“Joe Hill ain’t dead”, he says to me, “Joe Hill ain’t never died.
Where working folk are out on strike, Joe Hill is at their side.”
Joe Hill, unjustly convicted and executed on 19 November 1915, was remembered in Canberra with an evening concert at the Woden Tradies’ Club, courtesy of George Mann and friends, and a lunchtime busk in Civic.
photo: Gavin Holmes
Copies of Fair Go for Canberra’s “FAKEA” leaflets caused a buzz at the Vintage Reds November meeting, which was held the day after the grand opening of the new IKEA store.
Activists placed mock IKEA catalogues and fake price tags on sale items around the store, highlighting the aggressive corporate tax minimisation of major multinationals like IKEA. Over the decade to 2013, IKEA paid just 3% tax on its profits in Australia, instead of the 30% one would expect, resulting in $269 million missing tax dollars for health, education, etc. etc.
Clever accounting tricks are used to minimise tax – some spectacularly ingenious, along the lines of being charged by a family member to use the family surname and claiming the cost as a tax write-off!
What’s On: late October:
Tuesday 27 October, 6 p.m., University House ANU. Book launch, Australia in 1980, by Assoc. Prof. Frank Bongiorno.
Thursday 29 October to 18 November, Palace Cinema, Acton. British Film Festival.
29 October, 6 p.m., Australian Centre for Christianity & Culture, Barton. “Countering Racism in the Media”, by Stan Grant. Continue reading
Garden Party in aid of the Early Morning Centre
The Early Morning Centre is a breakfast provider and community services hub in Civic, catering for people who are homeless or vulnerable.
Saturday 21 November 2pm-5pm
10 Currong Street, Reid
Come and sit in Donna Stewart’s beautiful garden and listen to Geoff Page’s jazz band.
Entry: $20 includes afternoon tea with tea and coffee. You are welcome to bring other drinks.
Some seats are available as well as a lovely grassed area ideal for a rug but you might like to bring a folding chair.
ACT delegates from United Voice, supported by the CFMEU, Vintage Reds and others, marched along Monaro Street, Queanbeyan last Wednesday to the office of the federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Peter Hendy, to voice their support for penalty rates.
ACT United Voice secretary Lyndal Ryan said that weekend penalty rates made the difference between financial security and living in poverty for many people in her union, which includes child care, aged care, cleaning, hospital and hospitality workers.
The march paused on the bridge for an anonymous UnionsACT photographer:
The Build a Better Future campaign in Eden-Monaro is running events in Queanbeyan for Anti-Poverty Week, with a street stall on Tuesday 13 October to highlight the threats to penalty rates; and a march to local member Peter Hendy’s office on Wednesday 14 October.
Here’s the Better Future campaign’s invitation for Wednesday! Contact Jeremy Kirkwood if you want more information:
Peter Hendy has stated that he supports getting rid of penalty rates for everyday workers. So we will be marching to his office to call on him to support workers conditions and we need you to join us! We will be
meeting near the Riverbank of Queanbeyan Cafe (look for the banner) at 12.00pm sharp.
Photo by Jeffery Chan, Canberra Times, shows Canberra Interfaith Forum vice-chairman Harry Oppermann, RAC organiser John Minns, UnionsACT Sec. Alex White, former Save the Children worker & Nauru whistle-blower Tobias Gunn, & Australian Muslim Voice president Diana Abdel Rahman.
Canberrans turned out in large numbers on Sunday to the rally organised by the Refugee Action Committee.
The unions’ “Build a Better Future” campaign office, at 60 Monaro Street, Queanbeyan, is up and running. The campaign focuses on the following six points:
Photo by Jeremy Kirkwood
September – October: National Film & Sound Archive. Films celebrating 40 years of
Papua New Guinea Independence.
15-26 September. Wharf Revue at the Canberra Theatre.
23-26 September. Circus Oz at the Canberra Theatre.
25 September, 6 p.m. Rosie Batty at the National Library. $10. RSVP 6262 1271.
27 September, 12 – 5 pm. Foundation Day Celebration at the Canberra Yacht Club.
29 September, 6.30: David Marr talking to Laura Tingle about his new “Quarterly
Essay” on Bill Shorten. ANU, Manning Clark theatre 2.
30 September, 4.15 p.m.: Frank Bongiorno on Sir John Crawford. Menzies Library ANU,
McDonald Room.
Vintage Reds members joined a meeting of Unionists for Refugees on the 18th September to discuss the big rally planned for 11 October 2015 in Garema Place.
The Refugee Action Committee is urging union groups as well as other community, faith, political and student groups to join them in demanding an end to our government’s cruelty towards asylum seekers and refugees.