SWB Programs

Anti-Bottled Water Campaign

Bottled Water Costs the Earth
The Campus Water Coalition (CWC) would like to make a difference by setting an anti bottled water example on Murdoch campus. Let's be the first campus in Australia to kick the plastic habit and help set precedent for similar water warriors around the country. 2009 promises to be an eventful year for sustainable consumption around Murdoch with a Tap vs. Bottled Water Taste Challenge, a poster competition, a documentary series, and the launching of the Flipside website just to mention a few. Dates for events around campus to educate, engage and energise fellow comrades are not yet public but if you think you'd like to meet up with the CWC once a week, volunteer your time for the sustainable alternative lifestyle or help educate those around you then we need you!

For more information or to get involved please contact goodnewpassiton@gmail.com

Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare

For 25 years, World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has aimed to promote the concept of animal welfare in reguions of the world where there are few, if any, measures to protect animals. Understanding that human ignorance is a major factor in the continuation of animal cruelty, WSPA's education programmes aim to change people's attitudes towards animals and their plight. Their rescue teams help animals that have been abandoned, neglected or caught up in natural or man-made disasters all over the world.

WSPA focuses on four priority animal welfare areas:

Companion animals - responsible pet ownership, humane stray management and preventing cruelty.
Commercial exploitation of wildlife - intensive farming and cruel management and killing of wild animals for food or products.
Farm animals - intensive farming, long distance transportation and slaughter of domestic animals for food.
Disaster relief for animals - providing care to animals in distress from man-made or natural disasters.

The Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare is an agreement among people and nations that animals can feel pain and can suffer, therefore we need to respect their welfare needs and end animal cruelty - for good. Already over 700,000 people have signed the Declaration, whose final destination is the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Sign the UN Declaration on Animal Welfare

Visit the WSPA website for more ways to get involved

Jobs, Education, Training (JET) Child Care Subsidies

Because of the Federal Government's July 1, 2006 changes to welfare Single Parents (86% are women) lost the right for child care subsidies while studying at university.

Students Rebekah Ozane, Peta Miller separately, and then together, campaigned for the return of their JET child care subsidy rights.

In an incredibe and persistent campaign Rebekah and Peta ensured the Federal Government amended its JET policies to include university students.

The Federal Government has provided up to 12 months of JET child care subsidies to university students, but no more.

The JET campaign continues, driven by Rebekah, Peta and Clare Middlemas (Murdoch Guild's 2007 Women's Officer). University programs are thereabouts between 3 to 6 years and the 12 months is not sufficient. It needs to return to at least as it was prior to July 1, 2006.

A national rally is being planned for September 30 by Rebekah, Peta and Clare and they have the support of the Green Senator Rachel Siewert, UnionsWA and the WA Labor and Australian Labor Parties. Single Parent issues are being regarded as one of the four key concerns leading into the Federal Election.

SWB and the JET group are raising funds for student scholarships for parents who are no longer eligible for JET child care subsidies. SWB will be providing 4 $1,000 scholarships per semester.

More Information and to Get involved:

Jet Action Group

What You Can Do

Peta Miller, parism@iinet.net.au

Rebekah Ozanne, ozanne2000@yahoo.com.au

jetactiongroup@googlegroups.com

Article: "Plea to extend JET"

Murdoch Students addressing Student Poverty

Murdoch students at South Street, Rockingham and Peel are campaigning for support in eliminating the increasing harshness and volume of student poverty.

Join the campaign and work through the issues in the media, to the state and federal governments, and with your on campus institutions.

Murdoch students are recycling white goods, electrical goods, and engaging with community in ensuring food hampers for the neediest students.

studentpoverty@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Soup the first course for poor students

SWB addressing Student Poverty

SWB is campaigning nationwide, on all campuses and to all Australian Senators and politicians for necessary reforms that will reduce and preferably eliminate the pressures of student poverty.

Issues include cost of living, HECS, cost of education, Centrelink payments and criteria, subsidies, emergency payments, rent, health and travel.

swbfightingpoverty@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB campaigns in recycling

Consumption is one of the major precursors to the decimation of the planet and it's resources. Consumption in presumably developed (OECD) countries has exceeded basic and justifiable needs.

We are now in an age where we supersede products for now other good reasons than new technology and greed both promoted by the producer and conditioned to the consumer.

In the age of superseding there is still incredible poverty. Recycling ensures that others have basic goods and services. SWB coordinates a number of recycling programs, one of them has become one of the largest recyclers of its type in Australia, computer recycling. It started from the verges and the program is now donated to by the vast West Australian community.

SWB is campaigning for Governments to ensure the optimisation of recycling in all areas. Government, State and Federal, must ensure that organisations are able to dispose of their superseded goods as recycled rather than being dumped. Some laws restrict certain goods from being recycled. SWB is campaigning to ensure recycling wherever possible.

swbrecyclingcampaign@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB supporting sustainability

Get involved with sustainability and not half measures. The Millenium Goals can't be met because they are being addressed only in half measures and less. Sustainability means going all the way.

SWB is campaigning for Governments and Organisations to not presume themselves geared to Sustainability and the Earth's needs with 'concessions'. SWB is campaigning for Governments and Organisations to be held accountable for their actions, to admit they are not contributing to a sustainable Earth and therefore to address their failures.

The West Australian Government exports 8/10ths of what it produces and therefore is devastating the State beyond's its human populations' needs.

High Density living in order to minimise emissions from travel may help to ease the problem, but consumption is the real issue. Many argue over population but in the end it is consumption.

Campaign with us to change councils, local government, state and federal government, and to educate the general population.

sustainabilityalltheway@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Visit the Climate Movement website

SWB supporting the environment

Get involved with the Environment. Specific environmental issues in water, soil, air health. Climate. Organisations and Governments can make a real difference.

Campaign to organisations that can make a difference.

Campaign on your campuses to ensure the environment is protected and that we live in sync with the environment. We come to University to receive and deliver education. Our identity will also be morphed or realised by the environment we stride in. University education should lead the way. The University environment, its buildings, its flora and fauna, its water, soil and air health should be examples to us all as we locate our identities. Our use of renewable energies, our consumption of energies and water on University campuses matter.

swbgrassrootsenvironment@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch Tree Planters

Murdoch students planting trees on and off campus. Join the Murdoch Tree Planters who have been going strong since Oct.2005

murdochtreeplanters@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch FRIENDS (environment)

The FRIENDS group is into Environmental Green Action. It is also known as MERGE (Murdoch Environmental Restoration Group(e).

The group has more than 40 members. They are mostly Murdoch students and staff and an increasing number of wider community members.

For more information contact Neil Goldsborough.

neilgau@yahoo.com.au

guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB campaigns in conservation

Murdoch University has provided an incredible ethos of caring regarding the environment, conservation, sustainability. The grassroots campaign that cuts through inhibitive red tape and bureacracy leads the way. Murdoch students are carrying this ethos to other campuses and networks. Conservation is at the forefront of a better world.

swbconservation@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB and forestry

Tree planting, regrowth and protection are imperative in ensuring the health balance for ecosystems and quality being.

Get some dirt on your hands and knees.

swbforestry@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students supporting CLOSETHEGAP

Murdoch students have been working with OXFAM's and ANTaR's Closethegap campaign. Murdoch students attended a campaigning and lobbying workshop to help support the campaign.

Indigenous Australians die 17 years earlier than non-Indigenous Australians and Indigenous infant mortality is three times that of non-Indigenous . It is a national disgrace that Indigenous Australians do not have the same access to health services that other Australians enjoy.

We call on Australian governments to take action to achieve health equality for Indigenous Australians within 25 years through:

- increasing annual Indigenous health funding by $450 million (this is a minimum amount) to enable equal access to health services

- increasing Indigenous control and participation in the delivery of health services

- addressing critical social issues such as housing, education and self-determination which contribute to the Indigenous health crisis

Murdoch students and staff have met with their local MLAs, for instance in Fremantle we met with Dr Carmen Lawrence to seek increased support for addressing the Indigenous Health crisis in this country.

Murdoch students have kept this crisis in the media. Murdoch students raised 13,000 signatures petitioning for the crisis to be addressed. The petition is part of OXFAM's Australia wide campaign.

murdochclosethegapcampaign@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch Students Close The Gap

SWB campaigns in the Indigenous Health Crisis

SWB has taken the Indigenous Health crisis to all campuses in Australia and is asking student representatives to ensure that it is tabled in various ways at every available forum, plenary, meeting and calling upon Universities, the bastions of change, to publicly voice their concern and petition Governments to address the crisis in sustainable terms, which necessitate appropriate funding and self determination.

University Boards can ensure appropriate education of the crisis and of our Indigenous history to our student communities. University Boards can ensure internships in primary and secondary health and education in regional communities. Universities can ensure formal and substantive equality which will benefit many Indigenous and other Australian communities and citizens. Universities can ensure they are part of the campaign to address this crisis rather than hiding it or turning a blind eye. A blind eye is also knowing about but doing nothing about it.

At least 3% of Australians are Indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australians receive only 1% of the Health Budget. Indigenous Australians were completely excluded essentially till 1967 and therefore have not had two hundred years of history in accumulating the primary health and education infrastructures as the rest of Australia's population has generally had.

Join the campaign:

swbclosethegapcampaign@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB submission to CERD - Indigenous Health

What is happening in Australia is a disgrace. For Indigenous Australians to be living 17 years less than the rest of our Australians is outrageously appalling and damning.

This period in time will be remembered by this incredible stain, this human stain where people are being disregarded. It is disgusting.

Australia has lost some of its once great standing in the eyes of the United Nations' Committees.

The submissions to the UN Human Rights Committees, to CERD, to the ICCPR, to as many as possible need to continue.

We have ours ready. Hopefully Australia will have to continually account for itself in Geneva till it appropriately addresses the crisis. We need to keep the crisis on the table of these committees.

swbsubmissiontocerd@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB submission to CEDAW - Gender Balance

Gender balance is still an issue in Australia, as in many other parts of the world.

swbsubmissiontocedaw@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Article: "Students call for equality"

SWB's Critical Voice Forums

Free and critical speech has been diminished and often silenced throughout this country and increasingly so during the last three decades.

It is disturbing when the bastions of presumed critical and identity forming education, that is the universities, diminish or silence voices.

Students and Academics need to rise to the occasion. Critical Voice Forums will campaign to this end.

The corporate governance protocols, the strict management of information, and the spin doctoring of outcomes based policies have very little place in Universities.

We must rise at this grassroots, identity forming level, that is in the higher education sector, we must rise or we shall die. It's rise or die.

There is a Critical Voice Forum coming to your campus - this is nationwide.

criticalvoice@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB submission to the UN - the elimination of the student voice & rights

The diminution of the student voice on campuses is an issue for the ICCPR and other committees of the United Nations where education, social and political rights are affected by a government's legislature and other attempts to achieve this end.

swbsubmissiontotheun@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for Iraq

Iraq has been devastated. Iraq needs assistance, support and kinship. Iraq cannot to be a taboo subject. Let us move forward.

The following campaign, Murdoch and Curtin students for Wheelchairs for Iraq highlights an incredible effort by Curtin University student, Riyadh Al Hakimi, who co-ordinated 327 brand new children's wheelchairs for the Iraqi towns of Samara, Najaf and Ramadi.

murdochstudentsforiraq@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch and Curtin students - Wheelchairs for Iraq

Regions of Iraq are tragically challenging other regions of the world, such as Angola, for the highest proportion of amputees. The war on Iraq is leaving incredible devastation, human beings are the victims. In some regions most families are affected by disablement.

Curtin and Murdoch students are trying to send wheelchairs to assist. Curtin student, Riyadh Alkhimi organised the transport of 200 donated wheelchairs for Iraq - to the town of Najaf. Riyadh is working with an Australian Senator to have the military fly them over. Two years ago a Woodside donation of 200 wheelchairs where flown over to Iraq by a military Hercules thanks to Riyadh's rise to the occasion.

If the Hercules transport can't be achieved on this occasion we are fund raising for a shipping agent to transport them. And we are tapping on shoulders wherever in the effort of having them transported pro bono.

Once this load of wheelchairs reaches Najaf we will begin again! (this is tragic when you think about it)

(16.11.2007) The follow up to Riyadh's persistence is once again complete in achieving another specific outcome.

Riyadh approached Wheelchairs for Kids, in Gnangara, Perth, who are manufacturers of children's wheelchairs. They have kindly donated 327 brand new children's wheelchairs for the victims of the warring and devastation in Iraq.

Riyadh approached Woodside who have ensured that the container of wheelchairs would be sponsored from Perth to Sydney. Woodside offered to buy additional items for the children, such as blankets and lamps.

Riyadh approached, and through others, the Australian Defence Forces who have in a gesture of goodwill agreed to fly to the wheelchairs from Sydney to Kuwait and then from Kuwait assist in their transport and escort to the Iraqi towns of Najaf, Samara and Ramadi.

The wheelchairs have now reached Sydney and are with the Australian Defence Forces. So congratulations Riyadh, well done. (16.11.2007)

Riyadh will be in Kuwait when the wheelchairs arrive and will be part of the escort to Najaf, Samara and Ramadi. Najaf and Samara are predominately 'Shi'ite' towns, whereas Ramadi is predominately 'Sunni".

Riyadh has been to Ramadi since the conflicts began and the division between Sunni and Shi'ite is now quite stark and graven as transpired in the Balkans. Riyadh once said to me that no-one in all his years in Iraq, ever asked him whether he was Sunni or Shi'ite. People did not ask this of one another or essentially care. This has only happened, this stark division among people since the invasion and warring. It is recognised that the Hussein government was predominately Sunni but nevertheless life went on much less divisively than it is now, where now it can be dangerous to enter towns that have gone down the path of 'nation building criteria'.

Riyadh hopes his gesture of a policy of inclusion with Sunni and Shi'ite towns and his very presence in Ramadi will help dissipate the manifest divisiveness.

Riyadh is an International Studies student at Curtin University, Perth, born and bred in Iraq, and is now living in Perth, and hopes to continue assisting the people of a part of the world than has been cruelly devastated. Riyadh is known for 'giving the shirt off his back' or 'selling his car on the spot' to help those much less fortunate.

Riyadh most definitely epitomises a 'student without borders'...

wheelchairsforiraq@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for Somalia

Somali students, and anyone else who chooses to care, for Somalia. Students who care.

murdochstudentsforsomalia@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for Sudan

There are many Sudanese students at Murdoch University. Many gained access into their higher education opportunity through an alternative pathway program. Some were only in Australia for 6 months after having arrived from refugee campus. Many of these Sudanese students were in refugee campus between 4 to 16 years. Most are in their twenties, therefore most of their lives have been spent in a refugee camp.

They have not forgotten the many who are still in the refugee camps or who live in less opportunity than they do here. Awareness is imperative.

murdochstudentsforsudan@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for Tanzania

Tanzanian students wish to ensure that the youth of Tanzania has an opportunity to education. To ensure this they believe that resources are required to provide a quality education.

murdochstudentsfortanzania@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for Senegal

Senegalese students and others supporting Senegal.

Communication with the most remote areas of Senegal.

murdochstudentsforsenegal@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for Ghana

Ensuring resources to regions of Ghana. Ensuring communication.

murdochstudentsforghana@students.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for Zambia

Students who wish to ensure that schools are resourced. Students who wish to increase the conduits with Zambia and diminish boundaries.

swbforzambia@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for Indonesia

Unlike Australia, Indonesia essentially has a Bill of Rights and therefore a Charter of Human Rights can be extrapolated from this as a framework to be worked with. We're doing our best to send resources to the incarcerated of Indonesian jails, with the help of agencies and the Indonesian government.

There is incredible poverty in Indonesia, and it needs to be resolved. The class distinctions in Indonesia are razor blade divisive, as the very poorest actually have nothing whatsoever, including no voice.

swbforindonesia@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for Uganda

Uganda has been torn apart by lack of resources, lack of equitable distribution of resources, civil and regional wars, refugees and displacement of people.

The Gulu Walk calls people to note and address the needs of our siblings in Uganda.

We have sent some resources, such as a hundred recycled computers, thousands of books and other materials to Uganda. We have requests to assist orphanages, institutions, training centres, schools (both primary and secondary), universities.

We also note Kidimma Mubarak, a former Murdoch University student and Ugandan citizen who came to us with his idea of assisting where possible the impoverished primary schools of his home province, Kasese. None of these primary schools had any computers. At Kidimma's urging we eventually sent a container load of some thereabouts 100 recycled computers to Kasese Province primary schools. Once they arrived in Kampala, Kidimma ensured from this end (Perth), through his network of family and friends that the recycled computers reached the schools. One person's effort and perseverance has ensured something that has touched many lives.

Rosalie, Jasmine, Kirsten, students, brought the guerilla documentary, Invisible Children, to Perth, screened at Curtin University, screened at Murdoch University, other venues and to 800 people at the Perth Convention Centre. It is about Uganda's displaced children.

Rosalie Scolari will be coordinating more campaigns to assist displaced and impoverished people in Uganda.

People care. We need to let everyone know so everyone can have the right to care and hence exact change agency.

swbforuganda@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Curtin and Murdoch students for Uganda's 'Invisible Children'

Rosalie Scolari, a Curtin and Murdoch student, has, with others, ensured many West Australians are aware of the plight of the displaced children of the wartorn northern Uganda.

Rosalie, Jasmine and Kirsten took the guerilla documentary to all Perth campuses. It was screened at Murdoch University for two teaching weeks straight, and also at Curtin and UWA.

Dissemination continued in many forms. Rosalie, Jasmine and Kirsten ensured that many more people viewed the documentary. They organised a special event screening at the Perth Convention Centre. Amy Berson of the Edmund Rice Centre for Social Justice attended and gave a talk of her personal experiences while working in Uganda. Other noteworthy individuals with first hand experiences were invited. There was African Drum Music to lend to the atmosphere. Incredibly 800 plus persons attended, most of them university students.

rosaliescolari@wn.com.au

SWB for the incarcerated of Indonesia

Get involved in assisting the incarcerated of Indonesia. The Indonesian government has opened up the opportunity to educating as many of its incarcerated as possible.

Get on board to ensure we can optimise this opportunity and bring whatever resources and materials are required to the incarcerated of Indonesian jails who hope to alter their path with education.

incarceratedindonesians@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for the incarcerated of Australia

Australia does not have a either a Bill of Rights or a Human Rights Charter. It is difficult to guarantee the incarcerated every opportunity to maximise the best path and its means without the guarantees or clear intentions that a Bill of Rights or Charter of Human Rights may have.

Nevertheless, the lack of a Bill of Rights in Australia does not mean that providing extending every opportunity to our fellow human beings who are incarcerated in Australian jails cannot happen.

It may at times negotiation, it may mean some red tape and bureaucracy, it may mean campaigning, it may be fait accompli but we need to assist our fellow beings in a right to an education or other equivalent mediums.

It may also mean that we should be campaigning for a Bill of Rights that ensures the rights of all, including the incarcerated where appropriate.

incarceratedaustralians@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for refugees in Australia

Refugees in Australia have scored a pretty raw deal. They have been defamed and alienated. They have endured incredible hardship and lack of voice because of the Federal Government's increasing closed door stance during the last ten years.

Australia was highly regarded by the United Nations human rights committees, many of which it played a foundational role in setting up. Australia is no longer seen in this light. Australia has failed its human rights obligations especially with its Indigenous Australians, with the lack of the elimination of all forms of racism, with its horrendous stances and detention and deportation of 'refugees', with clamp down on the right to rally, protest, and voice, with its clamping down on the student voice through voluntary student unionism, with failure to ensure gender equality and its failure to sign and ratify the optional protocal to CEDAW.

Mandatory Detention is in breach of S268(12) of the Criminal Code. Only the Attorney-General can lay a charge against his own government, possibly himself and against the Minister of Immigration. In a presumably just society the laying of charges, and the case-by-case inquiry must always lay in the hands of totally independent bodies.

read the whole article at: http://www.safecom.org.au/gerry-georgatos.htm

swbforrefugees@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for policies of inclusion

Campaigning for Government, business, health, education to ensure it includes every human being. Every human being must be able to have the accessible right to all basic needs and services. Every human being must have the opportunity to live their life in good health. Every human being must be offered the opportunity to education.

policiesofinclusion@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for social inclusion

Every human being deserves the right to voice. Every human being deserves the right to be included in debates. Every human being deserves the right to respect. No-one should impose their will upon another, we need to unfold.

socialinclusion@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for access to education

Murdoch University was presumably built on the premise that it is a University built on policies of inclusion. It offered alternative pathway entrance for citizens from disadvantaged backgrounds, disrupted elementary education, from cycles of hardship and poverty.

This is a target specific campaign for Murdoch to continue with its social justice ethos, with its alternative education, its holistic education, its respect for policies of inclusion.

This campaign believes that people should be offered the opportunity for university education if they ready for university entrants. Universities should not only be about high quality entrants but rather about ready for university entrants and the goal should be by the event of graduation, we have high quality graduates.

Universities need support function and resources to ensure high quality graduates. These functions and resources must not be diminished but rather increased.

accesstoeducation@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for quality education

During the last couple of decades higher education has dramatically been eroded in terms of quality. This has been Australia-wide. It has been global but Australia is depicted as one of the worst of the OECD member states. Each University must stand up and critically argue.

murdochpresident@gmail.com

murdochevp@gmail.com

guild.murdoch.edu.au

qualityeducation@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Article from The Australian

Discover Science

SWB for accessible and quality education

Collectively the students of Australia can address the decreasing quality of higher education in this country. It is not too late. It never is. The problem is that in the meantime Australia is suffering.

Degrees means very little now. They are just pieces of paper pummelled out by Universities. Education should be for all, but it still needs to be quality education. It has been sold out.

swbforeducation@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Quality of Education

SWB for critical and holistic education

Higher education needs to be multi-disciplinary and inclusive of the critique of self, of being in the world, of society, to identity and location. The humanities are a critical part of higher education. In an increasing corporatised world arguing economics, balance sheets and an adherence to technological and instrumental science (often with an aimless force), it is ever more imperative we understand identity, location and time.

criticalandholisticeducation@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for transformative education

Education can be transformative, it can be genuine change agency, it can be sentimental, emotional and intellectual.

Education can be something more than the teaching of the ability to create, manifest, sustain fabricants and production houses which promote and indoctrinate consumption.

We are aware of the decimation that many of our production houses and industries preen. We have the capacity to transform an ailing environment, an inequitable society, the decay of humankind.

transformativeeducation@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for non-corporatised education

Universities were presumably once the bastions of philosophising, of debate, of critical thinking, of pursuance to humanistic values in terms of community.

Corporatisation closes the doors of debate, allows from an elite cream of the crop to make the decisions. Corporatisation rigorously manages its information from public and stakeholder scrutiny. Corporatisation measures products and services in terms of material and monetary returns and very rarely in terms of the value to society, civilisation and the future good.

Universities are the grassroot hopes of human rights unfolding, of the interdependent relationships within civilisation, of living in peace and uniformity.

If Universities are removed from these hopes by being corporatised then all may be lost.

Students and Staff and Academics are increasingly arguing against the corporatisation of the University instruments, processes and committees and of their peak directorial and managerial boards, such as the University Councils, Senates, and Executive Committees.

non-corporatisededucation@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for inter cultural awareness

With the emerging communication technologies and our increasing capacity to transmigrate human beings need to increase the awareness of one another.

interculturalawareness@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for intra cultural awareness

The understanding of one another starts at home, in the family, in our local communities and society, in respect to the diversity among us, in respect to the rich tapestry that makes up our own presumed cultures.

intraculturalawareness@murdoch.edu.au

SWB for equity and diversity

Equality can only be achieved if everyone has voice, if everyone has representation.

swbforequityanddiversity@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for the making of difference

The making of difference is fantastic, it is life giving but the idea that it should be universal, that it is our preferred unfolding needs to be disseminated.

makeadifference@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for capping house and room rents - REIWA & Government

There are statistics depicting rent and mortgage stress. It is now defined as more than 30 per cent of gross income.

I can state that there are people with 70 and 80 per cent of their income paid in rent. There are university students paying 80 per cent of their gross income for rent or shared accommodation.

As a result, they are going without nutritious food, basic needs, and without doctors and dentists.

For students to live further away from the rental surges is only marginal relief that is undermined by the rising transport costs, in fuel and public charges. There is no end.

We are campaigning with the argument that caps and checks are required in regards to rentals. We will campaign to REIWA and to the State Government.

Why is it everything is always backwards? Why are we more concerned in protecting the interests of the haves before we even ensure the basic needs of the have-nots?

This type of thinking is what has led to the devastation of humanity and the decimation of the environment.

Something has to be done about unreasonable rental surges with their induced poverty, the attendant stresses and deprivations, and the insurgent divide between the haves and have-nots.

If you want policies of social inclusion, if you want everyone to be able to put nutritious food on the family dinner table, if you want everyone to afford education, to have opportunity, and for all of us to live sustainably and protect this planet from further devastation and give it some hope, then it is the simple answeers that will make the difference.

swbfightinghighrents@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for formal and substantive equality

Murdoch students have long campaigned for the full implementation of formal and substantive equality.

To treat someone equally at times you may have to treat them differently. Every opportunity must be extended to people we assure the ascent to equality.

substantiveequality@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for formal and substantive equality

Students Without Borders believes that formal and substantive equality must be implemented in every University in Australia. If the bastions of higher education, these identity forming institutes, do not have formal and substantive equality policies and practices then we live in the fear that discrimination, systemic racism and racism will continue in human history longer than they should.

swbforequality@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for affirmative policies

Students Without Borders believes that in order to address inequity and injustices affirmative policies are required. These policies can expedite equality.

swbforaffirmativepolicies@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for the University's transparency and openness to consultation

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and consequent Conventions require the right to voice, participation, equality and association.

Universities will best serve the interests of humanity, in terms of policies of inclusion, by including students, staff, academics in peer review, peer consultation, organisational review and change management.

Universities need to have Senates and Councils with public galleries.

Universities need to ensure that elected students and elected academics are on all Academic Boards and Councils and peak University Boards.

Universities should encourage the development of peak Student Associations and encourage and support their professional development. Universities should encourage and support the development of a diverse spread of student societies that can represent the views and interests of their students to the peak student associations and Chancelleries and University Schools.

murdochpresident@gmail.com

murdochevp@gmail.com

involved@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Murdoch students for the University Senate to be open to the university community

Contact your Guild President to ensure that University Senate is open to the university community. Where the Senate, as a Board, would need to ensure confidentiality they have the ability of in camera sessions. There is no reason for the Senate to be in camera for the whole year.

So far 200 outraged students and many disappointed students have contacted the Murdoch Guild President about 2007 Senate devolving into a closed forum with applications required for sessional invitation to the Senate.

The 2007 Guild President, Reece Harley, has formally complained to the Chancellor, to the Senate's Governance and Nominations Committee and emailed all Murdoch students.

murdochpresident@gmail.com

guild.murdoch.edu.au

opencommunity@guild.murdoch.edu.au

SWB for consumption equal to sustainability

Population growth is considered a factor in the decimation of the earth's resources and the environment. Nevertheless, only one sixth of the world consumes most of the earth's resources and is the primary decimator of the environment.

Consumption is not equitable. Consumption by one sixth of the world is excessive, indulgent, fetish and ruinous.

Consumption and its precursor, production need to be checked.

Excessive consumption has allowed for greed, insisted on razor like divisions in humanity, and the one sixth of humanity that is addicted to it is physically and mentally ill from it. The campaign to stop this problem which has led to imbalances in our environment needs everyone on board.

commonsense@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Peace is the Way

Peace is the way to Peace. War is the way to War. Life is too short for the vain glory and delusions that have made sick the human mind.

We can contribute to unfolding peace.

peaceistheway@guild.murdoch.edu.au

Compulsory Indigenous Education/Content for Undergraduate Students

Murdoch University has recently unanimously carried a motion, put forward by SWB's Gerry Georgatos, to include substantial indigenous content in all undergraduate courses from 2010 onwards.

Students Without Borders believes that the entire foundation unit of undergraduate study should be about a real history of Australia, in terms of our First Nation Peoples, and also include cultural awareness, historical and contemporary. Or that there should be a choice of tailor made units, by the appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, as general electives but from which every undergraduate student must choose at least one to complete Part 1 of their undergraduate programs. Hence every Australian university student will eventually graduate with substantive knowledge of our First Nation Peoples.

The campaign advocates that such learning is necessary if we are to escape constructs where we govern, teach and administrate from whiteness, conservatism, elitism, etc... It's about identity formation and the national consciousness, and will allow Australians to work within a culture of social inclusion and equitable inclusion rather than by impost or intentions alone. By ensuring such an education we are also working towards the elimination of prejudices, bias, myths, misconceptions, stigma. By ensuring such an education we will be better able to understand to formal and substantive equality.

SWB advocates that there must be a substantive component of the unit dedicated to a history of what the First Nation Peoples endured:

discrimination
apartheid
dispossession
incarceration
oppression
the stolen generation
social engineering

SWB advocates that the other half the unit should include:

contemporary cultural awareness
shared understandings
understandings of current impediments and plight such as the 17 year gap in life span, health, housing and economic issues.

The motion carried by the University's Academic Council reads as follows:

"Academic Council recommends that Indigenous content will be included in all Foundation Units and that this be developed by Kulbardi and the Foundation Unit Convenor. Academic Council recommends that this should be implemented no later than the commencement of the 2010 academic year. Academic Council requests that a report on how this is being or will be achieved shall be provided to the first Council meeting in 2009."

SWB believes that this should be repeated at every university around Australia, in order that we may take the necessary next steps following Sorry Day.

swb@guild.murdoch.edu.au

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