ADELAIDE — About 80 people on May 19 heard Renate Klein, an academic from Deakin University and representative of Feminist International Resistance Network of Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering, speak on Women and Reproductive Technology. The meeting was organised by the South Australian Green Party, and was part of a series on the "Illusions of Progress". Klein spoke about the dangers and problems associated with reproductive technologies, and about some of the specific cases where women have been damaged by the use of these technologies.
BRISBANE — A campaign is growing here in support of establishment of a park on the site of the former Bjelke-Petersen government's "world's tallest building" project. Campaign organiser Eddie Kann has gathered more than 800 signatures on a petition urging the Goss government to create a park rather than allow current plans for yet another office block to occupy the area. The site was saved from plans for a 107-storey tower costing $1 billion by the collapse of the company financing it, Mainsel Investments, in 1987.
- Some 200 people gathered in the Queen St mall on May 21 to protest against Brisbane City Council regulations which severely restrict free speech in the mall. Speakers included Ross Fitzgerald from Griffith University; Brian Hoeper, Drew Hutton, Bob Leach and Gary McLennon from the Queensland University of Technology; Carol Ferrier and Bronwyn Levy from University of Queensland; and Libby Connor from the University of South Queensland. For the first time, the rally was held away from the rotunda. Mall management has deliberately attempted to disrupt free speech with loud amplified music from the rotunda. This week the management scheduled bagpipes to drown out protesters.
FREMANTLE — One thousand people attended a rally called by the meatworkers' union on May 15. The crowd strongly welcomed a contingent of workers from the Westrails Midland workshops. The rally was called in response to the state government's closure of Robb Jetty abattoir and other cutbacks. The march was vocal, with chants like "TLC off your knees, Defend our jobs".
MELBOURNE — 5000 people, nearly all of them Muslims from Bosnia and elsewhere, marched on Saturday, May 15, demanding action to stop genocide in Bosnia. Slogans included "Stop the massacre" "Close the rape camps" and "Lift the arms embargo." Speaker H. Cicic explained, "To deny people subject to genocide the means to defend themselves is criminal". He said that by imposing an arms embargo against the Bosnian government while doing nothing to stop Serbian aggression the western powers were rewarding aggression and accepting genocide.
SYDNEY — The Environmental Youth Alliance is organising a march and rally for United Nations-designated World Environment Day, June 5. The theme, "Livable Cities", focuses on two major issues: the plans for a new reactor at Lucas Heights, and the defence and extension of public transport.