In another inner Sydney suburb, political posters have been vandalised... This can be far more serious than placing a graffiti on a wall. In times past, people who have tampered with the electoral process have been imprisoned. One can have a diferent opinion but one cannot deface an opponent's "freedom of speech"...

Vancouver topped the list of the world's most liveable cities for the fifth straight year, while Melbourne claimed second place from Vienna and Australian and Canadian cities dominated the list's top 10 spots.

Sydney was in seventh place.

In the annual survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Canadian west coast city and 2010 Winter Olympics host scored 98 per cent on a combination of stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure -- a score unchanged from last year.

Vancouver has topped the list from 2007.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/melbourne-beats-sydney-in-worlds-most-liveable-city-rankings-20110221-1b29d.html

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Gus: and between you and me and a lamppost... Sydney is far better than given credit for in this survey... And to top it up it's warm, friendly and full of hidden secrets everywhere...

and no — nothing to do with the elections...

and with the SMH poopoo-ing the city at every opportunity, no wonder Sydney has lost a few notches..

see picture at top...

One of the major criticism of Fiona Byrne is that she took the Marrickville Council against Israel for its stand on the Palestinians... Some say councils should only deal in potholes and garbage... and development restrictions... All of which off course do not apply in Israel...

Jewish Settlements are built on Palestinian land in breach of international codes, Israel inflicts bomb-potholes in Gaza regularly and places its garbage (including soiled water and sewage) on palestinian land.... No good deed can come back out of that.

Highlighting this, from one council to another, is fair.

Rates, roads - and justice in Gaza
Fiona Byrne

April 18, 2011

It seems that everyone has an opinion at the moment about whether the Marrickville Local Government Area should play a role in trying to create change for the people of Palestine.

In the process, the plight on the ground in Palestine has barely rated a mention. Among others, the Murdoch press, the Labor Party, the Jewish Board of Deputies, and now the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, appear to have enjoyed attacking me and Marrickville Council, in a furore of half-truths and misinformation.

To call this circus ''news'' is absurd.

Every day the Palestinian people have their freedom of movement within their own territories restricted. They are denied access to water as the Jordan River and groundwater are diverted to Israeli settlements. Gaza is blockaded, denying people basic supplies such as medicines.

Would we in Sydney live this way? Would we stand for the Queensland government doing these things to us? Wouldn't we protest for our rights, and if needed call for help from the broader Australian or international communities?

In a community that is so diverse, where multiculturalism blossoms, Marrickville Council is regularly involved in international affairs. We raise the Tibetan and West Papuan flags on their national days to show support for their own struggle for self-determination. We are not the only council in NSW that is a nuclear-free zone, nor the only council working hard to tackle climate change, which will affect every community across the planet. Being involved in international affairs is part of being connected to your community and through it the broader community of the globe.

One of the ways that the council can show our support for these causes is through ethical purchasing. Just as individuals choose not to buy certain goods because of the practices of their producers - like the successful boycott of Nestle products until it changed its practices in Africa - the council, as an organisation that purchases goods and services every day on behalf of 76,000 people, has the right to put criteria in place around who we do business with.

Of course, financial responsibility to our community must take precedence. But it is possible to achieve efficient and economical purchasing with ethical criteria.

For example, Marrickville Council has had a boycott of Burma in place for 12 years, showing it is possible to take a stand on human rights issues without having a negative financial impact on ratepayers. All these actions are consistent with section 232 of the Local Government Act 1993, which states one of our roles is "to provide leadership and guidance to the community".

Contrary to the heavy-handed statements of the novice Premier last week, councils are about much more than roads, rates and rubbish. On December 14 last year, 10 out of 12 Marrickville councillors expressed support for the global Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign, to exert peaceful pressure on the government of Israel to honour its human rights obligations to the Palestinians under Israel's jurisdiction.

The campaign has widespread support from organisations and individuals including the peace activist Desmond Tutu and the human rights lawyer Julian Burnside.

When the resolution was passed, the council sought a report to provide comprehensive information about the potential impacts of the policy. The eventual report was unfortunately not in the spirit of the original motion, and the options presented were financially impractical. I personally believe that the council can support the campaign without having a negative financial impact on our ratepayers.

To this effect I will be tabling a mayoral minute tomorrow night recommending that the council maintain in-principle support for the campaign, while rescinding the part of the original motion which called for the council to implement the policy in our local area. I will also recommend we acknowledge Israel's right to exist and condemn all acts of violence.

In this way Marrickville Council can continue to show our support for the Palestinians, while not having a financial burden on ratepayers or affecting the operations of the council.

Each and every day in Marrickville, our dedicated staff deliver high-quality services and facilities. Like our streetscape and waste services workers, who abandon their warm beds before the sun is up. Like our customer service staff, childcare workers, parks and reserves team, and library services staff, who provide outstanding services for our residents.

The suite of facilities delivered to residents recently includes upgrades to our childcare centres, playgrounds and street infrastructure, and a new aquatic facility encompassing the latest green technologies. It is incorrect to say that a council should stick to local issues, if that means ignoring its advocacy role on behalf of its residents. Marrickville Council is proof that a council can do the basics well and still be an aware global citizen.

Fiona Byrne is the mayor of Marrickville.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/rates-roads--and-justice-in-gaza-20110417-1djkc.html#ixzz1JosPXMfb

Some of the biggest cultural and academic names in the world have thrown their support behind Marrickville Council's controversial boycott of Israel.

Journalist John Pilger, author Naomi Klein, filmmaker Ken Loach and Nobel peace prize laureate Mairead Maguire are among 16 prominent figures who signed a letter of support for the Sydney council, which has come under fire for supporting the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

But it could be too late for Marrickville, with six councillors expected to withdraw their support for the motion at a meeting tonight.

Without their votes in support of a new "in-principle" motion by mayor Fiona Byrne, it will not pass.

"We the undersigned would firstly like to congratulate the Marrickville Council in Sydney's Inner West, Australia for their courageous motion," the letter says.

It goes on to criticise the "smear and intimidation campaign" designed to topple the "brave Marrickville motion".

"[The smear campaign] and its supporters has neglected to mention that in 2005, an overwhelming majority of Palestinian civil society called upon conscientious citizens and civil society groups around the world to implement [the] campaign based on the principles of human rights, justice, freedom and equality for all, irrespective of their identity," the letter says.

"By being focused, nuanced, and tactical, Marrickville Council can implement BDS in a way that best suits the local context in which it operates while still making an important contribution towards just peace and respect for the rule of international law."

"We warmly welcome your solidarity with Palestinians struggling for their inalienable rights.

"We believe that the time has come to apply BDS as a minimal, non-violent, yet clearly effective form of pressure on Israel, as was done successfully in the struggle against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

"Please uphold your boycott policy and stand firm in your commitment to human rights."

Of the six councillors expected to withdraw their support tonight, four are Labor councillors and two are Greens councillors.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/top-names-back-marrickville-councils-israel-boycott-20110419-1dmo5.html#ixzz1Jx0m4J9k

Marrickville Mayor Fiona Byrne says the inner-Sydney council has been "sledgehammered" into backing down on its plans to introduce a boycott of Israel.

There were rowdy scenes in the council chamber last night as councillors voted by eight votes to four in favour of dropping plans to join the "boycotts, divestments and sanctions" (BDS) campaign.

The public gallery was packed with pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli supporters and police officers and security guards were stationed outside the council chambers.

One member of the public claimed he was spat on while another labelled councillors "cowards" for backing away from the proposal.

Councillor Byrne says she does not understand why there has been such a backlash to the boycott plans.

"Marrickville Council has created a little egg here, which is support for this BDS campaign," she said.

"We have created a little egg, which is support for the plight of the Palestinian people, and a sledgehammer is being used to break that."

A study into the economic impact of the proposed boycott had revealed that it could cost $3 million to implement.

Ms Byrne told the meeting she was prepared to abandon the boycott in favour of offering "in principle" support for the BDS campaign.

"It has never been the intention of councillors to put added pressure on the staff in delivery of these things, nor has it been the intention of these councillors to put any added financial burden on the community of Marrickville in adopting the original motion last year," she said.

But Councillor Byrne said the vote was unlikely to make the issue go away and vowed to personally continue her support.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/20/3196154.htm

THE Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu has penned a letter of praise to Marrickville Council over its support for a boycott of Israel, almost two months after the policy was abandoned amid an angry political backlash.

The Nobel peace prize recipient and critic of Israel wrote that he wanted to extend his respects to the mayor, Fiona Byrne, and her fellow councillors ''for taking a stand to isolate the Israeli state''.

''We in South Africa, who both suffered apartheid and defeated it, have the moral right and responsibility to name and shame institutionalised separation, exclusion, and domination by one ethnic group over others,'' Archbishop Tutu said in the letter, which will be formally presented to Cr Byrne tonight.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/social-justice-at-local-scale-takes-courage-tutu-tells-marrickville-mayor-20110606-1fpdl.html#ixzz1OZpRbnXm

By James Bovard

President Biden’s campaign to banish (or maybe outlaw) political paranoia took a wallop last spring. In April, the Department of Homeland Security proudly announced that it had created a new Disinformation Governance Board. The following month, the board’s chairman resigned, and Biden administration officials claimed the board was being “paused.” But it remains in the wings awaiting the White House summons for an encore performance.

Thought police by another name

From the start, the Disinformation Governance Board looked like a political caricature dreamed up by people who never appreciated either Monty Python or Orwell’s 1984. Given the Biden record, it was unclear whether the new board will be fighting or promulgating “disinformation.” After controversy erupted, an unnamed DHS spokesperson told the Washington Post: “The Board’s purpose has been grossly mischaracterized; it will not police speech…. Its focus is to ensure that freedom of speech is protected.” Geez, why didn’t the Founding Fathers think of adding a clause to the First Amendment creating a nefarious-sounding government agency to ride shotgun on the nation’s media?

 Disinformation a longtime tool of the state

“Disinformation” is often simply the lag time between the pronouncement and the debunking of government falsehoods. In early 2003, anyone who denied that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction was guilty of disinformation — until after George W. Bush’s Iraq invasion found no WMDs. It was disinformation that Obama’s drone assassination program was killing large number of innocent civilians — until Daniel Hale courageously leaked internal documents proving the killing spree. (Hale will spend years in federal prison as a reward for undermining the credibility of this particular disinformation.)

Federal agencies have deluged Americans with malarkey for decades. We don’t need a disinformation czar to hector us to submit to the latest Washington catechism.

 

The core of the media defense of Jankowicz was that only right-wing nuts fear the U.S. government would censor Americans. But it is already happening. The Biden White House threatened antitrust investigations against social media companies that failed to suppress “disinformation” about COVID vaccines. On March 3, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy “demanded that the tech companies turn over information about individuals who spread” COVID “misinformation,” the New Civil Liberties Alliance reported. Last year, it was “disinformation” to claim that vaccines fail to prevent contracting or transmitting COVID. But after the Omicron wave, the phrase “breakthrough infection” became almost redundant.

The Disinformation Governance Board debacle could not have occurred unless many policymakers felt entitled to control the information Americans receive. Jankowicz’s arrogance was invisible to the Biden team because that arrogance is shared by them. She is part of a niche that assumes they are so superior that they have the right to censor — or at least the right to control what other people think. In the 1960s, the “best and the brightest” had the right to lie Americans into the Vietnam War — for the good of the world. The same type of people now infest Washington and believe they have the right to censor.

The new Cold War — in Ukraine

Targeting Russian issues would have been a prime topic for the new board. After she resigned, Jankowicz touted the disinformation fight by other federal agencies: “Take a look at the recent work to prebunk [pre-debunk] Russian narratives about Ukraine. It focused on raising awareness of the falsities coming out of the Kremlin so Americans wouldn’t buy into them. It worked.”

It “worked” in the sense that the vast majority of the American media has uncritically recited what they have been told about the conflict by U.S. government and Ukrainian officials. But the U.S. government has withheld almost all information it possesses on the battlefield losses of the Ukrainian army, thus helping perpetuate “Ghost of Kiev” types of fantasies about how the conflict is going. On May 27, the Washington Post reported that Ukrainian military “casualties here are largely kept secret to protect morale among troops and the general public” — and American citizens. U.S. officials have also passed on information to the media regarding the conflict that was unverified or even doubtful. At the same time, many politicians have joined a media chorus to denounce as Russian propaganda any suggestion that the war is something less than a glorious triumph of good over evil.

U.S. government agencies poured money into the coffers of Ukrainian government agencies, including the office of Lyudmila Denisova, the commissioner for human rights. Denisova spurred hundreds of lurid Western media reports about Russian troops on rape rampages, targeting even young babies. But on May 30, the Ukrainian parliament tossed her out of her job because there was no evidence for many of her allegations. Until the moment that Denisova was fired, denying Russian troops were mass raping Ukrainian females was “disinformation.”

Few Americans recognize how surreal the notion of “truth” has become inside the Beltway. On April 28, the White House appealed to Congress to provide another massive aid package to Ukraine, including hefty provisions to “support activists, journalists, and independent media to defend freedom of expression.” And how can we be sure that Ukrainian journalists are independent? Because U.S. government officials retain the sales receipt for their purchase. Unfortunately, the State Department, the National Endowment for Democracy, and other agencies have been avidly subsidizing “independent media” in foreign nations for years, assuring that there will be an “amen chorus” for U.S. intervention in their nations if deemed necessary. The absurdity of such grants doesn’t register in D.C., in part because so many policymakers are blinded by the presumed righteousness of U.S. policy. As Secretary of State Madeline Albright said, “We are the indispensable nation…. We see further into the future.” Thus, handouts from the U.S. government are the truest source of independence — or some such hokum.

It remains to be seen if Biden’s disinformation campaigns on Ukraine and Russia succeed in dragging our nation into World War Three. The United States funds foreign propaganda operations that echo in American newspapers and cable news, and the White House exploits those stories to drag this nation further into an East European border dispute.

The federal government has long been the most dangerous source of disinformation threatening Americans. The trillions of pages of new secrets that the U.S. government creates each year is a disinformation entitlement program. In a city that already had hundreds of full-time political appointees whose task is to lie to the America public, why was another board needed? Admittedly, calling it the Disinformation Governance Board is more palatable than naming it the Keep Federal Lies Sacrosanct Panel.

Reprinted from the Future of Freedom Foundation

Sourced from AIER

 

 

James Bovard is the author of ten books, including Public Policy Hooligan, Attention Deficit Democracy, The Bush Betrayal, and Lost Rights: The Destruction of American Liberty. He has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Playboy, Washington Post, New Republic, Reader’s Digest, and many other publications. He is a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors, a frequent contributor to The Hill, and a contributing editor for American Conservative

 

READ MORE:

https://www.activistpost.com/2022/09/lessons-from-bidens-disinformation-board-debacle.html

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

GusNOTE: THE PICTURE AT TOP OF THIS ARTICLE PUBLISHED AT THE ACTIVIST IN 2022 IS FROM THE SAME PLACE PICTURED BY GUS AT TOP IN 2011.... THIS PLACE DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE AND HAS BEEN "GENTRIFIED"......

 

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