No to racist solutions to Smith St public behaviour issues. Unity not racism to improve our street.
Aboriginal activists, trade union and Socialist Party supporters will be rallying on Collingwood’s Smith St this Friday. The rally is in response to a push by some traders for a police clampdown on public drinking on the street.
Rally Friday July 27, 5pm outside Safeway, 243 Smith St, Collingwood

Because of the lack of State Government support for the plan by Council and indigenous groups for a cultural centre, dry house, and 24-hour bus for Smith St, the problems there are not going away. Darryn Hinch on 3AW and the Sunday Herald Sun are pushing for Joh Bjelke Petersen-style police action to deal with public behaviour problems.

The speakers at the rally will include: Dean Rioli the ex-Essendon football star (and now Indigenous Apprenticeship officer in Dean Mighell’s ETU), militant Aboriginal activist Gary Foley, the State Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia Kevin Bracken, the leader of the local Aboriginal organisation ‘Parkies Inc’ Denise Lovett, and local Socialist Party Councillor Stephen Jolly. There will also be live music from Peter Rotuham and a march to the office of the local ALP member Richard Wynne.

Protestors will meet at 5pm outside the controversial Safeway supermarket at 243 Smith Street Collingwood. Safeway’s practise of selling cheap alcohol earlier than any other Safeway outlet in Australia has caused much anger.

The rally is seeking Steve Bracks’ support for a Council and Aboriginal-supported 24-hr bus run by Aboriginal people to take anyone drunk from the street to a sobering-up facility or a cultural centre. This model already exists in other cities such as Adelaide.

The rally will oppose the alternative ‘strategy’ to deal with the public behaviour issues on Smith St, which is to send the police in empowered by a local law banning drinking.

Socialist Party Councillor, Stephen Jolly said “We will not allow John Howard-style Northern Territory methods to be employed in Melbourne. There are no racist or police method solutions to social problems caused by years of neglect. The 24-hour bus must be supported by Steve Bracks. Hollow apologies to Aboriginal Australia mean nothing when the State government is refusing to support the joint Aboriginal and Council plan for Smith St.”

For more information or interviews contact the SP National Office on 0396399111.