I am leaving for Australia early tomorrow morning and will there for the next two weeks. Here are the events I will be speaking at:

Dinner and Talk: Should Australia follow Britain in accommodating Islamic sharia law?: 6.30 pm Monday 22 August 2011
Description: Talk by Maryam Namazie and fundraising dinner for One Law For All.
Maryam will speak about the implications of legal pluralism for Australia, with insights from the UK experience to date in accommodating Islamic sharia law through the Arbitration Act 1996, and the current effort to limit the power of sharia courts and religious tribunals through the Arbitration and Mediation Services (Equality) Bill.
Venue: Finola’s Restaurant (Balmain Bowling Club), 156 Darling St, Balmain, Sydney.
Cost $50 per person – SOLD OUT
RSVP: Gaby Grammeno at ggrammeno@bigpond.com (02) 4754 3569.

Sharia law and human rights
Melbourne PEN and WISA
6.30 pm, Tuesday 23 August 2011
The Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Cost: $10
RSVP: Melbourne PEN at admin@melbournepen.com.au

Religious Courts in the Secular State
Date: Wednesday 24 August
Description: Maryam will talk at Melbourne Free University’s open discussion space.
Venue: Dexter Bar/Cafe, 123 Queens Pde, Clifton Hill, Melbourne.
Cost: Free
RSVP: Gavin Vance at gavin.vance@gmail.com

Sharia law and human rights
Date: 6.00 pm Thursday 25 August 2011
Description: UWS Open forum
Venue: University of Western Sydney Parramatta South Campus (main campus), cnr Victoria Rd and James Ruse Drive, Rydalmere, Building EE room G.03.
Cost: Free

Challenging sharia law
NSW Humanists
Date: 2.00 pm, Saturday 27 August 2011
Venue: Humanist House, 10 Shepherd St, Chippendale
Cost: Free for NSW Humanist members, gold coin donation for others.

She also has interviews arranged with the following:
SBS TV News
ABC News 24’s One Plus One program
ABC Radio National’s Late Night Live, with Phillip Adams
ABC Radio National’s The Spirit of Things with Rachael Kohn
ABC Radio 774’s Conversation Hour, with Jon Faine (Melbourne)
Elizabeth Farrelly, contributor to the Sydney Morning Herald
Chris Merritt, Legal Affairs Editor, The Australian
SBS Radio’s Persian Program, 24 August
Ida Lichter, author of Muslim Women Reformers

This trip could not have happened without the hard work of Gaby Grammeno so am especially looking forward to meeting up with her.

I will still be available on email (I don’t think my phone will work there) if anyone needs to reach me urgently.

Also see Maryam Namazie’s op-ed in the Australian entitled Australia must fight calls for Sharia law published on 12 August 2011.