Zoe has been fighting for social and global justice since 1998 when she helped blockade the Jabiluka Uranium Mine in Kakadu national park. “The world is only going to get better if we organise for it to do so”, she said.
One of her inspirations are the youth of Palestine, who she describes as “incredibly courageous”. Since the beginning of the second intifada (uprising) in 2001, Zoe has helped to build solidarity with the Palestinian struggle.
In 2003, like tens of thousands of other young people, she was horrified by the prospect of a brutal war on Iraq. One of the leaders of Books Not Bombs, she helped organised hugely successful student strikes that mobilised thousands of students against the invasion.
This year, the Coalition government's attacks on higher education have been the major focus of student protests, and Zoe has been deeply involved in these, which she sees as connected to fighting war.
“Young people are angry about the neoliberal policies of the Coalition government — on the one hand thousands of school-leavers can't get into university because of the cuts to higher education, but on the other hand there seems to be plenty of money for military 'adventures' into Iraq and new military equipment. Young people need to take action on their universities, TAFEs, high schools and on the streets to demand “money for education not warfare”.
From Green Left Weekly, July 7, 2004.
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