RAILS fundraiser a 'huge success'
The Annerley Branch has hailed its first community fundraising event a huge success, with a fantastic turnout for its recently held movie night.
Featuring the 1979 classic "Norma Rae" starring Sally Field and Beau Bridges, the night was organised especially in support of the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (or RAILS).
RAILS is a not-for-profit community legal service that specialises in refugee and immigration law and provides free legal advice and assistance to disadvantaged people.
It was the first time the Annerley Branch had organised a such an event, which was a result of members desiring to financially support worthwhile causes, such as migration law reform. As a consequence of the Branch's strong advocacy on refugee issues, RAILS was seen as a 'natural choice' for assistance.
Because of the tremendous response from members and local supporters, it is expected that the Branch will hold more 'community fundraisers' in the future.
For more information about RAILS, please visit http://www.rails.org.au/
Higher education campaign launched
Federal Labor has launched a nation-wide campaign to highlight inequitable changes to higher education currently proposed by the Abbott Government. Under the controversial plan, universities could charge students whatever they wish whilst at the same time the government will cut an average of 20% in higher education funding.
Although students would still have access to a HECS loan, the Abbott Government also plans to charge an interest rate as high as 6% - well above the existing 'cost of living benchmark'.
Labor believes that the changes will make it harder for people from rural and regional areas and from working class families to attend university. Women also stand to be particularly hard hit with modelling predicting that up to 40% of women may never repay their HECS debt under the proposed changes.
For more information about Labor's campaign to oppose the Abbott government's plan for higher education visit www.nodebtsentence.org/
Members express support for community TV
The Annerley Branch has formally voiced its support for the campaign to maintain existing community television arrangements in Australia. Adopting a resolution at its October meeting, the Branch condemned moves by the Abbott government to shift community TV from 'free-to-air' to an internet-based mode of broadcasting.
The proposed changes to the way community TV will operate were announced recently by the government, with little or no consultation with stakeholders. The policy has been severely criticised by many in the industry who believe it will have an adverse effect on the sector, diminishing capacity to provide a diverse, multicultural and community based voice on television.
For more information about the campaign visit http://i.committocommunitytv.org.au/
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