Australia and South Pacific
Australian man faces lengthy jail term for “offensive” letters
By Mike Head, October 30, 2009
A Muslim man faces up to 14 years in prison for sending allegedly offensive letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Bridgestone closes plants in Australia and New Zealand
By Terry Cook, October 29, 2009
The Bridgestone closures, which end tyre production in Australasia, are part of a global restructuring of the auto industry, in the wake of the worldwide financial crisis.
Sri Lanka: Plantation unions accept wage sell-out
By M. Vasanthan, October 28, 2009
All the plantation unions, including those that initially opposed it, have effectively fallen into line behind a deal that binds workers to poverty-level wages and productivity speed-up for the next t...
Australian government intensifies crackdown on asylum seekers
By Richard Phillips, October 28, 2009
The Rudd government is planning an “Indonesian solution” paying Jakarta to incarcerate refugees intercepted while trying to reach Australia.
Australia: Five men convicted of terrorist “conspiracy”
By Mike Head, October 22, 2009
Following one of the longest jury deliberations ever recorded—23 days—five Sydney Islamic men were convicted last week on terrorist “conspiracy” charges.
Australian government prosecutors suffer significant blow in Moti case
By Patrick O’Connor, October 21, 2009
Justice Mullins concluded that the police and prosecution’s failure to disclose all the relevant documents on time meant that defence’s cross examination of the prosecution’s witnesses could not...
Moti defence counsel challenges Australian Federal Police witness
By Patrick O’Connor, October 20, 2009
Australian Federal Police agent Peter Bond was cross examined yesterday in the Queensland Supreme Court case brought by former Solomon Islands’ attorney general Julian Moti.
Australia: Rudd intervenes to block Tamil asylum-seekers
By Richard Phillips, October 17, 2009
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s response to the Tamil refugees is completely predictable and reflects the views of the entire political establishment, from the crisis ridden Liberal-National ...
Australian Federal Police disclose 1,500 pages of documents in Julian Moti case
By Patrick O’Connor, October 17, 2009
On Thursday morning, Moti’s counsel Jim Kennan SC explained that in the previous 48 hours, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) had handed over more than 1,500 pages of documents.
New Zealand workers face deepening assault on jobs and conditions
By Chris Ross and John Braddock, October 16, 2009
Over the past two months, workers in New Zealand have faced an intensifying barrage of attacks on their jobs, wages, and working conditions.
Australia: Contradictory witness testimonies in Julian Moti hearing
By Patrick O’Connor, October 15, 2009
The Queensland Supreme Court resumed hearings yesterday on the application by former Solomon Islands’ attorney general Julian Moti, for a permanent stay of proceedings in the attempt by Australian p...
Australia: Productivity Commission report rules out curbing executive pay
By Terry Cook, October 13, 2009
A recently released report by Australia’s Productivity Commission into CEO salaries has opposed any significant restraint on the multi-million dollar remuneration packages.
