Author Archives: andrew

Australia ranks low on press freedom register

Posted on May 5, 2013 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban  Even without the controversial (ill thought out, badly prepared, muddle-headed) press regulation legislation threatened by Comms Minister Senator Stephen Conroy just a few weeks ago in early 2013 (now dead – the legislation not Conroy), Australia’s press … Continue reading →

Posted in Organisations And Groups | 4 Comments

Kicking against the Cornerstone of Democracy – MEAA Report 2012

Posted on May 5, 2013 by andrew

The Media Alliance’s annual press freedom report is claimed to be the most comprehensive survey of media law and regulation in Australia. The report covers all aspects from the recent debate over press regulation to shield laws for journalists and … Continue reading →

Posted in Organisations And Groups | Leave a comment

Provocation as terrorist strategy

Posted on April 29, 2013 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban Let’s hope Daniel Pipes is right (Boston attacks alert the West, The Australian, April 29, 2013) in being cautiously optimistic about the West “repulsing the Islamist threat” – by sheer weight of public opinion. The problem … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy And Terrorism | Leave a comment

Australian democracy and the lesson of the frog

Posted on March 25, 2013 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban You know the story: if you put a frog in water and slowly bring it to the boil the frog won’t notice it is being boiled alive. In the first half of 2013, Australian democracy is … Continue reading →

Posted in By The Way | Leave a comment

When ridicule is best

Posted on December 29, 2012 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban I was reading about the dismissal (December 2012) of Richard Falk from the Santa Barbara Committee of the prestigious Human Rights Watch, after an open letter of complaint to HRW Executive Director Kenneth Roth (December 17, 2012) … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour and Democracy | Leave a comment

Offend me. Please!

Posted on December 27, 2012 by andrew

Offend me, please! Unlike so many thoughtful, democratically minded commentators, I welcome the proposed new ‘Take Your Offence to Court’ legislation that Attorney General Nicola Roxon is trying to shepherd through Parliament in 2013. Finally, I will be able to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour and Democracy | Leave a comment

What is really galling about global warming

Posted on December 27, 2012 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban “My objections to the global warming propaganda are not so much over the technical facts, about which I do not know much, but it’s rather against the way those people behave and the kind of intolerance … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy and global warming policies | Leave a comment

Adversarial or collaborative democracy?

Posted on June 16, 2012 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban I was invited to attend this week’s Yaketi Yak organised by the Centre for Social Impact,  in which the ABC’s Peter Thompson interviewed Luca Belgiorno-Nettis about his ongoing search for a better system of democracy. Luca has … Continue reading →

Posted in Making A Difference | 1 Comment

Labour distressing democracy – Part 2: Sky is not the limit

Posted on April 14, 2012 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban   The most alarming sign that the Gillard Government has no qualms about stomping on democratic principle was the mess that was the Australian Network tender process, in which two independent assessments, departmental and legal advice … Continue reading →

Posted in By The Way | Leave a comment

Australian Labour is distressing democracy

Posted on December 18, 2011 by andrew

By Andrew L. Urban Ever since Julia Gillard climbed over Kevin Rudd in his first Prime Ministerial term in 2010, Labour collectively has behaved as if it is determined to diminish and distress Australian democracy, slippery bit by slithering bit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Regimes | Leave a comment