39 — Banana republic

We discuss big poultry news, the Centerlink workers who disagree with punitive government policy, and how the LNP wants to bring back indentured servitude on farms.

Poultry roundup

• Breaking: Chicken coop constructed.
• The ABC took down their article, very soon after publishing.
• Sam Niell’s duck (RIP) was called Charlie Pickering.

Centerlink

• Centrelink workers and and their union have released an open letter outlining their concerns with the government’s upcoming cuts to welfare and privatisation of welfare.
• The Morrison Government’s cuts to welfare have been warned against by basically everyone.

Bananaland

• Liberal MP John Alexander and Agriculture Minister David Littleproud have raised “conscripting” people to work on fruit farms.
• Working as a fruit picker is a visa condition for backpackers on working holidays.
• Deputy PM Michael McCormack, reckons workers should pick fruit for a “great instagram moment”.
• A year ago, Michael McCormack was cheering the climate crisis because more Pacific Island workers “would come to pick our fruit”.
• The media has been running puff pieces on people “finding love” while picking.
• There is a long history of abuse and sexual harassment of farm labour.
• …and a long history of literal enslavement of Pacific Islanders to work on Australian farms.
• A SEEK ad for farm workers: “Looking for FEMALE backpacker… open minded… psychically fit”.

Criminal activity

• Immigration Minister Alan Tudge engaged in “criminal” conduct, according to a Federal Court judgment.
• Alan Tudge also knew the robodebt scheme was illegal.
• The LNP paid ten times the value of a piece of land to Leppington Pastoral Company.
• They also hid the conflict of interest of staff involved in the deal.
• In 2015, the LNP sold a coal power station valued at $730 million for $1 million.

Discretionary fines

• Indigenous Australians and those born in Sudan made up 10% of all Covid fines in Victoria, despite being about 1% of the population.
• Dan Andrews says that Victorian Police will “rarely use discretion”, when issuing new $5957 fines for gatherings.
• Apparently no-one knows who authorised the use of private security for Victoria’s quarantine hotel security.
• Victoria Police refused to act as security for quarantine hotels.

Actions

• Listen to Auspol Snackpod’s most recent episode focuses on Maritime Union of Australia’s action.
• Listen to Tom Ballard’s interview with Kristin O’Connell.