GLW issue 541, published 2003-06-11.

Tasmanian Labor's "smoke and mirrors" budget

BY PETER BAKER & ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — The Bacon Labor government released its state budget on May 22. Treasurer David Crean described it as "about sharing rewards" and the May 23 Mercury lauded Crean as "com[ing] close to being a hero in

Labor plans to log Tarkine

BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — Deputy-premier Paul Lennon announced plans on June 4 to lift a 20-year ban on logging in the Tarkine rainforest. The Tarkine is Australia's largest wilderness rainforest. The state government's decision will allow

A woman's place is in the struggle: Major attack on abortion rights in the US

In a dramatic new attack on abortion access, on June 4 the US House of Representatives passed a bill by 282 votes to 139, banning late-term abortions. The bill criminalises the dilation and extraction method of abortion of a live fetus, used after

IRAQ: How Bush, Howard and Blair lied about WMD

BY ROHAN PEARCE On May 30, US President George Bush told Polish television that the US military had found Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction" (WMD). Well, sort of. Remember the three (some media outlets have inaccurately reported two) trailers the

Further

Australian News

Lesbian and gay adoption closer

BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI) released a report on May 28 recommending that adoption by same-sex couples be legalised. The report strongly argues that adoption should be an option for same-sex couples

Greens double vote

BY GAIL LORD SYDNEY — After the death of sitting MP Jim Anderson, a by-election for that state seat of Londonderry was held on May 31. In a large field of candidates, the Greens doubled their previous vote in the seat. Labor's replacement

Further Australian News

International News

PERU: Workers defy state of emergency

BY ELIZABETH SCHULTE Thousands of Peruvians are continuing to strike, despite a state of emergency having been imposed by the government on May 27. Strikes and protests have spread like wildfire across the country. On June 3, more than 30,000

MALAYSIA: Four political prisoners released

BY IGGY KIM Four out of six high-profile political prisoners, held under Malaysia's draconian Internal Security Act, were released on June 1 after the government decided not to renew their ISA detention orders. The other two are awaiting the

Further International News

Editorial

What's behind the attempt to ban Hezbollah?

The Australian parliament is debating legislation to amend the criminal code and ban the Lebanese-based Hezbollah (Party of God) as a terrorist organisation. This means that any Australian resident raising funds or supporting the organisation in any

Cultural Dissent

Fantasy reloaded: take a dose of reality

REVIEW BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE Matrix ReloadedWritten and directed by Larry and Andy WachowskiWith Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence FishburneAt cinemas every-bloody-where Zanny Begg's review of the first Matrix movie (Green Left Weekly #364,

On the box

Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. Includes the Green Left news. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Sunday, 9pm. Phone (02) 9564 1277. Visit

Further Cultural Dissent

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