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Net bet fiasco threatens Labor

By Graham Matthews BRISBANE — The "net bet" fiasco, involving Queensland treasurer David Hamill and deputy speaker Bill D'Arcy, is threatening to throw the Queensland Labor government into crisis. Hamill has had to stand down pending the results

Tom McDonald: a view inside Australia's Communist movement

Intimate Union: Sharing a Revolutionary LifeAn autobiography by Tom and Audrey McDonaldPluto Press Australia, 1998 By Melanie Sjoberg Aspects of many of the dramatic shifts in the world's and Australia's politics and labour movement during the last

Indonesian unionist starts Australian tour

Indonesian unionist starts Australian tour By Martin Iltis MELBOURNE — An Australian tour by Indonesian unionists from the Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggles (FNPBI) is under way. Romawaty Sinaga, the head of the international

An insider's view of the Maritime Union

An insider's view of the Maritime Union Until July 1998, BOB CARNEGIE was a branch organiser with the South Queensland branch of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA). He was also a longtime member and former Queensland president of the Maritime

Court 'backs down' on RFA

Court 'backs down' on RFA By Grant Coleman PERTH — Under mounting pressure from opponents of old-growth forest logging, a large majority in Western Australia, the Court government has announced changes to the WA regional forest agreement (RFA).

Gatton students defend their college

Gatton students defend their college By Robyn Marshall About 200 students from the agricultural college in the small town of Gatton, about an hour's drive from Brisbane, opposed a University of Queensland administration proposal to close the

Thousands of students return to East Timor

Thousands of students return to East Timor By Sam King DILI — As the massive Indonesian passenger ship the Dobonsolo left Jakarta on July 23, thousands of people filled its seven tiers. Hundreds more set up sleeping places on the open deck.

Defending the quota system in NOWSA

By Chris Sitka People in the progressive left usually claim to be anti-racist. Therefore, I was appalled by the blatant racism of a large group of socialist women at the recent National Organisation of Women Students Australia (NOWSA) held in

WA forests: for a green-worker alliance

WA forests: for a green-worker alliance Western Australia's regional forest agreement (RFA) has given a glimpse of what an Achilles heel the environment continues to be for the capitalist system. From the very start of negotiations, the threat to

News briefs

Women's edition banned at Griffith University BRISBANE — The centrespread of the women's edition of the Griffith University student newspaper, Gravity, has sparked controversy. It features a picture of women's genitals with by a poem by Jen Clark

In defence of Eric Wicker

By John Rainford Eric Wicker is a longtime trade unionist on the Wollongong waterfront who has been charged with a criminal offence — demanding property with menaces, or, to be blunt, extortion. Eric was the honorary president of the Port Kembla

Supermax prisoners win challenge

Supermax prisoners win challenge By Karen Fredericks BRISBANE — The Queensland Supreme Court ruled on July 28 that the Maximum Security Unit (MSU) at the Woodford Correctional Centre near Brisbane was operated unlawfully for nearly two years.