ILL SHAPED CLOTHES AND GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION

Last Saturday marked the first anniversary of John Howard's
'NT Intervention'...However, one is compelled to ask, what
affect has this expensive intervention accomplished? The
challenge for the current Federal Rudd Government is to
reexamine re ?evaluate this ?intervention?...Then and
ONLY then will we truly empower Aboriginal communities?

www.crikey.com.au/Hot-Topics-List/The-NT-Intervention.html

Given white society has already "intervened?& marginalized
the custodians of this sacred land for over 200 years. The
Howard Governments intervention is an absolute irony indeed!
Their land their cultural and languages have been consistently
diminishing and intervened with since the arrival of Captain
Cook!

Howard?s patriarchal,intervention was a misguided attempt to
better life? through ultimately restrictive economic sanctions.
The NT intervention is controlling and disturbing!

The previous Prime Minister remarked that the "intervention"
is'"a final solution." This is a very scary concept indeed...

?We now know that the architects of this intervention took
just 48 hours to formulate this policy.?With NO consultation
with those being intervened AT!!!

We must examine this flawed broad-brush intervention that
is apparently "helping? Aboriginal communities with health,
alcoholism child abuse... Indeed mammoth issues, that are
symptoms of a much much larger problem.

The real issues is rooted in lost life's and a disappearing
culture That was the original ?intervention?. Be like ?us?
or suffer the consequence and sadly they are?

This one "size fits all" intervention may be a convenient
concept when making fashion choices, for young models
with low self esteem. However completely ill shaped when
using it as a way to JUSTIFY saving life's and money...
Is it the right means to achieve a healthy equal society?
A question that is worth consideration...Also is this the
most transparent and effective way to help a disempowered
part of Australian society regain it's dignity, given we
have ignored the issues for so long!!!

Frankly, my dears we at VITA feel this intervention
smacks of "you think your life is miserable now, try
to survive with even less (money/ resources) and see
how it goes...If you DON'T do as we say we will give
you even less than what you have....

Using what appears to be a misguided tactic with
already disempowered people. The intervention smacks
of last century parent/child psychology.Horrifying as
it stands in so many of these communities, we still
must question what is the best way to assist these
communities revalue their lives? We will see how
Jenny's approach differs ???

AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH

The current Federal government MUST consider a more
compassionate approach to these 'emergency measures'
inherited from the previous Howard government.

?Last week GetUp visited some of the communities that
are affected by the legislation, too find out what?s
actually being achieved in these communities.

GetUp members are taking a proactive approach to have
the Aboriginal communities voices heard...By uniting
and asking the current Federal government to remove
these undemocratic one-size fits all approach of the
"intervention."

See the video below from these communities and send a
message to the Rudd Government, to rethink the harmful
elements of the intervention, not roll them out:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/RollBackNot
RollOut&id=359?dc=433,86439,3

A transparent consultative approach is essential that
protects human rights, not strips them away. We must
create the opportunity, during this period of review,
to leave the government in no doubt that the broader
community expects more than a ?rushed, blanket approach
that threatens to do more harm than good?.

Getup ?will synthesize our comments on the petition
above, into a formal submission to ensure our concerns
are also considered. Click the link above from the NT
and take action:

Be a part of empowering solution,

Vita

Empty promises and misplaced life's....

Let go of ones own perceived personal problems, the cost
of a new car, the so called "petrol crisis" and anger at
politicians living in their own ego's.

Consider this activity as an alternative source of renewable
energy and give support to people who have no choices....

THE CASE FOR REFUGEES - MAKING THE CASE CLEAR

A Refugee Action Collective - Victoria Refugee Week
action

An empty suitcase is an instantly recognizable symbol
for refugees and displaced persons,

RAC invites you to join in a 'Happening' at 11.30am,
Saturday 28th of June.

To emphasis, the ongoing plight of Refugees in Australia
a mountain of empty suitcases will appear in the middle
of the Melbourne CBD on June 28th. Each suitcase will
represent the human suffering experienced by refugees
every day... and their need for a safe place to call
home, as well as the riches they bring to our community

WHEN: Saturday 28th June. Meet @ 11.30 am SHARP!
It will all be over by 12.30pm.

WHERE: Meet at Atrium at Federation Square (opp. the
Forum Theatre, Flinders St).

BRING: Old unwanted suitcase (they are very cheap at
op shops) with a slogan painted on it. Wear a long coat.

Please select one or two slogans from this list:

Stop Refugee Deportations; Justice for Refugees;
Abolish Unfair Citizenship tests;

Open the Borders; Let the Boats Land,
Let Them Stay; End Mandatory Detention;

No-One is Illegal; Abolish Bridging Visa's
Close Christmas Island.

Download a flyer @

www.rac-vic.org


SUITCASE PAINTING WORKSHOP: THIS SATURDAY @ 3.30

For those who would like to take part there will be
a Suitcase Painting Workshop on

Sat 21st June @ 3.30 pm at rear Wesley Uniting Church
148 Lonsdale St , b/w Russell and Exhibition Sts (
north east/far right corner).

What to bring: old suitcase, bring paint -including
spray cans, brushes, old suitcases, stencil/letter
templates

All are still very welcome even if one does not have
these tools - but please do try and find a suitcase).

Open ones heart and ones suitcase for those with no
choices ... Make it happen!!

Vita

After World Environment Day, one is left perplexed
as to why Kevin Rudd and Brendan Nelson are even
discussing the petrol at the bowser given it is
nearly empty......

Hello bike riders they're arguing about rising
petrol prices whilst ignoring not only "the elephant
in the room - our rising greenhouse pollution.."

They have seriously taken a macro problem and have
diminished it down to micro management of an entirely
irrelevant issue that neither can control...

And although 'revolted" I am moved to use Tony Abbott's
words and say that "I am disturbed" by the this lack
of insight from both sides of the fence by not
addressing the real issues.......

(Mind you Tony was disturbed by Art he had not
seen, nor obviously understood which adds up to
parallel stories really ...!!

GET UP TEAM
"We don't need to remove the GST on petrol, we MUST
start weaning Australia off its oil addiction, with
a 3 point recovery plan - massive federal investment
in public transport

We must establish laws for dramatically more efficient
cars, and an Emissions Trading Scheme which includes
transport.We're tired of waiting for the bus while
our politicians dither in Parliament. Tell your MP
we NEED far-sighted, low-carbon transport solutions
NOW!!!

The world is running out of cheap oil and head-on
into the climate crisis caused by burning fossil
fuels. World oil prices have more than quadrupled
in the past six years and more than doubled in
the past year.

At the same time, transport is 14% of Australia's
greenhouse pollution and rapidly rising. For both
of these reasons we need to move Australia away from
oil, and fast.

Previous governments have failed to prepare
Australia's transport system for rising oil
prices. Our governments, Federal and State in
partnership, must begin making major long
term adjustments now.

First, we demand a world class public transport
system starting with a $5 billion investment from
the newly created Building Australia Fund.

Second, we must include transport in the Emissions
Trading Scheme. Third, we need mandatory fuel
efficiency standards for all vehicles to match
other OECD countries.

Tell our political parties about the three steps to
kicking Australia's oil addiction and jump-starting
cleaner transport"

And this from the USA quote of the day in the
New York Times

"I paid so much for gas to get to work I couldn?t pay my
car payments anymore."CLEVELAND WHITESIDE,

a farm worker whose car was repossessed because gasoline
prices have broken his budget.

GO FIGURE!!!

www.getup.org.au/campaign/FixTransport&id=355

Vita