As a journalist, I’ve spent time investing in Freedom of Information requests that sometimes go nowhere and sometimes go far (see my report, with Paul Farrell and Marni Cordell of New Matilda, of the first time the entire contract between the Australian government and British multinational Serco was published in 2011). Today sees the launch…
Category General
How we’re all targets now; journalists increased killed by state actors
Being a war reporter was also dangerous but the risks are increasing. Here’s a powerful piece by the always interesting David Carr in The New York Times: The setting at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel on Tuesday represented the height of refinement, but Alan Rusbridger, editor in chief of The Guardian, reminded the black-tie crowd at the…
Serco and G4S making a killing by British outsourcing craze
(Via The Independent): More than half of the Government’s contract spending on detention services went to just two firms, G4S and Serco, a report reveals today. G4S was this month stripped of a key prison contract in the wake of its shambolic handling of Olympic security but the report reveals it won contracts for a…
How lobby trips to Israel and beyond pollute political and media culture
Far too many reporters and politicians take free trips to Israel, America and elsewhere. In the vast majority of cases they’re little more than propaganda exercises. When it comes to Zionist lobby visits to Israel, I can count on one hand the number of returnees who write or say anything independent instead of mouthing Israeli…
Stopping killer robots before they wage war on their own
A fascinating and necessary new report from Human Rights Watch:
Iran today through the striking City as Art
Stunning piece of art by Iranian artist Aliyar Rasti. An eerie and haunting look at the Islamic Republic:
The democratic challenge faced by vulture capitalism: Naomi Klein shows why
The brilliant Naomi Klein (another recent talk of hers here) talking about capitalism, climate change, the challenge for democracy and vulture capitalism (all the subjects of my forthcoming book and film): See here for a fascinating new campaign, with Klein involved, called Do the Maths about holding energy polluters to account through boycotts, divestment and…