Geoff Francis

  • Southwood activists score a victory

    HOBART — Environmental activists have chalked up a significant victory by forcing the state government to announce on June 5 that it is “shelving its plans for a deep water port at Electrona in south-east Tasmania”. The

  • Court upholds fine on environmentalist

    HOBART — Environmentalist Sarah Bayne turned herself in to the Hobart magistrates' court on February 6 for non-payment of a $5000 fine imposed in 1998 after she was arrested in a protest at Mother Cummings Peak. Bayne had

  • Tasmanian forests: The comprehensive planning con trick

    It doesn't matter whether what's being proposed is a woodchip mill, an inner-city monorail, a block of luxury apartments, an airport extension or anything else. There's a comprehensive planning process that has to be gone through,

  • Huon Valley threatened by massive woodchip project

    HOBART — Tasmania's Huon Valley has a population of only a few thousand people, but it is set to become the scene of one of the largest environmental struggles in this state since the campaign against the Franklin Dam in the

  • 'Stand With the Nurses'

    BY GEOFF FRANCIS & PETER HICKS Tasmanian nurses are fighting back after the state Labor government, under Premier Jim Bacon, closed another hospital, costing 50 jobs. Labor health minister Judy Jackson has announced that she will personally cross

  • Tasmanian Labor plans scabbing operation

    HOBART — There's nothing new about cuts to health care and hospital closures in Tasmania — successive governments have been at it for at least a decade. What is different about Labor Premier Jim Bacon's latest planned closure

  • Queen Cheryl's Song

    Queen Cheryl's Song By Peter Hicksand Geoff Francis Seems the dummy-spitting season in the ALP starts around January each year — and ends in December. Reithy's best mate has gone and done it again. We wish her every success in her new post, but

  • Meg's GST

    Meg's GSTMum and Dad and Daisy went to graduation day at Tassie Uni,(It was a long hike from Glenorchy).Someone had to go to get the shopping first and it was me who drew the card,I did Coles, K-Mart and Target

  • Union Choir Power

    Union PowerThe US Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE!) has released a new CD by the Whiteville Choir — Union Power. The CD can be purchased on the internet at Hard Miles Music,

  • TweedleKim and TweedleJohnny

    TweedleKim and TweedleJohnny By Geoff Francis & Peter Hicks You can choose anybody you want — as long as it's Johnny or Kim.You can have any prime minister you want — as long as it's him or him.Politics Australian style is a very

  • David Hill: from Giardia to Labor MP?

    David Hill has finally resigned as head of Sydney Water. The man who gave the harbour city undrinkable drinking water denied any responsibility for the disaster, claiming he was leaving only to concentrate on his

  • 10-point plan

    10-point planLittle Johnny is selling a 10-point planTo resolve the ownership of the landHe says it's fair to everyone,And its genius is great.But as you count from one to 10Then slowly back to one againAsk