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| IMAGE: The Guardian |
In July 2020 Clarence Valley amateur photographer Derry Moroney used a drone to follow the water upstream from the estuary at Brooms Head to Lake Cakora in Yuraygir National Park.
See @derry_moroney_photography on Instagram.
When 6 January 2021 saw a Trump-incited violent mob storm the U.S. Capitol in an effort to stop formal verification of the Electoral College vote in the 2020 presidential election, Australia also discovered that some in Prime Minister Scott Morrison's circle of friends and colleagues had personal accounts on social media platforms - such as the now deplatformed Parler - where pro-Trump supporters, QAnon followers and white supremacists discussed insurrection, political assassination and the so-called 'stolen elections'.
To make matters worse, federal Liberal MP Craig Kelly spouts dangerously incorrect information concerning medical treatment of COVID-19 infection via the House of Represetnatives' Hansard, Facebook and Twitter, which was "echoed" on Parler.
The Guardian, 11 January 2021:
Government MPs including National George Christensen and Liberal Craig Kelly have criticised social media for censoring Trump’s posts describing the mob who stormed the US Capitol as “very nice people”, arguing he’d also told them to go home “in peace”.
On Sunday, Christensen proposed laws to “stop social media platforms from censoring any and all lawful content created by their users”, an apparent reversal of his current policy on Facebook that “publishers have the right to remove content that goes against the rules or ethos of their publication”……
Kelly and Christensen have both argued that antifa members may have been present in the Capitol mob. Morrison has so far defended his MPs’ right to freedom of speech even in relation to false claims about the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s election.
Albanese told 2SM Radio that the “extremely dangerous” Capitol siege was prompted by “mistruths” and “encouraged by Donald Trump”.
He welcomed the moves by social media companies against Trump, saying: “It’s about time that people weren’t given a platform to spread hatred, to spread lies, which has had consequences for people.”
Albanese also argued Kelly had spread “conspiracy theories” about the treatment of Covid-19, over earlier misleading claims about the effectiveness of hyrdoxychloroquine.
“It’s got to be called out. I can’t understand how someone like Craig Kelly can be allowed to promote these theories, along with George Christensen and others, and remain a part of mainstream society.”
Albanese noted that Kelly, although a backbencher, is also chair of the parliamentary joint committee on law enforcement.
Earlier, Frydenberg said MPs were accountable to their electorates, and regardless of what they said or tweeted “they are democratically elected”.
Canberra Times, 15 January 2021
The argument over free speech has now extended into the farcical.
On Wednesday US time, during the discussion of failed US President Donald Trump's impeachment, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congresswoman and QAnon supporter, wore a mask with the word "censored" emblazoned across it.
She wore the mask while speaking in Congress - because apparently using the microphone to speak was not enough free speech for the conspiracy-loving politician.
Our own politicians are also promoting all brands of nonsense, humiliating Australians on the world stage.
Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack compared the powerful Black Lives matter movement to a band of violent fools storming the US Capitol last week, and was backed up by LNP senator Matt Canavan. Unloved backbencher Craig Kelly, the federal member for Hughes, continues to promote untested remedies for COVID-19 without a word of reprimand from his political masters. George Christensen, the member for Manila , promoted the falsehood that the invasion of the Capitol was a bunch of antifascists (Antifa) in disguise. Help me, God.....
Now Dave Sharma, the federal member for Wentworth, bangs on about free speech.
I don't think I can help either McCormack, Christensen or Kelly, who must be beholden to mystery interests - otherwise why would they behave so strangely? But Dave Sharma, former diplomat, should be another matter, right? Seems like a well-educated guy. Sharma said the deplatforming of Trump from Twitter and elsewhere was "chilling". And, more or less, be careful what you wish for.
The UN General Assembly adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1966. Basically, it says yeah, we all have the right to have an opinion, and to express ourselves freely. But - and this is quite a big but - when we exercise our freedoms, we also have to exercise our responsibilities. For example, that freedom may be "subject to certain restrictions", such as respect for the rights or reputations of others and "the protection of national security or of public order, or of public health or morals"…...
Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Columbia, media release excerpts:
15.01.21 - A retired Pennsylvania firefighter was charged yesterday and arrested today in Pennsylvania in connection with the riots at the U.S. Capitol last week.
Robert Sanford, 55, of Boothwyn, PA, was charged by criminal complaint with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly or disruptive conduct on capitol grounds, civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers while engaged in the performance of official duties.
It is alleged that during the events at the U.S. Capitol, Sanford struck three U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers with a fire extinguisher. A video, recorded by an individual who was present in the crowd, captures when a man throws what appears to be a fire extinguisher at a group of USCP officers protecting the lower west terrace of the Capitol.
The fire extinguisher struck one officer, who was wearing a helmet, in the head; then, the fire extinguisher ricochets striking a second officer, who was not wearing a helmet, in the head; and ricochets a third time and strikes a third officer, wearing a helmet, in the head. After throwing the fire extinguisher at USCP, Sanford leaves the area in the opposite direction. Federal authorities were able to identify Sanford, after receiving a tip on January 12.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the DOJ’s National Security Division, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The cases are being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the United States Capitol Police.
The information contained in the charging documents are merely allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty......
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13.01.21 - Two off-duty Rocky Mount, Virginia police officers were charged yesterday in federal court in the District of Columbia in connection with the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021.
Jacob Fracker and Thomas Robertson were charged by complaint with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Both defendants were arrested on January 13, 2021, in Virginia. It is alleged that during the events at the U.S. Capitol, Fracker and Robertson were photographed in the Capitol building making an obscene gesture in front of the John Stark statue.
On social media, Robertson is quoted as saying, “CNN and the Left are just mad because we actually attacked the government who is the problem and not some random small business ... The right IN ONE DAY took the f***** U.S. Capitol. Keep poking us.” He also stated that he was “proud” of the photo on an Instagram post that was shared to Facebook, because he was “willing to put skin in the game.” On Facebook, Fracker posted a comment that read, “Lol to anyone who’s possibly concerned about the picture of me going around... Sorry I hate freedom? …Not like I did anything illegal…y’all do what you feel you need to.” The post has since been deleted.
These cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the DOJ’s National Security Division, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia. The cases are being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the United States Capitol Police.
The information contained in the charging documents are merely allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty......
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13.01.21 - Defendant, Richard Barnett, who was arrested on Jan. 8, 2021, was charged in an amended complaint yesterday with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without law authority; one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds; and one count of theft of public money, property, or records.
Additional complaints have been submitted in federal court and investigations are ongoing. As previously reported, approximately 40 individuals were arrested and charged in Superior Court with offenses including, but not limited to, unlawful entry, curfew violations, and firearms-related crimes.
The cases are being prosecuted by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. The cases are being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by: the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York; the FBI’s New York Field Office; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin; the FBI’s Milwaukee Field Office; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida; the FBI’s Tampa Field Office; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho; the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; the U.S. Attorney's Office for Maryland; and the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office......
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10.01.21 - Two men were charged today in federal court in the District of Columbia in connection with the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021.
Larry Rendell Brock, of Texas, was charged with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Brock was arrested today in Texas.
It is alleged that Brock was identified as one of the individuals who unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol wearing a green helmet, green tactical vest with patches, black and camo jacket, and beige pants holding a white flex cuff, which is used by law enforcement to restrain and/or detain subjects.
Eric Gavelek Munchel, of Tennessee, was charged with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Munchel was arrested today in Tennessee.
It is alleged that Munchel was inside of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Photos depicting his presence show a person who appears to be Munchel carrying plastic restraints, an item in a holster on his right hip, and a cell phone mounted on his chest with the camera facing outward, ostensibly to record events that day.
These cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the DOJ’s National Security Division, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. The cases are being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the FBI’s Dallas Field Office, the FBI’s Memphis Field Office and the United States Capitol Police.
The information contained in the charging documents are merely allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty......
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| IMAGE: The Chronicle |
This member of the NSW Legislative Assembly who never saw a timbered block of land he didn't want to clear fell and who was rightly labelled 'Koala Killer' during the Northern Rivers fightback against the threat to koala habitat he, his party and their political donors represent, now has the hide to wave a pitifully small amount of money in front of the electorate's eyes in an attempt to paint himself as very concerned for the fate of Clarence Valley koalas.
It's enough to make one nauseous.
Clarence Valley Independent, 13 January 2021:
Clarence Valley Council has secured a $3900 grant from the NSW Government to help protect local koalas from dog attacks, Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis has announced.
“This is part of a comprehensive Government strategy to boost the local population with the help and support of local landholders who are ultimately the koalas’ best friends,’ Mr Gulaptis said.
“Preventing these injuries to koalas and other native wildlife will help the recovery of koalas and other native wildlife following the devastating 2019-20 summer bushfires.
“The smallest mouthing or bite by a dog can cause serious injury or death, and the situation is always very distressing for koalas, carers and dog owners alike,” Mr Gulaptis said.
“This funding will ensure dog owners are aware of the risk of injury their dogs can cause to koalas and other native wildlife, and prevent these injuries from happening in the first place.”......
Crikey, 12 January 2021:
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| SCOTT MORRISON AND DONALD TRUMP (IMAGE: AAP/MICK TSIKAS) |
Donald Trump may have lit the match that caused his country’s turmoil, but it was Rupert Murdoch who crammed the joint full of explosives.
His systematic manipulation and radicalisation of the American right-wing polity at large, and the Republican Party in particular, should ring alarm bells throughout our nation, including in the office of the prime minister.
Over the past 25 years, Murdoch has used his Fox News network to unite American conservatives under his banner and shift them from the centre right to the far right with an intoxicating diet of grievance-driven, race-fuelled identity politics.
By the time Trump announced his presidential campaign, these voters had been indoctrinated into a universe of “fake news”, “alternative facts” and elaborate conspiracy theories. The operational definition of fake news, in the eyes of the Trump presidency, became anything other than Fox News.
After some initial disagreements, Murdoch backed Trump all the way to the White House. And they kept in lockstep throughout the Trump presidency.
Trump would often repeat publicly the talking points he’d picked up from Fox. Newt Gingrich, the former Republican speaker, recommended booking interviews on Trump’s favourite shows as among the most effective ways of communicating directly with the Oval Office. And nothing delighted Murdoch’s swaggering ego, hard-right ideology and business tax interests more.
Fox covered up for Trump’s mistakes, trying desperately to keep track with his shifting claims about the mildness or severity of the coronavirus.
When Fox’s news reporters found nothing newsworthy in documents relating to Joe Biden’s son Hunter, Murdoch’s New York Post (under the watchful eye of his leading Australian henchman Col Allan) swooped in by pressuring junior reporters to put their names to its dubious front page story.
Like Trump, Murdoch’s news outlets also gave succour to the dangerous QAnon cult, with the devastating consequences witnessed in Washington last week.
It is now beyond time for Scott Morrison to stand up and denounce QAnon before it can fully take root here in Australia. Even if it strains the prime minister’s personal friendships with members of the far right, he should send the sort of crystal-clear signal that Trump proved himself unable to before it was too late.....
Read the full article here.
Personally, I believe it is too late to save Scott Morrison from himself. He lacks the ability for genuine self-examination.
Morrison was always attracted to Donald Trump, as one flimflam man often admires another more successful confidence trickster.
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| SNAPSHOT: Peter van Onselen |
Scotty from Marketing has clearly drunk the QAnon-Trump Kool Aid, wrapped himself in his personal closet racism, his foreign Legion of Merit medal and those evangelical & pentecostal contacts he appears to prize above the interests of the Australian nation, so that he is now willingly protecting those members of his own government who are just the sort of greedy, self-interested, ignorant crazies who have driven American society into the ground.
Under cover of the public heath emergency created by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Berejiklian Government is still not genuinely moving to save koala populations in New South Wales from extinction.
The Liberal Party leadership is still paralysed by the blackmail threats of National Party leader and MLA for Monaro John Barilaro - and so Liberal MLA for Hornsby Matt Kean in his conflicted role of Minister for Energy and Environment is doing little except mouthing soothing platitudes and making empty promises.
Because logging remaining native forests on Crown and private land - for woodchip, logs, sawn & dressed timber and biomass for power station/s - is what Liberal and Nationals shadowy political donors, greedy logging companies and developers hungry for cheap land are insisting needs to happen.
People in the Northern Rivers region are noticing.
I see #koalakiller is trending again. @GladysB if you don't want to see this keep trending, solutions are simple - 1st you need local koala coordinators & local koala community action plans for each population, then you need to fund them. Each population has its own needs🙏🐨💖 pic.twitter.com/Yy8RERhdEY
— Maria Matthes (@talkingkoala) January 12, 2021
The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 January 2021:
Koala advocates say the NSW government is not doing enough to save the animal from extinction after it backed without qualification a quarter of the recommendations of an upper house inquiry into the marsupial's populations and habitat.
In its formal response into the koala inquiry, the government supported 11 of the 42 recommendations, while offering "support in principle" to 17 others.
It "noted" the remaining 14. Among the recommendations supported was the suggestion the government rule out opening old-growth forests within the state reserve for logging, and that it create Georges River National Park to secure habitat on Sydney's southern fringe.
However, it only "noted" the call to investigate setting up a Great Koala National Park in northern NSW.
“Recommendations such as the government urgently investigates the ‘utilisation of core koala habitat on private land and in state forests to replenish koala habitat lost in the bushfires’ appear to be rejected out of hand," Cate Faehrmann, the Greens MP and chair of the upper house committee, said.
“Many of the key recommendations, the vast majority of which were supported by all committee members because they are what needs to be done to save koalas from extinction, seem to have been rejected outright."
The inquiry's report, released last June, found koalas were on track for extinction in the wild in NSW before 2050 with habitat loss the main driver of their demise. Environment Minister Matt Kean said in the following month that he would set a goal to double the numbers of the animals - believed to be as few as 15,000 to 20,000 - by 2050.....
