BY GRAHAM MATTHEWS

MELBOURNE — May 1 is set to become “no-war May Day” after the February 5 meeting of the M1 Alliance. Adopting a call to action, the alliance is planning protests based around three slogans: no war on refugees; no war on the Third World; and no war on workers and unions.

The M1 Alliance will seek support for a program of action including a mass blockade and community picket of the Casseldon Place government offices from 7am. The particular focus of the protest will be the immigration department, which has its main Melbourne office in the building.

From 10am, protesters will join union members (who will be taking industrial action) for a unity march against the federal government's war on workers. The march will visit anti-worker offices through the city, finishing at Nauru House where the royal commission into the building industry is holding hearings.

The third and final part of the day is likely to be a reclaim-the-streets action proposed by Friends of the Earth (FOE). The action is likely to coincide with the laying of a wreath at the Eight Hour monument by the Melbourne May Day committee.

Support for Melbourne M1 is growing. The construction division of the Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union endorsed the call to action at its first branch meeting on February 14. In a meeting with M1 organisers, Victorian Trades Hall Secretary Leigh Hubbard supported the unity march. A further meeting between the M1 Alliance and officials from several unions is scheduled on February 26.

Others supporting the action include FOE, the Democratic Socialist Party, Socialist Alternative, Resistance and the International Socialist Organisation (ISO).

Melbourne FOE have initiated a “Melbourne Social Forum” conference featuring Z-Net founder Michael Albert, planned for March 23. After an opening plenary with Albert, the conference will break into workshops, which any participant can run. The forum will probably end with a final all-in session.

The conference has been the only substantial project to emerge from the Melbourne Social Forum project initiated by ISO members in late January. The project's aim, as stated at the initial meeting, is to construct a delegated forum of progressive groups — similar to the Genoa Social Forum which played a big role in organising protests against the G8 forum in 2001.

Although the social forum process attracted more than 40 people — including union representatives, Greens members and representatives of left parties — at its first meeting in late January, just 16 people attended the second meeting on February 14. No further meeting time was set.

From Green Left Weekly, February 27, 2002.
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