tractionism:

A review of the last few days in Australian politics

• With support from Labor and the Liberals, a bill has been passed through the senate that allows journalists and whistleblowers to be jailed and the internet to be monitored by Australian security agencies 
• A Liberal senator told the senate that some foetuses miscarry because they understand they may not survive out of the womb
• The Australian media has continued in its tirade against Muslims in Australia with several examples of mislabelling, provoking, sensationalising and fact picking. 
• Tony Abbott did not attend a United Nations climate summit attended by more than a hundred world leaders, including the super-polluters and big business. He did attend the terror summit the day after. He has also listed Islamic extremism, Russian aggression, ebola and economic stagnation as the greatest threats to the world, leaving out climate issues. 
• With the terror threat level being raised, involvement in Iraq and politicians making asinine remarks, Islamic Australians are increasingly the target of vilification and attacks. 
• After spending time with Indigenous Australian communities, the Abbott government have cut funding for Aboriginal communities and new laws give police greater power to target Indigenous youths. 
• The Abbott Government will sign an agreement to send Asylum seekers to Cambodia, one of South East Asias poorest nations with an already strained welfare system. Babies born in detention under Australia will blocked from applying for protection. 

So what kind of picture does this paint? It’s a bit like a summation of the Liberal party since they’ve been in power. They’re taking away our freedoms, first healthcare and education, now speech. They’re continuing their racially backed campaign against foreigners, be they asylum seekers or Islamic people. They’re proving they don’t care about indigenous Australians and women’s rights and that they definitely don’t care about climate issues.

This last week or so in Australian politics proves that this government have an agenda of xenophobia and anti-reason, of dangerous neoconservatism. It proves, quite terrifyingly, that it’s working.