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submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by dessalines@lemmy.ml to c/todayilearned@lemmy.ml
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[-] Soot@hexbear.net 39 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Boyboy have a very good video on Pine Gap where they talk about this exact issue at the start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHMa-Ba-2Mo

When Gough said they wouldn't join in the fun overseas wars, the CIA bugged cabinet meetings and did all sorts. After Gough threatened to close Pine Gap, the Australian Governor General at the time (a supposedly entirely ceremonial position) worked for the CIA (which we only now know due to leaked documents). The Governor General just straight up sacked the prime minister despite having a parliament majority. Just that easy.

Even if you don't believe the CIA involvement, at the absolute most innocent this was an incident where a very pro-Western unelected ceremonial guy, with completely private communications with US and UK governments, dismissed a democratically elected prime minister and installed a new one. It was a coup, by definition.

[-] dessalines@lemmy.ml 19 points 4 months ago

Thx, I'll add it to the list. Love that channel too so I'll watch this soon.

[-] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 13 points 4 months ago

The queen of England was also involved was she not?

[-] eldavi@lemmy.ml 12 points 4 months ago

it was so bizarre to watch the pine gap guards be so cordial to the youtubers and watch the youtubers joke about the police confiscating their materials at the end of the video.

in another generation or 2, there will be isreali youtubers that correctly identify palenstine as stolen land like these youtubers and also leverage the same privilege that these youtubers used to make another video.

[-] Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml 7 points 4 months ago

Oh yay, Jordan Shanks, one of the few actual journalists left in Australia.

this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2025
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