On June 19, a Federal Court judge refused to throw out a case aimed at obtaining millions of dollars worth of severance pay for workers employed by car parts manufacturer Tristar Suspension and Steering Pty Ltd.
-
-
聯The ABC聮蝉 Four Corners program on June 11, 聭Ghost Prisoners聮, was a powerful exposure of the United States聮 global torture network and of Australian complicity in it聰, said Socialist Alliance spokesperson Raul Bassi. 聯It聮蝉 another step towards justice for Mamdouh Habib, one of the victims of this criminal system that has tortured some to death, forced others into worthless 聮confessions聮 and disappeared hundreds.聰
-
Farmers in East Nusa Tenggara have lost 25-40% of their income due to irregular rainfall. Fishers in the Maluku islands are experiencing poor catches as they lose their ability to predict sea climate and fish movements. Climate change has arrived in Indonesia, and it is hitting the country聮蝉 poorest first and hardest, according to a survey by Oxfam. Oxfam said that in recent years the rainy season has been either late or so unpredictable farmers did not know when to start planting, resulting in failed harvests and a drastic drop in income, and widespread hunger and malnutrition, especially among children.
-
Disability support worker Joanne Ball will appear before a local court on June 22 on charges of obstruction and interferring with a police officer during the February protest against the visit to Sydney by US Vice-President Dick Cheney.
-
Socialist Alliance hosted a discussion on June 12 about standing up to the 鈥減olice state鈥 laws introduced into the NSW parliament for the period of the September APEC summit. One person arrested in connection with the G20 protests in Melbourne last November told the meeting that police had directed him not to attend the APEC protests. He urged participants not to be intimidated by such tactics.
-
Hundreds of Papuans rallied on June 8 during a one-day visit by Hina Jilani, the UN secretary general聮蝉 special representative on human rights defenders. In Jayapura, capital of Papua province, protesters welcomed Jilani while others called on her to 聯stop the genocide of the Papuans聰 and 聯stop the killing in West Papua聰. In Manokwari, capital of the province of West Papua, protesters called on the UN to pressure Jakarta to overturn the 1969 referendum that resulted in the territory聮蝉 incorporation into Indonesia.
-
On June 16, a group of human rights campaigners and former political prisoners in Chile rallied at the Cowper Wharf in Woolloomooloo to protest the arrival of the Chilean Navy training ship Esmeralda. The ship served as a floating torture prison for political prisoners under General Augusto Pinochet鈥檚 1973-90 military regime.
-
LaborStart.org reports that on June 7 Mikhail Chesalin, chairperson of the local Dockers Union of Russia in Kaliningrad, was savagely stabbed and beaten outside the union office. He was stabbed numerous times in the spine and severely beaten about the head. His assailants left him lying face-down, unconscious, in a pool of blood. Chesalin鈥檚 colleagues believe that the attack was orchestrated by Vladimir Kalinichenko, the general director of Kaliningrad Sea Commercial Port, where the dockworkers鈥 union is currently running an organising campaign. Kalinichenko has tried to break up union events by sending his personal 鈥渟ecurity鈥 forces, together with local thugs, to spy on and intimidate workers. Visit for more information.
-
The 50th anniversary of the 1957 Palm Island strike was marked by a 鈥渧ery emotional鈥 commemoration on June 15, Indigenous activist Gracelyn Smallwood told 91自拍论坛 Weekly. She said up to 4000 people took part. Among the activities, relatives of the seven men and their families who were handcuffed, chained and removed at gunpoint from the island spoke about the violation of their human rights. The strike was triggered by a system that meant every Indigenous person on Palm Island had to work for 30 hours per week while being paid only in rations.
-
From June 1-3 in Port Dickson, the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) held its ninth congress. It was the party聮蝉 largest so far. The PSM聮蝉 plans for the coming year include trying to win at least one seat in the coming election, holding a public forum on Venezuela, redesigning the party聮蝉 website, producing more socialist booklets and holding a national forum on 50 years of Malaysian independence and left politics. The party also resolved to hold an international conference in 2008. A resolution adopted by the conference condemned authorities聮 refusal to nationally register the PSM as a party as an anti-socialist 聯political conspiracy聰. Solidarity messages were received from a range of socialist organisations, including Australia聮蝉 Democratic Socialist Perspective.
News
-
Fifty people demonstrated outside the defence plaza on June 15 to protest the beginning of the Talisman Sabre military exercises at Shoalwater Bay.
-
Chants of, 聯Hey Brisbane, listen up; the cleaners are standing up!聰 and 聯Caruso workers麓 rights, worth fighting for!聰 rang through the Brisbane CBD on June 15, as 60 cleaners, members of the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union, marched from the LHMU office to the offices of Caruso Cleaning.
-
On June 12, 80 people attended a meeting in support of two Tamil activists who were recently arrested for allegedly sending tsunami relief funds to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
-
On June 13, 100 students and staff rallied in front of the administration building at Queensland University of Technology鈥檚 Gardens Point campus to protest the suspension of two QUT academics, Dr Gary MacLennan and Dr John Hookham, on charges of misconduct.
-
LAUNCESTON 鈥 On June 16, 11,000 people joined a rally organised by The Wilderness Society against Gunns鈥 proposed pulp mill in the West Tamar Valley. The crowd gathered at City Park and was addressed by Gardening Australia鈥檚 Peter Cundall, Geoff Law from TWS and Greens Senate candidate Andrew Wilkie, who condemned the plans to pollute the Tamar鈥檚 air and water with a kraft-chlorine pulp mill that will feed on Tasmania鈥檚 old-growth forests. Cundall warned Paul Lennon鈥檚 state Labor government and Gunns that 鈥渢his is democracy in action鈥 and 鈥渨e are never going to stop fighting鈥. Protesters marched to Civic Square chanting 鈥淣o pulp mill鈥.
-
Hundreds of people participated in events during the June 6-9 international week of action for justice for Palestine and an end to the 40-year Israeli occupation. The events were organised by the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (CJPP) and the General Union of Palestinian Workers.
-
With opinion polls showing his government is headed for defeat in this year聮蝉 federal election, PM John Howard has been sure to pull out the, now well-weathered, 聯economic management聰 card in an attempt to regain voter support.
-
The 36th annual national conference of the socialist youth organisation Resistance will be an important stepping stone towards the protests against US emperor George Bush聮蝉 visit to Australia in September for the APEC summit.
-
Supporters of Indigenous rights in Queensland have sold a thousand yellow wristbands with 鈥淛ustice now: Mulrunji 19-11-04鈥 printed on them. A police officer is currently standing trial for the 2004 death in custody of Palm Island resident Mulrunji 鈥 the first time an officer has been charged over a death in custody in Queensland鈥檚 history. The wristbands have been distributed throughout the state, including an order of 1000 for Palm Island being placed. To place an order, phone Paul on 0410 629 088.
-
On June 12, the trial of Queensland police officer Chris Hurley on charges of assault and manslaughter began. Hurley is alleged to have punched and then unlawfully killed Aboriginal man Mulrunji on November 19, 2004, on Palm Island, an Indigenous community located near Townsville.
Analysis
-
Electrical Trades Union Victorian secretary and union militant Dean Mighell was forced to resign from the ALP after a tape recording of an internal union meeting became public. Labor leader Kevin Rudd and his industrial relations spokesperson Julia Gillard slammed Mighell as a union 鈥渢hug鈥 for swearing about bosses and talking up a pattern-bargaining agreement in which ETU members received a particularly good deal. 91自拍论坛 Weekly鈥檚 Sue Bolton spoke to Mighell about Labor under Rudd, its backflips on IR and how the unions can defend workers鈥 rights.
-
OK, I admit this idea to boost the 91自拍论坛 Weekly Fighting Fund was inspired (to be honest, stolen) from the recent adventures of one Canape Crusader from Kirribilli: we get 225 people to donate $8000 each to the 91自拍论坛 Weekly Fighting Fund and, in return, I have them over to my place for drinks and canapes. That should raise enough money to make this column redundant for seven years!
-
The recent storms that devastated much of the NSW Central Coast and the Hunter Valley were described by some as a mini cyclone. The fierce gales led to dramatic floods 鈥 the most severe since the 1970s, the deaths of several people and the beaching of a coal freighter on a Newcastle reef.
-
About 150 people crowded into the function room of the Lanyon Valley Rugby Union Club in Canberra on June 13 to celebrate the life of Koru Peter Nusa, who died suddenly at home on June 4. At the same time, family and friends gathered for a service in Papua New Guinea.
-
The Howard government聮蝉 so-called fairness test for all new workplace agreements (individual contracts and collective agreements) is destined to become law, with Labor Party support, before the end of June. The legislation, which purports to guarantee 聯fairness聰 to workers who trade off their entitlement to penalty rates, overtime pay and holiday leave loading, passed through the House of Representatives on May 29.
-
The NSW government is planning to give police extraordinary powers of arrest and detention around the time of the APEC summit in Sydney in September. Activists planning the protest when US President George Bush is in town say the new powers are about intimidation, not public safety.
-
The public gallery of the Northern Territory Supreme Court erupted into applause on June 15 when Justice Sally Thomas handed down the sentences for the 聯Pine Gap Four聰 聴 Christians Against All Terrorism members Bryan Law, Jim Dowling, Adele Goldie and Donna Mulhearn 聴 who had the previous day been found guilty of 14 charges under the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act of 1952.
-
In recent years there聮蝉 been a concerted campaign by right-wing Vietnamese exiles around the world to resurrect the defunct flag of the old Saigon regime.
-
The ABC聮蝉 7.30 Report on June 11 reported that 200 miners at BHP Billiton聮蝉 iron ore mine at Mount Newman in Western Australia had signed a petition complaining about 聯an atmosphere of intimidation and victimisation聰 of workers on individual agreements (AWAs). The workers聮 petition complained that management was forcing them to work in unsafe conditions and warned that a serious accident was likely.
-
It has become clear in recent weeks the extent to which the NSW and federal governments want to block protests at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney in September.
-
Since community opposition stopped plans for a national nuclear waste dump in South Australia, John Howard seems determined to now go for a site in the Northern Territory 聴 despite promising not to and opposition from Indigenous custodians.
World
-
Wherever President George Bush went in Europe this June, whether he was meeting with G8 leaders, Pope Benedict, presidents or opposition leaders of NATO allies, or rightist officials in the former socialist countries, he provided an excellent reason for the people to come out in the streets, often in massive numbers.
-
Bishop Fernando Lugo had a crucial choice to make on December 17. Representatives from different social groups showed up before him, carrying thick files with 100,000 properly registered signatures and a request: 鈥淔ather, give Paraguay a hand鈥.
-
Following the near-complete seizure of military control of the Gaza Strip on June 14 by armed supporters of the Hamas party, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, who is also the leader of the rival Fatah party, issued a decree dissolving the PA Hamas-Fatah 聯national unity聰 government, dismissing Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh and declaring a 聯state of emergency聰 in both the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
-
During Condoleezza Rice鈥檚 visit to Panama on June 5, she described Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez鈥檚 decision not to renew the licence of Radio Caracas Television as his 鈥渟harpest and most acute鈥 move yet against democracy. She urged the Organisation of American States to send its secretary general to Caracas to look into the move and deliver a full report on his findings. Rice declared: 鈥淔reedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience are not a thorn in the side of the government. Disagreeing with your government is not unpatriotic and most certainly should not be a crime in any country, especially a democracy.鈥
-
As Venezuela鈥檚 Bolivarian revolution continues to deepen and accelerate, President Hugo Chavez has announced a spate of pro-worker changes, which mark a continuation of the Chavez government鈥檚 orientation toward the country鈥檚 oppressed, and a victory against the right-wing offensive that has heightened since Chavez鈥檚 re-election in December.
-
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) has met strong resistance in its attempts to seize areas of the island country that are controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The LTTE are fighting for an independent state in the predominantly Tamil inhabited north and east of Sri Lanka.
-
On June 12, Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) organised a protest in front of the Lahore Press Club against the illegal detention of LPP general secretary Farooq Tariq, who was arrested on June 5 and given a three-month detention order. Braving 47掳C heat, more than 300 protesters gathered, raising slogans against General Pervez Musharraf聮蝉 regime and demanding the immediate release of Tariq and all other political prisoners.
-
The breaking of a six-month deadlock in Bolivia鈥檚 constituent assembly has paved the way for the opening of an intense debate on the future of this politically polarised country nestled in the heart of South America. Beginning to lose the battle within the halls of the assembly, the right-wing opposition has threaten to take the fight onto the streets, announcing that it may reject any new constitution that emerges out of the body.
-
91自拍论坛 Weekly聮蝉 Vannessa Hearman spoke to Agus Jabo, chairperson of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas), in Jakarta about the new party聮蝉 campaign plans and its defence against ongoing attacks from right-wing organisations.
-
The latest campaign to destablise the government of socialist President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, by groups who receive funds from the US government, appears to have largely failed. The attempts of a minority of students based on the old elite universities 鈥 who have held often violent protests in recent weeks 鈥 to present themselves as a 鈥渘ew鈥 movement fighting for democracy have been exposed.
-
Up to 2 million workers have hit back at the African National Congress (ANC) government聮蝉 sacking of striking health workers, its deployment of army strikebreakers and increasing police violence against strikers. On June 13 the more than 700,000 teachers, nurses, health workers and other government workers on strike for higher pay were joined by hundreds of thousands of other unionists and supporters in a nationwide solidarity strike. Hundreds of thousands of people marched across the country.
-
An estimated 3 million Vietnamese are suffering from the horrendous health effects inflicted by the dioxin-laden herbicide Agent Orange, which was employed liberally by the US during the Vietnam War. In 2004, the victims, represented by the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA), initiated a legal action in the US against nearly 40 chemical companies that supplied the chemical.
-
鈥淭he Bush administration and top military commanders are looking beyond the promised September progress report on Iraq and are preparing Congress and the American public for a long-term presence of US troops in the occupied nation鈥, the June 8 New York Times reported, adding: 鈥淥fficials have started downplaying the importance of the September assessment by Army General David Petraeus and US Ambassador Ryan Crocker as they work to lower public expectations about any quick progress in Iraq.鈥
Culture
-
Riot
Directed by Leticia Caceres
Written by Vanessa Bates, David Brown, Stefo Nantsou and Sarah Gava
Designed by Joshua Mason
Newcastle Civic Playhouse
Bookings 02 4929 1977
Until June 23 -
Planet of Slums
By Mike Davis
Verso, 2006
228 pages, $35 (pb) -
First prize at Project Accessible Hollywood (PAH) Fest Grants 2007 in the very short film category was won by 91自拍论坛 Weekly reviewer and poet Bill Nevins for Goodtimes Hidden Treasure, his film based on a poem by Colorado poet Art Goodtimes.
-
The Price of Fire: Resource Wars and Social Movements in Bolivia
By Benjamin Dangl
A K Press, 2007
US$15.95
-
Six Days In June 鈥 The shooting lasted only six tense days in June 1967, but the Six Day War in the Middle East has never really ended. SBS, Friday, June 22, 8.30pm. Australian Rules 鈥 Tells the story of an adolescent boy struggling with