The Auspol Daily
[1/2/23] The voice to parliament meets its opposition, Albanese increases cultural funding, Teal Independent sued [4 Minute Read]
The anti-‘Voice to Parliament’ campaign launches
The “recognise a better way” campaign opposing the voice to parliament officially launched on Tuesday (31/1/23), the campaign is being run by the 6 member ‘No Case Committee’ that notably includes NT Senator Jacinta Price and Liberal Candidate Warren Mundine, both ethnically Aboriginal.
The better way referenced in the campaign name refers to support for ‘a preamble in the constitution acknowledging European occupation’. The committees opposition to the voice to parliament proposition is primarily on the grounds that it is “divisive and will do nothing to improve the lives of First Nations people” and “will negatively impact democracy”
While opposing the voice, the ‘No Case Committee’ will be supporting recognition of indigenous Australians in the constitution - while Mr Mundine has suggested constitutional recognition of the “migrants and refugees” who have “contributed to this country”
Sources: ABC, Sky News, 9News, 4bc
PM Albanese ‘Revives’ cultural funding
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the $286 Million ‘Revive’ cultural plan in Melbourne on Monday (30/1/23). The 4 year plan is designed to correct the ‘calculated neglect’ of the previous decade.
Practically speaking this will include creating “quotas for Australian content on streaming services” and establishing “the role of an Australian poet laureate in order to give greater prominence to the literary sector.”
A streaming quota will be implemented “that requires such services to reinvest 20% of their combined estimated $2.4 billion annual revenue into local content would result in the investment of $480 million a year into new Australia content (approximately 400 hours of new content a year).”
$44 Million in funding will also be returned to the Australia Council (to be newly reformed as ‘Creative Australia.’) Creative Australia will then become the home of 4 industry bodies: “Music Australia, Writers Australia, the Centre for Arts and Entertainment Workplaces” as well as a yet unspecified “First Nations-led body”(The Entertainment Australia body will be addressing workplace bullying, sexual harassment and WHS)
Interestingly, Revive will also be “cracking down on fake Indigenous art” among other commitments to Indigenous arts initiatives.
Sources: Artshub, arts.gov.au, ABC
Teal MP Monique Ryan sued over sacking for ‘unreasonable hours’
“High-profile teal independent Monique Ryan is facing court action by her chief-of-staff, who claims the MP tried to sack her after just six months when she refused to work additional “unreasonable” hours.” - Sky News
“But Ms Rugg alleges the hours being asked of her were not reasonable, and the decision to terminate her effective January 31 for refusing to work those hours was therefore not legal.” - Australian Financial Review
Sources: Australian Financial Review, Sky News, news.com.au,
Number of Aboriginal Tasmanians in prison more than doubles in a decade
“By 2021-22, there were 154 Aboriginal prisoners and 479 were non-Indigenous.
That means last financial year, about 24 per cent of Tasmanian prisoners were Aboriginal, compared with 15 per cent 10 years earlier.
About 5.4 per cent of Tasmanian residents identified as Aboriginal in 2021.” - ABC
Sources: ABC
New Western Australia opposition leader and Liberal Party leader chosen
“Newly elected WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has launched an all-out war against influential faction “The Clan”, announcing her intention to strip main powerbroker Nick Goiran of his shadow ministerial portfolios.“ - WAToday
“Ms Mettam took over the Liberal leadership from David Honey in an uncontested spill today.” - ABC
“‘I believe this is a line in the sand, this is a reset for the Liberal Party, this is the reset that the Liberal Party desperately needs,’ Mettam said.” - WAToday