Wollongong
Five hundred people turned up to the "world's biggest hug for peace" on October 1, Stuart Martin reports. A week before a rally for peace initiated by the Socialist Alliance attracted 150 people.
Called by peace activists, the Hug for Peace was addressed by state Greens upper house member Ian Cohen and Socialist Alliance candidate for Throsby, Margaret Perrott.
The success of the actions has prompted the calling of another rally for October 21. A network of anti-war activists across the Illawarra will hold its first meeting on October 14.
@box text subh = Darwin
Rob Inder-Smith reports that sentiments of peace and anti-capitalism rang out above a cacophony of chattering birds in Raintree Park on October 3.
Speeches at the twilight rally left the 80-strong crowd in no doubt about the human costs of military action against Afghanistan. Organised by the Socialist Alliance and the fledgling Network Opposing War and Racism, the rally was addressed by outspoken Socialist Alliance Senate candidate Gary Meyerhoff, who argued that war will serve only to sustain the United States economy and rather than bring justice to bear, will create the injustice of displacing more hungry refugees.
Other speakers included Sybille Kaczorak, representing Action and Solidarity in Indonesia and East Timor, Sandra Thibodeaux, who recited a moving "anti-war pro-humanity poem", and Greens senate candidate Melanie Ross.
@box text subh = Perth
Chris Latham reports that despite driving rain more than 100 people participated in a rally on September 29 initiated by the recently formed Coalition Against War and Racism (CAWAR).
The protesters were addressed by Greens MLC Dee Margets before marching through the streets of Perth chanting "We don't want your racist war!". Other speakers at the protest rally included Wanita Dooley from the Network for Justice not Revenge, Socialist Alliance candidate for Fremantle Sarah Harris and Phil Chilton from Refugee Rights Action Network.
In addition to the CAWAR rally, the Network for Justice not Revenge has held three Tuesday afternoon peace vigils outside the city railway station.
@box text subh = Coburg, Melbourne
Eighty people attended a rally against war and racism in the Coburg mall on September 29, Chris Slee reports. The rally was called by the Wills branch of Socialist Alliance.
David Glanz, Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Wills in the November 10 federal election, argued that launching a war against Afghanistan is not the answer to ending terrorism directed at the United States.
Mohamed al Janabi, a refugee from Iraq, explained that the reasons people flee Iraq include political repression by the Saddam Hussein regime and the hardships due to the US-imposed economic embargo.