GLW issue 820, published 2009-12-02.

The story of cap and trade: a short video on what is wrong with emissions trading

The Story of Cap & Trade (below) is a fast-paced, fact-filled look at the leading climate solution being discussed at the climate talks in Copenhagen. Cap and trade is also variously described as “carbon trading'' and “emissions trading”. In Australia, the federal Labor government is trying to push a variation of this through the Senate called the “Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme”.

How capitalism commercialises childhood

>This Little Kiddy Went to Market: The Corporate Capture of ChildhoodBy Sharon Beder, Wendy Varney & Richard GosdenUNSW Press, 2009288 pages, $39.95 (pb).

Socialist Alliance at Caracas global left gathering

Socialist Alliance members Kiraz Janicke and Federico Fuentes live in Caracas, where they maintain Green Left Weekly’s Venezuela bureau.

Stop the NT intervention

SYDNEY — Fifty people gathered outside federal government offices on November 26 to protest the Northern Territory intervention against Aboriginal communities.

Further

Australian News

Goodbye Connex: It's time to party

Critics of Melbourne's public transport system are preparing to party at Flinders Street Station on December 3 to farewell the much-maligned train operator Connex.

Teachers Alliance makes ground in AEU

Results of the recent elections for branch council and senior officer positions in the Australian Education Union Victoria branch were released on October 29. The incumbent union leadership was challenged by the Teachers Alliance, a rank and file group of AEU members that campaigns for an active and democratic union.

Further Australian News

International News

Venezuela: Chavez's historic call for international socialist unity

Addressing delegates at the International Encounter of Left Parties held in Caracas, November 19-21, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that with the capitalist crisis and threat of war risking the future of humanity, “the people are clamoring” for greater unity of those willing to fight for socialism.

Venezuela: Socialist congress to set strategic lines for revolution

During an inaugural speech to the 772 delegates at the First Extraordinary Congress of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) on November 21, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez raised a series of proposals to open the debate and discussion over consolidating the struggle for socialism both internationally and in Venezuela.

Further International News

Comment and Analysis

Palm Island: Five years of justice denied

Five years ago, Mulrunji Doomadgee was arrested by senior sergeant Chris Hurley for “disorderly conduct” and taken to a police cell on Palm Island, near Townsville. Within an hour, the Aboriginal man was dead.

Christmas Island hellhole: Refugees out of detention!

A total lockdown was imposed on the Christmas Island detention centre for three days after fighting broke out on November 21.

Further Comment and Analysis

Letters

Write on

Grafitti is art? I would like to take issue with the recent articles (GLW #818 and #819) claiming that graffiti is "street art" and should be accorded respect. The ugly scribbling and "tagging" that pollute just about every street corner; from

General

Open letter to Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Honduras — please add your name

Please circulate and add your name to this letter by emailing weekly.greenleft@gmail.com

GLW fighting fund: And now for some good news

You could be forgiven for missing the good news this month.

Further General

Resistance!

Fightback needed for refugee rights

The last of the 78 Tamil refugees who had protested for more than four weeks on board the Oceanic Viking walked off the Australian customs ship moored in Indonesia on November 17. For at least a month, they will be locked up in an Indonesian detention centre. They ended their protest after the Australian government promised to resettle them.

Cultural Dissent

Malalai Joya: her struggle is our struggle

Raising My Voice: The Extraordinary Story of the Afghan Woman Who Dares to Speak Out By Malalai Joya Macmillan, 2009 278 pages, $34.99 (pb)

Mammon updating Moses

Bless-ed be O reverential Economy Append another clause to Deuteronomy To wit, Mammon updating Moses Verily thou needst shit to grow roses, On garden spread warm manure Draw forth the bloom pure. All hail our ubiquitous Economy Before whom

Further Cultural Dissent

How capitalism commercialises childhood

FEATURED CONTENT

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.