#AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

[ahe-bby]

as an australian i am disgusted. to see my country so proud to be racist? im genuinely sick.

today, over 50% of australia have voted against giving indiginous people a voice in parliament.

THIS is what we talk about when it comes to australia being racist. its fucking casual, its disgusting. and people try to hide and say "well look indiginous people dont like it" THEY DONT LIKE IT? OR IS IT THEY DONT EXPECT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE HAVE LET THEM DOWN SO MANY TIMES?

this country needs to change.

#australia #referendum #australian politics #politics #vote yes #yes #australian referendum #auspol

[aceoffangirls]

Really disappointed in my country rn. Australia likes to act like its better than the rest of the world sometimes, compare ourselves to the shit politics in countries like the USA and UK but we are not. Australia is a very racist country, a lot of may not see but the truth came out during this referendum. My heart goes out to all First Nations Australians, you should not have to put up this.

There are some reminders for everyone:

Australia was only colonised in 1788 and we only became one nation in 1901. The First Nations people of Australia have been here for over 65,000 years. They have been here longer than some of the great wonders of the world like the pyramids.

The First Nations people of Australia where not included in the census and be counted in the constitution in 1967

The Stolen Generation only ended around 1969 with the continuing impacts being felt today.

The government only apologised for their actions in 2008

We continue to not listen to the First Nations people and destroy their sacred sites,

#auspol #australian politics #australia #referendum #the voice to parliament #the voice referendum #indigenous voice to parliament #indigenous australians

[leveragehunters]

I'm putting my response to this in it's own post. Nothing but respect for the rightful criticisms of the situation described in those articles. The problem is that the articles by Danielle Cahill are grossly, almost negligently, misleading.

I'm not your lawyer and this is not legal advice, but I am an autistic Queensland lawyer who's pretty ticked off at Cahill.

Cahill's articles:

Autistic drivers could find their licences in legal limbo depending on where they live after new standards introduced

New national Fitness to Drive standards are 'discriminatory' and 'humiliating' for autistic drivers, psychologists say

Short version:

If you're autistic you do not automatically have to obtain a medical clearance to hold a Queensland Drivers Licence and there is no 'list of reportable conditions', much less one that includes autism.

Long version with receipts:

The first article purportedly cites a Department of Transport and Main Roads (Transport) spokesperson who they claim said: "…all autistic drivers in Queensland have since 2012 been required to obtain a medical clearance from a doctor to show they are fit to drive." It also says: "In Queensland, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) requires drivers to obtain a medical clearance form from a doctor confirming they are fit to drive despite being autistic."

The second article says: "According to the state's Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), autism was added to the list of reportable health conditions in 2012."  Oh, but wait, what's this from just a little further up in the same article? "A TMR spokesperson told ABC News that "there is no specific legislation that states that people with autism cannot drive".

Let's talk about that specific legislation

Despite what the spokesperson said, there was no change to the law in 2012. A new Transport Regulation, which contains the law about medical clearances for Queensland drivers licences, was, however, passed in 2021. (link to the Regulation)

Typo or ignorance? Why not both.

The 2021 Regulation did not substantively change the law. The new Regulation was a consolidation, modernisation, and streamline of multiple pieces of overlapping legislation. (Explanatory notes)

'Jet's Law', which sets the rules for driver medical clearances, was first introduced in 2008. (Ministerial Statement). It was moved from the old Regulation to the new 2021 one essentially unchanged.

Jet's Law in chapter 3, part 6, division 1 of the 2021 Regulation

Jet's Law as passed in the previous Regulation (scroll down to page 64)

The law in Queensland re: medical clearances is the same as it was in 2008. The only changes were to language, consistent with modern drafting standards, and the addition of a requirement to not drive until you've given notice if a condition develops or worsens.  

What does Jet's Law say?

Section 177 of the 2021 Regulation states:

A person who applies for the grant or renewal of a Queensland driver licence must, when making the application, give a notice to the chief executive about any mental or physical incapacity that is likely to adversely affect the person’s ability to drive safely.

Key words: any mental or physical incapacity that is likely to affect the person's ability to drive.

If you're autistic and your autism isn't likely to affect your ability to drive safely, Jet's Law doesn't require you to give notice to Transport.

But what about that list of reportable conditions the article claims exists?

It doesn't exist. There is no list of reportable conditions.

Transport DOES provide some examples of medical conditions that are likely to affect your ability to drive. You can see them here:

https://www.support.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/formsdat.nsf/forms/S5040/$file/S5040.pdf

https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/licensing/update/medical/fitness#medcond

Here's the licence application form: https://www.support.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/formsdat.nsf/forms/qf3000/$file/f3000_es.pdf. Question 7 states that you must report any medical conditions that may adversely affect your ability to drive and asks if you have any of the following conditions:

Vision or eye disorder (other than wearing glasses or contact lenses) that may adversely affect your driving

Diabetes that requires treatment by tablet, insulin or other medication

Been diagnosed with epilepsy, experienced a seizure; or been required to take anti-epileptic medication after the age of 11

Any other medical condition/s that is likely to adversely affect your ability to drive safely

You know what I don't see anywhere? Autism.

But what about the National Standards?

Cahill managed to get that part of the articles almost right.

All Queensland drivers, regardless of age, must meet the national standards to ensure their health or any physical disability does not increase the risk of a crash. (confirmed by Transport) And before you ask, the national standard is not a list of 'reportable conditions'. (Even if it was, the autism update happened in 2022, not 2012). But what is the national standard if it's not a list of reportable conditions?

The national driver medical standards Assessing Fitness to Drive set out the considerations and medical criteria for safe driving. They also guide the management of drivers with health conditions so that they may continue to drive for as long as it is safe to do so. The standards are used by health professionals to assess and manage patients with health conditions that may affect their ability to drive safely. These assessments and the standards themselves inform Driver Licensing Authority decisions about driver licensing.

The national standard does refer to "Other neurological conditions including autism spectrum disorder and other developmental and intellectual disabilities". Yes, it was updated in 2022, as indicated by a big red banner across the top of the page. The update notes state:

The review identified that information and guidance was required to enable assessment of persons with ASD. Specialist advice noted that the variability of ASD characteristics and the degree of severity were too diverse for a specific standard. General guidance is however provided in the text of the chapter.

Wait, the review? The changes were made because of a review? They weren't a secret sneaky change as Cahill alleged? There was a public review that called for submissions from stakeholders?  Yes there was.

The review concluded there was not enough evidence to determine the MVC (motor vehicle crash) risk associated with ASD, and "Specialist advice noted that the variability of ASD characteristics and the degree of severity were too diverse for a specific standard."

So what does the standard actually say about autism?

The impact of other neurological conditions including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental and intellectual disability should be assessed individually. A practical driver assessment may be required. If the degree of impairment is static, periodic review is not usually required. People with ASD can have differences in social communication and interaction, with restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour, interest and activities. Although evidence from driving studies are limited, drivers with ASD may drive differently from people without ASD. Shortcomings in tactical driving skills have been observed, while rule-following aspects of driving are improved. There is considerable difference in the range and severity of ASD symptoms, so assessment should focus on these and the significance of likely functional effects, rather than an ASD diagnosis.

So what does that mean?

It means we're right back at Jet's Law, in section 177 of the 2021 Regulation.

If you have a mental or physical incapacity that is likely to affect your ability to drive you need to declare it.

Could this include autism? Yes.

Does it automatically include autism? Not according to any law or standard currently in force in Queensland.

If you're an autistic Queenslander, your obligations under Jet's Law and the update to the national standard mean it's important that you consider whether your autism is likely to affect your driving ability and, if so, declare it. If it's not, then don't.

[Reminder: I am not your lawyer and this is not legal advice]

#auspol #queensland #qld pol #autism #autistic #Australian politics #queensland politics #law stuff #debunking #danielle cahill #long post #Cahill should be bloody ashamed of themself

[itsbansheebitch]

My Hot Take for the Day

After the James Somerton situation, the SWOOP exposes Johnny Silvestri in the Colleen Ballinger situation, and other videos where youtubers do serious investigative work, I feel like some of these youtubers should be recognized for their efforts.

SWOOP has already been on multiple news outlits for her youtube videos, why don't we give these people more recognition?

I can already name some people that should, I don't know, get an award for investigative journalism or something

Coffeezilla (Specifically regarding his SBF & Save The Kids Crypto scam series)

SWOOP (The Colleen Ballinger series, specifically)

Hbomberguy (For the Plagiarism, Roblox, vaccines, and climate change videos specifically)

Philosophy Tube (specifically for the vaccine video, that was an awesome study)

FriendlyJordies (Got his house fire bombed when he investigated Australia's government & many more people & organizations)

This is a starting list, but please, feel free to add to the list, we need to give these people more recognition!

I don't know the best way to formally recognize youtubers for investigative journalism, but I do know these are some people you should take seriously. Their work is unmatched.

#journalism #investigative journalism #crypto scam #SBF #sam bankman fried #Coffeezilla #SWOOP #colleen ballinger #philosophy tube #abigail thorn #hbomberguy #todd in the shadows #friendlyjordies #australian politics #us politics #politics #youtube #lgbt #lgbtqia #lgbtq #lgbtq+ #queer #trans rights #art #writing #script writing

[paradoxicalpaldeann]

just gonna post this one here

#auspol #australia #australian politics #the voice referendum #voice referendum #god im so dissapointed. #aus #australia politics #australia referendum

[hrtvampires]

If anyone is curious about what is happening in Australia at the moment, today Australian citizens voted on whether or not there should be added to the constitution the need for the government to set up an advisory board made up of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders (Australia's indigenous people) so that they can bring forward issues affecting their communities as well as provide feedback on how new laws might affect the. The results of the vote was announced a few hours ago and it was a No, with over half the population deciding not to include this in the constitution.

The reason this inclusion in the constitution was so important is because of one simple fact: Australia is a very racist country. It pretends not to be, pushing a narrative of assimilation (for example, I remember ads about how we're "one country, one people" playing on tv when I was a kid, and many of the ads against voting yes focused on how "this voice would divide us").

The Stolen Generation only ended in 1969. If you don't know what this is, The Stolen Generation refers to a period in which the government forcibly took Indigenous children from their communities, families and cultures. These children were then taken to institutions, or adopted - being punished for speaking their own languages, and often being subject to abuse and neglect. Most of these children never saw their families again. Many indigenous traditions and cultural practices are passed down from generation to generation orally, meaning that The Stolen Generation led to a lot of traditions being lost.

The reason i'm explaining what The Stolen Generation is, is that it still massively affects indigenous people today. The Stolen Generation only ended 54 years ago, meaning that the CHILDREN taken from their families are still very much alive today, and the trauma they experienced still affects their communities. There's a massive gap in education, employment, etc between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

The Stolen Generation isn't the only contributor to Australia's culture of racism, or the systematic racism here; but I wanted to inform people about it because it makes a point and spreads awareness about Australia's history.

This no result is a sobering reality check. The advisory committee would have meant issues such as Black deaths in custody, and the gap could have been prioritized by the government.

Australia is still very much racist. People are still uneducated on the difference between equality and equity. People don't want to put in the work to make the world better and decolonize their minds. The government still doesn't give a shit about it's people. Misinformation is rampant. Fearmongering is rampant.

#auspol #australian politics #voice to parliament #politics

[claraameliapond]

PSA : THE INDIGENOUS VOICE REFERENDUM 14th October 2023

The Yes Vote is literally just giving indigenous Australians A SEAT AT THE TABLE to give information and advice about issues and governmental decisions that affect them.

Indigenous information and advice for indigenous issues from indigenous Australians.

That's it . It's acknowledging their existence as the first peoples of Australia and recognising that they have valuable information to contribute about their cultures, the ways they live, what their most pressing needs are and the best ways in which to help, to enable governments to effectively help them.

The government already provides "help" each year, in an effort to close the gap on education access, healthcare access, and many other pressing needs - they are already using taxpayer money to do this but crucially, these efforts have not been successful because we are missing out on crucial information.

The Voice to Parliament gives the government access to invaluable information that enables it to create and better implement aid, education, healthcare , equal opportunity.

I have been very actively involved in many Reconciliaton efforts for the vast majority of my life -

At 16 I travelled to some of the indigenous rural communities in Australia, met elders and individuals no tourist has access to meet, learnt from them, and saw what was there.

I saw the attempts, the efforts to provide access to Western education, that the rest of the country has, to provide healthcare, housing etc.

They don't work

They are based on western ways of life, ideas of community and interaction.

It's not the same.

They don't work.

Fundamentally because even if well intentioned, your efforts to help can actually harm if you don't have access to crucial information about how indigenous communities live.

We need to accommodate our help, our efforts, our aid to the specific needs and ways of life, values and dynamics of the many indigenous communities, especially rural, that exist across Australia, so that they have access to the same human rights we all do.

The human right to healthcare and education that we all have- it's not accessible in the same ways for indigenous communities.

It's provided, but on western terms- with the western expectation that children will leave their families for 6 months at a time and travel extremely far away to attend school, for example.

This is so backwards and outdated even for western sensibilities, and an incredibly outdated mode of education that is unhealthy emotionally for any child, let alone vulnerable people who have to choose between a western run school and their culture, their families - literally being a part of their community, a present member.

There are better ways to provide access to education than this. Ways that don't disrupt their connection to community, land and culture.

And the best people to ask, to provide information that can properly inform us about these issues, and how best to navigate them, fix them, are the the indigenous Australians themselves- they are the experts.

So that our aid and help and efforts actually do - help. Actually work.

The funds are going there anyway. So we need to put it to use in effective ways.

What we have now doesn't work.

We can only make it better.

Please Vote YES for The Indigenous Voice to Parliament

It is the beginning of lasting, effective positive change for vulnerable communities, and for us all.

#VOICE TO PARLIAMENT #THE VOICE #AUSTRALIA #YES 23 #YES23 #AUSTRALIAN REFERENDUM #AUSTRALIAN REFERENDUM 2023 #INDIGENOUS VOICE TO PARLIAMENT #AUSTRALIAN POLITICS #INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS #AUSPOL #REFERENDUM #YES #VOTE YES #Important #Pertinent #Please share #love #Vote #Voting

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

The Southern Hemisphere, where it’s winter, has been really hot too

Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, and Australia had heat waves in the past few months. Now spring begins.

It’s been a hot, brutal, record-breaking summer across much of the world, and it’s not quite ready to let go as late-season heat waves bake parts of the United States, the United Kingdom, North Africa, and the Middle East.

The long goodbye is a fitting cap to a season of deadly heat that contributed to severe drought in some areas and torrential rainfall in others. High temperatures also set the stage for wildfires in Greece and Turkey, Canada, Hawaii, and Louisiana.

But at least people north of the equator can look forward to some relief as autumn and winter set in. The 850 million people in the Southern Hemisphere, on the other hand, are emerging from some of their hottest winter temperatures on record and bracing for even more heat as the warmer seasons begin.

In fact, the weather was pretty much like summer in June, July, and August across parts of South America, Africa, and Australia. Peruvians went to the beach last month as temperatures reached 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Similarly balmy weather engulfed Paraguay and Chile. Buenos Aires, Argentina, reached 86°F, the hottest August temperature in at least 117 years. The heat was downright dangerous in Brazil as thermometers ticked above 100°F. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology confirmed this month that Australia experienced its hottest winter since record keeping began more than a century ago. Even down near the South Pole, warmer air and water have led to the lowest sea ice extent on record around Antarctica.

“Some of these set new records by a large margin, also known as ‘record shattering’ extremes,” explained Michael Grose, a senior research scientist at CSIRO, Australia’s government science agency, in an email.

Continue reading.

#brazil #politics #environmentalism #climate change #australia #argentina #south africa #brazilian politics #australian politics #argentine politics #south african politics #mod nise da silveira #image description in alt

[hiscursedness]

#bob katter #katter #katterposting #auspol #australian politics #shitposting #shitpost #australia

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Australia is removing the British monarchy from its banknotes.

Australia’s central bank announced Thursday that it will not be replacing the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II on its $5 bill with an image of King Charles III.

The new bill will instead feature an Indigenous design that honours the island’s original inhabitants.

“The Reserve Bank has decided to update the $5 banknote to feature a new design that honours the culture and history of the First Australians,” Australia’s bank wrote in a press release. “This new design will replace the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”

The reverse side of the bill will continue to feature the Australian Parliament, the bank said.

King Charles is still expected to appear on Australia’s coin — as soon as this year — but the $5 bill was Australia’s only remaining banknote to feature an image of the British monarch.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the change was an opportunity to strike a good balance.

“The monarch will still be on the coins, but the $5 note will say more about our history and our heritage and our country, and I see that as a good thing,” he told reporters in Melbourne. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#Australian politics #currency #bank notes

[pseudinymous]

Before all of my non-Australian followers unfollow me today, please be reminded that the Australian Liberal Party is our group of crazy right wing nut jobs in power, not actual liberals.

#Auspol #australian politics #fuck scomo

[tiredqueertranarchist]

If you're Australian, there's an official petition to parliament to call for ceasefire in Gaza

It's open to all Australian citizens to sign!

REMEMBER: you need to check your email after signing to confirm your signature or it will not be counted!

The petition closes 13th December 2023!

#gaza #save gaza #israel #petition #auspol #australia #australian politics

[yeetus-feetus]

Above is a Google doc containing 3 emails that you can send to your local politicians.

I have listed a few Australian politicians and representatives with their emails to make things easier for those in the same area as me, but you don't need to be Australian to use the emails in the doc.

It's as simple as copy-pasting the email you choose.

During the current strike for Palestine, if you cannot take time off work/school for money reasons, please take the time out of your day to email your politicians.

#Email for Palestine #auspol #australian politics #palestine #free palestine #save palestine #save gaza #gaza #australia #i stand with palestine #from the river to the sea palestine will be free #free free palestine

[scrapironfloaties]

what a stunning, come from behind victory. you love to see it folks

#auspol #australian election #australian politics #jeb2022

[tumblingxelian]

Once again my miserable fucking country, the bigoted backwards bastards and useful idiots, have shat upon even the smallest chance of fucking progress or semblance of justice in regards to the brutal colonization and genocide that created it.

The fact that Nazis are celebrating should tell you everything you need to know about today. To hell with every last Miserable racist and 'useful idiot' who voted no.

#Australian Politics #referendum #The Voice

[the-willow-tree]

I don't think I've ever been so ashamed to be an Australian

#auspol #in the 60's the vote to give first nations people the right to vote passed #and it passed with such a sweep that if it were tumblr #people would be commenting YES SWEEP in their reblogs #But today #we can't even agree to create an advisory body #one with no power to vote #veto #make laws #merely one that gives advice #for first nations people #it's a blow in the face of everything australians claim to stand for #the fair go #but weve always known that haven't we #in a country where first nations people dont have true citizenship rights #australian politics #the voice referendum