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tcpipTuesday was Linux Users of Victoria general meeting where Dr. Zoltan Somogyi gave a talk on declarative programming and the Mercury project. As the second speaker was ill, with a few hours notice I composed a reasonanble talk on E-Business Strategy Using Linux. Appropriately Friday was my second-last exam for my MBA, on e-Business Strategy. Although a rather rambling course that could do with a firmer sense of structure and an update on technology (especially open-source technology) it did correctly emphasise the importance of non-technological factors in such strategy. Post-exam caught up briefly with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
darklion, ariaflame and kremmen as part of the opening night for Continuum.
Todaycaseopaya went to see Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco, a truly spectacular performance of movement and colour, but alas the Rod Laver Arena was a less than optimal location. On a related subject of performing arts we have tickets booked for Elegy by the Australian Ballet. On a different level of performing arts, the Melbourne Roleplaying Salon gave an initial shot to the Albedo game system on Thurday (now in its third edition), designed by Paul Kidd and Craig Hilton. Think of it as furries in space; I have a Echidna Engineer named Beatrix Tiggy-Winkle, better known by her nickname "Spike". Our group decided on a distinctly Australian theme with a group from Planet Oz having to deal in the invasive Lapine Republic.
The Victorian Secular Lobby is meeting next Saturday with a bit of optimism. A group of parents is taking the Education Department to the Equal Opportunity Commision which has the head of the National Chapliancy Program a little worried, as it seems that now there are complaints. Better still, there is now a High Court challenge to the program as a whole, specifically on the prohibition of religious requirements in s116 of the Australian Constitution.
darklion, ariaflame and kremmen as part of the opening night for Continuum.Today
caseopaya went to see Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco, a truly spectacular performance of movement and colour, but alas the Rod Laver Arena was a less than optimal location. On a related subject of performing arts we have tickets booked for Elegy by the Australian Ballet. On a different level of performing arts, the Melbourne Roleplaying Salon gave an initial shot to the Albedo game system on Thurday (now in its third edition), designed by Paul Kidd and Craig Hilton. Think of it as furries in space; I have a Echidna Engineer named Beatrix Tiggy-Winkle, better known by her nickname "Spike". Our group decided on a distinctly Australian theme with a group from Planet Oz having to deal in the invasive Lapine Republic.The Victorian Secular Lobby is meeting next Saturday with a bit of optimism. A group of parents is taking the Education Department to the Equal Opportunity Commision which has the head of the National Chapliancy Program a little worried, as it seems that now there are complaints. Better still, there is now a High Court challenge to the program as a whole, specifically on the prohibition of religious requirements in s116 of the Australian Constitution.
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no subject
Date: 2011-06-11 06:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-12 12:57 am (UTC)But yes, his suggestion that secular chaplains would be acceptable was certainly the right sounds.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-12 08:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-12 12:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-12 07:41 am (UTC)(BTW, I can't get the link "there are complaints" to work.)
OK, here's the text
Date: 2011-06-12 12:19 pm (UTC)By James Bennett
The religious organisation that provides chaplains to Victorian schools appears to have breached federal guidelines that forbid it from trying to convert children.
Access Ministries provides chaplains to 280 Victorian schools and 96 per cent of special religious education classes.
The group received extra funding in this week's federal budget.
The national school chaplaincy code of conduct, which every chaplain must sign, stipulates they should not take advantage of their privileged position to try to convert children to their religious belief or denomination.
But on its website, the boss of Access Ministries outlines a strategy to "make students disciples."
Last month, Dr Evonne Paddison strenuously denied Access Ministries' religious teachers or chaplains sought to convert students in state schools.
"We instruct our people not to proselytise, we're not there to convert children," she said.
But that is not what she told a group of Anglican Evangelicals in 2008.
"In Australia, we have a God-given open door to children and young people," she said.
"Our Federal and State Governments allow us to take the Christian faith into schools.
"We need to go and make disciples."
The speech she gave the Anglican Evangelical fellowship is posted on the group's website.
That missionary aim flies in the face of federal guidelines, and federal Education Minister Peter Garrett intends to investigate the matter.
Mr Garrett says it is absolutely crystal clear in the guidelines that it is not about proselytising.
"So if there is any indication or examples of that happening, then my expectation is that that ought to be looked into and investigated by my department," he said.
Mary Bluett from the Australian Education Union is urging the Victorian Education Minister to spend the money elsewhere.
"We'd urge [Education Minister] Martin Dixon here in Victoria to immediately cut the additional $800,000 of funding for Access Ministries that he's put through in this latest budget," she said.
No complaints
The chairman of Access Ministries, Stephen Hale denies breaching the guidelines.
He told ABC Local Radio there have been no complaints.
"There's absolutely no evidence that week in and week out we're in any way breaching the guidelines," he said.
"You would have thought that if we were breaching the guidelines that there would have been a litany of complaints that would have come forward, and in fact, there haven't been any."
Re: OK, here's the text
Date: 2011-06-12 12:25 pm (UTC)Edit: My mistake. I got the link texts wrong. "a little worried" is the crosslight link that doesn't work; "there are complaints" is the (working) abc link.
Re: OK, here's the text
Date: 2011-06-12 12:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-12 01:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-12 01:50 pm (UTC)