“Prime Minister Rudd and health minister Roxon have shown contempt for mental health professionals and a total lack of interest in those with mental health problems.”  Australian Democrats Victorian spokesperson for Mental Health David Scott Kane said today.

“Prof Mendoza – their appointment – and over 60 mental health organisations have tried to present a letter to Kevin Rudd with a suggested plan of action for mental health. The Prime Minister and his health minister have declined to receive it, a clear message the federal government isn’t listening on mental health.

“Psychiatrists have advised for decades that a key element in treating mental illness is acknowledging there is a problem.

“The Rudd government isn’t even prepared to take this basic step. They are in complete denial and have tried to play hide and seek with the advisor they appointed.”

Successive governments – federal and state – have failed the mentally ill, their families, their carers and the medical practitioners that support them.  They’ve failed in funding, in infrastructure and failed again by refusing to look at industry-suggested solutions to the daily problems the mentally ill face.

“The system is pale, sick, lost and in dire need of urgent assistance. The cure is for this government to face the crises.

Mental health is now the leading disability in Australia.  It is the foremost killer of those under 44.  Yet the Rudd Government ignores it, and now chooses to ignore the man they appointed to deliver the message to them.

“Kevin Rudd seems to think if he states something it will magically resolve itself.  Restating his commitment ‘to do more on mental health’ and that it’s ‘next cab off the rank’ seems to be about as committed as he was on supermarket pricing and climate change.  We should be grateful he didn’t use it as an opportunity to demonstrate his powerful command of expletives.

Professor Mendoza and the mental health organizations are offering possible solutions to the problems faced by the mentally ill.  Solutions to save lives.  Solutions to save families pain and reduce the soul-destroying frustrations of thousands of people treating and caring for the mentally ill.

“The mentally ill, their families and the mental health field are justifiably angry at the Rudd Government for continuing the cycle of systemic failure imposed on them by the current mental health policy – or lack thereof.  They should vote accordingly.

“Rather than save lives and advance this neglected field, the Rudd Government concerns itself with internal leadership navel gazing and bickering.  They have forgotten the reasons they were elected,” Mr. Kane concluded.

Media contact – David Scott Kane 040 434 1025

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The Burmese people have been run by a vicious and selfish military government since 1962.
In May 1990, the government held free elections for the first time in almost 30 years. The National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, won 392 out of a total 489 seats.
The military government did not accept the vote of the people and placed Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest.

She has been under house arrest for 14 of the past 20 years!

Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. The decision of the Nobel Committee says:

“The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma) for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.  …Suu Kyi’s struggle is one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades. She has become an important symbol in the struggle against oppression… …In awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour this woman for her unflagging efforts and to show its support for the many people throughout the world who are striving to attain democracy, human rights and ethnic conciliation by peaceful means. —Oslo, 14 October 1991 The Freedom in the World 2004 report by Freedom House notes that “The junta rules by decree, controls the judiciary, suppresses all basic rights, and commits human rights abuses with impunity. Military officers hold all cabinet positions, and active or retired officers hold all top posts in all ministries. Official corruption is reportedly rampant both at the higher and local levels.”

The freedom-loving nations of the world have maintained trade sanctions against Burma for decades now. Marking the country as a pariah-state has not loosened the grip of the military in any way.
Aung San Suu Kyi is 65 on 19 June. She will spend her birthday under arrest. As a mark of solidarity and respect, I ask all to please send her a birthday card. Doing so will give the Burmese Diaspora great encouragement.
Your birthday card will tell Aung San Suu Kyi the world has not forgotten her, despite being under house arrest. It will also tell the people of Burma you support their struggle for democracy.”

Burma Campaign Australia will display all of Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday cards together on June 19th and will then send your card to her in Burma.

Send your birthday card by June 16th to:
Burma Campaign Australia
c/- Burma Office, Labour Council Building
Suite 6, Level 8, 377-383 Sussex Street,
Sydney NSW
Can’t afford a postage stamp? I understand. Send her your best wishes digitally: admin@aucampaignforburma.org

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The Avenue of Honour in Bacchus Marsh – the third largest of Victoria’s Great War Avenues of Honour – is threatened by road works. Planning Minister Justin Madden is about to approve the uprooting of eight magnificent elm trees planted to remind Bacchus Marsh residents of the sacrifices their sons and brothers made in World War One.

“In the afternoon of the 10th August 1918 a crowd of over 1000 people assembled to witness and participate in the planting ceremony. A bugle call was then sounded as the signal to commence the planting simultaneously. All two hundred and eighty one elms were planted within half an hour of the bugle call.” – The Express, 17th August 1918.

The trees are over ninety years old now, but the spilled blood they mourn is still fresh and the need to respect the fallen unchanged.

Our boys gave their lives.

The Avenue of Honour is a warning to us all of the folly of war, the cruelty of man and the need for eternal vigilance to defend our freedoms.

The Victorian Government has no plan to replant the trees or renew the memorial in a modern form.  They are just going to take away some more.

This government insults the integrity of the Bacchus Marsh community and the deep cultural significance of the Avenue.

I oppose the thoughtless and destructive Woolpack Road extension from Geelong-Bacchus Marsh Rd – for a truck route!

We cannot allow Premier Brumby and Minister Madden to diminish our proud Australian heritage.

Bacchus Marsh residents must be consulted on this issue and given the opportunity to come up with a more viable, honourable and respectful solution.

There are alternatives.

Mr Laurie Martin, a local and Vice President of the Didyabringyarodalong Angling Club, suggested diverting trucks to the other side of Bacchus Marsh to preserve and protect the Avenue of Honour.

Seems reasonable, Mr Madden.  Are you listening?

Peter Papachristoforos

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I have taught in some very different schools, where a range of religious teachings are followed.
In Victoria, Religious Education is taught sensibly and sensitively. In primary schools it’s usually optional and non denominational.
In secondary schools the two main religious subjects offered to VCE (Year 11 & 12) students are Religion & Society and Text & Traditions.
They lend themselves well to a personal reflection on religion, comparative theology and the impact of religion on society.

There is a wide expanse of territory for study. Within Text and Traditions there are four recommended texts: Ezekial, the Gospels of Luke and John, and the Qu’ran.

Students may choose to study one of the four texts in isolation before comparing with others.
It has never been an issue.

Let’s be clear though, what I’m referring to are electives for senior students. Students, one would hope, who have a grasp of their own beliefs and some functional critical thinking.

We know religious beliefs are  deeply held and highly personal. Most of us let it sit quietly; some choose to evangelize.
Some go to war in it’s name, but it still extends the promise of a healthier, more tolerant community.

I find it ironic Mr Rudd  and Mr Abbott, two Christian politicians, are prepared to dance around each other on an issue that could actually bring them – all of us – together.

They could agree that universal messages of tolerance, compassion and forgiveness in senior classrooms are a good thing, or they could agree to both stay out of the debate.

They could agree diversity of faith makes us stronger and philosophical debate makes us wiser.

Instead, they’re eyeing each other off like feather-weight boxers, twitching and flinching each time the other makes a move.

Prime Minister Rudd used a back bencher, Senator Landy to question the merit of the Bible in the new National Curriculum. Opposition Leader Abbott immediately weighed in.

This threatens to degenerate into a circus.

We must send a clear message: We resent the exploitation of religious belief for political gain. It cheapens politics and demeans our beliefs.

If religion is to become nothing but a lever for politicians to pull,  we may have to pretend we’re all Jedi so they leave the matter alone.

May the Force be with you.

Paul Roberton

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The amendments to the Summary Offences & Control of Weapons Act that enable police to strip-search citizens at will are deeply disturbing.

I share the deep repugnance of YACVIC, the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, at the Brumby Labor Government’s bill. They are aghast and rightly so.

The legislation empowers police to search at will or ‘move on’ individuals who are likely to breach the peace or endanger the safety of others who haven’t otherwise desisted from an illegal act.

Can any of us take our freedoms so for granted that we let this slip idly by?

It’s one thing to give police proper authority to act and to trust their professionalism and training. They are magnificent at their job, but they remain police – not psychics.

Let’s be fair. We don’t want to impede their essential work, but a millennium of the Common Law is being overturned here:  surely they should form a reasonable suspicion first. This bill would no longer require it.

Should they really be empowered to stop someone, perhaps even a child, before they’ve formed a considered opinion of a person’s intent? The echoes of Police Union boss Greg Davies have scarcely faded on the presumption of guilt.

Before us is a Bill empowering police to search any individual – including children, for the legislation lists no age limit to these search powers.

What’s even more ghastly is that the state government sheepishly concedes the bill flies in the face of its own Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities”.

Well done to YACVIC for bringing our attention to this insidious weakening of our hard-earned civil rights, and shame on the government for its hypocrisy.

The YACVIC position can be viewed here.

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