News

War on Terror "I was standing there depicting the iconic picture of the tortured Iraqi prisoner." — Comment by Joseph Previtera, a 21-year-old Boston student, after he was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, making a false bomb threat,

Geoff Payne, Newcastle The long sharpened axe for Bryce Gaudry, the ALP's MP for the state seat of Newcastle, has fallen. Labor's national executive dropped the 15-year incumbent in favour of businessperson and former TV newsreader Jodi McKay, who

Kate Stockdale, Sydney On September 11, more than 80 people attended a public forum at the Bankstown Town Hall to discuss the community's response to repressive "anti-terrorism" laws. The forum was initiated by the Socialist Alliance and the

On March 22, World Water Day, Malcolm Turnbull said that water is Australia's most precious resource and its largest conservation challenge. "My intention is to substantially raise the level of debate and accountability on urban water issues",

#1 Council gives voice to Hicks and Habib MELBOURNE — The Moreland City Council will push ahead with a controversial public meeting on July 11 titled "Aussies out of American cages". The forum will feature David Hicks' father Terry Hicks and

SYDNEY — Thirty people attended a moving video presentation organised by the Canterbury-Bankstown Peace Group on September 9 that focused on the US torture prison at Guantanamo Bay and the campaign for the return of David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib.

Jenny Long, Sydney As part of its campaign against new job-threatening multi-year contracts to clean schools and other public buildings announced in June by the NSW Labor government, the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) announced

Peter Short, Perth On March 21, the monthly Unions WA council meeting looked set to decide against organising an ACTU-proposed June 28 protest rally against the new federal industrial relations laws. However, several unions intervened to get

Julie Sprigg, Perth The Port Hedland Immigration Reception and Processing Centre is set to be mothballed by the end of June. All 52 detainees will be moved to South Australia's Baxter detention centre. Thirty-three detainees were moved in two

MELBOURNE — Maintenance workers at Toyota went on strike for three days after an Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) delegate was stood down by management on August 29. When Toyota relocated its Port Melbourne production facility to

SYDNEY — Anne Gardiner, an opposition candidate for general secretary of the Public Service Association (PSA), the union covering state public servants in NSW and general staff on NSW universities, has described NSW Liberal Party leader John

Farida Iqbal, Sydney On March 7, the NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) granted the state's childcare workers a 16% pay rise over two years. Childcare workers will be paid between $70 and $166 more a week, following the IRC's ruling in