Day 33 cont

“The #truth is, in what became an impressive field of advocates, #Albo did more to secure my freedom than any other politician or public figure, even more than the late Pope, whose support was both moving and significant.
Against all expectations for an #Australian politician, once elected, he kept his word.

#Albanese lobbied former US president #JoeBiden at several meetings, pushing for Assange’s release.

Albo hasn’t just stood up to the #US to end the #PoliticalImprisonment of an #Australian – he’s also intervened for other Australians detained in difficult circumstances, including in #China. This government has proven itself unusually capable of rescuing #Australians caught up in #sensitive political situations.

Does this mean Albo will put Australian interests first and skillfully navigate tensions between the US, #EU, and China? I can’t say for sure. But I do know this: He can. Albo did right by me ... You don’t need to be a #bully to have a #backbone.”

#AusPol / #JulianAssange / #veritas <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/may/02/australia-election-2025-live-last-day-campaign-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton-labor-coalition-poll-voting-ntwnfb>

Day 29

“Prime Minister #AnthonyAlbanese has had a colourful visit to a polling booth in the southern #Sydney seat of #Banks, held by the #Liberals.

There was representation from across the political spectrum as volunteers handed out flyers to punters arriving to cast early votes — there was an on-the-ground presence from the Liberals, #Labor, #Greens, #MuslimVotesMatter, #independents, Fatima Payman’s Australia’s #VoiceParty and the #Libertarians.

Australia’s Voice senate candidate #EmanieDarwiche heckling Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Unsurprisingly, then, the reception that Albanese received was mixed. He was loudly heckled by Payman’s NSW Senate candidate, Emanie Darwiche, who cried: “Anthony Albanese, you are committing genocide.”

Another man in a van driving past yelled out: “You’re the reason we’re broke, bro.” The third heckler was in higher spirits. “Hey Albo,” they shouted from their car window, before using an expletive to give the prime minister a very #Australian compliment.”

#AusPol / #Coalition / #Nationals <https://archive.md/o1wRx> / <https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/federal-election-2025-live-updates-anthony-albanese-v-peter-dutton-leaders-debate-reaction-20250427-p5lul8.html?post=p58kgp#p58kgp> (paywall)

Day 29

“A dispute over signage between a #Labor staffer volunteering for #Wills MP #PeterKhalil and a #MuslimVotesMatter volunteer at a pre-polling station in #Brunswick led to police being called and the activist being questioned by officers.

The dispute, along with an argument between minor party #volunteers, prompted the #Australian Electoral Commission on Saturday to note “#physical and #verbal #violence” at the pre-poll booth and to warn #candidates and their teams to treat each other with #respect.”

#AusPol / #Labor / #Victoria / #AEC <https://archive.md/kWwLU> / <https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/victoria-s-hot-seats-live-updates-cost-of-living-in-focus-in-final-week-of-campaigning-20250425-p5lu8k.html?post=p58kh2#p58kh2>

Day 26 cont

“#Indonesia’s ambassador met with senior #Australian #diplomats on Tuesday as the nation was thrust into an election campaign debate about a potential #Russian military presence in the region – and on the same day #AnthonyAlbanese accused #PeterDutton of damaging the bilateral relationship.

Indonesia’s ambassador to Australia, Dr #SiswoPramono, met with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (#DFAT) deputy secretary, #MichelleChan, who leads its south-east Asian policy division. One diplomatic source said Indonesia requested the meeting.

The meeting has been described by multiple sources as part of a regular series of engagements between #Pramono and #Chan, who is also responsible for managing the department’s diplomatic relationship with Indonesia.”

#AusPol / #LNP / #Liberal / #Coalition <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/24/indonesian-ambassador-met-senior-australian-diplomats-on-same-day-albanese-accused-dutton-of-damaging-relationship>

Day 22

“At the time, the International #Monetary #Fund (#IMF) had just released a staff report on Australia's economy which contained this graph of Australian house prices. It shows how #PropertyPrice #inflation had really accelerated in the early 2000s (in real terms, once inflation had been taken into account), which explains why people were so worried.

The index of real property prices in major #Australian #cities jumped by 46 per cent between 2000 and 2003. (Source: International Monetary Fund, Australia, Staff Report for the 2003 Article IV Consultation, September 3, 2003.) In its report, the IMF noted that investor demand was contributing to the property price increases. It said that was understandable, because the expected returns on housing were far outstripping returns on other assets in Australia in the early 2000s.”

"Consequently, by the end of 2002, investor housing accounted for 30 per cent of the stock of housing loans, compared to 18 per cent a decade ago,"

Australians are being played for mugs by the *Investor Class.*

#AusPol / #LNP / #Liberal / #Nationals / #Labor / #HousingCrisis <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-20/when-housing-turned-toxic-captured-in-talkback-chat-with-pm/105155458> / Original transcript <https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-20920>

Day 18 cont

“When it came to #TheGreens, however, #Advance’s research showed that 52 per cent of respondents said the Greens stood for looking after the local environment, water and wildlife, while 26 per cent nominated action on climate change.

Only 20 per cent of respondents said the party stood for nothing. Eight per cent said the Greens were about looking after the #disadvantaged, and 6 per cent saw the party as either #LeftLeaning, #progressive or #socialist.

“There’s 78 per cent of the #Australian people – not just #GreensVoters but all voters – think they either stand for action on climate or protecting the environment,” #MatthewSheahan said. “So, they clearly have the strongest brand in this country, politically.”

#AusPol / #propaganda / #extremism / #DirectAction / #SandraBourke / #AFP <https://archive.md/tvTUg> / <https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2024/08/17/advances-plan-destroy-the-greens> (paywall)