Independent Australia
Sun, 03 Jan 2021 15:30:00 +1000 #1 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: America could be heading towards a second civil war
In the lead up to the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, mass violence after the polls closed looked likely, as this September article by Dr Hirst, read by about 70,000 people, showed. Thankfully, this hasn't eventuated — yet. read now...
Sun, 03 Jan 2021 14:00:00 +1000 #2 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: Telstra is going on to take the NBN monopoly
Our brilliant tech columnist, Paul Budde, had three articles in IA's top ten, two of which were about Australia's far less impressive national broadband network — this August article being read by nearly 50,000 people. read now...
Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:30:00 +1000 Assange case: The 'right decision for the wrong reason'
Why did a British judge reject the U.S. Government's attempt to extradite Assange, despite accepting "virtually all of the allegations" against him? read now...
Tue, 05 Jan 2021 11:00:00 +1000 Scotty from Photo Ops enjoys some me time
Independent Australia is granted access to document Scotty Morrison taking time out from his gruelling Photo Ops schedule to relax at home. read now...
Tue, 05 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +1000 The Morrison Government and the biggest withdrawal of spending since World War 2
As Jobkeeper, JobSeeker and other stimulus measures are wound back, it is doubtful the Morrison Government will rise to the economic challenges ahead. read now...
Sun, 03 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +1000 AUDIO: New Year's Day message to the nation from the Morrespins (who are definitely not in Fiji)
EXCLUSIVE ZOOM INTERVIEW: Prime Minister Scott Morrespin and his wife Jennifer join Samantha Armasuckup on 'The Sun Rises' to discuss plans for 2021. read now...
Mon, 04 Jan 2021 15:30:00 +1000 Double standards on research cooperation with China
The Government is hypocritical in its approval of Australia's nuclear research body to work with China on the development of nuclear reactors. read now...
Mon, 04 Jan 2021 11:00:00 +1000 Terrorism: Some lessons for Australia from the New Zealand Royal Commission
Findings from the Royal Commission into the Christchurch terror attack can be used to better Australia's attitudes towards ethnic diversity. read now...
Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +1000 Australian sovereignty: The long and short of it
Projections on Australia’s future are bleak if it maintains its hostility to China and cloying dependence on America. read now...
Sun, 03 Jan 2021 13:00:00 +1000 #3 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: Foxtel pay-TV faces slow death
The Murdoch stranglehold over Australian media was, as ever, a popular topic on IA during 2020, with this February glimmer of hope from Paul Budde receiving nearly 40,000 unique views. read now...
Sat, 02 Jan 2021 18:30:00 +1000 #4 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: What's happening with ABC 'Insiders'?
The capture of ABC Insiders by Murdoch's minions was a topic of debate all year, with this April Alan Austin piece attracting in excess of 35,000 unique views. read now...
Fri, 01 Jan 2021 15:24:00 +1000 #5 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: Scott Morrison's Pentecostal beliefs have affected Liberal Party policies
The impact of Scott Morrison's Pentacostal beliefs concern many Australians, as shown by this January article, which was read by near 45,000 people. read now...
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 15:00:00 +1000 #7 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: Drop Bears feared extinct due to Australian bushfires
Much fauna perished in the bushfires that stripped the nation early in the year — and the fearsome dropbear was no exception. This troubling January article from Chris Richards received more than 25,000 unique visits. read now...
Thu, 31 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +1000 #6 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: No action from Morrison Government as NBN continues downward trend
The Coalition's scorchingly expensive copper-based "steam punk" NBN continued to buffer during 2020, with this January report by IA's tech expert Paul Budde receiving around 30,000 viewers. read now...
Mon, 28 Dec 2020 16:00:00 +1000 #9 TOP STORY OF 2020: World’s largest economy in free fall
Star IA reporter Alan Austin collects his second top 10 article of 2020, with this June piece being read by close to 22,000 fans. read now...
Tue, 29 Dec 2020 18:00:00 +1000 #8 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: How your donated clothes end up in Fijian superstores
When you fill those pink bags in your letterbox with clothes, where do they end up? This August investigation by Steve Bishop was read by close to 24,000 readers. read now...
Sat, 12 Dec 2020 15:00:00 +1000 Farewell to 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' screenwriter Cliff Green
The Australian film and television industry has lost one of its luminaries, Picnic at Hanging Rock screenwriter Cliff Green. read now...
Tue, 18 Aug 2020 16:30:00 +1000 How your donated clothes end up in Fijian superstores
Thousands of Australians and New Zealanders are donating “good used clothing” to a secondhand clothing empire, rather than to charities. read now...
Sun, 27 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +1000 #10 TOP IA STORY OF 2020: The new coronavirus threat to the world is the USA
COVID-19 had the biggest impact on the world in 2020 and, as the virus struck the USA with force in April, this prescient report received over 21,000 unique views. read now...
Tue, 27 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +1000 IA Talks Ep 1: Gold standard premiers and elections galore
A new podcast series about news and the world of politics, featuring special guests getting brutally honest about everything. read now...
Wed, 23 Dec 2020 15:00:00 +1000 Bloody Idiot of the Week — Episode 19: Gold standard edition
Rolled gold standards abound in our final idiot edition for 2020. read now...
Wed, 23 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Victoria's secrets: What we know about Lawyer X
A Victorian Police Royal Commission has revealed that use of gangland lawyer Nicola Gobbo as an informant may have contaminated numerous convictions. read now...
Wed, 23 Dec 2020 16:00:00 +1000 IA Talks: Exclusive interview with Scott Morrespin on 'The Sun Rises'
In an exclusive interview, Prime Minister Scott Morrespin joins Samantha Armasuckup on 'The Sun Rises'. read now...
Thu, 17 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 2020 in review: Rorts, fires, a plague and more rorts
IA looks back over a year of climate-driven calamities and political scandals. read now...
Wed, 23 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The COVID-19 vaccine and the perils of political advertising
Politicians are poorly positioned to encourage us to get the COVID-19 vaccine, writes Dr Binoy Kampmark. read now...
Sun, 20 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Give the ADF a chance to do the right thing
The Prime Minister and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie have perpetuated tension between the Government and ADF during the Brereton investigation. read now...
Wed, 23 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 How Australia can learn from Scandinavian countries
It's interesting to compare the major economic models in the Western world: the Anglo-Saxon model, the Rhineland model and the Scandinavian model. read now...
Tue, 22 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The Morrison Government's program of class warfare
Australians like to think of themselves as living in a classless society where anyone can succeed, unimpeded by socio-economic barriers. read now...
Tue, 22 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 No favourable economic winds for Morrison's Australia
While Australia continues to float aimlessly without a clear recovery plan, no economic winds will be favourable. read now...
Tue, 22 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Berejiklian commands virus not to spread by not mandating masks or travel bans
The NSW Government will have to answer for not mandating masks and travel to prevent the spread of infection from the current COVID-19 outbreak. read now...
Mon, 21 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Donald Trump: A great man of history or a Wizard of Oz
U.S. President Donald Trump used his abilities as a conman to win over the public and key political figures during his time in office. read now...
Mon, 21 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 JEFF MCMULLEN: A thirst that ends lives
The Northern Territory Government is pushing for more bottle shops within proximity to Indigenous communities, knowing the health risks. read now...
Mon, 21 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 No, Australia’s economy is not rebounding strongly. Who told you that?
The three key economic messages from the Morrison Government are quite false, but the media keeps promoting them anyway. read now...
Sun, 20 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Housing unaffordability: Vacant homes increase as land prices boom
Proactive government policy is needed to ensure that all can access appropriate housing, writes Karl Fitzgerald. read now...
Sun, 20 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +1000 Australia must forge an independent foreign policy
Racism, fear and lack of moral courage sees Australia tied to a declining America. read now...
Sat, 19 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The Coalition's 'right to rule' mentality
The Government is well and truly broken, says Peter Henning. read now...
Sat, 19 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Australia caught in the middle of a diplomatic stoush
As 2020 becomes 2021, one thing remains ominously certain: the Australia-U.S. alliance will continue to threaten the peace of the region and Australia's economic security. read now...
Sat, 19 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 The plight of political staffers in Australian parliaments
All the major political parties must lift their game and treat political staffers better, writes Peter Wicks. read now...
Fri, 18 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Joe Biden confirmed: Time to see what Trump will do
The sign-up of voter representatives in the Electoral College has made the win by Joe Biden more certain than ever. read now...
Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +1000 CARTOONS: Mark David puts the blowtorch to 2020
He's hot... red hot! read now...
Fri, 18 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Power can be taken back by exposing our oppressors
We should examine the oppressor, not the oppressed, otherwise all hope is lost. read now...
Fri, 18 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Scott Morrison's not-so-good year of 2020
As the year comes to an end, political commentators in the mainstream media have been giving their analysis of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s performance in 2020. read now...
Thu, 17 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Morrison Government duck-shoving COVID-19 responsibilities onto states
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Morrison Government has pushed many of its legal responsibilities to state governments. read now...
Thu, 17 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 What Australia can learn from electric vehicle policies in Indonesia
The Indonesian Government is making an effort to encourage drivers to go electric in an effort to reduce traffic and air pollution. read now...
Wed, 16 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Selling Australia's offshore detention regime to the world
The term “offshore processing” suggests something industrial, mechanistic. read now...
Wed, 16 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Government protection of NBN endangering regional digital development
It was astonishing to hear the news the Federal Government has set up the Regional Digital Tech Hub as part of their $220 million Stronger Digital Connect Package. read now...
Sun, 13 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The precautionary principle is lacking in mainstream media communication
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that a need for media information clear in scientific method and concepts has never been more crucial. read now...
Wed, 16 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 JOHN PILGER: The most lethal virus is not COVID-19 — it's war
Even in the midst of the biggest health crisis in years, governments of the world area still prioritising military power, death and destruction. read now...
Tue, 15 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 COVID death toll reaches 300,000 under Trump
"It is equal to a 9/11 attack every day for more than 100 days." read now...
Tue, 15 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Scotty from Photo Ops finally runs out of photo ops
Prime Minister Scotty from Photo Ops discusses possible photo options with his trusty, personal photographer. read now...
Thu, 10 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Morrison's Anti-Accountability vaccine gets L-NP off Scott-free
This week’s questionable Government dealings are brought to you courtesy of Scott Morrison, Stuart Robert, Paul Fletcher, Matt Canavan and Dave Sharma. read now...
Tue, 15 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 ‘Insiders’ ends year in harness with News Corp – spruiking the failing Coalition
Sunday’s final ABC 'Insiders' program for the year showed again why the flagship current affairs program has fallen short in 2020. read now...
Mon, 14 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 A truth-telling War Memorial does not need 2.5 hectares of extra floor space
Money spent on a proposed extension to the Australian War Memorial should be dedicated to telling the truth about war. read now...
Mon, 14 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The global context of China’s assault on Australian trade and diplomacy
Scott Morrison’s crude diplomatic posturing over China's trade war insults will do us no favours and we would do well to learn from our Asian neighbours. read now...
Mon, 14 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 The folly of the Global Talent Independent visa
A recently developed visa program bears more drawbacks than its government sales pitch would suggest. read now...
Sun, 13 Dec 2020 10:30:00 +1000 HELEN CALDICOTT: Time to learn lessons of the past on nuclear
The threat of nuclear warfare is ever-present despite the horrors of the past, writes Dr Helen Caldicott. read now...
Sun, 13 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +1000 The Coalition Government's deficit of trust
Scott Morrison's Government has weakened our faith in democracy and democratic institutions, writes Dr Jennifer Wilson. read now...
Sat, 12 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Pesticide companies marketing themselves as a solution to climate change
'Like a pandemic, climate change is an inevitable threat that we must address before it is too late,' reads a June 2020 statement. read now...
Sat, 12 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Wren's week: WorkChoices 2.0, casual work and a Labor resurgence
In his final column for 2020, John Wren says that the Coalition's harsh industrial relations agenda allows Labor to flex its muscles in opposition. read now...
Fri, 11 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Government's proposed anti-corruption body 'a post-modern joke'
A recent press conference in Canberra has drawn criticism towards the Government over its unwillingness to establish an anti-corruption body. read now...
Fri, 11 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Australia must build 150,000 public rental homes and end all forms of homelessness
Australia is spending $225 billion on 12 submarines whereas one-third of this spend could end all forms of homelessness. read now...
Fri, 11 Dec 2020 08:30:00 +1000 CARTOONS: Mark David takes the 'f' word out for a spin
Fish fraud? FFS! read now...
Fri, 11 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Information should be free, as should vaccines
With a vaccine against COVID-19 almost available, Professor John Quiggin examines the business end of saving lives. read now...
Thu, 10 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Super’s potential should not be superseded, says ACTU
The ACTU has criticised the Morrison Government's attack on the superannuation system and is pushing for reforms. read now...
Thu, 10 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Vale Mungo MacCallum — a true progressive voice gone
Independent Australia founder and director David Donovan pays tribute to one of this country's most valued journalists, Mungo MacCallum. read now...
Tue, 08 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Scott Morrison is not a prick
Many people seem to think Morrison is a good leader. Others think he is a prick. David Donovan and Michelle Pini attempt to uncover the truth. read now...
Thu, 10 Sep 2020 08:00:00 +1000 Rupert Murdoch Googles opening up a Facebook account
Assisted by the Morrison Government and the ACCC, News Corp is fighting Facebook and Google. read now...
Wed, 09 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The Morrison Government's unfair treatment of disabled job seekers
Job seekers with disabilities claim job providers are cutting payments when they have missed appointments and finding them work in inaccessible workplaces. read now...
Wed, 09 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 Murdoch and the Nationals join forces against NSW and “renewable energy stuff”
“The one difference in this country, the massive difference between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party, is energy policy.” read now...
Wed, 09 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Massive renewable energy projects underpinned by ICT technologies
The internet and communications field present new ways of tapping into the possibilities of renewable energy, says Paul Budde. read now...
Tue, 08 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 JobSeeker recipients sacrificed in $507 billion stimulus spend
Despite support from across the political and ideological spectrum, the Morrison Government continues to resist calls to permanently raise JobSeeker. read now...
Tue, 08 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 How Rudd and Turnbull could activate climate change bipartisanship
Following the Rudd petition, Rudd and Turnbull could further extend their example to inspire bipartisan action on climate policy and sustainability. read now...
Thu, 03 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Morrison Government throws another Royal Commission on the fire
Will the findings of the Bushfire RC create much-needed change, or is the Morrison Government just "polly waffling" until the next disaster strikes? read now...
Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Why we do not need to fear trade sanctions
Tensions have resulted in trade restrictions with China, but there may be a silver lining to what seems like an unfavourable economic scenario. read now...
Mon, 07 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 The political and economic effects of COVID-19 on immigrant communities
Australia's immigration industry was profoundly affected by the pandemic along with life for immigrants already living here. read now...
Mon, 07 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Company profits soar and wages fall while the media continues to mislead
The process of shifting wealth and income from the poor and middle to the rich is continuing and accelerating. Alan Austin examines the latest official data. read now...
Sun, 06 Dec 2020 16:00:00 +1000 Social media: It might be dumbing us down
Social media is growing, but it appears our ability to critically evaluate it is not keeping pace. read now...
Sun, 06 Dec 2020 12:00:00 +1000 WA's horrid cycle of injustice must end
We cannot sit idly by and allow Western Australia to leper the homeless and carry on as the mother of all jailers of First Nations peoples. read now...
Sun, 06 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Young elected officials urge Joe Biden to take climate action
Current and former elected officials with a focus on saving our planet have urged Joe Biden to join their cause in prioritising climate action. read now...
Sat, 05 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 MUNGO MACCALLUM: That's all she wrote
Acclaimed veteran journalist Mungo MacCallum is retiring from his life's work. IA is grateful for Mungo's contributions over a long period of time and wish him the best going forward. read now...
Sat, 05 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 MUNGO MACCALLUM: China, China, CHINA!
It may be a statement of the bleeding obvious, but a face-off with the People’s Republic of China would not be a good idea. read now...
Sat, 05 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 A subsidy a day keeps the farmer in play
If Australia has an over-subsidised industry sector, it sure isn't the renewable energy that the mining lobby and the Coalition keep rattling on about. read now...
Fri, 04 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 America's 'let them eat cake' moment
America's failure to alleviate mass poverty during COVID-19 demonstrates the depths to which the country has sunk, writes Tarric Brooker. read now...
Fri, 04 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 The Budget confirms Morrison wants to reboot mass migration
It took a world pandemic to derail the “big Australia” program. read now...
Fri, 04 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +1000 CARTOONS: Trouble in China?
Move over... marketing genius coming through! read now...
Thu, 03 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Former Obama adviser Jeff Bleich: Trump cannot overturn election results
IA recently interviewed Jeff Bleich, one of America’s great legal minds and a longtime friend and adviser to Barack Obama. read now...
Thu, 03 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 COVID-19 development strategy could be damaging to the environment
Western Australia's plans to revitalise tourism may have unintended environmental consequences, writes Eleanor Beidatsch. read now...
Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 Why that ABC Four Corners episode was excellent journalism
The ABC's Four Corners episode exposing misogyny in Parliament was not biased against the Liberal Party, writes Chris Haviland. read now...
Wed, 02 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 The poisonous legacy of robodebt
The $1.2 billion settlement of the Centrelink robodebt class action should have been seen as another stumble in a Government display marked by flailing and floundering. read now...
Wed, 02 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Time will tell whether Telstra can become a leading digital company
The proposed restructuring of Telstra is an exciting new challenge for the company. It will now all depend on the direction the execution will take. read now...
Sun, 29 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +1000 Rachel Downie Stymies the hidden bully
“If I can’t keep them safe, I can’t teach them anything.” ~ 2020 Australian of the Year for Queensland Rachel Downie read now...
Wed, 25 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +1000 6G: We could be looking at techno tyranny
Trust, privacy and security must be key considerations in the development of highly intelligent network 6G. read now...
Tue, 01 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The Nine-Fairfax 'independence' myth
Nine' Entertainment's board never signed the independence charter that governed Fairfax Media, making a sham of its media diversity claims. read now...
Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1000 JOHN PILGER: Britain's class war on children
Poverty is still a major issue in Britain, perpetuated by the elitist attitudes of the Johnson Government. read now...
Tue, 01 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Home Affairs and the great partner visa cover-up
After thousands of Australians had their lives illegally put on hold, the Morrison Government announced the largest increase in partner visas in Australia’s history. read now...
Thu, 26 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Rudd's News Corp petition pushes Murdoch's minions into meltdown
In its gormless retaliation to Rudd's petition for a media Royal Commission, News Corp has unwittingly confirmed why such an inquiry is utterly essential. read now...
Mon, 30 Nov 2020 15:30:00 +1000 The effect of Right-wing bias in Australia's media
Australia's mainstream news media is largely tied to the Liberal Party which is driving our nation towards authoritarianism. read now...
Mon, 30 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +1000 What the Afghanistan report means for the commanders
Actions taken at lower levels to cover up alleged war crimes mean that no officer from the Australian military can be held legally responsible. read now...
Sun, 29 Nov 2020 16:00:00 +1000 Reconciliation: All stories matter
Tiwi College students are making art as a way of sharing stories about Australia's Indigenous and non-Indigenous history. read now...
Mon, 30 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +1000 Australia’s economy collapses further as tax evasion whacks revenue
The latest economic updates confirm Australia’s economy is declining at an ever-increasing rate under current policies. read now...