The Rise of Fascism in Australia

In the last year, it is evident, that the Australian government has become much more authoritarian than any time in recent memory. More accurately, the government has moved heavily Right-wing, instigating raids on the free press, prosecuting whistle-blowers, and currently threatening to outlaw boycott campaigns, that PM Scott Morison argues, "could hurt the country's mining industry.” Boycotting and protesting, PM Morrison, is a basic human right in a democracy.

In 2018, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) stormed a news corp journalist's home, after an article was published, revealing new powers of the Australian Intelligence Agencies to spy on its citizens without due process. These new laws were ratified in secret, and the Australian people would not have known about this draconian law, if not for a whistle-blower contacting the News Corp. journalist.

A day after the raid on the journalists home, the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) in Sydney, was again stormed by the AFP, over the series of stories covering the unlawful murders by the Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan. These are actual War Crimes committed, that the government wanted to keep from the public and the world.

Early 2017, a Australian Tax Office (ATO) whistle-blower, Richard Boyle, revealed severe malpractice within the powerful institution, and could be sentenced to as much as six life terms; this exceeds the sentence of Australia's most prolific serial killer, Ivan Milat. Certainly a huge red flag for anyone concerned with justice and the truth. The government is sending out a terrifying message to all future whistle-blowers: reveal our crimes, and you'll pay for the rest of your life.

Again, Australia's totalitarian-reptilian-head raised omnivorously, with the police brutality in Melbourne last week, over the peaceful climate protesters, Extinction Rebellion, beaten with ferocious violence; while a police officer was photographed flipping the white supremacy hand signal, smirking at the camera. When one watches the video of the police beating on peaceful protesters with abandon, anger is the first visceral response, followed by a tinge of fear, over where Australian society is headed: Absolute-totalitarianism.

As I was thinking about what is currently happening to my country, I was reminded of a line from George Orwell's political satire, Animal Farm.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Australia's prime minister is an admirer and close allies with US president, Donald Trump. Both men are right wing hacks devoted to supporting the rich, denying climate change, draconian on immigration, and funded by fossil fuel ass holes, and denying that the climate crises actually exists. Added to this insanity, Trump is backed by the radical Christian Right. Scott Morrison belongs to the Pentecostals, a right wing christian cult, obsessed with the Apocalypse. These sociopaths are focused on Armageddon, hoping to experience the “rapture”, and taken to heaven.

Australia, under the current government, desires to take us into pure fascism. We will never allow this to happen.