Issue 1378

News

In a win for those opposed to inappropriate development, Merri-bek council has rejected a proposed apartment building that would have blocked a neighbour鈥檚 access to sunlight. Darren Saffin reports.

Workers take to the streets as part of a national day of action.

Thousands of workers took to the streets in a national day of action to demand wage rises and protest anti-union laws, report Jacob Andrewartha, Sue Bolton, Alex Bainbridge and Jim McIlroy.

Construction workers demanding聽protection from silicosis and calling on Labor governments to keep their promises to remove anti-union laws took to Sydney streets in their thousands. Peter Boyle reports.

About 100 people protested in North Wollongong against the federal government鈥檚 plans for a nuclear submarine base in Port Kembla, NSW. Jim McIlroy reports.

Despite heavy rain, hundreds marched for peace and refugee rights as part of the 2023 Sydney Palm Sunday march, reports Peter Boyle.

A powerful and defiant Trans Visibility Day action was organised in Newtown after weeks of escalating vilification violence against the trans and gay community from right-wing groups.听Peter Boyle and Isaac Nellist report.

91自拍论坛 News podcast Ep 5

Isaac Nellist 补苍诲听Ben Radford take you through the latest news from Australia and around the world.

Climate activists protested outside the聽National Australia Bank鈥檚 Corporate Tower Branch as part of Move Beyond Coal's聽national focus against greenwashing.听 Carine Visschers reports.

Climate activists聽gathered outside the Newtown branch of the National Australia Bank to demand the bank stop funding Whitehaven Coal. Jim McIlroy reports.

Vigils and protests for Aubrey Donahue are being held in Western Australia and Queensland following the police killing of the 27-year-old man from Mareeba, east of Cairns. Kerry Smith reports.

Labor has swapped out the Cashless Debit Card for its new SmartCard.

Federal Labor has reneged on its pre-election promise to end compulsory income management by introducing the聽new聽Indue聽SmartCard. Isaac Nellist reports.

Labor and the Coalition united to block the war powers reform bill

Labor and the Coalition voted together to block a bill that would mandate parliament to vote on whether or not to go to war, reports Pip Hinman.听

the money for nuclear subs could instead be spent on public health and education

The Australian Council of Trade Unions and the NSW Teachers' Federation are concerned about the rise in militarism linked with the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal. Pip Hinman reports.

At the biggest National Tertiary Education Union meeting ever held at Sydney University, union members voted for two days of strikes to be held on March 31 and April 5.听Markela Panegyres reports.

Climate activists outside the Banking Summit

Climate activists rallied outside the Sydney Hilton Hotel to tell a聽Bank聽Summit to leave coal and gas in the ground. Jim McIlroy reports.

Oliver Schulz's charge relates to the shooting death of Afghan man Dad Mohammad during an ADF raid.

In a significant development in justice and accountability, the first soldier to face war crimes charges for their alleged actions in Afghanistan is set to face court. Pip Hinman reports.

There was a聽good turn-out for the聽annual Geelong Pride March and Festival, organised by聽Geelong Rainbow.听Sarah Hathway reports.

A protest was organised against the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal outside the office of Minister for Defence Richard Marles. John Quelsh reports.

Peace campaigners argue that engineering firms should instead be awarded grants to manufacture聽components for the climate transition.听Pip Hinman reports.

Analysis

David Brophy聽argues聽we have an obligation to resist the forces that are pushing Australia towards聽a disastrous war with China.

Thousands marched for trans day of visibility across the country

The following open letter about trans rights was initiated by Community Action for Rainbow Rights and Pride in Protest.

As聽with all matters regarding United States policy, Australia will, if not agree outright with Washington, adopt a聽non-committal position 鈥 鈥渜uiet diplomacy鈥. Binoy Kampmark reports.

Indigenous communities have deep histories of gender nonconforming and trans mobs, argues聽贰迟丑补苍听尝测辞苍蝉.

Norrie聽argues聽it聽is聽embarrassing that NSW is now behind much of the world, 补苍诲听other Australian states, in making gender self-identification legal.

Susan Price reports that聽Labor聽is聽weighing up 116 new coal, oil and gas projects 鈥 the equivalent of starting up 215 new coal-fired power stations.

Far from a groundswell, NSW Labor government received only a 3.6% swing, after 12 years of Coalition neoliberalism. James Wyner reports.

A parliamentary inquiry into the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has revealed startling evidence about some of its operations. Suzanne James reports.

World

Israeli forces raid al Aqsa Mosque

Israeli police invaded Al Aqsa Mosque for the second day in a row, shooting tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinian worshippers inside, reports Susan Price.

peru-boluarte-gustavo-petro-ambassador

Peru withdrew its ambassador from Colombia following statements from Colombian President Gustavo Petro in support of ousted Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, reports Peoples Dispatch.

LGBTIQ Africa

Colonial-era laws are still used to oppress LGBTQ+ Africans, writes Efemia Chela, but the struggle to organise grassroots mutual aid and for legal rights continues.

Protest

Activists are stepping up their pressure on the United States to impose sanctions on North American oil and gas companies financing the Myanmar military's war against the people, reports Peter Boyle.

The British Labour Party鈥檚 National Executive Committee (NEC) has voted to bar former leader Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate in the 2024 general election, reports Alex Salmon.

Photos of the devastation caused by landslides in Ecuador

Despite the region鈥檚 steep topography and vulnerability to earthquakes, companies are seeking to exploit Ecuador鈥檚 Chimborazo province聽for large-scale copper and gold mining,聽reports Ana Zorita.

Climate strike Germany March 3 2023

Franziska Heinisch and Julia Kaiser explain how climate activists and public transport workers in Germany are coordinating their efforts to take joint strike action.

Julian Assange

Democratic Congressperson Rashida Tlaib has urged fellow Congress members to sign a letter to US Attorney-General Merrick Garland urging him to drop the charges against Julian Assange, reports Binoy Kampmark.

Ram贸n Tamames

The Spanish far-right's latest attempt to censure prime minister Pedro Sanchez' government聽鈥 with the help of a former leader of the Communist Party of Spain聽鈥 has backfired, writes Dick Nichols.

West Papua rally attacked

A peaceful protest in Bali calling for a referendum on West Papuan independence was targeted by Indonesian nationalists, reports Susan Price.

woman with megaphone

The recent takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS, with the Swiss state stepping in to cover losses, highlights the need to socialise the financial sector, says聽Movement for Socialism.

French pensions movement 2023

John Mullen looks behind the huge movement against Macron鈥檚 attack on pensions, which has brought millions onto the streets, and seen ongoing blockades and strikes.

RCMP officers raid Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n Village Site

Police officers from Canada's secretive unit known as the C-IRG arrested five land defenders, most of them Indigenous women, in a raid at a camp on unceded Wet'suwet'en territory, reports Jeff Shantz.

Police intimidate West Papuans

A West Papuan university student was charged with treason for raising the Morning Star flag and calling for a referendum on West Papuan independence at a rally last November, reports Susan Price.

The United States is hoping to stave off a general collapse of the currency system, writes Barry Sheppard. This threat gives the capitalist class extortion power to insist that the government bail out the big banks.

Long March by Indian farmers 2023

Indian farmers held a successful聽march to demand crop price guarantees, land ownership rights for tribal farmers, immediate financial relief and loan waivers, reports Peoples Dispatch.

The Indian Patent Office rejected pharmaceutical company Janssen鈥檚 application for an extension of its patent on a drug used in the treatment of tuberculosis, reports Peoples Dispatch.

At least 41 migrants and refugees died in a fire in a migrant prison in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, near the United States border, reports Tamara Pearson.

Uruguay protest against pension reforms

Workers and unions led strikes in Uruguay against the right-wing government鈥檚 proposed pension reforms, which include raising the retirement age from 60 to 65, reports Ana Zorita.

ASHA protest in Bihar

Thousands of community health workers held a huge protest in Patna, in Bihar state, calling for higher pay, recognition as workers and access to employment benefits, reports Kerry Smith.

Depleted uranium shells

Britain has revealed it will supply Ukraine with armour-piercing depleted uranium shells, despite the health and environmental harms associated with the materiel, reports Binoy Kampmark.

Protest in Tel Aviv

Huge crowds have flooded Israel鈥檚 streets for another round of demonstrations against the far-right Benjamin Netanyahu government, reports Jessica Corbett.

Allan Todd discusses the urgent need to address climate change聽and the upcoming Extinction Rebellion protest in London聽calling for system change to tackle the climate, social and economic crises.

Culture

Ecosocialist bookshelf

Climate and Capitalism editor Ian Angus presents eight new books on science, society and socialism.

Politics of Disablement review

Nova Sobieralski reviews Michael Oliver's The Politics of Disablement 鈥 considered a paradigm defining work for the sociological study of disability.

Protest albums from March 2023

Do you think there's no good protest music these days? So did Mat Ward, until they started looking for it.