Housing Crisis Roundtable, Organisations Silencing Workers on Palestine, Exploitation of University Casual Staff, Protesting the War Machine On Campus, the Ongoing Fight for Kanak Sovereignty
Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) hosted a roundtable on Wednesday 11th September at Victorian Parliament in which Ministers, housing experts, and people with lived experience of the housing crisis came together. This was facilitated by Fiona York, CEO of HAAG. In this segment, we hear accounts from lived-experience housing advocates and working group members with Housing for The Aged Action Group (HAAG). You can catch HAAG on 3CR every Wednesday from 5:30pm to 6:00pm with their show Raise the Roof.
Monica is a leading organiser in ASU Action for Palestine and Unionists for Palestine. Monica is on the show to talk about last week's ASU4P survey results that exposed social, community and not for profit organisations that are repressing its workers for being pro-Palestine. The survey had 60 total responses: 36 censored or silenced discussions about Palestine in the workplace; 31 claimed Palestine was creating an 'unsafe workplace'; 30 prevented or attempted to prevent the display of pro-Palestine posters or other materials.
Dr Blair WIlliams is a Lecturer in Australian Politics at Monash University, NTEU delegate for the School of Social Sciences and union branch committee member. In this segment, Blair speaks to Frances about new legislation concerning casual employees. On 26 August 2024, a new definition of ‘casual employee’ was introduced to the Fair Work Act. This legislation aims to Close the Loophole that previously allowed employers, especially universities, to employ staff on casual contracts who were actually engaged in ongoing work. Monash University is reportedly responding by reducing sessional staff hires, reducing contact hours and increasing student-staff ratios, instead of creating better working and learning conditions.
Emily Kaji is a Unimelb for Palestine organiser, a social work student and staff member at the university. She was also one of the students who received misconduct from the University due to her involvement in Mahmoud's Hall. Emily speaks about the rally tomorrow to protest the International Careers Conference and the university's role in manufacturing consent for war. The rally will take place tomorrow, Wednesday 25th September at 10am in Mahmoud's Hall.
Sarah is a member of Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm Collective. Since May 2024, Kanaky - which is often known by its colonial name New Caledonia - has been in the process of a colonial war with France. This is the latest development within a deep history of colonial intervention and First Nations uprising in Kanaky. Sarah speaks about the latest developments in the fight for Kanak sovereignty, Invasion Day in Kanaky (24th September) and the upcoming solidarity rally. The rally will take place on Saturday 28th September at 12pm at Federation Square.
For a more comprehensive discussion, you can listen back to this week's episode of Women on the Line, where Emma and Sarah spoke to Scheherezade. Go to www.3cr.org.au/womenontheline
