In the largest outpouring of unionist opposition to government attacks since the SEQEB dispute, and the biggest workers' rally in Brisbane for decades, Bill Mason reports, some 10,000 people crowded into the King George Square on August 19 and later marched on the State Executive Building.
The rally brought together a broad coalition of unionists, including those opposed to the state government's cuts to workers' compensation, school cleaners fighting planned privatisation of their jobs, public sector workers angered at job cuts and office closures and workers concerned about the Howard government's anti-union legislation.
ACTU Queensland president Dave Harrison told the rally that the day of action was designed to expose the federal and state governments' deceit. "The governments' proposed changes are an attack on the fundamental rights of the Australian people", he said.
ACTU Queensland assistant secretary Grace Grace said the proposed changes to the workers' compo laws excluded about 70% of injured workers from suing. Other speakers condemned the cuts in government spending and attacks on jobs, and the threat to school cleaners from the Borbidge government's privatisation plans.
ACTU Queensland secretary John Thompson said the rally's success showed that the union movement was "being reborn". He announced a four-hour city and regional rail strike on September 2, called by the Public Transport Union in response to threats to privatise sections of the rail industry.
Democratic Socialist Party Brisbane organiser Graham Matthews told Green Left Weekly that the ACTU should interpret the tremendous response to August 19 as the beginning of broad fight back.
"Unfortunately, it looks like the ACTU isn't planning on calling more rallies or actions. We need a unified strategy, led by the ACTU in coalition with other political and community organisations, to harness the widespread anger at the federal budget, the industrial relations bill, the privatisation of Telstra and the state government attacks", Matthews said.
From Adelaide, Adam Hanieh reports that more than 12,000 workers covered by the Australian Nurses Federation, Public Service Association, CFMEU, CEPU, ASU, Maritime Workers Union and student unions braved pouring rain to take part in one of the largest demonstrations for many years. A number of regional rallies were also held.
Some CPSU members attended despite discouragement by their leadership. While recent mass meetings had called on the CPSU leadership to endorse the two-hour stoppage, it authorised only those people who attended the mass meetings to stop work.
Former SA premier Don Dunstan reminisced about "the good old days" when Labor was in office, and Josie Barbaro, an activist from the apprentice campaign group IRATE and an Organising Works trainee at the PSA, also spoke.
While a number of speakers called for the fight back to continue, further action has yet to be announced.
Sibylle Kaczorek reports from Darwin that around 1000 people attended the lunchtime rally organised by the Trades and Labour Council.
Janet Crews from the CPSU, Zane Whitehorn from the NTU student union, Jack Ah Kit from Territory Labor and Andrew Detmar from the AMWU spoke at the rally.
A student contingent organised by the NTU Education Action Group made a lively entrance with loud chants of "One struggle, one fight, students and workers must unite". After the speakers, about 400 people marched on Country Liberal Party member Nick Dondas' office, which they briefly occupied before marching to the NT parliament building, where chants of "Block the budget" and "Throw Howard out" echoed through the main gallery.
A spontaneous speak-out, initiated by the socialist youth organisation Resistance, lasted half an hour before organisers asked people to leave the building in the face of an increasing police presence.
From Perth, Ana Kailis reports that 5000 workers and students rallied at Parliament House. This was the biggest action since last year's 10,000-strong march against the WA Liberal government's second wave industrial relations legislation, but it lacked the confident spirit of that successful mobilisation.
Speakers, who included WA CPSU secretary Ian Thompson, TLC secretary Tony Cooke, a representative from the welfare sector and Resistance member Tom Hagan representing apprentices and TAFE students, highlighted the draconian nature of Howard's IR legislation and the budget concessions given to the rich.
Despite the wide impact of Howard's attacks, the rally was poorly advertised in many workplaces and in the community.
However, more action is on the way. On August 20, tertiary, high school and TAFE students and apprentices formed an Education and Training Action Coalition to coordinate a cross-sector education campaign. Apprentice organisers from the CFMEU and the AMWU and representatives from the CPSU and Community Services Association also attended. A rally against education cuts and attacks on apprentices has been planned for September 5. To get involved ring (09) 227 7367.