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Aborigines plan Commonwealth Games protest

MELBOURNE — On May 18, 90 people, including Indigenous leaders from around Australia, meeting at the Victorian Trades Hall, bar called a mass protest of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Melbourne to coincide with the 2006 Commonwealth

Government found guilty of neglect at Baxter

Sarah Bruce On May 5, the Federal Court handed down a landmark decision in a case brought by two Baxter detainees, known as "M" and "S", against the federal government. Judge Paul Finn found that the commonwealth had a duty to ensure that a level

Star wars?

The US Air Force has proposed a space weapons program, according to the May 18 New York Times. Air Force officials claimed that they are not seeking the militarisation of space. According to Air Force spokesperson Major Karen Finn, "The focus is on

Peace Coalition launched on Sydney Uni

SYDNEY — On May 19, 23 people attended the launch of the Peace Coalition on Sydney University. The meeting was addressed by Donna Mulhearn, a humanitarian activist who has helped with aid projects and been a "human shield" in both Iraq and

Afghan asylum seekers to be deported

Sarah Stephen Many Afghan asylum seekers who are enduring their third or fourth year in immigration detention have remained there because of disputes over their identity — most commonly, the allegation that they are from Pakistan. In the past few

NEW ZEALAND: Bus drivers' fight escalates

On May 11, in a secret ballot, 92% of striking bus drivers rejected a company pay offer of $15 an hour in November, to be followed by an increase to $16 an hour in March 2007. The drivers are now demanding $16 immediately, and $17 by November. The

Rail issue a hit at Newcastle May Day

NEWCASTLE — Five-hundred people attended the Newcastle May Day march this year. This was a bigger turnout than in recent years, largely because of a big contingent of people protesting against the NSW Labor government's plans to close down the

Getting behind the headlines

All the Troubles: Terrorism, War and the World After 9/11By Simon AdamsFremantle Arts Centre Press 2004412 pages $24.95 REVIEW BY BARRY HEALY "Weapons and technology may help win wars, but it is only ideas that have the power to truly change the

Dow embraces 'golden skeletons'

"We made an incredible [US]$1.35 billion this quarter", a "shareholder" told the Dow annual general meeting on May 12. "For most of us that just means a new set of golf clubs. Instead, let's do something useful with it — like finally cleaning up

Zapatistas challenge Inter Milan

Italian soccer club Inter Milan has accepted an invitation by the Zapatista National Liberation Army for a solidarity soccer match. Zapatista leader Subcommandante Marcos wrote in a letter to the team, "Given the affection we have for you, we're not

SCOTLAND: Socialists assess British election results

Alex Miller In the May 5 British general election, the ruling Labour Party lost 46 seats and saw its parliamentary majority slashed to 67 seats. As a result of Britain's antiquated "first-past-the-post" electoral system, the Conservatives gained 38

Kemalex workers reject independent contracting

Sue Bolton, Melbourne Unions are alarmed by the actions of a Melbourne factory that is demanding all of its workers be treated as "independent contractors" instead of employees. The National Union of Workers (NUW) was negotiating a new enterprise