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Union leader demands Laidlaw resign

Union leader demands Laidlaw resign By Erica Haines ADELAIDE — Chris White, the secretary of South Australia's peak union body, the United Trades and Labor Council (UTLC), has called for the resignation of state transport minister Diana

Protest actions planned: Return Elian to his home!

Socialist parties from the Asian region have called for February 17 to become an international day of coordinated protest against the kidnapping of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez. The US government and the right-wing Cuban exile community in Miami

Life of Riley: To GST or not

To GST or not Exeunt PRIME MINISTER and POLONIUS. Enter HAMLET. HAMLET: To GST or not to GST — that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take up arms against a sea of

The vanishing income tax cuts

By Sue Boland Prime Minister John Howard arrived back from holidays in January, loudly proclaiming the generosity of his government's planned income tax cuts. However, the value of the income tax cuts has already evaporated for most people, as a

Death caused by mandatory sentencing

By Rohan Gaiswinkler and Peter Johnston DARWIN — In a tragic event which puts the Northern Territory's mandatory sentencing laws under the national and international spotlight, a 15-year-old Aboriginal boy committed suicide here on February 10,

Copper smelter secretly commissioned

By Marg Perrott WOLLONGONG — The Port Kembla Copper (PKC) smelter started operating here secretly on February 4. Local residents began smelling sulphur fumes at 3pm. Some people began coughing, others had difficulty breathing. At a public meeting

WA uranium mine on the rocks

WA uranium mine on the rocks WESTERN MINING Corporation (WMC) announced that it would hand back the Yeelirrie uranium deposit to the Western Australian government if it failed to find a buyer in two years, according to a report in the February 9

Council calls for reactor closure during Olympics

Council calls for reactor closure during Olympics By Jim Green SYDNEY — The mayor of Sutherland Shire Council, Ken McDonell, has called on the federal government to shut down the nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights during the Sydney Olympic Games.

Union beats Yallourn Energy

Union beats Yallourn Energy By Michael Bull MELBOURNE — Energy unions have claimed victory in an increasingly bitter battle over the future of Victoria's power industry, after the Australian Industrial Relations Commission ruled in the

No challenge to Queensland Labor

By Graham Matthews BRISBANE — On February 5, voters in the Queensland seats of Bundamba and Woodridge returned Labor members at by-elections. Both Labor candidates were elected with more than 50% of the primary vote. In Bundamba, Jo-Ann Miller

Cuba: the revolution behind the music

By Federico Fuentes and Marina Carman The latest craze in Sydney seems to be Cuban music. For two weeks in January, the Bacardi Festival attracted tens of thousands of people to Darling Harbour. Many trendy clubs have regular Cuban theme nights.

CD review: Viva East Timor!

Viva East Timor! Liberdade Viva East TimorVarious artistsMushroom Records Review by Mark Abberton In 1975, Paul Stewart's brother was killed in East Timor, along with four other Australian journalists. His inspiration for helping to coordinate a