Australian Politics

Foreign Minister Penny Wong was forced to concede that Australia was exporting parts into the F-35 global supply chain but then doubled down. She told ABC Insiders on 16 June: “We have F-35s… we are part of 18 nations who are part of that consortia. We are involved in non-lethal parts…”

The UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) makes no mention of the lethality of the individual parts or components that comprise the weapons (“conventional arms”) it covers.

The Arms Trade Treaty and the Geneva Conventions are clear on human rights responsibilities. Article 6.3 states that a nation-state should not authorise any transfer of conventional arms if it knows at the time that the items would be used in the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity, grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, or other war crimes.

Much more in the article

It's not $238, it's $238 OVER the level of rort that would simply get him a slap on the fingers.

What sort of "crime and punishment" message is sent if this doesn't get him booted?

Full transcription:

Israel kills Palestinian men, women, and children, and then they look around the world and they don't receive a single sanction, a single sanction to stop. They are emboldened and they keep acting. I mean, this motion is a joke. It is a joke "as part of a peace process". What peace process? Israel is carrying out a genocide. Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. It's not a peace process. Why is it that 146 countries could find it within their hearts to recognise Palestine right now. Why is it that the Australian Government refuses?

How is it that when a Labor Senator, Senator Payman, who had the principles and the courage to cross the floor to vote with the Greens to immediately recognise Palestine, why is it that Senator Payman face [sic] more sanctions than Labor has dished out against Israel?

What do you all do? What does this Labor Government do? They can recognise Israel but they can't immediately recognise Palestine. You can't end two-way arms trade. You can't cancel the Elbit Systems contract. You can't sanction Israel. And you should all be deeply, deeply ashamed.

— Max Chandler-Mather MP, Member for Griffith

“We are a party that is built on tolerance, acceptance and a diversity of opinion” one talking point read, accompanied by a note in the margin which declared “SAY THIS PHRASE IN YOUR MEDIA INTERVIEWS TODAY OR PENNY AND I WILL NEVER TALK TO YOU AGAIN!”

I am torn, deeply torn. On one hand, I have the immense support of the rank-and-file members, unionists, the lifelong the party volunteers, who are calling on me to hang in there and to make change happen internally.

On the other hand, I am pressured to conform to Caucus solidarity and toe the party line.

I see no middle ground and my conscience leaves me no choice.

This is fucked reporting right? The quote they use as evidence is her saying something is "in God's hands". Elsewhere articles are run using quotes of her praying to god.

This is like, extremely normal lexicon for even casually religious people right? I'm an atheist with a pretty negative view of religion and to me this looks like pearl clutching.

Lots of extremely normal people say "I am praying for guidance" when they're reflecting on something. That in isolation doesn't mean they expect a hedge to catch fire and tell them what to do...

If our standard is pollies never mention religion then we might want to do some stuff about the Lord's prayer, the oaths, and the magical mace of the Royal cult.

Anthony Albanese said Fatima Payman disrupted the government's messages around cost of living relief by conducting an interview to declare she would cross the floor again to vote in support of Palestinian statehood.

Related coverage:

• ABC: 'Teal-style' Muslim political group to target Labor seats, open to working with Fatima Payman
• The Conversation: Fatima Payman breached ‘caucus solidarity’. What does this mean and why is it so significant?

Distinguished journalist and publisher Julian Assange is free and finally home, but he spent 13 years in detention, of which over 5 years in a high security prison before being sentenced to time served. The empire's clutches reach far and wide. Australia and the United Kingdom accept the US' jurisdictional overreach. The precedent set by his decade and a half of persecution and torture will have lasting consequences for our right to speak and hear of US government crimes. Julian was coerced to plead guilty to the crime of journalism as criminalised by the Espionage Act (1917) even as he believes it is in contradiction with the First Amendment of the US constitution. Today we celebrate Julian's return home to us. Tomorrow we declare our independence.

Key Points

• Senator Fatima Payman has been indefinitely suspended after declaring her intention to cross floor again.
• She said she believes she upheld the party's views with a conscience vote on the issue of Palestinian statehood.
• It is unclear if Payman will remain at the ALP.

“Every community consultation meeting, every study undertaken, all the costings analysis – it’s all in there"

A cross-party delegation of jet-lagged and obstinate Australian parliamentarians arrived in Washington DC last September to advocate for Julian Assange's freedom. Those in the room reflect on how the "robust", and at times "aggressive", meeting went.

Sitting on one side of the long mahogany table were three US departmental officials and a media adviser.

On the other side, as diverse a collection of Australian politicians as you could imagine – Senator Whish-Wilson, his fellow Greens senator David Shoebridge, former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, independent MP Monique Ryan, Labor MP Tony Zappia, and Liberal senator Alex Antic.

Also present was Julian Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton and Rohan Wenn, an adviser to independent MP Andrew Wilkie, who could not make the trip.

"They all picked up on a different piece of the argument — watching them all come together and work together was something else. I was very impressed."

The delegation during the meeting raised several issues including freedom of speech, shifting public sentiment in Australia, the US-Australia alliance, and jurisdictional rights.

The group acknowledged the important roles played by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australia's US Ambassador Kevin Rudd, Assange's family, his legal team, and the Australian people.

"I want to stress it was a small part of a years-long global solidarity campaign, without which Julian's release could not have been achieved," Senator Shoebridge said.

Labor senator Fatima Payman has crossed the floor to vote against her party on a motion related to Palestinian recognition.

It is the first time a Labor politician has crossed the floor while Labor is in government since 1986.

Labor party rules state that all members must vote in line with the position taken by the Labor caucus. It is then up to the caucus to decide on the penalty, which can include suspension from the caucus.

Expulsion from the Labor Party itself is a matter for the party's national executive.

Good to see we take climate change so seriously /s. Ffs 85% ?

• In short: The Albanese government will introduce legislation giving members of the manufacturing division of the CFMEU an opportunity to split from the union.
• While not expressly linked to Victorian CFMEU secretary John Setka’s campaign against the AFL, it follows criticism of his threats to the league.
• What’s next?: The bill will be presented to parliament in the next few weeks.

Labor Senator Fatima Payman defies her party to advocate for the recognition of Palestine

In opposition, our prime minister and the Labor Party were fierce champions of Palestine and passionate voices for justice. I ask that we summon that spirit of old and do the same in power.

See also the Guardian covering her writing the article https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/18/labor-senator-fatima-payman-albanese-government-palestine-israel-gaza-war

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/10841937

Archive/non-paywall link.

• South Australia's government will introduce legislation to ban electoral donations.
• Newly registered political parties and unendorsed candidates would be entitled to receive donations of up to $2,700.
• Premier Peter Malinauskas said the reforms may face legal challenge.

Peter Dutton has finally put a date on when his party will reveal its 2030 emission reduction targets, saying Australians only had to wait another 26 years to see the detail.

“We’re not going to rush into this. We’ll take a measured approach, which means waiting to see how much Australia’s emissions are in 2030, allowing a further two decades to pass, and then putting in place a target that is no longer relevant,” Dutton said today.

“We must not forget that people have the legal right to seek safety and asylum. It is beyond comprehension the Albanese government is continuing Australia’s cruel legacy of banishing people offshore simply because they sought safety by sea, and to prevent political fallout from the opposition.”

Abdel-Raouf said authorities on the island had kept asylum groups separate – and so unable to share information – and restricted people’s ability to contact family members, support agencies or advocacy organisations. Asylum seekers have had smartphones taken from them – and with them access to apps like WhatsApp to communicate with family – replaced by “brick” dumb phones without cameras, which means they cannot take photos to document their detention.

An investigation has been launched into the National Anti-Corruption Commission over its refusal to investigate six public officials referred to it by the Robodebt Royal Commission almost a year ago.