Category: greenleft

HealthcareGeorge ZangalisIssue 1276Australiaaged careCOVID-19MelbourneAugust 11, 2020The tragedy for the coronavirus victims in aged care could have been avoided, or greatly reduced, if authorities had implemented early calls for radical reforms to the very sick health system. This is still a question for the present catastrophic stage, if we are to draw

EnvironmentSusan PriceIssue 1276 Mauritiusoil spillResistanz ek AlternativAugust 11, 2020An ecological catastrophe is unfolding in Mauritius, as oil continues to spill from a Japanese bulk carrier that struck a reef off its coast on July 25. Mauritian ecosocialist organisation Rezistans ek Alternativ (RA) has criticised the government for

Imperialism & warJim McIlroyIssue 1276AustraliaHiroshima DayBritish nuclear testsInternational Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)August 11, 2020A webinar sponsored by the Sydney Hiroshima Day — “Fighting the Bomb” — heard from prominent peace activists on August 6. It coincided with the 75th anniversary of the United States’ nuclear attack on the Japanese

EnvironmentMiddle EastJohn MolyneuxIssue 1276LebanonshippingdisasterAugust 10, 2020In saying that the terrible explosion in Beirut is an ecosocialist issue, I am not counterposing this claim to the fact that this is also an issue of corruption, of government incompetence, of health and safety and many other things. I am making the point that,

Climate crisisPaul GregoireIssue 1276AustraliaCOVID-19 Commission Advisory Boardmethane emissionsParis AccordsAugust 10, 2020In late March, Neville Power and the executive board of directors who made up Scott Morrison’s just established National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC) were a bit stumped by their mandate — to coordinate a post-pandemic economic recovery and frame it around

EnvironmentPatrick BondIssue 1276Mauritiusoil spillBlue EconomyAugust 10, 2020Fuel spilling from a Japanese bulk carrier that ran aground on a reef in Mauritius two weeks ago is creating an ecological disaster, endangering corals, fish and other marine life around the Indian Ocean island, officials and environmentalists say. The MV Wakashio, owned by

Workers & unionsKathy FairfaxIssue 1275AustraliaUnited Workers UnionWoolworthsWyongAugust 7, 2020More than 500 workers at the Woolworths Distribution Centre at Wyong, members of the United Workers Union (UWU), voted on August 6 to accept an improved offer from their employer and return to work. The workers had maintained a picket outside the distribution

Workers & unionsLeo CrnogorcevicIssue 1275AustraliaNational Tertiary Education Union (NTEU)casual workersuniversityMelbourneAugust 7, 2020The University of Melbourne has enjoyed a reputation of being the highest-ranked tertiary institution in Australia. Now, it has been exposed as being among the top tertiary educational institutions for wage theft. The ABC revealed on August 5, that millions

AfricaHealthcareHousingWelfareYouth & studentsAngela ChukunziraIssue 1275South AfricaCOVID-19August 6, 2020On August 1, South Africa had its most widespread, coordinated protest since the end of apartheid. The country now has the fifth highest number of total, new and active cases of COVID-19, and the demonstrations occurred with infections still rising at an exponential rate.

IndigenousRachel EvansIssue 1275AustraliaAboriginal deaths in custodySydneyAugust 6, 2020The mother and father of Tane Chatfield spoke in the front of Lidcombe Coronial Court on July 17, the final day of the inquest into his death reports Rachel Evans. Tane was found hanging in his cell in Tamworth prison on September 20, 2017

Workers & unionsAlex BainbridgeIssue 1275AustraliaOur Common CauseCOVID-19August 6, 2020The Courier Mail’s July 30 front cover screech describing two young women with coronavirus as “Enemies of the state” is a good example of victim shaming. It might have sold the struggling Murdoch media empire a few extra papers, but it made combating