Palestine-born and trained doctor who, at 12 yrs old, was shot in the neck by a sniper on his way home from school, speaks of then and now at a pro-Palestinian rally in Brisbane on 19 November 2023. The rally was very large and a later march took up several blocks, where numerous groups of supporters lined the footpaths. People are aghast, shocked, disturbed, at the failure by world leaders to heed the suffering and extinction of so many people in Gaza, in full view, 24/7.

Transcript

Join us - rally, say No to War – protect truthtellers 8am Monday 20th March at the ACT Courts. On the 20th anniversary of the illegal invasion of Iraq, and as the Coalition of the Willing which was responsible for the illegal invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003 has regrouped as AUKUS, we should remember the legacy of that disastrous war and other destructive wars.

Hands Off Syria is calling for a rally in support of Syria. After the catastrophic earthquake, people around the world want to help Syria, however, the criminal US sanctions are impeding assistance, in particular reconstruction.

Sanctions kill, sanctions starve; sanctions stop reconstruction efforts. End the Sanctions Now. The Syrian people need our help now.

The Human Chain for Assange was attended by more people than we have seen at any Free Assange demonstration in Australia to date.  SBS says, "Thousands," Victoria Police estimate 3000.

(Photos by Fiona Bell.) I have strongly supported the RUANELA (Residents United Against North East Link Option A) campaign against the North East Link. I am opposed to the removal of thousands of mature trees and the massive loss of open space particularly in the Koonung Creek Reserve. 12.7 hectares of parkland will be permanently lost.

I am opposed to the overkill which this project is - a 24 lane freeway at one point, rivalling the word's 26 lane widest at a massive cost of $16 billion, which could properly fund mental health, homelessness or indigenous disadvantage if it were directed there instead.
I am opposed to the impact on sporting and recreational pursuits for my constituents. The Boroondara Tennis Centre will go. The Freeway Public Gold Course will have holes removed, threatening its viability."

I am opposed to the way this project destroys the Doncaster Rail Project - for years residents have been promised this Project was on the drawing board.

I supported local residents and the City of Boroondara in a letter to the Transport Infrastructure Minister in March. I supported local residents in the speech I gave during debate on this project in the Legislative Council in May. I supported local residents in asking a Question in the House urging the Government to reconsider the Doncaster Rail Line in June.

And I will be raising this issue in the Legislative Council again today, urging the Government to reconsider Option A in the light of new modelling work commissioned by Councils.

For further information, or to support the campaign against the North East Link please don't hesitate to get in touch with my Electorate Office.

Your Sincerely,

Clifford Hayes M.L.C.

206-208 Bay Street North Brighton 3186

P (03) 95308399 E: [email protected]
https://www.cliffordhayes.com.au

Community outrage continues in the battle to protect the iconic Dandenong Ranges from inappropriate development following Knox Council’s recent failure to adopt the independent Panel recommendation for mandatory maximum height controls in the Upper Ferntree Gully Activity Centre. Knox Appropriate Development Alliance President, Catherine Kruse said that a petition to the State Government calling for their intervention is gathering momentum with interest from across Victoria. A rally is also planned for Monday February 27th at the Knox Council offices.

“Knox Council has shown that it cannot be trusted to act in the best interest of the community, and it is time for the Victorian Government to intervene and adopt the panel recommendations before the gateway to the Dandenongs is destroyed forever”, she said.

Ms Kruse said that people are gobsmacked that Council continues to ignore, not only the wishes of the community, who have fought a long and hard battle, but the professional recommendations of
their own experts and the government appointed Planning Panel.

“The recommendations were quite clear – that mandatory maximum building heights – not discretionary as proposed by the council, will provide the Upper Ferntree Gully Neighbourhood Activity Centre the protection required from inappropriate development”.

“The rest of the foothills activity centres in Knox have that protection and surety (mandatory height controls). We call on the State Government not to sign off on discretionary controls and to intervene and save the Dandenong Ranges”, Ms Kruse said. “We call on members of the public to get behind the petition and attend at Knox Council on February 27th at 6.30pm.”

The petition will be presented to Upper House MP, Edward O’Donohue on February 27th at 6.30pm at the Knox Council, 511 Burwood Highway, Wantirna. Contact: Catherine Kruse – 0415 871 268

Final Reminder : Rally "Say No to the East West Link - Yes to Doncaster Rail" Tuesday 20 August 2013 12:45 pm for 1 pm start to 2 pm Steps of Parliament. It is DDay for the future of Melbourne. Our inner city suburbs and our parks - Royal Park, Travancore and the Moonee Ponds Creek- will be bulldozed and destroyed if the juggernaut of the East West Link is constructed, unless we act now.

The rally is being initiated by community groups and is being hosted by the Coalition of Transport Action Groups (CTAG) whose coordinators are Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc. and the Yarra Coalition for Action of Transport (YCAT.) It has the support of the City of Yarra which has been running the excellent "Trains Not Toll Roads "campaign. See website http://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/trains-not-tollroads

See the video, "Lies we don't buy," about the East West Link.

Why 20 August is our deadline

The 20 August 2013 is the first day of Parliament after the winter recess. It is imperative that the rally be held on this day as the Amendment relating to the East West Link to the Major Projects Transport Facilitation Act 2009 is due for the second reading and debate in the Legislative Assembly. It signals that the Government is trying to fast track the EW Link; further reduce consultation and public input; and hand over authority to the project proponent - Linking Melbourne Authority - who will be able to change the rules as the project proceeds and as it sees fit. (Just look at the LMA website with photos of the construction of EastLink and PeninsulaLink and you will see what we are in for.)

Venu: Steps of Parliament or nearby if not accessible

The venue is the steps of Parliament but you may have to stand on the footpaths opposite outside the Windsor Hotel or the Imperial Hotel as areas of the steps are blocked off. The MC of the rally, Rod Quantock (Atg President of PPL VIC), will given instructions. Please bring placards but not banners as it is likely to be windy. Plus there may not be room on the steps of Parliament. Look forward to seeing you there!

Make your comment here:

Urgent. See Linking Melbourne Authority News Mailout [email protected] Please comment in your own words that you are opposed to the East West Link and advocate instead public transport eg Doncaster Rail. (The Director of LMA is reported to have stated that only a few people have made comments so obviously the public are satisfied with the project! So prove him wrong.)

For queries contact Julianne Bell PPL VIC on Mobile 0408022408 or Freda Watkin YCAT on Mobile 0422650936.

Source: Press release by Julianne Bell, Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc. (PPL VIC) and the Coalition of Transport Action Groups (CTAG)

Links for action to help animals added end of page on 23 October Despite pouring rain, perhaps 1000 people attended the Anti Live Export Rally on the steps of Melbourne Parliament on Saturday 6 October 2012. One observer said it was the biggest rally she had ever attended. Among those who addressed the crowd was Animals Australia campaign director Lyn White, whose risk-taking to expose international abuse of sheep and cattle makes her one of the bravest people in the world. Another speaker in the crowd was Kelvin Thomson Labor MP, who also shows more daring than his parliamentary colleagues in this matter and for having campaigned against overpopulation in Australia and elsewhere.

Another observer described the massive gathering in front of parliament House Spring Street.

"Soon after I arrived the crowd spilled onto the road and the rally continued for about one hour with the crowd fully occupying Exhibition Street opposite Parliament House. There was chanting from the crowd led from the front -'No ban, no vote, get the animals off the boat,'"

As the speakers began, the skys opened and up came the umbrellas. Glenys Oogjes of Animals Australia introduced Lyn White of Animals Australia. Lyn who has brought the attention of the public to the atrocious treatment of animals exported from Australia gave an impassioned and determined speech saying that we will win on this issue.

Thomson highlights Dept Primary Industry conflict of interest

This interview with Kelvin Thomson was broadcast on October 3, 2012.

Kelvin Thomson was forceful in his opposition to live animal exports. He highlighted a conflict of interests with the department of Primary Industry overseeing animal welfare and advocated that a separate animal welfare department be created. He also advocated that abattoirs be set up in Australia for export meat – slaughter and processing - and that the live export trade should be phased out all together.

Adam Bandt the member for Melbourne was also warmly welcomed by the crowd.

It seems remarkable, but true, that Australians will do more politically to demonstrate how much the treatment of animals matters to them than on any other perennial matter. It is obvious that politicians and the commercial press wish this fact would go away and hope it will if they ignore it. Parliament seems dominated by small-minded bean-counting meanies whose decisions repeatedly indicate an absence of empathy to a degree more usually associated with psychopaths. Australians, classically disorganised by the colonial practice of divide and conquer and the associated structural chaos of constant urban adjustment to continual population growth, still manage to get together for domestic animals. Let us hope that this capacity to organise will spread to protect indigenous fauna and their habitat. There is no doubt that Australians also care enormously about indigenous animals, but somehow they are not yet able to reach these peaks of social impact.

Some ways you can help the animals

Download an action pack from Animals Australia

Here is where you can download leaflets.

Here is where you can go to write a sample letter and send it on-line. #takeAction">http://www.banliveexport.com/1/#takeAction"

More ways to help animals:

• Find additional Live Export - Indefensible campaign tools including sample letters #takeAction">here!
• Join Animal Australia's volunteer network and get active locally!
• Request a free action pack to get you started.
• Learn how to effectively speak up for animals.
• Support our vital work! Become a member of Animals Australia.

Community Rally - Wear Red this Thursday - 23 November 2011!
Please encourage your family and friends to attend this very important rally to tell the Baillieu Government that the Victorian community supports nurses in their fight to maintain and improve nurse patient ratios and ensure a high quality public health system.
Victorian Public Sector Nurses and Midwives Community Rally.

Community Rally - Wear Red this Thursday!