News

  • Timor book launched

    Timor book launchedBRISBANE — "The Western world has a moral and political obligation to tell the truth," East Timor community representative Lucia Corte-real told a gathering here to launch a new book, East Timor: A

  • Loose cannons

    Just quietly "Between ourselves, shouldn't the World Bank promote the transfer of polluting industries to the less developed countries?" — Remark attributed to World Bank president Lawrence Summers in a recent internal report. What it's

  • Government blocks youth training allowance

    The federal government has amended the Social Security Act to stop unemployed people under the age of 21 from receiving a training allowance while attending CES courses. Michael Raper, coordinator of the Welfare Rights Centre

  • Commission backs off over Killiekrankie

    Commission backs off over KilliekrankieSYDNEY — The NSW Forestry Commission is negotiating with the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) over logging operations begun at Mt Killiekrankie in northern NSW as a result of the

  • APPM confrontation heats up

    BURNIE — Tasmanian paper giant APPM is continuing to up the ante in its drive to eliminate unions from its large plant here. Among its latest moves is a series of civil writs against union officials, including ACTU president

  • Talking union

    Talking union A parliamentary inquiry into the status of women has recommended changes to the Affirmative Action Act, including tougher penalties for companies not complying with the act. At present, compliance is voluntary and the stiffest

  • Youth conference launches environment campaigns

    ADELAIDE - More than 100 young people from across Australia took up the challenge to salvage a livable future at the third national Environmental Youth Alliance Australian Conference, held here over the Easter weekend. A

  • Bill to outlaw protests

    HOBART - The Tasmanian House of Assembly on April 16 passed a bill granting police increased power of arrest and prescribing mandatory fines for peaceful protest. The bill, introduced by Liberal minister for police Dr F.

  • Peter Robin

    ADELAIDE - Aboriginal and trade union activist Peter Robin passed away on April 14 at the age of 51, after suffering a stroke. He was farewelled by a trade union funeral march through Semaphore on April 22, which ended in a ceremony at the

  • BP workers exposed to LPG

    PERTH - About 100 construction workers were exposed for three hours to a liquefied petroleum gas leak here recently. The workers eventually walked off the job complaining of giddiness, stinging eyes and sore throats, despite

  • Greiner government under siege

    SYDNEY - The May 2 snap by-election in the electorate of Davidson, even if won by the Liberals, will not relieve the state of siege afflicting the NSW minority government of Nick Greiner. The by-election will be followed by an

  • Queanbeyan says no to Austech

    CANBERRA - Queanbeyan City Council has refused to support Desiko's bid to hold a thinly disguised Aidex arms exhibition in Queanbeyan. Desiko, with support from National Party MP for Monaro Peter Cochran, was proposing to hold an