The Refugee Advocacy Network organised a rally against mandatory detention on November 7, in response to the federal Labor government鈥檚 huge expansion of the system. About 400 people attended the protest.
A keynote speaker at the rally was visiting Afghan activist Malalai Joya. She drew the link between the occupation of her country (in which Australia takes part) and Afghans becoming refugees.
鈥淎fghans are leaving because of catastrophe in their country鈥, she said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 bring democracy with occupation.鈥
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A Union and Community Summer School, Winning Our Rights, will be held over December 10-11 at Melbourne Trades Hall.
Most left political traditions will take part in the school, which aims to strengthen unity on issues for which there is agreement.
The approach will be one of problem-solving. To usefully tackle the big challenges confronting the union movement 鈥 such as the fight against anti-union laws and the struggle for a sustainable economy 鈥 it begins by setting out the concrete questions these challenges pose to unions and labour movement activists.
More than 100 people attended a Brunswick candidates鈥 forum about planning issues on November 11. The high attendance reflected anger at the many high-rise buildings planned for the inner-Melbourne area. Six state election candidates addressed the meeting.
Socialist Alliance candidate Trent Hawkins said residents must be involved in decision-making. Planning minister Justin Madden has "called in" 230 projects so far this year, allowing him to overrule local council decisions. Hawkins said development decisions must involve the community.
The Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) released by treasurer Wayne Swann on November 9 shows that Labor is betting on the minerals boom continuing. While admitting that the global economy remains tenuous, and that the whole house of cards could collapse, it has no 鈥減lan B鈥.
鈥淭he update forecasts strong growth, falling unemployment and a big pipeline of investment that鈥檚 gathering momentum鈥, Swann said.
A November 4 World Bank and International Finance Corporation report, Doing Business 2011: Making a Difference for Entrepreneurs, ranked Colombia as the 39th most 鈥渂usiness friendly environment鈥 in the world.
Colombia鈥檚 鈥淒oing Business鈥 score, which measures how much the country has improved for business, showed Colombia as the best improving economy in the region.
Missing from the report were the more than 500 unionists killed in Colombia over the past eight years, making up 60% of all unionists killed globally.
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