Yoorrook Country Inquiry, Blockade Australia Part 2, Police Surveillance at Palestine Rally, Means Testing and Poverty in Australia

Thursday Breakfast

Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// Sue-Anne Hunter, proud Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman and Deputy Chair and Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, joined us to discuss the recent commencement of the Commission's inquiry into land, sky and waters. This phase in the process of truth-telling aims to explore the issue of land injustice in Victoria, with the Commission's findings to inform law, policy and education reform as well as the drafting of future treaties between First Peoples and the Victorian Government. You can find out more about the work of the Commission, including about making submissions to the present inquiry, by heading to yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au// We heard the second instalment of a three part interview with climate activist "James" from Blockade Australia. Blockade Australia is an organising network established in response to the destruction of the ecosystems that support all human and non human life. The network is working to build a political movement that can physically resist Australia's planet destroying operations with disruptive and targeted action that shuts down the everyday functioning of this machine. In today’s segment, Spike asked James about how important direct action is to achieving an environmentally and socially just world, and what the main obstacles are to achieving this. They also discussed the general public's apparent suspicion of scientific data, the public information battle and whether the corporate world has succeeded in convincing the community that individual consumption is responsible for environmental degradation.// AJ from Melbourne Activist Legal Support joined us to talk about the recent points of concern legal observers and attendees witnessed at the Free Palestine Rally in Naarm on the 15th of October 2023. They described some of the observations MALS recorded at the event regarding heightened police surveillance, and shared advice about how to keep safe at upcoming events.// Anti-poverty advocate Robert joined us to discuss his personal experiences and analysis of social security ineligibility and poverty in Australia as part of a discussion focused on Antipoverty Week, which is running from the 15th to the 27th of October. Robert is disabled and works a casual job that is not sufficient to cover his basic expenses, but is currently ineligible for social security income because of his partner's income. Last year, he authored the blog 'Poverty 101: A Beginner's Course'. Robert will be sharing more of his story and his analysis of what needs to change in an upcoming piece for the Power to Persuade blog's special Antipoverty Week series moderated by Antipoverty Centre.// Songs// Nada - Clarissa Bitar//