News

  • 'Free speech - yes! Ruddock - no!'

    Ruddock — no!' LISMORE — On November 21, federal attorney-general Philip Ruddock was met by 120 protesters when he came to Lismore. The protest was organised by the Lismore Civil Rights Coalition and protesters chanted "Free speech — yes,

  • TWS debates Forestry Tasmania boss

    Susan Austin, Hobart "The issue of old-growth forests has been dominating the political debate in Tasmania", the Wilderness Society's Geoff Law told 500 people who turned up to the University of Tasmania on August 3 to hear him debate Forestry

  • New compo laws bad for workers

    Dave Andrews, Fremantle The state ALP government is set to introduce long-awaited reforms to WA's workers' compensation laws in May. The reforms, outlined in a discussion paper Restoring Fairness, Balance and Certainty: Workers Compensation Reforms

  • News briefs

    SYDNEY — NSW Police has had to introduce new methods to control their officers during high-speed car chases, according to the November 11 Sydney Morning Herald. An investigation by the newspaper found that 62 people have died since 1994 as a

  • Public schools losing out on university places

    Graham Matthews, Melbourne A Victorian government survey of 2003 year 12 graduates has confirmed that less than 34% of students from public schools entered university, compared with 67% of students from private schools, which are being increasingly

  • News briefs 3

    3 Muslims protest Iraq war SYDNEY — Chanting "Down, down Washington!" in English and "America go to hell!" in Arabic, 400 Muslims marched down the main road of the western Sydney suburb of Auburn to the local park on April 11. Speakers at

  • Weekend of protest

    Anti-war and civil rights activists rallied around the country on November 5-6 to give expression to public opposition to the occupation of Iraq and the federal government's new "anti-terror" laws. In Brisbane, the November 5 rally marched to

  • Moore creates political tidal wave

    Chris Williams Outside cinemas around the country, a new "parliament of the streets" is developing as people discuss and debate Michael Moore's new film, Fahrenheit 9/11. Cinemas have been packed out by people attending previews of what is fast

  • Thousands protest downgrading of hospital services

    Kamala Emanuel, Hobart Tasmania's Labor government continues to feel public anger at its decision to support a private hospital downgrading services in violation of its contract with the government. At least 2000 people attended an open-air meeting

  • Centrelink staff to stop work on November 15

    Andrew Hall, Canberra Members of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) working in Centrelink are set to stop work nationally for several hours on November 15 to attend the ACTU's national SkyChannel broadcast and protest rallies against the

  • Repressive drug laws challenged

    Kathy Newnam, Darwin On July 26, the Northern Territory Supreme Court will hear a case against Margot Laughton, who has been charged under the NT's repressive "drug house" laws. Under the laws, introduced by the NT's Labor government in 2002, a