Please join the #Ballarat Silent Vigil to-day with Kath and Maureen of Ballarat Rural Australians for Refugees and Grandmothers Against the Detention of Refugee Children Ballarat

For a long time now, two #Ballarat octogenarians, Kath Morton and Maureen Doonan, of Ballarat Rural Australians for...
Posted by Brigid O'Carroll Walsh on Sunday, 14 February 2016

#BALLARAT #LET THEM STAY : *URGENT ACTION REQUIRED TONIGHT* *LET THEM COME - GIVE THEM SANCTUARY : *Monday ( Tonight) 8 February at** 5.30 pm Victoria square (opposite Town Hall ) Support refugees by your presence

Posted by Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council on Sunday, 7 February 2016

March and Rally in #Ballarat at 2pm this afternoon

This afternoon at 2pm there will be a Climate March & Rally in Ballarat.  

We will gather at the statue of Queen Vic 

at the corner of Sturt and Armstrong Streets in the centre of town.  

We will then walk down to nearby Camp Street 

to rally to listen to speakers.

In case you doubt power of ordinary people to make and create news 

and to influence the direction of our social consideration, 

Advocacy is cross-posting with permission 

the following post from The Network.

Picture from The Age

The Angels of the Forest

courtesy of WHAM (Western Highway Alternative Mindsets)

I am so-o-o excited.  

I have got up this morning and opened The Age 

hoping to see a good report of yesterday's Climate march and rally.

And what did I see - a picture of the WHAM angels front and centre.

The gals from the bush are back in town!!!!

Congratulations to Helen Lewers and The Angels of the Forest - 

you are beautiful and you have done an excellent job.

For those of you who weren't in and around 

the Art Gallery of Ballarat late last Saturday afternoon, 

the angels were present at a demo that WHAM turned on 

to greet Local Government delegates to a big shebang at the AGB.  

WHAM stands for Western Highway Alternative Mindsets.  It has been protesting for a very long time at the environmental destruction caused by VicRoads as the duplication of the Western Highway between Beaufort and Ararat forges ahead.  You can follow the efforts of WHAM on Facebook. 

Word is from Helen that there could be some progress being made on the issue.  If this turns out to be the case, it has been a long and arduous task which has seemed mighty impossible at times as politicians have proved to be a brick wall, not all the locals have understood etc.  So many ancient River Red Gums have been destroyed.

  

I may live in Ballarat - some way from the duplication - but I have been on the fringes for quite a while thanks to my friend of the long ago in Townsville and North Queensland Conservation Council days, Iona Mackenzie.  The MacKenzie family have been landholders in the area for a very long time - and Iona's sister, Marianne, is one of the beautiful angels.  She is the centre angel of the three pictured above. Their 90+year old mother is pictured on the WHAM site tied to a RRG with Helen!!!

So be loud and proud 

and congratulations to 

WHAM, Helen Lewers, the Mackenzies 

and 

The Angels of the Forest. 

Harmony & Diversity is the basis of the beauty of Australia. Please support these values - not those undergirding violent public meetings and protest

THESE ARE THE HEADLINES REGARDING 

WHAT HAPPENED IN MELBOURNE

ON SATURDAY 18 JULY 2015 

AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

Who was the centre of attention in front of and near Victoria's Parliament House yesterday?  Reclaim Australia and their associates wanted to provide a double focus of attention: themselves and Muslims living in Australia.

No Room for Racism and its sympathisers were equally determined on a dual focus: to counter the racism of Reclaim Australia and its cohort and to make the public aware of their organisation.

Did the events of the day go as planned for both sides?  Possibly. Possibly not.  However, it seems that there were elements on both sides who were prepared for trouble one way or another.  

A group with a similar title to Reclaim Australia hit Ballarat early in 2014.  Restore Australia arrived in Ballarat trying to incite antagonism to the building of a mosque in the city - a city which was the site of Australia's first document demanding democratic rights.  As can be seen from this Facebook presence, drumming up opposition to the mosque being built by Ballarat's small Islamic community was not too successful.  

What Restore Australia did not take into account in the Ballarat situation is that community friendships had already been forged within the broader community by the time they blew into town.  The local Islamic community had friends - a broad spectrum of friends.  And the then Mayor was an early responder.

Meanwhile, amid all this swirling of clashing tensions and violent police intervention, what were Muslims doing? Yesterday was the beginning of Eid celebrations. Muslims were enjoying themselves. Behind them was a month of fasting. Now can come the feasting.  Perhaps Reclaim Australia chose the day and date deliberately with an intent to insult Muslims - or perhaps they knew there would not be a Muslim in sight or hearing of their rampage!

The Faith Communities Council of Victoria has issued the following statement.

Statement on Nationwide Rallies:  Faith Communities Council of Victoria The Faith Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV) has issued the following statement in light of reports that over the weekend of the 18/19th July 2015, Reclaim Australia is planning nationwide rallies which we believe are divisive and not in the nation’s best interests.  The acceptance of our multicultural and multifaith society is one of Australia's greatest achievements and assets. The celebration of this rich diversity that exists in our society ensures we remain innovative, resilient and globally competitive - all of which enhances our society and increases our standard of living. Like any asset, our multicultural and multifaith identity needs to be continuously nourished and threats to undermine it need be addressed. The current environment fueled by economic uncertainty and fear is encouraging the rise of extreme groups like Reclaim Australia and UPF (United Patriots Front), who are intent on disenfranchising minorities and disturbing the peace within our society. These groups demonstrate they possess anti-Muslim, anti-Asian, anti-Indigenous, anti-Semitic and anti-Refugee sentiments. We, the Faith Communities Council of Victoria, actively discourage any kind of involvement with these groups and see them as a threat to peace and social cohesion within our society.  We believe there has to be a continuous dialogue promoting multiculturalism and multifaith. We also encourage all to discourage others from supporting these groups in any way. The harmony and diversity in our society is the basis of the beauty of Australia, and we request your support in maintaining this. Faith Communities Council of Victoria is comprised of the following peak bodies: Baha'i Community of Victoria, Brahma Kumaris Australia, Buddhist Council of Victoria, Hindu Community Council of Victoria, Islamic Council of Victoria, Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria and Victorian Council of Churches.

WORLD REFUGEE DAY ON SUNDAY IS BRINGING MASSES OF PEOPLE OUT: WHY NOT JOIN IN? HERE'S HOW >>>

Brigid O'Carroll Walsh

Just now · 

This has come from my friend Kath by email. News of the major event in Melbourne this coming Sunday:

Hello All,

Welcome to the World Refugee Day event in Melbourne this coming Sunday.. Come and join with big numbers pf people ( just like yourself ) who have serious concerns about the situation of asylum seekers and refugees fleeing danger and persecution in their home countries and seeking refuge in Australia .

Come to the film at Fed Square on Sunday at 10.00 am. 

"Stormy Waters " is about our attitudes to newcomers. 

>>> http://goo.gl/a7Yu3x

Visit the Pop-Up Protests from 12 noon in Melbourne CBD.

Join the Finale in the City Square from 2.00 pm (Cnr Swanston & Collins Sst )

Travel plans :
To include "Stormy Waters " catch the 7.52 from Wendouree Railway Station. OR 7.57 from Ballarat Railway Station. (New time table begins on Sunday 21June ) I will catch this service at Ballarat and look out for others.
Or

Catch the10.39 service from Ballarat Railway Station and join the Ballarat Grandmothers. https://goo.gl/74iI3d

We will have our Ballarat banner

See you at the rally

Kath

Rural Australians for Refugees - #Bendigo ... and St Killian's give a hoot and strut their stuff

Rural Australian for Refugees - Bendigo shared their photo.

1 min · 

St Killian's Social Justice Group rally in Bendigo - 5 June 2015

Rural Australian for Refugees - Bendigo

Friday afternoon the St Killians Social justice group stood up for asylum seekers and refugees on the corner beside the fountain. Yes lots of people tooted, they do give a hoot!

Unlike · Comment · Share

Say good-bye to doomed and ancient trees at Buangor - come to the art convergence this Sunday

FROM THE WHAM FACEBOOK SITE:

Helen Lewers added photos to April 26, 2015.

26 April at 21:31

Say your goodbyes to these beautiful old redgums who've been living in the Middle Creek area long before it had that name - 200-400 years previously, at least. Say goodbye to the young trees too. There aren't too many growing on adjacent farmland. NONE of these trees are protected. 

Not by‪#‎VicRoadsVandals‬.

Not by the ‪#‎AndrewsGvt‬.

Not by anyone who has the power to protect them. 

Say goodbye.

AN INVITATION

Noticed any roads authorities vandalising ancient habitat trees

on the Western Highway lately? 

Come to Buangor on the 3 May - Sunday - 10am to 3pm 

and help record the treasures we are losing. 

Bring all your own materials, picnic, chair, etc. 

(NB - good toilets at Beaufort!) 

The enormous environmental damage being inflicted upon us all 

is to save a TOTAL OF 2 WHOLE MINUTES of travel time 

between Beaufort and Ararat! 

For more details contact as per poster or via WHAM on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/867523523309131/

Numbers to phone for more information:

0408 545 229

0400 713 175

Could you also bring Yellow Ribbons
to tie around the trees
As a symbol of our care for them
Please know, we are being positive about saving these trees
for future generations

#LoveMakesAWay protesters are in Court next week. Please support. #Bendigo

Advocacy has posted previously on the protest actions of the #LoveMakesAWay movement.

Next week the #Bendigo protesters who did a sit-in in the office of Senator Bridget McKenzie will appear in court in Bendigo.  Please come and show your support for #LoveMakesAWay and the protesters.  Details are below.  You will find Dave's Facebook site here. Advocacy @ St Paul's will be there.

Below: Dave Fagg of the Seeds community is arrested. More pictures here.

Are the lights going out in Europe once more?

Cologne cathedral to switch off lights in protest at anti-Muslim march

March by Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West is latest in a series of anti-Muslim protests in Germany

Cologne Cathedral at night. Photograph: Corbis

Reuters in Cologne

Friday 2 January 201523.24 AEST

Cologne Cathedral, one of Germany’s most famous landmarks, will be plunged into darkness on Monday evening in protest at a march by a grassroots anti-Muslim movement through the western German city.

The rise of Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (Pegida) has shaken the political establishment, prompting the chancellor, Angela Merkel, to warn in her new year address that its leaders were racists full of hatred and citizens should beware being used.

The group’s last weekly rally in the eastern city of Dresden attracted an estimated 17,000 people. It plans to hold further marches in other cities.

To read more, please go here

.... and what do the women of Australia really want?

For more please go here 

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth. Have we got what it takes to protect our precious water?

There are two major, major water sources/resources in Australia. 

One is visible --- the Murray Darling Basin. 

The other is not so visible --- the Great Artesian Basin. 

Humans have interfered in many and nefarious ways with the Murray-Darling Rivers and their feeders. To try to repair the damage has been a highly controversial exercise. People in remote Australia who depend on artesian water are concerned that fracking will lead to pollution of the Great Artesian Basin and that, should this occur, the basin will never recover and a major and precious resource will be lost to humanity.

Post by GetUp!

#StandUpToProtect against inhumane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers

Lack of action in Australia on global warming? An unusual protest conveys the situation...

Awesome protest in #Australia against the lack of action on global warming: http://t.co/5C5cvnHX9e #globalwarming pic.twitter.com/QMRHlmneg1
— Daniel Gennaoui (@DanielGennaoui) November 2, 2014

Ring your Senators now: stop the Australian Government reintroducing Terrible Protection Visas

When you have read this - 

pop over to the Amnesty site for more information.

Separation from family has been shown to cause increased mental health problems for TPV holders © EPA/OLIVER WEIKEN

Act now: Stop the reintroduction of TPVs

9 September 2014, 09:25AM

The Australian Government is negotiating with senators to bring back Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs), which would seriously undermine the human rights of refugees.

We urgently need your help to prevent this from happening.

How you can help

All you need to do to help is pick up your phone and urge the Senators from your State or Territory to oppose the reintroduction of TPVs.

Senators are accountable to the people they represent – that’s you! It’s their job to champion their community’s concerns and they listen to how their decisions are received before voting on a bill. So by contacting your senator you can influence the political process in Australia.

It is really easy, just follow our simple instructions.

HANDY RESOURCES

Brief: Asylum seeker key upcoming issues

Guide to effective advocacy

1) Call the electorate office of a senator in your state. You'll find their contact details on this list on the Parliament of Australia website.
2) State your name, where you’re from, and ask to leave a message.
3) Give the context for why you are calling.
4) Clearly state your message for the Senator.
5) Thank them for passing on the message and hang up.
6) Share this page with your friends and family on Facebook.

Need help? Contact us at activism@amnesty.org.au and we’ll take you through the process.

Do we, too, walk on by?

“We got a lot of weird stares from everyone and you felt helpless while you were sitting there thinking ‘why isn’t anyone helping me? Why isn’t anyone asking about it?’ ” year 11 student Sarah Azzi said. “And it’s really symbolic of what’s happening to refugees because they sit in the detention centres, everyone knows they are there, but no one really does anything about.”

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/catholic-school-kids-protest-against-asylum-seeker-policies-20140815-104iq1.html#ixzz3Ah2dnwTS