To Critique, Inform, Challenge and Entertain
Reading Time: 2 minutes Statistics revealing the extent to which Indigenous Affairs policies have failed to bridge the gap for Indigenous Peoples, and the Prime Minister’s continuing failure to take note of the Voice referendum’s outcome calling for a new approach underline the failure and inappropriateness of this and previous governments’ policies.
AUSTRALIAN POLITICS / CURRENT ISSUES / OPINION / RELIGION
by Daniel Stepniak · Published 23 January 2024
Reading Time: 11 minutes Parliamentary sittings begin with Anglican/Christian prayer in Australia, a racially and ethnically diverse nation with associated diversity of religion. In this context it would be inappropriate to continue this tradition.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Threats against Colorado Supreme Court judges for finding Trump disqualified from holding public office highlight concern with the state of US rule of law, judiciary and democracy.
Reading Time: 2 minutes When in Question Time the government decides not to answer questions asked by the opposition, and instead uses each question asked as an opportunity to attack the opposition, the Government ceases to be accountable to Parliament.
AUSTRALIAN POLITICS / CURRENT ISSUES / OPINION / US POLITICS
by Daniel Stepniak · Published 17 December 2023
Reading Time: 6 minutes Misinformation can determine the outcome of political polls, but do we blame such for our losses because we find the votes of our opponents incomprehensible.
CURRENT ISSUES / LEGAL MATTERS / OPINION
by Daniel Stepniak · Published 13 December 2023 · Last modified 16 December 2023
Reading Time: 6 minutes By its very nature, defamation attracts public attention. Recognising public interest in the high profile defamation proceedings brought against Chanel 10 and journalist Lisa Wilkinson, and the desirability of the public being able to observe and judge for themselves whether justice has been done, the Federal Court has directed the proceedings to be streamed live. Viewing the proceedings streamed by the Court not only provides a first hand insight into the defamation case but also reveals many actual and potential benefits of live streaming court proceedings.
Reading Time: 2 minutes I recently found the soundtrack to the 2004 version of Alfie. The songs and written and performed jointly by Mick Jagge4 and Dave Stewart. Unlike many movie soundtracks, Alfie (2004) contains a fine collection of songs that certainly rewarded this listener, some 19 years after its release.
Judiciary / LEGAL MATTERS / OPINION / United States
by Daniel Stepniak · Published 14 November 2023 · Last modified 15 November 2023
Reading Time: 2 minutes That the US Supreme Court’s code of judicial conduct had to be drafted in response to public criticism of inappropriate judicial behaviour is embarassing, but at the same time, to be applauded as a reminder to the Justices and reassurance to the public.
Reading Time: 3 minutes We finally have the entire gushingly reviewed 2023 Rolling Stones album, ‘Hackney Diamonds’.
Does the album as a whole live up to the four to five star ratings. For me, it didn’t at first, but I’m starting to appreciate just how good it is.
by Daniel Stepniak · Published 16 October 2023 · Last modified 5 December 2023
Reading Time: 5 minutes In Saturday’s referendum, support for the recognition of Indigenous peoples as Australia’s first people was tied to support for the establishment of a Voice. The benefits of establishing a Voice and why it needed to be entrenched in the constitution were not presented and consequently, were predictably and understandably not supported. The reasons for proposing the Voice were not explained, and not considered in a constitutional convention by a cross section of Australian people. Consequently, attributing blame to the No camp is a distraction by those who should have known better, who need to accept responsibility, and most importantly, who owe Indigenous people an apology.
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