In The News Jun 2
ABORIGINAL PEOPLES
A boxing initiative..a ring for hope
A boxing gym north of Melbourne is inspiring dreams of fighting in the main arena for local Indigenous youths.
https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/arabic/en/content/boxing-initiativea-ring-hope?language=en
Blue Mud Bay intertidal waters dispute explained
After 10 years of negotiations, traditional owners and the NT Government are still locked in a dispute over who will control access to most of the NT coastline.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-01/what-you-need-to-know-about-blue-mud-bay-decision/8573420
APY might win control of outback Mintabie in wake of legal case
Traditional owners might end up managing and owning the South Australian outback town of Mintabie, after a court found the general store was using locals' bank details to take money out of their accounts.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-01/mintabie-township-lease-agreement-review/8578966
Uncertainty over NT Government's funding plan for remote Indigenous housing
The Northern Territory Government is yet to work out how it will find hundreds of millions of dollars to prepare blocks of land so it can deliver its key election commitment on remote Indigenous housing.
NT aboriginal community to get 1MW solar plant, cut reliance on diesel
Nauiyu community set to be powered by a 1MW solar plant during the day, relegating its diesel generators for use only at night and as back-up.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/nt-aboriginal-community-get-1mw-solar-plant-cut-reliance-diesel-59838/
NSW Bar pushes indigenous court
The proposed Walama Court would be able to impose intensive supervision orders as an alternative to prison.
Is the sun finally setting on racism in AFL?
The captain of a largely Indigenous Northern Territory Australian rules football team reflects on the state of racism and recognition at the game's peak level.
Adani fix will fall short of full Mabo revisit
Pollies ‘risk to indigenous body’
Politicians are putting a proposed indigenous advisory body at risk by treating it as a ‘new, absurd thing’.
Where is justice for ‘Justin’?
When a small Aboriginal boy stood in court in July 2003 accused of stealing a car, the judiciary had a dilemma.
Labor vow to hold treaty talks
Tasmania’s Labor opposition joins ALP governments in South Australia and Victoria, further fuelling national debate.
‘I’ll be the first indigenous acting in Hollywood’
HUNTER Page-Lochard wants to be our first indigenous Australian Hollywood movie star. He is represented by a major American management company but has only landed Aussie roles so far.
Long-held alcohol report says social clubs can reduce harm in Aboriginal communities
A study on alcohol in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory kept secret in government archives for two years found well-managed social clubs can reduce harm associated with drinking, and even help tackle domestic violence, the ABC learns.
A Big Country: Riding out with the Yee Haa Rangers
Audio
Not everyone learns best sitting in a classroom. That's why a group of young indigenous students have swapped four walls for a week in the saddle, learning cattle handling and mustering skills.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-01/a-big-country-riding-out-with-yee-haa-rangers/8578524
Constitution gives First Nations say
James Paterson
We can admit to decades of failure, but let’s not risk dividing Australians.
Koori Court the exception that proves Dicey’s principle
Chris Merritt
One of the classical requirements of the rule of law is that everyone should be subject to the normal law applied by the normal courts.
Reforms urgently needed to native title scheme
Bryan Keon-Cohen
Brandis culls AAT Migration Tribunal, with almost 80 to be shown the door
https://www.crikey.com.au/2017/06/01/brandis-culls-aat-migration-tribunal/
Asylum-seekers ‘security risks’
Almost 100 asylum-seekers have been issued adverse security assessments in Australia.
Confidential documents 'left in closed Darwin detention centre'
An advocacy group is concerned the privacy of people seeking asylum in Australia may have been breached, after claims confidential files were left at the now-closed Wickham Point detention centre.
Hanson stokes a fire to demonise refugees
Tory Shepherd
“IT’S not what the Australian people want to hear,” Senator Pauline Hanson said this week, when confronted with the truth.
Calls to Support Charity Regulator as ACNC Commissioner Steps Aside
The inaugural commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Susan Pascoe AM will step aside when her term finishes in September amid renewed concerns over the future of the charity regulator.
The Long Road to Charity Reform
It’s widely accepted that a range of regulatory, institutional and funding reforms are needed to enhance the Australian charity sector’s effectiveness… this was true in 2000 when the reform process began and, frustratingly, much of it still remains the case in 2017, according to one man who has been pushing for reform for a very long time.
https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2017/06/long-road-charity-reform/
A Glance at Bernie Sanders’s Fundraising Secrets
The number one lesson from digital fundraising is that people really want to help, according to Bernie Sanders's former online fundraising manager.
https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2017/06/glance-bernie-sanders-fundraising-secrets/
What does it mean for a charity to call itself Christian?
Gone are the days when it is acceptable for a charity to use aid as a 'front' for evangelism.
Catholic schools say sorry to abuse victims
PRINCIPALS of Australian Catholic schools have apologised for sexual abuse inflicted on students at their schools.
Labor lashed for flip-flopping on Carly’s Law
SONYA Ryan has blasted Labor for flip flopping on its support to give police tough new powers to arrest predators before they harm children.
Gibson case sparks law reform
The Gene Gibson case will lead to an overhaul of a WA law that deals with the mentally-impaired accused of crimes.
Matthew Leveson's parents say justice system lets 'killer walk free'
The parents of missing Sydney man Matthew Leveson rail against the NSW justice system, which they say has protected the man responsible for the death of their son.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-01/matthew-levesons-parents-attack-justice-system/8580902
Explainer: how proceeds-of-crime law works in Australia
Nicholas Cowdery
https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-proceeds-of-crime-law-works-in-australia-78600
Yes, the Corbys are allowed to make money from Schapelle's crime
Alison and Jillian Barrett
Sexual assault victims in Canberra can be confident the legal system will support them
Jon White
Emotions expressed by the dying are unexpectedly positive
Fear of death is a fundamental part of the human experience--we dread the possibility of pain and suffering and we worry that we'll face the end alone. Although thinking about dying can cause considerable angst, new research suggests that the actual emotional experiences of the dying are both more positive and less negative than people expect.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/afps-eeb060117.php
Artificial intelligence predicts patient lifespans
A computer's ability to predict a patient's lifespan simply by looking at images of their organs is a step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to new research led by the University of Adelaide.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/uoa-aip060117.php
Largest study to date finds autism alone does not increase risk of violent offending
Conditions such as ADHD that co-occur with autism may increase risk
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/e-lst060117.php
DIVERSE SEXUALITY
Catholic plan to combat homophobic bullying praised by education experts
Policy praised as showing messages of the Safe Schools program are compatible with religious education
Christians, for the love of God, stop calling gay activists Nazis
Andy Walton
Minority within a minority ignored in marriage debate
David Bennett
In the mainstream media game, two large, very lucrative, polarised voices are often represented as soon as marriage is mentioned.
https://www.eternitynews.com.au/opinion/david-bennett/
In utero tobacco exposure can lead to executive function issues in adolescents
Prenatal tobacco exposure is known to have negative short-term impacts including preterm birth, low birth weight and subsequent behavioral issues. However, a new study found that the negative impacts can last well into the child's future.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/bumc-iut060117.php
Why pot-smoking declines -- but doesn't end -- with parenthood
Adults who smoke marijuana often cut back after becoming parents -- but they don't necessarily quit.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/uow-wpd060117.php
Services back safe injecting rooms
THE push for a drug injecting room trial in Melbourne, is gaining momentum after unions, nurses, paramedics and firefighters back the controversial plan.
Cork put on planned alcohol ad ban
THE State Government has backed away from a plan to restrict alcohol advertising in the face of growing pressure from winemakers and brewers.
Depressing news for the nanny state -- alcohol consumption falls again
Bernard Keane
As nanny statists look to demonise the "alcohol epidemic" in ever more dramatic terms, yet more evidence has emerged that Australians drink responsibly.
The Paris climate deal: How to understand Trump's decision.
President Trump’s decision to exit the climate pact is a setback for the worldwide effort to combat global warming. Here’s a guide to what it means.
https://www.dailyclimate.org/t/2460133000468971858
Trump has pulled US out of Paris climate deal... So what happens now?
GOP congressman on climate change: God will 'take care of it' if it's real
Greenhouse gases database shows 'relentless rise'
Australian climate scientists have the clearest evidence yet of the dramatic fingerprint humans have had on the climate, with carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide at higher levels than they have been at any time over the last 800,000 years.
Sea level rise may force coastal nesting birds to extinction
A team of international researchers have found rising sea levels and more frequent flooding events could drive coastal nesting birds around the world to extinction.
Stony corals more resistant to climate change than thought, Rutgers study finds
Researchers show how corals create rock-hard skeletons
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/ru-scm052517.php
Pollution 'devastating' China's vital ecosystem, research shows
The startling extent to which man-made pollution is devastating China’s vital ecosystem’s ability to offset damaging carbon emissions has been revealed.
https://www.enn.com/pollution/article/51414
Cheaper solar in India prompts rethink for coal projects.
India’s coal-power plant developers are growing more pessimistic about their projects after a plunge in the cost of electricity from solar panels improved the economics of renewable energy.
https://www.dailyclimate.org/t/18530169838836136
Replacing coal with solar can save lives and money
Tens of thousands of Americans die prematurely each year from air pollution-related diseases associated with burning coal. By transitioning to solar photovoltaics (PV) in the US, up to 51,999 American lives would be saved at $1.1 million invested per life.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/mtu-rcw060117.php
Our future ‘way past worst case scenario’
EXPERTS predicted Hurricane Katrina, the Boxing Day tsunami and the rise of Islamic State. Their predictions for the future are much worse.
Anglican church in Carmichael mine heartland to divest from fossil fuels
Diocese of Rockhampton, which covers Queensland gas and mining towns, votes to sell coal seam gas and thermal coal assets
Explainer: how much landfill does Australia have?
Bernadette McCabe, University of Southern Queensland and William Clarke, The University of Queensland
Australia sends 20 million tonnes of garbage to landfill every year. With thousands of sites across the nation, it's hard to track exactly how many there are, where they are, and what's filling them.
https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-much-landfill-does-australia-have-78404
Air pollution doesn’t just harm humans – it is destroying nature too
Michael McCarthy
The poisonous residue from car exhausts is causing a public health crisis – and could be the death of sparrows too
Coalition sets a number of new 'worst ever' records for economic management
Alan Austin
May has been one of the weakest months for Australia’s economy since the Coalition came to office
How do signs of problem gambling differ in men and women?
New study shows male gamblers behave aggressively whereas female gamblers react emotionally
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/s-hds060117.php
MPs push punting lobbyist ban
THE pledge to bar Labor factional powerbroker turned punting lobbyist Stephen Conroy from meetings with the Victorian gaming minister, has prompted calls for more MPs to follow suit.
How common is mortgage fraud? ASIC to investigate
Home loan fraud will be the subject of a special inquiry by the corporate watchdog to assess how widespread the problem is and develop strategies for combating fraudulent mortgage lending.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-01/home-loan-fraud-subject-to-special-asic-inquiry/8578392
Houses out of reach for Canberra first home buyers: report
Stamp duty in NDSW slashed to tackle housing affordability
The conspicuous absence in the NSW housing affordability package
Jacob Saulwick
Vital Signs: have we finally reached ‘peak’ house prices?
Richard Holden, UNSW
House prices in Sydney and Melbourne are cooling, housing approvals are up, and everyone's wondering if Australian banks have been lending too much.
https://theconversation.com/vital-signs-have-we-finally-reached-peak-house-prices-78519
HUMAN RIGHTS
Why religious liberty trumps free birth control
Jacob Lupfer
https://religionnews.com/2017/06/01/why-religious-liberty-trumps-free-birth-control/
IMMIGRATION AND MULTICULTURALISM
The real reason Abbott, News Corp nut jobs attack ASIO’s approach to Muslim extremism
Bernard Keane
The essentialist view of terrorism peddled by Tony Abbott is self-serving, both because it is aimed at undermining Malcolm Turnbull, and because it helps perpetuate the War on Terror.
Why Australia is still asking the wrong questions about race
Beverley Wang
Every time a blackface image surfaces online, the question 'Is Australia Racist' lurches into national conversation. But the question misses the point. So what should we be asking?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-01/why-were-still-asking-the-wrong-questions-about-race/8573324
When blind faith hits reasoning
Charles Wooley
Must we have rational discussions with the irrational to stave off terrorism?
The only safe jihadi is one who’s been lawfully killed
Tony Abbott
THE Coroner’s report into the Lindt cafe siege in Sydney should be the wake-up call that Australia desperately needs
Citizenship test moves political, not practical
Age editorial
The Turnbull plan to ask aspiring citizens about forced marriages, genital mutilation and family violence is reminiscent of the old trick question, "When did you stop beating your wife?"
20 million starving to death: Inside the worst famine since World War II.
A report from South Sudan.
https://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/18530169838836150
How to attack Africa's neonatal mortality problem
Giving birth at home is the most significant risk factor for neonatal deaths in major sections of Africa - a continent that continues to be plagued by the highest neonatal mortality rates in the world, indicates a new study by Michigan State University scholars.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/msu-hta060117.php
Religious individuals regret having casual sex only slightly more
Whether you are religious or not does not matter so much. You regret one-night stands about as much as other people do
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/nuos-rir060117.php
ICAC speaks out after bill knocked back
The Independent Commissioner Against Corruption's plea to hold public hearings for probes, including the Oakden nursing home scandal, fails to sway Labor and key independents as the South Australian Parliament kills off a bill.
Call Pauline to account, says Hinch
DERRYN Hinch has stepped up his attack on Pauline Hanson after our revelations that she used a personal bank account to receive political donations.
Whether she broke the law or not, Hanson's done for
Michael Bradley
There is a stinking mess at the heart of One Nation. And whether or not it is illegal, it is very likely to be her political undoing.
Government’s desperate act in secret state
Advertiser editorial
YESTERDAY marked a disturbing low point in the continuing erosion, by those in political power, of your right to know.
Jay 2011: Mr Transparency. Jay 2017: Mr Secrecy
Daniel Wills
WHEN Jay Weatherill became Premier in 2011, he declared “good governments have nothing to hide”. Six years later, he has switched to a default position of conceal and deny
AI will be able to beat us at everything by 2060, say experts
A survey of more than 350 artificial intelligence researchers predicts how long it will take for machines to beat us at all tasks