WOLLONGONG — The ALP-dominated Shellharbour City Council was sacked on July 9 by Paul Lynch, NSW minister for local government. The Illawarra Mercury reported Lynch as saying, "The elected council seemed so dysfunctional that an administrator could
Chris Williams
Thirty people attended the June 17 meeting of Wollongong Against Corruption (WAC), which has spearheaded the anti-corruption campaign in Wollongong since its local council was sacked in March.
More than 100 people rallied in Wollongongs mall on June 7 for World Environment Day. Organised by the Wollongong Climate Action Network (WCAN), the action was in opposition to the proposed sell-off of NSW electricity and plans to build a new coal-fired power station.
Things cant get much worse for the NSW ALP. Even Labor insiders are describing Morris Iemmas premiership as terminal. At the heart of the crisis are the scandals involving ALP-controlled local councils, and in particular the March 4 sacking of Wollongong City Council (WCC) after systemic corruption was uncovered by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
On April 1, 50 Wollongong residents rallied outside the NSW parliament in Macquarie Street, Sydney, to demand an end to corruption in the Labor-dominated Wollongong City Council (WCC). The rally, organised by the resident action group Wollongong Against Corruption (WAC), was addressed by, among others, Greens MP Sylvia Hale and NSW Liberal Party leader Barry O’Farrell.
Nearly 200 people filled Wollongongs Town Hall on March 11 to demand a Royal Commission into council corruption and for the people of Wollongong to be able to exercise their democratic right to take part in the NSW local government elections, scheduled for September.
The demands reflect important struggles facing workers and the community, including the planned sell-off of NSW power and the ongoing campaign to abolish the worst aspects of former prime minister John Howards Work Choices legislation.
In addition to the May 3 march and rally, the committee is organising a photo display in honour of past May Day struggles. It will be launched on May 1 in a local theatre and feature hundreds of photos, leaflets, posters, even an old May Day queen sash, ranging in dates from 1930s to recent years.
On October 31, some 70 Wollongong TAFE teachers stopped work in support of students facing massive fee increases. The stopwork meeting condemned both federal and state governments for under-funding TAFE and shifting the cost of quality vocational education onto students. The teachers also expressed disgust at the Howard government for finding a “lazy” $2 billion to support the duplication of TAFE with the new Australian Technical Colleges (ATCs).
More than 80 people packed out the Aboriginal Cultural Centre on June 23 for a public peoples trial of US President George Bush. The meeting, organised by the Wollongong Stop Bush committee, heard testimony from Saeb Ali from Peace for Lebanon, Maritime Union of Australia Port Kembla branch secretary Gary Keane and Walk against Warming initiator and Resistance member Paola Harvey.
On the evening of June 1, international shipping company Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) announced it was backing down after a tense four-day stand-off with Port Kembla members of the Maritime Union of Australia. Garry Keane, Port Kembla MUA branch secretary, reported to jubilant wharfies and community supporters that CSL had agreed to let “shore-based labour” unload the bulk carrier Capo Noli.
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