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Liberals prepare sale of ACTEW

Liberals prepare sale of ACTEW By David Gosling CANBERRA — Kate Carnell's Liberal government is proposing the sale of the ACT's electricity and water provider, ACTEW. Carnell claims the sale is necessary to pay for superannuation liabilities.

Adelaide's feast of queer culture

By Bronwen Beechey ADELAIDE — The second annual Feast Lesbian and Gay Cultural Festival got off to a fiery start on October 23 with an opening night party that featured a lively mix of highlights from performance, dance and music. After its

International briefs: Cuba; Congo: South Africa

UN votes 157-2 against blockade of Cuba The United Nations General Assembly on October 14 voted against the US blockade of Cuba by a record margin, 157-2. Only the US and Israel voted in favour of the blockade. Twelve countries abstained. The vote

For a non-sexist future

For a non-sexist future A recent front-page report in the Sydney Morning Herald, citing statistics from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, highlights the increasing number of women and children seeking protection from domestic

Protest planned against nuclear ship visit

Protest planned against nuclear ship visit By Alex Bainbridge and Jeroen Benes HOBART — Activists and progressive groups have vowed to protest against two US nuclear warships due to arrive here in the next month. The first ship is scheduled to

Cuba updates

Putting people first Speaking to the UN General Assembly's third commission on social, humanitarian and cultural issues in early October, Rodolfo Reyes, second secretary of Cuba's UN mission, said Cuba will continue to be a society that puts its

500,000 French high school students hit the streets

By Francesca Davis High school students in France, angry about large class sizes, badly maintained buildings, too few teachers and shortages of resources, have taken to the streets in their hundreds of thousands. Student strikes began in Nimes, in

Organising Reclaim the Night

Organising Reclaim the Night Melbourne By Lynne Kennedy Organising this year's 1998 Reclaim the Night has had its share of problems and successes. The fact that we have been unsuccessful in all our requests for funding highlights, yet again,

On strike at the Volkov mine

By Renfrey Clarke KEMEROVO, Russia — Gennady Filatyev, director of the Volkov coalmine near this city in the Kuzbass industrial region of Siberia, is a bull of a man. When he leans across a lectern, gesticulating as he makes a point, he could be

Coober Pedy says no to nuclear dump

Coober Pedy says no to nuclear dump By Lyn Hovey The people of Coober Pedy, in outback South Australia, are organising to oppose the National Radioactive Waste Repository (i.e. dump) proposed for Billa Kalina. A public meeting was organised in

Neglect and exploitation led to Nigerian oil carnage

By Norm Dixon By any calculation, the October 17 oil pipeline disaster in southern Nigerian rates amongst the worst industrial accidents ever. As of October 21, the death toll was estimated at 700; it is expected to climb above 1000. The western

Dorf workers push company back

Dorf workers push company back By Chris Spindler MELBOURNE — After two weeks of being locked out, about 200 workers at the Email Dorf plant in Melbourne's south-east have returned to work after the company accepted most of the workers' demands.