By Bronwen Beechey MELBOURNE — With recent opinion polls indicating a swing of at least 10% against Labor, the defeat of the Kirner government at the state elections in October seems a foregone conclusion. It seems key ministers have accepted
Issue 65
News
Public meeting Youth unemployment: A generation betrayed Young employed activists discuss strategies for real job creation, living wages, and an environmentally sustainable economy. Panel includes: Wendy Robertson, Resistance; Mary Macgregor,
By Felicity Ruby Stall 117 at Aidex housed the Aerospace Foundation, advertising "The Essential Asia-Pacific Aerospace Event ... to reinforce Australia's place as the centre of Aerospace research and development design and production".
By Scott Warnwood MELBOURNE — About 70 people braved a wintry Melbourne night on July 29 to hear left independent Phil Cleary's first public report since he was elected to federal parliament for the seat of Wills on April 11. He promised this
Greenpeace confronts whaler The Greenpeace ship Solo began shadowing the Norwegian whaling vessel Nybraena off the coast of Russia in late July. The vessel is one of six licensed by the Norwegian government to kill around 110 minke whales for
By Pip Hinman MELBOURNE — About 40 people attended a meeting on July 28, called by the Communist Intervention group, to discuss the formation of a new left political alliance to field candidates in the Victorian elections due in October. The
Meeting discusses abortion law campaign By Tracy Sorensen SYDNEY — A meeting of pro-choice organisations and individuals has decided to test support for a campaign for the repeal of the state's abortion laws. A workshop to map out strategy
No solutions for Adelaide unemployed By Chris Spindler ADELAIDE — A meeting here on July 25 gave the unemployed, particularly young unemployed people, little to look forward to from either major party or the union bureaucracy. The meeting
Call to relocate brewery By Leon Harrison PERTH — Aboriginal activist Robert Bropho and other members of the Swan Valley Fringedwellers have told the WA Heritage Council to remove the old Swan Brewery and rebuild it elsewhere. The
Ecopolitics VI set for Melbourne By Katrina Newton MELBOURNE — Ecopolitics is coming to Melbourne from September 25 to 27. This international conference has been held roughly biannually for a decade, and this time RMIT will be providing
Stan Plumridge By Peter Limb PERTH — Veteran peace and social justice worker Stan Plumridge died here on June 15, aged 84. He was active in the working class, peace and anti-fascist movements in England, raising funds in the Spanish Civil
Wollongong students strike By Col Hesse WOLLONGONG — Students at Wollongong Uni were called upon to strike by their SRC on July 29 to protest against the high level of fees and charges levied by the administration. According to Craig
fm24 = Disarm the Skies campaign set up By Roberto Jorquera MELBOURNE — An organising meeting to discuss the campaign against Aerospace '92 was held here on July 21. The meeting, called by Campaign Against Militarism and other groups, was
By Peter Boyle MELBOURNE — What's the difference between the Labor and Liberal youth wages packages? About 29 cents, according to Wendy Robertson, 17 years old and out of work. She's looked closely at the figures. "If you're under 18, you'd
By Peter Boyle The federal opposition says an 18-month wage freeze and $3-$3.50/hour youth wages will help solve unemployment. The Business Council of Australia (BCA) agrees, as does the National Farmers Federation. But according a July 23
By Tom Flanagan SYDNEY — Two hundred and fifty local residents attended a rally to save two Erskineville parks on August 1. The rally demanded that the two adjoining parks (on the corners of Erskineville Road and Albert Street) be preserved
Austudy Five campaign continues By Nick Fredman The campaign is continuing to secure dropping of the charges against five activists arrested in dawn police raids in Melbourne after the March 26 student National Day of Action. Melbourne
The former ironworkers' union (FIMEE) has taken another step towards becoming a general manufacturing union with an 80% vote by the 3500-member Glass Workers' Union to amalgamate with it. The 100,000-member FIMEE already has extensive coverage
Analysis
Andrew Garton was in Brazil for the Earth Summit in June. The following account of some of his impressions is excerpted from the forthcoming book, In the Shadow of UNCED, edited by Param Berg. The Rio of the '90s is nothing like I imagined it to
World
Labour chooses new leader By Frank Noakes LONDON — On July 18, John Smith became Labour's 14th parliamentary leader. The result was never in any doubt. Smith, from the party's right wing, won the leadership with 91% of the vote in a
By David Robie AUCKLAND — Prime minister Jim Bolger's government calls for an investigation into allegations of extortion from homeless Pacific islanders desperate for living quarters by staff of the state-owned Housing New Zealand
By Stephen Marks MANAGUA — A meeting of "the representatives of the workers, peasants and the poor of Latin America" was Daniel Ortega's description of the Third Forum of Sao Paulo, held here from July 16 to 19. The Sandinista National
MANAGUA — The meeting of Latin American left and revolutionary parties held here July 16-19, has hailed a campaign for university funding as a fight to defend the gains of the Sandinista revolution. The universities have taken the UNO government
Labour to stand in six counties? By Catherine Brown LONDON — "Democracy Now" was launched here in July with the intention of changing the British Labour Party's policy on party and electoral activity in the north of Ireland. Currently,
By Stephen Robson Following far-reaching changes to the Vietnamese constitution, elections were held on July 19 for a radically pruned 395-person National Assembly. Previously 496 places existed. Of the new constitution's 148 articles, only a
By Kathryn Lewis MANAGUA — In the biggest mobilisation of support for the FSLN since the UNO government of Violeta Chamorro came to power in 1990, more than 50,000 people attended the July 19 rally marking the 12th anniversary of the
Military threatens Thai opposition By Chris Beale The Thai military is attempting through intimidation to cover up the extent of the massacres in May. Death squads have threatened prominent academics and activists trying to compile an
By Norm Dixon "As we are talking, the fight is still going on between the BRA [Bougainville Revolutionary Army] and the soldiers", Bishop John Zale, a senior leader of the Bougainville Interim Government, told Radio Australia from Honiara on
German privatisation The German government has announced extensive privatisation plans, supposedly to cover the expenses of unification. The government hopes to raise billions of marks by selling off Deutsche Telekom, the German
By Catherine Brown On July 22, the Bundestag overwhelmingly endorsed the German government's decision to send the destroyer Bayern and three reconnaissance planes to join allied forces in monitoring the trade embargo against Serbia and
By Catherine Brown The on-again off-again talks among the British and Irish governments and select political parties from northern Ireland move into their summer break without progress. Politicians have hailed the talks as the most historic
By Frank Noakes LONDON — The Tory government on July 14 announced plans to privatise British Rail. The process, sketched in a 21-page white paper, will begin as early as next year. Under the remarkably vague proposals, BR will retain the
Culture
By Norm Dixon "We who believe in freedom cannot rest We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons Is as important as the killing of white men, white mothers' sons We who believe in
East Timor on stage By Vannessa Hearman MELBOURNE — A new play on East Timor, staged by the Melbourne University Student Union Theatre, opens here on August 6. Zero Sum is based on the events surrounding the death of Kamal Bamadhaj, a
By Lenore Tardif Readers who tear apart each new issue of Green Left until they find Chris Kelly's latest jibe at the political world may wonder how this lad from the "sad industrial town of Burnie" became a socially responsible cartoonist.
Salmonberries Directed by Percy Adlon Starring k.d. lang, Rosel Zech, Chuck Connors Reviewed by Bronwen Beechey Anyone going to see Salmonberries would be well advised to wrap up warm. The film is shot in a remote part of Alaska where
Camp humour and a serious subject The art of being still Written by Steven Dawson Directed by Karl Steinberg Universal Theatre, Melbourne, until August 16 Reviewed by Mark Urban Described by its writer as a "serious comedy", The art of
Gambling On The First Race By Steve Mickler Commissioned and published by the Louis St John Johnson Memorial Trust Fund Centre for Research in Culture and Communication, Murdoch University Reviewed by Geoff Spencer This comprehensive
Successful mix and match cabaret Sirens of Rhythm Produced by Beth Child Directed by Margaret Davis At the Paint Factory, Donkin Street, West End, Brisbane Until August 9. Bookings 3699418 Reviewed by Dave Riley Billed as cabaret
Editorial
No laughing matter edit = Q: What's the difference between Joan Kirner and a rottweiler? A: The rottweiler would probably leave Jeff Kennett for dead in the coming Victorian elections. edit = Kirner vs Kennett: the Victorian elections,