Abolish the Monarchy Rally
University Workers Strike at UTS
University workers at the University of Technology (UTS) took industrial action this morning to demand better pay and working conditions.
After years of staff cuts, increasing work loads and more insecure employment, members of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) striked for 2 hours in the first of what is expected to be a series of strikes and other industrial action.
The current Vice-Chancellor of UTS is purportedly on a salary of $1 million per year.
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The Fierce Violets
Photos from ‘The Fierce Violets’, an afternoon of spoken poetry and music at the Chippo Hotel, featuring Charles Freyberg, Marguerite Montes, Peter Urqhuart and Lou Steer.
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Nurses and Midwives Strike
Healthcare staff from St Vincent’s Hospital rallied today in solidarity with nurses and midwives, who went on strike around the State today, to demand lower nurse to patient ratios, more pay and better working conditions. The pandemic has stretched the workforce to breaking point, while the union says lives are at risk.
To compound issues, wages are struggling to keep up with runaway inflation. Industrial action has taken place recently in other sectors, such as on the rail, train and bus lines and in the public service, as workers feel the pinch on household budgets and as governments and business tighten their spending.
Greens federal senator, David Shoebridge was in attendance and spoke briefly to the rally.
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Glitch: A Playground of the Apocalypse
A few photos from Saturday night’s ‘Glitch’ event at Sydenham Green, organised by Tortuga Studios and part of Edge run by the Inner West Council.
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Woolloomoolivin' Festival
Photos from last week’s annual Woolloomoolivn’ street festival, which made a post-Covid return this year.
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Palestinian Rally at Sydney Town Hall
Around 200 people turned up to Sydney Town Hall yesterday to protest against the bombing of Gaza by Israeli armed forces. Latest reports are that up to 47 Palestinians have been killed in the airstrikes, including at least 16 children, according to Palestinian officials. Israeli jet fighters flattened homes and Gaza’s only solar energy farm has been shut down, creating an even greater power shortage amongst Palestinian civilians.
Islamic Jihad claimed it had fired 1000 rockets back into Israel, although most of these are believed to have been shot down by Israeli defence forces.
Some are claiming the latest attacks are linked to elections that are due to be held in Israel in November, while others see that the current conflict also involves a political struggle within Gaza.
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Climate Justice Solidarity Rally
Photos from yesterday’s Climate Justice Rally at Bradfield Park, Milson’s Point. Organisers aimed to bring attention to the demand for an Advisory Opinion on climate justice and human rights from International Court of Justice to the United Nations. By endorsing this Advisory Opinion, it is hoped greater action on climate change can be achieved through the U.N.
Pacific Islands are at the forefront of climate change and are currently some of the most impacted communities on earth due to increasing fossil fuel emissions. This was a focus of yesterday’s rally.
Performers from communities around Sydney gathered to add their voice to endorse the Advisory Opinion, including the Swastik Institute for Dance, Africa Beat and the Fiji Sydney Catholic Youth Meke Group. The MC for the day was Shiva Gouden from Greenpeace Australia Pacific. The Welcome to Country and opening smoke were performed by Uncle Chika Madden and Yuin man Mark Merriman.
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The Cane Croppers
Sugar cane workers just outside of Mossman in Far North Queensland burn fields at the end of harvest, to rejuvenate the soil in preparation for the sowing of the next crop.
Against the dramatic backdrop of the world heritage Daintree rainforest, young men and boys set fields of cane refuse alight at sunset, under the watchful eye of farmer and head supervisor, Gary Mackay.
This year, the sugar cane industry has been hit by unseasonal rains across the dry season - over 250mm last month alone - a result of La Niña which has drenched the east coast of Australia.
COVID-19 has also impacted the cane industry as the workforce shrinks due to virus. This labour shortage means longer work hours for already pressed rural workers, such as these cane croppers. Truck drivers and tractor operators are being sought from overseas, from the Philippines, and elsewhere.
Despite this, the industry is looking to the future to produce cane not just for sugar, but also for the new ‘low carbon’ economy, as a source of biofuel and biodegradable plastics. The viability of the entire industry relies on the success of this kind of forward looking diversification. Otherwise, the very survival of towns like Mossman and farms such as Gary Mackay’s, is at risk.
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Cultural Burning on Djabugay
Photographs of last week’s cultural burning on Djabugay country at the Mona Mona (Munu Munu) mission, around the Cairns region in Far North Queensland.
Victor Steffensen of Firesticks led a gathering of local Bama rangers to demonstrate and discuss concepts of fire management as a cultural practice.
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Sovereign Yidindji Government Welcomes Elder
Last week, the Sovereign Yidindji Government welcomed Elder, Wumindhaa Wullunjarrdii, to its offices on Yidindji country, to talk about his struggles to lay claims to his own traditional Kukatj country in the Gulf.
Wumindhaa Wullunjarrdii was welcomed to Yidindji by local Elder and Minister for Police and Cultural Affairs in the Sovereign Yidindji Government, Bumi Gimuybara, and Yidindji Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Murrumu of Walubara, who were on hand to introduce him to local Yidindji police.
From their website, “The Sovereign Yidindji Government was created by Jangalan Yidindji, which is the tribal council of elders. The Government is the official voice of the nation and administrative legal personality to speak for and on behalf of the Yidindji nation. The SYG aims to codify and describe the laws, customs and traditions of the society and create titles, offices and other required instruments to help Yidindji interact with the world. The SYG and tribal law although connected are two different universes.”
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Toydeath at Mothership Studios
Photographs of Toydeath playing at Mothership Studios in Marrickville last Friday night.
Toydeath are a band who modify electronic toys as musical instruments.
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The Longest Night: Sydney Homeless Memorial Service
Today is Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year.
Tonight, thousands of men, women and children are sleeping rough on the streets around Australia.
And over the past 12 months, many homeless people have died living on the streets of Sydney.
This evening, around 150 people gathered on the forecourt of St. Mary’s Cathedral to hold a candlelight vigil and memorial for those homeless people who have passed whilst sleeping rough. The Sydney Street Choir performed at tonight's memorial.
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The Longest Night: Dream Girls
A homeless man sleeps outside a Kings Cross night club.
Today is Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year.
Tonight, thousands of men, women and children are sleeping rough on the streets around Australia.
And over the past 12 months, many homeless people have died living on the streets of Sydney.
Photos of this evening’s candlelight memorial to those people who have passed to come.
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'No Police Guns - End Racist NT Intervention Powers' Rally
Photographs from yesterday’s protest rally at Sydney Town Hall, demanding an end to armed police in Aboriginal communities and an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Speakers included family members from several Aboriginal people who have died in police custody - Mark Mason Snr, David Dungay Jnr. and Kumanjayi Walker.
Audrey Napanangka Williams, a Warlpiri woman and relative of 19-year old Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot and killed by Constable Zachary Rolfe in 2019 in Yuendumu, travelled all the way from the Northern Territory to speak. She demanded that police no longer carry guns in her community, after an all white jury found Rolfe not guilty of murder. A total of sixteen demands were made, all of which can be found at www.karrinjarimuwajarri.org
Nearly 500 Aboriginal people have died in police custody since the report from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was handed down in 1991.
The protestors marched to the Supreme Court on Macquarie Street where further speeches were given.
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Audrey Napanangka Williams - No Police Guns in Yuendumu
Portrait of Audrey Napanangka Martin, Warlpiri woman and relative of 19-year old Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot and killed by Constable Zachary Rolfe in the Northern Territory Aboriginal community of Yuendumu in 2019.
Napanangka spoke outside Sydney Town Hall today, in front of around 500 people, to call for all police guns to be removed from Yuendumu after Rolfe was found not guilty of murder by an all white jury earlier this year.
More photos of the rally to come.
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Albert Hartnett Wake
Portraits taken at the wake for Wangkumurra man, Albert Hartnett, who recently passed away.
The gathering took place at Redfern Community Centre after the funeral at Rookwood Cemetery.
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Albert Hartnett Funeral
Photographs of the funeral of Wangkumurra man, Albert Hartnett, who recently passed away. The service was held at the South Chapel at Rookwood Cemetery, where family and friends gathered to pay tribute.
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Vote Like It's An Emergency - Blinky on a Barge
Blinky, the giant Koala, roamed Sydney Harbour on a barge today, in a bid to urge voters to go into ballot booths with climate action at front of mind for next week’s federal election.
Today’s action was organised by Extinction Rebellion.
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Vote Like It's An Emergency - Rally
Photographs from yesterday’s ‘Vote Like It’s An Emergency’ rally in Martin Place organised by Extinction Rebellion.
As Blinky, the giant, emaciated koala fascinated passers-by, speakers urged Australians to change the government in next week’s election by voting for climate focused parties and independents that want to take real action on climate change.
Speakers included Murri poet, Uncle Ken Canning, XR and Occupy organiser, Larissa Payne, first time voter, Varsha Yajman, ex-Senator, Scott Ludlam and Doro Babek from the Bob Brown Foundation.
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