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University staff endorse May 30 strike

By Chris Spindler SYDNEY — In the face of proposed massive cuts to tertiary education funding, a stop-work meeting of Macquarie University academic staff on May 8 endorsed the national 24-hour strike for May 30. The meeting reaffirmed the

Wilderness Society courts Liberal government

By Sarah Stephen HOBART — Tasmania's new environment minister, Peter Hodgman, was guest speaker at a Wilderness Society campaign dinner and slide show here on May 13, attended by 50 people. Slides were shown of some of the sites proposed by the

Solidarity with maritime union

By Jennifer Thompson SYDNEY — The Maritime Union of Australia's (MUA) Action Conference on May 17 attracted around 1500 participants, mainly maritime union delegates and workers, from around Australia. The striking Vickery workers sent a

CFMEU lets in a bit of fresh air

Comment by Dick Nichols The recent resolution of the CFMEU National Executive attributing the decline in the trade union movement to the "Accord process entered into between the federal ALP and the ACTU" will be welcomed by everyone who has the

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras membership controversy

By Kath Gelber The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) created a public furore on April 30 when it adopted controversial new guidelines for membership requirements for people not identifying as gay, lesbian, homosexual or transgender. SGLMG

Troops attack Indonesian students

Two thousand students clashed with anti-riot troops in the central Javanese city of Yogyakarta on May 14. The students, mobilised by SMID (Students in Solidarity with Democracy in Indonesia), were marching in protest against the killing of 26

Not on the list

Last week, Business Review Weekly published its annual list of the 200 richest Australians. For those who missed it, Kerry Packer is still at the top, though he's $2 billion or so down on his wealth of several years ago. Things are tough in this

Action updates

Radiation protest HOBART — More than 50 parents, children and friends gathered at Lenah Valley primary school oval on May 15 to protest against Telstra's placement of a mobile phone tower next to the school. Research suggests that the

Russia faces financial meltdown

By Renfrey Clarke MOSCOW — Partly as a result of President Boris Yeltsin's efforts to buy himself victory in the June 16 elections, Russia in coming months is due to experience its most severe financial shocks since the policies of "reform" began

Calls for controls on new smelter

By Andrew Hall WOLLONGONG — Some 350 people attended a May 8 meeting to discuss the reopening of the Southern Copper smelter, closed for economic reasons since early 1995. The Coalition for Economic Advancement, which is coordinating the bid to

Don't look now, but is that a black hole?

By Allen Myers It's an article of faith in the new federal Coalition government that it inherited a "black hole" budget deficit of $8 billion from its Labor predecessor. This alleged black hole immediately became the justification for sweeping

Greenhouse alliance formed

By Lisa Macdonald Hundreds of people rallied in Australia's cities on May 15 to mark World Climate Day, a non-government day of action to heighten awareness about global climate change. On the same day, several environment and development groups