Ford within the firing line

WAR AND PEACE

NSW Liberal MP Kellie Sloane has written to Premier Chris Minns and Arts Minister John Graham about creator Clementine Ford’s upcoming gig as co-curator of March’s All About Girls pageant, The Australian ($) studies. Sloane stated Ford was “uncovered for ‘doxxing’ Jewish creatives” amid a historical past of being “divisive”, and a few individuals would really feel “uncomfortable” attending. The paper says a petition to handle Ford’s involvement has reached “nearly 6,000” signatures (by what rounding measure? It’s at 5,445 as of 5.52am AEDT). Ford was amongst those that posted a screenshot of a WhatsApp group of Jewish creatives, as Guardian Australia reported — she wished to indicate “how coordinated efforts are to silence Palestinian activists and their allies” as members of the group chat had been urged to contact Ford’s writer over each Israel-Palestine protection and the leaked Attorneys for Israel chat that confirmed lobbying for then ABC presenter Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking.

In the meantime, a proposed Brisbane inner-city laneway passing by the heritage-listed Brisbane Synagogue has been scrapped amid concern from the Jewish congregation, Brisbane Occasions studies. Plans for a 71-storey tower included a hyperlink between Mary and Margaret streets alongside the constructing — however after they had been submitted in 2021, police seized a Nazi flag hanging from a window of a pupil lodging tower over the synagogue. It comes as PM Anthony Albanese, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon co-signed an announcement calling for a direct ceasefire in Gaza, SBS studies, and shared “grave considerations” about Israel invading Rafah, the place 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge. “There may be merely nowhere else for civilians to go” the assertion learn.

LOVE AND MONEY

Media hypothesis is rife about Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s upcoming nuptials to companion Jodie Haydon. Guardian Australia reckons it gained’t be a church marriage ceremony (Albo’s non-practising and used a civil affirmation when being sworn in as PM), and if it was to occur earlier than the following federal election (Could 23, 2025 on the newest) they’ve obtained 15 months. The paper then lists the associated fee and seating of a number of inside west spots, asks Vogue for its ideas on Haydon’s gown (in all probability Australian), and concludes with a service that gives canine marriage ceremony packages ($575) for Toto. The SMH’s protection of the meal they shared (blue-eyed cod, zucchini flowers) goes on to notice Haydon “made some extent of claiming she had grown up studying The Sydney Morning Herald” in Could 2022. How on model (for the paper). Political strategists The Australian ($) spoke to say it’s higher Albanese retains it modest and privately funded, saying it’d be a boon for his recognition — after a royal marriage ceremony, republicanism drops, one identified.

Talking of presidency coffers — unbiased Senator David Pocock stated the federal government shouldn’t generate income off present and former college students, after the cohort was slugged a 7.1% indexation charge final yr (decided by the Client Value Index or CPI). Pocock informed ABC we should always hyperlink it to the federal government bond charge (4.1%) when it’s decrease than CPI. Shadow training spokesperson Sarah Henderson stated it’s not a good system anyway — somebody with a $20,000 HECS debt may pay $5,000 again through the monetary yr however will get listed on the $20,000 anyway.

ENERGY DRINKS

I would not have a ingesting downside, former deputy PM Barnaby Joyce stated, after he was filmed mendacity on a footpath after he fell off a plant field. Within the aftermath the Nationals MP blamed a mixture of booze and meds, however informed Sky Information Australia he goes lengthy intervals with out having a drink, and that it’s been “confirmed” he doesn’t have an issue. Unbiased MP Zali Steggall known as for random alcohol and breath testing in Parliament, to which Joyce scoffed that she may lead by instance and run a dry workplace. He additionally drew an extremely lengthy bow in remarking that he’d suppose she’d be preoccupied with renewable initiatives in Manly, Mosman and Center Head, not this problem. Erm, OK?

Talking of — Anthony Albanese is spruiking inexperienced jobs within the coal-heavy Hunter Valley at present, The Australian ($) studies, saying the transformation of the Liddell coal plant to a large-scale battery will likely be an indication of issues to come back throughout Australia. The Coalition need it to turn out to be a nuclear web site — certainly the occasion’s local weather vitality coverage touts nuclear as our baseload energy supply on the highway to 2050, regardless that it’s too costly (costing an eyewatering $387 billion to transform all coal energy stations to nuclear), and too gradual (crops take practically 10 years to construct, in comparison with one to a few years for photo voltaic and wind). The AFR says Albanese goes to announce a multibillion-dollar initiative to compete with the US’ $624 billion Inflation Discount Act — although not spend the identical dosh.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

What’s romantic love? A mere chemical response within the mind? A organic crucial to maintain the species reproducing? The nice and cozy feeling you will have to your companion regardless of routinely stepping on their toenail clippings within the toilet? For Guardian readers, it’s one thing a bit of extra particular. When Brian buys a e book for his spouse, he has this humorous little behavior of constructing her a bookmark to go together with it, scrawling one thing to make her smile. She’s saved all of the bookmarks, even after among the books moved on, and so they’ll take a look at them infrequently to reminisce. Love is a bookmark. When RDG goes to mattress sooner than his companion, he’ll lie on the opposite facet of the mattress to heat it up earlier than rolling to the chilly facet — and his companion does the identical for him, each gaining “pleasure from giving and receiving”. Love is a heat mattress.

When Ed first met his future spouse, he was so giddy that he began writing her identify on the steamed-up bathe display screen subsequent to a small coronary heart. Wanting again, he is aware of it was juvenile, and but he continues to take action, some 5 years into their marriage, hoping the love will reveal itself throughout her every day cleaning ritual. For Pamela, it’s choosing up a salty spring roll for her husband on her stroll house; it’s his favorite, and but he by no means appears to count on it, he’s all the time stunned. Love is a spring roll. Working in a hospice, Fiona’s nights had been crammed with the good unknown and he or she’d go her daywalking husband within the early morning like ships within the evening. Folding her drained bones in beneath the covers, she’d really feel the warmth of a freshly stuffed scorching water bottle throughout her earlier than dropping off to sleep. Love is a spot the place one can relaxation.

Hoping you are feeling the love at present, and have a restful weekend.

SAY WHAT?

Expensive Steven, congratulations. What an unbelievable second for you and your loved ones — an actual second to savour and credit score to a few years of exhausting work and loyalty. There are numerous comrades from NSW cheering you on premier.

Jo Haylen

Is there one thing I don’t know, Queensland MP Stephen Andrew will need to have puzzled, when his citizens acquired a congratulatory notice from the NSW transport minister that was meant for Premier Steven Miles. A One Nation premier? Chilling stuff.

CRIKEY RECAP

‘The Defence Pressure is simply too woke in 2024’: Navy recruitment and the brand new tradition conflict

“Australia has a army recruitment downside, prime brass within the Australian Defence Pressure acknowledge. The ADF is 7% below energy and its workforce is constant to shrink, Defence chief Angus Campbell admitted at Senate estimates yesterday. Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh has lengthy recognized recruitment as a serious downside, with a brand new recruitment companion chosen by the Defence Division final October. Again in 2022, Defence launched a six-pronged initiative to enhance recruitment and retention within the ranks.

“Australia isn’t alone in failing to recruit. The USA armed providers have been struggling for a very long time to recruit troopers — within the wake of the Iraq fiasco, the necessity to retain sufficient troops for fight operations led to repeated decreasing of requirements, with out nice success …”

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Which international locations have stopped supplying arms to Israel? (Al Jazeera)

Why Russia’s Putin backing Biden for the US presidency shouldn’t be what it appears (BBC)

Israeli particular forces raid largest functioning hospital in Gaza (CNN)

Donald Trump once more threatens to sacrifice Nato allies to Russia (The Guardian)

What minister stated as media leaders said case for making tech giants pay for information (Stuff)

Trump to face trial on March 25 in NY felony hush cash case (Reuters)

European Fee cuts EU progress forecast and expects inflation to fall additional (euronews)

THE COMMENTARIAT

Rookies inject ethical readability into Joyce’s fall and antisemitism’s rise — Phillip Coorey (The AFR): “One was West Australian Tania Lawrence who, in contrast to nearly everybody else within the constructing that day, determined to not follow the speaking factors concerning Barnaby Joyce … Utilizing one of many 90-second slots allotted to backbenchers every afternoon, Lawrence, one of many few Labor MPs with non-public sector company expertise, stated politicians may now not grant themselves or colleagues go away passes for behaviour deemed unacceptable in different workplaces … A couple of minutes earlier, on a subject of far better import, first-term Victorian MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah let rip on the rising tide of antisemitism, pushed by those that deem it permissible to focus on Jews due to their grievance with the federal government of Israel.

“Anthony Albanese promised final yr to not let antisemitism take root in Australia however since then, he and the related ministers have given the impression of politicians strolling on eggshells. They’ve been reacting to antisemitic occasions, relatively than taking the lead, all whereas making an attempt to keep away from giving both facet oxygen in the reason for social cohesion. The prime minister’s is a better juggling act however, within the meantime, antisemitism has taken root. Lawrence and Ananda-Rajah are newcomers to Parliament, however that may be a bonus as a result of they haven’t had the idealism kicked out of them but. Out of the mouths of babes.”

Morrison’s departure will assist Liberals ‘transfer on’ however Nationals can’t ‘transfer on’ till Barnaby does — Michelle Grattan (The Dialog): “Scott Morrison will say his farewell to Parliament the week after subsequent. This timing occurs to comply with neatly Monday’s closing episode within the ABC’s Nemesis collection, during which some Coalition figures excoriated their former chief and Morrison defended his file. For the Liberals, Morrison’s departure is a major symbolic ‘shifting on’ second. It’s not that he has had any affect, or been disruptive, because the election. However regardless that he’s been hardly observed publicly, his presence within the parliamentary occasion has been a reminder of all that went improper final time period.

“The Coalition Morrison is exiting is a blended bunch, when it comes to efficiency, illustrated by the primary weeks of this yr. The opposition couldn’t have prevented being outfoxed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s daring transforming of the tax cuts. Nevertheless it may have prevented the Liberals’ Deputy Chief, Sussan Ley, impulsively suggesting a Dutton authorities would roll again the tax cuts, which a nanosecond of thought would have informed her would by no means occur. It was typical of Ley, and a bone Labor hasn’t stopped chewing. However, the row over the ex-detainees — launched by the federal government from immigration detention after a Excessive Courtroom resolution final yr — has proven how an opposition working successfully can have a minister squirming.”

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WHAT’S ON TODAY

On-line

• Australian Nationwide College’s Jane Golley, Trivium’s Dinny McMahon, and Australia-China Relations Institute’s Marina Zhang will discuss concerning the affect of China’s economic system on Australia in a webinar.

Eora Nation Nation (also referred to as Sydney)

• Creator Victoria Vanstone will discuss her e book, A Thousand Wasted Sundays, at Higher Learn Than Lifeless bookshop.