On June 27, Geelong Trades Hall Secretary Colin Vernon along with other union and community activists raised the rainbow flag at Trades Hall in support of marriage equality.
The council is supporting the LGBTI community and Surf Coast Shire residents who have been campaigning to keep the flag flying at their local council building since council backtracked on a position it took in April.
Several thousand people joined Women's Marches in Sydney and Melbourne on January 21, a part of a global mobilisation to coincide with the inauguration of the misogynist far-right US President Donald Trump.
Half a million people took part in the main protest in Washington DC, more than 3 million marched throughout the US and hundreds of thousands more marched globally.
Activist Steffie Leedham is sitting on a platform high on a tree in Sydney Park. The platform is connected to two other big trees in the area of the park that has been fenced off for clearing to start building of the #WestConnex tollway and tunnel project's St Peters interchange.
In the biggest protests for Invasion Day in recent times, tens of thousands of people rallied across the country on January 26 to protest ongoing institutional racism. In many cities, the call to change the date — a recognition of Australia's colonial past — attract many new protesters. Other demands included ending the paternalistic removal of Aboriginal children from their families, ending Black deaths in custody and taking steps towards a treaty.
Over 65 people took part in a Brisbane protest for refugee rights on September 1. The protest took up the government's draconian moves to cut the small support payment that refugees on bridging visas receive. At the same time, they have been given three weeks to find alternative accommodation and employment (even though many of them are still too sick to work).
Thousands of unionists march against cuts to penalty rates and reintroduction of the ABCC
Features:
* Ros McLennan (General Secretary of QCU)
* Peter Ong (ETU state secretary)
Thousands of people, especially young people came out for the Pride march in Melbourne on 29 January.
A first nations contingent led the march followed by a diversity of community groups from high schools to unions.
Photos from the #StopAdani week of frontline action. Visit the Green Left blog for full story.
