Legislation brought in since September 11 has hurt social cohesion and civil liberties.

The failed prosecution of Jack Thomas and at least four men from the Benbrika group who were acquitted of being members of a home-grown jihadist organisation in 2008 has not only eroded public confidence in counterterrorism agencies but also hurt our relationship with large sections of the Muslim community.

Engagement and dialogue became a distant secondary consideration during those prosecutions.

A forecast by the immigration department head, Andrew Metcalfe, that London and Paris-style social unrest would break out in Australian cities if 600 boat people arrived a month has caused outrage, and calls for his sacking.

The words have threatened Labor's multicultural credentials, with groups including the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils labelling them ''inflammatory'' and ''devastating''.

from Crikey .....

GDP figures out this morning were stronger than expected. The Australian economy grew by 1.2% in the June quarter, real gross domestic income grew 6.5% in the 2010-11 financial year -- the largest growth since 1987-88.

Nice maths for Treasurer Wayne Swan. If only President Obama could boast a better set of figures. Obama will take the nation through the numbers of his jobs package plan Thursday night (US time) in his address to Congress.

from Crikey .....

Buried in the glossy pages of the October edition of UK Vogue is the revelation, midway through an interview with Wendi Deng (who wasn't sleeping due to the stress of the phone-hacking scandal, thanks for asking), that former British PM Tony Blair is godfather to Rupert's and Wendi's daughter Grace.

from Crikey .....

We trust Laurie Oakes and George Negus to bring us the news. But not Alan Jones and Andrew Bolt.

And the news is worse for Bolt, the nation's pre-eminent conservative crusader, with more than half of respondents to an Essential Research survey not knowing who he is.

Essential put a number of journalists and commentators to its weekly online panel to ask who they most trusted. The results perhaps aren't surprising, and skewed with state-based stars, but show among the trustworthy and reviled that some of the nation's hot-headed megaphones aren't as famous as they might think.

Progress has been made in fighting terrorism since the outrages of September 11.

Time not only heals wounds but also changes perspectives. The greatest apprehension felt by Americans after the attacks of September 11, 2001, was that there would be further attacks on their country; the questions were when and where, rather than if. Understanding this is central to a proper historical analysis of American actions, and those of her allies such as Australia, over the past 10 years.

More than 300 asylum seekers who had been slated to be sent to Malaysia will now be processed in Australia after the High Court threw the Government's offshore processing regime into chaos.

This morning Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told Radio National that 335 asylum seekers on Christmas Island would have their refugee claims heard on Australian soil.

The men, women and children had been due to be sent to Malaysia under the now-defunct swap deal with Kuala Lumpur.

Europe's human rights chief launched a blistering attack Thursday on European governments' counterterrorism actions, accusing them of helping the United States commit "countless" crimes in the past 10 years.

The 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks is an occasion to analyze whether the official responses have been proper and effective, said Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe's rights commissioner.

It is not hard to picture Tony Abbott bouncing awake each morning and spinning a large chocolate wheel to see which of the government's competing misfortunes he should exploit that day. They include:

Asylum seekers: The High Court has killed the Malaysia solution, putting the sword to Julia Gillard's pledge for a regional solution to people smuggling. Now presiding over a split party, her options are to backflip and embrace Nauru, or allow onshore processing.

picture by Gus

Federal Treasury analysis shows the Opposition's direct action climate change policy would cost twice as much as a carbon tax for the same reduction in emissions.

The analysis has been released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

Both major parties have committed to reducing carbon emissions by 5 per cent by 2020.

The Treasury analysis says the Coalition's direct action plan would be more expensive because it forgoes opportunities for cheaper, international sources of abatement and would be generally less effective.