Australia and South Pacific
Australia: Olympic gold medalist Ian Thorpe speaks out against Aboriginal “intervention”
By Richard Phillips, July 29, 2009
Powerful criticism of decades of deliberate government neglect of Australia’s poverty-stricken indigenous communities by former swimming star Ian Thorpe has been subjected to a virtual media black o...
Solomon Islands parliament rams through renewal of Australian-dominated RAMSI occupation
By Patrick O’Connor, July 28, 2009
Australian officials in Honiara no doubt exerted behind the scenes pressure to ensure the Act was approved for another 12 months, thereby ensuring that RAMSI forces continue to enjoy carte blanche pow...
Australian government boosts terror laws, while modifying “lexicon”
By Mike Head, July 27, 2009
While expanding the former Howard government’s “anti-terrorism” laws that the Labor Party helped introduce between 2002 and 2006, the Rudd Labor government has moved to abandon the term “war o...
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
July 25, 2009
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
Australia: Aboriginal disadvantage widens under Rudd government
By Susan Allan, July 24, 2009
According to the Productivity Commission’s latest report, the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is either static or widening across 80 percent of social statistics.
Fiji: Military junta proposes new constitution, elections by 2014
By Frank Gaglioti and Patrick O’Connor, July 24, 2009
Coming ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ summit in Australia early next month, a defiant speech by Fiji’s strongman Bainimarama and the divided response are indications of Canberra’s w...
Australia: Labor government’s new industrial relations body bans paramedic strike
By Chris Sadlier, July 22, 2009
Fair Work Australia (FWA), the Labor government’s new industrial relations tribunal, yesterday banned planned strike action by ambulance paramedics in Victoria.
Australia: Teachers Federation annual conference: a green light for Labor’s pro-market “education revolution”
By Erika Zimmer, July 22, 2009
Last week’s New South Wales Teachers’ Federation annual conference served to deflect widespread opposition among teachers to the Rudd government’s pro-market education reforms.
Australia: Behind the Labor government’s paid parental leave fraud
By Tess Gordon, July 20, 2009
The Rudd government’s proposed Paid Parental Leave scheme is aimed at boosting productivity through increased workforce participation.
East Timor: Trials begin over 2008 Horta-Gusmao “assassination attempt”
By Patrick O’Connor, July 18, 2009
Initial court proceedings in East Timor have underscored the numerous unanswered contradictions and far-reaching political interests involved in the events of February 11, 2008.
Job destruction accelerates in New Zealand as unions enforce austerity measures
By John Braddock, July 17, 2009
Unemployment figures just released in New Zealand indicate that, far from abating, the effects of the international recession are worsening, with thousands being thrown into unemployment and dole queu...
Australian unions praise Labor’s new “Fair Work” laws
By Terry Cook, July 16, 2009
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and ACTU president Sharon Burrow embraced to celebrate the July 1 commencement of Labor’s “Fair Work” industrial relations regime.
