Assange to run for Australian senate: WikiLeaks (AFP)

[struggle4progress]

... WikiLeaks unveiled the plan with a tweet that read "Australia: Julian Assange has confirmed he will run in the 2013 national election for the Australian Senate", just hours after Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the nation would go to the polls on September 14.

The 41-year-old's mother, Christine Assange, was delighted. "He will be awesome. In the House of Representatives we get to choose between US lackey party number one and US lackey party number two -- between the major parties ...

A later WikiLeaks tweet said Queensland-born Assange would "run on WikiLeaks party ticket" ...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jk_OLqtC1wB-234yuata434tctFQ?docId=CNG.1f64df9458b0d5a6427c0b4be9aa4693.4d1


... Shortly after asking his son to join WikiLeaks in 2007, Assange left Australia permanently. Since then, the two have had no contact ...
Daniel Assange: I never thought WikiLeaks would succeed
by Crikey intern Nick Johns-Wickberg | Sep 17, 2010 1:17P
http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/09/17/daniel-assange-i-never-thought-wikileaks-would-succeed/


... extradition shall be granted .. in respect of the following offences ...
(vii) Rape.
(viii) Unlawful sexual intercourse with a female.
(ix) Indecent assault ...
Treaty between Australia and Sweden concerning extradition
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_reg/er322/sch1.html


... there appeared to be little room for maneuver, with Mr. Hague saying “no one should be in any doubt” of Britain’s determination to fulfill its obligations to Sweden under Europe’s extradition law ...
Assange Faces Long Stay in Ecuador’s London Embassy
By JOHN F. BURNS
Published: August 16, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/world/europe/assange-faces-long-stay-in-ecuadors-embassy.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0


... "It is time for the United States to cease its persecution of WikiLeaks, to cease its persecution of our people and to cease its persecution of our alleged sources," Julian Assange, speaking via satellite from London, told a packed conference room at the United Nations ...
Assange speaks via satellite from London, calls for end to 'persecution'
By Ashley Fantz, CNN
updated 1:15 AM EDT, Thu September 27, 2012
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/26/world/assange-un-address/index.html


WOMEN in Australia have joined forces to call for the sacking of a judge who told a jury that it was acceptable for men to use 'rough handling' on their wives to persuade them to have sexual intercourse. The remarks by Judge Derek Bollen in the Supreme Court of South Australia have caused a nationwide furore, uniting women of all political hues in their demands that judges undergo training courses in male-female relationships and that they be vetted before they are allowed to preside over cases involving rape ...
Judge's rape tales infuriate Australian women
From ROBERT MILLIKEN in Sydney
Thursday 14 January 1993
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/judges-rape-tales-infuriate-australian-women-1478386.html


... Mr Assange's lawyer Judge Baltasar Garzón Real ... attacked the Australian Government for not providing proper consular assistance to the former computer programmer. His comments prompted an immediate rebuttal from Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr, who said Assange had been contacted 62 times by Australian consular officials ... Mr Garzón said the Australian Government's response to requests for assistance had been "entirely negative" ... "Whilst he's been in the Ecuadorian embassy we have made contact with the embassy on eight occassions either in person or by phone to check on his welfare and to offer consular assistance," Mr Carr's spokesman said ...
Carr hits back at Assange attacks as lawyer hints at 'surprise' in store
August 24, 2012
Rory Callinan, Dan Harrison


... Members of the Australian Parliament do not have legal immunity: they can be arrested and tried for any offence ...
Parliament of Australia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Australia


... The Constitution, section 42, requires senators to make and subscribe (sign) before the Governor-General, or some person authorised by the Governor-General, an oath or affirmation of allegiance in the form set out in the Constitution. Senators make and sign the oath or affirmation at the first sitting of the Senate which they attend after the commencement of their terms as senators ... Section 42 requires that a senator make and subscribe the oath or affirmation before taking the senator’s seat in the Senate ...
Odgers' Australian Senate Practice Thirteenth Edition
Chapter 6 - Senators
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/odgers13?file=chapter06§ion=05


... Twomey is doubtful that Assange can convince the electoral commission that he wants to return to Australia, given that he has lived almost abroad for almost six years. And if Assange can't qualify as an eligible overseas voter, he can't run at all ...
Can Assange Really Become an Australian Senator?
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai
Dec 13, 2012
http://mashable.com/2012/12/13/assange-australian-senate/

9 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	I wish some of our Senators had left the country permanently years ago
	1 (11%)
	Australia will extradite an accused rapist to Sweden, y'know
	0 (0%)
	And it's about bloomin time an Ecuadorian embassy was represented in Canberra, too!
	0 (0%)
	Oh, bullshizz! This is nothing but a vicious rumor spread by the US government to make Julian look ridiculous!
	1 (11%)
	Oh, yeah! Aussie women are gonna flock to the polls to vote for an international fugitive accused of rape!
	0 (0%)
	Julian's warm and close friendships with many of Australia's top politicians almost guarantee a win here!
	0 (0%)
	Maybe he mistakenly believes members of parliament enjoy legal immunity?
	0 (0%)
	He's gonna escape London in a hot air ballon and arrive just in time to swear his oath of office at the first sitting of the Senate!
	0 (0%)
	Since the man's not even currently eligible to vote in Australia, he can't run for office there
	0 (0%)
	More attention-whoring for fame and forture. Much meh.
	7 (78%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[dlwickham]

1. voted for the attention whore option!

[OnyxCollie]

2. Ooh, the two minute hate now comes with a poll. nt

[struggle4progress]

3. and links! links are good! plus it's in today's news! some people actually read links and news!

[freshwest]

5. Reccing because I like the fonts and links. S4P.

[Matariki]

11. +1

No shit. Shameful.

[freshwest]

4. Paul Ryan and Rand Paul will feel at home visiting the Great Barrier Reef!

Last edited Thu Jan 31, 2013, 05:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Please, Australia, give them the tour.

[wandy]

34. Gives a whole new perspective to the thought of taking Paul Ryan fishing.

[Pholus]

6. And here I thought REPUBLICAN push-polls were silly.... nt

[struggle4progress]

7. Aw, c'mon! I offered lots of options: a US conspiracy theory! a heroic image of Julian's

derring-do escape! a cheery prediction of his landslide victory! a suggestion that Ecuador deserves a voice in the Australia's parliament! a dig at various US Senators! and so on! There is something there for everybody!

[Pholus]

8. A link for you...

http://www.ehow.com/how_2192830_stop-obsessive-behavior.html

[struggle4progress]

9. How clever! An implied personal attack! You must have a lot of intertube experience!

[Pholus]

10. Whatever. I just notice that your interest is very long lasting...

Six months ago you were in a lather about the guy. You're still in a lather. Seems to me he's fairly irrelevant these days. But here you are, getting all hot and bothered when he makes a fairly pathetic attempt to remain relevant and grab some headlines. The you from six months ago would have been ecstatic. He's pretty much yesterday's news. But not the you of today for some reason -- the amount of personal venom you're still investing in the guy is simply stunning. It took quite a bit of time to format all those little barbs you worked into your little "poll." Do you *really* not have something better to do at this point?

So, just sayin', it doesn't seem that well-balanced.

[struggle4progress]

13. My interest brings informative links! But thanks for your concern!

[Pholus]

15. Cue Animotion's "Obsession"

Seriously. 13 Assange OP's in Jan, you did 11 of them. And you're 100% of the posts in the last four weeks.

The lyrics seem appropriate, somehow...

Obsession - Animotion

You are an obsession I cannot sleep I am your possession Unopened at your feet There's no balance No equality Be still I will not accept defeat

I will have you Yes, I will have you I will find a way and I will have you Like a butterfly A wild butterly I will collect you and capture you

CHORUS: You are an obsession You're my obsession Who do you want me to be To make you sleep with me You are an obsession You're my obsession Who do you want me to be To make you sleep with me

I feed you I drink you My day and my night I need you I need you By sun or candlelight You protest You want to leave Stay Oh, there's no alternative

Your face appears again I see the beauty there But I see danger Stranger beware A circumstance In your naked dreams Your affection is not what it seems

CHORUS

My fantasy has turned to madness And all my goodness Has turned to badness My need to possess you Has consumed my soul My life is trembling I have no control

I will have you Yes, I will have you I will find a way and I will have you Like a butterfly A wild butterly I will collect you and capture you

CHORUS

[struggle4progress]

20. You should vote for the fifth option! Here's a link:

... With her October 2012 speech Gillard placed gender at the centre of Australian political discourse in a way that is rare, and perhaps unheard of in a major election ... In recent days the issue was thrown into a tailspin by her partner, Tim Mathieson, encouraging Australian men getting their prostates checked to choose a "small Asian female doctor", thus opening himself to accusations of sexism, racism and, indeed, heightism. But this remains an election where the leaders – despite Abbott's attempts to distance himself from the issue – are seen as occupying starkly different positions.

Abbott's stance on abortion, for instance – he has said that the current rate of abortion is "this generation's legacy of unutterable shame" and as health minister attempted to block access to RU486, the medical alternative to surgical abortion – has led to fears that as prime minister he would limit access to options and medical care ...

Australia's election in five subplots: from gender politics to Julian Assange
Julia Gillard's shock call of a 14 September election begins a long and gruelling campaign between two outspoken politicians
Peter Salmon
Thursday 31 January 2013 07.34 EST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/31/australian-election-five-subplots

[freshwest]

31. I love that song. Here's a video of Assange in Iceland:

There are mirror videos with other songs, but I think this is the original. I love it.

[Matariki]

12. LOL.

Saving the link for the next "Assange is a rapist because the CIA says so" thread.

[struggle4progress]

14. Gosh! I missed that thread! Got any lil linkies?

[freshwest]

33. I feel a compulsive need to correct that acronym:

[Pholus]

50. That is pretty good!

The cat pic basically makes it work.

[freshwest]

51. Authoritarian kitteh sez u must obey. Yez, dat iz mah real face.

[randome]

25. You forgot one option.

Assange is Dudley-Do-Right and can therefore do no wrong.

[freshwest]

35. I'm disappointed no one has taken me up on my list of senators leaving the USA.

#1 Paul Ryan
#2 Rand Paul

And all the other GOP in the Senate, but I don't have specific names. I really want to get some momentum going on this.

[HappyMe]

16. Attention whore rapist.

[Nye Bevan]

17. The Ecuadorian Embassy staff must be so sick of him at this point.

Imagine an unshaven, bathrobe-wearing Julian Assange hanging out at *your* workplace 24/7, stealing food from the employee refrigerator and pontificating about the evil Americans, British and Swedes to anyone who will listen.

[HappyMe]

19. Oy! I would have to be

making some good damn money to put up with that. If not, I would consider preparing resumes.

[SidDithers]

18. Here's his campaign poster...

Sid

[Matariki]

42. This is obnoxious. He's not been found guilty of anything but annoying the US

But you seem to think it's your job to smear him. Or maybe it IS your job to smear him, in which case you suck at your job.

[SidDithers]

47. ...

Sid

[99Forever]

21. Oh goody, another hater push-poll from..

.. from an obsessed hater.

[struggle4progress]

26. Assange's running for office may affect his asylum claims

John Robles
Jan 30, 2013 23:04 Moscow Time

... Some might argue that this is just another media stunt by Assange to cause another media frenzy, with the very important question be raised as to how he will be able to serve the Australian people, if elected, and he is unable to return to Australia ... Other questions arise as to how running for political office in Australia might affect his political asylum claims under international treaties and how Ecuador will react to the fact that someone who they are protecting wishes to run for public office in a country where he is supposedly unwelcome and would be in danger ... There are further questions that arise with the fact that Assange and WikiLeaks associates have stated in the past that Australia has done nothing to protect Assange and that he would be handed over to the Americans for prosecution if he set foot on Australian soil ... Assange's biological father, John Shipton, is the person on the ground organizing the formation of the Australian WikiLeaks Party ...

http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_01_30/Assanges-running-for-office-may-affect-his-asylum-claims/

[99Forever]

27. Frankly sir.

I don't give a damn.

[struggle4progress]

45. I suppose you mean that you don't much care for informative links, since

you obviously care to indulge in name-calling

[99Forever]

48. No, I "mean" that...

.. I don't give a damn about your stupid, petty obsession with this guy, who btw, STILL has not been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of ANYTHING, other than showing a bunch muckity-mucks being the assholes they really are to the world.

But hey, if you want to defend assholes, who am I to stop you?

[struggle4progress]

49. Links from me in this thread: 20. Links from you: 0

[99Forever]

52. Ask me if I care.

[freshwest]

32. Would not political will overcome the legal barriers, though?

[struggle4progress]

40. You think he'll push through a constitutional amendment or a change in election law before Sept?

Part II - The Senate
... 16. The qualification of a senator shall be the same as those of a member of the House of Representatives ...
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/Constitution/par2cha1

Part III - The House of Representatives
... 30. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualification of electors of members of the House of Representatives shall be in each State that which is prescribed by the law of the State as the qualification of electors of the more numerous House of Parliament of the State ...
... 34. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualifications of a member of the House of Representatives shall be as follows:
(i.) He ... must be an elector entitled to vote at the election of members of the House of Representatives ...
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/Constitution/par3cha1

... If you are already enrolled, you can register as an overseas elector if you are intending to return to Australia within six years. You can apply up to three months before, or within three years after, you leave Australia ...If you are not enrolled, and have been overseas for less than three years, you may still be eligible to enrol if you are:
* an Australian citizen aged 18 years or older,
* intending to return to Australia within six years.
You cannot enrol for an overseas address; instead you must enrol in the electorate you were entitled to before you left Australia.
http://www.aec.gov.au/enrolling_to_vote/overseas/index.htm

[freshwest]

46. If his dad gets the Wikileaks party going, and the majority want them to be in a coalition, he could

be grandfathered into party leadership in time.

Maybe I've been reading too much about how the GOP has been running elections and the red states to believe anything is impossible now. If their actions would be found illegal by a court, they load the courts and get away with it. We have a thorough infestation that goes through all levels of government that match the will of the voters in their states.

I don't think Australia is anywhere near as confused, but at this point, I'm unable to say laws are a barrier to conduct. That Julian has remained free while giving the finger to international law, says a great deal. Any attempt to force the law upon him is seen as tyranny.

The masses do not support the law that is holding him from traveling. There is no punishment for anyone unless the masses call for something to be done and that can be a blessing and a curse. If the voters of Australia believe the rhetoric online, they would thumb their noses at those regulations. And the Wikileaks party could change the law. I think some people want the law to get out of this and allow him to go on his way.

I'm not in government, don't know much about Australia other than what people I know who live there, as citizens tell me, and what I see online. What the popular sentiment there is about Julian, I don't know, but emotions change laws.

I'm just saying never say never. I've never seen anything like this circus. I mean, look at O.J. (not comparing the charges, though), who had to surrender in a few hours. The British government has not seen fit to take Assange into custody. Something is holding them back. Since nations make wars, which are violent, they're not afraid of a bit of commotion.

Which means to laymen such as myself, they don't much care about Sweden's court or the treaty, or are listening to the throngs who want Assange to be set at liberty without going through extradition. His fans worldwide don't believe in any of that, and everyday he is not taken in custody is seen as a victory for what they have done online and in the streets.

I don't believe Assange will ever return to Sweden or be tried for anything, period. The government seems powerless. This has gone on too long, when it's out of the public eye, he'll probably fly home.

JMHO.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. I hope he wins. Then there will be at least one politician who doesn't belong in jaiil.

[struggle4progress]

23. You can bet on it, if you like. Here's a link:

... Paddy Power, known for offering controversial markets to garner publicity, has opened a book on the WikiLeaks founder's bid for an upper house seat ... Punters can also bet on how Mr Assange will leave the Ecuadorean embassy, where he's holed up avoiding extradition to Sweden ... The odds of Mr Assange leaving the embassy by 'jet pack' are 100/1 with the bookies suggesting the most likely method is a police or embassy vehicle ... The books on how long Mr Assange could remain in the embassy and his exit strategy total STG3000 ($A4600) to date ...

Bookies think Assange could win seat
Friday, February 01, 2013 » 06:57am
http://bigpondnews.com/articles/World/2013/02/01/Bookies_think_Assange_could_win_seat_841312.html

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. It's a safer bet that the Brits will continue to do America's dirty work and keep him locked up.

[struggle4progress]

30. He hasn't been in Her Majesty's custody since Thu 16 Dec 10: he was arrested Tues 7 Dec 10

and released on bail Thu 16 Dec 10; from Tue 19 Jun 12, he has remained voluntarily encamped in the Ecuadorian embassy, which no one counts among Her Majesty's detention facilities

LONDON — Julian Assange ... was arrested here Tuesday and ordered to remain in custody until a hearing next week on his possible extradition to Sweden ...

WikiLeaks chief Assange arrested in sex-crime case
He is held in London for a Swedish inquiry as funding options dwindle for the site.
December 08, 2010
Henry Chu
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/08/world/la-fg-wikileaks-assange-arrest-20101208

6.37pm: Here's a final summary of the day's events:

• Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was freed on bail ...

• High court judge Mr Justice Ouseley, upheld the decision by City of Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday to free Assange on strict conditions. But there was a wait of more than four hours before it was confirmed that the bail conditions would be met today and he would not have to face another night in jail. The bail conditions were as follows: a £200,000 cash deposit, with a further £40,000 guaranteed in two sureties of £20,000 and strict conditions on his movement.

• Lawyers acting for the Crown Prosecution Service argued that Assange was likely to abscond ...

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange granted bail: as it happened
Matthew Weaver and Haroon Siddique
Thursday 16 December 2010 03.00 EST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/dec/16/wikileaks-latest-julian-assange-bail-appeal

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

37. Uh-huh. He can leave the embassy and go anywhere without interference..right?

[msanthrope]

41. He's jumped bail and is a fugitive. If he leaves the embassy, he should be treated as any other. nt

[struggle4progress]

43. There are various theories about why Assange does not leave the embassy. William Blum,

in an exclusive interview with Voice of Russia, asserts:

... If he walks around amidst the big city, he’ll get a drone with his name on it ...
John Robles
Jan 28, 2013 12:27 Moscow Time
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_01_28/There-is-a-drone-with-Assange-s-name-on-William-Blum/

But Mr Blum's theory does not seem to have won widespread approval

A more common theory seems to be that Assange simply hopes to avoid deportation to Sweden, where he faces prosecution for alleged sex crimes

Until your post, I had never encountered the claim that the UK authorities who were keeping Assange locked up in the Ecuadorian embassy

[RandiFan1290]

28. hate hate hate hate!

[struggle4progress]

36. I know! It's so shamelessly brazen of me! Just who do I think I am, pointing out

that St Julian is probably ineligible even to vote in Australia (and hence probably ineligible to run for office), that he may experience difficulties in appearing at a Senate session to swear his official oath (and hence, if elected, would have his seat declared vacant), or that after his long absence he simply does not know enough to represent a local constituency well? Tsk! tsk! tsk!

[RandiFan1290]

38. Carry on your brave crusade!

[Tarheel_Dem]

29. Uh oh. You've incurred the wrath of the folks who still believe Julian Assange.

Good Job!!!!

[whatchamacallit]

39. The last poll choice applies perfectly to this thread

[EastKYLiberal]

44. Assange is way too conceited and self-righteous to change the world. nt

[struggle4progress]

53. Legal hurdles ahead for Assange political bid

4 February, 2013
Leanne Mezrani

... Orr claimed Assange’s first hurdle is being eligible to stand, which, under the Commonwealth Electoral Act, requires candidates to be registered to vote. “It is public knowledge that <Assange> is not on the electoral roll,” said Orr.

Despite WikiLeaks’ announcement that Assange will register as an overseas voter, Orr pointed out that this option is only available to citizens who have been living abroad for less than three years. Lawyers Weekly understands that Assange has not returned to Australia in nearly six years ...

Assange’s decision to seek political asylum from the Ecuadorian government could demonstrate an allegiance to a foreign power, explained Orr ...

A final hurdle, should he overcome the others and win a Senate seat, is his inability to be sworn in. WikiLeaks has claimed that if Assange is unable to take his place in the Senate it would be filled by a running mate, but Orr pointed out that Assange can’t resign a seat he hasn’t officially taken ...

http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/news/legal-hurdles-ahead-for-assange-political-bid