Editors: Margaret Hinchey Marie Butcher
margaret@lifequestoz.net mbutcher@mercy.org.au
CONTENT:
· A Church that won’t be silenced.
· Reconciliation
· Housing
· The Year of the Eucharist
· Let the Timorese Stay
· Mercy Global Concern
· Other News
· After ATSIC
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A CHURCH THAT WON’T BE SILENCED www.newpentecost.com
Venue: Australian Catholic University Strathfield Campus
When: Pentecost Sunday 15 May from 10.30-7.30pm
Public Lecture: 6.oo-7.30 (Chico Whittaker and Fr Michael Whelan.
Australian Catholic Movement for Intellectual Affairs (ACMICA) with the support of the Australian Catholic University (ANU) has instigated a National Meeting to be called “A Church That Won’t be Silenced! A New Pentecost in the South!”
Keynote speaker Francisco ‘Chico’ Whitaker a Brazilian thinker and activist and a pioneer in new ways of organising diverse groups interested in creating a just world.
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NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK
“Reconciliation: take the next step.”
27 May – 3 June
‘True
reconciliation between the Australian nation and its Indigenous people is not
achievable in the absence of acknowledgement by the nation of the wrongfulness
of the past dispossession, oppression and degradation of the Aboriginal peoples.
That is not to say that individual Australians who had no part in what was done
in the past should feel personal guilt. It is simply to assert that national
shame, as well as national pride, can and should exist in relation to past acts
and omissions, at least when done or made in the name of the community or with
the authority of government. Where there is no room for national pride or
national shame about the past, there can be no national soul.’
- Sir William Deane, Governor-General of
Australia
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of National Reconciliation Week. It is also the fifth anniversary of the great bridge Walks of 2000.
May 27 marks the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum in which more than 90 per cent of Australians voted to remove clauses from the Australian Constitution which discriminated against Indigenous Australians.
June 3 marks the anniversary of the High Court of Australia’s judgement in 1992 in the Mabo case.
What's
happening in New South Wales?
Mt Druitt Town Square
Saturday 28 May, 2005
Meet At: Dawson Mall, Mt Druitt
(between Westfield Shopping Centre and the Library
Gathering and Concert 11.30-4.oopm
Walk and concert for Reconciliation. Walk commences at 2pm at Mt Druitt Town Square
Guest of Honour Peter Garrett MP
Entertainment includes: Thulli Dreaming (traditional dance group), Didge players Joe Haroa & Peter Williams, storytelling and other entertainment..
Contact 9628 7272 for further information
“We acknowledge and pay respect to the Darug people as the original and ongoing custodians of this land. We also pay respect to the Aboriginal elders from other places.
We wish to say to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community that we are sorry for the human suffering and injustice that you as Indigenous People have experienced and continue to experience as a result of discrimination, stolen generations, disadvantage and marginalisation that has resulted from colonization.
We commit ourselves to actively work alongside Indigenous People for reconciliation and justice, and to acknowledge and celebrate their continuing culture as we share and learn together.”
Sydney
Thurs 26 May 2pm
First Fleet Park (alongside the Museum of Contemporary Art at Circular Quay) A gathering through the afternoon, with a range of speakers and musicians including Senator Aden Ridgeway.
Stolen Generation Commemorative Flower:
The native hibiscus has been adopted as a national emblem of the Stolen
Generations. This was proposed by Mark Bin Bakar, Chairperson of the Kimberley
Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation, and wholeheartedly adopted by the
National Sorry Day Committee.
Further details from Rowena Strain, Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation Coordinator, 0400 936 501, or John Bond, Secretary, National Sorry Day Committee, 02 6232 4554
Resources can be accessed through the “Journey of Healing” Website.
http://www.alphalink.com.au/~rez/Journey/index.htm
Journey to Healing Newsletter April 2005 http://www.alphalink.com.au/~rez/Journey/apr05.pdf
Faith resources: www.ncca.org.au
If there are sisters who would like to be part of a group to reflect on this material, and address the issues, please contact me to plan further. * Daphnem@erc.org.au * phone 02 9553 9784
INVITATION
As friends of the Women's Reconciliation Network and possibly people who have seen the video, "Around the Kitchen Table" we would like to invite you to this celebratory event for the launch of the Reconciliation Resource which will enhance the video experience.
We are delighted that Linda Burney MP,has accepted our invitation to launch this resource.
"Around the Kitchen Table" Reconciliation Resource Celebration Launch
will take place at 6pm on 2nd June 2005 at the Chrissie Cotter Gallery
Pidcock St, (off Mallett Street) Camperdown during the "Soul Sisters" art exhibition by local artists Elaine Russell and Denise Barry.
This is one of the events to mark National Reconciliation Week 2005.
RSVP: 30 May 2005
Frennie: Phone 9909 0203 Email: frennie@tpg.com.au
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HOUSING
You are invited to a Special presentation at Parliament House
Much is in the news about public housing and social impacts. Here is an opportunity to hear directly from those most effected about the social impacts of re-developing public housing estates. Hear experiences of community renewal in Minto, South Western Sydney. Local residents will give voice to their own stories and research.
Speakers first presented at the 'More than Bricks and Mortar' Conference in March 2004 and were featured in the 'Australian', commercial and ABC TV and radio. The conference was attended by 300 community members, NGO's and decision makers.
Forum Details: 12.30pm - 2pm Tuesday 24 May 2005
Parliament House Theatrette
Macquarie St, Sydney
RSVP 9230 3030
The forum is hosted by Sylvia Hale, Greens MLC, John Ryan, Liberal MLC and Graham West, Labor MP. (invite follows at the end of this email)
Also available (order form attached) is the research report Leaving Minto: A Study of the Social and Economic Impacts of Public Housing Estate Redevelopment. Commissioned by the Resident Action Group Minto, and undertaken by Dr Judy Stubbs, Social Justice Research Centre, UWS the report looks at the social and economic impacts on residents in estates being redeveloped.
Essential reading for policy makers, academics and community workers alike the report reminds us that redevelopment of estates must start with placing residents views at the Centre of policy considerations.
ADVANCE NOTICE - mid August 2005
There is much written and there are many conferences about community building, community capacity and community strengthening. Here is a conference with a difference - Local community leaders in Campbelltown will be hosting a conference about the view of community capacity building from the grass roots perspective! Public housing tenants will provide a 'voice' back to community workers, NGO's and government representatives about what they have experienced and learnt about community building. To be included on the mailing list contact Julie Foreman, St Vincent de Paul Society 4627 9018 or email julie@svdpwgong.org.au
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The Year of the Eucharist
If there is hunger anywhere in the world, then our celebration
of the Eucharist is incomplete everywhere in the world.(Fr Pedro Arrupe SJ)
“Hungering for Justice
– Are We People of the Eucharist?”
§ fired up and ready to work for justice
§ prepared to challenge structures keeping people poor and voiceless
§ willing to build community
§ standing with the suffering
Together with the panel:
Sr Margaret Hinchey RSM (lecturer in Theology, Convenor CCJP)
Fr Peter Maher (PP Newtown, Chaplain UTS)
Mr Joe Magri (Nepean Youth Services, formerly YCW)
we will explore the justice dimension of the mass.
St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall, Marist Place, Parramatta
Saturday 4 June
9.30 am –12.30 pm
For further information call 88383413
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TIMORESE PEOPLE
Letters were sent to the Prime Minister John Howard and to Senator Amanda Vanstone by Sr. Libby Rogerson IBVM on the 3rd May representing 3,000 Religious in NSW. Many individual sisters also took up this course.
The Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes has over three thousand members in NSW. A number of these women and men religious have worked with the East Timorese Community, researched their needs and contributed to the reconstruction of Timor Leste.
The decision of your government to grant permanent residency to over a thousand East Timorese living in Australia was welcomed by our members.
The East Timorese in Australia are hard working, family oriented people with a great regard for our country and a strong desire to contribute to Australian life. Given this it is difficult to understand why fifty East Timorese families have been told to leave. People are puzzled and angry and “character reasons” does not seem an adequate explanation. The families due for deportation do not understand why they are being asked to leave. Some of them have family members who have been permitted to remain in Australia. There is so much inexplicable pain and anguish around this decision.
You would understand that there is no future for these people in East Timor. There are no jobs, there is very little available housing and land disputes make it difficult for people to return “home.” It is also unclear to us whether the East Timorese Government has been adequately informed as to the wishes of these people or given adequate warning to make provision for them.
Given all that the East Timorese have suffered and the contribution they have made to Australia it would seem just and compassionate to offer all of them a home and a future in Australia.
Our members anxiously await a response from you.
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We cannot stand by and witness the mistreatment of children carried
out in our name and our behalf. This is an issue of human rights, not politics.
HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE IN DETENTION?
Villawood 32 Port Augusta 17 Christmas Is. 9
Nauru 6 Baxter 4 Maribyrnong
Other detention 4 As at 27 April 2005 74 children were in detention.
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MERCY GLOBAL CONCERN
http://www.mercyworld.org/projects/mgc/index.asp
May 2005 Briefing Paper Number 1:
Millennium Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education by 2015
GENEVA/NEW YORK, – More children than ever are going to school, in part because more girls are going to school: That’s the good news from UNICEF’s latest Progress for Children report, focusing on gender parity in primary school attendance
May 2005, Report Number 1:
Suggestions re September Summit and UN Reform to NGLS
Human Rights:
We strongly support the need to strengthen the working of the
Commission on Human Rights. In recent years it is seen by many as a refuge for
violators of human rights.
We agree with the suggestion of the Secretary General that the Commission become
a Council, that it be a standing body with fewer members, elected by the General
Assembly.
May 2005, Special Report 1:
Combating Child Trafficking
Trafficking of children links all countries and regions in a
web of international crime. Every year, children are smuggled across borders and
sold like commodities. Others are trafficked within their home countries,
usually from rural to urban areas. Trafficking violates the human rights
guaranteed to children under international law, most notably the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children’s survival and development are
threatened, and their rights to education, health and protection are
denied.
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OTHER NEWS
MAKE POVERTY HISTORY www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns
In 2005, people around the world are coming together to pressure governments to put in place policies that will see poverty halved by 2015. In 2000, 191 nations, including Australia, agreed to a set of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to achieve this objective. So far many countries have shown little progress towards reaching their obligations under the MDGs.
Oxfam is calling on the Australian government to support developing nations having the power to decide the timing and extent of any liberalisation that could impact negatively on the livelihoods of their small scale farmers. Agriculture plays a much more crucial role in most developing countries than it does in Australia, and undermining food security and rural livelihoods in such countries would be a disaster for us all.
What you can do
· write to Mr Mark Vaile, Australia's Minister for Trade. http://www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/mtf/povertyhistory/letter_vaile.php
· Watch out for the Make Poverty History arm/wrist bands TO BE SOLD AT OXFAM SHOPS
· Sign the Big Noise petition to Make Trade Fair http://www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/mtf/povertyhistory/petition.php
Sydney Protecting Human Rights in Australia: Train the Trainer Program – NSW
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) launched its Protecting Human Rights in Australia community education kit in June 2004. The Kit is available online (see www.piac.asn.au). The Kit will soon be available in community languages (Arabic, Vietnamese and Chinese) to ensure a wider reach throughout Australia. Contact: Jane Stratton (jstratton@piac.asn.au / 02 9299 7833).
AHRC inaugural annual public lecture “David Malouf: Challenging Indifference”
The Australian Human Rights Centre will hold their inaugural public lecture “David Malouf: Challenging Indifference” on Wednesday 18 May. A Booker Prize nominee and winner of several literary awards, David Malouf is internationally recognised as one of Australia’s finest writers.
When: 6pm, Wednesday 18
May
Where: Metcalfe Auditorium, State Library of NSW, Macquarie Street,
Sydney.
Cost: $25 / $10 concession (payable at the door)
RSVP by 11 May by contacting Coral Hauenstein on (02) 9385 2543 or c.hauenstein@unsw.edu.au as there is limited seating available. The AHRC invite you to join them for drinks after the lecture.
CARITAS AUSTRALIA HAS A POWER POINT ON THE SAYINGS OF JOHN PAUL 11
http://www.caritas.org.au/newsroom/2005/pope_john_paul_ii_quotes.ppt
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A public forum After ATSIC?
Futures for Indigenous Australians in Government and Governance
Speakers:
Aden Ridgeway, Senator, Parliament of Australia
Larissa Behrendt, Professor of Law and Indigenous Studies, University of Technology, Sydney
Warren Mundine, Chief Executive Officer, NSW Native Title Services Limited
Tanya Hosch, Visiting Research Fellow, University of Technology, Sydney
Details:
Tuesday 7 June, 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm
The Vestibule, Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney
No RSVP necessary Light refreshments from 5:15 pm
The Federal Government abolished the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) in June last year. For nearly 15 years, ATSIC had provided a framework and focus for Indigenous representation at all levels of government and in other domestic and international forums. The Regional Councils established under ATSIC, which provide an important link between Indigenous communities and government, will be disbanded on 30 June this year. This forum looks forward to new possibilities -- how should the interests of Australia¹s First Peoples be represented in the future?
More information:
Tony Westmore, Coordinator, Indigenous Law Centre 02 9385 2252 or 0419 256 339
Larissa Behrendt is Professor of Law and Indigenous Studies and Director of the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney. She graduated from UNSW Law School in 1992 and has since completed her Master of Laws and Doctorate at Harvard. She is a practising lawyer and lecturer and has worked with the United Nations. She is published on property law, Indigenous rights, dispute resolution and Aboriginal women¹s issues.
Warren Mundine is Chief Executive Officer of NSW Native Title Services Limited. He is also National Junior Vice President of the Australian Labor Party. Educated in Sydney at Benedict Marist Brothers College at Auburn, Warren later studied at the South Australian Institute of Technology. He is currently a member of the Macquarie Area Health Board, the NSW PCYC Board and the Local Government Association of NSW and Deputy Mayor of Dubbo.
Tanya Hosch has spent most of her working life in Adelaide and mostly in the public sector including women¹s services. She has worked for the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation in Canberra, and with ATSIC. Tanya has been involved in the development and delivery of leadership programs for young people She is a director of Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre and the Foundation for Young Australians.
Senator Aden Ridgeway, from the Gumbayngirr people of Northern New South Wales, is the only Indigenous member of the Federal Parliament and the Australian Democrats Senator for New South Wales. Aden has extensive experience in policy and administration, a long time involvement in national Indigenous politics, a passionate commitment to human rights and an ongoing interest in philanthropic and arts organisations.
We invite you to support the following event
EPHEMERA The Reconciliation Monologues.
Ephemera is a multimedia theatrical event that explores notions of ‘Aboriginality’ through six monologues written and presented by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal actors. Devised by Lisa Mare-Syron, a descendant of Aboriginal Australia and theatre coordinator at The Eora Centre for Visual and Performing Arts in Redfern Sydney.
Ephemera questions mainstream and Aboriginal communities on where they position themselves in relation to notions of Aboriginality and the concept of reconciliation. Ephemera is inspired by prominent writers such as Marcia Langton and Helen Gilbert.
Ephemera is an Indigenous work although it relies on the contribution, performance and participation of non-Indigenous performers who have united to present this timely production. The actors interviewed members of the general public from various areas of Sydney from the North Shore to the Western Suburbs on issues of reconciliation and what Aboriginality means to Australians in 2005. The collected interviews and the personal experiences of the actors have formulated this theatrical presentation.
Ephemera is critique on the efforts and effects of the reconciliation movement and allows for an exciting intercultural and theatrical experience between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal actors and audience. The music is composed by Indigenous musicians and utilises contemporary and traditional themes.
What does Aboriginality mean to both indigenous and non-indigenous people? What are the realities of Aboriginality and reconciliation? What is the very personal experience of Aboriginality and what is reconciliation? Ephemera explores these questions.
First presented in 2004 at Eora College for Visual and Performing Arts Ephemera received high acclaim with encouragement from The NSW Reconciliation Council and is to be presented as part of Reconciliation Week 2005.
This project is produced by the Eora Centre for Visual and Performing Arts in association with The Redfern Residents for Reconciliation. It is sponsored by the Ranndwick City Council and NSW Reconciliation Council.
We hope that you and your organisation will support this event.
With Respect
Liza-Mare Syron
Coordinator
Theatre Performance and Practice
Eora Centre of Visual and Performing Arts.
02 92174882
http://www.ozco.gov.au/arts_in_australia/artists/artists_atsia/liza-mare_syron/
The Church cannot remain silent before injustice; to remain silent is to be an accomplice.
Oscar Romero
