AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY STAFF ADD THEIR VOICE TO THE PUSH FOR PEACE
February 14 2003
The National Tertiary Education Union, representing some 25,000 general and academic staff in universities across the country, on Friday added its voice to the growing movement in Australia opposing a war with Iraq in a half-page advertisement in The Australian newspaper.
The advertisement, headlined ‘Add your voice to the push for peace ‘ is sponsored by the NTEU, the Australian Education Union, representing workers in the TAFE and state school system, and the Independent Education Union, representing employees in the private school system.
“The NTEU believes that the upcoming war on Iraq will kill tens of thousands of innocent children and their families,” said NTEU General Sectary Mr Grahame McCulloch. “Many more Iraqis will suffer disease, hunger and homelessness as a result of the conflict.”
“As part of their daily working lives, the members of the NTEU and the other education unions teach students respect for human rights and the value of intellectual freedom and dialogue between cultures and nations.”
“The university staff represented by the NTEU oppose the United States’ war against Iraq and any Australian involvement in such as a conflict,” said Mr McCulloch.
“This conflict violates international law and flies in the face of the complete lack of any real evidence that the Iraqi Government has supplied weapons of mass destruction to al Qaeda or similar groups.”
“The NTEU also finds it appalling that the Australian Government is prepared to spend taxpayers dollars on a pointless and destructive military engagement, while telling staff, students and their families that there is no additional funding for public education.”
“The NTEU believes that the crisis over Iraq, like other conflicts, should be resolved through peaceful negotiations.”
For information and comment
Mr Grahame McCulloch,
NTEU General Secretary
Work: 03-9254 1910
Mobile: 0418 322 620