Politics, Strategy, Campaigns, Elections
Granny Basher’s Discharge Sends the Right Message
One year ago I made a young man famous. The video footage of the horrific political violence he perpetrated against a 71 year-old lady at a Women’s Rights rally shocked the world, leading to international condemnation of New Zealand. Two weeks ago I was in court to witness his sentencing: he received a discharge without conviction and his name was...
A Letter to My Kid’s Childcare Centre
Background: A few weeks ago, when dropping off my child at their childcare centre, I noticed something on the classroom whiteboard that I hadn't paid attention to before – the "Daily Routine". Amid the usual activities, one particular sticker caught my eye: “Acknowledgement of Country”. I was SHOCKED. It prompted me to write the following letter to the Centre. Dear Centre...
The Everyday Libertarian
In today's politically charged atmosphere, evangelical libertarians often stray into polarising debates around topics like firearms or drug legalisation. Is there a subtler, more effective approach? I suggest the “everyday libertarian mindset”. It involves reframing common complaints and concerns through the lens of smaller government and individual liberty. I often hear myself responding to complaints about government by saying “that’s why...
Finding common cause with the Greens
Because politics isn’t meant to be easy In Australia, libertarian candidates are rarely ranked highly on voters’ ballots. Libertarian candidates get first preferences from the small fraction of society who know and support the idea of libertarianism. And if they are still in the race when a conservative candidate is eliminated, they tend to get a reasonable share of the conservative candidate’s...
25 Provocative Predictions For 2024
With which do you agree or disagree? GOVERNMENT OVERREACH Habeas corpus will not be restored in Australia. The Australian Federal Budget will be in deficit and expenditure will increase on the previous year. ENVIRONMENT There will be at least 7 tropical cyclones or severe tropical cyclones in Australia. STOCK MARKET Woolworths’ revenue will be lower in the March 2024 quarter than in the March 2023 quarter. HEALTH There...
Forum Shopping for Native Title rights
The Rolling Stones were wrong: you can always get what you want if you are patient and the taxpayer foots the bill. And if you forum shop. So it was with a recent native title ‘victory’ at the High Court of Australia. The Court overturned a decision of the full court of the Federal Court of Australia. Native title holders at...
Brave New World Wide Web
The reverse correlation between the internet’s growing accessibility and its diminishing freedom can only be arrested by changes in user habits Much has been made of the ACMA ‘misinformation bill’ and its potential impact on free speech online in Australia. But the internet hasn’t been a bastion of free expression for quite some time now, and like always, it ultimately...
Lawfare
“Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime” is the famous statement attributed to Lavrentiy Beria, Joseph Stalin’s secret police chief. This is an example of lawfare: the manipulation of legal processes, civil or criminal, to serve political, ideological, or personal interests rather than upholding justice. Lawfare involves the misuse of the law by various means including selective...
Utilitarianism and the Omnipotence of Government
Welcome to the Inspection House, known as the Panopticon. Jeremy Bentham, eighteenth century political thinker, was one of the earliest exponents of the principle of Utilitarianism – the greatest happiness for the greatest number, which he considered to be a fundamental principle of morality. Managing societies is no easy task, hence, as first principles go, it seems reasonable. But what of...
What should the Australian Defence Force do?
Hint: the answer is in the name The Australian Defence Force (ADF) does lots of things it shouldn’t. Restrict the trading of others The Australian Defence Force (ADF) helps to enforce sanctions. It contributes in varying degrees to efforts to enforce sanctions endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, like sanctions against North Korea, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and various countries in Africa,...
