From the Melbourne Herald Sun, page 14, Saturday 18-3-06 By Mark Moor
A community service of battling Collingwood residents will close at the end of the month unless the Government rescues it, a local councillor said last night.

Last Friday, March 10, nearly 2,000 people protested in Kuala Lumpur to voice their resentment over the big fuel price increases put through by the government of Abdullah Badawi. Petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas have all gone up by nearly 25%.
By Ravie Chandren, Socialist Party

During December last year the Howard regime launched one of its most blatant and direct attacks on democratic rights yet seen in Australia. On the last sitting day of 2005, the sardonically titled ” Electoral Integrity and Other Measures” Bill was introduced into the federal House of Representatives.
By Will Kaplan Socialist Party, Melbourne

On the 8th of March CWI supporters in Auckland helped organise an event for International Women’s Day (IWD). A public forum was held and it focused on making the women’s movement relevant for working class women. In particular the meeting discussed the conditions for women working as cleaners, laundry workers, kitchen workers and [...]

Many workers are asking the question what is the best way to combat the worldwide offensive of the bosses against the rights and conditions of workers? This is a big issue facing the trade union and labour movement today.
By Anthony Main, Socialist Party National Organiser

The Stolenwealth Games Convergence in support of the Black GST established camp on Sunday in Kings Domain, Melbourne. Approximately 400 people gathered in ceremony as the Sacred Fire from the Tent Embassy in Canberra was placed on the land of the Bunerong people.

Four schools continue to function despite freezing temperatures.
The Trade Union Rights Campaign in Pakistan and Kashmir (TURCP/K) has continued its relief efforts which started on 9 October. Our aim was to move from a situation of providing relief to begin reconstruction work from December 2005.

A Socialist Party public meeting was held two weeks ago on the massive Atherton Gardens Public Housing estate in Fitzroy, Melbourne. The meeting followed a long period of consultation with residents by SP. It agreed on a log of claims for this years’ Yarra Council budget with the top four demands being:

Neither the imposition of a state of emergency in the Philippines, nor its lifting a week later, on 3 March, has fundamentally changed the political situation in the country. The president who imposed it, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has in no way enhanced her popularity by either action. (Her opinion poll ratings have achieved an incredible [...]

Nepal in 2006 is heading for even more tumultuous events than last year. The Maoist rebellion celebrates its 10th anniversary; the king has launched a military offensive; mass protests made the elections in February a fiasco. King Gyanendra?s coup of 1 February 2005 only isolated the monarchy further. The main question now is where are [...]