More than 1000 people protested outside the NSW Labor conference at Sydney Town Hall on July 27, demanding it and federal Labor stop arming Israel and supporting genocide in Gaza.
Speakers called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns to end Labor鈥檚 complicity in Israel鈥檚 war. That would mean cutting all military, economic, political and diplomatic ties with Israel and supporting international efforts to prosecute Israel鈥檚 war crimes.
The protest was organised by the Palestine Action Group, with support from Students for Palestine, Palestine Justice Movement Sydney and Unionists for Palestine.
Protesters chanted loudly enough to ensure that Labor delegates inside could hear them.
A motion, moved by Bankstown MP Jihad Dib calling on NSW Labor to 鈥渞ecognise Palestine as a sovereign and independent state and as a priority鈥 was carried.
The motion brings NSW聽Labor largely into line with that last year鈥檚 federal conference, at which recognition of Palestinian statehood was supported as an 鈥渋mportant priority鈥.
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the pro-Israel Executive Council of Australian Jewry, described the vote as 鈥渢oken symbolism鈥.
Earlier, as delegates were entering, Action for Public Housing NSW organised a protest calling on Labor to end public housing demolitions and sell-offs and take urgent action to tackle the housing crisis.
Meanwhile, delegates from the Electrical Trades Union walked out during PM Anthony Albanese鈥檚 address, calling out 鈥淪hame鈥. They were protesting Labor鈥檚 decision to exclude the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union鈥檚 construction division from the conference.
On July 28, Pride in Protest called a rally demanding Labor urgently pass the Equality Bill. They said it would provide important anti-discrimination protections and resources to the LGBTIQ community, especially trans people and sex workers.
There was a lot of support for a motion to repeal the anti-protest laws and the youth bail law, and establish a charter of human rights. However, it was defeated.