The Unshackled Waves Ep. 151 Religious Freedom Review, John Setka, Stormy Daniels and Royal Wedding
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The biggest news story of the week was the Royal Wedding on Saturday. But still, plenty of issues of substance arose throughout the week. To discuss it all I was joined once again by the Unshackled’s Political Editor Michael Smyth
The review into religious freedom in Australia chaired by Howard Government Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock delivered its findings to the Turnbull Government on Friday. While they weren’t publicly released we learnt through media reports that it recommended religion have the same protection in federal anti-discrimination laws as sexual orientation, race, age and disability and a complaints mechanism about religious discrimination be set up through the Human Rights Commission. It recommends no change to the Marriage Act. LGBT activists attempted to turn the inquiry on its head by arguing the safe schools program should be compulsory nationwide and all religious exemptions in anti-discrimination laws be abolished.
CFMEU Victorian Secretary John Setka and his deputy Shaun Reardon had blackmail charges against them dropped. This was over the union’s blockade of brick company Boral for supplying construction company Grocon who the CFMEU was in a dispute with. The reason the charges were dropped by the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions was that two Boral executives changed their statements 41 and 18 times respectively. The Unions and Labor claim this shows the trade union royal commission and the federal government were engaged in a witch-hunt. CFMEU has paid however $10 million in fines related to the blockade.
In the United States, Stormy Daniels returned to the news this week who is the pornstar who has alleged she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006. It had already been confirmed that Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen had paid her $130,000 during the 2016 Presidential campaign. However, this week Trump ally former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani blurted out on television that Trump had reimbursed Cohen for the payment. This has now gained the attention of Special Counsel Robert Mueller who is going after everyone in Trump’s circle and has raised questions over whether the payment broke campaign finance laws.
The Royal Wedding between Price Harry and American Actress Meghan Markel created a worldwide media frenzy. Even though Harry is now sixth in line to the British throne it is still a significant event in the history of the Monarchy. Despite the progressive left normally despising monarchy they still considered the wedding a groundbreaking event due to the fact Markel is half black, is a divorcee, is American and was born a Catholic. It was seen as a boost for constitutional monarchists in Australia due to the public interest in the wedding.
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NewsLinks
Ruddock Religious Freedom Review Recommends Strengthening Anti-Discrimination Laws. No Change to Marriage Act
CFMEU secretary John Setka defends breaking the law after failed blackmail case – AFR
Rudy Giuliani’s Revelation About Trump’s Stormy Daniels Payment Only Raises More Questions – The New Yorker
Royal wedding tipped to boost monarchy – SBS News
