As we sign off from 2003 today, lets be encouraged by some of the great news of the year:

Environment

Assistant Prime Minister John Anderson drove a historic deal that for the first time will put more water back into the Murray river.

The Queensland and Federal governments have come up with a joint proposal to stop the clearing of 5000 square kilometres of native bushland in Queensland.

The federal government has proposed protecting 30% of the Great Barrier Reef, making it the largest marine protected area on earth.

Prayer and Faith

Never before has the nation gathered fro prayer as it did on 1st March. From all streams and denominations of the Church, from the indigenous people to the newest arrivals, an estimated 35,000 Australians came together to worship the King of Kings

The nation was ringed with worshipping people from Cairns in the far north of Queensland all the way down the east coast, along the southern extremity of our nation, up the west coast and across to Darwin in the north. The red centre also joined in as did many inland cities and towns of our nation. Tens of thousands of Australians gathered in worship and to declare that Australia belongs to Jesus:

One of Australia’s early explorers called this land 'Terra Australis del Espirtu Santo' or, 'The Southern Land of the Holy Spirit'. This proclamation was declared by De Quiros on the day of Pentecost 14th of May 1606.  After the muskets were fired the men shouted with joy 'Long live the faith of Christ'. 

The Anglican Synod of Sydney made a stand against Free Masonry, which has effectively cut off the root of free masonry where it entered the nation. This has taken 18 months of debate, but a decision was reached this year.

Culture and Crime

A decade ago footballer Nicky Winmar was taunted for being aboriginal. Now the AFL is a leader in the celebration of indigenous culture.

The community has taken a public stand that it will not tolerate institutional paedophilia.

Since 1997 landmines have been banned by most of the world’s nations.

For the first time in history wartime rape has been successfully prosecuted.

The crimes of genocide and torture in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia have been heard in international tribunals.

Property crime is on the decline across Australia.

Fatal heroin overdose rates in Australia are now about a quarter of what they were in 1998-9.

Australia has double digit percentage falls in robbery, burglary and motor vehicle theft (in Victoria the figures are 31%, 16% and 27% respectively).

The number of shooting incidents in NSW peaked in 2001 and has been declining ever since.

The homicide rate in Australia is 1.6 per 100,000 compared with 8.8 per 100,000 in New York under it’s zero tolerance policy. The homicide rate in NSW is lower than it was in the 1920’s and lower than it was in 1980.

Poverty and Health

Moves to wind back third world debt has actually worked. Some 27 countries in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative are now paying an average of $1.8 billion less per year than in 1989-99.

In Tanzania this means 1.6 million extra kids can attend school.

In Mozambique $20 million of debt payment has been redirected into health.

Child deaths due to diarrhoea (mainly from unsafe drinking water) has been reduced by 50% in the last decade.

Due to immunisation, 175 countries are now free of polio.

Since the global program to end iodine deficiency began in 1990, each year 85 million newborn children have been protected from this leading cause of mental retardation.

Smoking kills around 19,000 Australians per year. In the early 1960’s nearly 70% of men and 33% of women smoked. Both figures have now dropped to 20%. The rate of male death from lung cancer has fallen by about 20%.

Politics

The Australian government has been pro-active in taking a stand against persecution, corruption and anarchy in Timor, Iraq, The Solomon Islands, New Guinea and Zimbabwe.

Australia assisted the US bring down one of the world’s evil tyrants in Iraq - helping to free a country from despotic control and opening up the way for freedom and a future democratic government.

In the Solomon Islands, those who were perceived to be dangerous and difficult to deal with, totally capitulated within weeks of the arrival of Australian personnel. Stability is being restored quickly and reform is being implemented.

Our Australian troops have been casualty free in all of these efforts.

The US government brought an end to the Taliban and is continuing to free up Afghanistan’s future.

Security procedures and many international arrests have been successful in protecting the West from terrorist attacks since Sept 11 and Bali.

In South Australian the Family First Party was formed by Christians and straight away gained the balance of power in the SA parliament.

20% of Federal parliamentarians are active members of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship. This has been supported by the growing influence of the Australian Christian Lobby.

The Economy

Despite the drought, the Australian dollar is appreciating while inflation, interest rates and unemployment are at record lows.

For your Diary

A National Day of Thanksgiving will be launched by his Excellency, the Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffrey on the 11th of February 2004. Let's plan to enjoy this opportunity to give thanks to the one who deserves our praise and worship.

Looking forward to participating in a wonderful year of growth for the Kingdom of God in Australia in 2004.

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