Governor-General Launches the AusCivics Film Festivals 2010
Media Alert 12 August 2010
AusCivics Film Festivals – a national imperative
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, yesterday launched a major national civics education project, AusCivics Film Festivals, promoting the theme, "Celebrating the Australian Way” at Government House, Canberra. These film festivals are expected to reach millions of Australians during the remainder of 2010, particularly young Australians and emphasize the need for all Australians to become educated and engaged in our constitution and Australian Democracy.
70 motorcycle riders were invited to be the symbolic deliverers of the Governor General’s commission of AusCivics urging mayors, principals, teachers and community organisations to get involved in the festivals, particularly school groups. Government House lit up as the riders conveyed through the gates flying bright blue AusCivics flags.
The Governor-General read aloud her commission before presenting it to 8 motorcycle riders representing the 8 states and territories of Australia. “This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate to all Australians your sense of citizenship, your active and valuable participation in the advancement of a healthy and peaceful Australian society,” she read. The Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA) and its partner the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) are implementing this national imperative during this year’s federal election, with AEC records showing 1.4 million eligible Australian voters were not enrolled. The AEC has also identified the remarkable fact that over 50% of young Australians do not know, or don’t care, that Australia is a democracy.
The film festivals will kick off with a red carpet premiere at Broken Hill, on Saturday 11 September and then make their way around the country. The award-winning Australian feature film and inspirational drama, Broken Hill will be the centre of the festival accompanied by a short film entitled Faces of Australia which includes famous Australians such as Ian Thorpe, Georgie Parker and Tom Keneally, who join with ordinary Australians from all walks of life.
The film urges all Australians to recognize the fragility of our Democracy if we don’t become engaged and educated on the systems that allow us to sustain our privileged way of life.
Clips from these and other films will be used as part of CEFA’s online education resource library to help educators and students relate to constitutional and democratic themes such as law and order and the pillars of Australian democracy.
CEFA/ AusCivics would like to thank our national communications sponsor Aussie Farmers Direct for their support of this initiative.
ENDS For more information, please contact Executive Director of CEFA, Kerry Jones , (02) 9251 8511 / 0417 213 228
AusCivics is a project of the Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA). It was created to counter the well documented trend to civics disengagement, which exists and is growing despite the increase in available learning centres and curriculum resources. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) reports that more than 1.4 million Australians who are eligible to vote are unenrolled and are therefore disqualified from participating in the upcoming federal election. This is just one of many evident symptoms that suggest Australia is at a knowledge and engagement ‘tipping point’ that can go either way. Tipping the wrong way will have serious consequences. AusCivics is intended to make sure our young people have enough opportunities to tip the right way: toward increased knowledge of and greater engagement with the Australian Constitution. CEFA's answer to the problem is to reach the target audience, especially youth, through the media rich environment 'where they live' ie films, games, prizes, awards, texting and high profile personalities, with the types of messages that will help make civics 'cool by association’.
Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA) The Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA) is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit organisation committed to increasing public understanding and appreciation of the Constitution, its history and contemporary relevance. CEFA is dedicated to educational initiatives and processes that raise awareness and improve understanding about Australia's system of government.
AusCivics Film Festivals Are part of a 10 year plan to feature inspirational and educational films to youth audiences, their teachers and individuals in the community. These films are designed to open windows of the mind to further civics messages and show the relevance of the Australian Constitution to our democratic systems and our safe, privileged Australian way of life.Attendees of the festivals will also experience direct ‘advice’ via big screen film presentations from our Head of State and from informed citizens such as Tom Keneally and many other ‘faces of Australia’. Every student in grades 5-12 from every school is invited and expected. There will be a uniform attendance fee for each participant, with direct assistance provided to those who are underprivileged or disadvantaged. The attendance fee goes entirely to meet the objectives of AusCivics and will enable CEFA to provide all of its extensive online educational resources, at no-cost, to all schools across Australia.
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