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Mandatory sentencing: it isn't over

Mandatory sentencing: it isn't over In spite of Senate and United Nations reports finding mandatory sentencing laws are in breach of international conventions, and in spite of the Senate's March 15 adoption of a private member's bill overturning

Loose cannons

Maggots unite! "It sounds terrible, but it is a fact that flies get into wounds on occasions." — Senator John Herron, representing the minister for aged care, excusing maggots infesting the wounds of patients at Perth's Kensington Park Nursing

Ecstasy over-reaction

By Will Williams If you came across the headline "Valley of death", what would you imagine? A massacre? A hideous natural or un-natural disaster? In fact, the February 22 Sydney Morning Herald editorial under this headline was about the Happy

Acehnese demand referendum, end to violence

The following is abridged from a statement by MUHAMMAD NAZAR, chairperson of the presidium board of the Aceh Referendum Information Centre (SIRA), to Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid, dated March 5. Violence and human rights violations by the

Griffith students unite for better conditions

Griffith students unite for better conditions By Justin Randell BRISBANE — An upgrade of computer facilities, tutorial sizes capped at 15, free child-care, better security on campus, abolition of library fines and an end to academic job losses

Acts of Resistance

Resistance pushes on MELBOURNE — Resistance members here spent their Labour Day holiday on March 30 at the Push On concert at Melbourne's Luna Park. Thousands of young people, mainly high school students, gathered to hear bands play. Resistance

All eyes on Zimbabwe's new 'workers' party'

All eyes on Zimbabwe's new 'workers' party' By Patrick Bond JOHANNESBURG — The Shona-language slogan of the popular new political party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has spread far and wide throughout the countryside: Chinja!

CLP by-election victory proves little

CLP by-election victory proves little By Dave Murphy DARWIN — The Northern Territory's chief minister, Denis Burke, claims that the Country Liberal Party (CLP) victory in the March 11 Port Darwin by-election shows that Territorians approve of

Reject Wahid's austerity plan, says PRD

Reject Wahid's austerity plan, says PRD By Pip Hinman Since his election five months ago, the new president of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid, has managed to create the impression that his is a people-friendly government. But how true is this?

Privatisation is not the solution

By Margaret Allum Between 1850 and 1914, the main infrastructure projects in Australia were state-owned and controlled. These included the railways and the water, electricity, telephone and sewerage systems. At federation, state governments owned

East Timorese under attack

East Timorese under attack By Jon Land The recent spate of pro-integration militia incursions along the western border of East Timor highlights the failure and unwillingness of the Indonesian government to disarm its militia gangs in West Timor.

Sex, drugs and our right to decide

Sex, drugs and our right to decide Marina Carman The $5 million National Alcohol Campaign has hit our TV screens. In the two advertisements, teenagers drinking alcohol end up either having unsafe sex or beating someone up. The campaign includes