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Death of civil rights

Death of civil rights By Graham Matthews BRISBANE — When lesbian JM won an anti-discrimination case in the Equal Opportunities Commission against a Queensland sperm bank that refused her access because of her sexuality, the media made

Challenge to Tasmania's gay laws

Challenge to Tasmania's gay laws By Marina Cameron On February 26, the High Court announced a unanimous decision to allow a legal challenge to the Tasmanian government's anti-gay laws to be heard. Gay activists Rodney Croome and Nick Toonen

Irish nationalist vote to be split

Irish nationalist vote to be split By Mike Heaney Social Democratic and Labour Party leader John Hume has rejected Sinn Féin's proposal for an electoral pact in the upcoming Westminster elections. Sinn Féin chairperson Mitchel

A depoliticised, Hollywood flop

EvitaDirected by Alan ParkerStarring Madonna, Antonio Banderos and Jonathon PriceNow showing in all major cinemas Review by Paul Howes Evita, based on a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, is another Hollywood flop. There is really

Fighting the far right

By Susan Price MELBOURNE — The opening two months ago of a bookshop run by the extreme right-wing organisation National Action has sparked a broad community campaign to drive them out of the area. Fawkner is a working-class, migrant suburb on

Labor students turn left?

By Sean Healy With banners proclaiming their allegiance to "socialism, feminism, democracy and unionism", and newsletters declaring the need to "educate, agitate, organise", the National Organisation of Labor Students tried to make a big splash

International Women's Day '97

International Women's Day '97 Thousands of women and male supporters rallied and marched on March 8 against the attacks on women's rights. Rallies around the country heard speakers representing Aboriginal people, migrants, trade unionists, young

Socialist candidates call for community control

Socialist candidates call for community control By Bill Mason BRISBANE — "Brisbane needs a council that is controlled by ordinary working people, who are the majority — not a council that panders to developers and big business: a

Bougainville pickets

Bougainville pickets @body intro =— "Withdraw the PNG army from Bougainville. Lift the blockade. No mercenaries to Bougainville. Open up Queensland hospitals for Bougainville victims of the war." These were the demands raised by an emergency

New attack on public sector workers

New attack on public sector workers By James Vassilopoulos Minister for industrial relations Peter Reith has escalated the government's attack on public sector workers by allowing departments to introduce Australian Workplace Agreements or

ANZ to sack hundreds

ANZ to sack hundreds By James Vassilopoulos Esanda, the financial services arm of the ANZ Bank, plans to sack 700 workers — a 40% of its work force. Esanda has been undertaking an 18-month review to restructure and cut costs. Some of

More Israeli settlements planned

By Adam Hanieh On February 26, the Israeli government announced the future construction of 2600 housing units between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem on Mount Abu Ghneim. These units will be built for Jewish settlers as part of the continuing