livestream on December 16: What next in the fight to free Julian Assange?
Meeting -Sydney – Sunday 16 December: Facebook Livestream viewing in Melbourne:The information vindicates the fight waged by Assange and his defenders against an arrest warrant, issued against him in 2010, obligating him to answer “questions” over false allegations that he had committed sexual assault in Sweden. The allegations were fabricated in order to provide ammunition for various pro-US layers to discredit Assange and to create the conditions for him to be rendered to a country that could rapidly extradite him to the US. The American ruling elite is determined to make an example of Assange by putting him on trial for “espionage” or “conspiracy,” in order to intimidate every journalist and whistleblower. Continue reading
The Royal Nuclear Show — exhibition on in Victoria
Public works: Royal Nuclear Show, THE AUSTRALIAN, By BRONWYN WATSON, DECEMBER 7, 2018
“……….Screen-printing workshops across the country, such as Redback Graphix, Earthworks Poster Collective and the Tin Sheds, created posters that adorned cafes, telephone poles, university campuses, libraries and virtually any public space. They had slogans such as No Nukes No Tests, No More Hiroshimas, and End Uranium Mining. At the time, perception of a nuclear future was seen as progressive and positive, with governments and industry trying to promote nuclear experimentation as necessary to the nation’s security and beneficial to humanity.
One artist who emphasised these issues in her poster prints was Toni Robertson, whose work, The Royal Nuclear Show — 3, is on show at the Burrinja Dandenong Ranges Cultural Centre in Upwey, Victoria. Produced while Robertson was an artist-in-residence at the Experimental Art Foundation in Adelaide in 1981, it depicts a dystopian post-nuclear carnival where crowds wander past a billboard with a baby sleeping and sucking a bottle. On the baby’s pillow is written Bomblet. The billboard reads: “Meet the nuclear family, Bomblet the baby nuke. He’s so like his dad! This little boy was conceived as a low yield, tactical weapon for use in limited theatre war.” “Little boy” was the name given to the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
……. Gallery and exhibition curator JD Mittmann says this work “really resonates quite strongly with me. It is really a statement of the time, but I think not much has changed in some ways. We are still sold nuclear technology, especially as a solution to climate change problems. Certainly, it is important to remember how dangerous these things are, and so I think this print might have been from 1981 but if you had 2011 underneath it, it would work in just the same way.” https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/public-works-royal-nuclear-show/news-story/aa2b2b7a2a0dd38f6f6efcc61d15d081
28 November: Anti-Nuclear Coalition (ANC) delegation to meet with Department of Industry Innovation and Science
Anti-Nuclear Coalition South Australia, No Nuclear Waste Dump Anywhere in South Australia, 22 Nov 18
Support this meeting and protest the national nuclear waste dump outside DIIS offices, 26 Franklin St, November 28 2018 between 12:45 – 2:00 pm.
Background:
Last September the ANC requested meetings with several politicians, including state members Koutsantonis and Minister for Resources & Energy Pellekaan.
Koutsantonis initially agreed and a meeting was arranged. It was cancelled at the last moment with no explanation. On the other hand, Pellekaan initially declined our request, but after a protest outside Premier Marshall’s office and a second letter, a half-hour meeting was granted. Five members of the ANC met with the Minister at Parliament House on Nov 14. A report of that meeting will be ready soon.
Federal Minister Canavan was also asked to meet with members of the ANC and he agreed, but in Canberra. Eventually he delegated bureaucrats charged with running the NRWMF consultation to meet three members in Adelaide on November 28.
At this meeting, we will raise the following:
1. How closely have the Federal Minister and the DIIS worked with state counterparts to inform them of plans for the national radioactive dump? (SA politicians, media and the public, generally, remain confused and poorly informed, or wilfully ignorant.)
2. Former Minister for Energy Josh Frydenberg has said that a radioactive waste dump is a matter of “national significance”. We agree. A national dump IS NOT ONLY A LOCAL ISSUE! We will request DIIS organise a public meeting in Adelaide to ensure that state politicians, media and the public also have the opportunity to hear about the proposal and to question the agencies responsible.
3. Where is it located, what quantity and what does the Department of Defence radioactive waste consist of?
4. After several decades of debate and aborted plans for dumping radioactive waste, why is there still no full inventory and no acceptance criteria for the current proposal available? Why should any community be asked to consider hosting a dump without this basic information?
5. Re the “temporary storage” of intermediate level waste (ILW) ARPANSA’s licence arrangement with ANSTO for the current temporary storage of ILW at Lucas Heights is ‘until a permanent repository is sited and built’. Under no circumstances should it be moved to yet another “temporary” site – for up to 100 years, according to the regulator, ARPANSA .
6. How long does DIIS consider is the lifetime of the canisters containing the ILW. What facilities would there be at the proposed NRWMF to re-package the waste should it be necessary?
7. How long does DIIS consider it would take to site and build a permanent dump for ILW?
We consider that the proposal to build a NRWMF in South Australia is illegal under the SA Nuclear Waste (Prohibition) Act.
If you believe that this dump is a matter for all South Australians, be at 26 Franklin St Nov. 28th 12:45
CONTACT YOUR ALP MEMBERS TO SAY NO NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP
likely that they will be running the show after the next election. It is looking unlikely that Minister Canavan will be able to select a site for the waste dump before then. [ed: because the govt doesn’t want it to be an election issue]Labor Fringe 16 – 18 December Adelaide, SA
16 – 18 December Adelaide, SA Welcome to Fringe 2018! “Labor is at its best when we are the party of ideas and action” ‘Labor Fringe will bring together organisations, advocates, professionals and members of the public from across the nation to debate, connect, promote and share ideas that will shape the future of Australia.
‘The 48th Australian Labor National Conference will be held from Sunday 16 – Tuesday 18 December 2018 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, and the Fringe Program runs alongside the action on Conference Floor.
‘Fringe 2018 will comprise of 80 events that explore diverse and integral issues facing Australia, it will form an integral part of Labor’s highest decision-making platform.
‘Fringe 2018 provides an incomparable opportunity for organisations to showcase and launch integral ideas and conversations to a large and diverse Labor audience.
‘Fringe presents innovative and creative policy proposals, thought-provoking speakers and powerful debates on the ideas and organising challenges facing Labor and Australia.’
Our Vision Fringe is essential to Labor’s ongoing commitment to a culture of ideas. We are proud to bring together organisations and individuals who are passionate and committed to Labor values and ensuring a better Australia.
‘Fringe provides an exciting platform for all Labor Party members and supporters to share their ideas and visions for the future, whilst being able to hear from our Party leaders and inspiring organisations that continue to fight for change.’
The Power of the Documentary Utopia
“Includes a special introduction from John Pilger“
‘Utopia is an epic production by the Emmy and Bafta winning film-maker and journalist John Pilger.
‘Drawing on his long association with the first people of Australia, his homeland,
Utopia is both an epic portrayal of the oldest continuous human culture and
an investigation into a suppressed colonial past and rapacious present.
‘One of the world’s best kept secrets is revealed against a background
of the greatest boom in mineral wealth.
Has the ‘lucky country’ inherited South African apartheid?
‘Utopia tells a universal story of power and resistance in the media age
driven by old imperatives and presented as liberalism.
‘This session will be Introduced by John Pilger … ‘
Saturday 3 November: Adelaide. Rally – Don’t Dump on South Australlia
Don’t Dump on SA Rally on Kaurna Land at Parliament House, North Terrace, Adelaide at 11.30am on Saturday 3rd November.
Last week we found out that the Barngarla Injunction hearing will go back to court on 30 January 2019. Here is a link to a statement from DIIS (the Department of Industry Innovation and Science). Yesterday there was an article in The Advertiser saying that the Minister’s decision may be delayed until next year.
Join in supporting the Radioactive Waste submission to Department of Industry, Innovation & Science
OPPOSE NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP :It’s easy and necessary to send submission by 24 Sept
Jim Green(FoE).’ jim.green@foe.org.au [beyondnuclear] <beyondnuclear-noreply@yahoogroups.com>
Please spare just one minute to put in an online submission to the federal government saying that you oppose the plan to impose a national nuclear waste dump in SA. Really important to get lots of submissions and the deadline is approaching. Just go to this link and it will only take a minute, promise:
https://nowastedump.good.do/radioactivewastesubmissiontodiis/radwasteDIISsubmission/
Rally against Liberal govt’s betrayal on South Australia’s anti nuclear law
Anti-Nuclear Coalition of South Australia. Street Protest 1pm Thursday 6th September 90-94 The Parade Norwood.
Premier Steven Marshall is now at the helm of State Government. During the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission his party heeded the wishes of the 2nd Citizen’s Jury by refusing to endorse the push for importing international radioactive waste.
During the March 2018 Election Campaign the Liberals also promised to uphold our Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act – which makes it illegal to promote, import, transport, or store radioactive waste.
That was then, this is now, & what do we find?
Marshall & his cronies – subservient to their self interested Federal counterparts – no longer oppose the promotion importation transport & storage of radioactive waste.
IN OTHER WORDS MARSHALL & STATE LIBERAL MEMBERS NOW SUPPORT A NUCLEAR DUMP IN REGIONAL SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
Join us this Thursday at Marshall’s electorate office to protest their failure to keep promises & for over-riding the clearly determined will of the people.
For further information contact Bob Lamb on 85818255
Event 27 June The Need for Leadership to Address White Supremacy in the NGO Sector
Pro Bono Australia Luke Michael, 14 June 18
Charities and not for profits need to show leadership to address the issue of white supremacy in the NGO sector, a prominent Aboriginal writer and activist believes.Nayuka Gorrie is a Kurnai/Gunai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta writer and activist who spoke on a panel at the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) 2018 Summit on Wednesday.
She was joined by Victorian ombudsman Deborah Glass OAM, Will Stracke from the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Reason Party leader Fiona Patten, and Centre for Social Impact CEO Kristy Muir.
The panel discussed the “shifting nature of leadership and the role of citizens to shape their own prosperous and inclusive society”.
One of the topics discussed was the need for greater diversity in leadership, particularly around race and gender.
Stracke admitted during the panel discussion that leadership in the trade union movement was “too white”.
“One of our values that we say is ‘diversity is our strength and solidarity is our power’,” Stracke said.
“And that’s about the diversity of our movement and our movement is very diverse… but I think we as a union movement [still] need more voices.
“We’ve very white in terms of our leadership and we need to get better at that.”………
“Leadership needs to be much more representative of the people,” Glass said.
“It’s not just gender, it’s race, it’s disability, it’s everything we all stand for. We can’t have leaders speaking for us who don’t represent us, who don’t look like us or don’t speak like us.”………
Gorrie has organised an event to discuss “dismantling white supremacy in the NGO sector” at Victorian Trades Hall on 27 June.
She told Pro Bono News why she decided to create the event.
“I decided to put on that event after chatting to a number of different people that work in the not-for-profit sector,” she said.
“And [people of colour] are doing twice as much work just to survive I think.”
Gorrie said while white supremacy was found across all sections of society, it was especially disappointing to see it in the not-for-profit sector, considering the sector’s purpose to make the world a better place.
……..“I think a lot of not for profits make a lot of money and the Indigenous Advancement Strategy was a really good example of that. Most of the money in the strategy went to non-black organisations.“So there is a lot of money to be made in perceived black dysfunction and I don’t know if it’s possible for them to do the work they’ve set out to do if they haven’t examined and [removed] the white supremacy within themselves.”https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2018/06/need-leadership-address-white-supremacy-ngo-sector/
Petition to Minister Canavan: Say NO to nuclear waste dumping in South Australia
many community voices expressed in the submissions that you can read online here.Don’t Let Frydenberg approve Yeelirrie uranium mine or extinction!
link https://ccwa.good.do/dontapproveextinction/email
As Australians we all love our beautiful wildlife, the birds and animals that are unique to the land and sea that we share with them.
But our Federal Environment Minister is about to make a decision that would enable the extinction of multiple species at the stroke of a pen.
Soon, Minister Frydenberg will choose between a uranium mine and unique species found nowhere else on the planet. The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) warned the mine would cause extinction. Now it is up to Minister Frydenberg to make a decision.
Living underground, the wildlife under threat at Yeelirrie is very rarely seen. But our environmental laws are supposed to protect all creatures great and small.
If extinction is approved at Yeelirrie, it could open the door for extinctions of other wildlife all over Australia. Our possums, cockatoos, numbats and other endangered wildlife could be next.
CCWA and Traditional Owners have delayed a decision by challenging the Yeelirrie mine proposal in the WA Supreme Court, but time is running out and a decision could be made by Minister Frydenberg any day now.
We need to act quickly – and together – to prevent a dangerous precedent for extinction.
With so much at stake for our wildlife, we simply can’t allow the Minister to start approving extinctions at the stroke of a pen.
Send your message to Minister Frydenberg now, and tell him not to approve extinction.
Brewarrina residents step up campaign against proposed nuclear dump.
22 Feb 18 Brewarrina residents, including Ngemba people with local cultural responsibilities, are stepping up their campaign against the proposal for national nuclear waste dump in the region.
A silent vigil will be held during the Council meeting at 8:30am this Friday February 23, followed with a rally on Saturday morning at 9:30am.
In November 2017 the Brewarrina Council revealed that a delegation had traveled to Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney and subsequently engaged pro-nuclear consultant Robert Parker.
Trish Frail, a Ngemba woman who is coordinating the local campaign to oppose the dump, said the community was shocked by the proposal.
“This nuclear facility will not benefit our town, the community or the environment,” Ms Frail said.
“Ngemba people are custodians for the Ngunnhu Fish Traps. The site is claimed to be over sixty thousand years old and is heritage listed, being the oldest man-made structure in the world.”
“The Biami Traps were once a great gathering site for all clans to trap fish and to host corroborees, initiation ceremonies, and meetings for trade and barter.”
“A lot of our younger generation are talking about moving away if a nuclear dump is built on our land, they will lose our culture and our lore, this must not happen. The young people have been helping.”
“Brewarrina will not become a nuclear dumping ground for the Australian Government. We say No Nuclear Bundabunda (poison) on Ngemba Land – Bad Poison,” Ms Frail concluded.
Facebook events
Friday vigil: https://www.facebook.com/events/1222018404595401/?ti=icl
Saturday rally: https://www.facebook.com/events/186908808568897/?ti=icl
Fringe opening night – join us to make the nuclear waste dump a state election issue!
The Federal government still wants to build a nuclear waste ‘facility’ in SA. Some of this nuclear waste is toxic for hundreds of years and some for thousands of years. All of it all poses risks to the environment, to nearby communities and to many thousands of people along transport routes. We continue to say no to a nuclear waste dump in our state.
With the South Australian elections coming up, we need to put the pressure on politicians to act against this waste dump! There are going to be plenty of people in the Mall on the 16th for the Fringe, so join us to hand information leaflets and have discussions with people. We’ll have radiation suits and placards, so it should be an attention grabbing demonstration.
Friday, February 16, 2018, 5 pm in Rundle Mall (King William end), Adelaide, Kaurna Land. #dontdumponsa https://www.facebook.com/events/1806166479458851/
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 