MacDonnell park in doubt By Adriaan Anarco-Troika ALICE SPRINGS — A planned world-class national park in the West MacDonnell Ranges is now in doubt. Nan Smibert, coordinator of the Central Australian Conservation Council (CACC), said a 1989
Issue 5
News
The Hawke government's promise of "resource security" for the forestry industry appears to be premised on massive subsidies by the taxpayer. SID WALKER explains what's at stake. Conservationists had good reason to be angered by the commitment to
Environmental youthquake planned MELBOURNE — "Youthquake Australia" is the title of the second national conference of the Environmental Youth Alliance, scheduled for March 29 to April 1 at Wesley College. The EYA is a national organisation
Greens won't direct preferences By Michael Bell BRISBANE — The Green Alliance has decided not to direct preferences in the March 23 Brisbane City Council elections. "Our dilemma is that the Liberals won't give too many promises on the
Darwin development raises protests By Adriaan Anarco-Troika DARWIN — A controversial development of the city's shoreline has been given the go-ahead by the NT government. The proposed development at Cullen Bay, estimated to cost $120 million,
By Harry Van Moorst MELBOURNE — Unemployment groups have begun organising for a major Unemployment Summit conference, to be held here in April. The Coalition Against Poverty and Unemployment and the Victorian Unemployed Workers Union have held
By Harry Van Moorst Those of us who were dismayed at the outrageous media coverage of the Gulf War will be pleased to know that the military is about to provide us with a full rationale for media censorship during international conflicts. The
By Anna McCormack BRISBANE — For 19 years, unpaid volunteers of the Children By Choice organisation have operated a counselling service offering advice on all options available to women faced with unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. Now the group is
By Michael Bell BRISBANE — Green Alliance lord mayoral candidate Drew Hutton believes Greens can expect to win one seat and as many as three in the March 23 Brisbane City Council elections. With the Liberal-dominated council of Sallyanne
By Peter Boyle With more than one in 10 people out of a job, unemployment in Australia has reached record levels, and Bob Hawke's March 12 economic statement promised do away with even more jobs. The official unemployment rate, as calculated by
By Andrew McGain ADELAIDE — Under cover of talk about making Australia's car industry internationally competitive and of the need for higher productivity and better quality, plans for a new round of attacks on car workers were announced last week.
HAMBURG — Filter dust containing dioxin is being exported from steelworks in Western Europe to Poland, Greenpeace has discovered. Under the misleading name "zinc concentrate", 31,000 tonnes of filter dusts from West European steelworks
SA child-care workers strike By Teresa Dowding ADELAIDE — Child-care workers from 90 centres in South Australia struck on March 11 over delays in wage talks. The 500 workers are members of the Miscellaneous Workers Union. SA child-care
The Builders' Labourers Federation didn't go away after the Hawke government's drive to destroy it in the mid-'80s. It still has legally recognised branches in four states, and there are networks of former BLF members in the states where the union
World
By Greg Adamson The Bush administration was more than displeased with the Cuban government's stand on the Gulf crisis, but its hostility to Cuba doesn't stem from that stand. As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Cuba was
By Martin Mulligan With a great flourish, US President George Bush announced in mid-1990 that his administration was committed to the creation of "Enterprise for the Americas" — a free trade zone stretching from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. A
Thai arrests Fifteen university students in Bangkok have been arrested for defying the new military junta by organising a public rally. Also under arrest is Bundit Thammatrirat, a respected labour researcher. Sukhon Khaekprayoon, a researcher for
By Daniel Flakoll Alegría "What is there to celebrate?", Vice President Virgilio Godoy says with a tone of resignation. "This isn't the UNO [National Opposition Union] government. It's Antonio Lacayo's government presided over by Violetta
By Asples Madang (People of Madang) For the past 17 years, JANT Pty Ltd has paid the landowners of the Gogol-Naru in Papua New Guinea's Madang province only K1.18 per cubic metre (K1.00=US1.05) for premium timber — hardwoods that can easily
By Max Lane In the last week at least 20 people have either been jailed, detained or interrogated in connection with the circulation of a calendar in Central Java. The calendar, in the form of a wall poster, illustrates the struggles of peasant
TAMAS KRAUSZ is a leader of Hungarian Left Alternative, a left organisation that has grown out of discussions of socialism outside the official state and party structures over the past 15 years. He was interviewed by STEVE PAINTER for in Budapest.
By Adam Novak and Steve Painter PRAGUE — Any hopes that Czechoslovakia might quickly develop a vigorous small business class took a heavy blow in the Czech republic's first round of privatisation auctions, which began on January 26-27. Of the
Culture
Backward, Christian Soldiers By Rosemary Evans (To be sung very loudly) Backward, Christian soldiers, Now your war is done. Backward, Egypt, Saudis, Your gamble's been won. Home, Yanks, to Mom's apple pie, And Los Angeles, Where you can
Through Media Eyes By Nina Kavunenko Iraqis strolled in drifting groups relaxed in twilight balminess, the day after bombs fell, spattering dryness on their city. For, though they fell like heavy Spring rain the long night through, there
The Gifthorse: A critical look at Equal Employment Opportunity in Australia. By Gretchen Poiner and Sue Wills Allen and Unwin. 1991. $16.95. The Promise and the Price: The Struggle for Equal Opportunity in Women's Employment. By Clare Burton
By Kaylene Allan As rapacious forestry operations sweep across the tropical forests of the Asia-Pacific, the island composed of Papua New Guinea and West Papua will be amongst their last destinations. By the turn of the century, New Guinea will
Nuclear Wasteland By Peter Brown I took my child to the nuclear wasteland, to the nuclear wasteland I took my child, and the flowers were blue, and the desert was yellow, while above us the sky rolled, clouds driven by wind. I took my child
By Max Lane During the last 12 months, groups have been formed to build support for the increasingly active pro-democracy movement in Indonesia. Called AKSI (Aksi Solidaritas Indonesia — Indonesian Solidarity Action), they have been established in
By Kath Gelber HOBART — "Show Me Where It Hurts" was the title of an Anglo-Australian AIDS benefit exhibition held here from March 7 to 10. The project, initiated by UK artist Simon Leah, raised money for the British AIDS Information Service, the
Self-Documentation, Self-Imaging, People Living with AIDS. Fine Arts Gallery, University Centre, University of Tasmania, until April 5. Reviewed by Kath Gelber. The philosophy behind this exhibition, now in Hobart as part of a national tour, is
There are times when it can be difficult to keep your spirits up. A short story by PETER GILET. Alphonse Starkadder (Starky to his friends) had always taken an interest in economic affairs and he had to admit, that June, that it had not been a
Irish band Spalpeen Irish band Spalpeen at the Celtic Club, Brisbane's newest alternative venue. Opened on March 2, the Celtic Club will provide a venue for republican music every Friday night and Sunday afternoon. The club will also be open to use
Editorial
Editorial: End of the Vietnam syndrome? "It is my hope that when this is over, we will have kicked once and for all the so-called Vietnam syndrome", said George Bush as he strolled along a Maine beach just before the land war against Iraq began.