Green Left Weekly Activist Calendar - 15-09-09

Activist Calendar, September 9

Rally: From Europe to Australia welcome refugees now! Saturday, September 12, 12.30pm. Australia help rescue Syrian refugees: Increase the refugee intake to save lives; Don’t turn refugees back to sea; Syrian refugees off Manus and Nauru; Close Manus and Nauru. State Library, 328 Swanston St, City.Organised by Refugee Action Collective.  Rally: Declare Victoria gasfield free Sunday, September 20, 12 noon. Protect our land, water and health from unconventional gas. State Library, Swanston St, City. Organised by Coal & Gas Free Victoria. Book launch: The Kurdish freedom struggle today Tuesday, September 29, 6.30pm. Launch of new pamphlet which provides background to the Kurdish freedom struggle in Turkey and Rojava (the Kurdish-majority liberated zone in northern Syria). Speakers: Dave Holmes (co-author), Dilek Giyik (Kurdish Association), Jessie Smith (human rights lawyer). Meal from 6pm. Entry by donation. Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City (opposite RMIT).Presented by Socialist Alliance and Green Left Weekly. For more info ph 9639 8622.

This is the regular Melbourne activist calendar compiled by Green Left Weekly. Emailed to subscribers each Wednesday fortnight, it is a one-stop listing of the main left and progressive events in Melbourne and Geelong. Since it began in early 1991, Green Left Weekly has offered an indispensable alternative to the lies of the big-business media and has helped build the various movements for social change. To subscribe to Green Left Weekly, visit our secure online website for rates and payment or call our national hotline on 1800 634 206. You can also contact us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Geelong we are at the Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4:30pm, Fri 10am-4:30pm); ph 5222 6900. New email address? Not already receiving this calendar regularly? Want to subscribe someone else? Let us know at Greenleft Melbourne.

Wednesday, September 9 Rally: Hands off Australia post and our jobs! Stop the privatisation of Australia post. Thousands of jobs are at risk. 3pm. Australia post HQ, 111 Bourke St, City. Organised by Communication Workers Union. Public meeting: Personal journeys of asylum seekers & refugees. Personal recounts from refugees, asylum seekers and a speaker from Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. 6pm. VU at Metrowest, 138 Nicholson St, Footscray. Free event hosted by VU Community Development students. Light refreshments provided.  Thursday, September 10 Public meeting: Keep Hume Distribution Centre in Broadmeadows. 5:30pm. Hume Global learning centre, 1093 Pascoe Vale Rd, Broadmeadows. Organised by National Union of Workers. For more info ph 0402 657 392. Book launch: The 1% and the Rest of Us. Tim Muzio, senior lecturer in international relations and political economy at the University of Wollongong in Australia, will give a talk about his new book which explores what it means to be part of a socio-economic order presided over by the super-rich and their political servants. 6:45pm. $5. NIBS, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South. Book launch: Shining. Abdi Aden is best known for his role on the SBS programme 'Go Back to Where You Came From'. In Shining he tells his story. 6:30pm (for 7pm start). VU Bar, Footscray Park campus, Building M. $15/$10. For more info email Sherryl Clark. Friday, September 11 Public meeting: 42 years since the military coup in Chile. A vision and perspective from the Chilean popular movements and grassroots organisations. Local and international speakers with Latin American and Chilean activists. 6:30pm, Meeting Room 1, Trades Hall, Carlton South. Initiated by Chile Solidarity Campaign. Supported by LASNET. Hazelwood fire benefit: Dying for a fundraiser. 6.30 pm Fundraiser for those affected by Hazelwood fire. Dan O'Connell Hotel, 225 Canning St, Melbourne. See Facebook event. Book tickets here. Saturday, September 12 Rally: From Europe to Australia welcome refugees now! Australia help rescue Syrian refugees: Increase the refugee intake to save lives; Don’t turn refugees back to sea; Syrian refugees off Manus and Nauru; Close Manus and Nauru 12:30pm.State Library, 328 Swanston St, City. Organised by Refugee Action Collective.  Sunday, September 13 Film fundraiser: Another Country. ISJA Melbourne are organising a fundraiser viewing of Another Country starring David Gulpilil. This advance screening will have both director Molly Reynolds and producer Rolf de Heer in attendance. $20. Meet at 2:30pm for a 3pm screening. Bookings: Email Alison Thorne or ph 0411 080 031.Cinema Nova, Lygon Street, Carlton. Funds raised will go towards ISJA Melbourne's support for Lex Wotton's class action against the Queensland police. Organised by Indigenous Social Justice Association. Pressure Drop show: Reggae riot. Pressure Drop, who did a great set of old school reggae and dub for our Green Left Radio gig a couple of weeks ago, have another show this Sunday, this time with Blak Roots. 3-7pm. Bar of Bengal, Kindred Studios, 212A Whitehall St, Yarraville. Comedy: Political Asylum. Pull out your work visas, burn your Myki cards, and google Godwin's Law, in preparation for this Australian-Border-Force-inspired lineup of topical farcical satirical comedians! Nazeem Hussain; Andrew Noel McClelland; Nellie White; Jack Druce; Sonia Di Iorio; Alanta Colley; Matt Stewart; Daniel Connell; Angela Greensill; and Toby Halligan. 5:30pm.$10/$5. The Brunswick Green, 313 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. Monday, September 14 Forum: Can carbon markets deliver strong climate action? 6.30pm. Satay Anika (back room upstairs). 140 Lygon St, Brunswick. Cheap meal available. BYO alcohol. Presented by Climate Action Moreland. Facebook event Sunday, September 20 Rally: Declare Victoria gasfield free. From country to city, we come together to protect our land, our water and our health from unconventional gas. Help us send a clear message that fracking and gasfields will never be welcome in Victoria. 12 noon.State Library, 328 Swanston St, City. Organised by Coal & Gas Free Victoria. Facebook Monday, September 21 - Sunday, October 4 Comedy: Abbott! The Musical. A fast-paced, musical comedy about 28th Prime Minister, Tony Abbott. Through a clever combination of satire, comic embellishment, catchy original songs and verbatim quotes from the man himself, the show is brilliant at pointing out the government's hypocrisy. 6pm. Tuxedo Cat - The Atrium, 293-299 La Trobe St, City. To book visit Melbourne Fringe. Tuesday, September 22 Book launch: Decolonizing Solidarity. Clare Land, long-time supporter of Indigenous struggles, will discuss her new book. 7pm. $10/$5. NIBS, Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South. Comedy: Political Asylum. Join us at the Fringe Club as Australia's preeminent political comedy group Political Asylum presents a massive evening of side splitting satire live on stage! Featuring a curated lineup of some of the funniest topical jokesters from around the country, including local favourites and special guests! 9:30pm. Fringe Club, Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne. For more info visit Political Asylum. Wednesday, September 23 - Wednesday, October 30 Photo exhibition: 37 years of people's struggles and resistance against brutal Iranian regime. Daily 10am-6pm. Meeting Room 1, Trades Hall, cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton South. For more info 0470 424 753. Thursday, September 24 Book launch: The Intervention, An Anthology. Speakers: Alastair Nicholson (former Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia); Nicole Watson (of the Birri-Gubba People and Yugambeh language group); and Arnold Zable, (one of Australia's most loved storytellers & committee member PEN). 11:30am. Arena Publications, 2 Kerr St, Fitzroy. Please RSVP by September 18 to Pia or ph 041 954 1733. Film premiere: Marxist Cowboys. The curious tale of the Labor Review, organ of the Labor College, a communist magazine which owed its 50-issue history to the generosity of Big Business. Not possible you say, but then you haven’t spoken to Karl Marx or a certain con-man. Based on a true story over 38 years and made in Melbourne’s Trades Hall where it all happened. This is a real-life unique Commie Comedy Caper. Made by Chris Gaffney and Lynn Healy and a great cast. Entry by donation. 7pm. New International Bookshop, Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South.  Saturday, September 26 Film screening: Ayotzinapa: Chronicle of an atrocious state crime. New documentary about the forced disappearance of 43 Mexican students. On the one-year anniversary of the events which left six civilians dead and 43 student activists rounded up by police and handed over to a drug trafficking syndicate to be disappeared. 6:30pm. RMIT Swanston Academic Building, Room 20 theatre, 445 Swanston St, City. Suggested donation $10. For more details ph 0421 957 341. Tuesday, September 29 - Sunday, October 4 Performance: Climamania. Join Australian jazz icon Bob Sedergreen, comic master Rod Quantock and the Soul Theatre ensemble as they put a carbon-neutral rocket under our entrenched complacency. 6:30pm. Metanoia at The Mechanics Institute, Studio, 270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. Bookings at Melbourne Fringe. Tuesday, September 29 Book launch: The Kurdish freedom struggle today. Launch of new pamphlet which provides background to the Kurdish freedom struggle in Turkey and Rojava (the Kurdish-majority liberated zone in northern Syria). Speakers: Dave Holmes (co-author), Dilek Giyik (Kurdish Association), Jessie Smith (human rights lawyer). 6.30pm (meal from 6pm). Entry by donation. Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City (opposite RMIT). Presented by Socialist Alliance and Green Left Weekly. For more info ph 9639 8622. Concert: Anti Flag. Anti-Flag are the proud torchbearers for progressive collectivism, radical change, and free expression with heavy social responsibility. Injecting the underground and the mainstream with politically charged, deliberate, smart-but-no-less-visceral neo-punk. Anti-poverty, anti-capitalism, anti-war, Anti-Flag . . . Anti-Flag shows are a celebration of a collective that care about more than just themselves. A safe space where all can be free to be who they are. Free from racism, sexism, homo and transphobia, bigotry of any kind. 7:30pm. 170 Russell St, City. Booking here. Thursday, October 1 Book talk: Breaking Out: Memories of Melbourne in the 1970s. Susan Blackburn will give a talk about a new book she has edited. This book celebrates Melbourne in heady times. Anything seemed possible: alternative approaches sprang up for everything from education to radio broadcasting, theatre, legal services and suburban living. Starting with the massive opposition to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War and ending with efforts to combat its role in East Timor, contributors recall the protests against environment policies and the administration of universities. Entry by donation 7pm. NIBS, Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South. Saturday, October 3 Raised Voices: Fundraiser for Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance. This is going to be an awesome night of radical hip hop for a great cause, featuring touring Philadelphia MC Daz Jones, Bahdoesa and an array of talented local emcees. 7pm. $15. The Toff In Town, Level 2, Curtin House, 252 Swanston St, City. Presented by Expressions of Freedom & Free Flow Co-Op. Sunday, October 4 Benefit gig: A Day of Protest Songs. Performers: Margaret RoadKnight, Kavisha Mazzella, Jeff Lang, Monica Weightman, Frank Jones, Enda Kenny, Yolanda Ingley II, Andy White, Mandy Connell, Les Thomas, Celine Yap and Brendon Bonsak. Backing band, The Handsome-Youngs, will include Steve Dagg, Dennis Close, Matthew Arnold, Monica Weightman and more. 2-8pm. The Lomond Hotel, 225 Nicholson St, Melbourne. Fundraiser for the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre.  Sunday, October 11 Rally: Stand up for refugees. No turnbacks; Close Manus & Nauru; No Border Force Act; End mandatory detention. 2pm. State Library, 328 Swanston St, City. Organised by Refugee Action Collective.

Thursday, September 10 Vigil: In memory of Aylan Kurdi, who died trying to seek asylum. 6pm. City Hall, Gheringhap St, Geelong. For info ph 0404 390 137. Organised by Combined Refugee Action Group. Friday, September 18 Red Cinema: Selma. 2014 American historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King, Jr., and John Lewis. Dinner at 6pm. Film at 6.30pm (note change of time, starting earlier than usual). Downstairs, Trades Hall, 127 Myers st, Geelong. Saturday, September 19 Rally: Marriage equality now!  1pm. Many Western nations now have legislated marriage equality, with recent progress being made in Ireland and the USA. After 11 years of campaigning, it is well and truly time for Australia to catch up and legislate marriage equality. Speakers: MCs Jye Cannon & Sarah Hathway; Janet Rice (Greens senator), Rowena Allen (Victorian Commissioner for Gender & Sexuality) others TBA. Endorsed by a wide range of trade unions, poltical parties and campaign groups.

Australians for Kurdistan. Meets regularly to build solidarity with the Kurdish freedom struggle in Rojava (liberated zone in northern Syria), Turkey and elsewhere. For campaign and open letter to have the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) removed from the Australian list of terrorist organisations see Lift the ban on the PKK. Meets on the first Thursday of each month. For information ph Gulay 0413 936 706 or Aran 0410 197 814. Australian Unemployment Union. The Australian Unemployment Union is an organisation by the unemployed, for the unemployed. Our mission is to protect the common interests of the 750,000+ Australians who are currently unemployed. For more information visit AUE or Facebook. Australian West Papua Association (AWPA). Struggles against the Indonesian occupation of West Papua and against environmental destruction and resource theft. For info 9510 2193 or email AWPA. Climate Action Moreland. Meets regularly to develop action on climate change in the Moreland area. For information ph Andrea on 0424 508 535 or email CAM. Friends of the Earth's Anti-Nuclear & Clean Energy (ACE) collective. Meets every second Tuesday. FoE office, 312 Smith St, Collingwood. For meeting times & more info email Zin. Indigenous Social Justice Association. The Indigenous Social Justice Association was established in January 2005 campaigns to permanently stop Aboriginal deaths in custody. During 2013, ISJA will meet the first Thursday of every month. For more info visit ISJA. Quit Coal: No New Coal Power for Victoria. A Melbourne-based collective which campaigns against expansion of the coal industry in Victoria. We believe this is important because building new coal infrastructure locks in decades of dirty, old technology, when we should be moving towards clean, renewable energy. Quit Coal meets each Wednesday at 6pm, at FOE, 312 Smith St, Collingwood. For more info visit Quit Coal or email us. Refugee Action Collective. Established in 2000, RAC is a democratic, grassroots activist collective, representing a broad cross section of the community. It aims to mobilise opposition to Australia's inhuman refugee policies. For more info ph 0413 377 978 or visit RAC. Timor Sea Justice Campaign. For info visit TSJC, email Tom Clarke or ph 0422 545 763. Victorian Climate Action Calendar. Online updates are available at http://vcac.org.au/calendar/.

Recent articles from Green Left Weekly Solidarity confronts Fortress Europe in response to ‘refugee crisis’ Why Naomi Klein wants to thank Tony Abbott Hutchison assembly stands firm against eviction threat A look at Rojava's democratic, feminist revolution Check out Green Left TV: See XXX To subscribe to Green Left Weekly visit our secure online website for rates and payment or call our national hotline on 1800 634 206. Join us on Facebook. You can also contact us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Geelong: Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4.30pm, Fri 10am-4.30pm); ph 5222 6900. Links: 'Socialism for the 21st century' Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal is a journal for the post-Cold War left; a journal that rejects the Stalinist distortion of the socialist project; a journal that takes into account ecological questions; a journal that is taking steps to bring together the forces for socialism in the world today; a journal that aspires to unite Marxists from different political traditions because it discusses openly and constructively. Links seeks to promote the international exchange of information, experiences of struggle, theoretical analysis and views on strategies and tactics within the international left. Yanis Varoufakis: 'Our Athens Spring' Greece: New radical left front to challenge SYRIZA in snap election The raw material of exploitation: Harry Braverman's 'Labor and Monopoly Capital' John Green: ‘Stasiland’ offers ‘cheap caricature’ of the GDR Socialist Alliance: Broad, non-sectarian, activist Socialist Alliance is a proud supporter of the Green Left Weekly project and contributes a regular column. Socialist Alliance is a broad, non-sectarian socialist party, dedicated to bringing together all those who want to resist the capitalist assault on our planet and its people and fight for a socialist society that puts people's needs before business profits. Anyone who agrees with the general approach of our policies is welcome to join and organisations are invited to affiliate. For more information visit Socialist Alliance or join us on Facebook. See our recent statements: Stop the rorts: Put politicians on an average worker's wage The case for a universal age pension How to fight the growth of the far-right 'Reclaim Australia' movement Contact Socialist Alliance. Join with other socialists in the struggle. Melbourne: Visit us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Melbourne, Socialist Alliance meets on the first Tuesday of each month, 6:30pm, at the Resistance Centre. Geelong: Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4:30pm, Fri 10am-4:30pm); ph 5222 6900. Moreland Socialists Moreland Socialists is open to anyone (even if you live outside the area) who wants to work constructively to support Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton and use her position to build up a stronger activist left presence in Moreland. In general, we meet monthly and alternate between Coburg and Fawkner. If you want to get involved in the group, email us at Socialist Alliance or phone Sue on 9639 8622 or 0413 377 978. For news and opinion visit Sue's Moreland Report or Facebook.

Resistance Bookshop Just out! The eruption of the brutal fundamentalist ‘Islamic State’ in the Middle East has placed the Kurdish people at the centre of the political stage.  The Rojava Revolution in northern Syria has attracted increasing interest and admiration around the world because of its unyielding resistance to the IS gangs, the heavy and unprecedented involvement of women in its defence forces and its attempt to build a people-centred society. Across the border in Turkey, the Democratic Freedom Party (HDP) and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) confront the racist, anti-Kurd war drive of the regime. This pamphlet concentrates on the Kurdish struggle in Rojava and Turkey. It aims to provide information and perspective on these tremendously important developments and, hopefully, furnish a basis for more active solidarity in Australia. By Dave Holmes, Tony Iltis & others.  44pp, $6. Available from Resistance Bookshop, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City.