For the fifth time since their election in September last year, thousands of Australians will take to the streets in protest against Tony Abbott Coalition's government.
These mobilisations have been critical to keep the pressure on the Labor Party, Greens and independents to stand firm in opposing the government's budget, which will bring austerity, cuts and privatisation.
As a result of this opposition, Treasurer 鈥淪mokin' Joe鈥 Hockey's budget has stalled.
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A group of women gathered in protest outside the Wicked Campers depot on August 16.
Wicked Campers is a Brisbane-based company that rents out tourist camping vans. The company has been criticised for the misogynist, racist and homophobic slogans that are painted on its vans.
The company has not responded well to the condemnation and has sought to punish those who have spoken out. In one case, it responded to a journalist by painting a slogan on a van that threatened physical violence.
Save Medicare Sydney, a campaign group committed to defending universal public health care, is calling on the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Palmer United Party to reject any compromise over the federal government's proposed $7 GP co-payment.
The AMA released an alternative plan on August 21. It proposed a $6.15 co-payment, excluding concession card holders and children.
Should Scotland鈥檚 people decide to separate from Britain in next month鈥檚 independence referendum, the English establishment may well be very unhappy with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, whose recent ham-fisted attack on Scottish nationalism appears to have given a boost.
What does it say about Australian politics when a mining billionaire who rides around in a Rolls Royce becomes the people鈥檚 champion in parliament?
The Palmer United Party (PUP), formed and largely funded by Clive Palmer, continues to disrupt the two-party game played by most politicians and their media supporters.
To them, the PUP is 鈥渕averick鈥, a label that fits after Palmer鈥檚 outburst this week about 鈥渃ommunist鈥 China trying to 鈥渢ake over鈥 Australia.
The Socialist Alternative club at the University of Western Australia had its 鈥渃lub privileges鈥 suspended on August 13. In effect, this amounts to a suspension of the club's affiliation to the Student Guild, which could be a prelude to complete disaffiliation.
The issue seems to have flared over posters produced for a campus forum on the topic 鈥淲hy Israel is a terrorist state鈥. After initially approving the posters, and allowing them to be displayed in Guild areas on campus, on the day of the forum the Guild sent an email to the club saying that all the posters had been removed.
The total number of jobs now advertised across Australia is about 133,000. This is the labour market for the 790,000 unemployed looking for work 鈥 and it will get a lot worse before it ever gets better.
In the financial year to June, private sector wages rose by just 2.4%, the lowest growth rate in 17 years. With consumer prices rising at 3% over the same period, the decline in real wages will continue as unemployment rises.
The release of up to 150 children under the age of 10 from residential detention is not a humanitarian move by the government, in case you were wondering.
Immigration minister Scott Morrison claimed that issuing bridging visas to 150 children and their families to live in the community was a 鈥渄ividend of stopping the boats鈥.
Premier Mike Baird鈥檚 apology to the people of NSW, delivered after the resignation of two Newcastle Liberal MPs, is about as sincere as Treasurer Joe Hockey鈥檚 mea culpa to the poor.
Baird鈥檚 statement that the Liberal Party would not contest the byelections caused by the resignations 鈥 鈥渨e strongly believe we have forfeited our right to represent those electorates鈥 鈥 is also a political ploy. The only reason the Liberals are not standing is to avoid the humiliating loss they knew was coming.
Recent months have seen repeated and unprecedented attacks on the unemployed and other income support recipients, with the federal budget and McLure and Forrest Reviews proposing cuts to payments for job-seekers, restricting access to the Disability Support Pension, and expanding Work for the Dole and income management.
But there are signs of resistance. Pas Forgione from the Anti-Poverty Network SA spoke to Owen Bennett, who set up the Australian Unemployment Union.
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What is the Australian Unemployment Union and what are its goals?
Venezuelan ambassador to Egypt, Juan Antonio Hernandez, said on August 20 that an Israeli aircraft attacked the Venezuelan humanitarian delegation in Rafah along the border post between Egypt and Palestine, the next day.
The delegation was delivering 12 tons of aid to the Palestinian people. No one was injured during the attack.
A vibrant student march against the federal government鈥檚 education cuts hit the streets of Newcastle on August 20.
At least half of the 180 protesters were high school students who had walked out of classes, some in defiance of threats of detention and suspension, to join the protest.
Year 12 student at Hunter School of Performing Arts Marianela O鈥橞rien told 麻豆传媒 Weekly that she joined the protest because 鈥渨hen Tony Abbot went to uni he had free education so why can鈥檛 my generation have the same?鈥
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