The 36th annual national conference of the socialist youth organisation Resistance will be an important stepping stone towards the protests against US emperor George Bush聮s visit to Australia in September for the APEC summit.
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The public gallery of the Northern Territory Supreme Court erupted into applause on June 15 when Justice Sally Thomas handed down the sentences for the 聯Pine Gap Four聰 聴 Christians Against All Terrorism members Bryan Law, Jim Dowling, Adele Goldie and Donna Mulhearn 聴 who had the previous day been found guilty of 14 charges under the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act of 1952.
It has become clear in recent weeks the extent to which the NSW and federal governments want to block protests at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney in September.
The NSW government is planning to give police extraordinary powers of arrest and detention around the time of the APEC summit in Sydney in September. Activists planning the protest when US President George Bush is in town say the new powers are about intimidation, not public safety.
As Venezuela鈥檚 Bolivarian revolution continues to deepen and accelerate, President Hugo Chavez has announced a spate of pro-worker changes, which mark a continuation of the Chavez government鈥檚 orientation toward the country鈥檚 oppressed, and a victory against the right-wing offensive that has heightened since Chavez鈥檚 re-election in December.
Supporters of Indigenous rights in Queensland have sold a thousand yellow wristbands with 鈥淛ustice now: Mulrunji 19-11-04鈥 printed on them. A police officer is currently standing trial for the 2004 death in custody of Palm Island resident Mulrunji 鈥 the first time an officer has been charged over a death in custody in Queensland鈥檚 history. The wristbands have been distributed throughout the state, including an order of 1000 for Palm Island being placed. To place an order, phone Paul on 0410 629 088.
The ABC聮s 7.30 Report on June 11 reported that 200 miners at BHP Billiton聮s iron ore mine at Mount Newman in Western Australia had signed a petition complaining about 聯an atmosphere of intimidation and victimisation聰 of workers on individual agreements (AWAs). The workers聮 petition complained that management was forcing them to work in unsafe conditions and warned that a serious accident was likely.
On June 12, the trial of Queensland police officer Chris Hurley on charges of assault and manslaughter began. Hurley is alleged to have punched and then unlawfully killed Aboriginal man Mulrunji on November 19, 2004, on Palm Island, an Indigenous community located near Townsville.
The Howard government聮s so-called fairness test for all new workplace agreements (individual contracts and collective agreements) is destined to become law, with Labor Party support, before the end of June. The legislation, which purports to guarantee 聯fairness聰 to workers who trade off their entitlement to penalty rates, overtime pay and holiday leave loading, passed through the House of Representatives on May 29.
During Condoleezza Rice鈥檚 visit to Panama on June 5, she described Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez鈥檚 decision not to renew the licence of Radio Caracas Television as his 鈥渟harpest and most acute鈥 move yet against democracy. She urged the Organisation of American States to send its secretary general to Caracas to look into the move and deliver a full report on his findings. Rice declared: 鈥淔reedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience are not a thorn in the side of the government. Disagreeing with your government is not unpatriotic and most certainly should not be a crime in any country, especially a democracy.鈥
In recent years there聮s been a concerted campaign by right-wing Vietnamese exiles around the world to resurrect the defunct flag of the old Saigon regime.
On June 12, Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) organised a protest in front of the Lahore Press Club against the illegal detention of LPP general secretary Farooq Tariq, who was arrested on June 5 and given a three-month detention order. Braving 47掳C heat, more than 300 protesters gathered, raising slogans against General Pervez Musharraf聮s regime and demanding the immediate release of Tariq and all other political prisoners.
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