/qresearch/ -  Q Research

#47 - Part 68

Australia / China Tensions - Part 3

>>24914489 Naoero and Kiribati stir frustration over China at Pacific Islands Forum - Naoero and Kiribati have blocked a Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers’ statement criticising China’s recent ballistic missile test despite broad support from other members. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters accused two unnamed countries of using the forum’s consensus requirement as a veto and suggested they were “responding to [an] outside partner’s wishes”. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged members to show “leadership”, saying most Pacific leaders had expressed concerns about the test, including over sovereignty, transparency and notification. The final foreign ministers’ communique is expected to omit the issue. However, all forum members have agreed to continue discussions in an effort to reach consensus before the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Palau in early September.

>>24923262 Coalition declares: Time to stand with Chinese-Australians against Beijing pressure - Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Ted O’Brien has called for stronger protection of Chinese-Australians from political pressure and foreign interference by Beijing, arguing politicians have a moral responsibility to defend them. O’Brien, who speaks Mandarin, will launch social media videos aimed at Chinese-Australian voters following Liberal losses in electorates with large Chinese communities. He highlighted concerns about a new Chinese Communist Party law allowing legal accountability for people overseas deemed to undermine Chinese “ethnic unity and progress”. O’Brien said Australians with heritage from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet had expressed concerns about its implications. He also defended multilingual engagement amid One Nation proposals to reduce SBS funding, arguing language barriers should not prevent Chinese-Australians from participating fully in Australian civic life.

>>24923269 COMMENTARY: Unity our best defence from foreign foes - "In an era of foreign interference and information warfare, a divided nation is vulnerable to coercion, cyber attacks and disinformation - allowing adversaries to pick us off, one tribe at a time. Social cohesion, built on trust in each other and our institutions, is one of our strongest defences. For this reason, national unity cannot be left to chance. Australians recognise what’s at stake. According to the 2026 Lowy Institute Poll, 52 per cent of Australians regard “a breakdown in social cohesion” as a critical threat to Australia’s vital interests … But in a country where 32 per cent were born overseas, what unites us? It is not a shared ethnicity, ancestry or religion that brings us together. One thing that can truly unite us is a commitment to common values - freedom, equality, a fair go, and a belief in democracy and rule of law, reward for effort, and rights with responsibilities. These values belong to all Australians, whether their surname is Smith, Song or Singh. We cannot assume they are self-evident. Our values must be explained and embraced by every generation."

"Beijing’s new Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress brings this into sharp focus. It contemplates legal accountability for people beyond China’s borders who are deemed to undermine “ethnic unity and progress”. I have heard from Australians with heritage from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet who are concerned about what this could mean for them. Australia must reject attempts by foreign powers to extend sovereignty beyond territory and nationality to claims based on ethnicity or ancestry. This should be a red line for any Australian government. Foreign powers should be under no illusion: Australia will defend the sovereignty of our nation and the freedoms of our citizens. Chinese Australians need to know their fellow Australians stand with them and their government will protect their freedom to speak, associate, worship and live their lives free from interference. That is a message our national leaders should deliver to every Australian community vulnerable to intimidation. But the Albanese government’s failure to stand resolutely with Jewish Australians against antisemitism gives me little confidence it will show the moral clarity required to defend others. Australian Jews have been subjected to horrific attacks by those who wrongly hold them responsible for a foreign conflict and the actions of a foreign government. We should ensure others do not suffer the same fate, including Chinese Australians who embrace our values but may be targeted because of the actions of Beijing. A Coalition government will always defend Australians and their right to a way of life that rests on our shared values." - Ted O’Brien, Federal Opposition Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Australian

#47 - Part 69

Australia / China Tensions - Part 4

>>24936653 Former ambassador warns China relationship remains vulnerable - Former Australian ambassador to China Graham Fletcher has warned that bilateral stability remains fragile and “a goal, not a given”, despite relations improving since 2022. In a Lowy Institute report, Fletcher said Canberra appeared satisfied with a “modest new normal” and had resisted expanding co-operation in areas including infrastructure and artificial intelligence. China’s previous economic coercion demonstrated that Beijing could exploit accumulated leverage during political disputes, making greater Australian dependence risky. Fletcher said fundamentally different strategic visions meant Australia and China were unlikely to become close and left relations vulnerable to disruption. Potential flashpoints include Australia’s attempt to return the Port of Darwin to Australian ownership and competition for influence in the Pacific. He assessed a Chinese invasion of Taiwan as possible, but not presently a strong risk.

>>24936667 OPINION: Fragility in China ties is a self-inflicted choice by Australia, not a given - "Former Australian ambassador to China Graham Fletcher recently wrote in a report for the Lowy Institute that Australia-China relations "remain fragile" and vulnerable to shocks. He believes that "stability will remain a goal, not a given." What makes some Australians believe that China-Australia relations "remain fragile"? The answer does not lie with China. In his article, Fletcher refers to "the various challenges posed by China." He also partly attributes this fragility to concerns about China's "influence activities" and argues, citing the wide differences in the two countries "worldviews and national security," that "this relationship is unlikely ever to become genuinely close." Some of Fletcher's judgments reflect a misconception prevalent in Australia: equating normal economic and trade exchanges and the accumulation of influence with potential threats, treating cooperation initiatives as "traps" that need to be guarded against, and turning difference into irreconcilable confrontation. But he is right about one thing: The relationship could enter another downward spiral if there were an "accumulation of serious disagreements that cannot be successfully managed." Yet "fragility" is not innate; it is the result of human choices. Some of Australia's recent moves have in fact continued to create and amplify the "fragility" - erecting barriers in areas where history has shown that cooperation is possible, tilting strategically toward Washington. Recently, the US reportedly provided a $400 million loan to an Australian rare earths company in an attempt to unlock "non-Chinese supplies of a rare earth" used in energy and defense applications. This move is seen as an important part of Washington's strategy. For Australia, it may appear to be a choice aimed at "reducing dependence and enhancing security." However, from a broader perspective, it represents a form of strategic binding - embedding Australia's resource advantages into a supply chain system led by the US. Moreover, the Port of Darwin operating project was awarded through a normal, open market bidding process; yet over the past decade, it has been subjected, without due cause, to several political and security reviews, while Australian officials continue to call for it to be "taken back.""

"Australia claims to seek "stability" while taking steps that undermine its foundations; it warns against the accumulation of "influence" while voluntarily embracing another, more dominant form of influence. At the end of his article, Fletcher notes, "China remains a key partner for Australia. The relationship warrants the effort it receives." This is the direction Australia should recognize as the right one … If China-Australia relations are to move beyond fragility, the key lies with Australia: reducing its blind reliance on a single external power and approaching its relations with China in a more independent and balanced manner. Only then will stability become a sustainable reality rather than merely a goal." - Global Times

#47 - Part 70

Australia / China Tensions - Part 5

>>24936725 Penny Wong axes ANU joint venture with Chinese university linked to nuclear weapons - Foreign Minister Penny Wong has terminated the Australian National University’s Joint Science College with Shandong University on national-security grounds, ordering the arrangement wound up by January 2027. Shandong University was recently blacklisted by the Pentagon and has reported links to the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, responsible for China’s nuclear-weapons research. ANU said it would comply, while existing students may transfer into other ANU programs. Wong also cancelled a University of Queensland research collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences involving potential pain-relief treatments derived from Australian native plants. The government said the decisions were intended to protect sensitive research, sovereign capability and national security. Research security expert Brendan Walker-Munro warned Australian innovations could potentially be diverted into Chinese military technology programs.

>>24943447 Key Pacific leader pushes for ‘united front’ against China’s missile tests - Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has urged Pacific Islands Forum leaders to present a “united front” against China’s recent test of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile in the region. Whipps, who will host the forum this month, said Pacific nations deserved advance notification of missiles flying overhead and described the test as causing “concern and unnecessary anxiety”. Efforts to secure a stronger joint condemnation have faced divisions, with Nauru and Kiribati reportedly resisting language directly criticising China. Beijing maintains the test was routine, lawful and targeted at no country. Whipps also expressed openness to Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s proposal for a Pacific-wide security pact. Climate change, infrastructure funding, sustainable fisheries and securing high-level attendance at pre-COP31 meetings will also feature prominently at the upcoming forum.

>>24947384 Frigate deal on agenda during Koizumi’s upcoming Australia defense talks bears ‘geostrategic implications,’ risks pushing Japan’s remilitarization - "Australia's acquisition of Japan's Mogami-class frigates, a key topic reportedly expected to feature in Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi's upcoming talks with his Australian counterpart and deputy prime minister on Tuesday, could go beyond a warship transaction, potentially extending to the transfer of related technologies and industrial supply chains and carrying broader geostrategic implications, a Chinese analyst said, adding that such moves risk stoking tensions and furthering Japan's remilitarization … The discussion with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday during the Japanese official's visit to Canberra is expected to center on the joint development of a new vessel based on Japan's advanced Mogami-class frigate, according to both Australian and Japanese media outlets … For the upcoming meeting on Tuesday, the two defense ministers are likely to "reaffirm steady progress" on the Royal Australian Navy's project to replace its aging frigates with an upgraded version of the Mogami-class frigate, Jiji Press reported on Saturday."

"The report by Jiji Press also noted that Koizumi is expected to discuss ways to deepen bilateral security cooperation, adding that the meeting was "apparently with China in mind." Da Zhigang, a research fellow at the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies of the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday that the defense exports have been positioned by Japan as a benchmark for deepening bilateral diplomatic and defense ties and as a model for its broader "Indo-Pacific" engagement in Oceania … Notably, the expert said the export could extend beyond weapons to related technologies and industrial capabilities, particularly as associated facilities are to be established in Australia. Koizumi's meeting followed his visit to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday - a move that drew strong opposition from China, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying no pretext whatsoever can hide the Japanese politicians' true intention which is to change the verdict on the war criminals, cover up Japan's war crimes, distort the historical facts, and pave the way for accelerating remilitarization. Da said that Australia's limited scrutiny of Japan's remilitarization risks could provide Japan with greater room to deepen defense cooperation and use Australia as a foothold for broader engagement with the Pacific Islands countries. This could further accelerate Japan's remilitarization and create greater uncertainty for regional stability." - Zhang Wanshi, Global Times

#47 - Part 71

Australia / China Tensions - Part 6

>>24961942 OPINION: While Australia avoids the ‘C’ word, New Zealand is unafraid to speak up - "New Zealand’s spy agency has dared utter in its formal annual threat report the word that Australia’s does not. The C-word: China. In its annual statement of security threats published on Thursday, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) said plainly: “There are several states that conduct espionage against New Zealand, but the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the only country we have detected doing it at scale.” And it gave details. In one instructive case study, the agency explained how a Chinese company called Purple Mountain Observatory attempted to install a satellite ground station on New Zealand soil. Without telling anyone. “They worked with a local company that was likely unaware of the equipment’s capability to collect intelligence of military value and would have no idea who was receiving the data.” Yes, you might ask, but what does a Chinese company have to do with government espionage? The NZSIS reminds readers that China’s system does not allow for its companies to stand apart. The NZ report names China 11 times. Australia’s equivalent, ASIO chief Mike Burgess, delivers an annual threat assessment. Scour it as you will. You will not find China mentioned this year. Same as last year. And the year before. Burgess has named China as a threat on other occasions in recent years. But Australian intelligence prefers the safety of speaking as part of a group, signing on to collective statements by the Five Eyes group of intelligence partners. Or staying mum. So what? “We believe the public conversation matters,” says a NZ expert on Chinese interference and espionage, Anne-Marie Brady of Canterbury University. “An informed public is a resilient public.” By telling the people what’s going on, she says, “New Zealand is trying to disrupt Chinese espionage and interference.” The NZ report arms citizens by giving them very detailed information on how the People’s Republic of China uses LinkedIn and other recruitment services to hook unwitting jobseekers into handing over secrets, for instance."

"Australian expert Alex Joske, head of intelligence practice at John Garnaut’s China consultancy and the author of Spies and Lies, says that “the NZ government is doing a public service with its forthright statements about PRC espionage. “Clear and direct security advice is immensely helpful for raising public awareness and helping universities, companies and local governments make better decisions in the face of growing PRC covert influence and intelligence activity.” How is this relevant to Australia? “Whatever China is doing in NZ, you can be sure they are doing in Australia,” says an Australian intelligence expert who prefers anonymity. “Australia and NZ are both handled by the same division in the Ministry of State Security, so in some cases it will be the same people operating against the two of us.” Besides, NZ’s spy agency explains that the country’s geography in the Pacific, and as a gateway to the Antarctic, make NZ “not only geopolitically relevant, but also attractive to threat actors”. These factors apply equally to Australia. Few in Australia grasp this reality. Beijing is not only interested in displacing the US, taking control of Taiwan and asserting hegemony over Asia. Its ambition is global domination, including control of the Pacific and Antarctica and, incidentally, all of Australia’s environs. China has built science stations with military uses on Australian-claimed territory in the Antarctic, for example, without a peep from Canberra." - Peter Hartcher, The Age

>>24964848 China and Australia bust tobacco syndicate as government pushes back on excise calls - Australian and Chinese authorities have disrupted an international tobacco syndicate after more than 60 people were arrested in China. Australian Border Force officers seized more than 60 million cigarettes and 60 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco worth over $92 million in evaded taxes, largely shipped through Shanghai to Sydney. The operation comes as illicit products are estimated to account for 80 per cent of Australian tobacco and nicotine consumption. NSW Premier Chris Minns and One Nation have advocated cutting tobacco excise to undermine the black market, but the federal government rejects the approach. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek called Minns “100 per cent wrong”, while Assistant Minister for Customs Julian Hill argued enforcement and international intelligence-sharing were more effective responses.

#47 - Part 72

Australia / China Tensions - Part 7

>>24964850 China, Australia bust transnational tobacco-smuggling network, seizing over 90 million cigarettes - "Chinese and Australian law-enforcement agencies have dismantled a transnational tobacco-smuggling network and seized more than 90 million cigarettes in a coordinated operation, China's anti-smuggling bureau announced on Thursday in a WeChat post. Since the beginning of this year, the Zhanjiang Customs in South China's Guangdong Province, under the unified deployment of the anti-smuggling bureau of China's General Administration of Customs (GAC), has launched a special campaign targeting tobacco smuggling and the production and sale of counterfeit products. Law-enforcement agencies have busted nine illegal cigarette-smuggling groups and shut down nine storage sites, seizing more than 32 million smuggled cigarettes and over 1,100 boxes of e-cigarettes. Further investigations uncovered a smuggling network in which criminal groups allegedly attempted to conceal counterfeit tobacco products manufactured overseas in legitimate shipments, transport them through China and ultimately smuggle them into Australia, said the post."

"To target the entire criminal chain, the GAC anti-smuggling bureau shared relevant information with Australian side through the China-Australia customs enforcement cooperation mechanism. The two sides subsequently launched synchronized enforcement operations. Australian authorities seized 60 million smuggled cigarettes and 60 kilograms of tobacco leaves, according to the release. Australian border enforcement authorities spoke highly of the joint operation, saying it demonstrated the importance of stronger international customs enforcement cooperation and information sharing, and expressed appreciation for China's support." - Global Times

>>24971039 New Chinese ambassador Liu Jinsong urges Canberra to respect ‘core interests’ - China’s new ambassador to Australia, Liu Jinsong, has urged Canberra to respect Beijing’s “core interests and major concerns” while declaring the countries have “no historical grievances” or “fundamental conflicts of interest”. Liu said relations offered opportunities for co-operation but required differences to be managed through mutual respect and equality. The former director-general of China’s Foreign Ministry Department of Asian Affairs pledged to safeguard national interests while promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership. His posting follows a recovery in relations under the Albanese government, including dialogue and removal of Chinese trade restrictions. Tensions persist over Taiwan, regional security, foreign interference, China’s military activities and missile testing, and Canberra’s plan to return Darwin Port to Australian ownership. China remains Australia’s largest trading partner.

>>24971046 China's new ambassador to Australia Liu Jinsong arrives to assume post - "China's new Ambassador to Australia Liu Jinsong arrived in Australia on Monday afternoon to assume his new post, according to a release from the Chinese Embassy in Australia. In written remarks upon arrival, Liu said Australia is an important country and that he feels deeply honored and responsible to serve as the 16th Chinese ambassador to Australia, likening his new role to taking over the baton in a relay race. Chinese Consul General in Sydney Wang Yu, representatives of the Chinese community and Chinese enterprises in Australia, as well as Australian officials, welcomed Liu upon his arrival, according to the release. Thirty years ago, as a young Chinese diplomat in charge of Asia-Pacific cooperation affairs, I first set foot on Australian soil, yet I did not feel like a stranger… I could see here the same vast and expansive landscapes as those of my hometown of Xinjiang, Liu said. China and Australia have no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interest. Their economies are highly complementary and their cultures could really enrich each other. The prospects for cooperation are promising, while properly managing differences and expectations is also crucial, Liu noted in the written remarks. "I will perform my duties with dedication, listen with an open mind, safeguard China's national interests, implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries," Liu said, adding that he will serve as a guardian and promoter of the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. Liu succeeds Xiao Qian as China's ambassador to Australia. Liu previously served as Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry." - Global Times

#47 - Part 73

Australia / China Tensions - Part 8

>>24977810 Australia, Solomons push security reset as Pacific leaders weigh Wale plan - Australia and Solomon Islands will fast-track negotiations on a comprehensive bilateral security treaty as Prime Minister Matthew Wale seeks to reset Honiara’s regional security relationships. Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Solomon Islands counterpart Rick Houenipwela will begin talks in Adelaide, with both governments reportedly seeking an agreement by year’s end. Wale also plans to promote a broader Pacific security treaty positioning Australia and New Zealand as the region’s principal security guarantors at the Pacific Islands Forum summit. He has pledged to review Solomon Islands’ 2022 security agreement with China, which enabled Chinese police deployments. Regional leaders will also discuss China’s recent nuclear-capable missile test, illicit drug trafficking, disaster response and climate change. China, Taiwan and the United States will participate in the Palau summit.

>>24991419 Pacific Islands Forum preparations in disarray amid China-Taiwan tensions and leader exodus - (Video) Preparations for the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Palau have been disrupted by Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s sudden return home to face a no-confidence motion and the expected absence of several regional leaders. Wale had planned to promote a Pacific-wide security agreement positioning Australia and New Zealand as principal security partners and sidelining China. Kiribati President Taneti Maamau will not attend, while the leaders of Vanuatu and Samoa are also expected to be absent. Taiwan’s participation has heightened tensions with Beijing, with Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr accusing China of applying pressure over his country’s relationship with Taiwan. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend as Australia seeks to consolidate recent regional security agreements amid intensifying strategic competition with China.

>>24994649 Beijing’s Taiwan fury linked to Pacific leaders chaos - (Video) New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has described the timing of a no-confidence motion against Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale as “highly suspicious”, as experts suggested Chinese interference may be involved. Wale returned to Honiara from the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Palau to defend his leadership after pursuing closer security ties with Australia and a regional agreement that would sideline China. Former Australian high commissioner James Batley said it was “reasonable to assume” Beijing was involved, although no direct evidence was presented. Leaders from Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and Kiribati are also absent amid tensions over Taiwan’s participation. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Palau as Australia seeks to consolidate regional security partnerships while managing intensifying strategic competition with China across the Pacific.

#47 - Part 74

Australia / China Tensions - Part 9

>>24994655 ‘The Pacific determines what happens’: Albanese pushes back against China over Taiwan warning - (Video) Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected Chinese warnings over Taiwan’s participation at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, declaring that Pacific nations determine how the regional body operates. China’s Pacific envoy Qian Bo expressed “serious concerns” about Taiwan’s access to the summit and warned there would “always be consequences” when Beijing opposed decisions. Albanese responded that the forum, “not any other country”, determines what happens, while Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Pacific nations should control their relationships. Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr similarly said outside partners were welcome but could not determine the region’s direction. The dispute comes amid unusually low leader attendance and suspicions surrounding political pressure on Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, who returned home to face a no-confidence motion.

>>24998855 Pacific summit fractures as key Australian ally demands Taiwan be banned - Papua New Guinea has called for Taiwan to be excluded from future Pacific Islands Forum summits, exposing regional divisions as China protests the self-governed island’s participation. PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said Taiwan’s presence was “inappropriate” and distracting from regional priorities, while Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung accused Beijing of “wolf warrior diplomacy” and coercing Pacific nations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected China’s warning of “consequences”, declaring the forum determines its own affairs. The summit has also been disrupted by several leaders’ absences. Australia meanwhile announced a $600 million regional crackdown on illicit drugs, including increased aerial surveillance, maritime interdictions and police co-operation with Latin America.

>>25002371 ‘Unfair’ push to condemn China’s missile test in Pacific misfires - (Video) Pacific Islands Forum members have failed to reach consensus on condemning China’s nuclear-capable missile test near Tuvalu, with Kiribati and Naoero resisting criticism of Beijing. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected comparisons with US ballistic missile testing, saying Washington provides advance notification under longstanding agreements while China gave inadequate warning and showed “no respect” for nearby Pacific nations. Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr similarly called for greater transparency and respect for regional sovereignty. The summit also exposed divisions over Taiwan’s participation and uncertainty surrounding a proposed regional security agreement intended to sideline China. Its leading advocate, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, returned home to face a no-confidence motion amid allegations of Chinese interference. Leaders were expected instead to issue a restrained statement expressing concern about missile testing.

#47 - Part 75

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

>>24824608 Revealed: Accused Sydney day care paedophile Hamish Tait allegedly abused more than 150 children - (Video) Sydney childcare worker Hamish Tait, 35, has been publicly identified after a court lifted a year-long suppression order over his name, with police hoping the decision will help identify 22 remaining alleged child victims. Tait now faces 329 charges relating to the alleged abuse of 158 children, of whom 136 have been identified, making it Australia's largest alleged childcare abuse investigation. The Australian Federal Police allege he worked at 62 childcare centres during his career, with alleged offending identified at five, and have released images of distinctive clothing and personal items to help families identify children. Investigators allege Tait uploaded child abuse material to a cloud server, leading to the seizure of about 2.5 million files from his electronic devices. Police also allege he shared abuse material overseas on three occasions. Investigators say lifting the suppression order will assist Operation Moonbi, the AFP investigation established to identify victims and investigate the alleged offending, while Tait remains in custody without applying for bail.

>>24824623 Childcare centres where alleged abuser Hamish Tait worked ban men from toileting duties - (Video) Four Fit Kidz Learning Centres where alleged offender Hamish Tait worked have barred male educators from toileting and bathroom duties unless parents provide written consent, following allegations involving the former childcare worker. The company said the precautionary measure was introduced despite there being no allegations against other male staff, and apologised to families while rejecting claims it had attempted to conceal Tait's alleged offending. Tait faces 329 charges relating to the alleged abuse of 158 children, with 136 identified and 22 still to be identified. The Australian Federal Police said Operation Moonbi, the investigation into the alleged offending and victim identification, remains ongoing and urged families to review information released to help identify the remaining children.

>>24824653 Police fear ‘worst day care paedophile’ Hamish Tait targeted remote Indigenous community - (Video) Australian Federal Police investigators believe alleged childcare offender Hamish Tait may have worked with children in a remote Indigenous community in South Australia's Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands as part of the expanding Operation Moonbi investigation. Court documents indicate police sought assistance from South Australia Police over access to the permit-only community while investigating allegations that Tait abused 158 children between 2009 and 2025. Investigators have identified 136 alleged victims, with 22 still unidentified, and say public identification of Tait has already prompted dozens of calls from concerned families. The AFP continues urging parents whose children may have had contact with Tait to come forward as the investigation into the alleged offending remains ongoing.

>>24828293 Investigation into Sydney childcare worker Hamish Tait expands to South Australian Indigenous community - (Video) Australian Federal Police have expanded Operation Moonbi into the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in remote South Australia as they investigate allegations against former childcare worker Hamish Tait, who faces 329 charges relating to the alleged abuse of 136 identified children over 16 years. Police allege Tait volunteered at a government preschool in an APY Lands community during the mid-2010s and are investigating limited alleged offending in South Australia, although no charges have been laid there. Investigators are also seeking to identify an overseas individual allegedly sent child abuse material and continue efforts to identify 22 remaining alleged victims. Police said Tait worked at or attended 62 childcare centres, while maintaining there is currently no evidence of sexual assault.

#47 - Part 76

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

>>24828268 Prosecutors drop four charges against Alan Jones - (Video) Prosecutors have withdrawn four indecent assault charges against former broadcaster Alan Jones, reducing the number of complainants in his upcoming trial from eight to six. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty to all remaining allegations and is now due to stand trial from August 3 facing 20 counts of indecent assault, after previously facing 24 indecent assault charges and two sexual touching charges. The withdrawn allegations related to two complainants and alleged incidents in Kiama in 2008 and at the Sydney Opera House in 2014. Court documents allege the remaining offences occurred between 2003 and 2020 at locations including Sydney, Fitzroy Falls and Mittagong. The court was told 76 witnesses are expected to give evidence during the trial.

>>24831758 Hamish Tait: Photos released in search for alleged victims of ‘worst day care paedophile’ - (Video) Australian Federal Police have released photographs of distinctive children's clothing in an effort to identify the remaining alleged victims in Operation Moonbi, the investigation into former childcare worker Hamish Tait. Police allege Tait, 35, abused 158 children over 16 years and now faces 329 charges. Since his identity was made public, investigators have identified six additional alleged victims, bringing the total identified to 142, with 16 still unidentified. The newly released images, taken at childcare centres in Rouse Hill and Putney between 2018 and 2024, include distinctive clothing investigators hope families may recognise. Police said more than 300 calls had been received since the appeal began, with alleged victims also identified in South Australia.

>>24841260 ESafety: tech giants leaving ‘significant gaps’ on sexual extortion of young people - (Video) eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says major technology companies are failing to adequately protect users from sexual extortion and child sexual exploitation, calling for stronger regulatory powers and broader reforms to Australia's online safety laws. The eSafety office has received more than 2,000 complaints of sexual extortion, mostly involving men aged 18 to 24. Inman Grant said platforms including Apple, Discord, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Snap should improve detection systems and reporting tools to identify coercive behaviour and child abuse. She also called for greater powers to regulate AI "nudify" services, arguing existing laws have not kept pace with rapidly evolving technology and online threats.

>>24847479 Taxpayers could pay millions to abuse survivors if Christian Brothers goes bankrupt, court documents reveal - Newly released court documents indicate Australian taxpayers could become liable for up to $65 million in National Redress Scheme payments if the Christian Brothers cannot meet compensation claims from child abuse survivors. An actuarial report estimates the Catholic order faces 930 redress claims worth about $65 million, including 340 current claims and a further 590 expected in coming years. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said taxpayer funding should be “the absolute last resort” and pledged a “forensic approach” to court proceedings over the order’s proposed financial restructure. Survivors have also raised concerns about past transfers of church properties to related entities, which they argue have reduced assets available to meet compensation claims.

>>24820794 Derryn Hinch, the 'human headline', former senator and broadcaster, dies aged 82 - Broadcaster, journalist and former senator Derryn Hinch has died aged 82 after a media career spanning more than six decades. Born in New Zealand, Hinch became one of Australia's best-known media personalities, earning the nickname "the human headline" for his outspoken style, campaigning journalism and distinctive on-air presence. He worked across newspapers, radio and television, covering major events including the Apollo 11 launch before hosting influential current affairs and talkback programs. Hinch was repeatedly jailed for breaching suppression and contempt laws while exposing convicted sex offenders, arguing the public's right to know outweighed legal restrictions. Elected to the Senate in 2016, he championed tougher laws targeting child sex offenders, including restrictions on overseas travel by convicted paedophiles. He also founded the Derryn Hinch Justice Party, which won three seats at the 2018 Victorian election before being dissolved after failing to retain parliamentary representation. Hinch was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame in 2018 in recognition of his influential and often controversial contribution to Australian journalism and public life.

#47 - Part 77

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 3

>>24820802 OPINION: He wasn't perfect, but Derryn Hinch confronted sexual abuse when others turned a blind eye

It was a classic Derryn Hinchism: "Who's looking after the children?"

Verbose? Certainly. Self-aggrandising? Perhaps a little. But when Hinch first started asking it in the 1980s, too few others who possessed the megaphone of mass media seemed to give a single damn.

With Hinch's death on Friday, a large and remarkable chunk of Australia's tabloid media history died with the "Human Headline". Obituarists will grapple with a confusing legacy but permit me the personal perspective of a present-day journalist who recently had a meaningful opportunity to reappraise Hinch's efforts for sexual abuse survivors.

A few years ago, when ABC Investigations started unravelling the horror story of the Victorian Education Department's multi-decade cover-up of rampant child sexual abuse, we were stunned to realise that a scandal so widespread and devastating could have passed with so little media attention.

Thanks to a series of government inquiries, we now understand it as a crisis to rank with the worst excesses of the Catholic Church: for decades, sexually abusive teachers were shuffled all over the state rather than being sacked and reported to police; for decades, the government effectively covered it up; for decades, the reputation of the school system was put ahead of child safety, and the societal consequences were disastrous.

But before all that, a most glaring question had presented itself: if so many people had known this human tragedy was unfolding in plain sight, why had nobody in the media shouted it from the rooftops?

Actually, we were amazed to discover, one man had: Derryn Hinch.

…

During our investigations, a former detective in one of Victoria Police's nascent child protection units told us that due to the 12-month statute of limitations to press charges against offenders in the 1980s, not to mention the inaction of the education department, he and colleagues often felt powerless in their attempts to take down sexually abusive government school teachers. In such situations, he said, their last resort was Hinch.

Which is how readers of The Sun newspaper were greeted one Saturday morning in June, 1990, by a blistering Hinch editorial that began: "I want to accuse some of the top echelon of the Victorian Education Department of negligence."

Decades before the inquiries, long before anyone else cared, Hinch explained a scenario that seemed too crazy to be true: in the full knowledge of the Victorian government, the principal of a primary school in Melbourne's western suburbs had been allowed to sexually abuse children for an entire decade. This was despite a written warning from Victoria Police that he was a danger to children.

The rampant, decades-long sexual offending of Braybrook Primary principal Richard "Dick" Ross is now a notorious case in Melbourne legal circles. His crimes have cost the Victorian government many millions of dollars in compensation payouts to survivors.

…

For Hinch, Richard Ross's prosecution and sacking from his job had been far too long coming and the affair was not without its own complications for Hinch and Pamela Graham, a reporter on Hinch's eponymous TV program.

Their stories had commenced six months earlier, but rather than serving as a clarion call to other media outlets who should have followed them up with vigour, they resulted in Hinch and Graham being lashed: the Australian Journalists Association ethics committee fined Graham $500 for her methods in obtaining the original story in 1989.

Without such fearless reporting, Ross undoubtedly would have gone on abusing children. Even with it in the public domain, the opportunity to confront the full horror of the Victorian Education Department's system of cover-ups was inexcusably missed.

…

Whatever one might think about Hinch's propensity to shoot his mouth off before thinking, or his reckless and often counterproductive forays into vigilantism, his willingness to stand up for society's most vulnerable clearly derived from a strong and unwavering moral conviction.

…

Hinch, we must now assume, learned that even if those who harm children are sometimes destined to evade the law, the rest of us should not give up the fight to expose their wrongdoing. A Melbourne lawyer once said that Hinch had never turned down an opportunity to appear in court on behalf of a survivor of sexual abuse.

Who's looking after the children? Say what you like about him, but Derryn Hinch tried.

Russell Jackson, abc.net.au - 11 July 2026

#47 - Part 78

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 4

>>24847519 Landon Germanotta-Mills: Accused leader of alleged satanic pedophile ring hit with 20 new child abuse and bestiality charges - (Video) Sydney man Landon Germanotta-Mills has been charged with 20 additional offences, bringing the total number of charges he faces to 36, following an investigation into an alleged international child abuse network. Police allege the group shared child abuse material online and has links to 145 identified individuals across multiple countries. Germanotta-Mills, who denies wrongdoing, was returned to custody after allegedly breaching bail conditions granted in May. Prosecutors allege he possessed and distributed child abuse and bestiality material using cloud storage, email accounts and messaging platforms. Five other NSW men, including former police officer David Turner, have also been charged over their alleged involvement. None of the accused has entered pleas, and all matters remain before the courts.

>>24850569 Christopher Alan Saunders: Outback priest allegedly smuggled alcohol on church-owned plane, abused Aboriginal boys - Former Broome bishop Christopher Alan Saunders has gone on trial in Western Australia, pleading not guilty to 26 charges alleging he sexually abused three Aboriginal boys and young men between 2008 and 2017. Prosecutors allege Saunders groomed the complainants by providing alcohol, cigarettes, food and gifts before abusing them at Catholic Church-owned properties across the Kimberley. The court also heard allegations that he used church resources to transport alcohol into remote communities and hosted gatherings where young Aboriginal males were encouraged to remove their shirts. Saunders, one of Australia’s most senior Catholic clerics to face such allegations, denies all charges. The trial is expected to hear evidence from complainants, former church staff and senior Catholic figures.

>>24857929 Alan Jones acted on sexual interest in ‘significantly younger men’, prosecutors allege - A Sydney court has ruled prosecutors in Alan Jones' upcoming indecent assault trial may rely on tendency and coincidence evidence alleging a pattern of behaviour towards significantly younger men. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching involving six complainants between 2003 and 2020. Prosecutors allege he repeatedly initiated non-consensual touching or kissing in professional or social settings involving younger men, often where a power imbalance existed. The court found similarities in the allegations were capable of having significant probative value but stressed Jones is presumed innocent and the prosecution must prove every charge beyond reasonable doubt. The trial is due to begin in August.

>>24873713 Former Christian Brothers schools to compensate victims of clerical abuse after backflip - Former Christian Brothers schools have agreed to underwrite compensation payments for survivors of historical child sexual abuse after the religious order warned it lacked sufficient assets to meet hundreds of current and future claims. Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA), which oversees many former Christian Brothers schools, said it would fund any shortfall and assume responsibility for compensating survivors, subject to court and creditor approval. The agreement follows scrutiny of past transfers of valuable school assets from the Christian Brothers to EREA and criticism from survivors and lawyers, who argued the order had sought to avoid accountability despite substantial assets remaining within the broader Edmund Rice network. The revised arrangement is intended to ensure victims receive full compensation while allowing EREA's schools to continue operating without disruption.

>>24881210 Katanning hostel rapist Dennis McKenna set to be released from jail under strict conditions - Dennis McKenna, one of Western Australia's most prolific convicted child sex offenders, is expected to be released from prison under strict supervision after prosecutors and his legal team agreed he should be declared a High Risk Serious Offender. McKenna, 81, sexually abused dozens of boys at St Andrew's Hostel in Katanning during the 1970s and 1980s and is due to complete his 15½-year sentence in November. Psychiatric evidence indicated his risk of reoffending was reduced by age but found he continued to deny much of his offending, blamed victims and held distorted beliefs that minimised his crimes. Survivors and families opposed his release, arguing the lifelong harm inflicted on victims justified keeping him imprisoned. A court will determine the final supervision conditions at a later hearing.

#47 - Part 79

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 5

>>24885267 Victorian government apologises to victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in schools - (Video) Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has formally apologised to victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools, acknowledging systemic failures that allowed children to be abused before 2000 and left many victims unheard while perpetrators escaped accountability. The apology drew on evidence from the Forum for Truth and Recognition, the Beaumaris Board of Inquiry and the Systemic Review into historical child sexual abuse in Victorian public schools, which found offenders exploited weaknesses in the education system. Carroll said, “Students were not believed and their abusers were not held to account,” describing the apology as “a start” towards meaningful change, action and reform rather than an end. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said a culture of “looking the other way” must never be allowed to return. Lawyers representing more than 730 former students from over 460 Australian schools, including 357 in Victoria, said allegations continued to emerge, including some as recent as 2024, and argued survivors also required fair compensation, psychological treatment and ongoing medical support beyond a parliamentary apology. Victim-survivor Vonda Mathers said the apology gave her “a lot of hope” but could not erase the lifelong impact of losing her childhood.

>>24885279 Premier Ben Carroll makes historic apology to victims of child sex abuse in Victorian public schools - (Video) Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has formally apologised to victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools, acknowledging decades of systemic failures that allowed children to be abused and left many unprotected. Carroll said, “We failed to protect you. We failed to listen when you tried to disclose or explain what was done to you. We failed to act with the urgency, responsibility and care that you deserved,” adding the “shame belongs to the perpetrators” and the institutions that failed them. The apology followed a 2024 review by Kathleen Foley SC, which found the Education Department’s response between 1960 and 1994 was an “appalling and systemic failure”, with no effective policies to identify, report or prevent abuse, a culture of covering up allegations to protect the education system’s reputation, and teachers sometimes transferred rather than removed. Carroll said child sexual abuse had lifelong impacts on victims’ health, education, relationships and wellbeing, while also affecting families across generations, and pointed to reforms introduced since 2000 to strengthen child protection and responses to abuse allegations.

>>24885299 ‘Vindication’: abuse survivor Glen Fearnett reacts to school apology - Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has apologised to victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse in government schools, with survivor Glen Fearnett describing the moment as “vindication” more than five decades after he was abused as a 10-year-old student at Beaumaris Primary School. Fearnett said the apology confirmed that “what we said was happening … and it's been well and truly proven.” The apology followed a 2024 board of inquiry, established after former students came forward, which found perpetrators exploited weak regulations and a culture of cover-ups. Carroll acknowledged the state had failed to protect children or respond appropriately to disclosures, while Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said the betrayal of families' trust had been “profound” and warned similar patterns of institutional failure remained evident today. Law firm Arnold Thomas & Becker said it was investigating abuse allegations on behalf of more than 600 former students from 350 Victorian schools, including allegations dating from the 1950s through to 2024, arguing reforms must be matched by accountability and ongoing support for survivors.

#47 - Part 80

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 6

>>24891733 Operation Mirani: How Australian Federal Police unravelled a sex-trafficking ring that sparked a landmark ruling - The Australian Federal Police has detailed how Operation Mirani dismantled an international sex-trafficking syndicate that exploited Indonesian women and girls, leading to Australia's first child-trafficking conviction. Police said the group operated like a corporation, with Surya Subekti overseeing recruitment, finances and accommodation while working as a supermarket manager. Investigators worked with Indonesian authorities to identify victims, raid about 20 brothels and rescue a 17-year-old girl whose passport was confiscated and who was forced to work long hours without pay. Judge Nicole Noman ruled a child could not legally consent to sexual exploitation, rejecting claims the victim had participated willingly. AFP Commander Brett James praised the victims' courage and investigators' persistence, while police said seven victims were ultimately removed from sexual exploitation.

>>24898191 Alan Jones in court on first day of indecent assault and sexual touching trial - (Video) Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones has faced the first day of his trial on 22 charges involving six male complainants, including 20 counts of assault with an act of indecency and two of sexual touching. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing. Complainant J testified that Jones provided him with financial support, a phone and a car when he was a young athlete before allegedly kissing and sexually touching him. He said he feared losing Jones's assistance if he disclosed what was happening and felt unable to resist because of the broadcaster's power. Prosecutors allege another complainant was 17 when Jones kissed him after inviting him to his Fitzroy Falls property. Defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC accused complainants of unreliability, alleged some accounts were concocted or financially motivated, and said Jones had endured a “trial by media”.

>>24901500 ‘I just want justice’: Complainant’s emotional testimony in Alan Jones trial - (Video) A former teenage athlete has told Alan Jones’ indecent assault trial that he reported the broadcaster to police decades after the alleged incidents because “I just want justice” and wanted to teach his daughter “right from wrong”. Complainant “J”, now in his early 40s, alleged Jones repeatedly kissed and sexually touched him while financially supporting his athletics career with regular payments, a car and phone. He said he feared rejecting the powerful broadcaster would cost him that support and believed nobody would believe him. “J” described alleged assaults at Jones’ Fitzroy Falls property and said he froze or complied because he wanted them to end. Jones denies all wrongdoing. His defence says the complainants’ credibility and reliability will be challenged.

>>24904895 Alan Jones fusses and frowns as secrecy shrouds blockbuster trial - (Video) Alan Jones’ indecent assault trial has entered a largely secret phase as his former protégé, complainant “J”, undergoes cross-examination over allegations of unwanted sexual conduct. J, once a promising teenage athlete financially supported by Jones, has alleged the broadcaster subjected him to unwanted kissing, groping and sexual activity. Jones denies all allegations. Judge Glenn Walsh imposed a non-publication order over the cross-examination, preventing media from reporting its substance until the order is reconsidered. Jones watched intently as defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC questioned J about dates, events and alleged inconsistencies in his evidence, frequently reacting with frowns and gestures. The proceedings were repeatedly interrupted as lawyers disputed questions and objections.

>>24907606 Alan Jones’ alleged victim denies being motivated by money - (Video) A former star athlete accusing Alan Jones of indecent assault has denied financial motives for approaching police, telling the court: “I don’t want anything but proper justice”. Complainant “J”, whose allegations account for nine of Jones’ 20 indecent assault charges, was cross-examined about financial difficulties and inconsistencies concerning when Jones gave him a car and mobile phone. J accepted records showed he received them after leaving school, contrary to his initial statement, but denied creating a “schoolboy narrative of sexual touching”. He also rejected suggestions he promised a former girlfriend financial reward for supporting his allegations and denied concocting an account of Jones groping him. J maintained he would not pursue Jones through civil proceedings. Jones has pleaded not guilty to all 22 charges and vigorously denies the allegations.

#47 - Part 81

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 7

>>24914341 ‘Powerful man’: Former teen athlete says he was scared to report Alan Jones - (Video) A former teenage athlete accusing veteran broadcaster Alan Jones of indecent assault has told a Sydney court he was “petrified” during an alleged encounter at Jones’ Fitzroy Falls property and feared he would not be believed. The complainant, known as “J”, rejected defence suggestions that he fabricated allegations or drew details from media reports, while acknowledging he could not recall aspects of earlier evidence. He said he had frozen during the alleged assault because he was scared and “wasn’t strong” mentally. Asked why he had not told more people, he said Jones “was a powerful man”. Jones, 85, is standing trial on 20 indecent assault and two sexual touching charges involving six men and denies all allegations.

>>24914360 West Australian man jailed after airport search exposed international child abuse network - A 74-year-old West Australian man has been sentenced to a maximum 10 years and six months in prison after an airport search uncovered evidence that led to six children being rescued in The Philippines. Australian Border Force officers found videos depicting child sexual abuse on his phone after he arrived at Perth Airport in May 2025. Australian Federal Police investigators subsequently identified chats with a 32-year-old woman in The Philippines involving transmission of child abuse material. Philippine authorities later arrested the woman and removed six children known to her from harm. The Walliston man pleaded guilty to eight Commonwealth offences, including using a carriage service to groom another person to procure children under 16. He will be eligible for parole in six years and nine months.

>>24914453 Red flags: A tech company claims it can identify Australia’s most at-risk children - Australian company SAFE is deploying a machine-learning system across more than 1000 early childhood services to identify children potentially at risk of harm. Educators record observations such as bruises, missed meals or parental drug use, which generate risk scores and reporting guidance before cases are reviewed by former child protection workers. Founded by childhood abuse survivor and children’s rights campaigner Ruby O’Rourke, SAFE says its system covers behavioural records on about 200,000 childcare workers. The technology has raised privacy and bias concerns, with the Independent Education Union warning machine learning could increase risks from data breaches. O’Rourke says the system excludes ethnicity, socioeconomic background and disability and that child protection experts continually review its signals for potential bias.

>>24923281 ‘Hardest thing I’ve ever had to tell you’: brother of former athlete tells of Alan Jones abuse claim - (Video) The former girlfriend and brother of a former youth athlete accusing veteran broadcaster Alan Jones of indecent assault have testified about disclosures he allegedly made concerning the abuse. Complainant “J’s” former girlfriend said he returned from Jones’ Fitzroy Falls property more than 20 years ago looking like he had “seen a ghost” and told her Jones had “touched me inappropriately”, while insisting she tell nobody. J’s brother said J disclosed the allegations after Jones’ 2024 arrest, describing unwanted touching and kissing and saying he feared losing financial and career support. J said he previously denied the alleged abuse to his mother because he feared being pressured to report it and subsequently being disbelieved. Jones denies all 22 charges involving six complainants.

>>24926496 Alan Jones prosecutors successfully argue for expansion to date ranges of alleged offending - Prosecutors in Alan Jones’s criminal trial have successfully expanded the date range for some alleged indecent assaults after witnesses gave conflicting timelines. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of assault with act of indecency and two counts of sexual touching involving six complainants between 2003 and 2020. Alleged offences involving Complainant J at Jones’s Fitzroy Falls property were originally dated to 2004 but can now have occurred between 2004 and April 2006, when J was aged between 18 and 21. Defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC argued the change was unfair because the defence had prepared its case around 2004. Judge Glenn Walsh rejected that argument, saying Jones’s position was that the alleged incidents never occurred, regardless of timing.

#47 - Part 82

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 8

>>24929971 ‘I should have protected you’: Complainant J’s ex-partner, mother and coach front court in Alan Jones’ trial - Three witnesses have testified about Complainant J during Alan Jones’s trial on 20 indecent assault and two sexual touching charges, which Jones denies. J’s former girlfriend rejected defence suggestions she fabricated her account for financial reward, maintaining J told her more than 20 years ago that Jones had touched him inappropriately. His former athletics coach described J as “confident and forthright” and said J never disclosed any assault to him. J’s mother testified that when she asked her son about allegations against Jones in 2023, he denied being touched. After Jones’s 2024 arrest, however, J told her he had previously lied and said Jones “did touch me”, prompting her to respond: “I should’ve protected you.”

>>24936322 Katanning Hostel child sexual abuse victims still fighting for recognition 40 years on - (Video) Victim-survivors of serial child abuser Dennis John McKenna are continuing to seek recognition decades after his abuse of boys at St Andrew’s Hostel in Katanning. The WA government has committed $750,000 for a memorial, but disagreement with the Shire of Katanning over its location has stalled progress. Advocates want a prominent site to raise awareness of child sexual abuse and are considering building outside the town. Survivors are also demanding a formal shire apology, after a 2012 inquiry found 11 local people were complicit in McKenna’s crimes and documented failures to heed warnings. The shire has acknowledged victims were failed but has not committed to apologising. McKenna could be released under strict conditions from November 17 after completing his 15½-year sentence.

>>24936354 Doomsday cult leader William Kamm found not guilty of grooming girl - (Video) Doomsday cult leader and convicted paedophile William Kamm, known as “Little Pebble”, and his wife Sandra Susan Mathison have been acquitted of grooming a girl for unlawful sexual activity. Following a five-week judge-alone trial, Judge Nicole Noman accepted there was a plan for the complainant, who was seven when the alleged grooming began, to eventually become Kamm’s spouse. However, she found the evidence did not prove beyond reasonable doubt that this was intended to occur before the girl turned 16. The judge regarded the complainant as truthful but mistaken about some details. Kamm was also cleared of breaching an extended supervision order and inciting a sexual act. The court found insufficient evidence that Kamm knew the complainant was not consenting during sexualised telephone interactions.

>>24936838 Alan Jones trial: Man tells court he felt ‘violated’ after alleged penis touch - (Video) A former employee of Alan Jones has told a Sydney court he felt “violated” and powerless when the broadcaster allegedly kissed and touched him inappropriately nearly 20 years ago. “Complainant C” alleges Jones repeatedly kissed him in lifts and touched his penis over his clothing while he was driving and during a lunch at a Mosman restaurant. C said Jones wielded “extraordinary power”, leaving him feeling unable to resist, and became emotional while describing the alleged encounters. He also testified that Jones sent affectionate and sexual messages he characterised as “love bombing”. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching involving six male complainants. He denies kissing or groping them.

#47 - Part 83

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 9

>>24937178 Christopher Alan Saunders: Outback bishop found guilty of sexually abusing young Aboriginal men - (Video) Former Bishop of Broome Christopher Alan Saunders has been found guilty of sexually abusing young Aboriginal men while serving in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. A District Court jury convicted Saunders, 76, of 12 counts of unlawful and indecent assault and one count of sexual penetration without consent, while acquitting him of six other charges. Seven additional charges had earlier been dropped for insufficient evidence. Three complainants testified that Saunders hosted alcohol-fuelled gatherings at Catholic properties and used wrestling or grappling to facilitate abuse, while allegations also included grooming through alcohol, cigarettes and clothing. Saunders pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence. Current Bishop of Broome Tim Norton apologised for the victims’ suffering and acknowledged their courage in coming forward after years of delay. - WAtoday / 10 News Australia

>>24937185 Former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders guilty of sexually abusing young men - Former Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders has been found guilty of sexually abusing two young Aboriginal men in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. After almost seven hours of deliberations, a District Court jury convicted Saunders, 76, of one count of sexual penetration and 12 counts of indecent assault, while acquitting him of six charges. The court heard Saunders hosted alcohol-fuelled “shirts off” gatherings with young men at Catholic properties, sometimes wrestling or boxing with them. Prosecutors argued he had a sexual interest in young Aboriginal men and acted on it, while his defence challenged the complainants’ memories and credibility. Saunders did not testify and maintained his denials through recorded police interviews. He was remanded in custody and will return for sentencing on September 21. - ABC News Australia

>>24937189 Australian jury convicts former Catholic bishop of sexually abusing 2 men - Former Catholic Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders has been convicted of sexually abusing two young Indigenous men in Western Australia between 2008 and 2019. A jury found Saunders, 76, guilty of 13 of 19 charges, including one count of sexual penetration without consent and 12 indecent assaults, while acquitting him of six charges. Prosecutors alleged Saunders used free alcohol and cigarettes to attract young Indigenous men to male-only gatherings at his church-owned Broome residence. His defence acknowledged the parties could be “boozy” and “sleazy” but denied any sexual conduct. Saunders resigned as bishop in 2021. A Vatican investigation later produced a report provided to Western Australia Police, prompting investigators to reopen their case and charge Saunders in 2024. He will be sentenced on September 21. - ABC News (USA)

>>24937197 Australian former bishop Christopher Saunders convicted on multiple counts of sexual abuse - Former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders has been convicted of sexually abusing two young Aboriginal men between 2008 and 2017. Saunders, 76, was found guilty of 13 charges, including non-consensual sexual penetration, after originally facing 26 charges. Seven were dropped and he was acquitted of six others. Prosecutors said Saunders hosted alcohol-fuelled “shirts off” gatherings and sexually touched young men, while his defence acknowledged “boozy” and “sleazy” behaviour but denied non-consensual sexual activity. Bishop of Broome Tim Norton apologised for the victims’ suffering and said their courage deserved recognition. Police initially investigated Saunders without charging him, but reopened their investigation after receiving findings from a Vatican inquiry. Norton said the convictions had exposed broken trust and division throughout the diocese. - Catholic World Report

#47 - Part 84

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 10

>>24937225 Former Broome Bishop convicted of sexually abusing young indigenous men in WA’s Kimberley - (Video) Former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders has been convicted of sexually abusing two young Aboriginal men in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. A District Court jury found Saunders, 76, guilty of one count of sexual penetration without consent and 12 counts of unlawful and indecent assault, while acquitting him of six other charges. Prosecutors alleged Saunders groomed victims and hosted alcohol-fuelled gatherings funded by the church, with one complainant describing abuse involving kissing, naked wrestling, sexual touching and penetrative sex. Saunders denied the assaults, while his lawyer conceded his behaviour could have been “boozy” and “sleazy” but maintained it was not sexual. Current Broome Bishop Tim Norton apologised to victims and acknowledged broader damage to trust across the diocese, promising greater safety and accountability. - 7NEWS Australia

>>24937261 Australian bishop convicted of sexual abuse - Former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders has been convicted of 12 counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual penetration involving young Aboriginal men. Most charges reportedly concerned one victim who was 16 when the sexual contact began, making him a minor under canon law. Saunders resigned as bishop in 2021 after allegations emerged concerning his conduct and spending on vulnerable young men. An initial police investigation closed without charges, but authorities reopened the case after receiving findings from a Vatican-commissioned Church investigation that reportedly identified patterns consistent with grooming. Saunders was arrested in 2024. Current Broome Bishop Timothy Norton apologised for the victims’ suffering, praised their resilience and pledged a period of “grieving, listening, and walking together” across the diocese. Saunders faces sentencing on September 21. - The Pillar

>>24937309 Bishop Christopher Saunders condemned after sexual abuse conviction - Former colleagues of Christopher Saunders have condemned the former Broome bishop after he was convicted of 13 sexual abuse offences against young Aboriginal men. Former priest Matt Digges described the verdict as “an evil” being called out and praised the victims’ courage, while Faith Workers Alliance chief Chris Bedding said Saunders had betrayed those he was meant to serve. Father John Purnell, who accompanied one victim to police, welcomed the verdict and credited the bravery of the young Indigenous men. Former secretary Cherrille Quilty criticised the Catholic Church for failing to act sooner and noted Saunders technically remains a bishop. Current Broome Bishop Tim Norton apologised for the victims’ suffering and delayed recognition. Saunders, 76, remains in custody ahead of sentencing next month. - ABC News Australia

>>24937354 The downfall of sexual predator Bishop Christopher Saunders - Former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders has been convicted of 13 sexual offences against two young Aboriginal men, including one count of sexual penetration without consent. Allegations first surfaced in 2018, but an initial police investigation closed without charges. A subsequent Vatican investigation produced a 200-page report in 2023 that reportedly identified Saunders as a serial sexual predator and prompted police to reopen their investigation. Saunders was accused of using alcohol, cigarettes, church money and properties to groom vulnerable young men, including through alcohol-fuelled “shirts-off” gatherings where sexual abuse occurred. He resigned as bishop in 2021 but remained in Broome despite a Vatican direction to leave the diocese and retains his bishop emeritus title. Current Broome Bishop Tim Norton has apologised to victims for their suffering and delayed recognition. - ABC News Australia

#47 - Part 85

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 11

>>24937464 Pastoral letter from the Bishop of Broome - "To my sisters and brothers across the Kimberley, The Broome Diocese wishes to acknowledge the verdict handed down in the Perth District Court with respect to multiple charges against the former bishop, Christopher Saunders. We express our gratitude to the Western Australia Police Force and to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of Western Australia for their commitment to bringing this matter before a jury. Most importantly, our diocese acknowledges the courage of victims, survivors and other witnesses who came forward to express their truth. They showed extraordinary resilience and commitment through a long and difficult process. They deserved to be heard with compassion and treated with dignity. We are deeply sorry for the hurt they have experienced. We are sorry for the shame they have endured. We are sorry that it has taken so long for their voices to be heard and for their pain to be acknowledged. We will do all we can to reach out to them for hope and healing."

"We are acutely aware that the victims of this betrayal are not just those who have told their stories to police and before the court. Trust has been broken and wounds of betrayal and division have been exposed across the diocese. The hurt extends to those who have placed their trust in our leadership and our Church. Many who have served their parishes and their communities selflessly have been left with difficult questions and unresolved feelings. How could such a proud, caring and determined diocese that features such remarkable communities and people be home to such a betrayal of trust? How could our diocesan leadership be involved in such heartless events? We can at least respond to these questions with a renewed commitment to ensuring that our diocese today is a place of safety, respect and accountability. From our Cathedral to the most remote communities, we will do all we can to create an environment of trust and openness." - Bishop Tim Norton SVD, Bishop of Broome - 13 August 2026

>>24937493 Statement from President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, regarding the Christopher Saunders case - "The crimes of abuse of which the former bishop of Broome, Christopher Saunders, has been found guilty following a jury verdict in the District Court of Western Australia represent a betrayal of everything the gospel and the Catholic Church stand for. They are a violation of the human dignity of victims and survivors and a complete betrayal of their trust: these crimes deserve the strongest condemnation."

"While the horrors of abuse occur in secret, it is the courage of those who bring these horrors into the open which enables accountability and, through that accountability, the beginning of healing. The persistence of the Western Australia Police Force in pursuing this matter has also been a key element in bringing this matter to trial and opening up the possibility for healing to begin. The bishops of Australia join Bishop Norton in his apology to all those who have been a part of this terrible story. Standing beside him, we too “are deeply sorry for the hurt they have experienced. We are sorry for the shame they have endured. We are sorry that it has taken so long for their voices to be heard and for their pain to be acknowledged. We will do all we can to reach out to them for hope and healing”. The crimes of which Christopher Saunders has been found guilty are offences against both the civil law and the law of the Church. The criminal penalties will be determined by the presiding judge and announced at the sentencing hearing. The Church’s own legal processes, necessarily suspended once the police investigation had begun, continued when the police indicated they were not in a position to proceed. These processes were suspended again once the police, partly on the basis of the Church’s investigations which were made available to them, were able to re-instate their formal enquiries. With the conclusion of the trial the Church’s investigation can now recommence. Decisions about the position of the former bishop of Broome in the Church will therefore be determined by Rome."

"It is distressing, demoralising and humbling that in the Church in Australia we are still being confronted by such dreadful failures and still being challenged by such probing questions. We must never think that the sexual abuse crisis is somehow behind us. We must never relax our vigilance or lower our expectations in relation to safeguarding. There is still much to do." - Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, 14 August 2026

#47 - Part 86

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 12

>>24937549 CHRIS REASON: Unlikely undercover mission behind landmark conviction of ex-Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders - (Video) 7NEWS journalist Chris Reason has detailed the extraordinary six-year investigation that helped expose former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders and preceded his conviction on 13 sexual offences against young Aboriginal men. Acting on information from whistleblowers including Saunders’ former secretary Cherrille Quilty and priest John Purnell, Reason travelled thousands of kilometres across the Kimberley in 2020, secretly filming Saunders’ interactions with vulnerable young men and locating alleged victims. He says an initial police investigation stalled amid concerns complainants would struggle under courtroom scrutiny, while church authorities failed to act decisively until his television investigation prompted Vatican intervention. A subsequent 200-page Vatican inquiry reportedly described Saunders as a “sexual predator”, identified four alleged victims and listed 67 potential grooming targets. After the report was eventually provided to WA Police, detectives reopened the case, undertook an extensive investigation including covert surveillance, and ultimately secured Saunders’ conviction. He remains in custody awaiting sentencing on September 21.

>>24943520 Alan Jones trial: accuser told Ray Hadley, Peter FitzSimons about alleged assaults - (Video) A former Alan Jones staffer has told a Sydney court he disclosed alleged unwanted kissing and touching to friends and later to media figures Ray Hadley and Peter FitzSimons. Complainant “C” said he “broke down sobbing” while telling Hadley that Jones had allegedly grabbed his penis and kissed him in lifts. He subsequently allowed journalist Kate McClymont to report his allegations under a pseudonym. Jones’ barrister Gabrielle Bashir, SC, questioned “C” about flirtatious text messages he exchanged with Jones, suggesting the alleged assaults never occurred. “C” said he communicated that way because Jones was extremely powerful and he wanted to “keep him at bay”. Jones denies 22 charges involving six male complainants between 2003 and 2020.

>>24947429 ‘Get real’: Complainant’s emotional outburst during Alan Jones trial - (Video) A former Alan Jones staffer has angrily rejected suggestions he fabricated allegations that the broadcaster indecently assaulted him, during cross-examination in Sydney. Complainant “C” was questioned by Jones’ barrister Gabrielle Bashir, SC, about flirtatious messages he sent Jones after the alleged unwanted kissing and touching. “C” said the messages did not reflect his feelings but were necessary to maintain relations with the powerful broadcaster, describing them as consistent with someone “groomed for 10 years”. He became emotional after Bashir suggested his messages demonstrated the alleged assaults never occurred, responding: “Get real.” Judge Glenn Walsh refused Bashir’s request to order another response, noting “C” had already been asked 16 times whether he lied about being touched on the penis. Jones denies 22 charges involving six male complainants. Eight indecent assault charges relate to “C”.

>>24954784 Man denies being encouraged to make Alan Jones complaint to benefit radio rival, court hears - A former Alan Jones colleague has rejected suggestions he was encouraged to make assault allegations to help radio host Ray Hadley undermine his 2GB rival. Jones’ barrister Gabrielle Bashir, SC, suggested Complainant C knew Hadley and author Peter FitzSimons disliked Jones and that allegations could benefit Hadley professionally. C denied the claims, saying he did not consider Hadley and Jones rivals and had refused to let FitzSimons publicly identify him. Bashir also questioned affectionate messages C sent Jones after the alleged assaults. C said he had been “groomed to write in that manner”, describing himself as a junior staffer dealing with a man decades older. He said embarrassment and concerns management would not protect him prevented an internal complaint. Jones denies all 22 charges.

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Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 13

>>24964853 Complainant 'distraught' when Alan Jones put hand under table at lunch, trial hears - (Video) A witness at Alan Jones’s trial has testified that Complainant C appeared “distraught” and “in shock” during a 2008 lunch where Jones allegedly touched the man’s upper thigh or groin under the table. The witness said Jones’s left hand was under the table but he could not see what it was doing, while two other attendees appeared startled and amused. He recalled thinking “something bad has happened here” after seeing Complainant C visibly upset and recoil from Jones’s touch after lunch. Defence counsel Michael Burke challenged the witness over differences between his testimony and earlier accounts to police and journalist Kate McClymont, suggesting his recollection had developed over time. The witness rejected this, saying: “I’m here to tell the truth.”

>>24964906 US predator Kyle Spitze who groomed Aussie girl handed record 77-year sentence over sadistic ‘764’ cult - (Video) US predator Kyle Spitze has been sentenced to 77 years in federal prison for crimes linked to nihilistic violent extremist networks 764 and HarmNation, the longest federal sentence imposed on a nihilistic violent extremist. Spitze, 27, pleaded guilty to producing child sexual abuse material, abetting distribution of animal-crushing videos and possessing and accessing child abuse material. The FBI found images of an Australian girl whom Spitze had allegedly groomed and blackmailed into producing explicit material, mutilating herself and carving his name into her body. The abuse began when she was 16, and her mother said she was left with physical and psychological scars. Spitze operated online as “Criminal” and hosted material depicting minors who had self-mutilated with variations of his moniker carved into their bodies. FBI Director Kash Patel said authorities would “relentlessly hold accountable” those who prey on children. US officials said the networks target vulnerable people, coercing them into sexual exploitation, self-harm, animal abuse and potentially mass-casualty violence.

>>24971073 WA government to ban character references for all criminal cases in wake of Western Power rape saga - Western Australia will ban good character references from sentencing in all criminal cases following controversy over references provided for convicted rapist and former Western Power manager Jeffrey David Spinner. Three Western Power employees were stood down after supporting Spinner, whose references contributed to a finding that his offending was “out of character”. Attorney-General Tony Buti said victims could be re-traumatised by hearing offenders described favourably and that supposed good character could facilitate offending. Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the “good bloke” defence should end. The government will introduce legislation next year, bringing WA closer to reforms in NSW and Victoria. An independent cultural review of Western Power has also been ordered following complaints involving bullying, misconduct and alleged historical sexual assault.

>>24971154 NSW Police help dismantle international child abuse networks in global operation - Seven foreign nationals have been arrested after NSW Police helped dismantle alleged international child abuse networks and prevent suspected offending against children. The men, from the United Kingdom, United States, Mexico, Poland and Uruguay, were identified through investigations by Strike Force Trawler and Strike Force Constantine, which analysed online activity before referring suspected offenders to overseas authorities. Arrests included two men in Missouri allegedly linked to online paedophile networks, with a three-year-old child removed from one suspect’s custody. Mexican authorities arrested another man at the US border after NSW detectives warned he allegedly planned to sexually abuse a child known to him. A Gloucestershire man was also arrested over alleged abuse. NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Scott Cook said international co-operation had enabled authorities to rescue children overseas and in Australia. Both investigations remain ongoing.

#47 - Part 88

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 14

>>24985297 Inside extraordinary NSW Police plot to bust alleged global paedophile ring, seven people arrested across five countries - A six-person NSW Police team has helped rescue children and contributed to seven arrests across five countries in an international crackdown on alleged child exploitation. Intelligence developed through Strike Force Constantine and Strike Force Trawler led to arrests in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Poland and Uruguay, including a Missouri case where a three-year-old was placed into child protection. The Sydney-based Victim Identification Team examines images and videos for minute clues that can locate victims and has helped 160 children since January. Detectives infiltrate online networks and intervene when children encounter suspected predators. Detective Chief Inspector Adam Powderly said “the internet has no boundaries”, stressing that NSW Police would pursue threats internationally. Describing his team as “normal people that come to work and do incredible things”, he said officers endure horrific material to protect children. Powderly warned communities against outdated stereotypes of offenders and urged parents to build relationships with children, saying: “We all have a role to play.”

>>24987987 The Sentencing of Kyle Spitze - After nearly three years and five sentencing hearing delays, 764 member Kyle Spitze has finally been sentenced to 77 years in federal prison. - US-based internet investigator Becca Spinks has detailed her observations of the sentencing of 764 member Kyle Spitze, who received 77 years in federal prison for crimes involving child exploitation, extortion, animal torture and explicit satanic motivations. Spitze groomed vulnerable girls online, blackmailing them into producing sadistic material involving sexual abuse, self-harm, humiliation, animal killing and satanic symbols. FBI investigators found material involving at least 30 victims, including a 12-year-old; two identified victims later died by suicide. Victim impact statements described devastating consequences. One mother said, “I hope someone tortures this man like he tortured my daughter.” A teenage victim, left with scars spelling “Crim” and “Harm Nation”, said: “These scars will be on my body until the day I die.” Another wrote, “Kyle has ruined my life.” Prosecutors said he created another satanic cult in jail and continued contacting minor victims after his 2024 arrest.

An Australian victim was among those exploited by multiple 764 members; her mother described a campaign encouraging starvation and self-harm, including an attempt to coerce her daughter into suicide on video. Spitze described himself in jail as a “full-on Satanist”. FBI testimony described a 764 culture steeped in gore, sexual violence, animal torture and satanic imagery, where younger victims increased offenders’ status and increasingly extreme abuse could bring greater notoriety. Defence attorney Jonathan Cooper argued prosecutors were demonising Spitze. Assistant US Attorney Jennifer Kolman responded that Spitze had admitted 764 membership and terror-related motives: “The government didn’t demonize the defendant. The defendant is a demon.”

#47 - Part 89

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 15

>>24988001 Q Post #1735 - There is nothing more precious than our children. Evil has no boundaries. - https://genius.com/Slayer-evil-has-no-boundaries-lyrics - The choice to know will ultimately be yours. - These people are SICK! - https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/07/27/cbs-honcho-les-moonves-will-be-accused-sexual-misconduct-in-latest-ronan-farrow-bombshell-report-says.html - To those who are courageous enough to speak out - we stand with you! You are not alone in this fight. God bless. Q - https://qanon.pub/#1735

>>24988001 Q Post #109 - "St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by the power of God, cast down to Hell Satan and all his evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen." - Amen brother. Q - https://qanon.pub/#109

>>24988001 Q Post #4207 - The Armor of God - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Q - https://qanon.pub/#4207

>>24988001 Q Post #4396 - God wins. Q - https://qanon.pub/#4396

#47 - Part 90

Child Sexual Abuse, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking and Satanism Investigations - Part 16

>>24991436 ‘Distressed’ Alan Jones accuser made graphic complaint - A former colleague of one of Alan Jones’s accusers has testified that the man appeared “agitated” and “distressed” when disclosing alleged indecent assaults by the broadcaster in 2023. The former radio staffer, connected to eight charges against Jones, allegedly said Jones had repeatedly touched him inappropriately, after previously telling his colleague that Jones was in love with him and regularly flirted with him. The disclosure followed contact from journalist Kate McClymont, whose reporting prompted the police investigation leading to Jones’s arrest. Separately, police are investigating a threatening email allegedly sent to former 2GB broadcaster Jason Morrison in relation to his testimony. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty to 22 indecent assault and sexual touching charges involving six men between 2003 and 2023.

>>24994685 Ray Hadley tells Alan Jones trial employee ‘broke down in tears’ alleging assault - (Video) Former 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley has testified that a young employee broke down in tears while telling him in 2019 that Alan Jones had repeatedly sexually assaulted him. Hadley said Complainant C alleged Jones kissed and touched him without consent in locations including 2GB’s lift, Jones’s car and at a lunch, leaving him feeling “embarrassed” and “helpless”. C allegedly refused Hadley’s offers to approach management or police, saying Jones was “too powerful” and disclosure could ruin his career. Hadley later facilitated a conversation between C and journalist Peter FitzSimons and continued checking on his welfare. C subsequently spoke to journalist Kate McClymont in 2023. Jones has pleaded not guilty to 20 indecent assault charges and two sexual touching charges involving six complainants.

>>24998902 Ray Hadley tells court he used homophobic slur against radio rival Alan Jones - (Video) Former 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley has acknowledged using a homophobic slur against Alan Jones and sending hostile messages about his former radio rival, as Jones’s lawyers questioned his motivations. Hadley conceded he was unhappy with Jones and had texted Complainant C in 2023 that he would not “rest until we bury him”, while threatening to attack Jones’s supporters publicly. The court also heard Hadley called Jones offensive names during an earlier confrontation. Defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC questioned Hadley about a secret $4 million contract to replace Jones in 2GB’s breakfast slot, which ultimately fell through. Hadley denied encouraging Complainant C to approach police. Jones has pleaded not guilty to 20 indecent assault charges and two sexual touching charges involving six complainants.

>>25002437 Ray Hadley tells court Alan Jones targeted him over breakfast radio show - Former 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley has testified that Alan Jones targeted him after learning Hadley had secretly contracted to replace him in the station’s breakfast slot. Hadley said Jones considered him disloyal and encouraged staff to “dig up dirt” and undermine him, describing their 35-year relationship as sometimes friendly and sometimes hostile. He acknowledged probably harbouring animosity towards Jones but rejected defence claims that he colluded with Complainant C to “destroy” his former rival. Hadley said a message stating Jones “needs to be destroyed” referred specifically to C’s assault allegations and his commitment to supporting the complainant. He also denied giving false evidence about C’s initial disclosure. Jones has pleaded not guilty to 20 indecent assault charges and two sexual touching charges.

>>25023295 ‘Almost proudly’ anti-Alan Jones: Peter FitzSimons gives evidence in Sydney court - Author and journalist Peter FitzSimons has acknowledged being “almost proudly” anti-Alan Jones while testifying about a 2019 conversation with Complainant C in Jones’s indecent assault trial. FitzSimons said C tearfully alleged Jones repeatedly touched his groin and penis, kissed him without consent and assaulted him in a car, lift and restaurant. Ray Hadley had connected C with FitzSimons, who forwarded contemporaneous notes to investigative journalist Kate McClymont but abandoned pursuing the story after hearing C was “spiralling”. Jones’s barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC questioned FitzSimons about his longstanding public hostility towards Jones and his independence as a potential investigator. FitzSimons acknowledged his criticism but said he considered the allegations a story for McClymont. Jones denies all 22 charges involving six complainants.

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RSL accuses Pauline Hanson of ‘extremely offensive’ attack on Andrew Hastie

SARAH ISON and ELIZABETH PIKE - September 10, 2026

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The Returned Services League has accused Pauline Hanson of being “extremely offensive” to all veterans for her attack on Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie, in a striking intervention that ­intensifies pressure on the One Nation leader.

The feud, sparked by One ­Nation’s release of a satirical video targeting the WA Liberal MP, ­escalated on Thursday after the nation’s 110-year-old veterans organisation, which represents 153,000 Diggers, threw its support behind Mr Hastie against Senator Hanson’s “political stunt”.

RSL national president Peter Tinley said: “I find it offensive that anybody would want to go there and do that. It’s un-Australian.

“No veteran ever deserves to be called a traitor. That is a very, very serious claim, and anybody who’s ever served or had respect for ­anybody who’s ever served in ­uniform, would understand that that word has an extremely ­offensive meaning to it, more so than the glib use of it in a ­political stunt.”

The damning indictment from the RSL, which was founded in the shadows of Gallipoli in 1916, followed firebrand senator and veteran Jacqui Lambie appearing to hold back tears as she accused Senator Hanson of having “no idea of patriotism” and being ­“gutless” in seeking to hide ­“behind a cartoon”.

Senator Lambie, who has a long history of animosity towards Senator ­Hanson, told News 24: “Anybody that hides behind a ­cartoon and goes after a veteran and calls him a traitor, a paranoid traitor and a washed-up, gutless maggot, I have to say you’re a bloody maggot yourself and you’re a coward.

“She has no idea of patriotism, that woman. You don’t attack ­veterans and you don’t stand like a coward behind your goddamn cartoons. That woman is ­disgusting. She’s just disgusting. She has never achieved one bloody thing up here.”

One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce apologised to Mr Hastie on Thursday evening, telling News24 he respected the Liberal frontbencher’s service.

He said questions about the issue were above his “pay grade” as he sought to distance himself from the feud.

“Mr Hastie feels a great umbrance about it and for that I apologise. It (the cartoon) had nothing to do with me, but I apologise,” Mr Joyce said.

The growing condemnation was sparked by Mr Hastie on Tuesday letting loose against Senator Hanson, six weeks after the cartoon was originally published. He promised to make his personal battle against the party “a very costly exercise in time, money and political capital” for One ­Nation.

A former Australian Defence Force major, Mr Tinley helped select Mr Hastie for the SAS and said the WA MP should be respected for his service “both in uniform and out of uniform”.

“I’m not here to referee a fight between politicians,” said Mr Tinley, who served as a WA Labor minister up until last year.

“I wouldn’t get my day job done if I did that. What I am finding offensive here is that you’re calling a veteran a traitor.

“RSL Australia feels that if you attack a veteran for their service, then you are going to be creating an offence against every other veteran that’s ever served.”

(continued)

Spy chief issues terrorism warning on 9/11 anniversary

Andrew Brown - September 11 2026

Transnational terrorism has re-emerged as a significant security concern 25 years on from the September 11 attacks, Australia's spy chief is warning.

In a speech marking a quarter of a century since nearly 3000 people were killed in the largest terror attacks on American soil, ASIO director general Mike Burgess said while the nature of terrorism had changed, some elements have come back.

"Twenty-five years later, transnational terrorism has re-emerged as a significant, malignant security concern," Mr Burgess said in a speech on Friday.

"Al-Qaeda, ISIS and their affiliates are exploiting permissive spaces in the real world and online to grow their capabilities, demonstrating a renewed capacity to conduct and inspire attacks outside their immediate spheres of influence.

"These groups still see western interests as legitimate targets."

Mr Burgess said ASIO had expanded significantly since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001.

The director general revealed ASIO had foiled 33 major terrorism plots since 2014 where an attack was imminent or planning for one was in advanced stages.

Of those, 16 have been disrupted since the Bondi mass shooting in December 2025.

"The alleged cases include a planned anti-Semitic attack, threats to kill Muslims, and an advocate of racist violence allegedly found in possession of weapons and ammunition," Mr Burgess said.

"Of course, ASIO is not all seeing and all knowing. And we do not want to be. We cannot stop every terrorist, just as we cannot catch every spy. But we will continue to work around the clock to keep Australians safe."

The ASIO head said while Sunni violent extremism represented the majority of the case load of the spy agency's work, the terror threats had diversified in the 25 years since September 11.

"It is too simplistic to assume there is a single terrorism threat or a most likely terrorist threat as we did in the aftermath of 9/11," he said.

"Sophisticated mass-casualty attacks have largely been supplanted by individuals or small groups using basic weapons and tactics, making it harder for authorities to detect and intervene."

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9348461/spy-chief-issues-terrorism-warning-on-911-anniversary/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKPZQnkQC_w

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MRF-D Marines attend the 9/11 Memorial Service in Melbourne

Media Magik Entertainment

Sept 11, 2026

U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force - Darwin 26 participate in a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, Sept. 10, 2026. MRF-D is an annual six-month rotational deployment to enhance interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and allies and partners and provide a forward-postured crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific.

#usa #marines #australia

(Footage provided by Staff Sgt. Bryant Rodriguez)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geKZZIw3Dnw

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U.S. Marines tour Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia

Media Magik Entertainment

Sept 10, 2026

U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force - Darwin 26 tour the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, Sept. 9, 2026. The Melbourne Cricket Ground once served as a rest and recuperation base for the U.S. forces during World War II. MRF-D is an annual six-month rotational deployment to enhance interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and allies and partners and provide a forward-postured crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific.

#usa #marines #australia

(Footage provided by Staff Sgt. Bryant Rodriguez)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weclIK7o_3Q

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U.S. Marines and Sailors Showcase at Historic NFL Game in Melbourne

Defense Flash Newz

Sept 12, 2026

History made in Melbourne! Watch U.S. Marines and Sailors with the Marine Rotational Force - Darwin (MRF-D 26) participate in a spectacular showcase at the first-ever National Football League (NFL) game played in Australia.

On September 11, 2026, the worlds of elite military readiness and professional sports collided in Melbourne, Victoria. U.S. Marines and Sailors attached to MRF-D 26 proudly represented the United States Armed Forces during a special showcase at Australia's inaugural NFL game.

Marine Rotational Force - Darwin (MRF-D) is an annual six-month rotational deployment designed to enhance interoperability between the U.S. military, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and other regional allies. This forward-postured crisis response force plays a critical role in maintaining peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Credits: Video by Staff Sgt. Bryant Rodriguez, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin (U.S. Marine Corps video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lF9ay7GZXI