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Anti-homophobia activist fined

Stuart Baanstra, a Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) activist, refused to sign the 2006 census due to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) refusal to record same-sex married couples. On November 27, Baanstra faced the Magistrates Court for refusing to sign the census. Baanstra pleaded guilty with mitigating circumstances. His lawyer, Natalie Ross, who was working pro bono, asked for charges to be dismissed under Section 19b of the Crimes Act.

New same-sex civil unions push in ACT

ABC Online reported on November 29 that the Australian Capital Territory’s attorney-general, Simon Corbell, intended to introduce a bill that would give legal recognition to same-sex “civil unions”.

Legendary anti-Apartheid play relevant as ever

Sizwe Banzi is Dead
Written by Athol Fugard in collaboration with John Kani & Winston Ntshona
Directed by Peter Brook
Playhouse Theatre
Sydney Opera House
Until 16 December

Save the whales

Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling
By Andrew Darby
Allen & Unwin, 2007
296 pages, $29.95 (pb)

Bolivia: Right-wing violence as draft constitution approved

Sucre, the home of Bolivia’s constituent assembly, has been subjected to right-wing attacks campesinos (peasants) were violently attacked when they arrived to defend the besieged assembly.

Bali - beyond the bazaar

Under the Volcano: the story of Bali
By Cameron Forbes
Black Inc., 2007
286 pages, $32.90 (pb)

A thank you

Thank you very much for your support for the Socialist Alliance’s 2007 federal election campaign.

End support to Afghan narco-regime: Bring the troops home now!

In a new study, entitled Stumbling into Chaos: Afghanistan on the Brink, the Brussels-based Senlis Council international policy think-tank said that the Taliban is now the de facto governing authority in large portions of southern Afghanistan.

Labor to retain NT 'emergency intervention'

The November 24 electoral victory of the ALP was based largely upon public opposition to the Howard Coalition government’s Work Choices laws. But in the Northern Territory, opposition among Aborigines to PM John Howard’s “emergency intervention” into their communities was a major factor in boosting support for Labor.

'Troops home by Christmas!'

“Now that Labor has decisively won the federal election, it is urgent that Australian troops be withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible”, Jim McIlroy, the Socialist Alliance candidate for Kevin Rudd’s seat of Griffith, said after the announcement that Labor had defeated the Howard government. McIlroy also called for an end to Australian support for the war in Afghanistan. “All Australian forces should be brought home by Christmas.

Burma: 'Heading for a new crisis'

Since the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in October, there has been little in the mainstream media coverage of events in Burma. During the crackdown, many people were killed or disappeared by the military as society was placed under curfew.

Iraq: Green Zone again hit by mortar rounds

“More deadly violence occurred north and south of Baghdad as insurgents appeared intent on sending a message to US and Iraqi officials that their recent expressions of confidence in the nation’s security were premature”, the November 24 Los Angeles Times reported, adding that the attacks were “marked by hits on targets that lately had escaped attack”.