Prime Minister John Howard has announced that 150 troops will arrive in East Timor this afternoon in response to the escalation of violence and increasing lawlessness in the nation’s capital. The Department of Foreign Affairs has described the situation in East Timor as unstable. The unrest stems from an incident late last month in which five people were killed when a group of sacked East Timorese Military personnel clashed with Government troops. The issue is deep-seeded in ethnic tensions and perceived injustices. Rob Wesley-Smith is the spokesperson for Australians for a free East Timor and has been following developments in East Timor closely and spoke to The Wire today. He says that East Timor, although free from occupation, is still trapped in endemic poverty and that the cause of unrest in the nation’s capital this week can be traced back along the road the country has taken since declaring its independence.
Since 9/11, the imminent threat of terrorist attacks has grown. Last year, the Bali attacks and the London bombings, created a situation that made it seem reasonable that a terrorism attack might take place on Australian soil. So, just before Christmas last year, the Government passed its new terrorism laws. The laws are yet to be tested; but at "Sneaking up on us", a public forum held in Adelaide last night, and hosted by The Wire’s Annie Hastwell, the new laws were discussed by Human Rights Lawyers, Steve Kenny and Claire O'Connell.
The nuclear energy debate seems to be well and truly ON at the moment and, as ever, one of the big sticking points is what to do with the nuclear waste. Physics Professor David Blair believes one viable option not being discussed at the moment, is sending the waste into the deep mud of oceanic subduction zones. And if you’ve never heard of those before, don’t worry – you’re not the only one. So it’s just as well Professor Blair explained the concept to Peter Godfrey.
The majority of separated couples in Australia divorce at an age when their children are still in the home. This week Federal Parliament has been debating changes to the family law system that will see more family relationship centres and encourage shared responsibility from both parents. Expert in social work Dale Bagshaw spoke to Elise Kuchel about the report she coordinated into children and families in transition, and its finding that legislation needs to focus more on the child.
Australia’s strict immigration laws have been given a makeover by novelist Linda Jaivin in her new book "The Infernal Optimist".The story revolves around a clause in the act whereby permanent residents can be deported for spending more than twelve months in jail. The books narrator Zeki, is jailed in Villawood Detention Centre under this law and his story highlights the ongoing situation of detainees. Linda Jaivin spoke to Cath Keneally about her book.
