Protecting democracy and public amenity
Presentation by The Hon. Kelvin Thomson, Convenor of Planning Democracy, to Combined Residents of Whitehorse Action Groups, (CROWAG) Wednesday 15 February, Blackburn Lake Visitor Centre.
Presentation by The Hon. Kelvin Thomson, Convenor of Planning Democracy, to Combined Residents of Whitehorse Action Groups, (CROWAG) Wednesday 15 February, Blackburn Lake Visitor Centre.
The UK parliament is currently evaluating changes to the UK Official Secrets Act that would see jail for life for people who let others know of law-breaking in government and corporations (whistleblowers). Changes to the Act are aimed to prevent any public interest journalism. Journalist Mohamed Elmaazi reports on the draft legislation in fascinating and chilling detail in John Kiriakos' interview. Public interest would be erased as a defense.
In person and online event this Saturday 4th of March the Belmarsh Tribunal reconvenes for its fifth session in Sydney University Great Hall.
The Victorian Government's increasingly draconian controls over the Grampians National Park continue to be revealed. In recent weeks, Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, has questioned the Andrews Government’s ‘set-aside’ regulations for the park which effectively reverse public access rights provisioned in the National Parks Act 1975.
In this issue: Victorian Parliament Resumes; Protecting Democracy and Amenity – 15 February Blackburn Speech; Facebook Page; Save Lake Knox; Ryman Healthcare; Mount Eliza Development; CROWAG April Public Forum – Save Our Canopy Trees; Stop the Great Wall of Frankston; Long Reserve Langwarrin; Concrete coming out of the Moonee Ponds Creek; War on Plastic; Kilmore Land Upda
In this issue: 1.WELCOME TO 2023; 2.VCAT DELAYS; 3.STOP THE GREAT WALL OF FRANKSTON; 4.SUNBURY HIGH RISE TO GO TO VCAT; 5.KILMORE BUSHFIRE EVACUATION ISSUE; 6.BAD NEWS ON THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA; 7. KINGSWOOD GOLF COURSE; 8.477 SYDNEY RD. COBURG – BIKE SPACES, BUT NO CARS PLEASE; 9. PLANNING DEMOCRACY FACEBOOK PAGE; 10. WORLD HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN OVERVIEW; 11.
Recently the South Australian premier called for higher immigration in his water-scarce state. This was followed by a similar plea from the Northern Territory government, which is seeking more workers, and is spending $12.8m on a campaign to attract them for the hospitality industry.
A new report confirms beyond doubt that rapid population growth is the main cause of Australia’s housing affordability crisis, notes Sustainable Population Australia (SPA). While interest rates and government policies influence short-term trends in house prices, it is population growth that has driven house price inflation long-term.
Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) Today the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) tabled a special report in Parliament highlighting improper conduct by former Victorian Government Minister Theo Theophanous in his role on the board of the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA).[1] [Candobetter comment: Note that the VPA is is a major decisi
It was the 169th Assange Friday night vigil outside Sydney Town Hall and, for once, ABC Australia turned up. But they were there for a Gay Pride event at the town hall.
In a terrific 15 minutes, Sevim Dağdelen, a leading member of Die Linke (left wing German opposition party) speaks on Hersh Nordstream scoop to an almost empty Bundestag (German parliament.) Those present from Die Linke and AfD parties enthusiastically approved.
In 1960 Australia had 9.65 hospital beds per 1000 people. This number shrank to 3.84 hospital beds in 2016, with a low in 2013 of 3.74. A very slight increase to 3.9 beds per 1000 people in 2017-2018. Between 1960 and 2021 Australia's population grew from 10.28 million to 25.69 million people. This is a growth of 150.0 percent in 61 years.
Nationwide Campaign Against AUKUS 24 February 2023 Outside MPs' Electorate Offices. Details for different states inside.
Nationwide Campaign Against AUKUS
24 February
Outside MPs Electorate Offices
Details for actions in different states below.
In the early hours of Thursday 16 February, the last day on which the House of Representatives, the lower house of Australia's two houses of Parliament, is to sit until the next sitting begins on Monday 6 March, I have been individually emailing members of the House with my Open Letter entitled "Lift Parliament's gag on discussion about Julian Assange - an Open Letter to members of the Julian Assange Parliamentary Support Group".
The following Open Letter has been sent to all 40 members of the Bring Julian Assange Home Parliamentary Support Group (Julian Assange Parliamentary Support Group).
Hands Off Syria is calling for a rally in support of Syria. After the catastrophic earthquake, people around the world want to help Syria, however, the criminal US sanctions are impeding assistance, in particular reconstruction.
Sanctions kill, sanctions starve; sanctions stop reconstruction efforts. End the Sanctions Now. The Syrian people need our help now.
Prime Minister Albanese should take note from the young female Syrian in the embedded video below: The illegal sanctions which Australia, the US and its other allies have imposed against Syria, made life close to unbearable for Syrians, even before the earthquake. Those illegal sanctions are now causing death as those struggling to rescue earthquake survivors are deprived of life-saving equipment and medicine as consequence of the sanctions.
Hersh, one of the most famous and respected journalists in the world, has just published an investigative report showing that the United States, in cahoots with Norway, conspired and executed the destruction of Nordstream2. The United States, Norway (and investors in Norway petroleum) were the obvious immediate beneficiaries. See Seymour Hirsh, "How America Took Out The Nord Stream Pipeline," Substack News (8 Feb 2023)
From 4pm, this coming Saturday 11 February, come down to the Victorian State Parliament to celebrate Julian Assange for the Global Carnival Worldwide Mobilization for Assange. Meet at Parliament Steps at 4pm Saturday 11 February 2023.
February 6, 2023: Latakia, Syria At least 780 are dead in Syria, with another 2,300 injured according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck at 4:17 am local time today. Rescue teams look for survivors under the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake in the regime-controlled northern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 6, 2023.
Update, 8 Feb 2023: I have received a reply from Josh Wilson and responded further below. They both now precede my original "Open Letter" of 6 February, which is further below.
Outstanding interview on imminent international relations breaks new ground. Interviewer, Kevork Almassian, originally from Syria, currently living in Germany, knows what questions to ask formidably intelligent Vietnam Veteran and retired US State Senator, Colonel Richard Black. Black actually has answers. The interview starts with why Trump reversed his original policies on Syria and Afghanistan.
More and more farming land is being lost to other land uses such as housing on the outskirts of our cities. But how much land is being lost? And why does it matter?
The following message about shocking proposals for a wall of multistorey appartments on the fragile banks of Frankston's much-loved Kananook Creek, was sent on 12 January 2023 to members and friends of The Port Phillip Conservation Council.
Engrossing discussion of the arcane and unfair legal and political web entrapping Julian Assange: Lee Camp's excellent questions allow Stella Assange to use her legal and personal experience to comment in depth on the political relationships and laws and legal systems involved, such as the post 9-11 terrorism extradition laws; Britain's unequal status in US-British extradition laws; the incompatibility of how freedom of the press as conceived in the US is not possible in Britain
By boasting that the Minsk Accords were only used by the west to enable the Kiev regime to re-build its defeated armed forces, Angela Merkel, Francois Holland and Petro Poroshenko, have revealed to the world that they have on their hands, not just the blood of Russian-speaking Ukrainians and Russians, but also of ethnic Ukrainians, the lives of whom, US-puppet President Zilenskiy is sacrificing in their thousands in this criminal war.
"Canada introduces ban on foreigners buying property, allows exceptions for refugees and permanent residents - ABC News" https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-02/canada-bans-foreigners-from-buyin
Response to new Centre for Population report: Australia must stabilise its population below 30 million to stop the growing impacts on climate and biodiversity, as well as preserve quality of life, according to the environment organisation Sustainable Population Australia (SPA). SPA president, Ms Jenny Goldie, was commenting on the latest report from the ‘Centre for Population’, the Treasury office which advises the federal government on population. Their report is due to be released Friday 6 January.
Recent comments