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By Khalil Bendib

Scary deals considering our food

How new 'free' trade deal aids Monsanto

Something is looming in the shadows that could help erode our basic rights and contaminate our food. The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) has the potential to become the biggest regional free-trade agreement in history, both in economic size and the ability to quietly add more countries in addition to those originally included.

As of 2011, 11 countries accounted for 30% of the world’s agricultural exports. Those countries are the US, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Recently, Japan has joined the negotiations. Six hundred US corporate advisors have had input into the TPP.

The draft text has not been made available to the public, press or policymakers. The level of secrecy around this agreement is unparalleled. The majority of US Congress is being kept in the dark while representatives of US corporations are being consulted and privy to the details.

The chief agricultural negotiator for the US is the former Monsanto lobbyist, Islam Siddiqui. If ratified, the TPP would impose punishing regulations that give multinational corporations unprecedented rights to demand taxpayer compensation for policies that corporations deem a barrier to their profits.

My biggest worry: 
The labelling of foods containing GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) will not be allowed. Japan now has labelling laws for GMOs in food. Under the TPP Japan would no longer be able to label GMOs. This situation is the same for New Zealand and Australia. The US is just beginning to see some progress towards labeling GMOs. Under the TPP GMO labels for US food would not be allowed.
Read article

Sign up for the march in Perth on Fb

Fair Game: 3 Oct 2013

Have you ever wondered why:

• elite sports people get rewarded with free training, big salaries, screaming fans and the space to focus on becoming experts in their chosen sport…

• while our elite artists get rewarded with huge HECS bills, discriminatory? tax laws, poor salaries and the need to focus on becoming experts in latte pouring…???

If you think there is something wrong with this picture (or you just want an hilarious night out!) come along to:

Fair Game

7.30pm Thursday 3 October

Rosie O’Grady’s Northbridge

0Is sport the enemy of art in the lucky country? And can a busload of cultural refugees from Melbourne save Perth’s cultural scene before the curtain falls on it forever?

Panelists include:

• 96fm's Breakfast Host Carmen Braidwood

• A Perth actor (to be revealed)

• Veteran WAFL Footballer Terry Williams

• Paralympic Sailor Rachel Cox

$20 / $15 conc. online or $25 at the door

See www.strictlyhypothetical.com.au for more details.

Click on picture to enlarge

Bike to work challenge

The Cycle instead Bike to Work Challenge is free to enter. Anyone in Western Australia can join.
The Challenge will run from Monday 9 September to Sunday 20 October.
Start small and build up your kilometres over the seven weeks.

Sign up for the challenge here and when you are a girl, join my team: Girls on bikes

When cycling stay safe, here a very good article on blind spots: 
Turning blindVehicle blind spots and carelessness are a deadly combination. Simon Vincett reveals how blind spots happen, how to reduce them and how bike riders can stay out of harm’s way.

Chasing Ice - free screening

Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of climate change. Using time-lapse cameras, his videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate.

This is a free event sponsored as an 'ethical money' event for eco week. Details will be available on the night about how to consider climate change issues and invest ethically.    

 

When: Tuesday 29 October 6-8pm at the State Library in Perth
Register here

TED aligns with Monsanto, halting any talks about GMOs, 'food as medicine' or natural healing

(NaturalNews) Allow me to be the first to announce that TED is dead. Why? Because the group that organizes so-called "TED talks" has been thoroughly hijacked by corporate junk science and now openly rejects any talks about GMOs, food as medicine, or even the subject of how food can help prevent behavioral disorders in children.

All these areas of discussion are now red-flagged from being presented on any TED stage. This is openly admitted by TEDx itself in a little-known letter publicly published on December 7, 2012
Read article

Talking about boats...

This new government is so focused on people arriving in boats that they can't see the whole picture. While traveling through Australia we met so many people, mainly from the UK, who couldn't get a PR visa so they just came in on a holiday visa and never left. Overstayers...

Design Council

The Value of Design from Design Council on Vimeo.

The Design Council has been working with the Arts & Humanities Research Council to measure the value that design thinking brings to small businesses.

What we found is that design thinking does so much more than just make products look nicer or work better, it improves the way a business operates.

Our research found that not only can design thinking increase the range of products a business develops, but it can also lead to more inspiring workplaces, happier staff, better service and, as a result, greater customer satisfaction.

Friends of Lake Claremont fundraiser

On Saturday November 2nd the Friends of Lake Claremont will hold their 1st major fundraising event.

Every year Tania Young opens her Dalkeith garden to various charities for fundraising purposes. We have been very fortunate to secure 2 sessions on  Saturday 2nd November, morning tea from 10.30 - 12.30 and afternoon tea from 3pm - 5pm. Tickets are $35 each.

Tania's Garden is set on 5 residential Dalkeith blocks and is one of the finest private gardens in Perth. This garden is simply stunning and it features many beautiful statues and objets d'art as well as a number of beautiful ponds and a working kitchen garden.

Tickets will be available from FOLC and a number of local garden centres, details are on the poster. 

Subiaco Active Commuter Challenge

Be rewarded for cycling, walking or using public transport by entering the Subiaco Active Commuter Challenge. Go in the draw to win a $50 voucher each month by making four active transport trips per month.

You will get a travel diary to log your trips, and the diary also calculates number of chocolate biscuits burned each time you use active transport.

Prizes

·         Go in the draw to win a $50 voucher every month until December 31.

·         Commute Buddies – extra prize draw for getting a driving friend to enter the challenge - you can win a $50 voucher for both you and your friend.

·         Spot prizes for the highest number of active trips per month.

Why active transport?

People are more likely to exercise if they make it a regular part of their day. By combining transport and exercise, you no longer have to ‘make time’ to exercise:

Ø  Walking 1km to the bus every day burns 2,160 kJ per week, or 6.3 chocolate biscuits.

Ø  Cycling 3km to the train station burns 3,720 kJ per week, or 10.8 chocolate biscuits.

For timetables, public transport maps and cycling maps, visit the Challenge website.

Enter the Challenge

To enter the Challenge, you should visit, live, work or study in the City of Subiaco.

Australia's budget:

Educate yourself!

Mosaic - Take a photo on 28 Sept

Anyone and everyone in Western Australia is invited to set aside a couple of minutes on Saturday September 28th to capture a moment from their day on camera for MOSAIC, a unique photography project which captures 24 hours of life in Western Australia. All submitted photos will then be used to create an exhibition in Brookfield place this November.

Unlike traditional photography exhibitions, participants are able to use the tools at their disposal to capture their photo including smart phones, DSLRs, tablets and point and shoot cameras. There are no age restrictions, as long as you are in Western Australia on September 28, you are welcome to participate.

Here’s how to get involved:
REGISTER // August 27 - September 27
Register your interest in the project. You can opt in to receive a free text message reminder about the photo day. Register here

CAPTURE // September 28
Capture a highlight from your day on your camera, smart phone, tablet or any other tool at your disposal. Use the hashtag #mosaicprojectwa to share your photo through social media.

SUBMIT // September 28 – October 4 
Submit your image via our website or email your photo to hello@propel.org.au with your name and contact details.

VISIT // November 4 – 15
Visit your image in exhibition at the Brookfield Place Lobby.

To find out more, visit the Propel website or Facebook 
MOSAIC is proudly supported by City of Perth, Brookfield Place and Propel Youth Arts WA.

What will the next Australian government do for our environment?

Across Australia we are blessed with natural wonders and iconic wildlife.

But the places we love are being put at risk by proposals to water down our environmental laws. Industrial dumping puts our Great Barrier Reef at risk and may lead to UNESCO listing it as ‘World Heritage in danger’. And scientists say runaway climate change could lead to the loss of up to 30% of our plants and animals.

The next Australian government has a chance to address these threats, and secure a healthy and safe environment for our kids.

Where do the main parties stand?
Based on information provided by the main parties, here is how their policies for the future currently rate in terms of WWF’s priorities to protect our climate and the places we love.

Read more on the WWF website

Anti-Murdoch ad banned from television

Australia's commercial TV networks have banned an advertisement that criticises the anti-Labor coverage of Rupert Murdoch's newspapers. Channels Seven and Ten refused to air the ad commissioned by GetUp, while Nine screened it over four days in Brisbane – then cancelled it after blaming a "coding error".

 GetUp says it will report all three networks to the competition watchdog for alleged "misuse of market power". The group has accused the broadcasters of censorship to avoid displeasing Murdoch and his company, News Corp. It intends to lodge a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, claiming the networks have breached rules by refusing to supply their services.
Read article
 

Big Help Mob needs your help

So what’s next?  Let’s quadruple our efforts and complete 400 missions for Masterminds in Year Two. That’s a tonne more trees planted, gardens tidied, grannies saved and whale watching platforms resurrected in 2013-2014. More info here

Sustainable Buildings 2020

Capturing the Global Perspective - Perth

Sign up here

TALK

Jobs...

This election, vote twice.

One is for the House of Representatives, where it's increasingly likely that Tony Abbott will be made Prime Minister. 

The other is for the Senate, our house of review, to determine who will hold the PM accountable. 

This positive message is to help ensure voters understand the power of their Senate vote. The reality is, getting this message out could be the difference between a rubber stamp Senate for Tony Abbott, or a balanced house of review.

It doesn't matter which party you support. One party control is bad for democracy. More voices in the Senate means a healthier, more accountable democracy.

A good read:

Voting Below the Line in the Senate

Freo Wind Farm Pozible fundraiser

Freo Wind Farm is launching a Pozible crowdfunding campaign and you’re invited to join the party!
Funds from the crowdfunding campaign will be used to produce some videos to raise awareness about the myths and benefits of community wind farms.
Our stars for the night are:

• Kat Wilson
• Julius Lutero Trio
• Public Son

The event will be at Clancy’s Pub in Fremantle on Saturday September 14th, from 8:30pm. If you have Facebook you can RSVP here. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Standing up for what matters.

Happy Fathersday