Turned to writing at 60, reckon that'll do for the next 30 years, then I'll become a musician - after that, who knows, maybe a wizard...
Human Rights Commission accepts complaint against Peter Dutton
The Australian Human Rights Commission has accepted a group legal action against Peter Dutton under Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act, accusing him of discrimination and inciting racial hatred. Kim Wingerei with the update. The complaint by a group of 10...
$1.6b handout to Telstra’s Andy Penn to head off the Chinese
Why was Telstra slotted $1.6b by the Morrison government to buy Digicel, and how is it Telstra shares slumped by one-third during the bull market? It’s corporate welfare on steroids. Another bizarre intervention in what Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg like to...
Crossword clues and bullying: the almighty power of the Australian pro-Israel lobby
The influence of Colin Rubenstein and his lobby group does not just limit what mainstream media outlets dare publish, it forces self-censorship on editors and journalists alike, writes John Lyons in his latest book. In 2019, Fairfax’s Sydney and Melbourne...
The voices of independents being heard and aiming high
There is a strong feeling of change in many electorates around Australia. The “Voices Of” movement is gathering steam as more than 30 such groups are looking to field candidates at the next federal election. The recent announcement of Kylea Tink as an independent...
The Norwegian election was fought and won on climate policy. Are there lessons for Australia?
Despite its lowest polling in 20 years, the Norwegian Labour Party will form a coalition government after a campaign largely focussed on the environment and renewable energy. Is this a sign of things to come for our federal election? Norway is in a unique position. It...
Pandemic paranoia – the penal colony strikes back at those pesky Australians who left
Ever since the pandemic started, Australia has restricted the ability of its citizens to travel overseas in ways few other countries outside of North Korea have done. It is now using the biosecurity laws to also deter those who live overseas from coming back. On...
Is the ACCC protecting telco consumers or fattening up NBNCo for sale?
This post was featured in Michael West Media (michaelwest.com.au) on 31 July 2021. Is the ACCC helping the Government get the best price for the sale of NBNCo? The competition regulators are doing consumers no favours hindering investment in new telco infrastructure....
The world is in a crisis of our own making – is it sowing the seeds of change?
The world is in a crisis. And many of our leaders are failing us. People are despondent, angry and sad, many unable to see their loved ones, many more not knowing how to cope. There is no end in sight, unless we look beyond the concreted corridors of power....
The digital media farce continues as nothing changes
Nine Entertainment is the latest of the old media companies to announce deals with Google and Facebook. For a fraction of what they once thought they deserved, and without any of the benefits to consumers which the Digital Bargaining Code bill purported to provide. In...
Minister hands special Statement of Expectations to the ACCC – what is going on behind the scenes?
The Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, has issued a special Statement of Expectations (SoE) to the ACCC regarding its telecommunications-related functions on 9 October 2020. This new SOE apparently sits alongside the generic SoE...