Afghanistan–Rudd’s good war a catastrophe
Rudd's aggressive determination to support NATO in Afghanistan is almost the flip side to that of his position on Iraq, seeing it as the "good" war, with the occupation...
2020 delegates reflect a narrow vision
Kevin Rudd tells us that he is pulling together the "best and brightest" 1000 Australians for his 2020 summit in Canberra in April. Rudd has already been hammered for...
Democrats at War
by Jean ParkerIF WE needed any proof of the depth of anti-Bush sentiment in the US, from Iraq to health insurance, we need look no further than the Democratic...
VSU policy leaves political student unionism at risk
In February, the National Union of Students released their new policy alternative to the Howard-era Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) legislation. The policy calls for the introduction of a compulsory,...
Cuba Socialism and Castro’s legacy
THE US tried for 49 years to assassinate Fidel Castro and bring down his regime, which made his voluntary retirement as Cuban leader last month yet another act of...
Israel launches murderous assault
Israel has unleashed a new murderous offensive against Palestinians in the Gaza strip.But in the same week Kevin Rudd plans to honour Israel with a special reception in...
Kosovo–independence at what cost
In late February the Balkan mini-nation of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, sparking protests by Serbs in Kosovo, Serbia and Australia.The vast majority of Kosovo's population are ethnic Albanians,...
Need for an anti-war movement not going away
After five years, war in Iraq continues without pause. Turkey's invasion of northern Iraq is further evidence that the headaches for US imperialism in controlling the region continue to...
American terror–a history of the CIA
GEORGE W. Bush has vetoed the bill, proposed by the Democrats, that would have outlawed the use of torture by the CIA. He is not the first US President...
Shock G20 jail sentence- but protesters defy riot charges
Thirteen people arrested and charged with riot following the G20 protest in Melbourne in 2006 have resolved to fight the charges. Another four people facing riot charges in the...
Sexism and working women
ON 8 March 1908 15,000 women garment workers marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. In 1911 socialist women chose to commemorate this...
Government expands punishment policy across Aboriginal communities
There is growing criticism of the welfare quarantining measures within the "intervention" into Northern Territory Aboriginal communities. But the federal government has signalled its intention to expand the scheme...
‘The torture word’
IN LATE February Alex Gibney's Taxi to the Dark Side won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.The film is about the torture and murder of Dilawar, a young...
Students organise to defend Aboriginal rights
Students returning from the Canberra Convergence against the NT intervention have begun organising on their campuses.In Brisbane, QUT's social justice collective has already organised a forum of 50 people,...
Debt expert–Rates crisis cutting living standards
Not long ago you wrote that, "An official interest rate of just 6.75 per cent would inflict as much pain as 17 per cent did back in 1990." We're...
Thousands march against NSW privatisation plans
THOUSANDS OF union members marched last month against the NSW government's plans to privatise electricity. Despite industry claims otherwise, two-thirds of the state is opposed to the policy.The rally...
NSW teachers to strike against deregulation
On Saturday March 8, 300 delegates at the NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) state council voted unanimously to strike in opposition to the Iemma government's plan to deregulate the supply...
Victorian teachers fight neo-liberal pay limit
Victorian teachers are fighting to break the Brumby Government's pay cap of 3.25 per cent (below the current inflation rate). Following the state-wide Australian Education Union (AEU) strike on...
Garnaut proposes 90 per cent cut
PROFESSOR ROSS Garnaut, establishment economist and China expert, dropped a bombshell in his interim report on climate change, jointly commissioned by state and federal governments.He bluntly warns that time...
Stars in their eyes–Earth Hour 2008
HOW DO we make governments act on the climate crisis? The organisers of Earth Hour believe "the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour"-at 8pm on...
Climate code red network grows
On March 1 more than 80 activists met to create "Climate Code Red Network" (CCRN). This came after more than 200 activists from across Victoria came together in February...
Oil–an American obsession
ONE HUNDRED years ago the United States was the biggest oil producer in the world. California alone accounted for 22 per cent of global output.The development of the US...
