Computers - prisoners' petition

NSW: Justice Action has just received a petition signed by nearly 100 prisoners of Goulburn jail. (petition at the end)

They are protesting a policy change introduced statewide by the Commissioner 2 weeks ago.

The new policy states that educational staff must supervise prisoners at all times when they are using the computers in the education classrooms. The petition states that this policy, in practice, means that access to computers will be dramatically reduced because of education staff shortages.

The prisoners say that the new policy is hindering their efforts at rehabilitation and defending their legal cases because much of the material used in these activities is now delivered on CD ROM. They say the policy is disempowering, and education is becoming a lost cause and unachievable.

We have been told that this policy is a direct result of the Middleton case, which successfully challenged the Commissioner's refusal to acknowledge his discretion to give maximum security prisoners access to computers in their cells.

Supreme Court Judge Dowd decided that the Commissioner did have the discretion and must consider it for prisoners of all classifications. The prisoners have asked us to advocate on their behalf. We need your help with gathering information to assist the challenge. Specifically, we need information on the following points:

1) What are the rules in other states? In the Middleton case he was doing two degrees at Uni of Southern Queensland in Information Technology and Engineering. He had a computer in his cell all the time without a problem until he was transferred to NSW.

2) How many years have computers been permitted inside prisons in NSW? Desktop computers in the wings/pods like Lithgow? Laptops in cells in minimum security?

3) What incidents can the Department use to justify this policy? Experiences in other states? For example, in the Middleton case, the Department said that they were a security risk because, "a computer might be used to track movements of warders and of the rosters of warders from a database on that computer."

However Justice Dowd noted that this could be done just as easily with a pen and paper, and that computers can be regularly searched for material other than approved activities.

Please let us know if you are interested in helping with this effort.

Justice Action 65 Bellevue St, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia P.O. Box 386, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia ja@justiceaction.org.au voice: 612-9660 9111 fax: 612-9660 9100

Please log into the Justice Action Web site, designed and sponsored by Breakout Design & Print, exercising good corporate citizenship.

PETITION

Justice Action
P.O. Box, 386
HAYMARKET

Prisoners of Goulburn Gaol
P.O. Box, 264 GOULBURN, 2580

Re: NEW COMPUTER POLICY

Dear Friends,

We the undersigned would like to protest a recent policy change introduced by the Commissioner of the Corrective Services Department.

The latest obstruction to the prisoner education program is the new policy that the educational use of computers must at all times be supervised by educational staff.

The policy, at least at Goulburn is unworkable due to the structure of the routine which only allows access to education to a minimum number of full time students for about 2.5 to 4 hours per day for a maximum 4 days per week.

Most of the full time students find this situation barely workable as it is. The changes in the policy now mean that teachers will not be able to supervise the students during the periods mentioned above because they have other duties to attend. This includes the needs of various yards of protection, mainstream, and races that are segregated from one another. The role of the education staff servicing the needs of all the different sections simply means that prisoners' access to the educational classrooms and computer facilities will be dramatically reduced.

Those students studying TAFE are expressing concerns. Those students studying University courses are in greater need for access to computers because most university lectures these days are on CD ROMs likewise unrepresented prisoners' (usually those refused Legal Aid) with outstanding court cases need access to computers especially those in the Supreme and High Courts where judges and Justices often refuse to accept hand written submissions.

There is also a further policy clash in that prisoners these days are supplied briefs of evidence on CD ROMs instead of the (expensive to produce) documented ones. Prisoners need reductions in the present obstacles to access educational services. The latest policy does the complete opposite by reducing access to computers and a follow on effect in not being able to access classrooms. The new policy is disempowering to prisoners who are already feeling that education and rehabilitation are a lost cause or otherwise an unachievable goal to reach.

We the undersigned students at Goulburn Gaol would appreciate it if your office could advocate on our behalf with the view that Goulburn Gaol is not the only gaol affected by the new policy. Otherwise education for prisoners will be to difficult to access and discourage inmate participation to those already experiencing obstructions to services and extreme lack of motivation.

Society would prefer that its prisoners' be released with some kind of hope and skills instead of disempowered, unskilled persons with little option, other than to re offend or otherwise be unemployable.

The under Signed (nearly a hundred signatures)

We the undersigned prisoners need to access education for use of computers to complete assignments (for part time study) or to access computers for legal purposes.

Ed: It sounds like in spite of the Middleton case the Commissioner of Corrective Services has acted with malice towards the prisoners and in direct contravention of his honour's decision about education and rehabilitation in prison, to ensure that no matter what these prisoners will not get any help, even if they want to help themselves.

I thought God always helps those that are prepared to help themselves? How could I get it so wrong? I must ask my school teacher.

Is this really how Corrective Services works? No wonder they get it so wrong and people who have no hope re-offend! At the moment 64 per cent return to prison in NSW.

COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIVE SERVICES AND MR MIDDLETON

Justice Dowd discussed the role of education in rehabilitation and stated that "it is hard to imagine a better rehabilitation tool than the gaining of tertiary qualifications of a sophisticated nature".

By Justice Action 22 April 05

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Uni chiefs see no point in Nelson's plan

The Australian Vice Chancellor's Committee says it does not see the point of putting the regulation of universities solely in the hands of the Federal Government.

Education Minister Brendan Nelson is proposing that the states and territories hand control of Australia's universities to the Commonwealth.

Dr Nelson says there would be less bureaucracy and red tape for universities if they were regulated solely by the Federal Government.

But the chief executive officer of the committee, John Mullarvey, says the Federal Government's recent changes to the sector showed otherwise.

"Unlike what the Government said it would do, and that is it said it would reduce red tape, it has increased red tape through the crossroads review," he said.

There's no guarantee that by moving it under federal legislation there would be a reduction in the red tape."

Mr Mullarvey says vice-chancellors are not convinced that the plan offers any benefits to universities.

"We welcome the debate on this issue, but I'd have to say at the outset we're not convinced that there is any real benefit in it for the university sector, or for the students, or the broader Australian community, from proposing this change," he said.

Funding

Dr Nelson says he would not expect the states to withdraw the $200 million they spend on universities if they were brought under the Commonwealth's control.

"I would be surprised if any of the states were to retreat from what they currently invest in universities," he said.

But Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is not impressed.

"Fee increases of up to 25 per cent putting unis out of reach of some students, why would we hand over these important institutions to the Commonwealth?" he said.

Dr Nelson says the states will not be forced to accept the plan.

Labor's education spokeswoman, Jenny Macklin, says centralising control of universities will not solve the more pressing problems facing universities.

"Right now we have about 20,000 qualified people who can't get into to Australia's universities," she said.

"Brendan Nelson's proposals won't do anything to create more places at our universities for those students who want to continue their education."

By Educate Don't Incarcerate 20 December 04

Professor pushes for religious studies in state schools

TEACHER: DON'T LIE TO ME!
STUDENT: JOHN HOWARD LIES.
TEACHER: DON'T BASH UP THE OTHER KIDS!
STUDENT: JOHN HOWARD KILLS MUSLIMS IN IRAQ.
TEACHER: DON'T BE RACIST!
STUDENT: JOHN HOWARD'S RACIST.
TEACHER: YOU NEED TO LEARN SOME VALUES BOY!
STUDENT: JOHN HOWARD IS MORALLY BANKRUPT.
TEACHER: DON'T LOCK UP THE OTHER CHILDREN!
STUDENT: JOHN HOWARD LOCKS UP CHILDREN.
TEACHER : WHY DID YOU GEORGE AND TONY FIGHT THE OTHER CHILDREN?

STUDENT: THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY MIGHT BASH US UP AND GEORGE AND TONY SAID THEY HAD A BOW AND ARROW AND IN 45 MINUTES THEY COULD GO HOME AND GET IT AND SHOOT US WITH IT!

TEACHER: WHAT RELIGION ARE YOU?
STUDENT: ASK A SILLY QUESTION.
TEACHER: COME ON!
STUDENT: NEO-LIBERALISM.
TEACHER: DUNCE...

A leading education expert says state schools need to introduce religious studies, [religious bondage], in their curriculum's to help address the current lack of values in education.

But is it the current lack of values in education or the current lack of values in the Prime Minister that's the problem?

Emeritus Professor Brian Hill from Perth's Murdoch University is delivering a keynote address to the Australian Council for Educational Research conference today in Adelaide.

Professor Hill says religious studies in state schools would be a step toward acknowledging the main source of value traditions that have shaped Australian culture.

"We need to appreciate that no one religion can be privileged in the state school today, but children need the opportunity to study the religious traditions that have had major influence on the society they're living in," he said.

What religious traditions have had a major influence on the society we live in? How many religions is that? How many children were raped and molested by the church?

How about real values, social skills, ethics, morality? What religion is that?

How about John Howard what religion is that? Lies and war crimes against humanity. So who is leading by the worst example?

Now you want to give children some other form of belief opposed to John Howard? Then why is that "rodent type" leading the country? And what has religion got to do with it?

Professor Hill has also attacked church schools for failing to update their religious subjects to keep them relevant to newer generations of students.

He says teachers; students and parents in both the public and private sectors must work together to prioritise educational values in their schools.

"There are gaps in the present curriculum in the study of values and ethics, certainly a gap in the study of religious education which is very chancy and patchy across the nation," he said.

"Some do it well, most don't do it well and these are things which should be regarded as part of the process of curriculum development."

THE EMPIRE OF "THE CITY" (World Superstate) part 1
THE EMPIRE OF "THE CITY" (World Superstate) part 2

But Western Australia's Education Minister, Alan Carpenter, has dismissed the concerns.

Mr Carpenter says he finds the comments offensive.

"It's a ridiculous beat-up by someone I've never heard of and I wonder how long it's been since the person has been inside a state school," he said.

"Morals, ethics, values are embedded in everything that's taught at schools and if Professor Hill doesn't know that then it amazes me that he describes himself as a professor of education."

TEACHER: What Professor Hill needs to do is Vote 1 The Greens next Federal Election.

STUDENT: How long is that?

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State Councilor and Former Chinese Education Minister Sued for Torture and Killing of Teachers and Students

TANZANIA ¬C A State Councilor and former Minister of Education who utilized the Chinese education system to indoctrinate teachers and students against Falun Gong ¬C inciting untold violence ¬C has been sued for torture and extra judicial killing in a Tanzanian court.

The civil suit was filed on July 19th as the former Minister of Education, Ms. Chen Zhili, was visiting several African nations. The suit was filed on behalf of Falun Gong practitioners. Chen was summoned to appear before the Tanzanian court.

As the representative lawyer stated, we request that the due process of the law will take course, and that justice will not only be done, but be seen to be done. This we hope will act as a difference against further persecution of peaceful and compassionate practitioners of Falun Gong.

The suit is the latest in a string of lawsuits in over a dozen countries filed against senior Chinese officials known to have carried out former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin's orders to "eradicate Falun Gong."

Between 1999 and 2003 as Minister of Education, Chen launched a Cultural Revolution-style campaign throughout China's education system ¬C including graduate schools, colleges, middle schools, primary schools, and even kindergartens ¬C ordering teaches and students to undergo "political shaping of thoughts" with respect to Falun Gong.

Amidst the campaign, teachers and students who practiced Falun Gong were often sent to brainwashing centers where they underwent psychological and physical torture.

Sixty-one are known to have died as a result.

"We would like to give credit to the government, the legal system, and the people of Tanzania for accepting this lawsuit and enabling justice to be done," says John Nania, a Falun Gong practitioner from the U.S. who is assisting with the lawsuit. "It is a historic contribution to the international community and people in this part of the world can rightly be proud of this."

The suit against Chen comes less than a month after a Falun Gong practitioner was shot in South Africa shortly after arriving in the country to assist locals in raising awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong, as well as the particular role of two Chinese officials, Vice President Zeng Qinghong and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, who were visiting South Africa at the time.

Zeng and Bo are known to be responsible for murder and torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Contacts: Mr. Jie Liu, 082-9543505 (South Africa) Mr. John Nania, 1-612-237-3232 (United States)

BACKGROUND:

What is Falun Gong?

FALUN GONG (also called Falun Dafa) is an ancient form of qigong, the practice of refining the body and mind through slow-moving exercises and meditation. Yet Falun Dafa is different from other qigong practices in that it goes beyond the pursuit of health and fitness to the goal of wisdom and returning to one's original, altruistic nature.

At the heart of the practice are the principles: Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Through a combination of studying the Falun Dafa books and performing the exercises, practitioners strive to become better people by embodying these principles in everything they do.

The Evolution of Falun Dafa

Falun Dafa was introduced to the public in May of 1992, when Mr. Li Hongzhi gave his first lecture in Changchun City, China. Soon afterwards he traveled with several students to the Oriental Health Expo in Beijing where Falun Dafa earned several awards, prompting organizers to invite Mr. Li to give several lectures on the principles of Falun Dafa. During the following two and a half years, Mr. Li lectured on invitation in almost every major Chinese city. Since 1995, Mr. Li has traveled to countries around the world to give lectures and answer questions. All lectures have been free and open to the general public. By the middle of 1999, Falun Dafa was practiced in over 40 countries around the world.

The Persecution of Falun Dafa in China

Many Chinese leaders applauded the health benefits the practice brought to the nation, but Communist Party head at the time, Jiang Zemin, grew fearful of such a large number of people practicing andÁ»believing that the peaceful nature of Falun Gong made for an easy target banned the practice in 1999. Failing to "eradicate Falun Gong in three months," as planned, Jiang intensified the campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.

Over 200,000 have been detained without due process, over 100,000 held in forced-labor camps, and at least 1,000 forced into mental hospitals. As of August 2, 2004, 104 deaths have been verified since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Due to extreme difficulty in discovering and verifying information in China related to wrongful deaths, the true death toll is most likely much higher.

"Intensifying the Campaign Overseas"

Soon after Jiang began persecuting Falun Gong in China, the international community reacted by condemning his actions. This response put pressure on Jiang to end his anti-Falun Gong campaign. Jiang, however, responded by issuing a directive for "intensifying the campaign overseas." Thus, Chinese embassies and consulates around the world began escalating efforts outside China to stamp out support for Falun Gong and to disrupt or have Falun Gong activities banned. Practitioners have also been harassed and physically assaulted, had their passport renewals denied, and been illegally monitored.

Chinese Leaders and Media Sued in World Courts

In countries around the world, Jiang and other high-ranking officials are facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. During the past two years, lawsuits have been filed in over a dozen countries, charging various Chinese diplomats, media outlets, and organizations outside the Mainland with slander, defamation, and intimidation. Countries include the U.S., France, Poland, U.K., Australia, Canada, Korea, Germany, Taiwan, Cyprus, Spain, Moldova, Armenia, Finland, Iceland, and Belgium.

By Jie Liu and John Nania posted 4 August 04

More detailed informaiton can be found at:

Falun Info

Uphold Justice.org

628 Watch.net

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ANU ignores federal governments demands

Thousands of university staff took part in a nationwide strike

The Australian National University has become the first institution to ignore Federal Government demands. Instead, 800 staff looked on yesterday as its Vice-Chancellor, Ian Chubb, signed a new Australian Workplace Agreement which gave them a 17.4 per cent pay rise over three years and 26.5 weeks paid maternity leave.

Professor Chubb said he had not heard from the federal Education Minister, Brendan Nelson since signing the deal. "I think the [new workplace] guidelines were too intrusive and I couldn't see anything in them that could actually improve the ANU," Professor Chubb said.

Dr Nelson said if the legislation was passed, the ANU would have to re-open negotiations.

The agreement was signed as thousands of university staff took part in a nationwide strike, protesting against Federal Government attempts to tie $404 million of funding to the tough new workplace changes.

About 10,000 staff, students and members of the public attended rallies and public meetings in all capital cities opposing the move. Supported by seven unions, picket lines were in place early and most classes were cancelled.

The University of NSW did not take part in the strike action because it already has a certified agreement in place, but staff took part in the Sydney rally.

There was uproar in the House of Representatives after the Government used its numbers to gag debate on its controversial legislation after only an hour, refusing to answer questions or discuss Opposition amendments.

Labor's education spokeswoman, Jenny Macklin, said it was a vitally important piece of legislation, but the Government's behaviour showed how little it cared about its devastating impact.

"The fact that the ANU Vice-Chancellor is willing to forgo tens of millions of dollars in desperately needed funding shows just how untenable and extreme the Government's IR conditions are," she said.

The leader of the House, Dictator, Tony Abbott, said that there had been plenty of time to debate the legislation over the past couple of days.

The chairman of the Senate committee investigating the Nelson package, Labor's Kim Carr, said section 19-80 of the legislation gave the Government the right to search, discover and seize university records without a warrant.

"Under this section, the secretary of the department will have the power to appoint departmental officers, or any other persons, who will have access to any premises or records of the provider for the purposes of conducting audit and compliance activities," Senator Carr said.

"It goes way beyond any other education act which requires a magistrate to be satisfied that cause exists to issue a search warrant and there is no court authority required for the minister or his officials to undertake such action."

A spokesman for Dr Nelson said section 19-80 did not provide the right to search or seize documents in order to gather evidence for a criminal prosecution.

"It provides for access by an authorised officer of the Department to a higher education provider's premises or records for the purpose of conducting compliance and audit activities related to the act," he said.

"Compliance and audit activities will be related to ensuring that Commonwealth funds are spent for the purposes of and subject to the conditions imposed by the act."

By The Workers United 17 October 03

THE TEACHER: Lead by example Dr Nelson and look at the wrath created in Iraq because of the ignorance of the war criminal, George Bush, and start to teach people how wrong it was to blow up their schools.

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Tough luck! Kicks the poor to death
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Youth Suicide

I would like to suggest firstly that starting at the root in a holistic pattern so that everyone in our community is included and a seed is planted to prevent our youth dying.

Firstly, children in our country have had extraordinary help from loving parents and perhaps for the right reasons. Hopefully the main reason is love.

However, we are all to willing to solve our children's problems, which can lead to children being stunted in problem solving areas.

For instance a child at any age can be asked to solve a problem before we suggest an answer to them. You may find that the child already has the skills required to solve their problem. If that is the case we can allow that child to solve the problem (whether we think there is a better answer or not). Unless the child asked us to help either because they do not have an answer or because they require a better way of solving the problem.

A child of six recently came up to me and said "can you open this box for me Mr?" I said Mm why dont you open it? The child said "ok" and opened the box. Therefore his parents may be opening this box at his request and not allowing the child to solve this simple task. All to willing to help because they love the child and had the time to show the child their way. Or it may simply, take a parent less time to deal with the problem. But did those parents help the child? Perhaps not, if in fact the child already had the skills.The child is not learning here to be affective at solving problems. In fact being road blocked by parents who either think it is either important to help all the time or because they have a better more efficient or suitable idea or because the parent is in a hurry.

The child is now a youth and is sixteen and doesn't make his/her school grade. Devastating to the youth's peer group and perhaps frustrating. Who knows how the youth really accepts the reality? That is why it is so important to know how to solve this loss of esteem for the youth.

The youth now is eighteen and loses his/her lover because the lover has moved on (as we do) and the same situation above may be also a problem (in this example) as well as the last (example) to move on past it by meeting someone else and accepting the loss.

Some things cannot be put to parents to solve for instance a drug dependency that has been hidden from the parents. Or in the last example even the (lover) depending on the culture and attitude of their parents.

Education Seed at the Root

At the root of course there is also a better seed to be planted in Government to prevent youth suicide.

Primarily our education system needs to be overhauled. So that ideas that are in the current literature are available to parents, friends and peers. Because parents somehow in their lives can get busy taking on a lot of commitment to get on in their lives (as we do) without thinking that there may be more efficient and new ideas to use raising children.

For instance Parent Effectiveness Training by Thomas Gordan PhD Importantly is redesigning the curriculum. For instance we need to have paramount those skills required for the children and youth to have maximum efficiency towards growth without taking to many risks and needing less resource to achieve equality. Like life skills, communication and conflict resolution together with John Howard's latest idea to improve Science and Maths. Further equal opportunity to obtain these skills.

The reason for this is that if you only depend on Maths and Science you may achieve more fiscal policy results (income from taxes) but not taken into account the inflation of loss from people who fall by the wayside not communicating or agreeing together Co-operatively to achieve a better result. If I may suggest some 5% in fact who end up either deceased or in jails.

For example try running to many sheep on a small block or farm land achieving an income without accepting that somewhere down the track the land will be worthless (inflation) and must be re purchased. The cost of course now needs to be taken off the income of the sheep to repurchase the land so you did not make as much as you first thought because the land was mismanaged. So how much income would be achieved by using our land efficiently?

A recent example is how much money was needed to be injected into the doctor patient regime whereby doctors who were highly educated still needed to notice that somehow they were not listening or getting the feedback required to solve their patients problems (sickness or ills).

Whether you're from lower, middle or upper class skills are not necessarily available to parents, friends or peers even if you have been to university level of education. Especially if we are all too willing to over help thinking we are doing our best (communicating).

Children need to be encouraged to express themselves, love themselves and communicate effectively and to resolve conflicts in order to form an agreement effectively.

For instance John is constructively feed back his achievements "I am a poet" Peter " I am a dancer". Mary "I am a pastry cook". Peers can suggest constructive criticism likes "John you're doing a great job and you have really tried hard that is so cool."

John can make an agreement and solve lots of problems in order to achieve without being frustrated to the point of wanting to end his life even if he cannot talk about his problem solving with any other person.

John may need less resources in order to achieve his goals and take fewer risks. John has a higher level of self worth and self esteem and sees himself as a dynamic instrument and loves himself. So much so that he would not want to hurt anyone elses feelings because he realises how important he is. Nor does he think he is not important enough to live.

Tantamount is that there is less inflation affecting the root source fiscally or otherwise. Like john who ends up (deceased) or in (jail) that in turn affects the macro level of resource leading to inefficiency. For Australia as a whole, or parents, friends and peers who are busy with their commitments.

We have heard it so many times.That no one had any idea that the deceased had such an enormous problem leading them to commit suicide. Even those so close to the person they loved so much.

By Gregory Kable 8 August 2001