Let us remember that not one person as outed for racism in the lead up to the October Federal elections according to Jeremy Hobbs.... surprise, surprise, the politically correct and biased Murdoch press have absolutely no interest in the issue either.
The fund raising campaign cost Community Aid Abroad Au$10,000 (or about Au$20 per RaceWatcher) - now imagine how many little lives that money could have saved overseas....
Yesterday I received a letter from Community Aid Abroad dated 21st October 1998 which reads:
Dear RaceWatcher,
Thank you for your contribution to the Community Aid Abroad RaceWatch campaign.
We were very pleased with RaceWatch's success, as not only did over 500 people join up to keep an eye on racist campaign tactics but the 1998 election campaign was relatively free of racist sentiment.
With the election over, the RaceWatch campaign has ended, however you can continue to be involved in Community Aid Abroad's campaign activities in your community by joining either PollieWatch or UrgentResponse.
The PollieWatch campaign network includes over 300 members around Australia who meet with and lobby their members of Parliament. Community Aid Abroad send PollieWatchers 4 to 6 briefings a year and PollieWatchers visit or write to their local MP in response. Recent PollieWatch briefings addressed the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, the Aid Budget and Native Title.
Members of the UrgentResponse campaign network are asked to respond quickly to urgent siutaions with a brief letter. Often the issues we address arise from a political crisis in the project areas of Community Aid Abroad. You may be asked to write to the Guatemalan Government about human rights abuses, the Australian media about Government inaction on racism or the Indonesian Government on ongoing violence in East Timor. As a member you would receive up to six short briefings a year.
I have included a brochure for you to complete and return if you wish to become a member of either campaign network. If you would like to be involved in campaigning with Community Ais Abroad in some other way contact the Community Campaigner in your state office:
| ACT | Charlie Pahlman | 02 6257 4472 | SA | Michelle Tonissen | 08 8223 3405 |
| NSW | James Day | 02 9264 1453 | TAS | Margie Law | 03 6234 3870 |
| QLD | Kitty Cara | 07 3857 6888 | VIC | Jo Podlesak | 03 9289 9444 |
| WA | Phil Sparrow | 09 9381 3144 |
Again many thanks for your contribution to RaceWatch
Yours sincerely
Kate Colvin
National Advocacy Coordinator