Trigger warning: this article contains discussion of rape and violence against women Stephen Sullivan is part of a movement that has gathered thousands of followers in just a few weeks. Sullivan says it has tapped into an emotion. ‘People have been thinking about what’s been happening the past few years and they’ve actually come on…
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‘[Prison] relieves us of the responsibility of seriously engaging with the problems of our society, especially those produced by racism and, increasingly, global capitalism.’ – Angela Davis In Western Australia last year, 22-year-old Julieka Dhu, who was jailed for an unpaid $1000 parking fine, died. Dhu complained to police about severe pain, vomiting and partial…
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The Australian Human Rights Commission (HRC) report, entitled The Forgotten Children: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention (2014), was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday 11 February. The report investigates the mental, emotional, and physical ramifications of mandatory detention, particularly on children. Reading this report, I was nothing short of horrified. The HRC’s investigation provides…
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Australian women who value traditional femininity are less likely to enter politics following the sexism endured by Julia Gillard, a University of Sydney study has found. More than 150 students were asked about their civic participation and aspirations for a career in parliament. Researchers found a correlation between female belief in conventional gender roles and…
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Women are conditioned to live in fear. All over the world. Don’t walk on those streets, don’t wear those clothes, don’t be too intimidating, complex, complicated, loud, because men don’t like that. We live in patriarchal societies in which we pander to male preference. In Nairobi, men on the streets got to do what every…
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‘Let them buy petrol’ The line makes little, if any, sense. The corresponding image is, sadly, a bit dumb for Greens party MP Adam Bandt. As shown below, the meme features a famous portrait of a 12 year old Marie Antoinette, which has been crudely photoshopped to have Joe Hockey’s face over it. It parodies…
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After Joe Hockey announced the Liberal Party’s budget plans for 2014, many people began to panic due to the proposed changes to Australia’s welfare system, in particular Newstart Allowance and the Disability Support Pension. Just to confuse people even further, a report entitled A New System for Better Employment and Social Outcomes was released last…
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In parliament last Wednesday, everyone’s favourite YouTube celebrity/Greens Senator Scott Ludlam challenged Tony Abbott to call a double dissolution, saying ‘if it’s an election you want then bring it on’. The phrase was repeated by Greens leader Christine Milne and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (hopefully with some sassy finger snaps) who have both challenged the…
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When I learnt that ABC Ramp Up is set to be defunded with the new Federal Budget I literally involuntarily yelped ‘Oh my god NO!’ I was still waking up in bed, doing my usual morning Twitter check when I found the news. Tears streamed down my face as I scoured the internet for evidence…
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‘Why should Australian citizens and businesses be taxed, and working women discriminated against, just so that the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff can receive a massive benefit when she gets pregnant?’ This accusatory rhetorical posed by Clive Palmer in a parliamentary debate on Monday has been the talk of the town this week. As…
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My mum once told me that when she quit her job after my younger sister was born to look after my sisters and me full time it was the happiest time of her life. But to really understand that statement you need to know a little bit about my mum. In the speech she gave…
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Ahhh, Tony Abbott, so you’ve done it again, huh? During an interview on ABC Radio Wednesday morning, the Hon. Tony Abbott MP, leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of this dinky-di land of ours, was busted on camera winking and grinning after a caller to the radio show – who wanted to discuss…
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On Tuesday the 13th of May, the federal government’s treasurer Joe Hockey presented the 2014-2015 budget to the Australian Nation in a speech that was broadcast on ABC TV. Throughout the speech Hockey proclaimed that the budget changes were for and about ‘the people.’ However, as a socially conscious individual, I beg to disagree….
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The federal budget, revealed Tuesday night, held few surprises for the Australian public, but it has caused outrage and debate over many of the Coalition’s proposed policies. A large portion of this heated discussion revolves around healthcare, including the changes to Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, cuts to health and hospital funding, and the…
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