Critical Times

Source: Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney

On February 13, 2010 there will be a national day of action against the NT Intervention and for Aboriginal rights.

This will mark the 2nd anniversary of the Apology to the Stolen Generations, when Prime Minister Rudd committed the government to, “a future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again”.

But ongoing NT Intervention policies reek of the same paternalism and commitment to assimilation that created the Stolen Generations.

Source: The Guardian
by Bob Briton

The federal government’s long term plans for public education took a giant leap forward last week with the release of school test data on the “My School” website. It crashed shortly afterwards following what the government insists was a rush of visits from interested parents. Education Minister Julia Gillard was at pains to point out in the weeks and months leading up to the launch that it would not rank schools in a league table of achievement in the Commonwealth’s NAPLAN testing.

Written by ILPS Info Bureau
Sunday, 15 November 2009

From: Saibaba G N

PART 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rygJzzutBOg

PART 2

http://www.

Source: Vanguard
by Ned K.
In October this year, the largest rubber and tyre manufacturer in the world, Bridgestone, announced it will close its Salisbury tyre plant in the northern suburbs of Adelaide by 30 April 2010. 600 workers will lose their jobs as a direct result of the closure.

RSVP essential via Hawke Centre web site or phone 08 8302 0215

Thursday 11 February
5.30pm for a 6.00pm start

Allan Scott Auditorium, UniSA City West campus, Hawke Building, 50 North Terrace, Adelaide

Keynote address by Professor Ian Lowe, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation “The truth and lies about water politics”

A sustainable Water Future without compromising the health of interdependent ecosystems is a critical issue for our state and our nation.

Presented by Australia-East Timor Association (NSW)

at GLEEBOOKS, Glebe, SYDNEY, FRIDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2010…FROM 6PM

Friday February 12, 6 for 6.30 pm

Donations at the door for AETA

Dr Andrew McNaughtan Lecture to be given by Jude Conway

Every year AETA, (the Australia-East Timor Association NSW) remembers Dr Andrew McNaughtan with a memorial lecture in his honour. Andrew was a medical practitioner from Mosman in Sydney who died in late 2003.

by Renfrey Clarke

The target posed by James Hansen of stabilising atmospheric carbon dioxide at 350 ppm is increasingly understood in conjunction with the need to keep cumulative emissions within a tight global “budget”. While the point at which budgeted emissions occur is not in theory crucial, in practice there is a need to ensure that emissions peak early and decline swiftly thereafter. Low or zero-emissions energy generating plant needs to be built out at an accelerated rate, with the time-frame seeming to exclude nuclear power.

Source: Charles Sturt Ratepayers & Residents

The following letter was sent to City of Charles Sturt Ratepayers & Residents website and was forwarded to The Advertiser & other newspapers for publication, as well as TV channels.

Letter to The Editor
30 December 2009

I challenge you, Premier Rann, Treasurer Foley, Attorney General Atkinson, Minister Hill & Ministers Maywald & Gago to a debate on national television. The only condition I seek is the full protection of Parliamentary Privilege; not that I intend to disclose anything but facts & my opinion of them.

Source: Vanguard

The fingerprints of US imperialism were all over the Copenhagen Conference, and the handwriting on the flimsy ‘Copenhagen Accord’ also matched that of the main environmental criminal.

Unwilling to accept any responsibility for its historic and current contributions to global climate warming, and determined to resist any restrictions or imposition of costs on its polluting industrial monopolies, US imperialism has, until recently, opposed any effective international action to deal with it. Unable to deny the science any longer, US imperialism was forced to participate in the UN process or lose all credibility.

By Prof. JOSE MARIA SISON
Chairperson, International League of Peoples’ Struggle

Human societies have created the bases of our survival, sustenance and advancement through the use of our natural resources in production with rudimentary tools and rising levels of science and technology. Yet in no time in history has environmental destruction been systematically brought about in most parts of the world.

by Humphrey McQueen

Note from Critical Times: For those interested in a Marxist interpretation of the workings of capitalism, Humphrey McQueen provides a number (8 to be precise) of insightful explanations. His article will give the reader intense but enjoyable reading over the holidays. To use his own words, ” knowing how to identify each form of capital depends on recognising its function in the social patterns of exploitation.

Source: Charles Sturt Ratepayers

Attention Attention Attention

This is a Reminder and a Call to Arms (figuratively)

A Reminder: Remember that we are holding the Christmas Picnic in the Park at St Clair this Sunday from 12 midday on. There will be events for children and a sausage sizzle for those who don’t want to bring a picnic lunch. Don’t forget your wallet or purse as we are always looking for donations to supplement our costs in running this campaign.

Source: Solidarity Online

NASA climate scientist James Hansen shocked many climate activists when he declared that it would be better if the Copenhagen talks collapsed. Spash’s paper will tell you why carbon trading schemes are fundamentally flawed and why Copehagen will not deliver meaningful action that can stop climate change.

Clive Spash, an environmental economist with the CSIRO, was censored by CSIRO management a few months ago.

Last Thursday, 3rd of December, supporters of Spirit of Eureka and others recited the diggers oath of 1854 on the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide. The Honourable Robert Sneath, President of the Legislative Council lead those present on the steps of Parliament House in the original oath led by Peter Lalor.

“WE SWEAR BY THE SOUTHERN CROSS TO STAND TRULY BY EACH OTHER AND FIGHT TO DEFEND OUR RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES”

Click on the link below and allow some time to load before playing the video below.

Source: Charles Sturt Ratepayers

Great Turnout to Rally on Monday 23rd Nov – Thanks Everyone

Congratulations to all the supporters who came along and to those who spoke; it was a truly great turnout.

We really made our presence felt and had good coverage in the media the following day including a great segment on Today Tonight highlighting the interesting allegiances of 11 Charles Sturt councillors as Labour party members and government employees. Check our web page or Facebook page to view this and other highlights.

Australia’s largest day of action on climate change

Saturday, 12 December, 11am

Victoria Square/Tarndanyangga to Rymill Park/Murwillaburka

Be a part of the biggest ever Walk Against Warming and join millions of Australians demanding action on climate change. Why is this year’s walk so important? It coincides with the critical United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, where world leaders are gathering to decide what actions they will take for a safe climate. The Walk Against Warming is Australia’s contribution to the International Day of Action on Climate Change, as people gather en masse across the globe to have their voices heard.

Eureka oath to be led by President of the Legislative Council, Thursday 3rd December.

Today at 1.15pm, President of the Legislative Council, Bob Sneath, will lead a gathering on the steps of Parliament in reciting the oath first taken by the miners of Ballarat at the famous Eureka Stockade.

Source: Charles Sturt Ratepayers

Members and supporters of the St Clair Reserve campaign,

This is the Reserve & here are some of the Trees we are fighting to keep for the enjoyment of residents & ratepayers.

This Thursday at 5.00pm, there will be a rally on the steps of Parliament House at 5.

by Renfrey Clarke

Climate change deniers, conservative politicians and right-wing newspaper columnists were all but incontinent with delight. Deluging the internet in mid-November were thousands of documents and private emails that had been exchanged over more than a decade by prominent climate scientists. The materials were posted anonymously after hackers penetrated the server of one of Britain’s main climate change research centres, the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia.

Source: Western Adelaide Residents’ Association

Editorial Note: This article came to our attention after the event. Our apologies. Nevertheless it is still worth reproducing.