On July 21 the East/Hills branch of the Socialist Alliance pre-selected Annolies Truman to run for the seat of Pearce in the up-coming federal election.
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The global climate crisis and campaigns for environmental and social justice, including the defence of Aboriginal land rights against the Howard governments takeover of Northern Territory communities featured prominently at the Students of Sustainability (SoS) conference at Murdoch University from July 9-13. Some 300 Students and activists attended from around Australia.
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West Australian union official Joe McDonald has rejected calls by Labor leader Kevin Rudd for him to leave the ALP. He insists he will fight moves by the party’s national executive to have him expelled, setting the stage for an important showdown.
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Around 80 students rallied outside the Perth Cultural Centre on May 2 during a National Union of Students (NUS) day of action to demand a better future. Protesters called for better access to education, the repeal of Work Choices, and government
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On April 24, the Locals for Esperance Development (LED) residents' group told the WA south coast town’s local council they wanted a complete ban on the shipment through Esperance of lead for nickel to be transported in closed containers, and community consultation about further transportation of heavy metals through the port.
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“There is no future for oil-dependent agriculture”, well-known Columban priest and Philippines-based anti-GMO campaigner Brian Gore told the WA launch of Say No to GMO (genetically modified organisms) on April 5.
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Esperance Port Authority workers and residents angry at the heavy metal contamination scandal affecting the town and Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) workers have banned handling lead through the port. More than 700 residents packed the Esperance Civic Centre on March 26 to hear reports of a pattern of bureaucratic buck-passing on the lead and nickel pollution.
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An Esperance Port Authority (EPA) safety worker has been sacked for asking too many questions and a blood specialist has been dispatched to the area as WA authorities scramble to cope with a widening heavy-metal contamination crisis.
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On February 15, PM John Howard’s government announced that it had agreed to the construction of a new US spy-satellite ground station at the Kojarena intelligence base 30 kilometres east of Geraldton. The new facility will transmit data to and from two US geostationary spy satellites focused on the Middle East and Asia.
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In a November 25 media release, Michael Anderson, a spokesperson for the Gumilaroi Nation, accused the federal and WA state governments of not having the intestinal fortitude to stand against the multinationals who seek to destroy Aboriginal culture. He was commenting on the threatened destruction of ancient Aboriginal rock art on the the Dampier Archipelago, resulting from the $50 billion Pluto Gas natural gas project by Woodside Energy on the Burrup Peninsula.
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In a November 27 media release, the WA-based Project SafeCom refugee right group, renewed its call for the abolition of Australias temporary protection visa (TPV) regime following a report in the same days Australian newspaper that an Iraqi asylum-seeker sent home by Australian officials was assassinated in Baghdad after being accused of being an Australian spy.
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From November 21-22, Nelson Davila, Venezuelas chief diplomatic representative in Australia, visited Perth. He held meetings with the officials and organisers of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union; addressed the Unions WA council; and was the guest at receptions organised by the Australian Islamic College and the Curtin Centre for Human Rights Education. Davila concluded his visit by speaking to a public meeting of 70 people at the MUA hall in North Fremantle, where he explained the development of the peoples power movement in his country and welcomed the launch of a Perth group of the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network. Pictured: Davila and MUA WA secretary Chris Cain.