An alternative voice in search of truth and justice.
30/07/2019
Pauline Hanson has made headlines – again – for saying something controversial and obviously not grounded in reality. She put forward, in the Senate, to have a national plebiscite on the number of immigrants coming into the country, asking people whether or not they believed the current number was too high or not. She was soundly defeated when it went to a vote, but of course it’s now made the rounds through the media – the idea is there.
20/07/2019
For an upcoming university unit, I have two books as prescribed core reading: An Introduction to Political Communication by Brian McNair, and Reporting Elections: Rethinking the Logic of Campaign Coverage by Stephen Cushion and Richard Thomas. While I have, I’d say, a reasonable knowledge and understanding (as well as some strong opinions) on those topics – I have, obviously, written (much less professionally) on them myself – it’s always enlightening to read more about the things you think you know. Even if many of the conclusions match previous ones, the difference each time is perspective.
Continue reading “Consumerism Vs Participation in Politics: The Silent Majority Exists”
14/07/2019
It is the unfortunate truth that nowhere in the world has democracy been properly and fully implemented, and that under the current system it is unlikely that it ever will. Even in the apparent birthplace of democracy – Ancient Greece – participation was limited to very strict demographics. Today in Australia, while things have improved on the participation front – although some demographics, such as prisoners, are unable to vote, and the debate about dropping the voting age to 16 continues – true democracy eludes us. As it turns out, you can just buy it.
18/06/2019
The Economist posted a video a couple of months ago discussing whether or not politicians lie. I didn’t agree with most of it, seeing as their conclusion was that something was only a lie if the person telling it had the intent and knowledge they were doing so. They instead try to palm certain things off – even Trump’s antics – as things like ‘exaggeration’, ‘untruths’ (isn’t that just synonymous with lies?), ‘nonsense’, or (quoting the academic prowess of a philosopher) ‘bullshit’. How trite.
11/06/2019
The new series on Netflix, When They See Us, has taken America and the media by storm. I have not watched it myself, but have read into it and watched an interview the director of the series did with Democracy Now!. There really is very little to say other than take the time to look into and understand it, because the clips I have seen, and details of the story, are damning proof, if anyone was still in doubt, about the rampant institutionalised (or in some cases blatant) racism that exists in Western societies. Australia is not exempt.
17/05/2019
At the bottom of this piece I have linked many of my previous pieces about the lead up to the 2019 Federal election for people to look back on and consider. Looking back on the last few months, discussions I have had with a variety of people have been rather varied. Arguing ‘death taxes’ and the union movement with a One Nation sympathiser, the decriminalisation of currently illicit drugs with a strict no-drugs friend, the rights of workers with a swing voter turned Labor supporter, healthcare and women’s rights with a student midwife. These are but a few of the issues that Australia are taking to the voting booths tomorrow – and the top of the list is climate change.
11/05/2019
I still often see attacks on the ABC for being a ‘leftist rag’ and for being supportive of a ‘communist’ Labor-Greens government. Never mind the fact that Labor and the Greens aren’t the best of friends, nor in any context communist or socialist. Also never mind the fact that the ABC has had its budget cut drastically by the Coalition, with threats of privatisation, and that many of the ABC’s top positions are stacked with friends of the Liberal Party and/or private interests – Ita Buttrose comes to mind. But it’s not just the ABC – almost all of our media is rooting for the Coalition.
Continue reading “Reject the Media Narrative – It’s Undermining Our Democracy”
06/04/2019
So the Coalition won a third term in government in New South Wales in an election that should have been a clear victory for Labor. Now that Berejiklian has retained power, her government has been quick to make drastic changes that will negatively affect both the State and the country as a whole. And the poor old Sydney Morning Herald just doesn’t know why!
Continue reading “Manufactured Shock: The Sydney Morning Herald”
02/04/2019
The Coalition really missed a chance to release their budget announcement yesterday. It would have been the perfect occasion to reveal just how much of a joke it will be, and perfectly describes the people who over and over buy the same garbage every election cycle – fools.
02/02/2019
Over the last few days, the government’s cashless welfare cards have been introduced to Queensland in the next string of trials. They have been rolled out elsewhere across the country already, and despite what the government claims, it is already obvious that these cards do not achieve the policy goals they were set out for. Instead, they are (who would have guessed) another way to limit the poor.
Anarchist Rising 