pn924. Neglected features of colonial Australia: Blackbirding, Convict Labour, Aboriginees — and the racism it produced

An incredible story by author Jeff Sparrow of blackbirding in colonial Australia, together with passing coments on aboriginees and convicts,  and the legacy of racism it created for Australians today  Click here to read the whole article.  

pn922. Australia's environment in 'shocking' decline, report finds

Australia's environment is in a "shocking" state and faces further decline from amplifying threats, according to an anticipated report.

The survey of Australia's ecological systems - conducted every five years - found widespread abrupt changes.

These can be blamed on climate change, habitat loss, invasive species, pollution and mining, it said.

The threats are not being adequately managed - meaning they are on track to cause more problems.

pn632. Our own Kiwibank, not Aussie owned. "It's time to stop being Aussie-owned. Are you unknowingly backing Australia?"

With so much of our economy owned by Australians, it must be time for a re-think.

 "New Zealanders' desire to beat Australia is ingrained – almost from birth. In rugby, racehorses, barista coffee and race relations – we like to think we are better than the Aussies. Hell, we even promote the idea that our politicians are somehow superior," writes Mark Jennings in Newsroom*. (Click to read the whole article).

"Kiwibank CEO, Steve Jurkovich ... knows there is a deep well of patriotism to drink from but using it against the Aussie banks has been more of a scribble on a whiteboard than an actual strategy.

Australia: Hanson's One Nation Party Lobbies U.S. Rifle Assoc. for Funding on Gun Ownership

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Pauline Hanson’s anti-Muslim immigration party has been filmed lobbying the National Rifle Association in the U.S. for millions of dollars in funding, promising to help water down laws restricting gun ownership in Australia.

Al Jazeera says it set up a fake lobby group called Gun Rights Australia, and secretly filmed meetings between NRA officials and senior figures in the One Nation party. In one of the tapes, a party official asks for A$10 million ($7.1 million), saying the money would be used to win enough seats in Australia’s Senate to get the balance of power and influence government.