| Good morning, early birds. Scott Morrison has taken a swipe at the UN, and the Russia probe escalates as Alexander Downer rejects Republican claims he was “directed” to contact the Trump election campaign. It’s the news you need to know, with Rachel Withers. | | | | | | SCOTT MORRISON VS THE WORLD Prime Minister Scott Morrison has used a major foreign policy address to take a veiled swipe at the UN (without naming names), criticising “an unaccountable internationalist bureaucracy”, the ABC reports. In a speech that The Guardian notes contained echoes of Donald Trump’s recent UN address, Morrison warned against “negative globalism”, saying global institutions should not be overly involved in the governance of independent nations, or try to set the agenda on climate change and refugees. “Only a national government, especially one accountable through the ballot box and the rule of law, can define its national interests”, he said. He also insisted Australia did not have to choose between its relationships with the US and China. | UPS AND DOWNERS Former high commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer and ambassador to the US Joe Hockey have rejected claims made by a key Donald Trump ally that Downer had been “directed” to contact Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, Nine reports. In a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking for his “continued cooperation”, Republican senator Lindsey Graham said that an “Australian diplomat” had been directed to contact Papadopoulos. Downer has dismissed the claim, while Hockey tweeted a letter of response stating “we reject your characterisation of his role”. But as The New Daily explains, Downer’s potentially unauthorised disclosure of Papadopoulos’ claims may fuel some conspiracies, with inconsistencies over how and when the information was passed onto the US. | REJEXIT The EU parliament says that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s latest Brexit proposal is not remotely acceptable, echoing comments by Ireland’s prime minister, The Guardian reports. A committee of MEPs labelled Johnson’s proposal a “last-minute” effort, arguing it could not form the basis for an agreement, while Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the customs arrangements could not be accepted by Ireland, noting a discrepancy between the text tabled and Johnson’s words in parliament (in which he claimed there would be no return of a hard Irish border). European Council president Donald Tusk said that the EU stood with Ireland. | THEY REALLY SAID THAT | “ | Those who refuse to look for a job because they are too busy protesting may find they have their payments suspended. — Michaelia Cash |
The Employment Minister threatens to suspend activists’ welfare payments ($), echoing comments by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton pushing for protesters to be shamed. | READ ALL ABOUT IT | CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY | | | | “The simple point to make is that Chalmers (and much of Labor) has entirely misunderstood how Morrison eked out his 2019 win. They appear to have latched on to the idea that Morrison sold aspirational individualism better than they did, while Labor’s various statist offers smacked of collectivism. That is exactly the opposite of what occurred. Morrison didn’t advocate an individualistic and competitive society — he assumed that it existed, and offered, via political sloganeering, some partial compensations for it. Morrison supplied a collective of atomised individuals — ‘the quiet Australians’ — who lived up to the ‘promise of Australia’.” |
| | | | “Ever the Anglophile, Abbott’s tour kicked off in London last month, with a “serious speech about Brexit” at Policy Exchange, Britain’s foremost right-wing think tank. As the October 31 Brexit deadline approaches, and with the United Kingdom reeling from three years of political self-immolation, Abbott told those worried about a no deal option not to fear — Australia doesn’t have a deal with the European Union, and we get on just fine. He also quoted the Bible while criticising the ‘remainers plot to sabotage Brexit’.” |
| | | | “When the pond dries up, it’s only the orneriest salamanders who are left crawling all over each other. Thus to The Australian, where the mass departure since the arrival of ex-Tele editor Chris Dore is having real effects. The departure of Rick Morton and Anthony Klan was a real blow to the paper’s firepower, but the loss of cartoonist Jon Kudelka is probably the point at which the publication has stopped being a real newspaper.” |
| | | | | | THE COMMENTARIAT Critics misunderstand vilification bill amendment – Fiona Patten (The Age/Sydney Morning Herald): “A critique of this Bill, if it were made fairly, would not conflate vilification with discrimination – a common and misleading theme in opposition. Vilification and discrimination are distinctly different things, with vilification being the worst extreme. Vilification laws deal principally with the incitement of violence and hatred against a class of people, just because of who they are. Vilification has a much higher legal threshold than discrimination. Critics have cited section 18C of the federal Racial Discrimination Act as if those laws relate to vilification, but they do not. Conduct that is likely to insult or offend is not vilification, it is discrimination; disappointingly, no article against my Bill has posited an accurate example of vilification – a disingenuously straw man argument.” Captain Cook’s legacy is complex, but whether white Australia likes it or not he is emblematic of violence and oppression – Paul Daley (The Guardian): “Cook’s legacy, like the man, is complex. But whether white Australia likes it or not, in this country’s Indigenous consciousness he remains largely emblematic of the colonial and postcolonial violence and oppression that came after Arthur Phillip’s invasion 18 years later. The doorman to invasion. Which is why a little British and Australian regret over Cook’s treatment of the Aboriginal people would go a long way to enhancing understanding of the continent’s more recent shared history, as difficult and freighted with injustice and oppression as it is. Not least, that would be a small step on the road to the full-scale apology and reparations, well overdue, that both countries owe Indigenous Australians for all that British colonialism dealt them.” Anthony Albanese really needs to stop bringing up China ($) – John Rolfe (The Daily Telegraph): “Unlike the people in Team Albo, I’m not paid to offer him advice. But I will. Anthony, shut up about China. If you are the Master Tactician — and I have yet to see much evidence you are — then China is not the issue with which to wedge Scott Morrison. Why on earth would you want to look like you are defending China? Your party’s associations with China stink. S-T-O-P. It’s just dumb politics.” | | Know an early bird who doesn’t get the worm?
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| | | HOLD THE FRONT PAGE | WHAT’S ON TODAY Sydney Sutherland Shire Council will host Seniors in Shorts, a short-film festival that defies stereotypes of “old-age”, as part of International Day for Older People. Melbourne The State Library Victoria will host the Australian poetry slam Victorian finals, hosted by writer, speaker and performance poet Joel McKerrow. Future Feminists and The Little Bookroom will host a special “Future Feminists” Storytime, for all the kids who will grow up to be the feminists of future generations Adelaide Spence Club will host an Anniversary of Suffrage Gala Dinner, with this year marking 125 years since women in South Australia became the first in the nation — and among the first in the world – to gain the right to vote. Science in the Pub will host a panel discussing the effects of climate change on food production. Brisbane The University of Queensland will host its inaugural UQ Mental Health Symposium, with students and staff supporting each other in enhancing and maintaining their mental health and that of the community. |
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