Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

Margo redrafted these guidelines for the new site, and we'll stick by them, subject to your input:

Margo Kingston set the overall direction for Webdiary over the first five and a half years of its existence. The charter, ethics, editorial policy, and discussion guidelines we work to were all created by her. David Roffey is General Manager (and Managing Director and Company Secretary of Webdiary Pty Ltd).

I believe:

- that there is a vacuum of original, genuine, passionate and accessible debate on the great political, economic and social issues of our time in the mainstream media, despite the desire of thinking Australians in all age groups to read and participate in such debates

- that newspapers have lost their connection with the readers they serve

- that the future of news media which serves its democratic function to inform, expose and analyse the world around us lies in a collaboration between journalists and readers through independent news media.

MARGO NOTE: Webdiary's ethics remain the same, save that the Sydney Morning Heralds' ethics guidelines no longer apply. I have therefore deleted  references to that document.

Webdiary Management Team Note: Margo's redraft for the new site stands as she wrote it!

I want you to trust Webdiary. Trust is the ideal at the core of all professional ethics codes, which are guidelines for conduct which aim to achieve that ideal. I'm a journalist bound by a code of ethics drafted to apply to traditional journalism. I've adapted the code to meet the responsibilities of running Webdiary, and set out guidelines for your contributions. These guidelines are always open for discussion and debate on Webdiary and can be clarified and added to as issues arise.

"Although COAG and the ministerial councils facilitate intergovernmental cooperation and policy coordination, as the Stanhope example shows they raise some questions about the transparency of decision-making. COAG can limit parliamentary scrutiny of key national policy positions as Premiers and Chief Ministers commit their governments to action without first exposing policy positions to examination by their respective legislatures, and by extension to the broader community." Linda Botterill

"Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The disease, which was first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago, occurs worldwide. For much of that past century, and for all the years before, avian influenza was not an issue of widespread (let alone global) concern because these viruses did not normally infect species other than birds and pigs. Today things have changed, people are catching the "bird flu" and dying. The recent run on available prophylactic drugs in developed nations points to how much of a concern it has become. It has become something to concern all the peoples of our planet; for should things change again and the virus begins to spread amongst us multitudes may die, and even if it doesn't kill us it is going to change the life lived by many millions worldwide." Craig Rowley

Breaking news.

"Sedition and treason are ancient crimes (Crimes Act 1914) here defined as including 'bringing the Sovereign into hatred and contempt'; urging disaffection against the Constitution, the Government of the Commonwealth or either House of the Parliament; promoting 'feelings of ill-will or hostility between different groups so as to threaten the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth' (Schedule 7-4, 80.2). While there is provision for acts done in 'good faith' as opposed to 'recklessness' (80.2 and 80.3), this is a rich potential field for the suppression of opinion." James Jupp

On Thursday, we began a series of links updates on anti-terrorism issues both here and abroad. Today's list has been collected with thanks again to Webdiarist and Media Dragon blogger Jozef Imrich and Webdiary contributors. Keep sending them in.

Australia

A betrayal of trust and liberty
The Age, Australia 20/10/05
- The Government and Opposition assume we cannot fight terrorism while adhering to principles of democracy and justice. Their folly is a grave threat to our freedom, writes Malcolm Fraser. - http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/a-betrayal-of-trust-and-liberty/2005/10/19/1129401313656.html

As Wayne said in this morning's edition of the Daily Briefing: "The long piece on US politics ... (and a messy head cold), slowed things down... a number of articles have not made it into this edition. Two editions in one day are never ideal, but if the energy levels hold up, that's what will happen today." And he has delivered.

|| Bruce Bartlett on the Bush-conservative divorce || Dan Froomkin on the 'cabal' that ran the Iraq war || Report on Miers' progress toward the Supreme Court || Profile of the woman who blew the whistle on Halliburton || Geoffrey Stone & Richard Posner debate anti-terrorism laws || John Keegan on the trial of Saddam Hussein || Eric Hobsbawm on the benefits of the Jewish diaspora || Michael Bosscher says the law favours victims || Theodore Dalrymple on religion and society ||

|| Matt Welch on the Miller-Rove-Plame scandal || George Packer on the state of US politics || Irvine Welsh on crime and violence in Scotland || David Jaffe on scholars, jazz and Sonny Rollins ||

"I made the final decision to publish the draft on the day I went to address hundreds of local Muslims at the Canberra Mosque, to explain to them my September 27 decision to agree to the Commonwealth's proposed suite of counter-terrorism laws. It occurred to me that I was asking Canberra Muslims to trust me, without extending the same courtesy to them. I was asking them to put their faith in me, without putting my faith in them. Why shouldn't they see these laws, to which I had committed the ACT on their behalf? Why shouldn't they know whether the assurances I believed I had extracted from the Commonwealth were reflected in the draft I had been provided? Why shouldn't they see what was in store for them and for their fellow Canberrans?" Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister, ACT.

This is the first of a regular, daily if possible, summary of some of the recent media on the introduction of anti-terrorism laws both here and abroad. Included are some that date back to 2002 when these laws began surfacing in our 21stC Western world. If you find a link or an article for or against the new laws, please send it in and we will add it to the list each day. Post reviews and comments on what you read.

|| Kenneth Davidson says politicians threaten Parliament || Scott Borgerson on the geo-politics of global warming    || Michael O'Hanlon on progress in Iraq    || Roger Cohen on Europe's move to the right || Max Boot on what to do about 'our thug' in Azerbaijan || Thomas Friedman says Iraqis find the US a bad democratic || Report on US refusal to allow Darfur report at UN || David Aaronovitch on health fatalities and the flu scare  || Reem Nafie on torture in Guantanamo Bay || Interview with Orhan Pamuk ahead of his trial ||

Today four years ago a boat on its way through the sometimes treacherous waters off the Indonesian coast sunk within the Australian Government's Search and Rescue Zone for ships in distress. Some people were rescued. Several people cancelled their plans to board the massively overcrowded vessel - and are alive today as a result. Three hundred and fifty-three people, mostly Iraqi and Afghan asylum seekers, including 146 children, drowned. ... In memoriam...

"How did multiculturalism go from being hailed as an antidote to alienation to being accused of aiding and abetting terrorism, the scourge of the new century?" Petro Georgiou MP

"It is now  a well established aspect of Australian history that Catholic Social Teaching, particularly Pope Leo XIII's  teaching on the just wage in Rerum Novarum, was a significant  influence on Australian policy makers a century ago when an Industrial Relations system and mechanism was set up to balance the interests of workers and businesses. ... The Howard Government is currently proposing sweeping changes to the Australian industrial relations landscape. For the first time the Government has the numbers in the Senate to bring in such changes without the support of minor party and independent senators who held the balance of power in the Senate for over two decades. These changes have the capacity to fundamentally alter the fabric of Australian workplaces and society at large. This briefing paper aims to outline the basic changes being put forward and in light of Catholic Social Teaching offer critical comment on the changes and their likely effects." Social Action Office, Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes, Queensland.

|| Ross Gittins on the irrational world of economics || Alan Kohler on the impact of technology on media laws  || Robert Reich on the replacement for Alan Greenspan  || Report says China to tackle economic inequality || Hatem Mukhlis says Iraq constituion will breed chaos || Paul Krugman on free-trade and the US wage freeze || Correct link for the devil and the school band || Report says Bush to appoint someone to run the US (satire) ||

I started to wonder why Plitnick didn't refer to Harel's commentary. It took another check and then the penny dropped. For some reason some of the background information wasn't deemed worthy of translation. ... the crucial next sentence had been dropped." Sol Salbe

Australians have three weeks to protect our human rights for the next ten years, or more. Once the legislation is passed there is no turning back. Dissent will effectively be outlawed. Webdiary is committed to using all the skills and resources available to us to stop the legislation being passed without thorough, honest and transparent debate accross the nation. The contribution of all Webdiarists is vital.

"The demonstrated and manifest incompetence and contempt by authorities when exercising powers over citizens (Tampa, Rau, Solon) means that the powers conferred in these laws will deprive innocent people of their personal freedom and security. And if freedom and security is undermined by the State, where else can we look to find it?" Brian Walters SC

"I am going to address here the very personal question that will face those of of us like me, who will want to continue to contribute to democratic public discourse in Australia after these laws come into effect. What will these laws do to the way people like me exercise our rights to take part in Australia's public political conversation as Australian citizens, residents and voters? Such a personal affirmation has been turning around in my mind for some weeks. I am trying honestly to address the question - how will this legislation affect me in my public life as an Australian citizen? And I intend now to make my answer public, because I think to do so is in the public interest." Tony Kevin

"Australian society takes its benign secularism for granted, but it didn't occur by accident. It's an end result of centuries of political and social struggle and while Australians blithely go about their daily business in this safe and unified nation, few thoughts are spared for the sequence of events that have brought us to this fortunate situation." Phil Uebergang

|| Melvin Laird on Vietnam and the lessons for Iraq || Martin Kettle on getting a sensible response to terrorism || Nick Cohen on secularist Maryam Namazie || James Harkin on Adam Phillips and Freud  || Ray Kurzweil & Bill Joy on the flu genome || Noam Chomsky the number one intellectual  || Kathy Brewis on painter Samuel Palmer  || Peter Preston on fiction vs literary fiction  || Song mentioning devil banned from school band  || In the papers ||

"Chronologically the first of the three "social" announcements came for the Peace Prize. Mohammed El Baradei prize was not welcomed by the glass-is-half-empty crowd. Many of these would have preferred someone like Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu. ...Of course receiving the Nobel Peace Prize is no proof of being commendable or, for that matter, making a great contribution for peace. Think of Henry Kissinger..." Sol Salbe

"There is a growing divergence between the legal profession and parliamentarians over what we lawyers see as an obscene auction on law and order between the Government and Opposition both in this State and Federally." Malcolm B Duncan

|| Timothy Garton Ash on the prospects for change in Iran || David Brooks on the end of the patriarchy || Anthony Browne says Europe's flat tax debate is flat lining || Wendy Orent says there is no evidence for flu pandemic || Nicholas Kristof on US bullying over the ICC || Report on toilet training || Geoff Porter on fatwa rules for soccer || Report on criticism of Narnia movies || SATIRE: Columnist eats sh*t sandwich || 'The Size of Nations' by Alesina and Spolaore || In the papers: ||

"From 16 November this year the Australian government becomes entitled to give three years notice of termination of the Pine Gap treaty with the US, at any time. The goal of our affinity group at this important time is to build public awareness of the goals and operation of Pine Gap so that a future Australian government will terminate its lease at the earliest opportunity." Bryan Law

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has made the Commonwealth’s draft counter-terrorism legislation publicly available on his website, to encourage community discussion and awareness of the incoming laws.

"Threats to UN's survival are empty: even from the US, because all members need the UN for different reasons and all make use of it in different ways. They would reinvent it if they didn't have it. The UN is indispensable to the US and to others if only as a scapegoat for their own failings and as an agency of last resort to do the jobs they don't want to do." Alison Broinowski