What is Poverty? A debate
The question of What is poverty? underlies strategies for what to do about it and how to promote the question in public policy debates. The effectiveness of the neo-cons in increasing inequality while sidelining welfare policy and stigmatising welfare recipients means that a fundamental re-think is required on the Left. The speakers will present three divergent views on the nature of poverty (all from the Left!) and invite participants to join the debate.
Run by Andy Blunden, Philip Mendes and Rob Watts.

“The Way Forward for Peace”
Women’s International League for Peace &Freedom (WILPF) workshop.

This workshop will provide an analysis of the strategies Gandhi’s developed to bring independence to India which we can use in an Australian context now, together with other useful contemporary strategies.
Run by Ruth Russell (Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom)

ANTaR
This workshop will have a broad overview of pre-invasion Aboriginal world and of the common history of the last 220 years. This leads into a brief exploration of the notion of privilege, followed by a challenge for people to identify specific ways in which they can do something – within the limits of their time, skills, etc
Run by Frank Hytten (ANTaR)

Innovative Direct Action and Community Organising for the G20
The next annual global meeting of the finance ministers of the world’s richest nations, together with the heads of the World Bank and IMF, will occur in Melbourne towards the end of 2006. This workshop will be a space to generate innovative ideas for direct action and other forms of community organising concerning the G20, to win the battle of the story against capitalism and corporate-led globalisation.
Run by Rodney Vlais (Friends of the Earth)

McOccupation in Iraq: How McDonalds contributes to the ‘war on terror’ & other atrocities.
McDonalds is guilty of a lot of things – having terrible food, crap service, and shitty restaurants – but that’s fine: these are things that consumers have choice over. We can eat there if we like it, but no one’s forcing us to if we don’t. What we don’t have a choice over, however, is how McDonalds chooses to treat its staff, how McDonalds chooses to treat the animals it slaughters for food, and how the McDonalds corporatation chooses to donate money to America Supports You, an organisation that provides a way for corporations to support the occupation of Iraq. Find out more about what McDonalds is up to, and what you can do to help stop it at this workshop.
Run by Jodie Clark (Revolution)

What happened to the Common Wealth?
This workshop will seek to explore and promote discussion on the philosophical issue of what should be our equal and common birthright – access to land and natural resources. It will look at the history of economic thought and how neoclassical economics (our present capitalist system) has conflated and confused the vital distinction between the Gifts of Nature and capital. It will then explore how a system of natural resource charges (a refined system of eco-taxes) allows us all to share equitably in the Global Commons as well as, by applying the True Cost of natural resources, using finite resources sparingly and responsibly.
Run by Karl Williams (Current editor of the Geoist Journal of Australia)

The Parkin Backfire: Lessons for activist defence
In September 2005, the deportation of US peace activist Scott Parkin sparked a national political scandal, triggering protests around the country and heightening public concern over new anti-terror laws. This workshop will tell Scott’s story using backfire analysis, which shows how citizens can respond to five common methods that perpetrators use to inhibit public outrage against gross injustice. See http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/05sa/.
Run by Iain Murray (Friends of Scott Parkin) & Brian Martin (University of Wollongong)

What is Imperialism in the 21st Century? A Panel Discussion
(Full details of panel when finalised)
With the US still in Iraq three years on, what is the changing nature of imperialism in the 21st century? Australia, too, is extending its influence in South Pacific island nations. What can we learn from previous imperial adventures, is there a new ‘imperial’ rivalry shaping the world today and can we resist the new empires? A panel forum.
Run by the International Socialist Organisation

Civil Liberties Under Threat – Their Democracy and Ours. A Panel Discussion
(Full details of panel when finalised)
Howard’s anti-terror laws are an attack on our civil rights. Is the ‘war of terror’ something we need new laws for or is it just an excuse to make more draconian laws in
an era of rebellion against the neo-liberal policies? A panel forum
Run by the International Socialist Organisation

Literacy and justice – Making literacy easier
Open stall
Its 3 principles are:
i. Print literacy is essential for citizens in our modern society – for social progress and for personal empowerment, pleasure and an alternative to self-destructive consolations and dumbing-down of proles.
ii. There must be books worth reading for learners.
iii. Literacy should be much easier than it is.

R.E.A.L. H.O.P.E.
Susan Carew is the manager of One World Network. Susan teaches a values
based peace, nonviolence and anti-bullying program in Primary Schools,
called R.E.A.L. H.O.P.E.  This is an acronym for:  responsibility, empathy,
awareness, love, honesty, oneness, peace and enjoyment.  The program is
designed to teach life skills and peaceful behaviours.  It is endorsed by
Dr. Patch Adams (American clown doctor).

Susan is also creating what appears to be the first collaborative problem
solving Children’s Parliament.  The parliament will teach children lateral
thinking, values, conflict resolution, environmental issues, human rights
and clowning skills.  The kids will work on community problems and come up
with possibilities and solutions.  It is a pilot program whereby developing
democracy at the school level.
Run by Susan Carew (more details at http://www.worldpeacefull.com/)

Transmission will offer two documentary making workshops. In these workshops participants will actually film and edit a short doco on the MSF, which will then be played at the Transmission Film Festival that night. The aim of the workshops are to prove how easy it is to make a short documentary, and to provide those new to the process some experience and some tools to do this.

Workshop I – Filming

This workshop will take a number of crew out and about the MSF to film the various speakers, workshops in and around the CERES grounds in the morning.

Workshop II – Editing

This workshop will collaboratively draw upon the filming from the afternoon, to demonstrate the process of editing a short documentary, and rendering it into DVD format.

EngageMedia – Breaking the media monopoly: web based video distribution

EngageMedia will give an overview of their pioneering work linking media activism with web based video distribution. This workshop will also offer practical lessons on getting video footage on the net, andnew currents in the democratisation of new media.
Run by EngageMedia (engagemedia.org)

Plug in TV – War stories from the doco making front line

Plug in TV will talk about their award winning documentary series. Recipient of two Antenna national community television awards in 2005, Plug in TV’s series aired from march 2005, and continues to the present on channel 31. They will talk about Talk about accessing channel 31 and mainstreaming media.

The Politics of Information

Darren Sharp, from Swinburne University of Technology, will explore emerging thinking around the construction of the information commons. The open source movement, participatory media and anarchist cultural production are actively creating a new space: the information commons. This abstract yet practical space is important in defining how activists, educators, content creators and artists articulate new systems, norms and laws that facilitate autonomy in the face of powerful corporate interests attempting to lock down and colonise the commons. He will give a survey of key thinker, such as McKenzie Wark (Hacker Manifesto) on the power dynamics between information oligarchs and information anarchists, and the shift from Realpolitik to Noopolitik – corresponding ‘vectoralist class’, networks, soft power, new identities and forms of citizenship.

Re-framing the global war on terror

The Bush administration, inspired by neo-conservatives such as Richard Perle, Norman Podhoretz, and Paul Wolfowitz, have framed the public discourse on terrorism subsequent to the events of September 11th Yet many know that the neo-conservative framing of this ‘war on terror’ is false or incomplete. Alex Burns, a media researcher from Swinburne University of Technology, will provide an overview of the work of key media theorist such Douglas Kellner, George Lakoff and others, in analysing neo-conservative ‘framing’ of terrorism. In a participatory, hands-on workshop, participants will explore notions of ‘framing’ issues, and what images are used to frame terrorism issues. Participants will look at our current frustrations with how this issue has been framed, and how we can reframe it.

Oases post-graduate program in integrative leadership

OASES stands for ‘The Organic integration of the Aesthetic, Social, Ecological, and Spiritual elements of our human reality’. It is a new post-graduate program which has emerged from collaboration between the Augustine Centre and Borderlands Cooperative in Melbourne. This workshop will explore contradictions and the nature of the crisis in higher education, in particular its growing commercialisation, commodification and marketisation. Alternative education models will be explored, including the content of alternative education. We will explore the contradictions in engagement and implementation of alternative education models. We will also ask what education for personal, social and global transformation and integration means in the 21st century. Contact: Deb Salvagno – info@oases.org.au

Simpol – Simultaneous Policy Organisation

Simultaneous Policy Organisation is a project to create global governance on a locally democratic basis to solve global issues: ecological governance, security, poverty, and fair trade for example. An information session will be offered that explains the Simultaneous Policy Organisation project, what it is attempting to accomplish, the process it is employing, and how people can get involved. The issue of communicating Simpol to a broader base will be addressed. In addition deficiencies in the Simpol model will be examined, as well as how Simpol might be reconceptualised to make it more effective beyond advocacy (reach the suburbs) and Western (China + India) contexts.

The Other Occupation: Why Palestine is Still the Issue
Palestine is not just another social justice issue; it is at the forefront of the global struggle between justice and racism, as South Africa was in the 1980s. Peace activist, Donna Mulhearn spent four months in the West Bank as a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement earlier this year. Through her first-hand accounts, images and stories about life under occupation she will outline why peace cannot be achieved via the ‘roadmap’ and the current peace process. She will examine the major barriers to peace, with particular reference to the apartheid wall, settlement expansion and settler violence against Palestinians. Donna believes the occupation of Palestine is currently the most de-stabilising international conflict, the world’s most powerful leaders are complicit in what is happening and the media is unwilling to report the reality of the situation. It is therefore up to ordinary people to remain vigilante and mobilise on behalf of the Palestinians.
Run by Donna Mulhearn, Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine

VENEZUELA: Join the Australian brigade to see a revolution in action!
This year fifty-seven Australians went to see the Bolivarian revolution first hand in Venezuela as part of the first solidarity brigade from Australia. This was organised by the Australian Venezuela Solidarity Network. In 2006 there will be three brigades to Venezuela 1) Dec05-Jan06: World Social Forum 2) May Day06: Trade Union Brigade 3) N
v06-Dec06 In the lead up to the presidential elections. Hear first hand about the revolution in the making.
Run by the Australian Venezuela Solidarity Network (www.venezuelasolidarity.org)

Venezuela, Colombia and the new revolution in Latin America

This workshop will look at the general political crisis of the neoliberal model in Latin America, the crisis of ruling elites and parties, the development of a popular counter-offensive and the renewal of radical movements and organisations in the continent. In particular, Alejandro and Jorge will explore the wide range of debates among radical movements – canvassing the strategies and tactics of organisations in Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Brasil, Uruguay, Venezuela and Colombia. Discussion will include a critical look at the Brasilian PT, the Bolivian MAS, the indigenous movement in Ecuador, the piqueteros and the Venezuelan Bolivarian movement.
Run by Alejandro Rodriguez and Jorge Jorquera

Mexico and the Zapatistas
Graduate of Latin American Studies (National Autonomous University of Mexico UNAM), student activist, volunteer in Indigenous communities in Southern Mexico

Lourdes will discuss the long history of the struggles for indigenous rights in Mexico, outlining in particular where the Zapatistas fit into this history and their influence on other movements 
Run by Lourdes Garcia Larque

Cuba & Che Guevara’s legacy in Latin America
This workshop will look at the significance of Che Guevara’s contribution to the radical movements of Latin America. Including a re-evaluation of his thought in light of the changes now underway in Venezuela and the debates emerging about strateggies for change. The workshop will also discuss the situation in contemporary Cuba and how this may fit into the general re-awakening of the anti-imperialist movemets on the continent.
Run by Resistance

Channel Deepening
The Marine Ecology in Port Phillip Bay is more biodiverse than the Great Barrier Reef. This could all be lost if the Channel Deepening project is allowed to proceed. In order to allow bigger ships into our bay, the Port of Melbourne proposes to dig the equivalent of a 15m X4m trench from Melbourne to Sydney! (40 million cubic metres) All of this material- including highly toxic sediment from the mouth of the Yarra river will be dumped back into the bay. Find out what you can do to protect your bay. Campaign history and plans for the future. See our spectacular DVD footage of Port Phillip marine ecosystems. If you like your fish and chips with fish, if you’d rather not swim in a muddy freeway for mega boats- come to our workshop!!

Metatransport
This workshop will cover the social aspects and a Buddhist perspective, and give a practical approach to one’s personal transport.
Run by John Merory Frank Fisher, Elliott Fishman and Mark Newton (Siladasa, leader of the Western Buddhist Order in Melbounre)

Decolonization and exploitation in Western Sahara
Western Sahara’s natural resources, are being illegally exploited by its northern neighbour and occupying power, Morocco. A UN mission known as MINURSO has not only failed to deliver a referendum of self-determination, but is turning a blind eye to human rights abuses, and also the exploitation of Western Sahara’s resources: phosphates, fishing grounds and now oil. It is currently allowing an American company, Kerr McGee to prospect for oil off its Atlantic seaboard and Australia may turn out to be importing phosphates from Western Sahara.
Run by Kamal Fadel, representative of the Polisario Front in Australia

PACE – Pedal Australia for Clean Energy
PACE will be travelling to universities around Australia discussing/promoting Clean Energy. We will be running workshops at universities to help build environment collectives, training students about campaign strategy while using the recent Monash announcement of a new Clean Energy Policy as an example of a campaign success and a successful campaign strategy.

PACE is also linked to the Australian Student Environment Network campaign on clean energy.

Urban Agriculture and Food Security
Urban agriculture plays an important role in addressing issues associated with food insecurity and malnutrition in developing coutries as well as issues of obesity, diabetes and heart disease in the developed countries. Grass roots organisations and local governments are combining community development with projects involving growing food and accessing affordable fresh food to develop more sustainable long term ways of readjusting the balance.

These projects are having a close look at our current food systems and developing powerful ways of reconnecting people with where their food comes from and in turn it’s connection to not only the health of their bodies but also their communities.

This session will explore case studies of innovative food projects and organisations from Melbourne, Brazil, USA, Canada, Denmark and Cuba.

Run by Peta Christensen, Ben Neil (Cultivating Communtiy CEO) and Chris Ennis (CERES Urban Agriculture Manager)

Deepak Chopra’s 7 Spiritual Laws of Success
Seven Spiritual Laws of Success is an adaptation of Deepak Chopra’s teachings for those seeking methods of applying spiritual principles  “Learn how to adapt the Seven Laws in your life  by aligning spiritual principles found in the laws with competencies identified as foundational to transformational leadership.”  The  principles are drawn from quantum physics, spirituality, mind/body medicine, a blend of Eastern and Western philosophy, as well as cutting edge business practices.
Run by Linda Jane

Nuclear power no solution to climate change
This workshop will outline how a desperate, declining uranium industry is attempting to hoodwink the public into thinking nuclear energy is the solution to climate change. Simultaneously the government continues to neglect the core justice and equity issues relating to climate change – the grossly disproportionate rates of emissions and impacts and the burgeoning human rights crisis of climate refugees. The workshop will include a participatory visioning activity whereby participants get to create a nuclear free, climate just and equitable future.
Run by Michaela Stubbs and Michelle Braunstein from Friends of the Earth

Lobbyocracy: The Hypocrisy of Democracy
Democratic principles such as 1 vote 1 value have been replaced by 1 lobby dollar, 1 decision favour.  Contribute to a rapidly developing campaign exposing the undemocratic activities of corporations in Australia.  Learn how this unique campaign will work, share your understanding of this process and help us track this travesty.
Run by Hammy Goonan and Karl Fitzgerald (The Australian Centre for Democracy and Justice, www.lobbyocracy.org)

The antisweatshop movement – A Global response to a global problem
FairWear is a national coalition of workers, community groups, women’s organisations, students, church and faith groups, unions, artists and activists, which has been working to eliminate the exploitation of outworkers and end sweatshop conditions in the garment industry since 1996. Campaigning to make Australian and multinational corporations accountable and responsible for the conditions of workers making their products is particularly challenging in the current climate of repressive anti worker laws on the rise.

Links with sister campaigns and broader community action are necessary to bring companies to account and increase community / consumer awareness about buying clean clothes – free from exploitation. The workshop is an opportunity to look at effective campaigning strategies and discussion the key issues affecting workers in the global supply chain.
Run by Annie Delaney and Daisy Gardener

Whales under attack
Australia has strong anti whaling policies, it is the only environmental issue that our government speaks out on. The lobbying that Ian Campbell did at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) is rivalled only by Australia’s anti Kyoto lobbying thanks to the coal industry. So why then are the Japanese as you read, heading to Antarctica for there biggest whale kill since whaling was banned? Because Alexander Downer will not let the government upset one of Australia’s biggest coal customers – Japan

Once again the real environmental work is up to volunteers. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society www.seashepherd.org came about from the realisation of Paul Watson back in the 70s, one of the founders of Greenpeace that if he didn’t do something who would? Sea Shepherd, the whales navy enforce the laws of the sea including IWC rulings that come under the UN. They use tactics like ramming whaling ships, blockading whaling ships and sinking whaling ships. Half of Norway’s whaling fleet was sunk in port by Sea Shepherd, the anti whalers then returned to the US and claimed responsibility, demanding that Norway extradite them and charge them for the crime!! The Sea Shepherd will be in Melbourne for a week from the 21st November. Come to the workshop, see and learn more about Sea Shepherd and help us while the Sea Shepherd are in Melbourne!
Run by Paul Watson if the ship gets in in time or Paul martin coordinator of publicity and fundraising for the Sea Shepherd while in Melbourne.

In a sick society, only the sick are well
Are you mad?  No?
Well, lots of people are mad, in both senses of the word.  Mentally ill and angry at the way we are treated.  The “Not for Service” report and the wrongful detention of Cornelia Rau has exposed some of the many cracks in Australia’s Mental Health Services.  The prison system has become the new mental asylum, homelessness and criminalisation masks the needs of the mentally troubled and we are raising a generation of kids on Ritalin and Prozac.  Something has to be done!

This workshop looks at the Madpride movement, a grassroots movement of Mental Health Service clients that wants to make significant change in how “Mental Illness” is seen and treated.  If you are psychologically different or care for somebody who is, come along and find out what you can do….
Run by Madpride

States, Transnationals and Opiates of the People: the Economic Infrastructure of the “War on terror”
Is there a “war on terror” in the sense of previous “wars”? What are the “war aims” of each “side”? Can we envisage an outcome or plurality of outcomes? Why and how are our freedoms being threatened by both sides in this conflict and what can we do about these threats?
Run by Owen Gager

Peak Oil and Community Solutions
As the world now peaks in global oil production, we enter into an historical era of ‘Energy Descent’. As individuals this means we will have to make do with less and less material goods each year, whilst dealing with Peak Oil’s other destabilising consequences. “A risk management report commissioned by the US Department of Energy warns that we need “at least a decade” of emergency mitigation efforts before oil peaks to avoid “economic, social, and political costs [which] will be unprecedented”. Yet nothing like these kind of efforts has even begun.

In lieu of governmental responses, a number of communities around the world are organising to retrofit their suburbs and towns for Energy Descent. Rather than re-building from the ashes, these communities are preparing in advance, using Peak Oil as a catalyst to bring about various positive visions for change, with a focus on building livelier, prouder, more idosyncratic and self-reliant local communities, whilst addressing greenhouse, food security, health, transport and education. Can we begin to organise similarly around Melbourne?
Run by Liam and Adam of EnergyBulletin.net

Renegade Economists challenge the Dominoes of Monopoly Capitalism
If time is money and money makes the world go round, then why do we spend so much time working? Do we know why? It’s not hard to understand. Spend your time wisely and learn 4 common sense policies that make our lives easier. We’ll join the dots to the evidence too. Yes, independent thinking can challenge the dominoes of monopoly capitalism from devouring small business. Let’s use the force to turn the tide towards decent jobs and a safer planet.
Karl Fitzgerald, Earthsharing Australia

An Australian Social Forum
In this workshop, we will discuss the possibility of and Australian Social Forum, what it would look like and how we would organise it.
Run by Hammy Goonan (Australian Centre for Democracy and Justice), Jose Ramos, Cam Walker (Friends of the Earth)

A Workshop on Maitreya
Maitreya lives at the present in London. He is a teacher for the coming age and his priorities are eradicate the poverty in the world. With millions of starving people in the world of plenty a new economic system needs be implemented in the world with the most urgent thing being the environment.
Run by Valter Poropat (www.share-international.org)

MSF 2006
Where do you see the MSF in the future?
Run by the MSF organizers
 
Black GST
Indigenous people are traditionally peaceful.
We want the issues of Genocide, Sovereignty and Treaty addressed and then we can get on with our beautiful way of life.
Learn the history of recent Australia Law and grasp a decentralized step forwards with the Sacred treaty Circle Concept.
Run by Rob Thorpe

Re-inventing Revolution in Latin America
Across the many nations of Latin America there are millions of people who are dispossessed and exploited by globalization. But rather than despairing they are organizing in a myriad of creative ways to keep alive the hope that another world is possible.
This workshop is organized to build-bridges between the struggles in Latin America and those in our own Asia-Pacific region. For if we are to realize a world built on justice, democracy and dignity then we must defend the right to organize globally!

Speakers Include:

• Denise Gauchi, ‘Background to Colombia Conflict’
• Cam Walker, ‘Environment, Corporations & State terrorism in Colombia
• Marisol Salinas, ‘The Indigenous Mapuche Struggle’ (in Chile & Argentina)
• Marta Iñigue, ‘Indigenous People and Self-determination in Chiapas, Mexico’
• John Cleary, ‘The Struggle in Venezuela’
• Vek Lewis, ‘Transgender Struggles in Latin America’
• Colm McNaughton, ‘Why Latin America?’
• Lucho Riguelme, ‘Latin America is Alive!’
• Marie Dellora, ‘Cuba Today’.

Will be also Multimedia Presentation, Videos and Music For the right to organize globally! Run by Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET)