The Trump ascendancy has, and not for the first time, posed a simple question to Australian foreign and defence policy makers: what limits are to be put on the national tolerance of egregious behaviour by the United States? What is apparent now (even if many ignored it before) is the accelerating transformation of this country’s closest, and dominant ally into an oligarchal Christian fascist state. It is a change which cannot be ignored; moreover, it is one that should give pause to all joint ventures. (more…)
Judy Hemming
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Justice miscarried: The unanswered questions of the McBride verdict
The sentencing verdict of David McBride gives rise to question that, if unaddressed, will haunt the Australian Defence Force (ADF) forever. (more…)
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American Fascism: A prior question to the AUKUS arrangements
The criticisms of the AUKUS arrangements announced by the government are entirely warranted, as is the outrage that has accompanied them, but, strangely, they miss a point which should have preceded them. And that has to do with the political complexion of the United States itself; in brief, it faces the world as a troubled and corrupt actor, neither united as a nation, nor even as a state. (more…)
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The further hollowing out of ethics and education in Australia’s universities
Employment issues have now joined many other pathologies and are plaguing the higher education sector — according to recent accounts, 40,000 jobs in the university sector have been lost in a year.
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The Marines in Darwin, the governments dereliction, and sexual assault: predictability all round
The Australian Government needs to reassess its agreement that allows the US Marines to “rotate” through Darwin, especially in the light of the expansionist nature of this agreement. The cause is straightforward: sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape against female members of the Australian Defence Force. And these occur at a time when such offences have reached epidemic proportions in the US and Congress has mandated radical reforms. (more…)