Reflections

Reflections: Jane Offer

Make a Stand Australians!

Make a Stand Australians!

With the continuing devastation created by the bushfire crisis, it is difficult to find much good in the situation. Lives, homes, animals and communities have been decimated and the smoke pall is not only polluting Australian air quality but that of other countries as well.

The words of Martin Luther King Jnr are very poignant at this moment.

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” Martin Luther King Jr.

The energy of these words is touching the world-wide community, as the donations continue to pour in. A real sign of one person’s pain, touching others and creating action. However, we are now faced with reports regarding these funds, that certain respected and trusted charities are stockpiling enormous amounts of the donated money for future situations instead of helping those affected now. This has created outrage and much questioning. Check out some links below to find out more and see if you feel the counter arguments are valid.

Community representatives have been calling out for us to visit their towns to spend money in their shops and donate directly, based on past and similar experiences. Now we can clearly see why those requests are being made. By making such a visit, we can ensure that our hard-earned money and our

heartfelt empathy is reaching those that deserve it.

So come on people, go out this weekend and visit your nearest affected town, go shopping, buy a coffee and see first-hand the absolute resilience of some of the challenged people of Australia.

https://7news.com.au/ news/bushfires/red-crossunder-fire-for-withholdingtwo-thirds-of-bushfiredonations-c-660715

https://www.theaustralian. com.au/nation/politics/ bushfires-andrew-constanceslams-charities-for-delay-inhanding-out-cash/news-st ory/6550fd6d0481d8e19e 6d465350703125

From the Ed: An interview with the head of Noel Clement is Director of Australian Programs for the Red Cross and spoke to ABC’s Matt O’Neil to offer a balanced view of funds distribution.

https://www.abc.net. au/radio/newsradio/ red-cross-responds-toaccusations-they-are- %E2%80%98drip/11892458

ACF fights Adani Mining Company

Mention the name Adani and some people will still return a blank look, unaware that the Government has passed bills allowing this huge, Indian based mining company, along with five other companies to mine in the Galilee Basin, Queensland.

Straddling the Great Dividing Range, the Galilee Basin in central Queensland is home to one of the largest known coal reserves on the planet. Until now, this estimated 27 billion tonne cache has remained untapped but with mining permission granted, it spells disaster for the climate, local environment, farmlands and Great Barrier Reef, as well as the cultural heritage of the region’s traditional owners, the Wangan and Jagalingou People.

Along with massive street protests in Brisbane, of which few are aware due to the dumbing down by the media, the Australia Conservation Foundation has brought this to public attention. They have won a Federal Court appealing against the assessment of Adani’s North Galilee Water Scheme, with the Federal Government conceding the case, admitting that it failed to consider public submissions and even lost some submissions.

ACF have also pressured global engineering firm GHD to rule out working with Adani. Other companies have followed suit which has rendered the project unviable but the Federal Government has stepped up allowing $4.4bn of effective subsidies to allow the project to go ahead. The only company still willing to support Adani is Siemens, which has promoted a huge backlash towards Siemens.

Add your voice to stopping the ruthless destruction of Australian natural beauty and ecology by foreign companies HERE.

Read more:

Unviability of Adani Project ACF wins case Brisbane protests GHD will not work with Adani Global Siemens to go ahead with their plans Queensland enquiry into forest threat for greater gliders adani-protests-to-escalateand-become-moredesperate-in-2020-20200113- p53r1x.html GHD will not work with Adani Global https://www.marketforces. org.au/info/key-issues/ theadanilist/ghd/ https://www.thefifthestate. com.au/urbanism/ environment/ghd-callsit-quits-on-adani-whilesiemens-hesitates/ Siemens to go ahead with their plans https://www.afr.com/ companies/energy/siemensunder-fire-after-sticking-withadani-20200113-p53qxz