News briefs

ADELAIDE — The state Liberal cabinet has approved in principle a plan for businesses to employ prisoners. The proposal, prepared by the Department of Correctional Services, would allow companies to employ inmates as factory workers in remote regions around Port Augusta.

The minister argues that under this proposal, prisoners will be able to develop employment skills they may be able to use on their release. He said that companies will not be permitted to use prisons as cheap sources of labour. However, he has not detailed how this will be enforced.

MELBOURNE — A deputation of organisers from the First International Conference on Women in Agriculture has called on the federal attorney-general, Michael Lavarch, to examine cases in which rural women received less compensation from accidents than their male partners. More than 800 people attended the three-day conference here over the weekend of July 1-3.

A conference spokesperson, Mary Salce, said the discrimination occurred "because women were classed as 'sleeping partners' and were therefore declared 'non-productive'. Lavarch has referred the issue to the Law Reform Commission.

MELBOURNE — The trial of eight campaigners arrested at the Richmond Secondary College picket has been adjourned to December 12 after defence counsel argued that the absence of a key defence witness would be detrimental to their case. This would make it almost a year to the day after "Bloody Monday", when police baton-charged peaceful picketers.

From GLW issue 150