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East Timor: Australia's double betrayal

Max Lane Since the East Timorese independence referendum in 1999, the Australian government has received approximately $1 billion dollars in taxes on oil taken from the Laminaria Corallina field, which is fully situated in East Timorese territory.

NEW ZEALAND: Building a movement for real democracy

In January, New Zealand National Party leader Don Brash gave a speech viciously attacking affirmative action for Maoris. In the uproar that followed, New Zealand's Labour government made significant concessions to Brash, agreeing that a "new balance"

Male teacher shortage is not the problem

Bronwyn Jennings The federal government's recent announcement that it will attempt to amend the Sex Discrimination Act to encourage more men to become teachers will have little effect on the number of men who are attracted to the teaching

Left union leaders say 'Defend Craig Johnston'

Sue Bolton, Melbourne Many Victorian unionists were shocked when an ACTU-initiated resolution titled "Criminal and violent conduct policy" was rammed through the March 12 Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) executive meeting. The resolution is

Vote for the millions, not the millionairres!

Socialist Alliance candidates in the March 27 NSW local government elections: Auburn: Lisa Macdonald (councillor, First Ward). Bankstown: Raul Bassi, Rihab Charida, Maurice Shaya (councillors, East Ward). Canterbury: Susan Mullan (mayor).

IRAQ: Kurds, Shiites criticise US-imposed constitution

Doug Lorimer While Washington is scrambling to keep Spain from withdrawing its contingent of 1300 troops from Iraq, it is threatened by a serious rift with another NATO ally, Turkey. Turkey is objecting to the interim constitution that the US has

Socialist candidates campaign for working people

Paul Benedek, Sydney The Socialist Alliance is running 24 candidates across 10 councils in the March 27 NSW local government elections. The alliance is also fielding candidates for mayor in Newcastle City, Wollongong, Canterbury and City of

Thousands march for 'Troops out of Iraq'

Pip Hinman Up to 7000 people joined a March 20 protest organised by the Stop the War Coalition in Sydney. Thousands more rallied in other cities, including 2000 in Melbourne and 1000 in Brisbane. The Spanish election results had clearly given

UNITED STATES: Mother of a US soldier in Iraq: 'Wrong to go to war, and wrong to stay'

Family members of soldiers now in Iraq have become a central pillar of the US movement against war and occupation. Military families and veterans groups mobilised for a protest on March 20 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the home of Fort Bragg.

Our Common Cause: An unsustainable course

On March 21, it will be 10 years since 154 countries signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) following the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil. The only implementing treaty, the Kyoto Protocol, is in limbo. The US and

UNITED STATES: Iraq war deserter surrenders

Doug Lorimer US Army Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia became the first US soldier to turn himself in after refusing to return to Iraq when he turned himself in to military authorities in Boston on March 15, saying he would seek conscientious objector

Community debates M4 extension

SYDNEY — At least 650 residents met at Ashfield Town Hall on March 15, to debate the government's proposed options to extend the M4. The meeting condemned the poor and inadequate information provided by the Road Traffic Authority on key issues