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Issue No. 266 03 June 2005  
E D I T O R I A L

An Act of Faith
After a week of watching the Howard Government attempt to explain their vision of work relations we have a clearer picture of what the social safety net will be in the future � an act of faith

F E A T U R E S

Interview: The Baby Drought
Social ethicist Leslie Cannold has delved into why women - and men - are having fewer children. And it all comes back to the workplace.

Industrial: Lies, AWAs and Statistics
David Peetz uncovers the truth behind the latest statistics on earnings under Australian Workplace Agreements.

Workplace: The Invisible Parents
Current government policies about work and family do not reflect the realities of either family life or the modern workplace. writes Don Edgar.

History: Bruce�s Big Blunder
The Big Fella, Jack Lang, gives an eyewitness account of the last time Conservatives tried to dismantle Australia�s industrial relations system.

Politics: All God's Children
The battle for morality is not confined to Australian polittics. Michael Walzer writes on the American perspective

Economics: Spun Out
The business groups are feeling cocky. The feds have announced their IR changes, business says they don't go far enough. What a surprise, writes Neale Towart

International: Shakey Trials
Lyndy McIntyre argues the New Zealnd IR experiment provides warnings - and hope - for the Australian union movement.

Legal: Civil Distrubance
Tom Roberts argues that there is more at stake than an attack on building workers in the looming legsilation.

Review: Crash Course In Racism
Paul Haggis flick Crash suggests that when cars collide the extent of people's prejudices are revealed sans the usual veil of political correctness, writes Tara de Boehmler.

Poetry: You're Fired
New laws will leave bosses holding the whip and workers with a Raw Hide, writes resident bard David Peetz

N E W S

 Beattie Dares Job Vandals

 Broken Hill Confronts "Choice"

 BHP Faces Losses

 Howard Threatens Babies

 Working Between the Flags

 Hadgkiss Makes History

 Bob The Organiser

 Johnny Packs Toothbrush

 Security Blunders to the Max

 EDI Court Out

 Feds: Do As I Say �

 Soaring Mercury Sparks Walk Off

 Unions Offer to Play Libs

 Education Stands Up To Howard Assault

 Dodgy Bosses Get a Tick

 Weight Watchers Raise Scales

 Hyundai Showdown a Riot

 Activists' What's On!

C O L U M N S

The Locker Room
Ashes to Dust
In which Phil Doyle travels to distant lands in search of a meat pie, and prepares for the joys of sleep deprivation

Parliament
The Westie Wing
Ian West lists the Top Ten reasons why workers in NSW can gain some solace from having the Labor Party sitting on the Treasury benches�

The Soapbox
Dear John
In response to this year�s Federal Budget, Bishop Kevin Manning wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard

L E T T E R S
 Patriot Doug
 Remembering Workers In Cairns
 Bad Law
 Fair Go For Injured Workers
 A Question Of Choice
 Galahs Up The Cross
 National Solution
 Bomber�s Classic
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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News

Hadgkiss Makes History


The federal government has spent $66 million on a union-busting exercise that will yield only one prosecution, the director of the Building Industry Taskforce has revealed.

Nigel Hadgkiss made the admission to a Senate Estimates Commission while refusing to rule out attacking civil liberties in pursuing the Howard Government�s anti-worker agenda.

In an extraordinary admission, Hadgkiss admitted there had only been one successful prosecution arising from the $66 million Cole Royal Commission - and that there was no intention to launch any more.

He also repeatedly refused to rule out using covert tactics such as secretly recording building workers.

CFMEU construction national secretary John Sutton says the revelations should concern all Australians.

"At $66 million, this has to be the most single most expensive prosecution in Australian legal history," Sutton says.

"The Cole Royal Commission is the basis of the current legislative attack on building workers - based on a myth of union lawlessness in the industry.

"By Mr Hadgkiss' own admission, the grounds for treating building workers as a special case have no legal foundation.

"Of even more concern is that in order to promote the Howard Government agenda, Mr Hadgkiss is prepared to turn a blind eye to basic civil rights and secretly tape workers.

Laws coming into effect on June 22 will add to Mr Hadgkiss' powers and allow him to also suspend a workers' right to silence during interrogation.

"What all Australians need to understand is that these laws, once established in the building industry, will be spread across the economy to all workers," Sutton says

Hadgkiss also admitted the Taskforce had spent $287,000 in legal costs during a failed prosecution on Smith Plant Hire. The Taskforce also spent 12 months investigating the case and was also forced to pay the union's costs.


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