483

NT Labor to the right of CLP on zero tolerance

BY GARY MEYERHOFF DARWIN — The NT Labor government's zero tolerance policies towards illicit drug users look set to be harsher than those of the former Country Liberal Party (CLP) government. On February 21, the government announced its

Perth rally for refugees' rights

BY RUSSELL PICKERING PERTH — Four hundred people marched through Perth city centre on March 2 demanding the closure of all refugee detention centres. Organised by a broad organising committee initiated by the Refugee Rights Action Network, the

Royal commission: the greatest sideshow in town!

BY SUE BULL MELBOURNE — Construction workers have been poring over the sordid details emerging from the royal commission into the construction industry. No worker in the industry could have missed the sensational allegations by a supposed former

Australia's refugee policy challenged

BY SARAH STEPHEN In the week before the March 2 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, refugees; rights groups released a statement from refugees' rights groups, aimed at CHOGM delegates, titled "Time to end inhuman refugee policies". The

and ain't i a woman?: Cosmetic deceptions

and ain't i a woman?: Cosmetic deceptions Want "enhanced self-esteem, a more satisfying body image and personal gratification"? According to Sydney's L'Image Cosmetic Surgery clinic, all this can be achieved simply by undergoing breast

News briefs

Pilger film screened DARWIN — Thirty people attended a screening of John Pilger's documentary film New Rulers of the World, which deals with the impact of the international financial institutions on the Third World. The screening was organised

ZIMBABWE: Mugabe relies on repression to survive

BY NORM DIXON The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has intensified its violent campaign against the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in a desperate attempt to save President Robert Mugabe's hold on

UNITED STATES: Bush dynasty up to its eyeballs in Enron

BY SHARON SMITH CHICAGO — If the congressional committees investigating Enron really want to get to the bottom of the scandal, they could begin by hauling in George Bush to testify. The entire Bush dynasty has been up to its eyeballs in Enron

Pilger calls for 'constant and unrelenting mass action'

BY SUSAN PRICE SYDNEY — "Wow!" was the first word that journalist John Pilger said as he stood before the 2100 people who had filled Sydney Town Hall on March 1 to hear him speak. Titled "Breaking the silence: war, propaganda and the new empire",

Campaign to repeal abortion laws

BY KERRYN WILLIAMS CANBERRA — Feminist organisations and individuals in the ACT have gathered under the banner "Options for Women" to campaign for women's right to choose abortion. This challenges the renewed offensive by the anti-choice Right to

On the box

Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Sunday, 9pm. Phone 9565 5522. Visit <http://www.channel31.org>

Bush threatens world's climate

BY JIM GREEN Federal environment minister David Kemp announced on February 27 the establishment of a Climate Action Partnership between Australia and the United States. The partnership is designed to protect the interests of oil, gas and coal