GordonMoyes.com

Back in April 2008, we included an article in CVIP called “Aussie Rules to the rescue” where 30 boys from different cultural backgrounds such as Orthodox Jews, Ethiopian immigrants, Palestinian Christians and Muslims as well as Sudanese immigrants competed in the 3rd International Cup to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Australian Football League or Aussie Rules.

An Islamic cemetery will be built in the grounds of a historic Anglican graveyard near Camden where plans for an Islamic school were rejected this year following fierce community opposition.

Yesterday, the new Premier, Nathan Rees, invited me to afternoon tea and a half hour chat on various issues. I presented the major issues concerning this state that I had which would be for the betterment of the people of NSW and some suggested moves the Government could take.

Many Australians felt a new level of optimism as the Prime Minister committed his government to closing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation. But ‘closing the gap’ is not just a task for governments, it needs all of us.

“In our day the Holy Spirit is doing a most remarkable work. More people from non-Christian backgrounds are becoming Christians than ever before in history. Across the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, South and South-East Asia, as well as in countries such as China, the Gospel message is not only being spread but is producing a wonderful harvest of new believers.”

The death of an Australian commando in fighting against Taliban forces in Afghanistan, and on the same day a brazen assassination attempt against the country’s President, Hamid Karzai, during a military parade in the capital, Kabul, were shocking reminders of the peril inherent in Australia’s commitment there.

Every year Anzac Day is commemorated by countless thousands of people at dawn services and marches across Australia. The words “Lest we forget” are used to symbolise our tribute to those who died in war, with a particular focus on Gallipoli in 1915, but also covering all major conflicts since then.

Australian activists are breathing life into an alternative approach to the resolution of the Middle East conflict. In a groundbreaking grassroots initiative, an Australian rules football team comprising Israelis and Palestinians has been formed by the Peres Centre for Peace to compete in the 3rd International Cup to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Australia’s original sporting code, Aussie Rules.

People are getting so anxious about climate change that they are seeing their doctors for help. In a speech tonight to mark World Health Day, Grant Blashki says climate change is already having direct and indirect effects on Australia’s health, and the problems will get worse. His call for the medical profession to treat climate change as a health issue is being echoed around the world as the World Health Organization chose ‘protecting health from climate change’ as its theme.

The swimmer Nick D’Arcy is accused of smashing the face of Simon Cowley, a former Commonwealth Games Champion, with a single punch. If proved, a single thoughtless act may end his hopes of going to Beijing and render null and void a lifetime of training. Would that outcome be too harsh?