BRISBANE — One hundred people attended a public meeting on March 6 organised by the Biala and Wacol support group to express disgust at the state government's slashing of services at the Biala alcohol and drug detoxification centre. Speakers included Senator John Woodley of the Australian Democrats and Drew Hutton of the Queensland Greens. Hutton told the meeting that what was experienced under the National Party government was no worse than that of the current Labor administration. Susan Price, Democratic Socialist candidate for the council ward of Brisbane Central, who also addressed the meeting, told Â鶹´«Ã½, "The council is very keen to 'develop' the inner city, and Biala is on useful real estate."
- More than 150 people gathered at the University of Queensland on March 9 to support the launch of the Pro-Choice Campaign, a student initiative aimed at gaining women the right to safe and legal abortion in Queensland. Unna Liddy, representing Children by Choice, said that with current legislation women are made to feel like criminals if they choose to terminate a pregnancy, and access to abortion facilities is hampered by prohibitive costs. Also speaking were Alderperson Kerry Rea, member for Ekibin and president of the Labor Women's Organisation, who spoke about the importance of groups such as the Pro-Choice Campaign in the fight to legalise abortion, and Carolyn Ride, a UQ Union representative and women's equal opportunity vice-president.
SYDNEY — Twenty people picketed the Australian Defence Department at lunchtime on March 10 to call for an end to the blockade of Bougainville so that medicines could reach the island. The picket was organised by the Bougainville Freedom Movement. The BFM has collected half a tonne of medicines but has no money to get them to the Solomon Islands. From there, they have to be transported to Bougainville by running the blockade and risking lives.