OPENING PLENARY 1
Challenging the Neo-Liberal Danger

What are the challenges we face under the next term of the Coalition Government tightly aligned to the Bush administration? Focus on social services, human rights, the environment and military policies under a neo-liberal government.

Speakers
David Taft, Education offier, Monash University Students Association
Andrew Wilkie, former intelligance officer
Bev Kliger, Victorian Council of Social Service
Pat Ranald, Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network
Rey Casambre, Philippines Peace Centre, Philippines
Guy Rundle, commentator, Arena editor (on leave)
Pat Byrne, Federal President, Australian Education Union

MC Sarojini Krisnapillai, current affairs presenter from 3CR

Going it alone - John Howard's 21st Century Australian workplace

Imagine an Australia without unions. John Howard is working towards just that outcome. A discussion of strategies to oppose the Howard IR agenda and to revitalise the union movement. Include a look at the role and importance of Global, as well as national unions.

Speakers
Mordy Bromberg labour barrister
Peter Marshall Firefighter's Union & President, Vic Trades Hall Council Rev Elenie Poulos UnitingJustice, Australia
Jenny FarrarMedia Entertainment Arts Alliance, Vic

Facilitator
Rob Durbrige Australian Education Union

Women, GLBT, and the rise of the Moral / Christian Right

George Bush won in Ohio and overall partly by mobilising a Christian Right against gay marriage and against women's rights. John Howard and Tony Abbott are busy doing the same here. Howard's family tax benefit, baby bonus, and 30% childcare rebate make it hard for working women. Abbott's push against the right to choose an abortion is a major threat to women's basic rights. And now Family First has a Senate seat. It's time to rebuild the women's movement and broader alliances for a better morality.

Speakers
Deborah Kelly political artist
Michael Kelly Rainbow Sash movement
Cobina Crawford Pro-Choice Coalition, Vic
Felicity Martin Vic Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby

Facilitator
Ellen Kleimaker, Women's & Equity Officer, VTHC

Protecting human rights in Australia

Access to health care, education and housing, freedom of association, freedom from discrimination - all these 'taken for granted' human and civil rights are being rolled back under Howard and Bush. Australia stands out as a country without an effective Bill of Rights, and no way to enforce the human rights conventions it has signed and ratified.

An interactive workshop, discussing how to protect human rights in Australia.

Full workshop report (PDF)

Submission from workshop to Vitorian Government (PFD)

Coverletter for submission (PDF)

Facilitators
Sarah Nicholson Federation of Community Legal Centres
Michael Salvaris Institute for Community Engagement & Policy Alternatives, Victoria Uni

The Big Corporate Grab: Free trade, the WTO and neo-liberalism in Australia

Howard believes free trade is a global panacea that will solve the problems social service delivery, poverty and terrorism. Yet the Asian tsunami has put aid and aid policies back on the public agenda. Howard wants the TELSTRA sell-off to be a jewel in the crown of his third term. This workshop will explore the real impacts domestically and globally on our social policies, human rights, aid policies and the fundamental question of democratic processes.

Speakers
Anne O'Rourke Intern'l Centre for Trade Union Rights, Monash Uni
Pat Ranald Aust Fair Trade and Investment Network
Ted Murphy National Tertiary Education Union

Facilitator
Len Cooper CEPU – Communications Union

Delusions and destruction in Howard’s education program

The push for a user-pays system in education is one particularly strategic attack undermining access and opportunity for education and reinforcing social disadvantage and advantage. We will discuss how we confront Howard’s policies of privilege for pre-schools, schools, TAFE and university.

Speakers
Grahame McCulloch (PDF) National Tertiary Education Union
Jenni Devereux Australian Education Union, SA
Pat Forward TAFE Secretary, AEU
David Taft Education Officer, Monash Uni Student Associatiom

Facilitator
Gemma Pinnell National Tertiary Education Union

The corporate media grab – Are we already Foxed?

A diversity of media sources is fundamental to enhancing our democracy through the ability to access information from different points of view. Media deregulation and ripping the guts out of the ABC are Howard Government priorities.

Speakers
Glenys Stradijot Friends of the ABC, Vic
Shane Elson Community Radio Broadcasting Assn
Andrew Lowenthal Indymedia

Facilitator
Louise Connor Media Entertainment Arts Alliance, Vic

Discussion on the Conference Statement

The statement has been drafted and amended according to comments from people in the networks and participating organisations. Come to this session to make your final suggestions for the conference statement before it is passed by the conference participants in the closing plenary on Sunday.

Read and comment on the statement now.

An examination of the growing divide in Australian society, with particular emphasis on education, housing and health. A new agenda for the public provision of services and wealth redistribution. A sustainable and equitable look at the current situation.

Speakers
Graham Larcombe economist
Rob Watts economics and social researcher

MC Mary Crooks, Victorian Women's Trust

Unhealthy Nation

Exploration of the impact of undermining the public health system, the development of a two tiered healthcare system, the extended Private Health Insurance Rebate, lack of access to bulk billing GPs, neglect of preventative healthcare strategies and corporate GP services.

Speakers
Dr Tim Woodruff Doctors Reform Society
Helen Keleher (PDF) School of Health and Social development, Deakin Uni

Facilitator
Panyiota Romios Health Issues Centre

The War on Terror

Part 1: The impact on human rights internationally and in Australia

Part 2: The USA, Australia, the Philippines and the UN

Anti-terrorism and the Australia-US alliance has been cemented at the centre of the political agenda. Australia is repositioning its military focus to South/East Asia and escalating the domestic terror laws. How do we address terrorism and the attacks on Arab, Middle Eastern and Muslim groups under the so-called '’War on Terror' without eroding basic civil rights. What are the consequences, both internationally and in Australia and how can mainstream advocacy organizations take up the issues and act for justice?

Speakers
Phyllis Bennis United for Peace and Justice, USA
Nuzhat Lotia Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Vic
Agnes Chong and
Waleed Kadous Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network
Dr Jude McCulloch Dept. of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Monash Uni
Patrick Emerton Faculty of Law, Monash Uni
Brian Walters SC Liberty Victoria

Facilitators
Marika Dias Federation of Community Legal Centres
Joo-Cheong Tham Law Faculty, Uni of Melbourne

Reclaim Democracy! Community organising and mobilisation

When governments are beholden to big business and elections don’t feel like satisfactory inputs into the direction of your community and the country, get active! Come to this workshop on community organising. Learn skills on developing strategies, involving your community, build active participation, educate, work for long term change.

Workshop Outcomes

Facilitators
James Whelan The Change Agency

Jobs and the Environment: Having the cake and eating it

Dispelling the myths about the false choices between employment and saving the environment.

Speakers
Fraser Brindley Greens Councillor, Melbourne City Council
Dave Kerin Earthworker
Jenny Warfe Blue Wedges Coalition
Charles Berger Legal Advisor, Australian Conservation Foundation

Facilitiator
Jono La Nauze Friends of the Earth, Melbourne.

Reigniting hope for asylum seekers and refugees

After Howard’s win, the huge community campaigns need to reassert the human rights agenda. Children are still in detention, people are still marginalised by their TPV status, and asylum seekers are still being forcibly deported to danger. This Australian model is being exported overseas. This workshop will outline the current state of policies and focus on renewing campaign coalitions.

Workshop outcomes

Speakers
Pamela Curr Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Jan Hale Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR)
Lauren Ireland Refugee Action Collective (RAC), Melbourne.

Facilitator
Arnold Zable Melbourne writer

What comes after ATSIC? Effective alliances with Indigenous Australians

Reconciliation has been pushed off the government agenda, Indigenous health continues to disintegrate, and Indigenous representation and self-determination has been undermined. The workshop will explore what we can do to address racism and to take meaningful steps towards creating a just society where Indigenous peoples rights and their status as first peoples is acknowledged and valued.

Interactive workshop exploring what we can do to further reconciliation and indigenous justice.

Workshop report (PDF)

Facilitators
Frank Hytten and
Clare Land Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation, Victoria

Speakers
Cam Walker Friends of the Earth, Australia
Sue Kenny Centre for Citizenship and Human Rights
Frank Hytten ANTaR Victoria
Julius Rowe AMWU
Sen Lyn Allison Australian Democrats
Sen Kerry Nettle Australian Greens
Jenny Macklin MPLabor Left - cancelled
Rod Donald MP Co-leader NZ Greens

MC Dave Sweeney, Nuclear campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation