91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳

News

• Protest against Howard in Hobart

  HOBART — More than 1000 people protested on August 23 outside the Liberal Party state conference dinner at Wrest Point Casino, where Prime Minister John Howard spoke. Several union contingents, students, East Timor solidarity activists, Sexual
• ACTCOSS cans the budget

  ACTCOSS cans the budgetCANBERRA — Lyn Morgaine from the ACT Council of Social Service told a meeting of 40 people on August 21, "Many of the measures outlined in the budget will have a harsh impact on the most disadvantaged people
• Whose violence is the greater?

  [The following is a joint statement by the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance on the August 19 events at Parliament House.] The media chorus of condemnation of the August 19 incident at Parliament House is absolutely hypocritical. The
• Budget erodes public health system

  Changes to the Medicare and pharmaceutical benefits schemes and other changes to health funding introduced in the Coalition's August 20 budget have been promoted as a start to the process of restraining government expenditure
• More action needed, say Canberra protesters

  Beyond their blood-curdling accounts of the angry scenes at the doors of Parliament House, the establishment media studiously avoided reporting the depth of feeling of participants at the anti-Howard rally on August 19. From a safe distance inside
• East Timor national day of solidarity

  Actions in solidarity with East Timor were held around the country over the weekend of August 23-25. Tim E. Stewart reports from Darwin that with plainclothes and uniformed police outnumbering activists two to one, 18 people marked the national day
• Union campaign forces school cleaning review

  Union campaign forces school cleaning reviewBRISBANE — A concerted campaign by Queensland school cleaners has forced the Education Department to review privatisation plans which would lay off 6500 permanent and casual workers.
• Cuts target the poor, vulnerable

  Welfare rights groups have criticised the budget, saying that more than 30% of the expenditure cuts unfairly target people on low incomes. Michael Raper, director of the NSW Welfare Rights Centre, described the new social security
• CFMEU solidarity with Indonesian trade unionists

  CANBERRA — Nico Warouw, the international representative of the Indonesian People's Democratic Party (PRD), urged CFMEU seminar participants to support the release of all political prisoners and the growing
• CFMEU maps out fight back strategies

  CANBERRA — Some 350 officials, job delegates and rank and file members from around the country attended the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union's (CFMEU) August 17-18 information seminar on the
• 'If we don't fight, we lose'

  The following is abridged from a speech by Tom Hagan on behalf of TAFE Students Against Slave Wages to the August 19 trade union protest in Perth. Hagan is a member of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the socialist youth organisation
• Hinchinbrook faces protest blockade

  Hinchinbrook faces protest blockadeBRISBANE — Conservationists from north Queensland plan demonstrations and a blockade of the Hinchinbrook site of developer Keith Williams' resort project, finally approved by the federal
• CPSU members stop work

  On August 23, members of the Community and Public Sector Union participated in nationwide stop-work meetings to decide the next steps in the union's campaign against the federal government's cuts to the public service. A motion put by the union's
• Loose cannons

  What kind of degree? "He told them that his girlfriend was from Port Macquarie but that she was studying at university in Queensland and when she had her degree and had learnt to cook, then he'd marry her." — A National Party official,
• Thousands rally against government attacks

  In the largest outpouring of unionist opposition to government attacks since the SEQEB dispute, and the biggest workers' rally in Brisbane for decades, Bill Mason reports, some 10,000 people crowded into the King George Square on August 19 and later
• Students occupy Howard's office

  Students occupy Howard's officeSYDNEY — On August 21, 60 students occupied John Howard's electoral office in Gladesville to protest against the budget's attacks on education. After entering, the students escorted most staff
• Indigenous resistance rally

  Indigenous resistance rallySYDNEY — A quickly organised Indigenous Resistance Rally attracted more than 1000 people to Hyde Park on August 18. The rally called for a strong and unified stand against the Howard government's
• Anger at moves to relocate school

  CANBERRA — A recent Education Department review recommends the relocation of the School without Walls (SWOW) to Dickson College. On August 14, a public meeting at SWOW to discuss the proposal was attended by more than 80
• Violence on August 19

  I have just got back from Canberra where I attended the rally. The media have reacted completely inappropriately to the events on the day. I witnessed much which conflicts with what was reported: 1. The rally was not violent. You
• Anger at pro-business Tasmanian budget

  HOBART — The minority Rundle Liberal government's first budget, which advocates deep cuts to public services, has been passed with the support of the Greens. Labor voted against it and pushed for amendments, though stating it