Sunday 30th June 2021
Leading up to the Land Forces weapons expo
We visited a few of the many weapons companies in Brisbane
Disrupt Land Forces – weapons company tour
Commemorating the Frontier Wars in Gimuy 2021
Commemorating the Frontier Wars in Gimuy 2021
Frontier Wars – Lest We Forget 2021
Media Release 21 April 2021
More than 100 people are expected to take part in this year’s ‘Frontier Wars’ commemoration, hosted by local Traditional Owners, in the grounds adjoining the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal on ANZAC Day eve this Saturday.
The event, which has been taking place in the area since 2016, is a mixture of dance, music, story-telling and poetry presented by Gimuy Walubara Yidindji and local non-Indigenous supporters, friends and residents.
Their focus will be on remembering the first battles in the Gimuy (Cairns) tropical rainforest and coastal areas, only 145 years ago.
Elder Gudju Gudju Fourmile said the frontier stories were important for healing.
“The frontier stories event has become part of our event calendar, it’s very important for us as a people to heal the wounds of the past and secure the future,” he said.
“We have Yidindji elders here today who have horror stories of beheadings and shootings at places like Skeleton and Davies Creeks, yet here we are, wanting to make things right.
“Many tribal nations have a story to tell, some are funny and then there are those which are difficult.
“There is a danger these stories will go unheard for most Australians.
“It’s easy to be overshadowed by COVID for example, but looking into the mirror as a country and working out who we are as a nation, is paramount – if we can’t sort it out there will always be a sense of unfinished business here.
“Frontier Wars is a tough one for us as Indigenous Australians, but in saying that this is a wonderful opportunity to build a new Australia.
“We’d like to encourage everyone to take part, even if one person is inspired we have done our part.”
Sovereign Yidindji Government Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade Murrumu of Walubara said the event was a reminder of the need for treaties.
“Events like the Frontier Wars commemoration are a great reminder there needs to be formalised agreements or treaties between the Commonwealth of Australia and the various tribal nations on the continent called Australia,” he said.
“The Yidindji nation is currently building that bridge which means people can be free of the feeling of guilt or shame, or sadness from things that have happened in the past.
“This is what reconciliation will look like in my view – the simplicity in it all is that it should be built on the greatest foundation, which is love for one another.”
Organisers would like to thank Ports North and Bumma Bippera 987fm for their support.
Other nations have also been exploring Frontier Wars history and truth telling events such as the following photos show, held in Canberra in previous years
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Batemans Bay – Walbunja country
2020 (online) -
Gimuy – Cairns 2016 -
Gimuy – Cairns 2016 -
Gimuy – Cairns and surrounds -
Early Massacres -
Gimuy – Cairns 2016 -
Ngunnawal country – Canberra -
Ngunnawal country – Canberra -
Gimuy – Cairns 2018 -
Gimuy – Cairns 2018 -
Gimuy – Cairns 2018 -
Gimuy – Cairns 2018 -
Gimuy – Cairns 2018
2018 photos by Greg Sorensen
War = Peak Toxic Masculinity
War = peak toxic masculinity
At Wage Peace we are not surprised to hear that misogyny is rife in our parliament. We are appalled at the way our most senior politicians treat women. We deserve better. We continue to strive for better. We know you do too.
As peace activists, we know that misogyny and toxic masculinity are right at the core of military institutions. War, and the arms trade, are central to colonisation and patriarchy, attacking our human rights and our humanity.
We’ve created a flyer about the synergy between male domination / toxic masculinity and war culture. Download and share this call to all women and our allies to Smash The Patriarchy – Disrupt War at the Land Forces expo.
Land Forces 21 will be held at the Brisbane Convention Centre 1-3 June. Weapons companies and politicians will be wheeling and dealing for the latest hi-tech killing machinery, using our money to buy guns, bombs and missiles that will eventually be used against us, or people just like us.
Feminists of all genders are invited to a public meeting about the #DisruptLandForces campaign. Find out more about this killing expo and be part of planning to slow down, hinder and hopefully close down Land Forces 21. All levels of experience and all styles of activism are welcome.
- Brisbane Friday 30th April Venue TBC, South Brisbane, 6pm. With Amy McMahon.
- Northern Rivers/Lismore April 10 at SeeSpace 6pm
- Melbourne April 13th at Friends of the Earth in Collingwood, 7.30pm
Please come!
If you can’t make it in person but you would love to support communities impacted by war to participate in #DisruptLandForces, you can donate here. We hope to be able to subsidise refugee and first nations speakers to attend.
Smash patriarchy by taking a step towards peace. Sign up here to get involved with our campaign to #DisruptLandForces and/or kick in to support others to go.
Our Smash The Patriarchy – Disrupt War flyers are here. Please share, print and share more! Disrupting War is women’s business.
Contact us if you need reimbursement. 🙂 easy.
Yours in peace and love,
Margaret Cate, Zelda, Miriam and the rest of our team at Wage Peace 🙂
Rheinmetall – making a killing
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG
CEO salary = $5.5 million pa
Global defence revenue in 2019 = $3.9 billion
Sells: tanks and other weaponized vehicles, cannons, missiles, bombs
Global HQ:
Rheinmetall Platz 140476 Düsseldorf, DE
+49 (211) 473-01
info@rheinmetall.com
http://www.rheinmetall.com
Oliver Hoffmann
Head of Public Relations
Rheinmetall AG
Tel.: +49-(0)211-473 4748
oliver.hoffmann@rheinmetall.com
From the company website:
A company can enjoy long-term success only if it integrates coordinated economic, ecological and social factors into business activities and creates added value for itself, its employees and society. It is therefore a matter of course for Rheinmetall to do everything possible to contribute to the company being economically stable and ecologically responsible.
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG
Also from the website:
As a highly valuable, internationally successful company in the markets for environmentally-friendly mobility and security technology tailored to threats, the Rheinmetall Group develops globally sustainable strategies and bundles needs worldwide.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia
CEO Gary Stewart
Rheinmetall CEO Gary Stewart, centre, with then Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers Payne and Pyne. Stewart looks delighted to receive $5 billion in taxpayer money to build weaponized vehicles for the ADF. PM Scott Morrison, at the launch of the MILVEHCOE (Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence) in Redbank, Qld, declared “I loved what you had to say, Gary, about our defence industry, our defence purchasing and procurement here in Australia. We’re going from importer to exporter. That’s a full 180 degree turnaround.” That’s $5 billion of our money to help Rheinmetall make and sell killing technology. Keep reading! To find contact details, company information and a selection of images of Rheinmetall weapons.
Rheinmetall is one of the 8 Primes which have special Global Supply Chain Program status. Under this program it is responsible for assisting Australian companies to enter the global export “supply chain” for weapons corporations.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia
Redbank Office (Headquarters)
111 Robert Smith Street
Redbank, QLD 4301
+61 7 3436 2700
Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicle Australia Pty Ltd
Brisbane Office
223 Viking Drive
Wacol, QLD 4076
PO Box 289, Carole Park 4300
Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions
Maryborough Office
232-244 Adelaide Street
Maryborough QLD 4650
+61 7 4121 4970
Rheinmetall Defence Australia
Canberra Office
Level 3, 65 Canberra Avenue
Griffith, ACT 2603
+61 2 6249 5600
Rheinmetall have also extracted money from the GST revenue of the average Queenslander. In order to operate here Rheinmetall demanded a significant dowry from Queenslanders. A significant piece of land at Redbank and a free building worth $170million. Thank you Queenslanders! Similarly they demanded money to set up a factory at Maryborough though it is unclear how much they received for that.
They have combined with Nioa to make Rheinmetall Nioa Munitions RNM.
LOCATIONS: Rheinmetall and RNM
Brisbane – Redbank. Weaponized Armoured Vehicle factory and maintenance facility
Maryborough RNM – Munitions – opening in 2022
Benalla Victoria RNM – Munitions, currently functioning.
PRODUCTS: TANKS AND MUNITIONS
Rheinmetall specialise in weaponized vehicles such as tanks, also manufacturing the guns, missiles and bombs to go with them. Rheinmetall has close partnerships with Australian companies Bisalloy and NIOA. Bisalloy provides the steel for Rheinmetall’s weaponized vehicles, while NIOA makes bombs, bullets and other munitions. Rheinmetall’s website boasts:
In 2019, Rheinmetall concluded sales with customers in 143 countries. We are represented at 41 locations in Germany, a further 42 in Europe (excluding Germany), 14 on the American continent, 18 in Asia, 6 in Africa and 8 in Australia.
Rheinmetall sells tanks, missiles and other killing technology to Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brunei, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Czech Republic, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nederlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, UK and UAE. This list is not exhaustive.
NIOA is a Queensland company looking to export dangerous munitions for use by militarised governments against their own people.
Indonesia: Current Trade and potential export from Australia
All of the weapons pictured below have been sold to Indonesia, where they are used exclusively against civilian populations, especially in West Papua.
120 mm L44 and L55 Tank Guns and ammunition
DM 11 & DM 53 warheads