#3
Don't log Recherche Bay
HOBART — French ambassador to Australia Patrick Henault visited Recherche Bay on December 1.
Environmentalists were hoping for official French support for the campaign to stop logging at the bay, however Henault maintained a diplomatic silence on the question: "It's a matter for Australia to settle — it's your heritage."
Recherche Bay is private land and the state government has given authority for logging to proceed. According to <www.recherchebay.org>, a logging road has already been bulldozed a kilometre into the Southport Lagoon Conservation Area.
The state government has agreed to a ribbon reserve — a 100m strip along the coastline — and small reserves around the garden and observatory. This is considered token and inadequate by environmentalists and local residents.
The Australian Academy of Science has written to Premier Paul Lennon to appeal for the reservation of the whole area.
Alex Bainbridge
Trades Hall endorses pro-choice campaign
MELBOURNE — On November 26, the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) executive passed a motion supporting the campaign in defence of women's right to access abortion.
The motion stated that federal health minister "Tony Abbot and a number of government MPs have recently indicated their intent to decrease women's access to abortion services. The changes that are being advocated by the anti-abortion MPs range from cuts to Medicare to compulsory counselling and some would put a total ban on abortion."
The motion declared that the executive council "condemns the government's attack on women's rights" and supports "a woman's right to choose and the provision of free accessible and safe abortion".
The motion supported the VTHC and its affiliates getting actively involved in the "right to choose" campaign.
Lalitha Chelliah
Melbourne Social Forum moulds networks
MELBOURNE — If ever there is a sign that the people are stirring, then seeing the evolution of the World Social Forum spin off into more than 2500 regional and city-based events in just four years would be it.
November 28 was Melbourne's turn to add to the melting pot of social forums at CERES Environmental Park. Five plenaries and 35 workshops brought together more than 300 people representing a myriad of interests such as Blue Wedges, Timor Women, Wiseworld and the Chilean Popular and Indigenous Network.
Planning begins for the 2005 forum on March 16 at the Glitch Bar, St Georges Road, North Fitzroy. Visit <http://www.melbournesocialforum.org>.
Karl Fitzgerald
From Green Left Weekly, December 8, 2004.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.