The writ served by the Miripiki people against BHP over the operation of its Ok Tedi mine is the latest in a string of disputes over land ownership and control in Papua New Guinea. The outcome of this case will set a precedent of
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Depo ProveraThe Australian government has just approved the legal marketing of a highly controversial drug, Depo Provera, as a contraceptive. Until now, Depo Provera has been able to be marketed as a treatment for
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May 20 is the 20th anniversary of the formation of Fretilin (Frente Revolucionara do Timor Leste Independente), the largest East Timorese party struggling for independence from Indonesian rule. Its formation in 1974 was motivated by the fall of the
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The term "training wage" is a misnomer. We should call it what it really is. It is a below-award youth wage — a pay cut for all young people entering the work force, and potentially also for all young people already in the
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Based on highly reliably international contacts, leaked documents and horoscopes from several TV magazines, Nostradamus' Media Watch presents a highly accurate forecast of political events across the globe. Democracy
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VSU dispute at Tas UniHOBART — Voluntary student unionism has recently become a significant issue at the University of Tasmania here. Daniel Muggeridge, a prize-winning student, has been debarred from the University for
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The slight improvement in Australia's current unemployment rate masks the deeper problem that both Labor and Liberal still are wedded to the false god of economic rationalism. "The market should decide", decree the economic
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True Stories: Hunger Strike, A Hidden History — In March 1981, republican prisoner Bobby Sands began a hunger strike in Maze Prison, Northern Ireland, seeking political status. He died 62 days later despite demonstrations and public outcry. His was
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A "Jazz, Folk Frolic" held in the Brisbane bayside suburb of Lota on May 1 attracted more than 100 people for an afternoon of politics and music. Organised by the Left Arts Group to raise money for Green Left Weekly, the event took place under a
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ADELAIDE — Resistance activists kicked off an anti-Liberal government campaign at Mitchem Girls High School on May 12. The first stage of the campaign involves organising a high school student strike to coincide with industrial action by teachers
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Looking out: Deadly 'isms'Brian Head is dead. Many of his classmates attended his funeral, held at the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Acworth, Georgia. On March 25 the stocky 15-year-old took the family pistol to
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In Melbourne on May 1, about 1500 people took part in the annual Sunday afternoon May Day march and rally. As usual, the bulk of the participants came from the various left-wing, migrant and solidarity organisations.
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Protests are continuing against the federal government's white paper proposal to remove the under 18 dole and introduce a below award "training wage". Around Australia more than a thousand people
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MELBOURNE — The Victorian Liberal government's anti-student union legislation tabled on April 28 could destroy student services and representation completely in universities across the state. The legislation, known as the Tertiary
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Hindmarsh bridge haltedADELAIDE — The federal government has ordered a temporary halt to work on the controversial Hindmarsh Island Bridge. On May 12, Aboriginal affairs minister Robert Tickner
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Khmer Rouge on the marchCambodia is once again at a crisis point. The Khmer Rouge are wreaking havoc across a 400 km arc in the north-western provinces, burning schools and hospitals so painfully rebuilt in recent years,
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Journos to 'finger' strikers?SYDNEY— Peter Baker, customer relations manager of Franklins, confirmed to me on May 9 that the company intends to fire some of its employees involved in a strike at its Chullora warehouse, after
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That's History — People of the Cross — This series concludes with two programs about Jack Sherrett, a real Kings Cross identity whose stylish dressing earned him the title of "Hollywood Jack". Jack spent much of his youth on the streets of the
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Specific measures $11.6 million over three years to protect the Daintree area, conditional on matching funds from the Queensland government. $19.4 million over four years for a Comprehensive Regional Assessment Program for forests.
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ADELAIDE — A recent Social Development Committee report shows that poverty in rural South Australia is widespread and increasing. In some instances, children are stealing food from classmates because they are going
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In 1994, for the first time, environment groups made comprehensive pre-budget submissions to the federal government. The parliamentary Greens and the Democrats also made submissions which recommended integration of environment
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Ozone conference wants change in forest practices A major conference of scientists and environmentalists meeting at the University of Victoria in Canada April 27-29 has called for the re-evaluation of current forest practices in light of damage
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Anti-racism in AdelaideADELAIDE — The Anti-Racism Alliance (ARA) held a rally on May 7 in protest against a National Action demonstration against the racial vilification legislation. The racist demonstration
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The budget purports to give us everything: jobs, low inflation, growth and a spending boost. But its underlying assumptions are no more than the same old economic orthodoxy propounded by the Liberals — small government and a
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Mbongeni Ngema I was excited by Norm Dixon's review of Mbongeni Ngema's new play Magic at 4am (GLW #139). In 1992 I watched a videotaped performance of one of his earlier plays, Township Fever, on SBS and found it simply the most exciting play I
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MASA launched in Sydney SYDNEY — Men Against Sexual Assault is a network dedicated to encouraging men to take responsibility for ending sexual and physical violence. There are MASA groups already established in Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane,
News
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Abortion debate on Adelaide UniADELAIDE — The abortion debate has fired up again at Adelaide University. Two male students recently organised the resurrection of the so-called "Pro-Life Club" amidst a sea of misleading,
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Audit criticisms suppressedADELAIDE — The views of a group of academics critical of the state government's audit commission have been suppressed by Adelaide's daily paper, the Advertiser. The Independent Audit
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CANBERRA — A May 12 meeting of the Public Sector Union national executive decided to intervene in its ACT union branch affairs. At an unspecified time PSU national secretary Peter Robson will "convene meetings of ACT Government
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Salisbury campus threatened with closureADELAIDE — Salisbury, a working-class suburb in the north of Adelaide, is facing the closure of its only access to tertiary courses. It is planned to transfer the Salisbury
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"We are in fact proud of our achievements at Ok Tedi", pronounced Jerry Ellis, BHP's mineral division chief, in the face of a $4 billion compensation claim lodged by local landowners in the Papua New Guinea Highlands. The
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Police abduct Aboriginal children BRISBANE — Three Aboriginal children aged between 12 and 14 years say that they were abducted by six police officers in the early hours of May 10. The Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) has complained to the
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Greens candidate threatened with sackHOBART — Jeff Briscoe, the Greens candidate in upcoming Tasmanian Legislative Council elections, has been threatened with dismissal from his job as a teacher over statements he made
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Day of action against cutsADELAIDE—The state executive of the nurses union has endorsed the day of action called for May 24 against the proposed cuts in the Public Sector Audit Review. "The Audit Commission report
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SYDNEY — A planning meeting on May 11, attended by 65 women and convened by the Women's Abortion Action Campaign, decided to hold a rally on May 28, the international day for women's reproductive rights, on the issue of a woman's right to
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Unusual, anyway "I think there's a unique West Australian style of entrepreneurialism." — Laurie Connell in 1988. Great something "I believe I'm in the presence of greatness." — One of a not very large crowd at a New York bookshop where
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Submarine workers winADELAIDE — Workers at the Australian Submarine Corporation returned to work on May 10 after a successful 43-day strike. The strike began on March 28 after seven workers were sacked by
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CANBERRA — One hundred and twenty thousand members of the Public Sector Union will be sent ballot papers in the coming week in a national election which is crucial for the union's future. For the first time, the incumbents are
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ADELAIDE — The anxiously awaited Public Service Audit review, released on May 3, has confirmed the worst fears of trade union and community activists. The audit found that the state is in debt to the tune of an additional
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Jean Bailey Jean Bailey died in April in Newcastle at the age of 86. Like most intelligent and compassionate people of her generation, Jean was horrified by the impact of the 1930s Depression. Her resolve that this must never be allowed to
Analysis
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S-G in waiting Interviewed on Sunday television two weeks ago, a coy foreign minister Gareth Evans acknowledged that, yes, he might be interested, if asked, in becoming secretary-general of the United Nations. Thus was made public one of the
World
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The launch of the People's Democratic Union (PRD) on May 2 has continued to stir controversy in Indonesia. Soon after the launch of the activist-based pro-democracy movement, Soesilo Soedarman, the minister for politics and
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BARBARA EINHORN is the author of Cinderella Goes to Market, a book on the experiences of women in eastern and central Europe following the collapse of the Stalinist regimes there. She is based at Sussex University, principally in the Women's Studies
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In an upcoming publication, "Reshaping European Education", the European Round Table of industrialists, a highly influential lobby organisation of 45 leading European industrialists, urges a radical change in education policy in European Union member
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In the United States today, 37 million people (8.3 million of them children) are completely without medical insurance. The UN children's agency UNICEF ranks the US 21st among nations on children's health — behind China, India and
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In March, for no apparent reason, New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger declared for a republic in 2000. Many in his own National Party were taken by surprise, and the opposition Labour Party could only mutter that it would be
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Dr Susan George is well known for her extensive writing on the causes of hunger in the Third World and the social and economic implications of the debt crisis (A Fate Worse than Debt, How the Other Half Dies, Ill Fares the Land). She is a researcher
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Brasilia — The Brazilian Workers Party (PT) opened its 9th National Meeting on April 29 in the Federal Congress Building. The participants included 440 delegates elected by municipal PT branches. Invited guests included
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The URNG, the united Guatemalan revolutionary organisation, issued a call on April 19 for international solidarity organisations to protest vigorously against the failure of the Guatemalan government to implement peace
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MOSCOW — During this northern spring, a strike wave has rolled across Russia. This has now become a tradition. The problems forcing workers to protest are generally the same: failure to pay wages, declining production and
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"We were forced to leave our village in the Preah Net Prah region because the Khmer Rouge were 4 km away and we feared we would meet a similar fate to that of seven villagers in the nearby town who had their throats cut by
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JOHANNESBURG — The African National Congress began formally to take the reins of government in South Africa during the past week. On May 7, Tokyo Sexwale was sworn in as premier of the province of
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Left party formed in Croatia Two hundred dissidents met in Zagreb to form the Croatian Independent Democrats (HND) in opposition to president Franjo Tudjman's ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on April 30. In officially announcing the
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JOHANNESBURG — "The people of South Africa have spoken ... They want change! And change is what they will get. Our plan is to create jobs, promote peace and reconciliation, and to guarantee freedom for all South Africans. We will
Culture
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The Politics of Pain: Torturers and their Masters Ronald D. Crelinsten and Alex P. Schmid (ed.) Leiden: Centre for the Study of Social Conflicts. 1993 Reviewed by Brian Martin What is there to know about torture, aside from that it's a
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Still on the Journey Sweet Honey in the Rock's 20th anniversary album Review by Carla Gorton "Viva South Africa, Viva!" Hundreds of concert goers were on their feet with their fists in the air. The echo resounded through the Perth Concert
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Daily Grind By Vicki Reynolds Directed by Meg Kanowski Souths Leagues Club, Davies Park in Jane Street, West End, Brisbane Tuesday-Saturday until June 4. Bookings 846 1060 Reviewed by Kylie Hunt It's an intense experience when you
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Ninni Bangarra Dance Theatre Enmore Theatre, Sydney until May 22 Reviewed by Kath Gelber The Bangarra's Dance Theatre's latest production is a colourful, evocative and energetic story told through a combination of narrative, song and
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Wu Kui (The Wooden Man's Bride) Directed by Huang Jianxin Reviewed by Peter Boyle and Pip Hinman Sydney Film Festival director Paul Byrnes says that this year's program reflects the fact that Asia is where the action is, filmwise. But if we
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Saturday Night Clive ABC-TV, Saturday Denton Channel 7, Tuesday and Thursday Reviewed by Dave Riley The sentence, for Clive James, is something to carry across the goal line. This is how to score. Listen and laugh because the words speak
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World of music at Cafe Folkloric Brisbane's Cafe Folkloric presents an impressive line-up of international music on May 19, starting at 8pm. With Andy Rigby on Paraguayan harp, Riley Lee on Japanese bamboo flute, Linsey Pollak, Humarimba Band &
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The range of the didgeridoo Balanda Dancing Didgeridoo: Alastair Black Music: Stephan Richter Reviewed by Jill Hickson Balanda Dancing explores the versatility of the didgeridoo. In this collection, the didgeridoo is joined by a range
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The seasons of love Drowning in a Sea of Dreams The One Extra Dance Company Directed and choreographed by Graeme Watson At the Performance Space until May 22 Reviewed by Gary Boyle Variations on the theme of love between men and
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The Paper Directed by Ron Howard Written by David Koepp and Stephen Koepp Starring Michael Keaton and Glenn Close Reviewed by Karen Fletcher This is a film about "one of those days", when a thousand deadlines converge, nothing goes as it