April 2009 News Archive

20 April 2009 - Alcohol and religious freedom...
Connected topics?
Both were the subject of separate E-News emails today...

Alcohol -
Click here to read our media release calling on the government to restrict alcohol sales and advertising.

Religious freedom -
Bob Carr, former NSW Labor Premier, has written a very good article, opposing the introduction of religious vilification laws or 'freedom of religion laws' and opposing the AHRC Inquiry into the 'Freedom of Religion and Belief.
We've posted it on our campaign page for the AHRC Inquiry - or click here for the article.

16 April 2009 - Illegal immigrants
In the past few months there has been an increase in the number of boats carrying illegal immigrants to Australia. People smugglers in Indonesia are carrying the people to Australia after they arrive in Indonesia. The media is referring to these people as 'refugees' or 'asylum seekers' rather than 'illegal immigrants'.

This increase has been attributed to the change in government policy - from the tough line put in place by the Howard government that was effective in deterring people from coming to Australia illegally to the new policy implemented by the Rudd government that softened the detention provisions for the arrivals.

Now we have an explosion on one of these boats - it was being intercepted by navy officers and boats. There has been some discussion as to why the boat exploded, with WA Premier Colin Barnett referring to petrol being poured onto the decks. Former Howard government minister Phillip Ruddock, who was responsible for the 'Pacific Solution' said people smugglers often told people to scuttle their own boat to prevent being returned to Indonesia.

Undoubtedly an Inquiry will be be held - but it sounds a lot like the 'Children overboard' case!
In the meantime Australia needs to take action to protect its borders.

Media reports:
Asylum seekers arrive in Darwin after boat explosion
Courier Mail - April 17, 2009.
"Three people died, two are missing believed dead, and at least 44 were injured in the blast near Ashmore Reef, 800km northwest of Darwin , early yesterday. . ."

Senior ministers cite children overboard affair in bid to blunt Opposition attack
The Australian, 17 April, 2009.

Sabotage craft, asylum seekers told: Philip Ruddock

The Australian, April 17, 2009.

16 April 2009 - Inquiries underway!
Surrogacy:
The National Surrogacy Inquiry, conducted by SCAG, the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, is underway. Submissions close today.
See our Campaign page - click here.

Human Rights - Bill of Rights
The national 'Human Rights Consultation is holding Community Roundtables around the country. Click here for venues. Please attend to present your views!
Submissions are invited - they are due by June 15, 2009.
Click here for our Campaign page.

13 April 2009 - No drinking for teens under 18
Today they said 'we got it wrong'! Researchers in Melbourne have announced that there is NO safe level of drinking alcohol for teenagers. This counters the previous guidelines that said that there was a 'low-level risk' for drinking small amounts.
The outcome? Higher rates of alcohol abuse and risky sexual behaviour...

The research has been done by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne and published last week in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.

No safe level of alcohol for teens
Canberra Times, 13/04/2009
"TEENAGERS who drink even small amounts of alcohol have a significantly higher risk of developing alcohol abuse or risky sexual behaviour as a young adult, research has found. ..."The team at the say their study, which tracked 1520 young people's drinking habits over more than 10 years from the mid-teens, shows no "safe" or "sensible" level of drinking for adolescents."

11 April 2009 - Easter messages
At Easter we remember the real meaning of Easter - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ... the central fact of Christianity.
Check out our Easter page for articles and information.

Unfortunately some Christian ministers reject the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ - but without that there is no Christian faith!

Bill Muehlenberg writes about Francis Macnab, the minister at a Uniting Church in Melbourne who has declared a 'New Faith' and says he doesn't believe in the physical resurrection. Click here for his statement.

Bill Muehlenberg says the word for him starts with an 'a' and ends in 'postasy'!
Click here for Bill's article.

3 April 2009 - Same sex marriage in Sweden
Sweden has passed legislation to allow same-sex marriage. Sweden allowed 'Registered Partnerships' in 1996 and added adoption rights for same-sex couples in 2002.

But that wasn't enough for the activists. The government eventually agreed, conceding that same-sex couples already had all the same rights as married couples.

The Bill was passed on 1 April 2009 - With only the Christian Democrats resisting the pressure, when it finally came to a vote the change received an overwhelming majority, despite 70 MPs apparently not being able to decide which way to go and thus not voting, the final vote was 261 in favour and 22 opposed. The new law will allow civil and religious ceremonies, but individual churches will be allowed to opt out of performing same-sex 'marriages'.

It just shows that giving registered relationships will NOT stop them asking for, and getting same-sex 'marriage'!

2 April 2009 - Climate change update
Sea Levels
One of the claims of those promoting global warming is that sea levels will rise. Nils-Axel Mörner is the former chairman of the INQUA International Commission on Sea Level Change. He is a leading expert on sea level rises... and says that such a claim is a huge 'scare' and a lie. He says sea levels have risen and fallen over time and that the maximum rise would be about 10 cm. Click here for more information and articles.

Governor of Victoria
The Governor of Victoria, David de Kretser, has made public comments about global warming - calling for governments to act and promoting Earth Hour.

The Age had an article asking 'Do we want an activist Governor?. The editorial defended Mr de Kretser, saying he was a qualified scientist. However his field of expertise is reproductive biology - not climate science.

Articles:
Governor's call to arms on global warming
The Age, Paul Austin - April 2, 2009

Has Victoria's Governor overstepped office's bounds?
The Age, Paul Austin - April 2, 2009

Governor to dine by candles in greener house
The Age, Adam Morton - March 28, 2009

Governor should 'butt out of politics'
The Age, Paul Austin - April 3, 2009

The Governor has the right to speak his mind
The Age, Editorial, 3 April 2009.

Earth Hour
Click here for our webpage on Earth Hour....