Ruth Ratcliffe, Sydney
One hundred and fifty Sydney residents have signed on to a "community pledge" to offer sanctuary in their homes to people detained in Villawood detention centre.
Rupen Savoulian, one of the campaign organisers, told Green
Issue 590
News
Kamala Emanuel, Hobart
More than 700 people rallied in Hobart on July 15 to save Ralphs Bay in the Derwent estuary from a huge canal and housing development. If Walker Corporation's plans are allowed to go ahead, the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area
Alex Milne, Melbourne
The 2004 Students of Sustainability conference was held at La Trobe University on July 11-14. Around 500 environmentalists and other activists, from interstate and overseas, attended. As always, there was an impressive
Kathy Newnam, Darwin
On July 26, the Northern Territory Supreme Court will hear a case against Margot Laughton, who has been charged under the NT's repressive "drug house" laws.
Under the laws, introduced by the NT's Labor government in 2002, a
Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne
A meeting of 500 people packed the Coburg Town Hall on July 11 to discuss the plight of David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib, two Australians detained in the US base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The meeting was organised by the
Paul Benedek, Sydney
One-hundred people packed the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre on July to launch the Socialist Alliance's federal election campaign across Sydney.
Compered by Raul Bassi, the Socialist Alliance's Blaxland candidate, the launch
Jim Green, Adelaide
The federal government has been forced to abandon its six-year push to build a national nuclear waste dump near Woomera in South Australia. Polling had shown that the issue could swing marginal seats in South Australia against
Dave Riley, Brisbane
With the backing of Queensland Labor premier Peter Beattie and the keen endorsement of the federal ALP, Shoalwater Bay will house a military training camp for US forces.
In announcing the decision on July 15, defence minister
Katie Cherrington, Newcastle
New South Wales' public school cleaners are fighting to save their jobs. Commerce minister in the NSW Labor government John Della Bosca has announced that new multi-year contracts to clean schools and other public
Kay Moore, Lismore
Three-hundred women attended the 16th Network of Women Students Australia (NOWSA) conference on July 12-16. The conference discussed the impact of sexism, racism, homophobia and war on women.
Guest speakers at the conference
GEELONG — On July 16, the Socialist Alliance launched its campaign to contest both Geelong lower-house seats in the federal election. Candidates Tim Goodenand Chris Johnson discussed the alliance's commitment to defend workers' rights and the
CANBERRA — "Ideas to change the world" was the theme of the inaugural socialist ideas conference, held at the Australian National University on July 10.
The conference brought together 60 socialists and activists to discuss imperialism,
Aaron Benedek& Susan Mullan, Sydney
At very short notice, 20 refugee supporters, including Merlin Luck from Channel Ten's Big Brother program, rallied on July 14 to protest the forced transfers of asylum seekers from Sydney's Villawood detention
Pip Hinman
Plans to hold national "End the lies" rallies the Sunday before the federal elections are well underway. Groups in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Hobart have adopted the additional demands, "Troops out! Howard out!"
Andrew Hall told
World
Roberto Jorquera
July 26 marks the 51st anniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks. The attack, led by Fidel Castro, is regarded in Cuba as the event that initiated the six-year struggle to oust the US-backed capitalist regime of Fulgencio
Sun Jung Hwang
On June 22, Iraqi militants beheaded Kim Sun-il, a Korean employee of a Baghdad-based food supplier for the US army, after Seoul refused to withdraw its troops from Iraq. The South Korean government plans to send 3000 more in
Doug Lorimer
"Iraqi authorities will take determined steps against illegal bodies of local self-government in Fallujah, Ramadi and Samarra", US-appointed Iraqi interior minister Falah al Naqib claimed in an interview with the Russian Novosti news
Tanya Reinhart
ARIEL, West Bank — Along the route of the "separation barrier", in the West Bank, a new culture is springing up: on one side, soldiers and bulldozers; on the other, Israelis and Palestinians embracing the land.
In June, Israel's
Elizabeth Schulte, Chicago
More than 1 million women have died around the world in the last decade because wealthy nations didn't keep their promises.
Ten years ago, at the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development in
Eric Ruder
With the meltdown of the US occupation of Iraq grabbing the headlines, the Bush administration has been reduced to trumpeting Afghanistan as a model for Iraq. But if Afghanistan represents a victory to the Bush administration, that only
Kevin Shay, Washington
I recently saw Michael Moore's film, Fahrenheit 9/11, which even reviewers for conservative media outlets like Fox News have praised. I knew I would like the documentary, based on reviews I read. But still, I can't remember
Doug Lorimer
In several key areas such as electricity supply, employment and health care, Iraqis are now worse off than before the US-led invasion last year.
"According to the Pentagon, in early June the population of seven of Iraq's 18
PERU: 300,000 strike
Hundreds of thousands of people rallied across Peru on July 14 in protest against President Alejandro Toledo's neoliberal economic policies. The 24-hour strike was called by Peru's biggest trade union federation to demand
Roberto Jorquera
On July 9, Diego Bautista Urbaneja, a leader of the Coordinadora Democratica (CD, Democratic Coordination) coalition outlined the political program that the opposition plans to implement if it succeeds in ousting the radical
Culture
REVIEW BY OWEN RICHARDS
Cutting Edge: The World According to BushScreening on SBS, 8.30pm, July 20 & 27
If you're not yet having nightmares about the world being in the hands of a circle of crazed zealots, this should do it. The World According
REVIEW BY VANNESSA HEARMAN
Ita Nian Rasik (Our Own): Songs of East Timor — past, present, futureTeodozio Batista Ximenes$25, including postageEmail orders to <annefor@netconnect.net.au> or phone (03) 5331 1983
Like many who have
REVIEW BY ROHAN PEARCE
Full Spectrum Disorder: The Military in the New American CenturyBy Stan GoffSoft Skull Press, New York 2004243 pages, US$13.95 pbOrder from <http://www.softskull.com>
"For a brief time in 1994 I acted as the
The attack on Iraq puts the devil on our back —It was illegal; that implies Even if it's successful We all should be regretful, No good is based on lies. And now Bush seeks to tell us for whom we should vote, Tho' himself unelected he's rocking our
Water, The Drop Of Life — Explores regions which have accelerated their water conservation efforts and communities using new technologies to make better use of the available water. SBS, Friday, July 23, 1pm.
Message Stick: That Ole Mac Blagic —
Editorial
Following public criticism from leading figures in US President George Bush's administration of his promise to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq "by Christmas", on July 12, federal ALP leader Mark Latham made a partial accommodation. He announced