Gay and Lesbian Pride march
HOBART — A small but lively group attended the annual Gay and Lesbian Pride march to Parliament House Lawns on March 21. Speakers addressed the issues of visibility and of being out and proud in Tasmanian. The action was part of a successful Pride Month, which included an art exhibition and film festival.
Newroz celebrated
BLACKTOWN — The Blacktown Civic Centre in Sydney's west was filled on April 4 as more than 400 Kurds turned out to celebrate Newroz, the Kurdish new year. The audience heard speeches calling for self-determination for Kurds oppressed by the regimes in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Exiled Kurdish communities throughout the world mobilise at this time of the year to reassert their Kurdish identity. The celebration is banned in Turkey.
Housing auction foiled
MELBOURNE — Demonstrators protesting the sell-off of public housing prevented the auction of several ministry of housing properties on March 22. The first of five auctions in the suburb of Richmond was abandoned after clapping, singing and chanting drowned out the auctioneer. The ministry later said that it intends to sell the properties privately, and is planning to auction three properties in Maidstone on April 12.
Victorians for Affordable Housing intends to organise more protests. VAH is a coalition of community organisations, public tenant groups, regional housing councils, tenants and other people concerned about housing issues.
East Timor solidarity
MELBOURNE — A picket organised by University Students for East Timor against the shooting of youth protesters in Dili was held outside the city offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on March 25. The location highlighted Australian government support for Indonesia's occupation of East Timor. Several of the participants, wearing white headbands calling for a free East Timor, staged a die-in inside the building.
The Timorese students were shot by the Indonesian military on March 23 while trying to give a message to a UN special envoy staying at the Mahkota Hotel in Dili.
Save Sydney campaign
SYDNEY — A 1000-strong public meeting at Sydney Town Hall on March 26 launched the Save Sydney campaign, uniting campaigns about environment, public transport and anti-airport noise issues. Called "Transport in Crisis: Winning Back Sydney", the meeting was well attended by groups opposing the Eastern Distributor and M5-East freeways. Speakers explained the environmentally destructive road transport regime in Sydney and called for its replacement with an integrated public transport network.
Women students plan conference
BRISBANE — The 10th Network of Women Students Australia (NOWSA) 1997 national conference will be held on July 7-11 at Queensland University of Technology's Gardens Point Campus. The theme is "Looking In, Speaking Out", and a range of issues that affect women's lives and how they can organise for change will be discussed.
The Howard government's unrelenting attacks on women's rights makes this gathering an important part of organising the fight back. Women wanting to help plan the conference can attend the weekly NOWSA collective meetings.