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The Last SamuraiDirected and written by Edward ZwickWith Tom Cruise and Ken WatanabeShowing at major cinemas REVIEW BY DAVE RILEY Any serious examination of The Last Samurai must consider the historical context in which the film places its
NSW postal workers strike to defend jobs Jenny Long, Sydney On February 12, Australia Post parcel workers struck for 24 hours over proposed network and technology changes that will undermine jobs, wages and conditions. The Communications,
Sarah Stephen & Andrew Hall, Albury NSW In one of the few national gatherings of any of the refugees' rights organisations which formed in the wake of the Tampa affair at the end of 2001, 320 people attended the second conference of Rural
Australian and US government representatives finally agreed on a free-trade agreement (AUSFTA) on February 9, after 11 months of negotiations and widespread protest and controversy in both countries. Amid claims and counterclaims about which national
North of Capricorn: The untold story of Australia's northBy Henry ReynoldsAllen & Unwin, 2003220 pages, $50 (hb). REVIEW BY IGGY KIM Bustling multiculturalism is today associated with the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne, while the common
Patrick Bond, Johannesburg South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign on February 12 criticised South African President Thabo Mbeki in the wake of more government prevarication on providing treatment for the country's 5 million people who are living
Student organisations and activist groups have decided to mobilise as many young people as possible on March 20, to protest the occupation of Iraq. The National Union of Students is supporting the protests, and will produce a poster advertising the
Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne More than 40 people attended the inaugural meeting of the Timor Sea Justice Campaign on January 21. Like many others, they were concerned with the Australian government's exploitation of Timorese oil. The campaign was
Che As a proud member of the Socialist Alliance contingent at Melbourne's pride march, I'm disappointed with Darryl Croke's (Write On, Green Left Weekly #570) knee-jerk reaction to the Che Guevara banner. The banner in question was not a Socialist
Jeff Shantz, Toronto The working class Saguenay-Lac Saint Jean region in Quebec has been hit hard by recent plant closures. In May, the bankruptcy of the Forest Co-operative of Laterriere left 650 people out of work. Another 650 jobs were lost just
James Caulfield, Canberra The University of Canberra became the first institution to endorse implementing domestic full fees since the Nelson Review "reforms" were passed in parliament last year, after a motion put by vice-chancellor Roger Dean was
Peter Perkins, Sydney How did one of the best metropolitan passenger rail networks in the world get thrown into chaos this month leaving angry commuters stranded on overcrowded platforms, unsure of how they were going to get home or to work? With