crikey--2020-06-12--Failure to regulate online conspiracy fantasies puts real lives at risk

Online influencers are pushing potentially harmful medical advice — and regulatory bodies seem incapable of stopping them .
This is part two in a series .
Read part one here .
The online conspiracy business has real world consequences .
Medical professionals are concerned that claims from unqualified influencers are increasingly thriving in a vacuum of trust .
In Samoa last year an outbreak of measles killed over 80 children .
At the same time , online anti-vaxxer entrepreneur Tay Winterstein compared the Samoan government to Nazi Germany after Samoa enforced vaccination .
In the US a measles outbreak in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
The Centres for Disease Control reported it was the highest number of cases since 1992 , with the majority being people who were not vaccinated .
The World Health Organisation named “ vaccination hesitancy ” in its top 10 health risks worldwide last year .
Locally , Dr Chris Moy of the Australian Medical Association ( AMA ) told Inq that some patients were objecting even to tetanus injections .
“ It ’ s making our job hard , ” said Moy , chair of the AMA ’ s ethics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ philosophy of the natural versus the artificial ” — a reflection of the message of online influencers .
Yet for all the impact that message is having , Inq ’ s inquiries show that authorities have been largely powerless when it comes to halting the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theory .
Social media platforms Facebook , Instagram and Twitter have been the super spreaders of false information .
Despite promises to rein it in , a study released last week by the UK ’ s Centre for Countering Digital Hate found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 90 % of posts which contained misinformation about coronavirus .
• COVID-19 is a “ false flag ” in order to force compulsory vaccinations • Seven children died in a vaccination trial in Africa .
The study said that the results were “ in stark contrast to public statements made by each social media company claiming to be taking strong action to stamp out coronavirus misinformation ” .
In Australia , one Facebook user ( who asked not to be identified ) told Inq that the 5G-focused Facebook group they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid being shut down by Facebook .
It ’ s now named “ Sydney For Safe Technology ” .
The group member said the group had battled to keep out those who linked 5G to the spread of coronavirus , though they claimed that Bill Gates ( a target of derision among conspiracy theory groups for his vocal role in tackling the spread of viruses ) was seeking to control the world ’ s population through a project called “ ID2020 “ .
“ What medical qualifications does Bill Gates have to talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And what of the power of medical regulators to stop false claims made by online operators such as celebrity chef Pete Evans and Winterstein — who has leveraged her marriage to NRL player Frank Winterstein .
The Therapeutic Goods Administration moved quickly to stop Evans selling a quack device which he suggested would work against the coronavirus .
But Australia ’ s health system is not nearly as effective when it comes to stopping false claims that have an impact on public health .
A key problem is that there is no unified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Bloody hopeless ” is the judgement of Ken McLeod , who has been working to bring to account those who make quack medical claims .
McLeod worked as a senior federal bureaucrat and is a member of Friends of Science in Medicine , an organisation of health experts formed in 2011 to emphasise the importance of basing Australian healthcare on evidence , scientifically sound research and established scientific knowledge .
McLeod has been working , unpaid , along with a group of other researchers , doctors and scientists , to gather the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became involved in debunking anti-vaxxer claims more than a decade ago after anti-vaccination activists launched a personal attack on the parents of Dana McCaffery , who died from whooping cough at just four weeks old .
The McCaffreys lived in an area that had low immunisation rates .
Following the death of Dana , they became vocal proponents of vaccination — and targets of anti-vaxxers .
“ The parents got a tsunami of abuse , ” McLeod said .
McLeod also saw his younger sister battle the effects of polio from age five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into my brain ” .
McLeod told Inq that authorities have failed to act on hundreds of complaints over the years .
“ Regulators are short of resources and regulatory powers , ” he said .
“ One of our major criticisms is that we give them detailed information and all they do is send out warning letters.
” McLeod charges that chiropractors in particular have “ failed to clean up their act ” and continue to harbour anti-vaxxers in their ranks .
A spokesperson for the Chiropractic Board of Australia said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had taken action “ in response to a number of concerns raised about practitioners who have advocated against evidence-based vaccination programs ” .
This included restricting practitioners ’ work “ when there was a serious risk to the public ” .
In NSW the Health Care Complaints Commission ( HCCC ) has published public health warnings on a handful of individuals and organisations that promote anti-vaccination messages .
In 2014 the HCCC warned that one group , the Australian Vaccination-risks Network ( AVN ) , “ does not provide reliable information in relation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
The HCCC considered the AVN ’ s dissemination of “ misleading , misrepresented and incorrect information ” was likely to “ detrimentally affect ” clinical management or care .
Despite that warning , made in 2014 , the AVN has continued unbowed .
Earlier this year the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) was forced to ask the AVN to stop using the WHO logo on a misleading press release posted to Facebook .
The post was shared 30,000 times before it was removed , according to the AVN .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral because it told the truth about vaccination ” .
The NSW HCCC has not responded to Inq ’ s questions on why it has not used its powers of prohibition when it comes to false health claims made by celebrity influences and bloggers .
NSW Health said it doesn ’ t have a regulatory role on the spread of misinformation .
Instead , it said , it conducts education and awareness campaigns with a focus on areas that have been “ vaccine resistant ” .
But indications are that the zealots of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little regard for regulations .
Late last year , for example , one anti-vaxxer posed as a federal official to order a Melbourne clinic to remove vaccine posters .
On social media , anti-vaxxers and 5G conspiracy theorists have sidestepped attempts to block their messaging by casting themselves as pro-freedom or pro- “ informed choice ” .
The AMA ’ s Moy told Inq that social media operators like Winterstein are themselves profiting from an undeclared “ secondary gain ” in terms of how they monetise their social media brands .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctor would get struck off if we failed to declare payments , ” he said .
Moy , though , warned that stopping free speech was not the way to counter online celebrities .
“ We need to get influencers who are credible within a given group and will strike a chord within that community to counter misinformation , ” he said .
“ We need to do it .
”

This is part two in a series. Read part one here.
The online conspiracy business has real world consequences. Medical professionals are concerned that claims from unqualified influencers are increasingly thriving in a vacuum of trust.
In Samoa last year an outbreak of measles killed over 80 children. At the same time, online anti-vaxxer entrepreneur Tay Winterstein compared the Samoan government to Nazi Germany after Samoa enforced vaccination.


crikey--2020-06-12--How the Australian economy was born on the back of slave labour. Yes, slaves.

Slavery , indentured work and stolen wages are n't just an ugly part of Australia 's history — they 're the basis of much of our early economic growth .
It wasn ’ t just determination and hard yakka that built Australia ’ s prosperity .
It was unpaid , coercive and forced labour off the backs of black workers .
Australia ’ s history of slavery is — as Prime Minister Scott Morrison made apparent yesterday — poorly understood and often denied .
( The PM has today apologised and sought to clarify his statement . )
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ servitude , exploitation or stolen wages , Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders — and men kidnapped from Melanesia — played a massive role in developing Australia into the wealthy country it is today .
One of the reasons for denial of Australia ’ s dark past was due to the legal definitions around slavery , says Monash University law professor and Castan Centre for Human Rights associate Dr Stephen Gray .
Slavery was legally abolished in 1833 in most British colonies — though the illegal slave trade was often ignored by authorities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened with Indigenous people qualified as slavery as it wasn ’ t actually legal , ” he told Crikey .
Critics argue retrospectively applying the modern United Nations definition of slavery to Australia ’ s history isn ’ t fair .
“ [ But ] there was a body of opinion back then that what was happening was slavery .
The picture shows people understood what it was , ” Gray said .
For example , a newspaper excerpt from 1863 details the “ first time [ Queenslanders ] were made aware that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referencing a “ cargo of miserable wretches ” .
“ Roving stockmen driving parties of miners would get hold of Indigenous people and keep them as slaves , ” Gray said .
Importantly , the definition of slavery is rubbery : “ Australia ’ s history is not just slavery .
It ’ s servitude and exploitation and stolen wages and stolen trust funds , ” he said .
Often Indigenous people were exploited on a large scale through limited payment and no freedom of mobility .
How did slavery and exploitation contribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sex slaves on cattle farms and cane fields , Australia ’ s pastoral land developed largely thanks to the exploitation of the Indigenous population .
Slaves were widely imported by Robert Towns , one of the most prolific “ blackbirders ” in Australian history .
He has a statue in Townsville , the city which bears his name .
Towns imported “ many hundreds ” of so-called “ savages ” from Melanesia , often through kidnapping and coercion .
His reasoning ?
“ I came to the conclusion that cotton-growing upon a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Queensland , or be carried out by cheaper labour , ” he wrote in a letter to the colonial secretary of Queensland in 1863 .
His huge and profitable estate in Logan had its own cotton gin , sawmill and a small hospital .
Elsewhere , the Vestey family made its fortune in cattle farms at Wave Hill station in the Northern Territory .
The family more than doubled its yield across 10 years in the 1800s , with entire families of the Indigenous Gurindji people working for rations .
A report from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in squalor and were exposed to sexual abuse , child labour and unsafe drinking water .
Mistreatment of locals , along with anger over stolen land , led to the famous 1966 Wave Hill Walk-Off .
The Vastey family business is still going strong today .
But Australia ’ s slavery profits go back even further , says University of NSW professor of international and political studies Clinton Fernandes .
“ The single largest destination of British foreign investment throughout the second half of the 19th century was Australia , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development , the wealth of which “ came out of exported colonies , through indentured labour ” .
Colonist landowners would collect tax .
Those unable to pay tax would be forced to work off their debt on farms — the proceeds of which would be reinvested into Australia .
“ The slave trade created the basis for capital ascent in the west in Europe .
It profited off and created the basis for its rise , ” Fernandes told Crikey .
Why is this still not widely known ?
Industry professor at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Young told Crikey that little of this history is taught in schools .
“ I ’ d certainly like to see the history of the establishment of the pastoral industry , and all of the agricultural industries , taught in schools , ” she said .
“ The loss of land and exclusion from the employment market is obviously the reason for the ‘ wealth gap ’ we see today.
” While a lot of Australia ’ s knowledge centres around the Northern Territory , Young said that Indigenous history and exploitation needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ For the PM not to understand the history — it speaks to the need for truth-telling .
For the truth to be part of the national narrative , ” she said .
Is the Australian public ignorant when it comes to the history of exploitation in our country ?
Let us know your thoughts by writing to [ email protected ] .
Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey ’ s Your Say section .

It wasn’t just determination and hard yakka that built Australia’s prosperity. It was unpaid, coercive and forced labour off the backs of black workers.
Australia’s history of slavery is — as Prime Minister Scott Morrison made apparent yesterday — poorly understood and often denied. (The PM has today apologised and sought to clarify his statement.)
But the fact is, either through slavery, servitude, exploitation or stolen wages, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders — and men kidnapped from Melanesia — played a massive role in developing Australia into the wealthy country it is today.


crikey--2020-06-12--The thin blue line: fine balance between police union power and justice

Even when police officers are charged with murder , powerful and politically connected unions rush to protect them .
Last November , when Northern Territory police constable Zachary Rolfe was charged with murder over the death of Indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker , it felt like a step in the right direction for those fighting for justice for the 19 year old .
“ I am overwhelmed for the news today , ” Yuendumu elder Ned Hargraves told the ABC .
But for one group , it was a sign that things were heading the wrong way .
The Police Federation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national peak union body that represents 63,000 police officers around the country , immediately rallied in support of Rolfe and slammed the charge brought against him .
PFA chief executive Scott Weber said he was “ absolutely appalled and disgusted ” .
“ It was absolutely shocking for police officers around the country to see someone out there doing their job , protecting the community , get charged with murder , ” he was reported as saying .
In the wake of the resurgent Black Lives Matter movement that has brought with it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody , the way in which powerful and politically connected police unions rush to protect their officers — even in the most extreme circumstances — is coming under scrutiny .
While it ’ s a union ’ s job to stand by its members , legal experts say the strategy validates the officer ’ s actions and can end up undermining the work of the courts , as well as efforts to hold police accountable .
“ There is a direct impact on the trial and on justice , ” Thalia Anthony , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Technology Sydney , told Inq .
“ If there wasn ’ t that organised support for the officer , there would be a greater capacity for people to understand that the wrongdoing is about individual responsibility.
” The Rolfe case is far from an isolated example of the police unions standing by a member accused of the murder of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander .
In February , the WA police union stood by the officer charged with the murder of Yamatji woman Joyce Clarke , who was shot dead in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 000 asking for a welfare check .
“ We stand by the police officer 100 % and will do throughout this ordeal , ” union president Harry Arnott said .
In the case of Chris Hurley , the first Australian police officer to be charged over an Aboriginal death in custody , support from the Queensland Police Union ( QPU ) was unwavering .
Hurley was charged with manslaughter and assault over the death of Mulrunji Doomadgee on Palm Island in November 2004 , sparking police across Queensland to brandish blue wristbands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ even before the trial began , the union lashed out at the coroner ’ s findings that Mulrunji ’ s death had been caused by Hurley .
“ She ’ s [ the coroner ] used unreliable evidence from a drunk to support these claims , ” the then QPU president Gary Wilkinson reportedly said .
The QPU continued to stand by Hurley even after he was convicted of grabbing another man by the throat in 2016 , saying he would never get a “ fair go ” .
In 2018 , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 30 million class action settlement with Palm Island residents over the protests that followed Mulrunji ’ s death , QPU president Ian Leavers rejected the suggestion that police in these communities act in a racist manner .
“ I believe it is the police themselves who deserve the apology , ” he said .
In the US , the role of police unions has also come under scrutiny following the death of George Floyd .
The Minneapolis Police Department is withdrawing from police union contract negotiations as part of efforts to dismantle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here , the PFA ’ s Scott Weber defended the role of police unions , saying they had a duty to support their members in welfare , industrial relations and legal matters .
“ With the matters that are currently underway in the Northern Territory and Western Australia , the unions and associations are giving their members full support , ” he told Crikey .
But former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Palmer said that unions should ensure they know all the facts before supporting members .
“ Police Associations , like all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members [ but ] sometimes they might do that a bit too strenuously , ” he said .
Alison Whittaker , a Gomeroi law scholar and research fellow at Jumbunna Institute , UTS , said the influence of police unions extended beyond public comments .
“ In Coroners Courts , too , police unions and bodies frequently turn up to support one another , and turn up with support staff , even if they are witnesses in the same inquest , ” she said .
“ I have been to inquests where half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , and the family and the public has occupied only two rows .
I think it makes it really difficult to say with a straight face , especially of inquests where state investigators within both police organisations and corrections are the ones who prepare the evidence handed up to the coroner , that these are impartial processes.
” Professor Anthony said the unions ’ support for officers , even once they ’ ve been charged with a serious offence , undermines the “ bad apples ” argument often rolled out in defence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that kind of organised defence of deaths in custody it sends a really powerful message to the community that we should value the police officers ’ standpoint [ over others ] , and that they ’ re just doing their job , ” she said .
“ It ’ s quite a strategic move to vindicate the officers .
”

Last November, when Northern Territory police constable Zachary Rolfe was charged with murder over the death of Indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker, it felt like a step in the right direction for those fighting for justice for the 19 year old.
“I am overwhelmed for the news today,” Yuendumu elder Ned Hargraves told the ABC.
But for one group, it was a sign that things were heading the wrong way.


crikey--2020-06-12--Quiet Australians good, noisy ones bad: Morrison’s double standards make it clear whose lives matter

Quiet Australians good, noisy ones bad: Morrison’s double standards make it clear whose lives matter most

The Morrison government wants people to go out , gather together and spend money .
Just do n't protest .
It ’ s becoming very hard to understand the tangled logic of the Morrison government , its media cheerleaders , and business , over remaining lockdown restrictions .
On the one hand , recalcitrant states — mainly Labor states — should end border closures and start opening up their tourism sectors .
“ We need to get planes flying around Australia , ” Scott Morrison says .
“ If you want to see planes flying around Australia , we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says “ closed borders cost jobs .
The states should go the full hog .
They should lift those borders immediately.
” The federal government also welcomed states returning to full-time schooling — an issue over which the most furious arguments were held in the national cabinet at the height of the pandemic .
As for mass gatherings in protests , Morrison is — or was — relaxed .
When far-right protesters gathered to oppose lockdown restrictions in early May — including US-imported QAnon conspiracy theorists , with whom Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanguine , saying he understood their “ anxieties and frustrations … it ’ s a free country , people will make their protest and make their voices heard.
” But when progressive protesters gather , it ’ s a different story .
Black Lives Matter protesters should be arrested and charged , Morrison said yesterday , contrasting them with “ you know , millions of quiet Australians who have done the right thing ” .
White , far-right protesters ?
It ’ s a free country ( maybe Morrison regards them as honorary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Progressives and Indigenous protesters ?
Lock ’ em up .
To the extent that there ’ s a clear message from the government , News Corp outlets ( which are in full Culture War mode against Black Lives Matter advocates ) , and business leaders complaining about protests , it ’ s that we should get back to the business of spending money — travelling , going to restaurants , pubs and tourism facilities and normal activities like taking the kids to school — but shouldn ’ t engage in active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the famous phrase goes , “ Consume , Be Silent , Die ” .
Indeed , Morrison went even further , yesterday .
“ It puts others ’ lives and livelihoods at risk , ” he said about Black Lives Matter protesters .
“ They didn ’ t seem to be that concerned about [ ‘ quiet Australians ’ ] health , or their businesses or their jobs.
” Protesters could recklessly kill Quiet Australians , in the view of the nation ’ s leader .
Except , no one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more cases of infection as lockdown restrictions are removed .
The point of “ flattening the curve ” was that governments could lift restrictions because the health system is now far better placed to handle any increase in COVID-19 cases .
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told parents that school infections and closures should be expected to increase .
“ This is likely to occur on a more regular basis when schools go back.
” Kids getting infected in schools should be expected .
People getting infected at protests , however , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard becomes something more when Morrison couples his condemnation of Black Lives Matter protests with an assertion that Australian history features no slavery ( a comment he has since walked back ) and that “ important issues here in Australia , [ are ] now getting hijacked by the usual sort of band of noise makers who just want to make an attack on Australia and its society .
And , you know , they ’ ve got to pull their heads in ” .
Again with the “ noise ” theme .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quiet , evidently .
The argument that Australia has a few problems , sure , but there was no slavery and these protesters have hijacked legitimate issues , is an argument for the status quo on Indigenous policy .
That status quo is that every year , the prime minister stands up in parliament and — sincerely — laments how we ’ ve failed yet again to make progress on closing the gap in educational , economic and health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians , and how we need to engage Indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that proposals for an Indigenous voice — the very embodiment of the idea of a more central policymaking role for Indigenous communities — are dismissed and demonised by racists within the government .
The status quo is that Indigenous Australians continue to die nearly a decade younger than non-Indigenous Australians and live in much poorer health for most of their lives .
Maintaining the status quo will kill far more Indigenous people than Morrison ’ s threat of Black Lives Matter protesters killing Quiet Australians .
But which lives matter ?
Is Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who does he really stand for ?
Let us know your thoughts by writing to [ email protected ] .
Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey ’ s Your Say section .

It’s becoming very hard to understand the tangled logic of the Morrison government, its media cheerleaders, and business, over remaining lockdown restrictions.
On the one hand, recalcitrant states — mainly Labor states — should end border closures and start opening up their tourism sectors. “We need to get planes flying around Australia,” Scott Morrison says. “If you want to see planes flying around Australia, we need to open up these domestic borders.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says “closed borders cost jobs. The states should go the full hog. They should lift those borders immediately.”


crikey--2020-06-15--Health officials’ protest advice puts public trust at risk

Warnings from health officials against protesting , while pubs and restaurants are allowed to open , are inconsistent .
Australians have been prepared , so far , to accept that measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are based on sound medical advice .
This has led to a remarkable degree of compliance with lockdown and isolation and reduced the spread of the virus .
There is clear evidence that distancing has been effective in reducing COVID-19 infections .
There is an argument that Australia ’ s lockdown was harsher than needed , but by and large the public has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That trust may not last if medical advisers display inconsistency in their advice about risks of infection .
Official medical warnings to people not to attend Black Lives Matter protests have struck an inconsistent note .
Some medical voices supported the protests — notably the Public Health Association of Australia pointed out that racism is a real and ever-present public health issue .
However , official Australian government medical advisers including the chief medical officer issued stern warnings for people not to protest .
There were similar messages in NSW and Victoria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fitted in with the other major social event for many Australians this weekend and last — restaurants and bars .
In Victoria , venues were limited to 20 patrons ( which will increase from next week ) .
In NSW , bars , pubs and restaurants could serve up to 50 patrons ( a limit that will be lifted at the end of the month ) , with one customer per four square metres and groups of not more than 20 .
Four metres per person is the theory .
In practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old pub knows there are always odd spaces where nobody can sit anyway — spaces that count towards the total per person .
Groups were allowed , so people sat next to each other on big tables .
It ’ s possible chief medical officers had a different concept of what restaurants would be like under the rules : visions of tables placed discreetly apart , starched white tablecloths and quiet conversation as waiters silently drift among separated diners .
A more common sight down the pub was people sitting down together , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parmis , loud , alcoholic , cheery and determinedly un-isolated .
Multiply that across tens of thousands of venues and the total numbers exposed are much higher than those attending protest marches .
Transmission of COVID-19 is significantly higher in enclosed spaces ( by almost 19 times , according to one Japanese study ) .
Bars and restaurants pose a much higher risk than an outdoor event .
Black Lives Matter protests the previous weekend had attracted crowds of up to 10,000 , and this weekend ’ s events in Perth and Darwin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The risks of these were low , primarily due to being outdoors , of limited duration , and maintaining distances between people .
Even if a rally attracts thousands of people , nobody goes round hugging or breathing on every other attendee .
People stay in their own small groups .
An individual attendee has contact with only a few people .
Organisers of the Black Lives Matter protests have been taking care to minimise risks , including encouraging distancing and advising attendees to wear masks .
There will be more cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marches will make little if any difference to the number .
The discovery that one Black Lives Matter protester in Melbourne had tested positive was seized on by anti-protest commentators prematurely .
We need to wait to see whether it leads further .
It may translate into further cases — but given the evidence on low transmission in outdoor environments , probably will not .
If , by contrast , all bar and restaurant patrons were tested — a hypothetical scenario , infeasible with current testing regimes — chances are many more positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single one in Melbourne .
We expect inconsistency in politicians .
Last Friday in Crikey Bernard Keane excoriated the current display of double standards over protest warnings .
Medical advisers , however , should be more balanced .
If medical advice is one-sided , biased against some forms of social gathering and favouring others , people will quickly lose trust in it .
Should health officials be more balanced with their advice ?
Let us know your thoughts by writing to [ email protected ] .
Please include your full name to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your Say column .

Australians have been prepared, so far, to accept that
measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are based on sound medical advice. This
has led to a remarkable degree of compliance with lockdown and isolation and
reduced the spread of the virus.
There is clear evidence that distancing has been effective
in reducing COVID-19 infections. There is an argument that Australia’s lockdown
was harsher than needed, but by and large the public has been prepared to trust
the medical advice.
That trust may not last if medical advisers display
inconsistency in their advice about risks of infection.


crikey--2020-06-15--Coronavirus travel ban | When will international flights reopen in Australia?

When will the coronavirus travel ban be lifted ?
When will we be allowed to work and holiday overseas ?
We share the latest schools of thought on when we are likely to be boarding a plane again .
The majority of us have felt the after-effects of the coronavirus travel ban .
Most of us are chomping at the bit to know when international flights will be open again , for a variety of reasons .
Here ’ s what we ’ re hearing when it comes to international travel .
Australia ’ s borders are currently closed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only Australian citizens , residents and immediate family members ( spouses , de facto partners , dependent children , legal guardians ) can travel to Australia .
Citizens of New Zealand who reside in Australia may also re-enter the country .
Travellers who have compassionate or compelling reasons to enter Australia may apply for an exemption .
On returning to Australia , travellers will need to be quarantined for 14 days , and more vigorous health screening on arrival may also apply .
Since March 25 , all overseas travel by Australian citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australian citizens and permanent residents who wish to depart from Australia will need to apply for an exemption to do so .
The limited exceptions to the travel bans in place include : • Your travel is of national interest • Your travel is on compassionate or humanitarian grounds • Your travel is related to unavoidable/urgent personal business • Your travel is due to a need to access medical care that is not available in Australia • Your travel is for essential/critical industries and/or businesses • Your travel is part of the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those who need to depart from Australia for the above reasons may apply for a travel exemption here .
International visitors have been encouraged to leave the country , with the knowledge that they may be able to re-enter Australia in the future if certain entry conditions allow them to do so .
When will the coronavirus travel ban be lifted ?
There is no set date as to when the coronavirus travel ban will be lifted .
There was no information about when international travel will re-open included in Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery .
As it stands , Scott Morrison says the government is not even considering international travel .
First borders within Australia will be re-opening , and then travel to and from New Zealand will be considered for citizens and permanent residents of Australia .
In a press conference on May 13 , Alexandre de Junaic , CEO of the International Air Transport Association ( IATA ) said that : “ International travel can not restart under the current conditions .
In a recent survey that we did in 11 markets , • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures were one of their top concerns ; and • 69 % essentially said that they would not return to travel under such conditions.
” Further , de Junaic said it may take until 2023 for air travel to return to 2019 levels , however , he also said that by the end of 2020 , the airline industry could be back to 50-55 % capacity .
At this point , there is no solid evidence or data to back this claim up .
Furthermore , it is almost impossible to determine when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severity of the COVID-19 crisis is existing in such stark contrasts across the globe .
It is unlikely that international travel to and from Europe , the UK and the US will all kick off on the same dates .
In contrast to de Juniac ’ s guesstimation of when travel will re-commence , Flight Centre boss Graham Turner told the ABC he believes travel will be back to pre-coronavirus pandemic levels by this coming August , September or October .
Something tells me this is unlikely .
Unfortunately , we do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate as to when the coronavirus travel ban will be lifted , or when we will be able to take international flights once again .
When we do , we will make sure this article is updated to keep you informed on movements as they happen .
Read : Can you get coronavirus twice ?

The majority of us have felt the after-effects of the coronavirus travel ban.
Most of us are chomping at the bit to know when international flights will be open again, for a variety of reasons. Here’s what we’re hearing when it comes to international travel.
Current restrictions on international travel
Arriving in Australia


crikey--2020-06-15--When will gyms open in Australia?

When will gyms open in Australia?

When will you be able to go back to the gym ?
Here are the latest details on when gyms will be opening in each state and territory .
When will gyms open in Australia ?
At this point , the majority of us are sick of wine on the couch , scrolling through social media , and the tightening of our waistbands that potentially shrunk in the wash but probably actually shrunk because you ’ ve been having a median of 16 slices of banana bread per week .
At this point , we might even go as far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , when will gyms open in Australia ?
Here ’ s a state-by-state and territory-by-territory update on when gyms will be open again across Australia .
Gyms in New South Wales opened on June 13 .
At this point , public beaches have begun to open again so residents can resume swimming and surfing for exercise .
Outdoor boot camps with 10 people have also been reintroduced in public outdoor areas .
Non-contact sports with up to 10 people are also permitted as long as social distancing rules are adhered to .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on June 22 .
Currently , Victorians are allowed to partake in outdoor sports such as golf , athletics , hiking , fishing and playing football with up to 10 players , so long as those taking part adhere to the social distancing rules in place .
Bootcamps with up to 10 people in outdoor public areas will now also be allowed for residents of Victoria .
Professional training for NRL and AFL has resumed .
Gyms in Queensland opened on June 13 , the date when the state is expected to enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s recovery plan .
Gyms are now allowed up to 20 patrons at a time .
Gyms will need to ensure thorough sanitisation of gym equipment , as well as social distancing during sweat sessions .
Currently , Queenslanders are allowed to partake in outdoor activities .
Up to 10 people can play non-contact sports , attend out-door boot camps and group training sessions .
Gyms in Western Australia opened on May 18 , as the state entered stage two of the recovery plan .
Gyms in Western Australia are open for 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preliminary stage , patrons will be asked to bring as much of their own equipment as they can , such as yoga mats and boxing gloves .
Gyms will be avoiding the use of shared equipment during work-out sessions where possible and each business has been instructed to follow strict cleaning schedules to ensure that adequate disinfection is in place .
Ten people can now meet in Western Australia for recreational purposes , including outdoor boot camps and non-contact sports , as long as social distancing is in place .
Gyms in Tasmania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swimming pools and other indoor sporting venues as the state commences stage two of the recovery plan .
Residents of Tasmania are allowed to gather in groups of 10 for outdoor , socially safe recreational activities , such as exercising horses , boating , fishing and group fitness in outdoor areas , following the 1.5-metre rule .
Gyms in South Australia are allowed to open their doors to 20 patrons at a time .
Currently , 10 people are allowed to gather in groups for outdoor activities and a limited number of outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Northern Territory are open .
Local gyms have been open since May 15 , with strict cleaning and social distancing rules in place .
Gyms in the Australian Capital Territory opened on May 30 , gyms are allowed to open for 20 people .
Read : Can you have sex during the coronavirus pandemic ?

When will gyms open in Australia? At this point, the majority of us are sick of wine on the couch, scrolling through social media, and the tightening of our waistbands that potentially shrunk in the wash but probably actually shrunk because you’ve been having a median of 16 slices of banana bread per week.
At this point, we might even go as far as saying we miss the gym.
So, when will gyms open in Australia?
Here’s a state-by-state and territory-by-territory update on when gyms will be open again across Australia.


crikey--2020-06-15--Nine anti-racist books you need to read

Nine anti-racist books you need to read

Wondering how to better educate yourself on the lives of POC ?
Look no further .
Here are nine award-winning anti-racist books we recommend you read to help better understand the lives of people of colour .
The list include both fiction and nonfiction books , so there ’ s something for everyone .
Nine anti-racist books you need to read • What Doesn ’ t Kill You Makes You Blacker • How To Be Antiracist • I Am Not Your Baby Mother Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad started as an Instagram challenge in which Saad encouraged followers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for , their often unintended participation in white supremacy and the contributions they may be making against black people , Indigenous Australians and people of colour .
Me and White Supremacy : A 28-Day Challenge to Combat Racism , Change the World , and Become a Good Ancestor is one of the few anti-racist books that includes a workbook ; it is designed to bring readers on a journey of understanding their white privilege .
The book helps readers to proactively understand their internal perspectives through its cultural context .
Expect an eye-opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism as it is experienced today .
Girl , Woman , Other by Bernardine Evaristo follows the lives of 12 women in the United Kingdom over several decades .
The interlinked stories of the characters raise evergreen questions around both racism and feminism .
Girl , Woman , Other speaks to experiences of struggle , marginalisation and hardship , shining a lens on a world that is not often discussed .
Where there is struggle and pain , there is also joy and imagination .
Where the reader is presented with a world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to , they are still presented with universal themes — most notably , love .
White Fragility , a book and term by Robin DiAngelo , who investigates why white people become defensive when the topic of racism arises .
DiAngelo , a diversity and inclusion training facilitator , first coined the term “ white fragility ” in a 2011 article in which she made sense of why white people tend to feel attacked when racism is discussed .
In the book , she articulates numerous examples that act as an eye-opening manual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves as ‘ woke ’ .
Expect historical references mingled with present-day examples of racism in the United States , and proactive steps you can start taking now to break down the bedrock of racism within your own surroundings .
Slay In Your Lane by Elizabeth Uviebinené and Yomi Adegoke — who met at university aged 18 , and co-wrote this book aged 25 — is part celebration , and part self-help book written by and for black women .
Slay In Your Lane is packed with real-life anecdotes and interviews with iconic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What Doesn ’ t Kill You Makes You Blacker What Doesn ’ t Kill You Make You Blacker by Damon Young chronicles his experiences of racism in the United States , including anecdotes of failures in the healthcare systems to which he lost his mother ; expectations around how he should present his masculinity as a black male ; and the injustices he faces for being black .
The reader is taking on a journey of emotive consciousness .
What Doesn ’ t Kill You Makes You Blacker a book that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better .
How To Be An Antiracist How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi does exactly what it says on the tin , or book cover .
It ’ s one of the anti-racist books that couldn ’ t be more relevant and necessary today .
Ibram X. Kendi is founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University in Washington , DC .
Kendi connects his personal experiences of growing up in Queens with the history of racism in America , up to the present day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture , class , colour , gender , sexuality and ethnicity .
Kendi leads by example by addressing his own ideas in an insightful and all-encompassing discussion on what it means to be black in the United States today .
I Am Not Your Baby Mother I Am Not Your Baby Mother is a book by Candice Brathwaite , who was frustrated by the fact that she did not feel represented in memoirs of motherhood .
Brathwaite takes her readers through the reality of what it is to be a mother , behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glossy imagery of mostly white mothers .
I Am Not Your Baby Mother is part memoir , part guide to the modern challenges that Brathwaite faces as a black mother .
This is Brathwaite ’ s personal attempt to create more colour equality in the media around representations of motherhood .
My Place , by Sally Morgan , is an autobiography that unearths political and societal issues contained within Australia ’ s indigenous culture .
Sally Morgan travelled to her grandmother ’ s birthplace , starting a search for information about her family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white but Aboriginal — information that was kept a secret because of the stigma of society .
This moving account is a classic of Australian literature that finally frees the tongues of the author ’ s mother and grandmother , allowing them to tell their own stories .
Talking To My Country by Stan Grant is an autobiography about Grant ’ s life as an Indigenous Australian .
As correspondent for CNN , Grant travelled to the Middle East , Africa , and Asia to cover stories of conflict .
Seeing humanity living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass destruction spoke to his own story of sacrifice , endurance , and the undying call of family and homeland .
In the lives of other dispossessed people , he saw his own .
Talking To My Country is a book that examines the after-effects of colonialism on everyday racism ; his main message is that we must not become complacent towards the inequalities that exist today .
Read : How many Indigenous deaths in custody have been recorded ?

Here are nine award-winning anti-racist books we recommend you read to help better understand the lives of people of colour.
The list include both fiction and nonfiction books, so there’s something for everyone.
Nine anti-racist books you need to read


crikey--2020-06-15--What is the Indigenous incarceration rate in Australia?

In December 2019 , the rate was 2,536 prisoners per 100,000 adults in the Aboriginal population , compared to 218 prisoners per 100,000 adults in the non-Aboriginal population .
What 's happening now ?
The Indigenous incarceration rate in Australia is 2,589 prisoners per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults , according to the March figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics ( ABS ) .
The male imprisonment rate is 4,682 prisoners per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult men , and the female imprisonment rate is 523 persons per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 223 persons per 100,000 adults , increasing from 218 persons , in the December quarter in 2019 .
According to ABS , the Northern Territory continues to have the highest Indigenous imprisonment rate at 971 prisoners per 100,000 adults .
Western Australia had the second highest at 351 , and the Australian Capital Territory had the lowest at 133 .
Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults make up around 2 % of the Australian population , they constitute 27 % of the national prison population .
Indigenous leader Tom Calma has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time it has taken to reach a decision about reducing incarceration rates .
Calma called for a target on Indigenous incarceration rates in 2006 , and again in 2016 .
Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt says that a decision is expected to be reached and announced in early July .
The imprisonment rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has increased 12 times faster than the rate for non-Aboriginal people since 1989 , according to Creative Spirits .
In December 2019 , the Indigenous incarceration rate was 2,536 prisoners per 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 218 prisoners per 100,000 in the non-Aboriginal population .
Read : How many Indigenous deaths in custody have been recorded ?

The Indigenous incarceration rate in Australia is 2,589 prisoners per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, according to the March figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The male imprisonment rate is 4,682 prisoners per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult men, and the female imprisonment rate is 523 persons per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult women.
The average daily imprisonment rate was 223 persons per 100,000 adults, increasing from 218 persons, in the December quarter in 2019.


crikey--2020-06-15--Here are the Indigenous charities you should be supporting

Here is a ( non-exhaustive ) list of the Indigenous charities you should consider supporting if you are hoping to make a difference .
Which Indigenous charities and campaigns should you be supporting ?
Following the death of George Floyd and the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests , you may be asking yourself how you can make a difference .
Before we delve into the Indigenous charities and campaigns you may consider supporting , here are some key statistics to keep in mind : • More than 400 Indigeneous Australians have died in police custody since the royal commission in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the national population but represent 27 % of the prison population • Indigenous suicide increased from 5 % of total Australian suicides in 1991 , to 50 % in 2010 , especially among those aged 10-24 years of age • Thirty-three pre cent of Indigenous adults reported high levels of psychological distress in 2014-15 , and hospitalisations for self-harm increased by 56 % between 2004-05 and 2014-15 • Indigenous children were almost 10 times more likely to be placed in out of home care than non-Indigenous children in 2015-16 .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may consider supporting : The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by actions including the forced removal of children from their families .
Donate here .
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation strives to make a difference to the lives of Indigenous families by gifting thousands of new culturally appropriate books — with a focus on early literacy and first language — and by running programs to inspire the communities to tell and publish their own stories .
Donate here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( NAAJA ) works with Aboriginal communities , and key government and non-government stakeholders , to deliver services in a professional , culturally proficient and community sensitive manner .
The NAAJA Criminal and Civil Law services are delivered throughout the Northern Territory .
Donate here .
ANTaR is an independent , national network of organisations and individuals working to support justice , rights and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia .
ANTaR ’ s mission is to engage , educate and mobilise a broad community movement to advocate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s First Peoples .
Donate here .
Yalari identifies children who are doing well at primary school and gives them the opportunity to be educated at some of the best boarding schools throughout Australia .
Yalari aims to provide young Indigenous people with the ideas and skills to help them pursue their goals and dreams .
Donate here .
There are also active GoFundMe campaigns for the families of those who have lost loved ones to police brutality , including : In 2015 , David Dungay ( 26 ) died in Long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to police brutality .
This GoFundMe page was set up by his mother Leetona Rose Dungay .
Funds received from this page will be used to cover expenses , such travel costs to attend rallies and campaign events around our country .
It will also cover legal expenses , accommodation and food for the family while they are campaigning .
Donate here .
Kumanjayi Walker ( 19 ) was shot by police three times in his home at Yuendumu on November 9 , 2019 .
The funds raised through this campaign will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for lawyers to travel to Yuendumu to facilitate an independent inquiry into the shooting .
While most of the lawyers will be working pro-bono , funds are still needed to cover the costs of airfares and other transport and associated forensic expertise .
Donate here .
The Indigenous Crisis Response & Recovery Aboriginal Corporation ( ICRARAC ) responds to the crisis needs of Indigenous people throughout Australia .
This organisation has been established by Indigenous people for Indigenous people to respond to the bushfire crisis on the south east coast of Australia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders ?
It ’ s not black and white

Which Indigenous charities and campaigns should you be supporting? Following the death of George Floyd and the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, you may be asking yourself how you can make a difference.
Before we delve into the Indigenous charities and campaigns you may consider supporting, here are some key statistics to keep in mind:
More than 400 Indigeneous Australians have died in police custody since the royal commission in 1991
Indigenous Australians make up 2% of the national population but represent 27% of the prison population
Indigenous suicide increased from 5% of total Australian suicides in 1991, to 50% in 2010, especially among those aged 10-24 years of age
Thirty-three pre cent of Indigenous adults reported high levels of psychological distress in 2014-15, and hospitalisations for self-harm increased by 56% between 2004-05 and 2014-15
Indigenous children were almost 10 times more likely to be placed in out of home care than non-Indigenous children in 2015-16.
Here are some Indigenous charities and organisations you may consider supporting:


crikey--2020-06-15--Have racial attacks increased since coronavirus started?

Have racial attacks increased in Australia since coronavirus started ?
The short answer is yes .
Have racial attacks increased in Australia since coronavirus started ?
The short answer is yes .
A survey carried out by the Asian Australian Alliance found the number of racial attacks reported in Australia has been steadily increasing .
In the first two weeks of April , 178 racial incidents were reported .
An ongoing survey by the Asian Australian Alliance reported 12 racial incidents a day during April , with women more likely to be targeted ( 62 % ) .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported racial incidents were carried out by strangers .
The percentage of racist incidents that occurred in public and spaces include : • 35 % occurred in at businesses , including supermarkets , grocery stores , general stores and shopping centres The majority of surveyed incidents occurred in person ( 86 % ) , but reported incidents have also occurred online and in other spaces , such as on Facebook ( 47 % ) , Twitter ( 14 % ) and Instagram ( 16 % ) .
Almost 10 % of incidents that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form of an abusive phone call .
Of those surveyed , only 88 % reported the racial attacks to the police .
There has also been reports of racial attacks in Melbourne CBD , Sydney and Geelong .
As it stands , there is no public database that showcases the true extent of such attacks in Australia .
On June 6 , the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a travel warning to its citizens regarding the increased number of racist attacks on “ Chinese and Asian people ” , while on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority issued a warning to Chinese students of rising racial discrimination in Australia .
Data from the Australian Human Rights Commission shows hundreds of Asians complained of racial discrimination in Australia in the first quarter of 2020 .
This accounts for 25 % of complaints , according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry .
Read : How many Indigenous deaths in custody have been recorded ?

Have racial attacks increased in Australia since coronavirus started? The short answer is yes.
A survey carried out by the Asian Australian Alliance found the number of racial attacks reported in Australia has been steadily increasing. In the first two weeks of April, 178 racial incidents were reported.
An ongoing survey by the Asian Australian Alliance reported 12 racial incidents a day during April, with women more likely to be targeted (62%).


crikey--2020-06-15--China’s tirades against Australia are different this time — they really matter

While Xi is running things , we can expect to hear much more about Australian racism and Australian lapdogs dancing to American tunes .
On June 5 , China ’ s National Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a travel alert to visitors to Australia warning of “ a significant increase ” in racial abuse and violence .
Four days later , the Ministry of Education issued a similar warning to Chinese students planning to study in Australia .
There ’ s been evidence of racial abuse in Australia during the pandemic , but hardly on a scale warranting international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Birmingham observed , the travel advisory “ does not stand up to scrutiny ” .
Does it matter ?
Similar warnings in 2018 had little effect on enrolments of Chinese students , and China ’ s local envoys have strongly denied connections between warnings on tourism and education and import restrictions on beef and barley .
Yet there ’ s a common thread running through recent threats and warnings that sets them apart from earlier examples , and it has nothing to do with racism or tainted beef or underpriced barley .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fury over Canberra ’ s call for an independent review of the origins and spread of COVID-19 .
That anger went far beyond any reasonable response because the mere suggestion of an independent inquiry struck at President Xi Jinping ’ s credibility .
As far as China was concerned , this was another Mack Horton moment : a naive second-ranker appeared to be calling out the winner as a liar and a cheat .
Beijing refused to concede that the call for an inquiry was in any sense authentic .
Canberra was acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on behalf of Washington , “ dancing to the tune of a certain country ” in the Foreign Ministry ’ s cynical turn of phrase .
Not surprisingly , the call for an independent review drew a warning from Ambassador Cheng Jingye that education and tourism and trade in general would suffer if Australia persisted .
And so they will .
A big shift is underway .
Public reprimands from Beijing are hardly new , but before this incident they tended to be spontaneous and inconsistent .
In December 2013 , Foreign Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to her face over the South China Sea dispute .
It was an awkward moment , but it ended there .
Further criticism and name-calling followed the Australian government ’ s decisions to limit foreign political interference in 2017 and to ban Huawei from tendering for major telecommunication contracts in 2018 .
In each instance , Australia acted well ahead of the US and other countries , prompting one of China ’ s top Australia watchers to accuse Canberra in September 2019 of playing a “ pioneering role ” in a global anti-China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coordination among the accusations .
In the wake of the call for an inquiry , however , a decision has been taken at the highest levels in Beijing to consolidate earlier random and inconsistent critiques of Australia into a common communications strategy in support of a unified approach that involves leveraging trade and investment to punish Australia for challenging Xi ’ s version of events and his vision for the region .
This approach is wrapped in a communications strategy branding Australia an irredeemably racist country in thrall to US hegemony — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy for the world , as critics had indicated earlier , but instead tagging lamely along in the superpower ’ s lumbering tread .
It is being implemented methodically across many arms of government , including five ministerial-level agencies that have taken action so far : Trade , Education , Tourism , Foreign Affairs , and Propaganda ( the home of the People ’ s Daily ) .
Following Canberra ’ s call for an inquiry , Beijing notified the world of Australia ’ s pariah status through a strongly worded editorial in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the byline Zhong Sheng , or “ Voice of the Centre ” .
This byline is reserved for editorials signalling central party views on important international relations issues .
It ’ s fair to say it is the voice of Xi , one or two steps removed .
The target of the rebuke was Sydney ’ s Daily Telegraph , which the editorial accused of “ evilly associating ” the pandemic with China by defacing the country ’ s national emblem with a graphic image of a viral crown .
Why such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commentary on China and the Chinese Communist Party has been a source of low-grade tension between Australia and China , dating back to the early 1970s , and the Telegraph is hardly a model of civilised behaviour at the best of times .
Still , someone near the top of the pyramid in Beijing decided to make an example of the rambunctious Sydney tabloid to signal an important message about Australia to every official , every business and every family in China .
The charge that the People ’ s Daily levelled against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease with a national emblem Australians had engaged in racist behaviour .
Defacing a national symbol may be juvenile and offensive but it ’ s not generally regarded as racist .
China ’ s communist party-state is not a race .
For Beijing ’ s purpose , the distinction is immaterial as the CCP regards itself as the people of China and interprets mockery of the party-state as an act of racism .
So a Foreign Ministry official explained , when justifying the issue of a travel warning on grounds of racism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the coronavirus a ‘ Chinese virus ’ and maliciously tampered with the Chinese national flag and national emblem ” .
To drive the point home , central party authorities selected a local tabloid with little claim to prudence to signal to everyone in China that Australia is racist .
The American connection wasn ’ t left out either .
China ’ s own Daily Telegraph , the Global Times , answered Birmingham ’ s response to the travel warning with a claim that Australian politicians are not to be trusted because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political attitude and too eager to win US favours ” .
In light of this alleged American connivance , the paper went on to point out that the travel warnings were just the “ tip of the iceberg ” of punishments in store if Australia failed to mend its ways .
Evidence that Canberra is easily swayed by American attitudes is as thin as the claim that poking fun at flags and emblems is racist .
Recent polls show that Australian misgivings about US President Donald Trump run even deeper than their concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favour closer ties with the US than with China — and Canberra has consistently distanced itself from Washington during Trump ’ s term on issues ranging from multilateral trade to climate change and the role of international institutions such as the World Trade Organisation and World Health Organisation .
On matters related to China , Australian governments have never endorsed the US-led trade war , and Australia ’ s national intelligence agencies and Prime Minister Scott Morrison conspicuously declined to endorse claims by Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tracing the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wuhan .
Australia ’ s record of independent foreign policy thinking makes little impression in China because , if I read Zhong Sheng correctly , a decision has been taken at the highest levels of the party to brand Australia a racist country that takes its orders from the US .
This is a game-changing decision that doesn ’ t require evidence to support it and that can happily contradict earlier claims that Australia is in fact a pioneering leader on China issues globally .
The Zhong Sheng editorial signalled a high-level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ministry and to officials running China ’ s state-owned enterprises at home and abroad , along with tourism and education agents in China , that people around Xi have adopted a hostile approach towards Australia .
All need to fall into line .
While Xi is running things , we can expect to hear much more about Australian racism , about Australian lapdogs dancing to American tunes , and about steering clear of Australia .
The latest travel and education warnings over racism don ’ t stand up to scrutiny because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem is not racism , it is Xi .
It ’ s worth remembering that Mack Horton and his family had to put up with many years of vitriol and bullying before he was eventually vindicated .
This article was first published in The Strategist , a publication of the Australian Strategy Policy Institute .
It is reprinted with permission of the author .

On June 5, China’s National Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a travel alert to visitors to Australia warning of “a significant increase” in racial abuse and violence. Four days later, the Ministry of Education issued a similar warning to Chinese students planning to study in Australia.
There’s been evidence of racial abuse in Australia during the pandemic, but hardly on a scale warranting international travel warnings. As Trade Minister Simon Birmingham observed, the travel advisory “does not stand up to scrutiny”.
Does it matter? Similar warnings in 2018 had little effect on enrolments of Chinese students, and China’s local envoys have strongly denied connections between warnings on tourism and education and import restrictions on beef and barley.


crikey--2020-06-15--So you want to be a branch stacker. Here’s Crikey’s handy four-step guide

Been keeping an eye on Labor 's branch stacking and thinking of trying it out yourself ?
Crikey is here to help .
Branch stacking is grubby work , and it ’ s not easy .
Here ’ s Crikey ’ s how-to guide for aspiring branch stackers .
Step one : find some vulnerable communities to exploit If you really want to stack a branch , you ’ re going to need power in numbers .
So find a vulnerable community to exploit .
Migrant communities are frequently used for the purposes of branch stacking .
You want people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re signing up for , as was alleged in this ABC investigation back in 2018 .
Step two : fake it til you make it In order for you to look like these are real genuine members , you ’ ll need to pretend that they have paid for their memberships themselves .
Forging member signatures and creating false statements may be the way to go — you can use this to claim people have paid for their membership themselves .
If you ’ re struggling to find members to sign up en @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false addresses , so that later you can move them onto a different branch in a different location after their membership addresses have been accepted as genuine ( known as “ warehousing ” ) .
Find some loyal operatives to help you out with the work , like falsifying documents and forging signatures .
Taxpayer-funded parliamentary employees might be an option .
Paying someone ’ s membership fees is a good way of encouraging them to sign up to the party .
It ’ s also a breach of party rules so you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Find an ATM that ’ s located near a parking lot where you can make the drop .
Withdraw multiple sums and put it in a folder ready to go .
And it ’ s as easy as that !

Branch stacking is grubby work, and it’s not easy. Here’s Crikey’s how-to guide for aspiring branch stackers.
Step one: find some vulnerable communities to exploit
If you really want to stack a branch, you’re going to need power in numbers.
So find a vulnerable community to exploit. Migrant communities are frequently used for the purposes of branch stacking. You want people who might not know what they’re signing up for, as was alleged in this ABC investigation back in 2018.


crikey--2020-06-15--Somyurek is gone but another much like him will come along before too long

There 'll be another Adem Somyurek along before too long .
Our modern political parties are designed to produce them .
So Victorian Labor minister Adem Somyurek has been sacked from Daniel Andrews ’ cabinet , following a Nine exposé revealing apparent systematic branch-stacking and an array of abusive remarks about colleagues and Labor figures .
Somyurek declared he was only quitting for “ inappropriate language ” — language that included calling a female colleague a “ stupid moll ” and “ psycho bitch ” whose head he was going to “ fucking knock off ” , and referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuckers , little passive-aggressive fucking gay kids ” .
Andrews made it clear Somyurek was sacked , described his comments as “ unacceptable ” , referred him to Victoria ’ s anti-corruption commission and police and is pushing for his expulsion from the ALP .
The remarks , and evidence of branch-stacking , were all filmed or recorded — possibly illegally — but the publication by Nine ’ s 60 Minutes and The Age was certainly in the public interest .
As should always be noted with fallen Labor powerbrokers , we shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Somyurek is the product of an outsourced political system , in which the community has left the formal mechanisms of government to a class of professional politicians .
In turn , those politicians have constructed a self-perpetuating system that means even political parties with miniscule memberships can run the country and become hundred-million-dollar , self-regulating entities .
Under that system , the established parties , despite having little broad appeal , obtain a generous flow of taxpayer funding by paying themselves for each primary vote and making voting compulsory .
Preferential voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ express disapproval of the major parties through the ballot box , with large numbers of primary votes cast for minor parties flowing back to major party candidates .
Political donations for the opportunity to exercise influence over policy , for both business and trade unions , provide additional revenue .
In this system , an active , organic party membership of any size is problematic for party executives .
In addition to the problem common across all political parties , that the membership is more radical than the parliamentary wing — often embarrassingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ membership is usually hostile to top-down control .
That ’ s mainly expressed in the form of resisting direction on candidate preselection , because preselection is one of the few things party memberships have a significant role in .
A small , less active membership is more easily controlled , if necessary by stacking small branches .
It is a system guaranteed to produce “ factional powerbrokers ” trying to control branches for personal or factional reasons , and it produces them in both major parties , although because Labor has a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is easier .
It ’ s been observed for some years that Labor ’ s factions have become unmoored from ideology , with personalities often looming larger than key policy issues .
That ’ s best illustrated by the rank corruption of the NSW ALP , a party where factional conflict between right and left in the 1970s meant very real fights over communist influence and the fundamentals of economic policy .
Since the end of the Cold War and Labor ’ s embrace of market economics underpinned by a social wage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal benefit of senior figures — most notoriously Eddie Obeid — with only occasional expeditions into ideological division over social , rather than economic , issues .
That has also tended to mean key powerbrokers have not been overly interested in policy substance , although until recent years Victoria has been something of an exception — despite being labelled ( by Robert Ray ! )
as “ factional Daleks ” , Kim Carr is a long-term advocate of interventionist industry policy , while Stephen Conroy was a policy wonk as much as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrews , insistent that he sacked Somyurek rather than let him resign , now says he wants the man he invited back in after a 2015 resignation to be booted out of the ALP altogether .
That may set the scene for some extended litigation .
But even if Somyurek is booted out , the system will throw up another version of him in the future .
That ’ s unless , remarkably , the community opts to in-source government again and creates a new era of mass-membership political parties .

So Victorian Labor minister Adem Somyurek has been sacked from Daniel Andrews’ cabinet, following a Nine exposé revealing apparent systematic branch-stacking and an array of abusive remarks about colleagues and Labor figures.
Somyurek declared he was only quitting for “inappropriate language” — language that included calling a female colleague a “stupid moll” and “psycho bitch” whose head he was going to “fucking knock off”, and referring to Young Labor members as “slimy little fuckers, little passive-aggressive fucking gay kids”.
Andrews made it clear Somyurek was sacked, described his comments as “unacceptable”, referred him to Victoria’s anti-corruption commission and police and is pushing for his expulsion from the ALP.


crikey--2020-06-15--Does Victoria or NSW have the highest COVID-19 testing rate in the world?

The states have been bickering over who 's doing the best job of controlling the pandemic .
Here are the facts .
It was every state for itself as Australia ’ s state governments bickered over coronavirus border restrictions .
Then , competition emerged over who was doing a better job of catching the virus in the community .
In a media conference on May 14 , NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was aware of international reports that “ NSW has the highest rate of testing in the world ” .
“ It ’ s something we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to maintain , ” she said .
On May 21 , the state ’ s Health Minister , Jenny Mikakos , tweeted Victoria had “ the highest per capita testing rate in Australia ” .
This was “ one of the highest ” rates in the world , she continued , adding a chart that suggested Victoria was second only to Iceland .
So , did NSW lead the world with its testing rate , and was Victoria ’ s rate among the highest ?
Berejiklian ’ s claim is overblown , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair call .
When the NSW premier made her claim ( May 14 ) , NSW ranked 22nd in the world for its cumulative testing rate , and 20th for its daily rate .
Victoria , meanwhile , was at 18th place in cumulative terms and had cracked the top three for daily tests .
Notably , NSW was counting the number of people tested , while Victoria was counting tests conducted .
Were both reporting the same thing , they may have placed roughly equal in cumulative terms .
In daily terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NSW ’ s test rate .
It was soon leading the nation on both measures .
By the time Mikakos made her claim ( May 21 ) , Victoria ’ s total tests per thousand people was the 13th highest globally .
Though not quite the second place her tweet implied , this rate was certainly among the world ’ s highest .
Victoria ’ s rate for daily tests was fourth highest , behind Bahrain , the United Arab Emirates and Lithuania .
But such comparisons come with serious caveats .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report as regularly , and it can not be guaranteed that different test types have been excluded .
Moreover , data is not available for every country .
Mikakos said Victoria ’ s testing was about “ seeing the extent of the virus ’ transmission in the community ” .
Broadly , there are two types of testing for SARS-CoV-2 , the virus behind COVID-19 .
Serology tests can show whether someone has been exposed to the virus based on the presence of antibodies in their blood following an immune response .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these tests are often possible only after a patient has recovered .
Viral tests , meanwhile , detect the virus itself .
We have assessed the claims on the basis of so-called PCR tests , which look for the presence of the virus ’ s genetic material in a nasal or throat swab .
These are the most commonly used viral tests for coronavirus in Australia , and according to the national COVID-19 health guidelines ( as they stood on May 22 ) , are used to confirm new cases .
Neither Berejiklian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tests per day or cumulative tests to date .
We have assessed their claims on both measures .
John Carlin , a professor of biostatistics at the University of Melbourne , said that daily rates were “ the only way in which we can keep a handle on the intensity of effort that ’ s going into monitoring the current rate of spread of the disease ” .
He said cumulative rates showed the effort countries had put in over the longer term , “ but this will have been spread in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catherine Bennett , Deakin University ’ s chair in epidemiology , said it made little sense to look at daily rates over time without also tracking policy changes .
Cumulative rates helped avoid short-term data fluctuations , she said , adding that while these rates would ideally be standardised to a common starting point ( such as days since each country ’ s 100th case ) , the differences from not doing so diminished as the pandemic went on .
Ramon Shaban , University of Sydney ’ s clinical chair of infection prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing was to have “ a continuing high rate of testing that goes on in jurisdictions over time ” , and it was this , combined with falling community transmission , that showed whether a country was actively looking for cases .
Both claimants compared their rates of “ testing ” to those of other countries .
However , not all countries count the same thing .
Some report the number of tests conducted , others the number of people tested .
It is often not clear which method they are using .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ once but must have had at least one test to be counted , we have considered the number of people tested to reflect a jurisdiction ’ s minimum possible test rate .
In Australia , where hospitalised coronavirus patients must meet certain conditions including the return of two negative tests before being released from isolation , states report the number of tests conducted .
NSW was an exception .
At the time of both claims , it counted the number of people tested , not the number of tests .
The state switched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but unlike the other states and territories its counts still exclude follow-up tests for confirmed cases .
To compare Australia ’ s states , we used test counts from the federal Government ’ s weekly reports and daily snapshots .
( Our daily counts for May 14 and May 21 reflect seven-day averages . )
The federal test numbers generally match those publicly announced by the Victorian and NSW health departments .
Separately , Data NSW also publishes daily test counts for the state .
Rates per thousand people were calculated using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for September 2019 .
Mikakos claimed on May 21 that Victoria had among the world ’ s highest test rates .
The numbers show South Australia led the nation in cumulative testing per capita until the week of May 10 , with NSW just behind .
Then , Victoria leapt ahead — overtaking NSW on May 12 , then South Australia on May 14 .
By May 21 , Victoria had conducted a total of 57.1 tests per thousand people , followed by NSW ( 48.2 ) and South Australia ( 48.0 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ averaged 1.9 per thousand people , nearly twice that of the runner-up , NSW .
Berejiklian made her claim on May 14 .
In a statement issued that same day , NSW Health announced the state had “ one of the highest testing rates in the world ” .
However , the numbers show both Victoria and South Australia already had higher cumulative rates than NSW .
Importantly , NSW was at that stage still counting the number of people tested , not the number of tests .
When it switched to counting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate jumped by 8 % — well above the previous week ’ s 2 % daily average increase .
Had the switch happened earlier , a similar boost on May 14 would have put NSW roughly level with Victoria at the top for cumulative tests .
However , it would have done little to dent Victoria ’ s lead in the daily stakes , with the southern state already conducting , on average , twice as many daily tests per person as NSW .
Who has the world ’ s highest test rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no standardised reporting of COVID-19 test data , nor are numbers published by intergovernmental bodies such as the World Health Organisation .
In the absence of such a dataset , experts directed us to the websites Worldometer and Our World in Data .
Cited in Mikakos ’ s tweet , Our World in Data is run by Oxford University researchers and collates test figures from official government sources .
Detailed information on these sources makes clear that countries report their data inconsistently , and there is often limited information about what is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British government has been accused of including tests “ posted out ” in its count .
Our World in Data does not cover every country and is generally limited to PCR tests , though excluding other test types is not always possible .
We have based our assessment of the claims of Berejiklian and Mikakos primarily on the website ’ s total rates and seven-day average test rates .
Where rates are marked as relating to “ samples tested ” or “ swabs tested ” , we take them to mean tests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test data for more than 100 jurisdictions not covered by Our World in Data , including many smaller territories ( for example , Gibraltar , the Falkland Islands and the Isle of Man ) .
It compiles its numbers from both official and unofficial sources , and does not specify what is counted .
We have added four countries to the list compiled by Our World in Data using figures from official sources .
These countries are Brunei , Cyprus , Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) .
Each has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported as having conducted more than 40 tests per thousand people , according to a Worldometer snapshot that used estimates up to May 21 .
Two other countries also met this criteria ( Mauritius and Malta ) , but we were unable to find official test counts for them .
Rates have been calculated using UN population estimates , which are also used by Our World in Data .
Berejiklian suggested NSW was leading the world in her May 14 comments .
But its cumulative rate of 41.1 tests per thousand people didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , Victoria took 18th place with 43.7 tests per thousand people , according to our analysis .
By May 21 , when Mikakos made her claim , NSW ( 48.2 ) had risen one place to 21st place and Victoria ( 57.1 ) had jumped to 13th place .
Mikakos ’ s tweet from that time showed only Iceland ahead of Victoria .
In fact , 12 countries outranked Victoria , and rates for several of them were based on days-old data .
Five of those countries counted the number of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear what was counted .
When Berejiklian made her claim , Victoria had already blazed ahead of NSW with its daily test rate .
Based on averages for the week to May 14 , Victoria was conducting 2.4 tests per day per thousand people .
That was the third-highest rate globally , behind only by Bahrain ( 3.8 ) and the UAE ( 3.6 ) .
NSW took 20th place with 1.1 people per thousand tested each day .
By May 21 , Victoria ( 1.9 ) had slipped one place , behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4.0 ) and Lithuania ( 2.3 ) .
NSW ( 1.0 ) had gained four spots to 16th place .

The claims
It was every state for itself as Australia’s state governments bickered over coronavirus border restrictions. Then, competition emerged over who was doing a better job of catching the virus in the community.
In a media conference on May 14, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was aware of international reports that “NSW has the highest rate of testing in the world”. “It’s something we’re incredibly proud of, something we need to maintain,” she said.
Soon after, Victoria staked a similar claim.


crikey--2020-06-16--Why are our universities so powerless? Maybe it’s time to buy some influence…

Universities are one of Australia 's biggest exporters and a major employer , but are treated with contempt by the government .
Is it because they do n't fill the coffers of political parties ?
It ’ s a sector that generated nearly $ 38 billion in exports last year , embodies the long-sought dream of Australian economic engagement with Asia and employs over a quarter of a million people .
So why is our university sector so politically powerless , indeed , treated with contempt by the government ?
The iron ore mining sector , which generated $ 77 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , is far more powerful .
Figures like Andrew Forrest are treated with something approaching awe ; Forrest can even ambush and humiliate a minister and criticise the government ’ s failure to appease Beijing , and barely a word is said against him or his company .
The coal mining sector — $ 70 billion in exports but less than 50,000 workers — is a favourite of the government , which is eager to encourage the expansion of coal mining .
And the government bends over backwards to help the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 50 billion in exports , but employs just 30,000 people .
Even smaller export sectors like tourism and primary production are enthusiastically supported by the government .
During the pandemic , the government has done little as revenue from foreign students has vanished , sending the university sector deep into the red and forcing massive lay-offs .
In contrast to most other sectors , universities have received no federal assistance , and those foreign students actually in Australia , having lost crucial employment as the economy has shut down , have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told to go home by Scott Morrison .
The government ’ s sole commitment was its trolling-like announcement that it would be paying universities the same amount of funding it had already budgeted to pay them , and no more .
The only help has been for private universities , for whom the government adjusted JobKeeper rules so that they would be eligible , while public universities were unable to apply .
Now the sector faces a further hit as collateral damage from the government ’ s trade conflict with China , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to encourage a boycott by Chinese families of Australian universities .
Even after Australia ’ s borders re-open — whenever that may be — fewer foreign students will come .
While the over-reliance on China of Australian universities has long been an issue — ANU began diversifying away from China years ago , while the appalling University of Queensland doubled down — at no stage has the federal government raised concerns , given the colossal export revenue being generated by the sector .
That revenue far exceeds the level of government funding for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Indeed the level of Commonwealth funding for domestic students , while increasing overall , has actually gone backwards on a per-domestic student basis since 2016 , and in the most recent figures ( 2018 ) was below the level of 2008 even in nominal terms .
What explains the hostility to universities ?
In the current climate of criticism over the government ’ s childcare decision , some might note that most other major export industries — mining , resource extraction , primary production — are male-dominated , while around 60 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourism , a sector lavished with massive levels of support by all governments , is also majority female , at least in accommodation and food services .
Others might suggest the Coalition instinctively hates universities , given their association with liberal and critical thinking and the role of tertiary education unions .
But Labor has been no friend of universities either — domestic per student revenue for Commonwealth-supported places actually fell when Labor was last in office , despite the shift to demand-driven funding , and the Gillard government cut $ 2.3 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gonski primary and secondary education funding reforms .
The increasing reliance on foreign students has been encouraged by governments of both stripes , as ANU ’ s vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt has pointed out .
What Australia ’ s university sector lacks , seemingly , is the clout that comes from political donations .
The mining sector is a major donor , particularly to the Coalition ; resources sector companies like Santos , Origin and Woodside , and the sector ’ s peak body , give generously to both sides .
Primary producers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and effectively regulate and reward themselves through the agriculture portfolio .
The hospitality industry , even without the massive donations of major tourism and gaming companies Star and Crown , is the single biggest donor in politics .
The big four consulting firms have all benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts as they have significantly increased their donations to political parties .
Universities — apart from some marginal contributions by industry lobby group Universities Australia — are signally absent from the ranks of financial contributors to the major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corrupted political system , and especially under the current government that so blatantly rewards donations with handouts and regulatory favours , maybe our fourth-biggest export industry needs to buy some friends at court .

It’s a sector that generated nearly $38 billion in exports last year, embodies the long-sought dream of Australian economic engagement with Asia and employs over a quarter of a million people.
So why is our university sector so politically powerless, indeed, treated with contempt by the government?
The iron ore mining sector, which generated $77 billion in exports but employs around 100,000 people, is far more powerful. Figures like Andrew Forrest are treated with something approaching awe; Forrest can even ambush and humiliate a minister and criticise the government’s failure to appease Beijing, and barely a word is said against him or his company.


crikey--2020-06-15--Let’s get fiscal: we need a new road to recovery from this recession

A balanced budget does not ensure an economic recovery .
Embracing austerity failed after the GFC and it will fail now .
With the country plunged into recession we must be realistic about the challenge we face .
Monetary policy is likely to be less effective than at any time since the Great Depression and given the scale of the downturn we must embrace fiscal policy to ensure a robust recovery .
Conventional thinking about macroeconomic policy assigns central banks a leading role in managing the business cycle .
The task of fiscal policy has been to stabilise the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this thinking .
In past recessions , the Reserve Bank of Australia has lowered the cash rate substantially to encourage spending .
For example , during the global financial crisis rates were lowered some 400 basis points .
But before the pandemic the cash rate stood at 75 basis points .
Many commentators expressed concern about Australia ’ s ability to fight the next downturn — the RBA simply had no room to move .
And those fears have been realised .
The RBA would like to reduce rates but it simply can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominal interest rates can not be much below zero .
People can hold money under the mattress and earn a zero return — the RBA can ’ t force people to hold deposits at a bank and earn a negative return .
However , it can provide some stimulus .
While it can ’ t lower the current cash rate below zero , it can promise to keep the cash rate low .
This lowers long-term interest rates , stimulating investment and spending .
This is the purpose of the RBA ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March .
By buying and selling three-year treasuries to maintain a yield of 25 basis points , the RBA signalled it intended to keep the cash rate at 25 basis points for at least the next three years .
This “ low for long ” interest rate policy was judged effective in the United States and elsewhere during the GFC .
But there are reasons to think it will be less effective in 2020 .
This is because of the fall in what the RBA calls the neutral interest rate : the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The stimulus of monetary policy depends on how much cash rates can be reduced below the neutral interest rate .
And this gap has declined dramatically .
To understand this , the neutral rate is the sum of the RBA ’ s inflation target and the long-run real interest rate .
Globally , long-term real interest rates have declined substantially over the past 30 years , reflecting factors including demographics and lower productivity growth which have increased savings and decreased interest rates .
The RBA estimates Australia ’ s neutral real rate is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stable at 2.5 % before 2007 .
Bigger the gap , better the deal And here is the central problem .
The power of monetary policy depends on the gap between the cash rate and the long-run neutral rate .
This gap measures how cheap funds are relative to normal times .
The bigger the gap , the better the deal .
The current deal is not that great by historical standards .
Monetary policy is simply less effective .
Because low neutral rates partly reflect long-term trend developments , monetary policy might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy out of recession .
But there is a remedy .
Low neutral rates mean the economy wants to save more than it invests .
To discourage saving , interest rates fall .
The neutral rate would not fall if there was greater demand for spending that makes use of these funds .
In Australia only the public sector can fulfill this demand .
The household sector holds staggering levels of debt by global standards , and the business sector has shown little appetite for investment , even before the pandemic .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financed by government borrowing will be highly effective for three reasons : • Each dollar spent will have a large effect on aggregate demand , because the RBA ’ s “ low for long ” monetary policy means nominal interest rates won ’ t rise and discourage private investment • RBA policy also means debt is cheap to finance and can be paid for by future increases in the tax base through economic and population growth • By using the large pool of savings , government borrowing might help raise the long-run neutral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yet despite this , while the Prime Minister Scott Morrison renewed his commitment to infrastructure spending yesterday , he appeared to rule out additional measures arguing “ it is not a wise or responsible course ” and even “ dangerous ” .
Putting aside the facts that employment has fallen substantially in many sectors , not just construction , and that the employment benefits from infrastructure spending will accrue only over the medium to long term and doesn ’ t target women and the young , what is remarkable is that we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a balanced budget .
One of the lessons of the GFC was that countries that moved too quickly to embrace austerity did so at the cost of a slow recovery , with unemployment remaining unnecessarily high .
And counter to the sound finance narrative , failure to provide fiscal support meant a slower return to budget balance and further pressure to cut essential services in some countries .
With low gross and net debt positions , as a fraction of national income , Australia has capacity to pursue large-scale fiscal spending to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates ensure these debts are sustainable .
To avoid a protracted recession , there is no alternative to fiscal stimulus .

With the country plunged into recession we must be realistic about the challenge we face. Monetary policy is likely to be less effective than at any time since the Great Depression and given the scale of the downturn we must embrace fiscal policy to ensure a robust recovery.
Conventional thinking about macroeconomic policy assigns central banks a leading role in managing the business cycle. The task of fiscal policy has been to stabilise the public debt. It is time to reverse this thinking.
In past recessions, the Reserve Bank of Australia has lowered the cash rate substantially to encourage spending. For example, during the global financial crisis rates were lowered some 400 basis points.