News

Victory against Rio Tinto

Victory against Rio Tinto By Alison Dellit NEWCASTLE — Workers at Rio Tinto's Hunter Valley No. 1 coalmine have rejected management's Australian Workplace Agreement proposal in a secret ballot. The Construction, Mining, Forestry and Energy

Court victory for East Timor protesters

Court victory for East Timor protesters DARWIN — Two prominent members of Australians for a Free East Timor have had convictions for disorderly conduct overturned by the NT Supreme Court. Sally Anne Watson and Vaughan Williams were charged after

Pro-choice vigil a success

Pro-choice vigil a success By Jo Williams MELBOURNE — More than 100 people gathered on the steps of the State Library here on May 28, the International Day of Action for Reproductive Rights. The vigil was organised by the Pro-Choice Coalition.

Outrage at NSW police shooting

SYDNEY — On May 26, the NSW police force's latest victim was killed outside his grandmother's house. The Coalition Opposing Police Shootings (COPS) has called on the NSW police commissioner to immediately adopt English-style, unarmed beat policing.

Miners lose seniority

By Shane Bentley The Australian Industrial Relations Commission decided on May 26 that union-backed seniority provisions in coal industry awards were no longer allowable. The decision was made under the Workplace Relations Act's requirement that

Speaking tour: Eyewitness report on Indonesia

Speaking tour: Eyewitness report on Indonesia Following a visit to Indonesia, where he held discussions with activists in the student, worker and democracy movements, Max Lane will be speaking at public meetings in Adelaide (June 11), Sydney (June

Stop MAI public meeting

Stop MAI public meeting By Nick Chesterfield BRISBANE — Around 300 people attended a public meeting here on May 27 to hear Reverend Tim Costello speak against the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). The Organisation for Economic

Privatisation blackmail

Privatisation blackmail By Melanie Sjoberg ADELAIDE — In the May 28 state budget, the Liberal government has tied funding for South Australia's ailing education and health systems to the privatisation of the electricity utility, ETSA. Treasurer

Teachers stop work in Victoria

Teachers stop work in Victoria By Mary Merkenich MELBOURNE —Victorian Australian Education Union (AEU) members struck on May 27 as part of a campaign the AEU has been waging to win a certified agreement with the state government and to get the

SCU students' victory over up-front fee

SCU students' victory over up-front fee By Bernie Wunsch LISMORE — On May 9, Southern Cross University (SCU) Council gave in to student pressure and dropped the newly introduced $18 up-front fee. The Education Action Group (EAG) had organised a

Rio Tinto under the microscope

Rio Tinto under the microscope By Karen Burns NEWCASTLE — About 25 people attended a workshop on May 16 to discuss the activities of the mining company Rio Tinto. Speakers included Moses Havini from the Bougainville Interim Government;

Goolengook threatened by illegal logging

By Yael GIPPSLAND — The Goolengook forest, situated in East Gippsland, north-east Victoria is threatened by unsustainable logging practices. The only government study of Goolengook forest, conducted in 1991, recommended that, to maintain