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Government moves against sole parents

Sole parents will have a lengthy waiting period before being paid social security under provisions buried in the proposed Parenting Payment Bill currently before parliament. The bill fuses the sole parent pension with the current parenting allowance

Taxation ruling raises cost of studying

Taxation ruling raises cost of studying By Will Williams CANBERRA — The Australian Taxation Office is circulating a draft ruling that would cut students' already meagre incomes. The February 13 closing date for submissions on the draft, titled

Wharfies seek solidarity

Wharfies seek solidarity By Graham Mathews BRISBANE — Wharfies here are ready to defend their wages and conditions. With small victories over the Liberal government last year in the Cairns dispute and over the Dubai fiasco, their morale is

Ramos Horta on the 'winds of change in Asia'

Ramos Horta on the 'winds of change in Asia' By Rohan Gaiswinkler DARWIN — 250 people heard Jose Ramos Horta, international representative of the East Timor independence movement, give a public lecture entitled "The winds of change in eastern

The pope in Cuba: 'Everyone's a winner but the US'

The pope in Cuba: 'Everyone's a winner but the US' By Karen Lee Wald HAVANA — While the pope's visit to Cuba was officially billed as a "pastoral visit" to Catholics at the invitation of their bishops, the world's attention was nevertheless

Review of the NSW Bail Act

By Tim Anderson SYDNEY — Following the killing of two schoolgirls on the south coast last year, and the revelation that one of those charged with murder had been on bail for another offence, a review of the Bail Act 1978 was directed by the NSW

Today's tasks: ten-point justice

Today's tasks: ten-point justice "Our ten points: a long-range policy for Aborigines" was adopted at the 1938 Day of Mourning and Protest held in Australian Hall, and published in the first edition of the Australian Abo Call newspaper in April

New WA anti-graffiti laws

New WA anti-graffiti laws By Sean Martin-Iverson PERTH — The state Liberal government has moved to make WA's already draconian anti-graffiti laws even harsher. The existing legislation, which allows for penalties of 200 hours of community

Perth protest against Howard

Perth protest against Howard By Sarah Stephenand Katie Miles-Barnes PERTH — On January 25, 150 people gathered outside Government House to peacefully protest against an address by John Howard. The rally was opposing the Wik 10-point plan,

'Slave labour', say youth

'Slave labour', say youth By Bill Mason BRISBANE — The Howard government's move to extend the compulsory work for the dole scheme is akin to conscription and slave labour, according to a group of young people interviewed in the January 29

Letter from the US: Sex scandal diverts attention from threat to Iraq

Sex scandal diverts attention from threat to Iraq By Barry Sheppard For the past two weeks, the allegations that President Bill Clinton had an affair with a young woman working in the White House has drowned out other major news. The scandal

A Dangerous Man

A Dangerous Man [A tribute to Siegfried Sassoon — antiwar poet. ] Sassoon was a man,A dangerous man,Sassoon was a dangerous man.He went off to a warAnd went back for moreSassoon, what a dangerous man! And after this warHe settled his