When a Christian church decides that direct access to government funding allows it to disregard the basic tenets of public education

In this case it was the Living Waters (Uniting) Church which decided that it knew best and appears to have misunderstood and then exceeded its role in the National School Chaplaincy Program famously instigated by former Prime Minister John Howard and continued to this day by the Gillard Government.

A 2010 investigation by the Northern Territory Ombudsman revealed that:

· There was insufficient consultation with community before the chaplaincy services were implemented at specific NT rural public schools and, in at least one school all students were automatically included in what should have been an opt-in voluntary chaplaincy service

· The National School Chaplaincy Code of Conduct was breached by at least one chaplain

· One chaplain allegedly attempted to contact the parents of children on the opt-out list of students who would not be accessing these services

· Inappropriate one-on-one counselling was undertaken by unqualified chaplains, with regard to students' behavioural and emotional problems amongst other matters

· Private and unsecured records of students were kept by at least one chaplain and, in one instance these same records were initially denied to a psychologist treating the student in question

· Conflicts of interest arose and there were perceived problems with duty of care on the part of chaplains

· Proselytising religious beliefs appears to have occurred at times

· In at least one instance there was failure to disclose to a relevant government authority

· There were allegations of improper payments being made to the chaplaincy services

· Chaplains had access to intimate personal information re certain students even when schools were in receipt of ‘no contact’ letters from parents

· In one instance there was defiance of a DET Executive directive in relation to the continued provision of services to one child

· Complaints concerning chaplaincy services or the conduct of specific chaplains were often inadequately handled by both schools and DET/ DEEWR

· The Church permanently housed a convicted paedophile (at least 20 counts of offences against minors recorded) within a building complex also used as emergency accommodation for families with children and in close proximity to a school and park

This is not an exclusive list of problems encountered in the National School Chaplaincy Program and, the fact that there was such a hasty national implementation of this school program and that funding flows directly to the religious organisation (by-passing state eduction authorities) has led to a service which is apparently wide open to abuse.

NT Ombudsman’s 2010 Investigation Report On The Operation of the Chaplaincy Service Within Five Government Rural Schools of the Northern Territory [162 page PDF file]

The road to a hardier banana

With half the Northern Rivers rigid with shock since the humble Aussie banana skyrocketed past $15 a kilo and then entered the stratosphere to become a diamond-studded luxury item in the wake of record breaking natural disasters across the country; the mind turns to how limp yet pricey nanas might be avoided in future. Perhaps Waitrose found an answer on 1 April 2010 when it published this advert?

Securing their future

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit a protected population of orang-utan in Sarawak. It was a fabulous experience quietly watching them as they went about feeding, grooming and playing. The ease with which they moved through the canopy, often with a baby clutching on, was truly an amazing sight. However, despite the good work of many people who work to protect these animals in these reserves, sadly the future of the orang-utan is threatened by loss of habitat as rainforests are cleared.

Closer to home the situation is not much better for our wildlife. Australia has one of the highest rates of mammal extinctions in the world. Also largely due to loss of habitat. Though our wildlife is often cryptic and many are nocturnal and so may not be considered as visually spectacular as the orang-utan, Australian native animals are unique. Many are found only in Australia and have evolved in isolation, giving them characteristics not seen in other animals of the world. They have developed alongside our native plants and so a distinctive Australian environment has been produced. However, as trees are lopped and vegetation cleared, the food and shelter essential to the survival of our native animals is lost.

Australia’s 2010 Biodiversity Conservation Strategy indicates that more than 1,700 species and ecological communities are known to be threatened and at risk of extinction. Now is the time for us to take steps to protect our unique wildlife. Attention was drawn to the plight of the orang-utan many years ago, but still their future is not secure. As a developed nation we are in a better position to ensure our Australian animals have a future in their native environment.

Imelda Jennings
Wildlife SOS

A tongue in cheek look at the ethics of found money

 

Jessica Irvine, journalist, in The Sydney Morning Herald 6 April 2011

There's an old economist joke: an economist is walking with a friend when they both notice a $100 note lying on the footpath. As the friend bends to pick it up, the economist shakes her head and says: ''Don't bother! If it were a real $100 note, someone would have picked it up already.''

Col Shephard, Yamba identity, in The Sydney Morning Herald 7 April 2011:

About that economist and the $100 note lying on the footpath: if the economist, in a fleeting moment of total irrationality, picked up the note and found it was genuine, he or she would immediately say there are only two things that can be done with it. Spend it or save it.
On the other hand, the economist's friend would look for its rightful owner.

Not so far from the secret wish of Tony Abbott and Fred Nile?

The Onion's video take on the Christian Right's approach to a woman's right to choose finds an echo in the Leader of the Christian Democratic Party in the NSW Upper House as quoted in The Daily Telegraph on 31 March 2011:

Mr Nile said he would raise abortion as a priority.
"I would like it to be banned, but that is like raising a red flag to a bull," he said.
"I would like to see abortion laws refined so either women will be shown an ultrasound of their foetus before the procedure, as they do in some parts of America, or they have to see a counsellor once they make the decision."

Left hand drive vehicles for sale in Grafton

Is this Grafton car dealer really selling left hand drive vehicles?

I

Its ad in the local paper would, at first glance, have its customers believe it is.

Hey, wait a minute! It's not all it seems to be.

Someone has reversed the images of the two cars on the right hand side of the ad.

What Jack Nicholson said about the abuse at the Australian Defence Force Academy

I hope that the stupid oaf and his giggling mates are asked to leave the defence academy. They have ruined a young woman's life, reputation and career. She will have to live with this for the rest of her life. Jack Nicholson, Kidman Park, SA

Source: The Australian, 9 April

No, Jack, you're far too kind, don't ask the stupid oaf and his giggling mates to leave. Give them the right order of the boot and kick them out!

Another genetically modified showdown in U.S. District Court

The matter of Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association, et al. v. Monsanto, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) on 29 March 2011, should get interesting as a jury has been demanded to hear arguments in part predicated on the assertion that Monsanto & Co do not hold valid patents on genetically modified seed.

Opening remarks in the application:

1. Society stands on the precipice of forever being bound to transgenic agriculture and transgenic food.1 Coexistence between transgenic seed and organic seed is impossible because transgenic seed contaminates and eventually overcomes organic seed. History has already shown this, as soon after transgenic seed for canola was introduced, organic canola became virtually extinct as a result of transgenic seed contamination. Organic corn, soybean, cotton, sugar beet and alfalfa now face the same fate, as transgenic seed has been released for each of those crops, too. And transgenic seed is being developed for many other crops, thus putting the future of all food, and indeed all agriculture, at stake.

2. Plaintiffs in this matter represent farmers and seed businesses who do not want to use or sell transgenic seed. Plaintiffs are largely organic farmers and organic seed businesses, but also include nonorganic farmers who nonetheless wish to farm without transgenic seed. Plaintiffs are increasingly being threatened by transgenic seed contamination despite using their best efforts to avoid it. This causes Plaintiffs to fear that, if they do indeed become contaminated by transgenic seed, which may very well be inevitable given the proliferation of transgenic seed today, they could quite perversely also be accused of patent infringement by the company responsible for the transgenic seed that contaminates them. Thus, Plaintiffs bring this action to protect themselves from ever being accused of infringing patents on transgenic seed.

3. Monsanto is a chemical company that was previously responsible for introducing to the world Agent Orange, DDT, PCB's and other toxins. Monsanto is now the world's leading proponent of transgenic seed and holds many patents relating thereto that it has aggressively asserted against literally hundreds of farmers, including those farmers who became contaminated by Monsanto's transgenic seed through no fault of their own. Public awareness of Monsanto's patent assertion activities is high and it contributes mightily to Plaintiffs' fears that they, too, could most assuredly be accused of patent infringement in the near future if and when they become contaminated by Monsanto's transgenic seed.

4. Through this action, Plaintiffs ask the Court to declare that, should they ever be contaminated by Monsanto's transgenic seed, they need not fear being sued for patent infringement. As set forth below, there are several legal bases for this declaration, the principal one of which is that patents on transgenic seed fail to satisfy the requirement of both the Constitution and the Patent Act that only technology with a beneficial societal use may be patented. U. S. Const., Art. I, § 8, cl. 8 (“To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts”) (emphasis added); 35 U.S.C. § 101 (“Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor”) (emphasis added). As Justice Story wrote in 1817, to be patentable, an invention must not be “injurious to the wellbeing, good policy, or sound morals of society,” and “a new invention to poison people ... is not a patentable invention.” Lowell v. Lewis,15 F. Cas. 1018 (C.C.D. Mass. 1817). Because transgenic seed, and in particular Monsanto's transgenic seed, is “injurious to the wellbeing, good policy, or sound morals of society” and threatens to “poison people,” Monsanto's transgenic seed patents are all invalid.

5. Monsanto's patents are additionally invalid for other failures to meet the requirements of patent law, including that each violates the prohibition against double patenting, each is anticipated or rendered obvious by prior art, and each fails to satisfy the requirements of written description, enablement and best mode. Monsanto's patents would also not be infringed by Plaintiffs because, amongst other things, Plaintiffs do not intend to use Monsanto's transgenic seed, any seed possessed by Plaintiffs that may be contaminated by Monsanto's transgenic seed is not covered by any valid and properly construed claim of any patent in suit, and Monsanto's patents rights in transgenic seed exhaust upon the authorized distribution by Monsanto to its customers. Monsanto's patents are also unenforceable because, among other things, Monsanto has committed misuse, Monsanto is equitably estopped from enforcing them, and Monsanto commits trespass when its transgenic seed contaminates another. Lastly, Monsanto would not be entitled to any remedy under law or equity even if its patents were held to be valid, infringed and enforceable against Plaintiffs, as no economic injury happens to Monsanto and the public interest would not support granting Monsanto an injunction when its patented seed contaminates another…..

The plaintiffs in the suit represented by the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) are: Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association; Organic Crop Improvement Association International, Inc.; OCIA Research and Education Inc.; The Cornucopia Institute; Demeter Association, Inc.; Navdanya International; Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association; Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter, Inc.; Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont; Rural Vermont; Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association; Southeast Iowa Organic Association; Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society; Mendocino Organic Network; Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance; Canadian Organic Growers; Family Farmer Seed Cooperative; Sustainable Living Systems; Global Organic Alliance; Food Democracy Now!; Family Farm Defenders Inc.; Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund; FEDCO Seeds Inc.; Adaptive Seeds, LLC; Sow True Seed; Southern Exposure Seed Exchange; Mumm's Sprouting Seeds; Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., LLC; Comstock, Ferre & Co., LLC; Seedkeepers, LLC; Siskiyou Seeds; Countryside Organics; Cuatro Puertas; Interlake Forage Seeds Ltd.; Alba Ranch; Wild Plum Farm; Gratitude Gardens; Richard Everett Farm, LLC; Philadelphia Community Farm, Inc; Genesis Farm; Chispas Farms LLC; Kirschenmann Family Farms Inc.; Midheaven Farms; Koskan Farms; California Cloverleaf Farms; North Outback Farm; Taylor Farms, Inc.; Jardin del Alma; Ron Gargasz Organic Farms; Abundant Acres; T & D Willey Farms; Quinella Ranch; Nature's Way Farm Ltd.; Levke and Peter Eggers Farm; Frey Vineyards, Ltd.; Bryce Stephens; Chuck Noble; LaRhea Pepper; Paul Romero; and, Donald Wright Patterson, Jr.

On the day of filing Monsanto hit out in its official online blog, Beyond the Rows. Describing PUBPAT’s application as containing many allegations which are false, misleading and deceptive and stating that the plaintiffs’ approach is a publicity stunt designed to confuse the facts about American agriculture.

107th Maclean Highland Gathering, 22-23 April 2011

Ceud mìle fàilte

The small NSW North Coast town of Maclean in the Clarence Valley is celebrating its 107^th Highland Gathering this Easter Weekend 22-23 April 2001.

The townsfolk are proud of their Scots heritage and the Lower Clarence Scottish Association puts on a grand show every year at this time, with Pipe Bands, Solo Piping and Drumming, Highland Dancing and the popular Highland Sports (including caber tossing, log wrestling and tossing the hammer) taking place at the Maclean Showground on the banks of the Clarence River.

Entry price:
Adults $15
Pensioners $10
School students $5

Contact: Bob MacPherson
Phone: (02) 6645 2887
Website: http://www.macleanhighlandgathering.com.au/

Yindjibarndi people protest against Twiggy Forrest and "the lie FMG want to fly"

FMG's Great Native Title Swindle from Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corp. on Vimeo.

Legend:

Caught red handed – this is a record of a supposed 'native title' meeting staged by the iron ore miner, Fortescue Metals Group (FMG). It shows how FMG, its agents, a lawyer and an opportunist splinter faction tried to destroy the unity of the Yindjibarndi people and give open slather to FMG for its Solomon Hub project. The video demonstrates the unscrupulous actions of a miner trying to bully traditional owners into a land use 'Agreement' that will see massive disturbance of country and will swindle several generations of Yindjibarndi people. The fight continues. See yindjibarndi.org.au/​

* The mining company has reportedly sent a legal letter to Vimeo demanding this video be taken down. Vimeo has complied. It may now be viewed on North Coast Voices in the post In defence of free speech and First Peoples.