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Debnam says failed multiculturalism caused Cronulla riots

From ABC:

New multiculturalism needed, says Debnam

New South Wales Opposition Leader Peter Debnam has used an address to a citizenship ceremony in south Sydney to refer to the Cronulla riots as evidence that multiculturalism has failed.

The Liberal Mayor of Sutherland Shire earlier called on Mr Debnam to refrain from cheap political shots, saying it was an occasion for new citizens and their families.

But Mr Debnam has told the Sutherland audience that recent events such as ethnic violence at the Australian Open show a new policy of practical multiculturalism is needed.

“I’m giving a speech today on multiculturalism and how I see the need to redefine multiculturalism as practical multiculturalism as a policy for inclusion, not separation,” he said.

Councillor Redmond says politics should be left out of citizenship ceremonies.

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News brief · 26 January 2007

Flag not banned says Big Day Out

From a press release on the Big Day Out website:

Clarification on the Flag Issue

The Big Day Out would like to offer the following to clarify its position on “flag banning” at the Sydney show.

Contrary to the reports in the media, it was never our intention to disrespect the symbolism of the Australian or any other flag.

We are not banning the Australian flag but are simply discouraging its use for anti-social purposes at the Big Day Out.

We state unequivocally that flags will not be banned at any Australian Big Day Out show in the foreseeable future.

In recent times, there has been an increased incidence of flags brandished aggressively and this has led to increased tension. Our only intention in discouraging this activity at the Big Day Out is to ensure that our patrons are not subjected to this aggressive behaviour.

With all this in mind and the aim to create a happy, peaceful MUSICAL event, organisers would like to request that fans please leave their flags at home.

The Big Day Out is not an Australia Day event, but a music festival showcasing music artists from around the world and aspires to unify people through music.

Unfortunately the media reports yesterday were not quoted accurately and we must thank the participating media for wasting everybody’s time including the Prime Minister John Howard, Premier Morris Iemma, NSW RSL President Don Rowe, Keysar Trad (a confidant of the Mufti Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly) and Burt Lane of the Australian National Flag Association…

News brief · 22 January 2007

Big Day Out to ban Aussie flag capes

From the SMH:

Ban Big Day Out, not flag: Robb

Organisers should cancel the Australia Day eve Big Day Out concert in Sydney rather than ban the flag at Thursday’s event, parliamentary secretary for immigration Andrew Robb says.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma and the RSL also condemned the decision to ban the flag, describing it as “outrageous” and “unbelievable”.

A newspaper reported that organisers of the Big Day Out at Homebush had decided they would confiscate any flag or bandana featuring the national symbol at the gates.

Event organiser Ken West was quoted as saying fans’ behaviour last year in the wake of the Cronulla riots and the recent ethnic violence at the Australian Open tennis tournament had forced his hand.

“The Australian flag was being used as gang colours. It was racism disguised as patriotism and I’m not going to tolerate it,” Mr West said.

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News brief · 22 January 2007

Jail time for Cronulla ‘thug’

From the SMH:

You’re a thug and going to jail, Cronulla rioter told
Les Kennedy
December 19, 2006

CHRIS EPSIMARIS stood in court with a cocky grin on his face, probably expecting to avoid a jail sentence, like many others charged over the Cronulla Beach riot and reprisals a year ago.

Instead, the 21-year-old found the deputy Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson reading him the riot act while telling him to wipe the smile from his face.

“You are a thug. You have already been convicted as a thug,” Mr Henson said yesterday in sentencing the Panania delivery driver to nine months’ periodic detention.

Epsimaris is the eighth person to receive a jail term after being convicted over the December 11 riot and two nights of reprisal attacks in eastern and southern suburbs.

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News brief · 21 December 2006

Jail time for Cronulla poster boy

From the SMH:

Beach before jail for riot poster boy
Leonie Lamont
December 21, 2006

CRONULLA rioter Brent David Lohman has been allowed to return to the beach for summer, but faces the prospect of a jail sentence after being found guilty yesterday of a charge of rioting.

New bail conditions were imposed on Lohman last month, banning the 19-year-old from Cronulla Beach because of police concern about trouble on December 11, the anniversary of the riots. Yesterday, after convicting Lohman of the charge, which stemmed from riots at Cronulla station, the magistrate, William Brydon, agreed to a request from Lohman’s barrister that the beach ban be lifted.

Lohman, dubbed “the poster boy” after he featured on a newspaper’s front page draped in an Australian flag, was among a crowd of hundreds which surged onto the train platform in response to a megaphone announcement that “Lebs” were arriving by train.

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News brief · 21 December 2006

Few jailed for Cronulla attacks

From the SMH:

Few jailed for their roles in the attacks
Geesche Jacobsen and Andrew Clennell
December 9, 2006

ONLY seven people appear to have been jailed in connection with the Cronulla riots and revenge attacks.

Despite statements by the Premier, Morris Iemma, in January that “If you want to riot … we’ve got plenty of cells in our jails to accommodate you”, and a belief that jail terms have been responsible for preventing more riots, it also appears only one offender from the revenge and riot attacks is still in jail.

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News brief · 11 December 2006

Nazis plot Cronulla II

From the Daily Tele:

Renewed race riot fears
Exclusive by Luke McIlveen
November 27, 2006

WHITE supremacists are whipping up ethnic tensions in Cronulla a year after the race riots, handing out hate pamphlets and plotting anniversary protests in a bid to cause a repeat of the December 11, 2005 violence.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the extreme right-wing Australia First Party – blamed for fuelling last year’s riot – has found a local candidate to stand in the March state election.

John Moffat, an aged-care worker who moved to the Sutherland Shire from the Eastern Suburbs five years ago, will stand against Liberal MP Malcolm Kerr.

Mr Moffat has promised to ban immigration and remove police from Cronulla.

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News brief · 27 November 2006

Cronulla rioter jailed

From AAP:

I’m no racist, says jailed rioter
By Drew Cratchley
October 24, 2006

A MAN who took part in the Cronulla race riot wearing a singlet proclaiming “Mohammed was a camel raping faggot” says he chose the slogan because he believed the Australian way of life was under attack.

Marcus Kapitza, 28, was today ordered to serve the one year jail sentence he received in August after pleading guilty to one charge of riot.

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News brief · 24 October 2006

Cronulla game zapped… for now

Fairfax reports:

Cronulla game site gets zapped
Asher Moses
October 18, 2006

Lobby groups have allegedly achieved what the Australian Federal Government couldn’t, by having a downloadable board game based on the Cronulla riots removed from the internet.

“The page you are attempting to access has been removed because it violated Angelfire’s Terms of Service,” reads an error notice that users are shown when attempting to access the game online.

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News brief · 18 October 2006

Save the wrapping for later

From the Daily Tele:

Racism wrapping itself in flag: vet
October 12, 2006

CRITICS who forced the RSL to retract its invitation to a flag burner to march on Anzac Day have been accused of being unpatriotic and hiding their racism behind the Australian flag.

Vietnam veteran Barry Billing feared the backlash against the RSL’s idea could encourage extremism and even breed terrorists in Australia.

Threats of violence yesterday forced the RSL to back down from its plan to allow a 17-year-old Lebanese-Australian who stole and burnt a flag during last December’s Cronulla riots to march among flag bearers in Sydney next April.

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News brief · 12 October 2006
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