I woke up in the morning

To a screaming storm

Ripping out doors and windows

There was nothing to keep me warm

I turned around and next to me

Was a picture of my sweet

I held her picture and to keep her warm

I cuddled up to her feet

She kept me away from sadness

With her, forever I’ll succeed

Her love, her feelings, her touches

For me, that’s all I need

Yesterday, Sat 20/9/2014 at 7.30pm; OLOL Parishioners prayed the Rosary while walking from (St Patrick’s Cathedral- Parramatta) to (Our Lady of Lebanon’s Cathedral- Harris Park). 5 Policemen were walking behind

-“Domestic Love instead of Domestic Violence” is a campaign requested by His Grace Bishop Antoine Charbel-Tarabay, spearhead by the “Aus-Leb Christian Women Community Association ALCWCA” for the sake of our Lebanese Children.

The Statistics are grim, two thousand children die in outburst of family violence each year; 140,000 are injured physically and emotionally. In at least half of these cases there is evidence of child abuse.

Do you think our Lebanese Children have the right to have a peaceful mind after what..?

It is our duty to assist in paving the way…

Many thanks in anticipation.

Mr PRESIDENT:

I give notice that on the next sitting day I will move:

1. That this House notes that:

(a) His Beatitude and Eminence Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, will be visiting Australia and will be received by the Australian Lebanese Community and the Maronite Bishop of Australia, His Grace Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, from 24 October to

7 November 2014,

(b) this visit is of the utmost significance not only for Australia’s Maronite community, but for all Middle Eastern communities,

(c) the Maronites make up the largest proportion of Australian Lebanese and they remain one of the principal ethno-religious groups in Lebanon,

(d) His Beatitude is the spiritual shepherd of the Maronite Church and an ambassador of peace and harmony for all Lebanese as a prominent figure in Lebanon and the Middle East,

(e) His Eminence was born in Himlaya, Matn District of Lebanon on 25 February 1940, he attended Collège Notre Dame de Jamhour, a Jesuit school in Lebanon, entered the Mariamite Maronite Order on 31 July 1962 and was ordained as a priest on 3 September 1967,

(f) from 1967 to 1975 he was responsible for the Arabic transmissions of Vatican Radio, in 1975 he received a PhD in canon and civil law and he also studied for three years at the Lateran University in Rome,

(g) His Eminence was consecrated as Auxiliary Bishop of Antioch on 12 July 1986, by His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir and on 9 June 1990, he was appointed Bishop of Byblos,

(h) in 2003, His Eminence was elected Secretary of the Maronite Synod and in 2009, he was appointed President of the Lebanese Episcopal Commission for the Media,

(i) at 71, he was elected Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East on 15 March 2011, after receiving more than two-thirds of the votes of the 39 bishops following the resignation of Patriarch Sfeir, and he formally requested and received ecclesiastical communion from Pope Benedict XVI,

(j) on 7 March 2012, Patriarch Rai was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and was created a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in a consistory on 24 November 2012,

(k) His Eminence is the fourth Maronite Patriarch created Cardinal,

(l) on 31 January 2013, Cardinal Patriarch Rai was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants, and the Pontifical Council for Social Communications,

(m) in February 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Patriarch Rai, being a Cardinal, became a candidate to the papacy and he participated as a cardinal elector in the conclave that elected Pope Francis,

(n) Cardinal Rai was one of four cardinal-electors from outside the Latin Church and and is also the first Maronite Cardinal Patriarch ever to participate in a papal conclave, and

(o) Cardinal Patriarch Rai was named a Member of the Congregation for Catholic Education by Pope Francis on Saturday 30 November 2013. 

2. That this House congratulates His Grace Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, Maronite Eparchy of Australia and the Australian Lebanese and Maronite Community and warmly welcome His Eminence Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East.

President Mahmoud Abbas and the Fatah movement, which he commands, have unleashed a media campaign against Hamas and the resistance. If pressure from the Palestinian public fails to stop the campaign, Abbas may achieve politically what Israel failed to achieve militarily: forcing the Palestinian presidency to choose “peace with Israel” over national reconciliation.

It appears that President Abbas has, indeed, prioritised “peace with Israel.” He has devised plans for resuming negotiations, and is still banking on American support for such talks. This is the only explanation for the current anti-Hamas media campaign.

Abbas sent his negotiators — Saeb Erekat, Majed Faraj and Maen Erekat — to Washington, where they met with US Secretary of State John Kerry a week ago last Wednesday. US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki described the more than two-hour meeting as “constructive”. Abbas then prepared to obtain an Arab mandate, which seems guaranteed in advance, for his plans from the 142nd session of the Arab foreign ministers conference, held in Cairo this week.

However, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power poured cold water over the Palestinian Authority (PA) president’s bid to obtain US backing for his plan, which he intends to put before the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly. The proposal would end the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza within three years, during which period negotiations would resume within three months with the occupying power over its borders with the Palestinian state.

“We don’t think there are shortcuts or unilateral measures that can be taken at the United Nations or anyplace else that will bring about the outcome that the Palestinian people most seek,” Power said in a press conference last week. “To think that you can come to New York and secure what needs to be worked out on the ground is not realistic.”

This clearly translates into an unequivocal US “No.” The Palestinian president’s new plan has run up against the same American wall that Palestinian negotiators have faced since negotiations were adopted as a strategic approach. The Zionist route remains the only way these negotiators can access the White House and the UN Security Council.

There can be only one explanation for this plan. It is in fulfilment of a Palestinian promise not to resist the occupation and to offer the occupying power the opportunity to agree to yet another futile round of negotiations. Such negotiations will give Israel the time it needs to turn the Givaot colony into a major settler city on the 4,000 dunams of Palestinian land that it has just seized by declaring it “state land”.

The purpose of this appropriation is to separate the Hebron and South Bethlehem governorates in the West Bank. It is also a means to deflect international humanitarian pressure in reaction to Israeli war crimes in Gaza, to evade Israel’s obligations to the truce agreement with the resistance in Gaza, and to fuel internal Palestinian tensions until they reignite once more.

It was not Hamas or the resistance that described Abbas’s new plan as a “spurious process”. It was independent Palestinian figures who expressed their views in a statement read out by Mamdouh Al-Akr, general commissioner of the Independent Organisation of Human Rights, on 2 September in Ramallah. They called for an urgent meeting of the unified leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), in accordance with the Cairo agreement of 2011, so that it can serve as a frame of reference for the Palestinian will and take critical national decisions.

Activating the unified leadership framework of the PLO will put President Abbas’s call for a “single Palestinian central authority”, uniquely empowered to “determine matters of war and peace”, into its concrete national context. Only this context can confer legitimacy on a Palestinian leadership that does not derive its authority from resisting the occupation in all forms.

Moreover, the currently missing “electoral legitimacy” is no longer sufficient in and of itself to allow Palestinian decisions on war and peace to remain in the hands of a leadership that is the product of elections that were held with the approval of the occupation power and in the framework of agreements signed with it.

The Palestinian presidency has dropped the available option of resistance from the lexicon of its negotiating strategy, let alone the option of war, which is not available. The PA, in coordination with the occupation’s security apparatus, has become “the security proxy for the occupying power, rather than an instrument to end the occupation and establish the state,” as Palestinian analyst Hani Al-Masri wrote on 26 August.

As a result, the occupying power, alone, holds the keys to the decision of war, which it continues to repeat, and to the decision of peace, which it still refuses to take.

It appears that President Abbas is working against the tide of Palestinian public opinion, as voiced in a recent survey conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) in Ramallah. According to this poll, only 22 per cent of respondents supported a resumption of negotiations, while 53 per cent said they regarded resistance as “the more effective way” to realise the creation of a Palestinian state.

The results of the PCPSR poll contradict all the charges levelled by the president and Fatah against the resistance and Hamas. Of those polled, 79 per cent believe that the resistance emerged victorious from the recent war, while 86 per cent support the defensive use of rockets.

Respondents gave very low ratings to the performance of the Palestinian president, the PA, the national unity government and the PLO, while the approval rating for Hamas was 88 per cent.

What is the substance of this media campaign against Hamas? It ranges from blaming Hamas for prolonging the war and for the consequent loss of lives and material damage, to adopting the Israeli narrative regarding a Hamas-engineered “coup attempt” against the president in the West Bank and the existence of a “shadow government” in Gaza that prevents the national unity government from functioning.

Then there are the charges of keeping Fatah members under “house arrest”, of “opening fire on civilians”, and of “selling emergency relief on the black market.” On top of these come the accusation that Hamas has violated “the law that defines the colours and dimensions of the flag.”

President Abbas’s instructions to create a “committee to hold a dialogue” with Hamas to discuss the “fate of the national unity government,” as announced by Amin Maqboul, secretary of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, does little to encourage optimism. The national unity government, national reconciliation, the Cairo agreement of 2011, the unified leadership framework that it stipulated, and the reactivation of the PLO, all stand at a crossroads.

This is because of the confrontation stirred by the systematic smear campaign that President Abbas and the Fatah movement are waging against Hamas and the resistance. The campaign has created a media smokescreen behind which the occupation authority can conceal its foot-dragging in carrying out its obligations under the truce agreement, which will probably be echoed in Israeli procrastination on continuing with truce talks due to be held in Cairo.

It should also be stressed that to accuse the resistance and Hamas of prolonging the war is to exonerate the occupation power of responsibility. The Israeli media was quick to capitalise on this, further proof of the extensive coverage the campaign has received.

Indeed, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev virtually reiterated it verbatim when he said that the Egyptian initiative was on the table from 15 July and that while the Arab League and Israel had approved the initiative, Hamas rejected it, only to turn around and agree to it a month later. “If [Hamas] had agreed then to what it agrees to now” it would have been possible “to avoid all that bloodshed,” he said.

The investigatory commission appointed by the UN Human Rights Council will most likely cite the president’s charges to strengthen the claims of the occupying power, as these charges would be regarded as “testimony of a witness from the other side.”

Abbas says that while the “final toll” from the most recent war in Gaza was 2,140 dead, “if added to the number of dead in previous wars, and those who died during the period of the Shalit problem, the number would be 10,000 dead and wounded, in addition to the 35,000 homes that were totally or partially destroyed.”

When Abbas says that “it would have been possible” to avert the human and material losses of the recent conflict he is effectively blaming the resistance, not the occupation, for the last war on Gaza and the two wars since 2008 that preceded it.

The spectre of discord once again hovers over Palestinian unity, with Palestinian opinion divided over a programme of negotiations versus a programme of resistance. This is the breach through which Arab and non-Arab “axes” penetrate into the Palestinian interior, deepening rather than mending Palestinian rifts.

* Nicola Nasser is a veteran Arab journalist based in Birzeit, West Bank of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories (nassernicola@ymail.com). This article was first published and translated from Arabic by Al-Ahram Weekly on September 11, 2014.

The Hon. SHAOQUETT MOSELMANE [10.22 a.m.]: 

I participate in debate on the St Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Monastery (NSW) Property Trust Bill 2014 on behalf of the Opposition and indicate that the Opposition does not oppose the bill, which was introduced by Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile. The purpose of the bill is to establish a statutory corporation to hold property on trust on behalf of the St Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Monastery. Before I deal in detail with the bill, I must point out that the Coptic community is one of the most closely-knit, well-structured and well-organised church institutions in New South Wales. The Coptic community looks after every person ranging from children to people in aged care. The church is extremely supportive of its members in the areas of education, health and sport. The Coptic church is an institution that really and truly cares for the wellbeing of its members.

I have had personal experience with a couple of Coptic churches in the St George area—St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral at Arncliffe and the St Mary and St Mina Coptic Orthodox Cathedral at Bexley—having had dealings with them over many years. Under the leadership of His Grace Bishop Daniel, the churches serve the community with utmost dedication. The most important feature of this legislation is that there is strong support for the bill within both the Coptic church and the Coptic community. The Opposition also is supportive of this bill as it represents an undertaking of what the Coptic church wants to do. The objects of the bill are to constitute a statutory corporation to hold property on behalf of the St Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Monastery and to specify the functions of the statutory corporation, and to vest in the statutory corporation property held in trust for the monastery, without the need to pay duty.

The bill clearly states provisions that vest property in the trust and outlines the powers of the trust. In Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile's second reading speech he made a case for the introduction of this bill. Throughout New South Wales many churches have been established by the Coptic community, which is a minority religious community in Australia. The Coptic community in the Middle East also is a minority religion, where the church originated. As many members of this House have expressed on previous occasions, the church has been subjected to suppression and oppression, but the church has withstood the pressure and consolidated its position not only in Australia but also overseas while supporting the rights of minority religious people throughout the world. The church supports people who have suffered in places such as Iraqi, Palestine and other places in the Middle East and it continues to stand by those people who suffer as a result of vilification and oppression of minority groups in the Middle East.

All Coptic organisations and religious communities work hand in hand to ensure that Australia has a harmonious religious community. I support the comments made by the Hon. David Clarke, who said that the Coptic community truly should be commended for the work it does for its citizens and for the people of New South Wales. Having said that, I reiterate that the Opposition does not oppose the bill.

 The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC.

Level 11, Room 1116.

Parliament of New South Wales

Parliament House

Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

( 02 9230 2526 || � 02 9230 2722

S.moselmane@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon. SHAOQUETT MOSELMANE [6.18 p.m.]: 

Australia's Islamic community, for reasons beyond its control, is under attack yet again. What happened on that fateful day of September 11 was not the act of Australia's Islamic community nor were the two bombings at the Boston Marathon, the killing of 31 civilians in China's western Xinjiang's region and the violent acts of Martin Bryant and Anders Breivik. For that matter, the Islamic community is not responsible for what the Islamic State stands for. Australians of Islamic faith are peaceful people in the same way that Australians of Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Shinto, Jewish and other faiths, including those of no faith, are peaceful. Australians of all persuasions want a peaceful and secure Australia.

Migrants travel hundreds, if not thousands, of miles to come to this great land to live in peace and to provide for their children a happy and safe future. We must not blame them for the deeds of others. We must work with them rather than blame them, speak to them, consult with them, respect them, and in this way we will win them onside.

Radicalised Australians sought to join the fight against the Baathist government and they were allowed to leave unchecked, some would argue encouraged to go. The research paper written in December 2013 by Edwin Bakker, Christopher Paulussen and Eva Entenmann for the International Centre for Counter Terrorism titled "Dealing with European Foreign Fighters in Syria: Governance Challenges and Legal Implications", notes that the Washington Institute for Near East Policy reported that between 140 and 600 Europeans were estimated to have gone to Syria since early 2011. In the first half of 2012, 700 to 1,400 fighters had entered Syria and by winter of 2013 most experts were estimating there were between 1,100 and 1,700 individuals from Europe. 

Others entered Syria to fight on the side of the government and some were sponsored by Iran, ( Others) Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and other regional players. The number of foreign fighters with a jihadist agenda participating in the Syrian civil war increased exponentially and alarm bells began to sound for policymakers, as they would have for our own Government. Our governments would have known and ought to have known of the probability that returned Australian fighters, hardened and exposed to war, would pose a potential threat to Australia's national security.

The blame and responsibility for the radicalisation of some therefore cannot lie with Australia's Muslim community. Our governments failed to take the necessary proactive measures prior to the radicalisation of a few of our citizens and the potential realisation of danger. Furthermore, the anti-terror laws under which this Government could have acted were already in place. People should not blame the Islamic community for what is currently unfolding. Key representative organisations are doing their best and have spoken out. The Australian National Imams Council believes that all citizens have a vested interest in the ongoing safety and security of the country. The president of Muslims Australia, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, noted that as law abiding citizens Muslims are conscious of their rights and responsibilities when it comes to the safety and security of Australia. 

Darulfatwa Australia noted that Darulfatwa's constitution rests on actively rejecting all forms of extremism, especially those who unlawfully use the name of Islam. The Lebanese Muslim Association notes that Australian Muslims are as much concerned as non-Muslims, if not more, for the security and safety of our country. Almabarat Australia notes that all Australians from all different religions, multicultural backgrounds and origins must work to protect Australia from harm. Finally, in addressing a community fundraiser in support of the Iraqi Chaldeans, a Christian community, Sheikh Azam of the Rahma Association of Australia Inc. condemned the terrible acts of terror and stood in solidarity with all innocent people in Iraq.

The rotten politics of racial or religious divide must stop. All Australians are on "team Australia" and it should not be a "them" and "us" mentality with a good guys and bad guys division. Playing to the polls on the back of your community's fears is a shameful act. I condemn the labelling. To me those who play the race card are as abhorrent as those who play the religious divide. I respect all faiths. I encourage all people to practise their religion in peace and security and I condemn those who politicise religion and speak of sectarianism such as Catholic versus Orthodox or Sunni versus Shia. It is abhorrent. For a harmonious Australia that must stop now.

The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC.

Level 11, Room 1116.

Parliament of New South Wales

Parliament House

Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

( 02 9230 2526 || � 02 9230 2722

S.moselmane@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon. SHAOQUETT MOSELMANE [5.03 p.m.]: 

I also wish to be associated with this motion and I am pleased to speak about the remarkable contribution of Governor Dame Marie Bashir, a wonderful Australian with whom I share the same heritage. Bashir translated from Arabic means "the one who brings good news", a remarkably befitting name. She has brought a lot of good news for many people around Australia. Indigenous Australians, migrant Australians, Australians suffering mental health issues and Australians from a multicultural background truly loved her for who she was. Governor Bashir is an incredible example of the strengths of multicultural Australia and the opportunities that Australia provides to those who become part of our nation.

As other speakers have already noted, Governor Bashir was proudly New South Wales' first female Governor and the first governor from any State in Australia to be of Lebanese descent. These are admirable achievements but to me just as impressive is Governor Bashir's commitment to her community before she became our thirty-seventh Governor. Governor Bashir trained as a doctor and later on continued her studies with postgraduate studies in psychiatry. Rather than follow this path into private practice, in 1987 she accepted an appointment as Director of Community Health Services in the Central Sydney Area Health Service. During this time the health service focused on childhood services, migrant and Indigenous health and services for the elderly. In her role she made a great difference to the lives of many and in 1988 she was recognised for this work and made an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Governor Bashir's contributions to the field of health, particularly mental health, have been significant, both for patients and for the way we deal with mental health in New South Wales. In 1994 Governor Bashir was appointed Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for the Central Sydney area at a time of great reform in mental health. At this time she was also a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Sydney and worked with teaching programs in Vietnam and Thailand. She has also contributed significantly to mental health services for Indigenous Australia, establishing the Aboriginal mental health units in partnership with the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern. She has also done extensive work with young people, especially those caught up in our juvenile justice system, chairing the New South Wales Juvenile Justice Advisory Council from 1991 to 1999.

These are just some of the remarkable contributions of Governor Bashir but from them we see an extraordinary woman, committed to the health and wellbeing of our community and a woman who has made a positive difference to the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people across New South Wales. I thank Governor Bashir for her 13½ years of service to New South Wales. I thank her for her time as Governor and I thank her for her other roles in our community. She is a brilliant human being, an inspirational Australian and I wish her and Sir Nicholas all the best for their future.

 The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC.

The 3rd Multicultural and Indigenous Media Awards Presentation dinner was celebrated last night at NSW Parliament with over 145 representatives from multicultural and Indigenous media outlets, joined with by many Members of Parliament, community representatives and joined together with many distinguished consular representatives to recognise and celebrate the achievements of multicultural & Indigenous media.  

The night was made extra special with the presence of The Former Premier the Hon Bob Carr and of course with the presence of a number of parliamentary colleagues including amongst others, the Hon John Robertson Leader of the Opposition and his Deputy the Hon Linda Burney who delivered welcome to country. 

“The third annual Multicultural Media Awards, now proudly re named the Multicultural and Indigenous Media Awards celebrates the achievements of remarkable people in multicultural and Indigenous media”.  Mr Moselmane said

Today multicultural and indigenous journalists have the capacity to bring news to every household like never before.  They also break down social and cultural barriers as well as prejudices faced by new and indigenous Australians alike.” Mr Moselmane said

Multicultural Media and Indigenous media combined have become a wonderful and effective tool for dissemination of information empowering migrant and indigenous communities. 

This empowerment of Indigenous print, broadcast and other news mediums, are engaging our nation, and, importantly, has highlighted stories long untold, stories of hardship, stories of oppression and stories of injustice brought upon our First Peoples.

“You as Indigenous media have given great urgency to the rights struggle of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and for that you must be commended.

“Indigenous media, focusing on the challenges faced by First Peoples of this continent, helps in elevating the struggle and highlighting the inequalities for all to hear, see and read”. 

“Finally congratulations to the award winners and I encourage all to participate in the 2015 MIMA”. Mr Moselmane Said.

Shaoquett Moselmane is the Chairman of the Multicultural and Indigenous Media Awards Inc. 

Contact: Shaoquett Moselmane 02 9230 252

The Award Winners were:

Category Winner and Media Organisation

Journalist of the Year Malarndirri McCarthy (NITV)

Kumud Merani (SBS Radio’s Hindi Language Program)

Photographer of the Year Romeo Cayabyab(The Filipino Australian)

Freedy Handa (The Indian Telegraph)

News Reporting Maja Jovic (Neos Kosmos)

Geoff Bagnall (National Indigenous Times)

Editorial Reporting Mr Gerry Georgatos (The Stringer)

Dr Woolombi Waters (National Indigenous Times)

Coverage of Community Affairs Miss Lok Hei (Feemi) Lai (Sing Tao Daily)

Online News Coverage Mohamad Taha )Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

MIMA Hall of Fame for 30 Years of Service Mr Paolo Rajo (La Fiamma)

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR 

Ms Malarndirri McCarthy: Executive Producer of NITV nightly news and experienced journalist. Leads SBS’s NITV nightly News with a distinctive edge to Indigenous reporting, and also presents and produces ‘Week in Review’ – a dynamic weekly wrap of Indigenous stories.  Former ABC newsreader and journalist and former Parliamentarian and Cabinet Minister in the Northern Territory.  

Ms Kumud Merani: Accomplished journalist, documentary maker, author, actor and SBS’s Hindi Language program Executive producer. Kumud dedicated many years of professional commitment to multicultural broadcasting.

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 

Mr Romeo Cayabyab: Photographer, editor and producer of The Filipino Australian’s winning entry of Walk for Respect, It’s Story in Photos, from the “The Walk for Respect” march in Lakemba in early 2014.  The photos were published in The Filipino Australian and on the web to inform the readers and social media followers about retention of Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Mr Freedy Handler: The winning photo (Bar Bombay) was published on the cover of the Indian Telegraph.  It captures a Bollywood dancer member of the Indian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.  The photo illustrated a special report supporting Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Indian community at Sydney’s Mardi Gras 2014.

NEWS REPORTING: 

Mrs Maja Jovic: Reporter from the Neos Kosmos. Her winning entry was entitled Family Violence Confronted (In Victoria), a story which focuses on the high level of unreported family violence experienced by newly arrived migrant families, in particular the Greek community.  It also explores the Victorian Government’s action to protect women and children and victims of family violence.   

Mr Geoff Bagnall: Reporter from the National Indigenous Times. His winning entry was Warning another Stolen Generation looms as Grandmothers fight to save their families.Geoff’s story highlights the anguish of grandmothers of children who were removed by child protection services in NSW, and their placement outside of their culture instead of with suitable extended families.  It articulates the need to prevent another stolen generation and apology by the Prime Minister.

EDITORIAL REPORTING

Dr Woolombi Waters: Reporter from National Indigenous Times, winning title was Our greatest concern is creating Unity. Dr Woolombi Waters’ brave, visionary and inspiring editorial explores how the Indigenous community can move forward.   He asks his people to question what the legacy hey want to leave future generations of Indigenous Australians. It is a powerful report on reconciliation both within Indigenous communities and between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Mr Gerry Georgatos: The Stringer, with winning entry:  What will it take to end Aboriginal disadvantage and inequalities? Gerry Georgatos’ editorial blends  years of investigative news reporting and feature writing, reflecting on hundreds of visits to communities. His answer on what will it take to end Aboriginal disadvantage and inequalities?  A multitude of voices in a humanity born out of respect and difference. 

COVERAGE OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

Miss Lok Hei (Feemi) Lai:  From the Sing Tao Daily Print, with winning entry: Chinese community stood up against the proposed changes to Racial Discrimination Act.  The piece provides an in depth coverage of the Federal government’s attempt to amend Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act in March, leading up to the abandonment of the amendment in August.  It canvassed a wide range of opinions from the community, public consultations, Politicians and others; revealing the dynamic issues arising by cleverly surpassing the language barriers.  

ONLINE NEWS COVERAGE 

Mohamad Taha: Journalist from the ABC, with the entry: Teachers, pupils on mission to tackle racism in Australian schools. This multi-media online piece articulates its treatment of racism in schools.  It provides a good online resource to help young people overcome racism using hip-hop.  It examines, the roots of racism, existing programs, effective strategies, successful models, the role of government, anti-racism organisations, and what students think should be done as they talk about their first hand experiences.

MIMA HALL OF FAME

MIMA Hall of Fame for 30 Years of Service proudly presented to Paolo Rajo for services as a journalist, La Fiamma in the presence and support of Armando Tornari. La Fiamma first edition was published on the 15th April 1947.

Saturday, 2nd of July 1960, 2AM

The bundling clouds of humidity in the skies released their earsplitting thunders over the neighborhoods of Brooklyn. Within seconds the soft ticking began surfacing around David as the rain drops began their attack on the street and parked cars in front of him. Despite the fact that an umbrella seemed like a logical standby instrument to take in his directionless ride he lacked the energy or even patience to go back to his apartment and pick it up. The insomnia was butchering his nerves as it deprived him of much needed sleep that he rarely enjoyed during his hectic work days at his office. Soon the cool drops of water were sending chill waves down his spine as he opened the door of his Impala and stepped in. Deep thuds surfaced all around him in the vehicle as the showers picked up in severity and hammered the structure of the car. Obviously the storm controlling the skies was strong and had much still unannounced.  

David steered the car down the wet streets battling with his edgy nerves that kept him awake till now. Diana's anguished yells and blood that thrashed all around her as she was eaten up alive by the beasts were flashing in his mind rendering him in total shock. NYSD and the OCC Department have a long history of combating crime and the biggest mafia connections that ever existed in New York. Over the past decades many agents lost their lives in the line of duty as the big timers and their operations were neutralized. However when they came down their organizations broke down and many of their middle men re-cultivated the grounds and re-organized their own businesses inheriting their leaders' seats. NYSD and its forces are now fighting smarter crime that has adopted the mentalities of the old and mixed them with the briskness of new blood. But never have they faced the blood curdling challenge that their present case brought to their offices. 

David was the Chief of Department at NYSD. During his career he encountered extensive trainings that helped him deal with the vast and varying number of cases that were registered in his portfolio. Never leaving an assignment unfinished his successes were an integral part behind his promotions during his career and also the reason for his notorious reputation in the crime filled sectors of New York during the forties and early fifties. The hear say around him was that when he was out there searching for something he would resemble an unstoppable bulldozer till he got what he was looking for. His appointment as Chief of Department did confine him to longer office hours but things were rapidly changing after Diana's massacre. 

Usually drug dealers placed all efforts in keeping a low profile during their operations and in hiding their tracks so nothing would be left leading to them. However as much as they tried hard evidence was always uncovered especially when their drugs were sold on the market. A lot of loose ends used to come up when drug addicts sometimes were caught and sent to the interrogation table. Conversely the card dealing in the game their new adversary was trying to play on their table was totally different. The only thing that crippled the motivation of any police or military force is fear, and not any kind of momentary fear; psychological fear and terror that would tear down a soldiers will for any up coming battle; the kind of fear that would render him weary with clouded senses as he approached the battle grounds. It was a good thing that he chose to watch the tape along with the captain only and not an extensive audience, or else the outcome would have been devastating for the spirits of the entire NYSD and OCCD. The general that dealt those cards was an influential person with huge understanding in military and security tactics. He was an adversary that had to be approached with caution, calm nerves and cunningness. "General William Canons, you are dealing with someone of your own size and not the small guys. You are dealing with the Chief of Department at NYSD, the chief of the biggest police force in the US." He thought. "You played your cards. Now it's time for some aces from the bulldozer."

 Another series of thunderclaps shuddered the vast skies above awaking him from the deep thoughts he was in. He suddenly became aware that he was crossing the Brooklyn heading towards Manhattan at eighty miles an hour. He slowed down with a wave of embarrassment washing over his disturbed disposition at the thought of himself being stopped by the patrols for speeding. The news will get around very quickly and it would be one hell of a welcome for him at Headquarters. The journals tomorrow would probably scream with the morning headlines that will be close to "Cops needed to monitor thee cop?!" He will never be able to step into the office for a full week from the teasing and remarks. "Mistake detected in the proper time," he thought.  

The lights of the down town districts up front flickered brilliantly while his car cruised at a more moderate speed along the long suspended roads. "Heiro what exactly?" Are you Hieroglyphics Restaurant at Madison Avenue? It was an averagely acceptable four stars premise with a calm atmosphere offering an extensive Egyptian Arabic menu. Or are you Hieroglyphics antiquities which sold a wide selection of legally acquired antiques? Are you Hieroglyphics for Architectural Designing?" Hieroglyphics counted five names in the telephone directory with preliminary investigations showing that all five were owned by people whose first names were Bruno. But if a drug dealer wanted to camouflage his real dark trade, he would do so by running probably an exquisitely stylish business clothing him with some deterring decency. Perhaps the other two options were prime time for investigation; Hieroglyphics fashions…and Hieroglyphics jewelry.” Somehow his inner tuitions sparked with the thought of the latter two businesses. Monday would hold for him more extensive investigations of the five places with a special approach on jewelry and fashions. 

Gradually his hands that were randomly steering his car brought him to a lively section of Broadway. Powerful illuminations lit the streets announcing the different produces the area has to offer. The signs of the ceaseless enchanting theaters of fame blended miraculously with the glowing commercial advertisements flooding the streets and cars with spectrums of white, red, orange and yellow. The sidewalks swarmed with crowds of socializing people as the late shows and movies were still in progress. Breathtaking luxury vehicles at times paralleled with the average on the busy streets dwarfing their importance. This was the magic of Broadway's long street that intersected with the different antique and modern neighborhoods that were spread throughout Manhattan. It was a world in perfect constant renewal with an untarnished historic heart still pumping with life in its eventful properties.

Suddenly David pulled to the right and parked his car just half a mile before reaching Time square. He stepped out of his car and looked up dazzled at the brilliant sign that was flashing, "Hieroglyphics Movie Theater." It was a luxury new premises that probably still wasn't processed by the commercial data basis when he asked for a scan on places holding the name Hieroglyphics. His mind instantly glowed with understanding. Nothing veiled any possible illegal swaps better than the dark blankets of a movie theater. He checked his clothes as he decided to enter. He was wearing a light blue short sleeved shirt and white trousers. Not bad for a night at the theaters. 

He walked in to the main entrance and stood at the ticket booth that was situated just to his right. An obese bald man with a tan complexion sat behind a narrow windowed ticket counter. He was wearing a red shirt and black trousers. His rounded face was distinguished by striking chubby cheeks hanging down at both ends and his neck seemed to diminish from his obesity. He calmly stated in a very broken French accent as he saw David step in, "You're five minutes late sir. I'm very sorry…"

David immediately put on a very depressed face and commented, "Damn it. If it wasn't for that flat tire? When is the coming show?"

"At four."

"I came especially from Brooklyn to see Monroe's Some Like It Hot. This is the first time I come to your theater. I will tell Bruno he has quite nice premises here."

The bald personality stood up and portrayed a more attentive disposition, "We've been in business for only three months sir. Mr. Bruno is inside with his party watching the movie as we speak. They say he knows Ms. Monroe personally."

David replied confirming, "As I can remember Bruno knows a lot of people, I can assure you. It's been quite a while since I've seen him as I was on travel for a while."

"Perhaps it is only appropriate of me to inform him of your presence…"

David snapped back, "Of course not. It would be rude of me to interrupt him. It's best I visit him at home tomorrow or the day after. Does he still have that fine place at Park Avenue?"

"Yes he still lives there."

A gasp almost slipped from David at the coincidence. Park Avenue was a wild guess. He thanked the gentleman and departed very content with his discovery. Every single police tuition inside of him assured him that this is the Bruno he was after. 

In seconds he was on the road again traveling through Times Square thinking about the next step. For certain it was going to be a painful step but he had to do it. And to make things worse he had to be cured within ten days maximum. "The wounds would have to be two minors ones but enough to create a small disillusion. 

He sped down towards Broadway Medical Institute and parked a few feet away from the establishment. Dr. Steward should be still on duty. He could rely on him to treat him secretly. He was a very close friend and knew that his line of work sometimes held the unpleasant. He will for sure understand. He paused for a few seconds gathering as much courage as possible for the upcoming moments. He took out a piece of cloth and placed it in his mouth then picked up the razor he always kept for emergency protection in his wallet. His teeth bit fiercely into the cloth from the pain as he felt the razor slice his right cheek. A river of blood flowed down as he did the same to his left side. His eyes began tearing massively as the razor bit into the flesh of his left arm. That was enough. He opened the door of his impala feeling weary and breathing heavily as the fountains of blood drenched his blue shirt and white pants. Within seconds he was screaming for help at the door of the emergency room.   

*****

Tracy eyes filled with tears as the lengthy black haired Arabian wearing classical Sinbad clothes opened the glass door for her welcoming. He politely stated in choppy unaccented English, "You are most welcome ma'am. However if you don't have reservations it’s a full house in there."

She answered back courteously, "My party is waiting inside thank you. I'm sure you know Mr. Chase Tanning?" 

He gestured her to proceed, "Of course ma'am, wishing you a pleasant time."

She wiped the wet lines on her face with a tissue and proceeded down the long red carpet path that contained a number of exotic reddish pottery vases at its sides. The vases were significantly big enough for a human being to hide inside them. The infamous Arabian Night's tale came to her mind when the forty one thieves were drenched with wine while hiding inside equally lengthy vases rendering them unable to steal. It was one captivating story indeed. 

Her elaborate lengthy black evening dress bounced around her legs as she took her soft strides towards the restaurant’s dining room. Arabian soft music blended with chattering arose in the distances. Fine perfumes saturated the air around her and refreshed her weeping soul. The spacious two leveled lively room boomed with gentlemen in tuxedos and ladies in stylish evening wear. Bright streaks from the elegant feminine jewelry flashed sporadically across the room as she looked at the smiling and laughing guests seated at their tables. Attractive waitresses in Arabian styled colorful negligees and feminine slippers shuffled between the tables attending to the orders. The walls were all covered from end to end with sand bricks laced with black lines at their intersecting edges while the ceiling and grounds were covered with huge colorful Bedouin canvases. The linen-less brown wooden guest tables that were supplied with archaic benches were full of food served in wooden dishes and pots. Even the cutlery was wooded except for the steel blades of the knives that were shining under the strong chandeliers of the restaurant. Tracy felt as if she had just moved back in time as her eyes bounced back and forth between the seated socializing crowds. 

She was surely to find him as his butler assured her that he was due to dine at Arabian Evenings. Mouth watering aromas of barbecued Shish Kebab and alcohol rose as she passed the tables. A waitress standing besides a table sandwiched six rotisseries full of shish kebab rolls inside a large loaf of Arabic Bread. She pressed the rolls with the upper half of the bread and gracefully withdrew the rotisseries leaving the rolls inside the loaf. Another waitress was furnishing a couple sitting on a small table with a selection of green salads and the famous Lebanese Fatoosh. Full plates came and empty ones rushed to the kitchen continuously as she walked the narrow isles between the tables till she finally spotted him seated alone at a two seater table in a far corner. 

Chase Tanning was a bald man with an average height and strong muscular build. His oval face contained normal symmetrical features aside from his thick mustache and complementing thick eyebrows. He had catching blue eyes and maintained an oily tan complexion. A very powerful man with an eventful past he successfully ran operations at the Government Bureau of Investigations since his appointment as GBI Director six years ago. Involved in the down cline of crime and mafias in many turbulent areas across the US he was honored for excellent achievements several times by his superiors. However one quality made the GBI the least wanted party for business in the crime investigation field. A stubborn one man showiest, Chase and his policies were a nightmare for the other state police departments when engaged with his offices for crime cases. Unending complaints about the GBI's devastating team player performances were filed. Despite the disapprovals the success of Chase's staff covered up for his bad quality and pleaded for him at his superior's offices enraging the other security chiefs that were forced to deal with his unchanging policies. In reality the Vincenzo Drug Massacre was the first and only failure to ever meet Chase during his long security career and the only one that brought him close to being discharged of his duties. Upon receiving a firm letter of criticism from the US president Helen Evergreen, he softened up on his one man policies and a more comfortable atmosphere prevailed between him and the other security departments afterwards.        

Chase was busy slicing up the spiced grilled chicken that was on his table. He looked up as he saw Tracy approach him and stared at her with a questioning look. Four well built guards suddenly stood up from different surrounding tables and rushed towards her barring her from Chase. One of them firmly commanded, "You can see Mr. Tanning in his office please." The entire operations in the restaurant stopped and all was staring at the incident with curious faces. 

Tracy looked at Chase and pleaded nervously, "Mr. Tanning I have to see you. I'm Tracy Lukas from NYSD."

His eyes suddenly glowed with knowledge but a contrasting frown swiftly crept upon him afterwards. Despite his disappointment he stood up and shook hands with her. 

"Won't you have a seat Ms. Lukas?" He looked at the guards and requested calmly, "Please retreat to your seats gentlemen and enjoy your dinners. Ms. Lukas and I are old acquaintances."

Tracy released a sigh of relief and seated herself across from him explaining, "If I had known how you rolled around these days I wouldn't have dropped by without any prior appointment; but there is something very important I wish to talk to you about Mr. Tanning."

He concentrated on his plate as he forked a slice of chicken then looked at her replying indifferently, "I am forced to take certain precautions Ms. Lukas as my success in my job has angered a lot of people. However if this is about business call my secretary for an appointment tomorrow. I'm here on recreational purposes, as you can see."

"Look Mr. Tanning. I know the complications that rested after the Vincenzo case weren't at all pleasing but…"

Chase looked straight at her and interrupted with a smile trying to cover his impatient disposition with her, "Ms. Lukas I can assure you I'm well over that. Now if you please I want some peace while I continue to eat. I'm paying some handsome money to enjoy the pleasures around here. Just arrange for an appointment with my secretary…"

   Tracy replied absorbing his temper excellently, "If you are over that case the better Mr. Tanning because the case at hand doesn't give me time till tomorrow. It's of utmost urgency." She took out the small reel of film in her purse and placed it on the table. "Someone sent this to us and it made me and David freak out."

Tracy felt relaxed as the reel caught Chase's attention. He studied commenting, A Cine film?"

"Watch the contents at first in total discretion. It’s a warning for the entire security system we have to literally back off and…" Tears made there way back into her eyes as she paused. Chase's attitude softened a bit as he noticed her despair. He calmly asked, "Tracy what is it?"

"I cannot find words to describe the pain she must have felt. The bloody massacre of a colleague of ours is on that film."

Chase gasped at Tracy's announcement. He immediately ordered the check and left the restaurant silently leaving Tracy behind with her regretful tears. "Is there a way out of my guilt? Lord forgive me. I had no way of knowing," she thought as she looked at Chase get sandwiched by his guards and disappear down the isles. 

*****

The Brazilian Mermaid stood silently in the Hudson waters that were adjacent to West Side Highway while the boom of the rotating crane moved its load of containers onto the trailers that were parked on the Manhattan docks. Once the steel chains unwrapped their load, the truck secured its cargo and took off making way for the next cargo lifter to park in its place. The workers securing the chains around the weighty steel worked restlessly in an attempt to finish the three thousand tons of load that were supposed to be trucked to the generals stores in the shortest time possible and thus avoiding a delay till tomorrow. If all goes well the night time would be used to open the two secret compartments embedded within the ship's structure to unearth its antique valuables. An Egyptian bust of Cleopatra the VII Philopator and a Rembrandt waited in carefully sealed packaging for their seekers. 

David and Tracy checked their clothing for the last time before they stepped out of the car that was parked off a distance from the pier. David was in a simple white shirt, blue denims and boots while Tracy was in a sexy hot red dress with a low cut neckline revealing her bust line. They immediately split up and walked in opposite directions like total strangers. Within short moments David was walking towards the busy work sight at the pier eyeing the Brazilian Mermaid discharge its cargo. Ivan was waiting at a distance besides the trucks that were commuting on the docks. He was wearing a blue overall and white shirt as he attentively watched over the operations at hand.

"Rendezvous point achieved; now it was time for Tracy to show up." he looked around to see her coming towards him with brisk strides. He jogged at a distance near Ivan and waited displaying a worried face. 

"Jack you bastard!!!"

David crouched a little bit as Tracy hurried towards him. Her short hair bounced sideways behind her head and her breasts danced superbly as her determined steps brought her close to David. She gave him a royal strike with her purse on his back and yelled out, "You no good bastard!!! They came and took the living room!!! You promised there would be no more gambling you bastard!!!"

David crouched behind his arms as he answered out loud, "I swear I quite!!! I didn't gamble last week at all!!! That was from a game last month.!!!" Suddenly a couple of heads turned including Ivans' as Tracy continued to yell, "There is no more furniture in our apartment you good for nothing lazy cow!!!" Tracy gave him another banging with her purse, "They took everything!!! You don't even have a job!!! From where are we going to live!!! My job barely pays off the rent!!!" Tracy raised her purse to hit David again but he dashed off towards Ivan who immediately spread his elbows out trying to stop David, "Please tell her to stop sir!!!"

The giant exclaimed in a Russian crisp accent, "It's not my problem. Leave before I have my men throw you out!!!"

David hid behind Ivan's huge back while Tracy ignored Ivan's comment and stretched out her arm around Ivan attempting to strike David. Ivan spread out his arms and tried to separate them repeating, "Go solve your problems away from her!!!" The crane stopped its rotating and the workers on the ship and around the loading site stood interested in the brawl. Tracy continued screaming, "Don't come back tonight if you don't have a job. I don't care of you have to work in an all ladies striptease bar. Get a job you useless cow!!!"

David suddenly looked at Ivan and pleaded, "She's going to throw me out of the house. Don't you have a job for a strong bloke like me sir?" Ivan indifferently swooped them away with his huge arms saying, "Sorry I don't" He watched as they walked away fighting and arguing till their voices minimized to faint murmurs in the distances. He looked back at the labors that resumed their job on the ship. Suddenly voices erupting in the distances at the high way grabbed his attention again. He looked as Tracy began banging David again with her arms and screaming at him. She walked away leaving him standing by, his face towards the ground in total despair. 

Ivan gave him a strong evaluating look and thought things over for a moment's time. He did have work for such a strong muscular man, especially at the stores. They were also preparing to travel to Jordan in a short while. They needed man power. It's true he would pick up with him slowly till he researched his background carefully. But the thing was worth a try. He finally decided to approach him. He called out, "Hey you over there!"

David looked towards him then hurried up to him, "Yes?"

"Maybe you and me can talk a little bit." David's heart skipped a beat as he heard Ivan's words. He was in!

*****

Ivan entered the general's handsome two story estate that was situated peacefully between the exquisite properties of East Side Park Avenue. He passed the spacious ground floor living rooms that were filled with the infamous Louie the sixteenth styled furniture. He climbed the marble spiral staircase that was situated in the middle of the premises and slowly walked down the long corridor of five bedrooms towards his room. Exhausted and heavy-eyed he opened the door and entered into the room thinking of nothing but the good sleep he was about to savor till the dawn hours when the night operations were to begin. As he removed the covers to lie down he spotted a closed envelope on top of the bed sheets. He searched and retrieved a small piece of paper with number codes on it: LXI/LXXXI/LI/LI + VII/LXLI /XXII/ + II/XXII/XXXI/XXII/IX/LXII/LI/ + IV/LXLI/XXII/XXXI + LXLI/XXII + XLII/XXI/XLI/XXII/VIII + LII/LXII/XLII/LXI + XII/IX/XXI/XLI + LXXI/XXI/IX/XXXII/LXII/XXXI. It was the agreed upon secret codes that he used with the senator when exchanging messages.  

He took out a piece of paper and began deciphering the code. The first stage was to turn the Roman numerals into regular numbers for the convenience of the decoding. Then each set of numbers referred to a letter of the alphabet. The numbering of the alphabet was reversed, 26 referred to A, 25 referred to B. However the numbers were switched around. 26 was written as 62, 25 as 52 and so on. As the message began to take form Ivan read the words Kill. His eyes opened wide as he wrote the rest of the letters down. In short moments he read, "Kill the General when he comes back from Jordan."