1 09 2010

The cover reads “Just like Peter Crouch…we’re young, hot and have slept with prostitutes.“ Yes, it’s a weekly gossip magazine. Yes, like most girls, I’m guilty of reading it. And yes, even I surprised myself to have found within, inspiration for this blog!

More here

Thursday, 26 August 2010 10:13

The controversial and much hyped Channel 7 documentary ‘Such is Life’ has attracted much discussion and debate. For those of us who work daily with individuals and families seeking to rebuild lives damaged by dependant or chaotic drug use, over the years the Cousins’ case elicits conflicting responses.

Your Cousin

More – article from Moreland Hall

Letter to Editor, Herald Sun (25-Aug-2010)

HOW to cook a meal, find a stable home, make new friends: these are some of the ingredients to crime-free life after prison.

At least the first is being attended to in one of our prisons (”Jailhouse wok shock”, August 24).

It is understandable that some victims of crime are upset that offenders are learning how to cook in this way.

However, most prisoners will leave prison.

Those offenders who have learnt skills such as cooking, and who are supported to lead a crime-free life by assisting them to get decent housing and make new friends, will be much less likely to offend again.

Not all prisoners are monsters. We need to provide hope in addition to punishment. This will make our community safer.

Mark Zimsak, Melbourne

Justice & International Mission, Commission for Mission
Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania

In response to: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/jailhouse-masterchef-shock/story-e6frf7kx-1225909131331

Established in 2004, the Connections UnitingCare Anti-Poverty Awards aim to recognise young Australians between the ages of 16 and 30 who are making a contribution to the eradication of poverty, locally, nationally or internationally.

One Award recipient will receive a $4000 grant to continue their work.  Encouragement Awards up to $1000 are also offered.

These awards are a great way for young people to receive recognition for the work they are doing in the community.

Last year’s recipients were two young women Sarah Elston and Caitlin Grigsby who founded the Blue Stockings Association. The Blue Stockings Association provides women in Gippsland, who are pursuing further education the opportunity to gain scholarships to help them in their endeavours.

‘I would like to highlight what an injection of faith the award has had been for us…..it’s very easy to forget what you are trying to achieve but its little things like these awards that make such a huge difference.’ Caitlin Grigsby.

This year the awards are delighted to have the support of SHARE and UCA Funds Management.

For more information or two download an application form visit www.connections.org.au/anti-poverty or call the Connections Communications and Fundraising Department on 03 9271 0800.

Make Poverty History are asking for assistance

MELBOURNE – 2 MASSIVE STUNTS THIS AUGUST

28TH AUGUST Saturday – VIC MARKET GLOBAL HEALTH DAY

JOIN OUR CARNIVAL TEAM AND get a free Make Poverty T-shirt

Requirements: 30 Volunteers to join our Make Poverty History Carnival team at the Market and help manage Wheel of Life and Wishing Tree installations

Where: Queen Victorian Market – meet outside the food court

Date: Saturday 28th August

Time: Any time you can help between 7.00 am and 1 pm

Status: Tell all your friends and come along to spin the wheel of life or declare your hopes for the world on our Wishing Tree

More information

If you are concerned about where your Senate preferences will be going with a vote above the ballot paper line this election, why not consider voting ‘below the line’.

This idea produces for many images of hours wasted organising and numbering the boxes on a Senate ballot paper the size of a small car only to discover at the last minute that you’ve missed a box or two, however the process doesn’t need to be that daunting.

By visiting the Below the Line website, www.belowtheline.org.au, you can find out who will be preferenced in your ‘above the line’ vote and, if you aren’t completely happy with this, easily reorder your preferences for a ‘below the line’ vote. You can then print out the result to take with you to the booth on election day.

The Justice and International Mission Unit (sponsor of JustAct) has some new stuff on their website that could be of interest.

Consuming Passions

Events

• JIM Convention Registration Form – Saturday 2 October, 2010 9.30 AM – 4.30 PM
• JIM Convention 2010 Poster
• Walk against warming
• Festival of refugees
• Stand up and make noise
• Anti Poverty Week

Where have the conviction politicians gone?

Scott Stephens (ABC online)

The current federal election campaign is distinguished – or disfigured, to be more accurate – by the haste with which both candidates have abandoned their political convictions in order to claim the political centre-ground.

– in the best piece of political writing during the current election period Scott Stephens, the Religion and Ethics editor for ABC Online (and former minister with the Uniting Church) takes aim at politics gone wrong.

The financial breakdown – women in prison

$80.6 million over four years had been allocated in this year’s State Budget to ensure the women’s prison system could cope with the increased demand and another $26 million had been allocated for programs aimed at reducing recidivism.

- Corrections Victoria spokeswoman in the Herald Sun (check out our fact sheet and take action)

Norway shows the way

Within two years of their release, 20% of Norway’s prisoners end up back in jail. In the U.K. and the U.S., the figure hovers between 50% and 60%.

- (in Time Magazine) (also see “Britain’s Prisons: Will Spending Cuts Increase Crime?”)

Risk from ‘outsiders’

Both political parties are using the language of protection in a dangerous manner. Both the Government and the Opposition are making these statements (on asylum seekers) as if Australia is at imminent risk from some outside source.

- Toowoomba Catholic Diocese’s Social Justice Commission (SJC) executive officer Dr Mark Copland

Unions on the nose with both major parties

Abbott wants to destroy the trade unions. Gillard is happy to recognise the unions but make them largely impotent. Both reflect a visceral dislike of trade unions in the community – despite the fact that the last time there was a wages breakout causing economic instability was 1979. The financial system is a better scapegoat now.

– Kenneth Davidson in The Age (check out UCA church as employer principles)

The Australian Human Rights Commission is encouraging young people who have made an outstanding contribution to advancing human rights in Australia, to nominate for the Young People’s Human Rights Medal.

Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) is pleased to pass on news of a ground-breaking agreement between the Central General de Trabajadores de Honduras (CGT) and Nike that will provide a US$1.5 million fund for workers in Honduras that formerly produced Nike apparel. According to a press release from Nike and the CGT, workers will also receive a year’s access to the health care system, training and priority hiring.

After some pressure, Nike gets a big tick of approval

Over 2,000 workers at the Hugger and Vision Tex factories were laid off last year, leaving them unemployed and owed over US$2 million in unpaid wages and severance pay.

The agreement comes after intense pressure was put on Nike by a student-led campaign that had convinced some US universities to end lucrative licensing agreements with Nike.

That’s a big win for workers in Honduras who are accustomed to being stiffed on severance and back wages when factories close, and having the international brands whose products they made walk away without looking back.

Read more: http://en.maquilasolidarity.org/node/950