Workers Online
Workers Online
Workers Online
  Issue No 103 Official Organ of LaborNet 20 July 2001  

 --

 --

 --

.  LaborNET

.  Ask Neale

.  Tool of the Week


Tool Shed

With Friends Like These


Kramer-lookalike Peter Botsman barges into the Tool Shed without knocking this week for arguing that elite think-tanks should replace the labour movement as the source of policy ideas for the ALP.

****************

We at Workers Online have long been fans of the K-Man, as he scorched across the political landscape with all the finesse, grace and focus of his sitcom namesake. From his early stand-up days at the Evatt Foundation railing against power privatisation, to his sojourn to Brisbane to set up a think-tank in partnership with News Ltd and embrace the Third Way (the political equivalent of a road trip to LA for a guest spot on Murphy Brown), Botsman has proven that a PhD in venereal disease need be no barrier to being an expert on nothing.

And now he's taken up his current gig carrying the mantle of Gough, at the newly formed Whitlam Institute, look forward to Kramer becoming an expert in all things Labor.

He stepped up to the plate on ABC Radio this week - with a performance that reminded me of that episode where Elaine decides she needs some new friends. The premise of the interview was that trade unions are out of control - linking such disparate issues as the WorkCover conflict in NSW, allegations and a picket at Newcastle ship year. The line that the mainstream media is trying to get out is that these are all evidence of the union movement being out of control.

Now, a supporter of the trade union movement could challenge this critique in a range of informed and enlightened ways. Such as (i) the workers compensation conflagration followed profound mismanagement by the responsible Minister (ii) the Victorian trade union officials are openly hostile to the ALP and at odds with much of the mainstream trade union movement (iii) that the footage of the Reith incident was sparked by the Minister's own mishandling of the affair, and his failure to liaise with police before the event and finally that (iv) a building industry Royal Commission is a cynical politically exercise which, if history is any gauge, will bring to light evidence of employer corruption.

Instead Kramer accepted the underlying precept of the interview, opining that with a falling membership base trade unions no longer represented then interests of mainstream Australia. If this line were coming from Piers Akerman, you could accept it. But Kramer is meant to be the holder of the Labor-sit flame- even if he's hanging out with the Tony Blair fan club these days. .

Where he was coming from became more apparent, however, as the interview continued. The line emerged that Kramer believes that Labor needs to distil the influence of trade unions; replacing them with high level think-tanks - like surprise, surprise, the one's that he runs. That's right, instead of a working class base, the ALP should pay pointy-heads like Kramer to write its policy - and present it in easy to digest mind-maps. I'm still waiting for the canned laughter to kick in.

But that's not all! The old Left and Right faction should be thrown out along with the unions. Instead new groupings should emerge around people like - Barry Jones! Maybe even the K-man himself! Now that would be some party! The political equivalent of the recycled tonight show set that Kramer finds in the alley and turns into his lounge suite. The cameras are on but no-one is watching.

We love thought and we love think-tanks and we wish the Whitlam Institute well. But to suggest that it can replace a working class base is the work of a comic genius. Kramer, you've done it again! Giddee-up!


Nominate a Tool!

Your Name:
Your Email Address:
Your Country: Your State:
The Tool you wish to nominate:
Type why you think this person should be Tool of the Week here:

------

*   View entire issue - print all of the articles!

*   Issue 103 contents

In this issue
Features
*  Interview: Political Witch Hunt
CFMEU national secretary John Sutton on the mooted Royal Commission and what is really needed to clean up the building industry
*
*  E-Change: 1.3 The Nation State in Crisis
In the latest instalment in their study on the new politics, Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel looks at the rise and fall of the institutional State.
*
*  Unions: Industrial Violence
Rowan Cahill agrees with Tony Abbott that thuggery and violence are part of Australian industrial relations landscape - but it's the bosses who do most of the bashing.
*
*  History: Total Recoil
Neal Towart looks at how Royal Commissions designed to kick unions have typically come back to haunt their architects.
*
*  International: Behind the Eight Ball
Jubilee Australia's Thea Ormond looks at the international activity being generated around this week's Group of Eight Summit in Genoa
*
*  Politics: Now We The People
A new group believes there is an alternative to corporate gobalism and economic rationalism
*
*  Satire: Marsden Now to Sue Himself
Sydney solicitor John Marsden is suing himself for defamation, claiming the recent libel case he brought did irreparable damage to his reputation.
*
*  Review: In The House
Resident Four-Eyes Mark Morey attempts the impossible with this attempt at a serious analysis of Big Brother.
*

News
»  Survey Shows Majority Support for Unions
*
»  Howard's Union Stooge in Hot Water
*
»  Unions Cash in on Big Brother
*
»  Big Boys Bully Over Della Compo Changes
*
»  Where's WorkCover? Safety Prosecutions Drop Off
*
»  Telstra's Ultimatum: Stay Away From Kim
*
»  Workers Win Stake in New Bank
*
»  Hours Test Case Gets Green Light
*
»  St John of God Workers Pray for Justice
*
»  Five-Star Action From Security Guards
*
»  Howard Plans to Stop the Vote
*
»  Rio Outrage Heads for Court
*
»  Nurses To Fight For Pay
*
»  One Hundred Reasons to Save Aussie Post
*
»  Rail Track Sell-Off Part of Privatisation Push
*
»  Coles Myer Abandons Regional Jobs
*
»  Qld Wage Rise Still Not Enough
*
»  Activists Notebook
*

Columns
»  The Soapbox
*
»  The Locker Room
*
»  Trades Hall
*
»  Tool Shed
*

Letters to the editor
»  Problems with Hunter Decision
*
»  A Lost Cause
*
»  High Farce
*

What you can do

Notice Board
- Check out the latest events

Latest Issue

View entire latest issue
- print all of the articles!

Previous Issues

Subject index

Search all issues

Enter keyword(s):
  


Workers Online - 2nd place Labourstart website of the year


BossWatch


Wobbly Radio



[ Home ][ Notice Board ][ Search ][ Previous Issues ][ Latest Issue ]

© 1999-2000 Labor Council of NSW

LaborNET is a resource for the labour movement provided by the Labor Council of NSW

URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/103/d_pierswatch_kramer.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005

[ Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Credits ]

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW

 *LaborNET*

 Labor Council of NSW

[Workers Online]

[Social Change Online]