Communist Party of Australia

Current Issue of The Guardian

February 15, 2017 - click here for index of articles.

Fortress Australia

Claims that Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton is seeking “Trump-like” powers to target visa-holders that appeared in some media outlets last week are not far-fetched. Amendments to the Migration Act that gained support in the House of Representatives on February 9 and US President Trump’s attempts to ban people from seven countries with Muslim-majority populations have strong similarities. There are differences in form, Trump attempting to directly use his presidential powers and Dutton seeking to gain similar powers through thinly disguised parliamentary legislation. more ...

Editorial – The idiocy that is capitalism

“We do not have one modern high-efficiency low-emissions coal-fired power station, let alone with carbon capture storage.” So runs PM Malcolm Turnbull’s line on “clean” coal. His government plans to subsidise the construction of clean coal power stations as well as trying to bribe farmers to lift bans on fracking for coal seam gas. more ...

Basic poverty trap

As the income gap continues to widen and poverty is on the rise in Australia and other industrialised nations as result of decades of neo-liberal economic policies, the concept of a universal basic income is being touted in conservative quarters and amongst some left economists. Trials are underway for some form of basic income for unemployed in Canada, Finland, the US and several other European countries. more ...

IAC’s future is unclear

The Turnbull government’s muddled approach to Indigenous Affairs continued last month, with the dissolution of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC) on January 31. As the Koori Mail reported in November last year, after the three-year appointments to the IAC expired on November 23, Turnbull extended the time-frame until January 31 this year. more ...

Public rage grows over NSW rail takeover

Former NSW Liberal Premier Mike Baird said his recent decision to retire was prompted by family matters. Others suggested he wanted to avoid controversy over the rocketing costs of Sydney’s new eastern suburbs light rail service, the questionable financial interests of some coalition politicians and their staff, and their intimate relationship with lobbyists representing the gambling, development and alcohol industries. more ...

Nugan Hand

A tale of drugs, dirty money, the CIA and the ousting of the Whitlam government: In November 2015, a news item appeared in a weekday edition of The Australian about the reappearance of Michael Hand, now 73 years old and openly living in the US State of Idaho, who is running a business supplying combat weaponry and hunting knives. An appropriate choice considering his background. But few Australians will either know or remember much about his role in the notorious Nugan Hand Merchant Bank which, with its other two founders, Frank Nugan and Bernie Houghton, was set up in Sydney in 1973 with a paid-in capital of $1 million. more ...

Film Review – Hell or High Water

Tanner Howard is fresh out of prison. His brother Toby is fresh out of money. Their mother has died leaving Toby the reverse mortgage indebted ranch. “She never liked me anyway,” laughs Tanner. “That’s because you killed dad,” chimes Toby. more ...

Culture & Life – It’s NATO, not Russia

British Defence Secretary’s speech on “Russian threat” is a desperate attempt to “save jobs and budgets” for the Cold War crowd, which is worried the new US leader will not consider Russia an enemy, broadcaster and former British MP George Galloway told Russia Today. more ...