MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD
Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, has delivered a powerful and biting eulogy at a memorial for George Floyd today, saying “we cannot use bibles as a prop. And for those of you who have agendas that are not about justice, his family will not let you use George as a prop.”
Meanwhile, CNN reports that Attorney General William Barr has tried to defend law enforcement officials for firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters outside the White House.
As Donald Trump butts heads with his current Pentagon chief over whether to invade their own country — as well as fighting with Twitter over what happened to his old Pentagon head — America has seen another truly shocking day of police brutality:
- a Vallejo, California officer shot and killed a 22-year-old man, Sean Monterrosa, who was on his knees at the time; police allege they mistook a hammer in his sweatshirt for a gun.
- police in Asheville, North Carolina, destroyed a jerry-rigged medical station by stomping and stabbing water bottles, bandages and saline solution.
- members of the New York Police Department have been filmed assaulting groups of peaceful protesters, in one instance apparently chasing a cyclist in order to beat him with batons
- the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has found that, between May 26 and June 3, there have been 279+ total press freedom incidents including 180 assaults (149 by police).
PS: According to The Huffington Post, more than 30 Philadelphia Inquirer employees of colour have called in sick to protest the paper’s front-pager on Tuesday, which featured the headline “Buildings Matter, Too”.
HONG KONG PASSES CONTROVERSIAL NATIONAL ANTHEM BILL
According to the ABC, Hong Kong’s China-backed legislature has passed a bill criminalising the act of insulting the Chinese national anthem.
Anyone found guilty of abusing the anthem — named “March of the Volunteers” — faces up to three years in prison and fines of up to $HK50,000 ($9,370).
PROTESTERS STILL KICK ASS: Elsewhere, Hong Kong citizens have defied a coronavirus-induced ban on restrictions to hold multiple memorials of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
OVERSEAS THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the Morrison government is planning to create new security tests for all foreign investments that “threaten the national interest” such as technology, energy, communications, port infrastructure etc.
The news comes as the government gets a boost to a separate plan to overhaul vocational education and training, with the ABC reporting that the Productivity Commission’s inquiry has highlighted a lack of transparency around funding and criticised differences in state and territory subsidy rates.
SPEAKING OF TRANSPARENCY: According to The Guardian, Prime Minister and Cabinet officials have refused to release conflict of interest disclosures from the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission because they were, hilariously, provided “in confidence”.
[free_worm]
STATE VIRUS WATCH: TAS’ $1.8 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE PUSH
- Yesterday, the Tasmanian government announced a two-year, $1.8 billion infrastructure package that, shockingly, directs state support towards social housing projects rather than, say, home renovations.
- Queensland announced a new support hotline for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses during COVID-19, “Open for Business”.
- Following agreement from the federal government to remove Commonwealth Biosecurity restrictions, Western Australia will today lift travel restrictions across the Kimberley, Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku and parts of the East Pilbara.
- The Victorian government struck agreements with 15 councils to support more than 1000 new public hygiene and land maintenance jobs under the “Working for Victoria” fund.
- Finally, the ACT government announced plans to significantly reduce stamp duty.
THEY REALLY SAID THAT?
There’s been a big influx of PTSD. But I’ve been involved in three shootings myself, and not one of them has bothered me. Maybe I’m different.
Lt. Bob Kroll, April 29
In a freshly-relevant interview, the head of Minneapolis’ police union displays exactly the kind of empathy you’d hope for from one of society’s most powerful, dangerous jobs.
CRIKEY RECAP
News Corp silent on bankrolling anti-class action lobbyist
“News Corp has donated at least US$1 million to powerful United States business lobby group the US Chamber of Commerce (CoC), which aims to restrict class action litigation in Australia and globally, Inq has learned.
“At the same time News Corp’s national masthead The Australian has stridently campaigned for changes to class action litigation funding in line with the CoC’s goals, though the newspaper has not declared its relationship with the CoC.”
Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu tendered as evidence in whacko-right conspiracy
“The ‘rising movement’ of whacko conspiracy theorists in Australia — the whole QAnon, shape-shifting lizards stuff — has found a new recruit in Josephine Cashman, and the mainstream right has a new embarrassment.
“In the past few days, Cashman has sent out a storm of tweets alleging that the sinister international global conspiracy is manifested in Australia by… the success of Bruce Pascoe’s book Dark Emu.”
Excited journalists await Tim Wilson’s latest assault on industry super
“In the days after June 12, journalists at The Financial Review and News Corp should keep an eye on their inboxes for email from an aph.gov.au address.
“In it they’ll find a set of answers from industry super funds to a large number of questions asked by the House economics committee chairman Tim Wilson, all intended to somehow embarrass funds jointly run by employer groups and unions.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
‘Bad day’ no defence in arrest of Indigenous teen: former judge
Government hush on meetings with class action firm ahead of reform bill
‘Helped us enormously’: arts sector received $100m from government in April
Indigenous people incarcerated at more than 10 times the rate of the general population: ABS
AFL faces cash crunch as big TV rights deal in limbo ($)
‘Collapse of civilisation is the most likely outcome’: top climate scientists
Aviation workers out of work as airports desperately seek lifelines
Call for ‘cyber army’ to fend off attacks ($)
Ahmaud Arbery attacker used racial slur after shooting jogger, court hears
THE COMMENTARIAT
Pandemic kills Indigenous referendum, delivers likely mortal blow to religious discrimination legislation — Michelle Grattan (The Conversation): “When Ken Wyatt, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, last week effectively pronounced dead the prospect of a referendum on Indigenous recognition being put to the people this parliamentary term, the demise of his hoped-for timetable received little attention.”
Floyd protesters face a mountain of public opinion — Waleed Aly (The Sydney Morning Herald): “Consider this — 58% of American registered voters support ‘calling in the US military to supplement city police forces’ in addressing the George Floyd protests across America. Only 30% oppose. That’s according to independent polling this week by Morning Consult.”
In cities and towns across the US this week, the brutal police riot has continued — Meagan Day (The Intercept): “Major media outlets are not covering the breadth of police violence against protestors. Often they speak in generalities about tensions and clashes before inevitably lapsing into commentary on the occasional looting and arson that has accompanied the civil unrest. That means the most reliable resource for information on what has actually transpired between protestors and police is user-generated video that circulates on social media.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Northern Territory
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NT will become the first region to reopen nightclubs, cinemas and casinos.
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