Action updates

Reith chickens out

BRISBANE — Federal industrial relations minister Peter Reith was forced to cancel an election campaign street-walk in West End on September 4 after 100 people gathered outside the local Liberal campaign office to condemn the government's industrial relations policies.

The Liberal candidate for the seat of Brisbane had invited Reith to conduct a "meet the people walk" in Boundary Street. As protesters rallied outside the office, the Liberal candidate announced that Reith was unable to appear because of "pressure of his schedule".

Solidarity book launched

Forty people attended the launch on August 29 of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor's new book No Australian Military Ties with Indonesia.

Speakers included Mohammed Dahlan from the Free Aceh Movement; Rex Rumakiek from the Free West Papua Movement; and Max Lane and Xylia Ingham from ASIET. The speakers condemned Indonesia's atrocities in West Papua, Aceh and East Timor, and the persecution of Chinese Indonesians, organised by the military. The Australian government's role in propping up the Indonesian dictatorship was discussed.

Resistance stall attacked

BRISBANE — A Resistance campaigning stall was kicked over and activists abused in Queen Street Mall on September 3.

The mall was filled with shoppers and tourists when a young man wearing army pants suddenly charged the stall, scattering leaflets and Green Left Weekly newspapers. There was a scuffle, the attacker screamed obscenities at the two Resistance members staffing the stall, and ran off.

Passers-by helped set the stall up again and comforted the shaken but resolute activists. "We will not be intimidated. We are determined to build a mass movement against racism", said Brisbane Resistance organiser Andy Gianniotis. The previous week, the Resistance Centre was set alight.

From GLW issue 332