Welcome to the latest edition of Clark Matters, my monthly email newsletter to help keep you abreast of federal politics and what I’ve been up to.
Julian Assange is finally free
Millions of people around the world, and especially in Australia, will be thrilled that Julian Assange has finalised a plea deal with the United States Department of Justice and has arrived home.
Mr Assange should never have been charged, and his release from prison and return home is way beyond time. After all, he is an Australian citizen, publisher and journalist who did nothing more than release information about egregious US misconduct, including war crimes, and for that he always should have been applauded, not punished.
The video evidence in particular of a US Army attack helicopter murdering civilians in Iraq including journalists, published by WikiLeaks, will forever be known as one of the most significant media releases ever.
There must never be a repeat of this shocking episode. Whistleblowers and media freedom are essential ingredients of any healthy democracy and attacks on them need to be fiercely resisted. That’s exactly what Mr Assange’s supporters did and I’m immensely proud of them for doing that. Moreover the US’s ridiculous claim to global judicial extraterritoriality must be rejected in future.
One of the alarming dimensions of this whole horrid saga is that the precedent has now been set for charging and convicting a journalist for simply doing their job. While we expect to see this in authoritarian regimes, for it to have occurred in the United States of all places, with its constitutional protection for freedom of media, should send chills down the spine of journalists everywhere.
AFL needs to clean up its act
I welcome Sports Integrity Australia’s recommendation that the AFL abandon its current drugs policy and replace it with a transparent policy which is designed to prevent illegal drug use. While the AFL is claiming they’re vindicated, the fact remains that the AFL dodged a WADA breach on a technicality, and secret tests were conducted which facilitated illegal drug use and helped ensure there were no positive match day tests.
The AFL’s current failed policy does not protect players from illegal drug use, or exposure to the criminal underworld that supplies those illegal drugs. In fact, it has the effect of facilitating drug use, especially by players who may falsely cite mental health issues under the medical model.
I also support SIA’s recommendation that any new AFL drugs policy has independent oversight, and that illegal drug use by staff and officials also be addressed. If people in a leadership position are abusing illegal drugs like cocaine, it makes it impossible for them to demand players do the right thing.
SIA’s investigation was initiated in response to me revealing whistleblower allegations in Federal Parliament earlier this year. WorkSafe Victoria has also launched an inquiry into the AFL and the impact of its drug policy on the safety of players.
Way beyond time to ban gambling advertising
It’s been a year since the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs handed down its report into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm. But we are yet to see the Federal Government implement any of its 31 recommendations, including most notably a ban on gambling advertising.
The impacts of online gambling can be devastating. I’ve heard countless stories about the toll it takes on people’s finances, relationships, employment and mental wellbeing, in some cases leading to suicide. This is unconscionable and demonstrates the alarming gaps in reform by the Government.
The Government must stop pandering to the gambling industry, the media and the big sporting codes, and ban all gambling advertising. Until that happens, people, including children, continue to be bombarded with gambling ads that normalise the predatory practice. Next week, Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie and I will re-introduce a bill to ban all online gambling advertising.
Yours sincerely
