LL:ART: Funding Blackmail. Industrial uproar in universities

[CPA]

The following article was published in "The Guardian", newspaper of the
Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday, October 1st, 
2003. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 
Australia.
Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795.
CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Webpage: http://www.cpa.org.au>
Subscription rates on request.

*

Funding blackmail. Industrial uproar in universities

Australia's universities are seething with anger at the Howard 
Government's latest industrial blackmail concerning university 
industrial relations. The government has notified universities that 
their access to an extra $414 million in funding will be conditional on 
them introducing harsh new industrial relations practices.

by Peter Mac

Under the government's proposed new conditions for universities to 
qualify for funding increases, all university employees would have to be 
notified individually that they have "the option" of entering into 
individual workplace agreements. In practice, this would take the form 
of pressuring employees to abandon collective union agreements.

Universities would not be allowed to remind employees of the other 
option, i.e. entering into collective bargaining agreements. Nor would 
they be permitted to provide union membership forms or facilities for 
union offices, including student unions.

The terms of individual agreements would override those of any 
collective agreement.

Universities would not be permitted to place any limits on the number of
casual employment positions.

And in perhaps the most outrageous move of all, universities would not 
be allowed to enter into any agreement that included arrangements in 
excess of "community standards", i.e. anything better than a current 
agreement in widespread use. For example, the requirement would prevent 
acceptance by university authorities of improvements in redundancy payments.

If carried to its logical conclusion, this requirement would eliminate 
any future improvements in working conditions for university employees.

The government's new edict was timed to forestall the introduction of a 
new collective industrial relations agreement for Sydney University 
employees. The agreement included provision for a limit to the number of 
casual positions, and the introduction of 36 weeks of paid maternity 
leave, both of which are in excess of "community standards".

Because of the government's move, Sydney University authorities have
postponed signing the collective agreement, and the University's 
employees have voted to take industrial action in protest, including a 
strike on October 6, the first day of the new term.

The agreement was widely expected to have been the forerunner for
negotiations on similar agreements at other universities. As a result of 
the government's move and the university's response, all such 
negotiations are now in jeopardy.

A number of universities previously caved in to pressure from the Howard
Government over other issues. The most notable case was that of Sydney
University, whose conservative senate voted recently to accept in 
principle the raising of student fees by a maximum of 30 percent, in the 
event that the government managed to get the necessary legislation 
through Parliament.

However, even the most conservative university authorities have 
expressed shock at the government's latest requirements, and opposition 
to their introduction. Sydney University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor 
Gavin Brown, said that he was taken by surprise at the extremity of the 
government's new policies. He commented grimly:

"I have a fairly strong feeling that there will be universities that 
will say that impact on the quality of education we can offer, if we are 
forced to comply with these regulations, is not worth the money."

The executive Director of the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee, 
John Mulharvey last week expressed doubts as to whether such iron 
constraints were consistent with the government's own aim of fostering 
"flexible and responsive" work practices. He stated that: "We don't 
believe that university operating grants should be tied to such provisions."

ACTU President Sharon Burrow  said the union movement would back the
National Tertiary Education Union and other unions covering university
employees, in opposing the government's attack on university unionism.

She declared that: "The requirements are unfair, discriminatory and
extremist. The regulations specifically aim to erode long-standing 
benefits like redundancy pay, and to promote the use of casual labour. 
Collective agreements would become worthless for any staff forced onto 
individual contracts, which would override existing arrangements.

"The changes would contravene internationally recognised rights to 
freedom of association and collective bargaining. The government is 
using standover tactics to force its ex

LL:ART: Are ALP leaders determined to lose the next election?

[CPA]

The following Editorial was published in "The Guardian", newspaper of 
the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday, October 1st, 
2003. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 
Australia.
Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795.
CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Webpage: http://www.cpa.org.au>
Subscription rates on request.

**

Editorial: Are the ALP leaders determined to lose the next election?

Recent statements by several leaders of the Labor Party give the 
impression that they are determined to lose the next election despite 
the lying of the Howard Government and its concerted attacks on 
education, health care and every other aspect of social security and 
welfare.

The ALP still refuses to make a commitment to abolish the private health
insurance subsidy by which billions of taxpayers' money is being 
ploughed into the pockets of the private insurance companies and used to 
prop up private hospitals. The rebate could and should be redirected to 
the public health system.

Then only last week Simon Crean ruled out an increase in the Medicare 
levy - another means by which funding could be found so that 
bulk-billing and the whole basis of Medicare as a universal health care 
system could be preserved.

The ALP has quietly dropped its opposition to the GST which signals that 
it has no intention of removing the iniquitous GST but would continue 
its operation. No single piece of legislation has so severely 
discriminated against the working people of Australia, imposed such a 
massive increase in the tax burden on low and middle income earners and 
resulted in substantially increased prices.

Mark Latham has added to the perception that there is practically no
difference between the economic and social policies of the ALP and the
Liberal/National Party Coalition by parading an economic policy based on
"the rigour of private sector competition and the demands of corporate
social responsibility". Latham's policy prescription is called "A Strong
Economy for a Fair Society".

To talk about "private sector competition" and "corporate social
responsibility" is plain nonsense. "Competition policy" was introduced 
at least a decade ago by Paul Keating but what has actually been 
achieved by this policy apart from deregulation and privatisation?

The Commonwealth Bank was privatised. It has since sacked many thousands 
of workers, imposed a multitude of ever-rising fees, closed branches and
massively reduced services to customers. These are the "achievements" of
this policy.

In what way has the privatisation of Australian airports, water 
supplies, rail transport, etc. increased competition? And how did the 
sackings and higher fees benefit customers? Where is the "corporate 
social responsibility" of Ansett towards its workers who are still 
waiting for their entitlements after almost two years. Many other 
workers have also been stripped of their long service leave, 
superannuation, holiday and sick leave entitlements by employers who 
have conveniently become insolvent?

Mark Latham is totally committed to private enterprise and merely mouths 
off about a "Fair Society" aiming to deceive the Australian people into
believing such catch-cries have some meaning when, in practice, they 
mean nothing.

Latham declares that a market economy, (meaning a capitalist economy), 
is here to stay. He and almost all other Labor Party parliamentarians 
have given up all pretence of putting forward a socialist or even 
progressive alternative as the founders of the Labor Party once did.

To top it all the Labor Party cannot find the means to offload Simon 
Crean as its leader when all the evidence shows that he is the most 
unpopular Labor Party leader ever. The reality is that the Labor Party 
is bereft of a leadership that is capable of really standing up for the 
working people of Australia. Even the Labor Party Left has become almost 
indistinguishable from the right-wing factions and fails to enunciate or 
stand up consistently and forthrightly for people friendly policies.

A left and progressive alternative must be found and built if there is 
to be any worthwhile solutions to the many economic and social problems 
that are piling up. This alternative is not a pipe-dream. The people of 
South Africa, Venezuela and Brazil have already put their feet firmly on 
the path of serious change in the interests of the working people and 
the poor in society and the working farmers who are also facing very 
serious economic and environmental problems that cannot be overcome by 
mere band-aids.

This is the path for the Australian people to take, and the sooner the
better.




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LL:ART: Man free as bashed wife is deported

[Trudy Bray]

http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7433371%255E2862,00.html


Herald Sun
Man free as bashed wife is deported
By GEOFF WILKINSON
October 2, 2003

A MAN who beat his wife with a broomstick has escaped justice after
she was dobbed in as an illegal immigrant and deported before charges
could be heard.

The young woman was removed from the country because neither
Victoria Police nor the Immigration Department would meet the cost of
keeping her here until the case went to court.

Serious assault charges against her husband, who is twice her age,
were withdrawn after she was sent back to a Pacific island.

The woman, who came to Australia on a 14-day tourist visa and later
married, was deported four weeks after she reported the assault to
police.

She had been married about 18 months when she was assaulted early
this year, but was here illegally because she had not applied for a
spouse visa.

Immigration authorities were told the woman was an illegal immigrant
by an anonymous caller soon after her husband was charged by police
with assault.

The man had earlier told police he would send his wife back to her
home country village if the charges against him were not dropped.

An intervention order sought by police on the woman's behalf after
charges were laid prevented the elderly man from threatening,
harassing or intimidating his young wife.

A few days later she was arrested by immigration authorities and taken
to Maribyrnong Detention Centre.

She remained in detention until she was deported on February 26.

Charges against her husband were withdrawn on March 5 -- two days
before he was due to appear in court for a mention hearing.

Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service director Rhonda
Cumberland said she was appalled that the man would "live to fight
another day" while the woman was denied justice.

"Clearly women in her situation don't have any rights as citizens, but
they do have human rights," Ms Cumberland said.

A law enforcement agency can apply for a stay of deportation
proceedings if a person unlawfully in Australia is required to be part 
of pending legal proceedings.

The Immigration Department can then issue a criminal justice visa,
which allows the person to remain in the country until the case is
concluded.

But the agency seeking the special visa is responsible for all costs.

Victoria Police decided not to pursue a visa on the grounds of time and
cost, a senior officer said yesterday.

Some police believe the Immigration Department should have kept the
woman in detention until legal proceedings against her husband ended.

But a spokesman for Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said the
Migration Act required the department to deport non-citizens held in
detention as soon as possible.

WOMEN seeking help with domestic violence issues can ring the
Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 1800 015 188 or the
Immigrant Women's Domestic Violence Service on 9898 3145.




*
This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group
without permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism,
comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the 
Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without 
permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."


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LL:INFO: judy horacek's october newsletter

[judy horacek]

Dear Everyone,

Welcome to the Ocober 2003 newsletter of  http://www.horacek.com.au/home.htm
(Apologies for saying that last month was July, no idea how that 
happened). This month's Topic is Mothers.  To go from here to Maternity, 
click here:
http://www.horacek.com.au/topic.htm

Next month's topic will be Night.

Now available on the website - New merchandise from Alperstein Designs
featuring Horacek cartoons.  A new Christmas teatowel of the Father
Christmas tree cartoon; a teatowel and apron of Life on the Slow Couch; 
  and an Old Woman who lived in the Shoe carry bag (she had so many 
plastic bags she didn't know what to do).  Check out Things to Buy on 
the website, in the relevant teatowel, apron and carrybag sections,
http://www.horacek.com.au/thgstobuy.htm

In November this year, Spinifex Press is publishing a new edition of my
first ever cartoon collection, Life on the Edge.  Chock full of classic
cartoons.  I still have a limited number of copies of the first edition 
for sale by mail order, so if you fancy yourself  a collector of first 
editions go to http://www.horacek.com.au/thgslifeonedge.htm for details.

This year's limited edition screenprint will be of the much loved 'Woman
with a Past, Woman with a Future, Woman with a Present'.  It should be
available by the time of the next newsletter.

This Monday October 6 the campaign Free To Be Australian continues, 
trying to protect our cultural and media industries (that's books, tv, 
theatre, even cartoons) against the juggernaut of the Free Trade 
Agreement.  11 am in the Studio of the Sydney Opera House, with speakers 
including Geoff Morrell, Quentin Dempster, Simon Burke, Margo Kingston 
and Judy Horacek.  For more information contact the Media Entertainment 
and Arts Alliance on 02 9333 0999 or visit their website at 
http://www.free2baustralian.org.au

Don't forget to plan your tropical holiday to Townsville to see the
exhibition 'I am woman hear me draw' in March at the Perc Tucker Gallery
from 13 February to 28 March 2004.

Happy Octobering,

Judy

This newsletter will be sent out at the beginning of every month.  It 
will only be short. Please feel free to forward it to anyone you think 
would be interested.  If you received this e-mail direct from Judy 
Horacek and you wish to keep receiving it, you don't have to do 
anything.  If you have had this e-mail forwarded to you and you would 
like to join the e-mailing list in your own right, please send an e-mail 
to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word 'subscribe' as the subject. 
   This list will never ever ever be passed on to anyone.

If you would like to be taken off this list, please send an e-mail to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word 'unsubscribe' as the subject 
(but if you have had this email forwarded to you by someone who isn't 
Judy Horacek, then you're not actually on our list, so there's no need 
to do anything if you don't want to receive this newsletter).

Please note, if you subscribe and don't receive anything around the 
first of the following month, please check that you don't have filters 
set to stop junk mail, because such filters won't let this newsletter 
through.  If you've checked that and it seems okay, let us know and 
we'll see what we can do (which is not all that much but sometimes it 
works.)


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LL:DDV: Peter Hannaford Art exhibition at Solidarity Salon

[Alison Thorne]

Hi Left Linkers

The Sydney Road Shop Stop Art Exhibition, which is part of the Fringe
Festival, is about to commence.

Solidarity Salon is participating this year and we are exhibiting some 
of Peter Hannaford's bold work.

Featured is his anti-Blackshirt pieces as well as a very striking 
sculpture and painting opposing the vent which spews pollution from City 
Link across Richmond.

The art is on display now and will be at the Salon through until 12 
October when Shop Stop Art comes to a close.

So there are two things you can all do:

(1) Pop down to Solidarity Salon, 580 Sydney Road Brunswick, and 
appreciate Peter's wonderful work. The Salon will definitely be open 
Saturday 4 October from 10 - 5 pm, Wednesday 8 October from 12 noon - 7 
pm, Saturday 11 October from 10 - 5 pm and very likely at a host of 
other times.

There is also meet the artist sessions on Thursday 9 October from 6 - 8 
pm. and on Friday 10 October at 2.30pm. Come down and talk to Peter 
about his work.

If you want to confirm we are open at any other time, call on 9388-0062
first.

(2) Be ready to respond and mobilise in the event this art work draws a
response from the ultra-right patriarchs in the Blackshirts.

I hope you can come and enjoy some very fine social comment art.

Alison Thorne

.


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LL:DDV: NIDIA MEETING FOR YOUR MAILING LIST

[Ocean Press]

1/10/03

FROM:[EMAIL PROTECTED]


NIDIA DIAZ IN MELBOURNE

Nidia Diaz is one of the founding members of the Farabundo Marti 
Liberation Front (FMLN) in El Salvador and is currently a member of the 
Central American Parliament.

Come and hear this revolutionary leader speak about the future of El
Salvador, new political developments, and the March 2004 elections, 
which the FMLN hopes to win.


PUBLIC MEETING
SATURDAY OCTOBER 11
7pm
Kaleide Theatre
Building 8, Level 2
RMIT, Swanston Street, City
Entry 5 $

For more information call Salvador 9356 9987 or 0409 166 937



Ocean Press
GPO Box 3279
Melbourne VIC 3001
PH: 011 61 3 9326 4280
FAX: 011 61 3 9329 5040

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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LL:INFO: Saving Point Nepean E-letter No 5

[Shute, Carmel]

Subject: Fw: Saving Point Nepean E-letter No 5

Dear friend and colleague,

If you are 'seeing red' over Federal Government Plans to lease Point =
Nepean to commercial interests, it is still not too late to make your =
views known.

If you can, grab your family and few friends and enjoy an open day at =
Point Nepean (free admission) with entertainment, some bell - ringing =
and plenty more information on how we may yet save this National =
treasure as a National Park.

This Sunday, 5th October (see below).

Don't forget to wear your brightest red clothes!

Kind thanks and best wishes,

Neil Taylor.
56787406.

- Original Message -
From: Chris Smyth 
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 5:03 PM
Subject: Saving Point Nepean E-letter No 5


Saving Point Nepean
E-letter No 5

One National Park for all of Point Nepean

Ring the Bell Rally
25-Metre Range Point Nepean
5 October 2003
2.00pm


On the eve of the closing of tenders (6 October) for the lease of 90
hectares of Point Nepean, the Victorian National Parks Association, the
National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and many other groups and
individuals will be gathering at Point Nepean.

We will be ringing bells to celebrate the special natural and cultural
heritage values of Point Nepean: 19th and 20th century heritage
buildings of the Quarantine Station and breathtaking coast and
seascapes.

But we will also be ringing bells to send out a distress signal, a
warning of the serious threat to Point Nepean from the Commonwealth
Government's proposed leasing arrangements.

There will be a big bell for all of us to ring, but please bring along
your own as well!

If it were to go ahead, the Commonwealth Government's leasing proposal
for Point Nepean would be the worst possible outcome for our priceless
heritage. It would disintegrate the ownership, management and control of
Point Nepean's heritage; threaten the integrity, fabric and spatial
association of the Quarantine Station buildings; exempt developers from
public and local and state planning schemes and regulations; avoid the
protection of new national heritage legislation that comes into force in 04.

Point Nepean could be leased to commercial developers for five-star
hotels and other developments as early as 1 November -- that's only a
month away!


Are you seeing red?


On a day when we are sounding the red alert for Point Nepean, please
wear something red: a scarf, a jumper, a jacket, a hat, a skirt, some
slacks?

On Sunday 5 October please visit Point Nepean, absorb its wonder and
majesty, hear informed speakers, and find out what is proposed and how
you can help SAVE POINT NEPEAN.

Please bring your friends and family, bring a picnic, bring a bell  --
AND WEAR RED!


How to get to the Ring the Bell Rally


To get to the 25-metre Range (Melways Map 156 B2) follow the signs after
the Visitor Centre (Melways Map 156 C2) at the Mornington Peninsula
National Park entrance.  The 25-metre range is approximately two
kilometres from the Visitor Centre, with Gunners Cottage car park
another kilometre on.  Car parking is also available at the Visitor
Centre.


Please Note: Park Open Day


The rally happens to coincide with a Parks Victoria Open Day for the
Point Nepean section of the Mornington Peninsula National Park. This
means that entrance to the park will be free, there will also be no
charge for the trolley transporter to the tip of Point Nepean, and there
will be ranger-led interpretive walks, rockpool rambles, face-painting,
a sausage sizzle and roving entertainers between 10 and 2.00pm.

So why not make a day of it, visit one of Victoria's very special places
and at the same time help the campaign for its protection.


All of Point Nepean must be an integrated national park for all
Australians for all time!  No sale!  No lease!


NB: The rally and the Open Day do not include entry on to the
Commonwealth land at the Quarantine Station.


Chris Smyth
Marine Campaign Officer
Victorian National Parks Association
Level 3, 60 Leicester Street
Carlton VIC 3053
ph: 03 9341 6512
fax: 03 9347 5199
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]



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LL:INFO: UNITE day school - only 4 spots left

[sp]

UNITE
for casual workers=B9 rights

Day school on basic Trade Unionism
Saturday 11th October 2pm
Trades Hall, cnr Lygon + Victoria Sts, Carlton South

Agenda:
1 - Australian trade unions
How they are structured internally and between themselves, the unique
Industrial Relations system in this country, the breakdown of what 
unions cover what industries and workers, and their political leanings etc

2 - Union bureaucracy
What is the union bureaucracy, what roles do unions play

3 - Basic Occupational Health and Safety laws and industrial laws explained

A second day school will cover: How to organise, how to run the 
different forms of industrial action, history of Australian trade unions...

Book Now as places are limited. Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] or phone (03) 96399111 
to book or for more information. Entry by gold coin donation.

.


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