100,000 protesting workers tipped to clog city (Australia)

By Angela O'Connor
June 30, 2005

Motorists are being warned to stay away from the city today as an expected crowd of up to 100,000 rallies against the Howard Government's shake-up of workplace laws.

A week of protest against the changes will climax today when tens of thousands of people attend rallies in cities around Australia in the biggest co-ordinated industrial action since the 1998 waterfront dispute.

In Melbourne, protesters will march from Trades Hall to Flinders Street Station, where Opposition Leader Kim Beazley will speak about 11am.

The march comes on the eve of the Government gaining a majority in the Senate, allowing it to pass its industrial relations legislation this year. <snip>

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/100000-protesting-workers-tipped-to-clog-city/2005/06/29/1119724693843.html

Diebold debacle, just wondering !!!

all ballots are done with paper ballots. The problem is that people keep on re electing the federal Liberal Government of little johnny howard. What is about to change is after about 25 years of minority parties having the balance of power in the Senate and therefore some checks to the majority party of the prime minister the Liberal (conservatives) no have an outright majority in the Senate (upper house). They can now get through without any checks and balances such legislation that is close to the hearts of the right. Such as regressive industrial relations laws including legislation allowing for now redress from sacked employees who may have been unfairly dismissed.

They will be emboldened to tackle the legality of abortion, scaling back gay rights, usurping State powers, continuation of detention centres for refugees, full fee paying university courses etc. All the good things the right loves.

Things change in Australia from tomorrow 1st July 2005.

Aussies the ones who voted against the bush enabler in the first place?

so basically most of these at todays protest would (should) have voted against Howard. But just as the rest of the world was dismayed when shrub was re elected Aussies of the left where left just as dumb founded. Maybe not so much as Howard being re elected - the opposition was pretty futile - the real shock about the last election was Howard gaing control in his own right of the senate after a generation of minority parties (Aust Democrats, Greens, Independents) have the balance of power and thus some controls over Howards draconian policies.

demonstrations help.

No good to have no balance of power..as the World can see from the USA's tragic situation.

They took the Howard bribe of job security in the logging industry
(I hope for their sakes it was a core promise) and gave Labor the
thumbs down. As Howard holds power by a margin of only one vote in
the Senate, this was a very significant shift in votes from Labor.


Edit: sp (twice!)

includes pictures and video. Turnout of tens of thousands according to the ABC.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1404304.htm


It is now less than 2 hours until the political world in Australia changes for at least the next 3 years. I am hoping that he cant do too much irrepairable damage in that time. But this will be his crowning moment of 10 years as prime minister. Complete control of both houses for himself and his fascist bully boys like Abbot, Nelson, Andrews, Ruddock, et al to implement their agendas.

Labor - the opposition - is infighting and cannot lay a punch on the government. Latham got rolled as leader, spat the dummy and resigned so they re elected two time loser Beazley instead of continuing the generational change and doing something creative like elect Julia Gillard.

Roll on 2007/8 when hopefully we can elect the Greens to gain the balance of power in the Senate. I cant see the Labor party winning the next election in their current state.

shoot us down like dogs in the street.

Seems as if Howard is another wannabe Hitler.

he's another wannabe Bush..he's evil.
,

this is coming in America folks!!!

i'd settle for 1,000