Stephen Robson

  • 'Boat people' win release

    'Boat people' win releasePERTH — A Federal Court ruling led to the release of 26 Chinese "boat people" in Port Hedland on August 13. The decision was the first test of federal government legislation enacted in

  • Land rights issue at WA TLC

    Land rights issue at WA TLCPERTH — Addressing the Western Australian Trades and Labour Council meeting on July 13, Rob Riley, the executive officer for the Aboriginal Legal Service, told the meeting it was important

  • WA rail jobs to be cut

    WA rail jobs to be cutPERTH — Westrail announced on July 13 that a further 460 jobs will be cut, in addition to the 750 to be lost with the planned closure of the Midland railway workshops. The 460 jobs will be

  • WA compensation campaign

    WA compensation campaignPERTH — Unions here have endorsed a proposal to organise protests culminating in a rally on August 19 in response to state government changes to workers compensation. TLC assistant

  • Industrial relations bills tabled in WA

    PERTH — Industrial relations minister Graham Kierath tabled the Workplace Agreements Bill, the Industrial Relations Amendments Bill and the Minimum Conditions of Employment Bill in the WA parliament on July 8. When

  • Hamersley sacks union activist

    Hamersley sacks union activistPERTH — One hundred and eighty members of the Metal and Engineering Workers' Union (MEWU) struck after Hamersley Iron sacked John Mercer, the union convener at the Tom Price operation,

  • Privatisation plan for WA schools

    PERTH — A document produced by the state Education Ministry proposes to devolve education to the local school level. Titled "Devolution:the next phase", the paper created a furore when it was leaked to the West Australian

  • Mobilisation against Court's attacks

    PERTH — Rallying at noon on June 17 in Forrest Place, about 9000 unionists protested against the attacks being carried out by the Court state Liberal government. The Trades and Labour Council leadership did not put any

  • Parliament mothballed as Court launches attacks

    PERTH — In the first 100 days of the Richard Court government thousands of jobs have gone as state-funded projects are closed. Decisions on mining have shown that the Coalition sees national parks as the property of the

  • Poison in bore water

    Poison in bore waterPERTH — Bore water in suburban Dianella has been found to be contaminated after lawns began dying. The WA Health Department and the Environmental Protection Authority have identified the herbicide

  • Perth May Day dinner

    Perth May Day dinnerPERTH — Two hundred people celebrated May Day at a dinner here on May 1 organised by the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance to raise funds for Green Left Weekly. Those delivering toasts

  • WA election results and preferences

    PERTH — The recent WA state election revealed some quite different attitudes to the issue of preferences among the various alternative candidates. The Australian Democrats dropped their usual policy of an open ticket