Bomb-Bunny posted:

If you look at it from Twiggy's point of view it's not, it's another subsidy for him, government pays for training that, I'm sure, would conveniently be in the areas he needs skilled workers. I'm not saying that should negate the bleeding obvious, that job seekers should get real training. But as Malcolm Farr pointed out on Insiders, we need something like the old Commonwealth Employment Service, so that unemployment services aren't vulnerable to market manipulation and scamming. This thread alone is a font of evidence that that is not currently the case.

I'm glad that these things are getting a societal backlash, but I wonder whether the tories constant "WHERE ARE THE OTHER OPTIONS!" rhetoric won't get to wearing on people eventually.

simmyb posted:

I'm pretty sure right from the start that the LNP only developed a paid parental leave policy was because "they have PPL policy so we need one". I doubt they ever intended to actually fight for it at all

Captain Matchbox posted:

Hi thread. I never thought I'd see one of these in the wild, but... I just saw a Facebook/instagram picture with someone dressed up as the Fresh Prince of Belair, complete with blackface.

Called the person out on it, but apparently this still can be defended in tyool 2014?

Captain Matchbox posted:

Hi thread. I never thought I'd see one of these in the wild, but... I just saw a Facebook/instagram picture with someone dressed up as the Fresh Prince of Belair, complete with blackface.

Called the person out on it, but apparently this still can be defended in tyool 2014?

http://www.zdnet.com/au/rights-owners-must-sue-mum-and-dad-copyright-infringers-turnbull-7000032225/ posted:

Rights owners must sue mum and dad copyright infringers: Turnbull

Summary: Copyright holders must be prepared to sue mums and dads and students for copyright infringement in order for any deterrence scheme to be effective, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has warned.
Josh Taylor

By Josh Taylor | August 1, 2014 -- 00:17 GMT (10:17 AEST)

TV and film companies must be prepared to take the unpopular step of suing individual members of the public for sharing infringing content online in order for any piracy deterrence scheme to be effective, according to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The government's discussion paper into online copyright infringement this week outlines potential changes to legislation to compel internet service providers to intervene and deter their customers from downloading infringing TV shows, films, and music or be found liable for their users' actions.

Although proposed schemes to deter Australians from using BitTorrent and other technology to share infringing content online is not expressly outlined in the paper, in making the case for the need to crack down on copyright infringement in Australia, Turnbull this week has suggested that Australia adopt a system similar to that operating in the United Kingdom or New Zealand.

Under the New Zealand model, copyright owners send evidence of alleged infringement to internet service providers (ISPs), which investigate and issue notices to the account holder, charging the rights holders NZ$25 per notice. On the receipt of the third infringement notice, the copyright holder can then pursue the account holder through the newly-created Copyright Tribunal for damages of between NZ$275 and NZ$15,000.

Turnbull told Sky News yesterday that this model had the right balance between responsibility on ISPs and ensuring the content owners have methods in place to protect copyright, but said that it required ensuring rights holders were prepared to take people to court.

"Rights owners are not keen on taking people to court because it doesn't look good because it's bad publicity. What if the person you sue is a single mother? What happens it if it is a teenager? What if it is a retiree on a low income?" Turnbull said.

"The bottom line is, though, the rights owners are going to have to be tactical about who they take to court, who they want to sue.

Turnbull said that the only way to raise awareness and for people to stop infringing, was for the content owners to take the unpopular move of taking people to court.

"It is absolutely critical that rights owners have got to be prepared to actually roll their sleeves up and take on individuals," he said.

"They've got to be prepared to sue people, sue mums and dads and students who are stealing their content. They can't expect everyone else to do that for them."

Since the introduction of the New Zealand copyright graduated response scheme, there have been very few cases brought by content owners to the Copyright Tribunal, 17 decisions in total, and no cases have been decided this year. The average fine so far has been around NZ$500.

The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (now Recorded Music New Zealand) is so far the only litigant to take infringers to the tribunal.

The content owners, under the New Zealand Federation Against Copyright Theft (NZFACT), said the infringement notice fee was prohibitive and also lobbied to have the fee for the notices reduced from NZ$25 to the cost of a postage stamp, but were rejected by the New Zealand government. As a result, NZFACT has yet to bring on any cases to the tribunal.

Partner with New Zealand law firm Lowndes Jordan, Rick Shera told ZDNet that it had been frustrating for the ISPs to spend so much money on implementing the infringement notice schemes only to find the content owners reluctant to use it.

"Putting such a system in place is not a trivial task and that NZ ISPs have been extremely annoyed to spend around a million dollars in aggregate on advice, system design, personnel training etc between them, only to find that NZFACT chucked its toys out of the cot and has never used the system of which it was the strongest proponent," he said.

The Australian government prefers placing the responsibility on rights holders rather than the ISPs, and Turnbull indicated yesterday that disconnection of internet services was not an option on the table, given he stood by his view that the iiNet 2012 High Court ruling in the ISP's favour was the right one.

"That decision was correctly decided. What the rights owners were saying about iiNet was that they were saying 'If we tell you that someone is breaching our copyright, you iiNet, have the obligation, at your expense, to write to them, to warn them, and then to terminate your contract with them'," he said.

"The court then felt that was unreasonable. I think that was correctly decided on the law as it stands."

One measure favoured by some content owners would be to throttle repeat infringers' download speeds, similar to when they exceed their monthly data limit. Turnbull said this was being considered but would be hard to implement.

"I think the practical ability to do that is very hard. I think it would be met from enormous resistance from both the public and the industry," he said.

Turnbull also said content availability and pricing was key.

"It is vital for the content owners to make their content available ubiquitously, that is globally, and make it available in an affordable manner," he said.

"People are entitled to price their products at whatever level they like, but if you want to prevent people unlawfully downloading and sharing your movies or songs ... make it available in a more affordable way."

Hocus Pocus posted:

Keneally and Carey can eat a dick -- Gina Rinehart is our nation's greatest literary figure.

Today was the first time I've read it, and its just so beautiful. I was deeply moved... Like... Like a pile of mineral rich soil.

Sir Shion posted:

quote:

Treasurer Joe Hockey, Prime Minister Tony Abbott set to swing the Budget axe against 111 programs

Samantha Maiden National Political Editor
The Sunday Telegraph
August 03, 2014 12:00AM


AUSTRALIA’S immunisation program delivering lifesaving vaccines is among the targets of a secret hit list of $165 million in federal Budget cuts.

Divorced parents, the aged, depression sufferers and programs to help Aboriginal teenagers secure a place at university are among the targets of the “nip and tuck’’ ­approach to spending.

For the first time, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has confirmed the programs that face an “indexation pause’’ to Parliament in a ­secret hit list of 111 programs across multiple portfolios.

Treasurer Joe Hockey and Prime Minister Tony Abbott are still pushing hard to get Budget measures through.

In the May Budget Treasurer Joe Hockey confirmed a $165 million freeze on the ­indexation of funding for multiple programs but did not specify which would be cut.

But the full list of programs that face a nip and tuck to spending has been released to Parliament.

It reveals cuts across 10 portfolios including health, education, agriculture, communications and the ­Department of Social Services.

Senate Opposition leader Penny Wong had demanded the government release the documents.

The cuts to more than 100 programs include healthcare, education, workforce training for aged care, family crisis support and even counter terrorism measures.

They include a $26 million cut over four years to Family Relationship Services, a $1.6 million cut to the National Disability Advocacy Program and a $13 million cut to Aged Care Service Improvement.

“They have only now been revealed by Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, in response to my questions in the Senate,’’ Ms Wong said.

Sir Shion posted:

SynthOrange posted:

We're all gonna die

SynthOrange posted:

We're all gonna die

SynthOrange posted:

We're all gonna die

Hocus Pocus posted:

Keneally and Carey can eat a dick -- Gina Rinehart is our nation's greatest literary figure.

Today was the first time I've read it, and its just so beautiful. I was deeply moved... Like... Like a pile of mineral rich soil.

Unrelated to all this high art chat: does anyone happen to know if you can order physical government reports? Is it one of those things where you need to write off and request one and then cover the printing and postage costs?

Hocus Pocus posted:

Keneally and Carey can eat a dick -- Gina Rinehart is our nation's greatest literary figure.

Today was the first time I've read it, and its just so beautiful. I was deeply moved... Like... Like a pile of mineral rich soil.

Unrelated to all this high art chat: does anyone happen to know if you can order physical government reports? Is it one of those things where you need to write off and request one and then cover the printing and postage costs?

fliptophead posted:

What the gently caress is this pile of poo poo?

Doctor Spaceman posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrIrcV9Bgmc

Scott Morrison questions claim of asylum seeker mental health 'cover-up'; rejects claims Tamils sent to Nauru were denied access to lawyers posted:

Scott Morrison has questioned a psychiatrist's claim that the Immigration Department tried to cover up figures showing the extent of mental health concerns among child detainees at Christmas Island.

Speaking to the ABC's Insiders program, the Immigration Minister also rejected accusations the Government stopped lawyers from advising a group of Tamil asylum seekers that have been sent to Nauru.

Earlier this week psychiatrist Dr Peter Young, who was the director of mental health services on Christmas Island for three years until earlier this month, gave explosive evidence at a human rights inquiry into detention centres.

He told the inquiry Immigration Department officials reacted with alarm at figures showing the extent of mental health concerns among young detainees and "asked us to withdraw these figures from our reporting".

Mr Morrison told Insiders people should not jump to conclusions about the claim.

"I've spoken to the secretary about that and he's written back to the commissioner and outlined what is actually occurring," he said.

"I mean, in these meetings there is always two sets of versions of what has occurred.

"What they're working through is a process to get the best possible reporting of mental health in these facilities.

"The chief medical officer and the independent health adviser to the secretary are working with OHMS and are bringing in other experts to ensure we get the best measure of reporting on mental health."
Video: Scott Morrison joins Insiders (Insiders)

Insiders host Fran Kelly asked: "What does that mean? That Peter Young wasn't told to take those statistic out?"

"What I'm saying is there is a process that is underway. That process is not completed," Mr Morrison replied.

"There was testimony that was given but I think it's important with this inquiry that we don't leap ahead and make a whole bunch of conclusions until that inquiry has been able to go through all its evidence and that evidence can be properly tested and the Department has the opportunity to respond to what has been put at that inquiry.

"That's what the secretary has done and I am waiting for the outcome of that process."

Mr Morrison was also questioned about whether 157 asylum seekers had access to lawyers before they were sent to Nauru.

The group of men, women and children left India by boat and was intercepted and held at sea for almost a month before being sent to the Cocos Islands and then to Curtin Detention Centre in Western Australia.

The group was then sent to Nauru after they all declined to talk to Indian officials about returning to the port they departed from.

Lawyer George Newhouse, who represents the 157 Tamils, yesterday accused the Government of "trafficking" the group, and said they were not given the chance to talk to their lawyers about their options before they were moved to Nauru.

But Mr Morrison has told the ABC's Insiders program they had access to lawyers before they rejected the chance to talk to the Indian officials.

"It's not true to say that there was no access to lawyers," Mr Morrison said.

"On the 29th of July, the leaders of that group, who were the appointed plaintiffs in the case, had access to their lawyers and there was a discussion. Following those discussions, 157 people coincidentally decided not to take up that offer."

He said he is confident more than two-thirds of the group were long-term residents of India.

"They had been residents in refugee camps, those camps set up in Tamil Nadu and in other villages across Tamil Nadu," he said.

"They had been in schools and living with family. We had teenagers on that ship who were born in India."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says there has been too much secrecy around the group's treatment.

"If the news is good [the Government] will be out there with rent-a-quote on the front doorstep boasting about how well they have done," he said.

"Every time it gets a bit hard this Government goes missing. I think the Government needs to come clean on everything that's happened with this matter, everything that's transpired with their negotiations with the Indian government."

There are 50 children in the group, and Mr Morrison was questioned on why they were sent to Nauru, rather than being placed in community detention, in the same week doctors have aired fresh concerns about the impact detention has on child mental health.

"Offshore processing is a universal policy and when you create exceptions to that then you create an incentive for children to get on boats," he said.

"I hope the days now are long gone where children are dying at sea and my officials and officers who work for Customs, and the Navy officers have to scoop children out of the water.

"We have put considerable resources into Nauru to ensure it's fit for families.

"The accommodation is air conditioned for children, there's play equipment, there's shaded areas for learning, there are covered areas, air conditioned for the schooling."

Doctors who have been working on Christmas Island told a human rights inquiry this week the paediatric care in the centre is basically non-existent.

Dr Young told the inquiry there have been 128 cases of child detainees committing acts of self-harm in the past 15 reporting months.

He said he was aware children had tried to poison themselves or ingest harmful substances, and said banging heads against walls is common.

Mr Morrison said he was "very troubled" by the claims but added: "Equally I'm already acting along the lines I've already mentioned in terms of the support and facilities we're putting in and also by ensuring we're not getting children going into these facilities and we're stopping them getting on boats in the first place and I'm getting them out."

"These inquiries are raising a whole range of questions and there's a whole bunch of testimony that is being provided.

"Now, that has to be tested against the broader context of what's occurring and what I want to know is what the facts are and when I have the full facts then I can take further action to the action I've already taken."

Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young says there is widespread public support to move all children out of detention immediately.

"Australians across the country are increasingly uneasy and nervous about the welfare of these children, young people harming themselves, children who don't even introduce themselves by their own names any more, only by the ID numbers they've been given," she said.

Jonah Galtberg posted:

Let's Get Angry At Scott Morrison Volume 266

Gough Suppressant posted:

Like, "what's so special about a bunch of rocks you can't even grow wheat or farm sheep on" is an attitude that indigenous people have to fight against every day

TheMostFrench posted:

Wasn't this a big part of Australia's colonisation? 'These guys don't even have fenced property, we need to sort these backwards natives out, quick.'

quote:

Don't click, Arsetralian

George Brandis slams Fairfax newspaper over ‘anti-Semitic’ cartoon
THE AUSTRALIAN AUGUST 04, 2014 12:00AM
Darren Davidson

THE Attorney-General, George Brandis, has accused Fairfax Media of publishing anti-Semitic coverage of the Middle East, and denounced a cartoon in The ­Sydney Morning Herald depicting a Jewish man with an exaggerated nose as comparable to propaganda from Nazi Germany.

In an extraordinary attack, Senator Brandis said coverage in Fairfax papers of the Gaza conflict was “overtly anti-Semitic”.

“I thought the cartoon was deplorable,” Senator Brandis said. “I think that critics of Israel’s foreign policy of course have every right to express their views. But I would have thought that a responsible media organisation would have a very good look at itself when it publishes cartoons (of) the kind we haven’t seen since Germany in the 1930s.”

In response to criticism from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Herald editor-in-chief Darren Goodsir said the cartoon was not intended to incite racial hatred. He said it was modelled on a number of photographs published, including one with an old man sitting observing the conflict in Gaza from a hill near Sderot.

Today’s edition of the Herald carries an apology in its editorial. Senator Brandis’s intervention will ratchet up pressure on Fairfax, which is facing a reader and advertiser backlash over the cartoon.

The Australian Jewish News has called on readers to cancel subscriptions to Fairfax. The cartoon illustrated a column by Mike Carlton, which ran in the paper’s July 26 edition. ­Created by illustrator Glen Le ­Lievre, the cartoon also ran on the website of Victorian masthead The Age, which is also published by Fairfax. The cartoon features an old man with a hook nose sitting in a chair emblazoned with the Star of David on the back, pressing a remote to blow up a Palestinian area.

Asked if the cartoon amounted to racial vilification and could encourage or incite others to hate Jews, Senator Brandis said: “It certainly constitutes a racial form of stereotyping. I think The Sydney Morning Herald and Fairfax Media in general ought to be very careful about the almost overtly anti-Semitic tone some of their commentary, including their editorial cartoon, have adopted.”

It is understood Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull rang Goodsir to lambast him for running the cartoon, which he deemed anti-Semitic and offensive to many of his constituents in his eastern Sydney electorate.

Carlton’s column quoted Israeli journalist Gideon Levy accusing the Jewish state of fascism. “It is a breathtaking irony that these atrocities can be committed by a people with a proud liberal tradition of scholarship and culture, who hold the Warsaw Ghetto and the six million dead of the Holocaust at the centre of their race memory,” Carlton wrote. “But this is a new and brutal Israel.”

Goodsir declined to comment yesterday.

Ler posted:

The cartoon:

Mithranderp posted:

I legit thought that cartoon was depicting Rupert Murdoch.