News briefs

ATO blames GST for budget blow-out

MELBOURNE — On June 4, a Senate estimates committee was told that the Australian Tax Office has paid $860 million to IT services company EDS over the last five years. The contract's original budget was $480 million.

Tax commissioner Michael Carmody said the contract blow-out was the result of a higher than expected workload generated by the GST.

However, IT outsourcing has a history of blown budgets. Last year the Australian National Audit Office found that in the first four years of its outsourcing contract with IBM, the Department of Veterans Affairs had spent $92 million compared to the $65 million budgeted.

July 4 protest planned

BRISBANE — The Socialist Alliance plans to hold a protest against the US occupation of Iraq, which will be held outside the offices of Boeing corporation on July 4 — US Independence Day.

Through the July 4 protest, the Socialist Alliance wants to highlight the hypocrisy of a government that preaches the virtue of freedom to the world but denies it in practice to the Iraqi people. For more information, phone (07) 3831 2644 or email <brisbane@socialist-alliance.org>.

Fire guts Aboriginal Embassy

CANBERRA — A fire in the early hours of June 14 gutted the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. Hundreds of documents and photos, and much of the building itself, were destroyed.

Following the fire, territories minister Wilson Tuckey stated that any attempts to re-build the protest site would not be tolerated.

For more than 25 years, the embassy has served as a reminder of the continuing struggle of Indigenous people for justice.

From Green Left Weekly, June 25, 2003.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 543