News

Community Legal Centres resist restructuring

Community Legal Centres resist restructuring By Graham Matthews BRISBANE — On March 8, about 50 community legal centre (CLC) workers, management committee members and supporters attended a public meeting to hear an explanation of the federal

Feminists march for IWD

After having been postponed due to rain a week earlier, the International Women's Day march went ahead in Adelaide on March 13, reports Jo Ellis. Three hundred women and men rallied in support of the march's main demand, that anti-abortion laws be

Kurds demand Ocalan's release

Kurds demand Ocalan's release By James Vassilopoulos CANBERRA — Four hundred Kurds protested against the kidnapping and cruel treatment of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), outside the federal parliament on March

Go (get those shoulder pads) girl!

By Alana Kerrand Jen Crothers SYDNEY — "go girl!", the Sydney Women's Festival held in the Domain on March 7, was attended by around 7000 people. Those who believed the hype that the festival was to be the new face of the feminist movement would

Equality before the law?

Equality before the law? By Tony Iltis HOBART — On March 4, Robyn Scotney from Bridgewater was jailed for a year for "defrauding the commonwealth". Her actual crime? She had failed to notify Centrelink that she was in a "de facto" relationship.

Tanner laments 'family breakdown'

Tanner laments 'family breakdown' By Jo Brown CANBERRA — Victorian Labor "left" MP Lindsay Tanner addressed a public meeting of 60 students organised by the Labor Left Club at the Australian National University on March 9. Tanner, who was

WA plans boot camps for addicts

WA plans boot camps for addicts By Stuart Munckton PERTH — Western Australia's Liberal government is considering using "boot camps" to deal with the drug problem in the state. Under the plan, a heroin addict convicted of a criminal offence

SA public servants intensify action

SA public servants intensify action By Melanie Sjoberg ADELAIDE — Two hundred state public servants walked off the job on March 4 in response to the standing down of two Public Service Association (PSA) members over their participation in

VSU campaign needs leadership

By Mark Abberton MELBOURNE — The Student Unionism Network (SUN) is at a crossroads in its planning for the Victorian day of action against "voluntary student unionism" (VSU) on March 31. SUN has pressured the Victorian branch of the National

Students win back control of student affairs

By Damien Christmas and Jackie Lynch MELBOURNE — After an emergency general student meeting on March 2, around 100 students at the Frankston campus of the Chisholm Institute of TAFE marched to Administration Building and commenced an indefinite

EarthSave: not what it seems

By Nick Fredman LISMORE — EarthSave, a relatively new party contesting the March 27 NSW election has been accused by a group of former members of hiding a reactionary agenda beneath a progressive veneer. The disaffected supporters have alleged

Union summer school

By Melanie Sjoberg ADELAIDE — Around 80 people left the Adelaide Hills with concrete campaigning plans following the third SA United Trades and Labor Council (UTLC)-organised Summer School on February 26-28. Among the speakers was Kathryn Heiler