Condemning anti-trans activism | upcoming Palm Sunday events | Black Peoples Union "NO to the Voice"

Monday, 3 April 2023 - 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Logo of the Black Peoples Union:  The letters BPU underneath a a digital block-style illustration of a raised fist inside a large circle, bound by a metal cuff and a chain that is beaking off in pieces. The bottom of the circle depicts silhouettes of people in the distance; to the left is a cleaner, university graduate and prisoner, and on the right there is a doctor, a construction worker, and someone crouching before a figure in a wheelchair.

*Content Warning: This episode of Doin' Time may contain audio images and descriptions of Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander people who have died.


 First up on the show, Marisa speaks with Nicole Lee (President of People with Disability Australia), about the anti-trans rally and counterprotest held outside Victorian Parliament last weekend. Standing in solidarity with the trans and gender-diverse community, they condemn the hateful transphobic vilification on the day by transphobic far-right activists and the neo-nazis who were also present. They also discuss the behaviour of police on the day, discrimination, and the urgent need to tighten anti-vilification laws for the safety of all. 

 

  Next, Marisa speaks with Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition about the refugee and anti-war rallies planned for Palm Sunday, 2nd April 2023, demanding permanent visas for all refugees and also saying no to war, specifically in response to AUKUS and Australia's $368Bn nuclear submarines. A list of rallies around the country is included below.

 

 Finally, Marisa speaks to Keiran Stewart-Assheton, Wani Wandian man and President of the Black Peoples Union, talking about their aims for Indigenous unity for the power to enforce sovereign rights, which will also ultimately benefit the wider working-class. He provides examples of the myriad ways in which government continues to oppress Indigenous peoples with ongoing divide-and-conquer tactics, and challenges in talking sovereignty as the right wing co-opts communal terms to individualistic ends. 

 Importantly, Kieran gives a comprehensive critical analysis of the proposed Voice to Parliament and the BPU's non-conservative no campaign, pointing to the historical establishment of dozens of synonymous "representative" advisory bodies, and the notorious toothlessness of similar institutions around the world, discussing how to meaningfully plant the seeds of which "our kids and grandkids can bear the fruit". 


Links to Palm Sunday Rally Events discussed on this program, Sunday 2nd April 2023:

 VIC

 Melbourne 1:30pm, State Library Victoria

 Wonthaggi 2pm, Wonthaggi Mine Whistle (Apex Park)

 Bendigo 12.30pm, Bendigo Library Gardens

 Ararat 2pm, Alexandra Gardens (meet at the cafe)

 Ballarat 2pm, View Point Lake (Wendouree)

 ACT 

 Canberra 1pm, Garema Place

 NSW

 Sydney 2pm, Belmore Park

 Lawson (Blue Mountains) 2pm, outside Catholic Church Somers St, Lawson

 Newcastle 1pm, Civic Park (King Street)

 Wollongong 2pm, Wollongong Town Hall

 Griffith 10:30am, Kooyoo St Mall (Griffith) - N.B. This event is for Saturday 8th April

 NT

 Darwin 5pm, Nightcliff Jetty (Nightcliff)

 QLD

 Brisbane 1pm, King George Square

 Townsville 4pm, meeting at The Rockpool, then walking to Gregory Street Amphitheatre

 Sunshine Coast 1pm, Tesch Park, Coral Street, Maleny

 SA

 Adelaide 2pm, Mukata (Hindmarsh Square)

 TAS

 Hobart 11am, Parliament Lawns (Hobart) - N.B. This event is on Saturday 1st April

 WA

 Perth 1pm, St Georges Cathedral

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doin Time 4-5pm Mondays
Monday 4:00pm to 5:00pm
An open forum, presenting information and discussion around issues faced by prisoners in the criminal justice system and migration detention centres.

Presenter

Marisa

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