Adam Lincoln
CFMEU Organiser
0414 228 878
Workers of the world unite!
Industrial Workers of the World - http://www.iww.org-- Join the One Big
Union!
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PRESS RELEASE
Industrial Workers of the World - May Day Benefit For East Timor - 3 May
@ the Gaelic Club, Devonshire St, Surry Hills, Sydney - 8pm
Outspoken Australian songwriter Fred Smith will be heading the lineup
for the Industrial Workers Of the world May Day Benefit for East Timor
on Friday 3 May at the Gaelic Club on Devonshire Street.
Smith has blazed a trial to the forefront of the Australian Roots scene
with extraordinary performances at the Woodford Folk Festival and his
new album Bagarap Empires receiving critical acclaim along with
extensive airplay on Radio National. The album recently won Fred an
unusual distribution deal with Oxfam/Community Aid Abroad-one of only
two white Australian acts on their roster- as well as the Sreensound
Australia award for Best New Release at the 2002 National Folk Festival.
Fred has been described by a more than one critic as "Australia's answer
to Billy Bragg". He is one of the more unusual figures on the Australian
music scene. He released his first album Soapbox in 1998 with several
songs from the disc receiving airplay on Triple J and ABC Radio. The
album contained some mad comic tracks along with more serious ballads
including the politically sharp Open Country, the song that won Fred the
Australian Songwriter's Association's Ausmusic Award.
After acclaimed performances at the Woodford Folk Festival in 1998 Fred
left to Bougainville and the Solomons to work with Australian run Peace
Monitoring outfits in the Pacific hotspots. He recently returned to
complete Bagarap Empires.
The album comprises eleven clean-cut ballads, some in English and some
in Melanesian pidgen, telling stories of humour, dignity and compassion
relating to the troubled recent history of Bougainville and the Solomons
where Fred worked with Australian peace monitoring operations
The Sydney Branch of the IWW plans to celebrate May Day by raising money
for the East Timor Community Computer Project.
An IWW Organiser is currently in East Timor coordinating this project.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and other unions have assisted in
shipping recycled computers and parts to East Timor. The IWW organises
to send computers and other plant and equipment to East Timor and
coordinate their installation into computer schools and community centers.
After 12 months, computers have been distributed to Laga, Los Palos,
Viqueque, Manatuto, Venilale & Autoro. In addition, computers have been
distributed to various community groups around Dili. Our Organiser also
ran a free computer school in Bebonuk with around 6 students per day.
The IWW is currently organising to expand this project into Same, Suai
and Oecussi.
To support this important work, the Sydney IWW is holding a fundraising
concert on May 3 at the Gaelic Club in Surry Hills. Renowned
singer-songwriter Fred Smith will be playing, alongside well-regarded
political/folk singer Martin Doherty and for a change of pace, MC Ozi
Battla will bring a hip-hop flavour to the night.
For info contact Adam: 0414 228 878
.
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