The good news is that Australian politicians and corporations are finally recognising that there is an environmental crisis. The bad news is that the 鈥渟olutions鈥 being promoted by the establishment define what is realistic for capitalism, so the 鈥渘eed鈥 for big business to remain profitable sets the parameters of what is 鈥減ossible鈥.
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A snap protest at Parliament House attracted 250 people on June 27 against the federal government聮蝉 plan to send police and military into Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. Speakers included Greens Senator Bob Brown, who labelled the plan a 聯concocted pre-election strategy by a government who for 11 years has done nothing for Aboriginal people聰. Sara Maynard from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre suggested that protesters聮 anger be directed toward the Tasmanian premier and parliament for going along with the plan, while Aboriginal activist Jimmy Everett pointed out that PM John Howard is fighting one injustice with more injustice. Susan Austin from the Socialist Alliance spoke about the 聯Justice for Mulrunji聰 campaign and said more deaths in custody would be likely under Howard聮蝉 racist plan.
Two of the world鈥檚 worst climate vandals 鈥 US President George Bush and PM John Howard 鈥 are preparing their lofty green rhetoric in the lead-up to the so-called 鈥渃limate change鈥 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney in September.
Up to 1000 activists descended on the town of Yeppoon on the central Queensland coast for the June 22-24 weekend of action against Operation Talisman Sabre 鈥 joint US-Australia war games.
PM John Howard聮蝉 decision to 聯take control聰 of 60 to 70 Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory began to be implemented on June 27 when the first Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers flew into the Aboriginal township of Mutitjulu, near Uluru. The police officers were met by a large community delegation demanding answers.
More than 80 people packed out the Aboriginal Cultural Centre on June 23 for a public 聯people聮蝉 trial聰 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.
Heard the story about the last capitalist on Earth who sold the rope used to hang the second last capitalist? Well, they will try and make a buck from anything.
The following article is abridged from a speech by Susan Austin, Socialist Alliance Hobart branch convener, to a 250-strong Indigenous rights rally on June 27 organised by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.
On June 28, the Unions NSW council meeting adopted a motion expressing 聯support and solidarity with the Saharawi people in their struggle for freedom and independence. Unions NSW strongly condemns the gross violations of human rights carried out by the Moroccan regime against Saharawis, including students, workers and human rights activists in the occupied areas.聰
91自拍论坛 Weekly will be taking a one-week break. Our next issue will be dated July 18.
East Timor is holding parliamentary elections on June 30. Many commentators predict former president Xanana Gusmao聮蝉 new party, the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), will form government, ousting the current ruling Fretilin party. However, a new government is unlikely to bring an end to the severe social and economic crisis besetting the country, Tomas Freitas from Luta Hamutuk (聯Struggle Together聰), a Timorese activist group that monitors the state budget and the petroleum fund (now worth US$1.4 billion), told 91自拍论坛 Weekly聮蝉 Peter Boyle. Freitas is also a member of the Consultative Council on the Petroleum Fund, which is comprised of government and civil society representatives.
Dr Gary MacLennan, a long-time socialist activist and lecturer in creative industries at the Queensland University of Technology, was suspended for six months without pay on June 6. He, along with a colleague, Dr John Hookham, was charged with misconduct following the publication of an article in the Australian that criticised a PhD film project that mocked the disabled. Students and staff launched a support campaign for the two suspended lecturers which has linked up with a struggle against QUT鈥檚 decision to close down the school of humanities and human services.
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