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Loose cannons

Combating moral relativism I "Today, having a clear faith based on the creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be 'tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine', seems

EAST ASIA: Japan takes role as Washington's deputy

Eva Cheng As Washington's scaremongering about the "threat" posed to the Western world by China's economy has been broadened to include painting Beijing as a military threat, Japan is emerging as one of the US's regional bullies. During the last

TPV-holders ' easy targets' for exploitation

Sarah Stephen Many of the 9000 Afghan and Iraqi refugees who were released from detention and granted temporary protection visas (TPVs) in 2002 and 2003 found work in abattoirs or on fruit farms in rural and regional areas. Supporters who

May Day marches oppose attacks on unions

Thousands of people marched in cities and towns across Australia on April 30 and May 1 to mark May Day. Rally speakers pledged to resist the federal Coalition government's planned attacks on unions and workers' rights. A wide range of unions, left

Joh's attacks on electricity workers

Bernie Neville was an organiser for the Electrical Trades Union during the 1980s SEQEB dispute. Writing for the April special supplement of Neighbourhood News, he explained the role Joh played in that dispute. In February 1985, the National Party

OUR COMMON CAUSE: Make IR ' reform' Howard's Poll Tax!

A Scottish miner was walking home one night with a bunch of pheasants he had illegally poached from the estate of a local landowner, when the landowner appeared and demanded that the miner hand over the pheasants. "Why should I hand them over to

On the box

Hollywood and the Holocaust — Examines Hollywood's complex — and sometimes contradictory — responses to the horrors of Nazi Germany. SBS, Friday, May 6, 7.30pm. Get Up Stand Up: Say it Loud — Investigates the rich history of politics in

Science fiction for socialists

China Mieville compiled a list of 50 fantasy and science fiction works that socialists should read. A selection is featured below — visit <http://www.fantasticmetropolis.com/i/50socialist/full> for the full list. Mieville points out that

End of coal strike close

Ron Perkins, Perth After almost two months of strike action, maintenance workers at Wesfarmers' Premier Coal in WA's south-west appear close to winning their demands for better conditions. A sudden change in attitude from the company has broken

BRITAIN: Gentle action against Blair

On April 27, Rose and George Gentle, the parents of British soldier Gordon Gentle, who killed in Basra last year, announced they were launching action against British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the British High Court, because of his participation

Write on: Letters to the editor

Ratzinger Many defenders of Joseph Ratzinger's appointment as pope are arguing that his conservatism will make him generally popular among Catholics. Maybe, maybe not. However, the Catholic Church is not merely a private club of consenting adults

Back door death penalty?

Is the Coalition government surreptitiously trying to reimpose the death penalty on Australian citizens? This question has been posed by the conduct of the Australian Federal Police in the case of nine Australians arrested in Bali on April 17 by