NEWS DESK
Labor backflip on turnbacks ‘dangerous’ Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A LABOR Party vote to support asylum seeker boat turnbacks if it wins back government has been slammed by Amnesty International. Amnesty International peninsula branch spokesman Kevin Bain criticised Labor and opposition leader Bill Shorten’s weekend move at the party’s annual national conference to fall into line with the Abbott government’s boats
turnback policy. Mr Bain has presented several petitions in recent months to Liberal federal government ministers Bruce Billson and Greg Hunt in Dunkley and Flinders respectively protesting against the Abbott government’s “inhumane treatment” of asylum seekers. “Boat turnbacks are a recipe to violate rights and endanger lives,” Mr Bain said. “People are entitled to have a proper asylum review process and the question is ‘turn back to where?’.
“We have a responsibility to protect and not punish people for seeking asylum. To promote turnbacks is one of the biggest ethical distortions in our society.” Federal Labor MP for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus said the opposition “cannot ignore the thousands of people who have died at sea trying to seek asylum”. “Provided it can be done so safely, a future Labor government reserves the option to turn back boats at sea to discourage people smugglers from risking the lives of asylum seekers at sea, in
compliance with the Refugee Convention.” Mr Dreyfus, a non-voting delegate at the weekend Labor conference, said a Labor government “would remove the Abbott government’s cruel and ineffective temporary protection visas and its militarisation of the transfer of asylum seekers”. “Labor will not demonise asylum seekers with the inflammatory and ignorant language of the Abbott government. Instead Labor will bring transparency to the process of seeking asylum.”
Mr Dreyfus said Labor will double Australia’s annual refugee intake to 27,000 by 2025. Mr Bain said the major political parties are “compromising some of our fundamental human values” and this will damage Australian society in the long term. “If all countries did this [turnbacks] the United Nations Refugee Convention would collapse and the implications for that are not positive for Australia or the whole world.”
Legacy will be heard loud and clear A WAR veteran’s family has bridged a gap between generations with the gift of a World War II era musical instrument to Patterson River Secondary College. A trumpet played by Neil Richard Webb, who passed away at the age of 91 in February last year, has been passed on to Patterson River Secondary students by Mr Webb’s son, Peter. Mr Webb wrote to school principal Maree Vinocuroff in May after reading an RSL magazine article mentioning Patterson River Secondary student Bernard Field playing The Last Post on the bugle at Anzac Day commemorations. The Geelong resident decided there and then, shortly after his father’s death, to pass on one of two trumpets to the Carrum school his father left in his will. “Dad would have thrilled to see someone so young attempting to play The Last Post because it’s such a difficult thing to
play,” Mr Webb said. “I was quite inspired ... the main bugle dad played is in the Canberra National War Museum but I wanted to give the trumpet to Bernard Field.” Neil Webb was a war veteran who served in Darwin and Papua New Guinea between 1942 and 1946. He received eight medals for frontline war service. His son says his father was a talented trumpeter from the age of 8 and he was appointed bugler for the Ballarat Sea Scouts at the age of 13. When Ms Vinocuroff received the generous offer from Mr Webb she had a suggestion of her own: the trumpet should be passed on from student to student each year. “He thought it was important for his father’s legacy to be passed on and we were very happy about that,” the principal said.
“The trumpet will be a perpetual award and will be given to someone who can’t afford to buy a trumpet and will be used during their time at the school before being passed on to another student.” Mr Webb visited Patterson River Secondary College last week to hand over the trumpet on behalf of his father who he described as “a marvellous man” who often took the time to speak to youngsters about the significance of The Last Post during his 25 years as a bugler at Geelong RSL. “I had the feeling this was the right way to go and dad would want this. I know my father would love that a young musician will care for the trumpet and play it.” Neil Walker War veteran: Neil Webb’s family have generously donated a trumpet the digger played throughout his life.
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Celebrate our shared humanity ABOUT 30 local artists have been selected to take part in the annual Kingston Interfaith Network Art Exhibition to help celebrate the many faiths and cultures in the community. This year’s exhibition: Reclaiming the Heart of Humanity, will be shown at Mordialloc’s St Nicholas Gallery, 9 Bear Street, 4-26 August. Mayor Cr Geoff Gledhill said the exhibition featured a broad range of work from professional artists through to amateur enthusiasts. “It
aims to celebrate harmony in our community and recognise our shared humanity,” Cr Gledhill said. The annual event is a chance for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together through a common love of the arts. The opening night launch is 6-8pm, Tuesday 11 August. A discussion panel with selected artists is 2-4pm on Sunday 16 August. See kingston.vic.gov.au or call 1300 653 356.
Each month the Chelsea-Mordialloc-Mentone News will run a Community Events page, where your school or organisation can promote upcoming events, fund raisers, social events, etc. at no charge. This page is sponsored by the Aspendale Gardens Community Bank and listings are completely free. Listing should include event name, date, time & address.
Send your listing to:
Community Events PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or email your listing to communityevents@mpnews.com.au Come all ye faithful: Kingston Council communications development officer Timmah Ball, left, and The Venerable Jennie Savage prepare for last year’s Interfaith Network Art Exhibition. Picture: Gary Sissons
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Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 29 July 2015