Malcolm Fraser’s best known line was a paraphrase of the quote from the George Bernard Shaw play, Back to Methuselah: “Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful.” Ironically during the 2022 election campaign the Liberal Party adopted the slogan: It Won’t Be Easy under Albanese.… Go to Article
Foco Nuevo in winter 2022

Franké & Marco / Jumping Fences Friday 3rd June 31 Arras Street, Yeronga Doors open 6.00 p.m. Music starts 6.30 p.m. $10 admission (Eftpos available) Warm up at our first winter Foco Nuevo of 2022 with guest artists Franké & Marco joining Jumping Fences in their garden setting. Savouries, cakes, mulled wine, tea, and coffee will be available. |
One Limited Step in the Right Direction
Participants in the successful From Australia to Cuba with Love challenge may be interested in this “One Limited Step in the Right Direction” Declaration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba.
Havana, May 16, 2022.
Today, the government of the United States announced several measures, which are positive but of a very limited scope, regarding Cuba associated to the granting of visas, regular migration, flights to Cuban provinces, remittances and adjustments to the regulations governing transactions with the non-state sector.… Go to Article
IPAN calls on Labor to seek release for Assange at QUAD meeting
With Labor looking like it may form majority government and with the new Prime Minister Albanese going to the QUAD meeting IPAN asks the government to press for Assange’s release. The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network also wants the government to ‘denuclearise’. Here is their press release. Ed 23 May 2022.… Go to Article
Global Repercussions: The Ukraine War, Russia, and U.S.–China
I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service, and during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. – Major General Smedley D. Butler in 1931.… Go to Article
Ukraine and Palestine – the hypocrisy of the West
As the US congress passes a $54 billion dollar military aid package for Ukraine we post this report by Mazin Qumsiyeh in the occupied territories. Ian Curr, 16 May 2022.
The hypocrisy of the west is becoming even more blatant. In the murder of Shireen Abu Aqleh, they simply “call for investigation“.… Go to Article
Israeli police attack fallen journo’s coffin cortege
A world renowned journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh was intentionally murdered by an Israeli sniper in Jenin. Millions of tears were shed for her including ours at the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability ( palestinenature.org). We planted ten trees in her honor. The constellation of events and circumstances and her background actually were so amazing that it provided a huge dose of sadness but also a big ray of hope for us.… Go to Article
The Return – العودة
“We travel like other people, but we return to nowhere … we have a country of words” – Mahmoud Darwish
They began by shooting the militants; then they shot the children throwing stones; and when that was not enough, they began shooting the medics (Razan al-Najjar); and finally they are shooting the journos (Shireen Abu Aqleh).… Go to Article
Democracy: ‘a vote for the Greens is wasted’
Election ’22
The latest polls show that the LNP vote in south-east Queensland has collapsed. The LNP vote has gone down by more than 11%. The Greens vote, on the other hand, in Brisbane is neck and neck with that of the ALP. Yet we don’t have a Green in the house of representatives from any seats in south-east Queensland or anywhere else in Australia excepting in the seat of Melbourne where Adam Bandt, the leader of the Greens, did manage to capture a safe Labor seat some years ago.… Go to Article
River height alert from local councillor

Jono Sri has provided people living on the flood plain in Brisbane with a warning about river levels. I have added the latest data from BOM – Ian Curr, Ed., 13 May 2022.
Evening everyone … I’ve been looking at the creek and river levels in the upper catchments of the Brisbane and Bremer Rivers and it certainly seems like there’s a lot of water around that’s yet to make its way downhill to the city…

Depending on how much water falls over the next few hours, it seems possible that Ipswich could cop a bit of flooding overnight.… Go to Article
Palestinian journalist assassinated – boycott Israel!
Israeli sniper shoots Shireen Abu Aqleh behind the ear as a warning in lead-up to al Nakba
Here is a sad and an important story by Mazin Qumsiyeh about Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who had a strong impact on the Arab world; she inspired a generation of women to become journalists so what happened?… Go to Article
Great May Day at Foco Nuevo
A great night at our May Foco Nuevo, celebrating workers struggle in song! Thanks to the Combined Unions Choir, to Sarah Irvine and the rest of Jumping Fences, as well as to all who came, and especially to those who helped on the night. You made it a wonderful moment! #FocoNuevo
… Go to ArticleA great night at our May Foco Nuevo, celebrating workers struggle in song!
Transitioning from Coal
Of course Barnaby is wrong … but so is the Guardian guy. I was in the workforce from 1967 till 2003 (when I was sacked) plus I was made redundant in different industries on a number of occasions … transitioning to another industry was very difficult, basically I spent about 8 of those 36 years either unemployed or working as a casual and going from job to job.… Go to Article
Vote NO to TOONDAH Harbour development
Over 1000 people marched in Redlands today in protest against Walker Corporations Toondah Harbour proposal that will destroy a RAMSAR wetlands refuge and will itself most probably be destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by extreme weather events caused by climate change and sea level rise. This is stupidity on the part of both major political parties who currently support this ‘development’, disfunctional government processes, and demonstrates the greed and political influence of Walker and Co.… Go to Article
Bicycle Thieves – pumped up
The Brisbane Bicycle Film Night 2022 is coming up in Kangaroo Point on 28 May. You can score tickets at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/…/brisbane-bicycle-film…
The main movie for the night is Bicycle Thieves: Pumped Up which looks like a really cool exploration of the experiences of cyclists who are living on the poverty line and grappling with the housing crisis.… Go to Article
Is Climate Action possible under capitalism?
Another delaying action by fossil fuel industry to forestall action on climate crisis – Trevor Berrill
International trade agreements open the door to claims that could slow progress on climate change.
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden revoked the permit for the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have brought exceptionally dirty oil south from Canada across the Plains.… Go to Article
May Day – Educate, Agitate, Organise!
The Mayor says
20,000 dead in Mariupol
But nothing is done
What does it take?
Is it true?
They keep saying whatever they say
Yes, they send arms
But who will stop the killing?
If it is true why had nothing been done?
How many dying would it take?
Six million?… Go to Article
Tosh – the musical
Tosh
the musical
A play in two acts by Bernie Dowling
The following play is copyright as the intellectual property of Bernie Dowling, also identified in the manuscript as B. D. and hence ©B. D.
It may not be performed or copied in part or its entirety without the express and written permission of its author, Bernie Dowling.… Go to Article
‘Paradiso’ – refugees from Veneto
Here vigour failed the towering fantasy:
But yet the will rolled onward, like a wheel
In even motion, by the love impelled,
That moves the sun in heaven and all the stars.
– Dante in The Vision of Dante or Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise
Paradiso by Steve Capelin (means small hat).… Go to Article
Fare Evasion?
This article by Brisbane city counsellor for the Gabba Ward, Jonathan Sri, gives a practical rundown on what is termed ‘fare evasion’ in his case for free public transport. I do not like the term ‘fare evasion’ (to be clear this is not Jonathan Sri’s term it is a term used by Brisbane City Council and Translink).… Go to Article
May Day Concert @ Foco Nuevo
REMINDER – THIS FRIDAY FOCO NUEVO Jumping Fences / Sarah Irvine / The Combined Unions ChoirFriday 6th May31 Arras Street, Yeronga Doors open 6.00 p.m. Music starts 6.30 p.m.$10 admission (Eftpos available) Our May Day concert features our guest musicians Sarah Irvine and the Combined Unions Choir joining Jumping Fences for the next concert in our backyard setting. |
Irish government complicity in US war crimes
There was a time when Irish juries would acquit protesters against Irish complicity in US war crimes. Take for example the Pitstop Ploughshares group that disarmed a US warplane t Shannon near Dublin in 2003. They were eventually acquitted. But it seems no more. See the following account from TheJournal.ie and Shannonwatch about the latest penalties delivered civil disobedience at the airport.… Go to Article
Developers coming up the road like cancer
Who can afford rent?
Sitting on the front steps of the Queenslander he’s called home for more than a decade, 65-year-old pensioner Bernie Moloney sees the ghosts of the houses that used to line the Brisbane street.
Bernie Moloney should be running in the Federal Election as a candidate for the Anti-Eviction Party.… Go to Article
May Day 2022 speeches
We post here the speeches made at the May Day celebrations at the Exhibition Grounds (Barrambin) in Brisbane /Meanjin on 2 May 2022. All the speeches were directed toward getting Labor elected on 21 May 2022. Not a single rank and file worker was invited on the platform. The people who spoke were (in order) Ben Jones (welcome), Sally McManus (ACTU Secretary), Annastacia Palaszczuk.… Go to Article
Michael Clifford on May Day
Thanks, Kate. Thanks, everybody for being here. One quick fact, Workers share of productivity. So all of those things that workers created this country, workers share of that; wages share of that; is at an all time low, it’s down to 46%.
It’s as low as it’s been since the 1960s.… Go to Article
May Day 2022 – election year
The Brisbane/Meanjin May Day 2022 was celebrated by workers in a big march with banners (pictured) showing just some of the issues not raised by Australia’s alternative prime minister, Anthony Albanese, in his May Day speech at the Exhibition ground: casualisation of the workforce since the introduction of neoliberal policies introduced by Labor and Liberal governments; No wars; Independent foreign policy; no US bases; no nuclear submarines, no AUKUS agreement; end the US blockade of Cuba; climate action; fund tertiary education; workers power & worker control of the workplace; worker safety on site; worker solidarity; land rights, free Julian Assange; a nuclear free Asia-Pacific region and Justice for Palestine.… Go to Article
‘Scott Morrison has got to go’ – Sally McManus
Hello Brisbane, Yay! Scott Morrison is gotta go doesn’t he? Did you just say yes? Scott Morrison is gotta go.
You know what? That bloke says it’s not his job to support us getting pay rises. (Shame) It’s pretty interesting, isn’t it? Because there’s a hell of a lot of things that do not seem to be his job.… Go to Article
‘Gurri Ngindin Narmi’ on May Day 2022
Gurri Ngindin Narmi … words of welcome to this place, welcome people from all directions. Welcome to Barrambin, the windy place of many waterholes, in the language of the Jaggera people, the traditional name for what we know now as Victoria Park and it surrounds.
My name is Ben Jones … my bloodline is with the Nuigi clan of the Quandamooka people, we formed the Eastern component of the broader Jagera nation.… Go to Article
The Street Marches
On 22 October 1977 Senator George Georges led 5,000 people in a march out of King George Square in Brisbane/Meanjin. The march was in opposition to Uranium Mining and Export in Queensland and opposed the Fraser government’s decision for Australia to enter the global nuclear fuel industry.
418 people were arrested.… Go to Article
Going to war?
Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR) has launched a No War Without Parliament campaign so any decision to take Australia into international armed conflict should be made by our Parliament, not by the PM or the Executive. I read ‘No War without Parliament’. I understand this may be seen as an improvement on the current situation where Australian Prime Ministers from both major parties have authorised wars (Howard/Iraq) or the continuance of wars (Gillard/Afghanistan) but I think the proponents have missed a crucial aspect of why Australia gets involved in wars in the first place.… Go to Article