Since the March 20 state elections and the installation of a power-sharing government between the Labor Party and the Greens, there have been quite a few notable developments in Tasmanian politics.
Tasmania could be the first state to legalise voluntary euthanasia. The attorney-general and deputy premier Lara Giddings told states parliament on June 22 she would work with Greens leader Nick McKim to prepare a private members鈥 bill about voluntary euthanasia.
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The TV anchorwoman was conducting a split screen interview with a journalist who had volunteered to be a witness at the execution of a man on death row in Utah for 25 years.
鈥淗e had a choice鈥, said the journalist, 鈥渓ethal injection or firing squad鈥. 鈥淲ow!鈥 said the anchorwoman.
Cue a blizzard of commercials for fast food, teeth whitener, stomach stapling, the new Cadillac. This was followed by the war in Afghanistan, presented by a correspondent sweating in a flak jacket.
Resistance has always championed solidarity with refugees, in a political arena of racism and fear-mongering. Resistance is committed to building campaigns demanding dignity, respect and human rights for asylum seekers.
Recently, we have been reaching out to refugees who are detained like prisoners for legitimately seeking asylum in Australia. Group visits to Villawood detention centre in western Sydney were initiated by Sydney Resistance about three months ago. Wollongong and Newcastle Resistance branches have also been involved.
Citizens rallied in two Afghan cities on July 10 and 11, chanting slogans against the occupying powers and the unpopular regime of President Hamid Karzai for failing to protect civilians.
On July 10, hundreds took to the streets of Mazar-i-Sharif to demand that all occupation forces leave.
The protest was organised after an artillery barrage from occupying NATO forces killed six civilians in Paktia province on July 8 and US troops killed two civilians in a pre-dawn raid in the city on July 7.
Protesters chanted slogans against occupation forces and Karzai.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard鈥檚 high-handed attempts to impose a 鈥渞egional asylum seeker processing centre鈥 on East Timor have angered Timorese politicians and activists.
Despite Gillard鈥檚 talk about finding a regional solution to a regional problem, the 鈥減roblem鈥 of 鈥渦nauthorised boat arrivals鈥 in Australia is one of perception.
The Liberal-National opposition and the Murdoch tabloids have devoted considerable energy to creating anxiety in 麻豆传媒 of the Australian community about the country being swamped by 鈥渂oat people鈥.
Defence minister Senator John Faulkner has joined the list of cabinet members who, since Julia Gillard became prime minister, have said they will resign from the front bench after the upcoming elections.
He dismissed suggestions that this was because he had doubts about the unpopular war in Afghanistan, which he has the task of promoting.
Just days after the ALP replaced Kevin Rudd with Julia Gillard as PM, Rio Tinto boss Tom Albanese delivered a blunt warning to governments around the world, especially Third World governments, not to be tempted to go for what he called 鈥渞esource nationalism鈥.
鈥淎s you know, the original May proposal for a super tax caused a furious national debate in Australia鈥, Albanese told a gathering of mining executives and big investors at Lord's in London.
Twenty years ago, superannuation was an employment benefit enjoyed only by public sector workers and management level employees in the corporate sector. Most workers had no access to superannuation.
Today 鈥渟uper鈥 is an 鈥渋ndustry鈥 of great value and interest to finance capital. The $1.3 trillion in superannuation funds came in handy when the ongoing 鈥済reat financial crisis鈥 (GFC) began in 2008. It was a lifeline for Australian corporations caught short.
What happened to create this behemoth?
Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett announced on June 22 that he 鈥渁ccepted the [state] Planning Commission鈥檚 recommendation鈥 to reject the Lauderdale Quays canal estate proposal at Ralphs Bay. 鈥淚t found the proposal was unsustainable, and not consistent with the objectives of the planning system or the state coastal policy鈥, Bartlett said.
Argentina鈥檚 Senate narrowly approved a measure on July 15 legalising same-sex marriage, the New York Times said that day. The NYT said Argentina is the first Latin American nation to allow gay couples to wed.
The bill, which was sponsored by the government of President Cristinia Fernandez, was passed by 33-27. On July 15, Prensa Latina said Fernandez congratulated the Senate, saying the bill will allow for the protection of the rights of a minority.
Months out from the September national elections, the eyes of football-crazy Brazil have been focused on the World Cup.
Discussions have centred on the performance (or lack thereof) of the men in the national football team. But it is three women who have been making the biggest impact on politics 鈥 especially on the left.
About 650 people packed into a Melbourne university lecture theatre to see the launch of the Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Stationary Energy Plan on July 14.
Held jointly between Beyond Zero Emissions and the Melbourne University Energy Institute, the event heard from a number of speakers about how renewable energy could power Australia.
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