Uprise Radio

Mercedes speaks with Keiran Stewart-Assheton, President of the Black Peoples Union about the Voice, the BPU's position that "we deserve better than just a Voice", and why it's imperative to listen to grassroots First Nations voices. We also chat with Abbas Saeidavi of Voice of Revolution Iran - Melb about the recently released Manifesto for Minimum Demands by Independent Trade & Civil Organisation...

James caught up with US radical singer-songwriter David Rovics to chat about his upcoming David Rovics - Songs of Social Significance tour, among other things. Plus, Mercedes gives a brief run down of the last couple of weeks in politics, and upcoming solidarity events.

Mercedes and James discuss the announcement of $368 billion AUKUS budget. We talk about the war machine, the military enroachment on students and workers and how we as activists might respond. 

This episode of Uprise Radio features a short history of anti-arms fair protests from Iain McIntyre. And...We are joined by anti-military activist, researcher and host of A Friday Rave, Jacob Grech, to discuss the Stop Aidex '91 and APDSE campaigns in more detail, as well the importance of diversity of tactics of resistance in a rapidly shifting political, social and increasingly securitised lands...

Uprise Radio are joined by Ben Eltham, President of the Monash Branch of the NTEU for a lively discussion on widespread casualisation, bureaucratic sleight of hand and wage theft in the tertiary education sector.

This week, Uprise Radio took to the streets. This episode will feature speeches from the 2022 Nakba Commemoration and vigil for Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was murdered by Israeli occupying forces while covering a raid on Jenin Refugee Camp in the occupied West Bank. Listen to Palestinian activists tell the stories of their homeland and of their resistance to violent settler-colo...

Live and loud from the Abolition Block Party at MIDA Detention Centre. Plus, James and Mercedes discuss the upcoming election, concerns, hopes and everything in between. 

Mercedes talks with Leandra, a Southern Arrernte woman living on Widjabul-Wia-bul country at Terania Creek. Leandra shares her experience of the disaster, the community response and the total lack of state support.  The floods are discussed within the broader context of climate collapse, what lessons can be learnt from such disasters and how communities can prepare as they become more frequent and...

On today's show we talk all things parenting with Melbourne comedian Rose Callahan, whose new show Young Dumb and Full fo Mum premieres on Monday April 4th at the Butterfly Club, South Melbourne. Part of the returning Melbounre International Comedy Festival. Rose became a parent during lockdown and we talk all those baby goodies - names, sex and gender, partners, grandparents, filth and feaces. Ti...

Today talk to Costas Laoutides, professor of international relations at Deakin and expert in secessionist struggles in post-soviet states. Much of Putins justification for this war in Ukraine rests on the supposed cause of the Donbas separatists so we chat with Costas about the voracity of those claims; the further breakdown of multilateralism and the hypocracy of Israel’s offer to mediate the par...

Uprise Radio is joined by Sam Floreani, Program Lead at Digital Rights Watch, to discuss surveillance capitalism, misinformation and alternative approaches to internet harm reduction that don’t include censorship or encroachment on our privacy. Sam talks us through the scope and over-arching findings in the soon-to-be-released Digital Rights Watch 2021 Retrospective. The report will be launched on...

Timothy Lynch, Great Power Commentator, Professor of International Politics and Associate Dean of Arts at University of Melbourne joins Uprise Radio to unpack the situation on the Russia Ukraine border. With increased militarism globally, a less formidable USA confronts an old adversary in Russia. What is a leftist response to this unfolding crisis? What role does the USA play in global security? ...

James, Jackson and Mercedes return for 2022 speaking about upcoming Invasion Day activities and 50 years of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. Music by King Stingray and Ciggie Witch. 

For our second episode of a 2-part series on prison abolition, we are joined by sara, a campaigner for Homes not Prisons. The Victorian Government has allocated almost $189 million to upgrade the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Ravenhall. Changes tyo the Bail Act has resulted in an increase in people being held on remand, people which in the DPFC make up a majority of the incarcerated persons.  

The first in a two part special on Australia's growing Prison Industrial Complex. Did you know that NSW and VIC are commiting billions of dollars to expand prison units and beds, while nearly every catagory of violent crime has decreased since 2000?Tonight we are joined by Sydney based anti-prison activist and writer Paul Gregoire to discuss the government's addiction to prison spending. We also t...

This week we have a chat and reflect on time spent in lockdown and our excitement and concerns as we begin to move out if it. Plus we bring some of our favourite tracks that have got us through.  Song list:Star Wars Imperial March (Techno Club mix)- Beaten Track(He'll Never Be An) Ol' Man River- TISMWarning- Shy FX feat. Gappy Ranks (Bou Remix)Greenhouse Holiday- No Fixed AddressHard Drive- Evan D...

This episode on Uprise Radio we are joined by Dr Emma Shortis and Prof. Clinton Fernandes to discuss the offensive capabilites of nuclear submarines, the geostrategic implications of AUKUS and the ever-increasing drums of war. Why does Australia continually throw it's weight behind a belligerant US, and is a future war in the Pacific inevitable? 

While men's sport has been near-cannonised during Covid as essential for the community's wellbeing, and heaven and earth moved to ensure it continues, the already chronically-underfunded field of women's sport has languished with little public backlash. Today on Uprise Radio we speak to jounrlist Marnie Vinall about the unique vulnerabilities of women's sport and the unique challenges facing femal...

Columnist for The Monthly Rachel Withers joins Uprise Radio to discuss Scott Morrison's appearance at last week's National Women's Safety Summit - where he gave the keynote speech. Despite his crafted rhetoric, Morrison's government have continually failed women in policy and personally, with numberous government figures accused of gross improprieties and archaic sexism. Rachel Withers has written...

This week we continue our discussion on the IPCC Report #6. We are joined by Gooreng Gooreng man, Yellong Bulla to chat about Indigneous fire management, the importance of centring First Nations voices in climate change adaptation and mitigation, overcoming the "doomer narrative" of climate crisis, sovereignty and land back. Always was. Always will be, Aboriginal Land.

Uprise Radio is joined by legendary Friends of the Earth campaign coordinator Cam Walker to discuss the release of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's 6th Assessment Report, released August 8th 2021. While wildfires rage in Greece, Turkey and the North American drought worsens, Australia's political leadership remains obstinantly wed to fossil fuel producers and climate denialists. Cam tal...

There is a tendency in the mainstream progressive press to paint the anti-lockdown protestors as conspiratorial, uneducated, anti-science, selfish bogans - and some of those in attendance may fit the bill perfectly. But it is also important to remember that people are protesting due to some catastrophic policy failures - many of which result from various governments treating this health crisis as...

We are joined by conceptual artist, theorist and spokesperson for the Nicholas Building Association, Dario Vacirca, to hear about the campaign to Save the Nicholas Building from sale and potential development, and to ensure that it remains a space for artists, galleries, art-adjacent businesses and the creative soul of the CBD. Presented by James Brennan, Jackson McInerney and Mercedes Zanker with...

Mercedes brings a report from the Coronial Inquest into the death of Raymond Noel during a police "intercept" in 2017. We hear music from Ziggy Ramo and discuss the merits of American comedian Bo Burnham's pandemic-themed Netlfix special Inside. 

Uprise Radio are happily joined by their new co-host Mercedes and discuss the plans and upcoming actions of the Save Fawkner Outdoor Pool Committee - who are opposing unjust council planning in Melburne's oft-looked-over North.