WGAR News: Gutting the Racial Discrimination Act: Ray Jackson, President, ISJA: Sovereign Union

Newsletter date: 28 March 2014

Contents:

* Ray Jackson, President of the Indigenous Social Justice Association: Sovereign Union: Gutting the Racial Discrimination Act
* Dr Chelsea Bond, ABC Indigenous: Andrew Bolt isn't a racist, but ...
* Congress: Proposed changes to the RDA threaten racial cohesion
* National Congress (congress mob) on Twitter: Submissions on changes to #RDA can be sent to s18cconsultation@ag.gov.au
* Tara Callinan, NITV News: Data shows Aussies believe it should be unlawful to make racial insults: Researcher
* David Liddle, NITV News: Watch: Indigenous community in Queensland town of Logan react to planned changes to race laws
* Dr Naomi Priest & Dr Dominique Allen: Croakey - the Crikey health blog: Why changing the Racial Discrimination Act is a public health issue
* James Massola & Jonathan Swan, Sunraysia Daily: Backlash over George Brandis' racial discrimination repeal
* Michael Danby, The Guardian: George Brandis has given Australia's racists a free rein
* Pro Bono News: Community Leaders Reject Changes to Race Hate Laws
* ABC News: Racial Discrimination Act amendment: Warren Mundine warns against changes, labels George Brandis's bigotry comment 'bizarre'
* NIRS: Government attacked in Question Time on racism laws changes
* NIRS: Government to consult on proposed Racial Discrimination Act changes
* Background: Opposition to proposed Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) changes

* RAY JACKSON, PRESIDENT OF THE INDIGENOUS SOCIAL JUSTICE ASSOCIATION: SOVEREIGN UNION: GUTTING THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT

- Analysis / Opinion

Sovereign Union: Gutting the Racial Discrimination Act: Ray Jackson
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/gutting-racial-discrimination...
"Below are three articles, two relative to the Abbott/Brandis plans to gut the racial discrimination act to make it legally possible for racial, religious, gender, and other discriminatory acts to be perpetrated against those falling into these categories. The third article sets out why it must remain whole. Relative to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders who have historically suffered since the invasion with the outcomes of these hate crimes we know that attacks from Bolt and his ilk will be as nothing to what we will be in for. Bolt, of course, receives far too much media coverage ... " By Ray Jackson, President of the Indigenous Social Justice Association

* DR CHELSEA BOND, ABC INDIGENOUS: ANDREW BOLT ISN'T A RACIST, BUT ...

- Analysis / Opinion

ABC Indigenous: Andrew Bolt isn't a racist, but ...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-25/andrew-bolt-isnt-a-racist-but/5344...
25 Mar 14: "The Coalition's push to make changes to the Racial Discrimination Act was in part a response to a court ruling that Andrew Bolt had breached the Act over his comments about Aboriginal Australians. Here, Chelsea Bond revisits the newspaper columnist's treatment of Aboriginality, explaining that race is more than skin deep. ... Andrew Bolt may not be racist ... but his obsession with, and expectations of Aboriginal bodies and minds is ... well, no comment ... " Dr Chelsea Bond, an Aboriginal (Munanjahli) and South Sea Islander Australian, a senior lecturer with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit at the University of Queensland

* CONGRESS: PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RDA THREATEN RACIAL COHESION

- Media Release

National Congress of Australia's First Peoples: Proposed changes to the RDA threaten racial cohesion
http://nationalcongress.com.au/news-pics/
25 Mar 14: "The elected representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples says Federal Government plans to abolish important legislative protections for the racially vulnerable threaten decades of hard work to build positive race relations in Australia.
The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (Congress) rejects the government’s Freedom of Speech (Repeal of S. 18D) Bill 2014, which seeks to amend the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. Attorney General George Brandis released the Bill today after its endorsement by the Coalition party room.
Congress has pursued a vigorous campaign to dissuade federal parliamentarians from watering down the nation’s racial discrimination laws.
"Standing proudly alongside representatives of Australia’s Greek, Jewish, Chinese, Arab, Armenian and Korean communities, Congress has argued the views and experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples strongly to Government," said Congress Co-Chair Kirstie Parker. ... "

* NATIONAL CONGRESS (CONGRESS MOB) ON TWITTER: SUBMISSIONS ON CHANGES TO #RDA CAN BE SENT TO s18cconsultation@ag.gov.au

- Info

National Congress (congress mob) on Twitter
https://twitter.com/congressmob/status/448699130085249024
"Let’s make sure our #StrongBlackVoices are heard. Submissions on changes to #RDA can be sent to s18cconsultation@ag.gov.au. #Keep18C "

- Related Audio

NIRS: Government to consult on proposed Racial Discrimination Act changes
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/33058/Government-to-consult-on-...
26 Mar 14: "The Federal Attorney-General, George Brandis, says its draft legislation to change the Racial Discrimination Act will be open to a period of community consultation of one month."

* TARA CALLINAN, NITV NEWS: DATA SHOWS AUSSIES BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO MAKE RACIAL INSULTS: RESEARCHER

- News

NITV News: Data shows Aussies believe it should be unlawful to make racial insults: Researcher
By Tara Callinan; Source NITV News
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/03/26/data-shows-aussies-believe...
26 Mar 14: " ... one of Australia's largest studies of racism shows most people believe it should be unlawful to humiliate or insult a person based on their race or ethnicity. Members of the public are being urged to have their say on the government's planned changes for the Racial Discrimination Act. Professor Kevin Dunn from the University of Western Sydney says data collected from his ‘Challenging Racism' research project does not correlate with recent statements made by Attorney-General George Brandis. "85 per cent of Australians agree that we need anti-racism, that we need to confront racism. So most people in fact are not comfortable at all with bigotry and they perceive it as uncivil and something that in fact we shouldn’t have," said Mr Dunn. ... "

- Related Research and News

University of Western Sydney: Racism survey shows public supports existing Racial Discrimination Act
http://www.uws.edu.au/newscentre/news_centre/feature_story/australias_la...
26 Mar 14: "In a recent survey, 2100 respondents were asked whether it should be unlawful to humiliate, insult, offend or intimidate someone according to their race, with the results showing:
* Offend - 66% of participants agreed or strongly agreed it should be unlawful
* Insult - 72% of participants agreed or strongly agreed it should be unlawful
* Humiliate - 74% of participants agreed or strongly agreed it should be unlawful
* Intimidate - 79% of participants agreed or strongly agreed it should be unlawful"

* DAVID LIDDLE, NITV NEWS: WATCH: INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN QUEENSLAND TOWN OF LOGAN REACT TO PLANNED CHANGES TO RACE LAWS

- Video

NITV News: Watch: Indigenous community in Queensland town of Logan react to planned changes to race laws
[scroll down page] http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/03/26/data-shows-aussies-believe...
26 Mar 14

* DR NAOMI PRIEST & DR DOMINIQUE ALLEN: CROAKEY - THE CRIKEY HEALTH BLOG: WHY CHANGING THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

- Analysis / Opinion

Croakey - the Crikey health blog: Why changing the Racial Discrimination Act is a public health issue
[scroll down page] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2014/03/24/the-racial-discrimination-...
24 Mar 14: "Dr Naomi Priest and Dr Dominique Allen write: Several incidents of racist abuse on public transport and towards prominent sports stars, a Federal Court finding that a high profile journalist breached racial vilification laws, and two new human rights commissioners with different views about freedom of speech have focused our attention on federal racial vilification laws. ...
As with any complex problem, a complex solution is required to tackle racism. Best practice in anti-racism requires multi-level, mutually reinforcing strategies across contexts and settings. The law is clearly an important part of anti-racism. The Racial Discrimination Act must be improved so that it can effectively tackle persistent discrimination. ... "

"Dr Naomi Priest is a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University. Dr Dominique Allen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law, Deakin University"

- Analysis / Opinion

Croakey - the Crikey health blog: The Racial Discrimination Act needs strengthening - not weakening: a public health perspective
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2014/03/24/the-racial-discrimination-...
24 Mar 14: "We are having the wrong debate about the Racial Discrimination Act. Rather than moving to water it down, we should be investigating how the Act might be strengthened in order to reduce the public health burden of racism. This argument is made below by Deakin University academics, Dr Naomi Priest, a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Citizenship and Globalisation, and Dr Dominique Allen, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law." Melissa Sweet, Health journalist and Croakey co-ordinator

* JAMES MASSOLA & JONATHAN SWAN, SUNRAYSIA DAILY: BACKLASH OVER GEORGE BRANDIS' RACIAL DISCRIMINATION REPEAL

- Analysis / Opinion

Sunraysia Daily: Backlash over George Brandis' racial discrimination repeal
http://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/story/2175526/backlash-over-george-bran...
26 Mar 14: "Prime Minister Tony Abbott is facing a storm of protest from religious and ethnic groups, human rights organisations and sections of his own backbench over sweeping changes to race-hate laws which have pleased right-wing commentator Andrew Bolt. ... Labor, the Greens and ethnic groups all criticised Senator Brandis' ''public discussion'' exemption, while the Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs argued the exemption was ''so broad it is difficult to see any circumstances in public that these protections would apply''." By James Massola, Jonathan Swan

* MICHAEL DANBY, THE GUARDIAN: GEORGE BRANDIS HAS GIVEN AUSTRALIA'S RACISTS A FREE REIN

- Analysis / Opinion

The Guardian: George Brandis has given Australia's racists a free rein
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/25/george-brandis-has-...
25 Mar 14: "The right's 'freedom fighters' have their wish – law 18C is effectively finished after 19 years protecting and conciliating vulnerable members of our pluralist society ... In 1995, during Paul Keating’s prime ministership, section 18C was introduced into the Racial Discrimination Act. ... Senator Brandis has proposed major changes. The reason for the current government’s change of heart appears to be almost solely as a result of the successful case brought against the government’s most valiant tribune, Mr Andrew Bolt." Michael Danby, the Federal Member for Melbourne Ports

* PRO BONO NEWS: COMMUNITY LEADERS REJECT CHANGES TO RACE HATE LAWS

- News

Pro Bono News: Community Leaders Reject Changes to Race Hate Laws
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2014/03/community-leaders-reject...
20 Mar 14: "Not for Profits and ethnic community representatives have expressed their “vehement opposition” to proposed changes to sections of the Racial Discrimination Act by the Federal Government. ... "These changes would mean that the Federal Government has decided to license the public humiliation of people because of their race," a spokesperson for the group said. "It would send a signal that people may spout racist abuse in public, no matter how unreasonably and dishonestly. It would be astonishing if an Australian government in the 21st century was prepared to embrace such a morally repugnant position. ... ""

* ABC NEWS: RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT AMENDMENT: WARREN MUNDINE WARNS AGAINST CHANGES, LABELS GEORGE BRANDIS'S BIGOTRY COMMENT 'BIZARRE'

- News

ABC News: Racial Discrimination Act amendment: Warren Mundine warns against changes, labels George Brandis's bigotry comment 'bizarre'
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-26/mundine-critical-of-proposed-chang...
26 Mar 14: "AM: The man chosen by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to head his Indigenous Advisory Council has warned against changing Australia's racial discrimination laws. Indigenous Advisory Council chairman Warren Mundine said Attorney-General George Brandis's recent comment about people "having the right to be bigots" was "quite bizarre". And he said the Government's planned changes to the Racial Discrimination Act would make no difference to the racial abuse suffered by him and others on a regular basis."

* NIRS: GOVERNMENT ATTACKED IN QUESTION TIME ON RACISM LAWS CHANGES

- Audio

NIRS: Government attacked in Question Time on racism laws changes
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/33054/Government-attacked-in-Qu...
26 Mar 14: "Labor and the Greens used Question Time in Parliament yesterday to attack the Federal Government on proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act."

* NIRS: GOVERNMENT TO CONSULT ON PROPOSED RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT CHANGES

- Audio

NIRS: Government to consult on proposed Racial Discrimination Act changes
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/33058/Government-to-consult-on-...
26 Mar 14: "The Federal Attorney-General, George Brandis, says its draft legislation to change the Racial Discrimination Act will be open to a period of community consultation of one month."

- Related Info

National Congress (congress mob) on Twitter
https://twitter.com/congressmob/status/448699130085249024
"Let’s make sure our #StrongBlackVoices are heard. Submissions on changes to #RDA can be sent to s18cconsultation@ag.gov.au. #Keep18C "

* BACKGROUND: OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT (RDA) CHANGES

Last updated: 27 March 2014

http://indymedia.org.au/2014/03/27/background-opposition-to-proposed-rac...

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