Issue 86

News

Qld Nationals slammed for racism By Bill Mason BRISBANE — Recent remarks of Queensland National Party leaders have been denounced as "openly racist" by Coral Wynter, Democratic Socialist candidate for the seat of Griffith in the coming
Socialist preferences to Greens in WA PERTH — The large number of third party and independent candidates in the WA elections has given an increased importance to the question of preferences. The Democratic Socialists, who are running in
Invasion Day in Brisbane By Angelique Gellert BRISBANE — More than 1000 members of the Brisbane Murri community and supporters observed Invasion Day here on January 26. Wreaths were laid at the historical "Windmill" building, site
Young people oppose reduced wage By Sean Malloy An Australian Democrats survey has found strong opposition from young people to reduced youth wages. The survey questioned 550 15-25 year-olds. Its results are reported in a document
Pickets were held last week, often outside Garuda Airlines offices, in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to protest against the arrest of farmers and student activists in East Java, Indonesia. The 50 arrested were held for four days
PSU rank and file contest election By Barry Healy SYDNEY — A David and Goliath contest is opening up within the Public Sector Union in an election for the position of assistant national secretary. Phil Sandford, a poorly funded
Hunger strike against terror By Alex Bainbridge MELBOURNE — Ten women from the United Patriotic Women of Kurdistan began a hunger strike outside Parliament House here on January 25. The fast is in solidarity with a similar hunger
By Lyndall Barnett MELBOURNE — On January 20 Scott Baker was acquitted in Magistrate's Court of false charges laid against him by police who arrested and assaulted him in Collingwood last year. In the afternoon of September 4, the
Kennett stalls on Coode Island move By Alex Cooper MELBOURNE — Despite promises prior to last year's state election, it appears that the Kennett government may be backing away from funding the relocation of the Coode Island chemical
Further cuts likely at Qantas By Fred Masters Further cutbacks are likely at Qantas as the company presses for productivity gains of 5% annually. As well, British Airways' recently acquired 25% shareholding in Qantas could be a
Survival Day concert SYDNEY — Ten thousand people celebrated "Survival '93, a celebration of Koori culture" on January 26 at La Perouse. The annual concert, organised by the Aboriginal Arts Management Association, featured Tiddas, Kev Carmody,
By Maurice Sibelle BRISBANE — Five people were arrested on January 29 and 30 as a result of the Brisbane City Council's campaign to remove all political groups from the City Mall. Three arrests occurred on January 29 after members of
Picket supports abortion rights By Anne Pavy PERTH — "Get your laws off our bodies", shouted a lively picket outside Liberal Party offices here on January 27. The demonstration, initiated by the Democratic Socialists, highlighted
By Jonathan Strauss PERTH — "We talk about revolving door justice for juveniles — now we have revolving door justice for police officers who break jaws", said Richard Utting following the Industrial Relations Commission's reinstatement of
By Alex Cooper MELBOURNE — In a move described as "mean spirited" by Ruth Crow of the Public Transport Users Association, the Kennett government has made elderly people the latest victims of its public transport cuts. During Senior Citizens
Forest worker compensation? By Ben Courtice HOBART — In the midst of the Wilderness Society's "Long Hot Summer" campaign, there have been calls to compensate forestry workers suffering financial hardship because of the disruption to
By Kylie Budge MELBOURNE — Pollution of Melbourne's beaches and waterways has become an even more serious problem after the third sewerage collapse in the urban area in just over four months. The collapses include one section of the

World

Bougainville out of essential medicines By Norm Dixon Sister Rose, matron of Arawa General Hospital in rebel- controlled central Bougainville, has warned that hundreds of women and children face death because essential life-saving drugs
Greens do well in US vote Candidates of the Green Party USA won 11 seats in local elections in November, according to latest figures compiled by the party. Eighty Green candidates ran for national, state and local offices in 13 states. They
Among the best-known of the younger leaders of the Russian environmental movement, SERGEI FOMICHOV is co-president of the League of Green Parties and of the radical environmental group, the Rainbow Keepers. He was interviewed in Moscow by Green
By Christina Jutterstrm STOCKHOLM 197> The most shocking thing bout the damage to the forests is that it has occurred so quickly and extensively. It was less than 20 years ago that a new kind of damage was discovered in the coniferous forests
Swords into ploughshares In the early hours of January 6, Chris Cole, a Christian peace activist, entered the British Aerospace (BAe) weapons factory in Stevenage in southern England and attacked the nosecones of fighter aircraft with
By Kristian Whittaker Last October's Fourteenth Congress of the Chinese Communist Party bore testimony to the continuing influence of the retired, unelected but still "paramount" leader Deng Xiaoping. Supporters of his policy of faster and
By Catherine Brown BELFAST — "I use to respect the police force; after all, it's the law. That's the way I was brought up — to look up to the law, and I brought my children up that way. But now I've changed completely", says Phyllis
Youth attack Meretz leaders' sell-out "Don't count on us for the next elections!" Under this headline, the Meretz Youth [Meretz is the junior partner in the Israeli coalition government] announced its independence, in a letter distributed
Crackdown in Timor The Indonesian military has unleashed a reign of terror in East Timor since the arrest of Fretilin leader Xanana Gusmao in Dili last year. Jose Ramos-Horta, spokesperson for the East Timorese resistance, said on
ANDREW GARTON visited the Philippines during October to attend a conference of non-governmental organisations. He found time to investigate social and environmental issues. Manila must be the filthiest city I've ever visited. The trip from
By Irina Glushchenko MOSCOW — "You can't buy good health in a pharmacy!" That was a frequent refrain in Soviet newspapers during the era of Brezhnevite "stagnation". Writers used to stress that instead of treating yourself with medicines,
Cathay Pacific lashes out at staff Flight attendants of the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific launched an indefinite strike in mid-January following a long-running dispute over staff cuts and restructuring measures. The attendants'

Culture

By Sean Malloy The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy are serious about what they say and do. During their tour of Australia and New Zealand, they took time to learn about the respective countries' politics. On Tuesday the 26th Michael Franti
Gaywaves seeks lesbian members By Michael Schembri SYDNEY — Gaywaves, the first regular lesbian and gay radio program in Australia, was brought into being in November 1979, just over a year after the first Mardi Gras. It reflected the
Left cinema from Chile via Paris The Cinema of Raul Ruiz Melbourne State Film Theatre February 4-13 Reviewed by Choly Reyes Raul Ruiz was forced to leave Chile amid the slaughter that followed the right-wing coup of 1973 against the
Darwin By Adrian Desmond and James Moore Penguin. 808 pp, $19.95 Reviewed by Dave Riley How could a wealthy, respectable gentleman of impeccable lineage and reclusive tastes claim in the 1830s that humans are descended from
Adelaide's weekend of world music By Melanie Sjoberg ADELAIDE — "Three days and nights of musical bliss" proclaims the pamphlet promoting the WOMADELAIDE 93. "The world of music, arts and dance grabbed the hearts and minds of 30,000
Chekhov well done Chekhov in Yalta By John Driver and Jeffrey Haddow Directed by Kevin Jackson The New Theatre, Newtown, Sydney Reviewed by Emlyn Jones The play is a comedy about the visit of members of the Moscow Arts Theatre to
Nonviolence Speaks to Power By Petra K. Kelly Edited by Glenn D. Paige and Sarah Gilliatt Centre for Global Nonviolence Planning Project Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace University of Hawaii 1992. 183pp. No price given.
For the cowpokes Beautiful Clip Clop Club Larrikin Records Available on CD and cassette Reviewed by Les Boyd Do you vaguely remember waiting eagerly for Hopalong Cassidy to crackle onto the B and W tube? Or the Cisco Kid? Gene

Editorial

Israel and the UN UN Resolution 799, adopted on December 18, "strongly condemns" Israel's deportation of more than 400 Palestinians to a desolate strip of land in southern Lebanon. Article 4 of the resolution reads: "The Security Council