Rally For Permanent Protection For Refugees, Not Temporary Visas

Around 500 people gathered at Sydney’s Town Hall yesterday to demand more protection of refugee rights and urge that Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs) be made permanent. It’s been 8 years since Temporary Protection Visas were introduced in Australia, leaving many refugees with a life in limbo, unsure of their future and without their families.

Since then, the Government has begun a controversial ‘fast tracking’ process of TPVs, which some claim lead to “a fundamentally unfair process that essentially removes [refugees] right to a fair hearing, and could well amount to a fast track to danger.”

Speakers spoke of the harsh living conditions these visas result in, leading to a second-class of residency, unable to access many critical services and without the ability to reunite with their families, all of which mean a life compounded by poverty, uncertainty, discrimination and mental, psychological and emotional stress. Their pain in the face of the intense politicisation of the issue was palpable in the personal stories recounted at yesterday’s rally.

The event was organised by Justice for Refugees with the support of Refugee Action Coalition.

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Pro-Choice Rally: Trust Women Support The Bill

Today, around 2,000 people gathered at Hyde Park, Sydney, in support of legislation currently before the NSW Parliament aimed at decriminalising abortion.

Abortion has been technically illegal in New South Wales since 1900. It is the only Australian state where it is still a crime to have an abortion under general circumstances. In August this year, a bill was introduced to parliament and passed the lower house on a conscience vote. It is currently waiting to be introduced to the upper house after the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian caved into conservatives within her party to delay the bill.

Today’s rally urged people to keep pressure on the politicians to pass the legislation into law. The event kicked off with an Acknowledgement of Country by Yvonne Weldon. Speakers included Dee Hartigan, Jane Caro, Wendy, McCarthy and Larissa Behrendt, with performances by Ursula Yovich, Malaika and Elana Stone. All reiterated the role of women’s rights human rights as central to the issue.

A small group of Australian Conservative Pro-Life counter-protesters briefly interrupted proceedings as the event wound up.

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Protest in Solidarity With Djab Wurrung Sacred Trees - Sydney

Between 200-300 people marched on Saturday through Sydney’s city streets, Gadigal, from Town Hall to Railway Square in solidarity with the Djab Wurrung Embassy, which is currently protecting several 800+ year old sacred trees in south western Victoria from destruction.

These ancient trees are under threat of being bulldozed by Vic Roads, to make way for the expansion of the Great Western Highway. Several hundred people are camping out at the Embassy, just outside of Ararat, preparing to resist the bulldozers and police from moving in and destroying the site.

Saturday’s Sydney march was organised by the Anticolonial Asian Alliance and sought to bring attention to the current plight of the Djab Wurrung and to lend support to those at the front line down at the Embassy.

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Another Roll of 35mm - Assorted

A few frames off a roll of Tri-x black and white film.

Shot in a Nikon F2AS, 35mm Kodak Tri-X, 400 asa.

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C-Town Kids in Glebe

Some on the fly portraits on 35mm film of Nicole, Kaleb, Airley and Ruby, from Campbelltown, visiting Glebe for the day.

Shot in a Nikon F2AS, 35mm Fuji film, 400 asa, 50mm f1.4

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Silent Protest - We Are One For The Amazon Forest

Today, around 200 people gathered at Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD to hold a silent protest to bring attention to the massive fires currently raging in Brazil’s Amazon forests - the so-called ‘lungs of the Earth’.

The fires are devastating because they not only represent the catastrophic loss of trees and wildlife, but also because they symbolise a range of other related issues, including climate change, Indigenous land theft and genocide, colonialism, corruption, militarism and crony-capitalism.

More than 72,000 fires have been detected burning across Brazil (40,000 in the Amazon alone) since January of this year. Many of the fires have been said to have been lit for illegal land clearing purposes by farmers and miners. Far-right Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro has been accused of facilitating this growing land theft from various forest tribes, tantamount, some say, to genocide. One million Indigenous people are said to be at risk as a result.

Amongst a growing international outrage, 44,000 troops were yesterday sent in to fight the fires but there continues to be calls for international intervention.

Meanwhile, protests outside Brazilian embassies have taken place around the world.

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Fire Garden - Sydenham Green

Fire Starter

Fire sculptor, Phil Relf, commences final proceedings at ‘The Fire Garden’, an arts event held tonight at Sydenham Green.

More pics to come.

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Extinction Rebellion Protest Rally, Sydney

Below are images from Friday night’s ‘Extinction Rebellion’ protest march in Sydney.

Around 300 people gathered at Town Hall to hear speakers address the critical issues of climate change and ecological collapse. Under the banner of ‘Extinction Rebellion’ - a loose global affiliation of those concerned about the inaction on the environment - the protestors then marched to Parliament House where they were met by a heavy police presence, including the riot squad. After a short sit in, the marchers moved to Martin Place to voice their opposition to government, corporate, media and police power.

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Girl With Red Flag

A protester at tonight’s Extinction Rebellion rally in Martin Place, Sydney.

More pics to come.

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First Nations Rainbow NAIDOC

Photographs from the First Nations Rainbow NAIDOC event held at the Columbian Hotel on Oxford Street, Darlinghurst last Saturday.

 The night was held as part of NAIDOC week celebrations and promoted Aboriginal and LGBTQIA rights, culture and diversity.

The event featured performances by Nana Miss Koori, Nova Gina and Tyra Bankstown. It was organised by Russell Weston and First Nations Rainbow. MCing the evening was Daniel McDonald.

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Block Party, Martin Place

A few images from yesterday’s Block Party at Martin Place, bringing attention to social, political and economic inequality, homelessness, corporate greed and the climate emergency.

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Nyirripi Doors II

More portraits from a recent trip to Nyirripi community, located 500 kms north west of Alice Springs in Warlpiri Lands, central Australia.

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Nyirripi Doors

Portraits from a recent trip to Nyirripi community, located 500 kms north west of Alice Springs in Warlpiri Lands, central Australia.

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Maudie Nampajinpa Morris

Maudie Nampajinpa Morris is one of the last remaining ‘original’ residents of Nyirripi community, a small remote township in the Warlpiri Lands, around 500kms northwest of Alice Springs in central Australia.

She is an elder, grandmother and artist. Her paintings usually depict Maliki Jukurrpa (Dog Dreaming). The Adelaide Crows is her AFL team.

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Nyirripi Landscapes

Some landscape shots from a recent visit to Nyirripi, a small Warlpiri community, around 500kms northwest of Alice Springs in central Australia, where I lived for around 2 years in the mid 1990s.

Just outside the community stands the important sites of Karrku (Karrku Dreaming) and Winnijarru (Dingo Dreaming).

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Dark Emu Over Nyirripi

The night sky over Nyirripi community, Warlpiri Land, 500 kms north west of Alice Springs, central Australia.

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NAIDOC on Arrernte Country

A few quick images of yesterday’s NAIDOC march and Welcome to Country by Arrernte elder Kumalie Kngwarreye Riley in Alice Springs.

Around 800 people marched through the Todd Street Mall to the town square, where celebrations ensued.

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Vigil For Julian Assange's Birthday

Tonight, a candle light vigil was held outside Sydney Town Hall to bring attention to the plight of Julian Assange, who is currently incarcerated in a British prison with the threat of extradition to the United States hanging over his head. There were simultaneous vigils held in different cities around the world, coinciding with Assange’s 48th birthday.

Speakers in Sydney warned that Assange was being used as a scapegoat and as a warning to whistleblowers and journalists wanting to expose abuses of power and corruption at all levels. The AFP raids on the ABC were cited as an example of how the shift towards the stifling of press freedoms was gaining pace. And the media themselves were criticised for their lack of support for Assange.

MC for the night was artist, Hellen Rose. Other speakers included journalist Wendy Bacon, clinical psychologist, Lissa Johnston, long-time family friend of Assange, Rebecca McGlone and Socialist Equity Party representative, Linda Tenenbaum.

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Sudan Revolution Solidarity Rally

Yesterday, June 30th 2019, a rally in solidarity with the currently unfolding Sudanese Revolution took place in Hyde Park, Sydney. Around 700 people attended. It was one of many rallies held simultaneously around the world to bring attention to the military crackdown in Sudan.

Mass protests in the capital Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan, erupted last night, with at least 7 killed and hundreds wounded.

The unrest is part of the democratic movement which has gained momentum over the last year and which led to the ousting of long-time President Omar al-Bashir in April. Since then, a military council has assumed power and is resisting calls for structural reform. On June the 3rd, a crackdown saw dozens killed during demonstrations. The democratic opposition is calling for a civilian-led 3 year reform process before elections are held to ensure that meaningful and long-lasting change is achieved.

It has been noted the prominent role that women have played in the revolution in Sudan and this was reflected in yesterday’s rally in Sydney.

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