News

NSW hospital waiting lists growSYDNEY — In the 1995 state election campaign, Premier Bob Carr promised to cut hospital waiting lists by half or to resign after one year. On March 7, the state government conceded that

More than 1000 doctors across NSW have been on strike since March 10 in a bid to reverse legislation restricting new doctors' access to Medicare provider numbers. Mass meetings on March 14 resolved to broaden the campaign,

Socialists do well in Brisbane electionBRISBANE — "The vote of more than 6% for Democratic Socialist candidates in the Brisbane City Council election on March 15 shows that a sizeable number of people are beginning to look

Police step up surveillance of young peopleCANBERRA — Over the last week there has been a substantially increased police presence in the city area, particularly in Garema Place, a paved area with seats and a small

New attack on public sector workersMinister for industrial relations Peter Reith has escalated the government's attack on public sector workers by allowing departments to introduce Australian Workplace Agreements or

MELBOURNE — Public transport workers went on strike for 48 hours March 8-10, causing serious disruption to the Grand Prix. Predictably, the move sparked outrage from the state government and media, with Premier Jeff Kennett

Challenge to Tasmania's gay lawsOn February 26, the High Court announced a unanimous decision to allow a legal challenge to the Tasmanian government's anti-gay laws to be heard. Gay activists Rodney Croome and Nick Toonen

Student protest shuts down meetingMELBOURNE — Sixty angry students occupied the Law building at Melbourne University on March 3 and shut down a university council meeting. The meeting was set to vote on the university's

Unionists protest WorkCover changesMELBOURNE — Ten thousand construction workers marched through Melbourne on March 5, condemning the Kennett government's changes to WorkCover. Their rally voted to continue a campaign of

Ted Roach, 1909-1997 @box text intro = Ted Roach, secretary of the South Coast branch of the Waterside Workers Federation during the pig-iron dispute in 1938, passed away on February 25. Born in Coledale, NSW, in 1909, Ted learned

IPSWICH — Some 350 people attended a forum titled "One year of Hanson: Exposing the myths" on Sunday, March 2, in the Ipswich Workers Club. The forum, organised by the Ipswich Anti-Racism Committee, was aimed at discussing

ANZ to sack hundredsEsanda, the financial services arm of the ANZ Bank, plans to sack 700 workers — a 40% of its work force. Esanda has been undertaking an 18-month review to restructure and cut costs. Some of