
Issue No 30		10 September 1999

News

Reith Letter to be Revealed in Conspiracy Case

A Federal Court judge has ordered the release of a letter from Workplace Relations minister Peter Reith to the Employment Advocate which unions believe will support its allegations of conspiracy between the two over Melbourne's Federation Square project.

Justice Shane Marshall this week gave Employment Advocate, Jonathon Hamburger, 21 days to provide him with a copy of the letter - rejecting arguments that it was confidential.

Marshall told the court that the allegations raised against Mr Hamburger were serious and "analogous to a proceeding in which a corruption claim is made against a senior police officer."

The CFMEU alleges that Reith and his agents threatened to withhold $50 million in federal funding for the project unless an agreement - negotiated by developed Multiplex and seven other unions - was not changed,

The union argues this amounts to a breach of the Workplace Relations Act, the trade Practices Act , as well as a conspiracy to injure the union by unlawful means.

CFMEU national John Sutton says the decision was a big boost for the union case. "We think we have him on toast," Sutton says.

"The letter must say something pretty useful to our case or they wouldn't be trying to do so much to keep it secret."

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  Issue 30 contents

Interview: The Seeds of Genocide
Brian Daluz, from the Council for the National Resistance of Timor, believes Timorese are being herded into concentration camps.

Unions: The Mice That Roared
Hotel housekeeper Belinda Nicholls stole the show at the Second Wave rally with her story of the triumph of a group of newly-unionised workers.

International: The Hand of God?
John Passant asks whether Turkeyï¿½s Earthquake was a natural disaster or a criminal act.

Republic: The Republic Debate: Should It Go Into Extra Time?
In the battle of political - sporting analogies, a skeptic states his case.

Legal: Call Waiting
The Federal Court has put a dampener on outsourcing within a corporate structure.

Satire: Ticketing Chaos!
Sydney Olympics to be held in Beijing

Review: The Thirteenth Floor
A new film challenges the boundaries between reality and ï¿½virtualï¿½ reality and explores some of the moral issues that these technologies will introduce.

Labour Review: What's New at the Information Centre
Read the latest issue of Labour Review, a resource for union officials and students.

» Ramos Horta Calls for Workersï¿½ Support

» Sydney Unionists Forced to Leave Dili

» TWU Questions Timor Action

» SOCOG Called to Cancel Indonesian Contracts

» Union Busters To Go Cyber

» Not-So Aussie Post for Sydney 2000

» Horror Tales - the Nights of the Living Dead

» Asbestos Sufferer Bequests $30,000 To Union

» Woodlawn Workers Edge Towards Justice

» Telstra Shareholders Asked to Block Union-Busters

» Reith Letter to be Revealed in Conspiracy Case

» Shock: Tele Thumbs Up For New Years Eve Holiday

» Tales From the Picket Line

» Guest Report

» Sport

» Trades Hall

» Piers Watch

» League's Working Class Takeover

» Proverb for the Cyber Age

» Postcard from the Emu

» Mind Your Language

» The Other Young Speaker

» Timor: A Call to Action

» A Letter to Downer

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