By Gerry Georgatos - August 24th, 2013 - During Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s recent whirlwind election stop in the Top End he highlighted the average age of death of the Northern Territory’s Aboriginal peoples – 52 years. This is the nation’s worst.
August 25, 2013 As the US prepares for military action in Syria, the reactions of Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott are entirely in keeping with previous ALP and Coalition failures to put Australian military forces before their own party alliances with Washington.
Australia needs to send emergency medical aid to Syria immediately and assist an independent assessment of the situation. It must not rush towards sacrificing its young soldiers on behalf of an ambitious foreign power before the jury is in.
Gerry Georgatos - I stand alongside those who let nothing get in the way of what is right, what is in the common good. I stand alongside those who will let no injustice go unheard, untold. I stand alongside Private Chelsea Manning who has been sentenced up to 35 years in prison for serving humanity's interests. Manning's decision to report to humanity was out of concern for humanity.
Manning should be relieved of the cruel and unfair burden of her prison sentence with a presidential pardon, and she should be acknowledged as both a patriot and as a true citizen of the world.
Reflections on the Real Democracy Forum - Is Australia a Democracy? (or stop trying to ride your cat!) by J.R.Collins - member of Wednesday Action Group and Direct Democracy Not Parliamentary Rule
http://www.rulebythepeople.org/
Is Australia a Democracy? This was one of the questions raised at the Real Democracy forum held at Melb Town Hall a couple of weekends ago. Thanks to Real Democracy Australia http://realdemocracyaustralia.org/ for putting this event on.
In reflection here are a few thoughts I had since on the question of democracy:
Melbourne and Victoria Aboriginal rights events for your diary
Click on the links for details of the events ...
Event: Fri 23 August 2013: Brunswick, Melbourne, Vic
An Evening with Ray Jackson
"Ray Jackson, president of the Indigenous Social Justice Association, is
visiting from Sydney. Ray is a Wiradjuri man, Indigenous rights activist and
all round fighter for the oppressed. He will share his experiences at a
dinner hosted by the Freedom Socialist Party."
Event details: http://indymedia.org.au/an-evening-with-ray-jackson
Newsletter date: 16 August 2013
WGAR events postings for each State and Territory: http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-events-postings
Click on the links for details of the events ...
Event: 17-25 August 2013:
North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Kimberley, WA
The Lurujarri Dreaming Trail
Walk the Trail with us in 2013
As of 14 August 13:
"17-25 August: fully booked"
"Feel free to contact us if you would like to
get some more information or if you would like
to register your interest for the Lurujarri
Heritage Trail 2014."
Newsletter date: 14 August 2013
Contents:
* Culture Is Life: Promoting community led solutions to Indigenous youth suicide [Launch of new campaign]
* YouTube: Culture Is Life Campaign video
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Australia's Aboriginal children - The world's highest suicide rate
* Background to Suicide and Self-harm in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Communities
* The Wire: Indigenous children dominate out-of-home care [Featuring Frank Hytten, CEO of SNAICC and Rachel Siewert, Greens Senator]
Free magazine charting two years of global resistance to politicians and their political process
Download zine at: https://againstelections.wordpress.com/
This zine has been compiled by some anarchists from the colonised region known as Australia. This small project was initiated to contribute to a discussion on how anti-authoritarians should intervene in or disrupt the 2013 Federal Election.
We have included statements and communiques from a range of anti-authoritarian positions taken from counter information sites, from the insurrectionary to the platformist.
Newsletter date: 12 August 2013
Editorial Note:
'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media.
'WGAR News' gives priority to grassroots Aboriginal voices and grassroots voices in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples' rights.
'WGAR News' publishes information and opinions from a wide range of sources.
These opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of WGAR.
As such, 'WGAR News' does not endorse any particular political party, but simply includes information on political parties for the interest of readers.
Contents:
Newsletter date: 30 July 2013
WGAR events postings for each State and Territory: http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-events-postings
Click on the links for details of the events ...
Event: 31 May to 31 July 2013: North Sydney, NSW
Guringai Festival
"Founded in 2001, the Guringai Festival aims to raise awareness
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the
Northern Sydney region. The festival usually starts on Sorry
Day 26 May and goes through to the end of NAIDOC Week,
the second week in July each year."
