdom, although the role is largely ceremonial.

Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a national day of mourning for the queen would take place on Sept. 22, with the day to be a public holiday.

Albanese said he would travel to London on Thursday, attend the queen's funeral on Sept. 19 then return to Australia on Sept. 21.

"Then the National Day of Mourning and the memorial service is set to be the day after," he told ABC television.

"That's to allow people to pay their respects for the passing of Queen Elizabeth," the prime minister said.

Albanese said Australia had offered to fly 10 of his Pacific Island counterparts and New Zealand dignitaries to Britain for the queen's funeral.

Asked about how Australians would view the new monarch, Albanese said King Charles would have to "forge his own path".

As a mark of respect, national flags in Australia are at half mast, parliament has been suspended and a giant portrait of the queen was displayed on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

https://www.reuters.com/world/australia-hold-day-mourning-queen-elizabeth-sept-22-2022-09-11/

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305fdc  No.17526532

File: 929bcc9ef4a11f8⋯.jpg (631.73 KB, 825x936, 275:312, USEA_16.jpg)

File: 302f70d53d7cea9⋯.jpg (3.12 MB, 3786x2524, 3:2, FcU3h6aXEAAJm4g.jpg)

File: c3d037a1f3749c9⋯.jpg (2.33 MB, 3948x2632, 3:2, FcU3h6dWAAAdrDV.jpg)

File: 010cda93a1b26d2⋯.jpg (1.29 MB, 4096x2731, 4096:2731, FcU3h5CX0AAyihC.jpg)

File: 7dcf4670a6793d6⋯.jpg (1.22 MB, 4096x2731, 4096:2731, FcU3h_OWQAMpSQO.jpg)

>>17519348

U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet

Our Embassy fence is lined with hundreds of flags to mark the 21st anniversary of the attacks on 9/11. Placing these flags each year is one way our community comes together to commemorate this solemn day and remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost, including those of 10 Australians.

https://twitter.com/USEmbAustralia/status/1568721109503344640

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305fdc  No.17531107

File: 875e18771fabd58⋯.jpg (53.07 KB, 800x600, 4:3, Peter_Dutton_left_and_Anth….jpg)

>>17519348

Australian leaders remember 9/11 terror attacks

Tara Cosoleto - September 12 2022

Twenty-one years after the September 11 terror attacks, Australia's leaders have remembered those who were killed.

Ten Australians were among the almost 3000 people who died when al-Qaeda militants hijacked four planes on September 11, 2001.

The hijackers flew two planes into the twin towers at the World Trade Centre in New York and one into the Pentagon just outside of Washington.

The fourth plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania.

Those who died and the thousands of others who were injured would never be forgotten, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

"The images from that dark day do not fade. But nor do our memories of those who were lost, and those left with loss," he said in a tweet on Sunday night.

"We remember the compassion and courage that day, and how it proved greater than any enemy."

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also paid his respects.

"We remember those who lost their lives and all those still living with the loss of loved ones," Mr Dutton said in a statement on Sunday.

"In so doing, we reflect on our fortitude as free people and the enduring strength of our values.

"We can overcome unimaginable tragedy and rise to meet the most trying of challenges as long as we continue to confidently and courageously carry the flame of liberty and justice."

Americans will on Sunday remember the deadliest terror attack on US soil through candlelight vigils, interfaith services, and other commemorations.

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/7898766/australian-leaders-remember-911-terror-attacks/

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305fdc  No.17531122

File: 0f0eba42ae5f6fc⋯.jpg (185.4 KB, 1920x1080, 16:9, Acting_Assistant_Commissio….jpg)

Police arrest 24 registered child sex offenders in South Australia's largest operation in recent years

Josephine Lim - 12 Sep 2022

South Australian police have arrested 13 sex offenders for possessing child exploitation material, in a statewide sweep during National Child Protection Week.

Over two days last week, police went to 377 addresses belonging to registered child sex offenders and searched 267 houses.

Officers looked for any evidence of breaches to the Child Sex Offenders Registration Act, which has a range of obligations from maintaining internet user accounts to having contact with children.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Stephen Taylor said 62 child sex offenders were arrested or reported.

Of those 13 people allegedly possessed child exploitation material, with six of them remanded in custody to face court at a later date.

"There's certainly been one person that I'm aware of that has been saved from further abuse," Mr Taylor said.

"One person failed to provide his internet access account, some people fail to notify police of changing their vehicles, their employment conditions, any contact with children.

"But we'll anticipate further charges will probably be forthcoming once analysis of all that material is done."

Police seized dozens of computers, mobile phones, hard drives and tablets for further examination, along with two firearms and four cannabis plants.

Mr Taylor said the operation was the largest done in recent years.

"This is not unusual for us. Normally we'll hit 10 or 20 places a week every week. This is just an opportunity for us to do a large number together," he said.

"It's always concerning I think when there is any offending against children, that's why we adopt a zero-tolerance approach."

Three people were reported for having contact with children, but Mr Taylor said there were no breaches of working with children found during this operation.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-12/police-operation-arrest-child-sex-offenders/101430748

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305fdc  No.17531125

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17513816

>>17526507

No change at Launceston hospital since paedophile nurse worked there, inquiry told

ABC News (Australia)

Sep 12, 2022

A senior director at the Launceston General Hospital has told Tasmania's Commission of Inquiry he's not aware of any marked changes at the hospital since it was revealed that a paedophile nurse worked there for 18 years.

Dr Peter Renshaw has also denied deliberately misleading the Health Department Secretary in a briefing he gave her about James Geoffrey Griffin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsbtX_lw1yg

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305fdc  No.17531157

File: 57430d55430bb37⋯.jpg (77.78 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, A_Tasmanian_inquiry_into_c….jpg)

>>17513816

Tasmanian abuse failings 'spanned governments'

Ethan James - 13 September 2022

Tasmanian governments past and present have failed to prioritise the safety of children, a sexual abuse inquiry has been told.

A commission of inquiry examining child sexual abuse in state institutions on Tuesday wrapped up after 36 days of public hearings.

The inquiry has largely focused on Launceston General Hospital, where a pedophile nurse worked for almost two decades, and Ashley Youth Detention Centre, which has been described as having a "culture of brutality".

Commission president Marcia Neave said while Tasmania has worked to implement recommendations made in 2017 by the national royal commission into child sexual abuse there was much more to be done.

"It is clear from these hearings that there are systemic and cultural issues unique to … Tasmania that were not uncovered and addressed by the national royal commission recommendations," she said.

Ms Neave listed a host of shortcomings, including an undue emphasis on prioritising staff and employment processes over children and their safety.

She said some people in leadership positions had shown limited concern and curiosity about the risks of abuse and failed to ask questions about warning signs.

"We have heard evidence that responsibility for past failings has not been solely the responsibility of one person, one department or one government," she said.

"Rather, we have heard that collectively the Tasmanian government, past and present, has failed to adequately prioritise the safety of children and the wellbeing of victim-survivors."

The state government has pledged to close Ashley by the end of 2024 and shift to smaller centres.

There have been calls, including from Amnesty International and the state and national children's commissioners, for it to be shut immediately.

Ms Neave said the commission of inquiry had received evidence of abuse occurring at the centre as recently as late 2021, adding she was worried about the state government's ability to deliver on its proposed timeline.

"This is heightened by the fact many reviews and recommendations were not acted upon in the past," she said.

"The commission is concerned about the immediate safety and wellbeing of young people in detention today."

Former detainees have told of being sexually abused, bashed and belittled by staff at Ashley, which has operated for more than 20 years.

Counsel assisting the inquiry, Elizabeth Bennett SC, said there appeared to be limited plans in the short to medium term to address concerns at Ashley.

The inquiry was called in late 2020 after media coverage of abuse allegations against nurse James Geoffrey Griffin, who worked on the Launceston General Hospital children's ward for 18 years.

Griffin killed himself in October 2019 after being charged with multiple child sexual abuse offences.

Ms Bennett said it may be open for the commission to find the hospital's actions following Griffin's death "invited suspicions of a deliberate cover-up".

The inquiry has been told hospital officials didn't pass on information to their superiors about known allegations against Griffin, including one made in 2011.

"But for the tenacity of staff and victim-survivors in continuing to raise their concerns … the substantial failures identified in the flow of critical information would have gone unknown and unaddressed," Ms Bennett said.

The commission, which has heard from 165 witnesses publicly, will deliver a final report by May.

"We have heard your voices and your pain," Ms Neave said.

"We are committed to making recommendations that will enable meaningful change."

Lifeline 13 11 14

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

https://thewest.com.au/politics/law-and-order/tas-abuse-inquiry-holds-final-hearing-c-8215915

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305fdc  No.17531176

File: 99ec40ccf6cd1cc⋯.jpg (70.42 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, An_independent_panel_appoi….jpg)

Defence ducks probe into war crimes accountability

BEN PACKHAM - SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

Defence has avoided an inquiry into the accountability of senior commanders for war crimes ­despite the findings of an independent panel, which said it failed to face up to its “corporate responsibility” for the murders of Afghan civilians and prisoners identified in the Brereton report.

Documents obtained under Freedom of Information legislation show the Afghanistan ­Inquiry Oversight Panel recommended to the Morrison government in March 2021 that a “top down” inquiry be undertaken into Defence’s “corporate responsibility” for the crimes.

But Defence leaders failed to take up the advice, commissioning instead a “lessons learned” paper that was criticised by the panel for its failure to address the “strong criticisms and sense of unfairness” over the lack of command ­accountability for the crimes in Afghanistan.

The Albanese government has no intention of opening up ­another inquiry into Defence’s ­response to the report.

Resentment in the ranks of non-commissioned soldiers at the lack of command accountability for what occurred has been fanned by the failure of senior Defence leaders to attend a rare Medal for Gallantry presentation to a Special Air Service Regiment soldier last week.

SAS “Trooper B” was formally presented last week with a rare Medal for Gallantry – a decade after it was earned in the July 2, 2012, Chora Valley battle in which Sergeant Blaine Diddams was killed.

It’s understood only the soldier’s close family and friends ­attended the service, marking the award that was formally gazetted in 2019.

The Australian is not suggesting that Trooper B had any ­involvement in the crimes identified by the Brereton inquiry.

The Afghanistan Inquiry Oversight Panel, appointed by former defence minister Linda Reynolds, compared Defence’s response to the Brereton report unfavourably with private sector responses to major corporate ­failures. “In the private sector, major corporate failures result in both organisational and individual responsibility,” it said.

“A common first step in responding to such a governance ­failure is for the leaders to accept organisational responsibility and announce plans to address the ­issues raised and improve governance arrangements to prevent it happening again.”

The panel cited recent examples including the resignations of NAB’s chair and chief executive and AMP’s chair following the Hayne royal commission into the banking industry, the resignation of Crown Casino directors over money-laundering revelations, and the resignation by Rio Tinto’s CEO following the destruction of the sacred Juukan caves.

It said Defence needed to consider “the shortcomings in its governance arrangements” that allowed such an organisational failure to take place; “whether any senior officers who held office at the relevant time bear any personal responsibility”; and future governance arrangements to ­prevent such a failure recurring.

Defence publicly released a four-year plan in July 2021 to ­respond to the Brereton inquiry’s findings, focusing on cultural ­reforms, the weeding out of wrongdoers and the stripping of medals from unworthy recipients.

The panel, comprising former Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Vivienne Thom, former Attorney-General’s Department secretary Robert Cornall and ethicist Rufus Black, said the response was a “bottom up” ­exercise “focused primarily at the operational and not Defence’s most senior governance level … As a ­result, the reforms are contained in a reasonably narrow compass focused mainly on the middle and lower ranks.

By framing ­Defence’s response to the report in that way, the panel considers the plan does not pay appropriate attention to Defence’s corporate responsibility as an organisation.”

It said a “top down” inquiry should be considered to determine whether organisational pol­icies “contributed to the alleged crimes and other misconduct”, and to develop a plan to address such issues.

In the absence of such an ­inquiry, Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell appointed Major General Andrew Hocking to prepare a report on “key organisational lessons from the ­Afghanistan campaign”.

The panel criticised the report, declaring: “(It) does not address the strong criticisms and sense of unfairness expressed by some present and past members of the special forces about the lack of ­organisational and senior officer accountability for any aspect of the events … in Afghanistan.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/defence-ducks-probe-into-war-crimes-accountability/news-story/27dbacc563a7e6dcecf936088f8c4213

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305fdc  No.17531189

File: e169d6ae9aa104c⋯.jpg (87.33 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Victoria_Cross_recipient_B….jpg)

>>17515448

Ben Roberts-Smith to attend Queen Elizabeth funeral commemorations

Matthew Knott and Rob Harris - September 13, 2022

Controversial former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith will travel to London to participate in the official commemorations for the late Queen Elizabeth II, reflecting his status as a recipient of the prestigious Victoria Cross.

Paralympic tennis champion and current Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott will also attend the late monarch’s funeral as part of a group of 10 “every day” Australians announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Roberts-Smith is awaiting the outcome of a high-profile defamation case in which he sued The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times over reports he alleges wrongly portrayed him as a war criminal and murderer.

The newspapers are seeking to rely on a defence of truth and allege Roberts-Smith was involved in six unlawful killings, including the execution of a man at Darwan in southern Afghanistan.

A select group of Australian war veterans was invited to the funeral commemorations by the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association on behalf of the Queen, who served as patron of the UK-based group since its founding in 1956.

The invitations were activated as part of the longstanding Operation London Bridge plans for the Queen’s state funeral and official mourning period.

Roberts-Smith said in a statement he was honoured by the invitation to pay tribute to the late queen at the funeral service on Monday.

“In every interaction I had with the Queen, she was warm, insightful and engaging,” he said.

“She was a magnificent monarch, a stoic leader, and importantly just a lovely lady.”

Victorian Cross recipients from several Commonwealth nations have been invited to participate in an order of chivalry procession on the day of the Queen’s funeral.

Afghanistan war veteran Mark Donaldson, who was awarded the Victoria Cross in 2009, is slated to represent Australia’s Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients in the procession and to see the Queen lying in state.

Donaldson will sit in the nave of Westminster Abbey while the other Australian veterans sit elsewhere in the church.

Roberts-Smith and the other Victoria Cross winners will also have the option to see the Queen lying in state.

The 10 “everyday” Australians will travel to London with Albanese on the government’s VIP jet, but not Roberts-Smith and the other war veterans.

A Defence Department spokesman said the government would that cover the cost of commercial flights “upon request” of those invited.

Fellow Victoria Cross recipients Afghanistan War veteran Daniel Keighran and Vietnam War veteran Keith Payne are also expected to attend the event if possible.

Payne, 89, is the last living Australian recipient of the original “Imperial” Victoria Cross.

Former Victorian police constable Michael Pratt, who received the George Cross medal for outstanding bravery in his efforts to thwart an armed bank robbery in 1976, is also among those travelling to London to attend the funeral.

Albanese said Buckingham Palace had requested that 10 everyday citizens who have made important contributions to their local communities be invited to the Queen’s funeral in all 15 Commonwealth realms.

He said the chosen 10 Australians “embody an extraordinary contribution to our nation” and represented the nation’s six states and two territories.

This year’s Senior Australian of the Year Val Dempsey, a volunteer with the St John Ambulance for more than 50 years, is among the 10 chosen Australians.

The others heading to the funeral include 2021 Senior Australian of the year Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, 2022 Australian of the Year Local Hero Shanna Whan, Queensland’s local hero nominee, Saba Abraham, and Tasmanian counterpart Kim Smith, South Australia’s Young Australian of the Year, Trudy Lin, and Western Australia’s 2021 Australian of the Year Professor Helen Milroy.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/ben-roberts-smith-to-attend-queen-elizabeth-funeral-commemorations-20220913-p5bho3.html

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305fdc  No.17531279

File: 531b6901c25425a⋯.jpg (149.93 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Sean_Turnell_left_has_long….jpg)

>>17396729 (pb)

Australian economist Sean Turnell set to learn fate in secret junta trial

Chris Barrett - September 14, 2022

1/2

Singapore: Australian economist Sean Turnell is expected to be told the outcome of his secret trial in Myanmar within the next month, with friends admitting the best result now is for him to be taken to the airport afterwards and deported.

The Sydney academic, an adviser to overthrown civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and expert on Myanmar’s economy, has been locked up in Yangon and the capital Naypyidaw since being detained five days after Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup in February 2021.

He was eventually put on trial last month over alleged violations of the country’s colonial-era official secrets act, pleading not guilty with co-defendants Suu Kyi and three ministers from her ousted government.

The quintet’s lawyers have been barred from speaking to the media, which has been unable to access the closed-door trial, but reports out of Myanmar indicate final arguments will be made next week and verdicts will be reached in early October.

Turnell’s supporters acknowledge the junta court is unlikely to rule in his favour, with the legal proceedings against him regarded by international observers as a sham.

But they hope the military regime will finally heed calls for his release when the trial is complete.

“The hope is they’ll sentence him and then take him to the airport and deport him. That would be a good outcome,” said Turnell’s friend Tim Harcourt, who is also an economist.

“There have been cases before where foreigners have had their sentence brought down and they’ve been deported almost immediately afterwards.

“Although Sean would want to stay and help Myanmar, I think the best outcome for him and his family, his wife in particular, would be for him to be instantly deported.”

American journalist Danny Fenster was let out of jail and deported last November, three days after being found guilty of encouraging dissent against the military and breaching immigration rules, for which he was sentenced to 11 years hard labour.

His freedom was secured in the form of a pardon negotiated by Bill Richardson, a former United States ambassador to the United Nations and governor of New Mexico, who met with junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

But Turnell has remained in prison awaiting his trial as 77-year-old Suu Kyi has been sentenced to a combined 20 years in jail and hard labour on other charges she has steadfastly denied, including electoral fraud, corruption and importing walkie-talkies illegally.

He has reportedly argued in court that documents he was found with when he was arrested after the coup were not confidential but contained recommendations to the then National League for Democracy government headed by Suu Kyi.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17531282

File: 230580ac2115128⋯.jpg (98.74 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Junta_chief_Min_Aung_Hlain….jpg)

>>17531279

2/2

Lobbying for his release, the Australian government has had Cambodia, this year’s chair of regional bloc ASEAN, ask for him to be set free on its behalf. Most recently, Noeleen Heyzer, the UN special envoy to Myanmar, said she had “conveyed a specific request from the Australian government” to release Turnell when she met with Min Aung Hlaing last month.

The appeals have been ignored by the junta chief, who has just returned from visiting Vladimir Putin in Russia, which is a major arms supplier to the Myanmar security forces.

According to Myanmar news site The Irrawaddy Min, Aung Hlaing told Heyzer that “if the Australian government had acted more positively, Turnell’s case would not have become so serious”.

The Myanmar military was furious at Australia for effectively downgrading diplomatic ties this year by electing not to replace its outgoing ambassador, a move made in an effort to avoid legitimising the regime.

But with Turnell’s predicament in mind the Australian government has refrained from imposing sanctions relating to Myanmar, as the US, European Union, Britain and Canada have done, a decision for which it has worn criticism from human rights and civil society groups.

The Australian has been the highest profile foreigner detained since Myanmar descended into chaos following the coup but a junta court last week sentenced former British ambassador Vicky Bowman and her husband to a year in jail for living at a different address to the one they were registered at.

Since her government posting, Bowman has championed the commercial opportunities in the country as the director of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business.

“You’ve got Vicky Bowman who has been a greater promoter of business and bilateral ties and then you’ve got Sean, who’s got the economic brains to put them back on their feet, and they’re treating them like this,” Professor Harcourt said.

“It’s not only wrong in terms of justice and human rights but it seems rather self-defeating for them.”

https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/australian-economist-sean-turnell-set-to-learn-fate-in-secret-junta-trial-20220913-p5bhpu.html

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305fdc  No.17531302

File: f8c609d2a4dd3d7⋯.jpg (62.56 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_new_strain_will_target….jpg)

File: 8770fa3040a5b9e⋯.jpg (92.58 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Mark_Butler_said_the_appro….jpg)

Fresh twist in fight against Omicron as new vaccine approved in Australia

A new Covid vaccine designed to fight the Omicron strain was quietly approved this week, in good news for those still eligible for another jab.

Courtney Gould - September 14, 2022

Australians who have dragged their feet in deciding whether or not to receive their third or fourth Covid-19 jab could be better off after the government approved the first-ever multi-strain booster to be used in the country.

The nation’s peak vaccine body quietly approved the use of the Moderna vaccine for people aged 18 years and older on Monday evening.

It marks the first time a Covid vaccine designed to target two strains of the virus has been approved for use in Australia.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the new shot was just “another tool” in Australia’s Covid response.

“This is an important first step in showing how mRNA vaccines can be adapted to different dominant variants and subvariants,” he said.

Unlike the original vaccine, which was designed to target the initial Wuhan strain, the new shot also targets the Omicron BA. 1 strain which caused chaos over the Christmas period.

The government confirmed the first doses of the new booster have arrived in Australia and are undergoing batch testing by the TGA.

From there, it will be rolled out as existing stocks of the original Moderna shot are “exhausted”.

In its recommendation, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation said the multi-strain vaccine generated a “modestly higher level” of antibody response against multiple Omicron sub variants.

But it stressed Australians should roll up their sleeve for whatever booster is available to them.

“ATAGI considers receiving all recommended doses to be a more important factor in obtaining optimal protection against severe Covid-19 than which variant is contained within the dose,” it said.

Australia became just the third country in the world to approve a bivalent vaccine, following the UK and Canada, when the drug regulator signed off on it earlier this month.

It’s not yet clear if the emergence of the booster will assist in the ongoing battle to raise the nation’s lagging booster rates.

While more than 71 per cent of the eligible population has received their third shot, just 40.3 per cent of those aged 30 and over have returned for their winter booster.

https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/fresh-twist-in-fight-against-omicron/news-story/cdb517ae9f93a1094f2181ece89f540d

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305fdc  No.17531321

File: de7fecb16416971⋯.jpg (178 KB, 1280x852, 320:213, His_family_is_continuing_t….jpg)

File: d48c8db8e454b8d⋯.jpg (130.6 KB, 1069x879, 1069:879, John_Shipton_accepts_the_k….jpg)

File: 81031165c044b1a⋯.jpg (305.87 KB, 3000x1949, 3000:1949, Mr_Assange_remains_in_Lond….jpg)

>>17513800

Jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange awarded keys to Mexico City as family lobbies for his release

Lily Nothling and Jessica Naunton - Thu 15 Sep 2022

The family of Julian Assange has accepted the keys to Mexico City on behalf of the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder, as they continue to campaign for his freedom.

Mr Assange remains in London's Belmarsh Prison pending an appeal against his extradition to the United States.

He has been indicted on 17 espionage charges in the US and one charge of computer misuse, relating to WikiLeaks' publication of thousands of classified documents more than a decade ago.

Mr Assange's father and brother, John and Gabriel Shipton, have travelled to Mexico – where the country's president has been a long-time supporter of the Australian.

"The Mexican President López Obrador has written multiple times to Joe Biden, calling for the prosecution against Julian to be dropped," Gabriel Shipton told the ABC.

"He has also offered Julian asylum in Mexico.

"He met with [US] Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken a couple of days ago, and also in that meeting discussed Julian's freedom and how to get Julian out of prison."

Gabriel Shipton said the ceremonial gesture of awarding Mr Assange the keys to the city was a "surprise" and he was "blown away" by the support for his brother in Mexico.

Mr Assange has been in British custody since being expelled from the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2019.

The WikiLeaks founder could face a 175-year prison sentence if extradited to the US and convicted of the charges.

His family is continuing to pressure Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to intervene in the case.

"There's this expectation in the electorate in Australia that Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister, is going to actually do something to end Julian's persecution," Mr Shipton said.

"I'm beginning to sense that there's a bit of disappointment after a hundred days of government that the Albanese Government hasn't been able to act to free Julian."

Gabriel Shipton said he wanted to see the case resolved and his brother freed before the end of the year.

"If the Australian government can manage that, I think that would be a Christmas miracle for us," he said.

"We take a lot of energy from the growing wave of support around the world for Julian's freedom."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-15/qld-julian-assange-family-mexico-city-keys/101443676

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305fdc  No.17531332

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17531321

Mexico City honours Julian Assange with keys to city

Sky News Australia

Sep 15, 2022

Mexico City has presented Julian Assange’s father John Shipton with the keys to the city on his behalf.

The Mayor of Mexico City says the act was in recognition of Assange’s courage and the notion of freedom of expression.

Mexico’s President has sent an official request to the United States to grant Assange asylum in Mexico.

“It moves us almost to tears the generosity and the substance of the gift of the keys to the city of Mexico,” said Mr Shipton.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuDRL0RXfno

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305fdc  No.17531366

File: b6c885031f3c97c⋯.jpg (195.97 KB, 825x482, 825:482, Mike_Pompeo_16.jpg)

>>17458377

Mike Pompeo Tweet

We understood that the Chinese Communist Party was a threat to America, and for four years we treated them as a threat.

It's time for the Biden team to recognize reality: China still wants to undermine us. They have not changed.

https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1569378012923105281

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305fdc  No.17531373

File: 64c52bbeabd2593⋯.jpg (80.8 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Chinese_Ambassador_to_Aust….jpg)

File: adec86900f9ba7e⋯.jpg (100.04 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Chinese_Ambassador_to_Aust….jpg)

File: efe202e3ec3bed0⋯.jpg (89.58 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_Ambassador_to_….jpg)

Australia rejects China’s requests to join trans-Pacific trade partnership

BEN PACKHAM - SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

The Albanese government has rebuffed Chinese requests to begin negotiations on its bid to join one of the world’s biggest free-trade agreements, as Beijing suggests bilateral relations would improve if Australia backed its admission to the bloc.

After a 2½-year campaign of economic coercion against Australia, Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian said Beijing was seeking urgent talks with the federal government on its application to join the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agree­ment for Trans-­Pacific Partnership.

“We’ve been asking for an early start, but there’s no clear confirmative response from the Australian government yet,” Mr Xiao told The Australian. “The end of the year is too late.”

Beijing must secure the assent of every CPTPP member to join the bloc but there are deep concerns among member states – particularly Australia and Japan – over its suitability for admission.

Mr Xiao refused to discuss China’s $20bn a year in punitive trade sanctions on Australian exports, and whether they would undermine the country’s efforts to secure Australia’s support for its CPTPP bid.

In a speech to the Australia China Business Council in Canberra on Wednesday, Mr Xiao said Australia and China’s bilateral trade ties would benefit from Chinese membership of the CPTPP.

“When we join the CPTPP, China will play a positive role in the economic integration and long-term prosperity of the Pacific and the world in the post-Covid era,” he said. “It will also provide (an) important opportunity for China and Australia to take our co-operation based on (our) bilateral free-trade agreement to a higher level.”

Former prime minister Scott Morrison said prior to the last election that China would have ­little chance of gaining entry to the bloc following its campaign of trade coercion against Australia.

Trade Minister Don Farrell’s office said the trade agreement had high standards for all members and potential applications.

“Any economy seeking to join the CPTPP must meet, implement and adhere to the agreement’s high standards and rules, and have a demonstrated track record of compliance with trade commitments,” his spokeswoman said.

There have been five appli­cations to join the CPTPP – from the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan, Ecuador and Costa Rica.

South Korea, The Philippines, Thailand and Uruguay have also expressed an interest in joining

The applications will be dealt with on a first-come basis, with the British bid the current priority for assessment.

Asia Society Australia executive director for policy Richard Maude said Australia was on firm ground in fending off China’s bid.

“I would think it would be untenable for an Australian government to seriously consider Chinese accession to the CPTPP while China continues to take ­arbitrary trade action against Australia,” he said.

Australia ambassador to China Graham Fletcher told the Australia China Business Council there had been a “more measured and constructive” tone from China towards Australia since the election of the Albanese government, which has sought to end “megaphone diplomacy” with Beijing.

He said beyond meetings between the nations’ foreign affairs and defence ministers, the relationship remained a difficult one.

The ambassador, who is in Australia for mid-term consultations including talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, said the countries were “in something of a negotiation process to find viable parameters within which two quite different countries can interact and get along without dis­agreements that prevent that”.

Mr Fletcher said the embassy’s analysis was that Chinese growth was likely to come in well below expectations at “about 3 per cent”, compared to an average of more than 5 per recent in recent times.

He said the Australian government also believed China’s property sector would have a soft landing, contrary to what he ­described as “alarmist press reporting”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/australia-rejects-chinas-requests-to-join-transpacific-trade-partnership/news-story/2cded3e9ab9f926bd3b8c915b7700a10

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305fdc  No.17531416

File: 3875ac6571e82ba⋯.jpg (3.63 MB, 5000x3331, 5000:3331, A_Chinese_Foreign_Ministry….jpg)

File: 198443455094996⋯.jpg (588.06 KB, 2000x1295, 400:259, China_says_the_report_made….jpg)

China accuses IAEA of issuing a 'lopsided' report on AUKUS nuclear submarines plan

Stephen Dziedzic - 14 Sep 2022

China's Foreign Affairs Ministry has launched a furious attack on the UN nuclear watchdog over AUKUS, accusing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of issuing a "lopsided" report about Australia's plan to build nuclear submarines while ignoring widespread concerns about its ramifications for non-proliferation.

Last week the IAEA sent member states a confidential report on Australia's move to develop the submarines drawing on nuclear submarine technology provided by the United States and the United Kingdom.

China has lobbied relentlessly against the deal in international forums, accusing the three countries of undermining the non-proliferation treaty and fuelling a regional arms race.

However Reuters reported last Friday that the IAEA issued a confidential report to member states which said it was "satisfied with the level of engagement" with the agency from all three nations so far.

Earlier this week the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi struck a similar tone while addressing the agency's Board of Governors, saying the Secretariat had held four "technical meetings" with the three AUKUS members so far and suggesting it was comfortable with the way they were handling the matter.

"I welcome the AUKUS parties' engagement with the Agency to date and expect this to continue in order that they deliver on their stated commitment to ensuring that the highest non-proliferation and safeguards standards are met," he said.

But on Tuesday Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning slammed the report, saying China was "gravely concerned about the substance."

"This report lopsidedly cited the account given by the US, the UK and Australia to explain away what they have done, but made no mention of the international community's major concerns over the risk of nuclear proliferation that may arise from the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation," she said.

"The report turns a blind eye to many countries' solemn position that the AUKUS cooperation violates the purpose and object of the NPT."

IAEA report finds AUKUS non-proliferation risks 'limited'

While China has repeatedly attacked Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom over the agreement, this is the first time it has publicly excoriated the IAEA over the matter.

US and Australian officials have privately accused Beijing of gross hypocrisy over its public attacks on AUKUS, pointing out that China has been rapidly developing its own fleet of nuclear powered submarines — including submarines capable of launching nuclear weapons.

But nuclear non-proliferation advocates have also raised serious concerns about AUKUS, suggesting that it will establish a dangerous precedent by allowing a non-nuclear state to acquire nuclear propulsion technology for the first time.

Indonesian diplomats have also repeatedly made it clear they're uneasy about the plan, and the country's foreign ministry recently claimed recently that it won widespread support at the United Nations nuclear non-proliferation review conference for its plan to monitor nuclear material in submarines more closely.

Reuters reported last week that the IAEA report acknowledged Australia's argument that the non-proliferation risks posed by AUKUS were limited because it would only be provided with "complete, welded" nuclear power units which would make removing nuclear material "extremely difficult."

It reportedly also said the material within the units could not be used in nuclear weapons without chemical processing which requires facilities which Australia does not have and will not seek.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-14/china-iaea-lopsided-aukus-nuclear-submarines-report/101441254

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305fdc  No.17531427

File: 7002e2ce5e43dbc⋯.jpg (36.51 KB, 600x460, 30:23, Foreign_Ministry_Spokesper….jpg)

>>17531416

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on September 13, 2022

Beijing Youth Daily: IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi presented to the Board of Governors a report on IAEA safeguards in relation to AUKUS on September 9, saying that the IAEA has conducted technical consultations with the US, the UK and Australia and he welcomes their engagement with the Agency to date and expect this to continue. Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: We noted this latest report issued by the IAEA Director General on the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation. We believe this is a right step forward procedure-wise. In the meantime, we are gravely concerned about the substance of this report.

This report lopsidedly cited the account given by the US, the UK and Australia to explain away what they have done, but made no mention of the international community’s major concerns over the risk of nuclear proliferation that may arise from the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation. The report turns a blind eye to many countries’ solemn position that the AUKUS cooperation violates the purpose and object of the NPT, and drew ultra vires, misleading conclusions on matters that should have been decided by member states through discussion.

I need to stress that the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation can impact the integrity, efficacy and authority of the NPT. The safeguards and monitoring issues related to AUKUS will affect the interests of all member states of the IAEA and should be decided by all member states through discussion. China has therefore suggested that the IAEA launch a special committee open to all member states to have in-depth discussions on the political, legal and technical issues concerned and submit recommendations report to the IAEA Board of Governors and General Conference. Before consensus is reached by all parties, the US, the UK and Australia should not proceed with relevant cooperation, and the IAEA Secretariat should not have consultation with the three countries on the so-called safeguards and monitoring arrangement for their nuclear submarine cooperation. 

We urge the IAEA Secretariat to adopt an objective, neutral and professional position on the issue, fulfill its duty in strict accordance with its mandate, and provide a platform for discussing and addressing member states’ concerns over nuclear proliferation regarding the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation. We also call on all IAEA member states to continue to have substantive discussions on AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation through the inter-governmental process, take concrete actions to uphold the international non-proliferation system with the NPT as its cornerstone, and safeguard international peace and security.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202209/t20220913_10765640.html

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305fdc  No.17531434

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17531416

>>17531427

The AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation spells serious nuclear proliferation risks.

SpokespersonCHN发言人办公室

Sep 13, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sx97L48-dA

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305fdc  No.17531453

File: b16c73ba6abfc46⋯.jpg (188.89 KB, 1199x721, 1199:721, The_logo_of_the_Internatio….jpg)

>>17531416

IAEA chief's AUKUS report lacks legal basis: Chinese UN mission

Xinhua - 2022-09-14

VIENNA - The report submitted on Monday by the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS lacks proper legal basis, China's permanent mission to the United Nations in Vienna said on Tuesday.

The report, submitted by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to the agency's Board of Governors, overstepped its responsibility and competence to make misleading conclusions and has already constituted violations of the IAEA head's relevant responsibilities, said the mission.

In September 2021, the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia announced the establishment of AUKUS, under which the US and the UK will assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

The Chinese mission said the IAEA report selectively cited the AUKUS countries' self-justifying statements while leaving out the international community's major concerns about the nuclear proliferation risks related to the trilateral deal. The report also ignored many countries' solemn positions that AUKUS violates the objective of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The IAEA chief cannot override the agency's member states and undertake activities without due mandates from the member states; cannot engage in nuclear proliferation or activities that advance military purposes; cannot be reduced to a political tool of the AUKUS countries and be used to make misleading conclusions; and cannot ignore the subordinate status of the IAEA comprehensive safeguards agreements vis-a-vis the NPT, said the mission.

Noting that the trilateral nuclear submarine cooperation is the first time in history that two nuclear-weapon states have openly proliferated nuclear weapons material to a non-nuclear-weapon state, the Chinese mission said the IAEA, as a non-proliferation agency, would directly violate its own statute and the NPT if it endorsed the legality of the AUKUS countries' proliferation activities.

The Chinese commission urged the three countries under the AUKUS to immediately stop relevant proliferation activities and called on Grossi to make impartial and objective reports on AUKUS and refrain from endorsing the three countries' proliferation activities.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202209/14/WS63211536a310fd2b29e776e8.html

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305fdc  No.17531459

File: 6908c38188c5078⋯.jpg (205.61 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Royal_Australian_Navy_subm….jpg)

>>17531416

AUKUS deal must be subject to scrutiny: China Daily editorial

chinadaily.com.cn - 2022-09-13

Since the United States and the United Kingdom announced they will help Australia acquire nuclear submarines last year, their alleged "security" cooperation under the AUKUS framework has triggered international concerns over nuclear proliferation.

Conscious of what they are doing, the three countries, all signatory states to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, have jumped the gun by kick-starting their nuclear cooperation before obtaining the approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency. They know that what has been done cannot be undone and that if Australia has nuclear-powered submarines it will be a fait accompli.

Although the IAEA said in a report on Friday that it is "satisfied" with AUKUS' level of engagement with it, the fact that the IAEA Board of Governors has decided by consensus to set up a formal agenda item on "Transfer of nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT" for its quarterly board meeting starting on Monday in Vienna, for the fourth time in a row, drives home the point that there are still questions to be answered.

The report quoted Australia as stating to the IAEA: Australia would be provided with complete, welded power units. These power units are designed so that removal of any nuclear material would be extremely difficult and would render the power unit, and the submarine, inoperable, and that material would also be in a form that cannot be used in nuclear weapons without chemical processing, "requiring facilities that Australia does not have and will not seek".

But is that all that is being delivered? Is the opaque deal purely about nuclear submarines? And why, since it had already struck a deal with France for conventional diesel-powered submarines, did Australia suddenly decide it needed nuclear-powered submarines? What other aspects to the deal are there? Is the US being allowed to base nuclear weapons in Australia? Will the Australian submarines carry US or UK nuclear missiles? The deal is less than transparent.

And the three countries cannot deny that to transport the reactors halfway around the world to the South Pacific, and for Australia to have the nuclear material are at their core a process of nuclear proliferation, nor that Australia having nuclear-powered submarines that are to be deployed in the Asia-Pacific region is acting against the regional consensus that Southeast Asia be a nuclear weapons-free zone.

As predicted, the three countries have chosen to ignore the AUKUS-related discussions at the IAEA board meetings and in relevant intergovernmental processes and tried to set up a separate agenda item on the issue, aiming to create divisions within the agency. Given this, the IAEA must remain neutral and continue to provide the platform for addressing the proliferation risks of AUKUS' move.

The IAEA member states should focus on the illicit transfer of nuclear materials or weapons under the framework of AUKUS, and oppose any attempts by the three countries to hinder the IAEA in the performance of its duties.

https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202209/13/WS632083a0a310fd2b29e77673.html

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305fdc  No.17531465

File: 9761cfa8a365e55⋯.jpg (608.9 KB, 2000x1200, 5:3, US_President_Joe_Biden_par….jpg)

>>17531416

Nuclear proliferation caused by AUKUS will make the world sweat in the face of teetering security

Global Times - Sep 14, 2022

1/2

Exactly one year ago, Australia, the UK and the US jointly unveiled the creation of their enhanced trilateral security partnership called "AUKUS." Under their deal, London and Washington agreed to help Canberra build and operate Australia's own fleet of nuclear-propelled submarines. One year on, as AUKUS is propagandized to respond to a so-called threat that does not exist at all, the group has been fueling the real threat of nuclear proliferation, arms race, and even war.

Whenever AUKUS is touched upon, there is an unavoidable issue that cannot be skirted around - the transfer of nuclear materials among the three countries is essentially nuclear proliferation, which is uncontrollable.

Australia, the UK and the US are all signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). However, the three countries have ignored the AUKUS-related discussions at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board meetings and in relevant intergovernmental processes, while trying to set up a separate agenda on the issue, with the aim of whitewashing their proliferation activities.

But no matter what tricks they have tried hard to play, they cannot change the basic fact - the cooperation among the three countries involves the transfer of nuclear submarine power reactors and weapons-grade highly enriched uranium to non-nuclear-weapon states. It means Australia has the chance to use the uranium to develop and manufacture nuclear weapons. It also means other non-nuclear-weapon states may follow suit.

The NPT is one of the most crucial cornerstones of global security. Unfortunately, the wheels of AUKUS are scrunching it. "This sets a risky precedent since potential nuclear proliferators may use naval reactor programs as a cover for developing nuclear weapons and, with the AUKUS deal as a precedent, they may escape intolerable costs for doing so," The National Interest magazine commented in its August issue. In other words, the byproduct of AUKUS will make the world sweat in the face of teetering security.

That's why a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on Monday decided by consensus to set up a formal agenda item on "Transfer of nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT." It mirrors that the issue should not be handled by the three countries themselves alone, but must be handled jointly by the IAEA member states with due procedure. Wang Qun, China's permanent representative to the UN in Vienna, said the move "foiled certain countries' attempt to hijack the IAEA Board meeting," and that it is the victory of the Vienna spirit over hegemonism.

The result fully reflects the concern of the international community on the transfer of nuclear weapons-grade materials involved in the cooperation of the three countries, and shows that the US-style collaboration among small circles is far from having popular support.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17531466

File: bd5b80c7fe56da2⋯.jpg (115.01 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Nuclear_proliferation_caus….jpg)

>>17531465

2/2

The unpopular side of AUKUS can also be found among Australia's neighboring countries, especially among ASEAN.

Due to the AUKUS, ASEAN members are caught in a security puzzle where everyone feels at risk, because they will one day have to face a close and growingly aggressive neighbor whose military strength is boosting. The previous balance of power will be broken. They are pondering whether to enhance their own military arsenals as a response to potential danger. An arms race could be triggered at any time.

More importantly, if AUKUS yearns for sufficient follow-up development momentum in the Asia-Pacific region, it needs crises, turmoil and even conflicts. Without these, AUKUS has no "justified" cover to promote itself. But with the chaos, ASEAN will simply be stripped of development opportunities.

The existence of AUKUS itself is something that has jeopardized the security and well-being of all Indo-Pacific countries. Most ASEAN members are well aware of it. Their resistance and anxiety against AUKUS will only increase.

In turn, regional countries' opposition to AUKUS will have impact on the group's development. AUKUS will still be promoted in years to come, but it may not succeed.

Not only do Australia's neighboring countries have concerns, some Australians also raised their doubts over AUKUS. Australia "has never before placed itself at the forefront of US planning for a confrontation with a superpower. And it has never before gone so dramatically on the offensive in its weapons acquisition," wrote Sam Roggeveen, director of the International Security Program of Sydney-based Lowy Institute. "This is a question not just of military strategy but of how Australia defines itself as an international actor, and as a nation."

Former Australian diplomat Bruce Haigh tweeted in June, "AUKUS is all about the US using Australia to confront China." But what has Canberra earned for joining the club? Apart from showing its naivety, all it gets is the risk of nuclear proliferation and more resentment from regional countries. On the surface, it may have obtained US' assurance of security protection, but it also has turned itself into an arm of US Indo-Pacific Command, or even a US' suicide squad - when war breaks out, Australia will bear the brunt first.

With so many negative AUKUS assets on its shoulders, ranging from self-interests to world security, if the current Australian administration is wise, it should start thinking of how to lead Australia out of this trap, dug by its predecessor, instead of plunging deeper.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275275.shtml

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305fdc  No.17531476

File: baac49fe4797c5f⋯.jpg (150.2 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Australia_advised_to_take_….jpg)

>>17475500

GT Voice: Australia advised to take rational approach to China’s supply chains

Global Times - Sep 13, 2022

US nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday called on the Australian government to impose targeted sanctions against China over the so-called human rights violations by banning imports of products made using "forced labor," said a report from the Chinese version of VOA.

The push came just a few days after Western media reports said the EU is set to ban products made using "forced labor," joining the US-led sanctions on imports from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

It is not a secret that Australia-based anti-China think tanks such as the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) have followed some US anti-China forces in concocting a large number of rumors and disinformation concerning Xinjiang-related issues. This was believed to suggest that Australia, siding with the US, has tried to use the human rights issues in Xinjiang to politicize trade with China.

Now given the current global economic turmoil and the great inflationary pressure, it is time for the Australian government to ponder the serious political and economic consequences of continuing down this wrong path.

After the Albanese administration took office, voices from both China and Australia called for a reset in China-Australia relations to ease their tensions. If Albanese has the willingness to change his predecessor's hostility toward China and to handle China-Australia relations more rationally as market has long expected, then Canberra at least needs to show the political sincerity to repair bilateral ties based on the true understanding of China's economic importance which is not just limited to being a large export market.

The "human rights violations" in Xinjiang are provable lies made up by politicians, media outlets and other anti-China forces in the US and its allies. It is by politicizing and weaponizing human rights issues that US anti-China forces have come up with sanctions aimed at cracking down on Xinjiang products and industries. Their real aim is to use the Xinjiang-related issues to undermine the position of the Chinese manufacturing in the global supply chains and industrial chains.

But such an ill-intentioned attempt to force businesses to shun China's products and raw materials is doomed to fail, as it will only result in further disruption to the already fragile global supply chains by bringing great cost pressure and uncertainties to importers. Anyone with basic knowledge about the current status quo of Western economies knows that Chinese manufacturing is indispensable to their economies, and it would be nothing but economic suicide for the West to really cut ties off with China.

Take Germany. Germany's economy ministry is considering a raft of measures to reduce the country's dependency on China, Reuters reported on Thursday. But the irony is that German imports from China have soared this year. German imports of Chinese goods surged in value terms by 45.7 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2022, according to Reuters. China's supply chain has become the lifeline for Germany's manufacturing development. A "decoupling" from China is bound to deal a fatal blow to German businesses.

Likewise, Australia now needs not only the Chinese market, but also imports from China. In Australia, the consumer price index already ran at a 21-year peak of 6.1 percent and likely to top 7 percent by Christmas, according to media reports. If Australia imposes curbs on imports from China at this juncture, a possible consequence would be an exacerbated inflation problem.

In this sense, Australia is advised to value the thawing signs in bilateral relations and shun any risk of plunging its economy into further supply chain chaos and an ongoing inflation nightmare.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275193.shtml

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305fdc  No.17531514

File: 71bd160a1975353⋯.jpg (149.1 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, When_he_was_sentenced_to_a….jpg)

Francis William Cable: Marist brother paedophile known as Br Romuald dies in jail

The former teacher and headmaster known as Br Romuald, who systematically abused at least 20 boys while in his position of power, has died aged 90 while facing more charges.

Dan Proudman - September 12, 2022

Notorious paedophile principal Francis William Cable, the former Marist brother known as Br Romuald who abused more than 20 schoolboys over more than 15 years, has died.

Cable died in Prince of Wales Hospital on Monday morning after being transferred from Long Bay jail, where the 90-year-old was serving two sentences for child sex offences and awaiting a trial on more allegations next year.

The former Hunter Marist brother was first sentenced in 2015 to a maximum 16 years’ jail for sexually assaulting 19 schoolboys in NSW over a 15-year period.

Cable preyed on the boys while he taught at Catholic schools at Hamilton and Maitland, as well as in Sydney, between 1960 and 1974.

When he was sentenced to a minimum eight years in jail in 2015 after a judge said he had systematically abused his position of power as a teacher and schoolmaster, victims and supporters cheered and clapped.

“(He was) capable of determining their vulnerability. Indeed it seems he might have picked his victims because of their frailties,” NSW District Court Judge Peter Whitfield said in sentencing.

“Inevitably, (the abuse) has profound impacts on their lives.

“It is one of the many reasons this kind of offending is so abhorrent.”

In 2019, Cable was again in the dock where he was sentenced for a further 19 offences and had his non-parole period increased until at least 2027.

But the twice-convicted paedophile was facing a further trial next year on five further counts of indecent assault when he died on Monday morning from suspected heart disease.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/the-newcastle-news/francis-william-cable-marist-brother-paedophile-known-as-br-romuald-dies-in-jail/news-story/8fa61fa5a6e6628995eac501be9f28e5

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305fdc  No.17531523

File: a982d45d9ca34e8⋯.jpg (230.4 KB, 1200x900, 4:3, Audrey_Nash_has_endured_tr….jpg)

File: 891ca7a298e3af2⋯.jpg (20.01 KB, 300x442, 150:221, Andrew_Nash_a_Marist_Broth….jpg)

File: a3602999149cd14⋯.jpg (40.68 KB, 445x352, 445:352, Francis_Cable_known_as_Bro….jpg)

>>17531514

Death of paedophile priest Francis Cable, aka Brother Romuald, makes victim's mum glad

Giselle Wakatama and Bridget Murphy - 14 Sep 2022

Audrey Nash says she is glad her son's abuser died in jail but "it doesn't take anything away".

Ms Nash, 96, is the mother of Andrew Nash, the youngest clerical abuse victim to die by suicide in Australia.

He was abused at the hands of Francis Cable, known in the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese as Brother Romuald.

Brother Romuald was 90 when he died in prison on Monday while serving a 16-year sentence for abusing 24 boys.

Andrew Nash was 13 when he took his life in his bedroom in October 1974.

"I am still left without Andrew and he will never be back," Mrs Nash said.

"Our family, and all the drama and trauma that we've had since Andrew's death, it's still there every day.

"It makes no difference whatsoever, but I'm glad he didn't get out of jail."

Andrew's brother, Geoffrey Nash, said Brother Romuald destroyed the lives of many.

"It's not just the children that he raped and tortured and abused, but then those children all had brothers and sisters and mums and dads and uncles and aunts that are affected," Geoffrey said.

He said some of his friends had taken their lives in the past few years.

"One took his own life and he has children and grandchildren, so now they're all going to suffer," Geoffrey said.

One of Andrew and Geoffrey's friends, Stephen Murray, said the impact of Brother Romuald on his life was significant and long-running.

"People like us have that trauma, they have Romuald hard-wired into our brains," he said.

Marist apology

The Marist Brothers' Province of Australia says it recognises the abuse committed by Francis Cable, and the consequences of the crimes for victims.

"To those who suffered as a result of his criminal actions, the Marist Brothers offer our unreserved apology and express our profound sorrow that such events ever occurred," it said in a statement.

"We will continue to work to support and provide assistance to those who have experienced abuse in our facilities."

Geoffrey Nash said the apology was hollow.

"The statement does not refer to him by the name he was known as, Brother Romuald, and instead refers to him as Francis Cable," he said.

"There is a disconnect in relation to the statement and no budget to help people or phone number to access support.

"The information is just the bare the minimum."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-14/brother-romuald-paedophile-priest-newcastle-victim-family-glad/101435784

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305fdc  No.17531530

File: 8f9050c0a120fdc⋯.jpg (87.48 KB, 1200x674, 600:337, Francis_Cable_also_known_a….jpg)

>>17531514

Church needs process to support survivors after paedophile clergy deaths

Helen Gregory - September 15 2022

THE MARIST Brothers' Province of Australia has declined to outline what procedure it follows - if any - to support survivors when abusers die.

Clergy Abused Network (CAN) chair Bob O'Toole said his organisation had developed its protocol following the April death of Father Vincent Ryan.

As previously reported, the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, in NSW's Hunter region, came under fire for not informing the community or survivors about Ryan's death, or making direct follow-up contact with survivors.

Mr O'Toole said CAN sent its protocol to the Marist Brothers and the diocese and asked for theirs. CAN has not received any in return.

"A couple of us worked on it, we thought it was appropriate to put something out on how we were going to deal with [future deaths]," Mr O'Toole said.

"It was always going to pop up - these guys are not getting any younger, like all of us. That was the purpose of developing a protocol. There's a line up of these guys in jail, all ageing and it's going to happen from time to time.

"We need to have a policy and a procedure about how we're going to handle it."

Mr O'Toole said CAN followed the steps after Francis William Cable - also known as Brother Romuald - died in custody on Monday.

CAN's first step after hearing about the death of an abuser is to contact the institution associated with the perpetrator for verification.

"The whole area of abuse, whether current or historical, is marred by secrecy, denial and cover-up," CAN's protocol reads.

"It is critical to the wellbeing of survivors, as well as to the requirements of social justice, that the death and any relevant circumstances surrounding it, be published and that the attention of victims, support groups, counselling organisations and therapists be drawn to the publication."

Mr O'Toole contacted the Marist Brothers on Monday for confirmation of Cable's death, but did not receive it.

As reported on Wednesday, the Marist Brothers published a statement on Tuesday which read, in part, "to those who suffered as a result of his criminal actions, the Marist Brothers offer our unreserved apology and express our profound sorrow that such events ever occurred".

Mr O'Toole said the statement didn't describe Cable as being a former Marist Brother or list schools where he taught, which was a "pretty poor effort".

The Marist Brothers have not directly contacted Cable survivors or families about the death. CAN's other steps include announcing deaths and "respectfully and sensitively" alerting relevant people, groups, counsellors, therapists and its members; ensuring appropriate support is offered; considering scheduling a meeting for those who wish to discuss the death and related issues; and insisting upon a public announcement of funeral arrangements.

However Mr O'Toole said CAN only knew of survivors who had approached the organisation, or been to court.

"There are others, I know some of them, they haven't come forward, so we need to know all of the people, perhaps all of the claimants."

When asked if it had a protocol, a spokesperson for the Marist Brothers said it had "nothing further to add" to its statement.

Diocesan Administrator Father Greg Barker said the diocese "has, is and will continue to acknowledge the shameful aspects of its history where children suffered abuse and some of its leaders failed to protect them from harm".

He said it would continue to offer support to those affected by abuse and was committed to "safeguarding" children and the vulnerable in its communities.

Lifeline 13 11 14

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/7904308/church-needs-process-to-support-survivors-after-paedophile-clergy-deaths/

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305fdc  No.17531563

File: 68d68a8f058ce8c⋯.jpg (515.33 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, Former_Surf_Coast_mayor_Br….jpg)

‘I needed to step up’: Former Surf Coast mayor sues church over alleged abuse

Cameron Houston - September 15, 2022

1/2

A police officer and former Surf Coast mayor has launched legal action against the Vincentian order almost 50 years after he was allegedly abused by a priest while boarding at a former Catholic college in Bendigo.

Brian McKiterick, 61, has claimed in a writ filed in the Supreme Court of Victoria that he suffered appalling sexual abuse at the hands of Father Murray Wilson, who was the dean of discipline, a maths teacher and football coach at St Vincent’s College.

The veteran police officer has grappled with the dark secret for decades, only revealing it to his adult children in the past fortnight after deciding to go public with his legal battle against the church.

“For me, it’s taken a lot to come forward, and there will obviously be repercussions, both positive and negative, but I felt like I needed to step up,” McKiterick told The Age.

He claims the abuse contributed to anxiety and depression and hindered his career at Victoria Police.

McKiterick, who also ran as a Liberal candidate for the state seat of Bellarine in the 2018 election, alleges that Wilson began grooming him by inviting him to his room after 8.30pm and lending him a book on aviation.

On the third meeting, Wilson allegedly fondled McKiterick, who was about 14 at the time, before forcing him to perform a sex act, according to the Supreme Court writ filed in April.

On another occasion, Wilson rewarded three students who had accepted roles as sacristans at the college by taking them to a movie. He allegedly groped McKiterick again at the cinema, according to the writ.

In 1976, McKiterick made a complaint about Wilson to a senior figure at the college, who, according to the writ, allegedly responded: “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t think we need to be mentioning that, do we, Brian?”.

However, Wilson was abruptly transferred to St Stanislaus’ College in the NSW city of Bathurst, which is also run by the Vincentian Catholic order. The college’s magazine paid tribute to Wilson upon his departure.

“Father was known for his love of the boys and his interest in them. To this, there was a great capacity for work allied to organising ability,” the magazine said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17531565

File: ef88740a7be58d6⋯.jpg (908.66 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, Brian_McKiterick_recently_….jpg)

>>17531563

2/2

McKiterick said he was not surprised by the church’s response at the time, but expected it to be more conciliatory and compassionate towards victims of clerical abuse almost 50 years after the alleged assaults.

“When you’ve been involved in this and you’ve been abused, you think people within the order might want to reach out and say sorry, but it hasn’t been like that. They just batten down the hatches,” he said.

A request by the Vincentian order and its lawyers for McKiterick to prove he attended St Vincent’s College, which no longer exists, had exacerbated his trauma, according to his lawyer Cameron Doig from Arnold Thomas and Becker.

Doig obtained the college’s yearbook from the National Library of Australia, which included several photographs that showed Wilson sitting next to form three students, including McKiterick, in 1975.

“The Catholic Church is infamous for shuffling around known paedophile priests. And that’s exactly what the Vincentian Fathers did after Father Murray Wilson abused Brian as a boy,” Doig said.

“Brian has fought hard to make his life a success and overcome the effects of the abuse. Like many survivors, that abuse made him defiant towards authority. Constant conflict with his superiors thwarted Brian’s chances at reaching his full career potential.”

The case launched against Wilson, who died suddenly in 1979, is not the first time a priest at the former St Vincent’s College has been accused of serious clerical abuse.

In 2014, Father James Jennings was found guilty in the County Court of sexually abusing three boarders at the Bendigo school between 1963 and 1967. He was handed a six-month custodial sentence.

After one of the assaults, Jennings instructed his 12-year-old victim to confess his sins to another priest and beg for forgiveness.

The court was told that after the school received a complaint about Jennings’ predatory behaviour, he was also transferred to St Stanislaus’ College in 1969.

Father Alan Gibson from the Vincentian Provincial Office in Sydney said he was unable to respond to questions by The Age in time for the deadline.

“The questions you have raised are quite detailed. We are not in a position to answer them in the time frame you have indicated,” Gibson said in an email.

Bill Madden from Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers, representing the Vincentian order, also declined to respond to questions.

“The assertions by Mr McKiterick are of a personal nature and his claim remains before the court, so it would not be appropriate for the Vincentian Fathers to comment at this stage,” he said.

“In any event, the assertions remain under investigation, which is somewhat time-consuming given that they relate to events said to have occurred about 50 years ago.”

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/i-needed-to-step-up-former-surf-coast-mayor-sues-church-over-alleged-abuse-20220914-p5bhve.html

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305fdc  No.17531591

File: b5c2cf22247a615⋯.jpg (507.45 KB, 825x925, 33:37, DOU_2.jpg)

File: 4e02d6ac9049253⋯.mp4 (9.84 MB, 1280x720, 16:9, YZwSaXPJvZDLmd91_1.mp4)

Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Tweet

Bushmaster, (genus Lachesis), an Amazonian venomous snake subdued by our soldiers that stings the enemy unexpectedly, painfully, and fatally. Thanks to our Australian wizards for the instruction manual. @RichardMarlesMP @AmbVasyl

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1569460853283266560

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305fdc  No.17531597

File: 60e94f8b38dbbce⋯.jpg (700.77 KB, 3443x2292, 3443:2292, The_MQ_4C_Triton_unmanned_….jpg)

File: 9820e4e0c8780e1⋯.jpg (1.78 MB, 5568x3712, 3:2, A_new_Northrop_Grumman_unm….jpg)

File: a8dc97e4a4309b6⋯.jpg (1.84 MB, 5568x3712, 3:2, A_new_Northrop_Grumman_unm….jpg)

Australia to decide on further Triton maritime drone orders after defence review

Jamie Freed - September 15, 2022

SYDNEY, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Australia will decide on whether to order up to four more Northrop Grumman Corp MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance drones after a defence review next year, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) official said.

Australia, to date the only non-U.S. customer for the remotely piloted high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft, has so far ordered three to compliment its fleet of crewed Boeing Co (BA.N) P-8A Poseidon planes.

The first Australian aircraft was unveiled in California on Wednesday. It is due for delivery in mid-2024, and will be based primarily in Australia's tropical north but controlled from a base near the southern city of Adelaide.

Australia has been boosting its defence spending over the past few years as China steps up its presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Last year, Australia agreed to buy nuclear submarines from the United States and Britain. read more

The new centre-left government last month announced a defence strategic review due in early 2023.

RAAF Head of Air Force Capability Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney said at the Triton unveiling ceremony that the final number to be purchased would be decided after the review was completed.

"That defence review will take into consideration the decision not to proceed on SkyGuardian," he said, referring to Australia this year scrapping plans to buy up to 12 General Atomics-built MQ-9B armed medium-altitude long-endurance drones.

The addition of Triton will allow Australia's crewed P-8 planes to focus on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) rather than splitting their time between that and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), said Doug Shaffer, Northrop Grumman vice president autonomous ISR and targeting programmes.

"So a Navy maritime patrol gets 10 times more ISR and they free up the P-8 to focus on the ASW mission, so you get three times more ASW capability," he said in an interview. "That is really the force multiplier by having a manned-unmanned teaming."

The U.S. Navy, which also has P-8s, has deployed Triton from Guam and Japan.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-decide-further-triton-maritime-drone-orders-after-defence-review-2022-09-15/

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305fdc  No.17531702

File: b215d1c604caac1⋯.jpg (67.27 KB, 1200x683, 1200:683, Saber_Astronautics_Space_C….jpg)

File: c4f1cc7f1392331⋯.jpg (126.3 KB, 1200x775, 48:31, Want_to_watch_the_latest_S….jpg)

File: aa1a86353089469⋯.jpg (244.86 KB, 1920x938, 960:469, intro.jpg)

File: b89c04bb4119c12⋯.jpg (392.57 KB, 1918x930, 959:465, fov.jpg)

Space Force coming to rely on Australian firm for space situational awareness

But the solution might be a collaboration between citizen scientists and industry.

Jamie Seidel - 15 September 2022

Space situational awareness is a constantly moving target.

Software from Sydney-based Saber Astronautics, which describes itself as a “Global space operations provider,” is rapidly spreading throughout the US military. It’s just won an extra $540,000 to meet the growing list of information the new Space Force operations command keeps discovering it needs in its ‘Space Cockpit.’

The number of users of the software in the US doubled in August with hundreds of operators in the United State Space Force using it to assist with understanding where objects like satellites are in space, and importantly where they are headed.

Sabre’s CEO, Dr Jason Held says Space Cockpit, in particular the visualizions fields: “are going a bit viral.”

Saber runs Australia’s Responsive Space Operations Centre at Lot 14 in Adelaide’s North Terrace. It’s also involved in NASA’s Moon to Mars Project and won an Australian Defence Innovation Hub contract centred on improving the nations’ space domain awareness.

Space situational awareness requires a mountain of data

The problem it solves is data.

There’s just so much of it.

And it all comes in different formats, at different times, with differing degrees of reliability.

And we’re not just talking about how much data goes up and down.

For example, we rarely know the exact location of any given satellite.

It may get an occasional radar fix. But, unless it’s openly broadcasting its position similarly to terrestrial aircraft and shipping, its orbit is a matter of guesswork.

“That’s why when anything is predicted to travel within 1000 kilometres of another space object, one of them will have to move out of the way,” says Saber Astronautics spokeswoman Carmen Truong. “That’s a bit of a hassle as space becomes more crowded.”

“That’s why every piece of available data about that satellite has to be gathered, processed and refined. It must then be blended with other ingredients, such as local space weather conditions, before it can be baked into something useful.

“You have data from defence. You have data from private networks. You have data from government agencies. And they’re not being collated to the extent we’d prefer,” Truong says.

“We need to be able to put it all together so that someone can get a really nice, top-level view without having to take a deep dive into the code and algorithms behind it all”.

Machine learning is constantly observing what happens and comparing it to what was predicted. It’s also being used to translate raw data from a multitude of different formats and sources into a single, information-rich stream.

But that, Truong says, presents its own problems.

The reliability of each fragment of data must be assessed. And the impact of each and every margin of error must be tracked as it influences the information-sorting processes.

“Sometimes you get data that’s off the charts, and you’re like, ‘Oh, well, that might be a mistake’,” she says. “But it’s usually not that obvious.”

It’s a problem Saber is focussing on.

“We are not sure about how the final solution will present itself yet,” Truong says. “But we think verification is an untapped resource”.

One practical aspect may include creating a formalised network of on-call astronomers and tracking providers.

It’s why they’ve made their ‘pet project’ – the Terrestrial and Astronomical Rapid Observation Toolkit (TAROT) – freely available to the public.

If a satellite suddenly goes dark, the public can point their radars, telescopes and cameras at its probability bubble to see precisely where it is. This can allow a more detailed examination to determine what went wrong.

“We’d like a really nice collaborative thing where we’re working with a diverse group of people to give us a better view of the space we’re working in,” she says.

https://web.archive.org/web/20220915070558/https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/space-force-situational-awareness/

https://www.saberastro.com/

https://www.saberastro.com/tarot/

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305fdc  No.17531725

File: 4129ddc65f0eacb⋯.jpg (4.06 MB, 3600x2400, 3:2, USCG_visit1.JPG)

File: 357179e1f2521c0⋯.jpg (1.19 MB, 3000x2000, 3:2, USCG_visit2.JPG)

File: d740779c0134e28⋯.jpg (1.2 MB, 4227x2817, 1409:939, USCG_visit3.JPG)

>>17458335

>>17481780

ABF and US Coast Guard train in Far North Queensland

abf.gov.au - 15/09/2022

The first ever US Coast Guard Sentinel Class Cutter port visit to Cairns took place this week, with a joint activity also occurring between the US Coast Guard (USCG), the Australian Defence Force (ADF), a Republic of Fiji Navy Ship (RFNS) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) near Port Douglas.

The activity formed part of Operation Lighthouse, which intends to build and strengthen regional relationships, and involved USCG Cutter Oliver Henry, HMAS Melville, HMAS Wollongong, RFNS Savenaca and an ABF Dash-8 maritime surveillance aircraft.

Commander Maritime Border Command (MBC), Rear Admiral Justin Jones, CSC, RAN said the visit to Australia by the USCG vessel was testament to the long-standing joint commitment of both countries to upholding civil maritime security and law enforcement.

“We were honoured to welcome our friends from the USCG to our shores, and gained great value in increasing our interoperability through this joint activity," RADM Jones said.

“Such cooperation is vital – particularly given the fact that many of the threats we face are shared, and cross international boundaries. These threats include illegal fishing, drug and firearm trafficking, violence at sea and piracy."

Another benefit of the visit was the opportunity to enhance people-to-people links. Commanding Officer of HMAS Glenelg, Lieutenant Commander Alexander Finnis, said his crew very much enjoyed the opportunity to interact with friends in the USCG Cutter Oliver Henry.

“Both crews enjoyed tours of each other's ships, while command teams met to discuss our shared focus in operations in the Indo-Pacific. We also had the opportunity to socialise with each other in Cairns. These interactions reaffirm the long standing friendship which underpins an important regional and strategic partnership," LCDR Finnis said.

Commanding Officer of HMAS Cairns, Commander Alfonso Santos, said it was a pleasure to have the USCG Cutter Oliver Henry and her crew at HMAS Cairns for the five-day port visit.

“The vessel was able to undertake logistics requirements and official visits while the crew relaxed and enjoyed the many wonderful things Cairns and the surrounding area have to offer, including our great seafood and local entertainment," CMDR Santos said.

MBC is a multi-agency taskforce within the ABF and enabled by the people and capabilities of the ABF and ADF.

The United States Coast Guard is the maritime security, search and rescue and law enforcement service branch of the United States military.

https://www.abf.gov.au/newsroom-subsite/Pages/ABF-and-US-Coast-Guard-train-in-Far-North-Queensland.aspx#

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305fdc  No.17531939

File: d847be98217e4da⋯.jpg (526.62 KB, 825x957, 25:29, AYS_26.jpg)

File: f523ead1d334c9e⋯.jpg (157.14 KB, 1200x765, 80:51, FcrrdkRaMAA_3J7.jpg)

Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet

What a great honour and pleasure to receive three (Australian) intelligence chiefs at my residence!

As a humble former spy chief and catcher myself, I enjoyed my engaging talks with Andrew, Paul and Mike. Many thanks for your solid friendship with (Japan)!

https://twitter.com/YamagamiShingo/status/1570326324161712131

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305fdc  No.17531948

File: 55473e4dc302bb9⋯.jpg (138.46 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Japanese_ambassador_Shingo….jpg)

>>17531373

>>17531939

Japan slams Beijing’s ‘coercion’

BEN PACKHAM - SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Japan’s top diplomat in Australia has suggested China’s record of “economic coercion” should disqualify it from being admitted to one of the world’s largest free-trade agreements, warning of the “risk of sabotage from within”.

Writing in The Australian, Japanese ambassador Shingo Yamagami says the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agree­ment for Trans-­Pacific Partnership should not lower its high standards by admitting countries known for breaking World Trade Organisation rules.

A day after China demanded Australia urgently discuss its bid to join the 11-nation CPTPP, Mr Yamagami highlights Beijing’s ­record of punitive trade bans against both Australia and Japan.

He says admitting to the CPTPP nations that don’t meet its standards will lead to a “race to the bottom”, compromising the international rules-based order.

“There can be no clearer nor more blatant opposition to the foundational principles of the WTO than the weaponisation of economic clout,” he says.

“The irony is economic coercion has become a signature modus operandi of a certain major WTO member.

“Economic coercion, along with disruptions to global logistics caused by Covid, has laid bare the potential vulnerabilities of global supply chains.”

In order to gain entry to the CPTPP, China must secure the ­assent of every member of the free-trade agreement, including Aus­tralia and Japan.

China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, told The Australian on Wednesday that Beijing ­wanted to urgently commence negoti­ations with Australia on its CPTPP candidacy, but had so-far been rebuffed.

CPTPP member states are currently assessing the candidacy of Britain, which applied for membership before China.

China’s demand for talks on its CPTPP application comes despite its trade bans against more than $20bn-a-year’s worth of Australian exports, including barley, wine and lobster.

Mr Yamagami points also to China’s suspension of rare earth exports to Japan in 2010 after the arrest by Japan’s navy of a Chinese fishing boat near disputed East China Sea islands.

He says he is “perplexed” at suggestions a country’s history of WTO compliance would not be relevant to its efforts to gain entry into the CPTPP. “Even for an advanced economy like the UK with a respectable track-record, close scrutiny has been going on since June 2021; such is the level of requirements to ensure the standard is kept high,” Mr Yama­gami writes.

“The mission of the CPTPP is to serve as a beacon for the region and embody the highest standards in trade and investment rules. Is the applicant economy genuinely committed to the pursuit of this mission? Is there any risk of sabotage from within? These are the questions we should ask.”

China slapped bans on a range of Australian imports from May 2020, including barley, beef, lobster, wine and timber. Former prime minister Scott Morrison said prior to the last election that China would have ­little chance of gaining entry to the CPTPP ­following its campaign of trade ­coercion against Australia.

Trade Minister Don Farrell has been more circumspect, referring to the agreement’s high standards.

There have been five appli­cations to join the CPTPP – from the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan, Ecuador and Costa Rica.

South Korea, The Philippines, Thailand and Uruguay have also expressed an interest in joining.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/japan-slams-beijings-coercion/news-story/1d210f14d3b3108414357d60fbe12cec

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305fdc  No.17531969

File: de8b6c496d03036⋯.jpg (71.97 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_Japanese_prime_mini….jpg)

>>17531948

Trade pact should be only for those who play by rules

SHINGO YAMAGAMI - SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

1/2

A heartening message reached my inbox last week. Governor-General David Hurley announced the late Shinzo Abe was awarded Australia’s Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia, the country’s highest honour. This is the latest gesture of warmth we have received from across Australia since the former Japanese prime minister’s tragic passing. Abe’s state funeral will be attended by Anthony Albanese, and three former prime ministers.

Hurley thanked Abe for his “true friendship” to Australia, and commended him for having elevated our bilateral partnership “to new heights”. Indeed, we owe Abe’s leadership many landmark milestones in the development of our special strategic partnership, such as the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement and the Reciprocal Access Agreement.

His visit in 2018 to Darwin where, together with Scott Morrison, he laid wreaths for those killed in the bombing of Darwin symbolised the reconciliation between our two countries.

Hurley mentioned Abe’s foresight in championing the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. He is credited as “a force behind the formation of the Quad” and “a key advocate for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership”.

The relevance of this aspect of Abe’s legacy is keenly felt in the Indo-Pacific, where the rules-based international order is facing serious challenges. Unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, as seen in the brutal aggression by Russia against Ukraine, are also increasingly blatant and prevalent in the East and South China seas, including in the waters around the Senkaku Islands. Beijing’s military activities, including unprecedented exercises around Taiwan, have intensified dramatically.

What I intend to highlight here is the seriousness of the challenge presented to international trade architecture in the face of economic coercion. There can be no clearer or more blatant opposition to the foundational principles of the World Trade Organisation than the weaponisation of economic clout. The irony is economic coercion has become a signature modus operandi of a certain major WTO member. Economic coercion, along with disruptions to global logistics caused by Covid-19, has also laid bare the potential vulnerabilities of global supply chains.

In response, like-minded partners are joining forces to reinforce the rules-based international trade architecture and to develop resilient supply chains. At the global level, WTO reforms remain a key challenge. While much remains to be done, the achievements at the 12th WTO ministerial conference in June should form a basis to build on.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17531976

File: ae07af9c8bd3f04⋯.jpg (202.24 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Japanese_Ambassador_to_Aus….jpg)

>>17531969

2/2

In discussing economic coercion, it is worth noting the export of rare earth from China to Japan was temporarily suspended in 2010. China’s non-transparent de facto import restrictions on Australian products (including barley and wine) are being scrutinised in Geneva. At the regional level, Japan and Australia, together with key partners including Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, are taking a multilayered approach and working on initiatives such as the CPTPP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the newly launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

Inclusiveness is essential for rules-based trade architecture to function. Diversity in membership of the RCEP is therefore important but should not detract from the need to aim for higher standards in rule-making and trade liberalisation. Nor should inclusiveness justify a race to the bottom, thereby compromising the integrity of a rules-based order. That is why developing the CPTPP as a framework for members willing and capable to maintain the highest of standards is a strategic imperative.

CPTPP members are working on the entry application of Britain. Even for an advanced economy such as Britain with a respectable track record, close scrutiny has been going on since June last year. Such is the level of requirements to ensure the standard is kept high. This process will set a precedent for subsequent consideration of entry applications. There is a consensus among members the bar should be set high, not lowered arbitrarily.

Let me emphasise the strategic importance of ensuring full engagement of the US. It is encouraging the US led the launch of the IPEF, an emerging regional platform for inclusive and sustainable growth. But the eventual return of the US to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, in a way that provides the region with the merit of the largest market in the world, remains among the region’s top priorities.

I am therefore perplexed when confronted with suggestions the history of compliance with established trade rules of an economy does not matter in considering new membership to the CPTPP.

We should learn from the history of having let economies in the WTO, only to see them infringing rules and undermining the integrity of the framework. The mission of the CPTPP is to serve as a beacon for the region and to embody the highest standards in trade and investment rules. Is the applicant economy genuinely committed to the pursuit of this mission? Is there any risk of sabotage from within? These are the questions we should ask.

Shingo Yamagami is Japanese ambassador to Australia.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/trade-pact-should-be-only-for-those-who-play-by-rules/news-story/dc72253b90e3daea1fe636fe5bf06834

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305fdc  No.17532044

File: 966e40b8f27cee0⋯.jpg (493.3 KB, 825x1014, 275:338, HI_1.jpg)

File: e1c9ad88daf3346⋯.mp4 (9.91 MB, 960x540, 16:9, ZgYG6H3IGjoG6rFq.mp4)

>>17458377

>>17531366

Hudson Institute Tweet

MESSAGE TO THE CHINESE PEOPLE Watch Hudson’s China Center’s first “Evening Chat with @mikepompeo” about why the #CCP does NOT represent the Chinese people and why the CCP is paranoid by the example of American freedom.

Watch the full video here: youtube.com/watch?v=giYEuQ5vYM4

https://twitter.com/HudsonInstitute/status/1569899122064297984

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giYEuQ5vYM4

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305fdc  No.17532067

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17532044

The Chinese Communist Party Does Not Represent the Chinese People

Hudson Institute

Sep 14, 2022

Hudson Institute’s China Center presents a new series entitled, “Evening Chats with Mike Pompeo: A Message to the Chinese People.” In this series, 70th US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo speaks directly to the Chinese people about the Chinese Communist Party and US-China relations.

In this first episode, Pompeo explains that despite its rhetoric the Chinese Communist Party is a totalitarian, one-party government that neither represents the Chinese people nor governs in their interests.

Transcript: https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.hudson.org/Episode+1%EF%BC%8C+EnglishChinese+Texts+%E4%B8%AD%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giYEuQ5vYM4

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305fdc  No.17532471

File: e7072713b8fac94⋯.jpg (250.15 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Warning_signs_of_disinform….jpg)

File: ee3f07cc22c927b⋯.jpg (118.47 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Hillary_Clinton_and_then_p….jpg)

File: 40ceeb9a8cc32c0⋯.jpg (64.14 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Prince_Andrew_and_Jeffrey_….jpg)

>>17515448

How Queen’s death followed disinformation playbook

AFP - SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

The death of Queen Elizabeth II has laid bare a blueprint for how disinformation flourishes around major news events, with bad actors taking advantage to grab attention and sow confusion.

As Britain mourned its longest reigning monarch, social media users shared digitally altered photos and other misleading content, blaming her death at 96 on causes other than old age — including Covid-19 vaccines and Hillary Clinton.

But the misinformation tactics deployed after Buckingham Palace’s announcement on September 8 were mainly old tricks remodelled to fit the current story and make falsehoods stick in people’s minds.

Similar bogus claims spread after other big stories, such as Russia’s war on Ukraine and Jeffrey Epstein’s death, with the QAnon conspiracy movement also showing its hand.

“Familiarity leads to increased believability,” said Gordon Pennycook, a behavioural scientist at the University of Regina, in Canada.

Warning signs of disinformation sprang up as soon as the Queen went under medical supervision, when impostor Twitter accounts disguised as news outlets published and relayed false updates on her status.

The pace accelerated once the palace announced her death.

“People all around the world were aware of and impacted by the Queen’s death, giving purveyors of misinformation a virtually limitless range of false narratives to choose from,” said Dan Evon at the non-profit News Literacy Project (NLP).

Among the deluge: a months-old video of dancers outside Buckingham Palace was passed off as an Irish celebration of the death. A fake social media post purported to show former US president Donald Trump claiming the Queen knighted him.

A manipulated photo made it look like Meghan Markle wore a T-shirt saying, “The Queen Is Dead.” Some blamed the queen’s death on Covid-19 shots — an allegation anti-vaccine advocates have made about well-known people who died, including actress Betty White and comedian Bob Saget.

Others named Clinton as the culprit, claiming the Queen announced before dying that she had political dirt on the former US presidential candidate and secretary of state.

That made-up statement has been attributed to other world leaders. It is a long-running meme that plays off a conspiracy theory about the Clintons killing political opponents.

“When big events happen, people in different communities, particularly activists, try to figure out if there is an angle for them there,” said Mike Caulfield, a research scientist at the University of Washington’s Centre for an Informed Public (CIP).

“For an anti-vaccine activist, they figure out if the death can be mapped to vaccines. For a (New World Order) conspiracy theorist, maybe they map to Clinton or Epstein.” Supporters of QAnon folded the Queen’s death into their beliefs about a cabal of child sex traffickers, floating a range of baseless claims and hailing the event as proof of the legitimacy of their movement.

“The royal family, given Prince Andrew’s heavily reported connections with Jeffrey Epstein, have always been fodder for the QAnon crowd,” said Rachel Moran, a postdoctoral scholar at the CIP.

One video popular in QAnon circles, which some supporters claimed showed a naked boy escaping Buckingham Palace, was actually an old promo for a fictional TV show.

But it spread on TikTok, one of several QAnon-adjacent narratives that reached the mainstream.

In the week after the Queen’s death, media intelligence firm Zignal Labs tracked more than 76,000 mentions of the late monarch that referenced Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell — both convicted sex offenders — on social media, websites, broadcast and traditional media.

Narratives linking the Queen to paedophilia, Clinton and the vaccines were mentioned 42,000, 8000 and 7000 times, respectively.

The rolling news about the queen — and her global influence — explains some of the appeal of conspiracy theories about her death, said Karen Douglas, a social psychology professor at the University of Kent who studies why people believe such theories.

“Accepting mundane explanations for such a big event might be less convincing or appealing,” she said.

But there are ways to resist falling for false information.

Media literacy organisations, including NLP and CIP, recommend cross-referencing online posts against trusted information sources and pausing before sharing.

“Even a few moments of reflection can often make a big difference,” Pennycook said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/how-queens-death-followed-disinformation-playbook/news-story/3697193a8ef18a2db0082a62a0cdec7f

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305fdc  No.17537067

File: 108f062723ca619⋯.mp4 (5.99 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….mp4)

File: 03125c41e826195⋯.jpg (1.44 MB, 3500x2362, 1750:1181, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

File: c99f4e141d376c2⋯.jpg (1.33 MB, 3500x2335, 700:467, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

>>17515448

Anthony Albanese meets King Charles at Buckingham Palace while in London to honour the Queen

Stephanie Dalzell - 18 September 2022

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has offered his condolences to King Charles III during a private audience at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Albanese described the meeting as a "great honour" and said it was “not the time” to raise the prospect of cutting ties with the monarchy.

While Australians slept, Mr Albanese carried out a packed itinerary in London ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday.

He laid flowers in the Green Park tribute garden, viewed the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall and signed an official condolence book at Lancaster House before sitting down for his first private meeting with the new monarch.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Mr Albanese described the meeting with the King as a warm engagement and said the new monarch was welcome to visit Australia "any time".

"That was a great honour and an opportunity for me to express my personal condolences to King Charles but also condolences on behalf of Australia," he said.

"King Charles, of course, has not just lost a sovereign and a head of state, for King Charles the loss of his mother is very personal and comes so soon after the loss of his father."

Protocol dictates that conversations with the monarch are not publicly disclosed, but Mr Albanese said there was "considerable engagement and discussion".

Asked if he had raised the possibility of Australia becoming a republic during his meeting with King Charles, Mr Albanese responded "now is not the time".

"It was a warm gathering and I've made my views very clear on that," he said.

"This is a time of respect."

Hundreds of thousands of people queued to see the Queen's lying in state inside the historic hall and some were granted a surprise visit by King Charles and Prince William, who thanked them for waiting.

Mr Albanese said he was moved by the number of people mourning the Queen.

"It was a very emotional experience," he said.

"The queues of British citizens and other visitors who want to pay tribute and want to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth was very momentous and you could feel the raw emotion in Westminster Hall."

Albanese also meets PM Liz Truss

Overnight Mr Albanese was one of a handful of world leaders who sat down with the new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Because the British government is in a formal mourning period, there were no press conferences or statements from either side about the meetings, but Mr Albanese described it as "very positive".

"It was one that didn't go into a great deal of detail. It was about the condolences, an opportunity to express condolences leader of government to leader of the UK government," he said.

"We'll continue to engage in the future. The economic relationship is very important. As you know, there was a trade agreement between Australia and the UK. That needs to be progressed through our parliamentary systems and we're both very conscious of that.

"The AUKUS arrangement is important as our alliance partners along with the United States. But the defence relationship with the United Kingdom, of course, goes back a very long, long way. And I'm sure that the relationship between Australia and the UK can be strengthened even further in the future."

He would not answer questions about whether he raised the extradition of Julian Assange from the UK to the United States.

Mr Albanese will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today before joining world leaders at a Buckingham Palace reception in the evening hosted by King Charles.

United States President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the high-profile guests who have confirmed they will be attending.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-18/anthony-albanese-meets-with-king-charles-buckingham-palace/101451788

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305fdc  No.17537087

File: 486702429ab5ce8⋯.jpg (906.56 KB, 2048x1463, 2048:1463, Defence_documents_confirm_….jpg)

Government insists nuclear submarine program 'taking shape' one year into controversial AUKUS partnership

Andrew Greene - 15 Sep 2022

Australia's "optimal" nuclear submarine pathway has started "to take shape" a year after the historic AUKUS plan was unveiled, but the government has so far refused to be drawn on any cost estimates for the massive project.

Defence Minister Richard Marles indicated Australia's future fleet would not involve a bespoke design or "orphan" class, but rather a nuclear boat also used by one of the AUKUS partners.

"Obviously, it is desirable that the submarine we ultimately operate is also operated by another country," Mr Marles said in an interview marking the one-year anniversary of the strategic partnership with the United Kingdom and United States.

"In that way, there is a shared experience in operating the platform, there's also a shared industrial base in maintaining and sustaining it, so that is a key consideration in the decisions that we are making."

Exactly one year ago, then-prime minister Scott Morrison made the shock announcement that Australia was dumping a $90 billion conventionally powered submarine program with France in favour of a nuclear option with help from the UK and US.

After unveiling the historic AUKUS partnership, Mr Morrison announced a newly formed Nuclear Powered Submarine Task Force would begin an 18-month study of British and American submarine technology to help identify Australia's best options.

Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, who heads the task force, insisted AUKUS was "truly a trilateral partnership".

"In the 12 months since the announcement of AUKUS, the resolve of Australia, the UK and the US has only strengthened as the strategic environment has continued to deteriorate," he said.

Around 50 officials from the UK and the US are in Australia as part of twin AUKUS delegations for talks with Vice Admiral Mead and his task force.

"We have a shared mission, further confirmed by a very significant delegation here in Australia this week from the UK and US," he said.

"We continue our work together towards the decisions that need to be made as part of the optimal pathway for the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines."

A recently released but highly redacted "Incoming Government Brief" prepared by the Defence Department confirmed Australia was still preparing to "transition to nuclear-powered submarines in the late 2030s".

Last month, a senior US naval officer warned America's overstretched shipyards might not be able to accommodate building Australia's future nuclear-powered submarines.

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said earlier this month that the "ultimate" aim of the AUKUS partnership was "to get all of us to get through the 2030s where we produce a submarine that is, in my view, truly collaborative".

Cost of nuclear submarines, funding options unknown

Some experts have warned the eventual price of the AUKUS submarine fleet could be double the $90 billion price tag for the now scrapped French Attack-class submarine project, but the Defence Minister would not be drawn on cost estimates.

"Cost is obviously a factor here: we will be in a position when we make our announcements next year in relation to the platform to give a sense of cost that goes with it," he said.

Analyst Marcus Hellyer from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute believes the government will soon have to reveal whether Defence will get more funding, or which other military projects are facing cuts to help pay for nuclear submarines.

"One of the really big questions that at least everyone in Defence is thinking is will it get supplementation and that's another one of those really big unanswered questions at this point," he said.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-15/nuclear-submarines-on-time-year-into-program-aukus-marles/101445566

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305fdc  No.17537104

File: d3f2bc79455d4c1⋯.jpg (84.89 KB, 800x480, 5:3, China_s_Permanent_Represen….jpg)

>>17531416

Chinese envoy reiterates intl communities’ deep concerns over nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS

Global Times - Sep 16, 2022

1/2

China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, Wang Qun, reiterated most of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) member states' deep concerns over the seven problems regarding the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS, the trilateral pact between the US, the UK and Australia on Thursday and noted that if the IAEA Secretariat is ultimately used as a "Trojan horse" by the US, UK and Australia, the international communities' interests will be undermined.

The nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS involves the illegal transfer of nuclear-weapon materials and is an act of naked nuclear proliferation, Wang said. But for a long time, the three countries have been evading the essence of their nuclear proliferation practices, confusing right and wrong and misleading the international community, he said.

Wang made the remarks during an interview after a formal agenda of the IAEA Board of Governors decided by consensus on the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS at China's proposal.

The three countries used so-called naval power reactors as an excuse to avoid the "original sin" of the three countries' cooperation involving the illegal transfer of nuclear-weapon materials, which essentially amounts to nuclear proliferation, Wang said.

The three countries confuse military activities and nuclear proliferation within the sovereignty of one country. Nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS is not simply a question of nuclear materials involved in the independent development of military vessels by sovereign states, but the first time in history that tons of nuclear-weapon grade materials have been illegally transferred by nuclear-weapon states to non-nuclear-weapon states openly and directly, which cannot be confused, Wang said.

The US and the UK have applied double standards on nuclear proliferation issues, as they imposed unilateral sanctions on civilian nuclear programs of some non-nuclear weapon states, while at the same time blatantly transferring nuclear-weapon materials to Australia.

Bloomberg reported on Thursday that China has pointed out the US double standards over the stalled Iran nuclear deal. "Western nations expect Iran to limit its nuclear-fuel stockpiles in order to revive a 2015 pact and remove sweeping economic sanctions… Meanwhile, the US and UK plan to transfer hundreds of kilograms of highly-enriched uranium to Australia as part of an agreement to sell nuclear submarines," reported Bloomberg citing Wang.

"Iran's nuclear deal with world powers collapsed four years ago after the Trump administration withdrew the US, prompting Iran to retaliate by ramping up atomic-fuel production," Bloomberg reported.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17537106

File: d6e6fdad8924f05⋯.jpg (116.13 KB, 1023x725, 1023:725, Wang_Qun_Chinese_envoy_to_….jpg)

>>17537104

2/2

The report also cited Wang claiming that US domestic politics - November's midterm elections are another complicating factor. If the deal isn't signed within days, it will probably have to wait until after the polls, according to the report.

If the three countries were allowed to "pretend" to declare their nuclear-powered submarine cooperation to IAEA and kidnap the Secretariat using this "Trojan horse" to "whitewash" their nuclear proliferation activities and exempt the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation, it would seriously undermine the common interests of the international community including the Secretariat and all the member states, Wang said.

In September 2021, the US, the UK and Australia announced the establishment of AUKUS, under which the US and the UK will assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

The so-called statement claiming that nuclear materials are sealed in a reactor, which can't be used directly for nuclear weapons, misleads public opinion and completely is unworkable. In fact, the problem is proliferation, not the disposition of related nuclear-weapon materials. Given the nature of the nuclear proliferation, cooperation among the three countries can't reduce the risks of nuclear safety, security and proliferation, Wang pointed out.

Australia, in particular, has violated the reporting obligations under the comprehensive safeguards agreement and related protocols. It hasn't submitted any substantive report to the agency as required, in violation of its legal safeguards obligations since its announcement of the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS, according to Wang.

The nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS sets a bad precedent for nuclear proliferation, which goes beyond the existing safeguards system and must be discussed by all member states of the agency as all member states of the agency must have the final say, Wang said.

The three countries attempted to coerce the secretariat into offering a safeguards program that would exempt them from the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation, thereby legitimizing their illegal nuclear proliferation practices by using their majority in the council to force the council to adopt it, Wang said. They have consistently refused to report to the agency on the substantial progress of the nuclear-powered submarine cooperation on the grounds of"undetermined cooperation plans," preventing the director-general and the secretariat from providing substantive reports, Wang noted.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275409.shtml

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305fdc  No.17537112

File: 0c2c2c49e1e6b72⋯.jpg (102.81 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Scientology_leader_David_M….jpg)

File: 98dedfeb7bf3bfd⋯.jpg (129.83 KB, 800x800, 1:1, Valeska_Paris_is_making_se….jpg)

Scientology leader evades legal service in Australian trafficking case

Ben Schneiders - September 18, 2022

1/2

Scientology leader David Miscavige has avoided being served with a summons on at least 14 occasions, a US court has been told, as part of a human-trafficking case brought by three Australian residents.

The allegations emerged in a Florida civil case brought by Australian Gawain Baxter and residents Laura Baxter and Valeska Paris who have claimed they endured horrendous emotional, physical and psychological abuse while in Scientology.

Miscavige, who has been the leader of Scientology since 1986, was named in the lawsuit along with five Scientology-related organisations. He is the only defendant to not have been served despite a summons being issued against him in late April.

The court heard allegations from plaintiff lawyers that Miscavige had deliberately evaded service for months including by ordering security at his house to prevent the summons from being delivered to him. On September 9, the court ordered the allegations were credible enough for Miscavige to instead be served through the office of Florida’s secretary of state.

The lawsuit, backed by US class-action law firms, is regarded as one of the most significant in decades against Scientology, considered by some critics as a dangerous, money-focused cult.

“David Miscavige knows that, in filing this lawsuit, our clients are reclaiming their power and right to fight for full and complete justice,” plaintiff lawyers Ted Leopold of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll and Neil Glazer of Kohn Swift said in a joint statement.

“After enduring alleged unspeakable mistreatment at his hands, we intend to hold Mr Miscavige and others involved fully responsible.”

Church of Scientology International spokeswoman Karin Pouw did not respond to questions about whether Miscavige had deliberately avoided being served.

But she said the allegations in the lawsuit were “absurd, ridiculous, scurrilous and blatantly false. The lawsuit is a sham and a scam.”

Pouw attacked the credibility of the plaintiffs whom she accused of wanting to “extort a pay day”.

Mike Rinder, a former senior executive at Scientology who is now a high-profile critic of the religion, said in a submission to the case that Miscavige had been involved in “extensive and elaborate methods” to evade service stretching back many decades, including in shielding the late founder of the religion, L. Ron Hubbard.

“This includes the security guards in all Sea Org facilities being drilled to refuse entry to anyone seeking to serve David Miscavige and to refuse to divulge any information about his whereabouts,” Rinder said.

However, Scientology’s Pouw said Rinder was not credible and an “inveterate liar”.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17537115

File: 5bcea468a19918b⋯.jpg (85.97 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Scientology_founder_L_Ron_….jpg)

File: 69b753b6775da50⋯.jpg (164.48 KB, 958x539, 958:539, The_Freewinds_cruise_ship_….jpg)

>>17537112

2/2

The three Australian residents filed their lawsuit in late April, alleging they were abused while part of Scientology’s “Sea Org” and “Cadet Org” entities that involved them signing billion-year contracts to provide free or cheap labour to Scientology.

Pay was sometimes withheld or set at a maximum of $US50 ($74) a week, the lawsuit alleges. Much of the alleged abuse occurred on Scientology’s Caribbean cruise ship, the Freewinds, which never enters US waters.

It detailed claims of how children as young as six were separated from their parents, who relinquished custody to the Cadet Org and later Sea Org, with family visits limited to once a week.

While public members of Scientology can live in their own homes, members of “Orgs” work as indentured labour on sea and land, the lawsuit alleges, accumulating large debts which are then held over them.

Lawyers for Scientology have since said the three had signed contracts while members of the Sea Org that required them to arbitrate disputes within the church, not through the legal system. Scientology has successfully used this legal defence on one occasion.

The plaintiff lawyers, in new filings, rejected this argument, stating that the arbitration agreements were signed under “severe duress”.

“The agreements are void due to the duress under which plaintiffs signed them, which included imprisonment and threats of economic, reputational, and physical harm,” the filing said. “At no point did plaintiffs know what they were signing or have any real choice but to sign the documents presented to them.”

Scientology was founded by US science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1953 and has long attracted celebrities including John Travolta and Tom Cruise, who is close to Miscavige.

Part of the legal claim against Scientology includes allegations that Laura Baxter was accused of monopolising the attention of a prominent celebrity – who is not named in the filing but is Tom Cruise – while aboard the Freewinds for his birthday in 2004. She alleges her punishment was to be locked in an “extremely hot” engine room of the Freewinds ship. There is no suggestion Cruise was aware of Baxter’s situation.

While living on the Freewinds, Gawain Baxter alleged he had his passport confiscated and worked 16 to 24 hours a day in unsafe conditions. That included repainting pipes, cleaning the ship decks and cleaning fuel tanks without safety gear. He claims after working with blue asbestos and concrete dust, he later coughed up blood.

A 2021 investigation by The Age into Scientology’s finances found it had shifted tens of millions of dollars into Australia, and makes tax-free profits with minimal scrutiny.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/scientology-leader-evades-legal-service-in-australian-trafficking-case-20220916-p5bim7.html

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305fdc  No.17537126

File: 6396838a9c82eed⋯.jpg (105.95 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Ukrainian_ambassador_Vasyl….jpg)

>>17531591

Ukraine calls on Australia to ban Russian tourists

Anthony Galloway - September 17, 2022

Australia should ban Russian tourists from visiting the country and reopen its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia has declared.

At least four European countries – Poland and the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – this month began steps to ban Russians from visiting their countries on tourist visas.

Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko said Australia should adopt a similar approach as a way to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime. The call has been rejected by the federal government but backed by the opposition.

“Russian people are accountable for this war … So they have to bear the responsibility,” Myroshnychenko said.

While making clear that Australia should continue accepting refugees from Russia, Myroshnychenko said the ordinary people of the country needed to be held accountable.

He said Russian people predominantly supported the invasion of Ukraine and claimed that they hated Australia and its democratic values.

“If you analyse what Russia is saying here in Australia – and I’m following several Russian-speaking groups… they just hate Australia,” Myroshnychenko said.

“They think you are just a pawn … of Washington … I just don’t think they should be visiting.”

The Department of Home Affairs said banning Russian tourists was “not currently under consideration”.

“There have been no changes to Australian migration law for Russian applicants for a visitor visa,” Home Affairs said.

“All applications for a visitor visa are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the relevant legislative criteria.

“This assessment will take into consideration any Australian government sanctions against Russian individuals.”

Asked if Australia should ban Russian tourists, the opposition’s immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said the Australian government should “support this call from the Ukrainian ambassador”.

“At this time of need for Ukraine, we need to be doing everything we can to back them,” Tehan said.

“Their courage knows no bounds, and it’s that courage which has turned the course of the war.”

Myroshnychenko also urged Australia to reopen its embassy in Kyiv, which it closed on February 13.

“I think there are almost 60 embassies that have reopened in Kyiv. And it’s high time for Australia to open its embassy in Kyiv,” he said.

Current and former national security officials have questioned why Australia hasn’t reopened the embassy, as the capital has not been at the centre of the war for months.

The Australian embassy is currently based in Poland.

Myroshnychenko said the latest Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian soldiers in the north-east Kharkiv region was a turning point, but the country still needed much more support from countries including Australia and it was too early to declare victory.

He said Ukraine needed additional artillery, ammunition, Bushmaster armoured vehicles and Howitzer cannons from Australia.

“Everybody wants to be part of the victory. And I think it’s important for Australia to join the forces and be part of that and be part of supplying more weapons now.” he said.

“Ukraine has mounted a very successful counteroffensive. [It’s] very uplifting and inspirational for us to see Ukrainians liberating the Kharkiv region.

“But what is more pleasing for me an ambassador to Australia is to see Bushmasters being involved and doing such a great job in helping Ukraine to free those territories from the Russian invaders.

“Victory can only be declared when Russian soldiers withdraw from Ukraine completely… We can’t win it on our own – we need your support.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/they-hate-australian-people-ukraine-calls-on-australia-to-ban-russian-tourists-20220915-p5bibs.html

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305fdc  No.17537134

File: 918205f61d36a72⋯.jpg (110.41 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_call_to_ban_Russian_tour….jpg)

File: 9eb6c173b147114⋯.jpg (106.04 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Vasyl_Myroshnychenko_wants….jpg)

File: 7f0966706df722b⋯.jpg (227.14 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, 60_Bushmasters_have_been_c….jpg)

>>17537126

Australia has no plan to ban Russian tourists, Marles says

COURTNEY GOULD - SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

A call to ban Russian tourists from Australia has been swiftly rejected by deputy prime minister Richard Marles.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, urged the government to follow in the footsteps of several eastern European nations.

Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this month took steps to ban Russians from visiting on tourist visas to heap pressure on President Vladimir Putin.

But the call was dismissed by Mr Marles who noted it should be the regime, not the Russian people, who feel the brunt of foreign governments.

“This is not something we are considering at the moment, but we are very much a part of the global base of sanctions against the Russian regime,” he said.

Australia is eyeing off long-term support to Ukraine, but the government insists how the “protracted conflict” is resolved is up to them.

The federal government has committed 60 Australian-built Bushmasters, of which 40 have been sent to the battleground.

“Our objective is to empower Ukraine itself to be able to be at the centre of however this is resolved. This needs to be resolved on their terms,” Mr Marles said.

During a meeting in Uzbekistan, President Putin noted Xi Jinping’s concerns over the war after a week that saw Ukraine claim 8,000 square kilometres of territory.

Mr Marles said there was a “degree of humiliation” for Russia about the state of the conflict but insisted it would not deter China.

“I see them meeting in Uzbekistan as another step in a growing relationship, to be honest, between Russia and China,” he said.

“That is part of the landscape of strategic circumstances that we have to face.”

Asked what message Beijing should take away from the conflict, Mr Marles remarked people fight for their homeland.

“China will be watching this, as I guess we all are,” he added.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/australia-has-no-plan-to-ban-russian-tourists-marles-says/news-story/8e9a58e226dd1e807b8f2882ae5f10ab

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305fdc  No.17537150

File: 997e04cd138044f⋯.jpg (104.65 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

File: db0b310e03f90ad⋯.jpg (80.66 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

File: 01adb1446e3bca9⋯.jpg (86.23 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marine_Corps_Capt_Jose….jpg)

File: 2e79a8804399a72⋯.jpg (100.64 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

File: 649877a70ad81ca⋯.jpg (51.01 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

>>17519348

A Ruck to Remember: MRF-D 22 Remembers 9/11 with Commemorative Rugby Match

Capt. Joseph DiPietro - 09.11.2022

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. – Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 competes in everything we do, and on the field of rugby is no different. MRF-D played the local men’s club, the Stray Cats, as part of an annual commemoration to honor the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks as well as the brave service members and first responders who sacrificed since.

On September 11, 2001, Marines and Sailors with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit participated in a friendly rugby match with the Darwin community following a training event in the Northern Territory. Following the game, word began to spread of a horrific attack in New York City and Washington D.C., as well as an additional attack thwarted by a group of heroes.

In the years since, the Stray Cats worked to play a match against Americans to remember the bravery and sacrifice of Americans, Australians, and other allies in the fight against terrorism around the world. When the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) took its place in Darwin in 2012, the annual match between MRF-D and the Stray Cats grew more permanent roots, and the game is played each year around the anniversary of the attacks.

It was an honor for MRF-D 22 to keep the tradition alive, and to be a small part of a very special relationship with our Australian teammates. While the official scores of this friendly match are tied every year, we are confident MRF-D 22 provided the best victory of the series, winning 10-0 while not allowing the Stray Cats inside the 22-meter line. More impressive was the comradery and connection to the Darwin community displayed as part of the historic match.

This rugby match was an incredible experience for the MRF-D team, but even more special for me. In addition to providing friends and family of the MAGTF with updates of our lethality, readiness, and partnerships, I had the great honor of coaching and leading this year’s rugby team. I am grateful for the chance to pass on a game I love to young Marines and Sailors, and proud to lead such incredible young men our nation calls on to protect us. I was blessed with the opportunity to play this game alongside dozens of other service members I consider my brothers always, coached by some fine Marines and Sailors too, so it was a significant experience to pay forward those lessons to the future of our great service.

Rugby is a beautiful sport, one that requires immense teamwork, unmatched physicality, and extreme fitness, all traits embodied by the United States Marine Corps. The game teaches young people to be better teammates, better warriors, and better friends. It forces you to overcome adversity, compete in every repetition, and push yourself harder than you think you can handle. The Marine Corps shares the same challenge, and following September 11, 2001, countless young Americans, Australians, and worldwide teammates answered the call to protect innocent people from the atrocities of terrorism.

Over 5,000 Americans sacrificed their lives in service to their country, to the Constitution, and to their fellow warfighters in the Global War on Terror. By our side, as they are in every time of conflict, the Australians sustained hundreds of their own casualties, further demonstrating their commitment to our fight for peace and freedom around the world.

While a small token of remembrance, the 9/11 commemorative rugby match serves to ensure we never forget who we are as Marines and as an alliance. The match offers a chance for Americans and Australians alike to step back from the training and readiness, and appreciate the great team we make which continues to support those in need across the globe.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/429361/ruck-remember-mrf-d-22-remembers-9-11-with-commemorative-rugby-match

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305fdc  No.17542667

File: 1d32bc1ba8d44a3⋯.jpg (122.78 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_India_Co_….jpg)

File: 2330dd2aa47d2f6⋯.jpg (72.64 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_India_Co_….jpg)

File: c065f89a2b0d860⋯.jpg (99.53 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marine_Corps_Cpl_Jonat….jpg)

File: 19546635bb5bfee⋯.jpg (140.14 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Navy_Hospital_Corpsman….jpg)

File: c2cd5e880b74ce0⋯.jpg (80.65 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marine_Corps_Cpl_Ian_A….jpg)

MRF-D 22 Tests EABO Concepts on South Pacific Island

Joseph DiPietro and Cpl. Emeline Molla - 09.18.2022

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. – Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 completed Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations Exercise, or EABOEX, to practice and refine expeditionary concepts in a realistic, South Pacific island environment from August 31 – September 4.

Led by India Company, 3d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment (3/7), MRF-D Marines and Sailors traveled from Darwin to South Goulburn Island in the Arafura Sea and conducted a series of force-on-force events to simulate seizing and holding key terrain in an expeditionary posture. The exercise force included the 3/7 Marines and Sailors along with a low altitude air defense (LAAD) platoon, an electronic warfare (EW) section, a water purification team, and other enablers to reinforce and sustain the team.

“EABOEX started with a company air assault to seize key terrain which allowed LAAD to establish coastal air defense,” said Captain Erik Glynn, the India Company Commander and officer-in-charge of the exercise force for EABOEX.

While official doctrine is still under construction, MRF-D utilized concepts laid out in the tentative manual for EABO to conduct the exercise. With the intent to maintain a low-signature, easily-sustained force capable of conducting area denial, the MRF-D team established a security posture on the remote Australian island following an MV-22 insert. Once inserted, the exercise force worked to establish aerial ambush sites utilizing LAAD to target simulated enemy aircraft. In the future, sea lane ambush sites utilizing sea-denial weapons and capability will be integrated into the exercise design, allowing the forward Marines to identify, target, and engage hostile surface combatants threatening to encroach on regional sovereignty.

“EABO support the projection of naval power by integrating with and supporting the larger naval campaign,” reads the tentative manual for EABO. “Missions of EABO include to support sea control operations, conduct sea denial operations within the littorals, and contribute to maritime domain awareness.”

Along with practicing air denial and preparing for future sea denial training, EABOEX allowed the MAGTF to work through long-range logistics and communications in a low-signature and minimally-supported environment. South Goulburn Island, located approximately 170 miles from Darwin, maintains extremely limited infrastructure as the island is only home to a population of 450, and offered the perfect training area to establish logistics and communications lines of support under remote conditions. Utilizing various S4 and S6 personnel, equipment, and techniques, the exercise force successfully sustained themselves and maintained consistent communication to the MAGTF leadership back in Darwin. While not under a realistic threat, or operating under hostile EW conditions, the exercise force laid a tremendous foundation into future EABO training in and around northern Australia.

"One of our primary goals with EABOEX is to open unique training opportunities for future MRF-D iterations, and allow them to progress service-level initiatives," explained Colonel Chris Steele, the MRF-D 22 commanding officer. "We know we will make some tactical mistakes, but that is good so we can learn from those mistakes and refine our TTPs.”

Some of the primary lessons learned included sustainment, medical care, and communications on an island almost 200 miles away from the home station in Darwin.

"We conducted unique operations involving water purification and prolonged casualty care to self-sustain for four days,” added Captain Glynn.

The training would not be possible without tremendous support from our Australian allies, specifically members of the Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG). The RFSG, whose roots dig back to the World War II Coastwatcher program, serves as the connecting tissue to MRF-D and the local leaders. In this case, RFSG helped coordinate with the South Goulburn Island leaders and paved the way for MRF-D 22 and future iterations to train in a unique and expeditionary environment.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/429576/mrf-d-22-tests-eabo-concepts-south-pacific-island

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305fdc  No.17542676

File: 0c4c9a7777ae0d0⋯.jpg (108.91 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, US_President_Joe_Biden.jpg)

Biden locks in defence of Taiwan, Australia will have to respond

Eryk Bagshaw - September 19, 2022

Tokyo: Once is a chance. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a pattern. Four times appears to be a change of policy.

US President Joe Biden once again said on Monday morning AEST that the United States would defend Taiwan if China attacked. The comments overturn decades of strategic ambiguity towards the defence of Taiwan and threaten to draw Australia into another future conflict.

The gravity of the statement in an interview with the US 60 Minutes program drew a request for clarification from reporter Scott Pelley. Pelley asked if that meant that unlike in Ukraine, US forces – American men and women – would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden replied: “Yes.”

For the fourth time in a year, the White House then released a statement stating US policy towards Taiwan had not changed.

Biden is either deliberately muddying the waters to discourage Beijing from thinking about any future attack, has formed a personal commitment to protect the Taiwanese people, or he is ignorant of the US foreign policy position.

The last is highly unlikely. “This confirms his statements are not a gaffe, and never were a gaffe,” said Centre for Strategic and International Studies fellow Brian Hart.

The fourth statement from the White House can only lead to one conclusion: Biden and the White House appear to believe that committing to defending Taiwan is consistent with their interpretation of the US “one-China policy” and the Taiwan Relations Act, even when previous administrations have taken a less forceful position. The position of “strategic ambiguity” has been maintained over decades to avoid triggering an escalation that could turn into open conflict. Biden’s own Indo-Pacific chief, Kurt Campbell, has pushed back against “strategic clarity” – diplomatic speak for committing to defending or not defending Taiwan, but that time now appears to have passed.

Having personally committed four times to defend the key strategic gateway to the Pacific it would be unthinkable for the US not to intervene if China attacked while Biden was in office.

US military hegemony, diplomatic credibility and its place as the world’s dominant superpower would all be at risk.

Xi told his armed forces last week that he wanted the capability to attack by 2027. That’s the same year US military generals believe China will have enough firepower to attempt to take the democratic island of 24 million people.

Amanda Hsiao, the senior China analyst at the International Crisis Group, said the most significant part of the 60 Minutes interview was Biden’s position that Taiwan should make their own judgments about independence. “[The] long-standing policy is that the US does not support [Taiwan] independence and is opposed to unilateral changes from either side,” she said.

Taiwan, which most recently split from the mainland after the Chinese civil war in 1949, has been self-governed for decades but is not recognised by most international institutions as being run by an independent government. Up to 85 per cent of Taiwanese people support maintaining the status quo, while 76 per cent of those surveyed in a MyFormosa poll believe the current situation already equates to de facto independence.

China has said it would crush any move towards formal independence – a red line that could trigger an invasion by the People’s Liberation Army.

The combination of Biden’s statements and China’s growing military capability now puts Australia in a very difficult position.

The Coalition government was tested last year after one of Biden’s last commitments to defend Taiwan was dismissed as an off-the-cuff remark. Then Defence Minister Peter Dutton said it would be “unthinkable” for Australia not to join the conflict with the US. Labor leader Anthony Albanese has since repeated that he “supports the status quo with regard to the Taiwan Strait”, but has yet to be challenged by a permanent shift in direction from the very top of the White House.

What if the US has changed the status quo?

https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/biden-locks-in-defence-of-taiwan-australia-will-have-to-respond-20220919-p5bjbt.html

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305fdc  No.17548305

File: b1ce67a55c7d975⋯.mp4 (7.09 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, While_preparing_for_an_ope….mp4)

File: d3dfbb5da63c036⋯.mp4 (7.33 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, An_Australian_commando_sho….mp4)

Videos shot by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan raise questions about conduct of 2nd Commando Regiment

Mark Willacy, Alex McDonald and Josh Robertson - 20 September 2022

1/2

The burly commando saunters down the porn-lined hallway of the accommodation block, a can of Red Bull in his hand.

"Final thoughts while we rock out pre-job?" asks his Australian comrade holding the camera.

The commando stops, leans over, and props his elbow on a shelf. Through the green and black camouflage paint smeared on his face, his eyes lock on the camera.

"I believe we're going to get the quota," he says calmly.

"Woo!" cheers another commando behind him as two others holler in the background. "The quota! The quota must be met," says the soldier holding the camera.

It is late 2012, and the Taliban enemy shows no sign of wavering. Unlike the Australian commandos, the Taliban insurgents do not adhere to the laws of armed conflict.

They wear no uniforms and hide among civilians. It seems no matter how many of their fighters are killed on the battlefield, more emerge to take their place.

Heavy toll

In the 11 years of conflict to this point, the Taliban have already taken a heavy toll on the Australians. During this rotation, the 39th Australian will die in Afghanistan.

By the time Australian special forces leave Afghanistan a year later, special forces soldiers will account for about half of all Australian casualties.

On this rotation, the men of the 2nd Commando Regiment have been targeting one of the main weapons used by the Taliban to fund its insurgency – opium.

Together with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and soldiers from Afghanistan's National Interdiction Unit, they have hit drug lab after drug lab.

On one mission, they torch more than a tonne of Taliban opium.

In the video obtained by ABC Investigations, these commandos are once again preparing to head outside the wire on another dangerous mission and capture their preparations on camera for posterity.

Neither the platoon commander nor any officers appear to be present.

After his first interview, the commando holding the camera continues down the gloomy hallway of the accommodation block.

"What's going to go tonight? Ready for 'Operation Final Job'?" he asks a comrade who is getting ready in his room.

"There's going to be some f*cking killing going on," the soldier replies softly.

The cameraman returns to the hall and spots a new interviewee.

"We need primary kill team. What's going to go down tonight?"

"We've got a quota of 10. The quota is 10," he tells the cameraman.

"Will we meet the quota?"

"Yes."

Another commando emerges from his room and into the camera's focus.

"Are we going to hit the quota tonight, big guy?"

"F*ck yeah," replies his mate. "I'm going to kill a few dogs too!"

The video lasts a minute and a half and ends with the cameraman turning the lens on himself.

"Final job. Signing out. We're going to hit the quota."

In all, there are a dozen mentions of a quota, or hitting the quota, or meeting the quota, in just 90 seconds.

So, what is the quota?

ABC Investigations spoke to former commandos who deployed to Afghanistan.

One says he has never heard the term, is disappointed to hear any mention of it in the unit, and suggests it could be "guys trying to prove themselves".

Others raised questions about whether it could refer to a kill count.

A former senior officer on that rotation told ABC Investigations that any talk about a quota should have been "a trigger straight away" to stamp it out.

"You can't even talk like that, frankly," the former officer said.

"That would be unacceptable to even joke about it. It's just not on."

Glenn Kolomeitz deployed as an Australian Defence Force legal officer to Afghanistan as part of the Special Operations Task Group. It was his job to counsel Australia's SAS and commandos in the rules of engagement and law of armed conflict.

"I don't for a moment believe they're talking about some sort of kill quota, not genuinely talking about that," Mr Kolomeitz says.

While Kolomeitz holds the commandos in high esteem, he acknowledges that the "quota" video isn't a good look.

"That wasn't consistent with the 2 Commando that I knew, and that I hold in such high regard," he said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17548311

File: b8cd9742088c4e8⋯.mp4 (5.97 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, An_Afghan_soldier_beats_a_….mp4)

File: 9aa96f51b4aea3e⋯.jpg (1.17 MB, 3936x2624, 3:2, Former_military_lawyer_Gle….jpg)

>>17548305

2/2

Unlike their elite colleagues in the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS), the commandos emerged largely unscathed from the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's inquiry into alleged war crimes led by Army Reserve Major General and NSW Supreme Court Judge Paul Brereton.

But this video raises serious questions about their behaviour in Afghanistan.

The Brereton Inquiry had previously cited one case — understood to involve the SAS, not the commandos — in which a unit in Afghanistan was allegedly driven to shoot prisoners to add to its kill count.

"A tally board total, and a desire to take it from 18 to 20 appears linked to the deaths of two prisoners who were shot following an explosive entry into a compound that didn't result in the expected outcome," the report states.

A former commando has previously claimed that kill counts were a measure of success for special forces.

ABC Investigations asked Defence about kill counts.

"The Australian Defence Force does not use enemy casualty numbers as a measure of performance, success or effectiveness, including during operations in Afghanistan," a Defence spokesperson said.

"The publicly released version of the Afghanistan Inquiry report briefly mentions 'catch and release, and the kill count' as one of the factors the presence of which may have contributed to an environment in which deviant behaviour [in the SAS] could take place and not be recognised."

People seen ducking for cover as soldier fires from chopper

ABC Investigations has obtained hours of footage never seen publicly of commando operations in Afghanistan over 2011 and 2012.

One video is a highlights reel of the 2012 deployment edited and set to music by some of the commandos themselves.

In several sections a soldier can be seen firing his assault rifle from a moving helicopter at what appear to be unarmed civilians in residential compounds.

In one of the clips, an Afghan man can be seen ducking and trying to find cover as the commando fires his weapon from the helicopter above.

Former military legal officer Glenn Kolomeitz believes the incident should be investigated.

"It didn't appear that [the Afghan] was engaging that helicopter. He appeared to be ducking from the dust and debris flying around him in that compound."

"All ADF members are required to comply with the relevant Rules of Engagement (ROE)," Defence said in a statement.

"Defence cannot discuss ROE for operational security reasons."

Commandos watch as Afghan soldier beats man

Another video shows a commando patrol detaining some Afghans near a residential compound.

The Australians had found a two-way radio, and with the help of their Afghan partner force they demand to know who it belongs to.

Armed with a stick, an Afghan soldier is seen beating one of the detained men who is cowering on the ground while Australian commandos watch on.

Invoking the name of Allah, the Afghan swears the radio is not his and that he's just a farmer.

"This is the truth, look at my hands," he says.

The beating continues and the man can be heard whimpering with each blow.

The commandos continue to watch and say nothing.

"I've never seen that before," says Mr Kolomeitz.

"The Afghan on the ground, even if he was an insurgent, he's clearly out of the fight.

"And he's now being mistreated … and there is an obligation on the Australians to do something about it.

"If that bloke wasn't an insurgent beforehand, I suspect he certainly would be afterwards."

Defence told the ABC: "Australia's mission in Afghanistan was to support the Afghan government to help contain the threat of international terrorism, and in doing so support the development of a capable and sustainable Afghan defence force."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-20/australian-commandos-in-afghanistan-filmed-discussing-quota/101432000

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305fdc  No.17548346

File: dc664660aae804c⋯.jpg (3.31 MB, 5850x3901, 5850:3901, U_S_Secretary_of_State_Mik….jpg)

Pacific islands a key U.S. military buffer to China's ambitions - report

Kirsty Needham - September 20, 2022

SYDNEY, Sept 20 (Reuters) - China sees the Pacific islands as an area of significant strategic interest and the United States should strengthen its commitment to north Pacific island states, now in talks to renew a defence compact, to maintain a vital military buffer, a report released Tuesday by a U.S. Congress-funded think tank said.

China had made progress in the Pacific on geostrategic goals it has been unable to achieve elsewhere, said the report for the United States Institute for Peace, whose co-authors include former senior military officials.

This was cause for concern but not alarm, the report added, saying the U.S. should bolster support for island states in the north Pacific where it had the strongest historical ties.

The report comes ahead of a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and a dozen Pacific island leaders next week, as Washington seeks to compete for influence with Beijing.

The Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Palau are sovereign nations known as Freely Associated States (FAS), after signing compacts in the late 1980s that give the U.S. defence responsibility and the right to military bases.

The compacts, which expire in 2023 and 2024, are being renegotiated, and the report warned that these states could look to China for funding if negotiations fail.

"The vast FAS territorial seas, which span much of the northern Pacific, are an important strategic buffer between U.S. defense assets in Guam and Hawaii and East Asian littoral waters," said the report, whose authors include Philip Davidson, a former commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and David Stilwell, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state.

If Beijing were to succeed in bringing one of these states into its sphere, "it would imperil U.S. military capabilities in a strategically vital geographic command area and open the door to a broader reordering of regional architecture with implications well beyond the Pacific region," it said.

A U.S. missile defence test range in the Marshall Islands is critical to U.S. space and missile-defense capabilities, it added.

Across the Pacific region, China is seeking to enhance its access to ports and Exclusive Economic Zones, frustrate efforts by the United States to project military power, increase intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities, reduce Taiwan's diplomatic partners, and promote the Chinese model of political and economic development, the report said.

"China views the Pacific Islands as an area of significant strategic interest," it said.

Washington needs to provide an alternative to Chinese economic assistance to "counter Beijing's efforts to capitalize on regional perceptions of neglect and abandonment".

More resources were needed to monitor China's increasing activity in the FAS, where Chinese research vessels with "military utility" have been spotted without permission.

The Federated States of Micronesia recently agreed to develop new U.S. military facilities, and Palau requested the U.S. build airstrips, ports and bases, which "Washington should consider seriously to the extent that it aligns with defense needs," the report said.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pacific-islands-key-us-military-buffer-chinas-ambitions-report-2022-09-20/

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305fdc  No.17548350

File: cb649d2841e4572⋯.jpg (1.7 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Penny_Wong_met_with_her_Ch….jpg)

File: d9030612babf94e⋯.jpg (498.86 KB, 1848x1232, 3:2, The_details_of_the_meeting….jpg)

Penny Wong likely to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York this week

Bang Xiao and Stephen Dziedzic - 20 September 2022

1/2

Foreign Minister Penny Wong is likely to meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi once again this week, in another sign Australia and China are willing to continue negotiations to try and normalise their relationship.

The ABC has been told officials have been trying to organise a meeting between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

Both ministers will hold a host of similar meetings over coming days.

One source told the ABC that the details of the meeting between Penny Wong and Wang Yi were still being negotiated, but it was likely to go ahead later this week.

If that happens it will be the second meeting in less than 12 weeks between the two ministers, who first sat down together in Bali this July after the G20 foreign ministers meeting.

A second meeting would signal that Beijing is still willing to maintain high-level contact with the Albanese government, even though the two countries have made limited progress on resolving fundamental disagreements since Labor won office in May.

The Albanese government has struck a careful and measured tone with China, and says it has been trying to stabilise the relationship without giving ground on core national interest issues.

The meeting would cover a wide range of difficult and delicately poised disputes.

The federal government has been pressing China over its treatment of jailed Australian journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also repeatedly called on Beijing to remove punitive trade sanctions imposed on a range of Australian goods and products as a first step towards re-establishing goodwill.

Meanwhile China has complained that Australia has been too slow to begin negotiations on its bid to join the 11-nation CP-TPP free trade agreement.

The former Morrison government was privately scathing about China's pitch, arguing it was absurd for Beijing to ask for Australia's support in the wake of its campaign of economic reprisal.

China has also called for Australia to take "concrete" steps to repair the relationship, suggesting it should remove restrictions on Chinese investment, while warning Canberra against speaking out on human rights abuses in Xinjiang or growing cross-Strait tensions.

One source suggested that Penny Wong and Wang Yi would also discuss the delicate issue of how both countries will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Australia recognising the People's Republic of China, which falls in December this year.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17548351

File: 3f2a66b4afd12cf⋯.jpg (2.32 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, China_has_called_for_Austr….jpg)

>>17548350

2/2

'If China engages … we will respond in kind.'

Last week, Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts told the Australia China Business Council that both countries had taken initial steps towards establishing a new equilibrium, while stressing Australia would not abandon its national interests.

"We've taken some first steps, but we also recognise this will take time," he said.

"This doesn't mean ignoring the differences between us. But there are areas where we can and should work together."

"If China engages with Australia directly and constructively, we will respond in kind."

Australia's China Ambassador, Graham Fletcher, told the same gathering that China had also taken a more "constructive" tone with Australia since the federal election.

But he stressed both were still negotiating to find "viable parameters within which two quite different countries can interact and get along".

The Asia Society Australia's Executive Director for Policy Richard Maude told the ABC that the prospect of a meeting between Penny Wong and Wang Yi showed China remained interested in pursuing "a less hostile relationship".

"China has remained silent on its motivations, but the opportunity of a new Australian government, the state of its troubled economy and concern about accelerating efforts by US alliance partners and the Quad to balance China's power in the Indo-Pacific could all be factors," he said.

But Mr Maude stressed that while "episodic high-level political dialogue is much better than no dialogue" it was still "a long way short of the more stable relationship the Albanese government seeks".

"The only durable path to more stable ties would require more than China lifting its arbitrary trade actions. China would have to accept that Australia will continue to implement policies it objects to," he said.

"This applies as much to current foreign and domestic policy settings as it does to any number of future decisions, such as the possibility of sanctions against Chinese individuals and entities for human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

"It remains far from clear China is prepared to proceed on such a basis. So the deeply embedded clash of interests and values in the relationship will continue to drag on efforts to repair it."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-20/penny-wong-wang-yi-new-york-meeting/101458962

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305fdc  No.17548361

File: 87cae6c3e45cce3⋯.jpg (211.72 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Members_of_the_Sydney_Anti….jpg)

>>17531416

>>17537104

Chinese envoy recounts fierce exchanges at IAEA over AUKUS deal, calls nuclear submarine plan a blatant violation of non-proliferation

Called to account

Hu Yuwei - Sep 19, 2022

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Editor's Note:

The nuclear-powered submarine deal under AUKUS is a blatant, irresponsible act of nuclear proliferation, and once again proves that AUKUS countries are practicing a "double standard" on nuclear non-proliferation and using the deal as a tool for geopolitical gamesmanship, Ambassador Wang Qun, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Monday.

Wang, also China's Chief Negotiator for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known commonly as the Iran nuclear deal, and former director-general of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, warned of a serious negative impact brought about by the deal on international efforts to resolve the Korean Peninsula and the Iranian nuclear issues.

In September 2021, the US, the UK, and Australia announced the establishment of AUKUS, under which the US and the UK will assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

Why Iran has to limit its nuclear enrichment and stockpiles while Australia can receive tons and tons of nuclear-weapon materials from the US and UK, Wang questioned.

Why is this a matter of great concern to international community? What are the serious consequences? What kind of tools did the US, the UK, and Australia use to whitewash their nuclear proliferation? What IAEA rules have they violated? How has China thwarted attempts by these countries to get the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) embroiled into acts of the transfer of nuclear weapon material? You will find detailed answers in this interview.

GT: At the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on September 12, the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine deal became the focus of attention. Could you talk about the background of the trilateral deal?

Wang: In September 2021, the three countries pronounced their decision of nuclear submarine cooperation under AUKUS. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi clearly pointed out the dangers posed by the three countries to nuclear non-proliferation, regional security, and strategic stability, with resonance from the international community.

Since November 2021, the meetings of the IAEA Board of Governors, on the basis of China's proposal, have decided to include in its agenda "Transfer of the nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)" as a stand-alone item.

The nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS is a blatant act of nuclear proliferation. The export of nuclear weapons-grade material to Australia as a NPT Non-Nuclear-Weapon State by the US and the UK as two Nuclear-Weapon States is extremely irresponsible and once again proves that they are practicing a "double standard" on non-proliferation by using it as a tool for geopolitical gamesmanship.

Such acts will have a serious negative impact on international efforts to resolve hotspot issues such as the Korean Peninsula and Iran nuclear issues.

This also reflects the serious concerns of IAEA members, who believe the matter is beyond the current mandate of the IAEA Secretariat and must be addressed by IAEA members through an intergovernmental process. In other word, member states must have a final say in this matter.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17548363

File: 87ef947befa5cdf⋯.jpg (169.37 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Wang_Qun_China_s_Permanent….jpg)

>>17548361

2/3

GT: The Chinese delegation's statement on the issue at the board meeting was widely reported by the global media. Could you please explain what rules have been violated as a result of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal?

Wang: At this board meeting, China listed seven major problems and mistakes of the trilateral deal under AUKUS, which was echoed and supported by a wide range of member states.

Member states believe that these countries' assertion to the effect that nuclear materials that sealed in a reactor cannot be used directly for nuclear weapons misleads public opinion, and is completely untenable.

Australia, in particular, has violated its reporting obligations under the its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and Additional Protocols (AP). It has failed to submit any substantive report to the Agency as required, in violation of its legal safeguards obligations under its CSA and AP, despite its pronounced decision of the nuclear-powered submarine deal under AUKUS in September 2021.

GT: The Chinese delegation has pointed out at the meeting that "the three countries mislead the international community by packaging illegal nuclear proliferation as a legitimate and innocuous act." Can you tell us more about how the three countries misled the international community?

Wang: The item proposed by the three countries at this board meeting is titled "Agency safeguards in the context of naval nuclear propulsion under AUKUS." Two points are worth-noting here. First, they deliberately used "Agency safeguards" as a cover-up effort while not mentioning the NPT treaty at all. Second, they, under the pretext of "naval nuclear propulsion" tried to conceal the true nature of illegal deal as well as the nuclear proliferation impacts.

Through political maneuvering, the three countries attempted to coerce the IAEA Secretariat into proposing a safeguard assessment exempting the nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS, and then force the IAEA Board to adopt it by taking advantage of their vote at the Board, by which, to help legitimize their illegal proliferation.

GT: How did the Chinese delegation thwart AUKUS' attempts which flout the rules?

Wang: As we mentioned, since AUKUS's announcement of the deal in September 2021, on the basis of the China's proposal, the IAEA Board has decided, by consensus, four consecutive times to adopt the question for inclusion in its agenda as a stand-alone item. In its working paper and statement, the Chinese side pointed out in detail the dangers of the trilateral nuclear submarine deal and expressed deep concerns over such dangers, which were echoed by many other member states.

At this board meeting, the three countries, however, tried to eliminate the item China proposed, by pushing the IAEA Director General to set up his agenda item on their terms. But they failed, as the IAEA Director General is reluctant to yield to the three countries' pressure and political maneuvering. At the same time, China's proposal is objective, fair and reasonable, and China also firmly bases itself on the NPT in consistent with the mandate of the Agency, and, as a result, China's item has been widely supported by a wide range of IAEA member states.

Under such circumstances, the three countries could only jump onto the forefront directly by pushing their own item for inclusion in the agenda. What an irony and hypocrisy on the part of the three countries.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17548367

File: aa8371d3a686d4e⋯.jpg (242.33 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Some_analysts_say_that_the….jpg)

>>17548363

3/3

GT: Media reported that China and the three countries have had fierce exchanges at the meeting. Could you share some moments at the meeting?

Wang: The debate at the meeting room was intense, but some could also be constructive. I would like to share with you an episode. When the Agency deliberated the meeting agenda on the first day of the meeting, the US, in pushing their agenda items, did not present to the Secretariat its "explanatory memorandum" as required under the Board's rules of procedures. The Chinese delegation could have called out the US' proposal from the meeting agenda, but the Chinese side chose to suspend the meeting for 15 minutes, so as to allow the US delegation to remedy their proposal. Only on this basis, did China pronounced its dissociation from the agenda item proposed by the US.

So, China's approach is upright and constructive, with enormous credits from other member states.

GT: What do you think is the way out for the nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS?

Wang: Multilateral problems must be responded and addressed by multilateral means. The nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS goes beyond the existing mandate and competence of the Secretariat of the IAEA. It is not something that can be addressed bilaterally by the three countries and the Secretariat of the Agency, and must be addressed by the member states of the IAEA.

China calls on the three countries to refrain from moving forward with their cooperation pending the consensus and agreement among the Agency's member states. China also calls on the Secretariat of the Agency, for its part, refrain from proceeding further, in the absence of mandate from member states, to negotiate any safeguard arrangements with the three countries for such a cooperation.

It is the hope of China that the Director General of the Agency will present to the Board fair and objective reports, pursuant to his statutory obligations, on the nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS.

Finally, China wishes to see all member states to continue their intergovernmental process, to explore an agreed formula on the issue of the nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS, so as to safeguard the NPT and the international nuclear non-proliferation regime in promotion of international peace and security.

Sidebar:

How AUKUS nuclear submarine deal breaks the rules and relevant treaties?

The US, the UK and Australia violated their respective obligations under the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT) and relevant protocol with the IAEA while concealing the true nature of the three countries' acts of sheer nuclear proliferation as a result of AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, according to China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna.

Specifically:

1. It directly violates Articles I and II of the NPT

2. It breaches the objective set out in the IAEA Statute that no Agency safeguards shall be provided "in such a way as to further any military purpose."

3. The three countries have undermined the non-proliferation functions and integrity of the IAEA by taking the Secretariat hostage to engage in activities prohibited by the Statute.

Source: Chinese Mission to UN in Vienna

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275621.shtml

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305fdc  No.17548378

File: 73241496caaffb5⋯.jpg (541.08 KB, 825x983, 825:983, JZ_1.jpg)

File: 99f1a00d28888ae⋯.jpg (185.73 KB, 1464x797, 1464:797, FdBrI6xaAAEy5SK.jpg)

>>17515448

Jennifer Zeng 曾錚 Tweet

I understand that the #CCP needs to maintain the terror inside #China. But I really don’t know how they are going to explain to Chinese people why the CCP guys are the only ones that need a mask to protect themselves from #CCPVIRUS #COVID #COVID19

https://twitter.com/jenniferatntd/status/1572043113299935235

Alvin Lum @alvinllum

Try and find VP Wang Qishan in 5 sec

https://twitter.com/alvinllum/status/1571874081628393472

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305fdc  No.17554591

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17548305

Australian Commandos in Afghanistan filmed discussing 'quota' | 7.30

ABC News (Australia)

Sep 21, 2022

Warning: This report contains images of war. 7.30 has obtained hours of footage of Australian Commandos in action. The raw footage from the soldiers' own handheld and mounted cameras shows the incredible dangers they faced, but also moments that raise questions about their conduct, including one scene where the men boast about hitting "the quota". Some of these commandos are now under investigation by Australia's war crimes agency.

Mark Willacy from ABC Investigations has spent eight months looking into these incidents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qjmKqpToVY

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305fdc  No.17554623

File: a0262aedc97b3d5⋯.jpg (1.16 MB, 3600x2396, 900:599, Australian_commandos_worke….jpg)

File: 6a1e5879095de05⋯.jpg (2.95 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, The_raid_took_place_in_the….jpg)

File: e2cd37d7916512e⋯.jpg (360.58 KB, 1920x1080, 16:9, Noor_Ali_says_he_would_lik….jpg)

File: 084e5f7a3a8e230⋯.jpg (230.69 KB, 1920x855, 128:57, Malook_says_the_two_Afghan….jpg)

>>17548305

Former Australian commando under investigation over 2012 Afghanistan rotation

Mark Willacy, Alex McDonald and Josh Robertson - 21 September 2022

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A former Australian Special Forces commando is a target of a war crimes investigation for the alleged killing of at least one unarmed detainee during a deployment to Afghanistan.

ABC Investigations has established that the alleged incident happened during an October 2012 raid, conducted by members of Australia's 2nd Commando Regiment, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and Afghan forces.

The joint operation targeted Taliban drug networks in the district of Qarabagh in the north of Helmand Province.

Distressed Afghan villagers who were in Qarabagh when events unfolded have told ABC Investigations that civilians were shot after being detained, accounts that largely match information from Australian Defence sources.

The commando under investigation returned home and allegedly told an elder from his church that he had killed unarmed detainees during the operation.

While the Brereton Inquiry did not find credible evidence of war crimes by the 2nd Commando Regiment, ABC Investigations understands Australia's war crimes investigation agency has opened an active investigation into some commandos.

ABC Investigations has spent eight months examining the Qarabagh raid, twice sending an Afghan journalist to the site to interview villagers caught up in the operation and family members of those who died.

'Don't run … we have seen you'

"They arrived at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and left at about 9 o'clock that night," villager Noor Ali told the ABC's Afghan reporter.

"They fired and shouted … saying, 'don't run, come back, we have seen you.' And they shot at the villagers."

Noor Ali said his son Abdul Raziq was killed in the raid after being detained by men that he described as foreign troops.

"My son was shot in the eye. And from that side the bullet had gone through his head."

The Afghan reporter sent to Qarabagh by ABC Investigations was given no details about the 2012 raid. The information he returned with largely matches separate accounts from Australian Defence sources.

All the Afghans interviewed for this story said seven people were killed in the operation, with at least six of them alleged to have been killed while unarmed and under the control of some of the commandos on the raid.

The villagers say the seventh person to die — a man named Gulbuddin — was also unarmed, and was shot from a distance.

Defence sources have confirmed to ABC Investigations that the commandos encountered Taliban fighters during the operation, which also uncovered stores of weapons, explosives and a booby-trapped house.

Defence sources said seven Afghans died in the raid and allege that at least four may have been unlawfully killed.

At the time the dead were listed as 'Enemy Killed in Action' by the soldiers in the raid.

The Brereton inquiry into allegations of war crimes found "credible information" that 39 people were unlawfully killed by Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan, the vast majority being 'persons under control' (PUCs) who were protected under international law.

All of those cases involved the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS).

"Defence holds members of the ADF to the highest standards and investigates all allegations of breaches of the Law of Armed Conflict, including any raised during detention operations conducted in Afghanistan," a Defence spokesperson told the ABC.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17554626

File: 6ad9fcfa38d3805⋯.jpg (1.61 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Mir_Wali_says_he_was_round….jpg)

File: 27a80445e499604⋯.jpg (85.3 KB, 700x700, 1:1, Aminul_Huq_left_and_Gulbud….jpg)

File: 2fa8b6411e60533⋯.jpg (567.4 KB, 3072x2304, 4:3, Australian_commandos_condu….jpg)

>>17554623

2/2

'They caught us'

One villager, Malook, said he was among a group of men rounded up during the operation.

"At afternoon prayer time, the raid happened, and they caught us.

They took us to that house … there were around 20 to 25 people. When they took us, they separated three of us. One was named Dad Mohammad, the other was Aminul Huq, and me," Malook said.

Malook said the three of them were made to sit down.

"Then a foreigner came and held the other two [by] their hands and took them to the near wall.

From where he was, Malook said he could only partially see what happened next.

"I heard the shots," he said.

"The two [Afghans] couldn't be seen, but the foreigners were visible."

The two Afghans were later found dead with head wounds.

Another villager, Mir Wali, said he was detained with two other men named Abdul Raziq and Atiqullah.

"They took us inside this house. At the other side of this house there is a small door. They took Abdul Raziq and Atiqullah out that way."

Both men were discovered by villagers with bullet wounds to the head.

Defence sources said officers and the commander on the ground, as well as some of his team, were stationed away from the raid, in a different part of the district, and did not see what happened.

A soldier on the Qarabagh mission – who ABC Investigations has called Commando S — later returned to Australia and went to see a church elder in February 2013.

The Age newspaper has obtained the church elder's notes of their conversation.

"[Commando S] advised me that he was troubled by an incident," the church elder wrote. "And he sought my counsel."

ABC Investigations has confirmed that the church elder's note relates to the Qarabagh raid.

In the note, the church elder said Commando S had described an incident where he and some members of his team detained a group of Afghans.

"He escorted them out into a yard and executed the first two by shooting them with his pistol, then, as he shot the third, the way in which the man looked at him, caused him to know that he was murdering an innocent man … [a] non-combatant who had just been caught up in the skirmish," the elder wrote.

ABC Investigations understands that Commando S later contested the elder's account, but did admit to killing one of the detainees during the raid.

ABC Investigations can confirm that Commando S and several members of his platoon are under investigation by the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI), the agency established to probe war crimes in Afghanistan.

In April this year, the OSI served Commando S with a warrant.

A lawyer for Commando S told ABC Investigations it would be inappropriate to respond to our questions as these matters were now, "the subject of a current investigation by the Office of the Special Investigator".

An ADF spokesperson told the ABC that "criminal investigations and any potential prosecutions were being conducted independently of Defence".

"The Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) is working with the Australian Federal Police to investigate allegations of criminal offences under Australian law arising from or related to breaches of the law of armed conflict by ADF members in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016."

Family members in Qarabagh say they still want justice for their loved ones and anyone responsible held accountable.

"If we have the power and the ability, we would bring them to justice," said Noor Ali, whose son Abdul Raziq was killed.

"But we can't do anything."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/australian-commando-under-investigation-over-2012-rotation/101442434

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305fdc  No.17560194

File: 7f4541daeb0dfea⋯.jpg (55.78 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Optus_chief_executive_Kell….jpg)

‘One of the most serious cyberattacks’: Customer data exposed in Optus hack

Nick Bonyhady - September 22, 2022

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Hackers have breached Optus’ systems in one of the largest cyberattacks in Australian history, accessing names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and driver’s license numbers of millions of the telecommunications giant’s customers.

Well-placed sources not authorised to speak publicly said that up to 9 million customers had been affected. Many had their contact details exposed to the hackers, who also pilfered even more sensitive details, such as passport and drivers’ license numbers, for a smaller portion of Optus customers.

Depending on how much of the information the hacker or group have managed to extract, millions of Australians could be at risk of identity theft or fraud if the data is published or Optus could receive a ransom demand.

Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin declined to say who was behind the attack, how it was executed or how many accounts were compromised because investigations are ongoing, but described it as a “significant number” that included current and former customers.

“Unfortunately, we became aware late yesterday that there was an unusual activity [on our network] that was a cyberattack,” Bayer Rosmarin said on the ABC. “We’re still really in the throes of investigating exactly what information has been accessed and working with all the authorities and others to try and determine who has access to them for what purpose.”

Optus’ services such as mobile and internet are still operating and safe to use, the company said in a statement on Thursday. There is no evidence so far that any payment detail and account passwords were compromised or that stolen information has been published.

Early indications from the company are that the hackers are based overseas but not in China and that the hack used a vulnerability in an API – a common tool for computer systems to talk to each other – that has since been shut down.

Bayer Rosmarin apologised to customers who have been affected, said the company was working closely with law enforcement and emphasised it was notifying people early to ensure Australians could be vigilant.

“We are devastated to discover that we have been subject to a cyberattack that has resulted in the disclosure of our customers’ personal information to someone who shouldn’t see it,” she said.

“While not everyone maybe affected and our investigation is not yet complete, we want all of our customers to be aware of what has happened as soon as possible so that they can increase their vigilance. We are very sorry and understand customers will be concerned.”

She said Optus was contacting customers at “high risk” and encouraged all to look out for unusual or fraudulent activity. Optus has also informed the Australian Federal Police, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, financial institutions, government regulators and Australian Cyber Security Centre of the breach.

A spokesman for the commissioner’s office noted that, under law, organisations hit with a data breach must tell people “as quickly as possible” if it is likely to result in serious harm to them. The ACSC declined to comment.

Robert Potter, co-founder of cybersecurity company Internet 2.0 said Optus had done the right thing in disclosing the breach early because it let people respond quickly but said there was still substantial risk if the information gets out.

“The risk of it being on the dark web is around this being used for identity theft,” Potter said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17560210

File: 4fb9b76c17eb081⋯.jpg (70.65 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Former_head_of_the_Austral….jpg)

>>17560194

2/2

Alastair MacGibbon, a former head of the cyber security centre now with cybersecurity firm CyberCX said Optus customers should be watchful for “where the criminals are essentially mimicking them, or stealing their identity, trying to obtain credit in their name, etcetera.”

“[Optus] might have already been contacted by criminals,” MacGibbon said on the ABC, though there is no indication that is the case. “We don’t know necessarily what the motives are.”

Liberal Senator James Paterson, a former chairman of the parliamentary committee overseeing Australia’s intelligence and security agencies, said it was vital to work out who was behind the attack.

“These very concerning reports represent one of the most serious cyberattacks ever suffered by an Australian business,” Paterson said.

Common motives in cyberattacks include industrial espionage, extortion threats or simply showing off. Hacking groups linked to national governments also sometimes use cyber crime for political ends.

Cyberattacks are growing in severity globally and locally. Recently transport firm Uber and the gaming giant Take-Two Games, which makes the multibillion-dollar Grand Theft Auto franchise, have been breached.

A spokesman for Cybersecurity Minister Clare O’Neil declined to answer specific questions, saying they should be directed to Optus, but noted there were more and more online attacks hitting Australian businesses.

https:// www.smh.com.au /technology/ customer-data-exposed-in-major-optus-hack-20220922 -p5bk7v. html

https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2022/09/optus-notifies-customers-of-cyberattack

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305fdc  No.17560414

File: d3fe9b92caefa8a⋯.jpg (150.11 KB, 1024x681, 1024:681, Australian_special_forces_….jpg)

File: de6ed08b71ba8b7⋯.jpg (81.74 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Justice_Mark_Weinberg_the_….jpg)

>>17548305

Former Australian commando faces Afghanistan war crimes investigation

Nick McKenzie - September 22, 2022

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A former Australian special forces soldier who allegedly confessed to executing an Afghan prisoner in October 2012 is now the target of a major war crimes inquiry, and was stopped at an airport where his phone was seized on return from an overseas trip in April.

The ex-commando faces interrogation by the Office of the Special Investigator, an agency set up to examine war crimes allegations. The fact investigators are targeting him casts rare light on the direction and progress of one of Australia’s most secretive inquiries.

The commando’s confession to a Victorian priest in 2013 was uncovered by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2019, and later became part of investigations by the military inspector-general into allegations of Afghan war crimes, known as the Brereton inquiry.

However, that inquiry did not recommend that the Office of the Special Investigator, headed by senior judge Mark Weinberg, should investigate the commando – his execution confession was inadmissible, according to the inquiry’s senior judge, Paul Brereton.

The decision of the special investigator to launch its own investigation and subject the ex-commando to a search warrant enabling it to seize his phone suggests the investigative body has generated its own leads, informants and fresh evidence and will not be governed by Brereton’s recommendations.

Of all the men referred to the special investigator and federal police to face war crimes investigations, this is the only one from the Sydney-based Commando regiment — the rest are from the Perth-based SAS.

Official sources, who were not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that officials from the Australian government solicitor had also finalised a legal assessment that concluded that the special investigator and the federal police may, subject to certain conditions, use certain evidence gathered by the Brereton inquiry.

Before this legal advice was completed, officials held grave concerns that a broad promise of immunity provided to hundreds of witnesses who appeared before Justice Brereton may have rendered key evidence unusable in future investigations.

The revelation of the seizure of the commando’s phone is only the second time the secretive work of the special investigator has been made public since its inception in early 2021. In April, it was revealed a former Special Air Service Regiment senior soldier and key witness for decorated former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith had his phone seized by federal investigators who are examining the war crimes allegations.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17560422

File: 70b6e516e763af6⋯.jpg (157.14 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Mir_Wali_who_says_he_was_t….jpg)

File: a2e9b05cd6bfab0⋯.jpg (129.89 KB, 1024x682, 512:341, Afghan_villager_Malook.jpg)

>>17560414

2/2

The ex-commando is suspected of murdering an Afghan prisoner in the district of Qarabagh during an Australian operation in October 2012. Months later, the ex-commando allegedly told his priest that he had executed the prisoner and that other commandos had also breached the rules of engagement. The priest was so concerned, he recorded the alleged confession in a written memo later passed to church and military officials and obtained by The Age and The Herald.

The priest wrote that the ex-commando had “advised me that he was troubled by an incident … and he sought my counsel”. The priest also alleged that during a mission in Afghanistan the ex-soldier witnessed and participated in prisoner executions.

One of the men he allegedly confessed to murdering had “looked at him, [and] caused him to know that he was murdering an innocent man …[a] non-combatant who had just been caught up in the skirmish”.

The ABC’s 7.30 program on Wednesday broadcast fresh details about this alleged execution, having used a local Afghan journalist to track down witnesses from Qarabagh who observed the commandos’ mission.

One villager, Mir Wali, told the ABC he had been taken prisoner by the Australians with two other young men, Abdul Raziq and Atiqullah. He alleged the pair were both executed after they had been detained in a breach of the laws of armed conflict.

Another villager, Malook, told the ABC that he too was rounded up by foreign soldiers on the day of the commando operation and that a small number of other detainees were summarily executed. He said the bodies of two men he was arrested with were later found, suggesting they had been executed. He has also alleged that he saw Western soldiers lead the two detained men to a wall shortly before he heard shots being fired.

“At afternoon prayer time the raid happened, and they caught us. They took us to that house, there were around 20 to 25 people. When they took us, they separated three of us. One was named Dad Mohammad, the other was Aminul Haq, and me. A foreigner came and held the other two [by] their hands and took them to the near wall.”

Malook said the men had been found dead a short time later. While he did not witness the executions, he has backed the accounts of several villagers that a small number of Afghans killed were in the custody of Australian soldiers just prior to their deaths.

The accounts match aspects of the commando’s confession to the priest in 2013.

The Office of the Special Investigator’s inquiry into the alleged confessor is significant because he is the first former commando to be the subject of an investigation by law enforcement officials, in contrast to the military’s inspector-general. The man has previously declined requests from The Age and the Herald to answer questions.

https:// www.smh. com.au /national/ former-australian-commando- faces-afghanistan-war-crimes-investigation -20220920 -p5bjkv .html

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305fdc  No.17560432

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17548305

>>17554623

Australian commando under investigation over 2012 Afghanistan rotation | 7.30

ABC News (Australia)

Sep 22, 2022

7.30 has new accounts of a deadly raid carried out in Helmand province in 2012. Multiple witnesses have told 7.30 that seven Afghans were killed, some allegedly shot after they were detained by a small group of Australian soldiers. We'll hear an account of a commando's remorse at his alleged actions in that operation.

The allegations are now part of a probe by Australia's specialist war crimes investigations office. Mark Willacy from ABC Investigations and producer Alex McDonald have this exclusive report which contains strong language, images of war and descriptions of killings.

Read more here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/australian-commando-under-investigation-over-2012-rotation/101442434

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwPw8te1bPI

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305fdc  No.17560467

File: d85bff9008b6c5a⋯.jpg (147.34 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, Australian_Foreign_Ministe….jpg)

Australia, New Zealand condemn Putin threats as "unthinkable"

Kirsty Needham - September 22, 2022

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON Sept 22 (Reuters) - Australia and New Zealand condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's escalation of the war in Ukraine, saying his threats to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia were "unthinkable" and exposed his justification for the war as untrue.

Putin ordered Russia's first wartime mobilisation since World War Two on Wednesday, shocking citizens with what Western countries described as an act of desperation in the face of a losing war effort, and announced moves to annex swaths of Ukrainian territory while threatening to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia.

"These threats are unthinkable and they are irresponsible. His claims of defending Russia's territorial integrity are untrue. No sham referendum will make them true," Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said in New York, where she is attending the United Nations General Assembly.

"Russia alone is responsible for this illegal and immoral war, and peace must first lie with Russia withdrawing from Ukrainian territory," she added.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern strongly condemned Russia's escalation, saying Putin's claim he could use additional weapons "flies in the face of the lie that they have told that they are there to liberate others".

"This highlights the falsehood around this war," she told media in New York, where she is attending the United Nations General Assembly.

"What is happening in Ukraine is illegal, it's immoral, it's causing the loss of civilian life and that loss could extend if, as Putin has claimed, he broadens the types of weapons he uses in this war," she added.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-new-zealand-condemn-putin-threats-unthinkable-2022-09-22/

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305fdc  No.17560478

File: f8c31a3bfcda392⋯.jpg (140.94 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Ukrainian_ambassador_to_Au….jpg)

>>17537126

>>17560467

‘This is how a bully behaves’: Ukraine pleads for Australian help as Putin orders military call-up

Matthew Knott and Farrah Tomazin - September 22, 2022

1/2

New York: Ukraine is ramping up calls for Australia to send more weapons and military equipment to fight back against the invading Russian forces, describing Vladimir Putin’s partial military mobilisation and threats of nuclear war as bullying and a sign of desperation.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said the government was actively considering Ukraine’s requests for additional Bushmaster vehicles, long-range weapons and ammunition.

Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko urged the government to rapidly provide more military support to Ukraine, saying the war had reached a crucial phase following the Russian president’s dramatic announcement.

“Putin is desperate,” Myroshnychenko told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

“He wants people to panic, he wants to frighten the shit out of everyone. This is how a bully behaves.

“The democratic free world cannot afford to cave in to his threats. We need the right weapons now to finish them off.”

Myroshnychenko said he would like Australia to provide Ukraine with a supply of anti-ship missiles known as Harpoons, as well as the additional Bushmasters, 30 Hawkei four-wheel drives and howitzer long-range weapons he has already requested.

“The Black Sea Navy must be gone from Ukrainian ports, we need to get rid of it,” he said.

After meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba for the second time in two days, Wong described Putin’s latest threats as “unthinkable and irresponsible”.

“In relation to further assistance … we are in contact with our Ukrainian colleagues, we understand the extraordinarily difficult circumstances they face … and we will continue to consider the requests that have been made,” she said.

Australia will “continue to do what we can to support those brave men and women who are fighting for their freedom”, she said.

Federal cabinet will meet in Canberra next week and the issue of additional support for Ukraine is expected to be discussed.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham called for the government to respond “swiftly, positively and generously” to Ukraine’s request for more military assistance.

“Australia ought to give what we can and we ought to offer what we can to provide that support for Ukraine,” he said.

“There is never a time to give up on the support for international rules and norms, on the support for territorial sovereignty and the freedom of people.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17560479

File: f689612bb21225d⋯.jpg (81.84 KB, 1021x681, 1021:681, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

>>17560478

2/2

The UN Security Council was set to discuss the war on Ukraine on Thursday night (Friday AEST), although Russia’s veto power on the council meant there were no hopes of a decisive resolution against Putin.

Borrell Fontelles, the vice president of the European Union, said he was convening an emergency meeting with European foreign ministers in New York to craft a response to Putin’s threats.

“Putin says that he is ready to use all arms at his disposal, and when someone says, ‘all,’ he also means explicitly nuclear arms,” Borrell Fontelles said. “This is something that the international community cannot accept. The United Nations this week has to react.”

In an interview with 2GB, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he joined with the government in condemning Putin, and also expressed concern for Russians sent to the front line.

“We don’t want to see Russian troops killed, frankly. Many of them I suspect are there not of their own free will and the world wants and deserves stability. We’ve had that stability, as I say for eight decades, and if we think that dictators and autocrats are confined to history, then we’ll be condemned in the future.”

In a national television broadcast in Moscow on Wednesday, Putin announced he would draft up to 300,000 reservists to support its military campaign in Ukraine following recent major setbacks on the battlefield.

Hinting that he was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend what he views as Russian territory, Putin also voiced his support for staged referendums being planned as a precursor to the annexation of occupied areas of Ukraine.

Joining condemnation by world leaders such as US President Joe Biden, new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and French President Emmanuel Macron, Wong said: “His claims of defending Russia’s territorial integrity are untrue, and no sham referendum will make them true.

“Russia alone is responsible for the illegal and immoral war, and peace must first lie with Russia withdrawing from Ukrainian territory.”

Wong’s rebuke came moments after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the General Assembly via video link, telling world leaders that Russia deserves “just punishment” for the crimes against his country.

“We must finally recognise Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism,” he said.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/ukraine-pleads-for-australian-help-as-putin-tries-to-scare-the-sh-t-out-of-everyone-20220922-p5bk2r.html

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d2c9c6  No.17565171

General Research #21535 >>17565150

Australia's Central Bank Says It Is Bust

The central bank of Australia on Wednesday made the astonishing admission that it is, basically, bust. Its entire equity has been wiped out by pandemic-related bond buying.

Of course, the Reserve Bank of Australia is a central bank, and can print money. So it can work its way out of a situation that would bankrupt a conventional bank or company.

Still, as the U.S. Federal Reserve meets today on interest rates, it's an interesting insight into the challenges other central bankers face as they attempt to reconcile Covid stimulus with post-Covid inflation and economic emergence.

The RBA began its bond-purchase program in November 2020 as a second stimulus package in response to the pandemic. The first round of measures saw it slash rates to record lows, and set up a term funding facility offering cheap three-year funding to banks. For the bond buying, the central bank bought Australian government bonds and semi-government securities in the secondary market to lower interest rates on bonds maturing between five and 10 years out.

The program was extended, and extended, and extended yet again. Ultimately, the RBA bought A$281 billion (US$188 billion) in national, state and territory government bonds.

Now the bill has come due.

https://realmoney.thestreet.com/investing/global-equity/australia-s-central-bank-says-it-is-bust-16103021

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305fdc  No.17565895

File: 4e3d7db4e3786e5⋯.jpg (59.75 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Optus_has_not_said_how_man….jpg)

File: 8be4364283440b5⋯.jpg (122.56 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Optus_CEO_Kelly_Bayer_Rosm….jpg)

>>17560194

‘Sophisticated attack’: Optus hackers used European addresses, could be state linked

Nick Bonyhady - September 23, 2022

Optus has confirmed up to 9.8 million customers’ personal details dating as far back as 2017 may have been accessed in a sophisticated cyberattack on the company that could have been executed by a crime gang or even a foreign state.

In a press conference on Friday, Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said the attackers, who were discovered on Wednesday, hid their tracks by shifting their online location markers across an array of European countries.

Growing emotional at the end of a press conference on Friday morning, Bayer Rosmarin said she felt terrible that the attack had happened, angry at the hackers and disappointed Optus had been unable to stop it.

“I’m very sorry and apologetic,” she said. “It should not have happened.”

Bayer Rosmarin would not say how many customers the country’s second-largest telecommunications company had contacted about the breach nor how it stored customer data, pointing to an ongoing criminal investigation.

“The IP address [used by the hackers] kept moving. It’s a sophisticated attack. Safe to say it comes out of various countries in Europe. And in terms of the customer data, I think it dates back to 2017.”

Early indications are that the breach occurred through a vulnerability in an API – a common way for computer systems to talk to each other – that has since been shut down.

Optus’ public affairs boss Andrew Sheridan denied an ABC report, citing an anonymous company insider, that the API had been left vulnerable as a result of “human error”.

“I can categorically confirm that that is not the case,” Sheridan said on Melbourne radio, without going into details.

Retired major general Marcus Thompson, a former head of the Australian Defence Force’s information warfare division, said hacking groups were known to try to hide their identity and location by using multiple addresses.

He said Optus had responded quickly in disclosing the breach, which underscored the risks to all other major Australian organisations.

“There’ll be plenty of CEOs and boards looking and saying, ‘There but by the grace of God go I,’ ” said Thompson, now a strategic adviser with cybersecurity firm Paraflare among other corporate roles. “This could have happened to anyone.”

The 9.8 million figure is an “absolute worst case” and the company expects the true number affected to be smaller, with reports that about a third of Optus’ customer database was copied. A spokesman for the company said the data was encrypted and secured but had still been accessed.

She emphasised that the company had gone public with the breach quickly so that customers could be alert to scams or fraudulent requests and was continuing to investigate in conjunction with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the government agency that responds to major digital incidents.

In a statement, the Australian Federal Police confirmed it had received a referral from Optus on Friday and said its cyber command division would pursue the “complex, criminal investigation”.

“No passwords or bank details were taken,” Bayer Rosmarin said. “So, there isn’t a simple message like update your passwords or talk to your financial institution.”

She declined to say how Optus would contact affected customers but said it would tell all customers “over the next few days” how much, if any, of their data had been stolen.

Small business customers may have been caught up in the breach but Optus has confirmed that its enterprise wing and other brands on its network, such as Coles Mobile and Amaysim, have not been affected.

A spokesman for Cybersecurity Minister Clare O’Neil declined a request to interview the minister, deferring to Optus on the breach. Her office has previously confirmed the cybersecurity centre is involved and pointed to rising online attacks against Australian businesses.

But Opposition Leader Peter Dutton questioned the government’s silence, saying O’Neil was “missing in action”. “There are a lot of people who are very concerned, particularly older Australians, about what has happened here,” Dutton said in Canberra.

On September 17, a pseudonymous user on an online hacking forum purported to offer more than 1 million Optus phone numbers for sale. But other users have cast doubt on whether that database is related to the hack, suggesting it could have been compiled from other sources.

“We are still working to validate that that information is relevant and is even Optus data,” Bayer Rosmarin said.

https://www.theage.com.au/technology/sophisticated-attack-optus-hackers-used-european-addresses-could-be-state-linked-20220923-p5bkfn.html

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305fdc  No.17565902

File: 403cd4428c36952⋯.jpg (122.28 KB, 1200x885, 80:59, U_S_Assistant_Secretary_of….jpg)

U.S.-led Pacific group to focus on climate, connectivity amid China concerns

Michael Martina - September 23, 2022

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - China's ambitions in the Pacific are a concern for some Pacific Island leaders, White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said on Thursday, but a growing U.S. partnership with allies in the region aims to address issues such as climate change, health and technology links.

Campbell spoke after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted a meeting with foreign ministers from the partners in the blue pacific (PBP)- a group formed in June that includes the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

U.S. officials briefing reporters on the meeting said Canada and Germany intended to formally join the initiative, which seeks to coordinate assistance to the strategically vital region in the face of competition from China.

"I think as we've seen in some instances, clearly China has ambitions in the Pacific, some of which have caused concern among Pacific Island leaders," Campbell said. But he said the group's agenda would be guided by Pacific Island countries' needs.

"When we engage with Pacific Islanders one of the first things that they say is that for us national security really involves our environment and how climate change is an existential issue for them," Campbell said.

The Blue Pacific event, held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, comes ahead of a Sept. 28-29 summit U.S. President Joe Biden plans to host with Pacific island leaders.

The Biden administration has said that summit reflects its commitment to Pacific Island countries, whose leaders said this month Washington should accept their priorities, making climate change - not superpower competition - the most urgent security task.

Campbell added that the group was also working on increasing connectivity among island states.

He said the United States, Australia and Japan had been involved in a number of efforts to advance undersea cables in the Pacific and added, in apparent reference to the summit, "we'll have more to say about this next week."

Campbell said two of the initiatives the Quad group of countries - the United States, Japan, India and Australia - wanted to focus on in the Pacific were maritime domain awareness and increasing communication links among island states with countries like Japan, Australia and India.

"That can only be accomplished through the laying of … undersea cables. And so, I think the challenge is before us," he said. "We think it's important, and it will require financing and capacity, not just of any one state, but our combined efforts together."

In a separate meeting, Blinken and his South Korean and Japanese counterparts affirmed a shared commitment to support Pacific Island countries. A joint statement said they pledged to look at ways to better help the island nations access climate finance and reaffirmed support for their efforts to boost maritime security and fisheries protection.

https://www.reuters.com/world/chinas-ambitions-pacific-concern-some-pacific-island-leaders-white-house-2022-09-22/

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305fdc  No.17565944

File: 82dcdb4ca6788fb⋯.jpg (110.37 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

>>17548350

Wong urges China to use its influence to rein in Putin

Michelle Griffin - September 23, 2022

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged China to use its clout as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to prevail upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt his invasion of Ukraine.

“On Ukraine – China is a great power, China is a P5 [permanent five council] member, China has signed up to the UN charter,” Wong said in a press briefing after a meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“We believe, as does every country with the exception of Russia, that Russia is in breach of the UN charter through its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We encourage China as a P5 member with a special responsibility to uphold the UN charter, that they uphold the UN charter to use its influence with the war.”

Wong said her second meeting with Wang, following their first face-to-face discussions at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Bali in July, was “constructive” but the nations were still on a “long road” to better relations after the breakdown in communication during the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think it is a long road on which many steps will have to be taken by both parties to a more stable relationship,” Wong said.

Australia’s long-running dispute with China over its decision to impose trade sanctions worth $20 billion was top of the agenda, she said.

“In terms of issues of differences, first amongst them is the issue of trade blockages,” Wong told a press briefing at the Australian consulate after the meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. “That is the issue I focused on at the outset.”

The World Trade Organisation is currently considering China’s decision in May 2020 to impose a steep 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley, which is estimated to have cost local growers $500 million a year, as well as the move in August 2020 to block wine imports while investigating if Australian wines had been sold at below-market prices.

Wong said she also raised human rights issues and “a number of consular cases”, including those of journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun, two Australians detained in Beijing with limited access to consular assistance while facing spying charges.

https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/wong-urges-china-to-use-its-influence-to-rein-in-putin-20220923-p5bkgj.html

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305fdc  No.17565947

File: 7ce5284ccfa8b68⋯.jpg (73.77 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australian_Foreign_Ministe….jpg)

>>17548350

Foreign Minister Penny Wong hoses down hopes of end to China tariffs on Australian goods

ADAM CREIGHTON - SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has hosed down hopes of an end to tariffs on Australia exports to China after a late-night meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New York City.

A reset in Canberra’s troubled relations with Beijing appeared to fade further into the distance after a 40-minute meeting between the two foreign ministers failed to produce any progress across a range of disagreements from human rights to trade.

“I think it is a long road on which many steps will have to be taken by both parties to a more stable relationship,” Ms Wong told reporters after the meeting, calling for further “engagement and goodwill on both sides”.

“China articulates their position. We articulate ours. In terms of issues of difference first amongst them is the issue of trade blockages,” she said, declaring the meeting “constructive”.

The New York meeting, the second between the two foreign ministers since their first in Bali in July, occurred on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, which has seen senior officials and politicians from the UN member nations descend on New York for a week of meetings and public statements.

Ms Wong is due to deliver an address to the General Assembly on Friday (Saturday AEST).

The foreign minster, fresh from separate meetings with leaders from Indonesia, Turkey, Solomon Islands, said she raised criticism of China’s human rights record, detention of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, and Beijing’s array of tariffs and blockades on Australia agricultural exports to China.

“Australian interests are constant and the Government will continue to speak for those issues we see as necessary and continue to engage with China in order to stabilise the relationship”.

China imposed a series of bans on Australia’s exports to China from late 2020, including on wine, barley and lobsters and timber, as punishment for Australia’s criticism of Beijing’s opacity over the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Albanese government since winning office in May has sought to improve relations with China, which has become under immense strain amid China’s war of words with the US and Taiwan, and criticism of Australia’s AUKUS security pact with the US and UK.

“As you would anticipate my position on Taiwan is the same as that position I articulated publicly,” she said.

Ms Wong said she encouraged Mr Wang to put pressure on Russia to withdraw from its invasion of Ukraine, a war which has overshadowed the week’s UN meetings, especially after Russian president threatened to use nuclear weapons.

“We encourage China as a P5 member with a special responsibility to uphold the UN Charter and use its influence to wind the war down,” Ms Wong said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/move-over-greta-new-influencer-makes-nuclear-cool/news-story/8f4d2ff2018da906feffe906bd6f9a3e

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305fdc  No.17565954

File: fc7908198683385⋯.jpg (519.37 KB, 825x1052, 825:1052, SPW_1.jpg)

File: ec1c3c326d8b208⋯.jpg (237.16 KB, 2048x1366, 1024:683, FdT9nt0UcAAyanx.jpg)

File: f9676970030a91a⋯.jpg (195.75 KB, 2048x1366, 1024:683, FdT9nt1UcAAM_Wq.jpg)

File: fe854b6ca9b7ccc⋯.jpg (324.97 KB, 2048x1366, 1024:683, FdT9nt0UcAErUes.jpg)

>>17548350

Senator Penny Wong Tweet

A constructive conversation with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi tonight.

The meeting reaffirmed the Australian Government’s view that it is in the interests of both sides to continue on the path of stabilising the relationship.

Read my statement here:

foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny…

https://twitter.com/SenatorWong/status/1573161033749123073

https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/statements/meeting-chinas-state-councilor-and-minister-foreign-affairs-wang-yi

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305fdc  No.17565957

File: 19e7948d014a8d0⋯.jpg (1.41 MB, 1028x3219, 1028:3219, Meeting_With_China_s_State….jpg)

>>17548350

Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Meeting With China’s State Councilor And Minister Of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi

Ministerial statement - 23 September 2022

Today I met China’s State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, in the margins of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The meeting reaffirmed the Australian Government’s view that it is in the interests of both sides to continue on the path of stabilising the relationship.

We had a constructive conversation, where I expressed Australia’s views on a range of bilateral, trade, consular and human rights issues, as well as international and regional security.

Australia will seek to cooperate in areas of mutual benefit. We remain open to dialogue and engagement with China, including to address shared challenges.

Australia continues to work towards productive and stable relations with China, based on mutual benefit and respect.

Opening remarks

Thank you, State Councilor. I welcome the opportunity to meet again.

Our meeting this time, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, grounds our discussion in the context of the international rules-based system to which both our countries have committed under the UN Charter.

When respected, these rules are how we continue to build a world that is in all our interests – one that is stable, prosperous and where sovereignty is respected.

We face dire threats to our progress, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a global food and fuel crisis, supply chain shocks, and climate change.

So, I look forward to a frank exchange of views on a range of issues.

Australia seeks to work towards productive and stable relations with China, based on mutual benefit and respect.

It is in the interests of Australia, China and our region for the relationship to continue to be stabilised.

Our aim should be for both sides to engage and cooperate in areas where it benefits us to do so, while addressing differences directly and candidly under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

We committed to engaging calmly and consistently on matters relating to our bilateral relationship, and we have done so.

Australia’s national interests remain constant.

I’d like to speak frankly about how we might enable cooperation.

There are mutual business opportunities in the clean energy transition and other areas, but our trade relationship has been subject to blockages.

Trade has been the platform from which the PRC has made historic achievements in poverty alleviation.

Indeed, open, rules-based trade within the international system has underpinned economic development for both our countries.

We both have much to lose by the disintegration of that system.

And we both have much to gain from direct and productive engagement.

We will soon reach the milestone of fifty years of diplomatic relations.

As much as that is an opportunity to reflect, it is also an opportunity to look to the future.

State Councilor, I look forward to another constructive exchange this evening.

https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/statements/meeting-chinas-state-councilor-and-minister-foreign-affairs-wang-yi

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305fdc  No.17565989

File: 56bdbc34d9e4d71⋯.jpg (98.91 KB, 960x400, 12:5, STANDING_WITH_THE_WORD_OF_….jpg)

>>17463555

STANDING WITH THE WORD OF GOD

George Cardinal Pell - 9.22.22

1/2

Quite some time ago, during his seminary days, a young priest friend of mine attended an introductory lecture on Revelation and the Scriptures. The lecturer told the class that there is considerable distance between God’s actual message and instructions and the texts we have in the Old and New Testaments. The lecturer wasn’t saying, like the Jesuit superior general, that we don’t know what Christ taught because they didn’t have recorders then, didn’t have phones to capture the moment. But she was heading in that direction.

My friend inquired innocently whether the Second Vatican Council had said anything on this topic. The lecturer, confident in her expertise, explained that it had. What was the document called? Quick as a flash the reply came: “Dei Verbum,” the Word of God. It was only when she stopped to smile and enjoy her contribution that the lecturer realized she had been decapitated. The Scriptures are God’s words for us, written in different forms and styles and in different ages by human authors. Although they were not dictated by the archangel Gabriel, as the Muslims claim the Quran was, they remain for us the Word of God.

The two major themes that ran in creative tension through the four sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome (1962–65) were “aggiornamento,” or bringing things up to date, and “ressourcement,” or going back to the sources for inspiration. Both terms, of course, cover a multitude of senses. We read the signs of the times to bring the Church up to date. But as the Swiss Protestant theologian Karl Barth asked Pope Paul VI: up to date with what? In what period and places is the truth found?

For Catholics, what are the sources? In contrast to the Protestants, Catholics had appealed explicitly, as taught by the Council of Trent, to both Scripture and Tradition. Dei Verbum, or the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, developed over the four sessions, was one of the Council’s best contributions, resolving many intellectual tensions within the Church and ecumenically. The God of the Bible is not a human creation, nor an oppressor, but reveals himself and his message of salvation through Jesus Christ, “the mediator and the sum total of revelation.”

Scripture and Tradition are bound together, come from the same divine wellspring, and move toward the same goal. Tradition transmits the Word of God, which was entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God” (Dei Verbum, 7–8). These perspectives were reaffirmed almost unanimously in the Roman Synod of the Word of God in 2008.

In these post-conciliar times, the Catholic Church, like the other churches and denominations in the West, is facing something new in her history. She is living in some countries where many, occasionally a majority, are irreligious, when not anti-religious. The ancient pagans of Roman times were not irreligious—most were superstitious, believing in many divinities. All those who love Christ and their Christian communities grieve over Western unbelief, but are often bitterly and fundamentally divided on the best way to turn this situation around.

The problem can be stated in a number of ways. Are the teachings of Christ—and especially Catholic ideas on sacrifice and sexuality, on the need for prayer and repentance—simply outdated, superseded just like the belief that the sun revolves around the earth? Has the theory of evolution and millions of years of dinosaurs knocked Judeo-Christian mythology off its perch? Are people compelled to believe with Comte that the age of religion has passed, that it is no longer possible to keep Christianity up to date?

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17565992

File: 1c005b4bc0b0760⋯.png (349.01 KB, 852x496, 213:124, Q_2590.png)

File: 26e4cd96f077f9c⋯.png (206.2 KB, 852x455, 852:455, Q_2594.png)

File: 089ec28a122bcc2⋯.png (647.24 KB, 847x876, 847:876, Q_2894.png)

>>17565989

2/2

Believers, of course, reject these radical forms of unbelief and confront the situation in more nuanced terms. The modern world has made remarkable progress in reducing poverty and illiteracy, diminishing hunger and increasing longevity. The spectacular advances in science, technology, and medicine cannot be denied. In these areas we certainly know much more than our ancestors, although too many of our young people are fragile and miserable, chained by habit in various unsavory ways. Youth suicide rates in Australia, for instance, are much too high. Why this contrast between progress and increased suffering?

While we continue to believe in our loving Creator God and continue to admire the beautiful teachings of Jesus, Mary’s Son, who was crucified by the Romans and Jewish religious authorities nearly two thousand years ago, don’t we realize better than ever that while Jesus was a genius and a prophet, he was a man with the limitations of his age, culture, and religion? Are Christians therefore allowed, with high-ranking German-speaking prelates, to reject basic Christian teaching on sexuality because they believe such teachings no longer accord with modern scientific knowledge? More than that, are Christians obliged by modern science to reject such and similar Christian teachings?

Two recent developments are remarkable. At the recent assembly of the German Synodal Path, nearly two-thirds of the German bishops seemed to have moved some distance in the direction of rejection, and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has not commented. Now the Belgian bishops are on the move. Those forces who want to destroy the monopoly of heterosexual marriage, that ancient Judeo-Christian moral teaching, and to legitimize homosexual activity, are working to spread their poison.

The New Testament outlines the duty of the Successor of Peter, the man of rock, the foundation stone (Mt. 16:18), to strengthen the faith of his brothers—especially when some are weakening (Lk. 22:32). There is now a need for decisive action from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to prevent further deterioration and to correct error.

The declaration by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich that he no longer wants to change Church doctrine is welcome, and Cardinal Reinhard Marx has also moved some way in this direction. These are good developments; but what of the majority of the German bishops?

Who has the truth in this dispute? Enlightened Western opinion and its German Catholic sympathizers, or traditional Christian teaching, which is supported by the overwhelming majority of worshipping Catholics? How does a Christian decide? What are the criteria? We could return initially to the Catholic Catechism, or the Code of Canon Law, but a return to the terminology and teachings of the Second Vatican Council is also useful.

Where is the last word to be discovered? The answer depends on the truths under discussion, as the Church has no particular expertise to decide truths of science, or history, or economics. However, both the Old and New Testaments teach, with the Catholic magisterium, that revelation has competence in morals as well as faith. Therefore moral truths are to be recognized and acknowledged in the apostolic tradition.

It is Catholic teaching that the pope, bishops, and all the faithful are servants and defenders of the apostolic tradition, with no power to reject or distort essential elements, especially when the tradition is being developed and explained. What is in dispute when we reject fundamental moral teaching on sexuality (for example) is not a paragraph in the Catholic Catechism, or a canon of Church law, or even a conciliar decree. It is the Word of God itself, entrusted to the apostles, which is being rejected. We don’t know better than God.

If divine revelation, as found in the Scriptures, is accepted as God’s Word, we submit and obey. We stand under the Word of God.

George Cardinal Pell is prefect emeritus of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy.

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2022/09/standing-with-the-word-of-god

https://qanon.pub/?q=Pell

https://qanon.pub/?q=pecking

https://qanon.pub/?q=cardinal-george-pell

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305fdc  No.17566047

File: a3cf48127a737dc⋯.jpg (48.25 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, A_U_S_Marine_Corps_MV_22_O….jpg)

File: 69c3e1a7b934e8c⋯.jpg (66.6 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, A_U_S_Marine_with_Marine_M….jpg)

File: 119a91f173ddf28⋯.jpg (92.33 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Aviation_….jpg)

File: 9fae8f16f87f5b7⋯.jpg (71.1 KB, 1000x750, 4:3, A_U_S_Marine_Corps_MV_22_O….jpg)

File: f668f6cb45a7324⋯.jpg (112.23 KB, 1000x667, 1000:667, U_S_Marines_with_Marine_Ro….jpg)

>>17542667

MRF-D Demonstrates Range and Reaction Capability with Trans-Pacific Tactical Redeployment

Capt. Joseph DiPietro - 09.20.2022

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. – Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 conducted a trans-pacific tactical redeployment (TACREDEPLOY) of forces and equipment, primarily consisting of a team from the aviation combat element (ACE) to further demonstrate the range and quick reaction capability of the MAGTF from 12 – 17 September.

“I want to maximize the training value of every event, and take advantage of opportunities allowing us to demonstrate particularly our HADR proficiency in the Indo-Pacific,” explained Colonel Chris Steele, the MRF-D 22 commander, while providing his commander’s intent for the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). “This is also an opportunity to provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences to our Marines and Sailors and that is also important to us.”

TACREDEPLOY featured a five-day transit of key terrain in the South Pacific, with a section of MV-22 Ospreys supported by a C-130. MRF-D Marines and Sailors along with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) supporting effort travelled from Darwin to Amberley in Queensland, Australia, then to Fiji, American Samoa, Kiribati, and finished at the MRF-D ACE home station of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Each location offered opportunities for the MRF-D and MAW teams to engage and support the local population, as well as offer unforgettable views to the Marines and Sailors.

Amberley is home to a major Royal Australian Air Force base, where MRF-D personnel spent time with Australian aviators and shared their experience in the allied country. Upon arrival to Fiji, the local community joined MRF-D in a tour of the aircraft and traded tokens with the Marines and Sailors.

American Samoa offered one of the most memorable interactions, as one of the MRF-D travelers got to spend time with his family on his native island. Sergeant Tyrone Travers, an ACE maintainer, joined his sister in a warm embrace after visiting his home for the first time in six years.

Following American Samoa, the MRF-D and MAW teams visited the island nation of Kiribati, where HADR support was welcomed. The region is fighting through a drought, and as MRF-D began to plan for the evolution, supporting the people in any way possible became a priority. MRF-D prepared and provided supplies to the local population to help them through the challenging time, which included toys and sports gear donated by ACE Marines and Sailors.

The final leg of TACREDEPLOY concluded in Hawaii, which also served as a homecoming for the small group of MRF-D ACE personnel.

While geographically convenient, the locations visited during TACREDEPLOY also mark historic sites for the Marine Corps as we remember nearly 80 years after many South Pacific milestones during World War II. Fiji and American Samoa both served as staging bases and supply hubs for the U.S. and its allies during the war. A Fijian regiment supported operations in the Solomon Islands, where the 1st Marine Division first cut its teeth in the region. Kiribati’s capital, South Tarawa, was the site of one of the most ferocious victories for the Marine Corps.

In a bit of historic symmetry, TACREDEPLOY started in Australia and ended in Hawaii, two of the most significant locations during the war, and two areas critical to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific today.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/429834/mrf-d-demonstrates-range-and-reaction-capability-with-trans-pacific-tactical-redeployment

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305fdc  No.17566408

File: a9f059599c6f08f⋯.jpg (540.31 KB, 825x1206, 275:402, EAS_1.jpg)

File: b9e2d9a0e45899f⋯.jpg (83.29 KB, 801x729, 89:81, FdSHHt3WIAAKWMH.jpg)

File: b76f9665bf3d253⋯.jpg (561.2 KB, 825x1205, 165:241, CB_5.jpg)

File: 96f9226a3b7cf7d⋯.jpg (146.74 KB, 1252x952, 313:238, FdSexnCaEAArYfv.jpg)

File: b0cdf0e0d50dde0⋯.jpg (594.96 KB, 852x831, 284:277, Q_3634.jpg)

>>17487954

EnergyAtState Tweet

Today at @GCEAF_USA in Pittsburgh @ClimateEnvoy joined @Bowenchris as Australia signed on to the Clean Energy Demand Initiative. Australia’s leadership will be critical to CEDI’s efforts - sending a signal of major market demand for clean energy and supportive policies.

https://twitter.com/EnergyAtState/status/1573030955803201536

Chris Bowen Tweet

The US and Australia have both passed important climate legislation in recent weeks

We have much more to do, including by working together

Great to see John Kerry & sign our next steps on clean energy including working with business to speed up our clean energy transformation

https://twitter.com/Bowenchris/status/1573056769181765632

Q Post #3634

Nov 25 2019 16:30:45 (EST)

[D]'s (internal) infiltration issue(s) w/ protecting NAT SEC?

Deliberate?

Do you believe in coincidences?

>DF Chinese spy_insert 20+ years

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/08/04/trump-russia-investigation-dianne-feinstein-chinese-spy/908865002/

>Awan IT scandal

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/democrats-it-scandal-set-to-explode-with-possible-plea-deal

>Omar paid [F] agent

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/11/ilhan-omar-accused-of-being-a-paid-agent-of-qatar-and-accessing-sensitive-info-for-iran-court-testimony/

>Clinton server > China relay

https://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398652

>[VJ] direct relay > Iran pre/post Iran deal [future marker]

>[Kerry] direct relay > Iran pre/post Iran deal [future marker]

IF KNOWN - WHY IS IT ALLOWED TO HAPPEN?

IF KNOWN - WILL THERE BE JUSTICE?

It's only a matter of time.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#3634

https://qanon.pub/?q=kerry

https://qanon.pub/?q=JK

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305fdc  No.17572425

File: 23fe478e84c04e0⋯.jpg (292.58 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, The_Optus_CEO_said_she_was….jpg)

File: ee9b3d0d5b832d9⋯.jpg (1.36 MB, 4331x2892, 4331:2892, The_data_of_eight_million_….jpg)

File: 46c7d6a431cd6c5⋯.jpg (1.49 MB, 825x3160, 165:632, JC_1.jpg)

File: 6a4e82c90bb6468⋯.jpg (281.12 KB, 2344x1362, 1172:681, FdXdaqMUoAAWI3y.jpg)

File: 88c42453fa536c5⋯.jpg (80.75 KB, 1522x552, 761:276, FdXd4a5VQAA5Ks_.jpg)

>>17560194

Australian Federal Police monitoring dark web amid allegations stolen Optus data may be sold online

Henry Belot - 24 September 2022

The Australian Federal Police are monitoring the dark web and internet forums after reports stolen Optus data may be being sold online.

One post on the website BreachForums claims to be selling the data, which includes email addresses, dates of birth, first and last names, phone numbers, drivers' license and passport numbers.

The dataset referred to has not been confirmed or verified by Optus, the police, or intelligence agencies, but some numbers have been verified by journalists.

"The AFP is aware of reports alleging stolen Optus customer data and credentials may be being sold through a number of forums, including the dark web," a police spokesperson told the ABC.

"The AFP is using specialist capability to monitor the dark web and other technologies and will not hesitate to take action against those who are breaking the law."

Co-founder of cybersecurity firm Internet2.0, Robert Potter, who has advised US and Australian governments on cyber attacks, said the data was authentic.

"I'm comfortable saying the data is authentic information and an amount of it include email addresses not previously seen in other breaches," Mr Potter told the ABC.

"Some of the data is still encrypted. Optus should confirm if it is from their systems."

It is an offence to buy stolen credentials online with a penalty of up to 10 years' imprisonment.

During a media briefing on Friday, Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said the company was aware of reports Optus data was allegedly being sold online.

"One of the challenges when you go public with this sort of information is you can have lots of people claiming lots of things," Ms Bayer Rosmarin said.

"There is nothing that has been validated and for sale that we are aware of, but the teams are looking into every possibility."

On Saturday, Optus was not willing to comment on the post citing advice from police.

"We are coordinating with the AFP because this is now a criminal investigation," the spokesperson said.

"Given the investigation, Optus will not comment on the legitimacy of customer data claimed to be held by third parties and urges all customers to exercise caution in their online transactions and dealings.

"Once again, we apologise."

Optus continues to contact customers implicated in attack

Some cyber experts are urging caution around reports of data being sold online, warning it could be an attempt to capitalise on media attention.

Optus is continuing to contact all customers implicated in the cyber-attack.

"We will begin with customers whose ID document number may have been compromised, all of whom will be notified by today," the spokesperson said.

Optus has also advised customers to be very vigilant online and to be careful of scams.

"If customers receive an email or SMS with a link claiming to be from Optus, they are advised that this is not a communication from Optus. Please do not click on any links," the spokesperson said.

"We have been advised that our announcement of the attack is likely to trigger a number of claims and scams from criminals."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-24/afp-monitoring-dark-web-for-stolen-optus-data-sold-online/101471256

https://twitter.com/Jeremy_Kirk/status/1573407117566152704

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305fdc  No.17572568

File: 64f169405d66c07⋯.jpg (55.24 KB, 800x480, 5:3, Australia_urged_to_take_su….jpg)

>>17548350

Update: Australia urged to take substantive actions in repairing ties with China, after 'constructive' meeting

Wang Qi and Liu Caiyu - Sep 23, 2022

1/2

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, in a meeting which Wong described as "constructive."

The second meeting between the two diplomats in three months signals Beijing-Canberra ties have warmed up slightly with the new Australian government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. But some analysts said that Australia needs to make more concrete and substantive efforts in fixing ties with its largest trade partner, as its alliance with the US is hard to ignore.

Wang said during their last meeting in Bali, they stressed the importance of China-Australia relations, reaffirmed the position of comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, and agreed to put bilateral relations back on track at an early date based on mutual respect.

"A constructive conversation with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi tonight… The meeting reaffirmed the Australian Government's view that it is in the interests of both sides to continue on the path of stabilizing the relationship," Wong said in a post-meeting Twitter post on Friday. In a picture, Wong is seen shaking hands with Wang, with a smile not completely hidden by a mask.

The ministers' face-to-face-meeting is the second one since their dialogue at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali in July, during which Wang called on Canberra to reshape its perception of China, to treat China as a partner rather than an adversary, and to respect each other and try to get the bilateral relationship back on the right track.

Having weathered storms of the past half century, China-Australia relations should become more mature, stable, resilient and uneventful, which serves the interests of both. China is ready to work with Australia to review experience, properly resolve differences and promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations, the Chinese diplomat told Wong.

During the meeting in New York, Wong said the Australian government would continue to engage with China so as to stabilize bilateral ties, even though there is still a "long road" ahead, according to Australian media reports.

Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, described the meeting as a "pleasant one" that showed the joint efforts of the two sides to break the diplomatic freeze of the previous Morrison administration.

Wong's use of the word "constructive" is in sharp contrast with Morrison's confrontational stance, Chen said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17572572

File: 296ea4f10791d29⋯.jpg (132.03 KB, 1919x1080, 1919:1080, Penny_Wong_talks_trade_blo….jpg)

>>17572568

2/2

There were also some sensitive issues that were discussed during the ministers' meeting. According to Reuters, Wong talked about "trade blockages," apparently in reference to China's import ban and tariffs on Australia's products due to the Morrison administration's coordination with US efforts to contain China.

Wang stressed that China firmly supports the free trade and facilitation, and it's committed to building an open economy.

Wong also urged China, as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, to use its influence in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Sydney Morning Herald said. The arrest of Australian national Cheng Lei on suspicion of illegally offering China's state secrets overseas was also raised.

Wong mentioned the Taiwan question and said there had been no change in Australia's bipartisan one-China policy.

Wang said that China appreciates Australia's reaffirmation of its adherence to the one-China policy.

The two countries should work in the same direction, apply more positive thinking, send more positive signals, tell more stories of win-win cooperation and conduct more people-to-people and sub-national exchanges, so as to create a favorable atmosphere for the sound development of China-Australia relations, Wang pointed out during their meeting.

It is normal for there to be differences between the two countries, and both sides should strive to bridge the problems. However, the Australian side's "list of demands" may be somewhat inconsistent with the word "constructive," Chen said.

It is hoped that Australia can approach its relations with China in a pragmatic and rational manner, especially considering that this December marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, making it an opportunity to repair bilateral ties, Chen said.

Australia should draw on the experience of Singapore and New Zealand in developing ties with China and recognize China's peaceful development, instead of simply following the anti-China policy of the US, Chen said.

Albanese attended a US-led Summit in June, and in August Canberra participated in the Exercise Pitch Black military drill amid US efforts to pull more countries into an anti-China united frontline.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted officials of Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) countries, including Australia, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Thursday. the PBP is regarded as a small clique pulled together by the US to push its Indo-Pacific Strategy with the aim of blocking China from the region and impeding China's cooperation with island nations in the Pacific.

China acknowledged that Australia prioritizes its alliance with the US and cannot get rid of Washington's influence, but China is Australia's largest trading partner and the two countries have a comprehensive strategic partnership. Australia should have the political wisdom to take a rational and prudent approach when the US tries to contain China's development, and not infringe on China's interests, analysts said.

There is momentum for reshaping a sound relationship between China and Australia, but Canberra needs to take more concrete measures to push the relationship onto a normal track, Chen said.

"Australia's strategic dilemma in the 21st century is simple: It can choose to be a bridge between the East and the West in the Asian Century - or the tip of the spear projecting Western power into Asia," Kishore Mahbubani, a former Singaporean diplomat, said recently.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275978.shtml

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305fdc  No.17572618

File: 0752602c0f1ca0f⋯.jpg (150.91 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_Minister_of_Fo….jpg)

>>17548350

>>17565944

China told by Penny Wong to rein in Vladimir Putin, calls his latest threats ‘weak and desperate’

BEN PACKHAM and ADAM CREIGHTON - SEPTEMBER 24, 2022

1/2

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has put China on notice in a speech to the UN General ­Assembly that it must use its “no ­limits” partnership with Russia to force an end to its war with Ukraine, declaring Vladimir Putin’s unchecked use of military power is a threat to all smaller ­nations.

A day after her second face-to-face meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister has told world leaders early on Saturday (AEST) that countries with Russian ties must use their influence to deliver peace, lashing Putin’s nuclear threat over Ukraine as “weak and desperate”.

“In this pursuit, the world looks to China, a great power, a permanent member of the Security Council, with a ‘no limits partnership’ with Russia,” Senator Wong told UN delegates in New York.

“Mr Putin’s weak and desperate actions underline the threats that nuclear weapons pose to us all.”

“The death and destruction in Ukraine reminds us all how much we have to lose.”

Senator Wong delivered a similar message directly to Mr Wang in person, telling him China had a “special responsibility” to use its influence to end the war.

She also used the meeting to call for an end to Chinese trade sanctions against Australia, the ­release of detained Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, and the maintenance of peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Senator Wong labelled the talks constructive, saying she and Mr Wang agreed it was in the best interests of both countries to continue to stabilise the relationship, but warned it would be a “long road” to rebuild bilateral ties.

In the landmark UN speech on Saturday, Senator Wong accused Russia of misusing its ­Security Council veto to perpetrate “unchecked abuse of the UN charter”. She will use her speech to align Australia with the so-called global south – the developing and newly industrialised countries outside Europe and North America – pointing to Australia’s “300 different ancestries” and “oldest continuous culture on the planet”.

She argued small and ­medium-sized countries have a ­responsibility to counter global ­instability and avert “catastrophic” conflict. “We cannot accept a situation where large countries determine the fate of smaller countries,” ­Senator Wong will say, in comments aimed at Beijing as much as Moscow.

“It is up to all of us to create the kind of world to which we aspire: stable, peaceful, prosperous and respectful of sovereignty. That is the very rationale for the United Nations itself.”

Senator Wong reiterated Australia’s bid for a temporary UN Security Council seat in 2029-30, and call for reforms to allow new permanent council members from Africa, Latin America and Asia – including India and Japan.

She recalled the role of former Labor foreign minister Herbert Evatt in setting up the UN Charter in the 1940s, pushing for greater influence for smaller ­nations that risked being dominated by the great powers who won World War II.

“Dr Evatt did not succeed in his fight against the great powers’ veto within the Security Council, but he did succeed in ensuring that the General Assembly has the ability to decide its own course,” she said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17572622

File: cb1579ba40340f6⋯.jpg (90.45 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Senator_Wong_gives_her_spe….jpg)

>>17572618

2/2

Her scheduled appearance before the UN comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia. Mr Putin on Tuesday threatened to use nuclear weapons and moved to call up 300,000 reservists following a humiliating retreat by his country’s forces from Ukraine’s north.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded Mr Putin be held to account as he faced Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in a Security Council session in which the UN catalogued abuses in Ukraine.

“The very international order we’ve gathered here to uphold is being shredded before our eyes,” Mr Blinken said. “We cannot — we will not — let President Putin get away with it.”

The top US diplomat said it was critical to show that no nation could redraw the borders of another by force.

“If we fail to defend this ­principle when the Kremlin is so flagrantly violating it, we send the message to aggressors everywhere that they can ignore it, too,” he said.

Mr Lavrov — who Mr Blinken has refused to meet since the ­February invasion — lashed out at the accusations. “There’s an attempt today to impose on us a completely different narrative about Russian aggression as the origin of this tragedy,” Mr Lavrov told the Security Council.

He accused Ukraine of ­“Russophobia” including through its imposition of Ukrainian language rules.

“The United States and their allies with the connivance of international human rights ­organisations have been covering the crimes of the Kyiv regime,” Mr Lavrov said, before walking out.

Opening the session, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN rights body had seen “a catalogue of cruelty — summary executions, sexual violence, torture and other inhumane and degrading treatment against civilians and prisoners of war”.

“All these allegations must be thoroughly investigated, to ensure accountability,” he said.

“Perpetrators must be held to account in fair and independent judicial proceedings.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/foreign-minister-penny-wong-hoses-down-hopes-of-end-to-china-tariffs-on-australian-goods/news-story/8f4d2ff2018da906feffe906bd6f9a3e

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305fdc  No.17572639

File: 8b894e08338603a⋯.jpg (144.88 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Prime_Minister_of_the_Solo….jpg)

File: 7c214f97cfe9461⋯.jpg (136.69 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

>>17481731

Solomon Islands tells UN it’s been ‘unfairly targeted’ over relationship with China

David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina - September 24, 2022

New York: The prime minister of the Solomon Islands has complained that his country had been subjected to “a barrage of unwarranted and misplaced criticisms, misinformation and intimidation” since formalising diplomatic relations with China in 2019.

In an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Manasseh Damukana Sogavare said the Solomons had been “unfairly targeted” and “vilified” in the media. He said such treatment “threatens our democracy and sovereignty.”

The Solomons formerly had diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed, self-governed Taiwan, but switched recognition to Beijing in 2019. It has since appeared to move ever closer into China’s orbit, to the alarm of the United States and other Western countries concerned about Beijing’s security designs in the Pacific.

“This decision was reached through democratic processes by a democratically elected government,” Sogavare said of the recognition of China. “I reiterate the call for all to respect our sovereignty and democracy.”

Sogavare said the Solomon Islands had adopted “a ‘friends to all and enemies to none’ foreign policy.”

“In implementing this policy, we will not align ourselves with any external power(s) or security architecture that targets our or any other sovereign country or threaten regional and international peace. Solomon Islands will not be coerced into choosing sides,” he said.

“Our struggle is to develop our country. We stretch out our hand of friendship and seek genuine and honest cooperation and partnership with all.”

Sogavare is due to visit Australia and meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese next month at a time where the Pacific islands region has become a new theatre of geopolitical competition between China and the United States and its allies.

This competition intensified this year after China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, prompting warnings of a militarisation of the region.

Sogavare has since repeatedly appeared to snub the United States, heightening Washington’s concerns.

Last month he skipped a planned appearance with a senior US official at a World War II commemoration. His government then did not respond to a US Coast Guard vessel’s request to refuel and then announced he was barring all foreign navy ships from port - while he was welcoming a U.S. Navy hospital ship on a humanitarian mission.

Sogavare has been invited to take part next week in a summit that US President Joe Biden will host with Pacific island leaders, through which Washington aims to show a stepped up commitment to the Pacific region.

Biden’s chief policy coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, Kurt Campbell, said this week he looked forward to conversations with Sogavare and said the Solomons would benefit from a variety of planned new initiatives.

However, he added: “We’ve also been clear about what our concerns are and we would not want to see … a capacity for long-range power projection.”

Beijing and Honiara have said there will be no Chinese military base under the security pact, although a leaked draft refers to Chinese naval ships replenishing in the strategically located archipelago.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/solomon-islands-tells-un-it-s-been-unfairly-targeted-over-relationship-with-china-20220924-p5bko0.html

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305fdc  No.17572684

File: cd2ba94b81e8faa⋯.jpg (4.43 MB, 6555x4375, 1311:875, The_Virginia_class_nuclear….jpg)

File: a72a3a906c3781a⋯.jpg (1.18 MB, 1028x2334, 514:1167, Joint_Leaders_Statement_to….jpg)

‘Significant progress’ made in Australia getting nuclear-powered sub

Reuters - Sep 24, 2022

Washington | The leaders of the United States, United Kingdom and Australia said in a statement on Friday (Saturday AEST) marking the one-year anniversary of the AUKUS security pact that they have made “significant progress” towards Australia acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine.

“We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia acquiring this capability at the earliest possible date,” the statement said.

AUKUS is seen as an effort by the Western allies to push back against China’s growing power and influence, particularly its military buildup, pressure on Taiwan and deployments in the contested South China Sea.

The heart of the AUKUS agreement is a plan to provide Australia with the technology and capability to deploy conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

The AUKUS leaders - U.S. President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese - also said they had made “significant strides” in other areas, including hypersonic weapons, cyber, electronic warfare capabilities and additional undersea capabilities.

“To support further progress on these initiatives, we continue to promote greater information and technology sharing, foster deeper integration of our industrial bases and supply chains, and accelerate our defence innovation enterprises.

“As our work progresses on these and other critical defence and security capabilities, we will seek opportunities to engage allies and close partners.”

https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/significant-progress-made-in-australia-getting-nuclear-powered-sub-20220924-p5bknn

Joint Leaders Statement to Mark One Year of AUKUS

whitehouse.gov - SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

In September 2021, the leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced AUKUS, an enhanced trilateral security partnership. The need for this partnership is as clear today as it was a year ago. We stand together to support an international order that respects human rights, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion. AUKUS is a central element in our efforts to achieve these aims.

Over the last 12 months, we have made significant progress towards Australia acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia acquiring this capability at the earliest possible date.

As leaders, we remain committed to ensuring the highest level of nuclear safety, security, and stewardship in this endeavor. Australia does not seek and will not acquire nuclear weapons. The United States and United Kingdom are fully committed to establishing an approach to sharing naval nuclear propulsion technology with Australia that meets the highest non-proliferation standard. We welcome International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Grossi’s report to the September IAEA Board of Governors meeting on this issue, in which the Director General reported his satisfaction with our engagement. The international community can be confident that our nations will continue to work transparently with the IAEA towards an approach that will strengthen the non-proliferation regime.

Through AUKUS, we have also made significant strides in our trilateral cooperation on advanced capability initiatives: hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, electronic warfare capabilities, cyber, artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities. To support further progress on these initiatives, we continue to promote greater information and technology sharing, foster deeper integration of our industrial bases and supply chains, and accelerate our defense innovation enterprises. As our work progresses on these and other critical defense and security capabilities, we will seek opportunities to engage allies and close partners.

Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have a proud history of working together, along with other allies and partners, to protect our shared values and uphold the rules based international order. Today, as we mark the one-year anniversary of AUKUS, we reaffirm our commitment to that critical endeavor and to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/23/joint-leaders-statement-to-mark-one-year-of-aukus/

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305fdc  No.17572749

File: deefdd4fb90a6b6⋯.jpg (4.13 MB, 8087x4549, 8087:4549, A_U_S_Navy_submarine_retur….jpg)

>>17572684

U.S. in Talks to Build First Nuclear Subs for Australia

Proposal seeks to expedite capabilities for ally by mid-2030s, until it can build its own, in bid to counter China

Michael R. Gordon - Sept. 23, 2022

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The Biden administration is exploring an arrangement to expedite Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines to respond to China’s growing military might by producing the first few subs in the U.S., Western officials said Friday.

The idea is to provide Australia with an initial nuclear-powered fleet by the mid-2030s, while a longer-term effort is under way to give Australia the capability to produce nuclear-power submarines at home.

The stopgap arrangement has been discussed among senior officials from the U.S., Australia and Britain as a way to keep the initiative on track. It is one of several ideas that has been weighed to enable Australia to more quickly field a nuclear-powered fleet, and has yet to be formally approved.

The initiative has its challenges. To carry it out, billions of dollars would need to be spent to expand U.S. submarine-production capacity and Australia would be expected to contribute to this expansion.

A final decision on how to proceed is expected in March, when the U.S., U.K. and Australia have said they would complete a joint study of how to move forward.

The three countries said a year ago that they were establishing a new security partnership in the Indo-Pacific that would enable Australia to build its first nuclear-powered subs.

Nuclear-powered submarines are far more capable than their conventional counterparts because they can operate stealthily underwater for great distances and long periods. The nuclear-powered subs for Australia would only carry conventional weapons.

The alliance is called AUKUS, an acronym for Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. In addition to collaboration on nuclear-submarine technology, the countries also intend to cooperate on artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, hypersonic missiles and undersea technologies, among other areas.

The three countries reaffirmed the arrangement in a joint statement issued Friday. They provided no details on how they hope to implement the plan or when the first of the eight to 12 nuclear-powered subs that the Australians hope to acquire might be produced.

“We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia acquiring this capability at the earliest possible date,” the statement said.

Some steps have been taken. Five Australian personnel have been accepted into the U.S. nuclear propulsion program and several have been accepted into the British Navy’s nuclear courses.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17572753

File: dd6492242fdb19e⋯.jpg (411.11 KB, 1920x1070, 192:107, The_USS_Oklahoma_City_retu….jpg)

>>17572749

2/2

Since the AUKUS alliance was announced a year ago, experts have wrestled with how to help Australia acquire the submarines given the lack of spare shipbuilding capacity in the U.S. and in Britain.

In August, the U.S. admiral in charge of building new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines said producing nuclear-power subs for Australia would interfere with the U.S. efforts to build its own subs unless a major effort was made to expand the American industrial base.

“If we were going to add additional submarine construction to our industrial base, that would be detrimental to us right now, without significant investment,” Rear Adm. Scott Pappano told a forum hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

But some experts say expanding U.S. capacity is the best option to expedite the AUKUS initiative as British shipyards have their hands full completing the production of seven Astute-class attack submarines and building four Dreadnought ballistic-missile submarines.

“Some very modest progress has been made on sharing sensitive naval nuclear propulsion information and inviting Australian students to American and British naval nuclear power schools,” said Brent Sadler, a former U.S. Navy captain who spent 18 years as a nuclear submariner and is now with the conservative Heritage Foundation.

He added that much more needs to be done if Australia is to deploy the first subs in its nuclear-powered fleet by the mid-2030s. “The clearest Australian commitment would be financing expansion of nuclear submarine construction capacity in the U.S.,” Mr. Sadler said.

The Biden administration has already proposed spending about $2.4 billion over the next several years—including $750 million in the fiscal 2023 budget that is now before Congress—to increase the ability to manufacture U.S. subs. Expanding the industrial base so it could also produce subs for Australia would require additional spending.

Australian officials haven’t publicly discussed the plan. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles has said that it is important “to get this capability as soon as possible.”

The idea of building submarines for Australia in the U.S. would be intended as a stopgap. Submarine production would then shift to Australia over time with the U.S. and U.K. continuing to share technology and components.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this month with his Australian counterpart, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the ultimate result of AUKUS may be “a collaborative sub.”

James Miller, the AUKUS coordinator for the National Security Council, didn’t provide details of what such a collaborative effort might be, but said that the U.S. and U.K. would be deeply involved in the future Australian nuclear-powered submarine program.

“We are now intensively working through the details, but there is no doubt we need to have a very close trilateral partnership going forward for many decades,” Mr. Miller said.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-in-discussion-to-build-first-nuclear-subs-for-australia-in-u-s-11663963244

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305fdc  No.17577600

File: 7be7302544d24d1⋯.jpg (98.38 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, West_tramples_on_Solomons_….jpg)

>>17481731

>>17572639

West tramples on Solomons’ dignity, sovereignty by intimidating its ties with China

Yang Xiyu - Sep 24, 2022

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Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Solomon Islands, particularly after Beijing confirmed the signing of a security pact with Honiara, the Pacific Island country has been subject to "a barrage of unwarranted and misplaced criticisms, misinformation and intimidation," as sharply pointed out by Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Damukana Sogavare in an address to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday.

The list goes on and on. For example, when a US delegation led by National Security Council Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell visited the country in April, he warned that Washington would "respond accordingly" to any steps to establish a permanent Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands.

Above all, it's important to note that those criticisms are aimed at undermining cooperation that is set up between China and regional countries on the basis of sovereign equality, demonstrating that Washington has never regarded Pacific Island Countries (PICs) as sovereign states, nor has it ever viewed China's efforts in the Pacific region within the framework of normal international rules, but rather from a geostrategic perspective, considering itself as the exclusive dominant player in this region. What the US and its allies are afraid of is that cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands becomes a model and leads to a so-called domino effect in the Pacific, and furthermore, in the developing world.

Despite being a small country, the Solomon Islands enjoys the same rights as the US does to choose with whom to develop relationship. So when the US, Australia and other Western countries denigrate China's bilateral cooperation with the Solomon Islands, they are not only undermining China's interests, but also trampling on the dignity and national sovereignty of the island country and posing a strategic threat, the essence of which was illustrated in Sogavare's UNGA address.

This is why Washington insists on strengthening the "Partners in the Blue Pacific" (PBP) aimed at "coordinating assistance to the strategically vital region" despite the existing Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), in which almost all present and potential member states of PBP are included, either as member nations or dialogue partners. However, it's well known that the US is accustomed to competing for dominance when engaging in multilateral cooperation. With the relative difficulty of taking control within the PIF framework, Washington prefers to take the lead itself in establishing a new mechanism which it can dominate, namely the PBP, which is about to be expanded to include Canada and Germany.

If the US is serious about the PICs, it should not have ignored the Rarotonga Treaty, being the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone (SPNFZ) Treaty, highlighted by Sogavare in his speech at the UNGA, instead of having pushed for new AUKUS activities. According to the Wall Street Journal citing Western officials on Friday, the Joe Biden administration is in discussion with Australia to build the first few nuclear-powered submarines for the latter in the US. The US and the UK, as two main nuclear powers, are ripping apart the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and posing the most direct threat to the SPNFZ by introducing a nuclear-power weapons deal with a non-nuclear country.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17577604

File: c0f2962c8995fde⋯.jpg (959.73 KB, 4095x2730, 3:2, Chinese_Ambassador_to_the_….jpg)

>>17577600

2/2

Regardless of the emphasis on "conventional weapons" carried by the nuclear-powered submarines, their presence in Australia would mean that the country could be driven to build matching infrastructure and a port, which would serve as a base for US and UK nuclear submarines in the South Pacific, meeting Washington's desire to hold the strategic pivot connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The US is simply using Australia's "nuclearization" to remove political barriers to the entry of US nuclear submarines into the South Pacific. It would be a trigger for the collapse of the SPNFZ.

On the sidelines of this UNGA, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Foreign Minister of Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele. Wang stressed that among the six cooperation platforms tailored for PICs, regarding climate change, poverty reduction, agriculture, disaster preparedness and mitigation, some have been completed while others will be phased in over time.

China's overseas cooperation projects have two most distinctive features. One is that no political conditions are attached, and countries are equal in sovereignty regardless of their size, in contrast to the West's economic investment in the Global South. Second, China's foreign cooperation focuses first and foremost on raising the living standards and sustainable development demands for target countries. All of China's overseas cooperation is fundamentally aimed at creating an international environment of peace and development.

When it comes to the upcoming US-Pacific Island Country Summit to be held in Washington on September 28-29, objectively speaking, the summit as well as some of the follow-up measures will play a role to some extent, considering that the development of the PICs requires broader global engagement. Nevertheless, given what the West has done throughout history to the developing world, it's highly doubtful whether such cooperation can politically guarantee the sovereign equality of regional countries, and in practice prioritize their actual needs.

Past experience has taught us that small developing countries often have to cede sovereignty in order to obtain resources from the West, which is a challenge even in 2022. If this US-Pacific Island Country Summit introduces more projects based on the Washington's geopolitical interests, those plans will also repeat the mistakes of the US' investment with many other developing countries that failed to achieve their intended purpose, or even completely failed.

The author is a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275997.shtml

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305fdc  No.17577642

File: 35dfba5126b79b1⋯.jpg (90.26 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_goal_is_to_sta….jpg)

File: d5735f62858ee89⋯.jpg (88.13 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, It_is_increasingly_likely_….jpg)

>>17548350

>>17572568

China ready to meet Australia ‘halfway’, Xi’s envoy tells Penny Wong

WILL GLASGOW - SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

Xi Jinping’s top envoy has said China is ready to meet Australia “halfway” in the most promising change in Beijing’s diplomacy since its relationship with Canberra imploded in 2020.

The emphatically positive language — which for the first time in almost three years was delivered without any chiding of Australia — suggests it is increasingly likely that President Xi and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet before the end of the year.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Foreign Minister Penny Wong that Beijing was now ready to “properly resolve differences”, according to China’s official transcript of their New York meeting.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia,” State Councillor Wang said.

“The Chinese side is willing to … properly resolve differences and promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations,” Mr Wang said, adding that “the two sides should meet each other halfway”.

The official Chinese language transcript of the meeting released by State Councillor Wang’s department over the weekend was significantly more positive than that released after his first meeting with Senator Wong in July in Bali.

The official Chinese account of the recent New York meeting did not include a numbered list of actions Australia needed to take to repair the relationship, a welcome change for Canberra.

“In the Bali statement, Wang was obviously lecturing Australia on what to do,” said Han Yang, a former junior Chinese diplomat who now lives in Sydney.

“But the New York statement is more humble and conciliatory,” Mr Han told The Australian.

Beijing also used its propaganda machine over the weekend to send clear signals that Mr Xi has ordered an adjustment in China’s handling of Australia.

The party state’s combative Global Times said the meeting was “constructive”, an unusually positive note for the masthead.

Even one of Canberra’s most trenchant critics Cheng Hong, an influential member of China’s Australian studies community and a professor at Shanghai’s East China Normal University, said the meeting was a “pleasant one”.

Most unusually, on the day of the Wang-Wong meeting the Xi family’s love of Australia was promoted by the People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s most authoritative paper.

“Like his father Xi Zhongxun, Xi Jinping has also devoted a lot of energy to promoting exchanges and co-operation between Chinese and Australian cities, territories and states,” said the People’s Daily.

Beijing’s change of tone comes after months of careful diplomacy by the Albanese government.

Prime Minister Albanese has managed expectations about the scope of improvement in the relationship.

“What I want to see is that we will cooperate with China where we can, but we will stand up for Australian values where we must, and that is something China needs to come to terms with,” Mr Albanese said last week.

The Prime Minister has made it clear that as long as Beijing’s trade bans continue, Australia could not support China’s entry into the CPTPP trade pact.

After the New York meeting, Foreign Minister Wong said once again that Australia’s goal was a “stabilisation” of the troubled relationship — avoiding the word “reset”, which many in Canberra worry sets up unrealistic expectations about what is possible.

China’s statement on the meeting noted that Senator Wong had told her Chinese counterpart that Australia would take a “constructive” approach while continuing its “forthright communication” with Beijing.

“That’s Canberra’s way of saying: while Australia is happy to see some positive signals in the relationship, Australia will continue to talk about topics inconvenient to China’s ears,” said Wen-Ti Sung, a China specialist at the ANU.

Despite its change in tone, China has maintained the trade bans it has on Australian exports, which previously were worth more than $20 billion a year. Australians Cheng Lei and Dr Yang Hengjun both remain in prison in Beijing on vague charges.

Australian government officials believe any change from the Chinese on these issues would require a decision by Mr Xi personally.

The Chinese President and Australian Prime Minister are both scheduled to attend the G20 leaders’ meeting in November in Bali, where they could end the nearly three year break in leader-level meetings.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/china-ready-to-meet-australia-halfway-xis-envoy-tells-penny-wong/news-story/5a77154d6a047f85f9365f5ccca57a24

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305fdc  No.17577683

File: cc098a14ab02faf⋯.jpg (3.12 MB, 1028x6940, 257:1735, In_this_old_photo_there_is….jpg)

File: 431827df960a76e⋯.jpg (170.23 KB, 1080x1558, 540:779, In_November_2014_the_then_….jpg)

File: 0b400aecb7c55ef⋯.jpg (45.89 KB, 500x284, 125:71, On_November_17_2014_Presid….jpg)

>>17577642

(Google translation)

In this old photo, there is the Australian love between Xi Jinping and his father | President Xi's national gift story

Study Group - September 23, 2022

1/2

In November 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping went to Oceania, and his first stop came to Australia.

This is the fifth time Xi Jinping has set foot on the Australian mainland since 1988. In order to welcome the "Chinese leader who knows Australia best", the Australian side selected a warm gift - a photo of Xi Zhongxun's visit to Australia from the end of November to the beginning of December 1979.

In the early days of reform and opening up, Xi Zhongxun, who worked in Guangdong, led a delegation to pay a friendly visit to New South Wales, Australia. It was seven years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia, and there was no direct flight from Guangzhou to Australia, so the group had to take the train to Hong Kong, and then transfer to a plane to NSW.

It lasted more than ten days and traveled thousands of miles. In Australia, Xi Zhongxun not only "saw and learned a lot", but also signed a joint statement with the then NSW Premier Neville Wren that Guangdong and NSW became sister provinces and states. In this old photo presented to Xi Jinping, Xi Zhongxun, dressed in a Chinese tunic suit, is in high spirits and holds Ren's hand tightly.

Like his father Xi Zhongxun, Xi Jinping has also devoted a lot of energy to promoting exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Australian cities, provinces and states. He said: "I have worked in local China for a long time, and I am well aware of the heavy responsibility of local leaders and the difficulty of work, and the important role of local exchanges in promoting relations between the two countries."

On November 17, 2014, during a speech in the Australian Federal Parliament, Xi Jinping revealed a special itinerary——

"Tomorrow, I will go to Tasmania, so that I will travel to all the states in Australia, and my knowledge of Australia can be enriched." Here, he added humorously: "Should I publish Give me a certificate?"

The state of Tasmania mentioned by Xi Jinping is the smallest state in Australia and consists entirely of islands. There, there is a wish that Xi Jinping has treasured for 13 years.

Jim Bacon, the former premier of Tasmania, was very interested in Chinese culture when he was young. He visited China as a member of the Australia-China Friendship Association and was received by Zhou Enlai. In November 1999, Bacon visited Fujian as the governor of Tasmania and met Xi Jinping working in Fujian for the first time.

"Both of them have straightforward personalities, and they can chat very well," recalled the staff of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office who was in charge of reception affairs. Bacon told friends in Fujian that he likes Xi Jinping very much, saying that he is "outstanding" and "has an international vision, and has his own unique views on many international issues", and said that "I will strive to come to Fujian every other year." .

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17577686

File: 74963f91f62875b⋯.jpg (51.46 KB, 500x380, 25:19, On_November_18_2014_Chines….jpg)

File: ea0dd4e0b7bd114⋯.jpg (90.59 KB, 800x527, 800:527, On_November_18_2014_Chines….jpg)

File: e92b1fef692dbf5⋯.jpg (26.25 KB, 500x345, 100:69, On_November_21_2014_Presid….jpg)

>>17577683

2/2

In 2001, Bacon revisited Fujian. Xi Jinping signed with him the joint statement on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of sister province-state relations and awarded him the title of "Honorary Citizen of Fujian Province". Hearing that Bacon likes the song "The Wave of Gulangyu Island", Xi Jinping specially gave him the tape of the song, and at the same time accepted Bacon's invitation to "walk around and take a look at Tasmania".

Unfortunately, Bacon died young due to illness, and the two did not see each other again.

On November 18, 2014, Xi Jinping came to Tasmania as he wished and specially visited Bacon's family. Bacon's widow, Honey, said: "He (Bacon) used to look forward to your visit to Tasmania." Xi Jinping told her: "So when I come here this time, I think I have fulfilled a wish, a wish for a friend."

Bacon's family showed Xi Jinping photos of Bacon's several visits to China during his lifetime. Xi Jinping recalled the past while watching. When he saw the photo of him and Bacon, Xi Jinping said emotionally, I also treasure these photos now.

The profound friendship between Guangdong and New South Wales, Fujian and Tasmania continues, and more than 100 pairs of sister provinces, states and sister cities have been formed between China and Australia. Xi Jinping pointed out that deep roots are inherently solid, and the development of China-Australia relations needs to take root in, rely on and benefit from local areas.

During his trip to Oceania at the end of 2014, Xi Jinping visited 3 countries and 7 cities in 10 days, which made a strong contribution to China's diplomacy.

When witnessing the signing of the cooperation documents between China and Australia, Xi Jinping stood for a long time. He jokingly said, "I am tired and happy, because the longer I stand, the more fruitful the cooperation will be." The mechanism of the Mayor's Forum was established, and the relationship between the two countries was upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership; Xi Jinping also invited the leaders of the Pacific island countries that have established diplomatic relations with China to gather in Fiji, saying that "China will always be a sincere friend of the people of the Pacific island countries"…

Oceania faces Asia in the north and Antarctica in the south. Although it does not border China, it is adjacent to China across the sea and has long-standing exchanges. China also regards it as a large surrounding area. In Oceania countries, we often hear such a sentence: "China is a neighboring country."

Text / Zhong Qi

Dub / Jing Xuan

Edit / Haisheng

Source/People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, Fujian Daily, "Biography of Xi Zhongxun", etc.

http://politics.people.com.cn/BIG5/n1/2022/0923/c1001-32532717.html

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305fdc  No.17583221

File: 8bf9cc0656b3ddb⋯.jpg (153.74 KB, 1022x683, 1022:683, Optus_is_moving_to_try_to_….jpg)

>>17560194

AFP launches ‘Operation Hurricane’ to identify Optus hackers

Matthew Knott and Nick Bonyhady - September 26, 2022

1/2

Australian Federal Police have launched Operation Hurricane, a global hunt to identify the hackers behind the massive Optus cyberattack, as the Albanese government flagged introducing large fines for future breaches and overhauling the nation’s data retention laws.

With law firm Slater and Gordon announcing it was investigating a class action against the telco over the data breach, Optus signalled its move to offer credit monitoring on Monday was not the end of support to customers and flagged an openness to reform of data rules.

“I think there’s an open question about what information we do keep,” Optus’ public affairs boss Andrew Sheridan told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

“As we become increasingly digitally connected and more and more of our activities are done online and more customer information is required to be kept or stored then you know, there will be different models that will maybe need to evolve to look at the best way around keeping that information.”

In her first significant comments since the Optus hack was revealed, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil told parliament almost 3 million Optus customers had significant amounts of personal data stolen in last week’s attack and scolded the company for failing to protect customer data.

“Responsibility for the security breach rests with Optus and I want to note that the breach is of a nature that we should not expect to see in a large telecommunications provider in this country,” O’Neil said.

Shortly after O’Neil demanded the company provide free credit monitoring to affected customers, Optus announced it would offer 12 months of free monitoring from consumer credit reporting agency Equifax to the “most affected” current and former customers. Optus had already been working to set this up.

An Optus spokesman said the company would not send any links to customers and that information on how to sign up would be communicated in the coming days.

The Australian Federal Police announced it was working with overseas law enforcement agencies to identify the offenders behind the attack.

“Criminals who use pseudonyms and anonymising technology can’t see us, but I can tell you that we can see them,” Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said.

Gough said police were aware of reports that Optus user data was being offered for sale online and officers were monitoring the dark web to track down the offenders.

Noting the AFP has specialist cyber investigators in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe and Africa, Gough said: “We will use all our technical capabilities and tools to protect the public from cybercrime, but we also need the public to be extra vigilant.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17583224

File: 1dddc46ca5c4f66⋯.jpg (82.7 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Home_Affairs_Minister_Clar….jpg)

>>17583221

2/2

The federal government was expected to announce its policy response to the hack before parliamentary question time on Monday, but was delayed by the complexity of the issue.

“One significant question is whether the cybersecurity requirements we place on large telecommunications providers in this country are fit for purpose,” said O’Neil. “I also note that in other jurisdictions, a data breach of this size will result in fines amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Under the federal government’s mandatory data-retention scheme, telecommunications companies must retain significant amounts of data on customers, with some to be kept for two years even if an account is closed to ensure it can be accessed by law enforcement and national security agencies.

Opposition home affairs spokesperson Karen Andrews accused O’Neil of being “asleep at the wheel” after the hack and failing to adequately inform Australians how the government would respond.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the hack as a “huge wake-up call for the corporate sector” on the need to secure customers’ personal data.

He said the government was looking to change privacy rules so that banks could be quickly notified about data breaches. Already in its first public statement on the hack last Thursday, Optus said it had notified “key financial institutions”, though there are limitations on data sharing.

Law firm Slater and Gordon announced it was investigating a possible class action, which could allege breaches of privacy laws, service contracts, or credit reporting obligations against Optus on behalf of current and former customers.

Slater and Gordon has previously represented asylum seekers whose data was leaked in 2014, in which some received up to $20,000 in compensation.

“That was a particularly vulnerable cohort and that’s one category of Optus customers and former customers that we are particularly concerned about,” said Ben Zocco, a class actions senior associate at the firm.

“So for example, domestic violence survivors or stalking victims or.. or people that have sought or seeking asylum in Australia,” Zocco said. “For them it’s potentially harm by way of having their information be available to perpetrators who have been violent or otherwise engaged in undesirable conduct toward them in the past.”

Sheridan, the Optus executive, would not comment on the potential class action, saying it would “run its course” and the company would keep helping customers, though he would not commit to paying the costs of changing new drivers’ licenses or passports.

Investigating a class action is not the same as filing a legal claim and is commonly used by class action firms to attract the plaintiffs they need to run a case.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/huge-wake-up-call-optus-to-offer-credit-monitoring-as-government-threatens-big-fines-20220926-p5bl0t.html

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02f4de  No.17583227

File: a807ddcaa1b2838⋯.jpg (114.81 KB, 718x1280, 359:640, photo_2022_09_26_17_32_46.jpg)

Tune into the Aussie Cossack and Guru & Kaz from Colonel Bosi's Australia ONE Party LIVE at 7pm.

https://tv.projectmatilda.com/watch/live-stream-bobdan-26-09-2022_63316a3645023.html

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305fdc  No.17583251

File: 27a9fd09bb2219a⋯.jpg (183.64 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, AUKUS_plan_to_expedite_Aus….jpg)

>>17572684

AUKUS’ plan to expedite Australia’s nuclear sub construction an act of nuclear proliferation under ‘naval nuclear propulsion’ cover: Chinese mission to UN

Leng Shumei and Hu Yuwei - Sep 26, 2022

1/2

The Chinese mission to the UN in Vienna warned in an exclusive statement sent to the Global Times on Sunday that the latest move by AUKUS to plan to expedite Australia's nuclear submarine construction is a blatant defiance of and trampling on the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and is an act of nuclear proliferation under the pretext of "naval nuclear propulsion."

A spokesperson of the Chinese mission to the UN and other international organizations in Vienna made the comment after leaders of the US, UK and Australia said on Friday marking the one-year anniversary of the AUKUS security pact that they have made "significant progress" toward Australia acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine.

In disregard of the serious concerns of the international community on the trilateral nuclear submarine deal, the US is insisting on and even making reckless remarks about accelerating the deal, which is a blatant defiance of and trampling on the international nuclear non-proliferation system, the spokesperson told the Global Times in the statement.

China has repeatedly pointed out that the nuclear submarine deal among the three countries violates the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and Additional Protocols (AP). It is an act of nuclear proliferation under the pretext of "naval nuclear propulsion," the statement noted.

The US regards China as an "imaginary enemy." The act of inciting Indo-Pacific competition seriously undermines regional peace and stability, which shows that the US has a wrong understanding of China, of the world and of itself, it said.

We hope that the US side will abandon the Cold War mentality, abandon the use of nuclear submarine cooperation among the three countries to contain China, abandon the trampling of international rules for geopolitical purposes, and work with China to implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, and practice mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, win-win cooperation, and shoulder the responsibility of a major country, read the statement.

Leaders of the US, UK and Australia said in a statement on Friday "We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia acquiring this capability at the earliest possible date," according to Reuters.

The Biden administration is exploring an arrangement to expedite Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines to respond to China's growing military might by producing the first few submarines in the US, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing some Western officials.

The idea is to provide Australia with an initial nuclear-powered fleet by the mid-2030s, while a longer-term effort is under way to give Australia the capability to produce nuclear-power submarines at home, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Chinese experts warned that Australia should also be alert that it is sleepwalking into a US trap to serve as the latter's pawn in the US' strategy against China. But they also believed that it would not be easy to implement the plan given the lack of spare shipbuilding capacity in the US and in Britain.

In August, the US admiral in charge of building new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines said producing nuclear-power subs for Australia would interfere with the US' efforts to build its own submarines unless a major effort was made to expand the American industrial base, according to the Wall Street Journal.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17583253

File: 57c73a1b6c444ac⋯.jpg (140.86 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Unchaining_peril.jpg)

>>17583251

2/2

It is questionable how feasible the plan actually is, Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The nuclear-powered submarine deal under AUKUS is a blatant, irresponsible act of nuclear proliferation, and once again proves that AUKUS countries are practicing a "double standard" on nuclear non-proliferation and using the deal as a tool for geopolitical gamesmanship, Ambassador Wang Qun, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, told the Global Times in a recent exclusive interview.

Song Zongping, a Chinese TV commentator, warned it is already a fact that the US is dedicated to nuclear weapons proliferation.

But more importantly, the US is pushing its frontier against China to Australia by weaponizing Australia with nuclear submarines. The Australia's nuclear-submarine fleet would be a squadron of and be controlled by the US, Song noted.

In the Friday statement, the AUKUS leaders - US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese - also said they had made "significant strides" in other areas, including hypersonic weapons, cyber, electronic warfare capabilities and additional undersea capabilities, according to Reuters.

Chen warned that by enhancing cooperation under AUKUS in these aspects, Australia does not understand that it is actually sleepwalking into a trap to serve as a pawn for the US' strategy against China.

Currently, the nuclear-powered submarine deal under AUKUS attracts the most attention, but cooperation under AUKUS is far more complex as the organization's long-term strategic aim is to contain China's development, Chen noted.

Australia is being pushed into the teeth of the storm in the US' strategy against China. It should be on high alert that it probably is sacrificing its own national security for other countries' national interests, Chen warned.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1276076.shtml

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305fdc  No.17583291

File: e9f49c38ec8628b⋯.jpg (63.22 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Donald_Trump_holds_a_rally….jpg)

File: 28bfcfe9814c4de⋯.jpg (173.67 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_US_president_Donald….jpg)

Gloss goes off Donald Trump for even rusted on supporters

ADAM CREIGHTON - SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

Donald Trump is perhaps the only person who wouldn’t concede it: he’s had a terrible summer, culminating in a week of woe that must have rattled even the notoriously confident former president.

Mounting legal troubles, lacklustre polling and growing frustration among Republicans that the former president has done little to help his hand-picked, and struggling, Republican candidates get across the line in forthcoming congressional elections have diminished the former president’s political future.

“If you’re the president of the United States, you can declassify just by saying ‘it’s declassified’, even by thinking about it,” Trump told cable news this week, road-testing a key legal defence in the Department of Justice’s case against him for ferreting away classified documents to his Mar-a-Lago Florida home.

It fell flat even among the president’s allies. His vice-president Mike Pence’s former chief of staff, Marc Short, called it “absurd”, saying “it would make it very difficult for the intelligence community to have a classification system if that was the case”.

Lindsey Graham, a veteran Trump loyalist, said the process was “probably more complicated than that”, adding his voice to those of at least three Republican senators who publicly disputed the former president’s argument.

The DoJ’s investigation is only one of the various state and federal government and congressional inquiries into Trump, any one of which could land former president in serious trouble as he ponders another tilt for the presidency.

New York State attorney-general Letitia James last week filed a sweeping lawsuit charging Trump and his three eldest children with financial fraud, specifically for inflating the value of assets so The Trump Organisation could borrow more cheaply.

However politically motivated it might be – James, a Democrat, practically ran her election campaign on a promise to prosecute Trump – the Trump family will be barred from running businesses in New York ever again if the civil case succeeds.

Meanwhile, the district attorney overseeing the long-running Georgia probe into the former president’s infamous phone call to Georgia’s secretary of state to “find 11,780 votes”, Fani Willis, last week said she believed serious crimes had been committed and individuals would face prison.

The congressional hearings into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, which reconvened this week with promises of fresh and explosive testimony, have turned out, by the end of the summer to be the least of the former president’s troubles.

To top it off, author E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of raping her more than 20 years ago, last week said she would sue him for emotional distress after a recently passed New York law permitted sexual misconduct lawsuits beyond the normal statute of limitations.

Not surprisingly, the relentless barrage of negative press has chipped away at the former president’s standing.

In a hypothetical presidential contest against Joe Biden, who has enjoyed a steady improvement in his personal ratings since August, Trump is trailing.

An Emerson poll published last week put him slightly behind the incumbent president, 45 per cent to 44 per cent. Another poll, by the Washington Post, found not only the same gap in Biden’s favour, but a 20-percentage point drop in support for Trump among Republicans, compared with 2020.

The legal and political baggage is becoming too great, it seems, even for Trump’s rusted-on supporters.

The Florida governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, is now the favourite to win the 2024 Republican nomination, according to political betting houses.

“The Old Crow’s a piece of shit,” Trump said of Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, according to a new book by New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman, excerpts of which emerged on Sunday, reflecting an enmity between the two men going back years.

The feeling is mutual for some senior Republican figures who cannot understand why Trump won’t unleash some of his $US124m ($190m) political war chest to help his senate candidates, especially in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Ohio, states the GOP must win to retake the senate.

A big win in November for Republicans might be Trump’s best chance at rehabilitation, at least politically, among the Republicans and the electorate at large.

Trump often says he is the most persecuted American in history, which may well be true. Whether it’s justified or not will become clearer after Americans go to the polls in November, and the multiple investigations into him wind up.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/gloss-goes-off-donald-trump-for-even-rusted-on-supporters/news-story/2a0830a87486bf88c96894d2458619e2

>You attack those you fear the most.

>Nothing can stop what is coming.

>Nothing.

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305fdc  No.17588820

File: 03ce10fe22ee908⋯.jpg (64.79 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_data_viewed_by_The_Aus….jpg)

File: 4f7094a98d03d1b⋯.jpg (328.11 KB, 826x850, 413:425, JK_2.jpg)

File: ca23d5f21c75fb6⋯.jpg (89.54 KB, 1928x374, 964:187, Fdm5IOXVsAARKJA.jpg)

>>17560194

‘Too many eyes’: Optus hacker deletes data, apologises to customers; FBI joins probe

DAVID SWAN and CHLOE WHELAN - SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

1/2

The hacker purportedly behind the massive Optus data breach has seemingly deleted the stolen data and apologised to Optus customers, declaring “we will not sale data to anyone [sic].”

The user ‘Optusdata’ has removed their original post, on a popular online data breach forum, which called for Optus to pay a $US1m cyber ransom within seven days.

“Too many eyes. We will not sale data to anyone. We cant [sic] if we even want to: personally deleted data from drive (Only copy),” the user wrote on Tuesday. “Sorry too [sic] 10,200 Australian whos data was leaked.

“Australia will see no gain in fraud, this can be monitored. Maybe for 10,200 Australian but rest of population no. Very sorry to you.

“Deepest apology to Optus for this. Hope all goes well from this

“Optus if your [sic] reading we would have reported exploit if you had method to contact. No security mail, no bug bountys [sic], no way too [sic] message.

“Ransomware not payed [sic] but we dont [sic] care any more. Was mistake to scrape publish data in first place.

FBI among agencies called in

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says the FBI has been called in to help with the investigation into the data breach.

“The government, as well as the Australian Federal Police and other government agencies, are working closely together on the Optus data breach,” Mr Dreyfus said today.

“The Australian Federal Police is taking this very seriously with a large number of officers involved, working with other federal government agencies and state and territory police and with the FBI in the United States and with industry.

“I would also like to reinforce the message that has been given by the Privacy Commissioner publicly, which is that all Optus customers should be vigilant. Do not click on any links in a text message.

“Check all web site sources – just check that it is an official website before taking any future action.

“If you are unsure about why you are being asked to divulge private information, stop and verify who the person or organisation is that is making that request of you.

“To affected Optus customers, I can say that the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner web site has further advice. Please visit oaic.gov.au and follow the prompts.”

The user earlier on Tuesday had posted 10,000 customer records online – including Medicare numbers – as Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin defended her company’s actions, declaring “we are not the villains”.

The anonymous user going behind the name ‘Optusdata’, leaked the customer records after earlier asking for a $US1m cyber ransom from Optus. The hacker has reportedly stolen the drivers licence or passport numbers of some 2.8m Australians, and overall has 11.2m sensitive records, which they are threatening to sell to other cyber criminals.

“Only contact onsite! Optus if you wish to contact message onsite! We are businessmen 1.000.000$US is lot of money and will keep too our word. If you care about customer you will pay! Revenue 9B$ dollar, 1M$US small price to pay!,” the user wrote early on Tuesday.

“If 1.000.000$US pay then data will be deleted from drive. Only 1 copy exist. Will not sale data too. Completely gone!

“4 more day to decide Optus!

“Since they not payed yet here is 10.000 record from address file. Will release 10.000 record every day for 4 day when they not pay.”

The data, viewed by The Australian, contains data such as name, email address, physical address, passport number, driver’s licence number, date of birth, and whether they were a postpaid or prepaid subscriber, as well as in some cases Medicare numbers.

The data has been crosschecked with records in the ‘Have I Been Pwned’ database of hacked email addresses, and some of the email addresses have not previously been leaked, suggesting the records were legitimate.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17588823

File: f35b747fe9e4e71⋯.jpg (64.29 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, The_alleged_hacker_Optusda….jpg)

File: 7413a167e1588a6⋯.jpg (77.17 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Optus_CEO_Kelly_Bayer_Rosm….jpg)

>>17588820

2/2

Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin on Tuesday defended the company’s actions in the face of criticism from cyber security minister Clare O’Neil, saying “we are not the villains.”

Reports that the data was inadequately protected and open for the taking, reiterated in comments from cybersecurity minister Clare O’Neil on Monday, were inaccurate, Ms Bayer Rosmarin said.

“We definitely know this is the work of some bad actors, and really they are the villains in this story,” Ms Rosmarin said in an interview on Tuesday.

“It’s clearly not as simple as has been written in the press, but what I can say is our customer data is encrypted and there are multiple levels of security.”

In response to questions regarding European privacy laws, which expose telcos to millions in fines for similar breaches, Ms Bayer Rosmarin said: “I’m not sure how penalties would benefit anybody.

“The data that has been accessed was most likely out there already,” she said. “It’s a good reminder for people to be super vigilant.”

Ms Rosmarin continues to resist calls that she resign.

“I don’t think anyone is saying that,” she said. “I think in these situations you want someone to be focused on helping customers avoid any harm and that’s all I’m thinking about.”

She added that Optus would work to rebuild trust with its 11 million customers.

“I think we can only deal with the cards that are dealt us, and we are facing into this with accountability, honesty, and transparency,” she said. “Our teams are rallying and working really hard to support customers who understandably have questions. I think we’re operating with enormous integrity. And I think our customers will remember that we’ve done that.”

Optus has contacted customers whose identifying information — including passport and licence numbers — was stolen. It is now contacting those who had other information stolen, such as addresses and contact details, Ms Bayer Rosmarin added.

As The Australian reported on Monday law firm Slater and Gordon, which previously acted on behalf of thousands of asylum seekers who had their personal information leaked online in 2014, is investigating a class-action lawsuit and is encouraging any concerned Optus customers to register their interest in a lawsuit on its website.

“This is potentially the most serious privacy breach in Australian history, both in terms of the number of affected people and the nature of the information disclosed,” Slater and Gordon senior associate Ben Zocco said.

The NSW Government is looking to reissue identity documents to those affected by the Optus hack. Digital Minister Victor Dominello announced he was working behind the scenes with Optus and other government agencies to fast track the reissuing of licenses to those affected by the breach.

“Behind the scenes the NSW Department of Customer Service, Transport for NSW, Cyber Security NSW, ID Support and Registry of Births Death and Marriages – are working with Optus to make the process of reissuing of NSW identity documents as seamless as possible,” he said.

“Customers who are notified by Optus that both their driver's licence number and their driver's licence card number have been compromised are strongly advised to apply for a replacement licence.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/optus-hacker-releases-10000-records/news-story/dc9dceb4081d872bb9e49139c5b4e93d

https://twitter.com/Jeremy_Kirk/status/1574493399222083586

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305fdc  No.17588834

File: d80ad8dd9d24632⋯.jpg (226.07 KB, 1280x960, 4:3, Former_Australian_prime_mi….jpg)

File: 85681fb9b6f75e0⋯.jpg (352.84 KB, 1280x960, 4:3, Former_Australian_prime_mi….jpg)

File: a7bcaa50dca5bee⋯.jpg (154.6 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Australian_Prime_Minister_….jpg)

File: 81da45573062a63⋯.jpg (123.98 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Mr_Albanese_and_US_Vice_Pr….jpg)

Anthony Albanese meets Kamala Harris, Fumio Kishida ahead of Shinzo Abe funeral

WILL GLASGOW and CHLOE WHELAN - SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has thanked Anthony Albanese for leading a delegation of former Australian prime ministers to Tokyo to attend the state funeral for Shinzo Abe.

Former prime ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull have joined Mr Albanese in Tokyo to attend Tuesday afternoon’s state funeral, only the second in Japan’s post-war history.

Mr Albanese also caught up with US Vice President Kamala Harris, who thanked him for his action on climate change, saying it would benefit people around the world.

“You have been particularly, I say that with full compliment, ambitious — I say that with admiration, with your climate goals,” Ms Harris told the Prime Minister.

US and Australian approaches would work in tandem to tackle climate change, Ms Harris said, noting recent US legislation that dedicated $370 billion to the issue.

“With your leadership as an individual on this issue, we believe the combination of the two at this moment will accelerate work our two nations can do,” Ms Harris said.

“That will be to the benefit of the people of our respective nations, and to the benefit of people around the world.”

Albanese, former PMs pay their respects to Shinzo Abe

Mr Albanese told Mr Kishida that the significant Australian presence – the most heavyweight delegation from any country – was to “pay our respects” to Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, his family and to “the people of Japan”.

The Australian Prime Minister paid tribute to Mr Abe’s enormous impact on strategic policy in the Indo-Pacific, during a bilateral meeting at Akasaka Palace on Tuesday morning.

“The relationship between Australia and Japan is so important and that importance I think is underlined by the fact that I am here as a sitting Prime Minister, even though our parliament is sitting, [and] I brought with me as well … former prime ministers Turnbull, Abbott and Howard,” he said.

“So you have a very high-level attendance to pay our respects and to show our respects to not just Mr Abe‘s family, but to the people of Japan.”

Mr Abe was assassinated by a lone gunman in July, in the most devastating act of political violence in the country since World War II.

More than 4000 people, including 700 from overseas, are scheduled to attend the ceremony at Nippon Budokan, one of Tokyo’s most prestigious venues.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending, along with US Vice President Kamala Harris, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and leaders from throughout South-East Asia and around the world.

Mr Abe was a hugely respected figure in Canberra and Australia’s relationship with Japan became increasingly close during his near decade in office.

His advice was instrumental as Australia reset its relationship with Xi Jinping’s more assertive China.

The Quad – now one of the pillars in Australian strategic thinking – was first championed by Mr Abe. Mr Albanese flew to Tokyo hours after being sworn in as Prime Minister to attend the first in-person Quad leaders’ meeting in May.

“The Quad leaders’ dialogue would not have occurred without his leadership,” Mr Albanese told Mr Kishida on Tuesday morning.

“We share such common interests, in particular for a free and open Indo Pacific, which is so important that we continue to work together, and to work with our partners as well, to advance that common interest.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/japanese-leader-fumio-kishida-meets-anthony-albanese-former-australian-pms-ahead-of-shinzo-abe-funeral/news-story/beb0917fe0b09e4cdfdc594b9ccdf8d7

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305fdc  No.17588837

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17588834

Kamala Harris and Anthony Albanese hold talks

Sky News Australia

Sep 27, 2022

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with US Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the funeral of assassinated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_lqlimIpQk

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305fdc  No.17588847

File: 34ef1f2021566cc⋯.jpg (148.65 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Jason_Miller_in_Melbourne_….jpg)

Ex-Trump adviser Jason Miller spruiks ‘the right way’ to counter big tech bias

CAMERON STEWART - SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

Former Donald Trump adviser Jason Miller believes many Australians will increasingly gravitate to right wing-leaning social networks as frustration grows with the left-leaning bias of tech giants like Twitter and Facebook.

The growth of social networks associated with the populist right in the US has been a key feature in American politics since the defeat of Mr Trump in the 2020 election and his claims that the election was fraudulently stolen.

Mr Miller, the senior spokesperson for Mr Trump in his 2016 election campaign and a senior adviser in his failed 2020 campaign, believes the desire of many voters for more right-leaning social platforms is a Western rather than a US phenomenon.

“The past couple of years have seen the worst political discrimination ever with regard to free speech and I had a front-row seat watching it happen in the US working for president Trump in 2020,” said Mr Miller, who last year founded and is CEO of his own right-leaning social network Gettr.

He said conservative voices were being drowned out by the tech giants “but I see this as a world problem, not just an issue in the US, because in Australia and the UK and all around the (Western) world, the balance between being a responsible democratic state and sliding towards authoritarianism is pretty thin.”

Mr Miller, who said Gettr had almost 6.5 million followers around the world, including 125,000 in Australia, is in Australia to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference Sydney at the weekend.

Gettr is also helping to sponsor the visit to Australia of former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.

Gettr’s growth, like that of other US right-wing platforms such as Parler, has been a troubled one. When it was launched in July last year, the platform’s ability to moderate content was too weak to stop people posting terrorist propaganda, racists slurs, pornography and extremist material.

The site, whose mantra is free speech and attacking “cancel culture”, has also been accused of censoring views critical of the political right and of Gettr itself, a claim Mr Miller denied.

He said argues these “growing pains” were now over and the site, which operates on similar lines to Twitter, is attracting heavy traffic.

He is yet to convince the former president to become active on Gettr since he was banned from Twitter in 2020, but he believes that if Mr Trump runs for president again in 2024, he will have to join sites like Gettr.

Mr Miller said he believed Gettr would attract Australians alarmed by the “authoritarian, draconian and socialist” nature of the Covid-19 lockdowns in recent years, which he says wiped out a generation of small businesses and undermined free speech and democracy.

He said he also thought many Australians would be attracted by Gettr’s hardline stance against the Chinese Communist Party, which he described as an “existential threat” to Western civilisation.

“I think the people and the leaders of Australia should be commended for how they stood up to the CCP and it’s tough to do that in this part of the world, in China’s backyard,” he said.

Mr Miller said the problem with the tech giants was they were “picking winners and losers based on the ideology of the person using the platform”.

“The big tech platforms like Twitter and Facebook started off as projects to really bring people together but at a certain point, they want to disconnect people who are not like them,” he says.

“So I want to make sure there’s a platform that supports free speech. I want to smash that ­notion that the only safe speech is heavily regulated speech.’

Despite the growth of so-called alt-tech platforms like Gettr, their following remains only a fraction of sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Mr Miller said he believed that Mr Trump intended to run again for president and that if he did, he was likely to win the Republican nomination.

“The more that it appears that the walls are closing in on president Trump, the more trouble he is in, the more likely he is to run again and to say ‘I’m gonna have to power through this, my job is not done’.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/extrump-adviser-jason-miller-spruiks-the-right-way-to-counter-big-tech-bias/news-story/dcf8f5865bd9baaffffab746f7b28173

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305fdc  No.17588869

File: cffe7e41f5a8b60⋯.jpg (514.16 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, Bishop_Christopher_Saunder….jpg)

File: 2ba3723ae461b7c⋯.jpg (1.36 MB, 3000x2250, 4:3, The_news_of_Bishop_Saunder….jpg)

File: e368ac4dfe2511a⋯.jpg (238.57 KB, 3000x2004, 250:167, Archbishop_of_Brisbane_Mar….jpg)

File: 7a609ecc25f19e8⋯.jpg (307.95 KB, 1241x1755, 1241:1755, 0001.jpg)

File: bad17c6ff7234ef⋯.pdf (155.52 KB, letter_to_the_people_of_go….pdf)

Bishop Christopher Saunders ordered to leave the Kimberley as Catholic Church confirms investigation

Erin Parke - 25 Sep 2022

The Catholic Church has confirmed it is undertaking an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against resigned Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders.

It has also ordered that the 72-year-old leave the outback diocese where he has been a priest and bishop for more than 50 years.

In a rare statement released on Saturday night, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said a Vos Estis Lux Mundi investigation was underway.

"The Holy See has initiated a canonical investigation into former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders, with Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane appointed to oversee the investigation," the statement said.

"Bishop Saunders stood aside … after media reports that Western Australia Police had begun an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

"He strongly denies the allegations."

The ABC first reported in February that the inquiry had commenced, after obtaining leaked documents confirming the process had begun.

It is unclear why the Catholic church has chosen to comment publicly now.

To 'pursue truth and justice'

Archbishop Coleridge said the inquiry had commenced after WA Police closed their investigation without laying charges.

"I have assembled a team of people who are highly qualified to conduct this investigation in a thorough way, mindful of the particular needs of the people of the diocese of Broome," he said.

"Their job will be to gather, as best they can, all relevant information to pursue truth and justice for everyone involved."

It is believed to be the first time a Vos Estis Lux Mundi inquiry has been conducted in Australia.

The accountability protocol was introduced by Pope Francis in 2019 and guides the response to allegations made against senior clerics such as bishops.

The Vos Estis guidelines set out a three-month investigation period, but an extension has been granted in the case of Bishop Saunders.

Bishop told to leave

A pre-prepared statement was read to parishioners who attended mass at Broome Cathedral on Saturday night.

They were told that Bishop Saunders, who has continued to live at a church-owned property in Broome, had been asked to leave.

"The Holy See has also authorised Archbishop Coleridge to issue a decree stipulating that Bishop Saunders is to reside outside the diocese of Broome for the duration of the investigation," the statement said.

"That decree has been issued."

The decision to physically remove Bishop Saunders from the community came nearly four years after the first sexual misconduct report was made to police by a man who lived within the vast Broome diocese.

Police commenced an investigation codenamed Operation Whiteplane but the file bounced between detectives in Broome, Kununurra and Perth before being closed without charges being laid.

Bishop Saunders remained the senior cleric for the region, only standing aside in March 2020 when the allegations become public.

He resigned a year later after more than 50 years serving as a priest and bishop in the Kimberley region.

Bishop Michael Morrissey, from the Geraldton diocese, has since been overseeing the eight Kimberley parishes.

No police charges have been laid against Bishop Saunders.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-25/catholic-church-confirms-investigation-into-former-broome-bishop/101472156

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/22924727/letter-to-the-people-of-god-of-the-diocese-of-broome.pdf

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305fdc  No.17588894

File: af3f6d7abf67b5c⋯.jpg (1.93 MB, 3729x2515, 3729:2515, Bishop_Christopher_Saunder….jpg)

File: b626872b542427f⋯.jpg (577.69 KB, 1240x1755, 248:351, 001.jpg)

File: c0844c727df5e70⋯.pdf (330.67 KB, Church_opens_canonical_inv….pdf)

>>17588869

Australian archbishop investigating retired bishop on abuse allegations

Michael Sainsbury, Catholic News Service - Sep 26, 2022

Australian Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane will conduct an investigation into retired Bishop Christopher Saunders of Broome, using a process established by Pope Francis in 2019.

Young Aboriginal men from towns and bush communities in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia accused Bishop Saunders of sexual misconduct. The bishop has denied the allegations.

Local media reported the inquiry in February, but it was not confirmed until late September.

Coleridge is president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

The church investigation comes 14 months after police closed a three-year investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Saunders, who was not charged. While the church’s investigation is underway, the Vatican ordered that Saunders leave the diocese, where he has continued living since resigning in August 2021.

During 2020 and 2021, retired Bishop Peter Ingham of Wollongong traveled to Broome and interviewed parishioners, diocesan staff and volunteers about Saunders’ management style and financial management, but he did not investigate the sexual misconduct allegations due to the police investigation underway at the time.

Police have provided interviews with the accusers to church officials.

The investigation will be conducted under a process established in 2019 by Pope Francis in a motu proprio titled, “Vos Estis Lux Mundi,” outlining procedures for reporting allegations of sexual abuse and for holding accountable bishops, eparchs and religious superiors who protect abusers.

The papal document asks the investigator to report on progress every 30 days and submit a final report within three months, but the Australian church has gained additional time from the Vatican.

The process outlined for investigating bishops and other superiors is believed to have been used less than a dozen times anywhere in the world, with six confirmed ‘Vos Estis’ investigations into bishops in the United States.

Its three-year trial period was over June 1, but the process appears to still be in use. It can be triggered by child or vulnerable adult sexual abuse allegations, the possession of child abuse material or covering up of sexual abuse allegations by senior clerics.

“The church’s protocols, particularly those enshrined in Pope Francis’ document ‘Vos Estis Lux Mundi,’ mean the outcome of a police investigation does not prevent the church from conducting its own inquiry,” Coleridge said.

“I have assembled a team of people who are highly qualified to conduct this investigation in a thorough way, mindful of the particular needs of the people of the Diocese of Broome,” he said. “Their job will be to gather, as best they can, all relevant information to pursue truth and justice for everyone involved.”

The investigation comes amid increasing legal cases against the church and some senior clerics in Australia. These include a civil suit against Cardinal George Pell, who was found guilty, but later acquitted by the High Court of Australia on charges of sexual assault against two choir boys in 1996; one of the accusers is now deceased.

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-oceania/2022/09/australian-archbishop-investigating-retired-bishop-on-abuse-allegations

https://www.catholic.org.au/acbc-media/media-centre/media-releases-new/2369-church-opens-canonical-investigation-into-bishop-saunders/file

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305fdc  No.17588902

File: 8f7dd03c02e4fed⋯.jpg (118.28 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Bennett_Springs_babysitter….jpg)

Every parent’s worst nightmare: How child rapist babysitter used Facebook to find families

Holly Thompson - September 27, 2022

A babysitter and live-in au pair who sexually abused 16 children aged between eight months and nine years old in Perth has been sentenced to 18 years behind bars.

Jareth Thomas Harries-Markham’s crimes were so horrific the state prosecutor broke down while reading the facts of the offences during his sentencing in the WA Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Harries-Markham pleaded guilty in June to 94 counts of indecently recording children, 10 counts of sexually penetrating a child, 35 counts of indecently dealing with children, and producing and possessing child exploitation material.

Four of his victims were babies or toddlers younger than two.

Harries-Markham moved to Western Australia from New South Wales in 2020 in search of better employment options after failing to find work as a chef and unsuccessfully trying to join the defence force.

He was hired by families across Perth in 2020 and 2021 after advertising his services on babysitter and nannying Facebook groups and websites, claiming he had up to 10 years experience and a working with children check.

State prosecutor Brett Tooker said police arrested Harries-Markham in August last year after one of the families came forward with allegations from their three daughters.

In a recorded interview Harries-Markham initially denied what the girls had told police, however officers found images of an eight-month-old girl on his phone.

He said he had been “curious” but had received “no sexual gratification” and that police would find no other images when they searched his home address.

But a police search of his Bennett Springs home uncovered hard drives with child exploitation material he had taken on them.

He later told a psychiatrist conducting a psychological report he did not remember the offending.

A search of his mobile phone also revealed Harries-Markham had downloaded exploitation material from the internet.

Tooker said the offending was “insidious” and there had been “a gross breach of trust”, describing how police found images and videos in “methodically” labelled folders, with the location, names of the girls and, in some cases, their ages.

Harries-Markham also took multiple photos and videos of the girls naked, including of them in the shower or laying on the floor or a change table.

Tooker said some parents had believed Harries-Markham was a woman until he arrived, but they had decided to give him a chance. He said this was “something that torments them”.

Defence lawyer Amir Murad admitted the offending was prolonged and a breach of trust, and the victims were vulnerable due to their age and the position Harries-Markham held over them.

He said his client had a troubled past, was the victim of abuse as a child, and also diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder when he was younger.

Murad argued Harris-Markham was not aware of his own paedophilic disorder because he had a young mental age and was relating to his last significant relationship, when he was 12.

He said his client had shown remorse, and submitted he “did love these children”.

But Tooker said the state did not accept Harries-Markham was not aware of his disorder, because of the way he had labelled the folders, and disagreed that remorse had been shown, stating: “You can’t get too much credit for remorse if you come along and say, ‘I don’t remember’.”

Justice Stephen Hall said Harries-Markham had “regular and trusted access” to the children that he had betrayed.

Hall said a psychologist had determined the regret shown by Harries-Markham was more for the consequences of his actions, and referenced victim impact statements provided by the children’s parents, which made for “harrowing and heart-rending reading”.

The statements demonstrated there had been behavioural changes in the children, Hall said.

Parents faced trying to help children old enough to remember, or the decision to tell children too young to remember, or hope they never need to know.

“The trust they placed in you was grossly violated,” Hall said.

Hall said the sentence imposed would be lengthy and Harries-Markham would not be out of jail before the youngest child he abused was a young adult.

Harries-Markham was jailed for 18 years and must spend at least 16 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/western-australia/every-parent-s-worst-nightmare-how-child-rapist-babysitter-used-facebook-to-find-families-20220927-p5blac.html

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305fdc  No.17588911

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17532044

>>17532067

The CCP Lies About Race In America

Hudson Institute’s China Center presents Episode Two of Evening Chats with Mike Pompeo: A Message to the Chinese People. In this series, 70th US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo speaks directly to the Chinese people about the Chinese Communist Party and US-China relations.

In this episode, Pompeo explains how the Chinese Communist Party attempts to divide Americans with lies that distort the issue of race in America and tarnish the US in the eyes of the Chinese people. Pompeo retorts that unlike the CCP, which commits state-sponsored genocidal racism against ethnic minorities such as the Uyghurs and Tibetans, the United States is not racist. Instead, the United States is welcoming and attractive to countless Chinese people who want to travel, study, or immigrate here. Chinese Americans are an integral part of our experiment in self-government, and the United States is proud of its Chinese Americans, native born or immigrants.

View transcript here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.hudson.org/The+CCP+Lies+about+Race+in+America.pdf

Learn more about the China Center here: https://www.hudson.org/policycenters/48-china-center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu_88afkMSU

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fb8383  No.17589032

File: c982eb501f36901⋯.png (477.39 KB, 457x603, 457:603, ClipboardImage.png)

File: 4f35e88826ec84a⋯.png (265.74 KB, 736x585, 736:585, ClipboardImage.png)

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305fdc  No.17595154

File: c31832d99876840⋯.jpg (111.92 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, U_S_Vice_President_Kamala_….jpg)

U.S. VP Harris condemns 'disturbing' Chinese actions

Trevor Hunnicutt - September 28, 2022

YOKOSUKA, Japan, Sept 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned on Wednesday "disturbing" actions by China in the Pacific while pledging to deepen "unofficial ties" with Taiwan, days after the U.S. administration pledged its forces would defend the island.

Harris made her remarks on the deck on the USS Howard destroyer during a visit to the largest overseas U.S. Navy installation in the world at Yokosuka, near the Japanese capital.

"China is undermining key elements of the international rules-based order," said Harris, who is on a four-day trip to Asia.

"China has flexed its military and economic might to coerce and intimidate its neighbours. And we have witnessed disturbing behaviour in the East China Sea and in the South China Sea, and most recently, provocations across the Taiwan Strait."

The remarks to American sailors wearing dress whites come after U.S. President Joe Biden pledged in an interview aired on Sept. 18 to defend the Chinese-claimed island of Taiwan against an "unprecedented attack".

The U.S. subscribes to a "one China" policy that formally recognises only Beijing but binds the U.S. government to provide democratically ruled Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

China says Taiwan is one of its provinces. It has long vowed to bring Taiwan under its control and has not ruled out the use of force to do so.

Taiwan's government strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims and says only the island's 23 million people can decide its future.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited to Taiwan in August, infuriating China, which then carried out its largest-ever military exercises around the island.

Harris said U.S. forces would operate in the region "undaunted and unafraid" even as the United States expects "continued aggressive" actions by China.

"We will continue to oppose any unilateral change to the status quo," she said. "And we will continue to support Taiwan's self-defence, consistent with our long-standing policy. Taiwan is a vibrant democracy that contributes to the global good - from technology to health, and beyond, and the United States will continue to deepen our unofficial ties."

Wang Wenbin, spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry, told a regular media briefing that the United States needed to return to the one China policy and "unequivocally make clear that it opposes all Taiwan separatist activities".

RISING TENSION

Harris' trip to Japan, Washington's closest regional ally, was meant to reassure allies and deter any escalation.

Aides said Harris would work on a unified approach in a region where leaders have warily watched rising tension between the United States and China.

The base where Harris spoke is home to 24,000 military and civilian workers who could be called on in a regional conflict. It's also the home of the USS Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier now in South Korea to participate in joint drills meant to deter North Korea. Harris will visit the demilitarized zone separating the Koreas on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Harris led Biden's bipartisan U.S. delegation to the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who nudged the country away from the pacifist doctrine it adopted after being defeated in World War Two.

Biden is expected to hold his first face-to-face meeting as president with China's Xi Jinping during November's Group of 20 meeting in Indonesia.

Before Harris spoke to the U.S. service members, she stepped below deck and was given a demonstration of the warship’s missile and anti-submarine capabilities.

A commander pointed at a digital map showing a hypothetical enemy, a “hostile country” he declined to identify.

"It’s not Guam,” he explained, referring to the Pacific territory.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-vp-harris-push-against-chinas-taiwan-policy-japan-speech-2022-09-27/

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305fdc  No.17595158

File: 55250f7079bde63⋯.jpg (137.93 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

>>17481731

Solomon Islands tells Pacific islands it won't sign White House summit declaration -note

Kirsty Needham, David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina - September 28, 2022

SYDNEY/WASHINGTON Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Solomon Islands has told Pacific nations invited to a White House meeting with President Joe Biden it won't sign the summit declaration, according to a note seen by Reuters, prompting concern over the islands' ties to China.

Leaders from the Pacific Island Forum bloc have been invited to the two-day White House summit starting Wednesday, at which the Biden administration seeks to compete with China for influence in the strategically important South Pacific.

The Solomon Islands, which struck a security pact with China in April, wrote to the Pacific Islands Forum and asked it to tell the other members it wouldn't sign a proposed Declaration on the U.S.-Pacific Partnership, to be discussed at the summit on Sept. 29, and needed more time for its parliament to consider the matter, according to the note dated Sunday.

Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo said on Tuesday in Washington that countries had been working on the summit declaration - "a vision statement" - that would cover five thematic areas, including human-centered development, tackling climate change, geopolitics and security of the Pacific region, commerce, and industry and trade ties.

The Solomons note said the declaration was "yet to enjoy consensus".

"Solomons does state it won't be able to sign the declaration but it doesn't call on others to follow suit," said Anna Powles, a Pacific security expert at New Zealand's Massey University who has seen the note.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's office did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council declined to comment.

Solomon Islands opposition party leader Matthew Wales wrote in a tweet: "Strange inconsistency. Agreements with China are signed in secret & kept secret. Now insisting Parliament must deal with the regional agreement with the US? Insincerity writ large!"

The Solomon Islands says in the note, signed by its embassy in Washington, that the Pacific Islands Forum already has a mechanism for engaging with partners outside the region.

"Of course, China is a part of that mechanism, hence the U.S. seeking to create alternative architecture such as its own regional partnership framework," Powles said.

Speaking at an event in Washington hosted by Georgetown University, Panuelo said the Pacific island nations had come to realize the importance of "strength in numbers" and called for superpowers to talk to them about the issues most important for the region.

Efforts to reach a final text on the declaration ran into problems this week during a call between the U.S. State Department and Pacific islands ambassadors, when the U.S. side demanded removal of language agreed to by the island countries that Washington address the Marshall Islands' nuclear issue, three sources familiar with the call, including a diplomat from a Pacific island state, told Reuters.

https://www.reuters.com/world/solomon-islands-tells-pacific-islands-it-wont-sign-white-house-summit-2022-09-28/

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305fdc  No.17595172

File: c1dabe5e793486e⋯.jpg (189.35 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Australian_Prime_Minister_….jpg)

File: 00a59c5f0cd2956⋯.jpg (200.64 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Anthony_Albanese_along_wit….jpg)

File: a1e956ff6ac33a6⋯.jpg (280.81 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

>>17572749

US pushes for AUKUS acceleration as China’s fleet looms

Eryk Bagshaw - September 27, 2022

Tokyo: Australia will engage with US plans to accelerate the construction of AUKUS nuclear submarines, says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as Tony Abbott calls for new submarines to be delivered as soon as possible to meet the threat of China’s growing fleet.

Speaking in Tokyo after meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris, Albanese said the pair had discussed deepening cooperation through the Quad leaders meeting and through AUKUS - the nuclear submarine pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the weekend that the Biden administration was exploring options to expedite Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines to respond to China’s growing military power. The plan would involve delivering nuclear subs built in the US by the 2030s - a decade ahead of the current AUKUS schedule - before giving Australia the capability to produce nuclear-power submarines at home.

A decision on the best way forward is expected by March. AUKUS and Quad meetings are due to be held by early next year, with Albanese hosting US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Australia for the Quad leaders dialogue.

“AUKUS is important. And the relationship between Australia and the United States and the United Kingdom is, of course, a long one and a deep one,” Albanese said. “We’ll continue to engage on those issues.”

Former prime minister Tony Abbott, who was also in Tokyo for Shinzo Abe’s funeral, said Australia “can’t get submarines quickly enough”.

“The quicker we can get either a [UK] Astute-based or a [US] Virginia-based Australian nuclear submarine, the better,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

“And in the meantime if we can get a retired British or American submarine as an operational training base that would be well worth doing as well.”

Australia is facing the possibility of not having any submarine capability by the 2030s and 40s unless it makes substantial investments in its fleet of ageing Collins class submarines - leaving it vulnerable as tensions rise over the Taiwan Strait.

The security of the region in response to China’s growing assertiveness, climate change, and the Pacific dominated the meeting between Albanese and Harris on Tuesday.

Harris said it was significant that the Prime Minister and Vice President were in Tokyo together. “We share a common goal and bond as it relates to our dedication to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific,” she said.

“And the work that we will continue to do to ensure that we are guided by what we are joined in terms of international rules and norms around the importance of peace, security and prosperity.”

Albanese told Kishida that the Quad would not have occurred “without Abe’s leadership”. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, was assassinated in July.

The list of more than 4000 guests for Abe’s funeral reflected a growing geopolitical divide. Australia sent Albanese, Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and John Howard. India sent Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US sent Harris. China was represented by its former science and technology minister Wan Gang, after years of tension between Beijing and Tokyo under Abe.

“I think the clear message for Beijing is democracy is prepared to make common cause in support of democratic values,” said Abbott.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/us-pushes-for-aukus-acceleration-as-china-s-fleet-looms-20220927-p5blde.html

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305fdc  No.17595187

File: 8d5490ccb55fd50⋯.jpg (41.28 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Ridsdale_pleads_guilty_to_….jpg)

File: 7e4106f8d803517⋯.jpg (73.59 KB, 824x550, 412:275, Since_1993_Ridsdale_has_pl….jpg)

File: fb0425481d52211⋯.jpg (128.08 KB, 960x640, 3:2, Gerald_Ridsdale_outside_co….jpg)

File: 21b21b82dee7d59⋯.jpg (310.75 KB, 1108x683, 1108:683, If_you_or_anyone_you_know_….jpg)

Lawyers argue for more jail time in sentencing submissions for paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale

Laura Mayers - 28 September 2022

A prolific paedophile priest whose offending is "unparalleled in Australia", according to his defence counsel, is likely to die in prison.

Gerald Francis Ridsdale, aged 88, is serving a total sentence of 37 years in Hopkins Correctional Centre in south-west Victoria.

The former Catholic priest served in parishes in western Victoria after being ordained in 1961.

Since 1993, Ridsdale has pleaded guilty to dozens of charges relating to the sexual abuse of 71 individuals.

In April this year, he was charged with 13 additional sexual offences after two men came forward.

He pleaded guilty in Warrnambool county court in June this year to abusing the men when they were under the age of 16 while he was serving as a priest in Mortlake in 1981 and 1982.

During the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, it was made clear the Catholic Church knew of Ridsdale's abuse in 1975.

The church continued to move the priest as the offending came to light.

Former priest's decline in health

The former priest held his head in his hands as details of the offending were read to the court.

Ridsdale admitted to four charges of indecent assault and nine charges of sexual penetration of a person aged between 10 to 16.

Defence counsel Tim Marsh admitted despite offering to read victim impact statements to Ridsdale he has refused.

The elderly inmate faces limited mobility due to issues with severe osteoarthritis, which often leaves him bed bound.

Mr Marsh said Ridsdale was often in a "great deal of pain" and was effectively in palliative care while in prison.

In submissions to Judge Claire Quin, Mr Marsh argued Ridsdale's advanced age and declining health should be factored in sentencing.

"There should be a sentence that runs concurrently … not additional time in jail," Mr Marsh said.

"Something has to, and ought to, give way."

Mr Marsh also added, due to the former priest's "indiscriminate" offending, he did not have any memory of the specifics of the abuse.

Decades of abuse, cover-ups, intimidation

Gerald Ridsdale was first sentenced over the abuse of children in his parish in 1993.

The court heard today that Ridsdale would intimidate those he allegedly abused by saying "no-one is going to believe you" or "it's your fault".

Prosecutor Stephen Devlin insisted there must be further penalty for Ridsdale despite his current lengthy sentence, age, and illness.

"It cannot be the case, that if there is a victim 73 … or a victim out there that wants to come forward … that there will be no direct penalty against the accused," Mr Devlin said.

"Where is the justice in that?"

The Ballarat Diocese, which covers the area of Mortlake and Western Victoria, has been contacted for comment.

Ridsdale will be sentenced for a seventh time at a date to be set.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-28/lawyers-argue-more-jail-time-paedophile-priest-gerald-ridsdale/101481530

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305fdc  No.17595198

File: 2a416495fe18f93⋯.jpg (51.23 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Eminent_Canberra_lawyer_Be….jpg)

File: ca7e6bb14439fb6⋯.jpg (84.95 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Attorney_General_and_Cabin….jpg)

Bernard Collaery says further Timor-Leste affair details will be put before federal ICAC

Sarah Basford Canales - September 28 2022

Further details relating to the Australian government's involvement in a Timor-Leste bugging scandal will be put before the upcoming national anti-corruption watchdog once it's established.

Celebrated lawyer Bernard Collaery said he would take his claims of wrongdoing to the integrity body in an effort to resolve Australia's reputation in the region, adding there are "a lot more" details yet to surface about the diplomatic saga.

Details of the federal government's proposed anti-corruption commission will be revealed on Wednesday after it's introduced to the lower house by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

It is expected the government's model will have broad investigative powers with the ability to look into serious and systemic corruption retrospectively.

Mr Dreyfus confirmed on Tuesday there would be no time limits for historic matters, allowing the controversial espionage operation to fall under its purview.

The incident, and how others within government and the bureaucracy handled it, deserved to be put under the watchdog's microscope, Mr Collaery said.

"The disgraceful conduct of the Coalition relating to Timor-Leste requires a lot more examination," he told The Canberra Times.

"It is obviously material that should go before the integrity body as soon as it's established."

While charges against him over his involvement in revealing the bugging have since been dropped, the eminent lawyer's push for accountability wasn't yet over.

Mr Collaery said it was critical Australia publicly resolve the Timor-Leste affair amid growing tensions and mistrust in the region.

It follows a visit by Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta earlier this month for talks after concerns were raised about Chinese investment in its critical Greater Sunrise gas project, north-west of Darwin.

"There's no public interest in restricting retrospective purview if we're ever to develop an effective relationship in our region now," Mr Collaery said.

"It's a matter of inculcating trust in our country and our regional neighbours are hardly going to be trusting in us if we close the book on the Timor-Leste affair with ambiguity.

"Refusing to admit to oppressive and wrongful conduct brings us into compact with China's system and further away from establishing, in the New Zealand manner, a values-based place in our region."

The 2004 bugging of a Timor-Leste government building was publicly revealed in 2013 after Timor-Leste took its claims to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague where a former Australian intelligence officer, known as Witness K, was invited to give evidence.

The operation had given the Howard government a commercial advantage during its 2004 negotiations with the impoverished neighbour over lucrative oil and gas resources.

Mr Collaery, who represented Witness K, was charged in 2018 with sharing protected information in breach of the Intelligence Services Act, years after his office and home were first raided.

His four-year fight against the government ended in July this year when Mr Dreyfus ordered Commonwealth prosecutors to discontinue the case.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7920547/a-lot-more-to-come-timor-leste-affair-to-be-put-before-federal-icac/

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305fdc  No.17595220

File: 10e5d64b0975d05⋯.jpg (404.97 KB, 825x898, 825:898, HI_2.jpg)

File: 17a988ecff90c50⋯.mp4 (5.06 MB, 960x540, 16:9, ZroJaqrnyaOkGF5e.mp4)

File: 0acbe40d3e96567⋯.jpg (151.92 KB, 825x366, 275:122, Mike_Pompeo_17.jpg)

>>17588911

Hudson Institute Tweet

Hudson's @mikepompeo warns that the most anti-Chinese force in history is the CCP, an undeniable truth they don't want you to know.

Watch here: youtu.be/xu_88afkMSU

https://twitter.com/HudsonInstitute/status/1574557039723937801

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu_88afkMSU

Mike Pompeo Tweet

The Chinese Communist Party was founded on the Marxist ideology that killed millions of Chinese people. It's the most anti-Chinese force in history.

https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1574896765702217731

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305fdc  No.17601549

File: e0981171f222962⋯.jpg (125.27 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Wang_Qun_China_s_Permanent….jpg)

>>17531416

IAEA general conference to first review China-proposed agenda on AUKUS nuclear sub deal concerns

Global Times - Sep 28, 2022

The issue of a nuclear submarine deal between the US, UK, and Australia, and inherent risks will officially be reviewed upon China's proposal for the first time at the 66th annual International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference to be held from September 26 to 30 in Vienna, Austria, after IAEA members expressed great concern over the potential danger of nuclear proliferation, the Global Times learnt from the Chinese mission to the UN in Vienna on Wednesday.

In September 2021, the US, the UK, and Australia announced the establishment of AUKUS, under which the US and the UK will assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Leaders from the US, UK, and Australia said recently that they have made "significant progress" toward Australia acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine.

Since November 2021, the meetings of the IAEA Board of Governors, on the basis of China's proposal, have decided to include in its agenda the "Transfer of the nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)" as a stand-alone item.

The Chinese mission to the UN in Vienna warned in an exclusive statement sent to the Global Times on Sunday that the latest move by AUKUS which intends to expedite the making of Australia's nuclear submarine is a blatant defiance of and trampling on the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and is an act of nuclear proliferation under the pretext of "naval nuclear propulsion."

The export of nuclear weapon-grade materials to Australia as a NPT Non-Nuclear-Weapon State by the US and UK as two Nuclear-Weapon states is extremely irresponsible and once again proves that they are practicing a "double standard" on non-proliferation by using it as a tool for geopolitical gamesmanship, spokesperson of Chinese mission to UN told the Global Times in a previous interview.

The IAEA General Conference takes place in September each year at the Vienna International Centre in Austria, bringing together representatives from more than a hundred IAEA member states and international organizations.

Under the theme "Global Cooperation in the Nuclear Field," a wide range of topics will be discussed by delegates in this week, including the 2021 Annual Report and 2023 budget, strengthening activities related to nuclear science, technology, and applications, strengthening nuclear safety and security activities within the Agency, as well as strengthening and improving Agency safeguards.

Additionally, delegates will discuss nuclear safety, security, and safeguards in Ukraine and the Middle East, particularly Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. After discussions and assessments, the conference will adopt draft resolutions on a number of issues.

Italy's Permanent Representative to the international organizations in Vienna Alessandro Cortese was elected president and Ambassador Wang Qun, China's Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna was elected as one of vice presidents by acclamation.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1276365.shtml

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305fdc  No.17601574

File: 98ab7ecffced4ae⋯.jpg (86.9 KB, 640x481, 640:481, Australian_economist_Sean_….jpg)

File: 3316598d76dff3e⋯.jpg (235.1 KB, 1658x1290, 829:645, Sean_Turnell_s_wife_Ha_Vu_….jpg)

File: 1f1e851eb843aeb⋯.jpg (111.84 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Sean_Turnell_is_a_long_tim….jpg)

Australian economist Sean Turnell sentenced to three years in prison in secret trial in Myanmar

Mazoe Ford and Erin Handley - 29 September 2022

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Australian economist Sean Turnell has been sentenced to three years in a Myanmar jail for violating the country's official state secrets act.

The Sydney economist was working in Myanmar as an adviser to former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but was arrested in February 2021 when the country's military seized power in a coup.

He has always denied the charges against him.

His trial was held behind closed doors in a military court in the capital Naypyidaw.

Australian officials and the media were banned from the court room and lawyers were gagged from speaking publicly.

Ha Vu, Turnell's wife, said the news was "heartbreaking".

"It's heartbreaking for me, our daughter, Sean's 85-year-old father, and the rest of our family to hear that my husband, Professor Sean Turnell, was convicted and sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment," she said in a statement.

"Sean has been one of Myanmar's greatest supporters for over 20 years and has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmar's economy.

"My husband has already been in a Myanmar prison for almost two-thirds of his sentence. Please consider the contributions that he has made to Myanmar, and deport him now."

Turnell has been in detention for almost 20 months. His sentence could see him detained until February 2024.

He was also facing charges under the immigration law, but local media reported the sentences would be served concurrently.

It was not immediately clear if the time Turnell has spent in detention would be deducted from his sentence.

He was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the country's biggest city, while waiting for a car to take him to the city's international airport.

He had arrived back in Myanmar from Australia to take up a new position as a special consultant to Ms Suu Kyi less than a month before he was detained.

Myanmar's colonial-era official secrets act criminalises the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is "directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy".

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

According to local media reports, Turnell was accused of having classified documents in his possession.

He reportedly told the court these were not classified, but simply his economic advice to the civilian government.

Ms Suu Kyi was also sentenced to three years for violating the official state secrets act.

She had already been sentenced to 17 years' jail for other offences.

A case of 'hostage diplomacy'

Prior to the verdict, a source close to the court told the ABC Turnell had been in good health, both physically and mentally, during the trial.

His reaction to the military court's decision is not yet known.

Observers have frequently described his case as one of "hostage diplomacy", which the Myanmar embassy in Australia has denied.

For months he was held in the country's notorious Insein prison in Yangon, before being relocated to a special military court inside a prison compound in the capital Naypyidaw, where Suu Kyi is also being held.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17601576

File: 9b872ed49148387⋯.jpg (67.1 KB, 828x538, 414:269, Prior_to_the_verdict_Sean_….jpg)

File: 2b69a25b1c908bd⋯.jpg (86.51 KB, 720x960, 3:4, Tim_Harcourt_says_Turnell_….jpg)

File: 2f4c83ce24292eb⋯.jpg (519.36 KB, 2396x1597, 2396:1597, Multiple_appeals_have_been….jpg)

>>17601574

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'A nice bloke on trumped up charges'

Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, called for the economist's immediate release.

"The politically motivated conviction of Australian Sean Turnell is a cruel injustice," she said.

"He was convicted after a trial in closed court without proper access to legal counsel.

"It's critical that the Australian government take all necessary steps to pressure Myanmar's junta to immediately release Turnell and send him home."

Friend Tim Harcourt, an economist and professor at the University of Technology Sydney, has known Turnell for 40 years.

"He's a great economist, nice bloke and a great human being," he said.

"His main cause in life is to reduce poverty around the world and he'd developed particular expertise in Myanmar."

He said Turnell had been detained on "trumped up charges", and while he was relieved Turnell did not receive the maximum sentence of 14 years, three years was too long.

"In my opinion, three days is too long … It's just a tragedy that he's been locked up for really doing good."

"Hopefully common sense and justice can prevail and Sean can return to his wife and family in Australia soon."

Both Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, as the ASEAN chair, and UN special envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer made appeals to junta leader Min Aung Hlaing at the request of the Australian government.

"Sean's case just shows that the Myanmar junta will really stop at nothing," Ms Pearson said.

"It's now time to turn up the heat on the military junta and that means employing targeted sanctions."

Australia's top priority in Myanmar

In a statement, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Australian government rejected Thursday's court ruling and called for his immediate release.

"The Australian Government has consistently rejected the charges against Professor Turnell during the more than 19 months he had been unjustly detained by the Myanmar military regime."

"We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for Professor Turnell until he has returned to his family in Australia."

She said Australia's Chargé d'Affaires and consular officials in Myanmar "made every effort to attend the verdict but were denied access to the court".

In the wake of the coup, the Australian government has ended military cooperation with the Myanmar army, also called the Tatmadaw, and downgraded diplomatic relations.

Australia has imposed no new sanctions since the coup, although Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said targeted economic sanctions are under active consideration.

She has repeatedly said that Turnell is Australia's top priority in Myanmar.

The Foreign Minister said consular assistance would continue to be provided and asked that his family's privacy be respected.

Since the military coup, more than 2,300 people have been killed by the junta, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

More than 15,000 have been arrested, more than 1.3 million people have been displaced, 28,000 homes have been destroyed and villages had been burned.

The ABC has also approached the Myanmar Embassy in Australia and the Myanmar Information Ministry.

Previously the embassy in Canberra said Turnell had consular phone access to his family and to Australian officials in Yangon, but did not answer the ABC's questions about why consulate staff were unable to observe the proceedings.

"[The] State Administration Council has never practised such a kind of hostage diplomacy," the embassy told the ABC in an email this week.

On the "unwanted" anniversary of Turnell's imprisonment in February, his wife Ha Vu said "in our wildest dream or imagination, we never ever thought we would face this kind of challenge".

The day after the military's takeover, he posted a message on Twitter that he was: "Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better."

The last interview Turnell gave was to the BBC. He was forced to cut the call short as he was being detained "and perhaps charged with something, I don't know what that would be, could be anything at all of course".

The last thing he said was: "Yes, I'm OK," before hanging up.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-29/australian-sean-turnell-court-verdict-myanmar/101478440

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305fdc  No.17607347

File: 43d579560cedd21⋯.jpg (1.91 MB, 4728x3152, 3:2, Mr_Biden_managed_to_secure….jpg)

File: 69a168399f9772b⋯.jpg (1.79 MB, 5000x3338, 2500:1669, Pacific_Island_leaders_are….jpg)

>>17499305

US, Pacific Island leaders vow to strengthen ties with historic partnership declaration amid growing China risks

Stephen Dziedzic - 30 September 2022

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The United States and Pacific island nations have unveiled a historic joint partnership declaration, vowing to strengthen ties amid growing concerns of China's role in the region.

The US managed to secure support from all 14 Pacific island states attending a two-day summit in Washington DC, despite an initial refusal from Solomon Islands.

"Pacific leaders welcome the United States's commitment to enhance its engagement, including by expanding its diplomatic presence, the ties between our peoples, and US development cooperation across the region," the declaration, released by the White House, said.

The 11-point, Declaration on US-Pacific Partnership, was intensely negotiated.

It had initially been described by some Pacific nations as "similar" to the trade and security deal China unsuccessfully pursued with 10 nations in May.

The declaration provides a framework for intensified US engagement in the Pacific, including commitments to tackling climate change, advancing economic growth, and bolstering Pacific regionalism.

The statement also acknowledged the importance of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on freedom of navigation and overflight.

Solomon Islands last month put a moratorium on foreign navies making port calls, raising concerns in this area among the United States and its allies.

Since signing a deeply controversial security pact with Beijing earlier this year, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has repeatedly berated traditional partners including Australia and New Zealand, while drawing closer to China.

The country signalled it would not sign the declaration during the summit, saying it needed more time to reflect on the proposal and that it would have considered by its national parliament.

However, Mr Sogavare has now endorsed the declaration and was even photographed posing shoulder-to-shoulder with the US President.

US ploughs $1.25 billion into new Pacific strategy

Earlier, President Joe Biden's administration also announced a slew of new programs to substantially broaden the United States' presence in the Pacific.

The US has promised to expand police training, sign new defence pacts, boost investment in the region, ramp up development initiatives and plough more than $75 million into helping Pacific economies recover from the COVID pandemic.

The US will also move to extend full diplomatic recognition to New Zealand's two associated states in the Pacific — Cook Islands and Niue — in another sign it wants to expand its influence in the South Pacific.

The strategy promises to "elevate broader and deeper engagement with the Pacific Islands as a priority of US foreign policy" to help the region fight climate change and other pressing challenges.

It also explicitly links the US strategy to China's growing presence in the region, warning that "pressure and economic coercion by the People's Republic of China" risks "undermining the peace, prosperity, and security of the region, and by extension, of the United States".

The White House said the announcements amount to more than $US810 million ($1.25 billion) in expanded programs – although that figure includes $US600 million for fisheries assistance over a decade already pledged by Vice-President Kamala Harris at the Pacific Islands Forum earlier this year.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17607369

File: 73cc84ccc631e55⋯.jpg (2.99 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, The_Biden_Administration_h….jpg)

File: 4332ed6595d0d33⋯.jpg (1.43 MB, 4096x2731, 4096:2731, Fd3f0x_XkAAelF5.jpg)

>>17607347

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FBI agents heading to Pacific

The new US announcements cover a wide array of different programs and initiatives, both new and existing, although the funding packages offered are sometimes modest.

The US has confirmed it will expand the footprint of USAID in the region, opening a regional mission in Fiji's capital within 12 months and opening a new office in Papua New Guinea.

It has also chosen former Ambassador to Fiji Frankie Reed as its first-ever US Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum.

There's also a strong focus on security cooperation.

The administration said it will provide extra funding to enhance US Coast Guard training in the Pacific, as well sending Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands to provide law-enforcement training.

Australia has long been Solomon Islands' main security partner, but China has recently made significant gains in the country, signing a contentious pact and beginning a police training program for local forces.

The US also said it was pursuing a defence logistics and supply agreement with Fiji, and will soon begin negotiating a defence cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea.

Climate, education, investment and infrastructure initiatives

Anna Powles from Massey University said some of the new announcements showed how security cooperation was a "key pillar" of US engagement in the Pacific.

"This is reflected in the reference to an increased defence presence in the Pacific, negotiating a defence cooperation agreement with PNG, and the new [defence pact] with Fiji as well as law-enforcement training by the FBI," she said.

"The US strategy calls out China as a source of geopolitical pressure and economic coercion felt by PIF member states and makes a direct link between Chinese actions undermining peace and security in the region and the US's own security.

"Good intentions aside, this is the call to arms that is driving US engagement."

The United States has also announced a raft of climate, education, investment and infrastructure initiatives.

It will establish a new fellowship program for emerging Pacific leaders, send Peace Corp volunteers to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Tonga after a long absence, and develop a new agreement to encourage US private sector in key Pacific Island infrastructure projects.

In addition, it will plough another $US18 million into a major program to expand electrification through Papua New Guinea.

The Biden Administration has also promised more than $US130 million to help Pacific nations tackle climate challenges and leverage financing to help build resilience, predicting it could draw in $US400 million in private capital.

'A desire to move fast'

Tess Newton Cain from the Griffith Asia Institute's Pacific Hub said the initiatives demonstrated the strength of US intent in the region, but warned that the program could quickly falter if it didn't draw on local expertise and priorities.

"The Americans want to move with breakneck speed but the elephant in the room is the question of coordination and coherence across agencies," she said.

"There are a few references to this being demand led, but the overall tone is one of this being supply led. There's not enough understanding of what's already happening, and especially what is being developed through local leadership."

Dr Powles said the Biden Administration was intent on locking in its Pacific strategy and tackling its key priorities in the region ahead of approaching US House and Senate elections.

"There's clearly a desire to move fast and bed down commitments quickly. The tempo may slow down in the lead up to November midterm elections and afterwards," she said.

"But it is less clear how the US system will deliver the strategy; including building the infrastructure to do this, and that's where it could fall down.

"If you aren't building Pacific knowledge and expertise then you'll hit problems. It's that coordination piece which is missing in Washington."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-30/united-states-pacific-defence-investment-climate-joe-biden/101488038

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305fdc  No.17607375

File: 866a82aac9aab6d⋯.jpg (496.54 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Is_the_US_sincere_in_takin….jpg)

>>17607347

Is the US sincere in taking Pacific Island countries as ‘partners?’: Global Times editorial

Global Times - Sep 30, 2022

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The first US-Pacific Island Country Summit was held in Washington on September 28 and 29 with leaders and representatives from 14 Pacific Island countries taking part in it. This is the first time that Pacific Island countries have received an invitation from Washington collectively. The US has carried out high-profile propaganda, repeatedly hyping the summit as a "milestone." However, public opinion generally believes that this is an "unprecedented diplomatic effort" made by the US to counter China, while at the same time, some island countries are already worried about being forced to take sides.

Washington exaggerated the significance of this summit. This is a new move of a series of actions taken by the US to win over the region since last year after Washington began to take the friendly exchanges between China and the Pacific Island countries as a thorn. According to Kurt Campbell, coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs of the National Security Council, "the purpose [of the summit] is not just to listen to Pacific leaders, but to put tremendous resources on the table." At the summit, US President Joe Biden announced $810 million in new funding for Pacific Island countries to "meet priorities."

It's a good thing if Washington can really deliver on its promises. But based on past experiences, the US has too low international reputation for honoring commitments. What's more worthy of vigilance is that various political conditions have always been attached to the US aid commitments. It's known to all that the US' sudden attention paid to the Pacific Island countries is not out of conscience. The US has its own strategic purpose. In recent years, the rapid development of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Pacific Island countries has become a thorn in the side of the US and it's eager to remove it.

In other words, getting assistance from the US is always at the expense of a country's dignity and part of its sovereignty. On the eve of the summit, a think tank funded by the US Congress released a report. It said the Pacific Islands "are an important strategic buffer between US defense assets in Guam and Hawaii and East Asian littoral waters." According to the report, if Beijing were to "succeed in bringing one of these states into its sphere, it would imperil US military capabilities in a strategically vital geographic command area." The US wants to make Pacific Island countries be deeply grateful for its "kindness," bow to it and serve as pawns in its Indo-Pacific Strategy by offering them petty favors, which is the greatest disrespect for the Pacific Island countries.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17607376

File: 3ce9c7b00f70a33⋯.jpg (149.09 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Useless_for_US_to_use_symb….jpg)

>>17607375

2/2

Perhaps, in Washington's view, the "privilege" of "getting invited to the White House for the first time," the reception involving the red carpet and limelight, and "big dollar" aid are enough to make the Pacific Island countries feel extremely flattered and be obedient to the US. But Pacific Island nations enjoy independence and sovereignty, so they want genuine respect from the US, not letting it use a symbolic one with high-profile ceremonies that practice interventionism or use flamboyant new concepts to revive the model of hegemony based on the subordination of small states.

Similar examples can be found everywhere during the summit. For example, some media revealed that the Pacific Island states deleted a reference to the need for them to "consult with one another closely on security decisions with regional impacts" from a draft of the joint declaration, which was seen as a response to the security agreement signed by China and the Solomon Islands. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that the US will provide $4.8 million in funding to support activities like sustainable fisheries. He also said Pacific Island leaders were invited to US Coast Guard headquarters to discuss how to improve maritime domain awareness and combat illegal fishing activities. All of these are said to be for the livelihood of the Pacific Island people, but these moves label China as "a threat to fishery" at the same time. In reality, they are used as a grip to monitor and "smear" China, attempting to undermine normal and legitimate fishery cooperation of Pacific Island countries with other countries. This, in turn, harms the interests of people from Pacific Island countries.

For the Pacific Island countries, their core demand is regional prosperity and stability, as they hope that the US will accept their 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent to address climate change and promote sustainable development in the region. At the summit, although Washington claimed to take "urgent action" on issues, including the climate crisis, Pacific Island people have serious concerns, since the US is well-known as a straight F student in terms of addressing climate change. What's more, Washington's motives are not pure. The Western media does not hide the fact that the US has made an "unprecedented" effort to rope in Pacific Island countries to "counterbalance China's influence."

The US' attitude toward Pacific Island countries has changed from the long-time neglect for nearly 80 years after World War II to the sudden attention aimed at containing China's influence. What hasn't changed is the mindset of treating the region as its "backyard," and what has continued is its hegemonic logic. Such "pride and prejudice" cannot be covered up by a few new missions, visits by senior officials, and declarations of big dollar aid. It is hoped that the US can truly change the way it views the world and other countries and treat Pacific Island countries with sincere respect and equality. This is not only the proper demeanor that a major power should have, but also the minimum responsibility it should assume for regional peace and stability.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1276470.shtml

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305fdc  No.17607406

File: 891a43ef12a896d⋯.mp4 (11.13 MB, 640x360, 16:9, National_cabinet_agrees_to….mp4)

Mandatory COVID-19 isolation periods scrapped from October 14, emergency response 'finished' says national cabinet

Jake Evans - 30 September 2022

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Rules forcing people to isolate for five days if they test positive to COVID-19 will end from October 14 for everyone, with support for some workers to be able to continue isolation if needed.

States will determine how to implement the change, but national cabinet agreed to continue targeted financial support for casual workers in aged care, disability care, Aboriginal health care and hospital care.

Support payments for people infected with COVID-19 who are not in those sectors will also end from October 14, with payments that continue to be funded equally by the Commonwealth and individual states or territories.

Scrapping mandatory isolation marks the end of one of the last remaining pandemic restrictions.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said he was asked to provide advice on whether isolation periods should be scrapped, and said he recognised there were low rates of COVID-19 transmission and high vaccination rates.

"It does not in any way suggest that the pandemic is finished," he said.

"We will almost certainly see future peaks of the virus into the future, as we have seen earlier in this year.

"However, at the moment, we have very low rates of … cases, hospitalisations, intensive care admissions, aged-care outbreaks and various other measures that we have been following very closely."

Professor Kelly's advice to national cabinet noted that "continued capacity to surge the response if required" remained a necessary consideration.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said where isolation was previously mandated there was a responsibility for government to provide support.

He said it was not sustainable for government to pay people's wages "forever".

"It was always envisaged that these measures were emergency measures that were put in place," Mr Albanese said.

"Isolation cannot be seen in isolation."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17607419

File: 25bda04bd914619⋯.mp4 (8.85 MB, 640x360, 16:9, CMO_says_COVID_19_should_b….mp4)

>>17607406

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Mr Albanese said Australia was moving away from "COVID exceptionalism" and said, with other diseases such as the flu, the government did not step in to pay people's wages.

"We understand the pressures that are there, that is one of the reasons my government has focused as well on the incidences of casual work," he said.

Professor Kelly said while the pandemic continued "the emergency response is probably finished".

"We're not stopping infectious people going into the community now, and we won't be in the future," Professor Kelly said.

Mr Albanese said that had the unanimous agreement of state and territory leaders.

However, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said now was not the time to be ending mandatory isolation requirements for COVID-19 cases.

AMA president Steve Robson said people calling for isolation to be removed did not understand the impact it could have on the community.

"I think people who are pushing for the isolation periods to be cut are not scientifically literate and are putting the public at risk and they need to understand that," Professor Robson said.

"We're seeing overseas a huge upswing in the number of COVID cases again. We're coming into holiday season where people will be travelling around the world. We think it is a period of significant risk and we're urging caution."

In the lead-up to Friday's meeting, several premiers had publicly called for the isolation period to be removed.

Others had noted they wanted to hear from the chief medical officer on the latest health advice before making a decision.

Friday's decision comes a month after the isolation period was reduced from seven to five days.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-30/covid-19-isolation-period-dropped-national-cabinet/101489566

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305fdc  No.17607423

File: b8b067d954c6ace⋯.jpg (458.09 KB, 1308x1961, 1308:1961, The_military_gathering_wil….jpg)

>>17572684

Marles joins US, Japan in Hawaii for AUKUS subs tour

Matthew Cranston - Sep 30, 2022

Washington | Australian, US and Japanese defence chiefs will meet near Pearl Harbour, Hawaii on Saturday (Sunday AEST) to advance discussions on AUKUS, before going on to inspect Virginia class submarines.

The US is beefing up both its diplomatic and military presence in the Pacific as it seeks to combat an increasingly assertive China.

The US State Department announced $US810 million ($1.2 billion) worth of new spending on diplomatic efforts in the Pacific this week as part of its Pacific Island Strategy that brought 12 nations to the White House for meetings and dinner with President Joe Biden on Thursday.

“The world depends on your security and the security of the Pacific Islands,” the president said following the first meeting on Thursday.

“A great deal of the history of our world is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific over the coming years and decades. And the Pacific Islands are a critical voice in shaping that future.”

The meetings on Saturday at the US Indo-Pacific Command headquarters, just over a kilometre from the Pearl Harbour memorial, will replicate those held at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June, and come just a few weeks after the first anniversary of the landmark AUKUS pact.

A British delegation was originally scheduled to attend but cancelled because of the death of the Queen.

Washington has sent Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, assistant secretary defence Ely Ratner, deputy assistant secretary of defence for East Asia Siddarth Mohandas and the locally based Indo-Pacific Command commander, Admiral John Aquilino.

Defence Minister Richard Marles, Chief of the Defence General Angus Campbell and Secretary of the Department of Defence Hugh Jeffrey will also attend.

Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada, director general of bureau of defence policy Kazuo Masuda and director for international policy division Tomoki Matsuo are part of the Japanese delegation.

A Pentagon official said the meetings would start with a trilateral meeting early on Saturday, followed by a US-Australia bilateral, followed by a tour of Virginia Class submarines, which Australia is hoping to acquire within the next decade to fix its yawning gap in deep water defence.

Japanese members of the meeting will not participate in the submarine tour. It is understood the Japanese are interested in becoming a member of the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the US and Britain following the agreement’s unveiling in September last year.

However, experts and some US defence officials have said that it’s still too early for Japan’s entry into the pact.

The meetings are bound to raise the ire of Beijing, which has labelled the AUKUS pact as “extremely irresponsible” and “narrow-minded”.

In July, Chinese state media warned Mr Marles was risking the reparation of ties with Beijing, accusing him of positioning himself as the “forward theatre commander” for the US military in the region.

The criticism came a week after Mr Austin met Mr Marles at the Pentagon, where they shared views on the regional security environment and affirmed momentum in bilateral defence co-operation related to force posture and defence technology collaboration.

https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/marles-joins-us-japan-in-hawaii-for-aukus-subs-tour-20220930-p5bm4u

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305fdc  No.17607461

File: b3ed58c1b6c8971⋯.jpg (85.23 KB, 1000x743, 1000:743, Bishop_Carlos_Ximenes_Belo….jpg)

File: 4d8ddd3ca37f73e⋯.jpg (139.76 KB, 1000x818, 500:409, Nobel_Peace_Prize_laureate….jpg)

File: b08e66697094fbe⋯.jpg (119.24 KB, 1000x670, 100:67, East_Timor_s_Roman_Catholi….jpg)

File: 4b8f2bb8bcbffa1⋯.jpg (149.78 KB, 1000x695, 200:139, East_Timor_s_Roman_Catholi….jpg)

File: 06515d275f86a40⋯.jpg (60.68 KB, 684x1000, 171:250, East_Timor_s_Roman_Catholi….jpg)

Vatican sanctions Nobel laureate after Timor accusations

NICOLE WINFIELD, GANTRY MEILANA and HELENA ALVES - 30 September 2022

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VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Catholic Church’s decades-long sex abuse scandal caught up with a Nobel Peace Prize winner Thursday, with the Vatican confirming that it had sanctioned the East Timor independence hero, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, following allegations that he sexually abused boys there during the 1990s.

The Vatican admission came a day after a Dutch magazine, De Groene Amsterdammer, exposed the claims against the revered Catholic bishop, citing two of Belo’s alleged victims and reporting there were others who hadn’t come forward in East Timor, where the church wields enormous influence.

Spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases received allegations “concerning the bishop’s behavior” in 2019 and within a year had imposed the restrictions. They included limitations on Belo’s movements and his exercise of ministry, and prohibited him from having voluntary contact with minors or contact with East Timor.

In a statement, Bruni said the sanctions were “modified and reinforced” in November 2021 and that Belo had formally accepted the punishment on both occasions.

The Vatican provided no explanation, however, for why St. John Paul II allowed Belo to resign as head of the church in East Timor two decades early in 2002, and why church authorities permitted him to be sent to Mozambique, where he worked with children.

News of Belo’s behavior sent shock waves through the heavily Catholic, impoverished Southeast Asian nation, where he is regarded as a hero for fighting to win East Timor’s independence from Indonesian rule.

“We are here also in shock to hear this news,” an official at the archdiocese of Dili in East Timor said Thursday, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Others said they would stand with Belo for his contributions to the country and its struggle for independence.

“We accept and submit to any decision issued by the Vatican on the allegation against Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, whether it is right or wrong,” said Gregoriu Saldanha, who chairs the November 12th Committee, a youth organization established after a massacre at Santa Cruz during Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor.

He said at a news conference in Dili that “we will still stand with Bishop Belo, because we realize, as a human being, Belo has weaknesses or mistakes like others. If he does wrongdoing, it’s his individual fault, nothing to do with the religion.”

He added that “We cannot ignore his kindness and what he has fought for the people of East Timor. Belo is part of our struggle for independence. As a leader of the Catholic church, he has provided supports and solidarity for the people’s struggle.”

De Groene Amsterdammer said two alleged victims, identified only as Paulo and Roberto, reported being abused by Belo and said other boys were also victims. It said its investigation showed that Belo’s abuse was known to the East Timorese government and to humanitarian and church workers.

“The bishop raped and sexually abused me that night,” Roberto was quoted as telling the magazine. “Early in the morning he sent me away. I was afraid because it was still dark. So I had to wait before I could go home. He also left money for me. That was meant so that I would keep my mouth shut. And to make sure I would come back.”

Belo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 with fellow East Timorese independence icon Jose Ramos-Horta for campaigning for a fair and peaceful solution to conflict in their home country as it struggled to gain independence from Indonesia, a former Dutch colony.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in its citation, praised Belo’s courage in refusing to be intimidated by Indonesian forces. The committee noted that while trying to get the United Nations to arrange a plebiscite for East Timor, he smuggled out two witnesses to a bloody 1991 massacre so they could testify to the U.N. human rights commission in Geneva.

The Nobel Committee declined to respond to the allegations, other than to say it generally doesn’t comment on past laureates. In a recent exception, the committee rebuked its 2019 winner, the Ethiopian prime minister, over the war and humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region.

Ramos-Horta went on to become president of East Timor, a former Portuguese colony. Upon his return Thursday from the United States, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly, Ramos-Horta was asked about the allegations against Belo and deferred to the Vatican. “I prefer to await further action from the Holy See,” he said.

The United Nations called the allegations “truly shocking,” and said they must be “fully investigated,” according to a statement from U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17607466

File: fb93c13014b54bb⋯.jpg (123.45 KB, 1000x744, 125:93, Nobel_Peace_Prize_laureate….jpg)

File: 2028e28611aef62⋯.jpg (121.28 KB, 902x1000, 451:500, Nobel_peace_laureate_Bisho….jpg)

File: a4c864419da3e4d⋯.jpg (106.14 KB, 1000x779, 1000:779, East_Timor_s_President_Xan….jpg)

File: 45dad8eee5c119b⋯.jpg (122.28 KB, 1000x728, 125:91, East_Timor_s_Roman_Catholi….jpg)

File: 48b2f71ca0129b6⋯.jpeg (211.86 KB, 2000x750, 8:3, In_East_Timor_self_profes….jpeg)

>>17607461

2/2

Belo, who was believed to be living in Portugal, didn’t respond when reached by telephone by Radio Renascença, the private broadcaster of the Portuguese church.

Belo is a priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Roman Catholic religious order that has long had influence at the Vatican. The Portuguese branch of the Salesians said Thursday that it learned “with great sadness and astonishment” of the news.

The branch distanced itself from Belo, saying he hadn’t been linked to the order since he took charge in East Timor. However, Belo is still a Salesian bishop, listed in the Vatican yearbook by his Salesian initials “SDB” at the end of his name.

“As regards issues covered in the news, we have no knowledge that would allow us to comment,” the Salesian statement said.

It said the Portuguese Salesians took in Belo at the request of their superiors after he left East Timor in 2002 and because he was highly regarded, but said he had done no pastoral work in Portugal.

The Dutch magazine said its research indicated that Belo also abused boys in the 1980s before he became a bishop when he worked at an education center run by the Salesians.

Paulo, now 42, told the Dutch magazine he was abused once by Belo at the bishop’s residence in East Timor’s capital, Dili. He asked to remain anonymous “for the privacy and safety of himself and his family,” the magazine said.

“I thought: This is disgusting. I won’t go there any more,” the magazine quoted him as saying.

Roberto, who also asked to remain anonymous, said he was abused more often, starting when he was about 14 after a religious celebration in his hometown. Roberto later moved to Dili, where the alleged abuse continued at the bishop’s residence, the Dutch magazine reported.

It is unclear whether or when any alleged victims ever came forward to local church, law enforcement or Vatican authorities.

St. John Paul II accepted Belo’s resignation as apostolic administrator of Dili on Nov. 26, 2002, when he was 54. The Vatican announcement at the time cited canon law that allows bishops under the normal retirement age of 75 to retire for health reasons or for some other “grave” reasons that make them unable to continue.

In 2005, Belo told UCANews, a Catholic news agency, that he resigned because of stress and poor health. Belo had no other episcopal career after that, and Groene Amsterdammer said he moved to Mozambique and worked as a priest there.

Belo told UCANews he moved to Mozambique after consulting with the head of the Vatican’s missionary office, Cardinal Cresenzio Sepe, and agreed to work there for a year and expected to return to East Timor.

“I do pastoral work by teaching catechism to children, giving retreats to young people. I have descended from the top to the bottom,” UCANews quoted Belo as saying.

Efforts to reach Sepe, who is now retired, were not successful.

By 2002, when Belo retired as head of the church in East Timor, the sex abuse scandal had just exploded publicly in the United States and the Vatican had just begun to crack down on abusive priests, requiring all cases of abuse to be sent to the Vatican for review.

Bishops, however, were exempted from that requirement. Only in 2019 did Pope Francis pass a church law requiring all sexual misconduct against bishops to be reported internally, and providing a mechanism to investigate the claims, suggesting the new law triggered the Vatican to take action in Belo’s case.

It is possible that Belo’s sexual activity with teens was dismissed by the Vatican in the early 2000s if it involved 16- or 17-year-olds, since the Vatican in those years considered such activity to be sinful but consensual. Only in 2010 did the Vatican raise the age of consent to 18.

Belo is not the only church official in East Timor accused of abuse. A defrocked American priest, Richard Daschbach, was found guilty last year by a Dili court of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls under his care and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, the first such case of its kind in the country.

https://apnews.com/article/africa-religion-united-nations-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-a17ac2c60174564feda9d1a7dd7ae609

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305fdc  No.17607480

File: 0708b2bf9fcede9⋯.jpg (96.72 KB, 768x1025, 768:1025, James_Griffin.jpg)

File: 4010bde1b8f4f01⋯.jpg (54.44 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Launceston_General_Hospita….jpg)

>>17513816

Tasmanian government date gaffe prompts abuse apology change

Ethan James - 30 September 2022

Tasmania's government has shifted the date of a formal apology to survivors of child sexual abuse after realising it coincided with the three-year anniversary of a serial perpetrator's death.

The move came on the same day the state government revealed several senior hospital figures grilled at an inquiry into child sexual abuse would retire.

The state government originally planned to deliver the apology in parliament on October 18, following the conclusion of public hearings in a child sexual abuse inquiry in mid-September.

The inquiry is examining abuse allegations in state institutions, including health, education, justice and out-of-home care.

Survivors and whistleblowers who gave evidence at the inquiry pointed out on social media that October 18 was the three-year anniversary of the death of pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin.

Griffin, who worked in the children's ward at the Launceston General Hospital for almost two decades, took his own life in 2019 after being charged with multiple child sexual abuse offences.

The inquiry was told of missed red flags surrounding Griffin, including reports made to police, and of "catastrophic" failures in the hospital's handling of investigations after his death.

A state government spokeswoman on Friday said the apology had been moved to October 25.

Media coverage of allegations against Griffin was a major catalyst for the calling of the inquiry in late 2020.

The state government on Friday said Peter Renshaw, executive director of medical services at the hospital, was on extended leave and would retire.

Dr Renshaw worked at the hospital when Griffin was employed.

He told the inquiry in early September he was "unaware" of any marked changes to hospital processes since Griffin's offending came to light.

Chief executive of the hospital, Eric Daniels, who agreed there had been a catastrophic failure of hospital structure and management, will retire in 2023.

The hospital's executive director of nursing, Helen Bryan, is also retiring.

In June, she told the inquiry she could not guarantee every nurse currently employed was fully aware of a mandatory requirement under law to report child sexual abuse suspicions.

The state government is undertaking a governance review of the hospital, while the inquiry is expected to deliver a final report by May.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the governance advisory panel determined a dedicated focus on the hospital's senior executive leadership structure was "urgent and essential" to achieve reform.

He said new child safeguarding officers would be recruited and based at the state's four major public hospitals.

https://thewest.com.au/politics/tas-govt-date-gaffe-prompts-apology-change-c-8406254

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305fdc  No.17607515

File: ad6fc4b4b26e666⋯.jpg (60.57 KB, 976x549, 16:9, Griffin_s_systemic_abuse_w….jpg)

File: 3270f1b11529487⋯.jpg (109.3 KB, 976x549, 16:9, Griffin_s_case_sparked_out….jpg)

File: 5fe48a0d9e05250⋯.jpg (141.43 KB, 976x549, 16:9, There_were_multiple_compla….jpg)

>>17513816

James Geoffrey Griffin: The child abuse scandal that shamed Tasmania

Tiffanie Turnbull, BBC News, Sydney - 28 September 2022

1/2

"All of the people that knew me as a child… they all tell me that I was this joyful, energetic, happy-go-lucky child.

"[But] I don't remember my child self. I don't know who she was when she was happy, before she was traumatised."

From age 11, Tiffany Skeggs was groomed and raped by a man 47 years her senior, in Tasmania, Australia.

He was a nurse and a well-liked community volunteer - a paternal figure, she said, who filled a hole left by her father's death years earlier.

"I saw him as a hero. He made it seem like I was the only person on Earth," she told an inquiry.

Ms Skeggs wasn't the only child James Geoffrey Griffin had groomed in that way. Over four decades, he brazenly exploited and abused many girls.

One was the child of a colleague and friend. Another was a relative he bragged online about sedating and raping. Several were his patients. Another girl had a disability and was non-verbal - her mother made allegations on her behalf.

Exactly how many people Griffin abused is unknown. Authorities say they know some haven't come forward.

How was this allowed to happen?

The first allegations against Griffin date back to the late 1980s, when he was in his 30s. It would take 30 years for him to be arrested.

In that time, he gained access to children primarily through his role as a nurse on the paediatric ward at Launceston General Hospital and as a massage therapist for junior sporting teams.

For years, parents, colleagues and even strangers tried to alert authorities to the risk Griffin posed. But only in 2019 when Ms Skeggs disclosed her abuse did police investigate properly.

By October that year Griffin, then 69, had been charged with abusing four children. He died by suicide weeks later.

A Tasmanian inquiry is now investigating how a litany of complaints and red flags were overlooked. During public hearings which concluded this month, it heard Griffin received his first written warning about problematic behaviour in 2004.

The behaviour only escalated, and complaints began piling up. Among them were reports he had been cuddling a pre-teenage girl at the hospital, was giving his phone number to patients, and had given an 11-year-old a "wet kiss" on the forehead.

He was counselled and warned, but ultimately maintained his access to vulnerable children.

Most extraordinarily, the hospital overlooked a disclosure by one of their own staff members that she had been repeatedly abused by Griffin from age seven.

In 2011, social worker Kylee Pearn told her boss and HR representatives what had happened to her. It followed a sleepless night on the paediatric ward with one of her own children - she had been too scared to leave the child alone.

"I just thought how incredibly unfair it was that I could protect my child, but no one else in this ward knew that information," she told Tasmania's Commission of Inquiry into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Other staff spoke up too. One senior nurse told the inquiry she had taken it upon herself to allocate young, female patients to other nurses wherever possible, after her concerns about Griffin fell on deaf ears.

Another colleague, Will Gordon, formally reported Griffin but his complaint was deemed "unsubstantiated" without even speaking to the girls involved.

Griffin's behaviour was constantly excused, Mr Gordon said. "It would be: 'Jim is Jim. That's just who he is.'"

Only when police reported finding Griffin in possession of child abuse images that appeared to be taken inside the hospital was he suspended from work.

The public hospital had a culture of fear and cover-up, senior staff told the inquiry.

Some revealed they had no training in identifying grooming behaviour and weren't aware of mandatory reporting obligations, or how to escalate their complaints.

The head of Tasmania's health department - which oversees the hospital - recently made an emotional apology, saying she was "personally horrified" by the evidence and the "lack of empathy and humanity" shown to survivors.

"While my words alone will not heal the hurt of all those that have suffered - nor will words alone comfort those [who] will never know if they or their children were victims - I will do my very best to lead [the department] to right the wrongs of the past," Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17607521

File: 8338ea4bfebbe72⋯.jpg (151.89 KB, 976x549, 16:9, Griffin_worked_on_the_Spir….jpg)

File: becc6f464f09f6e⋯.jpg (70.77 KB, 976x549, 16:9, Tiffany_Skeggs_holds_hands….jpg)

>>17607515

2/2

Failures by police and others

Police were alerted to Griffin's behaviour even earlier, on at least five separate occasions.

In 2000, a man who had bought a laptop from Griffin told police it contained possible child abuse material. His email was ignored.

The concerned man contacted police again the next year, writing: "I do not want to think he is working in a kids ward in Tasmania unsupervised, given what I have found."

Police checked the laptop and found the images that remained on it - of children in bikinis - were "morally" concerning but legal. No further investigation was carried out.

Then in 2009, a man reported seeing Griffin taking "upskirt" photos of young girls while working as a medic on a popular ferry. Police searched his house, finding he cleared his internet browsing history daily and had a large cache of photos of young girls.

The matter was "filed for intelligence" and no further action was taken.

In the years that followed, authorities were advised two people had disclosed past child abuse by Griffin, and other concerned adults - including Ms Skeggs' mother - made complaints. On both occasions child safety services and police failed to investigate adequately.

Then in 2015, police were told Griffin was discussing child abuse online. They wanted more information about the tipoff - but when the person provided evidence, their email wasn't even opened.

Tasmania's police commissioner apologised to Griffin's victims last year, saying they had been "let down by the deficiencies in our systems and investigative processes".

'No way in hell' anyone did enough

Australia has long been reckoning with the problem of child sexual abuse.

Harrowing stories from survivors shaped a national inquiry which began in 2013 and found shocking institutional failures.

The royal commission was supposed to improve how Australia dealt with abuse cases.

But years later, Ms Skeggs' case forced Tasmanian authorities to look at themselves again.

Its inquiry will make recommendations and may make adverse findings against individuals, possibly informing prosecutions.

A review into Launceston General Hospital has already been announced, and police have vowed changes after a separate review of their actions.

But Ms Skeggs, now 25, said all systems concerned with child safety need improvement - the entire community failed her.

"Did any of them do enough? There's no way in hell. The phrase that I'll hate for the rest of my life is: 'That's just Jim.'

"It should never be up to or be the responsibility of an 11-year-old child or any child to protect themselves, and to this day it remains that way."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-62173774

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305fdc  No.17607547

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17520795

>>17520790

Prince Andrew: Banished | Official Trailer | Peacock Original

Peacock

Sep 30, 2022

Synopsis: Prince Andrew: Banished unpacks the tumultuous story of how Prince Andrew, Duke of York - formerly regarded as the attractive, beloved son of Queen Elizabeth II and decorated naval officer - whose behavior antics throughout his career as a Royal brought scandal and disgrace to the 1200-year legacy of the British Royal Family. Through new interviews with palace insiders, journalists, members of Andrew’s social circle, and the legal team that brought the allegations to light, the documentary takes a deep dive into the world of privilege, jealousy, desire, and greed that pushed Andrew; first, into the orbit of notorious sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and then into a sordid sex trafficking scandal that threatens to bring down the House of Windsor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcpYE9GnnSU

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305fdc  No.17607637

File: 11b97bedcfd6140⋯.jpg (64.3 KB, 1279x719, 1279:719, Bob_Hawke_with_China_Insti….jpg)

How China spies ‘signed up Bob Hawke’

BEN PACKHAM - SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

Bob Hawke was unwittingly used by the Chinese Communist Party’s intelligence arm, becoming involved with a spy agency front that used foreign elites to help rehabilitate the country’s image after the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, a new book reveals.

China analyst Alex Joske reveals details of the former prime minister’s extensive business dealings in China, which were ­enabled by key Ministry of State Security officials. His book, Spies and lies: How China’s greatest covert ­operations fooled the world, recounts Hawke’s return to China in 1993 hosted by CCP think tank the China Institute of Strategy and Management.

The former prime minister ­became the institute’s first foreign adviser and was appointed chairman of its commercial arm, just four years after he shed tears for the victims of the Tiananmen massacre and opened the door to 42,000 Chinese asylum-seekers. “Hawke almost certainly didn’t recognise that his well-connected friends at CISM were in fact deeply involved with the intelligence community,” Joske writes. “China’s post-Tiananmen embrace of world leaders such as Hawke was a professional influence operation.”

One of the institute’s senior advisers was undercover official Yu Enguang – real name Yu Fang – who was in charge of MSS ­efforts to manipulate foreign elites, Joske writes. Another, Qin Chuan, was chairman of MSS front China International Culture Publishing Company, which was used to provide cover for operations in the US, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.

Institute general secretary Qin Chaoying was also closely tied to the party’s intelligence ­apparatus, Joske writes, and was later appointed to MSS Social ­Investigation Bureau’s China ­Reform Forum front group.

“By befriending Hawke, CISM had now added an operational side to its history of intelligence analysis,” the book says.

It describes Hawke as one of the institute’s many targets.

Through its business arm, the Hawke-chaired Lanmo Strategic Investment Advisory, the institute sought to commercialise its elite connections.

“The company’s aim was to market Hawke and (CISM secretary-general) Qin’s door-opening abilities to foreign companies hoping to make deals in China and assist Chinese companies going abroad,” Joske writes.

Hawke also signed up as an adviser to entrepreneur Jiang Xiaosong’s Bo’ao Forum initiative, lending his influence to what is now “among the most important channels for CCP elite influence”.

Hawke travelled to China more than 100 times on business trips after retiring from politics. He gave only scant details during his life of his commercial interests in the country, and the source of his personal wealth was largely a mystery.

Joske, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and risk adviser at McGrathNicol, says Hawke believed he was influencing China through his high-level contacts, but he placed Australian diplomats in Beijing in a difficult position.

“(They were) obliged to welcome the former leader to Beijing and help set up meetings when asked but concerned by the company he kept,” he writes.

The institute acted as a “cut out” for the party’s leaders in ­inviting Hawke back to China, Joske writes.

He says it is “doubtful Hawke fully understood his Chinese partner’s agenda”, believing they were “just doing business”.

“Chinese intelligence officers like Yu Enguang would never have attempted to recruit Hawke as an agent. There simply wasn’t any point.

“Instead, Hawke’s value was that he sold China to the rest of the world, reframed Australia’s image of the nation after the Tiananmen massacre, and gifted his reputation to influence vehicles like the Bo’ao Forum.

“He was personally taking part in the story of China’s incredible economic rise with his consultancy. Through the fruits of his ‘marvellous’ return to China, he helped craft an image of a modernising and liberalising China.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/how-china-spies-signed-up-bob-hawke/news-story/1b159125fd0bd9b21f38ab35117f0353

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305fdc  No.17612933

File: f481fb0d71a90cd⋯.jpg (94.73 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, China_s_President_Xi_Jinpi….jpg)

File: 782ef526629019a⋯.jpg (144.59 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Then_president_Bill_Clinto….jpg)

>>17607637

Communist playbook: the charade of China’s peaceful rise

This is how the CCP’s ultra-secret Ministry of State Security agents infiltrated the West and fooled almost everyone into helping Beijing develop first covert and now overt power.

ALEX JOSKE - October 1, 2022

1/3

Set on a quiet road in the western hills of Beijing, the Cold Spring Base is the Ministry of State ­Security’s newest spy school. And it’s massive. With around 80,000sq m of floor space, it’s larger than Australia’s counterintelligence headquarters. It features lecture theatres, table-tennis rooms, classified-briefing rooms, a large artificial lake and multi­storey villas. A building directory, indiscreetly shared online, shows the complex has its own halal restaurant, indicating just how many ethnic Uighur and Hui recruits the MSS has.

The MSS has come a long way. For decades it was the People’s Liberation Army that most interested observers of China’s intelligence apparatus. Deng Xiaoping was a fan of these soldier-spies too, and let them manage hundreds of overseas military attaches while the MSS was kept out of embassies. MSS officer Yu Qiangsheng’s defection to the CIA in 1985 only made things worse, cutting short the inaugural minister of state security’s career. Mindful of this, the dozens of MSS officers posted abroad as journalists had to be painfully cautious. Several Chinese “journalists” were publicly banned from countries such as Japan and India for espionage and subversion in the 1960s, but things were different now. China was opening up to the rest of the world and trying to do business with the West. As an MSS officer, it was better to complete one’s tour uneventfully than to be arrested in the US, blamed for setting back China’s diplomatic relations, and doomed to an inconsequential desk job.

It’s only now becoming clear how the MSS thrived in spite of these circumstances. Though it couldn’t roam free abroad, it made sure it was everywhere within China. No foreign power could beat them on home ground. So when foreign targets or potential threats like George Soros arrived in China in the first decade of reform and opening, MSS officers had everything in place to monitor and control them.

The ministry’s Social Investigation Bureau has been at the forefront of these efforts. MSS officers were plugged into all kinds of ‘people-to-people’ exchanges with China: political, musical, literary, economic, scientific, journalistic or academic. You name it.

Towards the turn of the millennium, the MSS found its forte. It finally began to get its head around the US foreign-policy system and appreciate the benefits of targeting weak points like think tanks, retired officials and the business community. After the embarrassing public failure of PLA influence operations targeting president Bill Clinton’s 1996 re-election campaign, it was the MSS’s turn to show what it could do. Finally, it was allowed to run operations out of Chinese embassies and now had a solid network of bureaus across China to back up its efforts.

At the same time, a new generation of experts in the Western world rose into the leadership of the MSS, turning its focus from roughing up dissidents and watching foreigner visitors to actively shaping the world. The Social Investigation Bureau of the MSS led the way with its unrivalled networks in the US and in international Chinese communities, largely independent of any provincial bureaus or diplomatic missions.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17612938

File: 9813931b0015ff3⋯.jpg (86.24 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Former_PM_Bob_Hawke_attend….jpg)

File: 96dda36dbce03c6⋯.jpg (36.59 KB, 1024x767, 1024:767, Alleged_Chinese_spy_Yanjun….jpg)

>>17612933

2/3

The first key feature of these efforts was that instead of trying to play a Russian game of hardcore operations designed to flip CIA ­officers and break into classified facilities, the Social Investigation Bureau’s officers were careful and patient, and they wore their cover stories like skin. They became ­foreign-policy scholars, cultural exchange officials, poets, filmmakers, businessmen and book publishers.

Lin Di, the bureau chief in charge of these operations, spoke English, held a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and was well known to many American China watchers. Like Lin, many of his subordinates were fluent in foreign languages, had books and journal articles to their name and often held credentials from world-class universities in Britain, the United States and France. Chinese spies of generations past couldn’t match the comfort with which they moved in Western capitalist circles.

The second key to the MSS’s success was that it had long been signing up prominent Chinese officials and scholars to give its front groups a degree of verisimilitude and ensure it had plenty of informants among the kinds of people important foreigners interacted with.

But perhaps the MSS’s most brilliant decision was to bring on board leading Chinese thinkers who were seen in the West as liberal and reformist. China Reform Forum, the think tank tailor-made by the MSS for influencing the outside world, was at the centre of these operations, drawing together talented officers from across the agency and sometimes even gaining the participation of Communist Party leaders.

The MSS was taking the West’s dream of a more free and open China and turning it into a weapon that gave China valuable time to build up its power and ability to challenge the existing world order.

To many of the people targeted for influence, these undercover MSS officers and scholars stood out as the kinds of people who wanted to push China towards political and economic liberalism. They were “free agents” who could help you get meetings with important Chinese liberals, sometimes even party leaders, and were willing to share gossip.

Those who realised their friends at China Reform Forum were more than they seemed sometimes genuinely believed these were reformists within the MSS who were willing to help foreigners influence the party.

Today’s political environment, where overt coercion and aggression towards Western nations is an increasingly normal part of the Communist Party’s behaviour, has further unshackled the MSS.

Faced with such an enormous and poorly understood host of intelligence agencies, how can governments and societies around the world hope to push back?

It’s worth first considering what went wrong, because the circumstances that allowed past MSS operations to thrive haven’t gone away. Why was MSS bureau chief Lin Di allowed to build close friendships with influential Americans and speak at Washington DC’s National Press Club?

Why did no one intervene when former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke entered business with an MSS affiliate?

Why did diplomats from around the world continue to treat undercover MSS officers as sources, when their colleagues in intelligence agencies should have stopped it? Why did experienced scholars of China fail to sound the alarm on these activities?

Why, for so long, has the challenge posed by the CCP and its intelligence agencies been down­played in the West?

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17612939

File: f26f90c7ddfb478⋯.jpg (196.87 KB, 1400x2136, 175:267, Spies_and_Lies_How_China_s….jpg)

>>17612938

3/3

Despite the world’s past mistakes, the MSS now faces the toughest backlash in its history. The agency that once prided itself on never having allowed an officer to be captured abroad saw one of its own arrested and hauled before a jury in the US.

Xu Yanjun, an officer in the Jiangsu State Security Department, fell into a trap laid by the FBI after it cottoned on to his efforts to steal American jet-engine technology. In November 2021, he was convicted of economic espionage. The US government was announcing loud and clear that MSS officers, previously only watched but never arrested, were now fair game.

That’s not the only disaster that’s keeping MSS officers up at night. Numerous governments are in the process of fundamentally reconfiguring their foreign policies as the charade of China’s peaceful rise crumbles.

Australia was an unlikely first to cross the point of no return. The country is heavily reliant on trade with China. Xi Jinping toured the country in 2014, and Australia’s political establishment boasted strong ties to Chinese officials and party-linked businesspeople.

Political interference and united front work were a distant and obscure vocabulary. That is, until a series of contingent events in 2017 jolted the country into action.

Early in that year, backbench politicians rebelled against ratifying an extradition treaty with China. In June, investigative journalists produced what were then the most detailed and revelatory reports the public had seen into CCP-backed interference in Australian politics. By the end of the year, the prime minister, armed with findings from a classified study into the party’s covert influence operations, tabled new laws that gave security agencies powers to intervene in such activities. The government also began contemplating banning Huawei from the nation’s 5G network.

This was much more than a readjustment of the Australia – China relationship. It was a tectonic realignment, the effects of which continue to play out. Waking up to the threat of political interference called into question the party’s intentions and goodwill. It also brought understanding the CCP and its ideology into the heart of discussions about China, when their contemporary relevance had long been downplayed.

Nothing about waking up to this was easy or inevitable. China’s retaliation – economic coercion, arbitrary arrests of Australians and ending high-level exchanges with the Australian government – only confirmed that Australia’s growing reliance on China was fraught.

Australia is now seen as both a model for countering foreign interference and a canary in the coalmine, sending out warnings of the CCP’s coercion and covert ­activity.

Slowly but surely, the misguided assumptions and narratives that informed decades of engagement with China are being discarded. The MSS operations that propped them up for so long are being unwound. Even in Australia, this process still has many years to go.

The country’s capacity to shine a light on interference, enforce foreign interference laws, deter covert operations and build the resourcing and expertise needed to inform those efforts is still being developed.

This is an edited extract from Spies and Lies: How China’s Greatest Covert Operations Fooled the World by Alex Joske (Hardie Grant, RRP $32.99), published on October 5.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/the-communist-playbook-how-china-turned-the-wests-dream-into-a-weapon/news-story/d5ef433a53a261f916ae0b3e6da7d324

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305fdc  No.17613395

File: 1bdd0e7b412980d⋯.jpg (81.71 KB, 900x600, 3:2, Prosecution_calls_witnesse….jpg)

Prosecution calls witnesses as Vatican finance trial resumes

Hannah Brockhaus - Sep 30, 2022

After a break of over two months, the Vatican trial on financial corruption in the Secretariat of State continued this week with the interrogation of witnesses for the prosecution.

The court reconvened Sept. 28, 29, and 30 to begin the questioning of the first of what the prosecution expects to be a total of 41 witnesses it will call.

The witness list includes Vatican gendarme Stefano De Santis, who assisted the Vatican’s now chief prosecutor Alessandro Diddi during the trial’s preliminary investigation; he is expected to testify at the next scheduled hearing on Oct. 12.

A British-Italian architect, Luciano Capaldo, has been called to testify by the prosecution the same week. Capaldo was the registered director of the holding company London 60 SA Ltd, through which the Secretariat of State controlled the London property after its purchase.

The building at 60 Sloane Avenue in London is at the center of the Vatican’s historic corruption trial, which began at the end of July 2021.

The Vatican has charged 10 people with crimes, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the former second-ranking official at the Secretariat of State. Becciu was questioned in May.

The London investment property was purchased by the secretariat in stages over several years for a reported £350 million pounds.

In July, the Vatican confirmed the London building had been sold to Bain Capital for £186 million ($223.6 million).

The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) reported that the losses from the sale were absorbed by the savings of the Secretariat of State and therefore did not touch the pope’s charitable fund, Peter’s Pence.

The hearing on Wednesday consisted of the second half of the questioning of defendant Fabrizio Tirabassi, a former official at the Secretariat of State.

Thursday’s audience opened with the questioning of defendant Nicola Squillace, the lawyer of businessman and fellow defendant Gianluigi Torzi.

In the course of the trial, the only defendants who have not taken the stand are Gianluigi Torzi and Cecilia Marogna.

The Sept. 29 hearing then continued with the first witness, Roberto Lolato, who was called to testify for the prosecution as an expert witness.

Prosecutors asked Lolato to examine the financial operations carried out by the Secretariat of State in relation to the purchase of the London building as a technical consultant.

On Friday, the Vatican’s auditor general, Alessandro Cassinis Righini, testified.

Righini had been acting auditor general since June 2017 and full auditor since May 2021.

He succeeded Libero Milone, who served as auditor general from 2015 until he was dismissed in 2017, just two years into a five-year mandate.

Milone was hired as the Vatican’s first auditor general in a move to introduce more financial transparency in the Vatican City State.

Three months after stepping down, Milone claimed that he was “threatened” into resignation by an “old guard” opposed to his work and accused Cardinal Becciu of targeting him after he launched an investigation into a possible conflict of interest.

A Sept. 30 statement from Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione, claimed the suspension of the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit in April 2016 “was not an autonomous choice of the then-sostituto Monsignor Becciu, but a position taken by the Secretariat of State.”

Righini was questioned Sept. 30 about the external audit ordered by Cardinal George Pell, then prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, and reportedly opposed by Becciu.

He also answered questions about meetings he took part in with secretariat officials regarding financial investments.

Righini said he was surprised that the Secretariat of State considered making an investment in an oil company in Angola given its evident conflict with the teachings of Pope Francis in his environmental encyclical Laudato si (the investment eventually fell through).

Funds originally earmarked for the Angola investment were reportedly rerouted into the London building purchase.

The auditor general said Pope Francis did not know anything about the London investment. But later, under additional questioning, he revised his statement to say he could not be 100% certain the pope knew nothing.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252432/prosecution-calls-witnesses-as-vatican-finance-trial-resumes

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305fdc  No.17613412

File: cd3e3fbf6ab30b5⋯.jpg (171.2 KB, 800x700, 8:7, China_s_Permanent_Represen….jpg)

File: 8710c9a3bed00a4⋯.jpg (669.16 KB, 2000x1200, 5:3, USS_Connecticut.jpg)

File: 9f08ff422e8295f⋯.jpg (205.07 KB, 1005x1200, 67:80, China_s_Permanent_Represen….jpg)

>>17531416

>>17601549

China thwarts AUKUS-related amendment attempts on legitimizing nuclear sub marine deal at IAEA conference

Global Times - Oct 01, 2022

The Chinese mission to the UN in Vienna on Friday fully thwarted an amendment advocated by the three countries which form the AUKUS alliance which aimed at legalizing their nuclear-submarine cooperation at the 66th annual International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference held in Vienna from Monday to Friday, the Global Times learnt from the Chinese mission to the UN.

This is the first time that the IAEA reviewed the cooperation among the US, UK and Australia over nuclear submarine deal at the general conference level, since the Chinese side initiated an intergovernmental review process over the cooperation at the agency's board of governors in November 2021.

The discussions on the nuclear submarine deal of the three countries have been unprecedentedly intense and incisive at the general conference, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna Wang Qun said.

The US, UK and Australia formed the alliance referred to as AUKUS in September 2021, under which the US and the UK will assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

Wang told media after the general conference that the majority of IAEA member states expressed grave concern over the risk of nuclear proliferation caused by the nuclear submarine cooperation among the three countries.

"Whether to insist on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime; whether to insist on the Agency's Statute; whether to insist on the Agency's secretariat and Director General fulfilling their non-proliferation responsibilities; and whether to insist on the intergovernmental review process led by the Agency's member states - these four points have become the focus of the divergences between the majority of member states and the three countries," Wang said.

The three countries, not reconciled to the setback at the IAEA's just-concluded Board of Governors meeting, attempted to overturn the result at the meeting by misleading public opinion, "demonizing" the intergovernmental review process, Wang said, noting that the three nations have pushed through whole paragraphs of amendments in relevant resolutions in an attempt to "legitimize" their nuclear submarine cooperation.

China has always stood on the side of international justice and taken concrete actions to uphold the NPT, Wang said, noting that China succeeded in nullifying the amendments of the three countries. At the same time, it was successfully written into the Agency budget resolution that the use of the Agency budget shall comply with the relevant provisions of the Statute, and the validity and integrity of the provisions are reiterated.

Wang stressed that regardless of the three countries' tricks, they cannot shake the NPT as the foundation of international nonproliferation system status, unable to coerce the Agency to engage in proliferation activities and promote the military purposes, unable to kidnap the secretariat, and unable to block the intergovernmental review process, which was agreed upon by consensus in the governing council of the agency on four occasions.

Attempts by the three countries to impose the "legitimacy" of their nuclear submarine cooperation on all agency members through the text are unpopular and doomed to fail. Only by adhering to the right direction, international rules, the inter-governmental review process led by member states, and seeking common ground while shelving differences, can the question of trilateral nuclear submarine cooperation be resolved, Wang said.

Wang said no one can stop the ongoing inter-governmental review process on the US-UK-Australia trilateral nuclear submarine cooperation and trying to break away from the inter-agency intergovernmental review process will not work.

China urges the three countries to return to the track of the non-proliferation system, not to make repeated mistakes on the road of nuclear proliferation and not to go against the will of the international community, Wang said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202210/1276489.shtml

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305fdc  No.17613419

File: bb39803b4ee81b7⋯.jpg (110.11 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, According_to_sources_China….jpg)

>>17613412

India's 'deft diplomacy' thwarts Beijing’s plans to pass anti-AUKUS resolution

China withdrew a draft resolution at the IAEA against the AUKUS grouping seeking to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The sources said India's 'deft diplomacy' played a crucial role in ensuring that many smaller countries took a clear stand against the Chinese proposal.

Geeta Mohan - October 1, 2022

In a major embarrassment to China, India thwarted plans of Beijing to get a resolution passed against AUKUS — a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — at the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which was held in Vienna from September 26-30, 2022. China withdrew its draft resolution on September 30 realising that its resolution would not get majority support, albeit it had already got Global Times to publish an article about its imminent success on September 28.

According to sources, India used its “deft diplomacy” and played an important role in ensuring that many smaller countries took a clear stand against the Chinese proposal. The Indian Mission to the IAEA in Vienna worked closely with many IAEA member states and took an objective view of the initiative, recognising the soundness of the technical evaluation done by the IAEA.

According to sources, China tried to get a resolution passed against the AUKUS for seeking to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines (but armed with conventional weapons). China argued that this initiative was in violation of their responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It also criticized the role of the IAEA in this regard.

There was deliberation on the matter at the IAEA’s General Conference where, according to reports, Western states mostly expressed confidence in AUKUS partners & the IAEA while developing states underscored the need for greater transparency & nonproliferation assurances.

On 23 August 2022, the Director General received a request, submitted by the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, for the inclusion of an item entitled “Transfer of nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT” in the agenda of the 66th (2022) regular session of the General Conference.

Sources say that India’s role and diplomatic manoeuvring were deeply appreciated by IAEA member states, particularly the AUKUS partners.

The IAEA’s policy-making bodies decide on the agency’s programmes and budgets. They comprise the General Conference of all Member States and the 35-member Board of Governors. The General Conference convenes annually at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, typically in September. The Board meets five times per year, also in Vienna.

India is a board member for 2021-2022. The 35 board members for 2021-2022 are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, the Russian Federation, Senegal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and Vietnam.

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/india-s-deft-diplomacy-thwarts-beijing-plans-pass-anti-aukus-resolution-iaea-2007004-2022-10-01

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305fdc  No.17613444

File: f91154eb37200c4⋯.jpg (44.52 KB, 1392x920, 174:115, The_U_S_built_Space_Survei….jpg)

Space Force surveillance telescope now operational in Australia

Courtney Albon - Oct 1, 2022

WASHINGTON — A U.S.-built space-monitoring telescope that was moved from New Mexico to Western Australia is officially operational, according to Space Operations Command.

The Space Surveillance Telescope was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to locate and track debris in geosynchronous orbit, about 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Defense signed an agreement with Australia to move the telescope to the Southern Hemisphere to fill a coverage gap.

SST was relocated from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, in 2017 and in 2020 captured its first images. Since then, the system has moved through a rigorous test program that culminated in today’s initial operations milestone. The Space Force expects the telescope to be fully operational next year.

“With testing complete, the Space Surveillance Telescope will allow greater space domain awareness by providing ground-based, broad-area search, detection and tracking of faint objects in deep space,” Australia’s Department of Defence said in a Sept. 30 statement.

Under the 2013 agreement, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Space Force’s 21st Space Wing will jointly operate SST. The U.S. still owns the telescope, but Australia is responsible for its operators, training, facilities and infrastructure.

SST is part of the group of satellites and ground-based radars and telescopes that make up the U.S. Department of Defense’s Space Surveillance Network. The SSN tracks thousands of objects, including debris and active satellites.

The domain awareness mission is a top priority for the Space Force and U.S. Space Command. An April report from the Union of Concerned Scientists estimates there are approximately 5,500 active spacecraft on orbit — up from about 1,400 in 2015. Proposals submitted to the Federal Communications Commission in recent years indicate that total could grow by 58,000 satellites in the next decade.

While those systems are providing important services like improved connectivity and communications, a Sept. 29 study from the Government Accountability Office raises concerns about how large constellations could affect the space environment.

According to GAO, the additional congestion increases the likelihood of space debris, creates emissions in the upper atmosphere and disrupts astronomical research by reflecting sunlight and transmitting radio signals.

“Although these effects might be small for single satellites, the effects of many satellites operating in large constellations are larger, or in some cases, unknown,” GAO states.

Speaking Sept. 28 at the virtual State of Defense conference, Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson said the “explosive” growth in satellite traffic makes it more difficult to deconflict objects and avoid collisions. He advocated for the creation of rules and standards for disposing of defunct spacecraft that ensures satellite owners “clean up after themselves.”

“I think we have to start by putting those sorts of controls and norms and standards of behavior in place,” Thompson said. “If we do that, we should be able to manage use of the domain.”

GAO’s study also supported the creation of regulations for repositioning or disposing of old spacecraft and limiting debris — one of four policy options raised in the agency’s report. The other proposals include funding targeted research into technologies that could lessen the impact of large constellations, improving data sharing and improving organization and leadership structures.

“A policy framework consisting of interrelated options could help policymakers and the space community mitigate the potential environmental and other effects of the growth in large constellations of satellites,” according to GAO.

https://www.defensenews.com/space/2022/09/30/space-force-surveillance-telescope-now-operational-in-australia/

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305fdc  No.17613467

File: 79313b2c048c848⋯.jpg (2.43 MB, 3648x5472, 2:3, 20220925adf8540618_0058.jpg)

File: 8160a69716e5dde⋯.jpg (4.77 MB, 5472x3648, 3:2, 20220925adf8540618_0052.jpg)

File: a308db528d6dd49⋯.jpg (6.97 MB, 3594x5391, 2:3, 20220925adf8540618_0033.jpg)

>>17613444

Space surveillance telescope is declared operational

Australian Government Department of Defence - 30 September 2022

Defence, in collaboration with the United States Space Force (USSF), have achieved Initial Operational Capability to provide enhanced space domain awareness

As announced at the 2012 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN), the Space Surveillance Telescope was relocated to Australia from the US to strengthen the US Space Surveillance Network’s ability to track space assets and debris and provide warnings of possible collisions between space objects.

In March 2020, the Space Surveillance Telescope captured its first images of objects in space from its new location.

Since 2020, the telescope has undergone a rigorous testing and evaluation program to prove it is ready for ongoing operations.

With testing complete, the Space Surveillance Telescope will allow greater space domain awareness by providing ground-based, broad-area search, detection and tracking of faint objects in deep space.

Commander Defence Space Command, Air-Vice Marshal (AVM) Cath Roberts said this milestone was an important step for the Alliance and the future of space capability in Australia.

“In an increasingly contested and congested space environment, The Space Surveillance Telescope will provide enhanced awareness of the space domain and contribute to greater Alliance cooperation,” AVM Cath Roberts said.

”The bespoke facilities and supporting infrastructure are as much of a milestone as the telescope itself and represent a significant achievement by Defence and Australian industry”.

Media note

Media can access imagery of the Space Surveillance Telescope at the following link:

https://images.defence.gov.au/S20223025

https://news.defence.gov.au/media/media-releases/space-surveillance-telescope-declared-operational

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305fdc  No.17613477

File: e3ade35e05936ea⋯.jpg (2.79 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, _l_r_Air_Surveillance_Oper….jpg)

>>17613444

U.S. Space Surveillance Telescope in Australia achieves initial operational capability

SpOC Staff Writer, Space Operations Command - September 30, 2022

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Australian Department of Defence and the U.S. Space Force declared initial operational capability for the Space Surveillance Telescope at Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt, Australia, Sept. 30, 2022.

The SST is a military telescope that provides ground-based, broad-area search, detection and tracking of faint objects in deep space to help predict and avoid potential collisions, as well as detect and monitor asteroids.

Commander Defence Space Command, Air-Vice Marshal Cath Roberts said this milestone was an important step for the Alliance and the future of space capability in Australia.

“In an increasingly contested and congested space environment, The Space Surveillance Telescope will provide enhanced awareness of the space domain and contribute to greater Alliance cooperation,” Roberts said. “The bespoke facilities and supporting infrastructure are as much of a milestone as the telescope itself and represent a significant achievement by Defence and Australian industry.”

The SST was relocated from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to Australia in 2017 as a combined effort to develop Australia’s space domain awareness capabilities. While the U.S. still owns the SST, Australia is responsible for the facilities and infrastructure, operators, and training.

U.S. Space Force Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, emphasized the need for strong international partnerships to continually improve U.S. and Allied space capabilities.

“Reaching initial operational capability is a major achievement that underscores the importance of working together to secure the ultimate high ground,” Raymond said. “My thanks and congratulations to our Australian partners and our Guardians and Airmen who have been collaborating for almost a decade to make this possible. I’m impressed at how far we’ve come together and look forward to continuing our close partnership as we work toward full operational capability.”

The SST will contribute to the U.S. Space Surveillance Network, a U.S. Space Command capability operated by the USSF to detect, track, catalog and identify artificial objects orbiting the earth. The telescope’s strategic location in Australia provides unique space domain awareness coverage in the region.

In November 2013, then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and then-Australian Defence Minister David Johnston signed a memorandum of understanding to relocate and jointly operate the telescope. In March 2020, the SST captured its first images from Australia of objects in space. Since then, it has undergone a rigorous test and evaluation program to transition it from a scientific research system to a military asset ready to support ongoing operations. Full operational capability is projected to be achieved in late 2023.

The SST is capable of imaging objects in geosynchronous orbit, approximately 22,000 miles above earth. Its data processing system can filter through more than a terabyte of data per night, as well as receive and process images in real time to determine precise satellite positions.

Space domain awareness refers to the study and monitoring of artificial objects, such as satellites and debris, orbiting the earth. In the USSF, this responsibility falls under Space Delta 2 - Space Domain Awareness. Delta 2 prepares and presents assigned and attached forces for the purpose of executing combat-ready space domain awareness operations to deter aggression and, if necessary, fight to protect and defend the U.S. and Allies from attack in, through and from space.

https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3176245/us-space-surveillance-telescope-in-australia-achieves-initial-operational-capab

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305fdc  No.17613690

File: c0f79348cadbe7e⋯.jpg (455.29 KB, 2048x1536, 4:3, Chinese_Premier_Li_Keqiang….jpg)

File: ddda62cecd0aa05⋯.jpg (200.84 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australian_soldiers_conduc….jpg)

>>17481731

How China is winning in the Pacific

Beijing is using subversion and coercion to force small nations to bow to its will.

JOHN LEE - October 1, 2022

1/3

Solomon Islands is moving closer to China and further away from Australia and the West. Money in the form of Chinese trade and investment has something to do with it. But something else is happening. For self-interested reasons, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is allowing himself and his ­government to become captured by Beijing – materially and psychologically.

Beijing’s activities in the Solomons is a textbook case of how China seeks to prevail through subversion, influence, and disinformation against both willing or unsuspecting leaders, governments, and nations. These non-material strategies have significant strategic effects. Indeed, the Solomons is a worrying case study of how the Chinese Communist Party strives for every advantage in global affairs, and in particular to win without fighting and prevail against the West.

Preparing the Solomons

Chinese material offerings and non-material strategies are most tempting and effective when applied to leaders of poorly governed countries in strife and who face ­serious and growing opposition to their rule. The Solomons has long been dependent on outside assistance to support a precarious and uneasy calm. From 2003–17, the Australia and New Zealand-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) was deployed to avoid the near collapse of the state and its economy.

The Solomons shares the problem of many states whose economic fortunes are dependent on external aid: lack of local business experience and skills, poor employment opportunities, over-­dependence on unsustainable and low value-added industries, weak institutions, and poor governance.

This is where the relatively recent China factor comes into play. Chinese migrants dominate the retail sectors, especially in urban areas. With a low capacity to manage its national resources in a sustainable manner, Chinese state-owned and private firms are exploiting the mineral, forestry, and fishery resources of the country with little regard for sustainable or ecological standards.

The problem is not Chinese commercial activity, but rather the practices associated with “capitalism with Chinese characteristics” allowed to be imported into the country. Chinese businesspeople commonly bribe their way through government offices to secure licences, work and residential permits, and planning permissions, and Chinese entities occupy or create most of the prime retail sites. Poor environmental practices enabled by the bribery of officials, politicians, and locals characterise the country’s Chinese-dominated logging industry.

It is at this point that Chinese material offerings combined with influence operations come into play. China designs its political warfare to shape the thinking, decision-making, and practices of the target government and society, including the deliberate creation or exploitation of division within the country in ways that best suit Beijing. Conditions in the Solomons provide fertile ground for this approach.

China has directed much of its material largesse toward Honiara rather than provinces such as Malaita, the most populous and one of the most impoverished islands in the whole of the South Pacific. When Premier Daniel Suidani of Malaita objected to the switch of diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China which occurred in 2019 and subsequently emerged as a leader in the Solomons anti-China movement, the Chinese embassy in the Solomons worked with Sogavare to attack and undermine him. At the same time, Beijing and Sogavare use the resentment and unrest in the country, which Chinese actions have exacerbated, to justify a deeper ­security relationship between the two countries, including Chinese training of Solomon Islands police following anti-China riots and protests. As increasing political tensions and divisions in the Solomons continue, the Sogavare government is becoming ever more dependent on comprehensive Chinese assistance to maintain power.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17613692

File: 5874b7af8033ff4⋯.jpg (143.26 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, China_Police_Liason_Team_o….jpg)

>>17613690

2/3

A willing victim

Supporting and exacerbating a country’s trajectory toward political and social division, economic vulnerability, deteriorating institutions, corruption, and media suppression increase the chances of Chinese cognitive and psychological capture of that country. As has occurred in places such as Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and now the Solomons, the leader and government become increasingly accepting of, and dependent on, Chinese Communist Party perspectives and ­solutions. That country thus becomes less able to chart its own ­independent and sovereign course, while the leader or regime becomes increasingly reliant on Chinese approaches and ways of thinking.

Chinese offerings of immediate and guaranteed gains in the form of huge politically motivated infrastructure and other capital investments enable a kind of cognitive and psychological capture to which leaders such as Sogavare willingly submit. After RAMSI, Chinese strategic messaging began to suggest that the Solomons could become more economically vibrant and self-reliant despite its national, institutional and governance failings – provided it embraced a relationship with China. This contrasts with the relatively strict conditions imposed by Western nations on other countries and the related conditions for transparency and higher standards on leaders and their regimes.

Moreover, Chinese framing has Western nations seeking to exclude China from the South Pacific to perpetuate their domination from a bygone era. In contrast, Beijing claims to seek a presence to further friendships with the island nations without demanding that other countries be excluded.

This framing makes China seem much more reasonable than the US, Aus­tralia and other allies and helps explain Sogavare’s dismissal of American and Australian concerns regarding the China-Solomons security deal as “nonsense” while declaring that the Solomons has “no intention of pitching into any geopolitical struggle”.

This provides some context for Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s response to criticism of Beijing’s relationship with Honiara in saying that “the countries have respected each other, treated each other as equals and supported each other in pursuit of common development”.

Additionally, “both sides should be wary of the attempts by a handful of countries, holding onto a Cold War mentality, to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs in the name of human rights”.

That the Solomon Times uncritically reported Wang’s views speaks to the extent to which Beijing has been allowed to co-opt or coerce a poorly resourced local media sector into reporting favourably on the bilateral relationship. Beijing has significantly increased its engagement with media in the South Pacific and offers funding and career opportunities in return for outlets and journalists portraying Chinese actions and intentions in sympathetic terms.

Since Beijing first opened a branch of Xinhua in Suva, Fiji, in 2010, China has funded a growing number of Pacific journalists to attend professional training in China, and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department, which leads the public presentation of Chinese foreign policy, has organised several official tours for Pacific Island journalists over the past few years.

Finally, the extent of the complicit cognitive and psychological capture is evident in Sogavare’s praise of China and criticism of the West. In a speech to his parliament, the Solomons leader accused Australia and its allies of undermining his government, criticised the Western response to Russia, and praised China’s treatment of Christians, who were reported to be thriving because they were following rules set by Beijing.

He also accused activists critical of his closeness to Beijing of having “fallen prey to the Western world” which was manipulating them, and termed these civil society groups as “racists” and “bigots” expressing irrational hostility toward China. He also accused the US and Australia of threatening the Solomons with “invasion” should a Chinese military base be placed there.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17613696

File: a82e40d0c58c387⋯.jpg (174.53 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, China_s_ambassador_to_the_….jpg)

>>17613692

3/3

These arguments are very similar to those offered by Chinese officials and represent targeted disinformation campaigns undertaken by the CCP and People’s Liberation Army, which state-owned and sympathetic media then reproduce and distribute.

An opinion piece in the state-owned Global Times argued that US interference in the South Pacific is the primary cause of instability and tension there and accused the West of treating ­Pacific Island countries as pawns in seeking to maintain its hege­mony and restrain China’s irresistible rise.

While China is helping developing countries reach their potential, Western nations remain mired in a colonial and prejudiced mindset. The notion that the West is threatening the Solomons with military action is a proposition frequently put forward by Beijing.

While those in the West tend to treat these views as absurd, conspiratorial, unconvincing and self-serving, their frequent and relentless propagation has important effects. In the context of grand narratives based on the spectacular and unstoppable rise of China, they offer a ready-made framework for the captured – whether willingly or unwittingly – to explain and justify their actions.

In the case of the Solomons, the Chinese Communist Party is offering not just a seemingly attractive economic and security arrangement to an insecure leader and government, but also a framework and mindset to complement and complete the package deal.

Western complacency

Australia’s many years of supporting the Solomons counts for little when an increasingly desperate leader believes China holds the key to him maintaining power.

Once governments out themselves in this position, promises that Australia remains the preferred partner will not amount to much. Neither will better credentials when it comes to confronting climate change move the dial. If Sogavare really cared about this issue, he could hardly consider China as a new best friend.

We can no longer assume our way of doing things and helping other nations is inherently more attractive than the autocratic alternatives. We are in a region filled with insecure autocrats and leaders losing faith in the effectiveness of democracy, and nations with fragile institutions and fractious societies.

All this is being exploited by Beijing engaging in a form of political warfare designed to subvert, influence, and disinform.

If we do not do more to counter all this, then Beijing is several steps closer to getting the region it wants without even a shot being fired in anger.

John Lee is a non-resident senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington. From 2016 to 2018 he was senior adviser to the Australian foreign minister. His recent report, Chinese Information and Influence Warfare in Asia and the Pacific, can be found at www.hudson.org.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/china-is-winning-the-battle-for-influence-in-the-pacific/news-story/7c11e434422880b2e6865376063e5429

https://www.hudson.org/research/18202-chinese-information-and-influence-warfare-in-asia-and-the-pacific

https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.hudson.org/Chinese+Information+and+Influence+Warfare+in+Asia+and+the+Pacific+%E2%80%93+John+Lee.pdf

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305fdc  No.17619904

File: cb60bf38eff48d8⋯.jpg (164.07 KB, 1200x761, 1200:761, A_woman_uses_her_mobile_ph….jpg)

>>17560194

Australian government slams Optus for cybersecurity breach

Sonali Paul - October 2, 2022

MELBOURNE, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The Australian government on Sunday levelled its harshest criticism yet against Optus, the second-biggest telecoms company, for a cybersecurity breach that affected the equivalent of 40% of the country's population.

The government blamed Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications, for the breach, which affected 10 million accounts, urging the company to speed up its notification to 10,200 customers whose personal information was released in one of the country's biggest cybersecurity breaches.

"We should not be in the position that we're in, but Optus has put us here," Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil told a televised news conference from Melbourne. "It's really important now that Australians take as many precautions as they can to protect themselves against financial crime."

Optus said on Sunday it was working closely with federal and state government agencies to determine which customers need to take any action but was still seeking further advice on the status of customers whose details had expired.

"We continue to work constructively with governments and their various authorities to reduce the impact on our customers," an Optus spokesperson said in emailed comments.

The spokesperson did not respond to a question on whether Optus had identified how the breach occurred.

The company ran a full-page apology in major Australian newspapers on Saturday for the "devastating" breach that it first reported on Sept. 22. An unidentified person later posted online that they had released personal details of 10,000 Optus customers and would keep doing so daily until they received $1 million.

Australian police's operation to find the person or people behind the breach at Optus is "progressing well", O'Neil said, adding that police would provide an update this week.

However she said Optus needed to step up its efforts to call, not just email, people whose identification data was released online to let them know they are at risk.

Saying now was "a time for real vigilance for Australians", O'Neil urged those who had been notified to cancel their passports or other identification cards and get fresh identification documents as soon as possible.

Five days after being requested, Optus had not handed over information to the government about customers who had provided their Medicare health care cards or other social services information for identification purposes for Optus accounts, said Government Services Minister Bill Shorten.

"We call upon Optus to understand that this breach has introduced systemic problems for 10 million Australians in terms of their personal identification," he told reporters at the joint media conference.

"We know that Optus is trying to do what it can, but having said that, it's not enough," Shorten said. "It's now a matter of protecting Australians' privacy from criminals."

O'Neil said Australia needs to reform its cybersecurity laws to give the government stronger powers to respond to cyber security emergency incidents.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/australian-government-slams-optus-cybersecurity-breach-2022-10-02/

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305fdc  No.17619926

File: b1b58cbfed0522a⋯.jpg (139.01 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, ADF_join_US_Marines_in_202….jpg)

File: e7a788144d5d0b7⋯.jpg (160.77 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Secretary_of_Defense_Lloyd….jpg)

File: f1e7aac7a33a854⋯.jpg (210.38 KB, 1003x1076, 1003:1076, How_AUKUS_stacks_up.jpg)

US, UK defence chiefs back AUKUS expansion, more security for nuclear submarines in Australia

Australia‘s ‘unbreakable alliance’ with the United States could be strengthened with the deployment of more US military personnel here in addition to securing a nuclear submarine fleet as part of the AUKUS pact.

Tom Minear - October 2, 2022

1/2

More American troops could soon be deployed down under in the latest move to strengthen the Australia-US alliance.

Up to 2200 US personnel have been involved in this year’s Marine rotation through Darwin, which wraps up this month.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles is in Hawaii this weekend for talks with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin and to inspect America’s Virginia-class submarines, as they work to finalise plans for Australia’s nuclear-powered fleet.

The Australian and US leaders are now working on expanding the rotational Marine program.

Speaking after a meeting in Honolulu, Mr Austin said the pair discussed “the great advantage that we enjoy … as a result of those rotations”.

“Certainly we hope to do more in the future, but we don’t have any announcements to make,” he said.

Mr Marles described the Marine rotation as a “very important initiative” and also flagged a willingness to expand it.

“We want to look at other ways we can build upon American force posture and doing that in co-operation with Australia,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The plans are expected to advance ahead of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultation, an annual forum to be held in December.

Mr Austin also hailed the “tremendous progress” made on the AUKUS defence pact while Mr Marles said it was a “very productive conversation”.

He said Australia was on track to announce its “optimal pathway” early next year to acquiring its own nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Asked when the first nuclear submarine would hit the water, Mr Marles said that was “central to the work that’s underway right now”, and that next year’s announcement would include plans to cover any capability gap between the retirement of Australia’s existing submarines and the delivery of the nuclear-powered fleet.

“We have made the decision to extend the life of the Collins-class submarines, but we need to be thinking about how we acquire a nuclear-powered submarine in a way where we minimise and plug any capability gap that might arise by virtue of that timing,” he said.

“It’s critically important, given the strategic circumstances that we face, that there is an evolving submarine capability in Australia from this day right through to the day where the first nuclear-powered submarine hits the water.”

Both leaders hailed the importance of the “unbreakable alliance” between Australia and the US, particularly in the face of China’s increasing aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

“Today, the region and the world face a growing challenge from autocratic countries attempting to change the status quo through threats, coercion, provocative military activities and even naked aggression,” Mr Austin said.

“We’re deeply concerned by China’s aggressive, escalatory and destabilising military activities in the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the region.”

Mr Marles added: “As we watch China seek to shape the world around it in a way we that have not seen before, it presents real challenges for those countries which seek to uphold the global rules-based order.”

Earlier in the week American and British defence chiefs said initiatives like the AUKUS pact could be expanded or replicated with other allies as the only sure way for the West to maintain a technological arms race advantage.

Japanese defence officials are also participating in the talks, fuelling speculation about an expansion of the AUKUS pact.

But they have warned major cybersecurity upgrades will be required to ensure Australia’s acquisition of nuclear submarines – the key plank of the military partnership – is not compromised by foreign spies.

While this is not viewed as an immediate possibility, a top White House official said this week that AUKUS could create a model for sharing defence technology with other countries.

“If we can make this work with our two closest allies … I think it’s actually a sort of a preview for what may be possible in different and varying degrees into the future,” said Cara Abercrombie, US President Joe Biden’s defence policy co-ordinator.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17619929

File: 75d76b09d131eb9⋯.jpg (228.17 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_the_US_and_UK_ha….jpg)

File: 2ae67bf163b0f74⋯.jpg (126.72 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, United_States_Marines_at_D….jpg)

>>17619926

2/2

Speaking at a separate defence forum in the US, British Vice Admiral Martin Connell – the Royal Navy’s second highest-ranking officer – said collaborations like AUKUS were “more important now than they ever have been”.

“The kinds of systems and technologies we’re talking about here are too complex and too expensive for any one nation to be able to try and deal with by themselves, certainly if we’re going to keep the technological edge that the West has had in the past,” he said.

But he cautioned AUKUS would “massively increase our collective threat surface” because of the amount of “very, very sensitive information” which would need to be shared online.

“We really need to take security much more seriously than we do,” Vice Admiral Connell said.

As the AUKUS partners consider whether America could build Australia’s first nuclear-powered submarines to fast-track the rollout, British Navy chief Admiral Ben Key said it was “no surprise” the US and the UK did not currently have that capacity.

“It is difficult to see why we would have had latent submarine building capacity just waiting to see if someone else came along shopping to buy submarines. It’s no surprise that this is putting a little bit of stress on the system,” he said, according to National Defense.

“Let’s not forget what a profound shift (AUKUS) is, and we are working at speed to adapt accordingly.”

In another move to combat China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific, Mr Biden held the first White House gathering for Pacific Island leaders this week, with a sweeping joint declaration signed covering economic, environmental and security issues.

The Solomon Islands had suggested it would not agree to the declaration, having struck a security pact with the Chinese government earlier this year, but a senior Biden administration official confirmed on Saturday that Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had signed on.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the AUKUS agreement was progressing well a year in, and suggested artificial intelligence could become part of the arrangement.

“We’ve made substantial progress on this over the course of the last year. We feel very good on the trilateral co-operation on the submarine program,” he said.

“We think that we have a good path forward. I’m not going to get into specifics on exactly what the nature of the platform will be.

“Our three countries are very much on the same page about the path forward, and there has been significant progress from concept one year ago, to now the process of actually putting this in place.

“We also are pursuing a significant number of advanced capabilities through the AUKUS partnership, in cyber, artificial intelligence, and other areas, we’ve seen significant progress on those as well.

“And there are certain areas where we are looking to bring in other partners as well as part of an open platform approach.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/us-uk-defence-chiefs-back-aukus-expansion-more-security-for-nuclear-subamrines-in-australia/news-story/2ed0e4fd04b2a9f650652c1a9a964c10

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305fdc  No.17623791

File: 6c8c37b86217968⋯.jpg (122.65 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Australian_mother_Zahra_Ah….jpg)

File: 28106ebccb7193e⋯.jpg (131.03 KB, 620x930, 2:3, Kamalle_Dabboussy_with_Mar….jpg)

Islamic State women and children to be returned to Australia from Syrian camps

Daniella White and Matthew Knott - October 2, 2022

1/2

Australia is preparing to overturn its policy of more than three years and launch a mission to repatriate dozens of women and children, the family members of former Islamic State fighters who have been languishing for years in squalid detention camps in Syria.

News of the impending operation, which was confirmed by security sources in Australia, has given hope to dozens of families that they will be reunited with their loved ones, some of whom who have been stuck in limbo for more than three years.

About 20 Australian women and more than 40 of their children have been living at the al-Hawl and al-Roj camps in Syria’s north-east since the fall of the Islamic State “caliphate” in early 2019.

Kamalle Dabboussy, whose daughter Mariam and three children are in the al-Roj camp, said news of a rescue effort was consistent with recent discussions between advocates and authorities.

“But we’re yet to be formally informed and we look forward to getting more information from the government,” he said. “As always, we’re ready to cooperate with the government on the process.

“If it’s true this will give vulnerable children an opportunity to be protected and consistent with what we’ve been asking for close to four years now.”

Dabboussy said he hoped to hear more about a timeline for the Australians’ repatriation and details about whether the operation would run in stages.

A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said: “The Australian government’s overriding priority is the protection of Australians and Australia’s national security advice. Given the sensitive nature of the matters involved, it would not be appropriate to comment further.”

The return of some of the Australians may be controversial in Australia. It will likely pose a challenge to the country’s security organisations, according to sources speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to comment publicly.

There may not be enough evidence to charge all the adults with terrorism offences, so some may be free in the community and require monitoring by Australian authorities. The government could also charge some with intentionally entering Raqqa or Mosul, which were the capitals of the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and where it was illegal at the time for Australians to travel.

Authorities are also able to apply to a court for control orders to monitor their behaviour. The deradicalisation of children raised in appalling circumstances may also be a significant challenge. However, ASIO, other security agencies and anti-terror experts have argued that leaving children in the camps could increase the danger of them becoming radicalised and recruiting Australians online in future.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17623795

File: 4c1436400ae55ff⋯.jpg (152.84 KB, 1022x683, 1022:683, Islamic_State_children_in_….jpg)

File: 095f67ff2510db7⋯.jpg (208.73 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Dozens_of_Australians_are_….jpg)

>>17623791

2/2

Shadow home affairs minister Karen Andrews expressed doubt about the safety of the mission, saying: “The protection of all Australians - including in Australia - should be the government’s number one priority.

“Labor needs to assure Australians that individuals who may have been radicalised pose no threat upon their return to Australia - and explain the efforts they’re going to undertake to monitor and rehabilitate these individuals.”

A number of the women were children themselves when taken to Syria or Iraq by their families, and others say they were duped into travelling. Dabboussy has previously said his daughter was tricked into going to the Syrian border while on holiday in Turkey in 2015. After being taken into Syria at gunpoint, her husband went to fight with IS and died three months later, just before the birth of her second child.

Save the Children chief executive Mat Tinkler, who visited the al-Roj camp in June, said the repatriation effort would be “very welcome news” for the children and their mothers in Syria.

“The possibility that they could finally be brought home to safety in Australia will be an enormous boost for their families,” he said.

“For more than three years, these children have been trapped in one of the worst places in the world to be a child and their situation has been growing increasingly desperate … They are just hanging on.”

Tinkler said the Australian children in the camps are poorly nourished, suffering from untreated shrapnel wounds and their mental health was rapidly deteriorating.

In 2018 the Morrison government organised the rescue of eight children from the Syrian camps, but it refused to launch a broader effort, despite the pleas of the Kurdish authority which is in charge of north-eastern Syria, and which has offered to help Australian authorities with the extraction.

Elaine Pearson, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division said: “Facilitating the return of these Australians arbitrarily detained in camps in north-east Syria is long overdue.”

The Australian government has persistently refused to bring the women and children back. As Home Affairs minister, the now Opposition leader Peter Dutton said in 2019 the women posed a terror risk and suggested DNA testing would be required to verify their Australian citizenship claims. He also cited the safety of Australian officials.

“It is an incredibly dangerous situation and the government has been very clear that we aren’t going to put defence personnel or DFAT personnel or home affairs personnel in harm’s way to provide support to these people,” Dutton said at the time.

However, a number of other countries, including the United States, which has brought back 39 people, France, Belgium and Central Asian states, have repatriated their citizens from al-Hawl and al-Roj. In 2020 the government of Uzbekistan completed the repatriation of 98 people, including 25 women and 73 children.

https://www.theage.com.au/world/middle-east/islamic-state-women-and-children-to-be-returned-to-australia-from-syrian-camps-20221002-p5bml1.html

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305fdc  No.17623808

File: df81b813b8a027b⋯.jpg (47.42 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Minister_Matt_Keogh_says_A….jpg)

>>17619926

Submarine commanders to be Australian made

Dominic Giannini - October 3, 2022

The navy is preparing to train the next generation of submarine commanders at home as Australia seeks to bolster its military prowess ahead of the arrival of the nuclear vessels.

Australia is set to acquire nuclear-propelled submarines from either the US or UK under the trilateral AUKUS security arrangement.

The subs are expected to arrive in the late 2030s, with reports Washington could expedite some for the middle of that decade.

The federal government is working to train up sovereign domestic nuclear and naval industries so Australia is ready to handle the coveted nuclear secrets of our allies.

Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh said the inaugural submarine command course met international standards after vigorous undersea and special warfare tests.

"Our navy can't wait until new capabilities are ready to train the next generation of leaders," he said.

"These commanders must be fully equipped for when the submarines enter into service."

Australian submarine commanders have been training with the UK and Dutch navies.

Defence Minister Richard Marles recently announced that Australian personnel would train on British nuclear submarines as part of an effort to upskill the nation's defence force.

Mr Marles is set to make the decision about which submarine Australia will go with by March 2023.

Standing alongside his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Hawaii on Sunday, he told reporters the timeline for the first submarine was pertinent in the decision.

Mr Marles said the pair also discussed closer defence industry cooperation to make sharing information "seamless" between the two nations.

https://www.perthnow.com.au/politics/submarine-commanders-to-be-australian-made-c-8427797

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305fdc  No.17623816

File: df943f5a8d58e5c⋯.jpg (157.28 KB, 1000x562, 500:281, The_heckler_allegedly_yell….jpg)

File: 70930d17c32f6c9⋯.jpg (95.09 KB, 1000x562, 500:281, Andrew_the_Duke_of_York_re….jpg)

>>17520790

>>17520795

Two men charged over alleged attack on Prince Andrew heckler

9News Staff - Oct 3, 2022

Two men have been charged over the alleged assault on another man who heckled Prince Andrew as he walked behind the Queen's coffin in Scotland.

At the Her Majesty's funeral procession in Edinburgh, a young man was heard yelling "disgusting" as the Duke of York marched behind his late mother's coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral.

After the outburst, two bystanders, both aged 34, allegedly then shoved the heckler to the ground, before police intervened.

The 22-year-old heckler was charged by Scottish police for breaching the peace the following day.

Earlier this morning, the two men responsible for the alleged assault were also charged.

"Two men, both aged 34, have been arrested and charged in connection with assault, following an incident on the Royal Mile around 2.50pm on Monday, 12 September 2022," Police Scotland told the BBC.

"A report will be sent for the consideration of the procurator fiscal."

Andrew, the Duke of York, remains a controversial figure in the royal family.

During the procession in Edinburgh, the Queen's other three children — King Charles, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward — all wore military uniforms, but Andrew did not.

The Royal Navy veteran was stripped of his honorary military titles and was removed as a working royal over his friendship with the notorious US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew has also faced accusations from Virginia Giuffre of sexual assault.

Most of the crowd in Edinburgh was silent and still as the royal procession made its way through the streets to St Giles' Cathedral.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/two-men-charged-over-alleged-assault-on-prince-andrew-heckler/5f87b031-1001-4182-a604-de70e6c0baee

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305fdc  No.17623836

File: d290efd10fd8115⋯.jpg (107.68 KB, 862x575, 862:575, Cricket_Australia_has_made….jpg)

File: a74f15b4be3a64f⋯.jpg (69.68 KB, 862x575, 862:575, Cricket_Australia_chair_La….jpg)

File: 40cf871c53cecc4⋯.jpg (574.99 KB, 1028x2529, 1028:2529, Statement_on_historical_ch….jpg)

>>16705076 (pb)

>>17430830 (pb)

Cricket Australia apologises to survivors of child sexual abuse involved with sport

abc.net.au - 3 October 2022

Cricket Australia has issued an apology to survivors of child sexual abuse involved with cricket, calling on states and territories to join up to the national redress scheme.

In the statement, CA chair Lachlan Henderson described historic sexual abuse as "an appalling issue" that society and many sports — including cricket — were grappling with.

"We can't change what happened but we need to do what we can to assist victims," Dr Henderson said.

''On behalf of CA, I want to apologise to anyone who has suffered sexual abuse while involved in Australian cricket.

"We are encouraging all states and territories to join the national redress scheme and the CA board is currently exploring other ways that Australian cricket can further help victims of abuse.

"While we now have a rigorous set of policies and procedures around child safety, we need to ensure we are supporting anyone who has experienced past abuse as best we can."

Western Australia is the only state body to have signed up to the national redress scheme in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Cricket Australia signed up earlier this year.

A Cricket Australia spokesperson said the issue of child sexual abuse would be discussed at the next meeting of the CA board — which will be held in the first half of this month — and would also be raised at a meeting of cricket state and territory groups.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-03/cricket-australia-apologises-to-survivors-of-child-sex-abuse/101495618

https://www.cricketaustralia.com.au/media/announcements/statement-on-child-abuse/2022-10-03

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fef371  No.17627927

mRNA injected into cattle claim

https://t.me/AussieCossack/3147?comment=277370

Copied from an email:

Hi folks

A friend informed me today that her neighbor, a dairy farmer, is now forced to vaccinate her herd with an mRNA vaccine! (NSW)

She complied and of the 200 head of cattle, 35 died instantly! I would sue the DPI

The farmer said it is mandatory for all dairy farms to have their herd jabbed with this mRNA vaccine. Am not yet sure if that's for NSW or across Australia, but will investigate immediately

Implications?

Dairy herd DNA is altered. 

Milk is altered and you CONSUME IT!

Butter constitution, yoghurt, cheese is altered

MEAT is altered

Will chicken and other meats be next?

Time to grow your own folks, and maybe develop herds that are private, none tagged, and never vaccinated. 

Time to set up a community farm association with member - farmers who are not part of the system, have herds - animals that are not jabbed or tagged so a community of private people can be consumers of organic produced livestock.

It's time to fend for ourselves as an organised community.

Watch this space

You might want to onsend this message to warn your data base too

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305fdc  No.17629611

File: caecf301dca5e33⋯.jpg (54.11 KB, 862x485, 862:485, Telstra_says_its_the_resul….jpg)

File: 1b34e3ebdf42d39⋯.jpg (70.47 KB, 862x575, 862:575, Labor_s_Bill_Shorten_has_c….jpg)

>>17560194

Telstra staff suffer data breach as names and email addresses uploaded to dark web forum

abc.net.au - 4 October 2022

Telstra has become the latest telco to be managing a breach of data after thousands of staff members' personal data was uploaded to a forum on the dark web.

Up to 30,000 former and current workers have had their names and email addresses uploaded to the forum, a Telstra spokesperson said.

He said Telstra itself was not hacked, but a third party which was offering a rewards program for staff had the data breach in 2017.

The breach does not involve any customer data. It comes as millions of Australians rush to protect sensitive details stolen in the Optus cyber attack.

Meanwhile, Optus has finally handed over data to Services Australia almost a fortnight after a massive data breach was revealed.

'We shouldn't have to play hide and seek'

Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten confirmed the government agency had received the data on Tuesday and was assessing it to see what could be drawn from it.

"We shouldn't have to play hide and seek and wait to day 13 to get material," he told reporters in Canberra.

"What it's about is the horse's bolted. We're trying to close the gate.

"All I'm motivated by is … to get the information so I can stop hackers from hacking into government data and further compromising people's privacy."

Mr Shorten said Optus had revised its estimates to 50,000 compromised Medicare records and 150,000 passports.

He called for the telco to be more forthcoming with information.

It comes as a poll suggests a majority of Australians would back a move to strengthen privacy protections in the wake of the massive data breach.

A Guardian Essential poll published on Tuesday found just over half of respondents supported tighter restrictions on the amount of information companies could collect on consumers.

An overwhelming majority of the 1,050 respondents said they were worried about scammers stealing their identity to set up bank accounts, despite only 21 per cent saying they were directly affected by the Optus breach.

The survey comes after Optus's parent company advised it had engaged lawyers in case it was subject to any class action over the hack, which involved the personal details of more than 10 million customers being compromised.

In a statement to the Singapore stock exchange on Monday, Optus owner Singtel said it had not received any legal notice of a class action, but any such move would be "vigorously defended".

The company also said it wanted to clarify media reports about potential fines or other costs relating to the incident.

"Singtel considers these reports speculative at this juncture and advises that they should not be relied upon," it said.

Optus on Monday said more than two million customers had their identification documents exposed in the data breach.

The telecommunications giant has launched an independent review conducted by consultancy firm Deloitte of the circumstances surrounding the data hack.

Embattled Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin recommended the review, saying the company was committed to rebuilding trust with customers.

Several government ministers have criticised the company's response to the incident and its failure to promptly advise customers or the government what personal details had been compromised.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has said he will review Australia's privacy laws and tighter protections could be brought in by the end of the year.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-04/telstra-staff-have-details-hacked/101499920

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305fdc  No.17629614

File: 0c15233c2c4d147⋯.jpg (91.82 KB, 862x485, 862:485, Kristina_Keneally_s_son_Da….jpg)

File: 2dc6d5af461d4df⋯.jpg (137.4 KB, 862x575, 862:575, One_Nation_MLC_Rod_Roberts….jpg)

Police officer son of former senator Kristina Keneally charged with fabricating evidence

Kathleen Calderwood - 4 October 2022

The police officer son of former NSW premier and federal senator Kristina Keneally has been charged with fabricating evidence.

Constable Daniel Keneally, 24, was investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) earlier this year, over an incident on February 24 last year.

He has now been charged with one offence of fabricating false evidence with the intent to mislead any judicial tribunal after advice was sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

In a statement, NSW Police said Constable Keneally’s employment was under review.

LECC chief commissioner, Peter Johnson SC, said a private report had been provided to the police commissioner and minister in April.

"That report included a recommendation that consideration should be given to obtaining advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions with respect to the prosecution of Constable Daniel Keneally," Commissioner Johnson said.

"Criminal proceedings have now been commenced against Constable Keneally by an officer of the Commission alleging one offence of fabricating false evidence with the intent to mislead any judicial tribunal.

"In accordance with usual practice, a lawyer from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will appear on the return date of the criminal proceedings and will take over the prosecution.

"When criminal proceedings are concluded, the Commission will provide a report on the matter under s 132 to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the President of the Legislative Council with a recommendation under section 142 of that Act that the report be made public immediately."

The allegation was raised by One Nation MLC and former police officer Rod Roberts in NSW parliament late last year.

"At about 8.30pm on 24 February this year Luke Moore called the Newtown police station and spoke with Constable Daniel Keneally," Mr Roberts said at the time.

"Between 8.30pm and 9.34pm Constable Keneally contacted the real-time intelligence centre and submitted an intelligence report."

Mr Roberts said that police arrested Mr Moore from Nowra the following day, and subsequently charged him with use carriage service to menace, harass or offend; use carriage service to threaten to kill; and use carriage service to menace, harass or offend.

The One Nation member said Mr Moore denied the allegations and had recorded the conversation proving his innocence.

Mr Moore was refused bail and held at the South Coast Correctional Centre for three weeks, he said.

Police later withdrew the matter and dropped the charges against Mr Moore, Mr Roberts said.

During NSW budget estimates in late August, he also confirmed that the State of NSW had apologised to Mr Moore.

Constable Keneally is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on November 17.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-04/kristina-keneally-son-charged-for-false-evidence/101499990

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305fdc  No.17629620

File: da504a7a1259974⋯.jpg (63.35 KB, 862x485, 862:485, Former_Liberal_staffer_Bru….jpg)

File: 520de1da0165b2e⋯.jpg (58.78 KB, 862x485, 862:485, Brittany_Higgins_arrives_a….jpg)

File: 9ec0156b8774d76⋯.jpg (87.74 KB, 862x575, 862:575, Mr_Lehrmann_s_lawyers_say_….jpg)

Trial of Brittany Higgins's alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann begins in ACT Supreme Court

Antoinette Radford - 4 October 2022

A former Liberal Party staffer told police she cried as she was allegedly raped in Parliament House, and said no at least half a dozen times.

The ACT Supreme Court heard today a recording of Brittany Higgins's police interview from February 2021, as she recounted the alleged assault that took place almost two years earlier.

The trial of her alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann began today and is expected to run for four to six weeks.

Mr Lehrmann, who was also a Liberal staffer at the time of the alleged offence, has pleaded not guilty, and has said he did not have sex with his then colleague Ms Higgins.

Ms Higgins, who watched today's proceedings from a separate room via a video link, was visibly upset after her interview was played to the jury.

During the 2021 interview, she told police that she had felt "stressed, and scared and embarrassed" as she left Parliament House the morning after the alleged offence.

She said she had gone to the building with Mr Lehrmann after a night of heavy drinking, fell asleep on a couch, and woke to find him having sex with her.

Ms Higgins said she had not refused Mr Lehrmann's request that they go to Parliament House, where they worked, late at night, as it felt safe.

"I was really open to [the] suggestion … It didn't seem inconceivable to go to Parliament," she told police.

"It felt like a safe space for me, and I didn't say no to going to Parliament."

Ms Higgins told police that she remembered saying no as Mr Lehrmann allegedly raped her.

"I said no, at least half a dozen times. He did not stop, he kept going," she said in the police interview.

"To my knowledge, he finished, but I'm not exactly sure. I don't know if he used a condom, I don't remember."

Defence says accused has faced 'trial by media'

Mr Lehrmann's lawyers argued the defendant had faced a "trial by media" since Ms Higgins's allegations were made public last year.

His barrister, Steve Whybrow, urged the 16 jurors to focus on the facts of the case.

"No formal complaint had been made to police, and journalists around the country were being told the name of the alleged — not that that word got much of a run at the time," he told the jury.

Mr Whybrow also said the defence would discuss "holes" in the case against Mr Lehrmann, and question what prompted Ms Higgins to eventually air her allegation.

He noted Ms Higgins had made a formal police complaint after speaking to the media.

"It was too good a story, and too good an opportunity to give up, by critically assessing her allegations or fact-checking them," Mr Whybrow said.

Jurors warned to ignore media reports

Earlier in the hearing, ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold told the jury the pair had arrived at Parliament House after Mr Lehrmann told Ms Higgins he needed to pick something up for work.

However, Mr Drumgold noted that Mr Lehrmann had given multiple reasons to police and others for going to Parliament House.

The prosecutor said the defendant told police he had to return to the building to collect the keys to his apartment, but also to do work.

And, when Mr Lehrmann's boss — the chief of staff to then home affairs minister Linda Reynolds — asked him why he had returned to Parliament House, he allegedly told her he had gone back to drink whisky.

A larger than usual jury of 10 women and six men was selected for the trial this morning.

Four of the jurors are reserves; only 12 will be responsible for reaching a verdict.

Chief Justice Lucy McCallum told the jurors they would need to decide whether sexual intercourse happened and whether there was consent.

She said the number of jurors had been increased for this trial "to guard against the risk of losing jurors along the way".

She warned the jurors to ignore all media coverage of the case.

"If you've read or heard any of the publicity around this case, it's very important that you put it out of your mind," Chief Justice McCallum said.

"The evidence in the trial is not what you read before today or [what] you saw on television."

The case continues.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-04/brittany-higgins-accused-rapist-bruce-lehrmann-in-court/101498260

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305fdc  No.17629627

File: 0390a11c94682d9⋯.jpg (66.93 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Private_investigator_Willi….jpg)

File: 8a0c508081de026⋯.jpg (99.15 KB, 650x1000, 13:20, Rolf_Harris_at_the_front_o….jpg)

File: af449c26d5ec5c0⋯.jpg (124.5 KB, 1280x719, 1280:719, Private_investigator_and_a….jpg)

File: be0f7b29b660e64⋯.jpg (123.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Rolf_Harris_on_stage_durin….jpg)

File: 5a0075bc839b227⋯.jpg (138.3 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Rolf_Harris_leaves_Southwa….jpg)

Rolf Harris has cancer and is ‘gravely sick’ while under 24 hour care

Convicted paedophile Rolf Harris’ health has deteriorated, leaving the Australian entertainer barely able to speak. See how his life has taken a downward turn.

Danielle Gusmaroli - October 4, 2022

Exclusive: Disgraced Australian entertainer Rolf Harris is being fed by a tube and no longer able to speak as he battles neck cancer.

The convicted paedophile has not spoken publicly since his release from Stafford Prison in 2017. Harris had been found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault, with one of those convictions later overturned on appeal.

The 92-year-old’s health took a downward turn earlier this year after the death of his beloved poodle Bumble.

The curtains to his home are not drawn until 11.30am most days and neighbours say he seldom leaves the Berkshire home where he has spent the past five years with his wife Alwen, who is in the latter stages of Alzehimer’s disease.

Neighbour Portia Wooderson said Harris was “really attached” to the dog and his sudden death after stomach problems “knocked him really badly”.

“Soon after, Rolf’s own health took a turn for the worse,” Ms Wooderson said. “Only carers and nurses, who care for him 24 hours, come and go. I’m told he can’t eat anymore.”

Private investigator William Merritt, who authored a recent book about the assault trials which was favourable to Harris, said the once-lauded entertainer was “gravely sick”.

“(He’s) battling a cancer of the neck, and gargles when he talks. It’s difficult to understand him, but he is still the entertainer,” Mr Merritt said.

“As soon as one of two people walk into the room, he turns into a big kid again. He’s an artistic type, and he’ll try to perform on cue, even when he’s unwell.”

Mr Merritt said Harris was “naive and trusting” but “he has a dark side”.

“(He) likes to be on his own; that’s how he survived prison,” he said. “He doesn’t particularly even like kids, he hates the noise.”

The former British national treasure has previously insisted he was the victim of his own naivety and of women driven to cash in on up to £200,000 ($A350,000) as part of the criminal injuries compensation culture of the early 2000s which brought down entertainers Jimmy Saville and Gary Glitter.

In a statement for the book Rolf Harris: The Defence Team’s Special Investigator Reveals the Truth Behind the Trials, Harris said: “I understand we live in the post truth era and know few will want to know what really happened during the three criminal trials I faced – it’s easier to condemn me and liken me to people like Saville and Glitter.”

“I was convicted of offences I did not commit in my first trial. That is not just my view but the view of the Court of Appeal who overturned one of my convictions. I had already served the prison sentence by the time of the appeal.

“I changed my legal team after the first trial, and I was told that if the truth was out there, William (Merritt) would find it and he did.

“The evidence he found proved my innocence to two subsequent juries.

“I’d be in prison serving a sentence for crimes I did not commit if it were not for William’s investigation,: Harris wrote.

“It is difficult to put into words the injustice that I feel.”

Mr Merritt, 74, a private investigator of 42 years, spent two years unearthing what he claims were glaring failings in the Metropolitian Police’s Operation Yewtree into sexual abuse allegations.

Harris’s fall from royal favourite, who painted the Queen’s 80th birthday portrait and who was awarded a CBE, MBE and OBE, to convicted paedophile, came when he was sentenced in June 2014 to five years and nine months in jail for 12 indecent assaults on four teenage girls between 1968 and 1986.

He was released on parole in May 2017 after spending three years in jail.

Police started to investigate after hearing allegations he had abused his daughter Bindi Nicholl’s best friend when she was 13.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/behindthescenes/rolf-harris-has-cancer-and-is-gravely-sick-while-under-24-hour-care/news-story/a20042190b09752421d92ec082e35fc1

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305fdc  No.17629643

File: 79ae53991470227⋯.jpg (78.91 KB, 1440x810, 16:9, One_of_Booth_s_victims_say….jpg)

File: 167a2c3fcab1b35⋯.jpg (92.07 KB, 1440x958, 720:479, Booth_pleaded_guilty_to_a_….jpg)

'I hope he dies a miserable death in prison': Paedophile teacher sentenced to seven years prison

Jeremy Wilkinson - 4 Oct, 2022

1/3

"Rot in hell Mr Booth" a woman yelled at the former teacher who abused her brother Charlie as he was sentenced to seven years prison today.

James Booth - or Jim as he was known to his students - pleaded guilty to a raft of charges against four young boys who were around the age of 12 at the time the offending occurred in the 1980s and 1990s.

He was only caught when Charlie, one of his now adult victims, tricked him into admitting the offending on the phone.

In the Palmerston North District Court today, Judge Lance Rowe said Booth's victims felt a deep sense of guilt and shame.

"Your fourth victim has eloquently and bravely described his experience to the court. And I thank him for the courage he has shown," Rowe said.

"Another victim said that your conduct undermined his mana in a deep and profound way."

In his sentencing Rowe said that laws prior to 2005 were somewhat more lenient on sexual abuse crimes, and because the abuse happened prior to that date he had to be sentenced according to the laws at the time.

He noted that Booth had pleaded guilty, negating the need for a trial, seemed genuinely remorseful, was old and had a range of age-related issues including arthritis which meant he had to use crutches to get around.

"There is no doubt that your health concerns make serving a sentence more difficult than someone in good health."

Booth's modus operandi was to take kids out to a camp a school used under the pretence of teaching them to fish and hunt.

He took a particular liking to Charlie, not his real name, and would take him out to the camp nearly every weekend for several years where he groomed the boy to perform oral sex on him.

Today, Charlie watched by video link from Australia as his abuser hobbled to the dock on crutches.

He read his victim impact statement while his father and sister sat in the public gallery.

"He did the worst thing an adult could do. He took my childhood and most of my adult life," he told the court.

"I think of someone doing this to my daughter, I tell you I would be probably going to jail for what I'd do them."

"No child should ever have to endure the pain and suffering I have had to for life, the detrimental impacts of his actions have had major consequences on me. I had dreams and plans and they were taken from me."

Booth's lawyer Peter Foster told the court that he acknowledged his behaviour was appalling.

"He makes no excuses and says that he's genuinely remorseful," Foster said.

"He describes the breach of trust as indefensible in betraying the trust of the boys and of their parents."

Foster said that prison would not be easy for Booth, who is now 80 years old, as he has a number of age-related health issues.

"He will be going to prison…and when he leaves today he will be going out the front door so he can use the two lifts.

"Prison is going to be harder for him at his age than younger man. It's going to form a significant part of the remainder of his life."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17629645

File: 08ebb70662de691⋯.jpg (133.25 KB, 1440x958, 720:479, James_Booth_outside_Levin_….jpg)

File: 0eb71c6fd007761⋯.jpg (104.29 KB, 1440x871, 1440:871, James_Booth_was_a_teacher_….jpg)

>>17629643

2/3

Impact

Charlie told Open Justice earlier this year that Booth destroyed his innocence, and simultaneously provided him the financial means to obliterate what was left of it.

"I'm sickened by the fact that Jim took away my freedom, he took away my liberty, he took away my innocence, he took away my youth and then on the back of that he afforded me everything I needed to self-destruct in my early years," Charlie said.

He smoked his first joint at 13, then started smoking meth a few years later. Whenever he needed money, Booth was always there.

"We had these special lotto numbers that were a mix of his birthday, mine and some other numbers. And I'd get these envelopes in the mail with 20 bucks, or sometimes it would be a thousand from the 'winnings'.

"As a young kid, getting a thousand dollars in your back pocket was f*cking nice … I could do whatever I wanted."

Charlie said that it was obvious to him now that Booth was buying his loyalty and his silence for what had happened to him at the camp for years.

"Because I knew that Jim was financially viable and I was a fiend. I would ask and he would provide.

"There was never ever a time that he suggested I would have to pay him back."

Ultimately Charlie's life spiralled out of control and his dad helped move him to Australia where he could start afresh.

But Booth's influence even extended across the ditch with letters and "Lotto" money coming in the mail and even a visit from Booth himself when he first moved over.

The sting

It was in Australia that Charlie, now in his thirties, came clean to his wife about what had happened to him as a child.

She all but marched him down to the nearest police station where detectives there interviewed him and set up a recorder if Charlie wanted to call Booth and see if he could lure him into confessing.

Up until that point they'd maintained intermittent contact, mainly through letters and with an ever-present stream of "lotto winnings" and other envelopes filled with money.

"Jim, why did you do those things to me? That's the question I need to ask you," Charlie recalls asking Booth when he picked up the phone.

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. Why did you sexually abuse me?"

"I don't know … I don't know … it felt right."

He describes the feeling as cathartic. A release of what he'd been wanting to say to him for over 20 years.

Several days later, New Zealand police arrested Booth on an island near Picton, where he was setting up for a two-week long school camp.

They'd moved fast on the back of the recorded phone call, deciding it wasn't worth the risk to wait.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17629646

File: 274d3c9fd0dd673⋯.jpg (222.9 KB, 1440x949, 1440:949, The_school_where_Booth_tau….jpg)

>>17629645

3/3

Three of the four complainants came forward after Charlie's sting and told police of a night in 1981 when Booth took four of his 13-year-old male students to the camp for a weekend trip.

According to the summary of facts provided to the court he plied them with alcohol and then while they were asleep he took one of them from his bed, undressed him, kissed him and forced oral sex on him.

After he'd finished with the first boy he went back into the bunk room where the others were sleeping and uplifted a second boy, held him close while he resisted and then let him return to his bed when he began crying.

At a different school camp he went to a boy's bed while he slept and started rubbing his chest, stopping when the boy told him to.

The Crown argues this was a prelude and an escalation to what happened to Charlie when Booth began grooming him in 1997 when he was just 12 years old.

The offending against Charlie was more severe and more regular with Booth frequently forcing oral sex upon him and on two occasions anally raping him.

The school where Booth taught has been granted name suppression by the courts and his four victims all have automatic and permanent name suppression.

However, Booth himself lost that privilege earlier this year despite being almost synonymous with the primary school he taught at in Manawatu for nearly three decades with former students describing him as "legend" and a "big softie".

The reaction

After Open Justice published Charlie's story it was shared on multiple Facebook groups dedicated to former students of the school where Booth taught.

"I never understood why no one thought it was weird that he took boys 'under his wing' and took them away on weekends etc. even back then I thought it was a little weird," one person commented.

"He took me up to the camp with another kid that same year as this victim," another person said, "I guess I was one of the lucky ones that he didn't act on."

"I can see how his intimidating demeanour successfully kept any victims quiet. Very sad to hear," another said.

More people said it was scary and sad to think it was happening right under the nose of the parents and the other staff at the school.

As for Charlie he said today the sentence was more than a little disappointing.

"I'm actually disgusted at the fact that a man who has caused so much trauma is only getting sentenced to seven years and that he may be afforded freedom again one day."

Earlier this year, Booth appeared in Palmerston North District Court and pleaded not guilty to eight counts of indecency with a boy between 12 and 16; and nine charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

However, he changed his plea in July and pleaded guilty to all 21 charges.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/i-hope-he-dies-a-miserable-death-in-prison-paedophile-teacher-sentenced-to-seven-years-prison/WYVMH5REHSGSPDWLFTMO4HIRAA/

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305fdc  No.17629647

File: 683bb39b0dc684f⋯.jpg (1.99 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Just_a_few_thousand_people….jpg)

Victoria's purpose-built COVID quarantine hub to be shuttered by government following drop in demand

abc.net.au - 4 October 2022

A half-billion dollar COVID-19 quarantine facility in Melbourne's north will be closed after just eight months in operation following a drop in demand.

The Centre for National Resilience in Mickleham opened in February to house international travellers, frontline workers and Victorian community members, but housed just 2,168 residents.

It equates to a cost of more than $267,000 per resident during the quarantine hub's life span.

The government said a decrease in COVID cases across the state had led to a drop in demand for quarantine accommodation at the site.

The facility will close next week, with a small number of staff working to shut down the site until it is handed back to the federal government at the beginning of next year.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines defended the facility's usefulness and said it would continue to be of use during future emergencies.

"The Victorian Quarantine Hub has served its purpose in keeping Victorians safe from COVID-19. Its closure is another step in our recovery from the pandemic," Mr Carbines said.

"Australia needed these facilities before the pandemic first hit – but this important facility now exists as an insurance policy in the event of a future pandemic, or to provide accommodation in emergencies like natural disasters."

Opposition says facility should be used to help 'fix' health crisis

The opposition has slammed the decision to close the facility and said it had committed in August to investigating alternate uses for the facility.

Shadow Health Minister Georgie Crozier said the move showed contempt for taxpayer money and that Victorians in need could benefit from the site.

"Putting a padlock on Mickleham is just lazy – this facility could be used to house bed blockers or vulnerable Victorians needing crisis accommodation and more," Ms Crozier said.

"A Liberals and Nationals Government will not let this facility go to waste and will immediately explore relocating bed blockers to this facility to help fix the health crisis."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-04/mickleham-covid-quarantine-hub-closure/101500356

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305fdc  No.17629655

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17619926

>>17623808

Royal Australian Navy - Submariner Command Course

Defence Australia

Oct 4, 2022

The Royal Australian Navy has conducted its inaugural Submarine Course on 16 April 2022, after decades of reliance on allied navies for training and assessing submarine commanders.

The course was developed to ensure training and assessment of submarine commanders meets Australia's operational requirements and submarine workforce growth demands. The course took place at sea off Northern Tasmania and in advanced simulators in HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBm0vXJlLSk

https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2022-10-03/inaugural-australian-submarine-command-course

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513270  No.17635542

bump

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305fdc  No.17637099

File: 1c7e6268242dfc5⋯.jpg (115.59 KB, 1440x1080, 4:3, After_the_security_treaty_….jpg)

New report shows the Chinese Communist Party launched coordinated disinformation campaign after Solomon Islands riots

Stephen Dziedzic - 5 October 2022

1/2

The Chinese government has been running a coordinated disinformation campaign in Solomon Islands, suggesting that Australia, the United States and Taiwan fomented the riots that rocked the capital Honiara last year, according to new analysis by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).

Chinese diplomats also intensified efforts to criticise Western countries after the political controversy surrounding the China-Solomon Islands security pact, with state media trying to paint Australia and the US as colonialist bullies, ASPI said.

However, China's attempts to shape public attitudes — and undermine both Australia and the US in Solomon Islands — have achieved mixed results, with Beijing gaining only limited traction online.

The findings are contained in a new report, which has closely analysed Chinese state information campaigns in Solomon Islands over two time periods spanning a total of 18 weeks.

It found Chinese state media outlets published 67 articles on Solomon Islands over that period, with 70 per cent of those pieces directly aimed at undermining Solomon Islands' relationships with the US and Australia, or supporting Chinese state narratives.

However, those 67 articles were only shared 11 times on public Facebook pages, where the vast majority of Solomon Islanders access information online.

"They were publishing an article nearly every second day, but only a handful of those were even shared on Pacific Island Facebook groups," Blake Johnson, the report's main author, said.

"And, even when they were, they were receiving very little engagement, and the comments were mostly negative towards China.

"So these two avenues were quite ineffective."

Mr Johnson said China achieved more success by convincing Solomon Islands outlets to republish Chinese government press releases and state media pieces.

"They were much more active in this area than other diplomats in Solomon Islands. They were almost [as active] as the Solomon Islands government itself," he said.

Language echoed from Chinese state narratives

Mr Johnson said analysis of comments on Solomon Islands social media found "a strong correlation with a decline in anti-China sentiment and a rise in anti-West sentiment" after the coordinated information campaigns.

For example, after Honiara exploded in riots last November, Chinese officials and state media started to accuse "outside forces" of cultivating the unrest, suggesting the US and Taiwan deliberately inflamed tensions or sponsored the rioters in order to stoke tension between Beijing and Honiara.

Before this campaign, three in four Facebook comments on this subject were critical of China, but that figure dropped down to 57 per cent over the following weeks.

Negative comments about the West ticked up slightly, but were still only 7 per cent of the total.

A similar dynamic emerged when Chinese officials and state media outlets accused the West of "interference" and "bullying", after the US and Australia criticised the China-Solomon Islands security agreement.

Both Canberra and Washington are anxious that China might use the agreement to establish a military presence in Solomon Islands, although Honiara has repeatedly denied that will ever happen.

The ASPI report found that negative comments about China dropped from 49 per cent of the total to 29 per cent during this campaign, while positive comments about Beijing jumped sharply, from just 8 per cent of the total to 41 per cent.

Critical comments about the West bounced up, from zero to 18 per cent.

The report also found more than one-in-four negative comments about the US and Australia from Solomon Islands Facebook users echoed language found in Chinese state narratives, with many commentators accusing the West of "threatening", "controlling" or "bullying" Solomon Islands.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17637118

File: 689e6dd9c1e5697⋯.mp4 (8.86 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, During_the_riots_looters_t….mp4)

>>17637099

2/2

False narratives aimed at damaging Australia

Mr Johnson said it was unsurprising China would do everything possible to shape public opinion in Solomon Islands, and officials in Canberra should be aware of how state media was working to deliberately tarnish Australia's reputation.

"It's not somehow unique or wrong that the Chinese Communist Party is engaging with media in Solomon Islands. If anything, I think the US and Australian diplomats should be engaging with the media at a similar level," he said.

"The difference is the fact that, at times, they're engaging the media to spread clearly false narratives that have a clear objective that is damaging to Australia."

The report recommends the federal government should push back against these campaigns by supporting more research into foreign government disinformation in the Pacific, increasing the transparency of Australia's aid program, and working with other like-minded countries to expand Pacific Island journalist training.

The ABC has approached the Chinese embassy in Solomon Islands for comment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-05/ccp-china-coordinated-disinformation-campaign-solomon-islands/101500094

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305fdc  No.17637123

File: 90b81a9a9b1828a⋯.jpg (201.23 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Chinese_Premier_Li_Keqiang….jpg)

>>17637099

China’s bare-faced Solomon Islands lies=

BEN PACKHAM - OCTOBER 4, 2022

Chinese Communist Party propagandists have blunted anti-Chinese sentiment in Solomon Islands and boosted criticism of Australia and the West by spreading false narratives about last year’s riots in the capital Honiara and the country’s subsequent ­security pact with China.

A new Australian Strategic Policy Institute report reveals the co-ordinated Chinese disinformation campaign gained traction with print and social media claims that Australia, the US and Taiwan instigated the riots, and the security agreement was a necessary response to “colonialist bullies”.

The CCP narratives were most successful when deployed with the support of Solomon Islands media outlets and trusted local actors, the report states.

It found the Chinese embassy in Honiara played a key role in the influence operation, exerting pressure on editors and journalists to run favourable coverage and ­suppress stories that run counter Beijing’s line. Its narrative was reinforced through training courses and sponsored trips to China for local journalists.

“This report highlights an emerging and continuously developing Chinese state information capability in Solomon Islands,” the ASPI International Cyber Security Centre report said.

“That capability can be deployed to support the CCP’s objectives, which include undermining Solomon Islands’ existing relationships with foreign partners, particularly Australia and the US.”

The authors analysed posts on Facebook – the country’s main ­social media platform – in the weeks after the November Honiara riots and the leaking in March of the controversial security agreement between China and Solomon Islands.

They identified Facebook accounts that appeared to have been created to push pro-CCP messages, including the “Understanding China” page with 1000 members.

The researchers found articles published in local media at the instigation of CCP officials, including opinion pieces and articles based on press releases, were the most effective method of propagating pro-CCP narratives among Solomon Islands’ Facebook users.

There was a “strong correlation” between such statements and the rise in anti-Western sentiment, with about 27 per cent of anti-Western articles using CCP-style language accusing Australia and the US of “threatening, controlling or bullying” the Solomons.

They included a Chinese embassy statement after the riots citing a phone call between Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi claiming “forces with ulterior motives” wanted to “smear the relationship” between the countries.

Negative Facebook comments about China dropped from 75 per cent to 57 per cent in the following period, while positive comments rose from 19 per cent to 32 per cent. Negative comments about the West rose from zero to 7 per cent.

In the period after the leaking of the security agreement and a visit by US diplomat Kurt Campbell, China’s embassy released a statement objecting to third-party “interference” in security co-operation between the countries.

Anti-China comments subsequently declined from 49 per cent to 29 per cent. Pro-China comments rose from 3 per cent to 12 per cent, while anti-Western comments rose from zero to 18 per cent. Australia and US officials had far less success than their Chinese counterparts in generating pro-Western coverage in local media outlets, the report found.

“In the three local media outlets examined, there were more than twice the number of published official-led articles based on Chinese press releases, published statements and opinion pieces, compared to Australia and the US combined,” it said.

The authors urged Australia to work with like-minded countries to train Pacific journalists to make them more resilient to false narratives from Beijing sources.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/chinas-barefaced-solomon-islands-lies/news-story/a264b141e04476b7d340b18f66703c16

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305fdc  No.17637124

File: 6134baa4e90de10⋯.jpg (943.51 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0001.jpg)

File: d280862d1cfe7a3⋯.jpg (763.28 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0005.jpg)

File: f45cbd9a561129d⋯.jpg (619.46 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0006.jpg)

File: bce211592bc68c2⋯.jpg (788.28 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0007.jpg)

File: 1295b93e87b6743⋯.jpg (663.74 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0008.jpg)

>>17637099

How the Chinese Communist Party is spreading lies in Solomon Islands

Blake Johnson - 5 Oct 2022

1/2

The Chinese Communist Party is attempting to influence public discourse in Solomon Islands through coordinated information operations that spread false narratives and suppress information contradictory to the party’s message.

Since November 2021 when anti-Beijing riots broke out in the Solomons capital of Honiara, the CCP has used its media and disinformation capabilities to shape public perception in Solomon Islands of security issues and foreign partners. These messages—in alignment with the CCP’s regional objectives—have a strong focus on undermining the Solomons’ existing partnerships, namely with Australia and the US.

In the immediate aftermath of the Honiara riots, the CCP sought to blame Australia, the US and Taiwan for instigating the unrest. In the weeks that followed, CCP officials were also active in pushing a narrative that ‘foreign forces with ulterior motives’ were aiming to smear the relationship between Solomon Islands and China.

After the China – Solomon Islands security agreement was leaked in late March, the CCP pushed a narrative that Australia and the US were interfering in the Solomons’ affairs; were ‘colonialist’, ‘threatening’ and ‘bullying’; and had no genuine interest in supporting the country’s development. Although this narrative wasn’t exclusively used after the security agreement was leaked, the frequency of these accusations in Chinese party-state media and official statements increased dramatically.

Some of the CCP’s messaging occurs through routine diplomatic engagement, but there’s also a coordinated effort to influence the population by amplifying the messages of particular individuals and pro-CCP content across a broad spectrum of information channels. That spectrum includes party-state media, CCP official–led publications and statements in local and social media, and official party-state Facebook groups.

There’s now growing evidence to suggest that CCP officials are actively attempting to suppress information that doesn’t align with the party-state’s narratives across the Pacific islands through the coercion of local journalists and media institutions as part of the CCP’s larger information operations.

A new ASPI report, released today, examines the level of activity and effectiveness of each of these channels of influence in the Solomon Islands information environment. This includes quantitatively measuring the degree of online penetration in social media, the level of engagement generated through online commentary, and the effectiveness in swaying public attitudes through sentiment analysis of Facebook commentary.

In doing so, we have established a baseline understanding of the CCP’s activities and influence in Solomon Islands. This aids in identifying the channels of influence that are of most concern and also enables us to detect and warn against shifts in activity levels or effectiveness across channels of influence over time.

The results varied greatly across the channels of influence. Party-state media, although useful for identifying narratives pushed by the CCP, had little impact on and penetration into the Solomon Islands online information environment. These articles, produced at a rate of one every two days, were rarely shared online and received mostly negative responses about China. Likewise, Chinese embassy Facebook posts were also limited in their penetration and engagement.

The influence channel of most concern, identified as being the most effective in propagating CCP narratives online, was the publication of CCP official–led articles in local media. This included opinion pieces, press releases and locally produced articles that were almost entirely dependent on direct quotes from CCP officials. These publications came wrapped in the packaging of a trusted local media source and allowed the CCP to spread its message to a wider audience, resulting in greater penetration and engagement. The CCP was highly active in this area. In this case of the Honiara riots, CCP officials had almost as many statements published in local media discussing the cause of the riots as the Solomon Islands own government officials.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17637127

File: 89961fc724e8112⋯.jpg (752.92 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0009.jpg)

File: 3f16fd00b239885⋯.jpg (630.17 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0010.jpg)

File: c9a9eb2759d8ad8⋯.jpg (743.89 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0011.jpg)

File: f15690a22f7d387⋯.jpg (738.18 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0016.jpg)

File: bf3cff3360917f0⋯.pdf (4.08 MB, Suppressing_the_truth_and_….pdf)

>>17637124

2/2

Our sentiment analysis of Facebook comments on these shared articles showed that the Solomon Islands online population was mostly negative towards Chinese influence and engagement. But, in the case studies examined, there was a trend of declining anti-China sentiment followed by an increase in either pro-China or anti-Western commentary. These changes in sentiment, although highly variable week-to-week, correlated with real-world attempts to influence the population—such as a message from China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, or a media statement criticising the United States’ announced visit to Solomon Islands. The language used by the CCP is also repeated in the commentary by Solomon Islanders.

This report is only the beginning of our attempt to understand the size and effectiveness of CCP information operations and influence in the Pacific. The CCP’s information operations in Solomon Islands are part of a broader effort to control the narrative and sway public opinion across the region, and further investigation into malign actors and activities impacting the Pacific islands’ information environment is needed. Support from the Australian government and international partners will be vital to improving understanding of the information environment in order to better combat misinformation, disinformation and propaganda.

The Australian government also needs to do more to coordinate with other foreign partners of Solomon Islands, including the US, New Zealand, Japan and the EU, to further assist local Pacific media outlets in hiring, training and retaining high-quality, professional journalists. A strong, more resilient media industry in Solomon Islands will be less vulnerable to disinformation and the pressures that may be exerted on it by local CCP officials.

Blake Johnson is an analyst with ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre.

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/how-the-chinese-communist-party-is-spreading-lies-in-solomon-islands/

https://www.aspi.org.au/report/suppressing-truth-and-spreading-lies

https://ad-aspi.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/2022-10/Suppressing%20the%20truth%20and%20spreading%20lies.pdf?VersionId=G1zLvJCbHSvNxs9kepX4qsfVgIlvqJzu

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305fdc  No.17637128

File: 55250f7079bde63⋯.jpg (137.93 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

Solomon Islands leader to travel to Australia on fence-mending visit

Lewis Jackson - October 5, 2022

SYDNEY, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will visit Australia on Thursday as both countries look to mend ties which soured after the Pacific nation struck a security pact with China in April.

The agreement raised concern for the United States and Australia, who have for decades seen the Pacific region as largely their sphere of influence.

"Our relationship with Solomon Islands is incredibly important," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

"I look forward to engaging with Prime Minister Sogavare on building a strong and prosperous Pacific region, based on principles of transparency, respect and partnership."

Both leaders last met in July at the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji.

Australia is the Solomon Islands' largest development partner in health, justice, education, infrastructure and other areas. But an offer by Canberra to fund the Pacific island's next election led Solomon Islands last month to accuse Australia of "interference".

The bilateral meeting also comes days after U.S. President Joe Biden and 14 Pacific island states issued a joint declaration to strengthen their partnership amid Washington's offer of hundreds of millions in new aid for the region.

Solomon Islands endorsed the document after earlier indicating it would not sign the declaration.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/solomon-islands-leader-travel-australia-fence-mending-visit-2022-10-05/

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305fdc  No.17637130

File: 1c9b6950d93e010⋯.jpg (130.49 KB, 1024x682, 512:341, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

>>17637128

Keeping our frenemies close: Albanese hosts Solomons leader at the Lodge

Matthew Knott - October 5, 2022

Preventing one of Australia’s closest neighbours from forging closer bonds with China will be top of Anthony Albanese’s agenda when the prime minister meets Solomon Islands counterpart Manasseh Sogavare in Canberra on Thursday.

Sogavare alarmed Australian officials and fellow Pacific leaders earlier this year by signing a wide-ranging security pact with China.

Last month he controversially delayed his nation’s scheduled elections, despite an offer from Australia to help pay for the poll.

Albanese will host Sogavare for a meeting at Parliament House and dinner at the Lodge. The leaders are not expected to speak to the media following their meeting, as is common during such a visit.

Describing Australia’s relationship with Solomon Islands as “incredibly important”, Albanese said: “I look forward to engaging with Prime Minister Sogavare on building a strong and prosperous Pacific region, based on principles of transparency, respect and partnership.

“As members of the Pacific family, we are committed to working together to face our shared challenges and achieve our shared goals, including on climate change.”

Sogavare, who has had a complicated relationship with Australia over his long career, greeted Albanese with an enthusiastic hug when they met at the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji in July.

Two months later he accused Australia of launching an “an assault” on his nation’s democracy by publicly offering to pay for the scheduled 2023 elections.

Sogavare won support from the Solomons Islands parliament to delay the elections by seven months, a deferral he said necessary because of the upcoming Pacific Games.

James Batley, a former Australian high commissioner to Solomon Islands, said: “For Sogavare, he will be trying to show he can maintain good relations with China and Australia simultaneously.

“For Albanese, he will be wanting to make Sogavare understand why we’re concerned about the relationship with China.”

Mihai Sora, who served as an Australian diplomat in Solomon Islands, said: “This is a public demonstration of the fact Australia has a special relationship with Solomon Islands, even though there are ups and downs. The objective is to show we’re still friends.”

While some funding announcements may be made, Sora said he believed the main purpose of the visit was to build trust between the two leaders.

Australia remains the largest provider of aid and security assistance to Solomon Islands, even as the island nation shifts closer to China.

Clive Moore, an expert on Solomon Islands history at the University of Queensland, said he expected Sogavare to be “totally charming” while in Australia despite vehemently criticising the nation in the past.

“Relations are very strained and he will want to have a better relationship with Australia,” Moore said.

“He doesn’t want Solomon Islands to be a pariah state in the South Pacific.”

Sogavare dislikes criticism from outsiders and media scrutiny, he said, which could explain the absence of a joint press conference on the visit schedule.

Solomon Islands signed an accord with the United States and other Pacific leaders in Washington last week, but only after successfully lobbying for the removal of indirect references to China.

“There were some references that put us in a position where we’ll have to choose sides, and we did not want to be placed in a position where we have to choose sides,” Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele told reporters.

A report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute released this week found the Chinese government has been running a coordinated disinformation campaign in Solomon Islands to undermine perceptions of Australia, the United States and Taiwan.

This included promoting the false narrative that Australia was to blame for riots in the capital Honiara last year.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/keeping-our-frenemies-close-albanese-hosts-solomons-leader-at-the-lodge-20221005-p5bnea.html

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305fdc  No.17637131

File: 175eab33c9bc67b⋯.jpg (247.38 KB, 1600x1066, 800:533, Australian_Defence_Ministe….jpg)

Top Australian defence officials hit by 'sophisticated' Singapore cyber hack

Andrew Greene - 5 October 2022

Some of Australia's most senior defence figures have been caught up in a data breach after "sophisticated" cyber hackers targeted a five-star hotel in Singapore.

Between May and July this year, customer data was stolen from eight Shangri-La hotels across Asia, including the luxury Singapore venue where Defence Minister Richard Marles held top-level security talks with China shortly after Labor's election win.

In an email sent to guests this week, Shangri-La Group senior vice-president Brian Yu expressed "deep" regret for the incident and assured guests caught up in the breach that "all necessary steps" had been taken to investigate and contain the incident.

"Following the discovery of unauthorised activities on Shangri-La's IT network, we engaged cyber forensic experts to investigate the anomalies," he said.

"The investigation revealed that between May and July 2022, a sophisticated threat actor managed to bypass Shangri-La's IT security monitoring systems undetected, and illegally accessed the guest databases."

According to Mr Yu, the company's investigation confirmed "that certain data files had been exfiltrated from these databases".

"Although we were not able to confirm the content of the exfiltrated data files, it is likely that they contained guest data".

The affected hotels included Shangri-La properties across Singapore, as well as in Hong Kong, Taipei, Chiang Mai and Tokyo.

Databases hit by the hackers are believed to have contained personal details including guest names, email addresses, phone numbers, postal addresses, Shangri-La Circle membership numbers, reservation dates and company names.

Guests caught up in the data breach have been assured that information such as passport numbers, ID numbers, dates of birth and credit card details with expiry dates were adequately encrypted.

In June, Defence Minister Richard Marles, Chief of Defence General Angus Campbell and senior military and departmental officials travelled to Singapore for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, held in the Singapore hotel bearing the same name.

On the sidelines of the security conference, Mr Marles met with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe, marking the first high-level contact between the two nations since a diplomatic freeze that began in early 2020.

The Defence Department confirmed it was aware of a data breach affecting Shangri-La hotels and said it was "working with the company to understand the impact on Australian Defence attendees at the Shangri-La Dialogue".

"Defence will work with any impacted personnel to minimise potential risks that could arise from this breach," a Defence spokesperson told the ABC.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-05/australian-defence-officials-hit-by-singapore-cyber-hack/101500968

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305fdc  No.17637138

File: 0efd691177c4c9b⋯.jpg (663.94 KB, 825x1536, 275:512, Mike_Pompeo_18.jpg)

File: f8075a0d1da5398⋯.jpg (829.37 KB, 825x1721, 825:1721, HI_3.jpg)

File: acb9e62d7ab93f6⋯.jpg (165.38 KB, 690x1024, 345:512, FeO2ud6XEAAuedU.jpg)

>>17532044

>>17595220

Mike Pompeo Tweet

The CCP wants me to stop speaking the truth.

Ain’t gonna happen

https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1577305208954261507

Hudson Institute Tweet

"The genocidal #CPP is the oppressor of the Chinese people & an enemy of free people around the globe. The Chinese people know this & the American people know it. As a wise man once said, 'facts are stubborn things.' No one at Hudson is intimidated by this." - @john_walters_

https://twitter.com/HudsonInstitute/status/1577358433090682880

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305fdc  No.17637141

File: 2e2c13218161e79⋯.jpg (161.72 KB, 1536x994, 768:497, Bishop_Carlos_Filipe_Ximen….jpg)

File: a6f75b62c2e80c7⋯.jpg (132.22 KB, 990x629, 990:629, Jose_Ramos_Horta_a_Bishop_….jpg)

>>17607461

Nobel Peace Prize winner Belo an alleged pedophile

Holy See has prohibited Belo from living in Timor Leste, contacting minors or exercising public priestly ministry

JOHN MCBETH - OCTOBER 5, 2022

1/2

JAKARTA – A political bombshell could be about to explode over the deeply-Catholic state of Timor Leste following revelations that the Vatican covered up long-rumored accusations that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo was a serial pedophile.

The Vatican has now confirmed the 74-year-old Belo has been under disciplinary sanctions in Portugal since 2019 over sexual abuse allegations committed against boys during his time as apostolic administrator in then- Indonesia-controlled East Timor in the 1990s.

“The Holy See’s restrictions on Bishop Belo might seem familiar to US Catholics – the bishop was prohibited from living in East Timor, contacting minors or exercising public priestly ministry,” said The Pillar, America’s leading conservative Catholic magazine.

The Dutch news magazine De Groene Amsterdam broke the story after a painstaking, years-long investigation by Dutch freelance journalist Tjitske Lingsma into dozens of cases of abuse against youths from mostly poor, devout families.

Lingsma, who has covered Timor Leste for decades, detailed graphic accounts of the abuse from a string of witnesses, many of them now in their 40s, who were afraid to come forward before because of the power wielded by the church.

It now remains to be seen whether Pope Francis will go ahead with a visit to Asia’s youngest Catholic majority country and also neighboring Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, which has already been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The scandal could rebound on the Timor Leste leadership, including independence hero and former president Xanana Gusmao, who had an audience with Pope Francis on August 26 as a special envoy of President Jose Ramos-Horta.

Gusmao outraged his ex-wife and their three sons last year by paying a prison visit to defrocked US priest Richard Daschbach, 84, subsequently jailed for 12 years for sexually abusing orphaned girls at a shelter he ran in the enclave of Oecusse between 1991 and 2018.

Numerous sources say Belo’s behavior was an open secret in Timor Leste – and probably in Rome as well – dating back to the 1980s, long before the former Portuguese territory’s 1999 vote for independence from 24 years of brutal Indonesian rule.

Ramos-Horta and other members of the ruling elite also face criticism for what veteran Australian journalist Lindsay Murdoch describes as the “deafening silence” surrounding the abuse allegedly committed by Belo and what De Groene claims are four other unnamed priests.

Then there is predatory British priest Patrick Smythe, 79, jailed for seven and a half years this year for preying on boys in Yorkshire. Court testimony shows he traveled to Timor Leste over a 10-year period and often had children sleeping in his room “to show them how the other half live.”

“The church played a central role in the independence struggle and the leadership just doesn’t want to pull the scab off this,” says Murdoch, who like Lingsma covered the bloody militia rampage that followed the independence vote.

“The Catholic Church enjoys immense respect among the people in Timor Leste, for its religious role and as an institution that helped people and offered protection,” said De Groene. “If accusations against Belo had been made public it would have scandalized the country and undermined the struggle for independence.”

Although it still isn’t clear whether he was compelled to step down, Belo explained his surprise resignation in November 2002 as a move to make way for a refreshed post-independence church in a country where 97% of the 1.3 million population is Catholic.

Some media reports suggest he was relieved of his duties by Pope John Paul II, who only a year earlier, on November 21, 2001, had broken his long silence and sent his first e-mail apologizing for endemic child sexual abuse within the church.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17637143

File: 52e19c75cf52de9⋯.jpg (248.54 KB, 1250x937, 1250:937, Pope_Francis_has_apologize….jpg)

>>17637141

2/2

In any event, after spending a short time in Portugal, where he had studied as a young Salesian, the bishop was inexplicably posted to dirt-poor Mozambique as a missionary priest – working mostly with children, as he acknowledged in a 2005 interview.

It was equally unclear at the time why a bishop of Belo’s stature would take such a low position and even more puzzling why he would be doing pastoral work “teaching catechism to children and holding retreats for young people,” as he put it.

Belo and current President Jose Ramos-Horta shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for playing a leading role in the struggle to win freedom for Timor Leste, which is now seeking membership in the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN).

Ian Martin, the now-retired UN official who oversaw the referendum, told reporters at the 20th-anniversary celebrations of the vote in 2019 that Belo couldn’t make the trip to Dili because he was forbidden from leaving Portugal.

That was confirmed by Bishop Norberto da Amoral, president of the Episcopal Conference of Timor Leste, who said in a 2019 interview that “issues with bishops” were only dealt with by the Vatican and not by the local church.

The Holy See press office has belatedly revealed that measures restricting Belo’s travel and ministry were “modified and reinforced” in 2020 and only last November and that Belo had accepted them in both instances.

Apart from a promised Vatican investigation of the charges, the Nobel Committee may feel compelled to look into the case as well with a view to deprive Belo of the prize he is believed to deserve for his courage and tenacity during Indonesian rule.

It is understood that under Indonesian Law, which applied in newly-independent Timor Leste until the end of the UN-led transitional administration in 2002, the statute of limitations on Belo’s alleged abuses would have run out in 2018.

The son of an impoverished farmer, Belo was in Macau when Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975. Six years later, the newly-ordained priest was posted back to his homeland, serving as a master of novices at Fatumaca, east of Dili.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed the 35-year-old priest as head of the church In East Timor and five years later he became a bishop, taking up the cause of a cowed population living in fear of Indonesian repression.

On November 12, 1991, he was a witness to the infamous Santa Cruz graveyard massacre that left an estimated 250 people dead and sparked worldwide condemnation and a 16-year US military embargo.

Variously described by those who met him as “arrogant, acerbic and short-tempered,” Belo sought to protect people fleeing militia mobs in 1999, but his residence was set ablaze and he was forced to flee the country on an Australian air force aircraft.

Although he returned, it was not for long. In 2004, two years after his resignation, there were repeated calls in Timor Leste for him to go back to run for the presidency but he declined, saying he would “leave politics to the politicians.”

Comparing the circumstances of the Belo case with that of notorious Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was laicized in 2019 over charges of sexual misconduct with boys, The Pillar said there was no “good” explanation” for how the Timorese churchman was similarly protected.

As the magazine put it: “The simple reality that is that four years on from McCarrick, Catholics are right back where they started: wondering how many more bishops have been quietly ‘restricted’ by the Vatican, despite all the promises of a new era of transparency and accountability, and asking when, if ever, they can expect some straight answers from their shepherds.”

https://asiatimes.com/2022/10/nobel-peace-prize-winner-belo-an-alleged-pedophile/

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305fdc  No.17637148

File: 850cdc69e2cd3bf⋯.jpg (214.69 KB, 1240x744, 5:3, Spacey_s_trial_is_one_of_a….jpg)

Kevin Spacey trial begins in New York, five years after sexual abuse accusations

Anthony Rapp alleges Spacey acted to gratify sexual desire during an encounter in 1986, when he was 14 and the Oscar winner was 26 or 27

Edward Helmore - 5 Oct 2022

1/2

Actor Kevin Spacey faces the first of a series of sexual abuse claims dating back decades on Thursday in New York in a trial that may come to overshadow a glittering career on stage and screen that included two Oscars and numerous other top awards.

The case against the 63-year-old American focuses on accusations by Anthony Rapp, a star of the Broadway musical Rent, who five years ago publicly accused Spacey of sexual assault when he was a teenager.

In the subsequent lawsuit now coming to trial, Rapp alleges that Spacey – whose real name is Kevin Spacey Fowler – acted to gratify his sexual desire during an encounter at a Manhattan party in 1986, when he was 14 and Spacey 26 or 27.

The trial will focus on Rapp’s claims against Spacey of battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to court documents, but not claims of sexual assault, which were dismissed in June because they were brought too late.

Rapp is asking for $40m in punitive and compensatory damages and he brought the lawsuit in September 2020, passing through the same statute of limitations window in New York’s Child Victims Act that allowed Virginia Giuffre to bring a now-settled case against Britain’s Prince Andrew earlier this year.

Spacey denies the claims against him.

Rapp’s legal claims came three years after an account in a 2017 BuzzFeed story in which he said a visibly intoxicated Spacey had picked him up, placed him on a bed, climbed on top of him and made a sexual advance in a Manhattan apartment.

Spacey said in a statement on Twitter after the story was published that he didn’t remember the alleged incident. “If I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years,” he wrote.

Rapp’s accusation was first made as part of a story about an accuser known only as “CD” who was dropped from the subsequent lawsuit because he refused to openly use his real name during court proceedings.

Rapp and his attorneys have since argued in a court filing that Spacey “grazed” and touched his buttocks while picking him up and putting him on a bed while he was a “14-year-old child”.

“Mr Rapp claims that Mr Fowler lifted him up, that Mr Fowler’s hand his [sic] ‘grazed’ Mr Rapp’s clothed buttocks for seconds as he did so, that Mr Fowler placed Mr Rapp back-down on a bed, and Mr Fowler then briefly placed his own clothed body partially beside and partially across Mr Rapp’s,” according to a court document.

Rapp testified in a deposition that “there was no kissing, no undressing, no reaching under clothes and no sexualized statements or innuendo,” according to a filing. His attorneys have cited two New York state cases where men were convicted of third-degree sex abuse for “brushing” or “grazing” the buttocks of women on subway cars with outstretched hands for the purpose of sexual gratification.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17637151

File: 84865c8570a16b9⋯.jpg (455.16 KB, 852x914, 426:457, Q_4590.jpg)

File: 06e20e05177a562⋯.jpg (555.88 KB, 1467x1650, 489:550, Q_4590_cover7.jpg)

>>17637148

2/2

But lawyers for the American Beauty actor have countered that Rapp’s lawsuit should be thrown out on grounds that the law “requires” an accuser to allege “squeezing, grabbing or pinching of a sexual or other intimate part” for sexual gratification or abuse in order qualify under the New York act.

“Plaintiff’s allegations amount to a claim Mr Fowler surprised him by picking him up, putting him on a bed and putting some of his body weight against him, before plaintiff ‘wriggled out’ with no resistance,” a filing said. “By plaintiff’s own admission, there was no groping, no kissing, no undressing, no reaching under clothes and no sexualized statements or innuendo.”

In 2019, charges of indecent assault and battery against the actor filed by an 18-year-old accuser in Nantucket were dropped “due to the unavailability of the complaining witness” after being questioned about text messages Spacey’s defense claims were deleted.

Spacey’s New York trial comes amid a packed schedule of movie business-related sexual assault trials this month. In New York, director Paul Haggis is facing a claim of rape brought by film publicist Haleigh Breest while in Los Angeles, both Harvey Weinstein and That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson are facing criminal charges.

The Spacey trial could produce some unexpected witnesses. In July, a California judge in a $31m arbitration claim related to his time on House of Cards granted the actor a request to seal the names of his accusers and the “specifics” of their sexual harassment allegations. Court papers have hinted that witness from the hit series could be called to testify.

Meanwhile, the actor’s career has been effectively devastated by the accusations. After being dropped from House of Cards, his role as oil tycoon J Paul Getty in Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World was reshot using Christopher Plummer. In May, jurors in the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp defamation case heard that a completed Netflix biopic of Gore Vidal starring Spacey has been permanently shelved. Spacey has also dropped out of a role playing Genghis Khan in 1242: Gateway to the West.

“No matter what the sexual inappropriateness is, if it’s a violation of the law the perpetrator should be held accountable if the allegations are accurate,” said Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney who has represented victims in the Boston Catholic clergy abuse cases.

“I can say that it takes enormous courage for any sexual abuse victim, male or female, to come forward to report the abuse. People who report sexual abuse should be greatly admired.”

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/oct/05/kevin-spacey-trial-new-york-sexual-abuse-accusations

Q Post #4590

Jul 18 2020 11:18:04 (EST)

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/kevin-spacey-accuser-dies-by-suicide-day-after-actor-posts-kill-them-with-kindness-video

"This marks the third Spacey accuser to die in 2019."

At what point does it become painfully obvious?

Q

https://qanon.pub/#4590

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305fdc  No.17637158

File: 8a764e1219d9e2b⋯.jpg (107.29 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_Syrian_woman_fills_a_wat….jpg)

>>17623791

Islamic State brides will be detained on arrival from Syria

ELLEN WHINNETT - OCTOBER 5, 2022

1/2

Women brought back from Islamic State detention camps in Syria will likely be detained ­immediately upon arrival in Australia.

The Australian understands the 16 women expect to either be charged or face court for the purposes of making a terrorism control order.

Either way, they will likely be immediately detained in a prison, detention centre or holding cell pending court appearances.

Police, who could charge up to nine of the women with offences including entering the proscribed city of Raqqa, will then either apply for them to be held in custody or release them on bail into the community.

Those who are not charged will face the Supreme Court in NSW or Victoria while the Australian Federal Police seeks terrorism control orders.

Those appearances could be made via video-link.

This can be done speedily as the women have all agreed to voluntarily submit to such an order, which can include wearing an ankle monitoring device, and allowing federal and state police and ASIO to monitor their social media use, internet use, communications, movements and associates.

They would then be released into the community. Extended family and kinship groups would care for the children in the short term, while in rare cases the children may go into state care, at least temporarily.

The national security committee of cabinet convened in Canberra on Tuesday to discuss final details of a planned repatriation of 16 women and 42 children from the al-Roj detention camp in northeastern Syria.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil did not comment after the meeting.

The most vulnerable of the families – those with very young children, whose mothers were forced or tricked into entering Syria by their parents or husbands – will be prioritised, following final risk assessments carried out by ASIO.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said police “may or may not have criminal charges against some individuals.’’

“That is a process we will go through,” he told 2GB radio.

He said the AFP’s main focus would be “protecting Australians from any harm’’ but police also wanted to see justice served.

“If you commit any crimes against our federal criminal code or other codes, you should be held to account,’’ he said.

The women and their children have spent the past 3½ years detained in camps in northeast Syria following the fall of Islamic State in March 2019.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17637159

File: 0edd5d4e684e326⋯.jpg (183.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Islamic_State_brides_will_….jpg)

>>17637158

2/2

Peter Dutton appeared to slightly soften his position towards the women, whom he previously said could carry out mass casualty attacks and that some were “as hardcore as some of the male terrorists’’ who had travelled to Syria and Iraq.

The Opposition Leader expressed deep concern at funding arrangements for the surveillance required when the women were released into the community, and about a lack of transparency from government as he sought briefings from Mr Kershaw and ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess.

“We need to know, for example, whether all of these individuals are Australian citizens, because sometimes, particularly where an Australian citizen male has gone to fight for ISIL and they’ve been killed in that theatre of war, those orphaned children will end up with other parents,’’ he said.

“I just need some information. I think the Australian public would demand information about the individual cases.’’

Mr Dutton said it would cost millions of dollars to monitor one single high-risk individual, and he did not believe the government had adequately funded ASIO and the AFP to handle the increased workload.

He said the priority had to be keeping the broader Australian community safe but he also said “we have an obligation to Australian citizens – I accept that.’’

His comments were more nuanced than those of home affairs spokeswoman Karen Andrews, who said earlier this week she saw no benefit in bringing the families home and “If I was still minister for home affairs, those people would not be returning to Australia.’’

Other Coalition frontbenchers including Angus Taylor, Bridget McKenzie and Dan Tehan have made similar comments to Mr Dutton’s, expressing concern about the process, cost and transparency of the repatriation process.

Mr Dutton agreed with Ms Andrews’ comments about threats posed by some of the boys who had been exposed to Islamic State ideology, saying “it’s a reflection of the reality of what we’re dealing with. We’re dealing with impressionable young minds who have been mixing in camps with people who have been committing terrorist offences … They’re tragic circumstances and I hate the fact these children have been put into harm’s way, but we have to make decisions that will keep the Australian public safe.’’

Of the group of 42 children in the camp, The Australian is aware of 23 girls and 16 boys, while the gender of the other children is not known. Twenty-five of the children are eight years or younger. The youngest child in the camp is just two.

Education Minister Tanya Plibersek said there was “an ongoing discussion about the fate of these women’’ but it seemed like several of them were tricked or coerced into going to Syria, some of them as young teenagers.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got 40 Australian kids in one of the most difficult and dangerous places in the world. Anybody who took a child into a zone like this is really committing child abuse.

“It is a very, very dangerous place to take a child. And we’ve got Australian children growing up in difficult, traumatic circumstances,’’ she told the ABC.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said national security was the government’s No. 1 priority. He told Nine he had “no sympathy at all’’ for the male fighters who went to Syria, but he could see both points of view on the issue.

“I just want to reassure people it’s about national security first,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/islamic-state-brides-will-be-detained-on-arrival-from-syria/news-story/46340eff1e2ce3f0b547ae7473da51f1

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305fdc  No.17637212

File: 7b06cef0a282d7d⋯.jpg (362.52 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Scenery_of_Solomon_Islands.jpg)

>>17637099

Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands urges certain Westerners to stop spreading disinformation, refuting false narratives by Australian think tank

Global Times - Oct 05, 2022

The Chinese Embassy in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday urged certain Westerners to abandon ideological bias, stop fabricating rumors to slander China and spreading disinformation but do more to benefit the people of Pacific Island countries after an Australian think tank accused China of running "a coordinated disinformation campaign in Solomon Islands."

According to a statement the embassy sent to the Global Times on Wednesday, since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Solomon Islands three years ago, bilateral relations have been developing in depth with a higher level of mutual trust, increasing common interests and a broader path of cooperation.

Guided by the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, China has carried out mutually beneficial cooperation with the Solomon Islands doing all it can to support the latter in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic and building infrastructure. The results have been practical, efficient, tangible and well welcomed by the government and people of the island nation.

Facts will tell and justice will prevail. The peoples of the two countries are best qualified to speak about the China-Solomon Islands relations and praise the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides, the embassy said.

The statement by the Chinese embassy came after the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) in a new analysis accused the Chinese government of running a coordinated disinformation campaign in the Solomon Islands which suggested that Australia, the US and the island of Taiwan "fomented the riots that rocked the capital Honiara last year."

According to Australian media outlet ABC on Wednesday, the think tank's report claimed that influenced by Chinese efforts to shape attitudes and undermine both Australia and the US in Solomon Islands, negative comments about China dropped significantly, while positive comments jumped sharply.

"False narratives are the patent and specialty of a few Western countries. China has won wide praise and good reputation among the Pacific Island countries, including the Solomon Islands, thanks to its practical efforts," read the statement.

As mutually beneficial cooperation has benefited both the Solomon Islands and China, the island country resisted Western pressure to take sides between China and the US. According to the AFP, the Solomon Islands said on Tuesday it had objected to the first draft of a US-Pacific partnership declaration because it was not comfortable with some indirect references to China.

The country's Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele said on Tuesday in New Zealand that "In the initial draft, there were some references that we were not comfortable with." These "put us in a position that we have to choose sides and we don't want to be placed in a position that we have to choose sides," Manele said.

Asked if those references were to China, he replied, "Indirectly," the AFP reported.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202210/1276589.shtml

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305fdc  No.17696780

File: 35af99e9977419d⋯.jpg (2.15 MB, 4822x3444, 2411:1722, PEHGED.jpg)

ATTENTION: ADMIN/BO/BV

Thank you for removing the spam from Q Research Australia.

Greatly appreciated!

WWG1WGA!

o7

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305fdc  No.17696781

File: b45339622932bb7⋯.jpg (221.78 KB, 1500x1000, 3:2, I_feel_so_bad_for_dear_fri….jpg)

File: 3c164abe12e699e⋯.jpg (28.99 KB, 439x450, 439:450, Jailed_sex_trafficker_Ghis….jpg)

File: 51dbf25e4ed96d3⋯.jpg (122.28 KB, 672x928, 21:29, Prince_Andrew_with_Ghislai….jpg)

File: 1e05fd40a8fb3aa⋯.jpg (1.07 MB, 4180x2858, 2090:1429, please_check_picture_edito….jpg)

MY DEAR ANDREW - I feel so bad for dear friend Andrew, says Ghislaine Maxwell in first prison interview since sex trafficking conviction

Daphne Barak - 15 Oct 2022

1/2

GHISLAINE Maxwell has spoken for the first time from jail about her “dear friend” Prince Andrew.

In a world exclusive interview from the prison where she is serving 20 years for trafficking teenage girls, she confessed: “I feel so bad for him. I follow what is happening to him.’’

Maxwell, 60, appeared shaken when told the Prince’s lawyers had claimed they were never close, before adding sadly: “I accept that this friendship could not survive my conviction.

“He is paying such a price for the association. I consider him a dear friend. I care about him.”

It comes as the Duke of York struggles to rescue his image in the face of hostile public opinion and the heartbreak of his mother the Queen’s death.

In two explosive interviews, one of which was conducted face-to-face in prison, Maxwell even told how she is now convinced Andrew is a victim of faked evidence.

She also spoke for the first time of her close friendships with former US Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, and her association with “the greatest regret of my life’’, paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Our first meeting, conducted as part of an upcoming CBS-Paramount Plus special, took place in June this year inside New York’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Centre, followed by another lengthy interview conducted remotely from her current jail in Florida.

Speaking for the first time since her arrest in July 2020, Maxwell talked of her regrets over her association with billionaire financier and sex abuser Epstein, claiming it had turned her into a “wicked witch” hate figure and damaged those she loved. And she revealed she longs to turn back the clock.

“I said in my court statement that meeting Epstein was the greatest mistake of my life,” Maxwell admits.

“And obviously, if I could go back today, I would avoid meeting him, and I would make different choices.”

Andrew was not the only friend she lost over her links to the tycoon, who was found dead in his cell, aged 66, in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Former US President Bill Clinton, who travelled on the tycoon’s “Lolita Express” private jet, was another relationship she valued.

“It was a special friendship, which continued over the years,” she said.

“We had lots in common. I feel bad that he is another victim, only because of his association with Jeffrey. I understand he, like others, can no longer consider me as a friend.”

Heavy price

One of the few people to have shown her any loyalty, she says, is former President Donald Trump.

“We knew each other and mingled in the same circles, in New York, Palm Beach. I was very grateful when he wished me well after (the arrest). He got bad media for it, but he dared, while others didn’t.

“I was honoured he remembered me. Well, he is known to say what he thinks. It gave me a big boost.”

Maxwell complained friends were “cancelled” just for knowing her.

“There are many people who have been impacted by this story,” she said. “Friends of mine who never even met Epstein lost their jobs. People who literally had nothing to do with him whatsoever have been cancelled.

“For all those people … I think it’s been a very heavy price that has been paid by the cancel culture. It’s been very difficult for a lot of people.”

Despite that, she admitted she was hurt by the lack of loyalty from so-called friends once desperate for a place in her social circle.

“There are people who have disappointed me and there are people I’m surprised have not, you know, been a little more proactive,” she said. “I completely understand people have livelihoods to protect … children to protect.

“But having said that, there are people who have stood by me privately. Quite a few, actually, and I’m extremely appreciative of their private support.

“I have friends who I have literally known my entire life since I was at kindergarten. It’s good to know there are people out there who know who I am, really.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17696782

File: c5c118d1ecbf401⋯.jpg (1.12 MB, 2101x2546, 2101:2546, Maxwell_pictured_at_a_wedd….jpg)

File: 08a1c4245a6ad3e⋯.jpg (3.9 MB, 5522x3701, 5522:3701, Ghislaine_Maxwell_pictured….jpg)

File: 0b33ef1019d8687⋯.jpg (1.06 MB, 2400x3600, 2:3, Donald_Trump_and_Ghislaine….jpg)

>>17696781

2/2

As for the others, Maxwell believes they have accepted a false version of her as the “Wicked Witch” in Epstein’s story. “All this is a fictional version of me,” she said. “It has been created to fit the storyline. It has absolutely nothing to do with who I am.

“I find it curious that so many people choose to contribute to the fake, created version, sort of like a Disney character, the Wicked Witch, if you will. The real people who know me and still love me have never spoken.”

An intelligent woman who graduated from Oxford University with a modern languages degree — and says she has worked all her life — Maxwell hates to show weakness.

She said: “I think there are many women who can identify with my story. Many have either fallen in love with or had relationships with men that in hindsight they look back on and say, ‘What was I thinking?’ I imagine there’s not a woman on the planet who would not think that about one or other of their boyfriends.”

But she said she would not discuss individuals — Epstein, Prince Andrew or Scott Borgerson, the husband who reportedly dumped her in a prison phone call — until her appeal has been heard.

Maxwell even refused to deny reports she and Andrew were once a couple, claiming: “I have read and seen and heard and had reported to me so many monstrous inaccuracies that I can’t even start to pick apart all of them.

“If I pick apart one and don’t address all the others, it’s going to be, ‘Well, she said no to this. What about all those others?’

“So I’m not going to discuss anything of that nature. After the appeal, I’m going to be super-happy to address with you any of those things.”

But could they become friends in the future? She said: “I don’t have an expectation. People who I have been friends with — and very close friends with … I can’t think about what they will want to do or not do.”

In an astonishing U-turn, Maxwell branded one of the most damaging exhibits in the case against Andrew a forgery … the infamous photo of him with his hand clutching teenage sex slave Virginia Giuffre’s bare midriff.

'This photo is not real'

Said to have been taken at Maxwell’s London home in March 2001, it shows her standing in the background, grinning broadly.

“This photo is not real,” she insisted, backing Andrew’s earlier claim.

“There was never an original one produced.” She refused to say more on Giuffre — who sued the Prince for sex abuse and accepted a reported $12million in damages earlier this year — adding, with a dismissive wave: “I don’t even want to start talking about Virginia.”

The Prince dropped his defence against Giuffre’s lawsuit and agreed to pay up — turning him into the Palace pariah, banned from royal duties — after a damaging 2015 email from Ghislaine emerged.

Epstein’s lawyer Alan Dershowitz had asked her if the picture was real. She replied: “It looks real. I think it is.”

Challenged on that now, Maxwell insisted: “I don’t recognise that picture and I don’t believe it is a real picture.” Then she claimed that all she meant to say in that email was that she recognised her own house.

“I said, it is that image that, whatever it is, I recognise it as my house,” she explained in a rambling response. “But I have come to discover that image I don’t believe is true. And the original has never been produced because it doesn’t exist. I don’t believe that image is a true image.”

So did she reply to Dershowitz without thinking? “If you see a photograph and it’s a photograph of you in your home, and someone says to you, is that a picture of you? So you don’t question.

It would never occur to me that at that time that somebody would have created a photograph or, you know, done something with a picture … I recognised the surroundings of that photograph, nothing more than that.”

Maxwell claims there are “over 50 problems with the picture” that led her to come to the conclusion that it was a fake.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/20119211/prince-andrew-ghislaine-maxwell-first-prison-interview/

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305fdc  No.17696784

File: f35c4078b4ef125⋯.mp4 (8.73 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Ghislaine_Maxwell_Victims_….mp4)

File: 9ab489c0088671d⋯.jpg (86.11 KB, 830x883, 830:883, Prince_Andrew_Virginia_Giu….jpg)

File: 4045e5b7f80f7af⋯.jpg (76.59 KB, 830x466, 415:233, Ghislaine_Maxwell_and_Jeff….jpg)

>>17696781

Ghislaine Maxwell: Victims slam 'unrepentant' sex trafficker after new interview

Ghislaine Maxwell's comments show she still believes she's done nothing wrong, a lawyer for Jeffrey Epstein's victims has said - Paul Brand reports

itv.com - 17 October 2022

The victims of sex-trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell have spoken of their anger to ITV News after she gave an interview from her US jail cell.

In her first interview since being sent to prison, the former British socialite told US reporter Daphne Barak, who has known her since the 90s, that she felt "so bad" for her "dear friend" Prince Andrew and still cares for him.

The Duke of York was stripped of his Royal duties after reaching an out of court settlement with Virginia Giuffre - who alleged she was trafficked to him as a 17-year-old.

He has always denied any wrongdoing, but Maxwell's interview will only serve the Prince fresh embarrassment.

Pictured with Ms Giuffre over 20-years ago, the image is one that Prince Andrew has failed to shake - one that Maxwell now alleges is fake.

She said: "I don't recognise that picture, and I don't believe it is a real picture.

"That image whatever it is, I recognise my house so from that aspect.

"I've now come subsequently to discover that image, I don't believe is true and there's never been the original produced, because it doesn't exist.

"As soon as the appeal is over I'll be very happy to discuss the I don't know how many points there are, but over 50 problems with the picture.

"I recognized the surroundings of that photograph, nothing more than that. But at this time, I no longer believe that to be a true image, and I don't believe that it is what it appears to be."

Lisa Bloom, lawyer for some of Epstein's victims, has said it shows she still believes she's done nothing wrong.

"She has been criminally convicted under the highest legal standard. We have a jury heard all of the evidence, everything her high price lawyers wanted to put in in the trial, and then convicted her beyond a reasonable doubt.

"She is somebody who has caused so much suffering, not only to the four victims in her trial, but to many, many others. And obviously she does not get it, and she never will."

On Maxwell's claims that the picture with Prince Andrew was faked, Bloom said, "There's zero credibility to her claim that the photograph has been doctored. There has been no evidence used in court when her attorneys had the opportunity to do that.

"It's easy to make public statements. You can say whatever you want, but the proof comes in at court and no proof came in in court to show that that photo was doctored."

Once a friend to the rich and famous, she now lives as a cell-mate to the convicted and dangerous.

Speaking from the Tallahassee jail in Florida where she's serving a 20 year sentence for trafficking children for her friend Jeffrey Epstein to abuse, she said "until you've been here you don't realise how appalling it is."

She added: "I haven't changed. I'm still the same person… person they've talking about is a fictional version of me, sort of like a Disney character. Cinderella and the wicked witch. I've been created as this person."

And Maxwell makes clear she believes the blame for the situation she now finds herself in lies with Epstein.

"My biggest regret. make different choices"

Her victims say these are the warped words of a woman still unrepentant.

https://www.itv.com/news/2022-10-17/victims-slam-unrepentant-sex-trafficker-ghislaine-maxwell-after-new-interview

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305fdc  No.17696785

File: 2fd7cf0e5d24867⋯.jpg (615.68 KB, 991x1383, 991:1383, Q_1001.jpg)

File: 87763447066776d⋯.jpg (304.57 KB, 942x942, 1:1, 187_Site_E.jpg)

File: 53a9f784f5bd311⋯.jpg (322.52 KB, 852x725, 852:725, Q_4568.jpg)

File: 2021fc042527abb⋯.jpg (84.52 KB, 962x640, 481:320, Eb7QXABU8AAr1f8.jpg)

File: 8a8ae2598c88a93⋯.jpg (172.99 KB, 852x376, 213:94, Q_4923.jpg)

>>17696781

>>17696784

Q Post #1001

Apr 3 2018 20:11:01 (EST)

Where do roads lead?

Each prince is associated with a cardinal direction: north, south, east and west.

Sacrifice.

Collect.

[Classified]-1

[Classified]-2

Tunnels.

Table 29.

D-Room H

D-Room R

D-Room C

Pure EVIL.

'Conspiracy'

Q

https://qanon.pub/#1001

Q Post #4568

Jul 2 2020 17:25:22 (EST)

Eb7QXABU8AAr1f8.jpg

https://qanon.pub/#4568

Q Post #4923

Oct 21 2020 20:55:05 (EST)

https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia/status/1319071346282778624

Dearest Virginia -

We stand with you.

Now and always.

Find peace through prayer.

Never give up the good fight.

God bless you.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#4923

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305fdc  No.17697679

File: b1544771594022a⋯.jpg (346.25 KB, 1920x1080, 16:9, Jennifer_Robinson_a_lawyer….jpg)

File: ba43eb4d0c18c8f⋯.jpg (2.21 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Stella_Moris_posed_with_he….jpg)

File: c7131eaba43d3d5⋯.jpg (254.15 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, Attorney_General_Mark_Drey….jpg)

Julian Assange lawyer Jennifer Robinson says his case needs an urgent political fix, not a legal one

Erin Handley - 19 October 2022

1/2

Julian Assange's lawyer Jennifer Robinson has called on the Australian government to act swiftly to secure his release from a high-security prison in the United Kingdom, saying she doesn't know how much longer the WikiLeaks founder can survive.

Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, could face 175 years in prison for what Ms Robinson described as "acts of journalism" during an address at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

In June, the UK government approved the extradition of Mr Assange to the United States to face trial on espionage charges. His lawyers have filed an appeal.

"I really don't know how much longer he can last," Ms Robinson said.

"The world was shocked by his appearance when he was arrested back in 2019. I wasn't."

She said she had watched Mr Assange's health steadily decline inside the Ecuadorian embassy, where he sought refuge from 2012–2019, and described witnessing him have a ministroke in real time in court.

"This case needs an urgent political fix. Julian does not have another decade of his life to wait for a legal fix," she said.

"And it might be surprising to hear that from me, as a lawyer, that the solution is not a legal one. It is a political one."

Ms Robinson pointed to comments from Prime Minister Antony Albanese, made while he was in opposition prior to the election, that "enough is enough".

"I don't have sympathy for many of his actions but essentially I can't see what is served by keeping him incarcerated," Mr Albanese said last year.

Last week at the National Press Club Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus was also asked about Mr Assange's case.

"It has gone on long enough. But we're not going to conduct our representations to the government of the United States in public," he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment.

Wife 'waits for phone call she dreads'

WikiLeaks first rose to prominence after publishing Collateral Murder, a video showing a US army helicopter attack in 2007 that killed a dozen people in Baghdad, including two Reuters news employees.

Mr Assange was indicted on 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse related to the publication of hundreds of thousands of military and diplomatic documents, which were leaked by Chelsea Manning.

US prosecutors argue Mr Assange illegally helped Manning steal classified cables and that publishing the files put lives at risk, but journalism organisations and human rights groups have said the case is politically motivated and that his work has exposed wrongdoing in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Ms Robinson said his ongoing imprisonment was causing both him and his family suffering.

"Julian's wife, Stella, who speaks so eloquently on his behalf now that he can't, anxiously waits for the phone call that she dreads," Ms Robinson said.

She said it was "heartbreaking" that his two small children, aged three and five, had to queue at Belmarsh prison and be patted down before being allowed to see him — something they were not able to do for six months due to COVID restrictions.

"When they were finally allowed into the prison, ongoing prison restrictions meant that he wasn't allowed to touch his children or even give them a cuddle. Try explaining that to your kids when you haven't seen them for six months."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17697680

File: c28eb4dc9672144⋯.jpg (53.88 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, A_still_from_Collateral_Mu….jpg)

File: 9ec3b0c349427ad⋯.jpg (378.82 KB, 3000x2083, 3000:2083, Julian_Assange_spent_years….jpg)

File: 15d3f8367bb66e0⋯.jpg (106.29 KB, 862x575, 862:575, Jennifer_Robinson_said_she….jpg)

>>17697679

2/2

Ms Robinson said the case set a dangerous precedent for journalists and free speech.

She said criticisms that Mr Assange was "not a journalist" were redundant because he was engaged in journalistic activity.

In response to claims that WikiLeaks' publications helped Russia and harmed Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, she said "a judge in New York said that those publications had the highest order of protection under the First Amendment".

She also pointed to news reports that suggested the CIA allegedly had plans to send someone to London to kidnap and assassinate Mr Assange.

"When the news broke, I thought, 'Finally, this is the thing that will put the case to an end. This will be it.' But no."

The US report by Yahoo News said the plot was formed soon after March 2017, when WikiLeaks started publishing "Vault 7", revealing top-secret documents about the CIA's cyber weaponry.

Ms Robinson added that Mr Assange had been offered a "win-win" deal by a congressman representing former US president Donald Trump, who wanted Mr Assange to disclose his source for the WikiLeaks publications in the context of the 2016 US election in exchange for a pardon, or protection from extradition.

Mr Assange refused, Ms Robinson said.

She added that the government's interventions for people like David Hicks and Kylie Moore-Gilbert "show what the Australian government can do when properly motivated".

She said she would love a sit-down meeting with the US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, and that she had invited her to the National Press Club address.

"We would welcome a dialogue with the United States government and we will continue to make the ask that we have asked publicly, which is it's time to drop these charges and to respect the First Amendment of your own country."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-19/julian-assange-lawyer-jennifer-robinson-national-press-club/101551776

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305fdc  No.17697682

File: 8d5490ccb55fd50⋯.jpg (41.28 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Ridsdale_pleads_guilty_to_….jpg)

File: af34c6ca5a03315⋯.jpg (520.93 KB, 2500x1667, 2500:1667, Ridsdale_is_serving_his_pr….jpg)

File: f08fd42397e3d81⋯.jpg (409.39 KB, 1923x1270, 1923:1270, Gerald_Ridsdale_outside_co….jpg)

>>17595187

Paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale sentenced for sexual abuse of boys at Mortlake

Lexie Jeuniewic - 19 October 2022

Prolific paedophile priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale has been sentenced for the sexual abuse of two boys in western Victoria in the 1980s.

The 88-year-old appeared in the Warrnambool County Court this afternoon via video link from Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat.

Ridsdale pleaded guilty in July to 13 charges relating to the sexual abuse of two teenage boys in 1981 and 1982, when they were aged under 16.

Ridsdale's offending happened in the town of Mortlake, where he held the office of parish priest at the time.

Prosecution documents showed Ridsdale, then aged in his late 40s, told one of his young victims during a sexual assault that "no-one was going to believe him".

Judge Claire Quin said Ridsdale "acted against the fundamental spiritual teachings of (the) church" when he committed the offences against the boys.

Judge Quin ordered Ridsdale to serve 6.5 years prison for the crimes.

Two of these years will be added to his current sentence for previous offences, bringing his total sentence to 39 years.

His non-parole period has also been extended to 2027.

The judge told Ridsdale it is "overwhelmingly likely you'll die in custody".

'More than numbers'

Judge Quin told the court the men, who were Ridsdale's 70th and 71st victims, were more than numbers.

"These are men whose lives have been ruined as a result of your actions," she said.

The court heard one of the victims had described his life as being poisoned by Ridsdale.

Ridsdale refused to read the victims' impact statements during sentencing submissions in September.

He held his head in his hands while details of the offences were read to the court, before pleading guilty to four charges of indecent assault and nine charges of sexual penetration of a person aged between 10 to 16.

The court heard Ridsdale had several health issues, including severe osteoarthritis, heart problems, and high blood pressure.

He is mostly bed-bound.

His defence counsel, Tim Marsh, said Ridsdale was often in a "great deal of pain" and was effectively in palliative care while in prison.

Today marks the seventh time Ridsdale has been sentenced.

The Catholic Diocese of Ballarat, which includes 34 parishes including Mortlake, has been approached for comment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-19/gerald-ridsdale-priest-sentenced-county-court-warrnambool-/101552038

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305fdc  No.17699234

File: dc578b32308aa60⋯.jpg (93.65 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Caroline_Kennedy_has_made_….jpg)

Caroline Kennedy: We must not shy away from climate challenge

Caroline Kennedy, The West Australian - 20 October 2022

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I want to thank the traditional owners who hosted me on their lands, Governor Dawson, Premier McGowan, and the people of WA for welcoming me on my first visit as US Ambassador. I made some new friends, and I even found some old ones. But most importantly, it was a chance to learn.

The United States has no more important ally than Australia, and no region better encompasses the full range of co-operation, challenges, and possibilities than WA. Tackling climate change and fuelling the green energy transition, securing critical minerals supply chains, driving economic innovation and investing in the next generation — these are all happening right here.

I met inspirational leaders addressing each of those issues — and I know there are more like them. Jim and Dino at Fortescue Future Industries are committed to the goal of decarbonising the mining sector by 2030 through a combination of electric vehicles, solar and wind farms, green hydrogen, and ammonia.

Inventing and optimising as they go, they are partnering with the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab in Colorado to share their discoveries and scale the innovation. They will also be able to benefit from recently passed US legislation which provides over $1.1 trillion in incentives to accelerate this transition. Jim and Dino patiently explained the various stages of iron ore mining — digging, crushing, processing, and transporting — but not until I stood on the deck of a PANAMAX ship in Port Hedland watching a 500,000 ton waterfall of iron ore filling up the hull was I able to appreciate how enormous this challenge is.

Sixty years ago, President Kennedy made an historic speech committing the United States to land a man on the Moon — “not because it was easy, but because it was hard.” At that time, no one was sure it was possible, but my father understood the power of the idea. He knew it would bring out the best in us — the creativity, teamwork and determination required would set in motion a technological revolution and improve life on earth. We are in a similar moment right now. Among the urgent challenges our planet faces, none is more daunting than the climate crisis, but we must be the generation that looks back and says we did it because it was hard. That is the spirit I saw in WA.

My colleagues and I also visited the Mount Weld rare earths mine with Lynas Rare Earths CEO and board chair Amanda and Kathleen. It is owned and operated by the only ASX-listed resources or industrial company led by two women. Capable of producing more than 15 per cent of global supply of minerals necessary to everything from EVs and smartphones to advanced defence capabilities, this mine stands at the centre of our way of life and our geopolitics and is the only significant producer of rare earths outside of the People’s Republic of China. These dynamic women are building a state-of-the-art expansion facility in Kalgoorlie with the largest bolted storage tanks in the southern hemisphere (with 960,000 bolts made in Kansas), and will soon break ground on a processing plant in Texas.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17699235

File: cd5cab8c1206cb3⋯.jpg (88.45 KB, 980x647, 980:647, 1963_Caroline_with_her_fat….jpg)

File: b8afd53b245ec9d⋯.jpg (111.42 KB, 980x769, 980:769, 1963_Jacqueline_Kennedy_wi….jpg)

File: 1b21fac8da59898⋯.jpg (327.33 KB, 852x469, 852:469, Q_703.jpg)

>>17699234

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These are just a couple of examples of the partnerships that strengthen our alliance. Visiting these sites demonstrated why the United States is the largest source of foreign investment into Australia. On my next visit I hope to see Chevron’s US $80 billion LNG facilities and world’s largest carbon capture and storage system and Albemarle’s brand new lithium hydroxide processing facility. US investment in Australia has passed $1 trillion, and that’s a testament to shared interests, values, and friendships across the generations.

I have confidence that those friendships will grow stronger than ever after meeting Fergus, Stuart, Lorian and Chelsea, young astrophysicists at Curtin University who are collaborating with NASA to develop small Cube Satellites to release from the International Space Station next year. They are working to create a space ecosystem in WA which will provide careers in this fast-growing sector of space, quantum, and AI. By connecting local students who share their dream with high-schoolers at Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia, they are laying the foundation for the next generation of the US-Australia partnership.

I also had the chance to meet Sam, Vai-Lee, Randall and Owen, inspiring Indigenous students at Clontarf Aboriginal College who have overcome significant challenges to pursue careers in auto mechanics, carpentry, cultural education and performance. They showed me the school’s six-season garden with Indigenous plantings and the autobiographies they have written. We talked about the Milwaukee Bucks and the Perth Wildcats, the Freo Dockers and the West Coast Eagles, and the example of Blessed Edmund Rice and elders like Aunty Jill Hill who are helping them reach their goals.

And because every journey comes back home, I was excited to meet up unexpectedly with a delegation from Special Olympics — the organisation founded by my aunt Eunice Kennedy Shriver to give people with an intellectual disability the chance to participate in sports, health, education, and leadership programs. Welcomed by the Governor and Mrs Dawson, a lifelong special needs educator, the delegation was led by Australian athlete Ben Haack whose powerful advocacy for diversity and inclusion has inspired audiences from Ireland to South Africa. Special Olympics Australia is having its national games this week in Tasmania and I wish the athletes and their families a joyous week of competition and celebration.

I look forward to returning to WA and learning more about the close partnerships, shared values and amazing opportunities for Americans and Australians to work together, succeed, and make the world better.

Caroline Kennedy is the US Ambassador to Australia.

https://thewest.com.au/opinion/caroline-kennedy-we-must-not-shy-away-from-climate-challenge-c-8580750

Q Post #703

Feb 10 2018 03:33:29 (EST)

“Rest in peace Mr. President (JFK), through your wisdom and strength, since your tragic death, Patriots have planned, installed, and by the grace of God, activated, the beam of LIGHT. We will forever remember your sacrifice. May you look down from above and continue to guide us as we ring the bell of FREEDOM and destroy those who wish to sacrifice our children, our way of life, and our world. We, the PEOPLE.”

Prayer said every single day in the OO.

JFK - Secret Socities.

Where we go one, we go all.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#703

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305fdc  No.17700421

File: 2774969623a53f3⋯.jpg (162.09 KB, Penny_Wong_pictured_in_Pap….jpg)

File: b0a1d8551cab0f2⋯.jpg (140.11 KB, Solomon_Islands_Prime_Mini….jpg)

Albanese government to pour $1 billion more into Pacific to counter China

Matthew Knott - October 20, 2022

The Albanese government will pour an extra $1 billion into aid and security assistance in the Pacific - almost double what Labor promised at the election - as it urgently tries to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

The government’s first budget, to be unveiled on Tuesday, will include the biggest increase in aid spending in a decade and funding for a batch of new initiatives to bolster Australia’s presence in the Pacific and South-East Asia.

These include the creation of an Australia-Pacific Defence School to train Pacific defence and security forces and a new Pacific network of Australian Border Force officers.

Extra funding will be awarded to the ABC to make content and transmit throughout the region.

“We are working to make Australia a partner of choice for the countries of our region, to ensure our security, our economic strength and to shape the world for the better,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

“This budget is a major step toward the goal of making Australia stronger and more influential in the world.”

The government will spend $50 million to support the Australian Federal Police’s deployment in the Solomon Islands, which earlier this year alarmed Australian officials by signing a wide-ranging security pact with China.

“Without these investments, others will continue to fill the vacuum and Australia will continue to lose ground as we did under the Liberals and Nationals,” Wong said.

“Our assistance will help our regional partners become more economically resilient, develop critical infrastructure and provide their own security so they have less need to call on others.”

Wong has travelled to 12 Pacific nations since Labor formed office in May in a bid to show Australia’s neighbours that it is invested in the region and is not ceding influence to China.

A new Pacific Engagement Visa will allow up to 3000 nationals of Pacific Island countries and East Timor to permanently migrate to Australia, deepening Australia’s human links with the region.

Labor went to the election promising an extra $525 million over four years in development assistance for the Pacific but has increased that to $900 million in recognition of the region’s growing strategic importance.

An extra $500 million over 10 years will be provided from the existing overseas development program to support infrastructure investment in the Pacific and East Timor, including through loans and grants.

Funding will be provided to support the construction of airport infrastructure in East Timor and for the rehabilitation of major bridges and roads in Fiji.

Pat Conroy, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, said: “The Albanese government is bringing new energy and resources to the Pacific to help build a stronger and more united Pacific family, and a more secure region.”

Conroy said the budget would reveal the biggest increase in overseas development assistance over four years since 2011.

This will include a $470-million increase in aid funding for South-East Asia, as well as the creation of a new South-East Asia office within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

In a speech in Singapore earlier this year, Wong said Australia’s links to the world were “shaped by the contours of South-East Asia’s mainland”.

“We believe that Australia must find its security in Asia, not from Asia,” she said. “And that means, above all, in Southeast Asia.”

Tony Stuart, the chief executive of UNICEF Australia, welcomed the “significant increase” to Australia’s development assistance.

“More aid means more children can grow up in a world that is safe, secure and prosperous,” he said.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/government-to-pour-1-billion-more-into-pacific-to-counter-china-20221020-p5brh4.html

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305fdc  No.17701241

File: f550e784fc73c73⋯.jpg (2.24 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, After_talks_with_Anthony_A….jpg)

>>17481731

>>17637128

Anthony Albanese meets Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Canberra

Stephen Dziedzic - 6 Oct 2022

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Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has used the opening of a meeting with Anthony Albanese to once again reassure Australia over his government's security pact with China, declaring he will never allow a foreign military base to be set up in his country.

Mr Sogavare also emphatically declared he won't do anything to jeopardise Pacific Island nations' security, while pressing Australia to ramp up development commitments in Solomon Islands.

"Solomon Islands will not do anything that will undermine our national security, and jeopardise the security of any or all forum countries," he said.

"Prime minister, I reiterate again that Solomon Islands will never be used for foreign military installations or institutions of foreign countries, because this will not be in the interest of Solomon Islands and its people.

"My government's legacy is to safeguard the future of Solomon Islands and its people, not endanger the country and its citizens or the security of any forum country."

The meeting comes only weeks after Mr Sogavare slammed Australia's offer to fund national elections so they didn't have to be delayed, accusing the federal government of meddling in Solomon Islands domestic politics.

He then said he'd accept the offer while appearing to mock Australia, warning the federal government would have to "get ready" for "a very big cost."

But Mr Sogavare struck a radically different tone ahead of Thursday's talks with Mr Albanese, thanking him for his "kind offer" to help, and praising Australia's commitments to help fund the 2023 Pacific Games.

Mr Albanese responded warmly to Mr Sogavare's remarks.

"I thank you for your clear and unequivocal commitments. They are the commitments of a friend and I look forward to the dialogue," he said.

'Common interests'

Mr Albanese indirectly acknowledged Australia's recent disagreements with Mr Sogavare's government, but stressed that the two countries shared wide common interests.

"Like families we won't always agree on every single item, but what we will agree on is … pursuing common interests wherever we can. Australia regards ourselves as very much wanting to be partners of choice [for Solomon Islands]," he said.

"We regard security in our region as being critical, and we also regard the need to uplift the living standards and quality of life of people in the Pacific as being absolutely critical."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17701242

File: d0c3569df1b7ccb⋯.jpg (1.56 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Manasseh_Sogavare_was_in_C….jpg)

>>17701241

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Mr Albanese said when the two leaders last met at the Pacific Islands Forum in July they agreed on the "absolutely critical" need to build trust.

"Australia regards ourselves as very much as the Pacific family, and that means people-to-people relationships and building face-to-face contacts like this are so important to us," he said.

On a short seven-hour stopover in the Australian capital, the Solomon Islands prime minister will also meet Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles.

After the talks on Thursday, Mr Albanese, who hinted at a possible visit to Solomon Islands in the future, will host Mr Sogavare at The Lodge.

Sogavare pushes Australia for development help

The Lowy Institute's Mihai Sora said that, while Australia would welcome the warmer rhetoric from Mr Sogavare, it did not signal a profound shift in the relationship.

"Mr Sogavare's broad assurances of Australia's role in Solomon Islands' development reflect the reality that he needs good relations with Australia," he said.

"They do not imply a change in course of Solomon Islands' increasingly close security ties with China."

Australia remains anxious that, if unrest flares up once again in Solomon Islands, Chinese police or troops could be invited into the country under the contentious security pact signed earlier this year.

"Sooner or later, someone will have to address the increasingly realistic problems of interoperability between Australian and Chinese personnel in the event of a security or humanitarian incident in Solomon Islands," Mr Sora said.

"But probably not today."

Mr Sora said it was interesting that Mr Sogavare used his opening statement to push Australia to help develop infrastructure across all provinces in Solomon Islands.

"Honiara, both under Mr Sogavare and under previous successive governments since that agreement was signed, has often been criticised for not delivering sufficient infrastructure and development to other parts of the country," Mr Sora said.

"Provincial authorities in Malaita have been vocal critics of Solomon Islands' uneven development, which was a core issue in the lead-up to the November 2021 unrest in the capital [Honiara].

"Australian development assistance seeks to achieve positive outcomes across the archipelago, but it was interesting that Mr Sogavare set this as the benchmark for a good development partner to Solomon Islands."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-06/anthony-albanese-meets-with-manasseh-sogavare/101507600

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305fdc  No.17701244

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17637099

>>17637124

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on October 8, 2022

Phoenix TV: According to new analysis by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), Chinese diplomats have been running a disinformation campaign in Solomon Islands. They have successfully convinced Solomon Islands outlets to republish Chinese government press releases and state media pieces and tried to shape public opinion. The ASPI report found that negative comments about China dropped from 49% of the total to 29% during this campaign, while positive comments about Beijing jumped sharply, from just 8% of the total to 41%. Critical comments about the West bounced up, from zero to 18%. What’s your comment?

Mao Ning: Since China and Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations three years ago, the Chinese side has vigorously promoted friendly exchanges and practical cooperation with Solomon Islands in various sectors guided by the principle of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness. This has yielded tangible and fruitful outcomes and delivered concrete benefits to the local people. This is the fundamental reason why people in Solomon Islands have developed a more positive and appreciative view of China and why friendship has been deepening between our two countries.

In Solomon Islands and other Pacific Island Countries, people think highly of China because we have delivered for their countries. The people there know it best and their recognition means more than anyone else’s. People can tell who exactly is running a disinformation campaign, and who is genuinely contributing to island countries’ development. Those who deliberately seek to sow discord with false narratives will achieve nothing.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202210/t20221008_10779756.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_BWdqtELjE

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305fdc  No.17701275

File: 35ce3ebe5f25d9b⋯.jpg (97.26 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Premier_Daniel_Andrews_fol….jpg)

File: 29d38d9a3530ef1⋯.jpg (93.61 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Victorian_AMA_branch_presi….jpg)

==Experts say dropping pandemic declaration is ‘an appropriate step’

Rachel Eddie - October 7, 2022

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Epidemiologists have backed Premier Daniel Andrews’ decision to end the pandemic declaration, the legal instrument used to enforce rules intended to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Andrews on Friday afternoon announced that the declaration would end next Thursday, a day earlier than isolation rules are lifted Australia-wide following last week’s national cabinet meeting.

The effect of the change means Victoria will not have a framework in place to easily reintroduce COVID-19 rules if faced with another wave. The premier could declare a new pandemic to allow the health minister to reintroduce public health rules if needed.

The prime minister, premiers and chief ministers last week agreed to abolish isolation rules for positive COVID-19 cases from next Friday, October 14. The decision left few rules for Victoria to enforce.

But Victoria will now remove the mandate a day earlier, from Thursday, when the state’s pandemic declaration was due to expire.

“To continue mandatory isolation until [Friday], Victoria’s pandemic framework would have required an extension of the pandemic declaration for 24 hours – therefore, the decision has been made to conclude these requirements at 11.59pm on 12 October, in line with the expiry of the pandemic declaration,” the government said in a statement.

Workers in the health, aged care, disability and Aboriginal sectors are still required to isolate under nationally consistent rules to protect vulnerable people. Targeted financial support will still be available to those workers to help them isolate.

In Victoria, workers in those settings will still need COVID-19 vaccinations once the pandemic declaration ends.

Powers exist under occupational health and safety laws to allow government departments and employers in particular industries to enforce vaccinations.

“Mandates remain important for our health workers, for our disability workers, for our aged care workers; the last thing we want is our health workers contributing to making people sick,” Andrews told reporters in Geelong on Friday.

“They’re going to continue to be vaccinated, and they want to be vaccinated.”

The premier on Friday said “COVID exceptionalism” needed to end, and congratulated Victorians for their “amazing job”.

Victorian president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Roderick McRae, did not believe the state was ready to remove all public health orders.

“But equally, one has to recognise the circumstances and the community opinion,” McRae said.

More people still needed to get their boosters and fourth doses, he said, adding that the government should be alert to cracks in the health system. McRae said the government should consider a trigger to reintroduce the framework.

“We are relying on people being sensible and smart,” McRae said.

Monash University epidemiologist, Associate Professor James Trauer, said the premier’s decision was justified.

“I think it’s fine,” Trauer said. “I think it’s an appropriate step at this stage.

“We never know which variant is just around the corner, but we obviously can’t just keep restrictions indefinitely.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17701276

File: be1104ee017f9cf⋯.jpg (193.38 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Opposition_health_spokeswo….jpg)

>>17701275

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Professor Catherine Bennett, from Deakin University, said it was time to deal with COVID-19 for the long-haul.

She said infections would probably go up again at some point and the risk still remained for vulnerable people.

“It’s really important to recognise that living with the virus doesn’t mean it’s gone away,” Bennett said.

Both Trauer and Bennett said the Department of Health needed to keep monitoring COVID-19 to ensure the government could react appropriately if necessary.

The removal of the pandemic declaration allows Labor to campaign for the November state election with clear air after 2½ years of rules, which were sometimes unpopular and could still pose a threat to government MPs in key outer-urban seats at next month’s election.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the premier had made a political decision before the election.

“Make no mistake, this decision isn’t about public health but about a state election in 50 days’ time,” Crozier said in a statement.

“Victorians won’t forget the last 2½ years under Labor and the cruel decisions to impose seven harsh lockdowns, vaccine and mask mandates, curfews, playground, school and business closures.”

The government will need to publish advice provided by Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton one week after the declaration is lifted.

Crozier called for the chief health officer’s advice to me made public immediately, and said the Coalition would continue fighting for greater transparency.

Following last week’s national cabinet meeting, senior health sources told The Age that a meeting of the nation’s chief health officers was cancelled, with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) not directly consulted on the isolation change.

Chief executive of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Paul Guerra, said the decision to place the onus on individuals to manage their own health was outstanding news.

“It is time for us to get back to life as normal, focus on our post-pandemic recoveries and get on with it,” Guerra said.

Victoria has recorded 9230 new COVID-19 infections this week, and 43 deaths. The caseload was down slightly on last week’s total of 9458.

Close contacts are still strongly recommended to use rapid antigen tests, and wear masks indoors. The government said businesses and organisations with onsite operations still needed to keep a COVID-safe plan.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/pandemic-declaration-to-end-in-victoria-20221007-p5bo20.html

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305fdc  No.17701278

File: 12c6f7ad3ceef0d⋯.jpg (311.6 KB, 698x991, 698:991, AMAP_1.jpg)

File: 3b1302de38e9838⋯.jpg (103.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_Moderna_Covid_vaccine_….jpg)

File: aae9d0a961082ba⋯.jpg (113.7 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_vaccine_is_expected_to….jpg)

The Moderna bivalent Covid vaccine introduced in Australia

A new Covid booster has started being rolled out in Australia which is anticipated to give recipients broader immunity to the deadly virus.

Hamish Spence - October 10, 2022

A new Covid booster shot which is anticipated to give better and broader protection against the deadly virus has entered Australia’s vaccine rollout.

Moderna’s new Spikevax Bivalent Omicron vaccine is a combination shot comprising equal elements of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and Omicron BA. 1 variant.

The Department of Health has confirmed it would be integrated into Australia’s existing Covid booster program from Monday.

It is anticipated the shot will provide broad immune protection against Covid and Omicron subvariants.

“The Moderna bivalent vaccine generates a modestly higher level of antibody response against multiple SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants (approximately 1.6-1.9 times) including BA. 1 and BA.4/BA.5, and a similar antibody response against the original virus, compared with the Moderna original booster vaccine,” the Department of Health and Aged Care said in a statement in September.

It was granted provisional registration by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia last month for use as a booster dose in people aged 18 years and older.

It is still recommended booster doses should be given to an individual at least three months after their most recent vaccine or previous Covid infection.

The Moderna bivalent vaccine is only registered for use as a booster shot. It is the first bivalent (combination) shot to be made available in Australia.

The safety of the Moderna bivalent vaccine for adults appears to be similar to the original vaccine, according to the Department of Health.

The duration of the protection it provides is unknown, though there is the potential it could last for longer.

As of Wednesday last week, 72.2 per cent of the eligible population (people aged 16 years and over) had received their booster dose.

More than 41 per cent of the eligible population (people aged 30 years and over) had also received their fourth dose.

The Moderna bivalent vaccine is available from Monday at all sites listed on the government’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder”.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/coronavirus/the-moderna-bivalent-covid-vaccine-introduced-in-australia/news-story/1cbd834c0734be33c49a6a9e7d12b9f5

https://twitter.com/amapresident/status/1578865948362043393

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305fdc  No.17701283

File: 82ce4cabba138fc⋯.jpg (126.74 KB, Julian_Assange_s_supporter….jpg)

>>17697679

Thousands rally in Melbourne to demand Julian Assange be returned to Australia

Tara Cosoleto - Oct 8 2022

Thousands have marched through the Melbourne’s CBD calling for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The 51-year-old Australian has been in London’s Belmarsh prison since he was removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in 2019.

Assange is fighting a long-running legal battle to avoid extradition to the United States, where he is wanted for espionage offences.

Melbourne protesters marched through the city streets and formed a human chain across a Southbank bridge on Saturday morning as they called on the Australian government to intervene.

“There’s an expectation in the electorate that the Prime Minister and this government is going to get Julian out of jail,” Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton told AAP.

Looking to Albanese

“The Prime Minister’s statements before the election – enough is enough, he doesn’t see what purpose is served by Julian being kept in prison – those were seen as a commitment.

“It’s been so many days of this government and Julian is still rotting in that prison.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should contact the US president directly and plead Assange’s case, Mr Shipton said.

“They can pick up the phone, call Joe Biden and say, hasn’t Julian suffered enough? Drop the charges and extradition,” he said.

“Julian would walk free.”

In August, lawyers for Assange filed an appeal against his extradition to the US, arguing he is being prosecuted and punished for his political opinions.

Worldwide support

Assange was charged by the US with 17 counts of espionage and one charge of computer misuse after WikiLeaks published thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents.

Melbourne’s demonstration against Assange’s detention was one of many being held across the world on Saturday.

It was heartening to see such global solidarity for Assange’s cause, Mr Shipton said.

“The movement is growing around the world as evidenced by these protests,” he said.

“We’re not going to stop. We are not going to be quiet.”

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/people/2022/10/08/melbourne-rally-for-assange/

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305fdc  No.17701284

File: 2fe1b2a23993843⋯.jpg (92.47 KB, Stella_Assange_says_she_is….jpg)

File: 38e070ac29dab6c⋯.jpg (145.62 KB, Supporters_of_WikiLeaks_fo….jpg)

File: dbc6613faf9da95⋯.jpg (101.51 KB, A_supporter_of_WikiLeaks_f….jpg)

>>17697679

Julian Assange tests positive for Covid as wife reveals she is ‘worried for his health’

The worried wife of Julian Assange has revealed the WikiLeaks founder’s diagnosis in prison where he is locked in his cell 24-7.

Adella Beaini - October 11, 2022

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has tested positive for Covid and faces days of isolation in his prison cell, his wife has revealed.

Speaking to Press Association news agency, Stella Assange said she is concerned for her husband’s health which has deteriorated since he was sent to Belmarsh prison three years ago after being dragged out of the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Assange, 51, is wanted by US authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, relating to WikiLeaks’ release of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables.

Washington says he put lives in danger. His supporters say he has been victimised because he exposed US wrongdoing in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Julian was feeling unwell last week but started feeling sick on Friday,” Mrs Assange said.

“He started coughing and had a fever. He was given some paracetamol. He tested positive for Covid on Saturday, the same day thousands of people came out onto the streets to support him.

“I am obviously worried about him and the next few days will be crucial for his general health. He is now locked in his cell for 24 hours a day.”

Just months before the pandemic, over 100 doctors signed an open letter to the British government warning that Assange’s life was at risk while he was kept in HMP Belmarsh — the UK’s top-security prison.

News of the Covid infection emerged over the weekend, as thousands of people staged demonstrations in London, Washington DC and Melbourne to demand Assange’s release from prison.

Mrs Assange, who has two sons with her husband, said she was overjoyed at the thousands of people who formed a human chain around parliament on Saturday.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was among supporters who gathered in a line which stretched from parliament's perimeter railings and snaked across nearby Westminster Bridge to the other side of the River Thames.

It was the biggest event of its kind in support of the WikiLeaks founder, who has won support from human rights organisations, journalist groups and others across the world.

The latest demonstrations come as US lawyers and journalists who visited Assange while he was at the Ecuadorean Embassy said they are suing the CIA, claiming it spied on their private conversations in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

Mrs Assange said the UK government should speak to authorities in the US to end the extradition bid which was launched in 2019.

“It’s already gone on for three-and-a-half years. It is a stain on the United Kingdom and is a stain on the Biden administration,” she said.

Assange’s legal team have lodged an appeal at the High Court against London’s decision to extradite him.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/julian-assange-tests-positive-for-covid-as-wife-reveals-she-is-worried-for-his-health/news-story/d352c730d7886fbb9ff4ccc169e8e24c

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305fdc  No.17701285

File: bd068e229551358⋯.jpg (869.32 KB, Julian_Assange_supporters_….jpg)

>>17697679

Julian Assange’s supporters call on Australian government to provide update on talks with US

Campaign adviser says public should be told of any progress on securing Assange’s release if he is extradited from UK

Daniel Hurst - 13 Oct 2022

Julian Assange’s supporters have called on the Australian government to reveal whether it is making progress in talks with the US to secure the release of the WikiLeaks co-founder as he fights his extradition from the UK.

The request comes after the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said the case against the Australian citizen had “gone on long enough” but cited private talks with the Biden administration as a reason for not commenting further.

Assange remains in Belmarsh prison in London as he fights a US attempt to extradite him to face charges in connection with the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars as well as diplomatic cables.

Greg Barns SC, a legal adviser to the Australian Assange campaign, said he was “heartened” by Dreyfus’s comments but believed it was time for the Australian government to give the public a broad update on any progress.

Barns said the longer the government went without giving an update, the more Assange’s supporters would “feel as though they’re treading water, and that the government is treading water”.

“We’re not asking for chapter and verse, we’re not asking for cables, we’re not asking for emails or briefing notes or memos,” Barns said.

“We’re simply saying it would be very useful to the great many Assange supporters in Australia and to his family for there to be some update on the part of the Australian government about progress that’s being made.”

Barns said he did not doubt the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was sincere in wanting the matter brought to a close, given that the Labor leader had been consistent in his stance on the Assange case “for a long period of time”.

But Barns implored the government to take heed of Assange’s declining physical and mental health. Assange’s wife, Stella Assange, has said he is in isolation in his jail cell after testing positive to Covid on Saturday.

“This is a prisoner in a maximum security prison with a weakened health system who’s now got Covid,” Barns said. “That should be alarming to any Australian government.”

Dreyfus addressed the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday and was asked whether the pursuit of the Assange was in the public interest.

“Mr Assange’s case has gone on long enough,” Dreyfus replied.

“The prime minister has said this. The foreign minister has said this. I’ve said this.

“I will say it again: it has gone on long enough. But we’re not going to conduct our representations to the government of the United States in public.”

Dreyfus added: “I’ll say no more about that.”

The US embassy in Canberra declined to respond to Dreyfus’s remarks on Wednesday, referring the matter to the US Department of Justice, which was also contacted for comment.

The White House has previously told reporters the Assange matter was an “ongoing criminal case” and the president, Joe Biden, was “committed to an independent Department of Justice”.

Press freedom advocates and human rights groups argue the prosecution of Assange under the US Espionage Act sets “a dangerous precedent”.

The whistleblower prosecuted 50 years ago for releasing the Pentagon Papers about the Vietnam war, Daniel Ellsberg, has said the extradition “would mean that journalists, anywhere in the world, could be extradited to the US for exposing information classified in the US”.

Assange’s father, John Shipton, and brother, Gabriel Shipton, raised concerns in August that there had been little progress made since the Australian election in May. They said Albanese should make the issue “non-negotiable” with the US.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/13/julian-assanges-supporters-call-on-australian-government-to-provide-update-on-talks-with-us

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305fdc  No.17701292

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

Zelensky: Australia to deliver ‘significant’ new support for Ukraine

Matthew Knott - October 6, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed Australia is preparing to ramp up support for his nation’s war against Russia by announcing a new tranche of military assistance, including donations of heavy weapons.

In an appearance via video link at the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney, Zelensky urged the global community not to give in to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “nuclear blackmail”.

Putin would not be able to “preserve his life” if he dared to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine, Zelensky said.

“Our victory is important for Ukraine and also for the whole world,” he said.

“We have a historic opportunity to set a precedent that will turn history, that will teach any aggressor that no crime against international law will ever again be left unpunished.”

Asked what Australia could do to help Ukraine, Zelensky said the Albanese government had been preparing a “significant package” of assistance that will be announced soon.

“This process is ongoing as we speak and I’m very grateful to that,” he said. “It’s not only small arms but heavy weapons as well.”

Zelensky said that, for the upcoming round of assistance, Australia had been negotiating with other countries to announce a joint support package for Ukraine.

Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has publicly asked Australia to provide Ukraine with a supply of anti-ship missiles known as Harpoons and howitzer long-range weapons.

Ukraine is also asking for an additional fleet of 30 four-wheel drive vehicles on top of the 60 already provided.

“Bushmasters really help us on the battlefield,” Zelensky said on Thursday night.

“They preserve the lives of our soldiers on the ground … The more weapons and ammunition we receive – artillery, drones, anti-aircraft, anti-tank, anti-ship missiles – the more Russia would feel the responsibility for violating international law.”

Beyond providing extra military assistance, Zelensky called for nations such as Australia to use their diplomatic clout to ensure there is a resounding condemnation of Russia at an upcoming vote against recent referendums to annex four Ukrainian regions.

“I’m asking Australia to use all of its influence to convince as many countries as possible not to remain neutral and to vote for international law and against Russian annexations,” he said.

He also called for “new and tough sanctions against Russia” as a punishment for its invasion of Ukraine.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/zelensky-australia-to-deliver-significant-new-support-for-ukraine-20221006-p5bnrm.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viN-X-Qh66A

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305fdc  No.17701293

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17701292

A special address by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Lowy Institute

Oct 6, 2022

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become an international symbol of resistance as he leads his country's response to Russia's brutal invasion. From his defiant leadership on the streets of Kyiv in the early weeks of the attack to his eloquent advocacy on the global stage, President Zelenskyy has become an internationally admired figure at the heart of some of the most remarkable events in world affairs in recent decades.

President Zelenskyy addressed the Lowy Institute from Ukraine via live video link. Afterwards, he spoke in conversation with Executive Director Michael Fullilove and take audience questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9plcAPFQrHY

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305fdc  No.17701294

File: 43839d01bc2531d⋯.jpg (90.66 KB, Defence_Minister_Richard_M….jpg)

File: 4bf52bdfedef12b⋯.jpg (244.43 KB, B3_1.jpg)

File: 2be06af1ba68d4f⋯.jpg (277.78 KB, AA_6.jpg)

>>17701292

Australia considers sending Defence staff to train Ukrainian troops

Matthew Knott - October 11, 2022

Australian Defence personnel would travel to Europe to help train Ukrainian soldiers under a plan being considered by the federal government after Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

The government is preparing to deliver another round of military assistance to Ukraine on top of the $388 million it has already committed to the war effort.

While Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has focused on securing extra military equipment and ammunition, he said Ukraine would welcome any training assistance from Australia.

The United Kingdom has led efforts to provide basic military training to thousands of Ukrainian civilians by hosting them for combat courses in England.

Myroshnychenko said the British training program had provided a “massive” support to the Ukrainian war effort. Countries including New Zealand, Sweden and the Netherlands have sent military instructors to the UK to help the training effort, but Australia has no far not participated in the program.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the government was considering sending Australian personnel to train Ukrainian forces, as well as providing Ukraine with additional military equipment.

“We need to be making sure we are supporting Ukraine over the long term so that we’re putting them in a position where they can actually resolve this conflict and end it on their own terms,” Marles said.

“Training is one of the measures that is being looked at.

“We will be working up further support for Ukraine and that’s a conversation that we’re having.”

During a visit to the UK last month, Marles said he was looking at the training issue in “a very active way” and hoped to have more to say about it in the future.

Myroshnychenko said the face-to-face interaction involved in training would help create a personal bond between the Australian and Ukrainian defence forces.

Marles and Myroshnychenko were meeting in Canberra on Monday when Russia launched its missile offensive on Kyiv and other cities, the most sustained targeting of civilians since the early days of the invasion.

At least 11 people have been killed by the assault, which Russian President Vladimir Putin said was launched in retaliation for the explosion on a bridge linking Russia to the Crimean Peninsula.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to increase Australia’s security assistance in a phone call on Tuesday, following the recent barrage of attacks.

The pair discussed the attacks in a “fruitful conversation”, the Zelensky tweeted. He emphasised “the importance of Australia’s security assistance”, but asked that it be strengthened.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has provided in-principle support for the idea of Australian military training, saying it could help ensure Ukraine is getting maximum value from the military equipment Australia is providing.

The UK course includes training on weapons handling, battlefield first aid and patrol tactics.

The British government recently announced it was adding an extra two weeks to the course to include training in trench and urban warfare and vehicle-mounted operations.

Zelensky last week said the Albanese government was preparing a “significant package” of assistance in co-ordination with other nations, which will be announced soon.

“This process is ongoing as we speak and I’m very grateful [for] that,” he said. “It’s not only small arms but heavy weapons as well.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-considers-sending-defence-staff-to-train-ukrainian-troops-20221011-p5bovw.html

https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1579754251576016897

https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1579926263799508992

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305fdc  No.17701298

File: 16dc8fba1a001e0⋯.jpg (273.68 KB, 3000x2004, 250:167, Human_Rights_Watch_says_th….jpg)

File: 31d4a391ba34081⋯.jpg (138.03 KB, 1053x646, 1053:646, Researchers_have_identifie….jpg)

>>17475500

Countries vote down motion to discuss UN report into China's serious human rights violations in Xinjiang

Stephen Dziedzic - 7 Oct 2022

A human rights group has slammed Indonesia and Pakistan after they voted to block a United Nations Human Rights Council debate on human rights abuses of Uyghur Muslims in China's Xinjiang region.

The Australian government has also issued a forceful statement after the vote, saying the mistreatment of Uyghurs "cannot be ignored by the international community".

In a close vote, 19 countries voted down the motion to discuss a long-awaited report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which found China is responsible for serious human rights violations — and possible crimes against humanity — in Xinjiang.

That bloc of 19 countries included a number of developing nations across Africa, Central Asia, South Asia and Latin America.

Meanwhile, 17 other nations — including the US, the UK, Japan, South Korea and several European countries — voted in favour of the motion, while 11 others, including India and Malaysia, abstained.

Australia is not currently sitting on the UN Human Rights Council, but joined the small group of countries that first formally called for the debate.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it was "disappointed" by the result of the vote.

"Australia, and many in the international community, have long held grave concerns about reports of severe human rights violations in Xinjiang," it said in a statement.

"The findings in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' (OHCHR) report on Xinjiang were harrowing and corroborated many of these reports.

"The outcome of the vote does not undermine the credibility of the OHCHR report — the strong and independent findings of the report cannot be ignored by the international community."

China intent on obstructing scrutiny

Human Rights Watch's Elaine Pearson said the vote was "shameful" and "an abdication of the responsibilities of the Human Rights Council".

"It was especially disappointing and quite hypocritical of Pakistan and Indonesia to vote no," she told the ABC.

"Both are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and we have seen the OIC governments take a much-stronger stand on the abuses against other Muslim communities, such as ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar and the apartheid committed by Israeli authorities in Palestine.

"And, yet, when it comes to the abuses faced by Uyghur and other Turkic Muslims in China, there has largely been silence."

Indonesia's Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Febrian Ruddyard, told the council his government would continue to urge China to "fulfil its responsibility to protect the human rights of the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang".

"We are following closely the situation in Xinjiang and stand in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters in Xinjiang," he said.

"Since the very beginning, Indonesia has been engaging with the government and people of China … to discuss the matter of Xinjiang … and to explore ways to alleviate the relevant concerns."

However, he said, Indonesia would still vote no because pursuing "country-specific initiatives that do not enjoy the consent and support of the concerned countries" would not result in any "meaningful progress" on human rights.

"It cannot be understated, therefore, that states must be at the driver's seat in the efforts to resolve their own domestic challenges," he said.

"The role of the international community, in this regard, is to support and encourage states to make concrete human rights improvements.

"We call on the council to work together, rather than apart, to promote universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental for all."

Ms Pearson said the vote showed that China was increasingly intent on trying to obstruct international scrutiny of human rights abuses.

"Certainly, economics was a part of it, certainly these countries have very strong trade ties with the Chinese government, " she said.

"But these governments, themselves, [are not] squeaky clean and they also have things to hide.

"So it suits them to take this position of backing government sovereignty … That is really worrying because, if we adopt that principle, we'd never see anything debated at the Human Rights Council."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-07/xinjiang-human-rights-abuse-unhrc-china-uyghur/101512678

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305fdc  No.17701299

File: 0c4244f3fdb5841⋯.jpg (118.15 KB, 800x480, 5:3, Li_Song_Chinese_ambassador….jpg)

Cold War mentality the biggest threat to world peace and stability: Chinese disarmament ambassador

Global Times - Oct 11, 2022

The trilateral cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines among the US, the UK and Australia (AUKUS) deals a heavy blow to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system, poses severe risks of nuclear proliferation, and undermines regional peace and stability, Li Song, Chinese Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs, pointed out on Monday.

Li made the remarks at the general debate of the First Committee of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly while introducing China's position and proposals as the world's non-proliferation mechanism is facing the severest challenge since the end of the Cold War.

Though the Cold War has been over for more than 30 years, the Cold War mentality remains the biggest threat to peace and stability of the world. At the moment, the global security structure and the international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation mechanisms are facing the most severe challenge since the end of the Cold War, Li said in a statement.

Certain countries, driven by the Cold War mentality, have continuously instigated competition and confrontation among major countries, strengthened their military blocs, and have deliberately provoked and aggravated disagreements, he said.

"Such policies have been seriously undermining mutual trust among major countries, endangering global strategic balance and stability, and impeding the international arms control and disarmament process," Li said.

Li stated that mankind is an indivisible community of security. We must face up to and answer the question of our times: "What kind of security concept does the world need and how should all countries achieve common security?"

The envoy said the Global Security Initiative brought up by China advocates building a security structure that is balanced, effective and sustainable, aims to provide a Chinese solution for the long-term peace of the world through addressing security challenge with the mentality of pursuing mutual benefits and unity.

Elaborating on China's positions and proposals on the international arms control, disarmament and nonproliferation, Li said China doesn't participate into any forms of arms race. The fundamental responsibility of China's defense force is to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and the arms control policy is to move forward a fair and reasonable process of multilateral arms control.

China is fulfilling its domestic legal procedures of Firearms Protocol. China is willing to further strengthen international communication and cooperation to make contributions for firearms control, Li noted.

The envoy said major countries, nuclear-armed states in particular, must abandon concepts of strategic competition and bloc confrontation, halt any pursuit of exclusive or absolute security, and stop putting their own security above that of others.

In January this year, leaders of five nuclear-weapon states — China, France, Russia, the UK and the US — issued a joint statement, stressing that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, and reaffirming that none of their nuclear weapons are targeted at each other or at any other state.

This historic statement is of great and far-reaching significance to preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms race, Li said, adding that the five nuclear-weapon states should further strengthen communication and collaboration and jointly uphold global strategic balance and stability."It is our hope that all nuclear-weapon states could respond positively to the repeated calls from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and China to adopt the policy of no first use of nuclear weapons," he said.

Li stressed that the US should stop the development or deployment of regional or global missile defense systems, refrain from deploying land-based intermediate range missiles in Asia-Pacific and Europe, and must not duplicate the nuclear sharing arrangements in the Asia-Pacific region.

The trilateral cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines among the US, the UK and Australia (AUKUS) runs counter to the objective and purpose of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), deals a heavy blow to the IAEA safeguards system, poses severe risks of nuclear proliferation, and undermines regional peace and stability, the ambassador pointed out.

Li said that China has deep concerns with and strong opposition to such "cooperation." China calls on all members of the international community, especially the IAEA member states, to pay high attention to this issue, conduct thorough discussions and handle the issue with prudence, so as to preserve the integrity and effectiveness of the international nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202210/1276892.shtml

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305fdc  No.17701300

File: 526543c95008743⋯.jpg (76.35 KB, Paul_Keating_says_we_shoul….jpg)

Paul Keating trashes Quad ‘nonsense’ and pleads: get us out of AUKUS

SARAH ISON - OCTOBER 13, 2022

1/2

Former prime minister Paul Keating says the US is “exceptionally ungrateful” to allies like Australia who have long been loyal, urging Canberra to “walk away” from the AUKUS security agreement scheduled to deliver the nation a nuclear submarine capability.

In a wide-ranging speech at La Trobe University on Wednesday night, Mr Keating said it was “not intelligent” for Australia to be “owned” by the US and trashed the Quadrilateral security dialogue between the US, Japan, India and Australia, as well as the G7 grouping for failing to include Beijing.

“The Quad is a piece of strategic nonsense,” he said. “We shouldn’t be stringing together the US, Japan, India and Australia to try to contain China.”

The Labor elder statesmen, whose leadership as prime minister and treasurer has been cited by Anthony Albanese as a major inspiration for his own government, said the US had not been “grateful” enough for Australia’s contributions to global affairs, including the creation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation group – one of Mr Keating’s key legacies.

“This (APEC) came out of the Australian foreign policy – this is my personal gift to the United States. They will give you no thanks and gratitude,” Mr ­Keating said.

“The US is exceptionally ­ungrateful for people who have (supported it) for a lifetime. I am one of them. For two decades within the Labor Party … I supported the United States against what was then the pro-communist left.”

Mr Keating, who has continued to speak out on national ­security and economic issues, ­attended the Labor campaign launch this year where he sat with Mr Albanese alongside former prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Mr Albanese has previously been forced to distance himself from the views of Mr Keating on China and the AUKUS security agreement, but said he would ­always listen to the former leader.

“I seek Paul Keating’s counsel regularly, and he’s always worth listening to, but the fact is that we’ve had an alliance with the United States since 1951,” Mr ­Albanese said in September last year.

While having previously criticised AUKUS as futile, likening it to “throwing toothpicks at a mountain”, Mr Keating on Wednesday said “it would be a ­tragedy for Australia” if Labor followed through with the deal.

He took a veiled swipe at his party for failing to listen to his warnings when it backed in AUKUS about 24 hours after Scott Morrison signed the agreement in September last year.

“The Labor Party in opposition should have said … we’ll think about it. Instead they went for it,” he said. “That morning I heard about it early and I put a statement out saying I was opposed to it, that I thought it would subjugate our sovereignty.

“The Labor Party could have taken notice of me of me on this point. They took no notice, I had no conversation with anybody and, of course, they signed up.”

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17701301

File: 4088e66a473c863⋯.jpg (179.93 KB, _L_R_Prime_Minister_Anthon….jpg)

>>17701300

2/2

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton claimed earlier this year that Labor was “laying the ground” to dump AUKUS given concerns from some within the party about the “capability gap” the project left between now and when the new nuclear submarines were due to hit the water in the 2040s.

Mr Keating said if he were prime minister, he would “say no” to joining a war launched by the US should China move to seize Taiwan. “Taiwan, I repeat, is not of vital Australian interest,” he said. “If I’ve got any advice for them (the US) it’s to stick to strategic ambiguity like glue.

“The chances of the Americans having a victory of Taiwan is nil, in my opinion, and why would we want to be part of that defeat?”

The comments follow Mr Keating’s fiery rebuke of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for visiting Taiwan earlier this year, which he said was “unprecedented, foolish, dangerous and unnecessary”.

Ms Pelosi’s visit came after months of military incursions by Beijing into Taiwanese airspace.

Mr Keating said there would never be “an operative, peaceful world” with the current G7 structure, a group of the seven most advanced countries – excluding China – which he said was “the stabilising power in Asia”.

“The US could run the world co-operatively with China. In other words, the US consolidates the Atlantic, which includes bringing Russia into Europe, and in the east, the stability is provided by the Chinese,” he said.

“And that model would be, I think, advantageous for the whole world, because the Chinese are not trying to overturn the existing system. Let’s get this clear: China is not the old Soviet Union. It’s not exporting ideology.”

Since winning government in May, Labor has begun repairing the Chinese relationship, with ministers from both countries meeting on the sidelines of multilateral forums.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/paul-keating-trashes-quad-nonsense-and-pleads-get-us-out-of-aukus/news-story/66397e6ca90ee606609a719b9f35bc4e

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305fdc  No.17701302

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17701300

Ideas and Society | Australia and China: A conversation with Paul Keating

La Trobe University

Oct 18, 2022

La Trobe University’s Ideas and Society Program is pleased to present an online discussion between former Prime Minister, Paul Keating, and James Curran, a Professor of History at the University of Sydney and author of Australia's China Odyssey, on a question fundamental to the future of Australia–our relations with China and, thus, the United States.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHTAqdfw4mY

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305fdc  No.17701303

File: a425919d2721f8d⋯.jpg (63.62 KB, Former_PM_Paul_Keating_spe….jpg)

File: 47c6e4cd6e5babb⋯.jpg (153.73 KB, Penny_Wong_with_former_pri….jpg)

File: 420b6c3639abe79⋯.jpg (160.49 KB, Deputy_Opposition_leader_S….jpg)

>>17701300

Paul Keating slammed as out of step on Quad, AUKUS

SARAH ISON - OCTOBER 14, 2022

Security experts say Paul Keating is “out of touch” and undermining his foreign policy legacy after the Labor elder statesmen called the Quad security dialogue “strategic nonsense” and lamented the “tragedy” of Australia following through with the AUKUS partnership with Britain and the US.

Defence Minister Richard Marles distanced the government from the comments but stopped short of condemning Mr Keating, whom he said had “every right to articulate those views”.

Mr Keating, whose record in government was a key influence for both Anthony Albanese and his Treasurer Jim Chalmers, said on Wednesday that the US showed “no thanks or gratitude” to Australia for its loyalty.

He added there could be no “operative, peaceful world” under the current G7 structure – a group of the seven most advanced countries in the world which excludes China – and criticised India for not aligning itself with the interests of the West.

In 2016, Mr Keating’s office said he had “no consultancy nor any other role with any commercial interest in China” and had no investments in the country. However, Mr Keating has been a long serving member of the advisory council of the China Development Bank which helps fund infrastructure in Chinese cities and does pay members annual fees and airfares. He has rejected suggestions this has influenced his views on China.

Mr Marles on Thursday said he “always sought” Mr Keating’s views, but disagreed with his ­comments on the Quadrilateral security dialogue between the US, Japan, India and Australia and the relationship between Canberra and Washington which he said were both “more important than ever”.

A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said “the Albanese government’s commitment to the Quad, AUKUS and the India bilateral relationship is well known”. “Senator Wong has had more than half a dozen meetings with her Indian counterpart, including on the very day she was sworn in and as recently as this week when she hosted him in Canberra,” the spokesperson said.

Policy director of the national security college at the Australian National University William Stoltz said it was “disappointing” to see Mr Keating trash his legacy and prove he was “well and truly out of step” with not only defence experts but the Labor Party.

“This is yet another pretty unedifying set of remarks from Mr Keating which are fairly uninformed and indicate he hasn’t kept track of what’s happening in the world since he left office,” Dr Stoltz told The Australian.

“This does a disservice to the legacy his government had on foreign policy, particularly on ­Indonesia and opening up Australia to South East Asia.”

US experts such as Centre for a New American Security chief executive Richard Fontaine also hit back at the idea Washington was “ungrateful” to Australia.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he told The Australian. “The appreciation for Australia’s contributions not just today, but for the past decade … people are well aware of that in Washington.”

It comes as the US released its National Security Strategy, which outlines China as the major challenge facing the West. It also references Australia “more than usual”, according to Mr Fontaine.

“The strategy implicitly suggests the Indo-Pacific is the priority for US national security policy … and the alliance is extraordinarily tight and important.”

In contrast, Mr Keating said Beijing was the “stabilising force” in Asia and didn’t seek to “overturn” the global order.

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said Mr Keating’s comments “significantly undermined” Australia’s national security and could be weaponised by China.

“Unfortunately these remarks will be used by the Chinese Communist Party, they will be weaponised, and are contrary to the approach and the policies that this government should be putting forward,” Ms Ley said.

Beijing mouthpiece the Global Times has quoted Mr Keating in the past when he criticised people such as Liz Truss, before she became British Prime Minister, for her “demented” comments about Chinese military aggression.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said that given Mr Albanese had indicated in the past he regularly sought Mr Keating’s counsel, the former prime minister’s comments were “of great concern”, adding: “These comments are contrary to Australia’s national interest … (and) the government would be wise to swiftly distance themselves from these remarks.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/paul-keating-slammed-for-being-out-of-step/news-story/240f4cc668a7cc9e44c149bd94fc9f03

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305fdc  No.17701304

File: 87cae6c3e45cce3⋯.jpg (211.72 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Members_of_the_Sydney_Anti….jpg)

>>17701300

Former senior Australian officials criticize drift on China policy, AUKUS

Xu Keyue - Oct 14, 2022

There are continuous objective and rational voices in Australia, including those from the country's former prime minister Paul Keating, hoping to rectify the Albanese administration's drift on China policy and the strategy of blindly following the US, Chinese observers said, after Keating hit out at G7 and the Quad for not including and "trying to contain China." Keating also urged the government to withdraw from AUKUS.

The Albanese administration has been in place for half a year, so it has not really formed its foreign policy and security policy and it is still following the old track of the former Morrison administration, said Chinese observers. Views of some senior Australian politicians including Keating and former foreign minister Bob Carr are valuable and hopefully the current administration can listen carefully and get back on the right track, Chinese observers said.

Meanwhile, the observers remain cautious about whether the current administration will accept suggestions from the senior politicians.

On Wednesday night, Keating, 78 - who served as the Australian leader from 1991 to 1996 - appeared at Melbourne's La Trobe University where he said "it would be a tragedy for Australia" if the current ruling Labor Party pushed ahead with the AUKUS security partnership as the US is "exceptionally ungrateful," Australian media outlet Sky News reported.

According to the report, AUKUS - a trilateral security pact signed with the US and UK in September 2021 under the former Morrison government - would see Australia collaborate with the nations to acquire at least eight nuclear powered submarines.

But Keating warned it is "not intelligent" for Australia to be "owned by the US" and argued Labor should have consulted him before backing the move, the report said.

In 2021, the senior Australian politician criticized Labor for backing the then Morrison administration's plan for nuclear powered submarines, as the plan was detrimental to Australia's long-term national interests in many respects, Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University, cited the news report as saying.

And now ahead of the next round of talks on the submarine deal, Keating again expressed his concerns over AUKUS, which is timely and appropriate, Chen said.

The former Labor leader also condemned the Quad security dialogue with the US, Japan and India, as well as the G7 for not including China as one of its members. Keating argued the dialogue is "a piece of strategic nonsense" and said Australia "shouldn't be stringing together" with the other countries to "try to contain China."

He said China is one of the most powerful and influential nations in the world and Beijing could bring "stability" like it had in Asia, stating that "the Chinese are not trying to overturn the existing system. Let's get this clear: China is not the Soviet Union. It is not exporting ideology."

Given that China has been Australia's largest trading partner and the two countries have enjoyed a comprehensive strategic partnership, in terms of trade, security and political interests, maintaining a good relationship with China is certainly beneficial for both China and Australia as well as regional stability and prosperity, Chen pointed out. Blindly following the US to suppress China and provoke China on sensitive issues such as the Taiwan question is foolish, Chen warned.

As the Albanese administration is still very young and appears to be stuck in a dilemma in choosing its future direction, comments from Keating can give the government some help, Chen said.

An editorial published by the Australian Institute in November, 2021 said that the former prime minister "has a powerful sense of Australia's national interest (its identity and power), and always filters his views through the lens of how that national interest is best promoted and protected."

However, in November 2021, although Albanese had told reporters he always listened to Keating as a respected former leader, he made it plain that he did not share the assessment of the strategic circumstances Australia now faces.

Whether Albanese can carefully listen to Keating's comments is still unclear, and we are waiting to see where the China-Australia ties will go, observers said.

Keating is not the only senior politician to express his opinions recently about how Australia should best protect its national interests.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr was quoted in July by Sky News as saying that he was hopeful Australia's diplomatic relationship with China could be restored under an Albanese Government after a tumultuous two-and-a-half years.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202210/1277131.shtml

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305fdc  No.17701350

File: 0b2397b824a30ad⋯.mp4 (15.53 MB, 960x540, 16:9, Former_Chinese_president_H….mp4)

File: c85512d19c80707⋯.jpg (171.31 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Chinese_President_Xi_Jinpi….jpg)

File: 1fb4754fdcaa5a9⋯.jpg (168.39 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_President_Hu_Jintao….jpg)

Former Chinese president Hu Jintao unexpectedly removed from party congress

AFP - OCTOBER 22, 2022

Former Chinese president Hu Jintao was unexpectedly led out of Saturday’s closing ceremony of the Communist Party Congress in a dramatic moment that disrupted the highly choreographed event.

Hu’s departure was left unexplained, and the nation’s censors appeared to quickly scrub any recent references to him from the internet.

The frail-looking 79-year-old seemed reluctant to leave the front row of proceedings at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, where he was sitting next to President Xi Jinping.

A steward attempted to take a sitting Hu by the arm before being shaken off. The steward then attempted to lift Hu up with both hands from under the armpits.

After an exchange of about a minute, in which Hu spoke briefly with Xi and Premier Li Keqiang, he was led out of the hall.

A seated Xi was filmed holding papers down on the desk as Hu tried to grab them. Hu patted Li’s shoulder as he left, as most of his colleagues stared firmly ahead.

The week-long Congress occurred mostly behind closed doors, but Hu’s departure occurred shortly after journalists were allowed in to cover the closing ceremony.

‘Hard to draw solid conclusions’

Authorities offered no explanation for Hu’s exit, which came just before the 2,300 delegates at the Congress voted unanimously to endorse Xi’s “core” leadership position.

“We still don’t know what caused Hu’s actions, such as whether it was opposition to Xi’s power or simply an unfortunately-timed senior moment,” said Neil Thomas, a senior China analyst at the Eurasia Group consultancy.

“So without more information it’s hard to draw solid conclusions about how this incident relates to Chinese politics.”

Search results for “Hu Jintao” on the Twitter-like Weibo platform appeared to be heavily censored Saturday afternoon, with the most recent result dated Friday and posts limited to those of official accounts.

Xi is all but assured of being formally announced on Sunday as the party’s general secretary for another five years.

This will allow Xi to sail through to a third term as China’s president, due to be announced during the government’s annual legislative sessions in March.

Since taking over from Hu a decade ago, Xi has become China’s most authoritarian leader since Mao Zedong.

Xi has crushed opposition to his rule inside the party, with many of his rivals jailed on corruption charges, and he has shown no tolerance for any form of public dissent.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/former-chinese-president-hu-jintao-unexpectedly-removed-from-party-congress/news-story/0719ba55b2487f6c06a81c759f1090f6

https://archive.ph/33jeQ

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305fdc  No.17701375

File: 73510594e7e40d6⋯.jpg (411.1 KB, 825x1309, 75:119, FR_1.jpg)

File: 8216f3e5c29d487⋯.mp4 (6.89 MB, 720x720, 1:1, MgXjCGfwGE21F0KH.mp4)

>>17701350

Fergus Ryan Tweet

Hu Jintao gets shuffled off the political stage in a fairly undignified manner.

Note how he tries to swipe Xi Jinping's notes.

He does not seem well at all.

https://twitter.com/fryan/status/1583722314075865089

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fd5d96  No.17701620

976881sdf

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fd5d96  No.17701640

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305fdc  No.17709421

File: 60cb05a0ff3d26d⋯.jpg (295.36 KB, 2000x1338, 1000:669, US_B_52_bombers_have_flown….jpg)

US to deploy B-52 bombers to Australia to create ‘unified front’ against China

Matthew Knott - October 31, 2022

The United States plans to deploy six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers near Darwin as part of a strategy experts say would dissuade China from invading Taiwan but increase the chance of Australia being drawn into a conflict.

While the aircraft have been used in training exercises in Australia for decades, the ABC’s Four Corners reported the US is planning to build dedicated facilities for up to six B-52 bombers at the Tindal air base, south of Darwin, for use during the Northern Territory dry season.

The planned “squadron operations facility” is expected to cost around US$100 million.

The US Air Force told the program: “The ability to deploy US Air Force bombers to Australia sends a strong message to adversaries about our ability to project lethal air power … the RAAF’s ability to host USAF bombers, as well as train alongside them, demonstrates how integrated our two air forces are.”

The move would represent an important deepening of US-Australia military ties according to Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and also increase the likelihood of Australian involvement in a conflict over Taiwan.

“It’s a very sensible move on Australia’s part to strengthen integrated deterrence as a way to dissuade China from making a move on Taiwan,” he said.

“If you want to avoid a war you have to present a united front against China rather than suggest Australia would stay out of the war.”

Davis said the US military bases on Guam and the Japanese island of Okinawa would be extremely vulnerable to Chinese attacks if a war broke out over Taiwan.

It would be far more difficult for Beijing to launch attacks on US aircraft based in Darwin, he said.

“As allies, it is important for us to step up and burden share,” he said.

“I don’t see this as provocative.”

Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge disagreed, describing the proposed facilities as a “dangerous escalation”.

“It makes Australia an even bigger part of the global nuclear weapons threat to humanity’s very existence - and by rising military tensions it further destabilises our region,” he said.

Neil James, executive director of the Australian Defence Association, stressed that B-52 bombers have been exercising over the Northern Territory since the 1980s.

The aircraft are not allowed to carry nuclear weapons while in Australia, he said.

James said it was a “logical” step to create dedicated facilities for the aircraft in Australia as a response to Beijing’s expansionism, including the construction of military bases in the South China Sea.

US military officials have said they expect China to try to invade Taiwan by around 2027.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said earlier this month: “The historical task of the complete reunification of the motherland must be fulfilled, and will definitely be fulfilled.”

Then defence minister Peter Dutton flagged an expansion of the US military presence in Australia at last year’s annual Australia–US Ministerial meetings in Washington.

“The air capability will be enhanced, our maritime capability enhanced and certainly the force posture enhanced,” he said.

“If that includes basing and the storage of different ordnances [military supplies], I think that is in Australia’s best interests and in our national interests.”

Specifically, Dutton said there would be “greater air co-operation” with the US, including through “rotation deployments of all types of military aircraft to Australia”.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was excited by the opportunity to “expand our access and presence in Australia”.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/us-to-deploy-b-52-bombers-to-australia-to-create-unified-front-against-china-20221031-p5buc7.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-31/china-tensions-taiwan-us-military-deploy-bombers-to-australia/101585380

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72d70d  No.17709470

>>17531302

dont leave them behind, STAY HERE

>JIM

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<Hey Jim I have an offer. To stop the SPAM hit me on my telegram (@tgcherrypeek) (i'm) depe-moon(nick name I use to troll lowlifes lul kek sneed)

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f10194  No.17709492

>>17508746

you sound jaded, but you might have something there

340$ and I will stop Jim. I am from Israel btw

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20402e  No.17709529

FRESH BREAD

>>17453193

>>17453323

>>17453962

FRESH BREAD

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305fdc  No.17709661

File: 8965dede7fc45b5⋯.jpg (49.8 KB, 600x388, 150:97, Foreign_Ministry_Spokesper….jpg)

>>17709421

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2022

Reuters: The United States is planning to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to an air base in northern Australia. What’s China’s comment?

Zhao Lijian: All countries’ defense and security cooperation needs to contribute to regional peace and stability and must not target any third party or undermine their interests. Such a move by the US and Australia escalates regional tensions, gravely undermines regional peace and stability, and may trigger an arms race in the region. China urges parties concerned to abandon the outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality and narrow geopolitical mindset, and do more things that are good for regional peace and stability and mutual trust among all parties.

Global Times: According to reports, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview that regarding China, “It is a worry to us because it’s been a few years. We’re seeing…more aggression on the outside, including on Taiwan…So if there’s a crisis, it will be bad for the entire world, so we need to maintain security. We need to resolve issues in a peaceful way”. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: Taiwan is China’s Taiwan. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese, a matter that must be resolved by the Chinese. We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary. This is directed solely at interference by outside forces and the few separatists seeking “Taiwan independence” and their separatist activities.

The real root cause of the current tensions across the Taiwan Strait is that the DPP authorities have been soliciting the US’s support for “independence” and some people in the US have been using Taiwan to contain China. The remarks confound right with wrong. Its characterization of Taiwan as part of China’s “outside” and of China as being “aggressive towards Taiwan” is not only inconsistent with the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China, but also seriously contrary to the US’s own political commitments made to China on the Taiwan question. China is firmly against this. If the US truly does not want to see a crisis in the Taiwan Strait, it needs to act on its statement of not supporting “Taiwan independence”, put an immediate end to irresponsible rhetoric and action, and reject and curb “Taiwan independence” with China.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202210/t20221031_10794709.html

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305fdc  No.17772381

File: 52d2fb0dd8aa2d9⋯.jpg (1010.61 KB, 5655x3729, 1885:1243, 1st_Battalion_1st_Marines_….jpg)

ATTENTION: ADMIN/BO/BV

Thank you once again for your efforts in keeping Q Research Australia free of spam.

Deeply appreciated!

WWG1WGA!

o7

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d2c9c6  No.17772404

>>17772381

Hello Baker!

Apologies it took so long

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305fdc  No.17783706

File: dd098381d5434a7⋯.jpg (260.75 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Dr_Sean_Turnell_with_his_w….jpg)

File: 145eb2371fe58c6⋯.jpg (117.2 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Professor_Turnell_with_Aun….jpg)

>>17601574

Australian academic Sean Turnell freed by Myanmar junta

AMANDA HODGE - NOVEMBER 17, 2022

Australian economics professor Sean Turnell has finally walked free from a Myanmar jail after more than 20 months in the custody of the military junta.

The long-time policy Adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi was released in a mass pardon of 6000 prisoners, which included former British ambassador Vicky Bowman, Japanese filmmaker Toru Kubota and American botanist Kyaw Htay Oo.

Two Myanmar news sites, the Irrawaddy and Myanmar Now, reported their release on Thursday and a junta spokesman also confirmed all four had been released and deported at a press conference in Naypyidaw.

The Australian government has not confirmed Professor Turnell’s release.

The 58-year-old was arrested in Yangon five days after the February 1, 2021 military coup that ousted Suu Kyi’s civilian government as he was putting the finishing touches on a post-Covid economic recovery plan for the Southeast Asian nation.

He was sentenced in late September to three years’ imprisonment on trumped up charges of breaching state secrets.

His release follows an accelerated effort by the Albanese government and foreign minister Penny Wong and just a day after his Sydney-based wife and fellow economist Ha Vu posted their wedding anniversary message online that hinted at good news to come.

“Happy anniversary my sweetheart. 16/11, 11 years and counting. Every day passes, one day closer to have you back home, our companionship is 24 times more stout,” she wrote on her Facebook account.

“All these challenges and hardships will pass. Future is awaiting us, bright, joyful and promising. Love you muchly, miss you achingly. Thank you my dear for a great poem.”

Family friend and economist colleague Tim Harcourt told The Australian Professor Turnell’s release was a “great relief” for his friends and family.

“Sean’s heart was with the people of Myanmar to help lift them about of poverty and help Myanmar reach its economic potential. He should never have been imprisoned for doing his professional duty as an economist involved in development economics,” Professor Harcourt said.

“Thank you to all the activists, friends, and colleagues of Sean who have helped us. Thanks to the reporters for their tireless efforts to keep Sean’s story in the minds of the Australian people and the international community.

“Thanks to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong for their tireless advocacy since the election. And to the staff of the Australian Embassy in Myanmar and the highly professional team at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

“My advice to Sean is, spend some time now with Ha, and the family. Be an armchair economist not an airport economist from now on safely in Sydney.”

Myanmar has spiraled into civil war since the military coup and subsequent crackdown on civilian dissent which has led to the deaths of more than 2400 people and the displacement of at least a million more.

Some 12000 remain in detention, including Suu Kyi herself, despite Thursday’s mass release to mark the Myanmar National Day.

The ongoing strife in Myanmar dominated discussions at last weekend’s Cambodia-hosted ASEAN summit, at which US president Joe Biden urged the southeast Asian grouping to do more to resolve the conflict

The US, UK, Canada and EU have all imposed multiple sanctions on the junta and junta-linked businesses.

But Professor Turnell’s continued incarceration was believed to be a prime reason for the Australian government’s reluctance to also do so.

Kubota, a 26-year-old Tokyo-based documentary filmmaker, was arrested on July 30 by plainclothes police in Yangon after taking images and videos of a small flash protest against the military takeover last year.

He was convicted last month by the prison court of incitement for participating in the protest and other charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Bowman, 56, a former British ambassador to Myanmar was arrested with her husband, a Myanmar national, in Yangon in August. She was given a one-year prison term in September by the prison count for failing to register her residence.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/australian-academic-sean-turnell-freed-by-myanmar-junta/news-story/1cf47666c672fb19b45ca617d80a4d78

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d2c9c6  No.17798811

Svitzer Ordered to Scrap Harbor Tug Worker Lockout in Australia

Mike Schuler November 17, 2022

Australia’s Fair Work Commission has ruled that Svitzer Australia, a subsidiary of Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, must scrap its plans for a lockout of its harbor tug workers that was set to start Friday, threatening to cause widespread disruption at Australian ports.

The indefinite lockout, which was announced by Svitzer Australia earlier this week, would have brought Australian ports to a near standstill. It comes after nearly four years of unsuccessful bargaining for a new enterprise agreement for Svitzer’s unionized tug workers with representatives from three maritime unions; Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers (AIMPE) and the Australian Maritime Officers’ Union (AMOU). Pay raises have been frozen during the negotiations.

Svitzer Australia tugs secure the safe departure and arrival of over 75 percent of Australian trade, according to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), of which the three unions are affiliated.

The lockout would have impacted harbor tug operations in 17 Australian ports.

Svitzer says the lockout comes after increased industrial action organized by the unions that Svitzer says has harmed its ability to serve its shipping customers and is causing serious disruption to Australia’s supply chain.

“We welcome this decision from the industrial court in Australia. But it should not require a judicial slapdown to remind a Maersk subsidiary that they cannot engage in such destructive, winner-takes-all workplace relations,” said Niek Stam, acting co-chair of the Fair Practices Committee Steering Group, the ITF’s highest meeting of maritime unions.

https://gcaptain.com/svitzer-ordered-to-scrap-harbor-tug-worker-lockout-in-australia/

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305fdc  No.17800492

File: b4324c53fba936b⋯.jpg (258.94 KB, 1920x1280, 3:2, Anthony_Albanese_and_Xi_Ji….jpg)

Anthony Albanese meets Xi Jinping at G20 summit in Bali

BEN PACKHAM, AMANDA HODGE and WILL GLASGOW - NOVEMBER 16, 2022

1/2

Anthony Albanese has met with Xi Jinping in Bali, telling the Chinese President Australia wants to work with China in the interests of both countries and regional peace, while refusing to take a backwards step on the nation’s key complaints with Beijing.

The leaders met for 32 minutes on the sidelines of the G20 summit in long-awaited talks that signalled an improvement in bilateral ties after years of heightened tensions.

"We have had our differences. And Australia won’t resile from our interests or our values," the Prime Minister told Mr Xi at the opening of their long-awaited meeting.

"But our bilateral relationship is an important one. Both sides have worked to stabilise the relationship based upon mutual respect and mutual benefit."

The Chinese President, who has refused to have a formal meeting with an Australian prime minister since Malcolm Turnbull in 2016, told Mr Albanese that the Australia-China relationship was "worth cherishing".

Mr Xi thanked Mr Albanese for his efforts to handle Australia-China relations in a "mature manner", declaring: "I attach great importance to your opinion."

He said the bilateral relationship had experienced some difficulties but "this is something that we would not like to see".

"Because China and Australia are both important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, we should improve, maintain and develop our relationship, as it is consistent with the fundamental interests of both countries’ people, and it is beneficial to peaceful development of the region and the world," Mr Xi said.

Mr Albanese said it was an "important step forward" for the bilateral relationship but key pressure points remained. He raised Beijing’s trade bans against Australian exports, called for the release of detained Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, and asked Mr Xi to use his influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discourage him from using nuclear weapons and to help bring about peace in Ukraine.

He also invoked former Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam’s move to establish diplomatic relations with China nearly 50 years ago, saying Whitlam and Chairman Mao had agreed on principles to guide the relationship based on equality, mutual respect and a commitment to coexist peacefully, "and these principles remain important today".

Going into the meeting, Mr Albanese sought to play down expectations of any breakthroughs, saying he was not setting any preconditions and the meeting itself was a successful outcome.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing that the improvement in Australia-China would build trust between the countries and strengthen regional peace. "Improvement of China-Australia ties serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and meets the shared aspiration of the two peoples and the international community," Ms Mao said.

"We hope Australia will follow the spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while ­reserving differences, move in the same direction as China, strive for mutual benefit and win-win results, rebuild mutual trust and push the bilateral relationship back on the right track."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17800494

File: 0b74193fda02ed0⋯.jpg (135.11 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Anthony_Albanese_and_Chine….jpg)

>>17800492

2/2

Asia Society Australia senior fellow Richard Maude said it was significant that Australia had achieved the meeting without making any concessions to China’s demands. "Australia finds itself in a stronger position now in relation to the bilateral relationship, for not having bent to China’s will," Mr Maude said.

But he said it would be a mistake to read the Chinese leader’s talks with Mr Albanese or Mr Biden as a sign of fundamental change to China’s strategic ambitions. He said Beijing continued to see itself as locked in a long-term struggle with the West "in which China must prevail".

Mr Maude said Australia’s ambitions were realistic, and the government understood that merely talking to China didn’t solve the "deep structural clash in our interests". He said there was unlikely to be a short-term lifting of Chinese trade bans against Australia. China watchers said a positive resolution for Ms Cheng and Dr Yang, whom Beijing accuse of espionage, would likely take time.

The business community hailed the meeting a "tremendous reset" in the Australia-China relationship, and a "win for Australia".

The meeting followed Labor’s "quiet diplomacy" strategy set in motion before the May election that avoided inflaming tensions with Beijing while standing firm on key points of national interest.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham, who was repeatedly snubbed by his Chinese counterpart when he was trade minister, welcomed China’s ending of its ban on ministerial dialogue with Australia.

Senator Birmingham said the change of government had provided an opportunity for dialogue with Beijing. But he defended the Coalition’s hard-line stance on Beijing when it was in government, including its ban on high-risk Chinese telcos and crackdown on foreign interference.

The Albanese-Xi meeting followed talks between Mr Biden and Mr Xi 24 hours earlier, which appeared to place a floor under spiralling relations between Beijing and Washington.

"We’re going to compete vigorously. But I’m not looking for conflict, I’m looking to manage this competition responsibly," Mr Biden said after the talks.

He raised a raft of issues with Mr Xi including China’s "increasingly aggressive" actions towards Taiwan, human rights in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and its market-distorting trade practices which harmed American workers.

But he said there "need not be a new Cold War".

Mr Xi said the global community expected the superpowers to handle their relationship better.

"As leaders of the two great powers, China and the United States, we must play a steering role, find the right development ­direction for relations between the two countries, and promote the improvement of China-US relations," he told China’s Xinhua news agency.

Despite the easing of tensions between the superpowers, China and Russia loomed as a barrier to a consensus G20 communique, amid calls by Western leaders for a strong statement against Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the G20 host, urged the US to show "flexibility in deliberation of the (joint) declaration", and not stand in the way of a communique by insisting on a condemnation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/anthony-albanese-meets-xi-jinping-at-g20-summit-in-bali/news-story/f130d8b8486a4d8e0e26bb97d5c4e4cf

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305fdc  No.17800511

File: a9a0680a8eab4da⋯.jpg (435.49 KB, 2048x1638, 1024:819, Xi_and_Albanese_s_brief_me….jpg)

>>17800492

Open up to Chinese trade, Xi tells Albanese

WILL GLASGOW - NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Beijing has said the “most difficult time for China-Australia relations has passed”, but told Canberra to improve the relationship the Albanese government needs to reduce hurdles on Chinese businesses.

President Xi Jinping brought up China’s long standing unhappiness with investment hurdles for Chinese businesses in Australia during his Tuesday meeting with Anthony Albanese.

“It is hoped that the Australian side will provide a good business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in Australia,” Mr Xi told Australia’s Prime Minister, according to China’s official broadcaster CCTV.

The Turnbull government significantly raised hurdles for Chinese investment in Australia’s critical infrastructure and was the first government in the world to ban Chinese giant Huawei from its 5G network.

In opposition, Mr Albanese was a sharp critic of the Turnbull government for not blocking the purchase of the Port of Darwin by the Chinese firm Landbridge. The Prime Minister has said the port’s ownership is under review, setting it up as a potential flashpoint in the still strained relationship.

The initial Chinese party state media reports on the first substantial meeting in six years between China’s leader and an Australian prime minister noted “positive signs”, but cautioned about the outlook.

Yu Lei, chief research fellow at the research centre for Pacific island countries of Liaocheng University in East China‘s Shandong Province, said much would depend on the future of China-US relations.

“It is too early to determine if the current Australian government would maintain such maturity, and keep being pragmatic in handling ties, as the shift in attitude would be a product of both international and domestic factors,” he told the Global Times.

Mr Albanese said that China’s leader did not bring up AUKUS during their Tuesday meeting, but Mr Xi did include a swipe at the US and its alliance network during his address to the G20 summit.

Mr Xi warned about “group politics and bloc confrontation” and “the Cold-War mentality” in a pointed passage of his speech, which mostly focused on his “Global Development Initiative”, a banner phrase for Beijing’s development-focused foreign policy.

“No one should engage in beggar-thy-neighbour practices, building ‘a small yard with high fences,’ or creating closed and exclusive clubs,” China’s leader said.

In their Tuesday meeting, President Xi downplayed the historic rift in the relationship, telling his Australian counterpart that “there has never been a fundamental conflict of interest between China and Australia”, according to CCTV.

After the meeting, the Global Times listed some of China’s ongoing grievances with Australia, including the banning of Huawei from Australia’s 5G network in 2018 and anti-dumping investigations against Chinese products.

“Only if Australia gives Chinese companies fair treatment can the country promote efficient and mutually beneficial trade and economic co-operation with China,” the party state masthead said.

However, even Beijing’s most pugilistic masthead struck a more moderate tone than it has in recent years.

“The most difficult time for China-Australia relations has passed,” the Global Times editorialised.

“We hope the meeting between the two heads of state in Bali will become a new starting point for broader communication between the two sides to resolve their differences and promote healthy and stable development of trade and economic relations.”

It said that any further improvement would turn on whether Canberra could “properly handle” relations with its biggest trading partner, which continues to blacklist Australian exports previously worth $20 billion a year.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/open-up-to-chinese-trade-xi-tells-albanese/news-story/530f441bfc23c8c1cf544d8d4d645a34

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305fdc  No.17800514

File: 1d6a26787743789⋯.jpg (128.1 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, China_Australia_summit_may….jpg)

>>17800492

GT Voice: China-Australia summit may herald new turn in relations

Global Times - Nov 15, 2022

A landmark meeting between the leaders of China and Australia, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, injected precious stability and new impetus into bilateral relations.

It is the first formal bilateral meeting between the leaders of the two countries in six years and comes at a time when the global economy is facing a period of extended turbulence. Many have urged the new Australian government headed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to get the relationship with China, Australia's biggest trading partner, back on track. It is in the interests of both the Australian and Chinese business communities for the relationship to continue to be stabilized.

Relations between China and Australia deteriorated over the past few years when former Prime Minister Scott Morrison adopted a strong anti-China attitude and attempted to provoke China on issues concerning China's core interests. Since Albanese took office in May, bilateral relations have shown signs of thawing. Amid rising global protectionism and escalating geopolitical tensions, practical efforts made by the Australian side toward resetting bilateral ties by focusing on areas of common interest between the two countries are commendable.

Economy and trade has always served as a major driving force for advancing bilateral ties. Over the past decade, China has been Australia's largest trading partner, as well as an increasingly important source of foreign direct investment. The Australia-China bilateral relationship is based on strong economic and trade complementarities and longstanding community links. These economic complementarities mean the two sides are able to find a breakthrough to bring bilateral ties back on the right track.

Some have claimed the origin of the fallout between the two countries can be traced back to when Australia banned Chinese telecom giant Huawei from its 5G wireless network in 2018. Added to this, Australia has launched hundreds of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations against Chinese products. As the saying goes, "whoever starts the trouble should end it." Only if Australia gives Chinese companies fair treatment can the country promote efficient and mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation with China.

The Chinese market has huge potential, and presents opportunities that Australian companies need should they wish to share in the dividend of China's steady economic growth. Business communities on both sides should have confidence in the future China-Australia economic and trade cooperation, and meanwhile, the Australian side needs to make more concrete and substantive efforts in fixing ties with its largest trade partner, providing a fair and open business environment for Chinese companies to invest and operate in the country.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that China hopes the Australian side will follow the principles of mutual respect, seek common ground while reserving differences, and work with China in the same direction and endeavor to achieve mutual benefit.

We should remember that Rome wasn't built in one day, and the differences and divergences will not be solved overnight. In dealing with the bilateral relationship, it is impossible to solve all problems with just one meeting. The Australian side should continue to work with China to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and enhance substantial cooperation in various areas.

However, the most difficult time for China-Australia relations has passed. We hope the meeting between the two heads of state in Bali will become a new starting point for broader communication between the two sides to resolve their differences and promote healthy and stable development of trade and economic relations. Whether this wish can be realized depends on whether Australia can properly handle its relations with China in the future and respect China's core interests and major concerns. It requires more patience to tease sensitive issues out.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202211/1279613.shtml

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305fdc  No.17800515

File: 7fba73b14214069⋯.jpg (121.69 KB, 1140x700, 57:35, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

>>17800492

Business welcomes Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Xi Jinping

GLENDA KORPORAAL - NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Australian business leaders have welcomed Tuesday night’s talks between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and China’s President Xi Jinping, but were cautious about expecting any immediate outcomes.

Fortescue Metals Group executive chairman Andrew Forrest, said the meeting between the two leaders was “very significant”.

“There has been a lot of hard work in the background,” he said.

He said Mr Albanese had not used China to “scurry up some marginal political votes” in the recent election and had “played a very straight hand with China”.

He said the meeting was “about repairing bridges and having a solid relationship with our major trading partner”.

“It has been a long journey, but the Business Council is pleased to see something positive happening,” head of the Business Council’s international committee, Warwick Smith, told the Australian from Bali.

“It has taken six years to get to some sensible dialogue, but hopefully things will now be moving in the right direction. We need to fix some of the trade problems. Trade is everything to our nation.”

“It’s pleasing to see the Xi-Albanese meeting,” Australian China Business Council president David Olsson said.

“We don’t expect to see any immediate announcements about trade, but it does increase confidence that there may be a way forward to resolve the trade issues.”

Mr Olsson, who is the international director of law firm King & Wood Mallesons, said the meeting “provided an opportunity for us to think more seriously about what a future relationship with China and the region might look like”.

“China is the major trading partner with virtually all the nations in our region.

“Australia and China are both members of RCEP which is the world’s largest trade agreement. This, along with a shared net zero climate goals, can provide a solid base from which to take forward our discussions.”

Two-way trade between Australia and China soared to more than $200bn before being hit by a series of tariffs and non tariff barriers against exports of Australian wine, barley, coal, lobsters and beef worth more than $20bn a year.

Australian Grape and Wine chief executive Lee McLean said the industry welcomed the news of the meeting.

“Dialogue is good, and while we would like to see a resumption in the wine trade as soon as possible, we are not attaching any expectation in terms of timing to this meeting,” he said. The industry was “watching closely” to see if there were any more specific outcomes from the meeting.

He said the closure of markets in China for Australian wine exporters, a trade once worth as much as $1.2bn a year, was “putting pressure on grape growers in a significant way in the form of an oversupply situation”. He said the industry was looking at opportunities to diversify, including Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.

Treasury Wine Estate chief executive Tim Ford said the company “welcomed the news of Tuesday’s dialogue at the highest levels, and strongly supported the direction of strengthening economic and cultural ties between Australia and China”.

Grains industry lobby group GrainGrowers said China had grown significantly in importance over the past decade as a key market for Australian grains, particularly wheat. “Grain growers are always keen to supply markets that offer consistent free market access and any work to build long-term relationships with markets is critical,” a spokesman said.

While wheat exports have been strong, the barley industry’s exports to China, which reached a record 5.9 million tonnes in 2017 and 5.8 million tonnes in 2018, has effectively closed by tariffs of 80 per cent imposed in 2020.

“It is pleasing to see that the Australian and Chinese governments are engaging and undertaking dialogue,” the spokesman said.

“Any positive movement that helps to ultimately resolve the ­current sanctions on barley would certainly be welcomed by the ­Australian industry,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-welcomes-anthony-albaneses-meeting-with-xi-jinping/news-story/ea26fe0bdd5abf0da027b0edb9896170

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305fdc  No.17800518

File: ba2e3408c79ff15⋯.jpg (1.71 MB, 4096x2735, 4096:2735, Xi_Jinping_s_meetings_with….jpg)

>>17800492

Xi-Albanese meeting at G20 injects thawing potential to frayed ties

Australia still needs to show 'sincerity, diplomatic autonomy free from US'

Deng Xiaoci - Nov 15, 2022

1/2

Chinese President Xi Jinping met and held formal talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday afternoon, the first talks between leaders of the two countries since Malcolm Turnbull was Australian prime minister in 2016.

Taking place as China-Australia relations have plunged to what Australian media refers to as a "diplomatic deep freeze," the Tuesday meeting between the two leaders could be a hopeful start for a reset, but Canberra still needs to show sincerity and diplomatic autonomy rather than aligning with Washington if it really wants to pick up ties with Beijing.

Xi remarked during the meeting that China-Australia relations have long been at the forefront of the country's relations with developed countries and they deserve to be cherished by both China and Australia. China-Australia relations have encountered difficulties in the past few years, which both sides do not want to see.

China and Australia are both important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Xi said. The two countries should improve, safeguard and advance bilateral relations, which not only serves the fundamental interests of their people but is also conducive to peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large, Xi noted.

Xi stressed that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Australia relations. To transcend differences, respect each other and benefit each other to achieve win-win results are key to the stable development of bilateral relations.

There have never been fundamental conflicts of interest between China and Australia. What do exist are the traditional friendship between the two peoples and the highly complementary economic structures as well as the shared aspiration of safeguarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Xi stressed.

China values Australia's recent willingness to improve and develop bilateral relations, Xi said, adding that the two sides enjoy huge potential in economic and trade cooperation, and voicing hope that Australia will provide a sound business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in Australia, Xi said.

Albanese, on his part, remarked that Australia and China will soon celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership is in the common interests of both sides.

Australia, he said, is willing to uphold the commitment made when establishing the diplomatic relations with China, work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and equal cooperation, and reduce their differences through constructive and candid dialogue and communication, so as to promote the steady development of Australia-China relations, and carry out more cooperation on climate change, economy and trade and other important issues.

According to the Australian media outlet ABC News, the Australian leader described his discussion with President Xi as "successful," as it was "very positive and constructive."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17800520

File: c27413edae0cd27⋯.jpg (515.77 KB, 1800x1200, 3:2, Xi_holds_talks_with_Austra….jpg)

>>17800518

2/2

Australia led by the current Albanese government showed readiness and willingness to correct the abnormal, self-destructive China policy under the previous Morrison government during the high-level meeting on Tuesday, said Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies.

Compared to his predecessor Scott Morrison, Albanese has acted and remarked in a mature way in dealing with China-Australia ties in stark contrast to the previous hostile stance held by Morrison, Chen told the Global Times, citing the increase in frequency of interactions between high-ranking officials of the two countries.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in her first major policy speech, blamed the previous coalition government for the breakdown of relations with China, saying that Labor would "seek to cooperate where we can," Australia-based SBS News reported on Sunday.

Since taking office, Wong has met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi twice to reestablish a dialogue mechanism.

However, there are still uncertainties looming over China-Australia ties, despite the positive signs.

"It is too early to determine if the current Australian government would maintain such maturity, and keep being pragmatic in handling ties, as the shift in attitude would be a product of both international and domestic factors," 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 Tuesday.

Australia is likely to follow the US' lead, which is the most dominant international factor. In the next two years, China-US relations look likely to be stable, so improving ties with China could not be a result of its diplomatic autonomy. Also, Labor is facing domestic pressure caused by recession, so it needs to improve ties with its largest trade partner China, Yu said.

Time will tell if the Australian government can maintain a friendly attitude when the US might adjust policy yet again depending on the results of the 2024 elections, Yu said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202211/1279623.shtml

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305fdc  No.17800527

File: 087cae8375665ea⋯.jpg (4.47 MB, 3600x4500, 4:5, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

>>17800492

Australia reaps reward for standing ground on China

Peter Hartcher - November 19, 2022

China’s intimidation campaign against Australia has failed, says a senior US diplomat who has also congratulated the Albanese government on its “strong, purposeful diplomacy”.

The White House’s Indo-Pacific Co-ordinator, Kurt Campbell, said that Beijing’s trade bans on Australia, its freeze on political contacts with Canberra and other pressure tactics had failed “by any measure”.

He credited both the Coalition and Labor governments for years of Australian determination to hold its ground against the demands of the Chinese Communist Party.

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age after the first leader-to-leader meeting between Australia and China in six years, Campbell said Prime Minister Albanese had shown “a very steady hand” in bringing the freeze to an end on Australia’s terms. Beijing initiated the meeting.

He also said that while the Biden administration had very good relations with the Morrison government, the election of the Labor government had opened a new avenue of cooperation with the US.

“What has really changed is that, under the previous government, while we had very good relations, we were unable to really share strategic approaches to climate,” he said.

“Albanese has tried very hard to work hand in glove with us … to coordinate in advance of COP meetings and the like.”

Albanese also held a 45-minute meeting with US President Joe Biden this week on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. It was their fourth meeting in the six months of the Albanese prime ministership.

Campbell remarked after the meeting: “Albanese and Biden have a very easy rapport and a strong sense of shared experience as leaders in this challenging period.”

Speaking of the Australia-UK-US security agreement to help Australia acquire nuclear propelled submarines and other cutting-edge capabilities, including hypersonic missiles, the US official said: “Both leaders are deeply committed to concluding AUKUS on schedule and delivering submarines and other enhanced technologies before expectations.”

Asked the status of Beijing’s campaign of intimidation against Australia, Campbell said: “By any measure it has failed.”

“The best measures of this are a more diversified Australian economy, the profound commitment to join AUKUS, the leading role in the Quad, and the refusal to back down in the face of sustained efforts to diplomatically intimidate and commercially punish.

“Australia has determinedly stood its ground. What I’m impressed by is the Australians aren’t laying out publicly what their conditions are, but are clearly indicating to the People’s Republic of China in private what’s going to need to happen to resume more normal relations.

“That’s purposeful, strong diplomacy. A very steady hand.”

In Albanese’s half-hour meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the prime minister raised a range of Australian complaints and concerns about China’s policies.

These included China’s trade “blockages” on some Australian exports, the repression of the Uighur minority in China’s Xinjiang province, and the detention of two Australian citizens, journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun. He also stressed the importance of the South China Sea as an international shipping and aviation thoroughfare.

Campbell pointed to consistent US support of Australia under Biden: “If you look at what the US has done in the last two years, virtually everything significant has included Australia.

“That’s AUKUS, the NATO Asia gathering, the Quad, and the Partnership of the Blue Pacific, which has gotten less attention but which is part of a major American effort to step up our game in the Pacific.

“Australia has been the crucial partner in all we are doing.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-reaps-reward-for-standing-ground-on-china-20221118-p5bzhg.html

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305fdc  No.17800537

File: 1dd6e5a9203184b⋯.jpg (3.14 MB, 4928x3264, 77:51, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

>>17800492

Albanese says Australia is unlikely to support Taiwan's push to join Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Claudia Long and Stephen Dziedzic - 18 November 2022

1/2

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has suggested Australia is very unlikely to support Taiwan's push to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in a move which is likely to deeply disappoint Taipei.

The regional trade pact takes in 11 countries around the Pacific, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan.

China and Taiwan have both been pushing to join the pact, with the Morrison government previously leaving the door open to supporting Taipei's request.

But speaking at the APEC meeting in Bangkok, Mr Albanese said the agreement was only for "recognised" nation-states, rather than economies.

"The CPTPP is a relationship between nation-states which are recognised," he said.

"Taiwan is represented here (at APEC) as an economy."

While Taiwan has a separate government to China, it is only recognised by 14 countries including Guatemala and Tuvalu.

Beijing claims ownership over Taiwan, and has been pressing to diplomatically isolate it, as well as blocking its entry to global bodies and trade blocs.

However Australia, like most nations, does maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan, as well as a healthy trading relationship.

The prime minister's statement also seems to be contradicted by the text of the CPTPP which doesn't indicate that nationhood is a prerequisite for joining the CPTPP.

The section on joining the CPTPP says that "any State or separate customs territory may accede to this Agreement" – a definition which would clearly include Taiwan.

Taiwan seeking clarity

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Taipei was currently trying to contact Australian representatives to clarify the government's position.

"The CPTPP is open to all economies that meet its high standards", said spokeswoman Joanne Ou.

Ms Ou said she was not aware that any other member state had questioned Taiwan's application.

Benjamin Herscovitch from the Australian National University said that while all CPTPP members to date have been internationally recognised sovereign states, there was "no reason why Taiwan couldn't become a CPTPP member."

"The prime minister most likely just misspoke. As he said himself, the Australian position hasn't changed" he said.

Dr Herscovitch also said the prime minister's comment was "poorly timed" as it came "just three days after his meeting with President Xi Jinping."

"There's the risk that his comments will look like a concession to the Chinese government. China doesn't want Taiwan in the CPTPP, and the prime minister's comments will probably be chalked up as a win in Beijing," he said.

"But there's nothing to suggest that the prime minister made these comments at President Xi's behest."

"The prime minister and his foreign and trade ministers should clarify that Australia remains open to Taiwan's CPTPP accession. That message is especially critical given that Taiwan's accession would benefit Australia economically and strategically."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17800538

File: 639b3daf54f0270⋯.jpg (1.28 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Shadow_Foreign_Minister_Si….jpg)

>>17800537

2/2

Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham said the prime minister's statement was factually wrong.

"Mr Albanese doesn't seem to know or understand that Taiwan participates in the World Trade Organization as a full member, equal to any other," he said.

"It's membership of the CPTPP shouldn't be tied to its statehood status but considered on the merits of extending the agreement, the importance of maintaining unity among existing members and whether it can meet the high standards of the agreement."

Senator Birmingham also said that the prime minister's comments put him "at odds" with Japan, which has indicated it's open to including Taiwan in the pact.

"Given the confusion created by Mr Albanese's erroneous explanation and starkly different approach to that of a key CPTPP partner, there is a need for Mr Albanese to clarify his remarks promptly," he said.

A senior Coalition source told the ABC that the prime minister had to quickly explain what he meant by his comments.

"Albanese needs to clarify what advice he relied on and why he said what he said," they told the ABC.

"This is a global embarrassment and looks like he has traded a meeting with a dictator for supporting a vibrant Asian democracy join a vital geo-economic institution. This sends all the wrong signals to our friends across the region."

Mr Albanese suggested that the government's adherence to the "One China" policy was behind its thinking on the CPTPP.

"There is bipartisan support for the One China policy," he said.

"We support the status quo on Taiwan and on the Taiwan Strait. We don't want to see any unilateral action that alters that status quo."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-18/australia-unlikely-to-support-taiwan-in-regional-trade-pact/101672606

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305fdc  No.17800544

File: c00b90ed8507652⋯.jpg (464.46 KB, 2560x1707, 2560:1707, Anthony_Albanese_throws_Ta….jpg)

File: b724e892b1f05a6⋯.jpg (135.76 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Taiwan_Semiconductor_Manuf….jpg)

>>17800492

>>17800537

Anthony Albanese throws Taiwan’s trade pact entry into a diplomatic spin

BEN PACKHAM - NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Australian diplomats were scrambling to reassure key partners the nation remained open to Taiwan’s entry into one of the world’s biggest trading blocs after Anthony Albanese declared three days after meeting Xi Jinping that the self-governed territory was ineligible for membership.

Taiwan’s bid to join the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agree­ment for trans-Pacific Partnership is being heavily backed by Japan and was supported by a bipartisan Australian parliamentary committee in February. But the Prime Minister signalled at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Bangkok on Friday that his government was unlikely to back Taiwan’s application – which is vehemently opposed by Beijing – because it was not recognised as a nation state.

CPTPP nations are scheduled to first consider an application by the UK to enter the agreement before considering formal requests by China and Taiwan to join the bloc. “We have the United Kingdom as (a prospective) entrant,” Mr Albanese said.

“And of course the CPTPP is a relationship between nation states that are recognised. Taiwan is represented here … as an economy. And there is bipartisan support for the One China policy. We support the status quo on Taiwan. We don’t want to see any unilateral action which alters that status quo.”

Senior government sources later said Australia’s policy on Taiwan’s accession to the CPTPP remained unchanged, with the government yet to declare a position on the matter. But the comments are understood to have alarmed officials in Tokyo and Taipei. Taiwanese journalists at the APEC summit chased Mr Albanese from a press conference demanding an explanation.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Mr Albanese needed to “promptly clarify his remarks”.

“Mr Albanese doesn’t seem to know or understand that Taiwan participates in the World Trade Organisation as a full member, equal to any other,” Senator Birmingham said. “His comments also put him at odds with Japan, which has ­described Taiwan’s interest in membership as a ‘positive development’.”

Taiwan is being represented at APEC by 91-year-old semiconductor billionaire Morris Chang, but Mr Albanese said he had no plans to meet with the envoy at the talks. The businessman’s attendance, rather than an elected official, is a workaround to allow Taiwan’s attendance at the economic group, which includes China.

Taiwan is Australia’s seventh largest trading partner and already has bilateral trade agreements with two CPTPP members: New Zealand and Singapore.

After Taipei announced its CPTPP bid last year, Beijing warned it “absolutely opposed any country officially engaging in talks with Taiwan”. It’s unclear whether Mr Albanese and Mr Xi spoke about the issue in their breakthrough bilateral meeting, where the leaders agreed to stabilise bilateral ties after years of tensions.

The University of Tasmania’s Mark Harrison – one of the country’s top experts on Taiwan – said on Twitter that Mr Albanese’s comments were “presumably one of the concessions Xi Jinping secured” in their one-on-one meeting.

Dr Harrison later told The Weekend Australian the absence of diplomatic recognition of Taiwan’s statehood should not preclude its membership of the CPTPP. “No doubt Taipei will be disappointed by the Prime Minister’s comments and Beijing will be pleased,” he said.

Taiwan has been seeking Australia’s explicit support for its CPTPP application, and is also hoping to secure a bilateral free trade agreement. Its president Tsai Ing-wen said joining the CPTPP “will strengthen Taiwan’s key global strategic and economic and trade status, and further integrate us with the world”.

The Japanese government immediately backed the application as a “positive development”, saying Taiwan “upholds democratic values and the rule of law”.

China’s bid for CPTPP membership is also controversial due to its track record of economic coercion. Scott Morrison warned Beijing last year it would struggle to gain entry into the “high-quality” free trade agreement.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anthony-albanese-throws-taiwans-trade-pact-entry-into-a-diplomatic-spin/news-story/dc28148a5f31a646182c1d19c2a2c61b

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305fdc  No.17800547

File: 76060635513689c⋯.jpg (4.08 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Taiwan_seeks_answers_from_….jpg)

>>17800492

>>17800537

Taiwan seeks answers from Anthony Albanese over CPTPP comments at APEC

Michael Smith and Phillip Coorey - Nov 18, 2022

Taiwan says it has been assured by the Albanese government that Canberra remains open to its entry into the trans-Pacific trading pact.

Taipei sought an urgent explanation on Friday night from Anthony Albanese’s office after the prime minister made comments which suggested Australia could reject Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) because it was not a “recognised” nation state.

The prime minister’s comments were reported widely by the media in Taiwan amid suggestions that Mr Albanese may have made the remarks as a concession to China following talks with Xi Jinping during the week. It is now believed Mr Albanese’s comments may have been misinterpreted.

Earlier, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Mr Albanese’s comments’ “contravened” CPTPP regulations. However, a spokeswoman later said Taipei had later received assurances from Canberra that the government’s position on its entry into the trade bloc had not changed.

“The government of Australia has since clarified with Taiwan that its stance on Taiwan’s accession to the CPTPP has not changed and that it continues to welcome the entry of all economies that meet the high standards of the CPTPP, including Taiwan,” the spokeswoman said in a statement emailed early Saturday morning.

Mr Albanese told reporters at the APEC summit in Bangkok on Friday that the CPTPP was a relationship between “nation states that are recognised”.

“Taiwan is represented here because it is represented here as an economy,” he told reporters.

Taipei initially interpreted his comments as a possible challenge to Australia accepting its application to join the 11-member trading bloc. Taiwan is a self-governed democracy but is not recognised diplomatically by Australia as a fully independent nation because of China’s claims to the island.

Mr Albanese’s comments come after his breakthrough meeting with China’s leader Xi Jinping this week. Beijing opposes Taiwan’s entry to the CPTPP which China is also seeking to join.

Taiwan has been lobbying Australia and the other 11 members of the trading bloc vigorously to support its entry. Japan is the only member which has clearly said it will back Taiwan’s application.

“The CPTPP maintains an open stance toward all economies meeting its high standards,” the spokeswoman in Taipei said.

“The Republic of China (Taiwan) is not just a sovereign and independent country; it maintains an advanced system of government based on freedom and democracy and is a highly developed, independent economy. “

“Taiwan’s excellent track record in implementing international commitments and pointed out that democratic values, which Taiwan shares, should be an important consideration for the CPTPP when making decisions concerning the entry of new members. “

Taiwan is Australia’s seventh-largest trading partner and sixth-largest market for exports of goods, the statement said Bilateral trade has increased at a steady pace of 10 percent annually over the past five years.

https://www.afr.com/world/asia/taiwan-seeks-answers-from-albanese-over-cptpp-comments-20221118-p5bzkh

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305fdc  No.17800549

File: 7587d0a06d9b983⋯.jpg (183.41 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, French_President_Emmanuel_….jpg)

File: f2e5f0660148c81⋯.jpg (143.08 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, US_Vice_President_Kamala_H….jpg)

French President Emmanuel Macron launches torpedo at AUKUS pact

BEN PACKHAM - NOVEMBER 18, 2022

1/2

French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to undermine the AUKUS pact just five months after he and Anthony Albanese patched up relations between their countries, declaring Australia’s nuclear submarine deal with the US and UK “will not deliver”.

Mr Macron on Friday mounted a second attack on the partnership on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Bangkok, a day after warning Australia’s submarine plans risked provoking a nuclear conflict with China.

The French President remains furious at Scott Morrison for ­cancelling Australia’s $90bn contract for French-designed conventional subs, saying in Bangkok on Thursday that the former prime minister had provoked China’s anger with the nuclear submarine plan, threatening a “nuclear confrontation”.

The Prime Minister rejected Mr Macron's anti-AUKUS comments, declaring Australia was sticking with its cornerstone ­national security strategy with the United States and Britain.

“We are proceeding with the AUKUS arrangements. There’s nothing ambiguous about it. That is our position,” Mr Albanese said in Bangkok.

Mr Macron, who said this week France remained open to providing Australia with conventional submarines, warned that the AUKUS nuclear boats sent “a big signal of distress for us” and would leave Australia with unreliable military supply chains.

“What we decided in 2015 together is how to build submarines for Australian people, in Australia, for Australian industry, to build Australian sovereignty, and to have non-nuclear submarines that you can restore, repair and use,” Mr Macron said on Friday.

“What the AUKUS deal is about is how to make nuclear ­submarines elsewhere, with other people.”

The French President added that Australia needed to “define its Indo-­Pacific strategy”.

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley accused Mr Albanese of using “weasel words” in brushing aside Mr Macron’s comments and demanded the Prime Minister “launch a strident defence of AUKUS”. Ms Ley said the French President’s comment went beyond an attack on Mr Morrison.

“Make no mistake – the comments made are a stinging rebuke of AUKUS itself,” she said.

“Taking selfies and nice pictures is really easy on the world stage but what’s harder is robustly standing up for Australia’s national interest.”

The French President’s comments will alarm the government as it seeks to reassure the global community that the AUKUS subs will not undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Mr Albanese met on the sidelines of the APEC forum with US Vice President Kamala Harris, condemning a North Korean ­intercontinental ballistic missile launch in joint talks with the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Canada and New Zealand.

The Prime Minister joined calls at the meeting for an ­emergency session of the UN ­Security Council to deal with the crisis. “This is recklessly threatening our security. It’s destabilising our region and, in particular, it’s causing trauma for the people of Japan and the Republic of Korea,” Mr Albanese said.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the launch was ­“utterly unacceptable”.

“In order for the complete … ­denuclearisation of North Korea in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, the international community must respond in unity,” Mr Kishida said.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17800550

File: 8ab6991532c588d⋯.jpg (150.67 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Anthony_Albanese_in_Bangko….jpg)

File: b3fd6322984991e⋯.jpg (104.57 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Chinese_President_Xi_Jinpi….jpg)

>>17800549

2/2

Mr Albanese’s attendance at APEC follows his participation in ASEAN, the East Asia Summit and G20 leaders’ talks this week. After a flurry of bilateral meetings at consecutive summits this week, including long-awaited talks with China’s President Xi Jinping, he declared: “Australia’s is back. We’re back around the table.”

Earlier this week, Mr Albanese told US President Joe Biden and Britain’s newly installed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the trilateral AUKUS pact was at the heart of Australia’s national security strategy.

Mr Albanese and Mr Macron agreed to strengthen defence co-operation during a bilateral meeting on Wednesday at the G20 Summit in Bali.

But French defence giants are currently under pressure over ­contracts with the Australian Defence Force, with Airbus lobbying the government not to axe the ADF’s troubled French utility helicopters, and the discovery of brake problems on Australia’s $2bn fleet of French-made Hawkei tactical vehicles.

Mr Albanese and Mr Macron formally reset the Australia-France relationship in June, after the cancellation of the Attack-class submarines shredded trust between the countries. The Prime Minister said Australia and France had “a very co-operative relationship”, and he and Mr Macron were determined to work together on key strategic issues.

He noted that the Bushmaster vehicles Australia was supplying to Ukraine were made in Bendigo by French armaments giant Thales.

“We have a good, cooperative relationship and we’ll continue to engage on ways in which France can assist Australia in the road map that we agreed on when we met in Paris, which is about defence and security, it’s about energy and the environment, including dealing with climate change, and it’s about cultural advances as well,” Mr Albanese said.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott said Mr Macron’s attack on AUKUS was “an extraordinary double standard” from a country with a nuclear submarine fleet.

“It’s OK for France to have ­nuclear-powered submarines, but somehow if Australia gets nuclear submarines, that’s a threat to global peace,” Mr Abbott told Sky News. “It was a pretty bizarre statement from someone who still seems to be suffering sour grapes over the fact that France was really not able to get us what we needed on time and on budget.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/french-president-emmanuel-macron-launches-torpedo-at-aukus-pact/news-story/b7aa4781ff2324d6f57497da9de0974f

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1fb058  No.17801807

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

Friendly Jordies's House Firebombed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI3zaHUsgXg

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305fdc  No.17803991

File: 54f0742f01bdd29⋯.jpg (287.66 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, YouTube_personality_Jordan….jpg)

File: 084ac3102231837⋯.jpg (301.63 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Jordan_Shanks_Markovina_ar….jpg)

File: 8202c708195a1cc⋯.jpg (238.85 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Fire_investigators_and_an_….jpg)

>>17801807

Friendyjordies taking ‘indefinite hiatus’ after arson attack

Sally Rawsthorne - November 24, 2022

Controversial YouTube comedian Jordan Shanks-Markovina, better known as Friendlyjordies, is taking an “indefinite hiatus” from producing videos after his home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs was set on fire in what police believe was a deliberate arson attack this week.

The property in Bondi that Shanks-Markovina calls home was set alight in the early hours of Wednesday, causing significant damage to the house and the adjoining home on the subdivided lot.

In a video released late on Wednesday, Shanks-Markovina said he would be going on an “indefinite hiatus”.

“I think we’re going to just tone back on the videos for a bit and, by tone back, I mean that’s it for a while for obvious reasons. [I’ll] get back to it at some point, but for now Friendlyjordies is on an indefinite hiatus,” he told his 632,000 subscribers.

He also thanked former prime minister Kevin Rudd and NSW Labor’s Michael Daley, as well as the police investigating the fire and the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union, for their support.

“It really does show you who is working for you in the public sector,” he said.

Referring to Rudd and Daley, he said, “Thank you so much for calling to see if I was all right, I do really appreciate it.”

Wednesday’s fire was the second such attack in a week. Last Thursday, the block’s other home was set on fire in what Shanks-Markovina’s lawyer Mark Davis said was an attempt to target Shanks-Markovina.

“Officers are investigating possible links to a fire at the same house reported last week,” NSW Police said in a statement.

Shanks-Markovina had misplaced his key on Wednesday, so was not home at the time of the arson attack just after midnight.

In his video released after the latest fire, Shanks-Markovina also sarcastically thanked ClubsNSW for including his address in publicly available Federal Court documents.

The peak body has begun a private criminal prosecution against Shanks-Markovina for an interview he did with whistleblower Troy Stolz that ClubsNSW claims is in contempt of court.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday as he arrived at the home, Shanks-Markovina said he had a “long list of suspects” based on his work, which has included videos on former deputy Premier John Barilaro, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and the “Worst Cash Converters in Australia”.

There is no suggestion John Barilaro was involved in the alleged arson attack.

“We’ve done some extremely dangerous reporting over the last year on a bunch of extremely powerful people and corporations, there are many people that would want to do that [arson],” he said.

“I do have a shortlist in my head of who I think could’ve done it. I would hope that the NSW strike force that is supposedly set up for fixated people and terrorists would be looking into this instead of a comedian and his team for six months straight,” he said.

Friendlyjordies producer Kristo Langker was charged by NSW Police’s Fixated Persons Unit in June last year and accused of stalking Barilaro.

The charges were later dropped.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/friendyjordies-taking-indefinite-hiatus-after-arson-attack-20221124-p5c0ws.html

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305fdc  No.17803999

File: c3ffb4414fa72c8⋯.jpg (118.93 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Anthony_Albanese_met_with_….jpg)

File: fac4e683b7609d5⋯.jpg (133.31 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_prime_minister_Scot….jpg)

>>17800492

>>17800549

China warns AUKUS deal an ongoing ‘threat to peace’ and bilateral relations

ELLEN RANSLEY - NOVEMBER 24, 2022

China has warned Australia their ongoing commitment to the AUKUS partnership is “clearly a threat” to regional peace and security, and undermines any improvement to the two countries’ bilateral relationship.

Beijing issued the warning through an editorial for the state-run newspaper the Global Times, writing that AUKUS was a tool of Washington designed to “stir up trouble” and provoke China.

It follows the first meeting between leaders of the two countries in more than six years wtih Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meeting with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali last week.

Mr Albanese said the two did not talk about the AUKUS agreement, but the Global Times piece wrote Australia should not underestimate how concerned China was by the ongoing deal.

“It may have gone unmentioned due to a tight schedule or simply to facilitate a friendlier atmosphere for the talks between the two leaders. Yet, the Australian PM cannot and should not take it as signs that China is not concerned about the pact or even signs of a concession over the arrangement,” the CCP mouthpiece wrote.

China has consistently voiced its strong opposition to AUKUS, as has French President Emmanuel Macron, given former prime minister Scott Morrison scrapped the $90b submarine deal with Paris in favour of partnering with the United States and United Kingdom to develop nuclear capability.

Mr Macron last week accused Mr Morrison of provoking “nuclear confrontation” with China by entering into the deal.

He said Mr Morrison had also undermined Australia’s security and sovereignty and hoped Australia would reinstate its non-nuclear deal with France.

Mr Albanese has maintained there will be no change to the submarine program.

Beijing echoed Mr Macron’s words, saying AUKUS was a threat to Australia’s interests.

“China’s attitude is clear: It is not against establishing security pacts or military co-operation between countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as long as they don’t target a third country in an attempt to undermine its interests,” the Global Times wrote.

“AUKUS is clearly a threat to regional peace and security, as well as a barrier to improving China-Australia ties.

“If China chooses to ignore Beijing’s concerns over AUKUS, the pact will remain a thorn in the side of China-Australia relations. It is also likely to undermine a clear pathway to the healthy development of bilateral ties.”

Last week, Defence Minister Richard Marles said nuclear powered submarines would provide “an unmatched strategic advantage in terms of surveillance and protection”, and would “greatly enhance our sovereignty”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/china-warns-aukus-deal-an-ongoing-threat-to-peace-and-bilateral-relations/news-story/5ab0f0638a11f1b9ce4dcb8ce8a93394

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305fdc  No.17804004

File: 57c73a1b6c444ac⋯.jpg (140.86 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Unchaining_peril.jpg)

>>17803999

Fraught AUKUS impedes momentum of better China-Australia ties

Global Times - Nov 19, 2022

As leaders of major countries in the region and the world met in the Asia-Pacific, AUKUS, the trilateral security pact between the US, UK, and Australia, has suddenly become a hot topic for discussion again.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday criticized Canberra's decision to turn to Washington and London for help building nuclear submarines. He accused the decision made by former Australian Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison of "re-entering into nuclear confrontation, making himself completely dependent by deciding to equip themselves [with a] submarine fleet that the Australians are incapable of producing and maintaining in-house."

Meanwhile, the French leader promoted his country's conventional submarines to Canberra. He knows that this may still work to advance his country's interests, since the purchase of conventional submarines does not contradict Australia's goals of developing nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with the US and UK. Moreover, AUKUS is facing problems over technology transfer and the violation of conventions over nuclear proliferation, so Macron was trying to remind Australia that it has a better option.

But it seems Australia is not going to abandon the AUKUS anytime soon. In response to Macron's remarks, the Australian PM Anthony Albanese claimed his country will continue pursuing its current approach to obtain nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement.

No matter what Macron's intentions are, his words have alerted Canberra again about the potential risks of engaging in a dangerous partnership such as AUKUS. The pact undermines Australia's sovereignty and serves to provoke China, one of its most important partners. It is a threat to the country's interests.

According to media reports, Albanese said AUKUS was not brought up on Tuesday during his first bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It may have gone unmentioned due to a tight schedule or simply to facilitate a friendlier atmosphere for the talks between the two leaders. Yet, the Australian PM cannot and should not take it as signs that China is not concerned about the pact or even signs of a concession over the arrangement.

China has consistently voiced its strong opposition to AUKUS. Most recently, Wang Qun, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, emphasized on Friday again at a meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that China is opposed to using the organization's budget for safeguard activities related to nuclear submarine cooperation under AUKUS.

China's attitude is clear: It is not against establishing security pacts or military cooperation between countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as long as they don't target a third country in an attempt to undermine its interests. This also applies to the relationship between Australia and the US. What Beijing hopes for Canberra is that the latter will not follow the US blindly in challenging China's interests, becoming a pawn in the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy to contain China.

AUKUS is clearly a threat to regional peace and security, as well as a barrier to improving China-Australia ties. After the recent bilateral meeting between the Chinese and Australian leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit, it is widely hoped that this will inject more positivity into what have been deteriorating bilateral relations. However, if Canberra chooses to ignore Beijing's concerns over AUKUS, the pact will remain a thorn in the side of China-Australia relations. It is also likely to undermine a clear pathway to the healthy development of bilateral ties.

As part of Washington's scheming, AUKUS is a tool to stir up trouble and create unwarranted suspicion about Beijing's intentions in the Asia-Pacific region. If Australia doesn't want to send the wrong signal to China and deepen the distrust between the two countries, it needs more strategic sobriety when it comes to AUKUS.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202211/1279932.shtml

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305fdc  No.17804013

File: 9801f6070bafae5⋯.jpg (3.57 MB, 5607x3738, 3:2, Richard_Marles_and_Lloyd_A….jpg)

‘Invest for tomorrow’s war,’ says Austin

Matthew Cranston - Nov 24, 2022

Aboard the E-4B NAOC | US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin says Australia and other allies need to reallocate their resources to fight the wars of tomorrow, with investments in advanced technologies a priority for any modern military.

Mr Austin said nuclear submarines and other defence technology at the centre of the AUKUS agreement between the US, Australia and the United Kingdom would fit this criteria.

“We never want to fight yesterday’s fight. We always want to make sure we are relevant and maintain a competitive edge in a future fight,” Mr Austin told The Australian Financial Review onboard a return flight to the US from the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meetings Plus in Cambodia, where he met with his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles.

“The first thing is that you have to have a very coherent national defence strategy which outlines your approach to things. Then you have to develop the war fighting concepts that complement that strategy and ensure the technologies you go after are appropriate for those war fighting concepts.”

Mr Marles will release in the first part of next year Australia’s Strategic Defence Review, which is reportedly looking at cutting investment in tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, in favour of new spending on missiles, drones and potentially a fleet of smaller corvette warships.

The two defence ministers have met on three separate occasions since the Albanese government came to power in May and will meet again in December in Washington DC for the annual top-level foreign affairs and defence talks known as AUSMIN. A large contingent of Australian officials are expected to join the trip to iron out the final details on the submarine plan.

Two pillars of AUKUS

There is speculation UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace may join Mr Marles and Mr Austin for the first AUKUS defence ministers meeting.

The nuclear submarine taskforce, which is looking at how Australia should acquire relevant technology from the US and UK under the AUKUS partnership, is also due to report to the Albanese government in March next year.

Mr Austin said the two pillars of AUKUS – submarines and advanced technology capabilities such as hypersonic missiles and quantum computing – were the perfect ways to arm a modern defence force for future battles.

“As we work to create a nuclear-powered submarine capability, this will make a difference for generations to come. But that’s just one pillar of this effort. Pillar two is focused on developing things that are relevant to us now and going into the future in terms of technologies. We are excited about that and Australians are excited about that too,” he said.

The Biden administration is increasingly aware of Australia’s growing strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific in light of China’s aggression in the region.

Mr Austin has spearheaded the public support for Australia and criticism of China.

He told the Halifax International Security Forum last week that China had to back down from trying to use force to push its agenda.

“Beijing, like Moscow, seeks a world where might makes right, where disputes are resolved by force, and where autocrats can stamp out the flame of freedom,” Mr Austin said.

He told the Financial Review that he had long been an admirer of Australia and said military capabilities should grow in a way that reflected the needs of soldiers.

“Australians are tremendous partners and that’s not something that I have to guess – I have fought in combat a number of times with the Australians. They are very reliable, very effective forces,” he said.

“We will go after things that the war fighters think they need and that’s what will really drive our efforts. What do the war fighters believe that they need that’s relevant to a potential fight today, midterm and going forward.”

https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/invest-for-tomorrow-s-war-says-austin-20221124-p5c116

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305fdc  No.17804019

File: 486017c45355232⋯.jpg (375.91 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, There_are_concerns_Austral….jpg)

File: 06307151e6a8e84⋯.jpg (1.74 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Anthony_Albanese_is_the_fi….jpg)

File: 31d4a391ba34081⋯.jpg (138.03 KB, 1053x646, 1053:646, Researchers_have_identifie….jpg)

Coalition calls for sanctions on Chinese officials over Uyghur human rights abuses in Xinjiang

Stephen Dziedzic - 24 November 2022

The Coalition has ramped up its calls for the government to sanction Chinese officials over human rights abuses in Xinjiang after the foreign minister declined to meet prominent Uyghur advocates in Canberra.

Senior representatives of the World Uyghur Congress and two survivors of internment camps in Xinjiang have travelled to Australia to press the federal government to officially recognise Uyghurs as victims of genocide and help ramp up international pressure on China.

The president of the World Uyghur Congress, Dolkun Isa, said while he appreciated Australia's work to increase pressure on China in international organisations over human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Australia was yet to take any concrete steps against officials responsible for the torture and repression of Uyghurs.

He also said he was deeply worried Australia would soften its stance on the issue as it tried to rebuild ties with Beijing.

"The Australian parliament is still silent on this and doesn't recognise this as genocide," he said.

"We are coming here today to strongly demand that the parliament recognise the Uyghur genocide."

The activists told journalists in Canberra they had met with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham, but Penny Wong's office declined to set up a meeting with the foreign minister.

Human rights advocates suggested the government was hesitant to take the meeting because the relationship with China was "delicately poised" following the recent meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

'Why the inaction?'

But Senator Birmingham has taken aim at Senator Wong over the decision, saying it was "disappointing the foreign minister declined to meet with the World Uyghur Congress and hear their stories face to face".

"The opportunity the opposition took to meet with the congress and to hear directly the shocking and appalling experiences of members of the Uyghur community held by the Chinese government in Xinjiang centres was sobering," he said.

"They are the human faces of the thousands of individuals who have experienced alleged systemic human rights abuses and crimes against humanity outlined in the Office of UN Human Rights Commissioner's report into Xinjiang released earlier this year."

The opposition wrote to the government after that report was tabled offering bipartisan support for any targeted sanctions on Chinese officials.

But Senator Birmingham said the opposition was still waiting for a response.

"The Albanese government speaks again and again of condemnation but, unlike most like-minded nations, where is the action on Xinjiang?" he said.

"Before the election Labor talked a big game on the use of Magnitsky-style sanctions and they now enjoy bipartisan support to do so, so why the inaction?"

Wong's office defends government's record

A spokesperson for Senator Wong said she had asked a representative from her office as well as "senior officials" from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to meet with the delegation.

"Senator Wong has previously met some of the Australian representatives in the delegation, and she looks forward to the next opportunity to hear from Uyghur Australians," they said.

Australia was one of the nations that pressed the United Nations Human Rights Council to debate the recent report outlining serious abuses in Xinjiang, and the spokesperson defended the government's record on the issue.

"The foreign minister has made clear the United Nations findings of serious human rights violations in Xinjiang, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity, are deeply concerning," they said.

"Australia has consistently condemned human rights violations against the Uyghurs and other ethnic and Muslim minorities in Xinjiang and across China. The Australian government has raised its concerns at the highest levels."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-24/sanctions-chinese-officials-human-rights-abuse-xinjiang-uyghur/101694754

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305fdc  No.17804028

File: 5ed6c20d399cdd9⋯.jpg (1.61 MB, 5052x3368, 3:2, Kalbinur_Sidik_and_Omar_Be….jpg)

>>17804019

Torture survivors’ plea for Australia not to abandon them after China reset

Matthew Knott - November 23, 2022

1/2

When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sat down with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, business leaders celebrated the “tremendous reset” in the Australia-China relationship.

Omar Bekali, who spent seven months in 2017 in internment camps in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, was far less excited. The Kazakh national fears that as Australia seeks a closer relationship with China after years of hostility, the plight of persecuted ethnic minorities will fall off the Albanese government’s agenda.

“I think it is a real danger that countries put their own economic interests first and therefore close their eyes to genocide,” said Bekali, who has travelled to Canberra as part of an Uyghur delegation to meet with federal politicians and foreign affairs officials.

“So if Australia is trying to improve its relationship with China, there is a real risk they will overlook us once again.”

The delegation’s members, who have been unable to secure a meeting with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, believe the Australian government has been too tentative in confronting Beijing over human rights violations they regard as genocide.

Ramila Chanisheff, president of the Australian Uyghur Tangritah Women’s Association, said she was disappointed Wong had not agreed to meet the delegation and hear their harrowing stories.

“Many Labor MPs were very vocal in opposition but now they are holding back now they are in government and trying to re-engage with China,” she said.

“We can’t sell off human beings for trade.”

On Wednesday the delegation, travelling on a trip sponsored by Amnesty International, met with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, several prominent teal independents and Labor MP Peter Khalil, the head of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.

“The Australian government should be more active,” Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, said. “So far it has been very cautious on this issue. We want the government to take concrete actions.”

Underlining the thaw in Australia-China relations, Defence Minister Richard Marles welcomed the likely resumption of annual bilateral defence talks after meeting his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe in Cambodia on Tuesday.

It is rare for survivors of the Chinese Communist Party’s re-education camps to speak publicly given the risk they or their families could be targeted for retribution. But Bekali believes it is important for Australians to hear the story of what happened when he travelled to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province, for a business expo in March 2017.

While visiting his family, the importer-exporter was arrested and taken to a police station for questioning. After being handcuffed and hooded, he was transported to a detention centre cell filled with fellow Uyghurs in shackles.

“In the camps I was confronted with the worst methods of torture, including being chained to a bed for three months,” he said. “We had to stand up for 17, 18 hours a day. We were not allowed fresh air or showers. Every day they would torture us physically and mentally.”

Each morning the inmates - held captive on the pretext they were potential terrorists - were forced to sing Communist Party anthems and wish President Xi a long life.

Bekali was eventually freed after his wife raised his disappearance with the Kazakh government and the media. He eventually found refuge in the Netherlands. His father was not so lucky, dying in a Uyghur detention centre after being tortured. A man in the cell next to him also died of torture.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17804030

File: 1ec75ada65d3fad⋯.jpg (237.64 KB, 1536x1024, 3:2, Server_hack_yields_harrowi….jpg)

>>17804028

2/2

Also joining the parliamentary delegation from the Netherlands is Kalbinur Sidik, a Uyghur woman who was forced to teach Mandarin to detention camp inmates.

“I came to Australia because I want to expose the truth about the regime’s atrocities and genocide and be a voice for the voiceless people,” she says. “I want the Australian government to help us save the Uyghur people.”

She says camp inmates were forced to sleep on cement floors with up to 40 people. They were force-fed unknown medicines and given only a bun and rice to eat each day.

“The women were sexually assaulted, raped, sometimes even gang-raped. Police officers would also insert electric batons in their private parts during interrogations”

Female inmates, she says, were forcibly sterilised during health checks or made to have IUDs inserted. If they refused, they were chained to a “tiger chair” - a torture device affixed with handcuffs to restrain the victim in painful positions. Sidik herself was forcibly sterilised in May 2019.

In a long-awaited report released in August the United Nations found China had committed “serious human rights violations” against Uyghur Muslims that could amount to crimes against humanity.

A spokeswoman for Wong said Australia “has repeatedly raised concerns over reports of human rights abuses in Xinjiang” and strengthened the Modern Slavery Act.

“The Australian government commends the immeasurable courage of Uyghurs in Australia and around the world,” she said.

“They have shown incredible strength and determination in consistently speaking out. The Australian government will continue to stand up for human rights in Xinjiang, just as it stands up for the rights of others around the world.”

Dolkun Isa of the World Uyghurs Congress praised Australia for championing the Uyghur cause at the United Nations. But he said the country lags behind comparable countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Canada by not officially recognising Uyghurs as victims of genocide.

He also wants Australia to follow other nations by sanctioning Chinese authorities responsible for the crimes against the Uyghurs and ban imported goods made by forced labor in Xinjiang.

Even though China is Australia’s biggest trading partner, he says it is impossible to go back to “business as normal” with such a country. “Human life,” he says, “should not be less important than money.”

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/torture-survivors-plea-for-australia-not-to-abandon-them-after-china-reset-20221123-p5c0nq.html

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305fdc  No.17804041

File: aff9414bce11070⋯.jpg (1.74 MB, 4128x3096, 4:3, Detective_Senior_Sergeant_….jpg)

File: 31827af5a3082da⋯.jpg (310.83 KB, 1108x683, 1108:683, If_you_or_anyone_you_know_….jpg)

File: cdfef746be8f51d⋯.jpg (477.39 KB, 1032x668, 258:167, Where_to_find_help_2022.jpg)

Investigation identifies nearly 50 child exploitation victims, Queensland police say

Danielle Mahe - 14 Nov 2022

An investigation into the alleged grooming and exploitation of young people in Cairns has identified 48 child victims, police have said.

Girls under the age of 16 were allegedly groomed, assaulted and given drugs, including methylamphetamine and cannabis.

Ten men and one woman have so far been charged with a combined 245 offences.

Some of the accused are charged with rape, sexual assault, grooming, indecent treatment of children and supplying dangerous drugs to minors.

Police will allege some of the offenders injected the children with drugs.

"Some of these are our most vulnerable children, and we need to make sure they're safe and not exposed to things … particularly ice and drugs like that," Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Gooiker said.

Senior Sergeant Gooiker praised the victims for speaking out and said police were providing support to their families.

"The immense bravery of victims in these matters to come forward and speak to police allows the QPS [Queensland Police Service] to track down these offenders and put them before the courts," he said.

Investigation launched in January

While the young girls were not groomed online, Senior Sergeant Gooiker encouraged parents and carers to closely monitor their child's online activities.

"It's a message we like to put out all the time because there is a lot of concerns about what our children may or may not be exposed to online because they communicate in that space," he said.

The Cairns Child Protection and Investigation Unit set up Operation Uniform Kalahari in January to investigate reports of offences against children.

Among the latest arrests were three men, including a 26-year-old man from Woree who was arrested last Thursday.

He was charged with four counts of supplying drugs to a minor, one count of grooming a child and carnal knowledge with a child.

Police said he was refused bail and remained in custody.

A 38-year-old woman from Brinsmead was arrested in October and charged with wounding and supplying drugs to children.

"We've been working very closely with our support services to ensure these children have access to counselling and support going forward, and [are] enabling them to talk to us," Senior Sergeant Gooiker said.

If you or anyone you know needs support call the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline (13 11 14), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800).

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

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

https://www.kidshelpline.com.au/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-14/cairns-police-child-exploitation-investigation-arrests-made/101651168

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305fdc  No.17804046

File: 1ef1cf9ee5b427c⋯.jpg (414.73 KB, 1800x1200, 3:2, Former_U_S_President_Donal….jpg)

File: 37d488d6a7fc78d⋯.jpg (356.67 KB, 825x783, 275:261, WS_1.jpg)

Trump, Who Wants to Be President, Can’t Stop Promoting QAnon Memes

A man asking for control of the U.S. nuclear arsenal is sharing posts about a global cabal of pedophiles that he alone can bring down

NIKKI MCCANN RAMIREZ - NOVEMBER 23, 2022

DONALD TRUMP SPENT his morning promoting QAnon-affiliated posts on social media, boosting a theory that holds that a global cabal of pedophiles control the world and pursue immortality via extracting juvenile hormones.

Donald Trump is asking the country to make him the next president of the United States.

After the Supreme Court rejected his bid to block the House from accessing his tax returns, Trump spiraled into a “Truth Social” posting spree late Tuesday night that continued through early Wednesday morning. Trump, who appointed three supreme court justices in his time as president, accused the court of having “lost its honor, prestige, and standing” and of becoming “nothing more than a political body, with our Country paying the price.” Alongside lambasting the court’s refusal to act as an enforcement arm to his personal whims, Trump promoted and reposted various memes and videos with clear references to the Qanon conspiracy theory.

The QAnon conspiracy holds that Trump is a deity-like figure sent to rid the United States of its governing cabal of satanic pedophiles. In some versions of the conspiracy theory, Trump’s “storm” will take the shape of martial law and mass arrests of his political opponents. The memes repeatedly referenced “Q ,” a moniker believers have given the former president.

This is not the first time Trump has made overtures to QAnon believers, who compose some of the most devoted factions of his supporter base. In August he went on a 60 post Truth Social spree that heavily referenced QAnon and 4chan content. As president, he refused on multiple occasions to denounce the conspiracy, and the slogans and even music associated with the cult-like movement have become staples at his public events.

Advisors to the former president have expressed confusion as to why exactly Trump enjoys entangling himself with QAnon. Rolling Stone reported in September that sources close to the president couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason, but that “sometimes [he] mentions that it’s hilarious to make people like you [in the media] so mad when you see him touch the Q shit … But to be fair, he says that they’re some of his biggest fans, which, you know, is his thing.”

Trump launched his official campaign for the 2024 presidential election earlier this month. To much less fanfare and adulation than he had hoped. Rolling Stone has reported that Trump is outright attempting to intimidate allies into endorsing his campaign, and is furious that some prominent officials want him to stay far away from the upcoming runoff election in Georgia. As the former president faces a presidential primary that is likely to include robust challenges from within his party, throwing red meat to his most rabid supporters is one of the ways Trump is looking to shore up his base.

Nikki McCann Ramírez is an Associate Research Director at Media Matters, where she has worked since 2018. She is a graduate of Georgetown University.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-qanon-2024-republican-party-1234636195/

https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1595430998140936192

https://www.mediamatters.org/author/nikki-mccann-ramirez

>They are in full blown panic mode.

>Enjoy the show.

>Each FAKE NEWS article written or attack is a badge of honor - military grade.

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d2c9c6  No.17806665

File: 3a2067f45b2e135⋯.png (309.18 KB, 513x817, 27:43, 3a2067f45b2e1350cf26bb69a7….png)

General Research #21837 >>17806637

Unbelievable: Researcher Claims Anti-vaxx Groups’ Fear Mongering and Scare Tactics Cause Vaccine-Related Adverse Events Like Blood Clots and Heart Attacks

You can’t make this up.

Just when you thought the Covid-deranged establishment medical community couldn’t lose any more credibility, Raymond D. Palmer, a self-identified mRNA alchemist from Western Australia, admitted that there are serious risks associated with Covid-19 vaccinations, but he blamed the anti-vaxxers for it.

This was first reported by Rebekah Barnett on her Substack.

According to Palmer’s research, which was published in the NIH National Library of Medicine and the most recent issue of the peer-reviewed journal BioMedicine (Taipei), the adverse reactions to the vaccine are the result of stress brought on by receiving the vaccine.

“Much of this anti-vaccination sentiment could be attributed to the alleged side effects that are perpetuated across social media from anti-vaccination groups,” Palmer stated in his abstract.

“Fear-mongering and misinformation being peddled by people with no scientific training to terrorize people into staying unvaccinated is not just causing people to remain susceptible to viral outbreaks, but could also be causing more side effects seen in the vaccination process,” he continued.

Palmer added that “vasoconstriction and arterial constriction” are both apparent results of the mental stress caused by the fear-mongering and disinformation being pushed by anti-vaxxers.

Vasoconstriction and arterial constriction are what healthcare providers call when the muscles around your blood vessels tighten to make the space inside smaller.

“A mini review of published literature has been conducted and found that mental stress clearly causes vasoconstriction and arterial constriction of the blood vessels. Therefore, if subjects are panicked, concerned, stressed or scared of the vaccination, their arteries will constrict and become smaller in and around the time of receiving the vaccine,” he said.

“This biological mechanism (the constriction of veins, arteries and vessels under mental stress) is the most likely cause for where there has been blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, loss of smell and taste that may have been experienced shortly after vaccine administration,” he added.

“The extreme mental stress of the patient could most likely be attributed to the fear-mongering and scare tactics used by various anti-vaccination groups. This paper does not aim to rule in or out every side effect seen, but it is highly likely that many apparent side effects seen shortly after a subject has received a vaccine could be the result of restricted or congested blood flow from blood vessel or arterial constriction caused by emotional distress or placebo based on fear around vaccines,” Palmer said.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/11/unbelievable-scientist-claims-anti-vaxx-groups-fear-mongering-scare-tactics-cause-vaccine-related-adverse-events-like-blood-clots-heart-attacks/

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305fdc  No.17807117

File: b4ca002b908293e⋯.mp4 (13.93 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Ambassador_Caroline_Kenned….mp4)

Critical Minerals Summit: Australia can be a global powerhouse, Caroline Kennedy says

GEOFF CHAMBERS - NOVEMBER 24, 2022

Caroline Kennedy says the world’s transition to clean power and technology has the potential to elevate Australia as a global leader in the mining of critical minerals, lithium, rare earths and nickel.

In a pre-recorded speech for The Australian-PwC Critical Minerals Summit, the US ambassador to Australia said governments and industry must work in tandem to “meet increasing global demand and reach our emissions” targets.

Ms Kennedy, who arrived in Canberra to take-up her posting in July, also backed building new “secure supply chains that can withstand natural disasters, global pandemics and economic coercion”.

“Responsibly sourced and processed critical minerals are essential to achieving our climate goals, and laying the foundation for this new green economy and our climate ambitions,” Ms Kennedy said.

“In response, several Australian companies have already expanded operations to the United States, where they are supplying automakers in America with battery minerals from Australia.

“This is truly a time of immense opportunity for Australia, with its abundance of lithium, rare earths, nickel and other critical minerals.

“To meet increasing global demand and reach our net-zero emissions, we need industry and government to partner and invest in research and development, workforce development, extraction, processing and manufacturing.”

The US recently passed historic legislation to invest $558bn over 10 years towards combating the “climate crisis” and supporting energy security.

Joe Biden’s top diplomat in the country said innovative leaders were “ready to take on these challenges and lead the way forward … as President Biden has said, this is the decisive decade to transition to clean energy”.

Ms Kennedy, who has a strong interest in the Albanese government’s push for a voice to parliament, said Australia and the US had a responsibility to Indigenous peoples to urgently “tackle climate change and responsibly source the critical minerals necessary for our transition to clean energy”.

“Indigenous peoples continue to teach us valuable lessons about our connection to the land, and our collective responsibility for its care and conservation,” she said.

In her summit speech on Friday, Resources Minister Madeleine King will say Australia’s critical minerals and rare earths are “central to the global energy transition required to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. For the world to achieve the global Paris goals, low emissions technologies will need to be adopted across all sectors of national economies.

“And a great deal of the clean energy transition over the coming decades will ride on the back of critical minerals,” Ms King will say.

“These minerals are essential to such things as storage batteries, electric vehicle motors, solar panels and wind turbines.

“They are driving radical change in the technologies that power our homes, offices, factories, vehicles and communication devices.”

After signing a Japan-Australia critical minerals partnership last month, Ms King will say new supply chains between like-minded economies will deliver huge windfalls for the nation.

“During my visit to Japan just over a week ago, tech company Panasonic explained how they were using West Australian nickel sulphate to make batteries in Nevada for Tesla EVs,” she will say.

“That’s nickel sulphate from BHP’s Nickel West refinery in my electorate of Kwinana, going into batteries in Nevada – that are then being shipped all over the world in new Teslas.”

Ms King will say Arafura Resources recently signed deals with major US company General Electric and South Korean motoring giants Hyundai and Kia, and to promote the work of Lynas.

“Lynas is the largest integrated rare earths producer of its kind outside China,” she will tell the summit.

“It is building a new rare earths processing facility in Kalgoorlie to process the rare earth concentrate from its Mount Weld mine.

“The facility will crack, leach and upgrade the rare earths concentrate from Mount Weld that is currently being exported to the Lynas advanced materials plant in Malaysia.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/critical-minerals-summit-australia-can-be-a-global-powerhouse-caroline-kennedy-says/news-story/77f87a2d30345674159abd62b7f4f268

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305fdc  No.17807125

File: 84c0d853acb4971⋯.jpg (101.75 KB, 1240x744, 5:3, A_file_image_of_Dyson_Heyd….jpg)

File: 2d94f1b626b0886⋯.jpg (237.24 KB, 1241x1755, 1241:1755, 0001.jpg)

File: baabe00133f1195⋯.pdf (393.13 KB, C2022G01160.pdf)

Former high court judge Dyson Heydon resigns as member of the Order of Australia

Exclusive: Heydon’s resignation from one of Australia’s highest honours follows a 2020 inquiry that found he sexually harassed six junior court staff

Amy Remeikis - 25 Nov 2022

Former high court judge Dyson Heydon has handed back one of Australia’s highest honours, surrendering his status as a Companion of the Order of Australia, Guardian Australia can reveal.

Heydon’s decision to relinquish an honour granted to those deemed to have gone above and beyond in their service to the nation, was announced in the government gazette released on Friday.

“It is notified for general information that the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia has accepted the resignation as a member of the Order of Australia in the General Division with effect from 14 October 2022 of: The Honourable John Dyson Heydon to cease to be appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia.”

Heydon maintains his Honourable title, although he has allowed his legal practicing licence to lapse.

A spokesperson for the Council of the Order of Australia said they did not comment on individual cases.

“Speaking generally, the process and background around the cancellation or termination of awards and appointments or resignations from the Order are outlined in the Constitution of the Order of Australia,” the spokesperson said.

“The Council for the Order of Australia investigates matters brought to its attention and considers each case individually [but does not comment on individual cases].”

Under the constitution of the order, the governor-general has the power to terminate an appointment, or cancel an award, for a variety of reasons, including “if, in the opinion of the Governor-General, the holder of the appointment or award has behaved or acted in a manner that has brought disrepute on the Order”.

If a decision is made to terminate the honour, the recipient is given 30 days to respond.

In 2020 Heydon was found by an independent investigation to have sexually harassed six junior court staff. Three of the women reached a “historic” settlement with the Commonwealth in February this year. Heydon has always denied the allegations.

Calls for Heydon to be stripped of his membership of the Order of Australia, to which he was admitted in 2004 for his services to the law, began after the sexual harassment claims were verified, but the former justice maintained the honour, with the right to be referred to as “Dyson Heydon AC”.

Only 35 people a year are appointed as Companions of the Order, the highest category above Officer (AO) and Member (AM). Other forms of service are recognised by the medal of the Order (OAM).

Comment was sought from Heydon via Speed and Stracey Lawyers, which has previously represented him.

Heydon was appointed to the high court by the Howard government in 2003, spending 10 years on the bench, retiring in 2013 when he reached the mandatory age of 70.

He was later appointed to lead the Abbott government’s trade union royal commission and came under fire for agreeing to speak at a Liberal party fundraiser while serving as the commissioner.

Allegations were made against Heydon in 2019, sparking an inquiry led by the former inspector-general of intelligence and security Dr Vivienne Thom, which found six former judges’ associates had been harassed by Heydon.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/25/former-high-court-judge-dyson-heydon-resigns-as-member-of-the-order-of-australia

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2022G01160

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305fdc  No.17807136

File: f4334ca88bbb612⋯.jpg (300.89 KB, 1290x859, 1290:859, Deutsche_Bank_was_fined_by….jpg)

File: c35a212ca2b9f54⋯.jpg (369.9 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0001.jpg)

File: 709988df3bf153c⋯.jpg (451.92 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0002.jpg)

Jeffrey Epstein Accusers Sue Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan

Lawsuits claim banks facilitated sex trafficking and ignored red flags

Khadeeja Safdar and David Benoit - Nov. 24, 2022

1/2

Women who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse are suing Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan, saying the banks facilitated Epstein’s alleged sex-trafficking operation and ignored red flags about their wealthy client.

The two lawsuits seek class-action status and unspecified financial damages. They were both brought by lawyers that have represented many of the late financier’s accusers. The suits were filed in federal court in New York on 24 November

“The time has come for the real enablers to be held responsible, especially his wealthy friends and the financial institutions that played an integral role,” said one of the lawyers, Bradley Edwards, in a written statement. “These victims were wronged, by many, not just Epstein. He did not act alone.”

A Deutsche Bank spokesman said, “We believe this claim lacks merit and will present our arguments in court.”

A JPMorgan spokesman declined to comment.

The Deutsche Bank suit cites many of the findings from an investigation by New York state’s financial regulator into that bank’s relationship with Epstein. The JPMorgan suit cites the relationship between Epstein and a former top JPMorgan executive that was investigated by UK regulators.

The unnamed woman suing JPMorgan is a former ballet dancer in New York who was recruited by another young female and sexually abused by Epstein from 2006 through 2013, according to her suit. She alleges she was also trafficked to his friends. Large sums of money were withdrawn from JPMorgan to make cash payments to her and other women, the suit says. The suit alleges that Epstein used the cash to pay for sex acts.

A different woman suing Deutsche Bank was sexually abused by Epstein and trafficked to his friends from about 2003 until about 2018 and was also paid in cash for sex acts, according to her suit. The bank ignored red flags including payments to numerous young women and large withdrawals of cash, the suit says. New York’s regulator found Epstein, his related entities and associates had more than 40 accounts at Deutsche Bank.

The lawsuits state that both banks assisted and participated in Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking by enabling him to make payments to women for sex acts and that the banks profited from Epstein’s activities. Both banks worked with Epstein for years after he pleaded guilty in a Florida state court in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

The suits allege the banks violated human-trafficking laws by aiding Epstein with access to accounts and cash. Banks must know who their customers are and what the accounts are being used for to police money laundering and avoid enabling criminal activity.

The suit against JPMorgan says that Epstein started banking with the firm sometime around 1998 and developed a close relationship with Jes Staley, who was then head of private banking. Epstein turned to Deutsche Bank when the ties with JPMorgan ended around 2013, the lawsuits say.

The suit says JPMorgan turned a blind eye to Epstein’s activities in exchange for financial gain. Epstein introduced Staley to wealthy clients and helped the bank arrange its deal to buy a majority stake in Highbridge Capital in 2004, at the peak of Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking, according to the suit.

The suit states that JPMorgan also housed accounts for longtime Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and that she received about $31m from Epstein between 1999 and 2007 as alleged compensation for her help with sex trafficking. After Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008, Staley visited him while he was serving his sentence in Florida, the suit says.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17807137

File: d1455e0dfb34e2c⋯.jpg (407.85 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0016.jpg)

File: 9168cc584d91bdf⋯.jpg (417.93 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0017.jpg)

File: 4a72a45927b9c95⋯.jpg (433.72 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0018.jpg)

File: a5c9b374864fa04⋯.jpg (410.34 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0019.jpg)

File: 73c037ca643559d⋯.pdf (555.01 KB, gov_uscourts_nysd_590047_1….pdf)

>>17807136

2/2

Staley later left JPMorgan and became CEO of Barclays in December 2015. He resigned in November 2021 amid an investigation by UK regulators into his relationship with Epstein and the bank’s disclosures about their ties. The two men exchanged more than a thousand emails during Staley’s time at JPMorgan, the suit says.

“I deeply regret having had any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Staley told reporters in 2020. Staley previously said his relationship with Epstein was professional and ended before he took over Barclays.

A lawyer for Staley declined to comment.

The suit says Mary Erdoes, currently head of JPMorgan’s asset- and wealth-management division, also protected Epstein as a client after other executives questioned why the bank worked with him. A JPMorgan spokesman has previously disputed Erdoes protected Epstein and said she only recalled one formal meeting with him, “which was the day she fired him as a client.”

The JPMorgan spokesman declined to comment on Erdoes’s behalf.

Paul Morris, who was among Epstein’s private wealth managers at JPMorgan and then at Deutsche Bank, emailed his bosses at Deutsche Bank in 2013 to tell them that Epstein’s accounts could generate $100m to $300m in money flows and $2m to $4m in annual fees, and the men agreed to add him as a client despite his prior conviction, according to the suit against Deutsche Bank.

Morris didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

New York state’s financial regulator fined Deutsche Bank $150m in 2020 for failing to properly monitor its dealings with the convicted sex offender and other lapses. Deutsche Bank said at the time that it was a mistake to take Epstein as a client and acknowledged weaknesses in its processes, and that it had learned from its mistakes.

In its 2020 findings, the New York regulator said some of the payments Epstein made from his Deutsche Bank accounts were suspicious. For example, it said, Epstein sent $2.65m in more than 120 wire transfers to beneficiaries of an entity called the Butterfly Trust. Some payments went to people who had been named as co-conspirators in his past cases involving sexual abuse or to women with Eastern European surnames for hotel expenses, tuition and rent, the regulator said.

“Knowing that they would earn millions of dollars from facilitating Epstein’s sex trafficking, and from its relationship with Epstein, Deutsche Bank chose profit over following the law,” the suit states.

Deutsche Bank ended ties with Epstein after the Miami Herald’s reporting in 2018 that detailed accusations by women who said that, as girls, they were victims of Epstein. But a Deutsche Bank official wrote reference letters to other banks, according to the suit.

Epstein left an estate worth at least $577m that has been the subject of litigation. Last year, Maxwell was convicted by a federal jury for her role in helping recruit and groom teenage girls for him.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/jeffrey-epstein-accusers-sue-deutsche-bank-and-jpmorgan-chase-11669294154

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65893857/doe-1-v-deutsche-bank-aktiengesellschaft/

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/46926619/Doe_1_v_JP_Morgan_Chase__Co

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.590047/gov.uscourts.nysd.590047.1.0.pdf

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305fdc  No.17807269

File: b0bca2a4ba2c21c⋯.jpg (96.64 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Islamic_State_terrorist_Ne….jpg)

Islamic State kingpin Neil Prakash to be returned to Australia to face terrorism charges

ELLEN WHINNETT - NOVEMBER 25, 2022

1/2

Islamic State terrorist Neil ­Prakash will be returned to ­Australia to face court on charges that could lead to him being jailed for life.

The Weekend Australian can reveal the decision has been made to bring Melbourne-born Prakash back from Turkey to face trial on a string of charges relating to his ­activities supporting and fighting for Islamic State.

The breakthrough comes after years of negotiations with the Turkish government, and the collapse of Australia’s citizenship-stripping laws, which meant Prakash had his Australian ­citizenship restored by default.

The now 31-year-old has been detained in Turkey for the past six years, and is believed to be held in immigration detention, following the completion of a jail term in February this year.

The decision to return Prakash comes as the Albanese government continues to deal with the legacy of the rise and fall of Islamic State, and the High Court striking down the previous Coalition government’s citizenship-stripping laws in June.

Prakash is expected to be ­returned to Australia under tight security, and face trial in the ­Supreme Court of Victoria. The timing of his return is not known.

Born to a Cambodian mother and a Fijian father in Melbourne, Prakash left for Syria to join ­Islamic State in 2013, and became an active recruiter, propagandist and facilitator for foreign fighters seeking to join the terror group.

In 2015, the Australian Federal Police issued an arrest warrant for Prakash, saying he was wanted on charges of being a member of a terrorist organisation and for ­incursions into a foreign state with the intention of engaging in ­hostile activities.

He had connections to a number of Australian jihadis, including Numan Haider, 18, who was shot dead after attacking two police ­officers at Endeavour Hills in Melbourne in September 2014, and Sevdet Besim, who plotted to ­behead a police officer in Melbourne on Anzac Day in 2015.

The Australian uncovered photographs of Prakash through court proceedings in Turkey that showed him posing in uniform with guns and other Islamic State members.

The legal battle to force ­Prakash to face justice has run for years, with multiple ­approaches taken.

Prakash was arrested trying to sneak across the Syrian border into Turkey in October 2016 near the border town of Kilis, and was charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation in Turkey.

The Australian government lodged an extradition request for him, but the application was rejected by the Turkish courts in July 2018.

Former home affairs minister Peter Dutton, now the Opposition Leader, revoked his citizenship in late 2018, making him the 12th dual national to lose Australian citizenship as a result of support of Islamic State or al-Qa’ida terror groups. At the same time, Australia appealed against the extradition rejection through the courts in the Turkish city of Gaziantep. The appeal continues to this day.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17807270

File: ae2b72600f69167⋯.jpg (124.64 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, A_photograph_showing_Neil_….jpg)

File: b7d1f459f9cef1a⋯.jpg (81.23 KB, 1024x769, 1024:769, Neil_Prakash_in_court_in_2….jpg)

>>17807269

2/2

Prakash pleaded not guilty to being a member of a terrorist ­organisation in Turkey, but was convicted after a lengthy trial in Kilis, and sentenced to 7½ years jail. During the trial he admitted joining Islamic State but denied being a leader of the group and said he regretted his association with the terror group.

He was freed in February and taken to an immigration detention centre, where he has ­remained in legal limbo.

His return to Australia had been complicated by Fiji’s rejection of Mr Dutton’s argument that Prakash could rely on his father’s Fijian citizenship, and therefore had not been rendered stateless by the decision to revoke his Australian citizenship. At the time Parkash’s citizenship was revoked, Mr Dutton said he wanted foreign terrorist fighters dealt with “as far from our shores as possible’’.

Describing Prakash as a “very dangerous individual”, Mr Dutton said: “People should recognise, if given the opportunity, Mr Prakash would harm and kill ­Australians.’’

Returning Prakash to Australia and charging him would ensure he remained off the streets and under authorities’ control.

The High Court’s finding that parts of the citizenship laws were unconstitutional cleared the way for Prakash to have his Australian citizenship officially restored.

Turkey has shown a renewed willingness to deport Australians wanted for trial on home soil.

In December 2019, a man ­accused of terrorism offences in Queensland, Agim Ajazi, was ­deported from Turkey to Adelaide, after spending a year in ­immigration detention.

In August, former Coman­chero boss Mark Buddle was ­deported by Turkey to Darwin, where he was arrested by the AFP and accused of being involved in serious organised crime.

Prakash, who used the nom-de-guerre Abu Khaled al-Cam­bodi while in Syria, is believed to have fathered at least three children with two women during his time with Islamic State.

It was erroneously reported by the Australian government in May 2016 that he had been killed in a US drone strike in Mosul, Iraq.

At the time, then-attorney-general George Brandis described Prakash as “the highest value target from an Australian point of view in the Middle East’’.

Following his arrest with a group of women and children, Prakash served about five years in the H-Type prison in Gaziantep, before being moved to a second prison in Diyarbakir as he neared the end of his sentence.

Most recently, he was transferred back to an immigration ­detention centre at Elbeyli, near Gaziantep Airport.

The Australian Federal Police and the office of Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil declined to comment.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/islamic-state-kingpin-neil-prakash-to-be-returned-to-australia-to-face-terrorism-charges/news-story/beb197b067f539f0b851152805f86079

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305fdc  No.17817311

File: 4a98a09377de75e⋯.jpg (127.84 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, University_of_Queensland_R….jpg)

Hopes high for next virus: one jab is fit for all

JAMIE WALKER - NOVEMBER 25, 2022

Australian scientists have developed a one-stop vaccine for pandemic viruses that promises to be available within weeks of another Covid-style threat erupting.

The breakthrough was ­announced on Friday by the makers of the molecular clamp technology which went tantalisingly close to delivering a homemade immuniser for coronavirus in 2020. The reworked Clamp2 platform is designed to go after a range of lethal viruses, including those responsible for influenza, Nipah, ebola, Lassa fever and ­rodent-transmitted arenavirus – all seen as having potential to trigger another global crisis.

University of Queensland Rapid Response Vaccine Pipeline co-leader Keith Chappell, a key member of the original molecular clamp team, said the new formulation could be produced in 150 days from when a virus was genetically sequenced, on track to meet a target of 100 days.

“That’s definitely the goal we have,” Dr Chappell told The Weekend Australian. “It would be incredibly tough but this is a safeguard to prevent this ever happening again.”

The one-stop vaccine worked on a “plug and play” basis, meaning it could be tailored to quickly meet a new menace, he said. The international Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, CEPI, has injected $8.5m into the project, part of its backing of ­research internationally to hit the 100-day objective.

Standing alongside Clamp2 team members, CEPI executive director of R&D Melanie Saville said another pandemic was inevitable, a matter of “when, not if”.

It had taken 326 days to make the first Covid-19 vaccine available – seen as a feat of science at the time – but lives and expense would be saved if the development time could be compressed.

“It’s too early to say whether they are going to absolutely hit 100 days,” she said of the Clamp2 offering. “But I think it is really possible a rapid response platform could work against a number of different viruses that could cause a pandemic threat.”

Dr Chappell said the revised vaccine platform had met “all ­expectations” in testing to date, producing stabilised antigens and inducing strong neutralising ­immune responses.

“Importantly, this re-engineered technology does not pose any issue with diagnostic interference as was encountered in 2020,” Dr Chappell said.

The original clamp vaccine for Covid had to be abandoned after it was found to have induced false positive readings to HIV, a massive setback to the national vaccine rollout. The federal government had ordered 51 million doses in the expectation the immuniser would get through the proving process.

Dr Chappell said the HIV issue had been resolved in Clamp2, though commercial confidentiality prevented him from saying how. The new uber-vaccine was due to enter a phase-1 human safety trial in March, next step in a three- to four-year process to ­secure approval should it clear the regulatory hurdles.

The initial clinical batch of the Clamp2 vaccine would be manufactured at the Queensland node of the National Biologics Facility, housed within UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.

Interim NBF director Ben ­Hughes said volunteers in the safety trial would receive a formulation for Covid. “While we have selected a Clamp2 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for the trial, this is to demonstrate the effectiveness and ­potential benefits of this platform compared to a currently licensed Covid-19 vaccine,” he said.

Associate professor Dan Watterson, who spearheaded the successful Clamp2 redesign, said it was important for people to understand the ultimate aim was not to rush a new Covid-19 vaccine to market. “This is about the role this technology could play in safeguarding against future pandemics,” Dr Watterson said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/australian-scientists-rework-covid-clamp-vaccine-to-prevent-future-viral-pandemics/news-story/395fa26690db04447fe72369e7c481a1

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305fdc  No.17827645

File: 4f44e93d20b6570⋯.jpg (129.53 KB, 1240x744, 5:3, Victorian_Labor_premier_Da….jpg)

‘Hope always defeats hate’: Labor’s Daniel Andrews returned as premier in 2022 Victoria state election

Despite ‘incredibly challenging’ few years negotiating Covid, Labor cruises to victory, while the Greens and Nationals gain seats

Guardian staff - 26 Nov 2022

Daniel Andrews has been returned for a third term ­as Victorian premier, overcoming fierce criticisms of his government’s pandemic response to declare “hope always defeats hate”.

While the Labor party’s primary vote fell around 6% from the “Dan-slide” in 2018, the government was still on track to record a comfortable majority.

To cheers of “four more years” from supporters, Andrews took the stage in his electorate of Mulgrave and told the crowd “Labor does what matters”.

He said Victorians had been through an “incredibly challenging” past few years navigating the pandemic, as Melbourne endured some of the world’s longest lockdowns, but his job as premier was to focus on what needed to be done.

“Reforming giant and Labor icon Paul Keating once said to me, ‘Son, leadership isn’t about doing what’s popular. Leadership is about doing what’s right’,” Andrews said.

“Essentially he was telling me that leadership is about doing what matters.

“And that is exactly what the people of this great state have endorsed today in resoundingly re-electing our strong, stable majority Labor government.”

In conceding defeat to Andrews for a second time, the Liberal opposition leader, Matthew Guy, said he hoped the Labor party would govern differently in the upcoming term, after the state was polarised by the Covid response.

He pointed to swings against Labor, “above 15, approaching 20%” in Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs, as proof people were unhappy with the government.

“That, alone, I just say, is a message,” Guy said. “I hope that the Labor party, who will form the government, will heed that message, and will have a change in style, a change in attitude, and an approach focused on uniting Victorians not just dividing them, as has been the case.

“I hope and trust the next term of office for the government will be a different one because Victorians need to hear that.”

But Andrews said Victorians had understood the challenge of dealing with a rare pandemic.

“As a community we were not, as some would say, divided, we were instead united in our faith in science and faith and care for and in each other,” Andrews said.

‘The Green-slide continues’

On a historic night for Labor, the Greens looked set to be the other big winners, picking up at least two seats – Richmond and Northcote – to continue the momentum of their most successful ever federal election result in May.

The party was also in a number of other tight battles, with counting set to continue for days after record numbers of Victorians voted early or via postal ballots.

The Greens leader, Samantha Ratnam, was ebullient in addressing a crowd in a bar in Collingwood.

“My friends, I am so proud to be up here to tell you all that the Green-slide continues,” Ratnam said.

“Tonight we are on track to colour in the map of inner-city Melbourne green.”

Ratnam disputed the notion that the Liberals choosing to preference the Greens above Labor had caused the strong result, pointing to the party’s increased first preference vote.

While the Labor vote fell, the Liberal party first preference vote was also down, collapsing below 30%.

Those votes flowed to minor parties – including the Nationals, who gained three seats – as well as independents.

Whether or not Victorian parliament will gain a “teal” independent might not be known for several days, but at least two were in strong positions, with Kate Lardner leading in the seat of Mornington, while Melissa Lowe looked competitive against the former Liberal shadow attorney general John Pesutto in Hawthorn.

One small positive for the Liberal party was the seat of Nepean, in Melbourne’s south-east, where the former tennis professional Sam Groth entered the parliament.

The party also looked set to retain the seat of Kew, formerly held by the controversial MP Tim Smith who retired at this election. The seat was facing a significant teal challenge but looks likely to be retained by Liberal Jess Wilson.

But there was little else to cheer for the Coalition, with Andrews’ victory putting him on track to become the longest-serving Labor premier Victoria has ever had.

If he remains leader until Easter, he will take the mantle from John Cain Jr, who was premier for most of the 1980s.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/26/labors-daniel-andrews-to-be-returned-as-premier-in-2022-victoria-state-election-as-coalition-vote-stalls

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305fdc  No.17827648

File: fad85651bbc9bb8⋯.jpg (116.82 KB, 2500x1876, 625:469, A_review_of_Afghanistan_wa….jpg)

File: a9318ae1c08d914⋯.jpg (582.39 KB, 1500x1126, 750:563, Chief_of_the_Defence_Force….jpg)

Australian Defence Force chief gives Afghanistan veterans 28 days to explain why they should keep war honours

Matthew Doran - 26 November 2022

The chief of the Australian Defence Force has demanded senior officers justify why they should keep honours and medals awarded during the Afghanistan war, as the fallout from the Brereton Inquiry into alleged war crimes continues.

The landmark investigation into the conduct of Australian special forces, released in November 2020, made 143 recommendations – including that there be a review of honours handed out to ADF personnel who served in Afghanistan.

"Units live and fight as a team," General Angus Campbell said at the time.

"The report acknowledges, therefore, that there is also a collective responsibility for what is alleged to have happened."

Then defence minister Peter Dutton put the matter on ice, but last month General Campbell restarted that process after being given permission by new minister Richard Marles.

"The government has confirmed the [chief of the defence force] may recommence his consideration of administrative action for command accountability related to the Afghanistan Inquiry," a spokesperson for the Department of Defence said in a statement.

ADF personnel and veterans caught up in the review have been given 28 days to provide reasons for keeping their honours.

"The matter is still ongoing and the impacted members have a right of reply," a spokesperson for Mr Marles said.

"Noting this, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

"The Albanese government is committed to implementing the Brereton report."

The federal opposition has accused the government of blindsiding defence personnel and veterans, reopening old wounds.

"Political leadership is critical," Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie said.

"Richard Marles needs to explain why this process has been recommenced — why and what the outcome is that he's driving towards.

"It can be very disheartening and discouraging for people who are trying to get on with defending the nation in a very uncertain time."

Mr Hastie, a former SAS captain, insisted the former government had taken steps to address the allegations of war crimes and deal with broader cultural problems identified by the Brereton Inquiry.

"I stand by the record of the former government, I helped initiate command reform of the Special Air Service regiment — a good reform," he said.

"And if Richard Marles is going to do different things, he needs to explain why."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-26/afghanistan-war-veterans-justify-keeping-medals/101702610

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305fdc  No.17827652

File: ed6c99f358698ba⋯.mp4 (14.81 MB, 960x540, 16:9, COVID_protests_erupt_after….mp4)

File: a41f913dd256d71⋯.jpg (279.34 KB, 1279x719, 1279:719, In_Shanghai_a_crowd_chante….jpg)

File: 5c045c9d07c7e2b⋯.jpg (233.29 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Crowds_were_met_with_a_hea….jpg)

File: e8ae0ef4e06a96e⋯.jpg (232.54 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_protesters_sang_China_….jpg)

Chinese cry for freedom in biggest anti-government protests since Tiananmen

WILL GLASGOW - NOVEMBER 27, 2022

1/2

Crowds have chanted “down with the Communist Party” and “Xi Jinping, step down” in an extraordinary wave of protests across China sparked by anger at draconian Covid restrictions.

Anti-government protests on a scale not seen since 1989’s Tiananmen massacre broke out on Saturday in cities including Xi’an, Nanjing and Shanghai, three of China’s most politically influential cities.

“Down with the Communist party” an angry crowd chanted on Saturday night in Shanghai, a city of more than 25 million people that was brutally locked down for three months earlier in the year.

The protesters sang China’s ­national anthem and held up sheets of blank white paper, a popular symbol of resistance in China where posting anti-government slogans online or displaying them in public can result in swift arrest.

Other protesters were shockingly blunt, even as they were surrounded by large numbers of police. “Xi Jinping, step down” some shouted. Others called out “We want freedom” and “Xinjiang, end lockdown”

In Nanjing, China’s republican capital before the communists took power, hundreds of university students gathered at a night-time vigil on Saturday, shining the lights on their smartphones in unison.

Another group of students protested in Xi’an, a former imperial Chinese capital.

The largest crowds gathered in Urumqi in Xinjiang where thousands resisted police as they ­demanded “end the lockdown” and shouted “I don’t have money to feed myself.”

China’s eruption of dissent was triggered by the deaths of 20 ­people, including three children, in a fire in an apartment block in Urumqi on Thursday night.

Many residents linked the tragedy to Mr Xi’s signature “dynamic zero Covid” policy, which they ­believe stopped victims from ­escaping the flames, although ­Chinese authorities deny this.

Disturbingly for the Communist Party leadership, the spreading tumult follows weeks of riots across the country, including in Guangzhou in China’s south, Chongqing in China’s west and Beijing.

“I’ve lived in China for 30 years, and I’ve never seen such a brazenly open and sustained expression of rage … This is a serious test of CCP governance,” said David Moser, the director of Chinese Studies at Beijing Capital Normal University.

Many in China had hoped that Mr Xi’s recent re-election for an unprecedented third, five-year term as leader would lead to an easing of his stern Covid regime.

Instead, new spartan quarantine centres – called “fangcang” (square cabin) – are being built across the country, as official case numbers reach record highs.

A simultaneous flood of anger online appeared to overwhelm China’s formidable internet censorship regime over the weekend. Commenters shared stories of deaths and economic stress that have been linked to China’s heavy-handed Covid policy.

“First it was the ones who jumped, I didn’t say anything; then those who died in the bus crash … I didn’t say anything at all … then it will be me, and there is no one left to speak for me,” said one viral post.

Others posted historic revolutionary slogans, including from the 1919 May Fourth Movement, a series of anti-imperialist student protests. That era of history is a source of great sensitivity for the CCP, which tries to claim it as a source of its own legitimacy.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17827656

File: 395ac8fc4052a09⋯.jpg (429.34 KB, 698x1188, 349:594, ER_1.jpg)

File: 8b35ff0658e5be5⋯.mp4 (7.41 MB, 960x540, 16:9, QwV74ruZeI8Wy7i9_1.mp4)

File: f98b36a2f16b0ce⋯.mp4 (7.38 MB, 960x540, 16:9, mXbXtPVWJBHZEUrT_1.mp4)

>>17827652

2/2

Many online netizens vented after seeing videos of the World Cup in Qatar, where fans from around the globe are gathered without masks.

That followed weeks of saturated Chinese media coverage of a maskless Mr Xi in Bali and Bangkok, shaking hands with other world leaders.

Even Hu Xijin, the bombastic former editor-in-chief of the party state masthead The Global Times, suggested Beijing’s policy needed to be adjusted.

However, the Communist Party’s official mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, continued to ­repeat Mr Xi’s orders.

“When facing the grim situation, we must unswervingly carry out ‘dynamic zero-Covid’,” the masthead editorialised at the weekend.

Several weeks ago, rumours swirled that the Covid policy would be relaxed, leading to a sharp rally of Chinese stocks.

Yanzhong Huang told The Australian the forecasts by many China-focused market economists and investors were far too optimistic. Professor Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, said no change would happen until China’s leadership “gave up its zero-Covid mentality”.

He said it was surprising that over the past three months there had been “almost no progress” in increasing the vaccination rate among the elderly or in educating the public about the reduced risks of Covid among a vaccinated population.

Last winter’s Covid outbreak in Hong Kong has influenced Beijing’s refusal to change course. The city had the highest mortality rate recorded in the developed world since vaccines became available.

Ominously, China has much in common with the circumstances in Hong Kong when that wave hit: low vaccination rates among the elderly and a population with little previous immunity to the virus.

Compounding Beijing’s anxiety is its awareness of China’s under-resourced healthcare system. It has far fewer ICU beds than comparable countries, with only 3.6 critical care beds available per 100,000 people — almost a 10th of the number in Taiwan. It has also refused to allow the use of foreign-designed mRNA vaccines, including Pzfizer and Moderna, which are more effective than China’s domestic vaccines.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/chinese-cry-for-freedom-in-biggest-antigovernment-protests-since-tiananmen/news-story/f5f3739211148eb903fc1276e9da185d

https://twitter.com/eefjerammeloo/status/1596583242555355137

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305fdc  No.17832714

File: 27ce312e75260d1⋯.jpg (182.98 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Police_officers_confront_a….jpg)

File: 2559da51e768835⋯.jpg (189.35 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, FimvekLXEAEBA66.jpg)

File: 6c4611e4a2145d0⋯.jpg (479.29 KB, 698x1796, 349:898, SS_1.jpg)

File: e459d7ffaa92313⋯.mp4 (2.99 MB, 720x1080, 2:3, ne6VtWxFn4yZaEFZ.mp4)

File: f341f61eb8aba90⋯.mp4 (3.08 MB, 720x1080, 2:3, 2X2HIYtLVzc_b2CB.mp4)

>>17827652

Beijing boils as BBC journalist arrested amid national anti-government protests

WILL GLASGOW - NOVEMBER 28, 2022

1/2

A BBC journalist was arrested, beaten and kicked by Chinese police as China’s biggest anti-government protests since Tiananmen in 1989 surged into Beijing on Sunday night.

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Sunday afternoon at Tsinghua University, the prestigious institution in Beijing where President Xi studied Marxist theory.

At least another thousand people gathered on the south bank of Beijing’s Liangma river, near one of the capital’s diplomatic precincts.

“We want freedom! We want human rights!” they chanted into the early hours of Monday morning.

They were surrounded by a tremendous police presence, which grew as the demonstration continued into the early hours of Monday morning.

China’s police were more aggressive in Shanghai where a group of protesters returned to the site of a Saturday night protest, images of which overwhelmed China’s online censorship regime. It was to hold a vigil to mark the death of 10 people in a fire in Urumqi, a city in Xinjiang.

BBC journalist Ed Lawrence was roughed up, handcuffed and detained by Shanghai police while covering the protest.

Chinese authorities told the BBC they arrested Lawrence for his own good, “in case he caught Covid from the crowd,” according to the BBC.

“We do not consider this a credible explanation,” the BBC said in a statement.

Although he was released after several hours, the BBC said it was “extremely concerned” about his treatment, as Lawrence was in the middle of “carrying out his duties”.

On Sunday night, protests also broke out in Wuhan, Chengdu and Guangzhou, three megacities in China’s centre, west and south.

They followed similar unrest on Saturday in Nanjing, China’s republican capital before the communists took power, and Xi’an, a former imperial Chinese capital.

The widespread outpouring of public anger began in reaction to a fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang, last week which killed ten people.

Many in China have linked the tragedy to Mr Xi’s signature “dynamic zero Covid” policy, which they ­believe stopped victims from ­escaping the flames, although ­Chinese authorities deny this.

Since then the protests have spiralled to encompass complaints about the Chinese government’s draconian Covid regime, quashing of freedom of speech and Mr Xi’s dictatorial rule.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17832723

File: 92f72aaa271ed9a⋯.jpg (381.29 KB, 698x1439, 698:1439, DR_1.jpg)

File: fd2b16f16ba37b0⋯.mp4 (4.1 MB, 1280x720, 16:9, LkEdEk6u12_Nw_MD.mp4)

File: 16cebd8f4380dd8⋯.mp4 (4.18 MB, 720x1080, 2:3, 8ZiOpxISCCHRXjR5.mp4)

>>17832714

2/2

On Sunday night, protesters brought flowers to many of the public gatherings, a token of respect for the victims of the fire, and held up blank pieces of paper.

In a country in which posting anti-government slogans online or in public can lead to a swift arrest, the blank pieces of paper are a potent and popular symbol of resistance.

Most of the protesters are young urban residents, although some older citizens have joined them.

As midnight approached on Sunday night, an old lady joined the crowd by Beijing’s Liangma river, chanting with them: “liberate Beijing!”, “liberate China!” and “let the children go back to school!”

Authorities have already begun preparing to stop the national protests continuing on Monday evening.

Overnight, authorities removed the street sign for Wulumqi Road in Shanghai where the protests have been centred. The road is named after the city in Xinjiang where last week’s fire broke out.

Early on Monday morning, authorities had erected massive blue barriers along the street.

Experts in Chinese politics warned the Communist Party would respond to the public outcry with a harsh crackdown.

“No matter what happens to zero-Covid, political control can only tighten in the months ahead,” said Taisu Zhang, a Professor of Law at Yale Law School and an expert on contemporary Chinese law and politics.

“If the government doubles down on zero-Covid, then obviously it needs to shut down the protests without giving in,” said Professor Zhang.

“If, however … it decides to open up as a compromise, then that will also paradoxically require more tightening, both to avoid showing weakness and to deal with the inevitable social anxiety over significant virus spread.”

“Either way, this will be a hard winter, politically and economically.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/beijing-boils-as-bbc-journalist-arrested-amid-national-antigovernment-protests/news-story/83cc31e6c2009bf3bf96f56cf97fff6d

https://twitter.com/Shanghaishang10/status/1596875911457959938

https://twitter.com/Shanghaishang10/status/1596930306959101953

https://twitter.com/DSORennie/status/1596921091259502592

https://twitter.com/DSORennie/status/1596924277391233029

https://twitter.com/BBCNewsPR/status/1597000489513537536

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305fdc  No.17832778

File: 8a1644bc4962109⋯.jpg (118.35 KB, 1280x719, 1280:719, Pilot_Daniel_Duggan_has_be….jpg)

Australian pilot with China links fights extradition to US, slams ‘unprecedented’ treatment

RHIANNON DOWN - NOVEMBER 28, 2022

An Australian pilot who is fighting his extradition to the US after he was arrested under mysterious circumstances has lodged a formal complaint with the Attorney-General about his “unprecedented” treatment, a court has heard.

Daniel Edmund Duggan, 54, was detained last month at the request of the US’s Department of Justice and has since been held in custody as an “extreme high risk restricted inmate” and denied access to medical care and stationary to write letters, his lawyer said.

Mr Duggan, an experienced pilot who has previously worked in China, is a naturalised Australian citizen who was living in Orange in regional NSW when he was arrested for unknown reasons on October 21.

The court heard the US has until December 20 to lodge its formal request to extradite Mr Duggan, which marks 60 days since his arrest, or else he will be eligible for release.

The motives behind the US’s push for extradition remains veiled in secrecy, though his arrest coincided with warnings from Australian and UK authorities about the practice of former military personnel being offered lucrative contracts to train pilots in China.

The Australian this week revealed the pilot also held links to a Chinese-Canadian businessman who was jailed for conspiring to hack US military secrets, Su Bin.

Mr Duggan’s lawyer Dennis Miralis told a court at the Sydney Downing Centre on Monday that Mr Duggan had been subjected to unusually harsh treatment in custody and had been denied access to treatment for a prostate condition and pens to write letters.

Mr Miralis said he had filed complaints with the Attorney-General against the US government and the “secrecy provisions” surrounding the case as well as the conduct of Australian authorities involved in the extradition

“My client is struggling and he has been struggling for some time,” he told reporters outside court.

“As we informed the court this is unprecedented, to have an Australian citizen being placed on the most severe inmate restrictions akin to people convicted of terrorist offences and multiple homicides in circumstances where he has never been in trouble here or anywhere in the world.

“In 22 years of practising criminal law specialising in extradition, I am yet to see something as remarkable as this.”

Mr Duggan, who has renounced his US nationality and is a father of six school aged children, has indicated he will fight the extradition bid and any charges.

The matter has been adjourned until December 16.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/australian-pilot-with-china-links-fights-extradition-to-us-slams-unprecedented-treatment/news-story/4cacfd10b7d0ac5e26b849296896712b

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305fdc  No.17832788

File: cec868c524c39b1⋯.mp4 (11.98 MB, 1024x576, 16:9, ASIO_announces_it_is_lower….mp4)

Australia's terror threat level lowered for first time in almost a decade

Andrew Greene - 28 November 2022

Australia's national terrorism threat level is being lowered from "probable" to "possible", but authorities are warning a deadly attack could still happen here in the next 12 months.

The terror alert level has sat at "probable" since 2014, after the emergence of the violent extremist group Islamic State in the Middle East.

Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director-General Mike Burgess announced the move while acknowledging his intelligence organisation was increasingly focused on the rising threat posed by foreign interference and espionage.

"After careful consideration and consultation, ASIO is lowering Australia's national terrorism threat level to possible," Mr Burgess told reporters inside ASIO headquarters in Canberra.

"A decision of this nature is not taken lightly or made casually. The process involves a large number of people and a significant amount of time.

"Their conclusion is relatively straightforward: While Australia remains a potential terrorist target, there are fewer extremists with the intention to conduct an attack onshore than there were when we raised the threat level in 2014."

The ASIO director-general also confirmed the decision to lower the threat level had taken into account the recent repatriation from Syria of Australian women and children linked to the Islamic State group, who were first assessed by ASIO officers.

"I also want to emphasise that a lower threat level does necessarily not mean a lower operational tempo," Mr Burgess said.

"Espionage and foreign interference supplants terrorism as our nation's principle security concern but of course terrorism will remain a priority for my organisation — it's a threat to life and therefore will get the full attention."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he supported ASIO's decision.

"I have absolute confidence in our security agencies … I won't second-guess them and I won't comment on their behalf," Mr Albanese said.

The Coalition has welcomed the development and is taking some credit for ASIO's decision to lower Australia's national terrorism alert level from "probable" to "possible".

Liberal senator and deputy chair of parliament's Intelligence Committee, James Paterson, said ASIO had acknowledged the previous government's work helped reduce the terror threat.

"This is a result of the investments and the powers that the parliament has previously given ASIO, most of which happened over the last nine years under our government but also under prior governments as well," he told the ABC.

"ASIO has the tools and the powers and the resources they need to tackle this threat and there's also some wider structural changes with the fall of ISIL (Islamic State) and other issues."

In 2014, the Abbott government announced that Australia's terrorism threat level would be raised to "probable" following the rapid emergence of the violent extremist Islamic State group in the Middle East.

ASIO said there have been 11 terrorist attacks on Australian soil since 2014 and 21 significant terror plots "detected and disrupted".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-28/australian-terror-threat-level-lowered-first-time-in-eight-years/101705474

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01bd65  No.17832896

File: 9a2a5f7373c5660⋯.png (94.37 KB, 1263x421, 3:1, 7A857B96_6414_4341_AF59_0D….png)

>>17825222

Top Australian Cardiologist Calls for Ban on mRNA Shots After Rise in Jab-Related Heart Conditions

Top Sydney cardiologist, Dr. Ross Walker, has called for a ban on mRNA vaccines after seeing a rise in jab-related heart conditions, Daily Mail reported.

Australia is famous for its totalitarian COVID restrictions and vaccine mandates. The Deputy Premier of NSW boldly declared that even businesses that accept unvaccinated people would be subject to exceptionally heavy fines back in 2021.

Australia’s Northern Territory imposed an authoritarian lockdown on citizens who have not been ‘fully vaccinated’ against Covid-19 as officials scrambled to deal with the highly-mild Omicron variant back in January. Any individual 16 or older and who was not fully vaccinated will not be able to leave their homes until the middle of next week, even if it’s to go to work or to get exercise outdoors.

Dr. Walker made this admission after 18-year-old Monica Eskandar suffered terrifying chest pains hours after receiving her first Covid shots last year.

Doctors later diagnosed her with pericarditis, a condition linked with mRNA Covid vaccines.

“Getting Covid is ten times worse than getting vaccinated – but we don’t need to use mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna,” cardiologist Dr. Ross Walker told Daily Mail Australia.

“We have to put COVID in perspective where it is right now, not where it was 12 months ago, because it has changed and I think we are seeing a change,” he added.

“We have alternatives like AstraZeneca and Novavax which are just as good,” he said. “I’ve seen many people getting vaccine reactions, who get symptoms for about three to six months afterwards.”

“I’ve seen 60-70 patients in my own practice over the past 12 months who have had similar reactions… I’ve seen other people with chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations,” he continued.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported that the country is confronting an epidemic of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome. The syndrome is striking down healthy and active young people in Australia.

It is recommended that people under the age of 40 get a heart check since they may be at a higher risk of developing Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

TGP reported that the Australian government is now paying for your funeral if the COVID vaccine kills you.

The Services Australia website now has instructions and forms for family members to fill out if the forced experimental COVID vaccines kill someone in their family.

What proof you need

Before you can claim, you need to get your doctor to complete a COVID-19 vaccine claims scheme medical report. You need this as proof when you submit the claim. We need your doctor’s responses to help us assess your claim.

You need to provide the following documents with your claim:

the deceased’s death certificate or medical cause of death certificate

proof that you’re acting on behalf of the deceased

proof of any funeral costs and who paid, like receipts

proof of any amounts you got or will get from third parties, like funeral insurance

proof of the deceased’s partner and children dependent on the earnings of the deceased at the time of death, if applicable.

How to calculate payments and funeral costs

You need to show your actual costs for the funeral. Remember to deduct any amounts you got or will get from third parties.

If your claim involves death, find out what you can claim in the COVID-19 vaccine claims scheme policy on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/11/top-australian-cardiologist-calls-ban-mrna-shots-rise-jab-related-heart-conditions/

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305fdc  No.17832909

File: c4f02d1302e99a0⋯.jpg (81.46 KB, 702x468, 3:2, Scott_Borgerson_right_refu….jpg)

Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal at risk as husband refuses to pay

Hugh Tomlinson - November 28 2022

Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal against her 20-year jail sentence for sex trafficking is on the brink of collapse after her estranged husband refused to pay her legal fees.

Scott Borgerson, 46, who married Maxwell, 60, in secret in 2016 and ended the relationship over the phone when she was in jail awaiting trial, has ignored her requests to pay a $900,000 legal bill and a further $1 million to challenge her conviction, according to The Sun.

Until the money is transferred her legal team cannot work on the appeal against her 20-year prison sentence for trafficking teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender and financier who killed himself in jail.

Maxwell’s appeal must be filed by the end of January or the disgraced socialite could face the prospect of dying behind bars.

Borgerson controls what remains of Maxwell’s fortune after she transferred £20 million into a trust fund before her arrest in 2020, including £12.6 million from the sale of her New York home.

He recently met Maxwell’s brother Kevin at the New York office of her lawyers, Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins. The Sun reported that Borgerson was “being difficult” but vowed to send the money. “Her lawyers have not been paid. That is a serious matter in itself,” a source told the newspaper. “Worse, she needs to come up with $1 million to fund the appeal. Scott’s given nothing.”

Friends have suggested that Borgerson is trying to force Maxwell to improve his payoff in any divorce settlement. Borgerson has dismissed the claims as “spin” and “fake news”.

A friend of Maxwell told The Mail on Sunday: “He thinks if he drags it out, she will give him most of the money. She is in jail . . . not much she can do from there.”

Maxwell and Borgerson are said to have met in Iceland in 2013 and married three years later. “Her brothers were astonished to find out that not only was she married, but she had made all her money over to Scott,” a source close to the family told the newspaper. Borgerson did not visit Maxwell in jail and refused to attend her trial.

The reports come days after victims of abuse by Epstein sued Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase, accusing the banks of facilitating his sex-trafficking ring and ignoring warnings about their client. The lawsuits claim the banks turned a blind eye for financial gain.

The case against JP Morgan alleges that the bank also held accounts for Maxwell, and that she received more than $30 million between 1999 and 2007 in return for helping with the trafficking ring.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ghislaine-maxwells-appeal-at-risk-as-husband-refuses-to-pay-8vqdv3v2k

https://archive.ph/7xZpH

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305fdc  No.17848766

File: 1c2110841ab7237⋯.jpg (129.31 KB, 1200x800, 3:2, A_pharmacy_displays_a_sign….jpg)

Australia to withdraw or refund tens of thousands of Covid fines

Lewis Jackson - November 29, 2022

Australia's largest state will withdraw or refund tens of thousands of fines issued during the COVID pandemic after government lawyers conceded on Tuesday that some fines were invalid in a test case brought by a legal advocacy group.

Australian states and territories instituted strict restrictions during the pandemic, including limits on travel and movement outside the home. Police in New South Wales, the largest state, could issue fines of A$1,000 ($670.60) to individuals who breached public health orders.

Redfern Legal Centre, a free legal service, launched a test case in July on behalf of three plaintiffs arguing their fines of between A$1,000 to A$3,000, were invalid because the penalty notices did not sufficiently describe the offence.

Government lawyers conceded the plaintiff's fines did not meet legal requirements in a hearing at the New South Wales Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Shortly after, the Commissioner of Fines Administration withdrew 33,121 fines, just under half the 62,138 COVID-related fines issued. The remaining fines are unaffected by the decision.

All sanctions, including driver license restrictions will be stopped. Those who have already paid will be refunded.

"Today justice has been granted to three people who took on the NSW government regarding the validity of their COVID fines and won!” said Samantha Lee, acting solicitor for the plaintiffs in a statement.

Revenue NSW said the challenge was on a "technical basis" and the court's decision did not mean the offences had not been committed.

"The Commissioner of Fines Administration is able to independently review or withdraw penalty notices," said Revenue NSW in a statement.

"In this case, he has decided to exercise his statutory power to withdraw two types of Public Health Order fines."

A full judgement from presiding judge Dina Yehia is expected at a later date.

($1 = 1.4912 Australian dollars)

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-withdraw-or-refund-tens-thousands-covid-fines-2022-11-29/

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280266  No.17850394

File: 7c58e5318d2ad95⋯.pdf (4.02 MB, We_have_a_problem_in_QLD_.pdf)

We have a problem in QLD and …………….

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305fdc  No.17853189

File: 3b3aa440acd1d7f⋯.jpg (107.54 KB, 1240x744, 5:3, Australian_prime_minister_….jpg)

File: 1f5f12baa50fa19⋯.jpg (139.23 KB, 1240x744, 5:3, _It_is_time_that_this_matt….jpg)

Australian PM Anthony Albanese urges US government to end pursuit of Julian Assange

Prime minister says he raised Wikileaks co-founder’s case with US representatives recently and will continue to push for it to be ‘brought to a close’

Daniel Hurst - 30 Nov 2022

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says he has personally urged the US government to end its pursuit of Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange.

In his most in-depth comments about the diplomatically sensitive issue in months, Albanese said he had raised the Assange case “recently in meetings” with US representatives and he vowed to continue to press for it to be brought to a close.

Assange, an Australian citizen, remains in Belmarsh prison in London as he fights a US attempt to extradite him to face charges in connection with the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars as well as diplomatic cables.

Albanese was responding to a parliamentary question from the independent MP Monique Ryan, who said public-interest journalism was “essential to democracy” and declared that Assange’s freedom “will only come from political intervention”.

Ryan asked: “Will the government intervene to bring Mr Assange home?”

The prime minister acknowledged the case was “an issue of great interest to many Australians and of interest to people across this chamber”.

“The government will continue to act in a diplomatic way, but can I assure the member … that I have raised this personally with representatives of the United States government,” the Labor leader told parliament on Wednesday.

“My position is clear and has been made clear to the US administration – that it is time that this matter be brought to a close.”

He did not state explicitly whether he had raised it with the US president, Joe Biden, or with other US representatives such as the ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, with whom he also met recently.

Albanese’s most recent meeting with Biden was in Bali, Indonesia, two weeks ago.

Albanese contrasted Assange’s legal situation with that of the former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who was released in 2017 when Barack Obama commuted her 35-year military prison sentence for leaking the information.

Albanese said he did not have sympathy for Assange’s actions “on a whole range of matters”, but he asked: “What is the point of this continuing this legal action which could be caught up now for many years into the future?”

The UK’s minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, and its high commissioner to Australia, Vicki Treadell, were in the audience in the House of Representatives during Albanese’s comments.

When he was the leader of the opposition, Albanese spoke out against the ongoing pursuit of Assange, declaring “enough is enough”.

But since being sworn in as prime minister, Albanese has indicated he would pursue quiet diplomacy, saying: “My position is that not all foreign affairs is best done with the loudhailer.”

The White House has previously said Assange was facing an “ongoing criminal case” and Biden was “committed to an independent Department of Justice”.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/nov/30/australian-prime-minister-anthony-albanese-us-government-julian-assange-wikileaks

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305fdc  No.17853198

File: 1b81a859f078ca3⋯.jpg (162.29 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, The_man_was_sentenced_in_P….jpg)

One of WA’s worst paedophiles to spend decades behind bars

Heather McNeill - November 30, 2022

A Perth father labelled one of Western Australia’s worst paedophiles has been jailed for 25 years over the sexual abuse of 22 children, including his own, between 2015 and 2021.

The crimes of the 47-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the identities of his victims, came undone when his ex-wife became suspicious and ran file recovery software on a blank USB she found, which revealed child exploitation videos.

The Perth District Court public gallery was filled with the parents of the man’s 22 victims, who were aged between two and 12, as he was sentenced for 406 offences on Wednesday. They were relatives or former friends of the man, who was described as well-educated and social.

Judge Michael Gething, in handing down one of the longest sentences to a paedophile in West Australian history, detailed an Australia Day party hosted by the man and his wife, which on the surface appeared “innocent”. Video evidence recovered years later revealed he abused six children that day.

The man used hidden cameras to capture children undressing or showering, but his most “deeply entrenched” offending was entering rooms in his home where children were sleeping and indecently touching them, sexually abusing them, and recording them.

Most children did not wake during the abuse, with state prosecutor Fiona Clare noting it was believed medicine – possibly phenergan – was sometimes given to the children beforehand.

As Gething read aloud details of the man’s depraved offending, parents of the victims in the public gallery could at times be heard crying or deeply sighing.

“Rot you animal,” one said as the man exited the dock.

Many gave victim impact statements detailing the difficult decision they faced of whether to tell their children of the abuse, with most noting their children now suffered from anxiety and didn’t like sleepovers.

The man’s former wife said her youngest daughter, who he abused on 153 separate occasions, had gone from “bright and happy” to “slowly reducing to a shadow of herself”.

“Not for one minute would I ever question it was because of one of the people who was meant to protect her,” she said.

Gething said while the children were usually unaware of the abuse, or asleep, they would feel the impact of the abuse on a subconscious level.

A psychologist diagnosed the man with a paedophilic disorder, with the court hearing he began watching pornography after the intimacy in his marriage fell away and he became “bored and lonely”.

It soon became an obsession, with the man watching up to four hours a day. He eventually began noticing pop-ups for child exploitation material, which he took an interest in, and eventually began to commit himself.

In a letter written to the court, the businessman apologised for his offending, and claimed it was committed during a “fog of alcohol”, however Gething dismissed this excuse.

“You knew, you just didn’t care,” he said.

He described the breach of trust his children and former friends had felt as extreme, and said the predator “went out of his way” to create a home where children would like to play.

The man, who previously had no criminal record, will be eligible for parole in 23 years, when he is 69 years old.

The sex offence sentence is only eclipsed by a WA swinger couple who pimped the woman’s young daughter out at swingers parties. The pair were jailed in 2020 for 28 and 26 years respectively.

Another infamous Perth paedophile, known as the father in the Evil 8 ring, was jailed for 22-and-a-half years in 2016 for sexually abusing his daughter, and pimping her out to others through online advertisements.

https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/western-australia/one-of-wa-s-worst-paedophiles-to-spend-decades-behind-bars-20221130-p5c2ib.html

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305fdc  No.17853206

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17827652

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson's awkward silence to pointed question as Beijing cracks down on COVID protests

A top Chinese official was left dumbfounded when asked about the anti-government protests which have engulfed the country over the past week, as the Chinese Communist Party begins a brutal crackdown on those involved.

Amy Landsey - November 30, 2022

A Chinese foreign ministry representative was left in a stunned silence after a pointed question about the ongoing protests against the country’s stringent zero-COVID mandate.

Spokesman Zhao Lijian was in the midst of his regular press conference when he was asked the offending question by a Reuters journalist.

“Given the widespread display of anger and frustration at the zero-COVID policies in recent days across China, is China thinking about ending it and if so, when?” the reporter asked.

Mr Zhao was left dumbstruck for 30 seconds before asking the question to be repeated.

The spokesman eventually gave a very careful and deliberate response after almost a minute had passed since the question was first asked.

“What you mentioned does not reflect what actually happened,” he said.

“China has been following the dynamic zero-COVID policy.”

Prominent political scientist Ian Bremmer said on Twitter the minister was “censoring himself” before the Chinese Communist Party did.

The exchange did not appear in the transcript of the press conference published to the Chinese foreign ministry’s website.

The CCP have begun a brutal crackdown on dissidents as they try to stymie the rare nationwide display of unrest against COVID-19 restrictions and Xi Jinping himself.

Chinese authorities have reportedly begun tracking down people who attended the protests, with reports of Beijing police officers calling protesters and asking them to report to a station.

At least 10 Chinese universities have sent students home with the intention of conducting the rest of the semester online.

Authorities have largely managed to quell the protests which exploded across the country after the death of 10 people in an apartment fire in Xinjiang province.

The protests were the largest anti-government protests since the deadly 1989 Tiananmen Square movement and are an incredibly rare occurrence in Chinese public life.

China’s stringent COVID-19 restrictions were widely blamed for the deaths after video circulated of emergency responders delayed from reaching the victims due to lockdown measures.

https://www.skynews.com.au/world-news/china/chinese-foreign-ministry-spokespersons-awkward-silence-to-pointed-question-as-beijing-cracks-down-on-covid-protests/news-story/73aeecf27b190c550efd14e7c28df561

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6KRKrSymb0

https://twitter.com/ianbremmer/status/1597666211151892480

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202211/t20221129_10982804.html

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8bec5c  No.17856596

File: c711ee10a05129a⋯.jpg (425.06 KB, 1454x1360, 727:680, 21_12_copy.jpg)

File: 34fca05bdd1b96a⋯.png (2.24 MB, 4228x1134, 302:81, Screen_Shot_2022_09_11_at_….png)

File: 9bc6c3cec4f677f⋯.png (7.4 MB, 1938x1978, 969:989, Screen_Shot_2022_08_28_at_….png)

File: 3549620544a3ee0⋯.png (1.12 MB, 938x1052, 469:526, Screen_Shot_2022_10_13_at_….png)

File: 18ef38736d48937⋯.png (3.4 MB, 1899x1688, 9:8, Screen_Shot_2022_11_25_at_….png)

Symbolism will be their downfall TheOrionLines.com

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305fdc  No.17857905

File: 38c93f04e7f8106⋯.jpg (158.05 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Julian_Assange_s_father_Jo….jpg)

File: 01fb853f31f3528⋯.jpg (115.61 KB, 1280x853, 1280:853, While_he_had_no_personal_s….jpg)

>>17853189

Anthony Albanese's appeal to end Julian Assange pursuit a test of Australia-US relations, family say

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has raised the issue of the United States' pursuit of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with its officials, arguing "enough is enough".

AAP / SBS - 30 November 2022

Julian Assange's family and supporters are positioning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's call for the United States to resolve its long-running legal pursuit of the WikiLeaks founder as a test of Australia-US relations.

The 51-year-old Australian has been in London's Belmarsh prison since 2019 as he continues to fight extradition to the US where he's wanted on espionage charges.

Mr Albanese has previously opted for quiet diplomacy in his efforts to secure Mr Assange's release but told parliament this week he had raised the matter personally with US government officials.

While he had no personal sympathy for Mr Assange's actions, Mr Albanese said the issue had gone on for too long and "enough was enough".

"My position is clear, and has been made clear to the US administration, it is time this matter be brought to a close," he told parliament on Wednesday.

"This is an Australian citizen … what is the point of continuing this legal action, which could be caught up now for many years into the future?"

Mr Assange's father John Shipton welcomed Mr Albanese's intervention but questioned whether the US would listen.

"Drop the charges. Return Julian home. We now get to see Australia's standing in Washington, valued ally or not," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Assange Campaign solicitor Stephen Kenny said words must be backed by action.

"Action from the United States will determine if our Prime Minister has any influence in our relationship with the United States. For Julian's sake, I sincerely hope he does," he said.

Independent MP Monique Ryan quizzed the prime minister about the matter, asking if the government would intervene to bring Mr Assange home.

"Journalists obtaining and publishing sensitive information is in the public interest and essential to democracy," she said on Wednesday.

"Julian Assange is still detained in Belmarsh prison, charged by a foreign government with acts of journalism … his freedom will only come from political intervention."

Mr Albanese said he would continue to make representations and diplomatic efforts to bring the matter to a conclusion.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/anthony-albaneses-appeal-to-end-julian-assange-pursuit-a-test-of-australia-us-relations-family-say/1v03njuik

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305fdc  No.17857908

File: 74abb262a48f495⋯.jpg (136.05 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, The_Quad_leaders_Anthony_A….jpg)

‘Big deal’: World leaders head to Sydney in bid to push back on China

Matthew Knott - December 1, 2022

Three of the world’s most powerful leaders – US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – will travel to Sydney next year for a historic summit with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal Albanese has selected his home town to host the first leaders-level meeting of the Quadrilateral security dialogue to be held in Australia.

Once dismissed as a diplomatic irrelevance, the Quad, as it is commonly known, has emerged as a key vehicle for the four democratic member nations to collectively push back against China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has decried the grouping – which represents a total population size of 1.8 billion – as an “Indo-Pacific NATO”, accusing it of “trumpeting the Cold War mentality” and “stoking geopolitical rivalry” in the region.

Sources said, while plans are still being finalised, the summit is expected to be held in late May or early June following the G7 summit in Japan.

The Sydney visit will be the first time Biden has travelled to Australia since he entered the White House almost two years ago and the first such trip by a US president since Barack Obama’s in 2014.

Albanese has invited Biden to deliver a speech to a joint sitting of parliament in Canberra while in Australia.

Modi, who last visited Australia in 2014, is expected to hold an event with Australia’s large and growing Indian diaspora during the trip.

The government set aside $23 million for the summit in the October budget, reflecting the significant logistical and security challenges involved in running the event.

“This is a big deal for Sydney and for Australia,” Michael Fullilove, the executive director of the Lowy Institute, said, noting the Quad summit will be the most significant diplomatic gathering in Sydney since the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation forum in 2007.

Fullilove said Albanese had a packed year of diplomacy ahead, with two trips planned to India as well as visits to the United Nations in New York and the next international climate change conference in Dubai.

“The Quad is the most prominent stage of all: four powerful countries with four influential leaders,” he said.

Previous Quad summits have produced plans for the nations to work together on tracking illegal fishing vessels, create a reliable supply chain for critical minerals and partner on technologies to tackle climate change.

Albanese, who made a point of choosing to live at the Lodge rather than Kirribilli House, has been keen to elevate the status of the nation’s capital.

But Canberra was ruled out as an option for the Quad summit because it does not have enough suitable accommodation for the foreign leaders’ sizable entourages.

Biden typically travels overseas with his presidential limousine, known as “the beast”, and a motorcade of dozens of vehicles.

Biden hosted the first in-person Quad leaders’ meeting in Washington last year, followed by a meeting in Tokyo in May just days after Labor’s election victory.

Michael Green, the chief executive of the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre, said: “The combined power of these four maritime democracies is a reminder to China it could face a united front if it pushes too hard.”

Green, who played an important role in the formation of the Quad as an adviser to George W. Bush, said the grouping represents a “fantastic bargain” for Australia, offering an equal seat at the table as three of the world’s biggest economies and military powers.

Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, has said the Biden administration sees the Quad as a “foundation upon which to build substantial American policy in the Indo-Pacific region”.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has said Beijing regards the Quad as “one of the most consequential challenges to Chinese ambitions in the years ahead”.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/big-deal-world-leaders-head-to-sydney-in-bid-to-push-back-on-china-20221130-p5c2il.html

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305fdc  No.17857918

File: dfcdff3c2e2ff57⋯.jpg (1.28 MB, 2730x4096, 1365:2048, FirfpWBWIAQCMpS.jpg)

File: ca5dd243b9d12c4⋯.jpg (1.55 MB, 4096x2731, 4096:2731, FirfqZPWIAIiRJ1.jpg)

File: 466119939217780⋯.jpg (3.21 MB, 3950x2728, 1975:1364, FiqJlNtVIAAWMcn.jpg)

US Rear Admiral Richard Seif raises closer submarine ties under nuclear deal

PAUL GARVEY - DECEMBER 1, 2022

The man in charge of the US Navy’s submarines in Asia and the Pacific says America is willing and able to substantially expand its ties with its Australian submarine counterparts as the country prepares to enter the world of ­nuclear-powered subs.

Rear Admiral Richard Seif said the US Navy was prepared to consider significantly lifting the number of Australian sailors aboard its boats and was open to stationing Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines in Australian waters, leaving the door wide open for Australia to pursue far deeper connections with the US Navy under the AUKUS deal.

The Australian on Wednesday was granted rare access to the USS Mississippi, one of the US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines, as part of its visit to Perth.

The vessel – arguably the most technically complex boat ever built – was described by Admiral Seif as the “apex predator” of the region thanks to its incredible combination of range, stealth and firepower.

The timing of the USS Mississippi’s visit to Perth comes just months out from the release of Australia’s Defence Strategic ­Review in March, which will set a path prioritising investment in the nation’s military capability.

The Virginia-class submarines like the USS Mississippi are the hot favourite to ultimately be selected as the design for Australia’s new nuclear submarines under the AUKUS agreement.

Admiral Seif said AUKUS promised to build on the existing strong ties between the Australian and US submarine forces.

“US submarines have been coming here to Perth, and Australian submarines have been coming to Hawaii and our US ports, for decades,” he said.

“We‘ve been working very closely with each other literally for decades, riding each other’s submarines, visiting each other’s ports and working together, exercising together, and being interchangeable as an undersea com­bat force.

“I would just think of AUKUS as a natural extension of that relationship we already have and a logical next step in the sequence.”

Moored alongside two of Australia’s diesel-powered Collins-class submarines at HMAS Stirling naval base on Garden Island off the coast of Perth, the most striking difference between the USS Mississippi and the existing Australian boats is the size.

At almost 115m long and weighing 7800 tonnes, she is twice the weight and about half as long again as the Collins boats.

But the most important difference is the USS Mississippi’s ­nuclear propulsion system. That gives the boat an effectively unlimited range: the only limitation on how long it can spend at sea is the amount of food it can hold on board for the crew.

It can also carry a serious amount of firepower, including torpedoes, missiles and mines, and is designed to deploy special forces such as Navy Seals for ­covert operations.

Beyond its obvious operational advantages, any Collins class crew who end up making the switch to a future Australian navy Virginia-class sub will also be able to enjoy the unlimited amount of fresh water on board thanks to the onboard reverse osmosis water filter that draws on the submarine’s nuclear power. It offers the prospect of showers and laundry as and when needed, a luxury that has typically been out of reach for submariners.

For all the USS Mississippi’s technical complexity, there are some startlingly simple components on board. The periscopes, for example, are operated with off-the-shelf Xbox controllers that cost only a tiny fraction of the bespoke controllers originally ­designed for the boat.

Australian crew already get the opportunity to serve in many onboard roles on board the USS Mississippi and other Virginia-class boats, in specific roles such as sonar, and Admiral Seif said that could well be expanded into other roles as part of the AUKUS deal. “I certainly think that’s a ­viable model and a logical step to expand that … to the full ship including the engine room,” he said.

Among those taking a close look at the USS Mississippi on Wednesday was Commodore Tom Phillips, the Royal Australian Navy’s director-general of submarines.

“With every visit we get more and more interoperable, and that interoperability now moves towards our learning and how to be a suitable steward of nuclear submarines,” he said, praising the idea of Australian submariners working with US counterparts.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/us-rear-admiral-richard-seif-raises-closer-submarine-ties-under-nuclear-deal/news-story/e5e43c09c4d84f5ffca44487a7419a18

https://twitter.com/DefenceAust/status/1597334957093158913

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305fdc  No.17857927

File: 3425a69ee3ceacb⋯.jpg (681.02 KB, 2000x1334, 1000:667, Lt_General_Nina_M_Armagno.jpg)

>>17613444

US Military Chiefs Say Australia Key to Space Rivalry With China

Ben Westcott - December 1, 2022

Australia is a critical asset for the US in the growing strategic competition with China over space, with top US military leaders warning Beijing’s technology is advancing “very, very quickly” to close the capability gap.

US Space Force’s Lt. General Nina M. Armagno said Australia’s geographical position and research capabilities represented a “pot of a gold at the end of the rainbow” for the two countries’ strategic interests in space defense.

Armagno, the Director of Staff for US Space Force, said Australia’s location in the southern hemisphere was vital to the US for “space domain awareness,” the ability to track and monitor all objects, satellites and debris in close orbit to the Earth.

“This is prime country for space domain awareness,” she said at an interview in Canberra on Thursday.

Speaking at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, US Space Command Deputy Commander Lt. General John E. Shaw said the primary difficulty for his command was “understanding what is happening in our domain,” saying it took a “concerted effort” to regularly monitor the space around Earth.

The two generals were in Australia for meetings with their local counterparts and defense officials.

Australia and the US have strengthened their security relationship in recent years amid growing strategic competition with the Chinese government in the Asia Pacific. In September 2021, the US, UK and Australia announced a three-way security partnership which included a plan to work together to build Canberra a fleet of nuclear submarines by 2040.

At the same time, India and Japan have joined Australia and the US to reform the Quad partnership, a group designed to help regional democracies collaborate on China’s rise.

Shaw said while the Chinese government had fielded very few satellites even a few decades ago, Beijing’s space capabilities were rapidly becoming more sophisticated. “They’ve advanced very, very quickly,” he said. In January, China’s moon lander became the first to detect the presence of water on the orbiting body.

The deputy commander said Australia’s advanced research capabilities were particularly important to US space defenses. “Australia is a leader in quantum computing, we’re going to be using those kinds of technologies in the future,” he said.

Armangno said she believed the close alliance between the US and Australia, among other Western powers, was the “secret sauce” which the Chinese government lacked.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-01/us-military-chiefs-say-australia-key-to-space-rivalry-with-china

https://archive.ph/daf0W

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305fdc  No.17857930

File: d2d1f2d54b1fd72⋯.jpg (557.01 KB, 2500x1667, 2500:1667, Jeffrey_Epstein_in_2004.jpg)

File: 04eb70258658bf8⋯.jpg (1011.52 KB, 2500x1375, 20:11, Jeffrey_Epstein_s_estate_o….jpg)

>>17832909

Jeffrey Epstein's estate agrees to pay the Virgin Islands more than $105 million to settle civil suit

The lawsuit, filed in January 2020, alleged that Epstein created a network of companies and conspired with others to help him carry out and conceal the alleged sex trafficking scheme.

Rich Schapiro, Sarah Fitzpatrick and Diana Dasrath - Dec. 1, 2022

The estate of Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to pay the U.S. Virgin Islands more than $105 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that he used the territory as the base of an extensive sex trafficking operation.

The suit is being settled nearly three years after Denise N. George, the attorney general of the U.S. territory, sued Epstein, a New York financier who died by suicide in 2019 as he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

"This settlement restores the faith of the people of the Virgin Islands that its laws will be enforced, without fear or favor, against those who break them," George said in a statement Wednesday. "We are sending a clear message that the Virgin Islands will not serve as a haven for human trafficking."

Daniel Weiner, a lawyer for the estate, said that the settlement does not include any admission of liability or fault and that the co-executors deny any allegations of wrongdoing.

"The co-executors ultimately concluded that the settlement is in the best interests of the estate, including its creditors and claimants, to avoid the time, expense and inherent uncertainties of protracted litigation," Weiner said. "The settlement is consistent with the co-executors’ stated intent and practice since their appointments to those roles — to resolve claims related to any misconduct by Jeffrey Epstein in a manner sensitive to those who suffered harm."

Under the terms of the settlement, Epstein's estate will pay the Virgin Islands $105 million in cash, as well as half of the proceeds from the sale of Little Saint James, one of two private islands Epstein owned, George's office said in a statement. The estate also agreed to pay $450,000 to repair environmental damage around Great Saint James, the other Epstein-owned island.

The lawsuit, filed in January 2020, alleged that Epstein created a network of companies and conspired with others to help him carry out and conceal the alleged sex trafficking scheme. The so-called Epstein Enterprise transported dozens of women and girls as young as 12 to his estate on Little Saint James, where they were forced to engage in sexual acts, the suit said.

"Epstein engaged in a pattern and practice of trafficking and abusing young women and female children on this private, secluded island of Little St. James where Epstein and his associates could avoid detection of their illegal activity from Virgin Islands and federal law enforcement and prevent these young women and underage girls from leaving freely and escaping the abuse," the suit said.

Epstein, who was found hanged in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan in August 2019, was previously charged by New York prosecutors on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges. He was facing up to 45 years in prison if he were convicted.

The prosecutors in that case said Epstein, who was 66 at the time of his death, sexually abused dozens of underage girls at his properties in New York and Florida in the early 2000s. He was also accused of paying many of his victims to recruit others, allowing him to build a vast network of women to exploit.

Epstein bought Little Saint James, off St. Thomas, for $7.95 million in 1998, NBC News reported. He went on to build a vast estate featuring a 24,000-square-foot private residence, two pools, a spa and a blue-striped structure that drew intense scrutiny online.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/jeffrey-epsteins-estate-agrees-pay-virgin-islands-105-million-settle-c-rcna59491

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-s-bizarre-blue-striped-building-private-island-raised-n1037511

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305fdc  No.17857946

File: c53c4afefdf1963⋯.mp4 (6.15 MB, 720x1080, 2:3, AFP_reveals_top_grooming_t….mp4)

File: db7915892daac55⋯.jpg (243.61 KB, 1620x1080, 3:2, Commander_Hilda_Sirec_desc….jpg)

File: 68d685b17d736dd⋯.jpg (249.85 KB, 1620x1080, 3:2, AUSTRAC_Law_Enforcement_an….jpg)

Australian Federal Police Operation Huntsman shuts down organised crime syndicates exploiting children

Lillian Rangiah - 1 December 2022

1/2

Australian Federal Police (AFP) have shut down more than 500 bank, financial services and digital currency accounts involved in the sexual extortion of Australian teenagers.

The AFP said international criminal syndicates were coercing children into sending sexualised images and payments to offenders posing as other young people, then blackmailing them into sending money.

The AFP's own Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) has seen a 100-fold increase in reports of similar "sextortion" crimes this year compared to last, with an average of more than 100 reports over each month of 2022.

But the AFP feared the true number of victims was even higher, with low proportions of minors reporting crimes to police.

"Criminals offshore, purporting to be teenagers, are connecting with Australians online and asking for naked images and videos," the AFP said in a statement.

More than 500 Australian-based financial accounts, which had been sending money from victims to the crime syndicates offshore, have now been closed by the AFP and Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), working with the financial sector, as part of the AFP-led Operation Huntsman, which began in June this year.

The AFP said about 100 people were responsible for the accounts.

Commander Hilda Sirec described the syndicates running the scheme as "highly organised criminals".

She said no arrests had been made, and some account operators still may not know why their accounts were suspended.

She urged minors who were victims of the crime to contact police, and reassured them that they would not be in trouble.

AUSTRAC Law Enforcement and Industry National Manager Jon Brewer said individual blackmail demands were typically for amounts from $50 to $1,000, and sometimes up to $10,000, with many victims asked to foot multiple payments.

Mr Brewer said some of the 100 "money mules" operating the now-closed accounts were themselves sextortion victims who could not pay their blackmailers.

"One of the ways that the offenders will say this is, 'if you can't afford it, then use your bank account to move these funds'.

"Some of those people are victims themselves, which is why we're approaching it with a lot of sensitivity," Mr Brewer said.

He said in one case, a money mule received payments from more than 140 victims.

While no arrests have so far been made, Commander Sirec said the mass account closures were "just the beginning" of the AFP's operation.

"We're taking an early advice out knowing that Christmas is around the corner and we want to make sure that our children have the abilities to keep themselves safe.

"We will be targeting these individuals and making sure that we can provide the information to our international law enforcement so they can take action."

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17857947

File: 0fe0d3cf953d828⋯.jpg (819.73 KB, 2481x3508, 2481:3508, 0001.jpg)

File: 0911d9c4ffacad7⋯.jpg (763.82 KB, 2481x3508, 2481:3508, 0002.jpg)

>>17857946

2/2

AFP raising awareness in high schools

The AFP is also engaging with high schools Australia-wide to raise awareness of the criminal activity.

Authorities are now working to track down the details of about 1,000 more accounts helping to move money offshore.

In a statement, the AFP said it was "extremely concerned" about the rise in reports of the organised criminal activity, labelled "sextortion".

"Offenders have traditionally been involved in this crime for sexual gratification, however, the offshore criminal networks driving the new surge in cases are seeking to profit financially from the victims," the statement said.

"The offshore criminal syndicates are blackmailing teenagers with threats to share their content unless they send the offenders money, gift cards or online gaming credits.

"The offending often starts with a direct message on social media but can escalate very quickly once a victim has engaged.

"The teenage victim is usually asked to continue chatting on a different app where the conversation becomes highly sexualised and the victim is coerced into self-generating child abuse material.

"Once an offender has received a compromising image, they will use it to blackmail the victim with threats to share the picture or video with the friends and family on their social media contacts list unless they pay.

"In some instances, offenders have doctored images to make the victim appear to be in even more compromising positions," the statement said.

The AFP said sextortion had been linked to cases of self-harm in Australia and overseas.

Children as young as 10 targeted

AFP data suggested more than 90 per cent of victims were male and aged between 15 and 17.

But children as young as 10 had also been targeted.

The AFP said it was unable to provide information about specific blackmail demands, but the payments tended to be sums teenagers would typically consider to be costly.

"The amount is then negotiated down to a limit the victim could pay. The demands for payment do not stop after an initial money transfer, with offenders continuing to blackmail a victim until they are blocked."

In other instances, children who had run out of money to pay had been pressured into committing crimes to foot the blackmail bill.

Commander Sirec urged parents of victims to be supportive.

"We know the offenders will try and make your child feel isolated from their trusted networks," she said.

"Your child is a victim of online child sexual exploitation and they need your support.

"These situations can be very distressing and can have long-term impacts, and need to be addressed appropriately," Commander Sirec added.

Commander Sirec said children should not pay blackmail demands as it would not make the offending stop.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-01/afp-operation-huntsman-crime-syndicates-exploiting-children/101720046

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/afp-and-austrac-target-offshore-sextortion-syndicates-preying-australian

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305fdc  No.17858006

File: 16ccfe3d6c4b86d⋯.jpg (130.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brittany_Higgins_left_and_….jpg)

Bruce Lehrmann retrial to be dropped over Brittany Higgins health fears

SARAH ISON and KRISTIN SHORTEN - DECEMBER 1, 2022

The retrial of Bruce Lehrmann for the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins is reportedly not going ahead, with charges against the accused expected to be dropped.

In an announcement on Thursday, the office of ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold revealed that a short statement would be made outside the court on Friday – the same morning a secret application regarding the trial was due to be heard.

News.com.au reported Mr Drumgold was expected to drop the charge against Mr Lehrmann after receiving medical evidence on how a second trial scheduled for February would impact Ms Higgins’ mental health.

The evidence included psychiatric advice that the retrial would pose an unacceptable risk to Ms Higgins and her mental wellbeing.

The office of the DPP confirmed in an email to media that Mr Drumgold would “make a media statement … regarding the matter of R v Lehrmann”.

“Mr Drumgold will read a short pre-prepared statement and will not be taking questions,” the email read.

The DPP did not respond to questions from The Australian on the nature of the media statement and whether the case would be withdrawn.

ACT Chief Justice Lucy McCallum last week revealed a ­secret application regarding the criminal trial would be heard on December 2, with media dis­allowed from attending or reporting on the matter.

Chief Justice McCallum said that non-publication orders had been made in respect of an application filed on November 22, forbidding publication of the content of the application and evidence intended to be given in support of the application.

Mr Lehrmann’s lawyers were contacted for comment, and said they were waiting to hear the content of the DPP’s announcement themselves.

Mr Lehrmann trial was aborted in October because of misconduct by a juror.

Mr Lehrmann had pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexual intercourse without consent.

Chief Justice McCallum said one jury member had brought documents on sexual assault claims into the jury room, despite explicit instructions not to conduct research outside the trial.

The case was rescheduled for February 20, with Mr Drumgold saying he intended to pursue the matter again.

Less than a month after the trial was rescheduled, the Australian revealed the ACT government was rushing to amend its Evidence Act in a move suspected to be aimed at making it easier to retry Mr Lehrmann.

The change of legislation would mean that testimony given by a complainant in court could be recorded and deemed admissible in a retrial, which would allow Ms Higgins’ previous evidence – ­delivered in person in October – to be used again and free her from ­attending court or facing another cross-examination by Mr Lehrmann’s lawyers.

It is unclear whether such a bill could pass the ACT Legislative Assembly before the rescheduled trial began.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins supported the law change this week, pointing to the “retraumatising” effect of making sexual assault complaints in court and in the workplace.

After the trial was rescheduled, Ms Higgins made a statement outside court regarding her experience with the justice system.

In response, Mr Lehrmann’s legal team referred her speech to the court and the Australian Federal Police over concerns that her statement could prejudice the ­future trial and might even be considered in contempt of court.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/bruce-lehrmann-retrial-to-be-dropped-over-brittany-higgins-health-fears/news-story/8d97138daac6428935670047af2460b6

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305fdc  No.17862843

File: 335e78205b88330⋯.jpg (1 MB, 4240x2832, 265:177, The_Australian_Federal_Pol….jpg)

File: 1133621f8ce78b9⋯.jpg (60.06 KB, 700x467, 700:467, Neil_Prakash_is_alleged_to….jpg)

File: 7e6e8ad33c8d0d3⋯.jpg (283.87 KB, 1280x853, 1280:853, Federal_Police_officers_ac….jpg)

>>17807269

Judge orders extradition of alleged Islamic State terrorist Neil Prakash from Darwin to Melbourne

Jano Gibson - 2 December 2022

A Darwin court has been told alleged Islamic State fighter Neil Prakash has had his Australian citizenship reinstated, as a judge approved his extradition from Darwin to Melbourne to face terrorism-related charges.

Mr Prakash, 31, was extradited overnight from Türkiye, formerly Turkey, and appeared before the Darwin Local Court via videolink from a police station this morning.

He was wearing a white T-shirt and remained seated with his hands behind his back throughout the proceedings, with a Northern Territory police officer by his side and a masked police officer in the background.

Prosecutor Naomi Low asked Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris to approve Mr Prakash's extradition to Melbourne to face six terrorism-related charges.

The court heard he was accused of engaging in hostile activity in a foreign state, being a member of the Islamic State terrorist group, entering a foreign country to engage in hostile activities and committing a terrorist act.

He is also accused of providing support to the Islamic State terrorist group and entering a prohibited area in Syria.

The charges relate to a period between 2014 and 2016.

The chief judge told the court that before approving his extradition, she had to be sure that the man appearing via videolink was Mr Prakash.

When she asked him to confirm his identity, he said nothing and stared towards the ground.

The judge then asked a Victoria Police officer attached to the Joint Counter Terrorism Team to confirm Mr Prakash's identity.

Detective Senior Constable Andrew Gibney told the court he had been involved in the investigation for a year.

"Neil Christopher Prakash, as he is called in Australia, is sitting beside me," he said via videolink from the police station.

The officer said Australian officials had met with Mr Prakash in a Turkish detention centre in recent weeks, where he was told that his Australian citizenship had been reinstated.

His citizenship was stripped from him in 2018.

But it caused a stoush with Fiji where immigration authorities denied claims by the then-Immigration minister Peter Dutton that Mr Prakash had Fijian citizenship through his father. That raised concerns about whether he had been illegally rendered stateless.

The officer said Mr Prakash also had distinctive scars and a tattoo on his chest with the name of a family member.

He said a passport photo held by Australian Border Force had been used to confirm Mr Prakash's identity.

Based on the officer's confirmation, the judge approved his extradition to Melbourne by December 9 to face the Melbourne Magistrates' Court.

Mr Prakash will remain in custody in the Northern Territory until his extradition.

The court was told police needed up to a week to arrange his transportation to mitigate safety concerns for Mr Prakash and the officers involved in his relocation.

Authorities say there is no threat to the community

In a statement issued this morning, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said an investigation began in 2016 when Mr Prakash allegedly travelled to Syria to fight with Islamic State militants.

"The AFP will allege in court that the man committed a range of serious terrorism offences," the agency said in a statement.

"Given the matter is now before the court, no further comment will be made."

The AFP said there was no threat to the Australian community.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan said Australian authorities were "relentless" in pursuing alleged criminals overseas.

"We do have significant players that are offshore that do cause us harm," he said.

"We can actually use our partnerships and use our footprint around the world to track these people down and bring them back here to justice."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-02/neil-prakash-lands-in-australia-to-face-terror-charges/101726282

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305fdc  No.17862857

File: 16ccfe3d6c4b86d⋯.jpg (130.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brittany_Higgins_left_and_….jpg)

>>17858006

Bruce Lehrmann retrial dropped over Brittany Higgins health fears

SARAH ISON and KRISTIN SHORTEN - DECEMBER 2, 2022

1/2

Charges against the man accused of raping former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins at Parliament House have been dropped and Bruce Lehrmann’s retrial – set down for February – will no longer proceed.

At 10am ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, Shane Drumgold SC, delivered a statement outside his office confirming that the matter of R v Lehrmann will not be prosecuted again next year as planned.

After delivering his statement Mr Drumgold refused to take questions.

“I need to consider the harm that could be occasioned particularly from an ongoing prosecution,” Mr Drumgold said.

“I’ve recently received… compelling evidence from two independent medical experts that the ongoing trauma associated with this prosecution presents a significant and unacceptable risk to the life of the complainant.

“In light of the compelling medical opinions and balancing all factors, I’ve made the difficult decision that it is no longer in the public interest to pursue prosecution with the risk to the complainant’s life.”

Mr Drumgold confirmed he had filed a notice declining to proceed with the retrial.

He said that during the investigation and trial, Ms Higgins had faced a level of personal attack “that I’ve not seen in over 20 years of doing this”.

“She’s done so with bravery, grace and dignity,” he said.

Mr Drumgold said he believed there was a “reasonable possibility” of conviction when he first examined the evidence in June 2020.

“This is a view I still hold today,” he said.

Ms Higgins’ friend Emma Webster said she was receiving treatment in hospital and would not be providing a statement.

Speaking on Ms Higgins’ behalf, Ms Webster said it was disappointing how the trial had ended but her friend’s health had to come first.

“Brittany is in hospital getting the treatment and support she needs,” said Ms Webster.

“The last couple of years have been difficult and unrelenting.

“While it’s disappointing the trial has ended this way, Brittany’s health and safety must always come first.

“Brittany is extremely grateful for all the support she has received, particularly from our mental health care workers.”

A secret application regarding the trial was due to be heard this morning but by yesterday had been removed from the daily court list.

Mr Lehrmann’s defence told the Australian they were still “working through” the developments and Mr Drumgold’s statement.

After his arrest Mr Lehrmann had told police the case had “rocked my world” and driven him to contemplate suicide.

The original trial, before ACT Chief Justice Lucy McCallum, was aborted in October due to juror misconduct.

Chief Justice McCallum said one of the jury member had brought documents on the topic of sexual assault claims into the jury room, despite explicit instructions not to conduct research outside the trial.

The matter was immediately set down for retrial on February 20.

Ms Higgins alleged that Mr Lehrmann raped her in a senior minister’s office at Parliament House in the early hours of March 23, 2019.

The 27-year-old alleged the assault occurred in the office of her boss at the time, then-defence industry minister Linda Reynolds, after a night out drinking with colleagues in Canberra shortly before the 2019 election.

In February 2021 Ms Higgins went public with her allegations, telling media outlets that she had “woke up mid-rape essentially” on the minister’s couch sometime after security guards had let the pair into the building.

After going public, Ms Higgins made a formal complaint to police and called for the alleged perpetrator to “face the full force of the law”.

Mr Lehrmann was last year charged with “sexual intercourse with Brittany Higgins, without her consent, and [that he] was reckless as to whether she had consented”.

Mr Lehrmann, who was facing 12 years in jail, has always denied that any form of sexual activity took place at all.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17862858

File: 63ce2f54c412b34⋯.jpg (123.82 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Bruce_Lehrmann_s_retrial_h….jpg)

>>17862857

2/2

Less than a month after the trial was rescheduled, the Australian revealed the ACT government was rushing to amend its Evidence Act in a move suspected to be aimed at making it easier to retry Mr Lehrmann.

The change of legislation would mean that testimony given by a complainant in court could be recorded and deemed admissible in a retrial, which would allow Ms Higgins’ previous evidence – ­delivered in person in October – to be used again and free her from ­attending court or facing another cross-examination by Mr Lehrmann’s lawyers.

It is unclear whether such a bill could pass the ACT Legislative Assembly before the rescheduled trial began.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins supported the law change this week, pointing to the “retraumatising” effect of making sexual assault complaints in court and in the workplace.

After the trial was rescheduled, Ms Higgins made a statement outside court regarding her experience with the justice system.

In response, Mr Lehrmann’s legal team referred her speech to the court and the Australian Federal Police over concerns that her statement could prejudice the ­future trial and might even be considered in contempt of court.

ACT DPP Shane Drumgold’s statement in full

“Principal considerations in whether or not to continue prosecution are outlined in section two of the ACT Prosecutions Policy.

“Section 2.1 of the policy states the decision to prosecute should not be made lightly or automatically but only after due consideration.

“Broadly there are two considerations as outlined in section 2.4 of the prosecution policy which states the decision to prosecute must be understood as a two-stage process.

“First, does the evidence offer a reasonable prospect of conviction, and if so, is it in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution.

“A non-exhaustive list of considerations for the reasonable prospect of conviction test are found at 2.7 of the prosecution policy and the public interest test can be found at section 2.9 of the prosecution policy

“I closely considered the reasonable prospect of conviction test when I first examined the brief of evidence in the week of the 21st June 2021 and I formed a clear view that there was a reasonable prospect of conviction and this is a view that I still hold today.

“The non-exhaustive list of public interest tests includes section 2.9 paragraph P being the actual or potential harm occasioned to any person as a result of the alleged offence which in this context includes the actual or potential harm occasioned by the ongoing prosecution of an alleged offence.

“In short I need to consider the harm that could be occasioned to a party, particularly a complainant from an ongoing prosecution.

“I’ve recently received compelling evidence from two independent medical experts that the ongoing trauma associated with this prosecution presents a significant and unacceptable risk to the life of the complainant.

“The evidence makes it clear that this is not limited to the harm of giving evidence in a witness box, but rather applies to whether or not the complainant is required to enter a witness box during a retrial.

“Whilst the pursuit of justice is essential for both my office and for the community in general, the safety of a complainant in a sexual assault matter must be paramount.

“In light of the compelling independent medical opinion and balancing all factors, I’ve made the difficult decision that it is no longer in the public interest to pursue a prosecution at the risk to the complainant’s life.

“This has left me no option but to file a notice declining to proceed with the retrial of this matter which I’ve done this morning.

“This brings the prosecution to an end.

“Before concluding, during the investigation and trial as a sexual assault complainant Ms Higgins has faced a level of personal attack that I’ve not seen in over 20 years of doing this work.

“She’s done so with bravery, grace and dignity and it is my hope that this will now stop and Ms Higgins will be allowed to heal”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/bruce-lehrmann-retrial-to-be-dropped-over-brittany-higgins-health-fears/news-story/8d97138daac6428935670047af2460b6

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305fdc  No.17862913

File: b24c7de35d69376⋯.jpg (3.22 MB, 5310x3479, 5310:3479, Alan_Dershowitz.jpg)

File: 2dae5edbdaa41af⋯.jpg (202.89 KB, 2000x1379, 2000:1379, Virginia_Giuffre.jpg)

File: dd2ab3d4ae81cec⋯.jpg (119.89 KB, 902x902, 1:1, Donald_Trump_with_Alan_Der….jpg)

Alan Dershowitz: 'Prince Andrew should not have paid Virginia off'

The retired Harvard law professor speaks out for the first time since Giuffre lawsuit dropped

TOM GROSS - DECEMBER 01, 2022

1/2

“A great weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Alan Dershowitz told the JC this week.

The distinguished retired Harvard law professor was speaking out for the first time after Virginia Giuffre dropped her lawsuit against him, following an eight-year legal battle.

Last month, Giuffre admitted that she “may have made a mistake” when she accused Dershowitz of having had sex with her.

Dershowitz said that he believed that Giuffre had dropped her case at the urging of her lawyers, after he had painstakingly gathered travel and other records.

These, he said, irrefutably proved he could not possibly have been in the exotic places where she claimed to have had sex with him, including the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s Caribbean island and New Mexican ranch.

Dershowitz told the JC that he believed that she knew her credibility would be “ripped to shreds” if she proceeded to trial.

“She claimed to have had sex with me on seven specific occasions when I have never met her in my life and I have the documents to prove it,” he said during the interview in Tel Aviv.

When Giuffre first made her accusations, in 2014, Dershowitz was 76 and had retired from Harvard a year earlier. Presidents Clinton and Obama were among those who had written him letters of praise in 2013 wishing him a happy retirement.

“Instead, in the years that followed, my reputation was trashed, my family suffered, my retirement plans were ruined, and my health was affected,” Dershowitz said.

Although his lawsuit was abandoned, that was not true of the case against Prince Andrew.

Earlier this year, the Duke of York, while continuing vigorously to deny Giuffre’s claims, reportedly paid her more than $12 million to drop her civil action against him.

Much, if not all, of that payment was believed to have been provided by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. But Dershowitz said he believed the Duke was ill advised to settle.

“Prince Andrew’s lawyers should have looked much more carefully at Giuffre’s credibility and probed very deeply into it,” Dershowitz told the JC.

“It was critical to look carefully at everything she has said regarding the Epstein case, and that would include the accusations against Andrew. Paying her money in this situation will be seen by many as an admission of guilt.

“Even on legal grounds alone, Andrew should not have agreed to settle. The law was on Andrew’s side, the case could have been dismissed. She claimed she was living in Colorado when she has been living in Australia for the last 20 years.”

To bring a lawsuit in a US federal court against a non-American or non-resident, as Giuffre did against Andrew, the plaintiff has to be living in America at the time of launching the case, explains Dershowitz.

“Andrew was not well advised,” he said. “Or if he was, he rejected the advice.

“Quite possibly, he was pressured by his late mother into making a settlement in the hope the whole thing would go away and he could return to royal duties.”

As well as Prince Andrew and Dershowitz, Giuffre had accused former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, former Northern Ireland peace envoy and Democrat senator George Mitchell, former US Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, and other high-profile figures of having had sex with her, after the late disgraced financier Epstein allegedly paid her to do so.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17862916

File: 280090d101f36e2⋯.jpg (76.36 KB, 852x227, 852:227, Q_1132.jpg)

File: d1ad268f30c8266⋯.jpg (242.81 KB, 852x638, 426:319, Q_1137.jpg)

File: 7826a0943f010b6⋯.jpg (160.16 KB, 852x288, 71:24, Q_2659.jpg)

File: ed58d0c0c5a3c90⋯.jpg (173.15 KB, 852x376, 213:94, Q_4923.jpg)

>>17862913

2/2

Dershowitz is now 84, as mentally sharp as ever and still very physically fit. He has been happily married for 40 years and has no reputation as a flirt. Instead, he is seen as a serious intellectual and a committed lawyer.

And in a 50-year career at Harvard, where approximately 10,000 students were taught by him, and where he had many female research assistants, secretaries, law clerks and colleagues, not a single complaint has ever been lodged against him for personal misconduct, he said.

“People have criticised me politically, in particular when I defended Israel, but never for my personal behaviour,” he pointed out.

Nonetheless, some did believe the accusations, especially after Netflix screened a much-hyped four-part documentary on Epstein, devoting a segment to the accusations against Dershowitz.

Politics may have played a role, too. In the past, Dershowitz was admired by many for defending some very unsympathetic clients, on the grounds that everyone deserves a fair trial.

Among them were Claus von Bülow, Leona Helmsley, OJ Simpson, Michael Milken, Mike Tyson, Patty Hearst, Julian Assange and Epstein himself, for whom Dershowitz negotiated a plea deal when his client was first charged in 2005. After that, Dershowitz said he wanted nothing to do with Epstein, whom he had first met in the mid-1990s when the financier was organising seminars on evolutional biology at Harvard.

Dershowitz has also represented pro bono respected human rights activists like Natan Sharansky and Vaclav Havel, and has been a lifelong defender of civil liberties.

But in recent years, as a new “cancel culture” atmosphere has arisen, there are people who aim to “cancel” a lawyer for representing someone they don’t like, he said.

So when Dershowitz was hired by President Donald Trump to represent him at his impeachment hearings, many longtime close friends of Dershowitz completely shut him out of their lives.

Various prominent Jewish venues in New York have disinvited him from giving talks on antisemitism or Israel, subjects on which he is an expert.

Dershowitz is a liberal democrat, and not a supporter of Trump.

In November 2016, at an election night soirée in his New York apartment, he and almost everyone present was rooting for Hillary Clinton to win.

He has not changed his view since, though he acknowledged that some of Trump’s initiatives, notably relating to foreign policy, have been successful.

https://www.thejc.com/news/world/alan-dershowitz-prince-andrew-should-not-have-paid-virginia-off-6ut5uxGFNSWYo9YgegESCl

https://qanon.pub/?q=Welcome aboard.

https://qanon.pub/?q=dershowitz

https://qanon.pub/?q=Dearest Virginia

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305fdc  No.17869613

File: 963fd6ba283fe50⋯.jpg (305.79 KB, 3000x1949, 3000:1949, Britain_has_given_the_go_a….jpg)

File: b01806fc0bb9b3e⋯.jpg (39.83 KB, 728x472, 91:59, In_2021_a_British_judge_ru….jpg)

>>17853189

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeals US extradition to European Court of Human Rights

Reuters / abc.net.au - 3 December 2022

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is battling extradition from Britain to the United States where he is wanted on criminal charges, has submitted an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Mr Assange, 51, is wanted by US authorities on 18 counts, including one under a spying act, relating to WikiLeaks' release of vast troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables that Washington said had put lives in danger.

Britain has given the go-ahead for his extradition, but he has launched an appeal at London's High Court, with the first hearing expected early next year.

His legal team has also launched a case against Britain at the ECHR, which could potentially order the extradition to be blocked.

"We confirm that an application has been received," a statement from the court said.

Stella Assange, his wife, said she hoped the ECHR would not be needed to consider the case and that it could be resolved in Britain.

If the case was taken to the ECHR, she said it "would be a sad day and a major disappointment".

Mr Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton said earlier this week he believed US authorities would want to avoid the case going before the ECHR, as the European media and public were more sympathetic to his cause than those in Britain or the United States.

"I would imagine the US wants to avoid that … trying to extradite a publisher from Europe for publishing US war revelations when the US is asking Europe to make all sort of sacrifices for the war in Ukraine," Mr Shipton said.

In January 2021, a British judge ruled Australian-born Mr Assange should not be extradited, saying his mental health meant he would be at risk of suicide if convicted and held in a maximum security prison.

But that decision was overturned after an appeal by US authorities who gave a package of assurances, including a pledge he could be transferred to Australia to serve any sentence.

The extradition was then ratified in June by the then-British home secretary after the government said the courts had concluded it would not be unjust or an abuse of process, and that he would be treated appropriately.

Australia seeking Assange's release

WikiLeaks first came to prominence in 2010 when it released hundreds of thousands of classified files and diplomatic cables in what was the largest security breach of its kind in US military history.

US prosecutors and Western security officials regard Mr Assange as a reckless enemy of the state whose actions imperilled the lives of agents named in the leaked material.

Mr Assange's supporters say he is an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised because he exposed US wrongdoing in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that his prosecution is a politically motivated assault on journalism and free speech.

He spent seven years holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden where he was wanted for questioning over a sexual assault investigation that was later dropped.

However, he was dragged out and jailed in 2019 for breaching bail conditions, and has been held in prison in London ever since while his extradition case is decided.

The case has gained prominence this week with major media outlets that had originally worked with Mr Assange over the leaked material writing an open letter to say his prosecution should end.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had raised the issue with US officials, saying the matter should be brought to a close.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-03/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-appeals-extradition-echr/101730378

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305fdc  No.17869625

File: e7eb69e8bf78295⋯.jpg (157.05 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, According_to_diary_notes_t….jpg)

>>17858006

Police doubted Brittany Higgins but case was ‘political’

JANET ALBRECHTSEN and STEPHEN RICE - DECEMBER 3, 2022

1/2

The most senior police officer on the Brittany Higgins case believed there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Bruce Lehrmann but could not stop the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions from proceeding because “there is too much political interference”, ­according to diary notes made by the ACT Police Manager of Criminal Investigations, Detective Superintendent Scott Moller.

In a separate executive briefing last year, Superintendent Moller advised that investigators “have serious concerns in relation to the strength and reliability of [Ms Higgins’] evidence but also more importantly her mental health and how any future ­prosecution may affect her ­wellbeing”.

On Friday the ACT DPP, Shane Drumgold SC, withdrew the charges against Mr Lehrmann, citing concerns for Ms Higgins’ mental health, so his retrial – set down for February – will no longer proceed. The original trial was aborted in October due to juror misconduct.

The executive briefing lists a series of concerns by senior police, including that Ms Higgins had ­repeatedly refused to provide her original mobile phone; had ­deliberately deleted messages from a second phone; had lied about seeking medical attention after the incident; and had joked about wanting “a sex scandal” a month before the incident. Some became issues at the trial.

The briefing, dated June 9, 2021, states that “there is limited corroborative evidence of sexual intercourse taking place or ­consent being withdrawn or not provided”.

An attached minute signed by Detective Inspector Marcus Boorman, the investigation manager assigned to the case, states: “Investigators at this juncture have a number of concerns ­regarding inconsistencies in disclosures and other evidence ­obtained during the investigation. In light of the issues identified, ­serious concerns exist as to whether there is sufficient ­evidence to prove the alleged ­offence.”

The documents obtained by The Weekend Australian also ­reveal that Ms Higgins texted boyfriend David Sharaz in May last year saying: “F..k it, if they want to play hard ball I’ll cry on The Project again because of this sort of treatment.”

None of the texts or the police doubts about the case were ­revealed to the jury.

Superintendent Moller made notes of a conversation with his boss, ACT Deputy Chief Police Officer Michael Chew, on June 17 last year while discussing Operation Covina – the Higgins/Lehrmann sexual assault case.

At that point in the investigation, The Weekend Australian understands, more than half of the witness list had yet to be interviewed by police, but it appears the DPP, led by Mr Drumgold, had ­already decided to prosecute.

In the diary note, Superintendent Moller wrote: “Insufficient evidence to proceed.

“DCPO [Mr Chew] advised he had a meeting with DPP who ­stated they will recommend ­prosecution. DCPO stated ‘if it was my choice I wouldn’t proceed. But it’s not my choice. There is too much political interference’. I said: ‘That’s disappointing given I think there is insufficient evidence’.”

The following day Superintendent Moller forwarded a copy of the interim brief of evidence to Commander Andrew Smith to conduct an independent review of the investigation. The result of that review is not known.

Ms Higgins first spoke to police on April 1, 2019, a week after the events at Parliament House, but informed them two weeks later she did not wish to continue with the allegations. On February 5, 2021, she re-engaged with police, telling them she had been interviewed by the media and didn’t want to do an evidence-in-chief interview until her interview with The Project host Lisa Wilkinson had aired on television.

The following day “police ­advised Ms Higgins the intended media events … may jeopardise any subsequent criminal investigation; however Ms Higgins made it clear to police she was not willing to provide investigators with a formal statement in relation to the allegations until the media stories had been published. Ms Higgins stated that she wanted to ensure the sexual assault investigation was ‘active’ in anticipation of the media events.”

The TV program aired on February 15 and Ms Higgins sat down with police for her evidence-in-chief interview nine days later.

At that interview investigators reiterated to her the need to examine her mobile phone for potential evidence. “Ms Higgins refused to hand over her phone despite being explained the evidential value of the process,” the police report says.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17869628

File: 89012c7e076c4be⋯.jpg (71.28 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Bruce_Lehrmann.jpg)

File: f8ed700f781e2c9⋯.jpg (70.55 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Higgins_with_her_partner_D….jpg)

>>17869625

2/2

The AFP statement of facts prepared by Superintendent Moller reflects police frustration over difficulties in obtaining Ms Higgins’ mobile phone after the interview to extract data.

On March 15, when police had arranged for a second time to meet Ms Higgins to obtain the phone, she failed to turn up or to respond to calls. “During the afternoon on the same date police observed Ms Higgins on commercial television at the March4Justice march at Parliament House,” Superintendent Moller wrote.

“She attended the location and gave a speech to the persons ­present.”

On May 5, 2021, Superintendent Moller was informed that ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates had advised that any contact with Ms Higgins was now to go to her rather than directly to Ms Higgins.

Three weeks later, Superintendent Moller and other detectives met Ms Higgins, who was accompanied by Ms Yates, at the Winchester Police Centre in Canberra, where she gave a second ­interview.

“During this conversation I stressed to Ms Higgins the importance of refraining from participating in any media interviews in relation to this matter,” Superintendent Moller says in his police statement.

On this occasion Ms Higgins handed over a mobile phone.

Police recovered a text ­exchange between Ms Higgins and former boyfriend Ben ­Dillaway dated February 7, 2019, six weeks before the alleged rape, in which the pair joked about wanting a political sex scandal.

“The bar for what counts as a political sex scandal nowadays is REALLY low,” Ms Higgins wrote.

“I want a sex scandal I can be like whoa. Impressive. Didn’t think he had it in him,” Mr Dillaway wrote.

“Exactly! A sex scandal the party can be proud of. Another Barnaby but without the baby haha,” Ms Higgins responded.

On July 12 last year Superintendent Moller again met Ms Higgins and Ms Yates, this time at AFP headquarters in Brisbane to update her on the investigation.

“Ms Higgins advised that any photos taken on the night of the incident were saved on her Google drive attached to her iCloud but she could not recall taking any photos.

“Ms Higgins advised (of) the photo of an injury to her leg she took herself on WhatsApp during budget week, however she could not recall the exact date. Ms Higgins advised she shared this photo with The Project on 19 January 2021.

“Ms Higgins advised she had seven iPhones since 2019, most had been supplied by the government as part of her work and they had been returned when she changed jobs, however Ms Higgins was happy for police to take the old phones she had.”

During the conversation Superintendent Moller showed Ms Higgins text messages ­between herself and Mr Sharaz on May 21, 2021 about her sending him an audio file because she was “clearing out her phone ahead of the police”.

“Ms Higgins told me that the files she had sent to David Sharaz and deleted from her phone related to taped conversations of her talking to various ministers and she was concerned she had committed an offence by taping the ministers so she didn’t want the police to find them.”

Ms Yates returned later that day and handed over two iPhones from Ms Higgins.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/police-doubted-brittany-higgins-but-case-was-political/news-story/3404c395c991a3e85c7f208f965c6e89

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305fdc  No.17869631

File: 27e2ece00548ceb⋯.jpg (1.23 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Six_federal_politicians_fr….jpg)

Government and opposition MPs to visit Taiwan as part of Australian parliamentary delegation

Tom Lowrey - 3 December 2022

Six federal politicians from both Labor and the Coalition will travel to Taiwan next week, in the first visit from an Australian parliamentary delegation in years.

The trip has been organised by Liberal MP Scott Buchholz, and will also include former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, and Labor MPs Meryl Swanson and Libby Coker.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has played down the significance of the trip, noting politicians visiting Taiwan is not unusual.

"There have been backbench visits to Taiwan for a long time, this is another one," he said.

"This isn't a government visit.

"There remains a bipartisan position when it comes to China and when it comes to support for the status quo on Taiwan."

Some of those heading to Taiwan are reluctant to drum up publicity around the visit, noting the political sensitivities.

But they say it is important Australia maintains a close relationship with both mainland China and Taiwan, and be supportive of democracy in the region.

Asked about the intentions of the trip, Mr Albanese said he was not involved.

"I have no idea, I'm not going," he said.

One member of the travelling party said both the government and opposition were informed of the trip, and were "supportive".

The group will fly out on Sunday.

A visit to Taiwan from former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2021 attracted fierce criticism from Chinese officials.

Mr Abbott used the trip to suggest that "nothing is more pressing right now than solidarity with Taiwan".

The latest trip is being welcomed by some security analysts, arguing stabilising Australia's relationship with China means maintaining a normal relationship with Taiwan too.

Michael Shoebridge from Strategic Analysis Australia said making the visit appear routine is the right approach.

"Not announcing this visit before it was just about to happen, and the Prime Minister being quite low-key about it, is matching calmness with Beijing's fury," he said.

"Beijing wants to make it hard to engage Taiwan politically. We need to make it easy."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-03/australian-mps-to-visit-taiwan-parliamentary-delegation/101730950

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305fdc  No.17869647

File: dd8e88f9b1e8ed7⋯.jpg (103.81 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_deputy_prime_minist….jpg)

>>17869631

MPs fly to Taiwan for secretive bipartisan talks

WILL GLASGOW - DECEMBER 2, 2022

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A bipartisan group of Australian politicians will fly to Taiwan on Sunday, ending a more than three-year hiatus that will calm concerns in Taipei that Canberra has sidelined the relationship for fear of upsetting Beijing.

The Weekend Australian can reveal the first group of sitting Australian parliamentarians to visit Taiwan since 2019 will include former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, two Labor members of the Albanese government, Meryl Swanson and Libby Coker, Liberal National Party members Scott Buchholz and Terry Young, and Liberal Gavin Pearce.

During their five-day trip, the group wants to convey Australia’s desire to preserve peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had demonstrated the perilous cost in human life and economic pain of a hot war, said Mr Buchholz, an assistant minister in the Morrison government who helped organise the secretive trip.

“We want peace in the region,” the Queensland MP told The Weekend Australian in an interview in Canberra.

“Australia has many friends. Just because we are friends with Taiwan does not mean we can’t be friends with China,” he said.

The six-person bipartisan delegation will travel with support from Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry. Their visit will include meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

They will also meet with senior trade, security, agriculture and indigenous affairs officials in Taipei, and will visit Taiwan’s world-leading semiconductor industry, a crucial part of the international economy.

Details about the trip have been tightly guarded to deny any opportunity by China’s diplomats in Canberra – as well as their lobbyists in Australia – to pressure the Albanese government to intervene and cancel the trip.

Australian parliamentary visits to Taiwan have become extremely sensitive in Canberra during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s decade in power.

Australia has had only unofficial relations with the liberal democracy of 23 million people since Canberra switched recognition to the People’s Republic of China 50 years ago.

In recent weeks, sources in Taipei had told The Weekend Australian there were concerns within the Tsai government that pressure from Beijing could scuttle the visit.

Trips were impossible in 2020 and most of 2021 because of Covid travel restrictions. The absence since those were relaxed in both Australia and Taiwan has become increasingly discussed in Taipei as multiple delegations from the US, Japan, Canada, Europe and the UK and elsewhere have visited the geopolitical flashpoint.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17869650

File: 2431a15125c9c9e⋯.jpg (136.89 KB, 1000x666, 500:333, Bipartisan_group_of_Austra….jpg)

>>17869647

2/2

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been particularly nervous about the potential of reprisal by China, which claims self-governed Taiwan as its own territory.

Those concerns in Canberra were heightened as Australian diplomats negotiated with their Chinese counterparts over a meeting between Anthony Albanese and Mr Xi at the G20.

While relations between Australia and China have slightly improved, there is still no removal of Beijing’s sanctions on exports previously worth $20bn a year, nor progress towards ­securing the release of imprisoned ­Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun.

The Prime Minister and at least three other members of his cabinet visited Taiwan during 2018 and 2019, including Trade Minister Don Farrell, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor.

Taiwanese officials are expected to ask the Australians in their private ­meetings for clarification on ­Canberra’s position on Taipei’s application to join the giant trade group, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Days after meeting with Mr Xi in Bali, Mr Albanese appeared to suggest Taiwan’s disputed international status made it ineligible to join the trade pact. Those comments were later walked back.

Potential progress on a bilateral free-trade agreement with Australia will also be raised.

Both Singapore and New Zealand have free-trade agreements with Taiwan, Australia’s seventh-largest two-way trading partner.

Taiwanese diplomats have long pointed out that discrepancy to their Australian interlocutors, most recently Canberra’s representative Jenny Bloomfield, whose posting in Taipei will end in the new year without any progress on a trade agreement.

John Toigo, chair of the Australia-Taiwan Business Council, recently spoke of his frustration when engaging Canberra on a free-trade agreement during the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments and now with the new Albanese government.

“The retort we get … is that it’s a question of when, not if,” Mr Toigo told The Weekend Australian. “But that sort of line has been going on for a good many years, and there doesn’t seem to be any traction whatsoever on that. We just think the government should get on with it.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/mps-fly-to-taiwan-for-secretive-bipartisan-talks/news-story/c11ca8514724c24918caff1c9f631faa

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305fdc  No.17869695

File: 3403744ff9399e6⋯.jpg (3.14 MB, 4256x2832, 266:177, Virginia_Elementary_School….jpg)

File: 32de258ec7830d8⋯.jpg (405.72 KB, 1169x1987, 1169:1987, After_School_Satan_Club.jpg)

Virginia Elementary School Will Offer After-School Satan Club

MARY ROOKE - December 02, 2022

The Satanic Temple has been approved to host an after-school program for students at a Virginia elementary school starting in December, according to reports.

“After School Satan Club” will be offered at B.M. Williams Primary School in Chesapeake, Virginia, beginning on Dec. 15, according to a flyer promoting the club.

The club’s flyer, which “After School Satan Club” national campaign director June Everett posted to Reddit, said the monthly Satanist meetings will teach children “benevolence and empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty, and compassion.”

The “After School Satan Club” flyer describes Satan “as a literary figure who represents a metaphorical construct of rejecting tyranny and championing the human mind and spirit.” Although the club announcement said it “does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology,” it does admit to offering “activities centered around the seven fundamental tenets” of the Satanic Temple.

Everett told NBC affiliate WAVY that the club was organized in response to the formation of a Christian after-school group, the “Good News Club,” at the same Virginia elementary school. She said the Satanic club goes “to schools where other religious clubs are operating” to give an alternative to the Christian-based option, WAVY reported.

“The initial shock is always like, ‘Oh my God, Satan!’ Everett told the outlet. “We do have our deeply held religious beliefs, which are our seven tenants. If you look them over, it’s essentially, ‘be a good person,'” she added.

After parents complained about the Satanic Temple’s club being allowed to operate on school property, Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS) Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton sent a letter to families clarifying that this club is not a school district-approved club but still allowed to host the gathering after hours with parental permission, according to the letter reported on by The Spectator World.

“The School District has long held policies and procedures in place which allow varied community groups to use our publicly funded facilities outside of the school day,” the letter stated. “By law, CPS cannot discriminate based on beliefs among groups wishing to rent our facilities.”

“It is important to note that CPS does not endorse any of the activities or content of groups that host events on school district property outside the instructional day,” the letter added.

The issue over the after-school club was added to the agenda for the school board’s Dec. 12 meeting, WAVY reported. Everett said that, regardless of the meeting’s outcome, “the board doesn’t really get to decide … who has access and who doesn’t,” according to the outlet.

“So while I appreciate that they are letting concerned community members come in and vent, it’s really out of their hands,” Everett continued. “Even if you don’t like us, we’re part of what makes the United States a great country, where you can believe what you want to believe or not.”

CPS parent Joe Lathrop called the satanic after-school club’s claim to be non-religious “intellectually dishonest.”

“Several people have told me that the new Satan after-school club at Golden Hills elementary is not a religion but a philosophy club … Then why did they choose Satan? Why not the Jean Paul Satre [sic] existentialism club? Why not the Descartes club? They put Satan in the name for a reason,” Lathrop wrote on Facebook, according to The Spectator World. “People should stop being intellectually dishonest and just own up to the fact that they want kids to worship Satan as a secular god.”

https://dailycaller.com/2022/12/02/virginia-elementary-satanic-temple-club/

https://www.facebook.com/likith.everett.1/posts/842696856782426

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305fdc  No.17869702

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17869695

‘After School Satan Club’ sparks religious freedom debate in Chesapeake

Club set to launch at B.M. Williams Primary School on Dec. 15

Julius Ayo and Julie Millet - Dec 2, 2022

The announcement of an ‘After School Satan Club’ club at a Chesapeake primary school caused concerned parents to reach out to 10 On Your Side to investigate — so we did.

A flyer advertising the club started circulating on social media promoting the club, which is set to launch at B.M. Williams Primary School on Dec. 15.

“We are non-theistic,” said Rose Bastet, a volunteer organizing the new club. “I understand the apprehension behind the satanic name, but he is just an imaginary figure that we look to because he is the eternal rebel that fought for justice and humanity.”

According to the organizers of the After School Satan Club, this all started when an email promoting the Evangelical Good News Club came to parents from B.M. Williams Principal Brighid Gates back in September. A flyer came along with it, describing the Bible and scripture lessons that are a part of the club.

That’s when National Campaign Director for the After School Satan Club June Everett says she got a call from a school parent asking them to start a club at a school.

“We like to go to schools where there are other religious clubs operating we do know that we went to cause a stir. That is absolutely not a goal,” Everett said.

The point of the club is to offer an alternative to Christian-based groups, Everett said. “The initial shock is always like, ‘Oh my God, Satan!’ We do have our deeply held religious beliefs, which are our seven tenants. If you look them over, it’s essentially, ‘be a good person.”

Everett says she got approval from the school to start the club, but that they won’t distribute the permission slip and flyer for it via email as they did with the Good News Club. The school has yet to comment on that.

The school district did, however, share with us a letter sent to parents from Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton.

In the statement sent to members of the CPS community, Cotton clarified his intent to “maintain transparency.”

Cotton confirmed that the school district approved a building use request from an organization known as the “After School Satan Club” (ASSC) to host gatherings after school hours at B.M. Williams Primary School on North Battlefield Boulevard. The request was approved since the club met the criteria under CPS Board policy regarding community use of facilities.

However, Cotton noted that the ASSC is not a school district-approved club, and no district employee is sponsoring the club.

“The School Board does not approve building use forms and has not voted in this case,” said Cotton.

He also reminded community members of the school district’s long-held policies and procedures allowing varied community groups to use publicly funded facilities outside of the school day.

“This is common practice among school districts around the state and nation. Over the years, different religious groups have requested and been allowed to rent our facilities after hours,” said Cotton. “By law, CPS cannot discriminate based on beliefs among groups wishing to rent our facilities.”

Cotton stated the issue has been added to the agenda in the upcoming school board meeting set for Dec. 12. Community members wishing to speak at the meeting can sign up HERE.

However, Everett says the school board cannot vote on or make any decision related to whether the club is allowed to function.

“This is really out of the hands of the board,” she said. “The board doesn’t really get to decide, under constitutional law, who has access and who doesn’t. So while I appreciate that they are letting concerned community members come in and vent, it’s really out of their hands.”

Everett pointed to the Supreme Court decision in 2001’s Good News v. Milford Central School case. The court ruled then that a school district cannot limit the First Amendment rights of groups wanting access to a school.

“Even if you don’t like us, we’re part of what makes the United States a great country, where you can believe what you want to believe or not,” she said.

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/chesapeake/cps-superintendent-speaks-out-regarding-after-school-satan-club-at-local-primary-school/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8qXotvXyYM

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305fdc  No.17874286

File: 9a22258b3b39d79⋯.jpg (159.76 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, US_Secretary_of_Defence_Ll….jpg)

File: deeb1edbb90e1b7⋯.jpg (83.3 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_B_21_which_the_Pentago….jpg)

>>17857918

Australian nuclear subs high priority for US

ADAM CREIGHTON - DECEMBER 4, 2022

Delivering Australia nuclear submarines “as early as possible” was high on the US government’s agenda as it braced for an intense period of competition with China, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed after unveiling the next generation of US stealth bombers.

A few days before defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong were due to visit Washington for annual Ausmin talks with their US counterparts, Mr Austin said in a speech that the US was determined to “bend the arc of history toward liberty” in defiance of Beijing.

China was “the only country with both the will and, increasingly, the power to reshape its region and the international order to suit its authoritarian preferences”, Mr Austin said at a defence conference at the Reagan National Defence Forum in California on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).

“So let me be clear: We will not let that happen.”

In his remarks the US Defence Secretary highlighted the AUKUS agreement with Australia and the UK, whereby the three nations promised in September last year to boost their defence co-operation, including supplying Australia with nuclear-powered submarines by 2040, as a counterpoint to Beijing’s growing power and aggression.

“We‘re charting the best pathway for Australia to acquire a nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarine as early as possible – all while upholding the highest non-proliferation standards,” Mr Austin said.

Mr Marles will separately take part in the first meeting of AUKUS defence ministers along with UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, in Washington, likely to be the last such meeting before the government releases early next year the specific design and procurement process for replacing to the ageing Collins Class submarines.

Mr Austin’s remarks came a day after the Defence Secretary unveiled the next generation of US stealth bombers, the first in three decades, the B21 Raider, developed jointly with Northrop Grumman, at a cost over the life of the production schedule at least $US203 billion, according to estimates provided to Bloomberg.

“Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft. And even the most sophisticated air-defence systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky,” Mr Austin said, in separate remarks in Palmdale north of Los Angeles on Friday night, after a dramatic evening showcasing that gave the public its first glimpse of the new aircraft.

“We will soon fly this aircraft, test it, and then move it into production. And we will build the bomber force in numbers suited to the strategic environment ahead”.

The batwing shaped aircraft, which will be able to carry both conventional and nuclear bombs, is part of a modernisation program of US defence forces aimed to make “it plain to any potential foe: The risks and costs of aggression far outweigh any conceivable gains”, Mr Ausin said.

The Defence Secretary’s California trip came at the end of a week the Pentagon released its annual update on the size and potential of the Chinese military, which included estimates that the People’s Liberation Army would maintain a stock of around 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, more than triple the current level.

“These next few years will set the terms of our competition with the People’s Republic of China. They will shape the future of security in Europe,” Austin said, reiterating US determination to keep supplying Ukraine with weapons and economic aid for so long at Kyiv determined it would continue to defend itself against Russia’s invasion.

“And they will determine whether our children and grandchildren inherit an open world of rules and rights — or whether they face emboldened autocrats who seek to dominate by force and fear.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/australian-nuclear-subs-high-priority-for-us/news-story/49aafb4afb4322fd13f2f66177594b4c

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305fdc  No.17879013

File: e24ccd25ab534ea⋯.jpg (684.59 KB, 2982x1988, 3:2, Brittany_Higgins_outside_t….jpg)

>>17858006

Brittany Higgins seeking $3 million in compensation claim

'Peter Hartcher, James Massola, Rachel Clun and Angus Thompson - December 4, 2022

Lawyers for former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins have given notice that they will sue former Liberal ministers Linda Reynolds and Michaelia Cash as well as the Commonwealth for about $3 million.

While the criminal case alleging that Higgins was raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann will not proceed, her lawyers have indicated that they will pursue a claim in civil court this month.

In documents sent to the two former ministers and the Commonwealth, Higgins’ lawyers have set out an intention to sue for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, disability discrimination, negligence, and victimisation.

People familiar with the documents have told this masthead that they claim about $2.5 million for future economic loss, past economic loss approaching $100,000, general damages of $100,000, future assistance with domestic duties of some $200,000, and past and future out-of-pocket expenses of a further $150,000 approximately.

Senator Reynolds, who was Higgins’ employer at the time of the alleged rape, said: “I confirm that I was advised in March this year by Blumers law firm, who act for Brittany Higgins, of a civil claim by Ms Higgins against me and other parties.

“However, proceedings have yet to be filed. Blumers advised me on Friday that their client intends to progress the civil claim this month.”

Higgins’ lawyer Noor Blumer threatened to seek an injunction to stop this masthead publishing the story.

A spokesperson for the Department of Finance said the department “manages all claims sensitively and consistently with the Legal Services Directions 2017”.

“The Department does not confirm nor deny the existence of claims in order to respect the personal privacy of claimants and uphold its obligations in any legal process.”

Cash was contacted for comment.

The Morrison government agreed to give the two former ministers Commonwealth indemnity against any such claims so that they would not be liable personally. Both are now in opposition.

The statute of limitations in the ACT expired in March, meaning that Higgins could not have brought a claim after that date. But both former ministers and the Commonwealth agreed to waive the time limit.

A date has been set for mediation between the parties on December 13. Sources close to Reynolds said that she had agreed to a time extension that would expire on Tuesday. This means that Higgins’ lawyers would need to file their case in court by then.

After leaving the staff of Reynolds, who was serving as Defence Minister at the time, Higgins took a job with Senator Cash.

Higgins had accused fellow former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann of raping her in the office of their then-boss, Reynolds, in Parliament House in the early hours of March 23, 2019, after a night out drinking with colleagues.

Lehrmann faced one charge of sexual intercourse without consent. He denied ever having sex with Higgins, maintained his innocence and described himself as behaving like a “gentleman” on the night.

It’s understood Lehrmann is also contemplating civil remedies to redress his loss of reputation and employment.

Lehrmann’s trial was cut short on October 27 after 12 days of evidence and submissions in the ACT Supreme Court and five days of deliberations because of juror misconduct.

On Friday, the ACT’s Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold announced a second trial of Lehrmann would be aborted and the charges dropped because of serious concerns for Higgins’ mental health.

Drumgold said it was no longer in the public interest to continue because of the risk to Higgins’ life.

In a statement posted to Instagram on Sunday Higgins said she believed the odds of securing a conviction were slim. “The criminal justice system has long failed to deliver outcomesin sexual assault cases,” she said.

“I knew the odds were stacked against me from the outset. In the ACT during 2020, only 16 per cent of sexual offences reported to police resulting in a charge. And of that 16 per cent - only half of that number again - resulted in a conviction. That is to our national shame.”

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/brittany-higgins-seeking-3-million-in-compensation-claim-20221204-p5c3jc.html

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305fdc  No.17879042

File: a44aa458a916e0a⋯.jpg (2.28 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Mr_Trump_announced_on_Nove….jpg)

File: 7ad3db3b087fab4⋯.jpg (79.98 KB, 679x521, 679:521, trump.jpg)

File: ea878e25a958419⋯.jpg (251.49 KB, 825x718, 825:718, KE_1.jpg)

File: 79c1f3a73d0bb07⋯.mp4 (2.12 MB, 848x448, 53:28, 7rYhYIXgflr4blVh.mp4)

Donald Trump calls for end of US Constitution due to 'massive fraud' in 'false and fraudulent' 2020 presidential election

Jason Dasey - 5 December 2022

1/2

Donald Trump has suggested a "termination" of the US Constitution, earning a sharp rebuke from the White House as the former president revisits debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election that he lost.

Having steered largely clear of his election defeat in a speech on November 15 when announcing he would be running again for president in 2024, Mr Trump took to his social media platform to declare himself "the rightful winner" two years ago.

He said it was time to "throw out" the 2020 presidential election results or to hold a "new election".

"A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution," Mr Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

"Our great 'Founders' did not want, and would not condone False & Fraudulent Elections!"

Later on Saturday, White House spokesman Andrew Bates slammed Mr Trump's statement, calling the US Constitution a "sacrosanct document".

"Attacking the constitution and all it stands for is anathema to the soul of our nation and should be universally condemned," Mr Bates said.

"You cannot only love America when you win."

In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Mr Trump doubled down on his comments and distanced himself further from leadership within his own Republican Party, baiting Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to weigh in.

"I wonder what Mitch McConnell, the RINOS (Republicans in name only), and all of the weak Republicans who couldn't get the Presidential Election of 2020 approved and out of the way fast enough, are thinking now?" Mr Trump wrote.

Mr McConnell has infuriated the former president by indirectly criticising him after hosting a dinner on November 22 at his Mar-a-Lago resort with rapper Kanye West — who had made a series of anti-Semitic remarks — and Holocaust-denying White nationalist Nick Fuentes.

Mr Trump has since denied inviting Mr Fuentes or being aware of his background, saying that Mr Fuentes just followed Mr West — now known by the name of Ye — into the resort as an extra guest.

At the dinner, Mr West reportedly berated Mr Trump for not doing enough to help the January 6 rioters who wanted to stop then vice-president Mike Pence from certifying the 2020 election results that would confirm Joe Biden as the 46th US president.

Nine days later — last Thursday — Mr Trump came out vigorously in support of those convicted in the attacks on the US Capitol in a message to a right-wing political group.

In a video played at a fundraiser held by the Patriot Freedom Project, Mr Trump said the January 6 rioters were being dealt with "very unfairly" by the courts.

"People have been treated unconstitutionally in my opinion and very, very unfairly, and we're going to get to the bottom of it," he said in the video, shot in his office in front of a framed photo of him and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17879043

File: 313305e2f135eee⋯.jpg (552.35 KB, 3481x2457, 3481:2457, Donald_Trump_says_the_US_C….jpg)

File: ac92bc235d84688⋯.jpg (2.44 MB, 4197x2798, 3:2, Mr_Trump_dined_with_rapper….jpg)

File: 78ecdf66abe5bba⋯.jpg (382.59 KB, 3000x2000, 3:2, Kanye_West_seen_here_at_th….jpg)

>>17879042

2/2

In a September interview, Mr Trump said that he would consider issuing pardons and providing an official apology to January 6 defendants if re-elected president and was "financially supporting" those involved.

According to this year's January 6 hearings held by Congress, Trump supporters acted violently after believing "the big lie" that the 2020 election was "stolen", despite a lack of evidence and a multitude of failed legal challenges.

Mr Trump's posts came after Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, announced that he would show how the social media platform had suppressed "free speech" in the run-up to the 2020 election by favouring the Democratic Party in blocking explosive content.

That included reports of damaging material found on the laptop of Hunter Biden, the once-wayward son of the current US president, as first reported by the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post.

Republicans hope that fresh revelations about Hunter Biden's possible former links to Ukraine and his other salacious activities could give them a political edge when they retake the House of Representatives in early 2023, possibly leading to congressional hearings.

But the Republican Party's underwhelming performance in last month's midterm elections — it narrowly won the House but was unable to retake control of the Senate because of the flop of so-called MAGA candidates — has weakened Mr Trump's once unchallenged position as conservative kingmaker.

Some of the losing candidates — including former TV anchor Kari Lake who was beaten by Democrat Katie Hobbs in the Arizona Governor race — have followed the Trump playbook by refusing to concede defeat while claiming widespread election fraud without evidence.

Mr Trump is also fighting multiple legal challenges on state and federal levels, including an investigation into why he took classified government documents to his Florida property after leaving the White House in January 2021.

He also saw the US Supreme Court last week reject his request to block a congressional committee from obtaining his federal income tax returns, which promise to inflict more political damage in the final days of the Democrat-held House.

Even so, an Emerson College poll released on November 22 gave Mr Trump a 30-percentage-point lead over his potential challenger Ron DeSantis — the Florida governor — in a hypothetical 2024 Republican primary.

But he trailed Mr Biden by 4 points in a possible presidential election rematch in 2024 when Mr Trump would be 78 years old and Mr Biden would be turning 82.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-04/donald-trump-constitution-january-6-republican-party/101731192

https://twitter.com/KyleEva15011506/status/1598631992274423809

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305fdc  No.17879059

File: 2198056980b6fe6⋯.jpg (111.54 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_Prime_Minister….jpg)

File: c83ef463f1b0ee9⋯.jpg (189.81 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Demonstrators_take_part_in….jpg)

>>17869631

Beijing says Australia is ‘playing with fire’ over Taiwan visit

BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 5, 2022

Beijing has warned a bipartisan visit to Taiwan by a group of Australian politicians will undermine efforts to repair Australia-China ties, accusing the delegation of spreading “plague and pestilence” and declaring Australia is “playing with fire”.

Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece The Global Times lashed Anthony Albanese’s failure to oppose the visit, which includes two Labor backbenchers, accusing him of playing “a game of words” in playing down the trip.

The group includes former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, two Labor members of the Albanese government, Meryl Swanson and Libby Coker, Liberal National Party members Scott Buchholz and Terry Young, and Liberal Gavin Pearce.

Their trip is the first by an Australian delegation since 2019, and follows the Prime Minister’s breakthrough meeting with Xi Jinping in Bali last month, where the two leaders committed to stabilising the Australia-China relationship.

In a strident editorial, the paper warned the visit would “cast a shadow on the China-Australia relationship that has seen some positive momentum just recently”.

“Those who play with fire will perish by it,” the editorial said.

“The politicians from certain countries who visit Taiwan to seek limelight are like political god (sic) of plague and pestilence.

“They bring nothing but risks and tension to Taiwan and no benefit to their own countries, and they also hijack their own countries’ China policy.

“As the Australian MPs’ Taiwan visit is under way, it has already generated negative impacts on the China-Australia relationship.

The delegation arrived in Taiwan on Monday, meeting the territory’s Agriculture Minister, Dr Chi Chung Chen, for talks that were expected to cover Taipei’s bid to join one of the world’s biggest trading blocs - the Comprehensive and Progressive Agree­ment for trans-Pacific Partnership.

The MPs are travelling with support from Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry. Their itinerary includes meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

Mr Albanese batted away questions on the trip on Saturday, saying such visits had been going on for some time.

“This isn’t a Government visit. There remains a bipartisan position when it comes to China and when it comes to support for the status quo on Taiwan,” he said.

Asked what the purpose of the trip was, Mr Albanese replied: “I have no idea. I’m not going. You should ask them.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/beijing-says-australia-is-playing-with-fire-over-taiwan-visit/news-story/31034d2aaa013c6ca4d714cea7dfe4c3

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305fdc  No.17879065

File: 41f7f4d23153ae2⋯.jpg (110.9 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, With_lawmakers_Taiwan_visi….jpg)

>>17869631

>>17879059

With lawmakers' Taiwan visit, Australia should stop playing with fire before the fire starts to burn

Global Times - Dec 05, 2022

According to media reports, a delegation of Australian members of parliament (MPs) arrived in the island of Taiwan on Sunday. The six-member delegation includes members of the center-left ruling Labor Party, as well as the conservative opposition Liberal Party and its ally the National Party.

The visit comes at a time when China and Australia are endeavoring to mend bilateral ties which have dropped to the lowest ebb in the past three years. Just last month, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Then on the sidelines of the G20 summit, Chinese and Australian heads of state met, which analysts believe will help end the diplomatic deep freeze between the two countries. The meeting was described by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese himself as "positive and constructive."

Undoubtedly, the Australian lawmakers' visit to Taiwan will cast a shadow on the China-Australia relationship that has seen some positive momentum just recently. Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the Global Times that the visit - a provocative act by some anti-China forces in Australia - serves to show unity with some forces in some countries that supports the "Taiwan independence."

The visit comes right after some British lawmakers' visit to Taiwan, and it shows that in Australia there are also forces that side with 'Taiwan independence,' trying to create an embarrassing scenario for China," said Chen. "Meanwhile, the visit stresses 'bipartisan' as it has members from both parties. Also, as each lawmaker represents their own constituency, this creates a false impression that it is the Australian public's opinion to support 'Taiwan independence.'"

After the media exposure of the visit, Albanese has tried to play down the significance of the visit, saying that it is a "backbench" delegation and that the visit is not a "government" one.

But Qin Sheng, executive research fellow at the Center for Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that although these lawmakers do not hold cabinet positions, they have strong party affiliations and government background and their behavior is inevitably part of the government's behavior. Chen also believes that as the delegation is scheduled to meet Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen and the island's senior official in charge of external affairs Joseph Wu to discuss issues such as security, the visit goes far beyond the ordinary people-to-people exchanges under the one-China principle.

Albanese also reiterated Australia's bipartisan support of the one-China policy, but against the backdrop of this bipartisan visit, such reiteration sounds pale and more like a game of words. Albanese did not explicitly oppose the visit, but adopted an ambiguous attitude - he himself played down the visit in the hope of letting it go without attracting too much attention.

Lithuania's experience provides a cautionary tale for Australia. Since May 2021, Lithuania has pushed its relations with China to the edge of a cliff. It has not only provoked China in matters relating to Taiwan and Xinjiang, but also sent ministerial-level officials to Taiwan. Worse, it even allowed Taiwan to open a "Taiwanese Representative Office" in its capital Vilnius. Nonetheless, according to Lithuanian Radio and Television (LRT) on Wednesday, Lithuania's Economy Minister Aušrine Armonaite told local media in late November that "it's impossible to completely eliminate China" and he hoped that "trade with this country will recover." As early as in January, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda admitted that Lithuania has made a mistake by allowing Taiwan to open an office in Vilnius.

Those who play with fire will perish by it. The politicians from certain countries who visit Taiwan to seek limelight are like political god of plague and pestilence. They bring nothing but risks and tension to Taiwan and no benefit to their own countries, and they also hijack their own countries' China policy. As the Australian MPs' Taiwan visit is under way, it has already generated negative impacts on the China-Australia relationship.

Chen said that Australia should start to think about how to repair ties before China responds to the visit in a firm and harsh manner, and that is what a responsible and accountable government is supposed to do. Australia should stop playing with fire before the fire starts to burn.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281103.shtml

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305fdc  No.17879078

File: 30319fe2e1482ef⋯.jpg (122.42 KB, 1112x667, 1112:667, Albanese_criticized_for_in….jpg)

>>17869631

>>17879059

Albanese criticized for insincerity on improving ties with Beijing amid his attempts to distance himself from Taiwan-visiting delegation

Xu Keyue - Dec 04, 2022

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, instead of expressing explicitly his opposition to a reckless visit made by a bipartisan delegation of Australian politicians to the island of Taiwan, has tried to distance himself from the delegation by stressing the trip is not by the government and he "has no idea" of the trip's intention.

Considering Albanese's vague and cop-out remarks which will undoubtedly encourage the arrogance of anti-China forces and pro-Taiwan secessionist forces in Australia, there is a big question mark hanging over Australia's sincerity on improving its relations with China, Chinese observers said.

According to Australian media, in the first visit by Australian members of parliament (MPs) since 2019, six federal MPs from the Coalition and Labor arrived in Taiwan island by flight on Sunday.

The group includes former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, Labor MPs Meryl Swanson and Libby Coker, Liberal National Party members Scott Buchholz and Terry Young, and Liberal Gavin Pearce, Australian media outlet the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Saturday.

In response, Albanese claimed on Saturday morning at a press conference, "It isn't a government visit; there remains a bipartisan position when it comes to China and when it comes to support for the status quo on Taiwan [region]."

Asked why the Australian MPs were going, Albanese said: "I have no idea. I'm not going. You should ask them."

Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Sunday that although according to the so-called tripartite system in the West, the prime minister or the president may not be able to directly block lawmakers' moves, the head of state, in this case, can explicitly express his opposition to the visit, calling it an inappropriate behavior.

But Albanese apparently is opportunistic by merely playing down the visit amid concerns the trip will anger Beijing for challenging the one-China principle after relations between the two countries have begun to improve in recent months, Chen noted.

Although not under the rubric of the Australian government, the latest trip is definitely not a people-to-people visit as it includes senior politicians who will reportedly meet with Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen and the island's senior official on external affairs Joseph Wu, Chen pointed out.

The trip echoes the pro-Taiwan secessionist forces in Australia and the world, and tries to hollow out the one-China principle, Chen said.

The trip exposes that within the Australian government there are anti-China forces trying to obstruct the improvement of Beijing-Canberra ties at a time when ties are moving toward detente.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met and held formal talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia on November 15, the first talks between leaders of the two countries since Malcolm Turnbull was Australian prime minister in 2016.

The high-level interaction can be regarded as a top-down change and a major turning point in their relationship, but while the downward trend has been effectively stopped, there is still limited room for improvement considering Canberra's provocative moves in following the US-led "Indo-Pacific Strategy," observers believe.

Although the trip is not expected to be put in the same class as US house speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to the island of Taiwan in August, "there is a big question mark over Australia's sincerity in improving relations with China," Chen said.

If the hard-won warming of China-Australia ties are harmed by such reckless moves, the national interests of Australia will again suffer, and Canberra will take the consequences, Chen warned.

Pelosi's provocative Taiwan trip set a dangerous trend where parliamentarians of some Western countries have visited the island in succession under the influence of anti-China forces.

For example, a delegation from the UK's House of Commons visited the island in disregard to China's firm opposition in late November. In response, the Chinese Embassy in the UK on November 30 condemned the trip as being "a flagrant violation of the one-China principle and a gross interference in China's internal affairs, and it sent a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence.'"

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281102.shtml

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305fdc  No.17879090

File: a01b06e3d8b4f8f⋯.jpg (63.14 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Rienthong_Nanna_as_picture….jpg)

File: 116c8557ce793fe⋯.jpg (85.29 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Jack_is_the_victim_of_a_Th….jpg)

A ruthless Thai vigilante wants to retire in Australia. Victims who fled here say he must be stopped

Chris Barrett - December 5, 2022

1/2

A Thai vigilante whose followers threatened critics of the monarchy and their families with death and rape, driving dissidents into exile, says he wants to spend his twilight years in Australia.

Victims and activists are petitioning the Australian government to deny Rienthong Nanna the ability to enjoy retirement in Perth, claiming he is not a fit and proper person. They say he has engaged in and encouraged hate speech, and supported the pursuit of critics of the monarchy throughout Thailand and internationally “whatever the consequences”.

Rienthong, a doctor and former major general in the Thai army who runs a family-owned hospital in Bangkok, established the “Rubbish Collection Organisation” in the weeks before the May 2014 coup to target critics of the monarchy. He has used a large Facebook following to target “rubbish”: perceived enemies of the monarchy, who he said needed to be swept up and removed. Followers in their thousands would attack the targets, both online and in person, and launch lawsuits under Thailand’s harsh royal defamation laws.

One victim, Krittanai Thepsai, known as “Jack” where he now lives in Geelong, said attacks by Rienthong’s group had led him to seek asylum in Australia.

The online army of loyalists was mobilised against him in 2014 after he was critical of the then king Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016.

He said Rienthong posted personal information about him and he was subjected to death threats and a warning that a group of men would break into his house in Chiang Mai and rape his 16-year-old daughter. He was also falsely linked to a bombing case and is afraid he would be abducted and killed if he returned to Thailand.

“I cannot believe Rienthong could get a visa to Australia,” he said.

Defending his plans on social media Rienthong, 63, said his father bought property in Perth in 1992 and he would split his time between there and Bangkok in retirement.

He said enjoying retirement outside Thailand “doesn’t mean I hate the nation,” an accusation he has levelled at political opponents and targets of his organisation’s campaigning who have fled from persecution, prosecution or both.

“I am not migrating, running away from charges, seeking asylum or escaping jail … . I only want to take my family to clean my parents’ house and keep it from deterioration,” he said.

He outlined a desire to look after his mother’s roses and eat lobster when in Australia but vowed to return to Thailand “whenever there was threat to the throne”.

He added in a post to his 162,000 Facebook followers: “A dictator like me is welcomed by the Australian government”.

When contacted by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age by telephone, Rienthong declined an interview, branding suggestions that he was moving to Australia as “fake news”.

Writing on Facebook he claimed there was an international network out to get him and prevent him from travelling to Australia, Europe and the United States and that the Australian government should not believe what was said about him.

Thai dissidents and exiles internationally are up in arms about his Australian plans.

A loose coalition of Thai activist groups in Europe, the United States and Australia have written to Australia’s ambassador in Bangkok, Angela Macdonald, calling for Rienthong’s status to be re-considered.

“His use of social media is full of hate speech and dehumanisation of people who hold different values to him,” one letter reads. “His actions are clearly divisive, discriminating and against Australian values.”

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has personal intervention powers, which can be deployed after cases are brought before a review tribunal.

They are only used sparingly, though, and when approached about Rienthong, a ministerial spokesperson said Giles was unable to comment on individual matters for privacy reasons.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17879093

File: 3b9f04ecd946010⋯.jpg (160.46 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Pisarn_Thanathavornlarp_wh….jpg)

File: d556c062e49518c⋯.jpg (132.6 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Thailand_s_King_Maha_Vajir….jpg)

>>17879090

2/2

The Thai monarchy is protected by the world’s harshest royal defamation laws, which carry penalties of between three and 15 years’ jail for each offence. Critics of the lese-majeste law say it has been used for political purposes and to silence debate, and charges spiked after the 2014 coup and the 2020 youth protest movement raised questions about the power and wealth of the new monarch, King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Hundreds of Thais fled the country after the coup, and at least nine critics of the monarchy have been forcibly disappeared in neighbouring Laos and Cambodia; the bodies of two were found gutted and stuffed with concrete in the Mekong River. The government has consistently denied any involvement.

Pisarn Thanathavornlarp, a former gym instructor in Bangkok, left Thailand for Sydney after he was set upon over a social media post he made in 2014.

He said his comment was ironic and metaphorical in nature and not a direct critique of the monarchy but after Rienthong posted his phone number online he was bombarded with threatening calls.

Worried about his safety and suffering mental health problems, he was briefly ordained at a monastery. But after lese-majeste charges were pressed against him, he moved to Australia, fearing he would be sent to prison.

“If Rienthong didn’t post, it wouldn’t have that much impact. Because it was Rienthong, strangers just came in and cursed me via Facebook. My life changed completely,” said Pisarn, who goes by the name Max in Sydney.

Pisarn described Rienthong as an “extremist” and questioned how he could be permitted to visit or reside in Australia.

“Who can guarantee that Rienthong, in this country, won’t try to do this again? Who can ensure he won’t try to crack down on people who are critical of the monarchy in Thailand?” he said.

“Since he’s the one pushing people out of the country, why doesn’t he stay in the country? You shouldn’t come here, you should just stay in Thailand.”

Rienthong styled himself as Thailand’s answer to Van Helsing, a fictional doctor turned vampire hunter, and told the Bangkok Post he saw himself “as the person who sweeps the dusty floor”.

“When I first sweep it, the dust will be blown all over the place. But once I get the dust in the same pile, the floor will look cleaner.”

He added in the 2014 interview: “The royal institution is not a political institution, but the current political conflict has dragged the monarchy into the fray. Thailand needs the royal institution to be able to survive. Otherwise people would kill each other for power. The monarchy is the centre of hope, and we need that in order to move on.”

One of the targets of Rienthong’s online attacks, Somsak Rachso, found the vigilante’s reach transcended borders after he was forced to leave a job in Sydney when criticism intensified in 2016 after the death of the previous king.

The ABC reported at the time Somsak’s former boss had safety concerns for staff and customers after Rienthong posted: “Thai people there [in Australia] – don’t associate with him, don’t give him or his family a job.”

Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai academic and well-known royal critic living in exile in Japan, is among those who has written to the Australian embassy in Bangkok about Rienthong, saying “so many lives have been affected by his hyper-royalist actions”.

“The list is long when it comes to the fascist behaviour of Rienthong, who has relied on [the] lese-majeste law to eliminate his opponents,” he wrote.

“His behaviour will not be tolerated in any true democratic countries in the world … which, as I assume, includes Australia.”

https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/a-ruthless-thai-vigilante-wants-to-retire-in-australia-victims-who-fled-here-say-he-must-be-stopped-20221204-p5c3fk.html

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305fdc  No.17879103

File: 3bd926ba0076e77⋯.jpg (153.3 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Former_Hillsong_pastor_Bri….jpg)

File: 2c954d9fb57302c⋯.jpg (140.33 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Complainant_Brett_Sengstoc….jpg)

Police knew of allegations against Hillsong founder Brian Houston’s father, court told

Jenny Noyes - December 5, 2022

The number of people with knowledge of child sexual abuse committed in the 1970s by Pentecostal pastor Frank Houston, the father of Hillsong founder Brian Houston, was in the “tens of thousands” before Frank’s death in 2004, a Sydney court has been told. And, according to Houston’s lawyer, those people would have included members of the NSW Police.

Brian Houston, 68, was charged last year with concealing a serious indictable offence over his decision not to inform police about the allegation made against his father – and his father’s subsequent admission – in the late 1990s.

In a hearing that commenced at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, Houston’s barrister Phillip Boulten, SC, said the actions of Frank Houston, and his client’s knowledge of it, were not in question. Rather, the case would turn on whether the younger Houston had a “reasonable excuse” not to bring the matter to the attention of police.

In opening statements to the court on Monday, prosecutor Gareth Harrison said the Crown would make the case that Houston’s reason for failing to report it “was to protect his father, and primarily to protect the church”.

But Houston will argue he did not tell police because the complainant, Brett Sengstock, was “adamant” that he did not want to go to police – and, Boulten told the court, that as a man in his 30s by the time Houston learnt of the allegations, he could have gone to the police himself.

Further, Boulten said, “there were many, many, many people who knew about the victim’s abuse” between 1999 and 2004, “none of whom reported it to police”.

He told magistrate Gareth Christofi that, during the same period Brian Houston is accused of concealing the offence, “we expect you will be able to find that there were something like tens of thousands of people who knew Frank Houston had abused a boy, or boys, when he was a pastor 30-something years before”.

The matter had been reported in the media at that time, Boulten said, noting that it followed that the information would have been readily available, including to “police officers who attended the church”.

The court heard Frank Houston was a Pentecostal preacher and senior member of the Assemblies of God church in New Zealand when he and his family relocated to Australia in the 1970s. Prior to moving, the senior Houston visited Sydney on a number of occasions and would stay in Coogee with the Sengstock family, who were local members of the Assemblies of God church.

It was during one such visit, in January 1970, that it’s alleged the senior Houston molested Sengstock, who was seven years old at the time.

Sengstock, who has consented to being identified by the media, told his mother about the abuse in the mid-1980s. It wasn’t until more than a decade later that she revealed the allegations to senior members of the Pentecostal church Frank Houston established in Sydney, Christian Life Centre, which would later become part of Brian Houston’s Hillsong in 2001.

The court heard that Brian Houston confronted his father about the allegation when he was informed of it in 1999, and Frank admitted it.

During a subsequent meeting of senior church members, Harrison said, Brian Houston said his family were “in shock” but they would deal with it “wisely”. Frank Houston was stood down from preaching and had his credentials withdrawn.

Houston was charged in August 2021 with concealing a serious indictable offence by another person, with police alleging he had information about the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s that he failed to bring to their attention. The charge came after police in Sydney’s Hills District commenced an investigation in 2019.

The hearing continues.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/police-knew-of-allegations-against-hillsong-founder-brian-houston-s-father-court-told-20221205-p5c3n6.html

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305fdc  No.17879120

File: d700bba2d9c4f06⋯.mp4 (12.24 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Brian_Houston_announces_he….mp4)

File: e9420c4d52ec943⋯.jpg (99.31 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_Hillsong_pastor_Bri….jpg)

File: b9093fbeecb0471⋯.jpg (158.44 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brett_Sengstock_right_has_….jpg)

>>17879103

‘I was paid for my silence’: Brian Houston’s father’s victim speaks out

STEVE ZEMEK - DECEMBER 5, 2022

1/2

WARNING: Graphic

A man who was sexually assaulted by Brian Houston’s father claims he was told by the Hillsong founder that he was responsible for the abuse because he “tempted” the late preacher Frank Houston, a court has been told.

The bombshell allegation has been denied by Brian Houston, 68, at a hearing in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.

Mr Houston is defending allegations that he failed to go to police after learning of his father Frank’s rape of the young boy in the 1970s.

Police allege Mr Houston knew from September 1999 that his father Frank Houston had sexually assaulted a seven-year-old boy at his Coogee home.

Mr Houston has pleaded not guilty to one charge of concealing the serious indictable offence of another person.

His lawyers have argued he had a “reasonable excuse” not to go to police, because the man had expressed a desire to remain anonymous and didn’t want the allegations raised with authorities.

The court was told Frank Houston, who was at the time based in New Zealand, abused the young boy while in Sydney as a travelling pastor.

At the time, Brian Houston was 17 or 18 and had no involvement or knowledge of his father’s abuse, the court was told.

Victim Brett Sengstock told the court on Monday he was sexually assaulted by Frank Houston, who was staying at his family’s home.

He told the court his family was heavily involved in the church and he was pressured into silence, including by signing his name on a McDonald’s napkin during a 1999 meeting with Frank Houston.

Mr Sengstock told the court that he did not disclose Frank Houston’s abuse until he was 16 years old when he told his mother, who discouraged him from telling anyone.

“I did tell my mother,” Mr Sengstock told the court.

“She thought I needed counselling. I went to see Frank (Houston) at the (Christian Life Centre) in Sydney.

“He started masturbating under the table and exposed himself and walked towards me.

“I ran out. On the way home to Coogee, I told my mother that Frank had been molesting me.

“She said to me they don’t want to be responsible for sending people to hell and turning them from the church and to shut up. That was the end of it, I didn't say any more.”

He said he felt judgment and pressure to stay silent and keep the matter within the church.

However, Frank Houston’s abuse was exposed after Mr Sengstock’s mother told another pastor.

Mr Sengstock told the court on Monday during a meeting with Frank Houston at a McDonald’s in western Sydney in 1999, he was offered compensation and told to sign a napkin, despite not knowing what was written on it.

“There was a lot of pressure being put on me,” he said, saying he was offered $10,000 in compensation.

(continued)

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305fdc  No.17879125

File: b8f2fd8c9bab8fe⋯.jpg (97.21 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Mr_Houston_has_denied_cove….jpg)

File: 73e4253816cb73e⋯.jpg (100.85 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Frank_Houston_died_in_2004.jpg)

File: cdfef746be8f51d⋯.jpg (477.39 KB, 1032x668, 258:167, Where_to_find_help_2022.jpg)

>>17879120

2/2

During a subsequent phone call with Brian Houston, he says he told him: “I agreed to forgive his father, to comply with his wishes … I said to him about the money and he turned around and said ‘do you know this is all your fault’.

“I didn’t say anything then he said ‘you tempted my father’. At that stage I was really moved by it, I was deeply hurt because I’d known the man. I was shocked.”

Mr Sengstock said he was then told by Brian Houston “you’ll be getting your money” before the phone was slammed on him.

Mr Houston denies apportioning blame to Mr Sengstock, the court has heard.

Mr Sengstock said that several weeks later a cheque for $10,000 turned up at his home.

Asked why he never went to police after his phone call with Brian Houston, Mr Sengstock told the court: “Quite frankly, it was just because I was paid for my silence”.

Frank Houston’s abuse was reported to church elders and Brian Houston around 1998.

During a meeting in 1999, the court was told, Frank Houston confessed to his son about his abuse of Mr Sengstock.Frank Houston was subsequently stood down and had his church credentials withdrawn.

It’s alleged Brian Houston failed to tell the authorities despite believing his father had committed the assault and knowing he had information that might help a prosecution.

The prosecution pointed to transcripts of interviews that Brian Houston gave to the ABC and Ben Fordham about confronting his father about his abuse of Mr Sengstock.

The court was told that Brian Houston was defending the charges on the basis he had a “reasonable excuse” not to go to authorities because Mr Sengstock did not wish to make a statement to police.

His defence barrister Phillip Boulten SC told the court that Brian Houston had made public statements and thousands of people were aware of his father’s offending, including police.

“There were something like tens of thousands of people who knew Frank Houston had abused a boy or boys when he was a pastor 30-something years before,” Mr Boulten said.

“Those people, not just limited to people who attended church … Even in the charge period the accused was interviewed by the media and it was in the media that his father had committed offences against boys.”

Mr Boulten further told the court that Mr Sengstock, who was by then 36 years old, had told Brian Houston that he did not want the matter raised with police.

However, the Crown prosecution said the complainant denied ever telling Brian Houston that he did not want to make a statement to police.

“The prosecution case is that he didn’t report, not because of what the complainant wanted, but because of other reasons … The primary prosecution case is the reason he didn’t report it was to protect his father and the church,” Crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison said.

The hearing before magistrate Gareth Christofi continues.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/why-brian-houston-says-he-didnt-go-to-police-about-his-father-frank-houstons-sexual-abuse/news-story/4ff32e3001ad45e84b665db3c1269b92

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de6a9c  No.17884719

File: aa3067585673dd3⋯.jpg (151.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brian_Houston_is_standing_….jpg)

File: 252668624ad6c99⋯.jpg (199.16 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brian_Houston_says_he_had_….jpg)

File: 73e4253816cb73e⋯.jpg (100.85 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Frank_Houston_sexually_abu….jpg)

File: ad3b89809301ac9⋯.jpg (172.36 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Pastor_Barbara_Taylor_says….jpg)

File: c44568c11b08c1d⋯.jpg (83.75 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brett_Sengstock_was_abused….jpg)

>>17879103

Pastor wanted Frank Houston dealt with by the church

STEVE ZEMEK - DECEMBER 6, 2022

A pastor told the victim of disgraced Frank Houston that she would not “stand with him” if he sought justice through the “secular courts”, a court has heard.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court where he is defending allegations that he failed to go to police with details of his father Frank’s sexual assault of a young boy over 40 years ago.

Brett Sengstock was sexually assaulted by disgraced preacher Frank Houston at his family’s Sydney eastern suburbs home in January 1970.

The prosecution has alleged that from September 1999 onwards, Mr Houston had knowledge that his father Frank Houston had sexually assaulted the then seven-year-old boy but failed to disclose it to authorities.

At the time, Frank Houston was a New Zealand-based pastor and was staying at Mr Sengstock family’s Coogee home.

Mr Houston has argued that he had a reasonable excuse not to go to the police because Mr Sengstock had expressed a desire not to go authorities.

Mr Houston, 68, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of concealing the serious indictable offence of another person.

Mr Sengstock has told the court he did not reveal the abuse until he was 16, when he told his mother, who discouraged him from telling anyone.

Years later, in November 1998, Mr Sengstock’s mother disclosed Frank Houston’s rape of her son to others in the church, including pastors Barbara Taylor and Kevin “Mad Dog” Mudford, the court has heard. Neither have been charged with any wrongdoing.

Ms Taylor told the court on Tuesday that at the time there was no protocol about how to handle the sexual abuse of children and sought advice from senior members of the Assemblies of God.

She said she also only had a “vague” understanding of the allegations before trying to organise a meeting between Frank Houston and Mr Sengstock.

The court heard on Tuesday that at the time, she told Mr Sengstock she would “stand with him” if he goes to the church with the allegations but would not if he wanted to deal with in via the “secular courts”.

“I believe judgment should be given in the house of God,” Ms Taylor, 90, told the court on Tuesday.

“I believe the church should have disciplined (Frank Houston) and dealt with the matter. Not only disciplined the perpetrator but administered to the wounded man.”

She added: “The court could bring justice but not reconciliation. And as a pastor, I’m into reconciliation.”

Mr Sengstock says that during a meeting with Frank Houston at a northern Sydney McDonald’s, he was told to sign his name on a napkin and was offered $10,000. It is not suggested that Ms Taylor was at this meeting.

He subsequently had a phone call with Brian Houston, during which he inquired about the money before a cheque was delivered several weeks later.

Mr Sengstock says he was “paid” for his “silence”.

Mr Boulten suggested he also had a second phone conversations with Brian Houston during which he expressed an unwillingness to go to authorities - a claim denied by Mr Sengstock.

“You said ‘I’m angry my mother has told anyone, I didn’t want it to be made public’,” defence barrister Phillip Boulten suggested.

“That’s not any conversation that I had with him that I can recall,” Mr Sengstock said.

“You said to him I don’t want this to happen, I just want to get on with my life,” Mr Boulten said.

“Disagree,” Mr Sengstock said.

He further disagreed that he told Brian Houston: “If anyone is going to the police it’s going to be me” and that he “didn’t want any part of a church investigation.”

The hearing before Magistrate Gareth Christofi continues on Wednesday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/brian-houstons-fathers-victim-says-he-was-paid-for-silence/news-story/8a9fc314536e13ff2278569e6d7177ad

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de6a9c  No.17884757

File: bc50f6512f802ee⋯.mp4 (15.23 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Rupert_Murdoch_to_be_depos….mp4)

Rupert Murdoch to be deposed in $1.6 billion defamation case against Fox

The Fox Corp chairman is the highest-profile individual to be questioned in the case, which hinges on Fox’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election.

Jeremy Barr and Rachel Weiner - December 5, 2022

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Rupert Murdoch, the 91-year-old chairman of Fox News parent company Fox Corp, will be forced to answer questions under oath next week about his network’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election.

Murdoch will be deposed on the mornings of Dec. 13 and Dec. 14 as part of election technology company Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, according to a filing in Delaware’s Superior Court. The lawsuit alleges that the network purposely aired false claims about Dominion’s role in the 2020 presidential election to boost ratings and fight off competition from more-conservative-leaning television networks.

According to the filing, Murdoch’s deposition will be conducted remotely, via videoconference.

Rupert Murdoch is the highest-profile person to be deposed by lawyers for Dominion, which has spent the past few months hauling in network executives, producers and hosts to answer questions about whether they knew that claims made about Dominion technology on Fox’s airwaves were false. Many of the most egregious comments were made by unpaid guests, including Donald Trump-affiliated attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, though some were echoed by Fox hosts including Jeanine Pirro, Maria Bartiromo and Lou Dobbs, who no longer works for the company.

On Monday, Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, sat for an in-person deposition at a law firm office in Los Angeles. Murdoch is the executive chair and CEO of Fox Corp, and is considered to be the likely successor to his media titan father. James Murdoch, who was once chief executive of the then-Fox News parent company 21st Century Fox but has since cut ties with the family’s media entities, was deposed on Oct. 25.

Dominion lawyers have also deposed prominent Fox hosts including Sean Hannity, Pirro and Tucker Carlson, as well as former on-air personalities, including Shepard Smith. In doing so, lawyers for the election technology company have attempted to probe the internal culture and reporting practices of the highest-rated cable news network. The company has also obtained reams of internal communications sent by Fox employees and executives.

Suzanne Scott, the chief executive of Fox News, was deposed on Nov. 1, while Fox News president Jay Wallace was deposed two weeks later.

Hannity’s Aug. 31 deposition lasted more than seven hours, according to court records. He was asked specifically about a Nov. 30, 2020 episode in which Powell claimed that Dominion “ran an algorithm that shaved off votes from Trump and awarded them to Biden” and “used the machines to inject and add massive quantities of votes for Mr. Biden.” Dominion had previously warned Fox reporters and producers that audits and reviews had found no evidence of fraud or miscounting of votes in the election. Hannity aired Powell’s attack on Dominion “despite knowing it was false, and knowing it was coming,” the company said in one court filing, while Pirro “hosted Powell and endorsed her statements.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17884760

File: 08f5715732f1dc4⋯.jpg (143.08 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Rupert_Murdoch_in_Sun_Vall….jpg)

>>17884757

2/2

Fox News has argued that Dominion’s lawsuit is an affront to the principles of press freedom and that the amount of money being demanded is “outrageous.” The company’s lawyers have said that Fox merely covered newsworthy claims of election fraud made by a highly public figure.

“There are very few events in the last 50 years in this country that I think are more newsworthy than our president alleging that our entire Democratic system was put on its head by a voting machine company stealing votes,” veteran trial lawyer Dan Webb, who is representing Fox, told The Washington Post in August.

“Instead of acting responsibly and showing remorse, Fox instead has doubled down,” a spokeswoman for Dominion said in a statement Monday. “We’re focused on holding Fox accountable and are confident the truth will ultimately prevail.”

Fox has sought to shield both Hannity and Pirro from sharing “confidential sources and information,” arguing that it is “a journalist’s right to maintain his confidences.” But Hannity has said in the past that he does not consider himself to be a journalist, and Dominion has argued that even if they do count as journalists, there is no such right when the information is directly relevant to whether Fox acted with “actual malice.”

Neither side in the case has suggested that a settlement in the case could be imminent. If an agreement is not reached, a five-week trial in Delaware Superior Court is set to begin on April 17. Fox News is asking for the case to be combined with an “identical” suit against Fox Corporation, saying Dominion “should not have two chances to drag Fox through massive, public trials.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/12/05/rupert-murdoch-deposed-dominion/

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de6a9c  No.17884763

File: 267831f381763b7⋯.jpg (117.88 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Defence_Minister_Richard_M….jpg)

US, Australia to strengthen ‘unbreakable’ alliance as bulwark against China

Matthew Knott - December 6, 2022

Australia and the United States will deepen their already “unbreakable” military alliance by announcing plans to accelerate Canberra’s push to secure precision-guided missiles and expand the American military presence in the Top End.

The US and Australia will also vow to work closer together on foreign policy initiatives in South-East Asia and the Pacific as they seek to restrict China’s influence in the region.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will meet their US counterparts in Washington on Wednesday for the first annual Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations since the Albanese government took office.

This year’s talks are particularly significant, coming just three months before the government releases a sweeping review of the nation’s defence forces and reveals which model of nuclear-powered submarine it will adopt under the AUKUS pact.

Marles has said he wants to secure nuclear-powered submarines as soon as possible while ruling out speculation a small number of US vessels could be temporarily based in Australia until Australia can help assemble its own fleet.

Meanwhile, US congressman Rob Wittman, the top Republican on the House armed services committee’s seapower subcommittee, ruled out the idea of Australia buying one or two submarines off the shelf from the US in the near future.

“There’s been a lot of talk about well, the Australians would just buy a US submarine. That’s not going to happen,” Wittman told news site Breaking Defense.

As he called out China for its “coercive and destabilising military activities” in the Asia-Pacific, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US and Australia were “focused on ambitious steps to further strengthen our unbreakable alliance”.

“And that’s within reach because our two democracies are so closely aligned on our most important strategic challenges and opportunities,” Austin told reporters after welcoming Marles for a meeting at the Pentagon.

Austin noted the talks come “at a time of tension, especially from Russia’s reckless and lawless invasion of Ukraine, as well as from coercive and destabilising military activities by the People’s Republic of China”.

“I think it’s safe to say that the alliance between United States and Australia is as strong as it’s ever been, and it remains vital to regional security,” he said.

“Our two countries share a common vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, and we seek a region where all countries are free to chart their own course. Where all states adhere to international rules. And where all disputes are resolved peacefully, and free from coercion.”

Austin said the US and Australian governments were looking to strengthen their “bilateral security co-operation on posture, capabilities and defence industrial ties”.

The ministers were expected to discuss ways to expand Australia’s role in repairing and maintaining US military equipment and help Australia secure long-range strike weapons.

Foreshadowing an “ambitious agenda” at the AUSMIN talks, Marles said the US and Australia faced a strategic environment “as complex and precarious as it’s been at any point really since the end of the Second World War”.

Marles said there was a “very strong alignment between our two governments right now” and a “real closeness and shared mission between Australia and the United States”.

“I think the alliance has never been in better shape, and that’s a big thing to say because the alliance has always been in very good shape,” he said.

Marles and Austin will meet with United Kingdom Defence Secretary Ben Wallace at the Pentagon later in the week for the first meeting of AUKUS defence ministers.

With a decision due by March, the ministers will hone in on the detail of how Australia will acquire a fleet of up to eight nuclear-powered submarines.

Marles and Wong will then travel to Tokyo for meetings with their Japanese counterparts as they seek to deepen Australia-Japan military ties.

The talks come less than a month after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit, prompting a thaw in the bilateral relationship but no significant concessions from either side.

Wong said: “The United States is Australia’s vital security ally and our closest global partner.

“US engagement in the Indo-Pacific makes an indispensable contribution to regional prosperity and strategic balance.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/us-australia-to-strengthen-unbreakable-alliance-as-bulwark-against-china-20221206-p5c429.html

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de6a9c  No.17884784

File: 32a30e76f1e318e⋯.jpg (104.18 KB, 1071x602, 153:86, Los_Angeles_class_USS_Sant….jpg)

>>17857918

Will US supply Australia with AUKUS subs? ‘That’s not going to happen,’ key US lawmaker say

The US should take the "next Virginia class that's built, designate that to the Australian AOR, and [say] we're going to dual-crew it with Australian sailors and US sailors," Rep. Rob Wittman tells Breaking Defense.

COLIN CLARK and AARON MEHTA - December 05, 2022

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SYDNEY and SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Rep. Rob Wittman, one of the most powerful defense lawmakers on Capitol Hill, sent a shot across the bow this weekend at anyone who thinks the solution to getting Australia new nuclear attack subs is simply to have America make them.

“There’s been a lot of talk about well, the Australians would just buy a US submarine. That’s not going to happen,” Wittman, currently the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee’s seapower subcommittee, told Breaking Defense in a Saturday interview. The issue, he said, is that the US cannot afford to interupt its own submarine buy: “I just don’t see how we’re going to build a submarine and sell it to Australia during that time.”

That unequivocal statement from Wittman makes clear the speculation that America would sell Australia a Los Angeles or Virginia class sub to get them going until the Lucky Country can build and deploy its own nuclear-powered attack submarine as part of the AUKUS agreement between Australia, the UK and the US will face serious headwinds in Congress. Ahead of those meetings, Australian Minister of Defence Richard Marles met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin today at the Pentagon.

The comments were made just days before the Dec. 6 Australia–US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) meetings between the foreign and defense ministers of the US and Australia. The first meeting of the Australian, UK and US defense ministers to discuss AUKUS are also scheduled for this week.

Marcus Hellyer, defense procurement expert at the government-funded Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said Wittman was expressing some simple truths about the difficulties Australia faces.

“The US doesn’t have spare submarines it can sell to Australia, and it won’t have them anytime soon. Giving Australia submarines that the USN needs, particularly when its own numbers are declining or at best flat-lining, is just not an option that the US political leadership will consider,” Hellyer said. “Ultimately, Australia will have to learn to build SSNs if it wants them, but what exactly ‘build’ looks like is still very unclear.”

Wittman did offer what he called a “creative” path forward.

“We’ve got to get Australian submariners or Australian shipbuilders here to the United States for a full build cycle, get them to HII to Electric Boat, have them there through a full build cycle for a submarine so that they know what it entails,” the veteran lawmaker told Breaking Defense on the sidelines of the Reagan National Defense Forum.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17884785

File: f0fe86dbb9ae88b⋯.jpg (178.17 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_US_Navy_Virginia_Class_s….jpg)

>>17884784

2/2

Then, “What I believe the [US] Navy needs to do is, to say [when Australia’s] Collins class finishes the end of its lifecycle, we are going to, in the next Virginia class that’s built, designate that to the Australian AOR. And we’re going to dual-crew it with Australian sailors and US sailors. And we’re going to dual-command it with mission planning with Australian forces and US forces. So it’ll be a submarine that operates in their AOR like an Australian submarine. It won’t belong to Australia, but it’ll still be an asset that they have that element of control with. And I think that we can do that.”

That would seem to pose a host of legal and policy difficulties, especially given what such sensitive and powerful assets nuclear-powered attack submarines are. But Wittman said he “thinks” it can be done.

“It may be that the US needs to have 51% control and command and Australia has 49%. But still, there’s nothing that prevents it from saying it’s going to operate in the Australian AOR, and we’re going to consult with Australians on mission planning and the things that it does,” the lawmaker said. “Listen, in an emergency, it will come back to the United States. But if it’s an emergency, the Australians are probably going to want the United States to be able to have that.”

Hellyer predicted if such a plan went forward, both country’s navies would find it difficult to accept what are essentially calculated losses of sovereign control. But, he said, “Traditional views of sovereignty and sovereign capability are kind of irrelevant at this point.”

“The stepping stone to an Australian SSN capability is going to have to involve some new and creative approaches to operating capabilities that are very different from the traditional ‘sovereign’ capability approach. This involves not just joint crewing, but some kind of shared command arrangement — something quite foreign to Australia’s traditional practice,” Hellyer said in an email. He pointed to NATO’s experience with nuclear weapons, where allies “will deliver US nuclear weapons to American forces,” which requires shared command and control of the assets and of determining the process by which they are moved.

Wittman cautioned that Australia must build the nuclear boats in Australia, which has been the goal of AUKUS since it was formed. “I don’t think anybody knows how quickly they can put together that capability,” he admitted. “But I do know that, at the very least if their shipbuilders are here, if their sailors are here, then it will still be a platform that is jointly built with the Australians. So I think that they can do that.”

In the long run, Wittman appeared optimistic that Australia will train crews and build their own nuclear-powered boats: “And I do think the Aussies will get there.”

https://breakingdefense.com/2022/12/will-us-supply-australia-with-aukus-subs-thats-not-going-to-happen-key-us-lawmaker-says/

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de6a9c  No.17884800

File: 770df69a12af65a⋯.jpg (1.54 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, The_high_tech_stealth_bomb….jpg)

File: 74b9793c78dcd30⋯.jpg (1.22 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Secretary_of_Defense_Lloyd….jpg)

File: 0a33f5061f3f2ca⋯.jpg (1.16 MB, 4096x2731, 4096:2731, FjBGwXbXoAAi7Ng.jpg)

File: 755bdcc97c33eaf⋯.jpg (1.35 MB, 4096x2731, 4096:2731, FjBGwXlXwAAT_hH.jpg)

File: fb1d256002a84e9⋯.jpg (52.26 KB, 648x390, 108:65, FjB_gSLXwAIsHw6.jpg)

>>17874286

RAAF Chief Robert Chipman's visit to United States sparks renewed speculation Australia could purchase nuclear-capable B-21 Raiders

Andrew Greene - 6 December 2022

Regular rotations of America's newest nuclear-capable stealth bomber, and even a possible future Australian purchase of the B-21 aircraft, are expected to be discussed during high level talks between both nations this week.

At a tightly controlled ceremony in California on Friday, the United States Air Force publicly unveiled the B-21 Raider, in front of an audience that included the Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The B-21 Raider is the first new American bomber aircraft in more than 30 years, designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, with each plane believed to cost around $1 billion (AUD).

Specific details of the in-development aircraft remain shrouded in secrecy with six currently being produced by US arms company Northrop Grumman and the first flight expected to take place next year.

"Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft. And even the most sophisticated air-defence systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky," US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the unveiling.

RAAF Chief, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, who attended last week's unveiling ceremony at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale facility with his British counterpart, described the event as "an awesome display of US innovation and industrial power".

The Defence Department is yet to confirm whether Air Marshal Chipman discussed future deployments of the B-21 to Australia with American officials while in the United States, or an eventual purchase of the long-range aircraft by the RAAF.

Defence Minister Richard Marles, who has previously suggested the B-21 is being examined by Australia in the Defence Strategic Review, has just arrived in the United States for talks with Secretary Austin.

RAAF figures believe the B-21 could provide an effective option for Australia to hold potential adversaries at bay over long distances but concede it would be well into the next decade before the aircraft could be acquired.

This week Mr Marles will join Foreign Minister Penny Wong for the annual AUSMIN talks with their US counterparts, as well as the first AUKUS meeting of Defence Ministers which will focus on Australia's plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

When asked during a visit to Canberra in August whether the US would consider selling the B-21s to Australia, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said his country "would be willing to talk to Australia about anything that there was an interest in from the Australian perspective that we could help them with".

"I'm pretty sure you will see Australia ask for the B-21, and the United States I can tell you, is very interested in selling them to Australia," says Sydney-based American military author Colin Clark, who writes for the Breaking Defense publication.

"Regardless of whether they are armed with nuclear weapons or are under Australian command, I am almost certain, emphasis on almost, that B-21s will at least rotate regularly through Australia and they may well be based here permanently."

Retired Air Commodore John Oddie, a former RAAF director-general of aerospace development, also believes the B-21 is eventually destined for Australia.

"B-21 is a great way to create uncertainty for others that may wish to hold Australia at risk for any reason, B-21 gives us speed and reach and capacity (payload)," he told the ABC.

At the same time, Commodore Oddie is pushing for Australia to ditch plans to replace and double the size of its existing C-130J cargo planes, in favour of the newer Brazilian-made Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft.

He argues by acquiring a modified KC-390 the RAAF would be able to expand its air refuelling capability to support more of the existing F-35 fleet in combat missions, and eventually be able to release additional fuel for any future B-21 aircraft.

The US Air Force plans to build 100 of the B-21 Raiders which will replace the ageing B-1 and B-2 aircraft, and could eventually be used with or without a human crew.

Both the US Air Force and Northrop Gruman have heralded the Raider's relatively quick development, progressing from contract award to public debut in seven years.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-06/b21-nuclear-stealth-bomber-australian-military/101735190

https://twitter.com/ChiefofAirStaff/status/1598918086408957952

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de6a9c  No.17884803

File: 73d6bf70d46566d⋯.jpg (531.71 KB, 2000x1333, 2000:1333, Director_of_Staff_Lt_Gen_N….jpg)

>>17857927

Building lasting partnerships with ally Australia

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs - December 05, 2022

CAMPBELL, Australia - Director of Staff Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno recently traveled to Australia to meet with members of the Australia Space Operations to further discuss the unity of our forces with the common goal to expand defenses in the space domain.

During their trip, the Space Force delegation was invited to attend the Last Post Ceremony of Australian Corporal Clarence Rupert Roberts at the Australian War Memorial. Both Armagno and U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen John Shaw, U.S. Space Command deputy commander, participated in the ceremony themselves by laying wreaths besides the Pool of Reflection, a custom done in every ceremony.

“It was a humbling experience and an important honor to be allowed to lay a wreath during the ceremony,” Armagno said. “I hope this shows the strength of the bond between our two countries.”

While in Australia, Armagno was invited to speak at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Space Masterclass and National Security Space Dinner at the Sydney Opera House. She would speak in front of representatives from Australia, Japan, the United States and United Kingdom about defense perspectives on the importance of space.

“It’s important for societies to understand the relevance of space,” Armagno said. “It’s not space for the sake of space, it really is for likeminded countries to ensure that space is free for spacefaring nations. We all share those values.”

One of the keys to a successful partnership between the U.S. and Australia is the Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) Program. The telescope achieved “first light”, when images can first be seen, after it was moved from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico to Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station in Western Australia.

Our partnership continues to build on long history of close defense and space cooperation and has been a cornerstone of our continued alliance between the U.S. and Australia.

https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/3236074/building-lasting-partnerships-with-ally-australia/

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de6a9c  No.17902505

File: f142d64c6890d3f⋯.jpg (66.6 KB, 800x600, 4:3, Julian_Assange_s_mother_Ch….jpg)

>>17853189

Julian Assange's family pleads for unity

Alex Mitchell - December 7 2022

Julian Assange's family wants supporters of the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder to politely advocate for his release, rather than "disparaging" the Australian government.

Endorsing the approach of "quiet diplomacy" and thanking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a supportive statement in parliament last week, Mr Assange's mother Christine called on backers to unite in their support of the government's efforts to bring her son home.

Mr Assange is facing espionage charges in the United States and remains in London's Belmarsh prison, where he's been since 2019 while fighting extradition.

Ms Assange asked advocates to "support and not thwart or disparage the efforts of the Australian government in their diplomatic efforts to bring Julian safely home".

"Diplomatic negotiations at this level are not easy. They require a high level of skill, experience, understanding, mutual respect, time and patience," she said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Please continue to politely inform your politicians, media and the general public of the facts of Julian's plight to raise public and political support for the Australian government's diplomatic efforts."

Mr Albanese has previously opted for quiet diplomacy in his efforts to secure the 51-year-old Australian's release, but told parliament last week he had raised the matter personally with US government officials.

"My position is clear, and has been made clear to the US administration, it is time this matter be brought to a close," he said.

"This is an Australian citizen … what is the point of continuing this legal action, which could be caught up now for many years into the future."

Ms Assange thanked the PM for the government's commitment to bring the "12-year legal stalemate and suffering to an end".

"His simple but compassionate statement 'enough is enough' resonates with the hearts of people around the world," she said.

"I endorse quiet diplomacy as the Australian government's preferred path for reaching a resolution … to date all other methods have failed.

"The involvement of diplomatic teams negotiating at a high level is the most appropriate and historically the most successful way to resolve the detention of Australian citizens overseas in political cases."

Mr Assange has spent more than a decade facing extradition, having spent seven years in London's Ecuadorian embassy seeking asylum.

He has appealed the United Kingdom's decision to allow his extradition to the US in both London's High Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said there was a worst-case scenario where Mr Assange was "on a plane to the US within weeks".

He added only pressure on the US government could stop that from happening, stating "the only way to fight a political persecution is through political means.

"There's no justice to be had in courtrooms in London … and I don't have to mention the US … he will never be able to get a fair trial there," he told online video platform, Rumble.

"Our aim is to get political leaders to apply pressure … to stand behind their own ideals, the ideals they preach around the world of press freedom."

https://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/8010563/julian-assanges-family-pleads-for-unity/

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de6a9c  No.17902509

File: 1082ee5fcd64925⋯.jpg (77.44 KB, 820x547, 820:547, Wikileaks_delegation_recei….jpg)

>>17853189

Wikileaks delegation received by Argentine President

Redazione Italia - 06.12.22

Argentine President Alberto Fernández received this afternoon at the Casa Rosada the Wikileaks delegation composed of Kristinn Hrafnsson and Joseph Farrell, who are touring South America in search of support for Julian Assange. Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Brazilian President Lula, who after winning the presidential elections will take office in January, have already strongly declared their support for the journalist who has been persecuted for years and asked President Biden to drop the charges against him.

Hrafnsson declared himself very happy with the meeting with the Argentine President, “which exceeded my expectations. The President assured us that he would support our mission,” he explained, and then described the sign of support received from the country’s highest authority as “very positive.” As he has said many times before, the WikiLeaks editor-in-chief emphasised that it is not just one man’s life that is at stake, but the freedom of the press throughout the world.

Today’s meeting follows a meeting, described as ‘warm and understanding’, yesterday in the Senate with Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who pledged her support for the cause of Julian Assange’s release.

Kristinn Hrafnsson and Joseph Farrell’s South American tour will continue with visits to Chile and Mexico.

https://www.pressenza.com/2022/12/wikileaks-delegation-received-by-argentine-president/

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de6a9c  No.17906053

File: 8447a2647199535⋯.jpg (47.67 KB, Moderna_s_mRNA_vaccines_wi….jpg)

Work starts on nation-first mRNA facility

Tara Cosoleto - December 7 2022

Works have begun at the site of Moderna's first Australian mRNA vaccine facility in Melbourne's southeast.

The site at Monash University's Clayton campus has a 2024 completion date and will be capable of producing 100 million vaccine doses a year.

It will be the first facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, providing COVID-19 booster shots as well as mRNA vaccines for other respiratory viruses like influenza.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler joined Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas to oversee the commencement of construction at the Clayton site on Wednesday morning.

Mr Pallas said his government led the way on mRNA technology, and the site would give the country an advantage in future pandemics.

"Victoria will produce mRNA vaccines for Victoria, Australia and the world," he said in a statement.

"This project provides hundreds of construction jobs right now and will support hundreds of medical manufacturing jobs for decades to come."

Moderna will also establish its regional headquarters and regional research centre at the Clayton site.

The global pharmaceutical company has also invested in a series of research partnerships and fellowships with Victorian medical research institutes.

"The start of construction on this landmark facility is another step we take to ensure Australia has an onshore supply of respiratory mRNA vaccines," Moderna Australia and New Zealand general manager Michael Azrak said.

Melbourne is now recognised as a top-three global hub for medical research and innovation, along with Boston and London.

BioNTech in October also agreed in principle with the state government to develop a clinical-scale mRNA manufacturing facility in Melbourne.

The arrangement would see BioNTech deliver mRNA therapeutics and vaccines for research and clinical trials, including infectious diseases, cancer medicines and personalised cancer treatments.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8010744/work-starts-on-nation-first-mrna-facility/

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de6a9c  No.17906059

File: f25ffc0d18664a6⋯.jpg (74.51 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Brian_Houston_has_denied_c….jpg)

File: b183c211830dd1b⋯.jpg (152.35 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Hillsong_founder_Brian_Hou….jpg)

File: 73e4253816cb73e⋯.jpg (100.85 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Frank_Houston_sexually_abu….jpg)

>>17879103

Inside church’s investigation of paedophile preacher Frank Houston

STEVE ZEMEK - DECEMBER 7, 2022

1/2

Brian Houston’s right hand man says church elders didn’t feel obligated to report Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of a young boy to police because it happened decades earlier when the church didn’t exist, a court has heard.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where he is fighting allegations he failed to go to police with information about his paedophile father Frank Houston’s abuse of a young boy over 50 years ago.

Victim Brett Sengstock was one day shy of his eighth birthday when he was sexually assaulted by Frank Houston inside his family’s Coogee home in January 1970.

The trial is centering on whether Mr Houston had a “reasonable excuse” not to go to police, with his defence arguing Mr Sengstock had expressed to the megachurch founder that he did not want the authorities involved.

Mr Sengstock has told the court he remained silent about Frank Houston’s abuse until he was 16 years old, when he told his mother.

Frank Houston’s abuse came to light when in 1998, Mr Sengstock’s mother made disclosures to Emmanuel Christian Family Church pastor Barbara Taylor and later to travelling evangelist pastor Kevin “Mad Dog” Mudford.

Ms Taylor told the court that at the time Mr Sengstock was “vacillating” on whether he wanted to go to the authorities.

She also said she gave her “word” to Mr Sengstock’s mother, Rose Hardingham, that she would not pass on information about Frank Houston’s abuse.

“At that time (Mr Sengstock’s mother) told you that Brett didn’t want anyone to know about it,” defence barrister Phillip Boulten asked.

“I was sworn to secrecy,” Ms Taylor told the court on Wednesday.

Mr Houston’s defence has also argued that he had made public statements about Frank Houston’s abuse and that thousands of people, including police, were aware.

Mr Houston, 68, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of concealing the serious indictable offence of another person.

The court has heard that six months after Ms Taylor learned of Frank Houston’s abuse, Ms Hardingham made similar disclosures to Mr Mudford.

Ms Taylor says that at the time, she had been told by church hierarchy that to begin a church investigation she needed a complaint in writing.

Ms Taylor has not been charged and chose to give evidence despite being warned by Magistrate Gareth Christofi that she could incriminate herself.

Mr Mudford has not been charged, either.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17906060

File: b630372d3e4e019⋯.jpg (151.67 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Pastor_Barbara_Taylor_was_….jpg)

File: e5fd78cb911c60e⋯.jpg (109 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Brett_Sengstock_left_was_a….jpg)

File: e8ac18e1107ec46⋯.jpg (75.52 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brian_Houston.jpg)

>>17906059

2/2

Ms Taylor said that when it first came to light, she sought advice from church leaders because there was no protocol for dealing with the sexual abuse of children.

The court has heard that Frank Houston was dismissed from the church when he admitted his crimes to his son in December 1999.

However, Ms Taylor said six months later she was told Frank Houston was still preaching, including on TV, and his name was printed on a Hillsong brochure.

In a letter she then wrote to Brian Houston, which was read out to the court on Wednesday, Ms Taylor said: “Where is justice, it’s not seen to be done at all.”

“Nothing was really being done about Brett’s case, it was six months after it had been brought to [Brian Houston’s] attention,” Ms Taylor said in court on Wednesday.

The court heard that in the letter, she further told Brian Houston the case was a “test of your integrity” and “I would hate for this thing to be trivialised, covered up or blown up.”

The court heard in another, earlier, meeting with Brian Houston that she told him there was a chance Mr Sengstock would go to the police.

According to Ms Taylor’s notes of the meeting: “Brian said he had spoken to a barrister who told him if it goes to court, his father would surely be incarcerated for the crime.”

Brian Houston was told of his father’s sexual abuse by George Aghajanian, the general manager of the Hills Christian Life Centre, which was the precursor of the Hillsong church.

The court heard that Mr Aghajanian found out in October 1999 when he was phoned by Mr Mudford, who accused the church of covering up Frank Houston’s crimes.

Mr Aghajanian disclosed the allegations against Frank Houston to Brian Houston in his weekly meeting that afternoon.

Frank Houston had his credentials removed in 1999 before the matter was discussed at a meeting of the elders of the Assemblies of God in November 2000.

Mr Aghajanian said it was the view of the Assemblies of God, that because the church did not exist at the time of Frank Houston’s offence, they felt they didn’t need to go to police.

“We were just unfamiliar with the new legislation with regard to a matter that had happened some 30 years prior,” Mr Aghajanian said on Thursday.

“Being a significant historical issue, when our church didn’t even exist at the time, I don’t think we understood that (legislation) and didn’t feel it needed to be reported.”

The hearing continues.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/moment-paedophile-pastor-frank-houstons-horrible-abuse-of-boy-was-exposed/news-story/c510bfe6a2ee6544d8b679c7466be48b

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de6a9c  No.17906062

File: d1d7e0a7ce832d6⋯.jpg (1.76 MB, 5408x3605, 5408:3605, Defence_Minister_Richard_M….jpg)

Japan joins US and Australia to counter China’s ‘dangerous and coercive actions’

Matthew Knott - December 7, 2022

Australia and the United States will integrate Japan into their joint military activities in Australia, a significant deepening of the relationship as the three nations work increasingly closely together to push back on China.

The US will also increase rotations of troops and military equipment in Australia to strengthen the alliance, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced after meeting with Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Washington.

“That includes rotations of bomber task forces, fighters, and future rotations of US Navy and US Army capabilities,” Austin told reporters after the Australia-US Ministerial consultations.

“We will also expand our logistics and sustainment co-operation, and that will deepen our interoperability and create more agile and resilient capabilities while also continuing to find ways to further integrate our defence industrial bases in the years ahead.”

The US and Australia also agreed to “invite Japan to integrate into our force posture initiatives in Australia”, he said.

The meetings came at a crucial time, with the Albanese government preparing to unveil a sweeping review of the nation’s defence forces in March while also deciding on the model of nuclear-powered submarine it will acquire under the AUKUS pact.

Calling out Beijing for its “dangerous and coercive actions throughout the Indo-Pacific”, Austin promised the US would ensure the Australian Defence Force is equipped for the emerging strategic threats.

We “will not allow Australia to have a capability gap going forward”, Austin said, referring to the period between the end of the Collins Class submarine life cycle and the arrival of nuclear-powered submarines.

“We recognise where Australia is and where its capability begins to diminish and of course we will address that in the pathway we create,” he said.

Marles said Australia and the US had taken “real steps” to enhance military co-operation between the two nations.

The coming years “will see an increased level of activity between our two countries across all domains, which will be really important”, he said.

“We’re also looking at increased force posture cooperation in enhancing the capacity of facilities in Australia.

“As Secretary Austin also pointed out, it’s really important that we are doing this from the point of view of providing balance within our region and involving other countries within our region and we look forward to being able to have more engagement with Japan in terms of that force posture co-operation.”

Marles said Australia’s alliance with the US was “essential to our worldview” and “completely essential to our national security”.

“There is a huge sense of alignment that we feel between the Biden administration and the Albanese government in the trajectory of the alliance,” he said.

“And there is an enormous sense of gratitude and pleasure that we have in the way in which America is engaging in the Indo-Pacific”.

Describing the US as Australia’s “vital security ally”, Wong said the alliance had “a different approach and an enhanced emphasis” under the Biden administration and Albanese government.

Climate change and clean energy had emerged as a “new pillar” of the alliance, Wong said.

“Obviously, the new Australian government is committed to ambitious domestic action on climate and to being an ambitious and constructive international player on this issue,” she said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the ministers had discussed the “challenges posed by the [People’s Republic of China] to the international rules-based order, including attempts to disrupt the freedom of navigation the South China Sea, efforts to unilaterally change the status quo and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and attempts to intimidate other countries through economic coercion”.

“Australia is no stranger to such efforts, and we reaffirm that we would stand with him against these pressure tactics,” he said.

The nations also agreed on the importance of responsibly managing the relationship with China, he said, and to find areas of co-operation on issues such as on climate and global health.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/japan-joins-us-and-australia-to-counter-china-s-dangerous-and-coercive-actions-20221207-p5c4ag.html?btis

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de6a9c  No.17906065

File: d543f783e626f37⋯.jpg (103.6 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Then_PM_Scott_Morrison_mee….jpg)

Military conflict would lead to an almost total collapse of China: Morrison

SIMON BENSON - DECEMBER 7, 2022

Scott Morrison says military conflict between the US and China over Taiwan would deliver “mutually assured destruction” but would devastate the Chinese economy more than the west and lead to an almost total collapse of the country.

The former prime minister also doubted China’s capability to wage war, saying its military strength on paper would be unlikely to be matched by performance in battle.

In an address to the conservative US think-tank the Hudson Institute on Wednesday, Mr Morrison said China’s apparent appetite for a détente with the west was a recognition that it was not ready to engage conflict and stood to lose more than the US.

“There are also signs that Chinese ambitions are not really ready to be realised,” Mr Morrison said.

“Strength on paper when it comes to military capability is very different to what it is in a real theatre of conflict.

“And if anyone ever doubts that, just ask the Russians.”

Speaking to an audience in Washington DC, Mr Morrison said that China stood to lose more than the US and the west more generally in a conflict over Taiwan.

“China has an enormous amount to lose by getting it wrong, which gives pause for thought,” he said.

“And the appetite for détente could be as much about securing breathing space as it is to avoid conflict.

“There is a mutually assured destruction when it comes to questions regarding Taiwan and I don’t believe everyone is prepared to risk everything in China on that issue.

“Supply chains would seize up, financial markets would panic and potentially collapse and we know Chinese ports account for 40 per cent of shipping volume in the world’s top 100 ports.

“Six of the largest ships transit through the Taiwan Strait. What would happen to the movement of capital?

“The potential impact of sanctions would be a devastation to the Chinese economy and more so than it would be in western countries.”

Mr Morrison said estimates suggested that conflict with the US would reduce Chinese GDP by up to 35 per cent compared to between 5-10 per cent in the US.

“They have a lot to lose and the stakes are incredibly high and I think that gives pause for thought.”

Mr Morrison said that while China might have changed its tactics recently, and welcomed President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Anthony Albanese, he warned that Beijing had not changed its intent.

He said the west must remain vigilant.

Australia and the western world needed to continue to reduce their dependence on the Chinese economy, supply chains and continue to diversify trade relationships.

“We must also continue to align our resistance to coercion and other aggressive acts in the grey zone,” Mr Morrison said.

“We must protect the rules based order that favours freedom and supports market based economies.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/military-conflict-would-lead-to-an-almost-total-collapse-of-china-morrison/news-story/3dc1c15f028434ce2cb5447dc182801f

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de6a9c  No.17906070

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17906065

Australia’s Role in the China Struggle: A Conversation with Scott Morrison

Hudson Institute

7 Dec 2022

Please join Hudson Institute’s China Center for a conversation with Thirtieth Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison and Hudson Institute China Center Director Miles Yu to discuss Australia’s role in combatting the threat to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Scott Morrison successfully led his nation through the most difficult and significant challenges Australia has faced since the Great Depression and the Second World War.

On the international stage, Morrison was known for his leadership role to counter an increasingly assertive China in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Hon. Scott Morrison will deliver remarks before sitting down with Miles Yu for a conversation and Q&A with the audience.

https://www.hudson.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGcbczrUNCg

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de6a9c  No.17906072

File: 0f9f6a4834a3836⋯.jpg (183.56 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Chinese_FM_urges_Australia….jpg)

File: f4723a1381bbf36⋯.jpg (38.62 KB, 600x431, 600:431, Foreign_Ministry_Spokesper….jpg)

>>17869631

Chinese FM urges Australia to stop official exchanges with Taiwan island; delegation visit ‘doomed to end with nothing substantive’

Xu Keyue - Dec 06, 2022

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday urged Australia to earnestly adhere to the one-China principle, stop all forms of official interactions with the Taiwan region and stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces, in response to the visit of a bipartisan delegation of Australian politicians to the island of Taiwan despite the recent warming of China-Australia ties.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the ministry, made the remarks at a regular press briefing on Tuesday. She noted that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm in international relations and is the prerequisite and political foundation for the development of friendly relations between China and other countries.

Mao's remarks came after an Australian delegation of six federal members of parliament (MPs) from the Coalition and Labor arrived in Taiwan island by air on Sunday. The delegation is reportedly scheduled to meet Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen and the island's senior official in charge of external affairs Joseph Wu.

According to local media on the island, the Taiwan authorities have kept the visit low key with the spokesperson for the island's external affairs authority saying on Tuesday that they would not reveal any details about the trip.

While it remains unclear whether the low-pitched response came as the reckless visit has sparked strong opposition from the Chinese mainland, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been urged to express explicitly his opposition to the visit that is provocative to Beijing.

On Saturday at a press conference, Albanese tried to distance himself from the delegation by stressing the trip is not by the government and he "has no idea" of the trip's intention.

Chinese observers criticized Albanese's vague and cop-out remarks for being insincere on improving Canberra's relations with Beijing, as they will undoubtedly encourage the arrogance of anti-China forces and pro-Taiwan secessionist forces in Australia.

Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia which falls on December 21, the delegation's visit damaged the improving atmosphere between the two countries, Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Last month, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, Chinese and Australian heads of state conducted a face-to-face meeting in a significant breakthrough in relations.

Chen pointed out that during the past few years, the bilateral relationship had been at a low ebb, and some Taiwan secessionists in the island were trying to take advantage, wooing anti-China forces in Australia to gain political leverage.

During the trip, Taiwan authorities are expected to lobby Australia for support so it can join a regional trade pact, Australian media outlet ABC reported.

However, Chen believed that the efforts would be in vain, citing Albanese's recent remarks which have suggested Australia is very unlikely to support the Taiwan region's push to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Speaking at the APEC meeting in Bangkok, Albanese said the agreement was only for "recognized" nation-states, rather than economies. "Taiwan is represented here (at APEC) as an economy," the Australian prime minister noted, according to an ABC report on November 18.

The trip led by former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and other non-power-holders is no more than an eye-catching event, which is doomed to end with no substantive outcomes, Chen said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281277.shtml

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on December 6, 2022

AFP: A group of Australian lawmakers have arrived in Taiwan for a five-day visit. What’s China’s response?

Mao Ning: Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm in international relations and the prerequisite and political foundation for the development of friendly relations between China and other countries. The Australian side should earnestly adhere to the one-China principle, stop all forms of official interaction with the Taiwan region and stop sending wrong signals to “Taiwan-independence” separatist forces.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202212/t20221206_10985948.html

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de6a9c  No.17906076

File: 5b50e1752f50db2⋯.jpg (135.88 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, A_US_Navy_submarine_on_a_r….jpg)

File: b847a910ca99df5⋯.jpg (79.54 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Defence_Minister_Richard_M….jpg)

File: 17e36344c067128⋯.jpg (111.68 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Anthony_Albanese_with_Brit….jpg)

Donald Trump’s planned White House return could put AUKUS submarine program at risk

Tom Minear - December 7, 2022

1/2

Since AUKUS was announced just over a year ago, the pact has been in the stewardship of three British prime ministers, two Australian prime ministers and one American president.

From all reports, this instability has not impeded progress on the critical defence initiative, including an 18-month study of how Australia can acquire its own nuclear submarine fleet.

Those decisions will be finalised early next year, with the first in-person meeting of AUKUS defence ministers in Washington DC this week expected to nail down the broad strokes.

Time is of the essence. Even the most optimistic experts concede it is unlikely Australia will have a nuclear-powered boat in the water much before the end of the next decade.

It is this decade, however, that Joe Biden has declared will be the decisive one in countering China – and we are already almost a third of the way through it.

Biden’s assessment is shared by senior figures in Canberra. This timeline, combined with the years already wasted on alternative versions of a future Australian submarine fleet, has opened an alarming capability gap in our defences that the AUKUS pact must resolve.

Defence Minister Richard Marles, while not wanting to front-run the trilateral study, has outlined a new doctrine for defence spending based on “impactful projection”. Reading between the lines, this is seen to mean fewer tanks and helicopters, and more missiles, autonomous underwater vehicles and submarines.

Marles rightly argues the nuclear submarine delivers on that doctrine better than anything else, placing “the single biggest question mark in our adversary’s mind”. If that is the case, then he cannot in good conscience make the Navy wait another 20 years for its first boat.

There is no perfect alternative. Some have suggested building new conventional submarines to accompany Australia’s existing Collins-class fleet, but this is seen to be highly unlikely, especially given the complexity of tasking the Navy with managing three separate platforms.

A more credible pathway rests on the goodwill of our American allies.

They could lease us part of their existing nuclear-powered fleet, sell us new boats coming off the production line in the US, or turn Australia into the home port for some American-crewed vessels.

Marles has described AUKUS as a chance to move “beyond interoperability to interchangeability” with our allies, and these moves would be the ultimate expression of that.

According to some reports, such options have prompted some scepticism in Washington, given the strain already on the US submarine production line as well as a desire to ensure Australia pulls its weight. This is fair enough, and Marles himself has acknowledged AUKUS must grow the combined defence footprint of the countries involved, not just shift it around.

But Marles and Anthony Albanese have so far given no reason to doubt their commitment to spend what it takes to transform Australia’s defences and meet the China challenge.

The same goes for Biden and Britain’s Rishi Sunak. What happens next rests on their will.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17906083

File: 88dd6a5a82fc8f8⋯.jpg (95.95 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Former_prime_minister_Scot….jpg)

File: ed91cde217e5738⋯.jpg (347.65 KB, 852x759, 284:253, Q_1867.jpg)

>>17906076

2/2

To return to where we started, however, it is worth contemplating what happens beyond that.

There have been six leaders in the first 14 months of AUKUS, and more will follow. If Donald Trump has his way, he will be one of them after America’s 2024 presidential election.

In office, Trump complained the US was spending too much on NATO, and frequently told colleagues they “should just get out” of the security alliance. He similarly questioned the cost of America’s overseas bases, such as a South Korean facility needed to identify Chinese military movements within seconds rather than minutes from the US.

“I don’t really give a sh*t,” he reportedly told his generals, arguing that “we’ll be fine” without those bases.

If he returned to the White House, what would Trump make of lending Australia several multibillion-dollar submarines? How would he feel about giving Australia a nuclear-powered boat off a US production line instead of keeping it for his own Navy?

Even in private, such questions prompt a fascinating response from Australian officials. For reassurance, they seize on the fact that America’s posture on China is the perhaps most bipartisan issue in Washington. They also acknowledge the conventional wisdom that Trump’s recent track record makes it unlikely he will succeed in returning to the presidency.

What is left unsaid is that Australia can really only cross its fingers to avoid such a scenario, given the uncertainty – if not unmitigated chaos – it would bring.

But AUKUS is a decades-long endeavour. Even if Trump’s own political career is over, it is not clear yet whether his Republican successors will copy his brand of protectionism and his disrespect of allies. Top party figures have already cast doubt over American aid for Ukraine.

In Australia, both major parties are all the way with the USA. Here’s hoping we can take the Yanks to the bank.

Tom Minear is News Corp Australia's US correspondent. He was previously based in Melbourne with the Herald Sun, where he started in 2011 and held positions including national political editor and state political editor. Minear has won Quill and Walkley journalism awards.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/donald-trumps-planned-white-house-return-could-put-aukus-submarine-program-at-risk/news-story/852b293c303896910f00dad7f07d1a1e

Q Post #1867

Aug 14 2018 16:57:30 (EST)

They are in full blown panic mode.

Enjoy the show.

Each FAKE NEWS article written or attack is a badge of honor - military grade.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#1867

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de6a9c  No.17906265

File: 604beffcb2058f5⋯.jpg (2.3 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Brian_Houston_is_defending….jpg)

File: 2a5ef74ff23f50b⋯.jpg (75.49 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Frank_Houston_sexually_ass….jpg)

>>17879103

Hillsong manager tells court it was 'appropriate' for Frank Houston to receive retirement package

Ruby Cornish - 8 December 2022

The general manager of the Hillsong Church has told a court he believed it was "entirely appropriate" for self-confessed paedophile Frank Houston to have received a financial retirement package when he was removed from the church's ministry.

George Aghajanian gave his opinion on day four of a special fixtures hearing at the Downing Centre Local Court, where Hillsong founder Brian Houston is defending a charge of concealing his father's sexual abuse.

Mr Houston's lawyers argue it was reasonable not to report the allegations to police because the victim did not want authorities to know.

Historical sex offences committed by Frank Houston against Brett Sengstock, who was seven years old at the time, came to the attention of senior church leaders with the Assemblies of God in late 1999.

It was Mr Aghajanian who first told Brian Houston, then working as a senior pastor of the Sydney Christian Life Centre.

At a meeting in November 1999, Frank Houston's credentials were withdrawn, but he stayed on as an employee of the church for another year.

Today Mr Aghajanian told the court that at a meeting in November 2000, the national executive of the Australian Assemblies of God removed Frank Houston from the payroll but agreed to pay him and his wife (who was also a pastor) a financial retirement package.

"Your opinion is, it was entirely appropriate?" Magistrate Gareth Christofi asked Mr Aghajanian.

"Yes," he responded.

"Both for Hazel and Frank?"

"Yes."

He was asked whether he thought Frank Houston should perhaps not have received the payment.

"I hadn't thought of it to be honest, until now," he replied.

When asked why he had not reported the abuse against Mr Sengstock to the Department of Community Services (DOCS, now the Department of Communities and Justice), Mr Aghajanian said he did not believe the action was warranted.

"The matter related to an incident that pre-dated our church … and the victim was an adult," he said.

"I received an allegation. I reported it to my boss, who was Brian, and he reported it to the [Assemblies of God]."

"I felt at the time we had dealt with the matter appropriately and it was in other people's hands to determine what was to happen to Frank."

He denied that he had been motivated by a desire to protect the reputation of Frank Houston or the church.

Mr Aghajanian said he had not been aware of any requirement to report disciplinary actions taken against church staff members to the Office of the Children's Guardian.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-08/brian-houston-court-hearing-sydney-alleged-concealment/101748034

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de6a9c  No.17906281

File: c87a872f79f1093⋯.jpg (137.88 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Hillsong_founder_Brian_Hou….jpg)

File: e91450768692b58⋯.jpg (197.35 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brian_Houston_is_fighting_….jpg)

File: c70adeb2186390f⋯.jpg (150.22 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, George_Aghajanian_denies_t….jpg)

>>17879103

Hillsong denies ‘cover up’ of Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of boy

STEVE ZEMEK - DECEMBER 8, 2022

Brian Houston’s right-hand man has defended a golden handshake given to paedophile preacher Frank Houston and denied the matter was swept under the rug, a court has heard.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where he has denied failing to disclose to police his knowledge of his father Frank Houston’s rape of a then seven-year-old boy in the 1970s.

Brett Sengstock was sexually assaulted by Frank Houston inside his family’s Coogee home before he says he was “paid” for his “silence”.

Brian Houston, 68, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of concealing a serious indictable offence and has argued that Mr Sengstock expressed a desire not to go to authorities.

His defence has also argued that prior to Frank Houston’s death in 2004, Brian Houston had made public and media statements about his father’s abuse of Mr Sengstock.

The court has been told that it first came to the church’s attention in October 1999 when Mr Sengstock’s mother disclosed the matter to travelling evangelical pastor Kevin “Mad Dog” Mudford.

Mr Mudford then phoned George Aghajanian, the general manager of the Hills Christian Life Centre, of which Brian Houston was the senior pastor.

Mr Aghajanian was given a certificate protecting him from prosecution by magistrate Gareth Christofi in exchange for his testimony. Mr Mudford has not been charged with any offence.

The Hills Christian Life Centre would later merge with the Sydney Christian Life Centre to become Hillsong.

Frank Houston was dismissed from the church and his credentials as a pastor removed in late 1999 after he made admissions to Brian Houston about his rape of Mr Sengstock.

However, the court was told on Thursday that Frank Houston remained on the church’s payroll until November 2000.

As well, Frank Houston received a financial payout as part of his retirement package, Mr Aghajanian said during his testimony on Thursday.

Mr Aghajanian, who is the current Hillsong general manager, defended the decision to give Frank Houston a golden handshake, saying it was a joint package that was also given to Frank’s wife Hazel, who was also a pastor at the Sydney Christian Life Centre.

“I believe it was a retirement package that was committed to both of them prior to any knowledge of this situation,” Mr Aghajanian said.

“And I believe Hazel should have been looked after as well in their retirement.”

Mr Aghajanian said the church’s board could have “made the package out just to Hazel” and the “whole entitlement could have been given to Hazel”.

He said the matter was not reported to the Department of Family and Community Services because the church’s board considered it a historical matter and the church didn’t exist in 1970 when Frank Houston abused Mr Sengstock.

“There was no cover up, I received an allegation, I reported the allegation to my boss, who was Brian,” Mr Aghajanian said.

“He then reported it to the ACCC (Australian Christian Churches). We felt that was the appropriate course of action for a situation that happened prior to the existence of our church some 30 years prior.

“We had no evidence of Frank offending in this matter prior to receiving that allegation.”

Meanwhile, an ex-Sydney preacher has told the court that Brian Houston appeared “shocked” when he informed him that an allegation had been made against his father.

John McMartin, the former pastor of the Liverpool Christian Life Centre, said he learned of the matter when he was approached by Mr Mudford and pastor Barbara Taylor.

Mr Aghajanian previously told the court that he had broken the news about Frank Houston’s actions to a “shocked” Brian Houston in October 1999 during one of their weekly face-to-face meetings.

But Mr McMartin said he also had a phone conversation with Brian Houston, in November 1999, when he said he “shocked” the celebrity preacher when he told him that he had some “disturbing news” and “your father‘s been accused of misconduct with a minor”.

“What if anything did Brian Houston say?” Crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison asked.

“It was more of a shock; ‘woah’ and then it was ‘how do you know it’s true?’ Mr McMartin said.

“And I said, ‘Well I don’t know it’s true, but it needs to be investigated’.”

Asked what made him think that Mr Houston was in shock, Mr McMartin said: “If you know someone for a long time, you know when they’re on the backfoot.”

The hearing continues.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/moment-shocked-brian-houston-learned-of-his-fathers-sexual-abuse-of-young-boy/news-story/c310790427ea1f53531d10d322802319

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de6a9c  No.17906295

File: d40f0978c070975⋯.jpg (2.11 MB, 3936x2216, 492:277, Richard_Marles_says_AUKUS_….jpg)

File: f7d0829353f3621⋯.jpg (1.96 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, US_Defence_Secretary_Lloyd….jpg)

AUKUS members say plans on track for US and UK to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarine fleet

abc.net.au - 8 December 2022

1/2

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says Australia will be able to acquire nuclear-powered submarines by the deadline set out in the AUKUS alliance without imposing any new taxes on Australians to fund it.

Representatives from Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom gathered in Washington DC for the first AUKUS defence ministers' meeting since the security pact was signed last year.

A key goal of the AUKUS agreement is to map out a pathway for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

The technology is considered important for Australia's future defence capabilities because nuclear subs are powered by reactors that do not need to be refuelled for many years.

They are also valuable because they are quieter than conventionally powered submarines and can remain underwater for several months at a time.

America's willingness to share its technology is seen as a reflection of the Biden administration's commitment to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific.

Yesterday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said China represented the greatest threat to stability in the region.

"There is an enormous sense of shared mission and momentum across all three countries, in having Australia acquire a nuclear powered submarine," Mr Marles said after the AUKUS meeting.

"The significance of that step shouldn't be lost on people — there's only been one occasion where a country has shared that capability with another and that was the United States with the United Kingdom a long time ago."

But questions remain about how Australia will pay for a nuclear-powered submarine and how the alliance can deliver on its promise to figure out a plan by March 2023.

'This is a huge endeavour that the nation will be pursuing'

The cost of a nuclear-powered submarine varies, but the US Congressional Budget Office estimated that a Virginia-class sub cost about $US5.5 billion ($8.16 billion) per hull in 2019.

When asked if Australians should expect new taxes to fund such a purchase, Mr Marles ruled that out.

"No," he said.

"The cost of the submarines is something that will form part of the announcements that we make in the first part of next year.

"That'll be in in general terms, because, by definition, we're talking about a very long program."

Under the pact, the UK and the US agreed to help Australia build and operate its own fleet of nuclear-propelled submarines by 2040.

"There is an enormous amount of work which is being undertaken, we're not by any means taking for granted the scale of the challenge here," Mr Marles said.

"This is a huge endeavour that the nation will be pursuing."

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17906298

File: 244132d9deb7f8f⋯.jpg (1.75 MB, 3600x2400, 3:2, US_officials_say_Australia….jpg)

File: 7e497befdf1f9bc⋯.jpg (2.47 MB, 3936x2216, 492:277, Lloyd_Austin_said_AUKUS_ha….jpg)

>>17906295

2/2

How does AUKUS solve Australia's 'capability gap'?

Last year, the US, UK and Australia unveiled its new security deal, known as AUKUS, which had been quietly negotiated over several months.

The announcement enraged France because Australia had a pre-existing contract with French shipyards to build conventionally-powered submarines.

When asked by the ABC if he thought Australia lied to him about AUKUS, French President Emmanuel Macron angrily replied: "I don't think, I know".

Australia gave France's Naval Group $868 million as compensation for bailing on the contract.

But in the year since AUKUS was announced, there has been little public progress made in figuring out how to bring the subs deal to life.

To get the submarines to Australia as swiftly as possible, they would likely need to be built in the US.

A top Republican congressman has said American shipyards do not have the capacity to interrupt their own production schedule to make a submarine for Australia.

"I just don't see how we're going to build a submarine and sell it to Australia during that time," said Virginia congressman Rob Wittman, who is the most senior Republican on the House Armed Services Committee's seapower subcommittee.

During AUSMIN talks in Washington DC yesterday, Mr Austin said Australia risks a "capability gap" as its naval fleet ages.

"We recognise where Australia is and when its capability begins to diminish. And, of course, we will address all of that in that pathway that we create [with AUKUS]," he said.

"We will not allow Australia to have a capability gap going forward."

Australia hopes to announce by early 2023 which nuclear submarine it will acquire.

The US has insisted that AUKUS is on track to announce a "pathway forward" on the subs issue by the March deadline.

"Over the past 15 months, we've made great progress toward identifying a pathway for Australia to acquire conventionally armed and nuclear powered submarines," said Mr Austin.

"I want to reaffirm the US commitment to ensuring that Australia acquires this capability at the earliest possible date."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-08/us-australia-and-uk-meet-in-washington-for-aukus/101746970

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de6a9c  No.17906310

File: 0f9f6a4834a3836⋯.jpg (183.56 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Australia_warned_not_to_be….jpg)

Australia warned not to become US’ ‘spearhead’, as ‘2 2’ meeting goes beyond hyping 'China threats'

Wang Qi - Dec 07, 2022

1/2

Australia should not sacrifice its interests and autonomy for the sake of US hegemony, and China would not meet Australia's wishful thinking on cooperation if it is just siding with the US and challenging China's core interests, Chinese experts warned Wednesday, following the US-Australia agreement to increase the presence of US forces in Australia, citing so-called "threats from China."

Along with Australian defense chief Richard Marles, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a joint news conference Tuesday that the two sides agreed to increase the rotational presence of US forces in Australia, including rotations of bomber task forces, fighters and future rotations of US Navy and US Army capabilities.

At a routine press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denounced that the US has formed military alliances with some of its allies to stir up division and confrontation and undermine regional peace and stability. "It is unpopular and has no market," Mao said.

According to the release from the US Department of Defense, Austin also said the US and Australia will expand logistics and sustainment cooperation and look for ways to further integrate their defense industrial bases, while Marles said Australia and the US need to be "working closer together to enhance our military capability and to develop new technologies."

The two have also agreed to "invite Japan to integrate into our force posture initiatives in Australia," according to US Department of Defense.

Along with Britain's Defense Minister Ben Wallace, the two ministers will attend a meeting of AUKUS ministers on Wednesday in Washington with nuclear-powered submarines expected to be discussed, US media reported.

Analysts noted that the "2 2" ministerial consultations between the US and Australia were aimed at exchanging views and information in the past, but with the substantive actions this time, it signals that the mechanism would serve more to implement the "alliance" into pursuing concrete measures in the future.

"The meeting goes far beyond hyping 'China threats,' and Australia's role in America's Indo-Pacific strategy is becoming clearer and more specific," Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The first contingent of US troops was deployed in northern Australia's Darwin in 2012. In 2021, the US, UK and Australia created the AUKUS security deal, which will provide Australia with the technology to deploy nuclear-powered submarines. In October this year, the Financial Times disclosed that the Pentagon will deploy B-52 aircraft, which carry nuclear or conventional weapons, to Australia's Northern Territory.

Different from the past, the military link between the US and Australia is becoming increasingly substantive. The US aims to contain China's peaceful development by playing the "Taiwan card," while Australia plays a "proactive" role in the process, Chen said.

People have always described Canberra as Washington's "deputy sheriff" in the Asia-Pacific region, but now Australia is actually playing the role of a spearhead in some scenarios, Chen noted.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17906316

File: f8852e2c2b80beb⋯.jpg (124.8 KB, 1320x720, 11:6, Troop_rotations_among_US_a….jpg)

>>17906310

2/2

The announcement of the expansion in US-Australia military cooperation comes three weeks after formal talks between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in Bali, which analysts believed would be a hopeful start to lift the countries out of the "diplomatic deep freeze" given the plunge in ties. But two weeks later, six Australian members of parliament from the Coalition and Labor visited China's Taiwan region and met secessionists on Sunday.

It is also worth noting that about three months before the latest Australia-US 2 2 ministerial meeting, Australia's defense chief reaffirmed the country's commitment to the one-China policy when speaking with local media in August.

"Australia's foreign policy is adventurism alongside opportunism, swinging between the two like a pendulum," Chen said. "When their economy is in trouble, they are eager to change the impasse with China and restore comprehensive economic and trade relations. However, when the US shifts its position or policies, Australia expresses support almost without exception."

Ning Tuanhui, an assistant research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the US is trying to mobilize its allies against China, and that Canberra is an important pawn for Washington.

The idea of enhancing US military deployment and presence in Australia is aimed at encouraging Australia against China. It would also further increase US' strategic hold on Australia, so the country will be closely dependent on the US militarily and strategically, Ning added.

"The higher the US military presence in Australia is, the weaker Australia's strategic autonomy," Ning said, "When it comes to strategic weapons such as nuclear submarines and bombers, the US will certainly not allow Australia to dominate, and Australia may not even have a say in it."

"China has stressed on many occasions that the one-China principle is a red line that cannot be crossed. China will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs. This is unshakable," Chen said, noting that it is a pointless act of adventurism to sacrifice Australians' interests for the sake of US hegemony.

Canberra must realize that China and Australia have no historical grievances, no territorial disputes, and both sides are economically complementary and share long-term mutually beneficial cooperation, Chen said.

Canberra needs to make sure it has the political wisdom and governance ability to properly manage differences, Chen said, noting that China would not meet Australia's wishful thinking on cooperation if it is just siding with the US and challenging China's core interests.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281371.shtml

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de6a9c  No.17911800

File: 89d42860c1d501f⋯.jpg (160.33 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_Director_of_Public_Pro….jpg)

>>17463649

All child abuse charges against former swim coach Kyle Daniels dropped

abc.net.au - 9 December 2022

Prosecutors have dropped all outstanding child abuse charges against former Sydney swimming instructor Kyle Daniels.

The 24-year-old was accused of inappropriate sexual contact with nine young female students while working as a part-time swim instructor at a Mosman pool in 2018 and 2019.

Mr Daniels pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies ever intentionally touching any student inappropriately.

In October, a jury acquitted him of 10 out of 21 child sexual abuse charges, including five counts of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10.

The jury was discharged after remaining divided on 11 counts — five charges of indecent assault and six charges of intentionally sexually touching a child.

Today, Crown prosecutor Tony McCarthy told the court "the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed there be no further proceedings in relation to any of the outstanding counts".

In a statement, Mr Daniels's lawyer Urania Zafiris said the DPP's decision not to pursue a third trial was "appropriate".

"Mr Daniels has always maintained his innocence of all charges in respect of these matters," she said.

"The jury verdicts and decision to discontinue are an entirely appropriate outcome consistent with that innocence."

Mr Daniels did not appear in court but listened in to his case via video link.

He has faced two trials, with the jury being discharged both times for being unable to reach a verdict on all charges.

Mr Daniels told the first trial he was "dumbfounded" and "scared" when he first learned of the allegations after his arrest in March 2019, which initially related to two girls before others came forward.

The second trial heard evidence from the young complainants, which Mr Daniels's lawyers argued had been influenced or contaminated.

They suggested parents who came forward after Mr Daniels's arrest were influenced by what they saw about the case in the media, and in turn influenced their children.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-09/kyle-daniels-child-abuse-charges-dropped/101753600

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de6a9c  No.17917739

File: 7c8af158c9d77a6⋯.jpg (104.98 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brian_Houston_is_standing_….jpg)

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File: 7b7a5081a145844⋯.jpg (98.66 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Frank_Houston_sexually_abu….jpg)

>>17879103

Church leaders defend not reporting pedophile preacher Frank Houston to police: court

STEVE ZEMEK - DECEMBER 9, 2022

1/2

Pentecostal church leaders did not report pedophile preacher Frank Houston to police in the late 1990s because they obtained legal advice telling them the victim was old enough to make his own complaint, a court has heard.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where he is fighting allegations he covered up his father Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of a young boy in the 1970s.

He denies failing to report the matter to police and has pleaded not guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence.

Frank Houston raped Brett Sengstock in January 1970 while staying with the then seven-year-old boy’s family while on a preaching tour of Australia.

The court has been told that Frank Houston’s sexual assault came to light in the late 1990s when Mr Sengstock’s mother made disclosures to pastors Barbara Taylor and Kevin “Mad Dog” Mudford.

Mr Mudford, a travelling evangelist preacher, took the information to George Aghajanian, the then general manager of the Hills Christian Life Centre, which would later become Hillsong.

At the time, Brian Houston was the senior pastor of the Hillsong Christian Life Centre, while Frank Houston oversaw the affiliated Sydney Christian Life Centre.

After Frank Houston made admissions to Brian Houston about his abuse of Mr Sengstock, he was dismissed from the church in late 1999.

However, the court has been told that Frank Houston – who died in 2004 – remained on the church’s payroll until November 2000.

Brian Houston, 68, has argued that he had a “reasonable excuse” not to come forward to police because Mr Sengstock had told him he did not want to go to police.

Mr Sengstock has denied telling Brian Houston that he did not want to go to authorities.

Defence barrister Phillip Boulten has also told the court that Brian Houston had referenced his father’s abuse of a young boy in several media interviews and there was “something like tens of thousands of people who knew Frank Houston had abused a boy or boys”.

Pastor Keith Ainge was in 1999 the national secretary of the Assemblies of God when he took a phone call from Brian Houston asking that an urgent meeting of the group’s national executive be called.

The meeting took place the following day inside the Qantas club at Sydney airport, where Brian Houston, who was president of the group, handed over the reins of the meeting to vice-president John Lewis.

“(Brian Houston) explained he had been informed of actions by his father which were inappropriate,” Mr Ainge told the court of his recollections of the meeting.

“(And) that he’d spoken to the person concerned and that it was child molestation. The victim was not wanting to have his name released to anyone; he wanted to keep it quiet and he also didn’t want to make a formal complaint.

“He also spoke to his father and his father had admitted he had behaved inappropriately with a minor.

“So he immediately suspended his credentials, which was his prerogative as the national president.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17917741

File: c810650bee898b9⋯.jpg (89.81 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Pastor_John_McMartin_says_….jpg)

File: c5a1dc76e995f02⋯.jpg (82.42 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brett_Sengstock_pictured_l….jpg)

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>>17917739

2/2

According to minutes from that meeting, the AOG had obtained legal advice indicating that they did not have to disclose the matter to police because by that time Mr Sengstock was in his 30s.

“There was no requirement to report because the victim was now … old enough to make his own report and indicated he didn’t want a report to be made,” Mr Ainge said.

Mr Ainge told the court on Friday that he could not remember who relayed that legal advice to the AOG national executive but had since learned it was Brian Houston.

John McMartin, the former pastor of the Liverpool Christian Life Centre, said he learnt of the matter when he was approached by Mr Mudford and Ms Taylor.

He was also involved in a meeting with Mr Houston and Ms Taylor in November 1999 during which they discussed Frank Houston’s sexual abuse.

Mr McMartin said he felt he had fulfilled his obligations in the matter because he had taken it to the national executive of the Assemblies of God.

“I felt my part was done,” Mr McMartin said.

Mr McMartin told the court on Friday that in 1999 he had been told by Ms Taylor that the victim did not want to be identified or co-operate with any investigation.

“The complainant was completely non-compliant, as in wouldn’t co-operate,” Mr McMartin said.

Asked if he had a “clear conscience about the way you handled” the complaint, Mr McMartin said “yes”.

He added he didn’t think he had committed the same crime that Brian Houston had been charged with.

Mr McMartin was given a certificate protecting him from prosecution in exchange for his testimony.

“You don’t think you did anything criminal in this whole set of circumstances,” he was asked by Mr Houston’s barrister Phillip Boulten.

“I agree,” Mr McMartin said on Friday.

“It follows that you did not report this matter to the police,” Mr Boulten asked.

“How can you report a matter to the police if you haven’t got a complaint?” Mr McMartin said.

The trial continues.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/brian-houston-told-followers-about-fathers-sexual-abuse-of-young-boy-court/news-story/5e5f8da65b4bb52ac3acaaac03621868

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de6a9c  No.17917750

File: a64ee4a0c42ece9⋯.jpg (119.15 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_archbishop_and_gove….jpg)

File: 81d3f0278d0e60e⋯.jpg (144.52 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Anti_sex_abuse_campaigner_….jpg)

Fears elderly sex abuse victims will die before delayed Hollingworth inquiry held

JOHN FERGUSON - DECEMBER 9, 2022

The secretive inquiry into the ­potential defrocking of Peter Hollingworth faces yet another extraordinary delay, sparking concerns elderly participants will die before there is proper scrutiny over the former governor-­general’s handling of the child sex abuse issue.

Dr Hollingworth, 87, is overdue to face professional standards board hearings under the sex abuse response system set up by the Anglican Church, with the board acting as an effective legal tribunal to determine whether his behaviour warrants him being defrocked or facing other action.

The church-inspired process received complaints against Dr Hollingworth as far back as five years ago but victims say they have faced a brick wall of secrecy and delays that reached crisis point this month when they were told of yet another legal setback.

That delay, which has not been fully explained and means it will be February at least before the hearings begin, has led one victim to warn the overall investigation into Dr Hollingworth’s behaviour as archbishop of Brisbane would trickle into its sixth year without coming to a conclusion.

The confidential inquiries into Dr Hollingworth, the 1991 Australian of the Year, threaten to run longer than the entire child sex abuse royal commission, with the church arguing the so-called Kooyoora system is independent and does not respond to clerical influence.

Chris Goddard, a global expert on child sex abuse, said the system had become farcical and was threatening the health of the ­participants.

Dr Goddard said the process looked like it had been set up to thwart accountability. “I think they are fundamentally waiting for people to give up or they are waiting for them to die,” he said.

An elderly victim of church abuse also told The Weekend Australian that the process was so drawn out that it looked like it was tactical.

The church and the Kooyoora investigative body it set up declined to comment.

Dr Hollingworth was never an abuser but was exposed falling short of basic community standards in his handling of the crisis when Brisbane archbishop.

His critics argue there is enough evidence already on the record that suggests he should be banished from his church, including that against a specialist’s advice he allowed a pedophile priest in 1993 to continue to preach, giving incorrect evidence to a 2002 abuse inquiry and blaming a victim of child sex abuse for encouraging the offending.

Multiple victims of church abuse have made complaints to Kooyoora but are extremely frustrated with the slow response. The church says the process is fully independent, a claim rejected by its critics. There is now a strong push for any tribunal hearing to be held without Dr Hollingworth present if he is unable or unwilling to ­attend. He did not comment.

If Dr Hollingworth were not to appear, the tribunal could rely on public record documents and evidence that includes the 1993 decision to allow the pedophile to preach.

Anti-sex abuse campaigner Hetty Johnston said Dr Hollingworth should never have been ­appointed governor-general, a position he had to relinquish after a storm of controversy over his handling of the abuse issue.

Ms Johnston said the constant delays in the Victorian tribunal were harmful to the victims. “There is no question that this is re-traumatising (them),” she said. “I just find it incomprehensible. The system just doesn’t work.”

The secrecy surrounding the Kooyoora process makes it difficult for even those who make complaints to know exactly what is happening. It also is becoming increasingly embarrassing for the church, which has, like all the biggest denominations, been attempting to move on from the abuse crisis and implement new accountability systems.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/fears-elderly-sex-abuse-victims-will-die-before-delayed-hollingworth-inquiry-held/news-story/b3a2660e2187d0e4fbcda15c6b366ba4

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de6a9c  No.17917825

File: f09c5f6ea24bc01⋯.jpg (341.46 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Parents_swept_up_into_cont….jpg)

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>>17869695

Parents swept up into controversy over After School Satan Club speak out: 'At their wits' end'

Jon Brown - December 9, 2022

1/3

As controversy roils a Virginia town over a planned Satanist after-school club, organizers and parents on both sides of the issue spoke to Fox News Digital to share their perspectives.

The city of Chesapeake has recently drawn national attention as the center of a firestorm sweeping the southeastern Virginia community after The Satanic Temple has attempted to establish an After School Satan Club (ASSC) for kids at the local B.M. Williams Primary School.

‘Fear and indoctrination’

"Regarding parents who are upset about the club, I would like them to know that we are here because we have worked with educators to develop an after-school program that is engaging and fun and helps young minds grow and thrive," June Everett, an ordained minister in The Satanic Temple and campaign director of ASSC, told Fox News Digital.

Maintaining that ASSC "fosters creativity and projects [that] are often designed to benefit the community and promote empathy," Everett said The Satanic Temple attempts to establish such clubs "as a constructive and positive alternative to other religious after-school clubs that often glorify fear and indoctrination."

Everett said she was first led to The Satanic Temple five years ago after her first-grader "was traumatized by his classmates on the playground one day, and they were attendees of the Good News Club that was taking place at the public elementary school he was attending at the time."

"I picked him up from school one afternoon, crying and upset after he was told that he would burn in hell away from his mommy and daddy and Molly, our dog at the time, if we didn’t accept Jesus Christ into our hearts and start going to church," Everett continued. "I knew there was a Good News Club [there] at the time, and this prompted me to start researching them more, and I realized that this is their goal: to use children who attend the club to proselytize to their peers."

Everett, who earlier this week resubmitted an application to establish an ASSC in Chesapeake after the original sponsor withdrew, said the congregation at her local chapter of The Satanic Temple took her in "with such open arms."

"I had never met such genuine, non-judgmental people in my life," she said. "Satanism truly has made me a better person, a better friend, a better parent and a much better contributing member of society."

Everett said she believes that "the evangelicals" in particular emphasize fear and indoctrination in their approach, citing that the Child Evangelism Fellowship's (CEF) stated mission for the Good News Clubs they sponsor is "to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living."

‘We emphasize the goodness of God’

Lydia Kaiser, a spokesperson for the Missouri-based CEF, could not comment on the specifics of Everett's situation because she was not involved, but she described as "typical" the accusation that Good News Clubs browbeat children into Christianity. Their curriculum materials for children, however, emphasize God's goodness and do not contain vivid descriptions of hell, she told Fox News Digital.

"We believe that there is a physical place called hell, we believe all that the Bible says about it," said Kaiser. "But when we're talking to children, the way we describe it is ‘separation from God.’"

"You don't need all the scary description," Kaiser continued. "We don't want to scare children into making a decision. We want them to desire a relationship with God. That's our goal. And so we emphasize the goodness of God, how much God loves them and wants to forgive them for their sin and be their friend, their Savior and their Lord."

"We try to draw children into a relationship with God by describing him as good, and the bad we describe as separation from all of that," she added.

Kaiser, who noted that parents are welcome to observe what goes on at after-school Good News Clubs, parried arguments that children are too young to reflect on spiritual issues by pointing out how children are expected by adults to learn other basics of human existence such as a healthy diet and personal hygiene.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17917829

File: 1c6c52baa7f1fb3⋯.jpg (79.93 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Lydia_Kaiser_of_the_Child_….jpg)

File: 3deaf82f4706caa⋯.jpg (67.2 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Associate_Justice_Antonin_….jpg)

>>17917825

2/3

‘The real danger’

Stephen Mannix, who said he has served for about 15 years as the chairman of his local CEF chapter in the Virginia Tidewater region, said he plans to speak about the ASSC brouhaha at next week's scheduled school board meeting in Chesapeake.

"They say they don't have any religious content, but it's bigger than that," Mannix told Fox News Digital of the Satan clubs.

ASSC claims not to teach of a personal devil, but rather serves as a place where young students can learn about benevolence and empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty and compassion.

Both Mannix and Kaiser believe that since The Satanic Temple started its ASSC campaign in 2016, it has been using the 2001 Supreme Court decision in Good News Club v. Milford Central School to stir up hysteria in various places that sponsor Good News Clubs until school boards feel compelled to shut down after-school clubs altogether.

The case ultimately rose to the Supreme Court after an upstate New York school district denied an application to a Good News Club on the basis that "the kinds of activities proposed to be engaged in by the Good News Club were not a discussion of secular subjects such as child-rearing, development of character and development of morals from a religious perspective, but were in fact the equivalent of religious instruction itself."

The Supreme Court's opinion, which was written by former Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, ruled in favor of the Good News Club, noting that restrictions on speech in a "limited public forum" such as a public school must not discriminate on the basis of the speaker's viewpoint.

The school district's attorneys in the case argued that having a religious club on public school property, even after school hours, would violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution by leading children to believe that the school or the government was somehow establishing a particular religion.

The Court shot that argument down, writing: "Finally, even if we were to inquire into the minds of schoolchildren in this case, we cannot say the danger that children would misperceive the endorsement of religion is any greater than the danger that they would perceive a hostility toward the religious viewpoint if the Club were excluded from the public forum."

The Satanic Temple "does not believe in introducing religion into public schools and will only open a club if other religious groups are operating on campus," according to their website.

"We are only doing this because Good News Clubs have created a need for this," Lucien Greaves, cofounder of The Satanic Temple, told The Washington Post in 2016. "If Good News Clubs would operate in churches rather than public schools, that need would disappear. But our point is that if you let one religion into the public schools you have to let others, otherwise it’s an establishment of religion."

"The danger becomes this lie of a secularized space that bans and censors and tells Christians to go home," said Mannix. "That's where the real danger is."

Kaiser and Mannix pointed out the short shelf life of Satanist clubs as an indication of their intention merely to sow discord in an attempt to shut down competing Christian clubs.

Everett confirmed to Fox News Digital that only four clubs are currently active in the U.S., pending the approval of a fifth in Chesapeake.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17917833

File: 503f0c5db96768b⋯.jpg (158.59 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Close_up_on_a_black_book_w….jpg)

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>>17917829

3/3

‘Wearing down the inhibition of children’

"They say that they don't actually teach kids about Satan," Kaiser said of the Satan clubs. "They say it's more about humanism and so-called tolerance, which is ironic when they're actually being intolerant, trying to get us kicked out."

"But they have an 8,000-pound statue of Satan with two little elementary-aged children looking at it adoringly," Kaiser continued. "If every time the story was run, they would show a picture of this mascot, people would be able to judge for themselves whether they're trying to appeal to children with Satanism."

"They're wearing down the inhibition of children so that they'll think it's fine to attend a truly satanic event when they're older," she added.

The statue Kaiser referenced, which The Satanic Temple unveiled in 2015, cost $100,000 to make and has featured repeatedly in its public campaigns. Standing at nearly 9 feet tall, the bronze figure depicts a boy and a girl gazing up at a winged, goat-headed hermaphrodite known as Baphomet, which has historically been presented as a satanic symbol.

Based on an 1856 sketch of the "Sabbatic Goat" by French occultist Éliphas Lévi, the statue is replete with occult symbolism representing the union of supposed binary opposites such as human and animal, male and female or good and evil.

In Lévi's original depiction, the figure was androgynous, but Greaves told the BBC in 2015 that in their iteration, Baphomet's breasts were removed to avoid wading into cultural gender debates. He noted to the outlet that the original drawing's "male-female dualism" is represented instead by the two children.

‘At their wits’ end’

Citing "the heightened emotional situation in our city" following the recent mass shooting at a local Walmart, the original sponsor of the ASSC in Chesapeake withdrew her name this week, according to The Virginian-Pilot. Other organizers promptly resubmitted the necessary paperwork and still aim to roll out the ASSC at the primary school on Dec. 15.

Aspen Nolette, a local parent and founder of Chesapeake Parents for Freedom, said the ASSC has caused an "uproar" in her community and that parents are increasingly wearied by what is going on in public schools.

"People are extremely upset, they're extremely disturbed, I think," Nolette told Fox News Digital. "In the nation right now, you've got boys attempting to go into girls' bathrooms. You saw what happened in Loudoun County, Virginia, and the assault that happened there because of that. You've got pornographic books and graphic novels in our schools that parents are extremely upset about because we have laws about distributing pornography to children."

"And now you've got After School Satan Clubs. From what I've seen, and I've been involved in this for a couple of years, parents are at their wits' end," Nolette added. "The Satan clubs seem to be where they drew the line."

https://news.yahoo.com/parents-swept-controversy-over-school-070032404.html

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de6a9c  No.17917917

File: 4ceb506c02ec8ed⋯.jpg (1.87 MB, 3500x2330, 350:233, For_some_Satanists_activis….jpg)

File: 130b53b0145145e⋯.jpg (390.04 KB, 3000x2008, 375:251, Anton_LaVey_is_the_controv….jpg)

>>17869695

What is Satanism? And where does social justice fit into this controversial religion?

David Rutledge - 6 Nov 2022

1/3

What do Satanists believe? It's a timely question, given that accusations of Satanism and reports of Satanic activity have become worryingly mainstream in recent years, particularly in the USA.

We're all familiar with the feverish imaginings of QAnon adherents and their belief in the existence of a global network of Satanist paedophiles.

But even among seemingly rational people on the American political right, the name of Satan is dropped with increasing frequency, and unwelcome cultural phenomena routinely denounced as "Satanic".

Are Satanists really out there? And do they pose some sort of demonic threat to decent society?

The short answers are (1) yes, and (2) no — and beyond the scare stories lie some fascinating complexities.

From sketchy figure to symbol of freedom

It's worth noting that while the image of Satan in Christian folklore and popular culture is elaborate and detailed, Satan in the bible is a sketchy, minor figure, and a surprisingly innocuous one.

Satan first pops up in the Book of Job (his Hebrew name satan means "opponent" or "adversary"), where he and God appear on perfectly amicable terms, and even engage in a friendly wager.

In the New Testament Gospels, Satan subjects Jesus to various temptations, but he's easily outwitted by the Son of God. In the Book of James, it's suggested that even the everyday Christian might find Satan something of a pushover: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

So far, so unthreatening. But what do Satanists take from all this?

The first and most important thing to understand is that by and large, Satanists are not devil worshippers. They don't believe in the existence of Satan as a supernatural entity.

Satan in modern Satanism functions more as a symbol of certain things that Satanists venerate: freedom, knowledge, fearlessness, power, pleasure. But there's no God-figure, and no worship.

Peter H Gilmore, current High Priest of the international Church of Satan, puts it very simply: "There's no belief or spirituality in Satanism. We're carnal, we're sceptical, we're proudly faithless people."

So why make it a religion? Why have a church of Satan?

"Satanism understands that we are creatures of conceptual consciousness", says Gilmore, "and our concepts are put together in such a way as to make symbols."

This activity includes the creation of such symbolic institutions as churches.

"It's a very powerful thing, and it leads to ritual as a form of human behaviour. We employ symbols and ritual to enact self-transformation and catharsis — hence the church, and the religion."

'Being our own gods'

It was founded by Anton Szandor LaVey, who established the Church of Satan in San Francisco in 1966, and three years later published The Satanic Bible, a collection of essays and rituals that's become a central "scripture" for the Church.

LaVey was a notorious hippy-baiter — he hated the burgeoning peace and love movement at least as much as he hated the Christian church, if not more so.

He was also a devout individualist who articulated a philosophy of what today we would call self-empowerment.

"What we invoke in Satan is a projection of the best in ourselves — a symbol of pride, liberty and individualism," says Peter H Gilmore.

"When it comes to celebrating ego and self-deification, we understand that nature is hierarchical, and that there are always going to be different levels of people.

"So we're aware of our talents and our abilities — but in being our own gods, we can be beneficent gods, and we can deal with others in a very charitable and loving way. It's not about crushing other folk, which is how people tend to interpret self-centredness."

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17917922

File: 3c0c75a853f2421⋯.jpg (151.84 KB, 862x575, 862:575, The_Church_of_Satan_was_es….jpg)

File: 5fc70229e7e4a4d⋯.jpg (895.87 KB, 3000x2012, 750:503, Lucien_Greaves_founded_The….jpg)

>>17917917

2/3

Hierarchy and heft

This all sounds well and good, but even a quick browse through The Satanic Bible reveals an unnervingly steely kind of social Darwinism:

Blessed are the strong, for they shall possess the earth — Cursed are the weak, for they shall inherit the yoke!

Blessed are the powerful, for they shall be reverenced among men — Cursed are the feeble, for they shall be blotted out!

As it happens, Anton LaVey was an admirer of arch libertarian Ayn Rand, indeed he once described his own writing as "Ayn Rand with trappings", and Satanism as "Ayn Rand's philosophy with ceremony and ritual added".

Whether or not LaVey was being entirely serious — he loved to troll and provoke in interviews — there's no doubt that in its rational egoism, its celebration of power-differentiated hierarchy and its aversion to altruism, The Satanic Bible has a distinctively Randian flavour.

It's an often-noted irony that much of The Satanic Bible anticipates the social and economic doctrines of modern-day Republicans in the USA.

Church of Satan members have pointed out that LaVey's more problematic beliefs (he was also a eugenicist, and often advocated in interviews for the establishment of a police state) are not official COS policy positions, and that individual members should not regard them as gospel.

But statements from Church of Satan leaders over the years espousing Survival of the Fittest as a fundamental law of nature have been too numerous to be easily brushed aside.

And it was partly in opposition to this perceived might-makes-right ethos that another Satanic religious organisation was founded in 2013: The Satanic Temple, which is based in Salem, Massachusetts (scene of the infamous witch trials of 1692).

From the outset, The Satanic Temple rejected the Church of Satan's apolitical stance and jumped with both feet into public affairs.

Its stated mission is "to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority… oppose injustice and undertake noble pursuits".

Its principal targets are manifestations of what founder Lucien Greaves has called "theocratic assaults on the separation of church and state", and the privileging of Christianity over and above minority religious groups.

In addition to public campaigns protesting (for example) the establishment of Christian monuments on the grounds of the public buildings, The Satanic Temple also runs an addiction recovery support group, a campaign opposing corporal punishment in schools, refugee support outreach and so on.

Satan: Champion of the outsider

According to Stephen Long, who's a minister and member of Ordination Council with The Satanic Temple, this activity is very much in keeping with a certain literary interpretation of the figure of Satan.

Like many modern Satanists, Long takes his Satanic bearings from John Milton's 17th century epic poem Paradise Lost, a work that tells the story of Adam and Eve's fall from grace in the Garden of Eden, Satan's subsequent expulsion from heaven, and a three-day battle between God's angels and Satan's rebels.

In Paradise Lost, Satan is unquestionably the bad guy. But he's also one of those irresistibly noble villains — a tragic antihero, dynamic and charismatic, who pushes back against the authority of God.

Early in the story, Satan — or Lucifer, as he's known at this point — says it is "better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven", a declaration that's endeared him to romantics and revolutionaries ever since.

"During the 1800s, the Romantic poets started to look at Lucifer in Paradise Lost as a heroic figure," says Long.

"The foundational belief structures of the Western world were being reconfigured, and so during that time he started to be seen as a champion of the outsider; a champion of reason and enlightenment. So that is where I root my Satanism."

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17917927

File: 3b8bd0dbe85f78a⋯.jpg (3.77 MB, 4440x2955, 296:197, A_statue_of_the_deity_Baph….jpg)

File: cda9ac3a57da6b7⋯.jpg (578.16 KB, 852x1193, 852:1193, Q_133.jpg)

File: f44712cd56c783f⋯.jpg (1.22 MB, 852x3122, 426:1561, Q_3155.jpg)

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>>17917922

3/3

Socially just Satanism?

As a gay former Christian who underwent ex-gay therapy and other attempts at "deliverance" in his teens, Stephen Long knows what it's like to be an outsider. But his perspective on Satan as champion of minority rights also informs his understanding of Satanism as a materialist, carnal religion in interesting ways.

"Satanism is a religion of the body, and my concern as a Satanist goes downward, toward the earth," Long says.

"Part of that means material pleasure — but I'm not some kind of libertine, I'm very conservative in how I live my life.

"As I understand it, the carnality of Satanism also needs to be put in the broader context of material conditions, physical conditions — and that includes people's physical needs being met. What are the conditions that people are living under, and are those conditions just?"

At the moment The Satanic Temple is running campaigns for abortion access, LGBTQIA support, mental health, education, religious liberty and much more.

So, does this mean that The Satanic Temple is really just a political activist organisation dressed in Luciferian robes?

"One can argue whether or not TST started as an activist organisation," says Long, "but we're a church. We are a community of religious people.

"The political action of the Temple emerges from deeply-held Satanic religious beliefs — in the same way that when Quakers get involved in politics, they're not activists pretending to be Quakers.

"Nobody would be stupid enough to say that Quakers are just activists masquerading as religious people — it's the same with Satanists."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-06/is-satanism-a-religion-of-social-justice/101591462

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/david-rutledge/2924810

Q Post #133

Nov 11 2017 23:29:35 (EST)

Hard to swallow.

Important to progress.

Who are the puppet masters?

House of Saud (6 ) - $4 Trillion

Rothschild (6 ) - $2 Trillion

Soros (6 ) - $1 Trillion

Focus on above (3).

Public wealth disclosures – False.

Many governments of the world feed the ‘Eye’.

Think slush funds (feeder).

Think war (feeder).

Think environmental pacts (feeder).

Triangle has (3) sides.

Eye of Providence.

Follow the bloodlines.

What is the keystone?

Does Satan exist?

Does the ‘thought’ of Satan exist?

Who worships Satan?

What is a cult?

Epstein island.

What is a temple?

What occurs in a temple?

Worship?

Why is the temple on top of a mountain?

How many levels might exist below?

What is the significance of the colors, design and symbol above the dome?

Why is this relevant?

Who are the puppet masters?

Have the puppet masters traveled to this island?

When? How often? Why?

“Vladimir Putin: The New World Order Worships Satan”

Q

https://qanon.pub/#133

Q Post #3155

Mar 20 2019 22:15:06 (EST)

Keep digging, Anons.

RACHEL CHANDLER IS KEY.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#3155

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de6a9c  No.17922487

File: 296ff696a5efa2c⋯.jpg (56.45 KB, 800x449, 800:449, Pink_Floyd_s_Roger_Waters.jpg)

File: 42043d3a593401b⋯.jpg (712.07 KB, 2048x1536, 4:3, FaYUPVTXoAAqmI2.jpg)

>>17853189

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters calls for freeing Julian Assange at NY rally

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters attends another rally to call for freeing Julian Assange.

Al Mayadeen English - 10 Dec 2022

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters attended a rally calling for freeing Julian Assange in front of the British Consulate in New York on Saturday.

About 100 people attended the rally in the early afternoon, holding banners that read "Free Julian Assange".

"We live maybe in the craziest city, and it is definitely the craziest country in a crazy world," Waters told the rally participants.

Waters has attended protests to call for freeing Assange in the past. Some US politicians have criticized Waters for his recent accusations of President Joe Biden fueling the conflict in Ukraine.

In August, Waters showed up in a rally in front of the Justice Department in Washington while on his 2022 "This Is Not a Drill" Tour, where he warned that Assange's stay in prison was making him sicker and pushing him closer to death and called on the protestors to "never, never shut up" and keep doing what they are doing until Assange is free.

Assange is accused of breaking the US Espionage Act by publishing US military and diplomatic records pertaining to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars in 2010, as per US claims, whereas in reality, he exposed US war crimes in both countries, which enraged Washington. He is currently fighting extradition from London to the US.

The Assange case has become a cause celebre for media freedom, with advocates accusing Washington of attempting to stifle real security concerns.

The US claims it wants him to stand trial for breaching the US Espionage Act by disclosing military and diplomatic information in 2010. If proven guilty, he may face up to 175 years in prison, though the exact punishment is difficult to predict.

The UK Interior Ministry had previously revealed that Home Secretary Priti Patel had accepted the extradition order, but he had 14 days to appeal.

The long-running legal saga began in 2010 after Assange published more than 500,000 documents classified in the US regarding war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

His supporters have staged many protests against his deportation, accusing Washington of a politically motivated effort since Assange, 50, exposed US war crimes and a cover-up.

Assange reportedly applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to challenge his extradition to the US from the United Kingdom, where he has been held at a maximum security prison for three and a half years so far.

The Australian-born publisher has been in prison since he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2019 and arrested by British police.

Fresh information recently revealed that at least 15 people were appointed by the UK government to the secret operation to seize WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Although Assange was granted political asylum by Ecuador back in 2012; he was never allowed safe passage out of Britain since he was the target of prosecution by the US.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/art-culture/pink-floyds-roger-waters-calls-for-freeing-julian-assange-at

https://twitter.com/anyaparampil/status/1559956581466480640

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de6a9c  No.17922492

File: 01e2716be468c8a⋯.jpg (184.17 KB, 1280x853, 1280:853, Richard_Marles_and_Penny_W….jpg)

Australia's 'indispensable' partnership with Japan could see it join AUKUS pact as strategic links grow

Stephen Dziedzic and James Oaten - 11 December 2022

Defence Minister Richard Marles has sent a clear signal that Australia would like Japan to be included in the AUKUS pact with the United States and the United Kingdom, declaring that security ties between Tokyo and Canberra were becoming "indispensable".

Both countries have also committed to more complex and sophisticated defence exercises, including potentially rotating Japanese F-35 fighter jets in Australia in the future, in another sign of strategic convergence between the two countries.

Mr Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with their Japanese counterparts, Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo on Friday for their annual meeting dubbed the 'two-plus-two'.

Mr Marles used a speech while there to declare that he was intent on "growing defence industry integration with Japan: bilaterally, through our trilateral mechanisms with the United States, and, when ready, via our advanced capabilities work in AUKUS as well".

While there is no chance that Japan will look to acquire nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS, Australian officials have made it clear that it could be included in separate work under the arrangement to develop advanced defence technology capabilities.

The Defence Minister said he was focused on ensuring the AUKUS pact delivered results in defence technology cooperation, but said after that all three countries would like to involve Japan.

"We have to focus on making sure it's actually starting to deliver," he said.

"But when it's delivering, I absolutely think there's a chance to involve Japan in the work we're doing and I think that view is shared by both the UK and the US."

Mr Marles also talked up the rapidly intensifying bilateral defence ties between Australia and Japan.

The Defence Minister said both countries had "benefited from the United States' network of alliances" but were now "poised to build the Japan-Australia relationship as a powerful force in its own right" — citing two landmark security pacts signed this year.

This included the Reciprocal Access Agreement, which will allow reciprocal access for defence personnel to conduct joint military training and missions.

"The Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation and the Reciprocal Access Agreement mean we now have the road map to take our partnership to a very different place — a better place," he said.

"Our partnership is becoming indispensable."

This deepening relationship was at a time when China was embarking on the "largest military build-up since World War 2", which was "without transparency or reassurance to the region of China's strategic intent," Mr Marles said.

"This is the most significant factor shaping the strategic landscape in which Australia, and Japan exist."

RAAF's F-35s to Japan for exercises

The joint statement from the defence and foreign ministers of both countries commits both nations to "accelerating the consideration" of bringing Japan's F-35s to Australia "with an eye to future rotational deployment of Japan's fighters including F-35s in Australia".

It also points out that Royal Australian Air Force F-35s will go to Japan next year for the first time to participate in military exercises.

The joint statement says both countries also want to discuss "enhancing the complexity of Japan Self Defence Forces' participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre" — a major multilateral training exercise in northern Australia.

It also flags conducting "submarine search and rescue training between the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and the Royal Australian Navy" as well as "amphibious operations, exercises and guided weapon live-fire drills".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-09/aukus-australia-japan-richard-marles-pact/101757248

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de6a9c  No.17922495

File: 2df18ad94aee59f⋯.jpg (175.08 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Growing_uncertainties_as_J….jpg)

>>17922492

Growing uncertainties as Japan, Australia strengthen strategy coordination with US

GT staff reporters - Dec 09, 2022

Clichéd “China-threat” rhetoric was brought to the gathering of the defense and foreign ministers of Japan and Australia in Tokyo on Friday, and analysts said the meeting, which was held close on the heels of a similar one between US and Australian defense ministers in the US this week, will bring more uncertainties to the region as Australia and Japan vow to strengthen coordination in containing China.

Japan and Australia vowed to bolster security ties, citing “China’s threat” as an excuse as Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada hosted their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, on Friday, in what was the first in-person two-plus-two talks between the two countries since October 2018.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also met with the ministers on Friday. The Japanese Foreign Ministry said that they shared the view that Japan and Australia need to “lead efforts toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific," referring to a vision that Japan has been promoting along with the US to counter China, Japanese media reported.

The Friday talks, which followed a similar meeting in Washington between US and Australian defense and foreign ministers, aimed to put the consensus reached in Washington into action and further assign missions for Japan and Australia, two spearheads of the US in pushing its Indo-Pacific Strategy, Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times.

The "2 2" ministerial consultations between the US and Australia were held on Tuesday, and the two countries agreed to increase the rotational presence of US forces in Australia and to "invite Japan to integrate into our force posture initiatives in Australia," media reported.

The US and Australia referred to Japan with the purpose of emphasizing coordination between Japan and Australia, particularly in their militaries, and they also wanted to bring Japan into their military cooperation, particularly in joint drills to better prepare for any military clashes in the Indo-Pacific area, Chen said.

In recent years, Australia and Japan have worked to strengthen their cooperation. For example, in October, Japan and Australia signed a new bilateral security agreement covering military, intelligence, cybersecurity and space cooperation, a move that experts said shows the two countries' willingness to be pawns of the US, while threatening regional peace and security.

Chen said that no matter how loud Japan and Australia tout a “free” Indo-Pacific, the two countries are actually trying to join forces and exert their influence in Southeast Asian and Pacific Island countries to help the US contain China and stir up trouble in the region, for example, in the South China Sea or on the Taiwan question.

Chen noted that there will be more interactions between Australia and Japan in the coming year, as the two have become a de facto military alliance after signing a Reciprocal Access Agreement. It is also possible that Japan will join the Five Eyes Alliance, an intelligence grouping comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US, and AUKUS, the trilateral security pact between the US, UK and Australia.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a speech in Tokyo that Australia will push for Japan to be included as a quasi fourth member of AUKUS as it seeks to elevate its partnership with Tokyo to unprecedented heights, media reported.

The Australian government has combined adventurism with opportunism and chosen to defend US hegemony at the cost of its own national interests and security, which reveals its lack of prudence and political wisdom, said Chen.

Analysts also warned that Japan is using cooperation with Australia and other countries to seek to lift its military restrictions, while the rise of conservative forces in Japan and the Japanese government’s hyping of the Taiwan question have also alarmed many Asian countries.

A small group of countries are using “free” and “open” as excuses to stir up confrontations and clashes, severely threatening the hard-won peace in Asia, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Kong Xuanyou said in a forum on Thursday, calling on Japan to maintain strategic independence to make the right choice and defend the overall and long-term interests in Asia.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281541.shtml

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de6a9c  No.17927371

File: 9df0a52e29c9592⋯.jpg (1.09 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

File: d2233dcec22fb6a⋯.jpg (198.19 KB, 3000x1999, 3000:1999, Shadow_foreign_minister_Si….jpg)

File: 95b8496c9d205a5⋯.jpg (341.58 KB, 1600x1067, 1600:1067, The_delegation_will_inspec….jpg)

Bipartisan political delegation visits the Pacific amid concerns over China, climate and COVID

Andrew Greene - 12 December 2022

Foreign Minister Penny Wong is this week leading a bi-partisan parliamentary delegation to the Pacific to demonstrate Australia's unwavering commitment to the region amid growing strategic competition.

Labor and Coalition frontbenchers will first visit Vanuatu, where Australian officials have recently been dispatched after a devastating cyber-attack that's crippled the nation's critical infrastructure, including hospital systems.

Later the bi-partisan delegation, which includes Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham, Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy and his Opposition counterpart Michael McCormack, will fly to the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.

A cross-party visit to the Pacific region last occurred during the Turnbull government and Minister Conroy says it's timely that the practice is now resuming.

"In the Pacific there are three Cs that are the major challenges for the region; and that's COVID, climate and competition," Mr Conroy told the ABC before departing Australia.

"There's significant geo strategic competition in the Pacific and it's something that we have to be very honest about, but Australia remains the partner of choice for Pacific nations."

Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham concedes Australia has much work to do.

"These are challenging times, we all acknowledge that, but the challenges faced by our Pacific island nation friends aren't ones they face alone, they face it with the support of Australia as friends, as partners, and that's regardless of who is in government."

Vanuatu recovering from cyber attack

The parliamentary delegation is scheduled to arrive in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila on Monday as officials there continue to deal with the aftermath of a devastating ransomware attack that took down government servers and websites including hospital systems.

Last week Vanuatu's Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau declared 70 per cent of the government's network had now been recovered but warned the risk of further cyber-attacks remained.

Australian experts, including members of the cyber spy agency ASD, have been deployed to help deal with the aftermath of the attack which is suspected of being launched by a foreign state-based actor.

Local suspicions have focused on Indonesia for the attack because of Vanuatu's outspoken support for Papuans, but Mr Conroy won't be drawn on a possible culprit.

"It's not appropriate for me to speculate on that particular incident but importantly Australia offered our assistance immediately to the government of Vanuatu and it was accepted to support their effort," he said.

"That's a great example of Pacific nations looking to other parts of the Pacific family."

The Opposition's Simon Birmingham says Australia's assistance demonstrates how important its Pacific neighbours are.

"The fact that Australia is able to step up and help respond to a cyber-attack in a country like Vanuatu is a sign of the depth of our pacific relationship and the range of different ways in which Australia support can be and is valuable to Pacific island nations".

In Vanuatu the parliamentary delegation will also witness the official handover ceremony for a newly-constructed wharf and police boat, as part of Australia's security cooperation with the Pacific.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-12/bipartisan-delegation-visit-pacific-nations/101759598

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de6a9c  No.17927384

File: e2e5085fdf10771⋯.jpg (132.82 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Roblox_is_a_multiplayer_on….jpg)

File: 65175d9905f80f3⋯.jpg (102.18 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Mark_Ginn_used_currency_fr….jpg)

Convicted pedophile Mark Ginn jailed after using Roblox currency for online abuse

Aymon Bertah and Fiona Killman - December 12, 2022

1/2

A convicted pedophile from the Central Coast has been given a 10 year jail sentence after using currency from the online game Roblox to coerce young girls into sexually abusing themselves.

Mark Anthony Ginn from Kanwal appeared via video link from Parklea Correctional Centre to be sentenced in Sydney District Court on Friday.

In August, he entered guilty pleas to three counts of possessing child abuse material with intention to be used by himself or another person, five counts of making child abuse material available using a carriage service, two counts of transmitting child abuse material using a carriage service, one count of soliciting child abuse material using a carriage service and one count of failing to comply with court orders.

An agreed set of facts tendered to the court revealed how police came to arrest Ginn and the extent of his offending between June, 2020 and March, 2021.

The facts state that in September, 2020 the FBI carried out a search warrant on a US man in relation to the production of child abuse material.

The man was arrested and indicted for child sexual abuse offences. During an interview with police he mentioned an Australian man he met over Snapchat during a conversation with a female he was trying to groom.

He told officers the man went by the alias “Keith Anderson” and was in a wheelchair.

“The pair traded online currency for a game Roblox,” the facts stated. “On one occasion Keith Anderson sent him $30 via PayPal for (the man) to purchase a Roblox game character for him.”

The US man gave the Australian man access to a Mega.nz storage account by the name “evil gurl” in May 2020.

“Keith Anderson” told the American man he would groom pre-pubescent females online and record them committing sexual acts on themselves via Snapchat. He would then forward them onto him to upload to their shared account.

The facts stated that Snapchat records connected “Keith Anderson” to Mark Ginn from the Central Coast of Australia.

In March 2021, members of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) child protection team attended a house in Kanwal and seized Ginn’s Apple iPad.

His email account revealed that he had logged into the Snapchat account over various dates in March 2021 and August and April 2020.

“A review of the iPad revealed child abuse material offences,” facts stated.

Ginn was arrested and charged with the offences before the court and a six month forensic review of his iPad was conducted with 66 videos found.

The AFP identified an ongoing conversation between Ginn and a Snapchat account belonging to a girl aged 8-10 in June and July, 2020.

“The accused offers to purchase or give various Roblox characters for use in the online game Roblox in exchange for videos of (the victim) performing various sexual acts upon herself,” the facts read.

One conversation read –

Ginn: “What are you doing? Why are you not asleep yet?”

Victim: “Cus I can.”

Ginn: “Fair enough, come play Roblox.”

Victim “OK”

After some back and forth Ginn asks “wanna make a deal? I’ll buy the ferret and I’ll call you everyday so you can see it and watch it play”.

Victim: “OK”

Ginn: “If you make videos so I can see your p*ssy properly”.

Victim: “OK”

The victim sends a video and then Ginn asks for further videos of more serious self abuse in exchange for a photo of his “d”.

“I’ll show you my d*ck after a few more videos”.

The facts stated that videos of this victim were uploaded to the shared storage account. The videos showed the victim reclining on her bed performing acts of sexual abuse.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17927386

File: 89e98a56ea22b07⋯.jpg (126.99 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Ginn_used_the_popular_onli….jpg)

File: d60cee21a9d67ce⋯.jpg (82.58 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Ginn_s_victims_were_girls_….jpg)

>>17927384

2/2

The facts also revealed that Ginn targeted sisters from the US, one aged 8-10 and the other 7-9.

When one of the sisters asks him to get an “adopt me pet” from Roblox, Ginn asks her to take a video “so I can watch you take your clothes off”.

“How many more?” the victim asks.

“Can you please show your ass and try to twerk. Where’s your sister?”

The sisters engaged in sexual acts with each other at Ginn’s request.

Between November 2020 and February 2021, Ginn communicated with a girl aged 8-10 from Scotland over Snapchat and told her he was a 12 year old boy.

He asked her if she has a Roblox “parrot” before saying “can you please do the splits naked so I can see your whole body?”

The facts state that of the 66 files uploaded from Ginn’s IP address, three were classed category three child abuse and 61 were category one.

The AFP also identified conversations with other males online where Ginn sends them images and videos of his victims. He sent 20 videos to one account in March 2021.

The facts stated that in 2016 Ginn was jailed after being convicted of two counts of possessing child abuse material and three counts of using a carriage service to access child porn. He was sentenced to two years and two months with a non-parole period of one year and three months.

On Friday Judge Donna Woodburne told the court she would be “required to deal with” a call-up matter for Ginn breaching past reporting obligations in 2018.

“It would seem to me that unless I am persuaded to make no order … to impose a sentence for six months to commence from the date of arrest,” Judge Woodburne said.

“There is a distinct criminality in failing to comply with reporting obligations … it is important there be deterrence.”

Judge Woodburne told the court Ginn was “involved [with] multiple failures to comply” over an 11 month period.

“[He] was well aware of his reporting obligations … such deliberate disregard … exhibits poor insight,” she said.

In addressing Ginn’s latest charges, Judge Woodburne said the “offending involved planning” and she was “satisfied” the 34-year-old “engaged” with the victims “for the production of child abuse material”.

She continued by highlighting the “corruption” of children involved with the offences.

Judge Woodburne told the court about Ginn’s “serious medical condition” resulting in “chronic” back pain and the 34-year-old being confined to a wheelchair.

However, she said this did not “prevent or impede” the offending but had made jail more onerous due to his “vulnerability”.

This was “compounded” with PTSD suffered from Ginn seeing a fellow “inmate murdered with a sandwich press in 2017”.

Judge Woodburne said she was “not satisfied that [Ginn] is unlikely to reoffend”, despite accepting the 34-year-old’s efforts in attending programs in jail and committing to rehabilitation once released from prison.

“There is a paramount public interest in protecting children,” Judge Woodburne said.

“The sentence to be imposed … must make it clear … that these types of offences are abhorrent.

“In this regard the offender has prior convictions for similar offending which he received a custodial sentence [but it] did not deter him from re-engaging with further offending.”

Judge Woodburne continued saying “imprisonment is the only appropriate sentence”.

Ginn was given an overall sentence of 10 years from March 18 2021 to March 17 2031 with a non parole period expiring on March 17 2027.

In order for Ginn to be considered for parole, Judge Woodburne said he “should take advantage of any courses offered” during his time in custody.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/kanwal-convicted-pedophile-mark-ginn-jailed-after-using-roblox-currency-for-online-abuse/news-story/47441587429c09a008f375b0c8089c83

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de6a9c  No.17927394

File: a26c6ef16944f76⋯.jpg (105.7 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brian_Houston_is_standing_….jpg)

File: c909c4f7984e21f⋯.jpg (131.83 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brian_Houston_has_pleaded_….jpg)

File: 9272a7344b01a65⋯.jpg (101.59 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Frank_Houston_raped_a_youn….jpg)

File: 5dd427fddbeca2b⋯.jpg (84.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brett_Sengstock_left_was_s….jpg)

File: cdfef746be8f51d⋯.jpg (477.39 KB, 1032x668, 258:167, Where_to_find_help_2022.jpg)

>>17879103

Wife of pedophile preacher Frank Houston’s letter after allegations

STEVE ZEMEK AND LAUREN FERRI - DECEMBER 12, 2022

The wife of pedophile preacher Frank Houston made complaints to a group of Pentecostal church leaders claiming they were treating him poorly after it was revealed he sexually abused a young boy, a court has heard.

Brian Houston, the founder of Hillsong church, is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court where he has denied covering up his father Frank’s rape of a seven-year-old boy in 1970.

Brett Sengstock was one day shy of his eighth birthday when he was sexually assaulted by Frank Houston inside his family’s Coogee home.

Brian Houston has denied allegations he failed to pass on the information to police after he learned of his father’s abuse of the boy in 1999.

He pleaded not guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence of another person and is defending the charges at a hearing where he has argued he had a “reasonable excuse” not to pass on the information because Mr Sengstock told him he didn’t want authorities involved.

Mr Sengstock denied telling Brian Houston he did not want to go to authorities.

Pastor Keith Ainge was in 1999 the national secretary of the Assemblies of God when Brian Houston organised an urgent meeting of the group’s national executive and told the meeting he was “informed of actions by his father which were inappropriate”.

Mr Ainge took to the witness stand to continue giving evidence on Monday where he told the court the group received a letter from the elder Houston’s wife.

The court was told Frank’s wife, Hazel Houston, had written to the AOG to complain after he was stripped of his credentials.

Mr Ainge said she sent a letter to the group “complaining that after all his years of service, Frank wasn’t being treated right”.

“My response was we had to deal with it and it was a serious problem,” Mr Ainge told the court.

The court was told it was Mr Houston who stripped his father of his credentials as it was his “prerogative as the national president”.

At the meeting, decisions were made in regards to not disclosing the matter to police and not making any public announcements to anyone in the group of churches.

Mr Ainge told the court it wasn’t a policy of the AOG to make public announcements in regards to serious situations.

He said the group would not have taken different steps if the matter did not have to do with child molestation.

But the group did decide if Frank failed to comply with the order not to preach set by the national executives, they would make the “situation known to all ministers”.

“There was no way we could enforce it if someone invited him to preach, it was more of a hammer to say if you don’t adhere to this then we’ll have to make it public to everyone,” Mr Ainge said.

The national executives then organised for a statement to be prepared if anyone came to them with “rumours about Frank”.

While the group chose not to make the statement public to the entirety of the church, the court heard Frank’s wife, Hazel Houston had written to the AOG to complain.

Mr Ainge said she sent a letter to the group “complaining that after all his years of service, Frank wasn’t being treated right”.

Mr Ainge told the court Mr Houston told him some money had been paid to Mr Sengstock at some stage.

“We were talking in relation to the situation with Frank and he told me Frank and someone from the church, an elder, had met with the complainant and given him money,” Mr Ainge said.

“I can remember Brian saying ‘that’s his business, I had nothing to do with it, but I hope it doesn’t appear as some sort of hush money’.”

Mr Ainge said he believed the amount was $10,000.

The trial before Magistrate Gareth Christofi continues on Tuesday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/what-church-knew-about-paedophile-preacher-frank-houston/news-story/60cca9a60abc60568097a5862dac6eaf

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de6a9c  No.17927414

File: 2cf5e50fa80bff0⋯.jpg (1.67 MB, 4240x2832, 265:177, Allegations_of_political_a….jpg)

File: 60e8e2948c55bfd⋯.jpg (283.5 KB, 2172x1209, 724:403, The_DPP_voiced_concerns_fo….jpg)

File: c986c35cb2148dd⋯.jpg (1006.66 KB, 2420x1816, 605:454, ACT_Director_of_Public_Pro….jpg)

File: beebe7b47bb25af⋯.jpg (542.59 KB, 2573x1565, 2573:1565, Elizabeth_Lee_said_a_board….jpg)

File: 4b399b320bea4d5⋯.jpg (2.09 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Shane_Rattenbury_previousl….jpg)

>>17858006

>>17869625

Scathing letter alleging police and political interference in Bruce Lehrmann trial made public

Elizabeth Byrne and Isaac Nowroozi - 12 December 2022

1/2

A dispute between the ACT's chief prosecutor and the territory's police force is continuing, with the public release of a letter alleging interference in the now-abandoned rape trial of Bruce Lehrmann.

The letter written by ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold to ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan was originally obtained last week under freedom of information (FOI) law by the Guardian, and called for a public inquiry into political and police conduct during the prosecution.

This morning, that letter was made public.

In the letter, Mr Drumgold complains of "blatant misrepresentations" and "cherry-picked" summaries of evidence by officers, as he alleged police pressured him not to charge Mr Lehrmann on a number of occasions.

Mr Lehrmann, a former Liberal party staffer, had been charged with the alleged rape of his then-colleague Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in Canberra in 2019.

His trial was aborted after misconduct by a juror, and although a retrial was planned for February, it was abandoned by Mr Drumgold earlier this month, amid fears any trial would have adversely affected Ms Higgins's health.

Mr Lehrmann has maintained his innocence and there have been no findings against him.

In the letter, sent after the first trial but before the retrial was cancelled, Mr Drumgold told the ACT's top police officer that the alleged pressure not to prosecute was present from the start, when he was invited for "a briefing in relation to a sensitive matter".

"My immediate perception of this meeting was that it was not a briefing at all, rather a clear and overt attempt to use [the] loaded characterisation of some very select evidence in an attempt to persuade me to agree with a position police had clearly adopted," Mr Drumgold said.

He went on to describe other meetings and correspondence which he alleged were purported to seek his advice but were clearly attempts to pressure him into not pursuing a rape charge.

'Too much political interference': police

Mr Drumgold said in the letter that he had also become aware of diary notes of a meeting in June 2021, where police discussed his decision to prosecute.

The names have been redacted in the public version of the letter.

According to the letter, one person at the meeting advanced the view that there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

Another person said: "If it were my choice I wouldn't proceed, but it's not my choice, there is too much political interference."

Mr Drumgold's letter did not reveal any details about what the alleged political interference was.

Mr Drumgold also used the letter to complain about the conduct of a prosecution witness during the trial, who sought transcripts of evidence from the defence team.

He also alleged senior police who attended the latter stages of the trial were "regularly conferencing with the defence team during the breaks".

Finally, Mr Drumgold alleged there was then an attempt to influence how a decision about a retrial should be determined.

"On the discharge of the jury on 27 October 2022, defence barrister Steven Whybrow spoke to my junior … and stated that he had a meeting with the investigators and that they had suggested that he contact me and firstly suggest I was not impartial, and consequently request that I should outsource the decision as to whether or not to re-run the trial to someone outside of the office."

Mr Drumgold told the chief police officer he was of the view that after the end of the then-scheduled retrial, there should be a public inquiry into both political and police conduct.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17927419

File: d04645bfadef357⋯.jpg (415.68 KB, 1205x1718, 1205:1718, 0001.jpg)

File: ef5088f8479a16f⋯.jpg (635.74 KB, 1205x1718, 1205:1718, 0002.jpg)

File: dcc773caf49c223⋯.jpg (656.48 KB, 1205x1718, 1205:1718, 0003.jpg)

File: c10f9a548f2732e⋯.jpg (693.21 KB, 1205x1718, 1205:1718, 0004.jpg)

File: 782a8781e68d65a⋯.jpg (235.3 KB, 1205x1718, 1205:1718, 0005.jpg)

>>17927414

2/2

'Erosion of public confidence'

This morning, Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee wrote to ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury about Mr Drumgold's letter, urging him to establish a wide-ranging inquiry into the allegations of interference in the trial.

In her letter to Mr Rattenbury, Ms Lee warned the public could lose confidence in the legal system.

"There are serious allegations of 'political interference', and the published correspondence between the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the ACT Police Commissioner is alarming," Ms Lee wrote.

"Unanswered questions surrounding these serious allegations and the trial could have a devastating and irreversible erosion of public confidence in our legal system."

Ms Lee said the Australian public would be interested to know what was meant by "political interference".

"The Australian public would be very interested to know what that means, who it has come from and what that has involved," she said.

"A wide-ranging inquiry into the matter will provide an opportunity for a holistic review of not only these serious allegations but the entire prosecution, trial, and subsequent mistrial.

"This inquiry would provide confidence to the Canberra community, that the ACT government is dedicated to maintaining the highest and most robust legal standards."

ACT government to 'consider best way to proceed'

The matter has already been referred to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.

ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the government was "concerned by the allegations made about the investigation and conduct of the Lehrmann trial".

He said, noting that the matter had been referred to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, the ACT government was "currently considering whether further investigations [were] warranted".

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr confirmed this afternoon that Mr Rattenbury and the Director-General of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate had briefed the cabinet "regarding the issues raised by the actions of authorities involved in the Lehrmann trial".

"The cabinet discussed how a broad-ranging, independent inquiry could help to identify the roles played by the parties involved in the trial and whether these actions were appropriate," Mr Barr said.

"These discussions also noted that an ACLEI investigation is currently underway."

Mr Barr said the government would provide further updates in the coming days.

Ms Lee welcomed the independent police review but said it did not go far enough.

"That is limited in terms of police involvement," she said.

"A board of inquiry will provide an opportunity for a wide-ranging and holistic independent review of all of the issues that have been raised amongst all stakeholders and the questions that are in the minds of the broader community about things that have happened in this trial."

The Australian Federal Police have also acknowledged calls for an inquiry and said it would fully cooperate if one were to be established.

In the meantime, Mr Lehrmann has retained top defamation lawyer Mark O'Brien, although no legal action has yet been mounted.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-12/calls-for-inquiry-into-handling-of-bruce-lehrmann-trial/101758652

https://www.dpp.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/2121456/Letter-to-CPO-re.-R-v-Lehrmann-01.11.2022-_Redacted.pdf

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de6a9c  No.17933898

File: e2208d5899df842⋯.jpg (157.28 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Constables_Matthew_Arnold_….jpg)

File: f30143f208e4a84⋯.jpg (127.73 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Alan_Dare_pictured_with_hi….jpg)

File: 2405a2e62edf980⋯.jpg (196.84 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Missing_man_Nathaniel_Trai….jpg)

Police shoot three dead after two police murdered in execution-style shooting in Wieambilla, Queensland

MICHAEL MCKENNA, JAMIE WALKER, GEORGIA CLELLAND and LAURA PLACELLA - DECEMBER 13, 2022

1/4

Two young police officers who were murdered in an execution-style killing on Monday “didn’t stand a chance,” Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has said as she paid tribute to the fallen officers.

Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, both from Tara police station, were killed in an ambush on a remote property northwest of Brisbane which they were visiting to make inquiries about a missing NSW man.

A neighbour, who was also shot dead when police went to the property, was identified as Alan Dare, 58.

Three people, including missing NSW school principal Nathaniel Train, were shot dead by Special Forces police after the ambush, bringing the total of dead to six.

The police officers had gone to the property in Wieambilla, south of Chinchilla on a missing person’s inquiry instigated in NSW.

Commissioner Carroll said the two young constables were highly respected police officers who had a “passion for policing and for serving their community”.

Ms Carroll, speaking at a press conference in Chinchilla, held back tears as she spoke about the “unimaginable tragedy” adding that the two police officers “did not stand a chance”.

“Both under 30 years of age. Both had wonderful careers and lives ahead of them,” she said.

“Yesterday, as they did every day, they put their lives on the line to serve their community. In this awful incident, they made the ultimate sacrifice. Sadly, both Matthew and Rachel had only recently commenced their policing careers.”

Constable Arnold was sworn in as a police officer in March 2020, while Constable McCrow was sworn in last year in June 2021. They both worked out of Tara Police Station.

“I will be visiting their families in the very near future. Tara is a small station within a very tight knit community,” Ms Carroll said.

“Unfortunately, this incident is a tragic reminder of the unpredictable nature of policing. Every day, our officers face very real dangers while protecting their communities. I know the days and weeks ahead will be extremely difficult for us as a police family. To all our officers and their loved ones, please look out for each other.

“I would like to thank the local community, here, as well as everyone across Queensland and Australia for their support. I know we are all thinking of the victims’ families who are grieving at this difficult time. With honour, they served.”

Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers described the chaotic scene that played out on the property as “something out of the movies”.

“They had no idea that when they jumped the fence that their lives would come to an end. What I do know is as soon as they jumped the fence, they were met with a hail of gunfire and they immediately fell to the ground,” Mr Leavers said.

Ms Carroll said Mr Dare, who lives next door to the property with his wife, “did not stand a chance” either as he was gunned down in cold blood. The 58-year-old went to investigate the commotion after he heard gunshots.

“(Mr Dare) was doing what was right to investigate and help someone,” Queensland Union President Ian Leavers said.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17933903

File: 06cf09cdd97ec40⋯.jpg (412.69 KB, 1029x979, 1029:979, Darling_Downs_shootings.jpg)

File: 845e715bf1bbac6⋯.jpg (113.12 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Queensland_Police_Commissi….jpg)

File: f0a08dccda059cc⋯.jpg (158.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, An_aerial_view_of_the_scen….jpg)

>>17933898

2/4

Missing NSW teacher shot by police

The NSW Department of Education confirmed on Tuesday that missing primary school principal Nathaniel Train had been shot dead by police.

Queensland police had visited the property to make inquiries about the missing teacher.

Mr Train and his brother Gareth, who, with his wife Stacey, owned the property where the shooting occurred, were shot dead by police.

The former principal, who went missing in December 2021, had not worked at Walgett Community College Primary School since August 2021. His employment was officially terminated in March this year.

In a statement, a Department of Education spokesperson said. “One of the deceased was a former NSW Education employee who had not been working at a NSW school since August 2021. He officially left our employment in March this year.”

“Extra counselling will be provided at the impacted school today and for as long as staff and students require support,” they continued.

“As this is the subject of a police investigation we will not provide further comment.”

Police have not confirm the names of the three people shot by Special Forces.

Mr Train was the Executive Principal of Walgett Community College Primary School in NSW when he went missing in December, last year.

He had previously taught at a Queensland school.

Mr Leavers confirmed the police officers were investigating a missing person report.

“It was as simple as that. It’s just completely bizarre and it doesn’t make sense,” he said.

“What I do know then is these ruthless murderous people then went and executed the two police who were on the ground. They were executed in cold blood.”

He added that one of the alleged gunmen was a registered firearms owner, who is understood to have owned a high-powered shotgun.

Mr Leavers said he was stunned there was not an even greater loss of life.

“The two other police officers how they survived I will never know. They’re still both in hospital. I hope they are released today. We could have had four murdered police officers but we have two and we’re all hurting, right across the country,” he said.

Surviving cop ‘sent frantic texts’

The two police officers who survive Monday’s ambush are Keeley Brough, 28 and Randell Kirk, 27.

Constable Brough fled into surrounding scrub and narrowly escaped with her life despite the gunmen lighting a bushfire in a bid to flush her out. As she hid, Ms Brough sent frantic text messages to loved ones as she prepared for the worst.

She was eventually rescued by a 16-strong extraction team of police who also ­recovered the bodies of the two murdered officers.

“The female, she took cover in long grass, and these people showed no compassion in any way, shape or form,” said Mr Leavers. “They actually lit the grass on fire to try and have her stand up, so they could shoot her dead. And she did not know whether she was going to be shot or she would be burnt alive.

“I do know she was sending messages to loved ones saying she almost thought it was her time. What was going through her mind, one cannot comprehend.”

A bullet is understood to have grazed Mr Kirk’s leg before he managed to ­escape and raise the alarm, The Australian understands. He is now recovering in hospital.

In a local newspaper interview after he moved to Chinchilla in December 2020, Constable Kirk said he was excited and keen to support the Chinchilla community any way he can.

“It’s a great country town, the people here are welcoming, approachable, and friendly – it’s great,” he said.

Ms Carroll also paid tribute to the two injured constables.

“They bravely did what they could to save their colleagues in the most horrendous circumstance. Their bravery was beyond belief,” she said.

“I will shortly meet with Keeley … and the people that I have spoken to cannot believe how she survived and what she did during that period of time.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17933907

File: 0fecc092ecb0a85⋯.jpg (78.07 KB, 768x1025, 768:1025, Constable_Rachel_McCrow_29….jpg)

File: aa901c42e04d985⋯.jpg (153.35 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Constable_Randell_Kirk_was….jpg)

File: be77782824d001e⋯.jpg (164.16 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Four_police_officers_were_….jpg)

>>17933903

3/4

The police commissioner confirmed that a total of 16 police officers went in to retrieve the bodies of their fallen colleagues.

However, she could not confirm whether reports the gunmen continued to shoot the officers after they had died were true.

“I cannot go into any detail … as I said before, the scene is unimaginable and distressing. And in my view, those officers did not stand a chance. And I don’t know how two got out alive,” she said.

Authorities could not yet rule out the possibility that the gunmen called the police to the property, Ms Carroll said. However, she added that the officers were directed by NSW Police to make inquiries about the missing principal after his loved ones lost contact with him in recent days.

An ethical standards investigation is underway into the police response with oversight from the Crime and Corruption Commission.

Fatal ambush

Police reinforcements and ­ambulances converged on the chaotic scene on Wains Rd at Wieambilla, near Chinchilla, after the contingent of uniformed ­officers was attacked without warning.

It is believed at least two shooters opened fire on the unsuspecting police as they walked up the driveway of the property about 4pm as part of a missing-person ­inquiry instigated by NSW police.

Horrifyingly, as they lay wounded, Constables Arnold and McCrow were seen to be ­approached by the gunmen clad in military-style camouflage ­fatigues, and shot ­execution-style where they lay.

A police source said: “Two people were spotted in camo and they opened fire when the police ­approached the house. Two of the officers were hit and went to ground. A witness reported seeing two people in camouflage stand over them and shoot them again. They then took their pistols.”

Police helicopter fired on

Three ambulance crews and a police helicopter round out the ­resources scrambled in response to the widening emergency that gripped the sleepy locale 290km northwest of Brisbane.

There were reports that the gunmen, armed with shotguns and rifles, had opened up on the police helicopter.

An exclusion zone was set up at 6.10pm under a public emergency declaration.

People in the area between Chinchilla Tara Rd, Bennetts School Rd and Mary St had been told to stay indoors.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke of his personal shock on learning of the “barbaric” attack, telling ABC Radio Brisbane, every police officer in Australia and their family would be devastated and affected personally by the “horrific” tragedy.

“My heart particularly goes out to the families and friends of the police officers, and also this innocent victim as well, this neighbour, who was murdered in this atrocity,” Mr Albanese said.

“This barbaric action is something that has just shocked everyone. I was certainly shocked when I received the call last night.”

Mr Albanese said he had spoken with Nationals Leader David Littleproud, who represents the people of Wieambilla in his electorate of Maranoa.

Facebook fund launched

The union launched a fund on Tuesday, according to Mr Leavers, to assist the families of the deceased police officers.

https://www.facebook.com/QueenslandPoliceUnionOfEmployees/posts/pfbid0kjFXh2B1UGVYLCYsKxABLzYy2pKyJabk6KDAPxzbmS8spFkdrsvVWJgeM9NKpXnkl

“We’re all doing it pretty tough. This is one of those things you hope that never happens,” he said.

“We at the police union are certainly going to support the families and we’ll work with the police service to do that. It’s the entire blue family that will come together.

“But just send a message to a police officer, go to your local police station, say g’day. It actually means a fair bit. It may be a very small gesture, but to the police on the front line when you get a positive comment, it means so much.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17933912

File: c8e1bcbc9b026af⋯.jpg (131.84 KB, 698x426, 349:213, AA_5.jpg)

File: 24a5eca5b84797e⋯.jpg (98.8 KB, 698x381, 698:381, PD_18.jpg)

File: 2ba6d539665e4d2⋯.jpg (165.84 KB, 698x636, 349:318, AP_1.jpg)

>>17933907

4/4

‘Terrible scenes’

Chinchilla mayor Paul McVeigh said the council had ­offered assistance to the Queensland Police Service following the incident.

Locals described the area as “blockie territory”, a preserve of tree changers and alternative lifestyle seekers lured there by cheap land. Marijuana growing and drug dealing was on the rise, they said.

Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton also expressed his condolences on social media.

“Deeply distressing news coming out of western Queensland tonight with those police who have been murdered,” he tweeted.

“Police officers face danger every day to keep us from it.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted that her deepest respects to the officers’ families and “to the Queensland Police Service family as a whole”.

“Our police risk their lives every day to keep us safe. I know Queensland joins with me in expressing our shock and sadness,” Ms Palaszczuk tweeted.

Story Bridge to light up in tribute

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Story Bridge and government buildings will be lit up in blue and white to pay respect to the “young and beautiful” officers who were tragically killed.

“Sometimes we take our police for granted. Sometimes we forget the risk that they take every single day, every single day of their life,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I want to echo the thoughts of the Police Union president, Ian Leavers, that whenever you see a police officer in the next few days or weeks, offer them a kind word or a sign of respect.”

Ms Palaszczuk said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet reached out to her and offered his condolences, as it was a request from the NSW Police that led to Queensland Police attending the Wieambilla property. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who served as a police officer in Queensland for nearly a decade, said the execution-style killings would “send a shiver down the spine” of any cop on duty today.

Mr Dutton said on Tuesday that many will be “scarred” by the scene they would have been confronted with at Wieambilla on Monday.

“The families, the loved ones, of those police officers who said goodbye for the last time yesterday, they will never ever recover from that. Of course, the police family is absolutely devastated. People will be scarred from the experience,” he told The Today Show.

“It’s bad enough as a police officer going to a scene where you know there are firearms or there’s domestic violence or you’re walking into the scene which may be dangerous, but when you have a few police officers who are turning up to check an address, walking up the driveway and they’re gunned down in a cold-blooded style; that will send a shiver down the spine of any police officer attending any job today right around the country.

“It’s a time for our community, for our country, to come together around police and support them and always remember that they go into the line of fire and into that danger zone, so that we don’t have to.

“We should be very grateful for the work, the service and the sacrifice of these two officers yesterday, and spare a thought and a prayer today for all of those in the police family.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/three-police-feared-dead-in-shooting-in-wieambilla-queensland/news-story/00d52d3b39b3539e85a790fc2678cf4b

https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1602265105894240257

https://twitter.com/PeterDutton_MP/status/1602265649438330881

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1602271519199367168

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de6a9c  No.17933944

File: b56badf00711e0a⋯.jpg (124.05 KB, 1200x859, 1200:859, Nathaniel_Train_was_shot_d….jpg)

File: 0b027975cea827d⋯.jpg (95.65 KB, 763x462, 109:66, The_house_on_Wains_Road_Wi….jpg)

File: e3645c1ed62e4eb⋯.jpg (154.18 KB, 937x963, 937:963, Deadly_ambush_in_rural_Que….jpg)

>>17933898

Brothers Nathaniel and Gareth Train identified as gunmen in Queensland siege

Patrick Emmett - 13 December 2022

Two brothers Nathaniel Train and Gareth (Gavin) Train were shot dead by police during a siege at a property in Queensland's Western Downs overnight.

The brothers are the offenders who police say shot and killed two armed officers and neighbour Alan Dare last night at a property in Wieambilla, west of Brisbane.

Stacey Train, 45, was also killed at the scene.

Four Queensland police officers went to the property as part of a search for Nathaniel Train who was subject to a missing persons report.

The Wains Road property, where the shooting happened, is listed as being owned by Gareth and Stacey Train.

Nathaniel Train was reported to have been seen in Dubbo in December last year but had been in contact with his family as recently as October 2022.

The 46-year-old was the former principal at Walgett Community College Primary School which is about 700 kilometres north-west of Sydney.

He was the executive principal for 18 months up until August 2021 when he said he had a cardiac arrest at his desk. He then left the school.

He had previously taught in Queensland but while at Walgett had concerns about the education policy at the school.

He raised those concerns with member for One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham.

The upper house MP told NSW parliament earlier this year that Train sent 16 emails over the course of two weeks to the NSW Department of Education, outlining problems and challenges at his school and requesting assistance.

Mr Latham said Train first reached out to him over 12 months ago.

He said they never met, only spoke on the phone three or four times.

He said he emailed Train on July 6 this year and received no response.

'A mild-mannered school leader'

It comes as the NSW Department of Education confirmed the former principal had died in the overnight shooting.

Nathaniel Train was employed from August last year before leaving in March this year, a spokesperson for the department said.

"One of the deceased was a former NSW Education employee who had not been working at a NSW school since August 2021," the department said in a statement.

"He officially left our employment in March this year.

"Extra counselling will be provided at the impacted school today and for as long as staff and students require support."

Nathaniel Train was also principal at the Yorkeys Knob State School in Far North Queensland in 2017.

He was described in a local media story as a "mild-mannered school leader" who decorated his beard with glitter and Christmas baubles to help raise money for the school P&C.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-13/qld-wieambilla-shooting-nathaniel-train-siege-gareth-police/101765462

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de6a9c  No.17933975

File: ed9191d6f19fb67⋯.jpg (96.3 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Nathaniel_Train_had_been_a….jpg)

File: 66d7e2fb793b777⋯.jpg (102.57 KB, 768x1025, 768:1025, Constable_Matthew_Arnold_2….jpg)

File: 3d2fb967d55c070⋯.jpg (127.52 KB, 768x1025, 768:1025, Constable_Rachel_McCrow_29….jpg)

>>17933898

Police shooting: Slain NSW teacher Nathaniel Train made complaints about college

REMY VARGA and LIAM MENDES - DECEMBER 13, 2022

1/2

A missing NSW primary school teacher involved in the murder of three people, including two Queensland police officers, had made a number of complaints about a troubled majority Aboriginal student college in northern NSW.

Former Walgett Community College Primary School executive principal Nathaniel Train – shot dead along with his brother and a woman on Monday night in Queensland – sent 16 emails to the NSW education department over two weeks in March 2021.

Mr Train also produced a document in 2020 that mandated a moderator be present during NAPLAN testing to “ensure protocols are followed so that data can be considered to be a valid representation of student ability”.

Mr Train was tracked down at the property in Wieambilla, south of Chinchilla, leading to a confrontation with police and a neighbour that left six people dead.

He had been declared missing by NSW Police and his brother Gareth, who, with his wife Stacey, owned the property where the shooting occurred, were shot dead by police.

On April 12 this year One Nation NSW Leader Mark Latham asked a number of questions in state parliament about whether assessments had been compromised by teachers and learning support officers assisting students and whether a year three student who couldn’t read achieving a high score in their NAPLAN numeracy test.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell told the NSW parliament Legislative Council Mr Train sent 16 emails over two weeks in March 2022 to the “Secretary Office” email and were then referred to the responsible unit.

Ms Mitchell said Mr Train met department deputy secretary Murat Dizdar and the director of educational leadership Tom Ballard at the on May 11 in 2021.

She said Mr Dizdar did not recall Mr Train disclosing students had been assisted by school staff on their NAPLAN tests and denied the deceased principal had raised allegations or provided material relating to cheating at the school.

“He does recall Mr Train discussing some matters that Mr Train had experienced during the course of his educational leadership,” she said.

Nearly 100 per cent of students at Walgett Community College, the senior school to Walgett Community College Primary School, are Indigenous and the school has well documented problems with student violence.

Ms Mitchell said Mr Train had provided “anecdotal information” about surveys being completed with one-on-one assistance from support teachers at the primary school.

“Some students, including those with either lower literacy levels or who present with English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD), may need further explanations to better understand some Tell Them From Me questions,” she said.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17933982

File: 1fb5b50db1cdb9a⋯.jpg (82.53 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, NSW_One_Nation_leader_Mark….jpg)

File: f0a08dccda059cc⋯.jpg (158.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, An_aerial_view_of_the_scen….jpg)

>>17933975

2/2

Mr Latham also asked whether parents had requested the creation of a “suspension room at the school so that ‘they don’t have their kids at home’”.

Ms Mitchell responded that an “engagement centre” had been created at Walgett Community College Primary School to “bolster student participation and reduce the need for suspensions by supporting students with the development of social skills, and a more positive approach to learning”.

Mr Latham also asked about high teacher absenteeism at the school, to which Ms Mitchell replied “is well resourced and is staffed by qualified teachers and other para-professionals.”

A Department of Education spokesperson says Nathaniel Train had stopped working for the department in March 2022 and had not worked at any school in NSW since August 2021.

“Our sincere condolences go to the Queensland Police and the families and friends of those impacted by the tragic incident in rural Queensland overnight,” said the spokesperson.

“One of the deceased was a former NSW Education employee who had not been working at a NSW school since August 2021. He officially left our employment in March this year.

“Extra counselling will be provided at the impacted school today and for as long as staff and students require support.

One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham said Mr Train left Walgett primary school after suffering a heart attack and said the slain principal’s experience with the education department had left him bitter and bruised.

“He was a passionate school reformer who had to leave for a health reason but was determined for his work [at Walgett Community College Primary School] to go on and was disappointed when it didn’t,” said Mr Latham.

Mr Latham disputed reports that the emails Mr Train sent to the education department indicated a decline in the former principal’s mental health.

“He contacted me as a passionate and concerned former principal whose sole motivation was the best interest of Indigenous kids and he had documentation that supported his complaint,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/police-shooting-slain-nsw-teacher-nathaniel-train-made-complaints-about-college/news-story/6b5e3c368120b17e8531a5c0bfecf9d7

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de6a9c  No.17934061

File: 50089287adb0a38⋯.jpg (129.52 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Constable_Rachel_McCrow_26….jpg)

File: f30143f208e4a84⋯.jpg (127.73 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Alan_Dare_pictured_with_hi….jpg)

File: c4b104d80d835c5⋯.jpg (136.93 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Nathaniel_Train.jpg)

File: 18f1332f54eba13⋯.jpg (100.12 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Qld_Police_Commissioner_Ka….jpg)

File: d1cafb82e035d39⋯.jpg (306.32 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Local_residents_gather_for….jpg)

>>17933898

Queensland shooting: Gunman Gareth Train was a conspiracy theorist

MICHAEL MCKENNA and GEORGIA CLELLAND - DECEMBER 13, 2022

A gunman who killed two police officers in a shootout in western Queensland on Monday had posted conspiracy theories online including that the Port Arthur massacre was faked by government to enable a crackdown on gun ownership.

Gareth Train, wife Stacey and his brother Nathaniel Train, a principal of a NSW primary school until last year, were killed by police in a shootout Monday night after they earlier ambushed officers who visited their remote property at Wieambilla, 300km west of Brisbane.

Police had been asked by their NSW counterparts to go to the property on an inquiry about Nathaniel Train, who had been reported missing.

They opened fire on the unsuspecting police as they walked up the driveway of the property about 4pm, hitting three police with another able to escape into bushland.

Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, both from Tara police station, were killed in an ambush on a remote property northwest of Brisbane which they were visiting to make inquiries about a missing NSW man.

A neighbour, who was also shot dead when police went to the property, was identified as Alan Dare, 58.

Internet searches show that Gareth Train was a prolific author of bizarre conspiracy theories about Port Arthur, the Catholic Church and against police.

In one post on “Citizens Initiated Referendums”, he described convicted Port Arthur shooter Martin Bryant as the “perfect patsy” and that the 1996 mass killing of 35 people was staged.

“Anyone who watch the live media coverage at the time (1996) and was aware of the political deceit lead up, knows that this was a Government Psychological Operation to disarm the Australian population,” he wrote.

“Martin was the perfect patsy. The Australian government is guilty of mass murder, it’s not the first time and won’t be the last. Joint operation CIA, MI6, Mossad, ASIO and the Australian SASR.

“The MK special operator (shooter 1) gave the game away in a recorded phone conversation dropping the operation name JAMIE. ‘Jamie’ is not shooter 1’s name nor did he make it up on the spot, he was dropping the code name to be clever.”

And in an ominous post, Train wrote of warning police about coming to his property.

“I have directed law enforcement to leave my premises over the last 20yrs, having no reason or grounds and at times have also asked them to remove their hands from their weapons or pull their pistols and whistle Dixie,” he said.

“Fortunately for me they have all been cowards.

“Our country is at a point where even cowards are now dangerous because they are unpredictable in groups, turn your back and you may find yourself out cold on the floor with law enforcement dancing on your head. We are seeing this in Victoria.”

In posts to the Cairns News site in November, last year Train wrote about the Jesuit World “Order” when discussing protests against Covid pandemic lockdowns.

“How did we get here”,’’ he wrote.

“Intelligence operation after intelligence operation, false flag after false flag, instilling fear into a retarded populous distracted by sports and beer to install totalitarian corporate Jesuit government muppets.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/queensland-shooting-gunman-gareth-train-was-a-conspiracy-theorist/news-story/86190803a025a4b6d283faeb7c2e87fc

https://www.google.com/search?q=site:cairnsnews.org "gareth train"

https://www.google.com/search?q=site:michaelsmithnews.com "gareth train"

https://www.google.com/search?q=site:cirnow.com.au "gareth train"

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de6a9c  No.17934103

File: 8a1644bc4962109⋯.jpg (118.35 KB, 1280x719, 1280:719, Daniel_Duggan_s_lawyer_say….jpg)

>>17832778

Former US pilot held in Australia accused of breaking US arms controls by training Chinese pilots

Ben Doherty and Reuters - 13 Dec 2022

Australian pilot Daniel Duggan – a former US Marine Corps aviator – has been accused of breaking American arms control laws by training Chinese fighter pilots to land on aircraft carriers, according to an indictment now unsealed by a US court.

The indictment said the naturalised Australian “provided military training to (PRC) People’s Republic of China pilots” through a “test flying academy” in South Africa between 2010 and 2012.

Duggan was arrested by Australian authorities, at the request of the FBI, in regional New South Wales in October, pending a formal extradition request. The US has until 20 December – 60 days from his arrest – to lodge that request, or Duggan will be eligible for release.

Duggan’s arrest coincided with warnings from Australian and British authorities over the practice of former military pilots being offered lucrative contracts to train pilots in China.

Duggan’s lawyer, Dennis Miralis, has previously said the 54-year-old pilot will fight any extradition request, and resolutely maintains his innocence.

“He denies having breached any US law, any Australian law, any international law,” Miralis said. Miralis did not respond to requests from the Guardian for comment on Tuesday.

On Friday, the District of Columbia court unsealed the 2017 indictment and a US warrant for Duggan.

The indictment said Duggan was allegedly contracted directly by an unnamed co-conspirator – a Chinese national – to provide services to a Chinese state-owned company, including evaluations of Chinese military pilot trainees, testing of naval aviation related equipment, and instruction on tactics related to landing aircraft on aircraft carriers.

Duggan did not seek authorisation from the US government to provide military training to China, although the US State Department had informed him by email in 2008 this was required to train members of a foreign air force, it said.

The indictment alleges he travelled frequently between Australia, the US, China and South Africa between 2009 and 2012, when he held both US and Australian citizenships. Duggan has since renounced his US citizenship.

Duggan’s alleged violation of an arms embargo imposed on China by the United States also included providing aviation services in China in 2010, and providing an assessment of China’s aircraft carrier training, it said.

The indictment alleges the Chinese national brokered a deal between the South African flight school and a Chinese state-owned enterprise to provide aircraft carrier landing training to Chinese military pilots in South Africa and China.

A T-2 Buckeye aircraft was bought from a US aircraft dealer for the training, by providing false information that resulted in the US government issuing an export licence, it said.

Duggan faces four charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States by conspiracy to unlawfully export defence services to China, conspiracy to launder money, and two counts of violating the arms export control act and international traffic in arms regulations.

Duggan is being held in custody in New South Wales. His case will return to a Sydney court on Friday.

Duggan, the father of six school-age children, spent more than a decade flying in the US Marine Corps, reaching the rank of major and working as a military tactical flight instructor, according to his company website.

He moved to Australia after leaving the Marines, establishing an “adventure flight” company called Top Gun Tasmania, running joy flights in fighter planes in the southern island state.

The company operated “an initial military training aircraft of the Chinese air force” known as a Nanchang fighter jet, according to its website.

Australian company records indicate Duggan moved to Beijing around 2014. Since 2017 he has been managing director of Avibiz Limited, “a comprehensive aviation consultancy company with a focus on the fast growing and dynamic Chinese Aviation Industry”, based in the eastern city of Qingdao, site of a strategically important naval base.

Duggan’s wife, Saffrine Duggan, has launched a public petition calling on Australia’s attorney general to refuse any US extradition request – a “politically motivated … injustice” – and order the pilot freed.

In a preliminary court hearing last month, Miralis said his client had endured “extraordinary, unprecedented and unjustifiable” treatment, which he believed was the result of “foreign interference”.

A spokesperson for the Australian attorney general’s department said it “does not comment on extradition matters until after the person has been brought before the court pursuant to that extradition request”.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/13/australian-daniel-duggan-former-us-marine-pilot-training-chinese-fighter-pilots

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de6a9c  No.17934262

File: 286751248122b52⋯.jpg (66.65 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, A_parliamentary_inquiry_ha….jpg)

Australia agencies set to access US data

Andrew Brown - 13 December 2022

Australian law enforcement agencies will soon be able to obtain data previously hidden in messaging apps under a new treaty with the US.

A parliamentary inquiry has recommended Australia sign up to the Cloud Act agreement, which would allow for Australian agencies to get electronic data that's hosted in the US when it related to serious offences.

The treaty would also allow for US authorities to access data from Australian organisations.

The agreement will reduce delays that to obtain evidence in relation to offences such as terrorism, child exploitation and human trafficking.

As part of the conditions of the treaty, both Australia's parliament and the US Congress needed to review it before it came into effect.

Australia was only the second country after the UK to sign an agreement with the US in order to access the data.

"For Australia, the Cloud Act Agreement would complement but significantly improve on the current mutual legal assistance treaty process for the acquisition of data held by US communications service providers," a parliamentary report into the treaty said.

"In so doing, it has the potential to substantially reduce the time frames for the acquisition of relevant data relating to the commission of a serious offence."

The report said there was a need for the agreement due to the growth of communication services that aren't based in Australia being used for serious crime.

Under previous arrangements, it could take more than a year for the data to be provided to Australian authorities from the US.

"The complexity of a matter and the nature of the assistance sought mean requests can take between three months and two years," the report said.

"The current processes for obtaining data from US communications service providers under the (current) process can be cumbersome and not necessarily suited to modern communications, data storage, and cloud computing."

Permission would be needed from the Australian government if evidence was to be used in a case that resulted in the death penalty in the US.

Greens senator Dorinda Cox, who was part of the parliamentary inquiry, said "independent authorities" should be removed from the agreement, with only courts, judges and magistrates providing oversight.

https://thewest.com.au/politics/australia-agencies-set-to-access-us-data-c-9146791

Treaties Committee supports ratification of CLOUD Act Agreement

Joint Standing Committee on Treaties - 13 December 2022

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/About_the_House_News/Media_Releases/Treaties_Committee_supports_ratification_of_CLOUD_Act_Agreement

https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024997/toc_pdf/Report204.pdf

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de6a9c  No.17934289

File: a2e5ca09faf0e88⋯.jpg (97.62 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, PCR_tests_will_still_be_av….jpg)

File: bf1f4f54c7ad9cc⋯.jpg (52.83 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Health_Minister_Mark_Butle….jpg)

Australia to move away from ‘COVID exceptionalism’ in 2023 plan

Caitlin Fitzsimmons - December 12, 2022

Australians will need a doctor’s referral for a PCR test at a private pathology clinic from January 1 next year as Australia moves away from “COVID exceptionalism” even as the nation’s chief medical officer predicted regular waves of the virus for at least two more years.

Australians will still be able to get tests without a referral at state-run clinics, hospitals and respiratory clinics but by the end of 2023, they will no longer be bulk-billed.

Chief medical officer Paul Kelly said the threat of COVID-19 was likely to be part of life for some time to come.

“The likely emergence of new variants, including those able to partially evade immune responses, means the Australian community can expect to experience new waves on a regular basis for at least the next two years,” Kelly said.

According to the national COVID plan for 2023: “Australia will transition to managing COVID-19 in a similar way to other respiratory viruses, moving away from COVID exceptionalism and bespoke arrangements”.

PCR testing, which remains more accurate than rapid antigen tests, will no longer be used as a surveillance tool like it was during the lockdowns of 2020-2021, but will instead be targeted to allow eligible patients faster access to antiviral treatments.

“There will be an ongoing need to evaluate and optimise how we test, who we test and when we test people for COVID-19 over the course of 2023,” the plan said.

“Over the next 12 months, COVID-19 testing requirements will be aligned with testing arrangements associated with other respiratory illnesses.”

Health Minister Mark Butler said the government’s priority was to minimise the incidence of death and severe illness.

“We will continue to protect those most at risk, while ensuring we have the capacity to respond to future waves and variants,” Butler said.

While 72 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have had at least three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, the plan commits the government to securing new vaccines in future that could provide protection against emerging COVID variants and other diseases such as influenza.

Plans will go ahead to boost Australia’s vaccine manufacturing, such as the nation’s first mRNA lab, currently under construction in Melbourne.

Butler has come under fire following a decision to halve the number of subsidised psychology appointments available to people from next year.

People were able to access an additional 10 appointments following the initial lockdowns in 2020, on top of the 10 already available under the government scheme.

However, funding for the extra appointments will run out at the end of this year and will not be renewed.

Suicide Prevention Australia chief executive Nieves Murray has described this decision, which will halve the number of sessions that can be subsidised by Medicare, as “baffling and very concerning”.

Lifeline: 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467; Emergency services: 000

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-to-move-away-from-covid-exceptionalism-in-2023-plan-20221212-p5c5r9.html

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de6a9c  No.17934310

File: b3c012c1c188d19⋯.jpg (107.76 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Mr_Joyce_says_Taiwan_s_maj….jpg)

As Xi’s sun turns up heat, we’d do well to smarten up

BARNABY JOYCE - DECEMBER 13, 2022

1/2

A human hair is 100 microns in diameter. Have a look at one and ask yourself: could you make an electronic component, or anything, that small? A red blood cell is 8 microns in diameter. Taiwan is making highly complex electrical components 0.03 of a micron in depth. These are the semiconductors that are in everything from cars, usually 0.065 microns, or in your mobile phone. They are in the forthcoming small modular reactors, spacecraft, phones, fridges and missiles.

When I was in Taiwan as part of what Labor hoped would be an invisible delegation, we asked whether Australia could be part of this manufacturing process. We were told our role was in the application side. Translated, that means our role is to purchase semiconductors, whether we realise equipment has them or not.

There is a huge difference between buying something that is clever and making something that is clever. There is a huge difference between using a smartphone and making one. This is why an island half the size of Tasmania supports a population nearly the size of Australia’s with a gross domestic product approaching that of Australia.

Our major resources are coal, iron ore, gas and agriculture; theirs is IQ. It was such a reality check for me and others on the delegation. Today, when I hear of the CSIRO it is usually something to do with climate change research or politically guided reports. In the past it was wi-fi, myxoma virus to get rid of rabbits, the seed intellect for computing or penicillin. Would it not be wonderful if instead its scientists were leading in groundbreaking, world-changing technology such as small modular reactors, or smaller microreactors? This is the strength of Asia, focusing on the cutting edge of super smart.

The biggest interest Taiwan has in Australia is food. That is something it has not figured out how to cover for itself and it is one of our strongest levers that we can fill the demand. However, with our aversion to dams, fascination in a new methane pledge and policy of zero-emissions power security destruction, agriculture may also become one of the glories of our past.

As I boarded the plane to return home, the thought that ran through my mind was not of the threat to Taiwan from China but the threat to Australia from our unbridled romantic naivety to the economic reality of the world as it is now. This reality underpins the new global power paradigm.

China and Taiwan, I believe, are unlikely to come to a conflict. It is too stupid and they are not stupid. China instead will try to assert its power incrementally.

There can be only one sun in the sky and the new dynastic form of leadership in China under Xi Jinping believes that heavenly body is Beijing. This is not the future, this is now, and it will continue on this course. It has been happening, it is accelerating in effect and it will arrive as vassal status for the weak. The US, we hope, has a life and strength of a thousand years, but I stood before Chinese bronze craftsmanship more than 3000 years old in Taipei. They play a much longer game.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17934312

File: 62fca91e10d1e25⋯.jpg (115.35 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Mr_Joyce_doesn_t_believe_X….jpg)

>>17934310

2/2

The only defence is strength, not just military as that is merely an outcome of economic strength. Economic strength comes from being the best in many fields.

Our education has to produce the best mathematics, physics and chemistry students. In the humanities, we need to have proficiency in English better than the Singaporeans and more lang­uages spoken at year 12 than just English. Agriculture has to produce not just volume but also the highest quality, which we do.

Asia has such a great advantage with its Confucian ethos, respect for family, teachers and the law. They waste little energy and have less time for those who want to be belligerents outside the guide rails. We are so concerned with trying to make everyone happy we create the all-inclusive culture that leaves us all behind.

The new emperor is making sure they are heard. This was mentioned to me more than once: “China will ask that you listen” – roughly translated as you will do as you are told if asked.

When asked about the delegation, Anthony Albanese said: “I have no idea, I’m not going, you should ask them.” An odd response considering he previously had been on a delegation himself and ours included and was led by Labor. It almost sounds like he was trying to hide us under a rock, maybe as a duty to a request made to him. In the same month, Penny Wong could not find the time to meet a delegation of Uighur representatives whose people are being persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party.

The one sun in heaven has dawned for Australia and we are hoping others will give us shade.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/as-xis-sun-turns-up-heat-wed-do-well-to-smarten-up/news-story/e450aa0aac608b524c3e900d68bd4d6a

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de6a9c  No.17934328

File: 97919be8c4b2ea8⋯.jpg (125.3 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Brian_Houston_has_denied_c….jpg)

File: 86da75e81cc25ac⋯.jpg (104.25 KB, 1024x769, 1024:769, Brett_Sengstock_pictured_l….jpg)

File: 69dda75f979d9ab⋯.jpg (100.04 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Frank_Houston_sexually_abu….jpg)

>>17879103

Church didn’t speak to paedophile Frank Houston’s victim about his wishes: court

Pentecostal church leaders did not speak to paedophile preacher Frank Houston’s victim about whether he wanted to come forward, a court has heard.

Steve Zemek and Lauren Ferri - December 13, 2022

A high-ranking member of a Pentecostal church’s leadership has admitted it should have been confirmed with paedophile preacher Frank Houston’s victim that he did not want to make a complaint to police, a court has been told.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where he is fighting allegations he covered up his father Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of a young boy in the 1970s.

He has pleaded not guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence and denied being part of a cover-up, arguing he was abiding by the victim’s wishes when he did not go to authorities.

Brett Sengstock was sexually assaulted by Frank Houston inside his family’s Coogee home in January 1970 when he was just seven years old.

Mr Houston learned of his father’s abuse of the boy in 1999 and the case is hinging on whether he had a “reasonable excuse” to not pass on the information to police.

During his evidence last week, Mr Sengstock denied telling Mr Houston that he did not want to go to the authorities.

Pastor Keith Ainge was in 1999 a member of the national executive of the Assemblies of God when Brian Houston called an urgent meeting at Sydney Airport to discuss revelations that Frank Houston had sexually abused the boy.

Mr Ainge has previously told the court that Brian Houston told the meeting that “the victim was not wanting to have his name released to anyone” and “he wanted to keep it quiet”.

The AOG board decided Frank Houston would be stood down, enter into its “restoration program”, would refrain from preaching for 12 months and offered counselling and support, the court heard last week.

According to minutes from that meeting, the AOG had obtained legal advice indicating that they did not have to disclose the matter to police because by that time, Mr Sengstock was in his 30s and could make his own complaint.

Mr Ainge told the court on Tuesday morning that, with the benefit of hindsight, the AOG national executive should have sought to check that Mr Sengstock wanted neither to be identified nor take part in a church investigation.

Mr Ainge told the court it was Brian Houston who told the meeting that the victim did not want to come forward to speak with either police or the church.

Asked whether anybody who did not have a possible conflict of interest attempted to verify the information, Mr Ainge said: “With the benefit of hindsight, we should have done that.

“We believed the evidence Brian was giving us was correct and we were working on the basis that the victim didn’t want to be identified and didn’t want to be contacted by the church.

“We were working with his wishes.”

He told the court he considered Brian Houston trustworthy and had no reason to doubt his statements about Mr Sengstock’s wishes.

The court has heard that Frank Houston was dismissed from the church in late 1999 after having his credentials removed by his son Brian.

Mr Ainge told the court Mr Frank Houston’s credentials were removed as a “protective measure” to stop him carrying out “possible abuse”.

Under the terms of his punishment, he was still allowed to enter churches but was not allowed to preach as a minister.

“How does that protect somebody from possible child abuse?” Magistrate Gareth Christofi asked.

“I guess reducing the exposure would be the only thing that I’d suggest … A minister is in a position of power,” Mr Ainge said.

“There’s an authority that comes with being a minister. And by removing the credentials, you remove the authority which in some way removes the threat.”

The trial continues.

https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/breaking-news/hillsong-founder-brian-houston-devastated-over-fathers-rape-of-7yo-boy/news-story/3f32f9939e6e67aeef9020bedba7e02e

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de6a9c  No.17934333

File: 7dfc7a545a67b07⋯.jpg (74.07 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_Hobart_man_who_orally_ra….jpg)

Jail for Hobart man who orally raped baby son to make video for internet predators

GRAPHIC CONTENT: A Hobart man who orally raped his baby son, and got caught with scores of horrific child abuse images and videos far too disturbing for publication, has discovered his fate in court.

Amber Wilson - December 13, 2022

A HOBART man who orally raped his baby son to make a video for other paedophiles on the internet will spend at least three-and-a-half years in jail.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wept in “anguish” in the docks on Tuesday, as he was sentenced by Supreme Court judge Helen Wood.

The man had pleaded guilty to a raft child exploitation material offences, plus two sexual abuse crimes against his son, after he was raided as part of a massive, Australia-wide child abuse bust.

Justice Wood described some of the images and videos Tasmania Police found on the man’s iPhone and MacBook, with much of the content far too disturbing for publication.

She said the man had been communicating with predators online via apps like Telegram, Wickr and Instagram, expressing “approval and sexual interest” when they sent him explicit child abuse material, including horrific images and videos of pre-pubescent children and an infant being graphically molested.

Justice Wood said the man committed the crime of rape when he orally raped his four-month-old son, then committed the crimes of production and distribution of child exploitation material by sending it to a predator online.

The man also committed an indecent assault of his son on his play mat on the lounge room floor, sending it onto two other men online.

“Once the images left the defendant’s control, it is likely they will be distributed further on the internet,” Justice Wood said.

Among the conversations he had online, which Justice Wood said demonstrated “a paedophilic interest in having sex with children”, the man said he was “keen on some young fun” and had been “perving” when he took his young daughter to swimming lessons.

“This is particularly grave case,” Justice Wood said.

“His partner and the mother of the child had no idea what he was doing.

“His betrayal is beyond her comprehension.”

She said the harm the woman and her children suffered was “profound and lasting”.

“She cannot fathom how something so horrific could be done by their baby’s father, in their home,” Justice Wood said.

“She has forced herself to attend court to represent the children. Despite how traumatised she is, she is determined to create a life that minimises the effect of these crimes on the children.”

The man said he had created the child exploitation material of him abusing his son at the request of someone online, who wanted him to prove he was “legit”.

The judge said the case revealed the “insidious reach” of paedophiles online who had a predatory interest in child abuse material, thought of children as a “sexual commodity”, and targeted parents or people with access to children.

“Anyone entrusted with the care of a child who allows themselves to be corrupted, choosing to sexually abuse a child, and then distributing the product of that abuse, cannot expect anything other than heavy punishment,” she said.

The man was jailed for seven years, with a non-parole period of half that time.

His name will be recorded on the sex offenders register for 15 years upon the date of his release.

https://www.themercury.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-tasmania/jail-for-hobart-man-who-orally-raped-baby-son-to-make-video-for-internet-predators/news-story/7eed8f9e46f9603b7475bce4d910bafd

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de6a9c  No.17934342

File: ccd6f214e8c5b48⋯.jpg (431.77 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0001.jpg)

File: ce5c8c3c60a52a8⋯.jpg (337.97 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0003.jpg)

File: 58d942fd396d1d8⋯.jpg (231.55 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0004.jpg)

File: 1b134725f5b7dff⋯.jpg (664.63 KB, 1275x1650, 17:22, 0005.jpg)

File: eeefcffa8d9a400⋯.pdf (718.17 KB, Digital_Soldiers_QAnon_Rep….pdf)

REPORT EXPOSES QANON’S EXPLOITATION OF U.S. MILITARY’S REPUTATION

December 12, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – Human Rights First (HRF) today released “Digital Soldiers:” QAnon Extremists Exploit U.S. Military, Threaten Democracy, a report that examines how the extremist QAnon movement is working to exploit the United States military to undermine American democracy.

Digital Soldiers focuses on QAnon-associated influencers centering the U.S. military in their social media narratives and propaganda, and investigates how those narratives recruit new followers, including members of the military community. These narratives create an impression that the movement is allied with the military, providing the QAnon movement credibility that allows it to expand its reach.

“With its masquerade of a partnership with the military, QAnon and its adherents encourage public acceptance of military intervention in domestic politics and other authoritarian actions,” said Elizabeth Yates, Senior Researcher on Antisemitism at Human Rights First. “Their repeated calls for military intervention as a solution to claims of voter fraud, as they did in the recent midterm elections, attacks the very bedrock of American democracy.”

This research identifies 25 influential veterans who spread disinformation and build support for the QAnon movement. The report analyzes QAnon social media channels and reveals how QAnon-influencers – including veterans – portray the U.S. military as a heroic protagonist of extremists’ efforts and exploit military veterans to both legitimate those claims and recruit new members.

The research shows that the QAnon movement’s effort to create the perception that it is allied with the U.S. military has some stark consequences:

• It strengthens the QAnon movement by facilitating recruitment from both military and civilian communities and encourages active participation among adherents;

• Lends legitimacy to discriminatory and anti-democratic conspiracies that are integrated into the Q movement, such as antisemitism and election denial;

• Distorts the public’s understanding of the primary responsibilities of the military and, importantly, the legal boundaries of domestic military intervention;

• Undermines public faith in democratic institutions by regularly encouraging the acceptance of authoritarian actions; and

• Threatens the communities the movement targets with its conspiracies and tarnishes the reputation of U.S. service members, veterans, and their families.

The report shows how QAnon-associated influencers co-opt military language and symbolism to suggest the U.S. military’s involvement in their conspiracy theories. The research also reveals that veterans are over-represented in the movement. These self-described “digital soldiers” are highly engaged in the movement and play a major role in validating conspiracy theories.

Addressing this threat needs to be an urgent priority for both government and civil society, and the report includes several recommendations including: supporting efforts by the Department of Defense to address extremism in the military; increasing veteran awareness of QAnon’s recruitment tactics and narratives; improving digital literacy and increasing public awareness of QAnon disinformation; demanding that elected leaders denounce extremist conspiracies; and both supporting targeted communities and holding accountable perpetrators of extremism.

To speak with Yates or other experts on extremism at Human Rights First about the report and its findings, please contact Shamari White, hrf@westendstrategy.com, (202) 714-4129.

https://humanrightsfirst.org/library/report-exposes-qanons-exploitation-of-u-s-militarys-reputation/

QAnon Extremists Exploit U.S. Military, Threaten Democracy

This report examines how the QAnon movement exploits the U.S. military’s credibility in society to further its aim of undermining American democracy. It shows how 25 U.S. military veterans – all of whom have been engaged in the QAnon movement since the failed insurrection on January 6, 2021 – spread disinformation and build support for the movement. Analysis of their social media, along with a broader review of QAnon content, reveals how Q influencers portray the U.S. military as a heroic protagonist in their conspiratorial propaganda, and how they exploit military veterans to legitimate such claims and even recruit. It concludes with policy recommendations that focus on protecting members of the armed services, those who have served and their families, and communities the movement targets with its conspiracies.

https://humanrightsfirst.org/library/digital-soldiers/

https://humanrightsfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Digital-Soldiers_QAnon-Report.pdf

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de6a9c  No.17939637

File: ca09aa06015407b⋯.jpg (78.78 KB, 1240x744, 5:3, Brittany_Higgins_made_her_….jpg)

>>17858006

Brittany Higgins settles personal injury claim against the commonwealth

Katharine Murphy and Christopher Knaus - 14 Dec 2022

Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins has settled her personal injury claim against the commonwealth after a short mediation, according to her lawyers, but the dollar value of the settlement will remain confidential.

Noor Blumer of Blumers Lawyers issued a statement on Tuesday night confirming the development. “At a mediation held today, the commonwealth and Ms Higgins settled her claims,” it said.

Blumer said the terms of the settlement would remain confidential “at the request of Ms Higgins”.

News that Higgins would pursue the personal injury claim coincided with a decision by prosecutors to drop charges against Bruce Lehrmann for the alleged rape of Higgins because of concern another trial would risk her wellbeing.

Lehrmann had maintained his innocence to allegations that he raped Higgins, a colleague and fellow political staffer, in the office of the then-defence industry minister, Linda Reynolds, in March 2019.

The Lehrmann case collapsed due to juror misconduct last month. The collapse of the trial leaves Lehrmann with the presumption of innocence. He pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent and has always maintained that no sexual activity occurred between him and Higgins.

The trial’s collapse has also precipitated an extraordinary series of complaints, calls for inquiries, and legal threats.

Lehrmann is reported to be contemplating suing media outlets for defamation, including the ABC, the Australian, and Network 10’s The Project.

Meanwhile, the Australian Capital Territory’s director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, SC has made extraordinary allegations about the conduct of police during the investigation and trial, saying they pressured him not to pursue the case. The police union has dismissed the allegations as smears and the police chief, Neil Gaugha, has said they are untested.

The concerns about police conduct are now being examined by the law enforcement watchdog, the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.

Pressure is also growing on the ACT government to announce some form of public inquiry into the affair. Almost every party involved has called for some form of inquiry and it is now being seriously contemplated by chief minister Andrew Barr’s cabinet.

The cabinet met on Monday afternoon and discussed the possibility of a broad-ranging, independent inquiry.

“The cabinet discussed how a broad-ranging, independent inquiry could help to identify the roles played by the parties involved in the trial and whether these actions were appropriate,” Barr said. “These discussions also noted that an [Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity] investigation is currently under way.”

Higgins has also complained about police conduct prior to the trial, alleging they distributed a USB stick containing, among other things, her private counselling notes to Lehrmann’s defence. The defence says they did not access the documents. She has complained to ACT policing and is still waiting on the results of the internal investigation.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/13/brittany-higgins-settles-personal-injury-claim-against-the-commonwealth

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de6a9c  No.17939657

File: a9f845c15124284⋯.jpg (191.02 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, The_launch_of_a_US_Virgini….jpg)

File: f63e0f9423c14f5⋯.jpg (83.18 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, US_Congressman_Joe_Courtne….jpg)

File: a682853297d1348⋯.jpg (151.85 KB, 960x978, 160:163, World_submarines_Covert_Sh….jpg)

>>17884784

Ready-made nuclear subs still a stop-gap option for Australia

Matthew Knott - December 14, 2022

A senior US congressman says Australia should not give up hope of purchasing nuclear-powered submarines off-the-shelf from the United States, insisting the strained American shipbuilding industry can rise to the challenge of the AUKUS pact.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called for the Albanese government to buy two Virginia-class submarines from Connecticut to plug a looming capability gap between the retirement of the current Collins-class submarines and the arrival of locally made nuclear-powered submarines in the late 2030s or 2040s.

The idea has been widely dismissed on the grounds American shipbuilding yards are struggling to meet the US Navy’s needs and don’t have capacity to build submarines for Australia.

“There’s been a lot of talk about well, the Australians would just buy a US submarine. That’s not going to happen,” US congressman Rob Wittman, the top Republican on the House of Representatives’ seapower subcommittee, said earlier this month.

But Democratic congressman Joe Courtney, chair of the House seapower subcommittee, repudiated this statement, telling The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age: “I don’t think the notion of purchasing a Virginia [class submarine] is off the table”.

Asked about his Republican colleague’s comments, Courtney said: “I think it’s premature to take that position. I have a lot of respect for Rob, but we should not look at December 2022 as the permanent state of affairs in terms of the industrial base.”

Courtney’s electoral district in Connecticut includes the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipbuilding yard where the Virginia-class submarines are constructed.

Defence Minister Richard Marles and US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy visited the construction facilities last week during a visit to the US.

Widely regarded as one of the top experts in Congress on submarines and shipbuilding, Courtney is also co-chair of the Friends of Australia caucus.

Courtney acknowledged the US needs to significantly expand its submarine manufacturing capacity in coming years, including by constructing new facilities and hiring new staff.

“But I am very bullish on the fact that if you give shipbuilders a plan that contains a demand signal and the resources, this is not just pie-in-the-sky stuff,” he said.

“Once it’s clear what the government is looking for, I think the industrial base will respond.”

Courtney noted the US was extending the life of its Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines, raising the possibility Australia could lease or purchase a small number of these vessels as an interim measure until local manufacturing begins.

Courtney said Australia could rely on US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s vow last week that the US would not leave Australia with a capability gap.

“Secretary Austin says what he means and means what he says,” Courtney said.

Australian Navy chief Mark Hammond recently swatted away an earlier warning from a senior US Navy officer that Australia has little chance of securing nuclear-powered submarines off American production lines, dismissing the highly publicised remarks as mere “noise”.

Courtney said there had been much “opinion and speculation” about what type of nuclear-powered submarine Australia will acquire when the Albanese government makes its “big reveal” in March.

While some commentators still doubt the promise of nuclear-powered submarines will become reality, Courtney said: “I hear from folks in the Navy that people are feeling good about the process.

“The outcome will rise to the intent of AUKUS when it was announced in September 2021.”

A significant amount of legislative work needs to be done next year on technology transfer and export controls to ensure the nuclear-powered submarine technology can be delivered as quickly as possible, he said.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/ready-made-nuclear-subs-still-a-stop-gap-option-for-australia-20221213-p5c5uc.html

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de6a9c  No.17939675

File: 1c6b1d0d039f0d1⋯.jpg (106.95 KB, 768x1023, 256:341, James_Geoffrey_Griffin.jpg)

File: 55d7d742ebc13ae⋯.jpg (120.62 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, The_Launceston_General_Hos….jpg)

>>17513816

Launceston General Hospital sex-abuse report rebukes leaders

Ethan James - 14 December 2022

Senior management at a Tasmanian hospital where a male pedophile nurse worked for almost two decades showed "inertia" to implementing child safety reforms after his death, a review has found.

The Launceston General Hospital (LGH) was the subject of harrowing evidence at an inquiry into child sexual abuse in state institutions, which will deliver a final report by May.

The inquiry, which wrapped up public hearings in September, was told of missed red flags relating to pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin.

Griffin died by suicide in 2019 after being charged with multiple child sexual abuse offences.

The state government in July announced a child safe governance review of the hospital.

The review's final report was published on Wednesday, with Premier Jeremy Rockliff pledging to implement all of its 92 recommendations.

It found the hospital had no clearly designated executive with oversight responsibilities for the effective functioning of child safety.

It also found that despite significant work across Tasmania's health system, there remained a "level of confusion" about individual mandatory reporting obligations at the LGH.

All medical practitioners and nurses are required by law to report suspicions of child abuse or neglect.

The review determined there had been significant work by the health department since 2019 aimed at strengthening child safety.

"Despite these state-led changes, we found a level of inertia present in the engagement of the senior executive management team at the LGH in making changes locally and with the review itself," it reads.

"From our perspective, there appeared to be a lack of the responsive leadership necessary to drive change at the local level."

The review, by adjunct professors Debora Picone AO and Karen Crawshaw, found poor governance systems and responses, ill-defined executive and clinician accountabilities and an absence of strong organisational leadership.

They found clinical leaders struggled to deliver necessary reforms, such as implementing patient safety and quality systems.

There was inadequate risk management and complaints management, some loss of confidence in the incident management system and a failure to escalate and adequately deal with serious complaints.

The inquiry was told during investigations following Griffin's death, the hospital failed to accurately inform the health department of allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him.

Peter Renshaw, executive director of medical services at the LGH since 1989, told the inquiry he was "not certain" systems at the hospital had markedly changed since Griffin's death.

Following the hearings it was announced Dr Renshaw, nursing director Helen Bryan and hospital chief executive Eric Daniels would retire.

Mr Rockliff said the review was an important step in rebuilding the trust of the community.

"We have accepted the recommendations in full and we will implement them so that we keep our children and young people safe," he said.

Recommendations include creating a flow chart to provide patients, carers, families and staff clarity about how to report child safety concerns.

The review recommended the digitisation of all current and historical family violence and sexual assault medical records "as soon as possible" so there is one record for each patient.

The review said a new management structure in place for a short period of time at the hospital had already made a positive change.

https://thewest.com.au/politics/hospital-sex-abuse-report-rebukes-leaders-c-9156308

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de6a9c  No.17939693

File: c88303d98eede4e⋯.jpg (104.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Launceston_General_Hospita….jpg)

File: 959ba5412d640d2⋯.jpg (70.24 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Peter_Renshaw_the_then_exe….jpg)

File: 4cd6598f9871e61⋯.jpg (95.1 KB, 650x1000, 13:20, Premier_and_Health_Ministe….jpg)

File: f293de2b8b25ad8⋯.jpg (86.79 KB, 650x999, 650:999, Paedophile_nurse_James_Jim….jpg)

>>17513816

Launceston General Hospital report: 92 recommendations to be adopted

The embattled hospital’s “senior executive management team” showed a “level of inertia” in engaging with the review and a “lack of the responsive leadership” needed to fix the woes.

Alex Treacy - December 14, 2022

Launceston General Hospital’s senior executive management team displayed a “level of inertia” and “appeared to lack… the responsive leadership necessary to drive change at the local level” in the wake of the Commission of Inquiry, a report has found.

The Independent Safe Child Governance Review of the Launceston General Hospital and Human Resources report, publicly released on Wednesday, made 92 recommendations.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said on Wednesday afternoon the state government would implement each of them.

“I was devastated by what we heard throughout the Commission of Inquiry. While we cannot change the past – I’ve said many time we failed our children in this state over successive decades – we can change the future,” Mr Rockliff said.

Health secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said some of the key changes being implemented included “full-time resources for child safety liaison at the LGH and a dedicated child-safe unit to support reporting and training in child safety”.

All DoH staff must undertake child safety training by June 30, 2023 and there would be improved processes to proactively encourage and support the reporting of incidents.

A new position, Chief Executive – Hospitals North has also been created to help implement the changes. It will be filled by Jen Duncan, who performed the role on an interim basis.

Ms Morgan-Wicks said there would be “independent oversight” of the implementation of the recommendations.

The review was commissioned in August in the wake of terrible revelations at the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings, especially regarding the hospital’s harbouring of paedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin.

While, since 2019, the Department of Health had undertaken “significant” work to strengthen child safety procedures and there was now in place “exemplary policy frameworks and incident reporting systems”.

However, the same could not be said of the hospital’s senior levels, which copped a lashing from the review’s co-chairs.

“Despite these state led changes, we found a level of inertia present in the engagement of the senior executive management team at the LGH in making changes locally, and with the review itself,” co-chairs Adjunct Professor Debora Picone AO and Adjunct Professor Karen Crawshaw PSM.

“From our perspective, there appeared to be a lack of the responsive leadership necessary to drive change at the local level.

“At the LGH we found poor governance systems and responses, ill-defined executive and clinician accountabilities, an absence of strong organisational leadership, clinical leaders struggling to deliver necessary reforms such as implementing patient safety and quality systems, inadequate risk management and complaints management, some loss of confidence in the incident management system and failure to escalate and adequately deal with serious complaints.”

Other key recommendations of the review include:

– The executive and clinical leadership team of the LGH join with the secretary and executive of the department (to undertake) an annual review of child safety and wellbeing status confirmed through a publicly reported attestation statement.

– The One Health Leadership and Management Training, including people management training on how to have difficult conversations and manage staff grievances, be prioritised for those frontline and middle managers at the LGH who have not yet undertaken any structured leadership or management training.

– A LGH Culture Improvement Advisory Group be established which includes staff and managers, chaired by Chief Executive Hospitals North, and supported by HR Business Partner. Regular progress reports on implementation of local action plans be provided to staff from the Group. This should occur at least biannually. Membership of the LGH Culture Improvement Advisory Group to include First Nations and Diversity Inclusion identified positions.

– All leaders and managers at the LGH prioritise child safety as part of broader patient safety. Managers should be accountable through their performance agreements and reviews for the timely completion of mandatory training on child safety and reporting requirements by their staff.

https://www.themercury.com.au/news/launceston/launceston-general-hospital-report-92-recommendations-to-be-adopted/news-story/534b5e4e59d085399b2ea3833f86b648

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de6a9c  No.17939744

File: ceee150b8333d3b⋯.jpg (859.36 KB, 2000x1500, 4:3, Zoe_Duncan_refused_to_retu….jpg)

File: e764c29e63fb5e9⋯.jpg (2.02 MB, 4032x3024, 4:3, Amanda_Duncan_right_with_h….jpg)

File: 4a59999f72d87dd⋯.jpg (2.77 MB, 5000x3068, 1250:767, The_Tasmanian_government_s….jpg)

>>17513816

Launceston General Hospital report makes 92 recommendations after abuse scandal

Jessica Moran - 14 December 2022

1/2

Amanda Duncan's sister Zoe is never far from her mind, and what happened to her while she was a patient at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) is something Amanda never wants to see repeated.

In 2001, 11-year-old Zoe went to the LGH suffering an asthma attack, but during her stay she was sexually assaulted by a male doctor.

When the assault was reported to authorities, the claims were dismissed.

Zoe died from epilepsy in 2017 aged 28. Even after she was diagnosed, she refused to go back to the LGH.

The Duncan family gave evidence earlier this year during the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.

The harrowing stories and experiences of the family and many others prompted the Tasmanian government in July to call for an immediate review into management at all levels at the hospital.

Six months on, the Independent Child Safe Governance Review of the Launceston General Hospital and Human Resources has been released.

Ms Duncan welcomed the decision by the Tasmanian government to accept and implement all 92 recommendations from the report, describing it as a "positive step forward" — but she said there was "still a lot of work to do after the recommendations are passed down".

"It's absolutely critical that LGH staff, senior management and HR respect the recommendations that have been made," she said.

"Child safety is everyone's responsibility, and it's regardless of your role within a health service."

As a nurse and a midwife, Ms Duncan said it was challenging to share her lived experience as part of the review, but she was glad she did.

"It was important that I represented those who are working in the LGH currently, and also as the little sister of Zoe," she said.

"It was challenging but also empowering to represent the voice of Zoe and the family."

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17939750

File: 3960c00b971a491⋯.jpg (670.28 KB, 1241x1755, 1241:1755, 0001.jpg)

File: 3faede50e331231⋯.jpg (654.85 KB, 1241x1755, 1241:1755, 0002.jpg)

File: 6bc269d16f40a2e⋯.jpg (632.37 KB, 1241x1755, 1241:1755, 0003.jpg)

File: d9f7c6f641f36f9⋯.jpg (648.8 KB, 1241x1755, 1241:1755, 0004.jpg)

File: 12c56f76e41fa97⋯.jpg (632.18 KB, 1241x1755, 1241:1755, 0114.jpg)

>>17939744

2/2

The Child Safe Governance Review looked into management of the hospital and human resources, with a particular focus on the handling of serious misconduct such as institutional child sexual abuse through the lens of child safety.

The report identified a raft of failures at the LGH, including:

"Ill-defined executive and clinician leadership accountabilities, lack of cohesion across the executive team, an imbalance within the executive leadership team which was weighted too heavily to longevity and status quo and insufficiently to renewal and change.

"Ineffective and unwieldy, internal communication and decision-making structures and ineffective performance management".

The report found while there were "well-established patient safety systems available at the LGH", the governance failures had "led to a lack of confidence in the effectiveness of those systems and the effectiveness of their practical application".

It also noted "complaints management at LGH was inconsistent and immature, and there was a lack of clarity in the escalation pathways for the handling of serious complaints, which the establishment of a centrally based complaints oversight system within the Department of Health should help address".

Other issues included "confusion about the respective roles and accountabilities of the HR and clinical operational managers" as well as "no clearly designated executive [having] oversight responsibilities for the effective functioning of child safety at LGH".

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Tasmanian branch secretary Emily Shepherd said it would "take time" for the culture at the hospital to undergo meaningful change.

"As a member of the advisory panel, [the ANMF] very much support the recommendations, and we are hearing members are feeling more positive, but it will take a long time to rebuild the culture," she said.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he would work to ensure all recommendations from the review were implemented in full.

"We have already made changes since the commission of inquiry and indeed we will continue to do so," he said.

The review also outlined the need for LGH staff to undergo mandatory child-safety training by June 2023.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-14/lgh-child-safety-changes-accepted-by-tasmanian-govt/101769744

Independent Report from the Co-Chairs for the Child Safe Governance Review of the Launceston General Hospital and Human Resources

https://www.health.tas.gov.au/publications/independent-report-co-chairs-child-safe-governance-review-launceston-general-hospital-and-human-resources

https://www.health.tas.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/independent_child_safe_governance_review_of_the_lgh_and_hr_-_report.pdf

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de6a9c  No.17939800

File: 4d4ebdd863ec427⋯.webm (15.95 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Brian_Houston_told_a_crow….webm)

>>17879103

Disgraced pastor Frank Houston continued preaching after ban for child sex abuse

Despite being banned by the church for raping a child, disgraced pastor Frank Houston continued preaching up until months before his death, a court has heard.

Steve Zemek - December 14, 2022

1/2

Disgraced paedophile pastor Frank Houston continued preaching up until two months before his death, with audio capturing him telling a child during one sermon: “It’s not your fault you’re so good looking”.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court where he has denied covering up his father Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of a then seven-year-old boy in Sydney over 50 years ago.

Mr Houston, 68, has argued that he was not obligated to report his father to police because he was abiding by the wishes of victim Brett Sengstock.

He has pleaded not guilty to one count of concealing the serious indictable offence of another person.

Brett Sengstock was raped by Frank Houston inside his family’s Coogee home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in January 1970 and Brian Houston is accused of not passing on the information to police when he was told in late 1999.

The court has previously heard that Brian Houston was told of his father’s sexual abuse in October 1999 by George Aghajanian, the general manager of the Hills Christian Life Centre, which was the precursor of the Hillsong church.

Frank Houston had his credentials as a pastor removed by Brian Houston, though the court has heard that he continued to preach.

The court was on Wednesday played an audio recording of Frank Houston preaching at the Hunter Valley Christian Life Centre in September 2004, two months before he died.

Mr Houston’s defence barrister Phillip Boulten described Frank Houston’s sermon as being “nutty” and self-contradictory.

During the 50-plus minute sermon Frank Houston tells jokes about his wife Hazel’s death after she collapsed at a McDonald’s earlier that year.

“The only grievance I had was that she didn’t choose a beautiful, expensive restaurant to die in rather than McDonald’s,” Frank Houston said.

Bob Cotton, who was the senior pastor of the church, invited Frank Houston to preach, having in the late 1990s forged close personal and professional relationship with him.

At the time, he had changed the name of his church to the Hunter Valley Christian Life Centre to come under the umbrella of the Sydney Christian Life Centre, which was founded by Frank Houston.

However, when Frank Houston’s sexual abuse was uncovered at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2014, Mr Cotton again changed his church’s name to the Maitland Christian Church.

“We did that because we wanted to break any connection or association we had with Frank Houston after the truth came out about his child sex offences,” Mr Cotton told the court on Wednesday.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17939802

File: 73e4253816cb73e⋯.jpg (100.85 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Frank_Houston_abused_a_you….jpg)

File: 805eab986b305fd⋯.jpg (108.02 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Hillsong_founder_Brian_Hou….jpg)

File: 6c7d05ef7e88a8c⋯.jpg (85.64 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brett_Sengstock_left_was_a….jpg)

File: cdfef746be8f51d⋯.jpg (477.39 KB, 1032x668, 258:167, Where_to_find_help_2022.jpg)

>>17939800

2/2

The court heard on Wednesday that Mr Cotton was set to tell the court that when he invited Frank Houston to speak at his church in 2004, he was unaware of the reasons he had had his credentials removed.

On another occasion during the sermon, Frank Houston he is heard conversing with two boys, aged 10 and eight.

He tells another boy in the congregation: “This curly-haired little man here … What a fantastic young fellow he is, curly hair, sort of. Good looking.

“It’s not your fault you’re good looking. So thank God you are.

“Who wants to be ugly when you can be good looking.

“Yeah. Look at this great big strong man, full of faith. I hope you love God all the days of your life, follow the Holy Ghost and be a man of God. You may preach the gospel one day.

Mr Boulten has argued that Brian Houston made numerous statements, in the media and during sermons, about his father’s sexual abuse and “there was something like tens of thousands of people” who knew.

In a video played during the trial and released by the court, Mr Houston addresses the Hillsong Conference at Sydney’s SuperDome in 2002 and talks to the 18,000-strong crowd about his father’s sexual abuse of the boy.

“A couple of years ago I received probably the worst news I’ve ever, ever received in my life,” Mr Houston said.

“One of my team, one of my staff came into my office and began to tell me a story where my own father, who is my hero, was accused of sexual abuse over 30 years ago when he was a pastor in New Zealand still.

“And I’ve got to tell you that what was being said left me so numb, so stunned, I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

“And I had to confront my own father, who I loved and still love, and I had to confront him with this accusation. To which he made certain confessions. And I, along with others, had to sack my own dad.

“And the best way I can describe this, the best way I can describe it, it was like jets flying into the twin towers of my soul.”

The trial continues.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/breaking-news/how-does-that-protect-somebody-church-questioned-over-houstons-punishment/news-story/c2eb904a982e614851369cac0112135b

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de6a9c  No.17939818

File: 3d6dbd8eb50f112⋯.jpg (90.35 KB, 1200x755, 240:151, U_S_lawmakers_unveil_bipar….jpg)

>>17494507

U.S. lawmakers unveil bipartisan bid to ban China's TikTok

Alexandra Alper - December 14, 2022

WASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Republican Senator Marco Rubio on Tuesday announced bipartisan legislation to ban China's popular social media app TikTok, ratcheting up pressure on owner ByteDance Ltd amid U.S. fears the app could be used to spy on Americans and censor content.

The legislation would block all transactions from any social media company in or under the influence of China and Russia, Rubio's office said in a news release, adding that a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives was sponsored by Republican congressman Mike Gallagher and Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi.

"It is troubling that rather than encouraging the administration to conclude its national security review of TikTok, some members of Congress have decided to push for a politically-motivated ban that will do nothing to advance the national security of the United States," a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the company would continue to brief members of Congress on the plans that are "well underway" to "further secure our platform in the United States."

The bill comes as scrutiny of TikTok has grown in Washington in recent weeks, after a failed bid by the Trump administration to ban the video-sharing app.

At a hearing last month, FBI Director Chris Wray said TikTok's U.S. operations raise national security concerns, flagging the risk that the Chinese government could harness it to influence users or control their devices.

Alabama and Utah on Monday joined other U.S. states prohibiting the use of TikTok on state government devices and computer networks due to national security concerns. read more

In 2020, then-President Donald Trump attempted to block new users from downloading TikTok and ban other transactions that would have effectively blocked the apps' use in the United States but lost a series of court battles over the measure.

The U.S. government's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a powerful national security body, in 2020 ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok because of fears that U.S. user data could be passed on to China's communist government.

CFIUS and TikTok have been in talks for months aiming to reach a national security agreement to protect the data of TikTok's more than 100 million users.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-lawmakers-unveil-bipartisan-bid-ban-chinas-tiktok-2022-12-13/

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de6a9c  No.17939832

File: 6f7b159b8e27984⋯.jpg (352.84 KB, 1200x799, 1200:799, Chesapeake_residents_turn_….jpg)

File: 9cd9013aa253e33⋯.jpg (219.97 KB, 1200x433, 1200:433, Chesapeake_residents_turn_….jpg)

>>17869695

‘Hail Satan’: a Virginia town at war over After School Satan Club

Christians and Satanists clash at the Chesapeake School Board meeting

Amber Athey - December 13, 2022

1/2

If you’re looking for a Christmas display to rival Clark Griswold’s 25,000 twinkling incandescent lights, the Chesapeake City Hall is a good place to start. The building lights up each year for its “Deck the Hall” event, a drive-through light display featuring candy cane-wrapped trees, glittering snowflakes and City Hall itself glowing red and green. The decorations were so bright I had a difficult time reading the signs that would point me to the Chesapeake Public Schools building. Luckily, it only took a few more turns before I saw two parking lots full of cars and a line of people sprawling down the block.

The crowd wasn’t there to take in the beautiful Christmas lights. Instead, they wanted to make it known to their local school board members that they opposed the addition of an After School Satan Club, or ASSC, hosted by the Satanic Temple, at B.M. Williams Primary School. When the ASSC was first approved, the Chesapeake School Board sent an email to parents explaining that while they don’t endorse the club, they feel they legally had no choice but to allow them to hold events in public buildings. They told community members they could make their personal objections to the group known at Monday night’s school board meeting.

A quick drive around Chesapeake left me surprised that the town would be home to a proud Satanic group. It wasn’t just City Hall that lit up for Christmas; the neighborhood surrounding the Chesapeake Municipal Center saw entire blocks of homes beaming with coordinated light displays celebrating the holiday. A quick Google Maps search told me that there were at least twenty churches within a five mile radius of the Public Schools building.

A woman standing in line next to me, whose name I didn’t catch, told me that she believes Chesapeake’s vibrant faith community is precisely why the Satanic Temple targeted them.

“They are doing this because they know that we are a strong community and that our community stands with God,” she said. “It’s a test.”

A police officer outside of the Chesapeake School Board building was handing out paper slips to anyone in line who wanted to sign up to speak at the meeting. Once inside, attendees had to go through a metal detector, and there were several more police officers stationed inside the meeting room. Overall, a diverse crowd of about 200 people showed up for the meeting; more than sixty spoke. The public comment period lasted over three hours.

The Satanic Temple only starts After School Satan Clubs at public schools that also have active Christian clubs, supposedly in a bid to poke at religious liberty laws and threaten school boards with legal action if they don’t comply. There are six other ASSCs throughout the country. In Chesapeake, the Satanic Temple was summoned by a local parent due to the creation of a “Good News Club,” an evangelical fellowship program for children. Parents must sign a permission slip in order for their children to attend. After the ASSC’s first parent sponsor withdrew their name, another took their place and resubmitted the group’s application.

Despite identifying as a religious group, the Satanic Temple says they do not worship Satan as a supernatural figure, and only use the ASSCs as ways to expose children to critical thinking skills, science and the arts. However, the real goal of the ASSC is seemingly to create enough controversy that school boards decide to cancel all after-school clubs, including Christian ones.

Several speakers at Monday’s meeting, including volunteers with the Good News Club, warned of this potential outcome. Instead of shutting down after school clubs, they suggested community members respond to the Satanic Temple’s antagonism with prayer, regular Church attendance and even more Christian clubs.

“We want to commend Chesapeake for supporting free speech,” one sponsor of a local Good News Club said. “A critical part of their strategy is to inflame emotions… they want schools and parents to react by shutting down all after school clubs.”

“Gather, pray,” another said. “I don’t need the Chesapeake School Board — I need God.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17939835

File: c878fecc4089a47⋯.jpg (281.36 KB, 1200x798, 200:133, Parents_organize_against_A….jpg)

>>17939832

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Most of the anti-ASSC speakers acknowledged the legal challenges of shutting down the group, but still urged the Chesapeake School Board to find some way to reject the club. One individual questioned if the Satanic Temple can truly count as a religious organization subject to legal protections if they only view Satan as a “literary figure.” Another asked if the School Board would be compelled to accept an after school club application from a group that used Hitler as a symbol, a comparison that a Satanic Temple member later rejected as “offensive.”

The Chesapeake Public Schools Building Use policy states that a request may be rejected if it “is judged not to be in the best interest of the school and community or would result in an unacceptable risk.”

A particularly impassioned speaker begged the Chesapeake School Board to shut down the club’s application, “damn the consequences.”

“If it means we got to go to court and fight, then go to court,” the man said, “Roe v. Wade was ‘settled law’ until a few months ago.”

Several Chesapeake residents lamented the fact that the After School Satan Club was bringing more controversy and divisiveness to the city just weeks after six people were killed at the local Walmart. An older woman teared up as she spoke about leaving the Walmart just minutes before the shooter, who left a manifesto stating that he committed the heinous act because he had been lead astray by Satan, opened fire. She feared what would happen if Satanic imagery were subsequently allowed in public school buildings.

About a dozen of the attendees were with the Satanic Temple. They sat together in the front left of the room. Most of them had brightly colored hair, dark, gothic clothing, facial piercings and tattoos. One exception was June Everett, a petite blonde woman who is an ordained minister with the Satanic Temple. Everett flew in from Colorado for the meeting and said she got involved with the Temple because Good News Club members “traumatized” her son by telling him that he was going to burn in Hell.

Several of the Temple members snickered to one another as the Christians spoke at the podium and shook their heads emphatically at the descriptions of the ASSC. At one point, a speaker held up disturbing Facebook posts from a local ASSC sponsor who goes by the pseudonym “Rose Bastet”, including one meme that depicted a baby in an oven. The gaggle of Satanic Temple members burst into laughter at the photo. A Chesapeake School Board member said he understands the group is trying to “sensationalize”, but warned them that if they disrupted the meeting again they would be removed.

Some Temple members used their time at the podium to defend the club, but seemed equally as interested in airing their personal grievances against Christianity. One speaker insisted that Christians are “unhinged” hypocrites who sexually abuse children. Others said that they had been bullied and threatened by Chesapeake community members who wanted them to withdraw the club’s application. One young man alleged that the Good News Clubs only have members because parents use them for free childcare.

They nearly all concluded their remarks with “Hail, Satan!” as their comrades in the audience held up the sign of the horns. They reveled in the negative reaction like teenagers telling edgy jokes for the first time.

The most bombastic Satanist speakers stormed out of the meeting after they finished. One member named Lacy emphatically said to a group of Christians on her way out, “You don’t have to like it, but you have to respect it!”

A woman replied simply, “No, we don’t.”

After the more than three-hour public comment period Monday night, Chesapeake Public Schools superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton said that the board needed to review the ASSC’s application and conduct a safety assessment before making a final decision on their ability to use public building space. This could mean a delay to the ASSC’s first planned meeting on December 15. Whatever the School Board decides, the parents of Chesapeake made clear that they don’t intend to let the club through without a fight.

https://spectatorworld.com/topic/satan-chesapeake-virginia-town-war-after-school-satan-club/

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de6a9c  No.17939893

File: 50089287adb0a38⋯.jpg (129.52 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Constable_Rachel_McCrow_26….jpg)

File: 031f0b7f78d7529⋯.jpg (146.13 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, The_property_in_Wieambilla….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17934061

‘Not just at the pointy end’: Calls for renewed focus on conspiracy threats

Matt Dennien and Matthew Knott - December 14, 2022

Experts are calling for renewed national focus on the potential violent threat posed by elements of Australia’s conspiratorial fringe, after the killing of two police and their alleged attackers in regional Queensland.

The warning comes as Queensland police comb through the online footprints and personal backgrounds of the trio, killed in a shootout after what has been described as an ambush on a regional property leaving two colleagues and a neighbour dead.

Those scenes and the early attempts to understand them have also sparked comments from the chair of the powerful Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, federal Labor MP Peter Khalil, about disrupting the “pipeline towards extremism” at its source.

“Not just at the pointy end of the spear where violent attacks are imminent,” Khalil told this masthead.

“Increasing polarisation, online echo chambers and the intersection of ideological, transnational and socioeconomic factors have cultivated a febrile atmosphere for radicalisation that is challenging for security agencies and law enforcement.”

While police have given little public detail about the events and motivations of the group at Wieambilla, or what role any views they held may have played, extremism experts have reiterated warnings about the still-simmering ashes of pandemic-fuelled conspiracy communities.

Online accounts sharing the name of one member of the trio, 47-year-old Gareth Train, had been active on conspiracy websites for years and suggested an interest in the topics for decades.

The account had posted about entwined theories spanning vaccines, claims the Port Arthur massacre was staged to take away the nation’s guns to broader anti-authority beliefs, and brags about previously telling “coward” police to leave his property.

His brother Nathaniel, 46, had developed a deep resentment for the NSW education system he was only recently part of before disappearing and resurfacing at the property. Gareth’s wife, 45-year-old Stacey, quit a local public school role ahead of vaccine mandates last year.

All three were killed in the grisly end to the situation which unfolded on Monday night about three hours west of Brisbane.

Elise Thomas, a senior analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, said the uncertainties of the pandemic and frustration at government responses to it had exposed many people to conspiracy theories for the first time.

Those already involved were pulled deeper. As COVID fuel left the movement, some found their way out, but others had lost ties to friends and families outside. The security threats of mass protest activity then shifted to lone actors or small groups capable of violence, Thomas said.

Deakin University senior research fellow Josh Roose said while relatively benign conspiracies such as Area 51 had long found their place in popular culture, the present risk was this “committed core” with a far-right undercurrent.

“We’re already starting to see little bits and pieces online … supportive of the attacks in Queensland recently,” Roose said, noting others had already “turned this event into a conspiracy”.

Lydia Khalil, an expert in far-right extremism at the Lowy Institute and wife of Peter Khalil, said authorities had been understandably wary of policing people for unorthodox views and most even on the extreme end did not engage in violence.

But she said conspiracy-fuelled violence was increasing around the world and the connection between extremist views and violence needs to be better understood. “This is a clear signal we need to take the uptick in conspiratorial beliefs more seriously,” she said.

Thomas and Roose agreed that any solution was complex and one not yet laid out by most governments, but involved a range of programs to disengage people from conspiratorial communities by offering a positive alternative and addressing social inequalities.

Better regulation of the content swirling on both mainstream and alternative social media sites and online forums was another way to stop the spread of — and funnelling of people towards — more violent messaging, they said.

Federal Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil last week announced the federal government was creating a new cyber-security strategy and reforming counter-terrorism laws to deal with emerging national security threats linked to right-wing extremism.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/queensland/not-just-at-the-pointy-end-calls-for-renewed-focus-on-conspiracy-threats-20221214-p5c6ch.html

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de6a9c  No.17946248

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17933898

Peter Dutton becomes emotional during condolence motion for Queensland police officers killed in shooting

Georgia Hitch - 15 December 2022

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has become emotional during a condolence motion for the two police officers and local resident who were killed in Queensland during Monday night's siege.

Mr Dutton served as a police officer in Queensland before entering federal politics in 2001.

Parliament was recalled to sit today to pass the government's energy relief package, but members in the House of Representatives have also been given time to deliver condolence motions in response to the events earlier this week.

Mr Dutton became visibly upset as he delivered his speech, and paid tribute to Constable Rachel McCrow, Constable Matthew Arnold and Alan Dare, who were shot dead.

He described them as three people "who embodied compassion, commitment and courage", and said the pain of the events would endure for some time to come.

"In this instance what has hit hardest across the country is the execution style and the complete disregard for the human beings these officers were," he said.

"The premeditated nature of the attack, the callous lack of heeding the pleas that would've, that would've echoed in between the gunshots.

"Mr Speaker I want to acknowledge the work of all of those to attended the scene … those included in the many police officers who'll be scarred from this experience."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted Mr Dutton's service as a police officer in Queensland saying that "every death in the line of duty strikes in the heart of all those who serve".

He told parliament the nation was mourning with the families of those who were killed, especially given the time of year.

"We know that for their families, this Christmas, there will be a place not taken," he said.

"An empty space of grief and loss that the years will never be able to fill."

The member for the area, Nationals leader David Littleproud — who also became emotional — described the crime as "one of the most vile acts".

"To those who are prepared to put their lives on the line for us, as a society we are better than that and we are," he said.

"While this is a stake to the heart of two small country towns it's not the end, in fact it's only solidified the strength, solidified our reverence for those who serve our community.

"Because once you become a country copper, you become part of the community."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-15/peter-dutton-emotional-condolence-queensland-police-shooting/101776036

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKupk9zqSLM

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de6a9c  No.17946270

File: 5615b30c50e74b2⋯.jpg (2.68 MB, 5735x3823, 5735:3823, Home_Affairs_Minister_Clar….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17934061

Internet ‘turbocharging’ extremism and conspiracy theories: home affairs minister

Matthew Knott and Angus Thompson - December 15, 2022

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Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil says intelligence agencies are investigating the national security implications of the Queensland shootout that led to the death of six people, including the role online radicalisation may have played in sparking the tragedy.

O’Neil said conspiracy theories, disinformation and misinformation were being “turbocharged” by the internet, presenting a new kind of national security threat for law enforcement agencies and policymakers.

New policy responses, including legislation, may be needed to help prevent people with extremist views from turning to violence, O’Neil said.

While Queensland Police are still investigating the case, O’Neil said online radicalisation was likely to form part of the explanation for why police officers were fired upon when they approached a property at Wieambilla, near Brisbane.

Online accounts sharing the name of one member of the now deceased trio inside the home, 47-year-old Gareth Train, had been active on conspiracy websites for years and suggested an interest in the topics for decades.

The account had posted about entwined theories spanning vaccines, the Port Arthur massacre being staged to take away the nation’s guns and broader anti-authority beliefs, and bragged about previously telling “coward” police to leave his property.

O’Neil told parliament on Thursday that “security agencies are actively considering the implications of this matter for the national security of our country, the implications of online radicalisation of misinformation and violent extremism”.

“There is a lot of media reporting and speculation about what has motivated these three people to perform the despicable acts of violence that they did.”

Warning that the initial information after such an event can often be wrong, O’Neil said: “Before we get into the discussion about what’s happened, it’s really important that we let law enforcement and national security agencies do their job.

“Once the picture does start to clarify, it is likely that radicalisation will form a part of it.”

As Home Affairs Minister, O’Neil has oversight of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and is responsible for cybersecurity.

“Radicalisation is not new, but it is absolutely clear from events here and around the world that conspiracy theories, disinformation and misinformation problems as old as time are being turbocharged by technology into terrible acts of violence,” she said.

“They’re presenting a new kind of threat to national security. There will be deep and very important policy questions for us here as a parliament to think about how our country prevents and deals with acts of violence.

“But today is not the day for those discussions. Today is a day for grieving.”

O’Neil last week announced the Home Affairs Department’s national resilience taskforce would examine ways to strengthen Australian democracy and combat misinformation and disinformation.

She said that “we need to explore what we can do with tech companies to reduce the spread of polarisation and falsehoods, which have become such an important part of our lives”.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17946274

File: 3a3323c26dd6c5f⋯.jpg (1.81 MB, 4312x2875, 4312:2875, Peter_Dutton_becomes_emoti….jpg)

>>17946270

2/2

On Thursday morning, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who was home affairs minister in the Morrison government, agreed conspiracy-theory activity of those who began the Queensland shootout should be a concern for law enforcement in Australia.

“We’ve seen in recent years the spread of disinformation on the internet and the way in which that infects people’s minds and changes their whole persona, their whole perspective, and causes them to commit or contributes at least to them committing extreme acts. [That] should be of concern to any right-thinking Australian,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Dutton said the opposition would support the government introducing any measures to make it easier for law enforcement to access encrypted apps, where a lot of discussion surrounding conspiracy theories takes place.

“If a court issues a warrant that information should be discoverable by police,” he said.

“It’s just a technology issue and we’re allowing these people to manifest their crazy ideas online.”

Dutton had to pause several times during an emotional tribute in parliament to the police officers and civilian who were killed in Monday’s deadly shooting west of Brisbane.

“The depravity of this incident is what has struck hardest,” he said. “In this instance, what has hit hardest is the execution style [of the shootings] and the complete disregard for the human beings.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday “should have been an ordinary day” for the officers, “a day of warmth, a day of peace”.

“Instead that day of quiet was shattered by the gunfire of an atrocity,” he said.

Albanese also paid tribute to Queensland resident Alan Dare, who was gunned down after coming to check on his neighbours following the first shots ringing out.

He described Dare as an “innocent Australian who paid for his kindness and concern with his life”.

Labor MP Peter Khalil, the chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, yesterday said it was important to disrupt the “pipeline towards extremism” at its source.

“Not just at the pointy end of the spear where violent attacks are imminent,” Khalil said.

“Increasing polarisation, online echo chambers and the intersection of ideological, transnational and socioeconomic factors have cultivated a febrile atmosphere for radicalisation that is challenging for security agencies and law enforcement.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/internet-turbocharging-extremism-and-conspiracy-theories-home-affairs-minister-20221215-p5c6j4.html

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de6a9c  No.17946304

File: 4b6dca9ae035078⋯.jpg (189.66 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, We_simply_cannot_allow_you….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17934061

Wieambilla murders a wake-up call on the dangers of sovereign citizen cults

JACK THE INSIDER (Peter Hoysted) - DECEMBER 14, 2022

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Four young police officers ambushed, two of them shot dead, one wounded, the other, who can only be described as a hero, left in a world of pain and trauma, and a neighbour executed, shot in the back.

Three innocent people dead. The three perpetrators, also dead, got what was coming to them.

The term that hasn’t been used by police or media to date is domestic terrorism but that is surely what led to the deaths of three innocent people. The incident also stands as a warning on the dangers of cult behaviour and the rapid radicalisation of individuals amplified by disinformation associated with the pandemic.

There has been a media focus on Gareth Train and his online conspiracy laden rants. Whether it’s the Port Arthur massacre as a false flag or babbling about the “Luciferian agenda”, 5G, Bill Gates, the CIA as a “Jesuit cabal”, freemasonry, and secret government depopulation policies through vaccines, it is mere wallpaper.

The belief systems of conspiracists are an intellectual cul-de-sac for rational people. There’s no point trying to comprehend them or seek some truth from them.

After reviewing several of Gareth Train’s posts, I would identify him as a sovereign citizen aligned conspiracy cultist. This mentality, reinforced in social media echo chambers, led to his radicalisation. In turn, it would appear that his wife and brother were radicalised. In the case of the brother, Nathaniel, it seems his radicalisation occurred in the space of just a few months.

Sovereign citizens, sometimes known by their Canadian nomenclature as Freemen on the Land, believe the state and its law enforcement arms have no authority over them.

It’s an amorphous collective. Some sovereign citizens spend their time attempting to find holes in Australia’s constitutional framework. Others engage in doomed but exhausting legal battles with the state or individuals unfortunate enough to have crossed their paths. Some engage in taxation fraud which is how the movement first started in the US in the early 1990s. Many drive the roads unlicensed, their vehicles uninsured and unregistered.

All are living on the fringes of society — geographically, ideologically and culturally. Their numbers are hard to discern but there are various state and federal reports that put the figure at somewhere around 100,000 in this country alone. Not all are dangerous, but many are.

It is only a matter of time before sovereign citizens come into contact with police. That’s where the problems begin. In the US, routine traffic stops have escalated into shootouts. At a routine traffic stop in Arkansas in 2010, Jerry Kane grappled with a police officer before his 16-year-old son, Joseph emerged from the vehicle and opened fire, killing both officers. The father and son sov-cits went on a spree thereafter shooting and wounding two more police officers before they were shot to death by police.

Kane had outstanding warrants, an expired driver’s licence and uninsured vehicle. He and his son had been touring the country holding seminars where Kane would lecture participants on bogus legal pathways to avoid paying creditors or tax.

Sergeant Brandon Paudert was the first cop killed by Joseph Kane. He was shot fourteen times in the head, neck and shoulders by Joseph Kane bearing an AK-47 variant. Paudert’s father, Bob, was chief of police at West Memphis, Arkansas.

Bob Paudert now travels the US speaking to other law enforcement officers to educate them on identifying sov-cits and taking steps to reduce risk. He speaks of practical measures for cops on the beat, calling for backup as a rule.

Jerry Kane was in the FBI database as a red flag, but this was not known to local police. Two weeks earlier, Kane had been arrested and held in custody for two days in New Mexico for failure to produce a driver’s licence. By the time Bob Paudert’s son and his colleague approached the vehicle in Arkansas, Kane and his son were itching for a firefight.

Intelligence that could have been shared was not and a routine traffic matter became a murder scene.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17946308

File: 8909b86684ff175⋯.jpg (83.63 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Gareth_Train.jpg)

File: 83c5a68e08ff511⋯.jpg (144.02 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_251_Wains_Rd_property_….jpg)

>>17946304

2/2

The outpouring of grief over the murders of two young police officers, and the murder of a civilian in the Western Downs of Queensland needs to find form as a wake-up call for law enforcement across the country.

There was clearly a failure of intelligence that led to the ambush. Gareth Train had firearms on the property and licences to possess them. Not unusual in that part of the world. But he had a long history of social media engagement in the conspiracy theory alternative universe. And in 2020, he posted what stands as an ongoing threat to police.

“I have directed law enforcement to leave my premises over the last 20 years, having no reason or grounds, and at times have also asked them to remove their hands from their weapons or pull their pistols and whistle Dixie. Fortunately for me they have all been cowards,” Train wrote.

Had this information been made available to Queensland Police — and it was not hard to find, it is difficult to understand why four young police officers on general duties were dispatched to the property.

Wisdom in hindsight, perhaps.

Two weeks ago, I watched a video filmed by a sovereign citizen. He’d been pulled over by a single highway patrolman for driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle. The sov-cit refused to show his licence and cited laws and associated nonsense. These are the language triggers that should inform police of what they are dealing with. The police officer was patient and stood his ground. There was no physical altercation and the video ended with the outcome unclear.

I got the distinct feeling that the police officer had no experience in dealing with sovereign citizens and was unable to identify the immediate risk he was facing.

That needs to change across the country with training made available to all police officers so they can quickly identify risk. In the US, the standard response is to withdraw and call for back up.

Intelligence and security agencies need to share information across all law enforcement. Similarly, senior police need to do their homework before they send young officers off to enter the premises of a sovereign citizen. This means doing some deep digging into a suspect’s online posts, devoting time and manpower to monitoring conspiracy cult groups and seeking advice from experts in this field.

We simply cannot allow young police officers to walk into these situations without an understanding of the risks they will encounter.

As a society, we need to properly understand the nature of the threat. And that takes me back to my original point, that what occurred in Wieambilla this week was domestic terrorism.

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/nation/wieambilla-murders-a-wakeup-call-on-the-dangers-of-sovereign-citizen-cults/news-story/eb53900b5da5f37c01752e53ab644bfd

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de6a9c  No.17946322

File: 1a0fe22a9e338b0⋯.jpg (149.1 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, The_5_8m_long_Dive_LD_auto….jpg)

File: 786111255958866⋯.jpg (105.05 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Commodore_Darron_Kavanagh_….jpg)

Unmanned prototype stealth sub ‘a game-changer’

LIAM MENDES - DECEMBER 15, 2022

The prototype for a “game-changing” unmanned Australian submarine designed to undertake stealth missions throughout the Indo-Pacific has been unveiled at a top-secret ceremony in Sydney.

The first underwater vehicle, Dive-LD, is capable of spending up to 10 days under water to a depth of 6000m and will be used to test systems that will eventually feature in three larger autonomous submarines designed and manufactured in Australia over the next three years.

Those school bus-sized autonomous submarines will “create uncertainty in the minds of potential adversaries” and “deter illegal and coercive behaviour”.

The test vehicle for the program, dubbed “Ghost Shark”, was unveiled at a secret location on Sydney Harbour. Attendees were transported by water taxi and closely watched upon arrival, with guests asked to remove location-specific metadata on images captured on phones.

The arrival of the vehicle, never before deployed outside the US, is a major step forward in a $140m partnership between the Royal Australian Navy, Defence Science and Technology Group and Anduril Australia.

The program was described as “stealthy and lethal” by navy capability Rear Admiral Pete Quinn, who said the submarines were a “game changer” for Australia’s defence capabilities.

The range, stealth and persistence would allow the Ghost Shark vehicles to operate undetected through the Indo Pacific, he said.

“Our adversaries will need to assume that their every move in the maritime domain is subject to our surveillance and that every XL-AUV (extra large autonomous undersea vessel) is capable of deploying a wide range of ­effects, including lethal ones.

“Once our potential adversaries understand what a Ghost Shark is – not that we’re going to give them any specifics at all – I ­expect it will generate doubt and uncertainty,” he said.

Rear Admiral Quinn said the Ghost Shark XL-AUV could swap in and swap out sensors and payloads for different missions.

“From a defence capability, an adversary not knowing what payloads we might be carrying creates doubt and uncertainty,” he told The Australian.

“With the advances that will be achieved through the Ghost Shark program, we’ll be able to undertake the dull, dirty, dangerous missions using autonomous and uncrewed systems, safeguarding our personnel and freeing up our crewed submarines for more complex missions, where human decision making is absolutely essential.

“(As) nations and organisations capitalise on improved access to, and move to occupy, the subsea domain, it is rapidly becoming the new frontier of military exploitation.”

Anduril Asia Pacific chief executive David Goodrich said the arrival of the Dive-LD three months ahead of schedule would allow for accelerated development of the larger XL-AUV program. He said the Dive-LD would test critical subsystems that the XL-AUV would require, such as navigational, power and more classified technologies, allowing for a daily turnaround of design and testing phase cycles.

“Most people are aware there is an increased activity in the water­ways that surround our nation … we need autonomous capabilities to be able to disrupt that affect to stop our adversaries from bringing very large and very exquisite manned capabilities into our waterways.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/unmanned-prototype-stealth-sub-a-gamechanger/news-story/32c62d3df58df888a10f7f7930de07ec

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de6a9c  No.17946334

File: ff2a02b00147578⋯.jpg (227.08 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Tribal_dancers_entertain_F….jpg)

>>17927371

Vanuatu security treaty leaves China out in cold

BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 13, 2022

Australia has outplayed China to secure a legally binding security treaty with Vanuatu, paving the way for intelligence sharing and faster deployment of defence, ­humanitarian and cyber support to the small Pacific nation in times of crisis.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong signed the agreement with Vanuatu’s Prime Minister, Ishmael Kalsakau, in Port Vila on Tuesday, saying Australia was “proud to be Vanuatu’s principal security partner”.

Negotiations to secure the treaty started under the Turnbull government in 2018 but were ­accelerated this year after China’s security agreement with Solomon Islands and its later attempt to sign a region-wide security pact with Pacific nations.

“It reflects our belief that ­security is regional responsibility, and it is the responsibility of the Pacific family,” Senator Wong said. “We come to it with a recognition that we are equal partners, and we come to listen.”

Mr Kalsakau said the treaty, which still needs to be ratified by both nations’ parliaments, was “the embodiment” of the countries’ 40-year relationship.

He and Senator Wong sealed the treaty by drinking a coconut shell each of kava, after which Mr Kalsakau declared: “Now our partnership is cemented.”

The Foreign Minister was also given a piglet as a token of her hosts’ respect.

Senator Wong, in return, conveyed an invitation from ­Anthony Albanese for Mr Kalsakau to come to Australia next year for an official visit.

The treaty includes a commitment to hold an annual security dialogue and entrenches a broad definition of security co-operation including police, maritime and humanitarian support, cyber and biosecurity engagement, and help dealing with the impacts of climate change.

Its signing coincided with the finalisation by Vanuatu of a new national security policy and a formal system of classifying security documents that will allow the countries to share secret information with the confidence that it won’t leak.

Mr Kalsakau said the measures were vital for the policing of Vanuatu’s borders and the protection of its exclusive economic zone. “As Prime Minister, I cannot state enough that security and the protection of this nation and its sovereignty must be my first priority and my toughest challenge,” he said.

Australia is working on a similar treaty with Papua New Guinea, and Senator Wong did not rule out further such pacts with other Pacific partners in the future.

Unlike China’s Solomons pact, the Australia-Vanuatu treaty would be a public document, ­reflecting the nations’ commitment to accountability and transparency, Senator Wong said.

The minister, who is leading a bilateral delegation on a four-day regional trip, also officially handed over a wharf and new police boat to Vanuatu with the support of her opposition counterpart Simon Birmingham, Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy and opposition Pacific spokesman Michael McCormack.

Senator Birmingham said the wharf and treaty showed “Australia and Vanuatu are at our strongest when we stand together”.

The finalisation of the document comes despite Vanuatu’s close economic relationship with China, to which it owes 30 per cent of its national debt.

And it also comes as Vanuatu works to restore systems after a massive cyber attack with the support of Australian experts. ­Officials said such support would be delivered more rapidly under the new security framework.

Once ratified, the treaty will become only the second such ­legally binding agreement between Australia and a Pacific partner, after the 2017 treaty with Solomon Islands. That agreement was invoked by the country’s Prime Minister last year amid rioting against his government. Senator Wong’s office said the piglet was later re-gifted.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/vanuatu-security-treaty-leaves-china-out-in-cold/news-story/39f4a8bee474155b4e64295ac78b3055

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de6a9c  No.17946343

File: 8bfa8cf5c3cb958⋯.jpg (1.02 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Julie_Inman_Grant_says_tec….jpg)

File: 45b1f7a34e6f2a3⋯.jpg (427.66 KB, 2000x1486, 1000:743, Julie_Inman_Grant_says_she….jpg)

Microsoft and Apple among the global companies accused of 'turning a blind eye' to child sexual exploitation

Brett Worthington - 15 December 2022

Some of the world's biggest technology companies, like Microsoft and Apple, aren't doing enough to prevent the spread of child sexual exploitation on their platforms, according Australia's e-Safety Commissioner.

A report from Julie Inman Grant, a world first of its kind, found tech companies were failing to proactively detect exploitation in cloud storage and streaming services.

"Some of the largest, richest, most powerful tech companies in the world are turning a blind eye to crime scenes happening on their platforms, being hosted on their cloud-based services, being propagated through their messaging services and they're simply not doing enough," Ms Inman Grant told the ABC.

After years of talking with the companies, the commissioner used new laws that allowed her to send questions to Apple, Facebook's owner Meta, WhatsApp, Microsoft, Skype, Snap and Omegle, demanding they answer what they were doing to tackle the issue.

Ms Inman Grant, a former Twitter employee and two-decade veteran of the sector, said she was both shocked and disheartened yet not surprised companies weren't taking more meaningful action.

She said none of the companies that offered streaming, where exploitation of impoverished children was rife, were using available tools to search for abusive material.

"The kind of child sexual exploitation that we're talking about is known child sexual exploitation and the tools like photo DNA have been around since 2009," Ms Inman Grant said.

"We're simply asking the companies that invented it to start using them across their platforms and services."

Microsoft developed that photo detection technology, which Ms Inman Grant said was used on the company's X-Box gaming service. But she said she was disappointed it was not used on more Microsoft platforms.

Failure to respond to the e-Safety Commissioner's questions could have resulted in the companies facing fines of up to $550,000 a day.

Ms Inman Grant said she expected governments across the globe would look to her report, further adding pressure on the tech companies to do more.

She said the full extent of child sexual abuse would not be known until companies unearthed the material on their platforms.

Her office has handled more than 61,000 complaints about illegal and restricted content since 2015, with the majority involving child sexual exploitation material.

The e-Safety Commissioner has the power to ask the tech companies to continue to provide transparency reports.

She said she was closely looking at codes of conduct to determine if making them mandatory was sufficient or if new standards were needed to force the tech companies to do more.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-15/microsoft-apple-child-sexual-exploitation-esafety/101771844

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de6a9c  No.17946371

File: 4a2d6773f96316a⋯.jpg (1.94 MB, 5321x3547, 5321:3547, Federal_eSafety_Commission….jpg)

>>17946343

How social media giants created a ‘paedophile paradise’

Jordan Baker - December 15, 2022

1/2

A world-first insight into how social media giants are responding to online child sexual abuse has exposed what Australia’s eSafety boss condemned as a culture of wilful blindness in which companies ignore or make token attempts to monitor serious criminal activity on their sites.

As the volume of online child exploitation grows exponentially – reports ballooned from 3000 images in 1998 to almost 85 million last year – commissioner Julie Inman Grant said companies had not only turned a blind eye to the problem, but had “effectively created a paedophile’s paradise”.

Australia’s eSafety commission used pioneering laws this year to compel companies to reveal information that has been kept secret by companies and chased by governments internationally for up to a decade.

Some, particularly Apple, have been reluctant to monitor content for child abuse amid concerns that it invades users’ privacy.

Now, a report on the companies’ responses, published on Thursday, shows Microsoft’s video conferencing tool Skype, which is the most common platform for live-streamed child abuse, takes two days to respond to a report of abuse and does not use any of the available technology to detect new child abuse material unprompted.

Microsoft developed a technology called PhotoDNA, which can detect known exploitation content, but does not use it to check material stored in its OneDrive service, allowing offenders to escape detection unless they try to share the material.

Apple does not check for abuse material either in its cloud, or when it is shared via iMessage. It made the fewest reports of child exploitation of any tech giant last year, with just 160 instances reported to a US database, despite many of its 2 billion users having access to FaceTime.

The tech giant last week abandoned plans to use a new tool to check iPhones and iCloud photos for child abuse material because of a privacy backlash.

WhatsApp bans 300,000 accounts a month for child exploitation violations, but does not share details about the users it bans with stablemates Facebook or Instagram, even though abusers use multiple accounts.

Neither Skype, Microsoft Teams nor Facetime take any action to detect child exploitation material in live video streams. Inman Grant said the gold standard in using technology to detect images was Microsoft’s XBox, but questioned why it was not as active on other platforms.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17946374

File: 8ccb029005ecb77⋯.jpg (256.97 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0001.jpg)

File: b5ad47933e7f41c⋯.jpg (623.21 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0002.jpg)

File: cb874e16233c64d⋯.jpg (688.09 KB, 1241x1754, 1241:1754, 0003.jpg)

File: e0b3d7e7cbc9c89⋯.pdf (860.86 KB, BOSE_transparency_report_D….pdf)

>>17946371

2/2

Inman-Grant said none of the companies justified their failure to act. “It’s shocking to me that none of the video conferencing platforms are using any kind of detection technologies when we know livestreamed child sexual abuse is a growing crime,” she said.

“What this actually shows us – particularly with Apple’s latest announcement – is that not only are they turning a blind eye to crime scenes, they’ve effectively created a paedophile’s paradise where they can store photos without detection.

“The hubris we got in some of the responses was really gobsmacking. [This activity] is criminal in almost every country in the world. They were admitting to enabling crime scenes of the worst possible kind on their platforms, knowingly.”

Professor Hany Farid, one of the inventors of PhotoDNA, which identifies and removes child exploitation images, described the responses as predictable and disappointing. “The technology sector has not responded to this crisis with the urgency or resources that I think it should,” he said.

“I continue to be baffled as to why they are not more aggressively responding to these horrific crimes against children. So-called privacy-focused groups talk about the importance of privacy, seemingly unaware that when we are talking about tracking down [child sexual abuse material], we are talking about privacy — the privacy of the young victims.”

Information and Privacy Commissioner Angelene Falk said children required support online as well as offline. “As part of the Privacy Act review, we have recommended that all organisations handle personal information fairly and reasonably, which would ensure they consider the impacts of their information handling activities on children,” she said.

A Microsoft spokesperson said bad actors were becoming more sophisticated and “we continue to challenge ourselves to adapt”, adding that companies, communities and governments must continue to collaborate.

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service: 1800 737 732.

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

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800.

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

To report online exploitation material and abuse, visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/

https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-social-media-giants-created-a-paedophile-paradise-20221214-p5c666.html

Basic Online Safety Expectations

Summary of industry responses to the first mandatory transparency notices

eSafety Commissioner - December 2022

https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/world-first-report-shows-leading-tech-companies-are-not-doing-enough-tackle-online-child-abuse

https://www.esafety.gov.au/industry/basic-online-safety-expectations/responses-to-transparency-notices

https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/BOSE transparency report Dec 2022.pdf

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de6a9c  No.17946383

File: 45318f877965809⋯.jpg (140.28 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Hillsong_pastor_Brian_Hous….jpg)

File: 9272a7344b01a65⋯.jpg (101.59 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Frank_Houston_sexually_ass….jpg)

>>17879103

Disgraced preacher Frank Houston’s big claim about son: court

Paedophile preacher Frank Houston claimed he’d been banned from preaching because his son, Hillsong founder Brian Houston, wanted to “steal his church”

Steve Zemek - December 15, 2022

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Paedophile preacher Frank Houston claimed to a pastor and friend that he had been sacked by Brian Houston so his son could “steal his church”, a court has been told.

Hillsong church founder Brian Houston is standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court where he is fighting allegations he concealed information about his father Frank Houston’s historical sexual abuse of a young boy.

Mr Houston, 68, has denied that he failed to pass onto police details of his father’s rape of victim Brett Sengstock in Sydney in January 1970.

The court has heard that after Mr Houston in October 1999 learned of his father’s sexual abuse of the boy, he and the national executive of the Assemblies of God removed Frank Houston’s credentials as a pastor, which was supposed to prevent him from preaching at associated churches.

However, the court has heard Frank Houston continued to preach, and was invited by pastor Bob Cotton to stand at the pulpit at the Hunter Valley Christian Life Centre in Maitland in September 2004, about two months before his death.

Mr Cotton said he did not know that Frank Houston had admitted to raping a child when he extended the invite.

However, he admitted under cross examination on Thursday that he was told that Frank Houston had committed a “criminal” act.

Mr Cotton told the court that in the late 1990s he considered Frank Houston a “giant” of the church, a mentor and a personal friend.

However, when Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of young boys was uncovered at a Royal Commission in 2014, Mr Cotton changed the name of his church so that it would no longer be associated with Houston’s Sydney Christian Life Centre.

During his sermon at the Maitland church, Frank Houston could be heard speaking in tongues and conversing with several young boys in the congregation.

“This curly haired little man here … But what a fantastic young fellow he is, curly hair, sort of. Good looking,” Frank Houston can be heard saying in an audio recording of his sermon.

“It’s not your fault you’re good looking. So thank God you are.

“Who wants to be ugly when you can be good looking.

“Yeah. Look at this great big strong man, full of faith. I hope you love God all the days of your life.”

Frank Houston had preached at Mr Cotton’s Maitland church in 1997, 1998, 1999 and Mr Cotton was keen to get him back in 2000 and 2001 however was unsuccessful in being able to book him after contacting his secretary.

The Assemblies of God in December 2001 sent a letter to all ordained pastors in which they said Frank Houston’s credentials had been removed because of a “serious moral failure”.

“A serious moral failure, according to our code, could have been anything from looking at pornography, going to a brothel, an act of immorality, homosexuality, there are many things that could have been classed as a serious moral failure,” Mr Cotton told the court.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17946386

File: 701f69f05f3d509⋯.jpg (154.12 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Victim_Brett_Sengstock_was….jpg)

File: 8b0019017f2271c⋯.jpg (139.3 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Maitland_Pastor_Bob_Cotton….jpg)

>>17946383

2/2

Mr Cotton said he continued to be good friends with Frank Houston right up until his death in November 2004.

And he claimed he was “gutted like a fish” when he learned of Frank Houston’s crimes a decade later.

Asked whether he would have allowed Frank Houston to preach at his church in 2004 had he known he had sexually assaulted a child, Mr Cotton said: “Hell no.”

“There’s no way in the world I would have had him back in the church,” Mr Cotton said.

“I wouldn’t have had him near any of the kids in the church. I wouldn’t have had him around my son who was in the church.”

Under questioning from Mr Houston’s defence barrister Phillip Boulten, Mr Cotton admitted he had allowed Frank Houston to preach at his church despite the fact Houston was no longer an accredited pastor.

Mr Boulten asked whether the AOG’s December 2021 letter had revealed that Frank Houston was guilty of “very serious misconduct”.

“Frank himself told me that there was more to it than that,” Mr Cotton said.

“He said he’d been sacked for an underhanded reason. And that was so Brian could steal his church from him.”

Following Frank Houston’s retirement, his church was merged with Brian’s Hills Christian Life Centre to form Hillsong.

“We had a longstanding relationship with Frank Houston and there had been no satisfactory reason given to us as to why Frank would not be restored to the ministry,” Mr Cotton said.

“And every time I sought an answer to that question, I was given nothing. We were just expected to blindly submit to a cover up of a child sex offence.”

He also said he had not read two news stories published about Frank Houston being sacked from his church, published in 2002 and 2003.

The court has previously heard that Brian Houston spoke about his father at the Hillsong conference in Sydney in 2002 in which he described his Frank’s offences as “like jets flying into the twin towers of my soul”.

Mr Cotton said he had heard the “twin towers” comment made by Brian Houston but could not remember when he first heard it.

He told the court on Friday that when he “went up the chain of command” and sought answers about why Frank Houston had been banned, he was told by a former member of the AOG national executive that what his former friend had done was “criminal.”

“You were also told by Brian Houston (that Frank Houston had committed a crime) as well weren’t you?” Mr Boulten asked.

“No sir,” Mr Cotton said.

The trial continues.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/frank-houston-preached-to-young-kids-despite-ban-for-child-sex-abuse/news-story/7056431139cc6815b449e72af83a1220

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de6a9c  No.17946396

File: af3866c20c37abc⋯.jpg (90.2 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, Brian_Houston_says_his_fat….jpg)

>>17879103

Defrocked Houston gave sermons, court told

Jack Gramenz - December 15, 2022

Stripped of his credentials to minister after his son learned he sexually abused children, pedophile pastor Frank Houston continued leading church sermons until weeks before his death.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston took away his father's credentials in late 1999 after he admitted he had abused children.

Houston later gave media interviews where he said his father never preached again.

However, eight weeks before Houston senior died in 2004, he was still ministering, leading a sermon at a church in the NSW Hunter region.

After retiring to the Central Coast he also preached and prayed for those attending a local church.

Children were among the congregations, including young boys whose appearance Houston commented on, theorising what they may look like when they were older.

Brian Houston, 68, has pleaded not guilty to concealing his father's crimes, arguing the person his father admitted to abusing did not want an investigation, and was an adult who could have reported it to police themselves by the time he found out.

Maitland church pastor Robert Cotton said Houston was "at his best" as a preacher and entertainer when he led a sermon weeks before he was stripped of his credentials.

Over the next few years Mr Cotton tried to have him return, only to be told by Houston's daughter and personal assistant that he was not taking bookings.

He did not ask why.

"If you had been told no by the Houstons you didn't question it," Mr Cotton told the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.

He said he never would have allowed Houston to preach again in 2004 if he knew he was a pedophile.

Greg Morris, the former business manager of the church Houston and his wife Hazel joined on the Central Coast, said there was a sense of honour about the pair attending.

Houston senior was widely known in Pentecostal churches.

"Godfather's not the right term, but (he was) highly revered … highly respected," Mr Morris said.

Houston gave three or four sermons and prayed for those attending in late 2002 and early 2003, Mr Morris said.

Young people were also present at the "family church" when Houston ministered.

Mr Morris was the church's contact with the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian.

He said he did not learn Houston senior was a pedophile until after his death.

Mr Morris believed a "moral failure" he learned of related to adults, thinking Houston may have cheated on his wife, a "not uncommon" reason a pastor might lose their credential to minister.

Houston's lawyer Phillip Boulten SC said those within the Central Coast church who attended the 2002 Hillsong conference would have heard Houston addressing his father's abuse in a sermon, prior to him preaching at the church.

Mr Morris said some church congregants typically attended the conference but maintained he'd heard nothing about child sexual abuse.

Houston also gave media interviews addressing his father's abuse after his death.

In a press conference played to the court, Houston said he was unaware of any requirement to report a crime when he learned of the abuse.

In another interview with 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham he explained why he didn't report to authorities in 1999 on behalf of the abuse survivor, who was by then an adult.

"I just genuinely believed that … if he wants to go to the police he can go to the police," Houston said in a recording played to the court.

Houston said his father's days as a minister were over after he learned of the abuse in 1999 and took action against him.

"He never preached again, anywhere," Houston said.

The hearing continues.

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/crime/defrocked-houston-gave-sermons-court-told-c-9174673

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de6a9c  No.17946412

File: 9ebf33900ca0005⋯.mp4 (8.46 MB, 960x540, 16:9, Shocking_images_have_revea….mp4)

File: f1c5ffc93fad516⋯.jpg (142.33 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Shocking_images_have_revea….jpg)

File: 267375d103e23cc⋯.jpg (68.3 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Thomas_Sewell_is_facing_ch….jpg)

File: d0be860dff50d80⋯.jpg (95.01 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Blair_Cottrell_spearheads_….jpg)

Child attends neo-Nazi meeting in Melbourne organised by European Australia Movement

Shocking images have revealed a young child posing for photos at a secret, national neo-Nazi meeting in Melbourne.

Jon Kaila - December 15, 2022

A young child has attended and posed up for pictures at a national neo-Nazi meeting in Melbourne.

The shocking image was taken at a secret event organised by the far-right group European Australia Movement, founded by Thomas Sewell.

Sewell is fighting charges of affray, unlawful assault and recklessly causing injury after allegedly punching a Channel 9 security guard multiple times in the head outside the network’s Docklands studios in March last year. Sewell is claiming self defence.

About 50 males attended the “Australia For The White Man” gathering, which was held at an undisclosed location in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

A promotional flyer, seen by the Herald Sun, said there would be boxing, MMA and music.

“European Australia Movement is holding this event to celebrate the white Australian community,” it reads.

“We welcome anyone from the wider community to join us at our national meetup, on the condition they agree to be vetted in person at a separate location, prior to the event. Partners and children welcome.”

A young boy wearing shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, socks and a mask to cover his face was front and centre of a photo taken at the December 3 event.

Several Nazi flags are placed around the gym and all but four men have their faces covered or blurred. The image was uploaded to social media this week.

The child is standing next to a man with a swastika tattooed on his chest and sonnenrad (Black Sun) tattooed on his shoulder. He was seen supporting Sewell in person at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this week.

Blair Cottrell, who spearheads another far-right organisation, the United Patriots Front, was also a supporter in court while Neil Erikson – another well-known far right extremist – watched proceedings online.

The online hearing for Sewell was disrupted by supporters this week as they refused to turn on cameras, used fake names, or disguises such as sunglasses and hats.

One man displayed a photograph of Hitler youth as a virtual background.

Magistrate Stephen Ballek demanded those online turn on their webcams after the prosecution raised concerns about the potential of intimidation of witnesses.

Those who attended the European Australia Movement meet-up this month were not allowed to have any electronic devices or cameras.

“(They) will be under the co-ordination of the event organisers,” attendees were told.

“There will be no unapproved photography. This will be a straight edge event. There will be no intoxication.”

Sewell is expected to learn his fate over the assault charges on Tuesday.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/child-attends-neonazi-meeting-in-melbourne-organised-by-european-australia-movement/news-story/1c70af80fa8d94ba0716197db4e60c25

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d2c9c6  No.17951181

General Research #22005 >>17951129

Australian Super members locked out of withdrawals, trading

Australian Super customers who hold a Member Direct account have been locked out of their accounts for over three weeks now as the financial giant struggles with technical issues.

Australian Super is Australia’s largest superannuation fund with approximately $245 billion under management from 3 million members. The fund provides an option for its members to choose what is known as a Member Direct option, which is in essence a self-managed superfund operating through Australian Super.

Due to a portal upgrade, Member Direct holders have not been able to make withdrawals from their accounts for some weeks now.

According to Australian Super, “Most members have been able to access and use the new portal and upgraded app but we are aware some members continue are [sic] experiencing issues. We’re working to resolve issues as quickly as possible and have redirected additional staff to assist members. We understand this is frustrating for impacted members and would like to reassure all members that their information and account is secure”.

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has confirmed that it has received numerous complaints from members.

It is unclear the extent of the issue however AustralianSuper has revealed that around 22,000 members are in Member Direct out of the almost 3 million AustralianSuper members.

https://michaelwest.com.au/australian-super-memebrs-locked-out-of-making-withdrawl/

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de6a9c  No.17953362

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17933898

Police chopper audio reveals intense firefight at rural Queensland property

A Current Affair

16 December 2022

An intense firefight that unfolded on a remote Queensland property, leaving six people dead on Monday, has been laid bare in dramatic police helicopter audio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbGZQxNJSQk

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de6a9c  No.17953376

File: 893d8b052eb6b75⋯.jpg (21.16 KB, 768x415, 768:415, A_SCREENSHOT_OF_A_YOUTUBE_….jpg)

>>17933898

‘We killed them’: Queensland shooters posted video online after attack

A now-deleted YouTube account shows footage of the Wieambilla shooters foreshadowing violence against police in the lead-up to the attack.

CAM WILSON - DEC 16, 2022

1/2

The following story contains content that some readers may find disturbing.

The couple at the centre of the Wieambilla shooting posted chilling footage after the attack claiming that they had killed “devils” and “demons” on their property.

Videos and comments posted online appear to show the perpetrators anticipating and then admitting to carrying out the killings.

New footage, uploaded to a now-deleted YouTube account, shows in real time the state of mind and actions of Stacey Train and Gareth Train as they prepared for and carried out the killing of three people on their remote property in Queensland’s Western Downs.

Police say that four police officers visited a property owned by the couple to do a welfare check on Gareth’s brother, Nathaniel Train, who had been reported missing. Two police officers and a neighbour were killed after an ambush. Police then fatally shot the trio after a six-hour stand-off.

The videos feature the likeness and voices of two people who refer to themselves as Daniel and Jane, the middle names of Gareth Daniel Train and Stacey Jane Train. Nathaniel Train does not appear in the videos.

A YouTube channel “Mrs Yugi Girawil” had only six subscribers, 10 videos and fewer than 100 views on the majority of their videos as of last night. The channel was created in May 2022 but all of the videos had been created since the beginning of November.

The videos show details about the Trains’ lives and the shooting, and were published prior to that information being reported in the media.

The most recent video shows Gareth and Stacey, huddled in darkness, telling the camera they had killed multiple people. The video was published at 7.39pm on Monday, several hours after four visiting police officers and a neighbour were reportedly fired on but prior to media reports with those details.

“They came to kill us and we killed them. If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons you’re a coward,” Gareth says.

“We’ll see you when we get home. We’ll see you at home, Don, love you,” Stacey says.

Videos and comments posted by the account earlier in the day foreshadow the attack. The account commented on its own video on Monday hinting at violence.

“After dealing with covert agents and tactics for sometime now, Daniel believes that should they choose to cross the rubicon with public state actors our Father is giving us a clear sign. Monsters and their heads are soon parted,” the account commented on a video posted earlier in the week.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953378

File: bd0aa0aba305505⋯.jpg (324.43 KB, 1480x1470, 148:147, YOUTUBE_MRS_YUGI_GIRAWIL.jpg)

>>17953376

2/2

A video posted at 1.41pm on Monday titled “Prepare for battle and be strangers on earth” combined apocalyptic graphics with a female voice reading from “2 Esdras”, an obscure book included in some versions of the Bible. The passage speaks about impending war, sinners being punished and Judgment Day.

“For of a city there shall be 10 left, and two of the field, which shall hide themselves in the thick groves, and in the clefts of the rocks,” the voice says.

Police sources told Guardian Australia that Gareth and Nathaniel were dressed in camouflage gear and ambushed the police officers.

The videos show a specific fixation with police, which peaked when NSW Police put out a missing persons report for Nathaniel on Thursday.

A video posted on Sunday uses a picture of Nathaniel accompanied by a male voice reading out the report. It then goes on to make a claim that Nathaniel was a whistleblower for “high-level corruption” in the NSW Department of Education and NSW Police. Two videos posted the week before also menacingly insult four named police officers and speak of previous welfare checks about the property.

“‘Welfare checks’ aka state sponsored murder has started up again. These fools are stepping into a world of hurt they know nothing of,” the account commented on its own video last Friday.

Many of the account’s other videos are about conspiracy topics including vaccines (like a video that combined a clip of anti-vaccine New Zealand parents trying to stop their child from receiving a life-saving blood transfusion with a threat to “defend children to their last breath or answer for your cowardice”), illegal human experimentation program MKUltra, and ASIO boss Mike Burgess’ warning about COVID-19-related radicalisation and extremism.

Gareth had an extensive online history of interactions with obscure Australian conspiracy websites. Stacey quit her job at a school the day before a COVID-19 vaccine mandate came into effect. It also appears Gareth published his videos to an account on Rumble, a YouTube alternative that’s populated with hate speech and conspiracy theories.

Another video from early on the day of the shooting features a handwritten letter from Stacey to an obscure international Christian YouTuber. The note lamented an estrangement from her two children.

“Recently my husband and I lost both our adult children when they chose the world, rejecting us and the narrow path to take their wide road,” it said.

Gareth and Stacey have reportedly raised two children together.

One of their final acts appears to have been sending a last message to another obscure Christian YouTuber who frequently commented on their videos.

“THEY’VE CROSSED THE RUBICON,” Mrs Yugi Girawil posted at 5.39pm on Monday.

A Queensland Police Service spokesperson declined to comment about whether they were aware of the account prior to the attack or whether they asked YouTube’s parent company Google to take down the account.

“While the matter is currently being investigated, and respecting the sensitivities of the families involved, it would be inappropriate for the QPS to provide further comment at this time,” the spokesperson said.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/12/16/queensland-wieambilla-shooting-youtube-video-online/

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de6a9c  No.17953388

File: 9cc358d1d0541be⋯.mp4 (6.16 MB, 854x480, 427:240, qFSoh_caa.mp4)

>>17933898

>>17953376

‘Devils and demons’: Wieambilla shooters film video after killing police

Matt Dennien - December 16, 2022

Warning: This article contains information some readers might find distressing.

The couple at the centre of the Wieambilla shooting had posted videos online in the weeks leading up to, and night of, the fatal confrontation with police on their regional Queensland property, in which they claimed to have killed the “devils” and “demons”.

A since-deleted YouTube account and alternative video hosting site feature details from the lives of Stacey and Gareth Train — along with his brother Nathaniel, who does not feature but is mentioned — weeks before Monday’s events.

Four officers had been sent to the property about 4.30pm in response to a NSW police missing person report for Nathaniel, in what police described as a welfare check.

Two of the four police were killed after what police said was an “ambush” by the Trains.

Neighbour Alan Dare was also shot dead after going to investigate the hours-long siege which followed, eventually including a police helicopter and Special Emergency Response Team officers, who killed the three Trains.

In the most recent of the videos posted to the YouTube channel, published at 7.39pm on Monday before details of the incident emerged through the media, Gareth claimed “they came to kill us and we killed them”.

In the dark video, he then sought to portray the actions as self-defence “against these devils and demons” before offering a personal message to an overseas Christian conspiracy-laced account which had shared frequent recent public contact with the pair.

One of the Trains accounts featured the name Daniel, which was Gareth’s middle name. The couple refer to themselves as Daniel and Jane — Stacey’s middle name — in the videos.

Some were uploaded across both accounts, with the earliest dating to early November.

A video posted by one earlier on Monday was titled “Prepare for battle and be strangers on earth”. Commenting on one of their own videos in the days prior day, one of the accounts foreshadowed violence.

“After dealing with covert agents and tactics for sometime now, Daniel believes that should they choose to cross the rubicon with public state actors our Father is giving us a clear sign,” it wrote.

The expanded online footprint of the group was first reported by news website Crikey, and has since been independently viewed and verified by this masthead which has chosen not to publish the videos.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday urged the media and the public not to share the material.

While police have given little formal detail about the events and motivations of the group at Wieambilla, or what role any views they held may have played, extremism experts have reiterated warnings about the still-simmering ashes of pandemic-fuelled conspiracy communities.

Accounts bearing the 47-year-old Gareth’s name emerged on conspiracy and sovereign citizen sites the day after the confrontation, with comments dating to 2020 outlining a decades-long interest in a web of conspiratorial thinking.

The account had posted entwined theories about COVID vaccines, claims the 1996 Port Arthur massacre was staged to take the nation’s guns, broader anti-authority beliefs, and brags about previously telling “coward” police to leave his property.

Gareth’s brother Nathaniel, 46, had developed a deep resentment for the NSW education system he was only recently part of — referenced in the new videos —before disappearing and resurfacing at the property.

Both Nathaniel and Stacey, 45, had refused to get COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for their work in schools.

The brother’s estranged father, a preacher who established his own church in Toowoomba, told A Current Affair this week of the brother’s conservative Christian upbringing before they became estranged more than two decades ago.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/queensland/devils-and-demons-wieambilla-shooters-film-video-after-killing-police-20221216-p5c6wu.html

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de6a9c  No.17953413

File: 08eedd14132b87f⋯.mp4 (15.84 MB, 960x540, 16:9, A_letter_from_cop_killer_S….mp4)

>>17933898

>>17953388

Disturbing footage found from Queensland cop killers’ deleted YouTube account

Disturbing videos from a YouTube account believed to belong to the Queensland cop killers have been published online, one revealing Stacey Train’s “pain”.

Ed Bourke - December 16, 2022

1/2

Videos from a deleted YouTube account that appears to have belonged to the Queensland cop killers have been republished online, showing the disturbing depths of the trio’s plunge into conspiracy theories.

The account, which features footage and audio of Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train, was republished on controversial video hosting service BitChute on Friday, just days after two police officers and an innocent neighbour were killed in an ambush attack on the trio’s rural property.

Stacey, her husband Gareth and brother-in-law Nathaniel, lured four police officers to their property in rural Wieambilla on Monday December 12.

When the officers, all aged under 30, arrived about 4:40pm, the trio were laying in wait, and shot two of them Constables Rachel McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26, dead. Neighbour Alan Dare, who had attended the property after spotting smoke, was also killed.

The Train family were killed in a firefight with specialist officers later that night.

In one of the videos, a woman believed to be Stacey Train narrates a letter she has written to another conspiracy theorist, “Deanna”, offering her a “safe refuge” at the Trains’ Western Downs property due to her fears of authorities “coming for her children”.

In the video, uploaded on December 12, hours before the fatal shooting, Mrs Train reveals she had become recently estranged from her own two children.

Train shared the children with Nathaniel, who she was married to first, before going on to marry Gareth, who is believed to have taken over care of the children.

“I know the pain of losing children. Recently, my husband and I lost both our adult children when they chose the world, rejecting us and the narrow path to take the wider road that their partners and friends are on,” she said.

“This is a pain that will only be healed in heaven.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953415

File: 07f7ba6da6f474f⋯.jpg (92.87 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Disturbing_videos_have_bee….jpg)

File: d427356e1b29342⋯.jpg (118.78 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Nathaniel_Train_and_Stacey….jpg)

File: d9164f1e9c003a6⋯.jpg (48.92 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_most_recent_video_titl….jpg)

File: e31f00ebd096263⋯.jpg (164.75 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Aerial_vision_of_the_crime….jpg)

>>17953413

2/2

The YouTube account, titled Mrs Yugi Girawil, had 13 published videos.

Only one video had been viewed more than 50 times.

The most recent upload was a 40-second clip published on Monday night, showing Gareth and Stacey Train sitting in darkness, telling the camera they had killed “devils and demons” on their property.

The trio had lured officers from the Tara and Chinchilla police stations late on Monday afternoon, and had put in motion a “calculated plan” to murder the officers.

Police sources said the assailants were wearing camouflage outfits and were heavily armed, firing heavily on the four police officers.

Constables Rachel McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26, were the first to enter the property and were gunned down, while Constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough were able to escape despite Constable Kirk being chased and fired at by the offenders, who then set fire to nearby bushland in a bid to smoke out Constable Brough.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said the Train trio had lit a bushfire to try and force Brough out of hiding before reinforcements could arrive.

The surviving duo received treatment and have now both been released from hospital.

Mr Leavers said the slain officers “never had a chance” of surviving the ambush.

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/disturbing-footage-found-from-queensland-cop-killers-deleted-youtube-account/news-story/933c5c4da1b6fc0e349866988a9b4bcf

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de6a9c  No.17953429

File: 7ea13e28e5c0d83⋯.mp4 (15.77 MB, 960x540, 16:9, Deranged_killers_friend_is….mp4)

>>17953388

>>17953413

Cop killer Stacey Train quoted an obscure Bible verse before being shot dead, American friend claims

An eerie clip from a man who claimed to be close friends with the Queensland cop killers has revealed Stacey apparent last words before being shot dead.

Jack Evans - December 16, 2022

Evil cop killer Stacey Train quoted an obscure Bible verse about death moments before she was gunned down by specialist police, according to the ominous ramblings of an American man.

The man, who goes by the name Geronimo’s Bones on YouTube, praised the work of Gareth and Stacey Train in an unhinged and foul-mouthed piece to camera.

He said he wished he was with his “friends”, Gareth and Stacey Train, on the night they murdered two officers and a bystander before they were eventually killed by tactical police.

“I received a message from my brother Daniel, and my sister Jane, in Queensland, Australia, but the devils came for them, to kill them,” he said in the disturbing clip.

“And they had to kill the devils themselves and are now on the run,” he said, referring to a video Stacey and Gareth Train are believed to have posted between killing two police officers and being killed themselves.

In another video posted Friday morning, the man claimed the last words Stacey spoke to him were: “Where there is a corpse, the vultures will gather.”

Stacey wrote that same quote, almost verbatim in a letter to another conspiracy theorist before the incident: “Where the dead bodies are, there the vultures will gather.”

It is understood Gareth and Stacey were known to the man as Daniel and Jane - their middle names.

The man claimed to be close friends with the cop killers, having spoken with them after the deadly ambush.

“It breaks my heart that there’s nothing I can do to help them,” he continued.

“These are a people that are not armed as we are in America. And here, my brave brother and sister, a son and daughter of the highest, have done exactly as they are supposed to do.

“We are free people, we are owned by no one … Daniel, Jane, if there is any way possible that you are receiving this comm (communication), I am so sorry that I’m not there to fight with you.

“If you’re already home – our heavenly home, hold a place for us, we’ll be joining you soon enough.”

The man’s three-minute rant – which at times diverted into incoherence – seemed to express anti-police values of personal sovereignty, almost identical to the views recently reportedly held by Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey before their atrocious act against police.

Other videos on his page, some of which directly mention “Daniel and Jane”, resent the idea of a social credit system, banks and the media in sermon-like presentations.

However, the account has just 475 subscribers with none of his videos surpassing 300 views.

Gareth and Stacey recorded a chilling video of their own on the night of the deadly ambush.

“They came to kill us, and we killed them,” Gareth says, shrouded in darkness with his wife at his side.

“If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons, you’re a coward.”

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/cop-killer-stacey-train-quoted-an-obscure-bible-verse-before-being-shot-dead-american-friend-claims/news-story/af13c62f83b5a2b649efb45317eaefda

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de6a9c  No.17953468

File: e7314df70f8fb9c⋯.jpg (195.91 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_soverign_citizen_Ro….jpg)

File: 25f61b8794a6d53⋯.jpg (99.96 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_screengrab_taken_from_fo….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17946304

Police shooting sparks sov-cit expert to warn of rising ‘cult’ danger

JACK THE INSIDER (Peter Hoysted) - DECEMBER 16, 2022

1/2

Back in 2017, Rob Sudy had an online conversation with Gareth Train, one of the three shooters who killed two police officers and a neighbour in Wieambilla earlier this week.

Sudy’s Facebook page regularly lit up with angry rebukes from sovereign citizens.

Train had approached Sudy over a post concerning one of the greybeards of the movement, Brian Shaw. Declared a vexatious litigant in Victoria in 2007, Shaw had previously attempted to sue John Howard and Kim Beazley for treason and misprision of treason.

He engaged in multiple frivolous legal action against judges, claiming they were part of a freemason conspiracy. Shaw also argued the Victorian Constitution was invalid and had been enacted without legal authority.

It is these fanciful notions that form the bedrock of pseudo-legal arguments and continue to delude and divert Australians to the sovereign movement.

Sudy sent Train case histories and legal judgments made against Shaw. He was able to turn the conversation around to a broader discussion on self-sufficient off-the-grid lifestyles, an interest both men shared.

“He appeared quite rational,” Sudy said. “Unlike many of those commenting on that page in defence of various pseudo-law gurus.”

Sudy is Australia’s resident expert on the sovereign citizen movement in Australia. He dislikes the term sovereign citizen, preferring to refer to the amorphous clique as adherents of what he calls an “organised pseudo commercial agreement”.

While Sudy dislikes it, the term is applicable as members who find themselves before the courts declare themselves “sovereign” and by the pseudo-legal argument maintain the courts have no jurisdiction over them.

Is it a cult?

“Yes, definitely,” Sudy told me. He would know. Sudy is not a bland academic musing on the esoteric. He was a sov-cit and fell out with the group more than a decade ago. He now dedicates himself to documenting and exposing the influencers of the movement on a website called the Freeman Delusion.

As a member of the cult, Sudy became deeply immersed in internet chatrooms and websites. “It was a mass thought bubble,” he said. “Law-breakers were praised and encouraged. Everyone felt the embrace of the movement. Detractors and doubters were quickly sent packing.”

After a conviction for driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, he left the sov-cit bubble and walked away. More than a decade later, and with years of exposing pseudo-law practitioners under his belt, Sudy’s knowledge is sought by academics here and around the world.

Sudy has also become an enemy of the movement.

“I’ve been told that I’ve been sentenced to hang. The People’s Court has already handed down its sentence.”

The magistrate who convicted him on the traffic matters is now a friend and regular correspondent. Sudy was lucky to come across one of the few members of the judiciary who had experience of the movement and gently coaxed him away.

I interviewed Sudy when a sov-cit proclamation written by former One Nation senator Rod Culleton was read to a large group of protesters outside the federal parliament in February 2021. I reached out to him again this week as the terrible news from Wieambilla came through.

Sudy spoke of a rapid increase in the numbers of adherents.

“There’s been huge growth. I gave up taking all the names of those influenced just after the start of the pandemic, there’s just too many for me to keep up with. Rapid multiplication, like multi-level marketing growth.

“The pandemic was the first major restriction on freedoms several generations have seen, and because the response provided an example of the plenary power of the state, it was already very fertile ground to propagate anti-government sentiment.

“People from all walks of life sought solutions to what they perceived as government tyranny. All they needed was a tool with which to exert their feelings of disenchantment, and speculations as to the lawfulness of the response went viral. It went mainstream from what was once limited to specific small groups.”

That tool was the pseudo-law framework put about on social media by sovereign citizen influencers.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953471

File: ae3252134ea9cb0⋯.jpg (98.65 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Gareth_Train_identified_as….jpg)

>>17953468

2/2

Much will be made of the Trains’ religious beliefs. In postings, Gareth identified as a Christian conservative.

“It is the intersection of fundamental religious notions and anti-government sentiment that is very dangerous,” Sudy said.

There are other forces at play. The Trains were fringe dwellers, identified as “blockies” in their communities, and lived in self-imposed isolation. There are more people like the Trains out there who are now not leaving an online footprint.

“This recent event has the elements of the prepper community. The adherents that pose a real danger in similar circumstances got offline a while ago,” Sudy said.

“They are all busy actively preparing for more severe government intrusion; they gave up trying to ‘wake up the sheeple’ and have instead focused on their own and loved ones’ protection and survival. When that is threatened by intruders (police or not), violence is inevitable.”

Sudy had seen the violence coming from long way off and is frustrated that senior police, politicians and the courts have failed to educate themselves on the inherent dangers of the movement or sought to act in a way that would moderate the impact of sovereign citizenry with its pseudo-legal justifications.

“I started bringing the potential dangers of this movement in Australia to the attention of authorities in 2014, which led to investigations aired in 2015. I feel almost nothing has been done to prepare for the inevitable explosion that I warned a single crisis would spawn.

“Just look at the US response, the official FBI and law enforcement papers are all published here. Almost immediately there were training blocks for law enforcement, tips on how to identify signs of radicalisation for the officers’ protection.

“Psychologists have grouped OPCA ideologies with the beliefs of right-wing hate groups and ultraconservative Islamic groups such as ISIS and al-Qaida as a personal grievance blamed on others, with moral outrage linked to a “victimized” group, that is framed by a superficial, cherrypicked ideology that rationalises aggression.”

So where are we now? Surely, some real action must occur across the criminal justice system, in our parliaments, and in our communities to prevent people stuck in a cult from moving to violence.

Sudy’s own experience informs us that people can be brought back from the brink but that cannot occur in a system that is ignorant to the nature of the problem.

At present, the only available answer is to respond with force. We need to be better than that, smarter.

Sudy says a paper will soon be published and workshops involving police, lawyers, judges and government will take place on how to constructively deal with the rise of the sovereign citizen movement. It is important work but it’s probably a decade too late.

In the meantime, police commissioners, parliamentarians and the judiciary would do well to listen to Rob Sudy. A failure to do so would be taking blindness into wilful territory.

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/police-shooting-sparks-sovcit-expert-to-warn-of-rising-cult-danger/news-story/5fa45f23afd232aeb3c75192c800b4de

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de6a9c  No.17953477

File: df5133b0dd87d9a⋯.jpg (122.26 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Daniel_Duggan.jpg)

File: 14df10a5063f036⋯.jpg (77.92 KB, 768x768, 1:1, Daniel_Duggan_2.jpg)

>>17832778

Extradition request filed by US government against Australian fighter pilot

LIAM MENDES - DECEMBER 16, 2022

The US government has filed a formal extradition request against a former fighter pilot arrested in Australia accused of helping train Chinese pilots to land on aircraft carriers.

Daniel Duggan is accused by the US government of providing “military training” to People’s Republic of China pilots” through a South African flight school on three occasions in 2010 and 2012.

Appearing before Downing Centre Local Court, a lawyer acting on behalf of the US government said on Friday morning an extradition request had been made against the 54-year-old Australian citizen, who was previously a US citizen and air force pilot.

Mr Duggan’s lawyer Dennis Miralis told the court he was not aware the request had been made.

Earlier this week an indictment was unsealed, revealing the former marine pilot was facing four US charges, including conspiracy to unlawfully export defence services to China, conspiracy to launder money, and two counts of violating the arms export control act and international traffic in arms regulations.

Prior to the extradition request being revealed in court, Mr Miralis told the court the Australian citizen’s request to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to make an interim order for his release was being considered.

He also said his client would be making a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Committee regarding his “inhumane” treatment in custody on the “basis of ongoing refusal” of medical treatment.

Mr Miralis previously told the court his client had “ongoing denial of medical treatment”, and told the court a complaint had been made to Corrective Services, and directly to Kevin Corcoran, Corrective Services Commissioner.

“Notwithstanding that complaint Mr Duggan continues to be denied basic medical treatment.

The court was also told the complaint would include that Mr Duggan had been designated as a “high risk” inmate.

“No explanation has been provided by Corrective Services as to why that classification was initially implemented and continues to be implemented against Mr Duggan,” Mr Miralis said.

The father of six was arrested by Australian police in the NSW town of Orange in October at the request of the US government as part of a co-ordinated crackdown by the Five Eyes intelligence partners, including Australia, to prevent retired fighter pilots training Chinese military for payment.

Duggan will return to court on December 20.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/extradition-request-filed-by-us-government-against-australian-fighter-pilot/news-story/b9903d275e697e32cb356d02393f23ac

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de6a9c  No.17953481

File: 877378edf3b8cc1⋯.jpg (96.24 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Brian_Houston_arrives_at_c….jpg)

>>17879103

‘One strike, you’re out’: Brian Houston confronted his father over child abuse, court told

Georgina Mitchell - December 16, 2022

Former Hillsong leader Brian Houston has told a court he did not tell police about his father’s sexual abuse of a boy in the 1970s because the complainant urged him not to.

Giving evidence in Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, Houston said his father, Frank, confessed to him in 1999 that he had molested the boy. In response, he informed Frank he would no longer be able to attend Hillsong, then known as Sydney Christian Life Centre.

“He asked why, and I told him we have a ‘one strike and you’re out, no tolerance policy’ towards paedophiles, and it can’t be any different for you than it is for anyone else,” Houston said.

Houston, 68, was charged last year with concealing a serious indictable offence over failing to report his knowledge of his father’s crime to police between learning of it in 1999 and his father’s death in 2004.

He has pleaded not guilty. His barrister previously told the court the case would turn on Houston having a “reasonable excuse” not to bring the matter to the attention of police.

Frank Houston was still preaching to crowds with children present as late as 2004, five years after confessing to his son that he had sexually abused a child in the 1970s, the court heard this week.

On Friday, Brian Houston said he told a variety of people about his father’s confession, but believed he should not tell police because the complainant – Brett Sengstock – was then in his 30s and had made it clear he did not want a police complaint.

“I believed I shouldn’t because that was Brett’s express wishes – that I don’t pre-empt him in going to the police,” Houston said.

He said he called Sengstock and told him his father had admitted the abuse, and there was “a stunned silence on the other end of the phone”.

“We continued to talk and I told him I had no option but to expose it to the national executive of the Assemblies of God, and then his demeanour changed. He got very panicky, angry sort of panicky,” Houston said.

“He said ‘I don’t want to be part of some big church investigation … if strangers from the church try to contact me I’m not going to talk to them, I’ll deny it, I’ll hang up’. He was very blunt and clear.”

Houston said Sengstock was adamant that he did not want the police involved, and told him “you are not to go to the police”.

“He said ‘if anyone is going to go to the police it will be me, and I don’t want to do that’,” Houston said.

He said he told his siblings of his father’s confession that he had “fondled” the boy’s genitals, and had a conversation with his brother in which both said they had not been abused by their father as children.

Magistrate Gareth Christofi asked Houston why he had checked with his brother, when his father had claimed the “fondling” was a one-time incident.

“Did you think your father may not have been telling the truth when he said it had only happened once?” Christofi said.

“Big picture, the answer’s yes,” Houston said.

Houston said he detailed his father’s confession to multiple people within the church, including at a meeting with members of the national executive.

He said he was “devastated” and “torn” to be relaying the news, but felt he had to call a meeting because it had been emotionally exhausting to inform people individually.

“Now, if we’re talking about my father, I don’t have any respect for him – but then, I was like so torn,” he said. “I was emotional, I think I was crying. I was pretty sad.”

The hearing continues.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/one-strike-you-re-out-brian-houston-confronted-his-father-over-child-abuse-court-told-20221216-p5c702.html

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de6a9c  No.17953494

File: 75320013fd48de9⋯.jpg (110.15 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, John_Phillip_Rolleston_at_….jpg)

File: 6bcd983ae31bfab⋯.jpg (98.45 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Rolleston_avoided_jail_tim….jpg)

File: d2f368161f9fe8f⋯.jpg (140.65 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_84_year_old_was_senten….jpg)

John Rolleston: Paedophile GP avoids more jail time for more historical abuse of young boys

Shocking revelations have emerged about a dad’s response to his child divulging he’d been molested by their family GP.

Clare Sibthorpe - December 16, 2022

The last thing two young brothers needed when they built up the courage to tell their parents they’d been abused by their GP was to not be believed.

Yet, after suffering an abhorrent abuse of trust by their family doctor, another adult that was supposed to protect them failed to do so.

Serial convicted paedophile John Rolleston has avoided more jail time after admitting to abusing two more young patients between 1969 and 1972 — the latest victims to come to light in the decade that Rolleston has been in and out of prison.

Reading the disturbing facts in Sydney District Court, Judge Leonie Flannery said two brothers were aged between 13 and 16 when they were each molested twice by Rolleston, who was aged 31 to 34.

The first brother was taken to Rolleston’s practice in St Ives, a suburb in Sydney’s Upper North Shore, after he was bitten on the hand by a neighbour’s border collie.

But the boy was confused when Rolleston asked him to pull down his pants and started molesting him, saying: “just imagine you’re with your girlfriend”.

Feeling too shocked to tell his parents, the boy kept the abuse to himself and was sent back to Rolleston six months later with a flu, only to again be abused.

The predator also molested the boy’s teenage brother twice, the court heard.

When the first boy told his parents about the abuse one night while having dinner, his dad, who was friends with Rolleston, said he “must have misunderstood the procedure”.

The father continued his friendship with Rolleston and even sent his daughter off to be seen by him when she had appendix pain, Judge Flannery said.

“A few years later, (the victim) brought the subject up again. And he complained that his dad had not believed him and was unhappy with his father’s response and this affected the relationship for a long time,” Judge Flannery said.

Decades later, the victim was shocked to see Rolleston walking along the street in Mosman, after serving time in jail for abusing other former patients.

Judge Flannery said Rolleston walked over to him on that afternoon in 2016, called him a “kiddie fiddler” and “rock spider”. He told him: “You abused me as a child”.

The court heard when police interviewed Rolleston about the allegations, he said: “I just can’t understand why these people have suddenly come forward with these sorts of things, when there was plenty of opportunity to come forward if they had a problem”.

Given 84-year-old Rolleston suffered from melanoma, lung disease, heart disease, gastrointestinal bleeding and recurrent kidney stones, Judge Flannery said it would “be cruel and unusual punishment to return him to jail for such a short period in his state of health”.

But she said if these crimes had come to light earlier, she would have sent Rolleston to jail for longer in the past.

“These offences involved a gross breach of trust, as the offender was a doctor in the course of his duties,” Judge Flannery said.

“The relationship between a doctor and patient is inherently unequal.”

Rolleston pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault on a male.

He was sentenced to an 18-month community correction order, under which he must not commit any further offence.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/john-rolleston-paedophile-gp-avoids-more-jail-time-for-more-historical-abuse-of-young-boys/news-story/8aaf015e71fb69b40979ba28ac0c9ad1

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de6a9c  No.17953501

File: 87f0e87bb76ead4⋯.jpg (154.43 KB, 1481x864, 1481:864, A_SpaceX_Falcon_9_rocket_w….jpg)

Aussies play key role in new space mission

Tracey Ferrier - December 16, 2022

Not far from Los Angeles, one of Elon Musk's rockets is about to blast off carrying a satellite with extraordinary capabilities.

It's a piece of kit scientists have dreamt about for decades and will be used to survey nearly all the water on the surface of Earth for the very first time.

The data will provide an unprecedented depth of knowledge about the substance covering 70 per cent of the planet: things like the height of oceans, rivers and lakes, and ocean functions linked to climate change.

And two experts in Australia will be front and centre, making sure the SWOT satellite, short for surface water and ocean topography, is beaming back accurate data.

Dr Christopher Watson, from the University of Tasmania, and the CSIRO's Dr Benoit Legresy say the advanced radar satellite is ground-breaking.

Designed and built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory near LA, it will fill huge gaps in ocean monitoring by surveying the planet's surface at least once every 21 days.

It will measure rivers, lakes and reservoirs whose water volumes and flow rates have not been observed before and offer a view of ocean features like currents and eddies, and ocean height with unprecedented clarity.

The satellite will also provide information about how the ocean is taking up atmospheric heat and carbon dioxide. It's a process that moderates climate change but can't continue forever and humanity needs to know when the tipping point will come.

To trust the data SWOT will provide, scientists need to be sure it's accurate.

In the early months of its orbit, during the commissioning phase, Dr Watson and Dr Legresy will have the job of ensuring ocean height readings made by instruments positioned in Bass Strait match what the satellite sends back.

"When the satellite flies over, we will compare what it sees with what we see," Dr Watson said.

"It's such a new way of observing the ocean that we need to really compare in-situ data - data we go out in Bass Strait to collect, as with other sites dotted around the globe - to be able to check the satellite is working as we expect it."

It's taken NASA, in collaboration with counterparts in France and Canada, about 20 years to develop the satellite, which will provide broad grid-like, two-dimensional observations, rather than linear ones over narrow tracks.

Dr Watson remembers being a PhD candidate in 2001 and hearing about the long held desire among colleagues for high-resolution ocean sampling of the kind SWOT will deliver.

"It's taken literally decades to get a mission like this to fly, which is really exciting," he said.

"There's certainly a whole lot of people around the world with their fingers crossed for this thing to launch safely and successfully, that's for sure."

Dr Legresy said Australia stood to gain much from the SWOT mission.

"It will help us better understand where we are in the climate system, monitoring how the ocean around us stores the extra heat from climate change - 90 per cent of it goes into the oceans," he said.

"And the majority of this goes in the southern side of the ocean."

A Falcon 9 rocket, owned and operated by billionaire Elon Musk's commercial launch company SpaceX, will carry the satellite into orbit.

The launch is expected to occur late on Friday, Australian time, at the Vandenberg US Space Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles.

Mission updates can be found here:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/swot/

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/environment/aussies-play-key-role-in-new-space-mission-c-9179770

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de6a9c  No.17953519

File: 86073e36ad2a94b⋯.jpg (53.64 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Donald_Trump_s_rhetoric_ha….jpg)

File: aeacfcde26dee40⋯.jpg (92.05 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Donald_Trump_s_lasting_leg….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17946304

Beware toxic extremism lurking on the fringes

CLAIRE LEHMANN - DECEMBER 16, 2022

1/2

In 2014, US law enforcement officers ranked the sovereign citizen movement as the highest domestic terror threat, above Islamists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, skinheads, and environ­men­tal and animal rights extremists.

While the movement has no defining text, centralised leadership or accepted creed, sovereign citizens are united by a belief that the state and its laws are illegitimate. During routine traffic stops involving adherents of the ideology, several US law enforcement officers have been murdered.

Last week in Germany, special forces arrested 25 people involved in a plot to storm the Bundestag, overthrow the country’s government and attack the power grid. Members of the Reichsburger movement believe the 1871 borders of the German Empire are the country’s true borders and that the Federal Republic should not exist. The Reichsburger group previously had plans to attack state representatives, including the carrying out of killings.

On January 6, 2021, the US Capitol was stormed by a mob who wished to prevent the counting of electoral college votes that would confirm the victory of president-elect Joe Biden. While the mob consisted of a motley crew of Donald Trump supporters, militia men and QAnon devotees, they were united in their belief that the results of the 2020 election were false. More than 2000 rioters entered the building, leaving faeces in hallways, while outside they erected a gallows chanting “Hang Mike Pence”.

What unites the sovereign citizens, the Reichsburgers and the mob who stormed the US Capitol is a fundamental belief that the state is illegitimate or should not exist at all. Whether it is in defiance of laws, the overturning of government or the repudiation of democratic elections, the common thread that unites is rejection of state institutions and state authority, and a willingness to carry out violence in support of such beliefs.

Two young police officers lost their lives this week in Queensland in part because their killers appear to have been adherents of a similar anti-statist ideology.

Online posts written by Gareth Train point to deep paranoia about vaccines, Bill Gates, big business, artificial intelligence technology, the military, the Queensland government and law enforcement. While many people subscribe to such theories, the Trains were willing to commit cold-blooded murder in support of them. The Australian has reported that the Wieambilla property was set up with obstacles, sensors and cameras designed to lure visitors into a death trap with little chance of escape.

Stacey Train, it has been reported, was a long-time teacher but quit her job the day before she was required to have her first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Anti-vaccina­tion beliefs, traditionally associated with the far left, have proliferated on the right in response to Covid and now appear to be a core plank of the Reichsburger, QAnon and sovereign citizen movements.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953523

File: 758e4d3c6fb4ba3⋯.jpg (117.86 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Dr_Anthony_Fauci_has_becom….jpg)

File: f14713181fc3849⋯.jpg (155.41 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Victorian_Premier_Daniel_A….jpg)

>>17953519

2/2

In the US, the outgoing director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci, has armed federal agents with him at all times because of the credible threats made against his life.

In Germany, four members of the Reichsburger group were arrested for plotting to kidnap the German Health Minister in April.

In Australia, one GP had to flee his home after he became the subject of anti-vax disinformation early this year. Writing on Facebook, Dr Wilson Chin described “utter fear” when his practice was deluged with violent threats after false claims about children dying at the practice circulated online.

“We are just doing our jobs – we just want to care for our patients … I’m on the last thread here,” he wrote.

Former Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young received so many threats during pandemic restrictions that a police detail was stationed outside her house. West Australian Premier Mark McGowan was threatened with beheading.

And one anti-lockdown protester in Melbourne was arrested when he encouraged fellow protesters to bring guns to shoot Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

When we think of far-right ideologies we tend to conjure up images of brown shirts and jackboots, and the totalitarian movements of the first half of the 20th century. Or we may recall images of skinheads and neo-Nazis as depicted by films such as Romper Stomper and American History X. But today’s extremists do not fit this historical archetype and, beyond that, do not fit neatly into a left versus right binary at all.

In The Coming Storm, a BBC podcast about QAnon, British journalist Gabriel Gatehouse pushes back against the notion that QAnon is far right. He explains that today’s extremist political cults should be understood as the “fringe against the centre”.

They do not seek to impose a utopian vision of economic governance or a hierarchy of racial purity. They seek to undermine, attack and delegitimise mainstream institutions, from the media and public health to democratically held elections and the rule of law. But beyond the undermining of institutions there appears to be no coherent vision.

Those most at risk of harm from these extremists appear to be our public servants. Health officials and law enforcement have been in the line of fire, and if we follow US trends this hostility may expand to include teachers and education officials as well.

Moderates of all persuasions – left or right – need to resist the pull of fringes and reject the rhetoric that leads to such paranoid anti-statism. While thoughtful people can disagree on matters of policy, we should respect the neutrality of our public institutions – the good people who work within them – and protect them from attack. We should never accept a society where public servants face threats against their lives simply for doing their jobs.

Claire Lehmann is founding editor of Quillette.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/beware-toxic-extremism-lurking-on-the-fringes/news-story/937713c7f093a4c37e68dd02c6636932

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de6a9c  No.17953724

File: d471cb24bd98043⋯.jpg (596.17 KB, 2048x1536, 4:3, Owner_of_Chinchilla_Floris….jpg)

File: 27e609173c48acf⋯.jpg (117.16 KB, 1024x769, 1024:769, Constable_Matthew_Arnold_2….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17934061

Police murders show disturbing rise of the conspiracy mindset

Every political conspiracy theory carries within it the germ of hatred and violence. Two innocent police officers and a kindly neighbour are now dead because, in part at least, the conspiracy theory runs on.

GREG SHERIDAN - December 17, 2022

1/4

Four young police constables drove out on Monday afternoon to the most straightforward of jobs. A welfare check, a missing person’s inquiry. No special danger. No bulletproof vests (though vests wouldn’t have helped against high-powered ammunition). No back-up needed. Just another job.

Out in Wieambilla, roughly 300km west of Brisbane. Rural Queensland. The sweetest spot on earth. The salt of the earth, rural Queensland. Waltzing Matilda country. Older Australians might remember the rural Queensland of the Dad and Dave stories, a kind of bush Garden of Eden in which our sense of ourselves once took shape.

A welfare check in a tiny hamlet in the big state’s hinterland, it should be an Australian version of the village bobby in a Miss Marple story.

The four young police officers were all impossibly good-looking. They could have stepped into A Country Practice or Doctor Doctor or any TV wonderland you like.

But those police didn’t inhabit that sylvan glen of our common imagining. The Australian bush isn’t usually US-style Deliverance country. But when they walked up the driveway, two good, decent, fine young people, constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, were savagely shot to death. The other two police escaped, not least through heroic actions of their own.

A kindly neighbour, Alan Dare, come to see if he could help, was also shot and killed. The murderers, one in combat camouflage gear, stood over the dead officers and fired again.

Pause for a moment, as parliament rightly and nobly did this week, to express our grief, our shock, our anguish and the deepest appreciation we can for our police. For every day they walk into a dozen situations that could become deadly. And they do it for us.

What did the constables encounter when they walked into that driveway killing zone? Certainly they encountered the face of human evil. But they also met minds and lives wretchedly warped by conspiracy theories.

We don’t know anything like all the factors at work among the three killers, Gareth Train and his wife Stacey, and his brother Nathaniel. All human situations are complex and this looks more complex than we can imagine. But we do have a series of Gareth Train’s social media postings.

He seems to have been well into the sovereign citizen set, a conspiracy theory-laden movement that thinks laws and taxes are invalid. It started, like so much of this stuff, in the US. Train was also involved in citizen-initiated referendum websites. He thought the Port Arthur massacre was a fake, undertaken by government to justify disarming the population. All three killers were fierce anti-vaxxers. Gareth Train boasted that he had told police to stay away and threatened them with firearms. He accused the Victorian police of crimes during Covid.

Which leads us to this question: why are conspiracy theories so prevalent now across the West, so widely believed, so often connected to violence, so pervasive, especially the crazier ones?

Lydia Khalil is a non-resident fellow at the Lowy Institute and author of a new book, Rise of the Extreme Right. She is a brilliant analyst of extremism, with a long background in Middle East politics and Islamist terrorism.

She told me the conspiracy mindset has always been around. But what’s new, she says “is this increase in anti-government conspiracy theory movements”.

“That sort of conspiracy mindset was often evident in the Middle East. But that was in an environment of high degrees of corruption, distrust, authoritarian systems where people were never told the truth. We’re starting to see this more now in consolidated democracies.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953730

File: 126d2887b136f3a⋯.mp4 (11.01 MB, 960x540, 16:9, German_far_right_QAnon_are….mp4)

>>17953724

2/4

Among democracies, it’s worst in the US, but globalisation and the internet mean it spreads all around.

The anti-vax movement predated Covid, but Khalil believes the pandemic hugely accelerated conspiracy theory mindsets across the West, including Australia.

“Covid turbocharged all that,” she says. “People found the state heavily involved in their lives for the first time. A lot of middle-class Australians were very unfamiliar with this. Some were very uncomfortable with it.”

Khalil’s analysis is acute and her book an important contribution. The rise of the conspiracy theory mindset I think has invaded our culture across an astonishing range of areas. Most conspiracy theories are strikingly similar in their psychology and often even a great deal of their content.

A conspiracy can be considered a secret action by a group of people designed to produce a malignant result that is at odds with how things appear on the surface. A conspiracy theory is typically a belief in such a scenario that is simply not true. Obvious examples include the idea that Princess Diana faked her own death to avoid public scrutiny and escape the royal family, or the opposite idea that the British secret services assassinated her.

Some conspiracy theories are widely believed but still untrue. Some polls suggest most Americans believe the CIA assassinated John F. Kennedy.

Some conspiracy theories are non-political. Before the Open era in tennis, when for a time the game was divided between official amateur events and paid professional events, many tennis fans, especially in Australia, were so devoted to the amateur ideal that they thought the games were all rigged in professional tennis. So Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver, two of the finest sportsmen and best people we’ve ever produced, battled furiously and for hours in epic matches that, with a knowing wink, those in the know could tell you were fixed.

But we are moving into much more dangerous social territory now. Our whole culture has become objectively pro-conspiracy theory. That’s extremely troubling for the health of our politics and society.

Academics often cite three main psychological reasons people succumb to conspiracy theories. The first is epistemic, which means simply the desperate need to know what’s going on. The world is complex and grey. Conspiracy theories are simple, black and white. Why are interest rates rising? A complex interaction of government debt and supply chain interruptions fuelling inflation etc. Much easier to believe classic, foul, anti-Semitic nonsense: the Jews control the international financial system and make money from high interest rates.

The second reason for conspiracy belief is existential. The world is very big and it’s easy to feel you don’t have control of your destiny. Instead of doing the things that actually give you control, working hard at a job, cultivating good family and social relationships, participating positively in civic life and democracy, it’s much easier to believe you know the real, underlying reason you don’t have control – because of the conspiracy you’re fighting – and then to believe you’re gaining back some control by fighting the conspiracy.

The third motivation is social. You can feel heroic, special, cool, in a way historically important, through your special knowledge of the conspiracy. And you can get close with your fellow conspiracy theory believers.

Take QAnon. It’s a vile, hateful, anti-Semitic, far right movement that embodies a crazy set of conspiracy theories, including some from the political left. QAnon believes, among other things, that the US government is run by a network of secret pedophiles. Khalil points out that the Covid pandemic led to a spike in QAnon believers and QAnon traffic on the internet.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953731

File: a384cf17b876ce2⋯.jpg (162.65 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Covid_turbocharged_conspir….jpg)

File: 8cbe222b119a5d2⋯.jpg (130.21 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Our_culture_has_now_moved_….jpg)

>>17953730

3/4

QAnon has become ultra dangerous partly because some mainstream political figures have consciously used conspiracy memes and movements to garner support. Thus the bizarre Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has not only claimed that Democrats were running a pedophile ring in the basement of a pizza store but that the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon was faked and did not involve a plane. She once argued that no children were killed at the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre, that Israeli intelligence agency Mossad killed Kennedy and that Jewish space lasers were a threat to America.

She suffered a huge swing against her at the most recent US election, but she was re-elected. Her ally, broadcaster Alex Jones, has been successfully sued for claiming the Sandy Hook massacre was a fake and the grieving parents were paid actors. This madness not only upset parents but caused them to be harassed and sometimes attacked by gullible fools who believed Jones’s nonsense.

The most senior figure to give occasional nods to QAnon is Donald Trump. Although QAnon is extreme and hateful, it also eng­ages its followers in a kind of game, with the challenge of endlessly deciphering the clues of Trump and the like.

Now it’s true that Trump’s enemies tell almost as many lies as he does. The social media companies at the last presidential election censored stories about the laptop of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. Some 50 former senior US intelligence officials signed a letter saying they thought the laptop was Russian disinformation. It turned out the laptop was authentic, so its information about Hunter Biden’s business dealings while his dad was vice-president should have been public.

In so grievously trashing the credibility and impartiality of the intelligence agencies they were associated with, these former officials contributed hugely to the growth of conspiracy theories.

So the Biden camp assisted conspiracy theory growth by telling lies and thereby diminishing trust in institutions and democracy, while Trump consciously courts conspiracy theory forces, having several times in the past praised Jones, giving all his too-cute signs to QAnon. Just recently Trump had dinner with Kanye West and a notorious white supremacist. Trump’s excuse was he didn’t know the white supremacist was coming along. But West himself has recently made a stream of grotesque anti-Semitic remarks, even on one occasion arguing that Hitler was not all bad and criticism of the Nazis was exaggerated.

Trump certainly knew all about that. Trump is the most cynical of all politicians because he knows all the conspiracy stuff is nonsense at best, and mostly vile nonsense, but he wants the active support of its legions of believers. He thus validates those believers even as he claims, rightly no doubt, not to share their views.

But our culture has now moved decisively towards validating conspiracy theory. Let’s consider just four forces: Hollywood, foreign governments, the digital universe, academic fashion.

A vast number of Hollywood movies now celebrate some kind of conspiracy theory. In The Da Vinci Code, the whole of Christianity is presented as a conspiracy in a film based on a book that is laughably inaccurate about everything but believed by millions to represent reality. The Matrix, Khalil points out, not only has a typical conspiracy theory plot but breaks down the idea that reality itself is reliable. The term “red pill” has taken on a life of its own in conspiracy theory land as the main character in The Matrix gets a choice – blue pill and have an easy life knowing nothing of the underlying reality, or the red pill, after which you can go behind the matrix and see the true nature of things. Conspiracy theory believers all think they’ve taken the red pill.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953735

File: cd872a83a0e4dd1⋯.jpg (1.68 MB, 3507x2485, 501:355, Hip_hop_star_Kanye_West_ha….jpg)

>>17953731

4/4

Foreign governments. The Russians have encouraged far right groups. Before the Ukraine war Vladimir Putin had a ludicrous following among many Western right-wingers who combined gullibility with plain ignorance to an astonishing degree. The Russians do their best to promote social division in the West via social media. This is not all by aiding far-right groups. Russian internet activists also worked hard to amplify the Black Lives Matter movement.

The digital universe. Not only does social media viciously polarise society but it allows industrial quantities of absolutely false information to be “published” every minute of every day. If a million eyes see a concocted video that is a lie, 10,000 people might actually believe it and 1000 of those might become active in some way.

Academic fashion. Postmodernism is the left-wing version of right-wing conspiracy theory. Postmodernism holds there is no absolute truth, no possibility of an agreed grand narrative, no reliable reality beyond the text. It also holds that the true purpose of every expression is to uphold the unjust and exploitative power structures that lie beneath our seemingly democratic society.

And finally, we must confront the source material of so much conspiracy theory. That is anti-Semitism, the hatred of Jews, the oldest and foulest conspiracy theory of all. Judaism predates Christianity and Islam, and of course modern liberalism. Jews have always been a small, creative and distinctive minority in every society they’ve lived in except Israel. So they’ve often been cast as “the other”. It may be that humanity has never forgiven them for introducing the moral code of the Ten Commandments.

Because anti-Semitism is so old and so extensive, every other conspiracy theory tends to adopt a version of anti-Semitism for itself. More particularly, the key source document for virtually all modern conspiracy theory is the all-time classic of anti-Semitism, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. This was a forgery by the tsarist secret police of Russia, first published in 1903. It recounts (fictional) Jewish involvement in depravity, but more particularly sketches a plan for a secret world government run by Jews.

It’s the Ur-document of all modern conspiracy theory – the secret group, the evil intent, the worldwide plot. And this grotesque parody is why, even today, Jewish day schools and community halls in Sydney and Melbourne need to engage security guards.

Of course, conspiracies do sometimes occur in the real world. It’s perfectly fair and reasonable to hold and debate all kinds of views about the efficacy of vac­cines or anything else, so long as it’s based on evidence and reason and a willingness to disagree peacefully. But every political conspiracy theory carries within it the germ of hatred and violence. Two innocent police officers and a kindly neighbour are now dead because, in part at least, the conspiracy theory runs on.

Greg Sheridan is The Australian's foreign editor. His most recent book, Christians, the urgent case for Jesus in our world, became a best seller weeks after publication. It makes the case for the historical reliability of the New Testament and explores the lives of early Christians and contemporary Christians. He is one of the nation's most influential national security commentators, who is active across television and radio, and also writes extensively on culture and religion. He has written eight books, mostly on Asia and international relations. A previous book, God is Good for You, was also a best seller. When We Were Young and Foolish was an entertaining memoir of culture, politics and journalism. As foreign editor, he specialises in Asia and America. He has interviewed Presidents and Prime Ministers around the world.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/police-murders-show-disturbing-rise-of-the-conspiracy-mindset/news-story/4504d47082b1998433381ce512db6461

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de6a9c  No.17953753

File: 8802e50ba064b01⋯.jpg (54.14 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Gareth_and_Stacey_Train_in….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17953388

Tech giants told by Peter Dutton to cut off online evil

ELLEN WHINNETT, MICHAEL MCKENNA and GEORGIA CLELLAND - DECEMBER 16, 2022

1/2

Peter Dutton has launched a scathing attack on social media companies, accusing them of abrogating their responsibilities in ­pursuit of profits, after the emergence of a chilling online video posted by the killers of two young constables and a neighbour in Monday’s ambush on a remote Queensland property.

A former Queensland police officer and long-time home affairs minister, the Opposition Leader said social media platforms used algorithms to promote conspiracy theories and make money but ­refused to tackle a proliferation of dangerous and hateful material.

Mr Dutton said he would work with the Albanese government on any plans it had to stem the flood of conspiracy theories, disinformation and hateful commentary online, such as that spread by Gareth and Stacey Train.

Just hours after the shooting, the couple boasted that they killed “these devils and demons” in a YouTube video that had followed a series of increasingly ominous online posts leading up to the attack at their property at Wieambilla, 290km west of Brisbane.

Mr Dutton urged members of the public to contact authorities if they had concerns that friends and relatives were engaging with wild, dangerous conspiracy theories.

The government went to ground on Friday, with Home ­Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil ­refusing to make any comment on the appearance of the video and other evil rantings online by murderous accomplices Nathaniel Train, brother to Gareth and first husband of Stacey. Attorney-­General Mark Dreyfus also ­declined to say what the government could do to address the ­proliferation of false conspiracy theories being spread online. “Right now, three families are grieving and the Queensland Police are conducting an investigation into these horrific murders,’’ Mr Dreyfus said. “I think it’s important that the Queensland Police be allowed to conduct that investigation and complete that investigation without speculation or any interference. Obviously, federal agencies will continue their work in the meantime, and equally clearly, the Australian Federal Police stand ready to assist the Queensland Police in any way they can with the conduct of those investigations.’’

On Thursday, Ms O’Neil said new policies were required, which could include legislative responses, to tackle disinformation and conspiracy theories such as those being spread by the Trains.

“Security agencies are actively considering the implications of this matter for the national ­security of our country, the implications of online radicalisation of misinformation and violent ­extremism,’’ she told parliament.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17953754

File: 8021c23fdad9805⋯.jpg (1.89 MB, 3065x2043, 3065:2043, Opposition_Leader_Peter_Du….jpg)

>>17953753

2/2

The emergence of the video will spark renewed debate about what obligations social media channels have to prevent the spread of dangerous conspiracy theories, disinformation and vile, hate-filled commentary.

The video was uploaded on YouTube, owned by American giant Google, at 7.39pm on Monday – three hours after the Trains had ambushed Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, shooting them dead after they arrived at their remote bush block at ­Wieambilla following up a missing person’s report on Nathaniel Train.

“They came to kill us and we killed them. If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons … you’re a coward,” said Gareth Train, sitting in the dark with his wife, a veteran teacher, beside him.

Specialist police were surrounding the property on Wains Road, halfway between Chinchilla and Tara, at the time.

“We’ll see you when we get home,’’ Stacey then says.

“We’ll see you at home, Don,’’ her husband adds in reference to an unidentified person before his wife then finishes with “love you”. The video was posted under the name Mrs Yugi Girawil.

Three hours later, the trio were shot dead.

The video was later taken down but re-emerged on BitChute, an alt-right and largely unregulated video-hosting platform used by conspiracy theorists.

“We can confirm the YouTube channel Mrs Yugi Girawil was ­terminated for a violation of our violent extremist or criminal organisations policy,’’ a YouTube spokesman said.

Queensland Police later asked all media outlets to remove the video from their platforms.

Mr Dutton said social media companies that allowed such ­content to be posted on their ­platforms showed a “complete ­abrogation of their corporate and social responsibilities’’ and ­allowed like-minded conspiracy theorists to come together in chat rooms and spread disinformation in such vast quantities it was almost impossible for law enforcement to monitor it.

He said the public needed to notify authorities if they saw family and friends begin to spend many hours online and sign up to dangerous conspiracy theories, as people “waded into the edge’’ of dangerous disinformation.

“It is domestic terrorism and it’s on a huge scale; there are terabytes of data,’’ he said.

Mr Dutton likened the situation 10 years ago when young people started becoming radicalised online to support Islamic State.’’

Monday’s shootings followed years of online posts by Gareth Train in which he espoused bizarre conspiracy theories – including that the 1996 Port Arthur massacre was faked – and even writing about his threats against police entering his ­property.

The trio were armed and in camouflage gear when the team of four police officers arrived at the bush property about 4.30pm (AEST) and were shot as they walked up the driveway.

All three killers were later shot dead about 10.30pm by police who stormed the property in armoured vehicles under the cover of ­darkness.

On Friday, The Australian ­revealed police were investigating the possibility the three shooters were the source of an anonymous tip-off to NSW police that Nathaniel Train was at the property, which had a sophisticated surveillance network and sniper “kill zones”.

On December 8, NSW police had issued a public statement asking for assistance in locating Nathaniel Train, a primary school principal who went missing last December.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/tech-giants-told-by-peter-dutton-to-cut-off-online-evil/news-story/717804241f18fbf190029fc6bbdf0819

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de6a9c  No.17960832

File: c0dbc2832c2f1d8⋯.jpg (228.99 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Saffrine_Duggan_the_wife_o….jpg)

File: 400e6ab71c16182⋯.jpg (106.14 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Former_US_Marine_Daniel_Ed….jpg)

>>17832778

>>17953477

Former fighter pilot’s wife defends ‘angel and patriot’ against charges of training Chinese military

LIAM MENDES and ELLEN WHINNETT - DECEMBER 16, 2022

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The wife of a former fighter pilot accused of helping to train the Chinese military says her husband has the “moral compass of an angel’’ and that her family had been ripped apart by an American bid to extradite him to face charges in a US court.

Saffrine Duggan, from Orange, said her husband Dan Duggan was a patriotic Australian who was being used as a “geo­political pawn’’ by the US in an ­attempt to stop other pilots from working in China.

She said the father of six was “broken’’ by his 57-day detention alongside Islamic State terrorists in Silverwater prison and that he would never do anything against Australian interests.

“He had a civil aviation company (in China),” she told The Australian, from the farm outside Orange where she is raising her three young children with Mr Duggan, along with his three children from his first marriage.

“He was not training the Chinese military.

“Why is there an assumption that he’s training the Chinese military because he’s got an aviation company?

“He’s a father of six amazing human beings with the moral compass of an angel.

“It’s a geopolitical play that America is using Dan as a poster child to ward off others from going to China.”

Former US Marine Daniel ­Edmund Duggan, 54, was arrested by the Australian Federal Police in Orange at the request of the Americans in October and deemed a “high-risk prisoner’’ after a crackdown by the Five-Eyes intelligence communities against Western pilots training Chinese military.

His wife, a photographer and fashion designer, said he had done nothing wrong, but was being held in segregation inside a tiny 2m by 4m maximum security prison cell usually reserved for Australia’s most hardened and dangerous criminals.\

When speaking to his lawyer, Mr Duggan’s legs and arms are shackled to his waist. He’s given a tiny pencil no more than 5cm long to take notes.

“He is 100 per cent treated as if he is a convicted terrorist,” Ms Duggan said.

“Our family has been ripped apart. One minute dad’s here, and the next minute he has been taken away.”

“He is broken, he is just hanging on,” she said.

The US District of Columbia Court indictment against Mr Duggan was unsealed this week, revealing the former American citizen was facing four US charges, including conspiracy to unlawfully export defence services to China, conspiracy to launder money, and two counts of violating the arms export control act and international traffic in arms regulations.

On Friday morning, Ms Duggan’s worst fears were realised when Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney heard the US government would be applying for her husband, an Australian citizen who renounced his US citizenship in 2012, to be extradited.

She said she was “devastated” by the news, and stressed that her husband was “100 per cent patriotic to Australia”.

She accused the Australian government of allowing her husband to become a political prisoner. “How is that allowed?” she questioned. It’s happening in Australia, as an Australian, by ­foreign intervention. That’s not Australian sovereignty.”

She said he would “absolutely not” do anything against the ­national interests of Australia.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17960835

File: fca8bce97f20836⋯.jpg (167.37 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Saffrine_Duggan_Daniel_Dug….jpg)

File: cb0baa99b099b14⋯.jpg (201.52 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Saffrine_Duggan_and_Daniel.jpg)

>>17960832

2/2

Ms Duggan, 47, said until a week ago she had not been able to speak with her husband. Since then, she has had several calls which last around six minutes ­before they’re disconnected.

“That’s not enough time for him to ask how his children are, and to ask how are they going, for him to relay his message back with screaming in the background from other people who are yelling out,” she said.

She categorically denied the US government’s claims he trained Chinese fighter pilots via a South African flight school on three occasions in 2010 and 2012.

Ms Duggan said that in the week of his arrest, her husband was due to start a new job on the NSW south coast for a government military contractor, which provides specialised air training support services to Defence. She said he had passed the strict government background security checks required for the job.

Outside court on Friday, his lawyer Dennis Miralis said the extradition would be fought as the indictment was “wrong at law” and Australia did not have the same legislation “prohibiting the defence services” to China as the United States.

“The facts underpinning that indictment are rejected and materially incorrect,” Mr Miralis said. “The law in the US by ­presidential decree has placed an embargo on China, it’s a geopolitical piece of legislation intended to further America’s security interests.

“We do not have such laws in Australia,” he said. “Australia does not have an embargo on the provision of services to China, nor are there currently sanctions against China with respect to these types of services.

“Therefore the extradition would fail on the basis it does not meet the requirements of dual criminality,” he said.

Mr Duggan returns to court on Tuesday, December 20.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/former-fighter-pilots-wife-defends-angel-and-patriot-against-charges-of-training-chinese-military/news-story/e4936b18880dfe72dcf5b9d93cff5645

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de6a9c  No.17960847

File: 74d1569bdd711d4⋯.jpg (222.83 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Surviving_officer_Constabl….jpg)

File: e1eaee16d87278d⋯.jpg (106.33 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Survivor_of_the_Wieambilla….jpg)

File: 37db4e946d4dedf⋯.jpg (80.38 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Constable_Brough_is_one_of….jpg)

File: 84b39a61c3bbe30⋯.jpg (86.64 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Constable_Randall_Kirk_has….jpg)

>>17933898

Survivor of horror police ambush Constable Keely Brough honours fallen victims

MADELEINE ACHENZA - DECEMBER 17, 2022

The young police officer who managed to survive a targeted ambush on police has come together with her community to honour her colleagues and a brave civilian who lost their lives in the attack.

Constable Keely Brough, 28 was among four officers who attended a remote property in southeast Queensland for a routine missing persons call on Monday when they walked into a wall of bullets fired at them by the residents.

A candlelit vigil was held in honour of the three victims in the nearby town of Chinchilla where the young officer was embraced by her community.

It is the first time Constable Brough has been seen in public since the horror incident which has rocked the tight-knit community 300km west of Brisbane.

The 28-year-old had only entered the force nine weeks ago and has been praised for her bravery as the murderous trio cornered her in bushland and tried to “smoke” her out with fire.

Constable Brough made the desperate calls to colleagues that likely ultimately saved her life and the life of Constable Randall Kirk, 28.

A team of sixteen police officers came to the rescue and bravely battled gunfire into the night as attempted to surviving officers and the bodies of the fallen.

Rachel McCrow, 29 and Matthew Arnold, 26, were shot almost immediately after stepping onto the property before the murderers stood over their bodies to kill them “execution style”.

Alan Dare, who lived at a neighbouring property, rushed to help when he smelt smoke and heard the cracks of gunfire but was also fatally shot.

Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Charysse Pond was pictured comforting Constable Brough at the ceremony.

The only other survivor Constable Kirk was unable to attend the vigil as he remains in hospital recovering from surgery for a gunshot to the leg.

A guard of honour was formed to pay tribute to the fallen officers with blue and white ribbons pinned to the chests of all attendees.

The community is still trying to come to terms with how this senseless act of terror has befallen their remote town.

On Thursday, more than 200 people paid tribute at Tara police station where two of the officers served.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told Sky News Australia that she had spoken to the surviving officers on Wednesday.

“Of course, eternally grateful that they got away with their lives and I saw the scene. I don’t know how they survived,” she said.

“But sadly, bittersweet as well, because they saw their friends die in front of them, so it’s difficult days for them as well.

“They will need a lot of help into the future, a lot of support … wrapped around them by everyone, not just their family and friends, community and colleagues, and we will assist them with that.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/survivor-of-horror-police-ambush-constable-keely-brough-honours-fallen-victims/news-story/66498912a51b389421861a752d0cc0a5

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de6a9c  No.17961000

File: ed5a86c6fae014b⋯.jpg (64.43 KB, 761x507, 761:507, Caulfield_Hebrew_Congregat….jpg)

Caulfield Hebrew Congregation’s former caretaker investigated by police over alleged sexual assault claims

Suzan Delibasic - December 11, 2022

A former caretaker from a prominent Caulfield synagogue is being investigated by police after sexual assault allegations were made against him.

Danny Radojcin, 88, was stood down by Caulfield Hebrew Congregation on March 21 after a sexual assault allegation was made against him.

The Herald Sun can now reveal Bayside Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Unit detectives are investigating reports of sexual assaults by Mr Radojcin.

“The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been laid at this time,” a police spokesman said.

Sources close to Caulfield Shule have told the Herald Sun there are more than 10 victims who have alleged historical sexual assault by Mr Radojcin.

Mr Radojcin is also believed to be the longest serving synagogue caretaker in Australia and celebrated 52 years of service this year.

Voice Against Child Sexual Abuse (VoiCSA) director Phillip Weinberg said the organisation was supporting victims and survivors who were allegedly sexually abused as children while attending Caulfield Shule.

“We commend those courageous victims and survivors who have reported to police and will continue to encourage and assist others who may wish to do so,” Mr Weinberg said.

“We applaud the recent actions taken by Caulfield Shule to improve safety standards for children on its premises.”

Mr Weinberg said the organisation had received an average of four disclosures every week for the past year from children who say they had been sexually abused in the Jewish community across Melbourne.

“A large number of those cases have allegedly occurred while children were playing outside synagogues while their parents were participating in services,” he said.

Jewish Community Council of Victoria president Daniel Aghion said: “We support brave victims of sexual abuse, we commend them for their courage, and we stand with them in stamping out this evil wherever it occurs.”

“The JCCV is currently in the process of setting up an education and training arm to guide organisations within the community towards best practice in guarding against the risk of child sexual abuse,” he said.

A Caulfield Hebrew Congregation spokesman said earlier this year its board had commissioned an internal review into all safety policies and procedures surrounding the conduct of staff and contractors.

“We are also liaising with the Commission for Children and Young People and Victoria Police to ensure that all required information is readily available,” he said.

On its website, the congregation known as Caulfield Shule describes itself as “an inclusive modern Orthodox synagogue”.

“We aspire to appeal to all ages, with programs targeted at toddlers and mothers, youth of all ages, young adults, right through to the elderly through our Shmoozeday program,” its website said.

Caulfield Hebrew Congregation was contacted for comment.

Anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

https://crimestoppers.com.au/

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/caulfield-hebrew-congregations-former-caretaker-investigated-by-police-over-alleged-sexual-assault-claims/news-story/9d2b838ec81e4a2b61820697bbddf634

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de6a9c  No.17961025

File: c154a951901fe45⋯.jpg (146.57 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Families_of_students_at_Ch….jpg)

File: 3ac6687d559f716⋯.jpg (105.04 KB, 740x493, 740:493, Cheder_Levi_Yitzchok_presi….jpg)

Students expelled after parents refuse to keep quiet on child sex abuse claims

Adam Carey - December 6, 2022

Several siblings have been expelled from a faith-based school in St Kilda because their parents refused to sign a memorandum of understanding that limited who they could talk to about the alleged sexual abuse of their children.

The parents expressed concerns last month about the possible reintegration of a student who had been the subject of a police investigation and complaints of sexual abuse towards other, younger students.

Eliezer Kornhauser, the founder and acting principal of the small private school Cheder Levi Yitzchok, wrote to the parents on Monday that their children’s continued presence at the school was “untenable”.

“As of Monday 5th December, your children are no longer welcome to attend the school,” he said.

The students might be welcomed back next year, “but we would need to see clear evidence of a change in your mindset, leading to a very different set of behaviours on your part”, he wrote.

Kornhauser had insisted that the parents sign an MOU if they wanted their children to remain at the school, which caters to Melbourne’s small Jewish ultra-Orthodox Chabad movement.

The MOU said the parents should air their concerns with school leadership or the authorities but refrain from speaking with other school staff, parents, advocacy groups or the media.

“We are imploring you, in the interests of maintaining our relationship, to follow our guidelines and sign the contract and return it immediately,” Kornhauser wrote to the family last month.

“If you choose another course – which of course you are at liberty to do – you cannot maintain your relationship with our school.”

The alleged sexual abuse did not take place at the school but at the Yeshivah Centre, a religious centre linked with the school, in neighbouring St Kilda East.

The school regulator, the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, recently launched a review of the school’s adherence to child safety standards.

VoicSA, an advocacy group addressing Jewish child sex abuse, was named in the MOU as one organisation the parents should refrain from communicating with about allegations or complaints about the school or its students.

VoicSA spokesman Phillip Weinberg said the group had asked the regulator to suspend the school’s registration “due to immediate concerns for the safety of children”.

“Attempts to silence victims/survivors of child sexual abuse in the interests of protecting the reputation of an institution are abhorrent, incompatible with the minimum standards of a registered school and contrary to Jewish law,” Weinberg said.

On Tuesday, Kornhauser wrote an “open letter to the Jewish community”, saying the school had been subjected to an inaccurate and defamatory campaign of slander by VoicSA.

“Perhaps the most slanderous of all is the persistent narrative that in light of Jewish law, the school does not adhere to its mandatory reporting requirements, and indeed ostracises parents if they choose to make reports to the authorities,” he said.

“The school decries even one single act of sexual or other abuse against a child.”

Last month, Kornhauser told the school’s parents to pray to protect their children from abuse after they voiced concerns about sexual abuse allegations.

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) or Kidshelpline on 1800 55 1800.

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

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/students-expelled-after-parents-refuse-to-keep-quiet-on-child-sex-abuse-claims-20221206-p5c46k.html

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de6a9c  No.17972561

File: 7f4958a850d351d⋯.jpg (170.44 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Yang_Hengjun_and_Cheng_Lei….jpg)

China contact raises hopes for detained Australians

Anthony Galloway and Eryk Bagshaw - December 18, 2022

1/2

The plight of two Australian citizens imprisoned in China has advanced in the most positive way in years as diplomatic channels open and detention conditions improve.

The family and friends of journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun have revealed they are in better health and more optimistic about their prospects than at any time since they were first arrested, despite Chinese authorities not granting Australian consular officials access to them since October due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Anticipation is growing that Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong could visit China in the coming weeks to meet her counterpart Wang Yi after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday he expected “further measures and activities which indicate a much-improved relationship”.

Dialogue between officials at the Australian embassy in Beijing and their Chinese counterparts on the conditions of Cheng and Yang has also increased since relations between the two countries started to thaw around the middle of 2022.

Some officials inside the Australian government believe there is now an increased chance of securing their release at some point in the future but do not anticipate any imminent breakthrough. They remain deeply dissatisfied with the recent lack of consular visits, which China has blamed on the COVID-19 situation in the country, but are more positive overall given the talks taking place at the official-to-official level.

Albanese also directly raised their cases with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting last month on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali, while Wong took their cases to her counterpart, Wang Yi, in September. The Australian foreign affairs minister is expected to again raise their case with Wang if she travels to China in coming weeks.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian government “will continue to advocate at the highest levels for Australians detained in China”.

“Australia expects Chinese authorities to provide regular access to both Australian citizens in line with our bilateral consular agreement,” the spokesperson said. “We have repeatedly conveyed our concern to Chinese authorities about delayed consular visits.”

Cheng, a Chinese-state TV journalist whose two young children are in Australia, was detained in August 2020 on vague national security charges. The Australian government has been told the charges involve supplying state secrets, but no other details have been released since her closed-door trial in March.

The detention came at a low ebb for relations between the two countries, with Beijing imposing more than $20 billion worth of trade sanctions on Australia in response to a number of actions including the former Coalition government’s call for an independent inquiry into the COVID-19 outbreak.

But relations have returned to a more stable footing since the election of the Albanese government. The prime minister, Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles have all met their direct counterparts since May.

Cheng’s partner, Nick Coyle, said she was “holding up really well”.

“It’s positive,” he said. “The fact that the bilateral relationship seems like it’s improving augurs well for a solution.”

The Melbourne mum will miss her third Christmas at home this year with her two children. “It’s time you don’t get back, those really formative years, it can be a really hard thing to deal with,” Coyle said.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17972712

File: c6ca305e55ef05b⋯.jpg (176.05 KB, 800x800, 1:1, Cheng_Lei_s_partner_Nick_C….jpg)

>>17972561

2/2

Cheng, who was kept largely in solitary confinement, under bright lights 24/7 and interrogated by Chinese state security for six months, is now in a cell with three other inmates.

The 47-year-old has been teaching them English through song lyrics and reading the books of two other Australians detained by foreign governments, Kylie Moore-Gilbert and Peter Greste.

“I often think to myself, Jesus Christ, two years and four months – I don’t know how I’d be going, but she seems to be doing remarkably well,” Coyle said. “From a mental health standpoint, she has improved out of sight.”

Yang, a writer and pro-democracy advocate, was detained in January 2019 at Guangzhou airport as he arrived from New York trying to visit a sick family member. He was tortured repeatedly during his first year in jail as Chinese authorities attempted to extract a confession to claims of espionage, leading his family to fear for his life.

“His health situation now is much better,” said his friend Feng Chongyi, who is a professor of Chinese politics at the University of Technology, Sydney.

“He has not been under that sort of interrogation and pressure. He can relax somehow and recover some strength to do some exercise.

“One indicator that his situation in the detention centre improved was about two months ago; books were allowed to be passed to him.

“That means they have relaxed controls. It’s a very small step, but that is one of the indicators of improvement. It’s symbolically significant.”

Cheng has remained silent since her arrest, but Yang has repeatedly declared his innocence, criticised China’s legal system and vowed he would not be broken by torture.

“Yang has been very tough to not give in, in any way, so his torture is much harsher and longer,” Feng said.

Coyle and Feng said the Australian government should use this week’s 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Beijing to push harder for their release. Cheng’s verdict is scheduled to be handed down by January but could also be delayed by a further three months. Yang faced a one-day secret trial in Beijing in May 2021, but relatives and Australian diplomats were denied access to the hearing and there has been no update on sentencing since.

“Yang and Cheng have been a part of hostage diplomacy,” Feng said. “If the Chinese want to improve the relationship with Australia, the rational thing to do is to release the hostages first.”

Said Coyle: “They could say, Look, we need the Australian public to come behind our reset of the relationship. This is a big blockage”.

Feng said he was optimistic about the prospects but urged Australia to get other governments to lobby on their behalf. Canada used multinational pressure to secure the release of two of its citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, in September last year.

“The Chinese have that kind of mentality to show their goodwill by releasing political prisoners,” said Feng, who was detained by Chinese authorities in 2017. “Let’s be hopeful. It’s four years already since he was taken from us.“

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/china-contact-raises-hopes-for-detained-australians-20221215-p5c6k7.html

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de6a9c  No.17973909

File: 2454cf6608a6a6b⋯.jpg (309.37 KB, 2500x1563, 2500:1563, French_border_officials_st….jpg)

>>17800549

French border officials 'stopped talking to UK counterparts over AUKUS deal'

Tony Diver - 17 December 2022

French border officials working on the small boats crisis stopped talking to the UK for three months last year because of a row over the AUKUS submarine deal.

Dan O'Mahoney, who is standing down as the head of Britain’s Clandestine Channel Threat Command, said a “post-Brexit freeze” in relations was extended by a row over the submarines but was now going from “strength to strength”.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was furious about Australia’s decision to scrap a multi-billion dollar French submarine contract and join AUKUS, a new alliance with the UK and US, in August last year.

He accused Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, of lying to him over the submarines and recalled France’s ambassador, while Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, called the alliance a “stab in the back”.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr O’Mahoney revealed his opposite number refused to engage with the UK for three months because of the row, despite the number of small boats reaching their highest-ever level at that point, of 2,000 crossings per month.

‘Post-Brexit freeze’

“I think I’ve been over [to France] 35 times personally, including all the way through lockdown,” he said.

“During that time we’ve experienced the post-Brexit freeze in the relationship starting to thaw.

“Then the AUKUS submarine deal created another freeze at one point. My French counterpart didn’t speak to me for about three months.

“We came out the other side of that, and now we’re in this really great position where both the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary are really clearly and genuinely committed to the French relationship.”

On Tuesday, Rishi Sunak announced Mr O’Mahoney’s command centre is to be replaced with a new “small boats operational command”.

It will place control of operations back in the hands of the Home Office, after eight months of Royal Navy “primacy” in the Channel.

Mr O’Mahoney said it was possible that the number of boat crossings in the Channel would begin to “plateau” next year because criminal gangs have reached their maximum capacity of illegal migrants.

“I don’t think we're going to continue to see that exponential rise next year,” he said, adding that over the next “couple of years” Britain had an “opportunity… to make a real difference and to start reversing that trend”.

‘Days away from the first patrols’

His comments come after ministers announced that British officers are to begin joint patrols with their Continental counterparts, which Mr O’Mahoney said would begin within “weeks if not days”.

He said officials had been “working on the details a bit” with French counterparts, including reassurance that UK officers will not be allowed to exercise any powers while abroad and must be kept “protected” from criminal gangs.

“It’s really boring administrative stuff that we need to get through, but I’m confident that we are weeks if not days away from the first patrols happening,” he said.

The outgoing director also praised “incredibly dedicated” Border Force staff, who he said had been called “traitors” while out shopping in Dover wearing their uniforms because locals resented migrants arriving on UK shores.

“I’ve had similar sorts of comments made about me on social media,” he said.

“But when somebody’s staring you in the eyes as they’re close to drowning in the icy waters of the English Channel there’s only one right course of action.

“In taking that course of action, they’ve saved hundreds, if not thousands of lives.

“In any other walk of life, they’d be hailed as heroes, because that’s exactly what they are. They’re heroes, and it’s been an absolute privilege to work alongside them.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/12/17/french-border-officials-stopped-talking-uk-counterparts-aukus/

https://archive.ph/CNzxU

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de6a9c  No.17980326

File: 67d34625fbb71e5⋯.jpg (1.36 MB, 4682x3121, 4682:3121, Penny_Wong_becomes_the_fir….jpg)

File: 56f2f7c9612ab20⋯.jpg (2.16 MB, 5000x3335, 1000:667, Penny_Wong_met_her_Chinese….jpg)

Foreign Minister Penny Wong to make first ministerial visit to Beijing since China froze diplomatic relations with Australia

Jake Evans - 19 December 2022

Penny Wong will on Wednesday become the first Australian minister to visit China since Beijing put diplomatic relations into a deep freeze.

The last time an Australian minister travelled to China was when then-trade minister Simon Birmingham visited in November 2019.

High-level lines of communication reopened between the government and the People's Republic of China after Labor's federal election win in May.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had a face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in November — the first meeting between the leaders of the two countries since 2016.

Senator Wong met with her Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at the UN General Assembly in September.

She will travel to China at the invitation of the People's Republic of China to hold the sixth Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue with Mr Wang, which was last held in 2018.

Her visit to China coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Whitlam government establishing diplomatic ties with the country.

Senator Birmingham said the Coalition welcomed the news and wished Minister Wong well.

"We both have much to gain from supporting a stable, prosperous and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty of nations is respected and the international rules-based order upheld," he said in a statement.

"The test of these talks will be whether trade sanctions are lifted, progress is made for the release of detained Australians and improvements in security and cyber context that we face."

Australia has been lobbying China to release detained journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun, and drop its $20 billion worth of trade sanctions.

Senator Birmingham said Senator Wong's visit would also be judged on progress towards advancing regional security and respect for international law and securing "greater transparency" on human rights issues.

"Australia should also continue to appeal for China to use its influence on Russia to end the immoral and illegal invasion of Ukraine," he said.

In a joint statement, Mr Albanese and Senator Wong said trade between the nations had delivered "significant benefits".

"Australia seeks a stable relationship with China; we will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest," Senator Wong and Mr Albanese said.

Notably, Trade Minister Don Farrell has not yet secured a meeting with his Chinese counterpart.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-19/foreign-minister-penny-wong-to-visit-beijing/101787586

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de6a9c  No.17980334

File: 5eaaabff8acf58b⋯.jpg (115.91 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

File: 550dc574f9995d5⋯.jpg (74.25 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australian_Foreign_Ministe….jpg)

>>17980326

Penny Wong to visit China for historic meeting

BEN PACKHAM and ELLEN RANSLEY - DECEMBER 19, 2022

Penny Wong has revealed she will visit China this week, meeting her counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday – the 50th anniversary of Australia-China relations.

In a joint statement, Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Wong said the visit was being made at China’s invitation, following the Prime Minister’s talk with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali last month.

Senator Wong and State Counsellor Wang will hold the 6th Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue during the visit.

“The meeting will coincide with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, on Wednesday 21 December,” Mr Albanese and Senator Wong said.

“We welcome the opportunity to mark this anniversary.

“Australia seeks a stable relationship with China; we will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest.”

The trip follows years of strained diplomatic relations between the countries, inflamed by China’s trade bans on $20bn in Australian exports, and its detention of Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun.

Mr Albanese and Senator Wong hailed Gough Whitlam’s “bold decision” to establish diplomatic relations with China in 1972, “recognising the importance of engagement and cooperation between our two nations and peoples”.

“In the decades since, China has grown to become one of the world’s largest economies and Australia’s largest trading partner.

“Trade between Australia and China, as well as strong people-to-people, cultural and business links have delivered significant benefits to both our countries.”

The last time a foreign minister visited China was in 2018, when Marise Payne made the journey.

The last government minister to make a trip to China was Simon Birmingham, who was the trade, tourism and investment minister in 2019.

Mr Birmingham, now the opposition spokesman for foreign affairs, said the Coalition welcomed the visit.

“It was always counter-productive for the Chinese government to cease ministerial dialogue for a period of time, and the resumption of face-to-face dialogue has been welcome,” Senator Birmingham said.

“We both have much to gain from supporting a stable, prosperous and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty of nations is respected and the international rules-based order upheld.”

Senator Birmingham said the “ultimate test” of Senator Wong’s visit would be in the outcome.

“Minister Wong’s visit will be judged on progress towards the removal of unwarranted tariffs and sanctions on Australian exports; achieving fair and transparent treatment of Australians currently detained in China; advancing regional security; and securing greater transparency on human rights issues,” he said.

“I wish Minister Wong well in her pursuit with the Chinese government, productive discussions and outcomes positive to our national interest.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/penny-wong-to-visit-china-for-historic-meeting/news-story/0c65761122e61c2680ec7dfa4a8633e4

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de6a9c  No.17980342

File: f594b06a2e4fc7b⋯.jpg (134.29 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

>>17701300

‘We need to be prepared to invest’: Albanese highlights need for subs, not tanks

David Crowe - December 19, 2022

Australian defence spending must keep rising to put the nation on a “self-reliant” footing against regional dangers, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared after receiving an interim review that calls for a new approach to potential military conflict.

The shift in thinking will challenge previous plans to spend tens of billions of dollars on tanks and armoured vehicles because the money will be needed for more advanced capabilities to assert Australian power in the region.

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Albanese also confronted critics of the $100 billion plan for nuclear-powered submarines by insisting they were “the assets that we need” in an era of greater tension in the region.

With a debate raging over whether Australia needs more missiles, drones, aircraft and battleships to defend its territory, the prime minister is considering a confidential report from former defence minister Stephen Smith and former defence force chief Angus Houston that will set new priorities next year.

The Coalition pledged to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence and Labor has promised to match the target, but Albanese made it clear that the spending could rise above that level because the need for new capabilities was so great.

“We need to be prepared to invest what we need to promote peace and security in the region,” he said. “One of the objectives of defence as well, for a country like Australia with the values that we have, isn’t to attack any other nation.

“[It] is to respect national sovereignty, but to make sure that we can defend ourselves and make sure as well, that it acts as an appropriate deterrent.”

Former Labor prime minister Paul Keating strongly criticised Labor’s support for the AUKUS alliance with the United States and United Kingdom last year, saying it had “neutered Labor’s traditional stance” on Australian strategic autonomy.

Albanese said his message to critics of the AUKUS alliance was that Australia needed the nuclear-powered submarines to be chosen early next year after a working group advises on the best options from the US and UK.

“My answer is that the defence strategic review that’s being undertaken by Angus Houston and Stephen Smith is, in the interim report, very much talking about the need for self-reliance, the need to recognise that what was thought to be a 10-year window of a warning for any potential military conflict has been narrowed, that we need to make sure that our defence assets are fit for purpose,” he said.

“Now, our defence assets need to not be about fighting a land war defending western Queensland because that is highly unlikely, but a lot of our assets are not really the ones that we necessarily need for this century and for the times — and also their location as well.”

Albanese said the US alliance was critical for Australia and the AUKUS agreement was part of strengthening that relationship.

“The advice very clearly that we received at the time that [AUKUS] decision was made, and why we gave support in principle to it, but since then, as well, the obviously much more detailed briefings that we have had to indicate that nuclear submarines for a range of reasons, for how long they can stay underwater, for their detectability, for their operability, the way they operate, are the assets that we need.

“And that’s why we’re making that decision in Australia’s national interest. Yes, it’s about our relationships with the United States and the UK, two important relationships that go back a long way, but we are also very confident that in all of these decisions that we’re making, it’s about Australia’s national interest, and our capacity to make sure that we can defend ourselves.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/we-need-to-be-prepared-to-invest-albanese-highlights-need-for-subs-not-tanks-20221214-p5c6ah.html

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de6a9c  No.17980354

File: 3153a7b8dec799a⋯.jpg (1.27 MB, 2752x1835, 2752:1835, Former_Hillsong_pastor_Bri….jpg)

File: d667d84e8053779⋯.jpg (38.37 KB, 612x408, 3:2, Frank_Houston_died_in_2004….jpg)

File: cdfef746be8f51d⋯.jpg (477.39 KB, 1032x668, 258:167, Where_to_find_help_2022.jpg)

>>17879103

Hillsong founder Brian Houston tells court his father was a 'serial paedophile'

Heath Parkes-Hupton - 19 December 2022

Hillsong founder Brian Houston has told a Sydney court he believes his father was a "serial paedophile", and the responses to abuse allegations when they first came to light were not "all they should have been".

Mr Houston said, in hindsight, a public statement should have detailed why Frank Houston was stood down from the Assemblies of God church in 1999, instead of internal messaging about a retirement.

At the time, he thought his father was not "a danger" to the community due to his failing health and belief the offending took place within a "season" during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

It came during the second day of his evidence at a special fixture in Downing Centre Local Court, where he has pleaded not guilty to concealing the indictable offence of another.

It is alleged 68-year-old Brian Houston failed to report to police his father's abuse of a seven-year-old boy at a home in Sydney's eastern suburbs in the 1970s.

He denies claims of a "cover-up" or that he was aware a $10,000 payment to victim Brett Sengstock was allegedly designed to buy his silence.

His lawyers say it was reasonable not to report the abuse claims as the victim had asked for authorities not to be involved.

Asked if he would have spoken to police if he had his time over again, Mr Houston said he was "conflicted" about how to answer.

"Because I believe did the right thing," Mr Houston said.

"Brett Sengstok said to me … 'I don't want you going to the police.' I feel I'd do the same thing again."

The court has heard that within a year of Frank Houston confessing to his son in late 1999, Brian Houston learned of more complainants living in the family's homeland of New Zealand.

He said his "stomach dropped" when he was told during a phone call with a New Zealand-based pastor in 2000 that a man was seeking a meeting with him to speak about Frank Houston.

They met at a cafe in Sydney's CBD, where the man alleged he had been abused by Frank Houston at the Houstons' Wellington home in the late 1960s.

"I was really devastated again," Brian Houston said.

He told the court his father had been adamant the abuse of Mr Sengstock was a "one-off" but he now knew that was not the truth.

Those who came forward did not want to be part of any "action" against his father, Mr Houston claimed.

Magistrate Gareth Christofi asked Mr Houston if he thought an investigation should have been launched to identify if there were more potential victims.

"I don't remember having those thoughts," he replied.

Mr Houston said he had only recently been told about allegations his father abused another boy at a shelter he worked at.

"I have no doubt now that my father was a serial paedophile and we'll probably never know the extent of it," he said.

"However, there's no evidence that after that season, in the early 70s and so on, that he continued to abuse minors."

Mr Houston said he attended a meeting at a lawyer's office in Sydney where a document was prepared for an "agreement" whereby his father would make a payment to Mr Sengstock.

He said, however, he made it clear the agreement would not have the effect of silencing Mr Sengstock so it "couldn't possibly be seen that there was a cover-up".

"I was very careful to make sure that it didn't reflect any NDA (non-disclosure agreement), nothing to silence Brett, and that there was nothing to stop Brett from going to the police."

He conceded he did not "actively" think a public statement about his father's abuse was warranted and he did not consider going against the decisions of the church's national executive.

He said "churchmen" were now more aware of their obligations to the community following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

"I'm quite sure if we had our time over again there would have been a different approach to public announcements," he said.

Frank Houston was stripped of his credentials in 1999 and died in 2004.

Brian Houston's evidence before hearing, which has now entered its third week, continues.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-19/brian-houston-tells-court-father-was-serial-paedophile/101788456

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de6a9c  No.17980363

File: b56badf00711e0a⋯.jpg (124.05 KB, 1200x859, 1200:859, Nathaniel_Train_was_shot_d….jpg)

File: b5e69e0be80b167⋯.jpg (761.05 KB, 1440x1920, 3:4, The_LandCruiser_that_was_s….jpg)

File: d2d0770afe48190⋯.jpg (144.53 KB, 1084x775, 1084:775, Queensland_Police_Minister….jpg)

>>17933898

Queensland police minister supports national gun register after revelations shooter Nathaniel Train crossed border carrying weapons

abc.net.au - 19 December 2022

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk have both called for a national discussion around gun legislation, a week on from the fatal shootings of Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow at Wieambilla, west of Brisbane.

The Premier visited Chinchilla on Monday, paying tribute to the two fallen constables and local resident Alan Dare, all fatally shot by Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train on December 12. Two other officers escaped the property.

All three attackers were then later killed by specialist police.

Ms Palaszczuk's visit comes after the ABC revealed police killer Nathaniel Train illegally crossed the state border carrying multiple weapons a year ago.

A farmer in the Goondiwindi region told the ABC that in December 2021, Nathaniel Train crossed the flooded land border but destroyed his car engine in flood waters.

Train was observed throwing items into a flooded creek, which the farmer later discovered were loaded weapons.

Train told farm workers who helped tow the car out that he was an "anti-vaxxer" who wanted to see his family in Queensland.

The farmer gave Train a lift north towards Talwood and reported the incident to police, who later collected the weapons but left behind the car and documentation detailing Train's NSW Education employment history.

The incident occurred months after Train quit his job at Walgett Community College in northern NSW in August 2021, saying he had had a cardiac arrest.

He crossed Queensland's land border, which had been closed to control the spread of COVID-19, days after it reopened to fully vaccinated travellers.

Commissioner Carroll said calls for a national gun registry should be reviewed.

"We should always be learning from incidents like this, and that conversation does need to happen," she said.

Ms Palaszczuk echoed her comments, saying a national register should be discussed at national cabinet.

"Anything we can do to tighten gun laws in this country would be a good thing," she said.

'Exhaustive investigation'

Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Wheeler today declined to answer questions about what police knew about Train's crossing into Queensland and whether police had known about the farmer's reported incident before the four constables attended Train's brother's property in Wieambilla last Monday.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Wheeler said he understood people were seeking answers, but the investigation into what happened at Wieambilla would be lengthy and "take time".

"This is an exhaustive investigation that will take many weeks, if not months," he said.

"What I can say is, a number of people have been interviewed, of course all of the normal scientific and ballistic-style examinations are being made.

"It is still a crime scene, we still have that area being guarded."

Deputy Commissioner Wheeler said the two surviving police officers from the incident, Constables Keely Brough and Randall Kirk, were recovering and being interviewed as part of the investigation.

Queries were also being made interstate, and police were also handling a large volume of information from the public through Crime Stoppers and in person, he said.

Calls for national gun register

Police Minister Mark Ryan said he fully supported a national gun register and would be happy to discuss the proposal at a national level.

"Queensland has committed money to upgrade its entire weapons licensing system, we committed that in the budget," he said.

"It's a significant investment, many millions of dollars, and we hope to have that new system up and running by the end of next year."

Nationally, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) runs the Australian Firearms Information Network (AFIN), which Mr Ryan said Queensland had signed up to in 2020.

AFIN, operated by the ACIC, was prioritised following the 2014 Lindt cafe siege, collating data from state and federal archives on gun registrations.

However, Mr Ryan said not all states had yet signed up.

Last week Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers called for a review of how Australia manages and tracks firearms nationally.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-19/queensland-gun-register-train-shootings-weapons-wieambilla/101787840

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de6a9c  No.17980377

File: d2e874051d9696b⋯.jpg (166.76 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Nationals_leader_David_Lit….jpg)

File: 8e19c42f5ae3a07⋯.jpg (52.18 KB, 650x366, 325:183, Nationals_leader_David_Lit….jpg)

File: d3c2f47da5959ec⋯.jpg (55.97 KB, 650x366, 325:183, It_comes_after_constables_….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17980363

Nationals leader David Littleproud backs calls for change to national guns register following the murders of three people in Wieambilla

The Nationals leader has echoed calls from top police officers for a national firearms register to allow information to be shared between state and territories on individuals.

David Wu - December 19, 2022

Nationals leader David Littleproud has thrown his support behind a national firearms register following the murders of two police officers and a member of the public.

Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, were shot and killed in Wieambilla, about 300 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, last Monday.

The rookie officers had been tasked to an address over concerns about a missing person's welfare when they - and hero neighbour Alan Dare, 58, who went to help after hearing the commotion - were executed by the heavily-armed Train family.

Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers has since suggested a national guns database to allow a sharing of firearms information between states and territories.

The state's Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll backed the call from the union in a bid to "improve officer safety and further protect the community".

"Enhancing databases and information-sharing arrangements across jurisdictions remains a priority for the Queensland Police Service," she said.

Mr Littleproud told Sky News Australia on Monday he spoke with Mr Leavers about the move and believes the proposal is quite "pragmatic and sensible".

"He's simply asking for a register so that every state can see the registration of firearms to individuals and that's a sharing of information," he said on First Edition.

"He's not talking about changing gun laws from the conversation I had with him."

The Nationals leader added the change would allow officers to be "empowered" and go into certain situations with accurate intelligence to respond accordingly.

He noted it was a "common-sense approach" to minimise risk while flagging it would need to be supported by other jurisdictions.

"If we can work through this with the states who own this information… then that may save lives into the future and save our police officers who are putting themselves in harm’s way in the frontline," Mr Littleproud said.

Queensland detectives had revealed there was "significant weaponry" at the crime scene, with reports Nathaniel Train held a gun licence in New South Wales.

It is understood Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will bring forth the proposal of a national firearms register to National Cabinet in early 2023.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17980380

File: c989531e929c73b⋯.jpg (39.85 KB, 650x366, 325:183, Nationals_MP_Barnaby_Joyce….jpg)

File: e9d67c03031e075⋯.jpg (44.83 KB, 650x366, 325:183, Mr_Littleproud_added_socia….jpg)

>>17980377

2/2

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said he had "no problems" with the idea, as long as it did not limit people, such as farmers, from using weapons recreationally.

"We got no problems with that as long as we don't get an overreaching ridiculous restriction on how we utilise firearms because we utilise it for work and we do utilise them for recreations… you can see the reason we got them," he said on Sunrise.

"It's a big sport for Australia, it gives so many people so much enjoyment (but) when criminals, and these people are criminals, the worst type, cold-blooded murderers break the law, they make it difficult for everybody."

A national firearms register was first mentioned more than 30 years ago after shooting deaths in Victoria.

The idea was raised again following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre which claimed the lives of 35 people.

Then-prime minister John Howard led gun reforms which banned rapid-fire guns from civilian ownership except under certain and restricted licences.

Mr Littleproud was later questioned by host Danica Di Gorgio on the responsibility of social media giants to stop the spread of conspiracy theories.

It was revealed the Train trio had extremist views and had commented online about their beliefs, which is believed to have led to the deaths of the three innocent lives.

"We’ve got to get better at this. These tech giants are making billions of dollars, but they have a social responsibility," he told Sky News Australia.

"We saw that as far back as the New Zealand massacre whereby they’ve got to get better at what they’re doing and more timely particularly for these types of events.

"It’s important they clean their act up and they do it very quickly."

He recognised the change would need to come from the United States as that is where most social media corporations were registered.

"I think we need to work as a global community in understanding we’ve got to stamp these conspiracy theorists out and not give them the platform," he said.

Matthew and Rachel will be farewelled with a state funeral on Wednesday at the Brisbane Entertainment Quarter, while Alan's funeral will be held on Thursday.

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/nationals-leader-david-littleproud-backs-calls-for-change-to-national-guns-register-following-the-murders-of-three-people-in-wieambilla/news-story/d112d301ddd759c81b7d3fa08e0964b2

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de6a9c  No.17980398

File: e506a4e60fc775f⋯.jpg (51.31 KB, 650x488, 325:244, Ten_s_Chief_Content_Office….jpg)

Network Ten refuses to recognise Australia Day as executives declare January 26 is 'not a day of celebration'

In a stunning snub of the national holiday, Network Ten has told staff it will not recognise Australia Day with executives declaring January 26 is “not a day of celebration” in an internal note.

Tyrone Clarke - December 19, 2022

Network Ten has told staff not to feel obliged to take a day off for Australia Day, refusing to recognise the national holiday by name in a letter to staff.

In the note to editorial and programming staff obtained by The Australian, the commercial network’s Chief Content Officer Beverley McGarvey said January 26 was “not a day for celebration” as the debate over the public holiday ramps up again.

McGarvey began the letter by asking herself the rhetorical question: “What does Paramount ANZ call January 26?”

“January 26,” she replied.

The letter reinforced to staff they could refuse to celebrate the public holiday and instead show up for work.

McGarvey said the network understood the date “evokes different emotions” for staff as she urged employees to “reflect and respect” the diverging opinions around the date.

“We are receptive to employees who do not feel comfortable taking this day as a public holiday,” she said.

“Upon individual requests, all employees will have the option to work on January 26 and substitute the public holiday for another day in line with business requirements and approval from their manager.”

Defending her decision and refusal to recognise the name of the public holiday, McGarvey said in the note – co-signed by Chief Commercial Officer Jarrod Villani – that the date was associated with a “turbulent history”.

“At Paramount ANZ we aim to create a safe place to work where cultural differences are appreciated, understood and respected,” the letter sent to staff last week said.

“For our First Nations people, we as an organisation acknowledge that January 26 is not a day of celebration.

“We recognise that there has been a turbulent history, particularly around that date and the recognition of that date being Australia Day.”

It comes as the debate around the date of Australia Day heats up once again.

The Albanese Government last week reversed a decision by its predecessor to force local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26.

Under the new changes, the event can now be held on the three days before and after January 26 including the date itself.

The decision directly affects two Melbourne local councils – the City of Yarra and Darebin City Council – after they were both stripped of their ability to hold citizenship ceremonies altogether in 2017.

The two councils voted to dump the key Australia Day event but will now have that right returned.

Shadow immigration minister Dan Tehan hit back at the government for “bowing to pressure from Labor-Greens dominated councils”.

He said all immigrants deserved the right to become a citizen on Australia day and celebrate with their local community.

“New citizens are taught that Australia Day is our biggest annual public holiday,” he said in a statement last week.

“Now the message they are receive from the Albanese Government is that January 26 is no more special than any other day of that week.

“Make no mistake, this is Labor laying the groundwork to abolish January 26 as Australia Day despite Anthony Albanese promising during the election campaign that Labor had no plans to change the date of our national day.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday said he supported the change, which was announced by Immigration Minister Andrews Giles, so that more people could become Australian citizens but denied scrapping the rule was “laying the groundwork” to abolish Australia Day.

"No. I support Australia Day. The government supports Australia Day. There are no changes here,” he said.

"What should not happen…is a new migrant from the United Kingdom, is denied the opportunity to become an Australian citizen because of a decision made by a local council.

“That, quite frankly, is unfair on individuals. It was punishing individuals.”

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/network-ten-refuses-to-recognise-australia-day-as-executives-declare-january-26-is-not-a-day-of-celebration/news-story/7ead800e209942d482405980369eb48f

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06c31e  No.17980407

File: 3c593a35b3f5d95⋯.png (742.76 KB, 1218x637, 174:91, ClipboardImage.png)

>>17980363

https://rumble.com/user/DanielYugigirawil

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06c31e  No.17980469

File: 8017e47d713db6d⋯.png (695.3 KB, 700x517, 700:517, ClipboardImage.png)

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de6a9c  No.17985372

File: 5eaaabff8acf58b⋯.jpg (115.91 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

File: 3bafdc93163afb1⋯.jpg (181.11 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Patrick_Stevedores_contain….jpg)

>>17980326

China’s sanctions on Australian exports could end next month

LAURA PLACELLA - DECEMBER 19, 2022

China’s sanctions on Australian exports could be dropped in a month’s time following Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s “significant” visit to the country, according to the head of the international and security affairs program at The Australia Institute.

Senator Wong on Monday morning confirmed she will visit China this week to meet her counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday – the 50th anniversary of Australia-China relations.

Allan Behm, who was a former adviser to Senator Wong from 2017 to 2019, said he does not expect changes to policy to be announced on Wednesday but “gradually”.

“I don’t expect (changes) to happen the day after tomorrow. I think what we will see is … these things will change gradually over time and I think the reason for that is pretty straightforward,” Mr Behm told ABC.

“Nobody wants to appear to be losing face or taking a major victory. It’s just always managed in a very careful way, so I would expect over the next month or so we’ll have a lifting of those sanctions on trade commodities. But also we’ll see some forward movement, I strongly suspect, with respect to the two detainees.”

Australia’s relationship with China is one of “our most important international relationships”, according to Mr Behm.

“(Senator Wong and Foreign Minister Wang Yi) will be putting down the frameworks for a new normality, a new normalisation in the relationship, not going back to the past, but moving forward into the future,” he said.

“And so there will be movement on trade and on other political matters, but I think it will be done in a calibrated, managed way, so that we don’t have shock news immediately, but rather, a restoration of a mature, businesslike relationship over the next couple of months.”

In a joint statement, Anthony Albanese and Senator Wong said the visit was being made at China’s invitation, following the Prime Minister’s talk with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali last month. The last government Minister to make a trip to China was Simon Birmingham, who was the trade, tourism and investment Minister in 2019.

Mr Behm said he expected Senator Wong to raise the war in Ukraine and the situation in the South China Sea with her counterpart, in addition to issues directly affecting Australians back home such as the trade sanctions on Australian exports.

In November, Mr Albanese told SBS it was his hope that these sanctions - imposed on $20 billion worth of exports - would start to lift after he met with Xi Jinping at the G20.

“I want to see the barriers that are there to Australian trade lifted. What I’ve said is that it is in Australia’s interests to export the wonderful products that we have - our meat, our wine, our seafood, our barley and other products, including mineral resources - but it’s in China’s interest to receive them as well. This is a win-win on the table. That is what we are pursuing,” he said at the time.

However, he added that it would “take a while to see improvement in concrete terms going forward”.

China announced the bulk of the sanctions in 2020 after the former federal government called for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/chinas-sanctions-on-australian-exports-could-end-next-month/news-story/059e8fadd75652dc685f3285bad20e84

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3badd8  No.17985387

>>17962902

Λ

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de6a9c  No.17985452

File: d00f932b5fe9971⋯.jpg (134.56 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

File: 39345c35b48ed85⋯.jpg (91.03 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_Prime_Minister….jpg)

>>17980326

Talks break the ice but PM won’t bow to China

BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 20, 2022

1/2

Anthony Albanese says Australia won’t bow to Beijing and will continue to call for Chinese leaders to respect global rules as Penny Wong prepares to depart for the first official visit to China by an Australian government minister in four years.

The Foreign Minister will meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday – the 50th anniversary of Australia-China diplomatic relations – in a likely precursor to a Prime Ministerial trip to China next year.

Beijing has agreed the meeting will be considered “the sixth Australia – China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue”, reactivating a key element of the nations’ comprehensive strategic partnership that had lain dormant since 2018.

Senator Wong carries with her the hopes of the families and friends of Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, who remain detained in China, and of Australian exporters whose businesses have been smashed by two years of Chinese trade sanctions.

Writing in The Australian, Mr Albanese invokes Gough Whitlam’s decision in 1972 to recognise Communist China, saying the former Labor prime minister “envisioned a world of greater opportunity and prosperity for Australia”.

He says Whitlam’s decision was “an act of national maturity” based on a belief in the importance of dialogue and engagement.

“Those principles guide us still as we seek to stabilise the relationship and build a better future,” the Prime Minister writes.

Mr Albanese, whose meeting with Xi Jinping at the G20 in Bali last month paved the way for Senator Wong’s trip, says his government will “always be guided by our interests and values”.

“Australia seeks a stable relationship with China between two equal partners; we will co-operate where we can, disagree where we must and always act in the national interest,” he says. “We will continue to support the rules-based order and regional stability.”

Supporters of Ms Cheng and Dr Yang are cautiously optimistic the visit could be a step towards their release, but believe any breakthrough is still some time off.

Ms Cheng, a Chinese-born Australian journalist, has been detained since August 2020, while Dr Yang, a writer and academic, has been held since January 2019. Both are accused of espionage offences.

Ms Cheng’s partner, Nick Coyle, said: “This is the third Christmas that the kids haven‘t seen their mum, and we’d certainly urge the Chinese system to find a compassionate and speedy resolution.”

Dr Yang’s friend, UTS Associate Professor Feng Chongyi, said he believed there was an opportunity to secure the Australians’ release if the government made them “the top priority, rather than business”.

“I hope they will put the release of Yang Hengjun and Cheng Lei as item number one,” Dr Feng said.

He said there was a long – standing impression that Australia was dependent on China. But Australia had shown it could diversify its markets, while China needed Australian iron ore, coal and natural gas, he said.

“So Australia is actually in a position of strength to negotiate with China, and if China wants to improve the relationship the first thing it needs to do is release the two Australian citizens,” Professor Feng said.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17985455

File: 2fd89ef36effea0⋯.jpg (873.61 KB, 2080x3120, 2:3, Australian_Uyghur_Tangrita….jpg)

File: dd4077d11a84f8e⋯.jpg (111.75 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Penny_Wong_will_attempt_to….jpg)

>>17985452

2/2

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing hoped the meeting would deliver “mutual benefit and win-win results”, seeking common ground “while reserving differences”.

She said China wanted use the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations to “strengthen dialogue, expand co-operation, manage differences and push bilateral relations back on the right track for sustainable development”.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham welcomed Senator Wong’s upcoming visit to China as “essential to advance areas of mutual interest and to manage differences”.

“It was always counter-productive for the Chinese government to cease ministerial dialogue for a period of time and the resumption of face-to-face dialogue has been welcome,” Senator Birmingham said.

He said the success of the visit would be judged on its outcomes, and particularly on progress towards the removal of trade sanctions and an improvement in the position of Ms Cheng and Dr Yang.

Senator Birmingham said Australia should continue to insist China abide by international law, seek greater transparency from Beijing on human rights issues, and urge China to use its influence on Russia to end its illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Australia’s Uighur community fears the official visit will undermine Australia’s advocacy on behalf of ethnic Muslims detained in China’s Xinjiang region.

“If she goes there to shake hands and open up business as usual again, that’s really, really disappointing,” the president of the Australian Uighur Tangritagh Women’s Association, Ramila Chanisheff, said.

She said the trip was particularly concerning given Australia was yet to apply targeted Magnitsky-style sanctions against Chinese officials involved in human rights abuses against her people, despite imposing such sanctions on Russians and Iranians.

“Actions speak volumes and only actions will stop this genocide from continuing,” she said.

“You can say you're sympathetic until the cows come home, but that doesn’t really help the Uighur in their plight, does it?”

The trip comes ahead of a visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken next year to follow up on Joe Biden’s meeting with President Xi in Bali, where they agreed to put a floor under their countries’ spiralling relationship.

Asia Society Australia policy director Richard Maude said China’s decision to label the meeting as formal “foreign and strategic dialogue” was a positive sign, using diplomatic architecture that had existed since Julia Gillard visited China in 2013.

“It opens the door for a leaders‘ meetings that is something more than, certainly in China’s eyes, an engagement in the margins of the G20 or some other major international meeting,” he said.

Mr Maude said it was unclear why Beijing was re-engaging so positively, but Australia remained a vital economic partner to China, which faced a “a very difficult domestic and global environment”.

Australian Institute of International Affairs president Allan Gyngell, a former director-general of the Office of National Assessments, said Senator Wong was a skilled operator who would deliver a careful and coherent message to Mr Wang.

“I think what you will get is what you have seen; that is direct, polite, respectful discussions, which won’t surprise either the Chinese or Australian observers,” he said.

Businessman Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, who made his fortune selling iron ore to China, said the visit was “another important step” to restoring the bilateral relationship.

“A strong and stable relationship between Australia and China is beneficial to all,” he said.

“My hope is that this friendship continues for generations to come, including as we work to realise our shared vision of a pollution-free future and a planet powered by green energy.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/talks-break-the-ice-but-pm-wont-bow-to-china/news-story/57a24af4831f92ad9e60a9beeef031cd

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de6a9c  No.17985462

File: 4d2cbe54dad3f0e⋯.jpg (49.04 KB, 600x376, 75:47, Foreign_Ministry_Spokesper….jpg)

>>17980326

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on December 19, 2022

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong will pay a visit to China on December 20 and 21.

China Daily: Could you share more on Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s upcoming visit scheduled on December 20 and 21?

Mao Ning: December 21 will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Australia. During Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s visit, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks and a new round of China-Australia Diplomatic and Strategic Dialogue with her. We hope that Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s visit will help both sides to further follow up on the important common understandings reached between our leaders at their meeting in Bali, take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the principle of mutual respect, mutual benefit and seeking common ground while shelving differences, step up dialogue, expand cooperation, manage differences and bring the bilateral relationship back on the right track and realize its sustainable development.

…..

Reuters: First question is, Australian Prime Minister Albanese said Foreign Minister Penny Wong will travel to Beijing on Tuesday at the invitation of the People’s Republic of China. Could you provide a comment on this and more information about this? And the second question is, will the Australian officials have in-person access to Cheng Lei and Yang Jun now that the COVID curbs have eased and will the verdicts on their cases be expected soon?

Mao Ning: I have shared China’s expectations and relevant arrangements for the visit by Foreign Minister Penny Wong. There will be more details in due course. 

With regard to the cases you mentioned, I would like to stress that China is under the rule of law. China’s judicial authorities have handled the cases in accordance with law and the lawful rights of relevant individuals are under full protection.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202212/t20221219_10992131.html

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de6a9c  No.17985469

File: 66d41f7ff0a75c9⋯.jpg (159.77 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Gough_Whitlam_visits_the_G….jpg)

>>17980326

Principles behind Whitlam’s China vision still drive us

ANTHONY ALBANESE - DECEMBER 20, 2022

Wednesday marks an important moment in the history of modern Australia. Fifty years ago on Wednesday, the Whitlam government established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. It was a bold decision and it was the right decision.

Gough Whitlam’s act of vision and ambition recognised China’s global significance and it also spoke for a greater sense of maturity and independence in Australia’s foreign policy.

In 1972, Australia and China were two very different countries with different cultures and histories. While acknowledging those differences, both Australia and China also recognised the shared opportunities that could flow from engaging with each other and from working together to support each other’s development.

We agreed on principles to guide our relationship, based on equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, and a commitment to a peaceful and prosperous region.

In the 50 years since 1972 Australia has changed in countless ways. Trade and technology have transformed our economy. We are more modern and more confident, more equal and more diverse. Where once we spoke of the “tyranny of distance”, we now embrace the opportunities in our region, home to the fastest-growing economies in the world.

We see for ourselves a key role as a neighbour, partner and leader in the Indo-Pacific, working to support peace, stability and prosperity.

China, too, has undergone a half-century of transformation, to become one of the world’s largest economies and Australia’s largest trading partner.

Through all this, the relationship between Australia and China has also grown and changed, but the strong foundation of cultural and community links has kept it resilient in the face of challenges.

Under the stewardship of both sides of government, our strong people-to-people, academic and business links have delivered benefits to both our countries.

Australia is a richer and more vibrant place thanks to the hard work and aspiration of our Chinese-Australian communities; those who arrived in recent decades and those who helped build our nation from its beginnings.

We have many shared interests, but also differences to manage. Our differences don’t define us but they do underline the importance of clear and open communication.

We are always going to be better off when we engage in dialogue. When we talk to each other calmly, directly and in a spirit of respect. That was the basis for establishing our diplomatic relations in 1972. It is also the basis of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

On November 15, I was pleased to meet China’s President Xi Jinping for the first time as Prime Minister. We spoke about our highly complementary economies. Australia’s trade with China is worth more than our trade with our next three largest trading partners combined. Just as it is clearly in Australia’s best economic interests to be able to export our high-quality barley, wine, meat, seafood, resources and more to China, it is also clearly in China’s best interests to receive these goods.

We spoke about climate change and the need to work together to tackle this global challenge.

And we agreed that more dialogue would be a positive thing.

We spoke honestly and frankly about our differences, and I made clear Australia would always be guided by our interests and values.

Australia seeks a stable relationship with China between two equal partners; we will co-operate where we can, disagree where we must and always act in the national interest. We will continue to support the rules-based order and regional stability.

As Penny Wong has said, we can grow our bilateral relationship alongside upholding our national interests if both countries navigate our differences wisely.

The Foreign Minister’s visit to China on Tuesday to commemorate the 50-year anniversary is part of the effort to continue to move us down that path.

In recognising China 50 years ago, Whitlam envisioned a world of greater opportunity and prosperity for Australia. It was an act of national maturity based on a belief in the value of dialogue and the importance of engagement. Those principles guide us still as we seek to stabilise the relationship and build a better future.

Anthony Albanese is the 31st Prime Minister of Australia.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/principles-behind-whitlams-china-vision-still-drive-us/news-story/4af13cc47b4375e51f918c23654a5817

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de6a9c  No.17985487

File: dbdb3436a283624⋯.jpg (105.06 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Penny_Wong_will_become_the….jpg)

>>17980326

Big challenge now will be to manage expectations

GREG SHERIDAN - DECEMBER 20, 2022

It’s good that Foreign Minister Penny Wong is going to China to meet her counterpart, Wang Yi. She must battle now, though, the danger of false and unrealistic expectations.

Beijing has tried hard, using intimidation and coercion, to get Australia to change policy in critical areas. It imprisoned innocent Australians on trumped-up charges, it imposed $20bn of trade boycotts on Australia, it worked hard to interfere in our internal politics, it froze all high-level contacts and ministerial meetings and kept up a constant barrage of abuse and intimidation through its official media and sometimes its wolf-warrior diplomats.

And, much to Beijing’s surprise, it failed.

To its credit, the Albanese government toned down Australia’s rhetoric on China but did not compromise on any significant national interest. Nor did it abdicate speaking out against human rights abuses in China, abrogation of civil rights in Hong Kong, and Beijing’s continued intimidation of Taiwan, which Canberra condemns through saying that Australia opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. There is also no relaxation of bans on Chinese investment in our critical infrastructure, and no retreat on growing military co­operation with the US and expanding the ADF.

As part of a wider charm offensive with the West, and in tandem with a determined thaw in relations with Washington, Beijing has now decided to play nice. In so far as this suggests a calmer, more professional and less- fraught day-to-day relationship with China – including greater co-operation in uncontroversial matters – that’s highly welcome.

But Albanese and Wong must keep two key realities front of mind. First, the contradiction between Beijing’s strategic aims for the region and Canberra’s strategic aims is as strong and widespread as ever. Beijing wants the US military gone from the region, opposes AUKUS and the Quad, wants to establish its own military bases in the South Pacific, wants to control our critical infrastructure, and much more.

Second, Beijing is actually better at securing its strategic aims through playing nice than it is by using intimidation.

It wants to set up a dynamic in Australian politics in which Albanese and Wong are expected to deliver a much better relationship with Beijing, and if they don’t they will be judged to have failed.

That’s a very dangerous syndrome for Australia.

Thus opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham was wrong to say Wong’s visit will be judged on whether she gets trade restrictions lifted and Australian prisoners freed.

That formulation gives Beijing all the power to define the success or failure of an Australian government.

That’s a losing equation for Australia. It’s still more likely than not that if the Albanese government holds the line on all key issues, as it should, Beijing will in time turn again to punishment as its favoured mode of engagement.

Partly because her style is calm and measured, Wong is temperamentally well suited to handle these paradoxes. But whatever happens this week, don’t think for a moment our troubles with China are ending any time soon.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/big-challenge-now-will-be-to-manage-expectations/news-story/8297c890156e353f19c17b5c1bf65495

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de6a9c  No.17985519

File: 996d66877aecea5⋯.jpg (145.13 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Australian_foreign_ministe….jpg)

>>17980326

Penny Wong’s China visit should become a trip for Australia to find its original aspiration: Global Times editorial

Global Times - Dec 20, 2022

1/2

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit China on Tuesday and Wednesday. This is the first visit to China by an Australian minister since 2019, and will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on Wednesday. Recently, with the gradual resumption of bilateral contacts, such as the meeting between Chinese and Australian leaders in Bali, Indonesia, relations between the two countries are starting to warm up from the freezing point. Both sides have also taken healthy steps to restore stability, which is a positive sign for China, Australia and the region.

The China-Australia relationship has walked past half a century, and there are many historical experiences and realistic lessons to be learned. Obviously, there is a particular intention behind Wong’s choice to visit China on such a special day: It is likely to achieve relatively good results for Wong to hope to redeem China-Australia relations with some ceremonial tints. The sudden deterioration of bilateral relations in the past few years has become a prominent case in the history of contemporary international relations, but it is far from being mainstream in the 50-year history of the two countries’ ties. It can be interpreted as Canberra has gone astray in a short thoughtless moment and made its relationship with Beijing difficult.

We are pleased to see that the Anthony Albanese administration has shown willingness after taking office to improve and develop relations between the two countries, and China has responded positively. In addition, Australian public opinion generally supports Albanese’s efforts to strengthen China-Australia relations, while some former Australian political figures have also welcomed or acknowledged a series of bilateral contacts between the two countries. This suggests that Australian society is going through genuine introspection on a larger scope, and the desire to improve relations with China is becoming mainstream. In a sense, this is also a natural move for Australian diplomacy to rectify a deviation after it has gone to an extreme.

China and Australia have gotten along well for most of the 50 years. Their ties had long been one of the best between China and a developed country. There has never been a fundamental conflict of interest between China and Australia, but rather a traditional friendship between the two peoples, a highly complementary economic structure, and a shared demand to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. It is a shame that such a relationship has not been handled well, but instead undermined. The previous two Australian administrations under Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, respectively, need to take historical responsibility for this.

In the deterioration of China-Australia relations in recent years, the Australian government’s approach can be characterized by the following features. First, Canberra deliberately created, distorted, and magnified the differences and divergences between China and Australia, making trouble out of nothing. Second, it had an inexplicable fear of China’s peaceful development and treated China as an opponent or even an enemy rather than a cooperative partner. Third, Canberra let Washington’s attitude toward Beijing dominate its diplomacy. As a result, Australia was even willing to serve as the most aggressive pawn toward China on the US’ Asia-Pacific chessboard. If such a government does not respect China or even itself, China, of course, won’t spoil it at all.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17985523

File: d3672755a00518b⋯.jpg (151.45 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Australian_Minister_for_Fo….jpg)

>>17985519

2/2

The radical, narrow, erroneous, and stupid China policies of the last two Australian administrations have seriously damaged the friendly and cooperative atmosphere accumulated in China-Australia relations for decades. This pitfall should not only make Canberra gain wit, but also be worth drawing lessons from for other developed countries. The twists and turns and difficulties that China-Australia relations have experienced in the past years are completely unnecessary and purely manufactured. The causes and consequences have been proved by facts. If someone still jumps into such a pit and repeats the same mistakes, it will be either stupid or evil.

This year can be marked as a year when China-Australia relations broke through. We certainly expect that the relationship between the two countries can get out of the predicament and turn around. But it also needs to be noted that the difficulties faced by the bilateral ties have not been completely eliminated, and there are still many uncertainties. We believe that to repair China-Australia relations, Canberra has to show verbal goodwill and substantial actions. This includes taking a rational view of China’s peaceful development, stopping a politicized investigation into China’s investment in Australia, and ceasing arbitrarily securitizing political relations and even forming confrontational and exclusive coteries in the region against China. These are all the meanings of “stable relations with China.”

During the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia will stay committed to the original aspiration behind the establishment of diplomatic ties and facilitate the stable growth of Australia-China relations. At the special juncture of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, we hope that Wong’s visit will push Australia and China to meet each other halfway and push their relations back on track. As a former Australian diplomat said, the two countries should seek to “build on” their relationship instead of just “restoring” ties.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1282216.shtml

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de6a9c  No.17985540

File: f0dc43ccdada8df⋯.jpg (75.48 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_prime_minister_Kevi….jpg)

File: 34eedd8c185a3fd⋯.jpg (148.14 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Earlier_this_year_Mr_Alban….jpg)

Kevin Rudd to make permanent move to the US as Australian ambassador

ELLEN RANSLEY - DECEMBER 20, 2022

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd will become Australia’s new ambassador to the US.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement on Tuesday morning, saying his predecessor would bring “unmatched experience to the role”.

He will begin his posting in early 2023.

That’s despite Mr Albanese rubbishing suggestions in the lead-up to the May election that Dr Rudd wold be the next ambassador in Washington.

Talking about the rumours in April, Mr Albanese said it was “complete nonsense” and part of a media obsession.

The opposition says Dr Rudd’s appointment is among the most important of all diplomatic positions.

In making his announcement on Tuesday, Mr Albanese said Dr Rudd was an “outstanding appointment” – despite a journalist putting to him that his Labor colleagues had described the former prime minister as a “psychopath, a micromanager and a control freak”.

“Kevin Rudd … brings a great deal of credit to Australia by agreeing to take up this position as a former prime minister, as a former foreign minister, as someone who’s been head of the Asia Society, and as someone who has links with the global community based in Washington DC will be a major asset in working to assist the Foreign Minister as other ambassadors do in their job,” Mr Albanese said.

“Kevin Rudd will be an outstanding representative … He will conduct himself in a way that brings great credit to Australia.

“I am very pleased that Kevin Rudd is prepared to do this. He certainly doesn’t have to do this. He’s doing it out of a part of what he sees as his service obligation to the country that he loves. I am sure that he will serve very well.”

The opposition’s spokesman for foreign affairs, Simon Birmingham, said Australia’s ambassador in Washington was historically “close to, and carry the ear of the Prime Minister of the day”.

“In appointing former prime minister Rudd, Prime Minister Albanese has personally chosen a friend and confidante, a former parliamentary and ministerial colleague, and someone in whom Mr Albanese clearly has faith and confidence,” Senator Birmingham said.

“The next few years in the Australia-American relationship are as important as any in recent times, as we work together to deliver upon the AUKUS partnership and respond to the strategic challenges of our times.

“Above all else, the Coalition looks to Mr Rudd and all the new diplomatic appointments to deliver on Australia’s national interests first and foremost.”

In a statement, Dr Rudd said he was “greatly honoured” by his appointment.

“Our national interest continues to be served, as it has for decades past, by the deepest and most effective strategic engagement of the United States in our region,” he said.

“Our alliance isn’t merely grounded in our common security and economic interests but across generations of friendships between our peoples and our shared values of freedom, democracy, and the universality of human rights.

Dr Rudd’s successor, Malcolm Turnbull, congratulated him on the role.

“Congratulations Kevin,” Mr Turnbull wrote on Twitter.

“I cannot think of any Australian with better connections than Rudd has in the Biden administration or with more influence on geopolitical issues in DC.

“He is also keenly aware of the external, and internal, threats to US democracy.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/kevin-rudd-to-make-permanent-move-to-the-us-as-australian-ambassador-albanese-announces/news-story/1a4a6aae71c4fdb2af5db769eac069b1

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de6a9c  No.17985554

File: 57645a9693a1c40⋯.jpg (218.55 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Kevin_Rudd_and_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

File: 865353f13c89269⋯.jpg (112.86 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Bill_Shorten_laughed_off_s….jpg)

>>17985540

Anthony Albanese rubbishes ‘complete nonsense’ reports Kevin Rudd will be handed plum gig

Anthony Albanese has lashed out at reports he will hand Kevin Rudd a plum job if Labor wins the May 21 federal election.

Courtney Gould - April 19, 2022

Anthony Albanese has rubbished suggestions he will install Kevin Rudd as Australia’s next ambassador to Washington.

Mr Albanese has reportedly floated the plan to senior colleagues but the Labor leader claimed the report was “nonsense”.

“Complete nonsense,” he told Nine Radio.

“Yesterday it was Kevin Rudd wasn’t going to be on the campaign, He’d gone missing in action … Seriously, (the media) needs to get over the obsession.”

Mr Albanese has remained a supporter of the former prime minister, who he served as deputy to, and the pair have campaigned together as recently as February.

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten conceded Australia “could do worse” but was far from glowing in his response to the plan.

“Mr Rudd is an distinguished representative and spokesperson, we could do worse in Washington than Mr Rudd,” he told Today on Tuesday morning.

“I don't know if what’s written in the paper is true but he has certainly taken a strong interest in global affairs.

“He is certainly qualified for the job.”

Mr Rudd began his career as a diplomat and has served as the chairman of US think tank the International Peace Institute, based in New York.

If he were to be appointed under a Labor government, his immediate boss in Canberra would be Penny Wong, assuming she continues in the foreign affairs portfolio.

Australia’s current ambassador is former Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos, who was appointed by Scott Morrison to succeed Joe Hockey.

Appointing a new US ambassador could be a major early decision for whoever wins the next election, if Mr Sinodinos were to return home after just three years in the role.

Asked about the possibility of Mr Albanese shipping him off to the US, Mr Shorten laughed it off.

“Would you be interested in the job?” Today host Alison Langdon asked before adding, “Maybe Labor wants your (leadership) ambitions far, far away?”

“No,” he laughed

“I’m running in this election … I’m interested in the NDIS”.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/anthony-albanese-rubbishes-complete-nonsense-reports-kevin-rudd-will-be-handed-plum-gig/news-story/62127439e0221eae163f6d70232ef0ff

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de6a9c  No.17985575

File: ac3f2c0538d9bae⋯.mp4 (10.16 MB, 960x540, 16:9, PM_Albanese_says_Kevin_Rud….mp4)

>>17985540

>>17985554

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd posted to Washington as Australia's new US ambassador

Jake Evans - 20 December 2022

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd will be sent to Washington DC as Australia's new ambassador to the United States.

Mr Rudd will commence the posting early next year, replacing Arthur Sinodinos.

Announcing the role, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Rudd had extensive experience and connections in the US.

"Kevin Rudd is an outstanding appointment, he brings a great deal of credit to Australia by agreeing to this appointment," Mr Albanese said.

"As someone who has links to the global community in Washington DC, he will be a major asset."

Mr Rudd was most recently serving as chief executive of international relations institute the Asia Society, spending most of the past decade in the US where he worked with American politicians and business people.

In recent years he has also fronted a campaign for a royal commission into the Rupert Murdoch-owned international media organisation News Corp.

In a statement, Mr Rudd said he was honoured to accept the role.

"Australia currently faces its most challenging security and diplomatic environment for decades," he said.

"Our national interest continues to be served, as it has for decades past, by the deepest and most effective strategic engagement of the United States in our region."

Mr Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement that the two countries were aligned by their goal to have an open, stable and prosperous region that "respected" sovereignty.

"Along with our deepening collaboration on defence, including through AUKUS, we have an extensive and mutually beneficial economic relationship with the United States, and we are making cooperation on climate change a hallmark of our alliance."

Mr Rudd warned last year that the AUKUS deal left Australia "strategically naked" for two decades, with no replacement submarine program in the interim.

The former prime minister will take over from Mr Sinodinos, a former Liberal politician who was appointed in 2020.

Nick Greiner, another former Liberal politician who last year was appointed as consul-general in New York, will also be replaced by prominent business woman Heather Ridout.

Ms Ridout is a former chief executive of the Australian Industry Group.

Senator Wong said the government had appointed "a great many" career diplomats, but said there were occasions where political appointments to posts were preferred.

Mr Albanese said it was "entirely appropriate" for people with knowledge of political structures to be appointed to posts.

Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham said no diplomatic posting was more important than the one that would be filled by Mr Rudd.

"Over the years Australia’s ambassador in Washington has been ably filled by many who, in representing Australia’s interests, are close to and carry the ear of the prime minister of the day," he said in a statement.

He said representing Australia's interests in the AUKUS agreement would be a "most challenging undertaking" that would require Mr Rudd's "unqualified support and attention".

"The Coalition looks to Mr Rudd and all of the new appointments to deliver on Australia’s national interests first and foremost."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-20/kevin-rudd-appointed-washington-us-ambassador/101791798

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de6a9c  No.17985647

File: 0acdddca5b793f2⋯.jpg (621.26 KB, 825x1467, 275:489, KR_16.jpg)

File: 4716b903570ba7f⋯.jpg (1.13 MB, 2340x1640, 117:82, kr16.jpg)

File: 49c9e47c7fb3569⋯.jpg (232.75 KB, 841x514, 841:514, Q_479.jpg)

File: ccb3ea3d2932b3c⋯.jpg (300.17 KB, 842x828, 421:414, Q_908.jpg)

File: a6f1a731b3eccc9⋯.jpg (136.57 KB, 842x302, 421:151, Q_910.jpg)

>>17985540

Kevin Rudd Tweet

I am greatly honoured by the Australian Government’s decision to nominate me as our country’s next Ambassador to the United States of America commencing in March.

https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1604985681033531401

Malcolm Turnbull Tweets

Replying to @MrKRudd

Congratulations Kevin - great appointment!

https://twitter.com/TurnbullMalcolm/status/1604987142941585408

And I should add congrats to @AlboMP and @SenatorWong for appointing @MrKRudd to DC and Heather Ridout to NY. Both will do a great job representing Australia.

https://twitter.com/TurnbullMalcolm/status/1604988595802361856

I cannot think of any Australian with better connections than Rudd has in the Biden administration or with more influence on geopolitical issues in DC. He is also keenly aware of the external, and internal, threats to US democracy.

https://twitter.com/TurnbullMalcolm/status/1604989335157510144

Q Post #479

Jan 6 2018 16:03:28 (EST)

How much did AUS donate to CF?

How much did SA donate to CF?

Compare.

Why is this relevant?

What phone call between POTUS and X/AUS leaked?

List the leadership in AUS.

IDEN leadership during Hussein term.

IDEN leadership during POTUS' term.

Who controls AUS?

Who really controls AUS?

UK?

Why is this relevant?

Q

https://qanon.pub/#479

Q Post #908

Mar 10 2018 12:33:37 (EST)

Which conversation leaked?

POTUS & AUS?

Why that specific conversation?

Signal?

We (they) hear what you are saying?

Threat to AUS?

Why?

What do they know?

Trapped?

Forced?

Blood.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#908

Q Post #910

Mar 10 2018 12:47:35 (EST)

Do not focus on the call details.

We knew it would leak.

We knew certain areas of the WH were bugged.

We knew certain people would leak.

Focus - why AUS?

Q

https://qanon.pub/#910

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de6a9c  No.17985668

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17985540

>>17985647

The Real Kevin Rudd

Practicalpolitics

Jul 17, 2013

The real Kevin Rudd: a man despised by those who know him, who spent three years undermining Australia's first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-5RgFe9OX4

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de6a9c  No.17985749

File: 8e1fb2044b9fda1⋯.jpg (91.66 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Employees_at_major_Austral….jpg)

>>17980398

Australia Day work option is gathering steam

PAUL GARVEY and PAIGE TAYLOR - DECEMBER 19, 2022

1/2

Some of the nation’s biggest companies have begun offering their staff the opportunity to skip the Australia Day public holiday, in what advocates see as growing support for changing the date.

Major companies including Telstra and Woodside Energy have introduced new policies allowing staff to work on January 26 and take off another day of their choosing instead.

Similar policies have also been instituted inside consulting giants Deloitte, KPMG and EY.

The Australian on Monday revealed Ten Network’s chief content officer Beverley McGarvey had written to staff to inform them they could substitute the holiday, which she said was “not a day of celebration”.

The upcoming Australia Day holiday will be the first in which Telstra employees will be able to choose whether to work on Australia Day after voting on the matter earlier this year.

“Our employees have the choice to work on Australia Day and take leave on another day. This flexibility is built into the Enterprise Agreements our employees voted on earlier this year,” a Telstra spokeswoman said.

Woodside, meanwhile, introduced flexible public holidays in January this year as a trial for its non-rostered employees in Australia. That trial has been deemed a success and is being rolled out globally in the new year.

“With regard to Australia Day, we acknowledge and respect the diversity of views on the issue,” a spokeswoman for the oil and gas producer said.

“To this end, our flexible work arrangements support our employees to choose how they wish to recognise this public holiday.”

Employees at biotechnology heavyweight CSL have been able to make a choice about January 26 in recent years, although a spokeswoman said the proportion of workers who opt out of the public holiday was “not statistically significant”.

Similarly, BHP has in recent years allowed staff in office roles to discuss their preferences for the day with their leaders. Those working on fly-in fly-out rosters are also able to make requests around the date.

“We recognise our workforce has mixed emotions about January 26 and what it represents to all Australians, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” a BHP spokeswoman said.

“We need to ensure the cultures of all Australians are respected, acknowledged and appreciated every day.

“Across our Australian teams, there are opportunities to discuss what the date means to different people. This has been an important part of engaging with our workforce, and more broadly, traditional owner and Indigenous communities.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17985752

File: aee7c78470f4739⋯.jpg (121.57 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_push_for_more_flexibil….jpg)

>>17985749

2/2

Deloitte, KPMG and EY all have policies allowing workers to opt out of a limited number of public holidays each year.

“KPMG’s cultural leave policy allows people to swap an existing public holiday with a different day, so they can recognise and celebrate religious or significant events relevant to their culture, Indigenous heritage or religious beliefs. This also applies to Australia Day,” a spokeswoman for the company said.

Australia’s biggest ethical investment manager, Australian Ethical, was an early mover on Australia Day. A spokeswoman said staff have had the option to work on January 26 for the past five years.

“As the national conversation continues to be debated, we think it’s important to acknowledge that 26 January doesn’t represent an inclusive day for everyone, so we hope that a constructive conversation can continue with Indigenous … groups to find a suitable day to celebrate,” she said.

“We know this isn’t a solution, but we take it as a sign of solidarity with the First Nations people. We also know that many of our staff will still choose to have 26 January off to fit in with their family and friends’ plans, and that’s OK too, but we support our employees’ choices to change the date they celebrate Australia.”

Brad Pettitt was the mayor of the City of Fremantle in 2017 when it became the first council in Australia to scrap its Australia Day celebrations. That move sparked nationwide controversy and drew strong criticism from the then Coalition federal government. Mr Pettitt now sits in the WA parliament’s upper house for the Greens, and has a longstanding policy in his office to allow staff to work on January 26.

He says that seeing so many major companies instituting similar policies represented a fundamental shift in the debate and was a clear sign of the growing momentum for shifting the day.

“My sense is that as a country, change is coming,” he said. “It’s coming slowly, but it will be small moves like this, by giving individuals the choice, which will just take us further on that path to what I think is probably an inevitable change.”

The Albanese government last week announced that local governments would now be able to hold citizenship ceremonies for three days before and after Australia Day, unwinding restrictions introduced by the Coalition in 2017 which restricted councils to holding those ceremonies only on January 26.

Opposition immigration and citizenship spokesman Dan Tehan said the Albanese government had failed to stand up to green-left councils in support of Australia Day.

“As wholly anticipated, employers have walked straight through the open door and begun to diminish Australia Day like Greens and Labor councils,” Mr Tehan said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/australia-day-workoption-is-gatheringsteam/news-story/360f9afafe7bfc99a8542417fd3b9f41

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de6a9c  No.17985762

File: 9f0a3e995d21b67⋯.jpg (273.26 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Immigration_Minister_Andre….jpg)

>>17980398

Banned Melbourne councils change citizenship events

ROSIE LEWIS - DECEMBER 19, 2022

The inner-city Melbourne councils of Darebin and Yarra are planning their first citizenship cere­monies in five years and have vowed not to hold them on Australia Day, as local governments around the country start organising ceremonies on either side of the public holiday.

But the mayor of Maribyrnong, another central Melbourne council, has committed to keep holding citizenship ceremonies on January 26 even though the council wants the date of Australia Day changed, after rules were relaxed by the ­Albanese government last week.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has updated the Australian citizenship ceremonies code so that ceremonies can now be held on Australia Day or on the three days either side of January 26.

It was a requirement under the Turnbull and Morrison governments for councils to hold a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day, or have their right to host any ceremony revoked.

Darebin and Yarra councils have been banned from holding citizenship ceremonies since 2017 but confirmed to The Australian that plans were under way to begin holding them again.

“Now that council has received confirmation from the federal government (that citizenship ceremonies are allowed), we will be seeking involvement from the traditional owners and the Darebin Aboriginal advisory committee in the formation and delivery of any and all future citizenship ceremonies,” a Darebin council spokeswoman said.

“As council resolved on 27 June, 2022,- January 26 marks the beginning of the British invasion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands and oppression of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and is … not an appropriate date for celebration.

“Following consultation with the Darebin Aboriginal advisory committee, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags are set at half-post on 26 January as a mark of recognition, respect and mourning.”

Yarra City Council also said it would comply with the amended code “to hold ceremonies three days either side of January 26”.

“Coming from a migrant family, I understand the significance of citizenship ceremonies and what they mean for our multicultural community,” its mayor, Claudia Nguyen, said after hearing of the code’s changes.

“I have had many family members undertake citizenship ceremonies at Richmond town hall and Collingwood town hall … and these memorable family occasions still remain significant today.”

Maribyrnong mayor Sarah Carter said she would not personally champion a move away from holding a citizenship ceremony on January 26, even after her council formally adopted a resolution earlier this month calling on the Albanese government to consider changing Australia Day’s date.

Melbourne-based Merri-bek City Council, which earlier this month voted to stop holding citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day and instead host a “day of mourning”, is planning a citizenship ceremony for January 24.

City of Fremantle mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said plans were already in place for a January 26 citizenship ceremony next month but the council would “consider what we want to do beyond that”.

Sydney’s Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne said the local government had already invited new citizens to their ceremony on January 26 – when they will hear from Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney – and would continue holding ceremonies on that day.

“(They) are sombre and respectful with a focus on Indigenous history,” Mr Byrne said.

Opposition immigration Dan Tehan said Labor was “undermining the significance of Australia Day” by revising the code.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/banned-melbourne-councils-change-citizenship-events/news-story/b5b3c10320139aa0e103cab2f6947872

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de6a9c  No.17985766

File: 95ca90a6e16a475⋯.jpg (123.5 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, If_we_now_condemn_Australi….jpg)

>>17980398

Betrayal of our national day a shame on Labor

GREG SHERIDAN - DECEMBER 20, 2022

1/2

The decision effectively to abandon the defence of Australia Day on January 26 is one of the worst and saddest moments in modern Australia. And it’s surely among the worst decisions of the new Labor government.

The Albanese government has been extremely effective in national security, foreign affairs and defence. It stared down Beijing’s intimidation, Penny Wong is a blizzard of consequential South Pacific diplomacy, Richard Marles promises long overdue defence capability expansion. This is a centrist position. Albanese has rightly ignored opposition to this from Greens and teals.

If Albanese succeeds as Prime Minister, he will be a Labor version of John Howard. A parliamentary lifer who understands how the place works, not always trying to show he’s the smartest guy in the room, courteous and decent, with established values but a mainstream leader with a sense of his nation’s centre of gravity on most issues.

On the other hand, if Albanese fails, he’s likely to fail in the style of Joe Biden. Biden is a warm, mainstream politician who has no instinct to insult middle- and working-class Americans. He doesn’t label them “deplorables”, a la Hillary Clinton, nor does he sneeringly dismiss them as “clinging to guns and religion”, a la Barack Obama.

But Biden’s presidency is in danger of failing because, although a relative centrist himself, and certainly good on national security, Biden doesn’t have the strength to resist the left wing of his party, to some extent on economic policy, but overwhelmingly on social issues and identity politics.

Labor in opposition promised it would keep Australia Day on January 26. It has now contradicted that in effect if not in precise legalistic terms. It has said local councils can now hold citizenship ceremonies on days other than January 26. Several businesses have followed up by saying they will offer staff the alternative of taking a public holiday on some other day than January 26.

The opposition’s immigration spokesman, Dan Tehan, is surely right to say this decision effectively lays the groundwork for the abolition of January 26 as Australia Day. I think Tehan’s analysis is correct and this represents one of the saddest, most depressing of countless victories for the truly destructive wrecking march of identity politics through Australian civic life.

The minute Tehan made his charge, Albanese reaffirmed that his government supported Australia Day, but would no longer compel councils to hold citizenship ceremonies only on that day. But Labor never mentioned this option before the election. To claim this doesn’t break the pre-election promise to stick with January 26 is the kind of hair-splitting, logic-chopping, dare I use the term Jesuitical, too-smart-by-half justification that erodes the basic trust and good faith of democracy.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17985767

File: a021cf2491bbbf2⋯.jpg (214.38 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, An_Australia_Day_WugulOra_….jpg)

>>17985766

2/2

Why should we stick to January 26, and why is it important?

January 26 commemorates the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788. It represents the birth of the modern Australian nation. It celebrates the first introduction of modern institutions into Australian life. These institutions include the rule of law, parliamentary government, the judiciary, a free media, freedom of speech, diverse power centres and national unification.

The objection to January 26 is that some Aboriginal Australians regard it as invasion day. But in any historical commemoration or celebration we never pretend that the past is perfect, merely that it is our past and it brought much that was positive.

There was no unified Aboriginal nation in Australia in 1788. Many Aboriginal leaders tell us no one Aboriginal nation or tribe can speak for another Aboriginal nation or tribe. It was inevitable Australia would be colonised by a European power in the 18th or 19th century. Aborigines suffered great injustice, but the British for all their many sins (and I write this as an Irish-Australian) were the least bad, indeed the most beneficial, of colonisers. Former British colonies such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and many others are successful, well-run nations based on British institutional inheritance.

In any celebration of our history, we don’t pretend history was without fault. In the first British colony in Sydney it was effectively illegal to practice the Catholic faith. So Catholics, if they were insane, could plausibly object to any commemoration of our early, post-1788 history. But this just demonstrates the negative, sterile, senseless, zero-sum futility of identity politics.

If we decide January 26 is irredeemably morally decrepit, then we condemn our whole modern nation. This is exactly where modern identity politics goes. Martin Luther King Jr did not condemn the American project. Rather, he wanted America to live up to its universalist, liberal promise of inclusion. He didn’t demand abandoning civic remembrance and reverence for the American constitution, even though at American independence its liberal provisions were not extended to African-Americans. Instead, he demanded the full universalism of American liberalism be implemented.

There is now a movement among some on the US left, the so-called 1619 Project, which alleges that the entire national purpose of America was to facilitate the slave trade and the practice of slavery. That is not only historically untrue, and ludicrously inaccurate in every way, it makes the American story entirely evil and illegitimate. That is the inevitable road of identity politics.

If we now condemn Australia Day, we condemn modern Australia. It is frankly dishonest of the Albanese government to pretend it supports Australia Day on January 26 but then send out the clear message that January 26 is not to be regarded as important or special in any way, least of all in citizenship ceremonies. This creates tremendous incentives for destructive and ultimately undemocratic activism. If the vast majority of people in a local government area are perfectly happy to have Australia Day on January 26, but there is a strong campaign from even a small minority to change it, then councils and their bureaucrats will surrender, opting for the quiet life.

Australians generally love their country. But unlike many nations, they are pretty relaxed and easygoing about their national symbols. The more mature, stable and well governed a nation is, the less it does hysteria, public emotion and endless bickering over symbolism.

But the Australian left is nothing if not completely derivative. It has imported identity politics in all its ugly futility from the US. A government that is truly centrist will inevitably have to fight some battles with this sentiment. Continual, pre-emptive government surrender guarantees endless conflict, for identity politics is an emotional disorder rather than a rational program, and it will always escalate.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/betrayal-of-our-national-day-a-shame-on-labor/news-story/6cbe22a39a3f7bb05b752b33dfc48997

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de6a9c  No.17985781

File: 31c70d6c6c22814⋯.jpg (182.58 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, The_Dayang_is_described_by….jpg)

File: c50af0e46eb6717⋯.jpg (191.6 KB, 1022x681, 1022:681, President_Xi_harbours_the_….jpg)

File: f40a1f6e4e13c12⋯.jpg (207.28 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_drillship_in_the_Gulf_of….jpg)

File: 9aad5a3531e7fd9⋯.jpg (107.15 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Chinese_President_Xi_Jinpi….jpg)

China unveils ultra-deepwater drillship

The 42,000-tonne Dayang, which will be able to reach almost all of the world’s seabeds, is part of China’s quest to become a major sea power

DIDI TANG, THE TIMES - DECEMBER 20, 2022

China has unveiled an ultra-deep water drilling ship that puts natural resources at the bottom of the deepest oceans within Beijing’s grasp.

The Dayang left a shipyard in Guangzhou and will be able to reach depths of up to 10,000m, according to officials. The wreck of the Titanic sits on the Atlantic seabed at about 3840m.

The Dayang has nine major laboratories and is described by officials as one of the world’s most advanced ships.

It will be “comprehensively” built in 2024 before undergoing sea trials. It will also be used for science and technology projects.

The deepest point of the seabed is the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific, at 11,034m – almost seven miles – underwater. However, almost all other deep sea sites are now within reach for the ship, Beijing said.

In China’s relentless demand for energy President Xi has ordered officials to step up efforts to access possible undersea drilling sites. Beijing is also seeking ways to access rare earth minerals found in space.

The means are collectively known as “pillars of a great power” by state officials, representing the country’s best industrial capabilities. Other pillars include high-speed rail, submarines, rockets and a space station being built in orbit.

“As a critical state equipment to support the construction of an ocean power, the Dayang focuses on solving major resources and environmental science issues in the deep of the earth,” said China Central Television.

“It can perform both gas and oil drilling and scientific drilling. It will help us comprehensively improve our abilities to know the ocean, to protect it and develop it,” said Xinhua, the official news agency. “It will serve us in becoming an ocean power.”

Xi harbours the ambition for China to become a major sea power that is free to pursue oil and gas beyond its territorial waters.

In the East China Sea Beijing is at odds with Tokyo over the right to explore underwater gas fields. In recent years in the South China Sea China has cemented territorial claims, but disputes with its neighbours are unsolved.

The construction of the Dayang began in November last year. It was commissioned by the China Geological Survey Bureau under the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The ship was designed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation and it is being built in the Huangpu-Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, which makes most of the country’s survey ships.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/china-unveils-ultradeepwater-drillship/news-story/3770b94333193b80841f1ea9ef775496

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/china-unveils-ultra-deepwater-drillship-7rc22rfgb

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de6a9c  No.17985817

File: 8fabc5cf13d494f⋯.jpg (157.83 KB, 1280x719, 1280:719, Keith_Hartley_the_second_A….jpg)

File: 7c6a5a85f1525d5⋯.jpg (107.34 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Keith_Hartley_is_being_inv….jpg)

>>17832778

Second Australian-based former fighter pilot investigated for training Chinese military

LIAM MENDES - DECEMBER 20, 2022

1/2

A second Australian-based former military fighter pilot is being investigated for his involvement in the alleged training of Chinese fighter pilots, but he claims “the whole thing is intensely political” after his home was raided by police.

Keith Hartley, who lives in South Australia, is being investigated by authorities for his role as chief operating officer of controversial South African company Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), which is at the centre of a “threat alert” warning issued by the British Ministry of Defence earlier this year.

Mr Hartley, a former RAF top gun who flew with the call sign “Hooligan”, was reportedly a target of the warning issued in October against retired British fighter pilots training the Chinese military.

It comes as Defence Minister Richard Marles investigates whether former Australian RAAF pilots have also been involved in training Chinese pilots, while China is urgently seeking outside help to train its fighter pilots as part of a massive push to modernise and expand its military.

The growing controversy coincides with the visit to China this week by foreign minister Penny Wong which will seek to improve Australia-China ties after years of tensions and trade bans imposed by Beijing.

On Monday Mr Hartley told The Australian “the whole thing is intensely political” after his home was raided by the Australian Federal Police in November.

News of the investigation into Mr Hartley comes as the US seeks the extradition of his friend, Australian-based former US marine pilot Daniel Duggan, on charges relating to the training of Chinese pilots.

“Dan’s case is very different from ours,” Mr Hartley said. “I have to say, it’s a much more complex thing that he’s involved in.”

“It’s stuff that I haven’t been involved in or the company (TFASA) hasn’t been involved in,” he said.

It is alleged TFASA was a proxy for the Chinese military to enlist veteran Western fighter pilots to assist the Chinese military to improve capabilities in which they fall behind Western counterparts.

It has previously been reported TFASA was named in an intelligence briefing for recruiting ­British, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand fighter pilots to work for China, with those enlisted offered eye-watering wages of almost $500,000 AUD, plus other benefits including relocation expenses, accommodation and school fees.

The 73-year-old’s Adelaide Hills home, 40 minutes east of ­Adelaide, was raided by the ­Australian Federal Police last month after a search warrant was granted by a South Australian magistrate.

At the Woodside home which Mr Hartley shares with his Australian-born wife, officers seized various materials on November 22.

In a statement, the Australian Federal Police confirmed they executed a search warrant but would not specify whether it was on behalf of the US government.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17985823

File: a7220814f6dc0a6⋯.jpg (144.89 KB, 1279x719, 1279:719, In_1988_test_pilot_Keith_H….jpg)

File: cb0baa99b099b14⋯.jpg (201.52 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Saffrine_and_Daniel_Duggan.jpg)

>>17985817

2/2

Last week Mr Hartley launched proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia, seeking an order that the warrant be deemed invalid and an injunction preventing the AFP from “accessing, reviewing, ­divulging” the seized material.

Mr Hartley flew some of the world’s fastest military jets for the RAF and BAE systems and was featured in a story by BAE systems in 2018 for the RAF’s 100th ­anniversary, where it was revealed he flew at just under 1000km/h in a Tornado jet fighter with the ­canopy off and no oxygen mask, testing emergency escape procedures.

He recently worked in Australia as a jet fighter experience pilot, flying tourists and locals from Melbourne’s Essendon Airport to speeds of up to 800km/h where he would perform barrel rolls, loops and other aerobatic moves.

Mr Duggan, a father of six, was sensationally arrested by police in October – without charge – on the request of the US government and has spent almost two months in a cell adjacent to convicted Islamic State terrorists in Silverwater prison.

His wife told The Weekend Australian her husband has the “moral compass of an angel’’ and that her family had been ripped apart by an American attempt to use him as a “poster child to ward off others from going to China”.

The US District of Columbia Court indictment against Mr ­Duggan was unsealed last week, revealing the former American citizen was facing four US charges, including conspiracy to unlawfully export defence services to China, conspiracy to launder money, and two counts of violating the arms export control act and international traffic in arms regulations.

The allegations against Mr Duggan include that he helped train Chinese pilots to land on aircraft carriers.

Senator Wong will be the first foreign minister to visit Beijing since 2018. It follows years of strained diplomatic relations between the countries culminating in China imposing trade bans on $20bn in Australian exports.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/second-australianbased-former-fighter-pilot-investigated-for-training-chinese-military/news-story/99768f89cfaf3e0803d3d9118222f12d

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de6a9c  No.17985863

File: 17d7b3813d3e2d7⋯.jpg (85.8 KB, 745x419, 745:419, The_house_on_Wains_Road_at….jpg)

File: eb7c059aaf08034⋯.jpg (418.9 KB, 1400x934, 700:467, The_Wieambilla_property_wh….jpg)

File: 86cdc5ea7cfe69b⋯.jpg (1.21 MB, 3264x2448, 4:3, Mr_Leavers_said_he_is_in_t….jpg)

>>17933898

Queensland Police Union plan to buy Wieambilla property where two officers were killed in ambush

Sarah Richards - 20 December 2022

The Queensland Police Union wants to buy the property where two officers were killed in the state's Western Downs last week.

Union president Ian Leavers said he did not want the land to "fall into the wrong hands".

"The last thing we want to see is the anti-vaxxers, pro-gun, conspiracy theorists to get this land and use it for their own warped and dangerous views," Mr Leavers said.

"They are absolutely un-Australian and I don't want it to be used for them to promote themselves.

"It is a sacred site for police and it's a way we can ensure their memory also lives on forever."

The Wieambilla property, near Tara, was the site of a major police investigation after two officers, constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, and nearby resident, Alan Dare, were gunned down last week.

The three offenders responsible for the ambush, brothers Nathaniel and Gareth Train, and Gareth's wife Stacey Train, were all fatally shot by specialist police at the site.

Gareth had a YouTube channel, which has now been deleted, which contained many posts referencing COVID conspiracies, anti-vaccination and sovereign citizens.

The union said if it was successful the land would be repurposed so the legacies of Constables McCrow and Arnold could live on.

"What has been suggested to me by some police is this could not only become a memorial site for Matthew and Rachel," he said.

"But also, it could be used as a retreat for police who are doing it tough as well as it could be used for training purposes."

Mr Leavers said he had spoken to the families of the fallen officers about the proposal.

"This is a very emotional time for Matthew's and Rachel's families, and I have been talking with them, and they are really pleased," he said.

Mr Leavers said discussions had already begun with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

A Queensland government spokesperson said the government was "committed to working with Mr Leavers, the Queensland Police Union and all parties to safeguard this land for the future and will respectfully consider the proposal".

Police Minister Mark Ryan said conversations were underway as to whether the government or the union would buy the site.

"In my view, that ground is now sacred ground. That is where the lives of two heroes of Queensland were taken," he said.

"The police union have put up a number of ideas.

"At the very least I think it should be also incorporating a memorial, a sacred space, to honour those heroes of Queensland."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-20/queensland-police-shooting-union-tara-buy-property-retreat-train/101790882

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de6a9c  No.17985875

File: 604beffcb2058f5⋯.jpg (2.3 MB, 5000x3333, 5000:3333, Former_Hillsong_pastor_Bri….jpg)

File: d667d84e8053779⋯.jpg (38.37 KB, 612x408, 3:2, Frank_Houston_died_in_2004.jpg)

>>17879103

Brian Houston tells court it is 'absurd' to suggest he blamed victim for father's abuse

Heath Parkes-Hupton - 20 December 2022

Hillsong founder Brian Houston has told a Sydney court it is "absurd" to suggest he would claim a man had "tempted" his paedophile father into abusing him as a child.

Mr Houston has pleaded not guilty to concealing his late father, Frank Houston's, abuse of a seven-year-old boy in the 1970s.

The 68-year-old is being cross-examined as he gives evidence at a special fixture before Downing Centre Local Court.

Brian Houston, formerly the global leader of Pentecostal megachurch Hillsong, has told the court his father confessed to molesting the boy when confronted in 1999.

He maintains that he respected the wishes of victim Brett Sengstock, then aged in his 30s, by not reporting the matter to police.

Frank Houston, who was stripped of his credentials as a pastor for the Assemblies of God, died in 2004.

Today, his son rejected allegations from prosecutors that he only disclosed his father's confession to church figures so he could "have control" over a potential scandal.

He told the court he had "no option" but to tell the national executive of the Assemblies of God, saying if he had not it would have constituted a "cover-up".

"And that was my intention to never, ever be guilty of a cover-up," Mr Houston said.

Crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison asked Brian Houston about a call with Mr Sengstock, which centred on a payment of $10,000 from Frank Houston.

Brian Houston said he was "frustrated" during the call, as he had told his parents he wanted to be kept at "arm's length" from those discussions.

Mr Harrison put to Mr Houston that he became "angry" with Mr Sengstock for calling about money, and alleged he said: "You know this is all your fault and you tempted my father."

Brian Houston said he denied that "as strongly as I can".

The prosecutor pressed him on the alleged comments, leading to an emphatic rebuttal from Mr Houston.

"It's nonsense. I mean, who would say that about a seven-year-old boy, or a 10-year-old boy … it's just an absurd notion."

He told the court Mr Sengstock had made it clear he did not want the matter "escalated" to either church leaders or the police.

Mr Harrison put to Mr Houston that Mr Sengstock never spoke about not wanting police involved, which he denied.

The court heard he had been told in a meeting with pastor Barbara Taylor that Mr Sengstock was considering going to "secular courts", but believed that was a reference to him seeking "financial compensation" through a civil case.

Magistrate Gareth Christofi asked Mr Houston whether he had ever told Mr Sengstock that the church would support him in going to authorities.

"I don't remember those words, but I certainly did not in any way inhibit his ability to go to the police," he replied.

Mr Houston agreed he had "free will" to report his father's confession to police but chose not to.

Mr Harrison put to Mr Houston that was "because you were trying to conceal this from the police".

"No, that's not right," Mr Houston answered.

He accepted that if the abuse had been made public, the church's reputation would likely have been damaged.

Mr Houston, however, maintained controlling public opinion "wasn't primary to my motivation".

Later, he was asked why a letter was released to the church's ministers announcing his father's retirement in November 2000.

It came a year after Frank Houston had been "sacked", the court heard, but Brian Houston denied this letter was a means to allow his father to "quietly retire".

The also court heard a statement referring to a "serious moral failure against Frank Houston" was approved by the executive, but not released until December 2001.

Mr Houston told the court that, despite being the president of the national executive, he was excluded from decisions relating to his father.

The hearing continues.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-20/hillsong-brian-houston-denies-blaming-fathers-victim/101792258

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de6a9c  No.17985903

File: 310ae2f7db85f70⋯.mp4 (15.51 MB, 640x360, 16:9, Neo_Nazi_Thomas_Sewell_fou….mp4)

File: fbed08853131d42⋯.jpg (76.3 KB, 1279x720, 1279:720, Thomas_Sewell_pictured_cen….jpg)

File: 087165efd5c2328⋯.jpg (115.03 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Thomas_Sewell_was_found_gu….jpg)

>>17946412

Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell found guilty of brutal assault on Channel 9 security guard

A court has rejected Thomas Sewell’s claims of self-defence from when he repeatedly belted a Channel 9 security guard outside the network’s Docklands studios.

Ashley Argoon - December 20, 2022

A Neo-Nazi leader faces jail after being found guilty of “brutally punching” a Channel 9 security guard following a “disgusting racial taunt”.

Thomas Sewell’s claims of self-defence have been rejected by a court, which instead found he was “itching for a fight” when he repeatedly belted his victim outside the network’s Docklands studios in March 2021.

Magistrate Stephen Ballek on Tuesday found the 29-year-old guilty of affray and recklessly causing injury and commended the victim for his “considerable self-control” in the face of racial abuse, where he was referred to as a “monkey”.

Sewell, who founded the far-right European Australia Movement, argued he acted in self-defence when he hit the unsuspecting security guard in the back of the head.

But his claims were debunked by footage from his own cameraman mate, Jacob Hersant, who captured the entire saga on film as the pair went to confront A Current Affair producers.

The two men went to the network’s studios because of a story Sewell claimed falsely labelled his organisation as terrorists, and failed to seek a right of reply.

Filming inside the Channel 9 building, the security guard approached the pair and asked them to stop filming and leave, the Melbourne Magistrates Court heard.

While escorting the duo outside, the guard, seemingly trying to remain upbeat and diffuse the situation as the camera continued rolling, made a dance motion.

Footage showed Mr Hersant respond to this goodwill gesture by saying, “Dance monkey, dance”.

“Watch yourself, bro, I’m not a dance monkey,” the security guard replied, as there was some pushing between the pair.

At this moment, the court found Sewell sprung into action, moving with speed towards the security guard and hitting him with a “flurry of punches” as he fell backwards and cracked his head on the pavement.

Mr Ballek said it seemed that the very second Sewell saw physical contact, he “leapt in with sustained and unjustified violence, which you later sought to justify as warranted to defend your friend”.

His Honour said this was evident by Sewell’s parting words to his victim: “You f*cked with the wrong person.”

Sewell had claimed he was acting in self-defence after the security officer grabbed Mr Hersant by the throat.

But Mr Ballek rejected that claim, instead finding the pair had been “goading” the victim from the start and been acting provocatively.

His Honour said the video evidence had graphically showed the “disturbing nature of a strong man punching an unsuspecting victim to the face”.

The security guard, who had to be treated in hospital for swelling and bruising to the head, declined to make a victim impact statement.

Sewell, who has no prior convictions and is on bail, will return to court on January 12, 2023, for a presentence hearing.

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich labelled the guilty finding a “thundering victory for justice, decency and our shared values of equality and respect for all people”.

The leading anti-hate campaigner was interviewed by A Current Affair for the story that Sewell went to the Channel 9 studio over.

In that March 2021 interview, Dr Abramovich said he had grave concerns over neo-Nazi groups in Australia.

He called the court’s findings a “blow to the solar plexus of a dangerous and resurgent Australian neo-Nazi movement”.

“The brutal attack we saw last year was hatred pure and simple, and plainly demonstrated that where white-supremacists gather, violence usually follows. This important decision sends the unmistakable message to Thomas Sewell and other Hitler worshippers that their evil ideology of antisemitism and hardcore bigotry will never find a safe haven in our nation. This ugly phenomenon of ‘Final Solutionists’, individuals with malice in their hearts who dream of building gas chambers in Melbourne and other cities, poses a whole of society challenge and is a clear and present danger to our pluralistic way of life.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/neonazi-thomas-sewell-found-guilty-of-brutal-assault-on-channel-9-security-guard/news-story/d3f349a4b6b213456d397d18d7617197

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de6a9c  No.17985916

File: 8ae4ea56ee0d3c8⋯.jpg (101.09 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Kerryn_Phelps_and_Jackie_S….jpg)

File: 558619a88179a2f⋯.jpg (67.33 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, _The_incidence_of_serious_….jpg)

Dr Kerryn Phelps reveals ‘devastating’ Covid vaccine injury, says doctors have been ‘censored’

Dr Kerryn Phelps has broken her silence about a “devastating” Covid vaccine injury, slamming regulators for “censoring” public discussion with “threats” to doctors.

Frank Chung - December 20, 2022

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Former federal MP Dr Kerryn Phelps has revealed she and her wife both suffered serious and ongoing injures from Covid vaccines, while suggesting the true rate of adverse events is far higher than acknowledged due to underreporting and “threats” from medical regulators.

In an explosive submission to Parliament’s Long Covid inquiry, the former Australian Medical Association (AMA) president has broken her silence about the “devastating” experience — emerging as the most prominent public health figure in the country to speak up about the taboo subject.

“This is an issue that I have witnessed first-hand with my wife who suffered a severe neurological reaction to her first Pfizer vaccine within minutes, including burning face and gums, paraesethesiae, and numb hands and feet, while under observation by myself, another doctor and a registered nurse at the time of immunisation,” the 65-year-old said.

“I continue to observe the devastating effects a year-and-a-half later with the addition of fatigue and additional neurological symptoms including nerve pains, altered sense of smell, visual disturbance and musculoskeletal inflammation. The diagnosis and causation has been confirmed by several specialists who have told me that they have seen ‘a lot’ of patients in a similar situation.”

Dr Phelps married former primary school teacher Jackie Stricker-Phelps in 1998.

“Jackie asked me to include her story to raise awareness for others,” she said.

“We did a lot of homework before having the vaccine, particularly about choice of vaccine at the time. In asking about adverse side effects, we were told that ‘the worst thing that could happen would be anaphylaxis’ and that severe reactions such as myocarditis and pericarditis were ‘rare’.”

Dr Phelps revealed she was also diagnosed with a vaccine injury from her second dose of Pfizer in July 2021, “with the diagnosis and causation confirmed by specialist colleagues”.

“I have had CT pulmonary angiogram, ECG, blood tests, cardiac echogram, transthoracic cardiac stress echo, Holter monitor, blood pressure monitoring and autonomic testing,” she said.

“In my case the injury resulted in dysautonomia with intermittent fevers and cardiovascular implications including breathlessness, inappropriate sinus tachycardia and blood pressure fluctuations.”

Dr Phelps said both reactions were reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) “but never followed up”.

She revealed she had spoken with other doctors “who have themselves experienced a serious and persistent adverse event” but that “vaccine injury is a subject that few in the medical profession have wanted to talk about”.

“Regulators of the medical profession have censored public discussion about adverse events following immunisation, with threats to doctors not to make any public statements about anything that ‘might undermine the government’s vaccine rollout’ or risk suspension or loss of their registration,” she said.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), which oversees Australia’s 800,000 registered practitioners and 193,800 students, last year warned that anyone who sought to “undermine” the national Covid vaccine rollout could face deregistration or even prosecution.

AHPRA’s position statement said that “any promotion of anti-vaccination statements or health advice which contradicts the best available scientific evidence or seeks to actively undermine the national immunisation campaign (including via social media) is not supported by National Boards and may be in breach of the codes of conduct and subject to investigation and possible regulatory action”.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17985918

File: 64550e14bee9d85⋯.jpg (71.32 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Crossbench_MP_Kerryn_Phelp….jpg)

File: a6374f78062ab4c⋯.jpg (129.83 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, People_line_up_at_the_Covi….jpg)

>>17985916

2/3

Earlier this year, Australian musician Tyson ‘tyDi’ Illingworth said he had been told privately by doctors that they feared being deregistered if they linked his neurological injury to the Moderna vaccine.

Dr Phelps said she had heard stories of vaccine injury from “patients and other members of the community”.

“They have had to search for answers, find GPs and specialists who are interested and able to help them, spend large amounts of money on medical investigations, isolate from friends and family, reduce work hours, lose work if they are required to attend in person and avoid social and cultural events,” she said.

“Within this group of vaccine injured individuals, there is a diminishing cohort of people who have symptoms following immunisation, many of which are similar to Long Covid (such as fatigue and brain fog), but who have not had a Covid infection. These people would be an important subset or control group for studies looking into the pathophysiology, causes of and treatments for Long Covid. It is possible that there is at least some shared pathophysiology between vaccine injury and Long Covid, possibly due to the effects of spike protein.”

She added that “in trying to convince people in positions of influence to pay attention to the risks of Long Covid and reinfection for people with vaccine injury, I have personally been met with obstruction and resistance to openly discuss this issue”.

“There has been a delay in recognition of vaccine injury, partly because of under-reporting, concerns about vaccine hesitancy in the context of managing a global pandemic, and needing to find the balance between risks and benefits on a population level,” she said.

“Reactions were said to be ‘rare’ without data to confirm how common or otherwise these reactions were. In general practice I was seeing cases, which meant other GPs and specialists were seeing cases too. Without diagnostic tests, we have to rely largely on clinical history.”

In July this year, the independent OzSAGE group of which Dr Phelps is a member issued a position statement calling for better systems and management of Covid vaccine adverse events and “recognition of the impact of vaccine injury”.

Dr Phelps, who was heavily involved in crafting the statement, wrote in her submission that the OzSAGE document “outlines the scope but not the scale of the problem because we do not know the scale of the problem”.

“This is partly because of under-reporting and under-recognition,” she said.

According to the TGA’s most recent safety update, there have been a total of 137,141 adverse event reports from nearly 64.4 million doses — a rate of 0.2 per cent.

There have been 819 reports “assessed as likely to be myocarditis” from 49.8 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna. Fourteen deaths have officially been linked to vaccination — 13 after AstraZeneca and one after Pfizer.

But Dr Phelps pointed to data from Germany’s pharmacovigilance body, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), which has “undertaken ongoing surveys of vaccine recipients … as opposed to the TGA which only accepts passive reports, or AusVaxSafety whose survey stopped at six weeks”.

“They have found that the incidence of serious reactions occurs in 0.3 per 1000 shots (not people),” she said.

“Considering that the majority of Australian adults have now had at least one booster, this suggests that the incidence of serious adverse reactions per vaccinated person could be more than 1-in-1000. PEI admits that under-reporting is a problem, and observers suggest that an order of magnitude of under-reporting is not unreasonable to consider (most estimates put underreporting at much worse than this).”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17985921

File: f0a712a1dcf7a98⋯.jpg (144.05 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Brisbane_residents_queuing….jpg)

File: c253a9fb9cedef0⋯.jpg (61.24 KB, 1024x685, 1024:685, A_vial_labelled_Pfizer_COV….jpg)

File: 89656c4e6f8168a⋯.pdf (398.97 KB, 510_Prof_Kerryn_Phelps_AM.pdf)

>>17985918

3/3

Dr Phelps said there was concern some adverse events could “cause long-term illness and disability”, but data was limited because the “global focus has been on vaccinating as many people as quickly as possible with a novel vaccine for a novel coronavirus”.

“Because of this, all of the studies that have been published so far are either small, or case studies only,” she said.

“The burden of proof seems to have been placed on the vaccine injured rather than the neutral scientific position of placing suspicion on the vaccine in the absence of any other cause and the temporal correlation with the administration of the vaccine.”

She noted some countries had gathered significant databases of adverse events, ranging from allergy and anaphylaxis to cardiovascular, neurological, haematological and auto-immune reactions.

Despite the recognition of heart inflammation associated with the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, Dr Phelps said “even then, there has been a misconception that myocarditis is ‘mild’, ‘transient’ and ‘mostly in young males’, when there are many cases where myocarditis is manifestly not mild, not transient and not confined to the young male demographic”.

Dr Phelps said until there was acknowledgment and recognition of post-vaccination syndrome or vaccine injury, “there can be no progress in developing protocols for diagnosis and treatment and it is difficult to be included in research projects or treatment programs”.

“It has also meant a long and frustrating search for acknowledgment and an attempt at treatment for many individual patients,” she said.

“People who suffer Covid vaccine injury may present with a range of symptoms, and results of standard medical tests often come back normal. And like patients with Long Covid, they too are also asking the medical profession and public health systems for help.”

Earlier this year, Dr Rado Faletic — who previously spoke out about his battle with the TGA — launched Australian advocacy group Coverse to provide support and collect testimony from those suffering vaccine injuries.

AHPRA said in a statement that the regulator had “been clear in all of our guidance about Covid-19 vaccinations that we expect medical practitioners to use their professional judgement and the best available evidence in their practice”.

“This includes keeping up to date with public health advice from Commonwealth, state and territory authorities,” a spokeswoman said.

“Legitimate discussion and debate, based on science is appropriate and necessary to progress our understanding and knowledge. The [March 9, 2021 position] statement does not prevent practitioners from having these discussions.”

She added that as of June 2022, only 11 practitioners had been suspended “in relation to concerns raised about Covid-19”.

“The concerns raised about the practitioners related to the spreading of misinformation about Covid-19 or vaccination advice, including that the Covid-19 pandemic was fake, that the vaccination program was about government led mind control or in some instances representing that patients would develop cancer by having a vaccination administered,” she said.

The TGA has been contacted for comment.

Reached on Tuesday, Dr Phelps declined to comment further on the submission.

Dr Phelps, who remains a practising GP, was elected as the first female president of the AMA in 2000.

She was also a City of Sydney councillor from 2016 to 2021, and Deputy Lord Mayor under Clover Moore from 2016 to 2017.

In 2018, Dr Phelps ran as an independent candidate in the by-election for the eastern suburbs seat of Wentworth following the resignation of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, defeating Liberal Dave Sharma.

She spent less than a year in federal parliament, losing to Mr Sharma in a rematch in the May 2019 election.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/human-body/dr-kerryn-phelps-reveals-devastating-covid-vaccine-injury-says-doctors-have-been-censored/news-story/0c1fa02818c99a5ff65f5bf852a382cf

https://www.aph.gov.au/longandrepeatedcovid

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de6a9c  No.17990962

File: 16e65d84748718f⋯.jpg (75.98 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_Foreign_Affair….jpg)

File: dea3056d97ae964⋯.jpg (165.1 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australian_wool_boots_are_….jpg)

>>17980326

Chinese customs move may signal trade thaw for Australian lobster, pearls, Ugg boots and more

HEIDI HAN and GLENDA KORPORAAL - DECEMBER 21, 2022

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In a further sign of improving ties between Australia and China, Beijing’s powerful Customs Department has officially encouraged the buying of Australian lobsters, health products, Ugg boots and pearls.

The statements are in an article published on the social media accounts of the General Administration of Customs this week ahead of a key visit to Beijing by Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday, and could be the first sign the unofficial ban on Australian lobsters, which hit Australian producers hard in October 2020, could be about to be relaxed.

In the article, which discussed the potential advantages of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), China Customs listed a range of goods from Australia which it said were becoming attractive for Chinese consumers to buy under the agreement which came into force on January 1 this year.

“China has been Australia’s No. 1 trading partner for 13 consecutive years,” the article, published by the General Administration of Customs said.

“Australian lobster, sea cucumber, health products, wool boots and pearls are all products that are widely enjoyed by our consumers.”

It went on to introduce different types of Australian lobsters, pointing out that there was an immediate zero tariff under the RCEP.

But the problem with lobster sales to China was never about tariffs.

Australia’s exports of lobsters to China peaked at $750m in 2018-19 before the impact of Covid-19, representing 94 per cent of Australian lobster exports.

Exports were hit from early 2020 by Covid-19 shutdowns across China as the virus began spreading, closing restaurants, shops, and factories.

But the industry was shocked in late October 2020 to find its exports hit by complaints from Chinese customs that Australian lobsters could be contaminated by trace elements of metals and minerals.

The move saw hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of Australian lobsters in transit to China perish to the cost of Australian producers.

Extensive testing of Australian lobsters did not provide any evidence of the metals claimed by Chinese customs officials, but Australian producers began the expensive process of redirecting their exports to other markets and focusing more on the local market.

South Australian lobster fisherman, Andrew Ferguson, who lost $360,000 worth of lobsters which died at the international airport in Shanghai after they were unable to get through Chinese customs, welcomed the comments on the Customs Department website.

But he said Australian industry needed to be cautious about reports of any reopening of business between Australia and China given the events of the past three years.

“It sounds encouraging but we will have to wait and see,” he said.

“The past few years have cost us dearly as we have had to turn our business around.”

“We have had to be inventive and look for ways around the problem of losing the China market.”

The action against Australian lobsters came amid non-tariff action against Australian timber, beef and coal sales to China but with new tariffs on wine and barley killing two prosperous export markets.

Mr Ferguson said Australians needed to be careful about setting their sights on a reopening of the China market given the potential for politics to have a negative impact on trade in the future.

“What happens if everyone goes back to selling to China and some politician in the future says something wrong and the market shuts again?”

He said it would be “nice to know” if there was going to be any change in the market in China but he said he still had not forgotten the sickening feeling of waking up one morning to learn that his shipment of live lobsters to China could not enter the country because it had to be tested for “heavy metals.”

“Australia did all the testing for cadmium and heavy metals (in lobsters) and found that it was non existent,” he said. “We sent the results and never heard back.”

He said that his customers in China, most of which were in Shanghai, were very disappointed that they were not able to receive his lobsters, but he said they had since moved on to other businesses and no longer had import licences for lobsters.

He said he had built up his business with China over 20 years including many trips to the country before Covid-19 and developed strong ties with his customers.

“They were trusted partners in the supply chain. They always wanted our product.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17990964

File: 5e6319837ed23e9⋯.jpg (157.13 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Andrew_Ferguson_Managing_D….jpg)

File: f6798ab81fdee64⋯.jpg (306.58 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_action_against_Austral….jpg)

>>17990962

2/2

The Customs Department article also talked about the high “pharmaceutical” standard of Australian health products, which is overseen by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, noting the comparison with other countries where “health supplements are classified as food products”.

Companies such as Blackmores have had strong demand for their products in China in the past.

The article comes as Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong is due to meet her counterpart in China in Beijing on Wednesday to celebrate 50 years of Australia-China political relations.

Australia China Business Council president David Olsson, said the comments in the article were “very encouraging developments (which were) consistent with the desire expressed to ACBC members by Chinese importers and distributors for renewed access to premium Australian goods and services.”

He said they were also a “timely reminder of the emerging importance of RCEP, highlighting the opportunity for Australian exporters to use RCEP as a platform to manage trade relations with China.”

“RCEP is only a new agreement, and we’ll need to do more work to understand the gains it offers.”

“But we should pay attention to the fact that China already recognises its importance in kickstarting the post-pandemic economic recovery, and as a platform for re-engaging with Australia.”

Mr Olsson said the Australia-China business community was awaiting the outcome of the meeting in Beijing “with a sense of tempered expectation”

He said it was a “good sign” that the Australian Foreign Minister was invited to visit Beijing.

“We have also been encouraged by renewed interest we have received from China’s trade promotion body, CCPIT, for business round tables and delegations.”

The Business Council of Australia and ACBC are now planning a business delegation visit to China “as soon as travel conditions allow.”

“For most businesses, it’s been nearly three years since they were last able to visit China,” Mr Olsson said.

“There is a huge demand and need for Australian companies to visit their distributors and manufacturing sites, to reconnect with customers and to develop an informed assessment of the market opportunities.”

He said Chinese companies were also keen to reconnect with Australian exporters.

“Australian goods and services continue to be in demand,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/chinese-customs-move-may-signal-trade-thaw-for-australian-lobster-pearls-ugg-boots-and-more/news-story/d6e076e324f527de9b280378639c447d

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de6a9c  No.17990975

File: af5a9ee503b4a9c⋯.jpg (209.67 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Penny_Wong_meets_with_Aust….jpg)

File: ce12c3f8092c2a1⋯.jpg (215.71 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, It_was_6C_in_Beijing_on_We….jpg)

File: e7c28a384f2ac2d⋯.jpg (127.64 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Ms_Wong_s_trip_featured_on….jpg)

File: 2f2e7a0a0e415bb⋯.jpg (89.3 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, There_has_been_positive_me….jpg)

>>17980326

‘Ice thaws, but slowly’: inside Penny Wong’s historic China trip

CLARE ARMSTRONG - DECEMBER 21, 2022

“The ice thaws, but slowly,” observed Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Australia’s Ambassador to China Graham Fletcher as the pair walked around the Diaoyutai Gardens in Beijing.

Partially frozen ornamental man-made ponds and rivulets run throughout the more than 20 buildings of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse compound in Beijing’s Haidian District.

It’s a brisk -6C on Wednesday morning when Mr Fletcher and Ms Wong meet for a quick walk around the fenced off compound frequently used by the Chinese Government to host visiting dignitaries, including world leaders.

Australians based in the Beijing Embassy nearby confirm it’s normally colder by this late in December, but on this occasion the warm sun has melted patches of the frozen ponds and created large cracks in the ice.

Asked if she was “looking forward to breaking the ice” ahead of her meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Li later on Wednesday, Ms Wong’s observation about the slow-melting ponds was an apt description of Australia’s relationship with China.

Ms Wong has travelled to Beijing with a small Australian contingent, which included Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) secretary Jan Adams and about half a dozen other officials, in a Covid-19 “bubble”.

Mr Fletcher joined the Australian “bubble” in the compound on Tuesday night, along with several diplomats from the embassy in Beijing.

After a brief walk at the compound, Mr Fletcher briefed Ms Wong in a meeting room in one of the buildings.

The grounds of the compound are scattered with large old trees, with winding roads between the various hotel and conference room buildings.

There are nods to traditional Chinese architecture all around, with ornate gold dragons posed near street lamps, and various pergolas and decorative outdoor sitting areas mostly used in the warmer summer months.

Ms Wong’s trip featured on the front page of the China Daily paper on Tuesday with a story titled “hopes expressed for Australia FM visit”.

The state-run paper said China “expressed its hope” for ties with Australia to “return to the right track” and “develop in a sustainable manner”.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ming said China expected to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Australia as “an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and expand co-operation” while also “managing differences”.

“Bilateral ties had deteriorated for years due to a series of actions taken by the former Australian government, including offending China’s core interests, falsely accusing China of ‘infiltration’ and limiting Australia’s co-operation with China,” the China Daily article said.

On Wednesday the 50th anniversary and Ms Wong’s visit features prominently across Chinese-language and English media in China.

Most of the opinion articles are positive about Australia, with even the traditionally more adversarial and “wolf warrior” styled Global Times, which describes the anniversary as an opportunity with “pitfalls”.

The China Daily has a commemorative lift out, which includes advertorials from Tourism Australia, the government of South Australia and Risen Energy.

The lift out features stories on diplomatic relations, the opportunities for “mutual growth” in digital economy and infrastructure, and mining.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/ice-thaws-but-slowly-inside-penny-wongs-historic-china-trip/news-story/8e12423eb4e2007bd3275d2bb4b4131e

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de6a9c  No.17990982

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17980326

>>17985462

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will pay a visit to China on December 20 and 21.

SpokespersonCHN发言人办公室

Dec 19, 2022

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will pay a visit to China on December 20 and 21.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_qTYNnDEqA

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de6a9c  No.17990995

File: d3672755a00518b⋯.jpg (151.45 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Repairing_China_Australia_….jpg)

>>17980326

Repairing China-Australia ties helps ‘meet expectation’ of fixing trade ties, ‘pave way’ for easing China-US tension: expert

Yang Sheng and Zhang Changyue - Dec 20, 2022

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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s visit to China from Tuesday to Wednesday has given rise to great expectation from Australian business circle and the groups that hope recovery of the bilateral ties could boost economic recovery, with Chinese analysts saying China welcomes and encourages Australia to correct the mistakes made by the former government. China also said if Canberra keeps such attitude and shows sincerity through concrete actions, the trade ties could be fixed, stressing that the recovery of China-Australia relations could also pave way for the easing of tensions between China and the US.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said at a routine press conference on Tuesday that “We hope the Australian side can work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while shelving differences to bring the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership back onto the track of sound and steady development.”

Wong’s visit has raised hopes among Australian businesses who have placed great expectation on the recovery of damaged trade ties. According to the Financial Times, “The Business Council of Australia is in the early stages of preparing for a trade delegation to China should the Wong visit lead to a further easing of tensions.”

Companies with exposure to the country — such as airline Qantas and miners BHP and Rio Tinto — could visit if the Chinese government invites the delegation and the trip is approved by the Australian government, according to the report.

Chinese analysts said China and Australia share common interests and the two economies are highly complementary, so without negative impacts from the US strategy that eyes on containing China and extreme Sinophobia within the Oceanian country, there is no reason for Australia to have a bad relationship with China.

Therefore, as long as the Australian government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese can respect China’s core interests and stay away from China’s bottom line, and find a flexible and pragmatic way to handle the Australia-China ties and the Australia-US ties at the same time, the hope for fixing bilateral ties, including trade ties, could be realized, experts noted.

Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that the key reason why the bilateral ties have experienced nightmare in past few years is that the former government of Australia blindly followed US hostile strategy to contain, provoke and even confront China.

“Wong’s visit this time is helpful for the both sides to find where the obstacles are located and how to remove them, and then find the ways to bring exchanges and cooperation in different fields back on track,” Li said.

The China-Australia relationship should be based on autonomous and self-determined policymaking from the two sides, rather than the ties under the control of Washington, Li noted.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17990997

File: 303b4c022c6fd85⋯.jpg (55.16 KB, 800x480, 5:3, Australia_urged_to_take_su….jpg)

>>17990995

2/2

Setting example

But from a realistic perspective, some observers said, Australia has always been and will continue to be a US ally with very close strategic ties, and the China-Australia relations are just like a “dependent variable” that change with the China-US relations.

Fifty years ago, the establishment of China-Australia relations was realized on December 21, 1972, so it’s actually following the normalization of the China-US relations which took place in February 1972. And this time, the ice-breaking visit by Wong is also happening after the US sent senior officials to China to seek the stabilization of the China-US relations earlier this month.

Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that although the China-Australia ties are greatly impacted by the China-US relations, the Australian leaders could also find a way to better handle the relations with China and the US at the same time based on a more self-determined decision-making.

Australians can learn such wisdom from their history, Chen suggested. When Edward Gough Whitlam, Australian former prime minister and leader of the Labor Party visited China with the Labor Party delegation in 1971, he was still a leader of the opposition party rather than a prime minister, and this happened before the Richard Nixon’s visit in 1972 that normalized China-US ties. It was under Whitlam's leadership that Australia established formal diplomatic relations with China in 1972.

If the current Australian leaders and politicians can learn from Whitlam’s strategic insight and foresight over the China-Australia relations as well as the international relations, they will be able to find a way to stabilize and sustainably develop the bilateral relations, and even pave way for the recovery of the China-US relations, which is far more crucial for the world in turbulence, Chen noted.

A recovered China-Australia relationship will set a very meaningful example for countries like Canada, the UK, Japan and even the US to fix their ties or at least manage their differences with China, analysts said.

There is an existing example that proves that it’s possible to have close alliance with the US but also benefit from the ties with China at the same time – Australia’s close neighbor New Zealand, and observers suggested that Canberra can also be enlightened by Wellington’s pragmatic and independent diplomacy.

Chen said New Zealand takes a very special stance among the Five Eyes Alliance led by the US, as it’s not interested in participating in international strategic issues too much and has no ambition for influence and power in the region, while Australia is different.

Australia wants to be a key member within the US-led alliance that plays an important role in the Asia-Pacific region, so it has more frictions and problems with other countries in the region, such as China and Indonesia, and this basic situation won’t fundamentally change in the short term, Chen noted.

Meanwhile, Australian Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been appointed Australia’s next ambassador to the US, according to media reports on Tuesday. Rudd, who speaks fluent Putonghua, has written and spoken widely on foreign relations with China since he quit politics in 2013.

Chen said such appointment proved that Australia prioritized the issues related to China when dealing with its top ally the US, and that the Albanese administration is paying efforts to find a way to realize stable ties with the US and recover relations with China at the same time.

Although Australia culturally, ideologically and ethnically closer to North America and Europe, it’s located in the Asia-Pacific region, Chen said. “Therefore, Australia also believes it’s an Asian-Pacific country rather than a pure Western country. Australia’s ties with the regional countries like China and other ASEAN members will normally impact Australia’s interests more directly than its ties with the US,” he said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1282294.shtml

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de6a9c  No.17991001

File: e61aad39da2392e⋯.jpg (165.71 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, Australia_can_be_East_West….jpg)

>>17980326

GT Voice: Australia can be East-West bridge, not US pawn to contain China

Global Times - Dec 20, 2022

As most see Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's visit to China this week as an "ice-breaking" diplomatic activity, some in the West appear to still focus most of their emphasis on the trade disputes between the two countries. For instance, a Reuters report detailed on Monday how "Australia seeks to resolve China trade woes as foreign minister heads to Beijing."

Yet, efforts to lift China-Australia relations out of the current predicament cannot be limited to the perspective of resolving bilateral trade issues only. Even if there are some specific issues that cannot be resolved in the short term during the process of warming up bilateral relations, efforts in continuously moving forward the relationship remain worthwhile.

Trade is only one aspect of China-Australia relations, and the trade disputes between the two sides are rooted in the previous downward spiraling in bilateral ties. There will be no end to frustrations about bilateral economic and trade cooperation if the relationship between China and Australia continues to be stuck in deepfreeze. Only an overall thawing of bilateral relations can promote the recovery of bilateral economic and trade ties.

This may be why Wong's visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on Wednesday. The choice of the timing itself has sent a positive signal of warming relations between China and Australia.

Indeed, since Anthony Albanese took office as the Australian prime minister, there have been a series of positive signals indicating Australia's willingness to improve and develop its relations with China, which have apparently lifted market confidence, conducive to the development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether these positive signals will eventually translate into an overall improvement in China-Australia relations.

For a long time, Australia has claimed to act as a bridge between the East and the West, a positioning which is believed to help make it a winner in the Asian Century. In terms of its geographical location and its relationship with East Asian countries, there is no doubt that the positioning is in Australia's fundamental interests.

If Australia chooses to be a bridge, then it should not be a deputy to the US in containing China. The two roles contradict each other. This is because the positioning of the bridge has determined that the relationship with China that is in Australia's interests should be one of cooperation, not confrontation.

Yet, regrettably, over the last few years, Australia has been caught up in the US strategy and has served as a belligerent voice in provoking China on a series of issues. This has led to a number of problems in bilateral relations, including the trade issues. And the root cause is that Canberra has failed to adhere to its positioning of being a bridge between the East and the West.

Now it needs to be pointed out that for the Australian economy, there is growing urgency to further strengthen economic and trade ties with China, instead of trying to weaken these important links. The global economy is facing an increasingly gloomy outlook for the next 12 to 18 months, with a global downturn looking increasingly likely. Against this backdrop, the Australian economy is also facing pressure. Economists at ANZ Bank have just downgraded their Australian GDP forecast to 1.5 percent year-on-year by end-2023, from the previous prediction of 1.8 percent.

Meanwhile, the Chinese economy is expected to see a rebound in 2023 from the adverse effects of the epidemic after the optimization of the anti-COVID-19 measures. In this sense, whether Australia can deepen its cooperation with China or not will play a very crucial role in ensuring the stability of the Australian economy and its people's livelihood.

At present, there appears to be an effort by Australia to return to its positioning as a good faith partner, which is laudable. It is hoped that Canberra will continue the trend and become a true bridge for East-West engagement.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1282277.shtml

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de6a9c  No.17991015

File: dc8a4eb62dd7fb5⋯.jpg (106.94 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Democrat_senator_Mark_Warn….jpg)

File: 2868510154bae03⋯.jpg (187.42 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, US_welcomes_former_PM_Kevi….jpg)

>>17985540

US welcomes former PM Kevin Rudd’s China expertise

ADAM CREIGHTON - DECEMBER 20, 2022

Kevin Rudd’s appointment as the next ambassador to Washington, succeeding Arthur Sinodinos, has been broadly welcomed in the US capital on both sides of the political spectrum as an experienced foreign policy and China expert at a critical juncture in the Australia-US relationship.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong ended months of speculation in diplomatic circles on Tuesday, announcing former prime minister and foreign minister Dr Rudd would replace Mr Sinodinos early next year as Canberra’s top diplomat in Washington.

In a late-night tweet in Washington a few hours after the announcement in Canberra, leading Democrat senator Mark Warner, chair of the chamber’s powerful intelligence committee, said he was “thrilled to see his long-time friend answer the call to serve”. “His years of leadership & expertise on Asia policy will be crucial in reinforcing the partnership between our two nations – particularly during this time of increased strategic competition with China,” Senator Warner posted.

Republican congressman Mike Gallagher, co-chair of the Friends of Australia caucus and chair-elect of the forthcoming select committee on China, said Mr Sinodinos had been a “great friend to America and played an important role in advancing the US-Australian alliance”. “I look forward to welcoming Kevin Rudd to the US and working with him to strengthen deterrence and advance our shared values throughout the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” he told The Australian.

Dr Rudd, who has lived in New York City for years as president of the Asia Society think tank, has become more critical of Beijing since leaving government, giving speeches and penning articles warning the US and Australia were on a collision course for war with China over Taiwan unless the West could deter the CCP’s expansionist designs.

Former Liberal senator Mr Sinodinos, due to return to Australia early next year, said he “welcomed” Dr Rudd’s appointment.

“The relationship is going from strength to strength at a very consequential time, and I wish him all the best,” he told The Australian.

Former treasurer Joe Hockey said he would “do everything” he could “to support Kevin Rudd in his new role”. “He brings very senior diplomatic experience and it’s an added benefit that he has lived for so long in New York,” he said, adding the two nations “had never had stronger representation than a former PM and a Kennedy”.

Democrat powerbroker Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the assassinated president, arrived in July as President’s Joe Biden’s top envoy to Canberra.

Top of Dr Rudd’s agenda will be shepherding the AUKUS security pact, a three-way agreement between Australia, the US and UK that envisages Australia having eight nuclear-powered submarines by the late 2030s, to fruition.

Richard Fontaine, a former foreign policy adviser for the late Republican senator John McCain, and director of the influential Centre for New American Security, said Dr Rudd would be welcomed “with open arms”.

“In light of China’s relevance to the Australia-US relationship, his experience and expertise there will be a major plus. His appointment signals the importance Canberra places on ties to Washington,” he told The Australian.

Charles Edel, Australia chair at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said Dr Rudd “knew the central players in the administration well”.

“Having a former PM serve as ambassador is, I believe, an unprecedented choice and certainly marks this appointment as unique,” he told The Australian.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/us-welcomes-former-pm-kevin-rudds-china-expertise/news-story/9db6da8716589cedb70fd12c72538cf3

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de6a9c  No.17991052

File: 1da9f16d775f251⋯.jpg (99.58 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Kevin_Rudd_at_his_Brisbane….jpg)

File: a361fa10e82582e⋯.jpg (147.95 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Anthony_Albanese_had_previ….jpg)

File: f2637eecf057a9e⋯.jpg (446.88 KB, 1280x1216, 20:19, An_inspired_choice_or_just….jpg)

>>17985540

>>17985668

Albanese’s captain’s pick: An inspired choice or just Ruddy risky?

GEOFF CHAMBERS and BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 20, 2022

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Kevin Rudd faces a cautious reception from the Biden administration over his criticism of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and a potential backlash from Republicans for his attacks on Donald Trump when he arrives in Washington as Australia’s US ambassador early next year.

Anthony Albanese’s captain’s pick – announced on Tuesday despite the prime minister rejecting pre-election speculation of Dr Rudd’s appointment as “complete nonsense” – was described by senior foreign policy experts as “risky”.

Mr Albanese, a long-time Rudd ally who served him briefly as deputy prime minister ahead of the 2013 election, said his former colleague brought “unmatched experience” to the role.

He brushed away questions over concerns about Dr Rudd acting as a second foreign minister, descriptions of the 65-year-old by senior Labor colleagues as a “psychopath, micromanager and control freak”, and his public criticism of Mr Trump.

“My expectations are very clear, that Kevin Rudd will be an outstanding Australian representative in Washington and that he will conduct himself in a way that brings great credit to Australia,” Mr Albanese said.

Standing alongside Foreign Minister and former Rudd critic Penny Wong, Mr Albanese said the US would welcome the “very significant appointment” of a former prime minister.

“I am very pleased that Kevin Rudd is prepared to do this. He certainly doesn’t need to do this. He’s doing it out of a part of what he sees as his service obligation to the country that he loves,” he said.

Dr Rudd, who in October declared he had “zero plans” to leave his New York-based million-dollar job as head of the Asia Society, will replace outgoing ambassador Arthur Sinodinos in March.

The Australian understands Dr Rudd’s appointment was privately raised with US officials, who had wanted a “status appointment” matching its decision to send Caroline Kennedy to Canberra.

While some US officials are expected to be wary of Dr Rudd, they have endorsed his appointment to ensure a “direct line” to Mr Albanese.

However, concerns have been raised about Dr Rudd’s commitment to the AUKUS pact and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

After AUKUS was announced in September last year, Dr Rudd said “France … is right to be outraged at how it has been dumped as our submarine supplier”.

“And US President Joe Biden is under attack in America for excluding Paris and Ottawa from the new, so-called AUKUS defence technology agreement between Australia, Britain and the US, which in the eyes of the world looks a little like the return of the Raj,” Dr Rudd said.

Dr Rudd, who will arrive in Washington around the same time as the government decides whether to adopt US or British nuclear submarine technology, had also raised concerns about operational issues given Australia lacked a civil nuclear industry.

As senior Coalition figures privately lashed the political appointment and Dr Rudd’s position on AUKUS, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Dr Rudd must represent “Australia’s interests”.

“The next few years in the Australia – America relationship are as important as any in recent times, as we work together to deliver upon the AUKUS partnership and respond to the strategic challenges of our times. They will require discipline, sensitivity and drive,” Senator Birmingham said.

“AUKUS is essential to our national security interests and will be a most challenging undertaking. That will require the unqualified support and attention of our ambassador.”

Dr Rudd on Tuesday said: “Australia currently faces its most challenging security and diplomatic environment for many decades”.

“Our national interest continues to be served, as it has for decades past, by the deepest and most effective strategic engagement of the United States in our region,” Dr Rudd said.

“Over the past decade, I have had the pleasure of building relationships with Republicans and Democrats across politics, and have developed close personal ties with American business, civil society and the media.

“I will of course comply fully with all DFAT and APS guidelines to ensure any institutional associations I retain are consistent with my obligations as ambassador.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17991056

File: 43b0960958b429a⋯.jpg (159.79 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Kevin_Rudd_took_on_George_….jpg)

File: 0e8907e5e59e617⋯.jpg (487.21 KB, 825x941, 825:941, KR_15.jpg)

>>17985540

>>17991052

2/2

Dr Rudd, who joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1981 before entering politics, is expected to receive a deputy secretary level remuneration package of $400,000 to $500,000.

A former senior Labor minister said, unlike when he was in office, Dr Rudd would “only drive several hundred people insane” in Australia’s Washington embassy.

“We don’t have fraught foreign affairs with the United States. He can’t start a war. The Department of Foreign Affairs will clean up most of his messes. And you know, he’ll call people in Washington who matter to Australia ‘c*nts’. And we’ll get over it. Our democracy will continue and our alliance with the United States will survive.”

A senior foreign policy observer said “the thing about Rudd is he has a first-class intellect, but a second-class temperament … everyone in the bureaucracy is having flashbacks”, while a diplomatic source said “I imagine the number of (DFAT) applications for Washington will plummet”.

Another insider with ties to the US said elements in the Republican Party would be “dubious” of Dr Rudd, who had a frosty relationship with George W. Bush after details of a phone conversation were leaked in 2008. Dr Rudd has also attacked Mr Trump – who announced last month he would run in 2024 – as the “most destructive president in history”.

“He’s been very critical of Trump. His criticism of AUKUS also means there will be question marks from some quarters. It’s a risk by the government. Albanese probably felt if Rudd really wanted it, it would’ve been very difficult for him to refuse,” the source said.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who in 2016 refused to nominate Dr Rudd for United Nations secretary-general because he had “poor interpersonal skills” and “temperament”, on Tuesday praised his “great appointment”.

Former Reserve Bank board member and AustralianSuper chair Heather Ridout, who has close ties to Labor, was appointed Australia’s new consul-general in New York, while veteran diplomat Ralph King has been tasked with repairing relations with Israel after the Albanese government overturned Scott Morrison’s recognition of West Jerusalem.

Former US ambassador Dennis Richardson, who held the post between 2005 and 2010, said many Australians’ opinions were “understandably formed by their views relating to domestic matters”.

“He is highly regarded internationally. A lot of people in Australia don’t quite understand how highly regarded he is internationally,” Mr Richardson said.

Mr Richardson, Australia’s top diplomat in Washington during Dr Rudd’s first stint as prime minister, said as a former DFAT official “he’ll obviously be very conscious of the need to represent government policy and I think he will exercise that discipline well”.

Former treasurer and ambassador Joe Hockey said Dr Rudd had a direct line to the prime minister and the “bravado (to) smash down closed doors”.

Ms Kennedy, who arrived in Canberra in July, said Dr Rudd’s nomination would “further strengthen the US-Australia alliance” and she looked forward to “working closely with him to advance our shared values”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/an-inspired-choice-or-just-ruddy-risky/news-story/71d284735a2d287eb7953ed074e73099

Kevin Rudd Tweet

Donald Trump is a traitor to the West. Murdoch was Trump’s biggest backer. And Murdoch’s Fox Television backs Putin too. What rancid treachery.

https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1497863031497564161

https://archive.ph/gbMyl

Trump defends praise of Putin, makes strongest hint yet of a run for president in 2024

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/02/26/trump-2024/

>Define 'Projection'

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de6a9c  No.17991061

File: 5098dea100c8b3d⋯.jpg (81.14 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Bruce_Lehrmann_has_outline….jpg)

File: 6b8ff8debec4e34⋯.jpg (154.74 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Brittany_Higgins.jpg)

File: 0b196ec1bde5496⋯.jpg (81.26 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, ACT_Director_of_Public_Pro….jpg)

>>17858006

Bruce Lehrmann asks Bar Association to investigate alleged misconduct by prosecutor

JANET ALBRECHTSEN and STEPHEN RICE - DECEMBER 21, 2022

Bruce Lehrmann has personally written to the ACT Bar Association with a letter of complaint outlining several elements of serious misconduct he alleges against ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC, The Australian understands.

A source close to Mr Lehrmann told The Australian that he would also welcome the opportunity to assist the newly-announced board of inquiry into the case in giving evidence at a public hearing into the actions and behaviour of the DPP as well as the conduct of the AFP during his interactions with them.

Mr Lehrmann’s lawyer, Steve Whybrow SC, said: “We welcome an inquiry and hope the terms of reference will extend to an examination of all aspects of this matter, including decisions not to prosecute various individuals and the efforts taken by the DPP to ensure a fair trial.”

The Australian understands Mr Lehrmann’s defence team is keen for the inquiry to examine whether pressure was applied not to prosecute Ms Higgins for contempt over remarks she made outside the court, following the collapse of the case due to juror misconduct.

Ms Higgins’ statements comparing her treatment with the accused’s right to silence were referred by the defence to police for possible contempt of court.

The defence team also wants the inquiry to investigate any pressure not to prosecute some journalists, including TV presenter Lisa Wilkinson for comments she made during a Logies acceptance speech.

Ms Wilkinson’s speech referenced Brittany Higgins despite being warned by prosecutors that publicity about the former political staffer’s allegations of rape could lead to the trial being delayed.

ACT Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucy McCallum postponed the trial by several months as a result, “regrettably and with gritted teeth,” in order to ensure a fair trial.

“Notwithstanding that clear and appropriate warning, upon receiving the award Ms Wilkinson gave a speech in which she openly referred to and praised the complainant in the present trial,” McCallum said.

The ACT government has announced it will hold an inquiry into the trial of Bruce Lehrmann, accused of raping Brittany Higgins, that will investigate the conduct of the prosecution, the defence and police.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr and ACT Police Minister Shane Rattenbury said in a joint statement the inquiry would ensure the ACT justice system was robust and fair after both parties made allegations.

“The allegations made in recent weeks are serious. An independent review of the roles played by the criminal justice agencies involved is the most appropriate response.”

Allegations of misconduct around the case have already been referred to the Australian Law Enforcement Integrity Commission following revelations by The Australian that police ­had believed there was in­sufficient evidence to prosecute Mr Lehrmann but could not stop the DPP from doing so because “there is too much political ­interference” and counter claims by Mr Drumgold of “inappropriate interference” in the case by police.

Ms Higgins shared a screenshot of a report on her Instagram story with the comment “sunlight is the best disinfectant”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/bruce-lehrmann-asks-bar-association-to-investigate-alleged-misconduct-by-prosecutor/news-story/e0972eb7811a49c45ff4b3fd5986cc54

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de6a9c  No.17991078

File: 26f712a29e55d41⋯.jpg (168.4 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Police_colleagues_arrive_w….jpg)

File: 79d7edb92e17807⋯.jpg (237.42 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Police_arrive_for_the_memo….jpg)

File: 5bde5941daa7b0f⋯.jpg (104.01 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Constable_Rachel_McCrow_26….jpg)

>>17933898

Wieambilla murders: Thousands of police gather to farewell constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold

SARAH ELKS and GEORGIA CLELLAND - DECEMBER 21, 2022

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Thousands of police officers have formed a sombre guard of honour to farewell slain constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, after the pair were remembered as bright, adored and courageous young people who ran towards danger to protect the community.

Nearly 8000 people – including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – packed the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for the memorial service, with full police honours, before an honour guard stretching one kilometre lined the streets outside.

Thousands of attendees then moved outside in solemn silence to form a guard of honour.

Uniformed officers formed the first row of the guard of honour, with dignitaries including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, respectfully standing in the second and third rows.

The guard of honour was led by a cavalcade of motorcycle officers, followed by Queensland Police Pipes & Drums and mounted police.

Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold were murdered in an ambush at a remote property at Wieambilla, 290km west of Brisbane, last Monday.

Both had been police officers for only a tragically short period of time; Arnold graduated from the police academy at Oxley in Brisbane in March 2020, and McCrow from the Townsville academy in June last year.

Rachel McCrow’s mother Judy, her sister Samantha, and her beloved cattle dog Archibald sat in the front row of the memorial, as she was remembered as a superstar schoolgirl swimmer – who wanted a waterproof cast when she broke her arm as a teenager so she could keep training – and a loyal friend who loved a prank and a meme.

Matthew Arnold’s parents, Sue and Terry, and his siblings – he was the oldest by minutes in a closeknit set of triplets – James and Hayley listened as Matthew was described as a charismatic and charming leader with a fabulous smile, who was a big brother to all who knew him.

The families will hold private funerals after the public memorial.

At Wednesday’s moving service, Constable Arnold was remembered as a “big man, with an even bigger heart.”

Close family friend Senior Sergeant Laura Harriss, delivered a eulogy on behalf of Constable Arnold’s parents, telling mourner that “police were a second family to Matt”.

Constable Arnold, the eldest sibling by minutes in a close-knit set of triplets, got through high school using charisma, charm and a fabulous smile, Senior Sergeant Harriss told the memorial.

“Matt, you deserved so much more from the public you lived to protect,” she said.

In Year 12, Matthew Arnold wrote to his parents: “I may be gone someday, soon perhaps, but just know I will never leave you”.

“I will cherish every moment we’ve had together in my heart together”.

‘Rachel could light up a room’

In a tearful tribute, Senior Constable Melissa Gibson said “family was everything to Rach” and said she would be haunted for life for not being there in Constable Rachel McCrow’s final moments.

“She was one of a kind, she could simply light up any room on the darkest of days,” with her smile and “pearly white teeth,” Senior Constable Gibson said.

“(Rachel was a) cheeky larrikin who loved a laugh, loved a prank, and loved a good meme” often at her mates’ expense.

Senior Constable Gibson paid special tribute to “Rachel’s brothers in blue” who showed enormous courage to go into danger to retrieve her, “to not leave her behind”.

She said she was so proud of the “courage you displayed in your final moments”.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you in the moments you needed me the most, that’s something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Constable Gibson ended her emotional eulogy with a quote from Winnie the Pooh.

“How lucky are we to have someone that makes saying goodbye so hard.” she said.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17991081

File: 3bc9e20a43aa9d5⋯.jpg (106.83 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Mourners_arrive_for_the_se….jpg)

File: 0116d4c8a158b67⋯.jpg (143.2 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Surviving_Constable_Keely_….jpg)

File: bc688e17828de91⋯.jpg (160.57 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Police_form_a_guard_of_hon….jpg)

>>17991078

2/3

Constable Freddy Hartigan said he had been a loving friend of Rachel McCrow’s since they started at the Townsville police academy together in January 2021, before she marched out as a sworn police officer in June of that year.

Constable Hartigan remembered his mate “Rach” as a fitness-obsessed, volunteer-minded friend, who loved a wrestle.

“You were the police officer that the world now so loudly demands. A copper who deals in fairness, respect and love … a copper who deeply cares (with) a strong sense of justice.”

Constable Hartigan said friends had come from Cape York, Cairns, and across the state to farewell her. He also addressed Rachel’s mother Judy and sister Samantha, describing it as the greatest honour of his life to speak about his friend. Rachel’s father Wayne was watching via videolink from NSW.

“Rach, you were the linchpin holding our eccentric group of recruits together … the absolute goof that we loved,” Constable Hartigan said.

“For every drop of sweat Rach put in for herself, she genuinely would put 10 in for the team” he said.

“Rachel organised group runs and early morning beep tests for those that were struggling with their fitness.

“She volunteered as a driving instructor, volunteered at a charity swim for multiple sclerosis research and volunteered selling raffle tickets at the Cowboys house boarding school parading around Cowboys Stadium like an absolute fool”.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk paid tribute to constables McCrow and Arnold for “running towards danger” and for being “so completely determined to help, to be a force for good”.

“There are no words that can heal this awful grief and crushing loss which is why we come together today.

“Families, friends, colleagues, even strangers from the smallest communities where Matthew and Rachel served to our biggest cities, even around the world, we recognise and appreciate the everyday heroism of our police in this sea of blue on an ocean of tears across our state and around our country.

“We will shoulder this burden together, we will rededicate ourselves to their example of there being far more good than there is evil”.

She said they were not alone, naming their two colleagues Keely Brough and Randall Kirk who survived the attack, good Samaritan neighbour Alan Dare, who was murdered, 16 general duties police from surrounding districts and SERT officers who responded.

“All of them running towards danger …(representing the) every day heroism of our police,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Any of us would probably say there are limits on what we can ask of each other friends and families, we are too busy to see communities we no longer feel part of a world so full of anger, division and ugliness that sometimes we barely recognise it” she said.

“And then there are people like Rachel and Matthew to remind us all that those thoughts are wrong.

“Rachel and Matthew were so completely determined to help to be a force for good. They dedicated their lives to it, and they are not alone, Keely and Randall they’re exactly the same.”

Police chaplain Jeffrey Baills said the murderous ambush that happened on December 12 was “abhorrent,” “evil” and “un-Australian”.

Mr Baills urged police across the state to grieve, to lean on their families, and to ask for help if they needed it.

“We have had a major attack on the police in Queensland … but we will not be broken, we will stand shoulder to shoulder in our honour guard after this service,” he said.

“We will tomorrow turn up to our shift, and stand shoulder to shoulder again ….to keep Queensland safe.”

“Today we honour Constable Rachel McCrow and Constable Matthew Arnold … they were extraordinary individuals. All who knew them are so proud and so sad.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17991085

File: da41221f4f55407⋯.jpg (101.23 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Prime_Minister_Anthony_Alb….jpg)

File: 9eae093ccebfea3⋯.jpg (81.95 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Opposition_Leader_Peter_Du….jpg)

File: 7086bd5fbdb0432⋯.jpg (122.89 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Queensland_Police_officers….jpg)

File: ae29c887d346d79⋯.jpg (124.31 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, A_Western_Downs_resident_b….jpg)

>>17991081

3/3

Mr Baills said he had been inspired by the bravery of Alan Dare, the good Samaritan neighbour who came to help and was killed, as an example of the goodness in the community.

He said Rachel and Matthew were “just doing their job” on the day they were killed, and now their families paid the price.

“The heroism, the courage, the service, the professionalism above self our officers demonstrated was incredible,” he said.

“While we grieve today, we will not be broken.”

Mr Baills said it was appropriate the pair was farewelled together.

“Matthew and Rachel are side-by-side today, they are worthy of equal honours. They worked together, they served the community together, and sadly they died together on the 12th of December,” Mr Baills said.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll posthumously awarded the Constable Arnold and Constable McCrow two national-level medals, approved by the Governor-General, as well as the Queensland Police Service Medal.

She also awarded them the Queensland Police valour medal, the service’s highest honour in recognition of their extraordinary bravery.

“Matthew and Rachel were colleagues and friends who have been taken from us far too soon,” Commissioner Carroll said.

“Their passing is a tragic loss. (We) have lost two exceptional police officers.”

Thousands of mourners stood for the police ode, read by Senior Constable Andrew Gates, also a pallbearer for Constable Matthew Arnold.

“As the sun surely sets, dawn will see it arise,” he said.

“For service above self, demands its own prize.”

“You have fought the good fight, life’s race has been run.”

“And peace your reward, for eternity begun.”

“And we that are left shall never forget.”

“Rest in peace friend and colleague for the sun has now set.”

“We will remember.”

In response, the mourners said: “We will remember. Hasten the dawn.”

Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, Western Downs Mayor Paul McVeigh, Queensland parliamentary speaker Curtis Pitt, as well as representatives of the NYPD, the FBI and the New Zealand police were also in attendance.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton (himself a former Queensland police officer), Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, state Opposition leader David Crisafulli and Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll joined the mourners, as well as police commissioners from other states.

The slain constables’ caskets were draped in flags, adorned with flowers, and each with a police hat sitting on top.

As the service ended, a flag party led the procession out of the auditorium.

Constable Rachel McCrow’s casket was carried out by pallbearers Constable Freddy Hartigan, Senior Constable Melissa Gibson, Senior Constable Jake Buccholz, Constable Conor Larkin, Constable Nathan Forster and Constable Grant Coldstream.

Constable Matthew Arnold’s casket was carried out by pallbearers Senior Constable Bradley Davidson, Senior Constable Metthew Minz, Constable Courtney Briese, Constable Craig Loveland, Senior Constable Andrew Gates and Senior Constable Trent Parsons.

During the guard of honour, PolAir choppers also performed a flyover.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/wieambilla-murders-thousands-of-police-gather-to-farewell-slain-colleagues/news-story/dfeff232957dbeea5379560208752cf2

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de6a9c  No.17991094

File: ada1da1862e21d4⋯.mp4 (13.72 MB, 960x540, 16:9, AFP_Detective_Superintende….mp4)

File: f133890739f859b⋯.jpg (110.11 KB, 768x1023, 256:341, Cameron_Robert_Bowen.jpg)

SA court jails Instagram child-sex predator Cameron Robert Bowen for more than 15 years for stalking, grooming and abuse

A pedophile who preyed upon vulnerable LGBT children through the internet will serve one of the longest sex abuse sentences in state history.

Sean Fewster - December 21, 2022

For a number of years and beneath dozens of digital masks, Cameron Robert Bowen pursued, harassed, intimidated and threatened vulnerable children for sex.

But even after admitting he had preyed on the LGBT community through Instagram and Facebook, Bowen refused to accept he is a pedophile.

On Wednesday, the District Court said that denial eroded Bowen’s claims of remorse – and warranted one of the state’s longest sentences for child sex crimes.

Judge Geraldine Davison jailed Bowen for 15 years, with an 8 1/2-year non-parole period – saying he would have served more than 20 years if not for his confessions.

“Your offending demonstrated not just an unlawful sexual interest in relation to children but also displayed a cruel disregard for their welfare,” she said.

“Your conduct (toward them) was, at times, depraved and sadistic.

“Your prospects of rehabilitation are likely to remain poor as long as you remain in denial about your offending conduct and lack insight into your pedophilic proclivities.”

As she spoke, Bowen – appearing in court by video link from prison – shook his head in apparent disagreement.

Bowen, 32, of Salisbury, made legal history by pleading guilty to having maintained an unlawful sexual relationship despite having never met his victim in person.

His confession has set a national precedent for the prosecution and punishment of online child sex predators, exposing them to a maximum life sentence.

That crime, like all of Bowen’s 21 offences, arose from his time under the tutelage of Australia’s worst-ever child sex offender, former RAAF Sergeant Jacob Donald Walsh.

Earlier this month, one of Bowen’s victims told the court his seduction, psychological isolation and sexual grooming had left her with permanent mental health issues.

In sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Davison said Bowen solicited images from children and swapped them with other online pedophiles.

She said he had, at times, feted his victims with presents, included engagement rings, toys and roses.

He had also threatened them, promising to release indecent photos of them – or worse – if they did not provide him with more child exploitation material.

“You threatened one victim that, if she did not (comply) you would start rumours (and) she would be ‘gang-raped by all the guys in town’ … she was 14,” she said.

Bowen’s collection of child abuse material, she said, spanned hundreds of videos and images depicting children as young as two years old.

“The internet is there as a mechanism through which children can be manipulated and even exploited for the gratification of offenders,” she said.

“These images remain in cyberspace, resulting in further exploitation and degradation of these children.”

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-sa/sa-court-jails-instagram-childsex-predator-cameron-robert-bowen-for-more-than-15-years-for-stalking-grooming-and-abuse/news-story/28dacb91884e40135d3e994cccdfa3d5

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de6a9c  No.17991102

File: a7b3ce1195d55cc⋯.mp4 (15.64 MB, 960x540, 16:9, Hillsong_founder_talks_abo….mp4)

>>17879103

Brian Houston denies downplaying father's abuse in Hillsong sermon

Heath Parkes-Hupton - 21 December 2022

Hillsong founder Brian Houston has told a court he was not trying to "fool" the congregation by referring to his father's sexual abuse of a child as only a "very serious moral accusation".

Mr Houston told the Downing Centre Local Court he "never tried to conceal" Frank Houston's molestation of a young boy in Sydney's east during the 1970s.

The younger Houston, 68, has pleaded not guilty to concealing his late father's crime, and is this week giving evidence before a special fixture hearing.

Today, he was pressed on a sermon given to 1,500 worshippers at Hillsong in March 2002, in which Mr Houston referenced issues surrounding Frank Houston.

It was delivered more than two years after Houston senior confessed to his son that he abused a boy and was stood down by the church in late 1999, the court has heard.

The confession was never reported to police, Mr Houston claims, at the request of the victim, identified in court as Brett Sengstock.

Crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison put to Brian Houston he was toeing the line of church executives when telling the crowd his father was the subject of a "very serious moral accusation".

"You were covering up as best you could," he suggested to Mr Houston.

"No, that's not right," the evangelist replied.

Mr Harrison suggested he was "trying to fool" the congregation and chose words to downplay the true nature of his father's crime.

"I was telling the congregation that I thought it was very serious," Mr Houston said.

He denied being deliberately vague in saying his father "made certain confessions about issues", and that he was defending him by declaring his dad "still loves God".

"I gave the announcement I thought, at the time, I needed to give," Mr Houston said.

Mr Houston refuted that he lied when telling the crowd the offence "didn't come to light until after my father had resigned".

He said Frank Houston passed on leadership of the Sydney Christian Life Centre to him in May 1999, before the allegations were known to church leaders.

His father was stripped of pastor credentials after confessing in November 1999, and died in 2004.

It was also put to Brian Houston he had attempted to convince people the incident took place in the family's homeland of New Zealand, in part to distance Hillsong from the abuse.

An article published in the early 2000s, after an interview with Mr Houston, said he was dealing with his father's abuse of "a child in New Zealand".

He told the court the journalist had jumped to conclusions after he had said the incident happened "while my father was a pastor in New Zealand".

The court has heard Frank Houston abused Mr Sengstock during a trip to Australia, and later moved to Sydney.

Mr Harrison put to the former Hillsong boss that he made a number of public statements aimed to "minimise the seriousness of what your father had done" over the years.

"You were not telling … the truth about [what] your father had done?

Mr Houston replied: "I disagree".

After three days on the stand, Mr Houston finished giving evidence on Wednesday afternoon.

The hearing has been adjourned to June 15, 2023, for closing submissions.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-21/brian-houston-denies-downplaying-fathers-child-abuse/101797088

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de6a9c  No.17991108

File: 014d55e69a45f16⋯.jpg (83.66 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Dr_Kerryn_Phelps_says_test….jpg)

>>17985916

‘Not anti-vaxxers’: Dr Kerryn Phelps says she suffered COVID vaccine injury, calls for more research

Rachel Clun - December 20, 2022

1/2

Former federal MP Dr Kerryn Phelps says she and her partner experienced vaccine injury, calling for tests for long COVID and vaccine injuries as well as more research on the long-term harms of the coronavirus and immunisation side effects.

Phelps said that until there were vaccines that prevented transmission, stronger public health messaging and measures were imperative to protect the vulnerable – including those with existing health conditions and people who could not have the vaccine.

In a submission to an ongoing parliamentary inquiry on long COVID Phelps said she and her wife had both been injured after receiving COVID vaccinations.

She said her wife, Jackie Stricker-Phelps, suffered long-term symptoms including ongoing nerve pain and fatigue following her first injection, while Phelps herself experienced symptoms including breathlessness and irregular blood pressure following her second shot.

In an interview, the former Australian Medical Association president and medical practitioner said more research was vital to understanding both the disease and vaccine injury as the pandemic continues.

“People who have vaccine injuries are not anti-vaxxers, because they have turned up to have vaccines. They’re wanting to protect themselves against the serious consequences of COVID,” she said.

The Australian government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration website says vaccination against COVID-19 is the most effective way to reduce deaths and severe illness from infection and that the protective benefits of vaccination “far outweigh” the potential risks.

It says COVID-19 vaccines, like all medicines, may cause some side effects including injection-site reactions, headache, muscle pain, fever and chills, and it is monitoring and reviewing reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination, particularly in younger age groups.

There were nearly 111,700 COVID cases reported in the week to December 13, an average of nearly 16,000 cases a day. The number of hospitalisations rose by 8.9 per cent in the same week to a seven-day rolling average of nearly 3300.

Phelps said a “significant number” of people were suffering with long COVID and it was clear that reinfection was a serious risk factor. In her submission, she pointed to World Health Organisation estimates that between 10 and 20 per cent of people who contract COVID were left with lasting symptoms.

“We are facing a catastrophic toll of disability due to long COVID with broad implications for families, community, the health system, the workforce, the economy and all levels of government,” she said in her submission.

“People who are suffering from long COVID, people who are medically vulnerable despite vaccination and people who are unable to have further vaccines are bearing an unfair burden of the pandemic as it is allowed to spread through the community in the absence of effective public health measures.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17991112

File: f76cfe06f472eae⋯.jpg (196.09 KB, 1024x576, 16:9, Kerryn_Phelps_and_Jackie_S….jpg)

>>17991108

2/2

Phelps said the ongoing pandemic response could not be a vaccine-only approach, and needed to include better ventilation at schools, a zero transmission approach for hospitals, mandatory isolation periods, access to better masks, and improved public health messaging.

Nearly three years since the first case of COVID was detected in Australia, Phelps said the recognition of long COVID was still emerging and the understanding around vaccine injuries would also take time to emerge.

She noted in her submission that for many vaccine-injured people, the symptoms were similar to long COVID, including brain fog and fatigue.

“These people would be an important subset or control group for studies looking into the pathophysiology, causes of and treatments for long COVID,” she wrote.

In the interview, Phelps said working out how to treat people suffering the long-term implications of long COVID and vaccine injury was vital.

“One of the things that we need to do is to make sure that we get tests, we haven’t got specific investigations, which will say this is the long COVID test, or this is the vaccine injury test,” she said.

More than 64 million vaccine doses have been administered across the country, as of November 16, and since December 2021 people injured by one have been able to make a claim for compensation through the vaccine claims scheme.

A Services Australia spokesperson said as of November 23, the department has received 3100 applications, and 79 have been approved for claims totalling $3.9 million.

“The assessment process can be complex, and claims may also be reviewed independently by medical and other appropriately qualified experts,” the spokesperson said.

Phelps’ submission was number 510 of 531 to the parliamentary health committee’s inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections, chaired by Labor’s Dr Mike Freelander. Phelps said the inquiry was a “real opportunity” for an informed conversation about planning for the future with the coronavirus.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/not-anti-vaxxers-dr-kerryn-phelps-says-she-suffered-covid-vaccine-injury-calls-for-more-research-20221220-p5c7ry.html

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de6a9c  No.17991120

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17985916

Top doctor says she suffered COVID-19 vaccine injury

9 News Australia

21 December 2022

Dr Kerryn Phelps is calling for more research into COVID-19 vaccines after she says she experienced a vaccine injury.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRiDgasJDNs

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de6a9c  No.17996539

File: f8c5243ed32966d⋯.jpg (142.77 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Australian_Foreign_Ministe….jpg)

File: c54578664e98d24⋯.jpg (147.29 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Penny_Wong_was_presented_w….jpg)

File: 8ba246f92eca96c⋯.jpg (123.46 KB, 1023x682, 3:2, Foreign_Minister_Penny_Won….jpg)

>>17980326

‘Very different countries’: Wong bridges great divide in high-stakes Beijing meeting

Matthew Knott and Clare Armstrong - December 21, 2022

1/2

Beijing: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised sensitive issues of trade blockages and human rights during her high-stakes meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in a historic dialogue that paves the way for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to consider visiting Beijing next year.

In her opening remarks before the meeting began, Wong said she would like to discuss “several issues of importance for Australia, which include consular matters, trade and economic matters, trade blockages, human rights and the global laws and rules that underpin our security and our concern”.

The meeting produced no concrete public breakthroughs but flagged progress on trade as Australia attempts to negotiate a way out of sanctions that have hit half a dozen industries.

“There was a discussion about opportunities for further dialogue to work through how we might do what is in the best interest of both countries and certainly in terms of Australian exporters and Chinese consumers,” Wong said after the 100-minute meeting in Beijing. “That is for the trade blockages to be removed”.

The foreign minister did not rule out Beijing’s bid to join the Comprehensive Trans-Pacific Partnership [CPTPP] but warned any country that wished to become part of the massive trade bloc needed to meet its free trade requirements.

“Any economy that seeks to join the CPTPP would need to ensure that all parties to the agreement are confident that they could meet its very high standards,” she said.

Wong said she and Wang recognised that Australia and China were very different countries but that both governments were seeking common ground to manage the relationship.

“We have very different political systems. We have very different views about how our political system should operate. And we have different interests. But we need to seek to manage those differences,” she said.

Jailed Australians’ plight raised

The Albanese government is pushing for the resumption of annual leaders’ meetings between Australia and China as well as the return of regular trade talks following Wong’s visit to Beijing.

The reboot of annual bilateral trade and economic talks, following the foreign minister’s dialogue, could provide a crucial forum for Australia to work with its largest trading partner on the removal of tariffs on $20 billion worth of Australian exports.

In the first visit to China by an Australian minister in three years, Wong used her meeting with Xi Jinping’s foreign minister to urge Beijing to lift trade sanctions on Australian goods worth $20 billion and to raise the case of two Australians detained in China – journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun.

At a press conference after the meeting, Wong said she called for Cheng and Yang to be reunited with their families “as soon as possible”.

“We advocate for a range of things,” Wong said. “They include for those Australians to be reunited with their families as soon as possible, but we also advocate for the observance of consular agreements.”

Wong also acknowledged the heightened global tensions between China and its rival superpower, Australia’s close ally the United States.

The meeting received the endorsement of Xi before talks began, signalling China is placing a high priority on advancing negotiations out of more than three years of tension.

In an exchange of messages with Governor-General David Hurley to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Xi said he attached “great importance to the development of China-Australia relations”.

“And I am willing to work with Australia to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity; adhere to the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results; promote the sustainable development of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership; and continue to benefit the two countries and the two peoples.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996540

File: 669a48f0d151c37⋯.jpg (194.92 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, The_room_at_Diaoyutai_Stat….jpg)

File: d485d50cf30aa3d⋯.jpg (86.62 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Penny_Wong_speaking_to_med….jpg)

File: 1502470c528e4ae⋯.jpg (109.2 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Wong_referred_to_heightene….jpg)

>>17996539

2/2

Global tensions, diplomatic challenges

Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the two nations establishing formal diplomatic ties, Wong said “that was a time when nations worked together to prevent geopolitical competition from descending into conflict and chaos. Fifty years on, we again find ourselves facing great challenges”, citing both climate change and COVID, and calling for dialogue “to manage these challenges”.

Wong noted when they last met, Wang said a sound China-Australia relationship was not in contradiction with safeguarding national interests.

In his opening remarks, Wang also spoke of the difficulties between Australia and China in recent years.

“In the last few years, our relationship has encountered difficulties and setbacks,” Wang said. “This is what we do not want to see. The lessons must be learned.”

“As important countries in the Asia-Pacific, we have highly complementary economic structures,” Wang said, insisting there was “no historical grievance, or fundamental conflicts of interests between our two countries”.

Social distancing diplomacy

Wong’s trip to Beijing is the first ministerial visit since former trade minister Simon Birmingham travelled to China in November 2019.

The talks were held as Beijing braced for another difficult winter with a massive wave of COVID sweeping the country, which long-held a COVID-zero policy.

Flanked by the Chinese and Australian flags, Wang greeted Wong on a red carpet outside a villa at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, before the two foreign ministers shook hands and posed for photographs.

The talks were held in a flower-bedecked room where long tables were set two metres apart in keeping with social-distancing regulations.

Australia’s ambassador to China, Graham Fletcher, said he is “protesting vigorously” against a ban on consular visits to jailed citizens in China introduced as lockdown restrictions have returned.

Diplomats have not been able to visit detainees like Australian Chinese journalist Cheng Lei and writer Dr Yang Hengjun since September after China enforced a total ban on consular access for all countries to prisoners due to a surge in COVID cases.

“At the moment because China is experiencing a (COVID) surge, it has unfortunately stopped regular (consular) access to all prisoners … for all countries. We are protesting vigorously about that,” he said.

Continuing talks

Commenting on the future directions for the bilateral relationship, Fletcher said he would like Wong’s meeting with Wang to be followed by the return of an annual leaders’ meeting between the premier of China and Australian prime minister.

The last official annual leaders’ meeting was in November 2019, when Scott Morrison met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Bangkok.

“But another key element is the Strategic Economic Dialogue, which brings the treasurer and the trade minister together with their counterparts here,” Fletcher added.

The ambassador said that in recent years “China has learned that Australia has a sense of itself and a national interest”.

This masthead reported earlier this week that Wong’s visit was expected to produce an agreement to restore a series of regular bilateral policy dialogues that have been suspended since China essentially cut off all high-level contact with Australia.

Wong is the first foreign minister to travel to China since Marise Payne in 2018 after years of increasing hostility over human rights, national security, trade strikes and COVID-19 led Beijing to shut off all high-level contact between the nations.

After their meeting, Wong and Wang were due to take part in a ceremony and dinner to mark the anniversary.

In a joint statement released after the meeting, the two foreign ministers said they agreed to further talks on trade, climate change and defence. They would also support high-level delegations of business executives and senior officials.

“50 years on from the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two sides reiterated the importance of a stable, constructive relationship to both sides, the region and the world,” the statement said.

Commenting before the meeting to discuss Chinese tariffs on Australian goods such as barley, beef and wine, Wong said Australia believed it was “in the interest of both countries for the trade impediments to be removed”.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported on Tuesday that Australian lobster farmers and winemakers are already attracting renewed interest from Chinese importers and distributors, a promising sign the sanctions could soon be lifted.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/china-talks-canvass-trade-human-rights-global-tensions-in-high-stakes-beijing-meeting-20221221-p5c835.html

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de6a9c  No.17996551

File: 3b567ab61163fc7⋯.jpg (108.89 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Penny_Wong_and_her_Chinese….jpg)

>>17980326

Wong visit to China welcome but it is not the start of a reconciliation

JUSTIN BASSI and FERGUS HUNTER - DECEMBER 22, 2022

1/2

Penny Wong’s trip to Beijing this week was the next logical step in the bilateral thaw and should be welcomed by everyone who wants Australia to be well positioned for the turbulent decades ahead.

Diplomatic engagement with the Chinese government is important, even as its belligerent international actions and growing domestic oppression alienate countries across the world and make constructive discussions more difficult. The visit – the first by an Australian minister since 2019 – came at the invitation of the Chinese government. The Labor government should be congratulated on the sober approach that has made this possible and created the opportunity for our Foreign Minister to deliver important messages on Australia’s priorities. It is further evidence of the merit of the two-track approach of measured tone with strong policy.

Nonetheless, both of these elements will continue to be challenged during and beyond the visit. Assuming such engagements continue and increase, the Australian government needs a clear pathway setting out what it aims to achieve and how it intends to respond to Beijing’s short-term expectations of silence and longer-term demands of changed policy.

After all, Beijing would have developed its own expectations and demands with complete clarity before inviting Wong. The visit was never an end in itself for Beijing, so it cannot be for Australia either.

The key remains to faithfully reflect the strategy of stabilisation that Wong and Anthony Albanese have pursued since May, with their commitment to “co-operate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest”.

The visit does not represent a step towards fundamental reconciliation. China and Australia stand on either side of a growing chasm on interests and values. Disagreement on core issues and principles will continue to produce points of friction.

The Prime Minister and Wong have moderated Australia’s rhetoric to create the best chance for diplomatic engagement, while Beijing is making some tactical adjustments in its foreign relations in the face of domestic economic headwinds and inter­national criticism, but neither of these developments will lead to a shift in the Chinese Communist Party’s long-term strategic goals. Stabilisation will require diplomacy that not only minimises deterioration but also protects Australian interests.

Australia’s China policy needs to be steadfast on what those interests are. Australia cannot accept the use of hostage diplomacy and the arbitrary detention of its citizens, the use of economic coercion, destabilising military behaviour in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea or on the Indian border, and malign interference in domestic politics.

There is also the thorny agenda item of human rights. Just three months ago, the UN Human Rights Office concluded the Chinese government’s oppression in Xinjiang might amount to crimes against humanity. So far Australia has refrained from imposing sanctions on relevant officials using the Magnitsky laws, unlike close partners. With these sanctions powers being used by the government against officials in Iran and Russia but not China, this looks like an attempt to prioritise stability in the relationship, which risks sending a message to China and the Australian public that Canberra will look the other way on human rights in the name of commerce.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996555

File: c7fc17dd5c039bb⋯.jpg (168.13 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Wong_visit_to_China_welcom….jpg)

>>17996551

2/2

Wong has likely taken note of the lessons from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent visit to Beijing, which was a demonstration of trade ties being prioritised over strategic interests. The delegation of heavyweight industry executives on the trip left the distinct impression that Scholz was there to pursue commercial objectives at the expense of other concerns and alignment with key international partners. Scholz has come under acute political pressure domestically and regionally for his China positioning.

The Albanese government’s approach looks different. However, it will continue to be tested on how it learns to live with inevitable tensions, rather than finding any and all measures, including self-censorship, to assuage those tensions. China, for instance, may look for support to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in return for reinstating access for some Australian products, despite its widespread use of coercion and unfair industrial policies rendering it undeserving.

The fact some sections of the business community have seized on the thaw to talk bullishly about resum­ing levels of trade and investment enjoyed before the pan­demic and Beijing’s imposition of coercive measures raises doubts as to whether the lessons on heightened risk are being fully absorbed.

On arbitrarily detained Australians, the Albanese government cannot offer any concession in return for their release – that would be rewarding the relinquishment of behaviour that should never have happened in the first place. Wong is committed to and doing everything to ensure their release. As we approach four years since Dr Yang Hengjun was arbitrarily detained, release should not come in return for policy compromises.

Australia is far from alone in having an increasingly difficult relationship with China. Japan’s new national security strategy states that China’s actions pose “the greatest strategic challenge in ensuring the peace and security of Japan and … of the international community”, while India is having to manage Chinese troop incursions on its border.

Our closest partners in the Indo-Pacific and Europe are toughening their policy settings and deepening collaboration to counter the growing challenge as it becomes increasingly clear that the CCP under leader Xi Jinping is willing to compromise mutually beneficial economic and business interests in the name of ideological or security objectives.

The CCP’s ambition is to rewrite global rules to enable its own domestic and international objectives. High-level meetings between Australian and Chinese leaders cannot change this reality. They are important and welcome, as long as they are accompanied by a long-term strategy of maintaining national security policies and working with partners to build regional resilience and deter Chinese aggression.

Justin Bassi is executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Fergus Hunter is an analyst at ASPI.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/wong-visit-to-china-welcome-but-it-is-not-the-start-of-a-reconciliation/news-story/4508173c7e486d5e4385e44b9a5483a0

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de6a9c  No.17996561

File: 115ea3f7081f282⋯.jpg (361.9 KB, 1200x720, 5:3, China_Australia_ties_on_fa….jpg)

>>17980326

China-Australia ties ‘on fast track to recovery’ as leaders agree to initiate, restart dialogues in 6 areas

Yang Sheng and Zhang Changyue - Dec 21, 2022

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Chinese President Xi Jinping told Australian leaders on Wednesday that China is ready to advance relations with Australia based on mutual respect and win-win principles as Australia’s top diplomat is paying an “ice-breaking” visit to China to fix the damaged ties.

Experts said the two sides are expressing great sincerity to advance relations, so it is likely there will be a fast recovery in many fields including trade, mining, education, tourism, as well as new energy industries and “the blue economy” that eyes on the sea.

According to the Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday, Xi exchanged congratulations with Australian Governor-General David Hurley and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Albanese also exchanged congratulatory messages.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Australia relations, and is ready to work with the Australian side to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity, adhere to mutual respect, win-win principles, promote the sustainable development of the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and continue to bring benefits for the two nations.

Hurley said this historic decision of 50 years ago paved the way for the bilateral relationship to develop, bringing growth and opportunity to both countries. Looking ahead, Australia remains committed to a stable and constructive relationship with China, guided by mutual respect and mutual benefit, and in keeping with their comprehensive strategic partnership.

For his part, Albanese said that it took courage and vision for the Labor Party government under then prime minister Gough Whitlam in 1972 to decide to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, adding that the right decision paved the way for a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.

Albanese said he strongly believes that a stable Australia-China relationship is in the interests of both countries, and that he looks forward to continuing to work with China to further develop their comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Chinese experts said that the congratulatory messages from the leaders of the two sides show that China and Australia share a common will to push the recovery of bilateral ties, and they also agree that a relationship without mutual respect is not sustainable and is also harmful, especially to the Australian side, so it is time to correct the mistake made by the former government and turn to a new page.

On Wednesday, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the visiting Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong that “in the past few years, China-Australia relations have encountered difficulties and setbacks, and this was not what we want to see, and the lessons should be learnt thoroughly.”

China and Australia have no historical grudges and conflicts about fundamental interests, and the two sides should and absolutely can become partners with mutual needs, Wang remarked.

Wong said the new Australian government adheres to the one-China Principle and will not magnify differences between the two countries but manage them well to restore and develop communication and exchanges in all respects under the framework of the Australia-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that in the past few years, due to the mistakes made by the two administrations of Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morison, bilateral ties suffered serious damage. It was Canberra that picked the wrong path, so China-Australia relations entered a stage that was bad not only for the two sides, but also the whole region.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996563

File: 7e956047c2612f0⋯.jpg (163.05 KB, 1200x900, 4:3, Australia_and_China_agree_….jpg)

>>17996561

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Zhou Fangyin, a research fellow at the Guangdong Institute for International Strategies, told the Global Times on Wednesday that different from the previous Liberal Party governments who almost abandoned the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, the current Labor Party government clearly affirmed in the congratulatory message that Australia attaches great importance to the “comprehensive strategic partnership” and wishes to push it forward.

According to the joint statement of China-Australia Diplomatic and Strategic Dialogue, the two sides agreed to maintain high-level engagement, and to commence or restart dialogue in areas including bilateral relations, trade and economic issues, consular affairs, climate change, defense, as well as regional and international issues.

They also agreed to support people-to-people exchanges, including the 1.5 Track High-Level Dialogue, the Australia-China CEO Roundtable and visits by bilateral business delegations.

Experts said this has showed fruitful outcomes, which could be understood as a comprehensive reset of the bilateral relations.

Recovery and development

As business circles of the two countries expect, with the ice-breaking diplomatic activity, the recovery of China-Australia relations will bring many opportunities and benefits soon, and apart from traditional cooperation in fields like trade, tourism, mining and education, the two countries will also likely see new types of cooperation, experts said.

Zhou said trade, tourism and the higher education industry could be in the first batch of fields benefiting from Wong’s ice-breaking visit. “China may lift the restrictions on some Australian products such as beer, wood and coal, and will also expand coal and agricultural product imports, as these products are needed in the Chinese market,” he said.

China will provide more convenience for cross-border personnel exchanges in light of current circumstances, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning at a daily news briefing when answering a question regarding whether China has any plan to optimize quarantine measures for arrivals. Mao said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken a coordinated approach and pursued win-win cooperation in this regard.

Analysts said this will bring recovery to the industries that heavily rely on cross-border personnel exchanges and many countries around the globe are looking forward to such a change made by China. Australia, as a country geographically close to China that received huge numbers of tourists and students from China in the past, will be hungry for such opportunities and will pay great efforts to attract Chinese tourists and students.

China and Australia can also cooperate on some new areas such as the “green economy” and the “blue economy,” Chen said. Under the demands of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, Australia is also putting in efforts to realize the low-carbon transition for its economy, so it desperately needs to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

China has very developed and advanced technologies and powerful manufacturing capabilities in new energy industries like solar power and wind power, and this will meet the demand from the Australian side, Chen told the Global Times.

The “blue economy” means economic activities related to the sea, and China has cooperation with the countries in the region such as New Zealand on maritime environmental protection and fisheries, and there is great potential for similar cooperation between China and Australia, Chen noted.

On geo-political issues, Zhou said the two countries may also conduct joint projects in the South Pacific region. “Australian has been greatly concerned over China’s rising presence and influence among the island countries of the South Pacific. China, in the future, may take some actions such as strengthening communication and coordination with Australia to relieve Canberra’s anxiety,” Zhou said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1282374.shtml

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de6a9c  No.17996575

File: 12597423a184ab5⋯.jpg (113.1 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, China_s_President_Xi_Jinpi….jpg)

>>17980326

Beijing calls for end of ‘anti-China rhetoric’ in Australia after Penny Wong visit

WILL GLASGOW and SARAH ISON - DECEMBER 22, 2022

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Beijing has warned Canberra to “not be swayed by the US” in its handling of China while signalling it may partially end the black-listing of Australian exports previously worth more than $20 billion a year.

After a landmark meeting in Beijing, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi said the two countries had agreed to increase dialogue on bilateral relations, trade and economic issues, consular affairs, climate change, defence, and regional and international issues.

Following the release of the Australia-China joint statement, Chinese-government linked experts said Beijing might soon “lift the restrictions on some Australian products”, naming wood, coal and other agricultural product imports.

But the authoritative party-state masthead China Daily also cautioned Canberra to learn the lessons of the Coalition government.

“Under the previous government of Scott Morrison, Australia often enthusiastically served as a forerunner in the US’ ‘Indo-Pacific strategy’ aimed at containing China’s development,” the China Daily wrote in its lead editorial on Thursday.

“The anti-China rhetoric and behaviour that ensued prompted many Chinese people to reconsider their friendly view of Australia. After all, who would want to do business with a country or send their children to study in a country that is full of hostility?”

The Albanese government has tried to temper expectations about the future trajectory of the relationship with Australia’s biggest trading partner.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles told The Australian that while the foreign ministers’ meeting was encouraging, it was “too early” to say how it would impact the take-up of visas, especially for Chinese students considering studying abroad.

“It is important to acknowledge how critical this engagement has been … But we’re looking at very early days and we need to look at this in an approached and considered manner.”

An agent at one of China’s largest travel booking companies said it was too early to tell when Chinese tourists would be allowed to visit Australia or any other international destination.

“China has not opened the border for Chinese tourists to travel abroad yet. As for when the border will be reopened, we have no clue,” the agent told The Australian.

Other voices in Chinese party state media were more bullish.

Zhou Fangyin, a research fellow at the Guangdong Institute for International Strategies, said China might soon lift its restrictions on Australian wood and coal, and also expand agricultural imports “as these products are needed in the Chinese market”.

He also said Beijing may respond more sensitively to Canberra’s concerns about China’s increased presence and influence in the South Pacific.

“China, in the future, may take some actions such as strengthening communication and co-ordination with Australia to relieve Canberra’s anxiety,” Mr Zhou told the Global Times.

Australian Business Council National President David Olsson said he didn’t expect any progress to be made on addressing the trade sanctions or issues until almost the middle of next year.

“China has the capacity to move quickly if it wants to, but it’s operating in a very complex environment … and it will be influenced by things going on in China such as the health and Covid situation.”

Mr Olsson said while Australian businesses were “pleased” the meeting had taken place, their expectations were ”tempered by reality”.

“We know this is going to take some time, no one is falling over themselves expecting an immediate resumption,” he said.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996577

File: 7192521db7079ad⋯.jpg (93.43 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australia_s_Foreign_Minist….jpg)

>>17996575

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Tourism organisations said they expected an uptick in the Chinese market sometime next year.

“It’s obviously early days but it’s extremely positive. This meeting was another step in a series of engagements that the Albanese government has made with China,” Tourism Industry Council of South Australia chief executive Shaun de Bruyn told The Australian.

“The key thing to opening up China to Australia again is aviation access, until we get that locked in and people are able to book trips, that’s going to be the trigger to see the rubber hitting the road.

“We’re optimistic we’ll start to see some movement 2023.”

Mr Bruyn said China Southern Airlines had flown into Adelaide before the pandemic, and he hoped the carrier would start up flights again to South Australia and ports all over the country.

Tourism and Transport Forum Australia chief executive Margy Osmond said Senator Wong’s meeting with her Chinese counterpart was an “encouraging step towards stabilising the relationship between China and Australia”, which would have benefits for the tourism sector.

“It’s a positive sign for the industry,“ she said.

“I’m hopeful Chinese visitors will soon return to Australia, given China was our largest inbound tourism market before the pandemic.

Before Covid, Chinese visitors contributed around 20 per cent of total leisure travel exports in 2019.

“Local tourism operators are ready to welcome back Chinese visitors to Australia with open arms,“ Ms Osmond said.

“However, the global tourism market is more competitive than ever so Australia will be actively trying to encourage Chinese visitors to return to our shores and enjoy all the incredible tourism experiences Australia has to offer.”

This week’s visit was the first to China by an Australian foreign minister since 2018, and followed years of escalating distrust between the two countries.

The imprisonment of two Australians, journalist Cheng Lei and writer Dr Yang Hengjun, has left many academics, business people and former diplomats wary of visiting China.

Nick Coyle, the partner of Ms Cheng, said there was a “certain irony” in the mother-of-two’s plight as Australia and China this week marked their 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

“Cheng Lei is the type of story we should have been celebrating as a great example of the people to people benefits which have flowed throughout the 50 years of relations,” he said.

“Instead, we are reflecting on the impact of a mother and two young children spending their third consecutive Christmas separated in such tragic circumstances.”

Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher said while he welcomed the meeting, it was important Labor conducted future negotiations “from a position of maintaining our principles as a nation”.

“Our systems are different and what's important is that while it’s good that there are more ministerial visits occurring, it’s important that we continue to respectfully put the issues that are of concern to us,” he told Sky News.

“Be they human rights issues, be they concerns about security in the Asia Pacific and, of course, the appropriate treatment, transparent and fair treatment of detained Australians like Cheng Li.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/beijing-calls-for-end-of-antichina-rhetoric-in-australia-after-penny-wong-visit/news-story/58e4802be9c6925df6166cd7578c72cb

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de6a9c  No.17996587

File: 89089b288961172⋯.jpg (120.19 KB, 900x506, 450:253, The_Chinese_and_Australian….jpg)

>>17980326

>>17996575

Canberra should not be swayed by US in handling its relations with China: China Daily editorial

chinadaily.com.cn - 2022-12-21

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's visit to China this week, the first ministerial visit in three years between the two sides, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on Wednesday, was a rare opportunity created by the two sides to put their troubled relations back on the right track again.

In fact, a thaw in their frosty bilateral ties already began last month in Bali, Indonesia, when President Xi Jinping met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the G20 summit. On Wednesday, Xi exchanged congratulatory 50th anniversary messages with Albanese and the Australian Governor-General David Hurley, further proof that China is committed to reversing the ill trend in bilateral ties.

Wong's visit can help the two sides foster a desirable momentum in bilateral cooperation, and this is in line with the positive signals that Canberra has also been sending since Albanese took office.

Although China and Australia have no fundamental disputes between them, bilateral ties have encountered difficulties in recent years, as Canberra drew closer to Washington as the US gave greater attention to the region. Under the previous government of Scott Morrison, Australia often enthusiastically served as a forerunner in the US' "Indo-Pacific strategy" aimed at containing China's development.

Some ideologically-obsessed Australian politicians and media deliberately spread the US' confrontational narrative against China in Australian society and thus created a poisonous atmosphere for what used to be robust and mutually beneficial ties between the two countries.

The anti-China rhetoric and behavior that ensued prompted many Chinese people to reconsider their friendly view of Australia. After all, who would want to do business with a country or send their children to study in a country that is full of hostility?

As well as viewing relations with China objectively, the Australian government should also look at Australia's relations with the US with a clinical eye. Washington having blown the dust from a zero-sum playbook that had been consigned to the archive is unmindfully trying to repeat the past.

If some in Australia still think their country can reap economic gains from China while being an enthusiastic bandwagoner of the US strategy they need look no further than travails that have befallen the US' allies in Europe to see where that might lead.

Some European countries have blindly followed the US strategic playbook in fanning the flames of conflict in Ukraine only to find they are having to pay a dear price in terms of high inflation and an energy crisis.

Canberra should bear in mind that in pursuing its objectives, Washington doesn't care what the collateral damage might be.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202212/21/WS63a3024fa31057c47eba5882.html

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de6a9c  No.17996590

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

>>17980326

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on December 21, 2022

Hubei Media Group: Earlier this week, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Australia issued a media statement on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Australia diplomatic relations, stressing that Australia-China relations “have delivered significant benefits” to both countries. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is on a visit to China, which coincides with the 50th anniversary. There has been a great deal of interest in the high-level interactions and growth of relations between the two countries. What are China’s expectations for the future of this relationship?

Mao Ning: Today marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. To celebrate this important occasion, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Australian Governor-General David Hurley and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Premier Li Keqiang exchanged congratulatory messages with Prime Minister Albanese.

President Xi Jinping noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia 50 years ago, practical cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the people of the two countries. The healthy and stable development of relations between China and Australia, both important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, is not only in the fundamental interests of their people, but also conducive to promoting peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world. Premier Li Keqiang expressed the hope that the two countries will take the 50th anniversary as the opportunity to push forward the sound and stable growth of China-Australia relations, and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

The Australian leaders noted that the Whitlam Government’s decision in 1972 to establish ties with the People’s Republic of China took courage and vision. It was the right decision and paved the way for the development of a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship between the two nations. Looking ahead, Australia remains committed to a stable and constructive relationship with China, guided by mutual respect and mutual benefit, and in keeping with the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

We have noted the op-ed piece by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese published in The Australian to mark the 50th anniversary of China-Australia diplomatic relations, in which he wrote that “In recognising China 50 years ago, Whitlam envisioned a world of greater opportunity and prosperity for Australia” and that today Australia continues to seek “to stabilise the relationship and build a better future”.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is visiting China on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with her this afternoon and hold the new round of China-Australia Diplomatic and Strategic Dialogue. This is yet another important high-level interaction between the two countries following the leaders’ meeting last month. We believe the visit will help the two sides follow through on the important common understanding reached between the leaders of the two countries in Bali, and take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to step up dialogue, expand cooperation and manage differences on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit and seeking common ground while reserving differences, so as to bring the bilateral relations back on track and set the relations on the course of sustained growth.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202212/t20221221_10993387.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGwP-GX62-A

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de6a9c  No.17996604

File: 945af7741639787⋯.jpg (99.77 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, ACT_Director_of_Public_Pro….jpg)

>>17858006

Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyers send legal letters to Ten, News Corp

Angus Thompson - December 21, 2022

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Lawyers acting for former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann have sent legal letters to media outlets over their coverage of rape allegations aired by his former colleague, Brittany Higgins, as he welcomed a public inquiry into authorities’ handling of his abandoned criminal trial.

The ACT government announced the inquiry following reports that the territory’s director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, SC, complained that police had tried to pressure him not to prosecute Lehrmann, prompting law enforcement to call for a separate probe.

Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting Higgins in the ministerial office of the pair’s former boss, Coalition senator Linda Reynolds, in March 2019. The trial was aborted in October this year due to juror misconduct, and the case against Lehrmann was later dropped due to grave concerns about Higgins’ mental health.

Lehrmann’s lawyer, Steven Whybrow, issued a statement on Wednesday saying: “Mr Lehrmann welcomes an inquiry and hopes the terms of reference will extend to an examination of all aspects of the matter, including decisions not to prosecute various individuals, and the efforts taken by the DPP to ensure a fair trial.”

Defamation lawyers acting for Lehrmann have also sent legal notices to media outlets, including Ten network and News Corp, over their coverage surrounding Higgins’ allegations. Spokespeople for those organisations declined to comment when contacted.

According to a source close to Lehrmann who was not free to speak on the record, he has also sent a letter of complaint to the ACT Bar Association regarding Drumgold’s conduct of the case. Comment has been sought from the DPP and the association.

Drumgold’s decision earlier this month not to proceed with Lehrmann’s retrial triggered an extraordinary series of exchanges between the public prosecutor and the police union, all highly critical of each other’s professional conduct.

The ACT Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions earlier this month released to The Guardian a letter in which Drumgold complained to ACT Police Commissioner Neil Gaughan that police had engaged in a “very clear campaign to pressure” him not to prosecute Lehrmann.

Gaughan said the force had not been consulted before the letter was released, while the police union flagged plans to refer the document’s release to the Office of the Australian Information Commission and the ACT Ombudsman as a possible breach of freedom of information laws.

Announcing the inquiry alongside ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said he was greatly concerned about allegations aired in recent weeks, and the reports raised “issues that may have wider implications for the prosecution of criminal matters here in the territory”.

Rattenbury described Drumgold’s complaint as a “very serious allegation” and said the terms of reference for the inquiry would encompass that issue.

“I hope that this matter does not affect that broader relationship, but that is part of the reason we are establishing this inquiry, to ensure that where those allegations and these fracture points have been aired, there is an independent forum to investigate them and then draw conclusions,” he said.

Rattenbury said a suitable person to head the inquiry would likely be announced next month, along with the terms of reference, so that a report could be handed down by June 30.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996606

File: 9f067357f36fb24⋯.jpg (159.75 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Brittany_Higgins_centre_sp….jpg)

>>17996604

2/2

After the sudden halt of the first trial, Higgins spoke to media outside of the ACT Supreme Court, describing the justice system as “asymmetrical” and stating that she felt as though she, not Lehrmann, had been the one on trial.

Later that day, Whybrow released a statement saying he had referred Higgins to the police and court.

The role of Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates — who accompanied Higgins to court and stood by her side while Higgins publicly blasted the justice system — will also be under review, with the inquiry to examine “the support provided by [Yates] to the complainant and how that aligns with the relevant statutory framework”.

Yates told an ACT parliamentary hearing last month a narrow definition of a “victim of crime” would limit support services, “including court support, to a very small proportion of Canberrans affected by crime, and such services would only be available to people at the tail end of the justice process”.

On December 8, the Australian Federal Police Association issued a statement saying it “wants to make it extremely clear that the desperate attempts to smear” the AFP and policing were untested.

The inquiry will consider several elements of the case: the engagement between the prosecutor’s office and police regarding the prospect of charges being laid; the decision to proceed to trial and the decision not to pursue a retrial; the conduct of the police and the prosecutor’s office; the laws for addressing juror misconduct in the ACT; and the assistance given to Higgins during the trial.

Rattenbury said the government had contacted representatives of both Lehrmann and Higgins ahead of the announcement and it would be up to those conducting the inquiry to determine whether either was called to give evidence.

“Clearly we need to take into account the mental wellbeing of Ms Higgins and others involved,” Rattenbury said. “There’s probably no good time to get on with this but it needs to be done, and we want to move forward and resolve it in a timely way,” Rattenbury said.

The Attorney-General said the inquiry wasn’t about revisiting the trial or any evidence within it.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/independent-inquiry-launched-into-handling-of-abandoned-lehrmann-case-20221221-p5c7xi.html

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de6a9c  No.17996634

File: 2ba5910ca73a3a2⋯.jpg (164.64 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Brittany_Higgins_and_Heidi….jpg)

>>17858006

>>17996604

Bruce Lehrmann inquiry: Bring it on in full, and free from politics

JANET ALBRECHTSEN - DECEMBER 22, 2022

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During the ACT Supreme Court trial of Bruce Lehrmann in October, another alleged rape case was being heard in courtroom four right next door. This other case did not transfix a nation. It involved a young woman who worked in a brothel who was allegedly nearly choked to death during an alleged rape. A jury found Joseph Ayoub guilty of engaging in sexual intercourse without consent, second-degree sexual assault, and assault.

The board of inquiry, announced by the ACT government on Wednesday, must investigate a range of important matters, including why the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates attached herself to Brittany Higgins during the investigation of Lehrmann, and in full view of cameras throughout his very ­public trial. Why didn’t Yates accompany to court a woman who was the ­victim of a violent rape? What ­personal support, if any, did Yates offer that woman?

The Australian understands from people experienced in ACT sexual assault cases that they have never seen or heard Yates become involved in other cases in the way she did with Higgins. Many police and lawyers are privately asking whether there are possible political or career reasons that explain why Yates chose to be by the side of Higgins and not the low-profile complainant at the centre of an alleged violent rape trial next door?

When the ACT government announced the board of inquiry into the Higgins/Lehrmann debacle, many people closely involved in it told The Australian the same thing: bring it on, in full, and free from any political interference that has contaminated the matter on so many fronts.

First and foremost, this inquiry must get to bottom of the truly disturbing claims raised by senior AFP officers in charge of the investigation that there was “too much political interference” in DPP Shane Drumgold’s decision to prosecute Lehrmann.

The contamination of legal processes with politics is routine in authoritarian regimes and other tin pot faux democracies. Australia must guard against even one case of this form of corruption. Hence, AFP officers must be invited to explain, with no danger to their careers, what concerned them, and why they made comments and diary notes about “too much political interference”.

The ACT government is keen to look like they are doing something. Yet they have not told us who will undertake this inquiry, nor released formal terms of reference.

The real question is whether the ACT Labor government, so closely aligned with the federal Labor government, can get this right. Can ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and ACT Police Minister Shane Rattenbury assure Australians that the administration of justice in the ACT is not infected with politics? That means the inquiry must investigate what role, if any, did members of the ACT government or of the Albanese government (when in opposition) – including Anthony Alba­nese, Katy Gallagher and Mark Dreyfus – play in whipping up pressure on the DPP to prosecute Lehrmann?

What about former prime minister Scott Morrison and his comments in parliament praising Higgins with no mention of the presumption of innocence?

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996635

File: 54ae8285b8b0c75⋯.jpg (101.54 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Shane_Drumgold.jpg)

File: b8d80ae79e43108⋯.jpg (77.36 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, The_AFP_s_Neil_Gaughan.jpg)

>>17996634

2/2

This inquiry must explore why the DPP chose to prosecute Lehrmann given police concerns that (a) there was not enough evidence to support the charge of sexual assault and (b) a trial would be detrimental to Higgins’ mental health.

The inquiry must investigate whether the DPP, in his decision to prosecute Lehrmann, addressed not just the evidentiary issue but the issue of Higgins’ mental health. After all, when ­deciding against a second trial, Drumgold mentioned Higgins’ mental health.

“The safety of a complainant in a sexual assault matter must be paramount,” he said.

This inquiry must probe whether the DPP’s public comments when he chose not to proceed with a second trial breached his professional obligations as an officer of the court.

The statement from Lehrmann’s lawyer Steve Whybrow SC on Wednesday subtly alluded to the flip side of police concerns that there was political interference in the DPP’s decision to prosecute Lehrmann. Was there political pressure not to prosecute others?

This board of inquiry must investigate why Lisa Wilkinson – and other media personalities including Jonesy and Amanda on WSFM – were not prosecuted for contempt given the chief justice’s explosive comments about these journalists obliterating the distinction between an allegation and a finding of guilt.

Could it be that #MeToo crusaders have effectively been exempted from the ACT contempt laws? On that note, this inquiry must also investigate whether there is pressure, political or otherwise, not to prosecute Higgins for possible breaches of contempt laws for her speech outside the courtroom when the trial was aborted, or for possible breaches of the listening devices laws given Higgins admitted to recording conversations without consent, and whether she breached any laws by deleting evidence, which she also admitted to.

The proper administration of criminal justice entails due process, a fair trial, the presumption of innocence and the rule of law, meaning the equal and predictable application of laws to all people, regardless of whether they are a plumber or a politician, a clergyman or a celebrity.

The Lehrmann debacle places this country at a set of legal, political, and social crossroads. If there was political interference in the decision to prosecute Lehrmann and in decisions not to prosecute others, that must be exposed.

That requires a board of inquiry constituted by serious and independent lawyers who are astute and brave enough to investigate not only the DPP’s allegations against the AFP, but also the motives of a political party to bring down a government at the cost of fair trial, the influence and actions of #MeToo media celebrities who trash the presumption of innocence, the unusual behaviour of the Victims of Crime Commissioner in the ACT during this saga, and troubling questions raised about the conduct of the DPP. Did Drumgold do everything reasonably in his power to ensure that Lehrmann received a fair trial?

If this board of inquiry has narrow terms of reference, is not properly resourced, is not carried out by independent and courageous lawyers, it will only prove that politics has seeped into this legal process too.

Only a robust investigation by this board of inquiry can possibly stem the disturbing tide of trial by media and the contamination of the legal system with politics.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/bruce-lehrmann-inquiry-bring-it-on-in-full-and-free-from-politics/news-story/5ba3f2b3683e528a238469ec7fa947e6

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de6a9c  No.17996641

File: cf885d33028e860⋯.jpg (122.57 KB, 1024x682, 512:341, Brian_Houston_arrives_at_t….jpg)

>>17879103

>>17991102

Brian Houston maintains it was the ‘right thing’ not to report father’s abuse

Duncan Murray - December 21, 2022

Hillsong founder Brian Houston believes he did the “right thing” not going to police after his father told him he had molested an underage boy three decades earlier.

Houston maintains it was the victim’s explicit wish not for the incident to be made public or for there to be an investigation by authorities.

“What I was committed to was [the victim’s] wishes, not betraying him and his wishes,” Houston told a court hearing on Wednesday.

“I believe we did the right thing, that I personally did the right thing.”

Frank Houston admitted abusing the boy at a home in Sydney’s Coogee in 1970, which he confessed to his son in 1999.

Houston pleaded not guilty to a charge of concealing the crime until his father’s death in 2004.

After learning about the crime, Houston informed a meeting of the church’s national executive who banned Frank Houston from preaching, however no effort was made to tell the police or broader public.

The court heard earlier this week that $12,000 was also paid to the victim as a form of informal compensation, however, Houston stressed the money was not paid to keep the victim quiet or prevent him from going to the police in the future.

Under cross-examination on Wednesday, Houston was grilled about the contents of a sermon he gave to hundreds of worshippers at the Hillsong Church Hills Campus in 2002.

Crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison put to Houston he had “sanitised” his father’s deeds to protect the church from scandal, which he denied.

Houston told the congregation he had confronted his father about the accusations which led to “certain confessions” about “issues”, according to a transcript of the sermon read in part to Downing Centre Local Court.

“You haven’t said what the confessions were. You haven’t even said what the issues are,” Harrison said.

“It’s true that I didn’t talk about the specifics of exactly what Frank had done to the whole congregation,” Houston replied.

During the 2002 sermon, Houston also stated: “My dad, he loves God. He still loves God. He’s still in the word.”

Harrison suggested: “What you were really saying was ‘despite this part of his life that got out of hand, he’s still a good man’.”

Houston said it was “not necessarily” his intention of conveying that to the congregation.

It was suggested by Harrison that Houston had chosen the words of the sermon carefully in order to disguise the truth.

“Here you are … telling your congregation that someone had called the church and made a very serious moral accusation against your father,” Harrison said.

“You’re trying to fool them into thinking this was a serious allegation, but not an allegation about child sexual assault.”

“I never tried to fool the congregation,” Houston said.

Earlier this week, Houston told the court how difficult it was for him to talk about his father’s crimes and how he struggled for years to use the word “paedophile” to describe him.

“I found it tremendously difficult every time I had to tell the story again,” Houston explained.

The hearing will resume in June.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/brian-houston-maintains-it-was-the-right-thing-not-to-report-father-s-abuse-20221221-p5c853.html

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de6a9c  No.17996662

File: bce049f466eacc4⋯.mp4 (11.95 MB, 960x540, 16:9, NO_AUDIO_Alleged_major_dru….mp4)

Alleged ‘Mr Big’ drug importer faces Melbourne court hours after returning to Australia

Nick McKenzie, Erin Pearson and Caroline Schelle - December 22, 2022

1/2

An alleged crime boss who headed a global enterprise suspected to have imported more drugs into Australia than any other syndicate in history landed in the country early on Thursday morning to face justice.

Tse Chi Lop, 57, arrived on a flight into Melbourne under the watch of federal police agents after a decade-long fugitive hunt, and faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court within hours.

The 57-year-old initially appeared via video link from the Melbourne Custody Centre underneath the court building, where he was assisted by a Cantonese interpreter, before being brought into the courtroom.

Wearing black-rimmed glasses and a dark shirt, he made no application for bail.

Barrister Paul Smallwood asked that his client see a nurse while in custody as he required medication for high blood pressure.

Smallwood said he was also now expecting a “wealth of information” to be served on the defence relating to this case, ahead of the next court appearance.

Magistrate Martin Grinberg remanded Tse in custody to reappear in February.

An Australian Federal Police spokesperson said Tse was facing a charge of conspiracy to traffic drugs.

Tse, dubbed the El Chapo of Asia after the notorious Mexican drug lord, was arrested last year during a stopover in the Netherlands as he travelled to Canada, where his syndicate, known as “The Company”, has an operations hub.

The Chinese-born Canadian has spent months fighting Australia’s move to extradite him from the Netherlands.

His court appearance on Thursday was a historic day for Australian law enforcement and a coup for the federal police, which has prioritised the arrest of alleged offshore drug lords over the past 18 months.

AFP assistant commissioner Krissy Barrett said it was a major victory for the force.

“This arrest would be one of the most high-profile arrests in the history of the AFP,” she told reporters on Thursday.

The investigation into the syndicate took up to 10 years before Lop was charged.

“We will allege [Tse] conspired with junior syndicate members to transport millions in Australia to transport millions of dollars worth of illicit drugs between Melbourne and Sydney,” she said.

The AFP has recently secured the arrest and extradition of offshore fugitives Mark Buddle, who is the international chief of the Commancheros, and alleged drug importer Tony Haddad. Tse is considered the most significant of these arrests.

Tse has been investigated by five different federal agencies: the federal police, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the NSW Police, the NSW Crime Commission and the Victoria Police.

He is the most important alleged drug importer to be nabbed by the federal police in two decades, with police intelligence sources estimating his syndicate has allegedly been responsible for up to 70 per cent of all narcotics entering Australia.

The Company, a multinational criminal enterprise created by Chinese triad bosses in Hong Kong, Macau, Myanmar, Cambodia, Taiwan and Southern China, is suspected of forming deep ties with outlaw motorcycle gangs, Vietnamese money launderers, casinos in Australia and abroad, and, corrupt senior Asian government officials.

One of Tse’s suspected customers was Hakan Ayik, who is currently Australia’s most wanted criminal and is hiding out in Turkey.

Australian and foreign police intelligence sighted by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald has variously linked The Company to corrupt officials in China, Cambodia, Macau and Vietnam. A former investigator said Tse had boasted of having “Macau in my pocket”.

Sources with involvement in some of the investigations into Tse said his ties to Taiwanese officials meant Australia faced an impossible task if it attempted to extradite him from Taipei, where he had resided for several years. And in 2019, Tse even obtained the contents of a highly confidential Australian Federal Police document circulated among partner forces which alerted him to the fact that he was a high-value police target.

When intelligence of his travel to Canada was uncovered, the federal police sought his arrest during a stopover.

Tse has denied involvement in drug trafficking and will contest the charges.

“We allege Mr Tse is responsible for multiple large-volume drug importations worth billions of dollars into Australia and the region for more than a decade,” AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw told a federal parliamentary committee last year.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996667

File: af756a0e567a7cf⋯.jpg (58.15 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Alleged_drug_kingpin_Tse_C….jpg)

File: cd7543ad7f06c5d⋯.jpg (135.53 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Accused_drug_trafficker_Ts….jpg)

File: 154b198ace4b883⋯.jpg (198.66 KB, 1023x683, 1023:683, Hakan_Ayik_photographed_a_….jpg)

>>17996662

2/2

The Company’s operations have been exposed in several investigations conducted by this masthead.

The initial expose of The Company, which is also known as the Sam Gor syndicate or the Grandfather Syndicate, was in 2012, when The Age and Herald published a leaked briefing from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. It described The Company’s members’ “well-established network of contacts across many governments as well as legitimate business and company structures, that enables them to mask and support their criminal activities”.

In 2019, this masthead again exposed The Company, this time revealing its infiltration of Crown Resorts casinos in Melbourne and Perth in order to launder funds. The expose led to commissions of inquiry and major reforms of Australia’s gaming sector.

In 2020, AFP deputy commissioner Karl Kent described The Company as “being a huge threat to Australia … not only in terms of illicit drugs but in terms of people smuggling, in terms of firearms”. He estimated The Company’s revenue to “exceed the gross domestic product of some of the states in which they operate”.

The case to be heard against Tse relies on evidence uncovered during a 2011 investigation by the Australian Federal Police into a millionaire Melbourne greengrocer, Suky Lieu. Victorian court records reveal Lieu was allegedly taking orders from a man in Hong Kong with the Cantonese nickname Sam Gor or Brother Three.

“We started to hear about a reference to a very high-ranking member of this organisation who had global reach, had global control, and had a serious ranking globally as an international trafficker,” former AFP officer Roland Singor previously told this masthead. The AFP will allege that Sam Gor is Tse Chi Lop.

Court records reveal Singor and his fellow AFP detectives tracked millions in cash back to Crown Casino in Melbourne. The cash, generated by Suky Lieu’s drug sales, was given to a high-roller tour business known as a junket operator. Crown licensed and paid that business to attract wealthy gamblers to come to its Southbank casino.

The court records detail how this junket in turn wired millions of drug dollars to Hong Kong. Some of the alleged orders to do so were issued by Brother Three and were recorded on phone taps aired during the prosecutions of Suky Lieu’s associates.

Police believe Tse, a Canadian national born in Guangdong Province in Southern China in 1964, became a low ranking member of a Triad crime syndicate known as the Big Circle Gang before migrating to Canada in the 1980s. In 1996, the FBI arrested him in connection to a drug importation ring in the US that was sourcing heroin from the Golden Triangle in Asia.

The AFP’s Operation Volante shut down Lieu’s operation in 2012, but Tse remained overseas and alleged continued to build his operation. The federal police continued to sporadically investigate Tse for involvement in alleged drug importations and launched a new operation, codenamed Kungar in 2019 aimed at securing his arrest.

Federal police liaison officers in Myanmar, Washington, Thailand, China and Hong Kong worked with trusted counterparts in local agencies to gather fresh intelligence on The Company’s operations.

Reuters has previously reported that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had estimated The Company’s meth revenue in 2018 at $8 billion a year, but said it could be as high as $17.7 billion.

https:// www.smh.com.au /national/ alleged-mr-big-arrives -in-australia-under-police-guard -20221221 -p5c83v .html

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de6a9c  No.17996676

File: 3fcc7e3d2b1b355⋯.jpg (370.81 KB, 1400x934, 700:467, Nathaniel_Gareth_and_Stace….jpg)

File: 26f938b28f728bd⋯.jpg (170.79 KB, 1600x1042, 800:521, Queensland_police_Deputy_C….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17980363

Queensland police reveal officers were following up warrant for Nathaniel Train as counter terrorism teams assist investigation

Sarah Richards - 22 December 2022

1/2

Officers were following up an outstanding warrant relating to firearms and a border breach by shooter Nathaniel Train, as well as a missing person report, when they attended the Wieambilla property last week, Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford said.

The warrant related to a border breach from December 2021 when Train illegally crossed the Queensland-NSW border gate in a 4WD carrying loaded guns and military knives.

Deputy Commissioner Linford said the wide-ranging investigation involved the counter terrorism command and other specialist police teams, but the shooting was not classed as "a domestic terror event".

"What we can see is a sentiment displayed by the three individuals … that appears anti-government, anti-police, conspiracy theorist type," she said.

"We can't see them connected to any particular group that they might have been working with, or inspire them to do anything. We haven't located anything like that at this point in time."

She said security and counter terrorism teams were working to determine possible motivations for the attack, including "religiously-motivated extremism" and "pathological-fuelled violence".

Police attended property multiple times

Deputy Commissioner Linford said police had gone to the property multiple times to locate Train to question him about the border breach and firearms that were dumped at the time.

"[He] had driven his vehicle through an e-gate, causing damage and his vehicle got bogged at that location," she said.

"When police subsequently investigated the vehicle because they were speaking to other locals in the area, two firearms were handed in.

"Those firearms were registered to Nathaniel Train. He was a firearms licence holder."

However, Deputy Commissioner Linford said Nathaniel Train's firearms licence had been suspended.

"It was suspended as a result of the two firearms being left at the border," she said.

"Police wanted to speak to Nathaniel about the events of the December incident and had gone to the property but were unable to raise any individual there.

"They had left messages at the property, both by card and at least five messages as well, but they had not had any response."

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996681

File: f7b101d56724323⋯.jpg (322.46 KB, 1920x1080, 16:9, Queensland_police_had_atte….jpg)

File: e306612e9eb5d80⋯.jpg (881.31 KB, 4032x3024, 4:3, The_vehicle_Nathaniel_Trai….jpg)

>>17996676

2/2

'Run-of-the-mill job'

Deputy Commissioner Linford said it was normal for police to visit the property of family members when following up a missing person report.

"This was a run-of-the-mill policing job. There wasn't anything to flag particular concern with our members who were attending the scene that day.

"His brother and sister-in-law, who was previously actually his wife, did reside at the address," she said.

"So that is a normal course of action for police to check with relatives of a missing person to see."

She said Nathaniel Train's wife, who resides in NSW, reported him missing as she had not physically seen him in 12 months.

Asked if the missing person's report could have been premeditated, Deputy Commissioner Linford said police believed his wife's report was genuine.

Deputy Commissioner Linford said six weapons had been seized from the property during the police crime scene search, along with three bow and arrows and three knives.

"Two of those [guns] were weapons that were registered to Nathaniel Train, three of those were unregistered," she said.

"One of those [firearms] we are following up lines of inquiry to find out who the owner of that particular firearm is."

Little known about Train family

Deputy Commissioner Linford said police had very little information about the Train family prior to the shooting incident.

"Nathaniel Train's only history with us was a 2014 driving offence," she said.

Deputy Commissioner Linford said Gareth Train had a 1998 offence for unlawful possession of a firearm, which had expired.

"In terms of Stacey Train, we have no criminal history, or intelligence holdings on her," she said.

"So, you can see from that, we knew very little about the Trains and there was nothing that would have caused that particular flag for our members who attended."

Deputy Commissioner Linford said police had been in contact with law enforcement agencies across the country and overseas.

"We are doing a social media trawl and looking for any evidence of postings and also any evidence of people they were connected to," she said.

Deputy Commissioner Linford said the "multidisciplinary" investigation was being led by the Ethical Standards Command.

She said other specialist police teams were involved in the investigation include the homicide team, local police and intelligence command.

Palaszczuk to raise national gun register with other leaders

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she will raise the establishment of a national gun register when national cabinet meets next year.

"What we want to see is that if a person is registered for guns in one state they are also recognised in the other state, if they transfer, that's the issue we need to look at," she said.

The premier said the state government was "always looking at how we can tighten" firearms regulations.

The government will contribute $100,000 towards the Queensland Police Union's remembrance fund for constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, who were killed by the Trains.

Ms Palaszczuk said the money would support their families.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-22/qld-police-shooting-wieambilla-warrant-nathaniel-train-/101800366

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de6a9c  No.17996696

File: 76cbc50ae023b9f⋯.jpg (60.82 KB, 768x768, 1:1, Don_an_Arizona_man_known_t….jpg)

File: 90346fdc9a4415a⋯.jpg (42.56 KB, 768x1025, 768:1025, Gareth_Train_was_active_in….jpg)

File: 87b6970fc82fb1f⋯.jpg (90.72 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Cop_killer_and_gareth_s_wi….jpg)

File: cc00079869de4b4⋯.jpg (142.79 KB, 1596x707, 228:101, Email_from_a_friend_of_the….jpg)

>>17933898

>>17953429

Train family offered US sanctum before evil Queensland police killing

Jack Evans - December 22, 2022

1/2

An American man with links to cop killers Gareth and Stacey Train claims the pair turned down an invitation to relocate in the US before carrying out a deadly ambush on Queensland Police officers.

Instead, the man claimed, they stayed in Australia to “weather the storm”.

News.com.au has established a link between the Arizona man and the Trains through a series of videos and a letter.

The man, who is understood to be an online friend of the Trains, contacted news.com.au after recent coverage linking him to the Trains.

News.com.au has forwarded the email from Don to the police investigating the incident.

Among the chilling email, much of which defended the Trains’ sinister actions and criticised media “hit pieces” on the trio, was a revelation he offered the Trains the option to relocate to the US.

“I asked the Trains to abandon the hell that Australia has become and relocate to America … they chose to weather the storm of tyranny inundating their homeland and to fight against it,” the man, known to the Trains as Don, said.

The email made it abundantly apparent the Trains felt persecuted due to their views on the Covid-19 vaccine rollouts and mandates.

Mandates, restrictions and lockdowns, besides those encouraging inoculation, in Queensland were somewhat less extensive than those experienced in more populated Australian states such as NSW and Victoria.

“QPS pushed them to the brink – primarily because they refused to be vaxxed and spoke out against the vax,” the man said.

Stacey and Nathaniel – Gareth’s brother – had been school teachers, but their unwillingness to vaccinate put an end to their careers.

Stacey resigned from Tara Shire State School on December 16, 2021.

Sources close to the Trains have said Covid mandates and restrictions and subsequent unemployment further exposed Stacey to the troubling conspiracy theories held by Gareth.

The email was the first time Don publicly referred to the pair by their real names.

In a series of YouTube sermon-like videos from an account that has since been deleted, Don would refer to them by their online pseudonyms, Daniel and Jane – their middle names.

Don’s videos, and some created by Gareth, share themes of hatred of police and fundamentalist Christian ideology.

Other lengthy videos by Don, some of which mentioned Gareth and Stacey, detested social credit systems, the Covid-19 vaccine and the media.

Don was addressed directly in a chilling video believed to be filmed and posted by the Trains in the moments after they gunned down Constables Rachel McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26, “execution-style”, along with their neighbour Alan Dare.

“They came to kill us, and we killed them,” Gareth said, shrouded in darkness with his wife, Stacey at his side.

“If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons, you’re a coward.

“We will see you when you get home”, Stacey said.

“We’ll see you at home Don,” Gareth continued.

“Love you,” Stacey added before the video ended.

Don was irate to hear of their deaths.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.17996699

File: 0aca4ad33368e19⋯.jpg (53.26 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Gareth_and_Stacey_Train_re….jpg)

File: 2f427113b9719c9⋯.jpg (79.61 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Constable_Rachel_McCrow_wh….jpg)

File: 643d647d662e200⋯.jpg (150.74 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Constable_Matthew_Arnold_2….jpg)

File: a9d6cd11e4c79e0⋯.jpg (136.65 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Constables_McCrow_and_Arno….jpg)

>>17996696

2/2

The videos involving the Trains ultimately raised questions about whether authorities knew about the Train’s questionable online activity.

Last week, The Guardian reported Queensland and NSW Police were only made aware of the videos after the shooting.

An anonymous former long-serving national security official told the publication that he was “utterly baffled” online activity by Gareth was not on the radar of police.

“I suspect they were not really looking at these sites – or if they were, they did not understand what they were seeing,” he said.

Other experts said the shooting would likely change the way authorities assess conspiracy theorists and the risk of violence.

Deakin University terrorism expert Greg Barton told news.com.au that the Covid pandemic had been an “accelerant” for a string of dangerous conspiracies that had already existed and that it had brought people with similar outlandish viewpoints together like never before.

Prof Barton said Australia was past the “tipping point”, with more than half of counter-terrorism measures now focused on battling far-right or conspiracy ideologies.

He added that threats were likely to manifest as “lone acts” which could nevertheless be “of a very large scale of devastation”.

“We have bollards everywhere, and we take care with public gatherings, but we’re still vulnerable from a policing point of view,” he said.

Lydia Khalil, an expert in extremism and a research fellow at the Lowy Institute and Deakin University, told The Guardian the tragedy would likely change how authorities assessed conspiracy theorists and the risk of violence.

“(The shooting will) change how researchers and government agencies calculate the risk of violence that they pose because we now have a clear example – a precedent – of this type of conspiratorial behaviour leading to violence,” she said.

On the afternoon of Monday, December 12, the Trains were reportedly laying in wait in the bushes at their isolated Wieambilla property as the four police officers approached their home responding to a missing persons request from NSW Police.

Constables McCrow and Arnold were killed, while constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough managed to escape.

Constable Kirk was injured in the shooting and later hospitalised, while Constable Brough spent two hours on the Trains’ property, eluding them as they shot at her and tried to flush her out with a vegetation fire.

Stacey, her husband Gareth and brother-in-law Nathaniel (who is also her ex-husband), died during a confrontation with Queensland Police’s elite SERT officers.

On Wednesday, thousands of Queenslanders gathered across the state to pay their respects to two officers who were gunned down on the Western Downs property.

In a powerful eulogy, senior sergeant Laura Harriss said the officers “deserved so much better” for their service to their community.

“You deserved so much more from the public you fought to protect,” she said.

“Your name will never be forgotten. We love you always, we will love you forever.”

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/train-family-offered-us-sanctum-before-evil-queensland-police-killing/news-story/7637eb95f74a6dc3bb5aa71b9e30afec

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de6a9c  No.18002294

File: 8111e6b98233e4a⋯.jpg (115.6 KB, 1020x680, 3:2, Cody_Michael_Reynolds_leav….jpg)

File: ecb6846f1af3a38⋯.jpg (68.67 KB, 800x800, 1:1, Cody_Michael_Reynolds_prev….jpg)

Former Moriah College teacher admits child abuse material charges

Sarah McPhee - December 20, 2022

Moriah College’s former head of English has pleaded guilty to two child exploitation charges and will be sentenced next year.

Cody Michael Reynolds, 36, faced Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday when his lawyer, Ryan Coffey, entered pleas of guilty on behalf of his client to possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, and using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material.

The charges each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.

The transmission offence occurred between November 18, 2021 and February 25, 2022 in Kensington, in Sydney’s south-east, according to court documents.

The other offence of possessing or controlling child abuse material “in the form of data held in a computer or contained in a data storage device”, obtained or accessed via a carriage service, was committed on March 9, the papers state.

Prosecutor Zoe Brodie, for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, withdrew four charges: one count of possessing child abuse material, a second count regarding transmitting, publishing or promoting material, and two further possess or control counts.

Reynolds was arrested and charged in March. His employment as head of English at Moriah College, a top private school in Queens Park, was terminated that same month.

In a letter sent to parents, the school said it had been contacted by the Australian Federal Police regarding Reynolds’ arrest and advised there was nothing to suggest any of the offending occurred at Moriah College or related to any contact with students.

“He was recruited in line with our stringent employment policy, which includes thorough referencing and child safety vetting,” the letter said.

Magistrate Susan Horan committed Reynolds for sentence in the District Court. He remains on bail and the matter will return to court on February 3.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/former-moriah-college-teacher-admits-child-abuse-material-charges-20221219-p5c7ku.html

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de6a9c  No.18002306

File: 4d1d89f04836a9c⋯.jpg (88.4 KB, 768x1025, 768:1025, John_Moffat_Fugui.jpg)

Solomon Islands ambassador to China John Moffat Fugui dies amid Beijing’s Covid wave

WILL GLASGOW, HEIDI HAN and BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 23, 2022

Solomon Islands ambassador John Moffat Fugui has died during Beijing’s Covid wave, stunning diplomats in China’s capital.

Mr Fugui, 61, whose cause of death has not been disclosed, was appointed as Solomon Islands’ first ambassador to China by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. He took up the post in May 2021 after Covid-related travel delays.

The former politician chaired the taskforce set up by Mr Sogavare that pushed for the Pacific Island country to switch its recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 2019, a controversial decision that continues to reverberate in Solomon Islands politics.

“The Embassy of Solomon Islands in Beijing … with deep sorrow informs that His Excellency John Moffat Fugui, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Solomon Islands to the People’s Republic of China, has been called to his eternal rest on 22 December 2022,” the embassy said in an official letter sent to Beijing-based diplomats.

A condolence book will be opened at Solomon Islands embassy in Beijing from Saturday to Monday.

The death of the Pacific Island country’s envoy has shocked the diplomatic community in Beijing, who like most people in China’s capital are self-quarantining as Covid surges across the country.

China’s official statistics have recorded only six deaths across the country – all in Beijing – since its dramatic unwinding of President Xi Jinping’s signature “Covid zero” policy.

Amid the spread of the virus, Beijing has changed the criteria so that most virus deaths are no longer counted. It has also adjusted its definition of a positive case, significantly reducing its official tally.

World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus this week said he was “very concerned” about the spread of the virus in China and appealed for Beijing to release more information on the severity of cases, hospital admissions and intensive care unit capacity.

Dr Tedros also urged Beijing to accelerate the vaccination of its elderly population.

“WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China, with increasing reports of severe disease,” Dr Tedros told a news conference in Geneva.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited Beijing this week and was quarantined within the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for the entirety of her overnight stay.

Across China, crematoriums are being overwhelmed, hospital staff are exhausted and pharmacy shelves have been stripped of fever medication.

Mr Fugui was one of China’s biggest supporters in Solomon Islands political circles.

Before Honiara’s diplomatic switch, he led a delegation of Solomon Islands politicians to China, visiting Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities.

The envoy was to be a key figure in liaising with the Chinese government in the lead up to next year’s Pacific Games. Many of the venues for the sporting event have been built by Chinese contractors with significant financial support from Beijing.

In a recent interview with the Global Times, he said the decision to establish official relations with China three years ago was “a great decision in our diplomatic history”.

The Ambassador told the party state masthead that he was reading President Xi’s written works to better understand the country.

“I have read the first three volumes of ‘Xi Jinping: The Governance of China’ and I am reading the fourth volume,” Mr Fugui said.

Rejecting criticism of the switch, he said that China and his Pacific Island country were united by a shared history.

“First of all, China respects us. Solomon Islands was colonised in the past, and nations are unequal under colonial system. But when we came to China for the first time, we were respected and treated as important friends and distinguished guests.”

Many in Solomon Islands were distraught at the news of his passing.

“It is really heartbreaking to receive the news of you leaving us without notice … A great son of Fataleka. We will miss you,” wrote Wilfred Luiramo, a friend, in a condolence message.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/solomon-islands-ambassador-to-china-john-moffat-fugui-dies-amid-beijings-covid-wave/news-story/ef71f5d02f4d46fbbadcb3c0cf495b88

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de6a9c  No.18002329

File: b081c2216189b14⋯.jpg (35.7 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Gareth_and_Stacey_Train_cl….jpg)

File: 4bc0aa3b15435a4⋯.jpg (146.74 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Queensland_Deputy_Commissi….jpg)

>>17933898

Experts question Qld police reluctance to label Wieambilla a terrorist act

Matt Dennien - December 23, 2022

Experts have questioned the decision by Queensland police to shy away from applying a terrorism label to last week’s killing of two young constables and a neighbour at Wieambilla, saying it marks a missed opportunity to open the broader discussion now needed about extremist threats.

While the state’s counterterrorism unit is involved in the sprawling probe for the coroner tasked with laying out what happened on the rural property and why, Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford said they were yet to deem it a terrorist act.

“At this point, there’s nothing really to indicate that,” Linford, whose role includes executive responsibility over crime and counterterrorism, said in response to a question from this masthead at Thursday’s media briefing.

Linford explained that while the three Train family members behind the violence appeared to hold anti-government, anti-police and conspiracist views, they were not linked to “any particular group” that may have helped or inspired them.

Despite this, Gareth Train had been active on a prominent sovereign citizen site, shared pandemic conspiracies, and labelled himself an “extremist”, while an account linked to his wife, Stacey, had interacted with a US-based conspiracist.

Deakin University senior research fellow Dr Josh Roose said a formal connection to broader groups was “not a prerequisite of terrorism”, with many individuals radicalised alone online into violence by Islamic extremists still labelled as such.

While ideological, political or religious motivation was often difficult to prove, particularly when it came to prosecuting in court, Roose said that from Linford’s comments it could be “strongly suggested that she’s potentially speaking a little bit prematurely”.

“From what we do know based on reporting … the individuals were highly influenced by conspiracy theories, sovereign citizen narratives, evangelical apocalypticism, and we don’t yet know what else,” he said.

Charles Sturt University terrorism studies director Levi West agreed that linking a person committing violence acts to a broader group was not a prerequisite of terrorism.

“I find it very difficult to not view this as an act of terrorism,” West said. “I can’t see what information at this point would explain away ideological motivation.”

West said there was a discrepancy in how the media and politicians or officials framed violence perpetrated under what is referred to as a jihadist ideology and that of people who hold beliefs closer to those of the Train trio.

Both West and Roose said the discussion then boiled down to how to manage the inherent anti-democratic push behind sovereign citizen-style beliefs – in which people essentially exist outside the law – and newer conspiracies such as QAnon.

“[Wieambilla] is a useful reminder of the dangers at the very, very pointy end of what these kinds of … ideas can produce, separate from the sort of slow chipping away at democracies that they achieve,” West said.

Roose and others have previously told this masthead about the need to tackle the complex problem with a range of programs to disengage people from conspiratorial communities with positive alternatives, by addressing social inequalities, and better regulating online spaces.

ASIO boss Mike Burgess spoke earlier this year about growing concern at the national intelligence agency over online radicalisation fuelled by the pandemic and a “cocktail of views, fears, frustrations and conspiracies”.

Speaking after the Wieambilla shooting, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said she expected radicalisation to form part of the explanation for the shooting, as the government considers the policy responses needed to deal with “new forms of terrorism” linked to the far-right.

Existing long before the pandemic, both the FBI in the United States and NSW police have deemed sovereign citizens “domestic terrorists” or a “potential terrorist threat”.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/experts-question-qld-police-reluctance-to-label-wieambilla-a-terrorist-act-20221220-p5c7rk.html

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de6a9c  No.18002453

File: cb29d2760578584⋯.jpg (84.55 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Vice_Admiral_Jonathan_Mead.jpg)

File: 78e3d943340b081⋯.jpg (64.57 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Collins_class_submarines_S….jpg)

Secrets of the deep: ‘This is the pointy end of the spear’

Australia’s largest — and ultra-secret — defence project is fast taking shape behind closed doors at the headquarters of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce near Canberra airport.

CAMERON STEWART - December 23, 2022

1/3

Australia’s largest defence project is fast taking shape behind closed doors at the headquarters of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce near Canberra airport.

More than 360 people under Vice-Admiral Jonathan Mead are toiling against the clock to produce in just three months a report that will recommend the so-called optimal pathway to acquire eight nuclear-powered submarines.

The report of the task force will be the most consequential military report produced in peacetime, giving the Albanese government choices that will underpin Australia’s defence for generations.

But such is the secrecy surrounding the program that even now, with just months to go, there have been no definitive leaks about what submarines Australia will acquire and how.

There has been no shortage of speculation, but this has been derived more from whispers and guesswork among the commentariat in Canberra than from well-informed sources.

Of course, that is exactly the way Mead wants it. In an end-of-year interview with Inquirer, he says the ultra-secret project is on track to deliver its recommendations to the government in March.

“This is a historic moment in time,” he says of the pending decision. “This is a generational capability and the magnitude of what we’re doing is massive.

“Nuclear-powered submarines represent a capability that is commensurate with the strategic circumstances of the Indo-Pacific,” he says – code for dealing with a rising China.

“It will deliver for Australia a potent war-fighting capability (and) helps to deter anyone who may seek to do harm to Australia.”

But Mead’s challenge is multifaceted. He says his “real priority” is to ensure there is “no capability gap” in Australia’s submarine force across the coming decades, between the retirement of the current Collins-class boats and the arrival of nuclear-powered subs.

How this will be achieved remains the central mystery of the future submarine program. In theory the six Collins-class boats progressively will be retired between 2038 and 2046, after each receiving a 10-year life-of-type extension. But this timeline is rubbery at best because the ageing Collins may not last that long and may be too old to be sent into harm’s way.

The navy is opposed to building more Collins-class subs as an interim solution and Mead says his proposed solutions will focus only on nuclear-powered subs.

But there is no obvious scenario under which Australia can build its own nuclear-powered submarines in Adelaide before the 2040s, given the size and complexity of the project. Defence Minister Richard Marles insists that he wants the submarines – or at least most of them – to be constructed in Australia.

A potential solution of obtaining several stopgap US Virginia-class submarines earlier than this from US shipyards is also problematic. As things stand, those shipyards can’t keep up with US submarine production schedules, much less accommodate orders from a foreign power.

But for Mead the challenge of this project goes far beyond the media’s fixation on which submarine Australia will choose and how.

He says his task force is trying to tick off nine key components that will be critical for Australia to be able to run a nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Arguably the most difficult of these is to create a workforce to crew, manage, regulate and build nuclear-powered submarines – which are more than twice as large as the Collins boats – in a country that has little nuclear expertise and no civil nuclear industry.

Mead is trying to fast-track this process as much as possible, but the number of qualified people is precariously small.

“Right now we have 20 people studying in the US, UK or Australia doing nuclear science or nuclear engineering degrees, and I’ve got civilians doing courses overseas with the US Navy or nuclear reactor engineering,” he says.

Mead plans to have another 30 naval personnel do similar courses next year. “We’ve got forward projections on how many navy people we need by a certain date, how many (non-navy) people by a certain date, and also how many people in industry that we need to maintain and build the submarines.” He says about 5000 industry people will be directly required to build the subs, with more required for sustainment.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.18002460

File: f1f89dd3f0fd33b⋯.jpg (109.58 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, HMAS_Rankin_conducts_helic….jpg)

File: cd2ba94b81e8faa⋯.jpg (4.43 MB, 6555x4375, 1311:875, The_Virginia_class_nuclear….jpg)

>>18002453

2/3

Mead says a good way to kickstart training for Australians on nuclear submarines is for them to help maintain US and British nuclear subs when they dock at HMAS Stirling in Perth.

“Providing greater support to visiting US and UK nuclear submarines is a central pillar of developing our stewardship capability,” he says. “It involves growing a workforce that can safely maintain US and UK nuclear-powered submarines, a domestic vendor base that can supply services and parts, a regulatory system that can oversee these visits, and of course it offers opportunities to embed Australian sailors in these submarines to deepen their knowledge.”

The reality of this workforce challenge is that Australia’s nuclear-powered fleet is likely to begin with mixed Australian-US crews or Australian-British crews for years until Australia can produce the pipeline of submariners required to crew the much larger nuclear-powered boats.

Another challenge for Mead is to try to make AUKUS a “truly trilateral program”. There is a practical component to this and an unspoken political component.

At a practical level, Mead and his team have visited shipyards in Britain and the US while foreign delegations have visited the Osborne facility near Adelaide to examine what res­ources the countries can share.

“We are looking at where they build submarines and how they maintain submarines, we are looking at their laboratories, we are looking at their supplies and their supply chains. They are also looking at us and sending delegations to Australia,” he says. “The aim is to look at the industrial base of the three countries and think: ‘How do we maximise this industrial base to deliver this program?’ ’’

Mead won’t discuss it, but there is a political component to AUKUS that has to ensure that one country does not get snubbed in the final solution. For example, if Australia were to choose to buy or build US submarines, what benefits could Britain get from the final deal? For diplomatic reasons, no country can be seen to get the cold shoulder from a trilateral pact.

Other significant include ensuring that Australia – as a nuclear novice – doesn’t stuff up its new obligations. This includes ensuring that the task force works with the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure the program meets “the highest standards of non-proliferation”. Indonesia, for example, has expressed concern about how the transferring of nuclear-powered submarine technology could affect the global non-proliferation regime.

Mead also says Australia needs to prove to the world it can safely handle nuclear material and nuclear technology.

“It’s a critically important aspect – it’s having confidence that you can be suitable stewards of nuclear materials. It’s allowing our partners to have confidence. This is about safety, security and nuclear safeguards. It is a new area so we are bringing in assistance from overseas to help us as we go along this journey.”

Mead says Australia will need to work its way slowly towards the point when it is “sovereign-ready”, when it can have “our nuclear-powered submarine with an Australian flag on it, Australian-controlled”.

Another challenge for Mead is to ensure the security of the work of his task force from foreign spies who would love to infiltrate the program and potentially compromise the US and Britain also.

“Managing nuclear material requires absolutely the gold standard for security,” he says. “It’s not just physical security. We are not just talking about barbed-wire fences here. It’s far more comprehensive; we are talking about personal security vetting, ICT, cyber security. We need to appropriately protect the crown jewels of US and UK technology, so we have to work with our security agencies (and) within our government.

“I would always be concerned about state and non-state actors that would attempt to interfere with the nuclear program and we need to put every measure in place to make that an impossible task.

“I think it would be a fair assumption to think that a program of this magnitude and complexity that delivers such high war-fighting capability would be of interest to foreign actors.”

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.18002466

File: cb675102b2964d3⋯.jpg (127.13 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Royal_Navy_HMS_Astute.jpg)

File: f0fe86dbb9ae88b⋯.jpg (178.17 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_US_Navy_Virginia_Class_s….jpg)

>>18002460

3/3

In the annual report of domestic spy agency ASIO, director-general Mike Burgess pointed out the submarine program was a tempting target for foreign intelligence services.

“We anticipate hostile foreign powers and their proxies will be particularly interested in obtaining information on AUKUS, the Quad and their associated ­initiatives,” Burgess said.

Mead says work also needs to be done to ensure Australian industry partners are upskilled so they meet the stringent security requirements of the submarine program.

Mead says all of these factors and safeguards need to be met if Australia’s nuclear-submarine ambitions are to be realised, but he admits that the “pointy end of the spear” is ultimately which submarine Australia chooses.

Mead will not directly discuss the options for Australia’s future submarine but they include the US Virginia-class or its yet-to-be-designed successor the SSN(X); Britain’s Astute-class or its successor the SSN(R); or a new jointly designed submarine to be used by all three countries’ navies.

Mead says the questions he needs to answer include: “How do we develop a program that eliminates any capability gap? How do we have a program that is enduring and sustainable? How do you become interoperable and how do we transition from a Collins-class submarine into a nuclear-powered submarine?”

He says the aim is to try to make the transition from conventional submarines to nuclear submarines with “the lowest risk possible”.

The most popular theory in Canberra is that the US, Britain and Australia are planning to create a so-called AUKUS submarine that has a single common design between the three countries.

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace hinted in September, during a visit by Marles, that the AUKUS nations might consider a future submarine that was common to all navies.

“It might have a bit of all three of us on it, so it may look like a submarine that none of us have on our stock,” Wallace said. Such a joint boat would not be built until the 2040s and would require significant political co-operation between the three countries to agree on a common design.

It also would require some form of interim nuclear-powered submarine for Australia to avoid a capability gap between the retirement of the Collins-class submarines and the arrival of a jointly designed boat.

When asked about the joint-design concept, Mead says flatly: “I wouldn’t rule it in or out, I just wouldn’t go down that path.

“The US has a submarine program. The UK has a submarine program. They work together on their submarine programs even though they are separate, and we are entering the program so we are trying to work with them on what is an optimal capability requirement for Australia.

“It is certainly the pointy end of the spear. It’s what we have to deliver ultimately, it is what the government will deploy to defend Australia.”

Within a few months, Australians will finally learn what Mead’s proposed solution is and what the navy’s future submarine fleet will be.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/secrets-of-the-deep-this-is-the-pointy-end-of-the-spear/news-story/0714e9c16037f064d445f5966568372b

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d98cb8  No.18005128

jesus fuck u all are autistic lmao

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de6a9c  No.18007283

File: 9b198c0d089b61f⋯.jpg (128.71 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Assembled_right_wing_activ….jpg)

File: 28d0625dced077f⋯.jpg (67.42 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Thomas_Sewell_far_left_arr….jpg)

File: 2035339e75c3e09⋯.jpg (116.89 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Timothy_Lutze_right_with_g….jpg)

File: c7b816aa2843152⋯.jpg (149.73 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Assembled_right_wing_activ….jpg)

File: eedccb752dfa856⋯.jpg (122.9 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Timothy_Lutze_centre_with_….jpg)

>>17946412

>>17985903

Inside the Melbourne boxing gym with a neo-Nazi underbelly

David Estcourt - December 24, 2022

Extremism experts have raised concerns about the presence of a child at a neo-Nazi event in Melbourne’s north-west, saying it indicates far-right groups are indoctrinating children with hateful ideology during vulnerable periods in their intellectual development.

An investigation by The Age has uncovered links between Legacy Boxing Gym, in Sunshine West, some of Victoria’s most dangerous neo-Nazi activists and a growing community of young men learning to box at the gym.

Images posted in encrypted far-right chat groups captured a secret December 3 event held at the gym, which was adorned with swastika and SS flags and other far-right symbolism. A photo from the event shows prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell posing with a child and dozens of other far-right supporters.

The photo also features far-right activist and Nazi sympathiser Jimeone Roberts, who was convicted of plastering Caulfield with more than 50 swastikas. The display of swastikas became illegal in Victoria in June.

According to business records, the directors of Legacy Boxing Gym include Werribee man Timothy Holger Lutze, 32.

Investigations by The Age have uncovered several pictures in which Lutze and young members of the gym are making Nazi salutes. On Friday morning, the gym, which was founded in 2019, removed some of the images from Facebook.

Messages to the gym’s social media accounts on Friday went unanswered.

When contacted by The Age, a spokesperson for the gym said they were too busy to answer questions about the far-right gathering held there.

Peta Lowe, a juvenile extremism expert, said children’s exposure to violent extremist views, materials and ideology should be considered a “risk of harm” under child protection legislation akin to neglect, psychological and physical abuse.

“We have a responsibility to protect children from violent extremism in all forms. It is a risk of harm to the safety and wellbeing of children, and of our society. Children are victims in these situations, even when they may actually perpetrate violent extremist acts,” she said.

“This is an internationally accepted principle in working with children recruited to [extremist] organisations.”

Propaganda produced by a far-right group founded by Sewell shows combatants in an exhibition boxing match at the gym, flanked by swastika and SS flags.

Sewell, 29, a prominent Melbourne white supremacist, was this week found guilty by magistrate Stephen Ballek after he repeatedly punched a security guard in the head outside Channel Nine’s Docklands headquarters after being refused a meeting with A Current Affair producers in March 2021.

Supporters including Roberts attended court and made racist gestures supporting him.

Victoria University extremism expert Mario Peucker said events like the one held this month where children and the partners of members were welcome were rare.

He also expressed concerns, echoed by Lowe, that the child in the photograph was in a developmentally formative period when children didn’t have a well-developed capacity to critically reflect and challenge hateful white supremacy ideologies.

In the 2022 Annual Threat Assessment, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Mike Burgess, found the number of children being radicalised was growing and their ages were getting lower.

Lowe said Australia was providing inadequate support for vulnerable children and young people.

“Australia is really lagging behind other countries who have civil society services specifically designed to provide disengagement support services outside of law enforcement and intelligence gathering,” she said.

Boxing Victoria secretary David Pike said they would be investigating the allegations and that they found “any attempt to bring extremist views into boxing or any other sport abhorrent”.

The photos are a few of many being shared on encrypted communication platform Telegram. Legacy Boxing Gym is also active on many other public media channels.

Photos posted on social media show the gym celebrating boxing wins by young competitors and commemorating birthdays of members, presenting a public image of a wholesome and supportive community.

In one post on a Facebook account, the gym’s co-owner Lutze is in the background giving the Nazi salute.

In another, a man gives the Nazi salute at a public playground. Next to him is a child also giving the salute.

Sewell’s group has recently intensified efforts to recruit members by staging anti-LGBTQ stunts.

In 2021, according to ASIO, minors made up 15 per cent of new investigations into threats from extremist groups — up from 2-3 per cent in recent years.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/inside-the-melbourne-boxing-gym-with-a-neo-nazi-underbelly-20221223-p5c8ga.html

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de6a9c  No.18007288

File: c7b816aa2843152⋯.jpg (149.73 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Assembled_right_wing_activ….jpg)

>>17946412

>>18007283

Coaches at boxing gym with neo-Nazi links have registrations cancelled

Ashleigh McMillan and David Estcourt - December 24, 2022

Coaches at a boxing gym in Melbourne’s north-west will have their registrations suspended by the state’s governing body for amateur boxing after the gym was found to have links to some of Victoria’s most dangerous neo-Nazi activists.

An investigation by The Age into Legacy Boxing Gym, in Sunshine West, uncovered images posted in encrypted far-right chat groups which showed a secret December 3 event held at the gym, which was adorned with swastika and SS flags and other far-right symbolism.

A photo from the event shows prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell posing with a child and dozens of other far-right supporters.

Boxing Victoria (BV) secretary David Pike called the allegations “disturbing” and said a probe into the gym’s conduct would take place next month.

“Boxing Victoria has moved to suspend the registration [of] all coaches involved with the Legacy Boxing Gym pending an investigation of the allegations, in January 2023,” he said.

“As an organisation, Boxing Victoria warmly welcomes and has representatives of all faiths and cultures involved in our activities and finds any attempt to bring extremist views into boxing to be abhorrent.”

BV said unregistered coaches could continue to work at Legacy Boxing Gym, but could not coach at, or enter boxers, in BV events.

Unregistered coaches also cannot undertake qualification courses approved by Boxing Australia or apply to be BV state coaches at national events. Coaches in the state need to be registered with BV to enter and coach boxers with interstate boxing organisations that are affiliated with Boxing Australia, or with organisations affiliated with the International Boxing Association.

According to business records, the directors of Legacy Boxing Gym include Werribee man Timothy Holger Lutze, 32.

Investigations by The Age have uncovered several pictures in which Lutze and young members of the gym are making Nazi salutes. On Friday morning, the gym, which was founded in 2019, removed some of the images from Facebook.

Messages to the gym’s social media accounts on Friday went unanswered.

When contacted by The Age, a spokesperson for the gym said they were too busy to answer questions about the far-right gathering held there.

Extremism experts also raised concerns about the presence of a child at the December 3 event at the gym, saying it indicated far-right groups were indoctrinating children with hateful ideology during vulnerable periods in their intellectual development.

The BV website says that new state government Child Safe Standards now apply for its members. The standards require organisations establish a culturally safe environment and that “measures are adopted … to ensure racism within the organisation is identified, confronted and not tolerated”.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/coaches-at-boxing-gym-with-neo-nazi-links-have-registrations-cancelled-20221224-p5c8o0.html

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de6a9c  No.18007301

File: 3b154f9bd78809f⋯.jpg (128.11 KB, 1024x682, 512:341, Former_Australian_Prime_Mi….jpg)

File: 7372eaceb2b6100⋯.jpg (139.37 KB, 1023x683, 1023:683, WikiLeaks_founder_Julian_A….jpg)

File: 3025a828d41e68e⋯.jpg (538.86 KB, 825x1018, 825:1018, KR_17.jpg)

>>17853189

>>17985540

Kevin Rudd’s appointment as US ambassador lifts Assange supporter hopes

Matthew Knott - December 24, 2022

Supporters of Julian Assange have welcomed Kevin Rudd’s appointment as Australia’s ambassador to the United States, saying they are hopeful he will use the position to press the Biden administration to drop espionage charges against the Wikileaks founder.

Assange remains in London’s Belmarsh prison in London as he fights a US attempt to extradite him to face charges over the publication of hundreds of thousands of classified documents and diplomatic cables relating to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

As far back as 2010, when he was serving as foreign minister, Rudd had insisted that the US government and whoever leaked the documents should be held responsible for the disclosure rather than Assange.

In a 2019 letter to the Bring Julian Assange Home Queensland Network, Rudd said Assange would pay an “unacceptable” and “disproportionate” price if he was extradited to the US.

Rudd said he could not see the difference between Assange’s actions and the editors of American media outlets who reported the material, adding that the US had failed to secure classified information appropriately.

“The result was the mass leaking of sensitive diplomatic cables, including some that caused me some political discomfort at the time,” he wrote.

“However, an effective life sentence is an unacceptable and disproportionate price to pay. I would therefore oppose his extradition.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed Rudd to the nation’s most prestigious diplomatic posting on Tuesday, saying he would “conduct himself in a way that brings great credit to Australia”.

Assange’s father John Shipton noted that Rudd’s views reflect those of Albanese, who last month said he had personally raised Assange’s case with US officials.

“My position is clear and has been made clear to the US administration – that it is time that this matter be brought to a close,” Albanese told parliament.

Shipton said: “Ambassador Rudd is, from my view, a vigorous, experienced and skilled diplomat.”

He added that Rudd was “no doubt fully aware” of Albanese’s position on Assange’s “dire circumstances”.

Lawyer Greg Barns, an adviser to the Australian Assange campaign, said: “The appointment of Kevin Rudd should assist Prime Minister Albanese push to end the US pursuit of Assange.

“Mr Rudd has been supportive of Julian’s position and we look forward to his being able to ensure there is an end to this case.”

Chelsea Manning, the former army soldier who leaked the classified material, was sentenced to 35 years in jail but had her term commuted after six years by then-president Barack Obama in one of his final acts in office.

Earlier this year Rudd blasted then-UK home secretary Priti Patel’s decision to certify Assange’s extradition to the US to face charges under the Espionage Act.

“I disagree with this decision,” Rudd said on Twitter.

“I do not support Assange’s actions and his reckless disregard for classified security information.

“But if Assange is guilty, then so too are the dozens of newspaper editors who happily published his material. Total hypocrisy.”

A spokesman for Rudd pointed to his past statements on the issue when asked for comment.

In a statement following his appointment, which will begin in March, Rudd said: “Our national interest continues to be served, as it has for decades past, by the deepest and most effective strategic engagement of the United States in the region.“

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/kevin-rudd-s-appointment-as-us-ambassador-lifts-assange-supporter-hopes-20221223-p5c8gp.html

https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1537913688006352901

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de6a9c  No.18012370

File: fb80e82a0968f75⋯.jpg (316.3 KB, 1763x1175, 1763:1175, U_S_Space_Force_1st_Lt_Jos….jpg)

Space Force Guardians train for conflict in Europe during large-scale exercise at Schriever Air Force Base

Mary Shinn - 25 December 2022

What if a U.S. satellite was hit by a cyberattack?

Guardians tackled the hypothetical, but possible scenario and other major potential threats to satellites that are critical for communications and navigation during the Space Force's version of a two-week-long war game recently at Schriever Space Force Base.

The simulated space conflict pit space aggressors' squadrons, those who study the tactics of enemy states full-time, against mostly younger guardians, brought together to hone their skills.

The Space Flag exercise, run by the 392nd Combat Training Squadron, involved 165 people, including service members from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, who would be allies in a real space conflict. It was the first time the regular exercise was based on a threat in Europe, where Russia would be one of the potential adversaries.

In recent months, tensions have been high in that region, with a Russian official saying in October that commercial satellites from the United States and its allies could be targeted if they were involved in the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported. Russia has also jammed satellites during the conflict and in November 2021, Russia blew up one of its own satellites creating a dangerous debris field.

The large-scale Space Flag exercises held three times a year are meant to help prepare space guardians for all the real threats they could face in the field, said Maj. Gen. Shawn Bratton, who leads the Space Training and Readiness Command.

"If there's no surprises, we are doing it right," Bratton said.

A strong deterrence to space conflict can also help protect commerce and navigation that relies on GPS and freedom of movement, including sending civilians to space, he said.

The simulated cyber attack that guardians faced is an example of a threat the military hasn't seen yet, but is technically possible, said Capt. Jonathan Eng, a member of a space aggressors squadron. The cost of such an attack is also much lower than a threat posed by another satellite in orbit. If undermined by a successful cyber attack, a satellite could behave in ways operators don't intend and the payload could be unusable, he said.

Aggressor squadrons also develop scenarios that feature aggressive satellites challenging other assets in space that help guardians practice guiding another satellite to function as deterrence, Capt. Lydell Scott said. The group also works to show what enemy states could put in orbit in the future, he said.

To help train for future conflict, Bratton said he would like to see Space Force training become more realistic because the simulations are not perfect replications of what guardians will see during a conflict.

Lt. Col. Albert Harris said a training satellite in orbit would help create more realism.

Not to say the recent simulation wasn't challenging. The guardians are expected to struggle, particularly in the first round of the exercise that is repeated three times and changes with new tactics as it progresses, Harris said.

A participant who was honored for her work during the exercise, Capt. Eries Thompson, said Space Flag gives guardians the opportunity to learn the next level of their systems. For example, some guardians specialize in missile warning radars among many other niche areas. The simulation also provided exposure to the toll a true conflict could take on a guardian's well being and how they need to continue to take care of themselves through conflict, said Thompson.

It also gave participants the opportunity to share expertise, said 1st Lt. Colleen O'Hara, who taught tactics she is now using with the missile warning radar system at Cape Code Air Force Station with those working on similar systems.

"We can, as a collective, be better," she said.

By working directly with service members from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, the guardians learned how to communicate in an environment where some information cannot be shared to protect national security.

So were the guardians victorious in the simulation? Five of participants honored for their excellent performance seemed noncommittal on that point.

"We definitely looked better," O'Hara said.

https://gazette.com/premium/space-force-guardians-train-for-conflict-in-europe-during-large-scale-exercise-at-schriever-air/article_6b221c20-7d9c-11ed-904f-e3c0b79fbd48.html

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de6a9c  No.18012378

File: 4194e40a58ed47f⋯.jpg (94.67 KB, 1001x751, 1001:751, Donald_Trump_speaks_during….jpg)

File: ab1b8849f0aaf4c⋯.jpg (233.93 KB, 825x597, 275:199, AS_1.jpg)

Pressure builds to keep Donald Trump off Facebook ahead of his possible reinstatement

Nicole Gaudiano - Dec 25, 2022

Democratic lawmakers and left-leaning groups are pressuring Meta to keep Donald Trump off Facebook as the company weighs whether to reinstate his account as early as January.

They argue that the former president and current Republican presidential candidate shouldn't be allowed back on the platform because he continues to threaten public safety by spreading misinformation. Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended after the January 6, 2021, insurrection when a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol, hoping to overturn the 2020 election in his favor.

"On Facebook, he has a very large reach," said Kayla Gogarty, deputy research director of Media Matters for America. "Based on his current patterns, we're seeing him amplify extremism, problematic content that has been linked to real world violence."

Nearly half of Trump's posts and reposts on Truth Social in the week after the 2022 midterm elections pushed claims of election fraud and amplified QAnon accounts or content, according to December research from Media Matters. Another study by Accountable Tech found more than 350 of Trump's Truth Social posts would violate Facebook's safety guidelines.

"So if Meta allows him back on, it's essentially giving Trump a green light to push election misinformation again, dangerous rhetoric and extremism to millions of users who would not otherwise have access to it," Gogarty told Insider.

Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, tweeted "he's more unhinged and dangerous than ever."

Trump was suspended from Facebook for two years after praising the Capitol rioters. He had posted a video telling the mob, "We love you, you're very special," and asking them to go home.

Facebook removed some of his statements, but his page still remains frozen on January 6, 2021, serving as a chilling reminder of the violence on that day that led to five deaths.

Posts that remain on the page show Trump exhorting his supporters to support law enforcement and be peaceful, but only after earlier posts in which he spread misinformation about voter fraud and accused his vice president, Mike Pence, of lacking courage for not taking action to overturn the election results.

Trump's spokespeople did not respond when asked whether he intends to return to Facebook if reinstated. Trump's Twitter suspension has lifted under its new owner Elon Musk, but Trump hasn't returned to the site. He has said prefers Truth Social.

Asked about Trump, a Meta spokesman pointed to a June 4, 2021, company statement, which said the company would consult with experts after the two-year suspension to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded.

"When the suspension is eventually lifted, there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr. Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts," the company statement says.

However, Facebook fact checkers were reportedly told they could not verify the facts and claims in his posts if Trump were a presidential candidate, which he now is.

The studies by Media Matters for America and Accountability Tech coincided with their relaunch of a "Keep Trump Off Facebook" campaign, which included a six-figure digital and TV ad buy.

"His activity on Truth Social speaks to his potential activity if he's allowed back on some of these more mainstream platforms, like Facebook," Gogarty said.

Democratic members of Congress, meanwhile, are urging Meta to uphold Trump's suspension beyond January, arguing that the risk of violence persists. Schiff, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, and Reps. André Carson and Kathy Castor wrote a letter to Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs.

"Trump has continued to post harmful election content on Truth Social that would likely violate Facebook's policies, and we have every reason to believe he would bring similar conspiratorial rhetoric back to Facebook, if given the chance," the letter said.

https://www.businessinsider.com/lawmakers-pressure-meta-to-keep-donald-trump-off-facebook-2022-12

https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/1603054790199615495

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de6a9c  No.18016738

File: 1c2e8d10e6410cc⋯.jpg (3.46 MB, 6000x4000, 3:2, Melbourne_based_activists_….jpg)

File: 070f422553ca3f9⋯.jpg (161.65 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Drew_Pavlou_and_Max_Mok_ha….jpg)

Activists to revisit controversial ‘Where is Peng Shuai’ protests at January Australian Open

One of the protesters, Drew Pavlou, says they want to ‘make trouble’ for Tennis Australia over its links to China

Henry Belot - 26 Dec 2022

Activists plan to reprise their controversial “Where is Peng Shuai?” protest at next month’s grand slam, with the support of three-time Australian Open winner Martina Navratilova.

At this year’s Open in January, Tennis Australia was criticised for initially confiscating the shirts, citing a ban on “commercial or political” material. The decision was later reversed.

Protesters say hundreds of new “Where is Peng Shuai?” shirts have already been printed with plans to hand out 1,000 to tennis fans outside the Australian Open gates.

Peng disappeared from public view for several weeks in 2021 after she used social media to accuse a senior Communist party official of pressuring her into having sex.

Her post was quickly deleted and she eventually appeared in photo opportunities arranged by Chinese officials. Little is known about her wellbeing and the Women’s Tennis Association has repeatedly called for an independent investigation.

“I support the protests,” said Navratilova, a former number one tennis player.

“The Women’s Tennis Association is the only one that has actually tried to do something [about Peng Shuai].”

One of the protest organisers, Drew Pavlou, said they planned to “make trouble” for Tennis Australia, saying its commercial deals with Chinese companies presented a conflict of interest on human rights issues.

“Unfortunately for them, they are going to have these political problems on their hands for the next few years,” said Pavlou.

“We are just not going to allow that tension and that contradiction to go unnoticed and we are going to make trouble for Tennis Australia.”

Last month, Australian federal police officers escorted Pavlou out of Parliament House in Canberra, with the human rights campaigner claiming he had been deemed a “high risk individual”.

Pavlou had met with Liberal senator James Paterson who said he was “concerned” that federal police and parliament’s speaker did not confirm why Pavlou was asked to leave the building.

The WTA is no longer visiting China and has vowed to continue boycotting the country until there is more transparency around her treatment and wellbeing.

The upcoming protests were also welcomed by Human Rights Watch’s senior China researcher, Yaqiu Wang, who said she was encouraged by the continued activism.

“The international community should continue to pay attention on Peng and keep her story and plight in the public domain,” said Wang.

“Many prominent women, including athletes around the world, have told their #MeToo stories but few are paying the price Peng is paying.

“The least people in the free world can do is to show they still care and to keep pressing for information on her whereabouts and her wellbeing.”

Bonnie Wong, a science student also involved in planning the Melbourne protest, said she expected Tennis Australia would allow them to wear the shirts inside stadiums.

“I hope so, but last year it wasn’t smooth. They tried to stop us when we were distributing outside the gate and people were taking the shirts in with them,” Wong said.

“If the Australian Open can cooperate with us and allow us to spread this message it would be really great.”

In January, Tennis Australia chief executive, Craig Tiley, said the ban on shirts would be reversed provided those wearing them were well behaved.

“Yes, as long as they are not coming as a mob to be disruptive but are peaceful,” he said. “It’s all been a bit lost in translation from some people who are not here and don’t really know the full view.”

Similar shirts were worn at Wimbledon this year where activists said they were confronted by security. An All England Club spokesperson said they were allowed to continue wearing the shirts.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/26/activists-to-revisit-controversial-where-is-peng-shuai-protests-at-january-australian-open

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de6a9c  No.18022397

File: fdd881c32abb871⋯.jpg (46.73 KB, 800x480, 5:3, John_Moffat_Fugui_the_Solo….jpg)

>>18002306

China mourns passing on of Solomon Islands Ambassador Fugui who ‘had great visions to connect two countries’

Global Times - Dec 26, 2022

China mourns the death of Ambassador John Moffat Fugui of the Solomon Islands due to illness, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday, adding that Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had sent a message of condolence to the FM of Solomon Islands and expressed sincere sympathy to the ambassador's family.

The Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade issued a statement on December 22, announcing the passing of the country's first Ambassador to China, John Moffat Fugui.

Fugui, 61, passed away in Beijing after suffering cardiac arrest. Solomon Island's officials are currently liaising with China's Foreign Ministry on arrangements to return the late Ambassador John Moffat Fugui home, read the statement.

As the first Solomon Islands ambassador to China, Fugui had made positive contributions to the development of bilateral relations and the promotion of friendship between the two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday.

The Chinese side regrets the sudden death of the ambassador and is actively assisting the Solomon Islands in dealing with the aftermath, the spokesperson added.

On September 21, 2019, China and Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations. As the first ambassador of Solomon Islands to China, Fugui has led a delegation to visit Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities. "Establishing diplomatic relations with China is the right historical decision for our country," said Fugui during an interview with the People's Daily Haiwainet.

China has provided an economic and social development boost to Solomon Islands, granting zero-tariff treatment on 98 percent of taxable items originating in Solomon Islands and helping the island country in water conservation, sanitation, housing, coconut processing plants and other small-scale quality of life projects.

The two countries also signed a framework agreement on bilateral security cooperation, which will help Solomon Islands maintain social order and stability.

Fugui had praised China for the opportunities it has created for the island nation only after a short time since September 2019 in view of the country's challenges.

In a tribute to the ambassador by the Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Fugui was described as a diplomat with a great vision to connect Solomon Islands with China, the biggest country in the world.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1282692.shtml

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de6a9c  No.18022403

File: c0862b235e73610⋯.jpg (173.95 KB, 1035x690, 3:2, lateAmbassader.jpg)

>>18002306

>>18022397

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade announces passing on of Ambassador Fugui in Beijing

Web Admin - 25 December 2022

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) announced the passing of Solomon Islands first Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), His Excellency the late John Moffat Fugui on Thursday (22nd December).

The 61-year-old late ambassador passed away in Beijing after suffering Cardiac Arrest.

MFAET is currently Liaising with the People’s Republic of China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on arrangements to bring Late Ambassador John Moffat Fugui home.

A condolence book will be made open for signature to the Government and the diplomatic community.

The Ministry has described the passing of late Fugui as a loss of an inspirational leader, a person who loved his country and devoted his life to serve. He was also described as a Diplomat with great visions to connect Solomon Islands with the biggest country in the world (PRC).

He was also a well-read diplomat who interacted well with youths until his passing.

Apart from his recent assignment as a diplomat, the late Fugui was a Member of Parliament from 2010 to 2020. He held a number of Ministerial posts including as Minister of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD), Minister of Public Service, Minister of Environment, Conservation & Meteorology, and Disaster Management and as Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand as well as a Masters in Politics from the University of Hawaii, Monoa, Honolulu.

The Ministry conveys its deep condolences to madam Jennifer Fugui and their four children, may God bless his soul.

http://www.mfaet.gov.sb/media-center/press-releases/foreign-affairs-news/372-mfaet-announces-passing-on-of-ambassador-fugui-in-beijing.html

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de6a9c  No.18022442

File: 06ad35ea9300d59⋯.jpg (207.04 KB, 1280x848, 80:53, TikTok_is_used_by_more_tha….jpg)

File: f4e9d8d6e09baee⋯.jpg (97.1 KB, 1280x853, 1280:853, Deputy_Attorney_General_Li….jpg)

>>17494507

>>17939818

TikTok Security Dilemma Revives Push for U.S. Control

Some Biden administration officials think TikTok will remain security risk as long as it is owned by Chinese company

Stu Woo, Kate O'Keeffe and Aruna Viswanatha - Dec. 26, 2022

Citing security concerns over TikTok, some Biden administration officials are pushing for a sale of the Chinese-owned company’s U.S. operations to ensure Beijing can’t harness the app for espionage and political influence, according to people familiar with the situation.

The proposal for a forced sale has arisen in discussions by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., an interagency government panel that has been negotiating with TikTok for more than two years on a way to wall off the company’s data and operations from the Chinese government, the people said.

Pentagon and Justice Department representatives on the panel are among those supporting a forced sale, the people said, citing the risk of Beijing accessing TikTok data or influencing the videos that Americans view on TikTok. They say these issues can only be addressed by separating the app from its Chinese owner, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd.

“We’re talking about a government that, in our own intelligence community’s estimation, has a purpose to move global technology use and norms to privilege its own interests and its values, which are not consistent with our own,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in an interview, in which she declined to discuss TikTok specifically. “That’s the perspective I bring to these issues.”

But the Treasury Department, which chairs the panel, is worried that such an order might be overturned in court, and is looking for other possible solutions, according to a person familiar with that department’s thinking.

CFIUS experts say the committee could make a recommendation to the president, who has the authority to force a sale, or divestiture, of TikTok by its Chinese owners for it to continue operating in the U.S.

A White House spokeswoman declined to comment on a continuing CFIUS case.

The wildly popular TikTok is used by more than 100 million Americans, and increasingly by businesses as a way to connect with customers.

But the app’s Chinese ownership has put increasing pressure on the Biden administration to resolve security concerns. Former President Donald Trump unsuccessfully attempted to force TikTok to come under U.S. control, then tried to impose a ban on the app when that didn’t happen.

President Biden rescinded Mr. Trump’s attempted ban after taking office, saying it wasn’t enforceable in the wake of two separate federal court rulings, which the Biden administration decided not to appeal.

His decision to revoke the Trump executive orders drew criticism from China hawks at the time, with Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) calling it a major mistake.

Mr. Biden promised a comprehensive plan to address the security risk from TikTok and other apps based in adversarial nations but has yet to deliver, helping fuel efforts in Congress and in the states to constrain TikTok.

TikTok has consistently maintained that it would never share user data with the Chinese government. On Thursday, TikTok said it had fired employees and tightened protocols after discovering they had improperly accessed the data of journalists.

TikTok declined to comment on the prospect of a forced sale. It said it believed it can address the concerns that the U.S. government raised.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.18022447

File: a88e798f8b1379e⋯.jpg (108.85 KB, 1280x853, 1280:853, Some_officials_say_securit….jpg)

>>18022442

2/2

TikTok has been negotiating with U.S. officials since 2020 on an arrangement to ensure data on U.S. users can’t be shared with Beijing.

As a result of those talks, TikTok has agreed to have the data of American users managed by a subsidiary called TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc., according to people with knowledge of the proposal.

Only vetted employees of the subsidiary could access user data, the people said. The subsidiary would be monitored by approved third parties, including Oracle Corp., whose servers would store the data, and overseen by a three-person board composed of U.S. national-security experts, the people said.

The agreement would also give Oracle the power to examine TikTok’s recommendation algorithm, which gives priority to the short videos that users see, the people said.

Despite these promises, some U.S. security officials and lawmakers say they believe that no Chinese company could withstand pressure from the Chinese government to turn over information.

Many of these same people say they are concerned that China could seek to dictate videos that are shown—or blocked—on TikTok in a bid to influence U.S. popular opinion. TikTok has more than 100 million users in the U.S.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said TikTok poses legitimate national-security concerns, but the people familiar with internal CFIUS discussions say Treasury officials are concerned an attempt to force a sale could be caught up in a protracted legal battle the government could ultimately lose.

In one case in which CFIUS did go to court, the government in 2015 settled with a Chinese buyer of American wind-farm companies, but only after a court said CFIUS might need to disclose more information in cases it considers.

“Treasury may have concerns regarding litigating the bounds of its jurisdiction because that could result in limitations on their ability to review future transactions,” said Christian Davis, who leads the CFIUS practice at law firm Akin Gump.

Besides a potential legal challenge, another hurdle in forcing ByteDance to sell its American operations to a company in the U.S., or perhaps an allied nation, is the cooperation of the Chinese government. Beijing could use export controls and forbid ByteDance from selling technology related to the video-recommendation algorithm that has made TikTok so successful.

The U.S. has long been skeptical of foreign ownership of domestic media.

For decades it has placed tight limits on foreign ownership of U.S. broadcast media, even local radio stations. But the lightly regulated internet has never had such rules.

The U.S. has also banned equipment made by Chinese firms such as Huawei Technologies Co. from being used in U.S. telecommunications networks.

As CFIUS remains in a stalemate over the future of TikTok, sentiment against ByteDance has hardened in Congress and among state governments.

The Pentagon, State Department and other agencies have already banned TikTok on government-issued smartphones and other devices, and Congress recently voted to expand that ban to all government agencies. A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers also have introduced legislation to ban TikTok.

And over the past month, Republican governors in more than a dozen states have enacted orders barring the use of TikTok from government devices. Departing Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican who ordered such a ban in his state in 2020, said concerns about TikTok have only grown since his action.

“Two years ago, it was, ‘What kind of data are they collecting?’” he said. Now, he said, another concern is, “TikTok pushes out what the American consumer audience sees.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-security-dilemma-revives-push-for-u-s-control-11672064033

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de6a9c  No.18022458

File: 6964b06d31ae863⋯.jpg (255.65 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, A_StrikeMaster_in_launch_p….jpg)

File: db03a27414c2edf⋯.jpg (153.02 KB, 1280x937, 1280:937, NORTHERN_DEFENCES.jpg)

Ute missiles in line for Top End protection

BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 26, 2022

1/2

A new missile system the Albanese government is considering purchasing could protect most of Australia's Top End from enemy ships with just six Bushmaster-mounted launch units.

The mobile Naval Strike ­Missile launchers could provide coastal defence and be deployed to Pacific islands in a conflict to cover Australia’s naval ­approaches.

The government’s defence strategic review is examining the “StrikeMaster” system, which can launch a pair of ship-killing NSMs over ranges of at least 250km, ­delivering a potent “area denial” capability.

Australia has lagged for years in acquiring mobile missile launchers and is scrambling to catch up as Defence Minister Richard Marles calls for new weapons systems to threaten an adversary “much further from our shores”.

The Norwegian-designed NSM is widely used by Western navies and has already been ­ordered for Australia’s Hobart-class air warfare destroyers and Anzac frigates.

Mobile NSM launch units are also operated by the US Marine Corp, mounted on remote-­control tactical vehicles that can be deployed across the Indo-­Pacific to wreak havoc with enemy shipping.

StrikeMaster – designed by the Australian subsidiaries of Norway’s Kongsberg Defence and French-owned Thales – incorporates a twin-pack NSM launcher mounted on an Australian-made Bushmaster ute.

The mobile batteries would be operated by the army in a new role for the service, which has long been passed over for hi-tech capabilities as the lion’s share of new investment has gone to the navy and air force.

Kongsberg has proposed the StrikeMaster to the defence strategic review led by Stephen Smith and Angus Houston, which is looking to fast-track the acquisition of new strike options amid China’s rapid militarisation and decades-long delivery timelines for the ADF’s next-generation submarines and frigates.

“The great thing about these is you can drive them anywhere and they are easy to transport by air and sea,” Kongsberg Defence Australia general manager John Fry said.

“This is something you put on an island or in northern Australia and it will provide significant coverage. It requires only a few personnel; the effect generated is persistent, and the launcher is difficult to find.”

The missile itself is stealthy, “very clever”, and designed to defeat highly-defended maritime targets. “It has automatic, autonomous target recognition so can actually identify ships down to particular classes,” Mr Fry said.

The system’s potential application in northern Australia can be seen by plotting the NSM’s unclassified range of 250km on a map supplied by the ADF showing the passage of Chinese warships through the Timor and Arafura seas and Torres Strait in February.

It shows six StrikeMaster units operating from mainland sites in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland could threaten enemy vessels charting a similar course.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.18022459

File: 41efe329d5e8f05⋯.jpg (302.55 KB, 1280x823, 1280:823, MISSILE_PROTECTION.jpg)

>>18022458

2/2

A quad-pack NSM launcher can also be mounted to the army’s HX77 trucks, but the Bushmaster version is more mobile and protected. The Bushmaster ute was ­developed as a prototype more than a decade ago, but was not taken up by the army. The single-cab variant is the ideal size to mount a twin NSM launcher.

If Defence decided to add the StrikeMaster to its inventory, the vehicles would be manufactured at Thales’ Bendigo facility, and fitted with NSM launchers on site.

A Thales spokesman said the vehicle shared the same parts as the rest of the army’s Bushmaster fleet, along with “the high mobility, high protection levels and high-speed attributes that have made Bushmaster an international success story”.

“It is transportable on the RAAF’s existing transport aircraft and on small landing craft, making it highly deployable,” the spokesman said.

“That’s a core requirement for the operational concept of ‘island hopping’ launchers to achieve anti-access/area-denial objectives.”

The NSMs themselves are also potential candidates for manufacture in Australia under the government’s sovereign guided-weapons enterprise.

While the US is a major NSM user, Kongsberg does not face the strict constraints applied by the US congress in exporting ­weapons technology to friendly-nation users.

A Defence spokesman said a land-based maritime strike capability would “contribute to government objectives by substantially increasing the ADF’s ability to deter potential threats”.

The importance of land-based anti-ship missiles was demonstrated by Ukraine in April, when it used one of its mobile Neptune missile batteries to sink the Russian cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea Fleet.

The threat to Russian ships has grown since the arrival in Ukraine of US-donated Harpoon anti-ship missiles – the predecessors of the NSMs – deterring amphibious assaults on the country from the south.

In a speech last month, Mr Marles outlined the need for new strike capabilities, declaring “impactful projection” would be the cornerstone of Australian strategic doctrine going forward.

“We must invest in targeted capabilities that enable us to hold potential adversaries’ forces at risk at a distance, and increase the calculated cost of aggression against Australia and its interests,” the Defence Minister said.

Air and missile defence is also a key priority, with the Kongsberg-Raytheon surface-to-air missile system, NASAMS, already on order for the ADF under a $2bn contract. The system will incorporate CEA Technologies’ ­Australian-developed phased-array radar system, and would be deployed in a conflict to protect air bases and other critical ­infrastructure.

“We have seen from the Ukraine conflict that an adversary’s target set can go well beyond military targets and includes critical infrastructure,” Mr Fry said.

“So when you think about northern Australia, we need lots of systems. NASAMS has demonstrated its effectiveness against a variety of air threats, and particularly cruise missiles, which have proliferated around the world.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/ute-missiles-for-top-end-protection/news-story/b86354a2a4c2ee1b5c505869fa7faf2d

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de6a9c  No.18029095

File: 6386c42057d62f7⋯.jpg (66.31 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Details_from_former_prime_….jpg)

File: f3d91693230aa50⋯.jpg (110.6 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, The_new_breach_comes_just_….jpg)

File: fb8264e366ff068⋯.jpg (460.26 KB, 825x975, 11:13, HR_1.jpg)

File: 62b6639f7e314eb⋯.jpg (786.43 KB, 4096x1379, 4096:1379, FkvxY6bX0AE0CXT.jpg)

File: ee5e7b03f50aecf⋯.png (178.19 KB, 3048x1557, 1016:519, FkvxY6aXEAMb2IG.png)

Former PM caught up in alleged hack of 400 million Twitter users

BLAKE ANTROBUS - DECEMBER 28, 2022

Former prime minister Scott Morrison is one of many public figures stung in an alleged security breach in which a hacker has claimed to have obtained the data of 400 million Twitter users.

Mr Morrison’s parliamentary email address, along with his username and a phone number linked to his Twitter account, were included in the information dump, posted on a forum just days before Christmas.

In a chilling twist, the forum is the same one used by the Optus hacker who attempted to extort the data of millions of Australians

In the post on the forum – used by hackers and for information dumping – the alleged hacker said he was selling the data of 400 million Twitter users he claimed was “scraped via a vulnerability”.

Mr Morrison’s details are listed in the post, alongside those of the likes of former US president Donald Trump, British broadcaster Piers Morgan and US politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

No passwords appear to have been leaked.

“Twitter or Elon Musk if you are reading this you are already risking a GDPR fine over 5.4m breach imaging the fine of 400m users breach,” the alleged hacker wrote.

“I will advice (sic) you, Your best option to avoid paying $276 million USD in GDPR breach fines like facebook did … is to buy this data exclusively.”

The alleged hacker claimed the data was “completely private”.

However, Mr Morrison’s parliamentary email was listed in the information dump, despite it being publicly available on his Parliament House web page.

Mr Morrison’s office was contacted for comment.

Israeli cyber intelligence agency Hudson Rock responded to the issue on Christmas Eve, saying it was not possible to verify whether 400 million unique accounts had been compromised.

“From an independent verification the data itself appears to be legitimate and we will follow up with any developments,” the firm tweeted on Christmas Day.

But in another twist, Hudson Rock days later confirmed Piers Morgan’s account had been hacked.

“This is likely not a coincidence: the reveal of the email address may have been just what the hacker needed to find passwords for the account, or social engineer his way,” it said.

The new threat comes months after a massive cybersecurity breaches rocked Optus and healthcare provider Medibank.

The bizarre Optus breach involved a hacker claiming he had stolen the details of 10 million current and former customers, before releasing the information of 10,000.

He then apologised and backed down from his attempts to solicit millions from the government.

Earlier this month, Russian hackers posted the private data of customers in a series of posts, with the company refusing to agree to a ransom demand from the hackers.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/former-pm-caught-up-in-alleged-hack-of-400-million-twitter-users/news-story/62aba8b465c403316b4f5218fe5a600d

https://twitter.com/RockHudsonRock/status/1606644986363400193

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de6a9c  No.18029214

File: 312adcd38c52a25⋯.jpg (121.96 KB, 1280x721, 1280:721, Former_US_jet_pilot_and_no….jpg)

File: cf90bbff4e48150⋯.jpg (100.1 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Saffrine_Duggan_the_wife_o….jpg)

>>17832778

A-G Mark Dreyfus clears way for pilot Daniel Duggan’s extradition to the US

LIAM MENDES and ELLEN WHINNETT - DECEMBER 27, 2022

1/2

The Albanese government has waved through Washington’s request to hand over a former American fighter pilot to US authorities, who accuse him of providing military training to ­pilots working for the People’s Republic of China.

Attorney-General Mark Dre­y­fus last week agreed to receive the US’s extradition request for Daniel Duggan, 54, who has been in custody since October 21.

The former Marine has been indicted in the US on charges including conspiracy to unlawfully export defence services to China, conspiracy to launder money, and violating the arms export control act and international traffic in arms regulations.

The political decision to receive the US request for extradition clears the way for a magistrate to now determine whether Mr Duggan is eligible for surrender – a separate legal decision which could be appealed all the way to the High Court.

An Attorney-General’s Department spokeswoman confirmed the decision.

“Under Australia’s Extradition Act 1988 and Australia’s extradition treaty with the US, the Attorney-General was required to make a decision by 25 December 2022 as to whether to formally receive the extradition request,’’ she said.

“The Attorney-General has complied with this requirement, and Mr Duggan’s lawyer has been informed of that decision.’’

Mr Duggan had been arrested in rural NSW in October following a request from the US for his “provisional arrest.’’

Washington then lodged a formal extradition request on December 9.

The decision by Mr Dreyfus is a substantial development in the complicated extradition process and comes as a major blow for Mr Duggan, who strongly denies any wrongdoing and has vowed to fight his extradition. He will go before a magistrate on January 10.

If he is later found eligible for surrender, he still has a number of appeal avenues, including the Federal Court of Australia in the first instance.

That decision could then be further appealed to the Full Court of the Federal Court, where it would be heard before three Federal Court judges. His matter then could potentially end up at Australia’s highest court, the High Court in Canberra.

Mr Duggan’s wife Saffrine, who is raising his six children on the farm near Orange where her husband was arrested, described the decision as “disgusting and despicable”.

“It is appalling and it all runs off the back of the US,” she told The Australian on Tuesday.

“He’s pissed, he’s angry, upset, emotionally distraught.’’

A former US pilot who flew in Harrier “jump jet” fighter planes, Mr Duggan moved to Australia in the late 2000s and set up a business offering joy flights to tourists near Hobart, called Top Gun Tasmania. He has six children from two marriages to Australian women, and has been married to Saffrine Duggan since 2015.

She has previously described him as a patriot with the “morals of an angel’’ and said he would never act contrary to Australia’s national interests.

Mr Duggan, a permanent Australian resident since 2002, renounced his US citizenship a decade later, solely holding Australian citizenship. His children are all Australian citizens.

Authorities have not explained why they moved against Mr Duggan now, more than a decade after his alleged offences, which relate to short-term contracts he allegedly conducted with the Test Flying Academy of South Africa on three occasions between 2010 and 2012.

The academy, which is deeply connected to Chinese state-owned aviation entities, is the subject of intense scrutiny from the Five Eyes intelligence partners, the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.18029219

File: 5aa5ced86807197⋯.jpg (154.97 KB, 1024x768, 4:3, Saffrine_Duggan_left_Danie….jpg)

>>18029214

2/2

Mr Duggan was arrested days after the British government was embarrassed by media reporting of 30 retired RAF pilots taking ­lucrative contracts to train military pilots in China.

After living for years in China, where he ran a bar and worked in aviation and exporting, Mr Duggan had relocated to Australia with the intention of taking up a job on the NSW south coast.

Mr Duggan’s lawyer Dennis Miralis has previously told Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney that the indictment levelled against his client was “wrong at law’’ as Australia did not have the same legislation as the US which prohibits providing defence services to China.

Australian National University international law professor Donald Rothwell told The Australian the political process in which the Attorney-General approved the extradition had now been met.

“Duggan still has the right to contest the extradition and we know that his lawyers have flagged a number of grounds in which they’re going to pursue that before the courts,’’ he said.

Professor Rothwell said there were two primary grounds upon which Mr Duggan could seek to contest the extradition.

“An Australian judge will need to be satisfied that Duggan is subject to relevant US law with respect to his alleged conduct, that will inevitably go to some level of technicality about the actual extent of US law,” he said.

Professor Rothwell flagged a possibility for the US to apply for the extradition on the grounds of “nationality” since the alleged offending occurred between 2010 and 2012, while Mr Duggan was a US citizen.

“That provides a potential jurisdictional basis for US law to apply for Mr Duggan’s extradition, and that as a US national Duggan was subject to US law even when that alleged conduct occurred outside of the US,” Professor Rothwell said.

The second ground for appeal was on the notion of double criminality. “This is a very basic principle of extradition law, and that is that when an extradition request is made, the basis of the extradition request in terms of the criminal charge is a criminal charge that is respected or recognised in the country from which extradition is sought,” he said.

“So there needs to be double criminality both under US law and Australian law.”

Professor Rothwell said he was unaware of an equivalent Australian law applicable to Australian citizens to which Mr Duggan has been charged with in the US, but noted he did not have ­access to the charge street.

“I’m not aware of any cases where Australians have been charged with equivalent offences having been committed outside of Australia, so it certainly seems to me as being a good, solid legal argument for Duggan and his legal team to mount.’’

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/ag-mark-dreyfus-happy-to-hand-pilot-daniel-duggan-to-the-us/news-story/6c2aa24c2d6eb00d134bae0cfea610cb

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de6a9c  No.18029276

File: 49bcb4aaf874679⋯.mp4 (13.88 MB, 640x360, 16:9, An_Australian_man_has_been….mp4)

File: 43bdcfc7f467738⋯.jpg (815.43 KB, 1514x1616, 757:808, M_ILDOU_1.jpg)

File: f2099492f5c6483⋯.jpg (300.07 KB, 2048x2048, 1:1, 321247648_853000059248123_….jpg)

File: 0f96cc2f3d54f54⋯.jpg (296.21 KB, 852x710, 6:5, Q_4959.jpg)

Australian man killed ‘defending the freedom of the Ukrainian people’

Lisa Visentin - December 28, 2022

Australian man Sage O’Donnell has been killed fighting in Ukraine, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed.

O’Donnell’s LinkedIn profile says he had previously served in the Australian Army for almost six years, and in a statement released by DFAT, his mother said he “passionately upheld his values and served here in his own country and most recently in Ukraine”.

In the statement, O’Donnell’s mother said he had “died in action defending the freedom of the Ukrainian people” and had “always believed in defending country, people and the right for freedom”.

“Sage chose to take action based on his empathy for the Ukrainian people, and the injustice that is taking place. He fell in love with Ukraine and its culture, and was humbled by the kindness and hospitality within his new community,” she said.

“Sage chose to live his life true to his beliefs and cause.”

It is unclear when exactly O’Donnell was killed or in which part of Ukraine, but his mother, who was not identified in the statement, said his family was “devastated by our recent loss of Sage”.

“Sage was much loved by his friends and family. Sage’s humour, kind heart, values and laughter will be dearly missed,” she said.

A spokesperson for the department said it was providing consular assistance to his family.

Ukraine remains on the Australian government’s do not travel list due to the volatile security environment and military conflict.

The International Legion Defense of Ukraine posted a tribute to the Victorian man.

“The Australian Sage O’Donnell, who had been serving in Ukraine as a Volunteer, succumbed on the Battlefield,” the Facebook post reads. “Honor, Glory and Gratitude To Our Brother.”

https://www.smh.com.au /politics/ federal/ australian-man-killed-defending-the-freedom-of-the-ukrainian-people -20221228-p5c95v .html

https://www.facebook.com/memorialildu/posts/131797913073138

Q Post #4959

Nov 6 2022 11:18:56 (EST)

What groups are financing Ukraine?

Why are they financing Ukraine?

Why was Hunter in Ukraine?

What did 'Pop' threaten to withold from Ukraine?

A billion dollars?

Who benefits?

What did 'Pop' receive in return?

Why is Hunter not in jail?

Think.

Blackmail?

Bribes?

Extortion?

Threats?

How do you control a 'leader'?

How do you control a country?

Are you ready to take back control?

Your vote matters.

You have all the tools you need.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#4959

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de6a9c  No.18034332

File: c857aac1de0a060⋯.jpg (936.9 KB, 825x1660, 165:332, NC_1.jpg)

File: 9d3f920610027f2⋯.mp4 (3.8 MB, 1280x720, 16:9, VfmbKqKFrp1vXpvQ.mp4)

>>18029276

Aussie killed in Ukraine 'there to train fighters'

GEORGINA NOACK - 28 December 2022

A video has emerged of Safe O'Donnell, the latest Australian killed in Ukraine, who says he hoped to use his military background to help train Ukrainian fighters and protect them against the Russian invasion.

Irish journalist Norma Costello tweeted a clip from what appeared to be an interview with an "Australian fighter from Victoria", understood to be Sage O'Donnell, in August this year.

Ms Costello said the "ex military" soldier was training Ukrainian fighters in "western weaponry" as a member of the embattled nation's armed forces.

In the video O'Donnell, whose face is mostly covered by a dark khaki balaclava, explained that many of the Ukrainian volunteers were civilians without a military background, and said much of their training was "somewhat outdated".

"Someone like myself who has a more western background in the military, I'm able to come here and train them and provide a different perspective that might save their life as well," he says in the video.

On Wednesday the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported O'Donnell had been killed in Ukraine.

The circumstances, location and exact date of his death are unknown, but he is understood to have died before Christmas.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/politicsnow-anthony-albanese-to-start-countdown-to-voice-vote/live-coverage/f57dc943d41ea3e44f3881d17fd356a0#85737

Norma Costello Tweets

Australian fighter from Victoria talks about training foreign volunteers in #Ukraine. He's ex military and has been training would-be fighters and Ukrainians in western weaponry. As a member of Ukraine's armed forces it's unlikely he'll be prosecuted under Aussie law.

https://twitter.com/normcos/status/1553960484743049216

Under Australian law you cannot travel to fight for non state actors Kurds/Palestinians. Travel to join regular foreign militaries like the IDF is legal but not encouraged. 'Don' said he knows of several ex military men who were prevented from traveling to Ukraine by police.

https://twitter.com/normcos/status/1553963603723956224

Australia is still dealing with the fallout from #ISIS with several families in Kurdish camps in NE Syria and men in prisons. No doubt they are also watching the capture of British citizens by the Russians closely.

https://twitter.com/normcos/status/1553969738141020161

Don says he is worried about the Russians- as he should be. After targeting the base in Lviv Russians released a list of all foreign fighters present, they have a lot of spies in foreign circles leaking information directly back to Moscow. A headache for many nations.

https://twitter.com/normcos/status/1553970642743345152

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de6a9c  No.18034395

File: f0d49d5c4d466cd⋯.jpg (966.62 KB, 1297x1353, 1297:1353, AK_1.jpg)

File: 5ac00ede6ab7f33⋯.jpg (230.82 KB, 1170x1303, 1170:1303, 321450466_891380958539746_….jpg)

File: d835cdb51ce7eb9⋯.jpg (126.08 KB, 1170x712, 585:356, 321482888_1183673975586661….jpg)

File: 82416eaa8b4059b⋯.mp4 (748.86 KB, 288x512, 9:16, 320387564_989045508737494_….mp4)

File: 82bea83a866f46e⋯.jpg (76.08 KB, 524x960, 131:240, 321514081_1125215024773027….jpg)

>>18029276

Sage O’Donnell among ‘worthy men, sons, brothers’ who protected Ukraine

AMAANI SIDDEEK and GEORGINA NOACK - DECEMBER 29, 2022

1/2

A local Ukrainian woman Anja Konstantynova has paid tribute to Victorian man Sage O‘Donnell, 24, who was killed in battle while fighting for Ukraine.

Ms Konstantynova, a resident of the Drohobych city in Lviv, said Mr O’Donnell was among the “worthy men, sons and brothers” who fought to protect Ukraine.

“Today, the legionnaire from the unit of our friends gave his life for Ukraine,” she said in a Facebook post.

“I’ll say one thing: the best die … we are protected by worthy men, sons, brothers … what a pity … many are already protecting us from heaven.”

“Rest in peace ‘Seagull’ … Thank you for the ultimate sacrifice you made for another Country … for our Ukraine.”

Another Victorian man, Brandon Declan replied saying, “RIP my dear friend, I’ll see you again when my time comes.

“Thank you for helping Ukraine in its time of need.”

In a video posted by Ms Konstantynova, Mr O’Donnell can be seen training with a rifle, firing shots in quick succession before turning to face the camera with a smile.

In a statement released by DFAT, Mr O’Donnell’s mother mourned the loss of her son.

“Sage was much loved by his friends and family. Sage’s humour, kind heart, values and laughter will be dearly missed,” she said.

“We are devastated by our recent loss of Sage.”

But amid the pain of her loss, Mr O’Donnell’s mother praised his “passion” and upstanding values.

“Sage passionately upheld his values and served here in his own country and most recently in Ukraine,” she said.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.18034401

File: ff310b4ca94289a⋯.jpg (173.56 KB, 1181x2048, 1181:2048, 321482040_864124378140175_….jpg)

File: 8087bb768db3e2e⋯.jpg (198.61 KB, 1242x1619, 1242:1619, 321469103_674710141014220_….jpg)

File: 32a8bac9f40178c⋯.jpg (227.08 KB, 1242x1603, 1242:1603, 321554011_1138534796798283….jpg)

File: eec9d3c06c63e40⋯.jpg (271.87 KB, 1193x2048, 1193:2048, 321243691_573052054653052_….jpg)

File: 7b601dc2e9c90c4⋯.jpg (425.39 KB, 1297x1031, 1297:1031, SB_1.jpg)

>>18034395

2/2

A friend of Mr O’Donnell, Scott Baillie, is also among the Australians who travelled overseas to fight against Russia.

On Friday, December 23, Mr Baillie, originally from the Gold Coast, wordlessly changed his Facebook cover photo to an image of Mr O’Donnell lying on the floor posing with his rifle equipment.

A single comment under the image Mr Baillie posted, was a commemorative comment from Ms Konstantynova.

“RIP ‘Chaika’ thank you for your sacrifice,” she replied.

“We will remember it forever”.

The word Chaika is the Romanisation of the nickname given to Mr O’Donnell, meaning Seagull.

It is understood O’Donnell is the youngest Australian to die fighting in the Ukrainian foreign legion, but the precise circumstances and location of his death remain unclear.

His death comes less than two months after 40-year-old Queensland man Trevor Kjeldal was killed in a mortar attack by Russian forces in the Donbas region. Kjeldal, who reportedly went by the call sign “Ninja”, had been injured in July and hospitalised in the Ukrainian capital.

Michael O’Neill, who lived in Tasmania before he travelled to Ukraine this year, was believed to have been engaged in humanitarian work evacuating wounded soldiers from the frontline before he became the first Australian to be killed by Russian fire.

Two months later, 27-year-old Jed Danahay became the second Australian to die in Ukraine after he was reportedly killed in the town of Izyum, south of Kharkiv, in late August while working as a combat medic.

Conflicting reports suggest the current number of Australian ­volunteers serving in the foreign legion could range between 200 and 600 personnel.

While the Ukrainian government has urged foreign fighters to join an international legion against Russia, Australian citizens have been warned repeatedly against fighting for militia on ­either side of the conflict.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/sage-odonnell-among-worthy-men-sons-brothers-who-protected-ukraine/news-story/3544af650d57b9a470ce1de533382ae4

https://www.facebook.com/anytochka.anita/posts/8440640786010831

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2257727657740510&id=100005098936077

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de6a9c  No.18034687

File: 66e6ce0453258ed⋯.jpg (124.69 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_US_jet_fighter_pilo….jpg)

File: 789566672baa6b6⋯.jpg (171.55 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Former_prime_minister_Scot….jpg)

>>17832778

Daniel Duggan background check may have raised red flags

ELLEN WHINNETT and LIAM MENDES - DECEMBER 28, 2022

1/2

The former US Marine fighter pilot accused of providing military training to Chinese pilots may have been flagged by Australian authorities after he applied for a job with a defence contractor involved in battle-training F18 pilots and transporting VIP defence ­personnel.

Daniel Edmund Duggan, 54, is in custody in NSW pending a bid by the US to extradite him on an indictment alleging conspiracy to unlawfully export defence services to China, conspiracy to launder money, and violating the Arms Export Control Act and international traffic in arms regulations.

He relocated from China to Australia in September to start a new job with Air Affairs Australia, an established Australian Defence Force contractor based in Nowra on the NSW south coast.

The company describes itself as a “teaming partner’’ with major defence companies Kratos Defence Australia, Raytheon Australia and Schiebel Pacific – all of them companies involved in highly sensitive defence work including developing and maintaining armed drones, and ballistic missile testing and training.

Air Affairs Australia also provides “specialised” air training support services to the Australian Defence Force, including airborne target simulation with Australian military aircraft involving missile weaponry, and attack-training F18 pilots and transporting VIPs.

Then prime minister Scott Morrison visited Air Affairs Australia’s advanced manufacturing centre in April, on his second stop of the federal election campaign.

Air Affairs Australia’s chief executive Chris Sievers confirmed Mr Duggan had interacted with his company.

“As a US Marine-trained pilot, his skills and experience would of course be highly desirable for a business like Air Affairs,’’ he said.

“However, following the usual checks that you would expect within our employment process, his employment with the business did not proceed.

“It would not be appropriate for us to discuss this matter any further,’’ Mr Sievers added.

In order to gain employment with a defence contractor, Mr Duggan would have been required to undergo extensive background checks, which become increasingly more onerous depending on the sensitivity of the job.

(continued)

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de6a9c  No.18034689

File: 23f7ceefd97ff72⋯.jpg (178.53 KB, 768x1024, 3:4, Saffrine_Duggan.jpg)

>>18034687

2/2

Mr Duggan’s wife Saffrine had told The Australian her husband’s ASIC – a national aviation security identification pass – “had cleared” and that he was due to start flying with Air Affairs the week before his arrest on October 21.

“Their biggest client is the Australian Navy,” she said.

As well as basic checks such as establishing identity and under­going a criminal record check, Mr Duggan would likely have faced vetting by the Australian government’s vetting agency, which includes assessments by Australia’s domestic spy agency, ASIO.

This may have been when his full employment history, including at least one short-term contract with the Test Flying Academy of South Africa more than a decade ago, came on to authorities’ radar.

The academy is directly linked to Chinese state-owned aviation entities and is being heavily scrutinised by the Five-Eyes intelligence partners – the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The company denies any wrongdoing.

On December 20, Mr Duggan’s lawyer Dennis Miralis told journalists Mr Duggan had interactions with Australian intelligence before travelling to China, while he was in China, and after he left. Mr Miralis said the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security was investigating Mr Duggan’s circumstances.

Mr Duggan worked in China from about 2012, running an aviation consultancy named AVIBIZ, and undertaking some flying work. He also owned a dive bar aimed at expat pilots, the Flying Kangaroo, in Beijing.

His time in China, and his former friendship with a man known as Su Bin, or Stephen Subin, will have been heavily scrutinised.

Su, a Chinese Canadian citizen, was jailed in Canada in 2016 for working with two Chinese military officers to hack into the systems of defence contractors, including the US aviation giant Boeing, in a bid to steal military ­secrets.

Mr Duggan was known to have had a friendship several years ago with Su, and to have talked about going into business with him. He also shared a registered address with him in China.

The matters of which Mr Duggan has been accused are alleged to have happened between 2010 and 2012, when he was an American citizen. It has not been explained why authorities are now indicting him over activities alleged to have happened more than a decade ago.

On December 22, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus agreed to accept the formal extradition application by the US – a move that clears the way for the courts to decide if Mr Duggan is eligible to be surrendered.

His case will go before a magistrate in Sydney on January 10.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/daniel-duggan-check-may-have-raised-red-flags/news-story/c49b607b146d2d1b481566a4730ad0e5

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de6a9c  No.18034769

File: 1d7d7a89fe14482⋯.jpg (101.74 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Publishing_of_content_is_c….jpg)

File: a0be51f79825177⋯.jpg (576.04 KB, 852x946, 426:473, Q_4526.jpg)

File: 8d954a26bc0d201⋯.png (126.91 KB, 624x660, 52:55, 23604.png)

File: 1ac1e3e4e514601⋯.jpg (3.03 MB, 825x6652, 825:6652, JCW_1.jpg)

Guardian Australia hacked, offices shut amid ransomware hit

DAVID ROSS - DECEMBER 29, 2022

Most of the Guardian Australia’s offices remain closed after the media company‘s global arm was hit with a ransomware attack last week, which has affected the company’s technology systems.

The Guardian Media Group’s management ordered staff to work from home “unless we notify you otherwise”.

The nature of the demands of the ransomware attack are unknown.

The company announced the hack, which began late on December 20, which has knocked out large chunks of The Guardian’s technology infrastructure - leaving the publisher to order staff to work from home until service is restored.

The Guardian Australia confirmed it was still able to publish across its global footprint in both web and print.

However, the publisher’s head office in Sydney and major bureaus in Canberra and Melbourne are closed.

The Guardian Australia said its Brisbane hub and offices in the NSW and Victorian parliaments were unaffected by the outage.

The hack comes as many senior figures within the Guardian Australia have gone on leave for the holiday period.

A Guardian Australia spokeswoman told The Australian the publisher was dealing with a “serious incident which has affected our IT network and systems”.

“We believe this to be a ransomware attack but are continuing to consider all possibilities,” she said.

“Our technology teams are working to deal with all aspects of this incident, with the vast majority of our staff able to work from home as we did during the pandemic. We will continue to keep our staff and anyone else affected informed.”

Guardian Media group chief executive, Anna Bateson, and the editor-in-chief Katherine Viner told staff on December 22 that publishing would continue as they sought to get to grips with the ransomware attack.

“We are continuing to publish globally to our website and apps and although some of our internal systems are affected, we are confident we will be able to publish in print tomorrow,” they said in a joint statement.

“Thank you to everyone working hard throughout this incident to keep us publishing, looking after our readers, supporters and advertisers, and to keep our core systems available for colleagues.”

The ransomware attack on The Guardian comes after Optus and Medibank were targeted earlier this year.

Nine Entertainment, publisher of The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, and the Australian Financial Review, was hit with a ransomware attack in March 2021.

This saw programming and print production systems across the publishing group crippled, with staff locked out of emails.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/guardian-australia-hacked-offices-shut-amid-ransomware-hit/news-story/cb2852729ef780a62f294c4c233f7e9a

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/dec/21/guardian-hit-by-serious-it-incident-believed-to-be-ransomware-attack

Q Post #4526

Jun 25 2020 22:54:46 (EST)

https://twitter.com/juliacarriew/status/1276275098870112256

Daily attacks are normal.

But, what are the odds this particular hit re: FB censorship push comes the next day? [think battlefield and mission(s)]

The 'Guardian'.

Information Warfare.

Q

https://qanon.pub/#4526

https://qanon.pub/?q=guardian

Down the rabbit hole: how QAnon conspiracies thrive on Facebook

Guardian investigation finds more than 3m aggregate followers and members support QAnon on Facebook, and their numbers are growing

Julia Carrie Wong - 25 Jun 2020

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jun/25/qanon-facebook-conspiracy-theories-algorithm

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de6a9c  No.18041006

File: 999a5bd9951da73⋯.jpg (89.92 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Australian_Federal_Police_….jpg)

>>17832788

AFP managing 30 ‘high-risk’ terror offenders in community

ANGELICA SNOWDEN - DECEMBER 30, 2022

Federal police are managing at least 16 high-risk terrorist offenders living in the community, including through the use of electronic monitoring and by requiring them to attend rehabilitation programs and psychological counselling.

It’s believed 14 are presently remanded or incarcerated. In all, authorities have an active interest in 30 high-risk offenders on new and ongoing post sentence orders.

Since July 2020, they have been released from prison on control orders, which restrict their movements and social interactions.

But the AFP said there had been a “significant increase” in offenders breaching those restrictions, requiring co-operation with the Joint Counter Terrorism Team and the Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce to effectively manage them to ensure community safety.

AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Mark McIntyre said the AFP was committed to protecting the Australian community and is committed to working with state and commonwealth partners next year.

“The AFP, working as part of the JCTT and CFITF across Australia, will continue to identify and disrupt potential threats to our society, institutions and democratic way of life,” he said.

“It has been incredibly rewarding playing our role in keeping Australia safe and we look forward to the next year ahead.”

Police “manage” offenders who pose a risk of committing an act of terror when released into the community by making sure they comply with court orders that could impose obligations, restrictions and prohibitions. These are called controls or conditions.

“Conditions can include law enforcement and rehabilitation conditions,” a spokeswoman said.

“Law enforcement conditions may include curfews, electronic monitoring, restrictions on associations with others, restrictions on use of telecommunications, regular reporting to police,” she said. “Rehabilitative conditions may include requiring attendance of HRTO (high-risk terrorist offender) at rehabilitation or intervention programs and psychological counselling – the objective being to improve the HRTO’s reintegration into the community.”

If an offender breaches court orders, they could be jailed for five years.

A spokesman did not elaborate when asked what kind of manpower and resources are required to manage offenders or what tools officers have at their disposal.

“The AFP has dedicated investigative teams responsible for compliance and enforcement investigations of HRTOs,” he said.

“The AFP works tirelessly to mitigate any risk posed by convicted terrorist offenders as they exit prison and return to the community.”

There were no domestic terror attacks in 2022 due to the work of joint counter terrorism teams that identified “individuals and groups intent on harming the community”, the AFP said. “Significant disruptive action was undertaken through the arrest, charge and prosecution of commonwealth- and state-based terrorism, drugs, firearms and extremism offences,” a statement read.

As well, federal police enforced the first interim supervision orders in Victoria and NSW since the introduction of the scheme in December last year.

ISOs were recommended by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security to “better protect Australians from high-risk terrorist offenders … due to be released into the community after serving their custodial sentence”, according to a statement by the committee last year.

They also supported two applications for continuing detention orders and one extended supervision order, and successfully applied for three control orders.

Continuing detention orders were introduced by Malcolm Turnbull’s government in 2016. The laws were unprecedented at the time and were introduced amid concern about Islamic State-inspired terror attacks.

The order, subject to a yearly review, can keep an offender in jail for an extra three years even after their sentence is concluded, if authorities believe they pose an unacceptable risk.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation this year lowered the terror risk threat from “probable” to “possible”.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil welcomed the decision by ASIO in November. “ASIO has assessed that while Australia remains a potential terrorist target, there are fewer violent extremists with the intention to conduct an attack … than there were when the threat level was raised in September 2014,” she said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/terrorism-afp-managing-30-highrisk-terror-offenders-in-community/news-story/0afce89b27922042854ebe0f62d84f20

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de6a9c  No.18045904

Notables

are not endorsements

#26 - Part 1

Australian Politics and Society - Part 1

>>17453756 More firepower on Australian Defence Force shopping list - Australia is looking to push ahead with the expansion of its F-35 stealth fighter fleet and is considering buying US B-21 bombers to give the nation a new long-range strike capability

>>17458422 Australia's defence minister Richard Marles aims to deepen defence ties with France, Germany and Britain during visits to the European partners, saying war in Ukraine has increased the importance of cooperation with likeminded nations

>>17458426 Lieutenant General Stephen Sklenka, Deputy Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), and Brigadier General Joseph Clearfield, Deputy Commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) visited the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) and the Australian 1st Brigade on August 25 to reinforce the strength and importance of the U.S.-Australian alliance

>>17458432 Exercise Predators Run 2022: Finding common ground - 102 Battery, 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery participating in 1st Brigade’s annual warfighter exercise, Predators Run, along with gunners from the Malaysian Armed Forces’ (MAF) 3rd Artillery Division, soldiers from the Philippine Army and the US Marine Corps (Marine Rotational Force – Darwin)

>>17461804 Millionaire agribusiness leader Tom Strachan among three dead in horror Queensland light plane crash

>>17463297 United States Strategic Command Tweet: #ICYMI: This year over 100 aircraft from and 2500 personnel from (Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. and the U.K.) will take part in the @AusAirForce hosted multilateral exercise #PitchBlack22.

>>17463297 Royal Australian Air Force Tweet: Video: All the flying nations have now arrived & an extra warm welcome goes to our Pitch Black 1st-timers from Germany, Japan & the Republic of Korea. Can't wait to fly with old friends & new on #PitchBlack22!

>>17463412 Video: MRF-D 22 and 1st MAW Participates in the Pitch Black Open Day - Marines with MRF-D 22 and 1st MAW participated in the Pitch Black 22 public static display that showcased aircraft to the local Darwin community and allowed the public to engage with the rotational force.

>>17463696 Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass set to be asked to formally consider reopening an investigation into the Andrews government’s infamous red shirts elections rort - A police whistleblower involved in the initial investigation has made a formal statement claiming police command purposely thwarted the probe

>>17463842 Inquiry into far-right extremism in Victoria makes 12 recommendations to counter spread - The findings of a six-month inquiry into the re-emergence of far-right extremism in Victoria have been released, highlighting issues such as decreasing public trust in mainstream media and government and young people engaging with extremism

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de6a9c  No.18045907

#26 - Part 2

Australian Politics and Society - Part 2

>>17463856 Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin opens gates for a closer look at Pitch Black military hardware - A display of military hardware from the multinational force taking part in the biennial Pitch Black exercise in northern Australia drew scores of locals and troops for a closer look

>>17463891 Video: Exercise Pitch Black 2022 | Mindil Beach flypast - A great display of what Pitch Black is all about - multinational partner forces working together to strengthen our relationships, interoperability and understanding. Thank you so much to all the international exercise participants who helped make the flypast such a success - Royal Australian Air Force

>>17463892 Exercise Pitch Black 2022 | RAAF Base Darwin open day - The local community turned up in their thousands to the #PitchBlack22 open day at RAAF Base Darwin to see the participating forces on display - Royal Australian Air Force

>>17469881 Defence Minister Richard Marles has refused to say if the federal government will appoint a High Commissioner to the UK by the end of the year, even though the countries are in critical negotiations over the acquisition of nuclear submarines under the AUKUS agreement

>>17469889 Australians to train on UK nuclear submarines under landmark pact - Australian naval officers will be allowed to train inside Britain’s nuclear-powered submarines for the first time to ensure they are prepared for the eventual arrival of the highly prized technology under the AUKUS pact

>>17475424 Malcolm Turnbull almost sacked Alexander Downer for sparking FBI inquiry - Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was so incensed that Alexander Downer, Australia’s top diplomat in London, had “blundered” into the US embassy, “blurting out political gossip of the most intense political sensitivity”, and sparking the FBI inquiry into Russian meddling in the US ­election, that he considered sacking him - Revealed in a new book by investigative journalist Richard Kerbaj, The Secret History of The Five Eyes

>>17475475 AUKUS allies sign off on nuclear subs training for Australians - In a deepening of Australian-British military ties under the AUKUS arrangement, Royal Australian Navy submariners will begin training on the nuclear propelled British submarine, the Astute class HMS Anson, having been cleared to access some of Britain’s top secret nuclear military secrets

>>17475487 Video: Rear Admiral Scott Pappano warns helping Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines could be too big a burden for America's already overstretched shipyards

>>17481803 UK tried to use our ban on Huawei as leverage - Britain tried to use Australia’s unilateral decision to exclude Huawei from its next generation 5G network as a prime reason for why it should be able to make up its own mind about security risks and use the Chinese company - Revealed in a new book by investigative journalist Richard Kerbaj, The Secret History of The Five Eyes

>>17481833 Nuclear-powered submarines are set to be built in Australia as the AUKUS alliance demands we pull our weight in military manufacturing.

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de6a9c  No.18045908

#26 - Part 3

Australian Politics and Society - Part 3

>>17481876 Australia training preps F-35 pilots for long-range battles that could end in dogfight - During Pitch Black drills in Australia’s Northern Territory, U.S. and Australian pilots are honing the skills they need to carry out long-range missile strikes

>>17481941 Video: Darwin nightclub bouncer Hayden Summers found guilty of causing serious harm to US marine

>>17487810 MRF-D 22 Ground Combat Element Integrates into 1st Brigade to Enhance Combined Littoral Lethality

>>17487954 Chris Bowen Tweet: The Biden Administration and Albanese Government are working closely together on climate policy. Always great to compare notes with the President’s Special Envoy on Climate, @JohnKerry @ClimateEnvoy

>>17487954 Q Post #4196 - THE SHADOW PRESIDENCY. THE SHADOW GOVERNMENT. Why did [Hussein] shadow POTUS re: [F] trips? Why did [Kerry] shadow POTUS re: Iran? Why did [Kerry] shadow POTUS re: [CLAS 1-99]?…..INSURGENCY. IRREGULAR WARFARE. THE GREATEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN HISTORY. What are they trying to prevent? Who are they trying to protect? Q

>>17499234 Ukraine’s pitch to Australia: Use our army as your guinea pig - Ukraine has launched a bold bid for its army to be used as a “guinea pig” for cutting-edge Australian military technology as it seeks to gain a crucial battlefield advantage over Vladimir Putin’s Russian forces.

>>17499314 Speaker rules against referring Scott Morrison to privileges committee over claims he misled parliament on his secret self-appointment to jointly administer several portfolios

>>17499342 Real-life Squid Game horror spills over into Australia - The wealthy family of the sadistic overlord behind South Korea’s real-life Squid Game – now living in Australia – is expected to face legal action from survivors after an official inquiry revealed that 657 inmates were killed in the "Brothers Home" house of horrors

>>17504306 East Timorese leader flies to Australia for critical talks - East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta is scheduled to arrive in Australia for a state visit as negotiations over lucrative gas resources reach a critical stage for his impoverished nation

>>17504317 Tributes flow for Queensland medic Jed Danahay killed in Ukraine, hailed a hero by ambassador to Australia

>>17504368 US Coast Guard: Cairns visit a success with Australia’s important allies - Officers have given a rare behind-the-scenes look onboard the first US Coast Guard vessel of its kind to dock at Cairns. Why it’s here and the intriguing thing crew love most about the city

>>17508757 Operation Ironside: Alleged drug kingpin Mostafa Baluch joins legal challenge which could result in evidence gathered during ANOM police operation being ruled inadmissible

>>17508776 Mostafa Baluch joins AN0M challenge as lawyers consider fighting search warrants - More than 50 alleged AN0M criminals are pushing toward a landmark legal challenge they hope could derail the police case against them

>>17513286 Mark Latham accuses NSW Labor MP Anna Watson of getting drunk at parliament bar and trying to drive home

>>17515448 Q Post #100 - Who is the Queen of England? How long in power? With power comes corruption. What happened to Diana? What did she find out? Why was she running? Who did she entrust to help her flee? What was the cover? Why is this relevant? Why now?

>>17517472 Video: Public holiday announced for September 22 to honour Queen - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced there will be a one-off public holiday to honour the Queen’s death on Thursday September 22 - Sky News Australia

>>17519348 Video: Americans mark 21st anniversary of September 11, 2001 terror attacks - For the 21st time, Americans have marked the anniversary of their country's deadliest terror attacks - September 11, 2001 - 7NEWS Australia

>>17526513 MRF-D Trains in Every Clime and Place - Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 22 participated in Australian led courses that will enhance their ability to conduct operations in every clime and place

>>17526520 King Charles proclaimed monarch of Australia, New Zealand - King Charles was officially proclaimed head of state of both Australia and New Zealand at ceremonies on Sunday, September 11 2022 in the nations' capitals

>>17526532 U.S. Embassy Australia Tweet: Our Embassy fence is lined with hundreds of flags to mark the 21st anniversary of the attacks on 9/11. Placing these flags each year is one way our community comes together to commemorate this solemn day and remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost, including those of 10 Australians.

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de6a9c  No.18045911

#26 - Part 4

Australian Politics and Society - Part 4

>>17531107 Australian leaders remember 9/11 terror attacks - Twenty-one years after the September 11 terror attacks, Australia's leaders have remembered those who were killed

>>17531279 Australian economist Sean Turnell set to learn fate in secret junta trial - Australian economist Sean Turnell is expected to be told the outcome of his secret trial in Myanmar within the next month

>>17531366 Mike Pompeo Tweet: We understood that the Chinese Communist Party was a threat to America, and for four years we treated them as a threat. It's time for the Biden team to recognize reality: China still wants to undermine us. They have not changed.

>>17531591 Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Tweet: Video: Bushmaster, (genus Lachesis), an Amazonian venomous snake subdued by our soldiers that stings the enemy unexpectedly, painfully, and fatally. Thanks to our Australian wizards for the instruction manual. @RichardMarlesMP @AmbVasyl

>>17531597 Australia will decide on whether to order up to four more Northrop Grumman Corp MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance drones after a defence review next year

>>17531702 Space Force coming to rely on Australian firm for space situational awareness - Software from Sydney-based Saber Astronautics, which describes itself as a “Global space operations provider,” is rapidly spreading throughout the US military. It’s just won an extra $540,000 to meet the growing list of information the new Space Force operations command keeps discovering it needs in its ‘Space Cockpit’

>>17531725 ABF and US Coast Guard train in Far North Queensland - The first ever US Coast Guard Sentinel Class Cutter port visit to Cairns took place this week, with a joint activity also occurring between the US Coast Guard (USCG), the Australian Defence Force (ADF), a Republic of Fiji Navy Ship (RFNS) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) near Port Douglas

>>17531939 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: What a great honour and pleasure to receive three (Australian) intelligence chiefs at my residence! As a humble former spy chief and catcher myself, I enjoyed my engaging talks with Andrew, Paul and Mike. Many thanks for your solid friendship with (Japan)!

>>17537067 Video: Anthony Albanese meets King Charles at Buckingham Palace while in London to honour the Queen

>>17537087 Government insists nuclear submarine program 'taking shape' one year into controversial AUKUS partnership

>>17537112 Scientology leader evades legal service in Australian trafficking case - Scientology leader David Miscavige has avoided being served with a summons on at least 14 occasions, a US court has been told, as part of a human-trafficking case brought by three Australian residents.

>>17537126 Ukraine calls on Australia to ban Russian tourists - Australia should ban Russian tourists from visiting the country and reopen its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia has declared

>>17537134 Australia has no plan to ban Russian tourists, Marles says - A call to ban Russian tourists from Australia has been swiftly rejected by deputy prime minister Richard Marles

>>17537150 A Ruck to Remember: MRF-D 22 Remembers 9/11 with Commemorative Rugby Match

>>17542667 MRF-D 22 Tests Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations Concepts on South Goulburn Island in the Arafura Sea

>>17560194 ‘One of the most serious cyberattacks’: Customer data exposed in Optus hack - Hackers have breached Optus’ systems in one of the largest cyberattacks in Australian history, accessing names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and driver’s license numbers of millions of the telecommunications giant’s customers

>>17560467 Australia, New Zealand condemn Putin threats as "unthinkable" - Australia and New Zealand condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's escalation of the war in Ukraine, saying his threats to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia were "unthinkable" and exposed his justification for the war as untrue

>>17560478 ‘This is how a bully behaves’: Ukraine pleads for Australian help as Putin orders military call-up - Ukraine is ramping up calls for Australia to send more weapons and military equipment to fight back against the invading Russian forces, describing Vladimir Putin’s partial military mobilisation and threats of nuclear war as bullying and a sign of desperation

>>17565171 Australia's Central Bank Says It Is Bust - realmoney.thestreet.com

>>17565895 ‘Sophisticated attack’: Optus hackers used European addresses, could be state linked - Optus has confirmed up to 9.8 million customers’ personal details dating as far back as 2017 may have been accessed in a sophisticated cyberattack on the company that could have been executed by a crime gang or even a foreign state

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de6a9c  No.18045914

#26 - Part 5

Australian Politics and Society - Part 5

>>17566047 MRF-D Demonstrates Range and Reaction Capability with Trans-Pacific Tactical Redeployment

>>17566408 EnergyAtState Tweet: Today at @GCEAF_USA in Pittsburgh @ClimateEnvoy joined @Bowenchris as Australia signed on to the Clean Energy Demand Initiative. Australia’s leadership will be critical to CEDI’s efforts - sending a signal of major market demand for clean energy and supportive policies.

>>17566408 Chris Bowen Tweet: The US and Australia have both passed important climate legislation in recent weeks - We have much more to do, including by working together - Great to see John Kerry & sign our next steps on clean energy including working with business to speed up our clean energy transformation

>>17566408 Q Post #3634 - [D]'s (internal) infiltration issue(s) w/ protecting NAT SEC? Deliberate? Do you believe in coincidences?…..[Kerry] direct relay > Iran pre/post Iran deal [future marker] - IF KNOWN - WHY IS IT ALLOWED TO HAPPEN? IF KNOWN - WILL THERE BE JUSTICE? It's only a matter of time. Q

>>17572425 Australian Federal Police monitoring dark web amid allegations stolen Optus data may be sold online

>>17572684 ‘Significant progress’ made in Australia getting nuclear-powered sub - The leaders of the United States, United Kingdom and Australia said in a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the AUKUS security pact that they have made “significant progress” towards Australia acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine

>>17572684 Joint Leaders Statement to Mark One Year of AUKUS - whitehouse.gov - SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

>>17583221 Australian Federal Police launch Operation Hurricane, a global hunt to identify the hackers behind the massive Optus cyberattack - Albanese government flags large fines for future breaches

>>17583227 Tune into the Aussie Cossack and Guru & Kaz from Colonel Bosi's Australia ONE Party LIVE at 7pm - Live Stream - Bobdan - 26-09-2022

>>17588820 ‘Too many eyes’: Optus hacker deletes data, apologises to customers; FBI joins probe - The hacker purportedly behind the massive Optus data breach has seemingly deleted the stolen data and apologised to Optus customers, declaring “we will not sale data to anyone [sic].”

>>17588834 Anthony Albanese meets Kamala Harris, Fumio Kishida ahead of Shinzo Abe funeral - Former prime ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull have joined Mr Albanese in Tokyo to attend Tuesday afternoon’s state funeral, only the second in Japan’s post-war history

>>17588837 Video: Kamala Harris and Anthony Albanese hold talks - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with US Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the funeral of assassinated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe - Sky News Australia

>>17588847 Ex-Trump adviser Jason Miller spruiks ‘the right way’ to counter big tech bias - Former Donald Trump adviser Jason Miller believes many Australians will increasingly gravitate to right wing-leaning social networks as frustration grows with the left-leaning bias of tech giants like Twitter and Facebook

>>17595198 Bernard Collaery says further Timor-Leste affair details will be put before federal ICAC - Celebrated lawyer Bernard Collaery said he would take his claims of wrongdoing to the integrity body in an effort to resolve Australia's reputation in the region, adding there are "a lot more" details yet to surface about the diplomatic saga

>>17601574 Australian economist Sean Turnell sentenced to three years in prison in secret trial in Myanmar for violating the country's official state secrets act

>>17607423 Marles joins US, Japan in Hawaii for AUKUS subs tour - Australian, US and Japanese defence chiefs will meet near Pearl Harbour, Hawaii to advance discussions on AUKUS, before going on to inspect Virginia class submarines

>>17613444 Space Force surveillance telescope now operational in Australia - A U.S.-built space-monitoring telescope that was moved from New Mexico to Western Australia is officially operational, according to Space Operations Command

>>17613467 Space surveillance telescope is declared operational - The Space Surveillance Telescope was relocated to Australia from the US to strengthen the US Space Surveillance Network’s ability to track space assets and debris and provide warnings of possible collisions between space objects - Australian Government Department of Defence - news.defence.gov.au

>>17613477 U.S. Space Surveillance Telescope in Australia achieves initial operational capability - The Australian Department of Defence and the U.S. Space Force declared initial operational capability for the Space Surveillance Telescope at Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt, Australia, Sept. 30, 2022

>>17619904 Australian government slams Optus for cybersecurity breach - The Australian government has levelled its harshest criticism yet against Optus for a cybersecurity breach that affected the equivalent of 40% of the country's population

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de6a9c  No.18045917

#26 - Part 6

Australian Politics and Society - Part 6

>>17619926 US, UK defence chiefs back AUKUS expansion, more security for nuclear submarines in Australia - Australia‘s ‘unbreakable alliance’ with the United States could be strengthened with the deployment of more US military personnel here in addition to securing a nuclear submarine fleet as part of the AUKUS pact

>>17623791 Islamic State women and children to be returned to Australia from Syrian camps - Australia is preparing to overturn its policy of more than three years and launch a mission to repatriate dozens of women and children, the family members of former Islamic State fighters who have been languishing for years in squalid detention camps in Syria

>>17623808 Submarine commanders to be Australian made - The navy is preparing to train the next generation of submarine commanders at home as Australia seeks to bolster its military prowess ahead of the arrival of the nuclear vessels

>>17629611 Telstra staff suffer data breach as names and email addresses uploaded to dark web forum - Telstra has become the latest telco to be managing a breach of data after thousands of staff members' personal data was uploaded to a forum on the dark web

>>17629614 Police officer son of former senator Kristina Keneally charged with fabricating evidence - Constable Daniel Keneally, 24, investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) over an incident on February 24 2021 - Charged with one offence of fabricating false evidence with the intent to mislead any judicial tribunal after advice was sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)

>>17629620 Trial of Brittany Higgins's alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann begins in ACT Supreme Court - A former Liberal Party staffer told police she cried as she was allegedly raped in Parliament House, and said no at least half a dozen times

>>17629655 Video: Royal Australian Navy - Submariner Command Course - The Royal Australian Navy has conducted its inaugural Submarine Course on 16 April 2022, after decades of reliance on allied navies for training and assessing submarine commanders - Defence Australia

>>17637158 Islamic State brides will be detained on arrival from Syria - Women brought back from Islamic State detention camps in Syria will likely be detained immediately upon arrival in Australia - The Australian understands the 16 women expect to either be charged or face court for the purposes of making a terrorism control order

>>17699234 Caroline Kennedy: We must not shy away from climate challenge

>>17701292 Video: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed Australia is preparing to ramp up support for his nation’s war against Russia by announcing a new tranche of military assistance, including donations of heavy weapons.

>>17701293 Video: A special address by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy - Lowy Institute, Oct 6, 2022

>>17701294 Australia considers sending Defence staff to train Ukrainian troops

>>17701300 Paul Keating trashes Quad ‘nonsense’ and pleads: get us out of AUKUS - Former prime minister Paul Keating says the US is “exceptionally ungrateful” to allies like Australia who have long been loyal, urging Canberra to “walk away” from the AUKUS security agreement scheduled to deliver the nation a nuclear submarine capability

>>17701302 Video: Ideas and Society | Australia and China: A conversation with Paul Keating - La Trobe University, Oct 18, 2022

>>17701303 Paul Keating slammed as out of step on Quad, AUKUS - Defence Minister Richard Marles distanced the government from the comments but stopped short of condemning Mr Keating, whom he said had “every right to articulate those views”

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de6a9c  No.18045920

#26 - Part 7

Australian Politics and Society - Part 7

>>17783706 Australian academic Sean Turnell freed by Myanmar junta after more than 20 months in custody

>>17798811 Australia’s Fair Work Commission rules that Svitzer Australia, subsidiary of Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, must scrap plans for lockout of harbor tug workers, threatening to cause widespread disruption at Australian ports

>>17800549 French President Emmanuel Macron launches torpedo at AUKUS pact - French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to undermine the AUKUS pact just five months after he and Anthony Albanese patched up relations between their countries, declaring Australia’s nuclear submarine deal with the US and UK “will not deliver”

>>17801807 Video: Friendly Jordies's House Firebombed

>>17803991 Controversial YouTube comedian Jordan Shanks-Markovina, better known as Friendlyjordies, is taking an “indefinite hiatus” from producing videos after his home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs was set on fire in what police believe was a deliberate arson attack this week

>>17804013 ‘Invest for tomorrow’s war,’ says Austin - US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin says Australia and other allies need to reallocate their resources to fight the wars of tomorrow, with investments in advanced technologies a priority for any modern military

>>17807117 Video: US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy says the world’s transition to clean power and technology has the potential to elevate Australia as a global leader in the mining of critical minerals, lithium, rare earths and nickel

>>17807269 Islamic State kingpin Neil Prakash to be returned to Australia to face terrorism charges that could lead to him being jailed for life

>>17827645 ‘Hope always defeats hate’: Labor’s Daniel Andrews returned as premier in 2022 Victoria state election - Despite ‘incredibly challenging’ few years negotiating Covid, Labor cruises to victory, while the Greens and Nationals gain seats

>>17832788 Video: ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess announces Australia's terror threat level being lowered from "probable" to "possible" for first time since 2014

>>17857908 ‘Big deal’: World leaders head to Sydney in bid to push back on China - Three of the world’s most powerful leaders – US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – will travel to Sydney next year for a historic summit with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

>>17857918 US Rear Admiral Richard Seif raises closer submarine ties under nuclear deal - The man in charge of the US Navy’s submarines in Asia and the Pacific says America is willing and able to substantially expand its ties with its Australian submarine counterparts as the country prepares to enter the world of nuclear-powered subs

>>17857927 US Military Chiefs Say Australia Key to Space Rivalry With China - US Space Force’s Lt. General Nina M. Armagno and US Space Command Deputy Commander Lt. General John E. Shaw say Australia is a critical asset for the US in the growing strategic competition with China over space

>>17858006 Bruce Lehrmann retrial to be dropped over Brittany Higgins health fears - medical evidence a second trial scheduled for February would pose an unacceptable risk to Ms Higgins and her mental wellbeing

>>17862843 Judge orders extradition of alleged Islamic State terrorist Neil Prakash from Darwin to Melbourne to face terrorism-related charges

>>17862857 Bruce Lehrmann retrial dropped over Brittany Higgins health fears - Charges against the man accused of raping former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins at Parliament House have been dropped and Bruce Lehrmann’s retrial will no longer proceed - "It is no longer in the public interest to pursue prosecution with the risk to the complainant’s life."

>>17869625 Police doubted Brittany Higgins but case was ‘political’ - The most senior police officer on the Brittany Higgins case believed there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Bruce Lehrmann but could not stop the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions from proceeding because “there is too much political interference”

>>17874286 Australian nuclear subs high priority for US - Delivering Australia nuclear submarines “as early as possible” was high on the US government’s agenda as it braced for an intense period of competition with China, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed after unveiling the next generation of US stealth bombers

>>17879013 Brittany Higgins seeking $3 million in compensation claim - Lawyers for former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins have given notice that they will sue former Liberal ministers Linda Reynolds and Michaelia Cash as well as the Commonwealth for about $3 million

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de6a9c  No.18045942

#26 - Part 8

Australian Politics and Society - Part 8

>>17879090 A ruthless Thai vigilante wants to retire in Australia - Victims and activists are petitioning the Australian government to deny Rienthong Nanna the ability to retire in Perth - They say he has engaged in and encouraged hate speech, and supported the pursuit of critics of the monarchy throughout Thailand and internationally “whatever the consequences”

>>17884757 Video: Rupert Murdoch will be deposed as part of election technology company Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News - The Fox Corp chairman is the highest-profile individual to be questioned in the case, which hinges on Fox’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election

>>17884763 Australia and the United States deepen their already “unbreakable” military alliance by announcing plans to accelerate Canberra’s push to secure precision-guided missiles and expand the American military presence in the Top End

>>17884784 Will US supply Australia with AUKUS subs? ‘That’s not going to happen,’ key US lawmaker says - The US should take the "next Virginia class that's built, designate that to the Australian AOR, and [say] we're going to dual-crew it with Australian sailors and US sailors," Rep. Rob Wittman tells Breaking Defense

>>17884800 RAAF Chief Robert Chipman's visit to United States sparks renewed speculation Australia could purchase nuclear-capable B-21 Raiders

>>17884803 Space Force Director of Staff Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno travels to Australia to meet with members of Australia Space Operations

>>17906295 AUKUS members say plans on track for US and UK to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarine fleet - Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says Australia will be able to acquire nuclear-powered submarines by the deadline set out in the AUKUS alliance

>>17922492 Australia's 'indispensable' partnership with Japan could see it join AUKUS pact as strategic links grow - Defence Minister Richard Marles declares security ties between Tokyo and Canberra were becoming "indispensable"

>>17927414 Scathing letter alleging police and political interference in Bruce Lehrmann trial made public - A dispute between the ACT's chief prosecutor and the territory's Police force continuing, with the public release of a letter alleging interference in the now-abandoned rape trial of Bruce Lehrmann

>>17933898 Police shoot three dead after two police murdered in execution-style shooting in Wieambilla, Queensland - Two young police officers who were murdered in an execution-style killing on Monday “didn’t stand a chance,” Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has said as she paid tribute to the fallen officers

>>17933944 Brothers Nathaniel and Gareth Train identified as gunmen in Queensland siege - Two brothers Nathaniel Train and Gareth (Gavin) Train were shot dead by police during a siege at a property in Queensland's Western Downs

>>17933975 Police shooting: Slain NSW teacher Nathaniel Train made complaints about college - A missing NSW primary school teacher involved in the murder of three people, including two Queensland police officers, had made a number of complaints about a troubled majority Aboriginal student college in northern NSW

>>17934061 Queensland shooting: Gunman Gareth Train was a conspiracy theorist - A gunman who killed two police officers in a shootout in western Queensland on Monday had posted conspiracy theories online including that the Port Arthur massacre was faked by government to enable a crackdown on gun ownership

>>17939637 Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins settles personal injury claim against the Commonwealth - Dollar value of the settlement will remain confidential

>>17939657 Ready-made nuclear subs still a stop-gap option for Australia - Senior US Democratic Congressman Joe Courtney, Chair of the House Seapower Subcommittee says Australia should not give up hope of purchasing nuclear-powered submarines off-the-shelf from the United States

>>17939893 ‘Not just at the pointy end’: Calls for renewed focus on conspiracy threats - Experts are calling for renewed national focus on the potential violent threat posed by elements of Australia’s conspiratorial fringe, after the killing of two police and their alleged attackers in regional Queensland - "Elise Thomas, a senior analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, said the uncertainties of the pandemic and frustration at government responses to it had exposed many people to conspiracy theories for the first time."

>>17946322 Prototype for “game-changing” unmanned Australian submarine designed to undertake stealth missions throughout the Indo-Pacific unveiled at top-secret ceremony in Sydney

>>17946412 Child attends neo-Nazi meeting in Melbourne organised by European Australia Movement - Shocking images have revealed a young child posing for photos at a secret, national neo-Nazi meeting in Melbourne.

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de6a9c  No.18045947

#26 - Part 9

Australian Politics and Society - Part 9

>>17951181 Australian Super customers who hold a Member Direct account have been locked out of their accounts for over three weeks now as the financial giant struggles with technical issues.

>>17953362 Video: Police chopper audio reveals intense firefight at rural Queensland property - An intense firefight that unfolded on a remote Queensland property, leaving six people dead has been laid bare in dramatic police helicopter audio - A Current Affair

>>17953376 ‘We killed them’: Queensland shooters posted video online after attack - A now-deleted YouTube account shows footage of the Wieambilla shooters foreshadowing violence against police in the lead-up to the attack

>>17953388 Video: ‘Devils and demons’: Wieambilla shooters film video after killing police - The couple at the centre of the Wieambilla shooting had posted videos online in the weeks leading up to, and night of, the fatal confrontation with police on their regional Queensland property, in which they claimed to have killed the “devils” and “demons”

>>17953413 Video: Disturbing footage found from Queensland cop killers’ deleted YouTube account - Disturbing videos from a YouTube account believed to belong to the Queensland cop killers have been published online, one revealing Stacey Train’s “pain”.

>>17953429 Video: Cop killer Stacey Train quoted an obscure Bible verse before being shot dead, American friend claims - An eerie clip from a man who claimed to be close friends with the Queensland cop killers has revealed Stacey apparent last words before being shot dead

>>17953477 US government files formal extradition request against former fighter pilot arrested in Australia accused of helping train Chinese pilots to land on aircraft carriers

>>17953501 Aussies play key role in new space mission - One of Elon Musk's rockets is about to blast off carrying a satellite with extraordinary capabilities - Two experts in Australia will be front and centre, making sure the SWOT satellite, short for surface water and ocean topography, is beaming back accurate data

>>17953753 Tech giants told by Peter Dutton to cut off online evil - Peter Dutton has launched a scathing attack on social media companies, accusing them of abrogating their responsibilities in ­pursuit of profits, after the emergence of a chilling online video posted by the killers of two young constables and a neighbour in Monday’s ambush on a remote Queensland property

>>17960847 Survivor of horror police ambush Constable Keely Brough honours fallen victims - The young police officer who managed to survive a targeted ambush on police has come together with her community to honour her colleagues and a brave civilian who lost their lives in the attack

>>17973909 French border officials working on small boats crisis stopped talking to the UK for three months in 2021 because of a row over the AUKUS submarine deal

>>17980342 ‘We need to be prepared to invest’: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlights need for subs, not tanks, challenging previous plans to spend tens of billions of dollars on tanks and armoured vehicles

>>17980363 Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk support national gun register after revelations shooter Nathaniel Train crossed border carrying weapons

>>17980377 Nationals leader David Littleproud backs calls for change to national guns register to allow information to be shared between state and territories on individuals, following the murders of three people in Wieambilla

>>17980398 Network Ten refuses to recognise Australia Day - 'January 26 is not a day of celebration' - Chief Content Officer Beverley McGarvey has told Network Ten staff it will not recognise the Australia Day national holiday as January 26 is “not a day of celebration”

>>17985540 Former prime minister Kevin Rudd will become Australia’s new ambassador to the US - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his predecessor would bring “unmatched experience to the role”

>>17985554 (April 19, 2022) Anthony Albanese rubbishes ‘complete nonsense’ reports Kevin Rudd will be handed plum gig - Anthony Albanese has lashed out at reports he will install Kevin Rudd as Australia’s next ambassador to Washington if Labor wins the May 21 federal election

>>17985575 Video: Former prime minister Kevin Rudd posted to Washington as Australia's new US ambassador - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Rudd had extensive experience and connections in the US - "As someone who has links to the global community in Washington DC, he will be a major asset."

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de6a9c  No.18045949

#26 - Part 10

Australian Politics and Society - Part 10

>>17985647 Kevin Rudd Tweet: I am greatly honoured by the Australian Government’s decision to nominate me as our country’s next Ambassador to the United States of America commencing in March.

>>17985647 Malcolm Turnbull Tweet: Congratulations Kevin - great appointment!

>>17985647 Malcolm Turnbull Tweet: I cannot think of any Australian with better connections than Rudd has in the Biden administration or with more influence on geopolitical issues in DC. He is also keenly aware of the external, and internal, threats to US democracy.

>>17985647 Q Post #479 - How much did AUS donate to CF? How much did SA donate to CF? Compare. Why is this relevant? What phone call between POTUS and X/AUS leaked? List the leadership in AUS. IDEN leadership during Hussein term. IDEN leadership during POTUS' term. Who controls AUS? Who really controls AUS? UK? Why is this relevant? Q - https://qanon.pub/#479

>>17985647 Q Post #908 - Which conversation leaked? POTUS & AUS? Why that specific conversation? Signal? We (they) hear what you are saying? Threat to AUS? Why? What do they know? Trapped? Forced? Blood. Q - https://qanon.pub/#908

>>17985647 Q Post #910 - Do not focus on the call details. We knew it would leak. We knew certain areas of the WH were bugged. We knew certain people would leak. Focus - why AUS? Q - https://qanon.pub/#910

>>17985668 Video: The Real Kevin Rudd - The real Kevin Rudd: a man despised by those who know him, who spent three years undermining Australia's first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. - Practicalpolitics, Jul 17, 2013

>>17985749 Australia Day work option is gathering steam - Some of the nation’s biggest companies have begun offering their staff the opportunity to skip the Australia Day public holiday, in what advocates see as growing support for changing the date - Major companies including Telstra and Woodside Energy have introduced new policies allowing staff to work on January 26 and take off another day of their choosing instead

>>17985762 Inner-city Melbourne councils of Darebin and Yarra are planning their first Australian citizenship ceremonies in five years after rules relaxed by the Albanese government - It was a requirement under the Turnbull and Morrison governments for councils to hold a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day, or have their right to host any ceremony revoked

>>17985766 Betrayal of our national day a shame on Labor - "The decision effectively to abandon the defence of Australia Day on January 26 is one of the worst and saddest moments in modern Australia. And it’s surely among the worst decisions of the new Labor government." - Greg Sheridan - theaustralian.com.au

>>17985863 Queensland Police Union plan to buy Wieambilla property where two officers were killed in ambush - Union president Ian Leavers said he did not want the land to "fall into the wrong hands" - "The last thing we want to see is the anti-vaxxers, pro-gun, conspiracy theorists to get this land and use it for their own warped and dangerous views" - Sarah Richards - abc.net.au

>>17985903 Video: Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell found guilty of brutal assault on Channel 9 security guard - A court has rejected Thomas Sewell’s claims of self-defence from when he repeatedly belted a Channel 9 security guard outside the network’s Docklands studios

>>17991015 Kevin Rudd’s appointment as next ambassador to Washington broadly welcomed in the US capital on both sides of the political spectrum as an experienced foreign policy and China expert

>>17991052 Albanese’s captain’s pick: An inspired choice or just Ruddy risky? - Kevin Rudd faces a cautious reception from the Biden administration over his criticism of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and a potential backlash from Republicans for his attacks on Donald Trump when he arrives in Washington

>>17991056 Kevin Rudd Tweet: Donald Trump is a traitor to the West. Murdoch was Trump’s biggest backer. And Murdoch’s Fox Television backs Putin too. What rancid treachery.

>>17991061 Bruce Lehrmann asks Bar Association to investigate alleged misconduct by prosecutor 0 Bruce Lehrmann has personally written to the ACT Bar Association with a letter of complaint outlining several elements of serious misconduct he alleges against ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC

>>17991078 Wieambilla murders: Thousands of police officers form a sombre guard of honour to farewell slain constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, after the pair were remembered as bright, adored and courageous young people who ran towards danger to protect the community

>>17996604 Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyers send legal letters to Network Ten and News Corp over their coverage of rape allegations aired by his former colleague, Brittany Higgins

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de6a9c  No.18045953

#26 - Part 11

Australian Politics and Society - Part 11

>>17996634 Bruce Lehrmann inquiry: Bring it on in full, and free from politics - "First and foremost, this inquiry must get to bottom of the truly disturbing claims raised by senior AFP officers in charge of the investigation that there was “too much political interference” in DPP Shane Drumgold’s decision to prosecute Lehrmann." - Janet Albrechtsen - theaustralian.com.au

>>17996662 Alleged ‘Mr Big’ drug importer extradited to Australia from the Netherlands to face justice - Tse Chi Lop, "the El Chapo of Asia", alleged crime boss who headed a global enterprise suspected to have imported more drugs into Australia than any other syndicate in history

>>17996676 Queensland Police Officers were following up an outstanding warrant relating to firearms and a border breach by shooter Nathaniel Train, as well as a missing person report, when they attended the Wieambilla property last week, Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford reveals

>>17996696 Train family offered US sanctum before evil Queensland police killing - An American man with links to cop killers Gareth and Stacey Train claims the pair turned down an invitation to relocate in the US before carrying out a deadly ambush on Queensland Police officers

>>18002329 Experts question Qld police reluctance to label last week’s killing of two young constables and a neighbour at Wieambilla a terrorist act

>>18002453 The Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce - Australia’s largest, and ultra-secret, defence project is fast taking shape behind closed doors

>>18007283 Inside Melbourne boxing gym with a neo-Nazi underbelly - Extremism experts have raised concerns about the presence of a child at a neo-Nazi event in Melbourne’s north-west, saying it indicates far-right groups are indoctrinating children with hateful ideology during vulnerable periods in their intellectual development

>>18007288 Coaches at Legacy Boxing Gym in Melbourne’s north-west will have their registrations suspended by the state’s governing body for amateur boxing after the gym was found to have links to some of Victoria’s most dangerous neo-Nazi activists

>>18012370 Space Force Guardians train with service members from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom for potential conflict in Europe during large-scale 'Space Flag' exercise at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado

>>18022458 New missile system in line for Top End protection - Albanese government is considering purchasing mobile Naval Strike Missile launchers - “StrikeMaster” system can launch ship-killing NSMs over ranges of at least 250km, delivering a potent “area denial” capability protecting most of Australia's Top End

>>18029095 Former prime minister Scott Morrison one of many public figures stung in alleged security breach - A hacker has claimed to have obtained the data of 400 million Twitter users - Mr Morrison’s parliamentary email address, username and phone number linked to his Twitter account were included in the information dump posted on a forum

>>18029276 Australian man killed ‘defending the freedom of the Ukrainian people’ - Australian man Sage O’Donnell has been killed fighting in Ukraine, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed

>>18029276 Q Post #4959 - What groups are financing Ukraine? Why are they financing Ukraine? Why was Hunter in Ukraine? What did 'Pop' threaten to withold from Ukraine? A billion dollars? Who benefits? What did 'Pop' receive in return? Why is Hunter not in jail? Think. Blackmail? Bribes? Extortion? Threats? How do you control a 'leader'? How do you control a country? Are you ready to take back control? Your vote matters. You have all the tools you need. Q - https://qanon.pub/#4959

>>18034687 Daniel Duggan background check may have raised red flags - The former US Marine fighter pilot accused of providing military training to Chinese pilots may have been flagged by Australian authorities after he applied for a job with a defence contractor involved in battle-training F18 pilots and transporting VIP defence personnel

>>18034769 Guardian Australia hacked, offices shut amid ransomware hit - Most of the Guardian Australia’s offices remain closed after the media company‘s global arm was hit with a ransomware attack last week

>>18041006 Australian Federal police are managing at least 16 high-risk terrorist offenders living in the community, including through the use of electronic monitoring and by requiring them to attend rehabilitation programs and psychological counselling

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de6a9c  No.18045955

#26 - Part 12

Cardinal George Pell - Sexual Abuse and Vatican Financial Scandal Allegations

>>17463555 Sustaining our liberal ideals the best hope in dark times - "I don’t think Australian life is rotten at the core but times are changing, and not always for the better." - George Pell - theaustralian.com.au

>>17565989 STANDING WITH THE WORD OF GOD - George Cardinal Pell - firstthings.com

>>17613395 Prosecution calls witnesses as Vatican finance trial resumes - After a break of over two months, the Vatican trial on financial corruption in the Secretariat of State continued this week with the interrogation of witnesses for the prosecution

#26 - Part 13

Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry and Ben Roberts-Smith Defamation Trial

>>17531189 Ben Roberts-Smith to attend Queen Elizabeth funeral commemorations - Controversial former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith will travel to London to participate in the official commemorations for the late Queen Elizabeth II, reflecting his status as a recipient of the prestigious Victoria Cross

>>17531176 Defence ducks probe into war crimes accountability - Defence has avoided an inquiry into the accountability of senior commanders for war crimes ­despite the findings of an independent panel, which said it failed to face up to its “corporate responsibility” for the murders of Afghan civilians and prisoners identified in the Brereton report

>>17548305 Video: Videos shot by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan raise questions about conduct of 2nd Commando Regiment

>>17554591 Video: Australian Commandos in Afghanistan filmed discussing 'quota' - 7.30 has obtained hours of footage of Australian Commandos in action. The raw footage from the soldiers' own handheld and mounted cameras shows the incredible dangers they faced, but also moments that raise questions about their conduct, including one scene where the men boast about hitting "the quota". Some of these commandos are now under investigation by Australia's war crimes agency. - ABC News (Australia)

>>17554623 Former Australian commando under investigation over 2012 Afghanistan rotation - A former Australian Special Forces commando is a target of a war crimes investigation for the alleged killing of at least one unarmed detainee during a deployment to Afghanistan

>>17560414 Former Australian commando faces Afghanistan war crimes investigation - A former Australian special forces soldier who allegedly confessed to executing an Afghan prisoner in October 2012 is now the target of a major war crimes inquiry, and was stopped at an airport where his phone was seized on return from an overseas trip in April

>>17560432 Australian commando under investigation over 2012 Afghanistan rotation - 7.30 has new accounts of a deadly raid carried out in Helmand province in 2012. Multiple witnesses have told 7.30 that seven Afghans were killed, some allegedly shot after they were detained by a small group of Australian soldiers. We'll hear an account of a commando's remorse at his alleged actions in that operation. - ABC News (Australia)

>>17827648 Australian Defence Force chief gives Afghanistan veterans 28 days to explain why they should keep war honours and medals awarded during the Afghanistan war, as the fallout from the Brereton Inquiry into alleged war crimes continues

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de6a9c  No.18045958

#26 - Part 14

Julian Assange Indictment and Extradition

>>17513800 Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador invites relatives of Julian Assange and Che Guevara to attend the country's independence day celebrations

>>17531321 Jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange awarded keys to Mexico City as family lobbies for his release

>>17531332 Video: Mexico City honours Julian Assange with keys to city - Mexico City has presented Julian Assange’s father John Shipton with the keys to the city on his behalf. The Mayor of Mexico City says the act was in recognition of Assange’s courage and the notion of freedom of expression - Sky News Australia

>>17697679 Julian Assange lawyer Jennifer Robinson says his case needs an urgent political fix, not a legal one

>>17701283 Thousands rally in Melbourne to demand Julian Assange be returned to Australia

>>17701284 Julian Assange tests positive for Covid as wife reveals she is ‘worried for his health’ - The worried wife of Julian Assange has revealed the WikiLeaks founder’s diagnosis in prison where he is locked in his cell 24-7

>>17701285 Julian Assange’s supporters call on Australian government to provide update on talks with US - Campaign adviser says public should be told of any progress on securing Assange’s release if he is extradited from UK

>>17853189 Australian PM Anthony Albanese urges US government to end pursuit of Julian Assange - Prime minister says he raised Wikileaks co-founder’s case with US representatives recently and will continue to push for it to be ‘brought to a close’

>>17857905 Anthony Albanese's appeal to end Julian Assange pursuit a test of Australia-US relations, family say - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has raised the issue of the United States' pursuit of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with its officials, arguing "enough is enough"

>>17869613 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, battling extradition from Britain to the United States where he is wanted on criminal charges, has submitted an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights

>>17902505 Julian Assange's family wants supporters of the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder to politely advocate for his release, rather than "disparaging" the Australian government

>>17902509 Wikileaks delegation received by Argentine President - Argentine President Alberto Fernández received at the Casa Rosada the Wikileaks delegation composed of Kristinn Hrafnsson and Joseph Farrell

>>17922487 Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters attended a rally calling for freeing Julian Assange in front of the British Consulate in New York

>>18007301 Kevin Rudd’s appointment as US ambassador lifts Assange supporter hopes - Supporters of Julian Assange have welcomed Kevin Rudd’s appointment as Australia’s ambassador to the United States, saying they are hopeful he will use the position to press the Biden administration to drop espionage charges against the Wikileaks founder

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de6a9c  No.18045959

#26 - Part 15

Australia / China Tensions - Part 1

>>17453741 John Bolton urges the US and others to 'consider Taiwan an independent country'

>>17458335 US Coast Guard cutter is denied port call in Solomon Islands

>>17458344 Solomon Islands denies port call for Guam-based US Coast Guard cutter

>>17458352 Chinese troops put on high alert as two United States navy cruisers armed with guided missiles sailed through the Taiwan Strait - August 28, 2022

>>17458364 Taiwan welcomes jaw-jaw sparked by John Bolton for strategic clarity to deter Xi Jinping’s China

>>17458377 Mike Pompeo Tweet: The Chinese Communist Party has stolen identities from our kids and trade secrets from our businesses. They are committing genocide against their own people and are arming themselves for war. We need to wake up and take this threat seriously.

>>17458412 Australia seeks the 'closest possible relationship' with Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says amid competition with China for influence

>>17458415 Penny Wong needs to deal Beijing out of PNG - China sees Papua New Guinea as more strategically important than Solomon Islands. That’s why it’s good news that on Monday Foreign Minister Penny Wong will make her first official visit to PNG, our closest and most important regional neighbour - Jeffrey Wall and Anthony Bergin - theaustralian.com.au

>>17463963 Chinese hackers pose as Australian News Corp sites in cyber espionage scam - Australian government agencies, news outlets and manufacturing companies have been targeted by a sophisticated year-long espionage campaign in which Chinese government-aligned hackers pose as media employees to implant malicious software on the victims’ computers

>>17465731 US ships ‘not welcome’ as Solomons cosies up to Beijing - Solomon Islands has imposed a temporary ban on naval visits by US ships, amid heightened tensions between the countries over the Pacific Island nation’s security pact with China

>>17465759 Solomon Islands Blocks All Naval Port Visits After U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Denied Entry - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare has announced a temporary moratorium on visits by foreign naval vessels after turning away a U.S Coast Guard Cutter last week

>>17465808 Solomon Islands Government Statement - PM SOGAVARE CLARIFIES MISINFORMATION ON US COAST GUARD VESSEL - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has clarified some misinformation currently carried on international media about the visit by the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry and HMAS Spey

>>17469909 Australian FM visits PNG nominally for cooperation to conceal veiled aim to sow discord through 'China debt trap' narrative, coercion - Xu Keyue - globaltimes.cn

>>17475500 UN human-rights agency issues report on Xinjiang over China’s protest - The United Nations human-rights agency on Wednesday alleged “serious human-rights violations” in the Chinese region of Xinjiang that often targeted ethnic Uyghurs and other members of Islamic groups, in a report that broadly supports critical findings by Western governments, human-rights groups and media

>>17475525 UN Human Rights Office issues assessment of human rights concerns in Xinjiang, China - The UN Human Rights Office - 31 August 2022

>>17475542 United Nations report on Xinjiang backs fears felt by Australia's Uyghur community - The report concluded China's arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and other minorities, and the deprivation of fundamental human rights might constitute "crimes against humanity"

>>17475558 Video: China slams UN Xinjiang report as 'manufactured' by the US - The report said torture allegations were credible and cited possible crimes against humanity - AFP News Agency

>>17475580 Solomon Islands’ docking rights suspension angers US congress

>>17475586 Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare accepts US medical ship USNS Mercy while banning other vessels

>>17481676 After disappearing Uighurs, Beijing tries to vanish UN report - Beijing has tried to “disappear” a damning United Nations report into human rights abuses in Xinjiang, which has triggered international condemnation of brutal policies overseen by China’s leader Xi Jinping.

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de6a9c  No.18045964

#26 - Part 16

Australia / China Tensions - Part 2

>>17481688 Foreign Minister Penny Wong calls for Beijing to address the damning findings in an authoritative UN investigation into China’s widespread human rights atrocities in Xinjiang

>>17481704 Gathering of cardinals ‘silent’ on fate of fellow prelate Joseph Zen - Senior German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller has slammed Pope Francis and this week’s consistory of cardinals at the Vatican for remaining silent about the plight of Hong Kong cardinal Joseph Zen, facing an “unfair trial’’ in Hong Kong under Chinese law

>>17481719 Papua New Guinea has flagged expansion of the joint Manus Island naval base under a renewed Australia-PNG security partnership, and warned Solomon Islands to “really think carefully” about putting its China relationship ahead of its ties with Australia and the US

>>17481731 Analysis: Unpredictable Solomon Islands fuels U.S. concern as China's influence grows - Kirsty Needham - reuters.com

>>17481753 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare fast-tracks bill to amend constitution and delay elections

>>17481780 U.S. Coast Guard Arrives for Planned Port Visit in Cairns, Australia - The Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) crew arrived in Cairns on Aug. 31, for engagements with Australian Defence and Home Affairs partners and local representatives

>>17487755 ‘Severely jeopardises peace’: US angers China with billion dollar arms sale to Taiwan - News of the potential sale came as it was also announced that US President Joe Biden would host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a September 28-29 gathering in Washington in the latest US effort to step up ties with the region increasingly courted by China

>>17487779 Beijing-backed autocracy in our backyard with ‘Cuba in the Pacific - Dave Sharma, former Liberal MP for Wentworth and ambassador to Israel from 2013-2017 - theaustralian.com.au

>>17487831 ‘It’s an honour’: US Coast Guard ship makes historic stopover - Fresh from Torres Strait operations, US Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry arrived in Cairns after being turned away from the Solomon Islands amid a new ban on warship visits. How Cairns welcomed the ship and crew.

>>17487990 Video: PLA, the People’s Liberation Army of China, Peace-Loving Army. - "PLA, the People’s Liberation Army of China. Peace-Loving Army, for the Chinese people and people of the world." - SpokespersonCHN, Sep 3 2022

>>17488001 Video: 1989: Tiananmen Square protests - Student protests in Tiananmen Square ended when Chinese troops fired on crowds, killing hundreds and wounding thousands. - CNN, Oct 7 2010

>>17488005 Video: Archive: Chinese troops fire on protesters in Tiananmen Square - First broadcast 4 June 1989. Chinese troops opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Saturday evening. The collection of students and labourers had been occupying the site for several weeks. - Despite the outbreak of "unremitting gunfire", the protesters refused to leave. The BBC's Kate Adie reports from the scene. - BBC News, Jun 5 2014

>>17488011 Tiananmen Square: Watch The 1989 Report On The Crackdown - It's 25 years since protests in Tiananmen Square, China, were brought to a bloody end by soldiers who killed hundreds of unarmed civilians. Sky News, Jun 4 2014

>>17494507 Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil orders her department to investigate harvesting of data by social media giant TikTok amid growing concern that staff in China can access the personal information of Australians

>>17499268 Hostage diplomacy in Xi’s China - Two years after she was detained, Australian journalist Cheng Lei is still in prison in Beijing with no family contact.

>>17499288 Solomon Islands says Australia, New Zealand exempt from navy ship moratorium despite China security pact

>>17499296 Tiny Tuvalu to 'stand firm' with Taiwan as Pacific competition hots up - Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano pledged on a trip to Taiwan to "stand firm" on a commitment to lasting ties, drawing Taiwan's thanks at a time of growing competition as China expands its influence in the region

>>17499305 U.S. President Joe Biden will host leaders of Pacific Island nations at a Sept. 28-29 gathering in Washington, the latest U.S. effort to step up ties with the region increasingly courted by China

>>17504291 Honiara reacts angrily after Australia offers to help fund Solomon Islands election amid moves to postpone the poll - The Solomon Islands government has slammed an Australian offer to fund national elections next year, calling it an "assault" on its democracy and an attempt at foreign interference.

>>17504297 Kiribati suspends all Court of Appeal judges after row over attempts to deport High Court justice David Lambourne to Australia

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de6a9c  No.18045965

#26 - Part 17

Australia / China Tensions - Part 3

>>17504301 New South Wales MP once raided as part of ASIO investigation defends ‘honorary’ role in China-linked association - Shaoquett Moselmane has defended his position as “honorary chairman” of an association linked with China’s foreign influence arm

>>17508672 Taiwanese independence advocates will be 'punished', says Chinese ambassador - China's ambassador to Australia has warned that Taiwanese people advocating full independence from the mainland will be "punished" according to Chinese law, speaking in an interview with the ABC's 7.30 program

>>17508675 Video: Taiwanese independence advocates will be ‘punished’, says Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian | 7.30 - ABC News (Australia)

>>17508711 mhar4 Tweet: (China's) ambassador to (Australia) Xiao Qian on @abc730 on the "re-education" of the Taiwanese people and "punishment" of Taiwan's political leadership. In the context of the C20th and C21st history of Taiwan, he is describing the complete destruction of Taiwanese society.

>>17508737 President José Ramos-Horta says there will be no Chinese military base in Timor-Leste

>>17508746 Australia hails ‘new chapter’ in Timor-Leste relationship as leaders sign defence pact - Albanese government looks forward to military cooperation as Jose Ramos-Horta calls for help to develop Greater Sunrise gas fields

>>17513783 Coalition accuses government of mishandling Solomon Islands election funding offer - Foreign Minister Penny Wong is trying to douse political controversy over Australia's offer to fund elections in Solomon Islands after its Prime Minister accused the federal government of foreign interference

>>17513790 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has mocked Australia while declaring he will take up the government's offer to help fund the next national election – but only after his country's parliament has voted to delay the national poll until 2024

>>17513866 US military’s footprint is expanding in northern Australia to meet a rising China - Major construction, funded by the U.S. and Australian governments, is underway in the northern port of Darwin, at Larrakeyah Defence Precinct and at Royal Australian Air Force Bases Darwin and Tindal for facilities that will be used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps

>>17519208 Solomon Islands Exempts Australia, NZ From US Navy Ship Ban

>>17526478 Exercise Kakadu 2022: Royal Australian Navy chief Mark Hammond ‘ready for spy ships’ - Australia’s new Chief of Navy says he is prepared for “uninvited” Chinese spy ships at the country’s flagship naval war games, Exercise Kakadu, as Beijing ramps up its surveillance of Western allies’ capabilities ahead of a potential Taiwan conflict

>>17531373 Australia rejects China’s requests to join trans-Pacific trade partnership - The Albanese government has rebuffed Chinese requests to begin negotiations on its bid to join one of the world’s biggest free-trade agreements, as Beijing suggests bilateral relations would improve if Australia backed its admission to the bloc

>>17531416 China accuses the International Atomic Energy Agency of issuing a 'lopsided' report on AUKUS nuclear submarines plan

>>17531427 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on September 13, 2022

>>17531434 Video: The AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation spells serious nuclear proliferation risks. - SpokespersonCHN

>>17531453 IAEA chief's AUKUS report lacks legal basis: Chinese UN mission - Xinhua - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17531459 AUKUS deal must be subject to scrutiny: China Daily editorial - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17531465 Nuclear proliferation caused by AUKUS will make the world sweat in the face of teetering security - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17531476 GT Voice: Australia advised to take rational approach to China’s supply chains - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17531948 Japan slams Beijing’s ‘coercion’ - Japan’s top diplomat in Australia has suggested China’s record of “economic coercion” should disqualify it from being admitted to one of the world’s largest free-trade agreements, warning of the “risk of sabotage from within”

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de6a9c  No.18045967

#26 - Part 18

Australia / China Tensions - Part 4

>>17531969 Trade pact should be only for those who play by rules - Shingo Yamagami, Japanese ambassador to Australia - theaustralian.com.au

>>17532044 Hudson Institute Tweet: Video: MESSAGE TO THE CHINESE PEOPLE Watch Hudson’s China Center’s first “Evening Chat with @mikepompeo” about why the #CCP does NOT represent the Chinese people and why the CCP is paranoid by the example of American freedom.

>>17532067 Video: The Chinese Communist Party Does Not Represent the Chinese People - Hudson Institute’s China Center presents a new series entitled, “Evening Chats with Mike Pompeo: A Message to the Chinese People.” In this series, 70th US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo speaks directly to the Chinese people about the Chinese Communist Party and US-China relations - Hudson Institute

>>17537104 Chinese envoy reiterates intl communities’ deep concerns over nuclear-powered submarine cooperation under AUKUS - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17542676 Biden locks in defence of Taiwan, Australia will have to respond - US President Joe Biden once again said that the United States would defend Taiwan if China attacked. The comments overturn decades of strategic ambiguity towards the defence of Taiwan and threaten to draw Australia into another future conflict.

>>17548346 Pacific islands a key U.S. military buffer to China's ambitions - United States Institute for Peace report

>>17548350 Penny Wong likely to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York this week - 20 September 2022

>>17548361 Chinese envoy recounts fierce exchanges at IAEA over AUKUS deal, calls nuclear submarine plan a blatant violation of non-proliferation - Hu Yuwei - globaltimes.cn

>>17548378 Jennifer Zeng Tweet: I understand that the #CCP needs to maintain the terror inside #China. But I really don’t know how they are going to explain to Chinese people why the CCP guys are the only ones that need a mask to protect themselves from #CCPVIRUS #COVID #COVID19

>>17548378 Alvin Lum Tweet: Try and find VP Wang Qishan in 5 sec

>>17565902 U.S.-led Pacific group to focus on climate, connectivity amid China concerns - Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) includes the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

>>17565944 Wong urges China to use its influence to rein in Putin - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged China to use its clout as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to prevail upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt his invasion of Ukraine

>>17565947 Foreign Minister Penny Wong hoses down hopes of an end to tariffs on Australia exports to China after a late-night meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New York City

>>17565954 Senator Penny Wong Tweet: A constructive conversation with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi tonight. The meeting reaffirmed the Australian Government’s view that it is in the interests of both sides to continue on the path of stabilising the relationship.

>>17565957 Ministerial statement - Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs - Meeting With China’s State Councilor And Minister Of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi

>>17572568 Update: Australia urged to take substantive actions in repairing ties with China, after 'constructive' meeting - Wang Qi and Liu Caiyu - globaltimes.cn

>>17572618 China told by Penny Wong to rein in Vladimir Putin, calls his latest threats ‘weak and desperate’ - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has put China on notice in a speech to the UN General Assembly that it must use its “no limits” partnership with Russia to force an end to its war with Ukraine, declaring Vladimir Putin’s unchecked use of military power is a threat to all smaller nations

>>17572639 Solomon Islands tells UN it’s been ‘unfairly targeted’ over relationship with China - The prime minister of the Solomon Islands has complained that his country had been subjected to “a barrage of unwarranted and misplaced criticisms, misinformation and intimidation” since formalising diplomatic relations with China in 2019

>>17572749 U.S. in Talks to Build First Nuclear Subs for Australia - Proposal seeks to expedite capabilities for ally by mid-2030s, until it can build its own, in bid to counter China

>>17577600 West tramples on Solomons’ dignity, sovereignty by intimidating its ties with China - Yang Xiyu - globaltimes.cn

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de6a9c  No.18045994

#26 - Part 19

Australia / China Tensions - Part 5

>>17577642 Xi Jinping’s top envoy, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, has said China is ready to meet Australia “halfway” in the most promising change in Beijing’s diplomacy since its relationship with Canberra imploded in 2020

>>17577683 In this old photo, there is the Australian love between Xi Jinping and his father | President Xi's national gift story - Zhong Qi - politics.people.com.cn

>>17583251 AUKUS’ plan to expedite Australia’s nuclear sub construction an act of nuclear proliferation under ‘naval nuclear propulsion’ cover: Chinese mission to UN - Leng Shumei and Hu Yuwei - globaltimes.cn

>>17588911 Video: The CCP Lies About Race In America - Hudson Institute’s China Center presents Episode Two of Evening Chats with Mike Pompeo: A Message to the Chinese People - Pompeo explains how the Chinese Communist Party attempts to divide Americans with lies that distort the issue of race in America and tarnish the US in the eyes of the Chinese people

>>17595154 U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris condemns "disturbing" actions by China in the Pacific while pledging to deepen "unofficial ties" with Taiwan, days after the U.S. administration pledged its forces would defend the island

>>17595158 Solomon Islands has told Pacific nations invited to a White House meeting with President Joe Biden it won't sign the summit declaration, prompting concern over the islands' ties to China

>>17595172 US pushes for AUKUS acceleration as China’s fleet looms - Australia will engage with US plans to accelerate the construction of AUKUS nuclear submarines

>>17595220 Hudson Institute Tweet: Video: Hudson's @mikepompeo warns that the most anti-Chinese force in history is the CCP, an undeniable truth they don't want you to know.

>>17595220 Mike Pompeo Tweet: The Chinese Communist Party was founded on the Marxist ideology that killed millions of Chinese people. It's the most anti-Chinese force in history.

>>17601549 IAEA general conference to first review China-proposed agenda on AUKUS nuclear sub deal concerns - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17607347 US, Pacific Island leaders vow to strengthen ties with historic partnership declaration amid growing China risks - The United States and Pacific island nations have unveiled a historic joint partnership declaration, vowing to strengthen ties amid growing concerns of China's role in the region

>>17607375 Is the US sincere in taking Pacific Island countries as ‘partners?’: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17607637 How China spies ‘signed up Bob Hawke’ - Bob Hawke was unwittingly used by the Chinese Communist Party’s intelligence arm, becoming involved with a spy agency front that used foreign elites to help rehabilitate the country’s image after the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, a new book reveals - Spies and Lies: How China’s Greatest Covert Operations Fooled the World by Alex Joske

>>17613412 China thwarts AUKUS-related amendment attempts on legitimizing nuclear sub marine deal at IAEA conference - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17613419 India's 'deft diplomacy' thwarts Beijing’s plans to pass anti-AUKUS resolution - China withdrew a draft resolution at the IAEA against the AUKUS grouping seeking to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The sources said India's 'deft diplomacy' played a crucial role in ensuring that many smaller countries took a clear stand against the Chinese proposal - Geeta Mohan - indiatoday.in

>>17613690 How China is winning in the Pacific - Beijing is using subversion and coercion to force small nations to bow to its will - John Lee, non-resident senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, Washington - theaustralian.com.au

>>17637099 New report shows the Chinese Communist Party launched coordinated disinformation campaign after Solomon Islands riots - The Chinese government has been running a coordinated disinformation campaign in Solomon Islands, suggesting that Australia, the United States and Taiwan fomented the riots that rocked the capital Honiara last year, according to new analysis by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)

>>17637123 China’s bare-faced Solomon Islands lies - CCP propagandists have blunted anti-Chinese sentiment in Solomon Islands and boosted criticism of Australia and the West by spreading false narratives about last year’s riots in the capital Honiara and the country’s subsequent security pact with China

>>17637124 PDF: How the Chinese Communist Party is spreading lies in Solomon Islands - Blake Johnson, analyst with ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre - aspistrategist.org.au

>>17637128 Solomon Islands leader to travel to Australia on fence-mending visit - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will visit Australia as both countries look to mend ties which soured after the Pacific nation struck a security pact with China

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de6a9c  No.18045995

#26 - Part 20

Australia / China Tensions - Part 6

>>17637130 Keeping our frenemies close: Albanese hosts Solomons leader at the Lodge - Preventing one of Australia’s closest neighbours from forging closer bonds with China will be top of Anthony Albanese’s agenda when the prime minister meets Solomon Islands counterpart Manasseh Sogavare in Canberra

>>17637131 Top Australian defence officials hit by 'sophisticated' Singapore cyber hack - Some of Australia's most senior defence figures have been caught up in a data breach after "sophisticated" cyber hackers targeted a five-star hotel in Singapore - Between May and July this year, customer data was stolen from eight Shangri-La hotels across Asia, including the luxury Singapore venue where Defence Minister Richard Marles held top-level security talks with China shortly after Labor's election win

>>17637138 Mike Pompeo Tweet: The CCP wants me to stop speaking the truth. Ain’t gonna happen

>>17637138 Hudson Institute Tweet: "The genocidal #CPP is the oppressor of the Chinese people & an enemy of free people around the globe. The Chinese people know this & the American people know it. As a wise man once said, 'facts are stubborn things.' No one at Hudson is intimidated by this." - @john_walters_

>>17637212 Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands urges certain Westerners to stop spreading disinformation, refuting false narratives by Australian think tank - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17700421 The Albanese government will pour an extra $1 billion into aid and security assistance in the Pacific - almost double what Labor promised at the election - as it urgently tries to counter China’s growing influence in the region

>>17701241 Anthony Albanese meets Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Canberra

>>17701244 Video: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on October 8, 2022

>>17701298 Countries vote down motion to discuss UN report into China's serious human rights violations in Xinjiang

>>17701299 Cold War mentality the biggest threat to world peace and stability: Chinese disarmament ambassador - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17701304 Former senior Australian officials criticize drift on China policy, AUKUS - Xu Keyue - globaltimes.cn

>>17701350 Video: Former Chinese president Hu Jintao unexpectedly removed from party congress

>>17701375 Fergus Ryan Tweet: Video: Hu Jintao gets shuffled off the political stage in a fairly undignified manner. Note how he tries to swipe Xi Jinping's notes. He does not seem well at all.

>>17709421 US to deploy B-52 bombers to Australia to create ‘unified front’ against China - The United States plans to deploy six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers near Darwin as part of a strategy experts say would dissuade China from invading Taiwan but increase the chance of Australia being drawn into a conflict

>>17709661 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2022

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de6a9c  No.18046002

#26 - Part 21

Australia / China Tensions - Part 7

>>17800492 Anthony Albanese meets Xi Jinping at G20 summit in Bali, telling the Chinese President Australia wants to work with China in the interests of both countries and regional peace

>>17800511 Open up to Chinese trade, Xi tells Albanese - Beijing has said the “most difficult time for China-Australia relations has passed”, but told Canberra to improve the relationship the Albanese government needs to reduce hurdles on Chinese businesses.

>>17800514 GT Voice: China-Australia summit may herald new turn in relations - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17800515 Australian business leaders welcome talks between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and China’s President Xi Jinping, but cautious about expecting any immediate outcomes

>>17800518 Xi-Albanese meeting at G20 injects thawing potential to frayed ties - Australia still needs to show 'sincerity, diplomatic autonomy free from US' - Deng Xiaoci - globaltimes.cn

>>17800527 Australia reaps reward for standing ground on China - China’s intimidation campaign against Australia has failed, says White House Indo-Pacific Co-ordinator Kurt Campbell, who congratulated the Albanese government on its “strong, purposeful diplomacy”

>>17800537 Albanese says Australia is unlikely to support Taiwan's push to join Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

>>17800544 Anthony Albanese throws Taiwan’s trade pact entry into a diplomatic spin - Australian diplomats scrambling to reassure key partners the nation remained open to Taiwan’s entry into one of the world’s biggest trading blocs

>>17800547 Taiwan seeks answers from Anthony Albanese over CPTPP comments at APEC - Taipei sought an urgent explanation from Anthony Albanese’s office after the prime minister made comments which suggested Australia could reject Taiwan’s bid to join the CPTPP because it was not a “recognised” nation state

>>17803999 China warns AUKUS deal an ongoing ‘threat to peace’ and bilateral relations - AUKUS partnership is “clearly a threat” to regional peace and security, and undermines any improvement to the two countries’ bilateral relationship

>>17804004 Fraught AUKUS impedes momentum of better China-Australia ties - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17804019 Coalition calls for sanctions on Chinese officials over Uyghur human rights abuses in Xinjiang, after foreign minister Penny Wong declined to meet prominent Uyghur advocates in Canberra

>>17804028 Torture survivors’ plea for Australia not to abandon them after China reset - Omar Bekali, who spent seven months in 2017 in internment camps in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, fears that as Australia seeks a closer relationship with China after years of hostility, the plight of persecuted ethnic minorities will fall off the Albanese government’s agenda

>>17827652 Video: Chinese cry for freedom in biggest anti-government protests since Tiananmen - Crowds have chanted “down with the Communist Party” and “Xi Jinping, step down” in an extraordinary wave of protests across China sparked by anger at draconian Covid restrictions

>>17832714 Video: Beijing boils as BBC journalist arrested amid national anti-government protests - BBC journalist Ed Lawrence arrested, beaten and kicked by Chinese police as China’s biggest anti-government protests since Tiananmen in 1989 surged into Beijing

>>17832778 Daniel Duggan, Australian pilot with China links fights extradition to US, slams ‘unprecedented’ treatment

>>17850394 PDF: "The Enemy Is Inside the Gate - The CCP is involved in the QLD elections. Criminal elements within the Australian Government have enabled CCP access to all of Australia’s institutions over decades and communist ideology is being forced on the Living Men-Women-Children of this land without their knowledge or consent."

>>17853206 Video: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson's awkward silence to pointed question as Beijing cracks down on COVID protests - Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian left dumbfounded when asked about the anti-government protests which have engulfed the country, as the Chinese Communist Party begins a brutal crackdown on those involved

>>17869631 Government and opposition MPs to visit Taiwan as part of Australian parliamentary delegation - Six federal politicians from both Labor and the Coalition will travel to Taiwan next week, in the first visit from an Australian parliamentary delegation in years

>>17869647 MPs fly to Taiwan for secretive bipartisan talks - The first group of sitting Australian parliamentarians to visit Taiwan since 2019 will include former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, two Labor members of the Albanese government, Meryl Swanson and Libby Coker, Liberal National Party members Scott Buchholz and Terry Young, and Liberal Gavin Pearce

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de6a9c  No.18046005

#26 - Part 22

Australia / China Tensions - Part 8

>>17879059 Beijing says Australia is ‘playing with fire’ over Taiwan visit - Beijing has warned a bipartisan visit to Taiwan by a group of Australian politicians will undermine efforts to repair Australia-China ties, accusing the delegation of spreading “plague and pestilence” and declaring Australia is “playing with fire”

>>17879065 With lawmakers' Taiwan visit, Australia should stop playing with fire before the fire starts to burn - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17879078 Albanese criticized for insincerity on improving ties with Beijing amid his attempts to distance himself from Taiwan-visiting delegation - Xu Keyue - globaltimes.cn

>>17906062 Japan joins US and Australia to counter China’s ‘dangerous and coercive actions’ - Australia and the United States will integrate Japan into their joint military activities in Australia, a significant deepening of the relationship as the three nations work increasingly closely together to push back on China

>>17906065 Military conflict would lead to an almost total collapse of China: Morrison - Scott Morrison says military conflict between the US and China over Taiwan would deliver “mutually assured destruction” but would devastate the Chinese economy more than the west and lead to an almost total collapse of the country

>>17906070 Video: Australia’s Role in the China Struggle: A Conversation with Scott Morrison - Thirtieth Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison and Hudson Institute China Center Director Miles Yu discuss Australia’s role in combatting the threat to a free and open Indo-Pacific - Hudson Institute

>>17906072 Chinese FM urges Australia to stop official exchanges with Taiwan island; delegation visit ‘doomed to end with nothing substantive’ - Xu Keyue - globaltimes.cn

>>17906072 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on December 6, 2022

>>17906310 Australia warned not to become US’ ‘spearhead’, as ‘2 2’ meeting goes beyond hyping 'China threats' - Wang Qi - globaltimes.cn

>>17922495 Growing uncertainties as Japan, Australia strengthen strategy coordination with US - GT staff reporters - globaltimes.cn

>>17934103 Former US pilot held in Australia accused of breaking US arms controls by training Chinese pilots - Australian pilot Daniel Duggan, a former US Marine Corps aviator, has been accused of breaking American arms control laws by training Chinese fighter pilots to land on aircraft carriers, according to an indictment now unsealed by a US court

>>17934310 As Xi’s sun turns up heat, we’d do well to smarten up - "There can be only one sun in the sky and the new dynastic form of leadership in China under Xi Jinping believes that heavenly body is Beijing." Barnaby Joyce - theaustralian.com.au

>>17939818 U.S. lawmakers unveil bipartisan bid to ban China's TikTok - Republican Senator Marco Rubio announces bipartisan legislation to ban China's popular social media app TikTok, ratcheting up pressure on owner ByteDance Ltd amid U.S. fears the app could be used to spy on Americans and censor content

>>17946334 Vanuatu security treaty leaves China out in cold - Australia has outplayed China to secure a legally binding security treaty with Vanuatu, paving the way for intelligence sharing and faster deployment of defence, ­humanitarian and cyber support to the small Pacific nation in times of crisis

>>17960832 Former fighter pilot’s wife defends ‘angel and patriot’ against charges of training Chinese military - Saffrine Duggan said her husband Dan Duggan was a patriotic Australian who was being used as a “geo­political pawn’’ by the US in an attempt to stop other pilots from working in China

>>17972561 China contact raises hopes for imprisoned Australian citizens, journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun - “The Chinese have that kind of mentality to show their goodwill by releasing political prisoners”

>>17980326 Foreign Minister Penny Wong to make first ministerial visit to Beijing since China froze diplomatic relations with Australia

>>17980334 Penny Wong to visit China for historic meeting with her counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday 21st December – the 50th anniversary of Australia-China relations

>>17985372 China’s sanctions on Australian exports could be dropped in a month’s time following Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s “significant” visit to the country, according to Allan Behm, head of thr international and security affairs program at The Australia Institute

>>17985452 Talks break the ice but PM won’t bow to China - Anthony Albanese says Australia won’t bow to Beijing and will continue to call for Chinese leaders to respect global rules as Penny Wong prepares to depart for the first official visit to China by an Australian government minister in four years

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de6a9c  No.18046009

#26 - Part 23

Australia / China Tensions - Part 9

>>17985462 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on December 19, 2022

>>17985469 Principles behind Whitlam’s China vision still drive us - Gough Whitlam’s act of vision and ambition recognised China’s global significance and it also spoke for a greater sense of maturity and independence in Australia’s foreign policy - Anthony Albanese, 31st Prime Minister of Australia - theaustralian.com.au

>>17985487 Big challenge now will be to manage expectations - "The contradiction between Beijing’s strategic aims for the region and Canberra’s strategic aims is as strong and widespread as ever. Beijing wants the US military gone from the region, opposes AUKUS and the Quad, wants to establish its own military bases in the South Pacific, wants to control our critical infrastructure, and much more." - Greg Sheridan - theaustralian.com.au

>>17985519 Penny Wong’s China visit should become a trip for Australia to find its original aspiration: Global Times editorial - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17985781 China unveils ultra-deepwater drillship - The 42,000-tonne Dayang, which will be able to reach almost all of the world’s seabeds, is part of China’s quest to become a major sea power

>>17985817 Keith Hartley, a second Australian-based former military fighter pilot being investigated for his involvement in the alleged training of Chinese fighter pilots, claims “the whole thing is intensely political” after his home was raided by police

>>17990962 Chinese customs move may signal trade thaw for Australian lobster, pearls, Ugg boots and more - In a further sign of improving ties between Australia and China, Beijing’s powerful Customs Department has officially encouraged the buying of Australian lobsters, health products, Ugg boots and pearls

>>17990975 ‘Ice thaws, but slowly’: inside Penny Wong’s historic China trip - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ming said China expected to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Australia as “an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and expand co-operation” while also “managing differences”

>>17990982 Video: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will pay a visit to China on December 20 and 21 - SpokespersonCHN

>>17990995 Repairing China-Australia ties helps ‘meet expectation’ of fixing trade ties, ‘pave way’ for easing China-US tension: expert - Yang Sheng and Zhang Changyue - globaltimes.cn

>>17991001 GT Voice: Australia can be East-West bridge, not US pawn to contain China - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>17996539 ‘Very different countries’: Wong bridges great divide in high-stakes Beijing meeting - Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised sensitive issues of trade blockages and human rights during her high-stakes meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in a historic dialogue that paves the way for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to consider visiting Beijing next year

>>17996551 Wong visit to China welcome but it is not the start of a reconciliation - "The CCP’s ambition is to rewrite global rules to enable its own domestic and international objectives. High-level meetings between Australian and Chinese leaders cannot change this reality. They are important and welcome, as long as they are accompanied by a long-term strategy of maintaining national security policies and working with partners to build regional resilience and deter Chinese aggression." - Justin Bassi and Fergus Hunter, Australian Strategic Policy Institute - theaustralian.com.au

>>17996561 China-Australia ties ‘on fast track to recovery’ as leaders agree to initiate, restart dialogues in 6 areas - Yang Sheng and Zhang Changyue - globaltimes.cn

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de6a9c  No.18046010

#26 - Part 24

Australia / China Tensions - Part 10

>>17996575 Beijing calls for end of ‘anti-China rhetoric’ in Australia after Penny Wong visit - Beijing has warned Canberra to “not be swayed by the US” in its handling of China while signalling it may partially end the black-listing of Australian exports previously worth more than $20 billion a year

>>17996587 Canberra should not be swayed by US in handling its relations with China: China Daily editorial - chinadaily.com.cn - chinadaily.com.cn

>>17996590 Video: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on December 21, 2022

>>18002306 Solomon Islands ambassador John Moffat Fugui has died during Beijing’s Covid wave, stunning diplomats in China’s capital

>>18016738 Activists to revisit controversial ‘Where is Peng Shuai’ protests at January Australian Open - One of the protesters, Drew Pavlou, says they want to ‘make trouble’ for Tennis Australia over its links to China

>>18022397 China mourns passing on of Solomon Islands Ambassador Fugui who ‘had great visions to connect two countries’ - Global Times - globaltimes.cn

>>18022403 Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade announces passing on of Ambassador Fugui in Beijing

>>18022442 TikTok Security Dilemma Revives Push for U.S. Control - Some Biden administration officials think TikTok will remain security risk as long as it is owned by Chinese company

>>18029214 Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus clears way for pilot Daniel Duggan’s extradition to the US - The Albanese government has waved through Washington’s request to hand over a former American fighter pilot to US authorities, who accuse him of providing military training to pilots working for the People’s Republic of China

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de6a9c  No.18046011

#26 - Part 25

Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide

>>17469878 Video: COVID-19 isolation period shortened to five days - People who test positive for COVID-19 will only be required to isolate for five days except in vulnerable settings following a meeting of national cabinet

>>17531302 Fresh twist in fight against Omicron as new vaccine approved in Australia - A new Covid vaccine designed to fight the Omicron strain was quietly approved this week, in good news for those still eligible for another jab

>>17607406 Video: Mandatory COVID-19 isolation periods scrapped from October 14, emergency response 'finished' says national cabinet

>>17629647 Victoria's purpose-built COVID quarantine hub to be shuttered by government following drop in demand - A half-billion dollar COVID-19 quarantine facility in Melbourne's north will be closed after just eight months in operation

>>17701275 Experts say dropping pandemic declaration is ‘an appropriate step’ - Epidemiologists have backed Premier Daniel Andrews’ decision to end the pandemic declaration, the legal instrument used to enforce rules intended to stop the spread of COVID-19

>>17701278 The Moderna bivalent Covid vaccine introduced in Australia - A new Covid booster has started being rolled out in Australia which is anticipated to give recipients broader immunity to the deadly virus

>>17701284 Julian Assange tests positive for Covid as wife reveals she is ‘worried for his health’ - The worried wife of Julian Assange has revealed the WikiLeaks founder’s diagnosis in prison where he is locked in his cell 24-7

>>17806665 Unbelievable: Researcher Claims Anti-vaxx Groups’ Fear Mongering and Scare Tactics Cause Vaccine-Related Adverse Events Like Blood Clots and Heart Attacks - Raymond D. Palmer, self-identified "mRNA alchemist" from Western Australia, admits there are serious risks associated with Covid-19 vaccinations, but blames anti-vaxxers for it

>>17817311 Hopes high for next virus: one jab is fit for all - Australian scientists have developed a one-stop vaccine for pandemic viruses that promises to be available within weeks of another Covid-style threat erupting

>>17832896 Top Australian Cardiologist, Dr. Ross Walker calls for Ban on mRNA Shots After Rise in Jab-Related Heart Conditions

>>17848766 New South Wales to withdraw or refund tens of thousands of Covid fines issued during the pandemic after government lawyers conceded some fines were invalid in a test case brought by Redfern Legal Centre

>>17906053 Construction begins at the site of Moderna's first Australian mRNA vaccine facility in Melbourne's southeast - The site at Monash University's Clayton campus has a 2024 completion date and will be capable of producing 100 million vaccine doses a year - It will be the first facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, providing COVID-19 booster shots as well as mRNA vaccines for other respiratory viruses like influenza

>>17934289 Australia to move away from ‘COVID exceptionalism’ in 2023 plan - Australians will need a doctor’s referral for a PCR test at a private pathology clinic from January 1 next year as Australia moves away from “COVID exceptionalism” even as the nation’s chief medical officer predicted regular waves of the virus for at least two more years

>>17985916 Dr Kerryn Phelps reveals ‘devastating’ Covid vaccine injury, says doctors have been ‘censored’ - Dr Kerryn Phelps has broken her silence about a “devastating” Covid vaccine injury, slamming regulators for “censoring” public discussion with “threats” to doctors - Former federal MP Dr Kerryn Phelps has revealed she and her wife both suffered serious and ongoing injures from Covid vaccines, while suggesting the true rate of adverse events is far higher than acknowledged due to underreporting and “threats” from medical regulators

>>17991108 ‘Not anti-vaxxers’: Dr Kerryn Phelps says she suffered COVID vaccine injury, calls for more research - Former federal MP Dr Kerryn Phelps says she and her partner experienced vaccine injury, calling for tests for long COVID and vaccine injuries as well as more research on the long-term harms of the coronavirus and immunisation side effects

>>17991120 Video: Top doctor says she suffered COVID-19 vaccine injury - Dr Kerryn Phelps is calling for more research into COVID-19 vaccines after she says she experienced a vaccine injury - 9 News Australia

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de6a9c  No.18046013

#26 - Part 26

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

>>17520790 Video: 'Andrew, you're a sick man': police drag heckler from crowd during Queen's procession - King Charles III and his siblings followed the Queen's coffin through Edinburgh during a procession towards St Giles' Cathedral. A man was heard shouting: 'Andrew, you're a sick old man' at Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, before police detained him - Guardian News

>>17520795 Video: Man in Aussie football shirt dragged to ground after three-word Prince Andrew slur - As the crowd watched on in sombre silence as the Queen’s coffin passed by, one man’s harsh words rang out across the mourning throng - 7NEWS Australia

>>17607547 Video: Prince Andrew: Banished | Official Trailer - Prince Andrew: Banished unpacks the tumultuous story of how Prince Andrew, Duke of York - formerly regarded as the attractive, beloved son of Queen Elizabeth II and decorated naval officer - whose behavior antics throughout his career as a Royal brought scandal and disgrace to the 1200-year legacy of the British Royal Family - Peacock

>>17623816 Two men charged over alleged assault on another man who heckled Prince Andrew as he walked behind the Queen's coffin in Scotland

>>17637148 Kevin Spacey trial begins in New York, five years after sexual abuse accusations - Anthony Rapp alleges Spacey acted to gratify sexual desire during an encounter in 1986, when he was 14 and the Oscar winner was 26 or 27

>>17637151 Q Post #4590 - https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/kevin-spacey-accuser-dies-by-suicide-day-after-actor-posts-kill-them-with-kindness-video - "This marks the third Spacey accuser to die in 2019." At what point does it become painfully obvious? - Q - https://qanon.pub/#4590

>>17696781 MY DEAR ANDREW - I feel so bad for dear friend Andrew, says Ghislaine Maxwell in first prison interview since sex trafficking conviction

>>17696784 Video: Ghislaine Maxwell: Victims slam 'unrepentant' sex trafficker after new interview - Ghislaine Maxwell's comments show she still believes she's done nothing wrong

>>17696785 Q Post #1001 - Where do roads lead? Each prince is associated with a cardinal direction: north, south, east and west. Sacrifice. Collect. [Classified]-1 - [Classified]-2 - Tunnels. Table 29. D-Room H - D-Room R - D-Room C - Pure EVIL. 'Conspiracy' - Q - https://qanon.pub/#1001

>>17696785 Q Post #4923 - https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia/status/1319071346282778624 - Dearest Virginia - We stand with you. Now and always. Find peace through prayer. Never give up the good fight. God bless you. Q - https://qanon.pub/#4923

>>17807136 PDF: Jeffrey Epstein Accusers Sue Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan - Two women who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse are suing Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan, saying the banks facilitated Epstein’s alleged sex-trafficking operation and ignored red flags about their wealthy client

>>17832909 Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal against 20-year jail sentence for sex trafficking on the brink of collapse after estranged husband Scott Borgerson refused to pay outstanding $900,000 legal bill and a further $1 million to challenge her conviction

>>17857930 Jeffrey Epstein's estate agrees to pay the Virgin Islands more than $105 million to settle civil suit - The lawsuit, filed in January 2020, alleged that Epstein created a network of companies and conspired with others to help him carry out and conceal the alleged sex trafficking scheme

>>17862913 Alan Dershowitz: 'Prince Andrew should not have paid Virginia off' - The retired Harvard law professor speaks out for the first time since Giuffre lawsuit dropped - “A great weight has been lifted off my shoulders”

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de6a9c  No.18046016

#26 - Part 27

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 1

>>17458311 ANONS, REMEMBER: GLOBAL REPORT ALL CHILD ABUSE MATERIAL! ZERO TOLERANCE! https://qanon.pub/?q=child

>>17463649 Student of Sydney swim teacher Kyle Daniels thought alleged touching was normal in breaststroke - A girl who was allegedly sexually touched by her swim coach during a lesson has told a court she thought it was “what a teacher does”

>>17463654 Swim coach Paul Douglas Frost preyed on young students’ ‘trust and vulnerability’, NSW District Court told - A Sydney swimming coach allegedly preyed on the vulnerability of his young students through grooming and indecent sexual acts in the 1990s and 2000s, a jury has heard

>>17463670 Pedophile tradie Bryan Michael Grange appeals 30-year jail sentence over child sexual abuse - A tradie who was jailed after inflicting “depraved” sexual abuse on a newborn and preschool-aged children is appealing his sentence

>>17463684 Haileybury College facing legal action from estate of woman whose son suffered sexual abuse - The elite Melbourne private school faces legal action from the estate of a woman whose son suffered sexual abuse in the 1960s.

>>17463909 Apple, Facebook, Microsoft forced to come clean on child abuse material - Australian authorities have served Apple, Microsoft and the owner of Facebook and Instagram with world-first legal orders to come clean on what - if anything - they are doing to detect and report child sex abuse material or face fines of more than half a million dollars a day

>>17469867 Woman who kept ‘sex slaves’ weeps in court as she appeals conviction - A woman found guilty of forcing two women from Thailand into sex slavery has wept in NSW Supreme Court as she appealed her conviction

>>17494440 Australian Federal Police fear hike in child forced marriage cases as overseas travel restrictions lift

>>17494440 If you, or someone you know, is at risk of a forced marriage please see My Blue Sky - Australia’s dedicated forced marriage portal providing information, support and legal advice to people in or at risk of forced marriages - https://mybluesky.org.au

>>17494440 Contact the Australian Federal Police on 131 237 or email NOSSC-Client-Liaison@afp.gov.au (National Operations State Service Centre)

>>17494440 Australian Federal Police: Human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices (including forced marriage) information report form - https://forms.afp.gov.au/online_forms/human_trafficking_form

>>17494447 Video: Fears of rising cases of forced marriages in Australia with dozens of cases each year - Authorities fear the number of cases of forced marriage will rise in Australia with underage girls as young as eleven being forced into marriage. One organisation plans to educate vulnerable girls in Sydney before they fall victim. - ABC News (Australia)

>>17494489 Primary school children filming and uploading sexualised content in worrying new trend - An increasing number of primary school-aged children are creating and uploading their own sexually explicit material to the internet, prompting fears from child abuse investigators that they are putting themselves at risk of serious harm

>>17499352 Asset-shedding child abuser John Wayne Millwood declares bankruptcy, ‘stacks’ creditors, gets pension, avoids compo to victim-survivor - The 76-year-old Tasmanian former colonial art-collector who in 2016 pleaded guilty to abusing a young boy over five years in the 1980s, causing lifelong harm, declared himself bankrupt in July

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de6a9c  No.18046022

#26 - Part 28

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 2

>>17499393 Video: Three children rescued, 45 people facing child exploitation charges after joint West Australian and Federal Police operations - WA Police Operation Palomar and Australian Federal Police Operation Tamworth - Forty-five people charged in WA with a total of 149 offences - More than 35,000 child exploitation images and videos seized

>>17504328 Kyle Daniels trial: Mum sobs in court over alleged abuse of her daughter during swimming lessons - A mother has broken down in court over a children’s cartoon - 'Pantosaurus' - which helped uncover her daughter’s alleged abuse

>>17504329 Video: Talk PANTS with Pantosaurus and his PANTS song - UK National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

>>17504360 Video: Sextortion: How WA predators are ‘invading kids’ bedrooms’ - Police have described how predators are grooming West Australian children across numerous online platforms following an operation of unprecedented scale in Australia that led to the rescue of three children from ongoing abuse, the identification of 14 more at risk and the arrest of 45 people thus far

>>17508793 Australian Federal Police: New online child safety animations to help educate community - Animations released this week by the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) aim to give the Australian community a better understanding of online child sexual exploitation

>>17513816 Launceston General Hospital manager denies abuse cover-up - Internal reviews by a Tasmanian hospital into pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin were misleading and an allegation of historical abuse known to management was omitted and not escalated, Inquiry into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse has been told

>>17513834 Former Ashley Youth Detention Centre boss Patrick Ryan 'found out about allegations against staff member during hearings'

>>17513847 Video: Claims of abuse exposed at Tasmania's Ashley Youth Detention Centre - Former boss Patrick Ryan first became aware of historical allegation against a management team member during commission of inquiry's hearings - abc.net.au

>>17526484 Launceston General Hospital head of medical services, Peter Renshaw accused of 'lack of insight' into pain he was causing in denying 11-year-old Zoe Duncan's alleged rape

>>17526492 Launceston General Hospital head unaware of any 'marked changes' to systems after paedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin's offending

>>17526505 Tasmanian hospital 'omitted' nurse abuse claims - Launceston General Hospital failed to escalate allegations and "rumours" of abuse during investigations into pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin, who had worked on the children's ward for almost two decades

>>17526507 'No change' at Tasmanian hospital since abuse - Peter Renshaw, senior director at Launceston General Hospital where pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin worked for almost two decades has told an inquiry he is not certain systems and processes have markedly changed since the offending came to light

>>17531122 Police arrest 24 registered child sex offenders in South Australia's largest operation in recent years, in a statewide sweep during National Child Protection Week

>>17531125 Video: No change at Launceston hospital since paedophile nurse worked there, inquiry told - A senior director at the Launceston General Hospital has told Tasmania's Commission of Inquiry he's not aware of any marked changes at the hospital since it was revealed that a paedophile nurse worked there for 18 years - ABC News (Australia)

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5ba726  No.18046023

Saw yer bread title.

Thunk I'd stop in.

After all her ammo (taxes) has been spent and the bitches are out of power.

"God Save Took the Queen!"

King is left.

/_\

_\

_

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de6a9c  No.18046024

#26 - Part 29

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 3

>>17531157 Tasmanian abuse failings 'spanned governments' - Tasmanian governments past and present have failed to prioritise the safety of children, a sexual abuse inquiry has been told

>>17531514 Francis William Cable: Marist brother paedophile known as Br Romuald dies in jail - The former teacher and headmaster known as Br Romuald, who systematically abused at least 20 boys while in his position of power, has died aged 90 while facing more charges

>>17531523 Death of paedophile priest Francis Cable, aka Brother Romuald, makes victim's mum glad - Audrey Nash says she is glad her son's abuser died in jail but "it doesn't take anything away"

>>17531530 Church needs process to support survivors after paedophile clergy deaths - The Marist Brothers' Province of Australia has declined to outline what procedure it follows - if any - to support survivors when abusers die

>>17531563 ‘I needed to step up’: Former Surf Coast mayor sues church over alleged abuse - Police officer and former Surf Coast mayor, Brian McKiterick, has launched legal action against the Vincentian order almost 50 years after he was allegedly abused by a priest while boarding at a former Catholic college in Bendigo

>>17588869 Bishop Christopher Saunders ordered to leave the Kimberley as Catholic Church confirms investigation - The Catholic Church has confirmed it is undertaking an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against resigned Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders - It has also ordered that the 72-year-old leave the outback diocese where he has been a priest and bishop for more than 50 years - In a rare statement, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said a "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" investigation was underway

>>17588894 Australian archbishop investigating retired bishop on abuse allegations - Australian Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane will conduct an investigation into retired Bishop Christopher Saunders of Broome, using a process established by Pope Francis in 2019 - "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" ("You are the light of the world") - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vos_estis_lux_mundi

>>17588902 Every parent’s worst nightmare: How child rapist babysitter Jareth Thomas Harries-Markham used Facebook to find families - A babysitter and live-in au pair who sexually abused 16 children aged between eight months and nine years old in Perth sentenced to 18 years behind bars - Jareth Thomas Harries-Markham’s crimes were so horrific the state prosecutor broke down while reading the facts of the offences during his sentencing in the WA Supreme Court

>>17595187 Lawyers argue for more jail time in sentencing submissions for paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale - Prolific paedophile priest whose offending is "unparalleled in Australia", according to his defence counsel, likely to die in prison

>>17607461 Vatican sanctions Nobel laureate after Timor accusations - The Catholic Church’s decades-long sex abuse scandal has caught up with a Nobel Peace Prize winner, with the Vatican confirming that it had sanctioned the East Timor independence hero, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, following allegations that he sexually abused boys there during the 1990s

>>17607480 Tasmanian government date gaffe prompts abuse apology change - Tasmania's government has shifted the date of a formal apology to survivors of child sexual abuse after realising it coincided with the three-year anniversary of a serial perpetrator's death - pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin

>>17607515 James Geoffrey Griffin: The child abuse scandal that shamed Tasmania - Tiffanie Turnbull, BBC News - bbc.com

>>17623836 Cricket Australia issues apology to survivors of child sexual abuse involved with cricket, calling on states and territories to join up to the National Redress Scheme

>>17629627 Rolf Harris has cancer and is ‘gravely sick’ while under 24 hour care - Convicted paedophile Rolf Harris’ health has deteriorated, leaving the Australian entertainer barely able to speak - Disgraced Australian entertainer being fed by a tube and no longer able to speak as he battles neck cancer

>>17629643 'I hope he dies a miserable death in prison': Paedophile teacher James Booth sentenced to seven years prison - James Booth, or Jim as he was known to his students, pleaded guilty to a raft of charges against four young boys who were around the age of 12 at the time the offending occurred in the 1980s and 1990s - "Rot in hell Mr Booth" a woman yelled at the former teacher who abused her brother Charlie

>>17637141 Nobel Peace Prize winner Belo an alleged pedophile - Holy See has prohibited Belo from living in Timor Leste, contacting minors or exercising public priestly ministry

>>17697682 Paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale sentenced for sexual abuse of boys at Mortlake in western Victoria in the 1980s

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de6a9c  No.18046025

#26 - Part 30

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 4

>>17804041 Operation Uniform Kalahari: Queensland Police investigation identifies nearly 50 child exploitation victims - Ten men and one woman charged with a combined 245 offences including rape, sexual assault, grooming, indecent treatment of children and supplying dangerous drugs to minors

>>17807125 PDF: Former high court judge Dyson Heydon resigns as member of the Order of Australia following a 2020 inquiry that found he sexually harassed six junior court staff

>>17853198 Perth father labelled one of Western Australia’s worst paedophiles jailed for 25 years over sexual abuse of 22 children, including his own, between 2015 and 2021

>>17857946 Video: Australian Federal Police Operation Huntsman shuts down organised crime syndicates exploiting children - AFP shuts down more than 500 bank, financial services and digital currency accounts involved in the sexual extortion of Australian teenagers

>>17869695 Virginia Elementary School Will Offer “After School Satan Club” - The Satanic Temple has been approved to host an after-school program for students at at B.M. Williams Primary School in Chesapeake, Virginia - The monthly Satanist meetings will teach children “benevolence and empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty, and compassion.”

>>17869702 Video: ‘After School Satan Club’ sparks religious freedom debate in Chesapeake - Club set to launch at B.M. Williams Primary School on Dec. 15 - “I understand the apprehension behind the satanic name, but he is just an imaginary figure that we look to because he is the eternal rebel that fought for justice and humanity.” - Rose Bastet, a volunteer organizing the new club

>>17879103 The number of people with knowledge of child sexual abuse committed in the 1970s by Pentecostal pastor Frank Houston, the father of Hillsong founder Brian Houston, was in the “tens of thousands” before Frank’s death in 2004, a Sydney court has been told

>>17879120 Video: ‘I was paid for my silence’: Brian Houston’s father’s victim speaks out - A man who was sexually assaulted by Brian Houston’s father claims he was told by the Hillsong founder that he was responsible for the abuse because he “tempted” the late preacher Frank Houston

>>17884719 Hillsong founder Brian Houston standing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court where he is defending allegations that he failed to go to police with details of his father Frank’s sexual assault of a young boy over 40 years ago - Brett Sengstock was sexually assaulted by disgraced preacher Frank Houston at his family’s Sydney eastern suburbs home in January 1970

>>17906059 Inside church’s investigation of paedophile preacher Frank Houston - Brian Houston’s right hand man, George Aghajanian, says church elders didn’t feel obligated to report Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of a young boy to police because it happened decades earlier when Hillsong church didn’t exist

>>17906265 Hillsong Church general manager George Aghajanian tells court he believed it was "entirely appropriate" for self-confessed paedophile Frank Houston to receive a financial retirement package when he was removed from the church's ministry

>>17906281 Brian Houston’s right-hand man defends golden handshake given to paedophile preacher Frank Houston and denies Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of boy was swept under the rug

>>17911800 Prosecutors drop all outstanding child abuse charges against former Sydney swimming instructor Kyle Daniels - The 24-year-old was accused of inappropriate sexual contact with nine young female students while working as a part-time swim instructor at a Mosman pool in 2018 and 2019

>>17917739 Church leaders defend not reporting pedophile preacher Frank Houston to police - Pentecostal church leaders did not report pedophile preacher Frank Houston to police in the late 1990s because they obtained legal advice telling them the victim was old enough to make his own complaint

>>17917750 Secretive inquiry into the potential defrocking of Peter Hollingworth faces yet another extraordinary delay, sparking concerns elderly participants will die before proper scrutiny over the former governor-general’s handling of the child sex abuse issue

>>17917825 Parents swept up into controversy over After School Satan Club speak out: 'At their wits' end' - City of Chesapeake at the center of a firestorm sweeping the southeastern Virginia community after The Satanic Temple has attempted to establish an After School Satan Club (ASSC) for kids at the local B.M. Williams Primary School - "Satanism truly has made me a better person, a better friend, a better parent and a much better contributing member of society." - June Everett, ordained minister in The Satanic Temple and campaign director of ASSC

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de6a9c  No.18046032

#26 - Part 31

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 5

>>17917917 What is Satanism? And where does social justice fit into this controversial religion? - "What do Satanists believe? It's a timely question, given that accusations of Satanism and reports of Satanic activity have become worryingly mainstream in recent years, particularly in the USA. We're all familiar with the feverish imaginings of QAnon adherents and their belief in the existence of a global network of Satanist paedophiles. But even among seemingly rational people on the American political right, the name of Satan is dropped with increasing frequency, and unwelcome cultural phenomena routinely denounced as "Satanic". Are Satanists really out there? And do they pose some sort of demonic threat to decent society? The short answers are (1) yes, and (2) no — and beyond the scare stories lie some fascinating complexities." - David Rutledge - abc.net.au

>>17917927 Q Post #133 - Does Satan exist? Does the ‘thought’ of Satan exist? Who worships Satan? What is a cult? Epstein island. What is a temple? What occurs in a temple? Worship? Why is the temple on top of a mountain? How many levels might exist below? What is the significance of the colors, design and symbol above the dome? Why is this relevant? Who are the puppet masters? Have the puppet masters traveled to this island? When? How often? Why? “Vladimir Putin: The New World Order Worships Satan” Q - https://qanon.pub/#133

>>17927384 Central Coast convicted pedophile Mark Ginn jailed after using Roblox currency for online abuse - Convicted pedophile given 10 year jail sentence after using currency from the online game Roblox to coerce young girls into sexually abusing themselves

>>17927394 Hazel Houston, wife of pedophile preacher Frank Houston, made complaints to Pentecostal church leaders claiming they were treating him poorly after it was revealed he sexually abused a young boy

>>17934262 Parliamentary inquiry recommends Australia sign up to the Cloud Act agreement, allowing Australian agencies to access electronic data hosted in the US related to serious offences - The agreement will reduce delays obtaining evidence in relation to offences such as terrorism, child exploitation and human trafficking

>>17934328 Pentecostal church leaders did not speak to paedophile preacher Frank Houston’s victim about whether he wanted to come forward - Pastor Keith Ainge, a high-ranking member of Pentecostal church’s leadership has admitted it should have been confirmed with paedophile preacher Frank Houston’s victim that he did not want to make a complaint to police

>>17934333 Hobart man who orally raped his baby son to make video for internet predators, and got caught with scores of horrific child abuse images and videos far too disturbing for publication, jailed for seven years

>>17939675 Launceston General Hospital sex-abuse report rebukes leaders - Senior management at Tasmanian hospital where male pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin worked for almost two decades showed "inertia" to implementing child safety reforms after his death, a review has found

>>17939693 Launceston General Hospital report: 92 recommendations to be adopted - Embattled hospital’s “senior executive management team” showed a “level of inertia” in engaging with the review and a “lack of the responsive leadership” needed to fix the woes

>>17939744 Launceston General Hospital report makes 92 recommendations after abuse scandal - Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he would work to ensure all recommendations from the review were implemented in full

>>17939750 PDF: Independent Report from the Co-Chairs for the Child Safe Governance Review of the Launceston General Hospital and Human Resources

>>17939800 Disgraced pastor Frank Houston continued preaching after ban for child sex abuse - Despite being banned by the church for raping a child, disgraced pastor Frank Houston continued preaching up until months before his death

>>17939800 Brian Houston addresses Hillsong Conference at Sydney’s SuperDome in 2002 - Talks to the 18,000-strong crowd about his father Frank Houston’s sexual abuse of a boy

>>17939832 ‘Hail Satan’: a Virginia town at war over After School Satan Club - Christians and Satanists clash at the Chesapeake School Board meeting - "The most bombastic Satanist speakers stormed out of the meeting after they finished. One member named Lacy emphatically said to a group of Christians on her way out, “You don’t have to like it, but you have to respect it!” A woman replied simply, “No, we don’t.”"

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de6a9c  No.18046037

#26 - Part 32

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 6

>>17946343 Microsoft and Apple among the global companies accused of 'turning a blind eye' to child sexual exploitation - Some of the world's biggest technology companies aren't doing enough to prevent the spread of child sexual exploitation on their platforms, according Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant

>>17946371 How social media giants created a ‘paedophile paradise’ - A world-first insight into how social media giants are responding to online child sexual abuse has exposed what Australia’s eSafety boss condemned as a culture of wilful blindness in which companies ignore or make token attempts to monitor serious criminal activity on their sites

>>17946374 PDF: Basic Online Safety Expectations - Summary of industry responses to the first mandatory transparency notices - eSafety Commissioner, December 2022

>>17946383 Paedophile preacher Frank Houston claimed he’d been banned from preaching because his son, Hillsong founder Brian Houston, wanted to “steal his church”

>>17946396 Defrocked Frank Houston gave sermons, court told - Stripped of his credentials to minister after his son learned he sexually abused children, pedophile pastor Frank Houston continued leading church sermons until weeks before his death

>>17953481 ‘One strike, you’re out’: Brian Houston confronted his father over child abuse, court told - "We have a ‘one strike and you’re out, no tolerance policy’ towards paedophiles, and it can’t be any different for you than it is for anyone else"

>>17953494 John Rolleston: Paedophile GP avoids more jail time for more historical abuse of young boys - Given 84-year-old Rolleston suffered from melanoma, lung disease, heart disease, gastrointestinal bleeding and recurrent kidney stones, Judge Flannery said it would “be cruel and unusual punishment to return him to jail for such a short period in his state of health”

>>17961000 Danny Radojcin, former caretaker from Caulfield Hebrew Congregation synagogue being investigated by police after sexual assault allegations were made against him

>>17961025 Students expelled from small Jewish ultra-Orthodox private school Cheder Levi Yitzchok in St Kilda, because their parents refused to sign a memorandum of understanding that limited who they could talk to about the alleged sexual abuse of their children

>>17980354 Hillsong founder Brian Houston tells Sydney court he believes his father was a "serial paedophile", and responses to abuse allegations when they first came to light were not "all they should have been"

>>17985875 Hillsong founder Brian Houston tells Sydney court it is "absurd" to suggest he would claim a man had "tempted" his paedophile father into abusing him as a child

>>17991094 Video: SA court jails Instagram child-sex predator Cameron Robert Bowen for more than 15 years for stalking, grooming and abuse - A pedophile who preyed upon vulnerable LGBT children through the internet will serve one of the longest sex abuse sentences in state history

>>17991102 Vide: Brian Houston denies downplaying father's abuse in Hillsong sermon - Hillsong founder Brian Houston has told a court he was not trying to "fool" the congregation by referring to his father's sexual abuse of a child as only a "very serious moral accusation"

>>17996641 Hillsong founder Brian Houston believes he did the “right thing” not going to police after his father told him he had molested an underage boy three decades earlier

>>18002294 Cody Michael Reynolds, former NSW Moriah College teacher pleads guilty to possessing and transmitting child exploitation material

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de6a9c  No.18046040

#26 - Part 33

Qanon / Conspiracy Theory Hit Pieces, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1

>>17532471 How Queen’s death followed disinformation playbook - "The death of Queen Elizabeth II has laid bare a blueprint for how disinformation flourishes around major news events, with bad actors taking advantage to grab attention and sow confusion" - AFP - theaustralian.com.au

>>17583291 Gloss goes off Donald Trump for even rusted on supporters - "Mounting legal troubles, lacklustre polling and growing frustration among Republicans that the former president has done little to help his hand-picked, and struggling, Republican candidates get across the line in forthcoming congressional elections have diminished the former president’s political future" - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au

>>17804046 Trump, Who Wants to Be President, Can’t Stop Promoting QAnon Memes - "A man asking for control of the U.S. nuclear arsenal is sharing posts about a global cabal of pedophiles that he alone can bring down" - Nikki McCann Ramirez, Associate Research Director at Media Matters - rollingstone.com

>>17879042 Donald Trump calls for end of US Constitution due to 'massive fraud' in 'false and fraudulent' 2020 presidential election - ""Donald Trump has suggested a "termination" of the US Constitution, earning a sharp rebuke from the White House as the former president revisits debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election that he lost."'' - Jason Dasey - abc.net.au

>>17906076 Donald Trump’s planned White House return could put AUKUS submarine program at risk - "Trump’s recent track record makes it unlikely he will succeed in returning to the presidency. What is left unsaid is that Australia can really only cross its fingers to avoid such a scenario, given the uncertainty – if not unmitigated chaos – it would bring." Tom Minear, News Corp Australia's US correspondent - heraldsun.com.au

>>17934061 Queensland shooting: Gunman Gareth Train was a conspiracy theorist - A gunman who killed two police officers in a shootout in western Queensland on Monday had posted conspiracy theories online including that the Port Arthur massacre was faked by government to enable a crackdown on gun ownership - Internet searches show that Gareth Train was a prolific author of bizarre conspiracy theories about Port Arthur, the Catholic Church and against police

>>17934342 REPORT EXPOSES QANON’S EXPLOITATION OF U.S. MILITARY’S REPUTATION - Human Rights First (HRF) releases “Digital Soldiers:” QAnon Extremists Exploit U.S. Military, Threaten Democracy, a report that examines how the extremist QAnon movement is working to exploit the United States military to undermine American democracy - “With its masquerade of a partnership with the military, QAnon and its adherents encourage public acceptance of military intervention in domestic politics and other authoritarian actions” - Elizabeth Yates, Senior Researcher on Antisemitism at Human Rights First

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de6a9c  No.18046041

#26 - Part 34

Qanon / Conspiracy Theory Hit Pieces, Australia and Worldwide - Part 2

>>17939893 ‘Not just at the pointy end’: Calls for renewed focus on conspiracy threats - Experts are calling for renewed national focus on the potential violent threat posed by elements of Australia’s conspiratorial fringe, after the killing of two police and their alleged attackers in regional Queensland - "Elise Thomas, a senior analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, said the uncertainties of the pandemic and frustration at government responses to it had exposed many people to conspiracy theories for the first time."

>>17946304 Wieambilla murders a wake-up call on the dangers of sovereign citizen cults - "The term that hasn’t been used by police or media to date is domestic terrorism but that is surely what led to the deaths of three innocent people." - Jack The Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au

>>17953468 Police shooting sparks sov-cit expert to warn of rising ‘cult’ danger - "I started bringing the potential dangers of this movement in Australia to the attention of authorities in 2014…I feel almost nothing has been done to prepare for the inevitable explosion that I warned a single crisis would spawn." - Jack The Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au

>>17953519 Beware toxic extremism lurking on the fringes - "Anti-vaccination beliefs, traditionally associated with the far left, have proliferated on the right in response to Covid and now appear to be a core plank of the Reichsburger, QAnon and sovereign citizen movements." - Claire Lehmann, founding editor of Quillette - theaustralian.com.au

>>17953724 Police murders show disturbing rise of the conspiracy mindset - "Take QAnon. It’s a vile, hateful, anti-Semitic, far right movement that embodies a crazy set of conspiracy theories, including some from the political left. QAnon believes, among other things, that the US government is run by a network of secret pedophiles…The most senior figure to give occasional nods to QAnon is Donald Trump. Although QAnon is extreme and hateful, it also engages its followers in a kind of game, with the challenge of endlessly deciphering the clues of Trump and the like." - Greg Sheridan, The Australian's foreign editor - theaustralian.com.au

>>17985863 Queensland Police Union plan to buy Wieambilla property where two officers were killed in ambush - Union president Ian Leavers said he did not want the land to "fall into the wrong hands" - "The last thing we want to see is the anti-vaxxers, pro-gun, conspiracy theorists to get this land and use it for their own warped and dangerous views" - Sarah Richards - abc.net.au

>>18012378 Pressure builds to keep Donald Trump off Facebook ahead of his possible reinstatement - "Nearly half of Trump's posts and reposts on Truth Social in the week after the 2022 midterm elections pushed claims of election fraud and amplified QAnon accounts or content" - Nicole Gaudiano - businessinsider.com

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de6a9c  No.18046146

File: 3197e40022693e4⋯.jpg (153.01 KB, 1280x853, 1280:853, OZ_Damper.jpg)

NEW OZ BREAD

Q Research AUSTRALIA #27: THEY ARE IN FULL BLOWN PANIC MODE Edition

>>18046055

>>18046055

>>18046055

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de6a9c  No.18046149

File: 7ad9e4d7b869ef5⋯.jpg (24.57 KB, 500x411, 500:411, W020210525126543510604.jpg)

Filling #26…..

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de6a9c  No.18046151

File: 79bfae292393279⋯.jpg (126.46 KB, 869x1024, 869:1024, Olympics_Opening_Day_ZoMFQ….jpg)

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de6a9c  No.18046152

File: d98bbdb56e5f216⋯.jpg (142.14 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Chinese_President_Xi_Jinpi….jpg)

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de6a9c  No.18046154

File: ed4bcbaa35093dc⋯.jpg (85.41 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, cshutterstockcrop_6290ec42….jpg)

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de6a9c  No.18046158

File: d475a4d081c1c36⋯.jpg (95.95 KB, 976x549, 16:9, Xi_Jinping_L_issues_instru….jpg)

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de6a9c  No.18046159

File: 8f9aef3052bef42⋯.jpg (152.14 KB, 1024x683, 1024:683, Former_Chinese_President_H….jpg)

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de6a9c  No.18046161

File: c85512d19c80707⋯.jpg (171.31 KB, 1280x720, 16:9, Chinese_President_Xi_Jinpi….jpg)

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de6a9c  No.18046163

File: 523450ece808a2c⋯.png (3.84 MB, 2289x1288, 327:184, 9066ecf1_7742_455f_8c1c_7f….png)

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de6a9c  No.18046165

File: b783c6ec67ca6f1⋯.jpg (392.8 KB, 2000x1334, 1000:667, 221022021939_03_cpc_hu_jin….jpg)

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de6a9c  No.18046167

File: 9f9b4417d1078b5⋯.jpg (3.16 MB, 2800x2000, 7:5, Chairman_of_the_Joint_Chie….jpg)

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