A-Infos (en) Anarchist Age Weekly Review No.559 11th August ­ 17th August 200

[Phil McCrory <philmcc@melbpc.org.au>]

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ONE DIMENSIONAL THINKING
The reaction in Australia at the sentencing of Amrozi to death by firing
squad for his role in the Bali bombing, although understandable in the case
of those who were personally affected by his actions, is hard to comprehend
in the case of the Federal government and opposition.  Terrorism is not just
a tactic used by disaffected political groups; it is a tactic used by
governments around the world.  The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
Stalin's gulags, the Nazi death camps, the killing fields of Cambodia, the
Rwandan genocide, the unnecessary deaths of over 20,000 Bougainvillians as a
direct result of an Australian naval blockade of Bougainville, the
destruction of East Timor by the departing Indonesians, and the coalition of
the willing's invasion of Iraq, are just a few examples of State sponsored
terrorism.  In each case, those who perpetrated these atrocities did so in
the belief that they were right and that the use of terror is a logical,
legitimate political tool.

NO GLOBALISATION WITHOUT DIRECT DEMOCRACY ­ ANARCHIST MEDIA INSTITUTE
"WE SWEAR BY THE SOUTHERN CROSS TO STAND TRULY BY EACH OTHER AND FIGHT TO
DEFEND OUR RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES" ­ EUREKA REBELLION OATH 1854

Amrozi is not just a member of some isolated, powerless fringe group.  He is
a member of a worldwide political movement that has embarked on a program of
terror to further their political ambitions.  They believe that the strategy
they are following will destabilise the countries they are living in and
mobilise those who are sympathetic to their aims to take up the struggle to
create a fundamentalist Muslim State that reflects their interpretation of
the Koran.  They have been able to successfully fuse the deeply held
resentment felt by many people in the Third World ­ a resentment that stems
from the West's support for corrupt dictatorial governments that have been
imposed on them by a Western world that needs access to their resources ­
and offer these desperate people an alternative in the form of their
fundamentalist religious beliefs.

Globalisation and technological innovations have given these groups the
capacity to launch attacks against symbols of Western domination both in
their own countries and in the West.  The Howard government and the Crean
opposition have failed Australians by limiting the debate about this new
wave of terrorism to questions about security.  Attempting to deal with the
causes of terrorism by executing a few foot soldiers, passing draconian
security legislation, beefing up security in Australia and extending a
helping hand to corrupt Western supported governments in the Third World, is
as effective as giving an aspirin to control the fever and rigours of
somebody who is dying of an overwhelming bacterial infection.

Amrozi is right: a million foot soldiers will follow his example if nothing
is done by people who benefit from the current hypocritical double standards
and one-dimensional debates about terrorism.  Those of us who live in the
developed world need desperately to look at how the policies and behaviour
of Western governments and trans-national corporations have allowed the
Amrozi's of the world to flourish in the developing world.  Unless we do so,
we are doomed to become foot soldiers in a "war on terror" that has no end.

RADICAL PLAN?
Robert Manneıs (11/8) radical plan to save "our" ABC is a recipe to hand
what little independence the ABC currently enjoys, over to the corporate
sector.  Although The Age had broken a number of stories and run a number of
articles about the ABC in the last few weeks, not one reporter or
commentator has raised questions about the ownership of the ABC.

The power the government of the day exercises over the ABC is much greater
than its ability to starve the national broadcaster of funds and stack the
ABC board with political appointments who can install managers and
bureaucrats in the upper echelons of the ABC who are happy to implement the
Howard governmentıs neo-conservative cultural and political agenda.  The
power that governments exercise over the future of the ABC is much more
direct and immediate than most Australians realise.

The ABC is not "OUR" ABC; it is not "everyone's" ABC.  The ABC is first and
foremost the property of the government of the day.  As Australians have
found out over the past two decades, public property does not belong to the
people; it belongs to the government of the day.  The fate of the
Commonwealth Bank, Telstra, Qantas and the country's airports, is a timely
reminder of the fate that awaits the ABC if the neo-conservative Howard
government wins a majority in both houses of Federal parliament at the next
election.  There is nothing legally or constitutionally stopping a
determined government that has a majority in both houses, from selling the
ABC tomorrow.

Radical plans don't tinker at the edges sacrificing the ABC on Mammon's
altar; radical plans transfer the ownership of the ABC from the government
of the day to the people.  This can be done by electors stating they will
only vote for political parties that promise that if elected they will hold
a referendum in their first term of office that will give the Australian
people the opportunity to vote in a referendum that will transfer the
ownership of the ABC from the government to the people, by incorporating the
ownership of the ABC in the Australian Constitution.  Only then can we
honestly say, "ITıS OUR ABC".

IT WON'T GO AWAY
The dramatic fall in bulk billing rates around Australia has important
implications for State run public hospitals.  The greater the fall, the
greater the burden on the public hospital sector.  The Howard government's
Medicare package will shift the burden for the provision of primary health
care from the Federal sector to an under funded, poorly staffed State
sector.

State governments across the country are facing increasing difficulties in
providing health care resources for an ageing population with an increasing
number of long-term chronic illnesses.  Denying people access to Private
Doctors by removing universal access to bulk billing drives those
Australians who need non-emergency access to a doctor to overworked and
dangerously understaffed emergency departments.  The lower bulk billing
rates become, the greater the demand for scarce accident and emergency
resources.  Displacing people with medical problems from general
practitioner surgeries into accident and emergency departments has serious
implications for patients who need emergency access to resources provided by
accident and emergency departments.

The Howard government's proposed Medicare "reform" package will decrease,
not increase, bulk-billing rates.  Not one doctors' organisation has
indicated they support the government's proposed changes to Medicare.  It
makes no sense to destroy universal access to health care and clog the
countries emergency departments with non-urgent cases.  Changing Medicare
does not change the amount of illness in the community.  All it does is
displace hundreds of thousands of sick people into an under funded sector
which barely copes with the amount of work it currently has to deal with.

The proposed changes to the Medicare system will cost lives.  They will
increase the number of iatrogenic (doctor caused) deaths that already exist
because of system failures in the public health care sector.  Placing
increased pressures on an already overworked State health care sector that
barely copes with the amount of work it is expected to deal with, is
criminal.  Access to health care should be a right, not a charity, or a
luxury.  The Howard government's Medicare package fails all Australians, at
a time when access to health care is becoming a critical issue for an
increasing number of Australians.

HERE WE GO AGAIN
On Monday, Federal parliament reconvened after the winter recess.  "So
what!" I can hear you say.  Well it seems that some things never change.
The man who introduced the core and non-core promise into the Australian
lexicon took pride of place in the first session.  Our beloved Prime
Minister, the great and dear leader was accused of seriously bending the
truth by the leader of Her Majesty's loyal opposition.  Lucky for Simon
Crean we don't live in North Korea, because if we did, people who attempted
to smear the dear leader's name would find themselves rotting in a political
prison.

Not that our dear leader is not used to people calling him a liar, for it
seems renegades (renegade is too good a word for them) are constantly trying
to undermine his authority by pointing out to the world that the great and
dear leader finds it difficult to tell the truth.  Some even say that he
can't help himself and the problem could be genetic.  Not that I believe any
of the garbage that's put out by his political opponents.  The Prime
Minister manipulates the truth to protect the people of Australia.
Everybody knows that he had to manufacture the children overboard scenario
to bolster border security so he could win the last Federal election and
protect Australia from all those queue jumpers who want to drink the
promised land's nectar.

Weapons of mass destruction?  Everybody knows that the West needs Iraq's oil
supplies to keep a grip on their weapons of mass destruction.  Australians
seem to forget that when the great, dear leader with tears in his eyes
committed the Australian military machine to war, along side the United
States military industrial complex, we did so to protect the West's access
to weapons of mass destruction.  Those fools who took part in the activities
organised by the Australian peace network seem to forget that the dear
leader needed to bend the truth like Beckham bends a soccer ball to save the
free world from an invasion by the forces of evil.

All those scum that are currently baying for the great leaders blood need to
understand that the latest attack on the Prime Minister's credibility is
being orchestrated by people who want to see multi-national corporations
take over good loyal Australian citizen's jobs.  Who am I to disbelieve the
great and dear leader when he tells us that he had to bend the truth to keep
Australian workers in a job?  As Prime Minister, he has a right, no, a duty
to lie to his subjects as often as he likes, and anybody who thinks
differently doesn't understand that lying is an integral component of the
Australian parliamentary system.  It's just that his political opponents are
jealous that they can't bend the truth as the Prime Minister can.  That's
why they protest so loudly and vociferously when he kicks a goal.

HOLD ON JOHNNY!!
Although Australian aid packages play a very important role in the economic
life of the South Pacific, the Nations that make up the South Pacific forum
are beginning to show concern about the dominant role Australia wants to
play in the region.  The Howard government's latest plan for the region has
raised the hackles of many of the Nations that belong to the South Pacific
forum.  The Australia government has floated a proposal that a regional
police force be trained by Australia in Fiji to provide security for the
whole region.

The regional police force could be deployed in any country in the region if
the South Pacific forum voted to intervene in that country's affairs.  What
little control these independent Nation States currently enjoy would be
swept aside by these changes.  The Howard government's intervention in the
internal affairs of the Solomon Islands is being used as a model for the
region.  The Australian government believes it can maintain control over the
region if it creates, finances, controls and deploys a regional police force
that would be based in Fiji and deployed in the region whenever Australian
interests are threatened.

The South Pacific forum allowed Australian intervention in the Solomon's not
only because they were concerned about the deteriorating state of affairs in
the Solomon's, but because they were told in no uncertain terms that if they
did not agree to intervention, they would lose access to the Australia aid
packages that kept their countries financially afloat.  Faced with this
proposition, they agreed to intervention in the Solomon's.  Now that
intervention has become a reality and the Australian forces in the Solomon
Islands is taking over every level of government, people are asking
themselves, what have we let ourselves in for.

What at first seemed to be a blessing is now being viewed suspiciously by
many of the Nation States in the South Pacific.  They know that if the
proposal to establish a regional police force gains momentum, they will lose
what little independence they currently enjoy, and the Australian government
will control their lives in future.

ANARCHIST QUESTION AND ANSWER
Q.  WOULD EVERYBODY LIVING IN AN ANARCHIST SOCIETY BE AN ANARCHIST?
A.  No! People with different political, social and cultural practices would
live in an anarchist society.  As members of that community, they have both
the power to take part in the decision making processes within that
community and the right to share in what is produced by that society.  They
also have the right to openly campaign for the rejection of anarchist
principles and the adoption of other principles of association.  They donıt
have the right to forcibly impose their views on those who live in that
community.
The strength of an anarchist community lays in its ability to create
environment and structures that promote individual security and which gives
everybody in that community the potential to develop themselves to their
fullest potential.  Its survival ultimately depends on people voluntarily
participating in the day to day running of that society.  People with
different philosophical viewpoints within that community would soon find
they would be holding marginal positions as long as that society functioned
successfully.
In such a community few would want to go back to the situation where their
everyday affairs were ruled by the whims of people who were able to exercise
power over them.  The situation could change in times of crisis, especially
times when the structures and institutions that have been established do not
meet the needs of people in that community.  In such situations, people who
are articulating and promoting different ideas may find a receptive
audience.  As anarchist communities are open communities, they need to guard
both against sabotage and people within that community using force to coerce
people to follow them.  In these situations, the community is able to
activate predetermined mechanisms to stop individuals and groups within
their community from sabotaging their society or using force to impose their
will on the members of that community.

ACTION BOX
  IN THE BEGINNING
The single most important issue people who are disillusioned with society
face is what they do about it.  Itıs very difficult to organise anything in
a community where Œyou canıt fight City Hallı is the view that is held by
most people.  In such situations, people either withdraw or start working up
the right channels.  Once they start working up the right channels it
doesnıt take them long to realise that the channels that have been created
to air their grievances are a carefully designed labyrinth.
The structures created give the illusion that those in authority will listen
to and redress their complaints.  Unfortunately they soon find out that
working up the right channels exhausts any funds they may have accumulated
and in the great majority of cases does not resolve their problems.  Most
people faced with this situation will abandon their quest and meekly go
about their business.
The greatest difficulty people face is starting.  Disillusioned with
established structures, not trusting anyone, they donıt have the capacity to
initiate a public campaign to highlight their concerns and eventually do
something about those concerns.  The best way they can approach the problem
is by calling a public meeting on the issue.  Just by calling a public
meeting, you bring to the communityıs attention the issue and the fact that
somebody wants to do something about it.
If you donıt have the confidence or the resources to call a public meeting,
you can write and put out a leaflet or set up a website to air your
concerns.  Itıs important that you give like minded people the opportunity
to get into contact with you, a post office box, telephone number or an
email address is a good start.  One leaflet or article on a website is not
enough, you need to do follow up work.
Once youıve generated enough interest, itıs time to seriously start talking
about forming a group to tackle the issue.  Invite a few of the people who
have expressed interest in the issues youıve raised to a private meeting to
discuss the formation of a group to tackle the issue, once youıve done this
the worldıs your oyster.

AUSTRALIAN RADICAL HISTORY
MELBOURNEıS I.W.W. OFFICE
In 1916 the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) established their
Melbourne headquarters on the 2nd floor at 171 Little Bourke Street.  On any
night of the week, you could have listened to a speaker talking about the
issues of the day.  The unemployed, labourers, men and women of all
nationalities gathered to hear the latest news about the I.W.W.ıs activities
in Australia and overseas.
The I.W.W., especially the Sydney local, was involved in a bruising campaign
against conscription that brought it into direct conflict with the Federal
government.  The Melbourne local had been established in 1915.  They
initially had difficulty in finding suitable rooms as they were evicted once
landlords found out what they were up to.  In August 1916, they had
established a reading and meeting room at 197 Russell Street (171 Little
Bourke Street) at the corner of Russell and Little Bourke Street, above a
pawnshop.  Today the 2nd floor houses the ŒDa Hu Peking Duckı restaurant, a
Melbourne culinary institution.
The rooms were in constant use alternating between business meetings,
speakerıs classes, educational nights, lectures and the occasional social or
dance.  The Melbourne I.W.W. constantly harassed by the police, took their
fight to street corners around the city.  The I.W.W. was the only labour
organisation in Australia that was open to man and woman of all races, they
tried to organise Chinese workers in Melbourne and produced literature
written in Chinese for their campaigns among Melbourneıs Chinese workers.
The I.W.W. with a membership of over 4,000 and an influence for outstripping
its size, has to date been the most effective revolutionary group in
Australian history.
Faced with the I.W.W.ıs rapid growth and fierce opposition to conscription,
the organisation was banned by the Australian government.  Its members were
arrested, jailed, deported and its assets were seized.  Within 2 years of
the establishment of the Melbourne local, the Melbourne branch dissolved
itself in August 1917.  It folded as a result of police harassment and the
repeated arrests of its members.
SOURCE OF ARTICLE: - ŒRadical Melbourneı by Jeff & Jill Sparrow, The Vulgar
Press 2001, ISBN 0957735243.
Available for $45.00 from the New International Bookshop, Trades Hall, Cnr
Lygon Street & Victoria Road, Melbourne.

  BOOK REVIEW
  "ISLAM IN AUSTRALIA"
Abdullah Saeed, Allen & Unwin 2003.
First it was the blacks, then it was the yellow hordes, now itıs the
Muslims.  If you want to be successful in Australian political life, you
need to be able to successfully scapegoat a minority living in Australia.
The Howard government owes to a large degree its political success to its
ability to tap into the Australian communityıs fear of the other.  The
strategy pursued by Muslim fundamentalists to create a society that reflects
what they believe is the will of the Koran, has made the Australian Islamic
community the perfect target for political forces within Australian society
who are keen to sheet the blame home to Muslims for the all too obvious
shortcomings within Australia.
ŒIslam In Australiaı is a result of the recently deceased John Iremonger
from Allen & Unwin publishers approaching Abdullah Saeed (Head of the Arabic
and Islamic Studies program at the Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages
and Societies from the University of Melbourne) to provide a picture of the
Islamic community in Australia.  Although nearly 20% of the worldıs
community considers themselves to be Muslim, only 281,572 (approximately
1.5%) of the total Australian population call themselves Muslims.  70% have
been born overseas and the 30% who are born in Australia are predominantly
children of those born overseas.
Australian Muslims are first and foremost a diverse group coming from more
than 70 different countries.  Interestingly, the first Muslims came to
Australia before the establishment of white settlement.  The Macassans from
Southern Sulawesi visited the North Australian coast annually for up to 4
months to collect trepang (sea cucumber), forming stable, peaceful
relationships with the local indigenous people.  Afghans and their camel
trains helped to open up Australia to European colonisation.  Waves of
migrants from Turkey, Lebanon, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia,
Fiji and Somalia make up the rest of the Islamic community in Australia.
As they came and settled, they brought their interpretation of Islam with
them, setting up their own communities and places of worship.  Islam, like
Christianity, is an amalgamation of a diverse range of people who have as
little in common as an indigenous Papua New Guinea Highland Christian has to
a blue range Protestant matron worshipping in a church in Sydney.
Abdullah Saeed successfully demystifyıs the stereotypes that have grown up
around the Australian Islamic community.  In a little over 220 pages, he
examines the lives of the Australian Islamic community, familiarising his
readers with their beliefs, thoughts and deeds, putting to bed the fanciful
rumours that have dogged them since September 11th.
ŒIslam In Australiaı is available for AUD$19.95 from Angus & Robertson.  I
think if youıre willing to wait a few months, you should be able to pick up
a copy for a few dollars.  The great tragedy about the flames of prejudice
that are fanned by government and the fourth estate is that rational,
sensible texts like ŒIslam In Australiaı never seem to get into the hands of
those in the community who continue to ignorantly slander minorities within
our society.

PERSONAL OBSERVATION
No, not the wrestling again, yes, Iım afraid so.  I kept the best for this
week.  Every event has its crowning moment that metaphysical mephistophelian
instant when the human soul melds with the Godhead.  The wrestling like a
religious festival, a political rally or a rave party has that magical
mystical element.  When the cowardly French won the World Championship Tag
Team wrestling title by beating their opponents with flagpoles with the
tricolour attached to them, the Beazley boys little brother dressed in
United States army disposal military fatigues takes on the cowardly French,
pinning one of them on a trestle table that has mysteriously materialised in
the wrestling ring.
The Afro-American brother jumps off the ringıs top rope slamming into the
tricolour draped wrestler pinned on the trestle, the table breaks under
their combined weight, a splinter about a third of a metre long in the shape
of a triangle conveniently comes to rest in the ring.  As the delirious
crowd sees off the dastardly French with their World Championship belts in
tow, the moving mass of humanity parts like the Red Sea when their American
heroes touch the flesh of their adoring fans.  They climb back into the
ring.  The three Beazley boys punch the celebrating their defeat.
The biggest Beazley boy notices the small broken triangle in the ring, he
kneels, waves it at the crowd in the same way the Pope would wave a
crucifix.  The crowd as one stands worshipping the symbol of the Beazley
boyıs manhood.  The Afro-American brother jumps off the top rope, strides
into the crowd picking up an 8 year old girl, cradling her in the crook of
his biceps.  He lifts her up above his head.  The crowd goes wild.  The
girlıs father forces a camera in the Beazley boyıs other hand, he wants the
moment recorded for all eternity.  Yes, there is a reason this young girl
was born, this is the reason.
He places her in the ring, the other Beazley boys beckon her forward, she
fulfils her destiny and walks towards them.  They give her the broken
triangle and lift her up towards the crowd, her sweat mingling with their
sweat, the crowd cheers, the earth stands still, the Godıs have blessed us,
we are one with the Godhead, a thousand flashlights record the moment.  The
younger Beazley boy records the instant with the girlıs camera, he passes
the girl and the camera over to her delirious father, peace on earth,
goodwill towards one and all, it doesnıt get better than this.

STOP PRESS
FOOLS
Only a fool would have fallen for the governmentıs palaver that they would
call a double dissolution election to get their political program through
the Senate.  Howardıs greatest triumphs in the Senate have occurred courtesy
of the Australian Democrats.  His Industrial Relations package, the G.S.T.
and plans to force tens of thousands of Australians off the Disability
Support Pension have all been passed courtesy of the Australian Democrats.
Holding a double dissolution election would result in the Democrats losing
every Senate seat they now hold.  Their Senate seats would be taken over by
the Greens.  The Senate quota for a double dissolution election falls from
around 14.5% to around 7%.  If such an election were held in a few weeks
time, itıs highly likely the Greens would hold up to 10 Senate seats.  If
thereıs one thing the Prime Minister can do is count, irrespectively of how
badly the Labor Party polled, the balance of power in the Senate would shift
from the Democrats to the Greens, a political party that is much less likely
to do deals with Howard than the Democrats.
The Prime Minister has started the election countdown.  The next Federal
election will be held in 15 to 18 months time.  The issues will be the same,
security and immigration.  Not that the Howard government is against
immigration, around 100,000 new immigrants arrive every year, many with
skills that are in short supply in Australia because Australian employers
donıt want to waste money training locals.  This time Australiaıs most
accomplished liar may find it difficult to be re-elected, not because the
ALP (Alternative Liberal Party) has come up with any policies but because
Australians may resist paying for the dramatically increased Defence budget
with their Medicare card.
The dye is cast, campaigning has started in earnest, both the Labor and
Liberal Party are in the process of finishing their pre-selections.  All the
long suffering electors (those who bother to vote that is) are waiting for
is some policies.  Lets hope they wonıt be disappointed this time round.
Knowing the Liberal Party and the Alternative Liberal Party (ALP) track
record, I doubt they will find themselves in a position to make the earth
move at the next Federal election for those electors who participate in the
electoral farce.

Joseph TOSCANO / Libertarian Workers
for a Self-Managed Society.


FILM & VIDEO REVIEW
"CRADLE WILL ROCK"
Directed & written by Tim Robbins. (1999)
132 min. USA. Certification: M
True story of politics & art in the 1930s USA, centered round a leftist
musical drama & attempts to stop its production. Rubén Blades-(Diego
Rivera), John Cusack-(Nelson Rockefeller), Angus MacFadyen-(Orson Welles),
Vanessa Redgrave-(Countess LaGrange), Susan Sarandon-(Margherita Sarfatti)
USA, 1936,
Great Depression, lots of unemployed, resurgence of unions; the Œthreatı is
the growth of Communism in the USA. Italy & Germany are buying steel. The
central theme of "Cradle Will Rock" is the Federal Theatre Project,
sponsored by the WPA, to bring low cost theatre to the masses, especially
the unemployed. One project is a musical, "The Cradle Will Rock", written by
Hank Azaria's character, & b/c of its controversy is having a tough time
finding a theatre thatıll allow it to be shown. In a perfect, magnificent
scene near the end, Azaria alone with his piano on stage is set to do a
one-man show. However, as it progresses, one-by-one audience members, who
had trained for the various parts, stood up & performed their parts amongst
the ordinary theatregoers. Human spirit again triumphs over "regulation."
Tim Robbins, was scary a few flicks back as the right wing yuppie folk
singing politician "Bob Roberts." Robbins has gone to the history or roots
of Bob Roberts ilk in writing this. Itıs so done well that distribution was
minimal, critics towed the bossı line & buried it. Continuous public
opposition to the War on Iraq has of course made Robbins a target of
right-wing critics & their bosses the Corporations of the military
industrial prison complex. Ruben Blades is painter, Diego Rivera,
commissioned by Capitalist Nelson Rockefeller (John Cusack) to paint a large
mural in his new centre building. The mural is eventually torn down; because
the artist insisted on having Lenin displayed prominently as another Captain
of Industry. This little tale of censorship can also be seen in the 2002
film Frida (The Mexican artist revolutionary).

POLITICS: **** ENTERTAINMENT ****


ANARCHIST PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED THIS WEEK
… BICEL No.14, APRIL 2003, Fundacion de Estudes Libertararios, Paseo Alberto
Palacios MMM 2.28021, MADRID, SPAIN, Tel:91 7970424, Fax:91 5052183,
email:fat@cnt.es  www.cnt.es/fal
… CNT No.289 APRIL 2003, Organo de la Conferedacion Nacional del Trabajo,
Avda Constitucion 21,9a, 18014 Granada, SPAIN, Tel:958289009, Fax:958288992,
jlgrua@ugr.es redaccion@periodcocnt.org
… ROJO Y NEGRO No.155 MAY 2003, CGT, C/-Compania9, 10 1zda, 31001
Pamploma/Iruna SPAIN, Tel:948224766, Fax:948212399,
email:suscripciones@rojonero.info
… SOLIDARIDAD OBRERA No315 APRIL 2003, Portavoz de la Confederacion Nacional
del Trabago(CNT) C/-Jocquin Costa, 34 entresueto, 08001 Barcelona SPAIN,
Tel/Fax:933188834, soliobrera@hotmail.com
… TIERRA Y LIBERTAD No.177 APRIL 2003, Periodico Anarquista, Apartado 7.056
de Madrid, 28080 SPAIN, Tel:917970424, Fax:915052183,
tierraylibertad@nodo50.org
OTHER PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED THIS WEEK
… REDWATER NEWS Vol.9 No.3 JULY / AUGUST 2003, The Redfern Waterloo
Neighbourhood Advisory Boards Newsletter, Rear 770 Elisabeth St, Waterloo
2017, Sydney AUSTRALIA. Fax: 02 93180852

DEBT ELIMINATION APPEAL - Our debt stands at $1869.45
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notice ­ we donıt send any out, we leave it up to our subscribers to take on
this responsibility & re-subscribe when their subscription has run out.  We
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radio program and ongoing campaign costs. How much we are able to do depends
to a large degree on the level of our finances.  You can help by A) -
Subscribing to the AAWR $10.00 = 10 Issues, $50.00 = 50 Issues, B) - joining
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make out cheques & money orders to LIBERTARIAN WORKERS & send to P.O. BOX
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Debt 13-08-2003            $1869.45

ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS ­ (ATNTF)
THIS WEEKS STORIES: Govt Implicated in Siev-X Sinking...Telstra's Family
Friendly Policy Copied From Govt...Branch Stacking Still Common In ALP...But
Drugs Are Better For The Economy...QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Last week's ATNTF reported that 4 people had been charged with slavery in
connection with running a brothel (Club 417) in Fitzroy. This story was
taken from the ŒMelbourne Timesı, the same issue carried an ad for Club 417.

An ex diplomat says the Australian govt may be implicated in the sinking of
the SIEV-X boat that resulted in 353 deaths. Tony Kevin, ex ambassador to
Cambodia, told the ABC about info heıd received from Federal Police
Commissioner Mick Keelty about a 'disruption program' involving Aust &
Indonesian police. "The point of the matter is Mr Keelty's organisation
trained the Indonesian police & set up the disruption teams selected by the
AFP out of the Indonesian police," Mr Kevin said "I believe that thereıs
substantial evidence leading towards the likely conclusion that SIEV-X was
sunk as part of an Aust govt disruption program to disrupt people smuggling
in Indonesia". (The Age, July 30).
A woman who stayed at work up until an hour before she gave birth, was still
sacked on her first day back after taking maternity leave. Anne-Marie (who
didnıt want her last name used) had worked for Telstra for 9 years before
being made redundant. Stephen Jones from the Community & Public Sector Union
said Telstra's Human Resources policy "talks at length about valuing staff &
their families". (Herald Sun, August 1).
Ordered to leave Australia without her baby, a Russian mother said she was
prepared to spend the rest of her days in the Villawood detention centre if
it was her only chance to see her son grow up. The 30yo woman, who has an
18-month-old son to an Aussie father, made the declaration after the full
bench of the Family Court upheld the Federal Govt's right to deport her
without her child. The unanimous decision, by Chief Justice Alastair
Nicholson, Justices John Ellis & Stephen O'Ryan, found the Migration Act
overrode the child's right to know & have regular contact with both its
parents. Acknowledging it might be 'difficult' for her to get a court order
for contact with her son if she was sent back to Russia, the judges said
"she may well be able to do so from a country like New Zealand". At least 2
other foreigners in the centre have Aust children & are fighting deportation
orders.  One is a Malaysian mother of 2, who hasnıt seen one of her children
in 3 years. The woman, who canıt be named for legal reasons, said she fled
Russia after witnessing a murder in a nightclub & after being raped by
casino security guards & police. (Sydney Morning Herald, July 30).
Branch stacking is still very common in the Labor Party, according to ALP
National President Greg Sword - incl Opposition Leader Simon Crean's
electorate. More than 1 in 10 of the ALP's members in Victoria isnıt on the
electoral roll.  Most of these 1320 members arenıt Australian citizens.  Mr
Sword said the ALP couldnıt verify a member's stated address if they werenıt
on the electoral roll. In Mr Crean's seat of Hotham, 43 ALP members arenıt
on the electoral roll. Mr Crean's supporters say the right-wing Labor Unity
faction has begun stacking the branch in order to gain control of it once Mr
Crean leaves politics. Mr Sword accused Labor Unity of undermining Mr
Crean's attempts to clean up the ALP. "Theyıre continuing to do everything
they can to subvert the rules so people they have stacked into those
electorates can vote [in internal elections]", he said. (The Age, July 29).
A vegetarian diet is roughly as good at fighting cholesterol as an
established cholesterol-lowering drug, according to a new study. A study had
one group of people take the drug ŒLovastatinı.  Another group adopted the
so-called 'ape diet' - based on the diet of gorillas & orangutangs in the
wild, but actually a fairly typical vegetarian diet including meals such as
ratatouille & vegetables. After 4 weeks, levels of the harmful
LDL-cholesterol were lowered by roughly 30% for people in both groups. (New
Scientist magazine).
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "By posting messages, uploading files, inputting data,
submitting any feedback or suggestions, or engaging in any other form of
communication with or through the Passport Web Site [Passport is the system
that you use to log on to the Microsoft network, including Hotmail & MSN
Messenger]...you are granting Microsoft & its affiliated companies
permission to:
1. Use, modify, copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly
perform, reproduce, publish, sublicense, create derivative works from,
transfer, or sell any such communication.
2. Sublicense to third parties the unrestricted right to exercise any of the
foregoing rights granted with respect to the communication.
3. Publish your name in connection with any such communication...
The foregoing grants shall include the right to exploit any proprietary
rights in such communication, including but not limited to rights under
copyright, trademark, service mark or patent laws under any relevant
jurisdiction. No compensation will be paid with respect to Microsoft's use
of the materials contained within such communication". (Microsoft).

anarchist news service write to James, PO Box 503, Newtown NSW 2042 or email
anarchists@hellokitty.com contact us to get ATNTF emailed directly to you.
If you like ATNTF, forward it on to people or lists who might be interested
in it, or post it on your local Indymedia http://www.indymedia.org. Some
other Aust anarchist contacts: Love & Rage is an anarchist, non-profit
record label.  Our CD is available by mail order.  20 songs for $10 within
Aust, $15 in NZ, $10 in USA, $10 in Canada, 5 pounds in UK, or 10 euros in
the rest of Europe.  Other countries, or enquiries from shops and distroes,
email us & ask.  Address for orders is PO Box 1191, Richmond North VIC 3121
(Australia).  Please make cheques or money orders out to J. Hutchings.
www.loveandrage.rocks.it www.angry.at/thegovernment - anarchist website with
fliers for download, contacts etc. www.angry.at/racists -
Anarchist/anti-racist music site with free mp3s, Real Audio, Real Video,
internet radio, band interviews etc.  Also includes the text of 'Escape', an
anarchist novel - www.geocities.com/skipnewborn/novel.doc www.dolearmy.org -
info for unemployed people, www.activate.8m.com - anarchist magazine aimed
at teenagers. ATNTF appears in the Anarchist Age Weekly Review
(http://www.vicnet.net.au/~anarch  - PO Box 20 Parkville VIC 3052) & The Ham
(http://www.theham.cat.org.au).
Media outlets mentioned in ATNTF are sources - items arenıt direct quotes
from news media.  Background info may have been gathered from sources in
addition to media outlets cited.  Where no source is cited, the info has
been gathered from direct sources.

ANARCHIST MEDIA INSTITUTE OBSCENITY OF THE WEEK
Has been awarded to the Australian Democrats.
When you think about lying, you think about the Prime Minister, when you
think about treachery you think about the Australian Democrats.

HEALTH CARE A RIGHT NOT A CHARITY OR A LUXURY
DEFEND & EXTEND MEDICARE - RALLY
5.30PM FRIDAY  -  5TH SEPTEMBER 2003
STATE LIBRARY TO FEDERATION SQUARE ­ MELBOURNE
ALL WELCOME, BRING ALONG BANNERS
If you want a universal health care system that every body irrespective of
income, has access to join your local Defend and Extend Medicare group.
Email:Defendmedicare@yahoo.com.au www.defendmedicare.cjb.net
Tel: 03 5982 1170, Postal: P.O. Box 5035 Alphington 3078, Victoria
Australia.
Download any material you want and distribute it to your local community.

A DOLLAR A DAY
Increasing financial problems have forced us to review how The Anarchist
Media Instituteıs finances are raised.  Currently subscriptions and
donations only account for about 40% of the income necessary to cover our
costs.  To overcome this problem weıve launched a:-
SAVE THE ANARCHIST MEDIA INSTITUTE ~ "A DOLLAR A DAY" CAMPAIGN
We are looking for THIRTY People, interested in our activities, to pledge to
donate
ŒA Dollar A Dayı for twelve months.  You can donate monthly or yearly.  Make
out cheques and money orders to:- Libertarian Workers and send to PO Box 20,
Parkville. 3052. Melbourne. Australia.  Those who pledge will receive a "I
Saved The Anarchist Media Institute" A3 poster which you can frame and put
up at work or home - A great talking point if nothing else.  Weıve got the
ideas and energy but we need your financial assistance to keep going.  Go
on, become one of the Magnificent Thirty that saved the Anarchist Media
Institute.
SIX READERS HAVE JOINED THE "DOLLAR A DAY" CLUB ­ 25 TO GO JOIN TODAY!!
EMPTY YOUR POCKETS OF LOOSE CHANGE & SAVE THE ANARCHIST MEDIA INSTITUTE

RECLAIM THE RADICAL SPIRIT OF THE EUREKA REBELLION
JOIN US AT BALLARAT AT THE EUREKA STOCKADE SITE
CNR STAWELL & EUREKA STREET, BALLARAT
>From 4AM TO 4PM
ON WEDNESDAY 3RD DECEMBER 2003
CELEBRATE THE 149TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EUREKA REBELLION
RECLAIM YOUR HISTORY
Celebrate the important elements of the Eureka rebellion
… DIRECT DEMOCRACY
… DIRECT ACTION
… SOLIDARITY
"We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to
defend our rights and liberties"
PROGRAM
… 4.00AM ­ 6.00AM ­ Gathering at Eureka Park to mark the 149th anniversary
of the battle on the site and at the time it occurred
… 6.00am ­ 10.00am ­ Breakfast Eureka Hall (Bring own food & drinks)
… 10.00am ­ 11.00am ­ Radio broadcast across Australia involving the
participants at the site on the National Community Radio Satellite
… 11.30am ­ 1.00pm ­ March from Eureka Park to Bakery Hill to re-affirm the
Eureka Oath.  March back to Eureka Park
… 1.00pm ­ 4.00pm ­ Lunch & conversation (bring own food & drinks)
Reclaim your history, use that history to change the future.
JOIN US AT EUREKA PARK / EUREKA HALL.
(CNR STAWELL & EUREKA STREET, BALLARAT)
>From 4AM TO 4PM
ON WEDNESDAY 3RD DECEMBER 2003

DEFEND & EXTEND MEDICARE ­ DELEGATES MEETING
(Delegates meeting open to observers)
THURSDAY 21st AUGUST  -  7.00PM
EVATT ROOM -  1ST FLOOR / TRADES HALL / MELBOURNE
Cnr. LYGON ST. & VICTORIA RD ­ CARLTON (Entrance 54 Victoria Rd)

  If You Like What You Have Read, Photocopy This Publication and Leave It In
Doctors, Dentists,
Vets Waiting Rooms and In Railway Stations, Bus Stops, Libraries and
Restaurants Etc.
The articles in the Anarchist Age Weekly Review reflect the personal
opinions of the authors, they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the
publishers, the Libertarian Workers for a Self-Managed Society/Anarchist
Media Institute.
All material in the Anarchist Age Weekly Review can be used by anarchists,
anarchist collectives and non-profit organisations as long as the source of
the material is mentioned in the article.  The Anarchist Age Weekly Review
reserves all rights as far as commercial publications are concerned.

ANARCHISM ­ ADVANCING IN DIVERSITY STRIKING IN UNISON ­ YAMAGUCHI KENJI
WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY ­ THE ANARCHIST CENTURY




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