Duncan Meerding

Robert (Bob) McMahon, a founding member of Tasmanians Against the Pulp Mill (TAP), died in his sleep on April 17. The anti-pulp-mill activist passed away at the age of 62, leaving behind his wife and fellow activist Susie McMahon, as well as two children and five grandchildren. TAP was founded in June, 2006, as a grassroots community opposition group to the proposed Gunns Bell Bay pulp mill.

“The whole area is full of Aboriginal artefacts and the archaeologists' reports indicate that it is probably one of the most extensive, if not the most extensive find of Aboriginal heritage in the state”, Michael Mansell, legal director of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC), told ABC Hobart on September 16.

The Tasmanian Liberal Party, now in opposition, is running with a new youth-bashing policy in the lead-up to the next state election. The election will take place early next year.

An emergency protest was held on June 29 in response to the military coup that ousted Honduras’ democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya the day before. The action targeted Labor MP Duncan Kerr’s office, and demanded the federal government condemn the coup.

On February 9, 40 students from Glasgow University occupied its computer science research building. This was just one in a series of university occupations by students across Britain — involving as many as 24 campuses at one point — in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

On August 28, Gunns Limited announced to the Australian Securities Exchange that there is a possibility the controversial Tamar Valley pulp mill may not proceed.

On August 6, in memory of the bombing of Hiroshima by the US in World War II, a vigil to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons was held outside Hobart’s Town Hall. The vigil, attended by 40 people, had a street theatre component to it titled Target X. Members of the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW) and medical students demonstrated the effect nuclear weapons had on people.

On July 14, a rally against the corporatisation of Housing Tasmania was organised by the Tenants’ Union of Tasmania. Proposed changes will mean the state housing agency becomes a government-owned business, rather than a government service.

HOBART — On June 25, workers at Tasmania's electricity provider, Aurora, began industrial action to stop a performance-based pay system. The action was decided at a June 18 meeting of more than 300 delegates. Kevin Harkins, secretary of the

HOBART — A July 6 meeting of the 21-country United Nations World Heritage Committee unanimously called for the extension of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA). The WHC's recommendations would protect some of the native forests

In May and June of 1968, a movement erupted in France that threatened not just the survival of the government of President Charles De Gaulle but the system that it represented — capitalism.

On April 29, 640 people attended a public meeting in Launceston entitled "Tasmania: A Failed Democracy?". A week earlier, 300 people had attended a similar meeting in Hobart. The calling of the meetings was sparked by revelations of corruption that