One Nation & the NRA~or~Australian Gun Laws are effective

[MajorMitchell]

Right wing Australian political party One Nation has been busted for reportedly trying to solicit funding from the NRA in the USA in exchange for a commitment to repeal Australia's gun control laws.

[MajorMitchell]

I've watched the first part of a two part expose of Australian political party One Nation and their alleged attempts to source funding and/or other support from the National Rifle Association in the USA in exchange for a commitment to repeal or significantly weaken Australian gun control laws.
The amount of money allegedly sought was $US 20 million, which One Nation Party member/senior staffer James Ashby is reported to have said would enable One Nation to win the "balance of power" in the Australian Federal Parliament.
To put that in perspective, it's estimated that the two major political parties each spent about $Aus 35 million each in the last Federal election campaign.
What I thought was interesting was the concerns expressed by persons associated with the NRA about Australian gun control laws and their gears that other nations will follow the Australian example and introduce tougher gun control laws, including in the USA. With the knock on effect on gun sales, something the USA gun manufacturers do not want happening.
Other interesting things were the techniques reportedly used by the NRA to prosecute their cause on public discussion. Such as the cynical use of fear and fear mongering as an example which was cited~ Framing arguments in terms of safety for women, which I think is a ghastly exercise in propaganda given the numbers of women assaulted, raped etc by an assailant using a gun to threaten them.
I'm eager to watch the second part of the program.
The political fall out is also rather stunning, as there will be a Federal election soon, probably in May.
There's also the question of the NRA and/or persons and/or businesses associated with the NRA reportedly being prepared to interfere in Australian domestic politics.
Looks like the Russians aren't the only players prepared to interfere in the domestic politics of another nation. ( No real surprise there sadly )
Call me a cynic, but if Trumptoad gets angry with the NRA I'm suggesting that it won't be for what the NRA is alleged to have been prepared to do, he'll be angry because they got caught out, imho.

[MajorMitchell]

Typos.. 4th paragraph. Substitute fears for gears

[Smokey Gem]

If Australian voters think that China and Russia are the major threat to our democracy they don't know their own history.

I refer to The Falcon and The Snowman and the down fall of the Whitlam Government. Nothing at all about China or Russia in that silent assault on Our right to govern ourselves.

It's the fear that New Zealand will now use Australian laws as a model. As to the US unfortunately they are too far gone in gun culture to bring that back to any form of sanity.