Sarah Stephen
On May 11, the House of Representatives' last autumn sitting day, PM John Howard's government tabled the Migration Amendment (Designated Unauthorised Arrivals) Bill 2006 - legislation that will extend the 2001 "Pacific solution" to
668
Message Stick: The Lost Ones — Academic Henry Reynolds and Queensland woman Bron Nurdin are trying to trace their Aboriginal heritage, their families and where they belong. ABC, Friday, May 26, 6pm.
The Chaser's War on Everything — Confronts
The Cuban medical brigade sent to Pakistan in the wake of last October's massive earthquake is ending its mission after it attended to around 1.7 million patients. The earthquake struck the north of the country, killing more than 73,000 people and
Around 120,000 public sector workers returned to their jobs on May 15 after they were laid off for two weeks. On May 1, the Puerto Rican government laid off 95,000 employees, closing down the public school system and partially closing almost half of
Thousands of teachers across Papua New Guinea launched a nationwide strike on May 10 to demand a 4% pay rise and 7% housing allowance increase. Teachers ignored an Industrial Registrar ruling that the strike was illegal. An agreement was signed by
Deirdre Griswold
President George Bush's speech on immigration, carried live by the media on May 15, was full of demagogy. He said, "The United States is not going to militarise the southern border". But he laid out a plan to send up to 6000
Peter Boyle
Jake, a high school student, has been working a couple of night shifts a week for a well-known fast-food chain since last year. His normal hourly pay rate is $6.85, but he's paid a 10% loading for working after 6pm. But young workers
Liam Mitchell
A series of delegates' meetings across Sydney approved a Unions NSW resolution calling for a rally in Blacktown, in western Sydney, on June 28, the national day of action called by the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The
Tim Stewart
Indigenous lawyer Anne Kajir from the Environmental Law Centre in Papua New Guinea is one of six recipients of the US$125,000 Goldman Environmental Prize. According to the prize's website, she won this year's award for her tireless work
Grant Morgan, Auckland
Slap workers in the face and call it a helping hand. That's the strategy behind a "work probation" bill sponsored by National Party MP Wayne Mapp.
Ross Wilson, president of the NZ Council of Trade Unions (CTU), wrote in an