Thursday Breakfast Emily Cowlrick, Inez Winters, Leila Baptist, Priya Kunjan

Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// First up today we are joined by Scott Drummond, Head of Policy and Practice at VAADA - the peak body representing publicly-funded AOD services in Victoria. In the following interview, we will be discussing in detail the rejection of a Medically Supervised Injecting Room (MSIR) in Melbourne's CBD, as well as the newly announced $95 Million AOD 'Statewide Action Plan', and what this means for the future of AOD treatment services.// James McKenzie of 3CR's In Ya Face speaking with Just Equal's Rodney Croome last month about political moves from the Coalition and the Albanese Government over LGBTIQA+ students in religious schools, and a federal religious discrimination bill. You can hear the full conversation between James and Rodney here, and catch In Ya Face every Friday from 4-5PM on 3CR.//  Native Title Rockets writer, director and producer and campaign coordinator Rochelle (Rocky) Humphrey joins us today to speak about the campaign led by Senior Kokatha Elder Aunty Suzanne Coleman Haseldine to defend Kokatha Country from Southern Launch's harmful rocket testing activities at the Koonibba Test Range. This week, Southern Launch plans to test rockets over Yellabinna Reginal Reserve and Yumburra Conservation Park, proceeding without thorough consultation with First Nations or appropriate Environmental Impact Statements and raising widespread concern about the impacts on sacred cultural sites and Mallee bushland. Donate to the West Mallee Protection campaign here, and follow along on Instagram for more information about the upcoming Rocket Wreckers fundraising rave and other events.// In our final segment today, we are going to hear an excerpt from a conversation with Larrakia, Kungarakan, Gurindji and French writer and performer Laniyuk. Thursday Breakky co-host and Women on the Line presenter Priya spoke to Laniyuk in February this year about the ongoing campaign to return Lee Point to Larrakia Care, as well as the history of the Australian and US defence forces' militarised occupation of Larrakia Country. You’ll also hear from several Larrakia women - Jamilah Mills, Arbei Talbot, Hayley Mcadam, Aunty Aly Mills, and Arbei Adjrun - who have lent their voices and stories to the fight, using audiovisual storytelling as a medium to convey the significance of Larrakia people’s relationship with Country as a foundation for community and cultural strength, and to ensure Larrakia futures. To hear the full interview, go to www.3cr.org.au/womenontheline. And if you're living on or around Larrakia Country, we encourage you help protect sacred land and to get down to Lee Point today!//

Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// Khoi Nguyen is the Community Engagement and Legal Education Officer at Q+Law, a specialist LGBTIQA+ peer-led legal service operating in Victoria in partnership with Fitzroy Legal and Queerspace. Q+Law provides a free state-wide access to legal assistance over the phone, online or in person for anyone who identifies as part of LGBTIQA+ communities. Today Khoi joined us to speak about an interactive workshop happening this Saturday, where queer folks can learn about their rights and obligations when interacting with police at protests.// We hear an excerpt from 3CR's Radioactive Show where Crunch spoke with Ray Acheson, who's a writer, activist, director of Reaching Critical Will and a steering member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Ray discussed the strength of First Nations organising against all things nuclear, police repression, organising against cop cities, mutual aid and solidarity. You can listen to the full interview that aired on Saturday 13th of April, and catch the Radioactive Show on 3CR Saturdays 10-10:30AM.// Deena is a Masters of Public Health student and member of the grassroots coalition Unimelb for Palestine. Today, Deena spoke to us about the Gaza Solidarity Encampment starting today, Thursday 25th of April at 10AM. The encampment is the latest organising effort by Unimelb for Palestine, again calling on the university to cut all ties with weapons manufacturers. Drawing on inspiration from student protests at Columbia University in the US, the action states ''Disclose, Divest, We Will Not Stop, We Will Not Rest!''// Professor Ghillar, Michael Anderson, Convenor of the Sovereign Union, last surviving member of the original Aboriginal Tent Embassy's founding four, and Head of State of the Euahlayi Peoples Republic joins us to discuss the importance of commemorating the Frontier Wars on this date of colonial military remembrance. The March on ANZAC, which has been held on April 25th in Canberra for over a decade now, highlights the vital resistance of Aboriginal people who lost their lives in the Frontier Wars fighting against colonial invasion.//Bill Abrahams is a primary school teacher and member of Teachers and School Staff for Palestine VIC. Today Bill discussed the coalition's recent resource Teaching for Palestine: Challenging Anzac Day, australia's historical and ongoing repression of Palestinians, how official remembrance obscures the realities of war and promotes imperialism and militarisation, and the role of teachers and school staff in dismantling these myths.//

 Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// We played a speech given by Declan Furber-Gillick, Eastern Arrernte man and member of the Black Peoples Union and Unionists for Palestine, at the April 15th rally at the Victorian Parliament steps launching the campaign to Get Elbit Out of Victoria. The campaign aims to end the state government’s contracts with israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems as part of the global solidarity movement fighting for a free Palestine.// Content note: this interview contains discussion of massacres and systemic harm towards First Nations people. For support, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners can call 13 YARN on 13 92 76 or Yarning Safe'n'Strong on 1800 959 563. Listeners can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.  We heard part two of a conversation with Yoorrook Justice Commisioner Travis Lovett who joined Leila last week to share updates from the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s land justice hearings. In this part of the discussion, Commissioner Lovett contextualises on-Country evidence given at the March 21st ceremonial hearings within histories of Victorian First Nations aquaculture, science and lore, long-standing strategies of resistance, and the ongoing impacts of colonisation. Listen back to part 1 here. Make a submission to the Justice Commission here.// El Gibbs, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Disability Advocacy Network Australia, spoke with us about last month's introduction of legislation aiming to amend the operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in response to last year's NDIS review report. The legislation, put forward by Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten, risks further undermining access to vital NDIS-funded supports for people with a disability in Australia.// Dr Stephen Townsend, Research Fellow at the University of Queensland’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, joins us to talk about the management of concussion in elite Australian sporting codes, focusing on the AFL and AFLW. Despite the progressive introduction of concussion management protocols at both elite and community levels, serious concerns remain about how to safeguard athletes' health in an inherently risky game. Stephen is an historian who seeks to reveal the hidden past of sports concussion in Australia and internationally. You can find him on Twitter(X) @historycrab and at The Conversation.// Songs//For My Tittas - Barkaa//Indigenous Land - DRMNGNOW//

Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// Sheree Lowe, Executive Director of the Balit Durn Durn Centre at the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), joined us to discuss the Victorian government's failure to act on the urgent need for youth justice system reform scaling back the encroachment of the criminal legal system into the lives of young Aboriginal people. Late last month Attorney General Jaclyn Symes announced a backflip by the government on reverse onus bail reforms, and the concerning introduction of an electronic monitoring system to track children on bail in Victoria. Sheree Lowe is a Djab Wurrung and Gunditjmara woman with a strong connection to South West Victoria, and has lived most her life on Wadawurrung Country in Ballarat. She has been advocating within the Aboriginal Community in Victoria for over 20 years, and previously worked as a management consultant at PWC on projects related to organisational transformation through an Aboriginal lens and cultural safety program design.// Dr Rebekah Hoffman, General Practitioner at Kirrawee Family Medical Practice in Sydney and NSW/ACT chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), spoke with us about the latest Drug Checking Service pilot running out of Kings Cross' Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. This pilot builds on the life-saving history of drug checking service provision at fixed sites and festival pill testing in Australia, demonstrated in the ACT and Queensland. Dr Hoffman discussed how drug checking service provision will work based at a medically supervised injecting centre, and what the pilot seeks to achieve.// Content note: this interview contains discussion of massacres and systemic harm towards First Nations people. For support, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners can call 13 YARN on 13 92 76 or Yarning Safe'n'Strong on 1800 959 563. Listeners can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. The Allan government recently issued a widely criticised response to the 45 recommendations from the Yoorrook for Justice report, documenting the findings of the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s inquiry into child protection and the criminal justice system in Victoria. This response follows the government’s announcement of concerning proposed amendments to Victoria’s bail laws, including trials for digital monitoring of minors on bail. We listen to part one of a conversation with Yoorrook Justice Commissioner Travis Lovett who joined Leila to discuss these recent developments and provide the latest updates on this year’s Yoorrook hearings investigating land injustice, which began with on-Country evidence last month.//James Godfrey, spokesperson for Free Gaza Australia, a member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, spoke with us about the Coalition's plans to set sail in mid-April to carry 5500 tons of humanitarian aid and hundreds of international human rights observers to Gaza. The Coalition, made up of international civilian groups fighting for freedom and human rights, will challenge the long-standing israeli siege on the Gaza Strip as israel's genocidal onslaught continues into its sixth month. James is a PhD student in the Faculty of Business, Government and Law at University of Canberra. For more than 35 years, he has been active in many campaigning organisations fighting for social justice, locally and internationally, including the Non-Stop Picket of the South African Embassy in London (1986-1989). In recent years, he has focused on justice for the Palestinian people and is a spokesperson for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which physically challenges the illegal israeli blockade of Gaza.//

 Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// We replay a conversation from Hong Kongology where host Katy spoke with Nazanin of Feminista Melbourne about women's rights and activism in Iran. Hong Kongology airs every Thursday on 3CR from 6-7PM.// We listen back to a conversation Inez had with AJ from Melbourne Activist Legal Support in October 2023, which covered points of concern witnessed by legal observers and attendees at the Free Palestine Rally on the 15th of October 2023. This interview also included some tips on how to keep yourself safer at events and actions, an important listen in an era of escalating heightened police surveillance and violence against autonomous activists.// Techno Park resident Lara Week joined us with updates about the campaign to save the homes of residents of Techno Park Drive in Williamstown, who were ordered to leave their homes last year after a decision by Hobsons Bay Council to enforce industrial zoning laws. Lara spoke about the upcoming march to Hobsons Bay Council this Tuesday the 9th of April to stop the mass eviction of families, pensioners and other vulnerable people from their homes at Techno Park.// Joannie from racial justice organisation Democracy in Colour spoke with us about The Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024, which seeks to grant the Minister for Immigration unprecedented new powers, including imposing a travel ban by preventing visa applications from deemed ‘removal concern countries.’ If passed into law, the legislation will confront people fleeing persecution, torture and death with a perilous choice: return to a place where they may be harmed or killed, or be detained in prison for refusing to comply with removal. It would also allow the Minister, and future governments, the discriminatory power to prohibit visa applications from entire national populations. Join the snap rally called by Tamil Refugee Council tomorrow, Friday the 5th of April at Flinders Street Steps, protesting the Bill. Follow Democracy in Colour on Instagram for details on how to demand politicians take a stand against this injustice, and to make a submission to the Parliamentary inquiry into the Bill (12th April deadline).// Simona Castricum joins us to speak about her new consultancy practice Design 4 Trans and Gender Diverse, which aims to centre trans and gender diverse placemaking and belonging in spatial design. Challenging the cisheteropatriarchal status quo of built environments, Design 4 Trans and Gender Diverse will use research-led approaches to empower queer and trans communities to actively shape public and civic spaces according to their unique needs and aspirations. Simona is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne, developing transfeminist methodologies in architectural design, history, and theory.//

 Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// We replay Spike’s conversation from November last year with Iain MacIntyre from the Commons Social Change Library. The Commons Social Change Library is a service that documents the collective wisdom of people who have engaged in social change struggles and campaigns in so-called Australia and the world, and is committed to making that information free and accessible to support the fight against social injustice. Today, we played part one of Spike’s interview with Iain, where they discussed a definition of social change and free and accessible information. They also discussed why documenting struggles helps us achieve social change, and the first steps you can take in a social justice campaign. Listen to part 2 here and part 3 here.// Yesterday, Priya caught up with RMIT NTEU Branch Committee member Liam Ward on the picket to hear about the strike action running this week from Monday 25-Thursday 28 March in the face of management's ongoing delays in negotiating a new enterprise bargaining agreement. RMIT's previous EBA agreement expired over 1000 days ago! We were also joined by rank and file RMIT NTEU member Tami to contextualise this industrial action in relation to worker solidarity with Palestine as Israel escalates its genocidal campaign of bombing and starvation in Gaza. Note: Priya is also an RMIT employee and NTEU member, and has been on strike with colleagues this week - donate to our strike fund here. Your support makes a big difference, especially for precariously employed casual workers at RMIT.// Content note: discussion of racism and torture. Support is available via Lifeline on 13 11 14, or for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Listeners on 13 YARN (13 92 76).Human rights activist and lawyer Veronica Koman spoke with Priya about the systemic dehumanisation of West Papuans by the Indonesian state and military, given the recent circulation of several horrific images and video of the torture of Mr Warinus Murib and several other young West Papuans. By maintaining ambiguity about the legal status of its military occupation of West Papuan territory, the Indonesian state continues to evade and stymie international scrutiny of its violent colonial occupation, while framing all West Papuans subjected to brutality at the hands of soldiers as potential resistance fighters. For the latest news and music from West Papua, make sure to tune into 3CR’s Voice of West Papua show every Tuesday evening from 6:30-7:30PM.// Content note: discussion of genocide and state violence. Support is available via Lifeline on 13 11 14, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners can call 13 YARN (13 92 76), and queer listeners can call QLife on 1800 184 52.We listen back to an interview from 30 November 2023 with independent queer researcher Dr Shoshana Rosenberg, who joined us to talk about disability and trans solidarity with Palestine in the face of Israel's ongoing violent occupation, exploring the connections between disability justice, trans freedom and liberation for Palestine. Shoshana speaks about genocide as a mass disabling event and what it means for disabled folks to engage in solidarity actions across colonial borders and from stolen land in so-called Australia.//