Water Integrity Network message for International Anti-Corruption Day 2011

To highlight water integrity on the International Anti-Corruption Day 2011, Teun Bastemeijer, director of WIN, is sharing a statement with WIN members and partners.

-          Read the statement here

-          To learn more about the International Anti-Corruption Day, go to Transparency International's website

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Pour mettre en évidence l’important de l'intégrité de l'eau pendant la Journée Mondiale contre la Corruption 2011, Teun Bastemeijer, directeur de WIN, partage une déclaration avec les membres et partenaires de WIN.

-          Lire la déclaration ici

-          Pour plus d'information, veuillez consulter le site web de Transparency International

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Para subrayar la importancia de la integridad en el sector del agua, en ocasión del Día Internacional contra la Corrupción de 2011, Teun Bastemeijer, director de WIN, comparte su opinión con los miembros y socios de WIN.

-          Lea el comunicado aquí

-          Para obtener más información acerca del Día Internacional contra la Corrupción, vaya al sitio web de Transparencia Internacional

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Water Integrity Network Secretariat
c/o Transparency International
Alt Moabit 96
10559 Berlin, Germany

T: +49 (0)30 3438 20735
F: +49 (0)30 34370 3912

Email: amalmqvist@win-s.org
Visit: www.waterintegritynetwork.net

They're at it again: clearly, a vote in the town is worth two in the bush on the subject of grazing in Alpine National Parks

Government and corporate policies over the years have hollowed out the bush.  Both the conservative and labour sides of politics have histories of malapportionment of electorates and votes.  However, the most recent case - correct me, Networkers, if I'm wrong - was the National Party gerrymander in Queensland.

It seems to me that the way the Baillieu Government is pursuing its Japanese whaling policy equivalent of alpine national park grazing is bringing about a similar result.  There was little to no fanfare about Baillieu's policy commitment on this issue to the Mountain Cattlemen's Association of Victoria and other sections of the National Party constituency at the last Victorian state election.

I was at a meeting on the issue of alpine national park grazing at the Box Hill Town Hall earlier this year when there was standing room only and not a voice spoke out in favour of the policy.  The science is clear that alpine national park grazing has adverse environmental consequences.

Yet still the Baillieu Government pursues this baseless concept.  

The meeting against alpine national park grazing took place in the electorate of the Liberal Attorney-General Robert Clark.  My local member is the Liberal Minister for the Environment, Ryan Smith. One seldom hears from him either on portfolio or electorate matters.  He is all but publicly silent.  In between the Box Hill seat of Robert Clark - who is said to be very conservative -  and the very quiet Ryan Smith in the seat of Warrandyte, is Dee Ryall - a brand new Liberal member for the seat of Mitcham.  Dee is visible and, prior to the state election, was quite happy to demonstrate and spruik her environmental credentials.

It appears that Ted Baillieu, the Victorian Premier and Leader of the Liberal Party,  prefers his environmentally destructive National Party constituency in 'them thar hills' to the constituencies of the more populated Liberal Party electorates of the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.  As I said, it appears that the vote in the mountains is worth two, at least, of those in the city.  A malapportionment of influence if ever I saw it.

To cut a few long stories very short, the Baillieu Government is running very short on any sort of decent and positive environmental credentials.  And they certainly underestimate the love for National Parks across Victoria and the willingness of people to express their wish to protect them.

The Proposed Basin Plan documents and fact sheets. Enough here to make your eyes glaze over!

An ordinary mortal in coming to grips with the material put forward by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) in regard to the Proposed Basin Plan is quite a hurdle. I have been remiss in the timeliness of getting these documents to you on line, Networkers.  So.. I hope you have been over at the website.  I have been battling all manner of ill health this past month and this week has been taken up with all manner of medical and allied medical visitations ... and there is a biggy next week.  I am having yet another mammogram but expect this one to enable me to celebrate ten years free of breast cancer!

~~~~~

There is a mountain of material on the MDBA website.  There are the comments from Minister Tony Burke and the Chairman of the Authority, Craig Knowles.  There's a decision to be made about whether one can get to any of the listed consultations.   The consultations appear to be less numerous and widespread than those held by the Authority when the Guide to the Draft Plan last year.  However, I am advised that the current list is only for consultations prior to Christmas.  In the New Year, a new list will appear with more extensive consultations, including Melbourne, on the list. I was able to attend the consultations in Shepparton and in Melbourne last time....but, while the spirit is very willing, the body has got somewhat weaker in the ensuing year.

I did this week attend The Low Down held at Environment Victoria this week.  Lead speaker was the marvellous Juliet Le Feuvre.  She was ably followed by the more than capable Domenica Settle.

These two women are the Rivers Campaigners/Experts for Environment Victoria.

~~~~~~

However, I will begin at the beginning.  The material below is available from the the Authority website.  I download it here, because for some it is more accessible and may prove easier to locate in the longer term.  

I do commend the authority on the document regarding the individual catchments of the Murray Darling Basin.  The individual maps provided are valuable and, I have to wonder, whether teachers might take a good look at the document for classroom use.  In addition, I wonder if localised tourism could be enhanced by marketing catchment tours so people can learn about their rivers, the environment, agriculture, and irrigation.  I have lived in a number of these catchments and have travelled in a number of others.  But what better way to get to know your country than by getting to know the Murray-Darling Basin - people could be encouraged to gather a clutch of catchments in an interlinked regional tourism push.

Basin Plan implementation pathway process

Proposed Basin Plan


Knowledge behind the Plan


The draft Basin Plan: catchment by catchment


The proposed "environmentally sustainable level of take"
for surface water of the Murray-Darling Basin: method and outcomes


Climate change and the Basin Plan


FACT SHEET:
The proposed 'environmentally sustainable level of take'
for surface water of the Murray-Darling Basin


Flooding and the Basin Plan


Hydrological modelling


Managing Australia's water resources


Sustainable diversion limit compliance


Transitional and interim water resource plans


Water Quality and Salinity Management Plan


Communication products for draft Basin Plan release

Delivering a healthy working Basin

Questions answered

Now if you aren't worn out, asleep, or thoroughly bored witless
I won't download any more docs.
HOWEVER,
please go to these linked documents
Supporting Documents
Environmental Watering Plan - What's in it and how will it work?

If it were 1 June, I would suggest gathering the family around the fire for a reading session and you could each take a doc and read snippets to each other over a succession of nights.  This should only take about three months so that on 31 August you can quiz each other and see who passes the comprehension test.  On the first day of Spring collapse in a heap and then hibernate until Christmas.  

Instead it's December. It's hot. Some catchments have had floods already this season and some are keeping an eye on their rivers for more of the same.  The documents have been out for just under a fortnight and there's just over a fortnight until Christmas.  Oh, well. Forget the Christmas Cards.  Give everyone in the family a store gift card.   Who has time to shop?  Merry Christmas and we'll see if we can get this sorted in the New Year.

Water quality hazards and toxicity under the Murray-Darling Proposed Basin Plan

Barmah-Millewa Campaign 
Friends of the Earth Melbourne

Above: the rivers, birds and fish of the Murray-Darling system are at risk of toxic mining water discharge

Friends of the Earth has again broken a key story highlighting just how dangerous the draft Basin Plan might be. FoE recently discovered through Freedom of Information that NSW secretly lobbied the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to dramatically increase the amount of groundwater extraction so that mining industries could have access to more water. This not only means potential ecological disaster from salty groundwater being discharged into surface rivers but we have now found that even "treated water" discharged during coal seam gas mining exploration has high levels of toxic chemicals.  FoE commissioned scientific testing of water in the Bohena Creek in north-west NSW where company Santos is exploring for Coal Seam Gas. Down stream of the company's water discharge, levels of ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide, lithium, cyanide, bromide and boron were excessively elevated - ammonia levels were found to be three times drinking water standards.  The draft Basin Plan has also recommended a change in water quality targets  - saying they now only need to be "aspirational" - so as mining companies get a big boost in water access, the toxic water they discharge only has to meet "aspirational" targets under the Basin Plan. Over 3 million people in rural communities and much of Adelaide rely on Murray-Darling basin water for drinking and farming - and the draft Basin Plan puts them all at risk. Fears CSG treated water could threaten Murray-Darling: ABC online  "The major concern was the ammonia. It was at three times drinking water standards. And it can have a major impact on aquatic life, particularly fish. It makes it very, it has major impacts on fish health."CSG polluting Murray Darling: Nine News "In its present form, the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan will do nothing to protect our creeks and rivers from coal seam gas discharge water and its damaging impacts. One has to ask whether the weak 'aspirational' water quality targets in the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan were designed to appease this powerful, dangerous mining industry," she said in a statement.

Environmental Activism says that the Basin Plan fails rivers

Barmah-Millewa Campaign 
Friends of the Earth Melbourne

Massive Hume Dam Banner Drop: 

Basin Plan Fails Rivers

The banner unfurled on the grass in front of dam

On Monday, a group of us joined The Wilderness Society (Sydney) for a massive (literally!) banner drop off the Hume Dam Weir in Albury. At the break of dawn 8 climbers abseiled down the wall to hang a 50m x 6m banner (yep, that is HUGE) with the slogan "Basin Plan Fails Rivers". We wanted to make a big public statement that let Australia know the current draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan fails to provide adequate environmental flows to restore the rivers and their ecosystems, and to prevent build up of salt and algae blooms that threaten over 3 million people's water supply and farming communities throughout the Basin.

The banner ready to drop!

The banner drop didn't go exactly as planned.... unfortunately due to high winds, the key word in the banner failed to unfurl - and that key word was "fails". In some ways, the irony was sweet: it is the failure of the draft Basin Plan that we wanted most to highlight!

The awesome climb team!

Despite the lack of success with the unfurling, we did get some great media attention and we rolled out the banner in front of the weir for some more photo opportunities as well. 

The climbers getting ready on the Dam wall

The Border Mail (Albury-Wodonga's main paper) did a full page spread and editorial: "The Plan won't protect the wetlands, nor will it keep the Murray Mouth open, which is necessary to flush the salt from the system

"Wind Hampers Basin Protest:  The Weekly Times  The protesters "disagreed with the science and methodology used by the MDBA to calculate the 2750 gigalitres needed to restore river health."

Dam Wall Protest Goes Awry: Prime7 TV video"Environmental activists have gone to extreme lengths to protest against the Draft Murray Darling Basin Plan"

Another video here.

May take a little time to start

"You can’t swim in a blue-green algal bloom, 

you can’t camp by an acidified billabong, 

and sure as hell can’t farm on a dead river.” 

ACF socioeconomic report indicates comments that the Basin plan will cost jobs are a beat-up

Reality check needed on impact on regional jobs from MDB Plan

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) today released an analysis of the socioeconomic studies underpinning the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan which reveals that a healthy river system will have little impact on jobs.

According to Simon O’Connor, economic adviser at ACF, the analysis – Separating the wheat from the chaff: an assessment of the socioeconomics of the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan – indicates that jobs will, in fact, increase in the short term. In the longer term, small decreases in jobs (around 200 per year) will be offset by the much greater increase in new jobs created (13,000 per year).

“The alarmist comments that the Basin Plan will devastate jobs across the basin are grossly misleading,” he said.

The plan cites 23 socioeconomic reports that consistently conclude with just one message – the impact of reform of the river system will have a small and manageable economic impact on communities of the basin.

“To be clear, no credible evidence has yet been presented that contradicts this conclusion,” he said.   

According to the MDBA, “Overall, economic modelling of the impacts of the proposed Basin Plan revealed that at an aggregate level, the Basin-wide economic costs will be small —smaller, proportionally, than the corresponding reductions in water diversions.”

There is however a major gap in the draft plan, Mr O’Connor said. 

“We are currently seeing only one side of the balance sheet of water reform on the Murray- Darling – the costs – and simply ignoring the economic benefits to rural and regional communities of a healthy river system,” he said. 

Flagging The Guardian's error! Someone doesn't know a maple from a marijuana leaf!

The Canadian flag is so simple in design.
Even Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, could emulate it in her millinery.

Pic from here

Can you imagine making a sensible, beautiful hat out of this?

Pic from here

But that's not all you can do with the Canadian flag

.... as can be seen from the flag on the pole above.

And you can get one yourself here.

The Aussie flag gets mixed up with the Kiwi Flag.

New Zealand's is different.

Their stars have red perimeters.

But it appears The Guardian over in the UK got mixed up.

Someone/s not big on botany at The Guard.

Didn't know a maple from a marijuana leaf!

You are among friends: positive space for the LGBTQ community

War, famine, financial insecurity 

are not the only reasons people leave their country.

Please watch this beautiful film from Canada.

Then, there is more here.

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights

Do you know about the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights?

• Access – a right to access health care.
• Safety – a right to receive safe and high quality health care.
• Respect – a right to be shown respect, and to be treated with dignity and consideration.
• Communication – a right to be informed about services, treatment, options and costs in a clear and open way.
• Participation – a right to be included in decisions and to make choices about your health care.
• Privacy – a right to privacy and confidentiality of your personal information.
• Comment – a right to comment on your health care, and to have your concerns addressed.

Click on the links above to find an expanded explanation of what each of the seven sections guarantee.  For instance, among other things, you will find that the Right of Access means you have a right to be treated as your medical condition requires, regardless of your ability to pay, or whether you have private insurance.  This is an important and valuable right.  Not all countries have this type of system.  In some countries you have to have medical insurance or you will be billed.  This makes poor people consider whether they should seek emergency health care or struggle through.  Some people seek medical care but then cannot pay the bills.  Some people feel forced to give a false name to avoid paying the bill because they have no ability to pay it.  In Australia, you can attend your public hospital and receive free, first class health care.

For me, the right to participation and the right to comment is vital.  I am a great believe in patient advocacy whereby the patient does ask questions and gets them answered.  If the patient is too ill, I believe they should have someone delegated to do this for them.

You may think that, in this day and age, this is of little concern.  Eight years ago in a certain city in regional Australia, I ended up suddenly in a private hospital.  The specialist attending me was a doozy.  Turned out that everyone in the hospital loathed him.  The practice he belonged to employed a counsellor to attend the patients of the practice.  I suspect that this was to smooth over any problems caused by this particular specialist.  I was dreadfully ill but managed to ask a question to be told that it was for him to know.  This fellow was certainly hiding behind the door the day bedside manners were handed out!  So please believe me when I say that knowing this right is open to you to claim is important and vital. 

Please go here for more information 

The US President pardons a turkey at Christmas : Australians, this is your opportunity to pardon a pig

Wishing you a peaceful and happy festive season! Help Animals Australia give the animals who share this world with us all something to celebrate too, by giving a gift from the Animals Australia Christmas shop that helps fight cruelty to animals. Or, join the new Aussie tradition of'pardoning a pig' this Christmas — and help spare an innocent animal from a life of suffering in a factory farm.

Click here to celebrate a Compassionate Christmas with us! 

— the Animals Australia team.

FreireReloaded: not another conference but a dialogue

\

cannot itself be spoken of education without love

Picture from here

Learning & Teaching to Change the World:  Freire Reloaded Public lecture, Antonia Darder, April 27 2012 Popular Dialogue,  Saturday April 28, 2012,  Victoria University FreireReloaded Schooling is undemocratic (Teese & Polesel 2003), student achievement is stable at best and in decline at worst and our students are bored at school. Meanwhile many people are passionate about education and have lots of experiences to draw on but somehow we do not know how to create a dialogue to forge real educational change driven by people and place. "It's the students, stupid!" - is this a beginning conversation? But no, not another event where we are talked at and spoon-fed what the answers should be. We are inviting people to interact, really and in real time in one place and face to face! Seems like a luxury? What could this dialogue look like? Freire once said: "Dialogue with the people is neither a concession nor a gift, much less a tactic to be used for domination. Dialogue, as the encounter among men to "name" the world, is a fundamental precondition for their true humanization." (Paulo Freire, The Pedagogy of the Oppressed, p. 118).  We want to talk about Freire that is we want to talk about you, your school, your student, your workplace, your community. But is Freire inspiring educators and citizens? Can we or should we revive his ideas, complement them with others and/or contest them? Do we really understand the political nature of education in all its complexity? Would Freire help us to rethink democratic and educational engagement? How do we link the history of 'good things' in education such as empowerment, liberation and social progress with engagement, learning and dialogue? We are attempting to enact a Freirean methodology in this event, by inviting dialogic submissions only. While we recognise that this might cause some confusion, or be unusual, we consider these productive challenges! No, we really don't want to run another conference. We wish to move away from the 'banking model' which Freire cautioned us against. The banking model of education, he says, is an approach to learning and teaching in which the teacher 'deposits' information into the mind of the learner, in a mono-directional relationship that is neither dialogic, nor interactive. The Popular Education Network of Australia (PENA), and indeed the Freire Unloaded event, stands in stark contrast to this notion of learning, and in the spirit of debate, discussion and de-revolution, we hope you will join us. To get us started, we have invited Antonia Darder to give a public lecture on Friday night and then on Saturday, you do the talking and we join you and we listen to each other.  To enable this learning process and dialogue, we ask you to contribute in the following way: - pose a question - tell a story/sing a song - give a performance - offer a workshop - suggest a role play - present a poster - give a paper Please submit a contribution by January 10th 2012 and let us know if you'd like to attend: lea.campbell@unimelb.edu.au  robtownsend@y7mail.com lizbranigan@hotmail.com We hope to see you in April. Your PENA organising committee Dr. Elizabeth Branigan Senior Lecturer Australian Centre for Human Rights Education RMIT University Tuesday - Friday 98.1.2D PH: 9925-3153 liz.branigan@rmit.edu.au

Green Left Weekly Activist Calendar 2011-12-07

Green Left Weekly Activist Calendar

December 7, 2011

Robert Doyle won't be there! Occupy the Resistance Centre for an end-of-year celebration Tuesday, December 20, 6-10pm. Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City (opposite RMIT). It's been a tumultuous year, from Cairo's Tahrir Square to the global Occupy movement. Join us to celebrate, relax and prepare for 2012. $12/$7 (includes meal &amp snacks). Drinks available. Organised by Socialist Alliance &amp Green Left Weekly. For more info ph 9639 8622.

This is the regular Melbourne activist calendar compiled by Green Left Weekly. Emailed to subscribers each Wednesday fortnight, it is a one-stop listing of the main left and progressive events in Melbourne and Geelong. Since it began in early 1991, Green Left Weekly has offered an indispensable alternative to the lies of the big-business media and has helped build the various movements for social change. To subscribe to Green Left Weekly, visit our secure online website for rates and payment at Green Left Weekly or call our national hotline on 1800 634 206. You can also contact us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Geelong we are at the Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4.30pm, Fri 10am-4.30pm); ph 5222 6900. New email address? Not already receiving this calendar regularly? Want to subscribe someone else? Let us know at Greenleft Melbourne. Barring unforeseen events, this is the last edition of the calendar for 2011. Our next issue should appear around mid-January.

Other coming events

Wednesday, December 7

Public meeting: International Human Rights Day 2011: What does the future hold for human rights in Australia?Speakers: Rob Stary & Malcolm McClure. 6:30pm. Preston City Hall, 284 Gower St, Preston. Organised by City of Darebin. For more info ph 8470 8888 or visit City of Darebin.

AAWL workshop: Living wages, not repression. To mark International Human Rights Day, an open workshop with international and local activists. Discussion on how to fight the repression labour movement activists in many countries face where workers can be jailed or killed for demanding improvements in wages and conditions. Genuine labour movement representatives from the Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Pakistan and West Papua have been invited to participate via Skype link. 6pm. Trades Hall, cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton South. Presented by Australia Asia Worker Links.

Thursday, December 8

New International Bookshop Christmas party! 6pm til late. New International Bookshop, Trades Hall, cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton.

Peace Brigades International 30th anniversary celebration! An evening of inspirational stories commemorating three decades Peace Brigades International! PBI Australia will mark the 30th anniversary of PBI's work protecting human rights defenders in 11 countries with a celebratory gathering of prominent Australian human rights defenders, NGO leaders, former team volunteers and long term PBI friends and activists. Please RSVP for this important event. 5:30pm till late. Top floor, Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. RSVP to PBI.

Fundraiser concert: Music from Bits of Shit, Concrete Life, Hierophants + Panel Van Halen Cause: This will be a fundraiser to help pay for a computer for Mahmoud., a refugee from Palestine who has had to seek asylum in Australia. He has been in detention centres for too long and even after being granted refugee status remains locked upwaiting for a 'security check' which is still pending after7 months. Mahmoud is a talented illustrator and animator and this computer will allow him to start telling stories of refugees and to start being creative again. 7:30pm. The Gasometer Hotel, 484 Smith St, Collingwood. Entry by donation ($8 minimum).

Friday, December 9

Occupy Melbourne: Protest cuts to education. Due to continuing poor weather the weekend Teddy Bears picnic has been postponed until next year. We are hoping though that everyone can join the Occupy Melbourne Kids and Carers Committee Dare To Share Teddy Bears Protest against cuts to education. Come rain, hail or shine we will meet at 10am in Treasury Gardens and then proceed with an action/stunt to be revealed on the day. Some food and activities will be provided, but please bring along more. Don’t forget to bring your teddy bear! If all the little teddies get together then we can take on Big Bad Ted and Julia. Over the past year there have been multiple attacks on education. These have included the cuts of $48 million to VCAL and $270 million to TAFE, the failure of the government to invest the money needed to maintain and repair our ailing schools, cuts to occasional childcare and the government's refusal to maintain education worker's pay at inflation.

Saturday, December 10

Rally: This Christmas: No peace on Earth in occupied Bethlehem, speakout for Palestine. As part of the occupied Palestinian territories, the 170,000 residents of Bethlehem and its surrounding district (both Christian and Muslim) suffer each day under the brutal and illegal Israeli occupation. In Bethlehem, there is no freedom of movement, there are checkpoints and curfews and there are constant invasions by the Israeli military. In addition, there is an ugly concrete wall, 8 metres high (three times the height of the Berlin Wall) topped with watchtowers and snipers nests which is dividing families and communities, stealing land and water resources. We will be seeking to highlight the BDS campaign asking people not to buy Israeli apartheid for Christmas. We will also be performing pro-Palestine Christmas carols. 11.30am-1pm. Old GPO Bourke St Mall, City. Initiated by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. For more info ph 0439 454 375 or email PSC.

Sunday, December 11

Public meeting: YGender's 1st birthday and Christmas party Wow, what a year it has been! Now it's time to have a big party with the entire family! We have decided to have a joint Christmas and birthday party. We would like to invite you and whomever else you wish to bring whether it's that special someone, your best friend or even your supportive parents. This is a chance to celebrate the great first year that we had and be thankful to all those people that have supported and encouraged us. 5pm. ALSO Building, Level 10, 225 Bourke St, City.

Public meeting: What the East-West tunnel means for our community Find out about the tunnel proposal, the alternatives and what can be done to protect our communities. The Baillieu government has decided to push ahead with the East-West tunnel previously proposed by the Brumby government. The previous announcement met with widespread community opposition. The tunnel will have a significant impact on communities in inner-Melbourne, including Kensington. JJ Holland Park, for example, was earmarked as a staging area for the construction of the tunnel. A decision will be made about federal funding in February 2012. Adam Bandt, MP, Federal Member for Melbourne is holding this meeting to canvass community concerns and to discuss what can be done to keep our communities liveable and healthy. 2pm. School Hall, Kensington Primary School, McCracken Street, Kensington. For more info ph 9642 0922 or email Adam Bandt.

Comedy: Political asylum: Marriage inequality edition Come one come all to our final show for 2011! It's our year-in-review event as we laugh about both the latest and greatest political gaffes of the past 12 months. Any audience members caught holding hands will need to provide a valid marriage certificate or risk expulsion from the venue. 7:30pm. The Brunswick Green, 313 Sydney Road, Brunswick. $10/$5.

Monday, December 12

Protest: We don't want coal for Christmas! You're invited to join Santa and his merry crew for a cheeky little piece of theatrical activism! The deadline for the review of the $100 million federal government grant to HRL's coal fired power station is coming up in December. To remind Julia Gillard that Australians think coal is a dud present, the Switch off Coal Collective are heading to the heart of Christmas-Bourke Street Mall. Santa and his reindeers will ride Bikezilla into the city at lunch hour, where, on Bourke Street Mall (the public purse end, near the Myer window), to the delight of children, shoppers and office-workers, Santa will be offering 'coal or candy' (depends on if you've been naughty or nice) while his helpers get signatures on the petition to Julia Gillard and hand out No-coal-for-Christmas cards. If you'd like to join in, we'd love you to! Wide-eyed audience members are wonderful and if you'd like to take on a role, get in touch by calling Maddie on 0423 100 113 and we'll sort out a character and a costume. Ho ho, Happy Holidays! 12noon to 3pm. Bourke Street Mall, City.

Tuesday, December 13

Protest: Stand up for renewable energy! Energy Minister Martin Ferguson is the fossil fuel industry's man in the Labor Party. He stands up for coal, oil, gas and uranium interests, while doing his best to slow the roll-out of clean and cheap renewable energy technologies. Come and join us early form a welcoming party for him before he addresses the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. 6.45-7.30am. Hilton on the Park, 192 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne.Organised by Darebin Climate Action Now and Yarra Climate Action Now.

Belgrave Survival Day film showing: Murundak: songs of freedom Journeys into the heart of Aboriginal protest music following The Black Arm Band, a gathering of some of Australia’s finest Indigenous musicians, as they take to the road with their songs of resistance and freedom. Not only is this a chance to see a great movie but all profits will go towards staging the 2012 Belgrave Survival Day event which will feature the Yung Warriors and Lou Bennett amongst others. 6:30pm. Burrinja Cultural Centre, Glenfern Rd, Upwey. Light refreshments and non-alcoholic drinks will be available. For more info ph 0488 619 444 or visit Belgrave Survival Day.

West Papua-Bouganville Video Night: Across the Water. Screening the latest documentaries from the campaign against the re-opening of Panguna mine, the attacks against the Third Papuan People's Congress, and the 3-month long strike at Freeport mine. 6:30pm. Level 4 Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, City. Presented by West Papua Melbourne with Clive Porabou in conjunction with Pax Christi. For more info email Across the water.

Public meeting: Medical Association for the Prevention of War Victorian branch end of 2011 celebration An early evening evening fuction to be held jointly with ICAN. Mark it in your diary! The function will be followed by dinner for those who'd like to stay. 6:30 pm. Gertrude Hotel, cnr Gertrude & Napier Sts, Fitzroy.

Thursday, December 15

Rally: Candle-lit vigil for refugees in detention this Christmas Join us in solidarity with the thousands of people still imprisoned under Australia's inhumane immigration policy. Be part of a candle-lit performative action, with music from recently released refugees. This will be recorded and sent to asylum seekers in detention, as a reminder that many Australians reject this policy, and eagerly await the release of asylum seekers into the community. At the same time send a message to the government: Bridging visas are not enough. End mandatory detention now. 8:30pm. City Square, cnr Swanston &amp Collins Streets, City. Organised by Refugee Action Collective.

Saturday, December 17

Rally: Vigil for Bradley Manning on his 24th birthday. On this day Bradley Manning will have been incarcerated for 571 days. Gather at the US Consulate on St Kilda Rd to stand in solidarity with him. 5pm. Forecourt, US Consulate, 553 St Kilda Road, City.

Sunday, December 18

Fundraiser: Rhythm, rock, reggae, rap, recycle benefit concert. For books for libraries and schools in newly independent South Sudan. With The Mystic Trio, Quashani Bahd, Culture Crew, Majak & Deng, Black Orchid String Band, West Papuan Dance Group, Ben Jackson Band, Flybz. Speakers from South Sudan and West Papua. 2:30pm. Fitzroy Town Hall, 201 Napier St Fitzroy. Entry fee: Bring a book (new or 2nd hand) to donate to school/university libraries in South Sudan (children's and recent text books welcome) and/or donation to help with rebuilding after years of war. Organised by SSPARC (South Sudanese People in Australia Relief and Care, Auspiced by Multicultural Arts Victoria, with thanks to the City of Yarra. For more information contact Esther 0439 555 291 or Tania 0438 702 528.

Concert: RISE presents Amir Sulaiman. RISE is excited to present world-renowned spoken word artist Amir Sulaiman, an accomplished poet, activist, recording artist and a 2-time HBO Def Poet, host and performer for national Breed Love Odyssey Tour. Amir Sulaiman will be supported by underground hip-hop artist Pataphysics, Melbourne-based soul artist Jess Harlen and singer/songwriter Robert Champion. 7pm. Miss Libertine, 34 Franklin St, City. $15/$10. For more info email RISE or ph 9639 8623.

Monday, December 19

Film premiere: Robbed of Truth. A documentary by Carlos González. This is the true story of Fetim Salam, a Saharawi refugee falsely portrayed as a slave in the Australian documentary Stolen. Australian filmmakers Violeta Ayala and Daniel Fallshaw travel to the Saharawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria in 2007 and claim to discover 20,000 slaves in the camps run by the independence movement Polisario Front. Refugees are outraged for being portrayed as slaves, and humanitarian aid workers are incredulous about these allegations as they know the camps intimately. Filmmaker Carlos González retraces their steps in search of the truth and finds a web of misinformation, lies and Moroccan operatives apparently reshaping the truth. The film will be introduced by its director and producer Carlos González in person. After the film there will be a Q&A with Carlos González moderated by Carmela Baranowska, Lecturer in Media at Australian Catholic University. 1pm. Victoria College of the Arts, School of Film and TV, Cinema 2, 234 St Kilda Road, City. This screening has been endorsed by The Centre for Ideas, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne.

Tuesday, December 20

Fundraiser: Occupy the Resistance Centre for an end-of-year celebration. Robert Doyle won't be there! It's been a tumultuous year, from Cairo's Tahrir Square to the global Occupy movement. Join us to celebrate, relax and prepare for 2012. 6-10pm. Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City (opposite RMIT). $12/$7 (includes meal &amp snacks). Drinks available. Organised by Socialist Alliance &amp Green Left Weekly. For more info, ph 9639 8622.

Thursday, January 12

Concert: Immortal Technique first Australia & NZ tour. Slingshot is proud to announce the long awaited tour of battle emcee, activist, revolutionary and philanthropist Immortal Technique. After many attempts over the years, Immortal Technique will finally bring his raw political commentary to Australia in January 2012. Born in a military hospital in Peru, Immortal Technique moved to Harlem, New York with his family in the early 80s. Here he became captivated with Hip Hop culture, writing graffiti and discovering his passion for rhyming. After some trouble with the law, he spent a year in prison, where he began to prolifically write down his ideas about what he had lived and seen in the struggle of New York and his visits back to his native land. 8pm. The Espy, 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda.

Thursday, January 12-Saturday, January 14

Concert: Ezekiel Ox- Blow Torch Known to audiences for his stand-out, polarising performances with his bands, Over-Reactor, Mammal, Full Scale and The Ox and The Fury, his loyal fan base continues to grow by the album cycle, and these shows are sure to be in high demand. Ox will be holding audiences captive with his narratives, reflections and musings on politics, music and the human spirit for five shows over three nights: Thursday, January 12 (8pm), Friday, January 13 (8pm and 11pm) and Saturday, January 14 (8pm & 11pm). The Empire Cafe , 295 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. $15/$10.

Friday, January 20

Rally: Freedom fighters Tunnerminnerwait & Maulboyheener. Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner were among five Tasmanian Aborigines who conducted a campaign of resistance to European settlement in 1841 around Western Port and South Gippsland near Melbourne. After three military expeditions they were finally captured and brought back to Melbourne for trial. They were not allowed to give evidence themselves. The two men were found guilty of murder, with the jury saying due to the circumstances mercy should be granted. No mercy was given and Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner were the first judicial executions to take place in Melbourne on January 20, 1842 before a crowd of 5000, a quarter of the population of Melbourne at the time. 12pm. RMIT entrance, cnr Bowen & Franklin Sts, City.

Thursday, January 26

Canberra Rally: Stand up & be counted on Sovereignty Day. Invitation to the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. For more info visit Sovereignty Day.

Friday, February 17-Sunday, February 19

Festival: Sustainable Living Festival 2012. Federation Square & Birrarung Marr Event Park, near cnr Swanston & Flinders Sts, City. For more info visit SLF.

Campaign committees

Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective (MAIC) meets meets on the first and third Monday of each month, 6.30pm on Level 4 of the rear building at Trades Hall, Lygon & Victoria Sts Carlton. For info, ph 0431 311 520 or visit MAI Collective.

Refugee Action Collective (RAC). For more info ph 0413 377 978 or visit RAC.

Stop HRL: No New Coal Power For Victoria meetings. Join the community campaign against HRL's proposed new coal-fired power station. For more info visit Stop HRL or call 0402 337 077.

Resources

Recent articles from Green Left Weekly Julian Assange: 'People want the truth' Global revolt in 2011 an historic turning point Victorian nurses take campaign to the community Stop CSG: a fight for our future To subscribe to Green Left Weekly visit our secure online website for rates and payment at Green Left Weekly or call our national hotline on 1800 634 206. You can also contact us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Geelong: Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4.30pm, Fri 10am-4.30pm); ph 5222 6900.

Broad, non-sectarian, activist Socialist Alliance Socialist Alliance is a proud supporter of the Green Left Weekly project and contributes a regular column. Socialist Alliance is a broad, non-sectarian socialist coalition, dedicated to bringing together all those who want to resist the capitalist assault on our planet and its people and fight for a socialist society that puts people's needs before business profits. Anyone who agrees with the general approach of our policies is welcome to join and organisations are invited to affiliate. For more information visit Socialist Alliance Victoria. Join us on Facebook. See our recent statements: Reject Baillieu government’s bullying tactics US bases in Australia a setback for peace ‘Intervention mark II’ a new whitewash Contact Socialist Alliance. Join with other socialists in the struggle in 2011. Melbourne: Visit us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Melbourne, Socialist Alliance meets on the first Tuesday of each month, 6.30pm, at the Resistance Centre. Geelong: Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4.30pm, Fri 10am-4.30pm); ph 5222 6900.

Links: 'socialism for the 21st century' Links is an online journal which seeks to provide a forum for open and constructive dialogue between active socialists from different political traditions. It seeks to bring together those in the international left who are opposed to neoliberal economic and social policies, and reject the bureaucratic model of 'socialism' that arose in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Inspired by the unfolding socialist revolution in Venezuela, Links is a journal for 'Socialism of the 21st Century' and the discussions and debates flowing from that powerful example of socialist renewal. Durban climate talks Boris Kagarlitsky: Reflections on the Arab revolutions Interview: Cuba's health-care miracle in Haiti United States: Occupy the Democratic Party? No way!

Join the Resistance

Resistance is a broad socialist youth organisation which campaigns for feminism and workers rights, for real action on climate change, and against war, racism and oppression. Resistance is affiliated to the Socialist Alliance. Meet us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City (Druids House, opposite RMIT). For more info call 9639 8622. Visit Resistance; join us on Facebook. In Geelong contact us at the Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4.30pm, Fri 10am-4.30pm); ph 5222 6900.

How to Make an Ecosocialist Revolution 20pp, $3.50

Ecological Revolution288pp, $30

The Lionel Bopage Story556pp, $25

Guantanamo: My Journey 456pp, $20

Charter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rights30pp, $3

The Aboriginal Struggle and the Left 104pp, $15

The Power of Community How Cuba Survived Peak Oil. Cuba, a small island nation, rebuilt its agriculture and food system when its supply of cheap oil ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. This fascinating and empowering film shows how the Cuban people pulled together, created solutions, and ultimately thrived, massively decreasing the country's dependence on imported energy and greatly reducing its use of chemical inputs. Cuba's experience in this 'special period' obviously holds big lessons for the struggle against global warming and climate change and coping with the inescapable consequences. Runtime: 53 minutes. Available from Resistance Bookshops in Melbourne & Geelong. $20.

Resistance Bookshop end-of-year sale! 20% off all stock until December 20! The Melbourne Resistance Bookshop is having an across-the-board sale until mid-December. Offer covers wide range of left and progressive books, pamphlets, t-shirts, flags, badges, and stubby holders. Drop in and check it out at 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City (Druids House, opposite RMIT).

All the above items are available online at Resistance Books. They are also available at the Melbourne Resistance Bookshop.Find us at: 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City (Druids House, opposite RMIT); ph 9639 8622. In Geelong: Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4.30pm, Fri 10am-4.30pm); ph 5222 6900.