So you think you know all about the
electoral process for the Federal elections coming up on
the 24th?
Test yourself with the following
questions by filling in the missing words:
1. Each Member of the House of
Representatives is elected to represent an area known as
an __________ division.
2. How many ballot papers will you be
given on the day to complete? _______________
3. To vote for a Member of the House of
Representatives, an elector is required to write ______
in the box next to the candidate who is their first
choice.
4. The colour of ballot paper of the
House of Representatives is __________ and the colour of
the
Senate ballot paper is ____________.
5. Ballot papers which are not marked
according to the rules for voting are called
_____________ votes and are not considered for counting
purposes.
6. The counting of the votes on election
night is also known as _________________.
7. The Senate ballot paper is divided
into two sections to distinguish the two alternative
methods of voting for Senators. They are _____________
_______ __________ and _____________ _______ __________.
8. Some countries use the "first past the
post" system. In Australia we use the
___________________ voting system of counting votes for
the House of Representatives.
9. Unlike House of Representatives
elections in which candidates have to gain more than
_________% of the votes to be elected, Senate candidates
must gain a quota of the formal votes to be elected.
10. When you vote below the line using the Senate ballot
paper, you must put a number on every box. (True or False)
If you think you could do with a bit
more help with the electoral process then why not attend
the following informal workshop especially for the local
community organized and sponsored by Crescents of
Brisbane.
Find out everything you wanted to know
(but were too afraid to ask) about the voting system and
how it works and how to make the most of your vote in an
apolitical, simple and practical free workshop!
Make the Most of YOUR Vote
Date: Saturday, 17 November 2007
Time: 6.30pm - 7.30pm
Venue: Kuraby State Special School, Winifred St,
Kuraby
Facilitators:
1. Dr Paul Williams, Lecturer at the School of Politics
and Public Policy, Griffith University
2. Australian Electoral Commission Representative (TBC)
Abdullah Osman (left of photo) and
Hisham Misraoui (12) graduated as Huffaz last
night at the Kuraby Mosque.
Under the tutelage of Qari Fida ul
Rahman the young men completed their final recitals
at a well-attended graduation ceremony.
More than 35 young men in Brisbane have
been trained by the Qari since he started with his
classes at Holland Park Mosque a few years ago.
(A Hafiz - plural Huffaz - is an Arabic
word literally meaning 'guardian', is a term used by
Muslims for people who have completely memorized the
Qur'an)
Support
for burn victims from several quarters
Wasim Omar
(11) and Amir Omar (13) raised $475 at Eidfest2007 selling off Crescents of
Brisbane T-shirts.
They collected the funds to help
Brother Rasmidin and his young family who suffered
severe burns from a devastating fire arising from the
2005 earthquake that gutted their
home in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
The three sisters, all under 10 years of
age, were trapped in the blazing house but were rescued
by their father. Two of the sisters suffered severe
burns.
Early this year a Rotary organisation
called ROMAC (Rotary Oceanic Medical Aid to Children)
brought the two sisters, Regika Sari and
Uswatun Hasanah Rasmidin, aged 8 and 9, to Brisbane
to have their operations at the Mater Royal Children Hospital,
burns unit. The girls suffered burns contractures to
their faces, hands and legs. They were accompanied to
Brisbane by their father and are a regular sight at
prayer times at the Kuraby Mosque. Their treatment is
ongoing until May next year. Brother Rasmidin also
suffered extensive burns and is currently undergoing
treatment for them as well.
The Brisbane surgeons have performed their operations free of
charge. The hospital charges were at a reduced fee. All
the medicines were provided by ROMAC who raised the
money to pay for them as they do for other overseas
children.
Umar Batchelor and a small group
of brothers took it upon themselves to raise money to
help the family out and in no time at all collected over
$5000 within the community to help with the rebuilding
of the Rasmidin family home in their remote village as well as with the
family's general living expenses and the children's
education.
If you would like to assist the family
(who are currently residing a stone's throwaway from the
Kuraby Mosque) in any way please email
theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org or call 002 026 786.
The
Pre-election Bash!
Take the stress out of the elections and
relax over dinner with friends, good food, light
entertainment and an inspirational talk on the night
before the BIG DAY and support a worthy cause in the
process.
Get your dinner tickets for Friday
evening of the 23rd and give the Bike Track Appeal for
the autistic and cerebral palsy children of our
communities a leg up.
ONE
of Australia's leading researchers
in artificial intelligence, who
developed a computer system that can
read sign language, is set to join
internet giant Google in the US.
Google has snapped up
Mohammed Waleed Kadous,
from the University of NSW's
school of computer science
and engineering.
Mohammed Waleed Kadous, a senior
research fellow at the University of
NSW in the school of computer
science and engineering, will be
leaving this month after being
offered a two-year contract to work
in software engineering for the
company.
"Google is one of the most exciting
places to work in the world," Dr
Kadous said. "There are a lot of
very intelligent people who work for
them who I am hoping to learn from.
"They do a lot of interesting things
and are working on a lot of
interesting products, and I am eager
to get on board."
Dr Kadous's research areas include
artificial intelligence, machine
learning, robotics and human-robot
interfaces.
In 2002, when he was a PhD student
at UNSW, Dr Kadous developed a
computer that could read sign
language with 98per cent accuracy.
"My work has always focused on using
computers to make it easier for
people to communicate," he said.
Dr Kadous has dedicated his spare
time to civil rights. In 2001 he
founded the Australian Muslim Civil
Rights Advocacy Network which, in
conjunction with the University of
Technology, Sydney, released a 2004
booklet ASIO, the Police and You,
detailing anti-terror laws.
Dr Kadous said civil rights work
helped further his career.
"My volunteer work has improved my
ability to communicate ideas,
especially under a lot of pressure,"
he said.
"I'm hoping to volunteer for several
civil rights groups ... and when I
come back to Australia use both the
skills I learn from volunteering and
from working for Google. Lobby
groups in the US have done some
amazing work for civil rights."
The third edition of ASIO, the
Police and You is due for release
early next year.
Do you live in or near
Annerley, Moorooka, Stones Corner, Wooloongabba or
Acacia Ridge?
Lifeline Community Care is running a competition and
free community event to strengthen links in your local
community and remind you about the fantastic Lifeline
Shops in your area.
They are looking for stories and photographs of ordinary
things with interesting true stories behind them.
Something like:
The teaspoon you bought on your trip to Sydney …
The hammer that belonged to your grandfather …
The coat you brought with you when you moved to
Australia …
A favourite toy
Whether you’ve lived in the area for generations or
moved here last month Lifeline wants to hear from you!
If you had applied for the position of
Imam of the Grand Mosque of Istanbul in the 1500s under
Suleyman the Lawgiver you would have had to satisfy a
rather demanding
selection criteria.
Soliman
Stands in Marginal Moreton
AS a devout Muslim
originally from Egypt, married to a Catholic-raised
Australian with possible Jewish roots, Brisbane
father-of-three and civil rights campaigner Emad
Soliman can claim allegiance with more than one
community.
And that could prove
crucial as he runs for one of the state's most
multicultural and marginal seats in Queensland.
Soliman is vying for
the seat of Moreton, currently held by the Liberal
Party's Gary Hardgrave with a 2.8 per cent margin.
Soliman, who is standing for the Australian Democrats, will be the
first elected Muslim in federal politics
if he wins.
The Griffith University
Islamic Research Unit scholar and former engineer said he hoped to represent all of his
communities including families struggling to cope
with rising costs despite the burgeoning
economy.
He said both Muslims
and migrants had been marginalised in Australia
and he wanted to see their potential realised and better harnessed.
He said he planned
to give his preferences to the Greens, with the Liberals
last on his how-to-vote card.
Soliman launched his campaign
at the Svoboda Park, Kuraby on Sunday.
Source: Courier Mail
Algester Mosque get off the ground
Proposed new buildings
The Islamic Society of
Algester, in conjunction with The Islamic Council of
Queensland, extends an invitation to everyone to
participate in the ground breaking ceremony for the
construction of the new Mosque to be built at 48 Learoyd
Road, Algester.
Local residents, dignitaries, community leaders and the
press have been invited to attend this auspicious
occasion to commemorate the construction of this Mosque
and Community Centre in our local area.
You are also invited to join in the lunch afterwards.
Place: Algester Mosque
Address: 48 Learoyd Road , Algester
Date: Sunday, 18th November 2007
Time: 9.45am for 10.00am sharp to 12.00 noon, followed
by lunch
UK-based MBCOL receives Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for
Voluntary Service
On
Wednesday 31 October 2007, a UK-based community
organisation received a major royal award as a result of
its work in providing bereavement services for local
communities.
In front of nearly 200 guests, the Muslim Burial
Council Of Leicestershire (MBCOL) was presented with
the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service
by HM the Queen’s representative, the Lord Lieutenant of
Leicestershire, Lady Jennifer Gretton.
The distinction was
presented to MBCOL’s trustees at a special ceremony
attended by dignitaries including the Lord Mayor of
Leicester City, Councillor Hunt, Mayor of Oadby,
Councillor Kaufman and leaders of both Leicester City
and Leicestershire County Council’s.
Suleman Nagdi MBE, Chair of MBCOL said, “MBCOL
was very proud to have received such a high honour. The
superb turnout from individuals and organisations from
across Leicestershire who shared the momentous occasion
with us, was heartening. The evening was a major success
not only for MBCOL but for faith-based charities as a
whole because we work tirelessly to make a difference in
our communities.
“For us, the award recognised the vital role played by
our ‘unsung heroes’ who are our volunteers, who commit
so much of their free time to provide essential services
for the community. This has allowed us to receive
recognition throughout the UK and Europe as a pioneering
faith-based, social organisation”.
MBCOL was set up in 1994 to deal with the difficulties
in accommodating the religious funeral preferences and
requirements of the Muslim community. With the
co-operation of statutory authorities, a successful
programme of out of hour’s burials has been delivered.
PS: On his
last visit to Brisbane a few year's ago, Mr. Nagdi gave
several talks to local residents on his organization's
various initiatives.
USQ
Professor to present as keynote speaker at statistics
conference
University of Southern
Queensland (USQ) Statistics Associate Professor Dr
Shahjahan Khan will be the keynote speaker at the
First Arab Statistics Conference in Amman, Jordan.
Organised by the Arab Institute for Training and
Research in Statistics (AITRS), the organisation was
established to raise competencies and skills of the Arab
Statistical Organisation by addressing different
statistical problems and issues existing in the Arab
countries.
The conference is organised with the Patronage of his
Royal Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussain of Jordan,
and the session in which Dr Khan will present his
keynote speech will be chaired by the Minister of
Planning of Jordan.
“My keynote speech is on the importance of statistics in
development in line with the theme of the conference: No
Development without Statistics,” Dr Khan said.
“I will also present two papers at the conference in the
areas of improved statistical inference and predictive
inference.”
Dr Khan also said that the conference was being held at
an important time, with the world more reliant on
statistics than ever before.
“We are living in a global information society where the
flow of information is ever increasing and statistics is
playing a major role in shaping and providing scientific
information that is useful in almost every aspect of
human life,” he said.
“Modern decision making, be it for an individual or a
business or any national Government or international
agency is increasingly using statistical methods to
improve the quality of decisions.”
The keynote speech will also look at the use of
statistics in developed nations and their influence on
these countries.
“Every developed nation has adopted statistical methods
in its diverse industries, local and national planning,”
Dr Khan said.
“Statistics provide a much needed benchmark for current
state of affairs, so that schemes could be undertaken to
address any issues or to improve on specific aspects of
the affair.”
“Moreover, statistical methods are capable of predicting
or forecasting the future state of affairs, which are
essential for effective development strategies, either
for individuals or for groups.”
While in the Middle East, Dr Khan will also take time to
visit one of the regions’ best universities, University
of United Arab Emirate, Al-Ain and present an invited
seminar in the College of Business on “Statistics in
Decision Making – Sample and Non-sample Issues.”
As the current President of ISOSS, and
the main organiser of the forthcoming 9th Islamic
Countries Conference on Statistical Sciences (ICCS-IX)
to be held in Shah Alam, Malaysia from 12-14 December
2007, Dr Khan has also been asked to highlight on the
ICSS-IX.
The conference will be held in Amman from Monday
November 12 to Tuesday November 13 2007.
A
Message from the Principal
“IF YOU CAN READ THIS
YOU CAN THANK A TEACHER” was a bumper sticker that I saw
a few years ago on a car in Brisbane. It made me think.
Have I ever thanked my teachers who helped me to learn
to read, write and count? My teachers did even more than
just teach me to read, write and count. Teachers were my
parents “loco parentis” for at least six hours per day
for forty weeks per year for at 12 years. I was in the
presence of teachers for 14 440 hours. I can
only thank them because their collective influence was
very positive in my life
The teachers in my life
not only taught me to read, write and count, but they
supported my parents in reinforcing the
beliefs and values that my parents tried to impart to
me. My teachers were there when I was hurt
in the playground; they put a band-aid on with love and
care. Teachers were there to help me resolve
conflict with my friends. Teachers were there to
listen to my excuses when I did not do my homework.
Teachers were there to
inspire, encourage and support me to achieve. One
of my teachers saw the potential in quietly
rebellious teenager and encouraged me to think about
being a teacher.
Last Friday, 26 October
2007, Australian International Islamic College
celebrated International Teachers Day.
The
day provided us as a College community with the
opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation to a
group of very dedicated, caring and competent
group of individuals who make up our teaching team. Each
teacher makes an invaluable contribution to our
College and to each student. I know that some students
don’t appreciate it now.
I didn’t when I was a
child. I appreciate teachers now because I have been
able to see the work they so faithfully carry out each
day in and out of school hours. Thank you teachers and
teacher aides for your work at Australian International
Islamic College.
Your dedication,
professionalism, love and care of each student is valued
and appreciated. Thank you teachers and teacher aides,
my Allah richly reward you.
PS A little Joke. I
didn't do it! A little girl came home from school and
said to her mother, "Mummy, today in school I was
punished for something that I didn't do.” The mother
exclaimed, "But that's terrible! I'm going to have
a talk with your teacher about this ... by the
way, what was it that you didn't do?" The little girl
replied, "My homework."
Fundamental Sounds
If you missed the Saman dancers at
Eidfest you can catch them, and several other
performers, at the Fundamental Sounds concert.
UK
Muslim groups draw up rules to fight extremists and
allow women's rights
British mosques will be
expected to modernise and do far more to outlaw
extremist Islamic teaching under new rules drawn up by
Muslim leaders.
For the first time, a code of standards will allow
mosques and their imams to be supervised and regulated.
At present, there is no set of rules governing the
running of Britain's 1,500 mosques.
Among the core standards set out in the draft, and seen
by The Observer, is the stipulation that members must
offer programmes that 'actively combat all forms of
violent extremism within the society at large'. All
mosques will have to carry out regular checks on their
staff, and offer mainstream religious teaching.
But the code, drawn up by members of the
four main Muslim organisations, will also offer Muslim
women much greater protection. Imams will be expected to
make it clear to their followers that forced marriages
are completely 'unIslamic', as are violence or
harassment in domestic disputes.
The move comes against the backdrop of growing concerns
about extremist ideology being propagated within
mosques. Last week, it was revealed that pamphlets
advocating the suppression of women's rights, hatred for
non-Muslims and the execution of lapsed Muslims had been
found at some large centres.
The new standards, set out by the Mosques and Imams
National Advisory Board, Minab, will be introduced next
year. The Muslim groups have opted for a form of
self-regulation rather than government-imposed rules.
Mosques which join will face random checks by trained
teams to ensure that standards are met - but those which
don't sign up will come under pressure to explain their
stance.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, who last week
announced she would make £25m available to train imams
to spot signs of dangerous fundamentalism, said she also
wants to see how policy can be shaped to encourage a
bigger role for women. 'We need a new generation of
women leaders, and that is quite a cultural challenge,'
she said.
Blears is dismissive of critics who say the veil or
hijab is holding women back. 'I think we talk too much
about what women wear, not enough about what they do. We
need to listen to people from all walks of life and find
a way of giving them a stronger voice.'
You can drop them off at 24 Janice
Street, Sunnybank or call her on 3344 5330.
The CCN
Book Club
IMMIGRANTS
Your Country Needs Them
By Philippe Legrain
Philippe
Legrain will be in Brisbane for The Queensland
Multicultural Summit 2007 on 19 November at the State
Library of Queensland.
A straightforward argument in favour
of increased and better-regulated immigration
from one of the UK’s leading commentators on
globalisation and trade
While governments are making it easier for goods and
capital to circulate around the globe, they are seeking
to erect ever-higher barriers to the free movement of
people. It is almost impossible for people from poor
countries to migrate legally to work in wealthier
countries, so it is not surprising that illegal
immigration is on the rise. Would-be migrants have a
huge incentive to relocate, but we need them as much as
they need us. Migrants come to do the jobs that people
in rich countries no longer want to do, others come to
do the jobs that not enough people in rich countries can
do. The supply of potential migrants in poor countries
is likely to continue rising, but so is the demand for
migrants in rich countries, as ageing populations and
shrinking workforces put a strain on businesses,
economics and government finances.
Legrain argues that opening our borders to migrants
could transform our world for the better. Economists
believe that the potential gains from freer migration
are huge and greatly exceed the benefits from freer
world trade. The World Bank has estimated that if rich
countries allowed their workforce to swell by a mere 3
per cent by letting in an extra 14 million workers from
developing countries between 2001 and 2025, the world
would be $356 billion a year better off, with the new
migrants themselves gaining $162 billion a year, people
who remain in poor countries $143 billion, and natives
in rich countries $139 billion. And those figures
grossly underestimate the likely economic gains from the
added diversity and dynamism that immigrants bring.
In this challenging and powerful new book advocating
increased global immigration Philippe Legrain looks at
the global issues surrounding immigration and how these
issues affect us on a global and individual level.
Legrain discusses the hidden costs of immigration
controls; the case for low-skilled migration; the pros
and cons of high-skilled migration; the economic
benefits of diversity; whether immigrants displace local
workers; how migration helps poor countries; whether
immigration threatens national identity; and how to
integrate immigrants into society. Legrain shows why
this rapidly growing global trend is here to stay and
how it can benefit us all.
Frequently citing Australian policies, facts and
statistics Philippe Legrain’s argument is
straightforward, lucid and enlightened.
Biography:
Philippe Legrain is the author of Open World:
The Truth about Globalisation (Abacus, 2002). He is
a contributing editor to Prospect magazine and a
freelance writer for a variety of publications such as
the Financial Times, TheGuardian,
The New Republic and Foreign Policy. He
blogs at
www.philippelegrain.com. In 1999, he was highly
commended as Young Financial Journalist of the Year in
the Harold Wincott Press Awards. He is also a
commentator for BBC TV and radio on globalisation and
trade. He was previously trade and economics
correspondent for The Economist and special
adviser to World Trade Organisation director-general
Mike Moore. He has a first-class honours degree in
economics and a masters in politics of the world
economy, both from the London School of Economics.
Philippe is thirty-two and lives in London.
Praise for Philippe Legrain’s previous
book
Open World: The Truth about
Globalisation:
‘The world did need another book about globalisation;
Open World is it’
The Economist
‘One of those rare books that grabs
the conventional wisdom and turns it on its head. With
brio and verve, and the unique insight of the insider,
Philippe Legrain examines the bogeyman of globalisation
close up – and decides the scaremongers have got it
wrong. The result is an accessible, passionately argued
case for the defence: anyone who cares about our world
and its future should read it’
Jonathan Freedland
‘At last a good book on globalisation . . . lucid and
persuasive’
Financial Times
‘[Legrain] engages with the big issues much more
convincingly than Klein’
Sunday Times
‘If you have been convinced by Naomi Klein or Noreena
Hertz,
you owe it to yourself to hear Legrain’s persuasive
defence’
New Statesman
‘a rapid rebuttal of the flimsy critique of anti-globalisation
activists’
Independent
‘In this wonderfully lucid and intelligent book,
Philippe Legrain takes on the many mistakes of the anti-globalisers.
Globalisation, he argues, is neither a label for
Americanisation, nor an excuse for worldwide corporate
domination. It does not eliminate local cultures. Still
less does it make governments irrelevant. It is a
chance for mutual enrichment, not a route to global
impoverishment’
Martin Wolf
Multi-faith Choir
A special choral
presentation by Christians, Jews and Muslims will be
held at the Griffith University Multi Faith Centre as
part of the Interfaith Dialogue.
It is called "One God, many Voices".
It will be on Thursday,
15 November, starting at 7pm.
Entry is free, and there
will be free parking in the Ridge Carpark.
Dinner will be provided
after the programme, which is expected to go for about
an hour.
Contact Sultan Deen on 0418722353
for more information.
Leadership Australia – A New Generation
Do you want to use your
voice to engage and influence key Australian identities
from all different sectors of the community?
Do you want to strengthen your skills and experience and
use them to make a difference within the community?
You could be one of 16
young Australian Muslims from around Australia to be
selected to participate in Leadership Australia – A New
Generation.
This is an intensive three day national
program delivered in Melbourne, to assist young
Australian Muslims in developing and strengthening their
ability to play an active role in the community.
Following the program the participants are expected to
implement project tasks within their state or territory.
Q: Kareema, I have a knee injury and
therefore struggle to do my lunge exercises as it can be
quite painful at times. Is there any other exercise you
can suggest that
that will work my leg muscles?
A: A great alternative to the lunge (in
case of injury) is the squat. Legs about shoulder width
apart with toes pointing out slightly, bend the knees
and transfer your weight into your heels by taking your
core to the floor (as if you were going to sit on a
chair behind you). Be sure to keep your chest up!
The difference between this exercise and the lunges is
that there is no weight/pressure put on the knees as it
is all transferred to the heels.
Water (aqua aerobics) is another great alternative as
the resistance of the water ensures no jarring on the
joints, so too with cycling, there is no impact with the
floor which means your knees are not being strained...
All questions sent in are published here
anonymously and without any references to the author of
the question.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
Culinary Corner
RECIPE
TOFFEE
APPLES Ingredients 4 Medium
apples - 40 grm golden syrup - 100grm brown sugar - ½
tsp lemon juice - 12g butter - 40ml water
Method Wash
apples in very hot water – dry thoroughly. Remove stalks
and push wooden skewers into the stalk end of the apple.
Grease a baking tray. Put ingredients in a heavy based
pot. Heat slowly stirring until sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil and cover with lid for 2 mins on
medium low heat then uncover. Boil for another 4 mins.
Dip apples into toffee then plunge immediately into a
dish of ice cold water to harden the surface. Transfer
to the greased tray and leave till completely set.
Source: Radio Islam Newsletter - Friday,
02 November 2007
Do you have a recipe to share with
CCN readers?
Send in your favourite recipe to
theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org and who
knows, you could be our "guest chef" for a future
edition of CCN.
The CCN Chuckle
Mula Nasruddin just
finished his English exam and came out of the exam room.
His friends asked
him how did he do his exam?
He replied: "The
exam was okay, but for the past tense of THINK, I
thought, thought and thought... and could only come up
with THUNK!!!"
The
best ideas and the best feedback come from our community
of readers. If you have a topic or opinion that you want
to write about or want seen covered or any news item
that you think might be of benefit to the Crescents
Community please e-mail
Share
your thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community
through CCN.
If
there is someone you know who would like to subscribe to
CCN please encourage them to send an e-mail to
theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org with the words
“Subscribe Me” in the subject line.
Disclaimer
Articles and opinions appearing in this newsletter do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Crescents of
Brisbane Team, CCN, its Editor or its Sponsors,
particularly if they eventually turn out to be libelous,
unfounded, objectionable, obnoxious, offensive,
slanderous and/or downright distasteful.
It is the usual policy of CCN to include
from time to time, notices of events that some readers
may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are often
posted as received. Including such messages or providing
the details of such events does not necessarily imply
endorsement of the contents of these events by either CCN
or Crescents of Brisbane Inc.