Good. The behaviour of the state government towards the residents of public housing in Victoria has been nothing short of abusive.

While we continue to provide arms, manpower, and any modicum of diplomatic legitimacy to war criminals engaged in at least one of three of the most dire crimes against humanity, these protests remain relevant to our country and governments.

The use of the word targeted raises an eyebrow. I wonder if it’s actually meant as the AAP are implying. It doesn’t appear to be a word CSV have used.

Interesting that the BBC article omits the words of Christopher Staker entirely when he spoke at length on behalf of Israel as well.

I guess too much of that was too reminiscent of his defence of Myanmar’s genocide of the Rohingya.

Putting aside all the issues with any foreign national fighting on behalf of other nations in the least complicated scenarios, in the current Pacific context and with Australia’s position against China’s growing involvement in the region I find it hard to believe the entanglements this would potentially produce aren’t considered a fringe benefit.

A country is in a pretty dismal state when the two largest factions are simply arguing between ethnic cleansing and genocide.

Something we’re seeing in the closeness between those individuals and organisations vocally supporting said ethnonationalism and white supremacists. Be that Jonathan Greenblatt and the ADL and Musk in the US, or Avi Yemini and our various white supremacist and neo-nazi organisations right here in Melbourne.

“Ethnonationalist international” is quite the global phenomena at the moment. Up until they share a border anyway.

“CPJ is deeply alarmed by the pattern of journalists in Gaza reporting receiving threats, and subsequently, their family members being killed,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour. “The killing of the family members of journalists in Gaza is making it almost impossible for the journalists to continue reporting, as the risk now extends beyond them also to include their beloved ones.”

Bombing civilians is not a trait of Jewish people. Using access to humanitarian aid and water as a weapon of war is not a trait of Jewish people. Destroying the healthcare systems supporting 2 million people is not a trait of Jewish people.

The US has a major party that is stuffed to the gills with Ur-fascists, Christian nationalists and white supremacists. Do you really think there’s no understanding from those elements of the Republican Party of what’s being done in attempting to cast opposition to the crimes of the Israeli government as opposition to Jewish people in general?

Flashing lights on all speed cameras as a permanent feature would be a far better option if the intent is to actually get people to slow down.

The locations, and potential locations for mobile cameras, are already published.

If you’re carrying sensitive data on your person across international borders, regardless of whose, you’re doing it wrong.

Good to see these finally get some press coverage. They were enormous rallies and conspicuously ignored, particularly by the ABC.

TIL the container deposit scheme won’t take crushed cans.

Apartheid as a regime is never the victim by definition.

In binding them by law, in making non-participation in that regime of apartheid the act of a true outlaw, the unwilling and the unaware within the oppressor group are victims. But of the regime, not the oppressed.

Choose who you lash out at carefully lest you find yourself acting for the regime rather than against it.

Every Attorney-General in the country understands that incarceration of children increases recidivism.

Symes’ inaction here beggars belief. Cowering to populism while adding fuel to fire those populists are attempting to fan.

Pro hospital system tip: If you or your loved one is pushed to go into a “Transition Care Program” while recovering from surgery refuse.

It’s so under resourced that I’ve just had to shell out what will probably be ~$2-2.5k on private patient transport because they have zero resources or budget to organise it on our behalf.

The Ombudsman’s press release with a link to the full report is up here: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/our-impact/news/ombudsman-finds-victorias-electric-and-plug-in-hybrid-vehicle-charges-administered-unfairly/

Put here by Margaret Simons more succinctly than I probably can from my phone at the moment:

Over the last couple of years, the words “tightly held” have come up in almost every conversation about Andrews government decisions.

It reflects the way in which major policy has been developed by a small group of his most trusted people – developed in what one observer described as a “black box”, with even government ministers excluded, unless they were in the increasingly tiny circle of the favoured.

The politicisation of the public service – its lack of ability and sometimes the will to stand up to the premier – was becoming one of the themes of the government.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/26/daniel-andrews-remoulded-the-state-of-victoria-but-the-wheels-were-beginning-to-wobble

The problem was decisions occurring within the Premier’s office despite departmental or ministerial advice, and often in advance of questions being asked. It’s been a problem for years at this point but my experience of the issue really came to a head during COVID when trying to work with a DHHS / DFFH that was actually incapable of making any decision or holding to the ones that it did make and communicate with pretty deleterious outcomes.

The problem was particularly highlighted by the step change in those interactions in March 2021 when Merlino became acting Premier.

It was a functional issue, it’s become a major factional issue within Labor, and it’s a large element in the contempt for integrity institutions and ombudsmen that the government has shown recently.

Hopefully we see far less centralisation of decision making within the Premier’s office from here on out.

Ethnonationalists sure love DARVO.