Australia聮s highest-paid boss, Macquarie Bank chief executive officer Allan Moss, has pocketed a 57% pay rise, now taking home more than double an average worker聮s yearly wage for one day at the office. In a day, he earns more than most workers get in a year.
-
-
Some 250 people heard from Terry Hicks, father of former Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks, at a May 19 public meeting organised by the Stop the War Coalition. The meeting was also addressed by academic Tim Anderson, Omar Merhi (brother of one of the Muslim men being held in Barwon Prison accused of being terrorists) and STWC聮s Anna Samson. Responding to a suggestion at a media conference before the meeting that one of Australia聮s 聭most notorious criminals聮 would soon be coming home from Guantanamo, Terry Hicks commented that one of Australia聮s most notorious criminals would soon be 聭dis-elected聮.
-
A new report by leading health experts on behalf of the Municipal Services Project, The Problem of Handwashing and Paying for Water, found that pre-paid water metres have a negative effect on household hygiene, with insufficient handwashing increasing the risk of water-borne diseases and other health problems in poor communities. The report argued: 聯In a country where poverty is rife, where there is soaring unemployment, where there is a massive housing backlog, and where hunger is a daily reality, it is unrealistic to expect poor people to purchase, in advance, a basic good such as water.聰 The findings give weight to the legal challenge launched in the High Court in July 2006 by a coalition collection of community organisations and NGOs opposing current water policies 聴 and Soweto residents, which is demanding that Johannesburg Water聮s unilateral decision to impose the pre-paid meters be declared unconstitutional and illegal.
-
Since the ALP national conference in April, the big companies have had the ear of the Liberal and Labor parties about what sort of changes should be made to Australia鈥檚 industrial relations laws. The voice of workers and their unions have not been heard.
-
On May 2, at the Barrick Gold shareholder meeting in Toronto, Protest Barrick 聴 which includes aboriginal communities from Australia, the US, Latin America and Asia 聴 served the company an eviction notice. The previous day, writer and film-maker Naomi Klein opened a film night in Toronto, at which films from Chile, Nevada, the US and Australia were screened. Shareholders at the meeting were given leaflets by representatives of Australia聮s Wiradjuri people and Nevada聮s Western Shoshone explaining the cyanide contamination of their land and depletion of water supplies as a result of Barrick聮s operations. Some protesters used proxy ballots to argue their case inside the meeting. Lake Cowal, the sacred heartland of the Wiradjuri, is being desecrated by Barrick聮s cyanide leaching gold mine. Access to the lake for traditional ceremonies has been restricted because of the mine. Wiradjuri traditional owner Neville 聯Chappy聰 Williams, who announced the serving of the eviction notice to the meeting, was later approached by some shareholders who said they were now considering selling their shares.
-
Since the ALP national conference in April, the big companies have had the ear of the Liberal and Labor parties about what sort of changes should be made to Australia鈥檚 industrial relations laws. The voice of workers and their unions have not been heard.
-
Representatives of the Australia Cuba Friendship Society, the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network and the FMLN Australia, along with members of the Greens, the Socialist Alliance and the ALP, gathered at the US embassy at lunchtime on May 15 to present a statement criticising the release by the US government of convicted terrorist and mass murderer Luis Posada Carriles and demanding his extradition from the US to Venezuela (see article on page 14). The protest, part of a global day of action in solidarity with Posada鈥檚 victims, was addressed by Luisa Espino from the ACFS, ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey and AVSN national coordinator Lara Pullin.
-
HARARE 聴 On May 15, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police bashed vendors in the Eastgate area and arrested leaders of the Progressive Youth Movement and the Zimbabwe Youth Movement, charging them with inciting vendors to resist arrest. Some 60-80 Harare vendors have been rounded up and arrested by the state police for illegal selling of products on the black market. Massive inflation and more than 80% unemployment have created harsh conditions for those in the informal sector to make a living. The youth were charged with assaulting police and are in custody with the vendors at the central police station. The Free-Zim Youth Movement called on President Thabo Mbeki to comply with human rights legislation and demanded that the Pan African Parliament send a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe immediately.
-
In 2001, more than 30 workers over 50 years of age were suddenly given 24-hour termination notices by their employer, Guppy Plastic Industries Sdn Bhd. The workers were then told they could return later when they would be offered contract jobs. The chairperson of the workers聮 union described the move as a dirty tactic to make the women contract workers, to further maximise the company聮s profits at the expense of the workers. The 50-year retirement age for women workers is below the normal standard and is different to the company聮s retirement policy for male workers. On May 15, nine of the sacked workers took the case to the industrial court, seeking back pay, compensation for loss of income and redundancy payments.
-
A new vaccine against the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease that causes most incidents of cervical cancer, is being opposed by religious conservatives in the US who claim it will 聯encourage promiscuity聰 in young women. According to Newscientist.com, half of all sexually active women in the US between the ages of 18 and 22 are infected with HPV and some of these cases go on to develop into cancer later in life. After successful trials of the vaccine, the US Centers for Disease Control and Protection recommended vaccination of all 11-12 year-olds. But so far only Virginia has passed a law requiring vaccination and West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi and New Mexico have rejected the program. In Texas, the Senate overturned the governor聮s order for the program to be introduced in that state.
-
Survival International reported on May 15 that Brazilian Indians were angered when Pope Benedict XVI, during his recent visit to Brazil, claimed that their ancestors had been 聯silently longing聰 to become Christians when Brazil was colonised five centuries ago. According to the BBC, the Pope also claimed that the imposition of Christianity on the region 聯had not involved an alienation of the pre-Colombian cultures聰. Jecinaldo Satere Mawe, from the Amazonian Satere Mawe tribe, said the Pope聮s comments were 聯arrogant and disrespectful聰. The Catholic Church聮s Indian advocacy group in Brazil called the Pope聮s statement 聯wrong and indefensible聰. Brazil聮s indigenous population is today less than 7% of what it was in 1500, and of 1000 distinct tribes, only around 220 remain. For more information visit < http://www.survival-A href="mailto:international.org"><international.org>.
News
-
On May 17, a candlelight vigil was held in in Taylor Square to mark International Day Against Homophobia. The vigil was organised by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Network of Amnesty International and Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) and called for the immediate release of Ali Humayun, a gay refugee from Pakistan who has been held in the Villawood immigration detention centre for more than two years.
-
The Victorian Labor Party has gone on a propaganda offensive against the Greens, accusing them of selling out on nuclear issues and taking away Victorians聮 right to protest against nuclear reactors. Large posters have been put up and pamphlets will be sent to households in the four lower-house seats where the Greens pose the most direct challenge to the ALP.
-
At its May 15 meeting, Geelong Trades Hall Council passed a motion declaring that 聯GTHC is opposed to any laws that fetter and/or criminalise union activity and workers聮 rights under International Labour Organisation conventions to organise and take action to advance or defend our economic and social conditions. To this end we call on the Victorian Trades Hall Council to organise a mass delegates聮 meeting to discuss how we can best help the ACTU [Australian Council of Trade Unions] defend its own industrial relations policy and thus the rights of all workers.聰
-
Less than two days after its launch, more than 100 people had signed an 聯online pledge聰 to take part in peaceful direct action against the construction of a third coal export terminal at Newcastle聮s port. The pledge notes that the terminal would increase Newcastle聮s coal exports by 聯66 million tonnes per annum, producing 160 million tonnes of greenhouse pollution聰.
-
A group of construction workers in Somerton have proved that it is possible to get off an individual contract (Australian Workplace Agreement 聴 AWA) and onto award rates and an enterprise agreement.
-
The Queensland University of Technology says it has yet to decide the future of its humanities and human services school. The comments came after a meeting of QUT academic board, outside which 100 students rallied for almost four hours on May 16 before pursuing an agitated QUT vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake across campus.
-
A report released on May 14 by the Federation of Community Legal Centres of Victoria, accused police of using excessive and unwarranted force against protesters and bystanders during the November 17-19 G20 summit in Melbourne of international finance ministers.
-
Holding placards stating 鈥淪ave the pool鈥 and 鈥淯niting Care doesn鈥檛 care鈥, hydrotherapy patients, many of them elderly people and in wheelchairs, gathered outside Uniting Care Health in Rosalie on May 17 to oppose the proposed closure of the Wesley Hydrotherapy Centre.
-
The Peace Convergence 2007 will be a gathering of activists who oppose the Talisman Sabre war games and the testing of depleted uranium munitions. The long-term dangers of depleted uranium, mainly from weapons, are now a concern throughout the world.
-
The presence of heavily armed SAS troops could complement extraordinary powers for NSW police during the September 7-9 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney, which will be attended by 21 international leaders including US President George Bush.
-
Activists from climate-action groups, environment collectives at the University of Queensland and Griffith University, Friends of the Earth, the Queensland Nuclear Free Alliance, Resistance and the Socialist Alliance are coming together to organise a 聯Stop Global Warming聰 rally in the week of World Environment Day (June 5).
-
On May 29, an unpredictable drama will begin. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock will try to overcome a series of embarrassing blunders by the entire Australian chain of command at the joint Australia-US Pine Gap spy base in the Northern Territory, and four activists will face trial in Alice Springs for entering a prohibited site.
-
On May 12, 60 people marked the anniversary of the deaths in 1981 of 10 Irish republican hunger strikers in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh prison in Northern Ireland, who were fighting for their right to be recognised and treated as political prisoners. The commemoration, held at the Gaelic Club, was organised by the Sydney Cairde (Friends of) Sinn Fein group.
-
On May 12, federal opposition leader Kevin Rudd chartered a private plane to fly to Western Australia to meet with BHP, Rio Tinto and Woodside bosses. The meeting followed two weeks of the mining bosses arguing that Labor鈥檚 promise to abolish AWAs (individual contracts), confirmed at its April national conference, would harm the resources boom and lower productivity in the mining sector.
-
On May 2, protesters at Chullora blockaded trucks transporting cyanide to Barrick goldmine at Lake Cowal in central western NSW. Protest organiser Graeme Dunstan said the action was a success, with no cyanide-laden trucks getting past on the day.
-
The Wilderness Society (TWS) has taken Malcolm Turnbull, the federal environment minister, and logging giant Gunns Ltd to court in an attempt to stop a pulp mill being built in Tasmania聮s Tamar Valley.
Analysis
-
The 1967 referendum on Aboriginal rights 聴 in which more than 90% voted in favour of including Aboriginal people in the census and giving the federal government the power to override racist state laws and legislate for Aboriginal people 聴 has 聯enormous importance for Aboriginal people and our struggle聰, Queensland Indigenous leader Sam Watson told 91自拍论坛 Weekly.
-
May 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the overwhelming victory of the 1967 referendum, in which almost 91% of the Australian people voted to give the federal government the constitutional power to override the brutal, degrading racist laws of the states under which Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders were tormented.
-
On May 7, New Matilda published an article by Antony Loewenstein, titled , in which he reports on his impressions of Cuba. Loewenstein describes Cuba as a 鈥減olice state鈥 with 鈥渘o freedom of speech鈥. He takes issue with Australian academic, Tim Anderson whom, he wrote, 鈥渙ught to know better鈥 for arguing that Cuba has more democracy than the US, (see ). Below is Anderson鈥檚 reply to Loewenstein鈥檚 article.
-
A young woman working in a juice bar is fired and rehired at a casual rate significantly less than her former wage. She is forced to sign an AWA (Australian Workplace Agreement 鈥 individual contract) to get her job back. A young man, aged 13, is fired after retaliating against his manager who assaulted him in a South Australian fast food business.
-
A report released on May 14 by the Federation of Community Legal Centres of Victoria, accused police of using excessive and unwarranted force against protesters and bystanders during the November 17-19 G20 summit in Melbourne of international finance ministers.
-
The following letter was sent by 91自拍论坛 Weekly on May 16 to the editor of the Australia/Israel Review, the journal of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council.
-
As 91自拍论坛 Weekly goes to print David Hicks is on his way back to Australia 鈥 to Yalata prison in South Australia. But Lady Justice is sailing off in the other direction.
-
On May 29, an unpredictable drama will begin. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock will try to overcome a series of embarrassing blunders by the entire Australian chain of command at the joint Australia-US Pine Gap spy base in the Northern Territory, and four activists will face trial in Alice Springs for entering a prohibited site.
-
If watching the ABC TV鈥檚 drama Bastard Boys is the only information that you have about the Maritime Union of Australia lockout of 1998, then you would probably conclude that the dispute was won by the brilliant tactical skills of Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) secretary Greg Combet and former Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) national secretary John Coombes, and the legal talents of union lawyers.
-
The shambles of the Airline Partners Australia (APA) private equity takeover attempt for Qantas demonstrates the greed and rapaciousness of this rotten capitalist system. All parties involved in the grubby business have shown up the irrationality of capitalism.
-
Australia聮s top silk and civil rights advocate Julian Burnside QC has suggested introducing a law that makes it an offence for politicians to lie. I don聮t know how practical this would be, but imagine if politicians could be forced to tell the truth and 聮fess up like the makers of Ribena?
-
On May 7, the Melbourne Magistrates Court denied bail to two men arrested under 鈥渁nti-terror鈥 laws for raising funds for tsunami relief in the Tamil areas of Sri Lanka.
-
On May 7, New Matilda published an article by Antony Loewenstein, titled 鈥淐uba: Paradise Left鈥 in which he reports on his impressions of Cuba. Loewenstein describes Cuba as a 鈥減olice state鈥 with 鈥渘o freedom of speech鈥. (See < http://newmatilda.com/home/articledetail.asp?ArticleID=2229&CaA href="mailto:tegoryID=">.) He takes issue with Australian left academic, Tim Anderson whom, he said, 鈥渙ught to know better鈥 for arguing that Cuba has more democracy than the US, (see ), where the media is dominated by a handful of corporations. Below is Anderson鈥檚 reply to Lowenstein鈥檚 article.
-
Packer protest trial I have serious doubts about the results of the Packer protest trial ("Charges against Packer protesters dismissed", GLW #707). While I appreciate the support of the NSW Council of Civil Liberties (CCL), and the lawyers who
-
The shambles of the Airline Partners Australia (APA) private equity takeover attempt for Qantas demonstrates the greed and rapaciousness of this rotten capitalist system. All parties involved in the grubby business have shown up the irrationality of capitalism.
World
-
In the early hours of March 13, the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) regional office in Palu, Central Sulawesi, was attacked by around 30 men. Three Papernas members were hospitalised.
-
As of 2004, foreign capital controlled 76.6% of Chinese industry, a study produced by academics from Beijing聮s Communication University has found. The findings of the report, which was released in March, are consistent with a November 2006 report by the Development Research Centre of the State Council, China聮s cabinet.
-
Carora聮s streets are much like other Latin American cities 聴 bustling commerce on every corner, traffic, noise, people going about their daily routine. But there is something that distinguishes Carora and the Municipality of Pedro Leon Torres from any other municipality I聮ve visited in Latin America, and in particular, any other in Venezuela. The city is on a path to democratise and transform its entire governance system, from the bottom up 聴 led by the current Mayor Julio Chavez (no relation to President Hugo Chavez).
-
Thousands of Palestinians joined rallies on May 15 throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories to mark the 59th anniversary of al Nakba (聯The Catastrophe聰) 聴 the establishment of the State of Israel and the consequent expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes 聴 as renewed fighting took place between Fatah and Hamas.
-
On March 8, no-one in Pakistan would have thought a mass movement would erupt in the near future with the potential to overthrow the regime of general Pervez Musharraf. A day later, Musharraf suspended Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, with the illusion that nothing would happen and business would go on as usual.
-
A roadside bomb damaged an Australian military vehicle on patrol in southern Iraq鈥檚 Dhi Qar province on May 13, according to the Australian defence department. It was the second reported attack on Australian troops in Iraq this month.
-
On March 22, 2006, the Basque organisation ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna 鈥 Basque Homeland and Freedom) declared a 鈥減ermanent ceasefire鈥 after more than 40 years of armed struggle, first under the dictatorship of Franciso Franco and then under his appointed successor, Borbon King Juan Carlos. ETA instead called on Basque society to find its way to self-determination through dialogue.
-
On October 6, 1976, two bombs ripped through Cubana Flight 455 mid-flight from Barbados to Cuba. All of the 73 civilians onboard, including Cuba鈥檚 national youth fencing team and 11 Guyanese medical students, were killed. Until the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, this was the worst terrorist attack in the Western Hemisphere. On April 19, the mastermind behind this mass murder, Luis Posada Carriles, was released on bail from prison in the US, where he was being held since 2005 for violating immigration law, and allowed to return to his luxury penthouse in Miami.
-
鈥淭he US military surge in Iraq, designed to turn around the course of the war, appears to be failing as senior US officers admit they need yet more troops and new figures show a sharp increase in the victims of death squads in Baghdad鈥, the May 13 London Observer reported.
Culture
-
Vote Yes for Aborigines 鈥 While many people believe that the 1967 referendum gave Aborigines the right to vote, it in fact removed two 91自拍论坛 of the constitution which discriminated against Aborigines. SBS, Sunday, May 27, 8.30pm. The Tracker
-
The Original Australians
By Josephine Flood
Allen and Unwin, 2006
306 pages, $39.95 -
In 1974 hundreds of people crowded into a room in the Carlton Pram Factory and hatched a plan to build a media outlet that would tell the stories of those neglected, marginalised and ignored by the mainstream media of the day. Two years later 3CR began transmitting the voices of trade unions, the working class, the Indigenous community, youth and students, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, peace and social justice activists, greenies, socialists, anarchists, lovers of jazz and nostalgia music, feminists, queers and people with disabilities.
-
Underground
By Andrew McGahan
Allen & Unwin, 2006
304 pages, $29.95 (pb)