Students occupy Howard's office

Students occupy Howard's office

By Marcus Greville

SYDNEY — On August 21, 60 students occupied John Howard's electoral office in Gladesville to protest against the budget's attacks on education.

After entering, the students escorted most staff out of the building, put up posters and sat down to discuss and vote on an appropriate course of action. When an office staffer telephoned Howard, the PM immediately forbade any media from entering his office.

After 90 minutes, the students decided to leave before police moved in, believing that their point had been adequately expressed. As they left, they read their demands — no cuts to university operating grants and the raising of Austudy for all students to a livable level — to the media waiting outside.

From GLW issue 244