By Russell Pickering
CANBERRA — The Australian Democrats and the Greens have so far refused to rule out backing a Liberal minority government after the February 21 ACT election. After the last ACT election, the Greens and independents Michael
Issue 305
News
By Nicole Hilder
WOLLONGONG — One hundred people protested the reopening of the Port Kembla copper smelter by NSW Premier Bob Carr on February 3. The demonstration was organised by Illawarra Residents Against Toxic Environments (IRATE),
ACT's socialist alternative
By Chris Spindler
CANBERRA — The Democratic Socialist candidates for the February 21 ACT election launched their policies on February 5. Tim Gooden, one of three Democratic Socialist candidates for Molonglo,
Anti-uranium activists from across the country discussed plans for the campaign against the proposed Jabiluka mine in Kakadu during a national telephone link-up on January 28.
Hunter Valley miners continue to fight
By Alison Dellit
Workers at Rio Tinto's Hunter Valley No. 1 mine voted on February 2 to continue their fight against the company's attempt to de-unionise the mine. The three-hour stop-work meeting
Metalworkers begin campaign
By Michael Bull
MELBOURNE — More than 250 metalworkers filled the Resistance Centre on February 4 to launch the Workers First opposition ticket to contest the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union state branch
Voluntary student unionism in Qld
By Zanny Begg
BRISBANE — At the recent Young Liberals' conference in Noosa, Queensland, deputy premier Joan Sheldon announced that the state Liberal Party would introduce voluntary student unionism legislation
By Phil Shannon
CANBERRA — Meetings of Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) members in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services (HFS) voted overwhelmingly two weeks ago to oppose the certified agreement being proposed by
Greens, Democratic Socialists back MUA
By James Vassilopoulos
The Australian Greens have thrown their support behind the Maritime Union of Australia while condemning the Democrats' de facto role in helping out the National Farmers Federation
Appeal against Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act
By Angela Walker
CANBERRA — The 1997 federal Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act denies the Ngarrindjeri people of the lower Murray region of South Australia the right to seek protection of sacred sites
Tamils march for peace with justice
CANBERRA — Five hundred Tamils and their supporters marched here on February 3 to mark the 50th anniversary of Sri Lanka's independence on February 4.
@photo caption = Tamil leaders said that while many
World
By Jon Land
A group of Dayaks, the indigenous people of Kalimantan in Indonesia, are on a tour of Australia to promote solidarity with their struggle for land rights and compensation from Australian-based mining companies. These companies account
"What will be left of Nicaragua when SOLCARSA is finished with it? Nothing more than a huge desert. How is it possible that our precious ancestral forests are being converted into plywood?" — Gilda Aburto, Nicaraguan journalist. The World Bank is
Russian journalist held after nuclear waste exposé
By Renfrey Clarke
MOSCOW — Undeterred by the fiasco surrounding their prosecution of anti-nuclear activist Aleksandr Nikitin, Russia's security forces are holding another
By Norm Dixon
More than 300 students were arrested after staging a sit-in at the University of Western Cape (UWC) on February 1. The students were protesting against increased university fees and hard-line regulations that exclude students who
Mandela to address Rio Tinto unions
South African President Nelson Mandela is to meet with trade union leaders whose members are employed by Rio Tinto, the world's biggest minerals company and renowned for its anti-union stand. Rio Tinto also has a
Pakpahan supports Suharto's daughter for president
By Max Lane
Singapore-based journalist Michael Shari was recently able to interview jailed trade unionist Muchtar Pakpahan in hospital in Jakarta. Shari's interview was later published in the
By Stuart Ross
On January 29, British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced to a packed House of Commons that there would be a new inquiry into one of the most tragic events of Ireland's "troubles" — Bloody Sunday. Later that evening, John Kelly,
By George J. Aditjondro
Having accumulated their initial capital from the Salim Group of Liem Sioe Liong and Nusamba Group of Bob Hasan, Suharto's six children began to form their own conglomerates. During this phase, Daddy was always ready to give
Kabui: 'Independence for Bougainville remains the goal'
By Norm Dixon
Independence from Papua New Guinea remains the goal of the Bougainville people, according to the vice-president of the Bougainville Interim Government (BIG), Joseph Kabui.
Israelis protest against US policy
By Adam Hanieh
TEL AVIV — Around 50 people gathered outside the US consulate here on February 4 to protest against US policy towards Iraq. The demonstrators carried signs calling for the US to leave the Gulf
By Claudette Bégin
On January 29, a nail-studded bomb killed a guard and seriously injured a nurse at an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. It had appeared to be a normal day at the New Woman All Women Health Clinic. An anti-abortion
Nuclear leak at British plant
Authorities are monitoring two workers exposed to radiation in a leak at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in north-west Britain, Associated Press reported on February 1. The workers were among 13 people in a
By Reihana Mohideen
MANILA — At the convention of the broad democratic front Sanlakas held on January 31, more than 100 delegates elected five candidates to stand in the May national elections. Fifty-two congressional seats will be contested
Culture
The darkness of a musician's downfall
ComplicityBy Timothy DalyMarian Street Theatre, SydneyUntil February 22 Review by Brendan Doyle
This well-constructed play, given a fine production by director John Krummel, tells the story of Eugene
Bolshevik WomenBy Barbara Evans ClementsCambridge University Press, 1997. 338 pp., $39.95 (pb) Review by Phil Shannon
To jittery reactionaries in revolutionary Russia, one of the most upsetting sights was the female Bolshevik. Proud and
Left on-line
What's new on Free Speech TV â McLibel: Criticising McDonald's is not for the faint-hearted. The corporation is notorious for abusing libel law to silence activists. British activists David Morris and Helen Steel chose to fight
By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — The controversial pamphlet, Bludgers in Grass Castles: Native title and the unpaid debts of the pastoral industry, was launched here on February 7 at the Resistance Centre. The pamphlet, by ecologist Martin Taylor, has
Jazz against racism
SYDNEY — More than 400 people packed into the steaming atmosphere of the Harbourside Brasserie for Green Left Weekly's "Jazz against racism" benefit on February 6. Mesmerising music from some of Australia's best jazz
A different kind of pop
We Will FallVarious artistsTWA/Royalty Records Review by Jon Land
This CD, featuring a bunch of '90s rocksters from around the United States, is a tribute to the '70s rockster Iggy Pop. On the CD's inside cover the
Talking about prejudice
China DollsWritten and directed by Tony AyresProduced by Helen BowdenScreens on ABC-TV, February 19, 9pm Review by Pip Hinman
This half-hour doco on racial stereotyping and discrimination within the gay community raises
Editorial
Editorial: An antidemocratic farce
An antidemocratic farce
The staged proceedings of the constitutional convention underscore the fact that the move to a republic was never going to be more than a trivial reform.
With less than half the