By Damien Cahill
WOLLONGONG — Students from the University of Wollongong distributed the controversial article, "The Art of Shoplifting", in the local mall on March 22. The action was designed to bring attention to the trial of the editors of Rabelais, the La Trobe University newspaper, for publishing the article. Signatures were also gathered in support of the Rabelais editors.
The material distributed pointed out the political nature of the arrests — that they were part of a series of attacks by police and the Victorian government upon left-wing student activists.
The Rabelais editors stand trial on March 28 and face up to six years' jail and a $72,000 fine each. They are charged under the 1990 Victorian Film and Publications Act with distributing an "objectionable publication". Under this law it would be possible to arrest nearly every student editor in the country.
Commercial women's magazines have published similar articles in the past and have not been prosecuted. In addition, the term "objectionable material" can have broad applications.
Students across the country will be protesting this gross act of political censorship on the day of the trial through a national day of action. The March 22 Wollongong action was part of a larger campaign in solidarity with the Victorian students.