'RIGHT NOW'

'RIGHT NOW' OPPORTUNITIES

Right Now is a volunteer, not-for-profit media organisation led by young

people focused on human rights issues in Australia.

Right Now is committed to covering human rights issues through free,

accessible, creative and engaging online, print and radio media. Its

members believe that creating a positive, rights-respecting culture in

Australia begins with the flow of information.

Right Now Magazine, which was first published in 2007, seeks to

"democratise" the human rights dialogue by presenting a space in which

everyone- not just the "intellectual elite"- can express their opinion.

Each issue, over 1800 copies of the publication are distributed free of

charge to every university library in Australia; state and federal courts

in Victoria; NGOs, community legal centres, law firms and Government

sectors Australia-wide. In addition, Right Now Radio, which is broadcast

weekly on Melbourne’s 3CR radio station, gives voice to human rights

across the community. Right Now Radio is now available as a Podcast on

3CR’s website, www.3cr.org.au, making it available to a wide range of

people.

Although a website was launched to complement the magazine in 2007, Right

Now is currently working to redesign its website to become a comprehensive

online human rights portal featuring news, information, commentary and

much more. This is part of Right Now’s commitment to providing equitable

access to information, and is an exciting new project for the team.

If you would like further information on Right Now or how you can become

involved, please contact the organisation's Secretary on

info@rightnow.org.au

MLSQ Film Night - 'Milk', Munchies and More...

So, have you guys heard?

Everyone's favourite muscle-man action figure and beefcake extraordinairre Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared an annual day of recognition for pioneering gay rights activist, Harvey Milk!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/13/2712503.htm

Those lucky Californians will be celebrating and remembering this amazing man on May 22. But we've decided to kick things off a little earlier - October 21st - with a screening of Gus Van Sant's 2008 biopic 'Milk'!

It's the first of many exciting events we've got planned for MLSQ, and it'll also be an opportunity to meet your LSS Queer Officers for 2009/10 - Lee and Chris - as well as meeting and hanging out with your fellow Melbourne Law School queers.

So come along for the movie, some awesome nibbles, a drink and definite good company. Bring your friends - gay, straight, not-quite-sure, or whatever - and most importantly, your beautiful selves.

We want to make MLSQ the most wonderful, fabulous, supportive and inclusive collective that it can be and we can't do it without you.

Can't wait to see you there!

Lots of love,

Lee and Chris.

Date: Wednesday 21^st of October 2009
Time: 7:00–10:30pm
Place: Room 222 Melbourne Law School

Queer Contacts

Law Faculty

LSS Queer Officers

Lee Carnie & Chris Summers
lss-queer@unimelb.edu.au

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=103403098077&ref=ts

Queer Students’ Equal Opportunities Liaison Officer
Lisa Sarmas
l.sarmas@unimelb.edu.au

Student Union (UMSU)

Queer Office Bearers
Claire Opperman & Ed Yap
queer@union.unimelb.edu.au
8344 4817

Queer Department, UMSU Inc
First floor Union House, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010

Postgraduate Students

Queer Officer
Paul Coates
queer@gsa.unimelb.edu.au

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/MUgsaQ

Queer Networking

Online Student Forum

This year we are launching our online student chatroom for queer students.

The forum is being hosted by Queer Uni Students Online—an independant website set up to facilitate networking between queer students across university campuses in Australia.

The Queer Officer has a profile on the forum—MULSS_queer_officer.

In addition there is a University of Melbourne forum and a Melbourne Law School forum on the same site.

How to Join

Register an account by following the supplied link, or go to Queer Uni Students Online home page and follow the links on the left hand side of the page.

Queer Newsletters

Download the latest Queer Newsletter!

Newsletter 06-08-09

Queer Officer Profile

Chris Summers is a Creative Arts/Law student passionate about queer rights, activism and the arts.

Using International Treaties for Local Change

Shadow Reporting under Human Rights Conventions

• Emily Chew of the YWCA, Project Coordinator of Australia’s NGO Shadow Report under CEDAW.
• Rachel Ball, Lawyer with the Human Rights Law Resource Centre (HRLRC).

1:00pm–2:00pm, Wednesday 6 May 2009
Room 223, Melbourne Law School

Under several important international human rights treaties, Australia accepts an obligation to send regular reports about its compliance to the United Nations. Non-government organisations can also submit Shadow Reports, giving an independent, alternative and critical view about Australia’s compliance.

Emily Chew of YWCA Australia is one of the project coordinators of Australia’s 2009 NGO Shadow Report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Rachel Ball of the Human Rights Law Resource Centre has recently returned from New York, where she was part an the NGO delegation to brief the UN’s Human Rights Committee’s Review on Australia and present a major Shadow Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) endorsed by over 250 Australian NGOs.

Together, they will discuss some of the findings of the Shadow Reports, the lifecycle of a shadow report, and the broader mechanics and merits of the international treaty reporting system, both as a method for auditing domestic human rights protections and advancement and as an instrument for encouraging international scrutiny. They’ll also outline ways to get involved with future shadow reporting processes.

Attendees are invited to RSVP on Facebook or via the Melbourne Law School events website.

For further information and for other Social Justice Seminars, see the Social Justice section of our site.

An Australian Human Rights Act: Dispelling the Myths

A public lecture featuring The Hon Catherine Branson QC, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

6:00pm–7:00pm, Tuesday 19 May 2009
Room G08, Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham St, Carlton Vic 3053

In December 2008, the Australian Government announced a National Human Rights Consultation. The Consultation is being conducted by an independent committee during the first half of 2009, and is asking all Australians for their views on the protection and promotion of human rights.

In this context, the Hon Catherine Branson QC, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, will offer her reflections on the state of human rights protection in Australia. Ms Branson will explain the Australian Human Rights Commission’s position in favour of an Australian Human Rights Act and will address the most common arguments raised in opposition. Ms Branson will also discuss how to make a submission to the Consultation Committee.

Ms Branson commenced her five-year term as President of the Australian Human Rights Commission in October 2008. At the time of her appointment, she was a judge of the Federal Court of Australia, where she was the inaugural convenor of the Federal Court’s Equality and the Law Committee and the inaugural convenor of the Court’s Human Rights Panel for New South Wales. Ms Branson has previously served as President of the Australian Institute for Judicial Administration, Crown Solicitor of South Australia and CEO of the South Australian Attorney-General’s Department.

There is no need to register; just turn up!

For further information and for other Social Justice Seminars, see the Social Justice section of our site.

Shakespeare in Carlton

'Shakespeare in Carlton' began as a beautifully idealistic proposal by 4 students of the Melbourne Law School (Adora, Charlene, Gillian, Stella) to organise a Drama and Filmmaking Workshop cum Fundraising for a Weekly Drama Club for the African-Australian Community in Carlton.

With the help of Helen Gaynor (local filmmaker who recently produced an SBS Documentary on the African Refugee Community in Flemington), Arpad Mihaly (co-founder of the Fringe Festival and Coordinator of our Drama and FIlmmaking Workshop), an amazing team of volunteers who have drama and filmmaking skills, and many others, we organised a 3 Day Drama and Filmmaking Workshop held in the Law School during the September holidays.  The youth, aged 13-25, had a chance to write their own scripts, dress up in costumes, use proper professional video cameras, learn the language of filmmaking (eg. wide angled shots, head shots, etc.), and the highlight - act out famous Shakespearean scenes in their own language - street language!

Basically our objectives in terms of the participants, are to target the two-limbed "acculturation" process that they undergo:
1. Psychological: self esteem and confidence issues
2. Socio-cultural and behavioural: adjustment to education and behaviour (eg working with people of dissimilar background)
 
- To build an ongoing relationship between the University of Melbourne ('University') and the Carlton Community;
- To assist second and third-generation immigrant youth in assimilating into the Australian education syllabus;
- To cultivate a personal link with Western literature while retaining personal and cultural identity;
- To facilitate a spirit of cooperation and knowledge transfer among people of different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.

The project has received support from faculty, through both funding and mentoring. We are now looking for more law students who are interested in helping the Shakespeare in Carlton project grow.

Contact shakespeareincarlton@gmail.com if you would like to be involved.

The following links also provide further information:

Helen Gaynor's Documentary on the African Refugee Community in Flemington: http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/showcases/communitycop/

#1 Feature on RMIT Video Blog -  Omar and Goulled from the Drum Youth Services talk about the Project:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDWLZy-i7ms

#2 Feature on RMIT Video Blog - Arpad Mihaly, Workshop Coordinator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F9aznOQD6s

Our Website: http://shakespeareincarlton.110mb.com
Our Videos: http://www.youtube.com/shakespeareincarlton

The NT Intervention: Coercion vs. Cooperation

A free public lecture featuring the Hon Ron Merkel QC, former Judge of the Federal Court of Australia. Presented in conjunction with Engineers Without Borders.

6:30pm–8:30pm, Monday 5th October 2009
Room G08, Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham St, Carlton Vic 3053

In 2007, the Howard government launched the Northern Territory Intervention, following the NT government’s publication of Little Children Are Sacred, a report that concluded that the sexual abuse of children in Indigenous communities in the NT had reached a level of crisis. The $587 million package consisted of 9 measures which related to issues of welfare, law enforcement and land tenure. 

The NT intervention has been criticised by various parties as untimely, inappropriate and unconstitutional. In 2007-2009, the Hon Ron Merkel QC represented traditional owner Reggie Wurridjal and Joy Garlbin of the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation in the High Court, challenging the legality of several aspects of the NT Intervention. More recently, he has represented Barb Shaw in challenging the take-over of town camps in and around Alice Springs, in the Federal Court.

Mr Merkel will share and reflect upon these experiences in this free public lecture.

Finger food and refreshments provided.

THIS SEMINAR IS NOW FULL. A recording will be available after the lecture at <http://harangue.lecture.unimelb.edu.au/lectopia/lectopia.lasso?ut=650&id=78591>.

For further information and for other Social Justice Seminars, see the Social Justice section of our site.

International Women's Day

International Women's Day has been getting bigger and better every year at Melbourne Law School. Every year, a prominent legal mastermind joins MLS students for an enlightening discussion on what it is like to be a woman at the top.

This year will be no exception -  the LSS is very excited to be welcoming The Honourable Marilyn Warren AC, Chief Justice of the Victoria, to impart the wisdom she has gained in her pioneering career in the law. She has been the 'first' to do almost everything, so you don't want to miss this!

Join the woman herself on Monday 21st March at 6pm in G08 to hear her take on the headline issues, and, well, whatever takes her fancy. As always, stay around for the post-lecture chatter, with refreshments on the ground floor reception area at 7pm.

Put it in your calendars!

Mentoring Program - Applications open NOW!

Applications are now open for the 2011 Law Student Mentoring Program, presented by the Victorian Women Lawyers.

Now in its fourth year, the program matches second year female law students with professionals, to allow students to gain valuable insight into the reality of working life and the opportunities your law degree will give you.

Apply through the online form at www.vwl.asn.au. Applications are open until 8th April but places are VERY limited, so make sure you get in quick to make the most of this opportunity.