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Dutton’s bid to ban mobile phones

After the defeat in the Federal Court of his bid to ban mobile phones in offshore immigration detention centres, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) Peter Dutton is trying another strategy to subvert the court’s August ruling.

Mobile phones are already prohibited in onshore immigration detention centres and on Christmas Island for refugees who tried to come to Australia by boat.

Call to defend health care

Call to defend health care By Anthony Thirlwall ADELAIDE — "Yes, we are political and we will continue to be political. We want more people to be political. We want a healthy society", explained Jill Archer, from Save

Revenge of the rainforests

Scientists now believe that HIV, the virus which causes AIDS, is a product of rainforest destruction. Far worse may be in store, writes ROBYN MARSHALL. A virus is a very small infectious particle containing a strand of genetic material,

Poem: My belly may ache

Poem: My belly may ache By Phil Gregory I long for it to be the sound of rolling thunder, Or breakers crashing on the shore, But it's the crunch and grind of woodchip milling, And it makes me shudder to the core.

Growing anger over SA budget

By Chris Spindler ADELAIDE— The South Australian budget, brought down on August 25, has come under increasing criticism from unions, the community health sector, welfare organisations and political groups. As a result of the

SA public servants reject deal

SA public servants reject deal By Trish Corcoran ADELAIDE — A meeting of almost 1000 PSA/CPSU (Public Service Association/Commonwealth Public Sector Union) members here on September 6 voted to reject the state government's

Victorian hospital workers strike

Victorian hospital workers strike By Seetal Dodd MELBOURNE — Workers at Austin, Royal Talbot and Heidelberg Repatriation hospitals started a campaign of industrial action on September 6 with a 24-hour strike. Work bans and

Doctors speak out against uranium mining

Doctors speak out against uranium mining By Anne Pavy PERTH— "The ALP is poised to determine the future of uranium mining in Australia. This represents a critical moment in Australia's history with very serious implications

Secret CJC inquiry clears Goss advisers

Secret CJC inquiry clears Goss advisers By Bill Mason BRISBANE — A nine-month investigation by the Criminal Justice Commission, conducted in secret, has refused to support any allegations against current and former staff of

Enterprise bargaining 'consensus' falters in NSW

By Jennifer Thompson SYDNEY — A recent decision against the Transport Workers Union in the NSW Industrial Commission, limiting the award safety net for workers covered by enterprise agreements, has sparked a call by state secretary Steve

Uranium mining and the threat to Kakadu

Hardly a day goes by without some Labor politician calling for an end to Labor's "three mines" uranium policy. The representative body for the Top End Aboriginal communities, the Northern Land Council, has also thrown its weight behind these calls.

A day to be believed

A day to be believed By Linda Kaucher ADELAIDE — Giving domestic violence victims a chance to talk and be believed was the main purpose of a meeting called by the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) on September 4. A