Issue 116

News

Brewery sackings planned By Paul Oboohov The Financial Review on September 17 reported an announcement by New Zealand multinational brewer Lion Nathan, of Swan, Fourex and Tooheys sackings fame, that it is seeking sackings at its latest
NSW cleaners continue fight Story and photo by Paul Oboohov SYDNEY — Cleaners employed by the NSW Government Cleaning Service are into their ninth week of a campaign to stop privatisation of state cleaning by the Liberal state
SYDNEY — Members of the Wilderness Society and Sydney Rainforest Action Group held a protest outside the BHP head here on September 13, over the dumping of 150,000 tonnes of waste rock and tailings from the Ok Tedi Mine into the Ok Tedi and Fly
By Ana Kailis A leaked draft agreement between the federal government and the ACTU on changing industrial law has been heralded by the Australian as a big win for unions. The deal, which includes changes to secondary boycott legislation and
24-hour strike at Risdon refinery By Dave Wright Hobart — Five hundred workers went on a 24-hour strike at Pasminco Metals EZ Risdon zinc refinery on September 13. The strike was in response to imminent job cuts and the breakdown in
By Dave Wright HOBART — APPM's Burnie and Wesley Vale paper mills will be sold to the giant multinational Amcor Ltd. The deal, worth $415 million, guarantees Amcor — owners of APPM's domestic rival APM — a monopoly of the fine paper market
Green Alliance to stand in SA elections By Chris Spindler ADELAIDE — Addressing the desperate need for alternative political forces to be standing against both the Labor and Liberal parties, Green Alliance will run a campaign in the
Austudy 5 speaking tour MELBOURNE — Tim Anderson and members of the Austudy Five conducted a speaking tour of various universities and other venues between September 7 and 10. The Austudy Five are members of the International Socialist
Inquiry into toxic waste scandal By Bill Mason BRISBANE — The Criminal Justice Commission is to launch a public inquiry into large-scale corruption involving illegal dumping of toxic waste in south-east Queensland. The public
Protest over Aboriginal Welfare Fund By Nikki Ulasowski BRISBANE — "Everything has been taken away from us — our rights, our lives. Aboriginal people must take a stand and continue the fight", said Alex Gapter, Aboriginal community
Victorian school closures force drop-outs By Lachlan Anderson MELBOURNE — A report released on September 1 has identified serious disruption of students following school closures by the Kennett government. Fifty-five schools were closed
Seminar defends public sector By Bill Mason BRISBANE — State teachers' campaign to defend the public education system will be a "long-term struggle", Shane Groth, Queensland Teachers Union vice-president, told a seminar here on September
By Rodney Cheuk and Tamara Desiatov PERTH — Young migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds experience an institutionalised racism second only to Aboriginal youth. A report released here confirms that migrant youth experience higher
By Sean Malloy Inequality in Australia is increasing rapidly. The gains during the postwar period in reducing inequality were lost between 1980 and 1990, argues Phil Raskall, coordinator of social and economic inequality studies at the
By Steve Rogers CANBERRA — A well-attended September 16 press conference here heard plans for a new direction for the ACT branch of the Public Service Union (PSU). In the face of current job losses and union leadership failures, PSU Challenge
Keating to face protests in Ireland Prime Minister Paul Keating was to begin a nostalgic visit to the land of his ancestors on September 19. It is believed that his forebears left the County Galway village of Tynagh around 1855, "probably as a
Political science — 1 "If we get up tomorrow at daybreak and Australia has been declared a republic tonight by referendum but with no other change — just a change of name — then there is actually no difference." — Governor-General Bill
Station staff oppose automatic ticket By Garry Walters MELBOURNE — A September 8 stop-work meeting of suburban railway station staff resolved unanimously to support the Public Transport Union (PTU) opposition to plans to introduce an
By Bill Mason and Maurice Sibelle BRISBANE — Oodgeroo Noonuccal, formerly known as Kath Walker, the popular poet and Aboriginal rights activist, died at Greenslopes Hospital on September 16 at the age of 72 after a struggle with cancer.
Merv Nixon, 1923-1993 WOLLONGONG — Former South Coast Labour Council secretary and well-known Communist Party identity Merv Nixon died at Bulli Hospital on September 13 after a long battle with illness. Arriving in Wollongong in 1954, the

World

By Sean Malloy Israel's recognition of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and preparedness to negotiate on the occupied territories reflect contradictions and pressures within Israel and the Middle East according to Joe Stork, editor of the
DAELE HEALY describes her experiences at the International Youth Forum held in South Korea August 11-21, organised by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO. The forum was made up of around 100 people from more than 30 nations. The
By Jana D.K. JAKARTA — More than 1,000 employees stopped work on September 13 at the PT Halco factory in Bekasi Raya, East Jakarta, which produces pots, pans and other household items. Shouting demands, workers erected banners and posters
By Renfrey Clarke MOSCOW — More than half a million employees of the Russian coal industry stopped work for 24 hours on September 6, halting production in 133 of the country's 259 underground mines. The national stoppage was the latest in a
By Max Lane MANILA — Fifteen thousand workers from the city of Manila assembled on September 14 to establish a new trade union centre, the Union of Workers for Change (BMP). More than 700 delegates from more than 200 unions, representing
Salvadoran left announces candidates By Stephen Marks MANAGUA — The first National Convention of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front has endorsed Ruben Zamora and Francisco Lima as the presidential and vice-presidential
Karen people of Thailand By Catheryn Thompson I recently interviewed Ruggit Srisarin, a masters student at Tasmania University who recently visited the Karen people, who live on the border between Thailand and Burma. In Burma the Karen are
By Chris Beale Thailand is being rocked by the worst crisis to destabilise the "pro-democracy" government since Prime Minister Chuan's coalition came to office a year ago. The crisis forced Chuan to cut short an important trip to China by
By Ana Kailis Australian soldiers are now on combat duty on Bougainville, according to reports from Radio Free Bougainville. This follows the September 6 admission in parliament by defence minister Senator Robert Ray that Australian troops
Military attack Yogyakarta protest A mass rally on September 11 at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, against the introduction of restrictive traffic laws, was attacked by the police and military, forcing participants to leave the campus.
Indonesian activist condemns Keating's 'music' By L. Pramana Prime Minister Keating's suggestion for US President Bill Clinton to take a softer stance on human rights in the Asian region has been condemned by Indonesian labour activist

Culture

SYDNEY — The alternative radio waves will be packed with sharp current affairs, superb specialist music and incisive talk as 2SER-FM celebrates its 14th birthday from September 25 to October 1. The week will highlight SERvive-a-thon 93 — the
The Story of Qiu Ju A film by Zhang Yimou Showing at Melbourne's Nova Cinema from September 30 Reviewed by Peter Boyle Zhang Yimou won international attention with his previous films Red Sorghum, Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern,
New issue of CEFTAA magazine By John Tognolini Framed is the quarterly magazine of the Campaign Exposing Frame-ups and Targeting Abuses of Authority. It was born during the fight against the frame-up of Tim Anderson. Issue 22 takes the
BRISBANE — Performers, bands, artists and DJs combine with computer network jockeys on September 24, transforming Brisbane into FIERCE with virtual tentacles reaching round the planet. FIERCE is Brisbane's first "journey into cyberspace", a
Year 501: The Conquest Continues By Noam Chomsky London: Verso, 1993. 331 pp. $29.95 (pb) Reviewed by Phil Shannon 1992 was the 500th anniversary of the arrival in the "New World" by Columbus. Noam Chomsky in Year 501 once again stands
Power and property The Piano Written and Directed by Jane Campion Starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill and Anna Paquin Reviewed by Chris Slee Set in 19th century New Zealand, this film explores the unequal relationship
Green Is Magic A CD by Trust Funded by Small Change Foundation Reviewed by Elle Morrell What better way to get the message across? When Footscray Secondary College's school band, Trust, and the environment club got together, no-one

Editorial

The real thing Seventy-two of Australia's "bidding elite" are descending upon Monte Carlo to hear the International Olympic Committee's decision on which city will host the Olympic Games in the year 2000. Asked to explain the purpose of the