Radical feminist conference
MELBOURNE — More than 200 women attended a conference on the Politics of Radical Feminism, sponsored by Deakin University, Melbourne University's Political Science Department and Spinifex Press, on April 20. Sheila Jeffries, Renate Klein, Susan Hawthorne, Donna Hughes and Sue Wilkinson spoke on subjects as diverse as Politicising Sexuality, the Trafficking of Women on the Internet, Post-modernism's Challenge to Feminism, Eco-feminism and Soul-Reclamation. The conference also launched a new book from Spinifex Press: Radically Speaking: Feminism Reclaimed.
May Day film night
MELBOURNE — To coincide with the week around May Day, the Democratic Socialist Party has organised the screening of Running out of Patience, a video of the historic 1986 Victorian nurses' strike and Rocking the Foundations, on the NSW Builders Labourers' Federation struggles in support of working-class communities and the urban environment through green bans. Both films tell inspiring stories of working-class history. Films begin 7.30pm, Saturday May 4, at 14 Anthony St, Melbourne. Phone 9329 1320 for more information.
AETA dinner
SYDNEY — Dissident Indonesian academic Dr George Aditjondro addressed a dinner organised by the Australia East Timor Association on April 24 attended by 80 people. Aditjondro discussed the business and military ties behind Australian support for repression in Indonesia and East Timor, and discussion centred on the links between the struggle for East Timorese self-determination and movements for democracy, social justice, the environment and indigenous people's rights in Indonesia. Two visiting activists, Kiyoko Furusama from the Japanese East Timor solidarity movement and Maria Pakpahan from the Indonesian NGO INFID, gave greetings to the dinner.
Anti-choice marchers stopped
MELBOURNE — On April 21, in an action organised by Socialist Alternative, approximately 150 people demonstrated against the misnamed "Right to Life" group's "walk for little feet", interrupting the march and forcing this anti-choice group to finish its action before reaching its destination, Parliament House.
Call for unity
BRISBANE — Under the theme, "Time of unity to save our jobs, social programs and our dignity", the Migrant Workers' Resource Centre held a public meeting on April 26 at the Yungaba centre at Kangaroo Point.
Speakers included Australian Democrat Senator John Woodley, Jenny Hughey from the Women's Party, Arch Bevis for the ALP, Claire Moore from the public sector union, Jeff Knight from the plumbers' union, Brian O'Halloran from the Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice, Lisa Banyard from the National Union of Students and representatives of ethnic and indigenous communities in Brisbane.