Issue 1414

News

Dr Shir Hever provided invaluable insights into a reality that Israel’s propaganda machine tries hard to obfuscate. Zara Lomas reports.

Marand Precision Engineering workers across two sites have began a series of four-hour strikes. Tim Gooden reports.

Standing strong and peaceful against police violence, September 11

Photos from the three days of protests against the 2024 Land Forces arms exhibition in Naarm/Melbourne.

Excessive police violence against some anti-war activists protesting a Labor government-sponsored weapons expo at the Melbourne Convention Centre has been condemned by legal and human rights organisations. Jacob Andrewartha reports.

The Wangan and Jagalingou Nagana Yarrbayn cultural custodians held a celebration Yidaki Magarran in King George Square to mark three years of reoccupation of Waddananggu — a Wirdi word for “the talking”. Coral Wynter reports.

we vote for palestine

We Vote For Palestine is urging local government candidates in New South Wales and Victoria to sign the pledge supporting an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Isaac Nellist reports. 

As ACTU Secretary Sally McManus defends Labor’s new anti-CFMEU law, more unions are showing their solidarity and asking why the rule of law no longer applies to CFMEU officials. Sue Bull reports.

Public sector nurses and midwives in New South Wales took strike action for a wage rise and other necessary improvements. Kerry Smith reports.

Under pressure, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backflipped several times on excluding new questions about gender and sexuality in the 2026 Census. The harm this does to LGBTIQ communities should not be discounted, writes Josh Adams.

Sydney palestine protest

Protesters marked 11 months of Israel’s genocidal assault against the people of Gaza over September 7–8, as Israel thwarts negotiations for a ceasefire and Israelis take to streets. Isaac Nellist reports. 

The WA Environmental Protection Authority has recommended that Woodside’s proposed Browse Basin expansion would be “unacceptable”. Maz Misiewicz reports.

Coburg rallies for Palestine

Protesters took to the streets of Coburg to protest Labor's complicity in Israel's genocide against Palestine. Photos by Alex Bainbridge.

Marching for permanent visas

Hundreds of refugees and their supporters marched through the streets of Melbourne demanding permanent visas. Photos by Alex Bainbridge.

podcast graphic

Isaac Nellist and Riley Breen discuss the A30 global day of action for West Papua, the tragic death of 23-year-old refugee Mano and plans for a new weapons manufacturing hub in Muloobinba/Newcastle. 

Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung independent Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe is calling for urgent federal intervention into the child prison system, after a 17-year-old boy died in the Banksia Hill Youth Detention Centre. Kerry Smith reports.

Labor wants to cap the number of international students studying in Australia, but student groups and the NTEU are pushing back. Angus McGregor reports.

Rallying in Naarm/Melbourne on the 47th consecutive week of protests, September 1

The 47th consecutive week of protests against Israel’s genocide took place after Israel launched a new invasion of the Palestinian West Bank. Alex Bainbridge reports.

Climate activists describe Whitehaven as Australia’s “worst” coal company: it has plans for six new, or expanded, coal projects in the coming year, many of which have already been given their approvals. Coral Wynter reports.

Refugees and their supporters marched to Labor MP Tony Burke’s office at Punchbowl after rallying first at Dorothy Reserve in Bankstown. Marx del Rosario reports.

A new group — Defend the Unions – Defend the CFMEU — has been formed to force the new anti-CFMEU law to be repealed and to reinstate the sacked CFMEU officials. Mary Merkenich reports.

Free West Papuan political prisoners

More than 100 people marched for West Papua's freedom as part of a School Strike 4 Climate student strike . Alex Bainbridge reports.

Analysis

Police used excessive force against anti-war protesters at Disrupt Land Forces. Video by Alex Bainbridge.

Bill Shorten, the outgoing National Disability Insurance Scheme minister, should have addressed the disabled community’s concerns about a debt collection function buried in his new law. Suzanne James reports.

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre will host a weapons bazaar that ought to be called “The Merchants of Death”. Binoy Kampmark reports.

The defence minister and the City of Greater Geelong are enthusiastic about becoming a defence manufacturing zone, but not everyone agrees. Sue Bull reports.

Labor faces internal division, advocate fury and community outrage over its Faustian love-in with the gambling industry, which seeks to water down bi-partisan support for advertising bans. Suzanne James reports.

Peter Boyle speaks to Epeli Lesuma about what the recent Pacific Island Forum revealed about Australian colonialism.

Labor and the Coalition have mostly agreed on harsh measures for refugees who flee here to escape war and persecution. Mano Yagolingam had been struggling in limbo for 12 years, Chloe DS writes, before setting himself alight.

Epeli Lesuma from the Pacific Network on Globalisation told Peter Boyle that there is great concern in the Pacific about Australia’s AUKUS deal with the British and the United States to acquire nuclear-powered submarines as it contravenes the Treaty of Raratonga.

Jayson Gillham

The oppressive campaign of 'cancelling' those who talk about Israel's genocide won't work, as more and more people are speaking out, argues Pip Hinman

Attorney General Mark Dreyfus is refusing to drop the prosecution of Richard Boyle, an ex-ATO employee, even though the laws have failed him. Paul Gregoire writes that it is a mystery as to why Dreyfus wants to punish Boyle.

Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese

Labor came to government on the back of a strong vote for real action on climate change, but have now reneged on the promise to introduce stronger environment protection laws. Pip Hinman reports. 

Message from Papuan activist Jeffrey, read to the August 30 School Strike for West Papua in Magan-djin/Brisbane.

Greens MP for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, addressed the Construction Forestry, Mining Employees Union rally, telling them that the new law prevented them from due process. Video by Alex Bainbridge.

The Yes in My Backyard — YIMBY — movement claims the key to affordable housing is unbridled development, primarily in inner-city locations. Sue Bolton argues that it does not identify the real causes, let alone offer real solutions.

World

protesters with a banner

The United States’ anti-Russia campaign took a new twist on September 2, when four activists were put on trial, accused of being Russian agents and conspiring against the US government, report Malik Miah and Barry Sheppard.

protesters with a banner

Israel has been rocked by an explosion of strikes and protests in recent weeks. Federico Fuentes spoke to Standing Together national field organiser Uri Weltmann in Israel about the protests and their impact on Israeli politics.

Mexico’s senate passed a judicial overhaul that will see nearly all the country’s judges elected by popular vote instead of by government appointment. The hypocritical nature of the US reaction to the reforms is laid bare when looking at the deeply undemocratic judicial system in the US, writes Barry Sheppard.

woman holding a sign and constitution

In part two of our interview, Green Left’s Federico Fuentes speaks to community organiser and Chavista activist Gerardo Rojas about the current state of community organising in the country under the combined impacts of sanctions, opposition political violence and the government’s shift away from promoting people’s participation.

Hugo Chavez in 2012

Federico Fuentes spoke to community organiser and Chavista activist Gerardo Rojas on September 4, about why we might be witnessing the Nicolás Maduro government’s final break with the Bolivarian process of radical change initiated by former president Hugo Chávez.

protester with a sign

In the occupied West Bank, Israel’s project of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians reached a new stage on August 28, when it launched its biggest invasion and assault on the territory in 22 years, report Malik Miah and Barry Sheppard.

protest and man's face in inset

French president Emmanuel Macron has named right-wing politician Michel Barnier as Prime Minister, ignoring the popular vote that gave the left-wing alliance Nouveau Front Populaire the largest group in the National Assembly, reports John Mullen.

protest

Indigenous Maori in Aotearoa New Zealand are currently facing multiple attacks on their rights and wellbeing by the ruling conservative coalition government, led by the National party, reports Zara Lomas.

woman making peace signs with both hands

A new global campaign has been launched to demand the freedom for former People's Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ and other activists imprisoned by the Turkish state, reports Peter Boyle.

Britain is suspending a fraction of its arms export licenses with Israel, hoping to appease, or silence, critics of its pro-Israel policy. Binoy Kampmark reports.

election rally in Caracas

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) was to release detailed poll-by-poll voting results on August 28. But CNE’s lack of communication before and after the deadline is concerning, write Steve Lalla, Jesús Rodríguez-Espinoza and Saheli Chowdhury, especially in the context of renewed attacks by the United States. 

two half faces and a protest

Malik Miah and Barry Sheppard look behind the hype around Kamala Harris' presidential nomination in the United States.

Green Left spoke with Elijah Tay, a student organiser and leader of Students for Palestine, and Lynn, an anti-death penalty and labour rights activist, about the situation facing left activism and upcoming general elections.

refugees

Sixteen months since the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began, 26.6 million Sudanese, more than half of the population, now live in a state of severe food insecurity, reports Susan Price.

West Papuan shot by police having his wounds treated

In the geopolitical games taking place in the Indo Pacific, West Papua's history and fate has been relegated to insignificance, writes Ali Mirin.

The 25th anniversary of the successful vote for independence by Timor-Leste was marked on August 30. Leo Earle took these photos for Green Left.

Culture

book cover against a background of suburban sprawl

It's often said that housing is a human right. Kevin Bell's new book takes some first steps towards making it a reality in the Australian context, writes Andrew Chuter.

book cover and pic of tree canopy

The myth that native forest timber harvesting does not increase the risk of devastating wildfires is blown apart in The Forest Wars, writes Philippa Skinner.

still shot from movie

Bill Nevins reviews Kneecap, a semi-autobiographical film about the West Belfast rap/hip-hop trio of the same name.