‘NEVER AGAIN: LET’S END THE DETENTION OF CHILDREN ONCE AND FOR ALL’. This is the headline on a detailed statement issued on February 13 by the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA). The statement has been endorsed by more than 200 community groups across Australia – including our own group.

The full text of RCOA’s statement can be read here. More information about RCOA can be accessed here.

In response to an announcement by NZ Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee on February 10 that the NZ Defence Force will begin “special contingency training” for possible deployment to Iraq, more than 30 representatives of peace, justice and faith organisations in that country have signed an Open Letter on Military Deployment to Iraq to all Government Ministers and Members of the New Zealand Parliament.  The letter expresses strong opposition to New Zealand becoming in any way involved militarily in the current conflict in Iraq and Syria. Continue reading NZ – Open letter on military deployment to Iraq →

Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate and author, Julian Burnside, was awarded the 2014 Sydney Peace Prize on Wednesday 5th November at the Sydney Town Hall. Former NSW Governor, Marie Bashir, presented him with the Prize in front of nearly 1500 people.

Following the award ceremony, he delivered the Sydney Peace Prize Lecture entitled ‘Without Justice There Will Not Be Peace’. The lecture focussed on the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers by successive Australian governments. Continue reading Julian Burnside awarded the 2014 Sydney Peace Prize →

MPG has made a submission to the Defence White Paper process. Its main focus is reflected in the title – ‘Questioning the Value of the Australia/US Alliance’. The full text can be read here.

A list of all 269 public submissions can be accessed here. Continue reading Defence White Paper 2015 →

MPG has traditionally marked the UN’s International Day of Peace on September 21.

The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. Continue reading International Day of Peace – Sept 21, 2014 →

Four important events aimed at achieving the total elimination of nuclear weapons will be held between September and December this year.

These events are (1) International Day for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons – 26^th September 2014 (2) Global Parliamentary Appeal for a Nuclear Weapons Ban – ongoing (3) Parliamentary Appeal Week – 10^th to 14^th November 2014 and (4) Third Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons – 8^th to 9^th December 2014, Vienna, Austria.

Read more about each of these events and the international campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons here.

MPG has joined other peace groups from across the nation in endorsing a statement opposing further military intervention by Australia in Iraq.

The last time Australia intervened, the consequences were disastrous. There is nothing to indicate that they will do any better this time round. Putting more weapons into the region is not likely to reduce the level of violence. (Click photo to view full image).

MPG has opposed the presence of US marines in Darwin ever since President Obama and Prime Minister Gillard announced their arrival (in November 2011). There have been no satisfactory reasons given for the marines being here and no indication of the strategic benefit their presence gives to Australia.

With IPAN-NSW, MPG approached Senator Lee Rhiannon and asked her to ask some specific questions on our behalf. Those questions and the responses can be read here. Continue reading Marines in Darwin: Questions asked in Senate Estimates Hearing →

MPG assisted GCPC in organising a public forum on the topic ‘ANZAC – why does it last?’ which took place at the University of Sydney on Tuesday August 5, 2014.

Details of the forum can be found here. The excellent address given by Prof. Joan Beaumont can be read here.

Major General Burr is an Australian Army officer, who is also deputy commander of the US Army in the Western Pacific. Here is a photo of him in Mongolia, during US/Mongolian exercises.

MPG has written to the Minister of Defence, seeking an explanation of General Burr’s role. Which government does he serve? To which country does he owe allegiance? Is he the servant of two masters? How does this arrangement work? And doesn’t it rest on the presumption that Australian and US military interests always coincide precisely?

As its contribution to Refugee Week, MPG has joined forces with the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) to host a screening of the documentary movie ‘Mary Meets Mohammad’. This event will take place on Thursday, June 19 in the old Marrickville Town Hall (96 Illawarra Road in Marrickville) at 6.30pm. See the trailer here. Full event details here

MPG was proud to contribute to a recent visit to Australia by ex-US marine Vincent Emanuele. The group provided accommodation for Vince whilst he was in Sydney and took him down to take part in the ‘Canberra Peace Convergence’.

A brief report of Vince’s activities whilst he was in Australia can be read here. (Photo: Vince Emanuele, right, and Nick Deane collecting signatures on the F-35 petition. Click photo to enlarge).

Concern about the F-35 JSF continues to grow, with reports of its many problems – not to mention the huge expense. A petition sponsored by the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network – NSW (IPAN), calling for the agreement to purchase the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to be scrapped, was handed to Senator Lee Rhiannon early in August. More than 1,700 signatures were collected. Continue reading Don’t Buy the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter →

MPG has joined other community groups in the Marrickville area to form the Gallipoli Centenary Peace Campaign.

The group is concerned about the anticipated avalanche of propaganda associated with the centenary of WW1 – which appears to have started already with this year’s ANZAC commemorations. As part of the ‘Canberra Peace Convergence’, one member of the group joined the party marching under the banner ‘Lest We Forget the Frontier Wars’. The party was prevented from entering the Australian War Memorial by the AFP. (See photo). Continue reading Gallipoli Centenary Peace Campaign →