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Dutton warns of ‘leftwing lunatics’ threat after Asio chief says rightwing extremism on rise – politics live Dutton talks of ‘leftwing lunatics’ after Asio chief says rightwing extremism on rise – politics live
(32 minutes later)
Home affairs minister vows crackdown on both sides as Kristina Keneally calls for Bettina Arndt to be stripped of Australia Day honour and major parties grapple with climate policies. All the day’s events, live from CanberraHome affairs minister vows crackdown on both sides as Kristina Keneally calls for Bettina Arndt to be stripped of Australia Day honour and major parties grapple with climate policies. All the day’s events, live from Canberra
The bells are ringing. What insanity will greet us today? Who knows! This is the Australian parliament, where insanity is considered a political strategy.
Cue the immediate outcry of politicians capitulating to PC warriors, and influencing independent processes if the Order of Australia board, which as Sam Maiden reported yesterday is reviewing the honour, agrees it should be stripped.Cue the immediate outcry of politicians capitulating to PC warriors, and influencing independent processes if the Order of Australia board, which as Sam Maiden reported yesterday is reviewing the honour, agrees it should be stripped.
Just a reminder a Senate motion doesn’t mean she will lose it. Just that the Senate thinks she should. Just a reminder: a Senate motion doesn’t mean she will lose it. Just that the Senate thinks she should.
Sarah Hanson-Young is celebrating the Equinor decision to pull out of its $200m Great Australian Bight drilling plans:Sarah Hanson-Young is celebrating the Equinor decision to pull out of its $200m Great Australian Bight drilling plans:
Hello good people of blogs, just grabbing the quiet time on Tuesday to let you know that Anthony Albanese has written to Scott Morrison proposing a service to mark the first anniversary on 15 March of the Christchurch shootings.Hello good people of blogs, just grabbing the quiet time on Tuesday to let you know that Anthony Albanese has written to Scott Morrison proposing a service to mark the first anniversary on 15 March of the Christchurch shootings.
The Albanese letter reads: “Australia and New Zealand have long enjoyed a close relationship – one of kinship and shared history. The fact that an Australian citizen is facing trial for launching those violent attacks on Christchurch mosques that killed 51 people and injured some 49 others is a sorrowful aspect of that shared history.”The Albanese letter reads: “Australia and New Zealand have long enjoyed a close relationship – one of kinship and shared history. The fact that an Australian citizen is facing trial for launching those violent attacks on Christchurch mosques that killed 51 people and injured some 49 others is a sorrowful aspect of that shared history.”
Albanese continues:Albanese continues:
Obviously this suggestion from the Labor leader comes in the context of a brisk debate that’s broken out here this morning about violence by left- or right-wing extremists (triggered by Peter Dutton’s both sides-ism this morning in response to a speech from the Asio boss).Obviously this suggestion from the Labor leader comes in the context of a brisk debate that’s broken out here this morning about violence by left- or right-wing extremists (triggered by Peter Dutton’s both sides-ism this morning in response to a speech from the Asio boss).
The party room meetings are on as we write this, so things are a little quiet. We’ll bring you what happened inside, once they are outThe party room meetings are on as we write this, so things are a little quiet. We’ll bring you what happened inside, once they are out
Keith Pitt’s office is all over the Equinor announcement:Keith Pitt’s office is all over the Equinor announcement:
This is pretty big, given the fight to stop this in the first place: Norwegian fossil fuel company Equinor has abandoned its plans to drill in the Great Australian Bight.This is pretty big, given the fight to stop this in the first place: Norwegian fossil fuel company Equinor has abandoned its plans to drill in the Great Australian Bight.
That follows BHP pulling out in 2016.That follows BHP pulling out in 2016.
Why? The company says it doesn’t make commercial sense for it to continue the operation, despite being given approval late last year.Why? The company says it doesn’t make commercial sense for it to continue the operation, despite being given approval late last year.
However, we ARE preserving Holdens as historical artifact.However, we ARE preserving Holdens as historical artifact.
This is the June 2019 recommendation Tim Watts was speaking about, from the Australian taskforce to combat terrorist and extreme violent material online report:This is the June 2019 recommendation Tim Watts was speaking about, from the Australian taskforce to combat terrorist and extreme violent material online report:
Recommendation 4.3 — Relevant Australian government agencies, academia, researchers, and civil society bodies that monitor and review terrorist and extremist organisations to share with digital platforms (where legally and operationally feasible) indicators of terrorism, terrorist products and depictions of violent crimes.Recommendation 4.3 — Relevant Australian government agencies, academia, researchers, and civil society bodies that monitor and review terrorist and extremist organisations to share with digital platforms (where legally and operationally feasible) indicators of terrorism, terrorist products and depictions of violent crimes.
But we know that “lefties” are often on Peter Dutton’s mind.
Tim Watts continued:
Labor MP Tim Watts spoke on the far-right extremism threat in Australia last night in the chamber:
Watts also spoke on what Australia has done in regards to the ‘Christchurch call’, which was put in place after the Christchurch massacre and is designed to have governments work with social media and internet platforms to ‘counter violent extremism in all its forms including through the development and promotion of positive alternatives and counter-messaging’.
My colleague Josh Taylor asked who nominated the not-an-actual-psychologist for an Australia Day honour.
You’re not allowed to know.
While we are on the topic of rightwing extremism it is worth pointing out that overnight, the UK added another rightwing group to its terrorism list:
Having a look at Australia’s list, we have listed exactly none.
That is despite both Duncan Lewis, the former Asio boss, and now Mike Burgess, both pointing out the growing rightwing extremism threat in Australia.
Budget crunch time is coming. Andrew Tillett, from the Australian Financial Review, had this story which points to just how hard balancing the budget is proving for the government:
It was Barnaby Joyce’s favourite morning of the year: the pollies v press touch football match.
The politicians lost.
In his speech, Mike Burgess mentions “right wing” six times. He does not mention left wing at all.
And here is the question and answer which gave us the “both sides” answer from Peter Dutton, in response to Asio boss Mike Burgess’s comments about growing rightwing extremism threats in Australia:
Q: Just on the question of blindness to ideology, the director general made some pretty specific comments about rightwing extremism. It’s coming up to the anniversary of the Christchurch terrorist attack. Do you need to acknowledge that there is a particular and growing threat from rightwing extremism in Australia?
Dutton:
Oh, it looks like Peter Dutton has been studying the Scott Morrison question deflection technique.
Cool. Beans.
Q: Is nuclear technology safe?
Dutton: I’ve dealt with that issue.
(And yes, we ask again, and yes we push, but we cannot force someone to answer a question.)