Happy New Year, from the Democratic Audit Team. 

Whistleblowing 

In a new paper for the Audit, Dr David Solomon,
Adjunct Professor of Politics at the University of Queensland, looks at the law
protecting whistleblowing, arguing that more protection is needed.  

For a change, it's nothing to do with Scott Parkin, and I think this gentleman may be a little more aggressive in his activism techniques..Ciaron O'Reilly, who has had his photo taken with both Nelson Mandela and East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao, was, while returning to Australia last week, detained for questioning by ASIO.

 O'Reilly was reportedly was a member of the"
ANZUS Ploughshares" which disarmed a B-52 Bomber in upstate New York during the 1991 Gulf War. He was also a member of the "
Jabiluka Ploughshares" that disabled uranium mining equipment in the
Northern Territory of Australia in 1998.

‘Bush’s State of the Union included numerous references to freedom and liberty, and even denunciations of protectionism. The dishonest rhetoric persists. As usual, the Republicans like to have it both ways. They love the authority and violence of the state, from the trigger-happy cop on the street all the way up to the bomb-happy president in the Oval Office. But they also love pretending to be enamoured with protecting freedom and the little guy. They feed Big Brother steroids even as they claim to want to get him off your back.  

‘Iran signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty and insists (correctly) that the treaty assures signatories the right to pursue nuclear programs for peaceful use. And when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice claims, as she did last month, "There is simply no peaceful rationale for the Iranian regime to resume uranium enrichment," she is being, well, disingenuous again.

If Dr. Rice has done her homework, she is aware that in 1975 President Gerald Ford's chief of staff Dick Cheney and his defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld bought Iran's argument that it needed a nuclear program to meet future energy requirements. This is what Iranian officials are saying today, and they are supported by energy experts who point out that oil extraction in Iran is already at or near peak and that the country will need alternatives to oil in coming decades. 

‘As the war in Iraq drags on into almost its fourth year with no end in sight, still American soldiers continue to fight and bleed, not for the American people, but for the president, the U.S. government, and the military-industrial complex. No one is fighting and bleeding and dying to "defend our freedoms" or anyone else’s freedoms. 

What makes this even more disturbing is that the majority of American soldiers would claim to be Christians or at least identify with Christianity.  

Looking at South Australia's purchase of a new batch of security cameras for buses and trains, I've realised how well the Great Cash-In is coming along

"In the wake of the tragic London bombings last year, we have been reviewing security across the whole of government.

"Transport security has always been a priority for all governments, but this investment means every train, tram and bus can be monitored to help deter illegal activity, including vandalism and assaults."

Another one of your totally wanky stories about this or that in today’s SMH: this time about nimby Not In Your Backyard, Thanks 

Yes there are people who want to preserve the historical real-estate value in our society.  

‘The Indonesian invasion and occupation of East Timor were among the most barbaric actions of the late 20th century. President Gerald Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met with Indonesian President Suharto in Jakarta the day before the invasion and gave U.S. approval. The primary concern of U.S. officials seemed to be to get back to Washington before the bloodbath began. Kissinger told Suharto, “We understand your problem and the need to move quickly but I am only saying that it would be better if it were done after we returned.” Kissinger, doing his best imitation of Lady Macbeth, urged Suharto, “It is important that whatever you do succeeds quickly.”