Freeway protest
BRISBANE — About 50 people attended a rally on June 17 to protest against the city council's plans to construct a six lane city-valley bypass road. This road will supposedly help solve traffic congestion problems.
The rally was organised by the Inner Northern Coalition, a residents' action group formed in response to the proposed road. INC aims to promote better planning and public transport initiatives. The rally was supported by the Queensland Conservation Council.
Speakers included an INC representative, the Department of Planning at the University of Queenlsand, a Liberal councillor and Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett. The fact was raised that part of the road will be constructed on land owned by indigenous people. Some protesters held placards calling for "new ways, not freeways".
Students protest GST
BRISBANE — Thirty students picketed the Democrats' offices here on June 8 to protest against the GST. After rallying the support of motorists with "honk against the GST" placards, the picket marched to the end of the Brunswick Street Mall for a speak-out. Speakers included Brian Gillespie from the ISO, Socialist Alternative's Tom Bramble, Andrea Marklew from Resistance and Kate Carr from the Griffith University Students Representative Council.
GLW dinner highlights internationalism
PARRAMATTA — On June 5 more than 150 people crammed into the Granville Town Hall for the Green Left Weekly Liberation Dinner. Organised by the Sydney Central and Sydney West branches of the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance, the "One World, One Struggle" dinner highlighted the activism and internationalism of GLW.
Supporters dined on a three-course Turkish meal while listening to speeches from Filiz Kayausuz from the recently formed Kurdish Student Union and Harold Moucho from Fretilin and music from Kurdish musician Ayhan Dogan and local feminist band Bead.
Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor national coordinator Max Lane gave an update on the Indonesian elections and pointed to the central role that GLW plays in promoting solidarity with causes such as the Indonesian pro-democracy and East Timorese struggles. The dinner raised around $1500 for the GLW fighting fund.