ADELAIDE — The usual Saturday morning sea of cars was held back on March 18 as 400 cyclists and walkers took to the streets, reclaiming the road for a sustainable transport future. Mike Parnell from the Australian Conservation Foundation opened the rally at Victoria Square. "We're not blocking the traffic", he said. "We are the traffic." Reclaim the Road was organised by Praxis and the Bicycle Institute of South Australia. Photo by Sam Solomon.
BRISBANE — Peace activists Ciaron O'Reilly and Anne Rampa were arrested outside the Amberley air base on March 21 as they and 11 other members of the Brisbane Catholic Worker community blockaded the gates of the base to protest its hosting US war planes used extensively in the Gulf War. The US planes and personnel will be deployed to northern Iraq after a two-week stay in Queensland. O'Reilly served a one-year prison sentence in the US for damaging a B-52 bomber and a runway immediately before the Gulf War in 1991.
- A night of videos featuring "The politics of Noam Chomsky" was held in Cyprus House here on March 22. The videos celebrated the recent visit of the renowned US linguist and social critic, and gave an opportunity to view his major meetings in Sydney in January.
KATOOMBA — Four hundred people attended a rally protesting against the woodchipping of old growth forests on March 19. Speakers included Sid Walker (Nature Conservation Council), Ian Cohen (Greens), environmental activists, Mark Greenhill from the forestry union, an Aboriginal elder and candidates from the local electorate.
MELBOURNE — HEMP (Help End Marijuana Prohibition) Victoria organised a rally of 300 on March 18 to call for the legalisation of marijuana. The vibrant rally marched from City Square to Parliament House, where several speakers were heard.
- Around 60 people attended a lively general meeting of the anti-privatisation group Public First in North Melbourne on March 20. It was decided to establish local organising committees to plan activities. A rally is proposed for April 9 at St Kilda. The next general meeting is to be held on April 3 at 4 Elm St, North Melbourne. For further information contact (03) 662 3511.
- Seventy health workers at St Vincent's Hospital are striking indefinitely over the proposed privatisation of the X-ray department. Radiographers, orderlies and clerical workers walked off the job indefinitely on March 23.
PERTH — Railway workers, angry at being kept in the dark about planned job cuts, had to fight their way through a line of police on March 23 to try to discuss the issue with Westrail acting commissioner Ross Drabble. More than 1000 jobs out of 3300 are to be cut under Westrail's new "Right Track" policy, and workers and the Public Transport Union have not been consulted. There are further plans for the Water Authority to contract out services; and job cuts in the Building Management Authority and Main Roads Department are also likely. The Trades and Labor Council and public sector unions are planning a rally for April 22.
- A spirited rally of 500 people on March 19 called for the decriminalisation and legalisation of marijuana. The 500-strong action was organised by NORML (National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) as part of a national day of action. Speakers at the rally included Gordon Huntley, who described how marijuana was the only effective drug for his multiple sclerosis, Labor MLA Alannah MacTiernan, Greens MLC Jim Scott and Mark Schneider from NORML.
SYDNEY — Activists held a speak-out outside Town Hall on March 24, organised by Resistance and Indonesia Solidarity Action to support the Indonesian people's right to free speech and a free press. They called for an end to Australia's military ties with Indonesia and for the political prisoners to be freed. Links were made with the campaign for a free East Timor.
- The campaign against Sydney's third runway continued with a rally of 300 people "blockading" Parliament House on March 22. Participants heard from a range of speakers including actor Judy Davis, who slammed the Liberal and Labor parties for their dishonesty and, in opposition to earlier speakers, described the proposal to build a new airport at Badgerys Creek in Sydney's west as "no solution".