Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The US government practice of 'rendering' suspects to countries where they will be tortured has apparently been known to the Australian government for several years, who kept the information secret.
ASIO director-general Paul O'Sullivan has told a Senate enquiry that, after the arrest of Australian citizen Mamdouh Habib in 2001, the Australian government opposed his being taken to another country for 'interrogation.'
Mr O'Sullivan said that he believed Australia's concern at the time was "because of long-standing Australian policy going back over decades that Australia does not support torture and so we would not support a position where one of our citizens was put in such a position."
The meeting where the decision was made was attended by then ASIO director-general Denis Richardson and senior representatives of the Federal Police and three government departments. Mr O'Sullivan also said that such intelligence material would routinely be distributed to the Prime Minister's office.
The United States ignored Australia's requests, and moved Mr Habib to Egypt, where he says he was beaten, tortured with an electric cattle prod, and forced to watch a man being beaten to death in front of him before being warned the same could happen to him.
He was then moved to Guantanamo Bay, where he was held for almost three years before being released without charge.
Mr Habib said the Howard government only asked for him to be moved when the media found out where he was.
(Source: The Age)
ASIO director-general Paul O'Sullivan has told a Senate enquiry that, after the arrest of Australian citizen Mamdouh Habib in 2001, the Australian government opposed his being taken to another country for 'interrogation.'
Mr O'Sullivan said that he believed Australia's concern at the time was "because of long-standing Australian policy going back over decades that Australia does not support torture and so we would not support a position where one of our citizens was put in such a position."
The meeting where the decision was made was attended by then ASIO director-general Denis Richardson and senior representatives of the Federal Police and three government departments. Mr O'Sullivan also said that such intelligence material would routinely be distributed to the Prime Minister's office.
The United States ignored Australia's requests, and moved Mr Habib to Egypt, where he says he was beaten, tortured with an electric cattle prod, and forced to watch a man being beaten to death in front of him before being warned the same could happen to him.
He was then moved to Guantanamo Bay, where he was held for almost three years before being released without charge.
Mr Habib said the Howard government only asked for him to be moved when the media found out where he was.
(Source: The Age)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Would-be home owners are under increasing pressure from inflation and interest rates, with a key affordability index touching another record low.
Interest rate rises in the first quarter of the year have raised the average home loan payment to $2799 a month, up 4.4% on the previous survey.
The HIA-Commonwealth Bank First Home Buyer Affordability Index went down 3.5% in the quarter, 10% lower than a year ago.
(Source: The Age)
Interest rate rises in the first quarter of the year have raised the average home loan payment to $2799 a month, up 4.4% on the previous survey.
The HIA-Commonwealth Bank First Home Buyer Affordability Index went down 3.5% in the quarter, 10% lower than a year ago.
(Source: The Age)
An FBI agent has described how she watched Australian detainee Mamdouh Habib vomit repeatedly during a lengthy interrogation session at Guantanamo Bay.
In a report prepared by the US Justice Department, the agent said that Mr Habib was interrogated in two 15-hour sessions with only a short break between them.
The agent, who was not named, said she was not bothered by Mr Habib's condition at the time, "but in retrospect she questioned whether the treatment of Habib was appropriate".
The Justice Department report also includes a claim that Mr Habib was assaulted by a private-contract interrogator who belonged to the US company Lockheed Martin.
Last night, Mr Habib repeated his claim that a female interrogator splashed him with what he believed was menstrual blood. "There was big pressure on me. They were trying to make me admit anything," he said.
Mr Habib said that in court ASIO falsely claimed he had been treated very well at Guantanamo Bay.
Since his release, Mr Habib, who was held for more than three years without trial, has consistently stated that he was tortured in Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Guantanamo.
(Source: The Age)
In a report prepared by the US Justice Department, the agent said that Mr Habib was interrogated in two 15-hour sessions with only a short break between them.
The agent, who was not named, said she was not bothered by Mr Habib's condition at the time, "but in retrospect she questioned whether the treatment of Habib was appropriate".
The Justice Department report also includes a claim that Mr Habib was assaulted by a private-contract interrogator who belonged to the US company Lockheed Martin.
Last night, Mr Habib repeated his claim that a female interrogator splashed him with what he believed was menstrual blood. "There was big pressure on me. They were trying to make me admit anything," he said.
Mr Habib said that in court ASIO falsely claimed he had been treated very well at Guantanamo Bay.
Since his release, Mr Habib, who was held for more than three years without trial, has consistently stated that he was tortured in Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Guantanamo.
(Source: The Age)
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The leadership of the New South Wales Labor Party has approved electricity privatisation, against the wishes of most delegates to the Labor Party conference, and has threatened to expel any Labor Party MP who votes against it.
Delegates to the NSW Labor state conference voted against privatisation, by 702 votes to 107.
The legislation would make it possible for a generator's power stations to be sold. Previously the Premier had promised only 50-year leases on power stations.
Premier Morris Iemma warned that any Labor MP who 'crosses the floor' and votes against the legislation could face expulsion from the party.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian)
Delegates to the NSW Labor state conference voted against privatisation, by 702 votes to 107.
The legislation would make it possible for a generator's power stations to be sold. Previously the Premier had promised only 50-year leases on power stations.
Premier Morris Iemma warned that any Labor MP who 'crosses the floor' and votes against the legislation could face expulsion from the party.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian)
Monday, May 12, 2008
Labor is taking a harsher line on refugees than the Howard Government, according to an analysis of decisions made by the new Minister for Immigration.
An analysis of the exercise of ministerial discretion by the Immigration Minister, Senator Chris Evans, shows that he has rejected 97.6 percent of applications since coming to power.
This is the highest rate of rejection since 2001.
The handling of applications for ministerial discretion has been sped up, with 41 rejections being issued in five weeks.
Most of those rejected fear death if they're returned to their countries of origin, and several cases involve families that will be split up if people are deported.
According to Pamela Curr from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, the applications that Senator Evans has rejected include an African woman who had been kidnapped and sent as a slave to the Middle East. She escaped from her abusive owners after they took her with them on holiday to Australia.
"This case just shattered us all" Ms Curr said.
"The people making these decisions are old immigration department officers, the same kind of people who handled Cornelia Rau and Vivian Solon. They are still there and they are just saying no."
(Source: crikey.com.au)
An analysis of the exercise of ministerial discretion by the Immigration Minister, Senator Chris Evans, shows that he has rejected 97.6 percent of applications since coming to power.
This is the highest rate of rejection since 2001.
The handling of applications for ministerial discretion has been sped up, with 41 rejections being issued in five weeks.
Most of those rejected fear death if they're returned to their countries of origin, and several cases involve families that will be split up if people are deported.
According to Pamela Curr from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, the applications that Senator Evans has rejected include an African woman who had been kidnapped and sent as a slave to the Middle East. She escaped from her abusive owners after they took her with them on holiday to Australia.
"This case just shattered us all" Ms Curr said.
"The people making these decisions are old immigration department officers, the same kind of people who handled Cornelia Rau and Vivian Solon. They are still there and they are just saying no."
(Source: crikey.com.au)
Quote of the Moment:
"Greedy fucking jew."
The New South Wales Liberal party's then-state campaign manager Susan Chandler, describing a colleage.
"Greedy fucking jew."
The New South Wales Liberal party's then-state campaign manager Susan Chandler, describing a colleage.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
A Catholic school allowed a brother to teach for at least seven years after being told of his sexual abuse of students.
John William Chute, also known as Brother Kostka, is to be sentenced for 19 counts of committing an indecent act with a child, involving six students of Marist College in Canberra.
One of the boys told told his parents of the abuse in 1986. They then reported their concerns to the headmaster of the school.
Despite this, Chute taught for a further seven years at the school before retiring.
It has been alleged that Marist College was told of the abuse as early as the 1970s.
(Source: news.com.au)
John William Chute, also known as Brother Kostka, is to be sentenced for 19 counts of committing an indecent act with a child, involving six students of Marist College in Canberra.
One of the boys told told his parents of the abuse in 1986. They then reported their concerns to the headmaster of the school.
Despite this, Chute taught for a further seven years at the school before retiring.
It has been alleged that Marist College was told of the abuse as early as the 1970s.
(Source: news.com.au)
Teenagers are increasingly stressed, and prone to adult worries including not being able to afford a house, and not feeling safe in their homes, according to a new survey.
The Dolly Youth Monitor survey of 7000 teenagers found that teenagers' top worries were "home affordability" (38 percent), "getting a job" (43 percent), "being successful" (44 percent) and "needing to make money" (48 percent).
Three in four girls reported not feeling safe in their own neighbourhoods, while one in three felt unsafe in their own homes at night.
The project found that more teenagers are stressed than the last survey in 1999 (40percent, compared to 33 percent in 1999).
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
The Dolly Youth Monitor survey of 7000 teenagers found that teenagers' top worries were "home affordability" (38 percent), "getting a job" (43 percent), "being successful" (44 percent) and "needing to make money" (48 percent).
Three in four girls reported not feeling safe in their own neighbourhoods, while one in three felt unsafe in their own homes at night.
The project found that more teenagers are stressed than the last survey in 1999 (40percent, compared to 33 percent in 1999).
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
Friday, May 09, 2008
President Bush has claimed that a main cause of rising food prices is consumers in the Third World.
Mr Bush said that increasing prosperity in countries like India and China was good, because "you'll be selling products in the countries, you know, big countries perhaps, and it's hard to sell products into countries that aren't prosperous."
However he added that "when you start getting wealth, you start demanding better nutrition and better food, and so demand is high, and that causes the price to go up."
Total foodgrain consumption - wheat, rice, and all coarse grains like rye, barley etc - by the average person in the US is over five times that of the average Indian, according to figures released by the US Department of Agriculture for 2007.
(Source: The Times of India)
Mr Bush said that increasing prosperity in countries like India and China was good, because "you'll be selling products in the countries, you know, big countries perhaps, and it's hard to sell products into countries that aren't prosperous."
However he added that "when you start getting wealth, you start demanding better nutrition and better food, and so demand is high, and that causes the price to go up."
Total foodgrain consumption - wheat, rice, and all coarse grains like rye, barley etc - by the average person in the US is over five times that of the average Indian, according to figures released by the US Department of Agriculture for 2007.
(Source: The Times of India)
Saturday, May 03, 2008
An American man who used marijuana with medical approval was denied a liver transport because of it, and has died.
Hepatitis C sufferer Timothy Garon, 56, was authorised by his doctor to use marijuana to alleviate nausea and abdominal pain and to stimulate his appetite. This is legal under state law in Garon's home state of Washington and several other states, but illegal under federal law.
However the University of Washington Medical Center automatically denied him a spot on the liver transplant list, because of his use of 'illicit substances.'
(Source: Associated Press)
Hepatitis C sufferer Timothy Garon, 56, was authorised by his doctor to use marijuana to alleviate nausea and abdominal pain and to stimulate his appetite. This is legal under state law in Garon's home state of Washington and several other states, but illegal under federal law.
However the University of Washington Medical Center automatically denied him a spot on the liver transplant list, because of his use of 'illicit substances.'
(Source: Associated Press)
Friday, May 02, 2008
Quote of the Moment:
"2008 will be difficult and dangerous and bloody, and the Australian nation needs to prepare itself for further losses in the year ahead."
Kevin Rudd, speaking about the war in Afghanistan.
"2008 will be difficult and dangerous and bloody, and the Australian nation needs to prepare itself for further losses in the year ahead."
Kevin Rudd, speaking about the war in Afghanistan.
