Series Finale (or is it?)

Children trying to seek refuge in Australia have been detained on Nauru. They argue that Australia is still responsible for them.

Australia made a carefully worded agreement with Nauru to avoid responsibility. If Australia has no responsibility, Australia says it is not obliged to ensure the human rights of these children. Um, okay, weird flex about not protecting literal human children, Australia.

The UN Human Rights Committee has found that Australia is responsible, and breached Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

To read the decision, click here: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CCPR%2FC%2F142%2FD%2F2749%2F2016&Lang=en

Euphemisms are very fun. Unaccompanied minor = child, all alone with no parent or guardian

Very short, sharp episode about the close link between the Roman Empire and Nazism. Why the “Roman salute” explanation is still scary as heck.

Billionaires who fail to denounce nazis and fascists are, you guessed it, bad.

In Australia, we do not (as far as we know at this stage) have a fascist with overwhelming political power in parliament. But we cannot ignore what is happening in the US.

This not-lawyerly episode discusses one concrete action you can take now to strengthen your community.

It is aimed at Australians but may be applicable to listeners elsewhere.

Fun fact: many people attribute “hope is not a strategy” to Rudy Giuliani but versions have been kicking around at least since the 1970s according to General Gordon R Sullivan, former chief of staff of the US Army, and the coiner of “hope is not a method”. See more here: https://www.americanheritage.com/hope-not-method

Some creative options for communication tools: old-fashioned letters, meetings, Signal app, Discord app, plays, songs, posters.

And as bad as ever. NT reinstating dangerous and degrading practice of using spit hoods, still criminalising children.

Reporting from The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/14/northern-territory-spit-hood-ban-lifted-clp-ntwnfb