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Issue No. 283 30 September 2005  
E D I T O R I A L

Revenge of the Footy Dads
The release of the second wave of ACTU TV advertising last weekend continues to take the debate around industrial relations into the broader community � and specifically the nation�s footy grounds.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Polar Eclipse
Academic David McKnight challenges some sacred cows in his new book "Beyond Left and Right".

Industrial: Wrong Turn
Radical labour reform is on the horizon but some workers, like Sydney bus driver Yvonne Carson, have seen it all before, writes Jim Marr.

Unions: Star Support
It wasn't just families who backed workers' rights at The Last Weekend, but a bunch of musicians who set the tone, writes Chrissy Layton.

Workplace: Checked Out
Glenda Kwek asks you to consider the plight of the retail worker, and shares some of her experiences

Economics: Sold Out
The Future Fund and industrial relations reform are favourite projects of the PM and the Treasurer. Both are speculations on the future and the only guarantee with them is that you will be worse off, writes Neale Towart.

Politics: Green Banned
The impact of new building industry laws won�t be confined to one industry, writes CFMEU national secretary John Sutton.

History: Potted History
Lithgow is a place with a proud history as a union town. The origins of broader community solidarity lie in the early industrial development of the town and the development of unions. The Lithgow Pottery dispute of 1890 was a key event.

International: Curtain Call
The curtains have opened for East Timor�s young theatre performers, thanks to a Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA project.

Review: Little Fish
At last! An Aussie film with substance, suspense and a serious dose of reality, writes Lucy Muirhead

Poetry: Slug A Worker
In a shock development, the Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, gave a ringing endorsement to the poetry pages of Workers Online, writes resident bard David Peetz.

N E W S

 Brazilians Score at Rocky

 PM Discounts Fair Go

 Centrelink Crashes Internet

 On Yer Bikes

 Road Toll Off The Rails

 Part-Timers in Bank Heist

 It�s Eight Against Eight

 OEA Says Plaque You

 Kez and Rupe Tighten Grip

 Feds Get Blank Cheque

 Rev Kev Absolves Killers

 Turning Business Upside Down

 Stink Over CountryLink Shrink

 Nurses Brush Sick Offer

 Men Make Permanent Choice

 Activist's What's On!

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Families First
New Senator Stephen Fielding turned a few heads with his Maiden Speech to Parliament.

The Locker Room
The New World Order
Phil Doyle declares himself unavailable for the fifth and deciding test.

Parliament
The Westie Wing
Our favourite MP, Ian West, reports from the NSW Government's Safety Summit

Postcard
On The Bus
A bright orange bus travelling the state has become the focus of the campaign against federal IR changes. Nathan Brown was on board.

L E T T E R S
 Four Cornered Rat
 Hrowad�s Meixd Msesgaes
 Caveat Emptor
 Shop Front
 Petrol Price of War
 Unionist Slain
 Last Long Weekend
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News

Road Toll Off The Rails


Rail workers have warned a Pacific National plan to close its Tasmanian freight operations will cost lives.

The decision, which the company blames on a collapse in the state's rail infrastructure, will see 2,000 extra road container movements every week.

"That is 2,000 extra trucks - including 30 b-doubles - on Tasmanian roads, increasing the risk of tragic road accidents," says RTBU national secretary Bob Hayden.

The Rail Tram and Bus Union has released a rescue plan that would secure the future of the rail freight network in Tasmania, following talks yesterday with Tasmanian Transport Minister Bryan Green.

The proposal would involve the federal government, the Tasmanian Government and Pacific National in investing in the rail infrastructure.

Under the plan:

- the federal government would release $80 million in Auslink funding to the Tasmanian Government.

- the Tasmanian Government would supplement these funds with state moneys.

- Pacific National would commit $40 million for infrastructure and roiling stock.

The RTBU has also called on Pacific National to defer any cuts to jobs or services until all options for securing funds have been explored.

Mr Hayden said that these funds would be an investment in the future of Tasmania and the safety of Tasmanian families.

"It is incumbent on all levels of government and Pacific National to take a leadership role and ensure that Tasmania does not become the only Australian state without an effective rail network.

The RTBU's own investigations have concluded Tasmanian has the nation's worst rail infrastructure.


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