Thousands of Australians are expected to turn up at protests around the country, for the second day of action against the WA Government’s controversial proposal to close down up to 150 remote Aboriginal communities.
The protests are being held in all major capital cities, from Hobart to Darwin, and in a number of regional cities including Albury, Rockhampton, Broome, Moree, Newcastle, Cairns, Geraldton and a number of others.
Late last year, WA Premier Colin Barnett announced his plans to close up to 150 of the state’s 274 remote Aboriginal communities after the federal government signed an agreement with his government handing over responsibility for municipal and essential services.
The plans attracted widespread condemnation following Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s comments that the taxpayer shouldn’t be expected to fund the “lifestyle choices” of Aboriginal people who live on their homelands.
Premier Barnett later claimed that a review into the state’s remote communities was expected to uncover instances of domestic violence and child abuse.
An ABC report earlier this year revealed that the WA government had undertaken research in 2010 which listed up to 190 remote communities as unsustainable.
Today’s protests follow protests across the country in March, which attracted thousands of people voicing their opposition to the plans. It follows protests in Sydney and Melbourne in April, which attracted about 13,000 people and brought the cities to a standstill.
In Melbourne, the media labelled the protestors a “selfish rabble” and provided no context or coverage of the reasons why they were protesting.
But where mainstream media fails them, the protests have been well-covered by social media, and are being run in conjunction with a virtual protest, which encourages people to join in the action by changing their profile pictures and writing support under the hashtag #SOSBlakAustralia.
The virtual campaign has attracted supporters like actor Hugh Jackman, singer Michael Davis, activist Angela Davis, academic Dr Cornel West as well as sports stars from the AFL, NRL and the English Super League.
You can join the May 1 action on social media, or by attending the protests listed below:
Australian Capital Territory Canberra When: Friday 1 May, 11 am Where: Garema Place, Civic Centre, Canberra, 2601
New South Wales Albury When: Friday 1 May, 9:30 am Where: Botanical Gardens, Smollet Street and Wodonga Place, 2640
Armidale When: Friday 1 May, 10:30 am Where: Central Park, Armidale, 2350
Brewarrina When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Memorial Park, Bathurst Street
Coffs Harbour When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Fitzroy Oval, Coffs Harbour, 2450
Forster When: Friday 1 May, 1 am Where: John Holland Park, Forster, 2428
Gosford When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: 6 Sydney Avenue, Umina Beach, Gosford, 2257
Grafton When: Friday 1 May, 10:30 am Where: Market Square, Prince St
Kempsey When: Friday 1 May, 2 pm Where: Kempsey Pools, 71 Belgrave Street
Moree When: Friday 1 May, 12 pm Where: Moree Town Hall, Balo Street, Moree, 2400
Moruya When: Friday 1 May, 12:30 pm Where: River Park, Moruya, 2537
Muswellbrook When: Friday 1 May, 9 am Where: Simpson Park, Market Street, Muswellbrook, 2333
Nambucca Heads When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Muurbray Language Centre, Nambucca Heads, 2448 (transport from Bowraville and Macksville provided)
Newcastle When: Friday 1 May, 10:30 am Where: Civic Park, Newcastle, 2300
Orange When: Friday 1 May, 4 am Where: Robbo Park, Mitchell Highway, Orange, 2800
Sydney When: Friday 1 May, 4 pm Where: Belmore Park (Near Central Station), Hay Street, Sydney, 2000
Woolongong/Illawarra When: Friday 1 May, 11:30 am Where: McCabe Park, Woolongong, 2500
Queensland
Brisbane When: Friday 1 May, 5 pm Where: King George Square, Brisbane, 4000
Cairns When: Friday 1 May, 1 pm Where: Fogarty Park, Cairns Esplanade, Cairns, 4870
Gladstone When: Friday 1 May, 9 am Where: Anzac Park, Gladstone, 4680
Rockhampton When: Friday 1 May, 9 am Where: Rockhampton City Hall, 4700
Stradbroke Island When: Friday 1 May, 1 pm Where: Dunwich Park, North Stradbroke Island, 4183
Toowoomba When: Friday 1 May, 5 pm Where: Village Green on Ruthven
Townsville When: Friday 1 May, 8:15 am Where: Centrals Football Grounds, Anne Street, Townsville, 4810
Tweed Heads When: Friday 1 May, 4 pm Where: Tweed Civic Centre
Yarrabah When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Yarrabah Works Department, 4871
Northern Territory Alice Springs When: Friday 1 May, 12 pm Where: Town Council Lawns, Alice Springs, 0870
Darwin When: Friday 1 May, 12 pm Where: Raintree Park, Knuckey Street, Darwin, 0800
South Australia
Adelaide When: Friday 1 May, 12 pm Where: Tarntanyangga/Victoria Square, Adelaide, 5000
Port Lincoln When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Port Lincoln Yacht Club, Eyre Street, Lincoln, 5607
Tasmania
Hobart When: Friday 1 May, 1 pm Where: Parliament House, Salamanca Place, Hobart
Western Australia
Beagle Bay When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Old Admin Building KRCI Office, Beagle Bay, 6725
Broome When: Friday 1 May, 4 pm Where: Broome Shire Office, 6725 Confirm your attendance on Facebook
Esperance When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Tanker Jetty, Esperance, 6450
Fitzroy Crossing When: Friday 1 May, 2 pm Where: Great Northern Highway, Fitzroy Crossing (out front of Marra Worra Worra)
Geraldton When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Edith Cowan Square, Geraldton, 6530
Halls Creek When: Friday 1 May, 10:45 am Where: Corner of Duncan Highway and Great Northern Highway, 6770
Kalgoorlie When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: At the top of Hannam Street (near Trilby Cooper Hostel), Kalgoorlie, 6430
Kununurra When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: White Gum Park, Kununurra, 6743
Newman When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: ANZ Park, Newman, 6753
One Arm Point When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Community Admin Office, One Arm Point, 6725
Perth When: Friday 1 May, 11 am Where: Forrest Chase, Perth, 6007
Port Hedland When: Friday 1 May, 1 pm Where: Front of South Hedland Courthouse, 6722
Roeburn When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: Roeburn School Oval, 6718
Victoria
Bendigo When: Friday 1 May, time TBC Where: TBC
Melbourne When: Friday 1 May, 4 pm Where: Melbourne Town Hall Stairs, 3000
Mildura When: Friday 1 May, 10 am Where: The Water Tower, Corner of 10th and Orange Avenue, Mildura, 3500
Portland When: Friday 1 May, 12:30 pm Where: Market Square, Portland 3305
Warrnambool When: Friday 1 May, 9:30 am Where: Civic Green, Warrnambool, 3280