Analysis

Kalgoolie Super Pit

On the eve of Australia’s largest mining conference, the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC), which will be held in Melbourne over October 28-31, Green Left Weekly’s Zane Alcorn looks at the myriad problems that arise from a system in which mining corporations, not communities, decide what needs to be mined and where.

In late June, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland announced a joint review into the National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy, known as NAPLAN. Many educators would be happy to see the end of standardised testing. But this review is no guarantee this will happen, even if NAPLAN is scrapped.

Some unions have been rightfully criticised for sending mixed messages to members regarding the September 20 Climate Strike, writes Crimson Coconut.

There is a lot of whinging from bleeding heart liberals about “attacks” on the unemployed such as proposed mandatory drug testing, expanding welfare “quarantining” and the ongoing process of knowingly sending incorrect “robodebts” to welfare recipients that has been tied to large numbers of suicides

Two important issues facing residents in Fremantle and its surrounds are the proposed Roe 8 highway extension and new container facility at Kwinana Outer Harbour. Green Left Weekly’s Janet Parker spoke to four progressive candidates contesting council elections on October 19 about them.

More than 38 people, including myself, were arrested during an Extinction Rebellion (XR) protest in Sydney on October 7 to demand immediate and serious action to tackle the climate crisis.

In late June, School Strike 4 Climate founder Greta Thunberg shared footage of French police pepper spraying the faces of a group of Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists blocking a road in Paris.

Given the fierce police repression used against the Yellow Vests movement since it erupted in late November, this was hardly a surprise.

“The problem is mismanagement of the Barwon-Darling rivers” activist Fleur Thompson told the Yaama Ngunna Baaka Corroboree Festival bus tour, as it passed through the western New South Wales town of Bourke on September 30.

“The federal and state governments could step in anytime and fix it, but they don’t and won’t. To do that the governments would have to admit fault.”