E D I T O R I A L

The Hijacking of May Day
Unionists watching the shambolic and violent affair that was the M1 protest could be forgiven for wondering what has become of the traditional workers' day?

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Youth Group
Federal Labor's youngest frontbencher, Nicola Roxon, on how the ALP can win back the hearts and minds of the young.

History: Back To The Future
As building unions put old animosity aside, Neale Towart looks at the history of the 'demarc' - and the steps taken to avoid them.

Industrial: On the Street
Jim Marr looks at the human cost of Treasurer Peter Costello's refusal to fund a pay rise for community workers.

Unions: The New Deal
Adam Kerslake outlines the importance of the ground-breaking pact between unions in the building and civil construction industries.

Legal: The Police State Road
Rowan Cahill argues that the Howard Government's new anti-terror laws carries echoes of a more sinister past.

Women: What Women Want
When 300 ALP women from around Australia converged on Canberra for the National Labor Women�s Conference they had more than quotas on thier minds, Alison Peters reports.

Politics: Street Party
Paul Howes looks at how May Day was celebrated around the Globe by those involved in trade unions and those who are not.

International: The Costs of War
Ariel Sharon is facing growing pressure from Israeli unions over the conduct of his war on Palestine, reports Andrew Casey.

Review: Songs of Solidarity
It had rock, grunge, pop and rap. The May Day union anthem song contest had everything, including an element of surprise thanks to competition winner Swarmy G.

Satire: Bono Satisfies World Hunger for Preachy Rockstars
U2�s lead singer Bono has launched a daring solo mission to end the world�s hunger for rock stars who use their high profiles to crap on self-righteously about charitable causes.

Poetry: Woomera
Divide and rule, that age old tactic...the lips of defence personnel inexcusably sewn to dehumanise an imaginary threat, the lives of asylum seekers incomprehensively dehumanised so as to defend a threatening image.

N E W S

Yarra Seamen Take Border Stand

War on Terror Targets Unions

Year Zero for Building Unions

Kinkos Copies Anti-Union Script

Nike Told to Shoosh on Sweatshops

Rapper Wins Wobbly Anthem Prize

Technicians Take Aim At Canon

Unions Target Labour Hire Bidding War

Rally Targets Tight-Arse Costello

Councils To Be Audited On Language Allowance

Scope For Payback In Privacy Limitations

Heavyweight Push For Medibank Private To Stay Public

What About Dad? - TWU

East Timor MPs Question Timor Gap Plan

Artists' Union Bans Voice For Peace

Activist Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Maurie on May Day
PSA supremo Maurie O'Sullivan had them in the palms of his hands when he delivered the traditional May Day Toast.

The Locker Room
Impractical Punting
Most of life is six to five against. That is, unless you know a Packer or a Waterhouse. Phil Doyle expands.

Bosswatch
Show Me The Money!
It may be May Day - but life in the banking industry has never been sweeter - unless you're in the gambling caper.

Week in Review
Two Bob Each Way
The double standards of modern life have left Jim Marr scratching his head.

Tool Shed
Border Insurgent
Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson has blockaded himself into the Tool Shed this week for opening Australia's borders up to flag of convenience ships with Third World crews.

L E T T E R S

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Impractical Punting

Kerry Packer is fond of a punt. He loves gambling on things like horses, cards, people's lives and his son's fascination with large breasted models. (One can only assume that Mrs. Packer weaned young Jim too early.)

In fact the Goanna is so fond of a punt that he has his own personal direct line and operator at the NSW TAB.

The man who would casually drop enough dosh to feed, clothe and house a suburb for some time is an impatient man, and not one to be trifled with. He is not to be kept waiting. The hotline is there so he doesn't have to wait.

Imagine if he had to call Centrelink! It would reduce the man to a shivering wreck, as it has done with countless others.

This Column has it's own personal TAB operator, but his name is Don and he works at the Blue Mountain Hotel in Lawson.

Either way it all works out to the same scenario if your horse runs fourth, like my tips invariably do.

Most Saturdays have the qualities of the classic mug punting experience. By race eight I am usually wishing I had Robbie Waterhouse's mobile so I could get on even money favourites at a hundred to one. But not being a mate, and not residing in Fiji for health reasons, I don't stand a chance.

The NSW racing industry took a dim view of mates rates in the punting caper, giving Tommy Smith's son in law the boot for reasons that are perfectly clear to themselves.

That's the sort of mean spirited actions that infest these conservative times; a bloke tries to help out a mate and he gets canned for it.

It's as unAustralian as Piers Akkerman.

The Wayne Carey soap opera rolls on, with the latest development seeing him written out of history, or at least a kid's novel. The publishers said he was no longer a positive role model for Australia's kids. I'm scratching my head to think when he ever was.

Now he's going to be a positive role model for the North Wagga Saints.

Local footy needs some positive role models.

There are more spectators, players, St John's Ambulance people and screaming parents involved with junior and suburban footy, in any given code, stumping up and down the sidelines than you will see passing through the turnstiles at any of the so-called elite levels of these sports on any given weekend.

What sort of coverage does this lifeblood of the community receive from the media? About as much as I get a return on the nags three-fifths of stuff all. Then we read anguished hand-wringing articles in the broadsheets about the dearth of community in these troubled conservative times.

Well, Einstein, if you keep sending signals that something is unimportant and of little consequence then it shouldn't come as a surprise when people start to believe that this is the case.

Community footy deserves a better run from the media especially from cable TV which has shows about the elite players hairstyles for chrissakes, but zip about the foundations upon which it is all based. That is unless Wayne Carey or someone from Big Brother gets involved.

It's embarrassing.

The mild autumn weather has been a godsend for the various winter codes, and those shamelessly exploited volunteers that are up at sparrow fart on the weekend to keep the whole shebang going at the community level.

Pretty soon winter will turn up with its mates and it'll be all beanies, scarves and mud runners...and most of life will still be six to five against.

Phil Doyle remonstrating with the goal Umpire

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005