Bob Pringle
Bob was born in Queensland 54 years ago. He was the quintessential Australian knockabout. He had a variety of jobs in Queensland, including a stint at that back-breaking job, cane-cutting. He came to NSW and worked mainly as a
Issue 241
News
An agreement reached between CRA and the mining division of the CFMEU on July 27 ended the nearly year-long strike at CRA's Vickery coal mine near Gunnedah in NSW. Green Left Weekly's JENNIFER THOMPSON spoke to Vickery CFMEU lodge president Derek
ACF submits plan for 'environmentally friendly' budget
By Lisa Macdonald
For the first time since they were elected to federal parliament, the WA Greens did not make a federal budget submission this year. Like the Australian Greens, the WA Greens
Australian activists held pickets on August 2 to protest against the Indonesian government's eviction of supporters of Megawati Sukarnoputri from the headquarters of her party, the PDI, and to condemn the government's crackdown on pro-democracy
ANU students censure association president
By Natalie Zirngast and Martin Iltis
CANBERRA — A special general meeting of 80 students at the Australian National University on August 1 voted unanimously that the Students' Association should
Postcard campaign against slave wages
By Kerryn Williams
CANBERRA — On July 29, Young Christian Workers launched their postcard campaign against proposed changes to apprentice and trainee wages under the Howard government's Workplace Relations
Comment by Maree Roberts
The Community and Public Sector Union's July 25 24-hour stoppage (July 31 in Victoria) was a success — not because all CPSU members heeded the union's call, but because they participated more actively than in recent
By Kamala Emanuel and Kim Linden
On July 31, hundreds of thousands of workers in Victoria and Newcastle took industrial action to protest against the Howard government's proposed industrial relations legislation. In Newcastle, 2000 unionists and
By Jennifer Thompson
The Australian Industrial Relations Commission is hearing an application by the CFMEU mining division for exclusive coverage of production workers in the central Queensland coal port, Dalrymple Bay. The dispute heated up in
Posters outlawed
By Corinne Glenn
PERTH — Changes to the state Litter Act made on July 21 mean that individuals, companies and organisations that arrange for people to put up posters will face fines of up to $10,000. While it is difficult to
ACT youth strategy no solution
By Kerryn Williams
CANBERRA — A July 24 forum organised by the Ministerial Youth Advisory Council to discuss a draft ACT Youth Strategy was attended by the Australian Youth Policy Action Coalition, the youth
Action against mobile phone tower
By Natalie Woodlock
HOBART — An action committee has formed to oppose the construction of a Telstra mobile phone tower next to Lenah Valley Primary School. Scientific research suggests that exposure for long
Indonesian activist on tour
By Jo Brown
Nico Warouw, the international officer of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) and a leader of Students in Solidarity with Democracy in Indonesia (SMID), urged support for the growing democracy struggle in
Activists plan education campaign
By Justin Randell
PERTH — More than 100 student activists from the National Organisation of Labor Students (NOLS — Labor left), Unity (Labor right), Resistance, Left Alliance, International Socialists,
By Daniel Kelly
Students and parents are worried that the federal budget will slash and further restrict student living allowances in 1997. The worst case scenario is the complete replacement of Austudy with a loans scheme similar to the Austudy
By Pip Hinman
A report commissioned by the federal environment department in 1994 has revealed that taxpayers are subsidising industries that damage the environment to the tune of $5.7 billion a year. Subsidies to the Use of Natural Resources sheds
Rally for August 19
By Tim E. Stewart
DARWIN — At its July 29 meeting, the NT Trades and Labour Council announced that on August 19, as part of the ACTU's national day of action, a lunchtime rally will be held at Civic Centre Park. Union
14 = WA students plan fight back
By Vaarunika Dharmapala
PERTH — Alarm at the federal government's proposed cuts to higher education funding has led to a dramatic increase in student activism in Perth. On August 7, students will join with
By Virginia Brown
PERTH — Following the Howard government's announcement of funding cuts to the national broadcaster, ABC staff from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the Community and Public Sector Union and supporters organised a
World
SULEIMAN ISAACS is an activist with the Cape Town-based Community Peace Foundation and a member of the African National Congress. He is a former union organiser, an early member of the United Democratic Front, and was a member of the Communist Party
Following the results of a national plebiscite sponsored by Mexico's Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) last year in which a majority of participants voted for the formation of a new, non-military Zapatista political force, the EZLN has begun
Clothing workers strike
By Norm Dixon
The 83,000-strong South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union began an indefinite national strike on July 25 for a 10% wage rise. Half the union's membership is in the Western Cape. Workers are also
By Eva Cheng
Since his re-election in April, South Korean President Kim Young-sam has been attempting to moderate the country's highly repressive labour laws in order to gain entry to the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development.
By Norm Dixon
The Papua New Guinea government's highly publicised military offensive to "flush out" pro-independence rebels of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army from their strongholds in central and southern Bougainville has been stalled. Strong
Foreign backers of the Burmese dictatorship
By Eva Cheng
Despite its notoriously brutal rule since the bloody repression of a 1 million-strong national uprising in August 1988, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) military regime
By Maria Elena Ang
The indigenous people of the Cordillera of Northern Luzon in the Philippines — the Kalingas, Kankanaeys, Sagadans, Bontocs, Ifugaos and Tingguians, collectively called Igorots by the Spanish conquerors — centuries ago
By Linda Kaucher
The Papua New Guinea government has agreed to cooperate with Indonesia to return 3500 West Papuan refugees, who have already rejected voluntary repatriation. An agreement between PNG's foreign minister, Kilroy Genia, and his
By Reihana Mohideen
MANILA — The Ramos government has ordered the "neutralisation" of the "Lagman group", which it claims is out to sabotage the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, to be held here in November. Apparently a report
By Jennifer Thompson
"The revolutionary prisoners have won. All their demands are met. The prisoners in Eskisehir — 'the coffin' — will be moved to Umraniye, Istanbul. Now the ambulances are going into the jails to bring the prisoners to
By Norm Dixon
Two senior Australian executives of a Canadian copper mining company operating on the central Philippines island of Marinduque have been charged with criminal negligence over a disastrous mine tailings accident. A massive pipe rupture
Clinton's 'anti-terrorism' bill
Seizing upon the explosion of TWA flight 800 and the bombing at the Atlanta Olympics, President Clinton is seeking broader police powers that undermine democratic rights. In the wake of the bombing of a federal
Appeal from Korean workers
By Eva Cheng
The management of the Japanese-owned Korean Sanbon Company in the Masan exporting processing zone has twice used goons to bash unionised — primarily women — workers. The attacks have injured nine, some
By Norm Dixon
Villagers in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao say that the Australian giant mining Western Mining Corporation (WMC) is colluding with the military to force indigenous people from their lands. The company has high hopes of
Culture
DustNeil MurrayABC MusicReviewed by Iggy Kim Neil Murray is not the most prolific recording artist. On top of the gruelling doorknock for willing recording companies, I suspect he's also someone who likes to put himself entirely into a new offering,
A River of Sound: The Changing Course of Irish Traditional MusicHummingbird/Virgin through Festival RecordsReviewed by Bernie Brian This CD is the soundtrack from the BBC Northern Ireland-Radio Telefis Eireann series of the same name. It was produced
e Coolbaroo Club Directed by Roger ScholesWritten by Steve Kinnane, Lauren Marsh, Roger ScholesValhalla, Glebe, SydneyReviewed by Jenny Long
This hour-long documentary, also featuring at the Melbourne Film Festival and later to be screened on
Dear dole diary. I know I am a temporary burden on society, but I've made a resolution to dress properly (no thongs) and show enthusiasm when applying for jobs. I believe this new government requirement for dole diaries will boost the paper industry,
Salamander Vanstone
Oh when those students riot
and call you obscene names
with a bit of luck
and cut and tuck
we'll beat them at their game
Salamander Vanstone
I know just how you feel
it goes to show
they wouldn't know
a
Rice Beyond the "Green Revolution": Seeking Equity, Sustainable Farming and BiodiversityBy the Agriculture and Food Group and the Philippines Desk, Action for World Development1995. 71 pp.Reviewed by Jon Lamb Rice Beyond the "Green Revolution" has
Revolutions in my LifeBy Baruch HirsonJohannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 1995. 392 pp., approx. $25 + postage (fax 27 11 484 5971 for exact price)Reviewed by Norm Dixon. Baruch Hirson is best known outside South Africa for his influential
Hysterical Women '96: A collection of 100 Australian feminist cartoonsA project of the Women's Electoral Lobby of WA and the Network of Women Students of AustraliaJuly 1996$15/$16.50 including postage from PO Box 8215, Perth Business Centre WA
The Viet Nam War, the American War: Images and Representation in Euro-American and Vietnamese Exile NarrativesBy Renny ChristopherUniversity of Massachusetts Press, 1995. 341 pp., $38 (pb)Reviewed by Phil Shannon The Vietnam War may have ended over
Necrojustice
we who lop tall poppies — mate
covet justice and won't relent
but daily strive to compensate
voiceless victims long since sent
from this weeping vale of submissions
reports and appeals and Royal Commissions
no statute
Editorial
The Howard government's reaffirmation of military ties to the United States more represents an ideological attack on mass antiwar sentiment than any great change in this country's "defence" policy.
Since the ANZUS treaty was signed on September 1,