IndyWatch Bellingen NSW All Topics Summary Archiver

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Saturday, 22 April

22:12

Washing machine repairman wrongly targeted as a suspect in the William Tyrrell investigation is awarded almost $1.5MILLION in damages "IndyWatch Feed National"

Crooked cops again

A washing machine repairman who was wrongly named as a high-profile suspect in the investigation into William Tyrrell's disappearance will receive almost $1.5million in compensation.

Bill Spedding sued the NSW Police alleging detectives maliciously pursued him while investigating the disappearance of the three-year-old from his foster grandmother's home in Kendall, on the NSW north coast, on September 12, 2014.

His case before the NSW Supreme Court sought compensation for reputational harm and psychological treatment. Mr Spedding also sought exemplary damages to punish police for purportedly using the courts for an improper purpose.

The tradesman was an early high-profile suspect in the disappearance, with police searching Mr Spedding's Bonny Hills home and draining his septic tank in January 2015. But they found no evidence linking him to William. 

Bill Spedding was awarded almost $1.5 million in damages after suing the NSW Police Force for malicious prosecution. Above, outside court on Thursday with his wife Margaret
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Bill Spedding was awarded almost $1.5 million in damages after suing the NSW Police Force for malicious prosecution. Above, outside court on Thursday with his wife Margaret

A coronial inquest later found Mr Spedding had an alibi on the day of William's disappearance. He was attending a school assembly for a child in his care that day, and had a receipt from a nearby coffee shop. 

During the police investigation into Mr Spedding, the tradesman was charged in April 2015 over the historical child abuse claims, spending 56 days in custody and then being released on strict bail conditions.

The charges were later dropped by prosecutors. 

Mr Spedding alleged that the charges were levelled against him in a bid to intimidate and place pressure on him. 

Mr Spedding's lawyers claimed a police investigation prior to those charges being laid was 'done in extreme haste' in three or four weeks. 

'The investigation was not in any way professional, careful or proper,' said Mr Spedding's lawyer Adrian Canceri during closing submissions in August.

Mr Spedding has claimed the anxiety and depression he suffers were caused by the prosecution and the public attention it brought.

Clear evidence emerged that the complainants had been coached by another person to make allegations and another person's evidence undermined the case, Justice Harrison heard.

Barrister Adrian Williams, for the State of NSW, had argued that misunderstandings occurred but it didn't follow that police were actin...

22:08

Police officer who shot and killed Gabriel Messo may have committed homicide, coroner says "IndyWatch Feed National"

Stupid armchair criticism of a split-second decision

A junior police officer who gunned down a man as he savagely stabbed his own mother in broad daylight may have committed homicide, according to Victoria's coroner, who has referred the case to state prosecutors.

Gabriel Messo died after being shot three times by a Victoria Police officer who confronted him as he brutally attacked his mother in a public park in Melbourne's north-west about two years ago.

The assault was so ferocious that his mother, Lilla Messo, lost an eye and developed an acquired brain injury. She ultimately survived the attack.

Mr Messo's death was being investigated by the Victorian State Coroner John Cain, who today found that the first two shots fired by Constable Emmanuel Andrew was an acceptable use of force.

"The level of force used was not disproportionate to Constable Andrew's objective to prevent the assault from continuing and to protect Lilla from really serious injury," Judge Cain said.

But Judge Cain said he was "gravely concerned" about the third shot which was fired just five seconds after Gabriel Messo, who was by that point unarmed, had stopped attacking his mother and was moving away from police as he clutched his torso.

"I have formed a belief to the requisite standard that an indictable offence may have been committed by Constable Andrew in connection with Gabriel's death," Judge Cain said.

"The indictable offences I have formed a belief to the requisite standard include but are not limited to of homicide, causing serious injury intentionally, conduct endangering life or assault."

He has referred the case to Victoria's director of public prosecutions, who will ultimately decide whether to criminally charge Constable Andrew.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said he was confident prosecutors would assess whether to lay charges as quickly as possible.

"We will await the findings in due course," the chief commissioner said.

"I know this will be an incredibly difficult time for the member involved and Victoria Police will continue to support him during this process."

Police union backs officers involved in Messo shooting
Police Association of Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt strongly condemned the coroner's findings and said the two police officers attending the Gladstone Park assault had made the right decision.

"We've got a decision to make as a community in Victoria. I can tell you now, police forces around the world are being roundly criticised for attending scenes and doing nothing," Mr Gatt said.

"These officers did some...

22:01

Id have got a medal: Zachary Rolfe has last word as he flies out "IndyWatch Feed National"

He was a victim of political correctness.  Blacks are sacrosanct.  If the thug he shot had been white, nothing would have been said

Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe who fatally shot Indigenous teenager Kumanjayi Walker at Yuendumu has left the country after claiming that in any other jurisdiction he would have got a medal for protecting his partners life instead of being painted as a violent thug.

Constable Rolfe flew out of Canberra on Thursday after sharing a 2500-word open letter accusing the NT police, coroner and her counsel assisting of trying to publicly vilify him during the biased coronial inquest into Walkers death, which is due to resume next week.

The 31-year-old also accused Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker of refusing to meet with him and called for his resignation.

In the letter, obtained by The Australian, Constable Rolfe says Walker was a violent abuser who tried to kill him and his police partner, Adam Eberl, when their specialist unit was deployed to Yuendumu to arrest him for attacking their colleagues with an axe.

Walker was a young man with a violent past who abused many in his community, including young girls and boys, he said. When he tried to kill my partner and I I did not think about his race, upbringing or his past trauma, I thought about defending my partners life, and thats what I did.

In a different state, I would have got a medal for it, and none of you would ever have known my name.

Constable Rolfe apologised for sending offensive text messages that have been ventilated at the inquest but claims the communications were cherrypicked from thousands extracted from his phone and honed in on at the inquest in a deliberate attempt to paint him as a racist, violent cop.

They had access to every single one of my messages and knew that I did not treat a single race differently from others. In private, I talked shit about nearly every group at times, he said.

Yet they released just a tiny snippet to make me out to be a racist. The parties knew that the messages had nothing to do with the death of Kumanjayi Walker.

They knew the damage they would do once in public they would hurt the community, the police force and the relationship between them but they didnt care. If the coronials goal was to heal, it has failed.

Constable Rolfe, who grew up in Canberra, said the investigations into his actions at Yuendumu on November 9, 2019 had been blatantly biased.

If all you know of me is through the media then you see me as a violent thug, an ex-soldier with a past, he said.

The former infantry soldier who depl...

21:51

Innocent cop fired by politically correct NT police "IndyWatch Feed National"

He had to be fired to please Aborigines

Zachary Rolfe has been dismissed by the Northern Territory Police Force despite being acquitted of murder over the shooting death of an Aboriginal teenager.

Mr Rolfe shot Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker dead during a botched arrest in November 2019 at the remote community of Yuendumu, 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.

A statement issued by NT Police on April 4 confirmed Mr Rolfe was sacked 'due to serious breaches of discipline'.

'A 31-year-old male police officer has been dismissed from the Northern Territory Police Force effective 4th April 2023,' the statement read.

'The officer was dismissed under section 78 of the Police Administration Act 1978 due to serious breaches of discipline during their policing career.'

Mr Rolfe, a former constable, was charged with Mr Walker's murder three days after his death on November 9, 2019, but was acquitted in March 2022.

Four NT police officers arrived at Yuendumu to arrest Mr Walker but the 19-year-old resisted, stabbing Mr Rolfe in the shoulder with a pair of surgical scissors. 

In response Mr Rolfe's partner Adam Eberl punched Mr Walker in the head, then Mr Rolfe struck the boy in the face, before firing his Glock pistol into Mr Walker's back.

Mr Rolfe shot Mr Walker two more times in the torso. A post-mortem examination would later determine either the second or third shot killed him.

The jury that acquitted Mr Rolfe heard that he acted in good faith, in the reasonable performance of his duties and in the defence of himself and his policing partner in firing his gun after being stabbed.

The ABC reported that Mr Rolfe's dismissal may be linked to his 2,500-word open letter, which was published online in February.

In it Mr Rolfe claimed he would have 'got a medal' for his actions if the incident had occurred in another state. 

The letter was critical of police leadership and the continuing coronial inquest into Mr Walker's death. 

Meanwhile, Mr Rolfe's father, Robert Rolfe, called out Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker, saying the territory's top cop 'must go'.

Mr Rolfe claimed a 'petty vendetta' led to his son's dismissal.  'We cant allow Chalker to keep on getting rid of good police officers,' Mr Rolfe told Sky News Australia.

Mr Rolfe sr also claimed 'the government have now lost confidence in Chalker'.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11936685/Zachary-Rolfe-shot-Aboriginal-teenager-Kumanjayi-Walker-dead-2019-sacked-NT-Police.html

...

21:23

And just like that, Phillip Adams makes it about himself. "IndyWatch Feed National"

What sort of a person admits parting company over politics differences. Intolerant flog.

21:18

Vale Barry Humphries. "IndyWatch Feed National"

For me, the world will never be the same. It's well worth the effort to find a copy of this collection of Barry Humphries scripts and sketches: It was published by Currency Press in 1981. Barry created the character Lance Boyle, General Secretary of the NSW Branch of the ACU*T...

19:38

How'd the wokeness work out for you darl? "IndyWatch Feed National"

Bud Light's Vice President of Marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, will be taking a leave of absence following the controversy surrounding the company's endorsement of Dylan Mulvaney. pic.twitter.com/woWXRga0PT Clown World (@ClownWorld_) April 22, 2023

18:14

THE HARD NO "IndyWatch Feed National"

The naysayers of the Noalition

Author information

David Marler

David Marler

Queensland reporter at No Fibs

David is a full time Queensland carer for his son and in quiet times contributes to NoFibs.

13:23

Rupert Murdochs son Lachlan ends Australian defamation suit. ABC News (America Broadcasting Corp) "IndyWatch Feed National"

My guess is that Billionaire Lachlan Murdoch CEO of Fox and News Limited couldnt be bothered wasting his time with a small nothing Australian online media like Crikey.

ABC News (America Broadcasting Corp)

Rupert Murdochs son Lachlan ends Australian defamation suit

Fox Corp. chief executive Lachlan Murdoch has dropped his defamation lawsuit against Australian news website Crikey

ByROD McGUIRK Associated Press

April 21, 2023, 2:58 PM

CANBERRA, Australia  Fox Corp. chief executive Lachlan Murdoch on Friday dropped his defamation lawsuit against Australian news website Crikey, citing the settlement of the separate U.S. case where Fox News agreed to pay almost $800 million over its lies involving the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Media mogul Rupert Murdochs son filed the Crikey suit last August a day after executives at Crikeys publisher put their names to an ad in The New York Times inviting Lachlan Murdoch to sue to test the press freedom issue in court.

Murdochs lawsuit targeted the publisher, Private Media, its then-managing editor Peter Fray, who was al...

13:11

More truth - The Voice will make the elected government 'accountable' to The Voice "IndyWatch Feed National"

I much prefer it the way it is - government is accountable to all the people.

09:58

Government in contempt of Supreme Court ruling, re: C-19 fines "IndyWatch Feed National"


The colony has a very rich history of abuse by those in government.

In the 1800s Imperial law (No it wasnt 1788, contrary to popular belief) was established on this land, but those in government ignored it completely.

So much so that when Britain found out, the empire installed the Colonial Laws Validity Act in 1865.

While much has changed since then, some things never do, that being the illegal or unlawful behaviour of those in control of the general population.

The general population are being terrorised by those in government from many fronts.

The states premiers dictated to police, (an illegal action) to issue notices to people for so called C-19 Infringements where exorbitant amounts were listed.

The problem there was that those in government did not follow the law in order to put into place lawfully enacted infrastructure in order to issue the said fines.

MANY people have caught on via the help of social media platforms and other forums, culminating in court action against the government.

Even though the Supreme Court of New South Wales issued a ruling, the people in government have not heeded to this, therefore being in contempt.



We should all be aware if the plebs are in contempt of a court ruling, there are consequences.

Its up to you to hold them accountable and make them pay.

So far the...

00:39

Head of Norwegian Shipyard Denies Presence of Spy Equipment on Russian Trawlers "IndyWatch Feed National"

Sputnik 21.04.2023

Greger Mannswerk, head of Norwegian shipyard Kimek located in the town of Kirkenes, which borders Russia, said on Friday that the shipyards employees did not find any spy equipment on board Russian trawlers, commenting on recent reports from Norwegian media.

We have a pretty good understanding of whats on board and we have never found anything to indicate that they [Russian seamen] are engaged in intelligence gathering. We cannot know if there are any [Russian] intelligence officers on board today, but no fisherman enters a Norwegian harbor without the [Norwegian] police and armed forces having a full idea of who is on board, Mannswerk was quoted as saying by the broadcaster.

This week, the media published the results of an investigation, which said that up to 50 civilian Russian ships could be involved in intelligence operations against Norway.

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Friday, 21 April

23:36

How the NZ Cabinet Learned to Stop Worrying About the Bomb and Love NATO "IndyWatch Feed National"

By Matt Robson, Green Left, April 21, 2023

Matt Robson is a former NZ cabinet minister, and served as an MP from 1996 to 2005, first as a member of the Alliance, then as a Progressive.

As Aotearoa/New Zealands Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control within the Labour-Alliance coalition government in 1999, I was mandated to promote NZs opposition to nuclear weapons and membership of aggressive military blocs such as NATO to the world. And I did.

What I did not realise at the time and should have, having read Ralph Miliband on Parliamentary Socialism was that all the top brass of the NZ military, intelligence services and the top civil servants were working overtime to assure the United States officials that NZ would eventually return to the fold (not their words of course) as a junior imperialist power in the South Pacific and supporter of US military-led alliances. And this is what is happening.

NZs anti-nuclear policy and its correlative opposition to nuclear armed military blocs was based on the 1987 Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act, legislated by the then-Labour government, to reinforce membership of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty or the Treaty of Rarotonga.

These strong anti-nuclear policies, which had seen New Zealand turfed out of the ANZUS military pact by its allies with Australian PM Bob Hawke being particularly insistent were forced upon the Labour government by a vibrant mass movement that had spilled over into Labours base.

Labour leaders were to cynically state that conceding an anti-nuclear position was worth it, to distract attention from the blitzkrieg that forced through the neoliberal program of wholesale privatisation, deregulation and an end to free public healthcare and education. Indeed, in the period of the anti-nuclear campaigns success, NZ suffered the implementation of the complete neoliberal agenda and roll back of the welfare state. This betrayal of the gains of the labour movement saw Labour crash in 1990 to its worst electoral defeat.

Now, Labours successors are implementing a new b...

23:33

High Court Turns Its Back on Australian Babies in Unprecedented Decision "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 High Court Turns Its Back on Australian Babies in Unprecedented Decision appeared first on Global Research.

23:30

Making surface parking lots into solar farms "IndyWatch Feed National"

On hot days, if one parks ones car in the sun for any length of time, the temperature inside can rise to values much higher than the ambient temperature, making the interior extremely hot to the touch. This is another example of the greenhouse effect, similar to what is heating up the Earth.

Its only early April, but weve already had our first report of an infant found in a hot car in Tucson.  We talk about this every Spring and Summer in Arizona: the dangers of cars heating up in the sun.

Afternoon temperatures are about 20 to 25 degrees lower now than they will be in June, but its still hot enough to raise the temperature up to 120 degrees in about 45 minutes.

The air inside the car heats up so fast because of the greenhouse effect.  Heres what it means:
Incoming solar radiation, known as shortwave radiation, shines through the windows and is absorbed in the cars interior.

The heat released from the interior is known as longwave radiation, and is much weaker than the shortwave radiation.  The heat becomes trapped inside the car.  Heat continues to enter the car, but struggles to exit.

It only takes 10 to 15 minutes for a car in direct sun light to heat up above 100 degrees when its 80 degrees outside, even if the window is cracked.  When the air temperature climbs above 100 degrees here in June, the temperature inside a car can soar above 150 degrees to 170 degrees in less than an hour.

These are dangerous temperature levels. To avoid getting back to a car whose interior is hot to the touch, most people try to find a shady spot to park but that is rarely possible.

But Michael Mechanic writes that we can turn this problem into a solution by building roofs covered with solar panels over the parking lots This would provide shade for cars while at the same time using solar energy for generating electricity rather that wasting it as thermal energy.

He has done calculations for what might be achieved with the massive parking lots at just Walmart superstores. He says that there are over 3,500 such stores in the US covering an area of 1,400 square miles. If they were all covered with solar panels, they would generate about 1.5 terawatts of energy, sufficient to power 1.25 million households. A single 1,000 space parking lot could power 100 EV charging stations and 350 nearby homes.

The transition to clean power will require massive solar expansionnot just home rooftop arrays but photovoltaic installations near population centers. Where to mount all the panels? One answer seems obvious: over parking lots, which also bake...

22:23

Do You Remember Dr Rima Laibow The Ultimate Whistle-blower? "IndyWatch Feed National"

Introduction by Dee McLachlan

Do you remember Dr Laibow? I remember seeing the 2009 Jesse Ventura interview around 2011.

Dr Laibow talks about Covid as the beta test, that all is controlled (directed) by the Rockerfeller family, and that the Bilderberg Group are merely middlemen.

Through Injunction, Injection, and Indoctrination there will be no independent thought. (Wow) The herd (people) can be culled and they will be as ineffective as Sheep rebelling at the practice of eating mutton.

A fascinating and frightening interview.

Maybe Jesse Venturas interview with Dr Laibow was in the back of my subcons...

21:00

The Real Reason We Cant Contain Gun Culture "IndyWatch Feed National"

Guns and race have shaped the news this week. In this episode of the WhoWhatWhy podcast, I talk with Emory University professor Carol Anderson, author of the new book The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America, to explore the absolute connection between race, the original sin of slavery, and Americas gun culture. 

 

As mass shootings and gun violence continue to plague the nation, Anderson delves into the dark history of the Second Amendment and its foundation in anti-Blackness.

 

Anderson reveals how African Americans were historically depicted as inherently violent, criminal, and vicious, leading to the implementation of laws that restricted their access to guns and ammunition. 

 

She further discusses the contentious debate between James Madison and the anti-Federalists during the ratification of the Constitution, highlighting the fear of Black retribution and the belief that white control was necessary to maintain order.

 

When examining the role of the Second Amendment in Americas gun culture, Anderson discusses the crucial questions and offers invaluable insights into the complex relationship between race, guns, and the countrys ongoing struggle to address gun violence. 

 

Its a story of the hidden history behind the Second Amendment, its lasting impact on America today, and a search for an answer to the never-resolved question as to why we cant ever seem to do anything about guns in America. 

iTunes Apple Podcasts...

20:39

Macrons tear gas tour: a photo-report from rebellious France "IndyWatch Feed National"

by Paul Cudenec

Tear gas was this week used against people in rural France protesting against the arrival of authoritarian president Emmanuel Macron.

As I witnessed for myself, the town of Ganges, in the Hrault department, was divided into two for the day in a military-style police occupation.

Combined with the states draconian use of anti-terrorist laws to ban the banging of saucepans, the overall impression is frankly alarming.

Were going straight there, into repression and dictatorship, warned trade unionist Grard, one of a thousand-strong crowd that turned out on Thursday April 20.

Macrons visit to the local middle school, ironically named after anarchist revolutionary Louise Michel, was the second stop in a national tour in which he is supposed to be making peace with the French public after months of huge protests against his pension reforms, which he ended up forcing through parliament without a vote.

But, with hundreds of tooled-up gendarmes ensuring nobody but the invited few got anywhere near him, Macrons visit to Ganges, like the previous days trip to Alsace, hardly spoke of a desire for dialogue.

He listens more to Capital than to the people, remarked Matthieu Guy, secretary-general of the CGT union in Ganges.

...

20:23

SOLICITOR-GENERAL BACKS FIRST NATIONS VOICE "IndyWatch Feed National"

Australia's Solicitor-General, Dr Stephen Donaghue KC, has backed the constitutional change to give First Nations people recognition and a voice to the parliament in advice released today.

Author information

David Marler

David Marler

Queensland reporter at No Fibs

David is a full time Queensland carer for his son and in quiet times contributes to NoFibs.

15:00

Mission Australia: Climate Anxiety is Causing Youth Mental Health Problems "IndyWatch Feed National"

According to Mission Australia, climate anxiety is a leading cause of mental health issues in young people.

14:59

The Pilgrimage of European politicians to Beijing, a sign of accelerating the transformation of the world order "IndyWatch Feed National"

Pilgrimage to Beijing of European politicians.

The first two weeks of April this year were a time of pilgrimage to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) by European politicians of various ranks, representing some of the continents leading states as well as trans-European structures. This in itself turned out to be one of the signs indicating the acceleration of the process of change that has recently been taking place both in the world as a whole and in the group of countries designated by the (increasingly conventional) term generalized West.

No less representative of the fact that the world order as a whole is already at the stage of another radical reformatting is the increasingly obvious conventionality of the terminology used, which until recently seemed to reflect certain political realities more or less adequately. In particular, several elements accompanying European trips to China involuntarily provoke the question: What, in fact, are we talking about when the word Europe is used?

The same elements superimposed on the long-standing conflicts in transatlantic relations, the outwardly strange events and circumstances that accompanied the recent visit to Ireland of the American president, make legitimate the broader formulation of this question, namely: What realities do the mentioned term generalized West reflect? Moreover, it seems that the already aggravated situation on the territory of the current leader of the latter, i.e. the United States, provokes the question: who, in fact, does the current American administration represent in the international arena?

The answer to this question must be in the exclusive competence of the American people, who will do without prompting or, all the more so, help from outside. Lets wish them success in this. If only because during their short and controversial history the Americans have created a specific culture (in the broa...

14:45

No-ethics Case, Part 3: The Police Officer Is Not On Trial Mr ODea, You Are "IndyWatch Feed National"

(R) Shakespeare theatre gallery

by Dee McLachlan (a supporter of justice and truth; a supporter of children being able to live free from abuse and encouraged to flourish in an environment of love and joy)

I was up at 4:00am yesterday to catch at flight to Brisbane to attend the last mention or hearing before the trial of THE KING v PATRICK FINBAR MCGARRY ODEA, WILLIAM RUSSELL MASSINGHAM PRIDGEON, ANN KATHLEEN GREER AND ORS. I was not disappointed with the theatre.

We were in another courtroom this time,...

14:40

Therapeutic Albanese pretty happy about his Vanity Voice . "IndyWatch Feed National"

The Solicitor General's advice makes it clear that the Voice will strengthen our democracy. pic.twitter.com/QIDUwzUXvm Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 21, 2023

14:00

Australian Dollar and Bitcoin "IndyWatch Feed National"

1.00 AUD = 0.00002 BTC
0.00010 BTC = 4.20 AUD
Converter

Oversized blazers are the new workwear staple. Heres how to style yours "IndyWatch Feed National"

The oversized proportions are tricky. Heres how to look chic and put together, rather than drowning in your jacket.

What should you wear to work? The answer is, likely, an oversized blazer.

Read Full Story

13:42

Ex-top spy admits Hunter Biden laptop letter designed to influence 2020 election, Blinken involved "IndyWatch Feed National"

Ex-top spy admits Hunter Biden laptop letter designed to influence 2020 election, Blinken involved | 20 April 2023 | A former acting CIA director has admitted to Congress that he organized the letter that falsely portrayed Hunter Biden's laptop as Russian disinformation in an effort to influence the 2020 election in favor of Joe Biden and that he did so at the direction of current Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to a letter released Thursday by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan. The extraordinary admission by career intelligence officer Michael J. Morell provides stunning evidence that the now-infamous letter from 51 security officials in October 2021 was not an organic intelligence community initiative but rather a political dirty trick originating with Blinken and the Biden campaign. Jordan sent a letter demanding Blinken answer a series of questions about Morell's stunning testimony, as lawmakers weighed the enormity of America's top diplomat being willing to accuse a nuclear-armed superpower of interfering in the 2020 election without evidence. That letter included major snippets of Morell's testimony. Morell, who retired as deputy CIA director after a long and storied career and served as its acting chief, was on the short list in fall 2020 to be Biden's CIA director when he became involved in the letter. He ultimately did not receive the job.

13:38

Poetry can already be free "IndyWatch Feed National"

Theres a regime of logic that we can call Australia, that we can say on many fronts is also a fiction. Any poem that meets Australia within its logic, taking it at face value, will be boring and it might be competent. If you use an AI app, it will definitely be competent AND boring materially, but conceptually itll be amazing, in that it met evil (management speak/the invisible hand/terra nullius) with cunning, with another kind evilamoral, not immoral.

The post Poetry can already be free appeared first on Overland literary journal.

12:48

NSW Liberals doomed - Opposition leader more left than Kean elected. #nswpol "IndyWatch Feed National"

Just when you thought it could get no worse ... it has. Mark Speakman, an entitled and severely out of touch lawyer, has been elected NSW Opposition Leader and Leader of the Liberals. Speakman is a committed, extreme leftist. Worst than Kean. Speakman is a former Attorney General who spent...

12:42

Andrews Government must stop jailing 12 year old kids and #RaiseTheAge to at least 14 "IndyWatch Feed National"

Keeping the age of criminal responsibility as low as 12 would be a cop-out and a failure by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes for the children locked up behind bars, and the children who will be exposed to the criminal legal system in the future.

Raising the age to 14 is the absolute bare minimum reform the Andrews Government must make. Anything less than 14 will continue to be an abject failure by the Andrews Government to uphold the human rights of children and young people in Victoria.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, health, legal, youth, community and human rights organisations call on Premier Andrews to act on the recommendations provided from numerous parliamentary inquiries, United Nations benchmarking, medical advice, and Aboriginal experts, and raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14.

No 12 year old child should grow up in prison.

12 and 13-year-olds should be finishing primary school and starting high school. They should be in our schoolyards and with their families, not locked up behind bars. Prison has devastating and lifelong impacts on childrens and young peoples health, development, mental health and wellbeing.

Evidence shows that the earlier a child is locked up in jail, the more the child is at risk of being entrenched in the justice system and re-offending later in life.

Instead of locking up kids in prison, Premier Andrews and the Victorian Government should fund community-led solutions which keep the community safe and has better outcomes for children.

Todays decision is a betrayal of Victorias children, especially those who have been victims of poverty, violence and abuse.

As a campaign made up of 100+ organisations and over 65,700 Victorians, we will not stop demanding change until the Andrews Government takes action to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years old.

Quotes from Cheryl Axleby, Co-Chair, Change the Record:  

If the Victorian government announces an increase to the age of criminal responsibility to 12, it will not make any real difference to the already high and unacceptable rates of Aboriginal youth overrepresentation in the legal system. We advocate strongly that the Victorian government commit to raising the age to 14, particularly as the Federal government has committed $81.5 million to justice reinvestment. There is now no excuse whatsoever why all state and territory governments do not now support Aboriginal led designed and delivery of culturally responsive diversionary programs to break the intergenerational cycle of incarceration for our younger generations."

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

The Premier said he had a responsibility to be the most......

12:25

Pan-African News Wire "IndyWatch Feed National"

Why Sudans Conflict Matters to the Rest of the World

Associated Press

A destroyed military vehicle is seen in southern in Khartoum, Sudan, Thursday, April 20, 2023. The latest attempt at a cease-fire between the rival Sudanese forces faltered as gunfire rattled the capital of Khartoum. Through the night and into Thursday morning, gunfire could be heard almost constantly across Khartoum. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali)

Fighting in Sudan between forces loyal to two top generals has put that nation at risk of collapse and could have consequences far beyond its borders.

Both sides have tens of thousands of fighters, foreign backers, mineral riches and other resources that could insulate them from sanctions. Its a recipe for the kind of prolonged conflict that has devastated other countries in the Middle East and Africa, from Lebanon and Syria to Libya and Ethiopia.

The fighting, which began as Sudan attempted to transition to democracy, already has killed hundreds of people and left millions trapped in urban areas, sheltering from gunfire, explosions and looters.

A look at what is happening and the impact it could have outside Sudan.

WHO IS FIGHTING?

Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, head of the armed forces, and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces that grew out of Darfurs notorious Janjaweed militias, are each seeking to seize control of Sudan. It comes two years after they jointly carried out a military coup and derailed a transition to democracy that had begun after protesters in 2019 helped force the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir. In recent months, negotiations were underway for a return to the democratic transition.

The victor of the latest fighting is likely to be Sudans next president, with the loser facing exile, arrest or death. A long-running civil war or partition of the Arab and African country into rival fiefdoms are also possible.

Alex De Waal, a Sudan expert at Tufts University, wrote in a memo to colleagues this week t...

12:04

Should Tweed Shire rates go up? If not, what are you prepared to lose? "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

At yesterdays Tweed Shire Council meeting (20 April) all councillors voted for the application for a  Special Rate Variation (SRV) of 2.35 per cent on top of the upcoming increase of rates by four per cent. If approved this will increase Tweed Shire rates by 6.35 per cent.

Tweed Shire Council originally applied for the SRV in case they needed to seek the SRV while looking at ways that the council could reduce expenditure. However, it appears that the Council has reached the conclusion that if they are to continue to provide the existing level of services then a rate increase will be needed.

Burden of costs from the State government

Mayor Chris Cherry was clear to highlight that there are significant costs that are placed on the Council from the State government that they are required to meet despite the fact that the State government has provided no extra funding to cover those costs. This is coupled with the State government removing the ability for Council to collect extra income from levies such as the Environmental Enforcement Levy.

Councillor Cherry said, We do not have enough funds to cover all of the expenses that we have ongoing. Also, the expenses that have been put on our shoulders from the State government [including] not being able to collect the environmental levy anymore for our compliance officers, needing to improve our cybersecurity and our storage of our data.

So theres a lot of costs there that we need to cover, and that we havent had in the past. What were proposing to put on exhibition is the report that council has gone through and said in order to cover all of the services that we went to, are required by the state to provide, and all of the things that are required by other legislation this is what it will cost.

We need to look at cutting services or service levels if we dont have an increase in rates of 2.35 per cent, she told the meeting.

Councillor Cherry highlighted the point that many of the other councils applying for SRV are applying for 30, 40, even up to 100 per cent variations.

I know that its an incredibly hard time for everybody. But Im very fearful that if we dont take this step now, it will actually be worse next year and the year after and the year after because these things are compounding and these are ongoing costs, she said.

...

11:41

Lighting a candle for peace in Lismore "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Eve Of Anzac Day 2022 all-inclusive peace gathering at Lismore Anglican St Andrews Church. Photo supplied.

Lighting a candle for peace on the eve of ANZAC Day will be held next Monday, April 24, at Lismore Anglican St Andrews Church.

This ceremony is to remember all who have suffered through war, on all sides. At the same time it expresses the wish for non-violent conflict resolutions in a peaceful future.

With RaHs patron, former Mayor Jenny Dowell as MC, different speakers from our very diverse community with different backgrounds and affiliations will bring their perspectives on a more peaceful world. Local musicians will take part in the event.

This all-inclusive, multicultural, multi-faith gathering on April 24, from 5.30pm 6.30pm in St Andrews Anglican Church, 10 Zadoc St, Lismore, and will be followed by refreshments. The event is cost-free and everybody is invited.

Over the past 14 years, this peace event for ANZAC Day has become a local tradition, organised by the North Coast peace group Remembering and Healing (RaH).

For more information please contact: Sabina 6688 6214

The post Lighting a candle for peace in Lismore appeared first on The Echo.

11:38

Winyama is mapping out success "IndyWatch Feed National"

WINYAMA Digital Solutions have put their name firmly on the map after taking home both the Business of the Year award and the Indigenous Excellence award at the 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards ceremony in Naarm (Melbourne) last month. 

Founded by Ngarluma Traditional Owner, Andrew Dowding, the Boorloo (Perth)- based company is an Indigenous- owned business specialising in cultural mapping, heritage mapping, IT consulting and geospatial consulting services. 

The genesis of Winyama really came about from the experience I had in working on Country with Elders, as part of our Native Title Organisation, the Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation, Mr Dowding told the Koori Mail. 

I could see at the time mapping was an important part of the work we were doing at the corporation, and so I found myself working with a lot of Elders who wanted to do

11:36

Wallams sights set on World Cup "IndyWatch Feed National"

STAR Queensland Firebirds goal-shooter Donnell Wallam is making a case for Diamonds Netball World Cup selection despite her teams winless start to the Super Netball season.

The Nyoongar woman is confident that despite the Firebirds predicament it wont impact her chances of winning selection for Australia for the key tournament in South Africa. 

Netballs 16th World Cup will be held entirely at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from July 28August 6. 

Wallam, 29, has been a shining light for the Firebirds, who have struggled to put together four quarters in four games this season. 

Wallam sits third in goals scored behind Jamaican representative duo Jhaniele Fowler and Shimona Nelson and tops the Super stats for offensive rebounds. 

Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich will name her squad at the end of the domestic season for the July-August tournament in Cape Town, where Australia will look to wrest back the trophy from

10:20

The strip bar manager who's shown more leadership than the Parliament of Australia "IndyWatch Feed National"

David Ross runs Maxine's Erotic Lounge in Melbourne. He banned trashbag Sentator Lidia Thorpe for life for conduct unbecoming of a strip bar customer. To date, he's shown more leadership on Thorpe's behaviour than: Prime Minister Therapeutic Albo. Greens leader Adam Bandt Senate Leader Penny Wong David Ross understands that...

10:04

Ramadan ends and Eid celebrations begin "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Members of the Northern Rivers Muslim community said prayers before dinner was served. Photo Dr Mahmudur Rahman.

According to the lunar calendar Ramadan will end tonight. Muslims either follow the lunar calendar or a moon sighting both are correct. Tonight is the last day of Ramadan for the people who follow the calendar, and those who gauge the end of the month of fasting with a moon sighting may end their fast tonight or tomorrow night depending on the appearance of the silvery crescent.

The next day is the Eid day, one of the two Eids Muslims celebrate with great festivity.

This day, Eid al-Fitr, literally means Holiday of Breaking the Fast, and comes after the month long Ramadan.

On the morning of Eid day, this year it is Saturday for those who follow the calendar, friends and family gather together to pray a congregational prayer. The rest of the day is spent expressing special greetings, having fun, feasts, charitable actions an...

09:30

NSW 2023 mapping the upper house vote "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Todays post features two maps showing the vote for the top five polling groups in the Legislative Council election by region, and the swings for the top four groups along with the Shooters.

Labor topped the primary vote in 57 seats, with the Coalition coming first in 35 seats, and the Greens coming first in Newtown. The Greens had also come first in Balmain in 2019, but Labor retook the lead there in 2023.

Overall these trends do suggest personal vote effects in the lower house flowed into the upper house, be it the Labor MPs retiring in the south-west, Chris Minns new position in Kogarah, Janelle Saffin dominating the progressive vote in Lismore or the Shooters losing strength in the west.

Lets start with the vote total map.

Most of the maps are not that surprising, but the One Nation and Legalise Cannabis maps are interesting.

One Nation support is highest in two areas: in the outer south-west of Sydney, and the Hunter region, particularly the outer suburban areas around Newcastle. One Nation state leader Mark Latham lives in the south-west and used to represent a seat not far from there as a federal Labor MP.

Legalise Cannabis did particularly well in regional areas, with Cessnock and mid-north coast seats particularly standing out. They didnt do particularly well in Greens heartland areas in Sydney or on the far north coast.

Interestingly, while Legalise Cannabis came fifth, they were not the most popular minor party in any seat. If you exclude Labor and the Coalition, the Greens came next in 57 seats, One Nation in 19 seats, the Shooters in twelve (all in inland NSW) and the Liberal Democrats in five Western Sydney seats. Legalise Cannabis support tended to be highest in areas with high Greens support, although they overtook the Greens in Cessnock only to be beaten by One Nation.

The swing map is arguably the more interesting one, although there is no swing map for Legalise Cannabis as they did not run in 2019. Ive included the Shooters, who polled more...

09:03

Government report calls for increasing Jobseeker and Youth Allowance "IndyWatch Feed National"

Contributed From Victoria

Despite the release of Labors own report calling on a substantial lift to Jobseeker and Youth allowance payments, the Albanese government seems to be in no mood to listen. The report calls for a boost in rental assistance, and it argues that there must be a change in thinking of the definition of full employment. It currently refers to anyone who has worker an hour in the week of the used unemployment survey.

The reason given for the assessment by the Economic Advisory Committee, which had been briefed to find ways of lifting economic participation, is that Jobseeker and youth allowance payments have fallen so far below a liveable income that they constitute a barrier to finding work and inclusion. Raising these payments to overcome these barriers requires a 40 percent increase. This would mean living on $80 a day instead of $40.

A similar argument applies to the single parent allowance and the age pension.

According to government estimates, the called for changes would cost $34 billion. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has ruled out making any commitments and goes on to say, that the priority for the government is paying the $1 trillion debt it inherited.

When the cost of the benefit increase is compared to the intended $250 billion stage three tax cuts to the highest income earners, it is put into the proper perspective. It is not so much. Add to this the whopping $368 billion price tag for the nuclear submarine the government is buying.

This difference in the treatment of the wealthiest and the poorest is in line with that of the previous Scott Morrison government. The wealthiest are looked after, even if its at the expense of the poorest. The tax...

08:56

"IndyWatch Feed Nthamerica" "IndyWatch Feed National"

<p><p>Welcome to <a href= "https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/" rel= "nofollow noopener" style="color: #ff0000;" title= "This link will take you away from steemit.com">The Daily Wrap Up</a>, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/20/23).<br> As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth is, or claiming they have the answer, is likely leading you astray, for one reason or another. Stay Vigilant.<br> (<a href= "https://www.rokfin.com/TLAVagabond">https://www.rokfin.com/TLAVagabond</a>)(<a href="https://www.bitchute.com/channel/24yVcta8zEjY/">https://www.bitchute.com/channel/24yVcta8zEjY/</a>)<br> https://rumble.com/embed/v2gw6j4/?pub=2q643<br> <br> <br> Video Source Links (In Chronological Order)<br> <br> <br> <br> <a href= "https://www.spytalk.co/p/exclusive-fbi-agents-accuse-cia-of">Exclusive: FBI Agents Accuse CIA of 9/11 Coverup</a><br> <a href= "https://www.floridabulldog.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Canestraro-Declaration-dated-20-July-2021.pdf"> Att B. 2021-07-20 Mr. Canestraro Declaration, dated 20 July 2021</a><br> <a href= "https://thegrayzone.com/2023/04/18/9-11-hijackers-cia-recruits/">Bombshell filing: 9/11 hijackers were CIA recruits - The Grayzone</a><br> <a href= "https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/not-just-azov-documents-prove-cia-has-been-cultivating-fascism-ukraine-since-1948/"> Not Just Azov: Documents Prove The CIA Has Been Cultivating Fascism In Ukraine Since At Least 1948</a><br> <a href= "https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/january-6th-was-always-very-clear-government-operation-important-tn-bill-dioxin-follow-up/"> January 6th Was Always A Very Clear Government Operation & Important TN Bill/Dioxin Follow Up
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(26) LastAmericanVagabond on Twitter: "@macroaggressio3 https://t.co/HlN4Ws6oa3 Isn't this offensive to the non-binary crash dummies? #DummyRightsAreHumanRights" / Twitter
(26) Ghost of Gary Plauch on Twitter: "@TLAVagabond Wait. Is she claiming there are physical differences between men and women?" / Twitter</a><br> <a href= "https://twitter.com/KimIversenShow/status/1648426711535718402">(26) Kim Iversen on Twitter: "The anti-trans agenda is the new #MeToo movement. At first it made sense and many of us agreed, now it's just going way too far. Are you against kids being indoctrinated and women competing against biological males, or are you now just against ALL trans people in public?" / Twitter&l...

08:39

Class action over Optus data breach "IndyWatch Feed National"

A law firm has issued proceedings against Optus on behalf of current and former customers whose personal information including key identity documents were compromised in the September 2022 data breach.

The statement of claim, lodged in the Federal Court by Slater and Gordon, accuses Optus of breaching privacy, telecommunication and consumer laws as well as the companys internal policies by:failing to protect or take reasonable steps to protect customers personal information from unauthorised access or disclosure; failing to destroy or de-identify former customers personal information, and; failing to ensure that only those who had a legitimate reason for having access to customers personal information could access it.

Contractual obligations to customers

Optus has also been accused in the class action of breaching contractual obligations to customers along with its duty of care to ensure customers did not suffer harm arising from the unauthorised access or disclosure of their personal information.

It is claimed such harm was reasonably foreseeable if customer data was compromised.

Group members are seeking compensation for losses the data breach caused, including time and money spent replacing identity documents in addition to other measures to protect their privacy and prevent the increased likelihood of them falling victim to scams and identity theft.

They are also seeking damages for non-economic losses such as distress, frustration and disappointment.

10 million customers compromised 

Optus announced on 22 September last year that the personal information of up to 10 million of its current and former customers had been compromised in a cyberattack. The telco revealed that information including customer names, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses were accessed by, and/or disclosed to, an unknown number of unauthorised persons.

For a subset of customers, their addresses, ID document numbers such as drivers license, Medicare cards and/or passport numbers had also been compromised. The personal information of more than 10,000 customers was subsequently published online when ransom demands were made.

Slater and Gordon Class Actions Practice Group Leader Ben Hardwick described what occurred as an extremely serious privacy breach both in terms of the number of people affected and the nature of the information that was compromised. Very real risks were created by the disclosure of this private information that Optus customers had every right to believe was securely protected by their telecommunications and internet provider.

Information made accessible put affected customers at a higher risk

The type of information made accessible put affected customers at a higher risk of being scammed and having their identities stolen, and Optus should have had adequate measures i...

07:18

Market Talk April 20, 2023 "IndyWatch Feed National"

ASIA:

 

Singapores March non-oil domestic exports (NODX) shrank 8.3% year-on-year, official data showed on Monday, though the drop was smaller than the previous month and less than forecast. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, NODX increased 18.4%, Enterprise Singapore data showed, versus the prior months 8.2% decline. Economists had forecast 1.7% growth. The trade reliant city-state has now recorded six consecutive months of year-on-year contraction in the NODX, amid concerns over the economic outlook. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) left its monetary policy settings unchanged last week, even though the inflation rate remains elevated, reflecting policy makers concerns about its growth outlook.

 

The major Asian stock markets had a mixed day today:

  • NIKKEI 225 increased 50.81 points or 0.18% to 28,657.57
  • Shanghai decreased 3.10 points or -0.09% to 3,367.03
  • Hang Seng increased 29.21 points or 0.14% to 20,396.97
  • ASX 200 decreased 3.30 points or -0.04% to 7,362.20
  • Kospi decreased 11.97 points or -0.46% to 2,563.11
  • SENSEX increased 64.55 points or 0.11% to 59,632.35
  • Nifty50 increased 5.70 points or 0.03% to 17,624.45

 

 

The major Asian currency markets had a mixed day today:

  • AUDUSD increased 0.0036 or 0.54% to 0.67490
  • NZDUSD decreased 0.00104 or -0.17% to 0.61876
  • USDJPY decreased 0.561 or -0.42% to 134.129
  • USDCNY decreased 0.01383 or -0.20% to 6.88057

 

Precious Metals:

  • Gold increased 13.07 USD/t oz. or 0.66% to 2,006.33
  • Silver decreased 0.004 USD/t. oz or -0.01% to 25.254

 

Some economic news from last night:

China:

PBoC Loan Prime Rate remain the same at 3.65%

Japan:

Trade Balance (Mar) increased from -898.1B to -754.5B

Adjusted Trade Balance increased from -1.25T to -1.21T

Exports (YoY) (Mar) decreased from 6.5% to 4.3%

Australia:

NAB Quarterly Business Confidence decreased from -1 to -4

New Zealand:

CPI (YoY) (Q1) decreased from 7.2% to 6.7%

CPI (QoQ) (Q1) decreased from 1.4% to 1.2%...

06:57

The price of lies "IndyWatch Feed National"

Rupert Murdoch.
An American citizen. David Lowe with Midjourney AI.

This week we found out that Australias most embarrassing export, Rupert Murdoch, will pay US$787.5 million to avoid having his corporation further humiliated in court for telling lies about the US election, specifically regarding Dominion voting machines.

While this is a victory, of sorts, for Murdochs enemies, there is no accompanying ruling for Fox News to tell the truth about why they settled out of court, least of all to their own viewers, and it appears they will have some or all of Dominions costs covered by libel insurance.

The prospect of a six week trial of the key Murdoch players (from both sides of the camera), and a potential $1.6 billion settlement, has been whisked away. While Dominion and their investors have had a remarkable payday, it seems unlikely that this result will do any lasting damage to Fox News, or the wider Murdoch empire. Fox News reported $2.9 billion in pro-forma earnings last year, with the company worth upward of $16 billion. Their stock price barely wavered following the announcement.

As for reputational damage, the pre-trial evidence of internal communications from within Fox has made it clear that this is not a news organisation at...

06:45

A busy finish to boating season on ANZAC Day "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

NSW Marine Rescue crews have been busy right throughout the boating season and undertaken nearly 3,000 rescues this summer alone. Photo supplied.

This weekend is the last in the boating season and Marine Rescue volunteers across NSW are rescue ready ahead of ANZAC Day with the boating season wrapping up April 25.

From the Tweed to Eden and inland on the Alpine Lakes and Murray River at Moama, Marine Rescue volunteers are alert and the agency is expecting boaters to take the opportunity to make a long weekend as ANZAC Day falls on Tuesday.

Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Alex Barrell said there have been large numbers of boats out and about all summer. We expect this weekend to be no different.

...

06:19

Senators make a new demand regarding FBI, Hunter Biden, Obama White House "IndyWatch Feed National"

Two GOP senators who have been investigating alleged Biden family corruption for years have stepped up their efforts. After Facebook and Twitter suppressed, to an extent, explosive revelations about Hunter Biden's laptop in October 2020, Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin want more answers. Grassley and Johnson have sent a letter to Zuckerberg noting: "In October 2020, when the New York Post published articles based on evidence from Hunter Biden's laptop, many news and social media organizations inappropriately rushed to censor and discredit the initial reporting and falsely labeled it as 'disinformation.'" Mainstream media outlets have finally admitted that the information gleaned from the laptop was not Russian disinformation but was in fact real.

06:07

400 randoms selected for Byron Council survey "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Independent research company, Micromex Research, will randomly choose 400 Byron Shire residents next week and ask them how satisfied they are with Councils work and services.

The 2023 community surveys aim is to get feedback on a wide range of issues so Council can see whats working and where we need to improve.

The survey is normally done every two years but was postponed in 2022 because of the floods.

General Manager, Mark Arnold, said this is a very important piece of work for Council. It is random and views canvassed are representative of our community meaning the group of people surveyed will broadly match residents across the Shire by age, gender and location.

Participation is anonymous, and the data collected will be used in a wide range of ways.

Mr Arnold said the survey will tell Council how satisfied people are and this information will be used as a benchmark for improvement.

The data will also tell us what is important to the community for example findings the last survey showed the highest priorities were local roads, housing availability and affordability and planning for the future.

We used that information to successfully lobby the NSW Government for increased funding for road improvements and some State Government investment in housing in the Shire.

The team from Micromex Research will be contacting people randomly to do the 15-minute survey and Council thanks everyone who participates.

They will not be collecting personal details and the survey will be anonymous.

Information about the 2023 Community Survey is on Councils website.

The post...

04:59

Farmers Crippled by Satellite Failure as GPS-Guided Tractors Grind to a Halt "IndyWatch Feed National"

Via: The Sydney Morning Herald: Tractors have ground to a halt in paddocks across Australia and New Zealand because of a signal failure in the satellite farmers use to guide their GPS-enabled machinery, stopping them from planting their winter crop.

04:00

Researchers find cryptocurrency signatures of maturity similar to equities market "IndyWatch Feed National"

Scientists at the University of Melbourne and Tsinghua University published pre-print research comparing the cryptocurrency market to traditional equities.

02:13

Archaeologists studying an enigmatic stone structure in the Saudi Arabian desert have turned up evidence of a Neolithic cultic belief "IndyWatch Feed National"

More than 260 fragments of animal bones have been found at the monument. The excavation of an enigmatic stone monument in AIUIa in Saudi Arabia is offering fresh insight into the rituals and culture of Neolithic-era peoples. Called a "mustatil," the structure is one of about 1,600 such rectangular monuments that have been recorded across northern Arabia. As part of a five-year project by the University of Western Australia and the Royal Commission for AlUla, researchers are studying one particular mustatil, dating back 7,000 years, with large slabs of sandstone encircling a long inner courtyard. Within the 140-meter (460-foot) long complex, archaeologists identified 260 fragments of animal remains, namely the skulls, horns, and teeth of domestic cattle such as goats and gazelles.

02:10

The Israel-Palestine Conflict: How the Palestinian Resistance Is Changing the Equation "IndyWatch Feed National"

When Israel launched a war against the Gaza Strip in August 2022, it declared that its target was the Islamic Jihad only. Indeed, neither Hamas nor the other Gaza-based groups engaged directly in the fighting. Nevertheless, the war then raised more questions than answers.

Israel rarely distinguishes between one Palestinian group and another. For Tel Aviv, any Palestinian Resistance is a form of terrorism or, at best, incitement. Targeting one group and excluding other supposedly terrorist groups exposes a degree of Israeli fear in fighting all Palestinian factions in Gaza all at once.

For Israel, wars in Gaza have proved progressively harder with time. For example, Israels so-called Protective Edge in 2014 was very costly in terms of losing lives among the invading troops. In May 2021, the so-called Breaking Dawn was an even bigger flop. That war unified the Palestinians and served as a strategic blow to Israel without considerably advancing Israeli military interests.

Though the Gaza groups provided the Islamic Jihad with logistical support in August 2022, they refrained from directly engaging in the fight. For some Palestinians, this was unexpected and was interpreted by some as indicative of weakness, disunity, and even political opportunism.

Nearly a year later, another war loomed following the release of harrowing footage of Israeli police senselessly beating up peaceful Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the 14th day of the holy month of Ramadan. Again, like in May 2021, Palestinians rose in unison. This time, resistance groups in Gaza and, eventually, Lebanon and Syria fired rockets at Israel first.

Though Israel hit back at various targets, it is evident that Tel Aviv was disinterested in a multi-front war with Palestinians to avoid a repeat of the 2021 fiasco.

The violent and repeated Israeli military raids at Al Aqsa and limited, though deadly, attacks on Jenin, Nablus, and other parts of the West Bank were meant to achieve political capital for the embattled government of Benjamin Netanyahu. But this strategy could only succeed i...

01:18

Feathered forecast: Tech tools comb weather data for bird migrations "IndyWatch Feed National"

Ask Andrew Farnsworth about the origins of the BirdCast project, and he would describe it as ancient history. The year 1999, when the project was conceived, is a far cry from antiquity. But given how technology has helped transform the project since then, Farnsworths description might not be completely off the mark. BirdCast, in essence, is a project that tracks and forecasts bird migrations across the U.S. It uses weather radar data, in which birds also show up, to spot birds. Back when it was launched, scientists had the tedious task of manually poring through the chaotic radar data to differentiate between birds and meteorological phenomena like clouds. I used some statistical models and did some math that connects weather to migration intensity to make the forecast, Farnsworth, senior research associate at the Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, told Mongabay in a video interview. The state of the art then was being able to use what was in the human brain to make the forecast. Since then, BirdCast has evolved to combine ornithology and advanced computer sciences to understand and predict bird migration patterns. The project now uses technology such as cloud computing and machine learning, which have helped make the work of researchers easier and more automated. The team at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is also currently working on combining human observations with technology like machine learning and bioacoustics to identify the species of migratory birds information that has remained elusiveThis article was originally published on Mongabay

00:15

Sometimes in 2023 humour is all you have left if you live on one of the many once-sealed Northern Rivers roads "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"


Google Earth snapshot, March 2023
Click on image to enlarge








ECHO, 18 April 2023:


I moved to the Byron Shire in 1986, the year this great little paper started expressing the views of our community. I remember back then the complaints about the state of our roads Its like this paralysing brain fog descends at the mere mention of our roads, and this has now been going on for decades. Throw in a couple of once in a lifetime we...

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Thursday, 20 April

23:57

Australia, US to Host Largest-Ever Bilateral Exercise "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, US to Host Largest-Ever Bilateral Exercise appeared first on Global Research.

23:34

DNA shows rapid Aboriginal colonisation of E/W Australia "IndyWatch Feed National"

'Historic hair samples collected from Aboriginal people show that following an initial migration 50,000 years ago, populations spread rapidly around the east and west coasts of Australia.'

https://theconversation.com/dna-reveals-aboriginal-people-had-a-long-and-settled-connection-to-country-73958

23:30

Libelled by the Bot: Reputation, Defamation, and AI "IndyWatch Feed National"

Cometh the new platform, cometh new actions in law, the fragile litigant ever ready to dash off a writ to those with (preferably) deep pockets. And so, it transpires that artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, for all the genius behind their creation, are up for legal scrutiny and judicial redress. Certainly, some private citizens are getting rather ticked off about what such bots as ChatGPT are generating about them.

Some of this is indulgent, narcissistic craving you deserve what you get if you plug your name into an AI generator, hoping for sweet things to be said about you. Things get even comical when the search platform is itself riddled with inaccuracies.

One recent example stirring interest in the Digital Kingdom is a threatened legal suit against the OpenAI chatbot. Brian Hood, Mayor of Hepburn Shire Council in the Australian state of Victoria, was alerted to inaccurate accusations about bribery regarding a case that took place between 1999 and 2004. It involved Note Printing Australia, an entity of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Hood had worked at Note Printing Australia and blew the whistle on bribes being made to foreign authorities. He was never charged with the crime itself. However, answers generated by ChatGPT suggested otherwise, including the claim that Hood was found guilty of the said bribery allegations.

In a statement provided to Ars Technica by Gordon Legal, the firm representing Hood, more details are given. Among several false statements returned by the AI bot are claims that Hood was accused of bribing officials in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam between 1999 and 2005, that he was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of false accounting under the Corporations Act in 2012, and that he authorised payments to a Malaysian arms dealer acting as a middleman to secure a contract with the Malaysian Government.

James Naughton, a partner at Gordon Legal, is representing Hood. Hes an elected official, his reputation is central to his role, stated the lawyer. It would potentially be a landmark moment in the sense that its applying this defamation law to a new area of artificial intelligence and publication in the IT space.

In March, Hoods legal representatives wrote a letter of concern to OpenAI, demanding that they amend the outlined errors within 28 days, threatening a defamation action against the company in the event they refused to do so.

The question here is whether ChatGPTs supposedly defamatory imputations might fall within the realm of liability. T...

22:05

Snake Matt Kean screws over a friend to control who gets the late Jim Molans Senate spot "IndyWatch Feed National"

Snake Matt Kean will do and say anything to advance his power. He'd even screw over a good friend. The "friend" is Fiona Scott. She's the former member for Lindsay near Penrith. Fiona Scott is left faction through and through. She even works for the disgraced Michael Photios as a...

21:56

Everybody Knows, Part 2: Lawyers, Have You Seen any of These Transgressions in the Pridgeon Case? "IndyWatch Feed National"

Photo: nswbar.asn.auPhoto: nswbar.asn.au

by Mary W Maxwell, LLB (Adel)

The photo shown above appears on the Professional Conduct page of the New South Wales Bar Association website, without a caption. I presume it means Stay on the Straight and Narrow.

Ah, the straight and narrow.  What is that for the legal profession today?  Does it mean Do the done thing?  I hope not, as the thing that is being done in Childrens Courts today is horrible.

This series at GumshoeNews.com, entitled Everybody Knows, concerns the criminal charges 101% unwarranted leveled against Dr Russell Pridgeon. Part 1 discussed the list of professional ethics for doctors.

I chose only the items from the AMAs code of practice that bear upon Russells duties to society as a doctor. Today its barristers turn. I will quote from the New South Wales code for barristers, but I wont be so abstemious; Ill copy out ma...

20:40

Sun Protection What to Know About Skin Safety "IndyWatch Feed National"

Sun protection has been a topic of conversation for generations. Everyone knows that the sun, although mood-boosting, and offering some health benefits too, can really do some damage. The saying fun in the sun isnt so fun when considering the detriments of too much sun exposure including serious diagnoses like skin cancer. Read the following useful information about sun protection and what to know about how to stay safe in the sun.

Is Sunshine Healthy?

Source: usatoday.com

The answer to this question is a million times YES! The sun offers health benefits like boosting our levels of vitamin D which leads to a healthier immune system. The sun also aids in amping up our mood and making us feel happier. Everyone can agree on that. There are many benefits to soaking up the sun but as with anything in life, moderation is key.

The Bad Part

The bad part about staying out in the sun too long is that the sun gives off ultraviolet rays. These are called UV rays for short. These rays are extremely powerful and contain skin-damaging effects. When exposed to the strength of UV rays for too long, your skin will suffer. Sun damage comes in the form of burnt skin, blisters, fine lines, and wrinkles, and sometimes more serious consequences such as skin cancer.

Wear Sunscreen

...

20:06

Idiot. "IndyWatch Feed National"

driving a train while on a smartphone pic.twitter.com/716iOgEr6m clips that go hard (@clipsthatgohard) April 19, 2023

19:55

Climate change scandal in Australia heating up "IndyWatch Feed National"

Further significant doubts have been cast on the accuracy of global surface temperature results following the discovery that electronic thermometers in Australia have read up to 0.7C higher than traditional mercury glass units. The Australian dataset is a major component of global compilations since it provides an important guide to one of the largest land masses in the southern hemisphere. After many years of trying, local freedom of information requests from scientists have forced the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) to release comparative information from the two measuring devices around Brisbane airport. It shows that automatic readings are higher 41% of the time, compared with 32% when the temperatures were the same. Electronic temperatures devices have been in general use in Australia since 1995. The guidance of the World Meteorological Organisation suggests averaging temperatures over a minute to remove corruptions caused by temporary effects such as a sudden gust of...

18:29

Opposition grows to nuclear submarines in Port Kembla "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

by Owen Marsden-Readford  https://redflag.org.au/article/opposition-grows-nuclear-submarines-port-kembla, Wednesday, 19 April 2023

Last year, as part of the AUKUS pact, Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced plans for a new submarine base on Australias east coast. The Labor government that succeeded Morrisons has said it will stick with this plan.

There is increasing speculation that the site for the base will be Port Kembla, a southern suburb of Wollongong in the Illawarra region of the NSW south coast. While Labor insiders have claimed a final decision wont be made until after the next federal election, the ABC recently reported that, according to defence, government and industry figures, Port Kembla is now the strongly favoured option for its deep port and proximity to other military bases and Australias lone nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights.

The plan has r...

18:06

BEEKEEPER WHISTLEBLOWER VIDEO PROOF AUSSIE GOVT MASS KILLING BEES: THE GOVT DOESNT WANT US TO EAT "IndyWatch Feed National"

Link Australian Government goons killing millions of bees by pouring petrol into peoples bee hives....

17:30

On : My Rationale Explained "IndyWatch Feed National"

How to Locate Reliable Pet Insurance

When searching for a proper insurance agent, it is quite a challenging process. Just like it is with other businesses, there are many dog insurance agencies and types to select from. However, you need to know more about insurance companies and agents are not the same. Therefore, a lot of attention is required when choosing an insurance agent that is suitable for you. To help you find a good insurance agent, there are multiple steps that you can take. The first step you should take is to contact and speak directly to your prospective agent.

To meet and discuss your needs and expectations, book an interview with the agents. To help you find a suitable insurance agent, there is no better way than having a one on one conversation now! An insurance agent that is right for you is the one that is keen to listen and inquire more about your needs. However, it might be time to find a new insurance agent if the one you are talking to is only pushing for unwanted plans and policies. If you find the advice given by a particular agent uncomfortable, you can also view here for more to get details about the agency.

Do not make the mistake of paying for an agent who is hard to get along with. When looking for the proper insurance agent, you also need to discover more and observe how quickly they respond to your needs. You probably need to find another agent if the one you are talking to does not seem interested to listen or respond to your wants. Also you should not settle for an agent who keeps on pushing you to purchase more coverage even after they are already aware of your needs. It is, however, common for good agents to sometimes provide more coverage or different policy options.

It is good to find out if you can be offered with all the different types of systems that you may want by your prospective insurance agent. If, for example, you need health, auto, and homeowners insurance, it will not make any sense if you find a suitable insurance agent that only offers one of them. The other thing you need to consider is the period that the company has been into the business of selling insurance. You should not expect perfect services in case you are the first customer to that agent. On the other hand, ensure these agents have been into business for long, you can expect to get high-quality services, knowledge, and experience.

16:51

Macron pension battle puts the French elite in a dilemma "IndyWatch Feed National"

Contributed by Ben Wilson

Embattled French President Emmanuel Macron continues to face the enmity of the French. Months of strikes and protests continue over the raising of the retirement age. This has taken the shape of a battle over what sort of nation France is going to be in the future, and it has implications for Europe and the world.

Unions have acted together in a show of unity that hasnt been seen for a long time. Students and youth in general are taking part in big numbers. The turmoil is in the big cities and tow across the country.

Forcing the change through by decree, rather than going through the process of a parliamentary vote which would have defeated it has raised an uproar. Most French see this as an act against democracy. In combination with brutal police suppression of protests the swelled, and this has included the defence of democracy.

Photo from AP: at least 1.5 million marched in Paris on 12 April

This provides evidence that the Marcon administration is running scared, and ultimately fighting for its ongoing survival.

The political crisis this has caused, is really the result of ongoing and building tensions over time. France is beset with economic troubles and the old two-party political system is in disarray. In fact, this is what was behind the rise of Macron in the first place. The former prominent member of the Socialist Party and as the party came close to extinction, he became the face of a new hope for the political elite. The conservative Republicans fell nearly as far, which provided space for the rise of new political movements.

Marcons job was to save the day for a section of the political elite. Another section turned to the Marine le Pen led and far right National Rally. Up till now, the Macron camp has had the upper hand. But it started to unravel with the rise of the Yell...

16:27

My 1yo Granddaughter Already Owns A Shotgun And Rifle, Brags US Governor "IndyWatch Feed National"

An American politician has bragged to a National Rifle Association conference that her one-year-old granddaughter, who is soon to turn two, already owns a shotgun and a rifle, and will soon need them.

Kristi Noem is the Govenor of South Dakota, in the north west of the continental United States. She was elected to the role in 2019 after an endorsement from then US president Donald Trump, but she came to national prominence during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic by refusing to mandate mask wearing throughout her state.

At the start of the pandemic South Dakota had the lowest death rate in the country, with a single death in the month of March 2020, set against a population of almost one million people. After a year-and-a-half, South Dakotas death rate was ranked 9th overall, with just over 2,000 actual deaths.

Earlier this month, Noem was back seeking the spotlight with a speech to a National Rifle Association leadership forum, where she claimed her granddaughter, Addy, already own guns.

Little Miss Addy who is almost two who soon will need them, I want to reassure you, she already has a shotgun and she already has a rifle.

Noem added that she also has a pony named Sparkles so the girl is set up.

Anyone 18 or older can buy a handgun from a private individual, and they dont need a permit, firearms registration or a background check. Additionally, open carry which means walking around with a firearm strapped to your hip like the old days of the wild west is also legal in South Dakota, again with no permit required.

South Dakota, despite having one of the smallest populations in the United States (its ranked 46th), also has the 7th highest rate of suicide by firearm.

The post My 1yo Granddaughter Already Owns A Shotgun And Rifle, Brags US Governor appeared first on New Matilda.

15:25

A Colossal 5.9 Million Tons Of Lithium Reserves Were Found In A Rather Sleepy Town In India "IndyWatch Feed National"

Good News Network

According to World Economic Forum, the demand for lithium is going to rise to 3 million tonnes (3.3 million tons) by 2030. Moreover, they also share that The three largest producers of lithium are Australia, Chile and China.

In a recent surprising development, a Geological Survey of India (GSI) found that there is around 5.9 million metric tons of lithium in the Reasi district in the northern union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, also known as J&K.

This survey showed that in a country where it was once believed had no deposits of lithium suddenly contains the second-largest on earth, just as much as Australia, China, Portugal, Zimbabwe, the USA, and Argentina, all put together.

Lithium is now considered one of the worlds most important and critical resources on the planet since regardless of what may seem like a lot, can be considered scarce when placed in perspective of how much the world uses up this natural resource. Thats because its used to manufacture rechargeable batteries for smartphones, computers, tablets, electric vehicles, and the like, whose number continues to increase every single year.


15:09

Establishment of the US Department of Defence All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office "IndyWatch Feed National"

Media release

On 20 July 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense published a media release titled "DoD Announces the Establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office." The text of the release reads:

https://media.defense.gov/2021/Mar/03/2002592680/-1/-1/0/210212-A-BI463-0003.JPG

"On July 15, 2022, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence [DNI], amended her original direction to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security by renaming and expanding the scope of the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group [AOIMSG] to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office [AARO], due to the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2022, which included a provision to establish an office, in coordination with DNI, with responsibilities that were broader than those originally assigned to the AOIMSG.

Today, USD (I&S) Hon Ronald S.  Moultrie informed the department of the establishment of AARO within the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, and named Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick, most recently the Chief Scientist at the Defense Intelligence Agency's Missile and Space Intelligence Center, as the Director of AARO.

The mission of the AARO will be to synchronize efforts across the Department of Defense, and with other US federal departments and agencies, to detect, identify and attribute objects of interest in, on or near military installations, operating areas, training areas, special use airspace and other areas of interest, and, as necessary, to mitigate any associated threats to safety of operations and national security. This includes anomalous, unidentified space,...

15:00

Dunno the difference between Christianity and The Taliban? Pop over to Kabul in a bikini love. "IndyWatch Feed National"

the view is making me sick to my stomach and comparing US Christians to the Taliban that is beyond repair the view needs to be Cancelled ASAP pic.twitter.com/YbCe9OXt8b (@DustinMills24) April 19, 2023 Set up the next Pride event in Helmund.

14:08

Russian Spies Infiltrate Tinder "IndyWatch Feed National"

Do your passions include walks on the beach, traveling, and Wilhelms tank coordinates? Germany is warning both soldiers and politicians to be wary of Russian spies who are using dating apps, namely Tinder, to gather intel. Germanys Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) told the newspaper Welt am Sonntag that members of other intelligence services (e.g. Russia) use social media to specifically establish contacts with members of the Bundeswehr.

Germanys Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution said Russian spy efforts are on par with the Cold War. However, trained young spies are looking to meet all of the men from unfriendly nations. Before the war began, Australias counter-espionage agency ASIO reported that spies from foreign nations were on popular dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess claimed that spies were attempting to interfere in Australias election and said that spying efforts began at the start of the pandemic. ASIO is also tracking suspicious approaches on dating platforms such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge. My message for any potential victims on these sites is a familiar one if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, Burgess stated.

Beautiful women are extremely effective spies and this tactic has been used throughout history. In fact, some of the gadgets used in James Bond films were inspired by the 39 female spies in Bri...

13:26

Penny Wongs World View: AUKUS All the Way "IndyWatch Feed National"

If anyone was expecting a new tilt, a shine of novelty, a flash of independence from Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wongs address to the National Press Club on April 17, they were bound to be disappointed. The anti-China hawks, talons polished, got their fill. The US State Department would not be disturbed. The Pentagon could rest easy. The toadyish musings of the Canberra establishment would continue to circulate in reliable staleness.

In reading (and hearing) Wongs speech, one must always assume the opposite, or something close to it. Whatever is said about strategic balance, dont believe a word of it; such views are always uttered in the shadow of US power. From that vantage point, Occams Razor becomes a delicious blessing: nothing said by any Australian official in foreign policy should ever be taken as independently relevant. Best gaze across the Pacific for confirmation.

In Wongs address, the ill-dressed clich waltzes with the scantily clad platitude. When Australians look out to the world, we see ourselves reflected in it just as the world can see itself reflected in us. (World, whatever you are, do tell.)

The basis for this strained nonsense is, at least, promising. Variety can, paradoxically, generate common ground. This is a powerful natural asset for building alignment, for articulating our determination to see the interests of all the worlds peoples upheld, alongside our own. Mightily aspirational, is Wong here, though such language seems pinched from the Non-Aligned Movement of the Cold War, one that Australia, US policing deputy of the Asia-Pacific, was never a part off. No informed listener would assume otherwise.

Like a lecture losing steam early, she finally gets to the point of her address: how we avert war and maintain peace and more than that, how we shape a region that reflects our national interests and our shared regional interests. It does not take long to realise what this entails: talk about rules, standards and norms where a larger country does not determine the fate of the smaller country, where each country can pursue its own aspirations, its own prosperity.

That the United States has determined the fate of Australia since the Second World War, manipulating, interfering and guiding its politics and its policies, makes this statement risible, but no less significant. We are on bullying terrain, and Wong is trying to pick the most preferable bully.

She cant quite put it in those terms, so speaks about the regional balance of power instead, with Australia performing the role of handmaiden. She dons the sages hat, consumes the shamans herbal potion, insisting that commentators and strategists have gotten it wrong to talk about great powers competing for primacy. They love a binary. And...

12:34

Developer MAAS continues work on Cobaki Creek sit despite cease work order by Tweed Council "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Residents are distressed by the clearing for the development on Triga street, on the tidal estuary of Cobaki Creek

The continued clearing taking place by Dubbo developer MAAS at 60 Tringa Street, Tweed Heads on the Cobaki Estuary of Tweed River continues to leave residents frustrated. The site was approved for development 27 years ago and the existing development approval fails to meet current flood and environmental requirements say locals. 

Residents are distressed by the clearing for the development on Triga street, on the tidal estuary of Cobaki Creek

The Tweed Shire Council issued a cease operations request on 6 April which MAAS have ignored and continued to work on the site. 

They originally fenced the site off down to the estuary bank which included public land along Cobaki Creek. However, following complaints from locals and subsequent notification of their inclusion of public land they have now moved the fence back to their boundary. 

...

12:30

New home sales crunch continues "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

New home sales fall again

New home sales fell by -7.2 per cent in March, and have effectively been cut in half since the first quarter of 2022. 

With cancellation rates now above 30 per cent, many builders are reporting "negative sales" over recent months according to the Housing Industry Association:

Source: HIA

In New South Wales, new home sales have fallen by more than three-quarters from a year earlier, portending a dire shortage of properties in Sydney as immigration ramps up.

Queensland and Victoria aren't faring much better, to be fair. 


Source: HIA

With more and more development projects being scrapped, Australia is heading for an unprecedented housing shortage. 

Due to the "potential for further interest rate rises" - and for financial stability purposes - a record 300 basis...

11:46

Our dubious war on weeds "IndyWatch Feed National"

All our environmental problems require a radical change in how we think about resources and land. Before 1788, there was no wilderness: management for biodiversity was also management for the availability of food, fibre, wood and medicine. Harvesting these things was also a form of management.

The post Our dubious war on weeds appeared first on Overland literary journal.

11:34

EDITION 799 OUT NOW! "IndyWatch Feed National"

THE footsteps of Indigenous leader and visionary land rights pioneer, Yunupingu, have left an indelible mark. 

A giant of the nation who walked in two worlds, Yunupingu has been remembered as a statesman, a remarkable artist and a national treasure. 

The former Australian of the Year died peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family and ceremonial adornments, in northeast Arnhem Land on Monday, aged 74. 

We remember him for his fierce leadership, and total strength for Yolu and for Aboriginal people throughout Australia, his family said. 

We are hurting, but we honour him and remember with love everything he has done. 

The Yothu Yindi Foundation he chaired said he was a giant of the nation whose contribution to public life spanned seven decades. 

He was first and foremost a leader of his people, whose welfare was his most pressing concern and responsibility, the foundation said. 

Yunupingu was born on June 30, 1948, in Gunyangara, on the northern tip of the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory. 

In 1963 he helped draft the first Yirrkala bark petition presented to the Australian parliament. 

An accomplished painter, singer and dancer, Yunupingu met former prime minister Robert Menzies in the 1960s and dealt with every serving Australian prime minister since Gough Whitlam. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Yunupingu was a great Australian, a national treasure and a leading figure in delivering the Uluru Statement from the Heart. 

11:16

Northern NSW man charged over alleged threats of violence made online "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

A man will face court next month, charged following an investigation into alleged threats of violence made over social media.

In February, detectives from the Terrorism Investigation Squad commenced an investigation after receiving information about threats of violence made through a social media platform in relation to participants of a mass gathering.

During the investigation, detectives uncovered a total of 49 messages with similar threats or offensive content sent from a number of accounts, which were believed to be linked.

Further inquiries revealed one of the accounts was also linked to messages sent on social media to a man in the ACT, allegedly threatening to kill the man, his partner, and their pet dog.

Following extensive inquiries, a 49-year-old man was arrested by Terrorism Investigation Squad detectives at Tweed Heads Police Station about 10am yesterday (Wednesday 19 April 2023).

While in custody, detectives served the man with Firearms and Weapons Prohibition Orders and searches were conducted on his vehicle and at a home at Banora Point.

The man was charged with use carriage service to make a threat (threat to kill) and use carriage service to menace/harass/offend.

He has been granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Tweed Heads Local Court on Wednesday 31 May 2023.

There is no current or impending threat to the community as a result of this operational activity.

Anyone with information about extremist activity or possible threats to the community should come forward, no matter how small or insignificant you may think the information may be.

Suspicious activity can be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the National Security Hotline on 1800 1234 00.

The post Northern NSW man charged over alleged threats of violence made online appeared first on The Echo.

11:05

New website for Lismore City Council "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Lismore City Council has launched its new website with the hope that it will be more accessible and user-friendly. 

They claim that the new website to provide a fully accessible one-stop shop to easily pay rates, find your bin day or quicky find the information residents and ratepayers are looking for, plus much more, in a press release. 

The site now combines Councils previous site with the Goonellabah Sports & Aquatic Centre and Northern Rivers Waste at one easily navigable location. The new site can also make transactions for paying rates easier they state. 

The new website at www.lismore.nsw.gov.au features:

  • a fresh, clean look with useful content that is easy to read
  • a mobile-friendly design that looks great on all devices
  • a much-improved new search tool that makes information easier to find
  • an interactive map that shows services, facilities, events and parks located nearby
  • more photos to showcase the natural beauty of the Lismore and its villages.

Councils General Manager Jon Gibbons said he was proud of the small in-house team that designed and built the new website.

From day one, we knew we had to put our customers, residents, businesses and visitors at the heart of the project to help them find exactly what theyre looking for regardless of location, age, ability or technology, he said.

We also tested the new website ahead of launching with our Access and Inclusion Advisory Group to get its feedback to ensure the site is accessible for all.

Well continu...

10:20

SkyNews - Jesus Christ allegedly crucified "IndyWatch Feed National"

The juniors are on at the SkyNews grammar desk today. Jesus Christ was not allegedly crucified. Its been backed up a few times in a reasonably well publicised and circulated book. Thankfully Christians dont go trying to behead or blow up people who cant write.

09:50

US, Australia to Hold Largest-Ever Talisman Sabre Military Exercise "IndyWatch Feed National"

By Dave DeCamp The US and Australia will hold the largest-ever iteration of their bilateral military exercise, known as Talisman Sabre, which takes place every...

US, Australia to Hold Largest-Ever Talisman Sabre Military Exercise

09:37

Assault, Burleigh Heads  can you help? "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Police are looking for information on four men regarding an assault in Burleigh Heads. Photo Queensland Police

Police are seeking public assistance to identify four men they believe can assist with their investigations into the assault of a 46-year-old woman at Burleigh Heads in late March this year.

Police are looking for information on four men regarding an assault in Burleigh Heads. Photo Queensland Police
...

09:25

4WD issue heating up in Lennox "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

4WD tracks all over Seven Mile Beach recently. Photo supplied.

Ballina Shire Councils public comment period regarding 4WDs on Seven Mile Beach closed over a month ago, but the issue isnt going away, with a seminar to be held at the Lennox Hotel on Monday already booked out.

Recently, 4WDs on beaches have been in the news for all the wrong reasons across NSW, with a group of turtle hatchlings near Hawks Nest yesterday having to be carried over 4WD tracks to the water by volunteers, and a runaway horse being struck and killed by a 4WD driven by a P plater on Airforce Beach, north of Evans Head, earlier this month.

This comes after ongoing reported incidents of serious hooning behaviour on Seven Mile Beach, especially over Easter.

Megan Ward on South Ballina beach. Photo David Lowe.

Critical conversation

Monday nights Critical C...

09:25

Federal Police CAUGHT ON CAMERA fabricating evidence "IndyWatch Feed National"

WARNING: Never trust the police.

The police lie, tamper with evidence and provide false statements in court.

The police are not there for you, nor are they your 'friend'.


The best part of all this is that they are allowed to get away with this.

Where those police personnel charged with criminal offences?

09:10

Greens MP says forest protector will be vindicated "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Valerie Thompson in threatened forest. Photo supplied.

Forest defender Valerie Thompson will today face court in Ballina after she was arrested for stopping forest operations in Doubleduke State Forest north of Grafton.

Ms Thompson sat high in a tree on a platform, in what is referred to as a tree sit, which was attached to logging equipment and stopped logging for 30 hours in early March this year.

The conflicts in Doubleduke have been ongoing, with NSW Forestry Corporation accused of multiple breaches of harvesting laws including failing to map all giant trees and habitat trees.

On Friday last week the EPA instructed the Forestry Corporation to stop work, which is a temporary victory for the forest defenders. Ms Thompsons protest was carried out while the EPA was carrying out its investigation into breaches that have since been upheld. Ms Thomson faces charges relating to entering a closed forest and interfering with timber harvesting equipment.

Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said, It is time we finally bring these conflicts to a close and end logging our public native forests. The ongoing resources being poured into logging, EPA investigations, courts and legal resources used to prosecute protestors and the fines that Forestry Corporation regularly pays out of the public purse is getting ridiculous.

...

07:41

Byron sewerage flowpath still not operating, despite fanfare "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

<p class="p4"><span class="s6">An additional sewerage flowpath built by Byron Council to stop treated effluent flowing onto a private farm near the Byron Arts & Industry Estate appears to have failed, with a key drain completely blocked, and the farm still inundated with treated sewage.

$1.2M project </span></span></h4> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">The $1.2M project was undertaken, with considerable fanfare, during the last term of Council.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">The path was intended to provide an additional route for treated effluent travelling from the Byron Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to Belongil Creek, providing relief to the Flick family, whose farm experiences near-constant inundation.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">However, last weeks Council meeting heard that the Flicks farm continued to be inundated and one drain appeared to be completely blocked.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">Councillors voted to receive a report from staff about the issue at the next meeting, in a bid to determine the cause of the problem, and enable swift action to alleviate it.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">Having a look at the drain onsite it doesnt look like, in my view as a very lay person, that its been constructed properly, Mayor Michael Lyon told last weeks Council meeting.<span class= "Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s6">It looks like some fill has been placed to create the drop under Ewingsdale Road. But one of the drains in that area is at two-thirds to three-quarter height, and the water isnt going anywhere.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">This has been an ongoing concern for the Flicks for decades, relating to flows from the STP. This project was part of alleviating that, and it was delivered with a bit of fanfare, and it doesnt look like its meeting expectations.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s6">To George Flick and to all the Flicks, apologies for the amount of time this is taking.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">The staff report, to come before the May 25 meeting, will include an evaluation of how often the flowpath is used, the amount of effluent transferred down it, its performance relative to initial program objectives, and any filing that has been done to grade the problematic drain.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s6">If that was my paddock, Id be pissed off, independent Councillor Alan Hunter said.</span></p> <p class="p6"><span class="s5">The only thing you could harvest there is cane toads.</span></p> <p class="p6">...

07:22

Splendour organisers confident of an improved 2023 festival "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

With numerous issues plaguing last years Splendour in the Grass (SITG) event, The Echo asked organisers, Secret Sounds, how the event will be managed differently this year. 

In 2022, SITG organisers attracted criticism over how the event was handled, with traffic management, long queues and patron safety being some of the issues. The 2022 event was also hampered by heavy weather. 

Elise Huntley, Managing Director Festivals of Secret Sounds, told The Echo, We have invested enormous amounts of time and money over the last six months to upgrade the venue, and our processes, and will continue to do so, right up until Splendour 2023. 

Huntley says some improvements include, weather proofing upgrades to the venue, such as wider walkways, and hard surfaces in key traffic areas around the toilets and amenity blocks; enhanced drainage throughout the site, with a focus on the event area and campgrounds; easier terrain to move around, including more pathways and easier access to stages and destination venues; comprehensive onsite weather management processes, including significant onsite materials and equipment to immediately address unexpected weather conditions; improved communications with the local community before, during and after the event; and compliance from the bus companies to deliver on their agreed service levels.

SITGs Traffic Management Plan has also been reviewed, she says, with 2022 learnings in consultation with experts and independent auditors, including [Councils] Local Traffic Committee. 

Some of the changes that will be implemented are additional camping vehicle entry points to the venue; a revised camping vehicle pass system that includes specific days, entry points and timings for arrivals; amended campgrounds load schedule and processing; and improving our workforce levels and enhancing staff, volunteer, and worker facilities for staying and working onsite.

Audit tabled

At last Thursdays Council meeting, Cr Mark Swivel told councillors that he recently attended the Regulatory Working Group (RWG) meeting, where an audit report on last years event was tabled. 

Whats a Regulatory Working Group?

According to North Byron Parklands website, Regulatory Working Group (RWGs) have been operating for many years to review environmental management and community relations. Members include representatives from the police, emergency services, Byron and Tweed councils, gove...

07:02

Cat-egory Errors Explained? "IndyWatch Feed National"

You may recall I have occasionally treated my boyfriend like a cat, in moments of unconscious error.  Today I almost put cat food on my own plate.  Perhaps, rather than seeing my boyfriend as a simple animal, I see all humans as socially interchangeable with beasts myself included.

OK, that doesnt explain why, but at least it looks less like Im demoting my lovin man to domestic creachur status.

Corvide continues.  Paxlovid NyQuil and DayQuil are surely helping.  Science suggests the vaxxing helped, and as bad as its been I have to imagine Id be dead as fried chicken if not for that.  Still, no alternate universe view of me being foolish enough to antivax for comparison, so I admit room for error.

I spilled pop on my computer so this was made on a phone, slowly and painfully.  I wont post much til I get that resolved.  Also not answering comments much, but thanks for the support, really.

See yall later!

06:07

Partial eclipse of the Sun fully visible in Yamba sky at 2:41pm AEST today, Thursday 20 April 2023 "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

 

 With the Australian Bureau of Meteorology forecasting partly cloudy sky with a high chance of showers in the Northern Rivers region today, it is probably not the best of days to observe the Moon passing in front of the Sun. 


For Yamba this will only be seen as a partial eclipse covering est. 19 per cent of the Sun, as the full eclipse shadow will only be seen in part of coastal north-west West Australia near Exmouth.


Stages and times of the local view of this eclipse are outlined below. All times are local time (AEST) for Yamba.



GRAPHIC: www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@11828511?iso=20230420


...

06:00

Rupert Murdochs other lawsuits set to cost Fox shareholders $billions after $1.17 billion benchmark set in Dominion payout "IndyWatch Feed National"

Rupert Murdoch and his companies Fox Corp and News Corp are on the ropes after agreeing to pay Dominion Voting Systems $1.17 billion ($US 787.5 million) for defamation after Fox promoted lies []

01:54

Because We Say So The Case for Cultural Authority "IndyWatch Feed National"

 Parents of bright children learn the futility of argument over ill-advised desires of their offspring. A daughter of fourteen who wants to go to what predictably will be a drunken fraternity party will argue that they are really nice boys and daddy, you are prejudging, It isnt fair,  you dont even know them and she will come home early and.The correct answer,  promoting her wellbeing, is No. You are not going to a frat party. Why? Because I said so. We have finished talking about it 

 While anything can be argued, certain things are known to provide better outcomes than others. This is as true of societies as of raising children. The answer equally should be Because we said so.  A healthy society enjoys a dominant culture that sets limits on behavior, especially regarding sexual expression, manners, crime, and societal obligationand enforces them. By what authority? Because we say so. Everyone then knows the rules and plays by them. 

Imposed authoritybecause we said sois essential.  It can be remarkably hard to argue against, say, pedophilia. Children are sexual beings. They play doctor, dont they? Ill show you mine if you show me yours. The only reason being fondled by a caring adult upsets a girl of six is the inculcation of out-moded Victorian, etc.  Or: Why should I not ride a city bus stark naked? We have all seen naked people. What is the problem? It is a form of political expression against prudish norms. 

The correct response to pedophilia is not legal theorizing but: Twenty years, no parole. We all know viscerally that sexual relations between adults and little girls are wrong. We know that public nudity would be unpleasant for most people. So it doesnt happen. 

Because we say so. 

Healthy societies enforce many such prohibitions. For example, when I was a stripling many moons ago, foul language was not tolerated in mixed company. Period. There was no argument. It certainly wasnt allowed on television. In high school boys never said, Fuck or shit around girls. There was no prissiness in this. The girls knew the...

01:26

Most Important Questions Now of COVID Era "IndyWatch Feed National"

By Neenah Payne The following two key questions about the COVID era must be asked and answered now: Why and how did so much go...

Most Important Questions Now of COVID Era

01:02

River, a Cinematic Love Letter to the Worlds Rushing Waterways, Debuts on Earth Day "IndyWatch Feed National"

The documentary film River, coming to theaters this Earth Day, opens with a view of a river flowing calmly between shadowed banks, shimmering with the liminal light of dusk or dawn. 

Thousands have lived without love, a quote from W.H. Auden appears over a reflected cloud bank. Not one without water. 

Yet the film that follows suggests that the line between love and need winds a meandering path. The next hour and a quarter is a visual, musical and poetic love letter to rivers, which the movie depicts as a source of both basic necessities and human dreams.

I dont think youd find anyone who didnt love a river, the films director Jennifer Peedom told EcoWatch in an interview. I think we just innately understand their importance to our survival, but also that contact to water is an essential part of our lived experience.

Rivers as Characters

River is the second film in a trilogy born of a unique collaboration between Peedom, co-writer and director Joseph Nizeti, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, its artistic director Richard Tognetti, producer Jo-anne McGowan, nature writer Robert Macfarlane and actor Willem Dafoe. The first, Mountain, released in 2017, became Australias highest-grossing documentary made in the country. River repeats Mountains weaving of classical and original music, stunning scenery and spare but evocative prose delivered in Dafoes steady voice. But unlike Mountain, which focused on terrains humans often venture to, River turned its lens on what flows to us. 

In choosing a theme for a second film, the team behind Mountain originally thought of water, but decided they needed something a bit more specific. At the same time, the 2018 to 2019 mass fish die offs in Australias Murray Darling Basin an event caused by a combination of drought, algae bloom and plunging temperatures that is sadly being repeated as the film opens brought the health of rivers and waterways into sharp focus.

We realized that river...

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Wednesday, 19 April

22:54

Germany and Nord Stream Sabotage: Victim or Confidant? "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

So far, Germany has been the blind spot in discussions over the Nord Stream sabotage. The economic disadvantages to the worlds fourth-largest economy from blasting the pipeline are too great. Of course, no one will seriously assume that the traffic-light coalition in Berlin stands behind the attack. However, the outwardly conspicuously indifferent and dismissive handling of the act of sabotage suggests that Berlin either has a particularly opaque approach to its MPs or has its reasons for downplaying the significance of the Nord Stream sabotage. Several observations in Germanys handling of the sabotage suggest that, though Germany was a victim of the attack, it is advancing the line that it no longer has a national interest in the Nord Stream pipelines.

 

Parliamentary questions from the opposition

Parliamentary groups and individual members of the opposition have addressed parliamentary questions about the sabotage to the German government. Particularly exciting are the answers some of which are verbatim identical from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action to the members of parliament Matthias Hauer  (CDU), Leif-Erik Holm (AfD) and Zaklin Nastic (Die Linke), which state, that the federal government assumed that sabotage had taken place, but that it had no concrete insights of the facts of the case, in particular of the possible authorship. Furthermore, the German Bundesregierung, after careful consideration, has come to the conclusion that further information cannot be provided for reasons of the state interest (Staatswohl) not even in classified form because they are subject to the third-party rule. The German state, according to the letter, would jeopardize the basis of trust with other intelligence services by publishing the information that would result in a serious impairment of the participation of the intelligence services of the Federation in the international exchange of intelligence and consequently: If, as a consequence of a loss of confidence, information from foreign agencies were to be omitted or substantially reduced, significant information gaps would arise with negative consequences for the accuracy...

20:26

PAT Testing Frequency: A Guide for Homeowners and Business Owners "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

As a homeowner or business owner, ensuring the safety of your electrical equipment is crucial. One way to do this is by conducting Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) regularly. PAT testing is the process of inspecting electrical equipment to ensure that it is safe for use.

PAT testing frequency is a common question that many homeowners and business owners ask. How often should it be conducted? The answer to this question depends on various factors, such as the type of equipment, the environment in which it is used, and the level of risk associated with its use.

In general, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that portable electrical appliances in a low-risk environment, such as an office, should be tested every two to four years. In contrast, equipment used in a high-risk environment, such as a construction site, should be tested every three to six months.

However, its essential to note that these recommendations are not set in stone. The frequency of PAT testing will vary depending on the specific circumstances. For example, equipment that is frequently moved or subject to wear and tear may need to be inspected more frequently.

As a homeowner or business owner, its your responsibility to ensure that your electrical equipment is safe to use. To help you determine the appropriate PAT testing frequency for your equipment, here are some factors to consider:

Type of Equipment

Source: freepik.com

The type of equipment you have will play a significant role in determining how often it needs to be inspected. Some common types of equipment that require PAT testing include:

Electrical appliances

Extension cords

Power tools

Lighting equipment

Kitchen appliances

Portable heaters

Environment

The environment in which your equipment is used is also an important factor to consider. For example, equipment used in a dry, clean office environment will typically require less testing than equipment used in a wet, dusty construction site. Other environmental factors to consider include:

Temperature

Humidity

Dust...

19:00

MORE MARS ANOMALIES: BONES, OR AT LEAST, A BONEY STRUCTURE? "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

User Answers

There's been another "sighting" of strange stuff on Mars, this time once again by NASA's Curiosity rover near Gale Crater on Mars, a site

The post MORE MARS ANOMALIES: BONES, OR AT LEAST, A BONEY STRUCTURE? appeared first on The Giza Death Star.

18:45

Australia installs more Bitcoin ATMs than whole of Asia "IndyWatch Feed National"

Asia, which includes major economies such as China, Japan, Singapore and India, hosts 355 crypto machines, representing 1% of the total crypto ATMs installed worldwide.

18:00

Russias Electronic Warfare Capabilities "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

Drago Bosnic Global Research April 17, 2023

Electronic warfare (EW) is one of the most important aspects of modern military capabilities and is often the litmus test of how advanced the state and its armed forces are. Its part of the invisible and yet extremely intense battle that we usually cannot see directly.

However, its impact is wholly undeniable. Russia is among the world leaders in EW and its warfighting capabilities in this regard are a source of pride for the Eurasian giant, but also fear for its adversaries.

Russian dominance in EW on the frontlines of Ukraine is so comprehensive and massive that its one of the few things the mainstream propaganda machine never dared to question or ridicule. Even Russian strategic thermonuclear capabilities were subjected to propaganda attacks at times, but its EW capabilities never. And for good reason.

And yet, as with everything concerning the mainstream propaganda machine, we must tread carefully. This is especially true when it comes to the media citing the Pentagon leaks as their primary source of information. Needless to say, an actual leak would require an inadvertent release of classified information and most intelligence experts agree its extremely unlikely there was anything inadvertent about it. However, this is not to say that all information connected to the leak is false. On the contrary, its relatively elaborate nature implies that much of it is indeed true, but it can be difficult to discern what exactly. One of the few leaked facts we can surely believe concerns precisely Russian EW capabilities. Still, this begs the question why?

JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition)

To answer that, we should first dissect and specify the claims of the mainstream propaganda machine. The leaks include a massive amount of information, including the claim that US-made JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) bombs are failing in Ukraine due to successful R...

16:47

Selected Articles: More Unanswered Red Flags Regarding Jack Texeira and the Pentagon Leaks "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

More Unanswered Red Flags Regarding Jack Texeira and the Pentagon Leaks

By Larry Johnson, April 18, 2023

Several former military and intelligence professionals have contacted me and voiced similar doubts about the pat story being circulated regarding National Guard

The post Selected Articles: More Unanswered Red Flags Regarding Jack Texeira and the Pentagon Leaks appeared first on Global Research.

15:00

AI will destroy Hollywood as we know it "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

Tom Graham, founder of Metaphysic.ai, on how generative AI will upend the film industry and change our understanding of whats real.

Tom Graham was a couple of hours away from his keynote conversation with Chris Anderson on stage at TED 2023 in Vancouver when I Zoomed him in search of some definitive answers about AI. Drowning in artificial generative quicksand, buried in amazing news week after week, I needed to grab his hand and come up for air before sinking back into the mud of the next generative artificial intelligence update.

Read Full Story

14:45

Everybody Knows, Part 1: All Doctors MUST STAND UP for Russell Pridgeon, MD "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

by Mary W Maxwell, LLB

Dr William Russell Pridgeon, a GP in Grafton NSW, has come out with a major, major, major book on the subject of pedophilia in Australia. It particularly discusses the capture of the police profession.  You already know of Dr Pridgeon from the fact the APF arrested him 4 years ago. Gumshoe has covered his case and the Operation Noetic that was used to hunt him down.

He was made to look like a criminal and Ill bet many members of the Australian Federal Police have come to believe their own rhetoric. Tomorrow in a Brisbane Court he faces another hearing. We all need to be there, at least in spirit.

I now demand that ALL DOCTORS IN AUSTRALIA BE THERE,...

14:00

Australian Dollar and Bitcoin "IndyWatch Feed National"

1.00 AUD = 0.00002 BTC
0.00010 BTC = 4.35 AUD
Converter

12:48

23-year-old arrested for spray painting graffiti on M1 "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

A 23-year-old Ballina man was arrested for spray painting graffiti on M1 near the Ewingsdale. Photo NSW Police

A 23-year-old was arrested for spray painting graffiti on M1 near the Ewingsdale, Byron Bay exit at the end of last month. 

The Ballina man was arrested when he spray painted graffiti on the sound barrier of the M1 motorway on 29 March. 

He was arrested, conveyed to Byron Bay Police Station and charged for intentionally mark premises without consent, said the police statement.

The man was released and is due to appear at Byron Bay Local Court on 24 April. The Graffitti has been removed and police will seek a cost compensation order at Court. 

The post 23-year-old arrested for spray painting graffiti on M1 appeared first on The Echo.

11:41

Celebrating 10 years of the Lismore Rainforest Rainforest Garden "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Hoop Pine Forest at Lismore Rainforest Botanic Garden. Photo Florence Treverrow

The Lismore Rainforest Botanic Garden was A proposal that has been in the wind for 24 years and working on this site for 11 years, said Lismore Mayor at the time Jenni Dowell at the opening of the gardens almost ten years ago. 

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the garden there will be an open day on Sunday 28 May at 313 Wyrallah Road East Lismore 3kms from the Lismore CBD. 

Now of course, our gardens look very different. Featuring Specialty Gardens and Walks, such as the Hoop Pine Forest Walk, Rainforest Walk, Wilsons Park Species Garden, Sensory Garden, Palm Gully, Useful Plants and Encounters 2020 Gardens, the gardens are thriving, said president of Friends of the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens (FLRBG), Tracey Whitby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=fOK-pjuwat0

The dream of establishing the garden started in 1988 with the FLRBG, a not for profit group of volunteer forming in Decem...

11:05

Climate Change Scandal in Australia Heating Up "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

BY CHRIS MORRISON | THE DAILY SCEPTIC | APRIL 17, 2023

Further significant doubts have been cast on the accuracy of global surface temperature results following the discovery that electronic thermometers in Australia have read up to 0.7C higher than traditional mercury glass units. The Australian dataset is a major component of global compilations since it provides an important guide to one of the largest land masses in the southern hemisphere. After many years of trying, local freedom of information requests from scientists have forced the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) to release comparative information from the two measuring devices around Brisbane airport. It shows that automatic readings are higher 41% of the time, compared with 32% when the temperatures were the same.

Electronic temperatures devices have been in general use in Australia since 1995. The guidance of the World Meteorological Organisation suggests averaging temperatures over a minute to remove corruptions caused by temporary effects such as a sudden gust of hot air. But the BoM records highs for just a second, something that basic mercury thermometers cannot do. For years, the BoM has refused to release comparative instrument data.

The Australian journalist Jo Nova takes a sceptical view as to why the BoM has been so stubborn. Potentially, the electronic sensors offer a bonanza of propaganda headlines for the Green Blob to pick from, especially when coldest ever days get ignored by the media. The sensors are offering many more headlines of records for heat, heatwaves, hottest nights, more days over 35C, she continued, adding, there are many cherries to be picked here.

The use of highly sensitive measuring equipment to produce temperature records and hence whip up climate emergency fears is common throughout the world. Last year In the U.K., the Met Office promoted a record high of 40.3C halfway down the runway at RAF Coningsby on the afternoon of July 19th. Admittedly, the record was declared to have stood for longer than a second 60 seconds to be precise. To this day, the Met Office has refused to answer a number of Daily Sceptic enquiries about possible non-climatic causes of this widely promoted record. In the light of the Australian disclosures, we wonder if the Met Office should re-examine the way it declares heat records and compare the results of its measuring devices with t...

09:48

Supreme Courts Rules COVID Fines Invalid as the Penalty Notices Did Not Specify the Offence "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"


The overbearing law enforcement approach to the COVID pandemic, which had a focus on criminalising those who didnt follow health restrictions, via the widespread imposition of draconian fines that were issued seemingly with no discretion and in the most absurd of circumstances.

Following the passing of the pandemic, as people went back to business as usual, however, many civilians had to deal with these outstanding fines continuing to hang over their heads as the average COVID infringement notice amounted to $1,000,

So, the Redfern Legal Centre (RLC) challenged the legitimacy of COVID fines issued to three clients, who sought declaratory relief from the penalties they were subjected to, in accordance with section 69 of the Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), with the outcome likely to affect thousands in NSW.

Brendan Beame, Teal Els and Rohan Pank all claimed that the ...

09:44

What Is a Safety Signal and Why Does It Matter? "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

By Ramesh Thakur | Brownstone Institute | April 18, 2023

The pandemic has been an extended three-year teachable moment for many of us who previously had been content to go along with the public health messages from our nearly universally trusted medical experts, drug regulators and public health institutions.

Safety Signals

In a peer-reviewed recent article, David Bell and colleagues concluded that based on costs, disease burden and intervention effectiveness, mass Covid-19 vaccination campaigns did not meet standard public health requirements for clear expected benefit. Several eminent experts warned about the likelihood of such a conclusion from the start and opinion has gradually been shifting towards this view, as I tried to summarize earlier.

In this article I want to look specifically at the concept of safety signals because I dont believe the significance of this concept in medical science and public health interventions is widely understood in the general public.

I first became interested in this after watching Dr Peter McCullough in a TV interview with France Soir in June 2021. He pointed out that the CDCs Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) normally records about 25 deaths per year from all vaccines. During the Covid pandemic, by 11 June 2021 it had verified 5,993 deaths, 20,737 hospitalizations, 47,837 urgent care visits, 1,538 anaphylaxis cases, and 1,868 cases of Bells palsy.

Because VAERS is a passive-surveillance system, he said, the general consensus is that the numbers are vastly underreported. He warned that this is a major safety signal that has exceeded all boundaries of acceptability. Quizzed on the causal link to vaccines, he answered: its biologically plausible, temporally associated, internally consistent month by month and also externally consistent with data from the US, Europe and England. The vaccine is in the causal pathway to death The majority of these 6,000 Americans, they were healthy enough to walk into a vaccine center and within 2-4 days theyre dead.

That was almost two years ago.

The European Medicines Agency defines safety signal as:

Information on a new or known adverse event that is potentially caused by a medicine and that warrants further investigation. Signal...

09:13

Science in the Pub at The Eltham Pub "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Biologist Tim Low. Photo supplied

Science in the Pub is returning with the first event taking place at The Eltham Pub on Thursday 4 May from 5.30pm with biologist Tim Low who will be exploring the birds of the Big Scrub and how the songbirds of Australias rainforests changed the world.

Tim Low is a renowned writer and biologist and author of the award-winning bestseller Where Song Began. Tim will share his knowledge and experience in an exploration of the birds of

the Big Scrub, and how their unique songs have shaped the world we live in today.

Support bird life

Joining Tim will be Mark Dunphy, from Big Scrub Landcare, who will speak about what landholders can do to support bird life in their own backyards. Mark has a wealth of knowledge on the subject, and will offer practical advice on how to create a welcoming environment for local bird populations.

light refreshments are availbel on arrival and attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers and meet other like-minded people interested in bird conservation. Tim Low will be available for book signing after the event.

Tickets are free, however bookings are essential as there are limited spaces. Register here if you would like to come along: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/615346988407 (you can also search for Science in the Pub- Voices of the Rainforest with Tim Low on Eventbrite to find it).

The post Science in...

08:48

QC2022/008 - Waanyi People #3 Native Title Claim "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

 The native title claim group is the Waanyi People.

A person is a Waanyi person if and only if:

1. the other Waanyi people recognise that he or she is descended (which may include by adoption) from a person who they recognise as having been Waanyi; and

2. the person identifies himself or herself as a Waanyi person.

It is accepted that adoption may take place and that where adoption has occurred it confers upon the adoptee the right to identify as being a Waanyi person.

The following deceased persons are recognised as having been Waanyi people from whom living Waanyi people may be descended:

1. King George (Gundawarinya), Mary Starr (Namura), Marrandu

2. Johnny Rockland (Guyanda)

3. Wuragaga (including his sons Toby Daly and Charlie Walden)

4. Wirduga (including her sons King Pedro and Fred Mangala), Yurumburinya, Gudurju, Jagijagi (including her children Left-hand Dick, King Darby, Violet Darby), Lagayi, and Brenda Munara (including her children Duncan Hogan, Julie Darby, Dan Darby, Clara Darby, Frank Hogan, Arthur Peterson) 

5. Jack Riversleigh (including his children Doris Aplin and Vera Johnny, Annie King and Elaine Cairns)

6. Diana (Dina) Jackson

7. Fred Mangala (including his children Jimmy Doolan, Tommy Doolan, Oscar Gregory and Queenie Bell) and King Pedro (including his children Dinny, Jock and Cubby Pedro)

8. Janggali (including his son Yarribijas children: Duncan Hogan, Julie Darby, Dan Darby, Clara Darby, Frank Hogan, Arthur Peterson; and his daughter Muranjis daughters: Jamuyu and Lidi Wayawarrinya)

9. King Darby, Left Hand Dick and Violet Darby

10. Ruby Lilwayi (including her daughter Elsie Foster), Polly Nganduyu (including her children: Nancy Carlton, Ned George, Sally OKeefe, Bubi Dick, Netty Malbow and Nuts Logan), May Black Nijirijbina (including her children Nancy Wilson, Nora Black, Dora Doolan nee Black and Archie Black), Ruby Gijaya (including her children Mavis Carlton, Junie Clay, Maurice Carlton, Marina Dick, Mick Miller, Murray Donaldson), and Mailman Dick Gungayamaji (including his child Ivy George Ngayaya)

11. Smiler Diamond (including his children: Mick Diamond Nguyjbirri and Jack Diamond Bandangala and Sydney Punjaub and Ruby)

12. Mailman Jack Libaninji (including his son Fred Carlton Gajangga, daughter Rosie and her daughter Betty Lloyd Jayinbalina, and son Ned Ngaragulanji and his children Bessie Holt and Colin Holt)

...

08:28

A BIG COMMUNITY NIGHT OUT TO FUNDRAISE AND HELP REBUILD OUR LOVE SIGN "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

The Paddock Project, an initiative committed to community building, sustainable agriculture and employment in Mullumbimby, is thrilled to announce a fundraising event for Mullums iconic LOVE sign. The sign serves as a reminder of whats most important about our town.

The event will be hosted by MC Mandy Nolan and will feature a LOVE trivia competition that promises to provide an evening of jokes laughter and surprises. Loads of prizes will be raffled throughout the night offering a chance to win some of the best experiences and products that Byron Shire has to offer.

As we have just marked the one-year anniversary of the flood, the community is coming together to rebuild, and The Paddock Project sees LOVE as a key part of the healing process. With the fundraiser, The Paddock Project hopes to not only preserve the LOVE sign but also provide an opportunity to bring Mullum residents together and have some fun in the name of LOVE.

The event will kick off with a door prize of two tickets to Splendour in The Grass 2023, valued at over $800.

Join us to celebrate our towns spirit and identity while raising funds for a good cause.

WHEN: FRIDAY 28th APRIL
WHERE: WANDANA BREWING COMPANY MULLUM
TIME: 6 PM ONWARDS
DOOR PRIZE: Splendour in the Grass tickets for two valued at over $800
Tickets Eventbrite: bringbacktheLOVE.eventbrite.com.au

The post A BIG COMMUNITY NIGHT OUT TO FUNDRAISE AND HELP REBUILD OUR LOVE SIGN appeared first on Byron Bay Blog.

07:56

Byron Mayor, Council GM diaries become public "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

Byron Shire Mayor councillor Michael Lyon. Photo supplied

In what is a first for Byron Shire Council, the diary meeting appointments of both the general manager (GM) and mayor have been made public, and are available on www.byron.nsw.gov.au.

Yet developers, for example, can avoid public scrutiny, with off the record lobbying by phone, as all councillors phone numbers are publicly available. 

According to Mayor Michael Lyons diary summary (from January 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023), he has regular catch-ups with David Witherdin, CEO of Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC).

Council GM Mark Arnold was appointed by councillors in June 2018. Photo Jeff Dawson
...

07:38

Ballinas Boaty Boys raising money for charity "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

The Boaty Boys have been training hard for their 100km paddle from Lismore to Ballina. Photo supplied

Did you know that it is 100km as the water flows from Lismore to Ballina? That is the water challenge that the Boaty Boys, a mens health and fitness group from Lennox Head, are taking on this May to raise money for a number of charities close to their hearts. 

Over three days from Wednesday, 3 May to Friday, 5 May, the group will embark on The Shaking Hands Tour, a 100km paddle down the Wilsons/Richmond River, starting from Lismore and ending at Ballina.

Last year we completed a 48-hour running challenge for charity, so this year we thought we would take our fundraising efforts to the water. The paddle will raise money for The Healthy Minds Club, Parkinsons Disease research, Our Kids Lismore and Revive the Northern Rivers, all charities close to our hearts, said Carlo Maestri one of the coordinators of the Shaking Hands Tour.

...

07:28

Govt asked to explain rail sell-off strategy "IndyWatch Feed Northcoast"

The state government has no strategic approach to the sale of rail corridor land in the Byron Shire, and may be selling pieces off without public awareness or scrutiny, Byron Council has heard.

The comments were made by Greens councillor, Duncan Dey, during debate around the sale of a piece of rail corridor land for residential development on 14 Kendall Street, Byron Bay.

The meeting heard that the pending sale of the 261 square metre parcel of land next to Belongil Beach will not impede any future plans to reopen the rail line in the Shire.

However, it highlighted the fact that the state governments Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE) sees such pockets of land as surplus to requirements, and can sell them off to developers without scrutiny, thus contributing to the erosion of the rail corridor.

TAHE has not indicated who the piece of land is being sold to, and The Echo understands no attempt has been made by Council to find out.

The application, listed as a boundary adjustment, only came to the attention of councillors because it contains a small area of protected wetland.

I want us to have a councillor workshop at which TAHE outlines their strategy for selling parts of the rail corridor in the Shire, Cr Dey told the meeting.

It appears to me that they have no strategic approach. Thats whats illustrated to me through this development application. The application was only on our agenda by accident by virtue of the fact that 700m away, theres a little piece of wetland in the rail corridor.

We dont see all of the boundary adjustments, and other small sales of land, and I have great fear that bits of it are being sold off that we will never find out about.

While the boundary adjustment application was passed unanimously by councillors, Cr Dey and Independent councillor, Peter Westheimer, are now working on a motion for the next meeting requesting clarification from Council.

This could include asking representatives from TAHE to attend a workshop, or informing the body of Councils position regarding the sale of rail corridor land to private interests. The ongoing erosion of the railway corridor for private development has been an issue of ongoing concern for some locals.

The post Govt asked to explain rail sell-off strategy appeared first on The Echo.

01:16

Just how many US troops and spies do we have in Ukraine? "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos | Responsible Statecraft | April 18, 2023

Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who has flooded the docket in recent months with resolutions designed to get U.S. troops out of overseas missions he believes have not been approved by Congress, is now demanding that Biden tell the American people just how many American military personnel are operating in Ukraine today.

His new Privileged Resolution of Inquiry, which forcing Biden to notify the House of  the exact number of U.S. military inside Ukraine and to hand over copies of any and all documents outlining plans for military assistance to Ukraine, comes a week after leaked Pentagon documents showing previously unreported U.S. Special Forces inside the war zone.

According to the document there were 97 special forces from NATO countries operating in Ukraine as of March, including 14 U.S. special forces. When asked by the Guardian newspaper for confirmation/clarification, the Department of Defense said,  We are not going to discuss or confirm classified information due to the potential impact on national security as well as the safety and security of our personnel and those of our allies and our partners. The Pentagon has not denied the authenticity of the documents, however.

While 14 special forces sounds like a drop in the bucket, these revelations are a drip-drip of other pieces of information over the last year that, when added up, leave more questions than answers, and the bottom line is that the American people have a right to know, says (Ret.) Lt. Col. Daniel Davis.

It is entirely appropriate that the American people know, authoritatively, whether any U.S. troops are engaged in military operations within Ukraine and to demand a change if we dont like the answer, Davis told me yesterday when I asked him about the Gaetz resolution.

American history is rife with too many examples...

Tuesday, 18 April

23:35

Why are Western media suddenly praising Russian electronic warfare capabilities? "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

By Drago Bosnic | April 18, 2023

Electronic warfare (EW) is one of the most important aspects of modern military capabilities and is often the litmus test of how advanced the state and its armed forces are. Its part of the invisible and yet extremely intense battle that we usually cannot see directly. However, its impact is wholly undeniable. Russia is among the world leaders in EW and its warfighting capabilities in this regard are a source of pride for the Eurasian giant, but also fear for its adversaries. Russian dominance in EW on the frontlines of Ukraine is so comprehensive and massive that its one of the few things the mainstream propaganda machine never dared to question or ridicule. Even Russian strategic thermonuclear capabilities were subjected to propaganda attacks at times, but its EW capabilities never. And for good reason.

And yet, as with everything concerning the mainstream propaganda machine, we must tread carefully. This is especially true when it comes to the media citing the Pentagon leaks as their primary source of information. Needless to say, an actual leak would require an inadvertent release of classified information and most intelligence experts agree its extremely unlikely there was anything inadvertent about it. However, this is not to say that all information connected to the leak is false. On the contrary, its relatively elaborate nature implies that much of it is indeed true, but it can be difficult to discern what exactly. One of the few leaked facts we can surely believe concerns precisely Russian EW capabilities. Still, this begs the question why?

To answer that, we should first dissect and specify the claims of the mainstream propaganda machine. The leaks include a massive amount of information, including the claim that US-made JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) bombs are failing in Ukraine due to successful Russian EW measures. The leak documents not only review the use of Russian countermeasures to make JDAMs ineffective, but also indicate that in some cases this results in failure to even detonate. It seems this includes the JDAM-ER (Extended Range) bombs that the troubled Biden administration sent to the Kiev regime in order to provide certain battlefield advantages to its forces. A futile effort, it would seem now, although the documents suggest that at least a thousand JDAM kits have been sent so far.

Politico claims th...

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Morning Coffee with DrT Apr 18 2023 "IndyWatch Feed National"

04-18-2023    Dr. Jason Dean joined the Team to talk about parasites and answer any questions from both staff and attendees. This was one of the best and SIMPLE explanations []

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Study attempts to foresee the future of Amazonian mammals if the rainforest turns into savanna "IndyWatch Feed Nsw"

If increasing global warming and deforestation were to transform Amazonia into an irreversibly degraded dry savanna, what could happen to the approximately 300 species of mammals that live there? These include jaguars, tapirs and deer. This is the question that biologists Daniel Rocha and Rahel Sollmann tried to answer in a recently published article in Animal Conservation journal. Their study involved the analysis of images taken by 400 photo traps installed in four natural enclaves of the Cerrado biome located in Amazonia, which were formed thousands of years ago: in the state of Amazonas, Campos Amaznicos National Park and Mapinguari National Park; and in the state of Rondnia, the Guapor Biological Reserve and Corumbiara State Park.Their goal was to understand how medium- and large-sized land mammals behave in these isolated patches of savanna in the middle of the rainforest. In doing so, they were able to project what may happen if, some years from now, the climate and vegetation of the planets largest tropical forest were to change. Location of the photo traps (blue) inside the four protected areas included in the study, which lie in the states of Amazonas and Rondnia: Campos Amaznicos National Park, Mapinguari National Park, the Guapor Biological Reserve and Corumbiara State Park. The orange spots indicate natural savanna. Image by Rocha & Sollmann. Researchers have been warning of that the savannization of Amazonia is a risk. This is the tipping point when the forest, after suffering from a combination of deforestation and climate change, turnsThis article was originally published on Mongabay

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