Increases to support payments help address cost of living pressures.

The Australian Government addressed cost of living pressures in the 2023-24 Budget by increasing support for those receiving certain payments and by easing pressure on renters.

As announced on 6 September 2023, joint Department of Social Services and Department of Veterans’ Affairs measures will increase the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 15%. This is the largest increase to Rent Assistance in over three decades.

The Australian Government is also increasing the base rate of a range of support payments by
$40 per fortnight. The DVA payments being increased are the fortnightly education allowances under the Veterans Children Education Scheme (VCES) and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS) for those aged 16 or older and for those receiving the double orphan, living away from home, and homeless rates of payment.

Both changes will apply from 20 September 2023. DVA will contact individuals who are affected by this change by mail in the coming weeks.

These changes will assist eligible veterans and families to ease the current cost of living pressures.

For more information visit the Financial Support page on the DVA website.

WHO IS MARCIA LANGTON?

ED: Communism on the march! 

Australia faces the most radical change to the country’s social, economic and racial fabric since Federation.

We are being asked to vote Yes or No in a referendum to alter the Constitution.

But there is scant detail with which to make an informed decision.

According to polls, the lack of information is one of the primary contributing reasons the No vote has been on the rise since the announcement of the referendum.

In place of detail, the Yes vote is opting for a ‘vibe’ using emotive diversions through pop songs and concerts, celebrity and sport endorsements and feel-good ads.

The Prime Minister is choosing his words carefully, suggesting the referendum is asking for a ‘modest’ change, when the opposite is the case.

No change to our Constitution is ‘modest’. It’s a big deal, which is why so many proposed changes to our Constitution historically fail.

A modest change would not require subverting our Constitution.

A modest change to establish a voice could be legislated by the Parliament.

The truth is, what is being asked for is an extremely radical change to the foundation of our nation.

There are several architects of the proposed Voice.

I will take a look at a few of them before the referendum date.

When Anthony Albanese is pressed for detail about this proposed amendment to the Australian Constitution, the Prime Minister’s only response has been to refer to the Calma-Langton Model as the basis for the Voice.

Ben Fordham interviewed Anthony Albanese on 2GB On 18 January 2023. Fordham asked, “will the Voice be a Voice to Parliament or a Voice to Parliament and to Government?”

Albanese replied:

“The work that was done under the former Government, by Tom Calma and Marcia Langton envisaged a parliamentary oversight committee that would have oversight over the activity of the Voice.”

When asked by Fordham whether members of the Voice would be paid, the Prime Minister answered: “I said there’s been no suggestion of that. Go and have a look at the Calma-Langton report.”

Who is ‘Langton’ of the Calma-Langton Report?

‘Langton’ is Marcia Langton, an historic radical Communist activist, a member of the National Committee of the Communist League (CL), a Trotskyist group that campaigned for the violent overthrow of the Australian government and the implementation of a totalitarian state.

Marcia Langton’s views are recognised to be extreme, and she has been the focus of an undercover ASIO operation. Langton has been described by the Trotskyist Newspaper Direct Action as ‘one of the best-known black communist activists in Australia’.

Langton then joined the Marxist Socialist Workers Party in 1977.

Her lifelong purpose has been to overthrow capitalism and to upend our Constitution.

Langton’s agenda is being aided and abetted by fellow lifelong socialist since student days, Anthony Albanese, who tells us he wants to “change the country” to “make us feel better about ourselves”. Never mind that Australians feel very good about the country as it is, without the Communist activists meddling .

Throughout her life, when her radical ideas are questioned, or outright rejected she invokes the ‘racist’ card. Her public comments are littered with accusations of racism.

Her school books were racist.

People in the shops were racist.

Her university lecturer was racist.

Her green and leftist critics are guilty of “arrogant racism”.

Social workers are “white and racist”.

Police are “racist”.

Referendum No voters engaged in “racism” and “stupidity”.

When she was young, “apartheid” Queensland was so racist that “no civil or HUMAN rights were accorded to my people” (untrue).

Schools in her youth were “horrible, racist hellholes” whose “teachers were the kind of people who still advocated killing Aboriginal people”, yet she was made house captain at Brisbane’s Aspley High by these “racists”.

Langton has accused Jacinta Nampijinpa Price of “legitimising racism” and Price and her mother, Bess, as “coloured help”.

She wished a “slow, painful death” on Mark Latham.

“You so deserve a slow, painful death and humiliating obituaries e.g. ‘Australia celebrates as white supremacist, homophobic, far right wing arsehole finally dies’,

Langton’s close associate Peter Rob from the Communist League wrote a piece about Marcia Langton in 2011:

“Langton has been thinking about the Constitutional status of Indigenous Australians for even longer than she has about the life crisis in remote communities. She wants the remaining vestiges of race power wiped from the Constitution. She has been talking for 40 years about racism in Australia. Her life pivots on this word. She grew up politically in the late ’60s and has matured but never abandoned the language and style of her youthful anger.’

Langton also hails the fraudulent Bruce Pascoe as an Aborigine (when the aborigines of the tribe from where he claims to have originated have no record of him) and has called Pascoe’s debunked, fictional Dark Emu “the most important book on Australia”.

At a keynote address to the Lowitja Institute’s third international indigenous health and wellbeing con­ference, Langton said:

“People who are opposing (the voice referendum) are saying we are destroying the fabric of their sacred Constitution. Yes, that’s right, that’s exactly what we’re doing,”

In 2019 Langton abused a young gay man who had defended Israel Folau after he was sacked by Rugby Australia for quoting the Bible.

Langton said, “he probably thinks he’s gay because he masturbates too much.”

When challenged on Twitter, Langton replied with more homophobic abuse,

“Gay? I don’t think so, more like Milo. Twisted.”

In October 2019, Langton said of those who have climbed Ayers Rock: “A curse will fall on all of them”, and wrote (as images showed hundreds lining up for a final Uluru clamber),

“They will remember how they defiled this sacred place until they die and history will record their contempt for Aboriginal culture.”

Langton has never disavowed her extremist Communist beliefs. Her entire life demonstrates a determined commitment to her beliefs.

She was so extreme in her Marxism that she was once the focus of an undercover ASIO operation.

One of the core beliefs of Trotskyism is that Australia doesn’t deserve to exist as a country and should be destroyed.

Langton’s fellow Trotskyist and academic, Tom Bramble, has declared that even just the sight of an Australian flag makes him want to puke.

Is it appropriate the woman who is charged with “shaping a framework towards developing options for an Indigenous voice to all levels of government” may still believe the government she has been tasked with advising should be destroyed?

You need to know this, because the current Prime Minister does not want to disclose the detail of the Voice to the ill-informed general public.

It’s not that The Prime Minister and architects to the Voice are unable to give you the detail to the voice.

They simply don’t want you to know what’s behind this Communist takeover of the country through our Constitution.

 

HMAS Maryborough II Prepares for Decommissioning After 15 Years

Image Caption: HMAS Maryborough II (Source: LSIS James McDougall).

The Royal Australian Navy’s Armidale Class patrol vessel, HMAS Maryborough II, is set to be decommissioned later this month in Queensland, marking the end of its 15-year tenure.

Constructed by Austral, the 56.8-meter HMAS Maryborough II is currently journeying through the Fraser Coast Region, making stops at Bundaberg and its namesake city, Maryborough in Queensland. This tour precedes its scheduled decommissioning on 28 September 2023.

The vessel first joined the fleet in December 2007, playing integral roles in missions like Operation Sovereign Borders, and aiding in fisheries surveillance, immigration checks, customs procedures, and collaborating with the Australian Border Force in drug law enforcement.

With a top speed of 25 knots, the ship can cover a distance of 5,556 kilometers at a steady 12 knots. It houses a team of 21 crew members and boasts impressive armaments, including a 25mm Rafael M242 Bushmaster, a pair of 12.7mm machine guns, and advanced electronic countermeasures, as well as surface search and navigational radar.

In a touching gesture as part of its farewell tour, over 1,600 individuals were invited onboard HMAS Maryborough on 10 September during an open day event held at the Gold Coast. Attendees got the chance to explore the ship, witness weapon and boarding demonstrations, familiarize themselves with the damage control firefighting apparatus, and even experience a ride on one of its two 7.2m jet rigid hull inflatable boats.

Reflecting on the significance of the event, Midshipman Jackson Marsh, a sailor from Maryborough, remarked, “Having the public onboard to commemorate the legacy and service of the Maryborough was an extraordinary honor, one I’m deeply proud to have been a part of.”

Drawing inspiration from its predecessor, the HMAS Maryborough II was named in homage to the original HMAS Maryborough, a minesweeper constructed in 1941 during the thick of World War II. The original ship earned battle distinctions in the Pacific (1942), the Indian Ocean (1942–44), and Sicily (1943), before its eventual decommissioning in 1945.

Six F-35A Lightning IIs from Australia Set for Indonesia Deployment

In a landmark move later this month, six of Australia’s F-35A Lightning IIs will be stationed in Indonesia for Exercise Elang AUSINDO 23.

This Manado-based exercise will bring together 150 members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and 160 Indonesian personnel. Together, they will collaborate on a range of activities including counter air operations, basic air combat techniques, and air refueling using the RAAF’s KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport.

As part of the exercise, the Indonesian Air Force is gearing up to utilize their F-16 fighter aircraft.

This initiative can trace its roots back to 1993, when it began in conjunction with two other cooperative programs: Albatross AUSINDO, focusing on bilateral maritime surveillance, and Rajawali AUSINDO, targeting tactical aircraft operations.

Air Vice-Marshal Glen Braz, Air Commander Australia, spoke highly of Exercise Elang AUSINDO, emphasizing its importance in fostering cooperation and understanding between the Australian and Indonesian militaries. He said, “This exercise is pivotal for mutual trust-building and aligning our objectives, not just among pilots but also at a larger scale between the defense forces of both nations.”

This announcement of F-35s deployment to Indonesia comes on the heels of the recent conclusion of Exercise Super Garuda Shield, the largest of its kind. The exercise saw participation from over 5,000 military personnel from seven countries, including Australia, France, Japan, Singapore, UK, US, and Indonesia. Additionally, observers from twelve nations were present.

Australia’s contribution to the exercise was significant, with 125 Army members, a unit of M1A1 Abrams tanks, support vehicles, a Special Air Service (SAS) team, and an infantry platoon from the Royal South Australia Regiment taking part. Activities during the exercise spanned expert exchanges, field training, amphibious operations, and even a specialized free-fall jump by military special operations units.

Exercise Super Garuda Shield culminated in a grand live fire display, featuring aircraft like F-16s, AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks, and AH-1 Super Cobras, alongside 105mm artillery, HIMARS, and tanks.

Major General Scott Winter, AM, Commander of the Australian Army’s 1st Division, praised the exercise for showcasing the capabilities of the involved forces in the Indo-Pacific region. He added, “Witnessing Australian tanks alongside their Indonesian peers in East Java was an unparalleled moment of pride in my military career.”.

AUSTRALIAN LETTER – I think the sender might have been upset!

This is an actual letter sent to the DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Immigration Minister.  The Government tried desperately to censure the author, but got nowhere because every legal person who read it couldn’t stop laughing!

Dear Mr Minister,

I’m in the process of renewing my passport, and still cannot believe this.

How is it that K-Mart has my address and telephone number, and knows that I bought a television set and golf clubs and condoms from them back in 1997, and yet the Federal Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date?

For Christ sakes, do you guys do this by hand?

My birth date you have in my Medicare information, and it is on all the income tax forms I’ve filed for the past 40 years.

It is also on my driver’s licence, on the last eight passports I’ve ever had on all those stupid customs declaration forms I’ve had to fill out before being allowed off planes over the past 30 years.

It’s also on all those insufferable census forms that I’ve filled out every 5 years since 1966.

Also… would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother’s name is Audrey, my father’s name is Jack, and I’d be absolutely bloody astounded if that ever changed between now and when I drop dead!!!

SHIT! What do you people do with all this information we keep having to provide?

I apologize, Mr Minister. But I’m really pissed off this morning.

Between you and me, I’ve had enough of all this bullshit!

You send the application to my house, then you ask me for my bloody address!

What the hell is going on with your mob? Have you got a gang of mindless Neanderthal arseholes working there!

And another thing, look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? I can’t even grow a beard for God’s sakes. I just want to go to New Zealand and see my new granddaughter.  (Yes, my son interbred with a Kiwi girl).  And would someone please tell me, why would you give a shit whether or not I plan on visiting a farm in the next 15 days? In the unlikely event I ever got the urge to do something weird to a sheep or a horse, believe you me, I’d sure as hell not want to tell anyone!

Well, I have to go now, ’cause I have to go to the other side of Sydney, and get another bloody copy of my birth certificate – and to part with another $80 for the privilege of accessing MY OWN INFORMATION!

Would it be so complicated to have all the services in the same spot, to assist in the issuance of a new passport on the same day?

Nooooo…that’d be too bloody easy and makes far too much sense.

You would much prefer to have us running all over the bloody place like chickens with our heads cut off, and then having to find some ‘high-society’ wanker to confirm that it’s really me in the goddamn photo! You know the photo… the one where we’re not allowed to smile?…you bloody morons.

Signed – An Irate Australian Citizen.

P.S. Remember what I said above about the picture, and getting someone in ‘high-society’ to confirm that it’s me?

Well, my family has been in this country since before 1820! In 1856, one of my forefathers took up arms with Peter Lalor.  (You do remember the Eureka Stockade!)

I have also served in both the CMF and regular Army for something over 30 years (I went to Vietnam in 1967), and still have high security clearances. I’m also a personal friend of the president of the RSL….Lt General Peter Cosgrove sends me a Christmas card each year.

However, your rules require that I have to get someone “important” to verify who I am; you know…someone like my doctor – WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BLOODY PAKISTAN! a country where they either assassinate or hang their ex-Prime Ministers – and are suspended from the Commonwealth and United Nations for not having the “right sort of government”..

You are all pen-pushing paper-shuffling bloody idiots!

 

Quick and Efficient Training: The New Modular System at Kapooka

Kapooka’s recruit training is set to be accelerated by 25% with the introduction of the Army Initial Foundation Training continuum, now undergoing its second stage of trials.

The innovative course comprises three 21-day modules, ensuring recruits transition seamlessly from their initial induction to mastering combat behaviors and foundational warfighting. The aim is to produce soldiers with the same competency as those from the former Army Recruit Course.

Brigadier Jason Groat, the Commandant of the Land Combat College, emphasized the need for a revamped training approach. “Our trials at Kapooka demonstrate our ability to produce highly skilled soldiers in a shorter span by modifying our traditional training methods,” he commented. He added that adjustments would be made wherever necessary.

The continuum provides a unified training route for both full-time and part-time recruits. Moreover, it is set to be incorporated into the initial entry training (IET) for cadets of the Royal Military College in Duntroon, starting from January 2024.

The three modules, labeled A, B, and C, are structured for gradual, scalable learning:

  • Module A is the foundation for both reserve and full-time recruits. It delves deep into inculcating combat behaviors and fulfills mandatory training prerequisites. Upon completion, reserve recruits will receive extended training at their units before embarking on IET courses.
  • Module B advances recruits with service mastery and reinforces combat behaviors. This stage allows recruits to gain advanced weapon expertise, reaching up to Rifle Practice 3A, supplemented by rigorous physical training and resilience-building exercises.
  • Module C is tailored for full-time recruits, providing them with the requisite warfighting skills and qualifications to proceed to IET for their designated corps or trade.

After commencing its second trial on August 22, the program’s efficacy will be assessed, with the possibility of it fully replacing the existing Army Recruit Course by January 2024.

The modularity of this system offers flexibility, enabling swift adaptation to evolving strategic situations. “For instance, we can swiftly generate soldiers qualified in Module A to address large-scale natural calamities or pandemics,” stated Brigadier Groat. He also pointed to the potential of promptly enhancing the skills of Reserve soldiers during other strategic situations.

 

Jeremy Clarkson’s the Greatest Raid of All – the FULL documentary

The documentary is well worth watching

Jeremy Clarkson’s the Greatest Raid of All – the FULL documentary | North One – YouTube

 

The HMS Campbeltown was disguised as a German destroyer before the raid and rammed into the ‘Normandie’ dry dock at Saint Nazaire on 28th March 1942. It had been painted “Mountbatten Pink” before the raid, as this was seen as some of the best camouflage at the time (Lord Mountbatten had once seen a pink ship disappear, so he tested it on RN ships… it somewhat worked, especially at dusk or dawn.).

This beaching was not an accident. The Campbeltown, a WWI era US-loaned destroyer, had been rammed into the dock while carrying commandos and Royal Navy troops. This force had sailed up the river Loire unnoticed for the most part, however, were forced to reveal themselves early, as they were challenged for the password by German sentries. They gave the password, captured from a German trawler a few days ago, and sailed by.

It was only as they got closer to the docks that they were fired upon by German shore guns. They pulled down the Kriegsmarine flag and raised the White Ensign, then began to fire back. The commandos were mostly unprotected, and many were wounded. When the destroyer rammed the dock, they attacked the surrounding installations, with small arms and explosives.

611 men were sent on this daring raid, their plan was to strike fast and get out on Motor Torpedo Boats. Unfortunately, many of the commandos were unable to make it to the extraction point provided. Out of the 611-man force, only 227 got away on small, wooden MBTs. 169 men died in the raid and the other 215 became POWs.

At Noon on the 28th March 1942, the HMS Campbletown detonated. What no-one had told the Germans was that there were high explosives hidden in the hull of the ship. Originally destined to set off at 4:30, the acid detonators were delayed due to seawater getting into the fuses.

Just before the explosion, one of the raiders, Sam Beattie, was being questioned by a German Naval Intelligence Officer. The officer was taunting Beattie by remarking how the damage to the dock could be fixed incredibly quickly. At that exact moment, the ship blew up, killing 360 Germans in the blast and completely destroying the dock. Upon hearing the explosion, Beattie remarked “We’re not quite as foolish as you might think!”

Then, at 16:30, two delayed action torpedoes exploded at the old entrance to the dock, causing further damage.

The only dock that the Germans would be able to repair the Tirpitz, Gneisenau, and Scharnhorst wouldn’t be repaired until 1949, four years after the war ended. This raid was a major part of why the Germans largely hid their battleships for the rest of the war.

The raid became known as “The Greatest Raid of All” within British military circles.

Stunning map shows the extent of Native Title control in Australia

A stunning map has unveiled that Native Title, a legal recognition of Aboriginal rights over an area, covers nearly half of Australia’s landmass.

Native title holders can get compensation for things the government has done to stop them from exercising their rights, such as building a bridge or a road.

The map, prepared by the National Native Title Tribunal, shows some 50 per cent of Australia is under Native Title, with the sections divided by dark and light green to distinguish between ‘exclusive’ and ‘non-exclusive’ zones.

A further 12 per cent of land is being assessed for Native Title, with these areas coded in blue patches or stripes.

It’s important to note that Native Title can only be claimed for Crown land and is not applicable to privately held properties.

When a Native Title determination specifies ‘exclusive’ rights, it means the Indigenous group has exclusive ownership and control over the area in question, excluding all others, including government authorities and non-Indigenous individuals or entities.

Non-exclusive Native Title in Australia grants Indigenous groups shared rights and interests in land without exclusive control.

It can grant Native Title holders the right to local cultural practices, such as the right to live in the area, hunt, fish, gather food or teach law and custom on country.

CLICK LINK to view map and read the rest of the article from the Daily Mail

Stunning map shows the extent of Native Title control in Australia – as senator warns there are many more Aboriginal claims to come: Here’s what it means for you (msn.com)

There is already a Voice … The NIAA.

Every Australian should take note of the website of the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). The NIAA, a government-funded organization, has the significant responsibility of enhancing the well-being of Aboriginal Australians and guiding the government in this endeavour. If you delve into their mission statement, you’ll find its aims mirror those of the proposed VOICE to parliament.

The NIAA is not a recent entity, and it is no small-scale venture. With approximately 1,300 employees and numerous offices across the country, its operations cost taxpayers more than 4 BILLION dollars last year alone. Now, as discussions around the introduction of the VOICE emerge, it’s our right to seek clarity.

How does the VOICE differ from the NIAA in terms of its mandate? What tangible impacts has the NIAA had on the Aboriginal community in Australia? Would the VOICE be an addition to, or a replacement for, the NIAA? Considering the substantial budget of the NIAA, how can the VOICE promise to be more effective?

Furthermore, it’s vital to understand the powers and boundaries of the VOICE. Would they hold any decision-making authority on subjects currently under the jurisdiction of Australia’s elected government? If they possess such power, how can an unelected body influence the lives of ordinary Australians?

When casting my vote, I believed I was empowering an elected government to represent my interests. I wasn’t informed that individuals outside this elected sphere could have a say in our nation’s governance.

The VOICE, in its essence, appears to contradict democratic principles. It seems more aligned with divisive politics rather than addressing real issues like the crime rate in Alice Springs or the socio-economic challenges faced by Indigenous Australians, such as rampant unemployment and issues with substance abuse.

If the NIAA were fully effective in its role, the VOICE would not even be a point of debate.

Now CLICK LINK to go to the NIAA website National Indigenous Australians Agency (niaa.gov.au)

Be sure to click on the Executive Order at Order to Establish the National Indigenous Australians Agency as an Executive Agency (legislation.gov.au)  to read their full list of responsibilities.