Petition "Federal Government: Fund SBS properly to stop mid-programme advertising!"

Hello!

I've started the petition "Federal Government: Fund SBS properly to stop mid-programme advertising!" and need your help to get it off the ground.
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:
http://www.change.org/p/federal-government-fund-sbs-properly-to-stop-mid-programme-advertising
Here's why it's important:

SBS Television and advertisements
author: Mannie De Saxe
target: SBS Management in Australia and the Federal Government

SBS television was started in Australia some 30 years ago to assist the multicultural aspects of modern Australia's changing demographics. SBS was funded by the federal government but successive governments reduced their budget, so SBS began putting commercial advertising at the beginning and end of their programmes in order to raise revenue.
 When a new CEO was apponted some 12 years ago, he decided that if the advertisements were played in the middle of programmes, more revenue would be raised for the station. This ploy failed miserably, and as a consequence SBS lost viewers and the quality of its programmes deteriorated rapidly.
Now in 2015, SBS has a new management and this petition is to urge the new team to drop the advertisments in the middle of programmes. SBS used to have the best news bulletins of all tv stations in Australia, and, because of the advertisements, it has lost continuity and quality - and some of its best newsreaders!
 We are hoping to get enough signatures on this petition to induce SBS management to reconsider, and restore the service to its former glory!
 Late in 2012 SBS started a new channel specifically for Indigenous programmes. These too are interrupted in the middle of interesting programmes by commercials. These need to be stopped now in order to make SBS what it was originally - the world's first - and best - multicultural broadcaster.
It now seems that because the Federal government is determined to ruin SBS and the ABC, the government wants to join them together and reduce accommodation and staffing.
Margaret Pomeranz and Quentin Dempster, together with GetUp, have also started a petition, so there will now be at least two petitions for everyone to sign - Urgently!!

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Here's something you may not already know about: the government is proposing major changes to SBS' advertising arrangement – which, if passed, would see primetime broadcasting interrupted with more ads, more frequently, than ever seen in Australia's public broadcasting history.

Read on for a message from former SBS & ABC TV presenter Margaret Pomeranz, and public broadcasting advocate and journalist Quentin Dempster, on what you can do to stop this proposal in its tracks – and click here to sign the petition: www.getup.org.au/saveoursbs

~ A message from Margaret and Quentin ~

Mannie,

Want to stop the further commercialisation of our already under fire public broadcasters?

When Parliament re-commences next month, MPs and Senators will face a proposal on whether to allow the doubling of ads and commercial breaks on SBS, a move that will have a significant negative impact on our public broadcaster and its devoted viewers.

If the government's proposed amendments to the SBS Act are passed, SBS will look no different from the commercial networks. It will effectively be turned into Australia's fourth fully commercial TV channel, by stealth.

We will be doing everything we can to get the word out about the threat that these amendments pose to public broadcasting – but we need your help to demonstrate we have the support of the Australian public. The more signatures we can collect, the more seriously MPs and Senators will take us.

Now is the moment that Australians need to stand up to fight for sustainable, multicultural public broadcasting, and stand up for our SBS. Sign our petition urging the Federal Parliament to reject amendments to extend advertising on SBS: www.getup.org.au/saveoursbs

Our SBS is unique. It emerged in 1978 as an initiative of the Fraser Government, because of the shortage of services for the growing population of newly arrived Australians who didn't speak English.

In 2015, SBS' reason for being is more relevant than ever. Australia is one of the world's most multicultural countries, with an increasingly culturally diverse population. Thirty-three per cent of Australians weren't born here, nor were their parents. In a time when the risk of segregation and polarisation are greater than ever, our SBS can break down xenophobia, racism and bigotry through intelligent, engaging journalism, informed conversation, satire, documentary, movies and entertainment programming.

But if proposed amendments to the SBS Act pass, the SBS will be brought back to a shadow of its former self. It will be severely hindered in its ability to comply with its very own Charter, and provide quality content for Australians from diverse backgrounds.

Audiences love SBS, but love it less with commercial breaks continually disrupting programs. Together, let's remind our Parliament that we want our public broadcasters to treat us as audiences and as citizens in a robust democracy, not as consumers to be delivered up to advertisers.

Will you sign this petition, urging Parliament to protect SBS and reject these amendments? www.getup.org.au/saveoursbs

This isn't just about SBS. Australian commercial media networks rely upon advertising revenue to underwrite its financial viability – and they don't need a taxpayer-subsidised SBS competing for precious ad revenue. Public broadcasters weren't designed to be run on a commercial media business plan.

Here's what we need to tell our politicians: we want a strong and creative private media sector in Australia, complemented by robust public broadcasters with their independent Charter roles. It's this that has helped to make Australia a great and peace-loving country. Please join us and the Save Our SBS our campaign to fight for a non-commercial future for Australia's great multi-cultural broadcaster: www.getup.org.au/saveoursbs

With every good wish,

Margaret Pomeranz & Quentin Dempster

PS - We believe a public broadcaster that reaches Australia's diverse communities through multi-lingual radio, online services and television programming is crucial to a sense of inclusion. SBS is an investment in our communities – let's show politicians that we won't stand for cuts by stealth: www.getup.org.au/saveoursbs

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GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you'd like to contribute to help fund GetUp's work, please donate now! To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here. Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders - past, present and future - and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia and the GetUp community.
Authorised by Sam Mclean, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.

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Please get every one you know to sign the petitions so that there will be hundreds and thousands of signatures to the Federal Government and SBS!

You can sign my petition by clicking here.
Thanks!
Mannie De Saxe

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MICHAEL LEUNIG DESERVES AN HONORARY DOCTORATE

This work of art by Michael Leunig appeared in the Saturday Age Spectrum section on 29 March 2014

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THOSE LEFT-WING BLOGS WHICH PROMISED MUCH AND DELIVERED MORE OF THE SAME ALP GUFF!

I have looked in vain at the blogs I have been following for some time to try and find some positive suggestions about the directions politics are going in the Australian federal parliament - but it all comes down to the same refrain: "SUPPORT JULIA GILLARD OR YOU WILL GET TONY ABBOTT!"

In September 2013 we will be heading for the polling booths around the country to elect a federal government ostensibly for the next 3 years.

The current federal government is actually a coalition consisting of the Australian Labor Party, a few independents and - although they have stated that they are no longer remaining in the Gillard coalition government - the Greens who will vote with Gillard on most issues.

Gillard's right wing reactionary policies have been reinforced over time to outdo the excesses of the Abbott-led alternative coalition in order to win the so-called "popular" vote!!

Gillard has the opportunity of a lifetime to change the direction of the Labor Party and to bring it back to some semblance of what it set out to be over 100 years ago. Some of her worst ministers have left the front bench after the failed leadership coup of the last week and their departures leave the way open for some more humane policies on a range of issues.

It won't happen, of course! The asylum seekers will still be treated like criminals and locked away, out of sight, out of mind. Those people who have been put on newstart or whatever other demeaning names given to them by a government there for the rich to get richer while the poor are made to pay more for their greater poverty are just another step in the downward spiral of issues this government has mishandled.

Some of the blogs I have been following which seemed to hold hope of alternative media to the mainstream media which include the ABC have become mouthpieces for the ALP and not at all expressing views which might have provided some sort of progressive alternatives to mainstream political parties.

Reading the postings made on these blogs almost makes them seem like The Age or other newspapers which have become unreadable in the last few years because the proprietors demand from their journalists that they toe the MSM line or lose their jobs - some of which have been lost anyway because the MSM have become so reactionary that many people simply won't buy them any more and the newspapers have lost more and more money.

If I am still able to go on line - and more and more people are doing this - to get accurate and honest reporting of events around the world, why would I want to continue reading The Age or watching the ABC which has become more and more like an arm of a Murdoch rag?

Having lived in the apartheid South African police state during the period of some of the worst excesses there, a period of some 51 years, I have now been living in Australia and witnessing an Australian government committing some of the excesses of comparable horror to those of the South African regime.

In 35 years of living here and in spite of a Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, since that Commission those deaths have increased dramatically in numbers and the treatment by federal governments and Northern Territory governments of its indigenous populations continue to be a national disgrace!

What does the future hold? Any sign of anyone offering some progressive policies for the foreseeable future? As the saying goes, DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!

MANUS ISLAND EXPOSED: A BRAVE WOMAN PLEADS - VIA GETUP

This video should be seen by all who value human rights and are horrified with what the Federal government and its loyal opposition have done to desperate people from countries Australia has invaded

MANUS ISLAND EXPOSED: A BRAVE WOMAN SPEAKS OUT!

THE THOMSON AFFAIR - TRUTH AS USUAL BEING STRANGER THAN FICTION!

We were sent this blog post by email from a friend of ours who said that at last the story's bits and pieces were put together in a coherent whole.

I am indebted to Wixxy for permission to reproduce this story, which really develops daily into a saga worthy of anything John Galsworthy could have dreamt up!

I Think I Smell A Rat

Posted: May 16, 2012 in Politics

Slippery does not begin to describe the goings on in relation to some of the antics of our Federal politicians of late, however, many may be surprised at which side of politics I am referring to.

The James Ashby and Peter Slipper sexual harassment saga looks dodgier by the minute… even Barnaby Joyce thinks so…

Many of the allegations by Ashby seem to centre around events in a hotel, which begs the question, “What was he doing in a hotel room with someone who was allegedly sexually harassing him?” That does seem a wee bit odd/stupid/leading/entrapping to me.

Then we have The Liberals and their ever-changing stories… Mal Brough, he knew nothing of it and didn’t meet with Ashby… Turns out he met with Ashby, offered advice, suggested legal action… in short, in it up to his neck. When you consider that Brough is the guy looking to be preselected in Slippers seat for the Liberals, it is odd that the words “Conflict Of Interest” didn’t occur to him… or maybe they did.

Mal Brough learns to back pedal

Then there is Christopher Pyne… similar story, he had “No specific knowledge”, and didn’t really have anything to do with Ashby. As it turns out, they met several times in the month prior to Ashby’s legal claims, and went out drinking together. Then Mr Pyne told us he didn’t request Mr Ashby’s mobile phone number, as he would have no need for it, and anybody suggesting otherwise was speculating. Lo and behold, shortly afterwards an email was leaked to the press from Christopher Pyne to Mr Slippers office requesting Mr Ashby’s details. Hmmm

Christopher Pyne has ‘no specific knowledge” of misleading the press just the day before

Christopher Pyne could have saved himself the trouble, and asked Julie Bishop for his details, as Mr Ashby was already in contact with her office. Turns out though, Julie Bishop was unaware, or had forgotten all this, even misread his emails apparently. I think the words Julie was looking for but misplaced were “No Specific Knowledge”….

Looking at Mr Ashby himself, this is a man who was found guilty of using a carriage service in an offensive manner whilst working at a radio station in Newcastle. Ashby rang a rival DJ on a radio station posing as a mystery caller and when told the call was being taped, said, “Yeah, go for it you fucking psychopath. Next time I see you riding on your fucking bike I’ll hit you, you idiot, all over the sloppy road, you dumb prick. Fuck it, if I was your mother, I would have drowned you at birth.”

Also revelations have appeared that involve Ashby “introducing” young gay men to a millionaire acquaintance. What Ashby forgot to tell these young gay men, is that his millionaire buddy was HIV Positive. So, I’m guessing that makes him a pimp? This guy sounds all class…

I think it is safe to say that Mr Ashby’s credibility leaves a lot to be desired.

I would like to see the question asked in parliament “Is anybody associated with the Liberal Party assisting Ashby with his legal costs?” After all, he has hired a barrister that charges $600 an hour…. a little out of the average political staffers budget reach. Or maybe it is the same people that have allegedly paid Mr Ashby $50,000 to make the complaint against Peter Slipper.

This whole drama smells fishier than Rex Hunt’s freezer after an 8 hour blackout….

I am not going to suggest Slipper’s guilt or innocence on any of the claims, the courts can figure that out.

I am also not suggesting that sexual harassment is not a serious issue or crime, but I am suggesting that making false claims, entrapment, and fabricating evidence are also serious issues and crimes, something nobody else seems to be taking the time to point out. Not that these things necessarily have any “specific” link to this case….

The other saga embroiling the government is the Health Services Union, HSU debacle.

But I think I smell a rat…

I will start by saying that I do not endorse anyone spending over $6K on hookers on a union credit card. That is just reprehensible behaviour. Nor do I endorse not declaring vast amounts of money to the Electoral Commission on election campaigns, that sort of thing just reeks of Sophie Mirabella type behaviour…. But these allegations are yet to be proved, and are vigourously denied.

Union whistleblower Kathy Jackson has been ripping into both the Labor Party, and the former President of Fair Work Australia, Geoffrey Giudice, for months now over the goings on within the embattled union, and the investigation resulting from her claims.

Kathy Jackson has caused the union movement untold damage, and brought a government to the brink of collapse. One would assume that the public may be interested in knowing a little more about her, and about any conflicts of interest that there may be in this case.

One vital piece of information that is not widely known about her is her partner is a man name Michael Lawler. “Who is Michael Lawler when he is at home?” I hear you ask.

Let’s have a look shall we.

For starters, Michael is allegedy good friends with a man named Tony Abbott, it is said that the two of them socialise regularly. How convenient then that Tony Abbott is the leader of the political party that is making so much ground out of these claims that Michael’s partner is making.

Michael Lawler works for an organisation called Fair Work Australia, where he is the Vice-President. Not a bad gig at all, in fact, the only person higher than him is the President Iain Ross, who in February, replaced Geoffrey Giudice, you know, the one that Michael’s mate Tony Abbott, and his partner Kathy Jackson are attacking daily.

On the 11th October 2002, according to their annual report Michael Lawler was appointed Vice President of Fair Work Australia, although back then called the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. The man who appointed him to this role was none other than Tony Abbott, who at the time was Employment And Workplace Minister under John Howards Government.

The opposition always refer to Fair Work Australia as Julia Gillards “baby”, but this was certainly Tony Abbott’s appointment.

I’m sure that all those things are purely coincidence…

However it does start to get a little strange when Mr Lawler seems to become involved in factional battles within the union on his partner, Kathy’s behalf.

Partners in crime, or just partners?

Carol Glen was the Victorian Divisional Secretary of HSU East for 3 years before resigning. At the time Kathy Jackson was National Secretary of HSU East, and Michael Williamson was the General Secretary of HSU East.

Carol resigned due to the factional fighting within the union, particularly between Jackson and Williamson.

However Jackson clearly did not want Carol to resign, as she feared that Williamson would replace her with a Divisional Secretary loyal to him.

This is the point where Lawler became involved in the factional battle within the Union, even though he was not a part of the HSU himself.

Carol Glen, in a written complaint to Fair Work Australia President Geoffrey Giudice, alleges she received an “aggressive” phone call from Lawler, who told her “You can fuck off and take sick leave if you don’t want to do the work and still be paid, but you can’t resign.”

Michael Lawler did not work at HSU East, and this complaint went directly to his only superior in Fair Work Australia.

Just a few days later Lawler made corruption allegations against Carol to NSW Police, and Strikeforce Carnarvon was born.

It is odd that this type of complaint would come from Lawler, as he was not part of HSU East, or even a member of the Union.

As part of his complaint of corruption Lawler made reference to a cheque that was being picked up by Carol, something that she had mentioned in an email. The inference was that this cheque was some sort of pay off.

This cheque, as it turns out, was a bank cheque ordered by Carol to pay her rent, totally innocent, and not related to any Union business at all.

However, it does raise the question of how Lawler would know about it. The only possible way is from her emails, which raises the question, “How did Lawler have access to Carol’s emails?’

When asked about this, suddenly Lawler decided it was “inappropriate to comment”

On the 2nd May, police officers from the NSW Fraud and Cybercrime Squad, raided the HSU East headquarters in Pitt St Sydney, in a much publicised operation.

Inside sources have pointed out a few anomalies with the official story of the raid reported in the press. Police were offered the option of using the service elevator and the rear entrance to the building to make things simpler, safer, and faster for officers, this offer was rejected, as the police were keen to use the main entrance where the press had assembled. Sources also state that a large number of the boxes shown on TV being carried out by officers were virtually empty, it was allegedly all done for show to make it look like there were mountains of documents seized. Also, sources say, the story about Michael Williamson trying to sneak out a back door with evidence is total rubbish and done to implicate guilt. Mr Williamson left the office via the entrance the police were offered access to, as his car was parked in the car park opposite, the things he was carrying were taken by police as routine, and were his personal items, probably a sandwich as well….

Empty Boxes?

So, it would seem there are many questions to be asked, not just of Craig Thomson.

The mind boggles at how someone who reportedly is a personal friend of Tony Abbott’s is able to allegedly hack the emails of a Union official, make a complaint regarding a Union he should have nothing to do with, be the partner of the Union whistleblower, and be the Vice President of the organisation in charge of investigating the Union, and yet none of this is widely known. Talk about conflicts of interest.

In my mind this puts question marks over the entire investigation, and also makes me wonder if there was Coalition involvement. After all, George Brandis did seem to keep pushing for more investigations…

Speaking of the Coalition, Kathy Jackson has acted strangely, for a union boss, in her choice of legal representation.

In Melbourne Jackson has hired Stuart Wood, a former Vice President of the HR Nicholls Society. The HR Nicholls Society is a right-wing group, set up as a think tank for Industrial Relations reform, much of which was the architecture of the infamous “Workchoices” policy.

It would seem to be valid to question why the Secretary of a Union would hire a solicitor that is anti union, and whose ideas you have spent your working life fighting against. A quick look at HR Nicholls Society’s website shows just how close the ties are with the Liberal Party. Peter Reith is a board member, other notable names on the list of who contribute to this society are, Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz, Peter Costello, Michael Kroger… the list goes on and on, even Andrew Bolt gets a mention.

Jackson is even due to be guest of honour and give a speech at the HR Nicholls Society annual dinner on June 12th.

In yet another strange coincidence, James Ashby is using Kathy Jackson’s Sydney lawyers, she has more than one, it does seem a bit odd, however I’m sure there is probably no “specific” reason for this…

On the 14th May, on the Chris Smith programme on radio station 2GB, Kathy Jackson said that rumours of the Liberal party paying for her vast team of lawyers were rubbish. These lawyers, expensive lawyers, were all working for her for free, pro bono she stated. Chris Smith chose not to persue the matter…

People can say whatever they like about Craig Thomson’s credibilty, and his explanantion of events, there is a remarkably similar story from another HSU official from 2009... What most would find totally unbelievable, and absolutely inconceivable is that these right wing lawyers, one of them from a Liberal “Union Busting” think tank would provide their services free to a Union boss, especially one who pays herself a $270,000 salary. What kind of fools do they take the public for? Stuart Wood providing free services to a sworn enemy… I find it more likely that Andrew Bolt would set up an Islamic Charity group for Asylum Seekers.

I don’t know how deep this runs, but like I said, I think I smell a rat….