Category: General news

There will be no new casino between Montague Rd and the River, West End Community Association heard on Tuesday evening.

Following public meetings last November about the future of the development of the industrial precinct between Montague Street and the Brisbane River the West End Community Association advised members that a Casino  was planned for the site. Although the plans for that area have upset many residents, see related story, they do not inlcude a casino.

The plans to allow four new casinos in Queensland, bringing the total up to seven, include one additional Casino in Brisbane at the Government Precinct site at Gardent Point and three new regional casinos including a major integrated tourist development at CCCC Point near Cairns. The details of the new Brisbane Casino have been rigorously made public and can be explored starting at http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/infrastructure-delivery/queens-wharf-brisbane.html.

The consultation report that summarises the surveying of community opinion and the presentation of the proposal to the public is also available at http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/resources/report/consultation-report-summary.pdf along with monthly updates.

Because casinos are controversial means of filling government coffers and both those in favour of and those opposed to the casino are likely to take the government to court over any perceived corruption in the decision making progress, the mandarins of George Street have worked extremely hard to ensure complete transparency in their deliberations over the issuing of the licence as well as the planning for the development as a whole.

Get involved and have your say and please, let us know. Even though it is across the river it’s right on our doorstep.

More than 100,000 Australians will hold or attend a record number of events around the country next Thursday (20 March) to remind politicians of their commitment to close the gap on health inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Community groups, health services, businesses, schools, universities, government offices and individuals around Australia are registering online to hold a Close the Gap event in homes, workplaces, schools and communities.

Oxfam Australia’s Indigenous Rights Policy Advisor Andrew Meehan said registered events had now hit a record 1060; this showed an undeniable groundswell of support from everyday Australians expecting governments to keep their promise to invest in Indigenous health.

“Just as parliamentarians on all sides put aside their differences and came together last month in Canberra, next Thursday Australians will come together as one in support of ending the disgrace that sees Indigenous people die up to 17 years earlier than their non-Indigenous counterparts,” Mr Meehan said.

He said the diverse range of events ranged from a school in Nowra creating a mural wall and running a photobooth for students to record their hopes for closing the gap, to the NSW Ambulance Service running events at all of their sites throughout the state.

Meanwhile, politicians in WA will create hand prints on a banner outside Parliament House, a public event in Sydney’s Alfred Park will include a bush tucker picnic, music and speakers, and Aboriginal community controlled health services are hosting events throughout the country.

Oxfam is inviting high school students to take part in a Photo Challenge on Instagram from 17 – 21 March for a chance to win prizes including a signed football and poster from Australian of the Year Adam Goodes. “It’s clear that Australians care about this issue and expect our leaders to act,” Mr Meehan said. “Progress is starting to be made on Indigenous health, as outlined by Prime Minister Tony Abbott last month in his closing the gap speech to Parliament. “The target to halve the gap in child mortality within a decade is on track to be met, and smoking rates amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are going down. “But there’s still a long way to go, which is why we need Federal and State Governments to take a coordinated approach and continue funding Indigenous health initiatives in order to build on the progress already made.” Oxfam is part of the Close the Gap campaign, Australia’s biggest public movement for health equality. It is a coalition of Australia’s leading Indigenous and non-Indigenous health and human rights organisations.

National Close the Gap day launched in 2008. Each year has seen it grow even bigger, with 970 events held last year. Go to oxfam.org.au for more information or to register.

 

 

The Uniting Church on Vulture St (just East of Boundary) has sported a huge We’re Open banner most mornings for the last week. Music wafts from the open door of the church and a lit candle within provides a warm welcome.

This is the work of the new community minister, Minsiter Sue Pickering, whose induction was held at the church last month.

“I just want to provide a safe, welcoming environment for people to sit,” she said. “I will not be ramming Jesus down anybody’s throat, I see the role of the church as taking its place in the centre of the community and providing a centre for reflection and growth.”

Minister Pickering’s background is in community service. She did not jointhe church until her mid-twenties and her calling to become a Minister came later. She has served the community in Wilston for the last three years and with her husband Tim has just moved across to West End to take up the role serving the congregation here.

She has been out an about on the streets, introducing herself to local business owners. WIth her ready smile, Yorkshire accent and stunning tattoos she has left an indelible impression on many in the community.

Local real-estate agent and president of the West End Traders Association (WETA) said that he assumed she was a local goth who had adopted the priest’s garb as a fashion statement.

Minister Pickering addressed both the West End Traders and West End Community Associations at their respective meetings on the opposite side of Boundary Street last night.

Westender also managed to get to both meetings and can faithfully report that she managed to be in both places on the same evening without divine intervention, managing the feat by simply walking across the road half way through the meeting.

You’re invited to join local community organisation Micah Projects in celebrating Close The Gap Day in Boundary Street, West End, on Thursday 20th March, 2014 between 11 am and 2 pm.

There will be a range of informative and educational material highlighting the gap in life expectancy – and other benchmarks – between Indigenous people and the greater community.

Representatives from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) organisations will be on hand to answer your questions, and a Welcome to Country will be performed by a local Elder.

There will be kids’ activities and a hands-on art project where well-wishers will be invited to express their support visually for Closing the Gap. A petition will also be available for guests and passers by to sign.

Phil Dennis,  indigenous Rugby League player and Captain of Souths RLFC, who recently featured prominently in the Goannas side, will be there.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Close the Gap Day stalwarts Rod Tyson, Jenny Pineapple and Dario Western, and the students of Mt Maria’s College will provide a healthy barbeque.

11am – 2pm
Peoples Park, Boundary Street
WEST END

More info: Gemma Stenner, The Hive Social Inclusion Team 3036 4440

https://www.oxfam.org.au/explore/indigenous-australia/close-the-gap/

 

 

You only need to watch a few TV ads to understand that Australia is somewhat segregated when it comes to gender — or so it seems. As many advertisers have seemingly made up their minds that the product they are spruiking will only attract a specific gender.

Some ads take it a step further. One ad that is for blokes and one ad that is for housewives (that is how they are stereotypically presented in the ads) — yet spruiking the same product.

It might not be fair to judge a country based on how gendered TV ads are there, but it is difficult not to.

Which is why I am sadly not shocked that March 8 seemingly went unnoticed here in Australia — apparently only treated as any other Saturday.

On that day this year the [UN] theme was “Equality for Women is Progress for All.”

Yes, you figured it out, Saturday March 8 was International Women’s Day.

I’ve tried to find out if there were any big events around Australia that day, but I could only find information* about a Women’s Day Breakfast in the big cities.

An event hosted two days before the actual International Women’s Day. Conveniently — or maybe inconveniently is a better term — during a weekday when most people are either busy going to work or academia. At the price of $75 ($60 if you are eligible for a concession).

I am honestly not trying to be negative, but it’s difficult not to be. Such an important event should be hosted on the actual International Women’s Day and be accessible for everyone to attend.

While in Norway the annual International Women’s Day event had an impressive attendance in Oslo. About 10,000-15,000 people showed their support for equality. In a town with a population of about 634,463 and a country with only (as most Australian would put it) 5,136,700.

That is something I often hear Australians say, that Oslo is just a small town in a small country. Yet they managed to engage over ten times the amount of people that attended SlutWalk in Brisbane, a city with a population of about 2,189,878 in a country with 23,405,803.

I can’t for the life of me remember when that many people gathered for an event or protest in Brisbane recently.

The last time there was an event that had a 5-digit gathering in Brisbane we have to look all the way back to January 30 in 1920 — also known as Black Baton Friday.

Imagine if 10,000-15,000 people had flooded Brisbane CBD to take a stand for equality on March 8 — International Women’s Day. That would’ve been impressive.

Of course, that number is based on the population of Oslo.

To modify that number to fit with the population in Brisbane we should’ve had about 34,500-51,750 Brisbanites standing up for equality.

Now that would’ve been an impressive event that would’ve send out a loud message to Australia, and even the world, that we want equality — now!

But alas…

Photo credit: Jude

* There where a few other events, but they pretty much were based on the same theme, breakfast, lunch, etc.

With a SOLD sign on the Spiral Hub’s old premises in Boundary St, it’s time for Westender to catch up with co-founder Amelia Salmon and review the state of play. After all, the site has been home to Spiral Hub since 2000.

Amelia said that the move is in response to ongoing changes what social enterprises need.

“A decade ago it made sense to provide access to office space, a desk, printer, computer and phone. Nowadays we have all that sitting in a coffee shop with our phones.”

She said that infrastructure like kitchen and warehouse facilities are less readily available and more in demand. Providing that infrastructure was the major driver for rethinking the location of Spiral Hub. In the end it was a cost-benefit exercise.

“The cost of repurposing the building as we proposed was prohibitive. It just made more sense to move.”

To reach that decision, the hub organised community and stakeholder meetings over 2012 and 2013 to discuss future requirements. The notion of a Fair Food café, learning facilities and provision of support services to social enterprises all bubbled to the surface as a result. Many of these had been long term ambitions frustrated by the various limitations of the site.

“[Moving] was a really hard decision, though. There are a lot of emotional attachments and many interest groups involved.”

Amelia said there has been a shift in the business model as well. She said the group has become less dependent on government funding and is focused on learning and providing support through financial services such as loans.

She sees the shift away from a funded model as liberating.

“We had really good social outcomes for some of that funded work, but now we’re not so caught up with the funding, we can focus more on the social change.”

The Hub has exciting new plans for premises closer to “the action” that will be announced to stakeholders first, once this sale has gone through, the new premises are finalised and those plans locked in.

“The people who have been involved with the Hub over years deserve to find out first.”