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Films by and for workers
SYDNEY — One-hundred people gathered on August 12 to mark the first anniversary of Oz Dox, the Australian documentary forum.
The event heard from John Hughes and Norma Disher, who worked in the Waterside Workers Federation (WWF) film unit, which made 17 films for workers between 1953 and 1959. These included the famous The Hungry Miles as well as other films on working-class concerns, such as pensions, the housing problem (made with building workers) and working conditions for coal miners (made with the United Mineworkers Union).
Hughes showed an extract of his own inspiring 1970s documentary on the WWF film unit, Filmworks. Disher, who was also heavily involved with the communist New Theatre, gave an optimistic assessment of politics and the chance for documentary makers to make a difference, based on the impact of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 and earlier documentaries.
Jenny Long
The Olympics and workers' rights
According to the Olympic Charter, the goal of the Olympics is to "place everywhere sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to encourage the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity".
This goal should include eradicating the exploitation and loss of human dignity that is taking place in the sportswear industry.
Excessive overtime of up to 17 hours a day, poverty wages, personal abuse, the lack of job security, unrealistic piece-work rates, sexual harassment and the denial of the right to join a union are all too common in the making of sportswear. These conditions destroy human dignity and perpetuate poverty.
Oxfam, Clean Clothes and the global union movement have launched a campaign to improve the situation of sportswear workers. However, both the Australian Olympic Committee and the International Olympic committee have so far refused to meet to discuss this issue.
[For further information on Oxfam's Play Fair at the Olympics campaign visit <http://www.caa.org.au>.]
Margaret Di Nicola
Aboriginal tent embassy packs up
SYDNEY — On August 6, the Aboriginal tent embassy at Victoria Park reached an agreement with Sydney Mayor Clover Moore to further the agenda of Aboriginal rights at the state and federal levels. After the agreement was signed, residents at the embassy packed-up and left, following 10 weeks of camping out in the cold in the face of a racist media campaign.
Together with the Metropolitan Land Council, the Aboriginal tent embassy and the Sydney City Council formed a working committee to assist in developing the Aboriginal Sovereign Families and Nations. For more information, phone Moore's office on (02) 9265 9229.
Patrick Lavilles
From Green Left Weekly, August 18, 2004.
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