Speaking of Social Justice

Speaking of Social Justice

by Justice and Peace Office (JPO)

Politics Philosophy

Season 3

Australia's Student Debt Quagmire

Cailey Thurlow nee. Sharp is back this week to delve into the HECS dilemma taking over Australia. In this episode, Cailey recaps the original HECS and how university degrees were free in Australia from 1974 to 1989. This issue affects anyone currently seeking or who has previously sought higher education, with many taking their HECS debts well into their forties-impacting their ability to buy a home on top of the impacts of the cost of living. Cailey later discusses the HECS indexation, summarising what this means for anyone with a HECS debt. E.g., If you are on a $60,000 salary and you have an average HECS debt of $24,771, you would have paid off about $1200 in HECS this year, but your debt would have increased by $1177. Since the first term of the labour government, student HECS debts have increased by 16 and a half per cent... under a Prime Minister who went to university for free. Why does the government collect more from HECS debt than it does from its major fossil fuel tax? If you would like to petition against the annual increase in HECS debts for both past and present students and make HECS debts easier to pay off, then please sign the petition below: https://www.change.org/p/make-our-hecs-debts-easier-to-pay-off

Defence & Immigration

Dr Julie Macken is back this week to discuss two major announcements that made headlines over the past couple of weeks: 1) the statement made by Australia's Deputy Prime Minister announcing that spending on Australia's defence is set to double to $100 billion by 2034 and 2) Labour's ongoing attempt to pass a Migration Amendment Act that would force thousands fleeing persecution based on sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or gender back to the place threatening their death.

Juvenille Turmoil

This week, Cailey Sharp is back to discuss the South Sudanese youth crisis in Australia. With South Sudanese teens younger than 15 filling juvenile detention centres at disproportionately higher rates compared to other immigrant groups in Queensland, Cailey calls for intervention, education, and advocacy to keep young teens and children out of the system. Yet, there is a debate about removing the international law principle of using detention as a last resort from the Youth Justice Act altogether to instead call on immediate penalties that are "appropriate" for the crime... Let's not give up on these kids; let's not forget about them and let them get lost in the system; let's instead help improve their situations and give them the support they need to integrate them back into a society where they have the chance to make Australia and their communities proud.

Historic moments in the life of a nation

This week, Dr Julie Macken recaps two primary historic moments that took place this week in Australia: having no submarines for at least a decade and breaching treating obligations. In this episode, Julie discusses how the billions spent in the AUKUS deal and toward 3 submarines could have perhaps been put to better use, such as housing 4 million Australians. Julie also reflects on how labour campaigned for a fair, rational, and humane government that recognises the humanity in those seeking protection. Yet, innocent people fleeing persecution may be facing up to 5 years in jail. What do we do, as citizens, in the face of these outcomes?

Housing: Australia's biggest issue?

On this week's edition of Speaking of Social Justice, Dr Michael Walker walks us through NSW's current challenges when it comes to public housing and how it might be Australia's biggest issue alongside the cost of living. Michael discusses how those with mortgages spend more than half of their disposable income on housing, how a significant proportion of the general public will never be able to buy into the market, and how we, as a nation, need to start looking at a second stream option. Michael then challenges our perception of public housing with mention to Singapore and how 78% of residents are in public housing. It is time to look again at public housing. For further information on what our office is doing, please visit the JPO's pre-budget submission: https://justiceandpeace.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Housing-its-time-for-the-Vienna-model-NSW-Pre-Budget-submission.pdf

The Launch of Curious Grace

This week, JPO's Cailey Sharp discusses the concept of a community drop-in centre and reflects on the launch of Curious Grace. With some of the struggles and barriers seeking professional mental health support bring, a drop-in centre such as Curious Grace offers immediate, peer-support nestled in your local parish. If you are interested in booking training for your parish or becoming a certified volunteer, please reach out to the Justice & Peace Office at jpoinfo@sydneycatholic.org Stay updated by visiting and following our Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jpo_syd/

From Melancholia to Imagination

To launch Season 3, Dr Julie Macken discusses how the JPO is honouring International Women's Day with a panel discussion of inspirational women discussing Immigration Detention and "the casual cruelty that has now become public policy." Each woman on the panel comes with a story on what it was like to come to Australia, seeking protection and refuge in Villawood. With a 25 year difference, one group saw a glimmer of hope, and the other, faced danger and horror. Julie recounts the difference in response and how Australia has changed to a country of "no." Join us on March 7th to hear and celebrate these extraordinary and strong women. https://events.humanitix.com/from-melancholia-to-imagination

Season 2

Only a Royal Commission can fix this mess...

This week, Dr Julie Macken brings us the final episode of the year. It is time to shine a light into the darkness of Australia’s immigration detention regime. Between 2001 and present day, tens of thousands of people seeking Australia’s protection have been held in immigration camps that are now privatised, offshore, and beyond the reach of Australia’s courts and most media. There have been at least 37 cases of suicide related to immigration detention, allegations of torture, the systemic abuse of men and women, and numerous articles and papers on the devastating impact of this privatised detention model. It is estimated this regime has cost Australian tax payers over $9.65 billion from July 2013 to the 2021-2022 financial year. We therefore ask the House to accept the call for a Royal Commission into Australia's Immigration Detention, to shine a light in this darkened chapter of our national story. Only a Royal Commission into Australia's Immigration Detention can fix this mess. . PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION HERE: https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN5644 . OR HERE: https://www.change.org/p/malcolm-turnbull-please-allow-fariborz-s-family-to-bring-his-body-to-australia/u/32109759?cs_tk=Aq2sO_MJTBw5F1JiZGUAAXicyyvNyQEABF8BvMp2fkWhZ6xTi9hiT60e1nU%3D&utm_campaign=86ef4ba1582c4db8a9662049712650c6&utm_content=initial_v0_6_0&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_update&utm_term=cs . https://www.immigrationdetention.com.au/

Public Spaces and Places

In light of recent headlines and controversial choices, Dr Julie Macken is back this week to discuss public spaces and places and who gets to decide what gets screened as well as using public spaces as a form of community communication. Julie also reflects on the 2018 Everest Cup controversy and backlash whereby the Sydney Opera House was used as a gambling pitch. Our host goes on to speak about how flags and nation colours are powerful symbols and we should not be using them carelessly; leading her to propose the question "Is it ever appropriate to screen another nation's flag and colours on our landmarks?"

Dealing with conflict...in a non-violent way

Dr Julie Macken is back to speak about social justice; specifically, dealing with and resolving conflict in a non-violent fashion. Today, Julie reflects on boycotts and sanctions in relation to other countries. Though, it is not always legal to use the non-violent option, we need to find non-violent and legitimate ways of conflict resolution.

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