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Peter Boyle Michael Gerson, US President George Bush's chief speechwriter for the past seven years, is retiring from the White House. Someone else will have to come up with phrases like "axis of evil", "the soft bigotry of low expectations" and

Pip Hinman Refugee-rights campaigners and supporters of a free West Papua welcomed the Refugee Review Tribunal's (RRT) ruling on July 31 to overturn the government's decision not to grant a temporary visa to the last of the 43 West Papuan asylum

MELBOURNE — Thousands of people marched on June 4 to mark World Environment Day and call on the state Labor government to protect Victoria's old-growth forests. The world's largest "tree hug" took place when a 70-metre-long banner, representing the

SYDNEY — "Viva Fidel" was the sentiment of the night as 350 people took part in a solidarity fiesta in support of the Cuban Revolution and its central leader Fidel Castro on August 13 — Castro's 80th birthday. Cuba solidarity activist and NSW

Sue Bull, Melbourne Anonymous late-night phone calls, threats of jail for non-appearance at interviews or for withholding information, allegations of illegal conduct at events up to two years previously and closed courts — such police-state

SYDNEY — On August 17, pro-choice students at Sydney University held a protest rally outside an anti-abortion forum organised by the university's Catholic chaplaincy. The forum was addressed by Terri Herring, the former president of Pro-Life

SYDNEY — On May 23, David Burgess and Will Saunders gave $10,000 to Dr Salam Ismael from Doctors for Iraq. Burgess and Saunders were jailed for nine months in 2004 for painting "NO WAR" in giant letters on the Sydney Opera House two days before the

Kerry Vernon, Sydney Office cleaners held two noisy rallies in the city on August 24, part of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union's (LHMU) "Clean start — fair deal for cleaners" campaign. The action at Martin Place defended 20

Liam Mitchell A series of delegates' meetings across Sydney approved a Unions NSW resolution calling for a rally in Blacktown, in western Sydney, on June 28, the national day of action called by the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The

Peter Boyle As this column is written, the tally of civilian casualties from the war on Iraq is estimated by Iraq Body Count (<http://www.iraqbodycount.net&#062;) at between 41,041 and 45,613 — and rising fast. This is a war that the

Sue Bolton, Melbourne The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) — originally established to protect consumers from shonky trade practices — has now been enlisted in the Howard government's drive to destroy trade unions as

Sue Bolton The Western Australian branch of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union is organising a solidarity protest in Perth on September 28, when 40 metalworkers first face the federal court to fight fines of up to $28,600 each. The AMWU is