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Please Explain
It may become the defining irony of the Howard Era that a government that rode to power on the skirt of One Nation and hung there on the bridge of the Tampa is now opening our borders to hordes of low paid guest workers.
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.
 Local Jockey Odds Shorten
Conscience II - RU4 Aussie Jobs?
Online Porkies Spark Class Action
Captain Cook Discovers WorkChoices
Skippy's Escape Breaks Law
PM's Pay Day
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!
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…
AWB Kickbacks to Iraq
The Black GST
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News
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.
But the Qantas Sale Act imposes several conditions on the privatised airline, including rules about the location of facilities Qantas uses, such as maintenance and housing of aircraft.
The Act requires "the facilities located in Australia, when compared with those located in any other country, must represent the principal operational centre for Qantas".
Australian Licensed Engineers Association Industrial Manager Chris Ryan said he wouldn't be surprised if Qantas tried to subvert the act.
"It's a big hurdle for them," Ryan said.
The Qantas Sale Act was defended in 2002 when Federal Cabinet knocked back a proposal to allow foreign investors own more than a 49 per cent stake in the company.
The questions arise amidst media reports that Qantas was considering merging with one of the world's dodgiest airlines.
Garuda Indonesia, considered to have one of the world's poorest safety records, has faced trouble in recent times, struggling to pay off debts and deal with cheaper Asian carriers.
The owner, the Indonesian Government is keen to see an overseas operator take the reigns.
Qantas may see it as a potential base for cheap maintenance. Since 1970, Garuda has had nine accidents where at least one person was killed. The most deadly was a 1997 flight which left 12 crew members and 222 passengers dead.
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Issue 295 contents
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