Issue 324

News

By Jorge Jorquera On the waterfront, the National Farmers Federation (NFF) spearheaded the new wave of neo-liberal attacks on workers' wages and conditions by seeking to smash a well-organised union with a militant history — the Maritime Union of
Delegates rally against award stripping By Michael Bull MELBOURNE More than 1200 job delegates and union officials rallied against the introduction of award stripping at Melbourne Town Hall on July 1. The meeting was organised by the Victorian
Rallies oppose racism and economic rationalism By William Thomas HOBART — More than 50 people, including many secondary students, rallied in Franklin Square on June 26, to oppose the racist, homophobic agenda of Pauline Hanson's One Nation and
Free Burma conference MELBOURNE — To mark the 10th anniversary of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising in Burma, the All Burma Students Democratic Organisation is holding an Activists' Conference for a Free Burma here on July 18-19 at Ridley College,
By Sarah Cunningham and Tim E. Stewart BRISBANE — Around 600 people rallied against One Nation in King George Square on July 4. The rally heard speakers from Aboriginal organisations, trade unions, migrant groups and socialist parties.
Socialists launch new e-mail bulletin By Al McCall As an adjunct to its political campaigns, the Democratic Socialists have launched an e-mail based information service. Called DS_NET, it is geared toward generating information about the work the
By Keara Courtney and Becky Fairall Lee SYDNEY — High school students here walked out of school on July 2 to attend a rally in opposition to the rise of Pauline Hanson and racism. The socialist youth organisation Resistance, which organised the
By Amanda Lawrence SYDNEY — The annual Network of Women Students Australia (NOWSA) national conference was held at the University of Western Sydney, Nepean's Kingswood campus on June 29-July 3. Around 350 women attended from around Australia.
By Paul Oboohov CANBERRA — Following the dismantling of the CES, the staff remaining in the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs voted 87.75% in favour of accepting some loss of conditions in a postal vote concluding on
Pressure builds on Centrelink By Bill Mason Computer problems with the Newstart Common Platform dealing with processing unemployment and related benefits, and the introduction of the federal government's disastrous new Youth Allowance, have
Crane drivers fight attacks By Shane Bentley SYDNEY — Mobile crane drivers, members of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), employed by three companies — Gillespie, Wilson and Kanabrook Cranes — have been locked out
CPSU sell bad agreement By Ben Courtice The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) tax section voted in the week ending June 26 on the enterprise agreement being put to staff by management. Three-quarters of the union members who voted accepted
By Bill Mason BRISBANE — Within 24 hours of being sworn in as the new Queensland premier, Labor leader Peter Beattie met with Brisbane's business and industry leaders to confirm the new government was "ready for business". At the meeting on June
Secondary student network formed HOBART — As a result of the rally against racism here on June 26, a new activist group of secondary students was formed. The Secondary Students Anti-Racist Network aims to politicise secondary students and
Green Left campaign needs your support In these days of growing media concentration, Green Left Weekly is a proudly independent voice committed to human and civil rights, global peace and environmental sustainability. By printing the news and
By Marcus Pabian and Keara Courtney WOLLONGONG — The National Union of Students' (NUS) national education conference was held here on June 27-28. It was attended by students from all states and territories and discussed the state of higher
Rag trade exploits outworkers By Bridget Riggs MELBOURNE — Fairwear, a community action group campaigning for outworkers' rights, and the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) have taken companies such as Adidas, Portmans,
Jabiluka activists meet By Lachlan Malloch CANBERRA — A national conference of environment activists committed to stopping the Jabiluka uranium mine was held here on June 27-28. Most of the 25 participants are leaders of the Wilderness Society,
Council guards threaten GLW with violence By Melanie Sjoberg ADELAIDE — Progressive groups continue to support Green Left Weekly's struggle for freedom of speech on the city streets here. Despite a well-attended rally in Rundle Mall on June 26,
By Jorge Jorquera MELBOURNE — More than 300 anti-racist activists and local residents protested against the policies of One Nation in Footscray on July 4. The rally was organised by the Democratic Socialists and Resistance. Participants came from
By Shane Bentley SYDNEY — Around 300 people attended a rally in opposition to award stripping in the Trades Hall auditorium on July 1. The rally heard speeches from Labor's industrial relations spokesperson Bob McMullen, ACTU president Jennie
Brisbane students plan walkout By Emma Tovell and Sarah Cunningham BRISBANE — Angry high school students and Resistance members have joined to organise a mass high school walkout, protesting against racism and the growth of Pauline Hanson's One
Canberra high school walkout against One Nation By Jordie Collins CANBERRA — On July 2, despite school administrations threatening to penalise students, around 120 secondary students participated in an anti-racist walkout. The rally provided a
Jabiluka: pressure on Howard, ERA grows There were mass arrests at the Jabiluka uranium mine site in Kakadu National Park on July 3, as thousands blockaded construction. The government and the mining company, Energy Resources of Australia (ERA),

World

Signs of disillusionment with ANC By Norm Dixon There is evidence that the African National Congress government's pro-big business economic policies are causing growing disillusionment amongst the black working class and poor. While South
By Barry Sheppard In a letter to managers, top General Motors executives have ordered all operations except those related to the company's new full-size pick-up truck halted, and all "non-essential" workers laid off, reports the Wall Street
Guatemalan military linked to bishop's murder In a press conference in Washington on June 25, US lawyer Jennifer Harbury revealed 23 names and pseudonyms of members of the death squad Avenging Jaguar (Jaguar Justiciero, JJ), which claimed
By César Ayala GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico — The entire labour movement of Puerto Rico will support of telephone workers in a general strike against the privatisation of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC). Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island
By Renfrey Clarke MOSCOW — When Russia's new rich are called upon to invest, produce, pay their taxes and help save the country from economic oblivion, it is only to be expected that they will want a bribe. The anti-crisis economic program tabled

Culture

A celebration of courage and solidarity Honey and AshesDirected by Nadia FaresWith Nozha Khouadra, Amel Ledhili, Naji Najeh, Samia MzaliScreened at the 45th Sydney Film Festival Review by Francesca Davis Honey and Ashes is a powerful movie
Political prisoners benefit a huge success By Lynda Hansen BRISBANE — More than 120 people crammed into Che's Lounge on June 28 to support the campaign to free Indonesia's political prisoners. The fundraiser was organised by Green Left Weekly
Among the BarbariansBy Paul SheehanRandom House, 1998. 338 pp., $19.95 Review by Ben Reid This book represents the ideas that underpin much of the xenophobic and racist thinking of the "respectable" right in Australian politics. Sheehan, a
More Work Songs from the Planet of the ApesBob WisemanGFC recordingsSend Can$20 to PO Box 660, Station P, Toronto, ON M5S 2Y4, Canada, or order by credit card at <www.festival.bc.ca> Review by James Smith Why do things that are mediocre
Satisfyingly 'un-Australian' folk music Un-Australian Folk Songs David Beniuk Send $14 to PO Box 29, Wollongong East NSW 2520 Review by Alex Bainbridge I had never heard of David Beniuk before listening to this album, but now
Festival educates and organises By Francesca Davis SYDNEY — The Wild Spaces film festival, held here June 19-21, presented a wide range of important issues using various film formats. If it continues and branches out, as festival organiser Gary
Aboriginal children feature in exhibition Aboriginal art works on the theme "Our children — for those we lost; for those who will lead us" will be focus of the 1998 Mil-PRA art exhibition at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre from July 9 to 27.
No prison break-outs The FarmDirected by Jonathan Stack and Liz GarbusProduced by Gabriel FilmsScreened at the 45th Sydney Film Festival Review by James Vassilopoulos Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana, is one of the biggest
No More Secrets SYDNEY — An installation aimed at uncovering the secrecy of the two Aboriginal artists' identity, family and indigenous heritage is being held at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre from July 2 to 26. No More Secrets traces how the two
Youth band competition SYDNEY — South Sydney Youth Services are holding a youth band competition on August 8 in conjunction with the Mascon 3 Festival 1998, at Sydney Park in St Peters. Young female musicians are particularly encouraged to

Editorial

Editorial: A shameful betrayal When Prime Minister John Howard and Senator Brian Harradine announced the compromise that will ensure passage of the government's Wik legislation through the Senate, most media commentary focused on which of the two