jagath dheerasekara

Photographer Adam Ferguson - The shot that nearly killed me: War photographers – a special report - Attacked by a Haitian mob, kidnapped by Gaddafi's troops, shot in Afghanistan … Who'd be a war photographer?

2012-01-29T11:29:00.000+11:00

I was one of the first on the scene. The Afghan security forces normally shut down a suicide bombing like this pretty quickly. I was able to get to the epicentre of the explosion. It was carnage, there were bodies, flames were coming out of the buildings. I remember feeling very scared because there was still popping and hissing and small explosions, and the building was collapsing. It was still very fresh and there was a risk of another bomb. It was one of those situations where you have to put fear aside and focus on the job at hand: to watch the situation and document it. .... > > > read more > > >

Errol Morris: 'We've forgotten that photographs are connected to the physical world'

2012-01-04T23:00:00.000+11:00

VideoWriter and Oscar-winning documentary maker Errol Morris talks about the nature of truth, art and propaganda in photography. Drawing examples from the photographs of Abu Ghraib and the Crimean war, cited in his book Believing is Seeing, he argues we've often underplayed the link between photgraphs and the physical world

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2011/dec/26/errol-morris-photography-video

Meltdown : the men who crashed the world - 4 part series

2011-12-23T08:19:00.000+11:00

Muslims of France - 3 part series

2011-12-23T08:08:00.000+11:00

courtesy http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeraworld/2011/11/201111289409986278.html

Occupy protestors say it is 99% v 1%. Are they right?

2011-11-17T22:11:00.000+11:00

It has been the rallying cry of the Occupy movement for the past two months - but is the US really split 99% v 1%? As poverty and inequality reach record levels, how much richer have the rich got? This animation explains what the key data says about the state of America today.

Read more at guardian.co.uk

Source guardian.co.uk

The One Life Photography Competition 2011 - Winners and Finalists

2011-10-29T12:27:00.000+11:00

About One Life Photography Competition
Artists Wanted was created three years ago by two Brooklyn based artists, Jason Goodman and William Etundi Jr. Their first hand experience in the art world was the inspiration for creating this bold new platform for finding burgeoning talent and exposing it to the world.

With judges ranging from actor Steve Buscemi to DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh to curators from The Guggenheim and MOMA, we try to balance new perspectives with established art world sensibilities to find work that transcends the typical.

Our first opening, for artist Kim Holleman at the Whitebox Exhibition Space was their largest, with 1,000 attendees. Our second featured the work of Pete Eckert, a blind photographer, who has become an art sensation with international acclaim including a feature in Time Magazine. Our most recent two openings were phenomenal successes hosted at the Open House Gallery and The New Museum in Manhattan. This is an exciting era for art, the best is yet to come.

Competition 2011
Photo District News (PDN) and Artists Wanted thank all participating photographers for joining the annual One Life Photography Competition (2011). The level of work we've received was phenomenal and truly inspirational. We're incredibly grateful for having caught a glimpse of the world captured through your lens.

The compelling stories, insightful perspectives and powerful imagery you submitted presented an extremely difficult selection process for our jurors. After much deliberation a decision has been made by our judges: Stravinski Pierre, Art Director of Esquire Magazine; Ellen-k Syverstad, Founder of ellen-k FINE ART PHOTOGRAPH; Daria Brit Shapiro, Head Curator of Artists Wanted; Patrick Amselle,m Associate Curator of Photography at Brooklyn Museum; Daniel Aycock, Director of Front Room Gallery; Conor Risch, Senior Editor of PDN Magazine; Katherine Schad, Director Of Photography of O, The Oprah Magazine; and Bruce Perez, Director of Photography at Redbook Magazine.

To view the work, click on the photographer's image.

Saudi woman detained for driving - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

2011-09-29T17:10:00.001+10:00

Saudi woman detained for driving - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

A woman in Saudi Arabia was detained after she launched a campaign against the driving ban for women in the Kingdom and posted a video of herself behind the wheel on Facebook and YouTube.

Human rights activist Walid Abou el-Kheir said Manal al-Sherif was detained on Saturday by the country's religious police, who are charged with ensuring the kingdom's rigid interpretation of Islamic teachings are observed.

Al-Sherif was released hours later, according to the campaign's Twitter account. The terms of her release were not immediately clear.

Al-Sherif and a group of other women started a Facebook page called "Teach me how to drive so I can protect myself,'' which urges authorities to lift the driving ban.

She went on a test drive in the eastern city of Khobar and later posted a video of the experience.

"This is a volunteer campaign to help the girls of this country'' learn to drive, al-Sherif says in the video.

"At least for times of emergency, God forbid. What if whoever is driving them gets a heart attack?''

'Mass drive'

The campaigners have focused on the importance of women driving in times of emergencies and in the case of low-income families.

Al-Sherif said unlike the traditional argument in Saudi Arabia that driving exposes women to sinful temptations by allowing them to mingle with policemen and mechanics, women who drive can avoid sexual harassment from their drivers and protect their "dignity.''

Through Facebook, the campaigners are calling for a mass drive on June 17 and more than 12,000 people viewing the page have indicated they support the call.

On their Facebook page, the group says women joining the campaign should not challenge authorities if they were stopped and questioned, and should abide by the country's strict dress code.

"We want to live as complete citizens, without the humiliation that we are subjected to every day because we are tied to a driver,'' the Facebook message reads.

"We are not here to break the law or demonstrate or challenge the authorities, we are here to claim one of our simplest rights.''

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world to ban women, both Saudi and foreign, from driving. The prohibition forces families to hire live-in drivers, and those who cannot afford the $300 to $400 a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them to work, school, shopping or the doctor.

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By the way according to the US Department of State "The United States and Saudi Arabia share common concerns about regional security, oil exports and imports, and sustainable development. Close consultations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have developed on international, economic, and development issues such as the Middle East peace process and shared interests in the Gulf. The continued availability of reliable sources of oil, particularly from Saudi Arabia, remains important to the prosperity of the United States as well as to Europe and Japan. Saudi Arabia is one of the leading sources of imported oil for the United States, providing more than one million barrels/day of oil to the U.S. market. The U.S. is Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is the largest U.S. export market in the Middle East. ..."

The mad square - Modernity in German art 1910–37 - Art Gallery NSW - 6 Aug ~ 6 Nov 2011

2011-09-26T11:44:00.000+10:00

In an era of chaos came an explosion of creativity – edgy, provocative, yet utterly compelling

Germany at the start of the 20th century was a country in turmoil. With the formation of the Weimar Republic, replacing the old imperial system, came a dramatic shift in thinking. In the new metropolis of Berlin and beyond, a period of intense creativity flourished amid chaos and revolution.

Watch interviews with the curator and visiting experts

Bold new movements such as Expressionism, Dada, Constructivism, Bauhaus and New Objectivity exploded onto the turbulent social landscape. The artists’ interest in experimentation extended across art forms, forging influential directions in painting, photography, design, decorative arts, film, theatre, street art and political satire.

The mad square: modernity in German art 1910-37 brings together over 200 diverse works exploring the fascinating and complex ways in which artists sought to portray the modern world. Featuring leading artists such as Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz, Hannah Höch and El Lissitzky among others, this major exhibition is drawn from renowned international and Australian collections.

Text courtesy of http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/mad-square/

Nuclear waste dump opposition heats up : World News Australia on SBS

2011-09-17T22:17:00.000+10:00

Nuclear waste dump opposition heats up : World News Australia on SBS

Marrickville Contemporary Art Prize 2011 (MCAP’11) - Finalists' Exhibition

2011-09-10T12:22:00.005+10:00

Venue : Chrissie Cotter Gallery  (Pidcock Street Camperdown)  

Dates : 9-25 September

Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun 11am-5pm. Free Entry

Finalists:

Angela Stretch, Anthony Bartok, Bronwyn Carter, Catherine Cloran, Catriona Secker, Cigdem Aydemir, Diego Bonetto, Ganbold Lundaa, Georgina Pollard, Gilbert Grace, Goran Tomic, Gustavo Boke, Harry Perlich, Hayley Hill, Ingrid Dernee, Jagath Dheerasekara, Jason Andison, Jo Tracy, Justin Henderson, Kate Mulheron, Kurt Sorensen, Lydia Dowman, Marieka Walsh, Mark Wotherspoon, Michael Garbutt & Tega Brain, Mitzi McKenzie-King, Peter Williamson, Peter McGuiness, Rachael Everitt, Ro Murray, Shannon Johnson, Teena Marie McCarthy, Tim Andrew, Tina Fiveash, Will Coles.
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Jagath Dheerasekara's photography can be seen at www.jd.photoshelter.com

“Walk With Us" - Book Launch - Sydney

2011-09-10T12:08:00.004+10:00

Walk with Us - Book Launch - Sydney - 01 September 2011 from jagath dheerasekara on Vimeo.

“Walk With Us” - Aboriginal Elders call out to Australian people to walk with them in their Quest for Justice. A sequel to the highly regarded and recommended “This Is What We Said” (February 2010)

Of this book Michael Kirby AC CMG retired judge of the High Court of Australia said, “...these are words that we should hear, that our parliament should hear, that our leaders should hear.” “Walk With Us” is equally informative and important beautifully illustrated, this hard-covered book provides a very important update of recent happenings in the Northern Territory including unsatisfactory changes to the legislation, Elders visit to the United Nations, the recent Australians visit of Navi Pillay, the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, who flew into Darwin to especially to meet with Aboriginal Elders and leaders from across the Territory. The Commissioner sensed the very, “... deep hurt and pain that they have suffered.” (Darwin May 2011). The High Commissioner has joined other world and Australians leaders in their calling for immediate changes.

This is a complex subject and both books provide an easy way of keeping up to date with what has been happening in the Northern Territory.

In “Walk With Us” you will learn further what Northern Territory Aboriginal people are saying and you will hear their heartfelt plea to the people of Australia.

Publication Date: 25 August

An order form can be obtained from concernedaustralians.com.au

Text courtesy of the blurb sent out by "the Concerned Australians"
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Jagath Dheerasekara's photography can be seen at www.jd.photoshelter.com

Hail to the true victors of Rupert's revolution by John Pilger

2011-09-08T22:32:00.001+10:00

8 September 2011

On 13 September, one of the world's biggest arms fairs opens in London, backed by the British government. On 8 September, the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry will hold a preview entitled "Middle East: A vast market for UK defence and security companies". The host was the Royal Bank of Scotland, a major investor in cluster bombs. According to Amnesty international, the victims of cluster bombs are 98 per cent civilians and 30 per cent children. The Royal Bank of Scotland has received £20 million in public money. The blurb for the bank's arms party reads: "The Middle East is one of the regions with the greatest number of opportunities for UK defence and security companies. Saudi Arabia... is the world's top defence importer, having spent $56bn in 2009... a very worthwhile region to target."

Such are the Cameron government's priorities following the great "humanitarian" victory in Libya. As Margaret Thatcher once declared: "Rejoice!" And as the bankers and arms merchants raise their glasses, let us not forget the heroic RAF pilots who made Libya ours again by incinerating countless "pro Gaddafi elements" in their homes and cots and clinics, and the unsung stalwarts of the British drone industry at Menwith Hill in Yorkshire who, before and after lunch, provide the information for drone targets so that Hellfire missiles can flatten homes and suck the air out of lungs, a specialty. And cheers to QuinetiQ's drone testing site at Aberporth and at UAV Engines Limited in Lichfield.

The west's humanitarian mission is not quite finished. Nearly six months after securing a UN resolution authorising "the [protection] of civilians and civilian-populated areas under the threat of attack", Nato is raining fragmentation bombs on civilian-populated Sirte and other "Gaddafi strongholds" where, says a Channel 4 News reporter, "until they cut off the head of the snake, Libyans will not feel safe". I quote that not so much for its Orwellian quality but as a model of journalism's role in justifying "our" bloodbaths in advance.

This is Rupert's Revolution, after all. Gone from the Murdoch press are pejorative "insurgents". The action in Libya, says The Times, is "a revolution... as revolutions used to be". That it is a coup by a gang of Muammar Gaddafi's ex cronies and spooks in collusion with Nato is hardly news. The self-appointed "rebel leader", Mustafa Abdul Jalil, was Gaddafi's feared justice minister. The CIA runs or bankrolls most of the rest, including America's old friends, the Mujadeen Islamists who spawned al-Qaeda.

They told journalists what they needed to know: that Gaddafi was about to commit "genocide", of which there was no evidence, unlike the abundant evidence of "rebel" massacres of black African workers falsely accused of being mercenaries. European bankers' secret transfer of the Central Bank of Libya from Tripoli to "rebel" Benghazi by European bankers in order to control the country's oil billions was an epic heist of little interest.

The entirely predictable indictment of Gaddafi before the "international court" at The Hague evokes the charade of the dying "Lockerbie bomber", Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, whose "heinous crime" has been deployed to promote the west's ambitions in Libya. In 2009, Al-Megrahi was sent back to Libya by the Scottish authorities not for compassionate reasons, as reported, but because his long-awaited appeal would have confirmed his innocence and described how he was framed by the Thatcher government, as the late Paul Foot's landmark expose revealed. As an antidote to the current propaganda, I urge you to read a forensic demolition of el-Melgrahi's "guilt" and its political meaning in Dispatches from the Dark Side: on torture and the death of justice (Verso) by the distinguished human rights lawyer, Gareth Peirce.

This is not to detract from Gaddafi's awful dictatorship, a "rendition" destination for MI6, we now learn. But his odium is unrelated to the rape of his country by imperial caricatures such as Nicholas Sarkozy, a Napoleonic Islamophobe whose intelligence services almost certainly set up the coup against Gaddafi. US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks disclose the west's panic over Gaddafi's refusal to hand over the greatest source of oil in Africa and his overtures to China and Russia.

Propaganda relies not only on Murdoch but on apparently respectable voices inducing historical amnesia. The Observer, which has yet to apologise for its catastrophic promotion of Iraq's non-existent weapons of mass destruction, is in thrall to the "honourable intervention" of Sarkozy and Cameron and their "humanitarian and emotional" motives. Its political columnist Andrew Rawnsley completes an impressive double. As Media Lens reminds us, in 2003, Rawnsley wrote of Iraq: "The death toll has been nothing like as high as had been widely feared." A million dead Iraqis later, Rawnsley insists that, in Libya "Britain got it right" and "the number of civilian casualties inflicted by the air strikes seems to have been mercifully light". Tell that to Libyans with loved ones obliterated by corporate-friendly Hellfires.

Nato attacked Libya to counter and manipulate a general Arab uprising that took the rulers of the world by surprise. Unlike his neighbours, Gaddafi had come to power by denying western control of his country's natural wealth. For this, he was never forgiven, and the opportunity for his demise was seized in the usual manner, as history shows. The American historian William Blum has kept the record. Since the second world war, the United States has crushed or subverted liberation movements in 20 countries, and attempted to overthrow more than 50 governments, many of them democratic, and dropped bombs on 30 countries, and attempted to assassinate more than 50 foreign leaders.

Rejoice!

Extracted from http://www.johnpilger.com/articles/hail-to-the-true-victors-of-rupert-s-revolution

Albert Namatjira the first citizen - Namatjira the Show - Big hART - Hermannsburg - Palm Valley - Ngurratjuta Art Centre

2011-08-28T01:02:00.011+10:00

I came to know Albert Namatjira some two years ago through the documentary Albert Namajira the First Citizen. Though sad, his life story intrigued me and led me to research on him. Namatjira is representative of Aboriginal Australians' life of the era - perhaps to a great extent today as well. Albert Namatjira is significant not only because he became the first Aborigine to be granted Australian citizenship in 1957 but also because of the legacy he left behind as a water colour artist. Artist descendants of Namatjira are the evidence to Namatjira heritage. Today most of these artists are living in and around Alice Springs. Nugrratjuta Iltja Ntjarra or Many Hands Art Centre of Alice Springs has become one of a few ethical galleries / art centres who represent most - if not all - of Namtjira legacy artists. 

It was through mere coincidence that I met the Big hART mob who later took me to Hermannsburg. Interestingly, remnants of the Lutheran mission where Namatjira grew up still stand there. Something big for many in the community was happening in Hermannsburg. Big hART's award winning, critically acclaimed, sell out show Namatjira was just about to open in Melbourne at the Malthouse Theatre (on August 10) commencing its 2011 show gig (10 -28 August, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, 1- 4 September, DRUM Theatre, Dandenong, 8 – 10 September, Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Geelong, 14- 17 September, Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra, 21 – 24 September, Merrigong Theatre Co., IPAC, Wollongong, 30 September – 1 October, NORPA, Lismore). Hermannsburg was readying to congratulate it with choir singing watched by the audience in Melbourne and in turn watching the show on big screen, facilitated by a dual webcast. All these events unfolded through the joint efforts of the Hermannsburg community and Big hART.

Namatjira Tailer by Sophia Marions
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Showing at the Malthouse, Melbourne! from Sophia Marinos on Vimeo.

Day and Night at Hermannsburg

Lutheran mission

Namajira home

Palm Valley the Namajira's "art studio"

Ngurratjuta Iltja Ntjarra or Many Hands Art Centre of Alice Springs

Emma Daniel : Emma Nungarayi lived at Papunya for many years. She is a well respected elder holding much traditional knowledge, not only in story form, but also song and dance. Emma also lived at Mt. Doreen near Yuendamu for many years with her brother, Don Tjungerrayi and is one of the Traditional Owners of Karrinyarra, Mount Wedge. Emma now lives in Alice Springs and has been painting with Ngurratjuta since it first opened in 2004. Over the last few years Emma’s paintings have been gaining a lot of attention with her bold motifs and strong colours, indicative of the Papunya area. Emma's brother is the renowned artist Paddy Carroll (now deceased). Text courtesy of http://www.ngurart.com.au/

Gloria Pannka : Gloria's father, Claude Pannka was one of the original 'Hermannsburg School' watercolour artists. Alongside Albert Namatjira, Claude developed an interest in painting when artists Rex Battarbee visited Hermannsburg in 1934. By 1950 Claude was painting full time and became a highly sought after artists. Gloria's father taught her to paint with watercolours and she continues to paint in the tradition of the 'Hermannsburg school' style. Gloria uses fine detail and subtle tones to capture the West MacDonnell Ranges where she currently lives. Gloria's work has featured in a number of exhibitions throughout her career, including the honour of receiving a 'highly commended' title for her painting in the NATSIAA 2008 which was then acquired by the NT Museum and Art Gallery. Gloria has also had the privilege of having her painting 'West MacDonnell Ranges' acquired by the Parliament House Art Collection Canberra. Text courtesy of http://www.ngurart.com.au/

Community voices - videos by Sophia Marions

Mostyn from Sophia Marinos on Vimeo.

Ivy from Sophia Marinos on Vimeo.

.................................................................................................................................

Jagath Dheerasekara's photography can be viewed at http://jd.photoshelter.com/

The War You Don't See - Trailer

2011-08-27T13:35:00.001+10:00

The War You Don't See (trailer) from John Pilger on Vimeo.

Nigerian families of meningitis drug trial victims finally get compensation as drug giant Pfizer lost the legal battle

2011-08-12T17:33:00.000+10:00

Pfizer pays out to Nigerian families of meningitis drug trial victims
Pfizer pays compensation to families of four children after 15-year legal battle over controversial drug trial in state of Kano
The parents of four Nigerian children who died of meningitis have become the first winners of a 15-year legal battle against Pfizer over a fiercely controversial drug trial.
The world's biggest research-based pharmaceutical company announced on Thursday that it had made payments of $175,000 (£108,000) to each family. More such compensation settlements are expected to follow.
Pfizer was sued after 11 children died in a clinical trial when the northern state of Kano was hit by Africa's worst ever meningitis epidemic in 1996. A hundred children were given an experimental oral antibiotic called Trovan, while a further hundred received ceftriaxone, the "gold-standard" treatment of modern medicine.
Five children died on Trovan and six on ceftriaxone. But later it was claimed that Pfizer did not have proper consent from parents to use an experimental drug on their children and questions were raised over the documentation of the trial.
Legal action filed against the company alleged that some received a dose lower than recommended, leaving many children with brain damage, paralysis or slurred speech.
US-based Pfizer had argued that meningitis and not its antibiotic had led to the deaths of 11 children and harm to dozens of others. But in 2009 it reached a tentative out-of-court settlement with the Kano state government worth $75m.
The families of four of the children each collected cheques for $175,000 from a compensation trust fund, after submitting DNA samples to show that the dead were their offspring.
The compensation was the first given out by the Healthcare/Meningitis Trust Fund. The decision over who is compensated and for how much is being managed by an independent board of trustees in Kano, not by the government or Pfizer, the company has said. "We are pleased that these four individuals, the first group of qualified claimants of the Healthcare/Meningitis Trust Fund, have received compensation," said a spokesman.
"This is the first step in a multiphase review process by which the independent board of trustees that manages the funds will deliver payments to all other claimants.
"We thank them for their commitment and dedication to seeing this process through in the most timely and transparent way possible."
But one parent who lost a daughter said the process was still dogged by local factionalism and he had no idea when he would receive money.
"I talked to my attorney this week," said the man, who did not wish to be named for legal reasons. "They are still in contact with Pfizer as to when I will get paid. We are just crossing our fingers."
He added: "We are fed up with this case. Our children are dead and some are maimed. We want to end this matter now, but some people are being opportunist for riches."
Pfizer said in February it had settled all outstanding lawsuits involving accusations that it tested the experimental antibiotic Trovan on children.
The pharmaceutical giant also agreed to sponsor health projects in Kano as well as creating a fund of $35m to compensate those affected.
But last year a US diplomatic cable uncovered by WikiLeaks revealed that Pfizer hired investigators to look for evidence of corruption against the Nigerian attorney general in an effort to persuade him to drop the legal action.
The cable reported a meeting between Pfizer's country manager, Enrico Liggeri, and US officials at the Abuja embassy on 9 April 2009. It stated: "According to Liggeri, Pfizer had hired investigators to uncover corruption links to federal attorney general Michael Aondoakaa to expose him and put pressure on him to drop the federal cases.
He said Pfizer's investigators were passing this information to local media."
There is no suggestion that the attorney general was swayed by the pressure.
Pfizer had planned to sell Trovan in the US and Europe after the trials on African children. However, its licence was withdrawn in Europe because of concern over liver toxicity.
This article appreared in http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/11/pfizer-nigeria-meningitis-drug-compensation

2011 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize - Finalists announced - Monash Gallery of Art, Victoria - Exhibition 16 Sep ~ 16 Oct

2011-08-05T15:50:00.013+10:00

Thirty seven images by some of Australia’s best photographers are in the running for the $25 000 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize. The finalist’s works were selected from approximately 2 000 photographs submitted by 432 entrants. One of these finalists will win the $25 000 first prize. Three finalists will be awarded an Adobe Honourable Mention prize.

FINALISTS

Warwick Baker
Kate Bernauer
Magdalena Bors
Chris Budgeon
Elaine Campaner
Michael Corridore
Jagath Dheerasekara
Jackson Eaton
Cherine Fahd
Sean Fennessy
Anne Ferran
Phillip George
Dean Golja
Natalie Grono
David Manley
Olivia Martin-McGuire
Prudence Murphy
Harry Nankin
Catherine Nelson
Matthew Newton
Selina Ou
Max Pam
Polixeni Papapetrou
Geoff Parr
Sonia Payes
Drew Pettifer
Helen Pynor
Jacky Redgate
Simone Rosenbauer
Julie Rrap
Martin Smith
Simon Terrill
Claudia Terstappen
Glenn Walls
Rudi Williams
Alex Wisser
Yiwen Yao

The 2011 Bowness Photography Prize judging panel is:
ROBYN STACEY, photographer,
GEOFFREY SMITH, Chairman of Sotheby's Australia and Trustee of the MGA Foundation and SHAUNE LAKIN, MGA Gallery Director.

EXHIBITION OPENING AND ANNOUNCEMENT: Thursday 15 September
ARTIST'S PARTY: Saturday 15 October
EXHIBITION CLOSES: Sunday 16 October

Established in 2006 to promote excellence in photography, the annual non-acquisitive William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize is an initiative of the MGA Foundation. Among Australia’s most important art prizes, the Bowness Photography Prize is the country’s most coveted photography prize.

For current information go to www.mga.org.au

Text courtesy of Monash Gallery of Art

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Jagath Dheerasekara's work can be viewed at http://jd.photoshelter.com/

At The Vanishing Point - Contemporary Art Inc presents "Stars Sky Trees Breeze" : Jagath’s journey 2010 curated by Djon Mundine OAM

2011-06-26T09:33:00.003+10:00

At The Vanishing Point - Contemporary Art Inc presents

Stars Sky Trees Breeze

(Jagath’s journey 2010)

JAGATH DHEERASEKARA

Curated by Djon Mundine

30 June – 17 July 2011

Opening launch, WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE 6-8pm

Stars Sky Trees Breeze (Jagath’s journey 2010)

ATVP celebrates NAIDOC Week with a specially curated exhibition by eminent contemporary aboriginal art curator Djon Mundine OAM.

Stars Sky Trees Breeze’s focal point is a photographic series (of the same title) by Jagath Dheerekara, a Sydney-based documentary and reportage photographic artist of Lankan origin. Dheerasekara has captured a series of makeshift outdoor beds, on an invited stay during 2009 and 2010 with the Alyawarr people in the central Australia’s Ampilatwatja community, Northern Territory.

Ampilatwatja, located 320km northeast of Alice Springs, is home for less than 1000 Alyawarre people. Their struggle to survive 200+ years of colonisation has been complicated further since 2007 by the introduction of the Northern Territory Intervention - of which Ampilatwatja is a prescribed community.

Many in Amplilatwatja consider the intervention as "an invasion, total disempowerment and a revoking of hard won land rights" and in July 2009, Alyawarr elders of Ampilatwatja walked off the prescribed area controlled by the government and camped on Aboriginal freehold land out of the control of the intervention.

"On July 14 2009 we, Elders from the Ampilatwatja community, walked out of our houses and set up camp in the bush. We are fed up with the federal government's Northern Territory Intervention, controls and measures, visions and goals forced onto us from outside. We felt we were outcasts and isolated from all decision making - there has been no meaningful consultation... We therefore have no intention of going back there. We intend to stay here until our demands are met.” Richard Downs, Alyawarr community spokesperson, October 2009.

In Alyawarre Resistance: Back to Country (2009-10) Dheerasekara captured the Alyawarre walk-off and much more …

“My main purpose of being there was to capture the Walk-off. Meanwhile, during my many walks around the community I noticed that almost all Aboriginal families in the community had a makeshift bed in the open air. My queries about the use of these outdoor beds were met with replies in which the words 'stars, sky, trees, breeze' echoed again and again” Jagath Dheerasekara.

Stars, Sky, Trees, Breeze is a reflection of the conflict between coloniser-imposed confines on one hand and on the other, the unbreakable bond between Aboriginal people with their lands and nature.

At The Vanishing Point - Contemporary Art Inc.
565 King Street Newtown NSW 2042
(02) 9519 2340
0430 083 364
www.atthevanishingpoint.com.au
info@atthevanishingpoint.com.au

Gallery Hours: Thursday - Sunday, 10am-6pm

FREE ENTRY, ALL WELCOME

Join ATVP on FACEBOOK

Follow ATVP on TWITTER

Missing Iraq cash 'as high as $18 billion' - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

2011-06-19T20:59:00.000+10:00

Missing Iraq cash 'as high as $18 billion' - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Worst ever carbon emissions leave climate on the brink

2011-05-30T08:01:00.001+10:00

Economic recession has failed to curb rising emissions, undermining hope of keeping global warming to safe levels Photograph: Dave Reede/All Canada Photos/Corbis

Greenhouse gas emissions increased by a record amount last year, to the highest carbon output in history, putting hopes of holding global warming to safe levels all but out of reach, according to unpublished estimates from the International Energy Agency.

The shock rise means the goal of preventing a temperature rise of more than 2 degrees Celsius – which scientists say is the threshold for potentially "dangerous climate change" – is likely to be just "a nice Utopia", according to Fatih Birol, chief economist of the IEA. It also shows the most serious global recession for 80 years has had only a minimal effect on emissions, contrary to some predictions.

Last year, a record 30.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide poured into the atmosphere, mainly from burning fossil fuel – a rise of 1.6Gt on 2009, according to estimates from the IEA regarded as the gold standard for emissions data. ... contd.

extracted from
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/29/carbon-emissions-nuclearpower

Congress to Palestinians: Drop dead - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

2011-05-26T21:56:00.003+10:00

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to Congress that essentially was a series of insults to Palestinians and every insult was met by applause and standing ovations ...

Our Generation the film

2011-05-14T13:03:00.001+10:00

OUR GENERATION

A DOCUMENTARY FILM BY SINEM SABAN & DAMIEN CURTIS (73 MIN)

From the ongoing controversy of the Northern Territory Intervention,
to being forced off their traditional lands into larger townships crippled by social dysfunction,
to their languages being removed from school education,
to mining deals sidelining traditional owners,
the Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory are fighting for freedom.

Our Generation is their untold story; of a struggle hidden from the eyes of mainstream Australia.

THE SHORT VERSION

Hidden from the eyes of the world, Australia’s First Peoples are fighting for freedom. Our Generation is their call to the nation, a fresh and unflinching look at unresolved issues, driven by the Yolngu of Northeast Arnhem Land.

THE MEDIUM VERSION

A rollercoaster journey into the heart of Australia’s Indigenous relations, a hidden shame that is pushing the world’s oldest living culture to the edge. Through the stories of the Yolngu of NE Arnhem Land, the film looks at the Government’s ongoing policies of paternalism and assimilation, examines the real issues underlying Indigenous disadvantage, and opens dialogue on ways forward that respect Aboriginal culture and dignity.

A fresh look at unresolved issues, with music by John Butler Trio, Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach, Gurrumul, and Goanna.

THE LONG VERSION

The project started out in June 2007, in response to the Howard Government’s controversial ‘Emergency Intervention’ into Aboriginal communities in Australia’s remote Northern Territory. All in the name of ‘protecting children’, the Intervention took away all existing Aboriginal land rights, suspended the Racial Discrimination Act and placed over 70 communities under compulsory government control. Subsequent government measures have had little to do with directly improving the wellbeing of children, but instead have disempowered traditional owners, opened up access to valuable Aboriginal land, and sought to forcibly assimilate Aboriginal culture.

No Aboriginal people living in these communities have had any say in these decisions being made about their lives, their lands and their future. And mainstream media has ignored their voices, and their plight.

In February 2008, the Labor government made a much-publicised National Apology for previous injustices wrought upon the Australia’s First Peoples. Since then, however, it has continued to undermine their human and cultural rights; in particular their rights to have proper access to basic services, to maintain their own languages, to be involved in the decisions that affect them, and to remain living on their ancestral homelands.

On 13th March 2009, the United Nations Committee on Human Rights declared that Australian Government policy was in breach of international law. Following such international shame, the Australian Government quickly endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, only to continue to breach many of its articles in subsequent policies.

The film has developed into a powerful journey into Australia’s indigenous relations, from colonisation until the present day. It looks at Australia’s ongoing policies of paternalism and assimilation, explains the real issues underlying Indigenous disadvantage in this “lucky” country, and upholds the right of First Australians to dignity, culture and empowerment in their own country.

Featuring the voices of youth, men, women and elders from remote communities in the Northern Territory, Aboriginal leaders and personalities from across the country, as well as academics, lawyers and international activists, the film opens the way for dialogue on how Australia can move forward with genuine respect and partnership with its First Peoples. Into a future where solutions come from working together, rather than being dictated from Parliament thousands of kilometres away.

A movement is building across the country to stand up for what is right for the oldest living culture on Earth.

This film is at the heart of that movement.

THE FILM MAKERS

Sinem Saban: Writer, Producer, Director. Sinem has had a lifelong passion for Aboriginal rights. With a degree in Media, Legal and Aboriginal Studies, she has been working in Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, for the last 10 years, as a teacher and human rights activist. Previous filmmaking includes the documentary “I Know I’m Not Alone” (Dir. Michael Franti, 2006) on the human costs of war in Iraq, Palestine and Israel. She also co-wrote and directed the first feature length film made by an Australian school, entitled “Premonition” (2003).

Damien Curtis: Writer, Producer. Damien has been working for the last 10 years in empowering tribal peoples to protect their culture and ancestral lands. His previous experiences include working with indigenous communities in the rainforests of Guyana, the Colombian Amazon and in various parts of Africa, with the Gaia Foundation, UNESCO and others. With degrees in Anthropology and Environment & Development, he is committed to strengthening cultural diversity as the foundation for human and environmental wellbeing.

text extracted from http://www.ourgeneration.org.au/about-2/

Radioactivity soars in Japan reactor - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English

2011-03-27T20:05:00.000+11:00

Radioactivity soars in Japan reactor - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English

Libyan Rebels Maintain Benghazi Media Center to Battle Gaddafi Regime through the Internet and Airwaves

2011-03-27T20:02:00.000+11:00

Libyan Rebels Maintain Benghazi Media Center to Battle Gaddafi Regime through the Internet and Airwaves

email from Gary Grant

2011-02-01T13:18:00.001+11:00

Hi Jagath,

It was good to chat to you at Yabun. Here is a bit of background detail on the sculpture. Find attached an image of it and an article about it from the National Indigenous Times and another from the Australian Newspaper.

The photo of the sculpture attached, was taken at dawn Sunday 27 June, 2010 at Solander Point, the headland where Lt James Cook decided to make a left-hand turn into Botany Bay and from there, set foot for the first time on Australian land. It was of course from that exact moment in time of Cook's landing that the fortunes for Aboriginal peoples in the country changed. (This image is not photo-shopped). The 8,500 individual vials contain the sand from Cook's landing site and appear to have the effect of being suspended in space.

Very fortunately the sculpture gained support from the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council of Botany Bay and their Cultural Heritage Sub-Committee. They received it on Monday 5 July, 2010 at the start of NAIDOC Week. It also gained support of National Parks and Wildlife and Harold Thomas, the designer of the Aboriginal flag.

The purpose of the sculpture lies in the small 15mm by 75mm clear vials. The concept is that any Aboriginal person can come to collect their own vial. Each vial collected symbolises the return of land and its original spirituality back to each Aboriginal person and can be kept as something to be passed on to their future generations. Each vial is given a small label on the side showing its authenticity. When a vial is removed a new one will be inserted to take its place.

The size of the sculpture is approximately 2.5 metres by 3.5 metres and is made of clear sheet polycarbonate. Across the surface of the polycarbonate are several thousand holes in the shape of the continent of Australia into which are inserted the vials. The caps of the vials are the colours black, red and yellow. The sculpture is erected as a free standing sculpture to be used for special ceremonial occasions and can then be disassembled and stored. It currently resides in the front foyer of the head office of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council in Parramatta.

To date just over 900 people have collected the vials (600 alone at Yabun). The Title of the sculpture is below and people are asked to read it at the time of taking their vial. I am so pleased to say that the vast majority of the people who have done this act have been very much affected in a positive sense. Some have cried, some have been reverent, most have expressed a sense a strength and appreciation.

Here is the Title:

‘Let it be known that this continent was in its true sense owned in its entirety for millennia by the Aboriginal nations of Australia both by title and spiritual belonging.

Let it be known that the ownership by the British in 1770 begun on this site that was brought down on the Aboriginal peoples did not expunge this truth of Aboriginal ownership.

Let a call now go out to every Aboriginal man, woman and child in every part of this continent to come to this place and take back to them this recognition. Come now and take this vial which holds in it the land from the very spot from which all this which was taken from you. This vial holds in it the land as recognition of your return of ownership and that it symbolizes to Aboriginal people, to hold to their body, to know in their mind and be upon their soul the return of this, their birth right’.

Kind regards,

Gary Grant

Social Documentary Photographer Milton Rogovin dies at age 101 in NY

2011-01-27T13:19:00.001+11:00

After being blacklisted in the communist scare of the 1950s, Rogovin dedicated his life to photography. His pictures documented the lives of the poor, the dispossessed, the working class - in particular those living in a six-square-block neighborhood in Buffalo near his optometry practice.

Born in New York City in 1909, Rogovin moved to Buffalo in 1938 to practice as an optometrist. He married Anne Setters in 1942, the same year he bought his first camera and was drafted into the U.S. Army. After returning from the war, he organized an optometrists' union in Buffalo and served as a librarian in the city's Communist Party. In 1957, he was called before the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

"Rogovin, named as top red in Buffalo, balks at nearly all queries," read the headline the next day in the hometown Buffalo Evening News.

With his optometry business sliced in half because of negative publicity, Rogovin turned to photography - although he never studied it formally.

"The rich have their photographers," Rogovin often said. "I photograph the forgotten ones."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/18/AR2011011802686.html?wprss=rss_artsandliving/entertainmentnews

Picture Man the Poetry of Photographer Milton Rogovin

2011-01-26T22:18:00.000+11:00

January 26

2011-01-26T17:45:00.000+11:00

Amnesty International Human Rights Innovation Fund grant 2010 - Jagath Dheerasekara

2011-01-25T13:54:00.000+11:00

http://www.amnesty.org.au/about/comments/21837

"Manuwangku: Our Country is Our Spirit - a mobile photo exhibition produced by Jagath Dheerasekara, documentary photographer to engage the Australian public in support of the Aboriginal community of Muckaty (Manuwangkyu) to defend their country from radioactive waste dumping. The photo exhibition will give the Aboriginal communities' affected a collective voice against the proposed waste dump. It will be toured by the Beyond Nuclear Initiative over three years."

US apologizes for infecting Guatemalans with STDs in the 1940s

2010-10-03T11:24:00.000+11:00

Crimes. The study "appears to have been funded" by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, he said, citing four primary ethical violations: 1) study subjects "were members of one or more vulnerable populations;" 2) there is no evidence they gave informed consent; 3) they were often deceived about what was being done to them; 4) they were intentionally infected with pathogens that could cause serious illness without their understanding or consent. Where are compensations? If, as joint statement states, “the study does not represent the values of the United States”, crimes should not be repeated. Unfortunately subsequent wars where the US got involved suggest otherwise.

Actively Radical TV presents a landmark documentary, Alyawarr Walk-off protest vs Northern Territory Intervention

2010-04-30T12:57:00.002+10:00

Contact ARTV for a copy : (02) 9564 1277

Scott said to me that he was determined to put his album out

2010-04-30T11:55:00.001+10:00

I met Scott, 40 and his partner Sandy, 45 at Thirroul station. I chatted with them as always I do with interesting people whom I meet in public space. They were kind enough to permit me taking a few photos of them. Scott and Sandy sing at public places and collect 30~40 dollars a day. Scott was in the paint mixing trade and lost his job six months ago. He is trying to find a new job. Sandy is on pension due to her medical condition. They have been together for last six years. Scott is a country music man. He and Sandy sang a couple of songs for me – John Denver, Glen Campbell, Neil Diamond etc. It didn't take long for them to get and audience around them. A gleaming young blind woman came up to him and said “I can’t see you but your singing is beautiful”. Scott is of Aboriginal background. He was a guitarist cum singer for a band till a few years ago and had had an agent also. That was a good time. Scott has put lyrics his cousin wrote for him, into songs. His album is ready and he is trying to get it out. I told him stories of Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. Scott said to me that he was determined to put his album out.

Home

2010-04-30T11:06:00.003+10:00

I am back home photographing for my most favourite essay "Home". Amanda is enjoying her TV time watching Johnny Cash while Ruch and Milith engaging themselves in drawing and building blocks.

John Pilger & Richard Downs speak against the NT Intervention - April 23 - NSW Teachers’ Federation Auditorium - organised by Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS)

2010-04-23T16:31:00.051+10:00

Prof. John Pilger

Prof. Larissa Behrendt

MUA Sydney Secretary Paul Mcaleer

Alyawarr Spokesperson for Intervention Walk-off Richard Downs

"
John Pilger speaks at major event on Australia's 'intervention' against its first people

A new chapter opens this Friday, April 23, in the struggle of the Aboriginal people when Richard Downs and John Pilger launch the first national call-out of indigenous and non-indigenous Australians in protest against the Rudd government's 'intervention' in the Northern Territory.

Richard Downs, community elder and spokesperson for the Alyawarr people, calls on the Australian community to join the 'call out' (civil disobedience), the first since the great Gurindji strike of the 1960s. He said, "This is a struggle for our very survival as Aboriginal people. All control over our lives is being removed. We’re back to where we were 40 years ago. It’s time to start fighting back to defend our rights our county and our culture."

John Pilger said, "When the Gurindji went on strike at Wave Hill in the Northern Territory in 1966, they gave white Australia a gimpse of the suffering and injustice in this country. The Alywarr walk off is as important.The Northern Territory Intervention, so called, is not only a step back to Australia's dark past when racism was acceptable, it distorts the law. United Nations' rulings have made this clear. In other words, it's a fraud.Until white Australians end these iniquities and give back to indigenous Australians their nationhood, they can never claim their own."

"
Quoted from http://www.johnpilger.com/page.asp?partid=573

Also visit Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) : http://stoptheintervention.org/

Etiquette. Campbelltown Art Centre

2010-04-21T12:22:00.012+10:00

During 2010 Campbelltown Arts Centre is expanding its program of live performance to include a range of works that push at the boundary of contemporary performance and actively engage with audiences, location and site. The first work to be presented as part of the Live Program is Etiquette by innovative UK-based company Rotozaza. It will be performed in Campbelltown Arts Centre’s Café from 19 April until 2 May.

Etiquette is a 30 minute live experience for two people who simultaneously play the roles of performer and audience. Etiquette will quite literally draw you into a gripping and highly personal performance. Taking a seat with a friend or stranger, and using separate headphones, you follow instructions and act out the performance together, inhabiting roles in a series of short scenes, many borrowed from film and theatre. This fascinating show opened in London in 2007 and has been performed around the world, including England, Australia, Canada and Spain.

"gripping... If the line between audience and performer seems blurred, Rotozaza’s 'Etiquette' erases it entirely." New York Times/Herald Tribune

“Etiquette explores the gap between language and meaning. In creating an entirely private space in a public setting, something extraordinary happens.” Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

Etiquette is available at Campbelltown Arts Centre every day from 19 April until 2 May at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. There will be afternoon/ evening performances from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 24 April, and on Saturday 1 May at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. Bookings with a friend are advised as participation requires two people per session.

Rotozaza are based in London and Brighton, UK. The writer and director Ant Hampton formed Rotozaza in 1998 and joined with performer Silvia Mercuriali shortly afterwards to make the second show [DUE] in Milan, Italy, 1999. They have been working together in different ways and in various countries and languages on over 20 Rotozaza productions. Since 2003 the work has involved particularly close collaborations with Neil Bennun, Greg McLaren and Melanie Wilson.

Campbelltown Arts Centre is a multidisciplinary contemporary arts centre located in Western Sydney. Since opening in 2005 the Centre has pioneered a contemporary arts program that engages with critical issues of our times. The Centre supports the research, development and production of new work and creates platforms for multidisciplinary arts practice.

To make a booking for Etiquette or for more information, contact the Campbelltown Arts Centre Box Office on 4645 4100 or email artscentre@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au. Campbelltown Arts Centre is located at the corner of Camden and Appin Roads Campbelltown.

Quoted from : http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/default.asp?iSubCatID=3466&iNavCatID=491

Richard Downs, Alyawarr Elder at UTS, Sydney on a speaking tour

2010-04-04T13:47:00.000+10:00

Richard Downs-Alyawarr Elder speaking at the Ampilatwatja Walk Off tour from nat wasley on Vimeo.

Love Britain. It's so cool.

2010-04-02T16:34:00.002+11:00

Kafka has a rival. Today, the Foreign Office lectures us on human rights

John Pilger, an Australian born investigative journalist and film maker wrote this piece one and half years ago for the Guardian. Something which has been true for last several hundred years, is true today as well. Therefore I posted my most favourite journalist / film maker's timeless piece.

Martin has a dream

2010-04-02T13:50:00.001+11:00

Martin is 20 and a juggler. He's lost his job a couple of months ago. I met him at the Martin Luther King Jr mural in Newtown when I was on a photo shoot there. Martin has got a dream to realize i.e. to become a trainer in juggling. He performs at the space around the 'I have a dream' mural everyday. This space is his theatre. Daniela, 27 met Martin a year ago there. She studies Social Welfare at TAFE. Daniela often brings her study material to Martin's theatre to read.

Give the orang-utan a break

2010-03-31T16:51:00.000+11:00

Have a break? from Greenpeace UK on Vimeo.

Ship movements cancelled at world's biggest coal port, Newcastle (Australia)

2010-03-28T16:11:00.002+11:00

Ship movements cancelled at the world's biggest coal port, Newcastle (Australia) - 28 March 2010 from jagath dheerasekara on Vimeo.

Alyawarr (Australian Aboriginal) people walked off. They say “Enough is enough ! Abolish Northern Territory Intervention now !”

2010-03-23T13:38:00.019+11:00

"
Back to Country : Alyawarr Resistance, Ampilatwatja, NT, Australia - Images by Jagath Dheerasekara

I first came across John Pilger’s writings in the Guardian in 90s when I was exile in Europe. I was immediately hooked of course. Introduction to the Black Australians or Aboriginal people also came to me from Pilger’s writings and documentary films. Pilger’s work such as Secret Country, Welcome to Australia made a strong and lasting impression on me. It was quite different to what I had seen in glossy magazines like National Geographic. Pilger repeatedly used the term apartheid. My first and recent trip to the Central Australia in the Northern Territory gave me the real meaning of apartheid. It came as a shocking revelation to say the least. John Pilger was exactly correct in using the term apartheid to describe the relationship between the black Australians and white Australia. Even 15 years after the Apartheid regime in South Africa fell, situation here sadly appears to be the same.

I first flew to Alice Springs to head to Ampilatwatja which was 350 km away towards North East. Alice Springs was a sad place to be. The impression created and the feelings generated so closely echoed what was felt on seeing films, photographs, and newspaper reports about apartheid South African townships such as Pretoria, Cape Town, and Johannesburg etc. Alice Springs is a bustling touristy town. There are plenty of restaurants always filled with white people – both tourists and residents. You would hardly see a black Australian sitting and eating in those restaurants. Shopping malls are similar. You get to see dozens of aboriginal people walking about here and there on the streets. Some of them looking for work.

Around 30,000 people are living in Alice Springs - I was told. 90 % of them have come from outside. They all, one can safely say are white Australians. For white Australians living there business goes on as usual. Going to work and dropping off children at school. Living in comfortable fenced or walled housed with well maintained gardens. Going for recreation, to restaurants, to pubs etc. In contrast, many Aboriginal people live in shacks. And they wander around alone or with children. Without jobs. Sitting under shades. Sitting around shops. Some trying to push a painting to a tourist. I was told – unemployment rate was over 95% among Aboriginal people. Most of them are living on government welfare benefits – What I saw was clearly two worlds, one empowered and bold and the other made powerless and marginalised.

On my way to Ampilatwatja, we stopped at a local store in a township called Utopia – so named by white settlers. Its real name is Arlparra. There I bought some groceries and offered the card to pay the 16 dollars to save my cash as ATMs were not readily available in the area. The aboriginal man who was of my skin colour and was at the register said “oh card. You have to go the other register”. ‘The other register’ which had a card terminal was manned by a white man. Later I got to know that this was usual practice. Aboriginese were generally not allowed to man registers with card terminals. Even in Ampilatwatja this is true. In fact the store which was started and financed by the elders of the Alyawarr community is today run by a Government Business Manager with white people employed to man the cash registers. It certainly did not look like empowerment. The community had to engage in a lengthy struggle and finally it appears to be fruitful in returning the store back to the community.

Similarly, it was extremely saddening to see that the young have hardly any employment opportunities. Most work is done by outside contractors. Even when these contractors employ aboriginese they are paid at a rate of 70 dollars a day which is way below what is paid to a white person doing the same work. They demand not for the impossible or the unreasonable. In fact their few demands are almost austere.

In 2007 the Northern Territory Enmergency Response Legislation, commonly referred to as Northern Territory intervention, made it a 'prescribed community'. The Australian Federal Government persuaded the leaders of the community in to signing a five year lease promising government funding, employment, infrastructure and badly needed housing facilities. And Ampilatwatja became one of the 70 odd fenced in townships. The NT intervention legislation was announced by the then Prime Minister John Howard and was said to be in response to the report 'Little Children are Sacred' which contained allegations of neglect and abuse, including sexual abuse of aboriginal children of the Northern Territory. Years of government neglect and service failures were blamed for that state of affairs in the aboriginal communities. The 'special measures' of NT intervention legislation applied only to aboriginal people and to introduce the legislation, the Racial Discrimination Act was suspended. The legislation vested the government with the power of reclaiming aboriginal land and having townships on 40 year government lease if communities do not agree to sign leases "voluntarily". The government appointed Business Managers to stores and dissolved Land Councils where Aboriginal representations were.

The Community hates the BasicsCard or Green Card. They say BasicsCard is a racist card. It is belittling to put it mildly. It was introduced along with the special measures of the Northern Territory Intervention. Half of their welfare benefits go to the Basics Card. The card can be used only at designated stores. Sometimes people have to walk many kilometers to get to a designated store. At big stores there is a separate line for the BasicsCard holders. Big stores would allocate a separate register for BasicsCard or Green Card holders who are essentially Aboriginal people – in effect a separate line for the Aboriginal people has been created. The community considers it a shame. It dis-empowers Aboriginal people. It implies that the Aboriginal people can’t manage their finances. One school teacher who had a career for decades told me that she too was on the BasicsCards. There were many like her – she told me. Basics Cardholders are forced to work for Shire councils for no wages. In effect they are working for rations. I saw notices with lists of names pasted at public places asking those name bearers to report to work. Notices said – if not – BasicsCard benefits would be stopped – means rations would be stopped. Isn’t this a version of modern day slavery. People there said to me Intervention pushed them back at least 50 years. They fear that next their land would be grabbed for mining and for dumping nuclear waste.

A big billboard right at the entrance to the Ampilatwatja prescribed area is not marketing brand new cars but warns loudly “No pornography – No alcohol’. Several such boards dot the area with a description of the penalties. The aboriginal people are shamed by the message implicit in the billboards, reducing them to alocoholics and paedophiles. According to one activist, some elders had to be explained what pornography meant and a number of people told that despite attempts to type cast them as alocoholics, communities were dry by volunteer declaration. Talking about the billboards bring tears to some aboriginal elders. The intervention legislation also allowed the armed forces and federal police to enter the aboriginal land, conducting house searches investigating paedophile claims. Australian federal police still operate in some communities. While Australian government formulated and pursued an aggressive policy along these lines with wide publicity given to claims of alleged sexual and other abuse of children of aboriginal communities, the Australian Crime Commission, in 2009 reported that there was no evidence to support the allegations of existence of paedophile rings.

The report, Children are Sacred brought to the fore, the continuing neglect and service failure by successive governments, as a root cause of the ills plaguing the aboriginal community. It also stressed the need to return the strength to the aboriginal communities and the need to find solutions in consultation and ownership of aboriginal people. However, the NT intervention laws introduced in the wake of this report operate in complete contradiction to these recommendations. Aboriginal community leaders describe the intervention laws as disempowering, paternalistic and offensive.

This piece of legislation, is viewed as one of the biggest attacks on aboriginal land rights and self determination in the recent history. Without doubt, the so called natural resource / mineral boom where the price of minerals, especially of uranium started climbing, had a major impact in the introduction of the NT intervention laws which permitted the government to reclaim aboriginal lands. Forty percent of world's uranium deposits are located in Australia and most of it in the Northern Territory. Thus it is the mining companies and not the aboriginal people who stand to gain from the relocation of aboriginal people away from their land and incarcerating them in fenced in prescribed areas.

Ampilatwatja is a mess if not a hell. Having come from a third world country I have to say that I was shocked to see this much of poverty especially in a first world country. It was a shame on a first world nation and a crime on a “third world” people. Sewage systems are not functioning. The whole Township is full of garbage. Garbage collecting has stopped months ago. No new houses were built after the Intervention. Existing houses are falling down. Alyawarr people of the Ampilatwatja community finally decided to say no to the broken promises, lack of consultation and 'prescribed areas'. On 14th July 2009, coincidentally the Bastille Day, they left the fenced in prescribed area to trek to their homeland – their country – Rurong. White man’s name to that was Honeymoon Bore. It was nothing but a honeymoon for Alyawarr people, in a traditional sense. It is a struggle for self-determination. They are going to build their homes there in the way they want to. Not with the fences of meshed nets and steel pipes that was put up by the government. This walk off is historic in every way. This is heroic in ever sense. This is inspirational for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people – those who are for human rights. They are determined to exercise their right to self-determination. They are determined to fight for their human rights. With the trade unions’ and volunteers’ support Alyawarr people completed their first protest house in February 2010. It is going to be the hub where the management will be set up. New communication technologies would be coming. Sustainable energy – such as solar will be used. Alyawarr people are going to live as a collective in their homeland. They will adopt permaculture and sustainable farming. This house is the symbol of a protest against Intervention and a symbol of hope and solidarity. Alyawarr people are starting a new life in their homeland. The collective voice of young and old, the men and women was clear and simple - “Abolish Intervention – let us manage our lives in our own way”. These persecuted and brave people need and deserve more support to go forward.

Reference discussions, interviews, chats, speeches and writings : Richard Downs, Banjo Morton, Angelina, Donald Thompson, Ampilatwatja Community, Babara Shaw, Emma Murphy, Peter Robson, Pat Eatock, Natalie Wasley, Paddy Gibson, William Tillmouth, Valerie Martin, Ralene Silverton, Elaine Peckham, Rex Granite, Jill Hickson, Djon Mundine and Pauline Clague.

January 26. Yabun 2010. Victoria Park. Sydney.

2010-01-26T22:43:00.007+11:00

Inside the park

Outside the park

Animals in enclosures - Did this ever cross our mind?

2009-09-21T12:56:00.015+10:00

In the human society, all tend to respect and give hero / heroine treatment to someone who endures pain for others benefit. Showing gratitude like that is a great human quality. But attitude is quite discriminatory when it comes to animals that are imprisoned in small enclosures in public and private zoos, circuses and other scientific and entertainment ventures for humans comfort. For instance an African lion that would roam around a territory of 20-400 sq km is, in most cases, confined to a few square meters during its whole life for our joy. Did this ever cross our mind when we enjoy watching them - glossy coats, bright rainbow coloured feathers, piercing or sleepy eyes, feeding, social interactions etc?

NYPH 09

2009-08-12T16:07:00.004+10:00

Happy to have become a nominee in the editorial series. Well, maybe not so happy for not becoming winner !!!

NYPHA’09 Nominations
The Jury of the New York Photo Awards 2009 (NYPHA’09) is pleased to announce the following Nominees.

To be named a nominee of the New York Photo Awards 2009 means that one has been selected for the final round of judging, during which time only three finalists will be chosen (Winner and two Honorable Mentions). Considering the number of rounds that the Jury has already been through, being nominated is truly an award in and of itself. We are very proud of this year’s Nominees. It is clear that they represent the Future of Contemporary Photography, and we wish them continued success.

The Winners and Honorable Mentions will be announced (and their work presented) at the Gala Ceremony for the New York Photo Awards 2009 on Friday, May 15th at 8pm in the St. Ann’s Warehouse Auditorium. This is a special ticketed event, there are only 415 seats, and they are selling out fast. Last year, we packed the place to the gills, and still had another 200+ people flowing out to the streets. So, if you want a seat, you have to have a ticket. Festival passes and tickets can be purchased here.

Without much further ado, the Nominees for the New York Photo Awards 2009 are:

NEW YORK PHOTO AWARDS 2009

NOMINEES

Editorial Series

Dirk-Jan Visser (2 series)
Dima Gavrysh
Ricardo Garcia
Albertina d’Urso (2 series)
Denis Rouvre
Gary Dwyer
Michael Goermann
Coco Amardell
Emilio Morenatti
David Guttenfelder
Oded Balilty
Jerome Delay
Lynsey Addario
Espen Rasmussen (2 series)
Ed Kashi (2 series)
Ryan Carter
Gerald Slota
Christian Als
Ethan James
Gabriele Stabile
Jagath Dheerasekara
Thomas Lekfeldt/Ekstra Bladet
Moises Saman
Matthieu Paley
Clemence de Limburg
Tim Gruber
Finbarr O’Reilly
Alex Majoli
Charles Ommanney
Shaul Schwarz
Tiana-Markova-Gold
Q. Sakamaki
Carol Guzy
Michael Corridore
T.J. Kirkpatrick

Finalists for the Short film/video awards will be announced on Friday, May 15th during the Gala Ceremony of the New York Photo Awards 2009.

Thanks to all of our participants and the Jury for the phenomenal collective spirit, passion and energy that has gone into this, the second New York Photo Awards. It has been an inspiring experience for all involved.

Good Luck to our Nominees!

Frank Evers
Chairman of the Jury, New York Photo Awards 2009
Co-Founder/Co-Chairman, New York Photo Festival 2009

Hut 47 - Casa Latinoamericana

2009-08-02T15:58:00.003+10:00

National Day of Action for Same Sex Marriage - Sydney

2009-08-02T14:06:00.010+10:00

First Illegal Mass Same Sex Marriage Ceremony

Over 10,000 supporters marched in Sydney demanding the Australian Labor Government to legalise the Same Sex Marriage in Australia. National Day of Action for Same Sex Marriage (1st August) took place simultaneously in several cities in Australia. Among them were Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Lismore, Tasmania and Perth. Marchers of Sydney first gathered at the Town Hall Square then marched down to the Darling Harbour where Australian Labour Party (ALP) National Convention was happening.

An inquiry follows the tabling of a private members bill by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, which, if passed, would grant same-sex couples equal marriage rights and recognise unions entered into abroad. The bill seeks to remove all discrimination from the Marriage Act 1961 on the basis of sexuality and gender identity and to permit marriage regardless of sex, sexuality and gender identity.

Rally at the Town Hall Square kicked off with the welcome speech by Order of Australia Recipient and an Aboriginal activist Karen Brown. Sydney City Lord Mayor Clover Moore speaking at the rally said “as a matter of simple equality, same sex couples are entitled to the full range of relationship options available to different sex couples, including marriages for those who choose it.” It has been three years since the Australian Parliament voted to explicitly deny all Australians the right to marry the person of their choice and to recognise all marriages solemnised overseas. Any decent society “should recognise, value and support loving relationships. Marriage should be available to any couple – whether gay, lesbian or straight – making a life commitment to each other. Spain, the Netherlands, Canada and Belgium have done this – but Australia has taken the opposite course because of prejudice, ignorance and lack of logic” added Ms Moore.

Greens Parliamentarian Lee Rhiannon stated that recentpolls showed 60% Australians supporting for the same sex marriage and she asked but “why key figures - Rudd, Turnbull and now Gillard pushing hardline to say no marriage for same sex couples”. Rainbow Laour activist Matthew Loader too addressed the rally. Rainbow Labor is the grassroots internal organisation for LGBT (The Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender) Labor members and supporters.

Karl Hand, pastor of CRAVE Metropolitan Community Church officiated dozens of illegal same sex marriages and marriage certificates were issued accordingly. Pastor Hand facilitates same sex couples of different age and sex to take their wedding wows. Katrina Fox, Freelance Journalist, Actor and Performer was the MC for Sydney National Day of Action. Morrie mAy-welby Activist and Entertainer performed at the rally at the Darling Harbour. Heidi Claus, National Union of Students Queer Officer too were among speakers.

The Domain, Sydney

2009-06-07T20:14:00.003+10:00

Primo Italiano 2009. Romeo and Juliet. Stanley, Yurong, Riley streets

2009-05-25T00:44:00.013+10:00

It's amoure !

More than 40,000 people attended Primo Italiano 2009. It is a popular annual event in the festival calendar of the City of Sydney. Primo Italiano celebrates Sydney’s original little Italy and the rich Italian history of East Sydney. The day was extra special for East Sydney couple Liesel and Johnny who have played as the love-struck Shakespearean couple, Romeo and Juliet at Primo Italiano for the past 3 years got legally married at this year's Primo Italiano in a ceremony involving the whole community. Neighbourhoods of Stanley, Yurong and Riley Streets were convereted to a giant wedding reception “hall” to host the big Italian wedding party with a giant wedding cake, Italian music, dancing and other entertainments. Three streets offered the visitor with taditional Italian food and drinks from the stalls as well as from the restaurants in the neighborhood.

Italians began migrating to Australia en masse after World War II. It was a time when Europe was war ravaged; many infrastructures were badly damaged and employment was low. It was a time too when Australia was realising that, to have a secure and viable future, it needed to populate. The Australian Department of Immigration was newly formed, created by a Labor government in 1945. In March 1951 the Australian and Italian governments signed the Assisted Migration Agreement. Enduring the sometimes gruelling application process, hundreds of thousands of Italians took the opportunity, and risk, of assisted passage and set off for a new life in Australia. The majority of Italian immigrants came between 1945 and 1972. There were almost 400,000 of them, a significant number given that Australia's population in 1945 was only 7.5 million. After the British, the Italians were the next largest group to migrate to Australia. Although there doesn't seem to be an official list of towns which the Italians left behind, it appears that specific regions were targeted by Australian immigration officials. A case in point is the valley running inland from the seaside city of Chieti in Abruzzo, which is dotted with Australian connections. (this paragraph is courtesy of http://www.jbtphotography.com/il_destino.htm)

Sydney Writers' Festival 2009

2009-05-21T23:44:00.013+10:00

Alex Ross, winner of the Guardian First Book Award in conversation with Ramona Koval - 21 May - at the Sydney Theatre

Alex Ross' the Rest is Noise - Listening to the Twentieth Century, winner of the Guardian First Book Award, is a sweeping musical history that goes from the salons of pre-war Vienna to New York lofts of the sixties and seventies, by way of Stalin's Soviet Union, Hitler's Germany, and Cold War America. He spoke to Ramona Koval this evening (21 may) at the event - Listening to the Twentieth Century of the Sydney Writers' Festival 2009 at the Sydney Theatre. Ross said the main story of the Rest is Noise is the volatile, ever changing relationship between composers and the society around them.

Alex Ross has been the music critic of The New Yorker since 1996. From 1992 to 1996 he wrote for the New York Times. His first book, The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, published in 2007, was awarded The Guardian First Book Award and was shortlisted for the Pulitzer and Samuel Johnson prizes. In 2008 he became a MacArthur Fellow. A native of Washington, DC, he now lives in Manhattan.

Ramona Koval has a regular program, The Book Show, on ABC Radio National each weekday and on Sundays. She has also written several books including the novel Samovar.

“It's time - No more payouts to carbon polluters !!!” - community protests in Sydney

2009-05-19T22:12:00.022+10:00

Hundreds gathered in a rally organised by the Nature Conservation Council of NSW at the Town Hall Square in Sydney today (16 May) to express their frustration over the Australian Federal Government's relationship with polluting industries. The protest was chiefly targeted at the influence of the fossil fuel lobby on climate change policy of the government. Speakers demaned the government to protect people over the big polluters. At the conclusion of the rally, began the march under the banner - “protect people not polluters” which went up to the Labor Party Head Quarters of NSW. Senator Bob Brown, Leader of the Australian Greens and Senator for Tasmania and Cate Faehrmann, Executive Director of Nature Conservation Council of NSW also were among speakers.

Hyde Park, Sydney

2009-05-04T00:40:00.005+10:00

Rosemount Australian Fashion Week - Sydney. The front row

2009-04-27T23:58:00.001+10:00

I couldn't find anything which explains the cat walk better than the following article by Jess Cartner-Morley appeared in the Guardian. I thought it would be an value addition to my photographs of the fashion week.

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The Guardian,

Friday 13 March 2009

Eyes front

Forget about the clothes and the catwalk models. The big fashion shows are all about the front row. Jess Cartner-Morley explains why

Interactive: The fashionistas - who they are and where they are sitting

It is no exaggeration whatsoever to say that the front row, not the catwalk, is the raison d'etre of the modern fashion show. If the only thing to watch at a fashion show was the models, catwalks would have died out long ago.

The front row is what keeps the catwalk alive. In 2009, the bumbling way in which the fashion industry operates - with thousands of buyers, journalists, stylists and PR people spending a month, twice a year, traipsing around four cities, perching on endless identical rows of chairs to watch the same group of young women walk past them, wearing different clothes and different makeup each time - well, it is either sweetly quaint or plain ridiculous, depending on who you ask. It is a vintage carousel, in the age of the videogame; a steamer passage in the era of Skype. The catwalk is a museum piece, a tourist attraction, a throwback. If the purpose were simply to display clothes, the video and photographs could go straight on to the internet - where they are already freely available within hours of the event.

But the difference between a webpage of fashion stills and a catwalk show is the difference between hearing a song on the car radio and hearing it from the floor of the Brixton Academy; between watching Match of the Day and being on the terraces. In this case, however, the real action doesn't happen on the stage: rather, the beautiful but usually rather solemn and wooden models form the backdrop to the more interesting business of who is in the front row, wearing what, talking to whom. The front row is what makes catwalk shows matter as a live event.

The genius of the catwalk seating system, with its strict hierarchy, is that the choreography is so compellingly brutal. The cliche of a catfight is wide of the mark, for in the battle of the egos this is bareknuckle stuff. The prettiest, the richest, the luckiest and the most popular get to sit at the front, while everyone else sits behind staring at the back of their heads, pretending not to care, smarting at the injustice of it all, and plotting their revenge. Remember when the two sportiest kids in your class got to pick out their football or netball teams one by one, plucking out the talents from the weedy stragglers? At catwalk shows, the subtler power-plays of adult life in the open-plan office are dispensed with, and life regresses back to the playground.

For a fashion designer, the right front row means phenomenal publicity. Few people within sight of a newspaper this week can have failed to notice that Chanel had a catwalk show, because of the stir created by Kate Moss's presence. If rather fewer will have registered that Lagerfeld's vision for autumn is a dark, slim, Beau Brummel-influenced silhouette with touches of pale jade, no matter: the Chanel brand has been given a fresh coat of glamour.

In the front row, as at a dinner party, guest list and placement is a fine art. One celebrity is not enough, for interaction is all. The first ingredient on a perfect front-row smorgasbord is a classic A-list beauty who can be relied upon to look amazing in your clothes and to be flawlessly turned out: see Claudia Schiffer at Chanel, Thandie Newton at Stella McCartney. Then you need someone "hot" to give that so-next-season feel: Freida Pinto, fresh from Oscar triumph, or Beth Ditto, pop star and nude cover star of new magazine Love, are the go-to girls right now. You also want someone who will go out partying in high-profile hotel bars later in the evening, still looking glamorous in your clothes but ideally tipsy enough to get the tabloids in a frenzy. (Moss is first choice; Lily Allen runs a close second; Kate Hudson fulfilled this role at Dolce, spending the night before the show drinking in the Principe hotel bar with David Beckham.) A fashion "grown-up" - Mario Testino, or Gucci group boss François-Henri Pinault - lends gravitas. To satisfy the audience appetite for celeb-on-celeb interaction, guests are only allowed to have their partner sit with them in the front row if that partner is also famous. The key faces are placed in threes, as a triple-portrait tends to work well in the papers.

Chanel insists that it never pays celebrities to appear, but it is a badly kept secret that many fashion labels do pay celebrities to sit in their front row. A couple of years ago, at the height of the financial boom, five-figure sums were regularly changing hands, and even the perks (suites at the Ritz, frocks, first-class travel) are not to be sniffed at. But while these appearance fees are on the wane - who says the recession doesn't affect everyone, after all? - there are still deals to be done between designers and celebrities.

These days, everyone has a profile to build and a brand to promote. For some, it is as simple as getting their name and face out there. It is rumoured that Pinto is in talks with Estée Lauder about starring in an advertising campaign, in which case the added glamour of her front-row appearances could help her land the job. Forging a relationship with a powerful designer can also help an actor or musician cherry-pick the best magazine coverage. It works like this: a fashion label puts pressure on a magazine to feature one of its dresses on the cover, as a payback for having bought expensive advertising space. As a carrot, the label offers to ask a celebrity whom the magazine is keen to shoot to model the dress. The celebrity then gets to do the label a favour - which might be repaid down the line with an advertising campaign, or certainly with a valuable wardrobe - by choosing that magazine. The front-row appearance is just one move in a chess game played largely behind closed doors.

And the games don't stop once the invitation is accepted. Fashion-show etiquette makes the court of Henry VIII look like a backyard barbecue. The celebrities on the front row will never take their seats until well after the surrounding hoi polloi are waiting: being part of the show, rather than the audience, the front row waits until the audience is watching. Because the designer will always dress his favourite guests, watching what the key celebrities are wearing can often give the first clues as to the collection. (Eva Herzigova's leg-of-mutton sleeves at Dolce looked decidedly odd until the first clothes came down the runway, where they looked very Next Season Dolce.)

Appearing from backstage lends extra cachet: the unspoken assumption being that you have been chatting to the designer, making plans to join him on the boat in July and being plied with free bags. Once the full front row is in attendance, all guests must instantly assess who the Alpha presence is and cement their status by allying themselves with them (see Kanye West and Pink jumping up to embrace Paul McCartney at Stella's show, and Lily Allen linking arms with Kate Moss after Chanel).

It is perfectly acceptable for a celebrity to talk to a neighbour all through the show, although animated pointing and gasping in delight at the clothes on the catwalk scores extra brownie points.

Our obsession with the front row may seem ludicrous, but it is perfectly logical. The fashion up on the catwalk is all icy, clinical aesthetic perfection. The models wearing it bear almost no resemblance to the average woman so, beside them, Lily Allen and Catherine Deneuve, beautiful as they are, look marvellously normal. Fashion is not about being dressed by someone else and walking up and down a wooden stage; it is about wearing something that hooks you into the world, makes you relevant. Clothes turn you from the watcher to the watched. The catwalk show is so last year; long live the front row.

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Anzac Day. The dead soldier. Good war. Bad peace. Remembrance. "Julius Caesar"

2009-04-26T09:52:00.006+10:00

Photographing any remebrance day is emotional and touchy. Anzac Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) is no different. The living pay homage to the dead soldier. Always I had a question in my mind “why did they die?, for whom did they die, why couldn't they live longer, what would have happened to their wives, children and fmaily after their death and more imporantly who wanted the war?”. When I began to see the widening gap between news in the main stream and reality, I became more skeptical about such celebrations. Even in my early days of young adulthood I had a strong feeling there was a great degree of deception in the whole process of remembrance of war heros. Being war ravaged for decades and torn apart by youth rebillions, Sri Lanka's experince in this regard is second to none.

Australia has fought many wars in foreign lands in its modern history. Especially in the wars where UK and USA were taking the leading role, Australia was an active partner. On the Anzac Day, in Sydney, thousands of war veterans paraded and many thousands gathered to say "tank you" to the fallen soldier both known and unknown. It is a colourful annual event. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought in majors wars which include World War I, World War II, Korean war and Vietnam war. Will a medal of galantry be able to compensate their lives and loved ones' private pain? Has this private pain ever become a genuine concern of the decision making elite? Are some stealing their lives? Are the public living in a big lie and made to continue to live in it?

During the fragile peace process in Sri Lanka which lasted only for a few years, I came a cross a quatation of Benjamin Franklin (1706~1790) appeared in a Sri Lankan daily, The Island - "there was never a good war, or a bad peace". I loved it for stating so much with so little. Recently, when I was surfing the net I found a fictitious quotation someone has done “on behalf of” Julius Caesar. It reads - "Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar." –Julius Caesar. How many Julius Caesars will the mankind experience?

Creative writing. Berkelouw book store. Berrima. Genocide

2009-04-20T20:32:00.008+10:00

We were introduced to Berkelouw Books by Suzanne. Berkelouw Books in Berrima ran a series of wonderful creative writing workshops for primary and high school children, recently. The organisers brought top level writers and poets to this exercise. All were volunteers. I enjoyed witnessing the activities around the workshops. Berkelouw Books, no doubt, is a feather in its cap for Berrima, a beautifully quaint town of southern highlands. It presents a large and varied collection of mostly second hand books. I was intrigued by the history of Berkelow told me by Jenny, an affable lady managing the book store and overseeing the creative writing workshops. Later I met Leo Burkelow, a gentle, polite and a soft-spoken man who is the current owner and forms the fifth generation descendant from the original owners of Berkelow Books of 1812. It is an amazing piece of history as to how the Berkelouws came to Australia having survived the Holocaust, the genocide of jewish people.

Community Climate Action Groups. Protests. Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS)

2009-03-27T22:28:00.015+11:00

Community Climate Action Groups across Australia held protests at the offices of over 30 Federal MPs to protest the failure of the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). This included the Labor Party Office of New South Wales in Sydney as well. The protesters are calling on the Government not to pursue a scheme that rewards big polluters, fails to commit to adequate emission reduction targets and locks Australia into catastrophic climate change. “We are deeply concerned that the CPRS takes a ‘business as usual’ approach to the urgent threat of climate change and does not commit to the emissions reduction targets that the science tells us are necessary to avoid dangerous climate change,” said Moira Williams from Climate Action Newtown, Sydney. “Big polluting industries like coal and aluminium must be made to cut emissions rapidly and immediately. The CPRS will give away billions in concessions without even achieving the necessary pollution cuts. In fact, emissions are likely to continue rising under this scheme,” continued Williams. The protests are twice the size of similar actions that took place last year following the announcement of the 5-15% emissions reduction target and the release of the White Paper for the CPRS. Protest organisers attribute the increase to the continued failure of the Government to meet the clear need for more decisive action.“It is an absolute disgrace that when faced with the threat of catastrophic climate change, our leaders are pandering to the powerful fossil fuel and mining lobbies, and continuing to ignore urgent scientific advice and widespread community alarm about the most important issue of our time,” said Pablo Brait from Yarra Climate Action Now. “We are calling for a moratorium on coal mining and coal-fired power stations, and an end to perverse subsidies for the fossil fuel industry. We want just sector-by-sector transition plans for affected workers and communities. The Government can stimulate the economy and create quality green jobs, by making direct investment in renewable energy to move towards 100% renewables by 2020.” Brait emphasised.

Climate Action Coogee in Sydney staged a protest outside the office of Federal MP Peter Garrett to oppose the Federal government’s proposed CPRS. “We want to send Peter Garrett the message that the people of Kingsford Smith want real action on climate change, not half-baked plans like the proposed emissions trading scheme,” said Mel Edwards of the action group. The action groups believe that CPRS is more about rewarding big polluters than reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the scheme is deeply unfair and will not keep coal in the ground. In fact, “it is doubtful that any emissions trading scheme would result in a significant shift away from fossil fuels, which are the main source of greenhouse gas pollution” Edwards added. Coogee Climate Action Group is demanding Federal Minister Peter Garrett to stand up and reject the CPRS in favour of a just and rapid transition to renewable energy that will create quality green jobs and a safe climate.

Climate action group in Newcastle Rising Tide accuses the Federal Government’s proposed CPRS for not delivering the promised cap on pollution and will actually increase greenhouse gas emissions. Campaigners complain that the scheme does not limit the number of emissions units that may be granted as a result of reforestation projects, issued at a fixed charge by the Government, or the number of emissions units that may be bought from overseas schemes. “As a result, there will be no cap at all” says Rising Tide. Spokesperson of the Group Georgina Woods, said, “The Government has pulled the wool over our eyes on this one. We have read the fine print, and we are shocked. This is not a cap and trade scheme, because there is no cap. This is merely a trading scheme.” The Government came under fire for announcing emission cuts of only 5-15% by 2020. Activists argue that “even this minimal promise” will be broken if the scheme is passed into law in its current form. “The Government has to get serious. All pollution units in Australia, whether bought from overseas, raised in reforestation projects or provided under the price cap must be subject to our emissions cap. Otherwise, pollution will just keep rising and our entire economy will be left behind as nations around the world shift to low-carbon futures.” added Woods.