Notes: Friday, December 10, 2010

1. "WikiLeaks acts 'illegal': Gillard government"

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/wikileaks-acts-illegal-gillard-government/story-fn775xjq-1225968584365

2. Cardinal Pell represented at launch of revised version of B'nai-B'rith-produced and -supported anti-racism/-bigotry handbook for schools

From the Sydney Catholic Weekly of several Sundays ago (bold and italics as in the original):

‘Inspired initiative’ to fight racism, bigotry

By Kerry Myers
21 November, 2010

THERE must be constant vigilance against racism and prejudice, warned the chairman of the Community Relations Commission of NSW, Dr Stepan Kerkyasharian.

[...] Dr Kerkyasharian was speaking at the launch of Without Prejudice – Towards a Harmonious Society in the Strangers Lounge of NSW Parliament House on Tuesday, November 9.

The book is a further initiative to combat prejudice in classrooms and is a revision of an earlier project produced and supported by B’nai B’rith, the world’s oldest and largest Jewish community service organisation.

Guests included parliamentarians and community representatives, including Anthony Cleary, the CEO’s director of religious education and evangelisation, who represented the Archbishop of Sydney, George Cardinal Pell.

“What an inspired initiative by B’nai B’rith . . . to enlighten children at this most influential point in their young lives,” Dr Kerkyasharian said.

“How better to do it than to provide their teachers with such a practical guide which can so easily be implemented in the classroom .... so easily dipped into and out of.

“This handbook is so well designed that just one exercise of 30-40 minutes could have an impact on a child’s life forever. [...]
[http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/article.php?classID=1&subclassID=2&articleID=7543&class=News&subclass=CW]

Without Prejudice is available here. The Archdiocese of Sydney and the Catholic Education Commission of N.S.W. are listed here, along with bodies such as the Education Task Force of B’nai B’rith (N.S.W.) and the Alfred Dreyfus Unit of B'nai Brith (sic), as community groups by which "Moving Forward Together is supported and endorsed".

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Melchiades, Pope, Martyr, A.D. 2010

Facts and figures: a couple of the strange requirements of Australian anti-discrimination laws

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/marconi-club-orders-staff-only-talk-english-in-secret-memo/story-e6freuy9-1225795538680

A story in today’s Sydney Daily Telegraph mentioned a couple of anti-discrimination rules, neither of which seem terribly conducive to workplace harmony:

The memo [the subject of the story] also drew opposition from NSW Anti-Discrimination Board president Stepan Kerkyasharian, who described it as "very shortsighted".

One anti-discrimination law guideline issued by the ADB states it is "against the law to stop you speaking in your own language at work unless it stops the work or study being done properly". Another states it is "against the law for an employer to insist that you speak English fluently unless it is reasonable for the particular job".
[my emphasis]

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Andrew Avelino, Confessor, A.D. 2009