National Action to march
YOUNG, NSW — National Action has announced that it intends to march from the Young Town Hall to the old Lambing Flats site in Young on Easter Saturday, March 29 at 10am. Local sources fear that the Shooters Party may endorse the rally, so progressive, anti-racist groups have decided to respond in a peaceful way. They are calling on all of those who oppose racist thuggery and intimidation to join in a peaceful picnic and barbecue at the Chinaman's Dam project at 11am on March 29.
Theatrical publicity
HOBART — Activists from the Tasmanian University Union education committee performed street theatre during lunchtime on March 19, to help publicise the March 26 national day of action against education cuts. The activists, dressed in suits and masks as John Howard, Tim Fischer, Peter Costello and Amanda Vanstone, handed out water and stale pieces of bread to students, explaining that this was all they were going to receive from the federal government to "help" them with their studies.
A message for Alatas
PERTH — Two noisy demonstrations were held outside the Hyatt Hotel and Premier Richard Court's office on March 13 and 14. The protests were organised by Friends of East Timor and the WA Trades and Labour Council in response to the visit of Indonesian foreign affairs minister Ali Alatas to sign a maritime boundaries agreement.
Demands voiced at the actions included freedom for East Timor, freedom for Indonesian political prisoners and an end to Australian ties with the Suharto regime. Participants included members of the East Timorese community, ASIET, Resistance and other supporters.
First Green deputy lord mayor
NEWCASTLE — Greens councillor Margaret Henry has been elected deputy lord mayor for a six-month term. She is believed to be the first Australian Green deputy mayor. Henry says she will carry out her duties as a Green councillor, including prioritising working with Aboriginal people, revitalising the inner city and saving the foreshore and other open space. Henry will be working to build the Pathways to Sustainability Conference in June.
UQ students vote for campaign
BRISBANE — A student general meeting at University of Queensland on March 13 adopted motions opposing up-front fees and library fines. It also voted to hold a referendum on whether the UQ union should affiliate to the National Union of Students, and to support the democracy movement in Indonesia and freedom for East Timor.
Resistance members also called on the union to provide resources to the newly formed Education Action Group, which will be organising the anti-cuts campaign on UQ.
Meeting rejects rail closure
MELBOURNE — A meeting of around 80 people on March 11 rejected plans by the Kennett government to close the Upfield train line to facilitate the building of the City Link freeway project. Saying that the real reason for the closure was to save money for the construction company building the City Link, the meeting demanded that the government release the reports which it claims show it is necessary to close the line for safety reasons.
Oz Toxics conference
MELBOURNE — Hundreds of community activists from around Australia attended the second Oz Toxics conference on March 15-16. The conference was addressed by Lois Gibbs, a veteran of the US Love Canal toxic landfill dispute and director of the Citizens Clearing House for Hazardous Wastes. Gibbs called for the introduction in Australia of community right to know legislation, so that communities could find out about hazardous materials in their area.
The conference called on the federal government to institute a federal air standards policy developed with the community, and to phase out the use of organochlorine pesticides. It also condemned the delay in developing a national pollution inventory.
Roxby public inquiry
ADELAIDE — The public inquiry into the expansion of the Olympic Dam mine at Roxby Downs took oral submissions on March 8. Stephen Baker from Friends of the Earth explained that the inquiry meant "winning back the agenda by the people" in the face of the very narrow terms of reference in the official environmental impact statement. The public inquiry was set up to include traditional owners, environment groups and concerned individuals, and to broaden the terms of reference.
Submissions were received from the Conservation Council of SA, Friends of the Earth, Australian Conservation Foundation, Spencer Gulf Environment Alliance, and the Office of the Supervising Scientist, among others, as well as a number of individuals.
Anti-apartheid film
PERTH — Following a successful rally against racism on March 15, Resistance screened Cry Freedom, about the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, to raise funds for 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly. Before the film, Resistance member Stuart Munkton spoke about his 1994 visit to South Africa on a working tour organised by West Australian South African Solidarity, and Mark Newhouse from WASAS spoke about the development of the black rights movement, the involvement of young people and the oppressive environment in which it had had to organise.
Resistance activist camp
MELBOURNE — Resistance has organised a two-day activist camp at Yarra Junction, March 28-29. It will feature Indonesian activist Nico Warouw discussing the experiences of the Indonesian student movement. The camp will also discuss the education campaign, young people in the fight against racism and solidarity work with the East Timorese and political prisoners in Indonesia.
The camp will provide a good opportunity to find out more about Resistance and the ways in which young people can get involved in the fight for socialism. For more info or to book for the camp, ring Alison on (03) 9329 1320.
Union members in TAFE meet
SYDNEY — A lunchtime meeting on March 20 of 70 members of the NSW Public Service Association at TAFE's Sydney Institute of Technology, Ultimo campus, discussed the union's 20% pay claim. Union president Maurie O'Sullivan stressed that trade-offs were "not on", just as secret, unaccountable negotiations between the PSA and the state government were "not on".
Members expressed concern about the casualisation through the extensive use of long-term temporary staff and casual staff from private agencies. The meeting supported union action to achieve pay equity for library workers, allied health workers, social workers and others whose pay rates have fallen behind.
Problems caused by TAFE management leaving jobs unfilled for long periods were also discussed, and technical staff expressed anger at the long-delayed review of class support positions.