Nazis try to dupe unemployed By Paul Oboohov SYDNEY — The fascist threat made a daring public appearance last week in Campsie, when an organisation calling itself the Unemployed Peoples Union held a function in this suburb with a vibrantly
Issue 73
News
By Jill Hickson WOLLONGONG — Supporters of women denied work in BHP's Port Kembla steelworks picketed a BHP shareholders' meeting in Sydney on September 25. The women, many of them supporting families on unemployment benefits, made the trip
By Maurice Sibelle BRISBANE — The state elections on September 19 recorded a 2.7% swing away from the major parties. When counting was completed, 7% of votes were for alternative candidates. Of 89 seats in the state parliament 25 were contested
By Peter Boyle MELBOURNE — "Whether the Liberal or Labor party wins the October 3 state election, we can expect more attacks on public transport, health, education and workers' rights", Dave Holmes, Democratic Socialist candidate for
About 200 people gathered outside the NSW parliament on September 24 to protest against the privatisation of Port Macquarie hospital. Three bus loads, mainly pensioners, from Port Macquarie were joined by supporters from pensioner's groups in
By Susan Braun DORRIGO — Wild Cattle Creek State Forest on the Dorrigo Plateau in northern NSW is currently the centre of a major dispute between the Wild Cattle Creek Action Group and the Dorrigo Residents and Business Association. On
NSW unionists could face jail By Bernie Brian WOLLONGONG — South Coast Labour Council secretary Paul Matters has told a combined unions meeting here that he is prepared to go to jail rather than pay any fines imposed by the NSW Industrial
Brewery redevelopment stalled By Stephen Robson PERTH — The Legislative Council succeeded in delaying redevelopment work on the old Swan brewery on September 22 when it rejected an order that would have allowed the bypassing of planning
By Tim E. Stewart NEWCASTLE — An end to the Austudy loans scheme, more funding for universities, an increase in child-care facilities and better public transport were demands made by 80 students at a September 23 sit-in at the Newcastle
PERTH — Robe River is continuing its intimidatory tactics against its Karratha work force. The latest victim is 53-years-old maintenance worker Cliff Sutton, who has been stood down for refusing to accept a transfer as a trainee haulpak driver.
Drop charges against Austudy Five, say unions By Joan Doyle MELBOURNE — Several unions have called for charges to be dropped against five protesters arrested following a student demonstration here earlier this year. The Victorian branch
Radio 2EA Workers in action for jobs By Bruce Marlowe SYDNEY — "Restructuring" has struck again. This time the potential victims are about 300 workers at the Special Broadcasting Service's Radio 2EA, migrant languages radio for New South
By Bruce Marlowe SYDNEY — A council-conducted referendum has recorded a 60% vote against NSW government plans to privatise Port Macquarie's public hospital. About 85% of local residents participated in the September 19 vote. The people of
Brown backs 'clean green' candidates MELBOURNE — Victorians would get best value by voting for independents backing small business, local control and "clean green" produce, Tasmanian Green MP Bob Brown said on September 24. Brown spoke at
Concerns over closing of refuge By Claudine Holt SYDNEY — On September 18, the largest women's refuge in NSW closed its doors. The Marion Centre — for women and children escaping from violent relationships — was closed by the management
Debate on reproductive rights By Francesca Davidson MELBOURNE — About 70 people participated in a September 22 public meeting sponsored by Green Left Weekly on "Reproductive Rights: a question of choice". Resistance organiser and
Chileans march for justice By Jenny Forward ARICA — On September 11, the 19th anniversary of General Augusto Pinochet's bloody coup, there was an emotional march by 70,000 people to the tomb of Salvador Allende. The action was the start
World
The following letter has been received by TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign and translated from the Portuguese. To the directors of international human rights institutions in Australia, America, Europe and Africa: Dear Sirs, We are
By Norm Dixon There is mounting evidence that the dreadful September 7 massacre of African National Congress marchers near Bisho by troops loyal to the Ciskei dictatorship was a premeditated ambush organised with the full knowledge of the
Nicaraguan hunger strikers win demands MANAGUA — Disabled ex-soldiers, widows and mothers of fallen combatants, and demobilised former soldiers have ended a hunger strike after the government agreed to increase their pensions. After nearly
ALBERT AGHAZARIAN, Palestinian director of public relations and professor of history at the Bir Zeit University in Jerusalem, attended a conference on Palestine in Geneva on August 28. There he spoke to Frank Noakes from Green Left Weekly.
By Yuli Ismartono Four years ago, the world watched in horror as a popular uprising against 25 years of military dictatorship in Burma was mercilessly crushed, leaving hundreds dead and wounded and thousands fleeing to neighbouring Thailand.
By Jose Gutierrez For the past three months the political situation in El Salvador has been focused on government's failure to comply with some points of the peace accords, and the consequent delay in their implementation by the Farabundo
By Catherine Brown On September 17 Chancellor Helmut Kohl's government announced plans to deport thousands of Romanians, many of them victims of the recent neo-Nazi attacks on refugee hostels in eastern Germany. Since the racist riots
By Catherine Brown With almost one out of two voters rejecting the Maastricht Treaty, the "yes" vote in the September 20 French referendum poses more questions than answers for a future united Europe. When Denmark said "no" to the treaty on
By Frank Noakes John Norris has just been elected chair of the Executive Committee of the British Green Party at the party's conference in Wolverhampton [see page 28]. He replaces Sarah Parkin in that position. An avowed green socialist, he
Fiji trade unions ban Emperor By Norm Dixon The confrontation between the Australian-owned Emperor Gold Mines Limited and Fiji continues to escalate. On September 17, the Fiji Trades Union Congress voted to ban all equipment and materials
Cardinal troubles in Nicaragua Pope John Paul II won't be able to bless Cardinal Obando y Bravo's new cathedral in Managua next month, because illness has forced the postponement of the pope's visit to Nicaragua. The cathedral, pet project of
By Renfrey Clarke MOSCOW — Several hundred peasants and their supporters staged a lively picket outside the offices of the Russian government here on September 15. Organised by the trade unions of the agro-industrial complex, the action was
Protest assault on British miner By Paul Mailhot SHEFFIELD — On August 6 Paul Galloway, 33, a long-time member of the National Union of Mineworkers, was assaulted at the Thoresby Colliery near Edwinstrowe in Nottinghamshire, where he has
Nicaraguan government represses school students By Stephen Marks MANAGUA — Fifteen members and leaders of the Federation of Secondary Students (FES) have been expelled and seven teachers sacked following demonstrations at a march-past of
By Miriam Tramer The Israeli kibbutz is based on totally communal production and ownership of property, while locked into a capitalist market economy of a colonial repressive state. In Israel, I visited a kibbutz in the Jordan Valley and
Culture
A decade of dissent A decade of dissent By Greg Langley Allen & Unwin, 1992. 232 pp. $19.95 Reviewed by Stephen Robson On May 7, 1970, the federal minister for labour and conscription, Billie Snedden described the organisers of the
Looking off the southern edge By David Buchanan Cast: John Moore, Douglas Walker, Wendy Strehlowe Dance: Anna Mercer and Michael Leslie Music: Gary Ridge, David Buchanan and Lois Olney Artrage Theatre Festival, October 3 to 24 Perth
By Karen Fredericks SYDNEY — In Production, the first national gathering of Women in Film and Television, was held at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in Sydney on the weekend of September 26 and 27. Opening addresses to the
Too Many Cubans in Cuba em = By Denis Kevans There's this place called Cuba, It's full of Cubans, they live there, For some reason, unspecified, of course, They're very secretive people, Cubans, They refuse to divulge the reason, Why they
Correction In recent publicity in Green Left Weekly for a Sydney Cultural Dissent evening featuring Canto y Lucha, the phrase "ex- Papalote" was used to describe this group. Sydney Cultural Dissent wishes to explain that this was in no way
By Norm Dixon Can listening to the natural sounds of Australia's most precious and fragile wilderness areas, combined with the music of top session players, contribute to a greater environmental awareness? Brett and Lydia Neilson are convinced
Canberra October 1991 em = By Thomas Faunce A chill wind, not the spirit of Australia, Blows over manicured lawns. Winter leaves scratch like hansard on the footpath. Wires tinkle on flagpoles like spoons in teacups Currawongs warble like a
The law against women's rights Abortion: A woman's right to choose By Claudine Holt New Course Publications 18 pp. $1.00 Reviewed by Sean Malloy Abortion is one of the safest and easiest medical procedures. A majority of Australians