Laura

Refugee advocacy, workplace culture, conduct risk, US & Aus politics| @MonashLawSchool alum | on Wurundjeri land | she/her

[James Massola @jamesmassola]

I think the ACT government’s plastic bag ban was a terrific decision. But the decision by @woolworths to individually plastic-wrap cucumbers (and some other vegetables) defeats the purpose of a plastic ban. Also, why on earth do cucumbers need to be wrapped?

[abc730 @abc730]

"Kerry Stokes financed Ben Roberts-Smith, this defamation fight. This is a media proprietor who should believe in journalism, yet he was waging a huge war against investigative journalism." - Nick McKenzie @Ageinvestigates #abc730

[Stephen Mayne @MayneReport]

Kerry Stokes: “I haven’t had a chance to have a discussion with Ben as yet, but I will when he has had a chance to fully absorb the judgment."

What about apologising for funding the whole fiasco?

Perhaps it's time to surrender control of Seven West to someone more suitable.

[Laura @laurasmithkng]

@Jane8Toner @ptv_official It’s just awful. Waiting on the train. Someone stretchered away. Mood very somber. We’re not at the platform so not sure how we will get off and don’t think our train was involved.

[Australia Institute @TheAusInstitute]

The revenue raised from the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax is less than the money made from beer!

And money from tobacco is *5 times* that from the PRRT. 🤯
We need to tax gas companies properly so the Australian people get a fair share of our resources. #auspol #Budget2023

[Dana Bash @DanaBashCNN]

My visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau this week was one of the most powerful, moving events of my life. My brother and I got to pay tribute to our great-grandparents who were murdered there, and learn more about what likely happened to them.  (1/2)
https://t.co/FrMndD0e0X

[Dr Tracy Westerman AM @TracyWesterman]

The idea Jacinta Price is attacked because she is some kind of lone crusader drawing attention to uncomfortable truths is offensive to so many of us who have campaigned our whole lives to address Indigenous child removals/violence against women
The problem lies in her ‘solutions’

[Brian Rosenwald @brianros1]

Don’t let this story fall through the cracks in a week of truly alarming news. I really can’t recall a single instance in which any Governor basically just moved to immediately overrule a jury verdict.

[Jay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel]

There is an increasing chasm between when people say they support and what they actually do.

We are finding this in our own research: A huge gap between expressed support for things like climate change and actual behavior.

You can see the same dynamic in NIMBYism, DEI, etc.

[JayJay @JayJay91341991]

The wonderful days when we had exceptional journalism on the ABC. Kerry O’Brien is one of a kind.
#voteyes #VoiceToParliament #auspol

[stranger @strangerous10]

Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians NT’s Malarndirri McCarthy slams Peter Dutton & demands he either report any child abuse he is aware of in Alice Springs to police “immediately” or shut his trap & cut the bullshit. Well said Malarndirri!! ❤️ #abcnews

[amante2 @AmeliaBee7]

@strangerous10 Desperate dog-whistling is the tactic of a nasty, incompetent politician with no substance and no policies. Dutton’s relentless and underhanded attempts to direct the narrative around Indigenous communities is exactly why we need to vote YES to the Voice

[Paul Karp @Paul_Karp]

‘Dog act’: NT police minister reacts angrily to Peter Dutton’s claims of Alice Springs child sexual abuse - Lorena Allam
https://t.co/0nXLUwbHgo

[MFWitches @MFWitches]

So here’s a witchy take on something Peter Dutton said on TV this morning. It’s an explanation of some of what he and his party continue to get so, so wrong.

I have a hairdresser I visit every so often in an Aussie country town. She’s lived here for years and is married to a tradie, two small kids. Really lovely person, as hairdressers often are.

Just before the last federal election we started talking politics, for some reason. I’d no idea what her politics were before that. And I can’t remember how, but I do remember what happened next. Which is she told me (out of the blue) that she’d never vote for Morrison.

Of course, I asked her what the issue or issues were that caused her to feel so strongly opposed to the LNP. And she said it was because of her kids. Specifically, that she believed (and so did her husband) their kids’ happiness was paramount and they were both determined that if either or both of their kids were trans, or gay, or bisexual or had any other “difference” of sexuality or gender that they wanted them to always feel fully supported and happy.

She felt really strongly about this - so much so that I was honestly surprised. She also volunteered the info that she’d voted LNP in the past but this one issue had been enough to permanently swing her vote.

I could tell how much this meant to her as she got quite emotional. She said she couldn’t bear to have her kids grow up and feel unwelcome or or suicidal or not equal to others because of their sexuality or being transgender. And she was determined she’d do as much as she could to ensure they always felt accepted. She was talking about Katherine Deves but it was more than that - it was the whole bigoted LNP philosophy she objected to. Not just LGBTIQA+ issues (although that’s where it got her in the feels because of her kids) but because of their general racism, sexism and bigotry as well.

What’s more, she told me this was something regularly discussed in the schoolyard with other parents. All of them felt the same. They wanted their kids to be happy and were prepared to accept them no matter what their sexual preferences or identities they had as they grew into adults. This meant enough to all of them that it hugely influenced how they’d vote.

This isn’t new info. A study which came out just yesterday said something like 20 percent of all Gen Zers now identify as LGBTIQA+ in one way or another. These aren’t young people who’d vote for a party which openly displays the bigotry of the LNP and PHON. And every day, more of them qualify to vote.

This morning, Dutton insulted people in every outer suburb and country area of Australia, by strongly implying most people in those areas are anti-trans. He made a distinction between issues which would be of importance to “inner city areas” (presumably the greeny latte-sipping set he despises), and those which would matter to people in Aston. He intended to insult the inner-city voters, but in fact he insulted the Aston voters (and every voter living further away from big city centres) far more. Because he implied such people care nothing for inclusivity and equality and (even worse) that they have no empathy or compassion for human differences.

The bloke is not only clueless, he’s mean. And not only mean, but stupid. Because all over Australia people are listening to those kinds of comments and deciding he’s a prick. Because all over Australia, parents are deciding their kids’ happiness and safety are more important than other concerns. And because all over Australia, people are deciding that a man who’s such a cruel, nasty shithead towards transgender people must also be a cruel and nasty shithead on many other issues and policies.

It’s not hard to draw that conclusion.

Which the good people of Aston did in fucking spades.

That’s not the only reason the LNP lost Aston, of course, but it can’t be discounted as playing a significant part.

He’s not a smart man.

Ends.

[The National Gathering @yes23au]

"It will be giving coherent advice to the Parliament... through representatives that Indigenous people choose and not politicians choose."

https://t.co/CVNQfibnv7
#yes23 #referendum23 #constitutionalrecognition #indigenousrecognition

[Katina Curtis @katinacurtis]

Clive Palmer is suing Australia for almost $300 billion in damages over his Pilbara iron ore project - and he's enlisted Christian Porter as his lead lawyer https://t.co/Yhuw5jW0ur

[Laura @laurasmithkng]

@dannagal Nothing grinds my gears like apathy re poli sci/outright statements that politics is boring. Profit driven norms of media absolutely broken, as are laws here in Aus re media competition. Domjnance of Murdoch terrifying. Integrity of public broadcasters & ethical journalists =hope

[Laura @laurasmithkng]

@FutureSFB @MayneReport Surprised to see her in the supermarket in line directly behind me yesterday; it took all my strength and decency not to give her a protracted death stare.

[Jane Caro @JaneCaro]

I’ve copped hate, scorn, ridicule, pile ons, even the occasional death threat for my views on women’s rights, Scomo, religion, abortion rights, gun control, climate change, public education, ageism & more but the vitriol from transphobes is next level & very revealing.