Police violence at Indonesia solidarity protest
By David Gosling
CANBERRA — On April 24, more than 150 students and solidarity activists travelled from NSW and Victoria to meet local activists at the Indonesian embassy for an emergency rally in
Issue 315
News
Philippines workers support wharfies
By Reihana Mohideen
MANILA — More than 100 workers demonstrated outside the Australian embassy on April 24 in support of the sacked Patrick workers and demanding their immediate reinstatement with no loss in
Destruction of native forests continues
By Francesca Davis
On April 20, 70 protesters gathered around Harris Daishowa's woodchipping mill in Eden, preventing 40 trucks from entering the mill. Thirteen arrests were made. The protest was part of a
By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — Support for the sacked maritime workers and the MUA has grown stronger here over the last week with unionists and other members of the community mobilising at different events to protest against the government's and
By Zanny Begg
BRISBANE — The Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 22 banned a march by university students to Camp Solidarity and the MUA picket line at Fisherman Island. Although students agreed to 20 conditions set by the police, the magistrate
By Zanny Begg
BRISBANE — On April 21, the MUA sent out an urgent message for more people to join the Fisherman Island picket line to stop goods loaded with scab labour leave Patrick's port. Within two hours, around 500 people, mostly trade
By Theresa Moore
As PM John Howard railed against the "use" of children on the MUA picket lines, toddlers were in the forefront of demonstrations outside public hearings of the Senate committee of inquiry into the impact of commonwealth government
By Alex Bainbridge
HOBART — Hundreds of Maritime Union of Australia members and supporters marched through the streets of Hobart on April 23, then held a victory celebration as the news of the Federal Court's rejection of Patrick's appeal came
By Edward Johnston
BRISBANE — Seventeen inmates from the 20-cell Maximum Security Unit (MSU) at the Woodford Correctional Centre in Queensland's Sunshine Coast hinterland, refused food from April 4 in protest at conditions in the US-style
Industrial action debated on South Coast
By Andrew Hall
WOLLONGONG — More than 200 union delegates on April 21 and 22 met to consider the waterfront dispute. The meetings voted almost unanimously to support the resolutions of the ACTU
By Ana Kailis
PERTH — Solidarity for the sacked maritime workers has been pouring in to the Fremantle picket line from fellow unionists, students and the broader community. Following the success of the workers' embassy established during last
Rally supports abortion rights
By Robyn Marshall
BRISBANE — Around 100 supporters of abortion rights rallied in the King George Square on April 24 as part of a national weekend of action for women's right to choose. The rally called on the
By Margaret Perrott
WOLLONGONG — The slogan of the old Painters and Dockers Union — Touch one, touch all — will be the message carried on May Day by members of the Eric Wicker Defence Committee, which was launched on April 7 at a meeting of
By Jo Williams
MELBOURNE — Every day since the sacking of the Patrick workers, East Swanson docks have been filled with picketers. The largest picket line runs down Appleton Road and has become a festival of protest and solidarity. Information
Sustainable Universities Month
By Francesca Davis
The National Union of Students' national environment department has named May "Sustainable Universities Month". A national campus-based campaign will highlight unsustainable university practices.
By Cameron Parker
PARRAMATTA — It may have been a long way from the picket lines on the Sydney wharves, but the police still felt the need to send a senior constable to monitor the situation as supporters of the MUA gathered at a public meeting
BRISBANE — Some of Australia's leading social change trainers will be here May 1-4 for the Queensland environment movement's first conference dedicated to training environmental and social change activists. The conference, hosted by the Queensland
By Jane Beckmannand Alison Dellit
NEWCASTLE — Maritime Union members here employed by Patrick have a long struggle still ahead of them. Patrick's Newcastle manager, Chris O'Brien, has said repeatedly that he would close the facility rather than
Just do it, Nike!
By John Gauci
SYDNEY — According to the footwear giant Nike's "Informed Consumer Update", Nike's factory workers in the Third World sometimes earn more than doctors and engineers in their countries. As well, Nike's policy of
World
By James Balowski
On April 24, the Indonesian daily Kompas confirmed that Andi Arief, chairperson of Student Solidarity for Indonesian Democracy, which is affiliated to the outlawed People's Democratic Party, is now in police custody. Arief was
Kazak leader on hunger strike
By Stephen Dye
In the last seven years in Kazakhstan, thousands of factories and state-owned enterprises have been closed, and unemployment has reached unprecedented levels. Those who are lucky enough to have a job
Activist slams 'recolonisation' of Pacific
By Norm Dixon
Powes Parkop is general secretary of Melanesian Solidarity (Melsol), an organisation that unites environmental, land rights, student and urban poor community activists throughout Papua New
By Jon Land
At the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva, the British government — backed by the Australian and other governments — has been manoeuvring to prevent a strong resolution on East Timor from being adopted. On
PNG plans privatisation spree
The Papua New Guinea government plans to sell many of its assets to reduce a 3.5 billion kina ($US 1.7 billion) debt. Prime Minister Bill Skate told Parliament last week the government would move to divest state-owned
By Norm Dixon
Fiji's trade unions on April 23 staged a widely observed general strike to protest against the government's attempts to impose wage restraint and its refusal to stem the loss of jobs associated with economic "restructuring". More than
Last bastion of free speech under threat
By James Balowski
Anyone who has taken a taxi in Indonesia will tell you that taxi drivers are an endless source of information and the latest political gossip, and are a general "barometer" of public
Progressive party planned in South Korea
In the face of escalating attacks against jobs and workers' rights following the International Monetary Fund bail-out last November, progressive forces in South Korea have come together to plan the creation
According to a statement circulated by the Rubina Jamil Working Women's Organisation (WWO) last week, on April 16 the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation offices in Kashmir Road, Guberg in Lahore were attacked without warning and demolished by
More than 50 Indonesian activists disappeared
By James Balowski
According to an April 14 report released at a media conference by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), 50 Indonesian pro-democracy activists have disappeared since January.
Iraqi Communists assassinated
Two leaders of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq (WCPI) — Shapoor Abdul-Kadir, a politburo member, and Kabil Adil, a member of the leadership committee of the party's Kurdistan organisation — were assassinated on
By Eva Cheng
In recent years, many countries have been trying to denationalise a significant part of their public assets. Imperialist countries have been doing it, as have Russia, China and a number of Third World countries. That process speeded up
Culture
A new direction for trade unionism
Workers in a Lean WorldBy Kim MoodyVerso, 1997. 342 pp., $37.95. Review by David Bacon
Last northern autumn, Italy's Party of the Democratic Left (PDS), which leads the country's new government of ex-Communists,
Roll Away the StoneKelly Joe PhelpsRykodisc (through Festival) Review by Barry Healy
Even the most avid fan of the slide blues guitar would have to admit it's a slightly surreal form of music. Strange timbres and harsh harmonics mix with the
By Dave Riley
We should thank Eric Singh (GLW #313) for reminding us that this year is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the German playwright Bertolt Brecht. No doubt, as the drama industry cranks up, we are sure to be treated to a fact feast
Left on-line
WWWW (Wharfies on the World Wide Web) — The hottest topic on the web at the moment is the courageous struggle of the Maritime Union of Australia to defend its right to organise. Sites devoted to labour issues throughout the world
A film of mesmerising power
WalkaboutRestored original cutDirected by Nicholas RoegStarring David Gulpilil, Jenny Agutter, Lucien JohnScreening at Trak, Toorak, in Melbourne and Chauvel, Paddington, in Sydney this month. Then at Electric Shadows,
Editorial
Editorial: The uses of racism
The uses of racism
Just over two years ago, John Howard coasted into office promising to make us all feel "comfortable and relaxed". That was only one of countless broken promises — all of which were intended to