An estimated 200 Townsville residents joined thousands of protestors across Australia and internationally, making their voices heard in the ongoing fight against the forced closure of remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia.  

By Sophie Dillon

The Call to Action Protest is a response to the announcement of WA Premier Colin Barnett that more than a hundred Aboriginal communities in the state faced imminent closure.

Townsville protest took place on May 1 at 08:15am outside Stockland Shopping Centre with protestors blocking the Nathan St and Ross River Road intersection for 15 minutes.

James Cook University lecturer Maxwell Lenoy, one of the organisers of the Townsville Call to Action Protest says he is against the Government’s decision.

“Governments should not have the freedom to force communities to close without consent and without a valid reason,” Lenoy says.

The Federal Government is backing Premier Barnett’s announcement and sees the closure as a cost-saving measure for the state’s struggling economy.

Lenoy says the Western Australia government has been doing the closure in secret.

“They [government] are forcing communities to be evacuated by hiring security firms to come in and move people out without any consent and without any forward plan in place to help those members when they then are moved to another regional city.

“The national and international call to action will make it clear to the Government that the community, Indigenous and all Australians, are aware that this is happening and that they will not stand for it,” Lenoy says.

The proposed closure plans attracted widespread condemnation particularly as they followed Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s comments that taxpayer’s shouldn’t be expected to fund the “lifestyle choices” of Aboriginal people who live on their homelands.

JCU Indigenous Support Officer Florence Onus says she fears that if the proposed policy succeeds in Western Australia and South Australia, then the same can happen elsewhere, including Queensland.

“We’re marching because the Western Australia government announced that they’re going to close 150 Aboriginal remote communities, “ Florence says.

A similar policy is being considered in South Australia, she says.

“The Federal Government supports this so we’re very concerned here in Townsville that that’s going to set a precedent for every state and territory.”

The main organizer of the Call to Action protest Meyalah Blackman agrees with Onus and is concerned that the forced removal will reach Queensland remote communities.

“It’s a ripple effect; the buck doesn’t just stop at the removal of Western Australian communities. It’ll affect everybody in the long run,” Blackman says.

One of the many Non-Indigenous Australians who joined in the Townville Call to Action, Josh Denman, felt that it was important to show support for the cause.

“It’s all well and good for me to sit at home and say that the forced closure of these communities is a bad thing, but it’s another thing to come out and make a stand and actually do something about it,” he says.

An Indigenous Australian from Palm Island, Whanjullah joined the protest to stand together with the local, national and international community.

“The reason why we’ve all come out here is to stand in solidarity with the people right across the world about the forced closures of our communities, ” Whanjullah says.

The protests have been covered by social media, running in conjunction with a digital campaign that emboldens people to join in the fight by declaring their support under the hashtag #SOSBlakAustralia.

Many well known names have thrown their support behind the Call to Action campaign including Hugh Jackman, The Veronicas, and Hilltop Hoods. Academics such as Victoria Grieves, Craig Moritz and Sandy Toussaint have also added their voice to the conversation.

#sosblakaustralia #NOconsent #lifestylechoice #ingetjetadoras

A photo posted by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) on Mar 19, 2015 at 6:35am PDT

For further information about the Townsville Call to Action, visit their page.

Exchange student Julia Dunn held a poetry slam last Thursday night in a James Cook University first. 

By Jemma Boisen

The Uni Club created history last Thursday night by holding a poetry slam, organised by American exchange student Julia Dunn.

THIS SICK BEAT: Event Organiser Julie Dunn slam-dunks her poetry reading CREDIT: Luke Brooks

Julia, an environmental education major, said that poetry is something that she and her friends really enjoy at home in the United States.

“It’s been great sharing something that shows my identity and giving back to the university.”

“I hope to organize more slams before I go back home, hopefully once a month,” Miss Dunn said.

The poetry slam featured nine poets who had four to five poems written, and was hosted by JCU student and comedian from the Comedy Generation, Laurie Page.

One of the first applicants, 17 year old Chloe Dow, said the night was a major success.

“I was really happy that I made it into the second round…I feel more confident in my writing and oral skills now because of the poetry slam,” Chloe said.

The poetry slam progressed through four elimination rounds resulting in a winner, Olivia Lee Mei Lin.

Olivia, a Malaysian exchange student, experienced competitive poetry writing for the first time.

“I saw the poetry slam flyer and my friends suggested I do it.”

“This was the first time I wrote something serious,” Olivia said.

Julia received many applicants for the slam but had to turn some away due to popularity.

WORDSMITH: The Poetry Slam crowd enjoying the rhymes CREDIT: Luke Brooks

Julia hopes the next slam is bigger and better with a more vocal audience.

“Back home in New York the audience yells out and participates more with the poet,” said Julia.

To join the next poetry slam at JCU, contact Julia Dunn or look out for a new flyer posted around campus.

Cyber Bullying is still a problem especially among young adults.

By Domanii Cameron

Despite the vast technological advancements that society experiences, cyber bullying should not be considered inescapable if children are educated appropriately.

Cyber bullying continues to affect both children and adults daily through various means of online communication.

Mackay Crime Prevention Unit officer Sergeant Nigel Dalton says education is a key element in helping to decrease the frequency of cyber-bullying.

“Bullying has been around but the fact that we can now have it 24/7 on our phones or computers means that it’s more constant in a more direct way, where as before you had to catch up with someone face to face.

“It’s about learning how to communicate with each other again,” he says.

Legislation surrounding cyber-bullying should not be kept separate for children and adults.

“If we divide things up too much, then it becomes something like ‘he was nearly out of that age group; he was nearly an adult’ and vice versa and it all gets messy.

“It’s a really grey area,” Sargeant Dalton says .

“It has to be backed up with a huge amount of education.”

Cyber bullying does not have to exist. PHOTO CREDIT: Social Media Marketing

CEO of Queensland Youth Services Wendy Lang however, says that laws should be kept separate.

“A child can probably and innocently break the law and when I say innocently, I mean they don’t realise the consequences,” she says.

Lang says compared to a child,  an adult should be aware of what they are doing.

“A young person is likely to write emotional comments using the technology without understanding the consequences of writing those comments,” she says.

“I don’t think someone whose maturity levels who aren’t as quite as developed as an adult’s quite understand the repercussions of their actions.”

James Cook University tutor and PhD candidate Kerryn Brack says there is concern that children do not realise what they are doing.

“Children don’t understand the consequences of it [cyber-bullying],” Brack says.

“I think the laws that need to be brought in, need to be focused on educating not just punishing.”

Brack is writing her PhD on cyber bullying and is currently conducting a survey for it.

She says that programs being adopted overseas could work in Australia.

“There was chat, sort of in Australia, but mostly overseas that looked at bringing in programs in schools where children actually set up and decide what is appropriate and what isn’t,” Brack says.

“It has the dual affect of educating them; what they think is wrong and what’s not acceptable and letting them feel that they have control over it and that they can help stop and prevent it.

“Having children involved when trying to look at preventative measures is a really important thing,” she says.

There isn’t one form of technology that cyber-bullying is worse in.

“Every study finds a different type of technology that is worse,” Brack says.

“I guess it depends on which technology is more popular.

“When they first started doing research, things like Facebook weren’t very popular; emails were but now they’ve found that chat rooms and things like Facebook are the worst.”

Brack says cyber-bullying is being reported more frequently.

“Research shows that numbers have slowly increased,” she says.

“It could just be that people are reporting it and recognising it but either way there is more awareness.”

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If you are or have been a victim of cyber-bullying, there is help available through Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Two JCU students have been given the opportunity to participate in an international program.

By Domanii Cameron

Two JCU Townsville students will get the chance to experience international policy as they head overseas to take part in Global Voices conferences.

Bachelor of Arts and Law student Bryn Smith and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery student Phoebe Shiu  have been selected to represent Australia at two separate Global Voices conferences this year.

JCU Students: Phoebe Shiu and Bryn Smith have been chosen to attend Global Voices conferences. Photo courtesy of Phoebe Shiu

The 22-year-old Bachelor of Arts and Law student Bryn Smith focused his research proposal around the links between poverty and food security and what the World Bank and Australia could do to address poverty issues around the world.

Bryn is currently attending a conference in Washington DC.

He will have the opportunity to hear from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, and International Monetary Fund Managing Director, Christine Lagarde.

On his return, he aims to finish his degree and use the knowledge he gains from the experiences to make himself a stronger applicant for job interviews.

“I’m going to really try and anchor a job with the Royal Australian Air Force.

“I want to work in the Intelligence Division in the Information Wing as an Intelligence Officer,” he says.

The delegation will also meet privately with Australian Ambassador to the United States, The Hon. Kim Beazley AC, and the World Bank’s Executive Director for Australia, Michael Willcock while in Washington DC.

Medical student Phoebe who will be travelling to Nairobi, Kenya in late June says she is looking forward to all the activities.

The 21-year-old medicine student’s research proposal entailed looking at Sustainable Health in Low-Resource settings such as slums and refugee camps through the use of vaccinations and the potential improvements that could be implemented to increase efficiency.

“I am interested in Global and International Health and I believe this trip will give me an insight into something I would like to pursue in the future which is medical aid work in developing countries,” Phoebe says.

While in Kenya, she will be spending time at the UNEA for policy making for sustainable development and will also be visiting orphanages and supporting the local businesses.

“I think being able to experience United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) will be fantastic.

“To really see world leaders congregating and discussing implementing and committing to goals and tasks for global development.,” she says.

Both students will have the opportunity to partake in numerous seminars, workshops and briefings.

IN CANBERRA: Phoebe Shiu (far left) and Bryn Smith (far right) with the Foreign Affairs Minister The Honour Julie Bishop

Communications Officer for Global Voices Kirby Taylor says the students will be provided with an array of professional development opportunities.

“These opportunities include high profile networking opportunities, developing new writing and research skills, the potential to get their work published and the chance to spend time with like-minded young Australians who are also passionate about international diplomacy,” Kirby says.

James Cook University has a strong partnership with Global Voices that always sees many students participating.

“Our partnership with them (JCU) began with four students in 2013 but we also had two students from JCU attend APEC and G20 delegations in 2011 and 2012,” Kirby says.

“This was through a partnership specifically with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

“This year will see at least 3 students partaking in our programs.”

The primary purpose of Global Voices is to educate.

“We believe that education is a powerful driver of change in society and we seek to provide a platform for young Australians to engage with youth and other leaders from across the world,” Kirby says.

“We believe that young people are powerful agents of change and that practical education opportunities are crucial to unlocking this potential.”

Students who wish to apply must submit a short personal statement, a specific research proposal related to the delegation’s theme, and a copy of your CV or resume.

“Delegates are chosen on the basis of what they can contribute to a delegation, but also what they will gain from the experience.

“The selected young leaders are high achieving individuals aged 18 – 30 who are active in their local and national communities and have a passion for youth empowerment and global affairs,” Kirby says.

Students can apply directly through Global Voices when applications open in February and July.

Journalism students are being warned to prepare for danger if reporting abroad.

By Domanii Cameron

Journalism students who are planning to travel to hostile countries as foreign correspondents are being urged to prepare for any potential danger while reporting.

The International Federation for Journalistst outlines the dangers and safety issues around reporting abroad and say these should be considered necessary journalism subjects for universities to teach.

The organisation’s safety programme project officer Adrien Collin says they believe universities should help prepare journalism students for the dangers they might face while reporting abroad.

“There are very few universities who prepare their students for front-line reporting meaning there is a poor record of safety knowledge amongst young journalists,” Adrien says.

“I know of only a few instances where safety training was organised for students.”

The international organisation was the first to offer safety training free of charge to journalists in regions including Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

The organisation develops safety-training programmes including hostile environment courses, Training of Trainers activities as well as specific publications on the safety of journalists.

“You can never be 100 per cent prepared and there is always a degree of uncertainty in hostile areas,” Adrien says.

“However you should be as prepared as you can and as knowledgeable as you can so you know how to react in case something happens.

“You should get prepared for the unexpected.”

Adrien says some of the most dangerous countries to report in included Mexico, the Philippines, Afghanistan and countries in Africa.

“You need to understand the country, its culture and the geographic ground where are you going to report,” Adrien says.

“You need to know where checkpoints are, have plans in case of injury or in case you get kidnapped.”

Townsville Bulletin defence reporter Emily Macdonald was recently deployed to Afghanistan as well as the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

The local reporter says it was the diversity of Afghanistan that shocked her.

“In the morning, you could be at the American base having Starbucks or eating KFC,” Emily says.

“Then the next thing is you’ve gone outside the wire and you’re being shot at by the Taliban and it feels like the Wild Wild West.”

Preparing for overseas reporting can only assist you with so much, the local reporter says.

“You can do the best you can to prepare but nothing really prepares you for when you might have to run for your life,” Emily says.

Young journalists should be accompanied by security or the military for their initial trip.

“I would strongly advise that you embed with the military,” she says.

“I know a lot of journalists who go over on their own and stay in hotels and report that way.

“But if you’re going into a war zone, you should at least embed with the army for the first few times.”

BBC cameraman Dean Squire has travelled and filmed in many hostile countries, including Afghanistan.

“It’s a very different kind of life you live there,” Dean says.

“There are lots of procedures in case the alarms go off.

“A lot of planning goes into it, particularly our safety.”

The cameraman says it helps to know the culture before travelling.

However, he was still shocked by the reality of how some societies live.

“I think the worst experience I ever had was in a West African country where they had just had a really brutal war where people had massively slaughtered one another,” he says.

“It was over when I went but it had happened quite recently.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen or been prepared for such poverty.”

Having a ‘nosy’ streak certainly helps in this particular field of reporting the cameraman says.

“You have to want to understand peculiar things.

“You kind of have to be hungry to want to be a part of something.”

BBC Camera-man Dean Squire in his armour while in Afghanistan. PHOTO CREDIT: Dean Squire