Direct action protests can be hard work to sustain but time and again direct action has proven itself to be the flame that boils the pot when it comes to successful social change strategies. Employed within the framework of a credible campaign in which it is aligned with political, legal, economic, media and public awareness strategies it is the power tool of social change. The power of each blockade lies not in winning on the ground on that one site, but in forcing the government and the companies into a self-defeating cycle of displays of overwhelming force as they go about imposing an unwanted industry on unwilling populations by force.The important dynamic for communities involved in these campaigns is to remain optimistic and persistent. Success should not be measured by how many individual blockades are breached by masses of riot police but only by the persistence of resistance of local communities.

A list of news items and reports on contaminated sites and accidents related specifically to CSG/LNG in Australia. Includes links and further information.

While in the UK on a speaking engagement recently, I visited the embassy vigil for Bradley Manning. The WISE Up Action – A Solidarity Network for Bradley Manning and Julian Assange. WISE UP Action wrote about the visit on their website.

On Thursday 6th September a small group […]

Here is a great opportunity to undertake some practical activism training that can be counted towards a University degree. “Public Interest Advocacy” is being run through Southern Cross University as part of the Byron Bay Summer Law School program. The course is fully HECS eligible for those already doing a degree or you can study it as a stand alone unit if you are not.

The Activists Handbook is proud to support this upcoming film about community resistance to coal seam gas. All proceeds from the film will go to Lock the Gate Northern Rivers.