Alex Bainbridge

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Nurses win major victory

    HOBART — After a two-year struggle, the Australian Nurses Federation (ANF) has successfully forced the Tasmanian state government to pay a postgraduate allowance to all qualified nurses. On May 1, the Federal Court ordered

  • ALP 'Left' moves against Harry Quick

    HOBART — Factional opposition to outspoken anti-war parliamentarian Harry Quick was publicly revealed on March 1. The Saturday Mercury reported that the ALP "Left" faction was trying to replace Quick — who is not aligned with

  • Students answer education ministers

    HOBART — Tasmanian education minister Paula Wriedt and federal education minister Brendan Nelson have publicly chastised secondary students planning to join the March 5 national student strike against the war on Iraq. Student

  • Labor overrides tribunal to build dam

    HOBART — The state Labor government of Premier Jim Bacon decided on February 3 to introduce new laws to allow the $30 million Meander Dam project to go ahead. Previously, the Resource Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal