Northern NSW speaks out against war

BY NICK FREDMAN

LISMORE — Living in northern NSW, it has been impossible to miss anti-war activities with four actions in less than a week.

The most high profile action was a picket of National Party member for Page Ian Causley's campaign launch, also attended by National Party head and deputy prime minister John Anderson. Organised at just a day's notice, the 50-strong picket attracted considerable national media attention after Socialist Alliance candidate for Page Edda Lampis confronted Causley and Anderson about the government's support for the war.

After having to actually listen to their constituents for several minutes without dominating the dialogue, Causley and Anderson stormed off declaring: "We can't take you seriously", and "you don't support free speech". Lampis has since publicly challenged Causley to show his seriousness and support for free speech by attending a debate on the war.

On October 8, activists from Global Justice Alliance, the Socialist Alliance and Nimbin Peacebus hit the phones and the streets within hours of the announcement of the commencement of bombing, mobilising a 150-strong rally in Lismore that afternoon. An evening march through the streets ended outside Causley's office.

In Mullumbimby on October 12, 50 people attended a peace gathering organised by Global Justice Alliance (Mullumbimby), and discussed organising ongoing activity in the Byron Shire area.

A second rally in Lismore on October 13 attracted 120 people, many of whom stayed behind after a march for a discussion that focused on the best ways of using the momentum of several initial actions, all organised at short notice, to build broader alliances against the war.

From GLW issue 467