Tag Archives: John Butcher

Anzac Day Reflection – 25th April 2025

May 2, 2025Alternatives To War, Anzac DayJennifer Newman, John Butcher, Liz Remmerswaal, Robert Young, Singing For All Choir, Songs From Next Door ChoirJon Atkins

L to R: Justine Langford (ex-Councillor), Liz Atkins (Councillor), Hannah Thomas (Greens candidate for Grayndler), Malcolm Fraser (MPG), Olivia Barlow (Councillor) and Bernie Hobbs at the Anzac Day Reflection, Marrickville Peace Park, April 25, 2025.

Over 100 people attended this year’s Anzac Day Reflection held in Richardson’s Lookout – Marrickville Peace Park. This was the seventh time that the event has been held in the Peace Park since 2016. Continue reading Anzac Day Reflection – 25th April 2025 →

Donate to Marrickville Peace Group

The Marrickville Peace Group is entirely run 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

10:30 am – 12:00 pm, April 25, 2026 – Anzac Day Reflection - 10.30am, Sat 25th April 2026

Website Manager

The Marrickville Peace Group invites Expressions of Interest to manage its website on a voluntary basis.
Essential criteria:
♦ Affinity with MPG’s mission, values and commitments;
♦ Demonstrated experience in managing a WordPress website;
♦ Strong commitment to the cause of peace.
Access job description here.
Applicants should email Nick Deane at homishdu@yahoo.com.au with the following attachments:
1. Cover letter;
2. CV.

Petitions

Click the link Petitions - Current to access a list of current petitions.

Antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli state

Paul Gregoire, 'NSW Police Bash and Brutalise Herzog Protesters into Submission', Sydney Criminal Lawyers, Feb 11, 2026.
Bernard Keane, 'Nothing says cohesion like a punch in the head: Violence of Minns’ goons exposes the lie of ‘social cohesion’, Crikey, Feb 10, 2026.
Caitlin Johnstone, 'In Australia The Police Beat You Up For Opposing Genocide', Caitlin Johnstone website, Feb 10, 2026.
Margaret Reynolds, 'Why is the Australian government hosting the President of Israel?', Pearls & Irritations, Feb 6, 2026.
Chris Sidoti, 'Isaac Herzog is accused of inciting genocide in Gaza. He shouldn’t be welcomed to Australia', The Guardian, Feb 5, 2026.
Michael West, 'Arrest Herzog for war crimes, says UN Commissioner Sidoti', Michael West Media, Feb 4, 2026.
Michael West, 'The Biggest Propaganda Campaign in Australian History?', The West Report, Jan 9, 2026. (Video: 20.43 mins).
John Menadue, 'Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke should reject a visa application for Israeli President Herzog', Pearls & Irritations, Jan 9, 2026.
Paul Gregoire, 'Fallout from Gaza Genocide Used to Justify Increasingly Repressive Regime in NSW', Sydney Criminal Lawyers, Jan 4, 2026.
Antony Loewenstein, 'Jewish journalist Antony Loewenstein unpacks the Bondi terror attack', Ette Media, Dec 24, 2025. (Video: 55.27 mins).
Bob Carr, 'Exposing the disturbing Israeli lobby inside Australia', OnePath Network, Aug 22, 2025. (Video: 40.35 mins).

Genocide in Gaza

Chas Freeman, 'Why This Gaza Ceasefire Won’t Last', India and Global Left, published Oct 11, 2025.
John Mearsheimer, 'Israel’s Own Fire Killed Its People — The Media Won’t Say It', E&EP Autos, Oct 8, 2025.
Ben Saul & Chris Sidoti, Address to The National Press Club of Australia: Palestine recognition: necessary but insufficient, Oct 1, 2025.
Dr Annabel Dulhunty, 'The current humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza should prompt Australia to act', ANU Reporter, May 19, 2025.
Pearls and Irritations et al, Israel: Palestine pushed beyond endurance: Creating balance in reporting the facts behind the conflict, published by Pearls and Irritations, 2025.
Richard Tanter, 'Pine Gap implicates Australia as complicit in Israel's genocide in Gaza', Pearls & Irritations, Mar 29, 2025.
Sarah Judith Hofmann, 'Gaza: What is the actual death toll, and how can we be sure?', Deutsche Welle, Mar 7, 2025.
Peter Slezak, Gaza rally speech: ‘We face one of the greatest moral tests of our time’, Pearls & Irritations, Mar 5, 2025.
John Menadue, 'The weaponising of ‘antisemitism’ is to hide the genocide', Pearls & Irritations, Feb 7, 2025.
Chas Freeman, 'Trump & the Takeover of Gaza'. Retired diplomat Chas Freeman is interviewed by Daniel Davis on Deep Dive, published Feb 6, 2025. (Duration 48:51 mins).
Michael West, 'Israel's Other War : Foreign Influence and Hasbara', The West Report, published Jan 24, 2025. (Video duration: 29:45 mins).
Glenn Greenwald, 'Seeking Justice: Tracking IDF War Criminals Around The World', YouTube, published Jan 12, 2025.
Francesca Albanese, 'Why isn't the UN stopping Israel?', published by Al Jazeera, Dec 21, 2024.
Human Rights Watch, 'Extermination and Acts of Genocide: Israel Deliberately Depriving Palestinians in Gaza of Water', Dec 19, 2024.
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur exposes crime of the century, published Dec 18, 2024.
Access additional references on Israel's war on Gaza here.

Occupied Palestinian Territory

Al Jazeera Staff, 'Israeli settlers injure at least 54 Palestinians in West Bank attacks', Al Jazeera, Feb 13, 2026.
Emma Graham-Harrison and Quique Kierszenbaum, '‘The settlers brought the violence’: the ethnic cleansing of a West Bank village', The Guardian, Jan 14, 2026.
Arie Perliger, 'West Bank violence is soaring, fueled by a capitulation of Israeli institutions to settlers’ interests', The Conversation, Dec 12, 2025.
Amnesty International, ‘“They steal the land, the water, by force”: West Bank activist on Palestinians’ struggle to remain on their land ’, Dec 4, 2025.
Jason Burke, ‘‘They have total impunity’: West Bank settler violence surges after Gaza ceasefire’, The Guardian, Nov 18, 2025.
OHCHR, 'Occupied West Bank: Increased Israeli violence against Palestinians must stop', Press Briefing Notes, Nov 14, 2025.

Venezuela

Chas Freeman, 'Attack On Venezuela Will Destroy The US Empire', Neutrality Studies, Jan 6, 2025.
Ambassador Samuel Moncada, 'Venezuela's UN Ambassador Responds To US Capture Of Maduro At Security Council Meeting', Jan 6, 2026. (Video: 9.57 mins).

Defence and Security

Paul Keating, 'Another RSL dope wants to draw us into a major war', Pearls & Irritations, Nov 13 2025.
Nick Deane, 'Looking back on Remembrance Day', Pearls & Irritations, Nov 12, 2025.
Nick Deane, 'AUKUS anniversary reminder to the prime minister', Pearls & Irritations, Sep 18, 2025.
Vince Scappatura & Richard Tanter, 'When Australia defied US nuclear plans. Part 2: B-52s over Australia in the 1980s', Pearls & irritations, Sep 6, 2025.
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, 'New Poll: Two-thirds of Australians want to sign the nuclear weapon ban', News, Aug 6, 2025.
Hugh White, 'Australia Prepares War With China To Rescue US Hegemony', Neutrality Studies, published Jan 25, 2025. (Video duration 50:32).
Australians for War Powers Reform, Webinar 'Subs & Secrets - AUKUS or Sovereignty' hosted by Quentin Dempster, Nov 26, 2024. (Video duration 1:01:58).
Vince Scappatura, 'AUKUS and B-52s - Politics, Sovereignty and Security', IPAN webinar on Sep 16, 2024, published Sep 17, 2024. (Video duration 18:47 mins).
Paul Keating, 'Marles, with all pretension, flogging a dead seahorse', Pearls & Irritations, Sep 28, 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

Anatol Lieven, 'Trump's '28-point plan' for Ukraine War provokes political earthquake', Responsible Statecaft, Nov 20, 2025.
John Mearsheimer and Matt Duss, 'A Debate on the Trump-Putin Summit, Ukraine, Russia & Paths to Peace', Interview with Amy Goodman & Juan Gonzalez, Democracy Now!, published Aug 16, 2025. (Duration 22:31minutes).
Jeffrey Sachs, 'Address at the EU Parliament', The Africa News Network, published Feb 23, 2025.
John Mearsheimer, 'No Hope For Ukraine Peace Deal?', interview with Glenn Greenwald, published Jan 26, 2025. (Duration of initial interview segment 9:33 minutes).
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.

Contributions to the Debate

Michael West, 'How Zionists are weaponising the courts to silence critics', Scam of the Week, The West Report, Dec 13, 2025. (Video: 26:10 mins).
Ian McAuley, 'Migration myths', Pearls and Irritations, Nov 19, 2025.
Bernard Keane, 'If the Coalition doesn’t like Nazis on Twitter, maybe it should stop legitimising them', Crikey, Feb 3, 2025.
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.

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.

Media Coverage

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

Submissions

Oct 2025 - Submission prepared by Peter Griffin to the Australian National University (ANU) National Security College (NSC) investigation on 'Securing our future: Australian attitudes to national security'.

Oct 2025 - MPG's submission prepared by Nick Deane to the Australian National University (ANU) National Security College (NSC) investigation on 'Securing our future: Australian attitudes to national security'.

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.