MUSLIM
AUSTRALASIAN
Multimedia News & Views
ISSN: 1039-2300
Print Post Publication No. 100021354
Print edition published Monthly on first Friday with Website updates
S
TIME
AMUST Issue # 120
www.amust.com.au
Phone: (02) 8006 2063 Email: info@amust.com.au
November 2015; Muharram 1437
Canada’s Seachange
Sabra Snaps Four Silvers
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Daawah Trip To Indonesia
BOOMERANG PAGE 3
COMMUNITY PAGE 7
AUSTRALIA PAGE 11
UMMAH PAGE 17
Cycling to help sick kids
$3,500. Finding it a humbling experience and one of the best things she had participated in, she signed up again in 2014, raising Tanya Kubitza, a school teacher and nearly $9000 with the generous support of mother of two has been cycling an aver- family, friends, students, parents and staff of age of 35 km every day during the month Al Siraat College as well as the wider local of October to raise awareness and funds community. for kids fighting cancer. Tanya has raised $4,700, her contribuTanya, a keen mountain biker, supported tion towards the overall fundraising figure by her 8 year old daughter Mariam signed of $2.5 million so far, for the Great Cycle up for the Great Cycle Challenge setting a Challenge. riding goal of 1,061 km equivalent to riding Although the riding event was held from 1 the distance from her workplace, Al Siraat to 31 October, funds are still being donated College in Melbourne’s northern suburbs to until the end of November. the Children’s Medical Research Institute in “While the riding challenge has now Westmead, Sydney. finished for Mariam and I, a much harder The Great Cycle Challenge is one of challenge continues day after day for these the annual fundraisers conducted by the amazing kids and therefore our greatest Children’s Medical Research Institute thanks goes to all the children out there (CMRI) in Sydney. This year saw the event fighting cancer who have shown us what return in its third instalment and even bigger true courage really is,” Tanya said at the end yet. of the cycling challenge. It kicked off on 1 October with over 8,000 “You bounce back from rounds of chemoriders from all walks of life across Austral- therapy still smiling and have inspired thouia and beyond who signed up to help raise sands of people across Australia and befunds and awareness for kids fighting can- yond.” Tanya added. cer. Fundraising and riding goals were set in- Donations to help change little lives can still dividually by each rider and ranged from 1 be made until the end of November via Tankm to a few hundred km. Family, friends, ya & Mariam’s fundraising page: colleagues and local businesses sponsored www.greatcyclechallenge.com.au/Riders/ the cycling efforts via each rider’s individ- TanyaKubitza ual fundraising page. Tanya signed up for the inaugural Great Read Tanya’s story in her own words Cycling Challenge in 2013 and raised on Page 12
$1.00
Zia Ahmad
The Great Cycle Challenge: Tanya Kubitza with her daughter Mariam.
Program to counter violent extremism Abu Anees NSW Premier Mike Baird last Tuesday 2 November revealed a comprehensive program to counter violent extremism (CVE) in the state of New South Wales. The $47 million suite of measures has been developed by the NSW Government in response to the rise of violent extremism – measures that have been accelerated after the terrorist attack in Parramatta that cost the life of NSW Police Force worker Curtis Cheng. “We are locked in a global struggle with cynical manipulators who exploit vulnerable young people and children to commit acts of terror,” Mr Baird said. The Premier announced more counselling and support services to be provided to students in NSW schools and staff given access to additional training to assist schools in countering violent extremism. Training will be available for counsellors and other school staff for the start of the
NSW Premier Mike Baird 2016 school year to ensure they have the skills to identify vulnerable young people, and help them access support programs. Additionally, up to five Specialist School Support Teams costing around $15 million will work proactively with identified schools and respond to critical incidents, linking in with the efforts of community leaders and ensuring schools have the support they need.
Proudly Printed in Australia by Spotpress Pty Ltd
Along with measures to support schools, the package includes a range of programs designed to build community cohesion and maintain cultural harmony. In addition to a $4 million program already announced and commencing this year, there will be a further $8 million directed at community resilience programs to be delivered by a range of organisations committed to youth engagement and community resilience. Additionally, a Community Cohesion Ambassadors’ program will involve high-profile community leaders working within the community to promote social cohesion and cultural harmony. A CVE training program for front-line NSW Government workers, such as Family and Community Services officers, will be established to ensure they too can respond to the needs of vulnerable individuals and families. The NSW Government will also establish a support and advice telephone line, along with online services, for community and
family members seeking advice on how to best protect and support young people who may be exposed to violent extremist influences. The line will be managed through the NGO sector. “CVE programs are not a substitute for strong law enforcement measures – they are a necessary complement, Mr Baird said. There have been criticism of programs where teachers have been asked to report on tendency towards extremism in schools. University of Sydney South Asia Study Group co-ordinator Hussain Nadim said the move was counterproductive. “The entire idea and the entire issue of radicalisation, its roots are embedded in this very notion that kids, especially Muslim kids, feel isolated and aren’t able to integrate and having these programs run at the school level will not help countering that; it will only allow further isolation and further radicalisation of kids at the high school level,” he said. Continued on page 3
Dispose of this paper thoughtfully - PLEASE RECYCLE