I still call Australia home

[ShortForBob]

The Perth Shark attack.

Why is it that the species of shark that did it is important? I don't get it. The girl is dead. What are they going to do? Ban the species?

Every fucking time the press asks the question.

I recall when I started surfing, every shark attack was by a "Six foot grey nurse." That was when Ben Cropp was killing them to make him famous. Then there was a collective embarrassment when it was discovered that Grey Nurse sharks do not attack people. OOOooops.

Now Bull Sharks are blamed. Same same old shit, as if the name somehow matters.

I suppose it matters so the fisheries people can sort out the best way to deal with it.
If it was a one off white pointer in the river, do you try to find out why?
If it was a bull Shark, are they common in the river? and what's the best way to prevent them getting in/ that sort of thing.
I remember watching kids jumping off the bridge for a swim when I first arrived in WA.
(At least I assume it was that one)

 

[Goodvibes]

I suppose it matters so the fisheries people can sort out the best way to deal with it.
If it was a one off white pointer in the river, do you try to find out why?
If it was a bull Shark, are they common in the river? and what's the best way to prevent them getting in/ that sort of thing.
I remember watching kids jumping off the bridge for a swim when I first arrived in WA.
(At least I assume it was that one)
View attachment 572645

It is just an emotional response from a culture used to killing things as a solution. Thylacine killed chooks, kill Thylacine. Shark kills human, kill sharks. In order to do that you have to know what type of shark.

Think about like I have. There are only two ways to stop more shark attacks,

1. Do not go in the water.
2. Enclose a swimming area.

Sharks safe, humans safe.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Four Labor MPs express fustration at being rabbits in the economic headlight

Four Labour MPs express fustration at their own and their Governments inability to understand the current economic situation and their total lack of ideas about how to deal with it, by targeting the Reserve Bank Governor, Philip Lowe. They ignore the fact that his job is to try to keep inflation at a certain level and that his ONLY tool is the setting of the interest rates.

Phil Lowe’s future as RBA governor questioned by government MPs

Four Labor MPs have gone on record to express their misgivings about keeping the Reserve Bank governor in the job.

www.theage.com.au

 

[ShortForBob]

This will make interesting reading.

The Australian government paid millions for this official war history. So why the silence?

In 1999, Australian troops were sent to Timor-Leste. This "official history" sheds light on the decision.

www.abc.net.au

A new 976-page official military history of Australia's involvement in the 1999 Timor-Leste crisis may not sound like a particularly controversial book.

But that's exactly what this book has become — largely because of what's not been said about it.

The Australian government, which funded the work, and the Australian War Memorial, which co-published it, have so far been muted about its publication. Unlike similar official histories, there's been no launch or fanfare.

It comes after a three-year approval process by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), with some claiming the department tried to censor the work.

Critics say the controversy stems from how the book frames Australia's past relationship and intervention in Timor-Leste (also known as East Timor) as not as noble as some would like to think.

'The national record' of a conflict​

Craig Stockings is a professor of history at UNSW Canberra. But his other, much grander title is "official historian of Australian operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor", working out of the Australian War Memorial.

Professor Stockings and his team are funded by, but independent from, the Australian government — a unique arrangement.

​

"Certainly, it's rare in the Anglosphere," Professor Stockings told ABC RN's Late Night Live.

"We have a tradition going back to World War I, more than 100 years, where the government commissions [official histories] and gives the job to an independent group of people."

As material from the Australian War Memorial explains, official histories are "the national record of Australia's involvement in particular conflicts".

Critically, the official historian is granted "unrestricted access to closed period and security classified government records" and their final product does not have to "follow any official or government line".

Over more than a century, different Australian governments commissioned five official war histories.

Then in 2015, it commissioned a sixth.

Three years to get government approval​

In 2015, Tony Abbott's government announced almost $13 million in funding to produce the "Official History of Australian Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Australian Peacekeeping Operations in East Timor", which would be released in several volumes.

In 2016, it was announced that Professor Stockings was appointed official historian, with the whole project (covering the three conflicts) expected to take "some seven years".

Come last December, the first book in the six-book series was finally released. It's the first of two books on Timor-Leste, this one titled Born of Fire and Ash: Australian operations in response to the East Timor crisis 1999-2000.

The book covers a critical time. In 1999, Timor-Leste voted to become independent from Indonesia, sparking violence from the pro-Indonesia side there. So an international force led by Australia was sent in to restore order, called INTERFET (International Force East Timor).

It's a time Professor Stockings knows well — he served as a junior officer during the INTERFET deployment.

Smoke billows from burning houses in Dili in the days after the 1999 independence referendum.(Reuters)
But while it took two years to write the book, it then took a drawn-out three years for DFAT to "clear" it, leading to claims of attempted censorship along the way.

Back in 2019, three previous official historians wrote a Guardian op-ed warning of the "perception that [Australia's] official histories may be censored by departmental officials". Another report at the time said Professor Stockings had threatened to resign.

Professor Stockings was careful around this topic, saying "we are working in a classified environment" so there is "a role for stakeholders [like DFAT] to play in determining that what we've written is indeed unclassified – and there's no threat to the nation".

But he adds, "I think the ambiguity is … what is actually of risk to the nation and what is perhaps something that a stakeholder might not want to read, or might not want in the public domain".

"That's not a security classification issue. That's a reputation management issue."
He made the observation that if he was prepared to "compromise" with DFAT, the approval process may have been much quicker, perhaps weeks not years.

"[But] we can't compromise historical integrity for convenience's sake."

ABC RN asked DFAT why this process took so long and about the censorship claims.

"Under the Archives Act 1983, the government is afforded the right to consider whether the public release of any classified information might cause damage to Australia's international relations, defence or national security interests," a DFAT spokesperson said.

Where the controversy lies​

The book, Born of Fire and Ash: Australian operations in response to the East Timor crisis 1999-2000 unpacks the South East Asian country's road to independence in granular detail.

It already has supporters, including Clinton Fernandes, a professor of international and political studies at UNSW Canberra and a former Australian Army intelligence officer.

So what's so controversial about the text?

Professor Fernandes said it lies in how the book frames Australia's role in the lead-up to the 1999 Timor-Leste crisis and how this has been portrayed since then.

Rather than presenting Australia as an earnest saviour of Timor-Leste, the book shows an Australia that had a "determination to avoid an independent East Timor" for decades. This was so it could keep its powerful ally Indonesia on side.

"Stockings has unmasked the deep roots of Australian foreign policy, showing how DFAT protected Indonesia's genocidal actions for more than two decades," Professor Fernandes said.
"Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer were forced to support something they had long tried to prevent – an independent East Timor. Like their predecessors, they refused to contemplate independence for that territory because Australia's diplomats had put 30 years of work into getting control of its oil."

A spokesperson for DFAT said the department "rejects" these claims.

Then-Prime Minister John Howard speaks to troops bound for Timor-Leste in Townsville in September 1999.(Reuters)
Professor Fernandes said this stance changed dramatically in late 1999, but not necessarily as the result of goodwill within the government.

"A tsunami of public outrage – international and domestic – had been building up for months and it finally came crashing down on the government in September 1999. The government was overwhelmed and forced to backflip and reverse its stance, and the Australian Defence Force had to respond at the midnight hour without adequate resources."

Despite this, "to its great credit, the ADF performed brilliantly under difficult circumstances", Professor Fernandes said.

Australian troops deploy outside the Timor-Leste town of Liquica in September 1999.(Getty Images: David Guttenfelder)
"The problem is that for years, John Howard maintained that the 'liberation' of East Timor was one of his proudest achievements as prime minister … His deputy PM, Tim Fischer, even described Howard's diplomacy as akin to the Balfour Declaration," he said.

"When an honest account based on the primary archival record emerges, it exposes these distortions. It is therefore unwelcome to people who prefer the public be told military myths rather than military history."

Again, Professor Stockings was more diplomatic. But he said: "I think it would be a little bit cynical to describe the whole process as [the Australian government's] desperation to assist the Timorese".

An 'unusual' silence​

Despite years of work, December's release of the book saw surprisingly little fanfare from either the federal government or the Australian War Memorial.

There has not been an official launch which Professor Stockings says is "certainly an unusual thing".

And there's been little, if any, government promotion, despite their millions in funding for the project.

​

A spokesperson for the Australian War Memorial acknowledged there had been "a protracted government clearance process" that has delayed proceedings.

"The official launch is currently postponed. The chosen date was not suitable for a number of key stakeholders and the decision was taken by the Memorial to postpone," the spokesperson said.

For now, Professor Stockings is thinking about next steps.

"The second Timor volume, the one dealing with the peacekeeping period out to 2012, is currently being examined by stakeholder agencies. I hope it's finished soon," he said.

"Then we'll get into the Middle East."

Seven years into the process, with only one volume of one conflict published, it looks like there's a lot of work and difficult discussions with the government ahead.

 

[Alhadder]

It is just an emotional response from a culture used to killing things as a solution. Thylacine killed chooks, kill Thylacine. Shark kills human, kill sharks. In order to do that you have to know what type of shark.

Think about like I have. There are only two ways to stop more shark attacks,

1. Do not go in the water.
2. Enclose a swimming area.

Sharks safe, humans safe.

Meli & Random - it was a Bull Shark. White Pointers do not go into the river/estuary system.
Seems that a shark fisher caught a 3m Bull Shark 1km upstream from the fatal shark attack last night and posted on Social Media.

Confirmed sighting of huge shark near scene of fatal attack on teen prompts alert to swimmers

A shark alert is issued for the Swan River following a confirmed shark sighting near where Stella Berry was fatally attacked, as pictures emerge on social media purporting to show a large bull shark caught in the area.

www.abc.net.au

Typical over reaction from McGowan today announcing that the Govt will look into shark barriers/nets at popular swimming locations along the Swan River if Local Govt's that border the river want to investigate/partner with the State Govt. 1 fatal attack in 100 years and 7 reported attacks in the Swan in same time frame. But it plays well with the sheeple so it might happen.

 

[Goodvibes]

Meli & Random - it was a Bull Shark. White Pointers do not go into the river/estuary system.
Seems that a shark fisher caught a 3m Bull Shark 1km upstream from the fatal shark attack last night and posted on Social Media.

Confirmed sighting of huge shark near scene of fatal attack on teen prompts alert to swimmers

A shark alert is issued for the Swan River following a confirmed shark sighting near where Stella Berry was fatally attacked, as pictures emerge on social media purporting to show a large bull shark caught in the area.

www.abc.net.au

Typical over reaction from McGowan today announcing that the Govt will look into shark barriers/nets at popular swimming locations along the Swan River if Local Govt's that border the river want to investigate/partner with the State Govt. 1 fatal attack in 100 years and 7 reported attacks in the Swan in same time frame. But it plays well with the sheeple so it might happen.

I don't think it was an over reaction at all. He is supporting the local businesses who sell stuff to the water users. It's not about how many attacks there have been, it's about risk. Who is going to go splashing about at that location for a while at least.

Australian rivers are full of these animals, they leave us alone mostly but then sometimes ...

Growing up on the Gold Coast they were developing and extending the canal systems to grow more houses. Even then there were reports of "Old Mrs Johnson was throwing the ball in the water for her little foxy dog when there was a big splash and Fifi disappeared!"

Enclosures are the best solution. I used to surf frequently, but rivers scare me, speaking for myself here.

 

[LB 15]

"Old Mrs Johnson was throwing the ball in the water for her little foxy dog when there was a big splash and Fifi disappeared!"

FIFI IS DEAD???????????????????

Poor little cunt.

 

[00seven]

FIFI IS DEAD???????????????????

Poor little cunt.

Nah, Randy is just making shit up again. All of his little anecdotes are lies.

 

[Goodvibes]

FIFI IS DEAD???????????????????

Poor little cunt.

Still in grade 10, we were sailing an old VJ dinghy with a canvas cockpit in one of those canals, got a bullet and we put in in. The plate steel centreboard wasn't pinned (like it should have been, pin was there on a string) and it fell through the main, fucked it completely. The kids dad was super pissed with the damage and he insisted we salvage the board. Gave us a rope and a crab pot buoy to attach to the handle. We failed, mainly because we knew that Fifi had ... well we were scared.

The dad, angry as fuck asked for directions, swam out, dived down for ages, no mask, swam in and hauled the fucker in to the bank, he wasn't scared of anything.

Edit: on the other hand we were quite happy to surf in the middle of Pilchard school.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I kinda like this guy,,

 

[ShortForBob]

I kinda like this guy,,

 

[Alhadder]

Wow no commentary from the usual suspects re Dutton's apology for boycotting the apology to the Stolen Generation made by the Rudd Govt 15 years ago today.

Good on him,

Peter Dutton apologises for boycotting apology to Stolen Generations

Liberal leader Peter Dutton apologises for walking out of the parliament's formal apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008.

www.abc.net.au

But of course the MInister for Indigenous Affairs then has to turn it slightly political re her comment that "Mr Dutton and his party now had a chance to work with the government by supporting the Voice to Parliament in a referendum." But then again they are in the game of politics so sort of don't blame her.

I also note there was an announcement today re $424m funding for Closing the Gap plan.

Federal government unveils $424 million Closing the Gap plan

The federal government acknowledges there has been an "enormous failure" in attempts to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, as it unveils a fresh national plan and hundreds of millions of dollars of funding.

www.abc.net.au

 

[ShortForBob]

We

Wow no commentary from the usual suspects re Dutton's apology for boycotting the apology to the Stolen Generation made by the Rudd Govt 15 years ago today.

Good on him,

Peter Dutton apologises for boycotting apology to Stolen Generations

Liberal leader Peter Dutton apologises for walking out of the parliament's formal apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008.

www.abc.net.au

But of course the MInister for Indigenous Affairs then has to turn it slightly political re her comment that "Mr Dutton and his party now had a chance to work with the government by supporting the Voice to Parliament in a referendum." But then again they are in the game of politics so sort of don't blame her.

I also note there was an announcement today re $424m funding for Closing the Gap plan.

Federal government unveils $424 million Closing the Gap plan

The federal government acknowledges there has been an "enormous failure" in attempts to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, as it unveils a fresh national plan and hundreds of millions of dollars of funding.

www.abc.net.au

Well it was only posted 4 hours ago.

did you listen to him or only read the article?

I'm certainly not going to applaud a person that makes an apology for their past actions by excusing their action at the time. That is not an unreserved apology though I do understand his anger. I don't accept that he thought The Apology To The Stolen Generations should wait until the indigenous population curbed instances of domestic violence.
That's simply saying "until some of you stop beating your wives and kids, we'll keep taking ALL of your half caste kids away"

He's just realised that times and attitudes have changed in 15 years and he better get with them.

As to the extra funding. It's not enough.
$424 million pays for two level crossings to be removed in Melbourne.

 

[ShortForBob]

I hope this vicious attack on an indigenous activist isn't racially or politically motivated.

Terrifying.

Djab Wurrung woman and Indigenous rights' campaigner Sissy Austin says she is mourning her "happy place" after being brutally attacked during an afternoon run in a forest near Ballarat.

Key points:​

• Sissy Austin, 28, says she was randomly attacked by an unknown man at Lal Lal state forest on Saturday
• Ms Austin is urging others to avoid the area until the police investigation is complete
• The Djab Wurrung woman is a former member of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria

Ms Austin said she was enjoying her regular run through the Lal Lal state forest, 20 minutes south-east of Ballarat about 4.30pm on Saturday when she was ambushed.

"I run out there all the time. It's beautiful country, Wathaurong country," Ms Austin said.

The 28-year-old said she had her headphones with music playing while running along a motorcycle track when a man emerged and attacked her with a makeshift weapon.

"He had a rock tied to the end of the stick," she said.
"I remember he had no shoes, jeans, a cap. He didn't have a top on."

 

[Goodvibes]

Wow no commentary from the usual suspects re Dutton's apology for boycotting the apology to the Stolen Generation made by the Rudd Govt 15 years ago today.

Good on him,

Peter Dutton apologises for boycotting apology to Stolen Generations

Liberal leader Peter Dutton apologises for walking out of the parliament's formal apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008.

www.abc.net.au

But of course the MInister for Indigenous Affairs then has to turn it slightly political re her comment that "Mr Dutton and his party now had a chance to work with the government by supporting the Voice to Parliament in a referendum." But then again they are in the game of politics so sort of don't blame her.

I also note there was an announcement today re $424m funding for Closing the Gap plan.

Federal government unveils $424 million Closing the Gap plan

The federal government acknowledges there has been an "enormous failure" in attempts to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, as it unveils a fresh national plan and hundreds of millions of dollars of funding.

www.abc.net.au

The cunt only did it to prevent it being used against him.

 

[LB 15]

The cunt only did it to prevent it being used against him.

Or to avoid listing to that life support system for an ego pleasuring himself in public again. Krudd is your hero after all.

 

[Goodvibes]

I thought this statement was truly extraordinary

Sydney neurosurgeon Charlie Teo hopes for ‘fair hearing’ as he faces complaints commission​

Teo has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
"
He said he hoped for a “fair hearing”.

“I’m really sorry to all those patients suffering from brain cancer and brain tumours,” he said.

“The truth lies between what you’ve heard and what I’m going to say.”

So does that mean he isn't going to tell the truth?

 

[The Dark Knight]

A white woman gets beaten up whilst running and some stupid bint tries to suggest that it could be racially motivated

Nothing in the the article suggests that it’s race related, but because the victim has perhaps 1% indigenous genes and identifies as such, so the forum dimwit puts 2 & 2 together and writes the headlines for ACA or a Murdoch paper.

 

[Mid]

Wow no commentary

apoligising 15yrs later ... give me a break .

 

[Alhadder]

apoligising 15yrs later ... give me a break .

At least he apologised, just like KRudd did on behalf of the Australian Govt 15 years ago. So was that apology not worth the words spoken then as well?