As mentioned earlier in Optionality Magazine, published monthly by Quintessence, the United Nations have replied to the petition initiated by THEN. Although the U.N. does not guarantee to take matters further, the Chief of the Communications Section of the Centre of Human Rights at the U.N. has been very helpful in informing THEN how to submit a petition.

Some people within THEN object against the United Nations as an organisation. In Australia, there is considerable debate about whether or not Australia should become a republic. The U.N.'s Covenant on civil and political rights is seen as an unnecessary duplication of rights already recognised in Australia by the Constitution, by the Queen and the legacy of British Law. Therefore, THEN has decided both to petition the U.N. and the Queen.

Neverthless, I can imagine that there are many homeschoolers who object against any such a petition. Like me, they object against any government control over education (and other matters), whether this is exercised by government departments, the Queen or by a supra-national body such as the U.N. This issue received considerable debate in Optionality Magazine, with the result that any further political action is now left to organisations such as THEN, VOCAL and VOICELESS.

Bob Osmak, president of VOCAL and president of the Queensland Homeschoolers Association (uninc.), has made a submission in reply to the issue paper of the Department of Family Services on changes to the Children's Services Act 1965. Note that Queensland's Criminal Code is also under review at the moment. I therefore invite all interested parties to comment on the preferred scope of political activism and to give some feedback as to any further action you expect from THEN.

Edwin Thor

[ editorial, THEN newsletter, 29 September 1993 ]

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