Community Union Defence League feeds homeless in Sydney

Young volunteers reach out to the poor to help them survive the gruelling heatwave providing water, food, a cuppa and Covid-safe conversation in Sydney's Martin Place. The Community Union Defence League is expanding to Coff's Harbour and Melbourne to meet the growing need for community self care in the face of government neglect.

Black Lives Matter movement still matters in Newtown, Sydney

At dusk on a wintry Friday evening in the heart of Newtown, local activist Danny Lim has found an ingenious way to spread the Black Lives Matter message as a walking billboard while still practising social distancing during Sydney's recent Covid 19 spike.

Unredacted Royal Commission Findings Reveal Pell Knew about Pedophile Priests

Clergy abuse survivors outside the Sydney Royal Commission hearings into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse in March 2014. Photo Bernadette Smith.

The unredacted report from the Royal Commission hearings into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse originally redacted to avoid prejudicing Cardinal Pell's trial was finally released this week after Pell's successful appeal against his conviction for abusing altar boys last April. The Royal Commission found that Pell knew that fellow Ballarat priest Gerald Ridsdale was abusing children but failed to act. According to ABC news: "In its report on the Ballarat diocese, the commission said it was satisfied that Cardinal Pell — who was an assistant priest at Ballarat East in 1973 — had considered the "prudence" of Gerald Ridsdale taking boys on overnight camps. The commission found Ridsdale's victims likely stretched into the hundreds." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-07/royal-commission-findings-on-cardinal-george-pell-released/12217362

Easter Social Divide at Coast Golf Course in Little Bay, Sydney

Golfers in New South Wales were exempt from Covid 19 restrictions that applied to outdoor gyms, beaches and playgrounds during lockdown. At Coast Golf Course in Sydney golfers were quick to warn joggers not to cross barriers erected across public pathways leading to Little Bay while they themselves continued to enjoy sole use privileges of these popular coastal areas. Thirty years ago this was mostly public land now nearly every headland has a private golf course. Selective Covid 19 public health measures have disproportionately impacted lower economic groups and may facilitate an even more exclusive coastline. 

Sars Covid service industry closures leads to 3 hour queues outside Centrelink

Long queues lasting for many hours occurred outside Centrelink offices such as in Marrickville, Sydney seen here.  To combat the spread of the Covid 19 pandemic many service industries such as retail and restaurant businesses were forced to close. Online and telephone Centrelink access broke down as millions of workers affected by new social distancing measures turn to welfare assistance forcing people to queue for up to 8 hours. Many have expressed  concerns that such queues could endanger Centrelink clients and further spread the virus in the community.

Don't Extradite Assange Sydney Rally

A global wave of protests was held in solidarity with Julian Assange's extradition trial which began today in the UK. Julian Assange founder of WikiLeaks, has been imprisoned without charge in a London maximum security gaol while he undergoes a trial for extradition to the USA where he faces life in prison for revealing human rights abuses by American soldiers in the Middle East. At a rally in Martin Place, Sydney (above) people listen to speakers followed by a march to the British Consul in Circular Quay (below). 



Eminent journalists including John Pilger and Quentin Dempster (left) lead the march to the British Consulate in Sydney. John Pilger addressed the protest outside the consul warning of the dangers of surveillance culture and attacks on press freedom while officials look on.

Sack ScoMo Rally at Sydney Town Hall

Protests were held around the world including at Sydney Town Hall against Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's lack of action to ameliorate the causes of climate crisis fires raging in most states.

Outside Sydney Town Hall at the Sack ScoMo rally.