Refugees solidarity tour
ADELAIDE — Local supporters of the campaign for justice for asylum seekers will join the Free the Refugees Solidarity Tour to the Woomera Immigration Detention Centre on September 21. So far more than 100 have expressed interest in support the tour.
A public meeting on September 23 will be held to hear reports from tour participants. Confirmed speakers include ex-Lord Mayor of Adelaide Jane Lomax-Smith and representatives of the Adelaide branch of Socialist Alliance. The chairperson of the United Trades and Labor Council's international committee Stephen Spence will chair.
Unions impose green bans
BRISBANE — Building unions have agreed to support a long-running community campaign to stop redevelopment of a tract of bushland in inner-Brisbane's Highgate Hill. The unions will ask their members to refuse to work on the two-hectare site known as the Gully, which runs from Dornoch Terrace to the Brisbane River.
Local residents, who have fought to preserve the last significant natural inner-city bushland for more than 20 years, welcomed the offer of support by the unions.
Meeting condemns 'GATS attack'
BRISBANE — Around 100 people attended a public meeting, sponsored by a range of progressive organisations, on the theme, "Stop the GATS attack", on September 11 in the Paddington Workers Club. Speakers explained that the aim of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is to remove all barriers to free trade in services, meaning that all public services can be forced on to the private market, and eventual domination by big corporations.
Tax office picket
BRISBANE — Australian Tax Office workers stopped work for two hours on September 13 and picketed city and suburban ATO offices. The stoppage was part of a national protest against the Howard government's decision to cut 9% from the tax office budget and sack 1300 workers. Around 160 jobs will go in Queensland.