10th May 2021 – What’s Cool and Unusual was a mailing list for mostly underground DIY music events happening around Sydney. I started putting it together to make it easier for folks to find out about shows that were usually only promoted by word of mouth. Many of these shows were in illegal spaces and at certain points I had to cull the email list and people then request to be added again with a statement of how they knew me. All this in an effort to keep ‘authorities’ out of your fun.

what’s cool and unusual this week 21/11/07

What decides your vote?
Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation
With the 2007 Federal Election in front of us, this sheet was put together to show the stance of the major parties, and some of the minors, in regards to Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation.
If the position of Indigenous Australians within our lucky country is an important issue in deciding how you will vote, then this sheet will help you send a strong message to the Government, whatever it may look like in a week’s time.

Liberal Party/ National Party Coalition (Government)
The Coalition track record as custodians of the Australian Government show:
• A commitment to singling out Aboriginal people for the withholding of welfare payments, making supporting families even more difficult for already vulnerable households
• A commitment to a referendum on acknowledging the role of Indigenous Australians in a Constitutional Preamble
• A willingness to suspend the Racial Discrimination Act in order to implement racist and unfair policies on Australians
• Abolishing the democratic voice of Indigenous Australians by dismantling ATSIC. It needed improvements, but was instead dumped and replaced with… nothing
• Under funding and complete disregard for Aboriginal community managed and run services, such as Health Services
• Mal Brough and John Howard arrogantly claiming to have solved cyclical poverty, social disadvantage and the post-colonial disadvantage of Indigenous minorities… overnight with cups of tea at John’s house
• A willingness to further urban disadvantage by using money from existing urban development programs to fund new remote programs rather than providing new funding for new initiatives

Labor Party (Opposition)
Whilst the Labor position is more respectable than that of the Liberal/National Coalition, the stance of current leader Kevin Rudd is worrying. To see the Labor Party that introduced “Self Determination” policy to the Commonwealth Government, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and of the “Redfern Park Speech” of former party leader and Prime Minister Paul Keating now supporting the ill-conceived, irresponsible, racist and under resourced Northern Territory Intervention is a major concern.
The Labor policy positions include:
• Federal Labor offers bipartisan support to a commitment for constitutional recognition, regardless of the outcomes of the Federal election
• Labor values the symbolic importance of a national apology and commits to reconciliation as a vehicle for healing and justice in Australian society
• Support for Howard’s harmful Northern Territory Intervention, with the exception of the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act.

The Greens
Of the parties represented on this sheet, the Greens have the most progressive policies on Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation and the strongest commitment for self determination for Aboriginal people.
From the Greens Policy Snapshot booklet, the Greens commit to:
• Back the plan to reduce the gap in life expectancy and achieve equality of health and wellbeing within a generation
• Support a treaty that recognises the prior occupation and sovereignty of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Make a formal apology to the stolen generation and increase support to Link-Up and counselling services
• Support fair compensation where property has been taken or wages and benefits withheld
• Make Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s health and education a national priority
• Fund a 10 year Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing plan
• Support the formation of respective bodies elected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Family First
Whilst Family First propose measures to support Aboriginal families and support an increase in funding to Indigenous services, they also:
• Support the withholding of welfare payments from Indigenous families, thus making it harder for households to provide for young dependants. Proponents of this policy hold struggling families as the perpetrators of social disadvantage and exclusion, rather than the victims in need of support
• Propose the removal of Aboriginal Shire Council management of community stores providing services to remote communities, services that would otherwise be untenable
• Support Howard’s racist and ill-conceived Northern Territory Intervention

One Nation
One Nation continue their generally divisive policy positions with the following on Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation, from their Federal Policy Statement Summery:
• One Nation will abolish multiculturalism and the Racial Discrimination Act, whilst promoting assimilation
• One Nation reject Native Title and the recognition of Aboriginal Rights to land prior to European settlement
• Rejection of the title “Indigenous Australians” for Australia’s first people on the ridiculous basis that it excludes settlers from the First Fleet
• A denial of the genocide of Australia’s Indigenous peoples, claiming only 118 Aboriginal people were killed at the hands of white Australians and European settlers in the face of irrefutable evidence to the contrary

What decides your vote?

This sheet was put together on behalf of ReconciliACTIONnsw, a volunteer Youth network working towards a fair and just Australia. The ReconciliACTIONnsw network is not aligned with any political party and members are interested in social change and the Rights of all Australia’s people, particularly Australia’s first people.

www.reconciliaction.org.au

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wed 21

la campana, 53-55 liverpool st, the spanish quarter
8pm

FRONT ROOM – FREE!
DIY markets / toecutter / dj rainbow ejaculation / smallcock / bambi & the banbis / BOG

BACK ROOM – $5
naked on the vague / axel rosie o’donnell / red red krovvy (cairns)

i’ll be here with some distro and bits and pieces…

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thu 22

22 enmore rd, 6-8pm

‘stick this in your memory hole’ book launch – tristan from schifosi

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thu 22

@Mgtvle, 40 Fitzroy st, Marrickville
8pm

Schifosi (dark Melodic crustcore from melbourne)
Vae Victis (raging d-beat punk)
731 (melburne grindcore attack)

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sat 24

4pm. entry by donation. 43 edgeware rd, enmore.

alps of nsw, fulton girls club (melb), steph (the thaw)

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sat 24

a launch party at the Mandarin Club (election night)
8pm $10

xNoBBQx, The Spiders (B Mtns), Ultra Violet MC (Melb), UnAustralians (Melb), Sun of the Seventh Sister (B Mtns), DJ Beefcurtains

Launching LPs by xNoBBQx , The Spiders, + a 7′ by Ultra Violet MC (although not out yet)
http://pulledout.org

well, this gig it may not matter that the PA and sound equipment is falling apart at least!

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sat 24

Hermann’s Bar Crn City Road and Butlins Ave, opposite main gate Sydney University, Wentworth Building
$10

Sounds Of Seduction DON’S AFTER PARTY Election Night Special

History will be made, one way or the other, when Australia goes to the polls on Saturday 24th November. From 8.00pm onwards the Sounds presents a special election night DON’S AFTER PARTY with the ‘drown your sorrows ‘or’ celebrate like crazy’ Happy Hour from 8.00pm to 10.30pm, plus all the regular Sounds excitement through until 3.00am

featuring:
Big Screen Election Highlights All Night
Expert commentary from The Sounds handpicked panel of political experts
The Kevin Rudd/John Howard Piñata
Bash the hell out of the loser or ‘losers’ to win some fabulous prizes

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sat 24

The Saturday Night Special is the psychedelic, freak-out sister show to
the Sideways Through Sound regular Thursday night pagan drone fest

So join Thee Sonic Assassin on FM99.3 from 8pm to Midnight for a selection
of mind-bending, hip shaking sounds, all with the trademark Sideways
Through Sound vibe.

It’ll be a trip and you will bug out to it, guaranteed!!

www.sidewaysthroughsound.com

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sun 25

live house, 794 paramatta rd, lewisham
midday $15

Come join us for 10 hours of meltdown in Sydney at Sunday Bloody Sunday, 25th November from noon til 10pm.

Line-up will include Xylocaine (Newcastle – Bloody Fist), Mark N (Melbourne – Bloody Fist), Paul Blackout (Newcastle – Hardline Rekordingz/Bloody Fist), Fraughman (Sydney – Bloody Fist/Powerviolence) and Mr 556a (Com-Baton) performing his last show ever.

Evil Noise (Irontwist) will also be playing his first set as one of Sydney’s only Doomcore producers, and Dimfigure (Killerwatts) will be making the trek all the way from Bathust to perform.

PLUS Matt Bleak (Random Stabbings/Splitterblast) and Semtex Disruptor (Random Stabbings), both from Melbourne, have now been added to the lineup.

A total of 18 artists from 13 crews will be playing on the Hijack Sound System, spread across 2 rooms. Styles will include Hardcore, Doomcore, Speedcore, Darkcore, Industrial, Breakcore, Drum & Bass, Electro and more.

Look out for the 3 beer gardens, and a gourmet barbecue provided by the very talented Bitsmasher.

Several merchandising stalls will be present on the day, selling records, shirts & more.

Headliners will be scattered throughout the day & night, make sure you come early so you don’t miss anyone:)

Free cd’s will be given to the first 100 people through the door….

Check irontwist.net or www.myspace.com/irontwist for updates

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sun 25

house show, 108 lethridge st, penrith
gold coin donation

red red kroovy, axel rosie o’donnell, circle pit, always, marilyn monroe

contact nic*******@*****.com for start times

shaun/tenzenmen
http://www.tenzenmen.com

++ i’ll either be at these events or wishing i was there ++