Prominent LGBTQIA+ rights activist, author, archivist and historian Robert French AM has died at age 79. He passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, and the community has been sharing tributes. He played a key role in the movement to decriminalise male homosexuality in New South Wales and was a long-serving figure in the Pride History Walks. At his request, there will be no funeral, and a celebration of his life will be held later. In 2024 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community and to history preservation.
Community Media Day, originating in Brooklyn, underscores the vital role of community media in fostering connections, activism, and social discourse. The global observance highlights how this sector amplifies grassroots voices and disseminates ideas, with Australia's community media sector celebrating 54 years of operation. Over decades, the sector has evolved, reflecting changing community needs and priorities. The Wire reported on the day's significance, emphasising its contribution to social justice and community engagement. This annual event continues to raise awareness about the importance of community-driven media initiatives.
The 2026 Environmental Film Festival will screen green films from around the world from Sunday, October 25 to Sunday, November 8. Organisers say the program covers community protests, grief and conservation, and animated stories about the natural world. Screenings include Valve Turners?, about five activists who try to halt oil flows across four US states, followed by a panel talk. Several short Australian films are also included. The volunteer-run festival also holds a Melbourne Cup Day litter cleanup in Footscray and a closing celebration.
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Sydney-based activist Salman Shabbir says callers in Pakistan demanded he stop posting about the country's politics on X after his brother was taken in March 2024. Shabbir alleges the callers tortured his brother during a call and blames the Pakistani military, which has not responded to a request for comment. His case is one of several alleged transnational repression cases involving people in Australia. A Senate inquiry is examining the issue, and the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor has recommended reforms to foreign interference laws.
Barry York has published A Pentridge Memoir, an account of his jailing at Pentridge Prison in 1972 with two fellow La Trobe University students. The three were held for contempt of the Supreme Court of Victoria without trial or sentence. York describes harsh conditions in the prison, including violence in the maximum security wing. The memoir also covers the group's later work supporting prisoners and campaigning for prison reform. The book is self-published and priced at $34.95.
Australian leftists are calling for Adelaide University law professor Dr Joanna Howe to be sacked, alleging she is a victim of rape by her husband. The controversy stems from comments made by her husband, James, on a podcast where he said he does not believe in consent, only marriage. The couple opposes the federal government's Digital Duty of Care bill and the Teach Us Consent program, which they view as indoctrination. Dr Howe is also a prominent anti-abortion activist and has aligned herself with Pauline Hanson, further drawing criticism from the left.
An Australian human rights advocate has been detained in a notorious Vietnamese jail for political prisoners. Tran Hiep, also known as Ho Pham Hiep Huy, was arrested on September 18 and held at the B34 Detention Centre in Ho Chi Minh City. His wife, Chloe Dang, received consular correspondence confirming his location and health. Vietnamese authorities allege Hiep and two others were attempting to cross illegally from Cambodia and are members of the proscribed Viet Tan party.
Bruce Menzies revisits Paul Kingsnorth’s book Against the Machine, exploring themes of modernity, environmental activism, and the loss of cultural roots. Kingsnorth, an award-winning novelist and environmental activist, relocated from London to Ireland and writes about the tension between imagination and the 'metastasising machine' of modern life. Menzies highlights Kingsnorth’s critique of progress and his call to resist and subvert the machine. The book is available at New Edition in Fremantle.
