“No prime minister in Australia’s history has ever been more engaged with Indigenous communities in remote communities than Tony Abbott – no-one,” Mr Hockey said.

Andy interviews Bunna Lawrie from Coloured Stone about Land and Country*. Bunna and Andy talk about the importance of the Blockade of coal mining at Maules Creek in NSW. Talk about the saddest behind the songs about nuclear testing at Maralinga.

Baird government’s Greenwashing in the 2015 NSW state election

Criticism of Tony Abbott’s knowledge of indigenous affairs and refugees.
Community announcement – Black Friday Rally

Listen to the show at http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/paradigm-shift/2015-03-13

* Bunna Lawrie’s band ‘Coloured Stone’ played at a RAR concert in Adelaide in 1982 (not Brisbane).

Script

Hello, good afternoon, your listening to the paradigm shift on 4zzz. On paradigm shift we look at and challenge our current society’s concepts, values, assumptions and practices. Filling in for Andy and Ian for another week

You just heard terrible truths with heat then fire.

Tony Abbot has delivered some more killer lines this week, last week we played the clip of him claiming the LNP was smashing patriachary and helping us break through the glass ceiling by choosing to hold their women’s day lunch at a men’s only club. This week instead of patronising and insulting Australian women he has gone with being incredibly uninformed and offensive towards Aboriginal Australians describing remote communities as ‘lifestyle choices’.

He talks about the lack of opportunities within these communities. I think this statement shows that he has a pretty narrow view on what constitutes an opportunity, how about the opportunities these remote communities to connect with land, culture, family, community? Yes, within some of these communities there may be a lack of opportunity to engage in western forms of education such as schools, but what about education through more traditional methods, recognizing other ways of knowing.

Also yes there may be lack of opportunities for essential services such as health care and other support services within these communities, but does this not more reflect a government failure or short-coming, that they have not successfully implemented these services in remote Australia.

And what happens to those who have lived on their land all their lives? Is their quality of life really going to be improved when they are moved from their homes to larger towns and cities with no connection to country, just as what the government defines as opportunities is entirely based within a white, western perspective, this definition of what constitutes quality of life also is.

Was reading some articles today, found a quote from Malcom Turnball, he made a pretty scary comment, he said ‘I don’t think there is any non-indigenous member of the Parliament that has more involvement with, or more understanding of, indigenous communities than Tony’. I certainly hope this is not the case.

If these comments make you as angry as they do for me, and if you’d like to show solidarity with members of some of the oldest cultures in the world who continue to be let down by government after government, come down to the Brisbane One Mob United Black Friday Rally, 5pm Today at King George Square. Speaker will include Uncle Sam Watson and Ruby Wharton.

[Play two songs]

Your listening to the paradigm shift on 4zzz, you just heard from Australian Bad Hira Fence- free from myself and before that was Alex turner- stuck on a puzzle

We are now going to play you

[Play interview]

[Play two songs]

This is the paradigm shift on 4zzz, you just heard an interview with the vocalist and drummer from the band Coloured Stones, Bunna Lawrie, followed by a track by Coloured Stones called island of greed.

We will now listen to a segment from Andy

That was a recording of Andy discussing Greenwashing and the upcoming NSW election.

Not to turn this week’s show into just a big shot at Tony Abbot and the ridiculous things he says because I think the internet and social media pretty much has that topic covered, but I thought another important topic from the Australian political realm over the last week or so was his response to the UN on our treatment of refugees. Saying that we were sicked of being lectured by the United Nations on torturing refugees, indicating that maybe they should be more congratulating us for stopping the boats and the deaths at sea. As always completely tunnelvisioned, hey what about the deaths in our detentions centers or the deaths of those who didn’t get the chance to escape war zones.

This is particularly hypocritical as international human rights law can be seen to have its foundations within western philosophical and political writings, reflects western norms and is based upon a western definition of what it means to be a human being. We have played a big role in developing the UN protocols, but have continuously failed to uphold them in regards to refugees and asylum seekers, we have now gone on step further and have criticized the human rights mechanisms we have built and supported.

Although I think there is an important debate to be had about the universalism of human rights and the effectiveness of having a large authoritarian body such as the United Nations enforcing human rights, I think highlighting these comments is important as they show that the Australian government’s continues to refuse to recognize and acknowledge that is torturing refugees in offshore detention centres and that this is pretty disgusting.

A local even that is happening is the Rise up for Refugees fundraiser show at the Greenslopes Bowls Club. Great line up of local bands including Rivermouth, Kingston Stompers and Maiden May. There will be free barefoot bowls and cheap beers. Its next Saturday starting at 3pm, going to late.

[Play two songs]

Girl on a lilo by the stress of leisure

This is the Paradigm shift on 4zzz

Update on the action at the Maules Creek Block Aid down in Northern New South Wales, which we have been following over the last few weeks. Resistance against the forest clearing has continued with over 40 people being arrested over the last few weeks. These arrests have successfully contributed disrupting the clearing and hopefully delayed the destruction of the precious forest, and have shown that although both sides of the government continue to blindly support the construction of the coal mine, the Australian people aren’t happy with this and are opposing and resistance the mining of unsustainable, outdated fuel coal.

Here in Brisbane, last Friday night the Blockaid fundraising show raised over $3000 for those down on the frontline. I can also confirm that it was a great night, the residents of turnstyle made some delicious wood fired pizzas and it finished with a big sweaty dance party.

You’ve been listening to the Paradigm shift on 4zzz.

Don’t forget to get down to King George square this afternoon and show your disgust for our governments proposed ignorant policies. If you missed the details before there is a rally to protest the proposed closing down of remote communities, forcing many people off their traditional lands, happening today at 5pm at King George Square.

Also a great chance to show your support for is attending refugees is the Rise up for Refugees fundraiser show at the Greenslopes Bowls Club. Great line up of local bands including Rivermouth, Kingston Stompers and Maiden May. There will be free barefoot bowls and cheap beers. Its next Saturday starting at 3pm, going to late.

Thanks for tuning in and listening this afternoon, Paradigm Shift will be back every Friday at noon on community radio 4ZZZ looking at this and other issues that affect our lives.

Rise Up For Refugees @ Greenslopes Bowls Club
March 21 @ 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm | $10

https://www.facebook.com/events/761648103921603

BANDS & COMPS & BOWLS & CHEAP BEER!!!
Everyone welcome!

3.00pm – 11.00pm

Saturday, March 21st @ Greenslopes Bowls Club!

131 Ridge Street, Greenslopes (near the soccer fields, just a 3 minute walk from Greenslopes Busway Station, and on the bikeway too).

$10 donation upon entry and wear orange to show your support for Harmony Day_AU & Rise Up For Refugees!

Our Harmony Day Music Festival will be featuring the AMAZING:

Goldstool
Phil Monsour (solo)
Lincoln Kurt Howe
Weezal
Punxie and the Poison Pens
Boho Mofos
George Higgins

Playlist
12:04 Terrible Truths – Heat then fire
12:09 Alex Turner – Stuck on a puzzle
12:13 Heirophants – Free from myself
12:34 Coloured Stone – Island of greed
12:51 Stress of Liesure – Girl on a lilo