Perth Indymedia

An ANU social survey, Attitudes to National Security: Balancing Safety and Privacy, has revealed a range of shocking attitudes among a random selection of 1200 Australians, with some 71% of respondents concerned about the possible rise of Islamic extremism, and 41% not bothered by the singling out of Muslims for "increased surveillence and monitoring". Alex Whisson started the conversation by asking Dr Morsi, a lecturer in politics at La Trobe University, for his initial reaction to these disturbing findings.

Jeff Sparrow is the author of Radical Melbourne: A Secret History, former editor of Overland literary journal, and one of the hosts of 3RRR's Breakfasters program. He is also a regular columnist for the Guardian. Alex Whisson spoke to him regarding the return of Pauline Hanson to federal parliament, the rise of Islamophobia, and the burning question of how to combat racism in Australian society. He began by asking Jeff about the recent Essential Media poll, which found 49% of respondents favoured a blanket ban on Muslim migration to Australia.

Following news that euthanasia has been performed on a terminally ill minor in Belgium, Indymedia spoke with National Ethnic Disability Alliance president Suresh Rajan about the implications on people with disabilities.

In his Prison Notebooks of 1930, the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci wrote, "The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear." In his new book, Morbid Symptoms: Relapse in the Arab Uprising, published by Saqi Books, Gilbert Achcar, Professor of Development Studies and International Relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London, argues we are witnessing precisely such an interregnum unfold in the Arab world. Will the counter-revolution triumph, or are we likely to see successive waves of revolutionary ferment continue to break out across the region? Only time will tell. Indymedia's Alex Whisson began by asking Professor Achcar to outline the key events in the northern summer of 2013 that consolidated the counter-revolution - the Iranian-backed al-Qusayr offensive by the Assad regime in Syria, and the July 3rd military coup d'etat in Egypt - events which contribute

The ongoing social revolution in Rojava, within the Kurdish Territories in Northern Syria, is providing inspiration for activists and libertarian socialists around the world. While having to pursue the revolution and self-determination amidst the ongoing war with ISIS and the Assad regime, as well as suffering attacks from Turkey, the Ocalan movement is putting into practice real democratic alternatives to the system, based on gender equality and a respect for ecology. Catalan libertarian activist Saura travelled to the Kurdish territories to observe the unfolding revolution, Indymedia's Ray Grenfell caught up with her to hear about her experiences.

Wiradjuri elder Jenny Munroe on the Kalgoorlie uprising by Perth Indymedia Collective

Very few people remember the Jobs for Women campaign of the late 1970’s and 80’s. Fewer still remember the 1973 ‘work in’ protest by a determined group of women at BHP’s Port Kembla steelworks in Wollongong. They should, for it was these struggles that forged the path for women working today in heavy industry. With the 25-minute short The Women Who Were Never There, and a potential feature film on the way, Jill Hickson and a team of filmmakers set out to recover this treasured history for a new generation of militant trade unionists and women in struggle.

The Four Corners report in to institutionalised abuse of children in the Northern Territory, has rightfully caused outrage throughout Australia. It even made headlines in the international press. But how sincere is that outrage when it comes from ‘our’ politicians, the very same people who preside over these systems of injustice? And why do so many non-indigenous Australians react with horror to these very particular forms of abuse, when anyone with their eyes open knows they are reflective of the daily lived experience of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters? Alex Whisson spoke to Walkley award-winning journalist and editor of New Matilda, Chris Graham, to try and make sense of the Don Dale outrage in a broader social context.

We speak with Robert Eggington of the Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation on the call for a Royal Commission in the wake of the Don Dale detention centre revelations of abuse in the Northern Territory.

Extended interview with inventor Daniel Connell and open source technology designer says anyone who "can cut paper and hold a drill" can have their own wind turbine using $20-30 worth of easily sourced local recycled materials and basic hand tools. He's got a workshop coming up this weekend in Perth - check out https://www.facebook.com/events/113710892396433/

Following a rally of around 500 people in perth in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Indymedia spoke to Kayande Rashidi from the local Congolese community about the event, racism in Australian society and global awareness of the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Black Lives Matter movement continues to cause reverberations throughout the United States, exposing the racist core at the heart of the world’s most powerful nation. But racism is integral to the functioning of capitalism in Australia too, as Aboriginal deaths in custody, Islamophobia, and hatred of refugees continue to leave a dark stain on the body politic. With all that in mind, and with the world in desperate need of a united movement against bigotry in all its forms, one young woman decided a Black Lives Matter rally wouldn’t be amiss in our own sleepy little town. Yasmina Paige spoke to Alex Whisson. #blacklivesmatter #aboriginaldeathsincustody #australianracism #racism #islamophobia #paulinehanson

We speak with Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie, Adjunct Research Fellow with Curtin University’s School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts and founder and creative director at Games We Play about the worldwide phenomenon that is Pokemon Go. A bit of editorial (aka ranting) from some of the Indymedia team who couldn't help but also weigh in on this discussion.

Professor Paul Flatau Director Centre for Social Impact UWA on upcoming Social Impact Festival in Perth. The Social Impact Festival is aiming to connect and celebrate the people, organisations, ideas, networks and collaborations for social change across WA.

Indymedia speaks with ImportantCool associate Allison Petite who was in Dallas shortly before the deadly shootings of police officers in her ongoing coverage of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. We hear about her experience, as a black woman, of the racial tension in the United States in these tumultuous times.

The days following the British referendum to leave the EU, the Brexit, have seen political turmoil for both major parties in the UK. Meanwhile reports of racist violence has skyrocketed. Ray Grenfell speaks to historian and activist Cedric Beistatch to get an idea as to what this vote means for the UK and Europe.

Indymedia's Karun Cowper speaks with National Director at New Zealand's Action Station and Enspiral member Marianne Elliott on alternatives to the dominant paradigm in tumultuous times.

Karun Cowper speaks to Claire Vanderplank on The Slow Project - a social change project on Slow Movement that helps people rediscover presence & connection & benefits for individuals. First expressed via Slow Food, ‘Slow’ is popping up in many areas of life (Slow Travel, Slow Thinking, Slow Money, Slow Design, Slow Medicine etc) as a response to the impacts that the false god of speed has on ourselves, others and the planet.

Professor Sohail Inayatullah is Unesco Chair in Futures Studies associated with Tamkang University, Taiwan; University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, and Mt Eliza Executive Education, the University of Melbourne. Karun Cowper speaks to Professor Inayatullah about his work assisting local and global organisations and institutions create alternative and preferred futures.

Flood the Campus last week saw students from 7 university divestment campaigns across Australia take escalatory action in order to send a strong message to their uni to stop funding climate change. The fossil free uni groups are asking their uni to divest the millions of dollars they have currently invested in the fossil fuel industry in order to avoid dangerous levels of warming and catastrophic climate change risking their future. It is known that in order to do this 80% of fossil fuels must be kept in the ground, yet here in Australia there are massive new coal mines being approved. It is for this reason that after 3 years of campaigning fossil free uni groups took direct action to flood the campus. This included UNSW occupying their council chambers for 38 hours. Indymedia's Aleesha Hanczakowski spoke to Breana Macpherson-Rice from the UNSW action.