E D I T O R I A L

Border Protection
The High Court�s decision that Australian labour laws should apply to cargo ships plying our shores could be the first shot in the fight back against the excess of corporate globalisation.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: The New Deal
US union leader Amy Dean expands on her agenda to give unions a real political voice

Unions: In the Line of Hire
Unions have lobbied and negotiated in a bid to stem casualisation and insecurity. Now, Jim Marr, writes they are seeking protection through a formal Test Case.

Culture: Too Cool for the Collective?
Young people are amongst the most vulnerable in the workforce. So why aren't they joining the union, asks Carly Knowles

International: The Domino Effect
An internal struggle in the biggest and strongest industrial union in Germany IG Metall has had a devastating wave effect across not just that country, but also the rest of Europe, writes Andrew Casey.

Industrial: A Spanner in the Works
Max Ogden looks at the vexed issue of Works Councils and the differing views within the union movement to them.

National Focus: Gathering of the Tribes
Achieving a fairer society and a better working life for employees from across Australia will be key themes at the ACTU's triennial Congress meeting later this month reports Noel Hester.

History: The Welcome Nazi Tourist
Rowan Cahill looks at the role Australia's conservatives played in supporting facism in the days before World War II.

Bad Boss: Domm, Domm Turn Around
Frank Sartor might have shot through but Robert Domm still calls the IR shots at Sydney City which pretty much explains why the council is this month�s Bad Boss nominee.

Poetry: Just Move On.
Visiting bard Maurie Fairfield brightens up our page with a ditty about little white lies.

Review: Reality Bites
The workers, united, may never be defeated but if recent episodes of Channel 10 drama The Secret Life Of Us are to be believed, this is not necessarily a good thing, writes Tara de Boehmler.

N E W S

Legal Missile Holes Ships of Shame

Labour Rights Threaten Trade Deal

Workers Sharpen Community Clause

"Puppet" Sparks Appeals

FiFo, FiFo � Out the Gate We Go

SRA Chief Off The Rails

Qantas: Long Lunches on Rocks

Water Crisis a Mist for Sell-Off

Aussies Enter Karoshi Zone

Combet Flies Ansett Plan

Westfield Workers Seek Clean Start

Rubber Workers Stretch Bridgestone

Workers Art in Broken Hill

Activist Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Fighting Words
Craig Emerson gave what could be the most spirited Labor spray in a decade to the NSW Labor Council this month. Here it is in all its venom.

Education
Out of Their Class
Phil Bradley argues that Australia's education system should not be up for negotiation in the global trade talks.

The Locker Room
The ABC of Sport
Phil Doyle argues that the only way to end the corporate madness that is sport, is to give it all back to the ABC.

Postcard
Locks, Stocks and Barrels
Union Aid Abroad's Peter Jennings updates on the situation in Burma, where the repression of democracy is going from bad to worse.

L E T T E R S

WHAT YOU CAN DO

	About Workers Online
	Latest Issue
	Print Latest Issue
	Previous Issues
	Advanced Search

other LaborNET sites

Labor Council of NSW
Vic Trades Hall Council
IT Workers Alliance
Bosswatch
Unions on LaborNET
Evatt Foundation

Workers Sharpen Community Clause

CFMEU secretary, Andrew Ferguson, confirmed workers on a Milson�s Pt housing development would consider direct action to force the hand of Platino Properties which is refusing to pay a development levy, earkmarked for community projects.

"Our members have voted that the developer resolve the issue with council or face the prospect of industrial disputation," Ferguson said.

"Our union believes this refusal to pay is part of a broader campaign by the corporate sector to not pay Section 94 levies. Property developers are making mega profits and need to make appropriate contributions to maintain and improve community facilities and services."

The stance was endorsed by Holdroyd mayor, Malcolm Tulloch, who said local government support for libraries, childcare centres, youth and sporting facilities, was entirely dependent on development levies.

"These things aren't paid for by rates, they come out of development levies. Developers hate it because they don't want to make contributions to local communities," said Tulloch, also a CFMEU delegate.

Platino Properties hit the headlines last week with its refusal to pay the $815,000 levy, announcing it would challenge North Sydney Council's right to make the charge in the Land and Environment Court.

While it is not unusual for developers to contest the size of community levies, the Platino refusal breaks new ground and comes as state government is reviewing developer contributions.

The charges are generally levied as part of the development consent process with North Sydney having earmarked funds for the purchase and development of open space areas, and improvements to sporting and community facilities.

The charge at issue has been levied on a Milson's Pt redevelopment that will turn a commercial site into 75 luxury apartments. Platino, last year, sold one penthouse off the plan for nearly $3 million.

The CFMEU stance carries overtones of the Green Bans, placed on a range of urban sites under the 1970s leadership of Jack Mundey. Condemned by businessmen and politicians of the era, the Green Bans are now widely credited with saving much of Sydney's heritage, including the historic Rocks area.

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 190 contents

© 1999-2002 Workers Online
Workers Online is a resource for the Labour movement
provided by the Labor Council of NSW
URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/190/news3_developer.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005