By Simon Frew and Andrew Hall
WOLLONGONG — On June 18 some 500 Skillshare employees, students and supporters rallied at the Town Hall in protest at the Howard government's funding cuts. Some courses will be cut by a third and others completely.
Speakers from the Wollongong City Council, South Coast Labour Council and Miscellaneous Workers Union and a Skillshare client described Skillshare as the "saviour of the unemployed" and, ignoring the last 13 years of cuts, argued that the solution was to re-elect Labor.
Meanwhile, on June 13 a 200-strong public meeting protested against cuts which affect migrant and refugee communities. The federal government wants to close Department of Immigration offices and cut the refugee program. It has already slashed funding to English and literacy classes and said that migrants now have to wait two years before becoming eligible for Social Security benefits.
Speakers including representatives from migrant groups, the lord mayor and trade unionists from the University of Wollongong and the Teachers Federation spoke about the social costs of the cuts.
A campaign to fight the cuts was launched, with the first action, a trade union and community rally, to be held on June 25. A rally in Canberra is also being planned for August 20.