More bombing of Syria won’t ‘destroy’ Islamic State
French President Francois Hollande called the attacks in Paris an “act of war”. Within days, France responded by bombing Raqqa, the so-called capital of Islamic State in Syria. There will be more to follow, with France moving its only aircraft carrier, which Hollande boasted would “triple our capacity to take action”, to the region.
Target Muslims, stoke fear: Australian politicians and the media’s response to Paris
After the attacks in Paris, the Coalition and the Murdoch media worked hand-in-glove, casting around for ways to make political mileage.
Broader movement needed to defeat Reclaim’s Islamophobia
On November 22, anti-Muslim racists Reclaim Australia held their third day of national rallies. This time Reclaim focused on two anti-mosque campaigns, in Melton, in outer Melbourne, and in Buchanan, near Cessnock in New South Wales, while the neo-fascist group United Patriots Front mobilised in Perth.
Turnbull’s tax reform aims to boost corporate profits
The tax ‘reform’ debate has concentrated on increasing the Goods and Services Tax from 10 per cent to 15 per cent and including in the tax base things like fresh food, and health and education spending.
Why we don’t stand for the national anthem
When the Murdoch media got wind in late October that Muslim students at a primary school in Victoria had left assembly to avoid singing Advance Australia Fair, all hell broke loose.
Inquest exposes brutal police contempt that killed Ms Dhu
On 23 November, a coronial inquest into the death of 22-year-old Aboriginal woman Julieka Dhu began in Perth. Dhu died from pneumonia and septic shock while in the custody of police. She was in police cells because of $3622 in outstanding fines.
Hard-fought wins at Hutchison, but clear victory means defying the law
The inspirational three-month long struggle by Hutchison wharfies in Sydney and Brisbane ended on 16 November, when Maritime Union members voted to accept a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement.
NSW council mergers a Trojan horse for privatisation
About 600 people, including many council workers, rallied at Martin Place on 18 November to protest the NSW government’s drive to merge local councils across the state.
General strikes in Greece—this time against Syriza’s austerity
The fight against Syriza’s austerity measures in Greece has begun, with workers staging two general strikes in the space of three weeks.
Suu Kyi to share power with the military in Burma
Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy has won 80 per cent of the vote in Burma’s November national elections. This is a significant political defeat for the military junta after decades of authoritarian rule.
Turned back: Jewish refugees and WWII
As Europe faces its greatest refugee crisis since 1945, Solidarity looks at the mistakes made then in turning back Jewish refugees, and how they are being repeated
Organising the unemployed: Dole strikes and the 1930s Depression
Amid the mass unemployment of the Depression, the Communist Party did some of its best work, organising the fight for high dole payments and more jobs writes Tom Orsag
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King: revolution and black liberation
Amy Thomas looks at the lives and political evolution of two giants of the black rights movement in the US
Klein film foregrounds fight for the climate, but skirts what we’re up against
This Changes Everything was screened around the world in the lead up to December’s climate summit in Paris to promote the People’s Climate March. The focus of the film is the front-line struggles around the world against fossil fuel expansion and exploitation.
Kids out, all out—end detention
In early November, the Free the Children Nauru Facebook page, set up by teenagers on Nauru, got a whopping 23,000 followers within 24 hours.
In late November, The Greens...
