NEWCASTLE — On March 5, 250 students rallied at Newcastle University in a bid to prevent the university administration from dramatically raising fees. The protest was organised by the Newcastle University Students Association (NUSA).
Students formed a blockade outside each entrance of the Great Hall in an effort to prevent a university council meeting from going ahead. The meeting was called to increase HECS fees by 25%; increase international fees by 10%; provide 210 extra scholarship places; and reserve 800 more full-fee paying places.
NUSA education officer Carl Harris congratulated the rallying students for their support, declaring: "We know that people from poorer backgrounds can't afford to pay for uni." The vice chancellor, Roger Holmes, addressed the protesters in an attempt to explain what he termed the "positive effects" fee increases would have on the university.
After half an hour of questioning Holmes, students voted to "banish" him from the blockade. The meeting was successfully delayed for 40 minutes by student protesters. Police and security guards assisted council members through the blockade, while the mass of students were denied the opportunity to put their arguments to the meeting.
A group of 20 students entered the meeting through a side entrance. They sat down and linked arms in front of the council members, singing and chanting "Education is a right not a privilege, so we won't pay".
Police and security guards violently removed these students from the hall using pressure holds. One student required medical attention after his arm was severely bruised.
Despite the university council voting for the fee increases by a large majority, students have vowed to continue their campaign. NUSA has called another protest for March 31st as part of a national day of action.
Shaun Douglas & Simon Butler
Restrictive changes to NT electoral laws
DARWIN — Legislation passed by the Northern Territory assembly on February 24 will restrict the registration of political parties to those with either a minimum of 200 members or federal electoral registration.
This legislation was moved by the ALP chief minister Clare Martin as an amendment to a bill passed in November, which introduced the requirement of just 50 members for a political party to register.
According to the Socialist Alliance's Jon Lamb: "It is obvious that the NT government knew this undemocratic restriction would be on the nose — that is why they didn't introduce it with the original legislation. They waited a few months until they thought no-one was looking and tried to sneak it through."
The Greens have also attacked the new legislation. Greens Senate candidate in the NT Ilana Eldridge stated in a press release: "We can only conclude that Clare Martin is forseeing considerable political opposition from progressive parties and movements in the forthcoming months and wants to offset such opposition by denying such groups a level playing field".
Kathy Newnam
Aboriginal busker wins mall rights
BRISBANE — Well-known Aboriginal busker Burragubba (Adrian) McAvoy, ended his sit-in and hunger strike on March 1 after reaching an agreement with Queen Street Mall officials. McAvoy had been banned from singing traditional Murri songs in the mall.
McAvoy, who ran as an independent candidate on the issue of stolen Indigenous wages in the February 7 state election, began a hunger strike on February 29 after city council officers had him forcibly removed from the mall by police. He was performing to a 100-strong crowd at the time.
McAvoy was protesting what he describes as the loss of respect and lack of acknowledgment of indigenous culture in Brisbane.
According to Queen Street Mall chairperson David Hinchliffe, the dispute was due to a misunderstanding, and McAvoy's busker permit was being restored immediately.
Bill Mason
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, March 10, 2004.
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