Uncle Wayne Wharton telling young activists “We are stronger than the bikies. No-one is going to take our colours. No-one.”
Hundreds of people of all races, colours and ages marched from Queensland Parliament House to Musgrave Park yesterday to commemorate Invasion Day. Speakers reiterated that sovereignty over Australia was never ceded, there is no Treaty and Australian Governments have consistently found new legal instruments to separate the first peoples from their land.
Uncle Wayne Wharton highlighted the G20 invasion in October and the 40th anniversary of the tent embassy in Canberra as key dates this year for the movement to assert its strength. “When we use the word sovereignty and we come out in strength, they shit themselves,” he said. When we do that sober and straight, they shit themselves three times over.”
“On which side do you stand? The dirty dollar or the pristine land?” Good question.
Marchers were joined by hundreds more people at Jaegera Hall in Musgrave park for an afternoon of music and speeches topped off by John Pilger’s film Utopia. Watch out for Westender’s review of the movie.
“Hurt them in the ballot box. Don’t throw away your vote. Put the LNP last” Independent MP Peter Wellington
Brisbane’s Freedom Day rally yesterday attracted more than 1,600 motorcycle riders and supporters angry at the attacks on civil liberties by the Newman government.
Groups supporting the riders included the unions, political parties, charities and welfare groups – all acutely aware of the devastating effect of the attacks by the Liberal National Party on those least likely to support the government. The pink and black colours of Campbell’s Clowns were prominent among the many variations on basic black in the crowd.
Independent member for the Queensland seat of Nicklin, Peter Wellington, spoke passionately about the sacking of the Crime and Misconduct Commission. “These are not laws to protect the people of Queensland. These are laws to protect the Government from criticism.”
He urged thecrowd to hurt the government where it is most vulnerable, at the ballot box. “You might be tempted to write rude things across the ballot paper in disgust.” He said. “Don’t throw away your vote. Number every box and put the LNP last. That’s the way to get rid of these people,” he said.
State secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, Peter Simmonds said he has called the RSPCA and described the conditions in which people arrested under the VLAD laws are being kept. “They told me that it is cruel to keep an animal in those conditions and they would send out the police to arrest anyone who did that to a dog. Well that’s how our government is treating our comrades in prison right now.”
Brisbane’s Freedom Day rally was echoed in Sydney, Melbourne, London and various cities in California. George Monbiot of the UK Guardian and other international commentators have singled out the Queensland laws as undermining the values of western democracy.
The laws remove the assumption of innocence until proven guilty, the freedom of citizens to associate and the independence of the judiciary. Faced with this international condemnation, Campbell Newman, has described the movement as an international cartel.
While speakers at the rally thanked the international commentators for their support this is clearly a home-grown and local movement.
Social media isn’t as mysterious as the myriad of business seminars indicate, according to a new article by Geoff Ebbs in the February edition of Westender
We all know that it is easier to sell something to an existing customer than it is to find new customers and we all know that eighty percent of our business comes from twenty percent of our customers.
We can’t grow our business, though, just by selling new things to the best one in five of our existing customers.
The challenge is to find and convert new customers without breaking the bank.
The core message
Many local business owners have attended seminars in the last year extolling the virtues of facebook, linkedin, twitter, tumblr or pInterest. I know. I’ve seen you there.
Most of these seminars provide compelling evidence that social media works.
Facebook’s Australian small business marketing manager, Nick Bowditch, is a three time netrepreneur who built and sold his three businesses from his PC. Two of them sold for more than a million dollars. Addressing the Small Business Summit at Rydges in July, Bowditch pointed out that searches are increasingly local and predominantly mobile and that social media is the glue that underpins an increasing proportion of communications.
Andrew Bleeker spoke passionately at DNA://13 in Sydney last year about the lessons learned in three US presidential campaigns and how they impact on business.
Most of these seminars leave business people feeling that they somehow missed the point.
Geoff’s article goes through the connection between using social media to connect with your potential customers and actually making a sale.
In the meantime, Westender is keen to hear your stories, successful or otherwise and share them with our business readers through our online weekly business eNews and the business pages of our print publication.
Geoff Ebbs is the author of the Australian Internet Book which sold 45,000 copies in 1995 and went on to a fourth edition, the pioneer of online content management systems and a management consultant with the Ebono Institute.
Declaration of Interest: The Ebono Institute is a shareholder in Urban Voice, the publisher of Westender.
With Brisbane City Council investing heavily in a broadband strategy to bring Brsibane’s small businesses into the 21st century, “ready or not” it is woth considering the lessons learned in broadband implementation programs in the USA. While the Minnesota program described here was strikingly successful, the lessons learned indicate that you cannot simply give people fast broadband and wait for the results. The examples concern relatively small cities in the USA 1 million people and so are referred to as rural, but there are many characteristics in common with Brisbane.
A link to the full article is provided below.
KEY ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION EFFORTS
1. Communities know best.
Involve citizens directly in articulating their community’s broadband adoption and utilization goals to catalyze long-term engagement needed to increase adoption.
2. Local leadership matters.
Help local broadband champions get and use skills to frame issues, build and sustain relationships and mobilize people to build a community’s capacity to achieve its broadband goals.
3. Broadband is not an end in itself.
It is a means to the higher ends of increased economic vitality and improved quality of life. Framing it this way helps.
4. High-touch outreach works.
Effective recruitment strategies are intracommunity, hyperlocal and personalized. Change follows relationship lines.
5. Peers make great teachers.
Peer-based learning formats are popular, low-cost and easily sustainable tools to build a community’s technological savvy.
CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Broadband access alone is not enough.
Without concerted, community-based efforts to ensure that all citizens are able to take advantage of the Internet, the digital divide will continue to grow and to undermine America’s promise as a democracy where equal opportunity is available to all.
Educate and support
Community-based broadband literacy and market development efforts can and do help ensure that all Americans can participate fully in [the] nation’s economy and civic and cultural life. Eliminating the digital divide is an urgent challenge that must be part of [the] national agenda. States and communities need the federal government and its resources as a partner in this work.
Access to broadband is key:
Evidence abounds that high-speed Internet access has economic benefits (positive impact on median household income, employment and business growth). But so is adoption. According to the report “Broadband’s Contribution to Economic Health in Rural Areas: A Causal Analysis,” by B. Whitacre, S. Strover and R. Gallardo (March 26, 2013), “Non-metro counties with high levels of broadband adoption in 2010 had significantly higher growth in median household income between 2001 and 2010 compared to counties that had similar characteristics in the 1990s but were not as successful at adopting broadband.”
This point was eloquently echoed in a recent edition of ”The Daily Yonder,” published on the Web by the Center for Rural Strategies, a nonprofit media organization based in Whitesburg, Ky., and Knoxville, Tenn.: “While most government broadband policies have traditionally focused exclusively on providing infrastructure, there is a case to be made for focusing on demand. Investments in people, education and training are essential to achieve meaningful use of the lnternet.”
Perhaps there will be a surprise speaker showing support for the bikies on January 26
Queensland Civil Liberties Union met last night to plan their support of a series of rolling protests against the Queensland Government’s attack on Civil Liberties. The first of these actions will be the Freedom Day Rally at the Roma Forum in Roma Street, Brisbane at 11am on Sunday January 26th.
This Rally has inspired international support around the world including rallies in London, Toledo California and Canberra.
The meeting was opened by Peter Simpson of the Electrical Trades Union who pointed out that up to 200 electricians will be banned from working in July if the legislation goes ahead.
“Decent working men with families to feed and no criminal record or history of criminal activity are going to lose their jobs because they choose to socialise with bikies.”
He quoted the acting attorney general, David Crisafulli as suggesting that the electricians “simply resign from the gangs.” The VLAD legislation, however, specifically identfies that resignation does not exclude someone from being categorised as illegal.
The Queensland Government has said that all registered trade and professional organisations are required to exclude members who the government has declared to be associates of criminal organisations from July this year.
Significantly, the legislation does not mention bikie gangs or any other specific group and it allows the attorney general to simply declare any corporation, incorporated association or group of three or more people as a criminal organisation.
“This legislation was ready when this government came to power. It does not mention bikies because it was drawn up to criminalise anyone opposing the government. The bikies simply got in the way.”
This week, Premier Newman confirmed that he decided to target bikies as a result of public outrage over shootings by bikies. Those shootings took place before and after the 2012 election.
Civil liberties activists, human rights organisations and legal experts around the world have universally condemned the laws, but conservative governments in the UK, EU and USA as well as other Australian jurisdictions have indicated they will study them and the public reaction to determine if they should follow suit.
It was the general mood of the Queensland Civil Liberties Union that the international focus and widespread opposition is all the more reason why concerned Queenslanders should join the protests in large numbers.
I will be your effective representative for Griffith.
I am here because of personal calls from a wide range of electors of Griffith.
This makes me confident I will be truly representative and I will certainly be independent.
This morning, I wish to cover three items.
Firstly, I am extremely likely to be the new Member for Griffith.
Secondly, I want to talk about who I am and what I have already done in the seat of Griffith
Thirdly, I want to provide some understanding of my ‘political position’.
Therefore, firstly, let me state that I have full confidence that the electors of Griffith will choose wisely and I will be your representative in Griffith after 8th February.
Secondly,
I am a mentor with Queensland’s largest business assistance program, Small Business Solutions.
Small Business Solutions has helped 5000 businesses in the past 6 years. I am one of the leading mentors in terms of numbers of businesses helped and also the highest success rates of improving their businesses. I write the programs and train the mentors. I do business development for the program and in the last 2 years have helped triple and then double the number of businesses assisted. I have conducted 35 business seminars in the seat of Griffith and assisted over 50 businesses in this area.
When distressed businesses call up, I am the one who helps them.
When something goes wrong, I am the one who is sent in.
I am active in many business organizations and forums including committee roles and as a key note speaker to the 3 Chambers of Commerce in the Griffith electorate. I founded the Australian Motorcycle Business Chamber for business owners who ride motorcycles. My international connections include the Hong Kong Australia Business Association and the Australian China Business Council. I am also a past member of the Australian Institute of Export
I have owned or managed businesses for over 20 years. I ran a job network recruitment agency with thousands of clients and 20 staff. I have set up numerous workforce development projects across South Brisbane for the Australian Industry Group. I’m on the board of SCIPS, who as many in this area would know, is a leading not for profit that links schools, government, industry, business and training organisations. I have contributed behind the scenes to thousands of local young people finding their career of choice and local businesses overcoming workforce issues.
I have a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Global Trade Management, a Bachelor of Business in Enterprise Development, a Diploma of Management and qualifications in Real Estate and Training. I lectured in business at Latrobe University for 5 years and at Charles Sturt University for 1 year. I have also taught in the TAFE systems in Queensland, NSW and Victoria for over 8 years.
Thirdly, in relation to policies, I believe the critical issue is to think globally and push locally. My approach is based around bringing people together with the purpose of achieving outcomes.
An example is my last week were I set up a multicultural business development program in conjunction with a local council, set up a business improvement program in an outback Queensland region and brought together a number of parties to develop a program for small businesses in Rockhampton. All from the seat of Griffith.
I stand for a healthier, better educated electorate with full employment.
How will I do this? I will bring groups and people together and solve problems together.
For example, West End is an unofficial musical nursery and a great place to eat. Let’s combine local venues with creative industry expertise and make it an iconic part of Brisbane to visit that excites a new generation of musicians.
We need a water polo specific pool for the Carina pool complex. Australian water polo is in the top 10 in the world. We are always 2 or 3 players off top 5 and when you are in the top 5, anything can happen. Queensland is already the powerhouse in Australia and with a water polo specific pool at Carina we will find those 2 or 3 players.
Small business is by far the biggest employer and the engine room of the electorate. We must ensure all small businesses have access to assistance. If we need more programs we need to develop them. This is critical
The TAFE system has just undergone under a major overhaul and is in real danger of becoming obsolete. The TAFE system needs to be supported not left out to dry. Pathways between school, TAFE and University need to be developed and strengthened. Links between schools, industry and business need to be strengthened
I will look to ‘dampen down’ emotional issues that get too much media attention and become ‘politically hot’ as this prevents possible calm resolutions of the matter.
On conscience issues that are forced to a vote, I will vote in according to what I understand is the majority view within the electorate, because, I work for you
I am Travis Windsor – and I look forward to being the Griffith Member of the House of Representatives after 8th February. It’s your choice – Choose wisely, Choose Windsor.
