Democratic rights under attack in Australia
Australian state Labor government’s lies about “protest violence” exposed
By Mike Head, 24 August 2019
Labor’s fabricated “booby trap” claims illustrate how governments concoct fear campaigns to attack basic democratic rights.
As Australian government threatens to jail journalists, media chiefs denounce Julian Assange
By Mike Head, 19 August 2019
While claiming to champion the “right to know,” media executives condemned the WikiLeaks founder for exposing the crimes of the US spy and military apparatuses.
Australian government boosts Special Forces despite war crimes charges
By Mike Head, 16 August 2019
The move is part of the preparation for war, as well as for the suppression of domestic dissent.
Australia: Pro-US ideologue brands student groups as China’s “useful idiots”
By Oscar Grenfell, 15 August 2019
Clive Hamilton’s comments are a warning that Australia’s involvement in the US drive to war with China will be accompanied by political repression domestically.
Establishment figures welcome renewed anti-China hysteria in Australia
By James Cogan, 13 August 2019
The ruling elite requires Australia’s incorporation into US war preparations to be accompanied by slandering any public opposition as the product of “Chinese interference.”
Australian actor John Jarratt sues Daily Telegraph after jury throws out rape charge
By Richard Phillips, 13 August 2019
The jury of five men and seven women took just over 15 minutes to unanimously reject the #MeToo-inspired rape allegation against the veteran actor.
Australia: Mentally-ill man shot dead by police at his home
By Martin Scott, 12 August 2019
“If there was no danger to the public, and if he was contained in his own house and not doing anything, one would have to ask ‘why in the hell is he gone?’”
Australian investigative journalist exposes Guardian/New York Times betrayal of Assange
By Oscar Grenfell, 10 August 2019
Mark Davis made clear that the corporate media cynically exploited WikiLeaks, before ruthlessly turning on its founder Julian Assange and joining the state campaign against him.
Jennifer Robinson, a leading member of Assange’s legal team, speaks with the WSWS
By our reporters, 9 August 2019
“It speaks volumes about Australia’s position in the world that it’s not willing to take a stand against the United States and protect an Australian citizen.”
Australian spy and police chiefs say raids on journalists must continue
By Mike Head, 8 August 2019
In a blunt intervention, Director-General of National Intelligence Nick Warner used the language of war to defend the targeting of journalists.
Protests in Australia continue to break official silence on Julian Assange
By our reporters, 7 August 2019
The sentiments of ordinary people stand in stark contrast to the refusal of all of the official parties to take any action in defence of the WikiLeaks founder.
Despite briefing by Julian Assange’s lawyer, Australian politicians still refuse to defend him
By Mike Head, 3 August 2019
Intensive lobbying in Canberra this week failed to convince any parliamentarian to oppose the Trump administration’s bid to extradite the WikiLeaks founder.
Julian Assange’s lawyer briefs Australian parliamentarians on his persecution
By Oscar Grenfell, 1 August 2019
The event reflected concerns within the ruling elite over popular opposition to the Trump administration’s bid to prosecute the WikiLeaks founder.
Australian government demands police-state powers over protests and exclusions of citizens
By Mike Head, 24 July 2019
The bills would hand governments the most authoritarian powers since the two world wars.
Australian government seeking to prosecute journalists over exposure of war crimes
By Oscar Grenfell, 16 July 2019
The federal police are investigating journalists over the 2017 publication of the “Afghan Files,” which revealed Australian military involvement in extrajudicial killings and other crimes.
Twitter removes account of Assange defence organisation
By Mike Head, 13 July 2019
Unity4J, which campaigns against the persecution of the WikiLeaks founder, was given no reason for the suspension.
Australian police monitoring journalists’ travel and internet data
By Mike Head, 10 July 2019
New reports demonstrate an escalating effort to criminalise exposures about key military and intelligence operations.
Was the Australian army placed on alert during last year’s political crisis?
By Mike Head, 5 July 2019
Whether or not the military was actually activated, Australia was on the brink of a constitutional crisis last August.
Julian Assange’s birthday celebrated at vigils in Australia and New Zealand
By our reporters, 5 July 2019
Linda Tenenbaum, a longstanding leader of the SEP, indicted the Australian government and the political and media establishment for abandoning Assange, an Australia citizen.
Australian workers and youth speak out at vigils for Assange’s birthday
By our reporters, 5 July 2019
“The things he has done have changed the world. The people who hate him are usually the people who are in power.”
Australian filmmaker James Ricketson calls on journalist Peter Greste to defend Assange
4 July 2019
Ricketson’s “Open Letter” debunks Greste’s claim that Assange is not a journalist and therefore not deserving of support, and calls on him to defend the WikiLeaks founder, as he did Ricketson who was wrongly jailed in Cambodia.
Video: Watch the Sydney Free Assange rally
4 July 2019
The demonstration is one of a series of rallies organised by the Socialist Equality Party to defend Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning; the next will be in Brisbane on Saturday followed by Melbourne on Sunday July 14.
Australian workers and youth speak out in defence of Assange at SEP rally
By our reporters, 3 July 2019
“No other political party, none of the human rights groups are acting. Amnesty is doing nothing! Getup is doing nothing!”
Australian media chiefs seek to divert anger over police raids
By Mike Head, 2 July 2019
There was no mention of the violent arrest of Julian Assange, which opened the floodgates for a broader assault on free speech.
Australian PM refused to raise persecution of Assange with Trump
By Oscar Grenfell, 2 July 2019
At the G20 summit Morrison fawned over Trump, who is seeking to imprison the WikiLeaks founder for life, or execute him.
Watch the Sydney rally to free Assange live!
28 June 2019
The SEP rally is among the first events to be held since the WSWS International Editorial Board called for the formation of a Global Defence Committee to demand freedom for Assange and Manning.
Terry Hicks, father of former Guantánamo Bay prisoner David Hicks, demands freedom for Assange and Manning
28 June 2019
“There’s only one word to describe the victimisation and persecution of Assange and Manning, and that word is barbaric.”
Join the Sydney rally this Saturday demanding freedom for Julian Assange!
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 June 2019
The demonstration will insist that the Australian government take immediate action to prevent the WikiLeaks founder’s extradition to the US, where he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Australian filmmaker James Ricketson to speak at SEP rally in defence of Assange
26 June 2019
“We must do all in our power to prevent Assange’s extradition to the US. Signing petitions is not enough. We must make our presence felt in the streets at vigils and demonstrations.”
Assange legal advisor: Pentagon spearheaded pursuit of WikiLeaks founder
By Oscar Grenfell, 25 June 2019
Geoffrey Robertson’s statement is another demonstration that Assange would not receive anything resembling a fair trial if he were extradited to the US.
Australian Labor Party leader determined to expel building union official
By Mike Head, 21 June 2019
Corporate outlets have declared that John Setka’s removal is the first “test” of Anthony Albanese’s leadership in turning Labor further to the right.
Professor Stuart Rees to speak at SEP rally to defend Julian Assange
20 June 2019
“The rally must increase public awareness of the outrageous injustice if Julian is extradited to the US to face a possible 170 years in prison.”
John Pilger urges participation in SEP (Australia) rallies to defend Assange
19 June 2019
“In my career, there has never been a more important case. If we lose Julian and Chelsea Manning to the dungeons of a rogue America, once-liberal societies will never be the same again; democracies will be in name only.”
Prominent Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis calls for campaign to free Assange
18 June 2019
“We must not wait till it is too late to recognise the broader significance of the persecution of Julian Assange and fail to defend his human rights.”
Two protesters arrested at Melbourne rally in defence of Assange
By Oscar Grenfell, 17 June 2019
The arrests were aimed at intimidating supporters of WikiLeaks and preventing broader layers from joining the campaign to defend Assange and all democratic rights.
Australia: Another Sydney apartment block evacuated over major structural cracks
By John Wilson, 17 June 2019
The event underlines the escalating crisis in housing and apartment building and the cost-cutting methods used during the past two decades.
WikiLeaks publisher Assange faces US extradition trial next February
By Robert Stevens, 15 June 2019
The UK government has made clear that it will do everything possible to expedite Washington’s vindictive attempt to render the courageous journalist to face imprisonment, torture, and execution in the US.
Activist Lauri Love and others speak out in defence of Assange
By our reporters, 15 June 2019
Members of the Julian Assange Defence Committee and the SEP were joined by people from across London and further afield, including two “Yellow Vest” protestors from France.
Australian Labor Party’s hypocrisy on police media raids exposed
By Mike Head, 12 June 2019
The opposition Labor Party has joined hands with the ruling Coalition to pass legislation handing unprecedented powers to the police and intelligence agencies.
Australian journalist calls on colleagues to defend Assange
By Oscar Grenfell, 12 June 2019
Andrew Fowler warned: “If Assange is left to swing in the breeze, it will be an open invitation for any journalist, anywhere in the world, to be extradited to the US.”
US issues formal request for Assange’s extradition
By Oscar Grenfell, 11 June 2019
The Trump administration is pressing ahead with its attempt to prosecute the WikiLeaks founder over his role in the exposure of US war crimes and diplomatic conspiracies.
SEP (Australia) calls rallies demanding freedom for Julian Assange
11 June 2019
The protests will demand that the Australian government take immediate action to prevent the WikiLeaks founder's extradition to the US and secure his complete freedom.
Australian police chief links media raids to US-led “Five Eyes” spy network
By Mike Head, 8 June 2019
Gaughan’s statement points to the targeting of journalists in order to cover up Washington’s preparations for wars and mass political surveillance.
“Is there going to be a future for journalism?”
Australian media workers denounce police raids
By our correspondents, 8 June 2019
ABC workers spoke of their shock and alarm at the arrival of federal police in their building.
The global war on journalism
By Mike Head, 6 June 2019
The arrest of Julian Assange has set a precedent for the state persecution of journalists, triggering police raids in Australia and France against reporters documenting government crimes and corruption.
Australian Federal Police raid journalists over exposures of government spying, war crimes
By Oscar Grenfell, 5 June 2019
The raids, targeting a News Corp journalist and the Sydney offices of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, are part of an expanding assault on democratic rights and press freedom.
Australian government forces refugees back to face repression in Sri Lanka
By Max Newman, 5 June 2019
At least 20 more asylum seekers have been detained by the Australian navy and deported to Sri Lanka to face possible torture and imprisonment.
SEP Australia meetings on Labor’s election debacle and the defence of Assange
4 June 2019
The leftward movement of workers and youth can find no means of expression within the present political framework. It must be developed into a conscious political movement, based on a socialist perspective.
Britain and Australia dismiss UN report that Assange has been tortured
By Oscar Grenfell, 3 June 2019
The brazen responses demonstrate the criminality of the US-led vendetta against Assange, which is proceeding in violation of due process and the fundamental tenets of international law.
Sydney Peace Prize recipients demand Australian government defend Assange
By Oscar Grenfell, 3 June 2019
The statement was a powerful indictment of the Australian political and media establishment, which has abandoned the WikiLeaks founder or openly participated in his persecution.
Australia: Children detained in adult watch houses in Queensland
By John Harris, 31 May 2019
Children as young as ten have been held in maximum security facilities, where they have been subjected to horrific abuses.
Actor Geoffrey Rush awarded record payout in defamation damages
By Linda Tenenbaum, 25 May 2019
The Oscar-winning actor was granted a total of nearly $2.9 million, in general and special damages, due to the Murdoch media’s defamatory articles.
Speech by Oscar Grenfell
Millions in Australia “view Assange as a hero who is being attacked for revealing the truth.”
By Oscar Grenfell, 17 May 2019
We are publishing here the speech of Oscar Grenfell, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) and national convenor of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, at the May 12 meeting in London in defence of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning.
Hunter “Meet the Candidates” Forum exposes major parties
By our reporters, 15 May 2019
SEP candidate Max Boddy said that “the elephant in this election campaign is the deafening silence on the persecution of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning.”
Australia: Rally to defend Julian Assange held in Broadmeadows, Melbourne
By our reporters, 14 May 2019
The event drew a small but determined crowd of SEP members and supporters, local workers, and WikiLeaks’ supporters.
Free Assange NZ denounces hypocrisy at World Press Freedom Day event
By Tom Peters, 11 May 2019
Alex Hills from Free Assange New Zealand condemned the British government’s “brazen hypocrisy” and called on the media to “end the smears and lies about an anti-war hero.”
Video: Workers at SEP rally in Parramatta denounce persecution of Julian Assange
By our reporters, 9 May 2019
The Socialist Equality Party won strong support from workers and youth at its rally demanding the immediate release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and US whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
Australian fascist group tried to recruit Christchurch terrorist
By Tom Peters, 8 May 2019
The latest revelation further discredits claims by the Australian and New Zealand governments and police that Tarrant was a lone gunman whose attack could not have been prevented.
Former Australian PM denounces anti-China witch-hunt of intelligence agencies
By Oscar Grenfell: SEP candidate for Parramatta, 8 May 2019
Paul Keating’s outburst highlights the degree to which Australia and its military and security agencies have been integrated into the US war drive against China.
Video: At Sydney rally Assange’s father demands Australian government secure son’s release
7 May 2019
Two days after Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in jail, protesters rallied in Sydney’s Martin Place.
Austrian government ties welfare payments to German language skills
By Markus Salzmann, 3 May 2019
The targets of the cuts are mainly foreigners and those with large families.
Liberal and Labor compete in stoking anti-refugee scare-mongering
By Mike Head: SEP candidate for Oxley, 1 May 2019
The SEP unequivocally defends right of asylum seekers, immigrant workers and their families to live, study and work in Australia, or anywhere in the world, as full citizens.
On Australian TV, Julian Assange’s father calls for son’s freedom
By Oscar Grenfell, 29 April 2019
John Shipton warned that his son’s persecution was “to demonstrate that publishers and whistleblowers will be destroyed.”
UN official visits Julian Assange, investigating Ecuador’s illegal surveillance
By Mike Head, 26 April 2019
Confronted by worldwide protests and petitions, the British government felt compelled to grant the UN access to the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder.
Australian mining magnate renews his fraudulent populist pitch
By Mike Head: SEP candidate for Oxley, 26 April 2019
While feigning sympathy for working people, billionaire Clive Palmer is bankrolling an election blitz by his so-called United Australia Party.
Pennsylvania woman killed in factory meat grinder
By Tom Eley, 25 April 2019
Jill Greninger, 35, was working alone when the accident took place.
Australian rugby player Israel Folau challenges sacking over social media posts
By John Braddock, 25 April 2019
The moves to sack Folau over his social media posts are an attack on the player’s basic rights and on freedom of speech.
The Australian government must act to free Julian Assange
By Oscar Grenfell: SEP candidate for Parramatta, 25 April 2019
Assange’s brutal arrest and the attempts to extradite him to the US are an attack on the working class.
Formerly-jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste fronts corporate media attack on Julian Assange
By Mike Head, 20 April 2019
Peter Greste, once incarcerated by the US-backed Egyptian junta, is using his reputation as a victim of attacks on press freedom to support the Washington-led efforts to suppress WikiLeaks.
Australian filmmaker James Ricketson demands release of Julian Assange
By Richard Phillips, 19 April 2019
Ricketson was arrested in Cambodia in 2017 and imprisoned for 15 months on bogus claims that he was spying for “foreign states.”
Human rights advocate Professor Stuart Rees denounces attacks on WikiLeaks publisher
By Stuart Rees, 18 April 2019
“This is not a legal controversy. It is a massive political issue. The US culture of revenge has to be exposed and challenged. Grass roots outrage needs to be mobilised.”
Unsealed affidavit demonstrates US seeking to prosecute Assange for his journalism
By Oscar Grenfell, 17 April 2019
The extradition request is a pseudo-legal figleaf for an extraordinary rendition operation.
Australian political establishment rejects calls for defence of Julian Assange
By Mike Head, 16 April 2019
Both the ruling Liberal-National Coalition and opposition Labor Party have doubled down on their support for Washington’s decade-long operation to lock Assange away.
Prominent WikiLeaks supporter Somerset Bean speaks out in defence of Assange
By Oscar Grenfell, 16 April 2019
“The powers that be want to use the persecution of a successful and effective publisher as a warning to us all not to challenge their power and their crimes.”
Workers and youth speak out at SEP (Australia) rallies in defence of Assange
By our reporters, 15 April 2019
“What they are doing though won’t stop us. We will find a way to free Julian and any other journalists who come under attack.”
The Assange arrest is a warning from history
Comment by John Pilger, 13 April 2019
John Pilger, well-known filmmaker and investigative journalist, issued the following statement on the arrest of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London on April 11.
Prominent Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis speaks out for Assange
By Oscar Grenfell, 13 April 2019
“Journalists, all over the world, who have published material that WikiLeaks made available, should stand up for Julian’s rights.”
Australian PM and Labor Party leader both reject any defence of Julian Assange
By Mike Head, 13 April 2019
On the opening day of the federal election campaign, there was sickening bipartisan agreement to help hand the WikiLeaks publisher over to the Trump administration.
Workers and youth in Australia support Julian Assange
By our correspondents, 9 April 2019
SEP campaigners found a deep well of opposition to the persecution of the WikiLeaks founder over his exposure of the war crimes and diplomatic intrigues of the US and its allies.
Assange faces ongoing threats at Ecuador’s London embassy
By Oscar Grenfell, 8 April 2019
While the Ecuadorian government denied that Assange would be “imminently” expelled from the embassy, it did not dispute that plans had been afoot to terminate his political asylum.
UN Special Rapporteur: US extradition of Assange would be violation of international law
By Oscar Grenfell, 6 April 2019
The Ecuadorian regime, and its co-conspirators in the British and US governments, are engaged in a sordid and illegal conspiracy to terminate the political asylum of the WikiLeaks founder.
Defend Julian Assange!
Statement of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 6 April 2019
The Socialist Equality Party (Australia) condemns the stepped-up preparations to expel Julian Assange from London’s Ecuadorian embassy and to force him into the custody of the British police. WikiLeaks reported today that it has information, from a source in the Ecuadorian state, that Assange’s eviction from the building, where he sought asylum in 2012, will occur “within hours or days.”
WikiLeaks warns that Julian Assange faces imminent eviction from Ecuador’s London embassy
By Oscar Grenfell, 5 April 2019
The publisher warned that a “high-level source” within the Ecuadorian state had information that Assange would be expelled from the building and taken into British custody “within hours or days.”
Ecuadorian president threatens to evict Julian Assange from London embassy
By Oscar Grenfell, 3 April 2019
Moreno accused Assange of “repeatedly violating the conditions of his asylum,” to create a pretext to hand him over to British and US authorities.
Australia: Al Jazeera investigation targets right-wing One Nation party
By Oscar Grenfell, 2 April 2019
The program had the character of a politically-motivated sting operation, aimed at destroying the right-wing, anti-immigrant party.
Australian government exploits fascist atrocity in New Zealand to push online censorship
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 March 2019
The entire political establishment is seeking to cover up its responsibility for the fascist attack and exploit it to crack down on the democratic rights of ordinary people.
Australian government targets China in new “foreign influence” register
By Mike Head, 19 March 2019
More than 700 political parties, universities, lobbying firms, media companies and politicians have been warned of serious legal consequences if they fail to register.
James Cogan to participate in Unity4J online forum to defend Assange and Manning
Watch from Friday, 4 p.m., US eastern time, Saturday: 7 a.m., Australian eastern time
15 March 2019
The vindictive re-imprisonment of Chelsea Manning underscores the urgency of the fight to free Julian Assange from his arbitrary detention by the British government.
Naming of Australian lawyer police informant highlights top-level involvement
By Mike Head, 12 March 2019
The use of such a well-connected figure as an informer would hardly have occurred without the authorisation of the most senior police commanders.
Workers and young people speak out at Melbourne rally to free Assange and Manning
By our reporters, 12 March 2019
“If Julian doesn’t receive freedom, if Chelsea Manning is not released, then we are going down a slippery slope.”
Lawyer charged for exposing Australian war crimes in Afghanistan
By Mike Head, 11 March 2019
A former Australian military legal officer faces lengthy imprisonment for leaking damning documents.
Melbourne rally calls on workers and youth to defend Assange and Manning
By our reporters, 11 March 2019
James Cogan declared that “the fight to free Assange must become part of all the actions by workers.”
“Julian Assange is a significant international citizen who has made a stand for truth-telling”
Address by Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees to the Sydney Free Assange rally
By Professor Stuart Rees, 6 March 2019
When the controversy about Julian first started, a Republican senator from New York, King, said: “Why doesn’t somebody take a gun and shoot the son-of-a-bitch? I know it’s illegal, but it would be wonderful for Americans’ freedom if that happens.”
IYSSE (Australia) convenor Oscar Grenfell’s speech to the Sydney Free Assange rally
By Oscar Grenfell, 6 March 2019
“They’re persecuting Julian Assange because they know how much he and WikiLeaks have done to politically educate an entire generation of young people.”
More voices from the Sydney Free Assange rally and Brisbane Livestream meeting
By our reporters, 6 March 2019
“We need to demand of the government, ‘what are you going to do to assist Julian now?’ We should not be beating around the bush because his life is in danger.”
The political lessons of the March 3 Free Assange rally
By the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) Political Committee, 5 March 2019
The demonstration in Sydney won broad support on the basis of mobilising the working class to defend democratic rights and class war prisoners such as Julian Assange.
Media Serve the Governors, Not the Governed
Speech by Joe Lauria, March 3, 2019
By Joe Lauria, 5 March 2019
Joe Lauria, the editor-in-chief of Consortium News, delivered this speech to the rally organised by the Socialist Equality Party in Sydney to demand the freedom of Julian Assange.
Opening remarks to March 3 Sydney rally by Socialist Equality Party leader, Linda Tenenbaum
Hundreds defy slanders, lies and media censorship to demand freedom for Julian Assange
By Linda Tenenbaum, 5 March 2019
Julian Assange has never been charged with a crime; he has an Australian passport; he is an Australian citizen and, as such, the Morrison government is obligated to defend his democratic rights.
Workers and youth speak out at Free Assange rally in Sydney
By our reporters, 5 March 2019
“People want to bring him home so he can continue his work of bringing these corporate and government criminals to justice.”
Video: SEP national secretary James Cogan urges maximum participation in Free Julian Assange rallies
2 March 2019
Cogan demanded the Australian government answer why it does not accept the UN ruling that Julian Assange is being ‘arbitrarily detained.’
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