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John Dengate's political satire

The Follies of PolliesCD by John DengateReviewed by Alex Bainbridge I first saw John Dengate perform live in 1987 at the National Folk Festival in Alice Springs. He presented a workshop titled: "No matter how you stir the dunny can, the shit always

CRA sets up confrontation at Vickery mine

By Jennifer Thompson The July 23 confrontation between striking unionists, who are picketing CRA-owned Novacoal's Vickery mine, and the mine's management was deliberately provoked according to CFMEU members. Workers have been on strike for more

'Breaking the links of oppression'

By Alex Bainbridge NEWCASTLE — Nico Wahid from the Indonesian People's Democratic Party (PRD) and dissident Indonesian researcher George Aditjondro spoke at a July 25 workshop attended by 30 people. The workshop discussed the links of oppression

Indonesian party defies threats from military

By Max Lane The Indonesian military has increased its propaganda attacks against jailed union leader Dita Sari and her political party, the People's Democratic Party (PRD). Dita Sari (26) was detained on July 8 following the PRD's 20,000-worker

Rockhampton anti-cuts rally

By Malcolm Maclean ROCKHAMPTON — A rally opposing federal and state budget cuts drew 300 workers here on July 19. Speakers included local MLA Robert Schwarten, Gordon Rennie, general secretary of the State Public Service Federation (Queensland),

Write on: Letters to the editor

The princess and the rest Now that Princess Diana is divorced she will have to struggle along as best she can on a settlement of $30 million, no doubt she will be greatly consoled by having been involved in such a nice little earner. Anyone who

Campaigning for quality, diversity and equity in education

By Jill Maclean, Marina Cameron and Alison Dellit The Coalition's cuts to higher education are likely to be the most severe in over a decade. The process of moving towards a user-pays system was begun under Labor, and now the Howard government is

Six killed in attack on PDI headquarters

By Abdul Hadi At least six people were killed on July 27, when soldiers attacked the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). The headquarters, a house in a central Jakarta suburb, had been the focus of daily "democracy forums" over

ABC organises against the cuts

By Pip Hinman The government is taking an axe to too popular an institution in its attacks on the ABC. PM Howard and Senator Richard Alston's announcement of an "independent review", to be headed by Bob Mansfield, former chief executive of the

Germany: the shaky model

By Jean-Jacques Boislaroussie The German model of "a socialised market economy" has long been considered a benchmark in Europe. Strong points of this model were high productive output and a partnership between a well-implanted union movement

Prices rise in India

By Sujatha Fernandes LUCKNOW — Late on the night of July 3, the Indian government introduced a 25-30% hike in the prices of petroleum products. Although kerosene was exempted, the decision resulted in an increase in the price of all goods by 50

Loose cannons

Democratic process "I didn't think that people should be disqualified from appointment to important boards or commissions just because they'd supported [me]. That seemed to me to be just the reverse of how the democratic process ought to work."