Genocide a Key Election Issue, says Australia's VOTE FOR HUMANITY Group
In the lead-up to the Australian general elections, a series of events have been organised around the country by the Vote for Humanity group to advocate for a change in Australia's response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The group states: "We are calling on candidates in the Federal election to condemn the Gaza genocide and support initiatives to achieve peace with justice."
One attendee at the inaugural Sydney event, Professor Emeritus Wendy Bacon, commented:
"VOTE FOR HUMANITY packed Glebe Town Hall last night determined to make GENOCIDE an election issue. Powerful speeches. Many of the people in the room would have once been Labor voters but no more. Anger that [Albanese's] Labor government has failed to condemn unspeakable Israeli war crimes. Instead Labor has acted to silence and criminalise our protests. This morning we wake up to hear Netanyahu has threatened to cut off electricity - we wait for an expressions of outrage from Albo and [Foreign Minister] Wong."
Speakers:
Sara Saleh, Chair, Palestinian Australian writer/poet and human rights Lawyer.
Azz Fahmi, a human rights and mental health advocate and has worked with UNHCR, Islamic Relief, in refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey and in school programs with refugee children.
Stuart Rees AM, member Australians for Humanity, founder inaugural Director Sydney Peace Foundation, Professor Emeritus, University of Sydney. Jasmine Al-Rawi, Education Officer at the University of Sydney SRC and the co-convenor of Students for Palestine at USYD.
Nikolai Haddad, an activist, secretary of the Arab Theatre Studio and a lawyer practising in the field of employment and discrimination law.
