On September 11, 2000, Melbourne joined the global movement against neoliberal capitalism. Tens of thousands of protesters faced down police violence to blockade a conspiracy of some of the world's wealthiest people. For many of the participants, it was a life-changing experience.
The police are rounding up protest organisers and using massive force to crush demonstrations. The right to protest is at risk for everyone, and there's no guarantee we'll get it back.
Australia's rulers know that the imperialist tensions between the US and China could lead to war. They could also force Australia to act even more directly as an imperailist power in its own right. That's why Australia's accelerating its spending on military hardware.
When it comes to rising sea levels, it's already too late. Even if we stop all carbon pollution tomorrow, rising sea levels will destroy coastal communities around the world. The only solution to that will be international cooperation of a kind that capitalism can't deliver.
