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Hindmarsh Island bridge bill defeated

By Carla Gorton The defeat of the federal government's Hindmarsh Island bridge bill in the Senate on February 10 has, for the moment, prevented it from overriding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act. The Kumarangk

Tasmanian teachers restart wage claim

By Ben Courtice HOBART — The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Education Union, having spent more than a year campaigning for a wage rise, has restarted negotiations under the new federal industrial relations legislation for a 22.26% rise.

NSW doctors call for national strike action

By Margaret Perrott NSW — State-wide meetings of registrars, resident medical officers (RMOs) and interns were held on February 11 to decide on future campaigns and strike action to fight the Health Insurance Amendment Bill (No. 2, 1996). The

Looking out: Starved soul

Starved soulStarved soul By Brandon Astor "George Washington Carver, it is said, used to get up and go out into the woods every day just before sun-up and sit on his favorite tree stump. While there, during his daily meditations, he would

Revolt against austerity topples Ecuador's president

By Shane Hopkinson Last August, President Abdala Bucaram netted 54% of the vote. In office, the populist president recorded an album and gave concerts, auctioned his moustache in a benefit for the poor and launched a subsidised powdered milk

Loose cannons

@columhead = Career plans "In future I will work in the areas I know well. In business I believe I can contribute particularly in property and resources." — Alan Bond, planning his future after being sentenced to four years in prison for stealing

Left On-line

Left On-line The Pacific on the web — With the possible demise of Radio Australia on the horizon perhaps you better store some of these sites in your bookmarks file so you can keep up with what's happening in the region. Pactok home page at

and ain't i a woman?: Office of the status of (one) woman?

Office of the status of (one) woman?Office of the status of (one) woman? On December 5, the Howard government abolished the Office of the Status of Women's $1 million grants scheme and cut its funding by 46%. The cut, which will affect more

Indonesian activist tours

By Martin Iltis and Russel Pickering Indonesian solidarity campaigners in Canberra, Wollongong and Sydney heard Robbie Hartono from the Indonesian People's Democratic Party (PRD) speak at public meetings between February 11-15. The meetings were

Action updates

Circular Quay protest rally SYDNEY — A February 14 rally to oppose the development of East Circular Quay drew 2000 people to the steps of the Opera House. The rally called for the demolition of a building currently under construction at Circular

On the box

Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Thursday, 10pm, and Saturday, 7pm. Access News — Melbourne community

Indonesian military admits hundreds killed in West Kalimantan

Indonesian military admits hundreds killed in West Kalimantan By James Balowski Recent reports on the death toll following more than a month of unrest in West Kalimantan suggest that many more have been killed that the authorities first admitted.