Australia Draws a Line on China
Sun Online Desk
7th May, 2021 05:57:51
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media during a press conference at Australia’s parliament in Canberra, on Nov. 25, 2019. TRACEY NEARMY/GETTY IMAGES
Australian defense officials and politicians alike are striking an increasingly hawkish tone on China. This week, it was revealed that a former top general warned his troops last year of the “high likelihood” of war with China. This comes just days after Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton raised eyebrows with his assessment that Chinese bullying of Taiwan could lead to a regional conflict.
Canberra’s more muscular posture, coupled with an increase in defense spending even amid the pandemic, spells an unusually confrontational approach toward China for a country that once tried to balance its economic relations with its largest trading partner against its decades-old defense commitments to the United States. Washington is repayi
Canberra’s travel ban reminds Indian-Australians that they do not matter enough
Such drastic steps were not in place when the US and Europe were going through similarly deadly and infectious Covid-19 outbreaks. Yesterday · 09:30 pm A protest demanding action against people behind a series of violent attacks on Indian students, in central Sydney, in 2009. | Daniel Munoz / Reuters
In the past five years, the number of overseas-born migrants from India grew more than any other group in Australia, increasing from 4,49,000 to 7,21,000. Indian residents leapfrogged New Zealand-born and China-born migrants in the 2020 government figures to rank second in the country, behind only those from England.
Harmless parody or insidious racism? NSW deputy premier threatens to sue FriendlyJordies neoskosmos.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from neoskosmos.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro is reportedly threatening legal action against YouTuber and political satirist Jordan Shanks, better known as friendlyjordies, over allegedly defamatory and “racist” comments. Shanks’s parodying of Barilaro has included imitating him with a strong Italian accent.
In 2019, Shanks received a similar legal threat from then-politician Clive Palmer after labelling him a “dense humpty dumpty”, among other profanities. Shanks’s video responding to Palmer’s lawsuit has been viewed more than one million times, with a likes-to-dislikes ratio indicating overwhelming support from viewers.
The latest threat against Shanks reminds us of the key role parody and satirisation now play in the nation’s political discourse. This type of humour provides a way to discuss issues in a way traditional media outlets can’t risk doing. Perhaps this is because parody, by its very nature, is expected to be cheeky (and even offensive).
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In the past five years, the number of overseas-born migrants from India grew more than any other group in Australia, increasing from 449,000 to 721,000. Indian residents leapfrogged New Zealand-born and China-born migrants in the 2020 government figures to rank second in the country, behind only those from England.
Despite their increasing numbers and growing political voice, it appears those of Indian origin still do not matter enough in the mainstream Australian public sphere.
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This is most apparent in the recent travel ban imposed by the federal government on flights from COVID-ravaged India. Not only are Australian citizens prohibited from entering their own country, they also risk fines of up to $66,000 or five years’ jail time if they attempt to do so.