A meeting of Cairns peace activists last night resolved to do what they can to ensure the defeat of the Howard government on November 24.
The meeting, organised by local group Peace by Peace heard from ALP candidate for Leichhardt, Jim Turnour. Discussion and questions went for an hour and, after the candidate left, Peace by Peace resolved to support Mr Turnour’s candidacy in Leichhardt as an alternative to the Coalition government.
Liberal candidate Charlie McKillop sent her apologies to the meeting, while Nationals candidate Ian Crossland didn’t respond in any way to his invitation.
25 people at the meeting resolved to encourage all Leichhardt voters to give their effective preference to Mr Turnour at the November 24 elections, and to put Coalition candidates last in the Senate.
The meeting also resolved to conduct “peak hour peace vigils” on afternoons leading up to the election. This will consist of a small number of activists attending a busy main road between 4.30 – 5.45 pm on weekday afternoons and displaying signs urging a change of government and an end to war.
The first “peak hour peace vigil” will be conducted this afternoon, at the outbound lane of traffic on the Cook Highway, at the corner of Sheridan St and Collins Avenue, starting at 4.30 pm. All peace activists welcome.
Peace by Peace will conduct similar vigils as resources permit over the coming three weeks, and will make Friday afternoons at Sheridan and Collins a regular gig.
Anyone wishing to participate in these vigils can telephone Bryan Law on 4052 1563.
5 comments:
Can you do one between 8-9am at Forest Garden intersection as I would like something interesting to read as I sit in the traffic jam... any day is fine as it is blocked back to Mt Sheridan everyday. Bring your own gas masks or they might arrest you for petrol sniffin. Thanks
I am interested as to why you all think that Turnour should be supported by peace by peace. Mr Rudd supported sending troops to Iraq and he has said that he will leave troops in Afghanistan. So what is so peaceful about that... Peace by Peace should support a candidate that will stand up and fight for Far North Queensland and all who live in it. Mr Turnour hasn't really had anything much too offer us yet in this campaign. He supported the Labor commitment to upgrade the Bruce Highway BUT that commintment left out the major flood areas that affect US in FNQ from being cut off every year. He was quite happy to see that funding go to Townsville, what the?
$200 million for the great barrier reef, with money to come from the National Heritage Trust that is already supporting an enormous amount of community and government projects to save our reefs, rainforests etc. What successful projects will be sacrificed in Mr Rudds lavish commitment to work that is already being done?
Kazba, Yep, OK, we'll do one at Forest Gardens one morningthis week.
Jade, you're right, an effective preference for jim Turnour is not going to bring peace by itself.
Nevertheless Labor policy is to withdraw combat troops from Iraq, and they have at last realised the disgraceful failure that is the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
The Coalition will continue to be MORE slavish to the US Neo-cons than will Labor. The Coalition has also committed Australia to some $53 Billion of capital arms acquisitions (cruisers, tanks, fighters etc) and is a full-on participant in the "Missile Defence Shield" - seen by the rest of the world as a first strike nuclear weapon.
Jim Turnour gave us an hour of his time last Thursday, and promised us access to him as a local member. We also have a promise of access from shadow defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, and that is streets ahead of anything said by Charlie McKillop or the Coalition.
I've got no doubt that most peaceniks will vote 1 Greens. What Peace by Peace is saying is that an effective preference ought be given to Labor and the Coalition put last.
As a throwaway on roads, I don't think more roads are the solution (petrol at $100/barrell!). I'm for better rail and public transport - and the Queensland government is so far hopelessly inadequate.
Vote HoWARd OUT!
More power to peace groups! The Bush Administration looks set to attack Iran if their war drumming is any pointer. There are many of us who think this will result in WW111.
Bryan,
Be aware but not alarmed when you come out this way as we have no footpath/pathways on the Forest Gardens to Woree side of the highway.Don't worry about the school kids on bikes as they are all trained off-road stuntpeople and are used to dodging cane trains on the narrow goat track, so will easily be able to avoid your group. As for petrol prices/public transport, you will be able to watch the residents of south cairns suburbs burn hundreds of $$$ and emit tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere as you look at the rail tracks that run into the CBD but are not used. See you soon.
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