Action updates
ADELAIDE — About 200 people celebrated 500 years of indigenous and popular resistance in the Americas at Rymill Park on March 29. Speakers included Claudia Radattz from the 500 Years Committee, Sybil Wakefield from the ANC Solidarity Group and Andrew Watson from the Democratic Socialist Party. Actors, singers, drummers and the Chilean band Cona Lien performed throughout the afternoon. The committee's next event will be an April 23 slide presentation on the pre-Colombian history of the Americas. For further information phone Estella on (08) 260 3058 or Jorge on 491 128.
- About 100 people attended a March 27 high school students' rally for public transport in opposition to cuts announced by the SA Transit Authority. The students called for a safe, quick, accessible, affordable, 24-hour service. The students also opposed privatisation of public transport. Speakers were from the Environmental Youth Alliance, CAPSA Disability Action, the Australian Democrats and Resistance.
BRISBANE — About 30 people demonstrated in King George Square in solidarity with women's abortion rights in the United States on April 5. Abortion rights in the US are under threat as the Supreme Court appears poised to overturn the historic 1973 Roe vs Wade decision, which guaranteed a woman's constitutional right to control her body. The protesters also raised the question of Queensland's anti-abortion laws, which are still on the books despite the election promises of the Goss Labor government and a mandate from 66% of Queenslanders who support a woman's right to choose.
MELBOURNE — An emergency public meeting will be held on April 11, 7.30 p.m., at the YWCA building in Elizabeth St to discuss the threatened air blockade of Libya by the United States-dominated United Nations Security Council. It is hoped the meeting, called by the Hands Off Libya Committee, will be addressed by student delegates currently attending a conference in Libya. Other speakers will discuss reasons behind current attacks on the sovereignty and independence of the Libyan Arab People's Jamahiriya.
- Around 130 people attended the People's Committee for Melbourne launch on March 28-29. A range of environmental, public housing, public transport, union, public education and socialist activists attended the conference. Keynotes speakers included Mike Berry from the town planning unit at RMIT, Stephen Rix from the UNSW Public Sector Research Centre and Age economist Ken Davidson. All three opposed privatisation of public assets, saying this would make community services scarcer and more expensive rather than more efficient. The final session adopted a People's Charter proposing a range of measures including a community bulletin to keep groups informed and list researchers working on public sector projects, and a People's Embassy in opposition to corporate think-tanks and privatisation committees.
SYDNEY — Around 50 people attended a picket outside the US Consulate on April 4 to show solidarity with the more than 1 million people expected to march for abortion rights in Washington D.C. The action was organised by Women's Abortion Action Campaign.