The Next Chapter After Julian’s Freedom
Dear ZIGGY,
Because of your support, my brother Julian is finally home with his family.
You were there when it mattered most. And I want to thank you – not just for standing with us, but for standing for something greater: the right to tell the truth.
In the course of fighting for Julian’s freedom, my father John and I went to foreign governments, NGOs, and international bodies, trying to find help. We quickly learned: there was no roadmap. No one could tell us where to go, how to navigate these systems, or how to protect someone being targeted for publishing the truth.
We had to learn by doing. And now, I want to use that hard-earned knowledge to help others.
That’s why I’ve founded The Information Rights Project: a DGR-registered charity, committed to protecting journalists, sources, and publishers who, like Julian, are being persecuted for making vital information public.
We’re building a new kind of support system: one that can guide and defend the rights of these individuals. We’re also continuing to fight for a presidential pardon for Julian – because the trade off for his freedom was having to plead guilty for undertaking investigative journalism.
We’ve set a goal of raising $200,000 by the end of June to launch this mission – and I’m asking you to help us get there.
You’ve already done so much. But if you can, I’d be honoured if you would consider making a gift of $20, $50, or even $200 to help us begin this next phase of the fight.
informationrights.org/donate
Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible in Australia.
Publishers will continue to come under fire. But with your help, The Information Rights Project will make sure they never face it alone.
We invite you to stay connected and help shape this movement; your voice and support remain vital to us. If you’d prefer not to receive future updates from us, you can opt out here.
Thank you again for everything you’ve done and everything we’ll achieve together.
With gratitude,
Gabriel Shipton
Founder, The Information Rights Project
Darkwood man
“We’ll all be rooned,” said Darkwood man,
In accents most forlorn the letters page now seems to be, his personal bullhorn.
Many readers scratched their heads, chai lattes all laid out.
And wondered as they sat and read, what he was on about.
But others nodded and agreed,
Union bosses and their ilk, had filled the workers’ heads with greed, and forced up the price of milk.
“We’ll all be rooned,” said Darkwood man, “Albanese and his friends, will spend as much cash as they can, the waste it never ends.”
Maybe the greenies and their rules make farmers innovate.
But many ask would we be fools,
To ignore our climate’s fate?
“We’ll all be rooned,” said Darkwood man, “Ban farm red tape, and proceed, as we’ve done since our farms began, or we’ll never get a feed.”
The Shire’s schools work hard to give, each child the tools they need.
Our teachers know that without them, some kids will not succeed.
“We’ll all be rooned,” said Darkwood man, “Kids learn more than they oughta, brainwashing seems to be the plan, even my grand-daughter!”
Rose tinted views of days gone by, when all was good and right.
May not match up for you and I,
(And I am male and white!)
The best place to live is here today, not to wallow in the past.
When -isms were more than OK, you’d fit in or be outcast.
The trick since then is we have found, more ways to skin a cat.
A wider range of views have grounds, to be part of the chat.
So when our friend old Darkwood man, next types throughout the night.
Reflect on his views but understand, no one is always right.
(with apologies to John O’Brien)
Michael Trist