Much has been written about the longstanding failings of the Australian media in its reportage of Indigenous affairs. The most recent example is the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. Research shows journalists were unable to articulate to voters what they were voting for. It also shows journalists failed to counter misinformation and were ill-equipped […]
Government
Australia’s federal government has enacted sweeping anti-migration laws that critics say undermine international human rights obligations, escalate the mistreatment of refugees, and threaten the lives of tens of thousands of vulnerable people. Passed late Thursday, the controversial legislation has drawn sharp criticism from grassroots organisations, legal experts, and refugee advocates […]
The federal parliament has passed legislation to ban people under 16 from having an account with some social media platforms. In doing so, it has ignored advice from a chorus of experts – and from the Australian Human Rights Commission, which said the government rushed the legislation through parliament “without taking the time […]
The federal government’s proposed legislation on misinformation and disinformation has passed the House of Representatives, but faces a rocky time in the Senate. Opponents have dubbed it the MAD Bill, and it has certainly made some of them mad. Ironically, there is a great deal of misinformation circulating about the bill itself. […]
Australia has taken a firm stance against far-right provocateur Candace Owens by rejecting her visa application ahead of a planned national speaking tour. Immigration Minister Tony Burke stated that Owens has the “capacity to incite discord,” leading to her ban from entering the country. The US conservative influencer and podcast […]
A 17-year-old Indigenous boy has died while in custody at a youth detention centre in Western Australia, marking the second such death in the state within a year. The tragedy has reignited concerns over the treatment of Aboriginal youth in the justice system. The teenager was found unresponsive in his […]
Australia has introduced a new “right to disconnect” law, providing much-needed relief for employees who feel pressured to respond to work-related calls or messages outside of their regular working hours. These groundbreaking regulations, which came into effect this year, allow employees to ignore work-related communications after hours without fear of […]
The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee convened on Tuesday to commence public hearings into Senator Lidia Thorpe’s Genocide Bill, formally known as the Criminal Code Amendment (Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Bill, 2024). The session featured testimony from an array of experts and individuals with personal experiences […]
Donald J. Trump initiated efforts on Monday to overturn his recent criminal conviction in Manhattan and delay his forthcoming sentencing. This move cites a new Supreme Court ruling that grants him broad immunity from prosecution for official actions taken during his presidency, according to a person familiar with the matter. […]
Rebel Senator Fatima Payman has escalated her confrontation with the Labor Party by claiming “some members” are trying to intimidate her into quitting the Senate. The government is uncertain whether the Greens will exploit the situation with another pro-Palestinian motion to have Payman – suspended from caucus but not expelled […]