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Skilled Engineering refuse work to Patrick staff

BY SHANE BENTLEY SYDNEY — On November 17, the notorious anti-union labour-hire company Skilled Engineering refused to hire Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) maintenance staff employed at Patrick Stevedores terminals at Port Botany, Sydney and

Loose cannons

Aussie battler "I believe I am entitled to be paid for my labour irrespective of how much of the company I own." — Frank Lowy, who last year was paid $13.39 million as executive chairman of Westfield Holdings and who also heads the company's

Meeting hears harrowing tales of mistreatment of refugees

BY KERRYN WILLIAMS CANBERRA — "More 'babies overboard' and outright lies" was how refugee advocate Marion Le described immigration minister Amanda Vanstone's response to the recent arrival on Melville Island of a group of Kurdish refugees. Le

Frida: an injustice to Kahlo, art and Trotsky

REVIEW BY LOUIS PROYECT FridaDirected by Julie TaymorWritten by Clancy Sigal, Diane Lake and Gregory NavaWith Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Geoffrey Rush, Ashley Judd, Antonio Banderas and Edward NortonBuena Vista DVD Frida is a really stupid

SCOTLAND: 'Bush' thrown out of parliament

BY NORM DIXON There was uproar in the Scottish Parliament on November 20 when "George Bush", who was in the public gallery, jumped up and shouted: "God bless my fellow war criminals in the Scottish Parliament. God bless my fellow mass murderers. If

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. Includes the 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ news. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Sunday, 9pm. Phone (02) 9564 1277. Visit

DET workers strike against job cuts

BY MARCUS PABIAN MELBOURNE — Following a three-month campaign to resist job cuts, workers employed in the state Department of Education and Training (DET), frustrated by intransigence of Premier Steve Bracks' Labor government, went on strike on