"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity ...", wrote Charles Dickens of 18th century
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Taking up the Breast Cancer Challenge — A special presentation, conducted in three languages, aims to inform and educate women from all ethnic backgrounds about a cancer that kills six women a day in Australia. Between 70,000 and 80,000 women
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Each working day those of us who have a job get up, shower, put on our clothes and travel to work. At morning tea we drink a cup of coffee, eat a cream cake or smoke a cigarette, worrying briefly about the state of our
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As Green Left Weekly celebrates its 100th issue, one of Australia's best known and most respected journalists, JOHN PILGER, talks to Frank Noakes, in London, about the media and its changing role. "When I started", John Pilger recalls, "the
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PERTH — In the first 100 days of the Richard Court government thousands of jobs have gone as state-funded projects are closed. Decisions on mining have shown that the Coalition sees national parks as the property of the
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ADELAIDE — More than 2000 public sector workers filled the Festival Theatre for a mass meeting on May 12 in reply to the state government's planned public sector cutbacks. The meeting unanimously adopted a motion for "an ongoing political,
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Non-stories Stop the presses! Hold the front page! An advertising billboard featuring a near-naked human body has been erected in inner-city Melbourne and there has been no protest! Oh yeah, big news. On a railway hoarding in the
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Poison in bore waterPERTH — Bore water in suburban Dianella has been found to be contaminated after lawns began dying. The WA Health Department and the Environmental Protection Authority have identified the herbicide
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Broadside The collapse of Broadside is certainly a setback for the left, as is the demise of any progressive publication. However, the last issue of the paper does contain a number of points that need to be challenged. Throughout the
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May 3 Nanterres University in Paris was closed by its administration to stop a second day of "anti-imperialist study". In the courtyard of the Sorbonne, the university in central Paris, 500 left-wing students rallied
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Twenty-five years ago, a massive movement of students and workers in France changed the face of politics in the West irrevocably. In their millions, ordinary people demonstrated the falsity of theories that consumer society could achieve
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A large part of our food today comes from multinational corporations, which are increasingly taking over all aspects of food production. They supply uniform seed varieties to growers along with the pesticide and fertiliser
News
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Rolling stoppages to protest Kennett cutsMELBOURNE — State public sector unions will begin an industrial action campaign throughout Victoria from May 17 in response to the Kennett government's vicious funding cuts,
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The North East Forest Alliance is calling for a full investigation into the operations of the NSW north coast woodchipping company, Sawmillers Exports Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Boral Timbers P/L, following the revelation that the company has
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Sacrifice While the ACTU is determined to sacrifice wages for the sake of "the economy", some of the highest salary earners in the country don't have the same approach to their incomes. Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett (on $131,771 a year, plus
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Logging destroys rare possum habitatMELBOURNE — Conservationists have expressed outrage over the destruction of a prime habitat of one of Victoria's rarest mammals, the Leadbeater's possum. Two weeks ago,
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Save the rubbish "I don't see the need to tip something out just because it looks as though it's been there for a long time." — New Zealand foreign minister Don McKinnon, supporting continued ties to the British crown. And the winner is
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Port Macquarie hospital dispute in courtThe Port Macquarie Hospital Action Group was caught off guard on May 6 when bulldozers and other heavy machinery began clearing the site of the controversial new private hospital for
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Gay man murdered in AdelaideADELAIDE — A homosexual man was murdered here last week, exactly 21 years after the infamous drowning of Dr George Duncan. Duncan, a gay professor at Adelaide University, was bashed and
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Free speech campaign widensBRISBANE — The campaign for free speech in the Queen Street Mall is gaining support against Lord Mayor Jim Soorley's attempt to further restrict the right of peaceful assembly. Support
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Joh jury inquiry focuses on investigatorBRISBANE — The spotlight in the ongoing Criminal Justice Commission inquiry into the selection of the jury in the 1991 Joh Bjelke-Petersen corruption trial has now turned to legal
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By Martin O'Byrne MELBOURNE — A legal firm here is planning to take action against the state Ministry of Housing over the death of a public tenant from an asbestos-related disease. Last September 10, Doreen Porter died from mesothelioma
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Nurses impose bansMELBOURNE — Nurses at Western General have imposed bans on elective admissions and internal transfer of patients due to an increasing strain on midwifery staffing levels. The closure of the midwifery
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Risks People with asbestos material in their housing are at risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease. These diseases include: Asbestosis. Fibres lodge in the lungs, causing a scar which continues to grow even though there may be no
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On May 13 the ACTU executive rejected a call by several unions covering low-paid workers for a national wage claim of $8 per week for workers who had not managed to strike enterprise bargains with their employers. ACTU
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Rape Crisis Centre to closeADELAIDE — Workers at the Rape Crisis Centre learned of its end in a blunt fax from the minister for family and community services, Martin Evans, on May 12. The centre will be amalgamated
Analysis
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An invitation Nearly two years ago, on the occasion of Green Left's 20th issue, we commented: "When the idea for this newspaper was first floated more than a year ago, no-one could be sure whether it was a goer or a pipedream. Would it
World
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The recent struggle in Jakarta over vice-presidential, cabinet and military positions has provided a chance for liberal reformist critics of the regime also to obtain media coverage for their criticisms of authoritarianism and
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MOSCOW — Police on May 9 were unable to stop more than 50,000 opposition demonstrators from marching through the centre of the Russian capital and onto symbolically important Red Square. Built around the anniversary of
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On February 26, 1991 more than 700 gold mine workers at Vatoukoula, Fiji, downed tools and threatened never to return to work unless the Australian and New Zealand mine management recognised their union and negotiated on their claims. Twenty-seven
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With barely a week left before the Cambodian elections (scheduled for May 23 to 27), the Khmer Rouge are escalating their acts of terror in an attempt to disrupt the polls — if possible to have them cancelled or at least to
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A firm date for South Africa's first non-racial general election is to be set by June 3. After a week of discussions beginning on April 30, representatives of South Africa's key 26 political organisations agreed that a
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Language dispute in Xanana trial By Jana D.K. Jakarta — Proceedings in the trial of Fretilin leader Xanana Gusmao resumed May 12 after a week's delay while the Dili court attempted to resolve the question of Xanana's defence
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Anti-union laws retained Fiji's finance minister, Paul Manueli, says the country's controversial labour reforms will not be revoked. The laws, introduced by the previous interim government in 1991, severely curtail trade union rights.
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President's hand in his own assassination By S. Piyasena Sri Lanka, where violence has become the rule rather than the exception, has created another record by assassinating the president and his principal rival within just eight days.
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Tongan democrats seek support Leading Tongan democracy activist Akilisi Pohiva has indicated that the pro-democracy movement is changing its strategy. Pohiva said on April 28 that, instead of pushing for more democracy solely from within
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MOSCOW — To the puzzlement of many observers, Russian President Boris Yeltsin during the first weeks after his April 25 referendum held off introducing the "tough measures" through which he had promised to "neutralise" the
Culture
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Groove to a new style Earth and Sun and Moon Midnight Oil Reviewed by Paul Boundy The latest studio release from Australia's most public political band lacks the aggressive punch between the eyes the Oils are well known for. What
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Passion Fish Written and directed by John Sayles Starring Mary McDonnell and Alfre Woodard Reviewed by Lee Wallace The critics' pull quotes used to promote Passion Fish, the new film from the New York-based independent writer/director
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Power to the people"Power to the people!", fists raised, sounded a crowd of 10,000 as Arrested Development led the chant which opened their second Sydney concert. Let it rain, take my pain, I'm glad to meet you
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Edge of insanity A festival of seriously psycho late shows Kino, Melbourne till July 11 Previewed by Mario Giorgetti Had a rotten day? Mad as hell in a heatwave? Don't throw a fit. This series, which includes some of the great "crazies"
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The Best of Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens Dolphin through BMG Rhythm of Healing West Nkosi Earthworks/Virgin through Larrikin Records Favourites Ladysmith Black Mambazo Dolphin through BMG Reviewed by Norm Dixon
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Through Aboriginal Eyes By Anne Pattel-Grey Geneva: WCC Publications, 1991. 159 pp. Reviewed by Annolise Truman This book, which details Aboriginal experience, much of it traumatic and death-dealing, not only presents historical and
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The 40th Sydney film festival was launched by George Miller on May 4. In his speech, Miller credited the festival with providing the vital inspiration for himself and the whole "first wave" of Australian film makers.
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Someone's going to get hurt ... Dead Lines Written by Kate Gillick Directed by Robin Laurie Performed by Stephen Burton, David Joseph, Lisa Small and Phil Sumner Musicians: Shirley Billing, Rachel Cogan and Irine Vela At the
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Federal Parliament Theatre review by Max Lane Readers may or may not be aware that the seat of government and assembly of representatives of the people — i.e. the new parliament — was sworn in and began sitting last month. "Sitting" —
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Apartheid Two part special on SBS Television screening Sunday, May 23, and May 30, 8.30 p.m. (8 p.m. Adelaide) Previewed by Norm Dixon This French-produced two-hour documentary starkly recounts the evolution of one of this century's most
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Change for Sixpence Where Sixpence Lives By Norma Kitson London: Chatto and Windus. 1986. 350 pp. Reviewed by Connie Frazer Not a new book, but one you can't put down. The intriguing title caught my eye as I entered the Adelaide
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Different traditions, and why don't we know anything? Asia Music Various Celestial Harmonies through Larrikin Records Available on CD Reviewed by Mina O'Shea After passing through the hands of many people who felt they couldn't