News

Rail workers fight for jobsSYDNEY — Industrial action is to continue in NSW over State Rail Authority (SRA) plans to shed about 5000 jobs, says railways union (ARU) state vice-president Andrew Baker. Several days of

A 16-year-old retail worker currently earns $192 a week, rising to $346 at the age of 20. Under Hewson's plan, this person old would get only $114 a week, and 18-20-year-olds would get $133. Peter Ritchie, the managing director of McDonald's fast

Affirmative action under reviewSYDNEY — Proposed changes to the Affirmative Action Act will shortly be presented to federal parliament. Earlier this year, interest groups and individuals participated in discussions around

Cleary urges 'progressive independent' candidatesMELBOURNE — "The ALP has lost its way and the Opposition is a joke," Phil Cleary, independent MP for Wills, told a public meeting of about 200 people on July 9. The meeting on

10,000 march against privatisationMELBOURNE — The Kirner Labor government's program of public asset sales and corporatisation and commercialisation of the public sector was "paving the way" for the next Liberal government's

Forum praised on environment Greenpeace has welcomed the emphasis of the South Pacific Forum, just concluded, on environmental issues, but says there is still a long way to go. "The South Pacific leaders know that environmental issues are not

High Court challenge to ClearyMELBOURNE — The High Court will hear a challenge to left independent Phil Cleary's victory in the April by-election for former prime minister Bob Hawke's Victorian seat of Wills. The

Fahey bashes building unionSYDNEY — The minority Liberal government of NSW, under new Premier John Fahey, is preparing legal action for deregistration of the Building Workers Industrial Union (BWIU) in line with a

MELBOURNE — As increasing public attention focuses on youth anger over persistent unemployment, Resistance held its 21st national conference here on July 4-6. Young activists came from across the country to plan action around

Forest protesters bamboo the RegentSYDNEY — Rainforest activists planned to erect a symbolic bamboo barricade across the entrance to the Sydney Regent hotel on July 13 in a re-enactment of a similar protest at the

Queensland forests 'cleared like Amazon'BRISBANE — Queensland is losing proportionately as much forest and woodland each year through clearing as the Amazon basin of South America, according to state officials. Queensland

SYDNEY — NSW education minister Virginia Chadwick has backed away from changes to the years 7-10 geography syllabus after an unrepresentative elite of private school principals rammed through a number of amendments. The course