By Peter Boyle MELBOURNE — Most of the leadership of the Australian Democrats' progressive Victorian division and five out of nine of their candidates in the coming Victorian elections have left the party. Their departure comes in the wake of
Issue 66
News
Tas mineworkers form unemployed group By Ian Jamieson ROSEBERY, Tas — About 60 people have joined the newly formed West Coast Unemployed Workers Union, set up on the initiative of mineworkers retrenched by Pasminco, a North Broken Hill
MELBOURNE — While the Victorian Trades Hall Council executive has decided to campaign for Labor in the coming state election, spending about $50,000 and appointing a full-time campaign coordinator, left-wing union officials from the "Pledge"
Victory for Midford women By Bernie Brian WOLLONGONG — Seventy five women who had been picketing the Midford Paramount clothing factory because their former employer owed them $450,000 in superannuation and retrenchment entitlements have
WA Aboriginal act draws protests By Leon Harrison PERTH — Objections have been pouring in to the WA government since Aboriginal communities were given 30 days to consider the newly rewritten Aboriginal Heritage Act, due to come before
Tunnel protest SYDNEY — Anti-freeway groups and Greenpeace have urged people to protest at the opening of the Harbour Tunnel by carrying placards during the Rotary Harbour Tunnel fundraising walk on August 30. Greenpeace transport
Third runway above the law SYDNEY — "On July 29, the federal government moved quietly, one might say stealthily, to exempt the Federal Airports Corporation from all NSW state environmental and planning laws", says NSW Democrat MP Richard
Tasmanian readers We apologise for the unavailability of issue number 64, which was not delivered to Tasmania because of an industrial dispute in the transport industry. Copies of issue 64 are now available from your usual seller or the
By Sean Lennon MELBOURNE — The Victorian Police force has misrepresented the extent of crime in an effort to gain more money and powers, according to a report released on August 4 by the Federation of Community Legal Centres. The report
Green Party launch set By Pip Hinman MELBOURNE — A national Green Party is to be launched at the end of this month, Janet Rice from the Melbourne-based Green Politics Network (GPN) told a meeting here on August 5. Speaking at a meeting
Postal workers to vote By Barry Healy SYDNEY — Postal workers around Australia will decide this month whether to accept an enterprise agreement recommended by the Communication Workers Union Federal Executive and Australia Post. The
Environment groups boycott talks National environment groups discussing greenhouse strategy with the federal government pulled out of talks in Canberra on August 6. They said that despite nearly two years of talks, the government had still not
DELORAINE, Tas — An international conference to foster cooperation between environmentalists in countries whose temperate forests are facing overcutting, uncontrolled clearing and environmental stress is planned for November 16-17. Conference
By Sean Malloy Young people are the chief victims of violence in our society, according to a new study. A discussion paper published for the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme pieces together the relationship between young people, violence,
By Aidan Rickets LISMORE — Forest protesters have again set up camp in northern NSW, this time at Mummel Gulf. The protesters are organised by the North-East Forest Alliance, responsible for last year's Chaelundi blockade and another protest
Jobless groups plan national link By Ian Jamieson ROSEBERY, Tas — Unemployed groups took some steps towards national liaison in a teleconference on July 31. The link, involving groups from South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and
By Ian Jamieson BURNIE — Paper giant APPM has announced plans to cut 400 jobs at its Burnie and Wesley Vale mills. The company is also pressing for big changes in hours and conditions not agreed to in the settlement of the momentous
World
Ortega: Cuba remains an example By Denise van Wissen MANAGUA — A day of festivities to celebrate Nicaraguan Solidarity with Cuba was held here on July 26, the 39th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks. Activities included
Britain 'shoots messenger' on death squads By Catherine Brown LONDON — Channel 4 television has been heavily fined in an attempt by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to force disclosure of the source for an expose on an "inner force" in the RUC
MPs' pay rise LONDON — Prime Minister John Major suffered his first defeat on the floor of parliament on July 14. Conservative MPs crossed the floor in defiance of their ministers — to vote themselves a 38% pay rise. The government has
By Catherine Brown The fountain in Place Saint Michel, outside the courtroom where four senior former health officials are on trial, ran blood red as a reminder by protesters of the 256 haemophiliacs who died after receiving AIDS-infected
PALLO JORDAN is a member of the African National Congress National Executive Committee. He is also an elected member of that body's executive, the National Working Committee. Born in 1942, and a graduate of the University of Sussex, he for many
By Frank Noakes Hanna Suchocka, Poland's prime minister, has been granted extraordinary powers to deal with the many problems besetting the government as it attempts to force the pace toward a market economy. Poland's experiment with
The following is excerpted from a statement written by East Timorese resistance leader Xanana Gusmao, head of the National Council of Maubere Resistance (CNRM), to the United Nations Decolonisation Committee in New York, July 27, 1992. It was
By Stephen Robson An agreement by China with the US-based Crestone Energy Company to explore some 25,000 square kilometres of seabed around the Spratly Islands has intensified the dispute over ownership of the archipelago. China passed a
By Sean Malloy There is widespread dissatisfaction in New Zealand with both the governing National Party and the Labour Party, which, in its previous term in government, introduced many of the right-wing projects now being completed by the
By Peter Boyle The attempt of the embattled Victorian Labor government to scare voters with accounts of the consequences of the New Zealand economic experiment has raised a dispute: How bad (or good?) are conditions in New Zealand really?
Scargill cleared By Frank Noakes LONDON — Inland Revenue has finally cleared National Union of Mineworkers president Arthur Scargill, and recently retired general secretary Peter Heathfield, of any impropriety in running the union's
Culture
The Cockroach Opera By Nano Riantiarno Directed by Mark Gaal Belvoir Theatre, Sydney Reviewed by Lenore Tardif Indonesian playwright Nano Riantiarno captures the poverty and oppression of street living in Jakarta, and the corruption of the
I'm British But ... Directed by Gurinder Chadha Reviewed by Reihana Mohideen "I describe myself as a Scottish Pakistani", says a Scotland-born young woman from Glasgow, her strong Scots accent rolling off her tongue. She talks about trying to
Vince Brophy live By Col Hesse WOLLONGONG — The first time I saw Vince Brophy was earlier this year, at the march and rally to save Bulli Hospital from becoming yet another victim of the state Liberal government's "economic rationalism".
By Hans Norebrink LA PAZ — The so-called cosmic religions of America are undergoing a resurgence, encouraged by the campaign, "500 years of native, black and popular resistance". American natives are rediscovering national and cultural roots
Roots reggae with a difference Hallelujah Larry Maluma and Kalimba Reviewed by Loretta Asquini and Katrina Newton If you like African roots reggae with a bit of funk and soul influence, Larry Maluma and Kalimba is the band to see. On July
By Bronwen Beechey MELBOURNE — According to Palz Vaughan, director of the Fringe Network, the Melbourne Fringe Arts Festival has an unusual history — it is the first fringe festival to precede the mainstream one. The Fringe Network was
Black Harvest Directed and produced by Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson Reviewed by Barry Healy Black Harvest is the latest in a series of documentaries by these two Sydney-based film makers tracing the development of the New Guinea highlands
Editorial
Bosnia and the New World Order Under the pretext of safeguarding the supply of humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Sarajevo, the US government is preparing to use military force to "resolve" the conflict in Bosnia. The outcry by US