On April 6, notorious Cuban-born terrorist Luis Posada Carriles was granted freedom on bail in the El Paso Federal Court, which will allow him to return home to his family in Miami after the payment of US$250,000. Posada, a former CIA operative, was the mastermind of the deadly bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976, and has been involved in other terrorist acts and violent campaigns against popular movements in Latin America. Washington has denied requests to extradite him to Venezuela, where he had been imprisoned until he escaped in 1985.
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The Gippsland Trades and Labour Council (GTLC) has expressed outrage at the refusal of power companies and the Victorian government to discuss health and safety in the power industry following two workplace deaths and a serious injury in the La Trobe Valley late in 2006.
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The Greens are calling for state-of-the-art mobile medical clinics as a means of extending city-based services to rural and remote areas of NSW. The call is part of the Greens NSW election policy for health, launched by MP Sylvia Hale on March 16.
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At noon on March 8, 50 protesters gathered outside James Hardie Industries Pitt Street offices to express outrage at the companys decision to lock out 12 maintenance workers at its Rosehill plant in western Sydney and to strip them of entitlements.
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A satirical website created by climate action group Rising Tide Newcastle (RTN) has twice been shut down by the powerful coal industry lobby group, the NSW Minerals Council.
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On March 5, maintenance department workers employed at James Hardie Ltds Rosehill site took protected industrial action for 24 hours. They were supported by activists from Worker Solidarity, who organised a community picket on the day
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On February 24, the Refugee Council of Australia called on PM John Howards government to grant full and fair hearing in Australia to any claims for asylum by a group of 83 Sri Lankans rescued off Christmas Island by an Australian naval ship.
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On February 6, 400 people converged on the lawns outside the national parliament building in Canberra to protest of the continued detention of Australian citizen David Hicks at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Greg Combet expressed great pride in the role played by trade unions and union members in achieving justice for the victims of James Hardies asbestos products.
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The February 6 Sydney Daily Telegraph reported that Australians yet to establish a view on the Venezuelan president will have the opportunity to do so in person if the organisers of an online petition inviting him to visit get their way.
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Releasing a report on mainland immigration detention centres on January 19, human rights commissioner Graeme Innes said that, while some improvements had been made, Australias mandatory detention laws should be repealed.
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On February 19, campaigners for the repatriation to Australia of David Hicks again demanded that the Australian parliament seeks his immediate release from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay.