Protesters urge Israel sanctions ahead of MPs return
The rally on Sunday was held on the first of three days of planned protest action in Canberra, culminating with the first sitting day of the new parliamentary term on Tuesday.
Sunday's rally saw hundreds of demonstrators gather on the lawns of Parliament House, before heading towards the embassy.
Thousands of paper kites were placed on the lawns, some bearing the names of children who have been killed in the Middle East conflict.
Protesters called for the government to impose Israeli sanctions for attacks on Gaza.
Criticism was also levelled against a report to the federal government handed down by anti-Semitism special envoy Jillian Segal.
The report urged the government to withhold funds from universities and cultural institutions who fail to act against anti-Semitism, or if they facilitate it.
One speaker at the rally, Janet Parker from Jews for Palestine WA, said the proposal from the special envoy in the report went too far.
"The result would be censorship and surveillance of public institutions and the repression of expressions of solidarity," she told the rally.
Ms Segal's report said intervention was needed to address rising levels of anti-Semitism in the community.
"The plan supports the safety, visibility and contribution of Australia's Jewish communities, so that no Australian feels the need to hide who they are," she said after the report's release.
The federal government is waiting for a report from the special envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, to consider the recommendations alongside Ms Segal's report.
Sunday's rally in Canberra came a day after activists vandalised the Australian-American memorial in Canberra.
The base of the almost 80-metre column was sprayed with red paint on Saturday, with activists saying it was a "toxic" reminder of the role of the nations' alliance in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
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The Age
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100,000 march in Melbourne and Sydney to protest Israel's bombardment of Gaza
As the crowd approached the police line, organiser Mohammad Sharab called on protesters to 'prove to the world that this is not a movement that will clash with police' and told them to stay back or sit down. 'We are sitting here for Palestine … peacefully,' he said. 'We need to calm down, show everybody who we are. We have women, children, vulnerable people. We are responsible people. 'They are holding their guns, their weapons, against people who are protesting peacefully. Shame on Victoria Police, shame.' One woman wearing a keffiyeh approached the police line to say 'keep our children safe' and another protester told the heavily armed officers the police blockade was a 'waste of taxpayer dollars'. Protest marshals formed a line to keep distance between the police and protesters. Demonstrators chanted 'Free Palestine' and 'Not a target'. 'Thank you for blocking the bridge. You did our job for us!' one masked protester shouted at the police. 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Earlier in the day, former Greens candidate for Wills Samantha Ratnam addressed the crowd to roaring applause and clanging pots, a symbol of food shortages in Gaza. She said Labor was feeling pressure amid rising calls for Israeli sanctions and greater scrutiny on contracts for military parts. 'The more they minimise us ... the more and more they're being overwhelmed [by the] community telling them they're on the wrong side of history,' she said. Rally organiser Mohammad Sharab said the protests were about peace and humanity, criticising the media and politicians for calling the protesters 'extremists'. 'We stand for justice ... We are not ashamed of it. For those who call us extremist and antisemitic for standing against genocide, these extreme comments make you the extremist. That's my message to [Premier] Jacinta Allan,' he said. Palestinian activist Basil El Ghattis held up pictures of children aged from six months to 17 years old, suffering severe malnutrition from the aid blockade in Gaza. 'The starvation of Palestinians today is a page out of the colonial playbook,' he said. 'We must hold our government to account.' Earlier, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said the force repeatedly engaged with Melbourne protest organisers to persuade them not to gather on the King Street Bridge, but rally plans had not changed. She said officers would have a visible presence in the city on Sunday, with additional police brought in from outside metropolitan Melbourne. Police confirmed there were no arrests, but they were following up a report that an egg was thrown at a person during the protest Organisers from the Free Palestine Coalition said the police decision to bring in hundreds of additional officers was a waste of resources for a peaceful protest. 'Gaza is suffering from an ongoing forced man-made famine and ongoing bombing of civilians,' the coalition said. 'This is exactly why organisers are holding the protest to King Street Bridge ... to let the good people of the city of Melbourne know that there are atrocities happening in Gaza, and that we as a community have an opportunity to change the status quo, and bring about change.' Loading The Israeli government has denied claims of genocide and starvation in Gaza, claiming the war is an act of self-defence. Premier Jacinta Allan warned protesters there would be consequences for anyone who caused chaos in the CBD. 'There are strong operational arrangements in place for today. Those are in place to support people's safety,' she said at a press conference on Sunday morning before the protest. 'Anyone who breaks the law, anyone who compromises community safety will be dealt with swiftly by Victoria Police.' Opposition Leader Brad Battin said it was vital that rallies had to receive a permit to go-ahead and police were given powers to 'move on' protesters, to avoid circumstances where major roads were closed. '[The state government] hasn't brought the legislation in to ensure we've got registration of protests here in our state … to keep the community moving and keep the community safe,' he said. Last week, Police Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush, ruled out introducing protest permits in Victoria, saying they had not been a game-changer in other states. On Sunday, Battin urged the chief commissioner to reconsider, suggesting a stance against protest permits was the wrong message for Victoria. 'The chief commissioner has been here for a short period of time, not for all 92 of these protests that have happened in the city ... But the reality is, the legislation lies with the government.' The Victorian government last year announced it would criminalise face masks at protests and the use of glue, rope, chains and other devices that cause disruptions, but it is yet to bring the bill to parliament.
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The Age
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Well, you can forget about Treasurer Jim Chalmers' three-day roundtable discussions leading to any improvement in the economy's productivity and growth, let alone getting the budget back under control. Late last week, the Business Council of Australia (BCA) persuaded all of Canberra's many other business lobby groups to join it in rejecting out of hand the Productivity Commission's proposal for reform of the company tax system which, the commission argued, would increase businesses' incentive to invest more in productivity-enhancing plant and equipment, without any net reduction in company tax collections. The proposal is for the rate of company tax to be cut for all but our biggest 500 companies, while introducing a 5 per cent tax on the net cash flow of all companies. The join statement by 24 business lobby groups says that 'while some businesses may benefit under the proposal, it risks all Australian consumers and businesses paying more for the things they buy every day – groceries, fuel and other daily essentials'. Get it? This is the lobbyists' oldest trick: 'We're not concerned about what the tax change would do to our profits, dear reader, we're just worried about what it would do you and your pocket. It's not us we worry about, it's our customers.' Loading Suddenly, their professed concern about the lack of productivity improvement and slow growth is out the window, and now it's the cost of living they're deeply worried about. They've been urging governments to increase the GST for years, but now they don't want higher prices. Yeah, sure. Bet you didn't know there are as many as 24 different business lobby groups in the capital. Their role is to advance the narrowly defined interests of their paying clients back in the rest of Oz by means fair or foul. They're not paid to help the government reach a deal we can all live with, nor to suggest that their clients worry about anything other than their own immediate interests. Canberra calls this lobbying. Economists call it rent-seeking. You press the government for special deals at the expense of someone else, while ensuring you contribute as little as possible. This, apparently, is the way democracy is meant to work.
