Below are some media put out by Occupy Melbourne on Day 5
Media Release- 19_10_2011 : Award winner donates her $2000 prise money to Occupy Melbourne in opposition to Robert Doyles plan to forcefully evict Occupy Melbourne.
City of Melbourne resident and Mayor Award winner donates here $2000 prise money to Occupy Melbourne in opposition to Robert Doyles proposal to forcefully evict the peaceful movement Occupy Melbourne.
Melisa Hughes, the winner of the Melbourne Lord Mayor’s Writing Award has announced her intention to donate her prize money to the Occupy Melbourne movement and to the struggle for social equality.
Hughes, is a respected poet and social justice campaigner, she was notified yesterday (18th October) of her winning this highly respected award of $2000. She notified the leaders of the movement of her intention to donate the money as a result of the Mayor’s response to the occupation at City Square.
Hughes: ‘After reading an article in which the Mayor called for the authorities to use their eviction powers, I decided I did not want to accept an award from someone who is in favour of using violence to break up what is a peaceful, lawful protest.’
DAY 5 RECAP
Day 5 began with a bit of threatening dialogue from Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle on morning talkback radio, expressing his sentiment that Occupy Melbourne had “made their point and it’s time to move on”. We encourage the Lord Mayor to visit City Square and start talking to his constituents, because we’re not going anywhere. The only way forward is through participation, representation and accountability, a real democracy.
Following the Lord Mayor’s comments, a recent winner of the Lord Mayor’s writer’s prize stated her support for Occupy Melbourne, hinted at donating the $2,000 prize to the movement and explained that if the Occupy Melbourne demonstrators are evicted, she will reject the prize.
After another donation of a large tent, our media centre found a new home next to the Info Desk. Journalists from Channel 7′s “7PM Project” arrived at the square to spend a night embedded in the movement.
Federal Member for Melbourne, Adam Bandt was able to visit the square, and reiterated his support for the largest social movement in the world today. During his visit he talked with the people of Melbourne about participatory democracy and how City Square is being used as a space for people to have their voices heard.
Classes commenced at the new school, with Spanish lessons scheduled to be held tomorrow (thur 20/10), the Free Store continues to operate and the Kitchen is now growing some of it’s own food! Melbourne’s 5th General Assembly recently concluded, proving that consensus-based decision making does work in reality.
Nothing but good has come from the actions of the people of Melbourne in our square, the dialogue has been opened, the discussions are happening, we are engaging with the issues affecting our society. Australians want a real democracy. We always have. This square is our square, and the people of Melbourne are using it wisely.
Age article on Robert Doyle's threat to remove protest in the "fairly near future"
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/protesters-vow-to-stay-as-doyle-urges-...
Comments
Photos and a few observations on Melbourne protests
Photos and a few observations on Melbourne Protests - http://melbourneprotests.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/occupy-melbourne-ctd-d...
We, the people of Melbourne, not the lackeys, will decide
Congrats to Melisa Hughes and all at Occupy Melbourne. I was there yesterday and it was very inspiring. Lord Mayor Doyle and Brunetti's cafe manager, Phil Castagna were both in the media yesterday saying that the protesters have made their point and they ought to go. We are not there to make points. We - the 99% - are there to exert our power and create a free and fair system for everybody. We have a right to assemble in a public place and a right to freely state our demands. We are not hurting anything except Doyle's power base and Brunetti's profits and we are not doing anything illegal. Their comments are insulting but irrelevant. We, the people of Melbourne, will decide who stays in the City Square and who goes; not the one percenters like Doyle, the media bosses and lackies such as Castagna.
From an underpaid wage-slave, unionist and one of the 99%.