First Nations forest protectors are calling for more allies to join them camping out at Deebing Creek https://soundcloud.com/ian-curr/first-nations-people-call-for-support-to-save-deebing-creek Here's an update from Deebing Creek from Jono Sri and Amy McMahon filmed a couple of days ago. For now, joining the Justice For Deebing Creek ( Goori Sovereign Land Council ) group is a good way … Continue reading First Nations people call for support to save Deebing Creek
Month: October 2020
Gone Tomorrow – Australia in the 80s
If you are going to sin, sin bravely - Sir Roderick Carnegie, CRA Limited (now Rio Tinto) A country rich in mineral and human resources.A country plagued by inflation and unemployment which no elected government seems able to cure. A country with big problems that cannot be solved by Labor's calls for "sound management" or … Continue reading Gone Tomorrow – Australia in the 80s
Mama, where is Time?
High voltage lines bringing electricity from far away coal fired power stations and small boy wonders what sort of world he will live in as an adult. What kind of world … ?Small boy passes the common on the way to childcare and home every week. He loves to stop for a run on the … Continue reading Mama, where is Time?
Farhad, formerly in exile on Main Street, forcibly extracted from Queensland on eve of state election
Farhad at Kangaroo Point Hotel/Prison Our friend Farhad has been taken from BITA, nobody knows where he is, and he is not responding to our messages. Guards took him away suddenly and then returned for his things. This is what they do in this system: they snatch them from their rooms, they handcuff them in … Continue reading Farhad, formerly in exile on Main Street, forcibly extracted from Queensland on eve of state election
Close battle in the Redlands over Toondah Harbour
WBT publishes this mainstream article (The Guardian) to show what a few good activists on the ground can do to challenge the cashed up LNP sitting member in the Redlands to stop Toondah Harbour development.. Queensland election's 'parallel with Warringah': why independent Claire Richardson could topple LNP incumbent A controversial $1.3bn project brings together angry … Continue reading Close battle in the Redlands over Toondah Harbour
Australia’s Mare Nostrum?
Mare Nostrum = Our Sea- a Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea BackgroundLong before the birth of nation states, human beings were constantly on the move across this planet. They did so for many reasons - cold, famine, fire, drought, war - the list is endless. Moroccan refugees turned away from Lampedusa In response to … Continue reading Australia’s Mare Nostrum?
I am
Police assault unionist standing up for refugee rights
"Queensland Police Service always puts community first" - Labor Government Police Minister, Mark Ryan Snr Cnst David Giddins growling at refugee activist News from KP Prison - Footage shows Senior Constable David Giddins (badge number 7763) assaulting people trying to give first aid to man - wearing an NTEU union cap* - Officer Giddins hit … Continue reading Police assault unionist standing up for refugee rights
Vale Noel Preston
Here is an early photo that I have of Noel Preston (centre, holding anti-nuclear cartoon by Ron Cobb) during the street marches (1977).That is Pam Jones beside Noel (holding ‘People before Power Politics’). Mal McKenna is in the shot as well (far right of frame). Mal is holding a placard with 'Concerned Christians' written on … Continue reading Vale Noel Preston
There goes the floor
Hannibal ad portas!"Hannibal is at the gates!" Hannibal managed to lead his Carthaginian army over the Alps and into Italy to take the war directly to the Roman Republic, bypassing Roman and allied land garrisons and Roman naval dominance. Yet he could save only half of his famous elephants. Stage 18: Tao Geoghegan Hart and … Continue reading There goes the floor
Meredith Burgmann – ‘cutting cane for the revolution in Cuba’
Welcome to the Paradigm Shift on FM 102.1 4ZZZ Fridays at noon. 1st brigade to Cuba from Australia in 1984 Interviews with :- John Jiggens - independent candidate for South Brisbane in Qld State Election 31 October 2020 talks about drug law reform.Meredith Burgmann talks about her coming book (with Nadia Wheatley) 'Radicals - Remembering … Continue reading Meredith Burgmann – ‘cutting cane for the revolution in Cuba’
Brisbane City Hall’s ‘colonialist icon’
WBT has looked into the tympanum above Brisbane City Hall in a previous article about how former Lord Mayor and Premier Campbell Newman failed to deliver on his promise to erect a statue of aboriginal warrior, Dundalli, in Post office square. Here is a take from Alethea Beetson who produced a show for the Museum … Continue reading Brisbane City Hall’s ‘colonialist icon’
Cutting cane in Cuba for the Revolution
"The first brigade from Australia to Cuba was named the Eureka Brigade and left Australia in December 1983, returning in January of 1984. After this, New Zealanders were also invited and the brigade became known as the Southern Cross Brigade, or Brigada Cruz del Sur in Spanish. The stated aim is to give Australians and … Continue reading Cutting cane in Cuba for the Revolution
Covid Vaccination
"Vaccines don't save lives, vaccinations save lives" Mullumbimby in Northern NSW boasts the highest number of parents who do not vaccinate their children. Mullumbimby has a large alternative community in an advanced capitalist country and is environmentally conscious but distrusts modern medicine. Why? We post this recent article frm the New York Times that sheds … Continue reading Covid Vaccination
The Brisbane New Left
Listen online to Paradigm Shift [4ZZZ fm 102.1 fridays at Noon] about 'The Brisbane Left'12pm Fri 16 Oct 2020: http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/paradigm-shift Interviews with Anarchists and Socialists from the 1960s & 70s about how they became radicals. Features interviews with Barbara Hart (Brisbane Anarchist), Di Zetlin (former member of the Communist League), story by Ted Reithmuller about … Continue reading The Brisbane New Left
Palestinians during a pandemic: Impacts in the Middle East, and the community response
Join us at 4pm Thursday 22 October for an online webinar to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories and in refugee camps in neighbouring Lebanon. Palestinians During a Pandemic: Impacts in the Middle East and the Community Response Thursday 22 October, 16:00 (AEST) Registration is essential!Register now! The consequences of coronavirus … Continue reading Palestinians during a pandemic: Impacts in the Middle East, and the community response
Vietnam and the Right to Organise
"When Petersen first became Premier, he was virtually a non-entity. (The previous Premier, Pizzey had died after a few months in office, after the retirement of Frank Nicklin. Jack Pizzey was in his fifties when he died.) ... Petersen had one vital thing that was missing from his predecessers. · He possessed a native understanding … Continue reading Vietnam and the Right to Organise
One Crowded Hour
Offenders were punished / By being set in the cart / And driven up and down / The town. Their reputations / were lost, and the right to be present / At court; they lost all honor / And joy. Everyone knew / What carts were for, and feared them….” - Chrétien, Lancelot: the Knight … Continue reading One Crowded Hour
The Ugly Australian
“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London..." - Graham Greene The Quiet American. We publish Drama at the Astor Theatre written by an old … Continue reading The Ugly Australian
The Shopper
I am an old woman.When Germany had awokenPension rates were cut. My childrenGave me the pennies they could spare. ButI could hardly buy anything now. So at firstI went less often to the shops where I’d gone daily.But one day I thought it over, and thenDaily once more I went to the baker’s, the greengrocer‘sAs … Continue reading The Shopper
Ipswich Residents Fed up with being told Rubbish about Incinerators
Ipswich Residents who are concerned about the proposed Remondis Incinerator in Ipswich are taking matters into their own hands concerned politicians aren’t doing enough to protect their health and the environment. They will blockade the Head Office Waste Office Transfer Station in Rocklea to send a message to the proposer and the State Government … Continue reading Ipswich Residents Fed up with being told Rubbish about Incinerators
Many mountains to climb – Assange Legacy & Covid Concert
swimming in shark sealooking for memoryin pink early lightbetween devil deepand wide blue sea — from Strange Fruitby ian curr Julian's Legacy & Covid Concert Paradigm Shift 9 Oct 2020 Friday 12:00 - 1:00 PM 4ZZZ fm 102.1 Welcome to the Paradigm Shift on FM 102.1 4ZZZ Fridays at noon. We challenge the assumptions of our … Continue reading Many mountains to climb – Assange Legacy & Covid Concert
A Book of Doors
Book launch for Anne Richards' memoir - 'A Book of Doors' About this Event AndAlso Books invites you to the launch of A Book of Doors -- Anne Richards' new look at growing up radical in Brisbane during the culturally and politically conservative late 60s-early 70s. Join Sally Breen and Dan O'Neill, in conversation with … Continue reading A Book of Doors
Big Riders climb Binna Burra
We are our memories - Uncle Bob Anderson The name, Binna Burra, is a Munangali word meaning "where the beech tree grows," referring to a stand of Antarctic Beech in the Lamington National Park. In early September 2019, bushfires damaged vegetation and caused instability and scouring to the steep slopes along Binna Burra Road in … Continue reading Big Riders climb Binna Burra
Beirut Shockwave
ABC Four Corners covers the Beirut blast in August 2020. https://www.facebook.com/abc4corners/posts/10157692526810954
Bike for Beirut
This month ordinary cyclists, unionists and activists across Australia combined to do a Big Ride for Palestine to raise money for a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut. This week Lance Armstrong rode a cycle tour of Beirut to raise cash for blast victims. George Hincapie, a pro cyclist who travels with Armstrong, was there on … Continue reading Bike for Beirut
Simmo’s Legacy
Peter Simpson, the former state secretary of the electrical trades union, passed away recently after a long fight with cancer. Simmo stood up against privatisation of public assets in Queensland by Premier's Anna Bligh (ALP) and Campbell Newman (LNP). He learnt the lessons of the dispute when his own union sold out 1,007 SEQEB workers … Continue reading Simmo’s Legacy
Assange on ‘desolation row’ at the Old Bailey
This is the latest report about the Assange extradition hearing (now in its 5th week) at the Old Bailey in London. Note that it is assumed in the report that Assange will not get a fair trial should he be extradited to the U.S. What I do not understand is that the defence in Assange’s extradition trial does not appear to be arguing that you can’t extradite a person from one country (the UK) to another (the US) if the person is unlikely to get a fair trial?
Foco Nuevo in hibernation
This month we bring you performances from Cuban trovadores; Erick Sánchez and Enid Rosales, and Julio Hernández. We met Erick in 1996, first seeing him play at the Sala Atril in the Karl Marx Theatre. Later, on a subsequent visit he was playing with Enid who plays the Cuban tres. Julio we met in 2001, … Continue reading Foco Nuevo in hibernation
Submarines or Underground power?
Given a choice between building attack class submarines for the Navy (cost = $50 and the cost of running power underground throughout Australia (cost is the same), I know which one I would opt for.