John Passant

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Me on Razor Sharp this morning
Me interviewed by Sharon Firebrace this morning for Razor Sharp. It happens every Tuesday. http://sharonfirebrace.com/2013/12/03/john-passant-australian-national-university-8/ (0)

I am not surprised
I think we are being unfair to this Abbott ‘no surprises’ Government. I am not surprised. (0)

Send Barnaby to Indonesia
It is a pity that Barnaby Joyce, a man of tact, diplomacy, nuance and subtlety, isn’t going to Indonesia to fix things up. I know I am disappointed that Barnaby is missing out on this great opportunity, and I am sure the Indonesians feel the same way. [Sarcasm alert.] (0)

Snouts in the trough: capitalism is corrupt
Big business, politicians, even sports people are ripping off the system with their corruption. Tony Abbott’s expense rorts are not an aberration. Corruption is part and parcel of capitalism and a consequence of the exploitation of workers. Only by overthrowing the ruling class can we abolish the corruption of the system and its rulers and hangers-on and begin a new society where production is organised democratically to satisfy human need. Join this Socialist Alternative Discussion 6pm Thursday 21 November Note change of venue because of exams to: Room W108 Baldessin Building ANU www.sa.org.au canberra@sa.org.au (0)

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
Haven’t heard about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a neoliberal and imperialist wet dream? Not surprising since it is being negotiated in secret and Abbott will try to spring it on us soon enough. I have written about it in the next Red Flag, due out on Wednesday. Subscribe now. And yes, we have digital subscriptions too. https://shop.redflag.org.au/?q=product-category%2Fred-flag-subscriptions (1)

NSA hacks Rupert Murdoch's phones
In breaking news the NSA has confirmed it has hacked Rupert Murdoch’s private phones for eleven years. ‘The fight against terrorism knows no bounds,’ spokesthing Joseph Dzhugashvili said.  Barack Obama said ‘Of course.’ Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott denied Australia’s spy agencies had broken any AUSTRALIAN laws in helping the Americans. (0)

What firefighters really think of the Liberals
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="236" caption="Put the hypocrites last"][/caption] (0)

Operational reasons
For operational reasons this blog will be closed until further notice. Eric Blair, Secretary, Department of Home Affairs. (0)

Boozy feral pig dies
A boozy feral pig has died in a car accident. The name of the Abbott government minister has not yet been released. (0)

Your tax dollars hard at work
(0)

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Archive for July, 2009

Ethical martini: Can journalism survive the internet?

This piece, by Martin Hirst from Ethical Martini and the AUT, is reproduced with his permission. Here is a link. I spent an interesting 24 hours in Christchurch on Friday and Saturday as a guest of the New Zealand Broadcasting School. I was a speaker at the school’s conference to celebrate 25 years of turning [...]

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Whatever happened to the ALP left?

Peter Garrett’s decision to approve more uranium mining shows the futility of joining the Labor Party to change the world. The party changes you.

Crap corner: Geelong Council sacks workers after they fill in potholes

Geelong Council has sacked two workers after they filled in hazardous potholes in their lunchtime.

South Africa: economic apartheid continues

 There are strikes or threatened action in the following sectors in South Africa: Gold, Platinum, Coal, Municipal workers, Paper and Chemicals, Rail, Communications, Doctors, the SABC.  Couple this strike wave with the first recession since the downfall of apartheid and the anger in the townships over the conditions people are forced to live in and the situation [...]

Health care: reform or revolution?

Neo-liberalism, not need, drives health care reform. Let’s tax the rich to pay for universal health care as part of a move to a just and equitable society.

Australian hypocrisy over Rio Tinto arrests

John has an article in the August edition of Socialist Alternative about Australian hypocrisy over the Rio Tinto arrests. It is based on Rudd gives China a Stern talking to on this site.

Race shapes the day

America is a country shaped and dominated by race.  That history will not disappear, as the arrest of African American Professor Harvey Gates for ’breaking in’ to his own home shows. Conservatives argue that the election of Barack Obama means that the US is somehow a post-racialist society.  Certainly the American electorate rejected the overt racism of [...]

Rudd’s message: all power to the casino capitalists

Rudd is going to hand back complete control to the casino capitalists and attack workers. What a great strategy for further disaster.

Closing down one tax lurk for the rich; what about the others?

Often seemingly appropriate policy responses can lead to tax rorts. Take section 23AG of our income tax laws. Back in the mid 1980s Australia moved from an exemption system for foreign taxed income to a foreign tax credit system (FTCS).  In essence under the FTCS Australian residents declare their foreign income and receive a credit [...]

Obama’s not-so-new Latin America policy

PRESIDENT BARACK Obama declared recently that there would no longer be junior and senior partners in the Americas but his actions are sending a different message.