Action alert
NEWCASTLE — The Tomago Sandbed Action Group urgently needs support. Sand mining company RZM has resumed bulldozing areas of old growth forest at Tomago sand beds north of Newcastle. Protesters are camped at the site and are determined to stop the destruction which threatens a koala colony and the Tomago aquifer, which supplies much of Newcastle's water. If you can join the protesters or want more information, phone Cathy Burgess on (049) 201 528 or 014 633 552.
NTEU dispute
CANBERRA — National Tertiary Education and Industry Union members met in a Canberra-wide stop-work meeting on May 9; 300 people voted unanimously for a 24-hour strike on May 30 as part of the national NTEU strike. The meeting also discussed the need for more and guaranteed funding to higher education and voiced opposition to student fees. National officials from the NTEU noted that Canberra members have been at the forefront of the dispute since it began.
Critical Inqueeries
HOBART — Around 100 people gathered at the University of Tasmania to hear a panel of speakers discuss different aspects of queer theory on May 9. The event, organised by the Women's Studies department, featured four founders of Australia's first academic journal on Queer theory, Critical Inqueeries. Steve Angelides from Melbourne University presented a critique of research into the "gay gene". Craig Bird, also from Melbourne University, presented an analysis of drag queens, queer theory and concepts of femininity. Wei Leng Kwok, women's studies coordinator at the University of Tasmania, discussed queer theory as a new analytical tool for feminism.
Picket line reinforced
GEELONG — Some 150 workers from Melbourne and Geelong gave an added punch to the picket line at E.P. Robinson Pty Ltd on May 9. The reinforced picket line prevented scabs entering the plant for that evening's 12-hour shift. As the locked-out members of the SRWU enter their 10th week on the grass, solidarity from other unions is building. The CFMEU, AMWU and ETU all sent contingents to the picket line. Thursday evening is now being built as the regular mass picket day.
ASIET campaign launch
BRISBANE — More than 80 people attended the campaign launch for the National Day of Solidarity with East Timor on April 27. The night featured a slide presentation by Nick Everett and Kim Comerford, recently returned from East Timor.
John Tomlinson, an East Timor activist and university lecturer, launched the campaign with a poem called "Gareth", summarising the ALP's betrayal of East Timor. Tomlinson is a sponsor of the National Day of Solidarity on August 25.
World Environment Day
WOLLONGONG — On June 1, World Environment Day will be marked here. The theme is "Stop uranium mining"; the rally will also take up a range of other environment issues. Fiona Passmore from Resistance and the World Environment Day organising collective, said, "World Environment Day has particular significance this year given the Howard government's open-slather policy on uranium mining, as well as its attacks on land rights".
The march will assemble at 11.15am at Market Square and will be followed by a rally at 12.30pm at the Wollongong Mall Amphitheatre. A festival in McCabe Park with entertainment, speakers and stalls will follow. The World Environment Day organising collective meets at 6.30pm on Wednesdays at Wollongong University. For more information call (042) 262 010.
Guatemalan fiesta
SYDNEY — A fiesta on May 5 raised $1500 for the library of the small village of Todos Santos in Guatemala. About 150 people supported the evening, organised by the Committee for Human Rights in Guatemala.
Tamils call for solidarity
CANBERRA — Up to 800 Tamils demonstrated on April 29 at Parliament House against the Sri Lankan army offensive against the Tamil population in Sri Lanka, in which more than 50,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have been made refugees. The Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations argues that only international pressure will end the war.