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Networker: Broken promises

Broken promises “Promise” can be defined as an “assurance of future benefit”. It is a word often heard in association with information technology, although in that context it means “hope for financial gain”. Some technologies become

Spotlight on Indonesia

Budiman demands supreme court intervention On October 24, the chairperson of the People's Democratic Party (PRD), Budiman Sujatmiko, went to the Supreme Court to protest against the handling of the party's case against former President Suharto and

David Roe: Survivor of the streets

REVIEW BY BILL NEVINS Angel of New OrleansDavid RoeRoyal Rags Records, New Orleans<davidroe111@email.msn.com> If you are wandering New Orleans' French Quarter streets, you will likely come upon what seems to be a statue of an angel, all

PALESTINE: Why the US backs Israel

The Israeli military machine's current repression against unarmed Palestinian civilians protesting against the Jewish state's colonial occupation of their national homeland has been so brutal that even Israel's chief sponsor, the United States, felt

Survey shows casual exploitation

BY BRONWEN BEECHEY ADELAIDE — A survey of 350 young casual workers here has revealed that many are being underpaid, do not know their rights and find that work is adversely affecting their studies and social life. With 27% of the workforce now

EAST TIMOR: Solidarity activists condemn oil deal

East Timorese solidarity activists in Australia have condemned federal government attempts to maintain control of large parts of East Timor's oil-rich seabeds, accusing it of being “still greedy for blood money”.  In an October 27

ABC workers to fight news cuts

BY CAM PARKER SYDNEY — Workers employed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation held stop-work meetings across the country on October 27 to discuss their response to managing director Jonathan Shier's cuts to the ABC budget. Shier had

and ain't i a woman?: Women, unions and discrimination

When I began work a year and a half ago, I went to see the storeperson to get my clothing allocation. He said to me, "I don't think they make work clothes in women's sizes", so I took my clothing issue in men's cut. After a safety incident, where a

QATAR: Invitation to WTO withdrawn

The Persian Gulf state of Qatar has taken back its invitation to host the next ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation. The last ministerial meeting, in Seattle, US, collapsed in part due to massive demonstrations which disrupted its

Huon Valley threatened by massive woodchip project

BY GEOFF FRANCIS 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

One law for Reith, another for the poor

BY JONATHAN STRAUSS It seems that the federal government believes some apparent abuses of government expenditure should be public knowledge, while others should not. The provision by Peter Reith, now employment and workplace relations minister,

PAKISTAN: Rail workers under attack

LAHORE — Ten labour leaders have been charged with breaching the peace, sedition and making provocative speeches against the military government. The police charges against them follow a public meeting held on October 18 by Rail Mazdoor Itehad