Category: Public meeting

Post that give details of public meetings of interest.

No to Newman. No to uranium mining.

CANPIn 1977 Bjelke-Petersen tried to stop the anti-uranium movement by banning
street marches. Unionists and students launched a defiant campaign which
gained community support. By August 1979 Petersen was forced to back-down.

Public Meeting:
How unionists, students and
environmentalists beat Bjelke-Petersen.

When:             6pm Tuesday 14 May
Where:            Trades and Labour Council Building
L2, 16 Peel St, South Brisbane

Current and former activists speaking include:
Robin Taubenfeld, Friends of the Earth
Trevor Berrill, Sustainable Energy Consultant
Ian Curr, Leftpress
Dr Sigrid McCausland, lecturer

Meeting facilitator:
Jan Ryall, SEARCH Foundation

Video footage of the protests provided by Ian Curr of Left Press.… Go to Article

17 Group postponed

Though the 17 Group is a secular group with no affiliation to any religious group, it is of course friendly to the born-again Community of Queensland Originists.

Not for the first time therefore does it accommodate its loyal members who follow that persuasion by delaying its next meeting by one week, to allow them to observe one of their Holy Days (Nights rather) of Obligation.… Go to Article

Foco: Student Worker Alliance in Brisbane in the late 1960s

This is a talk given by Peter Cross at a meeting of the 17 Group on 7 May 2013 about the Secretary of the Trades and labour Council, Alexander Macdonald’s role was in building links between the Trades Hall and the student movement.

Comrades and Friends,

Brisbane Labour History Association hopes everyone has had an enjoyable May Day/Labour Day, notwithstanding the unsuccessful attempts of the Newman LNP government to undermine this day of workers’ celebration.… Go to Article

Council’s case against Homer reaches new depths

“Art is not a mirror held up to reality
but a hammer with which to shape it.”
― Bertolt Brecht

[Broadcast PShift Saturday 2 Mar 2013 4zzz fm 102.1 Friday at Noon]

Homer was a busy dog this week, court appearances, Brisbane City Council appeals, tent embassy meetings, Homer even got in a game of community bingo up at Jagera Arts Hall.… Go to Article

PShift: Anarchist Summer School – what, where and when?

This discussion with organisers of the Brisbane Anarchist Summer School (BASS) was broadcast on the Paradigm Shift [Fridays at noon  on 4ZZZ fm 102.1] on 21 Dec 2012.

What

The Brisbane Anarchist Summer School will be held on 12th – 13th January, 2013 – for more details go to Where and When and  Program

… Go to Article

Interesting speakers about the 1972 recognition of China

Hi friends,
Next Saturday 24th November the Australia China Friendship Society is running a seminar and reception (free) to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Whitlam Government recognition of China. Speakers include Graham Freudenberg (Gough’s speech writer), Manfred Cross (ex-MLA) and Prof Ron Keith from Griffith Asian Studies.

Let us know if you would like to attend (numbers for catering), and please circulate as widely as possible.… 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

Yes, Virginia, there are conspiracies

By Humphrey McQueen
(Text of speech at Canberra Friends of Wikileaks, Coombs Lecture Theatre, Australian National University, 27 June 2012.)

Once more, I have the honour of sharing a platform with Christine Assange. Since we were at the Sydney meeting in February, she has come through five tortuous months. Her calm yet loving commitment to keeping us up to date with the legal and extra-judicial proceedings inspires us all.… Go to Article

PUBLIC FORUM: Being smuggled to freedom: behind the anti-people smuggling rhetoric

Dear refugee supporters,

This is to inform you of our public forum which will review and analyse the rhetoric surrounding “people smuggling”. We are all influenced by what the media and politicians say about this, and RAC wants to provide an opportunity to rethink the whole business. Please come along yourselves, and invite your staff, volunteers, students, and where appropriate, your clients.… Go to Article

Public Forum — Being smuggled to freedom: Behind the anti-people smuggling rhetoric

On this night like any other night
Maybe raining maybe clear
In a world exploding is any heart open?
Can you hear us, Can you hear?

— from article 14 by tony mockeridge

Speakers include:
Mark Plunkett, Qld barrister representing Indonesian fishermen, including juveniles, in people smuggling cases.

Ian Rintoul, prominent refugee rights campaigner, Refugee Action Coalition, NSW.… Go to Article

Lock the Gate

Hi to all who may be about to come to Drew’s talk to the 17 Group on the 1st of February. Here is a text by Drew that might spark some thoughts with which to prepare for the discussion that will follow the talk:

Imagine a situation where certain resource extraction industries – coal and coal seam gas – have potentially massive environmental impacts on underground and surface water, agricultural land and biodiversity with ecosystem collapse in a part of the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area and thousands of hectares of precious old growth bushland cleared.… 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

Capital against Capitalism: a conference of new Marxist research

Fire Brigade Employees Union, Sydney, 25 June 2011
as reported by Humphrey McQueen

In memory of a life-long sparring partner – Bob Gould

[This report does not summarise all the twenty-one papers. Instead, I reflect on three themes from the proceedings: 1. radical pedagogy; 2. Idealism versus Materialism; 3. the tertiary trained.… Go to Article

Questions to the candidates in the Federal election 2010

Development

Why do none of the political parties support ‘ecologically sustainable development’?

Energy

If the ALP and the federal Labor government support clean energy why is coal going gangbusters here in Queensland?

Climate Change

Do the candidates think that climate changes can be fixed under capitalism?

War and Higher Education

Why have political parties done so little to stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?… Go to Article

NTEU Candidates Forum at UQ in Ryan

Liberals Shun forum on Higher Education

Both the sitting Liberal (now independent) Michael Johnson and the new Liberal candidate for Ryan, Jane Prentice did not take part in the policy forum on Higher Education.

The president of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) UQ branch Andrew Bonnell said that perhaps the Liberals didn’t turn up because they have not released a higher education policy in the 2010 election (so far).… Go to Article

Notes on Tibet in the Contemporary World

Professor Colin Mackerras spoke at a lunch organised by the Australia-China friendship Society at Adam’s Oriental Restaurant South Brisbane on Sunday 1st August 2010.

Prof. Mackerras is a Chinese speaker and frequent visitor to our northern neighbour.

He spoke mainly about Tibet and specifically about a visit to Dharamsala in India in April 2010.… Go to Article

20th Anniversary of Melbourne Tramways dispute

by Peter Riley and Margaret Creagh

On the night (Saturday 30th January 2010) I brought along some memorabilia: photos, documents, clippings from news media from the time (of the dispute).

We showed these at Camp Eureka site of Community & Union Solidarity event over the Easter weekend last year; and prior to that at a Workers Control conference in Sydney several years ago.… Go to Article

A ‘two-state solution’ to the Israel-Palestine conflict?

The following is a report of an ALP/Union Forum titled A two state solution to the Israel Palestine conflict held at Qld parliament on Remembrance Day, 11th November 2009.

The forum was well attended by about 100 people from unions and by ALP members and people from the community.

There were current and former ALP MLAs and councillors and union officials present.… Go to Article

QRail not for sale!

image

A few weeks ago the State Government announced it wants to privatise Queensland Rail (other than passenger services), Queensland Motorways, the Port of Brisbane, Forestry Plantations Queensland and the Abbot Point Coal Terminal.

If it gets away with selling these assets, what will be next – the electricity industry, our water supply?… Go to Article

St. Mary’s in Exile at the TLC [Queensland Council of Unions building]

The July Meeting of the 17 Group –

Peter Kennedy & John Battersby

Wednesday the 1st of July at 7pm in

Unit 6 at 20 Drury St, West End.

The topic: “ St. Mary’s in Exile at the TLC [Queensland Council of Unions building]”. The speakers will be the two priests who were deprived of their former roles as the administrators and celebrants at St Mary’s church, namely Peter Kennedy and Terry Fitzpatrick.… Go to Article

Sri Lanka, Stop shelling hospitals – Peaceful Protest in Brisbane

Sri Lanka, Stop shelling hospitals – Peaceful Protest in Brisbane

Monday the 18th May at 12noon- 2pm

Starting at the area in front of Queensland state parliament

Sunday, 10 May: “More than 2,000 innocent civilians have been killed in the last 24 hours. The wholesale bombardment by Sri Lankan planes and shelling on a densely populated, non combatant civilian safe zone is state terrorism and a war crime,” said S.… Go to Article

Rally: Free Lex Wotton!

Free Lex Wotton!

A Rally was held on 1 November 2008 in Brisbane.

Then a Rally was held on 7 November 2008 in Townsville, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, London, Santiago (Chile) and all around the world. Here are the Melbourne, Brisbane T’vlle, Palm Island and NZ Rallies (among others) —

To see photos of the rally in Brisbane see http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookingleft… Go to Article