The following motion was recently passed by the Canterbury-Bankstown branch of the NSW Teachers Federation…

"The Canterbury-Bankstown branch of the NSW Teachers Federation states its opposition to Howard's hosting of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Forum) in Sydney in September.

APEC will be a neo-liberal festival of the ideas of privatisation, structural adjustment and the so called "war on terror"-ideas that are directly opposite to those of public education.

The further commodification of education is part of APECs neo-liberal agenda. This round will see further discussion of quality assurance for on and offshore "providers" of higher education.

Translated, this represents the narrowing of curricula and funding increasingly linked to statistical results rather than broader education outcomes.

This is part of the neo-liberal agenda we face linking mass testing, league tables and performance pay.

Even NSW Police Minister Watkins has pointed out the intrusion APEC will present, saying, "This is an event that will bring disruption to the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of Sydneysiders with very little benefit to them.

"APEC will provide nothing tangible to the good people of Sydney and the business community of Sydney."

As educators we should continue to challenge the increasingly discredited ideas of neo-liberalism.

Howard will attempt to use APEC to improve his standing in the lead up to the Federal election.

Visible opposition will expose the neo-liberalism of APEC displayed by Howard's Work Choices policy of "economic reform" hurting Australian workers and their families.

We call for the following action:

1. Public statement calling for cessation of debt payments from regional countries, especially the tied loan from Australian to Indonesia for tsunami relief.

2. Federation to produce literature challenging the neo-liberal ideology of APEC and calling for direct support for teachers, students and their unions across East Timor and Indonesia.

3. Federation to actively participate in the AFTINET (Australia Fair Trade and Investment Network) counter-conference.

4. Federation presence including banners at the September 8 protests.

5. Federation make an affiliate request to Unions NSW for a cross union presence of counter meetings leading up to APEC as well as participation at the September 8 demonstration.

For copies of this motion to pass or amend for your union branch, contact Socialist Worker on (02) 9211 2600