Action updates
BRISBANE — An angry group of chanting, sign-toting protesters opposed to the planned South Coast Motorway taunted environment minister Molly Robson and her ALP supporters as she launched her re-election campaign in Springwood on May 29. Cries of "You're going to lose your job!" and "Labor lies, vote them out!" came from many of the 100 protesters gathered outside the Springwood Bowling Club. The members of the anti-tollway group VETO said they felt betrayed by Robson and the Goss government for initially opposing the tollway, then supporting it once in power. VETO president David Keogh said the tollway would only exacerbate the south-east Queensland region's transportation problems.
MELBOURNE — More than 300 people rallied and marched under the auspices of Gays and Lesbians Against Discrimination on May 27. GLAD was protesting against amendments to the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act which allow discrimination against gays and lesbians where an employer has a "rational basis" for the belief that the discrimination is necessary to protect the physical, psychological or emotional well-being of children. GLAD argues that this amendment labels all gay men and lesbians as child molesters. Speakers at the rally included WA Greens Senator Dee Margetts and Democrats Senator Sid Spindler.
- Forty people rallied outside the ALP headquarters on May 31 to protest against the federal government's attacks on immigrant and permanent resident students. Chanting "No racist fees", the picket, organised by the Student Unionism Network, demanded that the government repeal those sections of the budget that specifically attacked permanent resident students.
SYDNEY — Students at Sydney University held a general student meeting on May 31 to protest against continued cutbacks to the Faculty of Arts. Five hundred students and staff listened to speakers including Paul Crittendon, the dean of the faculty, students from threatened departments and members of the general staff. Vice-Chancellor Don McNicol was condemned for proposals which have led to the current under-funding of the faculty, which this year is short $3.2 million. This has led to a plan to reduce the number of students in the faculty from the current level of over 4000 to 3700 by 1997. Since 1991, forty-eight staff positions have been lost.