AI Action - Racial Discrimination Act
October 23, 2009
REINSTATEMENT OF THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT (RDA)
Amnesty International Australia - Working to Protect Human Rights:
No conditions, no excuses Mr Rudd
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/21865/
14 Oct 09: “Suspending the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) allows racially discriminatory actions to occur - and this is exactly what happened in the roll out of the Northern Territory Intervention. … The Federal Government has promised to take steps to reinstate the RDA as soon as next week. However, the Government is proposing to designate some discriminatory practices, such as welfare quarantining, as a ‘special measure’ to allow them to continue. Such ‘special measures’ would defeat the purpose and the spirit of the reinstatement of the RDA. It is important that the reinstatement of the RDA should contain no loopholes to allow racial discrimination to continue. Call on the Federal Government now to reinstate the RDA in full… no conditions, no excuses! … Take action now - Send a letter to the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, by clicking on the ACT NOW button on right-hand side of this page.”
Cause to Celebrate - Hotham
October 23, 2009
Hotham Mission Asylum Seeker Project and the Uniting Church Justice and International Mission Unit invite you to an evening exploring the recent Government policy changes around asylum seekers.
The evening will be a chance to celebrate the dedicated advocacy and campaigning that made these changes possible and to hear from ASP case workers about how much these changes will actually affect asylum seekers in the community.
Caz Coleman, Director of Hotham Mission ASP, will also be speaking about her recent attendance at the UNHCR Executive Committee Meeting in Geneva as an NGO delegate and time in London, Glasgow, Stockholm and Toronto to conduct research into government funded asylum seeker housing models.
Tea, coffee and a light supper provided.
RSVP by Friday 30th of October to Sam at sam.asp@hothammission.org.au or on 9326 8343
Facebook event page if your on it
http://www.hothammission.org.au/
Union Climate Action
October 23, 2009
Hi guys got this from rights at work mob.
As we all know, a majority of Australians want action on climate change. But some politicians and business groups are acting like dinosaurs by continuing to block important climate change laws.
These laws will help Australia cut greenhouse gasses and create up to a million jobs in our new clean energy and existing traditional industries. In short, they are laws to create a cleaner environment and a stronger economy.
In November, this small group of dinosaurs in parliament are planning to vote against climate change laws for a second time.
I want to take this opportunity to talk to you about what else we can do and how we need your help for strong action on climate change
We have talked with many people across Australia about ramping up our activities by joining together with other community activists. It is clear we need to take our message to the suburbs, towns and regions to ensure all MPs and particularly Senators understand that Australians want these climate laws passed.
Between now and the end of November, we will be holding activities in conjunction with unions and local Trades and Labour Councils, taking our message to the streets in the same way we did in the Your Rights at Work campaign.
It will be simple and fun and designed to be educative.
If you would like to get involved, give us your contact details and we will link you up with activities in your area. Visit - http://www.rightsatwork.com.au/campaigns/cleanenergyjobs/connectorssignup
This will make sure we get a strong message to those MPs and Senators who need our help to evolve.
In unity
Sharan Burrow and the Union Climate Connector Team
Anti-Poverty Week My Arse
October 14, 2009
From Diane’s blog:
Alright so, anger and sadness have filled my thoughts for the last couple of days as I had big plans for this week. Anti-poverty Week was suppose to be a time where people bridge the gap, get to know and maybe make a difference in the lives of some people in poverty. There is this carpark ramp at the back of my work, where some people have made their home. During the day their belongings are neatly stored in the cable trays that hang under the concrete slab above, no one would know during the day that anyone called this home. I work long hours and this is how my friends and I met. My plan this week was to make sure that each night there was dinner, or some new blankets, or even something like some flowers. I even thought of doing a painting. Alas … my plans have changed. Monday morning, bright and fresh I strolled down the alley to find a dirty great big roller door stuck on the outside of the building…
Read the full post for the whole story… 
Flash Mob Fame :)
October 13, 2009
Hey guys, here is a bit of pondering about us causing trouble from the transit lounge
Flash Mob Fad - by Meera Atkinson
Fads come and go and, while some conform to social norms, others confront them. The flash mob craze is a case in point: social statement, performance art or childish hoax?
Wikipedia defines a flash mob as “a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief time, then quickly disperse,” adding that flash mobs are mobilised via telecommunications, social media or viral emails. …..
“It’s a spectacle for spectacle’s sake—which is silly, but is also, as I’ve discovered somewhat to my surprise, genuinely transgressive, which is part of its appeal… People feel like there’s nothing but order everywhere, and so they love to be a part of just one thing that nobody was expecting.”….
Whatever the original motives, the flash mob phenomenon is now being employed by those with particular agendas around social justice issues. Adrian Greenwood, Young Adults Discipleship Educator at the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, was inspired to organise a mob by footage of a ‘freeze mob’ in Times Square in which a huge group of people froze on the spot.
Watching Youtube footage of the event Adrian was struck by an onlooker who walked around the frozen group saying something to the effect of, “What’s going on? I don’t understand. It must be a protest”…..
Feature Clip - Get Shirty at Poverty
October 12, 2009
The link for the shirt - http://www.riseup.com.au/
Anti-Poverty week post http://morepraxis.org.au/anti-poverty-week/
Feature Clip - WARNING…. This poem may be to soon for you…
October 5, 2009
Buddy Wakefield - Information Man
Hi Guys this guy is great…. thanks Tim for the tipoff. What do peeps think?
Buddy’s piece “The Information Man” featured at the Individual World Championship Slam 2006, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
(oh and to avoid the comments this track comes with JJJ styled language warning… 
)
Disaster Response-Tsunami Appeal
October 5, 2009
Hi Guys
Looking for a way to give to the Pacific and Asia disaster.
Uniting Church Responds to Disasters
The Uniting Church has launched an urgent appeal to help the survivors of the tragic spate of natural disasters in our region.
The aid will be shared throughout our well-established networks that already exist in the devastated areas. This will be through our partner churches and organisations who are already at work assisting survivors.
The Moderator of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson, has asked members of the Uniting Church to “pray and to respond in a spirit of generosity that comes from the love of God for all people.”
Tax deductable donations: 1800 998 122 or visit www.unitingworld.org.au.
CLICK HERE FOR:
Isabel Thomas Dobson’s appeal letter
A prayer for those caught in disaster
Plus our ecumenical partner organisation, the National Council of Churches in Australia through its aid agency, ‘ACT for Peace’, has also launched an appeal. You can get information on how to give from their web page actforpeace.org.au
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