News

  • Dodson uses peace prize speech to slam NT intervention

    Pat Dodson, a Yawuru man from Broome, Western Australia, used his Sydney Peace Prize acceptance speech on November 5 to slam the Northern Territory intervention. He described it as a “crude, racist and poorly considered policy”.

  • US anti-war vote welcomed

    The Sydney Stop the War Coalition has described the US people’s rejection of President George Bush’s war policies and the election of Barack Obama as “historic”.

  • Student concessions to be slashed in NSW

    Student travel concessions have come under attack from the NSW state government. The proposed removal of the subsidy for school students will affect 700,000 students. The $50 back-to-school allowance, initiated by former premier Bob Carr in 2002, is also set to be cut.

  • National outcry at Wotton's sentence

    On November 7, rallies in support of Lex Wotton took place around the country as Wotton was sentenced in Townsville to six years’ prison for “riot with destruction”.

  • Sydney Council targets posters

    Activists have planned a civil disobedience action in response to anti-democratic moves by the City of Sydney to crack down on bill posters. From November 10, putting up posters on street poles could result in fines ranging from $320 to $1500 per poster.

  • 'Women still face great inequality'

    The following article is based on a speech given by Chere Bowman at the Wollongong Reclaim the Night rally on October 23. Bowman spoke as a member of Resistance.

  • No 'VSU-lite', say students

    The Rudd government, elected to office promising to repeal the Howard government’s unpopular student unionism (VSU) legislation, is planning to introduce a voluntary $250 “student levy” in early 2009.

  • TAFE to be privatised?

    The Rudd government is proposing to make funding for vocational training “contestable”, the Sydney Morning Herald revealed on October 29. The proposal, effectively a privatisation of TAFE colleges, was drafted by state and federal bureaucrats and will be discussed at the November 17 Council of Australian Governments meeting.

  • Democracy ... US-style

    Having “free” and “fair” multi-party elections is the United States’ main claim to democracy. But just how democratic is US capitalism?

  • Young Liberals' academic witch-hunt falls flat

    The Young Liberals are testing the long-held notion that academic autonomy is sacrosanct. Their so-called “Make Education Fair” campaign is really a witch hunt against progressive educators and academics.

  • 'Washo here to stay!'

    Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union official Noel Washington appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 31. He is charged with refusing to be forcefully interrogated by the Australian Building and Construction Commission. Two