In late 2021, my latest book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, was released in a Slovakian edition with an introduction by the Slovak philosopher and former politician Martin Poliacik who’s been a leading advocate for drug reform. Since its release, the book has received very positive coverage and reviews in Slovakia.…
TRT World debate on the drug war and legalising all drugs
My “debate” on global broadcaster TRT World’s The Newsmakers on the drug war and why all drugs should be legalised and regulated. These ideas are inspired by my recent book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs. The other panelists are former DEA head, Mike Vigil, and Portuguese expert on harm minimisation,…
Challenging the power of Murdoch
My debut article for US outlet The Intercept: RUPERT MURDOCH, who oversees a global media empire that includes Fox News, doesn’t like losing, but he just tasted defeat in Australia’s election. Despite years in which Murdoch’s media properties vociferously backed conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Labor leader Anthony Albanese won the May 21 contest. Australia…
Will the Australian election give voice to Palestinians?
My latest investigation for Declassified Australia (including my photos from Gaza in 2017): It’s one of the longest trials of a Palestinian in Israeli history with no end in sight. Israel charged a Gaza-based, World Vision Australia employee, Mohammed El Halabi, in 2016 with illegally diverting millions of dollars of aid money to Hamas. Six years on, Halabi remains in detention…
When is the time to boycott?
When the political and media class routinely support tyranny in the name of ‘democracy’, community-led boycotts become essential. My latest essay in the Sydney Review of Books, a 3k+ word piece, on Russia, Ukraine, Palestine, BDS and reporter John Lyons’ fine new book, Dateline Jerusalem: Journalism’s Toughest Assignment.
When will I praise Israeli hegemony, Israel lobby asks?
It’s nice to know that Australia’s most belligerent, pro-Israel lobby, AIJAC, watches my media appearances (when they’re not backing Israel’s occupation in Palestine). I was recently on Sky News talking about the war in Ukraine. AIJAC only wants obedience to its agenda so this “critique” is hilarious: In an interview on Sky News Australia (March…
Opposing the silencing of Palestinian artist Lowkey
I was happy to sign this important petition against censorship alongside people like Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, Mark Ruffalo and many others: We artists, musicians and other public figures and organisations are deeply concerned by the coordinated campaign against rapper and campaigner Lowkey. Lowkey has become the target of a coordinated smear campaign to demonize,…
Sky News interview on Russia/Ukraine and the impact of sanctions
Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine is causing huge devastation. I was interviewed today by Sky News TV to discuss the war and the impact of devastating sanctions against the Kremlin.
Public speech against Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine
I was invited by Stop the War Coalition Sydney to speak at yesterday’s rally on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. I spoke about NATO, its disastrous wars in Libya and Afghanistan, the war on terror and advocating peace:
Supporting Palestinian rights can be risky
Back in 2007, I co-founded Independent Australian Jewish Voices (IAJV) with academic Peter Slezak, a space to support more critical voices on Israel/Palestine. One of our early signatories was Moss Cass, a senior minister in Gough Whitlam’s government in the 1970s and one of the world’s finest environment ministers. He recently died at 95 and…