News

WOLLONGONG — For the first time in living memory, this year's May Day march was led here by women workers, members of the Federated Clerks Union (FCU). This was in keeping with a long-standing South Coast tradition, which gives

Brisbane free speech campaignBRISBANE — Supporters of free speech held a speak-out in the Queen Street Mall on May 1 to oppose city council plans to restrict activities in the area. ALP Lord Mayor Jim Soorley, under

MELBOURNE — Following the decision of the Western Australian government to restrict the distribution of People and Picture magazines to outlets registered for the sale of "adult publications", the Victorian government announced

Earth Summit notes MADRID — Greenpeace Spain says the Earth Summit is in danger of becoming a carnival used by some governments to "greenwash" their image on environmental questions. Spokesperson Marie Luisa Toribio accused transnational

Death by racism in WAPERTH — Legal action is being taken by the father of an Aboriginal youth who was a victim of the state Labor government's racist campaign concerning juvenile crime. Louis Johnson died on January 4,

Timor book launchedBRISBANE — "The Western world has a moral and political obligation to tell the truth," East Timor community representative Lucia Corte-real told a gathering here to launch a new book, East Timor: A

Just quietly "Between ourselves, shouldn't the World Bank promote the transfer of polluting industries to the less developed countries?" — Remark attributed to World Bank president Lawrence Summers in a recent internal report. What it's

The federal government has amended the Social Security Act to stop unemployed people under the age of 21 from receiving a training allowance while attending CES courses. Michael Raper, coordinator of the Welfare Rights Centre

Commission backs off over KilliekrankieSYDNEY — The NSW Forestry Commission is negotiating with the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) over logging operations begun at Mt Killiekrankie in northern NSW as a result of the

BURNIE — Tasmanian paper giant APPM is continuing to up the ante in its drive to eliminate unions from its large plant here. Among its latest moves is a series of civil writs against union officials, including ACTU president

Talking union A parliamentary inquiry into the status of women has recommended changes to the Affirmative Action Act, including tougher penalties for companies not complying with the act. At present, compliance is voluntary and the stiffest

Aytas coming to SydneySYDNEY — Representatives of the Aytas, an indigenous Philippines tribe who were removed from their ancestral land to make way for the US military bases, will arrive here on May 8. The two, Ben