Protests were held today in several centres across the country to mark BHP Billiton's AGM in Perth. In Melbourne, members of Friends of the Earth ACE collective and activists representing the Indigenous peoples of Latin America held banners outside the company headquarters in Lonsdale Street and distributed pamphlets setting out the case against it.
Several hundred people took part in a rally and march organised by the Refugee Advocacy Network (http://refugeeadvocacynetwork.org)to demand an end to the policy of mandatory detention of asylum seekers arriving by boat.
The recent reaction by the Australian politicians toward the proposed merger between the Singapore Stock exchange (SGX) and the Australia Stock Exchange (ASX) is a typical example of a bigotry culture in this country.
The very minute the news of SGX intention to merge with ASX was leaked to the public arena, our politicians begin to jump up and down against the idea without even trying to find out in detail the rationale of the proposed merger, and the possible benefits to Australia. Their responses are so pathetically predictable in a habitually hysterical manner.
It is imperative that you should sign the petition to the government of The Hellenic Republic for the granting of asylum to the Iranian hunger strikers.
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You may sign at the following address:
http://www.gopetition.com/petition/40043/sign.html
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The Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET) organised a picket outside the Chilean Consulate in Melbourne at lunchtime today, displaying the Mapuche flag and delivering a letter to be forwarded to the President of Chile, Sebastian Pinera.
NZ Green Party MP Keith Locke was one of those who addressed a 500-600 strong gathering outside the Melbourne Town Hall last night at the end of a rally called by the Refugee Action Collective under the banner "Stand Up For Refugees".
Request for full investigation into ‘unseen’ major NZ tragedy.
Anthony Ravlich
Chairperson
Human Rights Council Inc. (New Zealand)
10D/15 City Rd.
Auckland City.
Ph: (0064) (09) 940 9658
Website: www.hrc2001.org.nz
(Our Council’s aim is to have the human rights excluded from domestic and international human rights law included because it is causing massive social class discrimination in many States).
Attention: New Zealand’s Chief Human Rights Commissioner
Dear Rosslyn Noonan,
The Stop the War Coalition (StWC) condemns the latest Australian government’s purchase of 18 drones (Shadow 200) and training packages worth $175 m.
Ms Marlene Obeid, spokesperson for the anti-war group, said “the drones are part of an offensive weapons system that, almost certainly, will be linked to US systems in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“In other words, Australia will be subsidising US assault operations, which are more than likely to result in the death of more Afghan women and children.
The decision by the Australian Press Council to dismiss my complaint (Adjudication No. 1469) http://www.presscouncil.org.au/pcsite/adj/1469.html about suppression of pertinent fact and misrepresentation is unfair and inaccurate.
In my letter to the Courier Mail on 23 Mar 2010 I complained the article, which mentioned me on 17 March (online) and in print on 18 March was inaccurate, unfair, misrepresents me and suppresses pertinent fact. The APC adjudicated my complaint on 8 July and it was published on 30 July 2010 after the Courier Mail stone walled for months.
When I addressed Queensland Attorney General Cameron Dick at the 4BC Right to feel safe forum on 17 March 2010 at the Greek Club in South Brisbane, I was wearing the above message on a sandwich board to draw attention to an ongoing travesty of justice.
In the presence of the media and a crowd of several hundred people I demanded to know why the Attorney General had ignored me for so long on this issue. After hearing what I had to say Mr Dick promised me he would look into my complaint.
