News

A representative of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) in Australia, Otto Ondawame, has called for the withdrawal of all Indonesian troops from West Papua (called Irian Jaya by Indonesia). He also criticised the Australian government for

PERTH — Passenger and freight rail services came to a halt on April 15 as train control and support staff covered by the Australian Services Union (ASU) walked off the job for 24 hours. The action was triggered by the state

GEELONG — Wool scourers at E.P. Robinson are entering their eighth week on strike with no resolution to the dispute in sight. An unfair dismissal case in the Industrial Relations Commission on April 18 was inconclusive and

MELBOURNE — Workers at the Campbellfield Nestle factory remain on the picket line after 12 weeks of being locked out. The workers belong to the confectioners division of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU). Workers

Ay, there's the point! "The Commonwealth Ombudsman, Ms Philippa Smith, is highly critical of the Government's decision to slash up to 30 per cent from her budget, saying it will compromise her capacity to scrutinise government agencies." —

BRISBANE — The decision to place the "Pinkenba Six" police officers on probation after an internal inquiry into their dumping of three Aboriginal boys at Pinkenba in May 1994 has been denounced by civil libertarians and the

SYDNEY — In a historic united action, NSW teachers from state schools, TAFE colleges, independent schools and Catholic schools are set to strike on April 23. The central demand of the strike is for a 12%

Four major environment organisations have called for an inquiry into uranium mining in Kakadu National Park. The Australian Conservation, the Wilderness Society, Friends of the Earth and the Environment Centre of the Northern

ADELAIDE — The South Australian parliament may take a step towards public accountability following a decision by the upper house to view details of contracts related to outsourcing. Last year, in a deal worth $700 million,

CANBERRA — On April 3, 400 public servants met to endorse an in-principle agreement reached with the ACT government by the Community and Public Sector Union, and to end their industrial action. The agreement consists of a 10.1% pay

GEELONG — The E.P. Robinson Pty Ltd plant here is an amazing sight. There are glass panels missing from the skylights; a number of others are slipping. More than one worker has narrowly missed being hit by a falling panel. When

BRISBANE A landmark Cape York agreement between Aborigines, conservationists and pastoralists will go ahead, regardless of the opposition of Queensland Premier Rob Borbidge, according to Noel Pearson, Cape York Land Council executive