Dear reader, another fragment from Frank.
In this missive he suggests that important legislation is pushed through Parliament by stealth. How could this be we ask? Haven’t we got the most representative parliament any lobbyist could wish for? And if it aint broke for Coal, Big-Business, rent – seekers and the Superannuation Industry and reputable enterprises such as Sportsbet 24/7 and Crown Casino, how could it get any more representative? Surely it couldn’t be held in trust for the people. Surely that’s taking democracy too far. What is Frank on about. We at pcbycp are deeply confused, but Frank could be onto something. He writes…
Hi friends and others,
On 18th June 1981 the first flight of a stealth aircraft took place. It was the F-117 Nighthawk designed to be invisible to radar.
So too, much legislation passes through the Australian Parliament by stealth, invisible to scrutiny.
Stealth 2. Good to see no-one bothered to turn up to push through the legislation.
Pictured above is the Senate passing the Stronger Futures legislation on 29/6/2012 which from memory was ahead of the release of the report on a Parliamentary inquiry into the proposed legislation. (I make it 6 people in the chamber)
The Central Land Council (CLC) held a meeting at Tennant Creek from 2 to 4 November.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz1TUkLCvzY There is a meeting here tonight…
Stealth 3 Australia’s most decorated soldier Ben Roberts Smith recites ‘the Good Ship Venus’ to adoring Afghani kiddies before stealthily and single-handedly killing 15 suspected Afghan terrorists from their stronghold at a Kabul flower stall.
The 5th November was the deadline for submissions to the Senate Inquiry into the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Economic Empowerment) Bill 2021
Thus Yuendumu delegates to the CLC meeting had one day left to return from Tennant Creek (A distance of 613.2 Km via the Stuart Highway), read the 80 pages of legalese obfuscation and make a response. It won’t surprise you that it didn’t happen.
On 6th of November, I caught up with three Senior Yuendumu Warlpiri Men who’d been to the Tennant Creek meeting. Independently I asked these men:
“Have you heard of the ‘Economic Empowerment’ proposed amendments to the Land Rights Act? “, and “Was this mentioned at the meeting?”
All three men answered both questions without hesitation- “NO”
Stealth 4. Unarmed woman tasered, sprayed and pole-axed by Victorian Police trained in “Public Order Response”. Stealth tactics learnt in the field post-intervention and applied to the citizenry at large to ensure Victoria is awarded the ‘Bjelke Medal’ for establishing a ’21st Century Police State’
On 25th August 2021 Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt did a media release which started with:
The Morrison Government has today introduced to Parliament the most comprehensive set of reforms to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 since its enactment, with the Economic Empowerment Bill.
I won’t repeat my objections to this Bill.
Further down Ken Wyatt’s Media Release there is this:
“These reforms, co-designed with the Northern Territory Land Councils, deliver on what Indigenous Australians in the NT have been seeking for decades.”
I wonder if my three friends are aware of having sought what these reforms deliver for decades?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtGmZARZivc and here a song from around the time Aborigines in the NT got Land Rights.
And we thought it was about drugs.
I for one ain’t buying this legislation.
Chau,
Stealth 5. Representation by stealth. An un-elected lump of coal stuns parliament with best maiden speech since Federation.
Frank