20 September 2001 (amended)

Senior Sergeant Gary Keillor
Major Event Planning
Queensland Police Service

Fax 07 3364 4185

Dear Gary,

Thank you for meeting with me yesterday to talk through the application for a permit for peaceful assembly by Peacebus during CHOGM.

Thank you too for introducing me to your fellow officers also involved in planning security and crowd management during the event, Superintendent Ian Townsend and Senior Sergeant Kevin Groenhnijzen, and also Alan Melville from the Police Legal Unit.

I was particularly pleased to meet Ian Townsend again for we had met in 1997 at pre-Olympics conference on crowd management organised by the Australian Emergency Institute. My partner and I had been invited to that conference to advocate the "A happy crowd is a manageable crowd" approach, the approach subsequently embraced with huge success by the organisers of the Sydney Olympics.

Happy crowd making is how I intend Peacebus to serve in the CHOGM protests.

My aim is that Peacebus not only be a voice for the poor and the unsuited, the people whom globalisation abandons and the ncarceration industry targets, and make a vivid statement of our discontent with the New World Order that is creating poverty at home and war abroad, but also that Peacebus serve to bring lightness, colour, music, good humour and peace to the event so that the participating crowd is happy and affirmed and feels no need to contest space with police at CHOGM.

Mutual trust is required for this. I appreciate your overall responsibility for safety and the unknowns you are dealing with in terms of protester numbers and motives. It is also a leap of faith for many to trust police in this protest situation given that it has been police who have proven to be the most dangerous (indeed murderous at Genoa) elements in all the anti globalisation protests to date. Indeed it was corrupt NSW police officers that planted to bomb outside the Sydney Hilton Hotel at the 1976(?) CHOGM and created the security hysteria that we are now responding too.

What I am asking is that Peacebus have your help and trust and the means for making this protest artful, peaceful and safe.

Please understand that Peacebus is a colourfully painted 1977 Toyota Coaster bus seating about 12 people with a rooftop PA and associated banner rigs. Peacebus is also a website, www.peacebus.com where its campaign actions are promoted and reported. The adventures of Peacebus are legendary and at CHOGM it can be expected to be a rallying point for many people, particularly those from the northern NSW, and as such, a major influence on over all crowd behaviour.

In summary here is what I am asking you to approve.

. That Peacebus and crew assemble in Park, West End, on Friday 5 October and participate in the Convergence Circle starting there at 6 pm along with the other organising groups, the Murris, CHOGM Action Network (CAN) and Stop CHOGM.

. That Peacebus participate in the CAN organised March of Saturday 6 October, assembling in Roma Street Forum and finishing in Park. We are happy if the Peacebus contingent brings up the end of the March.

. That banners associated with Peacebus carried in March on bamboo poles and when we arrive at Musgrave Park they will be displayed on their poles and help up by steel posts, which we will supply.

. That the costumed stilt walkers and back pack puppets be permitted in the Peacebus contingent.

. That use of the PA on Peacebus (2 x 30 watt speakers) be freely permitted in the March and subsequently in Musgrave Park

. That Peacebus set up in Musgrave Park after the March and remain in residence there until at least Monday 8 October and possibly until Wednesday 10 October.

In the Park, I intend that Peacebus will be set up as a Listening Post with the comforts of a fire in a brazier and hot tea served. In the evenings we will light up paper and candles lanterns and maintain a vigil for peace. Lots of music and dance can be expected to be associated with the Peacebus camp.

Let me affirm again the peaceful assembly intentions of Peacebus and all who have been attending Global Action Alliance CHOGM planning meetings in Lismore and Mullumbimby. Last Wednesday evening I attended a meeting of CAN and know that they too are working for peace.

May the CHOGM protests serve to build a movement for justice and equity in this time of global piracy by the rich.

May the protests be peaceful, artful and safe and demonstrate to the world how soundly established the ideals of democracy and freedom are in Queensland

May the protests have win-win outcomes for police and protesters and, at the end of the day, may everyone be happy.

Yours sincerely,

Graeme Dunstan
Peacebus captain