Australia

Aborigines declare themselves an independent republic

The Murrawarri flag

The brown and blue represent mother earth, the sky where Murrawarri spirits wait until their return on the falling star, water and the people, the white star represents the return of the Ancestors’ spirits on which they return to earth and the eight points on the star represents the eight clan groups of the Murrawarri Nation and the future provinces that will make up the Murrawarri Republic.

International Issues [ audio ]

http://www.radio4all.net/responder.php/download/67428/74810/87731/?url=h...

North Korea, Cyprus, Australia, Mars - satirical review

David Feldman, Clarke Dawe, Now Show samples, Cruel Alibis by Mustered Courage, sounds by Banda Black Miss Cheryl, Herbie Hanckock, Djavan, Wayne Shorter

29:00 min stereo 28 MB

Keywords: 

Letting your roof for solar power

Have you ever thought about producing solar power with the house you own or rent? A new not-for-profit green campaign is promoting an idea attractive to home owners and tenants. 

It’s to lease roofs to companies that install solar panels, which after a few years become the house owner’s property. The panels cut power bills, which has to be good for renters, owners and the environment. 

Geography: 

Kevin Trenbeth on the 2011 sea level bump and Australia's wettest 2 year period

Did you know that during 2011 sea level rise went into reverse and lost 5mm from the global oceans? No? How about that since then, much to the chagrin of climate deniers, sea level rise has accelerated from 3.18mm per year - the rate from 1993 to 2010 - to increase to 10mm per year over the last two years. This acceleration more than makes up for the pothole. The primary cause of this sea level 'speed bump' was the back to back La Nina which moved a phenomenal amount of water from the global oceans to the land. The water has since been making its way back into the world's oceans.

The question arises, does this explain the 10mm per year increase in sea level rise over the last 2 years? Is ocean thermal expansion or ice sheet melting perhaps contributing more? This may also be the start to an exponential sea level rise which NASA climatologist James Hansen has argued is a possibility. Rob Painting on Skeptical Science says that there is no evidence yet to suggest that ice loss from Greenland or Antarctica has added to the speed bump in any significant manner. We will have to wait and see what the impact of future El Nino or La Nina (ENSO) will be on sea level rise, and keep watching the rate of mass loss from the ice sheets.

The Stringer weekly newsletter - March 30

Welcome to The Stringer’s weekly newsletter

The Stringer went live February 20 - http://thestringer.com.au/
Some of our stories from the last week include:

Australia’s pathway to poverty – bridging visas

March 30, 2013
The Australian Government’s hard on refugees policy is creating an underclass of people – many condemned to an itinerant lifestyle and many condemned to living on the streets.

According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship since November 25, 2011, 12,765 people have been released from the detention centres and into community on bridging visas.

Australia’s pathway to poverty – bridging visas

Gerry Georgatos - courtesy of The Stringer - http://thestringer.com.au/australias-pathway-to-poverty-bridging-visas/#... Photo - courtesy of The UN, Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya
The Australian Government’s hard on refugees policy is creating an underclass of people – many condemned to an itinerant lifestyle and many condemned to living on the streets.

According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship since November 25, 2011, 12,765 people have been released from the detention centres and into community on bridging visas.

Promotion: 

WGAR News: Jagath Dheerasekara: Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud: burn magazine

Newsletter date: 31 March 2013

Contents:

* burn magazine: Jagath Dheerasekara: Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud
* Canberra opening of 'Manuwangku - Under the Nuclear Cloud': Sun 7 April 2013
* Background to the proposed Muckaty nuclear waste dump

* Helen Musa, Canberra CityNews: Exhibition honours true believer
* Canberra opening of 'I Do Have a Belief' - Kevin Gilbert (1933-1993) Art Retrospective: Sat 6 April 2013
* Sovereign Union: The Murrawarri Republic declaration
* NITV News: Aboriginal activists meet Black Power founders

WGAR News: Upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia - 47 events from 29 March 2013

Newsletter date: 29 March 2013

Click on the links for details of the events ...

Event: Thu 28 March to Sun 14 April 2013: Belconnen, Canberra, ACT
I Do Have a Belief:
Kevin Gilbert (1933-1993) Art Retrospective
Location: Belconnen Arts Centre
Producer: Gilbert Family
"I Do Have a Belief is an exhibition and events
celebrating the life of Kevin Gilbert and his contribution
to the local community, advancing human and political
rights and Aboriginal sovereignty at a national and
international level."
"The showcasing of his creative work includes

Long live the Maracana Village

On Friday the 22 of March, Brazilian riot police evicted dozens of indigenous squatters from an abandoned museum in the centre of Rio. For over a decade indigenous people from across the territory had occupied the large building and the surrounding area, renaming it the ‘Macanara Village’ as it sits besides the large Maracana football stadium.