IndyWatch Bellingen NSW All Topics Summary Archiver

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Friday, 07 April

23:38

Jordan Peterson spot on the money about Ukraine "IndyWatch Feed National"

Im NOT interested in arguing the Russia ~ Ukraine war. Pick your own side and view. This however should make you think a little more .. on the moneyliterally ! pic.twitter.com/QuvFuwHdxI (@beamailuc) April 7, 2023

22:58

Farewell Carolyn and thanks "IndyWatch Feed National"

Carolyn was a regular keynote speaker on school gardens at the early annual Community and School Garden gatherings.

The post Farewell Carolyn and thanks appeared first on CGA.

18:00

A Truth Hunter and Lay Lawperson: Elias Davidsson "IndyWatch Feed National"

Photo: from Periscope Film, in a video of 1940s travelogue in Palestine, at YouTube

by Mary W Maxwell, LLB

There must be thousands of citizens around the world who do what Elias Davidsson was devoted to doing.  Namely, they refuse to accept facts that a government proclaims but which are patently untrue. And/or they work hard to obtain justice for individuals or groups who are wrongly maligned. Or tortured, as the case may be.

I am not sure which matter got Elias started on his truth-and-justice career. It may have been the kicking out of Palestinians from their homes in the 1940s when he himself lived in Palestine. Sim...

15:12

PODCAST: Fred Chaney calls for mobilisation of citizenry to deliver #UluruStatement "IndyWatch Feed National"

FRED CHANEY TALKS with Margo Kingston the day after the federal Liberal Party decided to officially oppose the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Chaney helped establish the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia before entering the Australian Parliament as a Senator for WA. He was Aboriginal Affairs Minister in the Fraser government. After leaving politics at []

14:55

Magnificent new video from President Trump on his persecution in New York "IndyWatch Feed National"

NEW VIDEO: The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. And now, these radical left lunatics want to interfere with our elections by using law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/GAtnkFvbVv Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) April 6, 2023

12:57

TRT World TV interview on violence against Al-Aqsa "IndyWatch Feed National"

Following days of Israeli violence against Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, I was interviewed by global broadcaster TRT World.

The post TRT World TV interview on violence against Al-Aqsa appeared first on Antony Loewenstein.

12:44

Ken Wyatt was in talks years ago to defect to Labor "IndyWatch Feed National"

The Canberra media is hysterical about the significance of Ken Wyatt quitting the Liberal Party over Dutton's decision to oppose the YES campaign for the Voice gesture. Truth is, old man Ken has been trying to get out of the Libs for ages - it just suited him to stay...

12:18

Happy Friday: A Bubble Puppy A Puppy That Lives In A Bubble! "IndyWatch Feed National"

If youre familiar with the hit sitcom Seinfeld, then youd be aware of one of the best episodes they ever made, The Bubble Boy. Thats right, a boy that lives in a bubble.

Well, meet Sally, a baby dog that spent her early days also in a bubble. Happy Friday, and youre welcome.

 

The post Happy Friday: A Bubble Puppy A Puppy That Lives In A Bubble! appeared first on New Matilda.

12:12

Patricia Karvelas has a considerable 'glass jaw'. "IndyWatch Feed National"

Patricia can give it but can't take it. There's newspaper criticism today of her giving a free kick 'interview' to an activist for the YES campaign, who was allowed 16 minutes to attack Peter Dutton unchallenged. That's called taking a side ... or perhaps just shit journalism. But because Karvelas...

11:02

The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly on Mar-a-lago Trumps Arraignment "IndyWatch Feed National"

Introduction by DM

Ive been following JP for a long time and he always delivers a laugh. A summary of democracy.

 

 

The post...

05:12

2GB - How the mighty have fallen. "IndyWatch Feed National"

This is 2GB doing a live show today (Thursday) from the Royal Easter Show. Just a few years ago, in the Alan Jones days, it would be standing room only. Similarly with Hadley , Chris Smith, George and Paul. Today, not even a dial a crowd. Very sad for the...

00:15

Parliamentary joint committees make recommendations to Australian Government concerning covert powers for the federal Anti-Corruption Commission and government decision-making in relation to armed conflict "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"


Parliamentary Joint Committee supports covert powers for federal Anti-Corruption Commission 


Medianet Press Release, 29 March 2023:




Committee supports covert powers for Anti-Corruption Commission

_____________________________________________

Parliament of Australia

_____________________________________________

...

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Thursday, 06 April

23:52

Foxs own fact checking team knew the claims of election fraud were false "IndyWatch Feed National"

One of the nice things about legal opinions is that, although often long, they tend to lay out the facts of a case in an ordered, chronological manner, making it easy to understand what the case is all about. I have been reading the ruling by the Delaware judge Eric Davis on the defamation case brought by Dominion voting systems against Fox News Network (FNN) and its parent company Fox Corporation (FC) and I learned some new things. It appears that Fox News has a research department called the Brainroom that is called upon to give definitive answers to questions and as early as November 13, 2020 (just 10 days after the election on November 3) they said that the fraud claims were rubbish. And yet, Fox continued to make the allegations for weeks and weeks after that.

Here is the relevant section on pages 17-18:

FNN has a centralized research department called the Brainroom that conducts internal fact-checking. On November 13, 2020, the Brainroom completed a fact-check regarding the Dominion allegations, which stated:

  • There was no evidence of widespread fraud.
  • Claims about Dominion switching or deleting votes are 100% false and claims that votes for Former President Trump were deleted are mathematically impossible.
  • Dominion has no company ownership relationships with any member of the Pelosi family, the Feinstein family, or the Clinton Global Initiative.
  • The U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has debunked viral claims about the existence of a secret CIA program for vote fraud called Hammer and Scorecard.
  • No credible reports or evidence of any software issues exist.
  • Claims about software updates being done the night before Election Day are 100% false.
  • There are no issues with the use of Sharpie pens related to hand-marked paper ballots.
  • All U.S. voting systems must provide assurance that they work accurately and reliably as intended under federal U.S. Election Assistance Commission and state certification and testing requirements.131


On November 21, 2020, Mr. Komissaroff asked the Brainroom to get . . . the facts about the Dominion situation and separate facts from fiction. The Brainroom forwarded Mr. Komissaroff the November 13 fact-check it had previously completed. Mr. Komissaroff testified that he put in the request after being asked to do so by Mr. Lowell and either Mr. Wallace or Ms. Scott. Mr. Clark confirmed that if the Brainroom concluded that the allegations against Dominion were false, the allegations should not have been aired.

The people mentioned is this excerpt are not lowly underlings but occupy the top echelons of FNN and FC: Alan Komissaroff...

22:53

Australia: Executive Donkeys and War Powers Reform "IndyWatch Feed National"

All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the Translate Website button below the authors name.

To receive Global Researchs Daily Newsletter (selected articles), click here.

Click the share button above to email/forward this article

The post Australia: Executive Donkeys and War Powers Reform appeared first on Global Research.

20:02

Answering Awais Aftab: When it Comes to Misleading the Public, Who is the Culprit? "IndyWatch Feed National"

On March 27, Mad in America published a review of a viewpoint in JAMA Psychiatry that told of how psychiatry did not have evidence of successful outcomes. This prompted psychiatrist Awais Aftab to write a blog critical of our science reporting, with the March 27 report exemplifying our failure. He led his blog with a quote describing rationalisation markets, which was meant to describe our insidious impact:

Rationalisation markets provide a helpful framework for understanding why certain information can often be so misleading even when it is accurate. To the extent that pundits or media organization exist not to inform, but rationalize, their insidious impact often lies not in the strict falsity of their content but in the way in which it is integrated and packaged to support appealing but misguided narratives.

Mad in America gets criticized all the time, and for the most part, we just ignore it. Aftab has criticized us before, and so this too is nothing new. However, his criticism in this instance provides us with an opportunity not to be passed up, as it illuminates why Mad in Americas science coverage is so threatening to psychiatry.

Aftab has staked out a position as being open-minded to critiques of psychiatry, and that is a public stance that makes him particularly valuable to his profession. He can serve as a defender of psychiatry against critiques that are truly threatening, and his criticisms will be seen as coming from someone who is open-minded about psychiatrys flaws.

Mad in America certainly offers a critique that is threatening to psychiatry, as our mission statement makes clear.

Mad in Americas mission is to serve as a catalyst for rethinking psychiatric care in the United States (and abroad). We believe that the current drug-based paradigm of care has failed our society, and that scientific research, as well as the lived experience of those who have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, calls for profound change.

Our mission statement tells of a failed paradigm of care, with that failure documented in the scientific and medical literature. This is an assertion that psychiatry cannot let stand.

As such, Aftabs criticismwhich states that our coverage has an insidious impact because it is packaged in a manner that supports a misguided narrativeprovides us with the chance to ask this question: Is it Mad in America that misleads the public? Or is it psychiatry, as an institution, that is guilty of this sin?...

19:10

The Judiciary Thwarts All Truthers "IndyWatch Feed National"

(L) The bus at Tavistock Sq, on 7/7, Photo: NPR.com (C) Heraldry of the legal fraternity in UK (R) Baroness Hallett
(L) The bus at Tavistock Sq, on 7/7, Photo: NPR.com (C) Heraldry of the legal fraternity in UK (R) Baroness Hallett

by Mary W Maxwell

If you are of the Baby Boomer generation, you can recall when we Americans took it for granted that justice could be achieved in a court, thanks to Rule of Law.  In Chapter 10, I emoted about the loss of law in England. Judge Hallett did not let the facts of the London bombing get aired. Makes you wonder what she thinks her job is. The same can be said for American law; it does not have supporters in high places.

In regard to 9/11, never was a court used to solve any part of the crime. No trial was needed for dead hijackers. Actually, they did not die on planes; we dont know where they were killed off. Or maybe they were only fictional characters to begin with. A few of them contacted media or government immediately to say they had nothing to do with 9/11.

This chapter will discuss efforts that were made to bring the situation to a judge, any judge. Many who filed a case outside of New York were told that they had to go to Judge Heller-steins federal court in the US Southern District of New York, the SDNY.  Supposedly he was rand...

18:49

Ex-Principal Extradited From Israel Is Convicted of Abuse in Australia Malka Leifer "IndyWatch Feed National"

Ex-Principal Extradited From Israel Is Convicted of Abuse in Australia

Malka Leifer, who had led an ultra-Orthodox Jewish girls school in Melbourne, was found guilty of sexually abusing students more than 15 years ago.

A woman in handcuffs, dark clothes and a head covering is led by one security officer and surrounded by several more as they walk down a cement-walled hallway.
Malka Leifer being brought to a courtroom in Jerusalem in 2018.CreditMahmoud Illean/Associated Press

By Yan Zhuang

April 3, 2023

The former principal of a girls school in Melbourne, Australia, was found guilty Monday on 18 charges of sexually abusing two student...

18:34

Binance Australia Derivatives license canceled by securities regulator "IndyWatch Feed National"

In February, Binance Australia Derivatives abruptly closed certain derivatives positions and accounts, citing investor classification compliance.

18:03

GKP S5/E9 NPC Templates, AstraZeneca Discontinued, Micronations "IndyWatch Feed National"

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-gzdir-13d7d93 Gday folks, On tonights show the boys are back together for a great discussion. Have you noticed that it seems like people around us (the NPCs) seem to only react to you when theres some sort of interaction that needs to take place, otherwise they seem to go back to that automaton type behaviour? []

17:42

AstraZeneca vaccine discontinued in Australia "IndyWatch Feed National"

READ MORE AT TOTT NEWS Its the end of an era, ladies and gentlemen, for...

16:06

Noel Pearson Brands Dutton An Undertaker Preparing To Bury Uluru Statement "IndyWatch Feed National"

BREAKING NEWS: Noel Pearson, one of the architects of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, has slammed the Liberal partys opposition to the Voice referendum, calling the decision a Judas betrayal and accusing party leader Peter Dutton of being an undertaker preparing the grave to bury the Uluru statement.

Speaking on ABC Radio, Pearson, who has attempted to convince conservatives of the merit of the voice concept for years, was scathing of Duttons decision, calling it very sad. He said he believes the Liberal party is greatly out of step with the sentiment of the Australian people on the issue.

I couldnt sleep last night, Pearson said. I was troubled by dreams and the spectre of the Dutton Liberal partys Judas betrayal of our country.

Theyve had 11 years of power to work on a proper proposal for recognition and the decision theyve taken yesterday is a very poor outcome. I see the leader of the Liberal party, Mr Dutton, as an undertaker preparing the grave to bury [the Uluru statement].

Noel Pearson, one of the architects of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

The Liberal party has formally resolved to oppose the referendum for a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament. Instead, it proposed symbolic constitutional recognition of Indigenous people along with local and regional voices set up by legislation. Symbolic constitutional recognition was rejected in the detailed consultation processes leading up to the Uluru statement.

Pearson said Dutton was on a unity ticket with his former leader Tony Abbott, and One Nations Pauline Hanson, who are both opposed to the Voice.

I believe that the Liberal party is greatly out of step with the sentiment of the Australian people on this issue, and we will succeed notwithstanding their very disappointing stance, he said.

I am certain that every attempt to try and kill Uluru and bury it will not succeed. The Australian people will rise to the historic opportunity we have to achieve reconciliation at last.

Pearson added that the former Coalition government had over a decade in office to secure constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which was part of the partys platform.

In other developments,...

15:34

Road Butterflies "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

At the moment butterflies are everywhere, including, unfortunately, smashed on the windscreen of my car.

Thereve been many years where there have been grasshoppers throwing themselves in front of speeding vehicles (I dont think they intend to). Craig and I had one trip to Swan Hill years ago where we had to keep stopping and scraping off the deceased from the windscreen so that we could see where we were going. Each one landed with a greasy thwack.

Austrogomphus cornutus image from Canberra Nature Map

A few months ago, it was dragonflies. As they are predators, its the sign of a rich year when they have plenty of other insects for food. They are pretty fast, and you rarely hit them. I dont remember a year with so many cruising about before. Unfortunately I never got close enough to them to identify what species they were, since there...

14:01

Politicians & Scandals Always "IndyWatch Feed National"

 

QUESTION: I recall there was some scandal between a bank that failed and Senator Dodd of the Dodd-Frank bill that revised banking. Do you have anything on that?

Thank you for being the only reliable sources these days

RK

ANSWER: You must be referring to the 2008 Countrywide Financial Scandal. There was a political loan scandal in 2008-2009 that involved U.S. politicians who allegedly received favorable mortgage rates. In June 2008 Conde Nast Portfolio reported that numerous Washington, DC politicians over recent years had received mortgage financing at noncompetitive rates at Countrywide Financial because the corporation placed the officeholders in a program called FOAsFriends of Angelo, Countrywides Chief Executive Angelo Mozilo.

The politicians who obtained such favorable financing included the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Kent Conrad (D-ND). Countrywides political action committee had also made large donations to Dodds campaign.

...

14:00

Australian Dollar and Bitcoin "IndyWatch Feed National"

1.00 AUD = 0.00002 BTC
0.00010 BTC = 4.20 AUD
Converter

13:57

Matt Walsh is brilliant "IndyWatch Feed National"

I asked a trans woman to explain how he knows that hes a woman. The answer was about as coherent as youd expect pic.twitter.com/sBEOnn5VFq Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 5, 2023 A trans EMT tried to use his medical training to prove that sex is not binary. He ran into...

13:49

Commercial Waste Management System A Guide "IndyWatch Feed National"

<p>Every business will inevitably produce waste. The generation, treatment, and disposal of waste are not just an environmental concern. It can also affect a businesss bottom line and reputation. But with an appropriate waste management system, businesses can implement strategies to reduce, reuse and <strong>recycle waste</strong>, while minimising the costs associated with waste management.</p> <p>The Victorian EPAs waste control program DOES SOMETHING four-level hierarchy based in order or preference:</p> <ul> <li>Avoidance (waste reduction)</li> <li>Reuse & recycling

  • Recovery of energy
  • Treatment & disposal

While reduce, reuse, recycle is the common best practice process, in reality its not as simple as that. Different industries will have very different waste management requirements. This will greatly affect how they structure their waste management systems, including legislation and guidelines they must adhere to, disposal best practice and what should be included in waste management audits. A <strong>waste management</strong> system for a construction company will look very different to a system designed for a hospital or food processing plant.</p> <p>So lets have a look at a few tips for structuring a waste management system that will reduce waste, ensure its disposed of and processed in the best possible way and maybe even save money for your business.</p> <h2>Waste Audit</h2> <p>Before you start to plan out your waste management system, its important to carry out a waste audit.</p> <p>A <a href= "https://fieldmanswaste.com.au/commercial-rubbish-removal-melbourne/" rel="noopener" target="_blank" title= "Commercial Waste Management Services"><strong>commercial waste management</strong></a> audit is a detailed evaluation of an organisations waste management processes. It typically involves compiling information about the quantities and types of materials generated and disposed of, along with analysing this data to uncover ways to reduce waste. The goal is often to achieve cost savings through improved efficiency in managing trash collection and disposal.</p> <p>During an audit, it may be necessary to take physical measurements of a facilitys waste stream and analyse documents associated with the handling and disposal process. Additionally, interviews with staff are often conducted as part of the audit in order to gain a thorough understanding of how materials are moved within the organisation. After completing the audit, reports will be provided that outline potential improvements for reducing unnecessary waste accumulation.</p> <p>There are three common methods of conducting a commercial waste audit: records assessments, facility inspections, and waste sorting. Depending on how comprehensive the audit, one or all of these approach...

13:15

Pan-African News Wire "IndyWatch Feed National"

Sudanese Parties opt for Collegiate Transitional Presidency

Sovereign Council in a regular meeting on December 27, 2021

April 4, 2023 (KHARTOUM) -The parties engaged in the political process reached an agreement to establish a collegial head of state and a legislative council as integral components of the upcoming transitional authority in Sudan.

The draft final political agreement handed over to the parties last week left unresolved two options for the post of the Head of State: individual or collegiate presidency and suggested that the members of the  Transitional Legislative Council be between 150 and 300 members.

Following a meeting held on Tuesday, credible sources told Sudan Tribune, that the committee tasked with drafting the final political agreement proposed the formation of a Sovereignty Council consisting of seven to nine members, including the leaders of the armed movements.

The sources suggested that the Sovereignty Council be composed of nine members to ensure the representation of three of the signatories to the peace agreement.

The Juba peace agreement of October 3, 2020, granted 25 per cent of the executive authority to the former armed groups. After that, the peace signatories agreed with the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) to give them three seats in the Sovereignty Council.

In the past months, the military leaders voiced their preference for one president because the head of the state is also the commander-in-chief of the army. But; some leaders of the armed groups said the collegiate presidency would allow them to be represented.

According to the sources, The meeting also agreed that the legislative council consists of 300 members and the government be composed of 26 ministers.

For his part, the spokesman of the political process Khalid Omer Youssif said that the drafting committee included the observations made by the military and civilian parties in the draft final agreement, in preparation for submitting it to the political mechanism.

Youssif added that the final agreement is now rea...

12:35

GemLife pushes plans for seniors estate on ecologically sensitive West Ballina land "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Part of the land proposed to be developed, on Burns Point Ferry Road West Ballina. Photo David Lowe.

A proposed seniors housing estate featuring nearly 150 units on ecologically sensitive West Ballina land protected by recent rezoning is subject to a Northern Regional Planning Panel assessment process.

GTH Resorts, marketing as GemLife, is the developer behind the application to build on land at West Ballinas River Street and Burns Point Ferry Road.

The companys determination to build on the land comes despite a Land and Environment Court finding of the site as ecologically sensitive, a subsequent Ballina Shire Council decision to rezone it accordingly, and the states planning department approving the councils rezoning request.

Information about the latest GemLife DA for West Ballina on the councils website says the development comes under the State Environmental Planning Policy on Housing from 2021 and can bypass local government approval processes.

Ecologically sensitive land under threat

The councils disempowerment from the planning process comes after years of controversy over GemLifes development aspiratio...

12:27

Joanne Walsh, 8 July 1958 14 March 2023 "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Jo Walsh. Photo Anne ZahalkaJo Walsh. Photo Anne Zahalka

The Byron Shire lost a much-loved resident with the death of Joanne (Jo) Walsh on 14 March 2023. Together with her husband, Mick ORegan, and their infant son, Vincent, Jo moved from Sydney in the late 1990s to be close to her extended family, and to establish her own environmental management business in Byron Bay. The family settled into a shared property on the outskirts of Bangalow in 2004. From her first days in Byron Shire, Jo worked tirelessly to utilise her deep knowledge of soil and water to aid both rural producers and local government personnel to improve environmental outcomes. As she so often said, good soil and clean water underpins everything.

Jo Walsh was the third daughter and youngest child of Bill Walsh and Doreen Murdoch, who emigrated from England in 1955. While her elder siblings were UK-born, Jo was the Aussie baby. Her childhood was spent in Sydneys beachside suburbs of Clovelly and Randwick. Always a bright spark and a natural leader, she was the School Captain of Clovelly Public School. After attending Sydney Girls High, she went on to Sydney University where she graduated with an Arts degree in History and Spanish. Her deep love of all thing...

12:19

Why is Tweed Councils report on developers habitat destruction in Tweed Heads confidential? "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Development site at 60 Tringa Street, Tweed Heads.

The State and Federal governments have both said that there would be no future building on floodplains, yet they have not taken any action to delay currently approved and yet-to-be-built development on floodplains. 

The recent destruction of bushland and koala habitat along the Cobaki Creek at Tweed Heads where the Dubbo developer MAAS has moved in and started clearing the site without the correct approvals in place has highlighted the failure of the State government to reassess potential risks of these legacy, or zombie, floodplain developments. 

They have breached quite a number of the regulations they were to follow, Robert Eady, a local resident told The Echo

They werent supposed to come through our estate but they just ploughed through the bushland at the end of Tringa Street. It is a residential estate and they havent really stuck to the development application (DA) at all. They were supposed to build the road first and instead they just ploughed through and started clearing. 

They have knocked out 18 hectares of land that is all on the floodplain. I dont know how they get away with that stuff. 

...

12:19

Nostalgia without utopia: are gay men okay? "IndyWatch Feed National"

If the popular image of homosexuality in the late 20th century was that of monied, white men, then each of these examples represent contemporary gay identities haunted by this recent history. Considered together, they offer a hauntology of cis gay subjectivityan identity forming around a process of failed mourning that unhelpfully sublimates the possibility of queer futurities.

The post Nostalgia without utopia: are gay men okay? appeared first on Overland literary journal.

12:17

Bruce Lehrmann suing ABC for Brittany and Grace's live to air tirade "IndyWatch Feed National"

Bruce Lehrmann has filed a new statement of claim for defamation by the ABC which carried live Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame's public accusations of rape - as if they were fact. At the time, he hadn't had a trial. History will reflect that they were not able to formally...

11:18

Barrie Cassidy shows hes a cheap buy for Labor. "IndyWatch Feed National"

Only a week ago, Labor gave its old press gallery mate Comrade Barrie Cassidy a government board job. Today, hes out doing their spinning as a pay back. Hey Barrie, are you still doing that impartial, independent retired ABC journalist act or just a washed-up old sell-out? UPDATE - thank...

11:01

Reserve bank moves to counter the flak from the rising cost of living "IndyWatch Feed National"

Contributed by Joe Montero

We know that this Wednesday the Reserve Bank did not increase the interest rate and thereby deviated from the previous 10 months of rises. The bad news is that its governor Philip Lowe said this is a once off and the interest rate will be going up again. There has been no change in direction.

The truth is that this has been a political move to try to cushion the angst from the ending of fixed rate mortgages that will add up to $1000 of extra payments every month for one owing $600,000 on a mortgage. This is devastating news for the many who will be hit.

Another reason is that the independent review of the Reserve bank already in the governments hands is due for public release, and there is an incentive to build the banks standing in the Australian community.

Photo by Dan Himbrechts/AAP: Philip Lowe the Governor of the Reserve Bank

Its hardly surprising that the government is worried about the political fallout.

Why is this happening then? The simple way to put it is this. It is a way to help push up the bottom line of the banks. The government could step in to stop it. As long as it remains wedded to the ideology of the market, except when it comes to government giving it a helping hand, there will be no change.

This is cold comfort to those who will pay the price, and fixed rate mortgages have been mainly taken up by working Australians on lower wages, and who are already closest to the tipping edge with the rising cost of living.

The main arguments used to justify increasing the cost of mortgages are that inflation has peaked and will start going down, an increase in wages is in the wings,...

10:31

Peter Dutton's statement on Albanese's Vanity Voice "IndyWatch Feed National"

Dear Michael, Yesterday the Liberal Party determined its position on the Voice. We will oppose the Prime Ministers model because it will enshrine in the Constitution a Canberra-based bureaucracy. It is a risky and divisive proposal that will not deliver practical outcomes. Improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander...

10:25

Double demerits in NSW over Easter weekend "IndyWatch Feed National"

NSW Police advise of double demerits for the Anzac weekend on their Facebook page.

Double demerit points are now in place for the Easter weekend in NSW with police saying that they are focusing o reckless driving over the Easter break.

Officers will specifically target the major factors contributing to road trauma; being excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fatigue, non-wearing of seatbelts and helmets, and mobile phone use said a NSW Police Spokesperson. 

The five-day operation runs from 12.01am today, Thursday, 6 April until 11.59pm on Monday 10 April.

Seven fatalities last year

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman, said substantial police resources have been assigned to the operation as road trauma remains a matter of significant concern.

This Easter, our officers will be out and about doing their best to keep the roads safe so that everyone can arrive to their destinations in time for a wonderful weekend with loved ones.

The message is simple; drive to the speed limit, focus on the road not your phone, and make sure you have a plan B if you are drinking.

For the last two years, weve seen seven fatalities on the road each Easter long weekend. The goal this year is to reduce that number, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said.

Thousands are expected to hit the road for the weekend and police are encouraging everyone to drive with care. 

Police are urging the community to consider their actions behind the wheel and make sure their family and friends arrive alive.

...

09:36

Sweeping reforms needed to address delays in family reunion "IndyWatch Feed National"

The Human Rights Law Centre is calling on the Albanese Government to address the root causes of systemic family visa delays and finally end the deliberate separation of refugee families, after a new report found the Department of Home Affairs failed to prevent family visa applications being stalled or delayed.

The Australian National Audit Offices (ANAO) six-month investigation into the family migration program identified numerous delays and inconsistencies in the Departments handling of family visa applications. It found that despite 25% of outstanding partner visa applications waiting longer than three years for a decision, the Department has no clear methods for detecting when an application has become excessively delayed or stalled. The Auditor-Generals recommendations included that the Department: 

  • establish processes to identify and address periods of processing inactivity, where officers are taking no active steps to resolve a visa application; and 

  • establish processes to detect and finalise applications that have been pending for prolonged periods of time. 

The recommendations follow the Governments announcement in November 2022 of additional funding to speed up visa processing. But the Human Rights Law Centre says sweeping reforms, in addition to procedural changes, are needed to remove the underlying policies and practices which cause thousands of people to be separated from their loved ones for years on end. Unrealistic visa criteria, onerous evidentiary requirements, exorbitant costs and rigid visa caps continue to cause extreme delays for some families, and put the prospect of reuniting completely out of reach for others.

These systemic barriers must be removed so that families are no longer forced apart by the migration system. Accessible family reunion pathways must be reopened through the humanitarian program. This is particularly important for the tens of thousands of people who sought protection in Australia over a decade ago, who are still waiting to reunite with their partners, children and other loved ones.

Josephine Langbien, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, said:  

We welcome the Auditor-Generals recommendations and urge the Department of Home Affairs to implement them in full. But these procedural changes alone are not enough. Throwing additional funds at visa processing is not enough. The dysfunction and delays in the family migration program are a result of government laws and policies which treat family unity as a privilege, rather than a fundamental right.

The Auditor-Generals investigation was brought about in part thanks to the efforts of Julian Hill MP, who had heard and acted on the concerns of his constituents in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. While in oppositio...

09:20

Hippy docos screen to celebrate Aquarius Festival anniversary "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_144454" style="width: 640px;"><a href= "https://www.echo.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hippie-doco.jpg"> <img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-144454" height="432" src= "https://www.echo.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hippie-doco-640x432.jpg" width="640"></a> <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-144454"> A scene from Sharon Shostaks film Mullumbimbys Madness, set to premiere in the town on December 3.</figcaption> </figure> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">The Brunswick Valley Historical Society is hosting a screening of Sharon Shostaks</span> <span class="s2"><i>Mullumbimby</i> docos</span> <span class= "s1">at the Drill Hall, Mullumbimby, on Saturday April 15 and Sunday April 16.  </span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s2">The societys Susan Tsicalas told <i>The Echo</i> its an opportunity to discover, or recall, the cultures that developed from the influx of the hippies in the 1970s.</span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s2">We will be screening the docos in reverse order, starting with <i>Mullumbimby Magic: The Culture of the 70s80s Part 3,</i> <i>The Arts</i>, on Saturday from 5pm, followed by <i>Part 2 Activism and Politics</i> at 7.15pm.<span class= "Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1">On Sunday, we will screen <i>Part 1: Health & Wellbeing at 5pm, and finish with Mullumbimby Madness, The Legacy of the Hippies, from 7.15pm. </span><span class="s2"><span class= "Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s2">The screenings are to celebrate the anniversaries; the Aquarius Festivals 50th and Brunswick Valley Historical Societys 40th.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1">For more info, email: <a href= "mailto:admin@mullumbimbymuseum.org.au">admin@mullumbimbymuseum.org.au</a>.</span></p> <p>The post <a href= "https://www.echo.net.au/2023/04/hippy-docos-screen-to-celebrate-aquarius-festival-anniversary/" rel="nofollow">Hippy docos screen to celebrate Aquarius Festival anniversary</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.echo.net.au" rel="nofollow">The Echo</a>.</p>

09:16

inGrained Foundation announce $200,000 available for community grants "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Turtles head for the water.

Stone & Woods inGrained Foundation has announced they have $200,000 available to community groups in the Northern Rivers as part of their 2023 grants program. Aimed at not-for-profit charities grants are available for between $5,000 and $30,000.

For the past five years, the inGrained Foundation has run a Large Grants program that provides local grassroots charities and organisations in the area with support for their next big project, said a spokesperson for the inGrained Foundation. 

Sarah Jantos (Green Heroes), Steven Kudzius (Green Heroes), Erin Kudzius (Green Heroes) and Leweena Willimas (CEO Tweed Byron Aboriginal Land Council)

Grant winners in the past have included...

08:31

Milton Orkopoulos found guilty of sexually abusing four boys "IndyWatch Feed National"

Former state Labor MP Milton Orkopoulos has been found guilty of sexually abusing four boys between 1993 and 2003, his second conviction for child sexual abuse.

Orkopoulos, 65, faced trial in the NSW District Court in Sydney after pleading not guilty to 28 charges relating to the boys, including aggravated indecent assault, sexual intercourse with a person aged between 10 and 16, and supplying a prohibited drug.

Former NSW Labor MP Milton Orkopoulos pictured in 2020.
Former NSW Labor MP Milton Orkopoulos pictured in 2020.CREDIT:ISABELLA PORRAS

Prosecutors argued Orkopoulos had a sexual interest in young boys which he acted on time and time again in an opportunistic manner, abusing the boys aged between 10 and 14 and plying them with cannabis and money.

Orkopoulos abused the boys in public and private locations, including in his car and in his electorate office in Swansea, causing some to experience excruciating pain. He watched one of the boys in the shower, touching the boys genitals and masturbating in front of him.

On Wednesday, a jury found Orkopoulos guilty of 26 charges relating to the sexual abuse and suppling cannabis, after deliberating since 12.13pm on Tuesday.

He was acquitted of two charges: supplying a cannabis joint to the boy he had watched in the shower, and the allegation that he had perverted the course of justice by attempting to have the same boy retract his claim of abuse.

Orkopoulos was previously convicted in 2008 of sexually abusing three other boys and supplying them with drugs between 1995 and 2006. He was jailed for a maximum of 13 years and eight months.

The jury was read some evidence from the previous trial, as part of the Crowns argument that Orkopoulos had a tendency to act on a sexual interest in young boys, but jurors were not informed he had been previously convicted.

They were told he had pleaded guilty to possessing a written child abuse story found hidden under his mattress in 2006, and supplying cannabis to a high school student who visited him at Parliament House in 2005.

Giving evidence, Orkopoulos attempted to dismiss the charges against him by claiming they were fanciful and outrageously wrong. He appeared to become emotional when he said he had broken his marriage oath by having a consensual sexual relationship with a young male who was an adult.

RELATED ARTICLE

...

08:27

After 150 years of damage to people and planet, Rio Tinto must be held to account (commentary) "IndyWatch Feed National"

For most of us, it seems quite obvious that doing harm leads to consequences. Its only fair after all if your actions hurt someone, you get held to account and you change. However, if you happen to be a multi-billion-dollar titan of the global mining industry, the harm-to-consequences link might not seem so clear. Our case in point here is Rio Tinto, the Anglo-Australian mining company, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and holds its London Annual General Meeting on 6 April. The history of the company is littered with examples of environmental pollution, dispossessing people of their lands and destroying valuable cultural heritage, but the consequences it has faced have been few and far between. It still trades shares on the London Stock Exchange, still operates in 35 countries and still has an income of over $10 billion a year. Soon, a change in UK law may mean that companies based in the UK can be taken to court for human rights and environmental harms caused in other countries. Rio Tinto would do well to pay close attention to this development, as doing damage to people, the climate and nature is not something thats simply in the past it is still very much a part of the companys operations today. Communities near Rio Tintos QMM mine in Madagascar have recorded uranium and lead levels 52 and 40 times in excess of WHO safe drinking water standards, respectively. Shown here is mineral-rich sand that awaits processing outsideThis article was originally published on Mongabay

07:56

Whistleblower reforms on the way, say federal Labor "IndyWatch Feed National"

With ATO whistleblower, Richard Boyle, facing jail for accusing his former employer of aggressively pursuing debts from taxpayers, The Echo asked local federal MP, Justine Elliot (Labor), if she is supportive of his actions, and Are there any plans by Labor to strengthen whistleblower laws, specially Section 10 of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID) regarding criminal liability? 

Boyle sought protection from prosecution under the act, yet last week, a judge found his actions were not immune from prosecution under Section 10 of the PID.

Mrs Elliot replied, The Albanese government is committed to delivering strong, effective, and accessible protections for whistleblowers.

In particular, the government has committed to a second stage of reform of public sector whistleblowing laws, which will include public consultation on redrafting the Public Interest Disclosure Act to address the underlying complexity of the scheme, and provide effective and accessible protections to public sector whistleblowers; and a discussion paper on the need for additional supports for public sector whistleblowers, such as a Whistleblower Protection Authority or Commissioner.

This second stage of reforms will commence, following the passage of the priority amendments contained in the Public Interest Disclosure Bill.

In terms of Richard Boyle, as this matter is still before the courts, and Mr Boyle has announced he will be appealing, it is not appropriate to comment on this case.

Meanwhile, Elliot has joined the Bring Julian Assange Home parliamentary group, as promised during the election campaign in 2022.

Assange languishes in UK jail since 2019

The Echo asked, What are the main obstacles in securing Assanges release?

Mrs Elliot replied, The Australian government has been clear in our view that Julian Assanges case has dragged on for too long and that it should be brought to a close. We will continue to express this view to the governments of the United Kingdom and United States.

Since 2019, the Australian government has written to Julian Assange on 45 occasions to offer consular assistance. Via his representatives, Julian has recently requested a visit from the Australian government, and arrangements are being made for the High Commission to visit.

The meeting will be an opportunity to receive any information Julian would like to convey, consistent with the entitlement of all Australians to consular assistan...

07:41

Community picnic to remember floods, May 6 "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Mullum Chamber president, Paul Prior, with the Blue Box project Photo Jeff Dawson

The Mullumbimby community is invited to a community picnic on Saturday May 6, between 4 and 8pm. 

The event will also focus on recording stories, many of which are ongoing, from the 2022 floods. 

The Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce, supported by Creative Mullumbimby and the Brunswick Valley Historical Society, will be running the free event to remember the floods, tell stories, listen to music, participate in art making, and enjoy time and food together as a community.

Blue Box project

A major focus of the event will be the Blue Box project, which will collect peoples flood stories and bring them together as a book to be held at the Mullumbimby Museum. 

It is about keeping it local; it is about local stories, local memories and building connection within our community, said Blue Box project organiser, Jenelle Stanford. 

Those who have been affected by the flood, or who have flood stories, are invited to share their stories through written word, audio files or photographic records.

Blue Boxes will be distributed throughout shops in Mullumbimby for people to post their flood stories in. 

...

07:05

Market Talk April 5, 2023 "IndyWatch Feed National"

ASIA:

Chinas manufacturing sector lost momentum in March due to weak export orders, slowing the countrys economic recovery from COVID-19 policies. The Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) fell to 50.0 in March from 51.6 in February, which was the first monthly activity expansion in seven months. However, Chinas economy showed signs of recovery in the first two months of the year, and the GDP is expected to have grown around 4.0% year-on-year in Q1, led by a pickup in consumption and infrastructure investment.

 

The major Asian stock markets had a mixed day today:

  • NIKKEI 225 decreased 474.16 points or -1.68% to 27,813.26
  • Shanghai closed
  • Hang Seng closed
  • ASX 200 increased 1.20 points or 0.02% to 7,237.20
  • Kospi increased 14.70 points or 0.59% to 2,495.21
  • SENSEX increased 552.96 points or 0.94% to 59,659.40
  • Nifty50 increased 159.00 points or 0.91% to 17,557.05

 

 

The major Asian currency markets had a mixed day today:

  • AUDUSD decreased 0.00356 or -0.53% to 0.67154
  • NZDUSD increased 0.00054 or 0.09% to 0.63154
  • USDJPY decreased 0.748 or -0.57% to 130.942
  • USDCNY increased 0.00477 or 0.07% to 6.88287

 

Precious Metals:

  • Gold decreased 2.75 USD/t oz. or -0.14% to 2,017.22
  • Silver decreased 0.168 USD/t. oz or -0.67% to 24.848

 

Some economic news from last night:

Japan:

Services PMI (Mar) increased from 54.2 to 55.0

Australia:

AIG Manufacturing Index (Mar) increased from -6.4 to 5.6

New Zealand:

RBNZ Interest Rate Decision increased from 4.75% to 5.25%

 

Some economic news from today:

India:

Nikkei Services PMI (Mar) decreased from 59.4 to 57.8

M3 Money Supply decreased from 9.6% to 9.0%

 

 

EUROPE/EMEA:

 

The Bank of Englands chief economist hinted at a possible interest rate rise in May to tackle high inflation, but stressed the Monetary Policy Committee faces a tight decision given financial market fragility. Financial markets expect...

06:00

Barnaby Joyce, who has ripped off taxpayers $million for his family, says you should vote no for The Voice because of potential nepotism "IndyWatch Feed National"

Barnaby Joyce, who has a long history of fraud and theft from the government including stealing for his family, says the public should vote no for The Voice at the referendum which []

04:59

Tales of Resistance: A Chronicle of Corruption Foretold "IndyWatch Feed National"

While the ongoing anti-graft operation is welcome, VA columnist Jessica Dos Santos finds a number of issues that need answering.

04:24

AstraZeneca Clot Shot Is No Longer Available In Australia "IndyWatch Feed National"

In other news from Australia: Excess Deaths Are the Highest Since World War II Via: Dr. John Campbell:

03:13

In der Politik lsst man keine Krise ungenutzt verstreichen, ... "IndyWatch Feed National"

In der Politik lsst man keine Krise ungenutzt verstreichen, und sei es auch noch so ein Haus aus Bullshit. Die Faeser lsst den Vulkan-Nothingburger nicht ungenutzt vorbeiziehen, fordert zwei Grundgesetznderungen.

Die SPD-Politikerin betonte: Putins Angriffskrieg bedeutet auch fr die Innenpolitik eine Zeitenwende. Die Gefhrdungslage im Bereich der Cybersicherheit ist hoch. Durch den russischen Angriffskrieg auf die Ukraine ergibt sich ein erhebliches Eskalationspotenzial. Eine sprbare Cyberoffensive Russlands gegen westliche Nationen sei aber bisher ausgeblieben.
Vllig klar also. Passiert zwar nichts, aber ein Eskalationspotenzial kann man sich ja immer herbeihalluzinieren.

Und hey, was ist schon eine Grundgesetznderung unter Freunde. Oder zwei.

Money Quote:

Zu bereits erfolgten Angriffen durch die Moskauer Firma liegen deutschen Sicherheitsbehrden demnach jedoch keine Erkenntnisse vor.
Ach. Ach was.

Wisst ihr, seit wieviel Jahren ich mir den Mund fusselig rede, dass Deutschland mal in Softwarequalitt investieren sollte und nicht in "offensive Security" (digitale Angriffswaffen)? Nicht nur ist da Tumbleweed+Crickets auf breiter Spur, nein, jetzt begrnden sie auch noch Grundgesetznderungen mit ... nichts. NICHTS! Da ist nichts! Die Faeser fordert das blo, damit es aussieht, als tte sie was, und als habe die SPD Kompetenzen in der Innenpolitik. Die CDU hat auch stndig Grundgesetznderungen gefordert, das muss also wichtig sein fr das Amt des Innenministers!1!!

Versteht ihr eigentlich, wo diese Politikverdrossenheit herkommt? Ein Rtsel!

00:05

Cropped 5 April 2023: Carbon offsets scrutinised; UN water talks; IPCC beef and food fraud "IndyWatch Feed National"

Welcome to Carbon Briefs Cropped. 
We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight.

fortnightly Cropped email newsletter. Subscribe for free here.

Snapshot

Carbon offset programmes faced fresh scrutiny as a governing body for the voluntary carbon market issued new quality standards. Concerns were also raised about a Peruvian Amazon offsetting project used by oil majors and Shells offsetting project with rice paddies.

Subscribe: Cropped
  • Sign up to Carbon Brief's free "Cropped" email newsletter. A fortnightly digest of food, land and nature news and views. Sent to your inbox every other Wednesday.

A meeting of the global organisation that oversees deep-sea mining ended without answering key questions over whether it will permit the extraction of minerals from the depths of the ocean, at talks later this year. 

Leaked documents suggested that some of the recent IPCC synthesis report findings on the climate impact of eating meat were watered down. Meanwhile, reports alleged instances of foods being marketed as something they are not

Key developments

Carbon offsets under fresh scrutiny

NEW STANDARDS: New quality standards for the $2bn carbon-offsetting industry were published in late March, the Guardian reported, following mounting criticisms suggesting some projects represented little more than greenwash at best and contributed to environmental harm and human rights violations at worst. The new guidelines were announced by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM), an independent governing body, the Guardian said. (The voluntary carbon market generally involves the sale of car...

00:00

Seeing a theme here? "IndyWatch Feed National"

Best I can do Sound is a bit shit. Listen too the commentator at the end pic.twitter.com/EX9FPwWVVm RIGPIG (@RIGPIG888) April 3, 2023

Go Back:30 Days | 7 Days | 2 Days | 1 Day

IndyWatch Bellingen NSW All Topics Summary Today.

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Wednesday, 05 April

23:30

Britain Who Bombed Londons Tube, 2005? "IndyWatch Feed National"

          (L) Madrid train bombing of 2004, Photo: Encyclopedia Britannica (R) TIMEs cover says Inside the Manhunt: An Iraqi Connection?

[Editors note: Another tribute and reflection on Elias]

by Mary W Maxwell

I begin with the statement of the Coroner, Lady Hallett, in her final Inquest report of the London tube bombings:

For the purposes of this report I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the four men who detonated the bombs and therefore murdered the fifty two innocent people were Mohammed Siddique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer, Germaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussain. It is not generally a proper function of an inquest to attribute blame or apportion guilt to individuals, nor is it a proper function of a Coroner to express opinions in the verdicts returned...

21:46

Weasel Liberal Andrew Bragg on track to be the new Matt Kean "IndyWatch Feed National"

Andrew Bragg is a classic buck each way member of the Liberal Party. Just like Snake Matt Kean, he enjoys the votes of conservative minded people but would rather piss on their beliefs than accept that hes in Parliament to represent their interests. Heres his snakey response today to Peter...

20:22

Reading List: Joel Marie Cabrita "IndyWatch Feed National"

Instead of listing the books that help her write 'Written Out: The Silencing of Regina Gelana Twala,' the author notes five books that shaped Regina Gelana Twala.


alt
Image credit Safa Hovinen via Flickr CC BY 2.0.

My new biography of Regina Gelana Twala tells the story of a woman written out of history. Twala (1908-1968) was a remarkable womana political activist in South Africa and Eswatini, she co-founded Eswatinis first political party and represented the country at pan-African gatherings in Nkrumahs Ghana. She was also a literary giant, writing as many as five manuscripts (all unpublished, and all but one lost to us). Twala additionally wrote hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. However, despite her achievements, Twala is today forgotten by everyone outside her immediate family.

In Written Out: The Silencing of Regina Gelana Twala, I answer the question as to why such a talented woman has been forgotten by history. The answer is multi-faceted, invoking prejudices of both race and gender. Politicians, editors, and academics all conspired to block Twala from publishing her work and ensured that her legacy was erased after her death in 1968.

Given that my biography of Twala deals with a formidable intellectual who has consistently been denied recognition, I would like to think not about my own reading list, but rather about the books that shaped Regina Twalas life and career. Not all of these books were positive influences. Formative books and reading experiences could constrain, silence, and side-line as well as they could emancipate and inspire. In a 1938 letter to her second husband, Dan Twala, Twala made passing reference to that library of mine. What might some of the books in that library have been?

The Bible: The Bible would undoubtedly have to be my top pick for Twala. She was born, raised, and educated in the Methodist mission station of Indaleni, near Richmond in then Natal, and she attended the Congregationalist Adams College. She would probably have read the American missionary 1883 isiZulu translation 1950s). Daily Bible reading shaped Twalas 60 years of life. As was the case for many educated South Africans of her generation, Twala thought biblically; her language, idioms, and vocabulary were all inflected with the rhythms and resonances of the Judeo-Christian canon. We cant understand Twala without appreciating the significance of her daily soaks in scriptural texts, and the way in which this book shaped her politics, her creat...

20:00

Prescribers Often Fail to Support Patients Discontinuing Antidepressants, Study Finds "IndyWatch Feed National"

A majority of patients seeking medical support when discontinuing antidepressants found their prescribing doctors to be unhelpful, according to the results of the second-largest international survey ever conducted on the subject.

Published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the survey highlights the inadequate support and resources available to patients trying to quit antidepressants, forcing them to turn to online support groups for help. Participants in the survey also identified the need for additional resources, such as smaller doses and a 24/7 helpline, to aid in their transition off the medication.

The lead author, John Read, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of East London and Chair of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal (www.iipdw.org), commented:

These recommendations, by hundreds of patients who have been badly let down by their doctors, precisely echo the recommendations of the comprehensive Public Health England report in 2019. Yet, to date, the NHS has still not put in place a single specialised service, helpline, or training programme for doctors.

Antidepressant prescription rates are high internationally, including in countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, and Portugal. Across the U.S. and the U.K., antidepressant drugs are prescribed disproportionally to women. In the U.K., they are also more often prescribed to those from low socioeconomic backgrounds and older people.

These high rates have been attributed to increases in the length of prescription periods rather than new prescriptions, with average duration doubling in both the U.S. and U.K. since the mid-2000s. For example, half of the antidepressant users in England take them for longer than two years, and half of the antidepressant users in the U.S. take them for at least five years. Yet, what these antidepressants are being prescribed for long-te...

19:00

PERSONHOOD URGED FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCES "IndyWatch Feed National"

User Answers

Yes you read that headline correctly: according to the following article shared by V.T., "experts" are calling for artificial intelligences to be given legal

The post PERSONHOOD URGED FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCES appeared first on The Giza Death Star.

18:30

Labor, bureaucrats, ABC, academics, councils in panic over council coup conspiracy "IndyWatch Feed National"

A My Place group meeting in suburban Melbourne. It is one of many such groups...

17:45

Mark Lawrence- Will Next Plandemic Introduce Mark of the Beast? "IndyWatch Feed National"

Police and army personnel enforce the coronavirus lockdown in Melebourne, Australia, 2020

HenryMakow.com April 4, 2023

Mark Lawrence 52, right, is a British former counter-terror surveillance operative, who spent decades working in the Middle-East training government teams.

Since early teens he has studied and researched the lies and propaganda from many governments around the world, and doubts that any of the official narratives for world changing events are true; no government can never be trusted.

He believes that the entire world government system is controlled and directed by Satan, as per scripture found in 1st John chapter 5 verse 19 in the Bible. With the recent COVID hoax waking him up even further, he campaigned to push for non-compliance of all restrictions and measures to counter the lies, for this (in early 2020) he was banned from YouTube and Twitter.

Because of this he wrote Programmed To Obey and to promote the book he recently created a new YouTube channel and Twitter account; and just two weeks later was banned again. It is clear they want to silence anyone who is exposing their agenda.

by Mark Lawrence (henrymakow.com)

Back in early 2020 when the Satanists and globalist cockroaches threw the switch and locked down billions of people, there were those who could see it was all one massive lie. But unfortunately, they were few in number. The manufactured fear that came about from news of a deadly virus, which most people had over a 99% chance of surviving, caused the majority of the global population to panic, and cower in terror, doing whatever their overlords told them; all in the name of protection.

Thanks to scumbags in mainstream media, and those backing them, the fear spread faster than the virus, and this emotion helped perfidious politicians to manipulate and control billions around the world, creating mass compliance to the most pointless, and ridiculous measures, that were used as an excuse to contain this new type of influenza.

 

Continues

15:47

Australia and the UK agree not to apply ISDS in Trans-Pacific deal but Clive Palmers $300 bn claim shows more needed to prevent cases against Australia "IndyWatch Feed National"

MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                  Tuesday April 4, 2023

Australia and the UK agree not to apply ISDS in Trans-Pacific deal but Clive Palmers $300 bn claim shows more needed to prevent cases against Australia

We congratulate the Albanese Labor government on reaching agreement with the UK not to apply rules that enable foreign investors to sue governments when the UK joins the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Dr Patricia Ranald said today.

Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) enables foreign (but not local) investors to claim damages from governments if they can argue that a change in law or policy has reduced their future profits. Labor has a policy to exclude ISDS in new trade agreements and to review its inclusion in existing agreements.

The UK government has published an explanatory document which confirms that In light of the investment relationship the UK has with Australia and New Zealand, we have agreed to disapply the ISDS provisions in CPTPPbetween our countries, said Dr Ranald.

If ISDS had not been excluded, British companies would have been able to sue the Australian government over law or policy changes, including regulation of carbon emissions and other environmental standards. British oil and gas miner Rockhopper Explorations recently won about A$360 million in compensation for lost future profits over Italys 2015 ban on oil and gas drilling within its territorial seas, explained Dr Ranald.

But the Clive Palmer ISDS case shows Labor needs to do more to implement its policy against ISDS and to review its inclusion in existing agreements.

Palmer is claiming $300 billion in an international tribun...

15:30

RBA explains rates peak "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

Lowe speaks on interest rates

The RBA Governor unveiled tidy speech in Sydney today, explaining why interest rates are on pause (and why rates will likely peak at a lower level in Australia than in some other countries).

Domestic demand has already been hammered by the rate hikes delivered to date.


Meanwhile good prices are set to fall in Australia as shipping rates revert lower. 


Governor Lowe pointed out that wages growth is not 5-6 per cent in Australia as in some other countries, it's only a meagre 3 per cent.

And, importantly, because most mortgages are on variable rates (or short-term fixed rates) the reaction function is totally different.

Mortgage rates for households have lifted more quickly, and consumer sentime...

14:57

League Legend Laurie Daley Backs Jarryd Hayne After Rape Conviction "IndyWatch Feed National"

BREAKING NEWS: Rugby league legend Laurie Daley has come under fire for his comments after former NRL star Jarryd Hayne was found guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

A jury found Hayne guilty on both counts on Tuesday, after the incident in Newcastle on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final. The conviction marks the third time the matter has been before the courts.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said in a statement read to the court that the assault had a profound effect on her life and she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She said she had struggled to trust people and suffered anxiety and depression since the incident.

Discussing the matter on Sky Sports Radios Big Sports Breakfast, Daley, who coached Hayne at State of Origin representative level, said the news was hard to believe. Daley said the news was hard to believe and expressed sympathy for Hayne and his family. He also commented that he found Hayne to be a good person and outstanding footballer. Daleys comments were criticized on social media for showing more sympathy towards Hayne than the victim.

Convicted rapist and former NRL star Jarred Hayne, pictured in a screencap from ABC footage outside court this week.

The shows host Gerard Middleton compared the issue to former AFL star Jobe Watson handing back his 2012 Brownlow Medal after the Essendon supplements saga, and pre-empting Hayne being stripped of his two Dally M Medals. Australian cricket great Michael Clarke said there was no doubt Hayne would lose his Dally M Medals.

Hayne has indicated he plans to appeal the matter, telling media outside court yes when asked, and maintaining his innocence 100 per cent. The approach to the matter and the focus on Hayne over the victim was criticised heavily on social media, with one loyal, long-time listener of the show saying they would no longer listen to the show after hearing the comments.

Hayne was released on bail ahead of a bail review hearing on Thursday.

Haynes convictions were overturned on appeal in February 2022 after serving nine months in prison. He was granted bail and a third trial was ordered. Hayne was not contracted to an NRL team when he was first charged.

Hayne briefly tried to a build a career in the National Football League in the United States, but was ac...

14:47

New Melbourne Order "IndyWatch Feed National"

Bolte Bridge, looking upriver towards the Melbourne World Trade Centre

J.G. Olsen / Financial Expositor

The Papal bulls from the 1400s known as the Doctrine of Discovery have been repudiated, suggesting the Holy See has given itself a pardon and slipped away from any culpability and the issue of Terra Nullius. Another scrap of evidence that a New World Order is underway.

The Holy See: maintains bilateral diplomatic relations with 183 sovereign states, signs treaties, and performs multilateral diplomacy with intergovernmental organisations such...

14:04

Lament for the End is Growing Closer "IndyWatch Feed National"

QUESTION: How can one, specifically Trump be charged with covering up an unproven mystery crime that by definition he is innocent of (innocent until proven guilty)? And why does no one mention this.

MC

ANSWER: This entire thing is doing nothing but bringing down the respect of the entire legal system. I knew the New York legal system was a cesspool. But now you are exposing it to the whole world. The judge should be removed. He has sat on Trump cases before. If I file anything in the Supreme Court, Justice Sotomayor immediately recuses herself because she sat on my case in the Second Circuit and even disagreed with the majority which got me into the Supreme Court before she moved there. To pretend he can still preside is a slap in the face and only shows the case is rigged.

Then this Alvan Bragg is out of control. He threatened Congressman Jordan, warning him not to protect Trump implying that would be a conspiracy. What will this rouge prosecutor do now? Charge all the Republicans in Congress with conspiracy?

Pelosi is a total disgrace. How can someone presiding as the Speaker of the House declare Trump is GUILTY and he MUST prove his innocence? She has no understanding of the Constitution. In all honesty, she has rejected the very foundation of a free society. She should then go surrender NOW for all the inside trading she has done and the burden should be hers to PROVE she is innocent.

Then we should apply her standard to Biden and his son Hunter. They are guilty and are therefore unfit to preside as President until he PROVES their innocence. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect the indictment of a former head of state for anything should of treason like Nixon and Bill Clinton who everyone knew committed perjury? The US never use the law to go af...

14:00

Australian Dollar and Bitcoin "IndyWatch Feed National"

1.00 AUD = 0.00002 BTC
0.00010 BTC = 4.15 AUD
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13:48

Credibility is not her strong suit. "IndyWatch Feed National"

Karine Jean-Pierre claims Biden "was not given a heads-up" on the indictment of President Trump: "He learned about this just like all of you" pic.twitter.com/wOmcDf1o8u RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 4, 2023

13:32

Have you checked the letterbox? Got your invitation from the King and Queen? "IndyWatch Feed National"

Here it is officially - His Majesty the King and Her Majesty The Queen (not The Queen Consort)!

13:19

Saffin calls on NRRC for transparency "IndyWatch Feed National"

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg, Lismore member Janelle Saffin, and NSW Premier Chris Minns. Photo supplied

Yesterday saw newly elected Premier for NSW Chris Minns visit Lismore and local member Janelle Saffin call on the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) to feel the communities sense of urgency in responding to the impacts of the devastating 2022 floods. 

Minns visit to Lismore was the second regional visit by the Premier since his election and Saffin said that, It shows that the Minns is concerned about our area, concerned about our needs, concerned about our rebuild, our recovery, which is a long term project. It is good to have him here because we know that he is backing us for the long haul. Because it is a long journey for all of us.

...

13:17

SPEECH: Ken Henry on the need for ambitious tax reform "IndyWatch Feed National"

THE NEED FOR AMBITIOUS TAX REFORM Ken Henry, 16 March 2023 IF YOU HAVE been following the media reporting on tax policy matters closely, you would probably be thinking that dealing with superannuation concessions for the wealthy is Australias big tax policy challenge. But only a few weeks ago, you might have been thinking []

Author information

Margo Kingston

Margo Kingston

Co-publisher and editor-in-chief at No Fibs

Margo Kingston is a retired Australian journalist and climate change activist. She is best known for her stint as Phillip Adams Canberra Babylon contributor and her work at The Sydney Morning Herald and #Webdiary. Since 2012, Kingston has been a citizen journalist, reporting and commenting on Australian politics via Twitter and No Fibs.

13:06

A Single Crack on a Teflon Pan Can Cause Thousands of Plastic Partlces to Release "IndyWatch Feed National"

I love my Teflon, non-stick pans, and the convenience they provide in the kitchen. Unfortunately, a recent study discovered that Americas favorite pan could come with some pretty hefty consequences.

In the new study, Australian researchers discovered that even the slightest crack on a Teflon-coated pan could release 9,1000 plastic particles.

We all know that over time, Teflon pans can wear down. Most of us have had at least one moment, where we began stirring around a bit too hard, only to find a slight scratch on our non-stick pan.

The study took a look at microplastics and nanoplastics, and based on their research, human beings are exposed to quite a lot of plastic particles over time. It gives us a strong warning that we must be careful about selecting and using cooking utensils to avoid food contamination, explains Youhong Tang, a mechanical and material engineer from Finders University in Australia.

To reach their conclusions, they used Raman imaging and algorithmic modeling to identify the release of over 2.3 million microplastics and nanoplastics. The non-stick coating material Teflon is generally a family member of PFAS, says Dr. Cheng Fang, one of the study authors. Given the fact PFAS is a big concern, these Teflon microparticles in our food might be a health concern, [which] needs investigating because we dont know much about these emerging contaminants, he warned.

In their study, they observed and tested six different types of non-stick pots and pans, that were both new and used. To be fair, they mimicked cooking and cleaning processes, however, they didnt use oil.

While the researchers understand how dangerous PFAS can be, they did assert that more research should be done to look into other routes of contamination and their effects. More research is recommended to address the risk assessment of the Teflon microplastics and nanoplastics, given that Teflon is a family member of PFAS, says Tang.

12:57

WA goes to the Australia Nuclear Free Alliance "IndyWatch Feed National"

WA delegates were really happy to join the 2023 Australia Nuclear Free Alliance meeting at Quorn in South Australia for the first time in three years. We were happy to welcome new WA members Kita and Jolisha Barton. Below is the 2023 ANFA statement:

Australia Nuclear Free Alliance Meeting Statement 2023 

Over the weekend of March 24-26th, the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) held its national gathering in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. 

ANFA is a network of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and groups who share concern and action around nuclear threats. ANFA has existed for over 25 years and has played an important role in many big fights including the successful effort to halt the Jabiluka uranium project in Kakadu, hold off all attempts to mine uranium in Western Australia and multiple attempts to impose radioactive waste on Aboriginal lands, especially in South Australia. 

After three years of Covid disruption and against the backdrop of the recent shock AUKUS nuclear submarine announcement everyone was eager to come together, reconnect and reaffirm our commitment to work together against all forms of imposed nuclear projects. 

We agreed to keep resisting the nuclear industry through opposition to: 

  • Uranium mining operations 
  • A planned national radioactive waste dump at Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia 
  • Increasing nuclear threats and war-fighting plans reflected in the newly announced and secretly developed AUKUS submarine plan 
  • And by joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons nuclear weapons ban treaty 

Over the weekend many people talked about the need for genuine respect and recognition and the importance of resistance to protect what really matters: community, Country and culture. One participant described it this way: 

When you are connected to country and you have your strength and truth and you stand united, you can achieve anything. 

Another person said: They come around saying we will get money and cars if we say yes to this nuclear project. To people of poverty this sounds good, but we know its not. 

Around the world, nuclear projects like mining, weapons testing and waste dumping impact Indigenous communities more than any other people. ANFA members live with this reality here in Australia: They talk about empty country that doesnt have anyone living on it that they want to poison. Theres no such thing as empty country that no one lives on anywhere in Australia. Everywhere is someones country, someones home. 

ANFA agreed to stay connected and strong across the country to support all people standing up and saying no to nuclear projects and radioactive poison. 

...

12:35

A class of their own: segregation in New South Wales schools "IndyWatch Feed National"

There is no such thing as a private education in Australia. The flow of public money away from public schools has led to the exodus of affluent students to non-government and selective schools. In turn, this exodus has created a segregated education system in Australia where poor, First Nations and disabled students are ghettoised into underfunded and unsustainable learning environments.

The post A class of their own: segregation in New South Wales schools appeared first on Overland literary journal.

12:13

Russia, Ukraine and NATO, False Flags, Child Trafficking and Banking "IndyWatch Feed National"

<p>&

Introduction by DM

Two videos Some very interesting matters are covered in this Situation Update: Russia Declares US & NATO An Existential Threat Clearing The Way For A First Strike On US/NATO Territory! Navies Positioning Around Taiwan! We The People News</p> <p>Child trafficking 14.20. Ted Gunderson 15:00  on auctioning children (Some of the images used in the background are from 1972s <a href= "https://www.indiewire.com/2015/08/watch-revisit-1972s-controversial-prime-cut-with-gene-hackman-and-lee-marvin-182829/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Prime Cut</a> with Gene Hackman and Lee Marvin). <a href= "https://biblescienceforum.com/2021/01/05/ted-gunderson-warned-about-secret-satanic-ritual-abuse-of-children/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link </a>Howard Stern on Satanists sacrificing children 19:00; Dr Jessica Rose 24:00. News 25:00; Fake meat etc; some history 44:00; farmers union claims, and then some fascinating theories on 911 that 911 was to stop a new banking system. (50:00 onwards)<span id= "more-35989"></span></p> <p>Below: Michael Jaco & Ole Dammegard Russia and CIA Spy Assassination, Ukraine Has Lost, Fake Shooting in Nashville and Hamburg, Germany</p> <p>&

 </p> <p>SG Anon: https://beforeitsnews.com/politics/2023/04/sg-anon-intel-update-44-this-is-the-green-light-patriots-all-signs-say-go-guarantees-2024-win-3287108.html</p> <p>Charlie Ward: https://rumble.com/v2fzmxa-charlie-ward-huge-4.3.23-trump-decode-we-cant-wait-for-all-the-truth..html</p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a href= "https://gumshoenews.com/russia-ukraine-and-nato-false-flags-child-trafficking-and-banking/" rel="nofollow">Russia, Ukraine and NATO, False Flags, Child Trafficking and Banking</a> appeared first on...</p>

12:07

Frankenstein show at Boston Children's Hospital "IndyWatch Feed National"

This is a Children's Hospital. https://www.childrenshospital.org/programs/center-gender-surgery-program A message from Boston Children's: You may be aware that in states across the country there is a recent increase in proposed legislation aiming to restrict the rights of transgender and gender diverse youth. Many of these bills aim to restrict access to medical...

09:47

Indicting Donald Trump on 34 felonies might propel him back into the Whitehouse "IndyWatch Feed National"

Contributed by Joe Montero

Donald trump is making headlines again. This time it involves his formal arrest and being charged with 24 felonies. A felony is a charge that can carry a prison sentence. Those against Trump feel that its about time he got his just deserts. Those for him see an injustice.

Part of the case is unlawful cover up of payments made to three individuals who had damaging information.

Video from SBS

This is what it looks like on the surface. But there are other dynamics going on here. The observant will notice that the whole episode has ben turned by media into a Hollywood style blockbuster focused on the personalities and sensationalism, and not the fundamental issues. This is not about justice. It is about the show.

For the Trump camp, this works as the launch of the 2024 presidential election campaign, and it might just work. Trump is an odious man who has been given the opportunity to position himself, once again, as the victim of vested interests and defender of working men and women.

It is a lie that works for two reasons. Working men and women are hurting and their faith in the institutions of the United States has been weakened. Trump knows what they want to hear and delivers it in bucket loads.

As he suggests, his is a political case. State persecution is taking place. Trump may be guilty of the charges and deserves punishment. What he is being accused of here is an everyday practice in his business empire and the corporate world. One that is usually allowed. An exception is being made in this case, because of its political nature.

Trump is not likely to be defeated in the court. Only a political movement effectively dealing with the core issues hurting American working men and women and offering real solutions will do this. But the Democrat machine wont take this on. It prefers to run a charade.

Behind it all is a battle between two factions of the Wall Street political elite. They control the Republicans and Democra...

08:59

Senator Alex Antic - 'Wokeness is Weakness' "IndyWatch Feed National"

Spot on Senator. Now take the fight up to the government. Wokeness is Weakness. pic.twitter.com/hc5XR6UJJP Senator Alex Antic (@SenatorAntic) April 4, 2023

08:57

ATAGI 2023 booster advice "IndyWatch Feed National"


Key points:

  • ATAGI advises the following groups should consider a 2023 booster dose if their last COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection (whichever is the most recent) was 6 months ago or longer, and regardless of the number of prior doses received, based on an individual risk benefit assessment with their immunisation provider. 
  • All Adults aged 18-64 years without risk factors for severe COVID-19
  • Children and adolescents aged 5-17 years who have medical comorbidities that increase their risk of severe COVID-19, or disability with significant or complex health needs.
  • ATAGI advises that a booster dose is not recommended at this time for children and adolescents aged under the age of 18 who do not have any risk factors for severe COVID-19.

See pdf:


Please also note that the pharmaceutic drug used to treat C-19 cannot be called vaccine as it does not confer immunity.

See U.S. Supreme Court case from 4th of November 2021:


Source:  https://constitutionwatch.com.au/the-covid-19-injections-do-not-co...

08:44

Indictments, Statement of alleged Facts and NY DA media statement on charging Donald Trump "IndyWatch Feed National"

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. today announced the indictment of DONALD J. TRUMP, 76, for falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election. During the election, TRUMP and others employed a catch and...

07:27

2 New Live Jay Dyer Events Tickets Here! "IndyWatch Feed National"

Event 1:

SUNDAY, APRIL 16 | 2PM-3PM PST

Technocracy, Social Engineering & Toxic Culture Creation 

For most, popular culture is an organic phenomenon that follows the creative genius of the artists that ebbs and flows with trends and fads. In reality, many these forces are ideologically driven by the powers that be, transcending the dialectic of left and right.  Beyond the controlled narrative of the masses the depths of our cultural zeitgeist are often steered by scientific helmsmen and military psychological warfare strategists.  The corporate structure that owns our government also owns and creates culture for specific ends.  Thus, Hollywood becomes a chief culture driver much like the controlled music industry.  Entertainment plays a crucial role in this control grid, and Jay Dyer lectures through the writings of the global elite to decode this system like no one else: From CIA operatives to famous ad men, the mad men that run our world have a specific scientific endgame.

Tickets here for this all-day event https://mercado-sagrado.com/salon-2023/?unii-trigger-open=5DK2L3&ref=JayDyer



Event 2: 

Join us for a visionary, cultural experience. Creative Artists Uniting for the Sovereignty of Everyone is an event where musicians, artists, comedians, aerial acrobats and various speakers gather together to counter the current debasement of culture with messages of freedom, personal agency, sovereignty and light. For more info, visit: www.RebelsForCause.com

Live 2 days in Nashville June 3-4 Tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-artists-uniting-for-the-sovereignty-of-everyone-tickets-559037254477?aff=Jay

The post 2 New Live Jay Dyer Events Tickets Here! appear...

07:03

Market Talk April 4, 2023 "IndyWatch Feed National"

ASIA:

 

The major Asian stock markets had a mixed day today:

  • NIKKEI 225 increased 99.27 points or 0.35% to 28,287.42
  • Shanghai increased 16.16 points or 0.49% to 3,312.56
  • Hang Seng decreased 134.59 points or -0.66% to 20,274.59
  • ASX 200 increased 13.00 points or 0.18% to 7,236.00
  • Kospi increased 8.17 points or 0.33% to 2,480.51
  • SENSEX increased 114.92 points or 0.19% to 59,106.44
  • Nifty50 increased 38.30 points or 0.22% to 17,398.05

 

 

The major Asian currency markets had a mixed day today:

  • AUDUSD decreased 0.0034 or -0.50% to 0.67510
  • NZDUSD increased 0.00158 or 0.25% to 0.63118
  • USDJPY decreased 0.756 or -0.57% to 131.654
  • USDCNY increased 0.00269 or 0.04% to 6.87899

 

Precious Metals:

  • Gold increased 37.35 USD/t oz. or 1.88% to 2,021.46
  • Silver increased 1.005 USD/t. oz or 4.19% to 25.000

 

Some economic news from last night:

South Korea:

CPI (YoY) (Mar) decreased from 4.8% to 4.2%

New Zealand:

NZIER Business Confidence (Q1) increased from -70% to -66%

 

Some economic news from today:

Australia:

RBA Interest Rate Decision (Apr) remain the same at 3.60%

 

 

EUROPE/EMEA:

 

The major Europe stock markets had a mixed day:

  • CAC 40 decreased 1.00 points or -0.01% to 7,344.96
  • FTSE 100 decreased 38.48 points or -0.50% to 7,634.52
  • DAX 30 increased 22.55 points or 0.14% to 15,603.47

 

The major Europe currency markets had a mixed day today:

  • EURUSD increased 0.00612 or 0.56% to 1.09562
  • GBPUSD increased 0.00898 or 0.72% to 1.25008
  • USDCHF decreased 0.0063 or -0.69% to 0.90610

 

Some economic news from Europe today:

Spain:

Spanish Unemployment Change decreased from 2.6K to -48.8K

Germany:

German Trade Balance (Feb) remain the same at 16.0B

 

US/AMERICAS:

For the first time in history, a former president of the United States was arrested. Donald T...

06:38

West 'not so eager to find out' who bombed Nord Stream - report "IndyWatch Feed National"

West 'not so eager to find out' who bombed Nord Stream - report --NATO leaders would rather not know if their allies were involved, the newspaper's sources said | 3 April 2023 | Western officials would rather not know who bombed the Nord Stream pipelines, lest they discover that their allies were responsible, the Washington Post reported on Monday. The report listed Polish and Ukrainian operatives as likely perpetrators, but left out one key suspect. "Don't talk about Nord Stream" is now an unwritten rule at gatherings of European and NATO policymakers, an unnamed European diplomat told the newspaper. "Leaders see little benefit from digging too deeply and finding an uncomfortable answer," the Post added, stating that officials "would rather not have to deal with the possibility that Ukraine or its allies were involved." "It's like a corpse at a family gathering," the diplomat continued, explaining that while everyone can see the metaphorical body, they pretend it's not there. "It's better not to know," the source said.

05:00

Andrews Government must listen to expert evidence and raise the age to at least 14 "IndyWatch Feed National"

60 Victorian organisations in the Aboriginal, legal, health, faith, youth and human rights sectors, including the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, VACCHO, Jesuit Social Services and Human Rights Law Centre, have in a joint letter called on Premier Daniel Andrews and Attorney-General Jacyln Symes to commit to raising the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14, no younger, and with no exceptions. 

Previously, the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG) had developed a proposal to raise the age to 12. This is despite a report prepared for SCAG in 2020 recommending that the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments should raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 years of age, without exception

Earlier this year, Daniel Andrews announced that Victoria was willing to lead the nation and raise the age sooner than other states and territories in order to maintain Victorias reputation as the most progressive in the country. If that is the case, then the age of criminal responsibility must not be 10 or 12; the Andrews Government must raise the age to at least 14, with no exceptions. 

Anything less would be a failure by the Andrews Government to listen to evidence and experts from Aboriginal, medical, legal and youth organisations, and over 65,700 Victorian people calling to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14, and improve the lives of hundreds of children and young people in Victoria. 

The Andrews Government has faced significant pressure for maintaining the age of criminal responsibility at 10. Key government ministers and high-ranking bureaucrats are expected to give evidence before the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the first formal truth-telling process into injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria, in April with critical law reform like raising the age of criminal responsibility set squarely on the agenda. 

Quotes from Nerita Waight, CEO of Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service:  

The Premier made a strong commitment to raise the age of criminal responsibility. All the expert advice says that children under 14 years old do not have the capability to be criminally responsible and that prison only harms their development. We expect the Premier to listen to the expert advice. 

If the Victorian Government keeps the age of criminal responsibility below 14 years old or creates exemptions for certain behaviours, then they have ignored the expert advice and chosen to play politics instead of doing what is right. They have committed to raising the age, now they must go the whole way to deliver it. 

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes recently said that she did not want to s...

03:28

Has The Ukraine War Allowed A Western Counter To Chinas Belt and Road Initiative? "IndyWatch Feed National"

Beijings Belt and Road Initiative has catapulted China into the position of a worldwide superpower, since its inception. Whilst Washington has for years scrambled to find an answer, how has the Ukraine war affected the ability of the US and its allies to combat Chinas rising power? Since February 24, 2022, when Russia declared its Read More...

00:15

Mainstream media in broad agreement over parlous state of the Liberal Party of Australia? "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"


The day after the Aston by-election The Guardian ran with this headline: Wipeout beckons for Liberals after Aston byelection and the problem is not just Peter Dutton and raised the possibility of leadership change along with the need for sensible emissions policy and a rejection of culture war issues.


Two days after the by-election this appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald on Page 9:


Peter Dutton says he's determined to rebuild the Liberal Party after its weekend defeat in Aston. That's necessary but insufficient. It needs a personality transplant too.


And it's not as simple as replacing Dutton. He is merely the current face of a party that has chosen to make itself inherently unattractive.


Kelly O'Dwyer, then-federal minister for women, explained to her Liberal colleagues in 2018 that the party was widely seen by the voters as being "homophobic, anti-women, climate-change deniers".


...

00:06

Tell Attorney-General Dreyfus to end the illegal imprisonment of Julian Assange - Thursday 10pm Mordialloc "IndyWatch Feed National"

From 10am until 12pm tomorrow, on Thursday 6 April, outside the electoral office of the Attorney General Mark Dreyfus in the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Mordialloc, supporters of Julian Assange will be protesting to demand that the Australian government act to end the British Government's imprisonment of Julian Assange.

The Attorny-General Mark Dreyfus, as the most senior legal officer in Australia, must surely be aware that the British Government's imprisonment of Assange, who has broken no British or Australian law, in solitary confinement for 23 hours per day, is in violation of British law, international law and the First Amendment to the US constitution which guarantees the right to free speech. I would be most interested to hear from Mark Dreyfus, himself, why the Australian government has chosen not to act to end the illegal imprisonment of Assange, but I expect not to be given this opportunity.

 

Please come along to hear speeches, hold banners or hand out leaflets.

Speech: Why won't the Australian Government act to end the illegal imprisonment of Assange?

 

The video below, shows myself speaking at an earlier protest at the same location on Monday 27 February. In my speech, I ma...

Tuesday, 04 April

22:55

Dingo mauls swimming girl, 6, pulling her underwater in terrifying beach attack in Queensland, Australia "IndyWatch Feed National"

The incident occurred in shallow water at Waddy Point Beach, on Fraser Island, also known as K-gari - a World Heritage-listed island in Australia's Queensland region. The girl was bitten on the back of her head, suffered puncture wounds around one of her ears and was also hurt on her hands. A rescue helicopter was sent to the island to support the victim of the attack, which took place just after 4pm on Tuesday. The young child was treated by paramedics at the scene before being flown, in stable conditions, to Hervey Bay Hospital in central Queensland.

21:21

Gods Wars : Looking into the Silence to Find the Answers "IndyWatch Feed National"

Beneath the shock and awe geopolitics of the Bush- Blair humanitarian crusade, Felicity Arbuthnot reflects on the indescribable barbarity of the 2004 Fallujah massacre, resulting in countless deaths and destruction.

And it has happened ever since. They are killing our

The post Gods Wars : Looking into the Silence to Find the Answers appeared first on Global Research.

18:07

Police Provoke A Response Turns Deadly "IndyWatch Feed National"

READ MORE AT ZEE MEDIA  Australian Historian Steven Harrison was recently reportedly tortured by Queensland...

17:41

Australia isnt a real nation, its a US military base with kangaroos - article by Caitlin Johnstone "IndyWatch Feed National"

One of the many, many signs that Australia is nothing more than a US military and intelligence asset is the way its government has consistently refused to intervene to protect Australian citizen Julian Assange from political persecution at the hands of the US empire.

In a new article titled , The Guardian quotes Australias foreign minister as saying, We are doing what we can, between government and government, but there are limits to what that diplomacy can achieve. Wong said this when asked if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussed the worlds most famous with the US president and British prime minister when he met with them together two weeks ago.

Wong whether her governments leader had raised the issue with his supposed US and UK counterparts, repeating instead the same shes been since Labor took over: that the Assange case has dragged on long enough and should be brought to a close. Which if you listen carefully isnt actually a statement in favour of releasing the WikiLeaks founder or blocking extradition its just saying the case should be concluded hastily, one way or another.

These state...

13:55

Society, to Its Own Peril, Is Missing the Big Picture Part One "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

Life is a multitude of cycles personal, professional, political within one big cycle.

From birth to death, our lives are subject to the constant force of change.

The Success Principles, written by Dr Jack Canfield, provided a formula to explain why some people cope better with change than othersE+R=O.

To quote from the book:

You cant change the events that take place in life but you can change your response to the events to create the outcome that you desire.

Events + Response = Outcome

Some events are beyond our individual control.

Like whether the RBA will or will not raise or lower rates.

Or whether the economically challenged Greens will hold the balance of power.

Or if US bank executives will act prudently or not.

Or the Saudis will exert influence over the price of oil.

While these events might be beyond your control, in some circumstances, you can pre-empt the change thats coming and respond in advance to create an outcome thats more favourable to you.

This week and next, well try to divine how some big cycles are interlocking to impact your lifecycle.

The political cycle

In the early 1980s, conservative luminaries Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were swept into power.

Their homespun logic resonated with the voting public:

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.

British PM Margaret Thatcher

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are Im from the government and Im here to help.

US President Ronald Reagan

Oh, how the world has changed.

The political cycle has rotated 180 degrees.

Today, people want no, make that demand the government help with other peoples moneyand the more of it, the better.

Any thoughts of where the money comes from or how long it can be paid for arent entertained. If youre a politician who wants the reins of power, youd better keep it coming.

In response to the recent election outcome in NSW which turned mainland Australia red former Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer wrote this Opinion piece for the Financial Review:

...

13:55

Seeking Alphas "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

Cole Porter

Caution: The following may contain non-graphic sexual content. Just like everything else, parental guidance is advised, as always.

In the news last week was a smallish note, in which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that peace [in Ukraine] could be a cynical trap.

Really? Killing people is better than not killing them? To stop killing would be cynical? Whence cometh such a strange idea; and how could you explain it to the widows?

The answer came to us as we awoke this morning: Doing it!

Like all our ideas, this one was surely rehearsed by a thoughtful Greek more than 2,000 years ago. But we never met the Greek. We see no copyright. And so, its ours.

Useful? You decide.

Need versus want

Humans have two major impulses. Need and want. Everything else can be derived from them.

We need to eator we will die. This is a purely practical matter. It leads us to practical actionsand material progress. We develop better hunting techniques (including cooperation)and then we learn to plant tomatoes and cabbagesand finally, were able to harness fossil fuels to power our tractors, factories, and homes.

Solving the need issue led to Pythagoras, pi, science, maths, and engineering. Adding two plus two. Identifying plants. Figuring out how to string a bow or throw a boomerangthen to the agricultural revolution and the Industrial Revolution. Calculators, foot warmers, atom colliders, double-entry bookkeeping, coat racks, and chainsaws all are derived from our practical, needs-based thinking.

But there is a second impulse desire. After we get enough food to survive, our main want (speaking socio-biologically, not necessarily from personal experience) is to reproduce. Were it not so, our species would have disappeared long ago.

Desire is an entirely different thing from need. Its sexand the world is full of it.

Trojan TikTok

Fantasy, fallacy, and fiction. The big man in the tribe brings back a young deer. He shares it with his friends and relativesand gets the best piece for himself. Mating is infinitely complex, nuanced, and fanciful. It is pouty lips and an enhanced penisa successful novel or a souped-up Chevy. It is full of lies and mythsdeception and contraceptionpolitical slogans and great power competitionexaggerations on Facebookbreast augmentation and a third world war. It is hours in the gym and botoxGone with the Wind and the Madonna della Pieta.

We began thinking about this when we were reading the headlines. One urged us to beware of TikTok because the Chinese might be using it to gather intelligence. Another told us that the Chinese were getting ahead of us because they were subsidising their technology companies. Still, another urged us to support a...

13:20

NSW solar plants top generation charts as coal heads for the exit door RenewEconomy "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

New South Wales had a bumper solar month in March, showing off its energy generation chops as the grid prepares for a major coal exit this month. The post NSW solar plants top generation charts as coal heads for the exit door appeared first on RenewEconomy.

NSW solar plants top generation charts as coal heads for the exit door RenewEconomy

13:13

Moltex vows to help Canada recycle its nuclear waste. Critics say the byproducts would be even worse. "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"


At best, theyll end up with a small amount of various types of waste before the project is terminated, that will just create a bigger disposal hazard. And if its stuck in the province of New Brunswick, it will be their problem. But theres zero chance of this cockamamie contraption being useful for generating electricity, or treating radioactive waste in a sound way.

The Globe and Mail, MATTHEW MCCLEARN, 2 Apr 23,

Less than a kilometre from the western shore of the Bay of Fundy, the Point Lepreau Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility temporarily houses about 160,000 spent fuel assemblies from New Brunswicks only nuclear power reactor. Moltex Energy, a Saint John-based startup, proposes to recycle that radioactive waste into fresh fuel for a new 300-megawatt reactor called the Stable Salt Reactor-Wasteburner, or SSR-W.

Moltex promises these facilities will greatly diminish the waste inventory of NB Power, the provinces primary electric utility, beginning in the early 2030s, while at the same time producing electricity. Critics, however, warn the resulting wastes would be harder to dispose of than the assemblies themselves.

Criticisms notwithstanding, Moltexs proposal appears to be gaining momentum. It has partnered with SNC-Lavalin Group, which holds a minority ownership stake and provides many of Moltexs 35 employees through secondments a vote of confidence from a company with deep roots in Canadas nuclear sector.

Premier Blaine Higgs hailed Moltex in a speech in February, stating his governments support is positioning New Brunswick as a leader in development of new nuclear. Mike Holland, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development, has extended what he described as unwavering commitment to seeing this project become a reality. The province has already supplied $10-million toward that end, while the federal government, through its Strategic Innovation Fund and other channels, has provided $50.5-million.

What these supporters have signed up for, however, isnt entirely clear. Moltexs technologies are embryonic; emphasizing that fact, partners that would play crucial roles in implementing them refused to discuss the implications with The Globe and Mail. Citing the need for commercial confidentiality, Moltex chief executive officer Rory OSullivan acknowledges the company hasnt revealed many details about its reprocessing technology (known as Waste...

12:19

Local protester risks arrest to protect koala habitat "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

A Lismore local is engaged in a protest action to halt native forest logging in the Doubleduke State Forest near Woodburn.

23 year-old law student, Kashmir Miller, has suspended herself on a platform 25m high in a tree by a rope attached to three NSW Forestry machines.

Kashmir Miller prepare for her climb into the trees at Doubleduke State Forest. Image: Save Banyabba Koalas

Native forest logging is accelerating the climate crisis, Ms Miller says.

Every tree cut down is a step further along in the extinction crisis. We need to preserve the amazing, unique biodiversity of Doubleduke for our own sake, as well as the wildlife.

The 2,600 hectare forest is located 50 km south of Lismore and was closed by authorities in February as a response to increased protest activity in the area.

The forest was heavily impacted by the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, and  is a known habit for several vulnerable and endangered species, including koalas, four species of large forest owls, and the yellow-bellied glider.

Local ecologist, Anastasia Guise, says: the 2019-20 bushfires had a catastrophic impact on threatened species already under enormous pressure from climate change and environmental land use changes on a landscape-scale.

The Save the Banyabba Koala group have called for a stop to all logging in Doubleduke State Forest.

This forest is full of old, hollow-bearing trees which are essential habitat for these species, and one of the key features we know were lost right across the landscape during the fires, Ms Guise says.

Extinction is forever. We need to take seriously the protection...

10:36

Boaters reminded to be responsible over Easter long weekend "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

A PRE-EASTER statewide safety blitz by NSW Maritime has highlighted the risks of wash and waves on waterways, with a raft of incidents including multiple capsizes responded to across last weekend.

NSW Maritime Principal Manager Shane Davey said Operation Dont Rock the Boat is about encouraging good judgement on the water as Maritime prepares for some of their busiest weeks over the Easter and ANZAC Day public holidays.

There have been far too many near-misses this year, and as we see a surge in people heading out on the water in the next couple of weeks its vital boaters make safe choices to avoid preventable incidents, Mr Davey said.

Despite the weather being poor, plenty of people were out on the water over the weekend, and in Sydney we saw two incidents that tha...

10:09

Pool owners urged to ensure barriers are up to scratch "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

THINK most drownings happen in Summer? Think again.

According to the National Drowning Report*, one-quarter of all drowning deaths in NSW occurred during Autumn last year, with Winter (14 per cent) and Spring (16 per cent) not far behind.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery stressed that cool weather is no time for residents to sleep on their pool safety obligations.

If you own a pool or spa that can hold water, and is more than 300mm deep, there are important laws you must follow year-round to protect children in and around the pool, Cr Bradbery said.

One-third of all drowning deaths for children aged 0 to 14 years-old occur in swimming pools and spas.

Pool owners have a legal responsibility to help keep kids safe.

Under NSW law, all pools and spas must be registered with the NSW Swimming Pool Register and have a safety barrier that complies with the Australian Standards for Swimming Pool Safety Barriers.

Some common compliance issues that we see are climbable objects near fences and gates, gates not working correctly, gaps or broken fence panels, and missing or outdated CPR signage. These are typically easy to address and can save lives.

Pool owners can download a free self-assessment checklist&nbsp...

09:08

Local band Loose Content ready to rock at Bluesfest "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Two years ago, in their debut radio interview on Bay FM, the teenage members of local band Loose Content talked about their dream of playing big festivals like Bluesfest and Splendour in the Grass.

This Saturday that dream will become reality, when the trio takes to the Juke Joint stage at Bluesfest.

Its definitely a big milestone, the bands drummer, Aquila Porter says.

Just growing up around the festival and seeing all our idols playing there over the years. To be part of that is amazing.

I dont think weve really spoken about it, but I guess this could be something really big for us.

The three-piece, consisting of MiLLa (bass and vocals), Sam Sanders (guitar) and Aquila, formed in early 2018 while they were students at the Cape Byron Steiner school.

Loose Content play this Saturday at Bluesfest. Image supplied

After winning the Mullum Music Festival Youth Mentorship in 2018, the group have gone on to play at some of Australias most-loved festivals.

But Bluesfest promises to be their biggest gig yet.

It actually happened through the busking competition, MiLLa says.

We entered last year in the grommet section and won, and they gave us a slot on a small stage and this year were on one of the main stages.

The group will hit the stage at midday on Saturday at the Juke Joint stage, the first show on that day.

When theyre not preparing for their spot the...

07:46

Concern about chemicals in compostable food containers "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

University of Queensland researchers are analysing compostable takeaway food packaging for potentially polluting chemicals.

Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon from UQs Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS) said little is known about the substances used in compostable paper or cardboard products and how they may impact the environment.

a pile of brown and white food bags and boxes
The project will identify the chemicals in compostable food packaging.

Recent bans on single use plastic food packaging have led to an increase in alternatives, which is a really positive step, Dr Kaserzon said.

However, we have a limited understanding of the chemicals within these alternate products and how they may pollute recycling or composting streams.

We want to understand how these chemicals may persevere when the packaging is composted or recycled, leading to potential human and environmental exposure.

This knowledge is crucial as we divert waste from landfill and transition towards more sustainable practices.

Research has already found chemicals such as mineral oils, flame retardants and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in non-compostable paper containers, additives which enhance their structural integrity and resistance to heat, water and grease.

PFAS, synthetic compounds linked to human health problems, are estimated to be...

07:38

Ballina council to upgrade Angels Beach access "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Ballina Shire Cr Stephen McCarthy PIC SUPPLIED

Independent Ballina Shire Councillor Stephen McCarthy has won a move to have the council upgrade access facilities to Angels Beach.

Staff made no attempt to disagree in agenda notes for last months ordinary council meeting with Cr McCarthys description of the timber beach entrance as nearing the end of its useful life and in need of replacement.

Instead, they acknowledged the structure was showing signs of wear and tear and would need refurbishment or rebuilding in the not-too-distant future.

The current structure is also designed for disability access.

Staff said they could include estimated costs in the April 2023 Finance and Facilities Committee reports, but already guessed the upgrade project would cost more than $100,000.

But support for the upgrades came only after time spent questioning how infrastructure projects are prioritised, with staff answering it was ultimately up to the elected councillors.

Councillors wary of changing priorities

...

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