Palestine in the Classroom, Merri-Bek for Palestine, Impacts of Migration Amendment Bill 2024, Save Public Housing

Tuesday, 2 April 2024 - 7:00am to 8:30am
Free Palestine Rally 31 March 2024. Photo by Kannagi

7:15 & 7:30  We replay Samah Sabawi's speech from when she spoke to educators at the Teachers for Palestine forum on 22nd January 2024 called ‘Why There’s No ‘Neutrality’ on Genocide’ which was organised by Teachers and School Staff for Palestine Victoria. Samah Sabawi Palestinian award-winning author, playwright and poet, and in Part 1 Samah provides context to the erasure of Palestinian history, culture and stories from the school curriculum and how this act of disappearing Palestinian voices has an impact on the ongoing genocide. In Part 2, Samah talks about the importance of teaching Palestine in schools. This speech was first played on Women on the Line on 18th March 2024.

 
7:45 We listen back to Merri-Bek Councillor's Sue Bolton's speech at the Land Day Free Palestine rally on 31 March 2024. Sue speaks about Israel's ongoing war crimes, the complicity of the Australian government and the importance of local and state-wide actions to keep the pressure on and to demand an end to partnerships with weapons companies, to call for a permanent ceasefire and a Free Palestine.
 
8:05 Refugee advocate and community organiser with the Tamil Refugee Council Lavanya Thavaraja speaks about the proposed changes to the Migration Act and their potential impacts on refugees. It was announced last week that the government's new Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 would amend the Migration Act 1958 to require non-citizens who are on a removal pathway, and have exhausted their options to remain in Australia, to cooperate with measures to arrange their lawful removal from Australia.
 
8:15 Elena Suares is a resident of Atherton Gardens and a law student in the final semester of her law degree. Elena is passionate about human rights, mental health and disability, and joins the show to talk about the legislative council petition to save public housing. In September last year, the Andrews government announced a controversial plan to demolish all 44 of Victoria’s public housing high-rise towers.
 
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