Public servants revolt over enterprise deals By Barry Healy SYDNEY — Members of the Public Sector Union have until August 28 to vote on a wages motion endorsed by their national executive opening the way for enterprise bargaining in the
Issue 67
News
Students protest against loans scheme Tertiary students demonstrated in four capital cities on August 13 against the federal government's introduction of an Austudy loans scheme. The scheme, according to leaks prior to the budget, gives
By Peter Boyle MELBOURNE — On August 16, former Democrat Senator Janet Powell and State Public Service Federation vice-president Bill Deller launched the Independent Action Campaign, a broad progressive coalition of candidates contesting the
By Sharon Bryce Community outrage has grown since the slaying a fortnight ago of Wollongong man Boris Milenkovski. An invalid pensioner, Milenkovski was shot dead by Senior Constable Steve Wheeler in circumstances which have once again raised
Green Independents form party By David Wright HOBART — At a meeting on August 1, the Tasmanian Green Independents agreed to adopt a constitution which formally lays the foundation for a Tasmanian Greens Party. Previously the Green
By Linda Paric MELBOURNE — According to Aboriginal tradition, Dooligar is a tall human-like animal used to frighten children into obedience. Now, it seems white justice may be about to take on a black mantle with the proposed establishment
By David Wright HOBART — Liberal Premier Ray Groom delivered a "slash and burn" budget on August 12 to a chorus of approval from the business sector, new right prophets and the commercial media. Workers and trade unions have responded
By Alex Cooper A document leaked to Green Left Weekly indicates that the Department of Social Security and the Australian Federal Police are planning regular exchange of information that has generally been regarded as confidential. It
South African women celebrate By Anthony Benbow FREMANTLE — "When you strike a woman you strike a rock" was the message given to the 200 people who attended the Fremantle Education Centre to celebrate South African Women's Day on August
Residents save Erskineville parks Story and photo by Ben Cubby SYDNEY — The protests of Erskineville residents paid off last week when the auction of a local park did not go ahead because of pressure from the Save the Parks Committee.
Members of the former building workers (BWIU), united mineworkers (UMFA), engine drivers and firemen (FEDFA) unions and the small plaster workers union (OPPWFF) have voted overwhelmingly for the final major stage in an amalgamation process to
World
South Africa's fence of death By Hugh McCullum It coils and slithers across the barren rocky soil between Mozambique and South Africa like a sinister electric eel. Someone once called it "the devil's fence". South Africa built it in 1985 to
Hyundai targets Siberian wilderness The Udege people of the Russian far east are preparing for battle against the Korean conglomerate, Hyundai, which is planning large-scale logging operations in the Primorsky Krai region. The company has
US deportations illegal A US federal appeals court has declared President George Bush's policy of repatriating Haitian refugees illegal. The appeals court in New York said on July 29 that the government cannot return the Haitians without a
By Grzegorz Peszko CRACOW — The flow of foreign public funding from the West to eastern Europe should be called strategic investment rather than aid. The small amount of funds available mainly benefit the donor country and are allocated
Radio Bougainville returns The voice of independent Bougainville, Radio Free Bougainville, returned to the airwaves on August 9 after an absence of nearly three weeks. RFB was forced off the air by mechanical problems with its transmitting
MELANIE BERESFORD, a senior lecturer in South-east Asian history at Wollongong University, recently spent three and a half months doing a research project on industrial development in northern Vietnam. She is also author of National Unification
By Norm Dixon The Australian government's recent decision to give Papua New Guinea another Iroquois combat helicopter, and to continue to fund the maintenance of the Australian-supplied helicopter fleet, can only further escalate the conflict
By Ann Wigglesworth Josefina was married with three children, and a fourth was on its way. Josefina was from a different tribal group from that of her husband, and his family did not approve of the marriage. Belonging to a highly polygamous
Grim reaper LONDON — Lady Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister, is not noted for her compassion or humanity. During her repose at 10 Downing Street, nose tilted skyward, she chanted the refrain "a crime is a crime is a crime" as
Earlier this year, a sizeable portion of the US Communist Party broke from that organisation, charging that it was unwilling or unable to break with its Stalinist heritage. They regrouped in "Committees of Correspondence" to discuss among
By Allen Myers George Novack, well known as both a scholar and a defender of civil liberties, died in New York on July 30 at the age of 86. Novack became a Marxist in the early 1930s, joining the (Trotskyist) Communist League of America
Blow against censorship in Ireland By Catherine Brown A landmark decision by the Irish High Court on July 31 ruled against some of the censorship practised by the state-owned radio and television station, Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE). RTE
Culture
Art for Timor "Our Silence — Your Silence" is the title of an exhibition by Artists for East Timor, August 25-September 6, at the Bondi Pavilion Exhibition space. When Archibald Zammit-Ross, president of the Sculptors Society of NSW,
By Lenore Tardif SYDNEY — The Second Multicultural Theatre Festival, with performances by 18 theatre companies in nine languages, begins this week. It promises to be even more exciting and challenging than the first festival, held last
Delightful holiday Mediterraneo Directed by Gabriele Salvatores Screenplay by Vincenzo Monteleone Music by Giancarlo Bigazzi At the Longford, Melbourne, from August 28 Reviewed by Ulrike Erhardt Imagine a holiday on a Greek isle in the
Sweet Honey In The Rock By Reihana Mohideen The music was sweet, dark, rich. I hadn't heard Sweet Honey live before, and I wasn't a great fan. But when I heard them live at the Convention Centre in Sydney, I came out dazed. I had never before
Inkanyezi Nezazi Ladysmith Black Mambazo Dolphin/BMG Records Available on CD and cassette Zulu Jive! Various artists Hannibal/Earthworks through Festival Records Available on CD and cassette Reviewed by Norm Dixon If there is a
Melbourne discovers Columbus The 500th anniversary of Columbus' "discovery" of America has aroused controversy around the world. People in Latin America are particularly upset at the celebration of what became a bloody conquest, leading to the
Stompen Ground '92 Stompen Ground '92, the Kimberley Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Festival, is being held in Broome over the September 5-6 weekend. More than 40 different acts will take part. Participating will be Australia's top Aboriginal
Vengeance is whose? Vengeance By E.P. Watts and Whistling in the Theatre Directed by Richard Murphet At the Gasworks Theatre, Melbourne, until August 29. Reviewed by Bronwen Beechey Vengeance, devised jointly by writer, director and
By Zanny Begg SYDNEY — Ice-T and Public Enemy are both known for their uncompromising political stance and hard-hitting, angry lyrics. From that standpoint, the thousands of people who shelled out $40 for a ticket at the packed Hordern
Deadly A film by Richard Moir Showing at Hoyts cinemas Reviewed by Linda Paric Deadly is in the western genre. A broody and tough but fair lawman goes to a small town, Yabbabri, and brings justice. In this case it is white man's justice
Editorial
Accord Mark VII The ailing industrial relations tradition of relatively regular, if inadequate, national wage increases to keep wages within shouting distance of prices, and to force employers to share some of the fruits of productivity gains,