A postcard to Keating By Natasha Simons HOBART — Just hours before the federal budget was released, Resistance here was protesting against it. In the Elizabeth Mall, Resistance members invited the public to write their messages on a giant
Issue 68
News
By Peter Boyle On August 18, the Keating government brought in a federal budget designed to convince the public that the Australian Labor Party has returned to its old Social Democratic values. But while the budget purports to give first
By Michael Rafferty Multiplex Constructions is set to attempt to begin work on development of the old brewery site in Perth, following a ruling last week in the WA Industrial Relations Commission. Multiplex Constructions is the private
By Liam Mitchell ADELAIDE — "Our natural environment being destroyed, and our human environment is continually being degraded", says Trish Corcoran, from Environmental Youth Alliance. "While polluted air, polluted waterways and disappearing
ADELAIDE — 500 teachers and their supporters rallied at Parliament House on August 18 to demand more staff in the city's disadvantaged northern and western suburbs. Speakers expressed disgust with the state government's failure to give
Residents oppose new reactor By Hillary Kent SYDNEY — Environmental and residents' groups have condemned a federal government proposal to build a new nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney's rapidly growing southern suburbs. The new
By Peter Annear A faint sigh of relief conditioned by continued anxiety about the future best sums up the response of welfare and environmental organisation to the 1992 budget. The temporary retreat from economic rationalism into mild Keynesian
Greenpeace protests toxic waste export By Leon Harrison PERTH — Together with its South African and European affiliates, Greenpeace in Australia has condemned the recent export of toxic waste from Perth. The Maria Laura, a
Greens launch announced By Col Hesse WOLLONGONG — A national green organisation will be launched on August 30 with the release of an Australian Greens charter, to include items on ecology, democracy, social justice, ecologically
By Jorge Jorquera Last week's budget continued and intensified the Labor government's "reforms" to education. As foreshadowed by numerous leaks, chief among the new measures is the introduction of an Austudy loans scheme. Students will now
By Peter Boyle MELBOURNE — Bill Deller, Victorian Public Service Federation vice-president and convener of the Independent Action campaign, warned on August 19 that a future Kennett Liberal-National government of Victoria might face a general
Public servants vote By Barry Healy SYDNEY — In early voting in a Public Sector Union ballot, it appears a nationwide revolt is developing against a motion submitted to the members by the union's national executive. With the crucial
The budget and welfare By Peter Boyle With unemployment at a postwar record high, the federal budget offers more bad than good news for welfare recipients, according to Jenny Blakey of Melbourne's Welfare Rights Unit. "It offers a few
World
Mexico's poverty gap widens By Peter Gellert MEXICO CITY — Mexico's much touted economic miracle is further and further out of reach for most Mexicans, according to a feature story published in the Mexican daily El Financiero. While
By David Robie AUCKLAND — A Maori tribe which has already laid claim to 80% of New Zealand's South Island has rocked the nation by winning a landmark ruling of the Waitangi Tribunal that the tribe be granted the lion's share of the national
By Peter Annear SAN FRANCISCO — In the wake of their successful first national gathering last month, activists in the Committees of Correspondence are feeling their way into a discussion about where the organisation should head. This new
By Frank Noakes LONDON — Reports by environmental groups describe a continuing decline in the quality of life of Britons caused by environmental degradation. Yet the Conservative government continues to treat environmental questions with
By Catherine Brown "The biggest state sell-off" in the European Community is the description, by EC financiers, of the Italian government's privatisation plans. The emergency economic package announced last month includes austerity measures
By Catherine Brown On August 10 Sir Patrick Mayhem, Britain's secretary of state for the north of Ireland, announced the banning of the Ulster Defence Association, the largest loyalist paramilitary organisation. Within 24 hours, the UDA offices
Vietnam, Laos build ties to ASEAN By Stephen Robson Vietnam and Laos are likely to become members of ASEAN in the near future, after being given observer status at the organisation's ministerial meeting in Manila July 21-22. For Vietnam
FEDERICO GOMEZ is a representative of the Chuc people, one of the 22 indigenous cultures in Guatemala. He has been visiting Australia for the secretariat of the campaign 500 Years of Black, Indigenous and Popular Struggle. He was interviewed for
By Sean Malloy "It has not taken long for Palestinians to realise that the difference between Rabin and Shamir is not as great as previously advertised", writes Daoud Kuttab in Middle East International on the Labour coalition government formed
By Frank Noakes LONDON — " At this stage in the economic cycle, there is bound to be a mixture of good and bad news, and unemployment is likely to be one of the last economic indicators to turn around", said Tory employment secretary Gillian
By Frank Noakes MANCHESTER — Only 100 days after it was founded, Scotland United has a membership of over 7000. The organisation is demanding a referendum on Scotland's status for St Andrew's Day, November 30. Following the April 9 Tory
MOSCOW — Russia has signed a memorandum with the International Monetary Fund agreeing on stiff austerity measures, Russian officials and Western diplomats said on August 10. The secret memo involves a 10-point list of preconditions that had
Culture
By Bronwen Beechey MELBOURNE — A mix of established and unknown writers, poets and songwriters will be featured at the Writers Festival, held from August 29 to September 19 in conjunction with the Melbourne Fringe Arts Festival. Ken
St Oscar By Terry Eagleton Directed by Eric Venberg At the Organ Factory, Melbourne, until September 5 Reviewed by Mark Urban and Bronwen Beechey New Theatre's latest production St Oscar, by well-known British Marxist Terry Eagleton, is a
John Olsen: Journey through "you beaut" country Directed by Don Bennetts Distributed by the Australian Film Institute Reviewed by Yvonne Sorensen John Olsen's paintings are rather frenetic, full of convoluted lines and plenty of energy. The
Rap it in metal Body Count By Body Count Warner Bros Records Available on CD and cassette Reviewed by Alex Young This is an interesting album combining heavy, grinding guitar-oriented music with all the attitude and lyrical content of the
Coming home to what? Homecoming: Images of Vietnam Collected by Jean R. Williams Homecoming Publications, 186 Coes Creek Rd, Nambour, 4560 $11.95 Reviewed by Denis Kevans This is a book of poems on and by the generation of Australian
By Dave Riley BRISBANE — The days when Fortitude Valley was the major local night spot have passed. It's slim pickings down Brunswick Street, the main thoroughfare, in these times of recession after the Fitzgerald Inquiry. Nightclub sparkle,
Editorial
Baghdad and Washington The threat of a renewed US military attack on Iraq had appeared to recede when UN observers, departing from the script expected in Washington, declared their inspection mission in Iraq satisfactorily completed. UN