Melbourne

Refugee protest at Maribyrong met with police violence

Hundreds of people rallied at Maribyrnong Detention Centre in Melbourne on the 25th of April 2011 as part of a national day of action against mandatory detention that also saw protests in Curtin in WA and Villawood in Sydney. The rally heard from speakers before marching around the rear of the detention centre. For a second time in a number of weeks protestors were capscium sprayed outside a Detention Centre by Victoria Police. The police attacked protestors several times with capscium spray, batons and horse charges to prevent protestors from tieing ribbons or shaking the fence. It is becoming clear that the Victorian Police has now adopted the use of capscicum spray as standard practice as a crowd control technique.
Related: Account of the rally by John Passant: Maribyrnong, refugees and democracy -- Political analysis of the day by John Passant: Tear down your detention centres, Julia Gillard

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Pay Justice Action Equal Pay contingent at Melbourne May Day March

Date and Time: 
Sun, 01/05/2011 -
1:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: 
Melbourne, Victorian Trades Hall Council Corner Victoria and Lygon Streets

• Equal pay for community sector workers
• Close the public service pay gaps
• Value women’s work: 18% less pay is not on!
• Pay up now!

Bring placards and flags and form up behind the Pay Justice Action banner
Pay Justice Action will also launch a petition calling on the Gillard Government to take immediate action to close the gender pay gap. Visit the Pay Justice action
stall to sign the petition and get a copy to circulate.

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Socialist Party National Conference 2011

Date and Time: 
Fri, 06/05/2011 - 7:00pm to Sun, 08/05/2011 - 1:30pm
Location: 
Melbourne, Trades Hall 54 Victoria St Carlton South

The Socialist Party will be holding its annual National Conference in Melbourne on May 6, 7 & 8. The event will take place at Trades Hall in Carlton and feature a number of sessions that are open to the public.

A world in crisis and revolt

Irish socialist Kevin McLoughlin will discuss the political and economic backdrop to the turmoil engulfing the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the US.
7pm Friday May 6

Can Australia continue to avoid the worst of the crisis?

Councillor Stephen Jolly will outline perspectives for class struggle in Australia
10am Saturday May 7

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A Fundraiser for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

Date and Time: 
Sun, 15/05/2011 -
4:00pm to 7:00pm
Location: 
Melbourne, The Wesley Anne 250 High Street Northcote

These Machines Cut Razor Wire: A Fundraiser for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

The Stillsons, Les Thomas and muckle pup
...
Love live music, but hate the demonisation of asylum seekers? On May 15, one of Australia's finest folk-rock bands The Stillsons, together with Les Thomas and muckle pup will be turning on an afternoon of live music at The Wesley Anne in Northcote, to raise funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC). The ASRC provide advocacy, aid and health organization promoting and protecting the human rights of asylum seekers, all without federal funding.

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Disaster Relief Fund Raiser

Date and Time: 
Sat, 07/05/2011 -
7:00pm to 11:30pm
Location: 
St Ambrose Church Hall: 3 Dawson Street, Brunswick (opposite Brunswick Baths)
Contact Phone: 
0408317732

Fund Raising Night!

RAISING MONEY FOR WORLD DISASTER RELIEF AT HOME & ABROAD

SATURDAY 7TH MAY 2011

Ambrose Church Hall 3 Dawson Street, Brunswick (opposite Brunswick Baths)

Sat 7th May 2011 6:30pm - 11:30pm (Games start at 7:30pm)

$6 per head or call 0408317732 for advanced/table bookings

BYO Drinks
Snacks & Sausage Sizzle Available

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Boycott Apartheid Israel! Boycott Jericho!

Date and Time: 
Fri, 20/05/2011 -
5:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: 
Melbourne, Meeting @ the State Library Lawns, Opposite Melbourne Central Train Station

Across the world, human rights activists are gearing up for the 7th year in support of the Palestinian Civil Society's call for Boycotts, Divestment ans Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

In Melbourne, we have been involved in boycotting Zionist corporations Jericho and Max Brenner.

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IWW Anti-Conscription Celebration

Date and Time: 
Mon, 25/04/2011 -
10:30am to 12:00pm
Location: 
Melbourne, 8 Hour Monument opposite Trades Hall in Carlton.

Celebration of Induustrial Workers of the World (IWW, Wobblies) and its defeat of World War One conscription referendums in Australia, read some poetry of Melbourne IWW activist Lesbia Harford (1891-1927).

An informal flexible event, you might like to bring food to share (or not!) your own poetry or whatever.

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Tactical Action Training Day - Palestine, resistance and the non-violent popular struggle.

Date and Time: 
Sun, 08/05/2011 -
11:00am to 4:30pm
Location: 
New International Bookshop, Victoria Trades Hall (basement) cnr of Victoria and Lygon St, Carlton.

Palestine, resistance and the non-violent popular struggle
Tactical Action Training Day

***

The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid is organising a tactical action training day which is open to Palestine solidarity activists, as well as solidarity activists involved in other progressive campaigns. The day will consist of a workshop discussion on BDS, Palestine, resistance and the non-violent popular struggle and a practical training session on non-violent direct action techniques and tactics. All welcome!

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11 am til 4.30pm - Sunday 8 May 2011

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Community Forum: The Politics of Pollution

Date and Time: 
Wed, 04/05/2011 -
6:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: 
Fitzroy Town Hall, 201 Napier Street, Fitzroy VIC
Contact Name: 
The Office of Adam Bandt, MP
Contact Phone: 
96420922
Contact Email: 
Adam.Bandt.MP@aph.gov.au
Website: 
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=214385098575120

· Adam Bandt - Federal MP for Melbourne

· Richard Denniss – Executive Director of The Australia Institute

· Alison Clarke – Mayor of Yarra

Putting a price on pollution is an important first step in the transition to a clean energy economy. So what will a price on pollution mean for the community and what else will we need to do to transition to a clean energy economy? How will a price on pollution allow Melbourne to transition to a fully renewable future?

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Palm Sunday silent vigil for peace - 17 April 2011

Peace activists held a silent vigil on the lawns of the State Library in Melbourne on Palm Sunday before making their way to a Peace Forum at the Wesley Uniting Church in Lonsdale Street (details http://indymedia.org.au/melbourne-palm-sunday-peace-forum).

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