Defence call for public support from ‘allies’ of LGBTI soldiers

POLITICALLY correct defence chiefs have told members of the Australian military to signal they are an “ally” of the LGBTI community by putting a rainbow flag next to their name in the national ADF staff directory.

The latest attempt at “inclusion” comes after the Human Rights Commissioner fired a salvo at defence chiefs saying there were still “pockets of resistance” to “embracing diversity” within defence.

But Army veterans warned the rainbow flag attempt at inclusion could backfire by excluding many members of the military who chose not to be a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex (LBGTI) ally.

Defence’s “Diversity and Inclusion Adviser” Thomas Hoffman wrote to members of the military about the “sweet new function” which allowed people to show they are an “LGBTI ally” by putting the rainbow flag next to their name on the Defence Corporate Directory.

“The broad principal (sic) with workplace allies is that they are visible, supportive people who can act as a POC (point of contact) should someone have an issue in the workplace,” he wrote last month.

“We are not putting strict rules in place on who is or isn’t an ally because we don’t want to stifle the fantastic, positive and uplifting conversations you know you’ll be having amongst colleagues and peers,” he said.

Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans Association NSW President Bruce Relph said: “This is nuts. Sexuality has no place in the military.

He said there were concerns that not conforming to the rainbow tag could affect opportunities for promotion. “Something like this should not be allowed to affect someone’s career path,” he said.

Former Army officer and Australian Conservatives member Bernie Gaynor said that by not signing up, those members of the defence force “will be publicly outed” and their career affected.

“Defence members who refuse to sign up are likely to face difficulties obtaining promotions, especially to the higher ranks.”

The move comes after Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow told the Military Pride Ball last year that “pockets of resistance remain in the ADF”.

“Embracing diversity will not only allow the ADF more effectively to meet the challenges of modern warfare, but will also allow it to live up to the expectations of the communities they defend,” he said.

Mr Gaynor said: “It is extremely concerning that this program has been launched following the Human Rights Commissioner’s declaration that there are ‘pockets of resistance’ to homosexuality within Defence.

“We are facing a ‘rainbow jihad’ inside Defence. This policy is not about acceptance. It is about pressuring all Defence members to celebrate homosexuality.”

SOURCE

Non-compliance will most likely be perceived as a lack of tolerance and be discriminated against because of that.  So anyone declining to join the rainbow flag mission could themselves become victims of intolerance. 

Were I still in the forces, I would ask for an Australian flag against my name






High Court Rules Union Officials Can Be Held Personally Liable For Breaking Workplace Laws    
         
Union officials will held more accountable for their behaviour on building sites following a decision by the High Court that they can be penalised for their individual conduct.

“The High Court’s ruling signals that union officials are not above the law. It means that unions will not be able to indemnify their officials by paying court fines on their behalf. Officials will now face the consequences if they break the law, just like everyone else in the community,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said.

The High Court ruled on an ABCC challenge to a full Federal Court decision setting aside Justice Mortimer's ban on the CFMEU paying Victorian branch organiser Joe Myles' $18,000 penalty for unlawful conduct in 2013.

In Australian Building and Construction Commissioner v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2018] HCA 3 (14 February 2018), the High Court found that Courts may impose personal fines against Union Officials for their misconduct and breaches of the Fair Work Act, on top of fines to Unions. The decision affirms the Courts can force union officials to pay fines personally – rather than have the union pay them on their behalf.

In their reasoning, the High Court found that the Federal Court was not able to impose an order for ‘non-indemnification’ against penalties. However, they ordered that a proper construction of the penalty provisions of the Fair Work Act did allow the Courts to make a personal payment order against Union Officials.

The matter has now been referred back to the Federal Court for re-consideration of penalties in line with the new interpretation.

"We can only hope that this decision will mean that union officials will think twice before breaking the law,” Denita Wawn said.

Media release






'We're approaching our limits - if we haven't already exceeded them': Controversial new senator Jim Molan says Australia can't take any more migrants in maiden speech

Controversial new senator Jim Molan has used his first speech in parliament to call for stricter immigration controls.

The right-wing former major-general was savaged by Greens MPs for sharing anti-Muslim videos on Twitter soon after taking his seat on the Liberal Party benches last Monday.

Today he spoke for the first time to say legal immigration was 'excessive' and putting a strain on Australian cities.

'Control of our borders and immigration are important to me, as they are to most Australians,' he told the chamber.

'We now effectively control our borders in a way that few now trust the opposition to do.

'However, I am concerned that the level of legal migration, now that we control our borders, is in excess of the capacity for our cities to absorb, both culturally or in terms of infrastructure.

'We are approaching limits on this, if we have not already exceeded them. I don't have the answer, but I certainly have the concern.'

Senator Molan also defended Operation Sovereign Borders, a policy he helped Tony Abbott introduce to stop illegal immigrants arriving in boats, by saying it had 'saved lives.'

He went on to praise the armed forces by saying they 'represent everything good about Australia' and said he wanted Australia to be more self-reliant in defence.

'I have no expectation that governments immediately spend one more dollar on defence, but for years I have advocated that we must be more open about the strategic risks that are being taken in the name of the Australian people,' he told parliament.

The NSW Liberal then insisted he was not a member of a faction in the senate but said he 'proudly stood' by prominent conservatives John Howard, Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and Stuart Robert.

The speech came after Molan refused to accept Greens MP Adam Bandt's apology for describing him as a 'war criminal' and a 'complete coward' on national television.

Senator Molan - who has a decorated 40-year military career - threatened to hit Mr Bandt with a lawsuit if he did not retract his statements and make an apology.

Mr Bandt suggested in a TV interview on Wednesday the father of sports presenter Erin Molan may have committed war crimes during the battle for Fallujah.

Senator Molan gathered his legal artillery after the Greens MP said he would 'probably be up for prosecution' if an independent inquiry was launched into his actions in the Iraq War.

The Liberal senator said he would pursue legal action if he wasn't given an appropriate apology. 'I would invite Mr Bandt to offer me a public apology,' Mr Molan told The Australian on Wednesday. 'If he publicly apologised to me for the statements that he made, then that would end the problem.'

Speaking to Sky News earlier in the week, Mr Bandt condemned Mr Molan for sharing videos by far-right UK group Britain First on Facebook.

The retired major-general and now NSW Liberal senator shared the videos in March last year which purport to show Muslim violence in Europe.

Senator Molan has since described the Britain First group as 'scum' but has not apologised for sharing the videos.

Senator Molan told parliament on Monday he was not racist or anti-Islam and had shared the videos because he was against violence and anti-social behaviour.

Mr Bandt said Senator Molan was 'a coward' for refusing to apologise.

'When you share white supremacist videos and then you justify it by saying 'Oh, I'm doing it to stimulate debate', and that is the line that came out of his office, you are a coward, you are a complete coward,' he said.

'If there was a proper inquiry, in an independent inquiry into the war in Iraq in Australia, like there has been in other countries, I think you would find Jim Molan would probably be up for prosecution rather than praise for his role in the atrocities in Fallujah.'

The Fallujah campaign was heavily criticised for its indifference to civilians.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale earlier accused Mr Molan of committing war crimes.

He made the comment in Parliament on Monday night, and was therefore protected from defamation by parliamentary privilege.

His colleague Mr Bandt made his comments about the war veteran outside parliament and is therefore not protected from defamation.

SOURCE






An end to separate men's and women's sport? Government MP makes radical suggestion for 'desegregated' competitions during heated debate about females in war

This should set the cat among the pigeons

A Turnbull Government MP has suggested men and women should compete against each other on the sporting field.

Perth-based Liberal senator Linda Reynolds made the radical call during a Twitter debate about women serving on the frontline of war.

In a social media battle with former Australian Christian Lobby boss Lyle Shelton, the 52-year-old backbencher suggested sporting codes allow women to compete against men - like the Australian Defence Force does when it comes to recruitment.

'So why don’t we take the lead from the ADF and desegregate women in sport, so men and women compete equally on talent, not by gender?,' she said.

Mr Shelton, who plans to run as an Australian Conservatives candidate at the next federal election, is opposed to the idea of female soldiers fighting in battle.

'If the AFL and the NRL are allowed to recognise the physical differences between men & women, why can’t the Army?,' he said.

Senator Reynolds, who spent 28 years in the Australian Army Reserve before becoming a brigadier, had described Mr Shelton's views as '1950s'.

'Your flippancy does great disservice to the thousands women who have, and continue, to serve our nation with great distinction side by side with their equally capable male counterparts,' she said.

She pointed out the Women's Royal Australian Army Corp was disbanded in 1985 when women were fully integrated into the Army.

The Australian government took another 26 years to allow females to join combat regiments.

Her proposal on mixed-gender sports could see the likes of Women's One Day International cricket star Ellyse Perry play on the same Test team as Steve Smith.

Australian women's soccer star Sam Kerr could be playing on the same side as Socceroos goal-scoring legend Tim Cahill.

However almost all sports have seperate competitions for male and female athletes, because of the difference in physical traits such as speed and strength.

Senator Reynold's call to gender desegregate sport comes as the AFL allows transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey to play in women's state and territory league matches.

SOURCE

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