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Issue No. 295 17 February 2006  
 
F E A T U R E S

Interview: Court's in Session
As the silks line up to challenge WorkChoices, Jeff Shaw is fighting for his own legacy - the NSW IR system.

Industrial: Whose Choices?
The Howard Government's WorkChoices legislation has been dissected by lawyers and the commentariat; now it's the turn of political economists.

Politics: Peter's Principles
Forget John Howard. The force behind WorkChoices is Peter Costello. The Prime Minister-in-waiting has devoted a lifetime to undermining the security and living standards of Australian families, Jim Marr reports.

Environment: TINA or Greener?
What does the greenhouse effect and legislation to control workers have in common, asks Neale Towart

History: Its Not Just Handshakes and Aprons
Power. They have it, we want it. Friendly societies tried to keep it for working people, writes Neale Towart

International: US Locks out Jose' Bove
The US Government has refused to allow France's most famous farmer Jose Bove into the country to address a conference

Education: No AWA - No Job
The Howard Government has given the Australian community its first view of the future by forcing new staff at Ballarat University to sign an Australian Workplace Agreement if they want a job, writes Jenny Macklin.

Culture: Jesus was a Long-Grass Man
The writings of a Middle Eastern theologian may provide guidance to those grappling with indigenous issues, writes Graham Ring

Review: Charlie the Serf
Nathan Brown takes the sledgehammer (and sickle) to Mr Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

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L A T E S T   N E W S

Local Jockey Odds Shorten
Aspiring jockeys are the latest group of young Australians to see their career opportunities traded off to fee-paying foreigners on short-term working visas.

Last year more than a quarter of apprentice jockeys in NSW were young Asian riders shipped in under an arrangement with a Gold Coast-based training centre, according to the Australian Jockeys Association. [full story]

Conscience II - RU4 Aussie Jobs?
Thousands of young Australians wanting a trade could be left without a future, with Federal Parliament voting next month on a law to allow employers to source �temporary� apprentices from overseas.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow has called for a conscience vote on the proposal, which she says was �further evidence that the Government's temporary overseas worker program is out of control�. [full story]

Online Porkies Spark Class Action
An email to workers claiming they would be no worse off under an individual contract has become the battleground in a landmark $16 million class action against the University of Ballarat.

Individual workers are suing the University for $33,000 each on the basis that they were provided 'false and misleading information' about the Australian Workplace Agreement. [full story]

Captain Cook Discovers WorkChoices
Suspicion is growing that Captain Cook Cruises is endeavouring to be Australia's first employer to use John Howard's new work laws to cut workers rights.

The Maritime Union smelt a rat after the company made a bizarre bid to strike a three-month non-union agreement rather than negotiate with its workers. [full story]

Skippy's Escape Breaks Law
Qantas's threat to send up to 3000 maintenance jobs off shore may be in doubt due to laws allowing the Commonwealth's sale of the national carrier in 1992.

A decision is expected in the next few weeks on whether Qantas will send jobs to cheaper locations overseas including Indonesia as part of a shake-up of maintenance operations. [full story]

PM's Pay Day
Big business will be paying up to $10,000 per head to thank the Prime Minister for running its agenda to attack workers rights at a series of fundraisers to mark his 10th anniversary in power.

The corporate victory lap, designed to raise money for the Liberal, will travel; from Federal Parliament's Great Hall, to a swank Sydney hotel to the Toorak mansion of one of Australia's wealthiest families in the first week of March. [full story]

ALSO MAKING NEWS

 STOP PRESS - 262 Day Strike Set To Finish

 Strike Sticks it to Glue Boss

 Fair Pay Chief Wages War

 Millionaires Score Tax Break

 Memo Costa: Remember Your Roots

 Gate Crashing Gourmet

 Australia Mum On Basic Rights

 Filipinos Pay for Packed House

 Son of Wal-Mart Pinged $2M

 Trust Me, I�m a Unionist

 Activist's Whats On!

email workers to a friend latest breaking news from labornet
�The situation at Sika has highlighted the most basic point in the relationship between employers and employees � bosses need workers for production, and workers have the ability to withdraw labour,� NUW state secretary Derrick Belan.

E D I T O R I A L
If we off-shore our apprenticeships, undercut our lowest paid and outsource our national soul to the lowest global bidder are we building a stronger economy or letting the white ants loose?

Retrospective Abortion

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Hitler in Bowral
Political censorship has made its wasy to the sleepy Southern Highlands, wrties Rowan Cahill.

The Locker Room
No Laughing Matter
Phil Doyle tries to take Australian sportspeople seriously, and fails.

Parliament
The Westie Wing
Ian West is mistakenly sent an advance copy of John Winston Howard�s Little Blue Book of Australian History�


LETTERS to the Editor
 AWB Kickbacks to Iraq
 The Black GST

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