SCA Occupy Shutdown

The 65-day long occupation of the Sydney College of the Arts offices has come to an end as police and security guards stormed the building at 6.45am this morning, dragging half-sleeping protesters out and evicting them from the site.
The occupiers had been protesting against the closure of the arts school on this site and against the ongoing commercialization of the University of Sydney, which they claim is to the detriment not only of the arts school but also of the equity of access to tertiary education by all students no matter of their background. Despite today's raid, the students are determined to continue their protest.
These images are part of a series of portraits which, given the events of this morning, unfortunately remains unfinished.

Australian Senate Passes Gweagle Motion

The Australian Senate has passed a motion supporting the return of the Gweagle Shield and Spears, which were taken by Captain Cook's party after firing on Cooman, a Gweagle man in 1770 in what is now known as Botany Bay. The act signalled the start of what became known as the Frontier Wars and the subsequent ongoing 228 years of European occupation of Australia. 

Rodney Kelly, an ancestor of Cooman is travelling to Europe to demand the return of these artefacts, most of which are held by the British Museum in Cambridge. He and his supporters will also travel to The Netherlands, Berlin and Sweden.

These photographs were taken at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy and at the Australian parliament, where this historic motion was passed.

The significance of the passing of this parliamentary motion, for what it represents in terms of the acknowledgement of historical events, should not be underestimated.

The motion reads as follows: 

Business of the Senate—Order of the Day 1 Community Affairs Legislation Committee Report to be presented on the provisions of the National Cancer Screening Register Bill 2016 and the National Cancer Screening Register (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2016.

General Business—Notice of Motion Notice given 15 September 2016 *61 Senator Siewert:

To move—That the Senate—

(a) notes that: (i) in 1770, two members of the Gweagal people stood on the shore of the place now called Botany Bay, as a boat containing James Cook and some of his crew approached the shore, (ii) the Gweagal men were holding spears and a shield and they attempted to warn off the interlopers, an action that was responded to with gunfire, (iii) one of the men, Cooman, was shot in the leg and he ran for cover, dropping his shield, No. 7—10 October 2016 9 (iv) this shield and a number of spears and other artefacts from their camp were taken by James Cook and given to the British Museum when he returned there, and the shield and a number of the spears remain in the Museum’s collection, and (v) a significant number of the spears taken are now also held by the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology;

(b) acknowledges that: (i) it is a core part of Aboriginal belief that artefacts must be kept on the country they came from, as they form a part of the ongoing story of that place, (ii) laws covering Aboriginal cultural heritage in New South Wales recognise the strong connection between Aboriginal people, their land and their artefacts, and (iii) the Gweagal people and their descendants are the rightful and lawful owners of all artefacts produced on their territory, including the shield and spears held in the British Museum and the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology;

(c) recognises the work done by Cooman’s descendant Mr Rodney Kelly to push for the repatriation of these important artefacts; (d) supports the repatriation of these important artefacts to the Gweagal people; and (e) requests the Australian Government extend diplomatic assistance to Mr Rodney Kelly while he is in the United Kingdom seeking the return of the artefacts.

HomeGround: Dance Rites, 2016

Dance Rites is the premiere Aboriginal dance competition held annually as a part of Homeground, where troupes travel from all corners of Australia to battle for the ultimate prize in front of the Sydney Opera House.
This year, Koormurri took out first place in a fiercely and closely contested final. 

Homeground 2016 Opening

Opening proceedings of 'Homeground', a celebration of Aboriginal dance, music and culture held every year at the Sydney Opera House. 

Koori Knockout - Redfern All Blacks Take Out the 2016 Title

This year's Koori Knockout was held at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney. After winning last year, the Redfern All Blacks made it two in a row, taking out the title for 2016.

People travel from all around New South Wales and beyond for this rugby league carnival which not only showcases elite Aboriginal sporting talent, but also the interconnectedness and solidarity of Aboriginal communities.

*click through images for full screen view

'Koori Knockouts, 2016' - Portraits Series

A series of portraits of the crowd at this year's Koori Knockout at Leichhardt Oval, Sydney.

People travel from all around New South Wales for this rugby league carnival which not only showcases elite Aboriginal sporting talent, but also the interconnectedness and solidarity of Aboriginal communities.

*Click through images for full screen view

Rally: Stand up Against ongoing Injustice of Aboriginal People, Blacktown

In response to the killing of a young Aboriginal boy in Kalgoorlie, the abuses at Don Dale Juvenile Detention Centre in the NT and Aboriginal deaths in custody, as well as the continuing forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families, this rally was organised to show solidarity with the concerned families and to demand justice. The rally began at the Village Green in the heart of Blacktown and marched through the local CBD to a nearby park, where more speeches were made.

One Year Ago Today - Last Days of The Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Part 3

Close The Camps, Bring Them Here - Sydney Rally

Around 5000 people rallied in central Sydney to protest against the refugee camps on Manus and Nauru Islands, and against the radical policies from successive Australian governments of off-shore detention and boat turnbacks. The protesters demanded that the refugees and asylum seekers held in the camps be immediately resettled in Australia.
The rally marched from Sydney Town Hall to the PNG consulate, calling on the PNG government to commit to closing Manus Island detention camp, before marching through the city to Circular Quay.

Motion to Return the Gweagle Shield and Spears Passed

In unanimously passing a motion moved by Greens MLC, David Shoebridge, the NSW Parliament has finally signalled its support for the return of the Gweagle Shield and Spears, which were stolen by Captain Cook and his party after they fired on a Gweagle man, Cooman, in 1770 on the shores of what is now known as Botany Bay. The shield and spears have since been housed by the British Museum and the Cambridge Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, who are refusing to return them to their rightful owners.
Rodney Kelly, a descendant of Cooman, has been fighting for the rightful repatriation of these artefacts and will be travelling to the UK in October to demand their release. He and his family were at the NSW Parliament House to witness today's parliamentary motion, the first of its kind in Australia, historical because it acknowledges (intentionally or not) the first European act of aggression that foreshadowed the invasion of Australia by the British.

Our Rainbow Wedding

With a potentially divisive plebiscite on marriage equality on the horizon, Rainbow Campus campaigners at Sydney University organised a series of non-legal marriages of Rainbow couples as a demonstration of love and to bring attention to the ongoing discrimination against the LGBTQIA community.

Return The Gweagal Shield and Spears

The Gweagal Shield is perhaps the most important invasion-era historical artefact in existence. This wooden shield with a bullet hole in it is evidence of literally the first shot fired in what would become known as the Frontier Wars.
A series of gunshots by Captain Cook's party at what is now called Botany Bay in 1770, this incident was proof of the first violent encounter by Europeans with Aboriginal Australia, specifically with a Gweagal man, Cooman, who was defending his country. His shield, along with spears, were seized by Cook's party as bounty and has since been housed by the British Museum.
Rodney Kelly, a descendent of Cooman, is demanding the return of the shield and spears, and with the support of the Greens' David Shoebridge, is asking the NSW Parliament to support a movement in the House calling for the immediate repatriation of the artefacts. Rodney will be travelling to the UK in October to formally call for the shield and spears to be returned by the British Museum to their rightful owners.  Rodney Kelly is seeking support for this cause from all levels of government, media, other museums and community to put pressure on the British Museum.

Rally: 'Justice for Ms Dhu, Rebecca Maher. Release the Children in the NT Jails'

A rally demanding justice for Ms Dhu and Rebecca Maher, two Aboriginal women who died in police custody. Family and organizers of the rally have called for a complete and independent inquiry into these two deaths, as well as more wide-ranging action to prevent Aboriginal deaths in custody. They demand that all information and evidence, including CCTV footage relating to these two deaths be released. The rally began at Belmore Park in central Sydney and marched to T.J. Hickey Park in Waterloo.

Rally: Aboriginal Children's Day

Organized by Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR), this rally was held on Aboriginal Children's Day, not long after the public outrage at the horrendous cases of child abuse at Don Dale, and on the same day that The Australian newspaper published a cartoon vilifying Aboriginal people. The rally began at the Family Court and marched to the the NSW Parliament, where impassioned speeches calling for nation-wide justice, particularly for Aboriginal children and families, were made.

From the organizers:

"The number of Aboriginal children in "out of home care", is higher than ever and rising rapidly. Far more children are being taken today than during the Stolen Generations of the 20th Century. The numbers have increase 400 per cent since Kevin Rudd's "apology" for the crimes of the past... Following protests by Grandmothers Against Removals in May this year, Brad Hazzard, NSW Minister for Family and Community Services (FACS), made commitments to reduce the number of children in care. One of these commitments was for a review of all cases of Aboriginal children taken from their families over the last 24 months. This has no been reduced to 12 months. GMAR, along with the Aboriginal Legal Services NSW, have called for this review to be independent and Aboriginal controlled."

More Info:

https://www.facebook.com/GMARsydneybranch/

http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/

Rally: Justice for the Children Tortured in Don Dale and All Prisons

A rally expressing outrage as a result of the Four Corners program on ABC TV. From the organizers:
"The video footage on Four Corners of Aboriginal children being tortured in Don Dale correction centre have shocked the country. But this is the tip of the iceberg of the racist ‘child protection’ and prison systems that subject Aboriginal children to institutionalised child abuse across the continent on a daily basis.

Malcolm Turnbull and Adam Giles have announced a Royal Commission into the centre - but their own racist Intervention and “tough on crime” policies systematically breach the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC). 

Countless inquiries have already been done. We already know the facts of this case. We demand justice immediately. The prison guards responsible must be sacked and charged. So too should the NT Government who have consistently demonised and criminalised Aboriginal children and bear ultimate responsibility for this abuse. Minister Scullion also must be sacked.

Across Australia, Black children make up 50 per cent of the prison system. More children are being forcibly removed today than at any point in Australian history - taken from their families and put into foster care or prison cells".

Black Lives Matter, Sydney, Australia

A rally protesting against police brutality, deaths in custody and racial profiling, specifically against Aboriginal people and other black and indigenous peoples. Held in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the USA. The rally started at Town Hall and proceeded to march to the U.S. consulate in Martin Place.

* Click through images for full screen view