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Issue No. 267 10 June 2005  
E D I T O R I A L

Rivers of Gold
The latest catchphrase from the econmentariat seems to be �infrastructure� � which I think refers to what we used to know as �public works�.

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

 Feds Wrong on Minimum Wage

 Dogs in Sheep�s Clothing

 Andrews Faces Probe

 NSW Packs IR Scrum

 China Syndrome

 Pirates Of The Canberrean

 Foxtel Scores Own Goal

 Killer Bosses on Notice

 Apprentices Spitting Chips

 Howard Chokes Working Women

 Vice Regal Notes

 Survey � Do it Now or Else

 Greens Join Fight

 Workers win repreive

 Activists Whats 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
 Secure Advice
 All The Way With The USA
 Expensive Door Charge
 Teen Years in Detention
 Court Cases are Media�s Drug
 Lang Is Right
 Legalising Unfairness
 Hertz Meenz Hurtz
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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News

Pirates Of The Canberrean


A multi-million dollar scam that saw shiploads of cargo hijacked by criminals on the high seas could flourish here because of federal support for flag of convenience ships, says the MUA.

Crime syndicates based in Lebanon using flag of convenience vessels are offering bargain-basement freight rates and then simply making off with the cargo.

The vessels load up as legit before doing a name and flag change at sea and fencing the goodies through other ports.

The Federal Government has flagged a security crackdown on waterfront workers, while allowing flag of convenience crews in unchecked.

"there is no point getting security checks for Australian workers, if guest workers are allowed onto our coast without any effective way of screening them or the owners of the vessels they are bringing into our ports," says Robert Coombs from the MUA. "

So concerned is the US over the record of flag of convenience ships, that it has continued to refuse them any access to its coastal trade as a security risk.

"Yet this government is hell bent on opening up our coast and letting these same ships in - even allowing them to ship volatile cargoes such as ammonium nitrate on our coast," said Mr Coombs. "Fraud is so widespread in the international shipping industry that criminals can buy jobs on ships. And we've had Immigration reporting last year that over 100 seafarers have jumped ship in Australian ports since July 1, 2001 - with some still at large.

Flag of Convenience shipping has a long criminal record for drug smuggling, gun running, people smuggling, environmental and labour abuse and now terrorism, according to the MUA, and poses a greater threat to security than waterfront workers.

"You can't put a container in your workbag and go home," says Robert Coombs.


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