The Modern Muslim Experience – UniSA Symposium

This year will see the 10th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy – a day which was not only marred by huge tragedy and loss but which smeared the Islamic faith and created an aura of fear and mistrust between muslims and non muslims.

Now scholars from all across the world are congregating in the Adelaide to attend UniSA’s first international symposium. Called Re-orientating the world: De Colonial Horizons, they’re gathering to look at how we can improve understanding between  Muslim and Non Muslim communities.

Professor Salman Sayyid, Director of the International Centre for Muslim and Non Muslim Understanding,  says this symposium will offer invaluable opportunities for wide ranging discussion and the sharing of research perspectives.

He joined Catherine Zengerer on the program this morning.

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Why CSIRO staff are on strike for the first time

CSIRO staff are on strike in Adelaide this morning, following a first round of stop work action in New South Wales and Victoria last week.
More than two thousand staff at 43 CSIRO sites around the country will strike .. saying the CSIRO executive offer of pay rises between 3.25 per cent and 3.75 per cent annually devalues staff.

CSIRO staff are pushing for a 4.6 per cent rise.

Negotiations with CSIRO executives over pay offer of three percent per annum broke down when management refused to table a better offer.

But pay is not the only issue for CSIRO staff who are taking their first ever industrial action .

Today’s strike is at Adelaide University Catherine crossed live to Kintore Avenue where we’re joined by Nathan O’Callaghan from the CSIRO Staff Association

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PSA to take State Government to the High Court

The South Australian Public Service Association last night voted on whether they would take the State Government to the High Court for breaching employment agreements.

The State Government cut worker’s entitlements in last years budget.

After challenging the cuts in both the Industrial Relations Commission and the Supreme court, who both ruled that it was out of their jurisdiction, they say going to the High Court is their only course
Peter Christopher Chief Industrial Officer of the PSA joined Catherine Zengerer on the program this morning to talk about last nights vote and what course will be taken next.

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Film Review: The Mechanic

The Mechanic is an action thriller film starring Jason Statham.

It is directed by Simon West, is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name that starred Charles Bronson.

Statham stars as Arthur Bishop, a professional assassin who specializes in making his hits look like accidents, suicides, or the acts of petty criminals.

Cat McCarthy gave her review of the film on the program this morning.

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Gillard uses tradition to stall gay marriage

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has once again spoken out against same sex marriage, saying it is out of respect of her traditional up brining that she can’t support a same sex marriage bill.

As a woman who has taken over a traditionally male job, it begs the question of whether tradition is a justification for social advancement of gay rights anymore.

Alex Greenwich spokesperson for Australian Marriage Equality joined Catherine Zengerer on the program this morning. She asked Alex if Prime Minister Julia Gillard was just following public sentiment?

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Do we need to intervene in Alice Springs?

Tony Abbott yesterday called for a second intervention in the Northern Territory.

In a letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Mr. Abbott has asked for more police, mandatory school attendance, better alcohol management and a work for the dole scheme. His comments came after a summit with Aboriginal leaders focused on how to bring about change in Alice Springs.

So far the Opposition Leaders calls have been met with little response from the Government, who have their own plans to invest more than 150 million dollars into the troubled town.

With the political parties unable to see eye to eye where does this leave the people of Alice Springs?

David Cooper, ANTaR National President, joined Catehrine on the program this morning. She asked him whether Tony Abbott’s concerns about Alice Springs had any merit.

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Team Trev wins award

Trev is three things: an idea, a car and a team.

All three have come together for Zero Race, a zero-emission race around the world in 2010. Team Trev has journeyed across the seas from Australia to join Zero Race and to showcase Trev to the world.

Jess Wingard spoke with Andrew Dickinson from Team Trev about their latest award and the little green car Trev.

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Japan Earth Quake Crisis: Report from the Ground

In the latest news coming out of Japan this morning, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has moved to quell concerns about the number of Australians still unaccounted for in Japan .. following Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

He says people shouldn’t be alarmed by the large gap between the 33 hundred Australians registered in Japan .. and the 26 hundred confirmed as safe.

Mr Rudd’s told ABC Radio it’s a methodical process which takes time .. as the numbers are reduced down one by one.

Of the 306 Australians known to be in the worst-affected areas .. 128 have been confirmed as safe.

Jess Wingard spoke with Emiko Ishii a Japanese woman living in the tsunami affected area in Japan  to get an up close account on what is happening on the ground.

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Nuclear Free Campaigning after the Japan crisis

The Australian Conservation Foundation says the nuclear emergency in Japan is compounding the human tragedy of Friday’s earth quake, and should be taken as a warning to Australia and the world.

Jess Wingard spoke with David Noonan of the Australian Conservation Foundation who yesterday told The Australian “Nuclear Energy is a high cost, high risk electricity option that has no place in the sustainable energy future”.

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Lake Alexandrina Bund removed: What does this mean for the Coorong?

The State and Federal Government have finally struck a deal to remove the bund between Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert within two moths.

The Narrung bund was built in 2008 and to stop the rise of acid sulfate soils in Lake Albert.

But some environmentalists have been calling for its removal to allow more fresh water flows into the Murray.

Joining Jess Wingard on the program this morning was Di Bell from the River, lakes and coorong action group to talk to us about how bund removal will improve the lower lakes.

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