Wednesday 22 July 2009

A call to protest at the ALP National Conference

Via the Socialist Alliance


The Rudd Labor government has betrayed the expectations of millions who voted for progressive change in the last federal elections in Australia.

  • Workers and unionists are now working under a "Fair Work Act" that restricts basic rights and violates International Labor Organisation conventions. In the words of Dean Mighell, secretary of the Southern States' branch of the Electrical Trades Union: "'Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard were elected on the back of working people and the Your Rights at Work campaign. Now they are in parliament, they have blatantly disregarded their promises to Aussie workers." For more see http://www.etu.asn.au/newsandevents/news/fair-work-for-whom
  • The incrementalism of Rudd's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is, in the words of Greens' senator Christine Milne, "worse than useless in the face of the climate crisis. Just as you can't be a little bit pregnant, you can't stop climate change by doing 5% of what is necessary. Or even 25%." For more see http://www.carbonequity.info
  • The "intervention" into Northern Territory Indigenous communities is a disaster, provoking the resignation of long-standing NT Indigenous ALP minister Marion Scrymgeour. The latest news is that a group of 30 Indigenous leaders from Ampilatwaja have set up a protest camp three kilometres from their township, about 300km north-east of Alice Springs. According to their spokesperson Richard Downs: "Our people are demoralised, hurt, embarrassed, outcast on their own community. We no longer have any rights to exist as humans in our own country..." For more see http://stoptheintervention.org
  • Then there's environment minister Peter Garrett, approver of uranium mines. He used to say:

    Just four powerful reasons to join the protests outside the Australian Labor Party's 2009 national conference in Sydney Darling Harbour Convention Centre, July 30 - August 1.

    Here are some more:


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