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Byron Shire
June 5, 2026

A walk in silence for the discarded

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Peter Walker with supporters. Peter has started a walk to Brisbane to raise awareness of Australia’s appalling human rights abuses. Photo Jeff Dawson
Peter Walker with supporters. Peter has started a walk to Brisbane to raise awareness of Australia’s appalling human rights abuses. Photo Jeff Dawson

Have we lost our humanity?

It’s a question Peter Walker was asking as he set off on a walk from Byron Bay’s Railway Park to raise awareness for those left languishing in Australia’s detention camps.

Mr Walker aims to reach King George Square in Brisbane on December 23.

He said, ‘Walk with me – #walkinsilence – asks you to address our collective silence while children are mistreated on our watch. There are still well over 100 children in Australian concentration camps on Nauru, let alone the many adults also facing endless incarceration for seeking refuge on our shores. This must not continue to be tolerated!’

Visit walkingourworld.org for more information.

Asylum seeker ‘boat’ in Lismore

In an unrelated event on the same theme, three Lismore councillors and many local residents will attend the launch of an ‘asylum seeker boat’ outside the local federal MP Kevin Hogan’s office this Thursday (December 15) at 4.30pm.

The organisers, the Lismore branch Amnesty International’s and the north coast peace group ‘Remembering and Healing’, say the action is to ‘highlight the ongoing, disgraceful situation of Australia’s asylum seekers.’

They are demanding ‘a long-overdue, quick and compassionate solution for all Australian asylum seekers.’

As part of their street theatre performance the ‘boat’ will carry five desperate ‘asylum seekers’, all fleeing persecution and war, and risking their lives by trying to reach a safe haven.

A ‘representative’ of the Australian Border Protection Service will be present and trying to prevent them from disembarking.

The many good-hearted North Coast citizens will open their hearts (by waving the red hearts of Lismore’s logo) ‘Not in our name!’

The ‘boat’ will then travel to the Amnesty International stall at the Magellan Street Market and will stay at / around the market, where it will be protected by kind-hearted citizens of Lismore.

 



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