Hemp rally
SYDNEY -- Around 150 supporters of the legalisation of hemp gathered in Prince Alfred Park on September 12 to hear speakers and music as part of a national day of action organised by HASH (Honest Australians Supporting Hemp), National Network and the National Union of Students. Speakers, including MLC Richard Jones, highlighted the potential for hemp as an environmentally sustainable source of fibre for clothing, paper and building materials and as alcohol for fuel, and the use of criminalisation of a relatively harmless substance as a method of social control.
Save the ABC
ADELAIDE -- Around 1500 people attended two free Save the ABC concerts at Victoria Square and Town Hall on September 7, organised by the Friends of the ABC and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. The day was hosted by ABC radio personalities and addressed by the managing director of the ABC, Brian Johns, who said that decisions about cuts to programming were yet to be made.
Attendance at the concerts showed the broad range of people the ABC caters for, from children holding ``Hands off our bananas!'' placards to Triple J devotees and Radio National supporters.
ANU Council picketed
CANBERRA -- Twenty students picketed a meeting of the University Council at the ANU Chancellery on September 13. The meeting was to decide whether the university will introduce up-front fees for postgraduate courses in 1997. Students demanded that the council publicly oppose cuts to education, HECS and Austudy changes; not introduce up-front fees for any courses; shut down the university on future national days of action; and sack Liberal members and Mal Colston (recently resigned Labor senator) from the council.
Councillors either entered by the back door or refused to answer students' questions as they were ushered into the building. Colston became agitated when accosted by students and punched a newspaper reporter. Police then shoved the students off the steps.
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