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Issue No. 162 22 November 2002  
E D I T O R I A L

A Capital Idea?
The trade union�s hierarchy will travel to Melbourne to celebrate the ACTU�s 75th Anniversary next week; a journey that says much about where our peak body has come from and even more about where it should go now.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Life After Keating
Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd looks at the world and wonders what might have been ...

Industrial: That Friday Feeling
Anthony Stavropoulos has been working six days a week for the last eight years and now he wants his weekends back. �Remember that Friday feeling?� he asks. �You just don�t get that anymore.�

Bad Boss: Begging to Work
They may put themselves about as the Saints of the Fourth Estate, but bosses at the Big Issue Magazine have been nominated by their own vendors for this month�s Tony award.

Organising: Project Pilbara
Sydney University�s Bradon Ellem reports on how unions are bouncing back in Rio territory

Unions: Off the Rails
The Federal Government is attempting to turn NSW Railways into a political football with a proposal that threatens the safety of freight and passenger trains in NSW and life in our rail Towns, writes Phil Doyle.

International: Brazil Turns Left
Union stalwarts throughout the American hemisphere are cheering the election of Lula � the peanut seller and shoeshine boy, turned union leader - who has been elected as the first working-class President of Brazil.

Environment: Brown Wash
Stuart Rosewarn argues the Johannesburg Sunmmit was a gripping showcase of Australia�s lack of a strategic vision.

History Special: Learning from the Past
Ray Markey looks at union membership growth in the 1880s & 1900s to argue that today�s unions must engage to grow.

Corporate: Will the Bullying Backfire?
Job insecurity, unemployment, a growing gap between rich and poor, massive global poverty and environmental danger are the big issues for the protests at the World Trade Organisation meeting in Sydney.

Technology: Danger Lurks For The Passive
If unions fail to exploit opportunities on the web to gain members, other organisations are likely to fill the void and provide services to workers on the internet.

History: In Labour�s Image
Neale Towart looks at a long-overdue initiative to around NSW through the eyes of the workers.

Politics: Without Power Or Glory
South Coast contributor Rowan Cahill gives his take on the Cunningham by-election result.

History Special: A 'Cosy Relationship'
Barbara Webster looks at Rockhampton between 1916 � 1957 to debunk the �dependence� theory of trade union growth.

Culture: Blood Stains the Wattle
Former Queensland Treasurer Keith De Lacey has turned up in print with a rollicking tale of life during the famous Mt Isa strike of the 60s.

Satire: Iraq Pre-empts Pre-emptive Strike
Saddam Hussein has launched a pre-emptive strike on the United States to prevent it from pre-emptively striking Iraq first.

Poetry: The Executive Pay Cut
Executives accepting pay freezes, or even pay cuts? This outrageous proposal has been put on the table by some capitalists themselves, and taken up by our bard.

Review: Time Out
When a family man invents a new life after losing his steady job, Tara de Boehmler watches his charade escalate until there is no turning back.

N E W S

 Scourers Face Q-Fever Risk

 New Vehicle for Entitlements

 It�s War on Bullies!

 Drivers Pack Down For World Cup

 Howard Shrugs off Spanish Shame

 Hunted Teacher Tells of Colombian Terror

 Cole Bias Appeal Still On Cards

 Extra Care To Beat Terrorist Threat

 Strains Increase for Aged Care

 Trades Hall Welcomes Bracks IR

 Rail Campaign Gathers Steam

 Workers Win Computer Games

 Wine Workers Front Bosses

 Regional Job Loss Fear At Unis

 Canberra Get In On Outworkers ACT

 Hounding of East Timorese �Shameful�

 WTO Staff Begin Pay Revolt

 Activists Notebook

C O L U M N S

Month In Review
War and Pieces of Work
The Bali Tragedy dominated the news this month, leaving many questioning the motive and wondering if this is fallout from Australia�s unquestioning support of George Dubya�s �War On Terror�.

The Soapbox
Beware of Greeks Bearing Historical Allusions
Roland Stephens argues that the current popular line that the USA is a modern day version of the Roman Empire is flawed.

The Locker Room
Over The Fence Is Out
Phil Doyle warms up for another season of hard hitting and fast bowling in the park, making the rules up as he goes along.

Indigenous
The Sea of Hands
Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation are five years old. Spokeswoman Dameeli Coates addressed labor Council to mark the event.

Postcard
Tokyo Youth Call
Tokyo unions are relying on young organisers to infiltrate workplaces as part of a major organising campaign, which focuses on non-unionised companies, reports Mary Yaager.

Bosswatch
Still Crazy After All These Years
With new research suggests CEO carry similar personality traits to psycho-paths, the AGM season is proving that there�s little room for logic in our nation�s board rooms.

L E T T E R S
 Big Issue - Begging To Differ
 WTO Fallout
 Internet Surveillance Research
 Offensive Clowns
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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Tool Shed

Nile-ism and Other Lifestyle Choices


NSW Upper House MP God Fearin� Fred Nile takes his place in the Tool Shed this week after one of the more bizarre assertions to emanate from the wacky end of the spiritual spectrum.

*****

The Reverend Fred says the chador, the headscarf worn by Islamic women, could be used to hide explosives and is a perfect disguise for terrorists concealing weapons. He has called for the scarf to be banned in public places such as shopping centres and the Opera House.

In these militaristic times it's not surprising that the paranoia levels are hitting the top end of the Richter Scale, but Fred's loopy assertion has gone right off the end of the meter. His comments will fuel racial tension in this country and give a green light to those brave individuals that like to abuse women wearing the chador.

Thankfully, Premier Bob Carr had the wit to recognise that women going about their daily lives are not at the forefront of the terrorist threat.

The Independent Education Union called on Fred Nile to resign while Islamic leaders want an apology.

Dick Shearman, secretary of the union representing teachers in Christian, Islamic and Jewish schools, labelled Rev Nile's comments "a disgrace that does not befit a Member of Parliament."

"There is nothing Christian about this attitude; it is divisive and plays into the hands of extremists. All Australians should be appalled by this attitude - this is stuff from the fringe."

The Christian Democrat MLC remained unapologetic.

"This is not Iran where you don't have free speech," Reverend Nile said. No doubt he will next be calling for all those that support wearing the chador to get back to Iran where they belong.

The Reverend Fred came to prominence during his days with the Festival of Light, a rabid "Christian" group that spread their peculiar form of misery - consistently opposing such demonic institutions as Sydney's annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras with a prayer vigil. Nile is also on the record backing other discredited beliefs such as creationism and homosexuality being a "disease" that can be "cured".

As Fred's no-brainer continues the process of dismantling religious freedom, or at least limiting it to a certain brand of muscular Christianity, no doubt the usual ratbag element will be cheering from the sidelines.

To illustrate how Nile's comments provoke extremists in Australia, Prime Minister John Howard showed great leadership by saying that he had no opinion on the statement. "Fred speaks for the views of a lot of people," Mr Howard said.

Why stop at the chador? Those Catholics have always been a bit suss - after all many of them have sympathies with Irish Nationalist groups. That Sikh bus driver may not be so innocent after all, eh Fred? And what about the Buddhists? What's under the orange robes, eh?

So now we have the warrior-priest off to fight the crusades right here in sunny Sydney.

This is why we need leadership that can bring Australians together, rather than tearing them apart. Sadly that leadership is lacking. As a result we end up with the "my god can beat up your god" rhetoric that most of the secular world has spent 500 years trying to escape.

One wonders at the depths of ignorance and the darkness of a heart that would lead a "Christian" to stoop to this sort of vilification. The Anglican Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsythe summed it up pretty well: "I think all Christians are embarrassed when other Christians say things that are unhelpful like that".



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