Darkness at Noon

I’m off to Perth and Margaret River to drink wine and sit on beaches for 10 days.

(In other words we’re on hold)

I’m very please to announce that ACDJ found out this morning that we are the reciepients of the Federal Government’s Volunteer Small Equipment Grant.

We won some money to buy a video camera for our volunteers to start producing “community media”.

If you’re interested in doing some VodCasts or even short documentaries around issues that relate to ACDJs work, please leave a comment here or email us at centre [at] democracyandjustice [dot] org.

A new weapon in the war against the rabble rousers.

Fark.

In one of my other lives I work for and sit on the board of Global Trade Watch.

We have produced a film about the impacts of “free” trade in the Asia Pacific region which is well worth a watch. So come on down to the launch – it will be a blast!

Details are as follows:

This September, The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum comes to Sydney, bring together the leaders of 21 Asia-Pacific nations to discuss a possible Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).

To help Australians understand what APEC is, and how its policies really affect people in the Asia-Pacific, Global Trade Watch has produced a new short film:

Squeezed: The Cost of Free Trade in the Asia-Pacific

Filmed in Thailand and The Philippines in July 2007, Squeezed tells the story of how globalisation and free trade agreements are changing the lives of millions of people living in the Asia-Pacific region.

Featuring interviews with farmers, workers and slum-dwellers, the film travels across the landscapes of Asia, from the lush rice paddies of Thailand to squatter settlements perched on a rubbish dump in urban Manila.

A short film of contrasts and contradictions, Squeezed is an emotional document of the impact of globalisation on people in the Asia-Pacific, and their responses to it.

Watch a teaser for Squeezed here: http://www.thescarab.org/ScarabStudio/APECteaser.wmv

** You’re invited to the launch of Squeezed:

1) In Melbourne:

Thursday August 30, 7pm
Kaleide Theatre (RMIT),
360 Swanston St, Melbourne.
$15/$12 Entry

2) In Sydney:

Monday September 3, 7pm
Mori Gallery
168 Day St, Sydney CBD
$15/$12 Entry

To reserve tickets to the Melbourne or Sydney screenings, please ring (03) 9015 7667 or email info@tradewatch.org.au

: : : : : www.squeezedthefilm.com : : : : :

Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth has some interesting comments on the International Standards Organsiation’s considering endorsing Microsoft’s OpenXML as a second document format standard – OpenOffice’s ODF being the first. I commented on Microsoft’s OpenXML format back in November 2005 and thought it was a cheap move then so I’m glad to see that America actually voted against the inclusion of Microsoft’s OpenXML format.

The other Intellectual Property development which is noteworthy is that DJ Vadim (a personal fav) has released certain album tracks with a creative commons license – nice work there Vadim.

The Australian Centre for Democracy and Justice would like to thank everyone that took part in our campaign against the Federal Government’s amendments to the Northern Territory Land Rights Act.

We had a great response, and while we didn’t stop the legislation being passed, our opposition has been heard with both the Greens and the Democrats lodging strong objections to the land grab that has set indigenous rights and reconciliation back a considerable way.

It’s heartening to see so many of you getting active in the political process, an act which deepens democracy in itself.

Thank you for your email about the Commonwealth intervention in the Northern Territory.

For those of us who believe in a compassionate, progressive society, there is no more fundamental obligation than ensuring the protection of the vulnerable. Every child has the right to live free of abuse, and to a positive, nurturing home environment.

In May this year, on the 40th anniversary of 1967 referendum, I committed

• to eliminate the 17 year gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous babies born today within a generation,
• to at least halve the rate of Indigenous infant mortality among babies and separately for children aged under five within a decade,
• to at least halve the difference in the rate of Indigenous students at years 3, 5 and 7 who fail to meet reading, writing and numeracy benchmarks within 10 years.

These long term goals were underpinned by a $261 million funding commitment to early childhood development, child and maternal health, parenting support and intensive literacy and numeracy education – a plan that is sustained and comprehensive.

Throughout the last six weeks, Federal Labor has articulated a simple test when assessing the Government’s intervention into the Northern Territory: whether it improves the safety and security of children.

While this legislation represents a major intervention in and challenge to the lives of many Territorians, Federal Labor believes, on balance, that it satisfies this test. That is why we have supported it.

Federal Labor moved amendments to retain the permit system on Northern Territory Aboriginal land in town areas and public roads because it helps to keep children safe and secure. Federal Labor also moved amendments to expand the categories of people who would not require a permit in the townships to Government agents such as doctors, and for journalists. The Northern Territory Police Association strongly supports the retention of the permit system because it adds another layer of protection against grog runners, drug dealers and paedophiles entering Aboriginal communities.

The importance of this intervention also requires community confidence in Parliament’s belief these are in fact special measures to benefit Aboriginal people. We believe that a blanket exemption from part II of the Racial Discrimination Act is unhelpful and unnecessary. Federal Labor moved amendments to remove this blanket exemption.

The Anderson/Wild report Little Children are Sacred noted that severe overcrowding in Indigenous homes – up to 20 people per home in many places – directly contributes to child abuse and recommended a “critical mass construction [of homes].”

The scale of the Indigenous housing shortage cannot be overstated.

The Government proposes a five year lease over the Aboriginal townships to facilitate immediate investment in additional housing and maintenance.

Underlying title in the land will remain in Aboriginal hands – land rights are preserved. The proposed lease is limited to five years,
unless terminated sooner. Rent will be paid and just terms compensation can be independently determined by a court.

Importantly, any major works or commercial development that will outlive the five year lease will have to have the consent of the relevant land council before being progressed. There is an ongoing opportunity for commercial and economic development by Traditional Owners while the five year lease is in place through the normal leasing arrangements.

The legislation also gives the Commonwealth significant new powers in relation to the town camp leases. Federal Labor believes that effective partnerships with lessors and negotiated outcomes should obviate the need for compulsory acquisition.

Federal Labor is determined to improve housing and infrastructure. We also want to see more economic development in these townships. That is why we have moved an amendment to require a review to assess, after 12 months, progress in establishing infrastructure, housing and economic development in both the townships and the town camps. If the situation has stalled or become mired in legal dispute and is not delivering outcomes, a Federal Labor Government will act to fix it.

Federal Labor also supports the changes in this legislation that cover

• the tough restrictions on alcohol with large fines and strict penalties;
• the ban on pornography and;
• welfare payments being spent for the benefit of children and to make sure children go to school.

In relation to Northern Territory specific welfare measures, Federal Labor moved an amendment to review the operation of income management at the end of the first period of 12 months.

Federal Labor has committed to pay for teachers for the 2,000 Indigenous children currently not enrolled to go to school in the Territory and will work with the Northern Territory Government to ensure there are enough classrooms, teacher housing and teacher’s assistance.

Federal Labor has also committed $200 million for an extra 500 Federal Police officers over the next five years. This will enable the AFP to better handle a wide range of tasks across the nation including child sexual abuse matters in the Indigenous communities. Federal Labor will also implement an Indigenous Australia AFP Recruitment Strategy, to increase employment and broaden the force’s expertise, particularly in local languages.

Federal Labor’s approach is to move forward in a reciprocal partnership with Indigenous Australians. We will earn their trust by showing our real commitment to delivering a more sustainable future for Indigenous children, and the communities they live in.

My speech in Parliament on the legislation can be viewed here.

The speech by Jenny Macklin, Labor’s spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation can be viewed here.

Thank you again for your valuable contribution.

Kind regards,

Kevin Rudd
Federal Labor Leader
Member for Griffith

Update: Just got a reply from Macklin, it is the same response as above, word for word.

It’s not surprising but deeply upsetting that the federal government’s land grab will go ahead un amended:

The controversial Commonwealth intervention to stop child abuse in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory has been given the go-ahead after a lightning-quick review by a parliamentary committee.

Perhaps what is most upsetting about this is that the ALP, a party that has always been at the fore of championing indigenous rights in Australia has completely given in.

However, I would like to say that I’ve been impressed by Andrew Bartlett and Rachel Siewert.

The Democrats and Greens filed dissenting reports, with Democrat senator Andrew Bartlett urging more time to consider. If the Senate insisted on debating and voting on the legislation now, he said, provisions for the takeover of indigenous land and the scrapping of permits should be deleted because there was no proof they would help stop child abuse.

There’s an article on Mandawuy Yunupingu on the front page of the Age today. I met him, even jammed with him, a few years back which was great fun. He’s the uncle of one of the Centre’s directors. And it was of course, some of his family from the Rirratjingu Clan, Yirrkala in north eastern Arnhem Land who asked the Centre to help out with some campaigning.

If you haven’t done so yet, please send a letter to our pollies from the Centre’s home page (http://darknessatnoon.com) please do so as the legislation will be past very soon.

The famous 1963 bark petition from the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land marks the first Aboriginal land claim and hangs in the national Parliament. Elder brother Galarrwuy, a senior elder of north-east Arnhem Land, was Australian of the Year in 1978 and remains a force in Australian politics.

I was going to comment on this but it would seem Kim has done a much better job than me over at LawFront.

Once again a complete lack of understanding of ICT technologies is being shown and is deeply frustrating. Surely the government can hire an advisor that has some idea about what is going on.

ISP-side net censorship virtually useless. However I wonder if there are other agendas here. ISP have been playing the “we don’t monitor that sort of thing” card for some time now with regards to copyright infringements. By doing so, they remove any responsibility and don’t waste their time monitoring the activities of their uses. This has the additional benefit of adding to net neutrality.

Moreover, why can’t the government look at other solutions for their Christian constituents that are so concerned about what their kids might be getting up to on the internet. Why can’t they build free open source software to be distributed to all those that want it for free?

Update: The Electronic Fronteers Foundation weren’t too keen on the censorship idea either.