Jonathan Strauss

  • ALP to the rear, say Cairns unionists

    CAIRNS — State and federal ALP parliamentarians were sent to the rear of the Labour Day march and rally in Cairns, trailing behind about 1000 unionists and their supporters. The theme of the march was opposition to the Queensland government's privatisation plans. Far North Queensland region Electrical Trades Union organiser Stuart Traill called for the abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, with its special interrogation powers, and other laws directed against workers in the construction industry.

  • Far North ALP opposes privatisations

    A motion calling for a halt to the Queensland ALP government’s plans to privatise public rail, port, road and forestry assets was passed with support of 70% of delegates at the ALP’s Far Northern regional conference on October 18.

  • Yarrabah protests CDEP scrapping

    CAIRNS— Residents of the Indigenous community at Yarrabah held a public meeting on April 22 to discuss the Rudd government’s proposal to scrap the Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) on July 1.

  • The campaign for rail in far-north Qld

    The reintroduction of a rail-based public transport system for Cairns and promotion of rail freight in far-north Queensland were the key themes of a 100-strong public meeting on March 18.

  • Venezuela solidarity reaches Cairns

    CAIRNS — Around 20 people attended an evening of music and politics organised by Green Left Weekly and the Socialist Alliance at the Sapphire Bar on October 15. Local balladeer Chris Wighton set the mood with his songs and acoustic guitar.

  • Cairns cultural heritage defended

    Activists in Cairns have stepped up their blockade actions in the last two weeks to stop the partial demolition of the Cairns Yacht Club building and its removal from its site beside Trinity Inlet.

  • Health workers strike for fair wages

    On September 23, about 200 hospital administration workers in far-north Queensland were the first to strike as part of a state-wide campaign to improve wages in Queensland Health.

  • Kick the car habit

    A morning rally of 50 in City Place on World Environment Day, June 5, demanded action for sustainable transport. Renee Lees from Cairns Action for Sustainable Transport (CAST) pointed out that the current Cairns transport plan proposes only that a minimum of 10% of passenger travel should be by public transport by 2036.

  • Cairns discusses sustainable transport

    Fifty people attended the first public meeting of Cairns Action for Sustainable Transport (CAST), on March 11 at the Serbian Centre in Edge Hill. Attendees engaged in a lively discussion about improving Cairns’s public transport and bikeways.