On July 24 and July 28, in the largest secondary student action of its kind in Australia's history, more than 14,000 students walked out of class and publicly demonstrated their opposition to racism and the policies of the One Nation party.
It was not the first time that youth acted as the conscience of the nation; nor will it be the last.
But we cannot stop there; we cannot rest on our laurels. Racism remains, the One Nation party remains. Our struggle must grow.
For that reason, we are calling a second walkout by secondary students on August 28.
This time, our protest will be even bigger; it will occur in more cities and towns; it will involve more schools.
This time, we are calling on all young people, at university or at TAFE, working or not working, to join our protest in a national show of youth unity against racism.
And this time, we will be specifically targeting John Howard's Coalition government.
We just accuse John Howard's government not only of doing nothing to halt the rise of the One Nation party; we accuse John Howard's government not only of weak will in the face of racism.
We accuse John Howard's government of implementing parts of the One Nation party's policies; we accuse John Howard's government itself of racism.
Therefore, our walkout will place specific demands on John Howard's government; let them prove to the people of Australia that they are not the racists we accuse them of being:
- Repeal the Native Title Amendment Act;
- Reverse the $470 million cut from Aboriginal services;
- End the two-year welfare waiting list for newly arrived migrants;
- Close the Jabiluka uranium mine on Mirrar land in Kakadu.
We call on Labor to do the same if elected to government.
By walking out of class, by taking the most serious step we can take, we will demonstrate our outrage and commitment.
We will demonstrate that we will not be intimidated by the howls of outrage from Pauline Hanson and her allies, that we will not be ignored and that we will not leave our future in the hands of politicians we have no faith in.