Rally: No Waste Dump at Muckaty, 11th of June 10am

The radioactive waste management bill that is threatening Aboriginal land and community at Muckaty station is due for debate in the June sitting of the federal senate. This bill, if passed, could mean another violation of Aboriginal peoples rights, turning their community into a radioactive waste dump, not only for Australia’s nuclear waste but for waste from around the world. The Muckaty community oppose this bill almost unanimously, and so do many people around Australia as it means that radioactive waste will be transported through their communities. There is no reason to create another radioactive site when waste could be stored in places already contaminated.

On the 11th of March Fukushima nuclear power plant was severely damaged by an earthquake followed by a tsunami leaving the reactor without its vital cooling system. Much of Japan has been effected with radiation already and high levels of radiation have been found across the northern hemisphere carried by wind currents, also sea water that is being used to cool the reactor is leaking back into the ocean poisoning sea life there. This has been a very clear example of how dangerous nuclear energy can be. Japanese activist have called for support in putting a stop to this industry that is dangerous, inefficient and the means to nuclear weapons that could destroy our future.

We invite you to join us on the 11th of June at Civic Park in Newcastle to voice our solidarity with the Muckaty community, with the Japanese and with people across the world in voicing our concerns about the nuclear industry. We don’t want nuclear, we want a future!
Speakers include Nat Wasley from Beyond Nuclear Initiative with more to be confirmed
Music from Las Banditas, Junk Percussion, Paul Spencer, GRCO, and more to be confirmed!
We will allso have an open mic for you to get up, have your say, sing something, read a story, whatever you like!!!

If you would like to get involved or need more information email sarahs_not@hotmail.com

Students of Sustainability

Coming up in July on the 6th to the 10th is SOS, a five day camping gathering in Albury, Victoria. There will be workshops, yummy food, music, good company and lots of chit chat about how to change the world! Sounds great eh!
For more info go to http://studentsofsustainability.org/ or contact the enviro collective, we may also be able to give you a ride there!

The Newcastle branch of the National Education Tertiary Union (NTEU) has written to University of Newcastle management urging an abandoning of the University’s commercial relationship with private education and refugee service provider Navitas.

The NTEU is disturbed about widespread community concerns that Navitas has been allegedly providing slum-like accommodation and charging exorbitant rent to refugee families just a few kilometres from the Callaghan campus. The Newcastle branch of the NTEU understands these refugee families have been re-accommodated. The Newcastle branch of the NTEU further understands that Navitas, as well as a government-appointed review team from Ernst and Young, are conducting investigations into the circumstances of such unfortunate occurrences that have allegedly exploited the most vulnerable members of the Australian community.

While it would be premature at this time to second-guess the findings of those inquiries, the Newcastle branch of the NTEU has previously raised concerns about Navitas operations. The Newcastle branch of the NTEU has consistently expressed its opposition to a private-provider making use of publicly-funded facilities at the UoN under an agreement that lacks transparency. The pulling down of the “commercial-in-confidence” curtain assists university management in cementing this lack of transparency. The Newcastle branch of the NTEU is committed to an ongoing culture shift at the university that values transparency and accountability in all of the university’s financial dealings whenever such accountability does not breach legal obligations.

The Newcastle branch of the NTEU today wrote to Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Global Relations) Professor Kevin McConkey reaffirming its opposition to Navitas operating at the university and using publicly-funded facilities when key financial data are obscured from the public record. The Australian taxpayer has an interest in knowing what amount Navitas has been paying for the office space that has been allocated to them at the university.

The Newcastle branch of the NTEU again call on the current management at the university to reveal details regarding its financial arrangements with Navitas and to abandon its relationship with Navitas and its subsidiaries.

You can join the NTEU at their website http://www.nteu.org.au/newcastle/

>>>>>http://opusmag.tumblr.com<<<<<

Make sure you check out our interview with indie pop heavyweights Boy and Bear.

Big word up to James Brown, he’s going to be looking after our tumblr. What a champ.

No Diet Day is all about accepting who your own body and not giving too much of a fuck about what other people think.

Snatchy made an awesome zine to mark the occasion. To learn how to fold it into an extremely excellent 1 page zine check out our brand spankin’ new tumblr - http://opusmag.tumblr.com/

Click to enlarge image

Print this off and make your own little zine

Back

Check out the Womens Collective facebook page for upcoming events -

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002080453271

Sydney miners of folk-rock Boy & Bear will be on the Australian road again this Autumn for their very own national tour. Currently recording their debut album in the US, Boy & Bear look to bring their rich harmonies and inspiring live show to Newcastle on Tuesday May 31st, playing at Newcastle Uni. A reader of Reverb will get the chance for an exclusive money-can’t-buy experience to not only meet and greet Boy & Bear, but also be the official reviewer of the show and have it published in Reverb.

Email competition@secret-service.com.au and describe in  25 words why you would be a capable reviewer for Reverb. Please ensure “Reverb” is the subject line and please also include your name, contact phone number and email. Sorry, over 18s only.

Boy and Bear

NUSA is in a bit of a legal limbo due to constitutional woes. We can’t pass any money. Can’t pay the printers.

Major bummer, hey.

Hopefully this issue will be resolved soon enough and we can get back into the full swing of things.

If you want to know more, get in touch

opus.nusa@gmail.com

Lotsa love,

Carlin

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OPUS1, 2011

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click on the above link to download a PDF of Opus 1.

Enjoy.

written by James Brown

As the majority flooded out

Of the Metro Theatre that Wednesday night,

A very keen handful of fans stayed behind.

We pressed ourselves against the barrier,

Using unnecessarily loud voices to talk to each other,

As our ears still rang from the concert having just finished.

We applied our most refined persuasion skills

to the stage crew -

Coooooooome onnnnnnnnnnn!

She said she’d sign our photo!

Be a chaaaaaamp, maaaaate!

And she came out! Legit!

The magnificent bitch came out!

With a big red bow in her dark red hair.

She said “Hi!” -

Kate Nash just said “Hi!” -

She hugged us -

Kate Nash just hugged us -

She asked us where we were from -

Kate Nash just asked us where we from -

And for the shortest and longest ten minutes

of our lives,

Kate Nash spoke to us, kindly, in her North

England accent.

Fuck-a-duck!

Relativity Media and director, Neil Burger (The Illusionist), prove that an award-winning history isn’t needed to make a successful film. Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper, The Hangover), was a struggling writer with nothing going for him. Mere coincidence and a nothing-to-lose attitude landed him on a drug trip that would soon take him on a succession of highs and lows with an unpredictable, déjà vu ending.

With the opening scene reminiscent of Vanilla Sky starring Tom Cruise, Limitless makes a bold promise as to the level of entertainment viewers will receive and it lives up to it. Set in busy New York City, the crowded streets make it an ideal setting for a high tempo, fast paced movie.

So, what would you do if you could unlock the parts of your brain that were previously inaccessible? For a writer, a limitless access to the brain’s creativity is the ticket out of Morra’s writer’s block. Unlike most drug-centric movies where money, deprivation, and violence is the cornerstone of the portrayed drug lifestyle, Limitless paints an optimistic picture of the ability this drug, NZT, can have on society. This drug business is not a profession but rather a secret and those at the top are full of secrets.

The suspense of a limited supply and daunting withdrawal effects make this a race-against-time thriller. So, what happens when your brilliance isn’t reachable without a pill? What happens when the extroversion, intelligence, exoticness, and fearlessness wear off and everyone sees that you’re just the failed writer who couldn’t fulfil the stipulations of his book deal? That very fear of normality is what drives Morra to continue his daily supplement, in hopes of unlocking the recipe and sustaining this life filled with success and love.

With little acclaim under his belt, cinematographer Jo Willems does an amazing job with dark lighting and time-lapsed shots that bring the viewer into what it feels like to be in a drug-induced state. Up-and-coming superstar Bradley Cooper may have bought his way into a starring role by backing the film financially, however, his superb acting and charming smile transcends from previous movies and plays a vital role to the innocence of his character. Throughout the movie, you can’t help but wish him success despite his illegal and dangerous addiction. With a secret like his, even at the top you’re not in control.

Two-time Academy Award winner and co-star, Robert De Niro (Carl Van Loon) does a good job of bringing a big name to this rookie film cast also starring Australian actress, Abbie Cornish (Lindy). De Niro delivers a jaw-dropping speech which will no doubt be quoted and remembered for years to come. Men and women alike will enjoy this film. The suspenseful action and fight scenes are enough to keep the males engaged while the women drool over Morra’s smile and wish for a hopeful end to the love and relationship he shares with Lindy throughout the movie.

Relativity seems to have its first box office hit on its resume, with the film grossing $19 million in the opening weekend in the U.S. and taking the number one box office spot. With the film’s modest budget of $27 million, the film is sure to end up in the black and promise more opportunities for Relativity Media.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5