Perth Indymedia

In the wake of seven weeks of global protest against the closure of remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, we spoke to organiser Sam Cook, from SOS Blak Australia, about the significance of the movement.

The “No jab no pay” plan to withhold payments of child-care and family tax benefits for unvaccinated children could cost non-compliant parents up to A$15,000 a year in childcare and welfare benefits. Perth Indymedia speaks with Ura Auckland, previously commercial executive in medical science and author of viral blog piece A call for Pro-truth to replace Pro-Vax v Anti-Vax.

Marcus Hampson from the Refugee Rights Action Network of WA (RRAN) on the 8000 Rohingyan asylum seekers stranded in the Malacca Straits. Having spent up to 3 months on boats being turned away form Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, up to 8000 Rohingyan asylum seekers are now stranded in the Malacca Straits. 200 are already dead and more are at risk from dehydration and starvation.

Following the May 7 British general election, we spoke to Belfast councillor Gerry Carroll, who won just shy of 7,000 votes with People Before Profit, and asked him about the dramatic losses to mainstream parties.

Former Australian diplomat and academic Alison Broinowski on the Australians for War Powers Reform initiative as part of the ongoing project of the Campaign for an Iraq War Inquiry, established in 2012. The initiative is one from prominent Australians who believe that the decision to commit the Australian Defence Force to international armed conflict should be made by Parliament, not by the Prime Minister or Executive. They advocate for the development of legal frameworks that invest in Parliament the exclusive power to make that decision.

Louise O’Shea of Equal Love Melbourne – on the Australia wide rally’s for gay marriage on the weekend.

Phil Chilton – of the Refugee Rights Action Network on the somewhat less than inspiring findings of the Houston report released Monday which Amnesty International reports as a major setback for refugee rights.

Interview with Reham Maklad of the Australian April 6th Movement – talking about the newly elected Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi’s moves against the Supreme Council of Armed Forces as well as the recent clashes with unknown militants in the Sinai desert.

Veteran journalist and broadcaster Tony Serve on the importance of independent, citizen media.

A wrap up of Sunday’s Northam Refugee Convergence featuring speeches given on the day by Senator Scott Ludlam from The Greens, Colin Penter from Serco Watch, and a powerful and moving speech from ex-detainee Jacob.

Dr Brian Senewiratne, long time advocate of the Tamil people ahead of his speaking tour in Perth.

Rebecca Doyle from the UWA based Feminist Action Network talking about Blue Stocking Week which just took place and the foetal homicide laws that could be coming in to Western Australia.

An interview with Virginia Brown, independent, prominent Perth feminist activist on the importance of taking the sexual assault allegations against Julian Assange seriously.

Young Perth activist and rapper Chris “1000eyes” Bonds talks to us about the recent Hungry Jacks national protest action.

Greens’ Senator Scott Ludlam talking on the Fukushima disaster and the shelving of the Olympic Dam mine expansion.

Tony Iltis from the Sydney Stop the War Coalition on the recent deaths of Australia soldiers in Afghanistan.

On the Equal Love WA campaigns recent confrontation of Julia Gillard at Curtin University and more broadly on mental health support for LGBTI youth.

On the standoff between the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) and Grocon Emporium construction site in Melbourne’s CBD.

On the recent unfurling of an 86 square metre banner over the main entrance of Victorian state parliament. The banner read “Coal is the single greatest threat to civilisation and all life on our planet” – a quote from NASA’s Professor James Hansen.