All out for the People's Climate Mobilisation on Sunday

As world leaders meet in Paris to discuss how not to save the world, people around the planet will be marching to demand action for a safe climate future.

In Perth, the People's Climate March will be gathering:

1pm Sunday 29 November

Wellington Square, East Perth

Naomi Klein has convincingly argued that we need an alternative to capitalism if we are to avoid a
climate catastrophe.

Ecosocialism is the practical alternative we need so Socialist Alliance is supporting an ecosocialist contingent at the march.

We'd encourage you to march with ecosocialists for a genuine alternative to the
status quo. This contingent has been initiated by Socialist Alliance and Green Left Weekly and all
who support “system change not climate change” are welcome to take part.

Attend on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/166506873703013

We'd also encourage your help to distribute Green Left Weekly on the day and holding signs that point towards an ecosocialist future.

Protesters resist test drilling at Beeliar Wetlands

Protesting test drilling at Beeliar Wetlands

Standing up against Roe8

Posted by Green Left Weekly on Tuesday, November 24, 2015

A very heavy police presence has greeted protesters who have taken a stand against test drilling in the Beeliar Wetlands at the site of the Roe 8 freeway extension.

"I think the community reaction today was amazing considering it was without an official call out," Socialist Alliance member Seamus Doherty (pictured) told Green Left.

"It started out at 40 people and grew from there to be over 100 people."

Community members and families including Aboriginal people have surrounded where the test drilling has begun, according to Green Left's Zeb Parkes. However police - including mounted police - have been keeping people out.

The protesters have been given permission to protest by Aboriginal elders.

Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett stood on the front lines in support of community action. He said that a court case is underway and that the drilling is potentially illegal.

Eventually some test drills were conducted by Main Road personnel surrounded by police. Protesters

Meanwhile, a white elephant - symbolising the uselessness of Roe 8 and the Perth Freight Link project - is due to be delivered to state parliament.

The action follows a major rally of several thousand that took place in Bibra Lakes on November 22.



[This article by Alex Bainbridge first appeared in Green Left online 24 November 2015. Photos and video by Zeb Parkes.]

Aboriginal man dies in Western Australian prison

An Aboriginal man has died five days after attempting suicide at Casaurina prison, 35 kilometres south of Perth, just two months after another Aboriginal man killed himself at the same prison.

He was found in his cell on October 28 and was taken to nearby Fiona Stanley Hospital, but died on November 2.

His is the fourth Aboriginal death provisionally put down to be suicide by hanging at the prison since 2013. The families of each of those men are still waiting for the coroner to set the date for their respective inquests.

Marc Newhouse (pictured) from the Death in Custody Watch Committee in WA said it was particularly concerning to see another case of hanging. Reducing the risk of death by hanging was one of the key recommendations of the 1991 report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
[This article first appeared in Green Left Weekly online 21 November 2015.]

Video from rally against "Reclaim Australia" - Perth Nov 22

Rallying against the racism and islamophobia of reclaim australia

Video of the rally in perth against the racism and islamophobia of reclaim australia

Posted by Green Left Weekly on Sunday, November 22, 2015

If the video doesn't appear or won't play, try this link.

It's not too late to stop Roe 8: Rally Sun 22 Nov

Its not too late to stop Roe 8! Join us at Bibra Lake to show the Govt how we feel about this beautiful place and our community. 9am-11am. If you're a local please walk or ride your bikes to ease traffic!

Stalls - Speakers - Sizzle - Music

9am Sunday 22 November

Progress Dve, Bibra Lake (Parking in Adventure World carpark)

Attend on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/903731866346667

Rally against the racism of Reclaim Australia: Sun 22 Nov

On Sunday November 22, the right-wing, racist and Islamophobic outfit Reclaim Australia will be holding their third major rally in Perth. In addition, on this occasion, the outright fascist United Patriots Front is threatening to have a national mobilisation to Perth.

It is crucial now - more than ever - we stand up against the violent extremism of Reclaim Australia and the United Patriots Front. There is no room for racism in WA.

Join us in rallying for hope and solidarity. Stand against the hate and fear peddled by these groups.

Sunday 22 November

11am, Parliament Place (Solidarity Park)

Attend on Facebook: here and/or here.

Health professionals call for children out of detention

Over 100 doctors, nurses and other health professionals gathered outside the Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth on November 13 to support the nationwide mobilisations of health workers against detention of children.

The movement has gathered under the banners of #DetentionHarmsChildren and #KidsOut when doctors in Melbourne announced in early October that they would not discharge children back into immigration detention.

Since then, health professionals and students all around the country - including Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin - have taken action to call for children to be released from detention.

Dr Andrew Martin addressed the Perth rally saying that "no period of time in detention is safe".

"Health staff regularly witness the breaches of children's rights and the widespread detrimental effects of detention on health and well being," he said. (See full statement below)

Paediatrics registrar Kristen Lindsay told the crowd that "children are precious" and "need to be protected no matter what".

She read a poem from a Somali refugee: "No one leaves home, unless home is the mouth of a shark/ You only run for the border when you see your whole city running as well/ You have to understand that no one puts children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land."

The Princess Margaret Hospital administration made a statement supporting "clinicians' right to advocate for the wellbeing of children in detention".

Acting executive Dr Gervase Chaney said "this action is consistent with our health service's values of compassion, respect, equity, integrity and excellence; and its commitment to improving health outcomes for all children and young people in WA".

Statement by Dr Andrew Martin

I think that the number of WA health professionals here today clearly demonstrates the agreed position that detention harms children, adolescents and their families.

The wars in Syria and Afghanistan have brought renewed global focus to the plight of millions seeking asylum.

No period of time in detention is safe.

Specialist colleges and international bodies including the United Nations Human Rights Commission continue to oppose detaining children and families.

Health staff regularly witness the breaches of children's rights and the widespread detrimental effects of detention on health and well being.

This is compounded by witnessed violence, a lack of stable education or appropriate peer interaction, and negative impacts on parental mental health and family stability.

Children and adolescents commonly present with bed-wetting, nightmares, psychological distress including anxiety and depression, developmental regression, self harm, anorexia and headaches.

All of these outcomes are a direct result of the children's detention experiences and cannot be rectified within a detention environment.

Mandatory detention is destroying children's lives and families with effects continuing years after their release.

As child health professionals and experts, we support the national call for compassionate legislative change to end their suffering.

No child or adolescent should be held in detention here or offshore. Detention is harmful and this should not be tolerated for children.



[This article by Alex Bainbridge first appeared in Green Left online.]

WA health services under attack

Health services are under serious attack in WA, with the Health Department asking hospitals to finalise “budget management strategies” by the end of January.

Amid claims of massive cuts to funding, hospitals in Perth are bracing for staff cuts. The Health Services Union (HSU) expects about 500 jobs to be shed at Royal Perth Hospital and similar numbers at Fiona Stanley Hospital. The union says its previous predictions of about 1000 job cuts “across the board” now appeared “conservative” and job uncertainty is causing widespread stress.

HSU state secretary Dan Hill said a recent survey showed 60% of staff experienced work-related stress that adversely affected their mental health. “The government and the department need to come clean as quickly as possible and remove the uncertainty,” he said.

A department spokesperson said the South Metropolitan Health Service, covering Fiona Stanley, Fremantle and Royal Perth hospitals, would “try to ensure permanent staff can be accommodated in the revised workforce”.

“RPH, Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospital are overstaffed for their activity levels and exceeding their budget,” the spokesperson said, adding “It is possible to maintain the highest possible standards using lower staffing levels than currently in place.”

WA Health director general Dr David Russell-Weisz said he could not put an absolute figure on job cuts within the health department. “We know we are over-staffed and over budget at some of our hospitals,” he said.

“We have to look at how we can be more efficient and that's not just about job cuts it is about simple things like rostering, over time, the use of agencies and casuals and where there are too many staff it may be looking at some fixed term appointments, but it is not all about job cuts.”

Meanwhile $1.6 billion has been earmarked for the controversial Perth Freight Link, and money has been made available for an artificial wave stadium. Clearly it is not a question of the availability of funds, but how they are allocated.

[This article by Kerry Smith first appeared in Green Left online.]

Forum: Climate action needs System change - Thurs 19 Nov

Politics in the Pub
Climate action needs System change

Planet & people at risk - Jaime Farrant, 350.org
Freeway madness- Sam Wainwright, Freo Road2Rail
Is system change possible - Kamala, Socialist Alliance

6pm Thurs 19 November
Curragh Room, Rosie O’Gradys
23 William St (near Fremantle Town Hall)


For more info: fremantle@greenleft.org.au or 0415 922 740

Attend on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/880499822003635

RRAN forum: Why stopping boats does not save lives - Mon 9 Nov

No Way Forward

Why 'stopping the boats' does NOT save lives at sea

Join the Refugee Rights Action Network for a public forum discussing some of the common misconceptions around 'stopping the boats' and what this really means.

6:30pm Mon 9 November

Perth Activist Centre
15 / 5 Aberdeen St, Perth (next to McIver station)

Organised by Refugee Rights Action Network (RRAN)

Attend on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/events/513711332129725

Join health workers calling for children out of detention

Join the wave of demonstrations by senior doctors across Australia...

ALL WA HEALTH WORKERS WELCOME! (share the invitation)


In the words of Professor Karen Zwi from Sydney Children’s Hospital: “Already traumatised and fleeing persecution, we compound that by putting them in indefinite detention. Anxiety, bed-wetting, nightmares and poor sleep are common among the more than 200 children still in immigration detention.In the extreme cases, children are self harming and attempting suicide”

“We want to increase the pressure.We will make noise until the detention of children ends” – Professor David Issacs, Westmead Children’s Hospital

12:30pm Fri 13 November

Meet at the Thomas Street entrance, above the underpass stairs, outside the PMH daycare carpark for photos at 12:30pm.

#KidsOut #DetentionHarmsChildren

Download the PLACARDS used in other Australian demonstrations to bring along:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1cKF_YCbdtDcnAyTG13U0t2N0U/view?usp=sharing

Download the event POSTER here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1cKF_YCbdtDdTRJU0tjMTlaV1E/view?usp=sharing

[For the information of health workers and others who wish to support their endeavours. Information from the Facebook Event.]