Life is a Disco: The Aleph interviews

On the afternoon of October 7 Susie Danziger and I arrived at the JOY studios in St Kilda to record interviews with Demetra Giannakopoulos for her show Life is a Disco.

We spent a good couple of hours in the studio at the back overlooking the huge peppercorn tree. The tree captivated me because it was full of birdlife, most notably a wattlebird and a currawong.

Demetra was a delight. She asked the most thoughtful questions and was congenial, sensitive and refreshing. We were at ease, and our conversation happened naturally.

I went first, Susie followed. We gave the JOY audience our all.

Following the interview I dropped Susie home and we went on with our day.

It was only a matter of hours later that the terrorist organisation Hamas perpetrated an unforgivable able act of evil upon innocent people in Israel.

Our interviews were edited and they aired over the subsequent two weeks.

The world had changed yet again. War had broken out.

It was very challenging, knowing that we had recorded interviews before the terrorist attack, with them going to air afterwards. It’s hard to say if we would have even done the interviews after October 7, just because of the way everything panned out.

Despite that, it was a privilege being part of Demetra’s show and having the opportunity to tell our stories.

Enjoy.

Interview with Susie, Jewish mother of a trans son

David Southwick supports Safe Schools program (May 17 2023)

SAFE SCHOOLS

17 May 2023 Motions David Southwick (LIB)

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:54): I rise to make some comments on the motion before the house today:

That this house affirms its support for the Safe Schools program and acknowledges that it critically:

(1) supports the well-being of all young people; and

(2) provides valuable resources and support for teachers to foster an inclusive learning environment where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I think we would all agree that every single child should feel safe. It is the right of every child to feel safe and there is an obligation on all of us to provide a safe environment for these kids.

Today is IDAHOBIT, which is a day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and it is appropriate for us to be talking about this as part of the very important element of what many of our young children, particularly those from an LGBTQI+ background, experience at school and what we need to do to ensure that they have a safe environment. Can I say to every LGBTIQ+ Victorian: you are worthy, you are accepted, you are loved, and you and your kids deserve nothing less than to be embraced by all, including the schools, teachers, friends and communities. We must embrace, support and provide every single opportunity for every child no matter who they are, no matter where they come from and no matter what background they are also from. That extends more broadly to both their ethnic background and their faith, and it is something that I have raised on many occasions, as you know, Speaker, particularly in my community where we have unfortunately an increase in antisemitism and we have seen kids targeted at schools because of their faith background as well.

On this motion I wanted at the outset to just raise a few people in terms of their being staunch advocates in this space, particularly Michael Barnett from Aleph. Michael has been a staunch supporter and has been able to work with and support many of the schools. Very early on he worked with Bialik College and King David, just to name a few, and Mount Scopus has been involved in that, in terms of Jewish schools, but we also have a number of other schools that have been involved in terms of being able to provide a safe environment. There is no question that non-heterosexual Australians experience anxiety at 2½ times the rate of heterosexual people. For depression, the figure is four times the rate of heterosexual people. One in six LGBTIQ+ people have attempted suicide and one-third have harmed themselves. They are alarming figures and say that we must do more to support those who do not feel that they belong and those who feel that it is tough just to be able to get on with their daily lives. We have seen that in many instances. We have seen with organisations like Beyond Blue that 61 per cent of young non-heterosexual people have reported experiencing verbal abuse and 80 per cent have reported physical abuse. We have seen another study that showed 33 per cent of trans people reported discrimination in employment as a result of being trans and the unemployment rate of 19 per cent was more than three times that of the national rate.

We have a great state. Victoria is a state that should be embracing everybody no matter who you are, no matter where you come from. We should not be using politics as a way to fight against things like this. We should be coming together and working in ways to actually help people. I have got to say that certainly during question time today I did not feel that that was doing anything to help anybody, particularly those from the LGBTIQ+ community. I know many from our party, the Liberal Party, the Pride branch which is the fastest growing branch in our Liberal Party, of which I am proud to be a member, would feel pretty alarmed about the way that Labor members attacked the Liberal Party today because that does nothing. That does nothing to try and help people belong. The LGBTIQ+ community should not be used as a political football. We should not be using people and targeting them in that way. We should be talking across the chamber about how we do more. We should absolutely do that.

I am very proud that the Leader of the Opposition the member for Hawthorn, the Manager of Opposition Business the member for Brighton, the leader in the upper house Georgie Crozier and a number of others went to the Pride March not only on this occasion but on a number of occasions and stood side by side with the LGBTIQ+ community. We will continue to do so, whether it is popular or whether it is not popular. We will do it because we care, and we will do it because we do not want this to be seen as a political football. So I say, and I implore those opposite: let us look at how we can work together. Let us look at how we can come together on these things.

Belinda Wilson interjected.

David SOUTHWICK: Well, again I say – and I am trying to do this as calmly and as fairly as I possibly can – that ultimately this is not something that we should be trying to score cheap political points out of. It is something that we should be working together on. And that is where I very proudly stand alongside many of those within my party, as I said, including the Liberal Pride branch, who have been absolutely actively providing a very inclusive part of our party so people can feel welcome and so people can feel supported. And if those opposite did not hear me the first time, it is the fastest growing branch we have within our party. So it is certainly something that we celebrate.

Can I also just move on to some of the schools, particularly, that I want to make mention of today, which do some great work. Unfortunately, only a week or so ago we had a report that our great school, Glen Eira College, had what was labelled a toxic and bullying situation where there were almost 10 social media bullying pages on TikTok and Instagram with students posting –

A member interjected.

David SOUTHWICK: Excuse me – posting cruel memes mocking other students and teachers before flashing identifiable photographs of their targets. Can I say the school takes these things very seriously, and I rang the principal as soon as I was made aware of this and was comforted to know that they were acting immediately on this to ensure that kids feel safe – immediately – and so they should. Looking at Glen Eira College’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, one of the things that I think is very important is, within this policy, it talks about all kids feeling safe, whether they be from different backgrounds, whether they be students with disabilities or whether they be from the LGBTIQ+ background. It says this, and I note:

Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.

That is where we need to be. It is something that we all need to work together on. Whether you are at the school, whether you are a parent at the school or whether you are part of the broader school community, everyone needs to work together to ensure that they feel safe. If you see something wrong, you need to tell somebody. We certainly saw that in a number of inquiries that we had here in this Parliament. We led the way in terms of that in the child safety area, particularly in the child abuse work that was done here in this Parliament, and I think that is something that we must continue to do to ensure that we have kids that feel safe.

At the moment we have issues that are still before the courts. I will not make comment on specific details regarding Brighton Secondary College, but it was absolutely appalling that we had a number of kids that were targeted – a number of kids that saw over that time, because they have Jewish backgrounds, antisemitic attacks. The government has spent literally millions of dollars of taxpayers money trying to defend the school, and these poor kids have again had to endure a horrific time at the school. It has been appalling the way those kids have been treated, and I hope that the government ensures that there are systems in place and that kids of all backgrounds are safe, because that is what kids need and expect.

Hansard PDF from page 65:

Legislative_Assembly_2023-05-17

[PDF]

Aleph co-convenor recognised | AJN

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Aleph co-convenor recognised

Krycer has been volunteering with Melbourne’s LGBTIQ+ community for over 35 years, much of this with the Victorian AIDS Council at Thorne Harbour Health.

By MIA GARDINER
March 2, 2023, 12:20 pm 

From left: Daniel Bryen (Thorne Harbour Health), Colin Krycer (Aleph Melbourne), Michael Barnett (Aleph Melbourne) Photo: Aleph Melbourne.

Aleph Melbourne has congratulated co-convenor Colin Krycer for being awarded “Volunteer of the Year” at GLOBE Victoria’s Victorian Pride Awards 2022, held last month.

Krycer has been volunteering with Melbourne’s LGBTIQ+ community for over 35 years, much of this with the Victorian AIDS Council at Thorne Harbour Health.

A longstanding volunteer of Thorne Harbour Health since 1987, Krycer has given willingly of his time to assist many LGBTIQA+ organisations including the Pride Foundation, Aleph Melbourne, Melbourne Rainbow Band, Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus, JOY, ALSO Foundation, Positive Attitude, the Melbourne AIDS Memorial Candlelight Vigil and Quilt Project Inc,

Since 2018 Krycer has helped make the Jews of Pride contingent at Pride March a massive success with his sound system and event management talents, making the Jewish community contingent one of the event’s highlights.

Among his involvement with Aleph Melbourne is hosting community Shabbat dinners, Jewish movie events, and heimishe afternoon teas at his house.

Aleph Melbourne at GESAC Summer Pride

Aleph Melbourne attended Summer Pride at GESAC on Saturday February 25, represented by stalwarts Susie Danziger, Colin Krycer and Michael Barnett.

Our inaugural presence at this pride event was warmly welcomed by many Jewish patrons, thrilled to see a Jewish LGBTIQ+ community group spreading a message of inclusion and acceptance.

We felt at right home at GESAC, where diversity and inclusion is part of the DNA of Glen Eira City Council. Mayor Jim Magee and CEO Rebecca McKenzie, together with the entire Glen Eira team and Leisure Centre staff, warmly welcomed us to their home.

Most heartening was seeing so many parents approaching our table and sending messages of support and thanks for attending. Even more wonderful than that was seeing the smiles of delight from the multitudes of children taking the stylish Aleph Melbourne sticker, under the supportive wing of their parents.

Aleph Melbourne’s next community appearance is at In One Voice on Sunday March 19.

Jewish organisations show their support | AJN

JEWS OF PRIDE

Jewish organisations show their support

‘It filled my heart to the brim to see so many amazing people join in, from all areas within the Jewish community.’

By MIA GARDINER
February 10, 2023, 7:36 am 

Jews of Pride at the Pride march in St Kilda. Photo: Peter Haskin

This year the annual Pride march saw a 130-person strong Jews of Pride group make its way down Fitzroy Street.

Some participating organisations in the contingent organised by Aleph Melbourne included; the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) The Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) and Temple Beth Israel (TBI).

Co-convener of Aleph Melbourne Michael Barnett told The AJN, “It filled my heart to the brim to see so many amazing people join in, from all areas within the Jewish community.

“We had several newcomer organisations to the contingent this year and a variety of first-time attendees from the community,” Barnett added.

Aleph Melbourne’s Colin Krycer set up the sound truck once again, with assistance from Gregory Storer who navigated the truck down the parade route.

Barnett said, “This year the truck was resplendent in stylistic rainbow Magen David wheel covers, and our contingent leaders Susie and Dudi flew massive rainbow Magen David flags to tell the world LGBTIQ+ Jews are worth dancing and prancing down the street for.”

Vice-president of the JCCV Doron Abramovici told The AJN that he was “proud” to join the Jews of Pride continent at the march.

“Once again, Colin Krycer and Michael Barnett OAM did an excellent job in bringing our community together. Our Jewish community has made significant inroads towards LGBTIQ+ inclusion over the last decade, but there is always more we can do to help the LGBTIQ+ community overcome any barriers they may face to fully participate in Jewish life,” he said.

“[I hope] we have continued to share the important message that our community today is more welcoming and inclusive, and leadership takes issues affecting LGBTIQ+ Jews very seriously.”

Australia Day 2023 honours for elder abuse law trailblazer, Indigenous activist and a fossil hunter | The Guardian

Australia Day 2023 honours for elder abuse law trailblazer, Indigenous activist and a fossil hunter

Australia Day honours recipients from left: solicitor Rodney Lewis AM, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria member Leanne Miller AM and Aleph Melbourne co-convener Michael Barnett OAM
Australia Day honours recipients from left: solicitor Rodney Lewis AM, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria member Leanne Miller AM and Aleph Melbourne co-convener Michael Barnett OAM

Other recipients whose work might go under the national radar, but were transformative, include Michael Barnett for service to the LGBTQ+ community, the palaeontologist Lesley Kool, and Leanne Miller for “significant service to women’s affairs, and to the Indigenous community”.

Barnett, a co-convener of Aleph Melbourne, said he worried about suicide rates and mental health issues in vulnerable young people, because of “relentless and pointless homophobic and transphobic intolerance”.

He worked hard to turn things around in one specific community.

“Over the years of my advocacy and activism I have seen Melbourne’s Jewish community become a beacon of LGBTIQ+ inclusion,” he said.

Australia Day 2023 honours for elder abuse law trailblazer, Indigenous activist and a fossil hunter

Media Release: Australia Day Honours for Michael Barnett

Media Release
Australia Day Honours for Michael Barnett

Aleph Melbourne is proud to announce that our co-convenor, Michael Barnett, has been awarded the Order of Australia Medal in the 2023 Australia Day Honours List.  

Michael has been an integral part of Aleph Melbourne, and receiving an Order of Australia recognises the tireless work he has undertaken in the Jewish community in Melbourne.

His work has spanned nearly 30 years, and the award acknowledges his dedication and devotion to ensuring that the community is welcoming of all gender and orientations.

Michael has provided a welcoming place for hundreds of people over the years, and has been at the forefront of fighting for the dignity and humanity of people from diverse genders and sexual orientations. 

From arranging Shabbat meals and social get togethers to taking on the might of the establishment, he was worked tirelessly to make life just a little better for the community.

The award shows that his tenacity of efforts has paid dividends, as witnessed by the growing ‘Jews of Pride’ participation in Melbourne Pride March each year.  What started as a small group marching with Aleph Melbourne has now expanded to many organisations and hundreds of people marching under the ‘Jews of Pride’ banner.

Michael Barnett OAM, congratulations, Aleph Melbourne is delighted that your hard work has been recognised.

Colin Krycer
Co-convenor – Aleph Melbourne

colin@aleph.org.au

Jewish Leaders Want to Ban Kanye West from Australia: ‘Don’t Want You Here’ | Newsweek

LGBTQ groups are also wary of Ye’s presence in the country, noting his apparent backflip in his support for the community when he invited rapper DaBaby to perform with him at his Donda album listening party in 2021. DaBaby has made multiple homophobic comments in the past.

“Until such time as Ye has unambiguously demonstrated he is a true friend of the Jewish people and has distanced himself from his hurtful antisemitic comments, and similarly has proven he is an LGBTIQ+ ally at least to the level he was in 2005, I support calls for the Australian government to deny him entry on character grounds,” said Michael Barnett, co-convenor of Aleph Melbourne, a Jewish LGBTQ group.

Jewish Leaders Want to Ban Kanye West from Australia: ‘Don’t Want You Here’

Caulfield Great Debate: Religious Discrimination

Audio extract from the November 3 2022 Caulfield Great Debate candidates forum, where the candidates discuss the proposed Liberal Party legislation to water down anti-discrimination legislation and how this may adversely impact LGBTIQ+ people.

Speakers: David Southwick MP (Liberal), Lior Harel (ALP), Nomi Kaltmann (independent), Rachel Iampolski (Greens), Julie Szego (moderator)

Victorian Liberal MP Gives Personal ‘Iron-Clad’ Guarantee To Protect LGBT Community From Discrimination | Star Observer

Michael Barnett, co-convenor of Aleph Melbourne welcomed Southwick’s “personal guarantee to look after the best interests of LGBTIQ+ people” but added that the organisation had concerns with the party’s policies.
“I am concerned that the Liberal Party as a whole does not share his strong support for our wellbeing.  One just has to look at the untold damage they did to trans people by running an anti-trans candidate like Katherine Deves in NSW in the recent Federal election,” Barnett told Star Observer
“I am also confounded as to what actual problem the Liberal Party feels it needs to introduce this legislation for.   To my thinking they have fabricated a hypothetical scenario and are jumping in to save the day as the good guys.  It’s the stuff of comic books, but it’s not funny,” added Barnett.