Put One Nation last?
Once upon a time, and not so long ago it was too, one could make an electoral choice guided by the principle of voting for the lesser of two evils. Many is the time I have run with party A rather than party B on this basis
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Resistance against racism: walkout on August 28Despite claims to the contrary, the Howard government's latest plan to overhaul funding to Abstudy and tighten the definition of "Aboriginality" is a blatantly racist one. While the
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Australians for an Ecologically Sustainable Population Inc. (AESP) is an independent environmental organisation dedicated to achieving an Australian society which is in balance with nature and, to this end, actively
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Reply by Francesca Davis Australians for an Ecologically Sustainable Population argues that "Australians impact on the environment in two ways: by our numbers and practices". The problem with this argument is that it deals with the issues of
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No Nukes! For several months, hundreds of anti-uranium and land rights activists have been blockading the Jabiluka uranium mine in Kakadu. Thousands have also shown their opposition to the mine with rallies, pickets, information stalls and public
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Immigration cuts It is most unfortunate that any reduction to immigration levels is now regarded by some GLW supporters as racist. Cuts to immigration are not necessarily racist, but are certainly socially inequitable. Australia's policies are
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HOBART — The August 29 Tasmanian elections are a crucial point for progressive politics here. For several years, the strength of the environment movement and the proportional Hare-Clark parliamentary system have combined
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Blue stockings From August 17 to 21, Blue Stocking Week, events will be held on campuses across Australia to focus attention on women's participation in higher education. A century ago, women who wanted a formal education were referred to by
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Compassion By Brandon Astor Jones "If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is something that could better be changed in ourselves" — Carl Gustav Jung Chaquita Damon, age five,
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"I have been threatened with being bashed, with being shot, and I have had customers scream so loud that it hurt my ear. I have had a customer in a public phone box smash the hand set into the payphone, causing my ear to ring."
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Resistance, the socialist youth organisation in political solidarity with the Democratic Socialist Party, was the organiser of the impressive secondary school walkouts and protests against racism and One Nation that were held around
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Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Thursday, 10pm and Saturday, 7pm. Ph 9565 5522. Access News —
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An editorial in a recent edition of the Irish Echo (a paper for Irish people in Australia) draws some interesting parallels between anti-immigrant prejudice today and anti-Irish prejudice in 19th-century Australia. Some 19th-century
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If you believed the hype, you would think that everyone — rich and poor — will be better off under the new Howard-Costello tax plan. But it's not possible for something to benefit both rich and poor, both bosses and workers. A
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Neo-Nazi thugs offer their services to HansonThe Queensland director of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party, Peter James, said on August 6 that the party would accept "support" offered to it by the Adelaide-based neo-Nazi outfit,
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US secretary of state Madeleine Albright and defence secretary William Cohen recently visited Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. Meeting with Australia's defence minister, Ian McLachlan, and foreign minister Alexander Downer,
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Westpac picketed CANBERRA — On August 14, the ACT Jabiluka Action Group held a picket at the city branch of Westpac bank. Thirty people attended the spirited and vocal action, which protested against Westpac's investment in Energy Resources of
News
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BRISBANE — Recent moves to abolish parole for prisoners serving more than five years and to deprive all prisoners of the right to vote are indicative of the extent to which One Nation has been able to influence the agenda
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Uranium mining method far from 'benign' By Gavin Mudd The mining technique of in situ leaching (ISL), often referred to as solution mining, is becoming an increasingly favoured method for the extraction of uranium across the world.
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"In East Timor they torture us physically; in Australia they do it mentally." — Henrique Lay, East Timorese asylum seeker A network of more than 10,000 Australians stands ready to defy federal law on behalf of East Timorese asylum seekers, but more
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Thousands of Telstra workers covered by the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) attended stop-work meetings around the country on August 13 to hear the latest offer for a new two-year enterprise agreement. The other
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Anti-uranium campaigning on NSW North CoastLISMORE — Bolstered by the return of activists from the Jabiluka mine blockade, the campaign against the mine and all uranium mining has been stepped up here. Successful activities
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Socialists to field Senate tickets in all states The Democratic Socialists, who recently obtained federal electoral registration, will field Senate tickets in all states in the coming federal elections. Democratic Socialists will also contest
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MELBOURNE — More than 50 protesters held a speak-out at the State Library on August 8 calling for the repeal of abortion laws in Australia. The action, organised by the Pro-Choice Coalition, was part of a national day of action on
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The Kumarangk Legal Defence Fund has announced its formation, and the establishment of a new web site with information on the campaign to save Kumarangk (Hindmarsh Island), and its sites of significance to people of the Aboriginal Ngarrindjeri
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Nice guys finish last "My problem is I was too soft and had too many scruples." — Liberal MP Stephen Mutch, after losing preselection in his Sydney seat of Cook. Reptiles "The unusual political structure of One Nation is described [on Four
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Steelworker candidate: 'Nationalise BHP'NEWCASTLE — Geoff Payne, a rigger at the BHP steelworks, is standing as the Democratic Socialist candidate for the federal seat of Newcastle. Payne will "challenge the racists who are
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Pathfinder Bookshop attacked SYDNEY — The Pathfinder Bookshop, which shares its office with the Communist League, was vandalised on August 9 by an organisation called White Aryan Resistance. The front of the shop was scrawled with the slogan:
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On August 9, the Australian Greens announced their national Senate team. Greens Senator Bob Brown predicted the party would win extra seats in the eastern states and retain the seat held by Dee Margetts from the WA Greens. In
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MELBOURNE — Preliminary results of the Northcote by-election on August 15 show a good result for left candidates. The election was won by ALP candidate Mary Delahunty. The Liberals did not stand a candidate, but asked their
Analysis
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Compromising with racism When Senator Brian Harradine caved in and agreed to passage of the government's Native Title Act amendments through the Senate, he argued that this was necessary to avoid a "race-based election". The Labor Party, in
World
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The last time — in January 1995 — that Beijing endeavoured to shake the vested interests of the military, a harmless "temporary regulation on economic accountability" was issued for "leading army cadres" in the name of the
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Auckland — In an attempt to silence student opposition to government cuts, the New Zealand government passed legislation on August 5 that will undermine universal student membership of student unions. The legislation requires all
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According to a recently released report, results from four human pesticide experiments have been submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency since 1992, and EPA regulators believe that more are under way in Britain. The growing use of human
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While in Indonesia last month, 91̳ Weekly's JULIA PERKINS spoke with BELA, a 20-year-old women who works at one of Sungai Buaigrup's biscuit factories in Tangerang. Question: Tell us about the industrial action that has been taking place at
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MOSCOW — After pledging US$22.6 billion to save Russia from economic meltdown, international lenders are being called upon to extend a further US$18 billion. Not, this time, to avoid metaphorical meltdowns, but to help set the
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"We don't work for consumers in Argentina or Africa, and we don't care about public health issues there." That was how the US deputy assistant trade representative for intellectual property responded two years ago to a suggestion that the US trade representative (USTR) should approach pharmaceutical patent policies as a public health issue rather than as a trade issue.
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The neo-liberal agenda is being imposed on Colombian workers through the union-busting overhaul of the country's labour code and the unrelenting terror of death squads. The anti-union onslaught has taken its toll on Colombia's
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Peter Montague In 1985, cows in Britain began to die of a mysterious ailment that no-one had ever seen before. The cows staggered and drooled, their ears twitching. Then they began to show signs of fear, grinding their teeth, acting aggressively
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Dita Sari: 'Habibie is Suhartoism without Suharto' JAKARTA — 91̳ Weekly's JULIA PERKINS recently spoke to DITA SARI, People's Democratic Party (PRD) leader and chairperson of the Centre for Indonesian Labour Struggle, in Tangerang women's
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NZ Alliance discusses coalition with LabourAUCKLAND — More than 350 people gathered at Massey University in Albany on August 8-9 for the Alliance national conference. The Alliance groups three parties: NewLabour, Mana Motuhake
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Dangerous pesticide use in Nigeria More than 600,000 farming households in Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria may be exposed to pesticide hazards due to poor handling conditions, according to a recent study based on interviews with 180 households in
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By George J. Aditjondro The popular demands to investigate the billions of dollars pillaged by former President Suharto from the Indonesian people and state coffers seem to have dwindled. One of the main stumbling blocks is the unwillingness of
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Skate, Kabui at odds over Bougainville independencePapua New Guinea Prime Minister Bill Skate stated bluntly on August 4 that he will not permit Bougainville to become independent. His statement has called into question the peace
Culture
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Not an advertisement Fair go! One of the many reasons we need tax reform is that taxes are too complicated. Because taxes are so complicated, millionaires have to hire expensive tax lawyers to reduce their taxes to the level you pay. Is that
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Poem: I can't abide (Tune: Abide with me) I can't abide (Tune: Abide with me) I can't abide the government's front bench, send them away to the Germans or the FrenchI can't abide Costello's shallow sneer — won't someone make the bastard
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QuitoNewtown Theatre, August 6 Review by Rebecca Conroy Quito is a music drama concerned with schizophrenia and the plight of the East Timorese. Composed by Martin Wesley-Smith with lyrics by his brother Peter, it is a moving exploration of the
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PACT Youtheatre and University of NSWDirected by Christopher RyanPACT Theatre107 Railway Parade, ErskinevilleUntil August 29 Review by Brendan Doyle The audience, perched on hard benches, sits facing each other across an
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Tell MeBy Stephen Ewart Review by Michael Cooke Surfing the radio stations these days, one is assaulted with a bland and bewildering potpourri of golden oldies: hip hop, migraine-inducing dance music, pastiches of 70s "classics", pretty boy/girl
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Poem: Ad-junked Ad-junked Selling dreams, selling schemesSelling creams for your face and your stomachCars, computers, insurance, blue jeans and dessertsShares, holidays, property, alcohol and soapWith a little bit of glamour they're peddling