Perth Indymedia

For the final episode of the year, Alex Whisson surveys the state of the world.

Disrupt Burrup Hub's Gerard Mazza joined Alex Whisson to discuss why an activist with the group, Marek 'Maz' Misiewizc, chose to lock himself on to a barrel in the boot of a 4WD, parked right outside the office of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority.

Several campaign groups came together on Friday 8th December outside the Perth convention centre, to give their warm season's greetings to a gathering of defence industry bigwigs, including representatives from Babcock and BAE Systems, and featuring special guest speaker, the UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

The protest speakers featured are Stop AUKUS - WA campaigner Sam Wainwright, veteran environmentalist & peace campaigner Jo Vallentine, Unionists for Palestine WA's Alex Whisson, Students for Palestine's Ella Marchionda, and Nuclear Free WA activist KA.

Former seafarer, rank-and-file leader of the Great Patrick’s Dispute of 1998, and now National Secretary of the CFMMEU, Christy Cain, set a firestorm through both the Australian trade union movement, and the Palestine solidarity campaign, with an impassioned speech at a mass rally for Palestine in the centre of Melbourne on Sunday 3rd December. He joined Alex Whisson to discuss why he gave that speech, which among other things, directly called on other union leaders, and specifically ACTU Secretary Sally McManus, to do more, much more, for the people of Palestine, and why it was so important to him both personally and politically.

The AUKUS agreement, signed in September 2021, is one step of many designed to reinforce, intensify, and scale up a wider network of Western military alliances, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

As the US empire continues its geostrategic shift towards confronting its great rival China, the so-called 'pivot to Asia', Australia is set to play potentially a key role, as Washington's loyal lieutenant, in attempting to extend American global domination well into the 21st century.

Sam Wainwright, spokesperson for the campaign group Stop AUKUS - WA, joined Alex Whisson to discuss the nature and purpose of AUKUS, its connections with the local weapons industry, and how all of this business of death and destruction ties in with the unfolding genocide in Gaza.

Alex Whisson provides an update on the current situation in Gaza, after the ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar collapsed and the Israeli slaughter of Palestinian civilians recommenced.

Irish Indymedia contributor Saoirse Nash speak to Joni Boyd about the violent race riots in Dublin last Thursday. Saoirse tells us what happened on the night, speaks on the various responses from authorities, political parties and community groups and contextualises the rise of the anti-immigrant movement in Ireland.

Broadcast 27/11/2023

Image from Reuters

Continuing our coverage of the campaign against property developer Niche Living, which has left dozens of families in financial distress as their homes face interminable construction delays, Alex Whisson attended a protest near the company's main office in Northbridge and spoke to some of those caught up in the scandal.

We speak to MUA member and organiser with Unionists For Palestine, Erima Dall, about a recent blockade of Port Botany in NSW that targeted the Israeli ZIM shipping company - highlighting their connection to the Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Media adviser for Disrupt Burrup Hub, Jesse Noakes, joins Alex Whisson to discuss the ongoing campaign of harassment and intimidation by the WA Police force directed towards the group's activists, in light of his conviction for failing to comply with data access orders that would have compromised his sources and freedom to act as an independent journalist.