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Peter Short, Perth On March 21, the monthly Unions WA council meeting looked set to decide against organising an ACTU-proposed June 28 protest rally against the new federal industrial relations laws. However, several unions intervened to get
On March 18, majority Labor governments were elected in both South Australia and Tasmania. Voters' refusal to give the Liberals government in those states undoubtedly reflected, at least in part, the huge public opposition to Howard and Co.'s current
Chris Latham, Perth The ALP retained the WA state seat of Victoria Park in a by-election held on March 11, with its candidate Ben Wyatt polling 61% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis. The by-election was prompted by the surprise resignation
Alex Bainbridge, Sydney More than 200 students gathered on March 23 to support an orchestra strike at Sydney University's Conservatorium of Music ("the Con"). The protest was called over the administration's handling of the visit by US Secretary of
The Great War For Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle EastBy Robert FiskFourth Estate 20051366 pages, $39.95 REVIEW BY MICHAEL GOLDSTEIN This book makes compelling reading. It is a record of Fisk's first hand experiences of events in Iraq,
PORT MACQUARIE — On March 5, 60 people attended a screening of David Bradbury's new documentary Blowin' in the Wind, which focusses on the use by the US military of depleted uranium munitions. The DVD showing raised funds for Amnesty
Message Stick: Deadly Yarns — This short film festival includes "Talk About A Walkabout" about Josie, a women of the stolen generations, her father and her love of the land. ABC, Friday, March 31, 6pm. 2013: Oil No More — More than 80% of the
KATOOMBA — "The Venezuelans have learned a lot from the experiences — good and bad — of other revolutions, and out of that are building a 'new' socialism for the 21st century", Fred Fuentes told a public meeting organised by Green Left Weekly
Jim McIlroy & Coral Wynter, Caracas Venezuelan right-wing parties Accion Democratica, Primero Justicia and Sumate are "up to their neck" in planning for a transport strike that will use as a pretext the increase in crimes that are affecting the
KATHMANDU — Armed Police Force (APF) personnel arrested Madhav Kumar-Nepal, general-secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), on March 23. A team of APF officers took him to the APF barracks at Kakani, Kumar-Nepal's
SYDNEY — On March 20, the NSW Refugee Action Coalition held a forum about the 151 Chinese asylum seekers (of 245 detainees) being held in Villawood detention centre. Speakers included Mark Goudkamp from RAC NSW; Chin Jin from the Federation for a