Bronwen Beechey, Adelaide
On July 28, a public meeting attended by at least 400 people called on all political parties to commit an extra $500 million to save the Murray River.
Organised by the Australian Conservation Foundation and the
Issue 592
News
Marcus Pabian, Melbourne
On July 28, the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) scored another victory in its ambitious campaign to institute a 36-hour week, improve working conditions and increase the number of apprentices in the Victorian power industry,
Graham Matthews, Melbourne
A Victorian government survey of 2003 year 12 graduates has confirmed that less than 34% of students from public schools entered university, compared with 67% of students from private schools, which are being increasingly
Jonathan Strauss, Sydney
Discussion at the Marrickville Socialist Alliance's July 25 Politics in the Pub probed the significance of the demand for same-sex marriage rights.
Rodney Croome, a spokesperson for the Equal Rights Network, and Bernard
Duncan Meerding & Jim McIlroy
More cities have now taken up the call to hold demonstrations in the week prior to the federal election.
The Hobart Peace Coalition has initiated a broad group to organise an "End the lies" rally — a similar theme
Rachel Evans, Sydney
On July 25, at least 250 people rallied at Sydney Town Hall to protest bipartisan support for amendments to the federal Marriage Act 1961 that would outlaw same-sex marriage.
Organised by Community Action Against Homophobia
Stephen Garvey, Melbourne
Victoria's ambulance paramedics have refused to obey an order issued on July 30 by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) to lift work bans. Paramedics lifted bans on ambulance bypass, pre-bypass and
PERTH — PM John Howard came to Perth's working-class eastern suburbs on July 29 to campaign in the marginal Labor seat of Hasluck. He was met by a crowd of 100 protesters as he entered Midland Town Hall.
"The crowd represented a fair cross
2
Coalition against racism formed
PERTH — Up to 100 people attended a meeting on July 24 called by the Ethnic Communities Council in response to a spate of racist graffiti and vandalism.
The attacks took place on July 17-19 and have been
Alexis Vassiley
In the wake of the National Union of Students' national education conference, held at the University of Sydney on June 30-July 2, student activists around the country have called for rallies to be held in mid August to protest the
SYDNEY — On July 31, 100 people demonstrated outside Villawood immigration detention centre to demand the closure of the facility. Raul Bassi, Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Blaxland, presented a petition to an immigration
Dale Mills, Sydney
On July 29, two anti-war activists who painted the words "No war" on the Sydney Opera House's main sail on March 18 last year argued in the NSW Criminal Appeal Court that they should have been allowed to put their defence of
World
Minnie Bruce Pratt, New York
Chanting "Bush lies, millions die", protesters at the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok on July 14 shouted down Randall Tobias, the US global AIDS coordinator and the former CEO of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly
Lance Selfa & Alan Maass
The price of admission to the posh convention affair was a soft-money donation to the party of $350,000 or more. The power brokers were all there, including the vice presidential candidate. The menu featured lobster,
Doug Lorimer
The United Nations has failed to persuade enough member countries to contribute troops to provide protection for its planned mission to Iraq, according to the July 21 Los Angeles Times. The UN was seeking at least 1000 troops from
Doug Lorimer
The Australian and British governments — Washington's partners in last year's illegal invasion of Iraq — have offered to send troops to Sudan as part of a UN "peacekeeping" force, despite the fact that there is no proposal before
Thousands of protesters marched past the Democratic National Convention on July 25 in opposition to the Democratic Party's support for the war on Iraq. Protesters held signs demanding: "Bring the troops home now!" and "End the occupation of Iraq,
SOUTH AFRICA: Car workers put solidarity before jobs
South Africa's National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA) is opposed to the proposed relocation of DaimlerChrysler's C-Class Mercedes production to plants in the Eastern Cape in response to trade
Roberto Jorquera
A new opinion poll, conducted on July 15-22 by the US opinion research firm Evans McDonough Company (EMC), indicates that Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's radical left-wing president, could win the August 15 recall referendum with a
Jon Lamb
Australian Labor Party federal leader Mark Latham's comments on July 22 that a government led by him would start new negotiations with East Timor over the maritime boundary in the Timor Sea has provoked a threat from Prime Minister John
Elizabeth Schulte, Chicago
Call him the "me too" candidate. Republican President George Bush is for a stronger military. Democratic Party challenger John Kerry says "me too". Bush shredded civil liberties with the USAPATRIOT Act. Kerry says "me
Karen Fredericks
The Coalition government will start deploying Australian police to Papua New Guinea from early September. This follows the Papua New Guinea parliament's decision on July 27 to finalise legislation giving the 230 Australian police
Federico Fuentes
Toronto student Daniel Freeman-Maloy is finally able to return to his studies after York University dropped its bid to ban him for three years for taking part in political protests.
Freeman-Maloy is an active member of Solidarity
Max Lane
On July 27, outside the office of the Jakarta governor, scores of civil service police — the governor's security corps — attacked a peaceful demonstration as it was dispersing. Some 700 people had gathered outside the Presidential
Rihab Charida, Saida
Ain El Helweh is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. In this tightly packed camp the only playgrounds available for children are the narrow alleys where dirty water flows. The only place for the elderly to gather
Culture
BY SARAH STEPHEN
ASIO, the Police and YouAustralian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network38 pagesAvailable at <http://www.amcran.org> or phone (02) 9349 7186
This pamphlet is big news, if the audience at its July 26 launch is anything to
REVIEW BY EVA CHENG
China and Socialism: Market Reforms and Class StruggleBy Martin Hart-Landsberg and Paul BurkettMonthly Review July-August 2004130 pages
Is China today still socialist, or has it turned capitalist? This is a nagging question
Refuge Australia: Australia's humanitarian recordBy Klaus NeumannUNSW Press128 pages, $16.95 pb
REVIEW BY SARAH STEPHEN
Refuge Australia has an explosive opening. It relates three stories of refugees, which could have been set in the present: the
Message Stick: Marjorie Woodrow — Marjorie Woodrow made a name for herself fighting for "stolen wages" (compensation for the unpaid labour of Aboriginal people). ABC, Friday, August 6, 6pm.
As it Happened: Watergate Plus 30 — Presents how
Caging, Terror and Flesh: Virtuality or Reality of our New Millennium? is influenced mainly by the Abu Ghraib prisoner torture scandal and criticises the way the human body is humiliated. The performance contains nudity and violence. All performers
REVIEW BY PHIL SHANNON
AMERICAN GULAG: Inside US Immigration PrisonsBy Mark DowUniversity of California Press, 2004413 pages, $55 (hb)
"You African monkeys should go back to your country", was how the US Immigration and Naturalisation Service
REVIEW BY BILL NEVINS
Raza D'OroConcepto TamborAvailable at <http://www.conceptotambor.com>
Concepto Tambor are moving into new places, filled with gente (good people), stuffed with soul (alma). Jam-packed dance-shows at the Launchpad,
Editorial
On July 29, Australia's ambassador to the Philippines was called in to that country's foreign ministry to be given a justly deserved "dressing down" over foreign minister Alexander Downer's attacks on Philippines President Gloria Arroyo's decision to