'Student Underground' relaunched
BRISBANE — The radical high school newsletter, Student Underground, has been relaunched. The first four-page edition covers scapegoating youth, feminism in high schools, the Nike boycott, protection of the environment, school policies and discrimination against youth.
Community and planning
DARWIN — Some 100 people rallied on the steps of the NT parliament house on November 27 to call for community input into NT planning and development issues. Speakers said that the minister for lands, planning and environment had frequently overridden planning and heritage laws.
The minister has changed the NT Heritage Act to enable the historic Alice Springs jail to be redeveloped as a shopping centre and disbanded the Yulara Shire Council at Ayers Rock to remove barriers to increasing tourist developments.
The rally was organised by the newly formed Planning Action Network. PLAN can be contacted at 8927 1999 or 8981 9033.
BHP workers strike
WOLLONGONG — More than 150 Port Kembla steelworkers struck for 24 hours on November 27 after BHP, the "Big Heartless Polluter" docked workers several hours' pay because they refused to return to work in unsafe conditions. The coke oven area was still affected by fire, smoke and toxic fumes following a fire emergency three days before. The workers believed their lives were at risk and that they had a right not to go back to work.
The strike by 150 workers was considered a success by the union. AWU-FIMEE organiser Ozzie Perez told Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, "The company have made their point and the workers have made theirs. If BHP tries this sort of thing again, they know what will happen."