By Lex Martin DARWIN — Until recently Darwin Harbour, a huge tidal mangrove, attracted scant attention from government or investors. However, the NT's Country Liberal Party has decided that of the existing 260 square kilometres of mangrove stock
Issue 215
News
CANBERRA — On December 8, around 1100 trade unionists attended an ACT Trades and Labour Council-organised stop-work meeting outside the Legislative Assembly. The meeting was called to discuss responses to the ACT Liberal government's enterprise agreement package for government workers.ember 8, around 1100 trade unionists attended an ACT Trades and Labour Council-organised stop-work meeting outside the Legislative Assembly. The meeting was called to discuss responses to the ACT Liberal
By Kerryn Williams There were rallies in all major cities on December 7 or 8 to mark the 20th anniversary of Indonesia's occupation of East Timor. East Timorese activists began an all-day protest in Canberra on December 7 at 4am with a silent,
By Michael Tardif Having failed to campaign effectively against the inclusion of changes to the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) and Austudy in the May federal budget, the National Union of Students (NUS) has, for the last two weeks, been
Following the detection of the papaya fruit fly in northern Queensland in October, an extensive quarantine area between Cape Melville, Mt Surprise and Cardwell is being policed by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI). The Queensland primary industries minister, Bob Gibbs, has announced a "program of eradication, not containment" of the fruit fly. The program involves the use of large quantities of pesticides, some of which are banned in the USA.
By James Balowski In successful joint actions, Indonesian and East Timorese activists have managed for the first time to focus the spotlight — in the Indonesian press and public — on their demand that Indonesia withdraw from East Timor. The joint
By Sue Bull The Industrial Relations Commission arbitration hearing on the Weipa dispute has exposed how the Labor government's industrial relations legislation is being used by employers to dismantle the award system and erode union coverage. CRA
MELBOURNE — More than 100 activists attended the National Education Conference on December 4 and 5, organised by Melbourne Student Unionism Network (SUN) and endorsed by the National Union of Students (NUS). The meeting debated
SYDNEY — At a CRA shareholders meeting on December 5, protesters from Bougainville and West Papua support groups with "blooded" hands, questioned the company's role in Bougainville and its future role in the Freeport mine in West
By Sally Mitchell DARWIN — For three months anti-nuclear and voluntary euthanasia activist Dr Phil Nitschke has been campaigning for the introduction of a methadone program in the Territory. The Country Liberal NT government has refused to
Calls for actions against ShellBy Norm Dixon As the Nigerian regime imposed death sentences on 19 more Ogoni leaders on November 26, calls for the federal government to take action have increased. The Canberra Young Christian Workers Movement (YCWM)
What do you think? With this, the last issue for 1995, Green Left is taking a well-earned break. Regular readers will notice that this issue contains a lot more magazine-type articles, a feature we thought would suit the holiday season. Green Left
By Cameron Parker SYDNEY — Enterprise bargaining is subordinating workers' health and safety to increasing corporate profits according to a report released on December 4 by the Australian Centre for Industrial Relations Research and Teaching of the
Analysis
In the late 20th century, famine is not a consequence of "a shortage of food". On the contrary, famines are a result of a global oversupply of grain staples. Famine has become a world-wide phenomenon.
World
By Nick Soudakoff MANILA — On November 30, 23,000 people demonstrated outside the presidential palace in solidarity with the plight of the urban poor. Similar demonstrations were held across the country. The Bonifacio Day demonstration in Metro
By Neville Spencer Haiti's first presidential election since the ousting of the military regime is to take place on December 17. In the last few weeks violence has broken out accompanied by a souring of relations between President Jean-Bertrand
Fighting austerity: French workers mobilise Over the last week, the strikes in France to stop the Chirac government's plans to raise taxes and cut welfare spending have consolidated in the public sector, and extended to some sections of the private
By Eddy Jokovich Amid the euphoric media reports that an overdue peace has arrived in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the United States-sponsored accord needs to be put in perspective, and the future ramifications for the region understood. The accord initialled
By Jennifer Thompson The 99.98% referendum vote in favour of another seven years' presidency for Saddam Hussein on October 15 served to show the world that the Hussein regime is still in control of Iraq despite US and British-led attempts to install
Until recently ROBERTO ROBAINA was the first secretary of the Union of Young Communists. Now, this 39-year-old foreign minister is part of the new generation of Cubans leading socialist Cuba through a process of radical change. Robaina was
Behind the war in Jaffna
The recent offensive by the Sri Lankan army against the Tamil people hasn't been criticised by the world's capitalist powers. Green Left Weekly's ANA KAILIS spoke to DR A.E SELVANATHAN, sub dean of the Department of Asian
By Boris Kagarlitsky MOSCOW — During the campaign for the elections of December 1993 Russian business leaders vied with one another to sponsor "Russia's Choice" and other "Westernising" political groups. The entrepreneurs believed in an open
Culture
When you see Mururoa, Fangataufa, and Bikini, You will see the Children's Cancer Foundation, Laid in deposits of lava and coral, By the US and French nuclear administrations. ... Denis Kevans
This article was posted on the
Green Left
Look for the silver lining, When mushroom clouds appear in your view, Once you supported Uranium mining, Now it's all coming back to you; From Mururoa and Fangataufa, The French perfume, it wafts your way, For France you bled so well, remember? This
Through Sun and ShadeBy Barbara Chapman-Woods$10Send to: Unit 19, St. Andrews Village, Tribe St, Tamworth, NSW 2340Reviewed by Brandon Astor Jones I think it was Clarence Darrow who once said, "Someday I hope to write a book where the royalties will
First World, Ha Ha Ha! The Zapatista ChallengeEdited by Elaine KatzenbergerCity Lights, 258 pp., $24.95 (pb)Reviewed by Jon Strauss This collection of interviews and writings provides background, context and prosaic, poetic and photographic snapshots
By Nathan Laurent BRISBANE — On December 8, the independent radio station, 4ZZZ FM celebrated 20 years on air. Marked by special programs and live performances (including an appearance by Jello Biafra), it was a reminder that the alternative media
Revolutionary Industrial Unionism: The Industrial Workers of the World in AustraliaBy Verity BurgmannCambridge University Press, 1995.346 pp., $29.95 (pb)Reviewed by Jonathan Strauss In the first two decades of this century "the Industrial Workers of
The Three Lives of Lucie CabrolBased on a story by John BergerTheatre de CompliciteSeymour Centre, SydneyReviewed by Jorge Sotirios Given that film and television have incorporated much of theatre's past traditions, whether it be realism, melodrama,
Hidden Histories of ScienceEdited by Robert B. SilversThe New York Review of Books, 1995, 193pp. US$19.95 (hb)Reviewed by Neville Spencer "Science sometimes sees itself as impersonal, as 'pure thought', independent of its historical and human
Portraits From the Street: Photography and screen prints from protests and demonstrationsBy Doug BealReviewed by Sophie Villis Above one photograph of a child holding a peace banner the question is asked: "1995, the year of tolerance?". With 32 other
The Moor's Last SighBy Salman RushdieJonathan Cape, London 1995437 pp. $29.95 (hb)Reviewed by Peter Boyle Salman Rushdie's previous major novel, The Satanic Verses, earned him a fatwa (religious order) from the late Ayatollah Khomenei, sentencing him
Graffiti of the Left My train route into the city is dressed in graffiti. Each time I travel still more paint seems to be spreading weed-like along this gallery. Each week the scene changes as anonymous artisans on night-shift coat walls, filling
Land and FreedomDirected by Ken LoachShowing at Dendy Newtown and other cinemas from mid-DecemberReviewed by Peter Boyle The Spanish Civil War of 1936-38 was one of the great historical events in the 20th century. It was built upon great heroism and
The Fish John West RejectCartoons by Heinrich Hinze$15 (which includes postage and handling) from Scratch! Media, PO Box 597, Dickson ACT 2602Reviewed by Alex Bainbridge Heinrich Hinze is undoubtedly one of the best progressive cartoonists in
Between Worlds: The Music of Michael 0 SuilleabhainVirgin through Larrikin EntertainmentReviewed by Bernie Brian This is a selection of music from 0 Suilleabhain's five previous albums. 0 Suilleabhain maybe unknown to many, although he was featured
Programs of interest on Sydney Community TV (UHF 31) — Perleeka, indigenous Australians' program, nightly, 7pm. Art Experimenta, Mondays, 8pm and 11.30pm, and Tuesdays, 3am and 6.30am. Bent TV, gay and lesbian program, Thursdays, 10.30pm and
intro = NadjaDirected by Michael AlmereydaOpens January 18, 1996Reviewed by Margaret Allan Nadja is a darkly poetic film that occasionally gives the impression of an extended atmospheric music video at various points during the beautiful musical
Ain't Nuthin' But A She ThingThrough PolydorReviewed by Sujatha Fernandes Ain't Nuthin' But A She Thing is an all-female compilation, with the title track by Salt-N-Pepa. As usual, Salt-N-Pepa are dynamic, straight to the point and sassy. They have
KEV CARMODY, who has just released his latest album Images and Illusions, has found that while the music industry was happy to accept his money to produce the album, they have been equally happy to ignore its release. But, as he told Green Left
Deeper WaterBy Paul KellyMushroom Records through FestivalReviewed by Deb Sorensen This is the sort of album you think you might be disappointed with on first hearing. It grows on you; it's still got that great Paul Kelly sound, but I'm nagged by the
Editorial
As the last issue of Green Left Weekly is being put together, a million French workers and students are on strike and in the streets, setting a powerful example of resistance to the worldwide drive to put corporate profits above everything else. A