E D I T O R I A L

Bitter Pills
It had to be one of the greatest frauds of history, we had reached a stage of evolution where we no longer needed to be regulated.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: The Fels Guy
ACCC chair Professor Alan Fels on big business attacks, the waterfront dispute and where unions stand under the Trade Practices Act.

Solidarity: Life or Death?
Ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora � the eternal warriors� dilemma - filled the Sydney air this week. Jim Marr was there.

Unions: Back to Basics
Tony Papa made it to the top of the Australian union movement; now he's back at the frontline organising building workers. And he's never been happier.

International: Global Terror
The annual report into violence against trade unionists was released this week. But, as Andrew Casey reports, the killings continue.

History: Sorry Business
Dr Rosalind Kidd lifts the lid on the use of forced labour of Aboriginal people in Queensland right through to the 1960s.

Technology: Future Active
In his new book on net activism, Graham Meikle arges that ideas will ultimately triumph over assets.

Satire: Executive Presents PowerPoint Eulogy at Mother�s Funeral
A corporate affairs manager from a leading Sydney company yesterday delivered a moving presentation at his mother�s funeral, utilising the many features of Microsoft�s PowerPoint software.

Poetry: Santa Claus Was Coming to Oz
As we commemorate world refugee day, what can we learn about our treatment of refugees, from the case of one man from far away who tried to enter Australia last Christmas?

Review: Dial 'M' For Minority Report
Imagine a place where everyone knows your name, the streets are filled with smiling faces, and murder has all but been obliterated. Anyone who finds this scene idyllic has clearly not seen Minority Report.

N E W S

Fair Share: Link Executive Pay to Wages

Abbott�s 'Rule of Law' Faces Court Challenge

Royal Gaze Averted as Bosses Shut Down and Fined

Molten Metal Sparks Safety Probe

Consumer Boycotts Don't Break Law: Fels

Korean Own Goal in World Focus

STOP PRESS: Court Ticks Off on Service Fees

Zero Tolerance on Casino Violence

GIO Workers Challenge Bosses' Union Wages

Nurses Reject Band-Aid Solution

Saving Lives In Killer Productions

McDonalds Vandal Becomes Global Hero

Debate Rages Over Chinese Unions

Paul Howes' Activist Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Jock or Janus?
Roland Stephens looks at Labor's progression through the eyes of 'Jock' the legendary David Williamson character.

The Locker Room
The World Game
Former Socceroo Dennis Yaager gives his take on the Cup Finals while Labourstart's Andrew Casey rates the labour performance of the nations left in contention.

Week in Review
A Law Unto Themselves
Law, domestic and international, is centre stage but Jim Marr discovers 7.1 billion reasons why big business seems to rise above it.

Bosswatch
Who Wants To be a Millionaire?
There are more of them than ever before, according to a new global survey of the world's richest.

L E T T E R S

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Consumer Boycotts Don't Break Law: Fels

Speaking to Workers Online, Professor Fels helped clear the air on one of the biggest blocks to brand-busting � whether a consumer boycott is in breach of the trades Practices Act.

"It depends on the behaviour ... if you're just urging people don't buy, that's fine. There's nothing unlawful to urge people not buy products from countries exploiting Labor," Professor Fels says.

In the interview Professor Fels also revealed that he felt compelled to intervene in the MUA waterfront dispute before the Federal Parliament had only just passed legislation increasing the TRA provisions.

And he says the current campaign against the ACCC by big business is to be expected: "They laugh at regulators who aren't serious and they try to destroy regulators - like the ACCC - who seriously apply the law," he says. "Their complaints and campaign are a sign that we are doing our job protecting the community from monopolies and cartels of big business."

Unions Back ACCC

Meanwhile, unions have thrown their support behind the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission in the wake of a concerted campaign by big business.

The Labor Council of NSW last night passed a resolution opposing any moves to wind back the powers of the ACCC.

The resolution follows a series of negative comments about the ACCC by business leaders at a time when the Trade Practices Act is being reviewed.

Labor Council secretary John Robertson said it was important that those in the community who benefit from the regulation of big business, speak out and make a stand on behalf of the ACCC.

"The agenda driving the attack on the ACCC is coming from the same people who pushed for labour market deregulation," Mr Robertson said. "It is all about taking away barriers from big business."

"The Business Council of Australia would not be so foolish as to collude - but there certainly appears to be an orchestrated campaign against the ACCC at present.

"The Australian community should be very suspicious of any calls by business to wind back the powers of the ACCC or any other corporate regulator.

HIH, Ansett and OneTel have taught us the need for greater union oversight not less."

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005