
Issue No 67		18 August 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

News

Trade Unionists Stand In ARM Elections

Elections for the Australian Republican Movement are about to start and there are a number of trade unionists standing for various positions.


	Candidate: John Robertson

If you're an ARM member and haven't indicated that you will be voting online you should be receiving your ballot paper soon in the mail.

"It is important that the ARM includes Union activists to broaden its base of support if the republican cause is to engage with ordinary working people", says John Robertson, the NSW Labor Council Assistant Secretary and candidate for the NSW State Committee.

"This failure to engage with workers was one of the reasons for the failure of the referendum last year".

Andrew Williamson , NSW District Secretary of AIMPE, is also putting his hand up for one of the eight National Committee positions.

'There's a view around town that some of the ARM personalities are an albatross around the neck of the Republican cause. We need to move forward,' he says.

'Via Workers Online, I expressed my dismay at the way ARM was then handling the campaign and the vilification of some Republicans that had the temerity not to toe the ARM line.

Aaron Magner is another union activist looking for a position on the NSW State Committee. Aaron is an industrial officer for the LHMU.

"We need active state councillors with freshness and energy to take on challenges and generate debate on a new model for constitutional change", says Aaron.

"It is crucial that the ARM involves all the people that want a republic but voted "NO" in the 1999 referendum".

Anastasia Polites is an Organising Works trainee for the Independent Education Union and is also on the ACTU Youth Committee. She is running for the National Convenor of the Young Republic.

"We need to broaden the campaign to encourage young workers from throughout the community to participate, not just students from university campuses", says Anastasia.

"The lesson that we leant from last year indicates this is the group that we have to convince. It is time for a new campaign and a new strategy to lead us to victory."

There are other excellent candidates running - including MEAA member Jo Scard, Jason Yat-Sen Li and Richard Fidler who also support the Union movement. Voting opens on the 28 August.

View entire issue - print all of the articles!

Issue 67 contents

Interview: Slyly Selling the Silver
In their recently published book Privatisation, Sell-off? or Sell out? (ABC Books), Bob and Betty Walker took a long hard look at the major government asset sales of the last decade. Here they tell Workers Online what they've learnt.

Politics: Dysfunctional Society
Noel Pearson looks at the plight of Aboriginal people through a prism of class and comes up with a challenging perspective on Aboriginal welfare, law and order and the state of our society.

History: Money Power
Should the People or the Banks Rule? Reserve Bank Governor McFarlane thinks he knows the answer. Eddie Ward was pretty strongly of the opposite view when the ALP introduced the Commonwealth Banking Legislation in 1945.

International: Soccer Pro Tackles Nike
Olympic sponsor Nike is under pressure over its human rights record in the run up to the Sydney Games.

Economics: Globalony
Frank Stillwell looks at the contradictory nature of the globalising economy and fears it is turning into a race to the bottom.

Satire: IVF Debate: Federal Government Tells Lesbians: "Get Fucked"
MELBOURNE, Monday: The Federal Court decision to allow single women and lesbians to use infertility treatment in Victoria has been attacked by the Federal Government, the Catholic Church and by pro-family community groups.

Review: Confessions Of A Union Buster
It's not a new tome but the threat for Australian Unions remains the same if not greater as when this book appeared five years ago.

» 'Shoot to Kill' Powers Under Union Fire

» SDA Launches Appeal for Struggling Multinational

» Hated Anti-Worker Law Junked

» Bellicose Joy: Baseball Bats and Tinsel

» Selleys Fight Kicks On

» Fiji To Dominate SPOCTU Summit

» Trade Unionists Stand In ARM Elections

» Sydney Hosts Child Care Conference

» Roboboss Corrigan Straddles Lemon

» Staff Vote With Feet At Commonwealth

» Paying Dues Made Easier

» Telstra Risks Roasting Workers

» East Timor's Year One Celebration

» Senate Applauds Australian Seafarers