Australian Politics Forum - Caring about our own

Ex Dame Pansi

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Caring about our own
Dec 3^rd, 2011 at 9:12am

Caring about our own citizens. The Greens, the future of Australia.
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Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has delivered a series of questions to Prime Minister Gillard’s office today urging her to ensure Australian citizen and WikiLeaks editor in chief Julian Assange is not transferred from Sweden to the United States.

During Senate Question time on 24 November, an Opposition motion to hijack question time meant that the questions Senator Ludlam intended to ask the Prime Minister were not asked.

Senator: Scott Ludlam
To Ask: the Minister for Foriegn Affairs

Given the Minister's responsibility for the protection of consular and legal rights of all Australian citizens overseas and given answers provided to question on notice 1282 regarding Mr. Julian Assange

1. On what dates have consular officers 'been in regular touch with his lawyers'.

The Australian Government appears to be failing to fully protect WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange from extradition to the United States and should better explain its position, Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said today.

“The Attorney-General, Robert McLelland, has made no comment on the issue in several months and initially pronounced WikiLeaks’ actions illegal and wouldn’t rule out cancelling Mr Assange’s passport,” Senator Ludlam said in Canberra.

The Labor Government and the Coalition today refused to back a call from the Australian Greens to ensure the legal rights of Julian Assange are protected and that the Australian citizen is not extradited to the United States.

Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam moved the motion in light of the pending decision on the WikiLeaks' editor's possible extradition to Sweden, and it was rejected by the Government and Opposition.

"If Mr Assange is sent to Sweden for questioning on alleged offences unrelated to the work of WikiLeaks, the Australian Government should ensure he is not then shuttled to the United States to face concocted political charges under the draconian, First World War-era Espionage Act, aimed at destroying the whistle-blowing website."

Senator Ludlam's motion also called on the government to ensure that the consular and legal rights of all Australian citizens overseas are fully protected.

"The US Government has been embarrassed by a number of revelations made public by WikiLeaks - including evidence of American soldiers in Iraq deliberately targeting civilians and journalists. Washington has successfully pressured companies including Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and Western Union to block donations to WikiLeaks to strangle the site - despite the donations funding perfectly legal activity. As editor-in-chief of the site, Mr Assange is clearly a target.

"The Australian Federal Police have investigated WikiLeaks and found Mr Assange has broken no Australian laws, and he has yet to be charged with an offence in Sweden or the USA. The Government owes him every effort to ensure his rights as a citizen of this country are protected."

http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/taxonomy/term/11/all

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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Hendrix
andrei said: Great isn't it? Seeing boatloads of what is nothing more than human garbage turn up.....

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Dnarever Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 59186 Here Gender:	Re: Caring about our own Reply #1 - Dec 3^rd, 2011 at 9:50am A good test to see if the current government can do better than the attrocious performance of the Howard government in this area. I hope they will but have significant doubts.
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Emma

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Re: Caring about our own
Reply #2 - Dec 12^th, 2011 at 7:22pm

A search brought up this thread, Pansi1951.

Why am I not surprised to find you are the author.

But to the present.!!

It is excellent that Assange has been handed to the High Court- or whatever in the UK.
He is an Australian citizen, and the 'bravest' activist in cyberspace that I Know of.
Of course.. I wouldn't know how to do what he has managed , but I think he is a hero, in more than the modern concept of the term.
(eg' no Gold Medals etc).
No this man has my respect, - he's taken on the ' establishment' in ALL it's might and deserves support from our government.

I'm greatly relieved to know the Brits are prepared to resist pressure from the US, primarily via Sweden, to let them take him/ at least he gets to keep on fighting.!!

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Emma

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Re: Caring about our own
Reply #4 - Dec 17^th, 2011 at 4:02am

disturbing footage, -- the US cowboys I mean. I had seen just a part of it before. How absolutely ..........disgusting and unconscionable.!!

Julian Assanges comments are very much 'cut to the chase...' No excuses possible IMO for the US. HE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE PUT IN US HANDS.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where IS MR Rudd.!!!!!!!!??????????He better get off his smug arse and make some noise.!
Angry

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Emma Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 9853 OZ Gender:	Re: Caring about our own Reply #5 - Dec 19^th, 2011 at 3:13am No news vis a vis Oz govt input. Seems its up to UK justice./ Gotta be better than here.
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Re: Caring about our own
Reply #6 - Dec 19^th, 2011 at 4:56am

Rudd urged to protect Assange

An open letter to Kevin Rudd

THE former prime minister Malcolm Fraser and dozens of public figures have called on the Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd, to ensure the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is protected from ''rendition'' to the US.

They warn that if Assange is extradited from Britain to Sweden, where he may face rape and sexual assault charges, he could then be handed over to the US, where prosecutors are considering criminal charges against him following the release of confidential cables.

''The chances of Mr Assange receiving a fair trial in the United States appear remote. A number of prominent political figures have called for him to be assassinated, and the Vice-President has called him a 'high-tech terrorist','' their open letter reads.

''Given the atmosphere of hostility in relation to Mr Assange, we hold serious concerns about his safety once in US custody. We note that Mr Assange is an Australian citizen, whose journalistic activities were undertaken entirely outside of US territory.''

Assange has been on bail in Britain for almost a year as he fights extradition to Sweden, where two women have alleged he committed sexual offences against them. He has denied the claims, and last week won the right to appeal against the extradition.

The signatories to the letter - who also include the - American academic Noam Chomsky, Julian Burnside, QC, and the Greens leader Bob Brown - warn that Sweden could hand Assange over to the US without the ''appropriate legal processes that accompany normal extradition cases''.

Private Bradley Manning, who leaked the thousands of secret cables, faced the first day of a preliminary hearing on Friday to determine whether he should be court-martialled over the leaks.

Private Manning's lawyer told the court that the government wanted the 24-year-old soldier to agree to plead guilty in return for a reduced sentence so he could be used as a witness against Assange and WikiLeaks. Lawyers for Assange were in the courtroom during the first day of the pre-trial hearing, and have asked for access to the court for the duration of the proceedings.

http://www.margaretrivermail.com.au/news/national/national/general/rudd-urged-to...

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Re: Caring about our own
Reply #7 - Dec 19^th, 2011 at 5:05am

http://www.swedenversusassange.com/Action.html

Australia
News (Australia):

12 December 2011: Attorney General Robert McClelland is replaced by Nicola Roxon.

Please write a letter to the new Attorney General: she has the power to change the handling of the Assange matter. She can break with McClelland’s legacy. Copy in your local MP and PM Gillard (see next section for their contact details).

For tips on content, see below section for letters to PM Gillard and your local MP. (Letters are more difficult to ignore than emails).

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP,
Attorney-General’s Department,
Central Office,
3-5 National Circuit,
BARTON ACT 2600

If you are in Victoria, you can print out the poster

Please send two letters, one to your local MPand one to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
This method of action will ensure that your local member of parliament (MP), who has local responsibility for addressing your complaints will take your complaint on to the Parliament floor. Your MP will have an incentive to act because the cause of your complaint to them is PM Gillard’s actions. PM Gillard on the other hand will face increased pressure in Parliament and will be made aware that she is losing support not only by individual citizens but within Parliament (including by her own political party), by losing support by the politicians who make up Parliament.

1. Contact your local MP
Write a letter to your local MP (find who they are here) urging them to put pressure on Julia Gillard to change her policy towards WikiLeaks and Assange.
Ask your MPs to put pressure on Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard urging her to support Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, to ensure that if Mr. Assange is imprisoned he be transfered to Australia through the International Transfer of Prisoners (ITP) scheme and to make undertakings that she will use her political discretion to prevent Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States. State whether your vote in the next elections is affected by the Parliament’s approach to the Julian Assange matter. (For more information of Julia Gillard’s role against Julian Assange and WikiLeaks and the Australian government’s lack of meaningful action on this issue, see the Australia page).
Send a copy of the letter to your MP to:
The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister, Parliament House, CANBERRA ACT 2600
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, Attorney-General’s Department, Central Office, 3-5 National Circuit, BARTON ACT 2600
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

2. Contact Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Contact Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard urging her to support Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, to ensure that if Mr. Assange is imprisoned he be transfered to Australia through the International Transfer of Prisoners (ITP) scheme, and to make undertakings that she will use her political discretion to prevent Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States. State whether your vote in the next elections is affected by her handling of the Julian Assange matter. (For more information of Julia Gillard’s role against Julian Assange and WikiLeaks and the Australian government’s lack of meaningful action on this issue, see the Australia page).
Please send a hardcopy letter (sent via postal mail) addressed to:
The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister, Parliament House, CANBERRA ACT 2600
AND send a copy to each of these three:
Your Local MP
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, Attorney-General’s Department, Central Office, 3-5 National Circuit, BARTON ACT 2600
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

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Ex Dame Pansi

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Re: Caring about our own
Reply #8 - Dec 19^th, 2011 at 2:40pm

Just wrote letters to Gillard, Roxon and Rudd.

One day that could be you or me.

Never let the government get away with trashing our democracy.

Freedom of speech and free independent journalism is what democracy looks like and we shouldn't settle for less, even if the government would prefer to hide their dirty little secrets.

At least the Greens are supporting Julian Assange.

Democracy looks like Bob Brown.

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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Hendrix
andrei said: Great isn't it? Seeing boatloads of what is nothing more than human garbage turn up.....

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Emma Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 9853 OZ Gender:	Re: Caring about our own Reply #9 - Dec 19^th, 2011 at 9:52pm Thanks Greens Win. I will do as you suggest.
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Re: Caring about our own
Reply #10 - Dec 25^th, 2011 at 4:30pm

Senator meets Swedish officials to protect Assange's human rights

Swedish officials have met an Australian senator to discuss the future of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

As extradition proceedings against the 40-year-old Australian continue in London, Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam has embarked on a European mission to secure guarantees about Assange's human rights, should he be extradited to the Nordic nation.

Swedish prosecutors want Assange in Stockholm for questioning over allegations that he sexually assaulted two women in the capital in August 2010.

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Assange denies the claims and is refusing to return to Sweden, fearing that the country will hand him over to the United States, where his secret-leaking website is the subject of a major investigation.

During the time he spent in Sweden, Senator Ludlam was able to meet justice officials and discuss the process faced by people being extradited to Sweden.

"For us it was a chance to get our heads clear about how it would work if and when (Assange) is ordered to return to Sweden," Senator Ludlam said.

"There is nothing out of the ordinary in that respect, if he is sent there ... it appears his human rights will be protected."

Senator Ludlam also saw photographs of the remand centre where Assange would be held while Swedish prosecutors decide if he will be charged, and was given a full briefing about it.

But his hopes of securing a guarantee from the Swedish government that Assange would not be handed on to the US were not realised.

"It didn't seem appropriate to raise it with the officials I met with. I needed to speak with the foreign minister for that," Senator Ludlam said.

Following the trip to Sweden, the Greens communications spokesman met with Assange for several hours to discuss what he had learned.

"I don't think there were too many surprises there for Julian, he was just absorbing the information that I had," Senator Ludlam said.

The pair met at Assange's new base at Kent, about an hour out of London.

Since a short time after his arrest on December 7, 2010, Assange was bailed to live at a lavish country estate at Norfolk.

Senator Ludlam said "logistical" issues led to Assange's recent relocation and he still wears an electronic tracking device and has to report daily to police as part of his bail conditions.

From February 1, Assange will face a panel of seven British supreme court justices for a two-day hearing where he will appeal the rulings of lower courts that he should be extradited to Stockholm.

Senator Ludlam plans to take the information he has learned in Stockholm to the Australian parliament and seek cross-party support for the government to do "everything possible to prevent this extradition".

http://www.smh.com.au/world/senator-meets-swedish-officials-to-protect-assanges-...

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Ex Dame Pansi

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Re: Caring about our own
Reply #11 - Dec 26^th, 2011 at 11:02am

<<Senator Ludlam plans to take the information he has learned in Stockholm to the Australian parliament and seek cross-party support for the government to do "everything possible to prevent this extradition".>>
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Good luck with that one Senator Ludlam. I can't help being pessimistic given the way he has been shunned by both Labor and Liberal.

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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Hendrix
andrei said: Great isn't it? Seeing boatloads of what is nothing more than human garbage turn up.....

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