Correspondence – Miscellaneous

Below is a selection of correspondence on various issues.

Date	Title	From	To	Reply
07-Jul-2021	Response from David Johnston, Vice Chief of Defence Force on Exercise Sea Breeze.	David Johnston	Nick Deane
07-Dec-2017	Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons	Several	Federal ALP Parliamentarians	No
21-Nov-2017	Clemency for Pine Gap Peace Pilgrims	MPG	Justice Reeves (Supreme Court, NT)	N/A
16-Aug-2017	Protest at confiscation of solar panels by Israeli authorities	MPG	Shmuel Ben-Shmuel (Israeli Ambassador to Australia)	No

Note: Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed by individual authors do not necessarily represent the views of MPG.

Donate to Marrickville Peace Group

The Marrickville Peace Group is entirely staffed by volunteers. Donations are most welcome since they help pay for website hosting, publicity, public events etc. and in promoting a culture of peace.

Upcoming Events

11:00 am – 12:30 pm, March 8, 2025 – Next MPG Meeting

Israel’s Genocide on Gaza

Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur exposes crime of the century, published Dec 18, 2024.
John Mearsheimer, Analysis of the ongoing provision of diplomatic, economic and armaments support by the U.S. for Israel and Ukraine. An interview with Al Jazeera’s Rawaa Auge, Nov 4, 2024.
Norman Finkelstein, Perspectives on Hamas and Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza, address to Global Peace and Unity Festival, London on Oct 19, 2024. Video published by Islam Channel on Oct 22, 2024. (Duration 36:52 mins).
Antony Loewenstein, 'The Palestine Laboratory - how Israel exports the technology of occupation around the world', Late Night Live, Oct 22, 2024.
Paul Gregoire, 'Labor Must Stop Trade with Israel, Declares Senator Payman Ahead of the IPAN Conference', Sydney Criminal Lawyers, Sep 27, 2024.
Antony Loewenstein, 'Al Jazeera English interview on Israel’s escalation in Lebanon and Gaza', Sep 25, 2024.
Michael West, 'Elbit: how Australia helped finance the IDF killing of Zomi Frankcom and the slaughter in Gaza', The West Report, Jul 18, 2024.
Michelle Fahy, 'Decoded: Defence Departmens's Deadly Deceits', Declassified Australia, Jul 1, 2024.
Diana Buttu, 'The one way to stop Israel'. Interview starts 18.49 mins, Useful Idiots, video published Jun 28, 2024. (Duration 57:34 mins).
Binoy Kampmark, 'Australia's shameful military ties to Israel under scrutiny after killing of aid worker', Independent Australia, Apr 8, 2024.
Michael West, 'Israel and US have lost', The West Report, May 29, 2024.
Allan Behm, 'Who pays the piper…universities dance to the AUKUS tune', Pearls and Irritations, Apr 3, 2024.
Antony Loewenstein, 'Analysis: Israel’s attacks on al-Shifa ‘are the actions of a rogue state’'. Interview with Al Jazeera English, video published Apr 1, 2024. (Duration: 9:18 mins).
Richard Tanter, 'Pine Gap implicates Australia as complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza', Pearls and Irritations, Mar 30, 2024.
John Menadue, 'A terrorist state and a declining US empire wage genocide', Pearls and Irritations, Mar 21, 2024.
Chas W. Freeman, 'Israel Doesn't Even Try To Hide Its Genocide On The Palestinians', Neutrality Studies, video published Nov 21, 2023. Former US Ambassador Chas Freeman on Israel's war on Gaza and the prospects of a two state solution. Interview by Pascal Lottaz. (Video duration 27:41 mins).
Margaret Reynolds, 'The Australian Parliament fails to uphold international law preventing genocide in Gaza', Pearls and Irritations, Feb 13, 2024.
Max Blumenthal, 'Reports of sexual violence on Oct 7 by Hamas are questioned by critics'. Interview by Briahna Joy Gray and Robby Soave on The Hill TV's Rising program, video published Jan 5, 2024. (Duration 21:44 mins).
Norman Finkelstein, Political scientist Norman Finkelstein explains Zionism in his own words and shares his observations on Israel's war on Gaza, video published Nov 25, 2023. (Duration 36:07 mins).
Ilan Pappe, Why Israel wants to erase context and history in the war on Gaza, Opinion, Al Jazeera, Nov 5, 2023.
Antony Loewenstein, Independent journalist Antony Loewenstein (author of The Palestine Laboratory) provides an update on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, The Grapevine, Radio 3RRR. Host: Judith Peppard, Oct 30, 2023. (Audio duration 24:51 mins).
Access additional references on Israel's war on Gaza here.

Petitions

Mobilise Against AUKUS and War - 'Legislative measures to protect the people of NSW from the long lasting toxic effects of nuclear radiation'. This petition calls on the NSW Legislative Assembly to enact laws ensuring:
(a) No nuclear submarine base(s) established in NSW
(b) No nuclear waste is stored or disposed of in NSW and
(c) No visits of nuclear powered vessels, or nuclear weapons- capable vessels or aircraft, from any country, allowed in NSW ports or airfields.
Closing date 31st October 2024.
Amnesty International - ‘Australia: Stop Sending Arms to Israel‘. This petition is still open. As at 25th October 2024, a total of 83,580 signatures had been received. The goal is to reach 90,000.
Amnesty International - 'Demolish Apartheid, not Palestinian Homes'. This petition is still open. As at 25th October 2024, a total of 10,520 signatures had been received. The goal is to reach 12,500.
#FreeDanDuggan Campaign - 'Release Australian"DANIEL DUGGAN" and Refuse his Extradition to the US'; A letter to Mark Dreyfus MP, Australian Attorney-General. This petition is still open. As at 25th October 2024, a total of 28,677 signatures had been received. The goal is to reach 35,000.

Local Issues

Wendy Bacon, 'Just ‘Rubbish & Rates’, or is the Israel war lobby interfering in Australia’s local elections?', Michael West Media, Sep 12, 2024.
Wendy Bacon, 'Right-wing astroturfers infiltrate local councils, fire up Labor v Greens unrest over Israel', Michael West Media, Sep 9, 2024.

Contributions to the Debate

Patrick Cockburn, 'Most political disasters are overstated – not this one', inews.co.uk, Nov 6, 2024.
Michael West, 'Police brutality in Melbourne', Scam of the Week, The West Report, Sep 15, 2024. (Video: 9:37 mins).
Paul Gregoire, 'Duggan’s Stewing in Maximum Over US Extradition, But Like Assange, It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over', Sydney Criminal Lawyers, Jun 28, 2024.
Michael West, 'Jewish peace groups blame Zionists, Christian Zionists, Neo-Nazis for antisemitism', Scam of the Week, The West Report, Jun 17, 2024. (Video: 9:37 mins).
Paul Gregoire, 'March on Invasion Day for First Nations Justice: An Interview With Dunghutti Activist Paul Silva', Sydney Criminal Lawyers, Jan 18, 2024.
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), 'Australian to spearhead global campaign to end nuclear weapons', Aug 11, 2023.
Tilman Ruff, 'Everyone can help forge a safe ending to what Oppenheimer began', Pursuit, University of Melbourne, Jul 17, 2023.

Defence and Security

Australians for War Powers Reform, Webinar 'Subs & Secrets - Aukus or Sovereignty' hosted by Quentin Dempster, Nov 26, 2024. (Video duration 1:01:58).
Michelle Fahy and Elizabeth Minter, 'Forced Posture: has Australia already ceded military control to the US?', Michael West Media, Aug 13, 2024.
Paul Keating, 'The military control of Australia', Pearls & Irritations, Aug 9, 2024.
Michelle Fahy, 'AUKUS: Red flag for arms industry corruption', Pearls and Irritations, Mar 21, 2024.
Nick Deane, 'Hugh White dismantles the AUKUS project', Pearls and Irritations, Feb 29, 2024.
Paul Gregoire, 'The Marrickville Declaration Asserts Civil Society Resistance to AUKUS', Sydney Criminal Lawyers, Feb 23, 2024.
Nick Deane, 'Mobilising opposition to AUKUS – The Marrickville Declaration', Pearls and Irritations, Feb 22, 2024.
Brian Toohey, 'Who is the war criminal?', Pearls and Irritations, Feb 13, 2024.
Henry Reynolds, 'Australia’s three wars', Pearls and Irritations, Nov 25, 2023.
Henry Reynolds, 'America’s “unique” relationship with Australia? Few countries are as gullible', Pearls and Irritations, Sep 11, 2023.
Alison Broinowski (Presenter), 'The Australian Case Against AUKUS', Consortium News, World Beyond War.org, Aug 13, 2023. (Video duration 1:00:15.).
Allan Patience, 'Albanese and the ALP, running scared', Pearls and Irritations, Aug 21, 2023.
Paul Keating, 'NATO’s provocative lurch eastward and the ‘supreme fool’ Jens Stoltenberg', Pearls and Irritations, Jul 10, 2023.
Clinton Fernandes, 'Illusory imperatives', Pearls and Irritations, Jun 30, 2023.
Kathy Kelly, Review of 'War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine' by Norman Solomon, The Palestine Chronicle, Jun 19, 2023.
Paul Keating, 'AUKUS, Australia and China', Pearls and Irritations, Jun 9, 2023.
Sue Wareham, 'Mainstream media need to focus on peace', Pearls and Irritations, May 31, 2023.

War in Ukraine

Noam Chomsky, Interview on Ukrainian-Russian War, Concise Chomsky, video published Mar 23, 2024. (Duration 10:51 minutes).
Chas W. Freeman, 'Ukraine The Full Story', Former US Ambassador Chas Freeman explains the history, causes, and effects of the Ukraine war, refuting the common narrative about an "unprovoked" war. Interview with Pascal Lottaz, Neutrality Studies, video published Oct 21, 2023. (Duration 57:51 minutes).
Benjamin Schwarz & Christopher Layne, 'Why Are We in Ukraine?', Harper's Magazine, Jun 2023.
Noam Chomsky, 'Options for Diplomacy Decline as Russia’s War on Ukraine Escalates'. Interview with C. J. Polychroniou, Truthout, Nov 16, 2022.
Sue Wareham, 'Ending the Ukraine and other wars: putting victims at the centre', Pearls and Irritations, Jul 31, 2022.
Chas W. Freeman, 'US fighting Russia 'to the last Ukrainian'', The Grayzone, video published Mar 23, 2022. (Duration 52:32 minutes).
Access additional references on the war in Ukraine here.

Media Coverage

Media Watch, 'The framing of Senator Payman', Episode 22, Jul 8, 2024.

Submissions

May 2024 - MPG's submission to the review of NSW Roads and Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 2022 prepared by Kosmas Stergiou. NSW’s anti-protest laws have curtailed the fundamental right to protest and have a detrimental impact on democracy and the community's capacity to enact societal change. MPG calls for the repeal of amendments to the Crimes Acts, Part 4AF and the introduction of legislation to protect the right to protest peacefully.
Feb 2024 - MPG's submission prepared by Craig Walters and Peter Griffin to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade on Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2023. Other submissions to this inquiry can be found here. MPG's submission is number 12 in the list.
Previous submissions by MPG on other topics can be accessed here.

Brochure on MPG

A brochure on MPG can be downloaded here. It contains our Mission Statement and information about who we are, our history and how you can participate in our activities and campaigns. (To print, select 2-sided/booklet in printer properties).

Choosing Humanity

ICAN's Choosing Humanity: Why Australia must join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, July 2019. Download the report.