Ecumenical Social

    Justice Group

   Western Suburbs Inc.

Journey of Healing

National Day of Healing

Report of the National Inquiry into the Stolen Generations

More Information

Stolen Wages Campaign

Inform yourself as to the background of the Stolen Wages campaign in Qld

More information & Stolen_Wages_in_the_News

Valerie Whitehead

She is right, and it takes one of the first people in Australia to remind us. Didn't Jesus preach that on the Sermon on the Mount? There would be no need for Social Justice Groups if everyone cared: peace, the environment, world trade, human rights, aboriginal issues, the homeless, children and so on...

We are fortunate to have a dedicated group of people in this Ecumenical Social Justice Group. As a social justice group, we have assisted those who, through no fault of their own, are in desperate circumstances, and we are doing our best to bring various issues to the public attention. 

We are a small group networking with many other groups and now auspicing with the United Nations Association of Australia. We have come a long way since that Little Holy Family Social Justice Group, becoming ecumenical in 2001 and now well known in the community.

Refugees

The last shipment of goods to the refugees in Nauru was dispatched in January 2004. Afterwards we concentrated on gifts of money and phone cards. Through helping the refugees on Nauru, we heard about the poor conditions of the local people and donated $500 to Kayser College where some of the refugees attended school. This helped the school to purchase exercise books and stationery for all the children.

The 'Flotilla of Hope' sailed to Nauru to draw public attention to the plight of the refugees incarcerated there. It was to be a peaceful trip carrying teddies for the children of Nauru. We helped with their request by purchasing a Nauru flag, supplying panels for the side of the boat with the messages 'Let there be LIGHT on NAURU' & 'Let there be 'LIGHT for REFUGEES', painted on each panel for all to see.  We encouraged children from the schools to collect teddies, to write messages of hope, make flowers, and gather toys and games for the flotilla to deliver to the refugees on arrival. 

Financial Support

We sent donations to Marion Le's Consultancy (volunteer lawyer) to help cover some of her legal expenses whilst representing the refugees on Nauru. Contributions were made to the anticipated costs for Hassam Ghulam to travel as an interpreter with her to Nauru. Contributions were also made to the Romero Centre and the Tiger 11 soccer team; to the Inala Elders group and to "SBICLS" - the South Brisbane Immigration & Community Legal Service.

Our support for indigenous people included $800 towards a scholarship for Claire Yeo (student) to attend a Cross-cultural Mediation Workshop on Echo Is. Gove Peninsula. She is now working in Mt. Isa on conflict resolution.

Joan Hendricks' work received money for teaching about indigenous culture and again we gave lunch boxes to Yelangi children and helped with the printing costs of "The Better Way" through the Brotherhood of St Lawrence.

Other overseas people were helped with gifts to Caritas, the East Timor Education Fund for scholarships for the children, and for sewing machines to help the women become independent.

We donated to the Friends of Sabeel to help support someone to attend a conference in Jerusalem. Our guest speakers received donations to the particular charities they represented.

Fundraising

All this required fundraising. With an appeal to the parishes, public donations were received for Nauru and East Timor. The theatre and film fundraisers were very successful. Much hard work went into Christmas decorations, which were made and sold along with several raffles.

An Easter raffle and BBQ was organised to take place in 2005 outside Bunnings store. The raffle will still take place but the BBQ had to be cancelled because we did not have liability insurance. That is now being rectified and we are arranging to come under the banner of the United Nations Association of Australia with which we have the same ideals. We have also worked on a change to our constitution to include the words "to raise and expend money for charitable purposes and other worthwhile causes" and hopefully we will be able to satisfy the tax-man that we are a charity and therefore donations are tax deductible.

Organisation

An important part of our activity is simply learning from experts in various fields and usually donating to their organisation. A visit to the Darra Mosque. An ESJG web site was paid for and organised. The MOBsta bus project (helping the homeless) was recognised and the group sent a letter of endorsement to the deputy mayor expressing a wish to be involved in this project.

Our guest speakers included:-

·    Amanda Ranger on homeless people and mental illness.

·    Denise Fowley on Catholic Prison Ministry. Constantina & Inga Pinger on East Timor .

·    Helen Carrick started her Reading for Reconciliation group by requesting some members of the group to summarise a chapter each of Ros Kidd's book "The Way we Civilise".

·    Noel Blair ( Cherbourg ) spoke on the Stolen wages;

·    Victor Hart from Hopevale spoke about Ros Kidd's research and his family experiences; and

·    Claire Yeo the student who attended Cross-cultural Mediation Workshop on Echo Is. Gove Peninsula , reported on her experience.

·    Keith Davies reported on the Flotilla of Hope;

·    Helen Findlay reporting on her trip to East Timor .

·    Mark Ralling spoke on rehabilitation programs in Qld Prisons; and

·    Father Wally Dethlefs talked to us about his role with the Homeless and Street Kids.

Lobbying

Networking with other similar groups via email allowed us to add our say to various protests. Members wrote letters, sent emails, spoke to and rang politicians and others all too often expressing our disappointment with the grave injustices that were taking place:-

·    The needs for the Homeless and the Street kids;

·    Questioning the Government regarding the oil revenue and related issues in the Timor/Arafura Sea.

·    The treatment of Refugees, especially in the Baxter Detention Centre, but occasionally expressing our thanks to those politicians with a conscience!

·    The stolen wages issue initiated from our group in 2003: Cards regarding this issue were posted to MP's in 2004. reminding them of this issue. We need to continue to explain and again bring this to the attention of the public and of course the situation regarding health, education and housing of the "First people".

Networking

We network through the churches in the western suburbs and the wider community, distribute information for newsletters, newspapers and keep people informed about social justice issues. God is truly working among us as we strive for justice in our society.

The executive has regular preparatory meetings before each general meeting. It was decided that in future we would experiment by having speakers first (7.30 pm) at our meetings and have alternative meetings without speakers for more opened ended/in depth discussion and networking.

Thankyou's

Thankyou to the Minister and members of the Baptist Church Taringa for allowing free use of their church for our regular meetings on the second Monday of each month at 7.30pm.

Thankyou to Ronan Lee for your help in allowing us to use your facilities.

I most sincerely thank the Executive and members of the ESJG for their dedication to social justice issues and their constant support during the year.

We must continue to make our voices heard on the injustices in the world today and encourage others to do so.

Thankyou.

Valerie Whitehead.
President ESJG, 14th March 2005.
E-mail whitehead@itxpress.com.au