Since the deaths of asylum seekers when two boats headed to Australia capsized, parliament has been locked in a debate about how to 鈥渟ave lives鈥. But the 鈥渄ebate鈥 is framed in such a way to ensure that more lives will be lost and more refugees victimised. ALP and Coalition MPs are pushing a policy of refugee 鈥渄eterrence鈥 designed to simply move refugees somewhere else.
On June 22, a boat carrying about 200 refugees capsized on its way to Christmas Island. Another vessel capsized on June 28. So far, reports say at least 91 refugees have drowned and others are still missing.
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The Steve Irwin Reserve on far north Queensland鈥檚 rugged Cape York faces the threat of mining, under new moves to water down the previous Bligh Labor government鈥檚 Wild Rivers law.
Liberal National Party state environment minister , which is expected to replace Wild Rivers laws on at least four far-north wilderness rivers.
The below on June 29.
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A team of three experienced Socialist Alliance activists will stand in Marrickville Council鈥檚 north ward at the upcoming elections.
Socialist Alliance, which is contesting the elections on a platform of Power to the People, is a social justice and ecological party.
鈥淐ouncils should be extensions of the community鈥, said lead candidate Pip Hinman.
Stop CSG campaigners in the Illawarra are celebrating the NSW government鈥檚 confirmation that coal seam gas drilling cannot take place in the Illawarra at this time. spokesperson Jess Moore told WIN TV News on June 25: 鈥淭his is huge news and shows the power the Illawarra community has to affect change.鈥
The released the statement below on June 28.
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The Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) is calling for charges to be laid against police in the Terrance Briscoe death is custody case, supporting calls from the family.
Family spokesperson Patricia Morton-Thomas says that family are confused by the double standard of the legal system. That Police are able to break the law, even captured on CCTV footage, and are still not charged for their offences.
NSW Premier Barry O鈥橣arrell has reneged on a pre-election promise to refuse access for hunters to NSW national parks, a move that will put parks users in danger and potentially set back feral animal eradication programs.
The Coalition government is pushing through changes to the NSW electricity sector, seeking to privatise state-owned generators. Without the numbers to push the privatisation bill through the upper house, O鈥橣arrell back-flipped and supported a bill by the Shooters and Fishers Party.
The Queensland Council of Unions released the statement below on June 28.
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Aboriginal elders Paul and Arthur Ah Wang still want justice for their stolen wages.
Tomorrow, they will join other Indigenous leaders and Townsville Branch President of the Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) Les Moffitt for a meeting with Member for Townsville John Hathaway to continue their fight for what they are owed.
鈥淲e鈥檝e sought this meeting with the new Member for Townsville to bring these Indigenous elders before him to share their side of the story,鈥 Mr Moffitt said.
Ivanhoe sacks workers despite 鈥榤ining boom鈥
Gold and copper mining company Ivanhoe has said . The move dents the mining industry's loud claims about its benefit to the Australian economy and jobs.
The released the statement below on June 27.
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The Refugee Action Collective condemns the Gillard Labor government鈥檚 support for the bill moved by Rob Oakeshott that passed through the lower house [on] June 27. RAC condemns the opportunism of both sides of parliament, seeking to gain politically out of two boat disasters in the last week. Offshore processing does not protect lives, but seeks to deter asylum seekers from fleeing to save them.
The below on June 28.
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They say a day is a long time in politics. The past week has been a lifetime. The asylum seeker debate has taken a hard shift to the right 鈥 the conversation has changed from onshore versus offshore processing to which location to process offshore and how to stop the boats.
Local parents have successfully spearheaded a Fremantle community campaign to save a service called 鈥淏uster the Fun Bus鈥.
Buster is a van staffed by two community workers from the City of Fremantle. It makes stops at various parks in the Fremantle and Melville area, setting out activity tables and toys for children to enjoy outside.
The focus of the service is community building. It brings parents together and gives them relaxed access to community workers.
About 100 people attended a midday protest on June 28 to oppose the export of coal from Victoria. The protest was organised by Quit Coal. Speakers denounced the horrendous damage Victoria's brown coal exports will do to the local environment and the global climate.
After the rally, a section of the crowd marched to the offices of Exergen 鈥 the company that plans to export coal from Victoria. The activists occupied the CEO's office to protest the company's refusal to meet with local residents.
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