From commenter "Olbe"

Here is a statistic that you will not be told about because of political-correctness and the infamous anti-discrimination clause section-18C.

The largest recipients of the DSP welfare benefits are groups of men of middle-eastern heritage located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne. A visit to the numerous Gyms in these suburbs will highlight the number of fit, muscle bound and steroid induced types pumping iron who are all on DSP (Disability Support Pensions). They use these welfare benefits as a form of a cash-flow to support and hide their other illegal activities.

They get these welfare benefits by intimidating and standing over CentreLink staff and by using compliant ethnic doctors.

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Liberal MP Alex Hawke accuses ABC's Q&A of broadcasting 'conspiracy theories' on terror raids

A federal Liberal MP has slammed the ABC for broadcasting what he says are inflammatory "conspiracy theories" about last week's terror raids on last night's Q&A program.

Alex Hawke's electorate of Mitchell in Sydney's Hills district was the focus for many of the raids, in which police say they foiled a plot to carry out a random "demonstration execution" on the streets of Sydney.

He gave an impassioned speech to the Coalition party room on Tuesday morning, which sources say the Attorney-General George Brandis praised as the finest contribution of the meeting.  Mr Hawke also asked that his concerns be conveyed to ABC management via official channels.  

He criticised the views expressed by the two non-MP panellists, Randa Abdel-Fattah and Anne-Azza Aly, and said the publicly funded ABC is obliged to present more balanced views from the Muslim community.

Ms Abdel-Fattah described the terror raids as a "spectacle" and "conveniently timed" ahead of the government's "most draconian" national security legislation which is being introduced into Parliament this week.

"You cannot help but feel cynical about the timing of these raids, the fact that it is whipping people up into a frenzy of hysteria, or war fever," she said.  "It reinforced this wider narrative of Muslims as criminals ... and I'm very cynical about the government's decision to politicise these raids," she added.

Counter terrorism expert and academic Ms Aly said "all terrorism is theatre and all counter-terrorism is theatre, so yes, [the raids were] a manufactured spectacle".

When contacted by Fairfax Media for a comment, Mr Hawke said "I thought the ABC let the team down by entertaining these conspiracies".

A source said Mr Hawke's criticisms of the ABC were well-received. "There were a lot of hear, hears," the MP said.

A spokesman for the ABC defended the program and pointed to the variety of panelists, which included the government's Justice Minister Michael Keenan.

"We were confident when we brought them together that all of the panelists would be more than capable of putting their own case, participating in a vigorous debate and answering challenging questions; that's exactly what they did," said the spokesman.

The spokesman added that Q&A is a "significant component of Australia's vigorous democracy" and gives Australians the opportunity to debate national issues.

The ABC is facing more funding cuts, in breach of the government's pre-election pledge not to cut funding to the national broadcaster, and it is possible that flagship programs including Lateline could be slashed.

SOURCE







Anti-muslim protest: Hundreds rally at proposed Sunshine Coast mosque

Hundreds of people protesting against a mosque on Queensland's Sunshine Coast have come to verbal blows with the building's supporters, with about 20 police separating the emotionally charged groups.

More than 200 anti-Muslim demonstrators shook placards stating: "Islam is plotting our destruction" and "Australia we have a problem" at the site of the planned mosque, on Church Street in Maroochydore.

The protesters said they were concerned the site could become a hub of radicalisation, threatening the local community.

"I'm not for it anywhere in Australia," a man who called himself Aussie Ron told the ABC.

One Nation state president Jim Savage, who said he had two adopted Asian daughters, said he was not a religious bigot nor a racist.

"This is nothing to do with race," he said.  "What Muslim preaches violates the laws of my country. It is an ideological, political organisation wrapped up in a very thin skin of religion.

"I ask anybody to name any Western country in the world where there had been a large influx of Muslims where they have seen an improvement and have not seen social issues."

Pakistani-born Justin Albert warned of experiences of oppression in his native country. "Chopping their heads, it is their Jihad," he said.

More than 50 pro-mosque demonstrators tried to shout down the anti-mosque group, calling them bigots and ignorant. They riled their opponents further by singing the national anthem and other iconic national songs.  "You've never read anything," one pro-mosque protester taunted the angry mob.

Another promoter, who did not release his name, said there needed to be more education.  "The Sunshine Coast Muslim community has existed here for over 30 years guys and no one has even batted an eyelid," he said.  "I think it's just a lack of education at the end of the day guys.

"Education, if people could sit down I would have a chat with every single person here at the end of the day if they would love to and I can teach them a few things on the truth of Islam the truth of these Muslim people."

The protest comes just days after a mosque was rejected by the Gold Coast Council, which cited a lack of parking, noise issues and community concern

SOURCE





Taking the fight to terrorism is a job for Morrison

Tough, relentless, uncompromising - Scott Morrison is just the politician to respond to the threat of terrorism that today sent a chill through Australia, writes Barrie Cassidy

Scott Morrison's day has come. It's now time for the Immigration Minister to step up and take responsibility for the fight against terrorism.

Nobody is better qualified. Nobody would bring the same sense of reassurance, confidence and security that the country now needs.

Make no mistake, the allegation that Australian citizens turned terrorists were preparing to snatch people from the streets, drape them in the IS flag, and behead them will send a chill through the nation. No matter the level of threat, the public will be on edge.

This is no longer a vaguely held belief that those who choose to join terrorists overseas represent some sort of threat if and when they return home. The suggestion now is that those who would commit unspeakable evil are living here among us.

Granted, the Immigration Minister is the most polarising politician in the country. He is probably the most popular in the eyes of Coalition voters, and the most despised by the partisans who support Labor.

Witness Chris Uhlmann's question to Morrison on the ABC's AM program on Thursday morning.  Uhlmann:

"Finally, has there been a personal toll on you? You've been described as a brute, a barbarian - even a murderer."

Morrison:  "Well, I think there are all sorts of outrageous claims and I just get on and do my job. I mean, we were elected on the basis of stopping the boats and doing what we said we would do. Now I've done that, I've got the results to date...  I think people should feel pleased with that ... when it comes to border protection and on many other issues."

That the question could be asked in those terms, and that Morrison could respond without blinking an eye, is testimony to the passion and emotion that he can generate.

He has as well left himself open to ridicule for his over-reliance on "on water matters" to avoid taking difficult questions on the treatment of asylum seekers.

He wasn't, however, silly enough to embrace the declaration in some media outlets on Thursday morning that the mission has been accomplished:

"We can never do that because this mission is always ongoing. You must be eternally vigilant."

Morrison could have added that the mission cannot be truly accomplished until those on Manus Island - the 50 per cent of asylum seekers already deemed to be genuine refugees - are found a permanent safe haven.

Yet unquestionably Morrison is a tough, relentless, uncompromising operator who doesn't obsess about his own popularity. They are precisely the qualities that are now required. He needs to seamlessly switch his attention from people smugglers to terrorists.

Niki Savva observed in The Australian on Thursday that because Morrison's border protection brief had already provided scope for his involvement in the terrorism issue, he "has been swung into the frontline to bolster the arguments".

And sure enough, when news broke of the massive raids in Sydney and Brisbane, Morrison was first on to the national media.

Savva wrote:  "This has added weight to speculation within the bureaucracy that any reshuffle by Abbott could see Morrison put in charge of a ramped-up homeland security-type portfolio.
Let's hope she's right."

There has already been speculation that Morrison might replace the underperforming David Johnston as Defence Minister. That might have made sense a few weeks ago. But now, somehow even that senior role is not big enough.

Morrison needs an all-encompassing role that oversees the terrorism threat from both home and abroad; and the government needs his occasionally pugnacious but direct communications skills on the issue that will now feature strongly in the national debate all the way through to the next election

SOURCE





Ground forces should come from Arab countries: Julie Bishop

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has made a strong pitch for Arab countries providing any ground forces that might be needed to beat back the brutal Islamic State group in Iraq.

Ms Bishop told Fairfax Media that if ground forces are required – a possibility raised this week by the top US military commander if the strategy against the militants fails – the responsibility should fall to Iraq's neighbours rather than countries such as Australia.

"The Arab nations have sophisticated weaponry, they have defence forces and they are more at risk given the proximity of ISIL than Australia," Ms Bishop said, using the alternative name for the Islamic State group.

"To my mind that's where the first call should be made on anything beyond the current strategy."

Ms Bishop will on Friday attend a US-led United Nations debate on Iraq and remain in New York for the start of a broader General Assembly meeting next week. Prime Minister Tony Abbott will arrive next week for discussion on countering terrorism and foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria.

Her remarks came as the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, confirmed that Australian special forces soldiers would go "beyond the wire" of bases and move with Iraqi troops on the battlefield. But they would operate out of headquarters at the level of battalions, meaning each small team of Australians would advise and help about 100 Iraqi soldiers, which Air Chief Marshal Binskin said would keep them back from the front line.

"We will not be conducting independent combat operations as formed forces. We'll be in support of the Iraqi Security Forces," he said.

The special forces would be commandos, rather than SAS soldiers who would receive the standard military allowances for "war-like situations". But the military chief said calling the Australian operation "war" would give the Islamic State "a legitimacy they don't deserve".

Australian military planners are in Baghdad working with the Americans and Iraqis on how missions would be carried out. They will report to Air Chief Marshal Binskin and he will advise the government before ahead of any final decision.

Australia's Super Hornet planes will also be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions as well as air strikes and "close air support" of Iraqi troops on the ground, he said.

General Martin Dempsey, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opened the door on Tuesday night to a US ground force, saying: "If we reach the point where I believe our advisers should accompany Iraqi troops on attacks against specific ISIL targets, I will recommend that to the President."

Ms Bishop reiterated that Australia had "no intention" of sending ground combat troops – a pledge the Obama administration is also sticking to.

"If the United States military experts say otherwise somewhere down the track, then … I assume the United States would go for support from other countries in the region who are there with the capacity to do that," Ms Bishop said.

"If you look at the General Dempsey scenario – and that's what it is, it's a scenario, a hypothetical – they can point to many other parts of the world that would have a much closer role and logistically be far better able to support any United States strategy in that regard."

SOURCE