AN UNEXPECTED ANZAC HERO. Had the Great War not ended just weeks after he carried a wounded British officer from a bloody battlefield on the Western Front under heavy fire, Australian Catholic Priest Father Ted McGrath almost certainly would have … Continue reading →

As the parliamentary leader of Family First I speak on Chronic Pain Australia, a national community-based, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic pain. This is one of a series of speeches I have given about helpful organisations dedicated to ordinary people. Established in 2006, the mission of Chronic Pain Australia is to reduce the unnecessary suffering and isolation caused by chronic pain in the Australian community. Many people think that chronic pain means extreme pain. Although chronic pain can be really extreme, it actually has to do with the duration of pain rather than the severity of pain. Continue reading →

Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES [12.12 a.m.]: As parliamentary leader of Family First I speak on the growing concern about human organ trafficking around the world. As global demand for live transplants keeps growing, the shadowy organ trading business is rapidly expanding, dominated by unscrupulous brokers and facilitated by inadequate national legislation, widespread corrupt practices and a general lack of public awareness of the extent of the trade. China, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Brazil, the Philippines, Moldova, and Romania are the world’s leading providers of trafficked human organs. If China is known for harvesting and selling organs from executed prisoners, then the other countries have been dealing essentially with living donors, becoming stakeholders in the fast-growing human trafficking web.

They remove kidneys, lungs, pieces of liver, corneas, bones, tendons, heart valves, skin and other sellable human parts. The organs are kept in cold storage and airlifted to illegal distribution centres in the United States, Germany, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, Israel, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other rich, industrialised locales. This has prompted a serious re-evaluation of international guidelines and given new impetus to the role of the World Health Organisation in gathering epidemiological data and setting basic normative standards. There is no reliable data on organ trafficking but it is widely believed to be on the increase, with brokers reportedly charging between $100,000 and $200,000 to organise a transplant for wealthy Americans.

Donors—frequently impoverished and ill-educated—receive as little as $1,000 for a kidney although some may receive up to $5,000, and there are reports of people being killed for whatever body part is required. The illegal trade in body parts is largely dominated by kidneys because they are in greatest demand and they are the only major organs that can be wholly transplanted with relatively few risks for the living donor. An unknown number of kidneys are being trafficked today for cash from disadvantaged citizens in a range of countries to “organ tourists” from other nations such as Australia who go to those countries to receive the donated body part. Donors may survive the loss of one kidney, albeit often with serious detriment to their health. Only in China do the “donors”—virtually all of whom are Falun Gong or convicted criminals—perish during the transplantation operation because their vital organs are removed. The World Health Organisation is urging governments:

... to take measures to protect the poorest and most vulnerable groups from ‘transplant tourism’ and the sale of tissues and organs, including attention to the wider problem of international trafficking in human tissues and organs. Continue reading →

As parliamentary leader of Family First New South Wales I speak today about the forthcoming retirement of Councillor Patricia Giles. The Manly Daily described her as “a fighter and an energetic woman who gets things done”. Patricia Giles is the longest serving mayor of Pittwater Council, having served seven terms from 1997 to 2004. She also served as deputy mayor for four terms from 2005 to 2009. Patricia will retire, after more than 25 years of fighting for Pittwater, at the next local government elections in 2012. Patricia Giles played an important part of the Pittwater Municipality Committee in 1985 that began the fight to secede from its giant southern cousin, Warringah Council. In 1991 then Minister for Local Government, David Hay, announced that Pittwater would be legally divorced from Warringah. A provisional council was installed and at the first election in 1992 Patricia Giles was elected to represent central ward and she has been re-elected ever since, easily outlasting every other councillor on Pittwater Council.

As Parliamentary Leader of Family First NSW I speak on raising awareness for an organisation that is dedicated to the delivery of first aid services, the minimisation of injury, and the saving of lives. I am, of course, referring to the amazing services provided by St John Ambulance Australia. St John Ambulance Australia is a self-funding charitable organisation active in all States and Territories, dedicated to helping people in sickness, distress, suffering or danger. This organisation traces its history back to the crusades of the Templars of St John who cared for the sick and the ill and those who had been injured. St John is Australia’s leading provider of first aid training, first aid services at public events, and supplier of first aid kits and equipment. It runs ambulance services in Western Australia and Northern Territory and also provides a range of community services and youth development programs. Continue reading →

As Parliamentary Leader of Family First NSW, I rise today to speak of an amazing photography program called Life’s Journey in Pictures, which is facilitated by the Karelle Life Enrichment Service.

Those around may remember a similar adjournment speech on the 23rd of June this year, where I spoke of the Karelle Life Enrichment Service. This organisation is located in Mount Druitt, and was founded in 2003 for the purpose of developing the potential in people with an intellectual disability and helping families in crisis. Karelle provides innovative and creative programs for the total life enrichment of a community member with an intellectual disability.

The exhibition, aptly named Life’s Journey in Pictures, was displayed at Penrith Panthers on 27 August 2010, which showcased the talents of Karelle clients who participated in a 12-week program, which ran in 2009. Special guests for the exhibition included myself as Guest Host, and Ken Duncan as Guest Speaker. Ken Duncan is Australia’s foremost landscape photographer who interacted with each client, and discussed the inspiration for their work, as well as their photographic techniques. Continue reading →

As Parliamentary Leader of Family First NSW, I rise today to speak to you about “Islamophobia”. I believe it is of paramount importance to discuss with the Parliament how social and religious prejudices, particularly against Arabs and Muslims, have begun … Continue reading →

Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES : On behalf of Family First, I speak tonight of an excellent community organisation called Karelle Life Enrichment Service. Located in Mount Druitt, it was founded in 2003 for the purpose of developing the … Continue reading →

I have often spoken of the needs of people with dyslexia. That I promoted strongly a special Bill accepting dyslexia as a disability, and have constantly questioned ministers, and participated in our Budget Reviews and special Inquiries, is well known. … Continue reading →

Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES [5.17 p.m.]: After we celebrate Christmas Day we have a recovery day on Boxing Day, which was called originally the Feast of St Stephen. Stephen was the first Christian deacon and martyr. You can … Continue reading →