858

Across Australia communities have come out and participated in Walk Together events to welcome refugees.

Matt McCarten, leader of NZ's militant Unite union.

In a daring and audacious move, Matt McCarten, General Secretary of the Unite Union, announced his candidacy in the Mana By Election in Wellington earlier today.

March for refugee and asylum seeker rights held in Sydney on October 23 to mark the ninth anniversary of the sinking of a boat, code-named the SIEV X, full of asylum seekers on its way from Indonesia to Australia on October 19, 2001.

Bob Brown.

Greens federal parliamentary leader Senator Bob Brown spoke in the parliamentary debate on the Australian military intervention in Afghanistan on October 25.

Protesters at a 'Fairness at Work' national day of action rally in Aotearoa New Zealand 20 Oct 2010.

About 15,000 New Zealand workers joined the 鈥淔airness at Work鈥 National Day of Action on October 20, highlighting growing opposition to the government's proposed employment law changes, said the country鈥檚 largest private sector union, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU).

On October 20, 50 people attended a forum, 鈥淧olitics, the Union Movement and the Illawarra鈥, organised by the South Coast Labour Council (SCLC). Speakers included Darin Sullivan, president of the NSW Fire Brigade Employees Union; Naomi Arrowsmith, Illawarra organiser of the Australian Services Union; and Nicole Calnan, regional organiser of the NSW Teachers鈥 Federation.
鈥淗istory was made early today on the other side of the world鈥, said Grant Morgan, an Auckland-based organiser of the Kia Ora Gaza convoy bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza in defiance of Israel鈥檚 siege. Kia Ora is a six-person New Zealand team that has joined the Viva Palestina covoy. 鈥淭he vicious Israeli siege of Gaza has been broken by an international aid convoy of 400 volunteers from 30 countries driving 150 vehicles carrying vital medical supplies worth NZ$7 million.鈥
Out-of-favour Manchester United star Wayne Rooney must look in the papers every morning and think: 鈥淗ow does [Liberal Democrat MP and business secretary in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition] Vince Cable get away with it? 鈥淛ust like me, a year ago he was a national hero, the embodiment of hope, and now he鈥檚 a bumbling fool and revealed as a cheat. But he's allowed to carry on as he pleases and isn鈥檛 even substituted. 鈥淚 want a transfer to the Liberal Democrats.鈥
South Coast Labour Council logo.

The Illawarra's peak union body, the South Coast Labour Council (SCLC), has called on the Australian government to pull troops out of Afghanistan and pursue an independent foreign policy.

Ron Guy has been pre-selected by the Socialist Alliance to run for the seat of Melton in the Victorian state election in November. Guy was born in Bacchus Marsh where he lives with his partner and son. He has been an Australia Workers Union (AWU) delegate for more than 15 years. Guy was one of the main instigators of setting up the Arts co-operative Maribyrnong River Edge Artists Movement, believed to be one of the longest running arts co-operatives in Australia.
On October 20, thousands of students and workers marched on Downing Street in London to protest against the savage cuts in social spending announced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, Counterfire.org reported that day. The protest was organised by the Coalition of Resistance, Camden Trades Council and the People鈥檚 Charter. The cuts in public spending announced by British chancellor George Osborne that day amount to 81 billion pounds.