GLW issue 753, published 2008-06-04.

Venezuela: Big stakes in November elections

Following the December 2 constitutional reform referendum defeat — the first for the forces of the Bolivarian revolution since the election of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 1998 — and facing popular discontent at the problems holding back the advance of the process of change, the pro-revolution forces face a big challenge in securing an overwhelming victory in the November regional elections in order not to lose ground to the US-backed opposition.

Of bread, circuses and clanging symbols

Joseph Bryan, Kevin Rudd’s, politicians, tax cuts, Stolen Generation, Northern Territory, 2020 Summit

Stop the power sell-out

The Parramatta Your Rights At Work committee held a candlelight vigil to highlight the increased dangers of power failure in a privatised electricity market. The group is organising a \"Stop the Sell-out\" public meeting at the Parramatta Town Hall on June 3 from 6.30pm. The meeting will feature NSW MPs Linda Voltz and John Kaye, along with a delegate from the power industry.

A full inquiry into Mulrunji\'s needed

The recent revelation that Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley — the Queensland policeman who admitted in court that he caused the death of Aboriginal man Mulrunji (Cameron Doomadgee) on Palm Island in November 2004 — received a “compensation” payment of $100,000 from the Queensland Police Service for alleged loss of personal property during the fire that followed, is a major public scandal. It deserves an immediate investigation by the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission.

Australian News

ANZ dumps mill, Lennon quits

Tasmanian Labor Premier Paul Lennon resigned suddenly on May 26, after an opinion poll revealed his popularity had dived to just 17%, and 39% of voters would have preferred Liberal leader Will Hodgman as premier.

No to the NT intervention! Protest on June 21

On May 23-25, 160 Indigenous and non-Indigenous activists gathered in Sydney for the Unite and Fight conference, organised by the Sydney Aboriginal Rights Coalition. The conference was intended to update people on the impacts of the ongoing Northern Territory intervention and plan the campaign against it. A key priority coming out of the conference was to build large community rallies around the country on June 21, the anniversary of the announcement of the NT intervention. Natasha Moore and Wayne Collard, two Nyoongar members of the West Australian Aboriginal Rights Coalition (ARC-WA), attended the conference and caught up with Green Left Weekly’s Annolies Truman, also an ARC-WA member, on their return to Perth.

Further Australian News

International News

Clean development mechanism — a discredited strategy

The world’s biggest carbon offset market, the Kyoto Protocol’s clean development mechanism (CDM), is run by the United Nations, administered by the World Bank and is intended to reduce emissions by rewarding developing countries that invest in clean technologies.

Britain: New Labour crashes in Crewe

The New Labour government headed by PM Gordon Brown sank deeper into crisis after it lost the Crewe and Nantwich by-election — occasioned by the death of the sitting MP Gwyneth Dunwoody — to the Conservatives on May 22.

Further International News

Comment and Analysis

Defend artistic freedom: The case against censorship

“Beautiful”, “haunting”, “dark”, “evocative” or “revolting”, “indecent”, “exploitative” and “pornographic”? The May 22 seizure of 20 photographs by Australian artist Bill Henson from Sydney’s Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, and the subsequent NSW police investigation, have provoked an extreme response.

Petrol populism and public transport

Petrol prices have sky-rocketed in the last six months. The cost per litre now pushes $1.60, with predictions in some quarters of a $2 per litre price by the end of the year.

Further Comment and Analysis

Letters

Write On: Letters to the editor

Afghanistan Tony Iltis (GLW #752)makes much of the West's fumbling and imperialistic attitude towards Afghanistan in modern history. What he neglects to mention is that polling of Afghans has, consistently since the invasion, conclusively shown

General

Fighting Fund: 'They must think we are idiots'

“They must think we are all idiots”, said an exasperated Friend of Green Left last week in response to the parliamentary debate about rising petrol prices.

Resistance!

'Enough of these fools': French students on the move

“Enough of these fools who shut factories and shut schools!” was a chant of thousands of student protesters as they marched on May 18 against the neoliberal education reforms in France. The conservative government of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s restructure of the education system will mean 11,200 teachers will lose their jobs as well as the cutting of “optional” subjects, such as foreign languages and art.

Cultural Dissent

War poet's words still resonate

On April 28, an Australian soldier died in Afghanistan — the fifth since the US-led invasion in October 2001. He was part of an international invasion force to impose a colonial occupation on the Afghan people.

Change is on the agenda

Sounds like change
3CR radiothon
June 2-13

Further Cultural Dissent

FEATURED CONTENT

Billionaire Rinehart's bid for media control

Above: GetUp! released video showing professional climate change denier "Lord" Christopher Monkton advising a room full of mining executives on how the industry must gain control of Australia's media. This week mining billionaire Gina Rinehart became the largest shareholder in the Fairfax media conglomerate, having already bought a stake in Channel Ten.