“All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.” – James Thurber
The Latest
D-Day on Manus
Here is a message I received this morning from a lady who is deeply concerned for the refugees held on Manus. I have modified it slightly. Please read it and ask yourself: is this really what Australia does to people fleeing persecution? People who have committed... read moreA Letter from Manus
Recently I received a letter from refugees held on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. It is signed by nearly 200 refugees, who have been held in hellish conditions on Manus for the past four years. For obvious reasons, I have not reproduced the signatures. The letter... read moreQuestions for the Nation
On Sunday 15 October 2017, the Wheeler Centre put on a day of ideas at Melbourne Town Hall. The first session was called Questions for the Nation. Here’s my contribution: “Is democracy still working?” Donald Trump is President of the USA. Malcolm Turnbull is... read moreAnti-Islamic rants, continued
Earlier I wrote about a person who emails me with very odd views about Islam. Here are some of this person’s toxic ideas. He advocates: banning all Muslims from Australia supporting Pauline Hanson and Donald Trump putting all Australian Muslims in... read moreUNHCR: “Australia must end harmful practice of offshore processing”
Here is a statement made on 24 July in Geneva by Filipo Grandi. How many times do we have to be told we are behaving badly? Blame: Howard, Ruddock, Rudd, Gillard, Marles, Abbott, Morrison, Turnbull, Dutton… All of them dishonest. All of them have committed... read moreRefugees left homeless as Manus Camp demolished
Here is a press release from the Refugee Action Collective concerning the demolition of Charlie compound in the Manus Island detention centre. You will see from this that the Australian government, and its contractors, seem to regard the well-being of the refugees as... read moreParliament and Dual Citizenship
Two Greens Senators, Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, recently quit the Senate after discovering that they held dual citizenship: Ludlam is, apparently, a citizen of New Zealand, and Waters is, apparently, a citizen of Canada. You wouldn’t have guessed: both... read moreChanges to Citizenship Laws
The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee is holding an enquiry into proposed changes to the Citizenship Act. The bill being considered is the “Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship... read moreNauru: How it is
I have received a first-hand account of how things are on Nauru at present. It’s not good. How much are we paying each year to maintain out offshore warehousing? $500,000 per person per year… Sounds like pretty bad value. Nauru is a very small island... read moreBorder Force: A threat to us all
Never forget the lesson of Martin Niemoller. The lesson is: when government’s misbehave, it’s just a matter of time before they will come for you. Recently, two Australian citizens arrived back in Australia after a long overnight flight. They had nothing... read moreA brief account of Human Rights activism
On 1 July 2017 I gave the inaugural Ralph Summy lecture for Ngara. The event honoured Ralph Summy and was also the occasion of the award of the inaugural Australian Activists of the Year Awards. The winners were Murrawah Johnson and Adrian Burragubba of the Wangan... read moreAssange: 5 years, and counting
WikiLeaks’ publisher Julian Assange will have been arbitrarily detained by the UK at the Ecuadorian embassy in London for five years as of Monday June 19, 2017 (nearly seven years in the UK total). There are many valuable lessons in the case for the... read moreIs it detention or jail?
I received an email today from a person who is held in immigration detention. The email read, in part: We are told over and over again, from the moment we arrive that this is not a jail or prison and the Serco personnel are not guards. At 7:45 this morning I was... read moreForm 866 and Australian values
Here is Form 866, which must be completed by all asylum seekers: form_866c Have a look at the Australian Values Statement, which is part of each Form 866: 99 AUSTRALIAN VALUES STATEMENT You must sign this statement if you are aged 18 years or over. I confirm that I... read moreQuadrant, Franklin and other nastiness
It is alarming to see the views some Australians have. On 23 May, Roger Franklin published an article in the online edition of Quadrant, in which he said it would have been better if the bomb which killed so many in Manchester had instead been detonated in the ABC... read moreHuman Rights & Social Justice
- The National Pro Bono Resource Centre is an independent organisation that supports and promotes pro bono legal services in Australia.
- JusticeConnect: working to provide effective means for people and organisations in need to access justice
The Arts
Jewellery
- Kate Durham’s jewellery: a small sample
- Kate Durham exhibition of jewellery at fortyfive downstairs: Show ran from 17 Sept to 11 Oct
- A VIDEO showing some of Kate’s work and a few photos: here and here
Art, music and theatre
- what’s on at fortyfive downstairs (45 Flinders Lane Melbourne)
- Wolfgang Sievers photographs for sale
- Fine chamber music: Musica Viva Australia
- Look at this remarkable example of art in cut paper: truly amazing
Asylum Seekers
- Australian Human Rights Commission: Facts about asylum seekers and refugees
- Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre at UNSW: debunking myths about refugees
- New website: Compassion Without Borders
- And find various refugee support groups across Australia here
- Doctors for Refugees
Julian on Twitter
Videos
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