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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

Rev Kev Absolves Killers


Kevin Andrews has come out swinging against laws designed to seek justice for the families of people killed in workplace accidents.

Taking a swipe at state and territory laws which impose fines and jail time for bosses whose negligence leads to a worker's death, Andrews said blame was not the answer to the construction industry's high fatality rate.

"The offences will create uncertainties for employers," Andrews said.

The comments came just days after the CFMEU launched proceedings against Australand Holdings for the death of 16-year-old roofer Joel Exner at a Sydney building site.

Australand escaped charges earlier this year when a coroner found there was not enough evidence to warrant prosecution, however, the company's cost-cutting was found to have contributed to the death.

Exner was killed on his third day at work when he fell 12 metres and through a safety mesh.

Sue Baxter, Exner's mother, said although her son's death had shattered her family, the fact that no one was held responsible added to their distress.

"I am thankful the CFMEU take safety seriously and will be prosecuting Australand so we can finally have justice and those people responsible for Joel's death can be made to pay," Baxter said.

Although Exner's death led to the stronger state laws which include jail time for employer negligence, the CFMEU's prosecution will come under previous health and safety laws.

Andrews said it was "very disappointing that the union movement has attempted to cynically exploit the grief and misfortune of those people who are injured or killed in workplace accidents".

Andrews was speaking at the launch of employer group Master Builders Association of Australia's blueprint for occupational health and safety last week.


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