BRISBANE — Following weeks of controversy on chronic under-funding of the Queensland hospital system, health workers at Princess Alexandra Hospital have warned of industrial action to win increased funds for public health. A meeting of more than
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Bougainville demands independence Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Pias Wingti announced on August 16 that peace would come to Bougainville only with the unconditional surrender of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA). On the same day, PNG
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SYDNEY — A recent investigation by the NSW Ombudsman into conditions at Mulawa Women's Prison revealed a high level of mismanagement and a lack of accountability. Mulawa has a long history of appalling conditions of confinement,
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ADELAIDE — Homophobia is alive and well within the South Australian Police Department, according to a special survey compiled by Lesbian and Gay Community Action. Speaking on August 25 at the launch of the report, Professor Wilson, a widely
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Pride and courage Commonwealth Games athlete Cathy Freeman won gold and set a new record in the 400 metre sprint in Victoria, Canada last week. Sporting events such as the games usually provide inspiration for sportswomen to keep at it during
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Regular readers of this column will be aware that 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ has been running a campaign to purchase a new computer for our editor. The power of the computer the editor has been using has been outstripped by workload, to the point where it has been
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SYDNEY — A Water Board proposal to raise Warragamba Dam in the Southern Blue Mountains could destroy vast tracts of pristine wilderness and encourage urban sprawl downstream. The dam, which stands 100 metres high and
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Red Ted and the Great Depression — "Red Ted" Theodore was the union organiser who rose to become federal treasurer just in time to face the gravest economic crisis in Australian history. ABC, 8.30pm, Wednesday, August 31. As it Happened: the
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The Media Report — With Andrew Dodd. Covering media, communication and communications technology. ABC Radio National, Thursday, September 1, 8.30am. International Playhouse — Lost Souls — By Mammy Draycott-Lai. Patrick is a bitter man who
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Based on highly reliably international contacts, leaked documents and horoscopes from several TV magazines, Nostradamus' Media Watch presents a highly accurate forecast of political events across the globe. Salman Rushdie
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There has been a great deal of incorrect and biased information circulating in the media regarding the political situation of Cuba and the United States. According to recent media reports, a mass migration of Cubans towards
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Help needed Brandon Astor Jones has asked me to pass on the information that the prison authorities in Georgia have just introduced new regulations regarding sending money to prisoners. Anyone wishing to send him money may now send cheques
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Genes and profits: a deadly mixGenetic engineering is an experimental technology with no extensive history of safe use outside contained environments in laboratories and some factories. Despite its usefulness as a research
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Resistance, FRETILIN (Revolutionary Front for the Independence of East Timor) Youth, UDT (Timorese Democratic Union) and AKSI (Indonesia Solidarity Action) have called a National Day of Action on October 15 in preparation for
News
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Disabled win building accessBRISBANE — The Anti-Discrimination Tribunal on August 24 ordered the Queensland government to provide access for the disabled to Brisbane's new Convention and Exhibition Centre. The tribunal
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ADELAIDE — The state Liberal government's first formal budget on August 25 continues the strategy of generating savings through public sector job cuts and reforms previously outlined in May by the Audit Commission.
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Coode Island time bomb still tickingMELBOURNE — Greenpeace and the Hazardous Materials Action Group (HAZMAG) highlighted the third anniversary of the Coode Island fires on August 22 by releasing a leaked government risk
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East Timor Week in DarwinDARWIN — August 15-21 was proclaimed "East Timor Week" by activists who worked hard and in unity to publicise and protest against Suharto's military dictatorship in East Timor and West Papua
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August 20 marked the 19th anniversary of FALINTIL (Armed Forces for the National Liberation of East Timor), which has maintained the armed struggle against Indonesian occupation of East Timor. FALINTIL has been transformed from the military arm of
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Both the federal Labor and the Tasmanian Liberal governments are claiming a moral mandate in the struggle over abolition of Tasmania's anti-gay laws. On August 22, federal cabinet agreed to a Human Rights (Sexual Conduct)
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Rainforest protest occupies shipBRISBANE — More than 40 members of the Brisbane Rainforest Action Group occupied a Philippines cargo ship here on August 23 in protest at the import of rainforest timber from Indonesia.
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Sack the voters "I am disappointed with Parramatta." — Wendy Jones, Liberal candidate in a by-election for the NSW state seat of Parramatta, after suffering a 10% swing against the government. Spoilsport "An intentional reactor accident
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Opening of Clearing HouseMELBOURNE — The Clearing House for Clean Information had its grand opening in Melbourne's western suburbs on August 21. The Clearing House is a new statewide toxics and urban issues group.
Analysis
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Liquidating public property After a valuation of Australian National Lines found that the government-owned company could not be privatised, minister for transport Laurie Brereton is looking at ANL's liquidation. The study by merchant bank
World
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Bougainville updates PNG military retreat Radio Free Bougainville reported on August 19 that the Papua New Guinea military operation "High Speed" to recapture the Panguna mine, having hit the brakes, is now in reverse. The report claims
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JOHANNESBURG, August 20 — The national strike by car assembly workers entered its third week with no end in sight. The struggle has become a test of strength as the employers steadfastly refuse to offer more than a 10% increase
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Mother-to-child HIV cases increasing in Thailand HIV infection from mother to child is increasing at a dangerous rate, especially among pregnant women in Bangkok according to a study presented at Bangkok's 12th National Epidemiology Seminar on
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On August 19 the Nepalese government arrested some 3000 political activists including the parliamentary representatives and national leaderships of the major opposition parties and the head of the student's federation and the womens' movement.
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LONDON — Some 60,000 young people, environmentalists, hunt saboteurs, unionists, socialists, squatters, travellers and civil rights activists, joined the rally and march here on July 24 against the criminal justice bill,
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At first glance, one could be forgiven for thinking, that the federal Republic of Germany is heading in the same direction it did in 1933. However that would be an over-simplification. The German
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Peace talks Peace talks in Tambea in the Solomon Islands between the Papua New Guinea government and the Bougainville Interim Government concluded optimistically on August 27. In a joint statement, the two delegations expressed "satisfaction at
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Opposition to toxic waste trade plan in South AfricaJOHANNESBURG — A recent national summit of South African non-government organisations has condemned the Ministry and Department of Environment Affairs for wanting to
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MOSCOW — Workers in Russia's nuclear power plants appeared close to forcing important concessions from the government in mid-August following weeks of struggle for the payment of back wages and of debts owed to the industry.
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MOSCOW — In the spring of this year, social democratic ideas started coming back into fashion in Russia. Former Central Committee apparatchiks — people who had played more than a few roles over the years — recalled the
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JOHANNESBURG — There is a none-too-subtle campaign under way here to convince black workers that they are overpaid, unproductive and too ready to take industrial action. These factors make South Africa "uncompetitive" say a
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JOHANNESBURG — The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) faces a formidable challenge, Dr Ben Rugangazi, the RPF's assistant director for international relations, told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly. The new government must convince millions of
Culture
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A well-rounded exhibition What does two fish bowls and a lost soul Carclew Youth Arts Centre, North Adelaide Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 10-4 till September 16 Reviewed by Fergus Mills This exhibition by local artists Penny Farrow, wood duck and
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Musician with a message James Brook is a Melbourne-based solo singer guitarist who has been playing his hard-edged brand of political folk for about a year. In that time he has toured the east coast with the folk punk band Mutiny, played
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JOHANNESBURG — South Africa has, at last, a democratically elected government. Nelson Mandela has made the three-decade journey from the rock piles of Robben Island to the President's residence in Pretoria. These are significant milestones in the
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Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character By Jonathan Shay New York: Atheneum. 1994. 236 pp. Reviewed by Allen Myers The title of this fascinating study is not merely a literary allusion. Dr Jonathan Shay, a
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A novel of artistic strength To the death, Amic By John Bryson Viking 1994, 252 pp., $29.95 (hb) Reviewed by Phil Shannon In the Spanish province of Catalonia in 1936, ten-year-old twins Enric and Josep mistake the first rifle shots
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Women as they really are Jigsaws By Jennifer Rogers Directed by Louise Luccarini New Theatre, Sydney Friday-Sunday until October 1 Reviewed by Betty Downey and Pip Hinman Jigsaws is about five women, belonging to three generations
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Pleasant listening music Black Wings on the Sun By Isabella A Cappella Larrikin Records Wetlands Acoustic By Sirocco EMI Reviewed by Carla Gorton Black Wings on the Sun is the first release from Lismore's Southern Cross
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The politics of belly dancing: a choreopoem Written by Paula Abood Directed by Paula Abood and Jane Packham The Performance Space September 14-25 Wed-Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm, Thurs September 22 women only The National Festival of Australian
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A love of reading and writing plus an abiding interest in feminism proved to be an irresistible combination for the 24,000 fortunate souls who made it to Melbourne on July 27-31 to visit, participate and revel in the sixth
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Sounds of East TimorDARWIN — During the Portuguese colonisation of East Timor, an isolated indigenous group, the Ilimanu, lived in the north-east of the island. With the Timorese revolution in 1974, Ilimanu joined
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Great gay cinema Leaving Lenin (Gadael Lenin) Directed by Endaf Emlyn Reviewed by John Frame Shown as part of Brisbane's Third International Film Festival, Leaving Lenin was a welcome contrast to the only other gay-themed feature,