Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that Australia will recognise the state of Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September, marking a historic shift in Australia’s foreign policy. But this recognition comes with conditions placed only on Palestine – recognition of Israel’s right to exist, demilitarisation, and prompt elections – while no similar demands are made of Israel. We explore the unfinished business of UN Resolution 181 from 1947, Australia’s historic role under ‘Doc’ Evatt, and how decades of unfulfilled promises and British colonial legacies have left Palestine in crisis. We discuss the need for real action beyond symbolic recognition – sanctions, reparations, and accountability for Israel’s ongoing war crimes – and compare this moment to international precedents like Croatia and Bosnia in the 1990s.
We also examines the grim toll on journalists in Gaza, with six more killed this week, including Anas Al-Sharif, bringing the death toll to 240 in just two years – more than in any modern conflict. We question the double standards in the Australian mainstream media, the silence of mainstream journalists, and the dangerous disinformation, such as false claims about Hamas praising Albanese. Today’s political and media establishment seems content to ignore the deliberate targeting of reporters – when it suits their political agenda.
On domestic politics, we look at the Reserve Bank’s interest rate cut to 3.6% and the absurdity of the Liberal Party’s reaction – cheering cuts under Coalition governments but framing them as a Labor failure now. We explore the deeper problem of reflex opposition, why voters are rejecting old-style politics, and how the Coalition is squandering any path back to relevance.
Finally, we turn to climate change, with the Albanese government still refusing to release the national climate risk assessment it shelved before the 2025 election. Leaked details point to devastating impacts on health, infrastructure, agriculture, and national security, yet political will remains weak. We ask why, in the face of $2.2 billion in climate-related economic damage already this year, the government persists with counterproductive policies like taxing electric vehicles while paying lip service to emissions reduction.
Song listing:
‘Even Better Than The Real Thing’, A 440 VS U2 instrumental remix.
‘Dayvan Cowboy’, The Boards Of Canada.
‘Stonecutters’, Dope Lemon.
‘Wild’, Spoon.
‘Get Back’, The Beatles (remix).
