The Life and Times of Melbourne Indymedia
13/03/2008
The Melbourne Indymedia collective met in February after a long hiatus to discuss its future. We decided that we did not have the energy required to continue the project and that therefore the collective had come to an end.
We are however keen to help others take up the challenge of producing an activist based, participatory news site, whether that be a Melbourne Indymedia, an Australia Indymedia or something all together new. We feel such a space is very much needed.
In late 2008 a new group began forming to start Melbourne Indymedia afresh. If you are interested in getting involved please contact us and we'll connect you up with this new initiative.
Lastly a big thank you to the literally thousands of contributors to Melbourne Indymedia over it's 7 1/2 year life, it truly was a unique, and quite successful experiment in participatory news making.
Wayback Machine Melbourne Indymedia Archives
Melbourne Indymedia Suspends Publishing
11/06/2007
Open publishing has been suspended on Melbourne Indymedia as numbers in our editorial collective are insufficient to manage the site effectively and responsibly. We realise that MIM has played a vital role in reporting activist news from Melbourne, around Australia and internationally. To this end the present collective will be assessing options for how best to provide an activist news service in the future. If you wish to get involved, please contact us, or subscribe to our mailing list.
Please Note: the calendar is still operational
While open publishing is suspended, our collective suggests if you have a well researched, well-written story about Melbourne events, you should post the story to Sydney Indymedia.
Other relevant Indymedia's include
Other places to distribute to or find content from include
We thank our many loyal readers and contributors for several years of grassroots journalism and media activism and hope we can resume reporting with an even better interface at some stage in the future.
Melbourne Indymedia Collective
Indigenous Elder wins Environment Award
09/06/2007
The Australian Conservation Foundation's (ACF) Peter Rawlinson Award was given to 'Uncle' Kevin Buzzacott, an Arabunna elder, on World Environment Day in 2007 for two decades of work highlighting the impacts of uranium mining and promoting a nuclear free Australia. Uncle Kev has been a tireless campaigner for indigenous rights including reclaiming the kangaroo and emu sacred totems from the Coat of Arms from Parliament House in Canberra and accusing the Federal Government of genocide. [ Full Story]
Wikipedia |
ACF Award citation |
Video: reclainming sacred totems from Parliament House
Court Enforces Shroud of Secrecy Over Pine Gap Spybase
05/06/2007
The secrecy surrounding the Pine Gap Spybase operated by the USA and Australian Defence Forces was maintained in the Northern Territory Supreme Court on June 4 when Justice Sally Thomas ruled in favour of the Crown's submission for public interest immunity. Defendant Jim Dowling asked in response: “So they're allowed to give the information they want without us getting a chance to query that?” Justice Thomas agreed. [ More...]
Four protesters are facing jail for opposing spy base’s role in Iraq war when they carried out a citizens inspection of the base. Anti-nuclear campaigner Dr Helen Caldicott told a gathering outside the base on June 2, "Pine Gap plays a vital role in US wartime operations. It has been used by the CIA for political intervention in Australia, and it allows the US to spy on half the world's population. Pine Gap is a prime target in the event of nuclear war. It will be one of the first to go, along with Alice Springs."
Background
Prosecutor Moved for House Arrest which was rejected by the Judge (May 29) | Solidarity vigils were held in Melbourne and Brisbane(May 30)
pinegap6.org |
Emergentlayer Blog
Australian Military To Target Civilians with Cluster Munitions
04/06/2007
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has announced their intention to add cluster bombs to their arsenal. Kim Stewart, speaking for the Peace Convergence said, "98% of the victims of cluster bombs are civilians. They are still blowing the limbs off children in Vietnam today. The U.S. dropped almost 30,000 kilos of cluster bombs in Iraq, which will go on killing innocents for decades. The U.S military, with whom the ADF are making increasing links, has no compunction about using munitions that cause unnecessary non-target deaths like depleted uranium, cluster bombs and white phosphorus. In our eagerness to follow the U.S military lead will we soon also see depleted uranium in Australia’s arsenal?" [ More...]
Cluster bombs have received international condemnation for their tendency to kill many non-target victims, especially children. They have been recommended for banning in the U.N and are the subject of a 68 country treaty.
Stop Cluster Munitions |
Peace Convergence
Thousands Protest Against G8 in Germany
04/06/2007
from Indymedia.org and IMC Germany (en)
From June 6th to 8th the "representatives" of eight of the most powerful states from the global north are planning to meet in Heiligendamm near Rostock in Germany. Without any legitimacy to decide about global politics they will coordinate their decisions and therefore stand for the continuation of the state the world which for the majority means hunger, misery, war, and exlusion. Despite police repression and political propaganda, the summit will face one of the biggest mobilisations ever to shut down the G8. The "hot phase" of the protest started at the ASEM summit in Hamburg last weekend ( 1 | 2 ), with a Critical Mass and a massive demonstration ( Reports 1 | 2 | 3 | Timeline | Pictures 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (nl) | 5 (indybay) | 6 ). Reports speak of up to 100 arrests but most people are released again allready. Another demonstration is now announced for tuesday night and a "moving assembly" under the slogan Beat Capitalism for wednesday afternoon.
Protestors march in Rostock
Tens of thousands of anti-G8 protesters, with several thousands on the Black Bloc alone, took part in the international demonstration in Rostock on 2 June, 2007. With colourful banners and puppets, protesters of different backgrounds tried to draw attention to the bigger problem of capitalism and the 'empire'. Police were very aggressive and provocative, using batons, water cannons and tear gas, not only against the 'bad protestors' but 'normal' ones as well. Violent confrontations were taking place while, on stage, the concert and speeches were trying to continue. Over 100 people were arrested and many injured on both sides.
Reports: [en] 1 | 2 | 3 | [de] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | [it] 1 | 2 | 3
Pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14
Video: 1 | 2 | 3 Audio: [de] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | [en] 1
Information Resources: Indymedia Germany will report bilingual: IMC Germany (en) | IMC Germany (de) | G8 TV - daily video stream from the G8 | flashradio - daily podcast (en) | IMC UK Topic G8 2007 Websites: dissentnetwork | Dissent! UK | Interventionist Left | all for all | antig8.tk | Gipfelsoli | people global action | heiligendamm2007.de | Alternative Summit | Camps
MIM articles: Anti-What? | Prelude to the G8: Tearing it up in Hamburg | Women in Protest
Melbourne Solidarity Event: Scum Bag Tour, Friday June 8
Behind the ANZAC Myth
23/04/2007
"The overt politicisation of ANZAC Day during the last decade by the Howard government, is turning it from a day in which the country remembers and recognises the ultimate sacrifice made by Australians who have died in war and the sacrifices made by those who continue to carry the physical and psychological scars that have blighted their lives and continue to blight the lives of their partners and children, to a jingoistic festival. Many survivors have had to carry the added burden of being sent to wars that were fought for short term political and ideological expediency, not the defence of Australia...." said Joseph Toscano. Read More
Remember the IWW | Fight against Conscription |
Event Details
Leunig on Lest we forget the ultimate price of warfare
Why Workers Need to Oppose Militarism
Doctors launch Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons
23/04/2007
There was a large red cross on the steps of Parliament House and a map of Melbourne with rings at 3, 5 10, 20 and 80km radii from the centre asking the question 'What would happen if a 1 Megaton nuclear bomb landed in Melbourne's CBD?', while 'doctors' in white coats tended 'victims'. The occasion was the launch of the Australian branch of the International Campaign against Nuclear Weapons by members of the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW). [ Read More | Press Release]
MAPW |
ICANW |
Nuclear Free Australia
Pressure continues on Government over David Hicks
21/04/2007
200 people turned up in the rain in Melbourne as part of a national day of protest to Free David Hicks. Speakers included Senator Bob Brown, Martin Kingham from the Construction Union and Terry Hicks, who said "'The problem we have with this government at the moment is what rights do we as Australians have? Under this government we have none. They've stripped us of our human rights .."
Liz Thompson raised "... a question that really need to be asked is why it is that the full force of the state - snatch squads, federal police, anti-terror units - have been deployed against the G20 protesters, when Paul Wolfowitz, architect of the Iraq invasion, a man against whom a million Australians and millions more around the globe protested, got a special invitation [to the G20 forum]." Full Story with Audio reports | Video report
Fair Go for David |
Petition to fire Paul Wolfowitz
News Round Up 20 April
20/04/2007
Forest Defence: Protests continue in Tasmania's southern forests, with two more activists arrested in the Upper Florentine valley on April 19. | Forest Defence Unit
Refugees: Australia makes WAR on Iraq and Iraqi Refugees. "While the Australian Government was organising refugee swaps with the US government, 60 nations met with UNHCR met in Geneva seeking a solution to the exodus of Iraqis from their war torn country who are struggling to survive in Syria and Jordan." said Pamela Curr at the JustFreedom blog. “Refugees are human beings, not products that countries can broker and trade,” said Bill Frelick, Refugee Policy director at Human Rights Watch. “The United States and Australia have signed a deal that bargains with lives and flouts international law.”
Food Politics: State Government authorises Victoria's first GM wheat crop. | Campaign to Stop GM Wheat
Student activism: Over 150 students blockaded a dinner party at Melbourne University on April 17 to protest at the administration’s plans to introduce cuts to courses, student and staff numbers next year.
Workers win dispute at Preston Motors: Another employer has been forced to negotiate with the relevent union in dispute through community assemblies and wider support as NUW workers voted to return to work after a month long picket. | Union Solidarity
Bring David Hicks Home. The 'Bring David Hicks Home' float entered by a contingent of university students and community activists in this year's Mardi Gras, won the award for most outstanding political comment. Some comentators say "the Howard Government has done a deal for the election year and are trying to cover up 5 years of shameful inaction over the abuse of an Australian citizen. A national Day of Protest will occur on April 21. | Fair Go for David
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"The global social justice movement is alive and kicking and giving hell to the assembled criminals of the G8. In an atmosphere reminiscent of the our S11 demonstration ten thousand peaceful protestors have used non-violent civil disobedience to blockade the G8 in Germany." 
"If we don't start re-engineering our society and re-organising our society around to deal with these issues of climate change and oil peak which are simultaneously affecting us, the social disharmony and effects are going to be widespread and felt by everyone." said Adrian Whitehead of the Zero Emission Network in a 
