News

3 Muslims protest Iraq war SYDNEY — Chanting "Down, down Washington!" in English and "America go to hell!" in Arabic, 400 Muslims marched down the main road of the western Sydney suburb of Auburn to the local park on April 11. Speakers at

Sue Bolton, Melbourne The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) — originally established to protect consumers from shonky trade practices — has now been enlisted in the Howard government's drive to destroy trade unions as

SYDNEY — On July 12, 100 people picketed John Howard as he arrived to address a meeting in the Blacktown Workers Club. The action, organised by Unions NSW to protest against the Work Choices laws, was attended by members of the Construction,

Kamala Emanuel, Hobart Tasmania's Labor government continues to feel public anger at its decision to support a private hospital downgrading services in violation of its contract with the government. At least 2000 people attended an open-air meeting

Clive Haggar, Canberra On June 6, the ACT government budget cut 120 secondary and 15 primary teaching positions, 10 itinerant and 90 support staff positions, and has foreshadowed the closure of 39 public preschools and schools. In addition the

Reconstruction I "We are passing through a phase marked by unprecedented chaos and corruption in government ranks." — Iraqi planning minister Ali Khalib Baban, quoted in the June 20 Baghdad Azzaman daily. Reconstruction II "RAMADI, Iraq, July

Feeling Bolshie "A [Russian] leader writer has expressed concern that the Soviet Union still exists, that nostalgia for it seems to be the dominant mode. Polls by reputable institutes confirm this: 57% of Russians want the USSR back (2001); 45%

Marcus Greville, Melbourne "Not paying these workers is in fact theft", Electrical Trades Union (ETU) organiser Shaun Leane told Green Left Weekly. He was commenting on the refusal of electrical parts manufacturer Heinemann Electric to pay wages to

In George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman, Act 3, a group of brigands sit near a road high in the Sierra Nevada in Spain, discussing politics. Mendoza, their leader, presides over a discussion ranging from anarchism to social democracy. Suddenly the

Unemployment benefits, that is "Capitalism generates fantastic wealth, and the benefits accrue almost entirely to the least of these among us." — Art Carden, in a March 8 article "Why they hate the market", written for the web site of the

Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne A coalition of welfare and legal groups launched Operation Smart Justice on September 19. It aims to challenge "law and order populism" in the lead-up to Victoria's November 25 state election. Anthony Kelly from the

CANBERRA — A delegation from the Northern Territory visited federal politicians in Canberra on June 21-22 to express their opposition to a proposed radioactive waste dump mooted for the NT. The delegation consisted of Mt Everard traditional