News

  • Victorian alternative candidates have their say

    MELBOURNE — About 60 people attended an October 16 public meeting organised by Independent Action, a loose alliance linking left independents in the state elections. They heard three progressive candidates: Colleen Hartland

  • Talking union

    HOBART — Trespass charges against 54 waterside workers were adjourned until next March after they marched on the court here last week. The workers were arrested in a dispute over attempts to use non-union contract labour to unload a fishing

  • Groom to allow mining in national parks

    Groom to allow mining in national parksHOBART — The Tasmanian Liberal government has announced plans to allow mining in the state's national parks. Addressing a mining seminar in Hobart on September 16, Premier Ray Groom

  • Police bashing in Melbourne

    Police bashing in Melbourne MELBOURNE — An allegation of police violence has been reported to Green Left Weekly. The victim, Scott Baker, says he was walking to the local "7-Eleven" store in Fitzroy at about 3 p.m. when he was stopped by

  • Queensland poll changes little

    BRISBANE — In an election in which the major parties dodged most of the key issues, the Labor Party government has been returned at the September 19 Queensland poll. Despite late opinion polls showing a possible landslide to

  • Victorian branch of Green Party formed

    Victorian branch of Green Party formedMELBOURNE — A meeting of 20 people here on September 12 decided to form a Victorian branch of the Green Party. Among those in attendance were representatives from the

  • Loose cannons

    Great new ideas #573 "Labour's task is to identify with the hopes and aspirations of individual men and women across the country, so that they in turn identify with us." — From Agenda for Change, the British Labour Party's blueprint for

  • Mobil expansion threatens school, residents

    MELBOURNE — About 200 people attended a September 12 protest against the proposed Williamstown Mobil oil refinery expansion into a two-kilometre buffer zone around the plant. Construction in the zone, which

  • Public radio barred from NSW budget lockup

    Public radio barred from NSW budget lockupSYDNEY — Three journalists from public radio station 2SER-FM was denied entry to the September 15 NSW budget "lockup". According to current affairs producer Stafford Sanders, 2SER

  • Multiplex destroys reconciliation

    Multiplex destroys reconciliationPERTH — Building contractor Multiplex sent in workers with bulldozers to destroy the Grove of Reconciliation, a plantation of 50 trees on the old Swan Brewery site, on September 14.

  • Socialist candidate wins 9%

    Socialist candidate wins 9%BRISBANE — In the best vote for an openly socialist campaign here in many years, Susan Price gained 9.2% for the Democratic Socialists in the seat of Brisbane Central on September 19. "I'm

  • Greenpeace proposes energy reforms

    SYDNEY — There is a "policy vacuum" on energy issues in the NSW government and the state Electricity Commission, says Greenpeace. Conventional power stations produce over 50% of greenhouse gas emissions in NSW, and the