News

Investigations by Greenpeace and Indian environmental group Srishti have revealed that, in the last two years, Australia has exported 9034 tonnes of toxic waste to India. This makes Australia the second highest exporter of toxic zinc

WOLLONGONG — In the latest sequence of undemocratic moves initiated by the vice-chancellor, the last meeting of the university council decided to decrease student representation on the Board of Management by half. The

BRISBANE — Tasmanian Greens Senator Bob Brown, speaking at a meeting on July 20, said that the Coalition government had "boxed itself into a corner" on the sale of Telstra, whereas those opposing privatisation had a clear

Democratic process "I didn't think that people should be disqualified from appointment to important boards or commissions just because they'd supported [me]. That seemed to me to be just the reverse of how the democratic process ought to work."

ROCKHAMPTON — A rally opposing federal and state budget cuts drew 300 workers here on July 19. Speakers included local MLA Robert Schwarten, Gordon Rennie, general secretary of the State Public Service Federation (Queensland),

NEWCASTLE — Nico Wahid from the Indonesian People's Democratic Party (PRD) and dissident Indonesian researcher George Aditjondro spoke at a July 25 workshop attended by 30 people. The workshop discussed the links of oppression

CANBERRA — ACT activists in the Community and Public Sector Union have formed a new group, Public Sector Fightback (CPSU). While supporting the CPSU national executive-proposed 24-hour strike on July 25, Fightback's members are

SYDNEY — Staff from every department of ABC TV and Radio held stop-work meetings here on July 17, after planned budget cuts were announced by the federal communications minister, Senator Richard Alston. The

HOBART — On July 8, industrial action by the Australian Education Union over a 6.86% pay claim affected around 10% of schools here. The campaign aims to maintain the quality of education and a decent standard of living for

SYDNEY — Only weeks after signing an enterprise agreement, employees at SBS Radio and Television were told last week that 10% of staff (about 68 people) would shortly be given involuntary redundancy notices. SBS news and current

PERTH — The Queer Collaborations (QC) Conference was held at the University of WA July 1-5. More than 200 local and interstate individuals attended. Seven plenary sessions ranged over subjects from Aboriginality and sexuality to

Sincerity rules OK "[Bill] Clinton is the first president in American history who has perfected the art of crying out of one eye." — Haley Barbour, US Republican Party chairperson, lamenting the fact that Clinton is a better actor than Ronald