Category: Various

Items that were not given a category

And the Wankley Award goes to… Paul Sheehan

Jane Nethercote writes:

Sydney Morning Herald columnist Paul Sheehan had many things to say on Monday about the challenge of migration.

But the last paragraph — where he called some refugees “parasites” — stole the show.

Sure, the overall tone of his piece was alarmist. Eg. “Under the Rudd Government, Australia’s net immigration intake is now larger than Britain’s, even though it has almost three times the population of Australia.”… Go to Article

Brisbane’s Radical Books

Radical simply means ‘grasping things at the root.
                                 - Angela Davis

“These students believe in democracy and most importantly they believe in the maximum participation for the individual.

Believing that democracy is a continuous process that does not finish at the polls they are prepared at any time to check abuses by working through the legal and administrative channels.… Go to Article

‘Our Rights at Work’ not dead, yet

Victorian Trade Hall Unions back CFMEU official, Noel Washington

The Victorian Trades Hall Council has called a meeting of delegates from all unions to discuss the union movement’s response to the anti-union Australian Building and Construction Commission, which is attempting to jail CFMEU official, Noel Washington.

The meeting will also discuss the ongoing ‘Your Rights at Work’ campaign.… Go to Article

Who supports a market solution for Climate Change?

Prof Ross Garnaut told about 1000 people assembled in the Brisbane City Hall on 11 July 2008 that the ‘centrepiece of our [the federal government] response to climate change is an Emissions Trading Scheme [ETS]. See http://bushtelegraph.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/garnaut-on-climate-change-the-market/

Who supports a market solution for Climate Change? Where is the evidence that the market will be able to prevent the current overproduction of greenhouse gases?… Go to Article

The Situation in Burma

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Invites you to its Monthly Community Forum

Topic: The Situation in Burma

Guest Speaker: Dave Andrews

Date: Sunday 6th July 2008-07-01

Time: 7 pm sharp

Venue: Meeting Room, Garden City Library, Mt Gravatt

For more information contact Nora on 0422 349 786 or email at info@amarah.org… Go to Article

Spirit of Eureka

We pay tribute to Australia’s Indigenous people in recognition of their struggles since British colonization in 1788.

Our Vision:

The Spirit of Eureka Committee actively seeks to promote a vision and a pathway to a democratic and independent Australian republic which values all its citizens and is a fair and just society for all.… Go to Article

Talisman Saber 2008

Join us in two important PEACE events in the lead up to AUS – US War games Talisman Saber 2008…

Indigenous peace activists from Guam (Guahan) will be visiting Brisbane June 26-29, 2008. The Chamoru people have had their homeland annexed by the US and used as a major  strategic military post – with 1/3 or more of the land used by the US military.… Go to Article

Frameworks of Flesh — builders’ labourers battle for health and safety

The hope of the world

“The union movement is idealistic in its essential arts by widening the scope of benefits derived from its ever-expanding usefulness.

The betterment of the conditions of the workers has been brought about through organisation. A union constitutes a school for the working class, wherein they learn self-reliance, learn their rights, privileges, opportunities, as well as their possibilities.

… Go to Article

Labor follows Adam Smith

Emerson defines Labor for new era

Lenore Taylor, National correspondent | June 13, 2008

RUDD Government frontbencher Craig Emerson has sought to define modern Labor as a party of “market democrats” who believe in smaller government, less middle-class welfare and free markets as the best way to deliver a fair society.… Go to Article

Refugee Week

ARE WE THERE YET ?

imageA refugee week public forum

Tuesday,  June 17   6-8 pm

BMW Edge – Federation Square

Hosted by Tracee Hutchinson- broadcast journalist

Speakers

Julian Burnside QC – prominent human rights lawyer

Michael Foster– Director of the International Refugee Law Research program  University of Melbourne

Paris Aristotle – Director of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture

Special performance by musician Jali Buba Kuyateh

Organised by Multicultural Arts Victoria, Refugee Action Collective, Hotham Mission and Refugee Council of Australia.… Go to Article

Sadr bloc demands pact referendum

Tens of thousands of al-Sadr supporters rallied against the proposed security deal on Friday [AFP]

Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, the Iraqi Shia leader, have demanded that the government hold a public referendum on a long-term security agreement with the US.

Politicians have until July to finalise a pact to keep US soldiers in Iraq after the current UN mandate expires at the end of the year.… Go to Article

Union Alert

This is a round-up of recent union disputes from the local press and other sources.

” While the prospect for worker organisation is limited, however, out of the contradiction of master and servant (boss/worker) comes conflict.

When workers take action to advance their own interests, there is an opportunity to link with other workers engaged in similar industrial disputes.

… Go to Article

Our Rights at Work Need Fighting For

by Rob Durbridge

It is common ground on all sides of politics that the union campaign against Work Choices played a big part in the defeat of the Howard Government. But the Rudd Government has no intention of returning the favour by restoring the pre-Howard industrial relations system. This is not to underestimate the significance of the abolition of AWAs and the crisis this has caused in the Coalition after it followed extreme anti-union policies promoted by the Right over many years.… Go to Article

Union Report from Fremantle

Joe’s back in the spotlight

Joe McDonald storming building siteMeeting in Fremantle of unionists went well. Ten people there. I’ll be able to tell you more when I get a chance to look at my notes.

Essentially, the focus should be on the ABCC and explaining why this is a civil rights issue to the wider community i.e.… Go to Article