Australia and South Pacific
Australia: Engineers place bans, defying Qantas intimidation
By Terry Cook, November 23, 2009
Aircraft engineers at Qantas began industrial action on November 13 in support of improved pay and working conditions. The 190 professional engineers, members of the Association of Professional Engine...
Australia: Defiant stand by Oceanic Viking refugees triggers political crisis
By Mike Head, November 20, 2009
The refusal by Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to disembark in Indonesia from an Australian Customs vessel, the Oceanic Viking, has triggered an extraordinary political crisis for the Australian Labor gover...
Myths and legends about World War II exposed at Australian SEP public meetings
By our correspondents, November 18, 2009
The Socialist Equality Party in Australia held public meetings in Sydney and Melbourne this month on “Seventy years since World War II: lessons and warnings”.
Indonesian police shoot two refugees trying to reach Australia
By Mike Head, November 18, 2009
The real face of the Rudd government’s hoped-for “Indonesian solution” for asylum seekers began to emerge last week. Indonesian police shot and seriously wounded two men trying to reach Australi...
Solomon Islands: parliamentary report rubberstamps Australian-led RAMSI intervention force
By Patrick O’Connor, November 17, 2009
A report released by the Solomon Islands’ parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee last Thursday brushes aside many serious issues regarding the legal status of the immunity of RAMSI personnel from...
New Zealand university administration calls police on protestors
By Victoria University of Wellington ISSE, November 16, 2009
In a blatant attack on democratic rights, two former university students were arrested when they attempted to deliver a petition to the administration of Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) in New...
Australia-Sri Lanka deal for joint crackdown on Tamil asylum seekers
By Richard Phillips, November 13, 2009
By reaching a deal with Colombo—that is, with the regime responsible for the oppression of Tamils—the Australian Labor government is legitimising its police state measures and nullifying the basic...
Trial by media in Australian terrorism case
By Mike Head, November 13, 2009
Despite objections by defence lawyers, highly-prejudicial and untested prosecution evidence was released to the media in Australia’s latest large-scale terrorist trial.
Australian Pabloites prepare NPA-style dissolution
By Laura Tiernan, November 12, 2009
The Democratic Socialist Perspective will dissolve itself into the ailing Socialist Alliance electoral front in January 2010. Modelled closely on France’s New Anti-capitalist Party, the DSP is makin...
Australia’s “rock solid” banks: the financial crisis one year on
By Alex Messenger, November 11, 2009
The corporate press claims that the Australian financial system has survived the global financial crisis because of good regulation and sound banking practice. In truth, Australian banks only survived...
Australia: Julian Moti defence closing submission outlines “oppressive and unfair” prosecution
By Patrick O’Connor, November 10, 2009
Defence counsel for former Solomon Islands’ attorney general Julian Moti issued its closing submission to the Queensland Supreme Court on Friday.
Tamil asylum-seekers reject Australian government demands
By Richard Phillips, November 9, 2009
The Rudd government is intensifying its pressure on 78 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers aboard the Oceanic Viking to disembark and enter Indonesian immigration detention centers.
