Australia

Its time to demand the Greens take real action against mandatory detention

It is time the refugee movement in Australia demands the Greens use their power in Parliament to force the ALP to end the cruel policy of mandatory detention. It is unacceptable for the Green’s to keep a racist Government in power. The Greens make regular public statements criticizing the length of time people are kept in detention and their representatives even give speeches from the platform at rallies against mandatory detention calling for a more humane policy. However as the detention system lurches from one crisis to crisis and the ALP moves further to the right in embracing ever more punitive policies towards asylum seekers the Greens continue to keep the Government in power.

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Welfare bashers return in latest government robes

Gillard and Macklin are about to launch (May 2011) a Welfare Bashing program to "assist" people back into the workforce and those on meagre benefits no less.
This follows the same format as what is being used in the Northern territory as both John Pilger and Eva Cox have warned the public about this abhorrent state of affairs. See: Newatilda and Eva Cox's: "It Began with the Intervention" and other potent articles about this topic.

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WGAR News: "Keep the poison out of Muckaty" - community rally on May 7, 2011

Newsletter date: 30 April 2011

Contents:
* Join the Tennant Creek community for a rally on May 7
* Background to Muckaty nuclear waste dump
* Aboriginal Sovereignty to the International Court of Justice
* Les Malezer defends National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
* Background to National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
* Tony Abbott in Alice Springs, Northern Territory
* Other Northern Territory (NT) Intervention articles
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* More on the First Nations political party
* Other Aboriginal articles

Darwin gathering for Aboriginal people living in prescribed areas under the NT Intervention

WGAR News

Newsletter date: 29 Apr 2011

Contents:
* Request for Support for Prescribed Area Peoples’ Alliance Gathering - Darwin June 19-21, 2011
* Deaths in Custody: A Crikey Investigation
* Aboriginal summit - Call for dramatic return to proactive political action
* First Nations political party and the NT elections
* Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
* Background to National Congress of Australia's First Peoples

24 months on, International News Syndicate’s website still “undergoing redevelopment” – why?

This month marks the 2nd anniversary of the Australia News and Features Services (ANFS) website and International News Syndicate (INS) website putting up a statement:

“This site is currently undergoing redevelopment. We apologise for any inconvenience. It is, however, still business as usual for us here at International News Syndicate Limited. Please, simply contact us on admin@internationalnewssyndicate.com

WGAR News: Two urgent petitions on the NT Intervention - sign by early May 2011

Newsletter date: 24 Apr 2011

Contents:
* Jobs with Justice - Petition Lauch & Rally - May 5
* UN Petition to restore Human Rights to NT Aboriginal People - sign by May 7
* Other Northern Territory (NT) Intervention articles
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Australia’s Indigenous languages "Top 10 moments in the sun"
* Help Stop the Muckaty Radioactive Waste Dump - May 7-8
* Background to Muckaty Station nuclear waste dump
* National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
* Background to National Congress of Australia's First Peoples

Efforts to undermine the nationalism and militarism of ANZAC Day continue

On 25th of April each year, Australia “celebrates” ANZAC Day. The day has become a chance to whip up nationalist fervour and to perpetuate the myth that Australian identity was formed during the carnarge of World War One. Instead of being a day to remember the victims of war it pushes the historical lie that “our freedoms” were won and protected by participating in a imperialist invasion of Turkey on behalf of “King and Country”. The myth serves helps to bolster our current involvement in imperialist wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. However the peace movement and the left continue to try to undermine these militaristic efforts and mark ANZAC day differently by holding a range of peace and social justice events around Australia and by publishing articles in the alternative press that offer a counter historical view.

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Veterans group calls for troops out of Afghanistan in lead up to ANZAC Day

Stand Fast Press release 22 April 2011 Australian based veterans group Stand Fast is calling on people to reject blind flag waving this ANZAC Day and to seriously question Australian support for the war in Afghanistan. The group stands against this war due to the impact on people living in Afghanistan, the price being paid by other foreign forces (especially the US) and the physical and psychological harm being done to Australian military personnel who people claim to be honouring on 25 April.

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Simpson and his donkey: the radical truth

By Hamish Chitts

Anzac Day has long been less about remembrance of the people slaughtered in wars for Australia’s capitalist class and their foreign friends and more about creating a culture of blind nationalism and militarism. Particularly since the beginning of the “war on terror” in 2001, the deification of the digger, militarism and nationalism have been ramped up by the Howard, Rudd and Gillard governments.

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