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Trials of the three remaining arrestees from the anti-G20 demonstrations in Melbourne 2006 will begin on June 30 at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court. We urge people to come to Melbourne to show their support and political solidarity to the arrestees.

These trials do not mark the first of such kind, but more importantly, they do not mark the last. We need to build a strong culture of providing meaningful political solidarity to those targeted by the state. 


About the trials

The Brisbane contingent of Saturday 13th's National Climate Emergency Rally numbered about 200 people.

People marched through the streets of the city under police escort chanting anti coal slogans.

Speakers included Greens rep Larissa Waters, Friends of the Earth's Six Degrees campaign spokesman John MacKenzie, Kirsten Kennedy from Pine Rivers Climate Action Network, Sandra Bayley from St Johns Wood Sustainability, Peter Simpson QLD Secretary, Electrical Trade Union.

In an historic move, several of Australia's key environment groups have abandoned peak environment group the Australian Conservation Foundation for it's support of carbon trading. They have formed a new alliance they are calling "Plan B".

Friends of the Earth Australia (FoEA) said in a statement that, "We’re concerned the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are already above safe levels, and the CPRS will not effectively reduce carbon pollution."

Thousands of Australians have rescued Australia's top Green politician, Senator Bob Brown, from a legal bill that would have bankrupted him. He ran up the bill defending his native Tasmania's magnificent old growth forests against logging.

In a note of thanks for donations to court costs he said the action against him was "typical of the pressure tactics used by the native forest logging industry".

Here's the text of a round-robin email from him:

Dear Friend,

On June 13, 2009 thousands of people around Australia rallied for action on Climate Change, calling for 100% renewable energy by 2020 and demanding that Australia must make the shift from fossil fuels to wind, solar and other available renewable technologies. Rallies were held in capital cities around Australia, with people siting down outside Kevin Rudd's city office in Sydney and a sitdown protest in front of the Melbourne Town Hall where the Victorian State ALP conference was ocurring.


Perth Indymedia | Melbourne Photos, Takver's Photos, Melbourne Protests, Rally Video, Damien Lawson video | Sydney Report, Youtube Video | Brisbane Report

At the National Climate Emergency Rally in Melbourne on Saturday 13th July (see: http://indymedia.org.au/national-climate-emergency-rally-melbourne) organises said at the Town Hall there were up to 5,000 people present on the march - listening to speeches and walking from the State Library, stopping at Melbourne Town Hall where the Victorian ALP was meeting, before heading to Treasury Gardens.

See also Climate Emergency: Thousands march for action across Australia, for another Melbourne report.