Australia and Authoritarianism
Here’s a snapshot of Australia’s creeping authoritarianism:
Decades of militant imprisonment of refugees, following Prime Minister Howard’s public lie in 2001 that refugees “threw their children overboard” in order to secure rescue. Dozens of refugees have died while detained in conditions the UN found to constitute torture. “Fortress Australia” is so absurdly cruel even Donald Trump was shocked into admiration. “You’re worse than us.”
Consistent expansion of police and State powers. Since 2001, “the Australian Parliament has passed 82 counter-terrorism laws, and between 2001 and Howard’s defeat in 2007, a new anti-terror law was enacted once every 6.7 weeks.” From continued police brutality against Indigenous people, to the creation of ethnic crime squads like the Asian Crime Squad, or the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad, often fostered by racist media hysteria, police powers have continued to grow.
Increasing insularity, secrecy, and corruption. A look at some of these “national security” laws passed up to 2015 shows a gradual fostering of a culture of impunity and intimidation—from journalists threatened with prison to warrantless searches, ‘secret evidence’, and immunity from civil and criminal charges granted to ASIO. This has only gotten worse recently with new powers given that allow the government to seize, alter, and delete data, as well as take over online accounts.
As for corruption, a long list of the government’s scandals can be found here.
Relentless undermining and underfunding of the independent public broadcaster. The ABC, the news source most trusted by Australians, has lost $783 million in funding since 2014. It is common knowledge that the right-wing in Australian politics is trying to kill the ABC, and it is equally common knowledge that they are aligned totally with the Murdoch media empire.
In 2015 notorious racist Pauline Hanson claimed halal certification was funding terrorism, which sparked a senate inquiry. This came at a time when far-right groups like the United Patriots Front were mobilising around protesting mosque constructions, and halal certification. Hanson gets voted into Australian parliament in 2016, and in her maiden speech as senator, called for a ban on Muslim immigration.
In 2018, senator Fraser Anning called for a “final solution” to the question of Muslim immigration and “third world” migrants, as well as a return to the White Australia Policy.
In 2019, Australian scumbag Brenton Tarrant mass murdered 51 Muslims in Christchurch, injuring 40 others. Subsequent reports indicate he was a fan of the United Patriot Front and was radicalised by far-right media.
Two months later, an article in a national newspaper paints Peter Dutton as a literal Christian Crusader whose anti-Muslim anti-migrant rhetoric is praised as pivotal to the government’s re-election.
In 2019, ABC offices were raided for their reporting on Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. The ABC’s legal challenge to this raid was dismissed by the high court, even though the accuracy of the reporting was unchallenged and there was no evidence of any harm to national security.
In 2020, The Brereton Report is released - a four-year investigation finds credible evidence of multiple war crimes, citing 39 murders of innocent people in Afghanistan by Australian soldiers.
David McBridge, a military lawyer who revealed the “unlawful” murders to journalists, is still being prosecuted by the government.
Kerry Stokes, billionaire owner of channel 7, board member of the Australian War Memorial, is funding the defence of the soldiers charged with heinous acts of murder.
If all of that’s not enough indication of the concerning interference of media moguls in matters of politics and justice, or of politicians meddling in media, we have the board of the SBS—Australia’s “multicultural” broadcaster—appointed by the government. Who did they choose as Deputy Chairperson? Christine Zeitz—CEO of a multibillion dollar weapons manufacturer.
$50 billion deal for French submarines torn up in favour of the AUKUS deal. Another sign of increased aggression against China at the behest of the US.
Education Minister Alan Tudge continues his propagandistic campaign against the national curriculum. Previously he claimed that "Anzac Day" is "the most sacred day" in the Australian calendar. He now says the next generation won’t be willing to defend their country in a military crisis if they are taught the truth, what he terms “negative views”. Yes, he is part of a far-right government, but his opposite number, Labor’s Tanya Plibersek, last year called for a US-style “pledge of allegiance” in schools, continuing Labor’s long losing streak of trying to out-right the right.
Obviously I am leaving out a great deal, this is quite literally off the top of my head, the moments in our national public sphere that have made a mark on me. It paints an incredibly disturbing picture of where this country is heading. We are lead by a political class and media that is distressingly out-of-touch with the Australian population, not only in terms of its demographic make-up, but also its refusal to treat climate change seriously and this gap is one that can only be maintained by relentless fear-mongering, media manipulation, and a reckless disregard for any kind of ethics, integrity, or accountability. What are we left with when we cannot tell the truth?