News

  • 'Poodle' nuclear regulator approves reactor

    SYDNEY — The head of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), John Loy, approved construction of a new 20-megawatt nuclear reactor in the southern suburb of Lucas Heights on April 5. ARPANSA

  • More abuse for detainees

    "Since the protest there has been close to no communication with Woomera [detention centre] inmates", refugees' rights campaigner Pamela Curr told Green Left Weekly on April 6. "The two phone lines normally available to detainees

  • Loose cannons

    Loose cannons Freudian slip “But there needs to be a focused, coalition effort in the [Middle-East] region against peace.” — US President George “The Crusader” Bush, March 30. Bribery “The head of the Federal Government's royal

  • Bishops condemn war on Palestinians

    CANBERRA — Auxiliary Catholic Bishop Pat Power and Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulbourn George Browning issued a statement on April 1 condemning the Israeli assault on the Palestinian people. "At a time when Christians

  • Freedom for Palestine!

    1200 join Palestine rally PERTH — About 1200 people attended a rally in Forrest Place on April 6 to protest Israel's war on the Palestinian people. Speakers at the rally included students from the Australian Islamic College, Anthony Benbow from

  • Pro-refugee activists step up campaign

    BRISBANE — On April 4, immigration minister Philip Ruddock named the Meeandah Army Stores site at Pinkenba as the preferred site for a new 200-bed refugee prison. Although he initially claimed the new site would only house

  • Pakistani socialist begins speaking tour

    BY PETER ROBSON& JIM MCILROY "The US war on Afghanistan provided no solution to the problems of the region", Farooq Tariq, general secretary of the Labour Party Pakistan, told a lunchtime meeting at Newcastle University on April 3, as he began a

  • Marchers demand: 'Free Palestine!'

    SYDNEY — "Justice, yes! Occupation, no! Israeli troops have got to go!" and "Free, free Palestine!". These words echoed down the main streets of central Sydney on March 24, as more than 400 protesters marched from Sydney Town

  • RAC-Vic calls for June 2 NDA

    MELBOURNE — At its March 19 meeting the central Melbourne Refugee Action Collective (RAC-Vic) endorsed the idea of a national day of action for refugee rights for Sunday June 2. While not discussing details of the action, RAC

  • Big protest planned outside Villawood refugee prison

    SYDNEY — "We want the people detained in the Villawood refugee prison, as well as the Australian public, to know that there are many people in this country, and around the world, who strongly oppose the Australian government's

  • Asia-Pacific conference draws globalisation's dissidents

    SYDNEY — A week out from the start of the Second Asia-Pacific International Solidarity Conference, the phones were running hot in the Sydney office used by the young voluntary conference organising team headed by Iggy Kim. There

  • Socialist Alliance consolidates vote

    MELBOURNE — The Socialist Alliance received 1608 votes in the six wards it contested in Moreland and Darebin council elections held in March. In the city of Moreland, candidate for Merri ward Judy McVey received 374 votes,