News

Abortion is still a criminal offence in Queensland, but most Australians, including Queenslanders, are pro-choice.

One hundred people gathered at Parramatta ferry wharf on October 9 to call on the NSW government to abandon plans to privatise Sydney Ferries. The protest was organised by Save Our Sydney Ferries, a coalition of unions and public transport support groups.

Hundreds of people braved gale-force winds and driving rain to attend Climate Camp ’09 in Helensburgh, on NSW’s south coast, over October 9-11. The activists took part in workshops, performances and an Aboriginal welcome and smoking ceremony.

On October 30, construction worker Ark Tribe will go to court in Adelaide. Workers will take solidarity protest actions across the country to show support for their fellow worker. Tribe has been unjustly targeted by the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).

Emory Douglas, former “Minister for Culture” in the US Black Panther Party, spoke at Brisbane's Institute of Modern Art on October 1. Douglas is now a part of the Artist Rights Society, and remains a committed activist artist and campaigner for social justice and empowerment.

Rain and a smaller than expected crowd failed to dampen the spirits of committed peace activists who gathered at Bondi Beach on October 4. On the day Sydney was host to a leg of the 160,000 kilometre global march for peace, organised by World Without Wars.

South Australian Climate Camp activists declared the state’s first climate camp a great success.

In Green Left Weekly #811, we said that the renewable energy company Solar Systems had collapsed “due to its major investor, TRUenergy, withdrawing its investment”. TRUenergy wrote to us to point out that this statement was wrong.

More than 40 people attended a public meeting in Helensburgh, 40 minutes south of Sydney, on September 26 to discuss the issues of climate, water, jobs and political action.

Our next issue will be dated October 14.

“Palestinian Days”, Brisbane’s inaugural Palestinian film festival, will be held over October 16-18 in the Schonell Theatre at the University of Queensland, St Lucia.

Shortly after two dust storms swept the entire east coast of Australia over September 22-26, concerns were raised that radioactive materials from central Australian uranium mines could make the same journey.