Conroy catches critique: ‘No weapons for genocide’ campaign protests Shortland MP

Ross Stiverson appraises developments in the Palestine solidarity struggle in Newcastle.

‘Die-in’ protest action at Pat Conroy’s office in Belmont, NSW. Photo: No Weapons for Genocide Facebook.

As the struggle for Palestinian liberation continues, Australia persists to politically and materially sustain Israel’s genocidal campaign, despite thousands rallying across the continent calling for the Government to withdraw support. Of those thousands, a small but dedicated group known as No Weapons For Genocide makes their demands known in front the office of Pat Conroy: MP for Shortland, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and Minister for Defence Industry.

Free Palestine Newcastle (FPN) is an activist group, not expressly socialist in nature, and affiliated with the larger Palestine Action Group Newcastle (PAGN). They began protesting outside of Pat Conroy’s Belmont office earlier in March and have continued to demonstrate every Monday at 4:30pm since. As most are residents of the Shortland electorate, they rally to bring to light Pat Conroy’s position as the Minister for Defence Industry, a keystone position in the military industrial complex that fuels the imperialist ambitions of Australia and the United States. FPN’s tactics lie in their locality; members have vowed to withdraw voting for Conroy, they inundate his office with petitions and letters demanding deinvestment. Standing on the busy Pacific Highway they garner no shortage of supporting honks and cheers from passing commuters. Pedestrians stay for chats, join in chants and hold signs. It looks like Belmont is behind FPN, but Pat Conroy seems to be ignoring them.

Indeed, he hasn’t acknowledged these demonstrations what so ever, only releasing a toothless statement on the Palestinian liberation struggle, tactically titled “HAMAS-ISRAEL CONFLICT”. In it, he laments the destruction wrought upon the Palestinian people and calls for a ceasefire, all the while making no effort to stop the flow of arms to Israel, then disparages the efforts of the Palestinian people to emancipate themselves. This Janus-faced rhetoric should be no surprise to even casual observers of Labor’s positions: They are a bourgeois party, serving the interests of capital and upholding the geopolitical dominance of the U.S and its allies, at the price of Palestinian lives.

It’s obvious Labor cannot be pushed left, that the government is not coerced by petition and polite protest. Awareness has been raised, perhaps it’s time for more militant action to take place. Not to suggest the petty vandalism inflicted upon Pat Conroy’s office a few weeks ago, which FPN disavowed, but the organisation of students and workers. We have already seen Australian campuses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and now Adelaide explode in militancy in emulation of the university occupations currently taking place in the U.S and Europe. While there’s no word in similar actions taking place on Newcastle campuses, Unionists for Palestine (another PAG front) have already scheduled protests at Newcastle port later this May, although whether or not the Maritime Union of Australia is involved in the action has not been disclosed by either party. Australia’s pro-Palestinian political scene grows more militant by the day. Chaotic and uncoordinated as it is, it’s a positive change in Australia’s political landscape: Australia will not cease its role in Israel’s genocide by asking politely, direct action is warranted.