Organising for IWD
ADELAIDE — The Adelaide IWD Collective met on October 4 and decided that "Celebrating Women's Activism — the Struggle Continues" would be the theme for the march and rally in 1998. A forum has been scheduled on February 7 which will aim to build the march and encourage debate around key issues for the women's movement.
Women wanting to get active in the collective can attend meetings at the Women's Studies Resource Centre, 64 Pennington Terrace, Saturdays 1.30-3.30. The next dates are October 25 and December 6. Phone Connie, on 8268 3346.
AEU election
ADELAIDE — SA Australian Education Union president Janet Giles has been returned with a resounding 77% of the votes in the recent union election. The progressive ticket also won both vice-president positions and a significant majority of the state executive.
This demonstrates strong support for the active campaigning approach of the progressive group led by Giles and former vice-president Ken Drury.
The union conducted a high profile, militant industrial and political campaign against the state Liberal government cuts to education during 1996. AEU members eventually achieved a 17% salary increase, along with additional staffing back into schools.
Women for Wik
CANBERRA — Three hundred women, organised by Women for Wik, rallied in defence of native title at Parliament House on October 16. Speakers included Democrat Senator Meg Lees, shadow Aboriginal affairs minister Daryl Melham, Democrat Sid Spindler, Women for Wik convener Win Childs and Rosie Scott.
Childs said that Women for Wik's submission to the Senate Committee on Native Title was endorsed by 50 women's organisations, representing hundreds of thousands of women.
Gay and lesbian equality rally
PERTH — One hundred people rallied outside Parliament House on October 15 to push for the Anti-Discrimination Bill, now in its second reading in the upper house. The legislation will include gays and lesbians under the existing anti-discrimination legislation, and lower the age of consent for gay men from 21 to 16.
Protesters tied a pink ribbon around Parliament House, to "pink parliament" and symbolise that parliament should represent gays and lesbians as well as the moral minority.
Justice For Young People
SYDNEY — On October 15 more than 100 people gathered outside Parliament House to protest against the Children Safety (Protection and Parental Responsibility) Act 1997.
Speakers, including Kilty, one of the organisers from Justice For Young People, spoke about the bill which gives police the power to break up groups of two or more young people. The protest ended with skateboarding and a party in the Domain.
Che commemorated
PERTH — A public meeting organised by Resistance and Committees in Solidarity with Latin America and the Caribbean was held at the Resistance office on October 11 to commemorate the life and ideas of Che Guevara. Some 35 people heard talks by Angela Luvera and Jorge Jorquera on the social and political thought of Che, and its relevance for struggles today.