When Kristina Keneally became Premier she reassured that Dalwood will not be closed. Dalwood provides assessment and remedial support for children living in rural and regional New South Wales who are experiencing severe learning disorders. In December last year, the Premier pledged that children from Dalwood would not be left without the programs the school offers until an alternative was in place. Continue reading →

There is widespread concern in the community that children are being exposed to and involved in the adult world before they are ready for it. Advertising and marketing for children has been questioned when it promotes premature sexualisation both in products for children or the use of children in products for adults. Continue reading →

Advocacy groups have ramped up the pressure on cinema companies for applying an exemption from the Disability Discrimination Act. Last year, Hoyts, Village, Greater Union and Reading cinema chains have asked the Australian Human Rights Commission for a two and a half year exemption from complaints about providing captioning for the deaf and audio description for the blind. Continue reading →

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the swearing in of Scottish-born military officer Colonel Lachlan Macquarie as the 5th Governor of the then colony of New South Wales. He served in that capacity from 1810 to 1821, during which time he was also promoted to Major General. Continue reading →

To address the pay equity gap in Australia for women, a report by the House of Representatives Employment and Workplace Relations Committee was tabled in Parliament on 23 November 2009. The report, Making it Fair: Pay Equity and Associated Issues Related to Increasing Female Participation in the Workforce, recommended a raft of amendments to the Fair Work Act and Sex Discrimination Act. Continue reading →

Back in 2008, the NSW Government announced the establishment of a Child Pornography Working Party which will examine the artistic purposes defence in the context of child pornography. The report of the Child Pornography Working Party by the NSW Department of Justice and the Attorney General was released last month. Continue reading →

Every now and again we are reminded of the continuing Christian/Muslim conflicts in the Sudan, in Nigeria, and in the Middle East. Most recently blood was shed in Jos, Nigeria, an area close by a seminary for training pastors I have supported. Continue reading →

In recent years, a series of emails have been widely circulated throughout Australia claiming to describe the social security entitlements of refugees, compared with those of other Australian residents. A common claim in these emails is that refugees in Australia receive higher social security benefits than age pensioners. Some also suggest that refugees receive free gifts such as houses. Claims of this kind are erroneous and appear to have caused some confusion in the community. Continue reading →

New research by Wesley Mission shows that a staggering 85 per cent of the community reports that schoolyard bullying had affected the way they had developed as adults. Continue reading →

A survey conducted by Lifeline Australia shows an alarming number of Australians wrongly believe suicide was not preventable, highlighting the need for better education programs. A quarter of adults surveyed thought “suicide was mostly not preventable”. Continue reading →