Lid posted:

This is kind of huge news

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said the man had been acting "to serve some higher patriotic purpose" to raise funds for the North Korean regime and, if his attempted transactions had been successful, could have raised tens of millions of dollars.

"This case is like nothing we have ever seen on Australian soil," AFP Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said.

The attempted transactions related to sale of missile guidance systems and other missile componentry, and to the sale of coal, to third parties in Indonesia and Vietnam.

He said it was believed the man had been in contact with high-ranking North Korean officials but gave no other details of how or when the man was recruited as a North Korean economic agent.

"I know these charges sound alarming. Let me be clear we are not suggesting there are any weapons or missile componentry that ever came to Australian soil, nor that we believed that we identified any immediate threat to the Australian community."

The allegation in relation to the missile componentry is that the man participated in discussions about the provision of the componentry, which assists in the guidance of ballistic missiles, from North Korea to other entities.

"This man was acting as a loyal agent for North Korea.

"The evidence suggests there had been contact with high-ranking officials in North Korea," he said.

quote:

Melbourne Lord Mayor stands aside over indecent assault allegations

Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says he is "shocked" but "distressed" as he announces he will stand aside while he is investigated for alleged sexual harassment, indecent assault and misconduct.

Solemn Sloth posted:

I have a feeling the actual answer is going to be there should never have been two dozen people, a barbecue and a fridge on the balcony at the same time tbh

Synthbuttrange posted:

Periphery posted:

Yeah, that'll be the excuse.

But that raises the question: Where do you find the safe working loads for stuff like this? If you are using any kind of towing of lifting equipment the SWL will be somewhere on that but it's not like buildings come with little signs on them telling you weight limits.

Even if people wanted to know how many drunk idiots they could fit on their balcony they probably couldn't find the info without hiring a engineer, but nobody is going to do that. Surely that's a serious safety issue in the building system (as if they don't have enough of those already).

Of course, people will just ignore SWLs because they are idiots, but it couldn't hurt to make them more easy to find. Maintenance is also a big thing that people will ignore, but that's another issue.

Solemn Sloth posted:

It’s made even better by the fact that even if you are using a standard solution which follows a relevant Australian Standard referenced directly in the national construction code, the standards are pay to access ranging from to upwards of a thousand depending on what it’s for

NPR Journalizard posted:

Also the company that distributes these standards has a monopoly on them and they are complaining that they aren't making enough money.

AgentF posted:

Krabboss posted:

It's sad that the LNP aren't doing worse in the 2PP polling tbh

Brown Paper Bag posted:

These are the dumbarses running the country.

quote:

George Brandis is off to London

The Attorney-General will replace Alexander Downer as Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Synthbuttrange posted:

Krabboss posted:

It's sad that the LNP aren't doing worse in the 2PP polling tbh

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

Canberrans were left shocked and scared after leaflets promoting white supremacy were dropped in letterboxes in the capital's south this week.

ACT police have confirmed they are now investigating the material.

The leaflets laden with anti-semetic, racist text, described diversity as "white genocide" and directed readers to a website for the supposed group, 'Hussaric Dawn'.

But the mother of the man who authored the leaflets said her son had autism and was "easily led".

MysticalMachineGun posted:

...Isn't that the exact same excuse used for one of the guys that harassed Dastayari?

Skellybones posted:

It's funny because Hussars are famously Slavic.

Zenithe posted:

https://twitter.com/TheKouk/status/942568358548987904