GLW issue 630, published 2005-06-22.

Socialist Alliance prioritises union fight-back

Peter Boyle, Melbourne The June 11 National Trade Union Fightback Conference fired the spirits of the 200-plus delegates and observers at the fourth national conference of the Socialist Alliance, held at the Victorian Trades Hall over the two days

How governments lie

Stealing a NationDirected by John Pilger and Christopher MartinProduced by Granada Television REVIEW BY MELANIE BARNES If anyone is in any doubt about the illusion of democracy in Western nations, John Pilger's latest documentary Stealing a

Greens senator: holding Howard accountable

Rich Bowden Following unexpected gains made in last October's general election, the Coalition will be the first Australian government in 27 years to control both houses of parliament from July 1. While government members see this as a gilt-edged

OUR COMMON CAUSE: A socialist party for the 21st century

If you were looking for a vivid description of our world at the beginning of the 21st century, you couldn't do much better than the following: "On the one hand, there have started into life industrial and scientific forces, which no epoch of the

Further

Australian News

Union demands IR pledge from Beazley

SYDNEY — The NSW branch of the National Union of Workers (NUW) has called on the Labor Party to commit to a reversal of PM John Howard's industrial relations agenda should it win office in 2007. In a June 15 media statement, NUW state secretary

DEWR staff strike

SYDNEY — Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) employees in Sydney struck for an hour at lunchtime on June 16 to protest over stalled bargaining negotiations. Workers in the NSW state office rallied at Belmore Park, supported by

Further Australian News

International News

ARGENTINA: South American crisis: Kirchner's path

Stuart Munckton "When the Argentine economy collapsed in December 2001, doomsday predictions abounded. Unless it adopted orthodox economic policies and quickly cut a deal with its foreign creditors, hyperinflation would surely follow, the peso

INDONESIA: Spy agency implicated in activist's murder

James Balowski, Jakarta Although no-one has been charged with last year's murder of Indonesia's foremost human rights activist, Munir Said Thalib, evidence is mounting that the prime suspect in the case, Garuda Airlines pilot Pollycarpus Budihari

Further International News

Editorial

Wood freed, but what about Iraq?

Douglas Wood, the US-based, Australian construction contractor held for six weeks by Iraqi resistance fighters, has been freed. But what about the hundreds of Arabic- speaking and Turkomen Iraqis who have been abducted at gunpoint in the northern

Cultural Dissent

As if we were dung beetles

Home renovating,Decorating,Auction.Swapping wives,Choosing women,Fashion.Models in a house,On an island,In a ship.Viewers watching,Viewing "life"As they sit.What does the TV industrydo to our reality?It bites and chews selectively,digests vitamins B

Downtown Baghdad Blues

Got a buddy in Najaf, he's playing it straightPrays to the Lord Jesus Christ every nightGot a homey in Samarra goin' up the wallsEvery time he hears an Islamic prayer callMe, I don't care much for Jesus or MohammedThey don't stop bullets to the best

Further Cultural Dissent

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