Rally against Grand Prix sponsor
MELBOURNE — On June 7, the Kennett government announced that Qantas would replace Transurban as the sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix. Save Albert Park responded by announcing a boycott campaign. On June 15, a hastily organised demonstration of 100 people protested against the deal, briefly occupying the Qantas offices in the city. After being threatened with arrest, the protesters left and established a picket outside, forcing Qantas shut up shop for the day.
Campaign against cut in training wages
MELBOURNE — On June 21, the Victorian TAFE Students and Apprentices Network (VTSAN), at the second meeting of trade unions, student organisations in TAFE and community groups, decided to press ahead with a protest and information campaign about proposed changes to the industrial relations laws which would allow employers to pay apprentices and trainees only for the time spent on productive work.
VTSAN coordinator Maurice Sibelle said, "We are getting an overwhelming opposition to this proposal from apprentices and trainees". CEPU organiser Leo Gillman reported that trades people who had already been through the system were also expressing their opposition to the proposal.
Plans include joining the July 3 delegates' stop-work rally organised by the Victorian Trades Hall Council. A public forum on youth wages and conditions has been called for July 18 at the Trades Hall. Meetings of apprentices and trainees have been called at TAFE colleges throughout Victoria.
Protesters at trade conference
MELBOURNE — One hundred people rallied outside the opening of an Australia-Indonesia Trade Conference at Parliament House on June 16, to highlight the plight of the East Timorese people and to expose the hypocritical role of the Australian governments military, business and trade relations with the Suharto regime. Premier Jeff Kennett and ex-Prime Minister Paul Keating participated in the conference, and business leaders from Indonesia were also keynote speakers.
Speakers from the East Timorese community, ASIET (Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor) and USET (University Students for East Timor) led chants as guests arrived. All speakers emphasised people to get involved in the solidarity campaigns and urged support for the national day of action for East Timor to be held on August 25.