Category: #Occupy

Give up Activism

In 1999, in the aftermath of the June 18th global day of action, a pamphlet called Reflections on June 18th was produced by some people in London, as an open-access collection of “contributions on the politics behind the events that occurred in the City of London on June 18, 1999”. Contained in this collection was an article called ‘Give up Activism’ which has generated quite a lot of discussion and debate both in the UK and internationally, being translated into several languages and reproduced in several different publications.[1]… Go to Article

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet
Now how we gonna get there, we don’t even have boats
And how we gonna get there when we’re not winning votes
We will never get there while the pollys speak their spokes
Garden party circus clowns wooing kids with their jokes
Another death in custody to a suicide fatality
This is how it’s supposed to be, in a capitalist society
People on the top and people on the bottom
And people in the middle who don’t wanna know what happened
– The Last Kinection – ‘Are We There Yet’ featuring Simone Stacey

by Julian Burnside

It is a great privilege to be giving a talk in honour of Barry Jones.… Go to Article

Battle for Musgrave Park continues …

1982 Commonwealth Games Commemoration
4-6 October 2013
Musgrave Park
[organised by Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy (BASE) Contact for more info: 0424 610 492]

Last year (2012) the 30th Anniversary of 1982 Commonwealth Games protests were held in Musgrave Park a traditional place for struggle. A new generation of activists have stepped forward to take up the struggle for aboriginal land rights and sovereignty.… Go to Article

Striking it Richer

The Evolution of Top Incomes in the United States
(Updated with 2012 preliminary estimates)
Emmanuel Saez, UC Berkeley• September 3, 2013

The recent dramatic rise in income inequality in the United States is well documented. But we know less about which groups are winners and which are losers, or how this may have changed over time.

… Go to Article

Who is poorer – the deserving or the undeserving?

[PShift (4zzz fm102.1 fridays at noon) 12 noon Friday 30 Aug]

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”… Go to Article

What has the anti-globalisation movement achieved?

‘First they globalised management and now they’ve globalised workers’ – long time unionist and economic refugee

I attended the inaugural anti- G20 meeting at Trades & Labor Council (QCU) Building in South Brisbane on Thursday 18 July 2013. A couple of people at the meeting asked  what the G20 was and what the meeting was about.… Go to Article

“Three weeks people, three weeks!” — one year on from Occupy Brisbane

[Editor’s Note: It is timely to remember our struggle at occupy of one year’s past – especially since people are trying so hard to keep the sacred fire alight in Musgrave Park. This is a defining speech at Brisbane Occupy given by KC Newnam in King George Square, Brisbane, prior to our march to each site that we had occupied in the previous three weeks during October and November 2011.… Go to Article

Occupy and aboriginal nations passports

occupy sydney will be holding their first anniversary from saturday 13 to monday 15, see attached for full details.

in solidarity with the aims and the comrades involved isja will be in attendance at the plt. house end of martin plaza from midday to 6pm on the saturday and sunday only to continue to issue the aboriginal nations passports to those non-aboriginal people who read and agree to sign the pledge that fully recognises the pure sovereignty of the aborigines to their traditional lands.… Go to Article

Supreme Court hearing: ‘You Cannot Trust the Public Trustee’

This is to let you know that there is a hearing in the new Brisbane Supreme Court tomorrow (Wednesday, 12 Sept 2012) at 10 am about the Public Trustee’s handling of financial affairs at AHIMSA house. Importantly it is about saving an elderly person’s family home that the public trustee wants to give to an accountant under a deed of arrangement.… Go to Article

Support the Workers at the Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) Site

Queensland Children’s Hospital Dispute Leader Bob Carnegie will be Speaking at the Socialist Alternative Public Meeting on Tuesday (11 Sept 2012)

The community protest at the Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) site has lasted for 38 days. The workers are fighting for two things. The first is demanding Abigroup sign a union EBA, thereby replacing their non-union EBA currently in operation.… Go to Article

Minister liquidates low cost housing

The Queensland government says that it should not be in the business of running low cost accommodation like caravan parks. Yet the Monte Carlo Caravan Park is more affordable housing than any other, more affordable than units nearby or privately run caravan parks — or it was until the public trustee outsourced the management of the park to Australian Tourist Park Management a private firm that runs and owns many such parks in Australia.… Go to Article

e-Books by Bernie Dowling — a Review

Some new release eBooks are worth having a look at. Thanks to the author, these reviews preserve the rich content that readers obtain when they use eReaders [hyperlinks, YouTube] I have turned off embedded ‘text enhance’ messages which I do not like (sic). All three books are available on Google Books.… Go to Article

The shocking truth about the crackdown on Occupy?

Editor’s Note: I have included the full article “The shocking truth about the crackdown on Occupy” by Naomi Wolf below. There has been blind acceptance of such analysis.
Nevertheless,  the article by Corey Robin argues Why Naomi Wolf got it wrong: In the US, political repression – such as the crackdown on Occupy protests – doesn’t require top-down coordination…
  It is true that US police forces are decentralised – but so are police units in Australia.… Go to Article

Dave, Eden (“Lovers Electric”) Auburn & Shazza Celebrate Bradley Manning’s Birthday in Adelaide :) – YOUTUBE (1 min 41 secs

YOUTUBE (1min 41 secs) “Lovers Electric” and friends in hometown Adelaide, South Australia celebrate Bradley Manning’ 24th. birthday & his nonviolent resistance to the war and spread the word!extlink.gif

F5 2011 YOUTUBE by Radfax (3 mins 48 secs)
– “Lovers Electric” perform a song for Bradley Manning at Giuseppe Conlon House” London

extlink.gif

-Homepage: http://www.loverselectric.com/

… Go to Article

Man on Roof to Challenge Bank Sale of Community Centre

Friends of Ahimsa House Press Release

At 10am on the morning of Wednesday 14th December 2011 Friend of Ahimsa House activist, Bernie Neville, will climb onto the roof of AHIMSA (Peace) House, 26 Horan Street, West End and hang a banner in opposition to the impending sale of this community space, slated to be finalised this Thursday the 15th December.… Go to Article

‘Poultry’ pay not OK: Baiada workers on why they’re striking

‘Poultry’ pay not OK: Baiada workers on why they’re striking
By Sue Bolton
From Green Left Weekly, Saturday, November 19, 2011

The main slogan on the Baiada workers’ picket line in Melbourne’s western suburbs is “No more $10! No more cash in hand.”

This is because the Baiada poultry processing plant in Laverton is progressively replacing permanent workers with cash-in-hand workers on $10 an hour.… Go to Article

You Cannot Trust the Public Trustee

This is a long story with a bad ending.

The bad ending was that Mr Justice Martin ratified the legal theft of Ross Taylor’s family home by his accountants, the Xxxxxx Family Trust. On 12 September 2012 Martin J ordered that:

“A Deed of Agreement between the Public Trustee as financial administrator for Carl Ross Taylor with the Respondents (the “Xxxxxxs”) dated 31 August 2012″ be accepted and that the house be transferred to the Xxxxxxs family trust.… Go to Article

Occupy Brisbane – a new strategy?

And would some Power the small gift give us
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us,
And foolish notion:
What airs in dress and gait would leave us,
And even devotion!
— Robert Burns

I wish to address the tactical questions that others have raised (at this meeting of Occupy – a view from the Left) and then pose a new strategic direction for Occupy Brisbane.… Go to Article

The Occupy movement: views from the left


The Occupy movement: views from the left
A public forum

The Occupy movement is inspiring people all over the globe to stand tall against corporate greed, and giving us hope that we can change society and the world. From what we’ve seen at Occupy Brisbane in the last month, there are a lot of questions and challenges:

– How can the movement make sure Occupations are safe for everybody?… Go to Article

The Tall Man

the link below takes you to the preview of the film documentary, the tall man, based on the book by chloe hooper that andrew boe had requested she write on the killing of mulrunji doomadgee by then sen, sgt. chris hurley during november 2004.

many many words have been written on this homicide and the attempts by the queensland police, and especially their union, to not only exonerate hurley but also his friends in the force who tampered both with evidence and witnesses of the death of doomadgee.… Go to Article

#Occupy Brisbane — Volunteers Wanted for Refugee Rights Stall

REFUGEE ACTION COLLECTIVE, QLD

Volunteers wanted for refugee rights stall at Occupy Brisbane demonstration.

When: Between 12 midday and 3pm, Saturday 12th November.
Where: Brisbane Square, top of Queen St Mall.

If we get enough volunteers we can run the stall for the whole 3 hours. It’s a good way to help the campaign if you can’t come to meetings.… Go to Article

YOUTUBE – And lo I beheld Rev.Billy Rock Occupy London SX last night

I was at Occupy London last night, in the cold wet surrounds of St. Paul’s Cathedral, in need of a morale booster when I beheld an apparition of one of my all time heroes! Dressed in white, with the quif and the pointy white cowboy boots it was none other than Rev Bill of New York City from the Church of Non Shopping
http://www.revbilly.com/… Go to Article

Christians for Occupy

Howdy! The Occupy Together movement has captured imaginations around the world, inspiring hope and action as well as loathing and violent crackdowns. In London it has forced discussions about the crossovers between Christianity and Occupy due to the Occupiers being on church land. Yet discussion about this in the rest of the world has not really happened despite the obvious connections of economic justice, less greed, and more inclusive societies.… Go to Article

‘We are Hope’

Blackfella, whitefella
Yellafella, any fella
It doesn’t matter what your colour
As long as you are true fella
Are you the one who’s gonna stand up and be counted?

— Warumpi band ‘Black Fella, White Fella’

In Tahir Square in Cairo, in Damascus and Baghdad they shoot you if you call out for freedom, in Post Office Square, Brisbane if you call for democracy they evict you or hit you with $500 fines for illegal occupation of the city.… Go to Article

REMINDER: 17 Group Wed the 2nd of November

The next Meeting of the 17 Group will be held on Wednesday the 2nd of November in unit 6 at 20 Drury St West End at 7pm on the rather unusual topic:
Why are there histories of reading? Some thoughts and reports.

The speaker will be Professor Pat Buckridge.

Here is Pats summary of the themes of his talk:

For most of us, reading is as natural and necessary as breathing, and who needs a history of breathing?… Go to Article

#Occupy London – ‘sermon on the steps’

On Saturday Oct 29th. I was invited to take part as a Catholic Worker in the “Sermon on the Steps” of St. Paul’s Cathedral organised by Occupy London.Here’s some youtube of “Sermon on the Steps”….

Occupy London protected by ring of prayer….
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/29/christians-def…otest

Here’s the Anglican Bishop of London and Dean of St.… Go to Article

Try Out Your Voice

“I am strong because I am weak. I’m beautiful because I know my flaws. I’m a lover because I am a fighter. I’m fearless because I have been afraid. I’m wise because I have been foolish. & I can laugh because I Have known sadness”

The first Zine has come out of #Occupy Brisbane – it is called ‘Try out your Voice‘ and was produced by Rockabilby Riot

Try out your voice – #Occupy Bris

… Go to Article

Occupy your life

By Andy Paine

Around the world, the “Occupy” movement has captured people’s imaginations, leading countless people in thousands of cities into city squares to make a statement about their dissatisfaction with the state of our society, especially the distribution of wealth. The pure size has caught everybody by surprise.

Here in Brisbane, I’ve spoken to numerous people who have come to the occupation, either to stay or just to visit.… Go to Article