A-Infos (en) Direct Action Jamboree - Melbourne, Australia - March 6th-9th

[peter@au.iww.org]

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Direct Action Jamboree  *  March 6th - 9th, 1998  *  Melbourne, Australia
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The Jamboree went okay after much hassles eg we changed venue three times!
First we were double booked with an annual tenants garden/cooking event. We
opted for the nearby Church hall after a couple days the local priest and
community were overruled by the Catholic hierarchy who said no we could not
hold it there either. So we ended up in a a gymnasium.

Originally there was an anarchist conference planned to be held in Melbourne
but this was a bit stagnant and a new effort to get one happening rubbed a
few people the wrong way but the hostile personalities withdrew and a new
wave pushed on and involved a wider and more diverse community of
trouble-makers.

The decision to not admit political groups Partys was adhered to and
although individuals were welcome (if they did not disrupt, push their Party
line etc) most of the Left did not attend. Mostly Anarchists, non-aligned
socialists and activists also non-aligned in various campaigns showed up.The
Labour Day long weekend had several spectacles on it ie the over priced
Grand Prix Car farce & the apolitical Moomba Parade & Festival (initiated to
replace the 8 Hour Day celebration by the labour movement).

On the last day at the Rank n File Unionism session a complaint was made
about our 'sectarianism' but this particular individual is ironically
notorious to all groups as a zealot for his own line regardless of the
meeting.

The first night video showing started late and a change of program left
some dismayed but the time was used to socialise, break the ice. Originally
as showing  of the Athens Greece, Polytechnic Occupation/Eviction riot was
replaced with a compilation made up of excerpts from a lot of docos and
films. People over the whole weekend were from as far away as Perth, Darwin,
Cairns (all in town for family-friendship obligations anyway) with larger
mob from Sydney and of course many from Victoria, especially Melbourne. A
large number of women were present, helped organise the weekend, facilitated
workshops...it was mostly men who did the childcare, food was provided by
Food Not Bombs, Melb Uni Food Coop and visits to the local area eg residents
gardens were cooked up into great Vietnamese/Thai tucker for lunch and a
dragon/buddha drum dance livened up the local park as did the constant
traffic of people, skateboarders, cyclists, prams, sports and games played
on the grass on the play equipment etc.

Many locals passing by stopped to check out the stalls provided by Annares
Distro, Black Rose Sydney infoshop, Barricade Melbin infoshop and the Uni
Food Coop.

Some speakers failed to turn up ie for Disabled Activists and Indigenous
Activists so people improvised and talked among themselves at the latter two
people from the Defenders of Native Title had to defend themselves from much
criticism made by Koories and many gubbahs that it is not Land Rights and a
lawyers scam; so too no reconciliation without justice. (The escalating
Deaths in Custody, higher than in 1988 when the Royal Commission was held
and whose recommendations have been ignored..) I did not attend all the
workshops but hearing second hand several were very popular  ie well attended
and people spoke for themselves, learned a lot too: the food coops/Food not
Bombs, Infoshops, Squatting, for example.

I caught the end of the Do It Yourself Unionism run by the 'Dishpigs'
kitchen hands-dish washers who recently held a picnic & social to launch
their DISHRAG magazine. They outlined how it had to be done collectively as
nobody else is organising amongst the exploited in this industry. They plan
further socials/magazine issues.

There was a cabaret on Saturday night which raised $150 for the Squatters
& Unwaged Workers Airwaves show on 3CR 855am which broadcasts every Friday
from 11am to midday.Compered by Dennis the poet we heard Iain, Macka (very
well received music comedy with audience participation) Jeng, Thalia read
poems and folky musician accompanied.

A Benefit gig at the Public Bar North Melbourne with bands Lazy, S-Bahn &
White Goods on Sunday night was also good according to those I met who
attended.

On Monday an All Ages gig put on by the Emancipate - youth - Collective
took place for those who could not go to the pub and preferred fast thrash
by bands like Heads Kicked Off.

So despite a few set backs  all those who came mixed well and as usual
after such events talk of a regular, at least annual gathering was all the
go. We will see.

--
will@anarki.net
http://www.anarki.net/people/will



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