News

HOBART — On August 9, Tasmanian-based timber company Gunns Ltd was ordered to pay preliminary legal costs of nearly $87,000 to defendants, including Greens Senator Bob Brown and Tasmanian Greens leader Peg Putt. Gunns, one of the world's biggest

Vannessa Hearman On August 11, East Timorese foreign minister Jose Ramos Horta and Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer agreed on a "framework" for a Timor Sea agreement. According to Downer, an agreement could be reached by Christmas.

Powerful arguments "When you get into Cabinet, if you don't have the support of the prime minister, at the end of the argument you don't win." — Health minister and numbers man Graham Richadson. What a relief "Pentagon officials now

MELBOURNE — On August 16, 60 workers employed by the Moonee Valley City Council attended a lunch-time rally to protest against attacks on the working conditions of library workers. Australian Services Union assistant secretary Brian Parkinson told

Stephen Garvey, Melbourne Victoria's ambulance paramedics have refused to obey an order issued on July 30 by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) to lift work bans. Paramedics lifted bans on ambulance bypass, pre-bypass and

News briefs #2 Defence of gay and lesbian rights SYDNEY - More than 800 people gathered in Town Hall square on June 26, in a massive show of opposition to the Coalition government's moves to amend the marriage rights bill in order to ban marriage

Justin Tutty, Darwin On August 23, environmentalists conducted a site inspection of the Browns mining project at Batchelor. Spokesperson John Oakley said that Compass Resources' secrecy about its activities at the old Rum Jungle uranium lease had

The International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) is taking urgent action in support of its affiliate, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), in its fight to stop the James Hardie asbestos corporation depriving its former workers of

By John Gauci& Jenny Long, Sydney On June 25, NSW public school and TAFE teachers will stop work for two hours to plan industrial action in response to the state Labor government's failure to adequately fund public education through the state

Peter Boyle As this column is written, the tally of civilian casualties from the war on Iraq is estimated by Iraq Body Count (<http://www.iraqbodycount.net&#062;) at between 41,041 and 45,613 — and rising fast. This is a war that the

Aaron Benedek& Susan Mullan, Sydney At very short notice, 20 refugee supporters, including Merlin Luck from Channel Ten's Big Brother program, rallied on July 14 to protest the forced transfers of asylum seekers from Sydney's Villawood detention

Lynda Smith In their second week at sea, from the South Bellona Reef 500 miles north-west of Brisbane, the seven-person crew of the Flotillas of Hope expressed their ongoing gratitude to all who continue to support them and their desire to be