Australia and South Pacific
US Studies Centre touts significance of US-Australian investment ties
By Oscar Grenfell, 4 July 2017
The Sydney University think-tank launched a new project amid intense pressure by Washington on Canberra not to turn away from the US alliance.
Australian workers and youth speak out on Grenfell Tower tragedy
By our reporters, 3 July 2017
Those who spoke to the WSWS drew parallels between the London fire and the undermining of building regulations in Australia.
Infighting re-erupts in Australian government
By Mike Head, 30 June 2017
The factional warfare is a symptom of a deeper political crisis, which has seen governments, both Liberal-National and Labor, fall in rapid succession since 2007.
Factional conflict wracks Australian Greens
By James Cogan, 29 June 2017
While the majority faction seeks to demonstrate its parliamentary “relevance,” another faction fears that the entire political establishment—including the Greens—could be by-passed by an eruption of popular discontent.
Australian state government and unions collaborate in teacher’s dismissal under “TIP”
By Erika Zimmer and Linda Tenenbaum, 29 June 2017
The New South Wales Teachers Federation and the state government are using the Teacher Improvement Program (TIP) procedure to victimise highly-experienced teachers and replace them with lower-paid younger teachers on short-term contracts.
Major crisis in Australian public school infrastructure
By Karen Holland, 28 June 2017
The Grattan Institute projects that 400 to 750 new public schools will need to be built over the next decade, to cater for approximately 650,000 additional students.
Australian university staff face cuts to pay, jobs and basic rights
By Mike Head, 28 June 2017
Government funding cuts are accelerating the pro-business restructuring of higher education that began three decades ago.
Flammable cladding rife in Australian construction industry
By Paul Bartizan and Richard Phillips, 27 June 2017
The dangers of aluminium composite panels were known to building authorities and relevant government ministers long before the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Australian construction union’s bogus campaign against industrial laws
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 June 2017
The CFMEU’s chief aim is to maintain its own privileged seat at the negotiating table and divert mounting anger among construction workers into electoral support for the Labor Party.
Ex-CIA chief calls for “firm” Australian action against China
By Mike Head, 26 June 2017
David Petraeus’ appearance at the Liberal Party dinner was the latest intervention into Australian politics by visiting senior figures within the US military-intelligence complex.
Australian government’s $70 million court settlement covers up crimes against refugees
By Max Newman, 26 June 2017
A lawsuit by Manus Island detainees was halted to prevent a detailed exposure of the abuses inflicted by successive governments.
Australian parliament’s late-night “Gonski” sitting highlights political instability
By Mike Head, 23 June 2017
After weeks of backroom deal-making, the Senate finally rubberstamped the regressive school-funding bill.
Social crisis looms over Papua New Guinea election
By John Braddock, 23 June 2017
The poll takes place amid widespread hostility to the political establishment.
Australian intelligence agency demands sweeping powers to suppress Chinese “interference”
By James Cogan, 22 June 2017
ASIO asserts that political opposition to Australian and US policy toward China could be the result of “foreign influence.”
Australia: Telstra announces 1,400 job cuts
By Oscar Grenfell, 21 June 2017
The sackings are the latest in a series of pro-market restructures that have destroyed up to 6,000 jobs since 2013.
Australian miners strike against Glencore cost-cutting
By Terry Cook, 20 June 2017
Some 1,400 coal miners took industrial action against the transnational mining and resources conglomerate’s attempts to slash working conditions.
New Zealand: Public Service Association complicit in Auckland library job cuts
By Sam Price, 20 June 2017
The union has worked hand-in-hand with the Labour Party-controlled Auckland Council to eliminate around 194 jobs.
Indonesian president supports military role in new “anti-terror” law
By John Roberts, 17 June 2017
The legislation will significantly reverse limitations placed on the military’s internal security role following the fall of the Suharto dictatorship.
Australian government demands “patriotic” citizenship tests
By Mike Head, 15 June 2017
The government has seized upon the latest alleged terrorist attacks to justify measures to deny citizenship on a range of discriminatory grounds.
Australian media widens campaign against Chinese “influence”
By James Cogan, 14 June 2017
A witch-hunt against alleged Chinese interference in the country is assuming ever-more anti-democratic and sinister dimensions.
Australian state Labor government agrees to subsidise giant coal mine
By Declan O’Malley and Mike Head, 13 June 2017
After weeks of posturing, the Queensland cabinet provided a lucrative royalties handout to Adani.
Police “terror” raids in Australia mask unanswered questions about hostage incident
By Mike Head, 10 June 2017
As with nearly every terrorist-linked attack internationally, including in Manchester and London, the perpetrator was well known to the police and intelligence agencies.
Australia: Aurizon announces Queensland rail closures
By Oscar Grenfell, 10 June 2017
Up to 300 jobs are set to be eliminated, following hundreds of sackings over the past two years.
“Watergate pales compared to what we’re confronting now”
Former US director of national intelligence campaigns against Trump in Australia
By James Cogan, 9 June 2017
No journalist asked James Clapper the obvious question: why should any credibility be given to any claim he makes?
Reject unacceptable workloads and standardised testing! Take a stand for public education!
Vote No to the AEU-Labor government sell-out deal in Victoria!
By the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 9 June 2017
The chronic underfunding, under-resourcing and under-staffing of public schools is driving many parents to send their children to private schools.
Australian economy barely avoids contraction
By Mike Head, 8 June 2017
Without spending by deeply-indebted households, the country would officially be in recession.
Australian government exploits hostage-taking to escalate “war on terror”
By Mike Head, 7 June 2017
The evidence points to a deeply troubled young man with a long history of drug addiction, being preyed upon by both Islamic fundamentalists and the police-intelligence agencies.
Australian establishment falls into line with anti-China allegations
By James Cogan, 7 June 2017
Fears about growing anti-war sentiment motivate efforts to develop suspicion and hostility towards China.
Preventable deaths quadruple in Australian nursing homes over ten years
By Oscar Grenfell, 7 June 2017
The leader of the study said the data revealed a “systems problem” across the aged-care sector.
Australian authorities label Melbourne hostage incident a “terrorist” attack
By Will Morrow, 6 June 2017
Before any of the facts were known, newspapers featured front-page stories depicting the incident as an Islamic State assault.
Australian media renews campaign against Chinese “power and influence”
By James Cogan, 6 June 2017
As tensions rise between China on the one hand, and the US and its allies on the other, the Australian establishment is launching, once again, an anti-Chinese campaign.
“Catastrophic failure” of regulators led to black lung among Australian miners
By Oscar Grenfell, 5 June 2017
Queensland authorities failed to look for, or properly identify, coal miners’ pneumoconiosis for more than 30 years.
Socialist Equality Party forum discusses agenda behind Australian Education Union sell-out deal
By our reporter, 5 June 2017
A clear relationship exists between the anti-democratic, bureaucratic tactics employed by the AEU to obtain a majority “yes” vote and the regressive, pro-market content of its 2017 agreement.
Shangri La Dialogue: US Defence Secretary, Australian PM threaten North Korea, China
By Peter Symonds, 3 June 2017
The premier Asian strategic conference is taking place as the US threatens war against North Korea and continues its relentless military build-up.
Australian city council locks out electricians for imposing work bans
By Ellen Blake, 3 June 2017
The Brisbane City Council’s aggressive action underscores the determination of governments and employers across the country to dismantle workers’ conditions.
Reports expose Australian government coverup of armed attack on Manus Island detainees
By Max Newman, 2 June 2017
The Good Friday assault highlighted the dangers facing the more than 800 male asylum seekers held on the remote island.
Melbourne airport incident raises questions about Australian “terrorism” scare campaigns
By Mike Head, 2 June 2017
The police transformed an episode involving a mentally-ill young man into another major terrorist operation.
More warnings of a housing-led crash in Australia
By Mike Head, 1 June 2017
Any sharp downturn in the debt-fuelled property market would have far-reaching economic and political consequences.
Australian timber mill slated to close
By Will Morrow, 1 June 2017
The closure, in the state of Victoria, is part of a restructuring by Carter Holt Harvey and other producers across the timber industry.
Senator John McCain visits Australia to reinforce US alliance
By James Cogan, 31 May 2017
McCain issued appeals and warnings to the Australian ruling class not to deviate from its strategic alignment with the US.
Australia’s billionaires celebrate a “wealth boom”
By Mike Head, 29 May 2017
During 2016, the total wealth of the Rich 200 List mushroomed from $197.3 billion to $233.1 billion—a rise of about 18 percent—while average real wages fell.
One thousand staff stood-down after private college collapses in Australia
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 May 2017
The closure of Careers Australia, which had been accused of dubious enrolment practices, was apparently triggered by the withdrawal of substantial government funds.
Australian government demonises “fake refugees”
By Max Newman, 24 May 2017
Thousands of asylum seekers face forced removal to their countries of origin if they do not complete complex visa applications by October 1.
S&P downgrades small banks amid warnings of Australian housing slowdown
By Oscar Grenfell, 24 May 2017
The international credit ratings agency said its decision, which affects 23 financial institutions, was based on the likelihood of a sharp “correction” of the property market bubble.
Massacre of 17 prison escapees highlights deep social crisis in Papua New Guinea
By John Harris, 23 May 2017
State repression in PNG is aimed, not only at protecting the corrupt local ruling elite, but also Australian and US corporate interests.
Australian building workers hit by construction company collapse
By Declan O’Malley, 23 May 2017
The Brisbane shut-down is another indicator of the danger of a wider collapse in the residential construction boom, threatening tens of thousands of jobs.
Australia: Teachers explain why the AEU-government deal should be rejected
By our reporters, 22 May 2017
“The union has become the policeman to enforce agreements that sell our conditions down the drain.”
Sweden’s investigation into Julian Assange was a political frame-up from the outset
By David Walsh, 20 May 2017
The entire affair was aimed at discrediting and paralyzing WikiLeaks and creating conditions under which Assange could be extradited or abducted to the US, to be executed or condemned to a lifetime in prison.
Student protests in Australia promote Labor and the Greens
By our reporters, 20 May 2017
The poorly attended demonstrations reflected alienation from the NUS and its support for the major parliamentary parties.
Australian budget fallout deepens political crisis
By Mike Head, 20 May 2017
The conclusion is being drawn in corporate boardrooms that Turnbull has failed, generating fractures throughout the parliamentary order.
Australia: Contract teacher voices opposition to the AEU-government agreement
By our reporters, 20 May 2017
“I feel as though we’re teaching to a test, and not spending enough time on building our relationship with our students, and building on their strengths.”
SEP and Victorian Teachers and ES Staff Forum
The political issues in the fight against the AEU-Labor government EBA
20 May 2017
The forum on May 28 will present a detailed critique of the Australian Education Union’s sell-out deal with the Andrews Labor government, and clarify why teachers and ES staff should reject it.
Falling wages fuel social crisis in Australia
By Mike Head, 19 May 2017
Real wages have been declining for four years, driven by the destruction of full-time jobs and the forcing of workers into part-time employment.
Sydney bus drivers strike against privatisation
By Oscar Grenfell, 19 May 2017
The transport union has appealed to the government for “consultation,” underscoring its willingness to collaborate with privatisation.
Australian teachers support campaign against AEU-government deal
By our reporters, 18 May 2017
Teachers who attended recent delegates meetings on the new enterprise agreement voiced support for a “No” vote.
Australia:
Teachers criticise anti-democratic character of AEU delegates’ meetings
By our reporters, 17 May 2017
“I think people voted without understanding the nitty-gritty of the agreement.”
Australian university student protests
A socialist perspective to fight the government assault on education and the drive to war
By the IYSSE (Australia), 17 May 2017
The National Union of Students called protests today to confine the growing anger of students to impotent protest appeals to the Labor Party, the Greens and the populist “cross-bench” parties in the Senate.
Vote “NO” to the EBA!
Australian Education Union pushes through industrial agreement at delegates’ meetings
By our reporters, 16 May 2017
SEP members and supporters who work in public education are campaigning for a “No” vote among rank-and-file teachers and ES staff.
Australia: Tribunal to hear challenge to union-company wage-cutting deal
By Oscar Grenfell, 16 May 2017
The unions and the major corporations are fearful that the case against the deal threatens the entire pro-business framework of enterprise bargaining.
Australian Labor’s budget reply and the fear of political unrest
By James Cogan, 13 May 2017
Shorten’s reply to the budget was a populist attempt to revive illusions that Labor is the “lesser evil.”
Australian budget: Drug-testing intensifies war on welfare
By Mike Head, 12 May 2017
The measures are aimed at humiliating, vilifying and punishing the jobless, and stripping them of basic legal and democratic rights.
Australian budget set to heighten social and political antagonisms
By James Cogan, 10 May 2017
On every front, the budget seeks to deepen the decades-long assault on the living standards and social rights of the working class.
Australian media union shuts down week-long Fairfax journalists’ strike
By Oscar Grenfell, 10 May 2017
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, having done everything to contain and weaken the strike, made clear that it will do nothing to oppose the axing of 125 jobs at Fairfax.
Australian rail union responds to Pacific National lockout by resuming talks
By Oscar Grenfell, 9 May 2017
The union will use the negotiating period to try and dissipate anger among freight drivers to the proposed cuts to their wages and conditions.
Trump and Australian PM Turnbull stage mutual embrace in New York
By Mike Head, 6 May 2017
A ceremonial dinner to highlight the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea against Japan became a platform for vows to “fight together” in Asia and the Middle East.
Australia: Fairfax journalists strike, but union appeals to corporate investors
By our correspondents, 6 May 2017
The sackings, which follow almost a decade of cost-cutting, will eviscerate Fairfax Media newspapers and lead to further job destruction.
Australian Fairfax journalists strike for a week over job destruction
By Mike Head, 4 May 2017
By launching the longest strike by editorial staff in recent history, the Fairfax workers are taking a stand against the ongoing demolition of jobs by the financial elite.
Australia: Victorian teachers speak out against agreement after union delegate meeting
By our reporters, 4 May 2017
Teachers raised concerns about the impact of growing workloads and the promotion of standardised testing in public schools.
Australia: Anzac Day and the official silence about anti-war opposition in WWI
By Richard Phillips, 4 May 2017
Contrary to government claims, Australia in 1917 was sharply divided along class lines and its involvement in World War I deeply unpopular.
Socialist Alternative joins pro-war witch-hunt of Australian academic
By Oscar Grenfell, 3 May 2017
The pseudo-left organisation endorsed the media attacks on Tim Anderson for rejecting the claims about chemical weapons used to justify Washington’s bombing of Syria.
Teachers oppose Australian Education Union sell-out deal at Victorian delegates meeting
By our reporters, 3 May 2017
The Melbourne meeting revealed mounting hostility among teachers to the union’s bureaucratic methods and to the agreement itself.
Australian budget to slash welfare and education
By Mike Head, 2 May 2017
Cuts target the working class, as the government plans billions more for the military and handouts to big business.
The Victorian teachers’ agreement and “performance pay”
What the Australian Education Union is suppressing
By David Cohen, 1 May 2017
The AEU’s claim that its deal with the Labor government is a blow against the “performance pay” regime and standardised testing is a fraud.
Australia: Growing opposition to sell-out agreement among Victorian teachers and support staff
By our reporters, 29 April 2017
Teachers from at least five schools have convened meetings to reject the agreement between the Australian Education Union and the Victorian state Labor government.
Australian Anzac Day celebrations promote militarism and war
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 April 2017
The celebrations of past conflicts were explicitly tied to Australia’s current involvement in predatory wars and military preparations.
Fiji Times publisher, editors charged with sedition
By John Braddock, 27 April 2017
The politically-motivated charges, alongside other anti-democratic measures, are bound up with deep-seated conflicts within the Fijian ruling elite.
Australian Socialist Alternative conference: In the service of imperialism
By our reporters, 26 April 2017
The gathering issued a full-throated defence of American imperialism and explicitly denounced any fight to build an anti-war movement of the working class.
Australian senator warns of war with China
By Oscar Grenfell, 25 April 2017
Nick Xenophon’s remarks last week made clear that Australia is on the frontlines of the US confrontation with China.
Thousands join March for Science demonstrations in Australia
By our reporters, 24 April 2017
In contrast to the concerns of protestors, rally organisers sought to sow illusions about pressuring governments to withdraw their attacks on science.
More warnings about the Australian housing market
By Oscar Grenfell, 22 April 2017
Credit ratings agencies have said the property market, built on a mountain of debt, is among the most susceptible in the world to an economic shock.
SEP (Australia) and IYSSE public meetings
Stop the drive to world war! For peace, equality and socialism!
22 April 2017
The meetings will outline the socialist and internationalist perspective required to prevent the descent of the global capitalist system into a catastrophic third world war.
Australia: After ABC program, Labor calls for investigation into One Nation
By Cheryl Crisp, 21 April 2017
The “Four Corners” program could signal a turn by the media and political establishment against Hanson and her right-wing party.
The political issues in the fight to reject the Victorian teachers’ EBA
By the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 21 April 2017
The most detrimental, long-term aspect of the workplace agreement is that it includes sweeping commitments by the teachers' union to enforce a “performance-ranking” system.
Turnbull government announces anti-immigrant “Australia first” policies
By Oscar Grenfell, 20 April 2017
The abolition of 457 visas for foreign workers and the tightening of citizenship requirements are aimed at diverting mounting social discontent in a xenophobic direction.
Papua New Guinea soldiers attack refugees in Australian-run prison camp
By Max Newman, 18 April 2017
At least three asylum seekers were injured by armed soldiers who assaulted the refugee detention centre on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island.
How the AEU is attempting to push through a sell-out of Victorian teachers
By Susan Allan, 17 April 2017
If the agreement is such a “significant gain” then why is there no framework or democratic process where teachers can discuss, debate, and seek clarification on its contents?
Australian worker challenges union-company wage-cutting deal
By Oscar Grenfell, 15 April 2017
The agreement struck between the SDA and Coles saved the supermarket giant tens of millions of dollars.
Australian academics witch-hunted for challenging US lies on Syria attack
By Mike Head, 14 April 2017
The media campaign, designed to silence public discussion about the latest US aggression, is a flagrant attack on the basic democratic right of free speech.
The Coming War on China: A pacifist appeal
By Richard Phillips, 14 April 2017
Pilger’s documentary exposes something of Washington’s escalating war plans against China but suggests that protests can prevent a nuclear conflagration.
Australian prime minister visits India to boost strategic ties
By Mike Head, 13 April 2017
The outcomes were in line with the ongoing push by Washington for US allies throughout the region to strengthen their military relations with each other.
Australia: Victorian teachers denounce union-backed agreement
By our reporters, 13 April 2017
The AEU has sought to suppress discussion of its latest sell-out, while falsely claiming it is a “victory” for teachers.
Australian pseudo-left promotes fraudulent posturing of new union head
By Oscar Grenfell, 13 April 2017
The pseudo-left have hailed the attempts by new ACTU head Sally McManus to rebuild the influence of the unions, in order to head-off mounting discontent.
Australia’s role in US plans for war on North Korea
By James Cogan, 12 April 2017
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly endorsed Washington’s bellicose rhetoric against the Pyongyang regime.
Australian PM accused of interfering in Papua New Guinea election
By John Braddock, 12 April 2017
Turnbull’s trip was undoubtedly motivated by concern over Australia’s commercial and strategic interests.
Australian government revokes Palestinian activist’s visa
By Oscar Grenfell, 11 April 2017
The anti-democratic move is part of a broader campaign to suppress opposition to the escalating US-led war in the Middle East.
Australian workers and youth speak out against US strike on Syria
By our reporters, 10 April 2017
The anti-war sentiments of ordinary people stand in sharp contrast to the militarist positions of Labor, the Liberal-Nationals and the corporate media.
Australian establishment backs US strike on Syria
By James Cogan, 10 April 2017
The line-up behind Washington by the government and opposition Labor Party has been replicated across the media.
Mounting concerns over Australian housing bubble
By Oscar Grenfell, 8 April 2017
Underlying the fears of a crash is the divergence between soaring house prices and stagnant or declining incomes.
Papua New Guinea government intensifies military operations at ExxonMobil plant
By John Braddock, 7 April 2017
The police and military operation against villagers living near the ExxonMobil plant is aimed at suppressing increasingly explosive social unrest.
Australian flood crisis continues as questions mount over government preparations
By Oscar Grenfell, 6 April 2017
Governments at all levels have resisted calls for the construction of levees around the most flood-prone cities, on the grounds that they are too expensive.
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