This week’s round up covers developments in Victorian state politics, the wages of national-park and energy privatisations, some archeo-futurism in France and the Trump-Kanye-Musk circus trio.
Local News
Indian-origin Victorian State MP Kaushaliya Vaghela announces new political party – NRI Affairs. As Victorian Labor fractures internally, its migrant community-based factions are now forming their own political parties.
Immigration taskforce to hit visa criminals after trafficking investigation – The Age. “The federal government has established a new multi-agency taskforce to target criminals exploiting Australia’s migration system after revelations of widespread visa rorting linked to sex trafficking, foreign worker exploitation and drug crime.“
Indigenous women push back against plan to ban females from NSW national park site – News.com.au “Wollumbin Mountain was declared an Aboriginal Place above 600m to the summit by the NSW government in 2014 to protect its cultural values and formally recognise it as a place of special significance to Aboriginal people. The Wollumbin National Park summit trek has been closed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and will be shut off from the public permanently following an announcement from Minister for Environment James Griffin last month.” The fruits of dispossession now shared may not be so sweet.
The permanent revolution or a conservative renaissance? – The Spectator. “Smethurst notes, Victoria’s ‘shifting demographics…remain the biggest threat to the Liberal Party’s long-term viability’“. Ryan Anderson on the sorry state of Victorian Liberals and their prospects in this weekend’s election.
Victoria’s looming energy disaster – The Spectator. Concerning developments in Victoria’s energy future.
International News
Kanye West reveals Trump’s reaction to his VP offer – RT.
A gentle calm’: France’s streets once again echo to sound of working horses – The Guardian.
Elon Musk to launch new blue, gold and grey Twitter ticks – The Guardian.