An archive of some protests in Melbourne from September 2007 to December 2011 – plus a few special occasions since (and an earlier archive now completed)
Traditional Owners Dianne Stokes and Kylie Sambo were in Melbourne today for the start of hearings of a challenge to the nomination of Muckaty Station as sit of a dump for nuclear waste. See Beyond Nuclear Initiative for background and continuing updates, including Kylie Sambo’s video blog from the court. A small number of supporters were on hand with a banner and placards:
Appropriately, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags were raised outside the Court while this was going on:
(although there was no breeze to display them better).
See also this Facebook page for a public meeting to be held on Thursday 5 June to discuss the case and future directions for the campaign against the waste dump.
Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus was among the speakers at a rally and speakout on the steps of the Victorian Parliament House on Saturday 24 May. The action was called to “[denounce] a Chilean criminal living in Australia” – Adriana Rivas [González], whose extradition is sought by the Chilean government to face ‘multiple charges of violent crime allegedly committed while she was serving under military dictator Augusto Pinochet’s brutal intelligence apparatus'(Foreign Correspondent, ABC TV March 25, 2014, see also SBS Radio – ‘The Other 9/11‘) Early next month he will present a petition to Federal Parliament calling on the government to ‘observe International protocols regarding people accused of committing Crimes against Humanity that are currently residing in Australia’- see http://chn.ge/P3NHkP .
As well as explaining the reasons for the action, speakers referred also to the matter of the appointment of James Sinclair as Chile’s new ambassador to Australia, something that will be the occasion of a protest at Parliament House on 4 June. Marisol Salinas, Friends of the Earth spokesperson Indigenous communities and Latin America, also addressed the repression of the Indigenous Mapuche people of Chile, something that has been the subject of posts on this site – see for example here, here, and here.
The end of action was overtaken by a colourful and musical procession marking Vesak (the birth, passing and enlightenment of the Buddha) – http://www.unvesak.org/eventoverview.htm:
Melbourne responded to the callout (see http://marchinmarchaustralia.org/ and the Melbourne march Facebook page) with one of the largest rallies since the 2003 protests against the war in Iraq. Figures varied widely, as usual, but we are rather inclined to the upper end of the claims, or towards 50,000. It was also one of the most varied, and in recognition of this we are posting the largest selection of images so far on this site for one event. There is also a choice of thumbnail/gallery or slideshow, the latter comprising lower resolution copies. It may be in order to post a few separately:
A very small part of the rally at the State Library
The holder of this flag told us it was 45 years old – dating back to moratorium days
International contribution
A very small part of the rally at the State Library
The holder of this flag told us it was 45 years old – dating back to moratorium days
Traditional owners and environmentalists descended on the Melbourne Convention Centre for the BHP Billiton AGM. Using proxies, some twenty Aboriginal elders and supporters gained access to the meeting, while others held a protest outside. Friends of the Earth and a collective of environment groups had prepared an ‘alternative’ annual report for the world’s biggest mining company, and copies were handed to shareholders – see BHP Billiton Watch where the report is available for download. The protest, against a backdrop of a giant inflatable radioactive waste drum and Mr Death puppet, was joined by members of Japanese for Peace, and was enlivened by music from the Radical Choir, hip-hop activists MC Ollie and Izzy, plus a visit from No Nuke Calamity Jane (aka Madeline Hudson):
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
Elders gathering before entering the Centre:
`
`
`
`
Lining up for the cameras before going in:
`
`
`
Heading in:
`
Security at the immediate entrances to the Convention Centre was strict, though the initial strong police presence soon dwindled, and papers were carefully checked before some people were allowed in; others were apparently exempt from this…
`
Uncle Kevin’s credentials checked:
`
`
Same for Peter Watts:
`
By contrast:
`
……
It was mid-afternoon before the elders and supporters re-emerged:
`
Though Uncle Kevin and a few others had left earlier:Tully McIntyre of FoE and Tomohiro Matsuoka of JFP gave reports on what had been happening, followed by Uncle Kevin Buzzacott:
By all accounts reception of the traditional owners’ concerns was rude and dismissive, and this applied also to a visitor from Chile, Cristian Milla Curiñanco, here at the invitation of LASNET, who attempted to raise the matter of BHP Billiton’s record in his country (see video at end of this report).
`
More photos from the protest:
`
`
`
`
`
More of Uncle Kevin:
`
`
`
Protesters and elders line up at the end:
`
`
………………………………
The previous evening, Friends of the Earth’s ACE Collective organised a public forum at Trades Hall with traditional owners and campaigners including Dave Sweeney of ACF and Mia Pepper from CCWA – see details on Facebook for this event. The forum was recorded and extracts are in preparation. The following is an address by Chilean activist Cristian Milla Curiñanco, who spoke in Spanish, here interpreted by Lucho Riquelme of LASNET:
`
`
Another speaker was Arrernte activist, artist and writer Mitch from Alice Springs:
`
`
Darcy Harris from Western Australia:
`
`
Mia Pepper from the Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA) spoke about what has been happening in Western Australia and introduced the new BHP Alternative Annual Report, which was due to be distributed to shareholders at the AGM next day:
‘
(It would be advisable to visit the Occupy Melbourne website and related media for the current situation, which is unclear at time of writing …)
Added 8.25am Friday 21 October: according to an Occupy Melbourne media release, notice to leave was served this morning at 6.58am with a deadline of 9am. Melbourne Protests will not be able to get there in time, but no doubt others will…
While preparations for the march were under way there was some police activity in evidence: uniformed and plain clothes officers and even two gentlemen in white shirts, but no indication of imminent action against the occupation, in spite of claims in the tabloid press (eg Lord Mayor gives notice to Occupy Melbourne protesters Herald Sun October 20, 2011 10:59AM) This evening has seen a media release from the occupation:
MEDIA RELEASE – 5:30pm THURSDAY OCTOBER 20th 2011
Victoria Police Speak to OM Protestors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Inspector Bernie Jackson of the Melbourne East police station this afternoon met with Occupy Melbourne protestors today to discuss a potential eviction scenario.
Jackson stressed that Victoria Police does not have the authority on its own to prosecute the eviction, and instead will wait for Melbourne City Council’s instructions on how to proceed.
Inspector Jackson said that once an eviction notice had been served, a “reasonable time” would be given for protestors to voluntarily vacate City Square. “Reasonable time will be given in hours, as in a number of hours,” said Jackson. He qualified: “it’s not going to be in the middle of the night.”
Inspector Jackson further discussed Victoria Police’s likely course of action should an eviction order be issued. When the police arrive on site, protestors will be again asked to leave voluntarily. Anyone who refuses to leave will be forcibly removed from City Square by police officers.
Inspector Jackson told the crowd that he was satisfied with the current state of relations between police and the Occupy Melbourne protestors.
Inspector Jackson’s statement will be discussed at the nightly General Assembly, to be held at 6pm this evening on the north side of City Square.
Jackson was challenged by a number of vocal members of the crowd, including Indigenous activist Robbie Thorpe.
Mr Thorpe asked Jackson: “If the by-laws [relating to the Summary Offences Act’s powers for eviction] relate to the Aboriginal people and if so, how?”
Inspector Jackson responded that the police force was required to follow the directions of the Melbourne City Council with regard to the eviction of protestors.
Mr Thorpe later told Occupy Melbourne’s media liaison team that any eviction notice served on the protestors is likely to be immediately challenged in the courts.
.
One protester made a valiant attempt to engage some of the police in a hug, but with no takers:
Otherwise, life appeared to be carrying on normally, with some taking a rather late breakfast (or early lunch):
.
The march to BHP set off at a quick march, escorted by about ten police, to chants of ‘BHP BP Shell/ You can all/Go to hell’ and ‘System Change not Climate Change’ amongst others:
.
.
.
.
There were even more police waiting at the BHP Billiton offices:
.
The protest was organised by Friends of the Earth ACE collective, who had managed to prevail upon Dr Death to attend, standing in for BHP CEO Marius Kloppers:
.
Madeline Hudson of FoE ACE read a message sent by Arabunna elder Uncle Kevin Buzzacott to the BHP shareholders at the AGM in London, calling on them to reverse the decision to expand the Olympic Dam mine and instead spend their money on something better, and later wrapped up the protest with a rendering of ‘Eat the Rich’ in her character of No-Nukes Calamity Jane:
.
Jim Green from Friends of the Earth and Dave Sweeney of the Australian Conservation Foundation also spoke, the latter quoting from a letter sent by Yvonne Margarula of the Mirrar people to UN secretary-general Ban ki-Moon after the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant – fuelled with uranium from Mirrar traditional lands (the text of this letter can be read here). There were also brief addresses from Ben Courtice, Friends of the Earth Renewable Energy Campaigner, Lucho from LASNET, regarding the activities of mining companies in Colombia and Chile, and Susannah, on the proposed gas hub in the Kimberley (see earlier posts on this site, eg here):
.
.
.
.
There was yellow-cake on offer, and leaflets for passers-by:
.
.
The remaining photos are probably self-explanatory. BHP Billiton will be holding its Australian AGM in Melbourne on 17 November, and it will be surprising if there are not protests in Melbourne to mark that occasion also…
Melbourne supporters of the campaign against the Woodside gas hub project at Walmadan/James Price Point in WA have continued their activities: last Saturday saw the second Community Gathering at Northcote Uniting Church, organised by Walmadan is Calling, and last night there was a candlelight vigil at the Victorian Parliament House, organised by United Peoples of Australia.
Immediately before the vigil there was also an info night at Kindness House in Fitzroy, and many attended both events. It was a moonless night and the weather was kind:
.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
.
The Community Gathering was less fortunate, at least as regards the weather: it was cold and blustery outside for the first part of proceedings, an acknowledgment of traditional owners and smoking ceremony, followed by speakers and music. Later in the evening the bands took over inside the church.
Video of the gathering can be seen on EngageMedia here, or on YouTube:
.
In addition to her message to the protesters at Walmadan, Alex Bhathal also announced an initiative to hold Federal Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson accountable to the people of his electorate of Batman, in which the gathering took place and where she and many of those involved live. For details of a petition to Federal Parliament which voters in the electorate were and are invited to sign, follow this link.
.
MC for the occasion was Kim Murata, who also joined Marie Casanova and Dandelion Jackson on stage. As well, Elijah Augustine and other members of his family plus Tim Parry of what is now the Melbourne branch of Save the Kimberley got people dancing with a rendering of Stompin Ground; Greg Thorpe sang a song for the Kimberley written in collaboration with Rodney Augustine; Tim Parry shared a song he wrote while up at the blockade. Inside the church there were performances by Jessie Lloyd and the Sunshine Sisters, The Promises, and Captain Groove followed by Lamarama to wrap things up. Snippets of all this on the accompanying video.
Following on from the very successful ‘Keep the Kimberley’ rally on August 14th, campaigners in Melbourne organised on Saturday what is planned to be the first of a series of awareness raising gatherings. Not a protest in the strict sense, perhaps, but part of the campaign and so included here. See the Walmadan Country is Calling Facebook page for details and other reports, including photos.
Footnote: campaigners in Ireland opposing a Shell refinery at Bellinaboy blockaded a road on Friday 26 August and dedicated this action as an act of solidarity with the community of Broome. See http://www.indymedia.ie/article/100410.
