It’s Australia Day again (or Straya Day as we say in the local dialect), sparking the inevitable debates about whether this is a day of celebration or shame. We’re also being encouraged to participate in familiar discussions about our national anthem, our flag,… Read More ›
human rights
Slavery, human trafficking & exploitation in Australia today (Not sweet at all – Part 2)
In my last post (here), I discussed the trafficking and exploitation of South Sea Islanders (‘sugar slaves’) in northern Australia and the discrimination that these workers and their families faced until only a few decades ago. Unfortunately, practices such as slavery and human trafficking… Read More ›
The social cost of ‘affordable’ clothes
When I heard about the Rana Plaza factory fire in April 2013, I immediately checked the labels on some recent purchases and found, sure enough, ‘Made in Bangladesh’. But what could I do? At the very least, I decided to inform myself… Read More ›