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Bank merger will hit Tasmania hard

Bank merger will hit Tasmania hard By Alex Bainbridge HOBART — In November, when it sold the Trust Bank for $149 million, the Labor state government promised that there would be no job losses, no branch closures and a "net benefit" for

Street artists v Sydney City Council

Street artists v Sydney City Council By Bruce White SYDNEY — The Ombudsman has replied evasively to a complaint about council treatment of street artists but has, in passing, testified to how deliberate council's policy is. Sydney City Council

The death of reconciliation?

The death of reconciliation? By Sue Boland It's a wonder that Prime Minister John Howard didn't choke on his insincerity on the night of the Coalition government's re-election in 1998 when he said, "I want to commit myself very genuinely to the

Free education, not privatisation!

Free education, not privatisation! By Bronwyn Powell On March 22, students will take to the streets as part of a national day of action (NDA) called by the National Union of Students against education privatisation. This year, students at several

Otways logging causing Geelong water shortage

By Sue Bull GEELONG — As Geelong enters phase two of water restrictions, 83,000 tonnes of native forest in the nearby Otways is being wood-chipped. But the four businesses involved and the Victorian state government deny any connection between

Arrests at Beverley uranium mine

ADELAIDE — Three people were arrested on March 3 during a peaceful protest at the Beverley uranium mine in the far north of South Australia.

On the box

Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Sunday, 9-11pm. Ph 9565 5522. Access News — Melbourne community TV,

India: Deepa Mehta's latest feminist film disrupted

Deepa Mehta's latest feminist film disrupted By Eva Cheng Progressive Indian film-maker Deepa Mehta's latest production, Water, has been disrupted by violent attacks from Hindu fundamentalists in Varanasi, attacks supported by the Bharatiya

How PR buries the environment

How PR buries the environment Global Spin: the corporate assault on environmentalismRevised editionBy Sharon BederScribe Publications336 pp., $29.95 (pb) Global Spin reveals the sophisticated techniques being used around the world by powerful

Resistance to Hindu fundamentalists' 'coup' in Bihar

By Eva Cheng The Hindu-fundamentalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the leading party in the 24-party coalition that has ruled India since October, has seized power through the back door in the country's second most populous state of Bihar despite

Palestinian Authority forced to release students

Palestinian Authority forced to release students By Ahmad Nimer RAMALLAH, Palestine - Students at Birzeit University celebrated the unconditional release of those imprisoned by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the widespread crackdown that

Mardi Gras parade puts politics up front

Mardi Gras parade puts politics up front Comment by Tom Flanagan SYDNEY — The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has been criticised in recent years for becoming too commercialised, at the expense of the progressive politics that marked its