Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Westpac to Pay Largest Fine in Australian Corporate History
Westpac has agreed to pay AUSTRAC (the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre) $1.3 billion in fines, the largest in Australian corporate history. The penalty was incurred after AUSTRAC found that Westpac had committed more than 23 million violations against anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws. CEO Peter King commented in a statement that the bank…
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Archibald 2020: Originality is The New Banality
The Archibald competition is Australia’s crowning glory for art. Though this year’s finalists have featured unabashedly expressionless and commonplace portraits. The competition is an annual exhibition eagerly anticipated by artists and audiences alike that is awarded to the best portrait, quintessentially a distinguished laureate, painted by any Australasian artist. This year’s competition featured a panoply…
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Jobseeker Cuts Could See 145,000 Jobs Lost and Slow Recovery
Cuts to the Jobseeker subsidy could result in the loss of 145,000 jobs and a significant delay in economic recovery according to Deloitte. The Deloitte Access Economics report commissioned by the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) illustrated that the reduction of Jobseeker could cost the Australian economy $31.1 billion over the next two years.…
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Lockdown Loonies: The Anti-Lockdown Trend in Australia
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been increasing resistance in Australia against the government’s coronavirus regulations. Recently, a Melbourne anti-lockdown protest resulted in 15 arrests with protesters chanting “Freedom” in response to the stage four restrictions. It’s a trend gaining traction as more Australians rebel against government advice to regain their freedom. According…
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Remembering 9/11 – 19 Years On.
Today marks 19 years since the 9/11 attacks committed against the United States by terrorist group al-Qaeda which resulted in the devastating loss of 2977 people’s lives. The attacks involved the hijacking of four passenger airlines, which were then directed at prominent United States’ buildings; two of them directed at the World Trade Centre in…
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How Jobkeeper 2.0 Will Impact You
The legislative reforms to the Jobkeeper scheme were officially passed in the senate last week, ensuring that Jobkeeper 2.0 will commence on September 28. The scheme has provided a lifeline to 3.5 million Australians since its launch in March. These changes will see a dramatic reduction in the subsidies eligibility and payment amount. Here is…
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How You Could Be Contributing to China’s Genocide
The Uyghurs decimation by the Chinese government has been a long-held campaign to control and eliminate their culture for the good of the country. But a report from Justice For All, a human rights organisation, reveals China’s actions count as genocide under the United Nations definition. So far, more than 1 million Uyghurs have been detained…
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Remembering Steve Irwin: Upbringing, Wildlife Work, Tragic End and Legacy
September 4th beckons the day Australians mourned the death of a national icon. Today, Steve Irwin’s image is immortalised in culture and via his Wildlife Reserve. Steve Irwin is known for his camera-charisma, larrikin antics with wildlife and potent Aussie accent. His endearment for animals was inspired by his upbringing. His father, Bob, had a passion…
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Australian Economy Enters First Recession in 30 Years
The Australian economy has entered into its first recession in 30 years due to COVID-19 induced global economic instability. The June quarter GDP numbers show that the economy shrunk by 7% within that time, the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealing this has been the biggest drop in GDP since it was first recorded in…
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The 2020 Fire Season Conditions Vastly Different than Previous Years
The fire season of 2020/21 will be directly impacted by differing climate conditions than the previous two years, according to the Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook report released yesterday. The report outlined how the expected La Nina will result in wetter than average weather conditions to spread across eastern and northern Australia. “While these wetter conditions…
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