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18.06.10 12:00 am
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Politics | MediaA Silent Vigil in solidarity with the Tibetans in Tibet
Berry Dunston Australia Tibet Council Convenor, Tasmania
08.02.12 3:46 pm
Due to the violent repression of the Tibetans living in Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has asked countries around the world to resettle Tibetan refugees so the Tibetan culture and language will be preserved.
Recently Australia undertook to resettle more Tibetans and we now have about one thousand Tibetans who have resettled in Australia. A few of these families have settled in Tasmania.
One of the families who moved to Tasmania is Dhondup, his wife Chodon and their young son Tashi. They first came to Hobart to see the Dalai Lama when he was here on December 8, 2009 and they fell in love with Hobart and Tasmania - the clean air and having a view of a mountain reminded them of home.
Young Tashi, dressed in traditional Tibetan costume, watched as the Dalai Lama climbed out of his car at the University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay campus. A photo of this scene taken on 8/12/2009 was featured on the front page of The Mercury the day after the Dalai Lama’s visit to Hobart… (9/12/2009 ).
Over the past year there have been many violent crackdowns by the Chinese authorities in Tibetan regions in China. Tibetans have been killed and they are not allowed to demonstrate their resistance to the Chinese Government’s repression. The Tibetan people want freedom to practice their Buddhist religion, they want to speak Tibetan and they want their children’s education to include Tibetan culture. They want their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to be able to return to Tibet - or at least to be allowed to have a photo of him in their homes. None of this is allowed.
The international community has been asked to stand with the Tibetan people living in Tibet.
In solidarity with the Tibetans in Tibet a silent vigil will be held from 5pm to 6pm in the park at the corner of Elizabeth and Swan Streets, North Hobart
This action is in accordance with the request of the Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile, the Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay… ” To demonstrate our solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet, I urge Tibetans and our friends around the world, to participate in a worldwide vigil on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Let’s send a loud and clear message to the Chinese government that violence and killing of innocent Tibetans is unacceptable! I request everyone to conduct these vigils peacefully, in accordance with the laws of your country, and with dignity.”
These vigils are to draw attention to the violent repression taking place in Tibetan regions within China where Tibetan people have felt so repressed and without a voice, up to 19 of them they have used self-immolation as their only way to draw the attention of the world to their plight and to ask them to help stop the violent repression of Tibetans and Tibetan culture by the Chinese Government.
A February 6, 2012 press release from the Tibetan Government in Exile …. “reports of build-up of security forces and police in and around the city of Lhasa, and its key monasteries, Ganden, Sera, and Drepung. Furthermore, draconian measures to restrict movement of Tibetans in the capital could further aggravate the tense situation in Tibet. With Tibetan New Year on February 22nd and the March 10th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising coming up, we fear there will be further bloodshed and loss of lives. The Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan community’s democratically-elected representative, urges the international community to directly and immediately engage the Central Chinese leadership to assert its control over local authorities and forbid police violence and shooting of unarmed citizens.”
Full message from DIIR Kalon Dicki Chhoyang: http://tibetoffice.com.au/kalon-dicki-chhoyang-issues-statement-regarding-critical-situation-in-tibet/
China must listen to the voice of the Tibetans and the international community in resolving the issue of Tibet. Please check http://tibet.net/ official webiste of the Tibetan Administration and http://www.savetibet.org website of International Campaign for Tibet on the latest information on Tibet.
Web site: http://www.atc.org.au/
Recumbent Ride Raises Rehabilitation Responsibility
Young People in Nursing Homes National Alliance. Brain Injury Association of Tasmania
08.02.12 8:53 am
Brain injury survivor Dave Lewis has reached the half-way point of the Tasmanian ‘leg’ of his epic ‘Ride-for-Rehabilitation’ around Australia.
Leaving from Eskleigh in Perth at 10:00am yesterday, Dave will start his journey south and along the way continue to raise awareness of acquired brain injury, and bring to light the challenges for many young people with high and complex disability who are living in, or facing entry into, a nursing home.
As of October last year there were 13 people under the age of 50, and 132 people between the age of 51 and 65, living in residential aged care in Tasmania. Nationally 6,456 young people (under the age of 65) were living in permanent residential aged care as at 30 June 2010. Many of these young people end up in nursing homes because the rehabilitation and community support they need to recover isn’t available; but nursing homes don’t provide rehabilitation.
Living with an acquired brain injury (ABI) from a motor vehicle accident eight years ago, Dave understands only too well how vital rehabilitation is to recovery.
“I realise I am one of the lucky young people who have been given that chance at regaining my life,” Dave said.
“There should not be any young people in Australia lying in nursing home beds when they could be living a fulfilling life in the community.”
Dave will continue his Ride-for-Rehabilitation journey when he returns to Queensland, beginning a 17,000km trip around mainland Australia in the middle of 2012.
On his journey Dave plans on meeting up with other young people living with or affected by brain injury or disability, organisations involved with young people in nursing homes, and the people of Australia. As well as raising awareness around the plight of young people who cannot get the rehabilitation they need to recover from brain and other injuries, or maintain their health in the face of progressive diseases like Multiple Sclerosis.
Dave was able to get the rehabilitation he needed because of a modest compensation payment.
“Without the rehabilitation I received, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” Dave said.
“I certainly wouldn’t be able to ride around Tasmania and I definitely wouldn’t have the independence to live my life as I want to.”
Dr Bronwyn Morkham, head of the Young People In Nursing Homes Alliance said while Dave is one of the lucky ones, a person shouldn’t need luck to recover.
“This shouldn’t be about luck; without the rehabilitation that is so critical to their recovery, these people are condemned to a lifetime of care and dependence,” Bronwyn said.
“Independence is a major yearning for a person ‘trapped inside’ a brain injury.”
The value of rehabilitation following an acquired brain injury needs to be acknowledged and this acknowledgement needs to be translated into practical measures to plan and improve the provision of rehabilitation services right across Australia.
“Health and disability services must collaborate to deliver the cognitive and physical rehabilitation and other supports young people with acquired disabilities need,” Bronwyn said.
Brain Injury Association of Tasmania Executive Officer Deborah Byrne agreed, saying that greater awareness is needed about the importance of not only timely rehabilitation, but also appropriate rehabilitation across the spectrum of recovery.
“All too often the focus of brain injury rehabilitation is on medical and physical problems, the major long-term problems faced by many people living with brain injury and their families however are in the area of cognition and behaviour,” Deborah said.
Members of the media and the public are invited to farewell and support Dave at the start of his journey south. Further information on Dave’s journey can be found at http://www.downlowdownunder.org
Tom Lewis shatters our preconceptions on the realities of combat.
Sharon Evans Marketing & Communications http://www.bigskypublishing.com.au
08.02.12 6:42 am
Publication Date: February 2012
Controversial new book by author Tom Lewis shatters our preconceptions on the realities of combat.
“One Italian paid the price for not observing the rules of surrender. He bobbed up from one of the pits, put a rifle to his shoulder and shot Green through the chest. He dropped his rifle, put up his hands and climbed out, smiling broadly. An angry Australian emptied his Bren gun into him.”
Lethality in Combat, A Study of the True Nature of Battle by Tom Lewis shines a blazing light on the three most controversial aspects of military combat: the necessity of killing; the taking, or not, of prisoners; and the targeting of civilians. This book argues that when a nation-state sends its soldiers to fight, the state must accept the full implications of this, uncomfortable as they may be. Drawing on seven conflicts - the Boer War, World Wars I and II, and the wars in Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands and Iraq - the author considers these ethical issues. Lethality in Combat lifts the veil on the much-misunderstood but very real and secret world of unsanitised war.
Attached is cover art and media release - with the introduction from Lethality in Combat.
Tom Lewis is available for interview. See Author Q&A’s in this email.
Review copies available.
Title:
Author:
Category:
Release:
RRP
Lethality in Combat – A Study of the True Nature of Battle
Tom Lewis
Australian – Military – History
February 2012
$34.99
Hardback, 368pp, ISBN: 978-1-921941-51-1
Synopsis
Lethality in Combat sets out to illustrate the truth of combat, to destroy several myths on lethality in combat and understand the true nature of lethal behaviour in war. To counter an attitude that lethal behaviour in
battle is somehow wrong. Author Tom Lewis believes the our soldiers realise that the uninitiated may find their actions difficult to understand, perhaps condemning them, so truth becomes sanitised and reality becomes a version of the truth. Modern society, without understanding the sort of constraints and demands placed upon the soldiers, places its instant and widespread judgement of warfare upon the soldiers who are, for most part, simply doing their job
As Lewis notes ‘The whole point of warfare is to be lethal, for only by being enthusiastic about their task can those placed in that actual moment of combat… survive.’
Author FAQ
Q. Do you think you’ll get much denial of your conclusions from veterans?
A. Some will of course… people change their minds, or disagree with you because that’s not their experience. But I studied hundreds of sources for this book. I’ll stand by its findings.
Q. Why might soldiers lie about what they’ve experienced – to their loved ones?
A. Why not? It gets you condemned. I cite a soldier who unfortunately wrote to his mother after his first engagement in WWII, saying he had shot a German, and he felt terrific, and he was congratulated by his sergeant. She of course wrote back horrified. And so he didn’t write that sort of story home any more…
Q. It seems from what you’ve written that there is a dichotomy in promoting – literally but also praising – the warrior in times of conflict, but then afterwards revulsion in what they do. How does society cope?
A. I think society copes by being honest about what it’s asking its military personnel to engage in – and not being hypocritical about it. Bomber Harris in the defence of Britain was praised by millions – and years after the war reviled by a few. But how many of the millions came forward in his defence. Albert Jacka was an Australian hero in WWI, and now there is a suburb in Canberra named after him. But I have heard people who know his story say that shouldn’t be so.
Q. Why would people enjoy reading your book?
A. They may well not enjoy it! But they will find it shatters their previous perceptions, and it will help them understand the realities of combat.
President of Golden Key Tasmania, Alex Moores
08.02.12 6:16 am
On Saturday 4 February 2012, the International Golden Key Honour Society held its annual awards ceremony for the Asia-Pacific in Melbourne. Despite having an international membership of over 2,000,000 people, Tasmania shone as one of the best performers.
Golden Key is a university organization open only to the top 15% of university students worldwide. Chapters are rewarded for their member’s academic success, leadership skills, and service to the community. Tasmania achieved Gold Standard, the highest standard possible, and won the ‘Best Intellectual Engagement Event’ award for the entire Asia-Pacific region.
The President of Golden Key Tasmania, Alex Moores, said the award is a fantastic comeback for the division.
“Due to Tasmania’s relatively small size, we can often be overlooked or find it difficult to compete against the larger divisions. But receiving so many awards is a fantastic achievement for UTAS members.
“It has been a difficult few years for the division, with a high turnover of committee members, but 2011 was an excellent comeback year for us and it was humbling to be recognized at such a high level.”
The event that was specifically recognized with the ‘Best Intellectual Engagement Event’ award was a QandA series with panellists such as the Vice-Chancellor of UTAS, Peter Rathjen, the Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, Dr Tim Wardlaw of Forestry Tasmania, and many others.
The annual conference was attended by dignitaries such as Professor Tim Flannery, Virginia Trioli, and RiaanManser. Delegates from Malaysia, Vietnam, India, and over 35 Australian Universities attended the presentation to commend Tasmania’s efforts.
Marvellous, Magnificent Miriam!
Paula Xiberras
07.02.12 6:47 am
Miriam Margolyes hearty voice greets me over the phone with the priceless words that her mouth is full. There couldn’t be a more apt description for the lady herself, her mouth is full of the richness of words and expression, her discussion full of robust humour and her personality full of the richness of life! Tasmania is in for a treat with a return visit of this BAFTA nominated, OBE awarded, cast member of ‘Wicked’ and the Harry Potter franchise
Its hard to think of a person more able to do a one women show of Dickens robust famous female characters plus the men ‘Mr Bubble’ and ‘a servant’ than Ms Margolyes. Two of the featured Women are Miss Gamp, the coy midwife and one of Miriam’s favourites the wonderful and ‘clever’ Miss Haversham.
There are similarities between Miriam and Mr Dickens. Like Miriam, Charles Dickens was renowned for his performing and reading from his works, in fact his performances of readings were more popular in his time than his actual novels. Miriam herself is possessed of a rich theatrical voice which saw her in great demand doing lots of voice work in the early part of her career.
Miriam tells me she has been enthralled by Dickens since, when as a child, she read ‘Oliver Twist’ and it left her ‘enchanted’. Later she was drawn to Dickens ‘slightly dangerous, violent character’ as she puts it.
Indeed Miriam tells me there are two sides of Dickens, the jolly one that we consider ‘invented’,‘Christmas’ or rather, perpetuated the seasons sentiment of goodwill with his morality story ‘A Christmas Carol’ and a different Dickens that was a bit more unpleasant that perhaps didn’t treat his wife as well as he should have.
The conversation turns from Dickens to other things as Miriam mentions she is ‘a bit afraid’ of going to Salamanca Market when she is in Tassie. I think perhaps she is afraid of being recognised, but no, she is afraid of another major investment in the gorgeous quilts she procured last time she was here. Miriam adds however, they were well worth it. Hopefully Miriam will be seduced by Salamanca again on her return visit in March for an encore performance of ‘Dicken’s Women’.
Miriam thinks Tasmanian is beautiful and is full of praises for the Tassie audiences which she considers one of the best she has played to, rivalling the reception she received with audiences in India. Tasmanians are ‘a literary lot’ and very appreciative of Miriam’s talents. Miriam has a strong association with Tasmania with a friend that works at the UTAS. She also has a great love for the wonderful Theatre Royal auditorium and is looking forward to performing there once again.
Miriam still enjoys living in Dickens’ England but also maintains a holiday home in Tuscany and a home in Australia and is on her way to becoming an Aussie citizen. Miriam also has a great respect for Australians in the industry such as Baz Lurhmann and Geoffrey Rush with whom she starred in the Peter Seller biopic. Miriam gives ‘our’ Geoffrey high praise describing him as ‘the most adorable man in the world’!
Miriam is returning to Australia this month to prepare for the Australian tour of ‘Dicken’s Women’.
I asked Miriam what else is in her to do list considering the wealth of her accomplishments so far. one of the things Miriam would love to do are more Shakespeare (you may remember Miriam as the nurse in Baz Lurhmann’s version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’). Miriam would also like to play Mrs Malaprop and do some more ‘big classical pieces’, as well as some work for the National and The Royal Shakespeare Company.
Miriam will be bringing ‘Dickens’ Women’ to Tasmania with performances at The Theatre Royal on 16th and 17th March.
Senator Stephen Parry Deputy President of the Senate Liberal, Tasmania
07.02.12 6:39 am
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday 7 February 2012
Senator Stephen Parry said 2012 Safer Internet Day served as a reminder that more work needs to be done by parents, carers, teachers and regulators to better protect children and young people from the dangers of the internet.
Senator Parry said many teachers, parents and carers were struggling to keep up with the changing nature of the internet and social media.
“Five years ago, the modern online environment was just websites, email and SMS. Now it encompasses interactive activities such as social media, skype, facetime, apps and games.
“No longer are parents seeking to control the household PC, but now the internet is accessed through ipods, tablets, game consoles and phones.
Senator Parry said many parents were feeling that they could not keep up with the changes.
“Parents know that their children will grow up in a digital world, yet they are also rightly concerned about the risks and vulnerabilities children and young people face online.”
“Australian children are growing up on-line and we have to do a better job protecting them from bullying, teaching them about privacy and identity theft and protecting them from accessing sites which are inappropriate for them.
Senator parry said the issue of on-line safety was critical for every parent in Tasmania and that the Federal Coalition had formed an Online Safety Working Group to consult with key technology, education and cyber-safety leaders, parents and young people, as well as other interested parties, about ways to improve online safety.
“The Working Group is not seeking to repeat Labor’s attempt to put a filter on the internet or to hinder the dynamic nature of the online environment, but we do want to assist and equip parents and teachers in their work of protecting our children and preparing them for adulthood.”
Senator Parry said he wanted local parents, carers and teachers to let him know of their experiences in dealing with the challenge of protecting their own children or pupils from the dangers of the internet.
Senator Parry will host a Community Forum in Hobart on Friday 24 February.
Parents, carers and teachers wanting to make submissions to the Working Group or attend the Community Forum should contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
GAY MARRIAGE SENATE INQUIRY WELCOMED
Alex Greenwich, Australian Marriage Equality
07.02.12 6:37 am
AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Media Release
Tuesday 7th February 2012
GAY MARRIAGE SENATE INQUIRY WELCOMED
Marriage equality advocates have welcomed a Senate inquiry into marriage equality flagged today by Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young.
Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Alex Greenwich, said,
“We believe a Senate inquiry is the winnable way forward.”
“Having spoken to supportive and undecided MPs in both major parties, we have identified a marriage equality inquiry as the best way to alleviate outstanding concerns about this reform.”
“The inquiry will provide a forum to deal with issues raised by marriage equality like protecting religious freedoms, the inadequacy of civil unions and the constitutionality of reform.”
“The inquiry provides an opportunity for everyone from parents to mental health and legal experts to have their say.”
“It also allows parliament to examine the positive impact of marriage equality in other countries.”
National spokesperson for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Shelley Argent, said,
“The many thousands of Australian parents with gay sons and lesbian daughters welcome this inquiry as a way to have our voices heard.”
“We can give our children everything they need in life, but only the Government can give them equality.”
The inquiry has been welcomed by Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, GetUp!, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, Psychologists for Marriage Equality and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
AIR TRANSPORT SOLUTION NEEDED FOR KING ISLAND
Paul O’Halloran MP Greens Member for Braddon
06.02.12 9:01 am
Tasair Closure Bad News for Residents & Businesses
The Tasmanian Greens said that the closure of Tasair was terrible news for residents and businesses on King Island, and was likely to drive up already sky-high airfares if there was no new entrant into the market.
Greens Member for Braddon Paul O’Halloran MP said that the island relies heavily on air transport to maintain economic, educational and family connections to the Tasmanian mainland.
Mr O’Halloran said the airline’s closure also raises questions about the due diligence conducted when Tasmanian Labor Government loaned Tasair $1.6 million in 2009-2010.
“It is essential for King Island residents that there is competition in the airline market to keep downward pressure on ticket prices, and unfortunately this will leave just one operator servicing the island,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“It already costs as much for someone to go from King Island to the Tasmanian mainland as it does to for someone to fly to Brisbane, which just isn’t sustainable.”
“King Island business and tourism industries continue to suffer when costs to come and go from the island remain non-competitive with other domestic routes.”
“Competitive air transport is essential for maintaining market access for the King Island’s high quality, niche products such as cheese, beef and seafood.”
“Students studying away from home also rely on air transport to maintain regular contact with their family and friends.”
“Priority mechanisms will need to be investigated and implemented to improve competition, service standards and equitable costs to ensure the ongoing viability of the community, its businesses and its tourism industry,” Mr O’Halloran said.
Mr O’Halloran said the closure was distressing news for the company’s employees and their families.
Coalition to support local surf clubs
Senator Stephen Parry Deputy President of the Senate Liberal, Tasmania
04.02.12 6:46 am
Senator Stephen Parry
Deputy President of the Senate
Liberal, Tasmania
MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 3 February 2012
Coalition to support local surf clubs in plan to reduce drownings says Senator Stephen Parry
Senator Stephen Parry has welcomed the release of the first stage of the Coalition’s Plan to Reduce Drownings and said the plan will assist every surf club in Tasmania.
“The $10 million plan released by the Coalition would provide surf clubs across Australia with average grants of $5,000 to assist surf clubs purchase much needed equipment over the next five years”, said Senator Parry.
“The funding would be directed towards the purchase of vital rescue equipment, first aid and medical supplies. Priority will be given to surf clubs with identified equipment deficiencies.
“A typical surf club spends $3,000 a year on medical supplies like lotions, band-aids and bandages, so these grants will help surf clubs make ends meet.
“As a long-standing member of both the Burnie and Ulverstone Surf Life Saving Clubs I understand the valuable role these clubs play in our community. They teach water safety to hundreds of kids each year and pull countless people out of the surf.
“Our beaches are beautiful but they can be dangerous.
“It is because of the volunteers in our surf clubs that we can all enjoy the beach and feel safe doing so.
“This policy recognises the work of our surf life savers in saving thousands of lives every year.
“In 2010/11, 315 people lost their lives through drowning on our beaches and waterways, in homes and through floods across Australia. Fortunately, our surf life savers rescued thousands of others. Their work saved so many families from the terrible pain that follows the loss of a loved one.
“The $10 million plan also includes funding for an expansion of the Beach Drowning Black Spot Reduction Programme.
“Its not only surf life saving that do a great job in improving water saving, the Royal Life Saving Society and AUSTSWIM also do a terrific job in helping teach the principles of water safety to so many Australians.
Senator Parry said the Coalition would later this year release plans to also tackle drownings on waterways and in households.
CARBON TAX A RISK FOR TOURISM OPERATORS IN TASMANIA
Tony Abbott, Leader of the Opposition
04.02.12 5:44 am
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
THE HON. TONY ABBOTT MHR
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR WARRINGAH
CARBON TAX A RISK FOR TOURISM OPERATORS IN TASMANIA
The decision by Qantas and Jetstar to increase air fares from 1 July is further evidence that the carbon tax will harm regional economies.
Tourism operators in Tasmania are already feeling the impact of the high Australian dollar and the carbon tax will be another blow to local tourism operators and job seekers.
Under Labor’s carbon tax, the tyranny of distance will be made worse as airlines seek to recoup the increased costs of the carbon tax.
Qantas and Jetstar estimate the impact of the carbon tax on their operations will be in the order of $110 - $115 million in the coming financial year.
When Julia Gillard broke her word on the carbon tax, she made it even harder for Tasmania to attract tourists.
The cost of every tourism operator will rise under the carbon tax.
The tourism sector in Tasmania will be hit by the double whammy of the carbon tax - it will increase the cost of living on all Australian households and it will make visiting Australia more expensive.
It isn’t just the cost of airfares that will increase. The cost of food will rise, the cost of electricity will rise and the cost of holidays will rise. Not only will airfares rise, but restaurant prices will rise, hotel prices will rise and every cost associated with enjoying an Australian holiday will rise.
The Coalition has opposed the carbon tax in opposition and we will rescind the carbon tax in government.
STAFF TO BE BRIEFED ON SKILLS INSTITUTE FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURE
Skills Institute
03.02.12 5:38 am
The Skills Institute today met with unions and began a series of statewide staff
briefings on how it plans to address its forecast budget deficit.
The plan will see staff numbers reduced by approximately 55 full time equivalent
permanent positions.
CEO Malcolm White said he would be meeting with staff in the South, North and
North West over the next two days to discuss the changes and ensure all employees
were fully briefed.
“We will ensure the changes occur openly and transparently and will support staff
with internal and external employee assistance,” Mr White said.
“We have kept our staff and unions informed throughout this process and will
continue to do so.
“The staff reductions will be in accordance with Government policy, including
targeted voluntary redundancies and the surplus staff process.”
Mr White said it was well known within the Institute that the organisation faced a
budget deficit and had been finalising plans to address it.
“We are now operating in a much tighter financial environment and adjustments need
to be made to our staff levels,” he said.
“Training delivery that aligns with the economic and industry goals of Tasmania will
continue to be the focus of the Institute, including the training of trade apprentices, no
matter where they work in the State.”
AUSTRALIAN ADVOCATES WELCOME CRUCIAL U.S. VOTE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Alex Greenwich, Australian Marriage Equality
02.02.12 6:28 pm
AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Media Release
Thursday February 2nd 2012
AUSTRALIAN ADVOCATES WELCOME CRUCIAL U.S. VOTE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
WASHINGTON STATE REJECTS CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS / EMBRACES MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Australian marriage equality advocates have hailed a key vote in favour of reform in the US state of Washington.
Washington is set to become the eighth place in the United State to allow same-sex marriages after the state Upper House today passed a marriage equality bill that is expected to easily pass the state Lower House and has the support of state governor, Christine Gregoire.
Today’s vote came after a Washington Senate Committee dealt with issues of concern to Republican Senators such as religious exemptions. The same process is expected to take place in Australia, where Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has said she will refer her bill to a Senate inquiry next week.
Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Alex Greenwich, said the Washington Senate vote sends a message to Australian politicians that there is no substitute for full equality.
“Since 2009 Washington state has had a domestic partnership scheme which has not given same-sex couples full equality and which legislators now see was a half-measure.”
“This sends a clear message to Australian legislators: deeming same-sex couples as de facto partners or civil partners is not a substitute for the full legal equality that can only come with equality in marriage.”
Mr Greenwich’s comments come just days after it was revealed that federal MPs, Warren Entsch and Joel Fitzgibbon, plan to co-sponsor a civil union bill in federal parliament.
In a recent statement supporting marriage equality Governor Gregorie, a committed Catholic, said,
“Some say domestic partnerships are the same as marriage. That’s a version of the discriminatory separate-but-equal argument of the past. For years that argument was used to keep African Americans separate. But we Americans knew separate is not equal. Laws that keep some Americans in a separate status are inherently unjust. It’s now time for equality for our gay and lesbian citizens and that means marriage. When someone asks me what marriage means I don’t think of the legal protections of a marriage license. Instead I think about love, I think about commitment, I think about responsibility, I think about partnership. Same-sex couples should not be denied that meaning of marriage.”
Mr Greenwich also welcomed the support for reform from key conservative Republican senators and said this will send a message to Federal Opposition Tony Abbott and the Coalition.
“The message for the Coalition out of Washington State is that marriage equality is an issue that is being embraced by conservative politicians throughout the world, from Washington Republicans to UK Prime Minister David Cameron”.
Reading Culture With Scribe publisher, Henry Rosenbloom Fullers, TONIGHT 5.30pm
Rachel Edwards, Events Manager, Fullers Bookshop
02.02.12 2:37 pm
Henry Rosenbloom is the publisher at Scribe. He is also one of Australia’s most sought after commentators on the state of the book industry. He will be speaking at Fullers Bookshop TONIGHT at 5.30pm.
There is a lot of confusion about the changes that digitization will have on readers, writers, publishers and the book industry as a whole and Henry will be discussing the challenges and delights offered by the move to digital publishing and reading, and how this effects publishers, booksellers and readers alike.
He is a generous and articulate public speaker and, as Fullers begins to promote and sell E-books, he is the perfect person to help acquaint us all with this brave new world.
All are welcome to attend this free event though reservations are essential .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
What's OnChina is now the world’s largest importer of softwood lumber and logs
Hakan Ekstrom, Wood Resource Quarterly
02.02.12 4:44 am
China is now the world’s largest importer of softwood lumber and logs despite a slowdown in imports during the 4Q/11, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly
Reduced activities in the housing construction sector in China decreased importation of softwood logs and lumber in late 2011, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Despite the decline in the 4Q, total imports during 2011 reached a record high, making China the largest importer of logs and lumber in the world.
The full article can be found in the attached PDF file…..
GTWMU_China_log_and_lumber_imports_2011.pdf
Privacy is Everyone’s Business
Senator Catryna Bilyk
01.02.12 4:48 pm
Senator Catryna Bilyk
Labor Senator for Tasmania
Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety
MEDIA RELEASE
Privacy is Everyone’s Business
The Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety, Senator Catryna Bilyk echoed calls by the Australian Privacy Commissioner for businesses to ensure that their privacy practices are current and that customers’ personal information is stored and used securely to avoid privacy breaches.
“Privacy is something that concerns all businesses,” said Senator Bilyk “staff should be made aware of privacy practices to ensure they understand their obligations”.
“Breaches of privacy can have serious ramifications for businesses, with the resultant loss in consumer confidence leading to lower sales and jeopardising business viability” said Senator Bilyk.
“Businesses need to actively work to inform customers of privacy breaches to ensure that they minimise loss of data and/or financial losses”.
Businesses can minimise the risks of privacy breaches by providing refresher courses in privacy to their staff, auditing and mitigating against privacy risks, and by ensuring the organisation’s privacy policy is current.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has published information for businesses and government agencies to advise what to do in the event of a privacy breach.
The ‘Guide to handling personal information security breaches’ is available from http://www.privacy.gov.au.
Information for small businesses about protecting their customer’s personal and financial information is available from http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au.
More Information for small businesses about privacy, including brochures, advice summaries, information sheets, and policies are also available from http://www.privacy.gov.au.
Launch of Flight by Rosie at Fullers Bookshop, Thursday, February 9, 5.30pm
Rachel Edwards, Events Manager, Fullers Bookshop
01.02.12 3:46 pm
Rosie Dub
Chris Gallagher, the director of The Tasmanian Writers’ Centre will launch Rosie Dub’s latest novel, Flight (Harper Collins) at Fullers Bookshop on Thursday 9th of February at 5.30pm.
Rosie Dub is one of Tasmania’s best known novelists and is a sought after teacher of creative writing.
Flight tells the story of Fern, who takes flight onto the streets of Sydney, from Tasmania where she meets an array of unlikely allies: a woman cursed with the gift of prophecy, a mysterious bartender and Adam, an ex-soldier tormented by his past.
Dub’s first novel, Gathering Storm (Penguin) was released to popular acclaim in 2008.
All are welcome to attend this free event though reservations are essential – .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Refreshments will be served.
Already listed in TT’s What’s ON, HERE
What's OnPartnership, not luck, for desperately needed rehabilitation
Sue Hodgson, Tasmanian YPINH National Alliance Representative, Deborah Byrne, BIAT Executive Officer
01.02.12 9:00 am
The Young People in Nursing Homes Alliance (YPINH), together with the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (BIAT), today called on Tasmanian disability and health services to work together to deliver desperately needed rehabilitation for young people with acquired disabilities.
The call comes as 30-year-old Dave Lewis launches his ‘Ride-for-Rehabilitation’ this morning to draw attention to the plight of young people who cannot get the rehabilitation they need to recover from brain and other injuries, or maintain their health in the face of progressive diseases like Multiple Sclerosis.
Living with an acquired brain injury (ABI) from a motor vehicle accident eight years ago, Dave understands only too well how vital rehabilitation is to recovery.
“Without the rehabilitation I received, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” Dave said.
“I certainly wouldn’t be able to ride around Tasmania and I definitely wouldn’t have the independence to live my life as I want to.”
Dr Bronwyn Morkham, head of the YPINH Alliance said while Dave is one of the lucky ones, a person shouldn’t need luck to recover.
“Health and disability services must collaborate to deliver the cognitive and physical rehabilitation and other supports young people with acquired disabilities need to recover their health,” Dr Morkham said.
“Without the rehabilitation that is so critical to their recovery, these people are condemned to a lifetime of care and dependence.”
BIAT Executive Officer Deborah Byrne agreed saying that greater awareness was needed about the importance of appropriate and timely rehabilitation across the spectrum of recovery.
“The value of rehabilitation following an acquired brain injury needs to not only be acknowledged, we need to see this acknowledgement translated into practical measures to plan and improve the provision of rehabilitation services in Tasmania,” Deborah said.
“This shouldn’t be about luck!”
ISLAND MAGAZINE LAUNCHING TONIGHT
Dale Campisi, Editor, Rachel Edwards, Managing Editor
01.02.12 6:02 am
Looking forward to a new future.
The recently threatened Island Magazine will be launching their 127th edition tonight, February 1 at 5.30 at The Lark Distillery Hobart at a free event that is open to the public.
The evening will reveal the latest edition of the magazine featuring beautiful photos from Brigita Ozolins’ installation ‘The Reading Room,’ new writing from Danielle Wood, Heather Rose and James Dryburgh amongst other new work.
Lark Distillery’s famous whiskey will be on offer to those attending the launch and the new editor, Dale Campisi will be in conversation with the similarily newly appointed Managing Editor, Rachel Edwards.
Dale is a published writer of food and travel books and a publisher at Arcade Publications. He has previously been a lecturer in writing and editing at the tertiary level and has undertaken postgraduate study exploring cultural change in the 1960s and 1970s as seen in the pages of Meanjin literary journal. He is on the board of the Deakin University Master of Arts and the Emerging Writers’ Festival Program Advisory Committee.
The staff of the magazine are excited about the future prospects with the magazine which was taken to new heights (the first ever edition to sell out, MONA 125) by former editor Sarah Kanowski. Sarah has returned to Brisbane to move into the role of presenter of ABC Radio National’s new Weekend Arts program.
For further information and interview enquiries contact:
Dale Campisi, Editor, Rachel Edwards, Managing Editor
Rachel Edwards
Editor
Islet: a free online journal of micro works from emerging writers and visual artists. An initiative of Island magazine.
e: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
p: 03 6226 2325
w: http://www.islandmag.com
21st Century Planning Healthier for the Community
Planning Institute Australia
01.02.12 5:32 am
Planning practice across Australia in the past decade and recent moves by the Federal
Government to better implement Urban Policy, show modern planning is creating healthier places
to live.
The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) says professional planners are better equipped than ever
before to know what constitutes healthy sustainable communities. PIA was responding to media
reports claiming planning flaws promote obesity.
PIA Chief Executive Officer Kirsty Kelly said today’s planning practice has the health of the
community as a top priority.
“The sort of things that are included in good planning now may not have been considered decades
ago. Indeed we still have spaces that were designed in the past that could well do with some
renewal and revitalisation,” Ms Kelly said.
“Major considerations in planning today include both the health of the community and the
environment and in many cases these things go hand in hand.
“Facilities for cyclists, more open and green space and ‘walkability’ in an area or precinct are right
up there as standard criteria.”
PIA recently collaborated with the National Heart Foundation and the Australian Local
Government Association (ALGA) to produce ‘Healthy Spaces & Places’ (HSP), a national guide to
creating communities that promote healthy living.
The development of HSP was backed by the Australian Government Department of Health and
Ageing. It involved focus groups Australia-wide, stakeholder consultation workshops and a team
of expert reviewers.
“This is an easy to use national guide to designing places for healthier living. It has a training
module attached so planners and allied professionals in local councils can engage with it.
“It has been shown in many studies that if we create attractive and inviting areas with facilities and
services accessed easily, people will love being there.
“Decades ago suburbs were allowed to spring up on the outskirts of a city or town without any
transport infrastructure, shopping facilities or other services.
“This meant the only way to go to work, go shopping or do anything was to get in the car and
travel some distance.
“This not only cut out the opportunity to actually walk somewhere but one study at Griffith
University in Queensland showed it also increased financial stress with families spending more on
petrol. This was made worse with petrol costs rising.
“Planning today aims for spaces and streets that are aesthetically pleasing and safe with
adequate lighting at night and shops, restaurants and offices accessed easily by pedestrians.
“People are more inclined to walk to their destination if the proper layout is provided. Good street
connectivity, mixed density and land use are all associated with activity such as walking or cycling.
“Today’s planning not only creates and promotes healthier communities it also looks at how crime
and other socials issues can be addressed through good design.
“This is not to ignore the need for continued major infrastructure in our rapidly growing cities but to
understand human needs in areas where people gather to work rest and play.”
Solutions to better planning in the 21st century can be found at http://www.healthyplaces.org.au
ABBOTT ASKED TO EXTEND HIS OPPOSITION TO “SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS”
Alex Greenwich, Australian Marriage Equality
01.02.12 12:37 am
AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Media Statement
Tuesday January 31st 2012
ABBOTT ASKED TO EXTEND HIS OPPOSITION TO “SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS” TO GAY AUSTRALIANS
Marriage equality advocates have welcomed a statement by Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, declaring there should not be first and second class Australians, but have asked why it doesn’t apply to gay and lesbian Australians.
Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Alex Greenwich, said,
“As long as we are excluded from a such core social and legal institution as marriage, gay and lesbian Australians are second class citizens under Australian Law.”
“Mr Abbott’s refusal to allow a conscience vote on marriage equality is creating exactly the kind of two-tiered society he says he opposes.”
“We welcome Mr Abbott’s commitment to the core Australian value of equality, but his commitment will be questioned as long as he maintains some Australians deserve equality more than others.”
In his address to the National Press Club today Mr Abbott said,
“As far as I’m concerned, there should never be first and second class Australians based on where they were born, how they worship, or the length of time their forbears have been here.”
For the original text of the speech click here:
http://www.tonyabbott.com.au/News/tabid/94/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/8547/Address-to-the-National-Press-Club-of-Australia-Canberra.aspx
FINDING YOUR NEW HOME IN TASMANIA MADE EASY
Dale Reardon Director, Settled In – Home Search and Relocation Services
31.01.12 4:59 pm
Moving to Tasmania and moving within Tasmania has now become much easier with
the launch of Tasmania’s first relocation services company, Settled In Home Search
and Relocation Services.
When leaving Tasmania for Melbourne after graduating from University Jo Reardon
didn’t really think about if or when she might live here again, but fast forward
twenty years and the idea of returning started to make sense. It also helped that she
had met and married a fellow Tasmanian – Dale Reardon – a couple of years before.
So with the decision made the planning commenced and their house in the Macedon
Ranges outside Melbourne was on the market and a new house bought in Hobart
soon after. Throughout this process Jo started to think about what was next in her
work life and the result was a new business that would help others achieve the same
thing – a new life in Tasmania.
“I have long had an interest in property and have moved many times around
Melbourne, interstate to Perth and back and overseas to New Zealand. So that
interest coupled with my broad business experience and enjoyment of managing
projects resulted in the idea to create Settled In,” explains Jo.
Settled In Home Search and Relocation Services helps those moving to Tasmania find
a new home, schools and everything else they need to feel settled and get on with
enjoying the wonderful Tasmanian lifestyle.
“We tailor our services to exactly what our clients need. There are no set packages
that include services that may not suit you. We also pass on a wealth of practical
information about living in Tasmania to help with the settling process,” says Jo.
In addition to those new to Tasmania, the Home Search services offered by Settled In
can be utilised by anyone wanting to find a new home, even if you only want to
move within the same suburb.
“Anyone who has bought property knows that it starts out as exciting and can often
quickly become frustrating as more and more time is spent trying to find the
property that best suits you. If you want your weekends back, then we can help
you,” says Jo.
Settled In will do the searching for you and narrow down the options based on your
needs and then show you the properties which best suit. You will soon find your new
home, investment property or holiday house.
Settled In is based in Hobart and provide services to most parts of Tasmania.
For further information contact us
Email:
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web:
http://www.settledin.com.au
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/settledin/
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/settledinaus/
About Us
Settled In Pty Ltd is the family company of Dale and Jo Reardon. Dale and Jo were
both born and raised in Tasmania. They have each lived outside Tasmania in recent
years and have now relocated back to Tasmania and have settled in Hobart.
Jo Reardon (nee Dillon) grew up in Hobart and studied Commerce at the University
of Tasmania while also working in her first job at AMP in the late 1980s. Upon
graduation she ventured to Melbourne which was her main base for twenty years.
Over this time Jo has worked in operational and management roles at BP Australia,
BP New Zealand, Museum Victoria, the University of Melbourne as well as two years
as a management consultant undertaking planning, analysis and process
improvement projects across a broad range of industries. Jo is now settled back in
Tasmania and is enjoying the wonderful lifestyle, great weather and a lot less traffic.
Dale Reardon grew up in Launceston and studied Law at the University of Tasmania.
He was the first blind lawyer in Tasmania (he got his first guide dog, Robb, in 1989
and his current seeing eye companion is called Charlie) and practised in both
Launceston and Kingston, being in partnership with his own firm in Kingston.
Dale was also heavily involved in the Tourism industry for seven years owning and
operating several bed and breakfast properties in Battery Point. He left Tasmania in
2004 and has now returned to make Hobart home once again. He has commenced
his PhD studies in Law at the University of Tasmania and is also involved in the
development and management of Settled In.
Participate in review of online safety for children
Senator Stephen Parry Liberal, Tasmania Deputy President of the Senate
31.01.12 7:47 am
Senator Stephen Parry invites parents, carers and teachers to participate in review of online safety for children
Senator Stephen Parry said the new Coalition Online Safety Working Group is an important initiative in helping equip parents and carers better protect children and young people from the risks associated with the internet and social media
“It is estimated that 2.2 million Australian children actively engage online. This is a large number and my concern is that many parents aren’t equipped to deal with this challenge,” said Senator Parry.
“We know that many children have been tormented by online bullying and there are real issues about privacy and young people having access to sites which are inappropriate for them.”
“Many of the parents and teachers that I engage with feel trapped by the changes that are occurring. On one hand they know that today’s children and young people will grow up in a world interconnected as never before, and on the other hand, they rightly feel concerned about the risks and vulnerabilities children and young people face online.”
“The children and teenagers of today are the first generation of young people that will grow up with the internet and social media as an integral part of the way they live, learn and communicate.”
Senator Parry said the new Coalition Online Safety Working Group would consult with key technology, education and cyber-safety leaders, parents and young people, as well as other interested parties, to further develop its online safety policy in the areas of education, regulation and enforcement.
“In forming this Working Group, the Coalition is not seeking to repeat Labor’s attempt to put a filter on the internet or to hinder the dynamic nature of the online environment, but we do want to assist and equip parents and teachers in their work of protecting our children and preparing them for adulthood.”
“I am asking parents, carers and teachers to let me know their experiences in dealing with the challenge of protecting their own children or pupils from the dangers of the internet, so that it can help the Working Group make the best recommendations.”
Parents, carers and teachers wanting to make submissions to the Working Group should contact me via email – .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or post – 33 George St, Launceston 7250.
How epigenetics will transform our understanding of health and disease
Menzies Research Institute
31.01.12 7:30 am
Menzies Research Institute
In partnership with the Australian Academy of Science, Rudi Lemberg Travel Fellowship
presents a public lecture by
Professor Peter A Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc.,
Distinguished Professor of Urology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA.
Talk Title: How the exploding science of epigenetics will transform our understanding of health and disease and Australia’s participation in it.
In this public lecture, Professor Jones will discuss the revolution in the field of epigenomics and describe how the human genome is packaged so that different parts are used in different cells. He will also describe how epigenetics works to control normal development and how it can malfunction to contribute to human diseases such as cancer. Finally, he will describe international efforts to map the human epigenome and develop drugs to rectify disease states.
Venue: Menzies Research Institute, Lecture Theatre 1, Medical Sciences Building 1, 17 Liverpool St, Hobart
Date Thursday 9th February, 2012
Time 5:30pm
Refreshments available from 5:10pm
RSVP: by Wednesday 8 February to Menzies reception on (03) 6226 7700
For Further Information: Dr Adele Holloway, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 62262670.
Post-modern novel reveals opulence, scandal and tragedy ...
Errol John Kidd
30.01.12 4:34 pm
Post-modern novel reveals opulence, scandal and tragedy in the early days of Tasmania
Launch of Errol John Kidd’s novel Goldengrove Unleaving by award-winning fantasy writer, Tansy Rayner Roberts.
2 pm on Sunday, 5 February 2012
Fullers Bookshop, 131 Collins Street, Hobart.
RSVP required, email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
30 January 2012, Hobart—Goldengrove Unleaving takes a pioneering Tasmanian family from triumph to tragedy in three generations.
It is literary fiction, post-modern in approach—yet scrupulously accurate in adhering to the known facts.
Writer Errol John Kidd, a well-regarded Tasmanian poet, says the book is about his own family history, but doesn’t gloss over difficult truths, including illegitimacy, hints of violence and even incest.
“The story as written, as far as I could discover, is an accurate account.
“Certainly the inner lives of the characters are based in imagination, but I have not invented or changed any of the facts that I discovered in my research.”
In this regard, Goldengrove Unleaving falls into the tradition of historical narrative genre novels, such as Ragtime and Cold Mountain.
It may even be said to exist within the realm of what Mark R. McCulloch has termed the ‘documentary novel.’
Goldgrove Unleaving, like the novels of W.G. Sebald, can be described as “part documentary, part travelogue, part dream sequence, part history, part memoir,
part photo album, and part cultural-historical fantasy.” (Blurring the Boundaries: History, Memory and Imagination in the Works of W G Sebald by Diane Molloy).
Told from the perspective of the beautiful young Aimee Krushka, heir to a tin-mining fortune in the north-eastern town of Ringarooma (then Krushka Town), the book follows the fortunes of her family over decades.
The patriarch, Christian Krushka, arrived penniless from Prussia with his wife and five children and settled in the North-East of the state. The family struggled, until the three brothers discovered tin and became overnight millionaires. A town was created in the area, and named in honour of its most influential residents.
Christopher Krushka, the plucky youngest son whose adventurous spirit spurred on the others, married Alice Fry, a distant heir of the chocolate family. The family became known for throwing lavish parties and for the owning of racehorses in Melbourne (including the champion Amadeus).
Then, in the early years of the 20th century in the wake of the 1890s Depression, things took a turn for the worse. The family was financially ruined, the town inexplicably renamed Ringarooma (anti-German sentiment may have played a part), and the Krushkas forced to adjust to a modest lifestyle.
A melancholic thread running through the story is the early death of Aimee Krushka. She was a girl who seemingly had it all—intelligence, charm, beauty and wealth—and yet, at the age of 27 died, unmarried and under mysterious circumstances.
The fate of Aimee becomes a metaphor for the fate of the family itself. Where did it all go wrong for this clan of rebels and iconoclasts?
The author, Errol John Kidd, is the great grandson of Christopher Krushka and the grand-nephew of Aimee. He grew up in Ringarooma in the 1940s and 50s, hearing stories of the family’s glory days.
The book is unusual in that it is illustrated throughout with uncaptioned colour and black and white photographs. Many of the images are from Kidd’s personal collection.
Kidd has written Goldengrove Unleaving as an ode to the times gone by, to people and events that will be forever mysterious, but that affect the present in untold ways.
As William Faulkner famously remarked, “The past isn’t dead. It isn’t even past.”
What's OnNEW TV AD PUTS PRESSURE ON ABOTT OVER CONSCIENCE VOTE
Alex Greenwich, Australian Marriage Equality
30.01.12 1:23 pm
AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Media Release
Monday January 30th 2012
ADVOCATES SAY “NO” TO CIVIL UNION PLAN
CALL ON ENTSCH & FITZGIBBON TO TEST BILL BEFORE UPCOMING INQUIRY
NEW TV AD PUTS PRESSURE ON ABOTT OVER CONSCIENCE VOTE
Marriage equality advocates have dismissed moves for a national civil union scheme as “unnecessary, damaging and impractical”.
They were responding to reports that Coalition whip, Warren Entsch, and his government counterpart, Joel Fitzgibbon, are drafting a civil union bill because they believe legislation for same-sex marriage will fail.
Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Alex Greenwich, said “civil unions would prolong the same-sex marriage debate, not end it.”
“Civil union legislation is damaging because it entrenches a second-class status for same-sex couples, unnecessary because 80% of Australians already have access to state civil union schemes, and impractical because it would require referrals of powers from the states.”
“We already have a way to recognise loving, committed, and enduring relationships, and it’s called marriage”
“It makes no sense to bring this forward before support for marriage equality is tested in parliament following the senate inquiry, unless the aim is to take pressure off Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard over their opposition to a same-sex marriage.”
“The gay and lesbian community and our families overwhelmingly support marriage equality over civil unions, so all a civil union scheme will do is prolong the debate rather than bring it to an end.”
“We call on Mr Entsch and Mr Fitzgibbon to test their bill before the upcoming Senate marriage equality inquiry rather than rushing it in to parliament.”
Mr Abbott’s opposition to a conscience vote on marriage equality was challenged from two directions today.
Former Coalition Minister, Amanda Vanstone, said Mr Abbott’s opposition looks like “strong arm tactics” and said “it could cost him in the long run”.
Meanwhile, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays have launched a national TV ad campaign demanding Mr Abbott allow a conscience vote.
“The ad shows that same-sex marriage will not only benefit couples, but also their parents and grandparents who understand marriage is about family”, Mr Greenwich said.
“It also highlights the absurd situation where the party that stands for individual freedom refuses to allow its members freedom to vote according to their conscience.”
A national study by the University of Queensland showed 80% of gay Australians support marriage equality while only 25% prefer civil unions, and that 78% of same-sex partners in existing state civil unions would prefer to be married.
Rosie Dub
30.01.12 8:24 am
Published by Fourth Estate and due for publication on 1st Feb, Flight is set in both Sydney and Tasmania, and is, in a sense a coming of age story (see below for the backcover blurb).
I have lived in Tassie for 12 years and feel strongly about the forests, so inevitably, a strong theme in Flight is the environment, with the novel exploring the battle for the forests and the nature of activism.
Flight is also part of my PhD which I have just submitted at Swinburne University. My exegesis is an exploration of the transformative potential of story and its role in human evolution.
I have been a writer, an editor and a teacher of creative writing for many years and have recently started a blog called Write on the Fringes (http://writeonthefringes.blogspot.com/), which is an exploration of the art and the craft of writing and the nature of story, as well as a search for the essence of creativity and the complex nature of truth.
Flight will be launched by Chris Gallagher, the director of the Tasmanian Writer’s Centre at Fullers on Thursday 9th February at 5.30pm.
Backcover blurb:
‘That one will be the death of her father … Mark my words, the death of him.’
So says the prophecy that accompanies Fern’s birth. Her mother, fearing the wrath of the baby’s father, is forced to give Fern up for adoption.
Twenty years later Fern is haunted by the feeling that something is very wrong. Her family and friends think she is losing her mind, but Fern is convinced that someone is after her.
Seeking to unlock the mystery, Fern takes flight onto the streets of Sydney, where she meets two unlikely allies: Cassie, a woman cursed with the gift of clairvoyance, and Adam, an ex-soldier tormented by his past. As danger looms, Fern and Adam embark on an adventure which takes them far into the labyrinthine depths of the Tasmanian wilderness, where Fern must finally confront her demons.
Interwoven with myth and metaphor, Flight is a compelling and original story; sometimes eerie, sometimes earthy, always spellbinding.
‘An adventure story that encapsulates both a physical and spiritual journey ... interesting and original ... with some startling contrasts between the ordinary and extraordinary’
Rosie Dub
writeonthefringes.blogspot.com
rosiedub.com
Paula Xiberras
30.01.12 6:43 am
It was after one performance, the famous jazz singer Nat King Cole was given his famous moniker of ‘King’. There had already been a King Cole, the character from the nursery rhyme but in this instance the moniker was given because he was clearly a musical ‘king’, a suitable title for one of the greats of music. If Nat King Cole was the king, his daughter Natalie Cole has the princess pedigree. The word cole in Gaelic is written ceol which means music in Gaelic, its hard to believe there is a more perfect translation to describe a family of fine musicians.
From an early age Natalie sang, but the collaboration that got the world’s attention was her duet with her dad, brought about by the wonders of technology on the unforgettable duet of yes, ‘Unforgettable’. Two decades later this performance would be updated by another duet but this time the more upbeat and joyful duet ‘Walking my baby back home’.
Natalie is also well known for the hits such as ‘Pink Cadillac’ and ‘This will be’ but she has also covered many other classic songs such as ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ and ‘The Best is yet to come’. Even more impressive in that these are songs so identified with other singers yet Natalie has made them hers too.
In a treat for Tassie you can see Ms Cole perform with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra at Hobart’s Wrest Point Casino on Monday 30th January 2012 at 8pm. Other dates include Melbourne at the Plenary on Tuesday 31st and Sydney Opera House on 2-4th February.
Go Petition callng on Tony Burke for moratorium on coal seam gas
Jenny
30.01.12 6:39 am
I have just visited GoPetition and found the following page very interesting:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/coal-seam-gas-moratorium.html
CRUELTY TO A LONG NECKED TORTOISE
Wildlife Carers Group
30.01.12 6:20 am
Wildlife Carers Group is calling for witnesses to a person or people who was responsible for hammering a stick with a fishing line and hook, leaving a long-necked tortoise hanging off from the other end of it at the Carillion on Australia Day at the fireworks on 26/1/12: HERE
