BY BEA BREAR
HOBART — "What really happened at S11" was the theme of a September 19 Green Left Weekly public forum and multimedia extravaganza put together by Resistance and Democratic Socialist Party activists returned from the Melbourne protests.
The 20 people attending the forum were given an inspiring taste of the huge numbers, the politics and the achievements of the blockade of the World Economic Forum, details which were ignored in the Tasmanian media in favour of misleading images of violence.
While large numbers of Tasmanian activists trekked across Bass Strait to attend the protest, a small solidarity action was held outside the Hobart stock exchange to coincide with S11. Around 15 activists used the opportunity to hand out leaflets detailing the reasons for the Melbourne protest and the corporate crimes of some of the WEF's members.
Concerned residents of the Huon Valley also mobilised on September 11 for a public meeting protesting against plantation forestry and the failure of their local council to protect residents from Forestry Tasmania, North Forest Products and Forest Enterprises.
Residents fear that the Huon Valley is at risk of being converted into an "industrial forestry estate" as a result of the regional forestry agreement, which fails to place any limitations on forestry. Tasmania currently exports more woodchips than the rest of Australia put together.
Hobart activists have noted a lot of interest in the S11 protest, reflected in increased GLW sales and an enthusiasm among buyers to discuss the issues. One of the key themes of the forum was how to use the inspiration that the S11 protests provided to help build an ongoing campaign against neo-liberal globalisation.
Activists described the enthusiasm and empowerment experienced by those attending the Melbourne protests. Hobart DSP secretary Alex Bainbridge encouraged those in attendance to get actively involved in the socialist movement as the best way to help ensure that a broader anti-imperialist movement takes off in this country.
"There is an alternative to neo-liberal globalisation", Bainbridge told Green Left. "It is called socialism, and that is why you should use this opportunity to join the socialists."
A similar theme will run through a public forum planned by Resistance at the University of Tasmania on September 28. Activists returned from S11 will outline the political impact of the protests and the potential for future campaigns.