Australian governments, both Liberal and Labor, have had a policy of treating refugees as enemies for at least 20 years. Probably the most infamous occasion was the Coalition’s November 2001 federal election victory, where the major parties adopted a joint policy of turning back 438 refugees who had been saved from drowning by the Norwegian freighter the MV Tampa.
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A performance of Caryl Churchill’s play Seven Jewish Children was to be held at Fremantle’s multicultural centre Kulcha in November but was scrapped due to pressure from the Jewish Community Council of Western Australia (JCC). Churchill wrote the play in response to Israel’s brutal invasion of Gaza in December and January.
In February 2008 — at the first session of parliament after he won government — Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a moving apology to the Stolen Generations, the Aboriginal children abducted from their families last century as part of a policy of social engineering to extinguish the Aboriginal identity.
On the face of it, 2009 is drawing to an end with a new outbreak of political madness.
It has reached that time of year when Christian churches commemorate the birth of a child in a stable to homeless parents because “there was no room at the inn”. It is also a time of year when there is increased demand on homelessness services because of, among other reasons, family relationship breakdowns, domestic violence and mental illness.
Tony Hancock: The Definitive Biography
By John Fisher
HarperCollins, 2009
627 pages, $33 (pb)
In this final issue, we at GLW want to thank you for your strong support in 2009.
In 1899, no woman could Vote, but
Some suffered, were jailed,
So today you count!
Women in 2009 are MPs, can be the
Premier of Queensland, but
If any fell pregnant and didn't want to be
They could be charged and punished for
An abortion
Pro-choice campaigners took to the streets of South Brisbane on December 2 to send a strong and clear message to the Queensland government that old laws need not die hard.
John Fleming still rides free
one hundred and seventy years after
the massacre. The plaque set up to
honour the twenty-eight (who were
slaughtered for the theft of a cow)
has been defaced by Fleming who
is still very much alive in Northern
The state with some of the most promising renewable energy resources on the planet also has one of Australia’s most active climate change committees.
Thousands of Australians will march in every major Australian city and more than 20 regional centres on December 12, to again demand genuine climate action from our government. The rallies are part of a global day of action that will take place during the Copenhagen climate summit.
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