After a long period of ambivalent rulings, the Australian High Court on Thursday (11 December 2014) finally defined the limits of mandatory detention of asylum seekers. In recent years, many of us in Australia have been disturbed by what seemed to be a routinised indefinite detention of thousands of refugees, including children. “Since September 2013, the average time spent in […]
The Papal Trucking Company Pty Unlimited
I highly recommend this opinion piece by Tony Webber in the Dubbo PhotoNews, 30/8/14. In a devastating critique of the church’s scandalous handling of child sex abuse, Tony drives Cardinal Pell’s truck to its illogical conclusions. A trucking company “would not try to gets itself categorised as an unstructured, non-commercial entity to avoid paying due compensation to its victims.” […]
A Rousing National Anthem
Sometimes we can take nationalism too seriously. There comes a time when it might be fun to poke the ribs of the doctrinaire. This is from Susan Butler’s new book, The Aitch Factor (Pan Macmillan, 2014)
War – is commemoration the same as glorification?
Australians commemorate Anzac Day (25 April) or Remembrance Day (11 November) with mixed emotions. Some still see it as a time to venerate brave soldiers and remember ‘the fallen’. Others take the opportunity to point again to the futility of war. Remembering wars brings out all sorts of emotions: mawkish sentimentality, strident nationalism, grief for young lives lost […]
Spin doctors and children in detention
The wheel turns on media spin. In June this year, Fairfax media reported that the number of ‘spin doctors’ and communications staff employed by the Australian Immigration Department had risen to 95 – up from 13 under the previous government in 2011. This in a time when the Government is telling us there’s a budget crisis […]
Church’s line is broken
“Is the line broken?” asked the Royal Commissioner, Peter McClellan, as the television hook-up to Rome failed. “The cardinal is unmoving on the screen which suggests it has,” replied counsel assisting Gail Furness SC, with Judge McClelland observing mournfully: “The line has failed in Rome.” It sure had, in more ways than one when Cardinal […]
Royal Commission on Child Sexual Abuse
Key points from my submission to the Royal Commission on Child Sexual Abuse: A national redress scheme to which all governments, major churches and relevant non-government organisations contribute equitably is among the most important outcomes that this Royal Commission could give rise to. Written evidence should not be expected in every case; many cases were […]
Little battlers have a big win
The decision by the City Council of Ballarat to refuse a cashed-up developer permission to demolish the old school on the Ballarat Orphanage site is a victory for those former residents who fought a long and energy-sapping campaign against the odds. These old institutions have long-since closed – thankfully. These places shaped the lives of so many Australians. […]
ABBOTT SAX the Tax
Mining billionaire Clive Palmer sides with Triumphal Tony Abbott (“Climate change is crap!”) to axe Australia’s so-called carbon tax. There is no meaningful plan to put in place an alternative policy on climate change. Already conflicting stories are coming from the political parties that voted to axe the tax about an agreement to work towards an alternative. A tragic […]
Paedophilia and Celibacy
In a report of an interview, the Pope acknowledged that paedophilia was common and widespread in the Catholic Church – even at the level of bishop and cardinal – and called the requirement for celibacy among priests ‘a problem’ for which he is ‘finding the solution’. The Vatican denied that he said this. Cardinal George Pell made reference to celibacy […]