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Issue No. 149 23 August 2002  
E D I T O R I A L

Our Historical Mission
It has often been argued that unions would cease to exist when employers civilised workplaces. Our historical mission would have been fulfilled and we could pack up and spend out time enjoying the equitable society that would be the fruit of our victory.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Something Smells
The Postal Union's Jim Metcher lifts the lid on the very strange goings-on in Australia Post

Cole-Watch: Credibility Crisis
Counsels Assisting the Cole Royal Commission face a humiliating public back down in an effort to bring some balance to proceedings, reports Jim Marr.

Unions: Union Cities
Labor Council's Adam Kerslake has returned from the USA with some new ideas on community unionism

Industrial: Lib Men Gang Up Against Working Mums
Working women are in danger of missing out on an adequately funded paid maternity leave scheme, if recent bleatings are acted upon says ACTU President Sharan Burrow.

History: Eureka!
Neale Towart finds an alternative to Baden-Powell�s imperialist scouting movement, where the youth of Australia was fed such radical ideas as solidarity, collective action, equal rights and internationalism.

East Timor: Don�t Rob Their Future
After 24 years of often brutal Indonesian occupation East Timor on 20 May 2002 finally achieved their independence, writes HT Lee.

Review: Black Chicks Say It All
Dorothy can be whatever colour she wants to be and black chicks can talk about anything, writes Tara de Boehmler

Poetry: Self Regulation
While President George W Bush,leader of the heart of unregulated capitalism, has responded to the recent spate of corporate cowboydom by whipping out a swathe of new corporate controls, Australia's Prime Minister has responded with a feathered touch.

N E W S

 Cole to Hear of Criminal Takeover Conspiracy

 Mad Monk Stamp on Aussie Post

 Calls To End Woodlawn Logjam

 ANZ Fined Over Freedom Of Speech Breach

 Hotels Eat Up Living Wage

 Qantas Union's Gorilla Tactics

 Shearers Black Ban Their Hall Of Fame

 Democrats Fire Shot for Workers

 Teachers Walk Out At Aust College of Technology

 Rail Operators Off Track

 Airport Security Worker Spat At And Assaulted

 CBA Workers Say Enough Is Enough

 Union Made Songs For Masses

 Doco Dishes Dirt On Howard�s Gas Wrangle

 Activist Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Cole Comfort
The election of a federal coalition government in 1996 marked the advent of an aggressively anti union agenda that continues to be played out to this day, writes Paul Davies

The Locker Room
Salary Crap
Phil Doyle goes wading through the hypocrisy and hubris, and discovers where the smell is coming from.

Postcard
All At Sea
It�s on again - the coastal battle between the maritime unions, the government and the shipowners, reports Zoe Reynolds.

Week in Review
The Dogs of War
The battle drums were a-rattling across this wide, brown land and Jim Marr was getting a bit tetchy

Bosswatch
Speak No Evil
The majority of Australian firms stay silent on options they offer their executives as John Howard continues to stonewall corporate law reform.

L E T T E R S
 Shit Sheets
 Susan's Soccer Outrage
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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Labor for Refugees

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News

Activist Notebook


TAMPA DAY: BLACK ARM BANDS AND VIGIL

Monday 26th is the anniversary of the so-called Tampa Crisis. To mark that day refugee supporters are asked to wear a black arm band and in the evening to attend a Vigil at Sydney Town Hall - which commences at 5pm.

John Maitland, National Secretary of the CFMEU will be speaking on behalf of Labor for Refugees at the rally. He will be talking about

the link between the scapegoating of refugees during the last election and the scapegoating of trade unionists at the Government's staged Royal Commission into the CFMEU.

To read more about Tampa Day, see the Labor for Refugees article in

Workers Online:

http://workers.labor.net.au/148/c_tradeshall_amanda.html

EVATT FOUNDATION

BREAKFAST SEMINAR - MONDAY AUGUST 26, 7.30PM

PPPs: public private partnerships

THE NEXT GREAT PRIVATISATION DEBATE

It's time to stop, to get beyond the rhetoric, and to critically consider so-called 'partnerships' with private firms for the provision of public social infrastructure in Australia.

Like ducks in a shooting gallery, our State Labor governments have all lined up behind PPPs, and business lobby groups are baying for action.

But is private investment in public schools and hospitals in the public interest?

Why are PPPs just a disguised form of business welfare, designed to prop up Labor support at the big end of town?

Are State Labor governments just lining up for more versions of ' WA Inc' type financial scandals?

The Evatt Foundation is helping to get the information out. With the assistance of our website, where information is readily available on the subject, and this breakfast seminar, the Evatt Foundation is playing a crucial role in this debate.

We are fortunate to have two prominent speakers on this topic. Maree O'Halloran, President, NSW Teachers' Federation and Dr Christopher Sheil, Visiting Fellow, Department of History, University of NSW. The seminar will be chaired by David Carey, Federal Secretary, State Public Sector Federation (SPSF).

The date: Monday August 26th 2002, 7.30am breakfast, seminar

commencing promptly at 8.00am and finishing on the

dot of 9.00am.

The venue: Macquarie Room, Southern Cross Hotel, Cnr Goulburn and

Elizabeth Streets Sydney, opposite the Goulburn Street Parking Station and a short stroll from both Central and Museum railway stations.

The cost: $12

RSVP: by Thursday, 22nd August, Evatt Foundation, UNSW, 2052

tel: 9385 2966, fax 9385 2967

email:[email protected]

RECONSTRUCTING EAST TIMOR.

.................Three Years On from the Historic 'Independence' Referendum

A ONE DAY CONFERENCE ON AUSTRALIAN INITIATIVES IN EAST TIMOR.

ORGANISED BY THE AUSTRALIA-EAST TIMOR ASSOCIATION (NSW) with assistance from the Sydney City Council and supported by the Research Institute of Asia Pacific (Sydney University), Aidwatch, Otford Press, participating NGO's and the "Friends of Maliana" Project of Leichhardt Council.

WHEN : FRIDAY 30TH AUGUST...9.30 AM - 5.30 PM

WHERE: MARCONI ROOM, 4TH LEVEL, SYDNEY TOWN HALL

(entrance through stairs at rear of Town Hall, Druitt Street)

COST : $30/$15 (full day)....$10 (session only)...(Provided Lunch $15 extra)

Twelve Months On From 9/11: Troubled Times and Their Implications for Australia.

An Australian Fabian Society conference on options for Australia in the light of the Afghanistan Experience and American responses to the World Trade Centre tragedy.

When:

9am to 5pm, Saturday, 14 September, 2002.

Where: The Kaleide Theatre, RMIT University, Swanston Street, Melbourne (Entrance a few doors north of Storey Hall - look for the Commonwealth Bank ATMs)

Cost: Standard: $35, AFS Members $30, Students and Concession $20.

Speakers: Richard Butler (Diplomat-in-Residence, Council for Foreign Relations, New York), His Excellency Mahmoud Saikal (Ambassador for Afghanistan), Professor William Maley (Australian Defence Forces Academy), Dr Andy Butfoy (Monash University), Professor Bruce Grant (Monash University).


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