Tuesday, February 28, 2006
A government body that is supposed to investigate breaches of the law in the building industry will not involve itself in the case of a teenager who had his skull smashed by his boss with a claw hammer.
The Australia Building & Construction Industry Taskforce's official brief is to investigate breaches of the law by any parties in the industry. However unions allege that in practice it shows no interest in breaches by employers.
Samuel Kautai was working 12-hour days, six days a week for Manuel Puruto, who engaged young workers from the Cook Islands under individual contracts. Kautai was paid $50 per month.
Kautai had his skull smashed, his jaw and teeth broken, has lost his sight in one eye and is also looking at surgery on the second eye, where he has loss of vision.
Puroto has been charged with two counts of maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm, with further charges expected to be laid.
Other young workers from the Cook Islands working for Puruto's business, Freliesma Guttering, have made similar allegations of ill treatment.
The CFMEU estimates that Kautai is now owed over $90,000.00 in back pay.
The union claims that nonetheless "this Taskforce has refused to investigate or help Samuel Kautai."
(Source: Workers Online)
The Australia Building & Construction Industry Taskforce's official brief is to investigate breaches of the law by any parties in the industry. However unions allege that in practice it shows no interest in breaches by employers.
Samuel Kautai was working 12-hour days, six days a week for Manuel Puruto, who engaged young workers from the Cook Islands under individual contracts. Kautai was paid $50 per month.
Kautai had his skull smashed, his jaw and teeth broken, has lost his sight in one eye and is also looking at surgery on the second eye, where he has loss of vision.
Puroto has been charged with two counts of maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm, with further charges expected to be laid.
Other young workers from the Cook Islands working for Puruto's business, Freliesma Guttering, have made similar allegations of ill treatment.
The CFMEU estimates that Kautai is now owed over $90,000.00 in back pay.
The union claims that nonetheless "this Taskforce has refused to investigate or help Samuel Kautai."
(Source: Workers Online)
People moving from welfare to work can effectively be taxed at a rate of up to 75%, according to economists.
Access Economics director Chris Richardson said the Government should focus on tax disincentives preventing people from shifting from welfare to work.
"If you are moving off unemployment back into work you can pay up to three-quarters of your income as lost benefits and increased taxes," Mr Richardson said.
By contrast the top tax rate, applied only to earnings over $95,000 a year, is 47%.
The government does plan to hold an inquiry into the tax system. However, it is widely believed to be aimed at lowering the top tax rate.
(Source: The Age)
Access Economics director Chris Richardson said the Government should focus on tax disincentives preventing people from shifting from welfare to work.
"If you are moving off unemployment back into work you can pay up to three-quarters of your income as lost benefits and increased taxes," Mr Richardson said.
By contrast the top tax rate, applied only to earnings over $95,000 a year, is 47%.
The government does plan to hold an inquiry into the tax system. However, it is widely believed to be aimed at lowering the top tax rate.
(Source: The Age)
Most Australians are opposed to involvement in the Iraq war, according to a new poll.
The ACNeilsen poll found that 55 per cent opposed the deployment of troops in Iraq while only 38 per cent supported them.
Australia has about 1340 military personnel in the Iraq 'theatre', of which about half are stationed inside the country.
(Source: The Age)
The ACNeilsen poll found that 55 per cent opposed the deployment of troops in Iraq while only 38 per cent supported them.
Australia has about 1340 military personnel in the Iraq 'theatre', of which about half are stationed inside the country.
(Source: The Age)
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Federal government departments will spend a total of more than $6 million of public money on pot plants for their Canberra offices.
Last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra spent $137,200 on hiring office plants. They will spend $686,000 over five years.
Six Government bureaucracies in Canberra declared in documents tabled in the Senate that they had committed $1.67 million. The two, three and five-year contracts started in 2004-05.
The $6 million total covers 17 departments over five years, and thus works out to over $70,000 for a single department for a single year.
However this figure may be too low. Departments must detail all outside departmental contracts worth more than $100,000, but the Auditor-General found last month that many breached their obligations.
(Source: The Age)
Last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra spent $137,200 on hiring office plants. They will spend $686,000 over five years.
Six Government bureaucracies in Canberra declared in documents tabled in the Senate that they had committed $1.67 million. The two, three and five-year contracts started in 2004-05.
The $6 million total covers 17 departments over five years, and thus works out to over $70,000 for a single department for a single year.
However this figure may be too low. Departments must detail all outside departmental contracts worth more than $100,000, but the Auditor-General found last month that many breached their obligations.
(Source: The Age)
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Senior CSIRO scientists say they were prevented by the government from airing their concerns over climate change.
Three eminent Australian scientists have told the ABC's Four Corners program that they have been censored.
ALP spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said it was known that one of the scientists wanted to warn the public about the implications of greenhouse gases, particularly the implications for the Pacific islands, and was told not to include that material in a government publication.
Former Liberal staffer and industry lobbyist Dr Guy Pearse said that he had conducted extensive interviews with coal industry lobbyists, some of whom called themselves the greenhouse mafia.
The program also alleges that cabinet briefing papers on climate policy were written by industry lobbyists, instead of the normal practice of having them written by government departments.
(Source: The Age, Seven News website)
Three eminent Australian scientists have told the ABC's Four Corners program that they have been censored.
ALP spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said it was known that one of the scientists wanted to warn the public about the implications of greenhouse gases, particularly the implications for the Pacific islands, and was told not to include that material in a government publication.
Former Liberal staffer and industry lobbyist Dr Guy Pearse said that he had conducted extensive interviews with coal industry lobbyists, some of whom called themselves the greenhouse mafia.
The program also alleges that cabinet briefing papers on climate policy were written by industry lobbyists, instead of the normal practice of having them written by government departments.
(Source: The Age, Seven News website)
ASIO and police forces are likely to be given new powers to tap the phones of people who are not suspected of any crime.
The legislation - the Telecommunications (Interception) Amendment Bill - will be introduced in Federal Parliament on Thursday.
The law will give law enforcement officers involved in major investigations the right to tap the phones of third parties not suspected of involvement in crime, if it is considered that they might contact a suspect or be contacted by a suspect.
The warrant to do so would be issued by a judge.
The police would be able to leave the tap in place for 45 days and ASIO for 90 days.
(Source: The Age)
The legislation - the Telecommunications (Interception) Amendment Bill - will be introduced in Federal Parliament on Thursday.
The law will give law enforcement officers involved in major investigations the right to tap the phones of third parties not suspected of involvement in crime, if it is considered that they might contact a suspect or be contacted by a suspect.
The warrant to do so would be issued by a judge.
The police would be able to leave the tap in place for 45 days and ASIO for 90 days.
(Source: The Age)
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Prime Minister John Howard has hinted that Australian troops will stay in Iraq longer than previously indicated.
Mr Howard told Channel Nine that Australian troops could remain in Iraq after the expected withdrawal of Japanese engineers in May.
The Federal Government has previously indicated a pull-out could come when the Japanese troops withdraw.
Australia's 460 ground troops are in southern Iraq protecting the Japanese, who are helping to rebuild infrastructure.
Mr Howard also rejected setting a withdrawal date for Australian forces.
(Source: ABC News Online)
Mr Howard told Channel Nine that Australian troops could remain in Iraq after the expected withdrawal of Japanese engineers in May.
The Federal Government has previously indicated a pull-out could come when the Japanese troops withdraw.
Australia's 460 ground troops are in southern Iraq protecting the Japanese, who are helping to rebuild infrastructure.
Mr Howard also rejected setting a withdrawal date for Australian forces.
(Source: ABC News Online)
Simon Crean is being challenged for his seat in Parliament as "payback" for his attempts to clean up the Labor Party when he was leader, according to a senior ALP figure.
Mr Crean is being challenged for the federal seat of Hotham.
Party vice-president Barry Jones told a meeting of Labor's Right faction that "Simon is the victim of payback because when he made his attempt to reform the party structure in 2002-03, he made lifelong enemies."
Labor's federal MP in Bendigo, Steve Gibbons, also criticised the challenge. "Simon Crean is paying the price for standing up to the so-called factional heavies and always putting the party's interest ahead of his own," he said.
"He was constantly undermined during his term of leadership in the most disgraceful manner and there are people in the party who should be condemned forever for it."
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks refused to endorse Mr Crean when asked to do so on the ABC's Lateline program. Federal Labor leader Kim Beazley has also declined to back Mr Crean.
(Source: The Age)
Mr Crean is being challenged for the federal seat of Hotham.
Party vice-president Barry Jones told a meeting of Labor's Right faction that "Simon is the victim of payback because when he made his attempt to reform the party structure in 2002-03, he made lifelong enemies."
Labor's federal MP in Bendigo, Steve Gibbons, also criticised the challenge. "Simon Crean is paying the price for standing up to the so-called factional heavies and always putting the party's interest ahead of his own," he said.
"He was constantly undermined during his term of leadership in the most disgraceful manner and there are people in the party who should be condemned forever for it."
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks refused to endorse Mr Crean when asked to do so on the ABC's Lateline program. Federal Labor leader Kim Beazley has also declined to back Mr Crean.
(Source: The Age)
American soldiers have been accused of deliberately giving Guantanamo Bay detainees diarrhea, to punish them for going on a hunger strike.
American forces say that in December, 84 detainees were said to be on hunger strike. Almost all are no longer.
Lawyers for detainees said hunger strikers have been deprived of so-called "comfort items" - including blankets - and riot-control soldiers have been used to compel the prisoners to sit still long in 'restraint chairs' while long plastic tubes were threaded down their nasal passages and into their stomachs to force-feed them.
Kuwaiti detainee Fawzi al-Odah has claimed through his lawyer that the liquid formula they were given was mixed with other ingredients to cause diarrhea.
Another lawyer, Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, said his client told him "that during these force feedings too much food was given deliberately, which caused diarrhea and in some cases caused detainees to defecate on themselves...officers told the hunger strikers that if they challenged the United States, the United States would challenge them back using these tactics."
The Defense Department says it has began working out procedures to deal with the eventual suicide of one or more detainees, which a Pentagon official described as "just a reality of long-term detention."
(Source: New York Times)
American forces say that in December, 84 detainees were said to be on hunger strike. Almost all are no longer.
Lawyers for detainees said hunger strikers have been deprived of so-called "comfort items" - including blankets - and riot-control soldiers have been used to compel the prisoners to sit still long in 'restraint chairs' while long plastic tubes were threaded down their nasal passages and into their stomachs to force-feed them.
Kuwaiti detainee Fawzi al-Odah has claimed through his lawyer that the liquid formula they were given was mixed with other ingredients to cause diarrhea.
Another lawyer, Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, said his client told him "that during these force feedings too much food was given deliberately, which caused diarrhea and in some cases caused detainees to defecate on themselves...officers told the hunger strikers that if they challenged the United States, the United States would challenge them back using these tactics."
The Defense Department says it has began working out procedures to deal with the eventual suicide of one or more detainees, which a Pentagon official described as "just a reality of long-term detention."
(Source: New York Times)
Sunday, February 05, 2006
The US Army has been authorised to execute prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.
Previously the only place where military prisoners could be executed was at the military prison at Forth Leavenworth, Texas. The new rules authorise that the Army may carry out executions at Guantanamo Bay "imposed by military court-martial or military tribunals and authorised by the President of the United States".
The new regulations stipulate that the executions are to be carried out by lethal injection. Unusually, they state that "the condemned prisoner will be placed on the execution table and restrained by means of appropriate fasteners to ensure safety and security of the prisoner...".
The US government has declared that Guantanamo Bay detainees are "illegal enemy combatants" and that as such are not protected by the Geneva Conventions. The administration has refused demands by the UN that human rights monitors be allowed unrestricted access to inspect the prison.
(Source: The Guardian [Australia])
Previously the only place where military prisoners could be executed was at the military prison at Forth Leavenworth, Texas. The new rules authorise that the Army may carry out executions at Guantanamo Bay "imposed by military court-martial or military tribunals and authorised by the President of the United States".
The new regulations stipulate that the executions are to be carried out by lethal injection. Unusually, they state that "the condemned prisoner will be placed on the execution table and restrained by means of appropriate fasteners to ensure safety and security of the prisoner...".
The US government has declared that Guantanamo Bay detainees are "illegal enemy combatants" and that as such are not protected by the Geneva Conventions. The administration has refused demands by the UN that human rights monitors be allowed unrestricted access to inspect the prison.
(Source: The Guardian [Australia])
Attacks on Western forces in Iraq rose by 29% in 2005, according to US military figures.
There were a total of 34,131, attacks, up from 26,496 in 2004. The Pentagon reported that roadside bombs continued to be the most common weapon used by Iraqis. 10,953 were used in 2005, up from 5607 the year before.
Iraqis reportedly shot down a US attack helicopter on January 16 using a Soviet-made Strela shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile. Reuters reported that the Apache helicopter "crashed after coming under missile fire near the village of Mishahda, close to Taji", killing both of its crew.
US ABC TV News reported the next day that US Army officials saw this as a possible advance in the opposition's fighting capabilities because, while there are hundreds or perhaps even thousands of Strela missiles that are unaccounted for in Iraq, Iraqi forces had never successfully used them against US attack helicopters.
"It could be just a lucky shot, or it could be that they have invested in a training program, and they now have some qualified operators and that'll be more of a threat than it has been in the past", said General John Keane, the US Army's acting chief of staff.
The Apache helicopter was the third US military helicopter to be shot down by Iraqis this year.
US Army helicopters come under fire in Iraq "15 or 20 times a month", said General Edward Sinclair, the commander of the US Army's aviation centre at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
On January 8, the Pentagon issued a statement announcing that three US marines were "killed by small-arms fire in separate attacks while conducting combat operations against the enemy in Falluja", the city that was supposed to have been decisively 'pacified' by a month-long assault in November 2004 by 10,000 US troops, backed by air attacks and round-the-clock artillery shelling, which killed up to 6000 residents, and despite a daily curfew from 11pm to 6am, enforced by 4200 US Marines and 5000 pro-American Iraqi troops.
Hala Jaber, the first Western newspaper journalist to enter Fallujah for more than a year without the supervision of the US military, reported in December that "anger, hate and mistrust of America are deeper than ever" and that anti-Western forces "are returning to exploit the popular rage".
(Source: Green Left Weekly)
There were a total of 34,131, attacks, up from 26,496 in 2004. The Pentagon reported that roadside bombs continued to be the most common weapon used by Iraqis. 10,953 were used in 2005, up from 5607 the year before.
Iraqis reportedly shot down a US attack helicopter on January 16 using a Soviet-made Strela shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile. Reuters reported that the Apache helicopter "crashed after coming under missile fire near the village of Mishahda, close to Taji", killing both of its crew.
US ABC TV News reported the next day that US Army officials saw this as a possible advance in the opposition's fighting capabilities because, while there are hundreds or perhaps even thousands of Strela missiles that are unaccounted for in Iraq, Iraqi forces had never successfully used them against US attack helicopters.
"It could be just a lucky shot, or it could be that they have invested in a training program, and they now have some qualified operators and that'll be more of a threat than it has been in the past", said General John Keane, the US Army's acting chief of staff.
The Apache helicopter was the third US military helicopter to be shot down by Iraqis this year.
US Army helicopters come under fire in Iraq "15 or 20 times a month", said General Edward Sinclair, the commander of the US Army's aviation centre at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
On January 8, the Pentagon issued a statement announcing that three US marines were "killed by small-arms fire in separate attacks while conducting combat operations against the enemy in Falluja", the city that was supposed to have been decisively 'pacified' by a month-long assault in November 2004 by 10,000 US troops, backed by air attacks and round-the-clock artillery shelling, which killed up to 6000 residents, and despite a daily curfew from 11pm to 6am, enforced by 4200 US Marines and 5000 pro-American Iraqi troops.
Hala Jaber, the first Western newspaper journalist to enter Fallujah for more than a year without the supervision of the US military, reported in December that "anger, hate and mistrust of America are deeper than ever" and that anti-Western forces "are returning to exploit the popular rage".
(Source: Green Left Weekly)
Telstra spent $1.3 million on an island holiday for senior staff, before announcing a plan to cut 12,000 jobs.
Senior staff members and their guests were given a weekend at Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays last October at company expense.
A month later chief executive Sol Trujillo unveiled his new strategy for Telstra, which involved cutting 12,000 jobs.
The Opposition criticised Telstra for spending the money given its 1.4 million faulty lines and falling share price.
But a Telstra spokesman defended the trip, saying it was necessary to reward high achievers in a way that was in line with its competitors. Telstra expects to hold similar events in the future.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
Senior staff members and their guests were given a weekend at Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays last October at company expense.
A month later chief executive Sol Trujillo unveiled his new strategy for Telstra, which involved cutting 12,000 jobs.
The Opposition criticised Telstra for spending the money given its 1.4 million faulty lines and falling share price.
But a Telstra spokesman defended the trip, saying it was necessary to reward high achievers in a way that was in line with its competitors. Telstra expects to hold similar events in the future.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
