Alex Bainbridge

  • Forest campaign pressure increases on government

    HOBART — Pressure continues to mount against the state Labor government on various forests-related issues since the rally of 3000 people in the Styx Valley on July 13. The most direct expression of this pressure is the call for

  • Styx march boosts movement

    BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE& ANTHEA STUTTER HOBART — The campaign to end the woodchipping of old-growth forests took a major step forward when thousands of people marched through the Styx Valley on July 13. At last year's state election, it was clear

  • Ruddock considers deporting year 11 student

    HOBART — "One last chance" was the headline of the July 11 Hobart Mercury. The newspaper reported that 17-year-old Ruth Cruz had asked federal immigration minister Philip Ruddock to personally intervene before a July 29

  • Save the Styx

    HOBART &#151 The Wilderness Society has relaunched a major campaign to save the Styx "Valley of the Giants" from logging on the 20th anniversary of the High Court's confirmation of the legality of the government's decision to

  • Basslink cost blow-out

    HOBART &#151 A cost blow-out of more than $250 million for the Basslink underwater electricity cable across Bass Strait has been a focus of attention since Greens MPs began questioning Premier Jim Bacon's Labor government about

  • Labor waters down lesbian/gay adoption legislation

    HOBART &#151 Key Tasmanian government leaders stepped in to water down proposed Significant Personal Relationships legislation before it was presented to parliament on June 19. This is despite the fact that the original

  • Labor plans to log Tarkine

    HOBART — Deputy-premier Paul Lennon announced plans on June 4 to lift a 20-year ban on logging in the Tarkine rainforest. The Tarkine is Australia's largest wilderness rainforest. The state government's decision will allow

  • Lesbian and gay adoption closer

    HOBART — The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI) released a report on May 28 recommending that adoption by same-sex couples be legalised. The report strongly argues that adoption should be an option for same-sex couples

  • Tasmanian Labor's "smoke and mirrors" budget

    BY PETER BAKER & ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — The Bacon Labor government released its state budget on May 22. Treasurer David Crean described it as "about sharing rewards" and the May 23 Mercury lauded Crean as "com[ing] close to being a hero in

  • Global learning centre under threat

    HOBART — The TasDEC Global Learning Centre is looking at ways to continue functioning after a March review by its government funding agency threatened to cut $40,000 from TasDec's funding for next year. TasDEC is the primary

  • Forum considers 'casualties of war'

    HOBART — On May 16, 350 people attended a forum organised by the Peace Coalition in the Stanley Burbury Theatre at Tasmania University on the topic "Casualties of War". Speakers on the forum's panel were left-wing writer Tim

  • Unions protest Labor privatisation

    HOBART — Described by the Mercury as "a rare attack", on May 5 Unions Tasmania protested the state Labor government's privatisation plans. The government is planning to privatise the Civil Construction Corporation, the Stanley