Acknowledgement of Country//

Headlines//

Slater and Gordon Class Actions Principal Lawyer Gemma Leigh-Dodds speaks about a recently-filed action on behalf of remote Aboriginal Western Australia Housing Authority tenants who have been forced to endure shockingly substandard public housing conditions. Find out more about the case here, and read about the Northern Territory High Court’s decision from last year regarding the substandard provision of public housing in remote Aboriginal communities here.//

Tom Orsag joined us to talk about the federal government's decision to put the CFMEU into forced administration, and the concerns this raises for organised labour in so-called Australia. Tom worked in the construction industry from 2004-2023, and is a retired member. Join the community solidarity meeting tonight at 46 Ireland Street, Docklands, to get involved in the fight against Labor’s anti-union laws.//

We hear part 1 of a conversation with Dr Chris Gill, Professor of Chemistry at Vancouver Island University, who co-led the team that has created revolutionary drug checking technology through spray mass spectrometry used around the world. In this segment, Dr Gill speaks about the importance of small sample sizes in drug checking, the nuances of sensitivity, and what we here in Naarm/melbourne can learn from innovative drug checking technology and the management of opioid overdose crises. Tune in for part 2 next week where we speak about translating innovative tech into supportive drug checking practices for the community, and check out Substance Drug Checking Service. //

Sanne from Friends of the Earth’s Nuclear Free Collective tells us about the upcoming annual Art Auction at Catalyst Social Centre raising funds to support the Collective’s vital anti-nuclear campaigning. The event will start at 5PM, with music from 7:30 by Uncle Winiata Puru, and the live auction commencing at 8PM. Find out more about the event, including about how to bid remotely here. Learn about the broader Don’t Nuke the Climate campaign for a clean, anti-nuclear energy transition here, and follow on '; // --> ?lang=en">TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.//

Alexia from the A30 for West Papua Canberra crew joined us to speak about the globally coordinated wave of action in solidarity with West Papua scheduled for Friday August 30, and what it has been like to become politicised in support of West Papua as an Indonesian student in so-called Australia. Find out more about the campaign and associated actions by following A30 on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.//
 

Upcoming Events

• Vigil for Mano Yogalingham, 12:30PM Thursday 29 August, 808 Bourke Street, Docklands.//

• Hands Off the CFMEU: Community Solidarity Meeting, 6PM Thursday 29 August, 46 Ireland Street, West Melbourne.//

• Denial in a time of genocide, 6PM Thursday 29 August, Building 80 Level 4 Room 11, RMIT University, 445 Swanston Street, Melbourne.//

• Talking About Trees: Film Screening Fundraiser for Sudan, 4:30PM Friday 30 August,  David P. Derham theatre (GM15), Law Building, The University of Melbourne, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton.//

• Justice for Refugees: Permanent Visas Now, 5:30PM Friday 30 August, 808 Bourke Street, Docklands.//

• Friends of the Earth Nuclear-Free Art Auction: Make Art Not War, 5:00PM Saturday 31 August, Catalyst Social Centre, 146 Sydney Road, Coburg.//

Image credit: Matt Hrkac, 2023. Support Matt's excellent frontline photojournalism here.//