Action updates

ACTU congress picket

MELBOURNE — A picket, organised by Aksi — Indonesia Solidarity Action, was held outside the ACTU Congress on September 27 to protest ACTU links with the Indonesian government-controlled trade union, SPSI.
AKSI spokesperson Ben Reid told Green Left, "We wanted to highlight the role of the ACTU in participating in the Worker Education Program which will train SPSI members rather than genuine trade union activists". Aksi also called on Australian trade unionists to support the new independent worker organisations, SBSI and PPBI, in Indonesia.

Secondary students protest

MELBOURNE — On September 28, Anti-Nuclear Secondary Students (ANSS) held a speak-out at Flinders Street Station to publicise an October 1 anti-nuclear rally. ANSS speakers highlighted the high school students' concerns with nuclear testing and uranium mining, and spoke about why the peoples of the Pacific must have their independence.

BHP AGM protest

MELBOURNE — Forty activists picketed BHP's annual general meeting at the World Congress Centre on September 26 to protest BHP's destruction of the Fly river system from its Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea. The protest continued inside the meeting when two activists presented the chairperson of BHP with dead fish as a token from the people of Papua New Guinea.
BHP and Ok Tedi Mining are being sued by 30,000 villagers in the Ok Tedi region. Two weeks ago BHP was found guilty of contempt of court for drafting legislation for the PNG government which would block land owners' attempts to gain compensation. BHP's profit of $250.9 million in the year to May 31 prompted chief executive of BHP Minerals Jerry Ellis to tell the Age of September 28 that the Ok Tedi project "could stand" spending a "substantial amount of money" on a tailings dam.

Anti-nuclear demonstration

BRISBANE — On September 30, 400 people rallied at the Roma Street Forum against French nuclear testing in the Pacific. Speakers included Greenpeace anti-nuclear campaigner Denise Boyd, Cook Islands' activist Junior Hakaoro, suspended Aspley High students, and Kathy Newman from the Democratic Socialist Party.
Protesters marched to the French Consulate and onto Musgrove Park for performances. The action was organised by the Anti-Nuclear Alliance. A high-school walkout is planned for October 5 ending in a rally at King George Square at 1pm. For details contact ANA on 3254 0565.