A protest planned for October 28 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit (CHOGM) received wide media attention on August 23. This came after The West Australian ran an article under the inflammatory 鈥淧rotesters vow to break CHOGM security lines鈥.
A was titled 鈥淩ally would be test of new powers鈥.
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There鈥檚 been much hoo-haa about cannabis possession lately in Western Australia, because now, if you are found with鈥10鈥痮r more grams of鈥痠t, 鈥痽ou鈥檙e a criminal.
As of August 1, just 10 grams 鈥 rather than the 30-gram amount under the previous Labor government 鈥 can land you a maximum $2000 fine or two years鈥 jail. Heavy, right?
And to top it off, those caught will receive a nice little criminal record to go with it. Get caught with less than 10 grams and you are in for a mandatory counselling session.
The new penalties have sparked an outcry from responsible users across the state.
Wollongong鈥檚 city centre experienced something special on August 25: an explosion of art, culture and youth talent.
During Community Voice's public launch of its cultural policy, a crowd of more than 200 people swelled around the mall's amphitheatre.
As young musicians performed, graffiti artists Adam Rizvik and Josh Harris produced an amazing piece in real time that simply said 鈥渃reate art鈥 on stage.
For two hours the mall 鈥 not known for its social atmosphere 鈥 was filled with beautiful music, inspired speeches, happy people and the smell of spray paint.
Friends of the Earth (FoE) have called on the Victorian Liberal government to 鈥渋mmediately ban any coal seam gas or new coal developments in the state鈥.
The environmental group says Victoria 鈥渇aces a wave of exploration licenses for coal seam gas (CSG), coal, and shale gas鈥 and has urged people to Premier Ted Baillieu to demand 鈥渁 thorough investigation into the likely impacts of [the coal and coal seam gas] industry on water resources, farmland and food security, local communities and natural biodiversity."
The released the statement below on August 24.
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鈥淎 disgraceful incident at Broome hospital today has highlighted the contemptuous attitude of Serco staff to the welfare of asylum seekers they have a duty to care for,鈥 said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
Serco officers cancelled medical appointments at Broome hospital for three Afghan asylum seekers for talking to a refugee advocate in the hospital waiting room.
The released the statement below on August 23.
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BlueScope Steel Ltd. announced on August 22 that it would shut two production facilities and shed 1000 jobs as part of a restructure aimed at turning around a $1.05 billion annual loss.
This will mean the shutdown of a blast furnace at Port Kembla in the Illawarra region of New South Wales and closure of its Western Port hot strip mill in Victoria.
The Port Kembla closure will result in 800 job losses, while at least 200 jobs will be cut at Western Port.
, a new action-based environmental group that has launched a campaign against Australian retail companies profiting from the logging of native forests, released the statement below on August 24.
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Today, almost 50 activists have taken action at four sites across Australia to protest Harvey Norman鈥檚 sale of wood products sourced from native forest destruction. Four activists have been arrested.
We are a group of Tamil Refugees awaiting for our status and security to be confirmed in Villawood Detention Centre.
Although we happen to be Tamil, we wish our comments to encompass all the differing ethnic groups that languish in Villawood.
The object of this letter is to thank the growing number of Australians in the community for offering continued support, advice and hope, in our endeavour to make Australia home.
Although held in a prison like environment, we are not criminals.
We all have families that we love and miss very much.
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