The 23 year old was found and rescued after 13 days
Originally published on Global Voices
Screenshot: ABC News video. YouTube on January 9, 2025. The hikers who found Hadi Nazari share his amazing survival story
Australians delighted in a rare good news story at the start of 2025. While Californians were grappling with devastating winter fires, the rescue of a lost hiker was welcome relief both locally and overseas.
Cartoonist for the Guardian, Fiona Katauskas, enjoyed the breaking news on the social media site Bluesky:
Cannot get enough Hadi Nazari rescue content. Shoot that sweet sweet good news right into my fkn veins
— Fiona Katauskas (@fionakatauskas.bsky.social) January 8, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The 23-year-old medical student from Melbourne, Hadi Nazari, was found safe and well after 13 days of being lost in a remote bushland in Australia’s Kosciuszko National Park. He was walking with two friends on the Hannels Spur trail.
The joy of readers as the news broke was clearly unmistakable. The Australian Broadcasting Commission’s TV presenter, Joe O’Brien, couldn't keep the smile off his face. He went off-script several times: “Wow!” “So cool to bring you this news” “I’ve got goosebumps.”
Tim Richards was clearly pleased on Mastodon:
The Hussaini Society of Victoria, a non-government organization with an educational focus, posted its excitement on Instagram:
Hadi was hiking with two friends but was separated from them on Boxing Day on December 26, 2024. He survived on creek water, wild berries, and a lucky find of two muesli bars. Apparently, before Hadi went missing, another hiker had left muesli bars in a cabin near where Hadi was walking.
Despite an extensive search by hundreds of emergency workers and volunteers, Hadi eventually found some campers 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from his last sighting. Earlier, he left a video camera message for emergency services on his camera, which was discovered by searchers.
Amit Sarwal, co-founder of The Australia Today online news outlet, posted on TikTok:
Screenshot of TikTok user Amit Sarwal's post about Hadi Nazari
Inevitably, a couple of commenters ridiculed the story:
Ds : He was hiding the whole time… no way could you be lost or unseen in that part of the park
Barry Bushcha: I’m calling Bs here comes a Tv and a book called… I’m not very bright.
You can’t please everybody.
Please click on the image to view the post and comments.
On Reddit, Purpington67 was one of several people who questioned Hadi’s survival skills:
Good news that he survived but he pretty much did everything else wrong. Bushwalking’s is safe and enjoyable IF you are well prepared and have the right gear and don’t do dumb stuff.
SBS News interviewed a number of emergency and bushfire experts about what we might learn from Hadi’s ordeal. Bushcraft and survival instructor Rick J Petersen praised Hadi’s determination:
You could be equipped with all of the fancy survival gear you like, but if your attitude of giving up or quitting with the first couple of nights of no shelter… So without knowing all the circumstances, he's done well. And it would've had to have been his mindset of just not giving up. There might be some other mistakes he's made, but his mindset ultimately has kept him not giving up.
The positive story was a great outcome during Australia's bushfire season, which has already burnt out large parts of the iconic Grampians National Park.
]]>Landmark legislation sees the Australian government committed to the novel step of child protection by banning social media for under sixteens.
Originally published on Global Voices
Teenagers using cell phones. Image via Pixabay. Free to use.
On November 29, 2024, the Australian parliament passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024.
This was the first legislation introduced to and passed in any parliament globally to ban social media for under-16s.
The Hon Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister, said:
The laws place the onus on social media platforms — not young people or their parents — to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 years of age from having accounts.
Behind the News interviewed students regarding how the ban will work and whether it will be effective. One student commented that it will be a positive thing for anti-bullying because it has become such a large issue.
Which tech companies are impacted by the ban?
According to SBS Online: “Platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, are expected to have age limits placed on users.” It added that Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom and YouTube will not be part of the ban as they are considered “out-of-scope”.
CNN reported that social media companies will have twelve months to comply with the ban.
Al Jazeera's Soraya Lennie spoke to children in a rural town and asked how effective the ban would be.
Australian children react to social media ban for minors
Al Jazeera's Soraya Lennie speaks with Australian children about their views on the country's new social media ban for under 16s.
Posted by Al Jazeera English on Friday, November 29, 2024
On Instagram, Katclark discussed the identity verification requirements and how each social media platform can streamline the process.
App stores should be the ones verifying age, not the apps that they sell. Just one central place to approve what our kids are downloading would make things so much more simpler.
Minister for Communications
The Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, commented on the novel aspect of the law and the commitment by the government to deliver safety for children:
We know these laws are novel, but to do nothing is simply not an option. The Albanese Government is resolute in its commitment to keeping children safe online, and the passage of this vital legislation is just one way we’re delivering on this commitment.
@apnews Australia’s communications minister Michelle Rowland introduced a world-first law into Parliament on Thursday that would ban children younger than 16 from social media, saying online safety was one of parents’ toughest challenges. #australia #socialmedia #ban #bill #legislation
Speaking of novel ideas, fiction can reflect the social and political zeitgeist.
In the recent Australian novel, “Recipe for Family”, author Tori Haschka has captured the phenomenon of parents using devices often in the presence of their children.
The novel illustrates how parents’ social media use can negatively impact children. The main characters Stella and her husband Felix text and DM between their friends Grace and Bronwyn, and children, Harry, Natalie, and Georgie. One excerpt from the book reads:
…social media these days, let alone delve back into micro-influencing. The last picture she'd posted was the white lillies chosen for the funeral service. She'd uploaded at 1:17 am, two weeks ago…
While the gardener, Jock, mows all of their lawns, other characters Eve Liaw, Alex Chen, Abigail Martin, Sara Peters, and Percy use their devices to work and discuss parenting.
The novel illustrates how “mean girls” on social media can ruin children's lives at school.
Gotcha
Behind the News is familiar to most primary and high school students in Australia. The student-led news service explains the story behind the story and provides students with tools to better critique the media, with an eye for propaganda, narrative bias, and “doublespeak”, and allows them to tell their own stories.
In this episode, the students explain what the social media ban is, which tech companies are banned, and includes a vision from parliament question time.
Algorithms and social media
There is little mention of algorithms during the debate over the social media ban in parliament.
The issue is explored in Man-made by Australian journalist Tracey Spicer who examines the impact of algorithms. She spoke with Joy Buolamwini, a Ghanaian-American-Canadian computer scientist and founder of the Algorithmic Justice League. Spicer asked (“Man-made”, p. 7):
So what do the experts think? Well, to say they're worried is an understatement. In the words of Ghanaian-American-Canadian computer scientist Dr Joy Buolamwini, the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League: ‘By the time we wake up, it's almost too late.’
The Algorithmic Justice League discusses “AI Voice Clones: The Consequences of Harmful Algorithms” and it is a starting point to learn more about algorithms and how you can protect yourself online.
Including all voices in the debate
Australia's Minister for Communications said:
We’ve listened to young people, parents and carers, experts and industry in developing these landmark laws to ensure they are centred on protecting young people — not isolating them.
While a state premier, Peter Malinauskas, explained he preferred a national approach. He said:
Facebook has developed algorithms or models to get young people addicted…if we can prevent that from occurring in the first instance, it allows you to make stronger choices.
He spoke to Grace, a child in the audience, and said:
You know when you talk to someone…if you see me not being happy about something, it will regulate what you're saying. You will think, ‘oh, I don't want to upset Pete, so maybe I'll change what I'm saying.’ Whereas you don't get the benefit of that on social media.
View this post on Instagram
November 27, the day the legislation was introduced to parliament, is 13 years since Gary Speed, Wales’s soccer coach, committed suicide. While Speed was an adult, parents whose children have committed suicide due to the link between social media and bullying supported the ban.
The bill received 103 votes in support and 13 votes against in the House of Representatives, and 39 for and 19 against in the Senate.
The UK's Independent explains that 77 percent of Australians supported the legislation.
The campaign leading up to the introduction of the bill saw testimonies from parents who have lost children to bullying driven by social media, strengthening public support.
A national survey indicated that 77 percent of Australians backed the legislation.
Parent perspectives
In Tori Haschka's, Grace Under Pressure, Grace uses social media to connect with her child:
Who doesn’t believe in social media these days…
I’ve found sharing Instagram to be a terrific way to connect with my daughter…
In this 44-second clip at Abbey's, Haschka explained Grace Under Pressure: “is the story of a group of burnt-out women who are ‘harried’ and come up with a pretty ‘novel solution’ of living in a commune together…and the ‘saving grace’ of female friendship.’
While fictional parents may find sharing on Instagram with their children a way to connect, parents in the real world supported the legislation banning social media.
In this video, one mother said: “I shouldn't have done it in the first place was the first thought I had.” She shut down her children's social media accounts to protect them.
Human Rights Protections for Australia
Amnesty International Australia, which opposed the legislation, said:
“Rather than banning children and young people from social media, the Albanese government should regulate platforms to protect children’s privacy and personal data while prioritising their human rights.” pic.twitter.com/s0oL0U4BJV
— Amnesty International Australia
(@amnestyOz) November 21, 2024
You can sign a petition for a Human Rights Act in Australia.
]]>Conservationists are working to bring this marsupial species back from the brink
Originally published on Global Voices
Haigh's chocolate Easter Bilby (dark chocolate) with Bilby mug on a white bench – Courtesy Nicole Kearney Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
The chocolate Easter bilby is a very Aussie approach to raising awareness about one of the country’s most endangered animals. Haigh’s Chocolates, a fourth-generation Australian-owned family firm, produces a range of these bilby products.
Chocolate bilbies are a local alternative at Easter, as Australian Geographic explains:
There are few Aussie marsupials as instantly recognisable as the bilby — or more specifically the greater bilby. It’s those ears, of course. But then the bright spark who started the push to replace the pesky introduced European rabbit with the charismatic native bilby as Australia’s Easter chocolate treat of choice may have also had something to do with it.
Macrotis lagotis, the greater bilby, is one of Australia’s iconic mammal species. It is threatened with extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species classifies it as vulnerable. It resembles a mouse but is closer to the size of a rabbit. Before the European settlement, bilbies could be found in 80 percent of Australia. This has been reduced considerably. Its population is estimated to be as low as 9,000 mature animals.
Bunnies are an invasive species down under and have decimated local ecosystems since their introduction in 1859. However, they are not the only feral danger to bilbies. Cats and foxes have also had a major impact. The biblies’ habitat has been further reduced by land clearing and grazing animals such as cattle and sheep.
Feral dangers poster – Charleville Bilby Experience – Author's photo
The bilby is primarily active at night. The Charleville Bilby Experience in rural Queensland has a nocturnal house with timing switched so the animals can be viewed during the day. It is part of the Save the Bilby Fund’s projects. It is one of several captive breeding programs using fenced, predator-free areas as a way of fostering bilby numbers by protecting them from predators.
Charleville Bilby Experience – Author's photo
The ABC’s Back Roads program visited the centre in 2023:
Ever since the Save The Bilby fund was set up in 1999 by the late founders Peter McRae and Frank Manthey known fondly as The Bilby Brothers, their work contributed greatly to a National Recovery plan to pull bilbies back from the brink of extinction and created this breeding program a safe haven at a national park.
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy has six of these sites. The latest was established in 2022:
In 2022, a new population of Bilbies was established at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary outside of Alice Springs. Ecohealth surveys late last year indicated that the population has successfully adapted to the new environment and the first photo evidence of a juvenile was recorded on camera trap in November.
Within the next few years, AWC properties will protect an estimated 5,000+ Bilbies.
Some of its work is explained in this video:
The Wild Deserts project is located in the Australian outback in the Sturt National Park near Cameron’s Corner, where the State boundaries of New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland intersect. It is reintroducing many locally extinct mammals. ABC TV’s 7:30 reported on their efforts:
They shared more detail in their online story:
Bilbies, bandicoots, bettongs and quolls once dominated these arid plains and they are now reclaiming the area, thanks to a team of scientists trying to address Australia's mammal extinction rate — which is the worst in the world.
The Australian government has a Recovery Plan for the Greater Bilby. It includes working with Indigenous rangers.
The National Indigenous Times reported earlier this year:
One project will support land managers undertaking feral cat control across more than 3.2 million hectares of west Queensland.
In Western Australia, the funding will support Warla-Warrarn Indigenous protected area rangers to detect populations of bilbies on Martu Country.
The second project is the Kimberley Bilby Project in North Western Australia's Kimberley region.
Bilbies have their own national day in September. Environs Kimberley, a partner in this bilby project, was just one of many to celebrate the occasion on Instagram:
The Happy Vale Wildlife Centre is a private trust in Queensland which also cares for bilbies shared:
Save the Bilby Fund also sent birthday greetings:
Conservationists are using online tools to help highlight the plight of endangered species. Australian National University ecologist Ana Gracanin has created a live stream of Greater Glider possums in a tree hollow. Ana explained the reasons for the stream:
Most Australians don’t know that the species even exists, so we are getting a world-first exclusive into the secret life of greater gliders
The tree is located in the Tallangada National Park. There is not much movement to see during daylight hours in New South Wales, as the gliders are also nocturnal.
]]>Creating artworks from abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear to highlight effects of ocean pollution
Originally published on Global Voices
Toad Fish (and other sea creatures), Michael Norman. Author’s photo. Used with permission.
Abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a global threat. Fishing nets, in particular, continue to trap fish and other sea creatures (often referred to as “ghost fishing”).
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF):
It’s estimated that ghost gear makes up at least 10% of marine litter. This roughly translates to between 500,000 and 1 million tons of fishing gear abandoned in the ocean each year. Ghost gear impacts marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles, and more, and is the type of debris that has proven to be the most lethal.
A highlight of the 2024 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) was the Ghost Nets artwork on display. This form of art uses abandoned fishing nets and other discarded materials found on beaches.
Ghost Net Art CIAF 2024: Left: Ray – Sweetness, Florence Gutchen, 2024; Right: Crayfish on the reef – Eric’s Home Reef, Jimmy John Thaiday, 2024. Images courtesy of CIAF. Used with permission.
It is an art form that has been growing since the early 2000s. GhostNets Australia was started in 2004 and is part of the Ocean Earth Foundation’s programs. It has been promoting solutions since then.
This video outlines the extent of the problem and their work with the Erub and Darnley island communities in the Torres Strait:
CIAF also held a sell-out Ghost Nets Masterclass workshop with Erub Arts’s Lavinia Ketchell.
Australian museums have featured artworks extensively. The Australian National Maritime Museum mounted a collection in the Au Karem Ira Lamar Lu — Ghost Nets of the Ocean exhibition. This timelapse video presents its installation in 2018:
The Australian Museum in Sydney has ghost net sculptures in its collection.
Ocean Earth Ghosts Nets Australia has been promoting ghost nets art for more than 20 years. Their video, The Young Man and the Ghost Net, shows not only the first puppet show in the Torres Strait but also illustrates how nets are damaging the environment there:
It is not hard to find materials for artwork. This abandoned crab net was spotted from the mangroves boardwalk near Cairns airport in 2024:
Abandoned crab net in Cairns, July 2024. Author’s photo. Used with permission.
Mylene Holroyd from Pormpuraaw Arts and Culture Centre used a similar net in this artwork below at CIAF 2024. It shows thread fin and salmon, local totems. A totem is a natural object which has special significance for individual Indigenous people.
Sea Turtle in Ghost Net, Mylene Holroyd: Author’s photo. Used with permission.
This large sculpture, Nga’a Pinporro, was created by the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Community and is located in the Barramundi Discovery Centre at Karumba on the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria:
Nga’a Pinporro – Barramundi Discovery Centre, Karumba Queensland. Author's photo. Used with permission.
There are projects in other countries that use ocean debris as art. Washed Ashore was founded in Oregon USA in 2010 by Angela Pozzi. It has created over 66 large sculptures such as this one shown on Instagram:
Not only does ghost net art highlight the issue, it helps to support individual artists and their communities financially and well as providing funding for initiatives to remove the waste from the environment. The Hunter Gatherer Network Oceans Art program is one initiative, which helps “Indigenous women artists, providing equipment and training programs for recovery, repurposing and recycling of marine debris.” It is funded by the Plastic Collective in partnership with Charles Sturt University (CSU). The network had a stall at the CIAF Art Market:
Hunter Gather Network — Dr Anwaar Ulhaq (CSU), Lousie Hardman, Jeremy Sheehan (Hunter Gatherer Network) — at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. Author’s photo. Used with permission.
Nets are found on the remotest beaches in Australia. Chilli Beach is on the east coast of the Cape York. Even 12 years ago abandoned rubbish was scarring the shore and contributing to the spread of microplastics:
There are numerous other efforts to rid the oceans of fishing debris, especially global initiatives such as Ocean Conservancy. Its Trash Free Seas program mobilizes volunteers, conducts research and public awareness campaigns. It also works proactively at prevention:
]]>We prevent trash from entering the waters by working with everyone from individuals to businesses to change the products, practices and behaviors that lead to ocean trash.
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair celebrates its 15th anniversary with a diverse range of artworks
Originally published on Global Voices
Libby Harward artwork: Stolen Culture Everywhere – Author's photo
The 2024 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) showcased artists from across Queensland, especially the far north of that Australian State. The fair was celebrating its 15th anniversary.
The art fair was established in 2009 as part of the Backing Indigenous Arts initiative of the Queensland government. Its aims included supporting:
- IAC [Indigenous Arts Centres] business development and growth that aligns with the centre’s strategic plan.
- Increased employment and professional development opportunities for First Nations arts managers, workers, and artists.
- Strengthened First Nations leadership of the First Nations visual arts and crafts sector.
- Increased capacity of artists and organisations to meet cultural obligations and market demand.
CIAF became an independent entity in 2013.
The artworks featured a diverse range of media including paintings, works on paper such as etchings and linocuts, fashion, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and 3D creations using a wide variety of materials, and multi-media.
Live events included the Fashion Performance, Country Speaking ‘Light the Fire’, and Indigenous music and dance at the Opening Night. There are some highlights in this video:
The CIAF YouTube channel has a playlist featuring individual designers. Artist and designer Delvene Cockatoo-Collins worked with students from the Queensland University of Technology to create this collection:
This video features photos of a range of artworks at Cairns Exhibition Centre and satellite venues. All photos were taken by the author:
The winners of the CIAF annual awards included Matilda Nona, an artist from Badu Island in the Torres Strait (TI) who won the Innovation prize:
Matilda Nona, winner of the Innovation award, with some of her art – author's photo
The Cape York Weekly reported:
When artist Matilda Nona’s unique work speaks about her Country from its stretched canvas stage, it is impossible not to listen in awe.
The Badu Island artist uses natural pigments found on her Torres Strait home in her work, a technique that resulted in her claiming the $10,000 Holding Redlich Innovation Award at the 2024 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
The major Excellence Prize went to another TI artist Joel Sam for his piece:
Joel also comes from the Torres Strait, namely Thursday Island. His profile at the Cairns Art Gallery sums up his diverse artworks:
Joel creates intricate carvings and sculptures made from shell and marble. He is also a printmaker, using etching and linocut to create works that are inspired by his Torres Strait Islander culture and way of life. Joel’s designs are largely based on totemic and clan markings, and often include plants and animals, creatures from the sea, and astral constellations.
Indigenous people in Cairns face similar issues to those facing many first peoples in other parts of Australia, including a lack of employment opportunities, healthcare access, housing availability and youth detention.
Cairns is the holiday capital of the north, a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree forest, both UNESCO World Heritage areas. It is also a stopover on the way to the remote Cape of York, the Torres Strait Islands and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
]]>After five days of striking, the journalists secured a better deal
Originally published on Global Voices
Nine Publishing journalists ended their strike on July 31 after successfully asserting their demands for better pay, secure jobs, and newsroom diversity. Screenshot from YouTube video of withMEAA. Fair use.
Hundreds of journalists belonging to Nine Publishing in Australia ended their five-day strike and returned to work on July 31 after management agreed to offer a better deal to its employees.
The strike started on July 26 with staff members from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times, and WAtoday holding rallies outside their offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. These newspapers are part of the Nine company.
Union representatives and Nine Entertainment management have been in negotiation for months to reach a day deal. One of the main asking points was raises that were “slightly higher than inflation” — especially as staffers agreed to a wage freeze during the pandemic — as well as transparent pay rates for freelancers.
The employees decided to take industrial action through their union in response to the “inadequate offer” from management. During the negotiations, management also announced that around 90 jobs would be reduced due to financial constraints. The union reminded the company that “there is no financial bottom line without a strong journalistic frontline.”
The strikers called for “fairer pay, secure jobs, newsroom diversity, protections around Artificial Intelligence (AI), better rights for freelancers, and to protect journalism.” The management expressed “profound disappointment” since the strike coincided with the Paris 2024 Olympics coverage, and it urged the union to continue with the renegotiation.
After five days of protesting and clinching support from various stakeholders, the strike ended with the management agreeing to a “pay rise above inflation, ethical use of AI, a commitment to report on diversity in the workplace, and an agreement to negotiate for a fair deal for freelancers.”
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA Media) acting director Michelle Rae praised the union members for their unwavering commitment to assert their rights.
Our members should be very proud that their solidarity with each other and their commitment to their role of public interest journalism has produced this outcome.
They took a stand to protect quality journalism at their mastheads and it’s clear from the massive public support for the journalists while they were on strike that readers want access to quality journalism and the boards of media companies need to find a new business model.
During the strike, the Guardian Australia House Committee expressed solidarity with Nine journalists:
Journalists have worked hard through a global pandemic and a cost of living crisis, in an industry that is increasingly volatile. It is irresponsible and disrespectful to punish the very people that the company relies on for its success in pursuit of shareholder profits.
Newsroom staff of The Sydney Morning Herald walked out of their office at the start of the strike:
It’s a walk out #DontTorchJournalism pic.twitter.com/cRAIrA2x8m
— Anthony Segaert (@anthonysegaert) July 26, 2024
This cartoon depicts the support given by fellow journalists to the striking employees of Nine:
Tomorrow’s @theage @smh cartoon, in
solidarity with my Nine Publishing colleagues on strike. #MEAAmedia #DontTorchJournalism pic.twitter.com/fS6JRcyczf— MattGolding Cartoons (@GoldingCartoons) July 29, 2024
The union was simultaneously working to advance protections for freelancers writers. They also joined the picket line to demand better pay:
#MEAAmedia freelancers are standing shoulder to shoulder with Nine Publishing journalists as they go on strike for quality journalism. #DontTorchJournalism pic.twitter.com/jZaDnZD6Jc
— MEAA (@withMEAA) July 26, 2024
Journalists on strike used the X (Twitter) hashtag #DontTorchJournalism to share information and get support on social media.
Tito Ambyo, co-vice-president of the Melbourne Press Club, addressed the criticism that the strike affected news coverage of the ongoing Olympics in Paris. He wrote on Crikey:
What’s more important: two weeks of sports coverage or the future of a profession dedicated to informing the public and holding power to account?
It’s crucial to remember that journalists have no moral obligation to prioritise their audience over their working conditions. They have the right to protest, and protests are meant to be disruptive.
MEAA celebrated the successful strike by affirming that the campaign for meaningful journalism will continue.
The strike and ensuing negotiations reflected a larger problem in many countries’ media ecosystems where there is tension between making newsrooms profitable and ensuring journalists have fair wages and protections.
]]>Wikileaks founder’s release from prison brings mixed reactions down under
Originally published on Global Voices
Julian Assange home in Australia. Screenshot from video “How Julian Assange’s plea deal and release was negotiated | 7.30″ on the ABC News In-depth YouTube channel. Fair use.
Home free at last! This was the overwhelming sentiment of Australian and global supporters of Julian Assange, following news of his release from prison and return down under.
Assange's plea deal with the United States came after 1,601 days in the United Kingdom’s Belmarsh Prison and nearly seven years of political asylum in Ecuador’s London embassy. He had been fighting extradition to the US.
The deal involved pleading guilty to one felony charge of espionage, namely conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defense documents. In 2019 Greg Myer, a national security correspondent for NPR, weighed the allegations and their possible damage to national security:
…many in the national security community say the leaks were harmful to a broad range of people. However, they generally say the damage was limited and has faded since the first big WikiLeaks dump in 2010, which included hundreds of thousands of classified documents from the U.S. military and the State Department.
Guatemalan lawyer, advocate and campaigner for Assange, Renata Avila, tweeted with delight, showing characteristic optimism:
Julian #Assange is a free man. He and everyone behind @wikileaks worked tirelessly to defend our right to know. Now, it is time for gratitude, solidarity, and hope.
— Renata Avila (@avilarenata) June 26, 2024
Assange's conflict with the United States government has a long history, as Global Voices reported in 2022:
Assange drew the ire of the US government in 2010 when he published thousands of sensitive documents that he received from whistleblower and former US Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning. The documents contained information about The Baghdad Airstrikes, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and confidential cables between US officials and embassies around the world.
Most recently, WikiLeaks published emails showing the US Democratic National Committee favored then-candidate Hilary Clinton over her competitor Bernie Sanders, just weeks ahead of the 2016 election. And then, in 2017, WikiLeaks published more documents detailing the CIA's electronic surveillance and cyber warfare tactics.
Assange has been a controversial person, even in his home country, with many people regarding him as either a hero or a villain. Some have argued that his Wikileaks disclosures endangered lives and national security. Rape allegations in Sweden continue to damage his reputation. Swedish prosecutors closed the investigation in 2019. Alleged complicity with Trump and Putin before the 2016 American presidential elections still cast a shadow over his reputation as a fighter for truth. This exchange of views on X-Twitter captured some of the concerns:
Mainly, that Assange as unalloyed hero of the left is deeply problematic. As you say, he exposed war crimes. He also got a bunch of innocent people killed, assisted authoritarian dictatorships, helped Trump win the presidency, and oh yeah may be a rapist
— Snooty & Flouffy McSausage (@SnootySausage) June 27, 2024
Assange is a member of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the Australian union representing journalists. MEAA President Karen Percy greeted his release but warned:
The stories published by WikiLeaks and other outlets more than a decade ago were clearly in the public interest. The charges by the US sought to curtail free speech, criminalise journalism and send a clear message to future whistleblowers and publishers that they too will be punished.
This was clearly in the public interest and it has always been an outrage that the US government sought to prosecute him for espionage for reporting that was published in collaboration with some of the world’s leading media organisations.
Max Blumenthal, editor at Grayzone News, dismissed these accusations, coming out strongly for Assange and those who worked for his freedom:
Many high-profile people deserve credit for mobilizing in Assange's defense, especially when the corporate press was destroying his reputation, smearing him as a Russian asset and rapist to cultivate support for his arrest. But his freedom is also a testament to the everyday… https://t.co/YcQPb59CST
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) June 26, 2024
Prominent among those people were current Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, former Prime Minster and current Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd, and former Foreign Minister and current High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith. Albanese had joined calls for an end to Assange’s incarceration and worked behind the scenes to bring about the deal. Stella Assange expressed her thanks to Albanese, retweeting this message from Assange’s lawyer Jen Robinson:
Prime Minister @albomp called us the moment we landed in Australia – and Julian told the PM that he had saved his life.
An incredibly emotional and moving return home pic.twitter.com/ADUvfnbJ9K
— Jen Robinson (@suigenerisjen) June 26, 2024
The conservative opposition's shadow foreign minister, Simon Birmingham, attacked Albanese for welcoming Assange home:
This call is neither necessary nor appropriate. Julian Assange was not wrongfully detained like Cheng Lei, Sean Turnell or Kylie Moore-Gilbert.
For 12 years Assange chose to avoid facing justice in countries with fair judicial systems. He is underserving of this treatment. https://t.co/I8zDNFZ66V
— Simon Birmingham (@Birmo) June 26, 2024
He was echoed by former head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Denis Richardson who criticized a homecoming phone call as political grandstanding.
Though Assange has been hailed as a fighter for free speech and the freedom of journalism, many media commentators have disputed his credentials as a journalist. SkyNews Australia hosted this debate between the Australian newspaper's Washington correspondent Adam Creighton and their Histories Editor Alan Howe, who have very different views. Howe strongly asserts that Assange “is neither an editor nor a journalist”:
Economist and former Greek politician Yanis Varoufakis is also a citizen of Australia. He clearly sees Assange as a journalist:
Exactly as Stella put it: By pleading guilty in federal court in Saipan “he was pleading guilty to committing journalism. This case criminalises journalism – journalistic activity, standard journalistic activity of news gathering, and publishing.” https://t.co/bOuGc77zKR
— Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) June 27, 2024
John J. Mearsheimer, an American political scientist and academic, put the case for Assange in this video in February 2024:
My friend and distinguished @UChicago Prof. @MearsheimerJ on Julian Assange:
“Assange is a journalist and he did not break the law, as it is commonplace for journalists to publish classified information that is passed on to them by government insiders.” pic.twitter.com/p5NiVxDvj3
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) June 28, 2024
Respected Australian journalist Margaret Simons canvassed the nature of modern journalism and Assange’s place in it:
It’s an arid debate, which overlooks the obvious truth: he and the technological revolutions of which he is part have changed journalism, forever.
Much of the media coverage has focused on high-profile personalities, political insiders and behind-closed-doors lobbying. However, the campaign to free Julian Assange has been a global movement involving tens of thousands of people. His brother Gabriel Shipton thanked all those who participated in the grassroots movement over many years:
“I have to give credit to everybody out there who has been advocating for this for so long… this wouldn't have been possible without them” – @GabrielShipton, #JulianAssange‘s brother
Thank you to everyone who has supported Julian! pic.twitter.com/q8sD7HDmM9
— Free Assange – #FreeAssange (@FreeAssangeNews) June 25, 2024
Peter Greste had his own experience of being imprisoned in Egypt for his journalism for Al Jazeera. He reflected on Assange’s ordeal:
]]>I also understand the weird blend of elation, confusion and disorientation that sudden release brings.
Assange’s journey home will be much longer than his flight back to Australia.
…This case has undeniably had a serious chilling effect on public-interest journalism, and sends a terrifying message to any sources sitting on evidence of abuses by the government and its agencies.
Critically endangered species are being released into secure forest locations
Originally published on Global Voices
Wombats Xing road sign- Photo courtesy Flickr user Jeff Boyd (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Good news stories about the environment are sometimes hard to find. Enter Australia’s northern hairy-nosed wombat, which has stepped back from the edge of extinction. Wombats are being relocated to Queensland's Powrunna State Forest, the third such site in the nation. The three locations have restricted access to their eucalypt forests which need ‘a specific ratio of sand and clay in the soil to support their burrows’.
The Queensland Minister for the Environment, Leanne Linard, was keen to trumpet the latest developments:
In a magnificent moment for conservation, the first northern hairy-nosed wombats have been released to explore their new home at Powrunna State Forest near St George in south-west Queensland.
Though it is the world’s rarest land mammal, its number has increased from 113 in 2003 to more than 400 in 2024. In the 1980s there were only 35 left in its remaining habitat, Queensland’s Epping Forest.
They are marsupials like the kangaroo and koala, with a pouch to nurture their undeveloped young. They can be 35 centimetres (14 inches) high, up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) long and can weigh up to 40 kilograms (88 lbs).
There are three species of wombat. The critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat has an estimated population of 400. The near-threatened southern hairy-nosed wombat 60,000 to 300,000. The common wombat (aka bare-nosed or coarse-haired wombat) is rated as least concerning with stable population numbers. No recent national population estimates are available. 2020 research conducted in Victoria estimated over 400,000.
This Midjourney AI-generated image of a decorative Wombat was shared by Mastodon user PaperCuts in Canada in 2023:
The wombats face numerous deadly threats including habitat loss for agricultural, land clearing, and urbanisation purposes; competition for food through introduced species such as cattle and sheep; feral predators such as wild dogs and cats; cars; disease; and climate change.
Collisions with cars and trucks are far too common. Jeff Boyd commented on his photo at the top of this post:
Sadly, every time we saw one of these signs, there was a dead wombat on the opposite side of the road.
Popular writer of both children's and adult books, Jackie French, has many stories about wombats and long-extinct species such as the giant diprotodon. She shared her delight in the news on X (formerly Twitter):
Northern Hairy-nosed #Wombat numbers have now reached 400!! pic.twitter.com/AH3b9dREI1
— Jackie French (@jackie_french_) May 11, 2024
They dig extensive burrow systems, which became the focus of an Aussie myth during the devastating bushfires of 2019–2020. Popular memes at the time claimed that wombats were rescuing other animals in danger by herding them into their burrows.
Apparently wombats in fire effected areas are not only allowing other animals to take shelter in their deep, fire-resistant burrows but are actively herding fleeing animals into them.
We’re seeing more leadership and empathy from these guys than the entire Federal government. pic.twitter.com/LGcpSu9x0M
— Riff Raff (@RichardAOB) January 11, 2020
Although this turned out to be misinformation, scientific research reported at The Conversation has revealed that the burrows may play an important role in the survival of other animals during fires:
So, even if wombats don’t shepherd wildlife into their homes, their burrows might act as “fire refuges” — providing vital shelter, food, and even drinking water during and after a bushfire.
This video summarises their findings:
Wombats have a backward pouch which helps when digging burrows with their large rodent-like teeth. Despite being herbivores, wombats’ powerful claws pose a threat to campers as Wallaroo Adventure Store gave this warning on its blog in 2023:
Wombats may appear cute and cuddly, but nobody wants to wake up with a hole in their tent. Unfortunately, hungry wombats are notorious for tearing through them in the middle of the night.
Wombat Every Day posts photos of wombats each day on the Bluesky social media platform. This one arrived for the winter solstice down under:
Screenshot of wombats: Bluesky user Wombat Every Day
Finally, a toilet fact. The wombat is the only animal that has cubic feces:
Certified Wombat Faeces – Photo courtesy Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0)
David Robie has been writing about the Pacific for over five decades
Originally published on Global Voices
Dr. David Robie. Image: Asia Pacific Media Network, used with permission
Global Voices interviewed veteran writer and educator David Robie who discussed the state of Pacific media, journalism education, and the role of the press in addressing decolonization and the climate crisis.
Professor Robie is among this year’s New Zealand Order of Merit awardees and is on the King’s Birthday Honours list for his “services to journalism and Asia-Pacific media education.”
His career in journalism has spanned five decades. He was the founding editor of the Pacific Journalism Review journal in 1994 and in 1996 he established the Pacific Media Watch, a media rights watchdog group. He was head of the journalism department at the University of Papua New Guinea from 1993–1997 and at the University of the South Pacific from 1998–2002. While teaching at the Auckland University of Technology, he founded the Pacific Media Centre in 2007.
He has authored 10 books on Asia-Pacific media and politics. He received the 1985 Media Peace Prize for his coverage of the Rainbow Warrior bombing and the French and American nuclear testing. In 2015, he was given the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) Asian Communication Award in Dubai. Global Voices interviewed him about the challenges faced by journalists in the Pacific and his illustrious career. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Mong Palatino (MP): What are the main challenges faced by the media in the region?
David Robie (DR): Corruption, viability, and credibility — the corruption among politicians and influence on journalists, the viability of weak business models and small media enterprises, and weakening credibility. After many years of developing a reasonably independent Pacific media in many countries in the region with courageous and independent journalists in leadership roles, many media groups are becoming susceptible to growing geopolitical rivalry between powerful players in the region, particularly China, which is steadily increasing its influence on the region’s media — especially in Solomon Islands — not just in development aid.
However, the United States, Australia and France are also stepping up their Pacific media and journalism training influences in the region as part of “Indo-Pacific” strategies that are really all about countering Chinese influence.
Indonesia is also becoming an influence in the media in the region, for other reasons. Jakarta is in the middle of a massive “hearts and minds” strategy in the Pacific, mainly through the media and diplomacy, in an attempt to blunt the widespread “people’s” sentiment in support of West Papuan aspirations for self-determination and eventual independence.
MP: What should be prioritized in improving journalism education in the region?
DR: The university-based journalism schools, such as at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, are best placed to improve foundation journalism skills and education, and also to encourage life-long learning for journalists. More funding would be more beneficial channelled through the universities for more advanced courses, and not just through short-course industry training. I can say that because I have been through the mill both ways — 50 years as a journalist starting off in the “school of hard knocks” in many countries, including almost 30 years running journalism courses and pioneering several award-winning student journalist publications. However, it is important to retain media independence and not allow funding NGOs to dictate policies.
MP: How can Pacific journalists best fulfill their role in highlighting Pacific stories, especially the impact of the climate crisis?
DR: The best strategy is collaboration with international partners that have resources and expertise in climate crisis, such as the Earth Journalism Network to give a global stage for their issues and concerns. When I was still running the Pacific Media Centre, we had a high profile Pacific climate journalism Bearing Witness project where students made many successful multimedia reports and award-winning commentaries. An example is this one on YouTube: Banabans of Rabi: A Story of Survival
MP: What should the international community focus on when reporting about the Pacific?
]]>DR: It is important for media to monitor the Indo-Pacific rivalries, but to also keep them in perspective — so-called ”security” is nowhere as important to Pacific countries as it is to its Western neighbours and China. It is important for the international community to keep an eye on the ball about what is important to the Pacific, which is ‘development’ and ‘climate crisis’ and why China has an edge in some countries at the moment. Australia and, to a lesser extent, New Zealand have dropped the ball in recent years, and are tying to regain lost ground, but concentrating too much on ‘security’. Listen to the Pacific voices.
There should be more international reporting about the ‘hidden stories’ of the Pacific such as the unresolved decolonisation issues — Kanaky New Caledonia, ‘French’ Polynesia (Mā'ohi Nui), both from France; and West Papua from Indonesia. West Papua, in particular, is virtually ignored by Western media in spite of the ongoing serious human rights violations. This is unconscionable.
Gina Rinehart fails to cancel Vincent Namatjira's ‘unflattering caricature’
Originally published on Global Voices
Vincent Namatjira, Western Aranda people, Australia in Colour, 2021, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased in celebration of the National Gallery of Australia's 40th anniversary, 2022, image courtesy Iwantja arts, Courtesy of the artist and Iwantja Arts, photo: Iwantja Arts © Vincent Namatjira/Copyright Agency
Aussies love to criticise successful people. It is called “cutting down tall poppies”, a national pastime often referred to by the Australianism Tall Poppy Syndrome. It was no surprise then that Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, eventually became a target of online mockery.
Gina Rinehart is a highly successful mining magnate who inherited her initial wealth from her father Lang Hancock. Apparently, she objected to the inclusion of her portrait by Vincent Namatjira in an exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia. Namatjira is an Aboriginal artist whose bold portraiture is sometimes referred to as caricature. He has won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier portraiture award. He is the great-grandson of famous watercolourist Albert Namatjira. Online interest lasted well past the 24-hour news cycle, with satirical art mashups stoking reactions.
The portrait of Gina Rinehart is part of Namatjira's Australia in Colour 2021 series. It features portraits of 21 famous people associated with Australia, including explorers, sportspeople, politicians, artists and royalty.
A Guardian story, “Gina Rinehart demands National Gallery of Australia remove her portrait”, drew more than 400 comments on Reddit. Many reflected on the portrait's artistic merit and other works by the same artist. One user, BusinessBear53 picked up on an aspect which became a central theme of the attempted take-down:
Isn't this a case of the Streisand effect?
I would never have known about this and no one would have cared if she didn't demand to have it removed. Now it's arguably more valuable because of the attention it's getting.
It's another recent instance of the Streisand Effect down under.
The dust-up attracted international attention. Time Magazine quickly shared their take on the latest developments:
Gina Rinehart, Australia’s wealthiest person, is less than thrilled about a recent painting of her being exhibited at one of Australia’s largest art museums. But her reported attempts to get the unflattering portrait taken down is backfiring…
The news even got picked up by late-night US talk show host Stephen Colbert, even as his audience of 2.5 million had probably not heard of Gina before.
Award-winning journalist Quentin Dempster used X (formerly Twitter) to make his point:
Meanwhile … Australia’s portrait artistry appreciated by Stephen Colbert on US TV’s The Late Show. Trump supporting Gina Rinehart now transforms herself into international satirical figure. Well done Gina! pic.twitter.com/pF1L0KZdCm
— Quentin Dempster (@QuentinDempster) May 18, 2024
There were many instances of sendups on social media. Some of the popular ones were shared widely on Facebook, Instagram and X:
Aristotle’s quote from “The Poetics’ seems to sum up the controversy:
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance” – Aristotle#bugger4thebottle #ginarinehart #ausart #auspol #ISaidLove #ISaidPet pic.twitter.com/vwyHJOOQHA
— TOM RED (@TomRed43) May 18, 2024
One enterprising winery has organised a cellar-bration, bottling a number of whites inspired by Vincent’s pour-trait:
You've heard about Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest woman, and that portrait.
Well, Brisbane's Cedar & Pine Bar have the Pour Gina wine…
Find out about ‘this full bodied, rather unusual and rich drop’ with ‘earthy, mineral tones’ herehttps://t.co/GgOJwJW2Hc pic.twitter.com/bNHwFw6lyb— Nick Nasev (@Nikola_Prevod) May 22, 2024
Not for the first time, sports popped up as a touchy subject for Rinehart, who has contributed millions in sponsoring swimming events. Olympic medal-winning swimmer Kyle Chalmers took a leading role in lobbying the NGA to remove the portrait. In 2022, Gina withdrew funding for a national netball team after players criticised “her record with Indigenous people”.
There were suggestions that Gina’s critics were just envious of her wealth and celebrity. The X account Woke Mob decided to poke fun at her by reposting Australian Kitsch's video collection of Rinehart portraits:
Leftys have an envy issue
— woke mob
(@MobWoke1) May 15, 2024
Progressives have other issues with Rinehart, especially about her politics. She has been a strong supporter of Donald Trump. She has also had close associations with conservative Australian politicians such as former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and current leader of the Federal opposition Peter Dutton. Her support for Dutton inspired this portrayal of the pair:
Australian Gothic.#PeterDutton #Gina #ANG #Dutton #auspol pic.twitter.com/QfMRwfIJ2I
— Kit Tona (@tona_kit) May 17, 2024
A campaign by satirical comedian Dan Ilic to put the artwork on a Times Square billboard in New York City was quickly funded online:
Gina thought it’d would blow over. Gina was wrong. Donation target hit in a canter. Well played @danilic and hats off to everyone donated. Time Square NYC, say g’day to Vincent Namatjira and his amazing portraits. Too funny. #ginarinehart #vincentnamatjira #auspol pic.twitter.com/CnhxiCNbsC
— TOM RED (@TomRed43) May 23, 2024
However, Ilic decided later not to go ahead with the stunt because it did not have Namatjira's approval.
Some proof of the Streisand Effect in operation over the unfolding days came from a self-identifying “woke” fact-checker on X:
Gina Rinehart tried to hide her portrait – it went global instead
Australia and New Zealand were the top two regions searching “Gina Rinehart”. But interest in the drama has gone global, with Austria, Ireland and Slovenia in the top five.#Auspol #GinaTheHyena #StreisandEffect pic.twitter.com/jBJwKGwtf5
— Misinformation Fact Checker
#FactsMatter (@MisinfoFact) May 21, 2024
On Bluesky Jason Murphy was not impressed with support for the painting, drawing a comparison with a scandal at an elite private school where male students were suspended for ranking female students according to attractiveness:
Last week: Australia is furious at a group of schoolboys for shaming girls for their appearance.
This week: Australians pitch in thousands of dollars to display a very unflattering caricature of a woman.If you can't see the connection, you're part of the problem.
It appears that Pup Fiction may have been a big part of “the problem”. His signature appears on many of the online images. This thread has nine of these, with Picasso being the first. Please click replies to see the rest:
My new exhibition Fine Art Rinehart is now on at the National Poor Trait Gallery (next door to Barbra Streisand’s house) until I get over it or everyone loses interest#FineArtRinehart
1. Sooking Woman pic.twitter.com/3R5DcBecTu
— Pup Fiction (@jjjove) May 17, 2024
The NGA responded to an email request about the portrait indicating that the “Australia in colour exhibition is on display in full until the closing date”. It provided this statement from Vincent Namatjira:
]]>I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’
I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant — people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad.
Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.
City council joins long list of book censorship in Australia
Originally published on Global Voices
Screenshot: Sky News Australia YouTube video – Same-sex parenting book ban defended by Cumberland City Councillor
When Sydney’s Cumberland City Council placed a ban on the book Same-sex Parents in its eight public libraries, it was bound to cause controversy. In addition, the issue highlighted Australia’s record of historical and current censorship.
There was immediate online outrage. David Tyler, aka Urban Wronski, summed up the negative reactions:
“We’re going to make it clear tonight that … these kind of books, same-sex parents books, don’t find their way to our kids,” Christou said during debate. “Our kids shouldn’t be sexualised. FFS
Sydney councillor parades ignorance, bigotry and attacks marriage equality.
Vile.— Urban Wronski (@UrbanWronski) May 7, 2024
Shannon Molloy is a self-described “God-loving homosexual and senior reporter” at news.com.au. He argued, tongue-in-cheek, that other books in the library such as the Bible and Quran should be banned because of their “extreme themes” and “explicit and graphic” content. He wasn’t just “being facetious”:
It also demonstrates that censorship — which flies in the face of an open and free society and the democratic values we hold dear — is a very slippery slope.
This is an innocent book about same-sex parents, made with love and understanding in mind.
There was also a political backlash to the council vote, including the New South Wales State government. The NSW arts minister, John Graham, even suggested that the libraries could face funding cuts.
City councillor Steve Christou was criticized for not having read the book, even as he led the push for a ban:
“The western Sydney councillor behind a library ban on a children’s book about same-sex parents admits he hasn’t read it.”
Ignorance mixed with intolerance.#nswpol #homophobiahttps://t.co/Z4g6np8mAI
— Alastair Lawrie (@alawriedejesus) May 8, 2024
Like many attempts at banning material, this has become another instance of the Streisand Effect, where an attempt to suppress something only gets it more attention. A similar situation unfolded in 2023 with the sex education book “Welcome to Sex” in Australia.
In fact, the publishers immediately made ‘Same-sex Parents’ available online for free:
In response to the homophobic banning of ‘A Focus On… Same-Sex Parents’ by Councillor @ChristouSteve & @CumberlandSyd the publisher @BooklifePubLtd has made the book FREE TO DOWNLOAD all over the world. Brilliant! https://t.co/ziOd1zG5vN
— Richard Watts (@richardthewatts) May 13, 2024
One online petition to reverse the ban had over 40,000, with another exceeding 10,000 signatures before the Cumberland Council overturned its ban in a decisive vote of 12 to 2. Many people on social media, such as Tim Richards on Mastodon, were relieved:
Penni Russon, Senior Lecturer at Monash University, examined some of the history of book banning, highlighting the recent example of “Gender Queer,” a 2019 graphic memoir by US author Maia Kobabe that details the author's experience of coming out as gender fluid (Kobabe uses Spivak pronouns: e, em, eir)
The book has been the source of ongoing controversy and the subject of much conservative ire both in Australia and internationally. “Gender Queer” was referred to the Australian Classification Board (ACB), a statutory body “responsible for the classification and censorship of films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia”. It received an Unrestricted (M – Not recommended for readers under 15 years) classification.
It is now subject to court action with conservative activist Bernard Gaynor taking the Federal Minister for Communication and the ACB to the Federal Court over a Review Board decision to uphold the classification.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has a five-part podcast series Banned Books. The fourth episode Gender Queer in Australia concerns Maia Kobabe's memoir.
According to the producer/presenter Sarah L'Estrange, it is “the most banned book in the USA and now it's being challenged in the courts in Australia”. She explores the question, “Has the battlefront of the US book-banning movement arrived in Australia”.
Australia has a long history of banning books, especially before the 1970s. High-profile examples included: Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, James Baldwin's Another Country and D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover. Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita was banned until 1965 but was smuggled by returning overseas travellers in brown paper covers.
]]>The award is meant to honor and inspire
Originally published on Global Voices
Screen shot of the Global Coalition for Language Rights website.
While over 7,000 languages are spoken worldwide, about half are under threat of extinction or severely endangered, as power relations among languages are far from equal. Many languages require their users to actively work to pass it on to the next generation, the only guarantee they can survive in the future. To highlight some of those preservation and revitalization initiatives, Global Voices talked to Gerald Roche, an Associate Professor of Politics at La Trobe University in Australia, who is not only a Tibet expert, but also an activist for language justice through The Global Coalition for Language Rights, where he plays a key role. He was interviewed over email and his responses have been edited for brevity and style.
Gerald Roche, photo used with permission
Gerald Roche (GR): The Global Coalition for Language Rights was founded in 2020 by a group of language professionals: translators, localization specialists, and language access workers. The coalition was founded to help raise awareness of language rights and safeguard everybody’s language rights. We also aim to provide opportunities for members of the coalition to collaborate and support each other in whatever we are doing to promote language rights.
I got involved with the coalition in 2021, and took on the role of co-chair in 2022. The coalition is completely run by volunteers. We have no funding, and operate on a horizontal network model. The co-chair role is mostly an administrative position, facilitating meetings, and helping members connect across time zones. I stepped down from that role earlier this year as part of the regular rotation of roles in the coalition.
Since I joined the coalition, we have expanded our membership around the world. Members now include community activists, educators, researchers, translators, NGO professionals, and a range of people from other backgrounds. The coalition’s activities have also expanded during this time.
Each year, we hold Global Language Advocacy Days: several days of coordinated activities across the globe to raise awareness of language rights. We have also drafted a plain language statement on language rights, which is now available on our website in around 80 languages. Another initiative we launched earlier this year is a rights-based tool for linguists, to help them integrate human rights into their fieldwork. And this year we are also launching the Language Rights Defenders Award.
GV: Can you describe the applicants, and how and why you selected them for the award?
GR: The Language Rights Defenders Award aims to honor individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to language rights. We are looking for people who can demonstrate passion for language rights and impact in their work to protect and promote those rights. We opened nominations to members of the coalition, and to the general public as well. Anybody could nominate themselves or someone else.
We have been really encouraged by the number and diversity of nominations we have received for the first year of the award! Applications closed in April, and we are planning to announce the winner on May 22nd. We received nominations from 14 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Nominees are from a range of backgrounds, including community activists, translators, public servants, medical professionals, and academics. The nominations really attest to the wide relevance of language rights to all areas of life.
Some of these people work at a very local scale: within a local community, for example, helping to revitalize an Indigenous language, or providing vital services in a minoritized language. Others work at the international level, helping to build advocacy networks or develop new agreements between states that acknowledge language rights. It’s been really inspiring to see the dedication displayed in these profiles.
GV: What are you hoping to achieve with the first edition of this award?
GR: I think there are really two main aims: to inspire and to honor. First and foremost, it’s important to honor the work that language rights defenders do, because it’s hard work – sometimes even dangerous. Some people dedicate years of their life to this work, and when they do, they are working against a range of opposing forces. Usually they are working against widespread social discrimination against a group of people and their language. They are also usually working against policies that explicitly undermine the language, and keep its speakers from enjoying full equality: sometimes they are even faced with violent state violence. All language rights defenders are faced with indifference and inertia. All of this makes defending language rights really challenging, but still people choose to do it. We should acknowledge and honor that.
The second aim of the award is to inspire. In my role as co-chair of the coalition, I spoke to lots of people who were very enthusiastic about defending language rights. Often, however, they weren’t sure where to start. Finding an exemplary language rights defenders gives people an example to follow. It might help some people take the first step. For others who are already defending language rights, it might help them persist at what they’re doing when things get difficult. All of us who work to defend language rights can benefit from some inspiration.
This is why we’ve dedicated the first annual award to the memory of Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, an activist and academic who sadly passed away in 2023. Her life and work, her values and actions, all exemplify what we think a language rights defender should be.
GV: Can you speak specifically about the situation in Australia around Aboriginal languages and related activism?
GR: So, first I should point out that I’m not Indigenous, and also that most of my research has been with colleagues and communities in other parts of the world, in places like China, Japan, India, Philippines, and Sweden. Keeping that in mind, I would make two general observations about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages in Australia.
First is that there has been a tremendous amount of revitalization work done in the past few years. There is a real sense of momentum building. However, this movement is being met with backlash from conservative forces in Australia. Over the past few years I have been tracking online commentary about Indigenous language revitalization in Australia. The backlash I’ve observed includes efforts to promote English monolingualism as the solution to every problem, overt racism against Indigenous people, paternalizing assertions about what Indigenous people really need, unhinged speculations about Indigenous place names being part of a UN plot to take over the country, and a range of other arguments. All of this is allowed to circulate freely online, without any effort to counter or control these hateful discourses.
Which brings me to a second point. Policies for Indigenous languages in Australia have been patchy and insufficient. Most striking to me is the lack of a rights-based approach to language. You can see this, for example, in how Australian governments have reacted to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). UNDRIP contains some good, strong protections for a range of Indigenous language rights: to revitalize, use, develop and transmit languages, and to establish, control, and access education and media in those languages. Australia voted against the UNDRIP in the UN General Assembly, and recently, when an Indigenous senator tried to pass a bill implementing UNDRIP here, it was voted down. I think we can’t say we really care about Indigenous languages in Australia until we start taking language rights seriously.
Read more on how language activists across Australia are leveraging the power of technology to advance their revitalization efforts at Global Voices’ Rising Voices site.
]]>Journalists raised awareness about media suppression in the Pacific
Originally published on Global Voices
Journalists discuss the state of media in the Solomon Islands. Screenshot from the YouTube video of MASI: Media Association of Solomon Islands posted in May 2022. Fair use.
Media groups, heads of state, and free speech advocates across the Pacific marked World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) on May 3, by emphasizing the role of upholding the right to information in addressing the impact of the climate crisis in the region.
The theme of WPFD this year, “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” resonates with the work being done by media groups in the Pacific. The statement of the Palau Media Council reflects the WPFD theme:
A free press is vital to informing our communities about the environmental challenges we face and holding all accountable for protecting our precious environment.
We celebrate the courageous work of journalists and recommit ourselves to defending press freedom, ensuring a strong and independent media that serves the people of Palau.
Moving forward, we pledge to prioritize climate crisis stories, ensuring they take center stage in our coverage. We will amplify important voices advocating for environmental protection.
Robert Iroga, chair of the regional media watchdog Pacific Freedom Forum, underscored the need for media coverage and inclusion of Pacific journalists at global climate conferences.
If there is work to be done by journalists in the Pacific, it is to urge and encourage global awareness of climate change's impacts and hold wealthy polluters accountable.
Pacific Islands News Association President Kora Nou asserted that journalists should have an active role in implementing initiatives that seek to address the harsh impact of climate change.
Journalists must be included in projects not merely as observers but as active participants, providing independent and objective coverage that uncovers the truth, expose wrongdoing, and amplify the voices of marginalised communities.
Fiji Media Association General Secretary Stanley Simpson has a reminder for fellow journalists.
Ethics must guide our industry; our code of ethics must guide us. We must serve the people with integrity; our articles must have integrity, balance, fairness, and accuracy.
The Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI), in partnership with the @bbcmediaaction, held a breakfast event today at Heritage Park Hotel to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day 2024. Thanks to all our distinguished guests for availing your time to commemorate this event. pic.twitter.com/XXsx1ifXFl
— MASI (@solsmasi) May 3, 2024
Media groups also highlighted the various challenges they face in fulfilling their work. Some countries like Fiji saw an improvement in their media landscape after the parliament annulled repressive media laws; but there are also countries like Papua New Guinea where journalists are being threatened with stricter media regulations. Meanwhile, a “word war” recently created tension between some media outlets and a minister in New Zealand’s new government.
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Federal President Karen Percy cited the weaponization of laws that undermine the work of media in Australia:
When whistleblowers are prosecuted for revealing wrongdoing by governments and corporations; when defamation is weaponised to prevent scrutiny; when information that should be publicly available is inaccessible or wrongly marked top secret; and when the basic role of journalism is criminalised on ‘national security grounds’ – then it is the public who loses out.
In the French overseas territory New Caledonia, a union conducted a sit-in protest in solidarity with Kanak Indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia who was criticized by pro-France forces for her reporting on pro-independence protests. Sonia Togna of New Caledonia’s Union of Francophone Women in Oceania said in a media interview:
]]>We are here to sound the alarm bell and to remind our leaders not to cross the line regarding freedom of expression and freedom to exercise the profession of journalism in New Caledonia.
Chinese Australian writer faces life imprisonment after secret trial
Originally published on Global Voices
Screenshot – Sky News Australia 2019 video ‘China dissatisfied with Australia’s response to detained writer’
Save Dr Yang – Original artwork with permission of Bad ї ucao
The latest news headlines about the future of Chinese Australian Yang Hengjun brought the worst possible news for him, his family and friends. He has received a suspended death sentence for alleged spying on the Chinese government. The sentence could be reduced to life imprisonment after two years of good behaviour.
The 58-year-old Chinese spy novel writer worked for the Chinese Ministry of State Security before emigrating to Australia in 1999. He was arrested in Guangzhou in 2019 during a visa renewal trip. His trial for espionage took place in 2021, but the sentence has just been made public.
The Australian government was very displeased with the announcement, especially Foreign Minister Penny Wong. She expressed her outrage during a media conference:
Nine media outlets reported extensively on Yang’s plight. Most of its online newspapers are behind a paywall, but some stories are complementary, such as this breaking news from The Age:
Australia and China’s push to stabilise relations after years of turmoil has been shattered by the shock suspended death sentence handed to Australian academic Yang Hengjun after five years of being held on vague espionage charges.
The Australian National Daily also devoted much of its news coverage to Yang’s sentence, including an editorial. It concluded with a striking condemnation of communism:
The incompatibility of communism with Western values of decency, fairness and the rule of law looms starker than ever.
Like most Murdoch online publications, it is also behind a paywall.
There had been hopes that Yang would be freed, given the lull in China’s so-called hostage diplomacy, which has coincided with improving relations between the two nations. Prime Minister Albanese visited China in November 2023 and held talks with President Xi. The subsequent release of journalist Cheng Lei in October 2023 seemed to be pointing in that direction.
Some commentators believe that Yang’s treatment is a form of diplomatic blackmail. Justin Bassi posted his views on The Strategist, the commentary site of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI):
Whose good behaviour? Not Yang’s but ours—Australia’s. With Yang as a hostage, Australia is being blackmailed into submission and silence.
Beijing is masterful at planting self-doubt in the minds of rivals. If we speak out against Chinese bullying of neighbours in the South China Sea, will Yang be executed? If we name China as a perpetrator of cyberattacks, will Yang be executed?
ASPI has close ties to the United States.
Daryl Guppy at Pearls and Irritations, an Australian public policy journal, accused the Australian government of hypocrisy over the issue of secret trials:
We are aghast with horror and condemnation but it mirrors what we do ourselves. Espionage and security cases are not usually held in open courts, outsiders are not permitted to observe, evidence is covered by a shroud of ‘secrecy’ and sentences are often draconian.
China is not unique in this approach and nor is Australia immune.
Guppy cited the cases of Witness K and Witness J, two people whose trials were held behind closed doors in Australia.
He also raised the government’s lack of sympathy for Julian Assange. This comparison was also bobbing up on social media:
Well this is quite amazing. When it's China involved, on behalf of Mr Yang, @SenatorWong is a roaring lioness. If it's the US and Julian Assange's life is on the line the lioness becomes a mewling kitten.https://t.co/g7manWHWC3
— Max Le Blond (@Balgowallah) February 5, 2024
On Bluesky, user YTSL raised another aspect of the tug-of-war between Beijing and Canberra:
Something worth noting (and may not be readily apparent): Yang Hengjun is an Australian citizen. But to the Chinese government, he's Chinese.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called out, in the strongest terms, what it sees as an attack on press freedom:
A new stage has been reached in the terror that Beijing wants to impose on the press:
political commentator #YangHengjun received a death penalty for critical articles. This inhumane and absurd “espionage” sentence must be overturned. #FreeYangHengjun!https://t.co/dISSkubAWL
— RSF (@RSF_inter) February 5, 2024
However, the chances of a successful legal appeal seem very slim, according to Professor Donald Rothwell at The Conversation.
It seems that only political intervention at the highest level offers any hope.
There has been considerable speculation online about why China is risking recent diplomatic and trade improvements. Many believe that Hengjun's work before emigrating to Australia in 2002 is a major factor. Before emigrating, he worked at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of State Security (which China denies). Yang’s friend and colleague Feng Chongyi is reported as saying that the spying charge was based on accusations that he gave secrets to the Taiwan government 28 years ago.
Some people on social media believe that he may, in fact, be a Western spy. Shorey suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that where there is smoke there may be fire:
@j_laurenceson @AttardMon @FengChongyi @hughriminton
Why is Penny Wong upset at sentence for #YangHengjun ?Maybe he IS a spy ? He worked in Chinese Intelligence, now at Atlantic Council(US), spends most of his time in US, & has dual citizenship.
Why should we advocate for him? pic.twitter.com/VGNVTIRy25— Shorey (@ShoreyThe3rd) February 6, 2024
In a background piece for the Guardian following Yang's 2019 arrest, Ben Dohert and Yang Tian canvassed his role as a spy novel writer:
Yang had designs on fame as a writer. Fatal Weakness was quickly followed by Fatal Weapon and Fatal Assassination, a kind of Chinese Jason Bourne series, using fiction to explore the arcane operations behind China’s Ministry of State Security.
In a 2017, Yang said his intention was to “set a precedent for the spy fiction genre in China, which remains to this day the only literary work of its kind in the country”.
They also quote from Yang’s blogging in 2017:
I myself have become the target of the ‘spycatcher games’, every month I face a fresh round of allegations of being a spy, it seems many readers would like to see me star in my own erotic thriller.
At Pearls and Irritations, Percy Allan regards Yang as more a fantasist than a secret agent. He explores the ‘murkier’ aspects of his past in Why Yang Hengjun should be released — he’s Walter Mitty not James Bond! He concludes:
I hope he is released as a delusional Walter Mitty rather than a threat to China’s state security.
Walter Mitty is a fictional character who:
…spends more time in heroic daydreams than paying attention to the real world, or more seriously, one who intentionally attempts to mislead or convince others that he is something that he is not.
Amnesty International has an online petition demanding that Chinese authorities quash his sentence.
Finally, a word from activist Chinese Australian Bad ї ucao:
]]>My art for Dr. Yang Hengjun 杨恒均，an Australian citizen, writer & pro-democracy activist.
Dr. Yang has received death sentence from a Chinese Court for his fight for civil rights.
He is innocent & must be free.
Please feel free to use the art & advocate for him.#SaveDrYang pic.twitter.com/18S6XDRbkK— 巴丢草 Bad ї ucao (@badiucao) February 6, 2024
Staff threatened to strike over management's decision
Originally published on Global Voices
Antoinette Lattouf – Screenshot: TedX Talks YouTube video ‘Reverse Discrimination? It doesn't exist…but ‘tokenism’ does’ October 2022. Fair use.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has caused a furore down under after firing Lebanese Australian journalist Antoinette Lattouf on December 20, 2023 for sharing a post on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Her employment as a short-term radio host was abruptly ended for allegedly breaching social media policy by reposting a Human Rights Watch (HRW) video on Instagram.
Lattouf added the comment: “HRW reporting starvation as a tool of war.” The ABC justified their decision, saying that “she failed or refused to comply with directions that she not post on social media about matters of controversy.” The ABC itself covered the HRW claim on TV News.
The corporation is a government-funded national broadcaster, which has independence within a legislated charter. Its board and chair are appointed by the government.
Subsequently, ABC journalist Nour Haydar resigned over the broadcaster’s coverage of the Gaza conflict and treatment of culturally diverse staff. She posted on X (formerly Twitter):
Does this mean all ABC employees can’t share info from @hrw?
What if it’s about the treatment of Uyghurs in China or protestors in Iran?
Does this rule exist exclusively for findings that are critical of Israel?
Did this directive apply only to @antoinette_news and why? https://t.co/vqsb3ocW82
— Nour Haydar (@NourHaydar) January 16, 2024
Haydar also has Lebanese heritage.
Mastodon user MilennialZero posed a question that was concerning many people on social media:
Artemis went further in their response:
Journalists at the ABC threatened to take strike action. Their union, the MEAA (Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance) has given Lattouf strong backing:
The decision to sack Antoinette Lattouf from her role as an ABC radio presenter over sharing a social media post from a reputable human rights organisation is incredibly disturbing. Read the full statement: https://t.co/B1IAkQkl3W #MEAAmedia pic.twitter.com/a2Xt7wyft3
— MEAA (@withMEAA) December 21, 2023
There were accusations that the ABC management was influenced by a campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists via a WhatsApp group called Lawyers for Israel.
Antoinette has taken an unlawful termination case to the Fair Work Commission. However, mediation talks between Lattouf and the ABC have failed to resolve the issue. Lattouf posted a video response on X. She not only raised the question of free speech but said that her dismissal involved racism:
Some words following my Fair Work Commission conciliation with the ABC today.
This is such an important case because it is not just about me.#NoFearNoFavour pic.twitter.com/gDqlH89CkI— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) January 18, 2024
Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Advancing Journalism, canvassed some of the issues at The Conversation:
One is the issue of how to deal with journalistic staff posting on social media about issues in the news. Another is whether it has the backbone to protect its journalists and presenters from external attack. A third is whether the organisation is culturally capable of respecting and supporting staff from diverse backgrounds.
Veteran Australian journalist and TV news presenter Mary Kostakidis spoke out in the strongest terms on public policy website Pearls and Irritations:
The Lattouf story shows that the same level of white colonial supremacist attitudes that have forged the bond of western leaders on the Middle East issue permeates the leadership of public broadcasting.
… A one sided narrative in the media cultivates ignorance in the public and enables our leaders to maintain unquestioned entrenched support for Israel, not only with words but with supplies and intelligence, and possibly with armed forces should they see fit to do so. Attempts to interfere and prevent the interrogation of our foreign policy are anti democratic.
The ABC managing director, David Anderson sent an email to all staff, denying Lattouf's claims and rejecting any influence by external pressure.
At the Fair Work Commission mediation, the ABC denied that race or political opinion were part of their decision to terminate her contract.
There is a GoFundMe fundraiser for her legal fees, plus a couple of online petitions calling on ABC to rehire Lattouf.
In the latest twist, the ABC is now claiming that it did not sack Lattouf, according to a Guardian report:
In its submission, the ABC wrote it decided “not to require” Lattouf to perform the last two of her five shifts as a casual presenter of Sydney’s Mornings because she had “failed or refused to comply with directions that she not post on social media about matters of controversy during the short period she was presenting”.
On X, Lattouf mocked what she called the use of a euphemism:
“If I wasn’t sacked what was it? I’m keen to hear all the creative euphemisms that will be used to try and explain this backflip to me, ABC staff and Australians who are very concerned about their public broadcaster. Was I unshackled? Liberated? Untied?”
— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) January 22, 2024
A meeting of ABC journalists overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in Managing Director David Anderson. The resolution included:
Winning staff and public confidence back will require senior management:
1. Backing journalism without fear or favour.
2. Working collaboratively with unions to build a culturally informed process for supporting staff who face criticism and attack.
3. Take urgent action on the lack of security and inequality that journalists of colour face.
4. Working with unions to develop a clearer and fairer social media policy.
5. Upholding a transparent complaints process, in which journalists who are subject to complaints are informed and supported.
According to Mediaweek, ABC Global Affairs Editor John Lyons spoke forcefully in favor of the motion. Lyons has been reporting from the Middle East on the Gaza conflict for the ABC.
David Anderson has agreed to meet with staff in the coming weeks to discuss their concerns.
Meanwhile, Pedestrian TV has reported claims of another coordinated lobbying campaign against Lattouf on WhatsApp group J.E.W.I.S.H. Australian creatives and academics. Australian researcher and journalist Claire Connelly posted:
‘Screenshots show a coordinated letter campaign that encouraged the group’s 628 members to complain to Buttrose, ABC Managing Director David Anderson and Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland over the ABC’s hiring of Lattouf.’ pic.twitter.com/hSj831HGKQ
— Claire Connelly (@_ClaireConnelly) January 22, 2024
An emergency ABC board meeting on January 23, passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the managing director.
The dispute is ongoing for now. In the meantime, the satirical website The Shovel has a lighthearted take:
]]>The ABC says it is simply adhering to its charter by ending journalist Antoinette Lattouf’s employment, but also not sacking her.
“It is incumbent on us to provide both sides of the story,” an ABC spokesperson said. “So while some may say Ms Lattouf has been fired, others would say she has been freed up to pursue other opportunities. Some will say she has been let go, others will say has been de-hired. All of those views deserve to be heard.