Music To Open Your Mind 2010 – raising mental health awareness in Western Australia

From my friend and colleague;

Lyn Mahboub

Caelan Consulting

Independent Consultant & Trainer

*Consultancy *Recovery Support *Training *Supervision

On the afternoon of Sunday 21 March 2010, the South Metropolitan Area Health Service, Mental Health, and the South Metropolitan Mental Health Advisory Group (SuMMAt) will host

the 4th annual “Music to Open Your Mind” in Fremantle, a fun filled family day to promote mental health awareness.

The event will have live music, market stalls, free show bags, delicious food, children’s activities and information on mental health.

Music to Open Your Mind 2010 will be officially opened by the WA Minister for Mental Health, the Hon Dr Graham Jacobs MLA.

There will be an array of information

Contact person

Angela Piscitelli Psychologist

Senior Planning and Projects Officer

Music to Open Your Mind – raising mental health awareness – 21 March 2010

www.southmetropolitan.health.wa.gov.au/music

***********************************************************************************************************

South Metropolitan Area Health Service, Mental Health (SMAHS, MH)

Area Office, 18 Dalgety Street, East Fremantle

PO Box 480, Fremantle WA 6959

ph 9319 7220 / fax 9319 7222 / mobile 0404 890 296

***********************************************************************************************************

Our mission is to inspire excellence in mental health care.

We value integrity, commitment and respect.

[ tags mental health, music, western australia, fremantle, advocacy, ]

MTOYM poster 2010.pdf

CEMEX BURRUP ROCK ART FINE PATHETIC, CRIMINAL: GREENS

CEMEX BURRUP ROCK ART FINE PATHETIC, CRIMINAL: GREENS

The decision to fine cement company Cemex $280,000 over its destruction of ancient Indigenous rock art on the Burrup Peninsula is a pathetic one, say the Greens.

Greens MLC Robin Chapple said his reaction to the destruction, which occurred when blasting and bulldozing at Nickol Bay Quarry extended into a recognised heritage zone, went “beyond outrage” and said the maximum penalties should have been applied.

“Cemex’s negligence and obvious disregard for cultural heritage has resulted in the obliteration of ten thousand year-old art that is of incalculable significance to the traditional owners of the Burrup and to humanity at large,” Mr. Chapple said.

“Not only did Cemex allow this desecration to occur, it actively tried to deny its occurrence.”

“It is incredible that the maximum penalties were not imposed in this case – the value of the art was beyond calculation, but it is certainly worth more than the pathetic fine imposed today.”

“The directors of Cemex should have been facing the maximum $5 million penalty and possible jail time, as allowed under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act”

Mr Chapple said he was concerned that “the fine issued to Cemex is worse than insignificant; it is virtually an incitement for contractors to ignore heritage protection zones in the future.”

Mr. Chapple also said the attitude of both the federal and State governments towards heritage protection in the Burrup and elsewhere, was partly to blame for the initial desecration of the rock art.

“Both State and Commonwealth agencies were initially very lax in prosecuting this matter. I think this reflects a wider attitude in government that development always nixes cultural heritage.”

“The rock art on the Burrup is older than the Pyramids and is another Uluru in terms of cultural significance. In fact the entire peninsula meets the official criteria for World Heritage listing. We have just seen very clearly that neither governments nor a major regional contractor give a damn about one of the most precious heritage areas on the planet,” Mr Chapple said.

“These people would bulldoze the Pyramids if it turned a dollar, and Mr. Garrett would – reluctantly – fine them small change for their troubles.”

All the best

Robin Chapple MLC

Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region

PO Box 94, West Perth WA 6872

41 Havelock Street, West Perth. WA 6005

Phone: (08) 9486 8255 | Email: Robin.Chapple | Freecall: 1800 138 610

2010-02-09 Media Release – Cemex Burrup Fine.pdf

Sea Shepherd crews frustrate Japan, whaling practices to changeABC News: Japan may scale back Antarctic whaling

Japan may scale back Antarctic whaling
Japanese media is reporting that the country’s fisheries minister is considering scaling back its so-called research whaling in the Antarctic.In exchange the Japanese want a resumption of commercial whaling in their own waters.Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper is reporting that fisheries minister H…

To read the full story on your mobile please use this link
http://m.abc.net.au/browse?page=11144&articleid=2814348&cat=Justin

To read the full story on a PC or Mac please use this link
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/09/2814348.htm

Uranium contamination from Kakadu mine 5,400 times background levels – water contaminated

Uranium contamination from Kakadu mine 5400 times background

Environmental regulators for the office of the Supervising Scientist admitted to a Senate Estimates committee today that water with uranium concentrations

5400 times background and a cocktail of other radionuclides are seeping from beneath the tailings dam at the Ranger Uranium Mine in Kakadu National Park.

The Office of the Supervising Scientist acknowledged to Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam that the contamination was occurring, and said that the estimated amount of 100,000 litres per day was based on modelling and not measurement.

"The biggest surprise is that despite knowing about this leakage for years, the regulators don’t know how much is seeping, where it is going, or how highly contaminated it is. The regulator suggested that directly sampling this contaminated water would be ‘impractical.’ I suggest that it is now essential."

"The regulator also admitted it would be impossible to completely rehabilitate the site, suggesting instead it would be cleaned up to some undefined ‘reasonable’ standard.

"The mining company ERA booked a 2009 profit in excess of $270 million dollars, and yet the regulator won’t compel them to undertake any water quality sampling under the tailings dam. That has to change."

"Any moves by ERA to build another tailings dam of this kind in Kakadu must be stopped until the nature and magnitude of the existing leakage is known," Senator Ludlam said.

Media Contact: Fernando de Freitas 0417 174 302

Note: Uranium is only one of a number of radioactive elements present in the tailings dam – a more complete list is shown below.

Symbol Element Radiation Half-Life Decay Product

U-238 Uranium-238 alpha 4,460,000,000 years Th-234

Th-234 Thorium-234 beta 24.1 days Pa-234

Pa-234 Protactinium-234 beta 1.17 minutes U-234

U-234 Uranium-234 alpha 247,000 years Th-230

Th-230 Thorium-230 alpha 80,000 years Ra-226

Ra-226 Radium-226 alpha 1,602 years Rn-222

Rn-222 Radon-222 alpha 3.82 days Po-218

Po-218 Polonium-218 alpha 3.05 minutes Pb-214

Pb-214 Lead-214 beta 27 minutes Bi-214

Bi-214 Bismuth-214 beta 19.7 minutes Po-214

Po-214 Polonium-214 alpha 1 microsecond Pb-210

Pb-210 Lead-210 beta 22.3 years Bi-210

Bi-210 Bismuth-210 beta 5.01 days Po-210

Po-210 Polonium-210 alpha 138.4 days Pb-206

Pb-206 Lead-206 none stable (none)

Based on process water uranium concentrations of 27,000 parts per billion compared to 3-5 parts per billion in Coonjimba Billabong

Fernando de Freitas
Media Advisor

Office of Scott Ludlam & Rachel Siewert

Australian Greens Senators for Western Australia

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au

Japanese Whaling Ships intercepted by Seashepherd vessel, Captain Paul Watson calls for action by Australia and New Zealand

The Steve Irwin and Bob Barker have succeeded again in stopping illegal Japanese whaling in Australian waters off Antarctica.

Please click the pic to visit & support Sea Shepherd work to protect whales

Steve Irwin’s skipper Paul Watson spoke with Tony Serve at 2300 w.s.t Feb 8

2 More here on the shameful Japanese prosecution of activists who revealed a blackmarket in whale meat, showing flesh from the Nisshin Maru to media in Tokyo last year – the United Nations  has now condemned the arrests

follow 6PR on twitter – Perth talkback radio

3 Earlier audio from the Steve Irwin broadcast on 6PR and online here

4 Greens call for an end to Japanese spy planes flying out of Perth to help whalers

GUILTY! United Nations: Japanese Authori

GUILTY! United Nations: Japanese Authorities Breached Human Rights of Greenpeace Anti – #Whaling Activists http://ow.ly/14Yax

#Australia to focus immigration policy o

#Australia to focus immigration policy on skills http://ow.ly/14WKX – BBC News #mining #resources #immigration

‘They drove her to the edge and pushed

‘They drove her to the edge and pushed’ – ABC News #suicide #mentalhealth #bullying # australia http://ow.ly/14WJJ

#Australia Consumers fed up with mislead

#Australia Consumers fed up with misleading food labels – ABC News http://ow.ly/14WIF

#Indigenous ‘fear’ northern food bowl

#Indigenous ‘fear’ northern food bowl – ABC News http://ow.ly/14WHI > also Alison Xamon Greens (WA) http://ow.ly/14Wl8 #water #environment

Do you want the Australian Govt to stop

Do you want the Australian Govt to stop Japanese #whaling in the Southern Ocean http://ow.ly/14WpO

Australia’s water supply will not come from the north, no pipeline or canal for W.A.: Alison Xamon Greens (WA) – NALWT report forces attention onto sustainable water planning

New report forces attention back to sustainable

water planning for Western Australia.

Alison Xamon MLC for East Metropolitan ( Greens WA )

Visit Alison Xamon.org.au for contacts and more

The Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce report ‘Sustainable Development of Northern Australia’ has at long last buried the calls for water megaprojects in the north of Western Australia as the solution to Western Australia’s water woes, Greens MLC Alison Xamon and spokesperson for Water said today. The focus for the future of water in WA must now move back to economic and environmental sustainability.

The NALWT was established by the Federal Government to examine environmental, social and economic opportunities in Northern Australia. It establishes a far reaching sustainable vision for the future of these precious landscapes in line with the principles of sustainable water accounting as espoused by the National Water Initiative.

“Colin’s Canal and Ernie Bridge’s pipe are last century thinking that have been finally laid to rest,” Ms Xamon said.

“Water resources in the north of the State are not unlimited and neither are they wasted. Free-flowing rivers provide immense opportunities for indigenous management of landscapes, tourism and a careful consideration of pastoral expansion.”

“The myth about a potential South Asian food bowl in the north of the State has also been exposed.”

The report urges a complete re-examination of agricultural production practices to focus on landscape resilience and carbon sequestration in native intact woodlands. Close management of water availability, water use and a precautionary approach to development, with much more water resource investigation is needed to generate data.

“Water use efficiency must be the intense focus for Western Australia from this moment forth. There is no big bucket of water that we can just hope will appear. In the face of climate change and after the hottest summer on record WA must become much smarter in using the limited water we have and focus on real solutions to our water shortages instead of pipedreams.”

“The time has come for the government of Western Australia to stop miming words about how special the Kimberley is, to stop regarding the Kimberley as one immense quarry and start providing sustainable and respectful economic and environmental opportunities for all communities in the north of the State.”

Farmers, cattlemen, indigenous, and environment groups have all supported the recommendations of the taskforce.

2010-02-08 – Northern Australian reports forces attention on sustainable water planning.docx

Greens Challenge Government over plans for Northern Australia

Greens Challenge Government over Northern Australia

The Australian Greens have challenged the Government to commit to implementing the vision outlined in the Sustainable development in northern Australia report released today.

The Australian Greens congratulate the Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce on their Sustainable Development in Northern Australia report, saying it provides a vision for sustainable development of northern Australia based on mutual respect, respect for indigenous peoples of the north and the environment.

“This report clearly demonstrates that there are significant constraints to development of Northern Australia,” said Greens Water Spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert.

“It clearly isn’t the magic food bowl claimed by some, and water and land aren’t unlimited. It’s also clear that we need a lot more information before we even think of the sort of extensive development we’ve heard proposed over the years.

“It’s time the ‘develop the north brigade’ took note of reality and understood the constraints and possibilities in Australia’s north. Hopefully the report will put paid to the belief there is unlimited water in the north – there simply isn’t.

“We have a chance to get ‘development’ of the north right, especially by learning from the lessons of southern Australia, which has seen massive loss of biodiversity and land degradation, overuse of water resources and dispossession of Aboriginal people.

“The Taskforce points the way for a sustainable future for the north of Australia – one that must include Aboriginal people at the heart of it.

“It sets the Government a clear agenda and we call on the Commonwealth to honour the huge amount of work undertaken by this Taskforce,” Senator Siewert concluded.

Fernando de Freitas

Media Advisor

Office of Scott Ludlam & Rachel Siewert

Australian Greens Senators for Western Australia

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467 |

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au

My 1st weekend off in 3 months =) Family

My 1st weekend off in 3 months =) Family time.Back on deck monday, will update news from #seashepherd -Those japanese need steering lessons!

RT @G_Parker: RT @brettmccarthy: Cost of

RT @G_Parker: RT @brettmccarthy: Cost of road accidents to the community is staggering. See story in The West tomorrow. >on par w/suicide

RT @thewest_com_au: West Australian Gove

RT @thewest_com_au: West Australian Government announces formation of a #mentalhealth commission to oversee the sector http://bit.ly/bh075q

Brain Functions That Improve with Age –

Brain Functions That Improve with Age – The Conversation – Harvard Business Review http://ow.ly/13FNw

RT @ozpolicyonline: This Melbourne-based

RT @ozpolicyonline: This Melbourne-based blog is concerned with promoting a global appraisal of #Indigenous issues http://bit.ly/b0Ki3h

RT @crikey_news: Today on Crikey: @Berna

RT @crikey_news: Today on Crikey: @BernardKeane asks: How many jobs will Barnaby’s buffoonery cost Australia? http://bit.ly/bodnTu

Australian Humanitarian group turns 10! : SurfAid International Celebrates 10 Years of Humanitarian Work – gnarly achievement!

SurfAid International Celebrates 10 Years of Humanitarian Work Press release Wednesday 3 February 2010 Children in the village of Betumonga, in the Mentawai Islands. Photo: Kirk Willcox Click here for hi-res version Humanitarian organisation SurfAid International is proud to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year after starting with a small malaria program in one village in the Mentawai Islands, off Indonesia’s Sumatran coast, in 2000. “By living in a pilot village in the remote Mentawai Islands we soon learnt that by using drama and song we could facilitate behaviour change among the community. Within nine months we had more than 90 per cent of the village sleeping under mosquito nets,” SurfAid founder Dr Dave Jenkins said. Over the past 10 years, SurfAid has worked in more than 300 villages in the Mentawai and Nias island chain and also more recently in Padang, the regional capital of West Sumatra, after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck the city last September. The scope of SurfAid’s work has increased from malaria prevention to now include water and sanitation, disaster preparedness, and community health programs. In 2007, SurfAid was awarded the World Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (WANGO) Humanitarian Award, after being chosen from more than 49,000 not-for-profits worldwide. “SurfAid has always been about creating lasting change, not patch-ups which don’t work for long,” Dr Dave said. “Although we did not appreciate it at the time, one of the best things that happened at the beginning was our complete lack of money other than what we had ourselves and through endless volunteer days and small donations from our friends and families. “This made us study what could be the best return to our donors and clearly the science was telling us to look at some of the basic behaviours that we take for granted – breastfeeding correctly, washing hands, feeding your child some fruit and vegetables, and sleeping under a mosquito net makes a huge difference.” SurfAid’s research shows that nearly one in 10 Mentawai children do not make it to the age of five. In industrialized countries, on average, there are six deaths for every 1,000 live births. It was seeing the tiny graves in the village of Katiet while on a surf trip back in October 1999 that set Dr Dave on his mission to establish SurfAid. “We were anchored off a village and I went in to have a look around. When the chief found out I was a doctor he asked me to come back and see some people. I returned with a small medical kit and 200 people were waiting. “We had quite an emotional afternoon coming to terms with the state of health there, seeing desperate children who were sick. They had worms, were anaemic, and had pot bellies from malnutrition. One woman with pneumonia was brought to me in a wheelbarrow. She died later that night. Whole families were wasting away with pneumonia.” SurfAid’s malaria program has reached more than 300 villages. Photo: Bob Barker Click here for hi-res version Today Dr Dave is proud that SurfAid: Has distributed nearly 60,000 specially treated mosquito nets and malaria education to more than 300 villages in some of the remotest areas in the world stretching along hundreds of kilometres of rough seas from northern Simeulue to the southern Mentawai Has expanded from the initial malaria program to encompass hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, clean water projects, pregnancy and birthing, and immunization Is always looking to engage communities to help themselves and build local capacity Has responded to four large emergencies, including the Asian Tsunami, despite never being established as an emergency response organisation Has helped communities extensively prepare for emergencies Has defined a uniquely positive example of responsible tourism and cross cultural partnership Is encouraging global citizenship through our schools program which is now in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. http://schools.surfaidinternational.org Dr Dave said: “We have had incredible support from a range of individuals, the surfing industry, government aid organizations and the United Nations and we thank everyone for their support and goodwill. They have all demanded a very high degree of professionalism, commitment and transparency and we are all the better for it. “When it comes to helping more kids not only survive but thrive and reach their potential we are unashamedly ambitious and we are now ready to take our work to more villages and new areas where there is great need,” he said. “With your help we can wipe out millions of days of extreme childhood suffering permanently. I think contributing to that mission has to be the coolest thing anyone can do.” You can read more about SurfAid’s programs, participate in upcoming events, and donate at www.surfaidinternational.org For further information, please contact: Kirk Willcox SurfAid International Communications Director W: + 61 2 9965 7325 M: + 61 407 063 829 E: kirk

Stolen Generation and Forgotten Australian and former child migrants: Greens compensation Inquiry Supported by Senate

Greens compensation Inquiry Supported by Senate

The Australian Greens today moved to establish a Senate Inquiry to improve the system of compensating Australians harmed by past government policies.

“There is currently a great level of inconsistency and inequality when it comes to providing compensation and reparations in Australia,” Greens community services spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“The Greens are concerned about the large variations across the nation, and want to ensure appropriate, consistent and just recompense for those harmed by past policies, such as members of the Stolen Generation and Forgotten Australian and former child migrants.

“We hope this committee inquiry will lead to a better and fairer process for all Australians subjected to harm – be it from direct government policies, legislation or unlawful actions.

“The failure of Australian Governments to properly compensate those scarred and disadvantaged by the practices of past governments remains a stain on the soul of our nation.

“I’m very pleased that this motion was supported by the Senate and look forward to the Inquiry getting underway,” Senator Siewert concluded.

Fernando de Freitas
Media Advisor

Office of Scott Ludlam & Rachel Siewert

Australian Greens Senators for Western Australia

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467 |

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au

Greens call for end to Aussie spy planes aiding Japanese whaling

Click the pic to visit and support the Sea Shepherd team

Greens call for end to Aussie spy planes aiding Japanese whaling

(click here for radio interview with 2nd officer of the Steve Irwin as she sailed south of australia on sunday )

The Australian Greens today introduced a private Senators Bill to ban any form of Australian assistance to Japanese whaling, such as the use of spy planes.

“My Bill creates a new offence making it unlawful to provide services, support or resources to an organisation engaged in whaling so the Australian government and local companies can no longer assist Japan’s brutal whaling regime,” said Australian Greens whaling spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert.

“Many Australians were appalled when it was revealed that Australian air services were used by a company with connections to the whalers to assist in this summer’s slaughter.

“The assistance provided to the whalers was to track the main protest vessel of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society so that a ship from the whaling fleet could hinder the Sea Shepherd’s pursuit of the main fleet.

“Without the Sea Shepherd on its tail, the main whaling fleet could undertake its mission of killing whales more easily.

“In response to the information that the Japanese whaling fleet had hired Australian planes from Hobart and Albany to track the Sea Shepherd ships’ movements, Senator Bob Brown committed the Greens to act to ensure no such assistance could be provided in the future.

“Over 3500 people have signed an on-line petition supporting our position and we urge the Government to listen to the depth of public feeling and support the Bill.

“We want to go beyond the empty anti-whaling rhetoric of this federal government and ensure we don’t actually assist the illegal slaughter of whales in Australian waters,” Senator Siewert concluded.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Prohibition of Support for Whaling) Bill 2010 (the Bill) amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to create a new offence related to providing assistance for whaling.

Fernando de Freitas
Media Advisor

Australian Greens

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au

More info soon on Perth visit by Ruben HURRICANE Carter for justicewa.com M/while enjoy sm cool Jail Blues here http://ping.fm/28ac7

Testing ping.fm on iPhone.

Testing ping.fm on iPhone.

Australia, social justice – video, audio, research, jobs from APO Weekly Briefing – 03 February 2010

New commentary

The launch, crash and recovery of My School

01 February, 2010 | When you get into the business of comparing schools, there can be little margin for error – too much is at stake, writes Chris Bonnor in On Line Opinion

Labours in the ministry of truth

01 February, 2010 | Can Labor change a culture of secrecy, asks Mike Steketee in The Australian

Welfare quarantining: reversing the burden of truth

02 February, 2010 | The federal government’s new quarantining rules won’t solve the problem they’re designed to address, argues Kemran Mestan

New research

Creative Economy

Review of the mobile phone jammer prohibition

Australian Communications and Media Authority
29 January, 2010 | In this discussion paper ACMA reviews the regulation of mobile phone jammers and provides background on a proposal to trial mobile phone jammers in a correctional facility.

Assessing the benefits of digital inclusion

Infoxchange Digital Inclusion Inititative
01 February, 2010 | Constrained by cost or a lack of knowledge – and often both – a significant number of disadvantaged people are missing out on the basic tools that engender participation in modern life.

Economics

Tax expenditures statement 2009

Treasury
01 February, 2010 | This statement provides details of concessions, benefits, incentives and charges provided through the tax system to taxpayers by the Australian government.

Estimating the wage elasticity of labour supply to a firm: is there monopsony down-under?

Alison Booth, Pamela Katic | Centre for Economic Policy Research
01 February, 2010 | This paper estimates the elasticity of the labour supply to a firm, using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey.

Education

Approaches to research priorities for policy: A comparative study

National Cente for Vocational Education Research
01 February, 2010 | This paper uses two contrasting case studies of Scotland and Australia to consider the extent to which it is feasible to align academic research investment with policy priorities.

Work-life issues and participation in education and training

Natalie Skinner | National Cente for Vocational Education Research
01 February, 2010 | Using data from the 2009 Australian Work and Life Index, this report examines how work-life pressures influence the capacity and motivation of individuals, particularly low-paid workers, to engage in education and training.

Environment & Planning

Behaviour and intentions of households in high bushfire risk areas

Country Fire Authority
01 February, 2010 | This CFA commissioned research provides insight into the perceptions and intentions of households within bushfire prone areas over the current fire season.

Australian climate change science – a national framework

Department of Climate Change
28 January, 2010 | This national framework identifies national climate change science priorities for the coming decade and sets out ways to harness our full science capacity to address them.

Climate change update 2009

Adam Delacorn, Greg Gardiner | Parliamentary Library Research Service, Parliament of Victoria
02 February, 2010 | This paper provides an overview of recent research conducted by climate scientists world-wide.

Health

Paving pathways: shaping the public health workforce through tertiary education

Catherine M. Bennett | Australia and New Zealand Health Policy
28 January, 2010 | This paper highlights some of the competing tensions in public health tertiary education, their impact on public health training programs, and the educational pathways that are needed to grow, shape and prepare the public health workforce for future challenges.

Representations and coverage of non-English-speaking immigrants and multicultural issues in three major Australian health care publications

Pamela W. Garrett | Australia and New Zealand Health Policy
28 January, 2010 | This paper examines the limited coverage and representation of multicultural populations in Australian medical research studies and the implications for evidence-based health and human services policy.

Active transport: children and young people (an overview of recent evidence)

Jan Garrard | VicHealth
01 February, 2010 | In recent decades, changes in Australian lifestyles, urban environments and transportation systems have led to changed physical activity patterns among children. This report looks at trends and potential interventions.

Intergenerational report 2010

Treasury
01 February, 2010 | In addition to assessing the fiscal and economic challenges of an ageing population, this report also includes a comprehensive discussion on environmental challenges and social sustainability.

Windows into safety and quality in health care 2009

David Ben-Tovim | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
28 January, 2010 | This report examines progress made in the areas identified as national safety and quality issues in hospitals and other health services in Australia.

Indigenous

From good intentions into action that works

Reconciliation Australia
29 January, 2010 | This paper provides a framework to enable discussions on measuring the contribution of reconciliation actions in closing the gap.

State owned and managed Indigenous housing 2008-09

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
28 January, 2010 | Over 11,500 households were living in state owned and managed Indigenous housing at 30 June 2009, occupying 95% of all SOMIH dwellings.

The promise of comprehensive native title settlements: The Burrup, MG-Ord and Wimmera agreements

Krysti Guest | Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
01 February, 2010 | Based on firsthand accounts of the role of comprehensive settlements in progressing Indigenous and government aspirations for native title, this paper also identifies possible benchmarks for such settlements.

An overview of statutory and administrative datasets: describing the health of Victoria’s Aboriginal infants, children and young people

Jane Freemantle, Sonya Sheridan, Bree Heffernan | Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit,
01 February, 2010 | This report, the first from the Victorian Aboriginal Child Mortality Study 1988-2008, investigates population-based administrative and statutory datasets that collect information describing the health of Victoria’s Aboriginal (and non-Aboriginal) infants, children and young people.

International

Time for a fresh approach: Australia and Fiji relations post-abrogation

Richard Herr | Australian Strategic Policy Institute
28 January, 2010 | This report argues that it is time for the Australian Government to prepare the grounds for a more effective re-engagement with the Government of Fiji.

Capturing the year 2009. Writing from the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
28 January, 2010 | This anual selection of writing from ANU scholars ranges from archaeology, linguistics and history to economics, political science and security policy.

Justice

Evaluation of the 2006 family law reforms

Ruth Weston, Matthew Gray, Rae Kaspiew | Australian Institute of Family Studies
28 January, 2010 | This evaluation has involved the collection of data from some 28,000 people involved or potentially involved in the family law system including parents, grandparents, family relationship service staff, lawyers, judicial officers and more.

Politics

Report on government services 2010

Productivity Commission
01 February, 2010 | Governments spent over $136 billion on the services covered in this year’s report, equivalent to around 13 per cent of Australia’s national income.

Behind the moral curtain: the politics of a charter of rights

Elise Parham | Centre for Independent Studies
28 January, 2010 | This report argues that the impact of a charter of rights would be determined by the political game and would hinder, not improve, Australian democracy.

Social Policy

Family Courts violence review

Richard Chisholm | Attorney General’s Department
01 February, 2010 | This report focuses on the laws, practices and procedures that apply in family law cases that raise family violence concerns.

The impact of racism upon the health and wellbeing of young Australians 2009

Fethi Mansouri | Foundation for Young Australians
01 February, 2010 | This report explores the attitudes of Australian youth in relation to key issues in contemporary race relations, such as cultural diversity, tolerance and privilege.

The Myer Foundation 2020: A vision for aged care in Australia

Astrid Reynolds | Brotherhood of St Laurence
28 January, 2010 | This Brotherhood research commissioned by the Myer Foundation tracks the influence on government policy of the foundation’s decade of investment in developing a vision for aged care, and assessed its impact on practice.

The Brotherhood’s social barometer: living the second fifty years

Bonnie Simons, Helen Kimberley | Brotherhood of St Laurence
28 January, 2010 | Using national data, this fourth social barometer concentrates on the different experiences of retirement and ageing and the distinctive policy responses required for this phase of life.

Child care and early education in Australia

Linda Harrison | Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
01 February, 2010 | This report draws on data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, which tracked almost 10,000 children and their families over two years from 2004, to find out detailed information about their lives and experiences.

Mapping social cohesion 2009: the Scanlon Foundation surveys

Andrew Markus | Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements
01 February, 2010 | This report, the second round of a major longitudinal survey on social cohesion in Australia, provides insights into community attitudes to immigration, multiculturalism and social cohesion, based on findings from national and local surveys.

New jobs

Manager, Policy and Evaluation

The Foundation for Young Australians 01 February, 2010 | MANAGER, POLICY & EVALUATION

Policy Officer

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) 01 February, 2010 | This position supports SNAICC’s policy and advocacy activities by enhancing the research and policy development capacity of SNAICC.

Research Fellow – Not for Profit Project

The University of Melbourne 29 January, 2010 | The ‘Not for Profit’ project is funded over 3 years by the Australian Research Council to comprehensively investigate the legal definition, regulation and taxation of the not-for-profit sector in Australia in close consultation with the sector.

Manager, Policy and Research

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) 01 February, 2010 | SNAICC Manager, Policy & Research is a position first established in 2005 by SNAICC to increase the organisation’s capacity to identify, understand and respond to issues impacting upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Originally titled ‘Policy Manager’, this position is now being broadened to acknowledge the Research component that already underpins policy development and to emphasise the importance to SNAICC of developing a greater research base upon which to build policy.

New submissions

2010 International Unity in Diversity Conference

01 March, 2010 | The third annual International Unity in Diversity Conference will be held on the 19th – 20th August 2010 at Rydges Southbank Townsville Hotel & Convention Centre, North Queensland and will be held in association with the 16th annual Cultural Fest in Townsville Over the years, the IUID Conference has proven to be the perfect community forum in the area of Diversity, Culture and Social Cohesion that has attracted a diverse audience, high profile speakers both locally and internationally, creating debate, discussion and ample networking opportunities

ACMA seeks views on the regulation of mobile phone jammers

30 April, 2010 | The Australian Communications and Media Authority is well advanced in its review of the regulation of mobile phone jammers in Australia As part of that review, the ACMA is also seeking views on a proposal to trial mobile phone jammers at the Lithgow Correctional Centre in NSW

$7 million in e-learning funding and support for RTOs

21 April, 2010 | Australian registered training organisations (RTOs), business and industry can apply for more than $7 million in funding and support to help embed e-learning as a key aspect of their business strategy and tailor their training to meet learners’ needs The national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), is providing vocational education and training (VET) organisations with the opportunity to:

Implement innovative e-learning solutions for business and learners through E-learning Innovations funding and support available in each state and territory ($5

New events

Australian Workplace Conference

LOCATION:	Citigate Central Sydney, 169 – 179 Thomas St. Haymarket
ORGANISED BY:	Workplace Research Centre

31 March, 2010 | The theme of this years conference is “Leading your organisation effectively in 2010”.

Primary health care research and health reform: Improving care

LOCATION:
ORGANISED BY:	PHCRIS

30 June, 2010 | Join us in Darwin for the 2010 PHC Research Conference – Primary health care research and health reform: Improving care, and participate in one of the premier primary health care networking events.

New guide

Involving students in peer review: Case studies and practical strategies for university teaching

28 January, 2010 | This guide has been developed as a resource for teaching staff and course/subject coordinators who are considering integrating student peer review in their subjects.

New notices

Quarterly ACCESS – youth publication of the Australian Institute of International Affairs – relaunched.

30 January, 2010 | ACCESS Victoria, the youth network of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, has relaunched its publication, Quarterly Access (QA). A key aim of QA is to provide an opportunity for undergraduates, postgraduates and young professionals interested in international affairs to get their ideas published.Hard copies are being distributed to university libraries and other student hotspots around Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. QA is also available online at http://quarterlyaccess.typepad.com/

New websites

My school

29 January, 2010 | My School enables you to search the profiles of almost 10,000 Australian schools.

Greens win on terror review transparency

Greens win support on terror review transparency

The Australian Greens have welcomed Coalition support for amendments to strengthen the reporting obligations and functions of the National Security Legislation Monitor.

This morning the Senate passed legislation establishing the office to undertake the long overdue task of reviewing the complex and draconian array of anti-terrorism laws.

"The Government had proposed that the only reporting obligations of this office should be through sanitised annual reports edited by the Prime Minister’s department. The Australian Greens strongly disagreed, and succeeded in passing amendments to provide for direct annual reporting to Parliament, as well as for the publication of reports on specific investigations," said Greens Senator Scott Ludlam.

"The Senate has agreed that the public has a right to know whether or not the terror laws are necessary, proportional and effective. If the Monitor is to be truly independent, we need to hear that directly from the Office established to ask these questions, not via the PM’s office.

"I look forward to the Government agreeing to these amendments in the House of Representatives so that this office can finally get to work," Senator Ludlam concluded.

Fernando de Freitas

Media Advisor

Office of Scott Ludlam & Rachel Siewert

Australian Greens Senators for Western Australia

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467 |

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au

BBC News – Pope criticised for attack on

BBC News – Pope criticised for attack on UK Equality Bill http://ow.ly/12Xtc #GLBTI #gay #humanrights #socialjustice

Australia – anti terror laws reviewer needs teeth: Greens

Australia’s terror laws reviewer needs teeth: Greens

The Australian Greens will move to strengthen the Commonwealth Government long-promised National Security Monitor to review the operation of Australia’s extreme terrorism laws, which commenced debate in the Senate today.

“This office is five years overdue; now we see the Government belatedly introducing a part time chair with two staff from the Prime Minister’s Department, a slender budget and sketchy reporting obligations to the Parliament. Surely after all this time we can do better than this,” said Australian Greens Spokesman Senator Scott Ludlam.

“The Greens will move amendments to strengthen this office and provide it with an avenue to report to the Parliament so that we don’t have to wait for sanitised reports to emerge from the prime Minister’s office.

“The Greens want to see this body in place as soon as possible, but it must be truly independent, and it must have teeth,” Senator Ludlam concluded.

Media Contact: Fernando de Freitas

Fernando de Freitas
Media Advisor

Office of Scott Ludlam & Rachel Siewert

Australian Greens Senators for Western Australia

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467 |

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au

ABC News: Suicide attempts: patients lacking support

Suicide attempts: patients lacking support

A mental health group is warning that too many people who attempt suicide are released from the emergency room without being directed to follow-up services.

Mental health workers say people who take their own lives have all-too-often tried before – something psychologists say is one of the most im…

To read the full story on your mobile please use this link
http://m.abc.net.au/browse?page=11144&articleid=2808117&cat=Justin

To read the full story on a PC or Mac please use this link
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/02/2808117.htm
from @perthtones’ iPhone

Australia reduces choice for mothers Fwd: Greens Midwives report

Greens Midwives report

The Australian Greens are deeply concerned that a Commonwealth plan to effectively give doctors veto over the rights of midwives to practice will erode women’s care choices.

“The Government amendments to their Midwives legislation are unnecessary and give doctors too much control over midwives practice” said Greens health spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“We have said all along that any requirement that midwives must work in formal collaborative arrangements with doctors as a condition of insurance will further restrict women’s choices”.

“We believe the Midwives Bills do not address the needs of many Australian women who make the choice to give birth outside the hospital system, and we will continue to fight for greater choice and less interventionist maternity care. The amendments proposed by the Government further erode women’s choices.

“This is why the Greens have produced a Minority report to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee inquiry, and will continue to rally against the changes,” Senator Siewert concluded.

Media Contact: Fernando de Freitas 0417 174 302

Minority Report contained in main Committee report from page 13:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/clac_ctte/health_leg_midwives_nurse_practitioners_09_nov09/report/report.pdf

Fernando de Freitas
Media Advisor

Office of Scott Ludlam & Rachel Siewert

Australian Greens Senators for Western Australia

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467 | M: 0417 174 302

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au