The Voice Referendum: Walk For 'Yes' Rally

Tens of thousands of people walked from Redfern Park to Victoria Park in support of the YES campaign for the upcoming Referendum on the Voice to Parliament.

Speakers were mostly represented by a range of federal, state and local politicians, from the ALP, Liberals, Greens and Teals, including Chris Minns (ALP), Tanya Plibersek (ALP), Sarah Hanson-Young (Greens), Barry O’Farrell (disgraced ex-Liberal state Premier for NSW) and Clover Moore (Independent, City of Sydney), amongst others.

Wiradjuri woman and City of Sydney Councillor, Yvonne Weldon also spoke, along with Shane Phillips, CEO of Tribal Warrior and disability rights campaigner, Aunty Shirley Lomas. The event was MC’d by Arrente and Kalkadoon filmmaker, Rachel Perkins.

*Click through images for full screen view

First Anniversary of the Killing of Jina Mahsa Amini

Yesterday marked one year since the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini at the hands of the Iranian ‘morality’ police, for not wearing a hijab in accordance to strict government standards. Her death sparked nation wide protests across Iran, which eventually evolved into the ‘Women Life Freedom’ movement. Since then, thousands have been arrested and scores killed.

Around two thousand people gathered in Sydney at Hyde Park north on Gadigal country to mark the anniversary. Speakers demanded the overthrow of the Islamic government in Iran and for further Australian sanctions against the regime, before the crowd marched to Martin Place.

*Click through images for full screen view

Stop Coal Seam Gas Rally

Photographs from yesterday’s ‘Sydney Stop Coal Seam Gas’ rally on Gadigal country, where hundreds of people marched through Sydney’s CBD from Circular Quay to NSW Parliament House to demand the halt to gas mining in the Pilliga Forest and surrounding Gomeroi lands in north western NSW.

The march stopped off at Santos headquarters to deliver a letter of protest to the company that is currently building the gas fields near Narrabri. Gomeroi people, farmers, unionists and environmentalists travelled across NSW to attend.

The rally was held on a day where hazard reduction burning in preparation for what is expected to be another scorching summer saw smoke choke Sydney and register the fourth worst air quality of any city in the world.

The protest was organised by the Lock the Gate Alliance, Unions NSW, Farmers NSW. The Country Women’s Association and a contingent of Gomeroi people.

*Click through images for full screen view

Whose Streets? Our Streets! Rally and Street Party

Photographs from last night’s rally and street party, reclaiming Oxford Street for the LGBTQIA+ community, after sustained attacks from the far-right.

The event was organised by Pride in Protest, National Union of Students Queer/LGBTI and USYD Queer Action Collective.

*Click through images for full screen view

Impressions of a Wet Kings Cross Night

Impressions of a wet Kings Cross night on Darlinghurst Road.

*Click through images for full screen view

Lucha Fantastica - Mexican Professional Wrestling

Photos from last Saturday night’s professional Mexican wrestling event by Lucha Fantastica at The Factory in Marrickville. The finale featured a bout between ‘Elon Musk’ and ‘Mark Zuckerberg’, who were both defeated by the Mexican hero, Chico.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Blak Lives Still Matter

Around 200 people gathered at Sydney Town Hall on Gadigal country to bring further attention to Aboriginal deaths in custody and to remind the public that Blak lives still matter.

Amongst the crowd in attendance, was the family of Kamilaroi-Dunghutti man, Ricky ‘Dougie’ Hampson/Chatfield, who died shortly after being discharged from Dubbo Hospital in 2021. Dougie’s family claims that the hospital failed to properly diagnose and treat a duodenal ulcer, due to the fact that he was Aboriginal. A coronial inquest into his death will be conducted in February next year.

Ricky ‘Dougie’ Hampson/Chatfield is one of more than 500 Aboriginal people who have died in custody since the report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was handed down in 1991.

After speeches at Town Hall, the crowd marched through the CBD to the Supreme Court on Phillip Street.

*Click through images for full screen view

Defend Trans Rights Rally

Around two hundred people turned up yesterday at Sydney Town Hall, on Gadigal country, to defend Trans rights and to protest against the religious vilification legislation which was recently passed through the NSW Parliament. Opponents of the bill are concerned that religious groups have been favoured over the rights of LGBTQIA+ communities, especially over those of trans people.

After speeches at Sydney Town Hall, the rally marched through the CBD.

*Click through images for full screen view

The Last Rays at Central Station

Fan Girls

The Green Hand Band at the Marrickville Bowlo

Photographs of the Green Hand band playing at the Marrickville Bowlo a couple of weeks ago on June 24th.

Click through images for full screen view.

Djaadjawan Dancers at Centennial Park

No Fixed Address at the AGNSW

Legendary reggae and rock pioneers, No Fixed Address, play at the Art Gallery of NSW, last night.

*Click through images for full screen view.

NAIDOC Up Late: Trailblazers

Photographs from last Saturday’s NAIDOC Up Late: Trailblazers concert at The Cutaway, Barangaroo, Gadigal Country, highlighting the deep lineage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hip hop.

The opening smoking was performed by Matthew Doyle and Dancers, with a Welcome to Country by Uncle Allen Madden, followed with musical performances by:

  • MunkiMuk

  • Aime 4

  • Mau Power (with special guest, Radical Son)

  • Wizz

  • B Wise

  • A. Girl

  • Nooky

  • Tasman Keith

  • Barkaa

The event was hosted by Bala Luke and Ghenoa Gela.

*Click through images for full screen view

Trans Rights Are Human Rights Rally

Around 500 people turned up today at Sydney Town Hall, Gadigal Country, to protest for trans rights after a spike in right-wing, anti-trans attacks and activity in recent times.

Proceedings were chaired by Tilly Fay and Rohan, with speakers that included Jess Hooley (original 78er), Skye (United Workers Union), Liz Atkins (The Greens), King Woody (drag king artist), April Holcombe (co-convener of Community Action for Rainbow Rights), Darby King (Safe Schools) and Cassandra the Queen (drag queen artist).

The crowd then marched to the LGBTQIA+-friendly Pitt Street Uniting Church, which was recently vandalised. Reverend Josephine Inkpin spoke briefly, before the protest moved through the CBD and back to Town Hall.

The rally was organised by Rainbow Rights Coalition and Community Action for Rainbow Rights.

*Click through images for full screen view.

No Fixed Address at the Marrickville Bowlo

Photographs of legendary rock and reggae band, No Fixed Address, playing at the Marrickville Bowlo last Thursday night, featuring original founding members, Bart Willoughby (drums/vocals) and Ricky Harrison (guitar/vocals), as well as Sean Moffatt (lead guitar) and Tjimba Possum Burns (bass).

*Click through iamges for full screen view

Action for Public Housing Rally

Yesterday, about 150 people turned up at Sydney Town Hall, Gadigal, to demand more funding for public housing.

The federal government has just announced an additional $2 billion towards public housing, but advocacy groups and the Greens party have described this amount as vastly inadequate.

Speakers at yesterday’s rally pointed out how Prime Minister Albanese has used his own personal story growing up in public housing as a campaign strategy, but was now underfunding the very type of housing which supported him during his family’s own time of need.

Wiradjuri and Gomeroi woman, Lorna Munro, spoke about how gentrification and forcibly moving people on (either through physical or economic force) has always been a tactic of control, especially of Aboriginal people, as a part of colonisation.

Carolyn Ienna and Karyn Brown, both facing removal from their public housing, called on the gathered crowd to help resist the redevelopment of their homes in Glebe and Waterloo, while Kristin O’Connell from The Antipoverty Centre demanded that State Housing minister, Rose Jackson, halt the destruction of current housing and build more stock. NSW Greens MP, Jenny Leong, demanded more housing for First Nations people.

*Click through images for full screen view

Save Public Housing at 82 Wentworth Park Road Glebe

Public housing activists and supporters spent their last day camping out at 82 Wentworth Park Road in Glebe on Monday, before suspending their protest and calling for the block of apartments to remain in public hands. They had been camping out since last week.

Since the recent election, the NSW ALP State Government have been moving to demolish the small complex for redevelopment and move exisiting tenants out. The ALP had promised to save public housing from privatisation prior to the election.

Monday’s action saw supporters gather at Wentworth Park Road to hear speakers talk about their ongoing campaign to protect public housing, including independent journalist, Wendy Bacon, who spoke about past campaigns, such as the protest to save Victoria Street in Kings Cross from ‘development’ during the 1970s.

Currently, there are over 35,000 homeless people in NSW with 50,000 on the wait list for public housing. Rents have sky-rocketed in recent times, forcing more and more people out onto the streets.

*Click through images for full screen view.