It is to be expected that the NSW police would say what they did in relation to this case, but the evidence points in the other direction. In an ongoing display of homophobia, ably aided and abetted by the NSW government, the NSW Police have not yet got the message that their brutality and indifference to a minority group in the community is unacceptable, and gays, lesbians, transgenders and people living with HIV/AIDS are just as worthy of protection as any other group.
It is necessary to protest, at every opportunity, at this gross dereliction of duty on the part of governments, that it is their duty to protect those who are most vulnerable in the community. This means many minority groups. The NSW government and its police force are amongst the worst in the country and deserve censure at every opportunity, of which this brutal attack is just another symptom of what is rotten in the state of NSW.
From the Sydney Star Observer:
Bashed couple get AVO
by Ani Lamont
Blacktown Police have refuted claims homophobia played a part in the investigation of a gay bashing.
Local Area Commander Supt Mark Wright denied any mismanagement in the case of Aaron Warnecke and Greg Harland — a couple attacked with metal poles in May.
“I would strenuously deny any suggestion that this investigation has been treated differently because of the sexual preference of those injured. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Wright said.
“As is often the case in these types of investigations, we are dealing with a variety of different versions and conflicting information, which always makes an investigation more difficult.
“The most important consideration for police is to ensure our investigations and our briefs of evidence are as complete as possible. We want to get this right and not face a situation where an offender could walk free because of a rushed or incomplete investigation.
“With this in mind, my investigations manager is reviewing the investigation and seeking legal advice.”
Warnecke and Harland now have an interim AVO in place and will return to Blacktown Court for a final AVO hearing on September 14.
They said relations with the police had improved since they went public.
“Since the article, [the police] have done a whole 180,” Harland said. “Even with their phone manner, they’re really pleasant — they’re not just barking ‘give me the event number’ and making me explain the whole story over and over. They’re being helpful.”
The couple’s story saw a community outcry and offers of assistance.
The Homicide Survivors Association offered to act as a liaison between the victims and police. Former Blacktown councillor John Allen has offered to raise the issue with the council.
“This is not just about a couple of fairy guys, this is an issue of safety,” Allen told Sydney Star Observer.
“Blacktown is the largest local government area of NSW, there’s close to 300,000 people.
That then means, just on the stats, there is a very high gay and lesbian population. So to have one liaison officer based in Quakers Hill, of all places, is questionable.”
NSW Police GLBT spokeswoman Donna Adney said the state would see an increase in GLLOs.
“There is a GLLO course in November which should result in about 25 new GLLOs being trained,” she said.
NSW Police Minister Tony Kelly has been made aware of the case, although he declined to comment before the investigation was finished.
HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUALITY FOR ALL,FREEDOM & JUSTICE FOR PALESTINE, ZIMBABWE, BURMA, EVERY COUNTRY SUFFERING FROM WARS, DROUGHTS, STARVATION, MILITARY ADVENTURES, DICTATORSHIPS, POLICE STATES, RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION, HOMOPHOBIA, CENSORSHIP & OTHER OBSCENITIES.INTERNATIONAL ASYLUM SEEKER SUPPORT
A BLOG SITE, "BLOGNOW" COLLAPSED IN 2009, SO USE THE GOOGLE SITE SEARCH ENGINE
10 September 2009
06 September 2009
WATCHING AJN WATCH
WATCHING AJN WATCH
On Thursday 3 September 2009 I was made aware of a blog called “AJN Watch” whose purpose seems to be to ensure that the Australian Jewish News, otherwise known as the Israeli Zionist Times, keeps to the straight – as distinct from gay – and narrow – as distinct from progressive and all-embracing for the health and well-being of the Australian Jewish community.
In truth, I haven’t had such a good laugh in years! At least it would be a good laugh if, indeed, it wasn’t all too tragic. This homophobic talmud-loving claptrap is enough to cause young Jewish people having trouble with their sexuality to commit suicide, and this is NOT in the least funny!
It seems that one of their latest rantings is against Michael Barnett of Aleph and their attacks on him are such that they could be the ravings of any fascist or semi-fascist organization. Their abuse is much on the levels of what one expects from some of the journalists in the Herald Sun, the Daily Telegraph and the Australian, not to exclude some of the journalists and ex-politicians given house room in the Fairfax media.
In Nazi Germany they began by smearing people because they were Jewish and Jews were compared to vermin, rats running around the streets of Germany and as vermin, to be exterminated.
Smear is very easy to move from one sphere to another, so are these people who belong to a group of humans who were murdered because they were Jews not able to see the parallel to smearing people because they are homosexual and are therefore vermin and to be exterminated because they will contaminate Jewish society?
Is this sort of behaviour to be tolerated because it is about freedom of speech, or does it illustrate a violation of the human rights of others and should therefore be condemned?
These groups of people are the first to scream their heads off when holocaust deniers like Frederick Toben rear their nasty heads, but do the same to people who are gay because their “bible” says this is not permitted under Jewish law. There are other items in their “bible” which have do’s and don’t’s in them but as these contradict laws in modern society, they can’t be acted on. But homophobia is everybody’s game so it is to be played to the full!
The manifesto of this cowardly blogger is:
AJN Watch
Melbourne, Australia
AJN Watch observes & comments (mainly) on prejudice, misrepresentation and monopolistic abuse of power in the pages of the Australian Jewish News - especially regarding the observant community. The AJN is the main source of information to and about Australian Jewry and often aims to set the agenda and influence attitudes. It is this blog's mission to spotlight errors, expose misrepresentations and vigorously respond to items that malign or defame the Orthodox community.
No names are associated with this blog, so the brave soul or souls who run it haven’t got the courage of their convictions to expose themselves to scrutiny in the real world, yet have the cheek – chutzpah if you like – to sit in judgement on others.
The Australian Jewish News is a disgusting rag by anybody’s standards – their behaviour towards Jews who happen to be gay, lesbian, transgender or people living with HIV/AIDS has long been outrageous, and the option, which I exercised some years ago is to stop buying it.
It would be interesting to know by what standards this arrogant blog sets itself up to be judge, jury (or should that be Jewry) and executioner of the AJN when it puts itself above scrutiny by hiding with great cowardice under a blanket of anonymity!
Prejudice and misrepresentation are the hallmarks of which this blog is guilty and if they sit in judgement on others, others sit in judgement of them. They are just as bigoted and biased as any other rabid religious right-wing organization to which so many religions subscribe.
Thanks to Antony Loewenstein and Michael Brull for being the faces of those of us who do not succeed in getting into print because we are not well-known writers, or we are persona non grata with the media responsible for publishing items which are antithetical to zionism and judaism.
The following letter, published by Antony Loewenstein in his blog on Sunday 6 September 2009 appeared in the Sunday Age of the same date:
The Jewish community has no debate on Israel
Published by
Antony Loewenstein
6 September 2009
The following letter by Michael Brull, blogger for Independent Australian Jewish Voices, appears in today’s (6 September 2009) Sunday Age:
Dvir Abramovich (”There are as many Jewish opinions as there are Jews”, 30/8) quotes approvingly some Jewish declaration that ”most communal roof bodies include a wide range of opinions”. [But] all major communal Jewish organisations support almost everything the Israeli Government does. They make no pretence at including alternative views, and actively seek to smear people who hold different views.
To give some examples, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry called Norman Finkelstein and Ilan Pappe anti-Semitic in their submission to the Senate on academic freedom. The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council’s Bren Carlill said I wanted to see the West Bank ”Judenrein” because I said settlements had a relation to the lack of peace.
The [B'nai B'rith] Anti-Defamation Commission privately wrote to New Matilda, urging them to stop printing articles criticising Israel, singling out two serial offenders: Antony Loewenstein and myself. We’re both Jewish.
Age readers should not fear that disbelieving Abramovich makes them anti-Semites. It means they take anti-Semitism more seriously than those who think it’s an easy way to win arguments.
MICHAEL BRULL, Sydney
On Thursday 3 September 2009 I was made aware of a blog called “AJN Watch” whose purpose seems to be to ensure that the Australian Jewish News, otherwise known as the Israeli Zionist Times, keeps to the straight – as distinct from gay – and narrow – as distinct from progressive and all-embracing for the health and well-being of the Australian Jewish community.
In truth, I haven’t had such a good laugh in years! At least it would be a good laugh if, indeed, it wasn’t all too tragic. This homophobic talmud-loving claptrap is enough to cause young Jewish people having trouble with their sexuality to commit suicide, and this is NOT in the least funny!
It seems that one of their latest rantings is against Michael Barnett of Aleph and their attacks on him are such that they could be the ravings of any fascist or semi-fascist organization. Their abuse is much on the levels of what one expects from some of the journalists in the Herald Sun, the Daily Telegraph and the Australian, not to exclude some of the journalists and ex-politicians given house room in the Fairfax media.
In Nazi Germany they began by smearing people because they were Jewish and Jews were compared to vermin, rats running around the streets of Germany and as vermin, to be exterminated.
Smear is very easy to move from one sphere to another, so are these people who belong to a group of humans who were murdered because they were Jews not able to see the parallel to smearing people because they are homosexual and are therefore vermin and to be exterminated because they will contaminate Jewish society?
Is this sort of behaviour to be tolerated because it is about freedom of speech, or does it illustrate a violation of the human rights of others and should therefore be condemned?
These groups of people are the first to scream their heads off when holocaust deniers like Frederick Toben rear their nasty heads, but do the same to people who are gay because their “bible” says this is not permitted under Jewish law. There are other items in their “bible” which have do’s and don’t’s in them but as these contradict laws in modern society, they can’t be acted on. But homophobia is everybody’s game so it is to be played to the full!
The manifesto of this cowardly blogger is:
AJN Watch
Melbourne, Australia
AJN Watch observes & comments (mainly) on prejudice, misrepresentation and monopolistic abuse of power in the pages of the Australian Jewish News - especially regarding the observant community. The AJN is the main source of information to and about Australian Jewry and often aims to set the agenda and influence attitudes. It is this blog's mission to spotlight errors, expose misrepresentations and vigorously respond to items that malign or defame the Orthodox community.
No names are associated with this blog, so the brave soul or souls who run it haven’t got the courage of their convictions to expose themselves to scrutiny in the real world, yet have the cheek – chutzpah if you like – to sit in judgement on others.
The Australian Jewish News is a disgusting rag by anybody’s standards – their behaviour towards Jews who happen to be gay, lesbian, transgender or people living with HIV/AIDS has long been outrageous, and the option, which I exercised some years ago is to stop buying it.
It would be interesting to know by what standards this arrogant blog sets itself up to be judge, jury (or should that be Jewry) and executioner of the AJN when it puts itself above scrutiny by hiding with great cowardice under a blanket of anonymity!
Prejudice and misrepresentation are the hallmarks of which this blog is guilty and if they sit in judgement on others, others sit in judgement of them. They are just as bigoted and biased as any other rabid religious right-wing organization to which so many religions subscribe.
Thanks to Antony Loewenstein and Michael Brull for being the faces of those of us who do not succeed in getting into print because we are not well-known writers, or we are persona non grata with the media responsible for publishing items which are antithetical to zionism and judaism.
The following letter, published by Antony Loewenstein in his blog on Sunday 6 September 2009 appeared in the Sunday Age of the same date:
The Jewish community has no debate on Israel
Published by
Antony Loewenstein
6 September 2009
The following letter by Michael Brull, blogger for Independent Australian Jewish Voices, appears in today’s (6 September 2009) Sunday Age:
Dvir Abramovich (”There are as many Jewish opinions as there are Jews”, 30/8) quotes approvingly some Jewish declaration that ”most communal roof bodies include a wide range of opinions”. [But] all major communal Jewish organisations support almost everything the Israeli Government does. They make no pretence at including alternative views, and actively seek to smear people who hold different views.
To give some examples, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry called Norman Finkelstein and Ilan Pappe anti-Semitic in their submission to the Senate on academic freedom. The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council’s Bren Carlill said I wanted to see the West Bank ”Judenrein” because I said settlements had a relation to the lack of peace.
The [B'nai B'rith] Anti-Defamation Commission privately wrote to New Matilda, urging them to stop printing articles criticising Israel, singling out two serial offenders: Antony Loewenstein and myself. We’re both Jewish.
Age readers should not fear that disbelieving Abramovich makes them anti-Semites. It means they take anti-Semitism more seriously than those who think it’s an easy way to win arguments.
MICHAEL BRULL, Sydney
26 August 2009
GAY, LESBIAN, TRANSGENDER SUICIDES
GAY, LESBIAN, TRANSGENDER SUICIDES
26 August 2009
The media have been very busy over the last few weeks discussing whether the television programme, which was to go to air about the suicides of 4 young people from the same Geelong school, should be released at all.
A great deal of the fuss was being made by Jeff Kennett who started an organization called “beyondblue’ to deal with depression in the community.
The trouble with all of the fuss is that nowhere is there any mention of gay, lesbian, transgender and HIV/AIDS members of the community who are more at risk of suicide in the community than their heterosexual counterparts, and that is in part because of the homophobia of Jeff Kennett and much of the media in general.
Some of the arguments about publicizing the events in Geelong run along the lines of ‘if you give these suicides publicity it may, in all likelihood, lead to copycat suicides or ideations thereof.’
It seems, on the face of evidence available at the moment, that publicity would not only be a good idea, it may bring to the public attention the fact that there are very real problems among many young people in the community and these problems need to be addressed and addressed very urgently.
It is time the attitude changed of keeping so many taboo topics ‘in the closet’! Child sexual abuse is these days given a great deal of publicity – why would it not with so many religious men and male family members and their male friends guilty of child sex abuse, usually statistically of female children?
Other topics which are still taboo in the media are issues such as euthanasia, atheism, religious right-wing homophobia and intolerance and discrimination, elder abuse by governments and nursing homes and other government and non-government agencies, and other topics which haven’t been mentioned at the moment.
Suicide is a very real problem, youth suicide is an ongoing tragedy, and the refusal of all organizations such as beyondblue and the media to include gay, lesbian and transgender young persons’ suicide is part of the ongoing tragedy in the community of the endless homophobia we face on a daily basis.
Publicity is needed and organizations should be formed to address the issues which lead young people to feel so desperate that they kill themselves. It is not surprising, up to a point, when young people see how those who govern the country and those responsible for education, training and employment are so self-serving that they fail to see the tragedy at their doorsteps.
Unfortunately the present political and economic set-ups under which we live our daily lives do not provide a great deal of inspiration to young people, and if these young people do make cries for help to people in the community, these are often not heard or are ignored – ‘they will grow out of it and grow up eventually!’
People like Jeff Kennett should be told that their ignorance of the situation is such that they should shut up and get out of the business of interfering in matters about which they know nothing, or very little. And the media should publish and be damned!
26 August 2009
The media have been very busy over the last few weeks discussing whether the television programme, which was to go to air about the suicides of 4 young people from the same Geelong school, should be released at all.
A great deal of the fuss was being made by Jeff Kennett who started an organization called “beyondblue’ to deal with depression in the community.
The trouble with all of the fuss is that nowhere is there any mention of gay, lesbian, transgender and HIV/AIDS members of the community who are more at risk of suicide in the community than their heterosexual counterparts, and that is in part because of the homophobia of Jeff Kennett and much of the media in general.
Some of the arguments about publicizing the events in Geelong run along the lines of ‘if you give these suicides publicity it may, in all likelihood, lead to copycat suicides or ideations thereof.’
It seems, on the face of evidence available at the moment, that publicity would not only be a good idea, it may bring to the public attention the fact that there are very real problems among many young people in the community and these problems need to be addressed and addressed very urgently.
It is time the attitude changed of keeping so many taboo topics ‘in the closet’! Child sexual abuse is these days given a great deal of publicity – why would it not with so many religious men and male family members and their male friends guilty of child sex abuse, usually statistically of female children?
Other topics which are still taboo in the media are issues such as euthanasia, atheism, religious right-wing homophobia and intolerance and discrimination, elder abuse by governments and nursing homes and other government and non-government agencies, and other topics which haven’t been mentioned at the moment.
Suicide is a very real problem, youth suicide is an ongoing tragedy, and the refusal of all organizations such as beyondblue and the media to include gay, lesbian and transgender young persons’ suicide is part of the ongoing tragedy in the community of the endless homophobia we face on a daily basis.
Publicity is needed and organizations should be formed to address the issues which lead young people to feel so desperate that they kill themselves. It is not surprising, up to a point, when young people see how those who govern the country and those responsible for education, training and employment are so self-serving that they fail to see the tragedy at their doorsteps.
Unfortunately the present political and economic set-ups under which we live our daily lives do not provide a great deal of inspiration to young people, and if these young people do make cries for help to people in the community, these are often not heard or are ignored – ‘they will grow out of it and grow up eventually!’
People like Jeff Kennett should be told that their ignorance of the situation is such that they should shut up and get out of the business of interfering in matters about which they know nothing, or very little. And the media should publish and be damned!
16 August 2009
HEFFERNAN'S HYSTERICAL HOMOPHOBIC HORRORS HIT THE HEADLINES!!
The Age daily poll on Friday 14 August 2009 asked the question: "Is Bill Heffernan fit to be a Member of Parliament?" Responses to recent poll questions have been in the low hundreds, but not this time! 2473 votes were recorded, and 13% said YES while 87% said NO!
This man has been trying for many years to subvert the business of government in the federal parliament, before John Howard became Prime Minister, then during the nearly 12 years of the Howard nightmare, and now continuing during the Rudd years. Hopefully at the next election this will come to an end, at least from him!
From Doug Pollard – Freshly Doug – Thursday 13 August 2009
Gay men called “faggots” and expelled from Parliament House during Marriage Breakfast
Share
Thurs at 14:43
EQUAL LOVE
Same-sex marriage campaign
MEDIA RELEASE
13 August 2009
Two gay activists have this morning been expelled from the Great Hall in Parliament House Canberra, for challenging Labor’s Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion’s stance on same-sex marriage.
The activists held placards reading “Social Inclusion means equality” at a breakfast held by religious groups to celebrate the ban on gay marriage in Australia.
Spokesperson for EQUAL LOVE, John Kloprogge said that August 13th represented a national day of shame in Australian political history.
After standing on the stage for a few minutes, religious members from the audience grabbed the men and forcefully removed them from the room.
It is understood one of the men said, “get out of here you faggots” before grabbing one activist by the neck.
“We were attending this unholy event to make a statement about the hypocrisy of the Rudd Government supporting and endorsing a ban on gay marriage”
“It is particularly galling that the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion, Senator Ursula Stephens, provided the Rudd Government’s endorsement to this gathering of anti-gay lobby groups and offered ongoing support to excluding gay and lesbian people from civil marriage.”
“This gathering in our Federal Parliament represents the biggest anti-gay protest group since the marriage ban was implemented in 2004.”
“It is important that gay and lesbian people stand up wherever they are and make a statement that we are entitled, as Australian citizens to equality under the law.”
“The expulsion from this homophobic breakfast is just another indication of how gay and lesbian people are treated as second class citizens.”
“The real marriage here is between extreme religious view and the complicity of the Rudd Labor Government in acceding to those view.”
Mr Kloprogge warned the Rudd Government that fostering a closer relationship with anti-gay groups and the Christian Right would not be welcomed by mainstream voters.
“Overwhelmingly, Australians reject anti-gay discrimination. A recent galaxy poll revealed that up to 60 per cent of all Australians support same-sex marriage”.
Same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, South Africa and several US states, but are being blocked in Australia by the Labor Party under pressure from religious groups.
HEFFERNAN’S HYSTERICAL HOMOPHOBIC HORRORS HIT THE HEADLINES!!
Heffernan in hot water
Senator Heffernan (top right) sends a message to Senator Wong yesterday.
Stephanie Peatling
August 14, 2009 The Age
FEISTY Liberal senator Bill Heffernan created a further headache for his friend and leader, Malcolm Turnbull, when Senator Heffernan was forced to defend comments made to gay rights activists and a rude gesture in the Senate chamber.
At an event marking National Marriage Day, organised by his wife, Senator Heffernan had an altercation with three civil union activists.
The activists' group, Equal Love, later issued a press release accusing Senator Heffernan of allegedly saying to them: ''I don't mind gay people, I just want you to stop f---ing the kids." (As this blog is not a daily "family" newspaper, this word does not need to be edited and is, in case nobody had guessed, fucking!! The Age newspaper should really try and update itself a bit more!)
Senator's 'obscene gesture'
Senator Bill Heffernan denies giving Climate Change Minister Penny Wong the finger during heated exchanges over climate change policy in the Senate.
Senator Heffernan denied using those exact words.
''Everyone knows where I stand on protecting the institution of marriage and prosecuting the rights of the gay community,'' he told The Age.
''Everyone knows that I conduct a continuous war on people who use kids as sex objects and I don't intend to change now.''
The controversy will not help Senator Heffernan's bid to shore up his preselection before next year's federal election.
It was also an unwelcome distraction for Mr Turnbull, whose inner Sydney seat of Wentworth has a large number of gay and lesbian residents. A spokesman for Mr Turnbull last night declined to comment.
Senator Heffernan's day grew worse when he was caught on camera making an obscene gesture with his finger during question time.
The Government leader in the Senate, Chris Evans, complained that Senator Heffernan had made the gesture at Climate Change Minister Penny Wong.
But Senator Heffernan said he had actually meant it for West Australian Labor senator Glenn Sterle. ''I apologise to Senator Sterle. He knows I was sending him an obscene message,'' Senator Heffernan told the Senate.
Senator Heffernan later told The Age that the pair had an ongoing friendly rivalry due to their membership of the Senate's agricultural committee.
Letters in The Age, 15 August 2009
'Informed' stance
SENATOR Bill Heffernan is, as usual, completely correct. It is a scientific fact that all homosexuals are pedophiles and want to form families only so they can prey on children. Conversely, there has never been a case of children being abused in a heterosexual family, ever. The senator is to be congratulated on his informed public stance.
Andrew McIntosh, Glenroy
Liberal senator Bill Heffernan needs to realize the institution of marriage is not under attack from the gay community but heterosexuals. With such a high divorce rate, straight people themselves are doing an excellent job of destabilizing the institution.
Alexander Liddington-Cox, Hampton
It is an embarrassment to consider that one belongs to the same species as Bill Heffernan - homo sapiens, and it would be an even greater one if one belonged to the other same species - homo sexual!!!!!
This man has been trying for many years to subvert the business of government in the federal parliament, before John Howard became Prime Minister, then during the nearly 12 years of the Howard nightmare, and now continuing during the Rudd years. Hopefully at the next election this will come to an end, at least from him!
From Doug Pollard – Freshly Doug – Thursday 13 August 2009
Gay men called “faggots” and expelled from Parliament House during Marriage Breakfast
Share
Thurs at 14:43
EQUAL LOVE
Same-sex marriage campaign
MEDIA RELEASE
13 August 2009
Two gay activists have this morning been expelled from the Great Hall in Parliament House Canberra, for challenging Labor’s Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion’s stance on same-sex marriage.
The activists held placards reading “Social Inclusion means equality” at a breakfast held by religious groups to celebrate the ban on gay marriage in Australia.
Spokesperson for EQUAL LOVE, John Kloprogge said that August 13th represented a national day of shame in Australian political history.
After standing on the stage for a few minutes, religious members from the audience grabbed the men and forcefully removed them from the room.
It is understood one of the men said, “get out of here you faggots” before grabbing one activist by the neck.
“We were attending this unholy event to make a statement about the hypocrisy of the Rudd Government supporting and endorsing a ban on gay marriage”
“It is particularly galling that the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion, Senator Ursula Stephens, provided the Rudd Government’s endorsement to this gathering of anti-gay lobby groups and offered ongoing support to excluding gay and lesbian people from civil marriage.”
“This gathering in our Federal Parliament represents the biggest anti-gay protest group since the marriage ban was implemented in 2004.”
“It is important that gay and lesbian people stand up wherever they are and make a statement that we are entitled, as Australian citizens to equality under the law.”
“The expulsion from this homophobic breakfast is just another indication of how gay and lesbian people are treated as second class citizens.”
“The real marriage here is between extreme religious view and the complicity of the Rudd Labor Government in acceding to those view.”
Mr Kloprogge warned the Rudd Government that fostering a closer relationship with anti-gay groups and the Christian Right would not be welcomed by mainstream voters.
“Overwhelmingly, Australians reject anti-gay discrimination. A recent galaxy poll revealed that up to 60 per cent of all Australians support same-sex marriage”.
Same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, South Africa and several US states, but are being blocked in Australia by the Labor Party under pressure from religious groups.
HEFFERNAN’S HYSTERICAL HOMOPHOBIC HORRORS HIT THE HEADLINES!!
Heffernan in hot water
Senator Heffernan (top right) sends a message to Senator Wong yesterday.
Stephanie Peatling
August 14, 2009 The Age
FEISTY Liberal senator Bill Heffernan created a further headache for his friend and leader, Malcolm Turnbull, when Senator Heffernan was forced to defend comments made to gay rights activists and a rude gesture in the Senate chamber.
At an event marking National Marriage Day, organised by his wife, Senator Heffernan had an altercation with three civil union activists.
The activists' group, Equal Love, later issued a press release accusing Senator Heffernan of allegedly saying to them: ''I don't mind gay people, I just want you to stop f---ing the kids." (As this blog is not a daily "family" newspaper, this word does not need to be edited and is, in case nobody had guessed, fucking!! The Age newspaper should really try and update itself a bit more!)
Senator's 'obscene gesture'
Senator Bill Heffernan denies giving Climate Change Minister Penny Wong the finger during heated exchanges over climate change policy in the Senate.
Senator Heffernan denied using those exact words.
''Everyone knows where I stand on protecting the institution of marriage and prosecuting the rights of the gay community,'' he told The Age.
''Everyone knows that I conduct a continuous war on people who use kids as sex objects and I don't intend to change now.''
The controversy will not help Senator Heffernan's bid to shore up his preselection before next year's federal election.
It was also an unwelcome distraction for Mr Turnbull, whose inner Sydney seat of Wentworth has a large number of gay and lesbian residents. A spokesman for Mr Turnbull last night declined to comment.
Senator Heffernan's day grew worse when he was caught on camera making an obscene gesture with his finger during question time.
The Government leader in the Senate, Chris Evans, complained that Senator Heffernan had made the gesture at Climate Change Minister Penny Wong.
But Senator Heffernan said he had actually meant it for West Australian Labor senator Glenn Sterle. ''I apologise to Senator Sterle. He knows I was sending him an obscene message,'' Senator Heffernan told the Senate.
Senator Heffernan later told The Age that the pair had an ongoing friendly rivalry due to their membership of the Senate's agricultural committee.
Letters in The Age, 15 August 2009
'Informed' stance
SENATOR Bill Heffernan is, as usual, completely correct. It is a scientific fact that all homosexuals are pedophiles and want to form families only so they can prey on children. Conversely, there has never been a case of children being abused in a heterosexual family, ever. The senator is to be congratulated on his informed public stance.
Andrew McIntosh, Glenroy
Liberal senator Bill Heffernan needs to realize the institution of marriage is not under attack from the gay community but heterosexuals. With such a high divorce rate, straight people themselves are doing an excellent job of destabilizing the institution.
Alexander Liddington-Cox, Hampton
It is an embarrassment to consider that one belongs to the same species as Bill Heffernan - homo sapiens, and it would be an even greater one if one belonged to the other same species - homo sexual!!!!!
27 June 2009
DUMPED CONNEX - DID BDS CAMPAIGN HELP?
Received by email on 26 June 2009:
AUSTRALIANS FOR PALESTINE Tel: 9818 5080
PO Box 2099, HAWTHORN VIC 3122 Fax: 9818 5009
email: info@australiansforpalestine.com
CHECK WEBSITE DAILY FOR
LATEST NEWS, VIEWS & FACTS
www.australiansforpalestine.com
Connex “dumped” after 4 month boycott campaign
Connex has been dumped by the Victorian State Government as Melbourne’s train
system operator. Moammar Mashni of Australians for Palestine said that after four
months of campaigning and some 100,000 pamphlets distributed, Palestine
advocacy groups can take heart.
“This is the first step in what we hope will become a strong Boycotts, Divestments
and Sanctions (BDS) movement in Australia against Israel’s apartheid policies,” Mr
Mashni said. “Our boycott pamphlet asked people to send a detachable petition to
Minister Kosky and we understand that thousands have landed on her desk.”
The Dump Connex campaign had been run to alert Melbourne’s commuters to the
unethical agreement that Connex had entered into with Israel. Under the contract,
Connex had agreed to operate a public transport service to Jewish settlements that
Israel is continuing to build deep inside the Occupied West Bank in defiance of
international law.
“However,” said Mr Mashni, “Connex may be losing on that score as well. Only
recently, its parent company Veolia announced that it would be seeking to pull out
of its contract with Israel to build the Jerusalem light rail, due to some $7 billion
worth of losses. There is no doubt that the BDS campaigns run by Palestine
solidarity groups in Europe had a lot to do with that.”
These worldwide boycotts have become necessary as Israel continues to ignore
calls to halt its illegal settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian territories.
“They are,” said Mr Mashni “nonviolent actions that were shown to be most
effective in ending apartheid rule in South Africa and Australia can expect to see
many more such actions being taken against companies doing business with
Israel.”
For further information phone Moammar Mashni on 0419 999 773
Campaign details available on the website www.boycottconnex.org
Providing a Voice
prepared by SK/AFP
AUSTRALIANS FOR PALESTINE Tel: 9818 5080
PO Box 2099, HAWTHORN VIC 3122 Fax: 9818 5009
email: info@australiansforpalestine.com
CHECK WEBSITE DAILY FOR
LATEST NEWS, VIEWS & FACTS
www.australiansforpalestine.com
Connex “dumped” after 4 month boycott campaign
Connex has been dumped by the Victorian State Government as Melbourne’s train
system operator. Moammar Mashni of Australians for Palestine said that after four
months of campaigning and some 100,000 pamphlets distributed, Palestine
advocacy groups can take heart.
“This is the first step in what we hope will become a strong Boycotts, Divestments
and Sanctions (BDS) movement in Australia against Israel’s apartheid policies,” Mr
Mashni said. “Our boycott pamphlet asked people to send a detachable petition to
Minister Kosky and we understand that thousands have landed on her desk.”
The Dump Connex campaign had been run to alert Melbourne’s commuters to the
unethical agreement that Connex had entered into with Israel. Under the contract,
Connex had agreed to operate a public transport service to Jewish settlements that
Israel is continuing to build deep inside the Occupied West Bank in defiance of
international law.
“However,” said Mr Mashni, “Connex may be losing on that score as well. Only
recently, its parent company Veolia announced that it would be seeking to pull out
of its contract with Israel to build the Jerusalem light rail, due to some $7 billion
worth of losses. There is no doubt that the BDS campaigns run by Palestine
solidarity groups in Europe had a lot to do with that.”
These worldwide boycotts have become necessary as Israel continues to ignore
calls to halt its illegal settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian territories.
“They are,” said Mr Mashni “nonviolent actions that were shown to be most
effective in ending apartheid rule in South Africa and Australia can expect to see
many more such actions being taken against companies doing business with
Israel.”
For further information phone Moammar Mashni on 0419 999 773
Campaign details available on the website www.boycottconnex.org
Providing a Voice
prepared by SK/AFP
21 June 2009
RUDD GOVERNMENT'S DISGUSTING SUPPORT OF ISRAEL
The delegation from the Australian government which is due to visit Israel shortly can only be described as a disgrace. This government actually supports the terrorism
showered on the Palestinians by the Israelis during the Gaza campaign in December 2008/January 2009 and continues to support the concentration camp called Gaza, and the stealing of more and more land on the West Bank which is called "expanding the settlements"!
The following report is by Antony Loewenstein and is published here in full:
Published by
Antony Loewenstein
18 June 2009 in Israel. 4 Comments
My following article appears in today’s edition of Crikey:
Antony Loewenstein writes from New York:
During this year’s Gaza war, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard was incapable of condemning Israeli brutality against the Palestinians. Her upcoming visit to Israel (and a few spare minutes with the Palestinian Authority) has caused loud protests across the country.
A petition that I signed asked that, “Every parliamentarian ought to think seriously about the moral implications of Australia normalising relations with a state that is still under investigation for war crimes committed during Israel’s Cast Lead operation.” The Australian smeared critics of the propaganda trip as “Israel’s enemies”.
A new study, released last week by Roy Morgan polling, suggests that the Australian government, Murdoch press and Zionist leaders are profoundly out of step with public opinion over the Israel/Palestine conflict. Israel’s own extreme actions are killing its image and chances of long-terms survival.
Commissioned by the Sydney-based Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (CJPP) and Adelaide’s Australian Friends of Palestine (AFOPA) organisations, the figures reveal public scepticism towards Israeli claims.
When the 636 Australians aged 18 years and over were asked whether they knew about January’s Gaza war, 38 percent said they knew “a lot” or “a fair amount” about the crisis and 61 percent said they did not know much at all or “nothing”. Of those 38 percent informed respondents, a far bigger percentage expressed sympathy for the Palestinians (44.5 percent) over the Israelis (29.5 percent).
When asked which side of the conflict they supported more, 28 percent sided with the Palestinians, 25 percent with neither and 24.5 percent with the Israelis. Twenty-three percent were unsure.
Journalist and academic Peter Manning, the CJPP Convenor, says that, “the national poll shows the federal Labor Government is out of step with public opinion when it cuddles up to Israel. Julia Gillard’s current delegation to Israel is out of step not only with President Obama’s policies but with what Australians think.”
In relation to Gaza – where Jimmy Carter said this week that the Palestinians there were being treated “like animals” thanks to the Israeli and Western-led blockade – Manning is even harsher:
“Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard was well out of step with public opinion when she expressed sympathy [in January] for the few Israelis who died from rocket attacks rather than the 1400 Palestinians being slaughtered by Israeli gunfire on schools, hospitals and residential buildings.”
These results shouldn’t be surprising. Consistent polling in the US shows that American Jews are fundamentally opposed to the neo-conservative worldview and believe in engagement with the Palestinians. A 2007 study by the American Jewish Committee found decent support for a Palestinian state and even a majority of American Democrats polled in January this year questioned the necessity of invading Gaza.
Even more ominously for Israel’s supporters, a new study by The Israel Report finds only 49 percent of American voters call themselves supporters of Israel, down from 69 percent last September. Other results from the study are equally startling; a minority of respondents believe the Israelis are serious about reaching an agreement with the Palestinians.
This is significant and represents the gradual decline of support for Israel in the West. Many Americans I am meeting here in New York confirm the polling; Israel is heading towards permanent apartheid. The “special relationship” between Israel and America is being challenged like never before.
The Australian government is still waiting for the press release from the White House.
Antony Loewenstein is a journalist and author of My Israel Question and The Blogging Revolution.
showered on the Palestinians by the Israelis during the Gaza campaign in December 2008/January 2009 and continues to support the concentration camp called Gaza, and the stealing of more and more land on the West Bank which is called "expanding the settlements"!
The following report is by Antony Loewenstein and is published here in full:
Australian government out of step with public opinion on Israel/Palestine
Published by
Antony Loewenstein
18 June 2009 in Israel. 4 Comments
My following article appears in today’s edition of Crikey:
Antony Loewenstein writes from New York:
During this year’s Gaza war, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard was incapable of condemning Israeli brutality against the Palestinians. Her upcoming visit to Israel (and a few spare minutes with the Palestinian Authority) has caused loud protests across the country.
A petition that I signed asked that, “Every parliamentarian ought to think seriously about the moral implications of Australia normalising relations with a state that is still under investigation for war crimes committed during Israel’s Cast Lead operation.” The Australian smeared critics of the propaganda trip as “Israel’s enemies”.
A new study, released last week by Roy Morgan polling, suggests that the Australian government, Murdoch press and Zionist leaders are profoundly out of step with public opinion over the Israel/Palestine conflict. Israel’s own extreme actions are killing its image and chances of long-terms survival.
Commissioned by the Sydney-based Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (CJPP) and Adelaide’s Australian Friends of Palestine (AFOPA) organisations, the figures reveal public scepticism towards Israeli claims.
When the 636 Australians aged 18 years and over were asked whether they knew about January’s Gaza war, 38 percent said they knew “a lot” or “a fair amount” about the crisis and 61 percent said they did not know much at all or “nothing”. Of those 38 percent informed respondents, a far bigger percentage expressed sympathy for the Palestinians (44.5 percent) over the Israelis (29.5 percent).
When asked which side of the conflict they supported more, 28 percent sided with the Palestinians, 25 percent with neither and 24.5 percent with the Israelis. Twenty-three percent were unsure.
Journalist and academic Peter Manning, the CJPP Convenor, says that, “the national poll shows the federal Labor Government is out of step with public opinion when it cuddles up to Israel. Julia Gillard’s current delegation to Israel is out of step not only with President Obama’s policies but with what Australians think.”
In relation to Gaza – where Jimmy Carter said this week that the Palestinians there were being treated “like animals” thanks to the Israeli and Western-led blockade – Manning is even harsher:
“Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard was well out of step with public opinion when she expressed sympathy [in January] for the few Israelis who died from rocket attacks rather than the 1400 Palestinians being slaughtered by Israeli gunfire on schools, hospitals and residential buildings.”
These results shouldn’t be surprising. Consistent polling in the US shows that American Jews are fundamentally opposed to the neo-conservative worldview and believe in engagement with the Palestinians. A 2007 study by the American Jewish Committee found decent support for a Palestinian state and even a majority of American Democrats polled in January this year questioned the necessity of invading Gaza.
Even more ominously for Israel’s supporters, a new study by The Israel Report finds only 49 percent of American voters call themselves supporters of Israel, down from 69 percent last September. Other results from the study are equally startling; a minority of respondents believe the Israelis are serious about reaching an agreement with the Palestinians.
This is significant and represents the gradual decline of support for Israel in the West. Many Americans I am meeting here in New York confirm the polling; Israel is heading towards permanent apartheid. The “special relationship” between Israel and America is being challenged like never before.
The Australian government is still waiting for the press release from the White House.
Antony Loewenstein is a journalist and author of My Israel Question and The Blogging Revolution.
08 June 2009
SEXUAL ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY
SEXUAL ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY
8 June 2009
Sexual abuse is already taking place by the Federal Government before the same-sex relationships Bill reforms, passed by the government in December 2008, come into effect on 1 July 2009.
Elderly, infirm, frail, unemployed, those living with HIV/AIDS members of our communities are about to be legislatively, but illegally, outed by the government because they have to declare any same-sex relationships they are in.
Those failing to declare such relationships, and found to be living as same-sex partners, will be penalized by Centrelink in various ways, because the government has refused to provide a grandfather clause for this legislation, the first of its kind in Australian history. The legislation has not been properly thought through by the government, and they want to get it out of the way as soon as possible before the next election is due in about 18 months time so that they will get the gay vote – so they believe.
However, those numerous community members – not forgetting that so far they have not been identified by any government statistics to show how many couples there are – will be found by various means on Centrelink’s database connections, and their private lives will be exposed to the public gaze.
This constitutes sexual abuse of these community members when they are at their most vulnerable and many will be unable to defend their situations. In other words, after lifetimes of discrimination, abuse, homophobia and bullying – just some of the aspects of the lives they have led for the past 40 or more years, when homosexuality was illegal throughout Australia, specifically for gay males, they will now have their sex lives exposed and vilified by the very government which is supposed to be introducing “equalizing” reforms for the gay, lesbian, transgender and HIV/AIDS (GLTH) members of our communities.
It is quite obvious that the government expected a backlash if they introduced the change to pension age from 65 to 67 without a lead-in time, and have stated that that time will be about 8 years before the changes are GRADUALLY introduced. The backlash from the GLTH communities doesn’t worry them at all.
Well, it worries us, and we will remember that we are not considered worthy of consideration when it comes to so-called equality legislation.
To compound the illegality of the government’s position, it has refused categorically to provide marriage recognition to same-sex relationships, while touting the “fact” that gays and lesbians are now the same sorts of couples as heterosexual couples – another blatant lie.
The Centerlink advertisements, first with toothbrushes, then with towels, are demeaning and disgraceful, because the advertisements state “couples are couples” but decline to show two gay or lesbian people on one side in an advertisement and male and female people in the other side of the advertisement.
It is not too late for the government to provide a grandfather clause and provide peace of mind to elderly, frail, disadvantaged, unemployed, ill people in the GLTH communities and show they are able to be humane after all, at considerable savings financially to the whole community in health services, both mental and physical.
8 June 2009
Sexual abuse is already taking place by the Federal Government before the same-sex relationships Bill reforms, passed by the government in December 2008, come into effect on 1 July 2009.
Elderly, infirm, frail, unemployed, those living with HIV/AIDS members of our communities are about to be legislatively, but illegally, outed by the government because they have to declare any same-sex relationships they are in.
Those failing to declare such relationships, and found to be living as same-sex partners, will be penalized by Centrelink in various ways, because the government has refused to provide a grandfather clause for this legislation, the first of its kind in Australian history. The legislation has not been properly thought through by the government, and they want to get it out of the way as soon as possible before the next election is due in about 18 months time so that they will get the gay vote – so they believe.
However, those numerous community members – not forgetting that so far they have not been identified by any government statistics to show how many couples there are – will be found by various means on Centrelink’s database connections, and their private lives will be exposed to the public gaze.
This constitutes sexual abuse of these community members when they are at their most vulnerable and many will be unable to defend their situations. In other words, after lifetimes of discrimination, abuse, homophobia and bullying – just some of the aspects of the lives they have led for the past 40 or more years, when homosexuality was illegal throughout Australia, specifically for gay males, they will now have their sex lives exposed and vilified by the very government which is supposed to be introducing “equalizing” reforms for the gay, lesbian, transgender and HIV/AIDS (GLTH) members of our communities.
It is quite obvious that the government expected a backlash if they introduced the change to pension age from 65 to 67 without a lead-in time, and have stated that that time will be about 8 years before the changes are GRADUALLY introduced. The backlash from the GLTH communities doesn’t worry them at all.
Well, it worries us, and we will remember that we are not considered worthy of consideration when it comes to so-called equality legislation.
To compound the illegality of the government’s position, it has refused categorically to provide marriage recognition to same-sex relationships, while touting the “fact” that gays and lesbians are now the same sorts of couples as heterosexual couples – another blatant lie.
The Centerlink advertisements, first with toothbrushes, then with towels, are demeaning and disgraceful, because the advertisements state “couples are couples” but decline to show two gay or lesbian people on one side in an advertisement and male and female people in the other side of the advertisement.
It is not too late for the government to provide a grandfather clause and provide peace of mind to elderly, frail, disadvantaged, unemployed, ill people in the GLTH communities and show they are able to be humane after all, at considerable savings financially to the whole community in health services, both mental and physical.
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About Me
- Mannie De Saxe
- Preston, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- 90 years old, political gay activist, hosting two web sites, one personal: http://www.red-jos.net
one shared with my partner, 94-year-old Ken Lovett: http://www.josken.net
and also this blog. The blog now has an alphabetical index: http://www.red-jos.net/alpha3.htm