GLW issue 816, published 2009-11-04.

Indonesian unions: 'Give protection and aid to the refugees'

The following joint statement by the Confederation Congress of Indonesia Union Alliance and the Working People’s Association was released from Jakarta on October 27.

Tasmania: Private ferry service shambles

The Tasmanian ALP government is facing another political crisis stemming from its pro-business politics. This time it is over the contract it signed with shipping operator Southern Shipping to provide a 50 kilometre ferry service between the Bass Strait islands and Bridport, on the Tasmanian mainland.

'Support Solar Systems!'

On October 30,100 people rallied at Victoria’s parliament house against the federal government's failure to support Solar Systems before its administration deadline expired.

Time to revive the refugee rights movement

At first, the flow of people fleeing horrors like the Sri Lankan government’s concentration camps for Tamils and Afghanistan’s killing fields didn’t test the capacity of the Christmas Island detention centre

Further

Australian News

'In the front line of what is right and moral'

On October 26, 150 people rallied at Federation Square to demand the Australian government accept the 78 Sri Lankans asylum seekers currently moored off Indonesia’s Riau Islands.

Socialist Alliance conference to prepare for struggle

Watching the terrible plight of the Tamil asylum seekers aboard the Australian customs ship Oceanic Viking last week brought home the depressing continuity in policy and perspective between the previous John Howard Coalition government and Labor rule under PM Kevin Rudd. Australia's razor-wire enclosed refugee detention centres are once again filling up with desperate victims of war and oppression.

Further Australian News

International News

Pakistan: The threat of religious fundamentalism

Once again Pakistan has become the focus of world attention. Every day there is news about the latest suicide attack or military operation, with killings, injuries and displaced communities.

Carbon scam exposed in Bolivia

Greenpeace recently released a report that clearly shows why Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) offset projects will neither address climate change nor stop deforestation.

Further International News

Comment and Analysis

Riding inflation, frozen wages

It seems like only yesterday we were being exhorted to spend. Pensioners, parents, homebuyers and workers were plied with “free” money from the Labor government and asked to go and spend it to save the economy.

Working-class hero honoured

On November 2, 1923, 636 members of the Victorian police force went on strike. All were sacked and replaced by volunteer strikebreakers.

Further Comment and Analysis

Letters

Write On

Ethical elitism My article "Ethical elitism on climate change?" (GLW #814) and Simon Butler's response, "Ethical elitism?", (GLW #815) are both unnecessarily caustic. This culture that sees it as acceptable to humiliate political opponents (or

General

The bloody price of playing with prejudice

Every time capitalist politicians play with racist prejudice against asylum seekers, there are violent consequences. I'm not just referring to the threatened forceful disembarkation of the Tamil refugees from the Oceanic Viking, which is outrageous. The bipartisan anti-asylum seeker rhetoric in Canberra is also very likely provoking more racist violence across Australia.

Cultural Dissent

Class war in feudal England

Summer of Blood: The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 By Dan Jones Harper Press, 2009 238 pages, $49.99 (hb)

Stories about the human condition

The Scourge of Termite-ists By Allan Scarfe Seaview Press, 2009 260 pages, $22.95 Contact Seaview Press at www.seaviewpress.com.au

Further Cultural Dissent

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Billionaire Rinehart's media control bid reveals corporate influence

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.