BY AMY McDONELL
On May 13, the day before the federal government's budget was delivered, students mobilised around the country to demand more funds for education and social services. The national day of action was called by the National Union of Students.
In Sydney, around 700 students — including contingents from all the Sydney universities as well as Newcastle University — marched through the CBD chanting “Education for all, not just the rich”.
At Hyde Park, the rally was addressed by speakers from the Australian Services Union, Greenpeace and the National Organisation of Labor Students.
Gideon Lim, an activist on the University of Sydney and a member of Resistance, told Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly that “the rally was an important because it proved that students are still prepared to take action to defend their right to education. It also showed that students links between the deterioration of funding for education and welfare services and the massive boost in spending on the military and anti-refugee measures.”
Lim stressed that students needed to demonstrate their support for refugees in even greater numbers on June 23, the date of the national day of action in solidarity with refugees. “The government is scapegoating refugees and asylum seekers to direct attention away from its attacks on students and working people. Large student contingents on June 23 will be the best way to maintain the momentum from today's protest.”
In Melbourne, reports Kylie Moon, 250 students chanted “Make art! Not War!” and “Books, Not Bombs!” as they protested against the priorities of the federal budget. A large majority of the students were from the Victorian College of Arts, whose vibrant chants and theatre attracted the attention of passers-by.
In solidarity with trade unions, the students marched to the royal commission into the construction industry. They then continued to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs to express their outrage at the large amounts of money to be expended on locking up refugees.
In Perth, Federico Fuentes reports that on May 15 around 70 students from the University of Western Australia, and Murdoch and Curtin universities, gathered at the Perth Cultural Centre to protest against the federal budget.
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, May 22, 2002.
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