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Unionists, parties discuss working-class politics

BY GRAHAM MATTHEWS MELBOURNE — Eighty-five people participated in a trade union seminar sponsored by the Socialist Alliance on May 11. The seminar's highlight was the presentations by union officials and political party representatives on unions

Ruddock sends refugees back to starvation

BY SARAH STEPHEN In response to the Easter protests outside the Woomera and Villawood detention centres, immigration minister Philip Ruddock declared that there were no refugees in Australia's detention centres, only "rejectees". They are not

Radioathon to support 'radio without borders'

Melbourne's progressive community radio station 3CR is deeply committed to fighting injustice. It broadcasts the voices of groups and individuals who rarely have a voice in mainstream media. Most recently, 3CR has given extensive air-time to struggle

On the box

ICAM — Julie Nimmo takes to the streets of Sydney's Waterloo to speak to Indigenous kids living rough. SBS, Thursday, May 23, 7.30pm. Unreported World: The Philippines — A look at the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group. Will the US "war against

John Q exposes holes in the 'safety net'

John QDirected by Nick CassavetesWith Denzel Washington, Anne Heche, Robert Duvall and James WoodsAt major cinemas REVIEW BY MARTHA GRUELLE John Q is a drama about a man's love for his child and his desperate attempt to save the boy. But the

PALESTINE: A meeting with Arafat

BY URI AVNERY RAMALLAH — "They want us to enact a constitution? No problem! I shall ask Israel to send me a copy of theirs and copy it word for word!" Yasser Arafat sent me an amused look. Israel, of course, has no constitution. That was on the

Museworthy: Spine-Scar

Museworthy: Spine-Scar Light comes inthrough darkness All yesterday's shedshave fallen Living things squatin destruction's beauty Opening their backsto pain BY MTC CRONIN MTC Cronin has had seven books of poetry published, the most

Action updates

Students for Refugees launched HOBART — On May 8, students at the Hobart campus of the University of Tasmania launched a Students for Refugees group. Shua Garfield told Green Left Weekly: "The formation of this group shows that you don't need

All out for June 22-23!

All out for June 22-23! Federal immigration minister Philip Ruddock isn't the sort to admit to making errors of judgement. But try as he might, these days his nauseating smirk doesn't appear so convincing. While the tide of

Royal commission secretly taping workers

BY SUE BULL MELBOURNE — The Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry, headed by Terence Cole, was accused on May 16 of using secretly taped evidence to discredit construction workers and their unions. John Cummins, Victorian

'Anti-terror' laws threaten right to protest

BY ALISON DELLIT In the mid 1960s, protesters in Australia broke the law just by holding street protests against the Vietnam War. Through persistently defying anti-protest laws, they won the legal right to hold street marches. This is an

Memorial Service for Connie Frazer

A memorial service for poet, feminist and Democratic Socialist Party member Connie Frazer (1925-2002) will be held at 1pm on May 25, at the Box Factory, 59 Regent Street South, Adelaide. All welcome. For more information phone Leslie on