628

CHINA: Privatisation extends to key sectors

Eva Cheng Since the mid-1990s China has embarked on a major program to privatise its industries. Beijing has dressed its privatisation efforts as an attempt to "diversify the ownership structure", and promised to confine the denationalisation of

Kevin receives writers' award

SYDNEY — Tony Kevin, author of the book A Certain Maritime Incident and well-known campaigner for a judicial inquiry into the SIEV X sinking, was awarded the Community Relations Award in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, which are attached to the

Caricaturing the real character of our pollies

Behind the LinesNational Museum of Australia, Canberra, until June 13Constitutional Centre of WA, Perth, July 1 to August 31Free admission REVIEW BY ANA HANSON Whether it be three embellished warmongering leaders pitched against an intense battle

NETHERLANDS: From container arrival to container storage

Jack Smit In a quiet corner of the often-deserted Merwehaven in Rotterdam, the Netherlands — a much quieter harbour than the high-tech Maashaven — two flat barges are moored. Not that this in itself is something to carry on about — for

Disabled workers paying the price

Matthew Davis, Perth The federal Coalition government, through its May budget, has introduced tax breaks for the rich and a "blame and shame the poor" approach. The measures, which will take effect on July 1, include tightening eligibility for

Fighting moood at NSW delegates' meetings

Susan Price& Marce Cameron, Sydney Cross-unions delegates' meetings held across Sydney and regional NSW on May 27 were well-attended, with the largest of at least 1000 delegates at Sydney's Masonic Centre spilling into a second auditorium. The

Workers send Howard into hiding

Bronwyn Jennings, Geelong PM John Howard had to cut and run on May 28 when he was confronted by workers protesting the federal government's anti-worker changes to the industrial relations laws. Howard was in Geelong to announce funding for the

A century of oppression for Aboriginal people in WA

Jan Cowan, Perth How far have we come to PM John Howard's "National Day of Healing"? Looking at the "Sea of Hands" only adds contrast to the three homeless men sitting metres away on the park bench, discreetly saluting the event from their brown

Mandatory detention must go!

Sarah Stephen At least 10,000 unauthorised arrivals have been through Australia's immigration detention centres since July 1999, including 3899 children. Thirteen people have died in detention. At least four asylum seekers have been killed upon

VENEZUELA: A movement of revolutionary ideas

Roberto Jorquera, Caracas On May 21, more than 1000 people attended the Third National Seminar on Ideological Formation, organised by the Centres for Ideological Formation (CFIs). The CFIs are grassroots groups initiated in March this year by

BELGIUM: Arctic leaders appeal over global warming

Visiting the European Union headquarters in Brussels on May 25, indigenous leaders from Arctic regions around the world called on the EU to do more to fight global warming and to consider giving aid to their peoples. Associated Press reported that

Marx for middle-class radicals

Why Read Marx Today?By Jonathan WolffOxford University Press, 2002136 pages, $26.95 (pb) REVIEW BY ALEX MILLER This book is intended to be both an introduction to the main lines of Marx's thought and also an answer to critics of Marx who question