In protests around the country on Workers Memorial Day, April 28, thousands of workers came out to remember those killed on the job and to protest against the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).
Speakers pointed out that since the ABCC was formed, deaths in the construction industry had risen from 3.14 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2004, to 4.27 in 2008. The rate peaked in 2006, at 5.6.
The Rudd government鈥檚 home insulation program, under which four workers died and there have been 120 house fires, also came under attack.
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The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) concluded its five-month extraordinary congress on April 25 with the approval of highly anticipated party principles and statutes. This was just in time for primaries on May 2, in which millions of PSUV members will choose parliamentary candidates to run against a newly united opposition platform called the 鈥淒emocratic Alternative鈥 in September.
Bolivia's World People's Summit on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth was radical, inspiring, uncompromising and exactly what was needed.
Up to 30,000 people from six continents took part in the summit, which was held in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba from April 19 to 22.
The huge oil spill from a BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico underscores the summit鈥檚 significance. About 800,000 litres of oil are spewing out a day. The company admits it may not be able to stop the leak for weeks 鈥 or even months.
On May 1 in Kathmandu, in a dramatic show of force by Nepal鈥檚 Maoists to demand a return to civilian rule and a democratic process of creating a new, pro-people constitution. With the government refusing popular demands for its resignation, an indefinite general strike has been called from May 2 in what the Maoists are calling a 鈥渇inal push鈥 to resolve the struggle for power between the poor majority and Nepal鈥檚 elite.
The World People鈥檚 Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth held in April 19-22 in Cochabamba, adopted a People鈥檚 Agreement on tackling climate change. Some of its key points are listed below. Visit Pwccc.wordpress.com to read the full document, and other resolutions adopted by the summit.
The People鈥檚 Agreement includes the following points:
Hip-hop artist Chuck D, best known as a rapper with progressive band Public Enemy, has released a new track in response to the extreme racist, anti-immigrant law passed on April 23 in Arizona entitled 鈥淭ear Down That Wall鈥. The song can be downloaded at . Chuck D and his wife, Dr Gaye Theresa Johnson (director of Black and Chicano studies at UC Santa Barbara), also released the following statement against the racist law.
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After weeks of political wrangling and uncertainty since the March 20 state elections, a new government has been formed in Tasmania. For the first time in Australia鈥檚 history, the Greens will have ministry positions.
The Labor Party and the Greens agreed to a 鈥減ower sharing deal鈥, which offered a ministry for Greens leader Nick McKim and a cabinet secretary position for Greens MP Cassy O鈥機onnor.
This will be the last column I write about the major league baseball team Arizona Diamondbacks in the foreseeable future. For me, they do not exist.
They will continue to not exist in my mind as long as the horribly named anti-immigrant 鈥淪upport Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act鈥, signed into law on April 23, remains on the books in Arizona.
This law has brought echoes of apartheid to the state.
The following is a transcript of a speech by award-winning journalist John Pilger at the Sydney Teachers鈥 Federation on April 23. It was part of a public launch of the Four Days in July national Aboriginal rights convergence in Alice Springs from July 6 to 9.
鈥淐apitalism is the number one enemy of humanity鈥, Bolivian President Evo Morales said in his closing speech to the World People鈥檚 Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth held on April 19-22 in Cochabamba.
鈥淚t turns everything into merchandise, it seeks continual expansion. The system needs to be changed.鈥
More than 35,000 people attended the summit, organised by the Bolivian government in response to the challenge of climate change after rich nations refused to allow an agreement for serious action at the December United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen.
As a doctor working in the front line of the public hospital system for a decade, I have been watching the debate around health reform with great interest.
The phrase 鈥渃ontrolled locally, funded federally鈥 has been repeated ad nauseam by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Imagine if we could hear him saying 鈥渇ree universal health care for all ... no more handouts to the private sector ... break the feudal strangle hold of the colleges on the number of specialists being trained ... will include dentistry ... a healthy society ... a shorter working week so we have time to exercise...鈥.
The Sydney launch of the Four Days in July national Aboriginal rights convergence was addressed by journalist John Pilger, Alyawarr peoples鈥 walk-off spokesperson Richard Downs, Maritime Union of Australia Sydney branch secretary Paul McAleer and Larissa Behrendt, Professor of Law and Director of Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS. More than 300 people attended the April 23 meeting.
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