Lanz Priestley Memorial held in Martin Place, Sydney

On a wet Sunday afternoon over a hundred people attended a memorial for Lanz Priestley in Martin Place on 21st November which began with an Indigenous smoking ceremony (seen above). Lanz will be remembered as an activist for social justice who fought for the rights of homeless people in the city as well as drought ravaged farming communities out west. He is known for making Australia's homelessness problem more visible by organising a tent city set up in Martin Place for Sydney's homeless residents and went on to run 24/7 street kitchen which is still active today. Lanz (seen below in 2017 marching for the rights of the Darling River and its inhabitants) also set up Dignity Water with volunteers and crowdfunding to make regular runs of drinking water for dry towns along the Darling suffering from drought and government water mismanagement. More info here.

Workers for Climate Action protest at Martin Place

 

Showing solidarity with the School Strike 4 Climate national day of action ahead of COP26 were representatives from community organisations including First Nations, MUA and NTEU unions, Extinction Rebellion, the Australian Student Environment Network, Young Labour Left and Greens organisations at a post lockdown demonstration at Martin Place, Sydney. Participants were addressed by state MP David Shoebridge and others from the environment movement. They were calling for 100% public renewables by 2030, a just transition for fossil fuel workers and their communities and no new coal or gas projects.

Anti-Lockdown Rally in Sydney Park is stopped by heavy police presence.

Police turned out in force to ensure the Anti-Lockdown rally planned for Sydney Park at 2 pm, Saturday 18th September didn't proceed. Pedestrians accessing the park were questioned to check they lived in the Local Government Area while extensive road blocks stopped all cars on South King Street, Edgeware Road, Enmore Road and other major roads leading to Sydney Park.

Long lines at Sydney Vaccination Hubs as Covid cases surge

During the latest Delta outbreak, Sydney residents queue for Pfizer vaccination at Royal Prince Alfred hospital in Camperdown on July 29th. Below: Patients wait for their turn to be vaccinated at a lecture theatre come waiting room nearby.

Defend Public Housing Rally and March in Sydney

A rally and march was organised in Martin Place, Sydney by Hands Off Glebe, Shelter NSW and Friends of Erskineville to stop the destruction of public housing in Glebe and to support the building of more homes for low income people to prevent homelessness. The rally was addressed by speakers in Martin Place then protestors marched to the Domain to defend public housing.